Abstract: This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs for use in electrified vehicles. Exemplary battery packs may include an enclosure assembly that houses one or more battery internal components (e.g., battery arrays, battery electronic components, or both). A tear-away service panel may be positioned within a wall of the enclosure assembly. The service panel may be removed from the enclosure assembly to access one of the battery internal components requiring service and may be subsequently replaced with a replacement service panel. The replacement service panel may be part of a battery pack resealing kit.

Abstract: Various configurations of light weight pick carts are disclosed; some embodiments may alternate between a first configuration having two shelf racks and a second configuration having both a shelf rack and a flatbed. A first shelf rack has multiple accessory support units attached, having multiple different configurations to facilitate holding differing shapes, sizes, or weights of accessories. Swivel casters and multiple handle locations can enhance maneuverability; and proper selection of material and use of perforation and wire frames may reduce weight to ease operation. For stability, a removable second shelf rack may engage the first shelf rack using hooks, while a removable flatbed unit may engage the first shelf rack using notches. The second shelf rack provides more discrete storage locations, while the flatbed permits transportation of larger or heavier items. This versatility enhances the utility of the cart.

Abstract: A hair curler has a cylindrical body with a net attached to a first end of the cylindrical body, the net invertable to permit extension of the net around the cylindrical body, holding hair in place that is wrapped around the cylindrical body. Because no hard plastics or other hard or rigid materials are present, the hair curler is comfortable for a user while sleeping or lying.

Abstract: A method and a system for forecasting trajectories in an autonomous vehicle using recurrent neural networks. The method includes receiving a first set of data that comprises time series information corresponding to states of a plurality of objects, analyzing the first set of data to determine a plurality of object trajectory sequences corresponding to the plurality of objects, and using one or more of the plurality of object trajectory sequences as input to train a prediction model for predicting future trajectories of the plurality of objects. The predication model can be trained by defining a first prediction horizon, training the prediction model over the first prediction horizon to generate a semi-trained prediction model, defining a second prediction horizon that is longer than the first prediction horizon, and training the semi-trained prediction model to generate a trained prediction model.

Abstract: This application describes a light emitting device or an assembly of light emitting devices. In the completed light emitting device, a distributed Bragg reflector minimizes the possibility of disturbing adjacent light emitting devices. Methods to fabricate such devices and assemblies of devices are also described.

Abstract: A system is provided for controlling access to data stored in a cloud-based storage service. Data associated with a user account is stored at the cloud-based storage service. A portion of the data is associated with a heightened authentication protocol, a first request receiving, at the cloud-based storage service, for an application to access data that is associated with the heightened authentication protocol. The first request is authenticated based on the heightened authentication protocol. In response to authenticating the first request, permission is granted to the application to access the data that is associated with the heightened authentication protocol. The permission is time-limited. It is determined that the application is editing the data that is associated with the heightened authentication protocol. Permission for the application to access the data while the application is editing the data is temporarily extended.

Abstract: A gland includes an annular ring, the annular ring defining a gland bore, the gland bore defining a gland axis; and a joint restraint assembly, the joint restraint assembly includes a restraint base, the restraint base attached to the annular ring, the restraint base defining a restraint pocket; the restraint pocket comprising a restraint pivot disposed within the restraint pocket; a gripper, the gripper disposed within the restraint pocket, the gripper engaging the restraint pivot, the gripper configured to rotate about the restraint pivot; and a spring clip disposed within the restraint pocket, the spring clip biasing the gripper to rotate inwards towards the gland axis.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments illustrate a method and a system for controlling KPI parameters of a transportation system. The method includes extracting historical commuting characteristics of one or more commuters, from a database server over a communication network. The method further includes generating a predictive model based on the extracted historical commuting characteristics. The method further includes generating a service schedule of one or more transportation services of the transportation system. The service schedule of the one or more transportation services may be generated by use of the generated predictive model, based on defined criteria of the transportation system. The method further includes controlling a KPI parameter of the transportation system to attain a desired KPI parameter of the KPI parameter, based on the generated service schedule, when the one or more transportation services are deployed at one or more time stamps.

Abstract: An access control device including a keypad member and an communication module. The keypad member may include a substrate layer having a mounting surface and an internal surface, and a capacitive sensing layer mounted on the internal surface of the substrate layer and including a keypad circuit having a plurality of capacitive sensors defining a plurality of keys. They keypad circuit may include a clear conductive ink. The keypad member may further include a user interface layer mounted on the capacitive sensing layer. The access control device may be configured to be in communication with the capacitive sensing layer and have a mounting structure positioned at a spacing distance from the mounting surface of the substrate layer and a communication link electrically connecting the communication module and the capacitive sensing layer.

Abstract: A gaming system has one or more biomechanical detection units that detect one or more user biomechanical movements of a real-world user. Furthermore, the gaming system has a processor that is programmed to invoke a game engine to generate a virtual game environment. The game engine also determines a real-world athlete having one or more characteristic biomechanical movements. Furthermore, the game engine generates a virtual avatar corresponding to the real-world user. The game engine also presents one or more virtual stimuli in the virtual game environment to the real-world user. Additionally, the game engine determines if the one or more user biomechanical movements in reaction to the one or more virtual stimuli correspond to the one or more characteristic biomechanical movements within a predetermined tolerance threshold, and generate a virtual game acknowledgement based upon the determination that the predetermined tolerance threshold is met.

