Abstract: A multipurpose device that combines a writing instrument and ruler releasably attached thereto. The core components of the invention are the writing instrument and ruler, which, generally speaking, are configured as follows: the writing instrument is an elongated rigid form with a shallow recess in its outer surface. The ruler is an elongated, thin-walled semi-tubular form that is shaped to substantially fill the respective recess within the outer surface of the writing instrument. During normal use, the ruler may be snapped onto and off the writing instrument or may slide onto and off of the writing instrument.

Abstract: A light ranging system including a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a light ranging device configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the light ranging device including a light source configured to transmit light pulses to objects in a surrounding environment, and detector circuitry configured to detect reflected portions of the light pulses that are reflected from the objects in the surrounding environment and to compute ranging data based on the reflected portion of the light pulses; a base subsystem that does not rotate about the shaft; and an optical communications subsystem configured to provide an optical communications channel between the base subsystem and the light ranging device, the optical communications subsystem including one or more turret optical communication components connected to the detector circuitry and one or more base optical communication components connected to the base subsystem.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium for performing a data center monitoring and management operation. The data center monitoring and management operation includes: creating a workflow-based orchestration operation; launching the workflow-based orchestration operation; tracking the workflow-based orchestration operation; and, managing the workflow-based orchestration operation, the managing the workflow-based orchestration operation managing an implicit behavior associated with the workflow-orchestration operation.

Abstract: Optical systems and methods for collecting distance information are disclosed. An example optical system includes a first transmitting optic, a plurality of illumination sources, a pixel array comprising at least a first column of pixels and a second column of pixels, each pixel in the first column of pixels being offset from an adjacent pixel in the first column of pixels by a first pixel pitch, the second column of pixels being horizontally offset from the first column of pixels by the first pixel pitch, the second column of pixels being vertically offset from the first column of pixels by a first vertical pitch; and a set of input channels interposed between the first transmitting optic and the pixel array.

Abstract: Techniques for personalizing an AI automated conversational system are provided. In one aspect, a method for personalizing an automated conversational system includes: making predictions of a familiarity of a user with concepts needed to understand a standard output utterance based on the familiarity of an aggregate of users and a background knowledge model of the concepts and related concepts, wherein the standard output utterance assumes that the concepts are known; and giving, by the automated conversational system, an output utterance that is tailored to the user given the predictions. For instance, the automated conversational system can give the standard output utterance to the user when it is predicted that the user is familiar with the concepts, or a nonstandard output utterance when it is it is predicted that the user is unfamiliar with at least one of the concepts.

Abstract: A system and a method for locally controlling delivery of electrical power along the distribution feeder by measuring certain electricity parameters of a distribution feeder line using a substation phasor measurement unit (PMU) electrically coupled to a substation distribution bus at a first node on the feeder line, and at least one customer site PMU electrically coupled to a low voltage end of a transformer at a customer site, wherein the transformer is coupled by a drop line to a second node on the distribution feeder line and the customer site is coupled by another drop line to the transformer, and by controlling at least one controllable reactive power resource and optionally a real power resource connected to the second node or at the customer site. Related apparatus, systems, articles, and techniques are also described.

Abstract: A light ranging system including a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a light ranging device configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the light ranging device including a light source configured to transmit light pulses to objects in a surrounding environment, and detector circuitry configured to detect reflected portions of the light pulses that are reflected from the objects in the surrounding environment and to compute ranging data based on the reflected portion of the light pulses; a base subsystem that does not rotate about the shaft; and an optical communications subsystem configured to provide an optical communications channel between the base subsystem and the light ranging device, the optical communications subsystem including one or more turret optical communication components connected to the detector circuitry and one or more base optical communication components connected to the base subsystem.

Abstract: A method for drying to increase the useful life of botanicals and shorten the time to market after harvest of the botanicals. The method may include flash freezing the botanicals, at a desired optimal temperature range, soon after harvest. The method may include storing the frozen botanicals indefinitely prior to drying. The method may include drying the frozen botanicals using a lyophilizer at a desired optimal temperature and pressure.

Abstract: A method for drying to increase the useful life of botanicals and shorten the time to market after harvest of the botanicals. The method may include flash freezing the botanicals, at a desired optimal temperature range, soon after harvest. The method may include storing the frozen botanicals indefinitely prior to drying. The method may include drying the frozen botanicals using a lyophilizer at a desired optimal temperature and pressure.

Abstract: A pressurizable fluid container apparatus, system and method of use.

