Abstract: A preassembled pipe coupling and method for joining pipe segments in an end-to-end relationship. The coupling (100) includes three identical housing segments (110) joined end to end. Each housing segment (110) includes a pipe engagement surface defining a radius of curvature. The radii of curvature of the three housing segments (110) are identical. The third housing segment is connected to the first and second housing segments to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the coupling, in which the radii of curvatures are the same in the first and second configurations. In the first configuration, the three housing segments (110) are radially located about an annular gasket (400) to permit insertion of the pipe segment into the gasket (400). In the second configuration, the three housing segments are radially located about the annular gasket such that the gasket is compressed to form a fluid tight seal and the pipe engagement surfaces engage the outer surface of the pipe segment.

Abstract: This invention provides programmable intelligent agents that facilitate and manage voice or video conversations between human users and chatbots over the Internet or the Public Switched Telephone Network. Functions of said intelligent agents include providing the communication connectivity, coordinating the human-chatbot conversation, reacting and responding to the human user's conversational behavior, and in certain applications, sending controlling signals to peripheral devices according to intents of the conversation, or receiving data from peripheral sensors as references to alter the course of the conversation. Furthermore, a said intelligent agent can serve as a user interface that enables human users in the vicinity of the intelligent agent to engage in an interactive three-way conversation with a chatbot and remote human users.

Abstract: Disclosed is a resonant wavelength measurement apparatus, including a light source and a measurement unit. The measurement unit has a guided-mode resonance filter and a photosensitive element. The guided-mode resonance filter has a plurality of resonant areas, and each resonant area has a different filtering characteristic, to receive first light in the light source transmitted by a sensor or receive second light in the light source reflected by the sensor. The first light has a first corresponding pixel on the photosensitive element, the second light has a second corresponding pixel on the photosensitive element, and the first corresponding pixel and the second corresponding pixel correspond to a same resonant wavelength.

Abstract: A USB hub includes an upstream port; a first USB device control unit for performing packet format conversion; an FIFO circuit for storing data outputted from the first host; a second USB device control unit for performing packet format conversion; and a plurality of downstream ports. When any one of the downstream ports is coupled to the mobile device, if the first host commands the mobile device to switch to a host role from a device role, the mobile device temporarily disconnects from the USB hub, and the first host commands the USB hub to change an internal routing path. After the mobile device switches to the host role, the first host still performs the host role, and the first USB device control unit performs the device role; the mobile device performs the host role, and the second USB device control unit performs the device role.

Abstract: A fluorescence immunoassay device based on integration of a photonic crystal and magnetic beads and a method thereof are provided. Magnetic beads with high surface-to-volume ratio are used as carriers of fluorescent molecules to obtain higher fluorescence density. The electric field on the surface of the photonic crystal is enhanced through excitation of photonic crystal resonance. The intensity of the fluorescence signal excited by the enhanced electric field is increased. Moreover, through interaction with the photonic crystal, some fluorescent signals that originally cannot be received by the fluorescent sensor are coupled to the photonic crystal resonant modes and reradiate toward the fluorescent sensor, thereby increasing collection efficiency. The fluorescence signals generated by fluorescent molecules on the magnetic beads are significantly intensified, which could lower the detection limit.

Abstract: A USB bridge including a first USB port, a second USB port, a microcontroller, and a host-to-host function circuit is provided. The first USB port is coupled to the first USB host. The second USB port is coupled to the second USB host. The microcontroller is coupled to the first and the second USB ports. The microcontroller communicates with the first and the second USB hosts via the first and the second USB ports, such that the first and the second USB hosts respectively simulate the USB ports of the first and the second USB hosts as virtual comports. The host-to-host function circuit is coupled to the microcontroller and configured to perform a host-to-host transmission function by simulating the USB ports as virtual comports.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention shows a high-voltage MOS field-effect transistor connected in series with a Schottky diode. When the Schottky diode is forwardly biased, the high-voltage MOSFET can act as a switch and sustain a high drain-to-source voltage. When the Schottky diode is reversely biased, the Schottky diode can protect the integrate circuit where the high-voltage MOSFET is formed, because the integrate circuit might otherwise burn out due to an exceedingly-large reverse current.

