Abstract: A cement slurry for use in a wellbore during wellbore cementing includes an aqueous cement slurry and a preformed synthetic polymer swellable in the aqueous cement slurry.

Abstract: A cement spacer fluid for use in a wellbore includes an aqueous cement spacer carrier fluid and a preformed synthetic polymer swellable in the aqueous cement spacer carrier fluid in an amount effective to displace a drilling fluid during a cementing operation. Preferably, the polymer is particulate, and forms a hydrated pack of particles. A method of cementing a wellbore comprising a drilling fluid includes injecting the cement spacer fluid into the wellbore to displace the drilling fluid; injecting a cement slurry into the wellbore subsequent to injecting the cement spacer fluid; and hardening the cement in the slurry to cement the wellbore.

Abstract: A cement isolation fluid for use in a wellbore during a cementing operation includes an aqueous carrier fluid and a preformed synthetic polymer swellable in the carrier fluid, in an amount effective to isolate a cement slurry from another drilling fluid present in the wellbore. A method of cementing a wellbore comprising a drilling fluid includes injecting the cement isolation fluid into the wellbore; injecting a cement slurry into the wellbore; and hardening the cement in the slurry to cement the wellbore.

Abstract: The method includes the introduction of a proppant-free stage and a proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or subterranean formation. The method increases the effective fracture width and enhances fracture conductivity within the formation. Either the proppant-free stage or the proppant laden stage contains a breaker. At least one of the proppant-free stage or proppant laden stage contains a viscosifying agent to which the breaker has affinity. The viscosifying agent may be a superabsorbent, a viscosifying polymer (other than a superabsorbent) or a viscoelastic surfactant. The breaker has greater affinity for the viscosifying agent not present in the same stage as the breaker. Either the proppant-free stage or the proppant laden stage may be foamed.

Abstract: A capture device may capture a user's motion and a display device may display a model that maps to the user's motion, including gestures that are applicable for control. A user may be unfamiliar with a system that maps the user's motions or not know what gestures are applicable for an executing application. A user may not understand or know how to perform gestures that are applicable for the executing application. Providing visual feedback representing instructional gesture data to the user can teach the user how to properly gesture. The visual feedback may be provided in any number of suitable ways. For example, visual feedback may be provided via ghosted images, player avatars, or skeletal representations. The system can process prerecorded or live content for displaying visual feedback representing instructional gesture data. The feedback can portray the deltas between the user's actual position and the ideal gesture position.

Abstract: A capture device may capture a user's motion and a display device may display a model that maps to the user's motion, including gestures that are applicable for control. A user may be unfamiliar with a system that maps the user's motions or not know what gestures are applicable for an executing application. A user may not understand or know how to perform gestures that are applicable for the executing application. Providing visual feedback representing instructional gesture data to the user can teach the user how to properly gesture. The visual feedback may be provided in any number of suitable ways. For example, visual feedback may be provided via ghosted images, player avatars, or skeletal representations. The system can process prerecorded or live content for displaying visual feedback representing instructional gesture data. The feedback can portray the deltas between the user's actual position and the ideal gesture position.

Abstract: Integrated voice and data services are provided that utilize wired cordless access with unlicensed/unregulated connectivity sources. A digital cordless telephone operates over unlicensed/unregulated spectrum in conjunction with one or more wireless access points (WAPs) that are installed in homes, businesses, entertainment venues, and the like. The WAPs are connected to a communications service provider's broadband packet data network. A user may use the device when they are in range of another wireless access point in a public or private building that also is connected to their communications service provider's broadband packet data network.

Abstract: A spinal rod persuader, system and method can include an outer tube, an inner tube, and a locking element. A first actuation mechanism can be movable in a linear fashion along a longitudinal axis direction to cause the locking element to move in a linear fashion over the inner tube and to lock the inner tube onto a pedicle screw. A second actuation mechanism can be rotated to cause the outer tube to move in a longitudinal axis direction with respect to the inner tube to push the spinal rod into a final position with respect to the pedicle screw while the pedicle screw is locked to the inner tube. A slot and/or tab structure can be provided in the outer tube such that actuation of the slot/tab will allow disassembly of the inner tube, outer tube and locking element with respect to each other.

Abstract: Integrated voice and data services are provided that utilize wired cordless access with unlicensed/unregulated connectivity sources. A digital cordless telephone operates over unlicensed/unregulated spectrum in conjunction with one or more wireless access points (WAPs) that are installed in homes, businesses, entertainment venues, and the like. The WAPs are connected to a communications service provider's broadband packet data network. A user may use the device when they are in range of another wireless access point in a public or private building that also is connected to their communications service provider's broadband packet data network.

Abstract: A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for transmitting an offer for an item are disclosed. For example, a method receives from a social network an indication of a desire of a user for an item and receives from a device of a retailer an indication of an offer for the item. The method then determines a location of a device of the user, detects a proximity of the device of the user to a location of the retailer and transmits the offer for the item to the device of the user when the proximity of the device of the user to the location of the retailer is detected.

Abstract: A system may receive image data and capture motion with respect to a target in a physical space and recognize a gesture from the captured motion. It may be desirable to isolate aspects of captured motion to differentiate random and extraneous motions. For example, a gesture may comprise motion of a user's right arm, and it may be desirable to isolate the motion of the user's right arm and exclude an interpretation of any other motion. Thus, the isolated aspect may be the focus of the received data for gesture recognition. Alternately, the isolated aspects may be an aspect of the captured motion that is removed from consideration when identifying a gesture from the captured motion. For example, gesture filters may be modified to correspond to the user's natural lean to eliminate the effect the lean has on the registry of a motion with a gesture filter.

