Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are presented herein for providing lower level physical-layer gateway functionalities and upper-level application functionalities; a system designed with flexible configurations in order to support a wide range of connected applications. The system includes a processor that executes machine instructions to perform operations. The operations comprise: receiving sensor data from a sensor device located in a building; converting the sensor data from a raw state to a physical measurement; and activating an abatement device situated in the building as a function of the physical measurement.

Abstract: A pool brush includes a handle receiver; and a brush head attached to the handle receiver, the brush head having a body and a plurality of bristles extending from said body. The body includes a cylindrical portion having rounded top, bottom, front and rear sides, and opposite end portions, and the plurality of bristles includes bristles radially extending 360 degrees around the cylindrical portion of the body and from the end portions. The plurality of bristles includes a plurality of bundles of relatively longer bristles and a plurality of bundles of relatively shorter bristles, wherein the bundles of relatively longer bristles are in arrays in an alternating arrangement with arrays of the bundles of shorter bristles.

Abstract: A weighting system for a swimming pool step assembly includes a pair of weights, a removable cap for each of the weights, and means for removably mounting the weights to the exterior sides of a swimming pool step assembly. The weighting system described herein is easily installed and removed by the user without having to remove the weights from underneath the pool step assembly.

Abstract: A dual mode light operated timing device includes a light sensor for generating a light sensor signal when light is detected; a first input device for generating a first programming signal; a second input device for generating a second programming signal; a switch for connecting and disconnecting power from a power supply to an electronic device; and a processor for receiving the light sensor signal and when light is detected by the light sensor operating the timing device in a daytime mode by controlling the switch based on the first programming signal, and when light is not detected by the light sensor operating the timing device in a nighttime mode by controlling the switch based on the second programming signal.

Abstract: Among other things, for use in directional motion of chiral objects in a mixture, a field is applied across the chamber and is rotating relative to the chamber to cause rotation of the chiral objects. The rotation of the objects causes them to move directionally based on their chirality. The method applies to sugars, proteins, and peptides, among other things, and can be used in a wide variety of applications.

Abstract: A headphone set includes a head band and a pair of speaker assemblies supplied on opposite ends of the headband. Each of the speaker assemblies comprises an earphone speaker for reproducing sound to be directed toward one of the wearer's ears, a relatively larger and more powerful broadcast speaker for reproducing sound to be broadcast in the vicinity of the headphone set; and an expandable speaker enclosure for supporting the earphone speaker and the broadcast speaker. Each speaker enclosure defines a sound chamber having an enclosed air volume for improving the acoustical characteristics of the headphone set and each speaker enclosure is shiftable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. When the speaker enclosures are shifted to their expanded configurations, the sound chambers have a relatively larger enclosed air volume. When they are shifted to their collapsed configurations relatively smaller enclosed air volumes.

Abstract: A pool brush includes a handle receiver; and a brush head attached to the handle receiver, the brush head having a body and a plurality of bristles extending from said body. The body includes a cylindrical portion having rounded top, bottom, front and rear sides, and opposite end portions, and the plurality of bristles includes bristles radially extending 360 degrees around the cylindrical portion of the body and from the end portions. In an embodiment, the plurality of bristles includes a plurality of bundles of relatively longer bristles and a plurality of bundles of relatively shorter bristles, wherein the bundles of relatively longer bristles are in arrays in an alternating arrangement with arrays of the bundles of shorter bristles. In an embodiment the body has angled portions.

Abstract: Among other things, for use in directional motion of chiral objects in a mixture, a field is applied across the chamber and is rotating relative to the chamber to cause rotation of the chiral objects. The rotation of the objects causes them to move directionally based on their chirality. The method applies to sugars, proteins, and peptides, among other things, and can be used in a wide variety of applications.

Abstract: Embodiments of a food container including a media player are provided. In some embodiments, the food container has an exterior, and the food container comprises at least one compartment sized and dimensioned to accommodate food. Additionally, the food container includes a media player configured to play media content. The container and/or media player includes at least one device that serves as an input device to select media content in the media player of for later play and activation device to activate the play of the selected media content. In another embodiment the container and/or media player includes two devices, one to select media content and another to activate play of the selected media content. The media content can be, for example, a message from a parent or other meal maker to a child for later play by the child during the day.

Abstract: Processes for producing a suitable purity grade of L-Citrulline are disclosed. The processes can include contacting crude L-Citrulline in an aqueous solution with an adsorptive medium at a temperature above approximately 50° C. and below the temperature of denaturement for the L-Citrulline for an interval sufficient to remove at least one contaminant from the L-Citrulline. The processes can also include concentrating the dissolved L-Citrulline relative to the aqueous solution.

Abstract: Methods and systems for matching employers and candidates. One method includes receiving a first plurality of job descriptions from a first user associated with a first unique username, and transmitting the first plurality of job descriptions and the first unique username to a server. The method also includes receiving an employment match based on the first plurality of job descriptions and the unique username from the server, wherein the employment match includes a second plurality of job descriptions specified by a second user, a second unique username associated with the second user, and contact information for the second user. In addition, the method includes displaying the employment match to the first user, receiving a text message from the first user, and transmitting the text message to the second user based on the contact information included in the employment match.

