Abstract: A dispensing assembly includes a mounting plate with a plurality of openings, a rotatable shaft located adjacent to the mounting plate, a plurality of blocking plates pivotably attached to the mounting plate, and a plurality of jacking members attached to the rotatable shaft. Lengths of the plurality of jacking members are different from each other. When the shaft is rotated to an initial position, the plurality of jacking members disengages away from the plurality of blocking plates, and the plurality of blocking plates are received in the plurality of openings. When the shaft is rotated to a working position, the plurality of blocking plates is rotated out of the plurality of openings to positions slanted relative to the mounting plate by the plurality of jacking members. Slanting angles of the plurality of blocking plates relative to the mounting plate are different from each other.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed to a method of converting water and a carbon-containing compound, such as CO2, into a hydrocarbon through a process of absorbing sunlight on a light-absorbing component to photoelectrochemically oxidize water and reacting the products from that water oxidation reaction over a catalyst with the carbon-containing compound to produce the desired hydrocarbon compound.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte solid oxide fuel cell, comprising the steps of: fabricating an NiO-YSZ anode substrate from a mixed NiO and yttria-stabilized zirconia by tape casting; sequentially depositing a NiO-SSZ buffer layer, a thin SSZ electrolyte layer and a SDC electrolyte on the NiO-YSZ anode substrate by a particle suspension coating or spraying process, wherein the layers are co-fired at high temperature to densify the electrolyte layers to at least about 96% of their theoretical densities; and painting/spraying a SSC-SDC slurry on the SDC electrolyte to form a porous SSC-SDC cathode. A SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte cell device and a method of using such device are also discussed.

Abstract: A method for reducing bandwidth used in multiple transmissions on a cellular network includes mapping at least one request of at least one end-device to a unicast channel between server and an intermediary in the network, creating a correlated multicast communication channel between the intermediary and the at least one end-device, and transferring data from the unicast channel to a multicast channel at the intermediary.

Abstract: There is provided a method, a system and a computer program product for improving performance and fairness in sharing a cluster of dynamically available computing resources among multiple jobs. The system collects at least one parameter associated with availability of a plurality of computing resources. The system calculates, based on the collected parameter, an effective processing time each computing resource can provide to each job. The system allocates, based on the calculated effective processing time, the computing resources to the multiple jobs, whereby the multiple jobs are completed at a same time or an approximate time.

Abstract: A method of common-centroid IC layout generation includes the following steps of acquiring a netlist of one circuit-element set; summing up the numbers of the unit element of all elements of the circuit-element set to get the total number of the unit elements and then determine the unit element array, the aspect ratio of which is closest to 1, via a combination operation; generating multiple common-centroid placements according to the unit element array and applying global routing assignment to each of the common-centroid placements; proceeding with cost evaluation in such a way that a cost calculation is applied to each of the common-centroid placements to get a corresponsive value; and comparing all of the common-centroid placements according to the values got from the cost evaluation and selecting the common-centroid placement corresponding to one of the values according to a predetermined condition for detailed routing.

Abstract: Compositions, synthesis and applications for furan, thiophene and selenophene derivatized benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b?]dithiophene(BDT)-thienothiophene (BDT-TT) based polymers, namely, poly[(4,8-bis(5-(2-ethyhexyl)selenophen-2-yl)-benzo[1,2-b;4,5-b?]dithiophene)-2,6-diyl-alt-(4-(2-ethylhexanoyl)-3-fluorothieno[3,4-b]thiophene)-2-6-diyl (CS-15), poly[(4,8-bis(5-(2-ethyhexyl)selenophen-2-yl)-benzo[1,2-b;4,5-b?]dithiophene)-2,6-diyl-alt-(4-(2-ethylhexyl)-3-fluorothieno[3,4-b]thiophene)-2-carboxylate-2-6-diyl (CS-16), poly[(4,8-bis(5-(2-ethyhexyl)furan-2-yl)-benzo[1,2-b;4,5-b?]dithiophene)-2,6-diyl-alt-(4-(2-ethylhexyl)-3-fluorothieno[3,4-b]thiophene)-2-carboxylate-2-6-diyl (CS-18) and poly[(4,8-bis(5-hexylfuran-2-yl)-benzo[1,2-b;4,5-b?]dithiophene)-2,6-diyl-alt-(4-(2-ethylhexanoyl)-3-fluorothieno[3,4-b]thiophene)-2-6-diyl (CS-24) are disclosed. Further, an organic solar cell constructed of a derivatized benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b?]dithiophene(BDT)-thienothiophene (BDT-TT) based polymer is discussed.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include storing, in a memory device, a plurality of floor maps, each floor map indicating the structural layout of a respective predefined physical location. The method may include storing, in a memory device, a plurality of point-of-interest (POI) data structures. Each POI data structure may include a physical location of an associated POI. The method may include receiving a floor map request from a client computing device, wherein the floor map request includes a requested location. The method may include based upon the location included by the floor map request, selecting a selected floor map and a selected subset of the plurality of POI data structures. The method may include transmitting, to the client computing device, a response to the floor map request based upon the selected floor map and the selected POI data structures.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include establishing a short-range wireless communication between a user device and a point-of-interest (POI) device, wherein the POI device is associated with a POI data structure that represents a physical POI. The method may include receiving a request to perform a POI action in regards to the physical POI. The method may include causing the POI action to be performed.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include receiving a floor map indicating the structural layout of a predefined physical location. The method may also include receiving a point-of-interest (POI) data structure representing a POI and POI metadata associated with the POI. The method may include generating an annotated floor map, based upon the floor map and including a POI indicator, wherein the POI indicator is placed on the floor map at the location of an associated POI and indicates both the type of the associated POI and at least part of the status of the associated POI. The method may include displaying, via a display interface, at least a portion of the annotated floor map.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive remote decision making includes steps of: receiving from an application layer a target range for a level of reporting quality for processed data; setting data collection parameters to meet the target range; collecting the data from a plurality of remote data collecting devices deployed in the distributed computing system, a portion of said data being compromised during the collecting process; processing the collected data to produce the processed data; evaluating the processed data based on observable metrics of current collected data and reported data losses; forecasting an expected reporting quality while continuing to collect the data; comparing the expected reporting quality with the target range; and reporting the processed data when the expected reporting quality falls within the target range for the level of reporting quality.

