Abstract: In one example, a method performed by a processing system including at least one processor includes establishing a communication group including at least three users of an extended reality environment as members, tracking locations and directional positions of the members of the communication group within the extended reality environment and within physical environments of the members, determining that a second user of the at least three users is an intended recipient of a first utterance made by a first user of the at least three users, and presenting the first utterance to the second user, where a directionality associated with a presentation of the first utterance is based on a location and a directional position of the first user relative to the second user.

Abstract: In one example, a method performed by a processing system including at least one processor includes downloading at least one digital resource relating to a user-defined location, acquiring data about the user-defined location from a sensor located in the user-defined location, while the user is present in the user-defined location, detecting a user need based on the data from the sensor, augmenting the at least one digital resource with the data from the sensor to produce content that is responsive to the user need, and presenting the content that is responsive to the user need.

Abstract: An intelligent agent monitors operation of at least one software virtualized network (VN). Context information associated with the VN is used to analyze a state of the VN. At least one configuration change is caused to the VN in response to analysis of the state of the VN. A change is identified to the state of the VN caused by the configuration change. A determination is made as to whether or not the change to the state of the VN is an improvement to operation of the VN. A response to the determination is made by causing at least one other configuration change to the VN.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are heat pump systems for water heaters. The heat pump systems can comprise a housing defining an interior chamber, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The air inlet and the air outlet can form an air flow path through the interior chamber, and an evaporator unit can be positioned within the interior chamber such that the air flow path contacts the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a flue pipe having a cross-section to encourage aerodynamic flow and/or side baffles to encourage air flow into the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a second air inlet to increase air flow and a curved elbow around the first air inlet to direct the air flow path. The air flow path can flow from a top side of the housing to a side of the housing, and the air flow path can be reversible.

Abstract: A volumetric content enhancement system (“the system”) can annotate at least a portion of a plurality of voxels from a volumetric video with contextual data. The system can determine at least one actionable position within the volumetric video. The system can create an annotated volumetric video that includes the volumetric video, an annotation with the contextual data, and the at least one actionable position. The system can provide the annotated volumetric video to a volumetric content playback system. The system can obtain viewer feedback associated with the viewer and can determine an emotional state of the viewer based, at least in part, upon the viewer feedback. The system can receive viewer position information that identifies a specific actionable position of the viewer. The system can generate manipulation instructions to instruct the volumetric content playback system to manipulate the annotated volumetric content to achieve a desired emotional state of the viewer.

Abstract: A processing system including at least one processor may obtain description information of a first machine learning model, obtain a set of interpretation criteria for the first machine learning model, and generate, via a second machine learning model, an explanation text providing an interpretation of the first machine learning model in accordance with the set of interpretation criteria and the description information of the first machine learning model.

Abstract: An intelligent agent monitors operation of at least one software virtualized network (VN). Context information associated with the VN is used to analyze a state of the VN. At least one configuration change is caused to the VN in response to analysis of the state of the VN. A change is identified to the state of the VN caused by the configuration change. A determination is made as to whether or not the change to the state of the VN is an improvement to operation of the VN. A response to the determination is made by causing at least one other configuration change to the VN.

Abstract: In one example, a method performed by a processing system including at least one processor includes acquiring a first item of media content from a user, where the first item of media content depicts a subject, acquiring a second item of media content, where the second item of media content depicts the subject, compositing the first item of media content and the second item of media content to create, within a metaverse of immersive content, an item of immersive content that depicts the subject, presenting the item of immersive content on a device operated by the user, and adapting the presenting of the item of immersive content in response to a choice made by the user.

Abstract: A method includes examining a first data packet transmitted to a first network equipment from a second network equipment. A data flow type of the first data packet is determined. If the data flow type is determined to be the first type of data flow, determining a delivery throughput of the first data packet to the first network equipment over a data flow path. The determined delivery performance of the first data packet is compared to an expected peak data throughput capacity for a data packet transmitted to the first network equipment from the second network equipment. Transmission of data packets to the first network equipment is paced if the comparison of the determined delivery performance and the expected peak data throughput capacity indicates a congestion exists over the data flow path.

Abstract: In one example, a method performed by a processing system including at least one processor includes acquiring a first item of media content from a user, where the first item of media content depicts a subject, acquiring a second item of media content, where the second item of media content depicts the subject, compositing the first item of media content and the second item of media content to create, within a metaverse of immersive content, an item of immersive content that depicts the subject, presenting the item of immersive content on a device operated by the user, and adapting the presenting of the item of immersive content in response to a choice made by the user.

Abstract: An intelligent agent monitors operation of at least one software virtualized network (VN). Context information associated with the VN is used to analyze a state of the VN. At least one configuration change is caused to the VN in response to analysis of the state of the VN. A change is identified to the state of the VN caused by the configuration change. A determination is made as to whether or not the change to the state of the VN is an improvement to operation of the VN. A response to the determination is made by causing at least one other configuration change to the VN.

