Abstract: A process for producing a substitute natural gas, the process comprising the steps of providing a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; subjecting the synthesis gas to a water-gas-shift reaction to increase the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide thereby forming a hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas; subjecting the hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas to a methanation reaction to convert at least a portion of the gas into methane thereby forming a methane-enriched gas; and recovering from the methane-enriched gas a methane-containing gas having a Wobbe number of from 43 to 57 MJ/m3.

Abstract: A method of identifying an object in an image is disclosed. At least one feature map for each of a plurality of cells in the image is determined. A self-dissimilarity between a first feature map associated with a first one of said cells and a second feature map associated with a second cell, is determined. The self-dissimilarity is determined by determining a sum over thresholds of a difference in area between the first feature map and the second feature map. An appearance signature for the object is formed based on the determined self-dissimilarity. A distance between the appearance signature of the object in the image and appearance signatures of each of a plurality of further objects is determined. The object in the image is identified based on the determined distances.

Abstract: Face soaking devices and methods of use are described and disclosed. In some embodiments the device may comprise a vessel, a vessel neck gasket, and a breathing apparatus. The vessel may be configured to hold a liquid to submerge a face of a user or a portion thereof. The vessel neck gasket may be (removably) joined to the vessel. The vessel neck gasket may be configured to comfortably accommodate a portion of the user's neck. The breathing apparatus may be in removable contact with: the vessel, with a head rest subassembly, and/or with the user. The breathing apparatus may be configured to permit the user to breathe while the user's face may be submerged within the liquid. When the vessel may be filled with the liquid to at least a sufficient level, the user may soak the face or the portion thereof, such that the skin being soaked receives a benefit.

Abstract: A method of determining a vertical medial axis of an object in an input image, is disclosed. A measure of horizontal symmetry is determined for each pixel of the image. First and second vertical bounds within the image are determined. A continuous path between the first and second vertical bounds is determined based on the horizontal symmetry measure, the continuous path representing the vertical medial axis of the object.

Abstract: A composition is capable of curing via condensation reaction. The composition uses a new condensation reaction catalyst. The new condensation reaction catalyst is used to replace conventional tin catalysts. The composition can react to form a gum, gel, rubber, or resin.

Abstract: A pulse width modulation technique is disclosed for use in an image forming device such as a laser printer or a photocopier. The technique implements a pacer to synthesize the frequency of a serializer circuit by stretching (or shrinking) pixel pulse train data. The pacer stretches the pixel pulse train data in accord with increment data that is based upon information about the image forming device, such as the number of bits in the pixel pulse train data, the number of bits in print engine pulse train, the target print engine frequency, and the serializer frequency. The technique can be implemented with digital circuits that provide digital test data.

Abstract: A telomerisation process is used to prepare a reaction product containing a noncyclic hydrocarbonoxy-functional polyorganosiloxane. The process includes heating a composition including (A) a cyclic polyorganosiloxane, (B) a silane, and (C) a Lewis Acid telomerisation catalyst. The cyclic polyorganosiloxane has formula [(R12SiO)2/2]n, where subscript n is an integer of 4 or more, and each R1 is independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, or a halogenated hydrocarbyl group. The silane has formula R2(4-m)Si(OR3)m, where subscript m is an integer from 1 to 4, each R2 is independently H, a hydrocarbyl group, or a halogenated hydrocarbyl group, and each R3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group.

Abstract: Features are disclosed for enabling users to select portions of content pages, including predefined portions and arbitrarily defined portions, for which to receive update notifications or which to share with other users. Notifications regarding updates to the selected portions may be displayed to the user in a notification overlay. The notification overlay may be at least partially transparent so as to allow users to see content on a content page displayed beneath the overlay. The notification overlay may be displayed persistently as the user navigates or otherwise transitions from page to page. Users may also access shared, predefined, and context-sensitive notification overlays created by other users, entities, or automated processes.

Abstract: A method of making a lens having adjustable optical power is disclosed. The lens is adjustable by relative lateral translation of at least two lens elements. The method may comprise providing a function yielding optical properties of the lens from starting geometries for the lens elements; refining the function to approximate required gaze angle optical performance over a range of said lateral translation; and using the refined function to derive geometries for making the lens elements. The function may comprise first and second functional parts respectively for the lens elements, and the method comprises using the function to derive geometries for making the lens elements, wherein the function relates optical path difference to a position across the lens elements, and the rate of change of curvature of the first functional part with position is different to the rate of change of curvature of the second functional part with position. There is also disclosed a lens having adjustable optical power.

