Abstract: An embodiment may involve a server device obtaining an audio file containing a story. The server device may determine a mood of the story. The server device may select an audio file containing music, where the audio file containing the music is associated with a music attribute that is indicative of the mood. The server device may generate a playlist for the client device, where the playlist includes (i) a reference to the audio file containing the music, and (ii) a reference to the audio file containing the story. The server device may transmit the playlist, over a wide area network, to the client device. Reception of the playlist at the client device may cause an audio player application to retrieve and play out each audio file therein.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes technologies and techniques for use by a data storage controller—such as a controller for use with a NAND or other non-volatile memory (NVM)—to store crash-dump information in a boot partition following a system crash within the data storage controller. Within illustrative examples described herein, the boot partition may be read by a host device without the host first re-installing valid firmware into the data storage controller following the system crash. In the illustrative examples, the data storage controller is configured for use with versions of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express—Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) that provide support for boot partitions in the NVM. The illustrative examples additionally describe virtual boot partitions in random access memory (RAM) for storing crash-dump information if the NAND has been corrupted, where the crash-dump information is retrieved from the RAM without power-cycling the RAM.

Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to virtual machines. In one example of the technology, a network change from a first virtual network having a first customer Internet Protocol (IP) address to a second virtual network having a second customer IP address is configured for a first virtual machine. The configuring includes controlling the following actions. The second virtual network is provided. At least one networking artifact is associated with a first user that is associated with the first virtual machine. The at least one networking artifact includes the second virtual network. A directory service is updated to map the second customer IP address to a first physical IP address. The first physical IP address is a physical IP address of the first virtual network.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for providing a cosmetic composition to a user. The system includes an apparatus configured to dispense at least one cosmetic composition into a output container; a user interface configured to receive information about the user; and circuitry configured to receive the information about the user and determine one or more cosmetic compositions to be dispensed into the output container based on the information about the user received at the user interface.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for defining and executing device-independent commands on a network having a plurality of network devices. In some examples, a controller includes a graphical user interface. The controller displays, via the graphical user interface, network devices that support a device-independent command selected from one or more device-independent commands, wherein each device-independent command performs one or more operations on supported network devices. The controller receives, via the graphical user interface, user input selecting two or more of the displayed network devices and performs the one or more operations of the selected device-independent command on the selected network devices. In some examples, performing includes executing tasks associated with each network device, wherein the tasks, when executed, perform the one or more operations on each respective network device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for receiving, by a server computer, broadcast data for a content station, determining that the broadcast data comprises a change in content for the content station, determining identifying information associated with the broadcast data, analyzing the identifying information associated with the broadcast data to determine characteristics of the broadcast data, storing the identifying information and the characteristics of the broadcast data, incrementing persona characteristics in a datastore for the content station with the characteristics of the broadcast data, and generating a profile of the content station based on the persona characteristics in the datastore of the content station.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to detect and track a user's eye gaze and head movement are described. In general, techniques are disclosed for identifying a user's pupil location and using this information, in conjunction with a three dimensional (3D) model of the user's head, perform gaze tracking operations. More particularly, techniques disclosed herein utilize pupil gradient information to refine an initial pupil location estimate. Once identified, the pupil's location may be combined with 3D head pose information to generate an accurate and robust gaze detection mechanism.

Abstract: The “free world replication protocol” makes use of client computing resources, wherein the clients are not part of the replicated key-value store, but instead reside in the “free world” outside of the dedicated resources of the nodes of the replicated key-value store. In the free world replication protocol, only a single “write” client is authorized to modify the key-value store at any time but any number of clients may be authorized to read data from the key-value store. The write client sends its transactions to multiple nodes in the replicated key-value store. As a result, the latency between the transaction being sent from the client and the transaction being received by the multiple nodes is reduced by comparison to existing protocols in which each client sends transactions to a single node and that node forwards the transactions. A consensus protocol, driven by a master node, is used to periodically ensure consistency, but the data transactions themselves do not make use of a master node.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to formation of fins with different active channel heights in a tri-gate or a Fin-FET device. In an embodiment, at least two fins are formed on a front side of the substrate. A gate structure extends over a top surface and a pair of sidewalls of at least a portion of the fins. In an embodiment, the substrate is thinned to expose the bottom surface of the fins. Next, backside etching may be performed on each fin to form active channel regions. The fins may be recessed to different depths, forming active channel regions with differing heights.

Abstract: A thermal conducting sheet, including: a binder resin; insulating-coated carbon fibers; and a thermal conducting filler other than the insulating-coated carbon fibers, wherein a mass ratio (insulating-coated carbon fibers/binder resin) of the insulating-coated carbon fibers to the binder resin is less than 1.30, and wherein the insulating-coated carbon fibers include carbon fibers and a coating film over at least a part of a surface of the carbon fibers, the coating film being formed of a cured product of a polymerizable material.

