Abstract: A sensor system includes a camera including a lens, a casing extending around the lens, at least three heating elements embedded in the casing and arranged circumferentially around the lens, and a computer communicatively coupled to the camera and to the heating elements. The computer is programmed to, upon detecting ice at a location on the lens, select a first subset of the heating elements based on the location of the ice; activate the first subset of the heating elements to a first heating level; determine a second heating level based on an ambient temperature and a lens temperature; and activate a second subset of the heating elements to the second heating level, the second subset including the heating elements not in the first subset.

Abstract: A decoder includes circuitry configured to receive a bitstream, determine whether a merge mode is enabled for a block, construct a merge candidate list including adding a non-adjacent diagonal spatial candidate to the merge candidate list, and reconstruct pixel data of the block and using the merge candidate list. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Abstract: A capsule for a heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating device may include a housing and a heater within the housing. The housing has interior surfaces defining a chamber configured to hold an aerosol-forming substrate. In addition, the housing has exterior surfaces constituting a first face, an opposing second face, and a side face of the capsule. The first face and the second face of the capsule are permeable to an aerosol. The heater has a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section. The first end section and the second end section of the heater may be external segments constituting parts of the side face of the capsule. The intermediate section of the heater is an internal segment disposed within the chamber of the housing.

Abstract: Methods of improving the pharmacokinetics of doxepin in a patient.

Abstract: A manufactured interior wall finish system and a manufactured ceiling finish system are described.

Abstract: A methods and system to operate hydraulic fracturing units may include utilizing hydraulic fracturing unit profiles. The system may include hydraulic fracturing units may include various components. The components may include an engine and associated local controller and sensors, a transmission connected to the engine, transmission sensors, and a pump connected to the transmission and powered by the engine via the transmission and associated local controller and sensors. A supervisory controller may control the hydraulic fracturing units. The supervisory controller may be in communication with components of each hydraulic fracturing unit. The supervisory controller may include instructions to, for each hydraulic fracturing units, obtain hydraulic fracturing unit parameters, determine a hydraulic fracturing unit health assessment, and build a hydraulic unit profile including the health assessment and parameters.

Abstract: A method for estimating human body temperature includes receiving, via a thermal camera, one or more thermal images captured of a real-world environment, the one or more thermal images including thermal intensity values for each of a plurality of pixels. Positions of a plurality of human faces are identified in the one or more thermal images. A distribution of thermal intensity values of the plurality of human faces is determined. A position of a test human face of a test human subject is identified within a subsequent thermal image. One or more test thermal intensity values of one or more pixels corresponding to the test human face are identified. An indication of a body temperature of the test human subject is reported based on a comparison of the one or more test thermal intensity values and the distribution of thermal intensity values of the plurality of human faces.

Abstract: A method for estimating human body temperature includes receiving, via a thermal camera, a thermal image captured of a real-world environment, the thermal image including thermal intensity values for each of a plurality of pixels of the thermal image. A position of a human face is identified within the thermal image, the human face corresponding to a human subject. An indication of a distance between the human subject and the thermal camera is received. Based on the distance, a distance correction factor is applied to one or more thermal intensity values of one or more pixels corresponding to the human face to give one or more distance-corrected thermal intensity values. Based on the one or more distance-corrected thermal intensity values an indication of a body temperature of the human subject is reported.

Abstract: A method and system for providing tone detection and modification for a content segment may include receiving a request to detect a tone for the content segment, inputting the content segment into a first machine-learning (ML) model to detect the tone for the content segment, obtaining the detected tone as a first output from the first ML model, inputting the content segment into a second ML model for modifying the tone from the detected tone to a modified tone, obtaining at least one rephrased content segment as a second output from the second ML model, the rephrased content segment modifying the tone of the content segment from the detected tone to the modified tone, and providing at least one of the detected tone or the at least one rephrased content segment for display to a user.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for managing transaction disputes. Techniques include accessing a transaction pattern model associated with a user account; detecting deviation of a transaction from the transaction pattern model; transmitting, based on the detected deviation, transaction data to a user device; receiving an input at the user device in response to the transmitted data; generating, based on the received input, dispute data; storing the dispute data; monitoring data extracts associated with the user account; detecting, based on the monitoring, a data extract indicating a posted state of a transaction associated with the dispute data; and updating the dispute data based on the data extract indicating the posted state.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for machine learning algorithms that dynamically allocate traffic to contact strategies that are performing well, while allocating less traffic to contact strategies that are underperforming. In particular, the methods and systems discussed are for the use of a contextual multi-armed bandit framework for applications that have both immediate results and long-term results, in which immediate results are correlated with the long-term results (e.g., results related to debt collection strategies).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for video decoding are disclosed. The apparatus decodes prediction information of a current block from a coded video bitstream. The prediction information indicates an intra block copy mode. The current block is one of a plurality of coding blocks in a current region of a current coding tree block (CTB) in a current picture. The apparatus determines whether the current block is to be reconstructed first in the current region. When the current block is to be reconstructed first in the current region, the apparatus determines a block vector for the current block where a reference block indicated by the block vector is in a search range in the current picture that excludes a collocated region in a previously reconstructed CTB. A position of the collocated region in the previously reconstructed CTB has a same relative position as the current region in the current CTB.

