Abstract: An omni-channel, intelligent, proactive virtual agent system and method of use are provided by which a user may engage in a conversation with the agent to interact with structured and unstructured data of an enterprise that is stored in a domain-specific world model for the enterprise.

Abstract: A self-improving approximator for use in media editing is disclosed. The approximator estimates location in the media file/video data domain of a user-selected word or text unit in the text script transcription of the corresponding audio of the video data. During editing, the approximator calculates and displays the estimated time location of user-selected text to assist the user-editor in cross referencing between the beginning and ending of user-selected passage statements in the text script and the corresponding video/media data in a rough cut or subsequent media work. The approximator enables simultaneous editing of text and video/media by the selection of either source component. The approximator self improves its accuracy based on differentials calculated between tracked user adjustments to media-text associations and initial approximations (estimates).

Abstract: A time approximator for use in video editing is disclosed. The time approximator estimates time location in the media file/video data domain of a user-selected word or text unit in the text script transcription of the corresponding audio of the video data. During video editing, the time approximator calculates and displays the estimated time location of user-selected text to assist the user-editor in cross referencing between the beginning and ending of user-selected passage statements in the text script and the corresponding video data in a rough cut or subsequent video data work. The time approximator enables simultaneous editing of text and video by the selection of either source component.

Abstract: Process for producing fluid fuel from coal. Moisture-free coal in particulate form is slurried with a hydrogen-donor solvent and the heated slurry is charged into a drum wherein the pressure is so regulated as to maintain a portion of the solvent in liquid form. During extraction of the hydrocarbons from the coal, additional solvent is added to agitate the drum mass and keep it up to temperature. Subsequently, the pressure is released to vaporize the solvent and at least a portion of the hydrocarbons extracted. The temperature of the mass in the drum is then raised under conditions required to crack the hydrocarbons in the drum and to produce, after subsequent stripping, a solid coke residue. The hydrocarbon products are removed and fractionated into several cuts, one of which is hydrotreated to form the required hydrogen-donor solvent while other fractions can be hydrotreated or hydrocracked to produce a synthetic crude product.