Abstract: A pull-type mower having a frame and a header movably attached to the frame, the header including; a cutting mechanism; a conditioning mechanism; a lift mechanism comprising one or more hydraulic actuators, the lift mechanism configured to lift the frame relative to a ground surface below the mower; a tilt mechanism comprising one or more hydraulic actuators, the tilt mechanism configured to rotate the header about an axis transverse to a fore-aft axis of the header; and a spring mechanism arranged in parallel to the one or more tilt hydraulic actuators, the spring mechanism configured to apply a biasing force that tilts the header forward when the one or more tilt hydraulic cylinders are depressurized.

Abstract: Systems for expedited aging include exposing wood pieces to an alcohol-containing fluid with any one or more of pressure, vacuum and music. Swelling characteristics of the wood pieces may be measured. One or more fluid properties may be measured during the process to determine endpoints. Some process endpoints may be based upon any one or more of taste and aroma attributes, via a flavor profile or aroma profile, respectively. Diminishing change in the fluid property over time may indicate an endpoint to the process; or by comparison to the properties of an external reference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for communicating between platforms, comprising the steps of initializing a first platform and a second platform; optically tracking a movement of the second platform by the first platform; and optically communicating bi-directionally between the first platform and the second platform. Disclosed herein is an optical communication device comprising various elements including but not limited to: a processor configured to provide at least a tracking mode and a communications mode; an input-output interface coupled to the processor; an electro-optic controller coupled to the input-output interface; an acquisition-tracking portion coupled to the electro-optic controller; and a communication portion coupled to the electro-optic controller.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention comprises a system and method for control of a transaction state system utilizing a distributed ledger. First, the system and method includes an application plane layer adapted to receive instructions regarding operation of the transaction state system. Preferably, the application plane layer is coupled to the application plane layer interface. Second, a control plane layer is provided, the control plane layer including an adaptive control unit, such as a cognitive computing unit, artificial intelligence unit or machine-learning unit. Third, a data plane layer includes an input interface to receive data input from one or more data sources and to provide output coupled to a decentralized distributed ledger, the data plane layer is coupled to the control plane layer. Optionally, the system and method serve to implement a smart contract on a decentralized distributed ledger.

Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for UDP file serialization. In examples, a file received at a first device in a OWT system is separated into multiple data chunks. Each of the data chunks is further separated into multiple data segments. Metadata associated with the file is inserted into each of the data chunks and each of the data segments. Data packets that comprise the data segments and compose the data chunks are transmitted to a second device in the OWT system. The second device uses the metadata in the data chunks and the data segments to reconstruct the file. In some examples, data loss mitigation strategies are implemented to mitigate data packet loss and data packet corruption during processing and transmission.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) device having a transmitter for transmitting a series of optical pulses, a processor for controlling the duration and frequency of the transmitted optical pulses, an optical coupler for directing the transmitted optical pulses to a device under test coupled to the OTDR and receiving light reflected back from the device under test, a detector for converting light reflected back from the device under test to an electrical signal, a display for displaying a plot of the electrical signal, and a gating function device for removing at least one saturation event from the light reflected back from the device under test. The operation of the gating function device is controlled by a gating signal provided by the processor to the gating function device. The gating signal is based on at least one characteristic of the saturation event.

Abstract: In examples, a saliency metric may be determined for an instance of content and/or a location of a digital environment. Accordingly, a set of candidate content and/or locations may be ranked according to associated saliency metrics, such that content and/or an associated location with which to adapt the digital environment for a given user may be determined from a set of candidates. For example, the digital environment may be adapted to present a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional asset to a user. As another example, a game mechanic of the digital environment may be altered. In examples, content from another digital environment may be identified and used to adapt the digital environment, thereby incorporating external content. Thus, a saliency metric associated with a location or an instance of content may be used to programmatically generate a relative or absolute metric with which to evaluate and adapt aspects of the digital environment.

Abstract: A portable device for removing gaseous pollutants from the surrounding air includes: a portable enclosure having a boundary that encloses an interior region with an opening that provides for access to the interior region, a fan situated in the interior region, a screening element that has a defined porosity and is configured to adjustably and temporarily enclose a confined space and also cover the opening, a plurality of activated carbon granules of a specified size that are situated in the confined space, wherein the screening element porosity is selected so as to generally prevent the activated carbon granules from passing through the screening element, and wherein the screening element's adjustability enables temporary access to the confined space in order to remove and replenish the activated carbon granules.

Abstract: Autonomous vehicles utilize perception and understanding of vehicles to predict behaviors of the vehicles, and to plan a trajectory. Understanding of attributes of vehicles may be improved through sensor fusion. Sensor fusion can be computationally expensive and may be difficult to implement in a real-time vehicle understanding system. To limit computational complexity while benefiting from machine learning across modalities, sensor fusion may be selectively implemented for a subset of task groups of a multi-task machine learning model. In some cases, part-based understanding may be implemented before fusion to limit the features being fused together to part features that are most salient for the task group. In addition, sensor data and features that may be fused together can be limited to sensor data and features within a desired field of view. A model that implements sensor fusion may be disabled for objects that are beyond a threshold distance.

