Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of assembling a unibody structure of a vehicle includes assembling a door surround ring comprising a forward pillar portion, a roof rail portion, a rearward pillar portion, and a rocker portion. The method also includes, subsequent to assembling the door surround ring, installing the door surround ring into a vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring to the vehicle side outer panel. The method further includes, subsequent to installing the door surround ring into the vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring and the vehicle side outer panel to a vehicle interior structural member.

Abstract: A non-parametric method of, and system for, dimensioning an object of arbitrary shape, captures a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud of data points over a field of view containing the object and a base surface on which the object is positioned, detects a base plane indicative of the base surface from the point cloud, extracts the data points of the object from the point cloud, processes the extracted data points of the object to obtain a convex hull, and fits a bounding box of minimum volume to enclose the convex hull. The bounding box has a pair of mutually orthogonal planar faces, and the fitting is performed by orienting one of the faces to be generally perpendicular to the base plane, and by simultaneously orienting the other of the faces to be generally parallel to the base plane.

Abstract: A thermally efficiency regenerative air preheater 250 extracts more thermal energy from the flue gas exiting a solid fuel fired furnace 26 by employing an alkaline injection system 276. This mitigates acid fouling by selectively injecting different sized alkaline particles 275 into the air preheater 250. Small particles provide nucleation sites for condensation and neutralization of acid vapors. Large particles are injected to contact and selectively adhere to the heat exchange elements 542 and neutralize liquid acid that condenses there. When the deposit accumulation exceeds a threshold, the apparatus generates and utilizes a higher relative percentage of large particles. Similarly, a larger relative percentage of small particles are used in other cases. Mitigation of the fouling conditions permits the redesign of the air preheater 250 to achieve the transfer of more heat from the flue resulting in a lower flue gas outlet temperature without excessive fouling.

Abstract: A heat transfer sheet [60,160,260,360] for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger is shaped to include sheet spacing features [59], which provide spacing between adjacent heat transfer sheets [60,160,260,360], and undulation surfaces [68,70] (corrugations) in the sections between the sheet spacing features [59]. The undulation sections [68,70] are constructed of regularly spaced lobes [64,72] extending at an angle with respect to the spacing features [59]. The undulating sections [68,70] impart turbulence in the air or flue gas flowing between the heat transfer sheets [60, 160, 260, 360] to improve heat transfer. The heat transfer sheets [60,160,260,360] may include undulating surfaces that differ in angle of their lobes [64,72].

Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a unibody structure of a vehicle includes an inboard A-pillar member, an outboard A-pillar member positioned outboard of the inboard A-pillar member and coupled to the inboard A-pillar member, and a reinforcement member positioned between the inboard A-pillar member and the outboard A-pillar member. The reinforcement member is coupled to the outboard A-pillar member and has a plurality of reduced thickness regions that are positioned in a vehicle vertical direction along the reinforcement member.

Abstract: A mobile device, associated with a responder of the visiting agency and present in the geographical jurisdiction of the local agency, maintains a first mutual aid token associated with the local agency, wherein the mutual aid token authorizes the first responder to access the local agency and wherein the mutual aid token is associated with a transferability time period, that is, a time during which the mutual aid token can be transferred from one mutual aid responder to another. The mobile device identifies another mobile device of another responder associated with the visiting agency and transfers to the another mobile device, without a need to first contact the local or visiting agencies, a mutual aid token that is derived from the first mutual aid token, wherein the transferred mutual aid token authorizes the another responder to access the local agency.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising a biometric sensor, the biometric sensor configured to receive an input from a user, the input corresponding to a predetermined factor. A feedback device is configured to provide feedback to the user when a value associated with the input approaches a predetermined threshold within a margin. The biometric sensor may comprise a fingerprint recognition sensor, iris recognition sensor, or any other biometric sensor. The feedback device may be configured to provide vibrational, audible, or visual feedback to the user once an input value corresponding to a predetermined factor approaches a threshold within a margin.

Abstract: Dimensions of an object associated with an electro-optically readable code are estimated by aiming a handheld device at a scene containing the object supported on a base surface. A scanner on the device scans the scene over a field of view to obtain a position of a reference point of the code associated with the object, and reads the code. A dimensioning sensor on the device captures a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud of data points of the scene in automatic response to the reading of the code. A controller clusters the point cloud into data clusters, locates the reference point of the code in one of the data clusters, extracts from the point cloud the data points of the one data cluster belonging to the object, and processes the extracted data points belonging to the object to estimate the dimensions of the object.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for increasing facial-recognition working range through adaptive super-resolution. One embodiment takes the form of a process that includes calculating one or more video metrics with respect to an input set of video frames. The process also includes obtaining a metric-specific weighting factor for each of the calculated video metrics. The process also includes calculating a weighted sum based on the obtained metric-specific weighting factors and the corresponding calculated video metrics. The process also includes selecting, based at least in part on the calculated weighted sum, a super-resolution technique from among a plurality of super-resolution techniques. The process also includes outputting an indication of the selected super-resolution technique.

