Abstract: A roller shade comprising a motor pretensioned counterbalancing spring that lowers the torque load on the motor of the roller shade throughout the rolling up or rolling down cycles. The roller shade comprises a motor drive unit including a motor adapted to drive a drive wheel through a clutch. The motor drive unit further comprises a first spring carrier adapted to be stationary during operation of the motor and a second spring carrier adapted to rotate during operation of the motor. The motor drive unit further comprises a counterbalancing spring connected at its first end to the first spring carrier and at its second end to the second spring carrier. The counterbalancing spring is pretensioned using the motor prior to inserting the motor drive unit into the roller tube by driving the drive wheel and thereby rotating the second end of the counterbalancing spring with respect to the first end of the counterbalancing spring.

Abstract: A control device comprising a front portion, at least one button cap, and a controller. The front portion comprises a plurality of button zones each comprising a tactile switch and at least one touch sensor. The at least one button cap is adapted to attach to the control device over at least one of the button zones such that the at least one button cap is positioned over the at least one touch sensor and interacts with the tactile switch in the at least one of the button zones. The controller determines which button zone and which location of the button zone is actuated in response to a combination of signals received from at least one of the tactile switches and at least one of the touch sensors.

Abstract: A motorized shade for covering an architectural opening comprising a roller tube and a shade material comprising an upper end attached to the roller tube and a lower end. The shade material at least partially comprises electrically conductive material and the roller tube comprises an electrically conductive material that creates an electrically conductive path between the conductive material of the shade material and the roller tube. The motorized shade further comprises a capacitive touch sensor electrically connected to the roller tube via at least one electrical contact, and a controller electrically connected to the capacitive touch sensor and adapted to detect a touch of the shade material via the capacitive touch sensor and in response generate a command.

Abstract: A system is provided herein comprising: a host audio testing device (HATD) adapted to generate one or more uniquely addressed audio test signals and transmit each generated audio test signal, and which is further adapted to receive audio test data from a bi-directional audio transceiver device (soundbar) device under test (DUT) that can be used in two or more remotely located conference rooms to perform teleconferencing between the remotely located conference rooms; and one or more remote audio generating devices (RATD), each of which is adapted to receive a generated uniquely addressed one or more audio test signals and broadcast the same to the soundbar, wherein each of the RATDs can be located at the same or different distances from the soundbar, the same or different heights with respect to the soundbar, and at the same or different angular placements with respect to the soundbar, and wherein, the HATD is further adapted to store and process the received audio test data from the DUT and generate audio tes

Abstract: Described herein is a compact combined active and passive cooling system to cool electronic audio-video circuitry, wherein all of the AV circuitry and cooling system fits within an enclosure that can be installed in a standard wall gang-box located in interior walls of structures. The combined active and passive cooling system uses convection, conduction, and radiation in active and passive cooling modes to dissipate heat generated by the AV circuitry into the room in which the gang box is located, and further uses the wall plate surface to dissipate heat into the room.

Abstract: A cable retractor includes a frame having first and second frame ends, opposing frame walls between the frame ends, and a track extending along one of the frame walls. A block slides along the track. A single first pulley is coupled to the block, is rotatable about a first axis that moves together with the block, is the sole pulley that is rotatable about the first axis, and has only a single groove. A spring spool is mounted at the first frame end. A spring has a coiled part wound around the spring spool and has a segment that extends away from the coiled part and is coupled to the block. A single second pulley is disposed at the second frame end, is rotatable about a fixed second axis, is the sole pulley that is rotatable about the second axis, and has only a single groove.

Abstract: An apparatus cools electronic circuitry. A housing has surfaces configured to enclose the electronic circuitry and are mountable inside a cavity in a back box. At least one of the surfaces has a vent holes therein facing an exhaust opening in the back box when the housing is mounted inside the cavity. Another surface has a fan hole that faces an intake opening in the back box when the housing is mounted inside the cavity. A cooling fan is mounted onto the another surface and disposed over the fan hole. The cooling fan is configured to draw cooling air through the intake opening in the back box and the fan hole into the housing and over the electronic circuitry. The cooling air then exits the housing through the vent holes and thereafter exits the back box through the exhaust opening.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, modes, and methods for an electronics enclosure cooling apparatus comprising a plurality of air intake holes located on at least one surface of the enclosure, a plurality of air exhaust holes located on at least one surface of the enclosure different from that of the surface wherein the air intake holes are located, an air plenum piece that comprises a substantially planar portion and a hole located on the substantially planar portion, the air plenum piece of such dimension and placement within the enclosure such that a first volume of the interior is created and a second volume of the interior is created, and wherein the air plenum piece is further adapted to create an air channel that substantially separates the first volume of the interior of the enclosure from the second volume of the interior, and wherein the first volume is in fluid engagement with the plurality of air intake holes, and further wherein the second volume is in fluid engagement with the plurality of air exhau

