Abstract: There is provided a system and a method for use by the system to provide live panoramic image capture and distribution. In one implementation, such a method includes capturing multiple perspectives of a visual environment, combining at least a subset of those perspectives to produce a panoramic image of the visual environment, and encoding the panoramic image to generate panoramic image data. The method also includes transmitting the first panoramic image data to a routing and processing portal for distribution of the panoramic image in real-time.

Abstract: A technique manages a virtual hard disk tree in a computing system executing a hypervisor to provide a client virtualization environment. The technique involves linking, by a client executing within a control virtual machine of the client virtualization environment, a first delta image of a virtual hard disk generated later in time to a base image of the virtual hard disk. The technique further involves modifying contents of the first delta image, the base image, and a second delta image which is linked to the base image; and deleting the second delta image after modifying the contents of the first delta image, the base image, and the second delta image. The base image and the first delta image, together with additional delta images of the virtual hard disk comprise a tree of images of the virtual hard disk.

Abstract: An ergonomic bicycle seat to reduce pressure on a pubic bone, ischial tuberosity and pudendal surface of a user includes a concave frame with an opening in a central portion of the frame. The concave frame cradles the ischial tuberosity of the user and the opening removes pressure on the pubic bone and pudendal surface of the user. A support layer is affixed to a top portion of the concave frame and an arched rail is affixed to a bottom portion of the concave frame and a bicycle. The rail flexes and disperses a weight load of the user away from the pubic bone of the user.

Abstract: A pedestrian-friendly forward structure of a motor vehicle includes a grill opening reinforcement (GOR), a front fascia located forward of and spaced from the GOR, and a support bracket extending transversely to the vehicle forward of the GOR and rearward of the front fascia. The support bracket has a transverse cross-bar and left and right legs extending rearward from a cross-bar adjacent opposite ends thereof. The legs are attached to respective outboard positions on the GOR, and the cross-bar has an upper flange underlying an upper rear panel of the front fascia. If a pedestrian strikes the forward structure, the fascia and support bracket yield rearward in an injury-reducing manner.

Abstract: Techniques for real-time offer customer preference learning are presented. Local agents on communication channels are equipped with predefined rules that capture actions and behaviors of customers interacting with an enterprise. The metrics associated with these actions and behaviors are plugged into the rules and in some cases combined with known pre-existing preferences for the customers for purposes of evaluating the rules and creating newly learned preferences for the customers. The newly learned preferences are dynamically fed into offer evaluation processing to determine whether to make offers to the customers.

Abstract: An entertainment and educational board game is disclosed which requires players to answer questions from the concepts of the ASME Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD & T) standards, and includes a playing board, a square shaped playing course on the playing board and formed from a plurality of joined spaces, a plurality of sets of question cards with each set representing a particular ASME GD & T question category, a plurality of GD & T color coded symbol question cards with categories from the ASME GD & T standards. The players take turns in their attempts to correctly answer the questions printed on the back of the color coded symbol question cards. The particular question card selected by each player as a result of his or her playing piece landing on a respective playing space corresponding to the ASME GD & T symbol question category for that question card symbol.

Abstract: Techniques for channel-independent offer management are provided. An offer management server can be deployed in a variety of architectural arrangements within an enterprise. The offer management server provides cross-platform and channel-independent evaluation of offers and offer management for the enterprise.

Abstract: Techniques for universal promotion conditions for offer evaluations are provided. Promotions are comprised of promotion conditions. The conditions are defined as a key value, description, and data type. Defined operators for the data types are enumerated and the key values can be mixed and matched in custom defined conditional statements to expand promotional engines with universal promotion conditions.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling redemption of offers are provided. A checkout process is detected having multiple offers associated with an item or items being purchased. Each offer is evaluated based on custom rules and some, all, or portions of the offers are selectively applied to a retail price for the item to arrive at a final price for the item during the checkout process.

Abstract: Techniques for customized deployment of offers are provided. Customized offers are packaged into a description, a presentation, and offer evaluation execution logic and deployed to an enterprise system. Portions of the package's execution logic have access to some resources of the enterprise system. Once the customized offers are deployed, they can be pushed or pulled to point-of-sale devices for redemption processing during transactions with consumers.

