Abstract: Techniques are described herein for achieving physically dispersed item-dispersal patterns in queue tables that are used as circular buffers in a FIFO system. The techniques achieve the physically dispersed item-dispersal patterns while retaining FIFO semantics, efficient data ingest, efficient data access, and low latency for both fixed and variable-size ingest data. Because consecutively inserted rows are written to physically dispersed locations on persistent storage, lock contention between concurrent ingest sessions is significantly reduced. Once a physically dispersed item-dispersal pattern is established for a first set of inserted rows, subsequent rows are added by overwriting the existing rows. The physical dispersal of the initial rows may be accomplished by setting values in a slot number column such that updates that are made in a sequence that is based on the slot number column exhibit a desired physical dispersal pattern.

Abstract: An electrode includes a polymer based substrate; a polymer based buffer layer, wherein the polymer buffer layer includes a first polymer that is doped with a second polymer and further includes a polar solvent to increase its electrical conductivity; and a conducting film formed on the polymer based buffer layer, the conducting film being transparent to visible light. The electrode is flexible, electrically conductive and transparent to the visible light.

Abstract: A DBMS maintains delayed and non-delayed messages within a non-delay shard and a delay shard that function as a pair. The DBMS stages non-delayed messages in enqueue-time order within the non-delay shard, and maintains a non-delay dequeue pointer that moves in physical order of the enqueued non-delay messages. The DBMS stages delayed messages in enqueue-time order within bucket shards of the delay shard. Each bucket shard, of a delay shard, represents a time span of delivery times, and messages are assigned thereto based on message delivery time. The delay dequeue pointer comprises a sub-routine to determine the message with the minimum delivery time within a current bucket shard with a time span that includes the current time. The DBMS delivers the next available message out of the delayed and non-delayed shards by comparing the delivery time of the next available message from each shard and delivering the earliest available message.

Abstract: A three-dimensional structure may be obtained from a two-dimensional thin film by applying a stressor layer to the two-dimensional thin film and releasing the thin film from a support substrate. Such a three-dimensional structure may include a thermoelectric responsive material for forming a thermoelectric generator (TEG). A manufacturing process for the transformation from 2-D to 3-D may use a polymer stressor layer deposited on the thermoelectric responsive thin film. The combination thermoelectric responsive layer and stressor layer can be released from a carrier, after which the stressor layer causes the thermoelectric responsive layer to curl. The curl can cause the thermoelectric responsive layer to roll up during the release from the carrier to form a tubular structure.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for achieving physically dispersed item-dispersal patterns in queue tables that are used as circular buffers in a FIFO system. The techniques achieve the physically dispersed item-dispersal patterns while retaining FIFO semantics, efficient data ingest, efficient data access, and low latency for both fixed and variable-size ingest data. Because consecutively inserted rows are written to physically dispersed locations on persistent storage, lock contention between concurrent ingest sessions is significantly reduced. Once a physically dispersed item-dispersal pattern is established for a first set of inserted rows, subsequent rows are added by overwriting the existing rows. The physical dispersal of the initial rows may be accomplished by setting values in a slot number column such that updates that are made in a sequence that is based on the slot number column exhibit a desired physical dispersal pattern.

Abstract: A DBMS maintains delayed and non-delayed messages within a non-delay shard and a delay shard that function as a pair. The DBMS stages non-delayed messages in enqueue-time order within the non-delay shard, and maintains a non-delay dequeue pointer that moves in physical order of the enqueued non-delay messages. The DBMS stages delayed messages in enqueue-time order within bucket shards of the delay shard. Each bucket shard, of a delay shard, represents a time span of delivery times, and messages are assigned thereto based on message delivery time. The delay dequeue pointer comprises a sub-routine to determine the message with the minimum delivery time within a current bucket shard with a time span that includes the current time. The DBMS delivers the next available message out of the delayed and non-delayed shards by comparing the delivery time of the next available message from each shard and delivering the earliest available message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for message cache management for message queues is provided. A plurality of messages from a plurality of enqueuers are enqueued in a queue comprising one or more shards, each shard comprising one or more subshards. A message cache is maintained in memory. Enqueuing a message includes enqueuing the message in a current subshard of a particular shard, which includes storing the message in a cached subshard corresponding to the current subshard of the particular shard. For each dequeuer-shard pair, a dequeue rate is determined. Estimated access time data is generated that includes an earliest estimated access time for each of a plurality of subshards based on the dequeuer-shard pair dequeue rates. A set of subshards is determined for storing as cached subshards in the message cache based on the earliest estimated access times for the plurality of subshards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for message cache management for message queues is provided. A plurality of messages from a plurality of enqueuers are enqueued in a queue comprising one or more shards, each shard comprising one or more subshards. A message cache is maintained in memory. Enqueuing a message includes enqueuing the message in a current subshard of a particular shard, which includes storing the message in a cached subshard corresponding to the current subshard of the particular shard. For each dequeuer-shard pair, a dequeue rate is determined. Estimated access time data is generated that includes an earliest estimated access time for each of a plurality of subshards based on the dequeuer-shard pair dequeue rates. A set of subshards is determined for storing as cached subshards in the message cache based on the earliest estimated access times for the plurality of subshards.