Abstract: A bracket mounts a device to any of plural surfaces at any of a plural orientations. A platform part has a mounting surface to support the device. An end part is at one end and has openings to receive threaded screws by which the end part is fastened to a first external surface when in a first orientation. The mounting surface has openings to receive threaded screws by which the platform part is alternatively fastened to a second external surface when in a second orientation. A slot in the mounting surface receives a knob secured to the device. Arms extend from the mounting surface part way between the end part and the curved part and each has an opening to receive a threaded fastener that is also received by a threaded opening in an end surface of the device.

Abstract: A bracket mounts a device to any of plural surfaces at any of a plural orientations. A platform part has a mounting surface to support the device. An end part is located at one end of the platform part. The end part has openings to receive threaded screws by which the end part is fastened to a first external surface when in a first orientation. The mounting surface has openings to receive threaded screws by which the platform part is alternatively fastened to a second external surface when in a second orientation. A guide slot in the mounting surface has an open end that faces away from the end part. The guide slot, when the bracket is in the second orientation, receives through the open end a knob secured to the device, guides the knob as the device is moved, and retains the knob to hold the device.

Abstract: A roller shade for selectively covering an architectural opening and which reduces deflection and sagging in the roller shade. The roller shade comprises a tension insert inserted and substantially centered within the roller tube of the roller shade. The tension insert comprises a longitudinal insert body, a threaded rod, and a pair of threaded nuts. The insert body comprises an inner tube portion with a plurality of longitudinal fins circumferentially extending from the inner tube portion. The threaded rod is inserted within the inner tube portion of the insert body and the insert body is longitudinally compressed by threading the pair of threaded nuts on the threaded rod.

Abstract: An apparatus cools electronic circuitry. A housing has surfaces configured to enclose the electronic circuitry and are mountable inside a cavity in a back box. At least one of the surfaces has a vent holes therein facing an exhaust opening in the back box when the housing is mounted inside the cavity. Another surface has a fan hole that faces an intake opening in the back box when the housing is mounted inside the cavity. A cooling fan is mounted onto the another surface and disposed over the fan hole. The cooling fan is configured to draw cooling air through the intake opening in the back box and the fan hole into the housing and over the electronic circuitry. The cooling air then exits the housing through the vent holes and thereafter exits the back box through the exhaust opening.

Abstract: A cable retractor includes a frame having first and second frame ends, opposing frame walls between the frame ends, and a track extending along one of the frame walls. A block slides along the track. A single first pulley is coupled to the block and is rotatable about a first axis that moves together with the block, the first pulley being the sole pulley that is rotatable about the first axis. A spring spool is mounted at the first frame end. A spring has a coiled part wound around the spring spool and has a segment that extends away from the coiled part and is coupled to the block. A single second pulley is disposed at the second frame end and is rotatable about a fixed second axis, the second pulley being the sole pulley that is rotatable about the second axis.

Abstract: Badge data is read by a local workspace access system associated with a local workspace. An organization associated with the badge data is located, and the badge data is transmitted to the organization. A server associated with the organization receives the badge data, locates a member of the organization associated with the badge data, and transmits the workspace configuration associated with the member. A keyable code is transmitted to a messaging service device of the member, and the keyable code and the workspace configuration are transmitted to the local workspace access system. Member input of the keyable code is received by the local workspace access system which verifies that the inputted keyable code matches the keyable code received. In response to the verification, the workspace configuration is requested and received, the local workspace is configured based on the received workspace configuration and is activated for use by the member.

Abstract: A roller shade comprising a shade drive unit having a counterbalancing spring connected to and extending between a stationary spring carrier and a rotating spring carrier over an output mandrel, wherein the output mandrel comprises a length that maintains the spring in a stretched state such that the plurality of coils at the active portion of the spring do not contact each other when the shade material is at the rolled down position to reduce friction in the counterbalancing spring.