Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for garage door detection for a vehicle. An example vehicle includes a rearview camera, memory, and a processor. The rearview camera monitors a garage door. The memory stores a first height associated with a field of view of the rearview camera and a second height. The a processor, when a bottom edge of the garage door exceeds the first height, calculates a time until the bottom edge will reach the second height. Additionally, until the calculated time, the processor prevents movement of the vehicle.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for electrical signature analysis of electrical rotating machines. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a method includes ascertaining initial information associated with an electrical rotating machine, assigning a plurality of operational conditions associated with the machine to a plurality of buckets, and recording the electrical data to obtain a pre-defined number of sets of learning data. The method further includes determining, based at least on the initial information and the learning data, that the machine is in a healthy condition, obtaining, based on the learning data, baseline data associated with at the at least one bucket, and generating, based on the baseline data, a threshold associated with the bucket and at least one fault frequency associated with the machine. The method further includes generating, based on the threshold and the baseline data, alarms concerning a state of the electrical rotating machine.

Abstract: An actuator monitoring system is provided with an electric actuator having a motor and a control unit which outputs a control command (CMD) to the motor to control the operation of the motor. The control unit calculates a use time of the electric actuator based on the control command (CMD) outputted to the motor. Moreover, the control unit estimates the lifetime of the electric actuator based on the calculated use time.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using textures in graphical user interface widgets are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system includes: a processor configured to: receive an interface signal from a touch-sensitive interface associated with a display area; receive a display signal associated with the display area, the display signal comprising a plurality of pixels associated with one or more colors; assign a haptic value to each color; determine a texture associated with a group of the plurality of pixels by determining the haptic value associated with the group of the plurality of pixels; determine a selected actuator by selecting a first actuator if the haptic value is less than a threshold and selecting a second actuator if the haptic value is greater than or equal to the threshold; and transmit a haptic signal configured to cause the selected actuator to output a haptic effect configured to simulate the texture.

Abstract: A system and method for ground-to-air communications with an aircraft are provided. The system comprises a ground-to-air communications manager that is configured to analyze incoming data from one or more data sources to determine at least a location and flight mode of an aircraft; and assess outgoing data to be sent to the aircraft based on one or more characteristics of the outgoing data, the location and flight mode of the aircraft, and one or more datalink characteristics. The ground-to-air communications manager selects an outgoing datalink and timing of transmit for the outgoing data according to a best result, which is determined from balancing the one or more characteristics of the outgoing data, the location and flight mode of the aircraft, and the one or more datalink characteristics. The ground-to-air communications manager transmits the outgoing data to the aircraft over the selected outgoing datalink at the selected timing of transmit.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling a use of one or more signals in a Near Field Communication (NFC) device for NFC communication are described. In an aspect, the methods and apparatus include receiving, at a NFC controller, a stay quiet command from a device host, wherein the stay quiet command includes one or more unique identifiers (UIDs) corresponding to one or more remote NFC endpoints. Further, in an aspect, the methods and apparatus include transmitting, by the NFC controller, a stay quiet response to the device host based at least in part on the stay quiet command.

Abstract: A method and a device for detecting that a rotorcraft is approaching a vortex domain. After previously determining a limit advance speed threshold and a limit vertical speed threshold defining a limit for said rotorcraft entering into a vortex domain, a predictive advance speed and a predictive vertical speed for said rotorcraft are calculated, said predictive vertical speed being calculated differently depending on the value of said instantaneous advance speed. Thereafter, said predictive advance speed and said predictive vertical speed are compared with said thresholds, which may be thresholds with hysteresis, in order to determine whether said rotorcraft is approaching a vortex domain, and if so to signal this situation to a pilot of said rotorcraft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a universal wireless trainable transceiver unit with integrated bidirectional wireless interface functionality, and a method for same. Using a scan, push button or untrained channel mode, a user may enter into a wireless bidirectional interface mode of a trainable transceiver. The interface mode allows a user to select a sub-set of modes that include diagnostics, flash and vehicle interface. Each mode provides the trainable transceiver to communicate wirelessly in a bidirectional manner with another remote device.

Abstract: A vehicle collision warning system including a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicating an exit condition, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicating a traffic condition, an internal warning signal system configured to emit a warning signal to warn a vehicle occupant about a hazard condition, the internal warning signal system including, a warning device configured to emit the warning signal, and a processor configured to receive the first signal from the first sensor, receive the second signal from the second sensor, detect the hazard condition based on the first and second signals, and generate a control signal to cause the warning device to emit the warning signal to warn the vehicle occupant about the hazard condition.