Abstract: A partial discharge calibration standard apparatus may include a first and second rigid members defining respective first and second facing surfaces. An electrically insulating material may be disposed between the facing surfaces. The apparatus may further include a pressure member maintaining the rigid members together, thereby fixing the first and second facing surfaces in a substantially parallel spaced relation across the insulating material such that a partial discharge threshold magnitude for an electrical potential difference between the first and second facing surfaces is determined.

Abstract: A method of presenting appropriate actions for responding to a visitor to a smart home environment via an electronic greeting system of the smart home environment, including detecting a visitor of the smart home environment; obtaining context information from the smart home environment regarding the visitor; based on the context information, identifying a plurality of appropriate actions available to a user of a client device for interacting with the visitor via the electronic greeting system; and causing the identified actions to be presented to the user of the client device.

Abstract: Customer relationship management (“CRM”) implemented in a computer system, including establishing by the computer system, upon a first communications contact between a tele-agent and a customer representative, as structure of computer memory of the computer system, a communications session; and administering by the computer system through the communications session across communications platforms a sequence of communications contacts, including the first contact and also subsequent communications contacts, between the tele-agent and the customer representative.

Abstract: This invention provides a polymer that is useful in a variety of applications, including as a binder polymer of a coating composition, and especially a packaging coating composition. Packaging articles (e.g., containers) comprising the polymer and methods of making such packaging articles are also provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are neutron imaging systems (e.g., radiography and tomography) systems and methods that provide, for example, high-quality, high throughput 2D and 3D fast or thermal neutron and/or X-ray images. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale imaging of industrial components. In certain embodiments, provided herein are system comprising a plurality of independent neutron absorber-lined collimators (e.g., 4 or more collimators) extending outwards from a central neutron source assembly.

Abstract: A curing formulation operative as a lubricant is provided that has a plurality of silicone polymer precursors constituting a majority by weight of the formulation, each of the plurality of the silicone polymer precursors has a single curable moiety. A crosslinker is provided for reaction with the single curable moiety of each of the plurality of silicone polymer precursors to yield a thermoplastic silicone polymer having a majority by total weight of silicone polymer being comb- or branched-polymer form as the lubricant. A process of lubricating an interface is provide that includes the application of an aforementioned composition to the interface. Upon allowing sufficient time for the formulation to cure in ambient temperature conditions, a thermoplastic silicone polymer is formed having a majority by total weight of silicone polymer being comb- or branched-polymer.

Abstract: An organic liquid and foaming soap composition and dispenser for use as a human hand, body wash and a pet wash, comprising: a) a foam-able organic liquid soap composition comprising the anti-microbial active ingredients of: organic shea butter; USDA approved natural spearmint oil; USDA approved natural lime oil; organic thyme oil; organic rosemary extract; and, b) a portable or fixed, manual or automatic foaming soap dispenser. The organic soap composition may further comprise a base soap comprising: saponified organic coconut oil; organic olive oil; organic sunflower oil; organic jojoba oil; organic aloe vera; and glycerin. And the organic soap composition has a shelf-life of about three years, and able to eradicate about 74.6% through 77.6% of the bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus after at least one minute of direct contact with the composition. The dispenser is a fixed wall or sink mounted, or a portable bottle, including a mini-foaming leave-on sanitizer.

Abstract: An electrical discharge irrigation device and method is described. An electrical discharge irrigation device includes a power source, a circuit coupled to the power source, and an output tip coupled to the circuit. The output tip includes a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis extending between them, an electrode located in an interior space of the output tip configured to receive an electrical charge from the circuit and to release an electric discharge, and a ground return including an inner surface of the output tip, wherein a space between the electrode and the ground return comprises a conductive medium, the conductive medium being in contact with the electrode and the ground return to produce the electric discharge.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus that facilitate watching of programming content on a secondary channel during a program segment, e.g., commercial break or program portion which is not of interest to a user, on a primary channel are described. In various embodiments when a user switches to a secondary channel during a program segment, the switch is detected and the program on the primary channel continues to be received and buffered while the content from the secondary channel is output to the display. The program segment on the primary channel may be a commercial break including one or more commercials or a portion of a program identified as a segment in information communicated with the program or via out of band signaling. The end of the segment on the primary channel is detected and the user is notified or automatically switched back to the primary channel at the end of the segment.

Abstract: A depth measurement assembly (DMA) includes an illumination source that projects pulses of light (e.g., structured light) at a temporal pulsing frequency into a local area. The DMA includes a sensor that capture images of the pulses of light reflected from the local area and determines, using one or more of the captured images, one or more TOF phase shifts for the pulses of light. The DMA includes a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to determine a first set of estimated radial distances to an object in the local area based on the one or more TOF phase shifts. The controller determines a second estimated radial distance to the object based on an encoding of structured light and at least one of the captured images. The controller selects an estimated radial distance from the first set of radial distances.