Abstract: Devices and techniques are disclosed herein for allowing host-based maintenance of a flash memory device. In certain examples, memory write information can be encrypted at the memory device and provided to the host for updating and maintaining memory device maintenance statistics.

Abstract: An automatic dishwashing cleaning composition having a new protease.

Abstract: There is described a direct carbon fuel cell system. The system includes fuel cells, each fuel cell having a porous fuel cell anode and a fuel cell cathode. The system further includes a molten carbonate electrolyte and a fuel supply apparatus for flowing a fuel slurry having carbon particles and a carbon carrier fluid to the fuel cell anodes in parallel. The carbon carrier fluid has a same composition as the molten carbonate electrolyte. An oxidant supply apparatus flows an oxygen-containing stream to the fuel cell cathodes in parallel. An electrolyte circulation apparatus circulates the molten carbonate electrolyte in contact with each of the fuel cells. During operation of the direct carbon fuel cell system to generate electric power, carbon is oxidized at the fuel cell anodes to produce carbon dioxide, and at the fuel cell cathodes oxygen and carbon dioxide react to produce carbonate ions.

Abstract: A system and method in accordance with example embodiments may provide a user-loadable stored value card. Additionally, a system and method in accordance with example embodiments may allow an institution to receive a user-loadable stored value card activation request from a sender, activate a user-loadable stored value card using the information received in the activation request, and provide card management capabilities to the sender.

Abstract: Approaches for the metallization of solar cells and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a method of fabricating a solar cell involves forming a barrier layer on a semiconductor region disposed in or above a substrate. The semiconductor region includes monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon. The method also involves forming a conductive paste layer on the barrier layer. The method also involves forming a conductive layer from the conductive paste layer. The method also involves forming a contact structure for the semiconductor region of the solar cell, the contact structure including at least the conductive layer.

Abstract: A modular gear transmission and associated systems. The modular gear transmission has an assembled configuration, and the modular gear transmission includes a first transmission body and a first transmission gear set. The first transmission gear set includes a first protruding gear, a first intermediate gear set including at least one intermediate transmission gear, and a first transmission socket. The first transmission body is configured so that, when the modular gear transmission is in the assembled configuration, the first transmission body engages the first transmission gear set to hold the first transmission gear set in a rotatable configuration. The first protruding gear is configured so that, when the modular gear transmission is in the assembled configuration, the first protruding gear protrudes from the first transmission body and is rotatably engaged with the first intermediate gear set, the first protruding gear configured to rotate around a first referential axis of rotation.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for arbitrating operation of memory devices in a managed NAND memory system to conform the operation to a power budget. In an example, a method can include enabling a subset of memory die of a memory system having multiple memory die, starting an active timer for each active memory die, initializing execution of a buffered memory command at each active die based on a timestamp associated with the buffered memory command, and disabling a first memory die of the subset of memory die when the active timer for the first die expires to maintain compliance with a power budget of the memory system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes first and second components. A track supports one of the components for movement toward the other of the components. A first connector is mounted on the first component. The first connector retains an end portion of a first fiber optic cable, and has a first alignment portion. A second connector retains an end portion of a second fiber optic cable, and has a second alignment portion. The second alignment portion guides the second fiber optic cable radially into coaxial alignment with the first fiber optic cable upon movement of the first alignment portion against the second alignment portion. A floating mount device supports the second connector on the second component for guided movement radially relative to the second component upon movement of the first alignment portion against the second alignment portion.

Abstract: A cannula configured to provide positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and oxygen to a patient, including: a base including an oxygen opening and an inhalation opening; a valve including an inhalation flap valve that closes the inhalation opening and a PEP flap valve; a valve retainer including a flow opening and an exhalation opening, wherein the PEP flap valve closes the exhalation opening; and a nasal pillow seated on the valve retainer.

Abstract: A method of performing a fund transfer at an ATM includes receiving an active authentication transaction key at an ATM from a mobile financial transaction instrument via a wireless communication protocol, generating a PIN at the ATM, and storing the PIN in a machine readable storage medium. An authorization request message is transmitted to a financial institution identified by the active authentication transaction key. The authorization request message includes the PIN and at least a portion of the active authentication transaction key. The PIN is received from a user of the mobile financial transaction instrument, and the funds are dispensed in response to receiving the PIN.

Abstract: A system and method in accordance with example embodiments may include third party payments with non-integrated merchants. A system and method in accordance with example embodiments may utilize a plug in or application to intercept retailer data from a third party, analyze data, and present information to a customer based on the intercepted data and the analysis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adapting garbage collection (GC) operations in a memory device to an estimated device age are discussed. An exemplary memory device includes a memory controller to track an actual device age, determine a device wear metric using a physical write count and total writes over an expected lifetime of the memory device, estimate a wear-indicated device age, and adjust an amount of memory space to be freed by a GC operation according to the wear-indicated device age relative to the actual device age. The memory controller can also dynamically reallocate a portion of the memory cells between a single level cell (SLC) cache and a multi-level cell (MLC) storage according to the wear-indicated device age relative to the actual device age.

Abstract: Devices and techniques are disclosed herein for allowing host-based maintenance of a flash memory device. In certain examples, memory write information can be encrypted at the memory device and provided to the host for updating and maintaining memory device maintenance statistics.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for generating a response to a host with a memory device are provided. A first command from a host can be executed. A status for the first command can be determined. An inquiry from the host about a second command can be received after execution of the first command has begun. A response can be made to the inquiry that includes information about the second command and the status for the first command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adapting garbage collection (GC) operations in a memory device to a host write activity are described. A host write progress can be represented by an actual host write count relative to a target host write count. The host write activity may be estimated in a unit time such as per day, or accumulated over a specified time period. A memory controller can adjust an amount of memory space to be freed by a GC operation according to the host write progress. The memory controller can also dynamically reallocate a portion of the memory cells between a single level cell (SLC) cache and a multi-level cell (MLC) storage according to the host write progress.

Abstract: Devices and techniques are disclosed herein for remapping data of flash memory indexed by logical block addresses (LBAs) of a host device in response to re-map requests received at a flash memory system from the host device or in response to re-map requests generated at the flash memory system.

Abstract: A glass article (100) includes a core layer (102) formed from a core glass composition with a core coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and first (104) and second (106) cladding layers fused to first and second major surfaces of the core layer (102) and formed from a clad glass composition comprising a clad CTE. An aperture (120) extends through each of the core layer (102), the first cladding layer (104), and the second cladding layer (106). The clad CTE is less than the core CTE such that each of the first (104) and second (106) cladding layers is under a compressive stress and the core layer (102) is under a tensile stress. A flexural strength of the glass article (100) can be at least about 75 MPa. A peak load sustainable by the glass article (100) in a modified ring-on-ring test can be at most 96.5% less than a peak load sustainable by a reference glass article in the modified ring-on-ring test.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for enhanced flush transfer efficiency in a storage device are described herein. A flush trigger for a user data write can be identified. Here, user data corresponds to the user data write and was stored in a buffer. The size of the user data stored in the buffer is smaller than a write width for a storage device subject to the write. The difference ins the user data size in the buffer and the write width is buffer free space. Additional data can be marshalled in response to the identification of the flush trigger. Here, the additional data size is less than or equal to the buffer free space. The user data and the additional data can then be written to the storage device.