Abstract: Disclosed is a rebar coupler. The rebar coupler includes a housing having first and second openings for receiving first and second rebars, respectively, and a partition disposed at a center; a mounting member inserted in each end of the housing and receiving rebars therein; a plurality of coupling members slidably disposed on the mounting member and being brought into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the inserted rebars to prevent the rebars from moving out from the rebar coupler; a resilient member configured to apply a restoring force to the coupling members so that the coupling members slid by the rebar inserted in the mounting member are returned to an original position; and a cover fastened to both ends of the housing to prevent the mounting member and the coupling members from moving out from the housing due to a tensile force of the rebar.

Abstract: Utility distribution and payment systems and methods are described in which a financial institution individually bills and collects from individual utility users and provides batch payment to the utility company. The financial institution facilitates the aggregate utility billing by agreeing with a utility company to serve as a billing service for a subset of utility and banking customers. The utility company provides the utility to the customers via smart meters located at the properties receiving the utility (e.g., the customer's home, business, or other property). The smart meters provides individualized usage information to both the utility company and the financial institution. At the end of a billing cycle, the financial institution sends one aggregate payment for all users of the subset to the utility company. The financial institution then collects funds from the utility customers associated with the batch payment by performing internal transfers within the financial institution.

Abstract: A method for estimating patient airway flow in a non-invasive ventilator system. The method includes the steps of (i) determining an estimated gas flow at the proximal end of the tubing; (ii) determining a proximal pressure error value by subtracting the measured pressure at the proximal end of the tubing from the estimated pressure at the proximal end of the tubing; (iii) compensating for the determined proximal pressure estimate error value; (iv) compensating for an error in the estimated gas flow at the proximal end of the tubing by feeding the estimate back into a sum of accumulated flows; (v) determining an estimated gas flow leak; (vi) monitoring for a leak in the non-invasive ventilator system; (vii) determining a gas flow leak factor; (viii) adjusting the estimated gas flow leak; and (ix) compensating for bias in the patient airway flow.

Abstract: A lesion tracking system (10) includes a data interface (12), a computation engine (18), and a visualization engine (26). The data interface (12) is configured to receive an identification (44) and measurements (56) of at least one target lesion (42), which includes at least one undetermined target lesion (52) according to a plurality of determined categories (54), and each undetermined target lesion (52) is quantified differently according to each of the plurality of determined categories (54). The computation engine (18) is configured to compute a range of quantified measurements according to each determined category for each undetermined target lesion (52), and to compute a quantified total range (70) for the at least one target lesion based on a quantified measurement (62) for each determined target lesion and the computed range for each of the at least one undetermined target lesion.

Abstract: Evaluating computers, devices, or endpoints on a network, such as a large network of computers in an enterprise environment. Detecting computers, devices, or endpoints that may present a security risk to the network or may be compromised in some way. Generating network traffic that, in some cases, should be ignored or should prompt specific, known responses. Detecting endpoint(s) that respond to such network traffic in an anomalous way, or otherwise attempt to perform certain operations based on such network traffic.

Abstract: System and methods for database active monitoring are disclosed. In one embodiment, in an information processing device comprising at least one computer processor, a method for database activity monitoring may include: (1) a database monitor monitoring data from a database system and a user session with the database system; (2) the database monitor comparing the monitored data to at least one threshold; (3) the database monitor executing an automated action in response to the monitored data breaching one of the thresholds; and (4) the database monitor initiating an alert based on the breached threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide mobile and analytic capabilities that may be utilized by retailers and mall operators are described. The systems and methods include mobile capabilities, such as the offering of a smartphone application to customers of the retailers and the malls. The mobile application provides the customers with an elevated shopping experience and includes a unique rewards program that drives repeat business and increases customer foot traffic to the mall and retailers. The mobile application also provides retailers and mall operators customer-specific analytics. The customer-specific analytics may be used to provide an improved shopping experience for the customers including, but not limited to, customer-specific advertisements, customer-specific greetings, location-based information, and the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasound data visualization apparatus for visualizing ultrasound data showing an object during an interventional procedure. A reference image (65) and a current image (68) of the object are simultaneously displayed, wherein the current image corresponds to a current time interval and the reference image corresponds to a reference time interval and wherein the current time interval and the reference time interval correspond to different phases of the interventional procedure. The current image can be shown therefore with, for instance, a relatively high temporal resolution for allowing a user to observe detailed object changes, which may be caused by the interventional procedure, while an overview over different phases of the interventional procedure can still be provided, because also the reference image is displayed and can be used by a user for comparing the current image with the reference image.

Abstract: A robotic device for transporting physical money including a receiving interface, a counter mechanism, a storage vault, and a control circuit. The receiving interface receives physical money. The counter mechanism is connected to the receiving interface and receives and counts the physical money inserted into the receiving interface. The storage vault stores the physical money counted by the counter mechanism and remains closed when the robotic device is at a first location. The control circuit determines an amount of physical money stored in the storage vault based on the counted physical money, controls a drive system of the robotic device to cause the robotic device to travel from the first location to a second location, and opens the storage vault when the robotic device reaches the second location.

Abstract: A first electronic computing device includes a processing unit and system memory. A first electronic database is installed on the first electronic computing device. The system memory includes instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the first electronic database to receive a request from a second electronic computing device to access information stored on the first electronic database. A web services catalog that is part of the first electronic database is used to determine an access authorization level for the request. When a determination is made that the access authorization level is valid for the request, a security check is performed on a syntax of the access request. When a determination is made that the syntax is valid, the requested information is obtained from one or more tables in the first electronic database and the requested information is sent to the second electronic computing device.

