Abstract: Methods for managing non-player characters and power centers in a computer game are based on character hierarchies and individualized correspondences between each character's traits or rank and events that involve other non-player characters or objects. Players may share power centers, character hierarchies, non-player characters, and related quests involving the shared objects with other players playing separate and unrelated game instances over a computer network, with the outcome of the quests reflected in different the games. Various configurations of game machines are used to implement the methods.

Abstract: A system and method for improved redundancy in storage devices are disclosed. The method includes receiving a first data block for writing to a storage device; writing the first block to a journal connected with the storage device; associating a first logical address of a group of logical addresses of the journal with a first physical address of the storage; associating the first physical address to an additional second logical address of the storage device, the second logical address not of the group of logical addresses of the journal; and disassociating the first physical address from the first logical address, in response to associating the first physical address with the additional second logical address.

Abstract: A system and method for providing data redundancy. The method includes receiving a write instruction, the write instruction including data to be written to a primary remote direct access (RDMA) storage and a primary block address corresponding to a designated primary block of the primary RDMA storage, wherein the designated primary block is associated with a primary lock stored in the primary RDMA storage; determining whether the primary lock and at least one secondary lock are obtained, wherein each secondary lock is associated with a secondary block of a distinct secondary RDMA storage; and writing the data included in the write instruction to the designated primary data block and each secondary data block associated with the obtained at least one secondary lock, when it is determined that the primary lock and the at least one secondary lock have been obtained.

Abstract: A system and method for comparing mirrored storage devices. The method includes: selecting, from a storage slice of a first storage device and at least a second storage device, corresponding storage blocks that are not trimmed blocks, wherein trimmed blocks are blocks within a storage device marked for erasure; comparing the corresponding storage blocks such that a non-trimmed block of the first storage device is compared to a corresponding non-trimmed block of the second storage device to determine which storage blocks do not match; and performing a recovery operation between the non-trimmed block of the first storage device and a non-matching corresponding first non-trimmed block of the second storage device.

Abstract: A system and method for comparing mirrored storage devices. The method includes: selecting, from a storage slice of a first storage device and at least a second storage device, corresponding storage blocks that are not trimmed blocks, wherein trimmed blocks are blocks within a storage device marked for erasure; comparing the corresponding storage blocks such that a non-trimmed block of the first storage device is compared to a corresponding non-trimmed block of the second storage device to determine which storage blocks do not match; and performing a recovery operation between the non-trimmed block of the first storage device and a non-matching corresponding first non-trimmed block of the second storage device.

Abstract: A system and method for improved redundancy in storage devices are disclosed. The method includes receiving a first data block for writing to a storage device; writing the first block to a journal connected with the storage device; associating a first logical address of a group of logical addresses of the journal with a first physical address of the storage; associating the first physical address to an additional second logical address of the storage device, the second logical address not of the group of logical addresses of the journal; and disassociating the first physical address from the first logical address, in response to associating the first physical address with the additional second logical address.

Abstract: A container with a plurality of compartments is provided where each compartment includes a divider panel, or a portion thereof, that is rotatable about a pivot point. The divider panels (or portions thereof) pivot at the same time. The divider panels can each include a lower divider panel portion hingedly connected to an upper divider panel portion.

Abstract: A system and method for providing data redundancy. The method includes receiving a write instruction, the write instruction including data to be written to a primary remote direct access (RDMA) storage and a primary block address corresponding to a designated primary block of the primary RDMA storage, wherein the designated primary block is associated with a primary lock stored in the primary RDMA storage; determining whether the primary lock and at least one secondary lock are obtained, wherein each secondary lock is associated with a secondary block of a distinct secondary RDMA storage; and writing the data included in the write instruction to the designated primary data block and each secondary data block associated with the obtained at least one secondary lock, when it is determined that the primary lock and the at least one secondary lock have been obtained.

Abstract: A container with a plurality of compartments is provided where each compartment includes a divider panel, or a portion thereof, that is rotatable about a pivot point. The divider panels (or portions thereof) pivot at the same time.

Abstract: The present embodiments demonstrate systems and methods for automated text correction. In certain embodiments, the methods and systems may be implemented through analysis according to a single text correction model. In a particular embodiment, the single text correction model may be generated through analysis of both a corpus of learner text and a corpus of non-learner text.

Abstract: The present embodiments demonstrate systems and methods for automated text correction. In certain embodiments, the methods and systems may be implemented through analysis according to a single text correction model. In a particular embodiment, the single text correction model may be generated through analysis of both a corpus of learner text and a corpus of non-learner text.

Abstract: A method for making an orthodontic band configured for mounting on a human molar includes the steps of feeding a strip of metal to a die press, cutting a flat blank from the metal strip, die pressing the flat metal blank into cup having a sidewall, an open bottom and a top wall, the cup having a flange extending outwardly from the open bottom, removing the outwardly extending flange from the cup and then die punching a hole through the top wall to form an inwardly directed annular flange.

Abstract: The disclosed implementations describe techniques and workflows for a computer graphics (CG) animation system. In some implementations, systems and methods are disclosed for representing scene composition and performing underlying computations within a unified generalized expression graph with cycles. Disclosed are natural mechanisms for level-of-detail control, adaptive caching, minimal re-compute, lazy evaluation, predictive computation and progressive refinement. The disclosed implementations provide real-time guarantees for minimum graphics frame rates and support automatic tradeoffs between rendering quality, accuracy and speed. The disclosed implementations also support new workflow paradigms, including layered animation and motion-path manipulation of articulated bodies.