Abstract: A system and method for performing foreground/background separation on an input image. The method identifies a corresponding model visual element in a scene model associated with the input image, the model visual element being associated with a set of element models, each element model including a plurality of visual data sets. Select an element model from the set of element models, dependent upon a visual distance between the input visual element and a visual data set of the selected element model satisfying a predetermined criterion. The method classifies the input visual element as one of foreground and background, dependent upon the selected element model, and then updates each visual data set in the selected element model, dependent upon the input visual element and at least first and second different methods of updating a visual data set.

Abstract: A processor within a networked distributed drafting platform generates a public key-value context file that includes initial default key-value mappings between keywords and values for use in a distributed drafting project. Refined project-level key-value mappings are elected by considering differences between the initial default key-value mappings and personal key-value mappings within a set of distributed personal key-value context files each maintained by different drafters of the distributed drafting project. The initial default key-value mappings of the public key-value context file are updated with the elected refined project-level key-value mappings within the networked distributed drafting platform.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for determining a location of an in-water object. The system includes a first wearable device and at least three sensors. Each sensor is placed in water, and is configured to emit an electrical signal. The first wearable device is located on a to-be-located object, the to-be-located object is placed in the water, and the first wearable device is configured to: separately determine received signal strength indicator RSSI values of received electrical signals emitted by the at least three sensors, determine a distance between the first wearable device and each sensor according to the determined RSSI value, determine a location of the first wearable device in the water according to a pre-measured location of each sensor and the determined distance between the first wearable device and each sensor, and use the location as a location of the to-be-located object in the water.

Abstract: A parallelized multiple dispatch ordered queue including an ordered queue, qualify logic, ordered select logic, and dispatch logic. The ordered queue stores candidates in order from oldest to youngest into multiple entries. The ordered queue is divided into N groups in which an i'th group includes every i'th entry of every N entries of the ordered queue, wherein i is an integer less than or equal to N. The qualify logic determines whether any candidate is ready to be dispatched. The ordered select logic respectively determines the oldest candidate in each group that is ready to be dispatched. The dispatch logic dispatches the oldest ready candidates in parallel. The shift logic shifts the stored candidates in the ordered queue to fill any vacant entries between remaining ones of the stored candidates without changing an order of the remaining ones of the stored candidates in the ordered queue. The ordered queue may have any size or depth and N is any suitable integer determining the number of candidates (e.g.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for subtractively fabricating three-dimensional structures relative to a surface of a substrate and for additively depositing metal and dopant atoms onto the surface and for diffusing them into the bulk. A chemical solution is applied to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a spatial pattern of electron-hole pairs is generated by projecting a spatial pattern of illumination characterized by a specified intensity, wavelength and duration at each pixel of a plurality of pixels on the surface. An electrical potential is applied across the interface of the semiconductor and the solution with a specified temporal profile relative to the temporal profile of the spatial pattern of illumination. Such methods are applied to the fabrication of a photodetector integral with a parabolic reflector, cell size sorting chips, a three-dimensional photonic bandgap chip, a photonic integrated circuit, and an integrated photonic microfluidic circuit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for subtractively fabricating three-dimensional structures relative to a surface of a substrate and for additively depositing metal and dopant atoms onto the surface and for diffusing them into the bulk. A chemical solution is applied to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a spatial pattern of electron-hole pairs is generated by projecting a spatial pattern of illumination characterized by a specified intensity, wavelength and duration at each pixel of a plurality of pixels on the surface. Charge carriers are driven away from the surface of the semiconductor on a timescale short compared to the carrier recombination lifetime. Such methods are applied to creating a spatially varying doping profile in the semiconductor substrate, a photonic integrated circuit and an integrated photonic microfluidic circuit.

Abstract: A method for dynamically updating database statistics and a plurality of access paths associated with at least one database table is provided. The method may include identifying at least one dynamically changing column associated with the at least one database table. The method may further include determining at least one predicate pattern associated with the identified at least one dynamically changing column. Additionally, the method may include dynamically detecting at least one range change associated with the determined at least one predicate pattern based on at least one record insert. The method may also include updating the plurality of database statistics associated with the identified at least one dynamically changing column based on the dynamically detected at least one range change. The method may further include determining at least one filter factor based on the updated plurality of database statistics associated with the identified at least one dynamically changing column.

Abstract: A technique facilitates enhanced microseismic monitoring. The technique may be applied to source mechanism identification under, for example, ill-conditioned receiver coverage to enhance the resolvability for microseismic monitoring. The microseismic monitoring may be used in hydraulic fracturing monitoring, induced seismicity monitoring, CO2 injection monitoring, other injection monitoring, mining, and/or other techniques which cause microseismic events.

Abstract: A method for dynamically updating database statistics and a plurality of access paths associated with at least one database table is provided. The method may include identifying at least one dynamically changing column associated with the at least one database table. The method may further include determining at least one predicate pattern associated with the identified at least one dynamically changing column. Additionally, the method may include dynamically detecting at least one range change associated with the determined at least one predicate pattern based on at least one record insert. The method may also include updating the plurality of database statistics associated with the identified at least one dynamically changing column based on the dynamically detected at least one range change. The method may further include determining at least one filter factor based on the updated plurality of database statistics associated with the identified at least one dynamically changing column.

