Abstract: Method and system for uniformly spacing particles in a flowing system comprising suspending particles in an elongated fluid filled cavity; exposing said cavity to an axial acoustic standing wave field, wherein said axial acoustic standing wave field drives said particles to nodal and anti-nodal positions along the center axis of said cavity to result in uniformly spaced particles; and focusing said particles to the center axis of said cavity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. A digital image of a geographic area including the dig area is electronically received at a first user location remote from the dig area, and at least a portion of the received digital image is displayed on a display device at the first user location remote from the dig area. One or more indicators are added to the displayed digital image, via a user input device associated with the display device, to provide at least one indication of the dig area and thereby generate a marked-up digital image. Information relating to the marked-up digital image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area.

Abstract: A noninvasive method of reducing fat from targeted regions of a patient's body by applying low-level laser energy externally through the skin of the patient to the targeted areas. Sufficient laser energy is applied to release at least a portion of intracellular fat into the interstitial space. The released intracellular fat is removed from the body through the body's natural functions. The preferred embodiment uses laser energy at about 635 nm.

Abstract: A system is provided for protective elements that include, but is not limited to, an umbrella having a complete double canopy with pleats, a medially expanding frame, and a moisture mitigation vessel. The frame's linkage system and expanding double canopy enable their combined covering structure to take a downwardly concave form when fully deployed. Rounded outer frame edges provide enhanced safety. When retracted around the umbrella's stick, frame and canopy assume the form of a three dimensional envelope tapered up and down from its mid-section, thereby concentrated at top and bottom by the stick. This configuration provides canopy and frame with improved ability to move in and out of the invention's stick mounted moisture mitigation vessel. With an internal liner of wicking material and multiple surface apertures, the vessel encourages controlled release of evaporated moisture from the enclosed canopy.

Abstract: A reversible attachment device comprises a reversible hanger having a piece of hook material on a first side and a piece of loop material on a second side and may optionally be assembled with either side facing an accessory holder. Embodiments of a reversible attachment stabilize and distribute loads from objects in accessory holders. By selecting which side of the reversible hanger faces the accessory adapter, an accessory holder may be suspended from a load-carrying structure having either loop material or hook material. In some embodiments, the hook material and loop material are formed into a sleeve which fits slidably around the reversible hanger. Alternative assembly configurations for an embodiment provide for a range of height adjustment between an accessory holder and a load-carrying structure. Some embodiments include an accessory holder with a reversible attachment device. Other embodiments include a duty belt or other load-carrying structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to data backup and archival tools and provide a method, system and computer program product for periodically shuffling data fragments in a data backup set across different storage media in a peer-to-peer data backup and archival network. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for periodic shuffling of data fragments in a data backup set across different storage media in a peer-to-peer data backup and archival network can be provided. The method can include partitioning a file into multiple, different fragments for storage in a peer-to-peer data backup and archival network, storing the fragments in different peer hosts in the peer-to-peer data backup and archival network, and periodically shuffling the stored fragments to different peer hosts. In an aspect of the embodiment, the method also can include encrypting the fragments before storage in the different peer hosts.

Abstract: Remediating events of components using behaviors via an administrator system and an administrator client. The administrator system receives an event from a component of an information technology (IT) environment. A behavior is determined at least partly from the event. The behavior is determined to be an anomalous behavior at least partly from a group of previously received events. A coefficient is calculated, via a calculation, for the anomalous behavior at least partly from a weight. The administrator system sends a description of the anomalous behavior and a group of options to the administrator client. The description is at least partly based on the calculation. The administrator system receives a severity indication from the administrator client. The weight, the calculation, and the description are updated based on the severity indication.

Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing carrying a circuit board and wireless communications circuitry. An antenna assembly is carried by the housing and coupled to the wireless communications circuitry. The antenna assembly may include an electrically conductive base having a rectangular shape with opposing first and second ends and opposing first and second sides extending between the first and second ends. The electrically conductive base may have an elongate slot therein extending within a medial portion thereof and contained within the opposing first and second ends and the opposing first and second sides. The antenna assembly also may include an electrically conductive feed arm extending outwardly from the first side of the electrically conductive base adjacent the first end thereof. The electrically conductive feed arm may have a distal end with an antenna feed defined thereon.

Abstract: One embodiment of a display backlight driver integrated circuit can be configured for operation in at least two different ways. A first method transfers data from an EEPROM to hardware registers prior to regular operation. A second method also transfers data from an EEPROM to registers. However, hardware registers can be overwritten with data accepted from a control bus, prior to regular operation. A keyboard driver IC can detect the presence or absence of a cable to an LED. If the cable is absent, the driver IC will not supply power for the LED. One embodiment of a keyboard and display backlight control system can be configured to allow substantially independent operation.

