Abstract: An automated electric portable friction welding system is disclosed for friction welding a fixture onto a substrate, the welding system having a linear actuator received to produce a defined stroke within a tool housing and a rotary motor engaged to said linear actuator to slide therewith. A control module controls welding operations as a function of encoded instructions and the sensor data from the linear actuator and the rotary motor, whereby the control module affords both active control of the linear actuator and rotary motor, individually to performance parameter instructions, and in coordination through phases of the weld process in response to linear actuator operation sensors and motor operation sensors. Another feature of some embodiments of the present invention is a portable friction welding network and a method for supporting portable friction welding on the cloud.

Abstract: A multi-position clamp is disclosed for positioning and holding a portable friction welding tool adjacent a substrate for friction welding a plurality of fixtures in a precise pattern referenced from a fixed position on a substrate. The clamp has a clamp base temporarily securable at the fixed position on the substrate, a traveling mount comprising a tool mount for receiving said portable friction welding tool, and a connection to the clamp base allowing relative movement of the tool mount over the substrate. Index stops help install the plurality of fixtures in the pattern and an articulated fixture loading system allow positioning and loading successive fixtures without disengaging and removing said portable friction welding tool from connection with the clamp base.

Abstract: A multi-position clamp is disclosed for positioning and holding a portable friction welding tool adjacent a substrate for friction welding a plurality of fixtures in a precise pattern referenced from a fixed position on a substrate. The clamp has a clamp base temporarily securable at the fixed position on the substrate, a traveling mount comprising a tool mount for receiving said portable friction welding tool, and a connection to the clamp base allowing relative movement of the tool mount over the substrate. Index stops help install the plurality of fixtures in the pattern and an articulated fixture loading system allow positioning and loading successive fixtures without disengaging and removing said portable friction welding tool from connection with the clamp base.

Abstract: A method and buoyancy system are disclosed for facilitating diver directed underwater friction welding (also known as friction welding) operations. Various illustrative embodiments of the method, buoyancy system and combined portable friction welding system and buoyancy provisions are disclosed for improving ease of diver use in making underwater joints.

Abstract: A system for cognitive assessment of the competitiveness of deals may include a memory having stored thereon historical deal information for historical deals with each historical deal including a historical deal component. A historical deal component may include a historical work scope and associated historical work pricing. The system may also include a processor cooperating with the memory and configured to compare current deal information with the historical deal information. The current deal information may include a current deal component that may include a current work scope and associated current work pricing. The processor may use machine learning to determine whether the current deal component is non-competitive based upon the historical deal information, and for each non-competitive current deal component generate an alternative current deal component. The alternative current deal component may have at least one of a different current work scope and different associated current work pricing.

Abstract: A touch screen display assembly can include a touch sensitive screen having a screen surface, and at least one hand anchor located adjacent the screen surface. The at least one hand anchor can also be configured to form a stabilizing feature when a user interacts with the touch sensitive screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a display module includes a backlight illuminator, an ambient light sensor configured to generate an output signal, and a backlight controller module operably coupled with the backlight illuminator, the ambient light sensor, and configured to determine the operational status signal of the ambient light sensor based on the output signal and operate backlight illuminator in accordance with the operational status signal.

Abstract: A landing system for controlling operation of an aerial vehicle flying a final approach to a runway includes a computing device and a LIDAR scanner. The device obtains a first data set indicative of a reference flight path for the final approach. The first data set includes a time-of-flight measurement for each light beam of a first plurality of light beams emitted prior to the aerial vehicle flying the final approach. The device determines an actual flight path for the final approach based, at least in part, on a second data set comprising a time-of-flight measurement for each light beam of a second plurality of light beams emitted from the light source of the LIDAR scanner. Based on the first and second data sets, the device determines the actual flight path deviates from the reference flight path and generates a control action to adjust operation of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A system for cognitive assessment of the competitiveness of deals may include a memory having stored thereon historical deal information for historical deals with each historical deal including a historical deal component. A historical deal component may include a historical work scope and associated historical work pricing. The system may also include a processor cooperating with the memory and configured to compare current deal information with the historical deal information. The current deal information may include a current deal component that may include a current work scope and associated current work pricing. The processor may use machine learning to determine whether the current deal component is non-competitive based upon the historical deal information, and for each non-competitive current deal component generate an alternative current deal component. The alternative current deal component may have at least one of a different current work scope and different associated current work pricing.

