Abstract: A pet door is described herein comprising a motor for locking and unlocking a pet flap of a pet door, wherein the pet flap is rotatably attached to an upper portion of the pet door. The pet door includes a first motion detector for monitoring movement in a first detection region and a second motion detector for monitoring movement in a second detection region, wherein the pet flap of the pet door occupies a plane separating the first detection region from the second detection region when the pet flap is in a locked position. One or more applications running on at least one processor of the pet door are configured to receive a first motion signal from the first motion detector indicating movement of a pet in the first detection region, the receiving the first motion signal including activating an access sequence controlling ingress or egress of a pet.

Abstract: A pet door includes a latch assembly for locking and unlocking a pet flap. The latch assembly has an electric motor, a motor drive shaft having a first end coupled to the electric motor and a second end oppositely disposed from the first end, a drive pin coupled to the second end of the motor drive shaft, and a drive wheel coupled to the drive pin. The drive wheel incrementally rotates with each full rotation of the drive pin. The drive wheel is coupled to a cam drive shaft. The latch assembly also has plurality of latches assemblies coupled to the cam drive shaft for selective engagement of the peripheral edge of the flap depending upon the rotational position of the cam drive shaft, the selective engagement between the latches and the peripheral edge of the flap determining the locking and unlocking of the flap relative to the frame.

Abstract: A pet door includes a motor for locking and unlocking a pet flap of a pet door. The pet flap is rotatably attached to an upper portion of the pet door. The flap has at least one peripheral edge and a movable seal coupled to the flap for reciprocal movement between a retracted position and an extended position. The seal has a second magnetic portion that is magnetically attracted to the first magnetic portion of the frame. The seal is biased to the retracted position when the door is open and the seal being magnetically biased to the extended position by the magnetic force between the first and second magnetic portions when the door is closed.

Abstract: A pet door is described herein comprising a motor for locking and unlocking a pet flap of a pet door, wherein the pet flap is rotatably attached to an upper portion of the pet door. The pet door includes a first motion detector for monitoring movement in a first detection region and a second motion detector for monitoring movement in a second detection region, wherein the pet flap of the pet door occupies a plane separating the first detection region from the second detection region when the pet flap is in a locked position. One or more applications running on at least one processor of the pet door are configured to receive a first motion signal from the first motion detector indicating movement of a pet in the first detection region, the receiving the first motion signal including activating an access sequence controlling ingress or egress of a pet.

Abstract: A pet litter box (10) includes a housing (12) having a base portion (14), a grid portion (16), and a top portion (18). The base portion has a floor (20) and a raised, peripheral ledge (22) with a vertical wall (28) and a horizontal wall (30). The pet litter box has a removable tray (40). The horizontal wall includes air vents (56). Each air vent has an upwardly extending hood (58) having a rear wall (60), two oppositely disposed end walls (62) which define an outwardly facing air outlet opening (64). Each side air outlet opening is in fluid communication with a bottom air inlet opening (66) extending through the ledge horizontal wall. The air inlet opening is in fluid communication with ambient air external of the litter box. The grid portion 16 has a generally flat floor (72) with a grid of holes (74) there through.

Abstract: A system for a host vehicle and includes a memory and a vehicle control module. The memory stores autonomous status bits for each local vehicle. The autonomous status bits indicate whether the corresponding local vehicle is operating in a non-autonomous, semi-autonomous, or fully autonomous mode. The vehicle control module: generates autonomous status bits indicative of an autonomous status level of the host vehicle and transmits the autonomous status bits in a message to first vehicle communication devices; determines that local vehicles are in a local environment of the host vehicle; receives messages including the autonomous status bits of the local vehicles from second vehicle communication devices; and unless operating in a fully autonomous mode, generates a request for a driver of the host vehicle to take control of the host vehicle based on the autonomous status bits of the host vehicle and the local vehicles.

Abstract: A system and method for warning a vehicle of brake deterioration including (i) detecting conditions that impact brake performance of a primary vehicle through a plurality of sensors; (ii) receiving information from the plurality of sensors; (iii) determining data for a brake event; (iv) storing the brake event data in a bin; (v) determining an average of the brake data for the bin; (vi) determining whether a rate at which the average of the brake data for the bin is increasing over time is greater than a first predetermined threshold; (vii) flagging the bin when the average of the brake data for the bin is increasing over time greater than a first predetermined threshold; (viii) determining whether a number of flagged bins is greater than a second predetermined threshold; and (ix) generating an alert to a driver when the number of flagged bins is greater than the second predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A pet litter box (10) includes a housing (12) having a base portion (14), a grid portion (16), and a top portion (18). The base portion has a floor (20) and a raised, peripheral ledge (22) with a vertical wall (28) and a horizontal wall (30). The pet litter box has a removable tray (40). The horizontal wall includes air vents (56). Each air vent has an upwardly extending hood (58) having a rear wall (60), two oppositely disposed end walls (62) which define an outwardly facing air outlet opening (64). Each side air outlet opening is in fluid communication with a bottom air inlet opening (66) extending through the ledge horizontal wall. The air inlet opening is in fluid communication with ambient air external of the litter box. The grid portion 16 has a generally flat floor (72) with a grid of holes (74) there through.

