Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a device for dispensing a plurality of unitary doses of dry powder. The device includes: a casing; first and second supports respectively for two carriers each having a plurality of housings for respective unitary doses adapted to be connected to the mouthpiece for inhalation of the dose, the first and second supports being moveably mounted within the casing for sequentially connecting the housings to the mouthpiece; an indexing mechanism adapted to engage and move the first and second supports; and a changeover mechanism adapted to cause the device to pass from a first dispensing state to a second dispensing state and lock the second support in its stationary position while the device is in the first dispensing state, and to lock the first support in its stationary position while the device is in the second dispensing state.

Abstract: A hand dishwashing detergent composition comprising a specific anionic surfactant system, a pearlescent agent and a rheology modifier, to provide superior grease cleaning combined with hand mildness.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to reservoir characterization techniques and methods for accurately predicting scale tendencies of formation fluids, developed with the newly discovered phenomena that extreme downhole conditions affect the properties of reservoir fluids, including both the brine and dense hydrocarbon gas phases. In one aspect, there is disclosed a method for producing fluids from a geological formation. The method comprises inputting at least one property of a geological formation into an equation of state (EOS) model. The EOS model accounts for bound water, a high temperature effect on the brine and a high temperature effect on the dense gas phase. The EOS model is solved to determine a character of fluids contained in the geological formation, and inputting a production condition or a plurality of production conditions into the EOS model.

Abstract: Device for lining the wall of a wellbore as it is being drilled using a drill string having a drill bit on the lower end thereof. The device has a receptacle for a cylindrically gathered pack of flexible tubing capable of being supported around the outside of the drill string near the lower end thereof on a plurality of bearings, a radially expandable locking device attachable to one end of the flexible tubing and being capable of being expanded against the wellbore wall to lock the end of the flexible tubing in place in the wellbore, and a conduit having an inlet upstream of the receptacle and an outlet downstream of the receptacle. A pump is located in the conduit or abutting the inlet or outlet thereof, and pumps the drilling fluid so that a fluid pressure inside the liner is greater than a fluid pressure at the drill bit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for modifying metadata associated with content that is improperly formatted. In one configuration a metadata pre-processor receives metadata from a remote source, determines whether the received metadata is properly formatted, and, if it is not, modifies the metadata based on information received from a second remote source. In one configuration the modified metadata is then used to identify information associated with the content.

Abstract: Consumers may appear to be featured in videos by being appropriately photographed and their image mapped onto a character in a video. A pre-existing video file has a computer-generated (“CG”) actor rendered throughout, except in, e.g., a head region, where a consumer's image data will be mapped. The consumer's image data is mapped onto the CG actor, and the CG actor's animation track is mixed with the remainder of the video, completing the same. The consumer may choose from among several videos, depending on the genre they prefer. The system and method may also apply to marketing and advertising methods, especially with regard to targeted advertising and product placement.

Abstract: A device for lifting and holding the front or rear wheels of small to medium size and weight vehicles such as snow blowers, golf carts or lawn mowers is disclosed. The device contains two platform assemblies configured for wedging under the wheels of vehicles and a hoist configured for lifting the wheel to a desired height to provide access to the underside of the vehicle.

Abstract: An automated guided vehicle is equipped with a stabilization system for precisely locating, leveling, or otherwise positioning the AGV and its payload with respect to a work piece. The stabilization system includes one or more extension members that extend away from the AGV to engage the ground or a locating assembly installed in the ground. Each extension member may be part of a locating assembly or a leveling assembly. The locating assembly extension member may extend at least partially into an opening of another locating assembly to align the two locating assemblies. The locating assembly may also be configured to provide a leveling function.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filtering pressure data from a pressure-sensitive device is disclosed. A computer implemented method for filtering pressure data from a pressure-sensitive device comprises receiving, from a pressure sensitive device, a raw pressure value for a stroke, filtering the raw pressure value for the stroke to determine a filtered pressure value, and computing a width of a stroke based on the filtered pressure value.

Abstract: Input is received that selects an animation aspect associated with an object within an animation. The animation involves the object and an original frame of reference through which the animation is displayed, and the selected animation aspect is one that changes over time with respect to the original frame of reference. The animation is displayed through a new frame of reference defined by holding the selected animation aspect constant over time. During the animation display through the new frame of reference, input is received that manipulates the object to create a new animation aspect associated with the object. The new animation aspect associated with the object is recorded in the animation.

Abstract: The application provides a moderate fraction of a carbohydrate derived component having at least one C4+ compound (and kerosene fuel composition comprising same), the moderate fraction exhibiting a mean percentage of 99% or more biobased material, as determined by C14 testing, the moderate fraction comprising: one or more substituted carbohydrate derived cycloalkanes comprising one or more substituent selected from the group consisting of branched C3-4 alkyls, straight chain C1-4 alkyls, branched C3-4 alkylenes, and straight chain C1-4 alkylenes; one or more carbohydrate derived aromatics, at least some of the carbohydrate derived aromatics comprising one or more substituent selected from the group consisting of branched C3-4 alkyls, straight chain C1-4 alkyls, branched C3-4 alkylenes, and, straight chain C2-4 alkylenes; and one or more carbohydrate derived compound selected from the group consisting of fused aryls, indane, indene, isomers thereof, and combinations thereof, at least some of the carbohydrate d

Abstract: Consumers may appear to be featured in videos by being appropriately photographed and their image mapped onto a character in a video. A pre-existing video file has a computer-generated (“CG”) actor rendered throughout, except in, e.g., a head region, where a consumer's image data will be mapped. The consumer's image data is mapped onto the CG actor, and the CG actor's animation track is mixed with the remainder of the video, completing the same. The consumer may choose from among several videos, depending on the genre they prefer. The system and method may also apply to marketing and advertising methods, especially with regard to targeted advertising and product placement.

