Abstract: Techniques for context-based queryless presentation of items are described. Without receiving an explicit query, an inferred query is determined based on a first set of context signals associated with a triggering event. Items matching the inferred query are selected based on a second set of one or more context signals associated with the triggering event. One or more results items identifying the one or more matching items are caused to display. Result items may be displayed in association with an explanation that identifies context values used to select an item or one or more attributes of the item that are relevant to a user or the inferred query.

Abstract: A pump is disclosed. The pump may include at least one pumping mechanism. The at least one pumping mechanism may include a barrel formed of a substrate having a bore and a plunger formed of a substrate and slidably disposed within the bore in the barrel. The pump may further include a coating disposed on the plunger. The coating may include a main layer containing a tribological material and a sacrificial break-in layer disposed on the main layer, the break-in layer containing a tribological material.

Abstract: Utilizing several passes of a token among the operating system level virtualization applications (OSLVAs) running on each of an ordered list of nodes selectively upgrade user applications in specific containers after determining that each OSVLA hosting a container to be upgraded is live. A failed liveness check can cause a revision to the list of nodes. Post-upgrade health checks of each application, and a list-wide notification of a completed upgrade of the application instances, can follow a successful upgrade. A roll back of the upgrade across all nodes can follow an unsuccessful upgrade.

Abstract: Improved techniques for facilitating emergency access to one or more contacts stored on a portable electronic device are disclosed. One or more contacts on the portable electronic device are designated as emergency contacts. While the portable electronic device is password-locked, a request to display the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device is received. Without requiring a password, the one or more emergency contacts are displayed on the portable electronic device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a computer-implemented method and system for generating personalized recommendations for a target user based at least on stored data about the target user. The method comprises obtaining, at the server computer, data from a plurality of data sources, including entity data associated with a plurality of entities, stored in an entity database, or personal data associated with a plurality of users, stored in a user database. The personalized recommendations system then merges the entity data or personal data and maps the entity or personal data to a corresponding entity or target user, respectively. The entity or personal data is differentiated, a relevance is determined, a weight is assigned to the data and corresponding source to canonicalize the data, the respective databases are updated with the corresponding data, and then a set of personalized recommendations to the target user is generated using the updated databases.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe and an ultrasound imaging system include a 2D transducer array including a plurality of transducer elements organized to form a transmit aperture and a receive aperture, where the transmit aperture and the receive aperture do not overlap with each other. The probe and system include a plurality of distribution nodes and a plurality of sets of transmit switches. Each set of transmit switches includes a plurality of transmit switches and each set of transmit switches is associated with a different one of the plurality of transducer elements in the transmit aperture. Each set of transmit switches is configured to selectively connect the associated transducer element to any one of the plurality of distribution nodes when in a continuous-wave Doppler mode.

Abstract: A method for generation of blocks for a partitioned blockchain includes: storing blocks comprising a partitioned blockchain, wherein each block includes a header and transaction entries; receiving transaction data entries for each of a plurality of subnets; generating a hash value of the header included in the most recently added block; generating a new block header, the new block header including the generated hash value, a timestamp, and a sequence of pairs including a pair for each of the plurality of subnets, each pair including a subnet identifier associated with the respective subnet and a merkle root of each of the transaction data entries received for the respective subnet; generating a new block, the new block including the generated new block header and the transaction data entries for each of the plurality of subnets; and transmitting the new block to a plurality of nodes associated with the partitioned blockchain.

Abstract: A method for automatic configuration of a communication network includes: generating a request message, the request message including a communication address associated; transmitting the generated request message as a broadcast message to a plurality of computing devices using a predefined user datagram protocol (UDP) port, the message being broadcast with a predetermined time to live; receiving agreement messages from computing devices transmitted by the respective computing device using the predefined UDP port, each agreement message including a communication address associated with the respective computing device and a specified transmission control protocol (TCP) port; identifying at least one of the one or more agreement messages for establishment of communication; and establishing a communication connection to the computing device associated with each identified agreement message using the specific TCP port.

Abstract: A method for authorization of a blockchain transaction includes: storing account profiles, each profile including an account identifier, fiat amount, and blockchain amount; receiving a transaction message, the transaction message being formatted based on transaction message standards and including a first data element that includes a specific account identifier and a second data element reserved for private use that includes a network identifier and transaction amount; identifying a specific account profile that includes the specific account identifier; identifying a risk value based on the transaction amount and at least one of: the fiat amount and blockchain amount; determining authorization of a transaction based on the identified risk value; modifying the transaction message based on the authorization determination; and transmitting the modified transaction message.

