Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for trash collection management. In an example embodiment, a dumpster monitoring apparatus may determine that an amount of garbage in a dumpster exceeds a threshold level (such as, for example, above a full-level marked on the dumpster). If the garbage exceeds the threshold level, the dumpster monitoring apparatus automatically transmits a request to a dumpster management apparatus to dispatch a garbage truck. In an example scenario, the dumpster monitoring apparatus may further determine that a current location of the dumpster is stationed is inaccessible to the garbage truck. Consequently, the dumpster monitoring apparatus may automatically transmit a request to a robot vehicle (such as robotic forklift) to move the dumpster from the current location to a new location that is accessible to the garbage truck. The dumpster monitoring apparatus may then inform the dumpster management apparatus of the new location.

Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for using vehicles to detect and remediate air pollution. In an example implementation, a server computer transmits a directive to a vehicle controller of a vehicle, to measure an air pollution level around the vehicle at a first location. The vehicle controller executes an air pollution measurement and transmits measurement data to the server computer. The server computer evaluates the measurement data and directs the vehicle controller to perform a remedial action for reducing the air pollution level at the first location. The remedial action can involve, for example, the vehicle controller moving the vehicle from the first location to a second location. The server computer may also determine whether the first location is a transient pollution location or a persistent pollution by directing the vehicle controller to carry out measurements at two different times and/or by employing two different sampling rates.

Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for using vehicles to detect and remediate air pollution. In an example implementation, a server computer transmits a directive to a vehicle controller of a vehicle, to measure an air pollution level around the vehicle at a first location. The vehicle controller executes an air pollution measurement and transmits measurement data to the server computer. The server computer evaluates the measurement data and directs the vehicle controller to perform a remedial action for reducing the air pollution level at the first location. The remedial action can involve, for example, the vehicle controller moving the vehicle from the first location to a second location. The server computer may also determine whether the first location is a transient pollution location or a persistent pollution by directing the vehicle controller to carry out measurements at two different times and/or by employing two different sampling rates.

Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for trash collection management. In an example embodiment, a dumpster monitoring apparatus may determine that an amount of garbage in a dumpster exceeds a threshold level (such as, for example, above a full-level marked on the dumpster). If the garbage exceeds the threshold level, the dumpster monitoring apparatus automatically transmits a request to a dumpster management apparatus to dispatch a garbage truck. In an example scenario, the dumpster monitoring apparatus may further determine that a current location of the dumpster is stationed is inaccessible to the garbage truck. Consequently, the dumpster monitoring apparatus may automatically transmit a request to a robot vehicle (such as robotic forklift) to move the dumpster from the current location to a new location that is accessible to the garbage truck. The dumpster monitoring apparatus may then inform the dumpster management apparatus of the new location.

Abstract: A drone communication system is described. Using the system, a method may be executed that includes: when a recipient vehicle is out of wireless range, transmitting a message, from a sending vehicle, to a plurality of drones that are focusing antenna beams on the sending vehicle so that the plurality then may transmit the message to the recipient vehicle by focusing antenna beams thereon.

Abstract: A drone communication system is described. Using the system, a method may be executed that includes: when a recipient vehicle is out of wireless range, transmitting a message, from a sending vehicle, to a plurality of drones that are focusing antenna beams on the sending vehicle so that the plurality then may transmit the message to the recipient vehicle by focusing antenna beams thereon.

Abstract: An air diffuser having a single air inlet has air outlets straddling a wall of a structure to distribute air to two or more rooms of the structure. The air diffuser includes an adjustable baffle that selectively directs air toward the first and second rooms. The air diffuser includes an acoustic dampener that prevents sound from moving through the air diffuser from one room to the next.

Abstract: A process for making steel armor products for use, for example as body armor. The steel armor product made has a compound curve and is made from a flat blank of armor steel by high-temperature annealing an armor steel blank to slightly above its austenitizing temperature, then followed by a slow, temperature-controlled cooling it, over-pressing the annealed blank to a first configuration so it springs back to a second configuration approximating the desired product shape when released from the press, and then heat-treating the product back to its austenitizing temperature, quenching it, and tempering it at a low temperature. The tool is conveniently made by lamination, using a series of thin plates of tool steel each cut to produce an approximation of the desired die.

Abstract: A method for creating a display lighting presentation is provided. The method includes providing a light sequence definition graphical user interface configured to enable entry of lighting states associated with a lighting sequence to be included in the display lighting presentation, and receiving input via the light sequence publication user interface, the input specifying lighting states to be included in the display lighting presentation.

Abstract: A lawn sweeper including a swing arm rotatably connected to a wheel axle including a first end connected to a biasing element and a second end including a rotatably connected idler gear that meshingly engages a wheel gear in a first position and is disengaged from the wheel gear in a second position.

Abstract: An air diffuser having a single air inlet has air outlets straddling a wall of a structure to distribute air to two or more rooms of the structure. The air diffuser includes an adjustable baffle that selectively directs air toward the first and second rooms. The air diffuser includes an acoustic dampener that prevents sound from moving through the air diffuser from one room to the next.

