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: 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: Certain aspects and features are directed to an electric subsurface safety valve including an integrated communications system that can be disposed in a wellbore. The electric subsurface safety valve can include a body adapted to be coupled to a cable, a communications system disposed in the body, and a closure mechanism. The body can be disposed within the wellbore. The communications system can include one or more transceiving devices and a processing device. The transceiving devices can communicate signals via the cable to a rig at the surface and can wirelessly communicate signals to target tool in the well system. The processing device can process signals received by the one or more transceiving devices for communication via the cable. The closure mechanism can be positioned in a passageway defined by the wellbore and can control a flow of fluid to through the passageway.

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: Permanent electromagnetic (EM) monitoring of the regions around and between wells may employ a casing string positioned within a borehole through the subsurface formations of interest. At least two passivated electrodes are mounted on the casing string to sense electric fields in the formation. Though only capacitively coupled to the formation, the passivated electrodes nevertheless provide a potential difference to an electro-optical transducer, which in turn modifies a property of the light passing along an optical fiber attached to the casing string. An interface unit senses the modified property to derive a measure of the electric field between each pair of passivated electrodes. The passivated electrodes have a contact surface that is conductive but for one or more layers of non-reactive (and thus electrically insulating) materials. Illustrative materials include metal oxides, polymers and ceramics, but the layers are preferably kept very thin to maximize the coupling capacitance with the formation.

Abstract: A source element for generating seismic waves includes a housing; a partitioning element placed inside the housing and configured to split the housing in a closed chamber and an opened chamber; and a valve in fluid communication with the closed chamber and configured to supply high-pressure air to the closed chamber to make the partitioning element oscillates. An oscillation of the partitioning element generates low-frequency seismic waves.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing noise in a seismic vibratory source is disclosed. The method includes generating an initial pilot signal for the seismic vibratory source, receiving a source signature based on the initial pilot signal, estimating a noise component of the source signature based on the source signature and the initial pilot signal, generating an anti-noise correction for the initial pilot signal based on the noise component of the source signature, and computing a modified pilot signal based on the initial pilot signal and the anti-noise correction.

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: Biometric authentication technology, in which biometric data is maintained for a group of people. The biometric data includes sorted similarity scores, where each of the sorted similarity scores is computed to represent similarity between a corresponding biometric image and a reference image. A biometric verification system accesses a biometric image of at least a portion of a person, accesses the reference image, and computes a similarity score that represents similarity between the accessed biometric image and the reference image. The biometric verification system searches the sorted similarity scores included in the biometric data using the computed similarity score and outputs a result based on the searching.

Abstract: A contaminant management system includes a scouting unit configured to map a perimeter including a portion of a land area where to apply a waste stream, and to transmit the perimeter to a control center configured to access data indicative of a contaminant profile of a contaminant in the portion of the land area in the perimeter, and data of a maximum allowable amount of the contaminant, and to generate a contaminant capacity profile for the portion of the land area in the perimeter. An applicator unit includes a movable container, a variable flowrate valve and a controller configured to receive the contaminant capacity profile and data indicative of a concentration of the contaminant in a volume of fluids loaded in the applicator unit, and to cause the variable flowrate valve to open, close, or maintain its position based on the location of the applicator unit relative to the perimeter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of extracting oil from a reservoir. The method comprises the following steps: drilling of a first well; mounting and cementing of well pipes in the first well; mounting of a Blow Out Preventer or Lubricator in the top of the well. At a distance from this well, a second well is drilled against a section of the first well such that the second well gets into operational contact with the first well. Hereafter well pipes are mounted and cemented in the second well; a Blow Out Preventer or Lubricator is mounted in the top of the second well; where after the drilling from the first or the second well is continued down into the reservoir.

