Abstract: A criminal act detection system may include a device processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions executable by the device processor to perform the following steps: receiving data from a plurality of geographically distributed personal electronic devices; determining, based on the data received from the personal electronic devices, that conduct consistent with a criminal act has occurred; and sending information pertaining to the conduct consistent with a criminal act to one or more of the personal electronic devices.

Abstract: A casing exit joint with guiding profiles and methods for use are provided. In one embodiment, a casing exit joint comprises: a substantially tubular casing joint comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least a circumferential portion of the inner surface comprises a plurality of axial inner grooves. In certain embodiments, at least a circumferential portion of the outer surface may comprise a plurality of axial outer grooves. The casing exit joint may be disposed in a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation, and a cutting tool may cut a window through at least a portion of the casing exit joint. In certain embodiments, the axial inner grooves and/or outer grooves may reduce the amount of milling debris, prevent lateral displacement of the cutting tool, and/or eliminate the need to pre-orient the casing exit joint to achieve the desired exit window.

Abstract: A secure mobile financial transaction is provided by receiving, over a communication network, a list of protection mechanisms available for implementation by an external terminal. Security-related data is received from one or more sensors and an attack signature is computed based on the security-related data. An appropriate security policy is selected from multiple security policies stored in a database based on the list of protection mechanisms and the attack signature. A secure communication session is established between the external terminal and an internal network component according to the selected security policy. A data message associated with a mobile financial transaction is communicated over the communication network during the communication session.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a pre-treatment source generates pre-treated oilfield fluid from oilfield fluid, prior to injection into an inverting filter centrifuge system. The pre-treatment source increases an efficiency of separating solids from the injected oilfield fluid. An inverting filter centrifuge coupled to the pre-treatment source generates filtered oilfield fluid from the pre-treated oilfield fluid. Post-treatment may be applied to the filtered oilfield fluid. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for improved security at automated teller machines (ATMs) comprising: capturing, by a first camera at an ATM, one or more images of a bank card; reading card information from the bank card by processing the one or more images of the bank card, wherein the card information comprises an account number and an expiration date; receiving, from an input device at the ATM, a personal identification number (PIN) entered by a user; sending a request to a server device to verify the card information and the PIN; and in response receiving a response from the server device, allowing the user to transact with the ATM.

Abstract: Provided is a wearable device, including a base configured to be worn by a user, at least one data element at least partially positioned on or within the base and programmed or configured to have account data stored thereon, and at least one antenna including an open circuit, the at least one antenna at least partially positioned on or within the base and configured to transmit at least a portion of the account data and receive at least a portion of transaction data from at least one target device when the open circuit of the antenna is closed and becomes powered by at least one power source. Other expressions are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring a customer experience across a plurality of business channels in an organization has been provided. The system is configured to provide insight into customer experience across business channels from data generated via social media. The social media data of the customer pertaining to the organization is acquired and cleansed to obtain the unstructured data. Using linguistic and behavioral analysis of unstructured social data, the system enables an organization to understand customer experience by a plurality of channel to market, including the relationship of the channels on customer experience. Finally, it was concluded that whether the customer expectations are matched, missed or exceeded with the organization.

Abstract: Disclosed are computer implemented systems and methods for in situ inspection of a roof of a policy holder's dwelling. The inspection system establishes a baseline condition at a first point in time for the roof by scanning using one or more sensors to collect baseline condition data. The roof is scanned at a point in time subsequent to the first point in time to establish a present condition using the one or more sensors to collect present condition data. The baseline condition data and the present condition data are transmitted to a computing device which compares the baseline condition data with the present condition data to determine anomalies indicative of roof damage or deterioration and/or to determine repair needs for the roof.

Abstract: A system for generating and delivering custom data sets in a big data environment may receive a preselected schema that identifies a plurality of columns from a plurality of data sources for inclusion in an output data file. The system reads data from the data sources to generate a data file containing a big data table. The system monitors the plurality of data sources to detect that the data sources have been ingested into a data storage system. The data file is read and a column is filtered from the data file to generate the output data file in response to the preselected schema excluding the column. The output data file is transferred to a client device.

Abstract: System and method is provided for scheduling of a set of non-preemptive tasks by partitioning, the set of non-preemptive tasks either as a set of schedulable tasks or as a set of non-schedulable tasks; sorting, by a scheduling technique, the set of non-preemptive tasks partitioned; determining, by the scheduling technique, a possibility of execution of each of the set of schedulable tasks; and scheduling the set of schedulable tasks and the set of non-schedulable tasks upon determining the possibility of execution of each of the set of schedulable tasks.

Abstract: An attention marker can be transmitted to a radio receiver using an out-of-band transmission. One or more watermarks can be inserted in an over-the-air broadcast. A radio can include a tuner for receiving the over-the-air broadcast; an out-of-band receiver to receive substitute media content and the attention marker; memory to store the substitute media content; a user interface to play out media content to a user; and processing circuitry implementing multiple modules such as a marker detection module, a watermark detection module, and a local playout control module. The marker detection module can detect the out-of-band attention marker, and in response to detection of the attention marker trigger or schedule activation/deactivation of the watermark detection module. If the watermark detection module detects a watermark, the substitute content stored in the memory can be played out in place of the broadcast content.

