Abstract: A multi-charge ignition system includes a spark plug control unit adapted to control at least two coil stages so as to successively energise and de-energise the coil stages to provide a current to a spark plug. The two stages include a first transformer including a first primary winding inductively coupled to a first secondary winding; a second transformer including a second primary winding inductively coupled to a second secondary winding. An auxiliary primary winding is connected from the common high side of the primary winding in series to an auxiliary secondary winding, the other end of said auxiliary secondary winding is electrically connected to ground/low side, and includes a switch which selectively allows current to pass through the auxiliary windings.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a method for storage management in an aggregated file system. The method includes tracking inode numbers for sub-file systems of the aggregated file system. A request for a unique range of inode numbers in the aggregated file system is received. The unique range of inode numbers is provided to one or more sub-file systems of the aggregated file system while providing that each sub-file system of the aggregated file system has a required range of inode numbers and that no two sub-file systems have overlapping inode numbers.

Abstract: A data storage apparatus includes an interface and one or more processors. The interface is configured for communicating with a cloud-based object storage system having a built-in versioning mechanism that assigns version numbers to objects stored therein. The one or more processors are configured to receive data for storage from one or more workloads, to store the data as objects in the cloud-based object storage system, and to update and record reference counts for at least some of the objects, by forcing the built-in versioning mechanism of the cloud-based object storage system to update the version numbers so as to match the reference counts.

Abstract: A graphics processing pipeline includes: a position shader, a tiler, a pool of memory for storing primitive lists and vertex shaded attributes data for vertices, a varying-only vertex shader, and a fragment frontend and shader. The position shader performs vertex shading for the positional attributes of the vertices of a set of vertices to be processed by the graphics processing pipeline. The tiler uses the vertex shaded position data to identify primitives that should be processed further to generate the render output. When the tiler determines that a vertex should be processed further to generate the render output, it allocates memory space in the memory pool for storing vertex shaded attributes data for the vertex. Vertex shaded attributes data for the vertex is then stored in the allocated space in the memory pool for later use, e.g., by the fragment frontend and shader.

Abstract: An assembly includes a carrier including a glass material, including at least one recess, wherein at least one optoelectronic semiconductor component is arranged in the at least one recess of the carrier, and at least one surface of the semiconductor component connects to the carrier via a melted surface including glass.

Abstract: A benchtop device flow setup for determining the effectiveness of magnetic treatment of feed water for reducing mineral scaling includes two similar branches, both equipped with a reverse osmosis membrane and a pump that operate in the transient regime at the same flow rate and transmembrane pressure. The flow setup is further fed with a solution at the same level of supersaturation measured in a stirred reactor, however, only one branch exposes the feed to a magnetic field.

Abstract: An inflatable packer assembly features a pump and a piping network configurable to add fluid or remove fluid from the inflatable. Sensor can detect borehole variables and transmit readings to a remote location. Commands can be sent from the remote location to a borehole controller to configure the piping system for addition or removal of fluid from the inflatable to a desired level. A power source can power the pump and automatic valves to configure the system for addition or removal of fluid. Control from a remote location can be manual or automatic based on algorithms loaded on a processor that can be remotely locally located by the inflatable. A reservoir with clean fluid that is in pressure balance with borehole fluids can be used with a fluid separation device between clean and well fluids. Well fluids can be screened before being delivered to the inflatable.

Abstract: A method for the joining of ceramic pieces with a hermetically sealed joint comprising brazing a layer of joining material between the two pieces. The wetting and flow of the joining material is controlled by the selection of the joining material, the joining temperature, the joining atmosphere, and other factors. The ceramic pieces may be aluminum nitride and the pieces may be brazed with an aluminum alloy under controlled atmosphere. The joint material is adapted to later withstand both the environments within a process chamber during substrate processing, and the oxygenated atmosphere which may be seen within the shaft of a heater or electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A method for operating a device, wherein a graphical user interface is generated and displayed on a display area. The user interface has at least one operating object assigned to an application program for controlling the device. Output data are generated and displayed in the region of the assigned operating object, wherein the application program has a function having exactly two activatable program states. The first program state is activated and the output data are generated based on the activated program state. An input gesture is detected based on the user interface. The operating object has a first region and a second region and the input gesture is assigned to the first region or to the second region.

Abstract: A system and process scans a target area at a distance of 3-30 m for one or more materials. Scanning is performed by a coherent transmit beam aimed with the help of a thermal camera. The active source of the beam is a supercontinuum (SC) laser. The transmitted source beam is modulated by a high-speed Fourier-transform spectrometer prior to interaction with the target. Target reflected source beam is detected by an infrared detector, along with a reference portion of the transmitted source beam, as a series of interferograms; passed through a digitizer for digitizing the interferograms; and processed to producing spectrograms, wherein the spectrograms are indicative of one or more materials on the target.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein may automatically sense varying environmental factors in an area of interest managed by a climate management system. The systems and methods described herein may adaptively control motors, inlets, outlets, other components of the climate control system, time delay(s), hours of operation, etc. to optimize the performance of the climate control system for the environmental factors. In some implementations, the systems and methods described herein may allow a user full control of climate management systems based on external sensors, building and/or other operational requirements for specific applications/contexts, etc. The systems and methods described herein may support one or more present sequences of operations used for various applications/contexts, and/or may allow users to customize various aspects of operation.

