Abstract: A dual-factor PIN based authentication system and method uses a cryptogram provided by a contactless card associated with the client in association with a PIN stored by the contactless card to authenticate the client. In some embodiments, cryptogram authentication may be preconditioned upon a PIN match determination by the contactless card. In other embodiments, the cryptogram may be formed at least in part using the personal identification number (PIN) stored on the contactless card encoded using a dynamic key stored by the contactless card and uniquely associated with the client. Authentication may be achieved by comparing the cryptogram formed using the PIN against an expected cryptogram generated an expected PIN and an expected dynamic key.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for inspecting an elongated tube-like object. The apparatus comprises a body (1, 2) for moving along the elongated tube-like object by clamping the object; and a sensor frame (15, 15b, 15c) supporting one or more sensors (20) for measuring a state indication property. One or more one or more body-to-sensor-frame connections (39, 40, 43, 72b, 72c) connect the sensor frame (15, 15b, 15c) to the body (1, 2), wherein the one or more body-to-sensor-frame connections (39, 40, 43, 72b, 72c) are arranged to allow an adjustable relative position between the sensor frame and the body, while the sensor frame can position itself with respect to the tube.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for manufacturing a transaction card. The disclosed apparatuses and methods may be used to form a transaction card frame configured to house a data storage component. The card frame may be formed of a resin mixture comprising a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The card frame may also have a Shore D hardness in the range of 20-80.

Abstract: A first device may receive a request to establish a replication session between a second device and a third device, where the replication session is associated with replicating user interactions with a user interface of an application across a first instance and a second instance of the application. The first device may receive, after receiving the request, information identifying a set of interactions by a user of the second device with a first user interface provided for display by the first instance. The first device may determine, from the information, a set of instructions related to causing an indication for the set of interactions to be provided for display on a second user interface provided for display for the second instance based on the information being received from the second device. The first device may provide, after determining the set of instructions, the set of instructions to the third device.

Abstract: A device may initiate an automated script to perform one or more interactions with a browser application and identify a first element in a page rendered by the browser application that satisfies one or more accessibility criteria, wherein the first element may include text that is readable by a screen reader application and/or an attribute that causes the first element to be navigable using a keyboard. The device may modify the first element to be inaccessible to the screen reader application and the keyboard and insert, into the page, a second element including text that is readable by the screen reader application to describe the one or more interactions that the automated script is performing. The client device may restore the page to an original state based on determining that the automated script has finished executing.

Abstract: An example logging tool may include at least one transmitter antenna and at least one receiver antenna. A first high-impedance metamaterial may be disposed between the transmitter antenna and the receiver antenna. The first high-impedance metamaterial may include a periodic arrangement of patches, each of the patches being electrically coupled to a ground plane using a via.

Abstract: A directional drilling system includes a rotary steerable tool. The rotary steerable tool includes an extendable member configured to extend outwardly from the rotary steerable tool upon actuation, and a geolocation electronics device configured to track a position of the rotary steerable tool and the extendable member and control actuation of the extendable member. The geolocation electronics device and extendable member are configured to rotate with the rotary steerable tool.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for managing parking monitoring and enforcement. In one aspect, an in ground sensor provides a first vehicle detection technique and a video camera employing machine vision provides a second vehicle detection technique. A vehicle detection technique for a smart parking meter utilizes both of the first and second detection techniques to make a highly accurate determination of a vehicle entering a parking space and a vehicle exiting a parking space. The second detection technique can be used to perform a double check on the first technique, or vice versa.

Abstract: Techniques are described for facilitating and/or optimizing a transaction, such as a purchase transaction, through the use of scanned data. In some implementations, a user may use a portable computing device to scan a vehicle tag (e.g., vehicle identification number) that is affixed to a vehicle and determine vehicle information. The user may also scan a user tag such as a driver's license to determine user data that identifies the user. The vehicle data and/or user data may be communicated to transaction service(s), which generate transaction data that may be specific to the particular user that provided the vehicle data and/or user data. The transaction data may include information regarding a price of the vehicle, terms of a loan that the user may take out to finance the purchase of the vehicle, information regarding an insurance policy for insuring the vehicle, and so forth.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed that leverage multi-factor authentication features of a service provider and intelligent call routing to increase security and efficiency at a customer call center. Pre-authentication of customer support requests reduces the potential for misappropriation of sensitive customer data during call handling. A contactless card uniquely associated with a client may provide a second factor of authentication to reduce the potential for malicious third-party impersonation of the client. Pre-authorized customer support calls are intelligently and efficiently routed in a manner that reduces the opportunity for malicious call interference and information theft.

