Abstract: A system creates and maintains an industry business architecture model over a network. The system defines specific levels of maturity for the model. Associations, relationships, and linkages between content elements are also determined. From these, a specific level of aggregate maturity is defined according to an algorithm.

Abstract: One or more mobile devices and a cloud server computing device are utilized to provide Internet access to one or more client computing devices. One of the clients is designated as a Wi-Fi access point. The Wi-Fi access point implements a reverse-infrastructure Wi-Fi mode which tethers available mobile devices and other clients to the access point. The cloud server periodically computes an optimal number of the mobile devices to be used for data striping, and transmits a webpage to a requesting client by striping data associated with the webpage across the optimal number of the mobile devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for secure distribution and storage of data using N channels. An input data sequence, X, is distributed using a plurality, N, of channels. In one embodiment, the input data sequence, X, is split into N subsequences; and the N subsequences are encoded into N bit streams using a set of Slepian-Wolf codes with N separate encoders and a joint decoder. The Slepian-Wolf codes can be selected to ensure a computational complexity to obtain a portion of the input data sequence grows exponentially with respect to a length of the input data sequence unless all of the N bit streams are compromised. In another embodiment, the input data sequence, X, is compressed using a lossless data compressing techniques; and the compressed input data sequence is split into N subsequences that are distributed.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for the creation of a payment card that is programmable by a user in order to access one or more accounts from multiple financial institutions and/or other institutions. The payment card includes an account selection application that facilitates selection of one of the transaction accounts associated with the payment card. A processor circuit then determines a code that corresponds with the respective one of the transaction accounts and facilitates the embodiment of the corresponding code to a dynamic magnetic strip located on the payment card.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photodiode, a first and second storage transistor, a first and second transfer transistor, and a first and second output transistor. The first transfer transistor selectively transfers a first portion of the image charge from the photodiode to the first storage transistor for storing over multiple accumulation periods. The first output transistor selectively transfers a first sum of the first portion of the image charge to a readout node. The second transfer transistor selectively transfers a second portion of the image charge from the photodiode to the second storage transistor for storing over the multiple accumulation periods. The second output transistor selectively transfers a second sum of the second portion of the image charge to the readout node.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing a safety arrangement for an integrated heater, circulation pump, and motor for an appliance are provided. In an example safety arrangement, the circulation pump assembly includes a heater, a pump, and a motor integrated into a single unit. The circulation pump assembly defines a first end, a second opposite end, and a housing extending therebetween. The safety arrangement includes a hub configured to at least partially surround the first end of the circulation pump assembly and a first shield configured to at least partially surround the housing of the circulation pump assembly. The safety arrangement further includes a second shield configured to at least partially surround the housing of the circulation pump assembly. The hub, the first shield, and the second shield are configured to cooperate with one another to protect the circulation pump assembly from one or more hazardous conditions.

Abstract: The invention is of an apparatus for enabling a seated user to obtain exercise by moving muscles in their legs and/or feet to move foot pedals that extend from a base up and down in a treading motion. The novelty of this apparatus lies in its construction from tensile material with intrinsic elasticity modulus which causes high yield ratios of over 0.6. The rebound motion of the tensile material allows the unit function as an exercise unit when sitting, including when working at a desk without a negative impact on performance. Two iterations of the same apparatus are described: one where the foot pedals are irremovably part of the base, and one where separate foot pedals are slotted into a base. The latter allows for switching foot pedals to obtain different resistances. The unit can function as a footrest when not used for exercise.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating the creation of allocation rules for distributing charges to one or more accounts associated with a payment instrument. The charge distribution application accesses allocation rules that are used to determine a charge distribution allocation for linked accounts associated with a master account identified in a charge request. The charge distribution application specifies a percentage of the amount indicated in the charge request to charge to one or more of the linked accounts. The charge distribution application charges up to the total amount specified in the charge request to one or more of the accounts depending on the applicable charge distribution allocation.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system includes one or more memory units for storing an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table. The system further includes one or more processors. The processors receive, from a routing protocol, an Internet Protocol (IP)-Media Access Control (MAC) address pair for a first host computer. The processors further populate the ARP table with the IP-MAC address pair for the first host computer.

