Abstract: A system for micro-locating a portable device including: a plurality of proximity sensors disposed within a vehicle, wherein the proximity sensors are disposed at different locations from each other, and wherein the proximity sensors are each configured to broadcast a signal; a portable device configured to receive the signals broadcast from the proximity sensors to determine its location with respect to the vehicle; and a control module disposed within the vehicle and configured to enable or disable vehicle control features of the portable device based on the location of the portable device.

Abstract: A tripod leg (3) comprises a lever wherein said lever (13) is arranged on a portion of said leg (3), which in use, does not move in relation to an attached tripod head element (2); characterised in that said lever (13) further comprises an aperture (15) which is sized to cooperate with one or more digits of a user's hand.

Abstract: A device for controlling access to a vehicle, the device including: a housing, the housing including a transmitter, a receiver, a microcontroller and an unlocking mechanism, wherein the housing is configured to be mounted to a vehicle and, in response to a triggering event at the unlocking mechanism, the microcontroller is configured to advertise itself to allow a previously linked remote device to connect and, once a connection is established with the remote device, the transmitter is configured to send an unlock signal to an electronic control unit inside the vehicle to unlock a door of the vehicle.

Abstract: An extendable leg 10 for a tripod, the leg 10 comprises two or more leg-stages 11b, 11c, each leg-stage 11b, 11c moveable axially relative to one or more of the or each other leg-stages to lengthen or shorten the leg. The leg 10 includes a clamp assembly to releasably prevent the relative movement when the leg is at the desired length. The clamp assembly includes a leg brake 22a moveable between a first leg-stage locking position and a second leg-stage release position. In order to control movement of the leg brake 22a between the first and second positions, an actuation means 16 is provided. A cable 17 is operably connected at a first end to the actuation means 16 and at a second end to the leg brake 22a, such that operation of the actuation means 16 causes the cable 17 to move the leg brake 22a.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, a device and/or a system of utilizing a camera array system to detect a load status of a semi-trailer truck. A sensor array is affixed to a surface of a trailer of the semi-trailer truck to automatically determine whether a cargo area of the semi-trailer truck is occupied. A set of cameras of the sensor array have each camera embedded in individual recesses of the sensor array. The cargo area is illuminated using at least one light source of the sensor array. A memory and a processor associated with the sensor array are configured to store one baseline image of the cargo area of the trailer in an empty state. The processor is configured to detect a triggering event. The processor determines a cargo status based upon a difference between the current image and the baseline image, and sends the cargo status to a dispatcher.

Abstract: Described herein is a life vest pouch for storage under an aircraft seat. The life vest pouch includes a closeable first opening for inserting a life vest into the pouch and a breakable seam for creating a second opening and permitting removal of a life vest from the pouch. Also described is an airline seat and row of airline seats comprising the life vest pouch.

Abstract: A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors may also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based on sensor output signals.

Abstract: A system for micro-locating a portable device including: a plurality of proximity sensors disposed within a vehicle, wherein the proximity sensors are disposed at different locations from each other, and wherein the proximity sensors are each configured to broadcast a signal; a portable device configured to receive the signals broadcast from the proximity sensors to determine its location with respect to the vehicle; and a control module disposed within the vehicle and configured to enable or disable vehicle control features of the portable device based on the location of the portable device.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for the automated configuration of storage pools are disclosed. An example method includes determining, as available storage devices, storage devices within a storage system that have availability to be placed into a storage pool and first filtering, based on a first portion of storage requirement information received from a third-party, the available storage devices to eliminate a first set of the available storage devices and determine remaining storage devices. The method also includes second filtering, based on a second portion of the storage requirement information, the remaining storage devices after the first filtering to eliminate a second set of the remaining storage device. The method further includes designating the storage devices remaining after the first and second filtering as identified storage devices and creating the storage pool based on the storage requirement information using at least one of the identified storage devices.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, a device and/or a system of utilizing a camera array system to detect a load status of a semi-trailer truck. A sensor array is affixed to a surface of a trailer of the semi-trailer truck to automatically determine whether a cargo area of the semi-trailer truck is occupied. A set of cameras of the sensor array have each camera embedded in individual recesses of the sensor array. The cargo area is illuminated using at least one light source of the sensor array. A memory and a processor associated with the sensor array are configured to store one baseline image of the cargo area of the trailer in an empty state. The processor is configured to detect a triggering event. The processor determines a cargo status based upon a difference between the current image and the baseline image, and sends the cargo status to a dispatcher.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for managing and graphically representing a Layer-2 storage service are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a node manager processor configured to receive information indicating a configuration of a storage resource from a third-party service provider of the storage resource and make the storage resource available to users of a Layer-2 storage system. The apparatus also includes a platform processor configured to receive a request from a user to create a Layer-2 storage service that specifies the storage resource for inclusion within the Layer-2 storage service. Responsive to the request, the platform processor is configured to create the Layer-2 storage service that includes an instance of the storage resource as configured by the third-party service provider. The platform processor is also configured to create a graphical representation of the storage service including the storage resource.