Abstract: Technologies described herein relate to automated order routing. A consumer can place an order for a product with a first retailer, wherein the first retailer is the preferred retailer of the consumer. If the first retailer fails to commit to fulfilling the order within a threshold amount of time, at least one other retailer is selected, and the order for the product is automatically routed to the at least one other retailer. The first retailer that commits to fulfilling the order acquires the sale.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for selecting a secondary care facility. Secondary care facility data can be collected and stored in a facility database. Received patient care data can be compared with the secondary care facility data in the facility database, resulting in a set of one or more secondary care facility identifiers, which can be provided to a patient representative. The patient representative may select at least one of the identified secondary care facilities presented, based on secondary care facility data provided to the patient representative. The selection made by the patient representative along with selection criteria data, such as a selection process and data provided, can be stored in an auditing database for later retrieval as desired.

Abstract: A pool brush includes a handle receiver; and a brush head attached to the handle receiver, the brush head having a body and a plurality of bristles extending from said body. The body includes a cylindrical portion having rounded top, bottom, front and rear sides, and opposite end portions, and the plurality of bristles includes bristles radially extending 360 degrees around the cylindrical portion of the body and from the end portions. The plurality of bristles includes a plurality of bundles of relatively longer bristles and a plurality of bundles of relatively shorter bristles, wherein the bundles of relatively longer bristles are in arrays in an alternating arrangement with arrays of the bundles of shorter bristles.

Abstract: A coordinated system for the treatment of water includes (a) a test kit including an indicator having a changeable color which is adapted to a predetermined aqueous environmental condition and an associated chart including colors associated with a range of environmental conditions; and at least one chemical agent having a color which corresponds to a color of the indicator associated with an environmental condition outside of a desired range.

Abstract: A swimming pool step assembly includes a plurality of steps which can be stacked in a vertical array including a top step, bottom step and, optionally one or more intermediate steps between the top step and the bottom step, each step having a top surface, a periphery, and a bottom, wherein the bottoms of at least the bottom step and the intermediate step(s) each include a recess configured to receive an adjacent higher step in the vertical array.

Abstract: Providing advertising sponsored messaging across multi-providers or multi-groups over a communication network, involving a subscriber database that stores profile listing information for each of targeted subscribers; an advertising center that manages selection of an advertiser and content of an advertisement to accompany a message sent to a targeted subscriber; an advertising database that stores, for each participating advertiser, profile listing information of targeted subscribers and targeted groups of subscribers of interest to the respective advertiser; and a caller network in communication with the above; whereby, upon receiving information from a caller identifying a targeted subscriber and providing content of a message to be sent to the targeted subscriber, the advertising center selects an advertiser, and content of an advertisement that accompanies the message to the targeted subscriber.

Abstract: An HDMI™ (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) switch includes a CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) processor for controlling high-definition audio-visual (AV) equipment. The CEC processor accepts user commands and translates them to control HDMI devices over HDMI; the translations can be manufacturer specific so that devices with different CEC implementations can be combined in a single system. CEC communications between HDMI devices is precluded or at least controlled to avoid problems due to incompatible CEC implementations and unwanted interactions. The CEC processor causes the HDMI switch to appear as an HDMI source to HDMI sink devices and as an HDMI sink to HDMI source devices for the purposes of assigning physical addresses. While CEC is designed to handle AV systems having only one sink (display), the novel HDMI switch provides for CEC-controlled AV systems with multiple displays, e.g., in different rooms.

Abstract: A digital content distribution system and method are disclosed for delivering location specific content to an ad hoc group of mobile subscribers. The system consists of a downloadable application that runs on the subscribers mobile communication device and communicates with a server-based content composer system. The content composer system manages outgoing content based upon the geographic location reported by a mobile communication device application and the demographic and preference data stored in a subscriber database. Emergency alerts are sent only to subscribers in a area covered by the alert. The emergency alerts are executed on the mobile communication device even though the mobile communication device is in a low power sleep or hibernate mode. Moreover, the emergency alerts take over the mobile communications device no matter what other tasks are being executed when the emergency alert is received.

Abstract: A hierarchical directional internet-oriented ad-hoc network, defined by a software infrastructure, is composed of gateway nodes and a plurality of wireless nodes, which may be fixed or mobile, and which may act as subscribers, routers, or both. The infrastructure hierarchy is defined by the hop count of each node (distance of that node to a fixed gateway node). The software infrastructure includes two tables associated with each node in the network: the upstream routing table which provides shortest routes to fixed gateway nodes through upstream neighbors, and the downstream routing table which provides shortest routes to subscribers through downstream neighbors. These two tables are used by routing algorithms. A peer table can also be used for alternate routes. The maintenance of the aforementioned tables is performed by autonomous algorithms operating locally on each node by receiving and processing signals from their neighbors.