Abstract: A clock comprises an alarm clock housing having a front face, a clock display occupying at least a portion of the front face, a control on the housing for activating a shade positioning function, and a processor within the housing. The processor is responsive to the control for generating at least one shade positioning command to be transmitted to at least one motorized window shade, so as to cause the motorized window shade to move to one or more position at one or more corresponding predetermined interval relative to an alarm time.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide devices and methods for directing portions of signals to reduce power consumption. A wearable device may comprise N antennas configured to wirelessly receive and/or transmit incoming and/or outgoing signals. The N antennas may be spatially disposed on the device to enable at least one of the N antennas to be clear from blockage by a body part of a user when the device is maintained or worn against the body part, wherein N is an integer value greater than or equal to 2. The wearable device may comprise N receive chains coupled to the N antennas via transmit-receive couplers, the N receive chains configured to process the incoming signals. The wearable device may comprise a transmit chain configured to generate the outgoing signals. The wearable device may comprise a RF controller circuitry configured to direct portions of the generated outgoing signals via the transmit-receive couplers to the N antennas.

Abstract: An x-ray tomography system which can generate a qualitative 3D image of a region of interest using a an x-ray source, the x-ray source configured to emit x-ray radiation at the region of interest. The x-ray radiation or the x-ray source or the relative position of the x ray source configured to be moved in a two dimensional plane. An x-ray detector including a plurality of detector elements arranged in a two dimensional plane opposite the x-ray source, the x-ray detector configured to detect x-ray radiation after attenuation by the subject and provide an indication of the detected x-rays. And a processor configured to receive the indication of the detected x-rays and resolve the detected x-ray radiation into a three dimensional image. The three dimensional image is qualitative in nature.

Abstract: Systems and methods for split rendering of Network Based Media Processing (NBMP) are provided. A method includes deriving a network based media processing (NBMP) workflow, and assigning a plurality of workflow tasks of the NBMP workflow among a media sink, a media source, and at least one cloud element, network element, or edge element. A first subset of the plurality of the workflow tasks are assigned to the media source, a second subset of the plurality of the workflow tasks are assigned to the media sink, and a third subset of the plurality of the workflow tasks are assigned to the at least one cloud element, network element, or edge element. The first subset, the second subset, and the third subset do not overlap with each other.

Abstract: A system for computed tomography inspection can include a stage, a stationary radiation source, a stationary radiation detector, and a controller. The stage can secure a target thereon and rotate about a rotation axis. The radiation source can emit a beam of penetrating radiation from a focal point that is directed upon a portion of the target. The radiation detector can include a sensing face configured to acquire measurements of radiation beam intensity incident thereon as a function of position. The controller can command the stage to translate from a first position to a second position in a direction transverse to a central axis of the radiation beam. A magnification of the target at the first and second positions can be approximately equal. The stage does not translate transverse to the central axis of the radiation beam during measurement of the radiation beam intensity by the detector.

Abstract: An exemplary handle assembly including a handle and a coupling mechanism. The handle includes a shank and a manually graspable portion extending from the shank. The coupling mechanism includes a coupling member and a cam sleeve. The coupling member is mounted to the shank for movement between a coupling position and a decoupling position. The cam sleeve is movably mounted to the shank and covers the coupling member. A radially-inner portion of the cam sleeve includes a cam surface operable to engage the coupling member. The cam surface is configured to drive the coupling member from the decoupling position to the coupling position as the cam sleeve is displaced from a home position to a displaced position.

Abstract: A method is provided for differentiating one of a plurality of unpowered NFC transmitting devices for NFC communication with a receiving device. Each NFC transmitting device has a transmitter NFC interface and an NFC communication range. A range extending device has a power source, a transmitter communication interface, a range extender antenna, and an amplifier. One of the transmitting devices is selected and the range extending device is connected to it so that the transmitter communication interface engages the transmitter NFC interface of the selected transmitting device. This action serves to establish an extended communication range for the selected NFC transmitting device. The NFC transmitting devices are then positioned at a distance from the receiving device that is within the extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the other NFC transmitting devices. NFC communication is then established between the selected NFC transmitting device and the receiving device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic consideration of jurisdiction in loan related actions are disclosed. An example system may include a data collection circuit to determine location information corresponding to each entity involved in a loan; a jurisdiction definition circuit to determine a jurisdiction for at least one of the entities in response to the location information; and a smart contract circuit to automatically undertake a loan-related action for the loan based at least in part on the jurisdiction for at least one of the entities.

Abstract: Method of handling proppant at a well site using a plurality of modular proppant containers in which first and second modular proppant container in a filled state are removed from delivery transport vehicles and transferred to first and second cradle positions on a support structure using one or more heavy-duty handlers. Proppant is discharged by gravity feed from the outlet of the first and second modular proppant containers and directed to a hopper until the modular proppant containers are in an empty state.