Abstract: A composition is capable of curing via condensation reaction. The composition uses a new condensation reaction catalyst. The new condensation reaction catalyst is used to replace conventional tin catalysts. The composition can react to form a gum, gel, rubber, or resin.

Abstract: A method of detecting a supporting surface region in an image captured by a camera is disclosed. An object in the image is detected. One or more regions of the image in which a lower part of the detected object exists are determined. A degree of confidence for each of the regions is determined. The degree of confidence indicates likelihood of a corresponding region being a supporting surface region. One or more of the regions are selected based on each corresponding degree of confidence. Similarity of other regions in the image to at least one of the selected regions is determined. The supporting surface region is detected based on the determined similarity.

Abstract: Face soaking devices and methods of use are described and disclosed. In some embodiments the device may comprise a vessel, a vessel neck gasket, and a breathing apparatus. The vessel may be configured to hold a liquid to submerge a face of a user or a portion thereof. The vessel neck gasket may be (removably) joined to the vessel. The vessel neck gasket may be configured to comfortably accommodate a portion of the user's neck. The breathing apparatus may be in removable contact with: the vessel, with a head rest subassembly, and/or with the user. The breathing apparatus may be configured to permit the user to breathe while the user's face may be submerged within the liquid. When the vessel may be filled with the liquid to at least a sufficient level, the user may soak the face or the portion thereof, such that the skin being soaked receives a benefit.

Abstract: A method of identifying, with a camera, an object in an image of a scene, by determining the distinctiveness of each of a number of attributes of an object of interest, independent of the camera viewpoint, determining the detectability of each of the attributes based on the relative orientation of a candidate object in the image of the scene, determining a camera setting for viewing the candidate object based on the distinctiveness of an attribute, so as to increase the detectability of the attribute, and capturing an image of the candidate object with the camera setting to determine the confidence that the candidate object is the object of interest.

Abstract: A direct conversion receiver device may receive I and Q signals. The direct conversion receiver device may include a blind IQ balance circuit configured to balance the I and Q signals without a pilot signal, and a mixer coupled to the blind IQ balance circuit and configured to generate I and Q baseband signals using an operational frequency, the operational frequency being based upon bandwidth and modulation of the I and Q signals. The blind IQ balance circuit may include a first stage configured to generate an intermediate amplitude balanced Q signal based upon the I and Q signals, and a second stage coupled to the first stage and configured to generate phased balanced I and Q signals based upon the intermediate amplitude balanced Q signal and the I signal.

Abstract: A method of determining a boundary of an obstacle which occludes an object in an image, is disclosed. At least one object in the image and a further image captured by a camera is determined. A plurality of regions in which the at least one object is detected, is determined from the images. Locations of edges of the plurality of regions are determined A common location is determined from the determined edges. The boundary of the obstacle is determined, where the boundary comprises a part of the edges at the common location.

Abstract: Approaches to enable a computing device, such as a phone or tablet computer, to determine when a user viewing the content is being distracted or is generally viewing the content with a sufficient level of irregularity, and present an audible representation of the content during the times when the user is deemed distracted. The determination of when the user is distracted or is otherwise viewing the content with irregularity can be performed using sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the computing device. For example, the computing device may analyze the image data captured by one or more cameras, such as by tracking the movement/location of eye pupils of the user and/or tracking the head movement of the user to detect when the user is distracted.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for sending interim notifications to clients of a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a client request to perform a namespace operation upon a filesystem object. The cloud controller determines that it will need to contact at least one of another peer cloud controller or a cloud storage system to service the request, and sends an interim notification to the client to notify the client that the request is pending.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for sending interim notifications to a client of a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a client request to access a file. The cloud controller determines that it will need to contact at least one of another peer cloud controller or a cloud storage system to service the request, and sends an interim notification to the client to notify the client that the request is pending.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for maintaining global name consistency for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a client request to perform a namespace operation upon a filesystem object. The cloud controller contacts the cloud controller that manages (“owns”) the portion of the global namespace for the distributed filesystem that includes the filesystem object. This second cloud controller ensures the consistency of the filesystem object across the distributed filesystem during the namespace operation.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for managing consistency for a file in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives from a client a request to access the file. The cloud controller determines a level of consistency that is associated with the file, and then uses this level of consistency to determine whether to communicate with a peer cloud controller when handling the request.