Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to an apparatus and method of packaging one or more articles. The device being adapted to applying a plurality of top-engaging carriers to a plurality of groups of articles simultaneously. The device comprises a metering base for facilitating arranging a plurality of articles into groups of articles and an applicator for pressing top-engaging carriers onto groups of articles. The metering base comprises a spacer structure for maintaining a predetermined space between each group of articles and at least a next adjacent group of articles; and a first aligning feature. The applicator comprises an applicator plate having a plurality of receiving cavities each for receiving a top of an article and a second aligning feature for engaging the first aligning feature for sliding movement with each other.

Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to a media access controller (MAC) of a mobile satellite terminal that may autonomously determine whether or not wake up a software processor of the mobile satellite terminal depending on information contained in a packet received from a user device. The MAC may receive a frame contained in a packet transmitted by a user device to the mobile satellite terminal; automatically determine whether to accept or drop the frame by applying one or more programmed filters to the frame; if the frame is accepted: store the frame in the memory, and cause a power controller to power on the software processor to process the stored frame; and if the frame is not accepted: drop the frame without causing the power controller to power on the software processor.

Abstract: A device that includes pier caps. Each pier cap is configured to couple to a pole that is at least partially embedded below a surface of a ground. The device further includes threaded rods coupled with the pier caps. The device further includes an assembly frame that includes a base plate and coupling arms. The base plate includes a first plurality of openings that are configured to interface with a structure that is installed onto the base plate. The first plurality of openings are configured to allow a position of the structure to be adjusted radially about the base plate. Each coupling arm includes a second plurality of openings that are configured to allow a position of the assembly frame to be adjusted along a horizontal plane. Each coupling arm is coupled to a threaded rod and a position for each coupling arm is adjustable vertically along the threaded rod.

Abstract: A foundation support system and method of installing the foundation support system. The foundation support system includes a pier system for providing support beneath a foundation, a support member, and a heave plate attachable to a bottom surface of the foundation. The method includes driving a pier system using a ram, coupling a support member to the heave plate, and engaging the support member with the pier system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for dynamically separating Internet of Things (IoT) devices in a network are provided. In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a method for dynamically separating IoT devices in a network is provided, the method comprising: detecting a first IoT device in the network; monitoring network communication of the first IoT device; determining device information of the first IoT device based on the monitored network communication; and causing the first IoT device to communicate on a first subnet of a plurality of subnets in the network based on the device information.

Abstract: An airflow inhibitor apparatus for use in the mouth has an airflow inhibitor body and a tongue shelf. The tongue shelf positions the forward part of the tongue upward, improving the oral posture of the wearer and promoting proper nasal breathing. The airflow inhibitor body helps block the user from mouth breathing. The body is adjacent to the lips and the teeth when in the mouth. The tongue shelf extends laterally from the body. A bite pad may be shaped to fit the teeth of the wearer, having been made with reference to a custom mold or the like, or may have a combination of protrusions that permit the teeth to grip the pad. In an alternative configuration, the body has thinned wall sections that facilitate trimming of the airflow inhibitor apparatus with scissors or the like.

Abstract: A method for converting municipal solid waste to a stable solid fill-material (backfill) in the form of a multiplicity of compacted pieces, the method including mechanically reducing solid-waste piece size to form a solid-waste stream, heating the solid-waste stream and thereby killing bacteria in such stream, adding an antimicrobial agent to the solid-waste stream, and pelletizing the solid-waste stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aluminum hybrid metal matrix composite including cerium and graphite. The aluminum-cerium intermetallic is stable at temperatures up to a melting point of aluminum and graphite provides in situ lubrication. This stability is advantageous in applications such as cylinder liners and other applications where strength and stiffness at elevated temperatures are required.

Abstract: A knife assembly includes a handle having a first and second handle portion each extending in spaced relationship with one another between a first and second knife end to define a working gap. A knife blade is pivotably secured to the second knife end and pivotable between a closed and engaged position. A switch button is interconnected to the handle for releasing the knife blade from the closed or engaged positions. A spacer is disposed within the working gap and extends between the first and second handle portions. A vial of tritium is housed within the switch button for allowing tritium produced by the tritium vial to be viewable by a user of the knife assembly.