Abstract: An example magnetic actuator includes first and second flexible magnetic layers and a control circuit. The first flexible magnetic layer is configured to support a first magnetic dipole. Arranged in slidable contact with the first flexible magnetic layer, the second flexible magnetic layer is configured to support a second magnetic dipole. The control circuit is configured to controllably form at least the first magnetic dipole and thereby modify a force of interaction between the first and second flexible magnetic layers.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a patient includes recording physiological parameter data from the patient and detecting a first alarm event. A group alarm timer is activated based on an initiation time of the first alarm event, and one or more subsequent alarm events are detected while the group alarm timer is active. For each detected subsequent alarm event, a determination is made whether the respective subsequent alarm event is part of an incident group with the first alarm event. The group alarm timer is stopped at a termination time based on termination of all alarm events in the incident group. An incident group designator is generated identifying the incident group.

Abstract: A sign-monitoring system includes at least one electronic sign and a controller comprising a processor and memory. The electronic sign includes a pixel array, the pixel array including a plurality of pixels. The electronic sign further includes an embedded controller coupled to the at least one electronic sign. The embedded controller develops diagnostic information for the at least one electronic sign, the diagnostic information including information related to a number of malfunctioning pixels in the plurality of pixels. The controller is communicably coupled to the embedded controller and receives at least a portion of the diagnostic information from the embedded controller. In addition, the controller assesses the at least a portion of the diagnostic information to develop health information. The assessment involves evaluating the information related to the number of malfunctioning pixels.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for detecting available parking spaces in a parking environment. Radar systems are utilized to gather data about a parking lot environment. The radar data is provided to a neural network model as an input. Algorithms employing neural networks can be trained to recognize parked vehicles and conflicting data regarding debris, shopping carts, street lamps, traffic signs, pedestrians, etc. The neural network model processes the radar data to estimate parking space boundaries and to approximate the parking space boundaries as splines. The neural network model outputs spline estimations to a vehicle computer system. The vehicle computer system utilizes the spline estimates to detect available parking spaces. The spline estimates are updated as the vehicle navigates the parking environment.

Abstract: An approach is provided for estimating a quality of lane features of a roadway. The approach involves processing, by a computer vision system, an input image to detect the lane features of the roadway. The approach also involves determining respective confidence values associated with a plurality of regions of the input image used to detect the lane features. The respective confidence values represent a probability of predicting the lane features from each of the plurality of regions. The approach further involves performing a classification of the plurality of regions into a plurality of confidence levels based on the respective confidence values. The approach further involves determining the estimated quality of the lane features based on the classification of the plurality of regions.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of methodologies of obtaining more accurate compliance metrics are disclosed herein. An exemplary method of determining a compliance metric includes determining a number of dispense events and determining a number of opportunities for obtaining dispense events. The number of opportunities for obtaining dispense events is a function of the time between an entry event and a exit event, in addition, the compliance metric is a function of the number of dispense events and the number of opportunities.

Abstract: The invention relates to a haptic communication apparatus and method to convert a written message into its constituent phonetic components, which are then encoded as a series of haptic signals that are sensed by the user as a coordinated sensation on a wearable device that incorporates a haptic interface. The coordinated sensations have waveforms and frequencies that correspond to the sounds in the written message when spoken, so that its contents can be intuitively understood by a user without the need for visual or audio cues or to memorize the meaning of entire words.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling the use of electronic systems based upon monitored physical activity. The method can be implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The program instructions are operable to: provision rules associated with a user and at least one of health metrics and physical activity of the user; monitor the at least one health metrics and physical activity of the user over a predetermined time; and manage access to any of a plurality of electronic systems based on the monitored at least one health metrics and physical activity being in compliance or non-compliance with the provisioned rules.

Abstract: Smoke and/or soot damage to an interior of a property, such as a residential building or home, may be mitigated. A controller is in communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the property. The controller is configured to receive an alert and/or intelligent home telematics data generated based upon a potential presence of smoke in a location associated with the property, either exterior or interior to the property. In response to receiving the alert and/or intelligent home telematics data, the controller is further configured deactivate an air circulation function of the HVAC system to mitigate smoke or fire damage to the property. The intelligent home telematics data may be generated by various smoke, fire, audio, visual, infrared, motion, and/or other smart sensors mounted about the interior and/or exterior of the property.

Abstract: A precise, gesture-based, safety monitoring system, method and device. The present invention comprises a controller, wherein the controller upon detection of a distress signal, sends an alert signal along with the Location information of the user to a Remote Server. The Remote Server, upon receiving an alert signal sends an SMS and e-mail along with the Location information to a Mobile device of the registered emergency numbers of the user and responds in real-time.

Abstract: In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing late fusing of processor features using a non-volatile memory.