Abstract: A refrigeration system configured to receive a refrigerant is provided, as well as a walk-in refrigeration unit configured to utilize said system. The refrigeration system comprises: a power source, a condenser unit, an evaporation unit, a plurality of compressors, wherein each of the plurality of compressors is communicably coupled to the condenser unit, and a plurality of expansion devices, wherein each of the plurality of expansion devices is communicably coupled to the evaporation unit. The system is configured to receive an A3 refrigerant having a Global Warming Potential (GWP) value less than 10.

Abstract: A refrigeration system configured to receive a refrigerant is provided, as well as a walk-in refrigeration unit configured to utilize said system. The refrigeration system comprises: a power source, a condenser unit, an evaporation unit, a plurality of compressors, wherein each of the plurality of compressors is communicably coupled to the condenser unit, and a plurality of expansion devices, wherein each of the plurality of expansion devices is communicably coupled to the evaporation unit. The system is configured to receive an A3 refrigerant having a Global Warming Potential (GWP) value less than 10.

Abstract: A refrigeration system configured to receive a refrigerant is provided, as well as a walk-in refrigeration unit configured to utilize said system. The refrigeration system comprises: a power source, a condenser unit, an evaporation unit, a plurality of compressors, wherein each of the plurality of compressors is communicably coupled to the condenser unit, and a plurality of expansion devices, wherein each of the plurality of expansion devices is communicably coupled to the evaporation unit. The system is configured to receive an A3 refrigerant having a Global Warming Potential (GWP) value less than 10.

Abstract: Embodiments of a hybrid fan and active heat pumping system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the hybrid fan and active heat pumping system comprises a fan assembly and an active heat pumping system comprises a heat pump. The active heat pumping system is integrated with the fan assembly and is operable to actively cool or heat air as the air passes through the fan assembly. In some embodiments, the heat pump comprised in the active heat pumping system is a solid-state heat pump, a vapor compression heat pump, or a Stirling Cycle heat pump.

Abstract: Embodiments of a hybrid fan and active heat pumping system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the hybrid fan and active heat pumping system comprises a fan assembly and an active heat pumping system comprises a heat pump. The active heat pumping system is integrated with the fan assembly and is operable to actively cool or heat air as the air passes through the fan assembly. In some embodiments, the heat pump comprised in the active heat pumping system is a solid-state heat pump, a vapor compression heat pump, or a Stirling Cycle heat pump.

Abstract: Embodiments of a hybrid fan and active heat pumping system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the hybrid fan and active heat pumping system comprises a fan assembly and an active heat pumping system comprises a heat pump. The active heat pumping system is integrated with the fan assembly and is operable to actively cool or heat air as the air passes through the fan assembly. In some embodiments, the heat pump comprised in the active heat pumping system is a solid-state heat pump, a vapor compression heat pump, or a Stirling Cycle heat pump.

Abstract: A vending machine includes a controller coupled to at least one light emitting diode (LED) light strip mounted within the vending machine and illuminating an interior thereof. The LED light strip includes an input terminal that receives one or more signals corresponding to a mode of the LED light strip, an LED mounting board supports a plurality of LED chips forming a plurality of independent circuits each including a serially-connected subset of the LED chips, and electrical circuit components (resistor, input terminal, and/or output terminal) that cause the respective circuit to function independently from remaining circuits in the LED light strip. The controller selectively powers one or more of the independent circuits in the LED light strip to meet either a power consumption requirement or an illumination output specification, leaving off any remaining independent circuits not corresponding to the specified mode.

Abstract: A shroud for mounting a fan is provided. The shroud may include a plate, a hub, a first leg, and a second leg. The plate may include an aperture edge of an aperture in a surface of the plate. The hub includes a bore defining an axis of rotation of a fan. The first leg and the second leg are mounted to and extend between the hub and the aperture edge. The first leg includes a first leg portion having a first curve shape in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The second leg may include a second leg portion having a second curve shape in the plane. The first curve shape may be an arc of a circle. A fan housing may include the shroud, an actuator to effect rotation of the fan, and a mounting bracket, which mounts the actuator to the shroud.

Abstract: The amount of code required to use the command pattern for client-server communications is reduced because, instead of creating separate commands for different actions, instructions required for an action are put into a single, abstract command, along with the required data. The command pattern, an object-oriented design pattern, describes a pattern for encapsulating instructions and data into a single object, called a command. A client application or a dynamic proxy uses the command pattern to encapsulate an identifier of a function to be performed at a server, and first data for use by the server in performing the function, into a command object, and provides the command object to a server host. The server host performs the function by associating instructions with the identifier and executing the instructions, using the first data, to obtain second data, and returns the command object with the second data to the client host.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing dynamic interfaces in a JAVA program including methods having a common implementation and other methods to be handled independently. The system comprises a first dynamic proxy object implementing an invocation handler for providing default implementations; a separate object providing implementations of any method in a defined interface that requires independent handling; and, a second dynamic proxy object provided for checking a method definition object for an implementation of the method, and in response, one of: invoking the method on the separate object if the implementation exists, and if the implementation does not exist, invoking the method on the first dynamic proxy object. The second dynamic proxy object thus allows for a single implementation for repetitive methods, while allowing special cases to be handled independently.