Abstract: A smart card transaction allows a consumer to load value onto a smart card and to make purchases using a smart card with a mobile telephone handset over the telecommunications network. For loading, the system includes: a mobile telephone handset including a card reader; a gateway computer; a funds issuer computer; and an authentication computer. The mobile telephone handset receives a request from a user to load a value onto the smart card. The handset generates a funds request message which includes the value and sends the funds request message to a funds issuer computer. The funds issuer computer debits an account associated with the user. Next, the handset generates a load request message with a cryptographic signature and sends the load request message to an authentication computer which authenticates the smart card. The handset receives a response message which includes a cryptographic signature and an approval to load.

Abstract: Techniques are described for generating high quality entropy in a software only or a hardware assisted software environment, such as a virtualized environment. Embodiments of the invention describe creating an entropy pool within the virtualized environment using multiple sources of entropy. The entropy pool may be used in creating dynamically customizable and high entropy RNG and PUF. The sources of entropy may include trusted sources, untrusted sources and entropy sources with a varied scale of trust and entropy quality associated with them.

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: A content modification system includes a treatment controller which may be hosted at a web server. The treatment controller receives a request for content from a user. One example of a request is an HTTP request for a web page. The treatment controller determines a representation of the requested content and receives a modification instruction for modifying the requested content. The treatment controller is operable to modify the representation according to the instructions and render the representation to a predetermined format for delivery to the user.

Abstract: A bottom hole assembly avoids damaging vibrations that can develop during directional drilling with a rotary steerable system. The assembly has a drill bit, a first collar that rotates with the bit, a rotary steerable tool that controls the bit's trajectory, and a second collar that rotates with the drill string. The first collar between the bit and the tool defines a bend that deflects the bit from the first collar's axis. During operation, this bend causes portion of the assembly to engage the borehole wall to inhibit counterclockwise (CCW) bit whirl by promoting clockwise whirl in the assembly, generating friction against the borehole wall, and dampening vibrations. By inhibiting CCW bit whirl, other damaging vibrations such as CCW whirl in the drill string can also be prevented up the borehole. Alternatively, only the second collar between the tool and the drill string may define the bend, or both collars can define bends.

Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to measure a parameter of interest using a fiber optic cable. The parameters can be provided by a process that provides for multiplexed or distributed measurements. A multiplexed or a distributed architecture can include acoustic sensor units placed selectively along an optical fiber such that the acoustic sensor units effectively modulate the optical fiber with information regarding a parameter to provide the information to an interrogator coupled to the optical fiber that is separate from the acoustic sensor units.

Abstract: A window milling system can include a window mill having selectively retractable and extendable blades, and a whipstock assembly having a receptacle therein, the window mill being secured relative to the whipstock assembly the blades are received in the receptacle. A method of cutting a window through a wellbore lining can include cutting through the lining with a window mill, then retracting blades of the window mill, and then outwardly extending the blades in a whipstock assembly, thereby securing the whipstock assembly to the window mill. A window mill can include multiple blades adapted for cutting through a wellbore lining, the blades being outwardly extendable relative to a body of the window mill in a well. Another method of cutting a window through a wellbore lining can include a window mill drilling a wellbore outward a substantial distance from the window after the window mill cutting through the lining.

Abstract: Improved cementing plugs and methods of using these cementing plugs in subterranean wells are disclosed. A cementing plug comprises a hollow mandrel and one or more wiper elements coupled to the mandrel. A nose is coupled to the hollow mandrel and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. A portion of the nose is positioned within the mandrel when in the retracted position. This portion of the nose is positioned outside the mandrel when in the extended position.

Abstract: Described herein are methods of fabricating solar cells. In an example, a method of fabricating a solar cell includes forming an amorphous dielectric layer on the back surface of a substrate opposite a light-receiving surface of the substrate. The method also includes forming a microcrystalline silicon layer on the amorphous dielectric layer by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The method also includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on the microcrystalline silicon layer by PECVD. The method also includes annealing the microcrystalline silicon layer and the amorphous silicon layer to form a homogeneous polycrystalline silicon layer from the microcrystalline silicon layer and the amorphous silicon layer. The method also includes forming an emitter region from the homogeneous polycrystalline silicon layer.