Abstract: A system for dispensing ingredients includes a cabinet and a conveyor disposed beneath the cabinet. The conveyor includes a staging region and a dispensing region in communication with an interior of the cabinet through a dispenser opening. One or more containers are removably disposed within the cabinet, and each of the one or more containers has an outlet disposed above the dispenser opening and includes an ejector operable to dispense one of the ingredients through the outlet. One or more bins are removably received within the conveyor. The bins are operable to be moved by the conveyor between a first position in the staging region and a second position in the dispensing region. Within the dispensing region, the conveyor is configured to move the bins between dispensing positions beneath respective ones of the containers.

Abstract: A ranking approach is used to determine rank-based relationships. In connection with various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a method for ranking nodes of a graph. A vector is provided as a function of a set of random parameters, and a probability matrix function is used, relative to nodes of the graph, to assess the statistics of the vector that solves a probability-based system. Certain embodiments are directed to determining a page rank for a web-based search.

Abstract: A ranking approach is used to determine rank-based relationships. In connection with various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a method for ranking nodes of a graph. A vector is provided as a function of a set of random parameters, and a probability matrix function is used, relative to nodes of the graph, to assess the statistics of the vector that solves a probability-based system. Certain embodiments are directed to determining a page rank for a web-based search.

Abstract: A ranking approach is used to determine rank-based relationships. In connection with various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a method for ranking nodes of a graph. A vector is provided as a function of a set of random parameters, and a probability matrix function is used, relative to nodes of the graph, to assess the statistics of the vector that solves a probability-based system. Certain embodiments are directed to determining a page rank for a web-based search.

Abstract: A fluid storage-expulsion system composed of a tank having two poles and being shaped by one or more surfaces of revolution, the tank having a diametral plane and being substantially symmetrical thereabout, a fluid inlet-outlet on one side of the diametral plane, a pressurant inlet on the other side of the diametral plane and a reversible expulsion metallic diaphragm having a pole adjacent the pressurant inlet and conforming substantially to the interior shape of the tank on one side of the diametral plane, the tank being under tension and the diaphragm being under compression, whereby to prevent the diaphragm from uncontrolled buckling and to cause the diaphragm to reverse in an orderly fashion by flexural yielding upon actuation thereof by the pressurant introduced through the pressurant inlet. A method for producing such storage and expulsion system is also disclosed.