Abstract: A lighted artificial tree as that includes a first trunk body, a second trunk body, a first electrical connector, and a second electrical connector. The first electrical connector is housed in the first trunk body, and the second electrical connector is housed in the second trunk body. The first trunk body is configured to couple to the second trunk body, causing the first and second electrical connectors to make electrical connection, the first electrical connector being rotationally locked to the second electrical connector.

Abstract: A lighted decorative sculpture. The sculpture is wrapped in light strings having translucent electrical insulation that clads electrical conductors of the light string, so that some of the light emitted by the lighting elements propagates axially along the light string before being scattered, refracted, or reflected radially away from the light string. In this way, the light strings so arranged effectively function as their own reflector, eliminating the need for wrapping the sculpture in an outer layer prior to mounting the light strings. The ability to view between the wrapped light strings and into the illuminated hollow of the sculpture also produces a unique lighting effect, giving the sculpture an overall translucent appearance. Various embodiments include a plurality of light strings that stem from the main power circuit, with LED lighting elements. The number of lighting elements per light string may be limited to prevent dimming of the lighting elements.

Abstract: A lighted artificial tree that includes a first tree section including a trunk, wiring assembly and trunk electrical connector; a second tree section including a trunk, wiring assembly and trunk electrical connector; a distributed light power and control system, including: a primary controller and a plurality of sub-controllers, each of the plurality of sub-controllers in electrical communication with the primary controller; and a plurality of lighting elements, each of the plurality of lighting elements in direct electrical communication with one of the plurality of sub-controllers. The trunk electrical connector of the first tree section couples to the second trunk electrical connector such that power is conducted from the first tree section to the second tree section, and the primary controller controls each of the plurality of sub-controllers, and each of the plurality of sub-controllers selectively powers each of the plurality of lighting elements to create a lighting effect.

Abstract: A lighted artificial tree, including a first tree portion having a first electrical connector having a first electrical terminal positioned in line with a central vertical axis, and a second electrical terminal. The tree also includes a second tree portion that includes a second electrical connector having a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal, the second electrical terminal defining a ring shape that encircles the first electrical terminal. When the first tree portion is coupled to the second tree portion, the first electrical connector is coupled to the second electrical connector, such that the first electrical terminal of the first electrical connector is electrically connected to the first electrical terminal of the second electrical connector, and the second electrical terminal of the first electrical connector is electrically connected to the second electrical terminal of the second electrical connector.

Abstract: A rotation-locking lighted artificial tree that includes a first and second portion. The first portion includes a trunk, first electrical connector, and first wiring harness. The first electrical connector includes a first body portion and a first electrical contact set. The first body portion includes multiple projections electrically isolated from the first electrical contact set. The second tree portion includes a second electrical connector and a second wiring harness. The second electrical connector includes a second body portion and a second electrical contact set, the second body portion including multiple recesses. When the first tree portion couples to the second, the first and second electrical contact sets form an electrical connection and the recesses of the second body portion receive the projections of the first body portion, thereby electrically connecting and mechanically coupling the first tree portion to the second tree portion.

Abstract: A lighted artificial tree includes a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, first branches joined to the first trunk portion, and a first light string. The first trunk portion has a trunk connector and a first trunk wiring assembly, the first trunk wiring assembly is electrically connectable to the first light string and the trunk connector, and at least a portion of the first wiring assembly is located inside the first portion. The second tree portion includes a second trunk portion, second branches, and a second light string. The second trunk portion has a trunk connector and a second trunk wiring assembly, the second trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the second lighting string and the trunk connector. The second tree portion may be mechanically coupled and electrically connected to the first tree portion by coaxially coupling the first trunk portion to the second trunk portion.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for determining other users that will attend an event with a user. One of the methods includes receiving, by a computer-implemented agent for a device, input from a user identifying an event, determining constraints for other users that will be invited to attend the event, determining one or more other users who meet the constraints, identifying, for each of the other users, other computer-implemented agents, each of the other agents for respective other devices, sending, to each of the other agents, a request to determine whether the respective other user of the other agent is interested in attending the event, receiving, from a first subset of the other agents, a response that indicates that the respective other user is interested in attending the event, and facilitating communication between the user and the respective other users.

Abstract: A dual-output power adapter for a lighted artificial tree having a plurality of tree portions with light strings having lighting elements. The dual-output power adapter includes a power cord including a first power conductor and a second power conductor, the power cord configured to transmit an input electrical power; a housing configured to receive the first power conductor and a second power conductor; power-converting circuitry in electrical connection with the first power conductor and the second power conductor, the power-converting circuitry configured to convert the input electrical power to a first output electrical power; a first pair of conductors for transmitting the first output electrical power; and a second pair of conductors for transmitting a second output electrical power.

Abstract: A tangle-resistant decorative lighting assembly, comprising: a main portion including a plurality of wires and connectors, including first and second connectors and first and second lighted-extension portions extending transversely from the main portion. The first lighted extension portion including: a first connector configured to detachably connect to the first connector of the main portion, a first plurality of wires connected to the first connector, and a first plurality of lamp assemblies connected to the first plurality of wires. The second lighted-extension portion including: a second connector configured to detachably connect to the second connector of the main portion, a second plurality of wires connected to the second connector, and a second plurality of lamp assemblies connected to the second plurality of wires. The first connector of the main portion comprises a lock portion configured to engage with a lock portion of the first connector of the first lighted-extension portion.

