Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter aims to a system and method for evaluating the level of harassment of flying insects on a plurality of animals located at a given area, the system comprising a processing circuitry configured to: obtain one or more ear movement patterns associated with at least one ear of at least one animal of the plurality of animals, each ear movement pattern is associated with respective ear movement characteristics; for at least part of the one or more ear movement patterns, determine whether their respective ear movement characteristics meet a predefined rule; and, determine whether a number of ear movement patterns whose ear movement characteristics met the predefined rule meets an action requirement rule.

Abstract: A system for estimating greenhouse gas emission in an environment housing an animal population, the system comprising: one or more monitoring devices configured to monitor parameters of members of the animal population; a data repository comprising one or more records, each of the records (i) being associated with a respective member of the members, and (ii) including one or more parameters of the respective member as monitored by at least one of the monitoring devices over time; and a processing circuitry configured to: obtain at least a subset of the records, the subset being associated with a group of members of the animal population; determine one or more greenhouse gas emission affecting parameters based on the subset; estimate an amount of greenhouse gas emission in the environment utilizing the greenhouse gas emission affecting parameters; and perform an action utilizing the estimated amount of greenhouse gas emission in the environment.

Abstract: A system for determining a welfare of an animal population, the system comprising: one or more monitoring devices configured to monitor parameters of members of the animal population; a data repository comprising one or more records, each of the records (i) being associated with a respective member of the members, and (ii) including one or more parameters of the respective member as monitored by at least one of the monitoring devices over time; and a processing circuitry configured to calculate a welfare score of the animal population based on the at least two of: (a) health scores calculated for at least some of the members, (b) natural living scores calculated for at least some of the members, or (c) affectivity/happiness scores calculated for at least some of the members.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for receiving quantum optical communication while reducing receiver, increasing maximum detection speed, or both. The disclosure comprises transforming the polarization encoded output of a QKD system to time-bin encoded output at the detector level. The disclosure also comprises a method and an apparatus using a quantum optical switch and several SPD units to increase communication speed.

Abstract: In-application customization is provided where users can both use and customize the application. Within a graphical user interface of an application developed by an original author, an interaction from a customizer user of the application can be received to make a modification to the application from a set of available modifications that the original author did not create for the application. The modification can be performed using functionality made available through a developer program service.

Abstract: Seeder for use with a fiber laser for generating an arbitrary shaped pulse, comprising an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) source, a spectral filter and an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) modulator, the ASE source for generating a continuous wave (CW) broadband pulse, the spectral filter being coupled with the ASE source for narrowing the CW broadband pulse, and the AWG modulator being coupled with the spectral filter for shaping the narrowed CW broadband pulse to an arbitrary pulse shape.

Abstract: Mode expander isolator for a fiber laser amplifier comprising an optical fiber input, an optical fiber output, an isolator and at least one lens, the optical fiber input for coupling a first optical fiber with the mode expander isolator, the optical fiber output for coupling a second optical fiber with the mode expander isolator, the isolator being positioned between the optical fiber input and the optical fiber output for preventing back-reflected laser light from reaching the optical fiber input and wherein the isolator and the at least one lens form a free space mode expander.

Abstract: Mode expander isolator for a fiber laser amplifier comprising an optical fiber input, an optical fiber output, an isolator and at least one lens, the optical fiber input for coupling a first optical fiber with the mode expander isolator, the optical fiber output for coupling a second optical fiber with the mode expander isolator, the isolator being positioned between the optical fiber input and the optical fiber output for preventing back-reflected laser light from reaching the optical fiber input and wherein the isolator and the at least one lens form a free space mode expander.

Abstract: Seeder for use with a fiber laser for generating an arbitrary shaped pulse, comprising an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) source, a spectral filter and an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) modulator, the ASE source for generating a continuous wave (CW) broadband pulse, the spectral filter being coupled with the ASE source for narrowing the CW broadband pulse, and the AWG modulator being coupled with the spectral filter for shaping the narrowed CW broadband pulse to an arbitrary pulse shape.

Abstract: In-application customization is provided where users can both use and customize the application. Within a graphical user interface of an application developed by an original author, an interaction from a customizer user of the application can be received to make a modification to the application from a set of available modifications that the original author did not create for the application. The modification can be performed using functionality made available through a developer program service.

