Abstract: A computer-implemented method for facilitating offline transactions includes: receiving, by a first user device, an offline payment request from a merchant payment system via a first local communications connection; providing, by the first user device, a payment approval message to the merchant payment system via the first local communications connection; providing, by the first user device, the offline transaction information to the payment server corresponding to the payment approval message to the payment server when the first user device and the payment server are connected via a network; determining, by the first user device, that an instruction to transfer the offline mode of the first user device to a second user device has been received; and disabling, by the first user device, the offline mode of the first user device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an ultra-compact dual quantum cascade laser assembly that nearly doubles the strength of a traditional laser in a in a single hermetically sealed micropackage. The device may comprise two quantum cascade lasers that meet at a combiner to create a single laser with a higher strength than traditional lasers. The current invention provides a path to an ultra-compact coherent beam combing arrangement that uses both dichroic beam combining and polarization beam combining techniques.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying a user interface may include an examination and/or elimination of positional bias of interactive categories in order to drive user engagement. A method or system configured to execute the method on a user interface may include creating a first arrangement of categories. The arrangement can be shown on a user device to one or more users a selected number of times. The users' interactions with the categories in the interface may be recorded. The method may further include creating a second arrangement, which is different from the first arrangement, and this second arrangement may be shown to the users the selected number of times and the users' interactions with the second arrangement may be recorded. Based on the frequency of user interactions with the first and second arrangement, a ranked set of the categories may be created and displayed to users.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser tuned with an acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may generate standing waves or traveling waves. When traveling waves are used, a second acousto-optic modulator may be used in a reverse orientation to cancel out a chirp created in the first acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may be used with standing-wave laser resonators or ring lasers.

Abstract: A computer program product for facilitating offline transactions includes: a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are executable by a user device to cause the user device to: receive an offline payment request from a merchant payment system via local communications; provide a payment approval message to the merchant payment system via the local communications to cause the merchant payment system to store the payment approval message; and provide offline transaction information to the payment server corresponding to the payment approval message; and provide the offline transaction information to the payment server corresponding to the payment approval message to the payment server when the user device and the payment server are connected via a network.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an ultra-compact dual quantum cascade laser assembly that nearly doubles the strength of a traditional laser in a in a single hermetically sealed micropackage. The device may comprise two quantum cascade lasers that meet at a combiner to create a single laser with a higher strength than traditional lasers. The current invention provides a path to an ultra-compact coherent beam combing arrangement that uses both dichroic beam combining and polarization beam combining techniques.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser tuned with an acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may generate standing waves or traveling waves. When traveling waves are used, a second acousto-optic modulator may be used in a reverse orientation to cancel out a chirp created in the first acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may be used with standing-wave laser resonators or ring lasers.

Abstract: A composition, and article including such composition, wherein the composition includes a silsesquioxane polymer and a free siloxane; wherein the silsesquioxane polymer includes a three-dimensional network of Formula (I): wherein: each R1 and R2 is independently a (C1-C4)alkyl; each L1 and L2 is independently a single bond, an alkylene, or an alkylene bonded to a group selected from oxy, thio, carbonyl, —NH—, and combinations thereof; each R3 is independently a linear (C14-C100)alkyl; each R5 is independently a (C1-C30)alkyl, a (C1-C30)fluorinated alkyl, or a (C2-C30)heteroalkyl having at least one oxygen, sulfur, or —NH— group; with the proviso that L1, L2, and R5 are selected such that each Si atom is directly bonded to an alkylene or an alkyl; m is an integer of at least 2; n is an integer of 0 or above; m+n is an integer of at least 10; each oxygen atom at an asterisk (*) is bonded to another Si atom within the three-dimensional network; and the silsesquioxane polymer is a solid at 25° C.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to adhesive article that include a stretch releasable adhesive and topographical, engineered elements on, within, or partially embedded in a surface of the adhesive. The engineered elements can act as spacers between the adhesive surface and the mounting surface to prevent full contact and wet out of the adhesive, whereby the article can be initially positioned or rotated by sliding the surface of the projections across the wall surface. Under certain conditions, the article may even be removed from the wall and placed at a new location without damage to the wall surface or the article. Once the location is selected, the separation created by the engineered elements can be overcome by applying sufficient pressure; the adhesive can contact and adhere more permanently to the wall.

