Abstract: A portable apparatus for determining refractive error in the human eye comprises an elongate base rail having a left side base rail portion and a right side base rail portion; a first lens carrier housing mounted on the left side base rail portion, a first lens carrier carrying a plurality of corrective lenses and being substantially housed within the first lens carrier housing so as to expose a corrective lens of the first lens carrier in a test position of the first lens carrier housing; a second lens carrier housing mounted on the right side base rail portion, a second lens carrier carrying a plurality of corrective lenses and being substantially housed within the second lens carrier housing so as to expose a corrective lens of the second lens carrier in a test position of the second lens carrier housing; a first user operable control adapted for moving the first lens carrier relative to the first lens carrier housing and a second user operable control adapted to move the second lens carrier relative to th

Abstract: A feeder comprising: a) a base portion having a serving area with a feeding dish; b) a chamber portion supported by the base portion and configured to retain a granular material within a chamber interior; c) a dispenser configured to segregate a portion of the granular material from the chamber interior and transfer the portion of the granular material from the chamber portion to the serving area, wherein the dispenser includes a rocker body configured to partially rotate about a rotational axis from a resting position to a dispensing position; and d) a lid configured to be opened such as to expose the feeding dish and configured to be closed such as to cover the feeding dish

Abstract: A surface-reinforced bitumen roofing membrane includes at least two layers, namely 1) a bitumen compound layer, and 2) a fiber mat, and can optionally include a) an optional bleed blocker layer that is located between the bitumen compound layer and the fiber mat, b) an optional liquid applied coating that partially or fully encapsulates the fiber mat, c) an optional release liner that is releasably positioned on the bottom surface of the bitumen roofing membrane, and/or d) an optional release film that is releasably positioned on the fiber mat surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining a peripheral's location based on observations from a plurality of centrals. A central may periodically transmit its location and observations of peripherals to a backend. The backend may match the location of the central with one or more observations of a peripheral to estimate a location of the peripheral. The backend may receive observations of the same peripheral from a plurality of centrals. The backend may aggregate estimated locations to triangulate a more precise location of the peripheral.

Abstract: A new and improved long stroke pump system used for wellbore hydraulic fracturing operations. The pump system comprises a power system, a drive system, and a frac fluid pumping assembly. The frac fluid pumping assembly comprises one or more pairs of hydraulic cylinders that are mechanically decoupled from each other but are hydraulically coupled to each other.

Abstract: A method for increasing the effectiveness of a mobile platform's data communications link includes the steps of: (a) attaching high gain antennas to the platform, (b) providing it with the following: a processor with memory and software, an antenna switching mechanism, an inertial measurement unit, and a GNSS receiver, and wherein the software is configured to: (c) assist in performing antenna switching so that the antennas yield a “pseudo isotropic” energy radiation pattern, (d) classify and prioritize data for transmission based on the nature and criticality of the data, (e) queue the data, based on its classification, during a communication link loss for retransmission when the link is reestablished, and (f) monitor the link to determine its statistical characteristics, and repacketize the data, based on the link's statistical characteristics, to enhance the link's efficiency.

Abstract: A smart pan system comprising a food pan having one or more radio frequency tag coupled thereto that store a unique identifier associated with the food pan. A tag reader associated with a food preparation apparatus reads the unique identifier for linking to information relating to the food carried in the pan.

Abstract: A feeder including: a) a base portion having a serving area; b) a chamber portion supported by the base portion and configured to retain a granular material within a chamber interior, c) a dispenser configured to segregate a portion of the granular material from the chamber interior and transfer the portion of the granular material from the chamber portion to the serving area, wherein the dispenser includes: i) a rocker body; and ii) one or more fins projecting from the rocker body; and wherein the feeder includes one or more of: i) the fin(s) are flexible; ii) sensing device(s) part of a sensing tower configured to sense the presence, distance, and/or amount of the granular material within the chamber portion; and/or iii) sensing device(s) configured to sense the presence, distance, and/or amount of the granular material within the serving area.

