Abstract: Various arrangements are presented for allowing a remote expert to assist a customer relationship management (CRM) agent. A CRM system may present details about an accessed customer account and an option to remotely contact an expert, wherein the expert has more access rights to a CRM communication system than the CRM agent. A request to contact the expert and a selection of a subject matter from a plurality of subject matters may be received. The request may be routed to the expert based on expert routing rules enforced by the CRM communication system. A chat communication session with the expert may be initiated. The expert CRM client system may be caused to access the customer account. Details about the accessed customer account and a chat interface to communicate with the CRM agent may be output.

Abstract: Devices, systems and process for authenticating devices are described. For at least one embodiment, a process for authenticating an IoT device with a hub to initiate an authenticated session, includes the operations of establishing an electronic data connection between an IoT device and a hub, sending an initial authentication signal including a cryptologic component and at least two perceptible components, receiving a responsive message secured by a cryptologic component and including a selection of at least one of the at least two perceptible components, determining whether the selection includes the identifying perceptible component, and establishing an authenticated session between the hub and the IoT device, if the result of the determining step is affirmative.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for paywall-enabled streaming content onto social media platforms. The content can be streamed via a third-party social media interface to a user. The systems can perform the process of providing the video content for display via the third-party social media interface to the user on the client device and determining, after a free viewing period has expired, either that the viewer is already authorized to continue watching through an existing paid subscription or that the viewer may choose to continue watching by making an immediate payment for the content through a paywall that is provided and displayed via the third-party social media interface. After confirmation of payment or an existing paid subscription, the system can provide unobstructed display of the video content via the third-party social media interface.

Abstract: Various arrangements are presented for using an estimated timing advance for user equipment communications. A location of an instance of user equipment may be determined. An estimated distance between the user equipment and a communication satellite may be determined using the determined location of the user equipment and an estimated satellite location. An estimated timing offset using the calculated estimated distance may be determined. An uplink data frame may be transmitted by the user equipment to the satellite such that a timing of transmission of the uplink data frame is based on the calculated estimated timing offset.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for routing wires or other inserted members thru walls or other structural elements are described. For at least one embodiment, a device, for forming a channel between two structural elements, includes a first member configured for insertion into a first hole, and a second member configured for insertion into a second hole. The first member may be configured for mating with the second member while the second member is being inserted into the second hole such that a channel is formed by the first member mated with the second member. The channel facilitates routing of an inserted member into and thru the first hole, thru the channel formed by the first member mated with the second member, and thru and out of the second hole.

Abstract: Novel techniques are described for automated physical package delivery with end-to-end package security. For example, a sender can secure contents of a physical package using an electronic lock locked using a lock code. The lock code is encrypted by applying an encryption key to generate an encrypted lock code. The encryption key is generated in accordance with a decryption key associated with the recipient, such that application of the decryption key by the recipient to the encrypted lock code can generate an unlock code to unlock the electronic lock. An intermediary automated package delivery system can provide one or more end-to-end security features, including facilitating key exchange features between the sender and recipient, applying additional sensor tag features, and directing autonomous delivery features.

Abstract: Media content event review systems and methods are operable to present member content reviews of a media content event by presenting a plurality of member avatars in a virtual world, wherein the member avatars present audio commentary about a media content event identified in a user request, and wherein the community members who generated the audio commentary about the media content event have an interpersonal relationship with the requesting user.

Abstract: Technologies disclosed herein are provided for irrigation monitoring and controlling based on water usage monitoring and control using an efficiency model for a defined geographic region. The technology includes receiving a first and a second set of moisture sensor measurements from a set of moisture sensors located in a defined geographic region, and determining an amount of water that is applied to the defined geographic region at a time period between the first and the second set of moisture measurements. An efficiency model representing efficiencies of locations in the defined geographic region is obtained based on the first and second set of moisture measurements and the amount of water applied. Schedule information is generated based on the efficiency model that indicates time periods at which areas in the defined geographic region are to be watered.

Abstract: A software and/or hardware facility that can be used by content owners to assert ownership of content so that copyright friendly websites and services can take action against copyright piracy effectively, efficiently and is scalable is disclosed. The facility makes available to all content owners watermarking/fingerprinting technology so an identifier (e.g., a unique code) can be embedded in the content (e.g., video/audio portion of each video content asset). The facility utilizes blockchain technology to add information related to each unique identifier in a database and allows an authorized user (e.g., the owner) to update the information through a blockchain transaction.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed at mapping and controlling network-enabled IoT devices housed in an environment via a graphical user interface (GUI) of an electronic device. The disclosed features include generating a digital map representing the 3D or the 2D position of the IoT devices in the environment. In some embodiments, the digital map can be overlaid on a layout of a physical floorplan of the environment also showing physical objects in the environment. Different IoT devices in the environment can be controlled via a GUI common to the different IoT devices. Additionally, the GUI can be used to select a group of IoT devices and perform group-wise control of the IoT devices in the group.

