Abstract: Porosity causing gas-based defects are detected, located, identified, and/or characterized by the use of defect information generated from gas flow data corresponding to gas flow characteristics measured by one or more sensors on a composite part processing piece such as a mold or membrane used during a composite manufacturing process. The defect information is generated using techniques including one or more of profiling the gas flow data, fingerprinting, line leak detection, analytical triangulation.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing membrane electrode units (MEU) for fuel cell is disclosed, said MEU have two electrochemically active electrodes which are separated by a polymer electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for capturing hearing characteristics from self-administered hearing tests, including loudness tolerance levels at different sound frequencies, as an individualized shaped auditory profile for automatically enhancing audio to complement and address an individual's hearing deficits experienced via a particular signal pathway including the audio device used to administer the test, the sound environment, and the user's hearing capabilities. The user may self-administer a hearing test on a smartphone or other device. The shaped auditory profile may be used to produce enhanced sound subsequently transmitted to the individual via the same signal pathway. In some aspects, the invention is useful for any individual seeking an enhanced hearing experience, whether having hearing within normal range or hearing that is impaired.

Abstract: An electronic method of generating payment card data for a user comprises forming a payment card number by a) combining an issuer identification number (IIN) with at least a segment of a telephone number of the user and b) adding a check digit derived from the combination of the IIN and the at least a segment of a telephone number of the user; and generating an expiry date for the payment card using a random number generation process.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for capturing hearing characteristics from self-administered hearing tests, including loudness tolerance levels at different sound frequencies, as an individualized shaped auditory profile for automatically enhancing audio to complement and address an individual's hearing deficits experienced via a particular signal pathway including the audio device used to administer the test, the sound environment, and the user's hearing capabilities. The user may self-administer a hearing test on a smartphone or other device. The shaped auditory profile may be used to produce enhanced sound subsequently transmitted to the individual via the same signal pathway. In some aspects, the invention is useful for any individual seeking an enhanced hearing experience, whether having hearing within normal range or hearing that is impaired.

Abstract: In an implementation, a printhead includes a nozzle and a fluid channel. A sensor plate is located within the fluid channel. An impedance measurement circuit is coupled to the sensor plate to measure impedance of fluid within the channel during a fluid movement event that moves fluid past the sensor plate.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for capturing hearing characteristics from self-administered hearing tests, including loudness tolerance levels at different sound frequencies, as an individualized shaped auditory profile for automatically enhancing audio to complement and address as closely as possible an individual's hearing deficits experienced via a particular signal pathway, the signal pathway including the audio device used to administer the test, the sound environment, and the user's hearing capabilities. The user may self-administer a hearing test on a convenient personal apparatus, such as a smartphone. The shaped auditory profile may then be used to produce enhanced sound subsequently transmitted to the individual via the same signal pathway. In certain of its aspects, the invention is useful for any individual seeking an enhanced hearing experience, whether having hearing within normal range or hearing that is impaired.

Abstract: An electronic method of fraud prevention at a host system, comprises receiving, at a host system, a request to purchase one or more digital products and a request to settle the purchase by an Internet bank transfer. The host system connects the user to a third party system to enable the user to attempt to settle the purchase by making the Internet bank transfer from a bank account of a bank. The host system monitors the attempt to settle the purchase by an Internet bank transfer from the bank account to determine whether it is indicative of an unacceptable fraud risk, and terminates the transaction without releasing the requested one or more digital products in response to determining that the fraud risk is unacceptable.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to compositions including bridged bicyclic compounds such as iptycene-based structures and extended iptycene structures. In some embodiments, the compositions may be useful in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaics, and other devices.

Abstract: A system for managing a purchase agreement, including: a memory element for at least one specially-programmed general purpose computer for storing an artificial intelligence program (AIP) and a purchase agreement between a customer and at least one business entity, the purchase agreement including at least one requirement regarding at least one retail transaction between the customer and the business entity; a processor in the specially-programmed general purpose computer for: compiling a purchasing history for the customer with respect to the business entity and the purchase agreement, the memory element for storing the purchasing history, and modifying, using the purchasing history and the AIP, the at least one requirement to increase revenue or profitability of the business entity; and an interface element in the specially-programmed general purpose computer for transmitting the modified at least one requirement for presentation to the customer.