Abstract: Computer architectures and associated methods for real-time data processing are disclosed. in some embodiments, a trial adjudication request for a cost determination can be received by a first server and verified using a security protocol, wherein a password token of the trial adjudication request can be matched to a stored password token. The first server can transmit an adjudication command packet to a second server that includes at least one data set of a plurality of data sets and a command for a claim determination, and can receive a response packet from the second server. The first server can determine that a successful claim determination was performed by the second server from the response packet, and can transmit a reversal request packet to the second server which can cancel the successful claim determination. The first server can perform the electronic calculation using the claim data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of voice-to-text tagging for transcription of a human voice signal by one of an automatic speech recognition system, or a natural conversation, includes generating a speech-to-text verbal transcript of the verbal vocalizations of an audio signal at a verbal timestamp of the audio signal. A voice-to-text non-verbal transcript of the one or more non-verbal vocalizations of the audio signal is generated at a non-verbal timestamp of the audio signal. The non-verbal transcript and the verbal transcript are combined to generate an enhanced transcript.

Abstract: Computer architectures and associated methods for real-time data processing are disclosed. In some embodiments, a trial adjudication request for a cost determination can be received by a first server and verified using a security protocol, wherein a password token of the trial adjudication request can be matched to a stored password token. The first server can transmit an adjudication command packet to a second server that includes at least one data set of a plurality of data sets and a command for a claim determination, and can receive a response packet from the second server. The first server can determine that a successful claim determination was performed by the second server from the response packet, and can transmit a reversal request packet to the second server which can cancel the successful claim determination. The first server can perform the electronic calculation using the claim data.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for switch-mode power supply start-up are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a switch-mode power supply includes an inductor and one or more power switches used to control a current through the inductor to provide voltage regulation. The switch-mode power supply uses external voltage levels to regulate one or more internal control signals (for example, for opening or closing the one or more power switches) to their zero output current switching state at the appropriate switch duty cycle. Furthermore, the switch-mode power supply can be implemented to provide a first pulse timing signal to establish the inductor current waveform for zero net output current delivery to a load.

Abstract: Techniques for personalizing an AI automated conversational system are provided. In one aspect, a method for personalizing an automated conversational system includes: making predictions of a familiarity of a user with concepts needed to understand a standard output utterance based on the familiarity of an aggregate of users and a background knowledge model of the concepts and related concepts, wherein the standard output utterance assumes that the concepts are known; and giving, by the automated conversational system, an output utterance that is tailored to the user given the predictions. For instance, the automated conversational system can give the standard output utterance to the user when it is predicted that the user is familiar with the concepts, or a nonstandard output utterance when it is it is predicted that the user is unfamiliar with at least one of the concepts.

Abstract: A system and a method for locally controlling delivery of electrical power along the distribution feeder by measuring certain electricity parameters of a distribution feeder line using a substation phasor measurement unit (PMU) electrically coupled to a substation distribution bus at a first node on the feeder line, and at least one customer site PMU electrically coupled to a low voltage end of a transformer at a customer site, wherein the transformer is coupled by a drop line to a second node on the distribution feeder line and the customer site is coupled by another drop line to the transformer, and by controlling at least one controllable reactive power resource and optionally a real power resource connected to the second node or at the customer site. Related apparatus, systems, articles, and techniques are also described.

Abstract: A shower assembly apparatus may include a main body that is removably installed in a bathtub. The main body includes a first mounting point and a second mounting point, separated by a spacing member. The main body includes an adjustable seat subassembly that may be interchangeably mounted at either the first or second mounting point. The adjustable seat assembly includes an adjustable-support tower and a seat attached thereto. The main body includes a handle subassembly that may be interchangeably mounted at either the first or second mounting point. The handle subassembly and the adjustable seat subassembly are configured such that the subassemblies are mounted at different mounting points of the main assembly, but may be changed between mounting points as needed. The spacing member of the main assembly may be positioned at a distal side of the bathtub relative to a bathtub entry point.

Abstract: A shower assembly apparatus may include a main body that is removably installed in a bathtub. The main body includes a first mounting point and a second mounting point, separated by a spacing member. The main body includes an adjustable seat subassembly that may be interchangeably mounted at either the first or second mounting point. The adjustable seat assembly includes an adjustable-support tower and a seat attached thereto. The main body includes a handle subassembly that may be interchangeably mounted at either the first or second mounting point. The handle subassembly and the adjustable seat subassembly are configured such that the subassemblies are mounted at different mounting points of the main assembly, but may be changed between mounting points as needed. The spacing member of the main assembly may be positioned at a distal side of the bathtub relative to a bathtub entry point.