Abstract: A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

Abstract: An air interface plane (AIP) of a radio frequency (RF) aperture includes: a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and a matrix of tapered elements arranged on the first side of the circuit board and secured to the circuit board, the matrix of tapered elements cooperating to at least one of receive or transmit an over-the-air RF signal. Suitably, each tapered element of the matrix has: a central hub extending along a longitudinal axis from a hub base which is proximate to the first side of the circuit board to an apex of the tapered element which is distal from the first side of the first circuit board; and a plurality of arms extending from the central hub at the apex of the tapered element, each of the plurality of arms including a first portion that projects the arm radially away from the longitudinal axis and a second portion that projects the arm longitudinally toward the first side of the circuit board.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for an improved database. The systems, methods, and computer-readable media described herein may enhance the response time of databases and improve user experiences. In an example method described herein, a database monitoring system may receive instructions to perform one or more data monitoring operations comprising counting an occurrence of a first value within at least a portion of items stored in a database. The method may include determining a length of a first window of time and fetching, from a first location of a data store of the database, data indicative of a total count of the occurrence of the first value at a time associated with the beginning of the first window of time. In turn, the monitoring system may store data representing the first count in the first memory.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for an improved database. The systems, methods, and computer-readable media described herein may enhance the response time of databases and improve user experiences. In an example method described herein, a database monitoring system may receive instructions to perform one or more data monitoring operations comprising counting an occurrence of a first value within at least a portion of items stored in a database. The method may include determining a length of a first window of time and fetching, from a first location of a data store of the database, data indicative of a total count of the occurrence of the first value at a time associated with the beginning of the first window of time. In turn, the monitoring system may store data representing the first count in the first memory.

Abstract: Techniques for improving efficiency of data processing associated with data queries are described. For example, a computer system may access a first query result of a first time window that result may have been generated based on first transformed data stored in data partitions associated with the first time window. The computer system may access data corresponding to a time unit that falls outside of the first time window and inside a second time window. The first time window and the second time window may have overlapping time units. The computer system may generate a data partition that corresponds to the time unit and that stores second transformed data. The second transformed data may correspond to a data transformation of the data. The computer system may generate a second query result for the second time window based on the second transformed data and the first query result.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to, in part, providing customers with an enhanced shopping experience during a visit to a physical store location. The enhanced shopping experience may include providing the customer with customized delivery of product information. The product information may include demonstrations of product use, samples of products, recommendations of related products or areas of interest to a customer, etc. To provide the customized information, the customer may register to be identified while at the physical store location. The physical store location may include sensors that identify a location of the registered customer. A presentation module may then push relevant content to a device located near the customer, possibly in response to a request from the customer and/or a location of the customer.

Abstract: An imaging system for an object such as human or animal tissue applies acoustic vibrations localized in two or three dimensions and simultaneously illuminates the object with an illuminating electromagnetic wave. A transmitter or receiver is provided that has an antenna with at least one coil that surrounds an axis along which at least a portion of the acoustic vibration is output.

Abstract: Techniques for providing a messaging plan may be provided. A message that conforms to a channel agnostic format may be received. In an example, a messaging plan that includes a channel for delivering the message may be determined based at least in part on a score determined by a machine learning module utilizing metrics of a user. The message may be provided to the user according to the messaging plan. The messaging plan may be updated for subsequent messages based at least in part on updated metrics of the user received in response to the user interacting with the message.

Abstract: An imaging system for an object such as human or animal tissue applies acoustic vibrations localized in two or three dimensions and simultaneously illuminates the object with an illuminating electromagnetic wave. The acoustic vibration comprises a carrier wave that is amplitude modulated by an AM waveform. The carrier wave is selected to provide the localization of the acoustic vibration, whereas the AM waveform includes a frequency component selected to provide a vibration of the object of greater magnitude than the carrier wave. To detect a Doppler component shifted by the frequency of said frequency component of the AM waveform, a signal processing apparatus comprises a phase locked-loop locked to the EM frequency, producing a frequency-demodulated signal comprising the set of the Doppler components, and a lock-in amplifier configured to extract a signal at a reference frequency equal to the frequency of a frequency component of the AM waveform.

Abstract: A common communications device comprising an array of near-field coupled resonant elements, the elements each comprising a coupling portion comprising a loop portion with free ends, the device being provided in combination with a data transmission unit and a data reception unit, each unit having a coupling portion, the units being arranged to communicate with one another by means of the coupling portion of each unit and the common communications device, the coupling portion of the data transmission unit comprising a resonant element comprising a loop portion arranged to be near-field coupled to the loop portion of a first resonant element of the device, the coupling portion of the data reception unit comprising a resonant element comprising a loop portion arranged to be near-field coupled to the loop portion of a second resonant element of the device not being the first resonant element.

Abstract: An imaging system for an object such as human or animal tissue uses scattering of an illuminating electromagnetic wave by acoustic vibrations to generate a scattered electromagnetic wave including Doppler components shifted from the frequency of the illuminating electromagnetic wave by frequencies of the acoustic vibration and multiples thereof. An acoustic transducer apparatus applies acoustic vibrations localized in two or three dimensions in a plurality of regions. A transmitter simultaneously illuminates the object with an illuminating electromagnetic wave that has a frequency in the range from 100 MHz to 100 GHz, the vibration direction of the acoustic vibration having a component parallel to the propagation direction of the illuminating electromagnetic wave. A receiver receives the scattered electromagnetic wave. A signal processing apparatus derives characteristics of the Doppler components, and stores image data representing the derived characteristic.

