Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a short-range communication device (10, 10?, 5 10?) for a personal protective equipment or a personal protective device (200, 210, 220, 230) comprising a transmission unit (20, 20?, 20?) for wirelessly transmitting a voice signal of a user (100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) to a receiving unit (40,40?, 40?) over a predetermined distance such that a communication channel is established between the transmission unit (20, 20?, 20?) and the receiving unit (40, 40?, 40?) so that a user (100, 10 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) can hear the voice signal. The present disclosure further relates to a short-range communication system comprising at least two short-range communication devices (10, 10?, 10?) according to the present disclosure and to a method of establishing a short-range communication between such devices (10, 10?, 10?).

Abstract: Financial advisory methods and systems for creating a steady lifetime income stream within an investment plan is provided. According to one embodiment, a feasible, personalized pattern of periodic cash payouts from an investment plan is structured to achieve level annual income during a payout period when combined with other income sources. A mapping is maintained of fixed income investments from a limited universe of financial products available within the investment plan to corresponding constant maturity Treasury bond (CMT) weights. Based on the mapping, a payout program is designed that is expected to generate a stream of income sufficient to fund the cash payouts by determining an appropriate allocation of assets within the investment plan among the fixed income investments. A payout portfolio is formed within the investment plan including holdings in the fixed income investments in accordance with the determined appropriate allocation. The cash payouts are paid to the investor.

Abstract: Financial advisory methods and systems for creating a steady lifetime income stream within an investment plan is provided. According to one embodiment, based on an investor's current holdings in the investment plan, a pattern of periodic cash payouts is identified that can be made to the investor from an in-plan payout program implemented with the limited universe of financial products available within the investment plan. The assets of the investment plan are rebalanced to form a payout portfolio and an equity exposure portfolio. The payout portfolio is constructed to create an annuity-like stream of income to support the pattern of periodic cash payouts and includes multiple bond funds. The equity exposure portfolio is constructed to address inflation risk by providing an ability to rise with equities markets. Finally, a periodic cash payout of the pattern of periodic cash payouts is caused to be paid to the investor from the investment plan.

Abstract: Financial advisory methods and systems for creating a steady lifetime income stream within an investment plan is provided. According to one embodiment, based on an investor's current holdings in the investment plan, a pattern of periodic cash payouts is identified that can be made to the investor from an in-plan payout program implemented with the limited universe of financial products available within the investment plan. The assets of the investment plan are rebalanced to form a payout portfolio and an equity exposure portfolio. The payout portfolio is constructed to create an annuity-like stream of income to support the pattern of periodic cash payouts and includes multiple bond funds. The equity exposure portfolio is constructed to address inflation risk by providing an ability to rise with equities markets. Finally, a periodic cash payout of the pattern of periodic cash payouts is caused to be paid to the investor from the investment plan.

Abstract: Financial advisory methods and systems for creating a steady lifetime income stream within an investment plan is provided. According to one embodiment, based on an investor's current holdings in the investment plan, a pattern of periodic cash payouts is identified that can be made to the investor from an in-plan payout program implemented with the limited universe of financial products available within the investment plan. The assets of the investment plan are rebalanced to form a payout portfolio and an equity exposure portfolio. The payout portfolio is constructed to create an annuity-like stream of income to support the pattern of periodic cash payouts and includes multiple bond funds. The equity exposure portfolio is constructed to address inflation risk by providing an ability to rise with equities markets. Finally, a periodic cash payout of the pattern of periodic cash payouts is caused to be paid to the investor from the investment plan.

Abstract: Financial advisory methods and systems for creating a steady lifetime income stream within an investment plan is provided. According to one embodiment, based on an investor's current holdings in the investment plan, a pattern of periodic cash payouts is identified that can be made to the investor from an in-plan payout program implemented with the limited universe of financial products available within the investment plan. The assets of the investment plan are rebalanced to form a payout portfolio and an equity exposure portfolio. The payout portfolio is constructed to create an annuity-like stream of income to support the pattern of periodic cash payouts and includes multiple bond funds. The equity exposure portfolio is constructed to address inflation risk by providing an ability to rise with equities markets. Finally, a periodic cash payout of the pattern of periodic cash payouts is caused to be paid to the investor from the investment plan.

