Abstract: Methods and system for processing transfer requests are described. In one embodiment, a value transfer request may be received from a value provider through a network. The value transfer request may include a value amount to be provided from a source user to a target user. A settlement account of the value provider may be reduced by the value amount. A target account of the target user may be increased by the value amount.

Abstract: The invention is a modular and autonomously reconfigurable manipulator system, which introduces a new dimension to the versatility of robot manipulation for diverse tasks. The hardware component is a redundant mechanism which can lock any number of its joints at any relative position to form a particular configuration with a certain number of degrees of freedom and specific values for 5 kinematic, dynamic and control parameters, optimum for a given task to be performed. The process of identifying the optimum configuration for a given task and implementing it on the manipulator is done autonomously through the system software. Therefore, no manual interaction is required to form a new configuration most suitable for a given task. The kinematic, dynamic and control parameters of the system can vary continuously enabling the manipulator to form virtually an infinite number of configurations.

Abstract: A system for storing data includes a rack and one or more data storage modules coupled to the rack. The data storage modules may include a chassis, two or more backplanes coupled to the chassis, one or more mass storage devices coupled to the backplanes, and one or more air plenums extending beneath one or more of the backplanes in the chassis interior. The backplanes are coupled to the chassis in a staggered configuration, where one of the backplanes is coupled to the chassis at a different elevation relative to another one of the backplanes coupled to the chassis. An air passage may extend beneath one or more of the staggered backplanes and may progressively narrow from the inlet end towards the exhaust end of the chassis. A progressively narrowing air passage can progressively impede airflow through the air passage from the inlet end towards the exhaust end.

Abstract: A multiple-interface apparatus and method and networking device including the same. The multiple-interface apparatus including: a plurality of system side lanes configured to connect to an electrical signal source; and a plurality of line side lanes, wherein the number of the plurality of line side lanes matches the number of the plurality of system side lanes, including: a first set of line side lanes configured to connect to a first optical transceiver module; and a second set of line side lanes configured to connect to a second optical transceiver module; a mode selector module that can be set to transmit the electrical signal to the first optical transceiver module on the first set of line side lanes or the second optical transceiver module on the second set of line side lanes; and an adaptation module to adapt the electrical signal for at least one of the first set of line side lanes or the second set of line side lanes.

Abstract: A method for cleaning the glass surface of solar panels which employs the use of highly efficient sequestering agents and allows to replace deionized water with municipal or fresh water of up to a very high water hardness, without having a loss in the long term power output of the solar panels.

Abstract: A network device for implementing high-rate greenfield transmission in a mixed mode frame structure. The network device is configured to transmit a mixed mode frame on two adjacent channels. The mixed mode frame comprises at least two backward compatible portions of a first frequency and a greenfield portion of a second frequency.

Abstract: A method for cleaning the glass surface of solar panels which employs the use of highly efficient sequestering agents and allows to replace deionized water with municipal or fresh water of up to a very high water hardness, without having a loss in the long term power output of the solar panels.

Abstract: A method of adaptation of a bacterial culture, the method comprising the method steps of: Exposing the bacterial culture to increasing levels of pH over a period of time. A leaching process is also described.

Abstract: Embodiments facilitate commercial transactions between a user and one or more vendors without requiring a user to provide information unique to a user account for the vendor. Embodiments prompt a user to select one or more vendors from a list of vendors. An authorization is obtained from the user to allow the computer program to retrieve the product from the list of vendors and on behalf of the user. The computer program then requests and receives, from each vendor, information for accessing an electronic resource of the vendor. In embodiments, the received information is unique to the user account for the vendor. The computer program then obtains the product from the vendor based on the received information. The computer program thus presents a centralized management service for obtaining product from a plurality of vendors and without requiring the user to provide user information unique to the user for each vendor.

Abstract: Methods and system for transaction processing are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of default parameters may be configured for value transfer. A transfer request including a transfer amount and a user account identifier may be received. One or more of the plurality of default parameters may be selected. The transfer request may be processed in the transfer amount based on the user account identifier and the one or more selected default parameters.

