Abstract: Catalytic compositions for depolymerizing polyolefin-based waste material into useful petrochemical products and methods of use are described. The catalytic compositions are mixed metal oxides demonstrating equal or higher conversion than noncatalytic pyrolysis. These mixed metal oxide catalysts and a polyolefin-based material are heated in the presence of oxygen to form a product comprising one or more olefin monomers.

Abstract: An urban design pipeline automatically generates design options for an urban design project. The urban design pipeline includes a geometry engine and an evaluation engine. The geometry engine analyzes design criteria, design objectives, and design heuristics associated with the urban design project and then generates numerous candidate designs. The design criteria specify a property boundary associated with a region of land to be developed. The design objectives indicate a specific type of topology that is derived from an existing urban layout. The design heuristics include different sets of construction rules for generating designs with specific types of topologies. The geometry engine generates candidate designs that conform to the property boundary and have topological characteristics in common with the existing urban layout.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for blowing out birthday candles are presented. The apparatus may include a rotor comprising at least two blades and attachable to a wind-up launcher for imparting a rotational impulse to the rotor. Each blade of the rotor may include a blade scoop extending from a central hub of the rotor to an outer safety ring positioned around an outer circumference of the rotor and coupled to each of the central hub and the outer safety ring. The blade scoop may have a convex shaped leading edge. The blade may also include a blade overhang for pushing air from the blade scoop out from the rotor. The blade overhang may have a trailing edge positioned below the central hub, with a portion of the blade forming the trailing edge having a tangent that is angled between 30 and 60 degrees below a plane of the outer safety ring.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for blowing out birthday candles are presented. The apparatus may include a rotor comprising at least two blades and attachable to a wind-up launcher for imparting a rotational impulse to the rotor. Each blade of the rotor may include a blade scoop extending from a central hub of the rotor to an outer safety ring positioned around an outer circumference of the rotor and coupled to each of the central hub and the outer safety ring. The blade scoop may have a convex shaped leading edge. The blade may also include a blade overhang for pushing air from the blade scoop out from the rotor. The blade overhang may have a trailing edge positioned below the central hub, with a portion of the blade forming the trailing edge having a tangent that is angled between 30 and 60 degrees below a plane of the outer safety ring.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to extract, monitor, analyze, and send data from a vehicle interface module (VIM) coupled to one or more vehicular electronic devices; transmitting vehicle and geographic location data to a handheld device and forwarding the data to a web server over a wide area network; and publishing the data for viewing by end users or for programmatic access by software applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to extract, monitor, analyze, and send data from a vehicle interface module (VIM) coupled to one or more vehicular electronic devices; transmitting vehicle and geographic location data to a handheld or vehicle-mounted computer or navigation device and forwarding the data to a web server over a wide area network; and publishing the data for viewing by end users or for programmatic access by software applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to track first and second nodes equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers by registering a first node and a second node with a registration server; assigning the first and second nodes to first and second home servers respectively, wherein the first node is authorized to communicate with the first home server and the second node is authorized to communicate with the second home server; and for each query requested by each node, sending the query to the registration server to be broadcasted to the home servers.

Abstract: A security lock for a door or other closure in which it is desired to control access therethrough. More specifically, the invention relates to the addition of a tube rigidly affixed to a lock cylinder in enclosing relation to the key barrel and the key receiving slot in the barrel with the tube including a pair of diametrically opposed openings so that a padlock may be inserted therethrough to prevent access to the key slot in the barrel thereby preventing the insertion of a key and also preventing access to the slot to prevent the lock from being picked. The key used with the lock requires an extension in the shank or blade of the key so that the extra length required by the added tube will be accommodated by the extension in the key blade or shank.