Abstract: Apparatus and methods for winding flexible material include a rotatable plate assembly rotatably driven by a first rotary shaft, the assembly supporting second and third rotary shafts with corresponding first and second mandrel parts mounted thereon. The first and second mandrel parts each form at least part of a winding spool. The second and third rotary shafts have rotational axes that are parallel to one another and parallel to, but laterally offset from, the rotational axis of the first rotary shaft. The rotation of the plate assembly is coordinated with counter rotation of the first and second mandrel parts. In embodiments, such coordinated rotation occurs during transition operations performed between winding operations that employ the first and second mandrel parts in an ordered sequence one after the other. The flexible material can be cable, wire, tubing, hose, rope, or other filamentary material. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Abstract: A packaged wound coil assembly includes a coil of wire, a payout tube, two flat panels on either side of the coil of wire, and a retainer to secure the flat panels relative to the coil assembly. The package assembly uses significantly less materials than prior packages and as assembled can assume less overall space than prior packages for similar wire coils.

Abstract: An intercom system including an intercom network, a user panel, and a wireless access point. The user panel includes a user panel wireless transceiver, a user panel short range communication transceiver, and a user panel electronic controller. The wireless access point communicatively coupled with the intercom network via a first intercom interface, the wireless access point includes an access point wireless transceiver, an access point short range communication transceiver, and an access point electronic controller.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a local server coupled to a plurality of client devices. The local server may receive encrypted content from one or more content sources and provide the content to the client devices. The local server and client devices may be part of a multi-client environment such as a hotel or conference center. The local server does not decrypt and re-encrypt content, thereby allowing the use of low cost equipment. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a local server coupled to a plurality of client devices. The local server may receive encrypted content from one or more content sources and provide the content to the client devices. The local server and client devices may be part of a multi-client environment such as a hotel or conference center. The local server does not decrypt and re-encrypt content, thereby allowing the use of low cost equipment. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for tracking a position of an optical computer mouse based on determining a spatial displacement between image frames. A respective image frame is considered as an anchor frame if the respective image frame comes first in a sequence of image frames or the distance of the respective image frame to its immediately previous anchor frame is equal to or greater than a displacement threshold, and the respective image is considered as an intermediate frame if its distance to its immediately previous anchor frame is below the displacement threshold. Only anchor frames are stored in memory and used for future displacement measurements between image frames captured by the mouse.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a local server coupled to a plurality of client devices. The local server may receive encrypted content from one or more content sources and provide the content to the client devices. The local server and client devices may be part of a multi-client environment such as a hotel or conference center. The local server does not decrypt and re-encrypt content, thereby allowing the use of low cost equipment. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining media content from a media content server located outside a customer premises, in response to receiving a first request for the media content from a first media processor of a group of media processors. Further embodiments can include receiving a first plurality of requests for the media content from a first portion of the group of media processors within a first time period over the second communication network, and multicasting the media content to each of the first media processor and the first portion of the group of media processors over the second communication network. Each of the first media processor and the first portion of the group of media processors presents the media content to a respective display. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for interacting with advertisements on a virtual keyboard. An advertisement appears in a position that is proximate to a virtual key of the virtual keyboard. A user can manipulate the advertisement based on performing one or more types of gestures or key presses on or near the virtual keys. One type of gesture triggers an interaction with the advertisement and another type of gesture or key press performs a standard keyboard function.

Abstract: A single rail shunt cable assembly is configured to repair a damaged railroad rail segment. The single rail shunt cable assembly has a shunt cable with a first shunt cable end and a second shunt cable end. A first cable clip is joined to the first shunt cable end. A second cable clip is joined to the first shunt cable end. An ohm meter is joined to the shunt cable proximate the first cable clip. The ohm meter that shows a circuit connection between the first clamp and the second clamp when the first clamp and the second clamp are attached to the damaged railroad rail segment.

