Abstract: There is disclosed a method of encoding an input signal, the method comprising producing a base encoded signal by feeding an encoder with a down-sampled version of an input signal. The method further comprising producing a first quantised residual signal by: decoding the base encoded signal to produce a base decoded signal; and using a difference between the base decoded signal and the down-sampled version of the input signal to produce a first residual signal; quantising the first residual signal to produce the first quantised residual signal.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for generating a haptic effect at a target point of a solid by using at least two piezoelectric actuators capable of emitting, at a given instant t, a wave under the effect of ultrasonic frequency control signals capable of creating vibrations at the surface of the solid in such a way as to create an ultrasonic lubrication effect (“squeeze film” effect) at the target point. The respective control signal of each actuator is calculated depending on the distance between the respective actuator and the target point to be actuated, such that the surface deformations obtained at the target point under consideration combine to create a haptic effect there greater than that obtained when using a single actuator.

Abstract: The product distribution from an oxidative dehydrogenation process can be altered by co-feeding different ratios of ethanol to steam, in the range of 0.01 to 0.50 ethanol:steam to an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor. Increasing the ethanol to steam ratio was found to: increase ethylene yield; decrease acetic acid yield; increase, or decrease, or cause no effect on CO or CO2 yield; and have negligible effect on ethane conversion. The feed ethanol is converted to carbonaceous products without negatively effecting the catalyst activity.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a process of converting one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes that includes providing a first stream containing one or more alkanes and oxygen to an oxidative dehydrogenation process which converts at least a portion of the one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes in an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor, a second stream exiting the oxidative dehydrogenation process comprising one or more alkanes, and one or more alkenes; and providing at least a portion of the alkanes in the second stream to a catalytic membrane dehydrogenation process containing a catalyst loaded into a catalytic dehydrogenation membrane reactor which converts at least a portion of the alkanes to the corresponding alkenes and hydrogen.

Abstract: A headlight for an automobile is provided, the headlight including a projection lens, two reflectors, and two light sources. The first light source is directed towards the first reflector, and the second reflector reflects light from the first reflector towards the projection lens. The headlight further comprises a primary lens located between the second light source and the projection lens. The second light source comprises at least two independently operable sets of sub-sources for creating, together with the primary lens, a high-beam illumination with both the first light source and second light source turned on, and for creating a low-beam illumination comprising a cut-off line for limiting dazzling of oncoming drivers with the first light source turned on and only one of the sets of sub-sources of the second light source turned on.

Abstract: An anti-coking surface having a thickness up to 15 microns comprising from 15 to 50 wt. % of MnCr2O4 (for example manganochromite); from 15 to 25 wt. % of Cr0.23Mn0.08Ni0.69 (for example chromium manganese nickel); from 10 to 30 wt. % of Cr1.3Fe0.7O3 (for example chromium iron oxide); from 12 to 20 wt. % of Cr2O3 (for example eskolaite); from 4 to 20 wt. % of CuFe5O8 (for example copper iron oxide); and less than 5 wt. % of one or more compounds chosen from FeO(OH), CrO(OH), CrMn, Si and SiO2 (either as silicon oxide or quartz) and less than 0.5 wt. % of aluminum in any form provided that the sum of the components is 100 wt. % is provided on steel.

Abstract: Large volumes of recycled polyethylenes are available for reuse. It would be desirable to prepare films from recycled polyethylene, however, the technical demands for many types of films can make this very difficult. Provided herein are films, for example, stretch films; shrink films; films for vacuum packages and films for dunnage packaging, that may be prepared from a blend of recycled polyethylene with “virgin” polyethylene.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in X-ray based measurements on patterned structures. The method comprises: processing data indicative of measured signals corresponding to detected radiation response of a patterned structure to incident X-ray radiation, and subtracting from said data an effective measured signals substantially free of background noise, said effective measured signals being formed of radiation components of reflected diffraction orders such that model based interpretation of the effective measured signals enables determination of one or more parameters of the patterned structure, wherein said processing comprises: analyzing the measured signals and extracting therefrom a background signal corresponding to the background noise; and applying a filtering procedure to the measured signals to subtract therefrom signal corresponding to the background signal, resulting in the effective measured signal.

