Abstract: A motion sensing necklace comprising includes a pendant attached to lower ends of two lanyards. The pendant includes a help button for a user to generate a signal for help, and a battery to power the motion sensing necklace. A neck strap is attached to upper ends of the first and second lanyards. Two motion sensors are located within opposing ends of the neck strap. A microprocessor located within the neck strap processes signals from the motion sensors to determine whether motion has occurred. A transmitter or transceiver located within the neck strap transmits motion detection signals and alerts generated by the microprocessor.

Abstract: A rotary wheel assembly is configured for use with a system for conditioning air to be supplied to an enclosed structure. The rotary wheel is configured to be positioned within a supply air stream and an exhaust air stream. The assembly includes a cassette frame, a wheel rotatably secured within the cassette frame, and a self-adjusting seal subassembly configured to maintain sealing engagement with respect to a surface of the wheel. The self-adjusting seal subassembly includes at least one seal member.

Abstract: A heat pump system for conditioning regeneration air from a space is provided. The heat pump system is operable in a winter mode and/or a summer mode, and may be selectively operated in a defrost mode or cycle. During a defrost mode, hot refrigerant may be used to directly and sequentially defrost the regeneration air heat exchanger. A compressor may be configured to be overdriven during a defrost cycle.

Abstract: An adjustable security sensor device is described. The device comprises a magnetic field sensor, a user input element, and a processor. The magnetic field sensor measures and samples magnetic fields from a magnet external to the device. The magnetic field sensor generates a first range of magnetic fields measurements sampled based on a first position of the magnet relative to the magnetic field sensor. The user input element identifies a second range of magnetic fields measurements based on a second position of the magnet relative to the magnetic field sensor. The device generates a sampling of magnetic fields measurements using the magnetic field sensor, compares the sampling of magnetic fields measurements with the first range of magnetic fields measurements and the second range of magnetic fields measurements, and identifies a position of the device relative to the magnet based on the comparison.

Abstract: Devices and methods of using a personal emergency reporting system device is described. The personal emergency reporting system (PERS) device wakes up based on timing, manual activation or an accelerometer in the PERS device detecting an abnormal condition. The PERS device measures the orientation and correlate and sends statistics to a console. The PERS device determines whether a predetermined threshold has been met to determine whether a fall event has occurred or whether to enter a more active monitoring state. The PERS device also determines whether it is appropriate to transmit an alarm to a central monitoring station via the console and transmits the alarm if desired.

Abstract: A wearable device for detecting a user state is disclosed. The wearable device includes an accelerometer for measuring an acceleration of a user, a magnetometer for measuring a magnetic field associated with the user's change of orientation, a microphone for receiving audio, a memory for storing the audio, and at least one processor communicatively connected to the accelerometer, the magnetometer, the microphone, and the memory. The processor is identified to declare a measured acceleration as a suspected user state, and to categorize the suspected user state based on the stored audio as one of an activity of daily life (ADL), a confirmed user state, or an inconclusive event.

Abstract: A system and method of using a combination of portable devices including wearable devices and tags and fixed devices including plug-in readers that are able to communicate using a short range wireless technology is described. The environment in which the fixed devices are disposed include residential, vehicle and commercial/work areas. The environment is able to detect the presence and absence of particular portable devices, determine whether personalized triggers exist and act accordingly based on information stored in a server or cloud-based storage. The actions in the environment include security, environmental controls, and alert transmission.

Abstract: An air filter assembly is configured to deliver filtered air to a room. The assembly may include a main housing having at least first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface differs from the second surface, one or more first air filters proximate to the first surface, wherein the one or more first air filters is configured to discharge a first portion of filtered air through the first surface in a direct direction, and one or more second air filters proximate to the second surface. The one or more second air filters is configured to discharge a second portion of filtered air through the second surface in a second direction that differs from the first direction.

Abstract: A wearable device for detecting a user state is disclosed. The wearable device includes one or more of an accelerometer for measuring an acceleration of a user, a magnetometer for measuring a magnetic field associated with the user's change of orientation, and a gyroscope. The wearable device also includes one or more microphones for receiving audio. The wearable device may determine whether the orientation of the wearable device has changed and may designate or re-designate microphones as primary or secondary microphones.

Abstract: A voice call is established using a computing device. A user is instructed to prepare a first device for pairing with the computing device and a server may instruct the computing device to scan for additional devices. The server may identify a first device from a list of devices and may instruct the computing device to pair with the first device.