Abstract: A multilayer flexible film for packaging a transdermal patch product comprising a pharmaceutical active agent comprises: a product-contacting sealing layer comprising a co-polyester having a surface energy of at least 50 dyne/cm2; and one or more layers above the product-contacting sealing layer. The pharmaceutical active agent may comprise nicotine. An average adhesion force to peel the transdermal patch from the product-contacting sealing layer may be less than 100 g/inch (39.37 g/cm).

Abstract: Metallization structures under a semiconductor device layer. A metallization structure in alignment with semiconductor fin may be on a side of the fin opposite a gate stack. Backside and/or frontside substrate processing techniques may be employed to form such metallization structures on a bottom of a semiconductor fin or between bottom portions of two adjacent fins. Such metallization structures may accompany interconnect metallization layers that are over a gate stack, for example to increase metallization layer density for a given number of semiconductor device layers.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for communicating data in a virtualized environment comprising virtual machines executing on one or more computing devices. An underlying physical destination address of a virtual machine executing on a virtual network is changed from a first physical address to a second physical address. A traffic forwarder function is executed on a virtual switch within the virtual network. The traffic forwarder function is executed during a time threshold determined based on a reprogramming time for network devices in the virtualized environment to update the underlying physical destination address. A data packet addressed to the first physical address is by the traffic forwarder function on a network external to the virtual network. A destination address of the data packet is updated from the first physical address to the second physical address. The data packet is forwarded to the updated destination address.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for cloud resource placement optimization. A resources monitor monitors state information associated with cloud resources and physical hosts in the federated cloud having a plurality of clouds managed by a plurality of cloud providers. A rebalance trigger triggers a rebalancing request to initiate cloud resource placement optimization based on one or more conditions. A cloud resource placement optimizer determines an optimized placement of cloud resources on physical hosts across the plurality of clouds in the federated cloud based on (1) costs including migration costs, (2) the state information, and (3) constraints, wherein each physical host is identified in the constraints-driven optimization solver by an identifier of a respective cloud provider and an identifier of the physical host. A migrations enforcer determines an ordered migration plan and transmits requests to place or migrate cloud resources according to the ordered migration plan.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are integrated circuit (IC) contact structures, and related devices and methods. For example, in some embodiments, an IC contact structure may include an electrical element, a metal on the electrical element, and a semiconductor material on the metal. The metal may conductively couple the semiconductor material and the electrical element.

Abstract: Provided are an electronic device and method for managing the perceived loudness of an input audio signal. The electronic device includes a communication unit configured to communicate with internal units and external devices and receive an audio source signal; a loudness adjustment unit configured to receive the audio source signal from the communication unit and obtain an input audio source signal from the audio source signal; a noise separator configured to separate noise from the input audio source signal; a voice booster configured to boost an output audio signal received from the loudness adjustment unit; a storage unit storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to communicate with the communication unit, the loudness adjustment unit, the noise separator, the voice booster, and the storage unit and control operations thereof by executing the stored instructions.

Abstract: An embodiment may involve a server device transmitting, over a wide area network, a first playlist with a first duration to a client device. Possibly while the client device is playing out a current audio file of a first plurality of audio files in the playlist, the server device may receive an instruction from the client device and generate a second playlist. The second playlist may include references to a second plurality of audio files, where playout of the second plurality of audio files may have a duration that is less than the duration of the playout of the first plurality of audio files. The server device may transmit, over the wide area network, the second playlist to the client device. Reception of the second playlist at the client device may cause the audio player application to retrieve and play out the second plurality of audio files.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes technologies and techniques for use by a data storage controller—such as a controller for use with a NAND device or other non-volatile memory (NVM)—to retrieve configuration information from a NAND boot partition during an initialization procedure initiated by a host. Within illustrative examples described herein, the configuration information stored in the NAND boot partition is provided in addition to configuration information stored within physical layer register sets of the data storage controller. In the examples, the data storage controller is configured for use with versions of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express—Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) that provide support for NAND boot partitions. In these examples, the use of the NAND boot partition allows an NVM device manufacturer to implement at least some new features in firmware or software within an existing NVM card, without modifying the physical layer registers.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes an antenna to receive a signal, a low noise amplifier, and circuitry that determines the power level of the signal. The circuitry also determines whether the signal includes a packet, and causes the low noise amplifier to amplify the signal when the signal includes a packet and the power level of the signal is below a threshold. The circuitry also causes the low noise amplifier to be bypassed when the signal does not include a packet, or the power level of the signal is above the predetermined threshold and the signal includes a packet.

Abstract: A method for translating transaction messages includes receiving, by a server from an acquirer, an inbound transaction message that is associated with a transaction and pursuant to a first message format supported by the acquirer. The server translates the inbound transaction message from the first message format to a second message format supported by the server when the first and second message formats are different. The server processes the inbound transaction message having the second message format and generates an outbound transaction message having the second message format. The server translates the outbound transaction message from the second message format to a third message format supported by an issuer that corresponds to the transaction when the second and third message formats are different, and transmits the translated outbound transaction to the issuer for processing the transaction. Thus, the method allows the server to translate transaction messages between different message formats.