Abstract: An efficient energy harvesting (EEH) water vehicle is disclosed. The base of the EEH water vehicle is fabricated with rolling cylindrical drums that can rotate freely in the same direction of the water medium. The drums reduce the drag at the vehicle-water interface. This reduction in drag corresponds to an increase in speed and/or greater fuel efficiency. The mechanical energy of the rolling cylindrical drums is also transformed into electrical energy using an electricity producing device, such as a dynamo or an alternator. Thus, the efficiency of the vehicle is enhanced in two parallel modes: from the reduction in drag at the vehicle-water interface, and from capturing power from the rotational motion of the drums.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an in-database sharded queue that supports JMS session ordering is provided. Messages from a plurality of enqueuers are stored in a plurality of shards of a particular queue. For each enqueuer, all messages are stored in only one of the shards. Each shard includes one or more subshards, each subshard having one or more partitions of a queue table maintained by a relational database system. All messages from a first enqueuer are stored in partitions of the queue table that are assigned to a first shard of the plurality of shards. All messages from a second enqueuer are stored in partitions of the queue table that are assigned to a second shard of the plurality of shards. Subscribers of the particular queue are caused to dequeue messages from the plurality of shards.

Abstract: Handling memory pressure in an in-database sharded queue is described. Messages from a plurality of enqueuers are stored in a plurality of shards of a sharded queue. Messages from a first enqueuer are stored in a first shard. A queue table corresponding to the sharded queue is maintained. In volatile memory, a plurality of message caches is maintained, each message cache corresponding to a shard of the plurality of shards. Memory pressure is detected based on memory usage of the volatile memory. To store a specific message from the enqueuer, the specific message is stored in rows of the queue table that are assigned to the first shard. When memory pressure is not detected, the specific message is stored in a first message cache corresponding to the first shard. Subscribers of the sharded queue are caused to dequeue messages from the plurality of shards.

Abstract: Handling memory pressure in an in-database sharded queue is described. Messages from a plurality of enqueuers are stored in a plurality of shards of a sharded queue. Messages from a first enqueuer are stored in a first shard. A queue table corresponding to the sharded queue is maintained. In volatile memory, a plurality of message caches is maintained, each message cache corresponding to a shard of the plurality of shards. Memory pressure is detected based on memory usage of the volatile memory. To store a specific message from the enqueuer, the specific message is stored in rows of the queue table that are assigned to the first shard. When memory pressure is not detected, the specific message is stored in a first message cache corresponding to the first shard. Subscribers of the sharded queue are caused to dequeue messages from the plurality of shards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an in-database sharded queue that supports JMS session ordering is provided. Messages from a plurality of enqueuers are stored in a plurality of shards of a particular queue. For each enqueuer, all messages are stored in only one of the shards. Each shard includes one or more subshards, each subshard having one or more partitions of a queue table maintained by a relational database system. All messages from a first enqueuer are stored in partitions of the queue table that are assigned to a first shard of the plurality of shards. All messages from a second enqueuer are stored in partitions of the queue table that are assigned to a second shard of the plurality of shards. Subscribers of the particular queue are caused to dequeue messages from the plurality of shards.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating facilitating management of innovations and accompanying constituent concepts. An example method includes providing a first user option to define one or more alternate solution categories for one or more concepts, wherein each alternate solution category is associated with an innovation comprising a structure of concepts, and wherein an alternate solution category is associated with an alternate solution structure; providing a second user option to define a concept as an alternate solution concept belonging to an alternate solution category; and associating one or more metric attributes with an alternate solution concept. The user options may be provided via a user interface display screen with additional user interface controls for generating analysis pertaining to alternative concept structures in association with one or more metrics, such as supply chain risk, cost, compliance, fulfillment, and/or other product objectives or metrics.