Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices, and a processor and a memory associated therewith. The processor implements a message queue for generating generic messages for respective ones of the plurality of addressable HA devices and implements sandboxed bridges each configured to convert a generic message from the message queue into a specific message for a given one of the addressable HA devices. Upon a failure of one of the sandboxed bridges, the processor reloads the failed sandboxed bridge while maintaining operational the other sandboxed bridges.

Abstract: A mould for the production of a contact lens, the mould comprising a first mould half shaped to provide the front surface of the contact lens; and a second mould half shaped to provide the rear surface of the contact lens, wherein the first and second mould halves form a mould cavity, wherein the first mould half has a first rim and the second mould half has a second rim, and the first and second rims fit together to provide a seal for the mould cavity, wherein the first rim is inclined at an angle of x relative to an axis passing through the centre of the first and second mould halves, wherein x is from 30 to 60°, and wherein the second rim is inclined at an angle of x-y relative to the axis passing through the centre of the first and second mould halves, where y is from 0 to 4°, and wherein the first and second rims provide a guide for the mould halves, a method of making a contact lens using the mould and a method of making a mould.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices each having a respective HA device signature associated therewith and each wirelessly communicating using respective different wireless communications protocols from among different wireless communications protocols. The HA system may also include a controller and a memory coupled thereto. The memory may store HA device signatures for paired and unpaired ones of the addressable HA devices. The controller may poll the addressable HA devices, determine an unpaired addressable HA device based upon the polling, and compare the associated HA device signature of the unpaired addressable HA device with the stored HA device signatures. The controller 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, may permit pairing of the unpaired addressable HA device to communicate therewith using the respective wireless communications protocol.

Abstract: A climate control system may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for an indoor building area. The climate control system may also include a home automation (HA) thermostat device in the indoor building area. The HA thermostat device may include a housing, an indoor temperature sensor carried by the housing to sense an indoor temperature of the indoor building area, and a temperature controller carried by the housing. The temperature controller may obtain a setpoint temperature for the indoor building area, obtain an external temperature from the external to indoor building area, and determine a crossing of the external temperature of the setpoint temperature. The HA temperature controller may also switch the HVAC system between operating modes for heating and cooling based upon the crossing of the external temperature of the setpoint temperature and the indoor temperature moving beyond the setpoint temperature by a threshold temperature difference.

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: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices and a user interface device configured to permit user social networking and generate user social networking data based thereon. The HA system may also include a controller and a memory coupled thereto and configured to store measured user health data and determine user physical activity data based upon the addressable HA devices. The controller and the memory may be configured to generate a user health score based upon the user social networking data, user health data, and user physical activity data and communicate the user health score via the cloud.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices each having a respective HA device signature associated therewith, and an HA security controller. The HA security controller may be configured to communicate with the addressable HA devices via respective ones of a plurality of communications ports, with a given communications port not currently being used. When a given one of the plurality of addressable HA devices communicates via the given communications port not currently being used, the HA security controller may be configured to determine whether the given addressable HA device is operating abnormally based upon the respective HA device signature, communicate to the cloud for verification of whether the given addressable HA device is operating abnormally, and terminate communications with the given addressable HA device and generate a notification when the given addressable HA device is verified to be operating abnormally.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices, each configured to wirelessly communicate using a respective HA wireless communications protocol from among a plurality of different HA wireless communications protocols. The HA system may also include HA wireless radio controllers, each configured to wirelessly communicate using a respective different HA wireless communications protocol also from among the plurality of different HA wireless communications protocols. Each HA wireless radio controller may include circuitry and a connector coupled thereto. The HA system may also include an HA hub device that includes wireless radio port connectors, each configured to couple to a respective connector of a corresponding HA wireless radio controller, and hub processing circuitry coupled to the wireless radio port connectors and configured to communicate with the addressable HA devices based upon the respective HA wireless communications protocols.

Abstract: A device for irrigating soil has a chassis having wheels or tracks for motion, the chassis having one or more water sprinklers with streams directed at the soil, a water storage tank or supply hose, a control valve, a water flow sensor, boundary sensor and surface moisture probes, wherein, under the control of an electronic circuit, the robotic irrigator can make even passes over the irrigated area so that water is distributed evenly and efficiently and without the use of sprinklers. A method has the steps of navigating within an irrigation area using surface moisture to determine the location of prior irrigation passes, following the profile of prior irrigation passes based on surface moisture, and utilizing the perimeter where available such that the device is always positioned for accurate and even irrigation.

Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for treating mercaptans are provided. In one example, an apparatus comprises a vessel capable of receiving a feed stream that comprises liquid hydrocarbons and the mercaptans. The vessel comprises an extraction section that is capable of extracting a portion of the mercaptans from the feed stream to form a mercaptan-reduced, liquid hydrocarbon-containing stream. A catalyst bed section is capable of contacting the mercaptan-reduced, liquid hydrocarbon-containing stream with a catalyst in the presence of oxygen (O2) and caustic at reaction conditions effective to oxidize a remaining portion of the mercaptans and form a sweetened liquid hydrocarbon-containing stream.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for producing low sulfur propane and butane. The method includes reacting a mercaptan in a washed feed stream with a caustic stream to produce a mercaptan salt in a rich caustic stream and a hydrocarbon treated stream. The mercaptan salt in the rich caustic stream is reacted with oxygen and water to produce a mixed caustic/disulfide stream, and the caustic and disulfides in the mixed caustic/disulfide stream are separated to produce a disulfide stream and the caustic stream. The hydrocarbon treated stream is fractionated to produce a propane stream, a butane stream, and a C5+ stream.

Abstract: A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having a transmission coupled to vehicle wheels, an internal combustion engine, a planetary gearset coupled to the engine and to a differential output shaft to drive the vehicle wheels, a traction motor coupled through gearing to the differential output shaft and the planetary gearset, a generator coupled to the planetary gearset and electrically coupled to the traction motor, a traction battery coupled to the generator and the traction motor, and at least one controller in communication with the engine, the traction motor, and the generator includes limiting engine speed in response to a wheel slip event to an engine speed limit based on motor speed and generator speed to prevent the generator speed from exceeding a corresponding threshold when the wheel slip event terminates.

Abstract: A method for migrating data in a storage system includes generating a first set of logical disks (LDs), the LDs being mapped to physical storage space in the storage system, generating a temporary virtual volume (VV) mapped to the first set of LDs, generating a second set of LDs mapped to the temporary VV, and migrating data between the second set of LDs and a third set of LDs.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a storage array configured for volume migration. An example of the storage array includes migration logic, at least partially comprising hardware logic, to establish a pass-through volume in the storage array wherein the pass-through volume is not associated with local storage in the storage array, such that communication paths between a host computing device, a source volume, and the pass-through volume during are maintained during migration. The migration logic is configured to convert the pass-through volume to a destination volume in the storage array after data migration, wherein the destination volume is associated with local storage within the storage array.

Abstract: Data is collected in a vehicle relating to a potential obstacle. Based at least in part on the collected data, an obstacle is identified. At least one characteristic of the obstacle is determined. At least one torque to be applied in a vehicle powertrain is determined based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the obstacle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a carbon monoxide containing product in which cathode and anode sides of an electrically driven oxygen separation device are contacted with carbon dioxide and a reducing agent, respectively. The carbon dioxide is reduced to carbon monoxide through ionization of oxygen and the reducing agent lowers the partial pressure of oxygen at the anode side to partially drive oxygen ion transport within the device through the consumption of the oxygen and to supply heat. The lowering of oxygen partial pressure reduces voltage and therefore, electrical power required to be applied to the device and the heat is supplied to heat the device to an operational temperature and to the reduction of the carbon dioxide occurring at the cathode side. The device can be used as part of an integrated apparatus in which the carbon dioxide is supplied from a waste stream of a process plant.

Abstract: A light fixture can include at least one light fixture component comprising at least one light source that emits a first level of fixture light. The light fixture can also include at least one sensor that measures a first total light amount at a first time of a first day, where the first total light amount includes the first level of fixture light and a first natural light amount. The light fixture can further include a controller coupled to the at least one sensor and the at least one light fixture component, where the controller controls and communicates with at least one sensor. The controller can further control the at least one light fixture component based on the first total light amount measured by the at least one sensor at the first time of the first day.

Abstract: An Internet of things (IoT) controller may execute a first IoT application, associated with operating an IoT device, and a second IoT application associated with operating the IoT device. The IoT controller may load an IoT application program interface (API) associated with the first IoT application and the second IoT application, and may identify a first set of functions including a first function, associated with the first IoT application, and a second function associated with the second IoT application. The IoT controller may translate, based on the IoT API, the first set of functions to a second set of functions including a third function, associated with the first IoT application, and a fourth function associated with the second IoT application. The IoT controller may cause the IoT device to operate, based on the second set of functions, during the execution of the first IoT application and the second IoT application.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for encrypting data using a multi-layered encryption process. A service may encrypt data with first and second data keys and store the encrypted data. The system may encrypt the first data key with a first user key and the second data key with a second user key and store the data keys and the user keys in separate locations. The service may associate the user keys with a client device. In one aspect, the user keys may each include and be stored as a set of system keys and a set of ordered pairs of numeric values, with each ordered pair containing a start value and a read length value associated with one of the set of system keys. The service may assemble each user key by combining data from each of the system keys according to the associated ordered pair.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for encrypting data using two encryption processes and compressing the data. In one aspect, a device or service may encrypt data according to a first encryption process using a first key. The device may compress the encrypted data and encrypt the compressed encrypted data according to a second encryption process using a second key. The device may store the double encrypted and compressed data in a data database, for example, separate from the two encryption keys. In one aspect, each encryption process may include an AES_256 or other encryption process, associated with different keys. The device may compress the encrypted data using ZLIB or other compression techniques.