Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for certificate management for cryptographic agility. Embodiments include receiving, by a cryptographic agility system, a cryptographic request related to an application. Embodiments include selecting, by the cryptographic agility system, a cryptographic technique based on contextual information associated with the cryptographic request. Embodiments include determining, by the cryptographic agility system, based on the cryptographic request, a certificate for authenticating a key related to the cryptographic technique. Embodiments include providing, by the cryptographic agility system, the certificate to an endpoint related to the cryptographic request for use in authenticating the key.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for cryptographic agility. Embodiments include establishing, by a proxy component associated with a cryptographic agility system, a first secure connection with an application. Embodiments include receiving, by the proxy component, via the first secure connection, a communication from the application directed to an endpoint. Embodiments include selecting, by the cryptographic agility system, a cryptographic technique based on contextual information related to the communication. Embodiments include establishing, by the proxy component, a second secure connection with the endpoint based on the cryptographic technique. Embodiments include transmitting, by the proxy component, a secure communication to the endpoint via the second secure connection based on the communication.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for coordinating a distributed vulnerability network scan. Embodiments include sending, by a computing node, a check-in message to a scanning coordinator, the check-in message indicating attributes of the computing node. Embodiments include receiving, by the computing node, a scan configuration message from the scanning coordinator, the scan configuration message comprising: scan timing information for the computing node; and a list of scanning targets for the computing node. Embodiments include determining, by the computing node, a scanning time window based on the scan timing information for the computing node. Embodiments include scanning, by the computing node, one or more scanning targets in the list of scanning targets for the computing node during the scanning time window.

Abstract: There is provided a method for ray-mediated illumination control. The method includes identifying a first activation region corresponding to one of an origin and a destination of a ray, where the ray is described by a ray data associated with the ray. The method further includes identifying a second activation region corresponding to the other one of the origin and the destination of the ray, interpreting an illumination rule for the ray based on at least one of the first activation region and the second activation region, and modifying an illumination in one of the first activation region and the second activation region based on the illumination rule and the ray data.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a hardware processor, a memory, and an illumination rendering unit including a virtual object discrimination module stored in the memory. The hardware processor is configured to execute the illumination rendering unit to perform a first, primitive render of an illumination of a scene including multiple virtual objects, and to determine a score for each of the virtual objects corresponding to its respective contribution to the illumination of the scene. The hardware processor is also configured to execute the illumination rendering unit to identify one or more of the virtual objects as disregardable based on their respective scores, and to perform a second render of the illumination of the scene while disregarding presence of the identified one or more virtual objects as disregardable in the scene.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for approximating a fully calculated image sequence from a subset of calculated image data. In one configuration, a rendering application calculates, for each image in the image sequence, a subset of pixels including pixels previously occluded by object(s) in preceding images and pixels whose ages have exceeded a threshold value. The rendering application then approximates the remaining non-calculated image data by interpolating the image data that has been calculated and merges the calculated and approximated image data to obtain the final image sequence. In a particular configuration, entire images may be recalculated at regular intervals to prevent excessive image quality degradation. In another configuration, the recalculation of pixel data may be offset by randomly initializing pixel age values. In yet another configuration, a combination of recalculating entire images and refreshing pixels at offset intervals may be used.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for approximating a fully calculated image sequence from a subset of calculated image data. In one configuration, a rendering application calculates, for each image in the image sequence, a subset of pixels including pixels previously occluded by object(s) in preceding images and pixels whose ages have exceeded a threshold value. The rendering application then approximates the remaining non-calculated image data by interpolating the image data that has been calculated and merges the calculated and approximated image data to obtain the final image sequence. In a particular configuration, entire images may be recalculated at regular intervals to prevent excessive image quality degradation. In another configuration, the recalculation of pixel data may be offset by randomly initializing pixel age values. In yet another configuration, a combination of recalculating entire images and refreshing pixels at offset intervals may be used.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a hardware processor, a memory, and an illumination rendering unit including a virtual object discrimination module stored in the memory. The hardware processor is configured to execute the illumination rendering unit to perform a first, primitive render of an illumination of a scene including multiple virtual objects, and to determine a score for each of the virtual objects corresponding to its respective contribution to the illumination of the scene. The hardware processor is also configured to execute the illumination rendering unit to identify one or more of the virtual objects as disregardable based on their respective scores, and to perform a second render of the illumination of the scene while disregarding presence of the identified one or more virtual objects as disregardable in the scene.

