Abstract: Systems and methods for device-agnostic, multi-factor network authentication are disclosed. In some embodiments, a wireless network connection can authenticate a device over secure authentication means with a certificate that confirms a device identity. After authenticating the device, a user can be prompted to provide credentials in a captive portal. The captive portal can be inaccessible to devices that have not already authenticated using a certificate. After providing approved credentials to the captive portal, the user can access the network. This embodiment and additional embodiments are readily integrated into private wireless networks and others.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recovering unmanned aircraft and controlling post-recovery motion of the aircraft are disclosed herein. An aircraft recovery system for handling an unmanned aircraft in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a base portion and an elongated aircraft capture member having a first end movably coupled to the base portion and a second, free end opposite the first end. The aircraft capture member includes a first portion and a second portion at a distal end of the first portion and positioned to intercept an unmanned aircraft in flight. The first and/or second portions are generally flexible. The system further includes an energy capture and dissipation assembly operably coupled to the aircraft capture member and positioned to receive at least a portion of the landing forces from the aircraft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evolving a shared to-do list into a business process is disclosed. A business process includes one or more business steps and zero or more action rules related to the business steps. Members of a workgroup participate in the business process and are able to view, modify, add and delete business steps and action rules as needed. An action rule is comprised of one or more business actions and one or more events that trigger the actions to be executed. A computer program keeps track of the business steps, interprets the set of rules, and updates states of the business process, notifies the members and validates and accepts modifications by the members to the action rules of a business steps.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for distributed data management. One of the methods includes maintaining, by a first member in a distributed data management system having multiple computing members installed on multiple respective computers, a first garbage collection version vector that includes, for each member in the distributed data management system, a garbage collection version that represents a number of garbage collection processes performed by the member on a respective copy of a replicated data region maintained by the member in the data management system. If the first garbage collection version vector is different than a second garbage collection version vector received from a different provider member, a first replication process is performed that is different than a second replication process that is performed when the first garbage collection version vector matches the second garbage collection version vector.

Abstract: A manufacturing fixture includes a rigid base defining a control plane. A first cone locator pin has a first longitudinal axis. The first cone locator pin is connected to the rigid base with the first longitudinal axis orthogonal to the control plane to engage a complementary locating aperture defined in a workpiece. The first cone locator pin engages the complementary locating aperture to locate the workpiece and constrain translation of the workpiece with respect to the control plane. A second cone locator pin has a second longitudinal axis. The second cone locator pin is connected to the rigid base with the second longitudinal axis orthogonal to the control plane to engage a complementary locating hole defined in a workpiece. The second cone locator pin engages the complementary locating hole to locate the workpiece and prevent rotation of the workpiece about the first longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A spacer designed to be inserted between the roofing panel clip and the sheathing is provided. The spacer has a configuration of openings and slots on the spacer to allow it to be used with a wide variety of panel clips. The opening for the fastener, the outer rim, and the walls of the spacer are designed to seal against the sheathing and provide tiers of protection to prevent water from contacting the fasteners. The spacers are designed to have lips, grooves, and recessed areas that coincide with the walls to accommodate stacking to allow for different channel heights without having to stock multiple spacer sizes. Also, the preferred embodiment of the spacer is rounded to prevent water from collecting along the edges of the spacer and instead flow down the slope of the roof. Finally, the spacer is specifically designed to have one spacer per panel clip.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards push signaling to run jobs on available servers. Users may provide jobs or job instructions to a job control node. Job control node may determine one or more available job target nodes from among a plurality of managed nodes associated with the job control node. The job target nodes may be determined based on information included in the provided job instructions. If there are available job target nodes, the job control node may provide the job instructions to each available job target node. Further, the job control node may receive communications from one or more available job target nodes that indicates that the job target node is prepared and ready to execute the received job instructions. Next, the job control node may issue a job start command that triggers the prepared job target nodes to begin executing the provided job instructions.

Abstract: A steam turbine inlet assembly and method of constructing the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, an annular ring is provided, along with a body affixed to a distal face of the annular ring and extending distally therefrom. The body portion has a curved entrance geometry at the proximal end adjacent the annular ring, and transitions to a substantially polygonal exit geometry at a distal end.