Abstract: Methods and systems for payments with virtual value are described. In one embodiment, a virtual value indication associated with a user from a virtual value provider may be received. Virtual value may be associated with a user account in response to receiving the virtual value indication. A payment request may be received. A portion of the virtual value associated with the account may be converted to a base value of a base value type at a conversion rate in response to the receiving of the payment request. The payment request may be processed for the account using the base value. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a shoelace device for securing a shoe onto a user, the device including a lace having a first end and a second end, a first t-locking fastener attached to the first end, and a second t-locking fastener attached to the second end. The lace may be made of an elastic material. Each t-locking fastener may be capable of pivoting about its respective end from a first position to a second position, wherein the second position is substantially perpendicular to a plane of a length of the lace.

Abstract: Power saving for wireless communication devices by adjusting the amount of time, after a last transmission/reception of data, that the device remains in an awake mode listening for more data before the device enters a sleep mode. This time period may be referred to as inactivity time interval or inactivity timeout (ITO). The described features may be employed to improve power savings by taking metrics of channel congestion into account for determining the ITO. The appropriate ITO may be determined to be commensurate with ongoing transmission and/or reception activity. Because error may occur in estimating channel congestion and/or transmission/reception activity, latency bounds based on estimation errors may be managed by classifying the operational mode into multiple regions and employing techniques for mitigating error in congestion estimation based at least in part on the operational mode.

Abstract: A processor core includes multiple execution units, such as a first execution unit and a second execution unit. The first execution unit may include a first functional component that supports a superscalar pipeline. The second execution unit may include a second functional component supporting a scalar pipeline. The processor core may operate in a high-performance mode by using the first execution unit and powering down the second execution unit and operate in a low-power mode by using the second execution unit and powering down the first execution unit. The processor core may include common elements shared between the multiple execution units, such as a common instruction cache, data cache, register file(s), and more.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a gas sample conveyed in a drilling fluid involves liberating the gas sample from the drilling fluid, irradiating the gas sample with infrared radiation spanning a wavelength range in the near-infrared range, detecting absorption spectra associated with irradiating the gas sample, and determining a composition of the gas sample from the absorption spectra. The gas sample includes one or more of methane, ethane, propane, and butane, the detected absorption spectra are associated with irradiating each of the one or more of methane, ethane, propane, and butane, and the composition includes a concentration of any one or more of the methane, ethane, propane, and butane.

Abstract: Vibration-damping blankets are attached to the back surfaces of fairing panels of a flight vehicle (e.g., an aircraft or spacecraft) to reduce vibration, fatigue, structure and airborne transmitted energy, and cabin noise. In one case, the flight vehicle fairing has an exterior comprising exterior surfaces of a multiplicity of removable panels. A method of retrofitting the flight vehicle with vibration-damping blankets comprises: removing a panel from the flight vehicle exterior; attaching a vibration-damping blanket to a back surface of the removed panel; and installing the panel with attached vibration-damping blanket on the flight vehicle with the exterior surface of the panel forming part of the flight vehicle exterior. In one embodiment, the vibration-damping blanket comprises polymeric (e.g., aromatic polyamide) fibers in a nonwoven structure.

Abstract: Power saving for wireless communication devices by adjusting the amount of time, after a last transmission/reception of data, that the device remains in an awake mode listening for more data before the device enters a sleep mode. This time period may be referred to as inactivity time interval or inactivity timeout (ITO). The described features may be employed to improve power savings by taking metrics of channel congestion into account for determining the ITO. The appropriate ITO may be determined to be commensurate with ongoing transmission and/or reception activity. Because error may occur in estimating channel congestion and/or transmission/reception activity, latency bounds based on estimation errors may be managed by classifying the operational mode into multiple regions and employing techniques for mitigating error in congestion estimation based at least in part on the operational mode.

Abstract: A method for cleaning the glass surface of solar panels which employs the use of highly efficient sequestering agents and allows to replace deionized water with municipal or fresh water of up to a very high water hardness, without having a loss in the long term power output of the solar panels.

Abstract: An aqueous coolant fluid for cutting or machining a semiconductor substrate, comprising at least one organic phosphorous containing acid or salt thereof, at least one polyol; and at least one surfactant, and a method of cutting a silicon ingot or wafer using the coolant fluid.

Abstract: Method and system encodes a signal according to a code rate that includes a ratio of uncoded bits to coded bits. An outer encoder encodes the signal into code words. An interleaver converts the code words into a byte sequence for wireless transmission. An inner encoder executes a convolutional code to generate an encoded signal. The encoded signal is transmitted over a plurality of subcarriers associated with a wide bandwidth channel having a spectral efficiency associated with the code rate. The outer encoder includes a Reed-Solomon encoder having a rate that increases the code rate of uncoded bits to coded bits.