Abstract: A document inference system applies document inference rules to policy operation data received from a separate policy management system, to determine which types of documents are to be generated in response to an operation performed within the policy management system. The document inference system also converts user-provided natural language definitions of conditions of document inference rules into document inference rules that the document inference system applies to policy operation data received from the policy management system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and software are provided for using an optically-readable code such as a quick-response (QR) code. The optically-readable code may represent a uniform resource identifier (URI) including parameters that represent a query, such as a query for content and/or other data. The query results may be used to command a content consumption device to record or otherwise obtain an item of content. The optically-readable code may additionally or alternatively be determined based upon a status of the device, such as what content, or portion thereof, is currently being displayed, and/or what error condition is being experienced.

Abstract: An automated litter device having: a base; and a chamber configured for retaining a litter and rotatably supported by the support base, wherein the chamber includes: an entry opening so that an animal can enter and exit the chamber; and a waste opening generally opposing the entry opening configured so that an animal waste passes through the waste opening into the base upon rotation of the chamber; wherein the automated litter device includes one or more of: i) one or more sensors located adjacent to the entry opening which are adapted to sense the presence of the animal within the chamber, the presence of the waste in the base, a level of litter in the chamber, a position of the chamber relative to the base, or any combination thereof; ii) a filtering system configured for reducing, eliminating, and/or preventing, malodors building in the base; and/or iii) a litter dispenser in communication with the chamber to transfer some of the litter to the chamber.

Abstract: An automated litter device having: a base; and a chamber configured for retaining a litter and rotatably supported by the support base, wherein the chamber includes: an entry opening so that an animal can enter and exit the chamber; and a waste opening generally opposing the entry opening configured so that an animal waste passes through the waste opening into the base upon rotation of the chamber; wherein the automated litter device includes one or more of: i) one or more sensors located adjacent to the entry opening which are adapted to sense the presence of the animal within the chamber, the presence of the waste in the base, a level of litter in the chamber, a position of the chamber relative to the base, or any combination thereof; ii) a filtering system configured for reducing, eliminating, and/or preventing, malodors building in the base; and/or iii) a litter dispenser in communication with the chamber to transfer some of the litter to the chamber.

Abstract: A method for increasing the effectiveness of a mobile platform's data communications link includes the steps of: (a) attaching high gain antennas to the platform, (b) providing it with the following: a processor with memory and software, an antenna switching mechanism, an inertial measurement unit, and a GNSS receiver, and wherein the software is configured to: (c) assist in performing antenna switching so that the antennas yield a “pseudo isotropic” energy radiation pattern, (d) classify and prioritize data for transmission based on the nature and criticality of the data, (e) queue the data, based on its classification, during a communication link loss for retransmission when the link is reestablished, and (f) monitor the link to determine its statistical characteristics, and repacketize the data, based on the link's statistical characteristics, to enhance the link's efficiency.

Abstract: A system is presented that comprises a third-party ad provider that serves advertisements to different websites being viewed at a plurality of display devices. The advertisements may be from different advertisers, and may include advertisements from a content service provider. The advertisements from the service provider may include a promotion for a video program presented by the service provider and may provide a selectable option for a viewer of the website to have that viewer's DVR service automatically programmed to record the promoted video program. The selectable option may be selected with a single action by the viewer, and all communications, associations between the display device and the DVR service, and programming of the DVR service may occur automatically without intervention by the viewer.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and software are provided for using an optically-readable code such as a quick-response (QR) code. The optically-readable code may represent a uniform resource identifier (URI) including parameters that represent a query, such as a query for content and/or other data. The query results may be used to command a content consumption device to record or otherwise obtain an item of content. The optically-readable code may additionally or alternatively be determined based upon a status of the device, such as what content, or portion thereof, is currently being displayed, and/or what error condition is being experienced.