Abstract: A zone expander system which may be used to increase the number of zones by apportioning a parameter allotted for one zone into multiple sub-parameters for multiple new zones. The parameter may be the duration of time which the zone is active.

Abstract: There is provided a pipette tip disposal assembly. The assembly comprises a receiving element adapted to support an end of at least one pipette tip, the at least one pipette tip being toppled in use from the receiving element along a first direction; and a container positioned to receive the at least one toppled pipette tip, the at least one pipette tip falling towards a base of the container on being received by the container. The base of the container has a first linear dimension aligned with the first direction corresponding to the length of a pipette tip.

Abstract: A roofing plate has a body with a fastener hole extending from a top to a bottom. The body defines an outer periphery with rounded edges and the top edge of the fastener hole has rounded edges. The plate may be molded from a polymer material. The plate has an impact surface area and rounded edges sufficiently large to protect against membrane puncture from a projectile under very severe hail or similar conditions.

Abstract: System and methods are disclosed which include exercise equipment with magnetic portions. The magnetic portions may be incorporated into equipment or into additional weights for use with the equipment. The presence of the magnetic portion allows a user to change weights during exercise in a quick, easy, convenience, and safe manner.

Abstract: A zone expander system which may be used to increase the number of zones by apportioning a parameter allotted for one zone into multiple sub-parameters for multiple new zones. The parameter may be the duration of time which the zone is active.

Abstract: A water filter assembly for filtering water, adapted to be coupled to piping of a piped water system, the water filter apparatus comprising: a housing having first and second housing ends, the housing having an inlet and an outlet located at the first housing end, the second housing end having an opening, the housing being for removably receiving a filter element assembly through the opening in the second housing end, and a housing bottom cover releasably mountable over the opening in the second housing end. Preferably the assembly further comprises a filter head adapted to be coupled to piping of a piped water system and means for removably securing the first housing end to the filter head. Preferably the housing bottom cover is adapted to be secured to the housing via an interference fit.

Abstract: A recursive hash infinite pad process for securing data is disclosed. The process shared secrets to recursively create a key which may be used to encrypt and decrypt data.

Abstract: A system includes an environment-aware storage drive comprising one or more storage medium with a location-based service wherein the environment-aware storage drive generates a signal containing information about a location of the storage drive relative to a geo-fenced area and updates a ledger unit of an event happening to the storage drive based on the signal, wherein the event is related to the current environment of the storage drive. The ledger unit keeps track of a number of events and/or data received from the environment-aware storage drive. A policy unit determines an expandable set of security policies for the storage drive triggered by the event and/or data, wherein the security policies specify access restrictions to the environment-aware storage drive based on its current environment. The policy unit transmits and enforces the set of security policies on the environment-aware storage drive to prevent data from being theft from the storage drive.

Abstract: A method includes generating a plurality of blocks of a block chain wherein the plurality of blocks is associated with components of a storage device. The plurality of blocks is generated by a device other than the storage device when the components are manufactured. The method further includes storing a copy of a ledger associated with the generated blocks on the storage device when the storage device comprises computing power sufficient to generate blocks of a block chain. The method also includes generating additional blocks of the block chain. The additional blocks of the block chain are associated with additional components of the storage device when the additional components are manufactured. The additional blocks are generated independently by the device and by the storage device and wherein respective ledgers are updated.

Abstract: A system includes an environment-aware storage drive comprising one or more storage medium with a location-based service wherein the environment-aware storage drive generates a signal containing information about a location of the storage drive relative to a geo-fenced area and updates a ledger unit of an event happening to the storage drive based on the signal, wherein the event is related to the current environment of the storage drive. The ledger unit keeps track of a number of events and/or data received from the environment-aware storage drive. A policy unit determines an expandable set of security policies for the storage drive triggered by the event and/or data, wherein the security policies specify access restrictions to the environment-aware storage drive based on its current environment. The policy unit transmits and enforces the set of security policies on the environment-aware storage drive to prevent data from being theft from the storage drive.

Abstract: A water filter assembly for filtering water, adapted to be coupled to piping of a piped water system, the water filter apparatus comprising: a housing having first and second housing ends, the housing having an inlet and an outlet located at the first housing end, the second housing end having an opening, the housing being for removably receiving a filter element assembly through the opening in the second housing end, and a housing bottom cover releasably mountable over the opening in the second housing end. Preferably the assembly further comprises a filter head adapted to be coupled to piping of a piped water system and means for removably securing the first housing end to the filter head. Preferably the housing bottom cover is adapted to be secured to the housing via an interference fit.

