Abstract: A prospecting software platform relating to employer-sponsored healthcare and pension plans, including functionality that identifies unique prospecting opportunities and generates the contact information of key decisionmakers, enabling an end-to-end prospecting experience. The prospecting platform is configured for third-party administrators and other plan professionals to identify new client leads based on aggregated Form 5500 data, Form 990 data, data from LINKEDIN profiles, and personal contact information. The software platform includes artificial intelligence algorithms for filtering and aggregating data to identify new opportunities.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting data using an autonomous vehicle's LIDAR system. The autonomous vehicle may transmit the data by disengaging the LIDAR system's transmitters and receivers from operating to detect external objects. The autonomous vehicle may also rotate the LIDAR system to locate one of a plurality of receivers external to the autonomous vehicle. Data stored within the autonomous vehicle may then be transmitted to an external system using a light-based communication path established between at least one of the LIDAR system's transmitters and an external receiver. The LIDAR system's transmitters and receivers may then be re-engaged so as to be operable to detect external objects.

Abstract: An article of furniture that facilitates roundtable collaborative audio-video conferencing comprises a pedestal with side walls that support two monitors at each of multiple viewer locations. One set of monitors provides a gallery view of other conference participants, while the other set of monitors is available for shared content. A top portion of the pedestal includes a 360° camera and directional microphones. The camera's field of view may be directed toward the current speaker or alternatively segmented into viewer locations and restitched to create the gallery view. In a second embodiment, the pedestal supports an upper tower to contain the camera, directional microphones, speakers, I/O signal distribution pod, and optionally one set of monitors.

Abstract: An silicon-containing electrode is formed by coating a silicon-containing slurry onto a conductive current collector. The slurry comprises a binder solution comprising a poly(carboxylic acid) binder dissolved in a mixed solvent system comprising an amide solvent of Formula I, as described herein, and a second solvent which can be water and/or an organic solvent. The binder preferably comprises poly(acrylic acid). The mixed solvent system comprises about 10 to about 99 vol % of the amide solvent of Formula I. The binder solution is utilized as a solvent for a slurry of silicon-containing particles for preparing the silicon-containing electrode. The slurries comprising the mixed solvent system have higher viscosity and are more stable than slurries containing the same concentrations of silicon particles, carbon particles, and binder in water as the sole solvent.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a request associated with a user account may be obtained, where the request includes a restriction associated with the user account. Based on the restriction included in the request, a graphic indicium (that encodes the restriction included in the request) may be generated. The graphic indicum may be sent to the client device to facilitate a transaction using the graphic indicium. In some embodiments, information associated with the graphic indicium and a request to authorize the transaction may be obtained, and the restriction may be identified based on the information associated with the graphic indicium. The transaction may be authorized based on a determination that the transaction satisfies the restriction.

Abstract: A computer system is provided, including a first data storage with a first retrieval latency, a second data storage with a second retrieval latency that is higher than the first retrieval latency, and a processor coupled to a memory that stores instructions, which cause the processor to store a series of recovery points of a data collection in the first data storage. For a current recovery point of the series of recovery points, the processor is further configured to compute a difference between an incremental changed block value of one or more prior recovery points and a number of memory blocks inherited from the one or more prior recovery points. The processor generates and outputs a storage transfer recommendation to store a subset of the one or more of the prior recovery points in the second data storage rather than the first data storage, based on the computed difference.

Abstract: The invention is directed to the characterization of an optical channel, such as an optical fiber, in an optical network. The method includes calibrating a transmitter by measuring its transmitter and dispersion eye closure (TDEC, in the case of non-return to zero optical (NRZ) optical systems or transmitter and dispersion eye closure quaternary (TDECQ, in the case of 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) optical systems). That calibrated transmitter is used to characterize the optical channel being tested by providing a measure of its stressed eye closure (SEC) or stressed eye closure quaternary (SECQ). A loss deficit for the optical channel can be calculated by subtracting the SEC or SECQ value from the maximum TDEC or TDECQ value.

Abstract: A system comprises a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to access sensor data of a sensor of a vehicle while an adaptive cruise control feature of the vehicle is active, detect, based on the sensor data, an object located along a path of travel of the vehicle, determine that the object is a moveable object based on a radar return of a radar reflector of the object, and responsive to the determination that the object is the moveable object, adjust, by the adaptive cruise control feature, the speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus (200) for receiving an input video data stream according to an embodiment is provided. The input video data stream has a video encoded thereinto. The apparatus (200) is configured to generate an output video data stream from the input video data stream.

Abstract: A military vehicle includes a chassis, an axle, a suspension system, and a driveline. The chassis includes a passenger capsule, a front module coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, and a rear module coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule. The axle is supported by the rear module. The suspension system is positioned between the rear module and the axle. The suspension system includes a first gas spring, a second gas spring, a first damper, and a second damper. The first damper and the second damper are cross-plumbed to provide a fluid body roll control function. The driveline is configured to drive the axle. The driveline includes a component having a housing that functions as a structural component of the rear module. The first gas spring, the second gas spring, the first damper, and the second damper are directly coupled to the housing.

