Abstract: An evaporator device for an inhaler, in particular for an electronic cigarette product comprises an electrically heatable heating body having at least one passage opening for evaporating liquid contained in the passage opening and a carrier for retaining the heating body. The evaporator device has a sealing device, and the sealing device is arranged between the heating body and the carrier and encloses the at least one passage opening in a sealing manner.

Abstract: Techniques and solutions are described for recording document transactions in a blockchain. Document transactions can include sending or receiving a document, or various workflow steps involving a document. Other steps in a workflow that includes a document can be recorded in the blockchain. Blockchain entries related to a document can include a unique identifier of the document, such as a hash value. When a document is sent between two computing systems, the document can be encrypted using a public encryption key of the receiving computing system. Sending and receiving of documents, and recording of blockchain transactions, can be facilitated by an intermediary service. A service providing recording of blockchain transactions can abstract recording details from applications calling the service. A party having the unencrypted document, or the unique document identifier (such as legitimately retaining or receiving the identifier), can retrieve a transaction history of the document from the blockchain.

Abstract: An audio processor for providing loudspeaker signals on the basis of input signals, like channel signals and/or object signals, obtains an information about the position of a listener and an information about the position of a plurality of loudspeakers, or sound transducers. The audio processor selects one or more loudspeakers for a rendering of the objects and/or of the channel objects and/or of the adapted signals, derived from the input signals. The selection depends on the information about the position of the listener and about the positions of the loudspeakers and takes into consideration the information about one or more acoustic obstacles. The audio signal processor renders the objects/channel objects/adapted signals derived from the input signals, in dependence on the information about the position of the listener and about positions of the loudspeakers, in order to obtain the loudspeaker signals, such that a rendered sound follows a listener.

Abstract: An audio processor for providing a plurality of loudspeaker signals, or loudspeaker feeds, on the basis of a plurality of input signals, like channeled signals and/or object signals, is configured to obtain information about the position of a listener, to obtain an information about the position of a plurality of loudspeakers, or sound transducers, which may be placed within the same containment, e.g. a soundbar, to dynamically adapt an allocation of objects and/or channel objects and/or adapted signals, like adapted channel signals, derived from the input signals, like channel signals or channel objects, or like upmixed or downmixed signals, to loudspeakers, and to render the objects and/or the channel objects and/or the adapted signals derived from the input signals, in dependence on the information about the positions of the listener and of the loudspeakers, and on the allocation, in order to obtain the loudspeaker signals, such that a rendered sound follows a listener.

Abstract: Lateral multi-junction photovoltaic cells, devices, and methods of fabrication are provided. The photovoltaic cells include a plurality of photovoltaic subcells mechanically stacked together in a stack. Each photovoltaic subcell includes a subcell substrate, and a light absorption structure associated with the substrate. Each light absorption structure is optimized for a respective defined spectral range of incoming radiation, with the light absorption structures of multiple subcells of the plurality of photovoltaic subcells being optimized for different spectral ranges, and being offset in the stack relative to an optical axis to avoid overlap. The photovoltaic cell further includes a spectrally-dispersive optical element, with the photovoltaic subcells in the stack being respectively located and aligned relative to the optical element based, at least in part, on the respective spectral ranges of the subcells' light absorption structures.

Abstract: A method operates a measuring device used to determine a fluid variable. The measuring devices contains a vibration transducer driven to excite a wave in the fluid due to a test excitation signal. The wave is guided along a propagation path back to the vibration transducer or to an additional vibration transducer, thereby exciting the (additional) vibration transducer to vibrate. An output signal relating to this vibration is acquired, and a frequency of that segment of the output signal that lies in an analysis interval is determined. The analysis interval starts once the driving of the vibration transducer to excite the wave has finished, and/or once a maximum of the amplitude of the vibration is reached. The determination of the fluid variable is performed based on the determined frequency. An error message or a notification is output to a user and/or to a device external to the measuring device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for a database processing system are described. A core database comprises common procedures for processing information, at least one of the common procedures configured to provide a common functionality to an analysis application. A content import database comprises content-specific procedures, at least one of the content-specific procedures configured to provide access for at least one of the common procedures to content of the content import database that conforms to a content-specific data model.

Abstract: One aspect is an apparatus for analyzing particles a capillary as a measuring cell with a hollow channel for receiving or passing through a test sample containing the particles includes a light source for generating a light beam, an optical device for coupling the light beam into the hollow channel at an input point for the purpose of illuminating the test sample, and a detector for detecting scattered light exiting the hollow channel. In one aspects, the hollow channel has an internal diameter DH in the range of 10 ?m to 60 ?m, that the light beam has a radial light intensity distribution with a minimum beam diameter DL, wherein the following applies to the diameter ratio DL/DH: 0.05<DL/DH<2.00, and that the light beam has an angle of incidence of less than 2 degrees in relation to the hollow channel's longitudinal axis on entering the hollow channel.

Abstract: A specification of the process model is received. The process model includes a plurality of process components. A relationship between a first process component and another process component of the plurality of process components is determined using a predictive model. A process rule for the first process component is determined. The process rule specified a second process component to be executed. The process rule includes the relationship determined using the predictive model or a heuristic rule. The second process component is executed according to the process rule.

Abstract: Photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic devices, and methods of fabrication are provided. The photovoltaic cells include a transparent substrate to allow light to enter the photovoltaic cell through the substrate, and a light absorption layer associated with the substrate. The light absorption layer has opposite first and second surfaces, with the first surface being closer to the transparent substrate than the second surface. A passivation layer is disposed over the second surface of the light absorption layer, and a plurality of first discrete contacts and a plurality of second discrete contacts are provided within the passivation layer to facilitate electrical coupling to the light absorption layer. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed over the passivation layer to contact the plurality of first discrete contacts and the plurality of second discrete contacts, respectively. The first and second electrodes may include a photon-reflective material.