Abstract: A method of tax-aware asset allocation is provided. According to one embodiment, information is received regarding financial products available for investment in a taxable account and a tax deferred account of an investor. Information is also received regarding current investments held in the taxable account and the tax deferred account. Tax characteristics associated with each financial product is determined by evaluating information regarding distributions and/or information regarding turnover. Relevant financial circumstances of the investor are also determined.

Abstract: A financial advisory system is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, return scenarios for optimized portfolio allocations are simulated interactively to facilitate financial product selection. Return scenarios for each asset class of a plurality of asset classes are generated based upon estimated future scenarios of one or more economic factors. A mapping from each financial product of an available set of financial products onto one or more asset classes of the plurality of asset classes is created by determining exposures of the available set of financial products to each asset class of the plurality of asset classes. In this way, the expected returns and correlations of a plurality of financial products are generated and used to produce optimized portfolios of financial products. Return scenarios are simulated for one or more portfolios including combinations of financial products from the available set of financial products based upon the mapping.

Abstract: A financial advisory system is described that facilitates planning regarding financial goals, such as retirement. According to one embodiment, a method of forecasting a future value of a financial product holding is provided. Exposure analysis is performed on a financial product in which an investor holds an interest to determine how the financial product behaves relative to a set of asset classes. A forecast is generated for the financial product holding at a configurable time horizon based on forward-looking scenarios of one or more asset classes of the set of asset classes. Based on the forecast, information is directly or indirectly caused to be presented regarding a projected value of the financial product holding at the configurable time horizon.

Abstract: A financial advisory system is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, return scenarios for optimized portfolio allocations are simulated interactively to facilitate financial product selection. Return scenarios for each asset class of a plurality of asset classes are generated based upon estimated future scenarios of one or more economic factors. A mapping from each financial product of an available set of financial products onto one or more asset classes of the plurality of asset classes is created by determining exposures of the available set of financial products to each asset class of the plurality of asset classes. In this way, the expected returns and correlations of a plurality of financial products are generated and used to produce optimized portfolios of financial products. Return scenarios are simulated for one or more portfolios including combinations of financial products from the available set of financial products based upon the mapping.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a sampling device, system, and method. The sampling device includes a sample inlet nozzle fluidly coupled to a dilution body. A carrier fluid delivery conduit is also fluidly coupled to the dilution body. In one implementation, the carrier fluid delivery conduit is coupled to a source of heated carrier fluid. Carrier fluid is delivered around a perforated portion of the sample inlet nozzle, in one configuration. In some cases, the sampling device includes a mixing device configured to produce laminar flow of carrier fluid about a fluid sample. In other cases, the mixing device produces turbulent flow of carrier fluid and fluid sample. Systems including the sampling device include, in some implementations, a sample separator, such as an inertial droplet separator. In further implementations, systems including the sampling device further include an atmospheric dispersion simulator.

Abstract: A financial advisory system is described that facilitates planning regarding financial goals, such as retirement. According to one embodiment, a method of forecasting a future value of a financial product holding is provided. Exposure analysis is performed on a financial product in which an investor holds an interest to determine how the financial product behaves relative to a set of asset classes. A forecast is generated for the financial product holding at a configurable time horizon based on forward-looking scenarios of one or more asset classes of the set of asset classes. Based on the forecast, information is directly or indirectly caused to be presented regarding a projected value of the financial product holding at the configurable time horizon.

Abstract: A financial advisory system is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, return scenarios for optimized portfolio allocations are simulated interactively to facilitate financial product selection. Return scenarios for each asset class of a plurality of asset classes are generated based upon estimated future scenarios of one or more economic factors. A mapping from each financial product of an available set of financial products onto one or more asset classes of the plurality of asset classes is created by determining exposures of the available set of financial products to each asset class of the plurality of asset classes. In this way, the expected returns and correlations of a plurality of financial products are generated and used to produce optimized portfolios of financial products. Return scenarios are simulated for one or more portfolios including combinations of financial products from the available set of financial products based upon the mapping.

