Abstract: An automated sliding panel mechanism is disclosed. An automated sliding panel mechanism includes a motor attached to a first component of a sliding panel that is configured to move the sliding panel between a closed position and an open position. The mechanism also includes a power source and a rack attached to a second component of the sliding panel and including a base with rack teeth extending from a plane thereof. A gear is rotated by the motor and has gear teeth shaped to mesh with the rack teeth. A manual release mechanism is adapted to move the gear along its axis of rotation, from an engaged position, wherein the gear teeth mesh with the rack teeth to a released position, wherein the gear teeth are disengaged from the rack teeth. The manual release mechanism also includes a holding mechanism adapted to hold the gear in the engaged position and in the released position as selected by a user.

Abstract: An automatic smoke/carbon monoxide evacuation system for a building having at least one existing ventilation fan and at least one ventilation passageway to outside the building is provided. The system includes a microprocessor and a smoke/carbon monoxide sensor coupled to the microprocessor and configured to detect presence of smoke/carbon monoxide and send a trigger signal to the microprocessor in response to detecting smoke/carbon monoxide. A power switch is coupled to the existing ventilation fan and is configured to automatically connect the existing ventilation fan to a power source in response to the trigger signal, so that the ventilation fan rotates at a high speed to ventilate the detected smoke/carbon monoxide via the existing ventilation passageway. An alarm device is further communicably coupled to the microprocessor and is configured to issue an alarm in response to the trigger signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting vehicle noises to notify the vehicle operator of speed changes in human-in-the-loop cruise control and semi-autonomous vehicle operation. In one example, a method for drive unit of a vehicle may include responsive to a vehicle speed meeting a predefined condition relative to a threshold vehicle speed, adjusting one or more drive unit actuators to modulate engine noise while maintaining desired wheel torque within a threshold.

Abstract: A suggestion method for aftermarket brokered wagers includes selecting a subscriber to an aftermarket brokered wager computing system and determining at least one profile characteristic for the subscriber. Thereafter, a set of available wagers owned by other subscribers are filtered according to the determined profile characteristic to produce a recommended wager owned by a specific one of the other subscribers. Consequently, a message is pushed to a mobile device of the selected subscriber recommending a fractional purchase of the recommended wager at odds established at a time of acquisition of the recommended wager irrespective of contemporaneous odds for the recommended wager. In response to the acceptance of the recommended fractional purchase by the selected subscriber, a registry entry is then written in the brokered wager computing system denoting a fractional ownership of the recommended wager by the selected subscriber along with the specific one of the other subscribers.

Abstract: Provisioning a cloud based high performance computing cluster. The method includes from a cloud based provisioning service deployed in a cloud based computing provider, providing a user interface. The method further includes receiving user input at the cloud based provisioning service from the user interface. The method further includes from the user input, determining a configuration for a cloud based user service for the user. Using the cloud based provisioning service, the method further includes provisioning the cloud based user service for the user, in the cloud, based on the determined configuration.

Abstract: A method of alerting a user to information includes receiving a notification while a portable electronic device is in communication with a second electronic device, queuing the notification, terminating the communication between the portable electronic device and the second electronic device, and playing an audible alert of the notification after terminating the communication.

Abstract: A reinforcement cap for use with pedicle screws and rod receptacles (“tulips”) in spinal support systems. The unitary reinforcement cap engages both the internal and the external surfaces of the wall segments of the rod receptacle. In some embodiments, both the internal and the external surfaces are threadably engaged. By doubling the number of threads that are engaged, additional strength and structural integrity are realized over conventional set screw arrangements. Also, because of the unitary construction, wherein an internal set screw portion and an external skirt portion are integral to the reinforcement cap, lateral movement between the set screw portion and the skirt portion is limited. In some embodiments, the threads are of a canted cantilever construction, wherein the interfaces of threadably engaged components are tailored to generate reaction force vectors that mitigate slippage at the threaded interfaces.

Abstract: A lighting control system for controlling a cumulative light emitted by a lighting fixture may comprise a light-emitting diode (LED) driver comprising an output for conducting an output current, and a control module electrically coupled to the output of the LED driver for receiving the output current. The LED driver may regulate the magnitude of the output current towards a target current, and may be characterized by a low-end intensity. The control module may be coupled to a first LED light source of the LED light sources. The control module may receive a command including a requested intensity and control the magnitude of a first LED current through the first LED light source. The control module may control the cumulative light output of the lighting fixture below the low-end intensity of the LED driver by diverting a portion of the output current away from the first LED light source.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing semantic segmentation of three-dimensional data are provided. In one example embodiment, a computing system can be configured to obtain sensor data including three-dimensional data associated with an environment. The three-dimensional data can include a plurality of points and can be associated with one or more times. The computing system can be configured to determine data indicative of a two-dimensional voxel representation associated with the environment based at least in part on the three-dimensional data. The computing system can be configured to determine a classification for each point of the plurality of points within the three-dimensional data based at least in part on the two-dimensional voxel representation associated with the environment and a machine-learned semantic segmentation model. The computing system can be configured to initiate one or more actions based at least in part on the per-point classifications.

Abstract: A memory device is provided including physical block circuitry including a first lateral network arrangement and a second lateral network arrangement. Each of the first and second lateral network arrangements includes a single generator configured to output both a sense amplifier voltage VHSA and a data latch voltage VDDSA, in each of a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, during which read and program verify and other operations may occur, the generator receives VHSA as a feedback signal and in the second mode, during which programming, POR, and EVFY operations may occur, the generator receives VDDSA as a feedback signal.