Abstract: An evaporator device for an inhaler, in particular for an electronic cigarette product comprises an electrically heatable heating body having at least one passage opening for evaporating liquid contained in the passage opening and a carrier for retaining the heating body. The evaporator device has a sealing device, and the sealing device is arranged between the heating body and the carrier and encloses the at least one passage opening in a sealing manner.

Abstract: Expandable, blowing agent-containing pellets based on high temperature thermoplastics having a glass transition temperature according to ISO 11357-2-1999 of at least 180° C., wherein the expandable, blowing agent-containing pellets comprise at least one nucleating agent and have a poured density according to DIN ISO 697:1982 in the range from 400 to 900 kg/m3 and a mass in the range from 1 to 5 mg/pellet, processes for production thereof and foam particles obtainable therefrom having a glass transition temperature according to ISO 11357-2-1999 of at least 180° C., wherein the expanded foam particles comprise at least one nucleating agent and have a poured density according to DIN ISO 697:1982 in the range from 10 to 200 kg/m3, and particle foams obtainable therefrom and the use thereof for producing components for aviation.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating photovoltaic cells are provided. The photovoltaic cells include a transparent substrate to allow light to enter the photovoltaic cell through the substrate, and a light absorption layer associated with the substrate. The light absorption layer has opposite first and second surfaces, with the first surface being closer to the transparent substrate than the second surface. A passivation layer is disposed over the second surface of the light absorption layer, and a plurality of first discrete contacts and a plurality of second discrete contacts are provided within the passivation layer to facilitate electrical coupling to the light absorption layer. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed over the passivation layer to contact the plurality of first discrete contacts and the plurality of second discrete contacts, respectively. The first and second electrodes may include a photon-reflective material.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a sputter chamber with a configurable surface in communication with a target material. A control system is in communication with the chamber and functions to prepare an alloy film by changing a composition of the configurable surface. As ingress gas is introduced to the chamber to interact with the changed composition, the interaction causes a reaction that produces an alloy film.

Abstract: A thin-film monolithically integrated solar module with a solar cell, an integrated energy storage device, and a controller may be provided. It may comprise a thin-film solar cell, having at least one solar diode, on a transparent substrate, a thin-film energy storage device, and an electronic controller comprising at least one thin-film transistor above the thin-film energy storage device. The electronic controller may be electrically connected to the thin-film solar cell and the thin-film energy storage device by vias. The named functional units may build a monolithically integrated device on one substrate.

Abstract: One aspect is an apparatus for analyzing particles a capillary as a measuring cell with a hollow channel for receiving or passing through a test sample containing the particles includes a light source for generating a light beam, an optical device for coupling the light beam into the hollow channel at an input point for the purpose of illuminating the test sample, and a detector for detecting scattered light exiting the hollow channel. In one aspects, the hollow channel has an internal diameter DH in the range of 10 ?m to 60 ?m, that the light beam has a radial light intensity distribution with a minimum beam diameter DL, wherein the following applies to the diameter ratio DL/DH: 0.05<DL/DH<2.00, and that the light beam has an angle of incidence of less than 2 degrees in relation to the hollow channel's longitudinal axis on entering the hollow channel.

Abstract: A calculation unit for a sound reproduction system includes an input unit, a processor and at least three outputs for controlling at least three transducers of an array. The input unit has the purpose to receive an audio stream to be reproduced using the array, wherein the audio stream has a frequency range. The processor is configured to calculate three individual audio signals to be output using the at least three outputs, such that a first acoustic differential having a second or higher order is generated using the array.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for flexibly managing lock modes in a data-sharing environment, including optimistic and pessimistic lock modes. A lock mode determination service receives a request from an application instance for a lock mode with which to access specified data objects. The service can determine and provide a suitable lock mode based on a context of the application, and optionally other parameters, by evaluating a checklist of criteria sorted in precedential order. Criteria can include geo-boundaries, platform, role, and others. The requesting application instance uses the determined lock mode to access the data, with optional assistance of a lock service. The lock mode determination service can support one or more applications having one or more instances each, and can also support multiple disjoint data-sharing environments. Suitable environments include cloud, datacenter, mobile, client-server, and SAAS.

Abstract: An energy harvesting device includes prefabricated thin film energy absorption sheets that are each tuned to absorb electromagnetic energy of a corresponding wavelength. The energy harvesting device can include a prefabricated thin film converter sheet to convert the electromagnetic energy into electrical power. The energy harvesting device can include a prefabricated thin film battery sheet to store the electrical power. Each thin film energy absorption sheet can be fabricated using a roll-to-roll process. The energy harvesting device can be fabricated using a roll-to-sheet process from rolls of the thin film energy absorption sheets.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating photovoltaic cells are provided. The photovoltaic cells include a transparent substrate to allow light to enter the photovoltaic cell through the substrate, and a light absorption layer associated with the substrate. The light absorption layer has opposite first and second surfaces, with the first surface being closer to the transparent substrate than the second surface. A passivation layer is disposed over the second surface of the light absorption layer, and a plurality of first discrete contacts and a plurality of second discrete contacts are provided within the passivation layer to facilitate electrical coupling to the light absorption layer. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed over the passivation layer to contact the plurality of first discrete contacts and the plurality of second discrete contacts, respectively. The first and second electrodes may include a photon-reflective material.