Abstract: Methods for coatings for golf balls, particularly golf balls having thermoplastic polyurethane covers, and the resulting finished balls are provided. The coating is preferably a topcoat comprising a polyurethane composition containing optical brighteners. The topcoat composition may comprise a low concentration of optical brighteners. For example, the concentration of optical brightener can be in the range of 0.01 to about 0.20 weight %. Multi-piece golf balls having inner cores, outer cores, inner covers, and intermediate layers can be made. The finished ball with the topcoat has many advantageous physical and playing performance properties.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations are disclosed. Disclosed example apparatus include means for collecting demographic information from a user with a registrar of a media device, means for transmitting the demographic information to a central facility from the registrar, and means for storing a panelist identifier identifying the user in a shared memory of the media device, the panelist identifier accessible to a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application separate from the registrar, the panelist identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to present media, the first monitoring-enabled application to collect monitoring information if the panelist identifier is in the shared memory and to disable collection of media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is not in the shared memory.

Abstract: Methods for coatings for golf balls, particularly golf balls having thermoplastic polyurethane covers, and the resulting finished balls are provided. The coating is preferably a topcoat comprising a polyurethane composition containing optical brighteners. The topcoat composition may comprise a low concentration of optical brighteners. For example, the concentration of optical brightener can be in the range of 0.01 to about 0.20 weight %. Multi-piece golf balls having inner cores, outer cores, inner covers, and intermediate layers can be made. The finished ball with the topcoat has many advantageous physical and playing performance properties.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are golf balls having a thermoplastic outer cover layer formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane composition. The golf balls are produced without the use of a secondary treatment step that would result in the crosslinking of the polyurethane cover composition.

Abstract: An RFID-based item tracking system may use statistical methods to determine whether a tag or tagged item that does not respond when inventoried is present in a particular zone or reader antenna field-of-view. In one embodiment, the item tracking system may determine an observability of an item based on one or more initial trials. Upon not detecting the item in one or more subsequent trials, the item tracking system may estimate whether the item is still present based on the observability.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for authorizing an item with an RFID tag to leave a facility. In one embodiment, a mobile device receives or determines an exit code (EC) to write into the tag in response to providing authorizing information. The EC may be based on information stored in the tag such as the tag's item identifier or other tag information (collectively an item identifier or II), a ticket value, other information such as the OC, a mobile identity or location, or any other suitable information. Upon verification of the EC, the tagged item is allowed to leave the facility. In another embodiment, the mobile device stores an item identifier (II) associated with the tag and provides authorizing information. Upon verifying the authorizing information and confirming that the stored II corresponds to the tagged item's II, the tagged item is allowed to leave the facility.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform audio sensor selection in an audience metering device are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least two audio sensors to receive audio at an audience metering device and a selection tester to identify a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations identifying respective gain values to be applied to the plurality of audio sensors. The selection tester is further to select one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations based on a comparison of a first quality metric and a second quality metric. The example apparatus further includes a media identifier to identify audio received at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.

Abstract: Example invertible metering apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes at least one processor and memory including instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to at least: determine an orientation of a housing; determine if a housing is in a mounting orientation; in response to determining that the housing is not in the mounting orientation, initiate a first alarm; in response to determining that the housing is in the mounting orientation, determine an orientation of a stencil; determine if the stencil is in an upright orientation; in response to determining that stencil is not in the upright orientation, initiate a second alarm; and in response to at least one of the housing being in the mounting orientation or the stencil being in the upright orientation, assign a light pattern to a plurality of lights associated with the stencil.

Abstract: A process is provided including subjecting a raw C5 stream containing C5 diolefins to extractive distillation to form C5 diolefins and a raffinate stream. The process includes subjecting the raffinate stream to dehydrogenation to form additional C5 diolefins, which are recycled to the extractive distillation. Another process includes modifying a C5 diolefin extractive distillation unit by forming a recycle loop with a C5 olefin dehydrogenation reactor. A system is provided that includes a C5 diolefin extractive distillation unit and a C5 olefin dehydrogenation reactor that are arranged in a recycle loop. A process is provided that includes subjecting a raffinate stream containing C5 olefins from an extractive distillation unit to dehydrogenation to form C5 diolefins.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture related to end-point media watermarking are disclosed. An example device includes a media receiver to receive a media signal, a watermark generator to generate a watermark, a trigger to activate the watermark generator to generate the watermark based on an external input, an encoder to encode the media signal with the watermark to synthesize an encoded media signal, a media output to render the encoded media signal.