Abstract: Measuring a networked audience is described. Initially, a first set of network usage data is determined based on a first set of signaling information obtained from a first subset of the client systems as a result of the first subset accessing common resources. In addition, a second set of network usage data is determined based on a second set of information obtained from a second subset of the client systems as a result of an application installed thereon monitoring accessing of the common resources. Usage is measured based on the first set of network usage data by determining an initial count of unique visitors that accessed the common resources by determining a count related to signaling of the first set of signaling information. Adjustment factors are determined based on the second set of network usage data. Finally, audience reports are generated by adjusting the measured usage using the one or more adjustment factors.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement includes: a sealing ring having at least one dynamically loaded sealing lip, the sealing ring including a core comprised of an electrically conductive material and a casing comprised of an electrically insulating material, the casing having a material thickness, surrounding the core at least in part and including the sealing lip; a machine element to be sealed that has a surface to be sealed, which surface is electrically conductive and surrounded by the sealing lip in a radially prestressingly sealing manner; and a wear detector, which has an electric measurement device for detecting a state of wear of the sealing ring. When viewed in section, the material thickness of the sealing lip is smaller in a radial direction than the material thickness of a remainder of the casing.

Abstract: A mobile device storage and tracking system includes a housing and a carousel disposed in the housing and having a plurality of storage spaces. Responsive to a user input that is indicative of a particular user, a control rotates the carousel to position a selected storage space at a door and unlocks the door, whereby the particular user can store a mobile device at that selected storage space. After the user stores the mobile device at that selected storage space, the control closes and locks the door. When the particular user again provides the user input, the control unlocks the door and rotates the carousel to position the selected storage space at the door. The control is operable to track, for each particular user, when the particular user's mobile device is at the carousel and when the particular user's mobile device has been removed from the carousel.

Abstract: A method of determining an operation of at least one of a plurality of generators in a power generation system. The method includes identifying a system parameter that is related to operation of the power generation system; and determining which of the plurality of generators to operate to minimize fuel consumption of the power generation system based on the system parameter. Other methods include identifying a system parameter that is related to operation of the power generation system; and determining which of the plurality of generators to operate by optimizing an operating variable of the power generation system based on the system parameter.

Abstract: A covert information viewing system converts visible light to infrared wavelengths that can be transmitted for detection by an infrared-sensitive detector, such as night vision goggles, without detection by the human eye. The system includes a visible light information source emitting radiation as visible light, and a covert covering including an energy converting layer for absorbing the visible light emitted from the visible light information source and converting the visible light to infrared wavelengths, and a light blocking layer capable of absorbing unconverted visible light and transmitting infrared wavelengths. The covert covering is attached to the visible light information source and oriented to cover visible light emitted from the visible light information source, but it is also easily removed from the visible light information source.

Abstract: An augmented-reality (AR) device detects a physical device located within a first predefined distance of the augmented-reality device. The AR device detects, using an optical sensor, a physical object located within a second predefined distance of the physical device, the physical object being electronically unconnected to the physical device. The AR device determines that the physical object is associated with the physical device and identifies a command based on an identification of both the physical object and the physical device. The physical device is configured to operate the command and display, in the display, virtual content as an overlay to the physical object.

Abstract: A multi-output gate driver system comprises a power device having a gate node; a first driver having an input and an output coupled to the gate node; a second driver having an input and an output coupled to the gate node; a first comparator having a first input coupled to the output of the second driver, a second input coupled to a first reference voltage, and an output; a second comparator having a first input coupled to the output of the second driver, a second input coupled to a second reference voltage, and an output; and a logic circuit having an input for receiving a control signal, a first output coupled to the input of the first driver, and a second output coupled to the input of the second driver.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include in-recess fabricated vertical capacitor cells, that can be assembled as close to the surface of a semiconductor package substrate as the first-level interconnect surface. The in-recess fabricated vertical capacitor cells are semiconductor package-integrated capacitors. Disclosed embodiments include laminated vertical capacitor cells where a plated through-hole is twice breached to form opposing capacitor plates. The breached, plated through-hole capacitors are semiconductor package-integrated capacitors.

Abstract: A passenger seat comprises a backrest, a seat element and a size increasing mechanism which is configured to convert a weight acting on the seat element when a user sits in the passenger seat into an increase in the depth of a seat pan of the seat element that can be used by the user from a rest-position depth to a to an operational-position depth.