Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media are configured to determine data for subcarriers of a cable modem signal. Values which characterize the cable modem signal can be generated. A plot can then be generated. The plot can depict one or more of the values which characterize the cable modem signal.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head is provided including a body with a trailing surface, a plurality of bond pads in a row, each of which is spaced by a gap from an adjacent bond pad along a width of the trailing surface. Each bond pad includes a base layer having a top surface, a coating layer covering at least a portion of the top surface of the base layer, two side edges spaced from each other across a width of the bond pad, wherein a width of the gap between adjacent bond pads is defined by one side edge of each of two adjacent bond pads, a top edge extending between the two side edges, and at least one solder dam comprising a nonwettable, electrically conductive material positioned adjacent to the top edge of at least one of the bond pads.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein provide for administering and proctoring of a secure online examination utilizing a ‘cloud’ computing environment. The cloud computing environment provides scalable, shared computing resources such as processing, memory, communications, storage and other hardware and software resources associated with the online examination. The computing resources provided by the cloud computing environment can be provisioned dynamically to match the requirements of the particular computing tasks carried out at the client and/or server level during the administration of the examination.

Abstract: A method for interconnecting multiple components of an electrical assembly with a solder joint, including the steps of positioning a first component adjacent to a second component to provide a connection area, dispensing a solid solder sphere to a capillary tube, wherein the capillary tube is positioned with an exit orifice above the connection area between the first and second components, applying a first laser through the capillary tube while measuring light from the first laser that reflects off the connection area as the solder sphere moves through the capillary tube, and applying a second laser to at least partially melt the solder sphere when the measured light decreases to a predetermined level and as the solder sphere falls from the exit orifice toward the connection area between the first and second components.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a polyvinyl alcohol composition having higher amorphous polyvinyl alcohol polymer content and various end uses thereof.

Abstract: There are provided circuits and methods for surge protection. For example, there is provided a clamp circuit for protecting a load against a surge. The clamp circuit can include a power dissipation circuit including at least one transistor and a resistor. The clamp circuit can further include a voltage sensitive device configured to cause a voltage limit across the load when the surge occurs. The power dissipation circuit can be configured to turn on the at least one transistor to dissipate power across one of the resistor and the at least one transistor.

Abstract: A black box system for a land-based premises includes a black box device located in or near the premises. The black box device has a destruction resistant case or shell and operational components housed within the case or shell. The system has at least one remote component external to and in communication with the black box device and disposed at, on, or in the premises. The remote component is configured to collect information, signals, and/or data about premises conditions and to transmit the collected information, signals, and/or data to the black box device. The black box device receives the transmitted information, signals, and/or data from the remote component and stores same for a period of time before and/or during a triggering event. The stored transmitted information, signals, and/or data can be retrieved from the black box device after the triggering event.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving communications between infrastructures using RPCs. An authoritative endpoint in a first infrastructure receives a registration request from a non-authoritative server in a second infrastructure through a transport layer on which a remote procedure call (RPC) layer depends. This request establishes a connection with the authoritative endpoint. The authoritative entity authenticates and registers the non-authoritative entity, and receives RPCs from client devices through the non-authoritative entity. The authoritative entity provides responses to the RPCs through the non-authoritative entity over the established connection. The authoritative entity also performed load-shedding operations, such as notifying the non-authoritative entity of a time to live of the connection. The RPC requests and responses sent over the connection may be chunked into frames, each frame identifying a stream to which it belongs.

Abstract: A system includes first and second modules, each having a sensor and a processing circuit. First and second fault detection circuits are coupled with respective first and second modules. Each of the first and second fault detection circuits determines from a processed signal output from a corresponding module whether the module is faulted, prevents output of the processed signal when the module is faulted, and enables output of the processed signal when the module is not faulted. A signal processing unit combines the processed signals from the first and second modules to produce a first output signal when neither of the first and second modules is faulted, and the signal processing unit produces a second output signal by utilizing only the processed signal from a non-faulted one of the first and second modules when the other of the first and second modules is faulted.

Abstract: Sensors are deployed within a for-hire vehicle (taxi, limousine, or shuttles, for example) to measure changes in the environment of the for-hire vehicle. The sensors transmit data to a computing system that processes the data to determine the severity of the change in the environment. The aggregate of the severity of the data is used to determine if remedial action should be taken against the driver or owner/operator of the for-hire vehicle. Remedial action may include issuing a citation, fining the driver, or disabling a meter located within the for-hire vehicle. In some embodiments, venues (hotels, airports, nightclubs, or entertainment venues, for example) may restrict the ability of for-hire vehicles to pick up passengers where the aggregate of the severity of the data indicates the drivers may be engaging in careless, reckless or overly negligent driving behavior.

