Abstract: A method of localizing a mobile robot 100 with respect to a target object 601 using an initial map of a reference object which is a representation of the target object is disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system, apparatus and method for providing rapid shutdown for photovoltaic power systems and provides a system, apparatus and method for providing arc sensing for photovoltaic power systems. An AC current can be put on the DC bus to control PV panel shutdown. Local mean decomposition can be used to sense arcing on the DC bus.

Abstract: A method of signal block reception with automatic gain control (AGC) for a receiver is disclosed. The receiver is configured for at least a sleep mode and an active mode. The signal blocks are non-adjacent in time, and each signal block is configured to be received in entirety using a valid AGC setting determined based on a previous signal block. The method comprises, when switching from the sleep mode to the active mode for continuous reception of a signal block, receiving a first set of samples of the signal block, determining an applicable AGC setting based on the first set of samples of the signal block, and receiving a second set of samples of the signal block using the applicable AGC setting determined based on the first set of samples. Corresponding apparatus, receiver, wireless communication device and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: An inhaler for inhaling an aerosol may include a container configured to store a liquid, an evaporator device, and a controller. The evaporator device may include (i) an electric evaporator configured to evaporate the liquid to produce the aerosol and (ii) a receiving structure having a predetermined total volume for receiving the liquid. The inhaler may be adjustable to a filling state and to an evaporation state. In the filling state, the receiving structure and the container may be fluidically connected such that the liquid stored in the container is flowable into the receiving structure. In the evaporation state, the receiving structure and the container may be fluidically separated such that the liquid is not flowable from the container into the receiving structure. The controller may be configured to electrically supply the evaporator in the evaporation state such that the liquid received in the receiving structure evaporates.

Abstract: A smoking paper includes a flat sheet or sleeve having a generally rectangular base section and a generally triangular wrapper section defining a dividing line therebetween. The base section has two long sides and two short sides. The wrapper section has a hypotenuse and has a base extending from one of the short sides of the base section to the hypotenuse. The base optionally has a cut-off region enclosing an acute angle with the one short side of the base section. A smoking article includes the smoking paper and a filler disposed on the base section. The sheet or sleeve is rolled into a tube with the base section holding the filler in an interior of the tube and the wrapper section being wound into a spiral at an exterior of the tube. A mandrel and a band may also be provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new corn-based sanitary sand and its manufacturing method. The sanitary sand ensures excellent absorption and clumping of fluids, is fully biodegradable, does not produce dust or sludge, and does not cause dermatitis or dryness on cats' paws. The corn-based sanitary sand comprises corn in a proportion of between 77 to 97%, mineral salt in a proportion between 1 to 15%, preservatives such as calcium propionate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate in a proportion between 0.0075 and 0.04% w/w, odor inhibitors in a proportion between 0.075 and 1.25% w/w, and fragrance in a proportion between 0.3 and 0.6% w/w. In another aspect, the patent application refers to the manufacturing method of the sand.

Abstract: A laser metal deposition process is disclosed for carrying out laser metal deposition, whereby the component is metallurgically bonded to partially molten filler material by means of a laser beam directed onto a surface of a component, whereby the filler material is delivered into the laser beam as a powder jet of particles, whereby the particles absorb optical energy from the laser beam in a beam-particle interaction zone at a distance (A) from the surface of the component as a function of process parameters (P) of the laser metal deposition process and of the grain fraction and material properties of the particles and are applied to the surface of the component, whereby the process parameters (P) are adjusted such that at least a proportion of the particles reach the boiling temperature (S) along their trajectory through the laser radiation.

Abstract: An aspect includes a computer-implemented method that accesses input data including spatial data and/or sensor data temporally associated with a video stream of a surgical procedure. One or more machine-learning models predict a state of the surgical procedure based on the input data. The one or more machine-learning models detect one or more surgical instruments at least partially depicted in the video stream based on the input data. A state indicator and one or more surgical instrument indicators temporally correlated with the video stream are output.

Abstract: An evaporator device for evaporating a substance may include an evaporator, two electrical connections, a blocking conductor, and an electrical current path for an electrical supply of the evaporator. The evaporator may include an electrically conductive evaporator ceramic with a receiving structure that receives the substance during operation. The electrical current path may extend through the two electrical connections, the evaporator ceramic, and the blocking conductor. The evaporator ceramic may be configured to homogeneously provide heat in a thermal operating range between an operation starting temperature and an operation end temperature. The blocking conductor may be heat-transmittingly connected to the evaporator ceramic. The blocking conductor may configured such that, upon exceeding the operation end temperature, an electrical resistance of the at least one blocking conductor abruptly increases.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for controlling a robot. One of the methods includes: receiving user input that specifies: (i) a real-time session with a robot having multiple parts, (ii) multiple actions, and (iii) at least one custom reaction that represents a condition under which a first action triggers a real-time change in behavior involving a second action; generating control parameters from the user input and providing the control parameters to a real-time robotics control layer; and executing, by the real-time robotics control layer, the control parameters including, at each tick of a real-time control cycle: executing one or more respective commands for each action, determining whether the condition of the first action is satisfied, and in response to determining that the condition of the first action is satisfied, triggering the real-time change in behavior involving the second action.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for providing and fabricating a 3D shaped cover structure for a light emitting diode (LED) package that has improved light emission efficiencies and color over angle emissions over flat cover structures. The cover structure can form a hemispherical dome over an LED chip, so that light incident on the inside surface of the dome will be at a more acute angle which can reduce the internal reflection of light emitted by the LED chip. The cover structure can also serve as a remote phosphor lumiphore, thereby improving color over angle emission and reduce the need for an additional adhesion interface on the LED. The cover structure can be shaped during a green sheet lamination and sintering process to create the 3D shape. In other embodiments, a structure can be machined into a desired shape.