Abstract: An artificial tree that includes a first trunk body having a first elongated projection that extends axially from a first end toward a second end and forms a first keyway; a first electrical connector anchored within the first end of the first trunk body; a second trunk body, including a second elongated projection that extends axially, the second elongated projection forming a second keyway, the second elongated projection configured to be received by the first keyway; and a second electrical connector anchored within a first end of the second trunk body. The second elongated projection is received by the first keyway, and first and second electrical terminals of the first electrical connector make electrical connection with first and second electrical terminals of the second electrical connector, when the first end of the first trunk body is coupled to the first end of the second trunk body.

Abstract: A rotation-locking lighted artificial tree that includes a first and second portion. The first portion includes a trunk, first electrical connector, and first wiring harness. The first electrical connector includes a first body portion and a first electrical contact set. The first body portion includes multiple projections electrically isolated from the first electrical contact set. The second tree portion includes a second electrical connector and a second wiring harness. The second electrical connector includes a second body portion and a second electrical contact set, the second body portion including multiple recesses. When the first tree portion couples to the second, the first and second electrical contact sets form an electrical connection and the recesses of the second body portion receive the projections of the first body portion, thereby electrically connecting and mechanically coupling the first tree portion to the second tree portion.

Abstract: A lighted artificial tree includes a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, first branches joined to the first trunk portion, and a first light string. The first trunk portion has a trunk connector and a first trunk wiring assembly, the first trunk wiring assembly is electrically connectable to the first light string and the trunk connector, and at least a portion of the first wiring assembly is located inside the first portion. The second tree portion includes a second trunk portion, second branches, and a second light string. The second trunk portion has a trunk connector and a second trunk wiring assembly, the second trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the second lighting string and the trunk connector. The second tree portion may be mechanically coupled and electrically connected to the first tree portion by coaxially coupling the first trunk portion to the second trunk portion.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for determining user frustration and assisting the user in response. One of the methods includes receiving data from one or more sensors of a mobile device, determining, from the received data, that a user of the mobile device is having difficulty causing the mobile device to perform an action, determining the action the user is trying to cause the mobile device to perform using a state of the mobile device, and generating assistance data to cause the mobile device to perform the action.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for determining other users that will attend an event with a user. One of the methods includes receiving, by a computer-implemented agent for a device, input from a user identifying an event, determining constraints for other users that will be invited to attend the event, determining one or more other users who meet the constraints, identifying, for each of the other users, other computer-implemented agents, each of the other agents for respective other devices, sending, to each of the other agents, a request to determine whether the respective other user of the other agent is interested in attending the event, receiving, from a first subset of the other agents, a response that indicates that the respective other user is interested in attending the event, and facilitating communication between the user and the respective other users.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for handing off a user conversation between computer-implemented agents. One of the methods includes receiving, by a computer-implemented agent specific to a user device, a digital representation of speech encoding an utterance, determining, by the computer-implemented agent, that the utterance specifies a requirement to establish a communication with another computer-implemented agent, and establishing, by the computer-implemented agent, a communication between the other computer-implemented agent and the user device.

Abstract: Application-level data in a storage system are evaluated. For example, a backup analysis tool retrieves a backup object stored in the storage system. The backup analysis tool reconstructs an application object from the backup object. The backup analysis tool accesses the first application object according to a native application format associated with the first object.

Abstract: An artificial tree having a first tree section including a trunk and a trunk electrical connector, the trunk electrical connector including a first pair of electric terminals and a second pair of electrical terminals; and a second tree section including a trunk, a trunk electrical connector, and a light string, the trunk electrical connector in electrical connection with the light string and including a first pair of electric terminals and a second pair of electrical terminals. The first tree section is configured to electrically connect to the second tree section, such that the first pairs of electrical terminals of the first and second tree sections conduct power of a first type and the second pairs of electrical connectors of the first and second tree sections conduct power of a second type.

Abstract: A solution is provided that can be used in a communication node. A case is provided that supports a first circuit board that is connected to a second circuit board via a connection. The first circuit board supports an integrated circuit module and the second circuit board supports a PHY module. A transformer box is mounted on the first circuit board and supports terminals for engagement with a mating connector. A third circuit board can be provided that is parallel to the second circuit board and is mounted on the transformer box so that termination of signals provided to the terminals can take place on a different circuit board than the second circuit board. The third circuit board can also provide power over Ethernet (POE) circuitry.

Abstract: A locking artificial tree trunk including a first generally cylindrical, hollow trunk portion including an upper end, the upper end defining a notch, and a second generally cylindrical trunk portion including a body portion, a lower end having an insertable portion, and an upper end. The locking artificial tree trunk also includes a coupling mechanism having a body portion and an upper portion having a tab, and defining a channel for receiving the insertable portion of the lower end of the second trunk portion. The body portion is inserted substantially into the upper end of the first trunk portion with the tab of the upper portion aligned with the notch, thereby preventing rotation of the coupling mechanism within the upper end of the first trunk portion.

Abstract: A lighted artificial tree, including a first tree portion having a first electrical connector having a first electrical terminal positioned in line with a central vertical axis, and a second electrical terminal. The tree also includes a second tree portion that includes a second electrical connector having a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal, the second electrical terminal defining a ring shape that encircles the first electrical terminal. When the first tree portion is coupled to the second tree portion, the first electrical connector is coupled to the second electrical connector, such that the first electrical terminal of the first electrical connector is electrically connected to the first electrical terminal of the second electrical connector, and the second electrical terminal of the first electrical connector is electrically connected to the second electrical terminal of the second electrical connector.