Abstract: A scene may be rendered as objects that are lit by various light sources. A scene designer may arrange the scene to create particular lighting effects when viewed from an initial perspective, such as gloss, translucency, and iridescence, and may choose lighting effects to create a desired aesthetic tone and/or highlighting within the scene. However, rendering the scene from a different perspective may alter the lighting effects (e.g., losing or misplacing desired lighting effects, and/or creating new and undesirable lighting effects, such as glare). Instead, when the scene is rendered from the initial perspective, the lighting effects created therein may be stored with the scene representation of the scene. A second rendering of the scene from a different perspective may reapply the stored lighting effects to the lit objects, thereby maintaining the lighting effects and the intent of the designer in the presentation of the scene from a different perspective.

Abstract: Objects in a computing environment are often utilized by threads through an object lifecycle, and are destroyed at the end of the object lifecycle to reclaim the computing resources used by the object. In some cases, a thread that initiates an object destruction of an object may be unable to complete the destruction (e.g., a second thread may hold a synchronization lock over an object resource of the object). An object destruction workflow initiates the destruction of an object on behalf of a thread. If the object destruction workflow encounters a failure to complete the object destruction, a new reference to the object is inserted into an object destruction list, as the last reference to the object. A second thread discovers and releases the last reference in the object destruction list, prompting the object destruction workflow to resume the attempt to destroy the object on behalf of the second thread.

Abstract: Land cultivating systems and methods utilizing high-pressure fluid jet cutting techniques are disclosed. An example system includes a mobile unit, a traveler arrangement operably coupled to the mobile unit to ride on the surface of stubble residues as the mobile unit moves across land to be cultivated, and a fluid jet cutting head supported by the traveler arrangement. The cutting head is configured to selectively discharge a high-pressure fluid jet to make a cut through the stubble residues and underlying soil as the mobile unit moves across the land. A soil opening device is provided to form a furrow in the ground in line with the cut made by the high-pressure fluid jet, and a liquid injector nozzle is provided to discharge fertilizer or other chemical(s) into the soil.

Abstract: A messaging system configured to receive a message from a first mobile messaging client device, transmit to a second mobile messaging client device a notification of the presence of the message, receive a message attribute comprising an instruction to limit a functionality of the message, apply the message attribute to the message based on a message characteristic and update any existing corresponding message attribute, and transmit the message and the message attribute to the second mobile messaging client device that manages the message in accordance with the message attribute, wherein managing the message comprises limiting the functionality of the message based on the message attribute, wherein the message attribute comprises a predetermined message viewing time after which the message content cannot be accessed at the second mobile messaging diem device.

Abstract: A messaging system including a server configured to receive a message from a second messaging device, transmit to a first messaging device a notification of the presence of the message at the server, transmit the message and a message attribute to the first messaging device, where the message and the message attribute are stored in non-volatile memory in the first messaging device at least until the message is managed by the first messaging device in accordance with the message attribute, and wherein the message attribute comprises a predetermined message viewing time after which at least a portion of the message cannot be displayed at the first messaging device, and receive from the first messaging device a message management notification generated by the first messaging device in connection with managing the message in accordance with the message attribute at the first messaging device.

Abstract: A messaging system may include a messaging client device that may be configured to output web browser renderable code comprising a text message and further configured to manage the web browser renderable code in accordance with a message management policy associated with the text message. The messaging system may further include a messaging server that is configured to validate said messaging client device as complying with the message management policy prior to sending a link to the web browser renderable code. The messaging system may include a second messaging client device configured to validate a first messaging client device as complying with the message management policy prior to authorizing transmission of the message to the first messaging client device.

Abstract: A messaging system may include a messaging client device that may be configured to receive an impermanent text message and may be further configured to manage the impermanent text message in accordance with a message management policy associated with the impermanent text message. The messaging system may further include an impermanent messaging server configured to validate the messaging client device as complying with the message management policy prior to authorizing a transmission of the impermanent text message to the messaging client device. The messaging system may include a distributed network gateway server configured to validate the messaging client device as complying with a message management policy prior to authorizing transmission of the impermanent text message to the messaging client device.

Abstract: At a network node separate from a subscriber configuration network node configured to store subscriber configuration data for a plurality of subscriber devices, a request to access configuration data associated with a subscriber stored at the subscriber configuration network node is received. In response to the received access request comprising a private user identity for the subscriber, but not a public user identity for the subscriber, the network node retrieves, from a user identity database configured to store user identity data for identifying subscribers in the network, a public user identity for the subscriber, the retrieval being carried out on the basis of the private user identity for the subscriber comprised in the received access request, and transmits an authorization request to the subscriber configuration network node comprising the public user identity retrieved from the user identity database and the private user identity comprised in the received access request.

Abstract: Measures for processing data in a telecommunications network. At a first network node in a cluster of network nodes, a communication session setup request requesting setup of a communication session with a subscriber device in a plurality of subscriber devices is received. In response to receipt of the communication session setup request, registration data relating to the subscriber device is retrieved from a shared registration data store. The communication session setup request is routed according to the retrieved registration data. The retrieved registration data relating to the subscriber device was previously stored in the shared registration data store by a second network node in the cluster of network nodes in relation to a registration procedure conducted for the subscriber device by the second network node, the second network node being a different network node to the first network node in the cluster of network nodes.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, systems and non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums, for providing a Domain Name Service (DNS) configuration service for one or more network services provided in a cloud environment. Update data relating to one or more relationship updates that have occurred in at least one of the one or more network services is received. The one or more relationship updates relate to one or more service provision units in a cluster of service provision units deployed in the cloud environment to provide the at least one network service. DNS policy configuration data associated with the at least one network service is identified. On the basis of the identified DNS policy configuration data, data in a DNS configuration data database is updated.

