Abstract: A method for facilitating payment transactions includes receiving, by a server, a flash code request indicative of a transaction amount. A flash code associated with the transaction amount is communicated by the server to the payer device. The flash code is encoded into a flash pattern at the payer device and communicated to a payee device of a payee for executing a payment transaction between the payer and the payee. A first request for the payment transaction is received by the server from the payee device. The first request includes the flash code obtained by decoding the flash pattern at the payee device. The flash code included in the first request is validated by the server. Based on successful validation of the flash code, the transaction amount is deducted from a payer account of the payer and credited to a payee account of the payee.

Abstract: A method and medical pump to perform a flushing procedure are provided. The medical pump is configured to execute the flushing procedure subsequent to an infusion procedure, the flushing procedure and infusion procedure lacking a specified relationship between each other until after performance of the infusion procedure. The method comprises performing an infusion procedure of a medicament with the medical pump and automatically querying in human detectable form whether to execute a flushing procedure in response to conclusion of the infusion procedure.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided that include a standard cell with multiple input and output storage elements, such as flip flops, latches, etc., with some combination logic interconnected between them. In embodiments, the slave latches on input flip flops are replaced with a fewer number latches at a downstream node(s) of the combination logic resulting in improved performance, area and power, while maintaining functionality at the interface pins of the standard cell. The process of inferring such a standard cell from a behavioral description, such as RTL, of a design or remapping equivalent sub-circuits from a netlist to such a standard cell is also described.

Abstract: A method for determining a physical characteristic of an object is provided. The method includes recognizing, by an electronic device, an object in a candidate image. Further, the method includes extracting, by the electronic device, a plurality of candidate parameters of the recognized object in the candidate image. Further, the method includes determining, by the electronic device, physical characteristics of at least one portion of the recognized object in the candidate image by comparing the plurality of candidate parameters with a plurality of reference parameters of a reference object in a reference image. Further, the method includes storing, by the electronic device, the physical characteristics of the at least one portion of the recognized object.

Abstract: A method and system for contraindicating firmware and driver updates. Specifically, the disclosed method and system entail discerning whether installation of a hardware device firmware and/or device driver update, targeting a hardware device on a host device, would succeed or fail given a set of features (or indicators) reflective of the current host device state and metadata respective to the hardware device update. Further, the determination may employ predictive machine learning techniques.

Abstract: Data processing systems and methods for authenticating users are disclosed. In one embodiment a data processing system for authenticating a user of a device comprises: a computer processor and a data storage device, the data storage device storing instructions operative by the processor to: determine authentication capabilities of the device, the authentication capabilities of the device comprising one or more authentication methods; determine a set of authentication options using the authentication capabilities of the device; send an indication of the set of authentication options to the device; receive an indication of a user selected authentication method from the device; generate an authentication data request corresponding to the user selected authentication method; send the authentication data request to the device; receive an authentication response from the device; and authenticate the user using the authentication response.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided that include a standard cell with multiple input and output storage elements, such as flip flops, latches, etc., with some combination logic interconnected between them. In embodiments, the slave latches on input flip flops are replaced with a fewer number latches at a downstream node(s) of the combination logic resulting in improved performance, area and power, while maintaining functionality at the interface pins of the standard cell. The process of inferring such a standard cell from a behavioral description, such as RTL, of a design or remapping equivalent sub-circuits from a netlist to such a standard cell is also described.

Abstract: A method comprises obtaining device information associated with one or more computing devices, the device information comprises at least a location of each of the one or more computing devices. Based on the device information, one or more UWCFs corresponding to the one or more computing devices are adapted such that a UWCF is a sub-area of an open zone, where the open zone is an area having reflection characteristics below a reference reflection threshold. A charging rate for each of the one or more computing devices based on the one or more UWCFs is determined. A beamformed signal is then transmitted within corresponding UWCF of each of the one or more computing devices based on corresponding charging rate for wirelessly charging the one or more computing devices.

Abstract: A method and a system for operating a flexible computing-device is provided. The method is executed by the system and includes determining at least one bending axis of a computing-device based on a type of application selected by a user. Based on an activation-instruction received from the user, a bending-axis selected from one or more bending axis is also activated. Further, at least one user-input directed to the device is received, based upon which a user-interface of the application uniquely linked to the activated bending-axis is rendered. Such user-interface has at least one designated-control to operate the application.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions in which two inter-chromosomal or intra-chromosomal genomic DNA regions are rearranged upon exposure of the genomic DNA to a chimeric RNA that produces fusion of the two regions. The chimeric RNA hybridizes to the two different parts of the genomic DNA and forms a DNA/RNA hybrid in a sequence-specific manner, thereby facilitating genomic rearrangement. In particular embodiments this mechanism is utilized to produce directed gene fusion in targeted genomic DNA regions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for open domain question-answering are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of providing answers to a question includes retrieving, by a computing device, a plurality of passages relevant to a search query generating a plurality of question-passage pairs, wherein each question-passage pair includes the search query and an individual passage of the plurality of passages, and determining, using a computer model, a probability that a passage of each question-passage pair of at least some of the plurality of question-passage pairs is an answer to a question posed by the search query. The method also includes displaying, on an electronic display, a selected passage of a question-passage pair having a highest probability that the passage is the answer to the question posed by the search query.

