Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a therapeutic gas delivery system (8) including a pressure generator inlet apparatus (10) configured to facilitate filtering of gas drawn into the inlet (14) of the pressure generator (16) of the system. The apparatus comprises a body (12) and a support (24). The body is configured to removably engage the inlet of the pressure generator and receive a particulate filter (18). The body forms an orifice (19) configured to conduct gas that has passed through the filter to the pressure generator inlet. The support is coupled to the body at or near the orifice. The support is configured to extend from the body toward the filter and support the filter. The support is configured to resist collapse of the filter into the orifice caused by gas flowing through the filter to the pressure generator inlet.

Abstract: A pump comprising a housing and a rotor rotatably accommodated in the housing and having an axis of rotation. The housing comprises a resilient seal member, an inlet and an outlet for fluid. The rotor comprises first and second surface areas, and the rotor and housing are cooperatively configured such that the second surface area is radially recessed from the first surface area, forming a chamber with an interior surface of the housing, and the first surface area seals against the interior surface. The seal member is located azimuthally between the outlet and the inlet. The seal member will engage the first and second surface areas, operative to prevent the passage of fluid from the outlet to the inlet as the rotor rotates. An edge of the seal member is coterminous with an aperture through which the fluid can flow.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a system may include a communication port to exchange information with a client device associated with an industrial control system. A network security server coupled to the communication port may include a computer processor adapted to provide a network security service for the client device. The computer processor may further be adapted to record security information about the client device via a blockchain verification process (e.g., by registering a validation result within a distributed ledger). The network security service might comprise, for example, an integrity attestation service providing software verification for the client device.

Abstract: A pump comprises a housing, with an interior defining a rotor path, an inlet formed in the housing at a first position on said rotor path, an outlet formed in the housing at a second position on said rotor path spaced from said first position. A rotor is rotatable in the housing with a first surface that seals against the housing. A second surface is formed on said rotor circumferentially spaced from said first surface and forms a chamber that travels around said rotor path to convey fluid from the inlet to the outlet. A resilient seal formed with the housing is located on the rotor path to prevent fluid flow from said outlet to said inlet past the seal. A passage may be provided to supply fluid to an under surface of the seal at a pressure that acts to urge the seal against the rotor.

Abstract: Methods for performing work operations and management of hierarchical datasets are performed by systems and devices. Changes to portions of information in datasets are made via client devices, and such changes are intercepted by an independently-operating tracker. The tracker flags portions being changed as work needed, along with any other dataset portions from which the portion to be changed depends. A work service independently discovers portion(s) designated as work needed to perform work thereon, while dataset branches/leaves not flagged are ignored in discovery. Upon work completion, any changes made to the portion(s) that underwent the work, or to any depending portions, while the work was performed are identified. Such changes result in aborting the performed work and setting work needed indications for any changed dependents. Work is re-performed for the portion when all portion and dependent portion work completes. Work is then performed for higher-level portions that are flagged.

Abstract: A preferred contact group centric interface for a communication device can be used to facilitate communications by a user. The user interface can be arranged to activate from a user's “home page” on the display, from an idle screen that is accessed after a timeout period expires, or any other appropriate mechanism that activates the preferred contact group centric experience. A user selects the preferred contact group from among an array of the user's contacts. Once the contact group is configured, a minimal number of navigation/selection features is necessary to activate any number of communication modes available to the contacts. The contact group is configured such that simple and quick navigation between the contact members is achieved. The contact group can be presented in 2D and 3D arrangements, in any number of list or geometric configurations. A pricing plan can optionally be tied to each member of the contact group.

Abstract: A load-handling vehicle, including a body; a boom, pivotally mounted to the body at a rear end region so that the boom can pivot up and down about an axis extending laterally with respect to the vehicle, wherein the boom has a load carrying implement attachable at a forward end region thereof; a steerable ground engageable propulsion arrangement; an electrically powered drive for the propulsion arrangement; a platform positioned at the rear of the body and to the side of the boom; and a battery pack positioned on the platform.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relates to processing managing an operating system to set up a computer association tool. The technique includes processing an Operating System Deployment (OSD) functionality of a Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to configure a server, wherein the OSD causes the server to a Pre-boot Execution Environment (PXE Boot). The SCCM may be launched for the PXE boot process to be associated with the server and configuring the SCCM to associate with a specific OSD Task Sequence. Boot from a Network Interface Card (NIC) that has an associated MAC address, using the PXE, wherein the PXE boot process then hands the operation over to the designated OSD Task Sequencer (TS) which handles the configuration process according to at least one variable.

Abstract: A device for detecting a being left within a vehicle includes a sensor that detects when a being (e.g. a pet, a child, etc.) is within a vehicle and the operator of the vehicle has moved away from the vehicle by more than, for example five feet. Upon detection of such, the device emits a sound to notify others nearby of the being that was left within the vehicle. The sound is preferably different than a sound of a typical vehicle theft alarm system. In a preferred embodiment, determination that the operator has left the vehicle is by a loss of a signal from a personal transmitter that is attached to the operator's key ring or worn by the operator. After moving away from the vehicle by more than five feet, the signal from the personal transmitter decreases and initiates determination if a being remains within the vehicle.

