Abstract: Cap assemblies with magnetic closure retention mechanisms and drink containers including the same. A cap assembly includes a base, a drink spout defining a passage, a closure configured to be selectively transitioned between a closed configuration and a stowed configuration via an open configuration, and a magnetic closure retention mechanism to magnetically retain the closure in the stowed configuration. When the closure is in the closed configuration, the closure is operatively coupled to the drink spout and obstructs the flow of liquid therethrough. When the closure is in the open configuration or the stowed configuration, the drink spout is uncovered and unobstructed by the closure. When the closure is in the stowed configuration, the closure is magnetically retained against the base or a handle of the cap assembly.

Abstract: A composite article is comprised of coal dust, as defined herein, and a polymer derived ceramic material that is pyrolyzed in a substantially non-oxidizing atmosphere. For example, the composite article may be made of a mixture of the coal dust and polymer derived ceramic, from particles formed of a mixture of coal dust and polymer derived ceramic or from complex particle composites comprising a plurality of particles formed of a mixture of coal dust and polymer derived ceramic.

Abstract: The invention is directed to special effect device that is used to produce a simulated flame that has the shape and, if desired, the color characteristics of the flame produced by a jet afterburner. In one embodiment, the device includes a steam system for providing a stream of steam, a steam accelerator for applying a high-speed and highly linear stream of air to steam provided by the steam system to produce at steam cloud with a highly linear shape similar to the shape of the flame produced by a jet afterburner, and a lighting system to project desired colors onto the linear steam cloud.

Abstract: A data storage system, and a method of operation thereof, includes: an interface module for creating a login credential for storing on a removable storage device; a backup module, coupled to the interface module, for transferring data for an automatic backup of the removable storage device to a remote backup system based on the login credential and a status of the removable storage device; and a close module, coupled to the backup module, for disconnecting an application from a cloud backup service for closing a connection between a computing device and the remote backup system with the data from the automatic backup.

Abstract: Methods are provided herein for identifying rare and/or unknown DNA sequences by next-generation sequencing approaches. Isolated double-stranded (ds), single-stranded (ss), or ds/ss DNA is fragmented and the fragments are polished, phosphorylated, and tailed, as necessary. Fragmentation can be enzymatic or mechanical. A universal adapter sequence is ligated to each fragment, wherein the adapter can have a top strand without a 5? phosphate, a 3? with an —H in place of the —OH, and/or a 3? extra base complementary to any base added to the polished fragments. The ligatamers may then serve as templates for amplification using a forward primer complementary to the adapter sequence and a reverse primer targeted to the fragment sequence. Compositions produced by these methods and kits adapted for performing these methods are also described herein.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing product packages comprises operating first and second feedback control loops where product package weight is averaged and used to determine one of two possible adjustments to change the product fill rate and the volume of the product. The feedback loops operate in one of a plurality of index levels. The first feedback loop seeks to improve performance by making adjustments to the fill rate and volume of the product, while incrementally moving to more stable index levels requiring tighter tolerances and package weight averages based on more product packages. The second feedback loop seeks to preserve stability by making its own adjustments to the fill rate and volume of the product if large product package weight fluctuations are sensed. The second feedback loop can move operation to less stable index levels having wider tolerances and package weight averages based on fewer product packages.

Abstract: Techniques for endpoint configuration for a communication session are described. According to various implementations, a cloud-based connectivity service maintains network path information that identifies routing paths for routing communication sessions across different networks. The connectivity service is also able to determine configuration information for configuring endpoint devices to participate in a communication session. According to various implementations, configuration information is determined based on a packet quality of a routing path. Thus, an endpoint device can apply the configuration information to attempt to increase packet quality across a routing path, and thus increase media quality for a communication session at the endpoint device.

Abstract: A method includes capturing a digital content segment, generating a first identifier, and associating the first identifier with a digital image in the memory of an electronic device. The method also includes generating a second identifier and associating the second identifier with a digital content segment in the memory. The method further includes transferring at least one of the digital image and the digital content segment to a server computer via a network, wherein the first identifier is transferred in association with the digital image and the second identifier is transferred in association with the digital content segment. The method also includes generating an electronic file providing a sequential clip listing associated with rendering a digital media message. The electronic file includes the first and second identifiers, a first indicator identifying a first frame of the digital media message, and a second indicator identifying a second frame of the digital media message.

Abstract: One example method includes receiving, at a blockchain node of an auditing cloud service, information associated with one or more data management transactions, registering, at the blockchain node, the information received concerning the data management transactions, receiving, by the cloud auditing service, a request for access to the information registered at the blockchain node, and, enabling, by the cloud auditing service, access to the requested information.