Abstract: A touch screen display assembly can include a touch sensitive screen having a screen surface, and at least one hand anchor located adjacent the screen surface. The at least one hand anchor can also be configured to form a stabilizing feature when a user interacts with the touch sensitive screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a display module includes a backlight illuminator, an ambient light sensor configured to generate an output signal, and a backlight controller module operably coupled with the backlight illuminator, the ambient light sensor, and configured to determine the operational status signal of the ambient light sensor based on the output signal and operate backlight illuminator in accordance with the operational status signal.

Abstract: A touch screen display assembly can include a touch sensitive screen having a planar surface, and at least one slot located adjacent the planar surface and wherein the at least one slot includes a channel and is configured to form a stabilizing grasping feature when a user interacts with the touch sensitive screen.

Abstract: Facilitating generation of standardized tests for touchscreen gesture evaluation based on computer generated model data is provided. A system comprises a memory (110) that stores executable components and a processor (112), operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the executable components. The executable components can comprise a mapping component (102) that correlates a set of operating instructions to a set of touchscreen gestures and a sensor component (104) that receives sensor data from a plurality of sensors. The sensor data can be related to implementation of the set of touchscreen gestures. The set of touchscreen gestures can be implemented in an environment that experiences vibration or turbulence. Further, the executable components can comprise an analysis component (106) that analyzes the sensor data and assesses respective performance data and usability data of the set of touchscreen gestures relative to respective operating instructions.

Abstract: A landing system for controlling operation of an aerial vehicle flying a final approach to a runway includes a computing device and a LIDAR scanner. The device obtains a first data set indicative of a reference flight path for the final approach. The first data set includes a time-of-flight measurement for each light beam of a first plurality of light beams emitted prior to the aerial vehicle flying the final approach. The device determines an actual flight path for the final approach based, at least in part, on a second data set comprising a time-of-flight measurement for each light beam of a second plurality of light beams emitted from the light source of the LIDAR scanner. Based on the first and second data sets, the device determines the actual flight path deviates from the reference flight path and generates a control action to adjust operation of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A method and a system for resolution conversion of textual content or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) content in an image are provided. The method includes receiving image data of the image, the image data having a plurality of image planes having essentially the same resolution, wherein at least one of the plurality of image planes includes textual image data configured to be rendered by a print engine with an output resolution different from the remaining image planes; processing the at least one of the plurality of image planes to identify one or more characters contained therein and to obtain character encoding data and positional information for the one or more identified characters; and processing the obtained character encoding data and the obtained positional information to generate an output data at the output resolution for the at least one of the plurality of image planes.

Abstract: A method and a system for resolution conversion of textual content or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) content in an image are provided. The method includes receiving image data of the image, the image data having a plurality of image planes having essentially the same resolution, wherein at least one of the plurality of image planes includes textual image data configured to be rendered by a print engine with an output resolution different from the remaining image planes; processing the at least one of the plurality of image planes to identify one or more characters contained therein and to obtain character encoding data and positional information for the one or more identified characters; and processing the obtained character encoding data and the obtained positional information to generate an output data at the output resolution for the at least one of the plurality of image planes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system of performing de-duplication for at least one computer file in a computer system. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system include (1) tuning a rolling-hash algorithm for the de-duplication, (2) chunking the data in the file into chunks of data by using the tuned algorithm, (3) producing a content identifier for each of the chunks, and (4) processing the chunks that are unique, the content identifier for each of the chunks that are unique, and references to the chunks that are unique. In an exemplary embodiment, the computer system includes a de-duplication-enabled data store. In an exemplary embodiment, the computer system includes (a) a transferor computer system that is configured to transfer the file to a de-duplication-enabled computer system and (b) the de-duplication-enabled computer system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to creating an operating system and file system independent incremental data backup. A first data backup of a source system and second version of the data on the source system is received. A second data backup of the second version of the data is created by determining differences between the first data backup and the second version of the data. Each portion of the second version of the data that is the same as a portion of the first data backup is referenced in the second data backup. Each portion of the second version of the data that is different than all portions of the first data backup is included in the second data backup. The second data backup is appended to the first data backup to create an incremental data backup.

Abstract: Processing archive content based on hierarchical classification levels is performed by indexing a first newly archived file of a current set of archive content at a first classification level defining a plurality of types of metadata to be derived, wherein the first classification level is selected from a hierarchy of classification levels having at least two classification levels, indexing a second newly archived file of the current set of archive content at a second classification level, wherein the second classification level includes fewer types of metadata than the first class of metadata, and flagging the second newly archived file of the current set of archive content. By classifying and flagging the second newly archived file differently than the first newly archived file, the system can easily retrieve such data at a later instance to update and/or change the data, re-index the data, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system of backing up a de-duplicated computer file-system of a computer system. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system include (1) dividing the file-system into partitions and (2) storing each of the partitions on a separate storage medium.