Abstract: A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

Abstract: A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and apparatuses for a portable hydration system including a mechanical or electromechanical mechanism for dispensing additives into a liquid or other solute in a portable container. Such additives include solids, liquid, powders, and gases, and include vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements, pharmaceuticals, and other consumables. Additives are introduced into the hydration device via closed vessels equipped with RFID tags or similar, capable of transferring data about the vessels' contents to the device. Dispensing is initiated manually by direct user action, automatically by the device, and/or externally through an associated application on a user device. Dispensing is adjustable by contextual factors such as a user's preferences, location, activity, physiologic status, and the like, obtained via APIs to third party applications or through more direct measurements or inputs.

Abstract: A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

Abstract: Provided is a portable, self-contained beverage apparatus. The beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly.

Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and apparatuses for a portable hydration system including a mechanical or electromechanical mechanism for dispensing additives into a liquid or other solute in a portable container. Such additives include solids, liquid, powders, and gases, and include vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements, pharmaceuticals, and other consumables. Additives are introduced into the hydration device via closed vessels equipped with RFID tags or similar, capable of transferring data about the vessels' contents to the device. Dispensing is initiated manually by direct user action, automatically by the device, and/or externally through an associated application on a user device. Dispensing is adjustable by contextual factors such as a user's preferences, location, activity, physiologic status, and the like, obtained via APIs to third party applications or through more direct measurements or inputs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for receiving product data for products featured in a media asset are described. In some embodiments, the system includes control circuitry that receives from a server data for products featured in a media asset and timestamps for the media asset associated with the products featured in the media asset. The control circuitry generates for display a list including one or more of the products. The control circuitry receives from user input circuitry a selection of a product in the list. The control circuitry transmits to the server a request for a portion of the media asset featuring the selected product based on a timestamp associated with the selected product.

Abstract: An artificial heart valve comprises a support structure defining an aperture for blood flow and a flexible leaflet connected to the support structure along first and second at least partially straight lines of attachment, wherein the leaflet is movable relative to the support structure between an open configuration in which the leaflet permits blood flow through the aperture and a closed configuration in which the leaflet restricts blood flow through the aperture. A lateral cross-section taken through the leaflet defines an outwardly convex portion, an outwardly concave portion and a junction between the convex and concave portions. The heart valve may be configured for implantation in a human or animal subject. A method of manufacturing a heart valve and a former for use in such a method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for receiving product data for products featured in a media asset are described. In some embodiments, the system includes control circuitry that receives from a server data for products featured in a media asset and timestamps for the media asset associated with the products featured in the media asset. The control circuitry generates for display a list including one or more of the products. The control circuitry receives from user input circuitry a selection of a product in the list. The control circuitry transmits to the server a request for a portion of the media asset featuring the selected product based on a timestamp associated with the selected product.

Abstract: Systems and methods for receiving product data for products featured in a media asset are described. In some embodiments, the system includes control circuitry that receives from a server data for a plurality of products featured in a media asset. The control circuitry generates for display a list including the plurality of products. The control circuitry determines whether a product in the list is associated with a coupon and/or a preferred vendor. The control circuitry visually distinguishes the product from other products in the list in response to determining that the product is associated with a coupon and/or a preferred vendor.