Abstract: A filter is disclosed. The filter includes a vessel having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a media bed including a plurality of media layers, an uppermost media layer of the media bed including substantially uniform and spherical glass micromedia, the plurality of media layers increasing in density from the uppermost media layer to a lowermost media layer and an air distributor configured to direct a volume of air through the plurality of media layers. A system for treating water is also disclosed. The system includes a source of water to be treated, a filter vessel as described herein, and a treated water outlet fluidically connected to a filter vessel outlet. A method of retrofitting a filter vessel as described herein is also disclosed. The method includes removing the uppermost media layer from the media bed and installing a media comprising substantially uniform and spherical glass bead micromedia into the media bed as the uppermost media layer.

Abstract: A healthcare financial payment system and method are disclosed in which a debit card which may be used by a cardholder to pay for medical products and services is linked with a healthcare-related financial account associated with the cardholder as well as with a non-healthcare-related financial account belonging to the cardholder. The healthcare-related financial account associated with the cardholder may be a Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), a Health Savings Account (HSA), or a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), and the non-healthcare-related financial account associated with the cardholder may be a bank checking or savings account or a credit card.

Abstract: A remotely controlled cutting tool for safely cutting electrified cables using a remote control and a method of setting up and operating the remotely controlled cutting tool and remote control.

Abstract: A brake pad retraction spring that includes a coil, first and second biasing arms, and first and second biasing tips. The first and second biasing arms may extend from the center coil. The first and second biasing tips may extend from ends of the first and second biasing arms, respectively.

Abstract: A dynamic platform in a map application allows users to discover various types of goods at a selected geographic region. A method for utilizing the dynamic platform includes providing, by one or more processors, a map for display on a computing device. The method includes receiving, by the one or more processors, a request for displaying a business content in the map, wherein the business content includes information in relation to physical stores. The method includes displaying, by the one or more processors, the business content at a selected geographic location. The method includes collecting, by the one or more processors, computational data of local market information related to the selected geographic location. The method includes presenting, by the one or more processors, the local market information in the map. The method includes providing a recommendation whether to update the business content based on the local market information.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for analyzing and synthesizing wireless communication signals are provided. A receiver might transform a received signal into a basis in which the transformed signal is sparse, which can reduce the complexity of joint detection by facilitating message passing algorithm (MPA) decoding. A transmitter might employ dense codewords in a first basis, which may facilitate certain signal-processing operations and may provide a transmission with a low peak-to-average-power ratio. The codewords can be designed to be sparse when transformed to a second basis. The codewords may be configured for non-orthogonal multiple access.

Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing network application programming interface (“API”), and, more particularly, API to provide network metrics and network resource control to users. In some embodiments, a computing system might receive customer network telemetry data from a first network via a gateway API, might receive service provider network telemetry data from a second network(s) via a network API, might compile the customer network telemetry data and the service provider network telemetry data, might receive a request from a user to access information regarding network services associated with the user, might filter the compiled customer network telemetry data and the compiled service provider network telemetry data to isolate first telemetry data and second telemetry data, respectively, might provide the user with access to at least one of the first telemetry data or the second telemetry data, and might provide the user with options to control network resources.

Abstract: A system for remote control of modular vehicle subassemblies within a vehicle assembly facility includes a central management system having predetermined assembly paths and specifications for the modular vehicle subassemblies and a zone management system having zone controllers in communication with the central management system and in communication with the onboard controllers of the modular vehicle subassemblies. The zone controllers are configured to receive transient data from the onboard controllers of the modular vehicle subassemblies and manage movement of the modular vehicle subassemblies throughout the zones within the vehicle assembly facility.