Abstract: A method is provided for recommending relevant merchants for a consumer at a given geographical location. The method generally includes identifying, using a computing processing unit, transactions processed over at least one payment device network as being associated with a payment network account of a consumer. The identified transactions are then parsed to extract ISO 8583 formatted data. By evaluating the extracted ISO 8583 formatted data and determining a location of the consumer, a list containing merchant that are available for more purchases and within a predetermined distance to a geographical location of the consumer are determined. Furthermore, the list may be refined by evaluating the strength of the intersect between a plurality of consumer vectors and a plurality of merchant vectors.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory control process of a device receives a plurality of program/erase (P/E) requests for a flash memory of the device. The memory control process then stores data associated with the plurality of P/E requests in a random access memory (RAM) of the device, and aggregates the plurality of P/E requests into a single P/E operation. The memory control process may then send the single P/E operation to the flash memory at a given interval to update the flash memory with the data stored in the RAM.

Abstract: A reduced sugar syrup having an advantageously low viscosity is prepared by hydrolysis of starch or starchy material using a particular type of alpha amylase enzyme which yields a saccharide distribution having a low DP1-2 and low DP11+ content. The DP4 content of the syrup may be favorably increased by using a maltotetragenic alpha amylase enzyme in combination with the aforementioned alpha amylase enzyme. The syrup is useful in the production of food, beverage, animal feed, animal health and nutrition, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic compositions and may be combined with a high intensity sweetener to provide a composition capable of being substituted for conventional corn syrups.

Abstract: As part of an online shopping process, a user's selection of offers, services, etc. is facilitated. A merchant's e-commerce server may form a composite display page that includes a display page section transmitted to the e-commerce server from a payment gateway in connection with an online purchase transaction. The display page section may include offer options selected or gathered by the payment gateway. The e-commerce server may serve the composite display page, including the offer options, to the customer in the online purchase transaction. The customer may easily select among the offer options, and may effect sign-up therefor without entering personal information to implement the offer, because that information has already been collected or become available during a checkout phase of the online purchase transaction.

Abstract: A process using a three-piece mold for making a three-dimensionally shaped glass article having a flat area and a curved/bend area is disclosed. The process includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile for the shaped glass article including a flat area and a bend area, moving a flat area plunger toward the glass sheet to compress the glass sheet, heating a portion of the glass sheet corresponding to an area above the bend area of the mold to a temperature above a forming temperature, and moving a bend area plunger toward the heated glass sheet to compress the heated glass sheet. A temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the bend area of the mold is higher than a temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the flat area of the mold when compressing the heated glass sheet with the bend area plunger.

Abstract: A circuit and method are provided detecting a persistent short circuit in a power MOSFET for the purpose of protecting a load from over-current.

Abstract: A constant-current controller with square wave input current shaping for driving a series of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is provided. The controller may include a sample and hold circuit that samples a current sense voltage, a first multiplier circuit that multiplies an output of the sample and hold circuit, an error detector circuit that compares an output of the multiplier circuit with a reference voltage, an error amplifier that amplifies an output of the error detector circuit, a second multiplier circuit that multiplies an output of the error amplifier by a coefficient, and an output circuit that outputs a pulse-width modulated control signal based on an output of the second multiplier circuit. The coefficient may vary depending on whether the constant-current LED driver controller is used with a boost converter or a buck-boost converter.

Abstract: A method of providing predictive search query recommendations for a search query. The method can be implemented via execution of computer instructions configured to run at one or more processing modules and configured to be stored at one or more non-transitory memory storage modules. The method can include receiving the search query from a user. The method also can include determining the predictive search query recommendations for the search query using a tree data structure. At least one top layer of the tree data structure can include at least one trie query node and bottom layers of the tree data structure can include ternary tree query nodes. The method further can include sending the predictive search query recommendations to the user. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques, including systems and methods for distributing electronic messages, are disclosed. In an embodiment, information relating to a message thread is maintained. The information includes information identifying one or more members of a distribution list to be excluded from receiving messages in the message thread. When it has been determined to prevent distribution of the electronic message to one or more members of the distribution list, the electronic message is distributed to members of the distribution list excluding the one or more members to whom distribution is to be prevented. The distributed electronic message may identify the distribution list as an intended recipient.

Abstract: A method for encoding and decoding a javascript object notation (JSON) document utilizing a statistical tree representing a JSON Schema. The encoded statistical tree may be optimized.

Abstract: Opaque coatings are formed on consumable articles by applying an aqueous composition of one or more trisaccharides such as melezitose (optionally, in combination with one or more other ingredients such as a high intensity sweetener) and then drying the applied aqueous composition. “Frosted” coatings having a reduced sugar (sucrose) content may thereby be obtained.