Abstract: An ablation system comprises: an ablation catheter and a console. The ablation catheter comprises: a shaft including a proximal end, a distal portion and a distal end; an ablation element configured to deliver energy to tissue; and a force maintenance assembly comprising a force maintenance element and configured to control and/or assess contact force between the ablation element and cardiac tissue. The console is configured to operably attach to the ablation catheter and comprises: an energy delivery assembly configured to provide energy to the ablation element. Methods of ablating tissue are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for arranging a virtual consultation and attorney referral are provided. In the systems and methods, a computing device having a processor receives a request for legal assistance from a prospective client that includes at least one legal issue. The processor alerts available attorneys of the request for legal assistance and then initiates a virtual consultation between the prospective client and an initiating attorney. After the virtual consultation, the processor receives a referral request from the initiating attorney to refer the client to a referral attorney; and determines whether the referral attorney is qualified to represent the prospective client. A handling attorney is then selected between the referral attorney or another available attorney if the referral attorney is determined to be not qualified. After selection of the handling attorney, an attorney-client relationship between handling attorney and prospective client is verified.

Abstract: Direct measurement of a latch timing window includes, for each of a plurality of predetermined delay times: providing a first signal to a data input of a first latch of a ring oscillator circuit via a delay block configured to delay the first signal by the predetermined delay time; providing the first signal to a first logic clock buffer (LCB); generating a clock signal by the first LCB responsive to receiving the first signal; providing the clock signal to a clock input of the first latch; and determining from an output of the ring oscillator circuit that the ring oscillator circuit is in either an oscillating state or a non-oscillating state. At least one timing window parameter for the first latch is determined based on one or more of the plurality of delay times that are associated with an oscillating state of the ring oscillator circuit.

Abstract: A neural network emulates a behavior of a reference audio system for at least two control settings. A process, for each control setting, receives control position data designating a select control setting of the reference audio system as conditioning for the neural network, communicates an input to the reference audio system and captures a target output, maps parameters of the neural network such that, responsive to the input, a neural output resembles the target output, scores by a loss function, a similarity of the neural network output compared to the target output of the reference audio system, and utilizes the similarity derived from the loss function to modify model parameters of the neural network. A graphical user interface enables a user to select a virtual control setting within the graphical user interface such that the neural network models the reference audio system at the corresponding control setting.

Abstract: The embodiments set forth herein disclose techniques for enabling a user device to seamlessly establish a secure, high-bandwidth wireless connection with a vehicle accessory system to enable the user device to wirelessly stream user interface (UI) information to the vehicle accessory system. To implement this technique, a lower-bandwidth wireless technology (e.g., Bluetooth) is used as an initial means for establishing a Wi-Fi pairing between the user device and the vehicle accessory system. Wi-Fi parameters associated with a Wi-Fi network provided by the vehicle accessory system can be communicated to the user device using the lower-bandwidth wireless technology. A secure Wi-Fi connection can then be established between the user device and the vehicle accessory system using the provided Wi-Fi parameters. The embodiments also disclose a technique for enabling the user device to automatically reconnect with the vehicle accessory system in a seamless manner (e.g., when returning to a vehicle).

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for providing a secured framework for facilitating electronic transactions using a multi-party computation approach. Under the multi-party computation approach, the task of authenticating a transaction conducted through a user account is distributed among multiple computer nodes. One or more secrets and shares of a secret are distributed among the multiple computer nodes. An authentication process is implemented such that at least a portion of the multiple computer nodes, including one or more required nodes, exceeding a predetermined number of nodes are needed to perform a set of computations using the corresponding secret(s) and/or shares of the secret in order to generate a digital signature for the user account. By verifying the digital signature using a public key of the user account, it can be determined that the participation requirement has been satisfied.

Abstract: A method of controlling charging of an electronic device includes estimating a usage time value that corresponds to an anticipated future occurrence of usage of the electronic device; and estimating a resume time value that corresponds to a time for charging to commence to allow for completion of charging from a first predetermined state of charge value to a second predetermined state of charge value by the usage time value. The method also includes charging a battery of the electronic device using electrical power supplied by a charging device until a current state of charge of the battery reaches the first predetermined state of charge value, entering, by the electronic device, a deactivated mode after the current state of charge reaches the first predetermined state of charge value, and causing the electronic device to return to the activated mode according to the resume time value.

Abstract: An autonomous search light system for being mounted to an aircraft includes a search light for emitting an adjustable light output; an RF receiver with at least two RF antennas for receiving RF signals emitted by an RF transmitter; and a controller for determining a position of the RF transmitter in relation to the search light from the received RF signals and for controlling the search light based on the determined position of the RF transmitter.