Abstract: A heat pump that includes a thermoelectric device(s) and a heat sink having a raised portion with a top surface for thermally coupling with a planar face of the thermoelectric device(s). The raised portion of the heat sink includes an outer periphery and a raised central region surrounded by a void region to provide more uniform thermal conductivity when clamped within an assembly. The raised central region is shaped in an any shape corresponding to a shape of uneven thermal conductivity due to clamping pressure applied to the heat sink. The void region can be substantially contiguous and entirely circumscribe the central raised region. The device can optionally include discrete supports formed of a less thermally-conductive material within the void region. The supports can be elastomeric, such as O-rings, and disposed within pockets defined within the void region.

Abstract: A heat pump that includes a thermoelectric device(s) and a heat sink having a raised portion with a top surface for thermally coupling with a planar face of the thermoelectric device(s). The raised portion of the heat sink includes an outer periphery and a raised central region surrounded by a void region to provide more uniform thermal conductivity when clamped within an assembly. The raised central region is shaped in an any shape corresponding to a shape of uneven thermal conductivity due to clamping pressure applied to the heat sink. The void region can be substantially contiguous and entirely circumscribe the central raised region. The device can optionally include discrete supports formed of a less thermally-conductive material within the void region. The supports can be elastomeric, such as O-rings, and disposed within pockets defined within the void region.

Abstract: A heat pump that includes a thermoelectric device(s) and a heat sink having a raised portion with a top surface for thermally coupling with a planar face of the thermoelectric device(s). The raised portion of the heat sink includes an outer periphery and a raised central region surrounded by a void region to provide more uniform thermal conductivity when clamped within an assembly. The raised central region is shaped in an any shape corresponding to a shape of uneven thermal conductivity due to clamping pressure applied to the heat sink. The void region can be substantially contiguous and entirely circumscribe the central raised region. The device can optionally include discrete supports formed of a less thermally-conductive material within the void region. The supports can be elastomeric, such as O-rings, and disposed within pockets defined within the void region.

Abstract: Systems and methods to store, in a database, product information identifying each respective product in the database, a store in the shopping mall that carries the respective product, and a location within the store where the respective product is physically accessible by a customer visiting the mall. The database is updated via communicating with database systems of stores in the mall and/or dispatching robots to the stores to collect data for the updates. Frequencies of the updates are determined based on sales volumes of the stores. A server is used to provide a user interface to access the database of the mall and provide navigational guidance for travel from current locations of user devices and the locations of the items.

Abstract: A heat pump that includes a thermoelectric device(s) and a heat sink having a raised portion with a top surface for thermally coupling with a planar face of the thermoelectric device(s). The raised portion of the heat sink includes an outer periphery and a raised central region surrounded by a void region to provide more uniform thermal conductivity when clamped within an assembly. The raised central region is shaped in an any shape corresponding to a shape of uneven thermal conductivity due to clamping pressure applied to the heat sink. The void region can be substantially contiguous and entirely circumscribe the central raised region. The device can optionally include discrete supports formed of a less thermally-conductive material within the void region. The supports can be elastomeric, such as O-rings, and disposed within pockets defined within the void region.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors. When a set of successive locations determined by the radio frequency navigation system is found to have a predetermined pattern (e.g., within a minimum distance from each other, or separated by more than a maximum distance), the mobile device discards the location results from the radio frequency navigation system for the period of time, in favor of the location results from the inertial navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors. When a set of successive locations determined by the radio frequency navigation system is found to have a predetermined pattern (e.g., within a minimum distance from each other, or separated by more than a maximum distance), the mobile device discards the location results from the radio frequency navigation system for the period of time, in favor of the location results from the inertial navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device based on a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system is used to determine a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system is based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors and/or magnetic field sensors. The position determination results from the radio frequency navigation system and the inertial navigation system are combined to determine two successive locations. A heading of the user of the mobile device is computed based on weighted averages for the two successive locations.

Abstract: Systems and methods to position beacons at traffic choke points, use a mobile device to detect the peaks of beacon signals corresponding to the mobile device traveling through the traffic “choke points”, and thus determine accurately the position and speed of the mobile device in the transport corridor between the choke points. The determined position and speed of the mobile device can be used to improve the performance of other location determination technologies, such as radio frequency fingerprint-based location estimate and/or inertial guidance location estimate.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors. When a set of successive locations determined by the radio frequency navigation system is found to have a predetermined pattern (e.g., within a minimum distance from each other, or separated by more than a maximum distance), the mobile device discards the location results from the radio frequency navigation system for the period of time, in favor of the location results from the inertial navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device based on a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system is used to determine a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system is based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors and/or magnetic field sensors. The position determination results from the radio frequency navigation system and the inertial navigation system are combined to determine two successive locations. A heading of the user of the mobile device is computed based on weighted averages for the two successive locations.

Abstract: Systems and methods to position beacons at traffic choke points, use a mobile device to detect the peaks of beacon signals corresponding to the mobile device traveling through the traffic “choke points”, and thus determine accurately the position and speed of the mobile device in the transport corridor between the choke points. The determined position and speed of the mobile device can be used to improve the performance of other location determination technologies, such as radio frequency fingerprint-based location estimate and/or inertial guidance location estimate.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors. When a set of successive locations determined by the radio frequency navigation system is found to have a predetermined pattern (e.g., within a minimum distance from each other, or separated by more than a maximum distance), the mobile device discards the location results from the radio frequency navigation system for the period of time, in favor of the location results from the inertial navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors and/or magnetic field sensors. The mobile device combines the position determination results from the radio frequency navigation system and the inertial navigation system to determine two successive locations. A heading of the user of the mobile device is computed from the two successive locations without using the orientation of the mobile device.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors. When the radio frequency navigation system produces accurate results, the mobile device automatically re-initializes the inertial navigation system using the accurate result from the radio frequency navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors and/or magnetic field sensors. The mobile device combines the position determination results from the radio frequency navigation system and the inertial navigation system to determine two successive locations. A heading of the user of the mobile device is computed from the two successive locations without using the orientation of the mobile device.

Abstract: Systems and methods to determine a location of a mobile device by combining a radio frequency navigation system and an inertial navigation system, where the radio frequency navigation system determines a location of the mobile device in reference to a map of radio frequency signals and the inertial navigation system based on dead reckoning the position of the mobile device based on measurements from motion sensors. When a set of successive locations determined by the radio frequency navigation system is found to have a predetermined pattern (e.g., within a minimum distance from each other, or separated by more than a maximum distance), the mobile device discards the location results from the radio frequency navigation system for the period of time, in favor of the location results from the inertial navigation system.

Abstract: Systems and methods to store, in a database, product information identifying each respective product in the database, a store in the shopping mall that carries the respective product, and a location within the store where the respective product is physically accessible by a customer visiting the mall. The database is updated via communicating with database systems of stores in the mall and/or dispatching robots to the stores to collect data for the updates. Frequencies of the updates are determined based on sales volumes of the stores. A server is used to provide a user interface to access the database of the mall and provide navigational guidance for travel from current locations of user devices and the locations of the items.

Abstract: Systems and methods to position beacons at traffic choke points, use a mobile device to detect the peaks of beacon signals corresponding to the mobile device traveling through the traffic “choke points”, and thus determine accurately the position and speed of the mobile device in the transport corridor between the choke points. The determined position and speed of the mobile device can be used to improve the performance of other location determination technologies, such as radio frequency fingerprint-based location estimate and/or inertial guidance location estimate.