Abstract: A cursor control device such as a mouse allows a user to quickly switch between screens in a multi-monitor computing environment. Available programmable buttons on the cursor control device are programmed to achieve a functionality for switching between display regions on different screens, or within a screen. With a click of the button, the cursor can switch to another display region on the same screen or a different screen. Moreover, the cursor can switch to a corresponding location or a predetermined, e.g., fixed, location. The cursor can cycle or alternate among display regions. When switching back to the starting display region, the cursor can return to its original location, a location corresponding to that in a previous display region, or a predetermined location. A user interface allows a user to configure the behavior.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for converting a synchronous interface into an asynchronous interface. The apparatus includes a receive module, a generate module, and a return module. The receive module receives a request for a transaction from a synchronous requester, the generate module generates a delaying object and a forwarding interface compatible with the requested return type, and the return module returns the delaying object with the forwarding interface to the requester. Additionally, services for implementing such an apparatus, system, and method are disclosed. Implementation of the apparatus, system, and method provide for increased computing performance, reduced application run time, and decreased usage of computing resources.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture, wherein a plurality of broadcast messages are sent from at least one node of a plurality of nodes of a network. A node is discovered based on a received message. An entry is stored, wherein the entry corresponds to the node and a timestamp that indicates a time at which the node was last discovered. A notification is made that the node is offline, in response to determining that a predetermined time has elapsed since the timestamp was last updated.

Abstract: A technique for enabling a client to access the resources of different servers without having specific knowledge of which server has which resources. The client generates multiple copies of a request that identifies an operation to be performed, such as a copy type operation. The client sends a copy of the request to each server. The server determines whether the operation requires access to the server's associated data storage resource. If it does, the server accesses the resource to perform the operation, and sends a corresponding response to the client. Different servers can work on different operations specified in a request. The client receives and merges the responses from the servers. During a failure of one cluster in a multi-cluster system, the surviving cluster can process a request using the resources owned by the failed cluster.

Abstract: A technique for facilitating communication between a client and server using the command pattern. The command pattern is an object-oriented design pattern that describes a pattern for encapsulating instructions and data into a single object, called a command. A client host uses the command pattern to encapsulate instructions and first data into a command object, and provides the command object to a server host. The server host executes the instructions in the command object to provide second data, based on the first data, in the command object, and returns the command object with the second data to the client host. The server host may provide the command object with a reference to a resource, such as a database, for providing the second data. The command object is a single object. The client host interprets the second data in the returned command object.

Abstract: A technique for reducing the number of events that are transmitted by a server to a client in a client/server application programming interface (API). At the server host, each of different event messages is associated with at least one event category in a hierarchy of event categories. Each client host sends a registration request to the server host to inform the server host that the client host wants to receive only event messages that are associated with a specified event category. The server host associates the specified event category with each client host, and communicates only the event messages that are descendants of the specified event category.

Abstract: A technique for recovering from a socket error at a computer host. The host opens two sockets for communicating with respective sockets at another host. Failure recovery processes are provided for a client host on its server-initiated receive socket and its client-initiated send socket, and for a server host on its server-initiated receive socket and its client-initiated send socket. A failure may be cause by an operating system error, a lack of communication at the socket, or removal or failure of a communication medium such as a cable. When a failure condition is detected at one socket, the host attempts to use the other socket. If the other socket can be used, an attempt is made to reconnect the failed socket. An internal state is set at the host denoting a normal mode or an attempt to recover mode.

Abstract: A client host obtains software by establishing a session with a server host, and downloading software from the first server host for use during the session to implement a client side of a particular version of a network application. The software is compatible with software executed at the server host to implement a server side of the network application. Moreover, the client host may establish sessions at the same time with other server hosts by downloading software from the other server hosts for running a different version of the same application, or a different application. The client host may also establish multiple sessions with the same server host to run different applications. In an analogous procedure, a server hosts downloads software from one or more client hosts.

Abstract: A technique for determining whether a server host supports the functions in a command sent by a client host. The client host formulates a command including a command object that contains parameter objects. The parameter objects, which represent the functions, are serialized, e.g., using the Java serialization command, and communicated to the server host. The server host attempts to deserialize the parameter objects. If it is successful, it is concluded that the server host supports the functions represented by the parameter objects. Or, it is concluded that the server host is incompatible with the functions represented by one or more parameter objects that cannot be deserialized. The server host may be a storage server, and the functions may be storage-related, such as a copy type to be performed.