Abstract: An artificial heart valve comprises a support structure defining an aperture for blood flow and a flexible leaflet connected to the support structure along first and second at least partially straight lines of attachment, wherein the leaflet is movable relative to the support structure between an open configuration in which the leaflet permits blood flow through the aperture and a closed configuration in which the leaflet restricts blood flow through the aperture. A lateral cross-section taken through the leaflet defines an outwardly convex portion, an outwardly concave portion and a junction between the convex and concave portions. The heart valve may be configured for implantation in a human or animal subject. A method of manufacturing a heart valve and a former for use in such a method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing a video image sent from a first terminal of a video-telephony system to a second terminal of the video-telephony system during a video telephony call. An image style is selected at the first terminal and a description of the image style is transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal. A sequence of video images transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal is modified by a style generator at the second terminal in accordance with description of the image style before being displayed at the second terminal. The first terminal includes a user interface that controls a style selector to produce the style description that defines the properties or the style such as a cropping region, a border style, an image filter, a background and an animation.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing improved in-vehicle warnings are disclosed. A driver's prior driving performance and a summary representation of that performance may be used as parameters in a hazard or collision warning algorithm. Information from sensors regarding the vehicle, driver, and external traffic and roadway conditions may be used to estimate driver performance variables in particular driving situations. Each driver performance estimate may be included into one or more overall summary variables for that driving situation. The value of these summary variables may then be used in an algorithm to control the nature and timing of a warning, when a similar situation arises again in the future.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing a video image sent from a first terminal of a video-telephony system to a second terminal of the video-telephony system during a video telephony call. An image style is selected at the first terminal and a description of the image style is transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal. A sequence of video images transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal is modified by a style generator at the second terminal in accordance with description of the image style before being displayed at the second terminal. The first terminal includes a user interface that controls a style selector to produce the style description that defines the properties or the style such as a cropping region, a border style, an image filter, a background and an animation.

Abstract: A home video system (200) capable of supporting video telephony includes a sub-system including a programmed processor (210) for analyzing illumination in a room (100) in which the system (200) is set up and recommending to the user of the system, lighting changes to avoid overwhelming the dynamic range of the camera (107), to optimize the ambient lighting and achieving a style of lighting selected by users of the system (200), thereby improving the video quality of the transmitted video image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that selects and sends advertisements to a user based on the user's interests as determined by the user's location information is disclosed. The method may include receiving a user's location information, updating the user's location history based on the received location information, updating the user's interest profile based on the updated location history information, selecting one or more advertisement based on the updated user's interest profile, and transmitting the selected one or more advertisement for presentation to the user.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing improved in-vehicle warnings are disclosed in which warning systems are sensitive to the typical driving performance of individual drivers in various modes of driving. Various embodiments of the present invention may detect a mode of driving, store information about a driver's driving style for each of the different modes, and use this stored information to adjust the timing and nature of warnings for the different modes. Examples of modes include without limitation normal cruising mode, emergency mode, passenger mode, post-emergency mode, pursuit mode, urban mode, suburban mode, rural mode, trailer mode, daytime mode, nighttime mode, and others. By adjusting warnings for individual drivers according to driving context, warnings can be optimized according to the needs of those drivers in different driving situations.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing improved in-vehicle warnings are disclosed. A driver's prior driving performance and a summary representation of that performance may be used as parameters in a hazard or collision warning algorithm. Information from sensors regarding the vehicle, driver, and external traffic and roadway conditions may be used to estimate driver performance variables in particular driving situations. Each driver performance estimate may be included into one or more overall summary variables for that driving situation. The value of these summary variables may then be used in an algorithm to control the nature and timing of a warning, when a similar situation arises again in the future.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of integrating a personal communications system (102) includes a telematics device (106) coupled to a vehicle (107), where the telematics device (106) can exchange data with at least one vehicle system (139, 140) and where telematics device (106) includes a service providing entity (126). A remote device (104) having a service requesting entity (156) can access and exchange data with the telematics device (106) utilizing the service requesting entity (156) to interact with at least one vehicle system (139, 140) and utilize and exchange data with service providing entity (126). A selection is made between a first wireless network protocol (110) and a second wireless network protocol (112) in order to access telematics device (106).

Abstract: Proximity of a moving vehicle with respect to a lane boundary is ascertained and the degree of proximity is used to provide a variable signal to the driver of the vehicle to alert the driver to such proximity. In one embodiment, the variable signal to the driver includes haptic sensations that are imparted through, for example, the steering wheel and/or the driver's seat. Visual and audible signals can also be used if desired. The signal itself can vary in intensity with respect to boundary proximity in a variety of ways, including through both linear and non-linear patterns, variable maximum signal intensity, and so forth.