Abstract: A system for launching a target disk above a terrestrial surface, including a first support, a first bracket attached to the first support, a second support connected to the first bracket and configured to pivot with respect to the first bracket in a first plane, and a second bracket attached to the second support and configured to pivot with respect to the second bracket in a second plane, the second plane being generally perpendicular to the first plane. A launching structure is attached to the second bracket, and the second support is configured to pivot with the second bracket. A track is configured to hold and direct the target upon launching, the track being configurable to present the target to be launched in a first presentation generally parallel to the terrestrial surface and a second presentation generally perpendicular to the terrestrial surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods of securing, distribution and enforcing for-hire vehicle operating parameters are described whereby a first computer system maintaining the parameters generates a data packet that is distributed to a second computer system which acts as a meter (such as a taximeter, limousine meter or shuttle meter) for the for-hire vehicle. The first computer system may secure or encrypt the data packet according to a security protocol associated with the second computer system. Once the second computer system receives the data packet, it may validate and extract the operating parameters contained within it. The second computer system may then store the operating parameters and operate according to the parameters by, for example, calculating fares for passengers that make use of the for-hire vehicle associated with the second computer system.

Abstract: A system for incentivization of communications, comprising an incentivization engine and an auction service, and a method for using such a system for providing incentivization of user communications and user competition for incentives.

Abstract: A vehicle charging station comprising: a container comprising an upper portion having an air duct, and a lower portion comprising a support structure, a smoke detector, a fire-suppressant inlet, and a charging/communications junction, wherein the upper portion is configured to mate with the lower portion to form a weather-tight enclosure around a vehicle, and wherein removal of the upper portion allows for loading/unloading of the vehicle into/out of the lower portion; and a resource control unit (RCU) comprising a processor, an environmental control unit (ECU), a fire-suppressant control manifold, and a charger, wherein the ECU is operatively coupled to the air duct, the fire-suppressant control manifold is operatively coupled to the fire-suppressant inlet, the charger is electrically coupled to the charging/communications junction, and the processor is communicatively coupled to the smoke detector, the charging/communications junction, the ECU, the charger, and the fire-suppressant control manifold.

Abstract: There are provided circuits and methods for surge protection. For example, there is provided a clamp circuit for protecting a load against a surge. The clamp circuit can include a power dissipation circuit including at least one transistor and a resistor. The clamp circuit can further include a voltage sensitive device configured to cause a voltage limit across the load when the surge occurs. The power dissipation circuit can be configured to turn on the at least one transistor to dissipate power across one of the resistor and the at least one transistor.

Abstract: An oral care composition and method are described in which the composition is free of an anionic surfactant and a fluoride source.

Abstract: Systems and methods for pairing for-hire vehicles with their associated medallion are disclosed. Some for-hire vehicles, such as taxis operate with a for-hire vehicle meter (taximeter). In some embodiments, the meter contains an identifier of a medallion that is associated with the meter. The meter may then determine if it is connected or properly associated with the medallion. If the meter is connected or properly associated with the medallion, it will then access the identification information of the medallion and determine if identification information matches its contained medallion identifier. If the identification information does not match, the meter may shut down and thereafter be non-engageable. The relationship between the medallion and the meter is advantageously used to enforce restrictions on the operation of the for-hire vehicle including, for example, time and location of pick-up restrictions.

Abstract: The pressure-detecting system utilizes a nanocomposite sensor with quantum dots embedded in a matrix. Under pressure, both the quantum dots and the matrix fluoresce when illuminated by a laser. A spectroscope detects the intensity of each fluorescence and sends the information to a data processor. The data processor calculates a ratio using the intensities. Comparing this ratio to ratios stored in a data object in a database provides a value for the pressure detected by the sensor. The data object contains multiple ratios, each correlated to a specific pressure during a calibration process for the sensor. This calibration process subjected the sensor to known pressures, with the resultant ratios calculated and stored in the data object, correlated to the appropriate pressures.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for power recovery in a process for producing ethylene, comprising steam cracking a hydrocarbon feed to produce a cracked gas product; cooling the cracked gas product by indirect heat exchange with high pressure liquid water to obtain cooled cracked gas product while evaporating the high pressure liquid water to high pressure steam; expanding the high pressure steam in a first steam expansion turbine to produce power and to obtain medium pressure steam; heating at least part of the medium pressure steam to increase the temperature of the medium pressure steam by passing the medium pressure steam through a convection zone of the cracking furnace and retrieving reheated medium pressure steam from the convection zone; expanding at least part of the reheated medium pressure steam in a second steam expansion turbine to produce power and to obtain low pressure steam.