Abstract: Techniques described use a reference motion vector to reduce the amount of bits needed to encode motion vectors for inter prediction. One method includes determining a reference motion vector used to encode a current block of a current frame. The reference motion vector was selected by identifying, multiple candidate motion vectors used to inter predict blocks, and identifying a set of reconstructed pixel values from at least one block adjacent to the current block. For each candidate motion vector, a set of predicted pixel values for the set of reconstructed pixel value is generated using the candidate motion vector and a first reference frame, and an error value is calculated based on a difference between the sets of pixel values. Finally, a reference motion vector from the candidates is selected based on the error values. The method also includes decoding the current block using the reference motion vector.

Abstract: A process for the production of dialkyl succinate from a bio-succinic acid feedstock commencing by feeding bio-succinic acid to a reaction distillation column to enable esterification of the succinic acid. The feedstock is passed co-currently with upflowing alkanol such that an esterification reaction occurs. An overhead vapor stream is removed from the reaction distillation column comprising di-ester, alkanol, water of esterification and organic components. The vapor stream is sent to an alkanol separation column where alkanol is separated from the water of esterification and organic components. A side draw is removed from the alkanol separation column comprising partially immiscible organic and aqueous phases. The side draw is passed to a phase separation apparatus where the partially immiscible organic and aqueous phases are separated. The organic phase is passed to a column where the dialkyl succinate is recovered from residual water and other organic components.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to implementing a device to find two or more predictor blocks in one or more reference frames and to generate a new predictor block by combining weighted pixels or weighted prediction modes of the two or more predictor blocks. The one or more reference frames can include one or more previously coded reference frames and/or a current frame. Weight for a particular one of the weighted pixels can be uniquely determined.

Abstract: A measurement system permits environmental, corrosion damage, and mechanical property measurements to assess protection properties of coatings. The system includes one or more multi-sensor panels, each multi-sensor panel having sensors for assessing coating barrier properties, free corrosion, and galvanic corrosion. Each multi-sensor panel is installed on a test rack that contains electronics for sensor excitation and sensor data acquisition throughout a corrosion test. Sensor data is collected, stored, and communicated to a base station. A network of multiple test racks can be supported by a base station to compare the performance of different coatings and material combinations simultaneously. The test racks can be used in accelerated atmospheric corrosion tests, outdoor test sites, or application service environments.

Abstract: A food dispensing container having a removable dispensing member that includes a hinged flow gate configured to cover, in a closed position, a corresponding aperture in a bottom of a dispensing compartment of the dispensing member. The dispensing member also includes a hinged lid configured to cover a top of the dispensing compartment, the hinged lid having a notch that allows a range of rotation of the hinged flow gate when the hinged lid is in a closed position covering the top of the dispensing compartment and the rotation of the hinged flow gate opening the corresponding aperture when the food dispensing container is tilted from an upright position. The hinged lid and the hinged flow gate interlock, limiting the hinged flow gate to the closed position, when the hinged lid is in an open position uncovering the top of the dispensing compartment.

Abstract: A method for encoding a video stream having a plurality of blocks including a current block. The method includes identifying, from a plurality of previously coded blocks, a plurality of candidate motion vectors; identifying, for the current block, a set of reconstructed pixel values corresponding to a set of previously coded pixel values; determining, for at least one of the plurality of candidate motion vectors, an error value based on the set of reconstructed pixel values and a set of predicted values for the set of previously coded pixel values; and selecting, from the plurality of candidate motion vectors, a reference motion vector for the current block based on the error value.

Abstract: Techniques are described to use a reference motion vector to reduce the amount of bits needed to encode motion vectors for inter prediction. One method includes identifying a candidate motion vector used to inter predict each of a plurality of previously coded blocks to define a plurality of candidate motion vectors, identifying a set of reconstructed pixel values corresponding to a set of previously coded pixels for the current block, and generating, using each candidate motion vector, a corresponding set of predicted values for the set of previously coded pixel values within each reference frame of a plurality of reference frames. A respective error value based on a difference between the set of reconstructed pixel values and each set of predicted values is used to select a reference motion vector from the candidate motion vectors that is used to encode the motion vector for the current block.

Abstract: A process for production of dialkyl succinate from bio-succinic acid feedstock where solid bio-succinic acid is fed to a reactor to react with alkanol by autocatalytic esterification. Products from the reactor including unreacted succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, alkanol, water and impurities are sent to a reaction distillation column for esterification of succinic acid and further esterification of mono alkyl ester with upflowing alkanol. The bottoms products from the reaction distillation column including residual succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, impurities and alkanol are sent to a bottoms stream separation zone where di-alkyl ester is separated from alkanol, succinic acid, mono alkyl ester and impurities. The tops products from the reaction distillation column including alkanol, water and organic components are sent to a top stream distillation zone where alkanol is separated from water and organic components. The organic components are recycled to the reaction zone column.

Abstract: A process for the production of dialkyl succinate from a bio-succinic acid feedstock commencing by feeding bio-succinic acid to a reaction distillation column to enable esterification of the succinic acid. The feedstock is passed co-currently with upflowing alkanol such that an esterification reaction occurs. An overhead vapour stream is removed from the reaction distillation column comprising di-ester, alkanol, water of esterification and organic components. The vapour stream is sent to an alkanol separation column where alkanol is separated from the water of esterification and organic components. A side draw is removed from the alkanol separation column comprising partially immiscible organic and aqueous phases. The side draw is passed to a phase separation apparatus where the partially immiscible organic and aqueous phases are separated. The organic phase is passed to a column where the dialkyl succinate is recovered from residual water and other organic components.