Abstract: An imaging system for an object such as human or animal tissue applies acoustic vibrations localized in two or three dimensions and simultaneously illuminates the object with an illuminating electromagnetic wave. A transmitter or receiver is provided that has an antenna with at least one coil that surrounds an axis along which at least a portion of the acoustic vibration is output.

Abstract: An imaging system for an object such as human or animal tissue applies acoustic vibrations localised in two or three dimensions and simultaneously illuminates the object with an illuminating electromagnetic wave. The acoustic vibration comprises a carrier wave that is amplitude modulated by an AM waveform. The carrier wave is selected to provide the localization of the acoustic vibration, whereas the AM waveform includes a frequency component selected to provide a vibration of the object of greater magnitude than the carrier wave. To detect a Doppler component shifted by the frequency of said frequency component of the AM waveform, a signal processing apparatus comprises a phase locked-loop locked to the EM frequency, producing a frequency-demodulated signal comprising the set of the Doppler components, and a lock-in amplifier configured to extract a signal at a reference frequency equal to the frequency of a frequency component of the AM waveform.

Abstract: A resonant assembly for identification of a buried asset comprising first and second resonant members each configured to resonate at a respective different resonant frequency when excited by an electromagnetic field. The resonant assembly is arranged to cause a near-field coupling of transmit and receive antenna of a detector at the first and second resonant frequencies such that identification of the resonant assembly is performed at least in part according to the frequencies of the coupling.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a resonant assembly (105,305,405,700,750,930), comprising first and second resonant members (110,410), the first and second resonant members each being configured to resonate at a respective different resonant frequency when excited by an electromagnetic field, wherein at least one resonant member comprises a discontinuous loop (112, 710, 760) having at least one capacitive element (114,720,721,722,770,771,772) connected between free-ends of the loop.

Abstract: A resonant radar reflector assembly comprising first and second reflector members (110A, 110B), the first and second and reflector members each being configured to resonate at their respective resonant frequency when irradiated by radio frequency (RF) radiation of a corresponding frequency, wherein the first member has a portion (114A) responsive to an electric field applied parallel to an electric polarization axis of the first member, the second member having a corresponding portion (114B) responsive to an electric field applied parallel to a corresponding electric polarization axis of the second member, the first member also having a portion (112A) responsive to a magnetic field applied parallel to a magnetic polarization axis of the first member, the second member having a corresponding portion (112B) responsive to a magnetic field applied parallel to a corresponding magnetic polarization axis of the second member, the first and second members being arranged such that at least one electric or magnetic pol

Abstract: A common communications device comprising an array of near-field coupled resonant elements, the elements each comprising a coupling portion comprising a loop portion with free ends, the device being provided in combination with a data transmission unit and a data reception unit, each unit having a coupling portion, the units being arranged to communicate with one another by means of the coupling portion of each unit and the common communications device, the coupling portion of the data transmission unit comprising a resonant element comprising a loop portion arranged to be near-field coupled to the loop portion of a first resonant element of the device, the coupling portion of the data reception unit comprising a resonant element comprising a loop portion arranged to be near-field coupled to the loop portion of a second resonant element of the device not being the first resonant element.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I) is described; wherein the substituents are as defined in the text and wherein the compound is intended for use in the production of a vascular damaging effect in a warm-blooded animal.

Abstract: An imaging system for an object such as human or animal tissue uses scattering of an illuminating electromagnetic wave by acoustic vibrations to generate a scattered electromagnetic wave including Doppler components shifted from the frequency of the illuminating electromagnetic wave by frequencies of the acoustic vibration and multiples thereof. An acoustic transducer apparatus applies acoustic vibrations localised in two or three dimensions in a plurality of regions. A transmitter simultaneously illuminates the object with an illuminating electromagnetic wave that has a frequency in the range from 100 MHz to 100 GHz, the vibration direction of the acoustic vibration having a component parallel to the propagation direction of the illuminating electro-magnetic wave. A receiver receives the scattered electromagnetic wave. A signal processing apparatus derives characteristics of the Doppler components, and stores image data representing the derived characteristic.

Abstract: A resonant radar reflector assembly comprising first and second reflector members (110A, 110B), the first and second and reflector members each being configured to resonate at their respective resonant frequency when irradiated by radio frequency (RF) radiation of a corresponding frequency, wherein the first member has a portion (114A) responsive to an electric field applied parallel to an electric polarisation axis of the first member, the second member having a corresponding portion (114B) responsive to an electric field applied parallel to a corresponding electric polarisation axis of the second member, the first member also having a portion (112A) responsive to a magnetic field applied parallel to a magnetic polarisation axis of the first member, the second member having a corresponding portion (112B) responsive to a magnetic field applied parallel to a corresponding magnetic polarisation axis of the second member, the first and second members being arranged such that at least one electric or magnetic pol