Abstract: We disclose a method of using taggants to assess how and to what extent a drug in a drug composition that a user has consumed has decayed in response to storage conditions and time. The taggants may decay in response to environmental conditions which cause different drugs to lose their efficacy. These environmental conditions may include light, temperature, oxidation, moisture, and age. The taggants may be detected in biological samples, including urine and feces. By identifying the taggants, the drug composition and other information relating to the drug may be identified. Additionally, quantification of the different taggants may be used to determine whether the drug in the drug composition has been exposed to environmental conditions which may reduce its efficacy.

Abstract: We disclose a method of tagging nutritional or drug compositions using chemical entities which are known to be safely consumed and which are detectable using known techniques, including near IR spectroscopy. The chemical entities used as tags may be detected in easily obtainable biological samples, including urine and feces. The biological sample may be deposited into a medical toilet which may analyze the biological sample using an analytical device associated with the medical toilet. The tag may be identified and quantified to then identify and quantify the nutritional or drug composition the subject consumed along with the tag. This system may be used to track the source of a food or drug, confirm compliance to a prescribed diet or drug treatment, confirm drug consumption in clinical trials, identify the source of contaminated food, and identify the food substances used to produce food products.

Abstract: Potential for remote interaction with various architectural features has increased dramatically with recent technological developments. For example, modular spaces may allow an occupant to quickly and effortlessly modify an existing space to the occupant's needs. One of the challenges of remotely operating devices is energy efficiency. An apparatus is described herein that addresses this issue. The apparatus may include a flexible panel, a roller tube, one or more mounting brackets, a braking mechanism, and a torsion spring. The torsion spring may be pre-torsioned with a number of rotations. The number of rotations may be determined by various formulas, and/or the apparatus may have a trough-shaped torque profile. This may minimize external energy requirements of the apparatus, such as by a motor.

Abstract: We disclose a method of using taggants to assess how and to what extent a drug in a drug composition that a user has consumed has decayed in response to storage conditions and time. The taggants may decay in response to environmental conditions which cause different drugs to lose their efficacy. These environmental conditions may include light, temperature, oxidation, and age. The taggants may be detected in biological samples, including urine and feces. By identifying the taggants, the drug composition and other information relating to the drug may be identified. Additionally, quantification of the different taggants may be used to determine whether the drug in the drug composition has been exposed to environmental conditions which may reduce its efficacy.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are hub-based wireless networks employing end-devices at intermediate wireless at ranges of thousands of meters. End-devices may be such things as keypads, door latches, occupancy monitors, sprinkler controllers and other devices controlled or monitored in a campus or a collection of buildings. A device-initiated asynchronous mode may be used to communicate information related to spontaneous events to a hub. The hub receives packet retrial information from the end-devices, determines whether packet retrials are due to interference or some other cause such as collisions, and applies varying levels of redundancy based upon a recent history of success and failure of packet exchanges, which measurement may be a value of badness increased as errors are encountered and decreased as packet communication is successful. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims.

Abstract: Embodiments of an air hose accessory storage apparatus are described herein. Various embodiments may include a hose clamp, an accessory mount, a housing, and one or more accessory fittings. The accessory mount may be connected to the hose clamp. The housing may be connected to one or more of the hose clamp and the accessory mount. The housing may include at least one fixed segment, at least one articulating segment, and one or more hinges connecting the articulating segment and the fixed segment. The one or more accessory fittings may correspond to one or more air hose accessories. The one or more accessory fittings may be connected to the accessory mount, the housing, or both. The housing may enclose the accessory fittings.

Abstract: We disclose a cordless window covering that may raise, lower, and tilt a plurality of slats without the use of lift cords. The covering may include an external frame with two vertical sides and a headrail. The covering may also include a plurality of slats, each of which may be connected to an adjacent slat by at least one string on each side and the headrail. This may allow the slats to hang freely when lowered. It may also allow all the slats to tilt when only the top slat has been mechanically tilted by a drive belt. The bottom slat may include a bottom bearing connector which may interact with a drive belt such that it may be raised and lowered when the drive belt rotates. Each slat may be connected to a bearing and a bearing connector that may be slidably connected to a guide channel.

Abstract: Modular solar systems comprise one or more module units that are connectable into a system/assembly for convenient installation on a roof or other surface that receives solar insolation. The modules are adapted for electrical, and preferably also mechanical, connection into a module assembly, with the number of modules and types of modules selected to handle the required loads. Each module is adapted and designed to handle the entire power of the assembly and to provide or receive control signals for cooperative performance between all the modules and for monitoring and communication regarding the assembly performance and condition. Modules with different functional purposes may be included in the system in order to customize system performance based on situational needs.

Abstract: The struggle to organize many tools and miscellaneous items of greatly varying shapes and sizes has led to some innovation in garage storage systems. However, most systems are based on the similar concept of creating an overhead floor on which to store things. This is frequently inconvenient and/or inadequate. Accordingly, a garage organization solution is presented herein. The solution comprises an overhead mounting system. The system may include a channel, a device mount for light-weight devices, and a device mount for heavy-weight devices. The light-weight device mount may be detachable from a corresponding light-weight device. The heavy-weight device mount may be integrated into a corresponding heavy-weight device.

Abstract: In various example embodiments, a multi-layer building panel structure is described, comprising an interior and exterior panel layer, waterproof channel layers comprising adjacent parallel channels running from input and output manifolds fed by a remote fluid source. Each set of input and output manifolds may be configured to serve a zone of channels within the waterproof channel layers. Hot or cold fluid is pumped through the channel layers in order to heat or cool a space within a room of a building. The multi-layer building panel structure further provides structural support for a building and may be a wall, ceiling, or floor.

