Abstract: Systems and methods are provided in which a speaker profile-data inquiry is transmitted to a mobile device associated with a first speaker. In response to the speaker-profile-data inquiry, speaker profile data associated with the first speaker is received. Audio data representing a voice input is received. The first speaker is identified as providing the voice input, the identification being based on a comparison of characteristics of the received audio data with the speaker profile data of a plurality of speakers for whom speaker profile data is stored. An instruction, which includes a speaker-relative signifier, is determined from the received audio data, and determining the instruction includes determining a referent of the speaker-relative signifier based on the first speaker profile data. An action indicated by the instruction is performed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing a device-independent scene in a home automation environment. One embodiment is a method comprising receiving information regarding a home-independent home automation scene, the information identifying a zone property and an identified zone type; identifying, in the designated home, a zone corresponding to the identified zone type; identifying at least one home automation device capable of affecting the zone property in the identified zone; for each of the identified devices, identifying a device state of the respective device that contributes to the zone property; storing a home-automation scene for the designated home, wherein the home-automation scene comprises information identifying the at least one identified devices and the respective identified device states of those devices; and in response to user selection of the stored home-automation scene, causing the at least one identified device to perform the respective identified actions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing a device-independent scene in a home automation environment. One embodiment is a method comprising receiving information regarding a home-independent home automation scene, the information identifying a zone property and an identified zone type; identifying, in the designated home, a zone corresponding to the identified zone type; identifying at least one home automation device capable of affecting the zone property in the identified zone; for each of the identified devices, identifying a device state of the respective device that contributes to the zone property; storing a home-automation scene for the designated home, wherein the home-automation scene comprises information identifying the at least one identified devices and the respective identified device states of those devices; and in response to user selection of the stored home-automation scene, causing the at least one identified device to perform the respective identified actions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided in which a speaker profile-data inquiry is transmitted to a mobile device associated with a first speaker. In response to the speaker-profile-data inquiry, speaker profile data associated with the first speaker is received. Audio data representing a voice input is received. The first speaker is identified as providing the voice input, the identification being based on a comparison of characteristics of the received audio data with the speaker profile data of a plurality of speakers for whom speaker profile data is stored. An instruction, which includes a speaker-relative signifier, is determined from the received audio data, and determining the instruction includes determining a referent of the speaker-relative signifier based on the first speaker profile data. An action indicated by the instruction is performed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided in which a speaker profile-data inquiry is transmitted to a mobile device associated with a first speaker. In response to the speaker-profile-data inquiry, speaker profile data associated with the first speaker is received. Audio data representing a voice input is received. The first speaker is identified as providing the voice input, the identification being based on a comparison of characteristics of the received audio data with the speaker profile data of a plurality of speakers for whom speaker profile data is stored. An instruction, which includes a speaker-relative signifier, is determined from the received audio data, and determining the instruction includes determining a referent of the speaker-relative signifier based on the first speaker profile data. An action indicated by the instruction is performed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing a device-independent scene in a home automation environment. One embodiment is a method comprising receiving information regarding a home-independent home automation scene, the information identifying a zone property and an identified zone type; identifying, in the designated home, a zone corresponding to the identified zone type; identifying at least one home automation device capable of affecting the zone property in the identified zone; for each of the identified devices, identifying a device state of the respective device that contributes to the zone property; storing a home-automation scene for the designated home, wherein the home-automation scene comprises information identifying the at least one identified devices and the respective identified device states of those devices; and in response to user selection of the stored home-automation scene, causing the at least one identified device to perform the respective identified actions.

Abstract: The quality of service one may expect from a given network is often hard to determine in advance. Further, given agreements between network service providers and a variety of content providers, the complexity inherent in selecting a given available network is increasing for consumers. Embodiments described herein provide mechanisms for creating an augmented reality presentation of networks and the service quality of those networks. The presentation may display information regarding a variety of factors including content transit agreements with content providers, quality-of-service or prioritization guarantees for certain types of content, or low-level Wi-Fi signal quality. These presentations allow users to ascertain where in a given spatial area good quality is available for whichever services they intend to use.

Abstract: The quality of service one may expect from a given network is often hard to determine in advance. Further, given agreements between network service providers and a variety of content providers, the complexity inherent in selecting a given available network is increasing for consumers. Embodiments described herein provide mechanisms for creating an augmented reality presentation of networks and the service quality of those networks. The presentation may display information regarding a variety of factors including content transit agreements with content providers, quality-of-service or prioritization guarantees for certain types of content, or low-level Wi-Fi signal quality. These presentations allow users to ascertain where in a given spatial area good quality is available for whichever services they intend to use.

Abstract: The quality of service one may expect from a given network is often hard to determine in advance. Further, given agreements between network service providers and a variety of content providers, the complexity inherent in selecting a given available network is increasing for consumers. Embodiments described herein provide mechanisms for creating an augmented reality presentation of networks and the service quality of those networks. The presentation may display information regarding a variety of factors including content transit agreements with content providers, quality-of-service or prioritization guarantees for certain types of content, or low-level Wi-Fi signal quality. These presentations allow users to ascertain where in a given spatial area good quality is available for whichever services they intend to use.