Abstract: A technique manages a virtual hard disk tree in a computing system executing a hypervisor to provide a client virtualization environment. The technique involves linking, by a client executing within a control virtual machine of the client virtualization environment, a first delta image of a virtual hard disk generated later in time to a base image of the virtual hard disk. The technique further involves modifying contents of the first delta image, the base image, and a second delta image which is linked to the base image; and deleting the second delta image after modifying the contents of the first delta image, the base image, and the second delta image. The base image and the first delta image, together with additional delta images of the virtual hard disk comprise a tree of images of the virtual hard disk.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use by a cloud based content assembly system having a memory and a processor for assembling multiple customized linear channel streams from an assembly template. The method comprises selecting, using the processor, the assembly template from the memory, identifying the customized linear channel streams to be produced using the assembly template, and generating a virtualized assembly environment for each of the customized linear channel streams. The method further comprises provisioning each virtualized assembly environment with content assets corresponding respectively to its customized linear channel stream, and assembling the customized linear channel streams using the respective virtualized assembly environments. The cloud based content assembly system is configured to enable substantially concurrent use of shared infrastructure resources by the virtualized assembly environments.

Abstract: Techniques for real-time offer evaluations are presented. An enterprise system detects and interaction with a customer. Metrics for the interaction are acquired and a centralized preference server delivers real time preference values known for the customer. The metrics and the preference values are used to dynamically and in real-time evaluate conditions for an enterprise offer and when met the offer is delivered to the customer in real time.

Abstract: Techniques for real-time offer customer preference learning are presented. Local agents on communication channels are equipped with predefined rules that capture actions and behaviors of customers interacting with an enterprise. The metrics associated with these actions and behaviors are plugged into the rules and in some cases combined with known pre-existing preferences for the customers for purposes of evaluating the rules and creating newly learned preferences for the customers. The newly learned preferences are dynamically fed into offer evaluation processing to determine whether to make offers to the customers.

Abstract: Techniques for location-based promotion evaluation are presented. A customer is identified and a current physical location of the customer is detected based on the customer's mobile device. Factors for promotion are obtained based on a predefined range surrounding the current physical location and a promotion is generated for a specific enterprise within the predefined range using the factors and then dynamically transmitted to the mobile device of the customer for redemption.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for centralized user preference management for electronic decision making devices are provided. A user preference profile is received. A user preference profile manager may transmit a user preference from the user preference profile to a requesting user transaction terminal. the user preference manager may also receive a dynamic user preference from a user preference profile and extend the user preference profile with the dynamic user preference, where the dynamic user preference includes a preference definition and the preference definition includes read and write access controls for the dynamic user preference. Then the user manager may update the user preference profile based on data received from the user transaction terminal.

Abstract: A key member or key for joining muntin or spacer bars in a dual pane window include an insertion end for frictional engagement in the open ended passage of a spacer bar and a projection end comprised of axially extending, spaced prongs that include teeth or serrations that enable interlocking with projecting prongs of a like key member.

Abstract: A drinking mug with detachable speakers and audio player docking station including: a mug adapted to retain and dispense liquids disposed therein, and further adapted to removably retain thereupon each of at least one speaker housing, a portable audio player dock, a base, and a lid; at least one speaker adapted to provide sound in response to signals received thereby; at least one speaker housing adapted to receive and retain at least one speaker in secure mechanical engagement therein; a portable audio player dock adapted to receive and retain a portable audio player thereupon in secure removable mechanical engagement; a mug base adapted to be selectively coupled or decoupled from the mug and including at least one compartment; and a lid adapted to be placed in secure removable mechanical engagement with the mug, whereby the lid operates to retain a liquid disposed within the mug.

Abstract: An integrally molded window spacer bar connector for joining opposed spacer bar end passages in the form of a hollow tube with a longitudinal axis of symmetry and a transverse axis of symmetry includes inclined leading edge ramps, a medial rib to control the insertion of the connector into spacer bars, and external channels to receive a sealant material for sealing the connector to the spacer bar at the seam of the joint of the spacer bar.

Abstract: A method and system for visually guiding an aircraft in its landing approach to a runway having an approach area equipped with approach lights operable in off, low, medium, and high intensity states. The lights are communicated with a secondary side of a transformer, which has a primary side with low, medium, and high taps that correspond to the light states. Off, low, medium, and high lighting intensity requests correspond to the low, medium, and high states of the plurality of lights. AC power is switched between the transformer taps in response to a request for an increase in lighting intensity. Power is sequentially applied to the taps by supplying the power to the low tap for a first predetermined time interval before supplying the power to the medium tap.