Abstract: A process of providing an antibacterial coating to the surface of an article including the steps of applying a layer of an antibacterial precursor layer to the surface of an article to which an antibacterial coating is to be applied, wherein said antibacterial precursor layer is a precursor from which the coating is to be formed; and directing a neutral molecular hydrogen flux from a neutral molecular hydrogen flux emission source towards the surface of the article. Upon impact of neutral hydrogen molecules on molecules at or on the surface of an article, the bonds of the antibacterial precursor layer are selectively ruptured, and wherein the selectively ruptured bonds cross-link with themselves or with other chemical moieties at said surface or a combination thereof, resulting an antibacterial coating being formed on the surface of the article.

Abstract: Methods and systems for storing digital data into peptide sequences and retrieving digital data from peptide sequences are disclosed. The method for storing digital data into peptide sequences may include: encoding the digital data into a digital code; translating the digital code into the peptide sequences; and synthesizing the translated peptide sequences. The method for retrieving digital data from peptide sequences may include: sequencing and determining an order of the peptide sequences; converting the peptide sequences with the determined order into a digital code; and decoding the digital data from the digital code. Codes with error-correction capability are developed for encoding digital data into peptide sequences, and a computational method implemented in a software is developed for sequencing the digital data bearing peptides.

Abstract: A microscope having three-dimensional imaging capability and a three-dimensional microscopic imaging method are provided, the microscope including: at least one excitation device configured to generate a detectable contrast in a detection target region of a sample which is to be detected, in an excitation principal axis direction; at least one detection device, configured to detect the contrast as generated from the detection target region of the sample in a detection principal axis; and at least one movement mechanism, configured to generate a relative movement of the sample relative to the excitation device and the detection device; the relative movement is in a direction neither parallel to nor perpendicular to the excitation principal axis direction or the detection principal axis direction.

Abstract: It is provided interactive system and method for monitoring and reporting building facilities' life cycle, maintenance, and metrics audit, comprising: sensing modules for collecting operation data of the building facilities; processors configured to: receive and store the collected operation data; simulate a building information model (BIM) of the building using the collected operation data; construct a three-dimensional model of the building using the collected operation data; generate the building facilities' life cycle, maintenance, and metrics audit reports using the collected operation data; compute a present carbon dioxide emission of the building; and predict a future carbon dioxide emission of the building; communication modules, each electrically connected to one of the processors, for communicating with a control center; wherein the control center comprising networked user interfaces, for accessing and retrieving data from the processors and data tracking systems for automatic, intelligent, remote r

Abstract: Methods and systems for forwarding data between a first network element and a terminal at a management server, comprising the steps of receiving a request from the terminal to communicate with the first network element during a first data session; determining whether a first connection has been established with the first network element; establishing the first connection with the first network element if the first connection has not been established with the first network element; and forwarding data between the first network element and the terminal using the first connection during the first data session.

Abstract: A process of providing an antibacterial coating to the surface of an article including the steps of applying a layer of an antibacterial precursor layer to the surface of an article to which an antibacterial coating is to be applied, wherein said antibacterial precursor layer is a precursor from which the coating is to be formed; and directing a neutral molecular hydrogen flux from a neutral molecular hydrogen flux emission source towards the surface of the article. Upon impact of neutral hydrogen molecules on molecules at or on the surface of an article, the bonds of the antibacterial precursor layer are selectively ruptured, and wherein the selectively ruptured bonds cross-link with themselves or with other chemical moieties at said surface or a combination thereof, resulting an antibacterial coating being formed on the surface of the article.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems for a VPN gateway to establish virtual private network (VPN) connections with at least one other VPN gateways. The VPN gateway determines that it is classified into a first VPN gateway group by a VPN management server, and the VPN gateway determines which other VPN gateways belong to the same first VPN gateway group. The VPN gateway then determines and sends information about the number of remaining possible VPN connections (RPVPNC) to the VPN management server, such that the VPN management server is able to send a first configuration to the first VPN gateway. The first VPN gateway is then configured according to the first configuration, and the first VPN gateway establishes VPN connections with other VPN gateways based on VPN connection topology, configuration, and number of RPVPNC of the first VPN gateway and other VPN gateways.

Abstract: This invention provides a cyclically-coupled (CC-) quasi-cyclic (QC-) low-density parity-check (LDPC) code and its decoder architecture. The essence of the invention is to introduce the convolutional nature to a plurality of individual block codes internally so as to form a resultant block code with a prolonged code length while slightly increasing the hardware complexity in decoder realization. The CC-QC-LDPC code is formed by cyclically coupling a plurality of sub-codes each being a QC-LDPC code such that overlapping of some variable nodes between two consecutive sub-codes results. The decoder comprises plural sub-decoders each configured to decode the channel messages for one sub-code. The sub-decoders are arranged in a ring shape such that an individual sub-decoder is configured to communicate edge messages with two neighboring sub-decoders adjacent to said individual sub-decoder in the decoding of the channel messages.