Abstract: A computer is programmed to determine a localization of a first vehicle, including location coordinates and an orientation of the first vehicle, based on first vehicle sensor data, and to wirelessly receive localizations of respective second vehicles, wherein a first vehicle field of view at least partially overlaps respective fields of view of each of the second vehicles. The computer is programmed to determine pair-wise localizations for respective pairs of the first vehicle and one of the second vehicles, wherein each of the pair-wise localizations defines a localization of the first vehicle relative to a global coordinate system based on a (a) relative localization of the first vehicle with reference to the respective second vehicle and (b) a second vehicle localization relative to the global coordinate system, and to determine an adjusted localization for the first vehicle that has a minimized sum of distances to the pair-wise localizations.

Abstract: A battery provided with at least one battery cell electrically coupled to a battery management circuitry, a power regulation and supply circuitry, a USB-C port controller, an E-marker integrated circuit and a USB interface. The E-marker integrated circuit provided in-line along a CC conductor between the USB-C port controller and the USB interface. The USB-C port controller is configured to enable the E-marker integrated circuit upon reception of a vendor defined message via the USB interface which enables a high power delivery mode between the battery and a device without the presence of a separate interconnecting E-marker cable there between.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a conduit coupled to a suction header that is configured to receive a refrigerant and an oil separator that is configured to separate an oil from the refrigerant received from a compressor. During a first mode of operation, the conduit is configured to remove excess oil from the refrigerant that has collected at the suction header. During a second mode of operation, the oil separator is configured to direct to the conduit the oil separated from the refrigerant received from the compressor. The conduit is configured to direct to an oil reservoir the oil from the oil separator and the excess oil removed from the refrigerant.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an initial input in a first modality from a first user from a client system associated with the first user, determining one or more intents corresponding to the initial input by an intent-understanding module, generating one or more candidate continuation-inputs based on the one or more intents, where the one or more candidate continuation-inputs are in one or more candidate modalities, respectively, and wherein the candidate modalities are different from the first modality, and sending instructions for presenting one or more suggested inputs corresponding to one or more of the candidate continuation-inputs to the client system.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a mannequin to emulate a human body part. The mannequin includes a core that emulates flexibility of a substantially inflexible skeletal portion of the body part, and a pliant covering. The pliant covering includes a pliant three-dimensional surface that emulates contours of an epidermis of the body part, and at least one pliant three-dimensional interior portion to emulate resiliency of a pliant portion of the body part. At least one pressure sensor is arranged between the three-dimensional surface and the core to sense pressure applied against the pliant three-dimensional surface.

Abstract: A vehicle HVAC system includes a component within a refrigerant system in a vehicle HVAC system, a vibration sensor that generates a vibration signal indicating a vibration of the component, and a controller in communication with the vibration sensor to receive the vibration signal and the refrigerant system. The controller is configured to determine whether the vibration signal corresponds to a predetermined vibration value and for adjusting the operation of the refrigerant system to minimize the system noise if the vibration signal corresponds to the predetermined vibration value.

Abstract: Improved methods for retrieval of content from CDNs is provided that includes a rendezvous controller that receives information of an identification of content being requested and an estimated location of a content requesting device. Based on this information, the rendezvous system identifies a server within a CDN from which the requested content may be retrieved. The selected server may be based on a repeatable hash function such that the likelihood that the content being requested is cached at the selected server. Steering requests to a server of the CDN which may have the content cached may reduce the number of servers within the CDN with the same cached content, particularly for the highest requested content. The rendezvous system may then return a corresponding domain name associated with the selected server and that can be subsequently submitted to a DNS for resolution to the IP address of the identified server.

Abstract: Computerized systems are provided for detecting or receiving a sharing gesture in a communication group and responsively instantiating or updating one or more computer objects that include rich contextual data associated with the sharing gesture. These computer objects can be instantiated or updated based on one or more rules or policies. These computer objects or associated indications can be surfaced back to a user to give the user context regarding the shared resource. It can be determined whether a user has access to (or permission to access) such a computer object and/or an associated computer resource for presentation to the user.

Abstract: A combination boiler provides heated water to a boiler loop and domestic hot water (DHW) to a domestic water loop. The combination boiler includes a primary heat exchanger (PHE) connected to the boiler loop and a burner to provide heat to the primary heat exchanger. A secondary heat exchanger (SHE) transfers heat energy from the boiler loop to the domestic water loop. A controller monitors a PHE inlet temperature and a DHW output temperature, obtains a pre-heat initialization temperature threshold and a pre-heat cancellation temperature threshold, and detects a low temperature condition. A pre-heat operation is initiated responsive to the low temperature condition by circulating heated water from the PHE to the SHE. The burner is selectively fired at least in part according to an outlet temperature of the PHE.