Abstract: Techniques for configuring a point of sale (POS) system may include using an optical sensing module to read an identifier associated with a POS component and associating the POS component with a zone that is monitored by the optical sensing module, where the zone includes the POS system. In response to optically sensing the identifier, the system may automatically configure the component to function within the POS system.

Abstract: Techniques for configuring a point of sale (POS) system may include using an optical sensing module to read an identifier associated with a POS component and associating the POS component with a zone that is monitored by the optical sensing module, where the zone includes the POS system. In response to optically sensing the identifier, the system may automatically configure the component to function within the POS system.

Abstract: An airplane has main propulsion engines and a first fuel supply for the main propulsion engines. The airplane further has an auxiliary propulsion engine and a second fuel supply for the auxiliary propulsion engine, this second fuel supply being separate from the first fuel supply. The auxiliary propulsion engine can be switched on independently from the main propulsion engines. Such airplane has increased safety, since it will be possible to maintain flight, particularly when at high altitude, even if all main propulsion engines have failed.

Abstract: An airplane has main propulsion engines and a first fuel supply for the main propulsion engines. The airplane further has an auxiliary propulsion engine and a second fuel supply for the auxiliary propulsion engine, this second fuel supply being separate from the first fuel supply. The auxiliary propulsion engine can be switched on independently from the main propulsion engines. Such airplane has increased safety, since it will be possible to maintain flight, particularly when at high altitude, even if all main propulsion engines have failed.

Abstract: Techniques for configuring a point of sale (POS) system may include using an optical sensing module to read an identifier associated with a POS component and associating the POS component with a zone that is monitored by the optical sensing module, where the zone includes the POS system. In response to optically sensing the identifier, the system may automatically configure the component to function within the POS system.

Abstract: Methods of analysis to extract and assess brain data collected from subject animals, including humans, to detect intentional and unintentional brain activity and other unexpected signals are disclosed. These signals are correlated to higher cognitive brain functions or unintended, potentially adverse events, such as a stroke or seizure, and to translation of those signals into defined trigger events or tasks.

Abstract: Methods of analysis to extract and assess brain data collected from subject animals, including humans, to detect intentional and unintentional brain activity and other unexpected signals are disclosed. These signals are correlated to higher cognitive brain functions or unintended, potentially adverse events, such as a stroke or seizure, and to translation of those signals into defined trigger events or tasks.

Abstract: Methods of analysis to extract and assess brain data collected from subject animals, including humans, to detect intentional and unintentional brain activity and other unexpected signals are disclosed. These signals are correlated to higher cognitive brain functions or unintended, potentially adverse events, such as a stroke or seizure, and to translation of those signals into defined trigger events or tasks.

Abstract: A method of controlling size of a receive window includes transmitting packets over a communication channel from a transmitting device to a receiver, and receiving acknowledgment packets from the receiver, the received acknowledgement packets from the receiver including an advertised receive window size. The method further includes determining a backlog parameter for the receiver in accordance with the advertised receive window size, determining a queuing delay in accordance the received acknowledgment packets, resetting a size of a congestion window in accordance with a function of a current size of the congestion window and a factor proportional to the queuing delay, and resetting a size of a receive window in accordance with a function of a current size of the receive window and the backlog parameter. A network window is reset in accordance with the smaller of the size of the congestion window and the size of the receive window.

Abstract: A method and system for entity based position assignment are provided. The method includes: retrieving position data related to each position of a plurality of positions; retrieving data related to each entity of a plurality of entities, wherein each entity is to be assigned to one of the plurality of positions; determining a desirable arrangement based at least in part on the position data and the entity data; and arranging each entity in a corresponding desired position within the desirable arrangement.

Abstract: A method of controlling size of a receive window includes transmitting packets over a communication channel from a transmitting device to a receiver, and receiving acknowledgment packets from the receiver, the received acknowledgement packets from the receiver including an advertised receive window size. The method further includes determining a backlog parameter for the receiver in accordance with the advertised receive window size, determining a queuing delay in accordance the received acknowledgment packets, resetting a size of a congestion window in accordance with a function of a current size of the congestion window and a factor proportional to the queuing delay, and resetting a size of a receive window in accordance with a function of a current size of the receive window and the backlog parameter. A network window is reset in accordance with the smaller of the size of the congestion window and the size of the receive window.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first node configured to receive the data packets from a plurality of source nodes of the data network and to selectively route some of the received data packets to a link via a port of the first node. The apparatus also includes a link-input buffer that is located in the first node and is configured to store the some of the received data packets for transmission to the link via the port. The first node is configured to power off hardware for transmitting received data packets to the link in response to a fill level of the link-input buffer being below a threshold.