Abstract: A voice call is established using a computing device. A user is instructed to prepare a first device for pairing with the computing device and a server may instruct the computing device to scan for additional devices. The server may identify a first device from a list of devices and may instruct the computing device to pair with the first device.

Abstract: A wearable motion sensing device is disclosed. One embodiment of the wearable motion sensing device includes a motion sensor, and a pendant that is attached to the wearable motion sensing device, wherein the pendant is attached to the wearable motion sensing device at a location of the wearable motion sensor relative to the motion sensor that when worn by a human being, a mass of the pendant urges the motion sensor towards the human being.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for providing conditioned air to at least one enclosed structure. The system may include at least one conditioning module configured to provide conditioned air to the at least one enclosed structure. The conditioning module(s) may include a conditioning energy exchanger. The conditioning module(s) is configured to circulate desiccant through a desiccant circuit to condition air passing through the conditioning energy exchanger. The conditioning module(s) may be configured to receive at least one of concentrated desiccant or diluted desiccant in order to vary temperature or concentration of the desiccant circulating through the desiccant circuit.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an energy exchange system that includes a supply air flow path, an exhaust air flow path, an energy recovery device disposed within the supply and exhaust air flow paths, and a supply conditioning unit disposed within the supply air flow path. The supply conditioning unit may be downstream from the energy recovery device. Certain embodiments provide a method of conditioning air including introducing outside air as supply air into a supply air flow path, pre-conditioning the supply air with an energy recovery device, and fully-conditioning the supply air with a supply conditioning unit that is downstream from the energy recovery device.

Abstract: An apparatus wearable by a user for automatically contacting a public safety access point (PSAP) is disclosed. The wearable apparatus includes several sensors for obtaining datasets. One of datasets is a location of a user. The wearable apparatus also includes a cellular transceiver. The cellular transceiver transmits the datasets to a cloud computing system, receives a classification of the datasets as a user state from the cloud computing system, and contacts a safety access point (PSAP) (e.g., 9-1-1 emergency services, an automated emergency call center, etc.) based on the location of the user.

Abstract: Heat pumps that heat or cool a space and that also heat water, refrigerant management systems for such heat pumps, and methods of managing refrigerant charge. Various embodiments remove idle refrigerant from a heat exchanger that is not needed for transferring heat by opening a refrigerant recovery valve and delivering the idle refrigerant from the heat exchanger to an inlet port on the compressor. The heat exchanger can be isolated by closing an electronic expansion valve, actuating a refrigerant management valve, or both. Refrigerant charge can be controlled by controlling how much refrigerant is drawn from the heat exchanger, by letting some refrigerant back into the heat exchanger, or both. Heat pumps can be operated in different modes of operation, and various components can be interconnected with refrigerant conduit. Some embodiments deliver refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger and drive liquid refrigerant out prior to isolating the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling noise produced by an air handling system, for example, is provided. The system includes a source microphone to collect sound measurements from the air handling system and a processor to define a cancellation signal that at least partially cancels out the sound measurements. The system also includes a speaker to generate the cancellation signal. The sound measurements are at least partially canceled out within a region of cancellation. Accordingly, the system further includes a response microphone to collect response sound measurements at the region of cancellation. The processor tunes the cancellation signal based on the response sound measurements.

Abstract: An illuminating airflow panel assembly is configured to provide illumination and allow air to flow therethrough. The illuminating airflow panel assembly may include a mounting bracket configured to secure the illuminating airflow panel assembly to a structure, and a main body connected to the mounting bracket. The main body may include opposed first and second planar surfaces and an outer peripheral edge. The main body may also include a plurality of airflow passages that extend from the first planar surface to the second planar surface. The airflow passages are configured to allow air to pass therethrough toward a target site. An illuminating member may be positioned around the outer peripheral edge of the main body. The illuminating member is configured to direct light toward the target site.

Abstract: Heat pumps for climates where demand for cooling and heating are unequal and methods of adapting and distributing heat pumps for such climates. Heat pumps include a compressor, compressor motor, variable-speed drive, and controller. In a number of embodiments, non-volatile memory stores sets of constant speeds for cooling and heating, and a person can select, via an input device, different sets of speeds for cooling and heating to provide the different cooling and heating capacities. The controller then operates the unit at the selected speeds, selecting from within the set based on demand for cooling or heating. In some embodiments, different sets of speeds may have the same minimum speed but different maximum speeds. Identical heat pumps can be configured to have different capacity ratings and different advertized efficiencies for different climates.