Abstract: A method for steering pull compensation to maintain a steering load below a predetermined threshold value. A straight line driving condition is verified through vehicle sensors and/or GPS, drive torque control is performed such that the steering load is kept below the predetermined threshold value. The steering pull compensation method may be disabled by a vehicle operator and is disabled in the absence of a verified straight line driving condition.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: capturing image data from a sequence of images of a scene from different but repeatable viewpoints; associating captured images with a respective viewpoint identification; tracking a region of interest in the sequence of images; performing an eigenspace projection for the respective images to calculate respective points in the eigenspace projection; and comparing the calculated points to points previously obtained for a reference image for substantially the same viewpoints. A change between a calculated point and a corresponding previously obtained point indicates a change in the image content of the region of interest between the corresponding captured image and the corresponding reference image for a substantially same viewpoint.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing a sequence of images of a scene, the method including: tracking a region of interest in the sequence of images (e.g. using a Self Adaptive Discriminant filter); selecting a particular image in the sequence; selecting a set of images from the sequence, the set having one or more images that precede the particular image in the sequence of images; for each pixel in the region of interest in the particular image, determining a value for a parameter; for each pixel in the region of interest of each image in the set of images, determining a value for the parameters; and comparing a function of the determined values for the region of interest in the particular image to a further function of the determined values for the regions of interest in the images in the set of images.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing a sequence of images of a scene, the method including: tracking a region of interest in the sequence of images (e.g. using a Self Adaptive Discriminant filter), selecting a particular image in the sequence, selecting a set of images from the sequence, the set of images including one or more images that precede the particular image in the sequence of images; and determining a value indicative of the level of change between the region of interest in the particular image and the regions of interest in the images in the set of images (e.g. using a Change Detection Process).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire in accordance with the present invention includes two annular bead portions, a carcass, and a belt reinforcement layer. The carcass extends between the bead portions through sidewall portions and a tread portion. The carcass has at least one carcass ply of parallel cords turned up about the bead portions. The belt reinforcement layer is disposed radially outside the carcass and radially inside the tread portion. Each annular bead portion includes an annular bead core having the carcass ply turned up around the bead core, a first apex disposed adjacent and radially outward of the bead core, a second apex disposed axially outward of the bead core and the carcass ply, a first chafer disposed adjacent the carcass ply and axially outward of the bead core, and a second chafer disposed adjacent and axially outward the second apex and axially inward a sidewall portion. The first apex comprises a material with a 100 percent modulus between 1.0 MPa and 6.0 MPa.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid fuel composition comprising a distillation fraction of a component having at least one C4+ compound derived from a water-soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon prepared by a method comprising: providing water and a water-soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon comprising a C1+O1+ hydrocarbon in an aqueous liquid phase and/or a vapor phase; providing H2; catalytically reacting in the liquid and/or vapor phase the oxygenated hydrocarbon with the H2 in the presence of a deoxygenation catalyst at a deoxygenation temperature and deoxygenation pressure to produce an oxygenate comprising a C1+O1-3 hydrocarbon in a reaction stream; and catalytically reacting in the liquid and/or vapor phase the oxygenate in the presence of a condensation catalyst at a condensation temperature and condensation pressure to produce the C4+ compound, wherein the C4+ compound comprises a member selected from the group consisting of C4+ alcohol, C4+ ketone, C4+ alkane, C4+ alkene, C5+ cycloalkane, C5+ cycloalkene,

Abstract: A data analysis system is proposed for providing fine-grained low latency access to high volume input data from possibly multiple heterogeneous input data sources. The input data is parsed, optionally transformed, indexed, and stored in a horizontally-scalable key-value data repository where it may be accessed using low latency searches. The input data may be compressed into blocks before being stored to minimize storage requirements. The results of searches present input data in its original form. The input data may include access logs, call data records (CDRs), e-mail messages, etc. The system allows a data analyst to efficiently identify information of interest in a very large dynamic data set up to multiple petabytes in size. Once information of interest has been identified, that subset of the large data set can be imported into a dedicated or specialized data analysis system for an additional in-depth investigation and contextual analysis.

Abstract: A unitary absorbent core includes a nonwoven layer which has a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface. At least a portion of a first binding agent is impregnated into the garment-facing surface. A superabsorbent material is located on the impregnated surface, and a second binding agent is located on the superabsorbent material and can be superimposed onto the first binding agent. The unitary absorbent core can be utilized for absorbing viscous fluids.