Abstract: A cloud manager assists in deploying and managing networks for an online service. The cloud manager system receives requests to perform operations relating to configuring, updating and performing tasks in networks that are used in providing the online service. The management of the assets may comprise deploying machines, updating machines, removing machines, performing configuration changes on servers, Virtual Machines (VMs), as well as performing other tasks relating to the management. The cloud manager is configured to receive requests through an idempotent and asynchronous application programming interface (API) that can not rely on a reliable network.

Abstract: A cloud manager assists in deploying and managing networks for an online service. The cloud manager system receives requests to perform operations relating to configuring, updating and performing tasks in networks that are used in providing the online service. The management of the assets may comprise deploying machines, updating machines, removing machines, performing configuration changes on servers, Virtual Machines (VMs), as well as performing other tasks relating to the management. The cloud manager is configured to receive requests through an idempotent and asynchronous application programming interface (API) that can not rely on a reliable network.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for generating a suite of web tests that are then combined into a load test. A log file is received. The log file may contain one or more requests received at a web server. Relevant information is extracted from the log file into a data file. A web test template is retrieved. The web test template is populated with the relevant information from the data file to generate the web test.

Abstract: A machine manager controls the deployment and management of machines (physical and virtual) for an online service. Multi-tier server groups are arranged in farms that each may include different configurations. For example, their may be content farms, federated services farms and SQL farms that are arranged to perform operations for the online service. When the multiple farms are upgraded, new farms are deployed and the associated content databases from the old farms are moved to the newly deployed farms. During the upgrade of the farms, requests may continue to be processed by the farms. The farms may be automatically load balanced during an upgrade. As content becomes available on the new farm, requests for the content may be automatically redirected to the new farm.

Abstract: Software that would not normally be able to be installed on a machine through a remote process is installed by a high privilege installer running on the machine. A request is received from a remote machine to install software on the machine using the high privilege installer. The high privilege installer determines when software that was requested remotely is to be installed. For example, the high privilege installer may monitor an install queue for software to be installed. When there are entries in the install queue, the high privilege installer is used to install the software. When there are no entries in the install queue, the high privilege installer may sleep until there is more software that is identified to be installed.

Abstract: An idempotent and asynchronous application programming interface (API) that can not rely on a reliable network is used by a cloud manager to receive and process requests. The cloud manager system is a central coordination service that receives requests using the API to perform update operations and get operations relating to the online service. For example, the API includes methods for deploying machines, updating machines, removing machines, performing configuration changes on servers, Virtual Machines (VMs), as well as performing other tasks relating to the management of the online service. Receiving and processing a same API call multiple times results in a same result.

Abstract: A cloud manager is utilized in the patching of physical machines and virtual machines that are used within an online service, such as an online content management service. The cloud manager assists in the scheduling of the application of software patches to the machines (physical and virtual) within the network such that the availability of the online service is maintained while machines are being patched. The machines to be patched are partitioned into groups that are patched at different times. Generally, the groups are partitioned into a highly available independent groups of machines such that one or more of the groups that are not currently being patched continue to provide the service(s) of the group that is being patched. The machines (physical and virtual) within each of the groups may be patched in parallel.

Abstract: A cloud manager assists in deploying and managing networks for an online service. The cloud manager system receives requests to perform operations relating to configuring, updating and performing tasks in networks that are used in providing the online service. The management of the assets may comprise deploying machines, updating machines, removing machines, performing configuration changes on servers, Virtual Machines (VMs), as well as performing other tasks relating to the management. The cloud manager is configured to receive requests through an idempotent and asynchronous application programming interface (API) that can not rely on a reliable network.

Abstract: A machine manager controls the deployment and management of machines (physical and virtual) for an online service. Multi-tier server groups are arranged in farms that each may include different configurations. For example, their may be content farms, federated services farms and SQL farms that are arranged to perform operations for the online service. When the multiple farms are upgraded, new farms are deployed and the associated content databases from the old farms are moved to the newly deployed farms. During the upgrade of the farms, requests may continue to be processed by the farms. The farms may be automatically load balanced during an upgrade. As content becomes available on the new farm, requests for the content may be automatically redirected to the new farm.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for generating a suite of web tests that are then combined into a load test. A log file is received. The log file may contain one or more requests received at a web server. Relevant information is extracted from the log file into a data file. A web test template is retrieved. The web test template is populated with the relevant information from the data file to generate the web test.