Abstract: A volumetric content enhancement system (“the system”) can annotate at least a portion of a plurality of voxels from a volumetric video with contextual data. The system can determine at least one actionable position within the volumetric video. The system can create an annotated volumetric video that includes the volumetric video, an annotation with the contextual data, and the at least one actionable position. The system can provide the annotated volumetric video to a volumetric content playback system. The system can obtain viewer feedback associated with the viewer and can determine an emotional state of the viewer based, at least in part, upon the viewer feedback. The system can receive viewer position information that identifies a specific actionable position of the viewer. The system can generate manipulation instructions to instruct the volumetric content playback system to manipulate the annotated volumetric content to achieve a desired emotional state of the viewer.

Abstract: A volumetric content enhancement system (“the system”) can annotate at least a portion of a plurality of voxels from a volumetric video with contextual data. The system can determine at least one actionable position within the volumetric video. The system can create an annotated volumetric video that includes the volumetric video, an annotation with the contextual data, and the at least one actionable position. The system can provide the annotated volumetric video to a volumetric content playback system. The system can obtain viewer feedback associated with the viewer and can determine an emotional state of the viewer based, at least in part, upon the viewer feedback. The system can receive viewer position information that identifies a specific actionable position of the viewer. The system can generate manipulation instructions to instruct the volumetric content playback system to manipulate the annotated volumetric content to achieve a desired emotional state of the viewer.

Abstract: A method includes examining a first data packet transmitted to a first network equipment from a second network equipment. A data flow type of the first data packet is determined. If the data flow type is determined to be the first type of data flow, determining a delivery throughput of the first data packet to the first network equipment over a data flow path. The determined delivery performance of the first data packet is compared to an expected peak data throughput capacity for a data packet transmitted to the first network equipment from the second network equipment. Transmission of data packets to the first network equipment is paced if the comparison of the determined delivery performance and the expected peak data throughput capacity indicates a congestion exists over the data flow path.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are heat pump systems for water heaters. The heat pump systems can comprise a housing defining an interior chamber, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The air inlet and the air outlet can form an air flow path through the interior chamber, and an evaporator unit can be positioned within the interior chamber such that the air flow path contacts the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a flue pipe having a cross-section to encourage aerodynamic flow and/or side baffles to encourage air flow into the evaporator unit. The housing can also have a second air inlet to increase air flow and a curved elbow around the first air inlet to direct the air flow path. The air flow path can flow from a top side of the housing to a side of the housing, and the air flow path can be reversible.

Abstract: Systems and methods for delivering content to user devices before the content is selected or requested (e.g. a pre-delivery of content) within predetermined delivery windows and/or during suitable pre-delivery conditions are described. In some embodiments, the systems and methods receive an indication that content is available for pre-delivery from a content server to a user device over a network, select a delivery window that satisfies one or more pre-delivery policy conditions associated with pre-delivery of content to the user device, and cause the content to be delivered to the user device upon commencement of the selected delivery window.

Abstract: Systems and methods for delivering fractions of content to user devices before the content is selected or requested (e.g., a pre-delivery of content) are described. In some embodiments, the systems and methods receive an indication that content is available for pre-delivery from a content server to a user device over a network, determine a fraction (e.g., size) of the content available for pre-delivery that satisfies one or more predicted content playback conditions, and causes the determined fraction of the content available for pre-delivery to be delivered to the user device.

Abstract: A method includes examining a first data packet transmitted to a first network equipment from a second network equipment. A data flow type of the first data packet is determined. If the data flow type is determined to be the first type of data flow, determining a delivery throughput of the first data packet to the first network equipment over a data flow path. The determined delivery performance of the first data packet is compared to an expected peak data throughput capacity for a data packet transmitted to the first network equipment from the second network equipment. Transmission of data packets to the first network equipment is paced if the comparison of the determined delivery performance and the expected peak data throughput capacity indicates a congestion exists over the data flow path.

Abstract: An intelligent agent monitors operation of at least one software virtualized network (VN). Context information associated with the VN is used to analyze a state of the VN. At least one configuration change is caused to the VN in response to analysis of the state of the VN. A change is identified to the state of the VN caused by the configuration change. A determination is made as to whether or not the change to the state of the VN is an improvement to operation of the VN. A response to the determination is made by causing at least one other configuration change to the VN.

Abstract: A method includes examining a first data packet transmitted to a first network equipment from a second network equipment. A data flow type of the first data packet is determined. If the data flow type is determined to be the first type of data flow, determining a delivery throughput of the first data packet to the first network equipment over a data flow path. The determined delivery performance of the first data packet is compared to an expected peak data throughput capacity for a data packet transmitted to the first network equipment from the second network equipment. Transmission of data packets to the first network equipment is paced if the comparison of the determined delivery performance and the expected peak data throughput capacity indicates a congestion exists over the data flow path.