Abstract: A monitoring system includes a first storage device and a processor. The first storage is configured to temporarily store a first iterated value corresponding to first history parameters. The processor is configured to receive first parameters of first products tested by a test machine, generate a second iterated value by performing an iterative calculation of the first parameters and the first iterated value, and update the first iterated value temporarily stored in the first storage device to the second iterated value for follow-up iterative calculations to selectively output an alert information, wherein the second iterated value corresponds to the first parameters and the first history parameters.

Abstract: A server and a number of client devices are connected via a network. Interactive objects are initiated in one of the client devices and delivered to any number of other client devices over the network. Real-time interactions between the object sender and the object receiver(s) can then be engaged using event-triggering mechanisms built into the client devices and applied onto the objects, and be coordinated by a coordinating module in the server. The interactive objects may carry instructions for event-triggered loading, activating and execution of functional widgets, such as workflows or collaborations, stored in the same server or elsewhere on the network. Once loaded in a client device, a widget needs not to be reloaded upon further use. Furthermore, the coordinating module may be linked to a machine-learning module in the same server or elsewhere on the network.

Abstract: A USB hub includes an upstream port; a first USB device control unit for performing packet format conversion; an FIFO circuit for storing data outputted from the first host; a second USB device control unit for performing packet format conversion; and a plurality of downstream ports. When any one of the downstream ports is coupled to the mobile device, if the first host commands the mobile device to switch to a host role from a device role, the mobile device temporarily disconnects from the USB hub, and the first host commands the USB hub to change an internal routing path. After the mobile device switches to the host role, the first host still performs the host role, and the first USB device control unit performs the device role; the mobile device performs the host role, and the second USB device control unit performs the device role.

Abstract: A personnel management system and method is disclosed. The personnel management system comprises beacons distributed around an employer facility to assist in tracking employee movement, automating punch-in and punch-out events, automating timecard record keeping, and providing navigation services within the employer facility. Detection of an employee in proximity to a particular beacon triggers a server system to log the time of the detection and update of the employee's timecard with a punch-in event, if confirmed by the employee. Similarly, detection of the employee later triggers the server system to log the time of the detection and update of the employee's timecard with a punch-out event. In some embodiments, the beacons interact with employee mobile phones via a BLUETOOTH protocol. Automation of these operations improves the accuracy and convenience of employee timekeeping while preventing some types of fraudulent behavior, thereby saving employers money.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention shows a high-voltage MOS field-effect transistor connected in series with a Schottky diode. When the Schottky diode is forwardly biased, the high-voltage MOSFET can act as a switch and sustain a high drain-to-source voltage. When the Schottky diode is reversely biased, the Schottky diode can protect the integrate circuit where the high-voltage MOSFET is formed, because the integrate circuit might otherwise burn out due to an exceedingly-large reverse current.

Abstract: A dispersive element is incorporated with an optical sensor as a spectrometer. The dispersive element includes a guided-mode resonance filter having a plurality of resonance regions. The resonance regions respectively have different filter characteristics, each reflecting a first light beam of a tested light source or transmitting a second light beam of the tested light source light source to the optical sensor, wherein the wavelength of the first light beam is different from that of the second light beam. In one embodiment, the dispersive element is incorporated with an optical sensor to form a miniature, high-resolution and low-cost spectrometer. The spectrometer makes use of the transmission efficiencies of the resonance regions of the guided-mode resonance filter and the light intensity distribution detected by the photosensitive regions of the optical sensor to acquire the spectral data of the tested light source.