Abstract: In a method of video encoding, whether a picture of a sequence of pictures is a flash picture that is associated with a scene change between (i) a first scene of the picture of the sequence of pictures and (ii) a second scene of a prior picture and a subsequent picture of the picture in the sequence of pictures, the scene change being determined based on a content change between the first scene and the second scene being larger than a threshold is determined. An encoding process is performed on the picture in the sequence of pictures based on whether the picture is determined as the flash picture. A configuration of a coding tool in the encoding process is adjusted when the picture is determined as the flash picture.

Abstract: One or more messages may be sent to a user who is to receive an item delivered by an AV. A message may include information of an attribute of the item that triggers the generation of the one or more messages. The attribute may indicate an extent of ease of the user carrying the item from a predetermined location, e.g., the drop-off location for the delivery. The attribute may be size, weight, temperature requirement, packaging, shape, etc. The item may be classified into a category requiring communication based on the attribute of the item and information of the user. A message may include a recommendation for using a tool or seeking help for carrying the item. A message may include an option to modify a setting (e.g., drop-off location) of the delivery. The classification of the item or generation of a message may be done by a machine learning model.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a container includes injecting a first material into a first mold to form a top portion of a preform. The first material and a second material are injected into the first mold to form a bottom portion of the preform. The preform is disposed in a second mold. The preform is blow molded into a finished container.

Abstract: Methods and systems of enabling location-based transactions of virtual goods are disclosed. At least one location attribute is derived from a digital representation of a real-world scene captured at least in part by a mobile device. The location attribute is used as a basis to identify at least one virtual game good offered by at least one merchant. A reconciliation matrix related to the at least one virtual game good and the at least one merchant is identified, wherein the reconciliation matrix comprises a provisioned template from the at least one merchant. A transaction with respect to the at least one virtual game good between at least one merchant account of the at least one merchant is enabled according to the reconciliation matrix based on a merchant identifier and at least one user account associated with the mobile device.

Abstract: Injectable aprepitant emulsion formulations having enhanced stability and devoid of precipitate for extended periods of time are disclosed. Methods of preparing the same and use of the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method include receiving target image data associated with a target coating. A texture feature extraction analysis process is applied to the target image data to determine a target texture image feature. A machine learning model identifies one or more texture features for matching to a target coating.

Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding and decoding video for machine consumption (video coding for machines) are provided in which an autoencoder is employed. The autoencoder has an encoder portion, a bottleneck portion, and a decoder portion. The autoencoder being distributed between a VCM encoder and VCM decoder such that the VCM encoder includes the encoder portion and bottleneck portion and the VCM decoder includes the bottleneck portion and the decoder portion.

Abstract: Autonomous vehicles utilize perception and understanding of road users and road objects to predict behaviors of the road users and road objects, and to plan a trajectory for the vehicle. Understanding subtypes and attributes of vulnerable road users may help autonomous vehicles better predict behaviors of and react to vulnerable road users. To offer additional understanding capabilities, an additional understanding model is added to the perception and understanding pipeline to improve classification of vulnerable road users and extraction of attributes of the vulnerable road users. The exemplary architectures of the understanding model balance recall and precision performance metrics and computational complexity.

Abstract: Timekeeping on a computing device is deterministically performed by implementing two successive calls to a time function that returns current time based on a continuously running counter that is maintained in one or more cores of the device's CPU. The same fixed time computation parameters are used in each call, with the single variable being a value that is read from the counter. For the initial call to the time function, the processor optimizes the instruction execution by predicting the function's execution path based on observed patterns. As the instructions and data are already cached, and the processor has the results of the prior execution path prediction, the subsequent call executes quickly and predictably relative to the initial call while the processor remains in a working (i.e., non-sleep) state. The series of calls provides a deterministic time computation with improved accuracy by mitigating the unpredictability of processor sleep state delays.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating content for a user based on a context includes conducting a search of data associated with the user to generate search results associated with the user, applying first models to the first search results to infer characteristics and patterns associated with the user and to generate a first set of content based on the inferred characteristics and patterns, and generating a first pseudo-document that includes a first set of pattern content, based on the first set of content generated by the one or more first models. Additionally, second models are applied to data associated with the context to infer characteristics and patterns associated with the context and to generate a second set of content based on the inferred characteristics and patterns of the context. A second pseudo-document is generated based on the second set of content.

Abstract: A device including a platform and a drill connected to the platform. The device also includes a power source for powering the drill. The device also includes a cable connected to a cable reel and to the drill. The device also includes a stinger having a first end connected to the platform and a second end opposite the first end. The stinger includes a beam extending outwardly from the platform. The second end of the stinger connects to the cable. The stinger is configured to guide a position of the cable, relative to the platform, as the cable moves relative to the platform and relative to the stinger.