Abstract: An antenna array includes an antenna assembly. The antenna assembly includes a plurality of elements. The antenna assembly is configured to measure a reference combined parameter of a reference element of the plurality of elements, measure a first combined parameter of the reference element and a first neighbor element of the plurality of elements and being adjacent or diagonal with respect to the reference element, calculate a differential parameter according to the first combined parameter and the reference combined parameter, and adjust a parameter of the first neighbor element according to the differential parameter. The parameter of first neighbor element is a phase or a amplitude of first neighbor element. The first combined parameter includes a coupling contribution of the first neighbor element and the reference element, and contributions from a path of the first element and a path of the reference element.

Abstract: A push-to-connect electrical conduit fitting and assembly facilitates the connection of multiple types of metallic conduit regardless of connection type and finish. In various embodiments, an axially internal portion of the fitting has an interior surface that tapers from a narrower radius to a wider radius as it extends axially outwardly from a tube stop element. A packing arrangement including a sealing member, fastening ring and release pusher are maintained within axially intermediate and/or outer portions of the fitting to facilitate retention of inserted conduits.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a grill system is provided with a grill assembly and a first side assembly. The grill assembly can include a grill cart and a burner box coupled to a top portion of the grill cart. The first side assembly can include a first side cart, first panel, and a second panel. The grill assembly is coupled to the first side assembly such that the first side of the grill assembly is adjacent to the first side of the first side cart, and the front side of the grill cart faces in the same direction as the front side of the first side cart. The first panel and the second panel are each configured to be coupled to the second side of the grill cart or the second side of the first side cart. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: Delegated administration of permissions using a contactless card. In one example, a permissions module may receive a request from a first account to grant a second account access to a computing resource. The permissions module may receive permissions data of the first account from a contactless card and encrypted data generated by the contactless card. The permissions module may transmit the permissions data and the encrypted data to an authentication server, which may verify the encrypted data based at least in part on the private key, and determine, based on the permissions data, that the first account has permissions to grant access to the computing resource. The permissions module may receive, from the authentication server, an indication of the verification of the encrypted data and a permissions vector associated with the second account, the permissions vector reflecting the grant of access to the computing resource to the second account.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of operating a computing device may comprise accepting, by the computing device, funds from a player and enabling the player to play a wager-based game using the accepted funds. The wager-based game may be configured to present a plurality of in-game assets for player interaction during the game, at least some of the plurality of in-game assets being configured as wagering opportunities, such that player interactions therewith generates wagers. Player interactions with the wagering opportunities may be received and wagers generated upon receiving player interactions with the wagering opportunities. During game play of the wager-based game, a conditional prize may be presented to the player, an award of which being predicated upon receiving future player interactions indicative of the player having caused a predetermined in-game action or in-game result to have occurred.

Abstract: A media presentation device determines a voice command associated with media content presented by the media presentation device. The media presentation device then listens for and detects utterance of the determined voice command during presentation of the media content, and the media presentation device responds to the detected utterance by performing an action that facilitates user purchase of the good or service associated with the media content segment.

Abstract: A speaker system broadly comprises a plurality of speaker assemblies each including a speaker housing, an input circuit, a low range speaker, and a higher-range speaker. The input circuit receives audio signals from a sound system or other controller and actively or passively sends the audio signals to the speakers. The low-range speaker is positioned in the upper section and the higher-range speaker is positioned in the lower section. Each speaker assembly is configured to be spaced from the other speaker assemblies within a listening area with each speaker assembly generating low frequency soundwaves and higher-frequency soundwaves. This reduces or eliminates out-of-phase crossover frequency wave cancellation effects within the listening area. The speaker housings are compact while allowing the low-range speaker and higher-range speaker to effectively produce and project desired soundwaves from the suspended speaker housing into the listening area.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus of controlling a network node. The method comprises: providing a virtual PDU by using a computing device; and causing the virtual PDU to control power supply of the network node coupled to the virtual PDU according to a type of the network node. By means of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not only physical nodes can be controlled, but also virtual nodes can be controlled.

Abstract: The present application provides a pre-signal amplifier, supply power conditioning apparatus, a wireless communication device and a method for providing selective pre-signal amplifier, supply power conditioning. A selective voltage supply boost stage is included, which has an input coupled to a voltage supply source for receiving a voltage supply, and an output for producing a selectively boosted voltage supply source. A voltage boost circuit is further included having a voltage boost control input coupled to a modem for controlling when the selectively boosted voltage supply source produced at the output is boosted. When the voltage boost control input identifies at least one of one or more modes in which the modem is currently operating, that a boost to the received voltage supply is desired, the resulting selectively boosted voltage supply source produced at the output is boosted.

Abstract: Described here are devices, systems and methods for closing the left atrial appendage. Some of the methods described here utilize one or more guide members having alignment members to aid in positioning of a closure device. In general, these methods include advancing a first guide having a first alignment member into the left atrial appendage, advancing a second guide, having a second alignment member, into the pericardial space, aligning the first and second alignment members, advancing a left atrial appendage closure device into the pericardial space and adjacent to the left atrial appendage, and closing the left atrial appendage with the closure device. In these variations, the closure device typically has an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a closure element at least partially housed within the elongate body. The closure element comprises a loop defining a continuous aperture therethrough.