Abstract: A polyethylene composition having a high flow index and a bimodal composition provides an outstanding combination of environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) and ductility in rotomolded articles. The composition is easy to process/mold.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a primary network mapper for mapping primary network assets in a primary network. The mapper includes a memory storing first reference network asset location data, a first reference transceiver for attachment to a first reference network, a primary transceiver for attachment to the primary network, a location processor for determining the mapper's location, a network metric processor for processing received network data to derive distance data, and a primary network asset location processor for determining the location of primary network assets by processing the mapper location data, reference network asset location data, and distance data. The mapper enables accurate mapping of primary network assets using data from multiple networks.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for managing electrical energy generated by a renewable microgrid. One or more processors of a system may store priorities for one or more consumer loads; forecast an amount of available electrical energy for a time period; allocate a first electrical energy amount to a first consumer load to a first energy limit for the time period; determine more electrical energy is forecast to be available from the RES or the ESS for the time period; identify a second consumer load of the one or more consumer loads; allocate a second electrical energy amount to the second consumer load for the time period; and direct electrical energy from the RES or the ESS to the first and second consumer loads according to the allocations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a touch interface comprising, on the one hand, an interfacial surface able to generate a haptic-feedback effect in response to a touch of said surface by a user, and, on the other hand, at least one piezoelectric actuator configured to generate, in said interfacial surface, at least one wave of ultrasonic frequency able to endow the particles of this surface with an elliptical movement having a movement component tangential to said surface, which component is denoted ut(t), and a movement component normal to said surface, which component is denoted un(t), wherein said wave of ultrasonic frequency is chosen so that the amplitude Ut of the tangential component ut(t) and the amplitude Un of the normal component un(t) are substantially equal.

Abstract: A system for encoding a sequence of frames of a data signal. The system comprises: a first encoding system comprising at least: a first encoder configured to encode the sequence of frames according to a first encoding algorithm; and a first rate control unit configured to control a first bit rate at which the first encoder encodes said sequence of frames; a second encoding system comprising at least: a second encoder configured to encode a second sequence of frames associated with the sequence of frames according to a second encoding algorithm; and a second rate control unit configured to control a second bit rate at which the second encoder encodes said second sequence of frames associated with the sequence of frames.

Abstract: There is provided a method of decoding a received set of encoded data, the method comprising: receiving an encoded dataset; identifying from the dataset an ordered set of node symbols and data symbols, wherein a node symbol comprises a predetermined number of elements wherein each element indicates if a subsequent node symbol or data symbol is to be expected in the dataset and a data symbol is a predetermined number of bits which represent an encoded value; constructing, based on said ordered set, an ordered tree having a predetermined number of layers from the identified node symbols and data symbols.

Abstract: Examples described herein relate to decoding and encoding signals. A method of performing signal decoding operations on one or more portions of a signal is presented. The performing is based at least in part on information embedded in one or more values received in one or more encoded data layers transmitted within a stream of encoded data, wherein said values are associated with transformed coefficients intended to be processed by a decoder for deriving elements of the signal, and wherein said information comprises an indication of watermarking information associated with the signal.

Abstract: An encoder (300) configured to receive an input video (302) comprising respective frames, each frame being divided into a plurality of tiles and each tile being divided into a plurality of blocks. The encoder is configured to generate a base encoded stream (310) using a base encoder (306), determine (334) a temporal mode for one or more further encoded enhancement streams (328) generated using an enhancement encoder and generate the one or more further encoded enhancement streams (328) according to the determined temporal mode. The temporal mode is either a first temporal mode that does not apply non-zero values from a temporal buffer or a second temporal mode that does apply non-zero values from the temporal buffer (332). Generating the one or more further encoded enhancement streams comprises applying a transform (348) to each of a series of blocks. The temporal mode is determined for one or more of a frame, tile or block.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide improved patterned X-ray emitting targets as well as X-ray sources that include patterned X-ray emitting targets as well as X-ray reflectance scatterometry (XRS) systems and also including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) systems and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) systems which employ such X-ray emitting targets.

Abstract: Examples described herein relate to decoding and encoding signals. A method of performing signal enhancement operations on one or more portions of a signal is described, wherein the performing is based at least in part on information embedded in one or more values received in one or more encoded data layers transmitted within a stream of encoded data, and wherein said values are associated with transformed coefficients intended to be processed by a decoder for deriving elements of the signal, wherein the information indicates an impairment associated with a portion of the signal.

Abstract: A computer-based method is provided for conducting games of chance. The method includes first defining a target overall house advantage for a game of chance having multiple instances of randomized gameplay. The method then defines a first potential game results set for generating randomized results defining a house advantage greater than the target overall house advantage and a second potential game results set for generating randomized results defining a house advantage less than the target overall house advantage. The method then determines a position of a user in the context of the game of chance and defines one of the potential game results sets as active based on the position of the user. Upon receiving instructions from the user to initiate an instance of the random gameplay, the method returns a result of the instance of the randomized gameplay based on the active potential game results set.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Heliopsis plant named ‘VAR006’ that is characterized by its short plant height, its production of many shoots, and its floriferous blooming habit.