Abstract: A gas regulator assembly is revealed. A display device is mounted in a chamber of a gas regulator. A piston base of the display device is stopped in a vent hole of the gas regulator by a stopper. An elastic part arranged between a push base of a push part of the piston base and a circular flange around the push base is against a support seat. An extension part is extended from the support seat and covered by the circular flange when the push base and the support seat are leaning against each other. A display film with grooves is set on the support seat. An outer cap is covered on the chamber and having a transparent circular window on one end and a transparent outer window on the other end. Thereby the risk of gas leakage is minimized and the safety in use is improved.

Abstract: An electronic device is described. The electronic device includes a flash configured to generate a pre-flash and a regular flash and a camera. The electronic device also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the flash and the camera. The processor is configured to, in response to receiving a picture request: determine one or more high dynamic range (HDR) settings and configure an HDR mode of the camera with the determined HDR settings; cause the flash to generate a pre-flash while the HDR mode of the camera is configured with the determined HDR settings; obtain an HDR image from the camera after causing the flash to generate the pre-flash and while the camera is configured with the determined HDR setting; and determine one or more camera configuration settings based on the obtained HDR image.

Abstract: A stable manufacturing efficiency generating method includes the steps: generating a real-time grouping parameter set according to a plurality of historical efficiency values; grouping a plurality of real-time efficiency values corresponding to a product to generate a plurality of real-time efficiency groups according to the real-time grouping parameter set; selecting one of the real-time efficiency groups having most real-time efficiency values as a stable efficiency group; and generating a stable manufacturing efficiency value according to an average value of the real-time efficiency values in the stable efficiency group.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving training data including a plurality of records, each record having a plurality of attributes. The training data is horizontally parallelized across two or more processing elements. This horizontal parallelizing includes dividing the training data into two or more subsets of records; assigning each subset of records to a corresponding processing element of the two or more processing elements; transmitting each subset of records to its assigned processing element; and sorting, at the two or more processing elements, the two or more subsets of records to two or more candidate leaves of a decision tree. The output from horizontally parallelizing is converted into input for vertically parallelizing the training data. The training data is vertically parallelized across the two or more processing elements. The decision tree is grown based at least in part on the horizontally parallelizing, the converting, and the vertically parallelizing.

Abstract: A dispersive element is incorporated with an optical sensor as a spectrometer. The dispersive element includes a guided-mode resonance filter having a plurality of resonance regions. The resonance regions respectively have different filter characteristics, each reflecting a first light beam of a tested light source or transmitting a second light beam of the tested light source light source to the optical sensor, wherein the wavelength of the first light beam is different from that of the second light beam. In one embodiment, the dispersive element is incorporated with an optical sensor to form a miniature, high-resolution and low-cost spectrometer. The spectrometer makes use of the transmission efficiencies of the resonance regions of the guided-mode resonance filter and the light intensity distribution detected by the photosensitive regions of the optical sensor to acquire the spectral data of the tested light source.

Abstract: A structure of gas regulator comprises a space for setting an intake switchover valve formed at an outer end of a high-pressure portion and interconnected with the inside of the high-pressure portion. A pushing block is outside a diaphragm, and an elastic element is set between the pushing block and a flange at the periphery of an inner end of the pushing block. A support base outside the pushing block is abutted the elastic element and comprises an extending section extended from an inner end thereof and corresponding to the outer periphery of the elastic element and a through-hole corresponding to the pushing block. A display diaphragm with a center slot is outside the support base. A cover covered the space has a transparent side display window at the periphery thereof and a transparent outer display window at an outer end thereof.

Abstract: An electronic device is described. The electronic device includes a flash configured to generate a pre-flash and a regular flash and a camera. The electronic device also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the flash and the camera. The processor is configured to, in response to receiving a picture request: determine one or more high dynamic range (HDR) settings and configure an HDR mode of the camera with the determined HDR settings; cause the flash to generate a pre-flash while the HDR mode of the camera is configured with the determined HDR settings; obtain an HDR image from the camera after causing the flash to generate the pre-flash and while the camera is configured with the determined HDR setting; and determine one or more camera configuration settings based on the obtained HDR image.