Abstract: Refractory anchoring devices include a main body and a mounting feature for mounting to a thermal vessel. The main body includes four anchor branch segments angled with respect to each other to form an X shape with four unenclosed cell openings, including two opposite triangular side openings and two opposite triangular end openings. In some embodiments, the main body further includes extension segments extending from and angled relative to respective branch segments to define two of the opposite openings as semi-hexagonal. Some embodiments include reinforcement segments extending from branch segments into openings, voids extending through branch segments, two anchor strips inter-engaged to form the four branch segments, and/or a single stud-welding stud for the mounting feature.

Abstract: A system may include a database that has a number of datasets regarding a number of commercial items. The system may also include a processor that may communicative couple to a mobile electronic device. The processor may receive an image of a commercial item from the mobile electronic device, determine an identity of the commercial item based on the image and the number of datasets in the database, and determine one or more information links relevant to the commercial item based on the identity. The one or more information links may display information regarding the commercial item. The processor may then send the one or more information links to a mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device may then display the one or more information links with the image.

Abstract: A device may receive image data representing a document, the document including: text, and edges. Based on the edges, the device may identify, a segment of interest within the image data and crop the segment of interest to obtain a portion of the image data. In addition, the device may perform optical character recognition on the portion of the image data, the optical character recognition producing recognized text. The device may obtain, based on the recognized text, validation data that includes verification text, and determine whether the recognized text is verified based on the verification text. Based on a result of the determination, the device may perform an action.

Abstract: Provided are systems for authenticating an individual using image feature templates that include at least one processor to train a first machine learning model based on a training dataset of a plurality of images of a user, generate a plurality of image feature templates using the first machine learning model, wherein each image feature template of the plurality of image feature templates is associated with a positive authentication of the identity of the user during a time interval, generate a second machine learning model based on the plurality of image feature templates, generate a predicted image feature template using the second machine learning model, determine whether to authenticate the identity of the user based on an input image of the user, and perform an action based on determining whether to authenticate the identity of the user. Methods and computer program products are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems described in this disclosure receive a request for assistance from a device associated with a user, launch a conversational virtual assistant on the device, determine at least one potential subject of the request based on information associated with the user and a tab or webpage from which the conversational virtual assistant is launched, receive a verification of the subject of the request, create a contact menu with options for receiving the assistance, and receive a selection of one of the options.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system may obtain a graphical user interface (GUI) template that includes tiles corresponding to plug-ins. The system may generate, from the GUI template, category GUIs corresponding to categories and including a subset of the tiles. The system may identify account identifier(s) associated with a user identifier and one or more of the categories. The system may generate a user-specific GUI associated with a user account associated with the user identifier and including a subset of the category GUIs based on the account identifier(s). The plug-ins corresponding to the subset of the tiles may incorporate account data associated with at least one of the user account or the account identifier(s). The system may transmit, to a user device associated with the user account, the user-specific GUI.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for monitoring a condition of a person includes receiving, at a computerized device, at least one signal from a condition sensor and determining if a condition is an emergency condition of a user based on the at least one signal.

Abstract: An audio modification system includes one or more processors configured to receive audio data indicative of communication of a user while the user is positioned in a first portion of a control area, determine that the communication of the user is confidential based on the audio data, determine generated audio data configured to render the communication of the user at least partially inaudible in a second portion of the control area, and output a control signal indicative of instructions to provide the generated audio data.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking mobile devices. The system can include a data center and a plurality of mobile devices in communication with the data center via the network. Each mobile device can include at least one sensor configured to periodically generate tracking data records, a memory, and a processor in communication with the at least one sensor and the memory. The mobile devices can transmit sets of tracking data records to the data center using reduced bandwidth relative to the original records by implement compression algorithms that can include delta encoding and/or numeric base conversion of number valued fields, as well as additional compression techniques that may be reversed at the data center to reconstruct the original records or otherwise decompress the data.

Abstract: A method of operating a valve arrangement of a downhole apparatus (that includes a tubular body having first and second ports in a wall thereof) comprising operating the valve arrangement from a locked first configuration, in which the first port is closed and the second port is closed, to a locked second configuration, in which the first port is open and the second port is closed, wherein the valve arrangement includes a valve member including a first port, the first port associated with the first port of the tubular body, and a second port associated with the second port of the tubular body, wherein the valve arrangement comprises a further retaining member. The method includes operating the valve arrangement from the locked second configuration to a third configuration, in which the first port is closed and the second port is open.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing a single live customer service agent to simultaneously serve multiple customers. According to various embodiments, a virtual agent operates at the front end to receive and attempt to handle customer issues. The virtual agent employs speech recognition and intent mapping in order to generate a proposed response that attempts to identify and resolve customer issues. In some scenarios, the proposed response includes both a response message and a response action to be taken. A chat history and the proposed response is then provided to the live agent. The live agent reviews the information provided, and determines whether the proposed response is appropriate. The live agent then approves the response or revises or replaces the response. The final response is sent back to the virtual agent for processing and providing to the customer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an earth-boring drill bit including a bit head and a shank. The shank includes a blank and a mandrel. The mandrel is concurrently formed by and secured to the blank by additive manufacturing. The mandrel includes a first region including a first alloy and a second region including a second alloy. The first alloy and the second alloy have a different modulus of elasticity, yield strength, resilience, ductility, hardness, fracture toughness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, or erosion resistance. The disclosure also provides a mandrel wherein the second region comprises a sensor region or a fluid passageway having a geometry that is not obtainable in a mandrel that is cast, machined, or both. The disclosure additionally provides method of manufacturing such bits and mandrels.