Abstract: A first vehicle includes a wireless transceiver; and a processor programmed to responsive to encountering a second vehicle, establish a wireless connection to the second vehicle via the wireless transceiver and obtain a vehicle identification of the second vehicle, identify a software update for a controller of the second vehicle using the vehicle identification, wherein the software update is incompatible with the vehicle, responsive to connecting to a predefined wireless network, download the software update into a local storage, and responsive to reencountering the second vehicle, reconnect to the second vehicle via the wireless transceiver and transmit the software update to the second vehicle.

Abstract: A kit for manufacturing a shower, comprising a shower pan, one or more pre-sized and shaped floor covering panels, one or more pre-sized and shaped wall covering panels, and, in some of the embodiments, one or more pre-sized and shaped curb covering panels. The invention is also directed to a method for manufacturing a shower by the steps of: (i) installing a shower pan, (ii) installing one or more pre-sized and shaped floor covering panels, (iii) installing one or more pre-sized and shaped wall covering panels, and, in some of the embodiments, (iv) installing one or more pre-sized and shaped curb covering panels. The invention is also directed to a manufactured shower, comprising: a shower pan, one or more pre-sized and shaped floor covering panels, one or more pre-sized and shaped wall covering panels, and, in some embodiments, one or more pre-sized and shaped curb covering panels.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention provide a method of preparing a modified distilled alcoholic spirit, comprising contacting a corresponding starting distilled alcoholic spirit with a base under conditions that cause at least one free carbonyl compound in the starting distilled alcoholic spirit to be reduced, to provide the modified distilled alcoholic spirit that has at an alcohol by volume (ABV) of at least 15%. Certain embodiments also provide a modified distilled alcoholic spirit prepared by the methods described herein.

Abstract: A TEM sample holder enables simultaneous cooling and RF irradiation of a sample. The sample is suspended in a hole that penetrates through a sample stage formed by a dielectric plate having a lower metallic ground layer and an upper metallic lead. The sample stage is supported by an evacuated hollow tube extending from a cryogenic chamber, such as a liquid nitrogen or helium Dewar. A coaxial conductor extends from an ambient connector through the cryogenic chamber and hollow tube to the sample stage, a center conductor and surrounding metallic shield thereof being in thermal and electrical communication with the metallic lead and metallic ground layer respectively of the sample stage, and the metallic shield being is in direct thermal communication with the cryogenic chamber. The coaxial conductor thereby enables simultaneous cooling and RF irradiation of the sample during TEM measurements. Embodiments include a temperature sensor and heater.

Abstract: Copies of a distributed ledger with multiple blocks are stored on multiple computing devices. A first computing device coming into proximity with a particular object triggers generation of a new block to the distributed ledger, the new block identifying a characteristic of the object and including a hash of a previous block of the distributed ledger. The new block is optionally verified before it is appended onto the distributed ledger and transmitted out to each of the multiple computing devices so that each copy of the distributed ledger includes the new block.

Abstract: A method is provided. The method includes receiving information about user data and user behavior relating to a user, where the information is derived at least in part from a human resources database. The method includes applying analytics to the received information. The method includes, as a result of applying analytics to the received information, generating a threat score for the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods data structures queries to manage loading time of multimedia content are provided. A system receives an input audio signal from a computing device and identifies a request. The system identifies a quantized day value and a quantized time value. The system retrieves, via a lookup in a multi-dimensional matrix data structure with the quantized day value and quantized time value, signals for the quantized day value and the quantized time value. The system generates a query with the signals, and applies the query to a multimedia content data structure to identify a plurality of multimedia content items that match the plurality of signals. The system provides an indication of the plurality of multimedia content items that match the signals for the quantized day value and the quantized time value retrieved from the multi-dimensional matrix data structure.