Abstract: A method for verification of a data value via a Merkle root includes: storing, in a memory of a processing server, a Merkle root; receiving at least a data value, a nonce, and a plurality of hash path values; generating a combined value by combining the data value and the nonce; generating a first hash value via application of a hashing algorithm to the combined value; generating a subsequent hash value via application of the hashing algorithm to a combination of the first hash value and a first of the plurality of hash path values; repeating generation of the subsequent hash value using a combination of the next hash path value of the plurality of hash path values and the most recent subsequent hash value; and verifying the data value based on a comparison of the Merkle root and the last generated subsequent hash value.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, system and methods are provided comprising generating a nominal computer-aided design (CAD) image of a component; producing a physical representation of the component from the nominal CAD image using an additive manufacturing (AM) process; measuring the physical component to obtain measurement data; determining a deviation between geometry associated with the nominal CAD image and the obtained measurement data; determining a compensation field for the deviation, if the deviation is outside of a tolerance threshold; modifying the nominal CAD image by the compensation field; and producing a physical representation of the component from the modified nominal CAD image. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A hybrid diffusion-brazing process and hybrid diffusion-brazed article are disclosed. The hybrid diffusion-brazing process includes providing a component having a temperature-tolerant region and a temperature-sensitive region, brazing a braze material to the temperature-tolerant region during a localized brazing cycle, then heating the component in a furnace during a diffusion cycle. The brazing and the heating diffusion-braze the braze material to the component, and the localized brazing cycle is performed independent of the diffusion cycle in the hybrid diffusion-brazing process. The hybrid diffusion-brazed article includes a component, and a braze material diffusion-brazed to the component with a filler material. The filler material has a melting temperature that is above a tolerance temperature of the component.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus configured to collect raw data from a plurality of wireless devices. The raw data includes activity recorded when the wireless devices are at a selected topographic region. The raw data is combined to produce aggregated data representative of the activities of the individual wireless devices. Either the aggregated data or the raw data are selected for analysis depending on whether the raw data meets a threshold activity or subscriber density level. The selected data are analyzed to identify activity patterns of users of the wireless devices.

Abstract: Improved techniques for facilitating emergency access to one or more contacts stored on a portable electronic device are disclosed. One or more contacts on the portable electronic device are designated as emergency contacts. While the portable electronic device is password-locked, a request to display the one or more emergency contacts on the password-locked portable electronic device is received. Without requiring a password, the one or more emergency contacts are displayed on the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A method of surface treating a metallic part includes steps of coating the metallic part with a tribological thin film coating, and tumbling the metallic part after the coating step to remove surface micro-particles. The tumbling step may also remove delaminated areas of the tribological thin film coating. According to some embodiments, the metallic part may be tumbled with an alkaline solution.

Abstract: A method for correction of thermal defects using tomographic scanning for additive manufacturing is provided. The method may include forming a portion of an object using an additive manufacturing system based on an intended three-dimensional (3D) model of the object that is in an additive manufacturing system format. The portion of the object is scanned using a tomographic scanner to obtain a model of the portion of the object in a tomographic scanner format. The model is converted from the tomographic scanner format into the additive manufacturing system format to obtain a converted tomographic model; and the converted tomographic model is compared to the intended 3D model to identify a defect in the portion of the object. A modified 3D model may be generated of the object correcting the intended 3D model to address the defect of the portion of the object.

Abstract: A method for propagating configuration data using a blockchain includes: storing a blockchain comprised of a plurality of blocks, each being comprised of a block header having a timestamp and one or more configuration transactions; receiving one or more configuration data items; generating a new configuration transaction for each configuration data item; hashing a most recent block identified based on the timestamp included in the respective block header to generate a previous block hash value; hashing a combination of the new configuration transactions and/or data associated therewith to generate a current block hash value; generating a new block header, the new block header including a current timestamp, the previous block hash value, the current block hash value, and a digital signature; generating a new block comprised of the new block header and each new configuration transaction; and updating the blockchain by appending the new block.

Abstract: A method for addition of a block to a permissioned blockchain using efficient consensus includes: storing a blockchain; receiving transaction messages having transaction values from consensus nodes; generating a Merkle root for the transactions messages using transaction references; generating a proposed block header having the Merkle root and a hash of the header of the most recently added block in the blockchain; hashing the proposed block header; transmitting a proposal message having a digital signature and the hashed proposed block header to auditing nodes; receiving a response message accepting the digital signature from a majority of auditing nodes; transmitting an accept message to the auditing nodes; transmitting a confirmation message to the consensus nodes including the hashed proposed block header and digital signature; and writing a new block to the blockchain having the transaction values from the transaction messages and a header including the proposed block header and digital signature.

Abstract: A method for recovery of missing or extra data using a bloom filter includes: storing a plurality of transaction messages, each including a transaction value; generating a bloom filter of the transaction messages, the bloom filter being generated using a number of hash rounds and with a size at least double the number of transaction messages; generating a recover message including the number of transaction messages, the number of hash rounds, the size, and the generated bloom filter; transmitting the recover message to a consensus node; receiving a response message from the consensus node, the response message including at least one additional transaction message; and inserting the at least one additional transaction message into the plurality of transaction messages.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed enabling recommendations of content items available in multiple formats based on an expected difficulty of a user in comprehending individual formats of the content item. For example, a user wishing to increase reading fluency may be provided with a recommendation for a multi-format content item including both an e-book and an audiobook. The recommended multi-format content item may be selected such that the e-book is expected to be somewhat difficult for the user to comprehend, and such that the audiobook is expected to be relatively less difficult for the user to comprehend. Thereafter, the user may simultaneously consume multiple formats of the recommended content item (e.g., by listening to the audiobook simultaneously to reading the e-book) in order to increase reading fluency.