Abstract: A food dispensing container having a removable dispensing member that includes a hinged flow gate configured to cover, in a closed position, a corresponding aperture in a bottom of a dispensing compartment of the dispensing member. The dispensing member also includes a hinged lid configured to cover a top of the dispensing compartment, the hinged lid having a notch that allows a range of rotation of the hinged flow gate when the hinged lid is in a closed position covering the top of the dispensing compartment and the rotation of the hinged flow gate opening the corresponding aperture when the food dispensing container is tilted from an upright position. The hinged lid and the hinged flow gate interlock, limiting the hinged flow gate to the closed position, when the hinged lid is in an open position uncovering the top of the dispensing compartment.

Abstract: A safety device for a mechanical motion device and a method for protecting a person or object in the vicinity of a mechanical motion device are described herein. The safety device may include: a shroud; a coupling mechanism; and a detection device. The coupling mechanism joins the shroud in a displaceable manner to a mechanical motion device. The detection device is configured for communication with the safety control system of a mechanical motion device. The detection device is capable of detecting misalignment of the shroud from its initial aligned position and/or a collision between the shroud and a person or object. The detection device may send a signal to the safety control system of the mechanical motion device to at least slow the movement of the mechanical motion device before the mechanical motion device reaches the location of the collision of the shroud with an object or person.

Abstract: A bioreactor chamber assembly comprising a cap and a base capable of being coupled together axially to define an internal chamber. The cap and base comprise interengaging formations that are coupled together by a twist-lock rotation of the base and cap to provide a fluid tight seal between the base and cap via respective sealing surfaces.

Abstract: In a process for the production of dialkyl succinate from a feedstock comprising maleic anhydride, feed in the liquid phase is provided to a reactor operated at a temperature of at least about 150° C. The feed is contacted with hydrogen at a pressure of at least about 300 psig in the presence of an acid tolerant catalyst and an alkanol wherein at least some of the carbon carbon double bonds of the maleic anhydride are hydrogenated to form succinic acid and that the heat generated promotes esterification to dialkyl succinate in situ. A stream of dialkyl succinate is recovered from the reactor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of operation of a programmable audio device. The method includes: (a) initializing and starting a countdown timer; (b) playing a stored audio file; (c) determining if the countdown timer has elapsed and, if not, continue playing the stored audio file until the countdown timer elapses; (d) in response to the countdown timer elapsing, pause playing the audio file and play a message file; and (e) following step (d), continue playing the paused audio file.

Abstract: A hands-free electronic device holder comprises a belt having a mold at a center position, the mold having a threaded stud therein, a flexible gooseneck having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having a ball insert for attachment with the belt and the distal end having a rotatable attachment means, and a holding assembly having a pair or padded clamps for adjustably holding an electronic device. The holding assembly is attached to the distal end of the flexible gooseneck. The belt is wrapped around a waist of a user. The flexible gooseneck is configured to be adjusted to any orientation to align the position of the electronic device to be at thee level of the user, providing hands-free operation of the electronic device while sitting down, standing, moving, and reclining.

Abstract: Blocks of a video data stream may be encoded using either intra-frame (intra) prediction or inter-frame (inter) prediction. Combining intra and inter prediction can provide greater compression while maintaining the quality of the decoded video stream. Intra and inter prediction blocks are combined by weighting each block on a pixel-by-pixel basis and adding the weighted pixel values together. Weighting is based on the intra prediction mode. Pixels are weighted to give emphasis to intra predicted pixels closer to the boundaries where the predicted pixels originate and more emphasis to inter predicted pixels further away from the boundaries.

Abstract: Video data streams can be encoded and decoded using inter or intra prediction. The blocks of a frame can be divided into groups of blocks to be inter predicted and blocks to be intra predicted, and the blocks to be inter predicted are encoded first. The availability of data from the inter predicted blocks can improve the performance of intra prediction over processing the blocks in the scan order since more pixel data is available for intra prediction of some blocks. For example, when the scan order is raster scan order, intra prediction of a block can use pixels peripheral to the bottom and right sides of the block in addition to the pixels peripheral to the top and left sides of the block.

Abstract: A sensing device includes a pair of contactless electrodes for placement on a coating on a surface of a structure or within or between one or more coatings on or over the surface of the structure. The electrodes function as sensors when activated to generate a current flow through the electrodes at multiple different frequencies. The sensing device also includes contactless control circuitry co-located with or separate from the electrodes that transmits impedance data generated from the activated electrodes. The impedance data is associated with corrosion condition information of the structure and/or the one or more coatings. A data collection system and display system useable with the sensing device are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides genes, polypeptides and expression constructs therefor, recombinant photosynthetic microorganisms, and method of use thereof, such as for the production of branched-chain alcohols (including 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and isobutanol) and derivatives thereof for a variety of uses.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatuses for selecting different coding parameters for different portions of a video frame or image to be transmitted or stored for later decoding. The coding parameters for a particular portion of a video frame or image are selected according to their distance from a selected point of interest, where the parameters can be selected to alter the tradeoff between transmission bandwidth and perceived image quality to preserve image quality in areas designated as high interest while saving transmission bandwidth for areas designated as having less interest. Also disclosed are associated systems, methods, and apparatuses for decoding such encoded video frames or images.