Abstract: Lottery tickets and lottery gaming systems and methods providing such lottery tickets, wherein the lottery tickets each have a connected symbol set path feature including a plurality of connected symbol sets along a bonus award path, a plurality of player symbols, and potential awards that can be won based on the symbol sets and the connected symbol sets along the bonus award path and the player symbols.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an eyewear accommodating headset with adaptive and variable ear support. An example headset may comprise an ear cup with two or more distinct sections that differ in one or more characteristics. A first section is adaptively configured to accommodate a temple piece of a pair of eyeglasses of a wearer of the headset, and a second section is configured to maintain contact with a temple of the wearer of the headset. The different sections may comprise different foams (or different parts of foam, each with different characteristics). The characteristics may comprise hardness and/or density. Another example headset may comprise an ear cup with a divot that accommodates the temple piece of the eyeglasses.

Abstract: A system (1) for attaching a display element (2) to a drive shaft (3) fitted to an analogue display mechanism of a measuring apparatus, the system (1) including a portion (6) for mounting the display element (2) made of a material that has the property of softening and an embeddable end piece (4a) of said drive shaft (3) configured to be incorporated into said portion (4a) by melting, said end piece (4a) including part of a peripheral wall (13) of the drive shaft (3) provided with a patterned outer bonding surface configured to mechanically anchor said end piece (4a) in said portion (6).

Abstract: A display element (1) intended to be fitted to a timepiece, including a body (2) provided with a portion (4) including an assembly area (5) configured to receive an insert (3) by embedding, the embeddable insert (3) being provided with a shaft hole (13) configured to adjust the display element (1) on a drive shaft, the body (2) including a portion (4) made of a material having the property of softening, in which the insert (3) is embedded by melting, the insert (3) including a peripheral wall (6) provided with a patterned outer surface (7a) for connection with the portion (4) of the body (2) of the display element (1), the outer surface (7a) being configured to ensure mechanical anchoring of the insert (3) in the portion (4), the peripheral wall (6) projecting, on either side respectively, from opposite faces of the portion (4) of the body (2).

Abstract: A heat-retention material for a garment is provided having a solar-transmitting shell fabric, a solar-transmitting insulation layer, and a solar-absorbing lining fabric. The solar-absorbing lining fabric includes a plurality of heat-retention elements coupled to a lining fabric, such as having a weighted average thermal emittance of less than 0.8 (or 80%). The heat-retention elements include a low thermal emittance layer and a high solar absorptance layer.

Abstract: Lottery tickets and lottery gaming systems and methods providing such lottery tickets, wherein the lottery tickets each have multiple combinations of boards and player symbol sets, wherein each of the multiple combinations includes two different boards and one player symbol set for both boards, and each of the board/player symbol set combination includes a first award associated with the first one of the boards of that combination a second award associated with a second one of the boards of that combination.

Abstract: Lottery tickets and lottery gaming systems and methods providing such lottery tickets, wherein the lottery tickets each have a connected symbol set path feature including a plurality of connected symbol sets along a bonus award path, a plurality of player symbols, and potential awards that can be won based on the symbol sets and the connected symbol sets along the bonus award path and the player symbols.

Abstract: Methods for controlling pathogenic plant nematodes using organic soil amendments applied to soil and/or plants, methods of improving the performance and/or improving the health of a ruminant animal and methods of decreasing nematodes in a ruminant animal are described.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for controlling pathogenic plant nematodes using organic soil amendments applied to soil and/or plants. The disclosure also relates to a method of improving the performance and/or improving the health of a ruminant animal and to a method of decreasing nematodes in a ruminant animal.