Abstract: A copolymer composition that includes a silicone copolymer, methods of making the composition, and articles that include the composition, wherein the copolymer composition includes a silicone copolymer having a backbone composition that includes: silicone segments in an amount of 5 wt-% to 40 wt-%, based on the total weight of the silicone copolymer; hydrophilic segments in an amount of 40 wt-% to 75 wt-%, based on the total weight of the silicone copolymer; and reinforcing segments in an amount of 5 wt-% to 30 wt-%, based on the total weight of the silicone copolymer, wherein the reinforcing segments are derived from the reaction of one or more chain extenders with one or more multi-functional isocyanates, multi-functional carboxylic acids, multi-functional anhydrides, multi-functional esters, and/or multi-functional acid halides; wherein the silicone segments, hydrophilic segments, and reinforcing segments are connected through urea, urethane, amide, and/or oxamide linkages; wherein the hydrophilic segments

Abstract: A composition, and article including such composition, wherein the silsesquioxane polymer includes a three-dimensional network of Formula (I): wherein: each R1 and R2 is independently a (C1-C4)alkyl; each L1 and L2 is independently a single bond, an alkylene, or an alkylene bonded to a group selected from oxy, thio, carbonyl, —NH—, and combinations thereof; each R3 is independently a linear (C14-C100)alkyl; each R5 is independently a (C1-C30)alkyl, a (C1-C30)fluorinated alkyl, or a (C2-C30)heteroalkyl having at least one oxygen, sulfur, or —NH— group; with the proviso that L1, L2, and R5 are selected such that each Si atom is directly bonded to an alkylene or an alkyl; m is an integer of at least 2; n is an integer of 0 or above; m+n is an integer of at least 10; each oxygen atom at an asterisk (*) is bonded to another Si atom within the three-dimensional network; and the silsesquioxane polymer is a solid at 25° C.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes: providing, by a merchant computing device, an offline payment request to a user device when the merchant computing device is disconnected from a payment server, wherein the offline payment request is provided via local communications between the user device and the merchant computing device; receiving, by the merchant computing device, a payment approval message associated with the offline payment request based on providing the offline payment request, wherein the payment approval message is received via the local communications between the user device and the merchant computing device; storing, by the merchant computing device, the payment approval message; and providing, by the merchant computing device, offline transaction information corresponding to the payment approval message to the payment server when connectivity to the payment server has been restored.

Abstract: A method of making a silicone gel adhesive is described comprising providing an acrylic polymer, the acrylic polymer comprising at least 50 wt.-% of polymerized units of C1-C32 (meth)acrylate ester monomer; providing at least one non-functional polydiorganosiloxane, hydroxy-functional polydiorganosiloxane, or a mixture thereof; combining the acrylic polymer and polydiorganosiloxane into a mixture; coating the mixture onto a substrate, and subjecting the mixture to radiation thereby crosslinking the mixture. Also described is a silicone gel adhesive comprising a crosslinked material at least one non-functional polydiorganosiloxane, hydroxy-functional polydiorganosiloxane, or a mixture thereof; and an acrylic polymer comprising at least 50 wt.-% of polymerized units of alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers and a gel content of at least 20 wt.-%.

