Abstract: In a method of observation platform collaboration integration, a collaboration application is provisioned at an observation platform. The provisioning is administered by a cloud services platform in collaboration with a computer system of the observation platform and includes configuration and deployment of the collaboration application within the observation platform. An automation software component is sent from the collaboration application for resident installation at an external collaboration application which is external to an environment of the observation platform. The automation software component organizes information in the external retailer system for exchange, via a cloud-based gateway, with the collaboration application. The collaboration application is communicatively coupled, via the cloud-based gateway, with the external collaboration application. User information and task information are synchronized between the collaboration application and the external collaboration application.

Abstract: In a method of determining and sharing proximity of device users within an environment of an observation platform, the observation platform determines that a first communication device associated with a first user is in the environment of the observation platform. The observation platform detects that the first communication device is in proximity to a second communication device associated with a second user. Responsive to the detection, the observation platform generates proximity information for the first user and the second user. The observation platform relays the proximity information to a second observation platform via a computer network, wherein a second environment of the second observation platform is separate from the environment of the observation platform.

Abstract: In a method of query derivation in an observation platform a signal from a first communication device is received at a second communication device that is associated with a computer system. The computer system is associated with an organization and a first characteristic of the signal corresponds to an audible source. The signal is parsed, by the computer system according to a policy, to determine metadata associated with the signal, wherein the first communication device is operated by a user and wherein the policy dictates rules for use of the metadata. The computer system determines a prior user history of the user. The computer system converts the audible source of the signal to text or machine understandable language. The computer system derives a query related to the organization based on at least one of the prior user history, the metadata, and the text or machine understandable language.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems, apparatuses and methods provide enhanced function as a service (FaaS) to users, e.g., computer developers and cloud service providers (CSPs). A computing system configured to provide such enhanced FaaS service include one or more controls architectural subsystems, software and orchestration subsystems, network and storage subsystems, and security subsystems. The computing system executes functions in response to events triggered by the users in an execution environment provided by the architectural subsystems, which represent an abstraction of execution management and shield the users from the burden of managing the execution. The software and orchestration subsystems allocate computing resources for the function execution by intelligently spinning up and down containers for function code with decreased instantiation latency and increased execution scalability while maintaining secured execution.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory capable of storing information defining multiple function block types. A combination of instances of one or more function block types is capable of implementing a control process in a controller within a process control system. The apparatus also includes a function block editor capable of allowing a user to dynamically create or modify one or more of the function block types using a graphical user interface. The function block editor is capable of allowing the user to define one or more parameters for a function block type being created or modified.