Abstract: A notification is received that a first user device and a second user device would like to share a data set. The data set is retrieved from a database. A first security level associated with the first user device and a second security level associated with the second user device is retrieved. The data set is provided to the first user device and the second user device in accordance with the first security level and the second security level.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new fungal production system comprising a fungal host strain of Chrysosporium lucknowense wherein the endogenous cellulase secretion is less than 20% of the endogenous cellulase secretion of Chrysosporium lucknowense strain UV 18-25. Preferably, also the secretion of endogenous protease, endogenous ?-glucanase and endogenous cellobiohydrolase is less than 20% of the secretion of Chrysosporium lucknowense strain UV 18-25. Furthermore, fungal host strains are provided wherein several genes have been disrupted. According to another aspect of the invention a method for homologous and/or heterologous production of a pure protein with a purity of higher than 75%, comprising expressing a gene encoding said protein in the strains according to the invention have been described. Furthermore, a method for production of artificial protein mixes comprising expressing a gene encoding each of said proteins in a strain according to the invention have been disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method of creating customized characters and selectively displaying them in an electronic display, such as an augmented reality or virtual reality display is provided. A digital character may be provided by a character provider for customization by others using the system. Such customizations may be instantiated in user devices that provide electronic displays. Instantiation of the custom digital character may be conditioned on one or more trigger conditions, which may be specified by the character customizer. For example, a digital character customized using the system may be conditioned on triggering events in the real-world or in a virtual world. When a relevant triggering condition is satisfied at a user device, the custom character (i.e., information for instantiating the custom character) may be transmitted to that user device. In this manner, the system may push custom characters to user devices that satisfy the triggering condition.

Abstract: A Raman Laser device having an nth Stokes shifted output the device including: a laser pump input; a lasing cavity having feedback elements at each end; and a diamond Raman active gain medium within the cavity, exhibiting first and higher Stokes emissions when subjected to pumping by the laser pump input; wherein the feedback elements feeding back the pump input, and 1st Stokes output from the gain medium, and a gain portion of the higher Stokes outputs, with a transmitting portion of the nth Stokes output being the output of the device.

Abstract: A device for detecting a being left within a vehicle includes a sensor that detects when a being (e.g. a pet, a child, etc.) is within a vehicle and the operator of the vehicle has moved away from the vehicle by more than, for example five feet. Upon detection of such, the device emits a sound to notify others nearby of the being that was left within the vehicle. The sound is preferably different than a sound of a typical vehicle theft alarm system. In a preferred embodiment, determination that the operator has left the vehicle is by a loss of a signal from a personal transmitter that is attached to the operator's key ring or worn by the operator. After moving away from the vehicle by more than five feet, the signal from the personal transmitter decreases and initiates determination if a being remains within the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing modular retaining wall blocks in natural stone, wherein the blocks are trapezoidal blocks having top and bottom surfaces with channels that receive offset connectors in multiple orientations for building upright, offset, and curved walls. Stone from a quarry is cut or split to form substantially rectangular elongate blocks having top and bottom surfaces, opposed side faces, and opposed ends. A series of channels running parallel to the side faces is cut in each of the surfaces, the top channels lying across from the bottom channels but offset therefrom. The elongate blocks are then cut between opposing pairs of channels to form trapezoidal blocks having front and rear faces.

Abstract: A patch for a therapeutic electrical stimulation device includes a shoe connected to the first side of the patch, the shoe including a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, and having first and second surfaces, the first end of the shoe defining at least two ports, and the first surface of the shoe defining a connection member. The patch also includes at least one conductor positioned in the ports of the first end of the shoe. The shoe is configured for sliding insertion into a receptacle defined by a controller so that the conductor is connected to the controller to deliver electrical current from the controller, through the conductor, and to the electrodes, and the connection member is at least partially captured by a detent defined by the controller in the receptacle to retain the shoe within the receptacle.

Abstract: A DC-to-DC power converter includes a reference voltage generator and a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable memory. The memory stores a temperature coefficient, and the temperature coefficient is based upon a temperature response of said reference voltage generator over a range of temperatures. The DC-to-DC power converter also includes a controller coupled to the reference voltage generator and the memory and operable to retrieve the temperature coefficient from the memory, and adjust an output voltage of the DC-to-DC power converter based upon the temperature coefficient.

Abstract: A system and method of creating electronic characters in one or more electronic formats, selectively customizing the characters, and presenting them via electronic channels in response to satisfaction of one or more programmable conditions is disclosed. The system enables entities to competitively bid to customize the personality and/or other attribute of a character. For example, a character may be presented via an electronic channel to an audience (e.g., one or more end users who view, listen to, or otherwise experience a character through an electronic channel). An entity may bid on altering that character's personality and/or other attribute. If the entity's bid is selected by the system (e.g., over other bids that also compete to alter one or more attributes of that character), the system customizes the character's personality and/or other attribute according to the winning bid's customization, and presents the customized character via the electronic channel to the audience.