Abstract: A lawn sweeper including a swing arm rotatably connected to a wheel axle including a first end connected to a biasing element and a second end including a rotatably connected idler gear that meshingly engages a wheel gear in a first position and is disengaged from the wheel gear in a second position.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus, comprising at least one processor and a traffic monitor comprising logic which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform: creating, using forward Domain Name System (DNS) lookups, a mapping of domain names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses; determining whether a particular domain in the mapping requires handling data traffic to or from the particular domain by performing a particular action; based on the mapping, determining one or more IP addresses that are associated with the particular domain; generating policy for a firewall that instructs the firewall to perform the particular action upon receiving a particular request; wherein the particular request specifies a particular IP address that is within the particular domain.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus, comprising at least one processor and a traffic monitor comprising logic which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform: creating, using forward Domain Name System (DNS) lookups, a mapping of domain names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses; determining whether a particular domain in the mapping requires handling data traffic to or from the particular domain by performing a particular action; based on the mapping, determining one or more IP addresses that are associated with the particular domain; generating policy for a firewall that instructs the firewall to perform the particular action upon receiving a particular request; wherein the particular request specifies a particular IP address that is within the particular domain.

Abstract: A system comprises an enclosure comprising an interior, a drive shaft opening, and a first auxiliary drive shaft opening. A drive gear is disposed within the enclosure. A first auxiliary gear is disposed within the enclosure. The enclosure aligns the drive gear and the first auxiliary gear such that the drive gear is configured to drive the first auxiliary gear. The drive gear couples to an end of a drive shaft. The first auxiliary gear couples to a first end of a first auxiliary drive shaft. The drive shaft extends from the interior through the drive shaft opening. The first auxiliary drive shaft extends from the interior through the first auxiliary drive shaft opening.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a power generating system and method. The system includes a barge comprising a working platform and water support members. The barge provides an operating surface on a body of water, and the water support members define a water channel in the body of water. The system also includes an axle coupled to the barge and a turbine coupled to the axle such that the turbine can be lifted into and out of the water channel. The system configures the turbine to rotate on an axis of the axle in the water channel. Finally, the system includes a gearbox configured to transmit rotational energy of the axle to a generator to produce electricity and a lift coupled to the axle. The system configures the lift to variably raise and lower the turbine.

Abstract: A system for improved fluid capture comprises a first vertical turbine. A first radial vane support module comprises a first vertical pole and a second vertical pole and is disposed adjacent to the first vertical turbine. The first radial vane support module comprises a first radial vane storage module coupled to the first vertical support pole and the second vertical support pole and the first radial vane storage module comprises a first motor and a first radial vane. The first radial vane comprises a first retractable panel. The first motor couples to the first radial vane and is configured to extend and retract the first radial vane. A first radial vane control module couples to the first motor and is configured to control the operation of the first motor. In one embodiment, a saucer vane module couples to the first vertical turbine.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus can perform HTTP traffic monitoring and filtering of HTTP requests from clients and responses from servers. Example apparatus comprises a processor, a first network interface to a protected network, a second network interface to an external network, and a traffic monitor having an address-domain name database, a firewall rules manager, and a DNS snooper. The traffic monitor accesses a blacklist and can perform receiving, from a client computer, a request to access a resource in the external network; blocking the request to the resource when a user agent of the client is in the blacklist as malicious software or when a file extension in a response to the request is in the blacklist; requesting, from a web reputation service, and receiving a reputation score indicating a reputation of the resource; blocking sending the request to the resource when the reputation is below a specified threshold.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus can perform HTTP traffic monitoring and filtering of HTTP requests from clients and responses from servers. Example apparatus comprises a processor; a first network interface to a protected network; a second network interface to an external network; a core hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) proxy coupled to the processor and coupled to a content cache, wherein the HTTP proxy is configured to receive an HTTP request from a client computer in the protected network, send the request to a network resource in the external network on behalf of the client, and receive an HTTP response from the network resource on behalf of the client computer; and a plurality of spyware scanning engines (SSEs), wherein each of the SSEs is coupled to stored content signatures, and wherein each of the SSEs is configured to detect a particular kind of malicious software in an HTTP response.

Abstract: A multi-featured control system which improves the manufacturing capability of the thin-film semiconductor growth process. This system improves repeatability and accuracy of the process, reduces the manpower requirements to operate MBE, and improves the MBE environment for scientific investigation. This system has three levels of feedback control. The first level improves the precision and tracking of the process variables, flux, and substrate temperature. The second level comprises an expert system that uses sensors to monitor the status of the product in order to tailor the process plan in real time so that the exact qualities desired are achieved. The third level features a continuously evolving neural network model of the process which is used to recommend the recipe and command inputs to achieve a desired goal. The third level is particularly useful during the development process for new materials.