Abstract: A fluid distributor is provided for distributing a fluid in an up-flow reactor. The fluid distributor includes a supply pipe and a plurality of fluid distribution arms that extend from the supply pipe. Each of the fluid distribution arms has a plurality of holes for discharging the fluid. An elongated hood is spaced from and at least partially surrounds each of the fluid distribution arms to redirect the fluid when discharged from the plurality of holes in the fluid distribution arms. Each hood has a plurality of holes for allowing the passage of the fluid through the hood. Each of the hoods is formed from a plurality of hood segments that positioned end to end along a length of the fluid distribution arm and have deflectors to impede the fluid from flowing between adjacent ones of the hood segments.

Abstract: An application selects a blueprint for configuration of a resource and retrieves guardrails corresponding to the resource. The application inputs the blueprint and the guardrails into an engine and receives, as output from the engine, a mapping of constraints to respective variables of the blueprint. The application retrieves, from a knowledge graph, definable variables for the resource. The application generates filtered values for each of the definable values by filtering values for each of the definable variables based on the mapping. The application generates for display a user interface for configuration of the resource, the user interface comprising prompts based on the filtered values.

Abstract: A non-systematic convolutional decoder of a convolutionally encoded multi-level data stream includes a shift register and two or more paths of exclusive-OR (XOR) gates, arranged to reconstruct an original input information stream, each path having a quantiser arranged to quantise the signal to two levels, and a set of XOR gates arranged to match an encoding path in an associated convolutional encoder, and a selector arranged to feed an output from each path to a single input of the shift register. If the paths have differing values at their output, the selector may choose the value from the path based upon a function of the multi-level signals associated with each path, such as the path with the largest absolute signal level. The decoder provides a simple means for decoding signals while allowing the signal to also or instead be decoded using e.g. a Viterbi decoder if higher performance is required.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sulfonylureas and sulfonylthioureas comprising a 5-membered heteroaryl group substituted with a monovalent heteroaryl-containing group. The present invention further relates to salts, solvates and prodrugs of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to the use of such compounds in the treatment and prevention of medical disorders and diseases, most especially by the inhibition of NLRP3.

Abstract: The present invention relates to phenylsulfonylureas and phenylsulfonylthioureas, wherein the phenyl ring is substituted with a monovalent group comprising either (i) an aryl or a heteroaryl group, or (ii) a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, and wherein the group attached to the terminal nitrogen atom of the urea group is a 6-membered cyclic group substituted at the 2- and 4-positions. The present invention further relates to salts, solvates and prodrugs of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to the use of such compounds in the treatment and prevention of medical disorders and diseases, most especially by NLRP3 inhibition.

Abstract: A non-systematic convolutional decoder of a convolutionally encoded multi-level data stream includes a shift register and two or more paths of exclusive-OR (XOR) gates, arranged to reconstruct an original input information stream, each path having a quantiser arranged to quantise the signal to two levels, and a set of XOR gates arranged to match an encoding path in an associated convolutional encoder, and a selector arranged to feed an output from each path to a single input of the shift register. If the paths have differing values at their output, the selector may choose the value from the path based upon a function of the multi-level signals associated with each path, such as the path with the largest absolute signal level. The decoder provides a simple means for decoding signals while allowing the signal to also or instead be decoded using e.g. a Viterbi decoder if higher performance is required.

Abstract: A system for compensating for phase noise, with particular application in lidar, includes a compensation interferometer that receives a signal from a source, and splits it into a first and second path, with a path length difference ?? between them. Typically the path length is significantly less than that of the return distance to a target. The output of the compensation interferometer, which consists of phase noise generated in time ?? is vectorially summed during a time similar to a signal flight time to a target, and the result used to reduce phase noise present on measurements of a target. It further includes means for selecting ?? such that competing noise elements are reduced or optimised.

Abstract: A radio receiver includes a downconverter for downconverting dual sideband signals such as Binary Offset Carrier (BOC) signals from multiple sources to produce an upper and a lower sideband signal, and chip-matched filters for filtering each of the sideband signals. The output of each filter is provided to a series of separate channels, one for each source, where there are at least Early, Prompt and Late gates. Each gate has a nearest-neighbour sampler and a multiplier for multiplying with an appropriate part of a spreading code, a mixer for removing Doppler or other frequency offsets and an integrator. The invention provides a means for demodulating signals such as BOC modulated satellite navigation signals in an efficient manner by using a single downconverter for the received signals of interest from the multiple sources.

Abstract: A radio receiver includes a downconverter for downconverting dual sideband signals such as Binary Offset Carrier (BOC) signals from multiple sources to produce an upper and a lower sideband signal, and chip-matched filters for filtering each of the sideband signals. The output of each filter is provided to a series of separate channels, one for each source, where there are at least Early, Prompt and Late gates. Each gate has a nearest-neighbour sampler and a multiplier for multiplying with an appropriate part of a spreading code, a mixer for removing Doppler or other frequency offsets and an integrator. The invention provides a means for demodulating signals such as BOC modulated satellite navigation signals in an efficient manner by using a single downconverter for the received signals of interest from the multiple sources.

Abstract: Participant-provided qualitative or comment-style responses to inquiries may be processed to generate processed responses, which may then be evaluated by participants for ranking. The processed responses may reflect groups of similar qualitative responses to, among other things, simplify and reduce the amount of data that needs to be reviewed by the participants for ranking. On the other hand, the processed responses may have a one-to-one correspondence with the qualitative responses, and the grouping of similar responses may occur after the participant ranking. Grouping after participant ranking may have the benefit of, among other things, simplifying the grouping, as only highest ranked responses may need to be grouped.

