Abstract: Asphalt binders and related methods and uses are provided. In some embodiments, the asphalt binder is produced by: providing a high-asphaltene content petroleum feedstock; performing solvent deasphalting on the feedstock to produce a partially deasphalted oil and an asphaltene-rich residue; and collecting the partially deasphalted oil (DAO). The high-asphaltene content petroleum feedstock may comprise residue from vacuum distillation or flash separation of extra heavy oil or bitumen, or recycled asphalt. The DAO may itself be used as the asphalt binder or may be a component of a blend with the original feedstock. Asphalt binders may also be produced by blending residue and heavy distillate produced from vacuum distillation or flash separation, with DAO or the asphaltene-rich residue of the solvent deasphalting process. The disclosed methods allow for production of asphalt binders of a wide variety of performance grades.

Abstract: A method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium describing an autoencoder that creates a reduced feature space from healthy power electronics devices for training. Devices under test are then encoded and compared to the encoded features of the healthy devices to determine health of the other devices. Contextual information is used to build multiple models that compare power electronics devices from similarly operated vehicles with one another.

Abstract: Systems and methods of testing the health of vehicular power devices are disclosed herein. A method may include producing operating points as a function of cycling current (Ids) and voltage drain to source (Vds) when a subject device is conducting current. The method may further include determining a mean of moving distribution to adapt a center of the moving distribution contrasted with a plurality of known healthy devices. The method may also include indicating an imminent fault in the subject device based upon a discontinuity among operating points above a threshold.

Abstract: A method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium describing an autoencoder that creates a reduced feature space from healthy power electronics devices for training. Devices under test are then encoded and compared to the encoded features of the healthy devices to determine health of the other devices. Contextual information is used to build multiple models that compare power electronics devices from similarly operated vehicles with one another.

Abstract: Disclosed subject matter includes systems and methods for providing a witnessed an electronically executed legal instrument, such as a limited power of attorney. The technology disclosed herein allows for the immediate transfer of a witnessed electronic document meeting today's current standards for witnessing of a document, including proximity of parties, and multiple forms of party identity authentication.

Abstract: Systems and methods of auto-encoder behavior modelling of vehicle components are described herein. A method for electronic device health prediction may include encoding input data into a reduced feature set via an auto-encoder as part of an artificial neural network. The method may further include decoding the reduced feature set. The method may also include reading the reduced feature set as output. The method may still further include encoding features of a subject device and other devices, wherein at least one of the other devices is designated as a healthy device. The method may additionally include associating the features of the other devices with a healthy device cluster based on a threshold distance. The method may also additionally include associating the features of the subject device with the healthy device cluster, wherein the subject device is flagged as faulty based upon exceeding the threshold distance from the healthy device cluster.

Abstract: Systems and methods of testing the health of vehicular power devices are disclosed herein. A method may include producing operating points as a function of cycling current (Ids) and voltage drain to source (Vds) when a subject device is conducting current. The method may further include determining a mean of moving distribution to adapt a center of the moving distribution contrasted with a plurality of known healthy devices. The method may also include indicating an imminent fault in the subject device based upon a discontinuity among operating points above a threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed subject matter includes systems and methods for providing a witnessed an electronically executed legal instrument, such as a limited power of attorney. The technology disclosed herein allows for the immediate transfer of a witnessed electronic document meeting today's current standards for witnessing of a document, including proximity of parties, and multiple forms of party identity authentication.

Abstract: Disclosed subject matter includes systems and methods for providing a witnessed an electronically executed legal instrument, such as a limited power of attorney. The technology disclosed herein allows for the immediate transfer of a witnessed electronic document meeting today's current standards for witnessing of a document, including proximity of parties, and multiple forms of party identity authentication.

Abstract: Disclosed subject matter includes systems and methods for providing a witnessed an electronically executed legal instrument, such as a limited power of attorney. The technology disclosed herein allows for the immediate transfer of a witnessed electronic document meeting today's current standards for witnessing of a document, including proximity of parties, and multiple forms of party identity authentication.

Abstract: A motor control unit (MCU) and methods of operating the same are provided. The MCU includes a housing enclosing a retractable stab assembly (RSA) having stabs attached thereto. The MCU further includes a bracket assembly having a mount for securing the bracket assembly to the RSA, guiderails for slideably engaging the RSA to facilitate the extending and retracting motion, and a lead screw accessible via an opening in the front of the housing. Rotating the lead screw causes the RSA to extend and retract which engages and disengages the stabs. The MCU also includes a motor assembly having a drive motor coupled to a drive shaft. The motor rotates the shaft in response to control signals from a remote-device. The motor assembly attaches to the housing such that the rotation of the shaft in response to the signals rotates the lead screw to engage and disengage the stabs.