Abstract: A mirror assembly can include a housing, a mirror, and a light source. In certain embodiments, the mirror is rotatable within a support portion of the mirror assembly. In some embodiments, the mirror assembly includes a light pipe configured to emit a substantially constant amount of light along a periphery of the mirror. In some embodiments, the mirror assembly includes a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly can be configured to adjust the amount of emitted light based on the position of a user in relation to the mirror.

Abstract: A method and system for contraindicating firmware and driver updates. Specifically, the disclosed method and system entail discerning whether installation of a hardware device firmware and/or device driver update, targeting a hardware device on a host device, would succeed or fail given a set of features (or indicators) reflective of the current host device state and metadata respective to the hardware device update. Further, the determination may employ predictive machine learning techniques.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a natural language search query, identifying a first set of semantic concepts in the query, creating a vector representation of the first set of semantic concepts, identifying a second set of semantic concepts having a vector representation within a predetermined threshold of similarity to the first set of semantic concepts, performing a search of documents based on the first set of semantic concepts, presenting a result set of documents and the first, second, and third sets of semantic concepts to a user, receiving input from the user, performing a second search of the documents based on the input from the user to obtain a second result set of documents, identifying a fourth set of semantic concepts based on the second result set of documents, and presenting the second result set of documents and the fourth set of semantic concepts to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting a user in preparing a response to an electronic communication, such as an email, are disclosed. The system includes a context analyzer, a context repository, a sentential template repository, and an auto-draft builder. The auto-draft builder uses information from the sentential template repository and context repository to prepare a proposed response to the electronic communication.

Abstract: A Secure Transaction System can receive a request to initiate a transaction from a payment application. The request can include merchant information obtained from a QR code generated for a merchant. The Secure Transaction System can search a merchant storage resource for corresponding contact information for the merchant identified by the merchant information and communicate a password over a communication channel using the contact information for the merchant. The password sent to the merchant can be provided to the payment application in some manner and the payment application can communicate the password to the Secure Transaction System, which determines whether the verification information satisfies conditions with respect to the password for the merchant and communicates confirmation to the payment application that the transaction can proceed when the verification information satisfies the conditions.

Abstract: A mirror assembly can include a housing, a mirror, and a light source. In certain embodiments, the mirror is rotatable within a support portion of the mirror assembly. In some embodiments, the mirror assembly includes a light pipe configured to emit a substantially constant amount of light along a periphery of the mirror. In some embodiments, the mirror assembly includes a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly can be configured to adjust the amount of emitted light based on the position of a user in relation to the mirror.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning an object, such as a two-wheeled vehicle, includes a housing that accommodates a cleaning device and has an open side on which the object and the housing can be positioned relative to one another and from which the cleaning device can be operated so as to act on the object. The cleaning device is provided with a control device for controlling the cleaning device. The apparatus allows objects, such as two-wheeled vehicles, to be cleaned in a simple manner while keeping costs, the amount of material used and energy consumption low.

Abstract: Various soap dispensers are disclosed. Certain embodiments include a housing, reservoir, pump, motor, sensor, electronic processor, and nozzle. In some embodiments, the pump comprises a peristaltic pump. In certain embodiments, the sensor can be configured to generate a signal based on a distance between an object and the sensor. In certain embodiments, the electronic processor can be configured to receive the signal from the sensor and to determine a dispensation volume of the liquid, such as based on the distance between the object and the sensor. The processor can be configured to control the motor to dispense approximately the dispensation volume of the liquid.

Abstract: Embodiments herein provide methods and systems for providing selective disparity refinement. The embodiments include detecting objects of interest of type similar to a type of a point of interest in an image. Disparity values may be determined for the point of interest and the objects of interest in the captured image. Objects of interest may be selected with disparity values within a disparity value threshold range, wherein the disparity value threshold range is based on disparity value of the point of interest. The embodiments include performing a redistribution of disparity values of objects in the image with disparity values not within the disparity value threshold range. The embodiments include assigning a disparity value to the selected objects of interest based on the disparity value of the point of interest, to achieve selective disparity refinement.