Abstract: A high-speed rheometer includes a base, a driving device disposed on the base, a lower sample assembly connected with the driving device, an upper sample assembly disposed above the lower sample assembly, a torsion bar disposed on the upper sample assembly and being torsional upon the rotation of the upper sample assembly, and an optical torque measuring assembly. The lower sample assembly is rotatable under the driving of the driving device, and the upper sample assembly is rotatable under the driving of the fluid. The optical torque measuring assembly is used to measure a torsion angle of the torsion bar so as to obtain a torque generated during shearing the fluid to be tested.

Abstract: The present teachings relate to curable linear polymers that can be used as active and/or passive organic materials in various electronic, optical, and optoelectronic devices. In some embodiments, the device can include an organic semiconductor layer and a dielectric layer prepared from such curable linear polymers. In some embodiments, the device can include a passivation layer prepared from the linear polymers described herein. The present linear polymers can be solution-processed, then cured thermally (particularly, at relatively low temperatures) and/or photochemically into various thin film materials with desirable properties.

Abstract: The described embodiments relate to methods, systems, and products for providing data protection and encryption on a plurality of devices configured for electronic communication with a server. Specifically, the methods, systems, and products can automatically and securely synchronize a user's file encryption/decryption keys across a plurality of devices, authenticating the user on each device before receiving and processing information from the server necessary to recreate the user's file encryption/decryption keys.

Abstract: Generally discussed herein are methods, systems, and apparatuses for tracking user interaction with sponsored and/or unsponsored content. A method can include receiving a tracking event packet including data fields comprising a packet identification, a tracking event identifier, a content identifier, a cost, a campaign identifier, and/or an advertiser identifier, determining whether the tracking event packet is a duplicate based on the packet identification, aggregating non-duplicate tracking event packets by advertiser identification such that packets with advertiser identifications that hash to a same value are aggregated together, and transferring aggregated tracking event packets to a first database and a second database, the first database includes data stored for analytics and the second database includes data stored for billing and campaign performance monitoring.

Abstract: Generally discussed herein are methods, systems, and apparatuses for tracking user interaction with sponsored and/or unsponsored content. A method can include receiving a tracking event packet from a front end tracking client, the tracking event packet including data fields comprising a tracking event identifier, a type of user interaction with the content, a timestamp, a cost, or a campaign identifier, determining the tracking event packet has not been previously processed, interpreting and formatting data in the tracking event packet based on an application of the plurality of applications from which the event packet originated to create formatted tracking data, determining whether the tracking event packet corresponds to a revenue generating tracking event based on the formatted tracking data, and providing the formatted tracking data to a database based on whether the packet corresponds to revenue generating event.

Abstract: Block copolymers for use in block copolymer lithography, self-assembled films of the block copolymers and methods for polymerizing the block copolymers are provided. The block copolymers are characterized by high Flory-Huggins interaction parameters (?). The block copolymers can be polymerized from protected hydroxystyrene monomers or from tert-butyl styrene and 2-vinylpyridine monomers.

Abstract: Generally discussed herein are methods, systems, and apparatuses for event tracking using Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and one or more caches. A method can include determining whether an entry in any of the one or more URL caches includes a same universally unique identifier (UUID) as a received winning event URL or a received advertising event URL, merging data from the received winning event URL or the received advertising event URL with data in the entry that is not present in the entry, creating a new entry in a cache of the one or more URL caches that includes the UUID, or updating a persistent storage with the data from the entry, and providing a bill for serving advertisements or analytics information, the bill or analytics information determined using data from the entry in the persistent storage.

Abstract: Methods and devices for reconstructing coefficient levels from a bitstream of encoded video data for a coefficient group in a transform unit. Sign bits are hidden in the parity of partially overlapping subsets of a set of coefficients. This enables the hiding of multiple sign bits per coefficient group. Other information bits may be hidden instead of sign bits in some cases.

Abstract: The described embodiments relate to methods, systems, and products for providing verification code recovery and remote authentication for a plurality of devices configured for electronic communication with a server. Specifically, in the methods, systems, and products, the user entrusts information about the user's verification code to the service provider, and only with cooperation between the user and the service provider can a lost verification code be recovered. The service provider can further authenticate the user before cooperating in the recovery process by way of a time-sensitive authentication sequence that involves the user device.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical system for an infrared ray which can provide a bright image, and can be applied to fixed focal length lenses among wide-angle to medium-telephoto. To achieve the object, the optical system for an infrared ray is constituted by a first lens having negative refractive power and a second lens having positive refractive power, these are arranged sequentially from an object side, wherein both the first lens and the second lens are made of an infrared transmitting material that transmits a light beam in an infrared wavelength range of 3 micron-meters or more to 14 micron-meters or less, and at least one of the lenses is made of an infrared transmitting material excluding germanium.

Abstract: Techniques for facial expression capture for character animation are described. In one or more implementations, facial key points are identified in a series of images. Each image, in the series of images, is normalized from the identified facial key points. Facial features are determined from each of the normalized images. Then a facial expression is classified, based on the determined facial features, for each of the normalized images. In additional implementations, a series of images are captured that include performances of one or more facial expressions. The facial expressions in each image of the series of images are classified by a facial expression classifier. Then the facial expression classifications are used by a character animator system to produce a series of animated images of an animated character that include animated facial expressions that are associated with the facial expression classification of the corresponding image in the series of images.