Abstract: Example invertible metering apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a housing. A housing orientation sensor provides a first signal representative of an orientation of the housing. A stencil orientation sensor provides a second signal representative of an orientation of a stencil. A plurality of lights are carried by the housing. A display output controller controls operation of the lights based on at least one of the orientation of the housing or the orientation of the stencil.

Abstract: A method includes performing a downhole operation in a borehole in a formation. Downhole particles and drilling mud are captured at a surface from the borehole into a screen of a shaker during the downhole operation. Input power that comprises at least one of voltage, current, and leakage current being supplied to the shaker is monitored during operation of the shaker, it is determined whether the input power exceeds a threshold as a result of change in a load on the shaker. In response to determining that the input power exceeds the threshold as the result of change in the load on the shaker, it is determined that there is a kick condition in the borehole, where the kick condition comprises a condition in which a pressure of the formation exceeds a pressure in the borehole.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform audio sensor selection in an audience metering device are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least two audio sensors to receive audio at an audience metering device and a selection tester to identify a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations identifying respective gain values to be applied to the plurality of audio sensors. The selection tester is further to select one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations based on a comparison of a first quality metric and a second quality metric. The example apparatus further includes a media identifier to identify audio received at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to restricting access to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag information based on location. Access to RFID tag information may be restricted at the reader level, at the requester level, and at the network level. When reader-level restrictions exist, devices may be prevented from inventorying tags and retrieving information from tags. When requester-level restrictions exist, a requester or device may be prevented from receiving tag information from inventoried tags or a network. When network-level restrictions exist, a network may discard or otherwise restrict tag information received from devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations are disclosed. Disclosed example apparatus include means for collecting demographic information from a user with a registrar of a media device, means for transmitting the demographic information to a central facility from the registrar, and means for storing a panelist identifier identifying the user in a shared memory of the media device, the panelist identifier accessible to a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application separate from the registrar, the panelist identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to present media, the first monitoring-enabled application to collect monitoring information if the panelist identifier is in the shared memory and to disable collection of media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is not in the shared memory.

Abstract: A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system including an RFID reader and a reader proxy authenticates itself to a verification authority. The proxy receives a proxy challenge from a verification authority and determines a proxy response based on the proxy challenge and a proxy key known to the proxy. The proxy response is then sent to the verification authority along with an identifier for the reader. The reader then authenticates an RFID tag by sending a tag response to the verification authority, which determines whether the reader is authentic based on the authenticity of the proxy response.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for associating different watermarks detected in media. An example method disclosed herein includes determining whether a first watermark detected in a media signal is represented in a watermark data structure and associating the first watermark with a first media presentation record associated with a second watermark in response to the first watermark being associated in the watermark data structure with the second watermark. The example method further includes transmitting monitoring data including the first media presentation record to an audience measurement entity.

Abstract: A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader containing a reader key authenticates an RFID tag containing a tag key by receiving a tag identifier from the tag; challenging the tag with a tag challenge; receiving a tag response based at least on the tag challenge and the tag key but not including the tag key; sending a second message including at least the tag identifier and the tag response to a verification authority; and receiving a reply from the verification authority. The reader and the verification authority may mutually authenticate each other before, during, or after the tag authentication process. The verification authority may notify a designated party if a response is incorrect.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media presentations are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a registrar, implemented by a processor, to receive demographic information from a user, to transmit the demographic information to a central facility, and to store a consent identifier in a pasteboard of the media device, the consent identifier accessible to a first instrumented application and a second instrumented application executed in a sandbox environment, the consent identifier to indicate to the first instrumented application and the second instrumented application that monitoring is allowed.