Abstract: Disclosed is a downhole well filter (800) and method of use in a tubing string with a power head (704) for creating reverse flow. The filter assembly includes an inner pipe (820) into which fluid flow is directed. The inner pipe is positioned within a cylindrical screen member (830). The well fluid flows through the screen member and debris from the fluid is deposited in the annulus (832) between the inner pipe and screen member. The screen member has a cap (860) at its upper end to prevent fluid from escaping from the upper end of the screen member. The cap may have a pop off valve (870) so fluid can escape from the screen member when the screen becomes clogged with debris or pressure builds within the screen member.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the cement compositions comprise: (i) hydraulic cement, wherein the hydraulic cement has a ratio of CaO to SiO2 in the range of 2.0 to 4.0; and (ii) a water-soluble metaphosphate in a concentration of at least 2.5% bwoc. In another embodiment, the cement compositions comprise: (i) hydraulic cement, wherein the hydraulic cement has a ratio of CaO to SiO2 of less than 2.0; and (ii) a water-soluble metaphosphate; wherein any alkali nitrate is in a concentration of less than 2% bwoc; and wherein any alkali hydroxide, alkali carbonate, or alkali citrate is in a concentration of less than 0.2% bwoc. Methods of cementing in a well comprising forming either of such cement compositions and introducing it into the well are provided.

Abstract: An oxygen scavenger for completion brines effective and stable in high temperature subterranean formations. In one embodiment, the scavenger contains erythorbate and alkylhydroxlyamine.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for an LED with roughened lateral surfaces comprises following steps: providing an LED wafer with an electrically conductive layer disposed thereon; providing a photoresist layer on the electrically conductive layer; roughening a lateral surface of the electrically conductive layer by wet etching; forming a depression in the LED wafer by dry etching and roughening a sidewall of the LED wafer defining the depression; and disposing two pads respectively in the depression and the conducting layer. The disclosure also provides an LED with roughened lateral surfaces. A roughness of the roughened lateral surfaces is measurable in micrometers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for performing a payment transaction. A method for performing a payment transaction may include receiving purchase information from a merchant and associating the purchase information with an identifier. The method may also include transmitting the identifier to the merchant and receiving the identifier from a wireless device of a customer. The wireless device may obtain the identifier by receiving a code from a merchant device and by interpreting the code. The method may additionally include associating the identifier with the purchasing information, determining a payment account associated with the customer, transmitting a request to a payment service provider system to provide funds for the payment transaction, and receiving an authorization from the payment service provider system to provide the funds. The method may additionally include transmitting a confirmation of the authorization to the merchant.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for testing a cemented bonding with the formation under wellbore pressure conditions. The apparatus comprises a pressure chamber containing a core of formation material. The cement material to be tested is allowed to set or bond to one side of the core while formation fluids under wellbore pressure conditions are present on the other side. Leakage of formation fluids is measured to evaluate the quality of the interface between the cement and formation materials.

Abstract: An extendable handled tool may include: a shaft; a hollow shaft extension encompassing the shaft and configured to move axially on the shaft so that the shaft moves in and out of the hollow space in the shaft extension; a locking collar attached to the shaft extension, the locking collar configured to rotate on the shaft; a tooth connected to the locking collar such that the tooth rotates with the locking collar; and a locking ring mounted on the shaft, the locking ring configured to fit with the tooth to rotate between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locked position prevents the shaft extension from moving axially with respect to the shaft and the unlocked position permits the shaft extension to move axially with respect to the shaft. A method of exting a handle on a tool may also be provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for discrete signal synchronization based on a known bit pattern are described. In one aspect of the present subject matter, a discrete signal synchronization system is configured to synchronize a preprocessed discrete signal with a modified discrete signal. The system comprises a processor and a synchronization module coupled to the processor. The synchronization module comprises an extraction module and comparison module. The extraction module determines a bit pattern from the modified discrete signal using Discrete Wavelet Transformation (DWT) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). The comparison module compares the determined bit pattern with a known bit pattern of the preprocessed discrete signal and records a time point at which the determined bit pattern matches with the known bit pattern of the preprocessed discrete signal as a synchronization point.

Abstract: A computer implemented method to exchange virtual goods in a virtual environment includes receiving funds at a trading platform from a buyer. The buyer is provided with a first secret that the buyer can decrypt and a second secret that the buyer cannot decrypt. The buyer is authenticated to a seller using the first secret. A virtual item is delivered from the seller to the buyer in response to authenticating. The buyer delivers to the seller the second secret for decryption by the seller. The seller is authenticated at the trading platform with the second secret. The seller is supplied with the funds.

Abstract: A method of servicing a wellbore that includes, transporting a fluid treatment system to a wellsite, accessing a water source proximate to the wellsite, introducing a water stream from the water source into the fluid treatment system, irradiating at least a portion of the water stream within the fluid treatment system, forming a wellbore servicing fluid from the irradiated water stream, and placing the wellbore servicing fluid into the wellbore. The portion of the water stream is irradiating by exposing the portion of water stream to ultraviolet light emitted from at least one pulsed ultraviolet lamp.