Abstract: A rotary tool for machining a material in a downhole environment. The rotary tool includes a drive train and a lead screw connected to and rotatable by the drive train The tool also includes a linear block engaged with but not rotatable by the lead screw so as to convert the rotation of the lead screw into linear motion The tool also includes a machining tool rotatable by the lead screw and movable linearly by the linear block to machine the material. Also, the machining tool machines the material in a series of steps.

Abstract: Methods, compositions, and systems for cementing are included. The method comprises providing an extended-life calcium aluminophosphate cement composition comprising calcium aluminate cement, a polyphosphate, water, and a cement set retarder. The method further comprises mixing the extended-life calcium aluminophosphate cement composition with a cement set activator to activate the extended-life calcium aluminophosphate cement composition, introducing the activated extended-life calcium aluminophosphate cement composition into a subterranean formation, and allowing the activated extended-life calcium aluminophosphate cement composition to set in the subterranean formation.

Abstract: A process for authenticating a communication device may include receiving an authentication request including an access credential having a timestamp generated by the communication device may be received by the server. A determination can be made as to whether the communication device had successfully executed a predetermined shutdown sequence by determining whether the access credential has reliable timestamp information. The communication device can be authenticated when the timestamp has a non-reset value indicating that the communication device had successfully executed the predetermined shutdown sequence, and that the access credential has not expired. Step-up authentication for the communication device can be requested when the access credential has unreliable timestamp information indicating that the communication device did not successfully execute the predetermined shutdown sequence.

Abstract: A mobile payment system is described that facilitates efficient and secured payment transactions from an electronic wallet on a user portable electronic device with a merchant point of sale terminal over a communication link. In one aspect, a mobile device is configured for transaction operations from a plurality of mobile transaction accounts in an electronic wallet. The mobile device includes a plurality of transaction modules operable to process transaction operations with a respective mobile transaction account, each transaction module configured for transaction operations to be completed after an authentication process using a central authentication module coupled to the plurality of transaction modules, operable to verify a user input passcode and to respond to authentication requests from the plurality of transaction module after the user input passcode is verified.

Abstract: A system and method to control wellbore pressure during perforating. The system comprises a carrier, a sensor, a pressure-altering device, and a processor in communication with the sensor. The sensor is configured to detect a stress wave propagating through the carrier before the arrival of a related pressure wave in the wellbore and generate a signal indicative of the detected stress wave. The pressure-altering device is actuatable to change the pressure in the wellbore. The processor is operable to analyze the signal from the sensor and control the pressure-altering device based on the detected stress wave to change the magnitude of the related pressure wave in the wellbore.

Abstract: Mobile nodes communicating in direct mode (DM) may be compelled, due to their mobility pattern, to switch to infrastructure mode (IM) via conventional uplink/downlink through base station (eNB) to maintain best possible link-quality. When mobile nodes move away from each other, Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) may degrade over D2D link, side link (SL), and eNB is forced to re-schedule nodes to IM, incurring additional delay and potential loss of packets in transit. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that uses information such as flow size, transport layer type, bandwidth and RTT to determine whether request initiated by a mobile node for communication with another mobile node is of a particular transfer flow type and based on the request type (i) DM is enabled for communication or (ii) DM mode is disabled and initiates, within the mobile node, request to activate IM mode for communication.

Abstract: A transaction card is provided for communicating data relating to a transaction. The transaction card includes a solar layer, a transaction card layer, and a power transfer layer. The solar layer includes at least one solar panel capable of converting light into electricity, the transaction card layer supports the solar layer and includes a magnetic strip, and the power transfer layer includes circuitry capable of receiving electricity from the solar layer.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a pack for tobacco articles comprises an inner sleeve, and an outer box comprising front and back covers that allow access to the inner sleeve when the outer box is opened. The inner sleeve can include a front connecting panel pivotally connecting a front wall of the inner sleeve to an inner surface of the front cover and a back connecting panel pivotally connecting a back wall of the inner sleeve to an inner surface of the back cover. A slot in the outer box is configured to allow opening of the outer box by applying pressure against a bottom wall of the inner sleeve.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to a method and system for muting of classified information from an audio using a fuzzy approach. The method comprises converting the received audio signal into text using a speech recognition engine to identify a plurality of classified words from the text to obtain a first set of parameters. Further, a plurality of subwords associated with each classified word are identified to obtain a second set of parameters associated with each subword of corresponding classified word. A relative score is computed for each subword associated with the classified word based on a plurality of similar pairs for the corresponding classified word. A fuzzy muting function is generated using the first set of parameters, the second set of parameters and the relative score associated with each subword. The plurality of subwords associated with each classified word is muted in accordance with the generated fuzzy muting function.