Abstract: A cutter for a drill bit and method of manufacturing same is disclosed. The cutter has a non-leached polycrystalline diamond (PCD) table bonded to a substrate and a leached PCD table bonded to one or both of the substrate and non-leached PCD table. The leached PCD table may be ring-shaped and acts as the working surface of the cutting element. It may have a jagged inner surface which cooperates with complementary jagged-shaped outer surface of the non-leached PCD table to prevent rotation of the leached PCD table relative to the non-leached PCD table during a cutting operation. A surface of the leached PCD table may be tapered and fit together in a complementary manner with an oppositely tapered surface of the non-leached PCD table so as to mechanically lock the leached PCD table to the non-leached PCD table.

Abstract: Frangible components like shear pins, rupture disks, retainer rings, and shear rings of downhole tools (e.g., frac plugs, sliding sleeves, darts, packers, expansion joints, valves, and tool-conveyance coupling apparatuses) may be composed of a degradable material that degrades in a wellbore environment at a desired time during the performance of a subterranean formation operation. For example, a tool string may include a conveyance or top adapter sub threadably coupled to a first end of a stinger; a wellbore tool coupled to the stinger via a coupling at a second end opposing the first end of the stinger, wherein the coupling comprises a frangible, degradable shear pin and a frangible, degradable shear ring, wherein the frangible, degradable shear pin and the frangible, degradable shear ring independently comprise a degradable metal alloy selected from the group consisting of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, and any combination thereof.

Abstract: An optical wireless rotary joint can include a first optical device and a second optical device. The first optical device can be coupled to a rotatable component for rotating with the rotatable component. The second optical device can be physically separated from the first optical device. The second optical device can be coupled to a stationary component for communicating data with the first optical device using an optical signal. The first optical device or the second optical device can include an optical transmitter for transmitting the optical signal based on the data. The other of the first optical device or the second optical device can include an optical receiver for generating a new signal in response to detecting the optical signal transmitted by the optical transmitter.

Abstract: This disclosure includes methods for designing a simplified Integrated Computational Element (ICE) and for optimizing a selection of a combination of ICE designs. A method for fabricating a simplified ICE having one or more film layers includes predicting an optimal thickness of each of the one or more film layers of the simplified ICE using a neural network. A method for recalibrating the fabricated ICE elements for system implementation is also disclosed. The disclosure also includes the simplified ICE designed by and the ICE combination selected by the disclosed methods. The disclosure also includes an information handling system with machine-readable instructions to perform the methods disclosed herein.

Abstract: Embodiments of a reusable stackable shipping box are provided herein. The reusable stackable shipping box may be reused and cleaned without causing harm to the integrity of the box. In addition, the box is slightly tapered in shape such that the box may be stacked upon and within other boxes for ease in shipping and organization.

Abstract: An example downhole tool for determining ranging parameters involves placing a guard electrode between a survey electrode and a return electrode where the survey electrode and the return electrode are separated by a gap subs. A fixed, predictable, and stable path for the survey current is formed that is independent of the conductivity of the mud or conductive targets resulting in a formation current that may be used to estimate the direction, orientation or distance of a conductive target. The formation current is then a stable current that excites a conductive target in the same way regardless of the conductivity of the mud so as to obtain a mud-independent reference signal in single-well ranging.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enhancing workflow performance in the oil and gas industry may include modeling preferred sensor locations, sensor types, and sampling frequency for effective and efficient monitoring of a mud circulation system. For example, a method may include circulating a mud through a mud circulation system that includes a plurality of sensors that include at least one of: a pressure sensor, a stroke counter, a flow sensor, a viscosity sensor, or density sensor; and modeling the plurality of sensors using a state reduction approach to determine at least one selected from the group consisting of preferred locations, preferred sensory types, preferred sensor frequency resolution, and a combination thereof that effectively represent or substantially impact conditions of the mud circulation system, thereby providing a preferred sensor scheme.

Abstract: An example apparatus for controlling the direction of drilling a borehole includes a housing and a radially offsetable drive shaft at least partially within the housing. The apparatus may further include one or more pusher extendable from the housing. The one or more pusher may be extendable in response to a radial offset in the offsetable drive shaft with respect to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium are provided for generating and maintaining a catalogue of belongings for a user. The method includes the steps of receiving image data from a user, the image data containing images of one or more items of belonging; identifying one or more items from the image data, determining information regarding the identified one or more items, and adding at least one of the identified one or more items and information regarding the at least one of the identified one or more items to a catalogue of belonging for the user.

Abstract: A process of bonding different constituent materials of different tensile strengths in a single step in an isostatic high pressure reactor in order to produce a composite material.