Abstract: A bundle of roofing shingles, including at least four rows of roofing shingles, where the at least four rows of roofing shingles includes a first roofing shingle row, a second roofing shingle row, a third roofing shingle row, and a fourth roofing shingle row, where the first roofing shingle row includes a first roofing shingle having a first length; and where the second roofing shingle row includes: a second roofing shingle having a second length, and a third roofing shingle having a third length, where the second roofing shingle is adjacent the third roofing shingle, where the second length is greater than the third length, and where the second row is located above the first row.

Abstract: A modular heater assembly includes resistive heaters disposed along sections of a fluid conduit system, insulation members around the resistive heaters, and at least one insulation block around a fitting. The fitting is configured to join at least two adjacent sections of the fluid conduit system and defines an exterior geometric profile. The insulation block includes a central recess extending axially in a direction of one of the at least two adjacent sections and defining an internal geometric profile substantially matching the external geometric profile of the fitting, and a peripheral aperture. The peripheral aperture is open to the central recess, defines an internal geometric profile substantially matching an external geometric profile of another of the at least two adjacent sections, extends through a sidewall of the insulation block, and is axially aligned with the another of the at least two adjacent sections.

Abstract: A system for training a learning machine accesses a training database of reference metadata that describes reference plans that include reference first-type plans and reference second-type plans. Such plans may be travel plans or other plans. The system trains the learning machine to distinguish candidate first-type plans from candidate second-type plans. The training of the learning machine is based on a set of decision trees generated from randomly selected subsets of the reference metadata, and the randomly selected subsets each describe a corresponding randomly selected portion of the reference plans. The system then modifies the trained learning machine based on asymmetrical penalties for incorrectly distinguishing candidate first-type plans from candidate second-type plans. The system then provides the modified learning machine for run-time use in classifying plans.

Abstract: A modular unit includes a carrier member defining a receiving space for receiving a fluid conduit, a heating element disposed on a surface of the carrier member, and a thermal insulation jacket surrounding the carrier member. The thermal insulation jacket includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper and lower portions of the thermal insulation jacket have mating features for securing the upper and lower portions together.

Abstract: A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

Abstract: A control system for controlling an adjustable output voltage provided to a heater includes a controller configured to determine an input parameter based on an electrical characteristic of the heater, where the heater includes a resistive heating element that is operable to emit heat and as a sensor. The controller is further configured to determine an output voltage for the heater based on the input parameter and a desired setpoint, and to transmit a signal to a power converter to generate the output voltage. The desired setpoint is based on an operational state of the heater, and the input parameter includes data indicative of a temperature of the resistive heating element that is determined based on the electrical characteristic.

Abstract: A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

Abstract: A system for managing the performance of services. A schedule includes slots for performing services. A referral profile database contains historical data for referral sources of the services. An incoming request module receives on an inquiry date an inquiry from a client to reserve one of the slots in the schedule for performing a requested service, and also receives one of the referral sources referring the client. A scheduling module reserves a scheduled slot among the slots for performing the requested service for the client. An analysis module determines whether the requested service has been performed and, when performed, stores a completion date corresponding thereto. The analysis module calculates a delay between the inquiry date and the completion date. An action module updates the historical data for the one of the referral sources based upon whether the requested services were performed, and based on the delay calculated.

Abstract: A modular heater assembly includes resistive heaters disposed along sections of a fluid conduit system, insulation members around the resistive heaters, and at least one insulation block around a fitting. The fitting is configured to join at least two adjacent sections of the fluid conduit system and defines an exterior geometric profile. The insulation block includes a central recess extending axially in a direction of one of the at least two adjacent sections and defining an internal geometric profile substantially matching the external geometric profile of the fitting, and a peripheral aperture. The peripheral aperture is open to the central recess, defines an internal geometric profile substantially matching an external geometric profile of another of the at least two adjacent sections, extends through a sidewall of the insulation block, and is axially aligned with the another of the at least two adjacent sections.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a heater that includes a resistive heating element, a first power pin, and a second power pin. The first power pin forms a first junction with a first end of the resistive heating element, and the second power pin forms a second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element. The second power pin includes a first lead wire and a second lead wire. The first lead wire forms the second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element and defines a first conductive material. The second lead wire forms a primary sensing junction with the first lead wire at a first reference area, and defines a second conductive material different from the first conductive material to measure a temperature at the first reference area based on a voltage change created by the primary sensing junction.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally describes a method and system for converting power to operate a load being supplied by line power having a line energy. The method includes rectifying the line power, bucking the rectified line power to generate a desired voltage output such that current is drawn from the line power in phase with the desired voltage output, and bypassing switching energy created during the bucking of the rectified line power.

Abstract: A control system includes a power converter being a step-down voltage converter and including a power switch. The power converter is operable to generate an adjustable output voltage and includes a sensor circuit configured to measure at least one of a voltage and an electric current of the heater. The control system includes a controller connected to the power converter and the sensor circuit. The controller is configured to determine an input parameter based on the at least one of the voltage and the electric current. The input parameter is indicative of a temperature of the heater. The controller is configured to set the output voltage applied for the heater based on the input parameter and a desired setpoint. The desired setpoint is based on an operational state of the heater. The controller is configured to operate the power switch of the power converter to generate the output voltage.

Abstract: A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally describes a system that includes a heater, a power converter including a power switch, and a controller. The power converter is in communication with the heater and is operable to apply an adjustable voltage to the heater. The controller is in communication with the power switch to control the voltage output of the power converter based on at least one of a load current and a detected voltage at the heater. The controller operates the power switch to adjust the voltage output of the power converter.

Abstract: A modular unit includes a carrier member defining a receiving space for receiving a fluid conduit, a heating element disposed on a surface of the carrier member, and a thermal insulation jacket surrounding the carrier member. The thermal insulation jacket includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper and lower portions of the thermal insulation jacket have mating features for securing the upper and lower portions together.

Abstract: A modular heater system includes a plurality of modular units aligned along a longitudinal direction of a fluid conduit for heating a fluid contained in the fluid conduit. The modular units each include a carrier member, a heating element mounted on the carrier member and a thermal insulation jacket surrounding the carrier member and the heating element. The carrier member defines a receiving space for receiving the fluid conduit therein and includes side slots recessed from outer surfaces of the carrier member. The thermal insulation jacket includes an upper half portion and a lower half portion. The upper half portion and the lower half portion are self-locked in the side slots of the carrier member.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes providing a user interface (UI) that allows a user to select an existing database having cloud storage volumes that contain historical data of one or more customers. A first command input on the UI replicates the existing database is to create one or more new databases. Each of the new databases has new cloud storage volumes created by taking a snapshot of a corresponding one of the volumes of the existing database. Each new database contains the historical data of the existing database such that a new set of databases results. A mapping algorithm is executed in a cloud-computing instance that maps the historical data of each of the one or more customers to produce a shard map. The mapping algorithm includes a round-robin partitioning of the historical data striped by date in a circular order across the new set of databases.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a heater that includes a resistive heating element, a first power pin, and a second power pin. The first power pin forms a first junction with a first end of the resistive heating element, and the second power pin forms a second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element. The second power pin includes a first lead wire and a second lead wire. The first lead wire forms the second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element and defines a first conductive material. The second lead wire forms a primary sensing junction with the first lead wire at a first reference area, and defines a second conductive material different from the first conductive material to measure a temperature at the first reference area based on a voltage change created by the primary sensing junction.