Abstract: Modular solar systems comprise one or more module units that are connectable into a system/assembly for convenient installation on a roof or other surface that receives solar insolation. The modules are adapted for electrical, and preferably also mechanical, connection into a module assembly, with the number of modules and types of modules selected to handle the required loads. Each module is adapted and designed to handle the entire power of the assembly and to provide or receive control signals for cooperative performance between all the modules and for monitoring and communication regarding the assembly performance and condition.

Abstract: The invention is a track system for a retractable wall. The track system includes rigid outer guide tracks and flexible inner track inserts that are connected to the guide tracks by means of flanges located on both. The flexible inserts include a channel that engages with a side edge of a retractable wall, holding the wall in place. The flexible nature of the track inserts allows the inserts to bend, which in turn allows the retractable wall to flex when force is exerted on the retractable wall without breaking the tracks or tearing the wall. When excessive force is applied, the channel of the flexible insert, the walls of which are thicker than the rest of the flexible insert, bend open, so that the side edge of the retractable wall disengages from the channel by means of an opening in the channel.

Abstract: We disclose a toilet system which analyzes solid waste to detect tags which were associated with pharmaceutical or nutritional products and excreted in the solid waste of a user. The toilet system may include a receptacle for receiving solid waste, a liquid dispenser for providing a liquid to assist in dispersing the solid waste, a solid waste dispersing system which may mix the solid waste with the liquid thereby homogenizing the solid waste, and an electromagnetic signature detector which may analyze the tags in the solid waste. The electromagnetic signature detector may include a selective binding surface which may bind tags present in the solid waste and which may be connected to a transducer which senses the presence of bound tags.

Abstract: A system whereby a mobile fuel station may refuel vehicles is disclosed. Fuel reservoirs are provided in a mobile fuel station that may store fuel and dispense fuel through a hybrid fuel line. Fuel nozzles are provided which can be detachably connected to the hybrid fuel line and can measure and display fuel dispensed from the mobile fuel station. Communication devices and a network are provided that allow a vehicle and a mobile fuel station to communicate location and status information wirelessly with the network. Refueling services and maintenance services that may be carried out using the mobile fuel station are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A thimble assembly that includes an arch portion connecting a first leg portion to a second leg portion. The thimble assembly may also include a peripheral groove extending substantially along an outer surface of the first and second leg portions and the arch portion. The thimble assembly may also include a plurality of connectors extending from a first lip of the peripheral groove and connecting to a second lip of the peripheral groove. The connectors may traverse the peripheral groove across the first and second leg portions and the arch portion. The thimble assembly may include a length of cord with a plurality of strands that traverses the peripheral groove. The strands may enclose the connectors such that the strands are woven around the connectors. In one embodiment, the thimble assembly may include a wireless tension detector connected to the thimble that includes a sensor that senses radial expansion and contraction of the cord under tension.

Abstract: A secure remote actuation system is described herein that operates based on voice commands provided by a user and/or owner of the system. The system may include: a remote input receptor having a user interface for receiving one or more user inputs from a user, the user interface having a voice input processor, and the user inputs including vocalization; and a cloud-based network storing one or acceptable inputs and including a network device for obtaining said one or more user inputs from the remote input receptor. The network device may obtain said one or more user inputs from the remote input receptor while the user is using the user interface. The cloud-based network may compare said one or more user inputs to said one or more acceptable inputs. The voice input processor may include a microphone, a speaker, or both, and may perform various types of voice recognition.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a toilet apparatus for detecting a drug marker in a urine sample. The drug markers are fluorophores each of which emits a unique fluorescence spectrum. Accordingly, the toilet does not detect the drug but rather, the drug marker. The user consumes a drug composition which includes a drug and a fluorescent drug marker. The user urinates normally into the toilet and fluorescence spectrometer within the toilet analyzes the urine for drug markers based on their unique fluorescent spectra. Computer software associated with the toilet identifies, and in some embodiments, quantifies the fluorescent spectra by comparing the detected spectra to known spectra of fluorescent markers associated with the drug.

Abstract: An audio transmitting table is disclosed which, in general, includes a table top, frame, a controller, and multiple microphones. The table top has one or more non-perpendicular contour edges. The frame is attached to the table top. The controller is attached to the audio transmitting table. The multiple microphones are embedded in the non-perpendicular contour edges. Each microphone transmits audio data to the controller.

Abstract: A system to reduce drafts in front of a window is described. The system includes a window covering and a motor and gearbox that adjust the window covering. The system also includes a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a microcontroller networked to the motor and temperature sensors. The first temperature sensor is positioned above the window covering within a thermal convection zone of a window associated with the window covering, and the second temperature sensor is positioned below the window covering within the thermal convection zone. The microcontroller instructs the motor to adjust the window covering based on a temperature gradient from the first temperature sensor to the second temperature sensor.

Abstract: A toilet comprising a rinsing seat, a rimless bowl, and a helical loop trapway is disclosed. An annular cavity for the purpose of storing and dispensing rinse water from the rinsing seat is disclosed. Outlet nozzles arranged about the circumference of the rinsing seat and designed to dispense rinse water at the rimless bowl are disclosed. Rinsing seat supports, hinge assemblies, and seat sensors which offer additional functionality to the rinsing seat are also disclosed. The toilet includes a steep interior surface with a titanium dioxide coating and actuatable ultraviolet light sources. The titanium dioxide has antimicrobial properties in the presence of ultraviolet light to sanitize the toilet. The ultraviolet light source is actuatable to control when the antimicrobial properties of the titanium dioxide coating are activated. The exterior of the toilet is coated with doped titanium dioxide which is antimicrobial in the presence of visible light.