Abstract: A beverage preparation machine with a receptacle for removably receiving therein a disposable cartridge having a first liquid ingredient and alcohol separated by a frangible partition. A movable lid closes the receptacle with the cartridge therein and has an inlet tube that pierces the upper portion of the cartridge when the lid is closed. An outlet tube at a lower portion of the receptacle pierces the lower portion of the cartridge when the lid is closed. A bottle is removably mounted on the machine beneath the outlet tube. A cold water reservoir is connected to the inlet tube. For carbonated beverages, a carbon dioxide source is connected to the machine at the upper end of the bottle.

Abstract: Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a method for controlling an engine includes providing a first EGR gas flow to an intake manifold of the engine by closing a first EGR valve or a second EGR valve and at least partially opening the other of the first EGR valve and the second EGR valve, wherein the first and second EGR valves are respectively positioned in first and second EGR passages respectively coupled between first and second donor cylinder groups and an intake manifold, and providing a second EGR gas flow that is higher than the first EGR gas flow to the intake manifold by fully opening the first EGR valve or the second EGR valve and at least partially opening the other of the first EGR valve and the second EGR valve.

Abstract: There is provided a method for ray-mediated illumination control. The method includes identifying a first activation region corresponding to one of an origin and a destination of a ray, where the ray is described by a ray data associated with the ray. The method further includes identifying a second activation region corresponding to the other one of the origin and the destination of the ray, interpreting an illumination rule for the ray based on at least one of the first activation region and the second activation region, and modifying an illumination in one of the first activation region and the second activation region based on the illumination rule and the ray data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spark plug for an internal combustion engine, in particular a gas engine. The spark plug includes a middle electrode and at least one earth electrode group, each comprising one or more earth electrode platelets. The middle electrode includes at least one middle electrode platelet having a middle electrode surface, and the middle electrode surface is inclined in a range from 0° to 50°, preferably to at most 45°, to a cross-sectional plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the spark plug. Each earth electrode platelet of an earth electrode group has an earth electrode surface facing towards the middle electrode surface, spaced apart from the earth electrode surface and running substantially parallel to the earth electrode surface.

Abstract: A beverage preparation machine with a receptacle for removably receiving therein a disposable cartridge having a first liquid ingredient and alcohol separated by a frangible partition. A movable lid closes the receptacle with the cartridge therein and has an inlet tube that pierces the upper portion of the cartridge when the lid is closed. An outlet tube at a lower portion of the receptacle pierces the lower portion of the cartridge when the lid is closed. A bottle is removably mounted on the machine beneath the outlet tube. A cold water reservoir is connected to the inlet tube. For carbonated beverages, a carbon dioxide source is connected to the machine at the upper end of the bottle.

Abstract: A diesel engine system includes a cylinder, an exhaust manifold, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) manifold, and a valve. The exhaust manifold is fluidly coupled with the cylinder and directs exhaust generated in the cylinder to an exhaust outlet that delivers the exhaust to an external atmosphere. The EGR manifold is fluidly coupled with the cylinder and recirculates the exhaust generated in the cylinder back to the cylinder as at least part of intake air that is received by the cylinder. The valve is disposed between the cylinder and the exhaust manifold and between the cylinder and the EGR manifold. The valve has a donating mode and a non-donating mode. The valve fluidly couples the cylinder with the EGR manifold when the valve is in the donating mode and fluidly couples the cylinder with the exhaust manifold when the valve is in the non-donating mode.

Abstract: Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a method for controlling an engine includes providing a first EGR gas flow to an intake manifold of the engine by closing a first EGR valve or a second EGR valve and at least partially opening the other of the first EGR valve and the second EGR valve, wherein the first and second EGR valves are respectively positioned in first and second EGR passages respectively coupled between first and second donor cylinder groups and an intake manifold, and providing a second EGR gas flow that is higher than the first EGR gas flow to the intake manifold by fully opening the first EGR valve or the second EGR valve and at least partially opening the other of the first EGR valve and the second EGR valve.

Abstract: A diesel engine system includes a cylinder, an exhaust manifold, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) manifold, and a valve. The exhaust manifold is fluidly coupled with the cylinder and directs exhaust generated in the cylinder to an exhaust outlet that delivers the exhaust to an external atmosphere. The EGR manifold is fluidly coupled with the cylinder and recirculates the exhaust generated in the cylinder back to the cylinder as at least part of intake air that is received by the cylinder. The valve is disposed between the cylinder and the exhaust manifold and between the cylinder and the EGR manifold. The valve has a donating mode and a non-donating mode. The valve fluidly couples the cylinder with the EGR manifold when the valve is in the donating mode and fluidly couples the cylinder with the exhaust manifold when the valve is in the non-donating mode.