Abstract: A method for controlling a job site includes generating a team profile by associating a plurality of team member attributes with a job site that corresponds to a first physical location within a job field. The method further includes generating a work profile by associating a plurality of job safety attributes from a job safety database with the job site or a plurality of job step attributes from a job step database with the job site. The method further includes generating a dynamic compliance profile by receiving a plurality of job site inputs at the job site and comparing the plurality of job site inputs against both the team profile and the work profile. The method further includes alerting a user when a compliance metric of the dynamic compliance profile is out of compliance.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for fabricating diffractive structures on gemstones for high optical performance are provided. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining a plurality of gemstone characteristics of a gemstone, determining that the gemstone exhibits each of the plurality of gemstone characteristics within a respective predetermined range, identifying a diffractive structure setting associated with a combination of the respective predetermined ranges for the plurality of gemstone characteristics, and fabricating diffractive structures on the gemstone according to the diffractive structure setting.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for fabricating diffractive structures on gemstones for high optical performance are provided. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining a plurality of gemstone characteristics of a gemstone, determining that the gemstone exhibits each of the plurality of gemstone characteristics within a respective predetermined range, identifying a diffractive structure setting associated with a combination of the respective predetermined ranges for the plurality of gemstone characteristics, and fabricating diffractive structures on the gemstone according to the diffractive structure setting.

Abstract: An automated soap mixing and dispensing apparatus is configured to automatically melt a quantity of solid soap for mixture with a liquid carrier to provide a source of liquid soap solution. The apparatus includes a fluid reservoir configured to initially contain liquid carrier. A grill with apertures supports the solid soap. A heating element heats the solid soap to a molten state and the molten soap drips through the apertures into the liquid carrier. A rotary mixing unit mixes the molten soap with the liquid carrier to form the liquid soap solution. The dispensing apparatus may then be utilized to dispense the liquid soap for cleaning activities, such as personal hygiene. The apparatus improves the carbon footprint for hygiene activities by eliminating the requirement for plastic containers containing premixed liquid soap solutions.

Abstract: A data communication system dynamically selects timer durations to ensure delivery of data at a desired bit rate. A source or proxy source transmits data, such as streaming media, to a destination according to a dynamic bit rate timer, where the timer regulates the transmission frequency and/or the packet size of the data being transmitted. The timer dynamically adapts the transmission frequency or packet size according to the relative positioning of data pointers in a buffer and effectively changes the rate of data delivery. In this way, data may be delivered at the desired average bit rate to the destination despite network capacity fluctuations.

Abstract: When Internet Protocol (IP) packets or Layer-2 MAC Protocol packets are encapsulated in a MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) packet, one or more labels are assigned to identify the routers of the MPLS network through which the packet has passed. From this information, the underlying protocol (e.g., IP, MAC) can be inferred. In one embodiment, the value assigned to the one or more labels is selected to identify the underlying protocol. In one embodiment, IP packets have label values in a first range and MAC packets have label values in a second range. When the MPLS-encapsulated packets are switched within a load sharing environment, the ranges of the label values indicate the underlying protocol of the packet being switched. Knowing the underlying protocol enables a hash function to be selected that will both preserve packet ordering and effectively load share traffic received from a higher-speed source link across multiple lower-speed links.

Abstract: A network switch receives a data packet, recognizes the data packet as belonging to a given stream, and directs the data packet to a stream processing module in the network switch in response to recognizing the stream to which the packet belongs. The stream processing module further recognizes the source of the stream from which the packet was transmitted, and stores the data packet in a buffer for later transmission, as controlled by the stream processing module, to a destination for the stream. In this way, the stream may be replicated and transmitted by the stream processing module any number of times to multiple destinations in an efficient, cost-effective manner.

Abstract: When Internet Protocol (IP) packets or Layer-2 MAC Protocol packets are encapsulated in a MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) packet, one or more labels are assigned to identify the routers of the MPLS network through which the packet has passed. From this information, the underlying protocol (e.g., IP, MAC) can be inferred. In one embodiment, the value assigned to the one or more labels is selected to identify the underlying protocol. In one embodiment, IP packets have label values in a first range and MAC packets have label values in a second range. When the MPLS-encapsulated packets are switched within a load sharing environment, the ranges of the label values indicate the underlying protocol of the packet being switched. Knowing the underlying protocol enables a hash function to be selected that will both preserve packet ordering and effectively load share traffic received from a higher-speed source link across multiple lower-speed links.