Abstract: A method for building a plug in a horizontal wellbore using a fluid pill containing a suspended well treatment composite. The well treatment composite contains a core comprising at least one deformable particulate and at least one dissolvable diverter. At least a portion of the surface of the core is coated with at least one viscosifying polymer and at least one crosslinking agent. The fluid pill is pumped into the wellbore at the end of a fracturing treatment and the fluid pill may be displaced by a displacement fluid. The fluid pill may be diverted to an area of lower permeability by disassociating the dissolvable diverter from the core. The disassociated diverter blocks an area of higher permeability. The sized particle distribution of the diverter is sufficient to at least partially block the penetration of fluid into the high permeability zone. In the lower permeability zone, a thickened gel is formed by the in-situ reaction of the viscosifying polymer and crosslinking.

Abstract: In applications that display a representation of a user, it may be reasonable to insert a pre-canned animation rather than animating a user's captured motion. For example, in a tennis swing, the ball toss and take back in a serve could be a pre-canned animation, whereas the actual forward swing may be mapped from the user's gestures. An animation of a user's gestures can be chained together into sequences with pre-canned animations, where animation blending techniques can provide for a smoother transition between the animation types. Techniques for blending animations, that may comprise determining boundaries and transition points between pre-canned animations and animations based on captured motion, may improve animation efficiency. Gesture history, including joint position, velocity, and acceleration, can be used to determine user intent, seed parameters for subsequent animations and game control, and determine the subsequent gestures to initiate.

Abstract: A spinal rod persuader, system and method can include an outer tube, an inner tube, and a locking element. A first actuation mechanism can be movable in a linear fashion along a longitudinal axis direction to cause the locking element to move in a linear fashion over the inner tube and to lock the inner tube onto a pedicle screw. A second actuation mechanism can be rotated to cause the outer tube to move in a longitudinal axis direction with respect to the inner tube to push the spinal rod into a final position with respect to the pedicle screw while the pedicle screw is locked to the inner tube. A slot and/or tab structure can be provided in the outer tube such that actuation of the slot/tab will allow disassembly of the inner tube, outer tube and locking element with respect to each other.

Abstract: A system may receive image data and capture motion with respect to a target in a physical space and recognize a gesture from the captured motion. It may be desirable to isolate aspects of captured motion to differentiate random and extraneous motions. For example, a gesture may comprise motion of a user's right arm, and it may be desirable to isolate the motion of the user's right arm and exclude an interpretation of any other motion. Thus, the isolated aspect may be the focus of the received data for gesture recognition. Alternately, the isolated aspects may be an aspect of the captured motion that is removed from consideration when identifying a gesture from the captured motion. For example, gesture filters may be modified to correspond to the user's natural lean to eliminate the effect the lean has on the registry of a motion with a gesture filter.

Abstract: A thermoformed tray made of material from the group consisting essentially of PET, RPET, HDPE, and RHDPE and a method of making the tray. The tray has a blunt and substantially smooth outer peripheral flange that will not cut a plastic overwrap film, such as LDPE. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a thermoformed packaging tray 10 preferably comprising PET, RPET, HDPE or RHDPE material. The techniques and processes for thermoforming a tray from PET, RPET, HDPE or RHDPE material are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and therefore further discussion of the thermoforming process is not warranted.

Abstract: The method disclosed herein includes the introduction of proppant-free stage and a proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or subterranean formation. The method increases the effective fracture width and enhances fracture conductivity within the formation. Either the proppant-free stage or the proppant laden stage contains a breaker. At least one of the proppant-free stage or proppant laden stage contains a viscosifying agent to which the breaker has affinity. The viscosifying agent may be a superabsorbent, a viscosifying polymer (other than a superabsorbent) or a viscoelastic surfactant. The breaker has greater affinity for the viscosifying agent not present in the same stage as the breaker. Either the proppant-free stage or the proppant laden stage may be foamed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a foamed fracturing fluid comprising a carrier fluid; a polymer that is soluble in the carrier fluid; the polymer being a synthetic polymer, wherein the synthetic polymer comprises a labile group that is operative to facilitate decomposition of the synthetic polymer upon activation of the labile group; a foaming agent; and a gas constituent, the synthetic polymer, foaming agent and gas constituent being operative to increase the viscosity of the carrier fluid to about 50 centipoise or greater at 100 s?1, the foamed fracturing fluid being operative to reduce friction during a downhole fracturing operation and to transport a proppant during the downhole fracturing operation. A method for treating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: The complexity of a fracture network may be enhanced during a hydraulic fracturing operation by monitoring operational parameters of the fracturing job and altering stress conditions in the well in response to the monitoring of the operational parameters. The operational parameters monitored may include the injection rate of the pumped fluid, the density of the pumped fluid or the bottomhole pressure of the well after the fluid is pumped. The method provides an increase to the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV).

Abstract: A hydraulic fracturing method includes injecting a fluid containing a transitory binder and filler into a substantially horizontal well casing without any placement apparatus present in the substantially horizontal well casing, the filler containing particles of a solid material. The transitory binder and filler are placed over first perforations in the well casing. The method includes opening second perforations through the well casing, injecting additional fracturing fluid through the substantially horizontal well casing, and forming a plug over and through the first perforations with the transitory binder and filler.