Abstract: A mobile device, associated with a responder of the visiting agency and present in the geographical jurisdiction of the local agency, maintains a first mutual aid token associated with the local agency, wherein the mutual aid token authorizes the first responder to access the local agency and wherein the mutual aid token is associated with a transferability time period, that is, a time during which the mutual aid token can be transferred from one mutual aid responder to another. The mobile device identifies another mobile device of another responder associated with the visiting agency and transfers to the another mobile device, without a need to first contact the local or visiting agencies, a mutual aid token that is derived from the first mutual aid token, wherein the transferred mutual aid token authorizes the another responder to access the local agency.

Abstract: Dimensions of an object associated with an electro-optically readable code are estimated by aiming a handheld device at a scene containing the object supported on a base surface. A scanner on the device scans the scene over a field of view to obtain a position of a reference point of the code associated with the object, and reads the code. A dimensioning sensor on the device captures a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud of data points of the scene in automatic response to the reading of the code. A controller clusters the point cloud into data clusters, locates the reference point of the code in one of the data clusters, extracts from the point cloud the data points of the one data cluster belonging to the object, and processes the extracted data points belonging to the object to estimate the dimensions of the object.

Abstract: A stack of heat transfer sheets includes one or more first sheet which includes a first undulating surface formed by first lobes that are parallel to each other and oriented at a first angle. The first sheets include a second undulating surface formed by second lobes that are parallel to each other and oriented at a second angle, different from the first angle. The first sheets include a third undulating surface formed by third lobes extending from one or more ends of the first sheet and terminating at an intermediate point between the end and an opposing end thereof. The third lobes are parallel to each other and parallel to the direction of flow through the stack. The stack includes one or more second sheets defining a plurality of sheet spacing features which engage a portion of the first sheet.

Abstract: A non-parametric method of, and system for, dimensioning an object of arbitrary shape, captures a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud of data points over a field of view containing the object and a base surface on which the object is positioned, detects a base plane indicative of the base surface from the point cloud, extracts the data points of the object from the point cloud, processes the extracted data points of the object to obtain a convex hull, and fits a bounding box of minimum volume to enclose the convex hull. The bounding box has a pair of mutually orthogonal planar faces, and the fitting is performed by orienting one of the faces to be generally perpendicular to the base plane, and by simultaneously orienting the other of the faces to be generally parallel to the base plane.

Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of assembling a unibody structure of a vehicle includes assembling a door surround ring comprising a forward pillar portion, a roof rail portion, a rearward pillar portion, and a rocker portion. The method also includes, subsequent to assembling the door surround ring, installing the door surround ring into a vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring to the vehicle side outer panel. The method further includes, subsequent to installing the door surround ring into the vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring and the vehicle side outer panel to a vehicle interior structural member.

Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a unibody structure of a vehicle includes an inboard A-pillar member, an outboard A-pillar member positioned outboard of the inboard A-pillar member and coupled to the inboard A-pillar member, and a reinforcement member positioned between the inboard A-pillar member and the outboard A-pillar member. The reinforcement member is coupled to the outboard A-pillar member and has a plurality of reduced thickness regions that are positioned in a vehicle vertical direction along the reinforcement member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a super-resolved image from multiple unsynchronized cameras are provided herein. During operation logic circuitry will receive multiple images from multiple unsynchronized cameras. The logic circuitry will determine a viewshed for each image by extracting time and location information from each received image. Images sharing a similar viewshed will be used to generate a super-resolved image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for increasing facial-recognition working range through adaptive super-resolution. One embodiment takes the form of a process that includes calculating one or more video metrics with respect to an input set of video frames. The process also includes obtaining a metric-specific weighting factor for each of the calculated video metrics. The process also includes calculating a weighted sum based on the obtained metric-specific weighting factors and the corresponding calculated video metrics. The process also includes selecting, based at least in part on the calculated weighted sum, a super-resolution technique from among a plurality of super-resolution techniques. The process also includes outputting an indication of the selected super-resolution technique.

Abstract: An system and method for processing and transferring documents of any protocol between nodes in a distributed system, the system including an apparatus having a computer processor, and one of an encoding module and a decoding module corresponding to a schema of a document to be processed by the apparatus. Each of the encoding and decoding modules having a unique identifier corresponding to the schema and any process associated with the schema, the encoding module being configured to encode the document including embedding the unique identifier into the document for processing via the apparatus. The decoding module configured to decode an encoded document of the associated schema including restoring the document to its original form. The apparatus is scalable for transferring and processing documents of any protocol throughout a distributed system simultaneously over a single communication channel.

Abstract: An embodiment takes the form of a method carried out by a package-loading system. The system includes a processor and data storage containing instructions executable by the processor for carrying out the method. The method includes identifying a current package to be loaded by a user into a cargo container, and determining a target position in the cargo container for placement by the user of the identified current package. The method further includes providing for the user a visual indication of the determined target position.

Abstract: A technique for real-time trailer utilization measurement includes a three-dimensional depth monitor operable to monitor loading of a trailer and a processor operable to determine trailer utilization in real-time during loading of the trailer using image information from the monitor. A graphical user interface can receive utilization information from the processor and display a visual representation of real-time loading of the trailer. Utilization is a ratio of cumulative package volume to currently loaded volume of the trailer, wherein the cumulative package volume is determined from dimensional scans of packages to be loaded in the trailer and the currently loaded volume is determined by the monitor.