Abstract: A method for the reception of a frequency hopped direct sequence spread spectrum signal includes acquiring the signal by splitting the received signal into a plurality of processing sub-channels, each corresponding to one or more hop frequencies; and within each sub-channel: i) subtracting any sub-carrier frequency from the received signal; ii) filtering the signal from (i) using a chip-matched filter; iii) selecting a sub-set of samples from the filtered signal; iv) correlating the sampled signal from step (iii) with a known reference signal to produce at least one correlator output. The output(s) from each sub-channel are provided to an input of a corresponding one or more common discrete time Fourier transforms (DTFT), and an output therefrom having a peak above a predetermined threshold is selected for further processing in the receiver. The method is a less expensive way of tracking the signal and can demodulate appropriately modulated signals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for payment assurance and claim pre-validation are described. In one embodiment, a pre-visit claim for health care related services is received for payment assurance. In response to the pre-visit claim, a payer is queried for pre-visit claim detail information indicating any payment or authorization issues for services to be rendered. The pre-visit claim may be updated in certain embodiments based on the pre-visit claim detail information, and an appointment may be scheduled for services. In other aspects, a claim for health care related services is received for pre-validation. In response, a payer is queried for claim detail information indicating any payment or authorization issues for the claim. The claim may be updated in certain embodiments based on the claim detail information, and payment for services rendered may be provided by a payer in response to a submitted claim.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a method of determining the time of arrival of an incoming satellite signal at a receiver, including receiving an incoming signal, multiplying of the incoming signal by a first real-valued periodic modifying signal to produce a first modified output, correlating the first modified output to obtain a first correlation output, multiplying the incoming signal by a second real-valued periodic modifying signal to produce a second modified output, correlating the second modified output to produce a second correlation output and comparing the first correlation output with the second correlation output.

Abstract: A method for the reception of a frequency hopped direct sequence spread spectrum signal includes acquiring the signal by splitting the received signal into a plurality of processing sub-channels, each corresponding to one or more hop frequencies; and within each sub-channel: i) subtracting any sub-carrier frequency from the received signal; ii) filtering the signal from (i) using a chip-matched filter; iii) selecting a sub-set of samples from the filtered signal; iv) correlating the sampled signal from step (iii) with a known reference signal to produce at least one correlator output. The output(s) from each sub-channel are provided to an input of a corresponding one or more common discrete time Fourier transforms (DTFT), and an output therefrom having a peak above a predetermined threshold is selected for further processing in the receiver. The method is a less expensive way of tracking the signal and can demodulate appropriately modulated signals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for payment assurance and claim pre-validation are described. In one embodiment, a pre-visit claim for health care related services is received for payment assurance. In response to the pre-visit claim, a payer is queried for pre-visit claim detail information indicating any payment or authorization issues for services to be rendered. The pre-visit claim may be updated in certain embodiments based on the pre-visit claim detail information, and an appointment may be scheduled for services. In other aspects, a claim for health care related services is received for pre-validation. In response, a payer is queried for claim detail information indicating any payment or authorization issues for the claim. The claim may be updated in certain embodiments based on the claim detail information, and payment for services rendered may be provided by a payer in response to a submitted claim.

Abstract: A system for compensating for phase noise, with particular application in lidar, includes a compensation interferometer that receives a signal from a source, and splits it into a first and second path, with a path length difference ?? between them. Typically the path length is significantly less than that of the return distance to a target. The output of the compensation interferometer, which consists of phase noise generated in time ?? is vectorially summed during a time similar to a signal flight time to a target, and the result used to reduce phase noise present on measurements of a target. It further includes means for selecting ?? such that competing noise elements are reduced or optimised.

Abstract: Methods and systems for payment assurance and claim pre-validation are described. In one embodiment, a pre-visit claim for health care related services is received for payment assurance. In response to the pre-visit claim, a payer is queried for pre-visit claim detail information indicating any payment or authorization issues for services to be rendered. The pre-visit claim may be updated in certain embodiments based on the pre-visit claim detail information, and an appointment may be scheduled for services. In other aspects, a claim for health care related services is received for pre-validation. In response, a payer is queried for claim detail information indicating any payment or authorization issues for the claim. The claim may be updated in certain embodiments based on the claim detail information, and payment for services rendered may be provided by a payer in response to a submitted claim.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a method of identifying a vehicle-borne transmitter emitting an interfering signal over a predefined frequency band. The method comprises monitoring the predefined frequency band at a first location to identify an emission of an interfering signal from a passing vehicle. If an interfering signal is detected, the method further comprises capturing a first image of the passing vehicle to enable an identity of the passing vehicle to be determined.

Abstract: A system for practitioner-patient network communicating real-time health data, location and prescription calendar scheduling is provided that enables health care practitioners to monitor patients in real-time by patient location. Prescriptions may be generated, amended, renewed, and authorized in real-time over network. Data transmitted over network may be packaged with a unique patient identity parsed into the data stream whereby unique security protocols ensure point-to-point delivery.

Abstract: An automated medical test data report, tracking, and patient matching system devised to enable secure transmittal of medical test results data over network between a hosting computing apparatus and at least one receiving computing apparatus is provided. Triple tiered security is enabled by action of paired cryptographic keys, sequencing of data by generation of a randomized and securely-shared sequencing order, and fragmentation of data from a data stream into sortable data packets routable to separate and remotely connected partitions by appending a sort code into each data packet collectively prevent compromise of data in transmission over network.