Abstract: A data storage device assembly includes a drive bracket. The drive bracket includes a first side plate and a second side plate which faces to the first side plate. Each of the first side plate and the second side plate defines a slide way which is adapted to receive a data storage device assembly sliding therein. The first piece and a second piece is secured together on the first side plate. The second piece includes a pair of first bent pieces and a pair of second bent pieces connected to edges of the second piece. The pair of first bent pieces faces to each other. The pair of second bent pieces faces to each other. The pair of first bent pieces is secured to the pair of second bent pieces.

Abstract: A computer program product is tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium and includes executable code that, when executed, is configured to cause a data processing apparatus to display multiple objects in a three dimensional (3D) representation, where the multiple objects are visual representations of real objects, and display a subset of the objects and associated metadata in a shaped lens that is movable within the 3D representation in all three axes, where the subset of the objects displayed within the shaped lens are sized larger than the objects outside of the shaped lens.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for reassigning virtual machines to resources in a computing environment. Monitoring data is collected about virtual machine request history and resource usage in a form of time series for measured indicators. Forecasted time series are computed for the measured indicators over a time window by utilizing time series forecasting. A new assignment is computed by executing a snapshot based assignment algorithm on the forecasted time series. The new assignment is used for reassignment of virtual machines on the resources in the computing environment.

Abstract: A process of spraying a first electrolyte mixture onto an anode substrate followed by spraying a second electrolyte mixture onto the first electrolyte. The first electrolyte mixture comprises a first solvent and a first electrolyte and the second electrolyte mixture comprises a second solvent and a second electrolyte.

Abstract: Spectrum access for Internet of things (IOT) applications including receiving information about expected use by a primary user of a spectrum band in a radio frequency spectrum. The spectrum band is classified into at least two working modes based on the expected use. The spectrum band is sensed to determine a current access pattern of the primary user. Based on the classifying and the sensing, one of the working modes is selected as a current working mode of the primary user. Transmissions are scheduled on the spectrum band using a current schedule that is responsive to the current working mode of the primary user. If the current working mode of the primary user changes, the sensing, selecting, scheduling, and determining whether the current working mode has changed are re-performed. Otherwise, the transmission scheduling and determining if the current working mode has changed are re-performed.

Abstract: A method includes performing, on a processor, evaluating log data; determining at least one discrepancy between the log data and a system model; generating a candidate model based on the discrepancy and a model template; and updating the system model based on the candidate model.

Abstract: A commutator motor has a stator, brushes and a rotor. The rotor has a shaft, a rotor core fixed to the shaft, a number of coils wound about the rotor core and a commutator fixed to the shaft next to the rotor core. The commutator has a base and a number of commutator bars fixed to the base in sliding contact with the brushes. The rotor core includes a number of pole bodies extending substantially radially outwards. Each pole body includes a connecting surface at an axial end of the rotor core. The commutator base includes a number of connecting arms extending substantially radially outwards and contacting the connecting surfaces of corresponding pole bodies. At least two of the coils are wound around a corresponding pole body and the connecting arm contacting the connecting surface of this pole body.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel scandium-doped Ba(Ce, Zr, Y)O3-? electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells that exhibits elevated ion conductivity at intermediate temperature range comparing to other electrolyte materials, such as BZCYYb.

Abstract: A method of making a fluorothieno[3,4-b]thiophene derivatives and photovoltaic polymers containing same using 3-bromothiophene-2-carboxylic acid as a starting material. This synthetic route provides an easier synthesis as well as greater yield and a purer product, which produces superior results over the prior art less pure products. The resulting materials can be used in a variety of photovoltaic applications and devices, especially solar cells.