Abstract: A system and method for using the system that permits a severely-ability challenged user to communicate with his or her environment using a brain-controlled interface. In one embodiment, the user's functional capability with the system is assessed to enhance candidate optimization for system benefit.

Abstract: A hydraulic fracturing system has a pump driven by an electrically powered motor. The pump pressurizes fluid which is piped into a wellbore to fracture a subterranean formation. The pump and motor are mounted on a trailer that is hitched to a tractor. A platform assembly is mounted onto the trailer, and which is selectively moveable between deployed and stowed configurations. The platform assembly includes a platform, a lateral rail assembly mounted to the platform, and gates on the forward and aft ends of the platform. The rail assembly and gates define a safety barrier to prevent operations personnel from falling off the platform. In the stowed configuration the platform assembly is anchored in place over wheels on the trailer. In the deployed configuration, the platform assembly provides work surface so that operations personnel can readily access the pump on the trailer.

Abstract: According to examples, inventory, growth, and risk prediction using image processing may include receiving a plurality of images captured by a vehicle during movement of the vehicle along a vehicle path. The images may include a plurality of objects. The images may be pre-processed for feature extraction. A plurality of features of the objects may be extracted from the pre-processed images by using a combination of computer vision techniques. A parameter related to the objects may be determined from the extracted features. A spatial density model may be generated, based on the determined parameter and the extracted features, to provide a visual indication of density of distribution of the objects related to a portion of the images, and/or to provide an alert corresponding to the objects related to the portion of the images.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for treating a coronavirus infection. For example, treatment may be effected by administering a neurotransmitter inhibitor, a signaling kinase inhibitor, an estrogen receptor inhibitor, a DNA metabolism inhibitor or an anti-parasitic agent. Also provided are methods for treating a coronavirus infection in which an anti-viral drug also is administered during any of the described methods.

Abstract: An e-vapor device may include a pre-vapor sector and a heater structure arranged in thermal contact with the pre-vapor sector. The pre-vapor sector is configured to hold and dispense a pre-vapor formulation. The heater structure includes a base wire and a shell layer coating the base wire. The base wire is insulated from the shell layer. The shell layer includes at least one recessed portion between a first unrecessed portion and a second unrecessed portion. The at least one recessed portion is a thinner section of the shell layer that is configured to vaporize the pre-vapor formulation to generate a vapor. As a result of the heater design, the heater structure is stiffer and more robust than other related heaters in the art, thus allowing more options for its implementation.

Abstract: A locking nut for installation on a cylinder, including a nut body defining a nut engagement surface and a directional coupling mechanism associated with the nut body, for locking the nut body with the cylinder in response to relative rotation between the nut body and the cylinder in a locking direction. The directional coupling mechanism may include a plurality of recesses, a plurality of rolling members contained within the recesses, and a retaining device for retaining the rolling members in the recesses. A method of installing the locking nut on the cylinder, including engaging the nut engagement surface with a cylinder engagement surface, inserting the rolling members in the recesses, threadably connecting the nut body with the cylinder in order to install the locking nut on the cylinder, and connecting the retaining device with the nut body in order to retain the rolling members within the recesses.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for managing transaction card accounts involves enabling a transaction card account by a card issuer for use with pre-defined categories of providers of goods/services and goods/services sold and issuing a transaction card and establishing an associated pre-qualified category card account. Upon receiving data for a transaction with the transaction card at a transaction terminal by a processing platform of the card issuer via a card association processing network, the category of the provider and goods/services is interrogated to determine whether or not the transaction can be posted on the pre-qualified category card account of the cardholder, and the transaction is approved and posted to the pre-qualified category card account if the transaction falls within the pre-qualified category of the cardholder.

Abstract: In an example diagnostic fracture injection test (DFIT), or a “minifrac,” a fracturing fluid is pumped at a relatively constant rate and high pressure to achieve a fracture pressure of a subterranean formation. Sometime after achieving formation fracture pressure, the pump is shut off and the well is shut in, such that the pressure within the sealed portion of the well equilibrates with the pressure of the subterranean formation. As the pressure declines, the pressure of the injection fluid is monitored. This collected pressure data is then used to determine information regarding the permeability of the subterranean formation. In some implementations, a model for before closure analysis (BCA) can be used to estimate the permeability of a formation based on before closure pressure data (i.e., data collected before the fracture closure pressure is reached) based on a solution to the rigorous flow equation of fracturing fluid, which is leaking off into the formation during fracture closure.

Abstract: A method of servicing a wellbore extending from a surface and penetrating a subterranean formation is provided. The method comprises placing an assembly in the wellbore, wherein the assembly comprises at least a first downhole tool, a signal receiver subassembly, and a conveyance between the first downhole tool and the surface. The method further comprises the signal receiver subassembly receiving a first signal generated by contact between the wellbore and the assembly and initiating a first function of the first downhole tool based on the first signal.