Abstract: A non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a memory storing computer-readable instructions and a controller. The controller is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to: apply power to a heater to preheat an aerosol-forming substrate; determine whether a preheat monitor timer has exceeded a preheat timer threshold; determine whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a first threshold power level and an applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having not exceeded the preheat timer threshold; and determine whether the aerosol-forming substrate has been previously heated based on a comparison between a second threshold power level and the applied power to the heater in response to the preheat monitor timer having exceeded the preheat timer threshold.

Abstract: A non-combustible aerosol-generating device includes a capsule, a memory and a controller. The capsule includes an aerosol-forming substrate and a heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate. The controller is configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory to cause the non-combustible aerosol-generating device to: apply power to the heater during a preheat interval, record one or more heating characteristic waveforms resulting from application of the power to the heater during at least a portion of the preheat interval, and determine whether the capsule is valid based on one or more of the heating characteristic waveforms.

Abstract: A foldable tree stand to provide a small lightweight collapsible support for which to position a person into the fork of a tree for hunting and other outdoor activities. The foldable tree stand can be lodged into the fork of a tree to provide a sturdy standing platform to a user. When finished using, the tree stand can be folded in half to be easily carried and stored.

Abstract: Methods and systems of similarity searching encrypted data strings are disclosed. An exemplary method can include receiving data strings, obtaining a set of reference strings, determining edit distances between each data string and the reference strings, converting each set of edit distances into a document of tokens. A method may further include encrypting the data strings, associating each of the documents with a corresponding data string, and storing the data strings and the associated documents in a memory. A method may continue by receiving a search request, determining a search set of edit distances between the search request and the reference strings, converting the search set of edit distances into a document, comparing the search document with the documents stored in memory to determine which documents are above a similarity threshold compared to the search document, and returning the data strings associated with documents above the similarity threshold.

Abstract: A system that allows owners of Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to access an NFT via a physical item. The physical item may include authenticating information that enables the system to verify ownership of an NFT that is maintained in a remote database, such as a blockchain ledger. The item thus enables the owner to quickly and securely access the digital asset associated with the NFT via a reader, such as a smart phone or other computing device. The system provides a method for binding an NFT to the physical item, and a corresponding method for accessing the NFT and the related digital asset later using the physical item.

Abstract: Reinforced floor components of prefabricated bathroom pods. The floor components are reinforced and integrated into bathroom pods or other building units in such a manner as to add significant strength to the bathroom pods to resist bending, twisting and sagging, and/or to aid in lifting and supporting the weight of the bathroom pods, and thereby add to the structural integrity of the prefabricated bathroom pods to which they are attached.

Abstract: This disclosure relates encoding and decoding of motion vector difference in for inter-predicting a video block. An example is disclosed for decoding an inter-predicted video block of a video stream. The method includes receiving a coded video bitstream; extracting, from the coded video bitstream, an inter-predication mode and a joint delta motion vector (MV) for a current block in a current frame; extracting, from the coded video bitstream, a flag indicating whether a first delta MV for a first reference frame and a second delta MV for a second reference frame are jointly signaled; in response to the flag indicating that the first delta MV and the second delta MV are jointly signaled, deriving the first delta MV and the second delta MV based on the joint delta MV; and decoding the current block in the current frame based on the first delta MV and the second delta MV.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for rapid switching between an Augmented Reality engagement interface and an orbital motion engagement interface operating via mobile device application. The application may be used to remotely control remote vehicle parking assist functions of a semi-autonomous vehicle. The HMI quick switch system may present two or more user interfaces as alternative options that may allow the user to command a vehicle to perform remote parking assist functions using a securely connected (tethered) mobile device connecting to the vehicle and providing indication of active user engagement with the remote parking assist operations. The HMI quick switch system evaluates user engagement using a complex gesture and video input using the mobile device sensors. By providing an intuitive fast switching interface, a user may provide greater attention to the vehicle and task at hand without undue focus on complex interface actions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for data storage redeployment. For example, a controller of a data storage array can implement a process to determine when, or if, to redeploy a data storage device from a first data storage usage or tier having a first performance requirement to a second data storage usage or tier having a second performance requirement. In some embodiments, the first data storage tier performance requirement is for hot-data storage, and the second data storage tier performance requirement is for cold-data storage. Various criterion (e.g., a data storage device performance metric) threshold, such as a workload (e.g., LBAs written, LBAs read, or both) of the data storage device or bit error rate (BER), may be utilized in a redeployment determination.

Abstract: Embodiments include a modular video recording system. The system includes a first module for supporting a primary input to be recorded. The system may include combinations of modules for supporting different combinations of recording inputs from video and audio sources for recording the received inputs in different combinations.