Abstract: Business profiles are created using information from third parties. A user is enabled to indicate a business type for one or more merchants, and a system prompts the user to input information relating to the one or more merchants. The system determines the validity of the input information, and when the validity of the input information is verified, the input information is transformed into directory information. Official merchant pages can thus be created by crowd-sourcing important and pertinent information, which will lead to a more extensive directory of businesses and allow users a more complete and enjoyable experience. The system ranks users on their knowledge and input versus other users, and the system maintains a leaderboard that may be tied to user awards as an incentive to input information.

Abstract: Business profiles are created using information from third parties. A user is enabled to indicate a business type for one or more merchants, and a system prompts the user to input information relating to the one or more merchants. The system determines the validity of the input information, and when the validity of the input information is verified, the input information is transformed into directory information. Official merchant pages can thus be created by crowd-sourcing important and pertinent information, which will lead to a more extensive directory of businesses and allow users a more complete and enjoyable experience.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the position of a sensor in seismic exploration is disclosed. The method includes directing first, second, and third sensors to emit first, second, and third signals respectively; recording first, second, and third emitted times corresponding to emitting the first, second, and third signals respectively; detecting that a fourth sensor received the first, second, and third signals; recording first, second, and third received times corresponding to receiving the first, second, and third signals respectively; calculating, based on emitted and received times, a first distance between the first and fourth sensors, a second distance between the second and fourth sensors, and a third distance between the third and fourth sensors; determining the positions of the first, second, and third sensors; and computing a position of the fourth sensor based on the positions of the first, second, and third sensors, and the first, second, and third distances.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fiber reinforced composite material. In an embodiment, the composite material includes a PLLA fiber material and a matrix material that does not have the same chemical element composition as the fiber material. Other fiber reinforced composite materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed herein that relate to the dynamic calculation and presentation of efficient travel routes for in-person shoppers. For example, an adaptive shopping server system is configured to generate, for display on a shopping client device, an efficient travel route to a location of one or more user-requested merchandise items, the efficient travel route being advantageously distinct relative to other potential travel routes in consideration of a route efficiency selection criterion received from the shopping client device.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed herein that relate to the dynamic calculation and presentation of efficient travel routes for in-person shoppers. For example, an adaptive shopping server system is configured to generate, for display on a shopping client device, an efficient travel route to a location of one or more user-requested merchandise items, the efficient travel route being advantageously distinct relative to other potential travel routes in consideration of a route efficiency selection criterion received from the shopping client device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fiber reinforced composite material. In an embodiment, the composite material includes a PLLA fiber material and a matrix material that does not have the same chemical element composition as the fiber material. Other fiber reinforced composite materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for acquiring images of variably sized objects. An object detector provides an indication of the presence or absence of objects as they pass by. An image sensing device acquires image data for the objects. An image acquisition device starts an activity counter, and initiates storage of image data for an object in response to detecting presence of the object. The image data is stored into an on-board memory. The activity counter counts a number of acquired scan lines for the object. In response to detecting absence of the object, the image acquisition device terminates the activity counter, and discontinues storage of the image data for the object. The final activity counter value, which reflects the number of scan lines acquired for the object, is recorded in an on-board FIFO. The image data is transferred to a system memory image buffer in a system memory. Host software routines may read the on-board FIFO.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for service session management in an IP centric network. In one example, the method includes accessing a network to establish a point of presence through an access interface layer at an access management layer and a core portion of the network and designating a default amount of bandwidth and a plurality of default setup parameters. Service is invoked through an allied application server on the network to establish an amount of network resources requested by a user. The allied application server manages any changes requested by the user to the quality of service parameters and bandwidth amount through the core network. A transport session is established to create and manage a connection from the user to a destination address.

Abstract: A system and method for a first user to communicate in an Internet Protocol (IP) centric distributed network is described. The method can include a plurality of service layers including a network service function layer, a local service function layer, and an access service function layer providing a plurality of functions associated with each of the service layers. The method can also include accessing the network to establish a point of presence at an access management layer and a core portion of the network and to designate a default amount of bandwidth and plurality of default setup parameters; invocating service through an application server on the network to establish an amount of network resources requested by the first user; establishing a transport session to create and manage a connection from the first user to a destination address; and accounting for a service session within the IP centric distributed network.

Abstract: This patent provides a system and method to support accounting management activities for multiple simultaneous applications or services based on their assigned quality of service (QoS). The system dynamically segments and aligns the billing along the lines of a dynamic QoS modification. This represents an advantage to the operator and allows for full compensation of network resource use. Requests for QoS changes cause changes in usage of network resources. Interactions between network components cause accounting management changes adjusted dynamically per user, and on invoked service basis. During static configuration, a default QoS is configured for each service based on the end user's subscriber information. Dynamic configuration for required QoS is performed upon service invocation. Moreover, an end user can request a change in QoS during service session to accommodate a temporary need of a different QoS.

Abstract: A GPIB system which includes asynchronous event notification. The GPIB application first provides a notify request to GPIB driver level software, preferably an ibnotify call or a GPIB Notify OLE control. The notify request includes a unit descriptor which uniquely identifies the GPIB device, event information regarding a plurality of GPIB events to monitor, a reference to a callback function in the GPIB application, and user defined reference data for the callback function. In response to the notify request, the GPIB driver level software begins monitoring events specified by the event information. When an event occurs which is being monitored, the GPIB driver level software recognizes the event and invokes the callback function. The invocation of the callback function is performed asynchronously to the GPIB application. The callback function may include one or more calls to one or more functions in the GPIB driver software.

Abstract: A system and method which enables a plurality of threads in a multithreaded application to each access per-thread copies of GPIB global variables in a GPIB system. According to the present invention, the plurality of threads use a special set of thread-local GPIB calls to perform the per-thread accesses. Whenever a thread first makes a GPIB call, the GPIB driver software begins maintaining a private copy of all of the GPIB global variables for the respective thread. The driver preferably maintains a separate private copy for each thread. Later, when the thread desires to access a per-thread copy of one or more global variables, the thread uses a thread-local GPIB call to perform the per-thread access. The thread-local functions used to access these per-thread GPIB global variables are ThreadIbsta, ThreadIberr, ThreadIbcnt, and ThreadIbcntl.

Abstract: A drive-up teller window protection apparatus which includes a plurality of downwardly directed nozzles connected to a fluid distribution system supported and housed in a roof structure extending outwardly from a drive-up teller window and positioned a distance above the ground sufficient to allow automobiles to pass thereunder. The fluid distribution system is connected to a fluid reservoir via a conduit having a pressure relief valve and a one-way check valve interposed therein. A source of pressurized fluid communicates with the fluid reservoir via a conduit having a remotely operated valve, a two-way valve, a one-way check valve and a pressure relief valve interposed therein. A second conduit communicates between the two-way valve and the fluid distribution system and includes a one-way check valve interposed therein.