Abstract: A motorsports helmet having an isolation mount defining a receptacle is provided. An adjustment plate is selectively disposed within the receptacle at different depths and includes an ear-cup. The ear-cup is secured relative to the adjustment plate and includes at least two degrees of freedom of movement.

Abstract: An assembly of transmission components includes a first shaft including first and second surfaces, and axial cutting-spline teeth on the second surface, a second shaft connected by a press fit to first shaft, and a clutch hub connected by a press fit to the second shaft and engaged with the cutting-spline teeth.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that may include an integrated circuit including switch circuitry to determine, at least in part, an action to be executed involving a packet. This determination may be based, at least in part, upon flow information determined, at least in part, from the packet, and packet processing policy information. The circuitry may examine the policy information to determine whether a previously-established packet processing policy has been established that corresponds, at least in part, to the flow information. If the circuitry determines, at least in part, that the policy has not been established and the packet is a first packet in a flow corresponding at least in part to the flow information, the switch circuitry may request that at least one switch control program module establish, at least in part, a new packet processing policy corresponding, at least in part, to the flow information.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a drug delivery device including a biodegradable housing and a hydrogel within the biodegradable housing. The housing, the hydrogel, or both, may include a bioactive agent. Also disclosed is a method of drug delivery including the steps of forming the biodegradable housing, in embodiments a hydrogel, suspending a bioactive agent in the hydrogel, and introducing a second hydrogel and/or precursors of a second hydrogel into the biodegradable housing.

Abstract: A process plant data collection and organization system uses a common or integrated navigational tree structure to organize and enable a user to view and access information obtained from different applications or data sources within a process plant, even when those different applications have different manners of organizing or enabling users thereof to view the collected information. The integrated navigational tree may be developed from and may use the navigational tree categories of the different applications or may map the data within different categories of the navigational trees of the different applications into categories within the integrated navigational tree. The integrated navigational tree enables a user to view and access plant data collected or developed by different applications within the process plant in a single place and in an organized manner so that the user can view data related to the plant from a higher point of view than provided by any of the individual applications.

Abstract: A tracking system for improving observability of a marker in an image. The tracking system includes a memory unit that stores data; an imaging unit that images the marker and the image; a processor unit that detects the marker in the image; and a communication unit that transmits and receives data. The processor unit determines a first confidence level indicating a visibility of the marker to a user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for mixing propellant formulations are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of mixing a solid propellant formulation includes placing a first component (e.g., a polymer or fuel) and a second component (e.g., an oxidizer of suitable particle size) in a mix vessel. The method further includes mixing the first and second components together by rotating the mix vessel about a first axis and, during at least a portion of the vessel rotation, revolving the vessel about a second axis spaced apart from the first axis. In one embodiment, the first axis can be a vessel spin axis, and the second axis can be spaced apart from the first axis so that the vessel revolves about the second axis in a planetary manner. In another embodiment, the vessel can rotate about the first axis in a first direction while revolving about the second axis in a second direction, opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A modular tool for use in subterranean formations includes a first module, a second module and one or more connectors for connecting the first and second modules. In particular, the first module includes a first collar that at least partially defines an exterior of the tool and that includes a first engagement mechanism at a first end of the collar and a second engagement mechanism at a second end of the collar. The first module also includes a fluid passageway for passing drilling fluid therethrough. The second module has a similar configuration as includes similar architecture. The one or more connectors facilitate the connection of at least one flowline fluidly connected to an exterior of the tool, and an electrical pathway for transmitting power and/or data between the modules.

Abstract: A first file server for use with a distributed-file system includes a processor configured to determine that an incoming file system communication is associated with a first portion of the distributed-file system associated with a second file server, send a first authorization request to the second file server to request authorization to directly access the first portion of the distributed-file system, analyze a first authorization response from the second file server to determine at least one storage location associated with the first portion of the distributed-file system, determine that an incoming second authorization request received from a third file server is associated with a second portion of the distributed-file system associated with the first file server, obtain data indicative of the second portion of the distributed-file system, and send a second authorization response that includes the data.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for processing memory references received from multiple processor cores. During operation, the system monitors the memory references to determine whether memory references from different processor cores are interfering with each other as the memory references are processed by a memory system. If memory references from different processor cores are interfering with each other, the system time-multiplexes the processing of memory references between processor cores, so that a block of consecutive memory references from a given processor core is processed by the memory system before memory references from other processor cores are processed.