Abstract: A silsesquioxane polymer, composition, method, and article including such polymer, wherein the polymer includes a three-dimensional network of Formula (I): wherein: each R1 and R2 is independently a (C1-C4)alkyl; each L1 and L2 is independently in a single bond, an alkylene, or an alkylene bonded to a group selected from oxy, thio, carbonyl, —NH—, and combinations thereof; each R3 is independently a linear (C14-C100)alkyl; each R4 is independently a (C1-C30)alkyl, (C2-C30)heteroalkyl having at least one oxygen, sulfur, or —NH— group, or a (C1-C30)alkyl substituted with a fluoro, thiol, isocyanato, cyanato, hydroxyl, glycidoxy, or epoxy group; with the proviso that L1, L2, and R4 are selected such that each Si atom is directly bonded to an alkylene or an alkyl; m is an integer of at least 3; n is an integer of 0 or above; m+n is an integer of at least 3; each oxygen atom at an asterisk (*) is bonded to another Si atom within the three-dimensional network; and the silsesquioxane polymer is a solid at 25° C.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a storage system comprising a plurality of storage nodes each comprising one or more storage devices. Each of the storage nodes further comprises a network protocol target configured to receive delivery of input-output (IO) operations from a network protocol initiator of a host device, a data server configured to execute the IO operations on a given storage node, and a data client configured to communicate the IO operations to at least one of the data server on the given storage node and one or more data servers corresponding to one or more additional ones of the plurality of storage nodes. The data client has knowledge of a distribution of data across the plurality of storage nodes.

Abstract: Segmented silicone polyamide block copolymers that comprise dimer acid residues and articles containing the same.

Abstract: A silsesquioxane polymer, composition, method, and article including such polymer, wherein the polymer includes a three-dimensional network of Formula (I): wherein: each R1 and R2 is independently a (C1-C4)alkyl; each L1 and L2 is independently in a single bond, an alkylene, or an alkylene bonded to a group selected from oxy, thio, carbonyl, —NH—, and combinations thereof; each R3 is independently a linear (C14-C100)alkyl; each R4 is independently a (C1-C30)alkyl, (C2-C30)heteroalkyl having at least one oxygen, sulfur, or —NH— group, or a (C1-C30)alkyl substituted with a fluoro, thiol, isocyanato, cyanato, hydroxyl, glycidoxy, or epoxy group; with the proviso that L1, L2, and R4 are selected such that each Si atom is directly bonded to an alkylene or an alkyl; m is an integer of at least 2; n is an integer of 0 or above; m+n is an integer of at least 3; each oxygen atom at an asterisk (*) is bonded to another Si atom within the three-dimensional network; and the silsesquioxane polymer is a solid at 25° C.

Abstract: A silsesquixane polymer, a composition including such silsesquixane polymer, and an article including such polymer or composition, wherein the composition includes a silsesquioxane polymer and a free siloxane; wherein the silsesquioxane polymer includes a three-dimensional network of Formula (I): wherein: each R1 and R2 is independently a (C1-C4)alkyl; each L1 is independently a single bond, an alkylene, or an alkylene bonded to a group selected from oxy, thio, carbonyl, —NH—, and combinations thereof; each R3 is independently a linear (C14-C100)alkyl; with the proviso that L1 is selected such that each Si atom is directly bonded to an alkylene or an alkyl; m is an integer of at least 2; n is an integer of at least 1; m+n is an integer of at least 10; each oxygen atom at an asterisk (*) is bonded to another Si atom within the three-dimensional network; and the silsesquioxane polymer is a solid at 25° C.

Abstract: A latch assembly that is adjustable between first and second backset settings. A cam is rotatable about a cam axis, and facilitates linear displacement of a latch link in a first direction. A multiplier link is rotatable about a multiplier link axis that is offset from the cam axis can be rotated in the first rotational direction by engagement with the latch link. A latch bar is coupled to the multiplier link and is linearly displaced in a second direction by rotation of the multiplier link in the first direction. The latch apparatus also includes a latch bolt that is coupled to the latch bar, the latch bolt being displaced toward a retracted position by the displacement of the latch bar in the second direction. The latch assembly can also include a dead latch link can block retraction of at least the latch bolt.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying a user interface may include an examination and/or elimination of positional bias of interactive categories in order to drive user engagement. A method or system configured to execute the method on a user interface may include creating a first arrangement of categories. The arrangement can be shown on a user device to one or more users a selected number of times. The users' interactions with the categories in the interface may be recorded. The method may further include creating a second arrangement, which is different from the first arrangement, and this second arrangement may be shown to the users the selected number of times and the users' interactions with the second arrangement may be recorded. Based on the frequency of user interactions with the first and second arrangement, a ranked set of the categories may be created and displayed to users.