Abstract: Various arrangements for remote control battery compartment cover removal systems and methods are presented. A sensor may measure the distance from the sensor to a remote control that is inserted into a housing. An extendable arm may have a compressible impact component, such that when the extendable arm is extended from an unextended position and the remote control is inserted into the housing, the compressible impact component actuates a latching mechanism of the remote control's battery compartment cover.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for adapting content items to device operations of an endpoint media device are disclosed. A first content composite may be created by one or more processing devices for delivery in a packet stream from a content provider system via one or more networks, where the first content composite may include an adaptable content item corresponding to a set of one or more audio and/or video packets corresponding to audio and/or video content. The first content composite may be transmitted, where, consequent to delivery of the first content composite to a first endpoint media device or a second endpoint media device, the first endpoint media device or the second endpoint media device may perform one operation relating to a second content item of the first content composite, where the adaptable content item may be modified based on the second content item.

Abstract: Systems, devices and processes reduce the amount of memory or disk space needed to store encoded video content used in adaptive video streaming by eliminating certain portions of the recorded program from one or more copies of the encoded program. Content occurring before or after a scheduled start of a program, for example, can be retained in only a subset of the encoded copies so that the program content is available to be streamed, but only at certain video qualities. Commercials or other less popular portions may also be eliminated in one or more encoded copies. By eliminating the less-likely-to-be-viewed portions of the content from some (but not all) of the encoded copies, the total amount of storage space needed to store the encoded program is reduced without compromising the ability to play back all portions of the recorded program.

Abstract: Devices, systems and process for authenticating devices are described. For at least one embodiment, a process for authenticating an IoT device with a hub to initiate an authenticated session, includes the operations of establishing an electronic data connection between an IoT device and a hub, sending an initial authentication signal including a cryptologic component and at least two perceptible components, receiving a responsive message secured by a cryptologic component and including a selection of at least one of the at least two perceptible components, determining whether the selection includes the identifying perceptible component, and establishing an authenticated session between the hub and the IoT device, if the result of the determining step is affirmative.

Abstract: Various arrangements for voice-based metadata tagging of video content are presented. A request to add a spoken metadata tag to be linked with a video content instance may be received. A voice clip that includes audio spoken by a user may be received. Speech-to-text conversion of the voice clip to produce a proposed spoken metadata tag may be performed. A metadata integration database to link the spoken metadata tag with the video content instance may be updated.

Abstract: Methods, systems, media devices, and non-transitory, machine-readable media to facilitate asynchronous wireless media transfer are disclosed. A request for video service from a content provider system via a wireless network may be received. A media device may be configured to provide an asynchronous session for subsequent video content transfer. The configuring may utilize a network layer and a transport layer without utilizing a presentation layer and an application layer. Specifications of asynchronous session parameters may be created to define delivery operations with the asynchronous session. An encrypted token, corresponding to the specifications, may be created. Opening of the asynchronous session may be requested by transmitting the encrypted token to the content provider system from the transport layer. At the session layer, the asynchronous session may be started for video content delivery in accordance with the specifications of the asynchronous session parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ball location on a sports field may include a plurality of soil moisture sensors distributed on the sports field, such as on a golf course. Each of the soil moisture sensors has a location on the sports field known to the system, and a ball detector that detects a ball being within proximity to the soil moisture sensor. This may be accomplished via one or more of a magnetometer, vibration detector and motion sensor of the soil moisture sensor. The system may use signals from the soil moisture sensors indicating such information to provide information to one or more players regarding a game score and/or other game play statistics based on the ball being within proximity to one or more particular soil moisture sensors.

Abstract: A media delivery system that provides media content to a user device and a method of using the system. The method may include: downloading or buffering, from a content server, a media unit to a user device; and concurrently outputting a local-automation message or a package delivery message in response to the downloading or buffering.

Abstract: A system for automatically selecting television channels based on wager information can include a set-top box, wager databases having user wager information, broadcast databases having broadcast schedule information, and a controller. The wager information can include an event identifier and a corresponding wager amount. The broadcast schedule can include a channel, a start time, and an end time for each event. The controller can include processors and memory devices having instructions that cause the processors to obtain wager information for the user from the wager databases, match each event identifier and corresponding wager amount to the broadcast schedule, determine a set of live events by comparing a current time with the start time and end time for each event, prioritize the live events based on wager amount, and send an instruction to the set-top box to display the channel corresponding to each live event in order of priority.

Abstract: Systems and processes associated with an augmented film crew.