Abstract: A technique facilitates enhanced microseismic monitoring. In a variety of applications, the technique may be used to enhance the resolvability of moment tensor inversion for ill-conditioned seismic receiver coverage. As a result, microseismic monitoring technique enhances the capability for monitoring many types of naturally occurring and created seismic events. For example, the technique may be employed to enhance hydraulic fracturing monitoring, induced seismicity monitoring, CO2 injection monitoring, other injection monitoring, mining, and/or other techniques which cause microseismic events.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for using fuel cell. The fuel cell includes a container, wherein the container comprises a housing and a nozzle, and the housing defines through holes; the housing defines a chamber and an opening; the nozzle has a first end in air/fluid communication with the opening and a second end; and a membrane electrode assembly, which is flexible, on the container to form a curved membrane electrode assembly surrounding the chamber and covering the through holes, wherein the membrane electrode assembly comprises a proton exchange membrane having a first surface and a second surface, a cathode electrode on the first surface and an anode electrode on the second surface. The method includes at least partially immersing the fuel cell in a fuel; and supplying an oxidizing gas into the chamber.

Abstract: A Doherty power amplifier includes a main device in a main amplifier circuit and an auxiliary device in an auxiliary amplifier circuit arranged in parallel with the main amplifier circuit. The Doherty power amplifier further includes a load modulation network including a first open-circuited transmission line connected to an output of the main device; a second open-circuited transmission line connected to an output of the auxiliary device; and an impedance transformation and phase compensation network connected with the output of the main device and the output of the auxiliary device for providing a combined output power. The first and second open-circuited transmission lines are arranged directly adjacent one another to form, during operation, a mutual coupling therebetween.

Abstract: A method performed by a notification system for selecting notification recipients that are to receive abnormal event information. The method comprises storing abnormal event information including at least one of an event identifier, location, speed, direction and road information in a memory of the notification system; determining, by a processor of the notification system, a latest potential impacted area (PIA) based on the abnormal event information; creating a list of potential recipients within the latest PIA; selecting from the list of potential recipients a recipient to be notified according to a selection criterion specified in the memory, wherein the selection criterion is based on potential recipients information, including at least one of notification configuration, notification log, location, speed, direction and behavior history of the potential recipients; and sending, by a transmitter of the notification device, an abnormal event notification to the selected recipient.

Abstract: A database processing system includes a coordinator agent controller and a virtual node data base. The coordinator agent controller detects a request to access a database by an application program and to extracts database objects from a database protocol stream based on a requirement requested by the application program. The virtual node database is generated according to the extracted database objects. The virtual node database includes memory dump storage that stores the database objects extracted from the database protocol stream, and based on the database objects the virtual node database generates virtual database objects corresponding to the database protocol stream. The extraction of database objects is performed directly on the database protocol stream without communicating with a target real database.

Abstract: A database processing system includes a coordinator agent controller and a virtual node data base. The coordinator agent controller detects a request to access a database by an application program and to extracts database objects from a database protocol stream based on a requirement requested by the application program. The virtual node database is generated according to the extracted database objects. The virtual node database includes memory dump storage that stores the database objects extracted from the database protocol stream, and based on the database objects the virtual node database generates virtual database objects corresponding to the database protocol stream. The extraction of database objects is performed directly on the database protocol stream without communicating with a target real database.

Abstract: A lentiviral vector production system comprises (a) a lentiviral culture supplement to control cell growth, (b) a transfection reagent comprising DHDMS, DOPE, and cholesterol to increase transfection efficiency, (c) a lentiviral production enhancer comprising sodium propionate, sodium butyrate, and caffeine to boost lentiviral production, wherein the lentiviral vector production system is serum-free. A method of lentiviral vector production comprises using the lentiviral production system. Another method for lentiviral vector production comprises (a) culturing eukaryotic cells in a serum-free medium, (b) providing a lentiviral culture supplement to control cell growth, (c) transfecting the cells with a lentiviral vector using a transfection reagent comprising DHDMS, DOPE, and cholesterol to increase transfection efficiency, and (d) providing a lentiviral production using a lentiviral production enhancer comprising sodium propionate, sodium butyrate capable of boosting lentiviral production.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an approach for generating query execution plans for a database query. A computer-implemented method comprises determining whether a size of a file to be generated during execution of a database query is variable in response to obtaining the database query. The method further comprises determining a plurality of ranges for the size of the file in response to determining that the size of the file is variable. The method further comprises generating a plurality of query execution plans corresponding to the plurality of ranges. Accordingly, a plurality of query execution plans corresponding to different file sizes can be generated for the database query, and an efficient and cost effective query execution plan may be selected based on the actual file size during the execution of the database query.

Abstract: A positioning system for an imaging device, in particular a MR imaging device to position an insertion element on or in the body of a subject, in particular an animal, wherein the imaging device comprises a bore, in which the subject is received, wherein the positioning system comprises a robot which can be at least partially arranged in the bore of the imaging device and comprises a holding element to hold the insertion element; wherein the robot further comprises at least one actuator acting on the holding element, such that an end portion of the insertion element is movable, wherein said at least one actuator is arranged with a distance D from the bore to minimize magnetic and/or electromagnetic interferences between the imaging device and the at least one actuator and said first actuator is coupled to the holding element in a form-fit- and/or a force-fit-manner.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives if a credit balance of a player is less than a designated wager amount (such as a cost to cover a play of a wagering game or a maximum wager amount for the play of the wagering game) and greater than or equal to a lowest eligible credit balance (such as 1 credit). Generally, selecting one of the different wager alternatives when the player's remaining credit balance is less than the designated wager amount and greater than or equal to the lowest eligible wager amount enables the player to utilize the player's remaining credit balance (or any suitable portion thereof) in a manner that is different than, separate from, and in addition to wagering on one or more plays of the wagering game.

Abstract: A glass container and related methods of manufacturing a glass container. A solution having a composition including a silane, a solvent, a catalyst, and water, is applied to an exterior glass surface of the glass container, at an application temperature between 5 and 40 degrees Celsius, such that the solution at least partially fills the surface imperfections to provide a room-temperature-curable cold-end coating on the glass container. Then, the applied solution is allowed to cure on the exterior glass surface of the glass container, at a curing temperature between 5 and 40 degrees Celsius.