Abstract: Disclosed are a device and/or a method of location and event capture circuitry to facilitate remote vehicle location predictive modeling when global positioning is unavailable. In one embodiment, a predictive circuit of a vehicle includes event detection circuitry to initiate a timer circuit of the vehicle when a wheel of the vehicle is in a stationary state beyond threshold amount of time during an event; an event categorization circuitry to monitor a telemetry data of the vehicle to assign a category to the event; a data communication circuitry to communicate the event, the category, and/or a set of other events and categories to a predictive recommendation server on a periodic basis; and a repossession detection circuitry to determine that the vehicle is pending repossession based on the event, the category, the set of other events and categories, and/or a message communicated from the predictive recommendation server to the predictive circuit.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for providing multilayered storage are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a virtual storage node and a data services node. The virtual storage node includes a first physical storage device including a first storage pool configured to have a first storage configuration and partitioned into individually addressable logical unit numbers (“LUs”) and a second storage pool configured to have a second storage configuration and partitioned into individually addressable LUs. The data services node includes a service pool configured to have a data services configuration specifying how data is stored to a logical volume from the virtual storage node, the logical volume including at least a first set of LUs from the first storage pool and second of LUs from the second storage pool.

Abstract: The invention relates to hair dryers. Various techniques for improving air flow in hair dryers are described, including a hair dryer providing laminar flow air. In another variant a hair dryer has a two air flow channels: one a hot air channel the other a cool air channel, with the cool air channel circumscribing the hot air channel. The nozzle end of the hair dryer is arranged such that the cool air channel extends forward of the hot air channel outlet. This allows a hair dryer to be placed close to, or on, a person's hair/head without and risk of burning the person's head. A hair dryer with external power supply is also described which reduces the weight of the housing held by a user.

Abstract: An injection device 110 is described having a housing 112 that receives a syringe 114 having a needle 118, wherein the syringe is supported in a syringe carrier 150. The injection device 110 has a removable cap 190. The syringe 114 and syringe carrier 150 are biased by a return spring 126 from an extended position in which the needle 118 extends from the housing 112 through an exit aperture 128 to a retracted position in which it does not. The syringe carrier 150 abuts a surface inside the removable cap 190 which prevents forward movement of the syringe carrier 150 when the cap is in place. The injection device is less prone to failure than prior art devices and is safer should failure occur.

Abstract: A waste disposal device for sealing waste and a cassette for dispensing film are disclosed. The waste disposal device comprises first and second rollers, each comprising first and second end portions and a joining portion therebetween. The end portions of the first and second rollers are arranged to receive and seal first and second film portions therebetween as the first and second rollers rotate. The joining portions of the first and second rollers are arranged to define an aperture for receiving waste in a first rotary configuration of the rollers and to seal the first and second film portions therebetween in a second rotary configuration of the first and second rollers. The cassette comprises first and second portions comprising respective first and second film dispensers. The first portion is mechanically connected to the second portion. The cassette is moveable between a first, compact configuration and a second, extended configuration.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that maintain an access history of a file allocated with allocation blocks in storage devices are described. In response to receiving a usage request to allocate additional space for the file, an allocation block size may be adjusted or adapted based on the access history. The storage devices may be allocated with one or more allocation blocks using the adapted allocation block size to provide requested space for the file.

Abstract: A cover or a spa or hot tub having a shell and a foam core. The cover may be in two-pieces attached together at a hinge. The two pieces are tapered from the center towards the lateral edge. The top side may be substantially seamless. The top side may also be made of a hard plastic.

Abstract: A method for performing oilfield operations for an oilfield having a subterranean formation with an underground reservoir therein, the oilfield being provided with at least one wellsite with oilfield equipment for extracting fluid from the underground reservoir, involving collecting data comprising trajectory and earth properties associated with a planned well for a geoscience application to obtain a geoscience model, invoking a well planning system integrated with the geoscience application, extracting the trajectory and earth properties from the geoscience model to obtain an extracted trajectory and extracted earth properties, determining at least one parameter for the planned well based on the extracted trajectory and the extracted earth properties, and displaying the at least one parameter associated with the planned well within a geological context of the geoscience application to allow refinement of the planned well for efficient fluid extraction from the underground reservoir.