Abstract: A system for autonomous operation of equipment in an environment inaccessible to GPS. The system includes a plurality of location controllers configured to be arranged in the environment. Each one of the location controllers includes a ranging transmitter/receiver, a communication transmitter/receiver, and a control module. The ranging transmitter/receiver is configured to measure controller distance to another one of the location controllers to map the environment, and measure equipment distance to the equipment to determine the equipment's location. The communication transmitter/receiver is configured to transmit the measured controller distance to the master controller, and transmit directional commands to the equipment. A master location controller is configured to build a map of the environment based on the measured controller distances. The plurality of location controllers transmit directional commands to the equipment.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a safety verifying system for a tractor-trailer combination. The system includes a trailer-data storing portion, a wireless reader, a determining portion, and a controlling portion. The trailer-data storing portion is disposed in a trailer that is to be towed by a tractor. The trailer-data storing portion stores first data associated with the trailer. The wireless reader retrieves the first data from the trailer-data storing portion. The determining portion determines whether the combination of the trailer and the tractor satisfies a safety requirement based on the first data retrieved by the wireless reader and second data associated with the tractor or an intended route to a destination of the trailer. The controlling portion controls operation of the tractor based on a result of the determining portion.

Abstract: A hazard warning system for vehicles including hazard detection sensors and a primary transmitter for a primary vehicle configured to transmit information regarding a hazard and a path history of the primary vehicle. A secondary receiver for a secondary vehicle is configured to receive the information regarding the hazard detected by the hazard detection sensors, and the path history of the primary vehicle. A secondary vehicle control module is configured to notify a driver of the secondary vehicle of the hazard when the secondary vehicle is traveling along a path similar to that of the primary vehicle.

Abstract: A method and system for transforming an integrated webpage into native text and image representations. A webpage containing an embedded object is loaded into a browser. A portable text representation of an image of the embedded object is captured by invoking the embedded object to rasterize itself. The portable text representation is then streamed to a web server and converted to a native image representation. A URL is generated for the native image representation and the embedded object on the integrated webpage is replaced with its native image representation.

Abstract: A method and system for transforming an integrated webpage into native text and image representations. A webpage containing an embedded object is loaded into a browser. A portable text representation of an image of the embedded object is captured by invoking the embedded object to rasterize itself. The portable text representation is then streamed to a web server and converted to a native image representation. A URL is generated for the native image representation and the embedded object on the integrated webpage is replaced with its native image representation.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for updating firmware to a plurality of memory devices residing on disparate controllers wherein each controller includes an identical communication path address. A management module writes a firmware image to a memory device residing on a primary controller. The primary controller, in turn, copies the firmware image to another memory device residing on a secondary controller. In this manner, the apparatus, system, and method may update firmware on a plurality of memory devices. Because the primary controller is tasked with updating the secondary controller, the management module is only aware that the firmware of the primary controller has been updated. In this manner, updating of the firmware on the secondary controller is transparent to the management module.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for non-interruptively updating firmware on a redundant hardware controller. The apparatus includes a routing module, a receiving module, and a forwarding module. The routing module routes communications between a redundant hardware controller and a service processor associated with a flash update. The receiving module receives a flash command for the flash update from the service processor via a shared serial connection. The forwarding module forwards the flash command via a dedicated point to point connection to the redundant hardware controller configured to receive the flash command over the point to point connection. The apparatus, system, and method provide a non-interruptive overlay of the firmware image on a redundant hardware controller, minimizing system downtime and user intervention.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for receiving digital instructions at devices or controllers sharing an identity. A first controller receives a digital instruction instance over a communications medium. The digital instruction instance maybe a firmware instance. The first controller has ownership of the communications medium and shares the communications medium and a common identity with a second controller. An ownership module transfers ownership of the communications medium from the first controller to the second controller. The ownership module may transfer ownership in response to the first controller successfully receiving the digital instruction instance. A request module requests a retransmission of the digital instruction instance, and may request the retransmission in response to the transfer of ownership of the communications medium. The second controller receives the retransmitted digital instruction instance in response to the retransmission request.

Abstract: Provided are a techniques for processing a download. Under control of a first target device, a download command is received via a first communication medium that indicates that an update is to be downloaded. The download command is issued to a second target device via a second communication medium, wherein the second communication medium is a private device communication medium that enables private communication between the first target device and the second target device. The update is received via the first communication medium. In response to determining that the update has been downloaded, run with the update.