Abstract: Techniques are described for schema lifecycle management. In one example, a method includes dividing, with one or more processing devices, a plurality of statements of a data definition language (DDL) script into a plurality of groups, the plurality of groups configured to be executed in parallel by a persistence layer. The method further includes assigning, with the one or more processing devices, one or more of the plurality of groups to a plurality of worker applications. The method further includes executing, with the one or more processing devices, constituent statements of the plurality of statements of the DDL script within each group of the plurality of groups by the plurality of worker applications in a session.

Abstract: A rotor blade includes an airfoil portion that extends in a radial direction from a root end to a tip end. A plurality of internal airfoil cooling passages is defined in the airfoil portion. The rotor blade also includes a tip shroud. The tip shroud includes a shroud plate coupled to the tip end. A plurality of tip shroud cooling passages is defined within the shroud plate. Each of the tip shroud cooling passages extends within the shroud plate in a direction generally transverse to the radial direction. Each tip shroud passage includes an inlet coupled in flow communication with at least one of the airfoil cooling passages, and an exit opening defined in, and extending therethrough, a radially outer surface of the tip shroud. The exit opening is coupled in flow communication with the inlet.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention enable users to extract knowledge from testing scenarios performed during application development, and later employ that knowledge to interpret application usage scenarios to enhance serviceability of applications by expediting identification and solving of problems. In an exemplary embodiment, log data generated during simulation of test cases is analyzed to create one or more rules based on patterns in which one or more log entries appear in the log data. Later, log data may be analyzed to look for a pattern of log entries that matches a pattern-based rule, thereby facilitating faster identification and resolution of the problem.

Abstract: In a method for generating a data unit for transmission via a communication channel, wherein the data unit conforms to a first communication protocol, a preamble of the data unit is generated. The preamble includes a first field having information that indicates a duration of the data unit, the first field being formatted such that the first field is decodable by a receiver device that conforms to a second communication protocol but does not conform to the first communication protocol to determine the duration of the data unit based on the first field. Additionally, the preamble is formatted such that a portion of the preamble is decodable by a receiver device that conforms to a third communication protocol but does not conform to the first communication protocol. Also, the preamble is formatted such that a receiver device that conforms to the first communication protocol can determine that the data unit conforms to the first communication protocol.

Abstract: A gas turbine includes a turbine and an axial-radial diffuser. The turbine includes a last stage airfoil section, which includes a first inner annular wall, a plurality of airfoils, a tip shroud including a first outer annular wall, and a stationary shroud including a second outer annular wall. The first inner annular wall is angled at a first inner angle average, the first outer annular wall is angled at a first outer angle average, and the second outer annular wall is angled at a second outer angle average. The axial-radial diffuser includes a third inner annular wall and a third outer annular wall, wherein the first diffuser section is disposed immediately downstream from the last stage airfoil section, wherein the third inner annular wall is angled at a third inner angle average, and the third outer annular wall is angled at a third outer angle average.

Abstract: An FFT device for performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of an operand vector of length N is described.

Abstract: A system includes a turbine airfoil configured to be disposed in a turbine. The airfoil includes a suction side, a pressure side, and a first protrusion disposed on the suction side, a second protrusion disposed on the pressure side, or both. The suction side extends between a leading edge of the turbine airfoil and a trailing edge of the turbine airfoil in an axial direction and transverse to a longitudinal axis of the turbine airfoil, and extends a height of the turbine airfoil in a radial direction along the longitudinal axis. The pressure side is disposed opposite the suction side and extends between the leading edge of the turbine airfoil and the trailing edge of the turbine airfoil in the axial direction, and extends the height of the airfoil in the radial direction. The first protrusion is disposed on the suction side of the turbine airfoil and protrudes relative to the other portion of the suction side in a first direction transverse to both the radial and axial directions.

Abstract: A method for masking scan chains in a test circuit of an integrated circuit is disclosed. A test pattern to be fed into the test circuit of the integrated circuit is generated. The generated test pattern can be used for detecting a primary fault, one or more secondary faults, and one or more tertiary faults. A mask to mask the output of the scan chains of the test circuit is generated. If a condition is not met, a mask that increases the total number of detectable faults is generated. If the condition is met, a mask that protects the primary fault of the test pattern is generated.

Abstract: The present invention provides targeted polymeric nano-complexes for delivery of drugs such as anti-mitotic agents or anti-cancer agents. The present invention also provides a process for the preparation of such targeted nano-complexes.