Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include a cloud server, HA operation devices within a senior living facility, and HA user interface devices for respective users within the senior living facility. Each HA user interface device may include a user input device, a display defining a user interface (UI), and a controller. The HA system may include HA hub devices within the senior living facility to provide communications for the cloud server, the HA user interface devices, and the HA operation devices. The controller may send user interaction data to the cloud server and operate the UI according to a user cognitive level. The cloud server may be configured to determine the user cognitive level based upon the user interaction data received from a given HA user interface device, and send the user cognitive level to the given HA user interface device.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices and an HA interface device that includes a housing, a display, and an audio input device carried by the housing. The HA interface device may also include a controller carried by the housing to store HA device signatures of the addressable HA devices and determine an unpaired addressable HA device and compare the associated HA device signature of the unpaired addressable HA device with the stored HA device signatures. The controller may also, when there is a match between the HA device signature of the unpaired addressable HA device and one of the stored HA device signatures, permit pairing of the unpaired addressable HA device to communicate with the unpaired addressable HA device using a respective wireless communications protocol, and selectively operate paired addressable HA devices based upon voice commands received via the audio input device.

Abstract: A content server system provides a client device with content, such as an audio stream. Using various techniques, an estimate is made of the actual size of an audience associated with the provided content, rather than assuming that the audience is limited to a single user of the client device. The estimate may be made by the content server system, the client device, or the content server system and the client device collectively. Using the estimate of actual size of the audience, the content server system can take actions appropriate for the audience, such as providing advertisements appropriate for the size of the audience and for the collective characteristics of the audience members. The estimate of the actual audience size additionally allows the content server system to be compensated more precisely for any advertisements provided to that audience.

Abstract: Techniques and arrangements for allowing modification of transaction flows, user interfaces (UIs), receipt configuration and control of buyer-facing displays associated with transactions between a payment service, a merchant and a buyer are provided. Payment service payment functionality is exposed by the payment service via one or more application programming interfaces (API) s, software development kits (SDKs), or some other web-based communication technique (e.g., a uniform resource locator). The payment service payment functionality exposed by the payment service allows a merchant to customize one or more steps of a transaction between a user and a merchant. A merchant can use the exposed payment service payment functionality to configure and modify the look and feel and/or the steps within a transaction flow. The merchant can also modify a receipt to include other information from the information that is included in a default receipt.

Abstract: Techniques and arrangements for analyzing previous tickets of a customer at different merchants—specifying interactions of the customer at the different merchants—to determine subsequent recommendations to send to a particular merchant in real-time when the customer is located at the particular merchant. Other techniques and arrangements facilitate annotation of merchant tickets by the merchants to enrich the data maintained by the tickets and, in some instances, to enhance the described real-time recommendations. Still other techniques and arrangements create a merchant ticket for recording interactions between a merchant and customer upon the customer creating a reservation at the merchant for a specified future time, or being added to a waitlist of the merchant. Upon the customer arriving at the merchant proximate to the specified future time, the merchant may use the created ticket to track items ordered by the merchants, track tenders used to pay for items, and the like.

Abstract: Integrating payment processing functionality into a third-party application via software development kit (SDK) instructions is described. In an example, a payment card reader can include reader instructions executable on the payment card reader to configure the payment card reader to read payment card data from a payment card and transmit the payment card data to a mobile device for processing by SDK instructions on the mobile device. The SDK instructions can be executable on the mobile device to configure the mobile device to process the payment card data from the payment card reader. The SDK instructions, which can be provided by a payment processor, can be configured to be integrated into a third-party application on the mobile device, wherein the third-party application is provided by an entity distinct from the payment processor.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices each having associated therewith a respective device capability, device configuration, and device state. The HA system may also include a cloud message queue controller and a cloud message queue memory coupled thereto in the cloud for storing the device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices. The HA system may also include a home device message queue controller and a home device message queue memory coupled thereto for storing the device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices. The cloud message queue controller and the home device message queue controller may synchronize device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices.

Abstract: An off-board battery charger for a vehicle may include a high-voltage connector having first, second and power supply connector ports. The first connector port connects to a vehicle controller via a first cable. The second connector port connects to a vehicle battery via a second cable. And, the power supply connector port is electrically connected with the second port and receives power via a power supply cable from a separate and external power supply.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include first and second HA operation devices within a structure. The second HA operation device may be switchable among sleep, awake, and operational modes. The second HA device may have a longer latency when switched between the sleep and awake modes than when switched between the awake and operational modes. An HA user interface device for a respective user may be within the structure and be configured to wirelessly communicate with the first and second HA operation devices to perform an HA operation. An HA hub device may be within the structure to provide communications for the HA user interface device and the first and second HA operation devices. The HA hub device may be configured to, when the first HA operation device is operated, switch the second HA operation device between the sleep and awake modes.