Abstract: A charge pump includes an intermediate node capacitively coupled to receive a first clock signal oscillating between a ground and positive supply voltage, the intermediate node generating a first signal oscillating between a first and second voltage. A level shifting circuit shifts the first signal in response to a second clock signal to generate a second signal oscillating between first and third voltages. A CMOS switching circuit includes a first transistor having a source coupled to an input, a second transistor having a source coupled to an output and a gate coupled to receive the second signal. A common drain of the CMOS switching circuit is capacitively coupled to receive the first clock signal. When positively pumping, the first voltage is twice the second voltage and the third voltage is ground. When negatively pumping, the first and third voltages are of opposite polarity and the second voltage is ground.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a sprayer nozzle support to a pump mechanism of a trigger sprayer assembly. The sprayer nozzle support generally comprises a tower portion and a first and second side protrusions. The tower portion is configured to convey stability to the pump mechanism when a screw cap of the trigger sprayer assembly is screwed onto a neck of a container. A top of the tower portion is configured to support the pump mechanism and a bottom of the tower portion is configured to contact the screw cap. The first and second side protrusions provide structures whereby the sprayer nozzle support may be removed from the trigger sprayer assembly. A curved proximal surface of the tower portion and the first and second side protrusions facilitates an unobstructed grasping of the trigger sprayer assembly in a hand.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media that allow a user to easily generate survey mission plans for one or more UAVs and to capture high quality survey images, including those in the near infra-red, and stitch them into an orthomosaic having reduced geometric distortion. The generation of such orthomosaics allows the systems and methods disclosed herein to be particularly useful in applications where separation from the background of high reflective near infrared surfaces is important, such as identifying plants on soil and generating vegetation indices for precision agriculture applications.

Abstract: A method for localizing gingival inflammation using an oral care device, comprising: (i) simultaneously emitting (520) light by a plurality of light sources (48) of the oral care device, wherein at least some of the plurality of light sources emit light of different wavelengths to result in a plurality of emitted light wavelengths, wherein each of the different wavelengths is modulated with a distinct code; (ii) obtaining (530), by a light detector (40) of the oral care device, reflectance measurements from a location within the user's mouth to generate reflectance data for the location; (iii) demodulating (540), by a controller (30) of the oral care device, the obtained reflectance data; and (iv) determining (560), by the controller using the demodulated reflectance data, whether gingiva at the location is inflamed.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus (200, 300, 400, 500) comprising: a container (210, 310, 410, 510) configured to receive a food stuff, a base unit (220, 320, 420, 520) comprising a mounting member and a plurality of outer supporting members (324, 424, 524), a weight sensing unit (230, 330, 430, 530) configured to measure a weight of the food stuff contained in the container, and a connection assembly (240, 340, 440, 540) arranged between the container and the base unit. The weight sensing unit comprises a plurality of strain gauge load sensors arranged at the mounting member of the base unit, and the connection assembly is configured to provide a flexible and insulating connection between the container and the base unit so as to counteract thermal strain interference at the weight sensing unit and to reduce heat transfer between the container and the weight sensing unit.

Abstract: A method and system for identifying a sensor node located closest to the origin of an audio signal. There can be at least three sensor nodes connected to a computational node, and each sensor node includes an audio directional sensor and a device for providing a reference direction. The sensor nodes can receive the audio signal and each audio directional sensor can provide an angle of propagation of the audio signal relative to the reference direction. The angular mean of the measured angles of propagation from all sensor nodes is calculated and the sensor node providing the angle which is closest to the angular mean is defined as the sensor node being closest to the origin of the audio signal.

Abstract: Provided are a protein L-derived immunoglobulin binding protein having an increased alkali tolerance, and an affinity support using the same. Disclosed are an immunoglobulin binding protein comprising at least one mutant of an immunoglobulin binding domain, and an affinity support comprising a solid-phase support having the immunoglobulin binding protein bound thereto. A mutant of the immunoglobulin binding domain consists of an amino acid sequence having an identity of at least 85% with the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO:9 and a predetermined mutation, and the mutant has immunoglobulin ? chain binding activity.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the production of oligonucleotides. The method of the invention uses a combination of amplification, restriction and affinity purification to produce high quality oligonucleotides. The invention further pertains to a nucleic acid precursor for use in the method of the invention, a solid support comprising said nucleic acid precursor and a kit for use in the method of the invention.

Abstract: A substrate holder, for a lithographic apparatus, having a main body, a plurality of support elements to support a substrate and a seal unit. The seal unit may include a first seal positioned outward of and surrounding the plurality of support elements. A position of a substrate contact region of an upper surface of the first seal may be arranged at a distance from the plurality of support elements sufficient enough such that during the loading/unloading of the substrate, a force applied to the first seal by the substrate is greater than a force applied to the plurality of support elements by the substrate. A profile of the contact region, in a cross section through the seal, may have a shape which is configured such that during the loading/unloading of the substrate, the substrate contacts the seal via at least two different points of the profile.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high fidelity multi-modal out-of-band biometric authentication are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for multi-mode biometric authentication may include (1) receiving, at a computer application executed by an electronic device, a first input from a first input device on the electronic device; (2) receiving, at the computer application, a second data from a second input device on the electronic device; (3) receiving, at the computer application, a third input from a third input device on the electronic device; and (4) communicating, by the computer application and to a server, the first input, the second input, and the third input. The first input, second input and third input may be received within a predetermined time period, such as five seconds.