Abstract: A drilling motor for directional drilling in a wellbore has a drill bit at a downhole end, a bent housing having a first bend spaced above the drill bit and defining a first angle, the first bend having an inside bend surface and an outside bend surface, and a guide element that biases the first bend toward the first angle when the bent housing is positioned within a straight section of the wellbore. The guide element may be a pad, a centralizer or a second bend in the bent housing.

Abstract: A motor control unit (MCU) and methods of operating the same are provided. The MCU includes a housing enclosing a retractable stab assembly (RSA) having stabs attached thereto. The MCU further includes a bracket assembly having a mount for securing the bracket assembly to the RSA, guiderails for slideably engaging the RSA to facilitate the extending and retracting motion, and a lead screw accessible via an opening in the front of the housing. Rotating the lead screw causes the RSA to extend and retract which engages and disengages the stabs. The MCU also includes a motor assembly having a drive motor coupled to a drive shaft. The motor rotates the shaft in response to control signals from a remote-device. The motor assembly attaches to the housing such that the rotation of the shaft in response to the signals rotates the lead screw to engage and disengage the stabs.

Abstract: A method for automatically allocating funds between financial systems includes receiving a weighting preference between multiple variables and determining an allocation scheme according to the weighting preference. The method also includes receiving funds and apportioning the received funds between multiple financial transactions associated with the variables according to allocation scheme. The method further includes requesting distribution of the received funds between the financial transactions in accordance with the apportioning. Receiving the weighting preference may include receiving a request for a weighting between the variables, generating a field having a polygon having vertices representing the variables, and receiving an input within the field, where the input corresponds to a selection point.

Abstract: A method of prompting a user includes receiving transaction information from an account associated with the user and determining a financial situation that may motivate the user to take a financial action. The method also includes, in response to determining the financial situation, presenting to the user a prompt displaying a tangible item having an associated monetary value. The tangible item is associated with a transaction in which the user has engaged. The method further includes suggesting the user take the financial action related to the tangible item. The financial action could include requesting the monetary value be transferred to a financial account. Presenting the prompt could include presenting multiple tangible items each having a different associated monetary value. The method may also include updating the monetary values based on which of the monetary values associated with the tangible items is requested to be transferred into the financial account.

Abstract: A method for prompting a user includes determining a threshold value for a defined time period and determining if the user has received funds in excess of the threshold value within the time period. The method also include, in response to determining that the user has received the funds in excess of the threshold value within the time period, prompting the user to deposit at least part of the funds in excess of the threshold value into an account. The method may further include receiving transaction information from the account or another account associated with the user. Determining the threshold value may include creating a statistical model of total transaction value for a time period analogous with the defined time period based on historical transaction information and selecting a value within norms of the statistical model as the threshold value.

Abstract: A drilling motor for directional drilling in a wellbore has a drill bit at a downhole end, a bent housing having a first bend spaced above the drill bit and defining a first angle, the first bend having an inside bend surface and an outside bend surface, and a guide element that biases the first bend toward the first angle when the bent housing is positioned within a straight section of the wellbore. The guide element may be a pad, a centralizer or a second bend in the bent housing.

Abstract: A method for receiving information via a short message service (SMS) type interface includes determining an input variable and generating an SMS-type prompt including a query for an input of a value corresponding to the input variable. The method also includes transmitting the generated SMS-type prompt to a remote device, receiving a value responsive to the requested input variable, and storing the received value in a memory. The input variable could be bounded and could be presented in an unbounded structure or context in the SMS-type prompt. Generating the SMS-type prompt could include generating a text paragraph having multiple variable fields, where each of the variable fields is configured to receive a value and display an output variable at different times and the variable fields are linked with each other through one or more calculations.

Abstract: Disclosed subject matter includes systems and methods for providing a witnessed an electronically executed legal instrument, such as a limited power of attorney. The technology disclosed herein allows for the immediate transfer of a witnessed electronic document meeting today's current standards for witnessing of a document, including proximity of parties, and multiple forms of party identity authentication.

Abstract: The arc-resistant MCC is provided with either the expansion chamber or the plenum. Arc flashes create pressure. Different arc-resistant MCC bases are used depending on whether the expansion chamber or the plenum is to be attached, as the expansion chamber and the plenum deal with the created pressure in different ways and are accordingly attached to the MCC base in different ways.