Abstract: Systems and methods of use are presented for selecting and displaying media content on a display where the media content is determined by user manual manipulation of the content pages of a book positioned on a book reader. The display includes a video display screen and a media player. The media player has a storage drive configured to accept and store media content, and a processor configured to access the storage drive to transmit selected media content to the video display screen when signaled by the book reader to do so. The book reader includes a plurality of sensors divided into a plurality of right side sensors and a plurality of left side sensors that are configured to detect and determine which content page of the book is currently open and displayed on the book reader. When a content page is displayed and detected, a controller signals the processor.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for discovery and aggregation of multivariate test experiments are described herein. A web architecture may be polled to discover available multivariate experiments. The multivariate experiments may be aggregated with a set of downstream multivariate experiments that share a dependency with supported functions into a set of aggregated multivariate experiments. A request may be received for a function of a web page. An identifier may be assigned to the request. One or more multivariate experiments may be determined for the function. Edge directives may be created using the sone or more multivariate experiments. The edge directives may be transmitted to a content delivery network.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for pre-coordinating delivery and service for item searching and filtering are described herein. Large or specialized products, such as household appliances, may require setup and installation services at the time of delivery, leading to additional complexity and coordination from multiple service providers. The present techniques and system configurations address these complexities by providing functionality in search and information user interfaces, which enable a user to search, filter, and identify the delivery and installation availability for a listing of products. The present techniques and system configurations may calculate and cache the availability dates for service fulfillment of respective products. The present techniques and system configurations enable a user to request and receive a listing of the earliest available products for delivery and installation based on the cached availability dates for service fulfillment of respective products.

Abstract: Systems and methods of use are presented that resize a displayed program presentation based on a requested television size, which allows a single large display monitor (television) to act as a proxy of all the smaller television sizes available in a given model line of televisions. The resized program is presented on the display monitor with a physical size larger than the requested size. Pricing information for the requested television size is superimposed on the presented resized program. Outlines for intermediate sizes of televisions of the same make and model to that of the display monitor are also presented in the presented program, including size and price indicators for the intermediate sizes. Multiple display monitors, each having a separate media player, can be implemented in a retail environment so as to allow several makes and models to be compared. Sync signals keep video transmitted by the media players synchronized.

Abstract: Techniques and system configurations for use of cached data to generate and present a schedule or other availability information for delivery and service scheduling of a product are disclosed herein. In an example, electronic operations used for offering cached availability information in a user interface include: obtaining service information to identify a service for a product (such as installation or removal) that can accompany, precede, or follow, delivery of a product; obtaining customer information to identify a geographic location to perform the service for the product; retrieving, from a cached data store, availability information to perform the service for the product based on the geographic location and the service information; and presenting the availability information to perform the service in association with the delivery of the product. With this technique, a calendar or schedule can be produced from cached data, without requiring multiple requests to a scheduling system.

Abstract: Techniques and system configurations for generating and implementing recipes and scripts to enable the orchestration of actions, activities, and configurations within smart devices and device networks (including the Internet of Things “IoT” network topologies) are described herein. In an example, a method for smart device orchestration and configuration includes: obtaining an orchestration recipe that defines a sequence of actions to be performed among multiple types of smart devices; activating the orchestration recipe for use upon multiple smart devices associated with a user, based on at least one condition to perform the sequence of actions; associating the orchestration recipe with respective configurations of the multiple smart devices associated with the user; and initiating the orchestration recipe, to cause the sequence of actions to be performed with the multiple smart devices, including via cloud-based device services that control the multiple smart devices associated with the user.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for edge cache static asset optimization are described herein. A set of tracking instructions may be generated for execution at an edge cache server of the content delivery system. A static asset may be identified that is included in a webpage delivery session. A type may be determined for the static asset. The static asset may be grouped with a set of other static assets based on the type. The webpage request may be processed by processing the static asset. The set of tracking instructions may be transmitted to an edge cache server for storage in an edge cache of an edge network.

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.