Abstract: A crystal puller for growing a crystal ingot includes a housing, insulation, a crucible assembly, a heat shield, and a dust barrier. The housing encloses a growth chamber, and has an upper wall with an inner surface and an aperture. The insulation separates an inside of the housing into an upper area and a lower area, and has a central opening. The crucible assembly is within the lower area to contain the melt. The heat shield is adjacent the central opening of the insulation, and forms a labyrinth gas path with the crucible assembly. The dust barrier extends from the inner surface of the upper wall to one of the insulation and the heat shield, and forms a seal with the upper wall around the aperture to inhibit particles from entering the growth chamber through the upper area of the housing.

Abstract: Example embodiments are related to a wheel coupling system for a vehicle. The wheel coupling system according to example embodiments may include a torque transmission element having a rotatable member to generate a torque force and a torque receiver for releasably engaging the torque transmission element. The wheel coupling system may further include a wheel coupled to the torque receiver such that removal of the wheel disengages the torque receiver from the torque transmission element to allow the torque transmission element to remain intact.

Abstract: An adaptive optics scanning system and method using a beam projection module with four or more axes of motion that can project and control the position and angle of a beam of light to or from an adaptive optics element. The adaptive optics scanning system is compact in size, overcoming the challenges of a traditional lens and mirror based pupil relay design. The adaptive optics scanning system has little to no dispersion, chromatic aberration, and off-axis aberration for improved optical performance. The system and methods for calibrating and optimizing the system are described. A modular adaptive optics unit that scans and interfaces an adaptive optics element is described.

Abstract: A system and methods for use in order intake, order fulfillment, inventory management, and the development of personalization services for customers, including a system and data processing elements for generating, acquiring and processing data related to the location and movement of merchandise within a store or other location. By processing such data the inventive system can assist customers or store employees to locate an item for purposes of fulfilling an order, determine if an item should be removed from inventory, generate recommendations to a customer regarding items that might be of interest, provide inputs to sales and marketing functions about what products are examined by customers and converted into sales, and provide other value-added services. As a result, embodiments of the invention can provide store operators, store employees, and customers with improved services and more efficient operations.

Abstract: An amplified tunable source includes a short-cavity laser coupled to an optical amplifier for high power, spectrally shaped operation. The short-cavity laser is coupled to a quantum well semiconductor optical amplifier with two quantum states for broadened gain. Two preferred wavelength ranges of the amplified tunable source include 1200-1400 nm and 800-1100 nm. Also disclosed is the short cavity tunable laser coupled to a fiber amplifier. Various combinations of tunable optical filters with the amplified tunable source to reduce noise or improve spectral purity are presented.

Abstract: A tunable source includes a short-cavity laser optimized for performance and reliability in SSOCT imaging systems, spectroscopic detection systems, and other types of detection and sensing systems. A short cavity laser with a large free spectral range cavity, fast tuning response and single transverse, longitudinal and polarization mode operation is disclosed. Methods for obtaining polarization stable operation of the tunable source are presented.

Abstract: Optical systems employ a tunable source which includes a short cavity laser with a large free spectral range cavity, fast tuning response, and single transverse and longitudinal mode operation. Systems for optical spectroscopy with optimized scanning, a system for optical beam steering and a system for a tunable local oscillator are disclosed.

Abstract: A social networking system maintains a limited user profile associated with a user of the social networking system who does not satisfy one or more criteria for the social networking system to maintain a user profile. The limited user profile includes information describing the user and allows the user to be associated with limited types of interactions with the social networking system. An administrator is associated with the limited user profile and may modify information associated with the limited user profile as well as authorize or deny interactions involving the limited user profile. When the user satisfies criteria for the social networking system maintaining a user profile, the social networking system generates a user profile based on information in the limited user profile and prior interactions involving the limited user profile.

Abstract: Tracking using sensor data is described, for example, where a plurality of machine learning predictors are used to predict a plurality of complementary, or diverse, parameter values of a process describing how the sensor data arises. In various examples a selector selects which of the predicted values are to be used, for example, to control a computing device. In some examples the tracked parameter values are pose of a moving camera or pose of an object moving in the field of view of a static camera; in some examples the tracked parameter values are of a 3D model of a hand or other articulated or deformable entity. The machine learning predictors have been trained in series, with training examples being reweighted after training an individual predictor, to favour training examples on which the set of predictors already trained performs poorly.

Abstract: An adaptive optics scanning system using a beam projection module with four or more axes of motion that can project and control the position and angle of a beam of light to or from an adaptive optics element. The adaptive optics scanning system is compact in size, overcoming the challenges of a traditional lens and mirror based pupil relay design. The adaptive optics scanning system has little to no dispersion, chromatic aberration, and off-axis aberration for improved optical performance. The system and methods for calibrating and optimizing the system are described. A modular adaptive optics unit that scans and interfaces an adaptive optics element is described.