Abstract: Aspects described herein may provide techniques for authenticating a user using transaction-based authentication questions that are generated based on item-level purchase data. The item-level purchase data of a transaction may include specific details of a transaction such as identification of each item purchased and corresponding prices paid for each item. Transaction-based authentication questions for a financial account may be generated based on the item-level purchase data that an authorized user of the financial account is likely to remember and that a malicious actor is unlikely to correctly guess. As a result, the authorized user of the account is likely to be correctly authenticated while the malicious actor is likely to answer the transaction-based authentication question incorrectly. Authentication can therefore effectively block malicious actors without overly burdening actual authorized users during the authentication process.

Abstract: Systems and methods are configured to determine whether a particular information object is a duplicate of an object found in separate information objects. In various embodiments, the particular information object and each separate information object includes a set of data fields for storing data values that allows identical values to be stored in different fields for the objects. The data values for the particular information object are combined to form a data structure that includes a data element for each value. A determination as to whether the particular information object is an exact or partial match of a separate information object is made by performing a function on the data structure for the particular information object and a data structure for the separate information object to identify an intersection that includes data values for the particular information object that have an identical match with values for the separate information object.

Abstract: A handheld aerosol-generating device may include an emitter configured to emit light, a sensor configured to receive light, and an aerosol chamber configured to hold an aerosol. The emitter may emit light into the aerosol chamber. The sensor may receive light from the aerosol chamber and measure at least one wavelength of the spectrum of the received light. Direct measurement of parameters, and/or the presence, of the aerosol in the aerosol chamber may be enabled, where the direct measurement of parameters of the aerosol in the aerosol chamber may enable optimal operation of an aerosol-generating system that may be the handheld aerosol-generating device.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and techniques for improving operation of equipment that identify compounds included in a slurry that exits a wellbore during a drilling operation. Mass flow rates, volumetric data, wellbore equipment data, and other information may be used to identify a total volumetric density of the slurry. Calculations and/or other evaluations may be performed to identify a volumetric density of materials other than a gas included in the slurry. The volumetric density of the other materials may be subtracted from the total volumetric density to identify a volumetric density of the gas included in the slurry. Estimates of percentages of hydrocarbons and molar mass equations may be used to estimate masses of combined sets of hydrocarbons included in the gas. When a volumetric density of a combined set of hydrocarbons matches the gas volumetric density, the gas may be classified as including the set of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A train control system minimizes in-train forces in a train with a hybrid consist including a diesel-electric locomotive and a battery electric locomotive. The train control system includes a virtual in-train forces modeling engine configured to simulate in-train forces and train operational characteristics using physics-based equations, kinematic or dynamic modeling of behavior of the train or components of the train when the train is accelerating, and inputs derived from stored historical contextual data characteristic of the train, and a virtual in-train forces model database configured to store in-train forces models. Each of the in-train forces models includes a mapping between combinations of the stored historical contextual data and corresponding simulated in-train forces and train operational characteristics that occur when the consist is changing speed. An energy management system determines an easing function of tractive effort vs.

Abstract: This disclosure provides system and method for auto repairing vulnerable code program fragments of a software. The present disclosure addresses problems of conventional approaches which are dependent on test cases. In the present disclosure, vulnerabilities in an input application are identified and repaired. First, a plurality of vulnerability detection rules is executed against an application in binary form (i.e., input application) and a plurality of vulnerable code fragments are identified. Post identification of the plurality of vulnerable code fragments, a mapping is created from the application in binary form to its source code files. Post mapping, paths capturing different application functionalities are extracted. Subsequently, a plurality of vulnerable source code program fragments is extracted and auto repair rules are applied on entire application functionality.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting labels based on dataset similarity for machine learning model training data are disclosed herein. The system may receive a label modification request for a training datum. The system may retrieve label records corresponding to the datum identifier. The system may compare a pre-existing label with the new label. Based on determining that the pre-existing label differs from the new label, the system may generate a first dataset and a second dataset. The system may calculate a first average similarity metric and a second average similarity metric. The system may compare the first average similarity metric with the second average similarity metric. The system may generate a recommendation for a modified label.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating real-time resource reduction notifications are described. The system receives, for a user system, a resource consumption and a dataset during a first period of time. The system processes the dataset to determine other user systems similar to the user system. The system generates an expected resource consumption of the user system during the first period of time based on resource consumption during one or more periods of time for the similar user systems. If the resource consumption of the user system exceeds the expected resource consumption, the system determines an action to reduce resource consumption of the user system. The system receives a reduced resource consumption of the user system during a second period of time. The system generates a notification to the similar user systems indicating the executed action and an amount of reduction in resource consumption.