Abstract: An education system comprising a control device, a physical toy, and a virtual toy, wherein the physical toy is used to communicate with the control device, and the control device is used to created the virtual toy, the virtual toy and the control device are used for programming, the virtual toy is a counterpart of the physical toy, the virtual toy of the physical toy is integrated in virtual world.

Abstract: An education system comprising a plurality of automation devices, a tablet computer and a data service center for programming, wherein the tablet computer is used to integrate drag-and-drop visual programming language and the plurality of automation devices to turn them into robotics and computer language educational tool; the data service center is used to provide data service support.

Abstract: A method and a system is disclosed for analysing a stroking motion in a water sport by using one or a plurality of sensing devices for generating physical measurements of the stroking motion, a computing device provided with a mobile application for receiving transmitted data of metrics from the sensing device, and a remote server capable of communicating with the mobile application to facilitate upload of the received metrics data to the remote server. The remote server is fashioned to compare the uploaded metrics to a set of values corresponding to predefined athletic data to produce results in terms of force used per time and to determine an optimised stroking motion.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems for a VPN gateway to establish virtual private network (VPN) connections with at least one other VPN gateways. The VPN gateway determines that it is classified into a first VPN gateway group by a VPN management server, and the VPN gateway determines which other VPN gateways belong to the same first VPN gateway group. The VPN gateway then determines and sends information about the number of remaining possible VPN connections (RPVPNC) to the VPN management server, such that the VPN management server is able to send a first configuration to the first VPN gateway. The first VPN gateway is then configured according to the first configuration, and the first VPN gateway establishes VPN connections with other VPN gateways based on VPN connection topology, configuration, and number of RPVPNC of the first VPN gateway and other VPN gateways.

Abstract: Methods and systems for forwarding data between a first network element and a terminal at a management server, comprising the steps of receiving a request from the terminal to communicate with the first network element during a first data session; determining whether a first connection has been established with the first network element; establishing the first connection with the first network element if the first connection has not been established with the first network element; and forwarding data between the first network element and the terminal using the first connection during the first data session.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for establishing Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections among a plurality of VPN gateways at a VPN management server. The VPN management server determines VPN gateways belonging to a first VPN gateway group and also determines the number of possible VPN connections for each VPN gateway of the first VPN gateway group. Configuration for each VPN gateway of the first VPN gateway group is determined based on, at least in part, a VPN connection topology and the number of VPN connection license(s). Each VPN gateway of the first VPN gateway group is configured according to the configuration and a plurality of VPN connections is established based on, at least in part, the configurations.

Abstract: This invention provides a cyclically-coupled (CC-) quasi-cyclic (QC-) low-density parity-check (LDPC) code and its decoder architecture. The essence of the invention is to introduce the convolutional nature to a plurality of individual block codes internally so as to form a resultant block code with a prolonged code length while slightly increasing the hardware complexity in decoder realization. The CC-QC-LDPC code is formed by cyclically coupling a plurality of sub-codes each being a QC-LDPC code such that overlapping of some variable nodes between two consecutive sub-codes results. The decoder comprises plural sub-decoders each configured to decode the channel messages for one sub-code. The sub-decoders are arranged in a ring shape such that an individual sub-decoder is configured to communicate edge messages with two neighboring sub-decoders adjacent to said individual sub-decoder in the decoding of the channel messages.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for establishing Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections among a plurality of VPN gateways at a VPN management server. The VPN management server determines VPN gateways belonging to a first VPN gateway group and also determines the number of possible VPN connections for each VPN gateway of the first VPN gateway group. Configuration for each VPN gateway of the first VPN gateway group is determined based on, at least in part, a VPN connection topology and the number of VPN connection license(s). Each VPN gateway of the first VPN gateway group is configured according to the configuration and a plurality of VPN connections is established based on, at least in part, the configurations.

Abstract: Systems and methods establish passive-based proximity regions to determine position of a device and an area. Example embodiments may be utilized in a wireless network where passive-based proximity regions are established for one or more access points in a wireless network. When a wireless device enters or moves through such a passive-based proximity region, one or more resources associated with the wireless network or wireless device may recognize the presence of the passive-based region and utilize this information to determine positioning data for the wireless device.

Abstract: Systems and methods establish passive-based proximity regions to determine position of a device and an area. Example embodiments may be utilized in a wireless network where passive-based proximity regions are established for one or more access points in a wireless network. When a wireless device enters or moves through such a passive-based proximity region, one or more resources associated with the wireless network or wireless device may recognize the presence of the passive-based region and utilize this information to determine positioning data for the wireless device.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, outer and inner guard rings disposed along a periphery of the semiconductor substrate, and first and second contact pads electrically coupled to the outer and inner guard rings, respectively. The outer and inner guard rings are electrically coupled to one another to define a conduction path between the first and second contact pads. Each of the outer and inner guard rings includes an Ohmic metal layer having a plurality of gaps and further includes conductive bridges across the gaps. The gaps of the outer guard ring are laterally offset from the gaps of the inner guard ring such that the Ohmic metal layers of the outer and inner guard rings laterally overlap.