Abstract: A system and method for detection of an aerial drone in an environment includes a baseline of geo-mapped sensor data in a temporal and location indexed database formed by (i) using at least one sensor to receive signals from the environment and converting into digital signals for further processing; (ii) deriving time delays, object signatures, Doppler shifts, reflectivity, and/or optical characteristics from the received signals; (iii) geo-mapping the environment using GNSS and the sensor data; and (iv) logging sensor data over a time interval, for example 24 hours to 7 days. Live sensor data can be then be monitored and signature data can be derived by computing at least one parameter such as direction and signal strength. The live data is continuously or periodically compared to the baseline data to identify a variance, if any, which may be indicative of a detection event.

Abstract: Audio-derived information is provided to a vehicle control system of a vehicle by attaching a microphone externally to a vehicle to generate an analog signal in response to sound waves external to the vehicle. An enclosure containing sound-attenuating material mechanically filters low frequency sounds from reaching the microphone transducer. An analog-to-digital converter converts the analog signal to a digital signal. A vehicle data bus transfers the digital signal to the vehicle control system.

Abstract: Audio-derived information is provided to a vehicle control system of a vehicle by attaching a microphone externally to a vehicle to generate an analog signal in response to sound waves external to the vehicle. An enclosure containing sound-attenuating material mechanically filters low frequency sounds from reaching the microphone transducer. An analog-to-digital converter converts the analog signal to a digital signal. A vehicle data bus transfers the digital signal to the vehicle control system.

Abstract: The present invention solves the problem of environmental pollution created by animal waste and converting animal waste to reusable water in the earth. The invention does this by a device that is capable of receiving animal waste and breaking down the waste into different components by the help of a decomposing catalyst such as a septic pack, filtering the resulting solution and finally producing a filtered liquid that enters the earth being cleansed by the process. The present invention comprises a filter device, a tank unit, a filter unit, a first opening positioned on a top surface of the tank unit; a second opening positioned on a bottom surface of the tank unit; wherein the tank unit is capable of receiving animal waste through the first opening; at least one hole at a bottom surface of the filter unit; wherein the tank unit is placed over the filter unit.

Abstract: A system for detection of a target sound in an environment of a vehicle, includes an audio sensor, a computer processor, and a memory storing a digital target sound template produced by converting a sample of the target sound in accordance with conversion parameters. The computer processor receives a sound signal from the audio sensor, digitizes the sound signal in accordance with the conversion parameters, and determines a degree of similarity between the digitized signal and the digital target sound template. The sound signal may be logarithmically amplified before being digitized. The sound signal may be received from two audio sensors, and the direction of the target sound may be determined based on a difference between time indices for detection of the target sound for each audio sensor.

Abstract: A network-based recovery method implemented by one or more nodes configured to manage Internet Protocol (IP) configuration in a network includes during normal operation, discovering clients, providing IP configuration information to each of the clients, and maintaining a list of the clients and a database of the IP configuration information; responsive to a failure of any of the one or more nodes, sending a request to each client in the list for that client's associated IP configuration information; and, responsive to receiving a response from the sending to each client, repopulating the database with the client's associated IP configuration information.

Abstract: A system and method for detection of an aerial drone in an environment includes a baseline of geo-mapped sensor data in a temporal and location indexed database formed by (i) using at least one sensor to receive signals from the environment and converting into digital signals for further processing; (ii) deriving time delays, object signatures, Doppler shifts, reflectivity, and/or optical characteristics from the received signals; (iii) geo-mapping the environment using GNSS and the sensor data; and (iv) logging sensor data over a time interval, for example 24 hours to 7 days. Live sensor data can be then be monitored and signature data can be derived by computing at least one parameter such as direction and signal strength. The live data is continuously or periodically compared to the baseline data to identify a variance, if any, which may be indicative of a detection event.

Abstract: A payout tube has an inner end and an outer end. The inner end is disposable in an interior of a coil of filamentary material wound in a figure-eight configuration defining a payout hole. The outer end is configured to extend outwardly from the payout hole of the coil. The payout tube has a flange at the outer end and has a rounded edge at the inner end. The rounded edge has a radius between 0.20 and 0.30 inch. In some embodiments, the payout tube includes a tubular body that extends between the flange and the rounded edge. In other embodiments, the payout tube includes an outer ring having the flange, an inner ring having the rounded edge with the inner and outer rings aligned coaxially about a longitudinal axis in spaced relation, and a plurality of pillars extending longitudinally from the outer ring to the inner ring.