Abstract: A portfolio optimization process that diversifies model risk by favoring a more diversified portfolio over other portfolios with similar characteristics is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, an intelligent search is performed for a diverse portfolio that meets a predetermined diversity budget. An initial portfolio is determined based upon an available set of financial products. The cost associated with more diversified portfolios compared to the initial portfolio is considered and one of the more diversified portfolios is selected that has an associated cost that is less than or equal to the predetermined diversity budget.

Abstract: A process utilizing a modification to the inputs to a standard portfolio optimization is provided for facilitating load aware optimizations. First, each loaded financial product, such as a mutual fund having a front end or back end load, of a set of available financial products is modeled as a loaded portion and an unloaded portion by determining an adjusted return. The adjusted return is based on a period the load bearing financial product is projected to be held in a portfolio and the amount of the load. A variable relating the fraction of a loaded financial product in the portfolio may be decomposed into two variables (one representing the loaded portion and another representing the unloaded portion) to regain the quadratic programming problem. The optimization may then be performed using quadratic programming techniques, and the fraction of each loaded financial product in the portfolio is calculated by combining the two variables.

Abstract: A financial advisory system is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, return scenarios for optimized portfolio allocations are simulated interactively to facilitate financial product selection. Return scenarios for each asset class of a plurality of asset classes are generated based upon estimated future scenarios of one or more economic factors. A mapping from each financial product of an available set of financial products onto one or more asset classes of the plurality of asset classes is created by determining exposures of the available set of financial products to each asset class of the plurality of asset classes. In this way, the expected returns and correlations of a plurality of financial products are generated and used to produce optimized portfolios of financial products. Return scenarios are simulated for one or more portfolios including combinations of financial products from the available set of financial products based upon the mapping.

Abstract: A portfolio optimization process that diversifies model risk by favoring a more diversified portfolio over other portfolios with similar characteristics is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, an intelligent search is performed for a diverse portfolio that meets a predetermined diversity budget. An initial portfolio is determined based upon an available set of financial products. The cost associated with more diversified portfolios compared to the initial portfolio is considered and one of the more diversified portfolios is selected that has an associated cost that is less than or equal to the predetermined diversity budget.

Abstract: A process utilizing a modification to the inputs to a standard portfolio optimization is provided for facilitating load aware optimizations. First, each loaded financial product, such as a mutual fund having a front end or back end load, of a set of available financial products is modeled as a loaded portion and an unloaded portion by determining an adjusted return. The adjusted return is based on a period the load bearing financial product is projected to be held in a portfolio and the amount of the load. A variable relating the fraction of a loaded financial product in the portfolio may be decomposed into two variables (one representing the loaded portion and another representing the unloaded portion) to regain the quadratic programming problem. The optimization may then be performed using quadratic programming techniques, and the fraction of each loaded financial product in the portfolio is calculated by combining the two variables.

Abstract: A portfolio optimization process that diversifies model risk by favoring a more diversified portfolio over other portfolios with similar characteristics is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, a more diverse portfolio may be selected over an initial portfolio in order to diversify model risk with reference to a predetermined diversity budget, defined in terms of expected return, risk, and/or utility. An initial portfolio of financial products is determined from an available set of financial products. One or more dimensions of an error space are searched for an alternate portfolio that is more diverse than the initial portfolio. A cost associated with the alternate portfolio is then calculated by comparing the difference between a characteristic of the initial portfolio and a corresponding characteristic of the alternate portfolio. Finally, the alternate portfolio is selected as the recommended portfolio if the cost is less than or equal to the predetermined diversity budget.

Abstract: The pricing module of the present invention provides a single module that models both fixed-income securities and equity securities into the future in an arbitrage-free model. Because the modeling includes both fixed-income securities and equity securities that are modeled based on common input state variables and does not allow arbitrage conditions between the fixed-income securities and the equity securities (as well as no arbitrage within a security class), the present invention provides an improved pricing module as compared to those in the prior art.