Abstract: A process for improving sensitivity of a film base, coated with a dispersion of a normally crystalline polyacetylenic compound in a non-solvating liquid which is dried on the film surface, to particular photon energy band, specifically, long wavelength UV; the polyacetylenic compound preferably having at least two conjugated acetylenic linkages and containing from 12 to 60 carbon atoms. The sensitization of the film to long wavelength UV is achieved via the addition of photoinitiator(s) capable of absorbing UV energy and converting it to free radicals.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for determining perceptual similarity between independent images are described. The described systems, methods and computer program products use a similarity distance to determine the perceptual similarity between a first image having a first arrangement of pixels and a second image having a second arrangement of pixels. A processor can determine a first image array corresponding to the first arrangement of pixels and a second image array corresponding of the second arrangement of pixels. The processor can generate a first pixel group set based on the first image array and a second pixel group set based on the second image array. A plurality of pixel group pairs can be generated, and each pixel group pair can be associated with a corresponding pixel group pair distortion. The similarity distance between the first image and the second image can be determined based on the plurality of pixel group pair distortions.

Abstract: Techniques for facial expression capture for character animation are described. In one or more implementations, facial key points are identified in a series of images. Each image, in the series of images, is normalized from the identified facial key points. Facial features are determined from each of the normalized images. Then a facial expression is classified, based on the determined facial features, for each of the normalized images. In additional implementations, a series of images are captured that include performances of one or more facial expressions. The facial expressions in each image of the series of images are classified by a facial expression classifier. Then the facial expression classifications are used by a character animator system to produce a series of animated images of an animated character that include animated facial expressions that are associated with the facial expression classification of the corresponding image in the series of images.

Abstract: The invention features a computer-implemented method for playing back an announcement message to a user device. The method includes initiating, by a computing device, an announcement session in response to a user device establishing communication with the computing device and determining, by the computing device, the announcement message to be played back to the user device. The method includes loading, by the computing device, into a queue associated with the announcement session, a descriptor referencing a memory buffer on the computing device. The memory buffer includes a plurality of memory partitions, each memory partition storing at least one portion of the announcement message encoded at a different rate. The method includes the computing device scheduling play back of the announcement message, playing the announcement message to the user device at a first rate and receiving a request from the user device for playback at a second rate.

Abstract: The invention features a computer-implemented method for playing back an announcement message to a user device. The method includes initiating, by a computing device, an announcement session in response to a user device establishing communication with the computing device and determining, by the computing device, the announcement message to be played back to the user device. The method includes loading, by the computing device, into a queue associated with the announcement session, a descriptor referencing a memory buffer on the computing device. The memory buffer includes a plurality of memory partitions, each memory partition storing at least one portion of the announcement message encoded at a different rate. The method includes the computing device scheduling play back of the announcement message, playing the announcement message to the user device at a first rate and receiving a request from the user device for playback at a second rate.

Abstract: A method for deploying a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) deployment environment model and a method for modifying a deployed SOA deployment environment model. In the deploying method, deployment of the SOA deployment environment model is realized by acquiring a task list including tasks for deploying elements of the model, associating the tasks in the task list with the elements, and executing the tasks to deploy the elements of the model. In the modifying method, modification of the SOA deployment environment model is realized by acquiring a task list including tasks for modifying elements of the model, associating the tasks in the task list with the elements, and executing the tasks to modify the elements. Thus, the deployment of the SOA deployment environment model and the modification of the deployed SOA deployment environment model may be realized in a simple and easy-to-implement manner.

Abstract: A system for deploying a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) deployment environment model and a system for modifying a deployed SOA deployment environment model. In the deploying system, deployment of the SOA deployment environment model is realized by acquiring a task list including tasks for deploying elements of the model, associating the tasks in the task list with the elements, and executing the tasks to deploy the elements of the model. In the modifying system, modification of the SOA deployment environment model is realized by acquiring a task list including tasks for modifying elements of the model, associating the tasks in the task list with the elements, and executing the tasks to modify the elements. Thus, the deployment of the SOA deployment environment model and the modification of the deployed SOA deployment environment model may be realized in a simple and easy-to-implement manner.

Abstract: Methods and devices for reconstructing coefficient levels from a bitstream of encoded video data for a coefficient group in a transform unit. Sign bits are hidden in the parity of partially overlapping subsets of a set of coefficients. This enables the hiding of multiple sign bits per coefficient group. Other information bits may be hidden instead of sign bits in some cases.

Abstract: Methods of encoding and decoding for video data for encoding or decoding motion vector difference components for inter-coded video are described. The sign of one of the components is hidden within the parity of the sum of the magnitudes of the horizontal and vertical difference components. The sign of the other of the components is explicitly signaled in the bitstream. The hidden sign may be assigned to the larger in magnitude of the two components. In other cases, the hidden sign may always be assigned to the horizontal or vertical component. In another case, the hidden sign may always be assigned to one component, unless that component is zero, in which case the hidden sign is assigned to the other component. In another case, both components may have their signs hidden, in which case the sign hiding is based on their respective parity, rather than the parity of their sum.