Abstract: A device and method for switching between message threads is provided. The device includes: a communication interface; a display device; and, a controller. The controller is configured to: generate, at the display device, a first message thread of a plurality of message threads, each message thread comprising groups of associated messages transmitted and received by the communication interface; identify a message portion in the first message thread as being associated with one or more other message threads of the plurality of message threads, based on one or more of: respective content and respective metadata of the one or more other message threads; and, generate, at the display device, a link to the one or more other message threads.

Abstract: A device and method for hierarchical object recognition is provided. The device comprises: an augmented reality display device including a camera, a display device, and an eye-tracking device; an input device; a memory storing a hierarchical object recognition library arranged in a plurality of levels; and a controller. The controller receives, using the input device, an indication of a selected level of the hierarchical object recognition library. The controller determines, using the eye-tracking device, an eye-gaze direction. The controller recognizes at least one object in an image from the camera in the eye-gaze direction by comparing at least a region of the image in the eye-gaze direction with the selected level of the hierarchical object recognition library. The controller controls the display device to indicate a recognized object in the eye-gaze direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a summary of what is being and/or has been discussed or experienced by members of a talkgroup is provided herein. Upon a new member joining a talkgroup, or just prior to the new member joining the talkgroup, the new member will be placed on a private channel to provide the new member with knowledge on previous discussions/experiences of talkgroup members. Preferably, the prior knowledge will be conveyed to the user audibly by, for example, use of a digital assistant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a summary of what is being and/or has been discussed or experienced by members of a talkgroup is provided herein. Upon a new member joining a talkgroup, or just prior to the new member joining the talkgroup, the new member will be placed on a private channel to provide the new member with knowledge on previous discussions/experiences of talkgroup members. Preferably, the prior knowledge will be conveyed to the user audibly by, for example, use of a digital assistant.

Abstract: A user interface apparatus and method are provided for gloved and non-gloved touch sensitive button actuation. A user interface (100) embodied as a body wearable harness (104) provides a touch button control system having an activation button (120) and functional touch sensitive control buttons (108, 110, 140). The activation button (120) has a capacitive touch element (130) associated therewith that determines gloved or non-gloved operation based on a capacitive measurement taken in response to a finger input to the button. A plurality of control buttons (108, 110, and 140) are automatically assigned increased sensitivity levels in response to detected gloved mode operation in accordance with the measurement. The increased sensitivity levels allow various radio functions to be accessed by a gloved finger input during gloved mode operation with increased reliability. Additional control button identification can be added through the addition of vibrational alerts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for notifying a user that a device needs to be serviced is provided herein. During operation, a device will determine that at least the first device has been serviced or needs to be serviced. When this occurs, the device will determine members of a personal-area-network (PAN) that includes/included the first device, and notify a user that the PAN members should be serviced as well.

Abstract: An incident scene is searchable via a portable communication device and method that provides for displaying a masked augmented reality of the incident scene to the display of the portable communication device. A geofenced area is applied within the displayed masked augmented reality of the incident scene as an indication to the user of an area to be searched. As the geofenced area is searched, masking is removed from the displayed masked augmented reality of the incident scene. The masking is only being removed within the geofenced area based on user attention span provided to the geofenced area. The removal of masking indicates areas that have been searched.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for associating a query to a direction is provided herein. During operation, a virtual partner will attempt to determine a direction the query originated from. When answering the query, the virtual partner will adjust multiple speaker outputs so that the reply is perceived to come from the same direction as the query originated from. Additionally, if another follow-on query is made from a particular direction, the follow-on query will be associated with the prior query originating from the same particular direction.

Abstract: An outdoor laser lamp includes a housing, a laser and a circuit board disposed inside the housing, and a lower mounting plate. A periphery of the lower mounting plate is in contact with an inner wall of the housing, a laser and a circuit board are located between the lower mounting plate and the top of the housing. Air vents are on the bottom of the housing; through holes are on the lower mounting plate, a raised ring wall surrounds each through hole and extends towards the bottom of the housing. The laser lamp realizes air circulation between outside air and the interior of the housing, realizes rapid heat dispersion of the laser lamp to ensure the functionality of the laser lamp. Additionally, it prevents water entering the space where the circuit board is arranged, to avoid the influence on the internal circuits by water.

Abstract: The present invention provides, among others, compounds of the following formula which can be used as degradable curing agents, methods for preparing the compounds, degradable polymers and reinforced composites, methods for degrading and recycling the polymers and composites.