Abstract: A method includes generating a plurality of blocks of a block chain wherein the plurality of blocks is associated with components of a storage device. The plurality of blocks is generated by a device other than the storage device when the components are manufactured. The method further includes storing a copy of a ledger associated with the generated blocks on the storage device when the storage device comprises computing power sufficient to generate blocks of a block chain. The method also includes generating additional blocks of the block chain. The additional blocks of the block chain are associated with additional components of the storage device when the additional components are manufactured. The additional blocks are generated independently by the device and by the storage device and wherein respective ledgers are updated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for location-based security of storage drives are described. In one embodiment, the systems may include a storage drive and a hardware controller. In some embodiments, the hardware controller may be configured to determine a location of the storage drive; identify a current mode of the storage drive, the storage drive including at least a secure mode and a non-secure mode; block activation of the secure mode upon determining that the storage drive is located in one of one or more non-permitted areas or not located in one of one or more permitted areas; and put the storage drive in the non-secure mode upon determining the storage drive is located in one of the one or more non-permitted areas while in the secure mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a set of classifiers. A term is identified within a document and a pre-defined threshold distance is determined. A plurality of additional terms in the document are identified, the additional terms being located within the pre-defined threshold distance of the time. A distance between the term and an additional term of the plurality of additional terms is calculated. A corresponding weight for the calculated distance is determined using a proximity weighting scheme. A score for the additional term is calculated using the calculated distance and the corresponding weight. A colocation matrix is generated and a classifier determined using the colocation matrix.

Abstract: A storage device includes a storage media storing one or more blockchain data structures. The storage device receives objects via payloads and determines whether the objects satisfy a blockchain storage condition. The blockchain storage condition may be based on a type of the object. If the blockchain storage condition is satisfied by the object, then the object is cryptographically signed by a key associated with the storage device and stored in one or more blockchain data structures managed by the storage device. The cryptographically signed object is broadcast to one or more additional storage devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a set of classifiers. A term is identified within a document and a pre-defined threshold distance is determined. A plurality of additional terms in the document are identified, the additional terms being located within the pre-defined threshold distance of the time. A distance between the term and an additional term of the plurality of additional terms is calculated. A corresponding weight for the calculated distance is determined using a proximity weighting scheme. A score for the additional term is calculated using the calculated distance and the corresponding weight. A colocation matrix is generated and a classifier determined using the colocation matrix.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a set of classifiers. A location is determined for each instance of a topic term in a collection of documents. One or more topic term phrases are identified, and one or more sentiment terms within each topic term phrase. Candidate classifiers are identified by parsing words in the one or more topic term phrases, and a colocation matrix is generated. A seed row of the colocation associated with a particular attribute is identified, and distance metrics are determined by comparing each row of the colocation matrix to the seed row. A set of classifiers are generated for the particular attribute, where classifiers in the set of classifiers are selected using the distance metrics.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical burst switch in an Optical Burst Switched (OBS) communication network, said optical burst switch comprising means for monitoring and maintaining mesh of virtual optical paths from a communication node to a plurality of other communication nodes, arranged in a ring network, enabling traffic data to be transmitted and/or received between nodes via a physical optical path. The switch also provides means for sending a data packet probe on a virtual path from a node to each other node in the OBS communication network, wherein data packet probe information received at said switch provides information of availability of the physical optical path for sending traffic data between nodes. The switch can be configured such that the rate at which this path monitoring is scheduled guaranteeing less than 50 ms protection switch in the event of monitoring a failed or degraded path.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a set of classifiers. A location is determined for each instance of a topic term in a collection of documents. One or more topic term phrases are identified, and one or more sentiment terms within each topic term phrase. Candidate classifiers are identified by parsing words in the one or more topic term phrases, and a colocation matrix is generated. A seed row of the colocation associated with a particular attribute is identified, and distance metrics are determined by comparing each row of the colocation matrix to the seed row. A set of classifiers are generated for the particular attribute, where classifiers in the set of classifiers are selected using the distance metrics.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical burst switch in an Optical Burst Switched (OBS) communication network, said optical burst switch comprising means for monitoring and maintaining mesh of virtual optical paths from a communication node to a plurality of other communication nodes, arranged in a ring network, enabling traffic data to be transmitted and/or received between nodes via a physical optical path. The switch also provides means for sending a data packet probe on a virtual path from a node to each other node in the OBS communication network, wherein data packet probe information received at said switch provides information of availability of the physical optical path for sending traffic data between nodes. The switch can be configured such that the rate at which this path monitoring is scheduled guaranteeing less than 50ms protection switch in the event of monitoring a failed or degraded path.