Abstract: Techniques for generating and transmitting actions prompts based on attribute affinity between users of a social networking service are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method comprises: determining a first set of attributes of a first profile of a first user; determining a second set of attributes of a second profile of a second user; selecting action prompts based on corresponding criteria of the action prompts being satisfied by the first set of attributes and the second set of attributes; generating a first ranking of the action prompts for a first presentation channel based on a first ranking model; generating a second ranking of the action prompts for a second presentation channel based on a second ranking model; selecting at least one of the action prompts based on the first ranking; and displaying the selected action prompt(s) on a computing device of the first user via the first presentation channel.

Abstract: A proppant container facilitates the transportation of wet sand for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation. A metering conveyor is positioned between a blender tub and a proppant motive mechanism, such as a conveyor or wash system that receives discharge direct from proppant containers of the type normally used to transport sand in support of a hydraulic fracturing operation. The metering conveyor is fitted with sensors and/or a knife-edge gate that may be used to facilitate flow control operations.

Abstract: A method and system for changing content of a window of an application program is provided. A contextual window system displays a window with content based on a current context of the window. The contextual window system receives from a user a context string for a new context for the window. When the context string includes a command, the contextual window system performs a function of the application program that implements the command to change from the current context of the window to the new context of the window. When the context string does not specify a command, the contextual window system submits the context string as a query for data of the application program to change from the current context of the window to the new context of the window. The contextual window system then modifies the content of the window to reflect the new context of the window.

Abstract: A dynamic panel system for user interaction through visual displays, touchscreens, and selectable buttons is provided. The dynamic panel system may be part of an interactive system that include push buttons having an image conduit to transmit images from an image generation or display element to a visible area of the button. The push button assemblies may contain liquid ingresses configured to direct liquids away from vulnerable components and into a liquid retention cavity, or may be configured such that liquid is returned to a top panel surface of the dynamic panel system. The push button assemblies may further be configured such that liquid is prevented from entering into the assembly at all. The components may be provided in a modular configuration, allowing for easy assembly, replacement, repair, and cleaning.

Abstract: Example virtual-reality head-mounted devices having reduced numbers of cameras, and methods of operating the same are disclosed herein. A disclosed example method includes providing a virtual-reality (VR) head-mounted display (V-HMD) having an imaging sensor, the imaging sensor including color-sensing pixels, and infrared (IR) sensing pixels amongst the color-sensing pixels; capturing, using the imaging sensor, an image having a color portion and an IR portion; forming an IR image from at least some of the IR portion from the image; performing a first tracking based on the IR image; forming a color image by replacing the at least some of the removed IR portion with color data determined from the color portion of the image and the location of the removed IR-sensing pixels in the image; and performing a second tracking based on the color image.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system and method of climate control for a fuel cell vehicle are provided herein. The system and method include a vacuum enclosure having an adsorber and an evaporator/condenser assembly. A conduit and valve system operates the air-conditioning system in two modes of operation to provide uninterrupted cooling to a passenger cabin, among other things. In one mode of operation, the adsorber is regenerated using waste heat from a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A connector is provided that is configured to mate with a second connector and a third connector includes a housing, terminals equipped in the housing that are configured to connect to third terminals provided in the third connector, and coupling terminals that can at least connect to a second terminal provided in the second connector. The terminals include an electric wire connecting part that is configured to connect to electric wires included in a cable connected to the housing and a contact part that is configured to make contact with the third terminals. The electric wire connecting part and contact part positions are offset with regard to a direction orthogonal to a mating direction.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a cylinder of an engine including a pre-chamber ignition system. In one example, a method may include determining amounts of pre-chamber gases in the cylinder prior to combustion, and adjusting an amount of fuel injected into the cylinder based on the amounts of pre-chamber gases in the cylinder. In this way, cylinder fueling may be compensated for additional air and/or fuel from the pre-chamber gases, which may increase an accuracy of the cylinder fueling and increase cylinder efficiency.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are described for receiving a request for a head pose prediction for an augmented reality experience, identifying at least one positional indicator and at least one rotational indicator associated with the augmented reality experience, and providing the at least one positional indicator and the at least one rotational indicator to a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) comprising a plurality of cells. The RNN may include a plurality of recurrent steps that each include at least one of the plurality of cells and at least one fully connected (FC) layer. The RNN may be used to generate at least one pose prediction corresponding to head pose changes for the augmented reality experience for at least one upcoming time period, provide the at least one pose prediction and trigger display of augmented reality content based on the at least one pose prediction.

Abstract: At least partially capped nanocrystals and nanocomposites containing the nanocrystals are described herein along with products, uses and methods of making.

Abstract: A control system includes a shell including an enclosed area, one or more carts moving on a track within the enclosed area, an air supplier within the enclosed area, one or more vents connected to the air supplier and configured to output air within the enclosed area, and a controller. The controller is configured to: identify a plant on the one or more carts; determine a humidity recipe for the identified plant; control the air output from the one or more vents based on the humidity recipe for the identified plant; receive an image of the plant the in one or more carts captured by the imaging sensor; and update the humidity recipe for the plant based on the captured image of the plant.