Abstract: A message body carried by an Internet Protocol (IP) packet is identified; the message body is searched for features of an email message; and a result of the search is used to determine if the IP packet is associated with email. The features of an email message include multiple words usually associated with email messages.

Abstract: A method of forming a plug in a wellbore includes disposing a work string in a wellbore. The work string includes a first tool comprising a port providing fluid communication between an interior space of the first tool to an exterior space to permit placement of a plug in a wellbore. The method includes introducing a first fluid volume via the work string to form a plug in the wellbore, and includes load testing the plug at least in part by applying an axial force on the plug with the work string to determine that the plug is set.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a media service provider system 1) providing an end user of an integrated media service with access to a media program by way of a plurality of different media distribution models, 2) maintaining a catalog that includes comprehensive information about the media program, the comprehensive information being an aggregate of non-redundant information about the media program obtained from a plurality of independent source catalogs corresponding to the plurality of different media distribution models, and 3) providing, based on the comprehensive information included in the catalog, a media service user interface that supports discovery of the comprehensive information about the media program regardless of a user interface context from which a user request for information about the media program is received. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

Abstract: Provided herein are new methods, primers, and kits for genotyping HIV-1, including group M viral strains. The methods can be used for HIV-1 drug resistance surveillance and monitoring, for example in resource-poor countries. The disclosed methods can detected more mixed HIV-1 population than previous methods. Given the high efficiency in genotyping diverse HIV-1 group M viral strains from plasma and dried blood spot (DBS) samples and substantial reagent cost saving, the disclosed methods can be used for HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping in both antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive and -experienced populations for surveillance purposes and patient monitoring.

Abstract: A method for ultrasonically inspecting components with wavy or uneven surfaces. A multi-element array ultrasonic transducer is operated with a substantial fluid layer, such as water, between the array transducer and the component surface. This fluid layer may be maintained by immersing the component in liquid or by using a captive couplant column between the probe and the component surface. The component is scanned, measuring the two dimensional surface profile using either a mechanical stylus, laser, or ultrasonic technique. Once an accurate surface profile of the component's surface has been obtained, data processing parameters are calculated for processing the ultrasonic signals reflected from the interior of the component that eliminate beam distortion effects and reflector mis-location that would otherwise occur due to the uneven surfaces.

Abstract: A banking system is controlled responsive to data read from data bearing records. The banking system includes an automated banking machine. The machine is operable to carry out a financial transaction for a person responsive to a determination that the person is an authorized user of the machine based on correspondence between identifying data read by a reader of the machine and data store information. The machine includes a check acceptor that is operative to receive checks from authorized machine users. The check acceptor is operable to continuously move a received check along its transport path while simultaneously rotationally orienting the check into alignment with the transport path. A check determined not to have at least one property of an acceptable check is returned to the machine user. Acceptable checks are processed and stored in the machine.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for an LED includes providing a substrate having a buffer layer and a first N-type epitaxial layer, forming a blocking layer on the first N-type epitaxial layer, and etching the blocking layer to form patterned grooves penetrating the blocking layer to the first N-type epitaxial layer. A second N-type epitaxial layer is then formed on the blocking layer to contact the first N-type epitaxial layer; a light emitting layer, a P-type epitaxial layer and a conductive layer are thereafter disposed on the second N-type epitaxial layer; an N-type electrode is formed to electrically connect with the first N-type epitaxial layer, and a P-type electrode is formed on the conductive layer. The N-type electrode is disposed on the blocking layer and separated from the second N-type epitaxial layer and has a portion extending into the patterned grooves to contact the first N-type epitaxial layer.

Abstract: In a method for determining a shot position of a light gun on a display screen, a current image is captured by an image capturing device of the light gun. The method detects a screen area in the current image, calculates coordinates of an aimed point of the light gun on the display screen when the screen area has been detected, and transmits the coordinates of the aimed point of the light gun to a host computer so that a shot result of the light gun is displayed on the display screen by the host computer according to the coordinates of the aimed point of the light gun on the display screen.

Abstract: An oxygen scavenger for completion brines effective and stable in high temperature subterranean formations. In one embodiment, the scavenger contains erythorbate and alkylhydroxlyamine.

Abstract: A catalog builder is disclosed. This invention relates to data management systems, and more particularly to catalog creation mechanisms in data management systems. Present day data management systems employ catalog builder tools. However, the catalog builders cannot be configured as per the requirements of the users. Further, there are no mechanism to configure custom catalogs and associated metadata. The disclosed catalog builder may be employed to configure an online central repository on the fly and build a catalog. The catalog builder is equipped with a central repository. Further, catalog builder is also provided with advanced search features and analytical capabilities in order to search for the data specified by the user and fetch the data from the central repository. The catalog builder is also provided with clustering and segmentation capabilities in order to slice and dice the data.