Abstract: A high frequency inductive emf circuit charges storage capacitors, one at a time, from a DC source to a voltage that is higher than the DC output voltage. After each storage capacitor is charged, it is disconnected from the charging circuit and then connected to an output device/regulator that uses the energy in each storage capacitor to provide the desired DC output voltage to a load. While one storage capacitor is being charged, a previously charged storage capacitor is being discharged through an output device/regulator. After being discharged, each storage capacitor is disconnected from its output device/regulator and reconnected to the charging circuit and is charged again. While being charged, the storage capacitors are in a parallel circuit to the inductor in the charging circuit. The inductor in the charging circuit and the DC source are never in a current loop with the load.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reconfigurable vehicle interior assembly is provided. The assembly includes a trim member including a plurality of first elastically deformable mating members and a vehicle interior carrier component including a plurality of second elastically deformable mating members. Each of the first elastically deformable mating members matingly engages with at least one of the second elastically deformable mating members in order to couple the trim member to the vehicle interior carrier component. The first and second elastically deformable mating members collectively form a plurality of elastic averaging couplings.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for obtaining one or more metadata files, determining, by one or more computers and in accordance with a minor compaction setting, to perform a minor compaction of the one or more metadata files, creating one or more intermediate metadata files that each include at least compacted contacts of one or more of the metadata files, according to the determination to perform minor compaction of the one or more metadata files, determining, in accordance with a major compaction setting, to perform a major compaction of one or more of the intermediate metadata files, and creating one or more snapshot metadata files that each include at least compacted contents of one or more of the intermediate metadata files, according to the determination to perform the major compaction of one or more of the intermediate metadata files.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a distributed parallel processing database system that persists table data in memory to a distributed file system. A distributed parallel processing database system persists table data in memory to a distributed file system. A parameter of creating a database table specifies that data records in the database table and history of changes to the data records can be stored in memory as well as in the distributed file system. When the database table is populated or otherwise modified, data records and the history in memory are evicted to the distributed file system as log files and removed from memory. The log files can be designated as write-only, where the data records, once written, cannot be read by structured query language (SQL) queries, or as read-write, where the data records, once written, can be read by SQL queries.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying two or more files, each of which include multiple entries, determining a respective size of each of the files, each size being an estimate of how many distinct entries exist in the respective file that are not garbage entries, determining a combined size of the files, where the combined size of the files is an arithmetic sum of the respective sizes of the files, estimating a compacted size of the files, where the estimated compacted size of the files is an estimate of how many distinct entries exist in the files that are not garbage entries, selecting the two or more files for compaction, based at least on a comparison of the combined size of the files to the estimated compacted size of the files, and compacting the two or more selected files.

Abstract: An inlet transition section and an inlet bowl entry can be designed to reduce a number of turbomachine casing designs. Using relationships between flow properties, distances between elements, crossover/supply pipe diameter, ideal cross sectional area, aspect ratio, and inlet bowl entry size, a transition from circular cross section to substantially polygonal cross section can be made while enabling adoption of a single size of substantially polygonal inlet bowl entry for a plurality of turbine sizes and/or crossover/supply pipe sizes with minimal losses.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for obtaining one or more metadata files, determining, by one or more computers and in accordance with a minor compaction setting, to perform a minor compaction of the one or more metadata files, creating one or more intermediate metadata files that each include at least compacted contacts of one or more of the metadata files, according to the determination to perform minor compaction of the one or more metadata files, determining, in accordance with a major compaction setting, to perform a major compaction of one or more of the intermediate metadata files, and creating one or more snapshot metadata files that each include at least compacted contents of one or more of the intermediate metadata files, according to the determination to perform the major compaction of one or more of the intermediate metadata files.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards push signaling to run jobs on available servers. Users may provide jobs or job instructions to a job control node. Job control node may determine one or more available job target nodes from among a plurality of managed nodes associated with the job control node. The job target nodes may be determined based on information included in the provided job instructions. If there are available job target nodes, the job control node may provide the job instructions to each available job target node. Further, the job control node may receive communications from one or more available job target nodes that indicates that the job target node is prepared and ready to execute the received job instructions. Next, the job control node may issue a job start command that triggers the prepared job target nodes to begin executing the provided job instructions.

Abstract: A slam type locking mechanism is described. The locking mechanism allows a storage container with the locking mechanism to be slammed shut in a single motion. The operator may slam the lid or door to the container using a single hand that is only pressing or pushing the lid or door closed. The slam type locking mechanism includes a lock having a lock housing, a handle, and a spring loading mechanism. The handle is rotatably engaged to the spring loading mechanism. The rods are in a rotational engagement with the lock, wherein the rods have an offset that interacts with a striker on the container or lid in a locking relationship.

Abstract: A concealed hinge is described. The concealed hinge may be used in the utility body vehicle market. The concealed hinge includes a first housing. The first housing holds a first pin and a second pin. The concealed hinge includes a second housing. The second housing holds a third pin and a fourth pin. The concealed hinge includes a linkage, which includes a central link, an upper link, and a lower link. The first pin and the second pin engage the first housing to the linkage. The third pin and the fourth pin engage the second housing to the linkage.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for placing secondary content into a break of unknown duration in a stream of primary content. In one aspect, the described techniques may include streaming a segment of primary content, for example, by a reduce capability client device, such as a mobile device or tablet. The device may receive information indicative of a break in the streaming of the primary content. The device may play secondary content based on receiving the information indicative of the break. The device may determine when a next segment of the primary content is available, and begin streaming the next segment of the primary content upon detecting that the second segment of the primary content is available.