Abstract: A system and method are presented that monitor components of an appliance for predicted, future failures. A sensor element is attached to the appliance to obtain movement and magnetic field data from the appliance. The sensor element can be attached to the metal shell of the appliance. A base sensor component receives data from the sensor element, and then divides individual signals into sub-frequencies. In one embodiment, 3-D signals relevant to position change, acceleration, and detected electromagnetic field at the sensor are all analyzed by the base sensor, along with a current draw signal for the appliance. Changes in the signals are reported to a server, that compares changes to a prepopulated database. This database correlates changes in sensor signals with predicted failures of appliance components. Identified components with a predicted, future failure are replaced before the failure.

Abstract: An improved dryer exhaust vent assembly for a clothes dryer is disclosed. The assembly includes an exhaust pipe having a variety of features on its external surface that are constructed and arranged to provide a more secured and easier to obtain engagement with commercially available or customized vent tubing. The assembly may also utilize adjustable band clamps or lever actuated collar clamps to further secure engagement of the vent tubing to the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A controller and digital media player such as a television equipped with such a controller is disclosed. The controller provides for determining the end time of a program currently being played on the television and then triggering at least one trigger event to occur upon the end of the program currently being played. The controller is in communication with an ACR database, and is capable of determining program end times using ACR matching, EPG data of over-the-air broadcasts, and by the detecting of program end credits. Trigger events may vary, but include shutting the television off, and instructing other smart devices in communication with the controller to initiate various functions (turn on, turn off, open, close, send a message, etc.).

Abstract: A user interface verification device and a method of use is presented for recognizing a three-hand gesture on a touchscreen of the device. The gesture is recognized by detecting a plurality of contact points in at least two, disparate touching zones, and simultaneously detecting additional contact points in a third, disparate touching zone. In one embodiment, the device displays content in a review mode that can be reviewed in a normal manner. In the execution mode, the device requires a signature, a touch, or another sign of acceptance involving a touch within the third touching zone. The device can ensure that a customer directly provides consent by requiring that the two, multi-point touching zones are tactilely engaged by both hands of a presenter while in the execution mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system, methods, and other techniques and configurations for automation of computing system maintenance activities such as reboots, software installations, re-configuration, or other actions are generally described herein. In an example, an automation tool set is designed to integrate with an organization Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and other orchestration or information technology (IT) management tools to perform such maintenance actions. The automation tool set may enable and manage various forms of a workflow for maintenance actions, including a workflow designed to validate all necessary pre- and post-reboot checks, perform logging, event tracking, exception handling, notifications, incidents creation, trend analysis, customized reporting dashboards, and system adaptation. In further examples, the automation tool set may expose user interfaces, reports, and other management interfaces for control and monitoring of the workflows.

Abstract: A system and method are presented that utilize facet modifications to alter user input values to perform a facet search on a found set of data records. The facet modifications are associated with item records, such as by using type attributes. Facet modifications can be associated with query information that is utilized to create a query on a user interface. Input received from the query is then modified according to the facet modifier in order to create facet search parameters. The facet search parameters are used to perform a facet search to narrow the found set of item records. In some embodiments, facet modifications are stored in facet modifier records. Multiple facet modifications can be stored in a single facet modifier record. A single query input can be manipulated by multiple facet modifications to create separate facet search parameters.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for automatic smart propagation of caching directives are described herein. A request may be received for an object of a webpage. A cache state may be determined for a cache control header retrieved for the object. A time to live value may be calculated for the object based on the cache state and a header time to live value included in the cache control header. A cache directive that includes the time to live value may be stored for the object in a cache. The object may be updated in the cache upon receipt of a subsequent request based on the cache directive.

Abstract: Techniques and system configurations for tracking customers and employees in a commercial environment such as a retail store are described herein. Customer devices that are operated by an associated customer may be tracked to determine customer shopping activities in a retail store, and to obtain promotions or affect targeted results based on the customer's activity and a profile associated with the customer. Employee devices that are operated by an associated employee also may be tracked to identify employee activities and manage the interactions that occur with customers in the retail environment. In-store activities and interactions accordingly may be enhanced as a result of advertising, marketing, and analytics derived from the tracked activities.

