Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with improving communication latencies by using a hardware linked list are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a pointer memory configured to store a free list that includes a plurality of pointers that each point to an address in a memory that is unallocated. The apparatus includes a memory controller configured to manage a linked list using pointers from the plurality of pointers stored in the free list. The apparatus includes a list memory configured to store the linked list.

Abstract: A sharing user of a content management system can request to share a content item in his namespace. When such a request is made, the sharing user's client device broadcasts a notification that can be received by devices that are within a limited broadcast range of the sharing client device. A receiving user's client device that is within the limited broadcast range of the sharing client device receives the broadcasted notification. Based on the notification, the receiving client device obtains a token from the sharing client device that identifies the content item being shared by the sharing user. At the request of the receiving user, the receiving client device transmits the token to the content management system and requests that the content management system add the shared content item to the receiving user's namespace with the system. The receiving user can then access the item from his namespace.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing transportation discounts are disclosed. A server receives, from a client device of a user, a request for a transportation service. In response, the server identifies that the request relates to a particular characteristic associated with modified pricing. The server then calculates an adjusted price for the transportation service based on the modified pricing associated with the particular characteristic.

Abstract: A ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp includes an inverter configured to generate a lamp supply voltage signal, and a voltage regulator coupled to the inverter and configured to generate a regulation signal. The regulation signal is used by the inverter to maintain the lamp voltage signal at a substantially constant voltage. A thermistor circuit is coupled between the lamp supply voltage signal and the voltage regulator and configured to detect a temperature of the ballast. The lamp supply voltage signal is varied by the regulation signal in accordance with the detected temperature of the ballast.

Abstract: A sensor device (100), which is adapted for detecting target molecules having a target nucleic acid sequence, comprises an optical whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator (10) having a resonance frequency, wherein the WGM resonator is functionalized with a double-strand DNA precursor compound and the 10 resonance frequency depends on a mass load provided by the double-strand precursor compound, the double-strand precursor compound is capable of a target-specific strand displacement reaction with the target molecules, and in response to the strand displacement reaction, the double-strand precursor 15 compound is capable to be partially decoupled from the WGM resonator (10), wherein the mass load can be decreased and the resonance frequency of the WGM resonator can be increased. Furthermore, a sensing method for detecting target molecules including nucleic acid sequences is described.

Abstract: A two-stranded intermediary complex and cooperative hybridization method are provided. The complex has been designed so that target oligonucleotides of independent sequence can cooperatively and simultaneously hybridize to it. The cooperative hybridization mechanism is robust and modular, smoothly integrating with other dynamic DNA components to form cascaded reaction networks that can perform a variety of functions.

Abstract: A wire holder for managing and aligning wires to corresponding traces in a PCB. The wire holder assists in the manufacturing process of cables and connectors, and especially during the welding process by minimizing the amount of time spent by users manually adjusting the wire positions. The wire holder includes a shaft having a plurality of teeth and claws forming a plurality of comb openings that may either be open so wires can be inserted sideways or closed so wires must be inserted into the comb openings. The plurality of wires are collected into the wire holder and the wire holder is subsequently aligned with the corresponding traces on the PCB prior to the welding of the wires. The wire holder may align wires for double sided PCBs.

Abstract: A ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp includes an inverter configured to generate a lamp supply voltage signal, and a voltage regulator coupled to the inverter and configured to generate a regulation signal. The regulation signal is used by the inverter to maintain the lamp voltage signal at a substantially constant voltage. A thermistor circuit is coupled between the lamp supply voltage signal and the voltage regulator and configured to detect a temperature of the ballast. The lamp supply voltage signal is varied by the regulation signal in accordance with the detected temperature of the ballast.

Abstract: A vehicle interior panel for use over an airbag includes a covering disposed over a substrate. The covering includes a decorative layer with an inner surface that faces the substrate and an opposite decorative surface. A non-visible tear seam is formed at the inner surface of the decorative layer. Tear seam tape is attached to the inner surface of the decorative layer along at least a portion of the tear seam to hold the decorative layer together at the tear seam. The tear seam tape can help prevent the tear seam from becoming visible at the decorative surface.

Abstract: A vehicle interior panel for use over an airbag includes a covering disposed over a substrate. The covering includes a decorative layer with an inner surface that faces the substrate and an opposite decorative surface. A non-visible tear seam is formed at the inner surface of the decorative layer. Tear seam tape is attached to the inner surface of the decorative layer along at least a portion of the tear seam to hold the decorative layer together at the tear seam. The tear seam tape can help prevent the tear seam from becoming visible at the decorative surface.

Abstract: A method for partial fingerprint recognition, the method comprising the steps of extracting features including ridge orientations, valley images, minutiae, and pores from at least two fingerprint fragments, aligning the fingerprint fragments, matching the pores and minutiae on the fingerprint fragments after applying estimated alignment transformation, calculating a final matching score based on a pore matching score and a minutiae matching score, identifying a person based on a result of the final matching score.

Abstract: A method for identifying a person based on their tongue is provided in which an image of a tongue of a person is compared to recorded details of tongues in a database. If a match is found, the person is identified.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator or bonded wafer includes an upper portion having a trapezoid shape in cross-section and a lower portion having an outer peripheral edge having a curved shape.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the manufacture of silicon wafers, and more particularly to edge etching apparatus and methods for etching the edge of a silicon wafer.

Abstract: A biometric identification system (30) for identifying a person, the system (30) comprising: an image acquisition module (31) to capture a three-dimensional (3D) image of a palm of the person; a region of interest (ROI) extraction module (34) to extract a 3D subimage from the captured image; and a 3D features extraction module (36) to extract 3D palmprint features from the 3D subimage; wherein the extracted 3D palmprint features are compared to reference 3D palmprint features to verify the identity of the person.

Abstract: A method for palmprint verification of an individual that includes illuminating a palm of an individual with a plurality of spectral bands, collecting a plurality of palmprint images that are illuminated under the different spectral bands, locating a sub-image from each of the plurality of palmprint images, extracting palmprint feature maps from the sub-images, determining a palmprint matching score for each of the spectral bands based on the palmprint feature maps, computing a fused score by combining at least two of the palmprint matching scores under different spectral bands, without double-counting overlapping regions, and comparing the fused score with a threshold score from a database.

Abstract: A method of personal identification includes switching between visible and near infrared light, acquiring palmprint image and palm vein image from a person under the visible and the near infrared light, extracting sub-images from the palmprint image and the palm vein image based on a region of interest, extracting multiple features from the sub-images, and matching the extracted multiple features with stored information in a database to authenticate the person.

Abstract: A method for identifying a person using their finger-joint print including the outer skin around the proximal interphalangeal joint of a finger, the method comprising: capturing (10) an image of the finger-joint print of the person; extracting (12) a region of interest (ROI) based on a local convexity property of the finger-joint print; extracting (13) features representing the orientation of the lines in a finger-joint print image from the ROI using an extended Gabor phase coding scheme and the extracted features are represented in competitive code maps; wherein angular distance between the competitive code maps is compared (14) with a reference set in a database to identify the person.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the manufacture of silicon wafers, and more particularly to edge etching apparatus and methods for etching the edge of a silicon wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for a multimodal biometric system utilizing a single image to generate hand shape and palmprint features. The invention utilizes a digital camera, and incorporates feature subset selection algorithms to eliminate redundant data. The inventions, through the use of feature algorithm, successfully fuses the hand shape features and palmprint features at the features level.