Abstract: Storage unit priority based on configuration information may be determined, for example, by a processor analyzing configuration information associated with the storage units to create a priority order associated with the storage units. The configuration information associated with each storage unit may be standardized for comparison to the configuration information associated with the other storage units. The processor may perform an action related to the storage units according to the priority order.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide and maintain secure financial transaction conducted with a credit card or other cashless payment mechanism at a vending machine or other potentially unattended vending or point of sale device. Encapsulated card readers providing end-to-end encryption capabilities encrypt transaction data for secure transmission to a transaction host or server. Pre-authorization transaction data checking maintains account numbers in a secure encrypted format further enhancing security. Protection mechanisms that guard against, and provide warnings of equipment tampering, while also providing a visual indication to customers regarding the security of the system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for presenting search results from multiple sources are provided. In some aspects, a search query is received. The search query is provided to multiple search engines. Multiple search results corresponding to the search query are received from the multiple search engines. The multiple search results are sorted according to an order. At least a portion of the multiple search results are presented. The presented search results are selected based on the order.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to storage unit priority based on configuration information. For example, a processor may analyze configuration information associated with the storage units to create a priority order associated with the storage units. The configuration information associated with each storage unit may be standardized for comparison to the configuration information associated with the other storage units. The processor may perform an action related to the storage units according to the priority order.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide and maintain secure financial transaction conducted with a credit card or other cashless payment mechanism at a vending machine or other potentially unattended vending or point of sale device. Encapsulated card readers providing end-to-end encryption capabilities encrypt transaction data for secure transmission to a transaction host or server. Pre-authorization transaction data checking maintains account numbers in a secure encrypted format further enhancing security. Protection mechanisms that guard against, and provide warnings of equipment tampering, while also providing a visual indication to customers regarding the security of the system.

Abstract: A software reference tool and method enables users to easily understand XML and other file types, including proprietary file types, and that provides the user the capability to map from one file type to another by using system templates that correspond to each file type. The data mapped from one file type to another has been pre-programmed or selected by the user to include only the data elements that are key to the transaction involved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system (100) for conditioning multi-component slurries utilized in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of semiconductor wafers (140). The system provides a first slurry component (108), and a second slurry component (120). A conditioning component (102) has first and second inlets, and an outlet operatively coupled to a dispensing system (138). First and second flow control components (116, 126) are operably intercoupled between the first and second inlets and the first and second slurry components, respectively. The system further provides a megasonic energy source (106), adapted to generate an energy field (118) across the conditioning component. A conveyance component (114) conducts the slurry components from the inlets through the energy field, and delivers a final mixture (136) of multi-component slurry to the outlet.

Abstract: A software reference tool and method enables users to easily understand XML and other file types, including proprietary file types, and that provides the user the capability to map from one file type to another by using system templates that correspond to each file type. The data mapped from one file type to another has been pre-programmed or selected by the user to include only the data elements that are key to the transaction involved.

Abstract: The present invention may generally be thought of as a software reference tool that enables users to easily understand XML and other file types, including proprietary file types, and that provides the user the capability to map from one file type to another by using system templates that correspond to each file type. The data mapped from one file type to another has been pre-programmed or selected by the user to include only the data elements that are key to the transaction involved.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen having a first surface adapted to couple a polishing pad thereto. The first surface includes a generally circular center portion and an annular portion surrounding the generally circular center portion. The generally circular center portion encloses an area and has an attachment surface area that is less than the area enclosed by the generally circular center portion. The attachment surface area is adapted to couple an inner portion of the polishing pad to the platen. According to one embodiment of the invention, a chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen having a first surface coupling a polishing pad thereto. The first surface includes a generally circular center portion and an annular portion surrounding the generally circular center portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system (100) for conditioning multi-component slurries utilized in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of semiconductor wafers (140). The system provides a first slurry component (108), and a second slurry component (120). A conditioning component (102) has first and second inlets, and an outlet operatively coupled to a dispensing system (138). First and second flow control components (116, 126) are operably intercoupled between the first and second inlets and the first and second slurry components, respectively. The system further provides a megasonic energy source (106), adapted to generate an energy field (118) across the conditioning component. A conveyance component (114) conducts the slurry components from the inlets through the energy field, and delivers a final mixture (136) of multi-component slurry to the outlet.