Abstract: A video system and method are presented that uses an output-receiving microphone mounted on the housing of the video system to receive a signal representative of the output of a speaker in a use-environment. This signal is compared with a second signal received from a spoken-word microphone that is mounted more remotely from the speaker. In some embodiments, the spoken-word microphone is positioned in a low-pass filter tune pipe and is combined with a separate spoken-word microphone in a tuned microphone array so as to filter out frequencies not associated with the human voice. The two signals are magnitude matched, and the first signal is subtracted from the second to generate an improved voice signal for a voice recognition system.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for using a plurality of data caches to increase the efficiency of a computing system in an e-commerce environment. Separate caches with distinct time-to-live values are created, one each for customer information, customer cart contents, and product pricing data. Product pricing is pre-analyzed using a pricing data engine that calculates multiple potential prices for a single item that is then stored in the product pricing data cache. This data can then be used in a variety of contexts to determine different pricing for the same product without requiring another request for product data from the pricing data engine. When a product is viewed during catalog browsing, all information needed to determine pricing for that particular user might be accessible from the data caches for fast processing.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses are presented that provide a modular mechanism for securing and displaying ESL devices from a variety of structures and surfaces common to a commercial environment. Included are different types of holders for supporting different types of ESL devices, and a variety of types of surface adapters, each of which are uniquely configured for securement to a surface or structure, but which also have a uniform system of engagement that allows their use with any of the holders.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for edge-cache optimization of personalized webpages are described herein. A request may be received for a web page from a content delivery network. Requests may be received for user fragments, page layout fragments, personalization decisions fragments, and page content fragments. Directives may be generated in response to the requests including user fragment directives, page layout fragment directives, user data storage directives, a set of fixed section directives, and a set of personalized section directives. The generated directives may be used to construct content fragment caching directives for the page fragments. The content fragment caching directives are transmitted to the content delivery network to provide cashing instructions for the page fragments.

Abstract: A system and method are presented relating to a hybrid portable charging device having an internal battery and an internal supercapacitor. Input logic is implemented as part of the management system for the charging device. In one embodiment, input power is analyzed to determine whether the input power level is low, medium, or high, with input power being diverted to the battery or supercapacitor depending on the determined input power level. At high input power, the supercapacitor is charged first. At low input power, the battery is charged first. At medium power, the input power is split between the supercapacitor and the battery. In another embodiment, output can be directed using output logic so that power flows first from the supercapacitor so that the supercapacitor is fully discharged before battery power is output to the load on the charging device.

Abstract: Techniques and system configurations for generating, updating, and customizing user interface content and functionality based on user activity and a customer level of interest (affinity) for a particular commerce information item are disclosed. In an example, electronic operations used for generating and updating output of a user interface includes: processing streaming events that represent user activity involving a commerce information item performed by a user in a user interface; identifying a current score of the user activity from the streaming events; generating an affinity score corresponding to the commerce information item, based on forward time decay of a history score and a future score; and providing output in a user interface based on the generated affinity score. With these techniques, engagement and affinity of particular products/services, product groups, and offers, can be measured and tracked to enable improved outputs in an electronic commerce website or app.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for using a plurality of data caches to increase the efficiency of a computing system in an e-commerce environment. Separate caches with distinct time-to-live values are created, one each for customer information, customer cart contents, and product pricing data. Product pricing is pre-analyzed using a pricing data engine that calculates multiple potential prices for a single item that is then stored in the product pricing data cache. This data can then be used in a variety of contexts to determine different pricing for the same product without requiring another request for product data from the pricing data engine. When a product is viewed during catalog browsing, all information needed to determine pricing for that particular user might be accessible from the data caches for fast processing.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system, methods, and other techniques and configurations for automation of computing system maintenance activities such as reboots, software installations, re-configuration, or other actions are generally described herein. In an example, an automation tool set is designed to integrate with an organization Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and other orchestration or information technology (IT) management tools to perform such maintenance actions. The automation tool set may enable and manage various forms of a workflow for maintenance actions, including a workflow designed to validate all necessary pre- and post-reboot checks, perform logging, event tracking, exception handling, notifications, incidents creation, trend analysis, customized reporting dashboards, and system adaptation. In further examples, the automation tool set may expose user interfaces, reports, and other management interfaces for control and monitoring of the workflows.

Abstract: A video system and method are presented that uses an output-receiving microphone mounted on the housing of the video system to receive a signal representative of the output of a speaker in a use-environment. This signal is compared with a second signal received from a spoken-word microphone that is mounted more remotely from the speaker. In some embodiments, the spoken-word microphone is positioned in a low-pass filter tune pipe and is combined with a separate spoken-word microphone in a tuned microphone array so as to filter out frequencies not associated with the human voice. The two signals are magnitude matched, and the first signal is subtracted from the second to generate an improved voice signal for a voice recognition system.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses are presented that provide a modular mechanism for securing and displaying ESL devices from a variety of structures and surfaces common to a commercial environment. Included are different types of holders for supporting different types of ESL devices, and a variety of types of surface adapters, each of which are uniquely configured for securement to a surface or structure, but which also have a uniform system of engagement that allows their use with any of the holders.