Abstract: A method for providing secure remote access by a controller is described. The method includes sending one or more endpoint requests. The method also includes receiving authentication service endpoint information and connection service endpoint information. The method further includes requesting authentication based on the authentication service endpoint information. Requesting authentication includes requesting license validation. The method also includes sending one or more registration messages based on the connection service endpoint information. The method further includes receiving a session request. The method additionally includes determining controller candidate link information. The method also includes sending the controller candidate link information. The method further includes receiving an automation message based on the controller candidate link information.

Abstract: A transaction processing system (130) is arranged to receive a transaction request from a user device (110), the transaction processing system (130) comprises a cookie retriever (141) arranged to obtain a cookie (112) stored in a browser application (111) of the user device (110) containing outcome data indicative of an outcome of at least one prior transaction, a processing setter (142) arranged to determine based on the outcome data which of a plurality of transaction processes (152) is to be applied by the transaction processing system (130) to the transaction request, and a transaction processor (143) arranged to process the transaction in accordance with the determined transaction process.

Abstract: A system for managing a purchase agreement, including: a memory element for at least one specially-programmed general purpose computer for storing an artificial intelligence program (AIP) and a purchase agreement between a customer and at least one business entity, the purchase agreement including at least one requirement regarding at least one retail transaction between the customer and the business entity; a processor in the specially-programmed general purpose computer for: compiling a purchasing history for the customer with respect to the business entity and the purchase agreement, the memory element for storing the purchasing history, and modifying, using the purchasing history and the AIP, the at least one requirement to increase revenue or profitability of the business entity; and an interface element in the specially-programmed general purpose computer for transmitting the modified at least one requirement for presentation to the customer.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing membrane electrode units (MEU) for fuel cell is disclosed, said MEU have two electrochemically active electrodes which are separated by a polymer electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an amplifier that employs a bias current to drive a print nozzle. A current reduction module can be employed to offset the bias current and to reduce a portion of the bias current from appearing in a subsequent stage to the amplifier in order to mitigate power in the subsequent stage.

Abstract: A processing system comprises a transaction handler arranged to receive a transaction request from a device over a communications network, an identification obtainer arranged to obtain first identification data of the device from which the transaction request is received and store said first identification data, a verification message sender arranged to send a verification message from the processing system to a nominated user e-mail address, the verification message including a hyperlink specific to the transaction request for verifying the transaction request, and a verification handler arranged to receive an attempt from a device to verify the transaction request based on the hyperlink, the identification obtainer arranged to obtain second identification data from the device attempting to verify the transaction request.

Abstract: A metallurgical system for producing metals and metal alloys includes a fluid cooled mixing cold hearth having a melting cavity configured to hold a raw material for melting into a molten metal, and a mechanical drive configured to mount and move the mixing cold hearth for mixing the raw material. The system also includes a heat source configured to heat the raw material in the melting cavity, and a heat removal system configured to provide adjustable insulation for the molten metal. The mixing cold hearth can be configured as a removal element of an assembly of interchangeable mixing cold hearths, with each mixing cold hearth of the assembly configured for melting a specific category of raw materials. A process includes the steps of providing the mixing cold hearth, feeding the raw material into the melting cavity, heating the raw material, and moving the mixing cold hearth during the heating step.

Abstract: An ad hoc wireless communications network includes wireless nodes arranged in a backbone net and stub nets coupled to the backbone net via respective wireless nodes defining gateway nodes. A method for the network includes transmitting node role information from each gateway node to respective wireless nodes within each stub net. The node role information includes node reactive routing directions for establishing a route outside of a given stub net. A route request is unicast transmitted from a first wireless node in a respective first stub net to a respective first gateway node based upon the node role information. The route request is a request to communicate to a second wireless node in a respective second stub net. The route request is transmitted from the first gateway node across the backbone net to the second gateway node of the second stub net.

Abstract: A method for controlling usage of one or more acquirer tokens stored within a merchant system. The method comprises receiving a payment request to make a payment corresponding to a user account having associated therewith an acquirer token that enables payment to be made by communication of the acquirer token to an acquirer system, determining whether to allow the payment to be made by communicating the acquirer token to the acquirer system based on whether a payment channel via which the payment request is received is authorised for use of the acquirer token, and communicating the acquirer token to the acquirer system upon a positive determination to allow the payment.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an amplifier to provide a waveform to drive a print nozzle. The amplifier also provides a current proportional to a slew rate of the waveform. A pass gate to applies the waveform to the print nozzle in response to a drive signal. A level shifter adjusts the drive signal based on the current.