Abstract: The quality of service one may expect from a given network is often hard to determine in advance. Further, given agreements between network service providers and a variety of content providers, the complexity inherent in selecting a given available network is increasing for consumers. Embodiments described herein provide mechanisms for creating an augmented reality presentation of networks and the service quality of those networks. The presentation may display information regarding a variety of factors including content transit agreements with content providers, quality-of-service or prioritization guarantees for certain types of content, or low-level Wi-Fi signal quality. These presentations allow users to ascertain where in a given spatial area good quality is available for whichever services they intend to use.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided in which a speaker profile-data inquiry is transmitted to a mobile device associated with a first speaker. In response to the speaker-profile-data inquiry, speaker profile data associated with the first speaker is received. Audio data representing a voice input is received. The first speaker is identified as providing the voice input, the identification being based on a comparison of characteristics of the received audio data with the speaker profile data of a plurality of speakers for whom speaker profile data is stored. An instruction, which includes a speaker-relative signifier, is determined from the received audio data, and determining the instruction includes determining a referent of the speaker-relative signifier based on the first speaker profile data. An action indicated by the instruction is performed.

Abstract: The quality of service one may expect from a given network is often hard to determine in advance. Further, given agreements between network service providers and a variety of content providers, the complexity inherent in selecting a given available network is increasing for consumers. Embodiments described herein provide mechanisms for creating an augmented reality presentation of networks and the service quality of those networks. The presentation may display information regarding a variety of factors including content transit agreements with content providers, quality-of-service or prioritization guarantees for certain types of content, or low-level Wi-Fi signal quality. These presentations allow users to ascertain where in a given spatial area good quality is available for whichever services they intend to use.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for crowdsourcing generalized smart home automation scenes. One embodiment takes the form of a method comprising: receiving a first scene definition comprising a first plurality of destination states for a first plurality of home automation devices, the home automation devices being associated with a location in a first home; for each of the home automation devices: determining a location in the second home corresponding to the location in the first home; identifying an analogous home automation device at that location in the second home; and determining an analogous destination state for the analogous home automation device in second home; storing a second home automation scene comprising the analogous home automation devices and respective analogous destination states; and causing the analogous home automation devices in the second home to operate in the respective analogous destination state upon user selection of the second home automation scene.

Abstract: The quality of service one may expect from a given network is often hard to determine in advance. Further, given agreements between network service providers and a variety of content providers, the complexity inherent in selecting a given available network is increasing for consumers. Embodiments described herein provide mechanisms for creating an augmented reality presentation of networks and the service quality of those networks. The presentation may display information regarding a variety of factors including content transit agreements with content providers, quality-of-service or prioritization guarantees for certain types of content, or low-level Wi-Fi signal quality. These presentations allow users to ascertain where in a given spatial area good quality is available for whichever services they intend to use.

Abstract: A welding tool has a handle with a base end and an exit end. A bottom plate is affixed to the base end and preferably encloses the base end of the handle. A washer is affixed to the exit end of the handle. The washer defines an orifice and provides a surface for preventing a user's hand from slipping during use of the welding tool. A plurality of rods extends outwardly from the handle through the orifice. The rods are preferably affixed to the bottom plate at a base end and have a surface contacting end. The rods are sized to permit limited flexure, but to still be substantially rigid to effectively remove slag from a weld.

Abstract: Data is downloaded to a wireless device before needed by the user. The data may be downloaded before needed, for example while connected to a high-bandwidth network, slowly over a bandwidth constrained network, during a time when the network is not busy, or when the network operator has reduced tariff for data usage. The data may be downloaded contiguously or may updated over a period of time. At a later point in time, the previously downloaded data is used to provide information to the user without requiring contemporaneous information transmission on the wireless network.

Abstract: An automated vehicle protection system is provided comprising a guideway (20), a vehicle (10), a guideway loop antenna (21), and transponders (41a, 41b), mounted on the vehicle (10). Means (24, 25) are provided, couple to the guideway loop antenna (21), for receiving a signal from the vehicle (10) and generating an inhibit signal in order to inhibit vehicle movement in a section of the guideway (20). The inhibit signal may be passed to a circuit associated with another guideway loop antenna (22, 23) to control transmission of a signal from this other guideway loop antenna (22, 23).

Abstract: Systems and methods of combining OFDM and CDMA signals are provided. An OFDM packet data channel is overlaid over CDMA transmissions. The channel is scheduled slotwise between multiple users. In some embodiments, there is a CDMA packet data channel which is scheduled together with the OFDM packet data channel.

Abstract: An automated vehicle protection system is provided comprising a guideway (20), a vehicle (10), a guideway loop antenna (21), and transponders (41a, 41b), mounted on the vehicle (10). Means (24, 25) are provided, couple to the guideway loop antenna (21), for receiving a signal from the vehicle (10) and generating an inhibit signal in order to inhibit vehicle movement in a section of the guideway (20). The inhibit signal may be passed to a circuit associated with another guideway loop antenna (22, 23) to control transmission of a signal from this other guideway loop antenna (22, 23).

Abstract: A method for controlling movement of a body within a system comprises: a) selecting a path for the body between a first node (B) and a second node (C), b) determining a desired movement envelope (20) for the body along the path that does not conflict with the movement envelope (23, 25) of any other body of the system, c) communicating the path and the start time of the desired movement envelope to the body, and d) causing the body to begin travelling over the selected path at the start time.