Abstract: A shocking cooler includes an ice chest cooler which has a lid and lower portion. A first conductor is located within the bottom portion and extrudes from one of the side interior surfaces of the ice chest cooler. A second conductor is located near a lower lip region, and is separated a distance from the first conductor. The first conductor and second conductor are joined to a power supply at alternate connections (either positive (+) or negative (?)) by connection cable(s). The power supply is connected to a switch, which allows the shocking ice chest cooler to be turned on or off. Water is introduced to the ice chest cooler, and is in contact with the first conductor. When a burglar attempts to reach into the ice chest cooler, his hand is immersed into the water, thereby completing the circuit and issuing an electrical shock.

Abstract: A coupling device provides galvanic isolation using a leadframe that is configured to support two integrated circuit chips in a coplanar manner. Each chip contains an inductive coupling coil. The lead frame includes a set of bond pads for attaching bond wires to couple to the two integrated circuit chips. Two separated die attach pads support the two chips. Each die attach pad is configured to support one of the two integrated circuit chips with a plurality of cantilevered fingers.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system for use in a directional solidification furnace is disclosed. The heat exchanger includes a plate having a flow path formed in the plate for directing a flow of coolant. The flow path has an inlet positioned adjacent an outlet. A wall separates the inlet and the outlet of the flow path. The heat exchanger includes a cover having an opening in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet of the flow path. An inner conduit is connected to the inlet of the flow path and an outer conduit is connected to the outlet of the flow path.

Abstract: A method of encrypting a passcode is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes: receiving an indication of a portion of the passcode; calculating a plaintext value based at least in part on the indication, wherein the plaintext value represents an encoded portion of the passcode; encrypting the plaintext value into ciphertext using a homomorphic encryption system; and updating a cumulative encryption string by executing a cumulative operation to aggregate the ciphertext corresponding to the encoded portion into the cumulative encryption string computed for a previous portion of the passcode, wherein the cumulative operation is dictated by a homomorphic property of the homomorphic encryption system.

Abstract: A portable cooking apparatus comprises a heating assembly, and a support assembly for supporting the heating assembly. The support assembly comprises first and second legs. Each leg comprises an upper segment and a lower segment. The legs are pivotably coupled to each other generally between the upper and lower segments. The upper segment of each leg is pivotably coupled to the heating assembly. The upper segment of at least one leg is slidably coupled to the heating assembly and slides when the support assembly moves between upright and folded positions. In the folded position, the upper and lower segments of the first leg are adjacent to the lower and upper segments of the second leg, respectively. In at least one of the legs, the upper and lower segments are laterally offset from one another.

Abstract: Configurations for providing a data feed of contact information updates, deletes, and additions to one or more clients are disclosed. A contact information server can maintain a log including respective log entries of different updates (e.g., in a log structure data store) performed on the contact information. The contact information server orders the log entries using associated timestamps in order to be consistent with the actual order of updates performed on the contact information. For synchronizing contact information, a client will submit a query and supply a timestamp to the contact information server to request the log of updates based on the timestamp (e.g., log entries corresponding to a set of updates since the included timestamp). The server will respond with one or more modifications to the contact information represented as the set of updates in respective log entries.

Abstract: An additive for alkali metal silicate solutions, comprising a quaternary ammonium compound having the general formula (1) R1R2R3R4N+OH?, wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 which may be the same or different represent alkyl groups, hydroxy-substituted alkyl groups, alkaryl groups, hydroxy-substituted alkaryl groups comprising from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or groups having the general formula —[CH2]n-N+R5R6R7 wherein n is an integer having a value of from 1 to 12, the group —[CH2]n may be hydroxy-substituted, and R5, R6 and R7 which may be the same or different represent alkyl groups, hydroxy-substituted alkyl groups, alkaryl groups or hydroxy-substituted alkaryl groups comprising from 1 to 12 carbon atoms; with the proviso that at least one of the groups R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 represents a hydroxy-substituted alkyl group or a hydroxy-substituted alkaryl group comprising at least 2 carbon atoms wherein the hydroxy substituent is not located on a carbon atom which is bonded to a nitrogen atom.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for providing device independent compliant applications include accumulating device, user and/or peripheral interface data corresponding to a mobile terminal of a user and associating the device, user and/or peripheral interface data with a unique identifier and storing the device, user and/or peripheral interface data and the unique identifier in a database. Before storing the device, user and/or peripheral interface data, the device, user and/or peripheral interface data is de-identified from the user.

Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A seal member has inner and outer walls separated by a slot, where the slot has an upper portion that is wider than a lower portion of the slot. An energizing ring having an upper end portion and a nose is moved into the slot, where the upper end portion has a greater cross-sectional thickness than the nose. As the energizing ring is moved into the slot, the nose of the energizing ring engages the lower portion of the slot to form a lock against the walls of the inner and outer wellhead members, and the upper end portion of the energizing ring engages the upper portion of the slot to form a seal against the walls of the inner and outer wellhead members.