Abstract: A directional drilling system for use in drilling a wellbore can include a bit deflection assembly with a bit axis deflection mechanism which applies a deflecting force to a shaft connected to a drill bit. The deflecting force may deflect the shaft, without being reacted between the deflection mechanism and the drill bit. The deflecting force may deflect the shaft between the drill bit and a radial bearing which maintains the shaft centered in the bit deflection assembly. The deflection mechanism may both angularly deflect and laterally displace the bit axis in the deflection mechanism.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler, a data warehouse to store transaction data recording transactions processed at the transaction handler and to store account data identifying an account of a user, and a portal to receive a user selection of a first portion of an advertisement announcing a reward. The portal is to track user interactions associated with the advertisement to determine whether the user is qualified for the reward. Upon a determination that the user has completed the user interactions for the reward, the transaction handler is to provide the reward to the account of the user via statement credit.

Abstract: A grenade round 10 comprises a projectile 12, a case 14 and a high-low propellant propulsion system 16. The system 16 includes a propellant chamber assembly 30 for holding a propelling charge 32. The assembly 30 comprises a chamber body insert 38 which defines an internal cavity and a base plate insert 42 which closes off the internal cavity. The insert 38 is screwed into the case, while the insert 42 is screwed into the insert 38. The insert 42 defines a circumferential flange 60 which extends beyond and abuts a rim formation of the insert 38. The inserts define a high strength housing for the propelling charge which is able to withstand the high pressures resulting from combustion of the propelling charge. The flange provides a relatively large area for dissipation of energy resulting from combustion of the propelling charge, into the interface between the base plate insert and the case.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for determining a dynamic effective elastic modulus of a composite slickline or wireline cable are provided. A system for estimating the effective elastic modulus (or change thereof) may include a sensing head assembly, a vibration generator, a pair of pulleys, and an optical-based signal processing assembly. The system may detect a resonant frequency of a section of the composite cable held between the two pulleys and estimate the effective elastic modulus based on the detected resonant frequency variation. Adjustments for weight and length of the cable extending into the wellbore may be made as well to determine the dynamic elastic modulus of the cable. The opto-mechanical integrated system described below may enable real-time elastic modulus determination.

Abstract: A scaffold system for supporting workers includes a plurality of end frames including a pair of uprights joined by an overhead cross bar for supporting planks thereon. The end frames are stacked top-to-bottom to form end frame columns and are laterally secured together to form an exterior framework. The scaffold system also includes interior posts coupled vertically end-to-end so as to form interior columns, with pairs of interior columns being secured to each end frame column between the vertical uprights of the end frames. Side rails are mounted to the interior posts extending between the pairs of interior posts. Planks are supported on the overhead cross bars, extending between adjacent end frames, and are bounded at their ends by the pairs of interior posts to form a work space and/or walkway for workers of a reduced size or area.

Abstract: A liner assembly (100) includes a drill string (120) to drill a borehole (105) in a formation (110). The liner assembly further includes a liner assembly releasably coupled to the drill string to move with the drill string in the borehole while the drill string drills, and to be released from the drill string in the borehole after the drill string drills to a depth.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a server-based speech recognition system for multimodal automated interaction in a vehicle includes receiving, by a vehicle driver, audio prompts by an on-board human-to-machine interface and a response with speech to complete tasks such as creating and sending text messages, web browsing, navigation, etc. This service-oriented architecture is utilized to call upon specialized speech recognizers in an adaptive fashion. The human-to-machine interface enables completion of a text input task while driving a vehicle in a way that minimizes the frequency of the driver's visual and mechanical interactions with the interface, thereby eliminating unsafe distractions during driving conditions. After the initial prompting, the typing task is followed by a computerized verbalization of the text. Subsequent interface steps can be visual in nature, or involve only sound.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a transport session discovery protocol that enables load balancing devices of an Anycast reliant distributed platform to route legacy control messages to destinations within the distributed platform that manage the sessions or connections implicated by the legacy control messages, even when the implicated sessions or connections cannot be directly identified from the control message headers. The modified load balancing operation as a result of the transport session discovery protocol involves identifying a message header mapping to an unrecognized session or connection, extracting session or connection identifying information and an error or condition from the message body, generating a new messaging construct to encapsulate the extracted information, and multicasting the messaging construct to other load balancing devices operating within a common point-of-presence.

Abstract: An indoor positioning system and method of localizing a person/object in an indoor environment by identifying the orientation and direction of a person/object to provide a true location of the person/object without navigation errors. The system comprises magnets disposed on a doorway to create a unique magnetic field; a wireless communication unit comprising a magnetometer sensor to sense perturbations in each of the unique magnetic fields in the event that the person/object with the wireless communication unit passes through the doorway, and generate corresponding signals; a processor receiving the signals and extracting data from the same; and a backend server wirelessly communicating with the wireless communication unit, the backend server processing the data sample received from the wireless communication unit to identify the opening and the wireless communication unit to localize the person/object.

Abstract: Various embodiments of systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for providing real-time resources to participants in an audio conference session. One embodiment is a method for providing real-time resources to participants in an audio conference session via a communication network. One such method comprises: a conferencing system establishing an audio conference session between a plurality of computing devices via a communication network, each computing device generating a corresponding audio stream comprising a speech signal; and in real-time during the audio conference session, a server: receiving and processing the audio streams to determine the speech signals; extracting words from the speech signals; analyzing the extracted words to determine a relevant keyword being discussed in the audio conference session; identifying a resource related to the relevant keyword; and providing the resource to one or more of the computing devices.