Abstract: A method of controlling size of a receive window includes, at a transmitting device, transmitting packets over a communication channel from the transmitting device to a receiver, receiving acknowledgment packets from the receiver corresponding to the transmitted packets, determining a backlog parameter for the receiver in accordance with a parameter value in the received acknowledgment packets, resetting the size of the receive window in accordance with a function of a current size of the receive window and the backlog parameter, and after the resetting, transmitting packets over the communication channel from the transmitting devices to the receiver in accordance with the reset size of the receive window.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first node configured to receive the data packets from a plurality of source nodes of the data network and to selectively route some of the received data packets to a link via a port of the first node. The apparatus also includes a link-input buffer that is located in the first node and is configured to store the some of the received data packets for transmission to the link via the port. The first node is configured to power off hardware for transmitting received data packets to the link in response to a fill level of the link-input buffer being below a threshold.

Abstract: A method of controlling size of a congestion window, includes, at a transmitting device, transmitting a plurality of data packets over a communication channel from the transmitting device to a receiver, determining a queuing delay and a loss rate of the transmission, comparing the queuing delay to a threshold queuing delay, comparing the loss rate to a threshold loss rate, and in response to a determination that the queuing delay is greater than the threshold queuing delay and the loss rate is greater than the threshold loss rate, resetting the size of the congestion window in accordance with a function of the current size of the congestion window, the queuing delay, and the loss rate, wherein at equilibrium the function generates a value inversely proportional to a weighted sum of an excess queuing delay and an excess loss rate.

Abstract: A method of controlling size of a congestion window, includes, at a transmitting device, transmitting a plurality of data packets over a communication channel from the transmitting device to a receiver, determining a queuing delay and a loss rate of the transmission, comparing the queuing delay to a threshold queuing delay, comparing the loss rate to a threshold loss rate, and in response to a determination that the queuing delay is greater than the threshold queuing delay and the loss rate is greater than the threshold loss rate, resetting the size of the congestion window in accordance with a function of the current size of the congestion window, the queuing delay, and the loss rate, wherein at equilibrium the function generates a value inversely proportional to a weighted sum of an excess queuing delay and an excess loss rate.

Abstract: A method of controlling size of a receive window includes, at a transmitting device, transmitting packets over a communication channel from the transmitting device to a receiver, receiving acknowledgment packets from the receiver corresponding to the transmitted packets, determining a backlog parameter for the receiver in accordance with a parameter value in the received acknowledgment packets, resetting the size of the receive window in accordance with a function of a current size of the receive window and the backlog parameter, and after the resetting, transmitting packets over the communication channel from the transmitting devices to the receiver in accordance with the reset size of the receive window.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for decoupling loss recovery from congestion and window control. The system provides improved performance in high loss environments such as wireless links. The system avoids unnecessary window adjustment in response to packet losses. Transmission rates can be maintained with out compromising loss recovery. The invention uses just-in-time Packet Expiration, Transmission Order Queue, a Forward Retransmission Algorithm and Window Control to provide improved performance. The invention maintains a queue of packets in flight called the Transmission Order Queue (TOQ). When an acknowledgement is received for a packet in the in-flight queue, that packet is removed from the queue. If a packet is still in the queue for a certain threshold time, the invention assumes that it is lost. At that point, the packet is removed from the in-flight queue and the packet is retransmitted.

Abstract: The invention provides a congestion control scheme that is a delay based scheme that includes a scalable queue size and one-way queueing delay measurement to reduce network congestion. Queue size is managed by queue control, a scalable utility function, dynamic alpha tuning, and/or randomized alpha tuning. One-way queueing delay is accomplished by measuring backward queueing delay management using various methods of estimating the receiver clock period. Embodiments include estimating the receiver clock period using single sample and multiple sample periods. The system includes a method for detecting route change.

Abstract: A reduced feed mechanism for a selective laser sintering machine. The machine includes a powder feed source and a first feed piston to push powder from the source. The mechanism includes a spacer with an interior volume, a second piston, and a seal for the second piston. The spacer fits into the source. The first piston moves the second piston and causes powder to move from the interior volume. Preferably, the pistons are coupled by a floating coupling. An access panel may allow a user to view the coupling. The mechanism may include a ballast which can fit inside the source for the first piston. Preferably, the spacer reduces the volume of powder by approximately 70%. An infrared sensor may also be positioned to view the reduced amount of powder. Methods of selective laser sintering are also provided.