Abstract: There is set forth herein an indicia reading apparatus having a plurality of configurations that can be activated with use of a manually actuated multiple state trigger. According to a first configuration the indicia reading apparatus can project a light pattern while maintaining in an inactive state decoding operations for attempting to decode a decodable indicia by processing of image data. According to a second configuration the indicia reading apparatus can activate decoding operations.

Abstract: A method, configuration unit (100), and control unit (160) for configuring a lighting system (101) with respect to light other than light emitted from an illumination device (103) are provided. The lighting system comprises the at least one illumination device arranged in an illumination plane (104) to illuminate a workspace plane (110). The method comprises the step of obtaining a first contribution of the light other than the light emitted from the illumination device at a first location (113) in the illumination plane based on a first signal representative of a total light intensity measured at the first location. Furthermore, the method comprises the step of obtaining a second contribution of the light other than the light emitted from the illumination device at a second location (121) in the workspace plane based on a second signal representative of a total light intensity measured at the second location.

Abstract: An image enhancement system may match images to a matrix having various enhancements of images for groups of users. The matrix may define image enhancement settings for the particular images and groups of users, and the matching may apply enhancements to a new image that closely matches a user's preferences. After the matrix is initially populated, new users and new images may be added to increase the matrix's accuracy. The image enhancement system may be deployed as a cloud service, where images may be enhanced as a standalone application or as part of a social network or image sharing website. In some embodiments, the image enhancement system may be deployed on a personal computer or as a component of an image capture device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for conducting a conference session among a group of participants includes a server for establishing communication channels over a network connected with endpoint devices of the participants. The server operates to allocate initial resources on the network to conduct the conference session, the initial resources including the communication channels and at least one conferencing bridge. Code running on the server selects one or more different resources currently available during the conference session. The one or more different resources is selected to optimize a quality of service (QoS) criteria. Execution of the code causes the server to move the conference session to the one or more different resources responsive to a triggering event. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for charging one or more accounts based on user-created business rules for transactions that occur on a master account. The transaction management application identifies the master account associated with the charge request. Once the master account has been identified, the transaction management application determines which of the other accounts to charge or debit for the charge request.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for developing knowledge bases from social media. A question is obtained from social media. Social media are consulted, and a legitimacy of the question is ascertained. All the answers to the question are harvested from the social media including the rich media that is associated with these answers, and the question is filtered out if determined not to be legitimate.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a teleconferencing system that may use a virtual participant processor to translate language content of the teleconference into each participant's spoken language without additional user inputs. The virtual participant processor may connect to the teleconference as do the other participants. The virtual participant processor may intercept all text or audio data that was previously exchanged between the participants may now be intercepted by the virtual participant processor. Upon obtaining a partial or complete language recognition result or making a language preference determination, the virtual participant processor may call a translation engine appropriate for each of the participants. The virtual participant processor may send the resulting translation to a teleconference management processor. The teleconference management processor may deliver the respective translated text or audio data to the appropriate participant.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for provisioning and allocating logically extended virtual disks. Responsive to an identification of a negative operational issue with a storage device in a plurality of storage devices in a storage subsystem, a determination is made as to whether a hot spare disk is available to replace the storage device. Responsive to the hot spare disk being unavailable, a logically extended virtual disk is allocated as a replacement for the storage device. Data stored on the storage device is then rebuilt on the logically extended virtual disk.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for developing knowledge bases from social media. A question is obtained from social media. Social media are consulted, and a legitimacy of the question is ascertained. All the answers to the question are harvested from the social media including the rich media that is associated with these answers, and the question is filtered out if determined not to be legitimate.

Abstract: A metal oxide powder includes a powder feed material structured and arranged to form molten droplets when melted in a plasma stream. The molten droplets are structured and arranged to form frozen spherical droplets under free-fall conditions such that said molten droplets have ample time for complete in-flight solidification before reaching a collection chamber.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system is disclosed for enhanced resource allocation in a wireless communication system. According to the method, when an idle wireless device seeks to initiate a call in a given coverage area, the device will provide with its initiation request to the serving radio network a motion specification indicating an extent of movement of the device, based on the device's tracking of its own movement. The network will then use that motion specification provided with the initiation request as a basis to determine whether to select a resource to allocate for the call in the given coverage area based on resource implementation in at least one neighboring coverage area or whether to instead select the resource to allocate without regard to resource allocation in the at least one neighboring coverage area.