Abstract: Measures for moving an established communication session in a telecommunications network, the communication session being established between a first device in a plurality of user devices associated with a user and a remote user device associated with a remote party, to a second device in the plurality of user devices associated with the user. At the second user device, a message is received from the first user device indicating that a communication session has been established between the first user device and the remote user device, the message comprising contact information for the remote user device. The second user device transmits, to the remote user device using the contact information comprised in the message, a request to replace the communication session established between the first user device and the remote user device with a communication session between the second user device and the remote user device.

Abstract: Measures for processing data in a telecommunications network. At a cache, a subscriber configuration data request requesting subscriber configuration data for a subscriber device is received from a network node in a cluster of network nodes. In response to receipt of the subscriber configuration data request, it is determined that a shared cache store does not contain subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device. In response to the determination, subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device is retrieved from a subscriber configuration network node. The subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device retrieved from the subscriber configuration network node is transmitted to the network node.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to techniques for using retiming to reduce circuit switching activity. Switching activity values at output ports of circuit elements of a circuit design are first computed based on switching activity values at input ports of the circuit elements and scaling factors associated with the circuit elements. Based on the switching activity values at the output ports of the circuit elements, one or more regions of the circuit design for retiming are identified. Retiming location information is then determined for the one or more regions. Finally, the identified one or more regions are then retimed to reduce switching activity based on the retiming location information.

Abstract: A method of controlling the shape and direction of an explosion may include embedding a plurality of detonators in an explosive, and arranging the detonators in the explosive to produce a shaped explosion of the explosive in a pre-set direction and having a pre-set intensity when triggered in a selected sequence; sensing a direction of an incoming threat relative to a protected region, calculating an intercept vector for the incoming threat, and sending a signal in response thereto by a sensor; receiving information from the sensor pertaining to the intercept vector and determining a sequential firing pattern for the detonators in response to the information from the sensor by a firing sequence calculator connected to trigger the detonators; and activating the firing sequence calculator to trigger the detonators in the sequential firing pattern to generate a counteracting force substantially along the intercept vector.

Abstract: Measures for processing communication status messages in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of signaling nodes responsible for processing signaling information in the telecommunications network and a charging node responsible for processing billing information in the telecommunications network. A communication status message is received from a signaling node in the plurality. The received communication status message includes first communication status information. Second communication status information is generated on the basis of at least the first communication status information. One or more communication status messages are transmitted to the charging node. The one or more transmitted communication status messages include the first communication status information and the second communication status information.

Abstract: Measures for use in processing data in a telecommunications network. A request message is received in relation to establishment of a communication session involving a given subscriber. Subscriber configuration data is received in relation to the establishment. The subscriber configuration data includes a set of one or more trigger points at which one or more application services should be invoked in relation to communication sessions for the given subscriber. At least one trigger point from the set of trigger points is encoded into an identifier for the communication session within the request message. The request message including the identifier for the communication session in which the at least one trigger point has been encoded is transmitted.

Abstract: A method of controlling the shape and direction of an explosion may include embedding a plurality of detonators in an explosive, and arranging the detonators in the explosive to produce a shaped explosion of the explosive in a pre-set direction and having a pre-set intensity when triggered in a selected sequence; sensing a direction of an incoming threat relative to a protected region, calculating an intercept vector for the incoming threat, and sending a signal in response thereto by a sensor; receiving information from the sensor pertaining to the intercept vector and determining a sequential firing pattern for the detonators in response to the information from the sensor by a firing sequence calculator connected to trigger the detonators; and activating the firing sequence calculator to trigger the detonators in the sequential firing pattern to generate a counteracting force substantially along the intercept vector.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to techniques for using retiming to reduce circuit switching activity. Switching activity values at output ports of circuit elements of a circuit design are first computed based on switching activity values at input ports of the circuit elements and scaling factors associated with the circuit elements. Based on the switching activity values at the output ports of the circuit elements, one or more regions of the circuit design for retiming are identified. Retiming location information is then determined for the one or more regions. Finally, the identified one or more regions are then retimed to reduce switching activity based on the retiming location information.

Abstract: Measures for providing timer services in a network including a cluster of nodes responsible for providing timer services to clients. At a given node in the cluster, a request to provide a timer is received from a client. Configuration of a primary replica of the requested timer on a first node in the cluster to pop after a first time has elapsed is initiated. A first timer replication message is transmitted to a second node in the cluster, the first timer replication message indicating that the second node should configure a first backup replica of the requested timer. A second timer replication message is transmitted to a third node in the cluster, the second timer replication message indicating that the third node should configure a second backup replica of the requested timer. Popping of the primary, first backup or second backup timer replicas includes initiating callback of a given client.

Abstract: Measures for detecting unusual communication session events in a telecommunications network. A Markov model for events occurring in communication sessions conducted in the network is maintained. The maintaining includes assigning a probability of occurrence metric to a plurality of event sequences in the conducted communication sessions. In response to a given sequence of communication session events being assigned a probability of occurrence metric which exceeds a predetermined threshold, an unusual communication session event alert in association with the given sequence is triggered.