Abstract: A block chain defining authority and access to confidential data may not be encrypted, and the access to the block chain can be regulated by the block chain itself and an access control server operating in an enterprise information technology (IT) environment. To incorporate authority defined in multiple sources, such as the block chain and the access control server, a token can be created containing multiple layers of permissions, i.e., constraints, coming from multiple sources. Each additional permission attenuates the authority granted by the token. When a processor controlling the access to the block chain receives the token, the processor can check the validity of the token and the authority granted by the token to determine whether the requester is authorized to access at least a portion of the block chain.

Abstract: A method and system for capturing an image of a portion of an environment including an object of interest and uploading of the image to a service for further image analysis. The system captures a first image of an environment or scene using a first sensor of an image capture device. A region of interest is detected within the first image using an object detection model. A set of coordinates corresponding to the portion of the first image is identified and used to position a second sensor. The second sensor captures a second image including the targeted region of interest, wherein the second image has a higher resolution than the first image. The second image is uploaded to an object detection service for the further image analysis.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle component with a component temperature sensor, and a fluid circuit in fluid communication with the component and with a fluid temperature sensor. A controller is in communication with the component sensor and the fluid sensor. The controller is configured to, in response to a temperature difference between the component sensor and the fluid sensor being greater than a predetermined threshold value, output a flag or a diagnostic code indicative of a fluid level in the fluid circuit. A vehicle diagnostic method and a vehicle are also provided.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include at least one HA operation device that includes a user-settable thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system associated with a living area of a user. The HA system may also include a controller. The controller may be configured to collect user thermostat setting data from the user-settable thermostat, and use machine learning to identify a health condition of the user based upon the user thermostat setting data.

Abstract: A humidification system for delivering humidified gases to a user can include a heater base, humidification chamber having an inlet, outlet, and associated fluid conduit, and breathing circuit including a supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit. The humidification system can include various features to help make set-up less difficult and time-consuming. For example, the supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit can be coupled into a one-piece circuit to aid set-up. Various components can be color-coded and can have corresponding structures to indicate which components should be connected to one another during set-up. Such features can also help make the set-up process more intuitive for an operator, which can reduce the need for specialized training and reduce the number of potential errors.

Abstract: In a restaurant having a customer-facing food service counter, a video camera is positioned to produce video of an area that includes the food service counter. The video is analyzed to determine the ingredients that are used to prepare each of multiple customer meals. This information may be used to recommend a modified ingredient layout of the food service counter, where the modified ingredient layout is formulated so as to improve serving efficiency or customer convenience.

Abstract: Integrating payment processing functionality into a third-party application via software development kit (SDK) instructions is described. In an example, a payment card reader can include reader instructions executable on the payment card reader to configure the payment card reader to read payment card data from a payment card and transmit the payment card data to a mobile device for processing by SDK instructions on the mobile device. The SDK instructions can be executable on the mobile device to configure the mobile device to process the payment card data from the payment card reader. The SDK instructions, which can be provided by a payment processor, can be configured to be integrated into a third-party payment application on the mobile device, wherein the third-party payment application is provided by an entity distinct from the payment processor.

Abstract: Techniques are described for automatically scaling (or “auto scaling”) compute resources—for example, virtual machine (VM) instances, containers, or standalone servers—used to support execution of service-oriented software applications and other types of applications that may process heterogeneous workloads. The resource requirements for a software application can be approximated by measuring “worker pool” utilization of instances of each service, where a worker pool represents a number of requests that the service can process concurrently. A scaling service can thus be configured to scale the compute instances provisioned for a service in proportion to worker pool utilization, that is, compute instances can be added as the fleet's worker pools become more “busy,” while compute instances can be removed when worker pools become inactive.

Abstract: Techniques and arrangements for analyzing previous tickets of a customer at different merchants—specifying interactions of the customer at the different merchants—to determine subsequent recommendations to send to a particular merchant in real-time when the customer is located at the particular merchant. Other techniques and arrangements facilitate annotation of merchant tickets by the merchants to enrich the data maintained by the tickets and, in some instances, to enhance the described real-time recommendations. Still other techniques and arrangements create a merchant ticket for recording interactions between a merchant and customer upon the customer creating a reservation at the merchant for a specified future time, or being added to a waitlist of the merchant. Upon the customer arriving at the merchant proximate to the specified future time, the merchant may use the created ticket to track items ordered by the merchants, track tenders used to pay for items, and the like.

Abstract: An automated commissioning and floorplan configuration (CAFC) device can include a CAFC system having a transceiver and a CAFC engine, where the transceiver communicates with at least one device disposed in a volume of space, where the CAFC engine, based on communication between the transceiver and the at least one device, commissions the at least one device.

Abstract: A humidification system for delivering humidified gases to a user can include a heater base, humidification chamber having an inlet, outlet, and associated fluid conduit, and breathing circuit including a supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit. The humidification system can include various features to help make set-up less difficult and time-consuming. For example, the supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit can be coupled into a one-piece circuit to aid set-up. Various components can be color-coded and can have corresponding structures to indicate which components should be connected to one another during set-up. Such features can also help make the set-up process more intuitive for an operator, which can reduce the need for specialized training and reduce the number of potential errors.