Abstract: Improved incident scene investigation is provided by displaying the incident scene and evidence pertaining to the incident scene on a display of a portable communication device where the display is augmented with tagged evidence attributes and/or further augmented with geofenced safeguard areas surrounding pieces of evidence. The evidence attributes provide and display risk assessment information as to which pieces of evidence at an incident scene are vulnerable to being contaminated or damaged. The evidence attributes may further provide and display an impact factor indicator indicating whether a piece of evidence is likely to be impacted by a context factor from the incident scene. Alerts can be generated at the portable device upon approach to a geofenced safeguarded area surrounding vulnerable evidence. The augmented display of the incident scene can also redirect a user approaching a particular piece of evidence.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided in this disclosure for operating an electronic device. The electronic device includes a user interface, a camera, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor determines whether a user assistance restriction is established for a current functional operation of the electronic device. The camera captures at least one image, the electronic processor analyzes the at least one image to detect one or more eyes in the field of view of the camera, and the electronic processor detects a violation of the user assistance restriction for the current functional operation based at least in part on the analysis of the at least one image. When a violation of the user assistance restriction is detected, the electronic processor adjusts one or more operations of the electronic device.

Abstract: A portable communication device receives evidence information pertaining to an incident scene along with a plurality of incident scene contextual factors pertaining to the evidence information and the incident scene. An optimum search pattern is calculated and displayed as part of an augmented reality of the incident scene. The contextual factors can be weighted to generate an optimum search pattern, such as for different individual user-investigators working at an incident scene or for certain tools being used at an incident scene.

Abstract: An incident scene is searchable via a portable communication device and method that provides for displaying a masked augmented reality of the incident scene to the display of the portable communication device. A geofenced area is applied within the displayed masked augmented reality of the incident scene as an indication to the user of an area to be searched. As the geofenced area is searched, masking is removed from the displayed masked augmented reality of the incident scene. The masking is only being removed within the geofenced area based on user attention span provided to the geofenced area. The removal of masking indicates areas that have been searched.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided in this disclosure for operating an electronic device. The electronic device includes a user interface, a microphone, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor determines whether a user assistance restriction is established for a current functional operation of the electronic device. The microphone captures an audio stream and the electronic processor analyzing the audio stream to identify spoken words captured by the microphone. The electronic processor detects a violation of the user assistance restriction for the current functional operation of the electronic device based at least in part on a correlation between one or more of the identified spoken words captured by the microphone and a current functional operation of the electronic device. The electronic processor adjusts one or more operations of the electronic device in response to detecting the violation of the user assistance restriction.

Abstract: A portable, wearable radio includes a modular harness having the flexibility to be reconfigured into a plurality of different profiles, the modular harness having an interior and a plurality of radio components removably disposed within the interior of the modular harness. The plurality of radio components includes a first radio component, a second radio component electrically coupled to the first radio component via a first flexible electrical connector, and a third radio component electrically coupled to the first radio component via at least one of a group selected from the first flexible electrical connector and a second flexible electrical connector.

Abstract: Among others, the present invention provides isocyanate resin compositions which include an isocyanate compound containing two or more isocyanate functional groups; a chain extender comprising a degradable diamine and optionally a dihydric alcohol, a polyether diol, a polyester diol, a diamine, a dimercaptan, or a bisphenol; and a cross-linker comprising a degradable polyamine and optionally a trifunctional, tetrafunctional or polyfunctional polyhydric alcohol, polyether polyol, polyester polyol, polyamine, polymercaptan, or polyphenol.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for changing a persona of a digital assistant is provided herein. During operation a digital assistant will determine a public-safety incident type and then change its persona based on the public-safety incident type.

Abstract: A user interface apparatus and method are provided for gloved and non-gloved touch sensitive button actuation. A user interface (100) embodied as a body wearable harness (104) provides a touch button control system having an activation button (120) and functional touch sensitive control buttons (108, 110, 140). The activation button (120) has a capacitive touch element (130) associated therewith that determines gloved or non-gloved operation based on a capacitive measurement taken in response to a finger input to the button. A plurality of control buttons (108, 110, and 140) are automatically assigned increased sensitivity levels in response to detected gloved mode operation in accordance with the measurement. The increased sensitivity levels allow various radio functions to be accessed by a gloved finger input during gloved mode operation with increased reliability. Additional control button identification can be added through the addition of vibrational alerts.

Abstract: A user interface apparatus and method are provided for gloved and non-gloved touch sensitive button actuation. A user interface (100) embodied as a body wearable harness (104) provides a touch button control system having an activation button (120) and functional touch sensitive control buttons (108, 110, 140). The activation button (120) has a capacitive touch element (130) associated therewith that determines gloved or non-gloved operation based on a capacitive measurement taken in response to a finger input to the button. A plurality of control buttons (108, 110, and 140) are automatically assigned increased sensitivity levels in response to detected gloved mode operation in accordance with the measurement. The increased sensitivity levels allow various radio functions to be accessed by a gloved finger input during gloved mode operation with increased reliability. Additional control button identification can be added through the addition of vibrational alerts.