Abstract: An actuation mechanism for use in a vehicle. The actuation mechanism includes one or more motors having an output shaft with a sun gear. At least a portion of the sun gear is drivingly connected to at least a portion of one or more planetary gears. The one or more planetary gears are drivingly connected to at least a portion of a carrier, a fixed non-rotating ring gear and an output gear. The disclosure further relates to a method of operating an actuation mechanism that is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a vehicle parking mechanism. The method includes providing an actuation mechanism, providing a parking mechanism and one or more sensors that are operably configured to collect an amount of data to be analyzed. Based on the data analyzed, one or more failures within the parking mechanism may be determined and an alert may be sent.

Abstract: A system includes first and second sensors, and a computing system. The first sensor measures a first property of a first piece of equipment, and the second sensor measures a second property of a second piece of equipment. The computing system includes a processor and memory, which stores a condition that depends on both the first property and the second property. Satisfaction of the condition indicates that maintenance of the first piece of equipment should be prioritized over maintenance of the second piece of equipment. The processor receives the measured first property and the measured second property. In response to determining, based on the measured first and second properties, that the third condition is satisfied, transmits an alert for display on a user device. The alert indicates that maintenance of the first piece of equipment has a higher priority than maintenance of the second piece of equipment.

Abstract: Adjustable concrete forms, typically fabricated from steel, allowing variation in the height, tilt, and shape of the form of gravity wall sections. The adjustable concrete form includes adjustable height vertical and sloped walls to change the height of the form through the operation of built-in mechanical jacks, such as ball screw assemblies. The separation distances at top and bottom of the walls can be adjusted by upper connectors (e.g., tie bars) and lower connectors (e.g., base straps). The same adjustable concrete form is assembled, used to pour a gravity wall section, disassembled, repositioned, and reassembled a virtually unlimited number of times to create varying height, tilt, and shape gravity wall sections for mile after of roadway construction.

Abstract: Programmable control devices that rely on time-of-day accuracy maintain that accuracy by determining their location via a global positioning system, recording and timestamping continually measured ambient light via a daylight sensor and real-time clock (RTC) of the programmable control device, determining a mid-darkness time point, comparing that mid-darkness time point with a reference mid-darkness time point for the same location for the same day of the year, and then adjusting the RTC of the programmable control device as necessary. Methods of maintaining time of day in a programmable control device are also provided, as are other aspects.

Abstract: A filter element, in particular an air filter element, has a filter media body surrounding a hollow interior and has a first end and an opposite second end. A first end cap is positioned on the first end of the filter media body, and a second end cap is positioned on the second end of the filter media body. The second end cap is a closed end cap. The second end cap has a plurality of spaced-apart inner adapter projections arranged thereon and projecting in direction of a central axis away from the first end cap. At least some of the inner adapter projections are positioned in a circular arrangement so as to surround a center of the second end cap. Such a filter element is arranged in a housing of a filter system provided with a receiver arrangement for the filter element.

Abstract: A tube seal apparatus including a sealing iron having a tube sealing end, an insulating shroud having a tube clamping end, wherein the sealing iron is at least partially disposed within the insulating shroud. The apparatus further includes an anvil having a cutting detail and a non-stick membrane disposed between the anvil and the tube clamping end of the insulating shroud. The sealing iron and insulating shroud are configured to advance towards a tube to be sealed positioned between the non-stick membrane and the anvil. The tube clamping end is configured to clamp the tube through the non-stick membrane. The sealing iron is configured to advance towards the tube to melt and seal the tube against the cutting detail through the non-stick membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems and GUIs for providing situational awareness about emergency incidents to emergency service providers (ESPs), for example, between different Public Safety Answering Points. In particular, the use of data indicators, notifications and banners can be used to provide a GUI rich in situational awareness for efficient emergency response.

Abstract: A location-based application, such as a parallel reality game, may receive, from a client device of a user of the application, location data representing the user's position in the real-world. In one embodiment, a game platform associated with the application writes location data derived from the received location data to each of a plurality of retention tables, each storing the location data at a different level of granularity and for a different retention period. Upon expiration of a retention period for a first retention table, the game platform anonymizes the location data and transfers the anonymized data to a second retention table storing the data at a lower level of granularity. The game platform repeats this process until expiration of the retention period for the table having the lowest level of granularity before deleting the location data from storage.

Abstract: An actuation mechanism for use in a vehicle. The actuation mechanism includes one or more motors having an output shaft with a sun gear. At least a portion of the sun gear is drivingly connected to at least a portion of one or more planetary gears. The one or more planetary gears are drivingly connected to at least a portion of a carrier, a fixed non-rotating ring gear and an output gear. The disclosure further relates to a method of operating an actuation mechanism that is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a vehicle parking mechanism. The method includes providing an actuation mechanism, providing a parking mechanism and one or more sensors that are operably configured to collect an amount of data to be analyzed. Based on the data analyzed, one or more failures within the parking mechanism may be determined and an alert may be sent.

Abstract: A system includes a local device and a remote computing system. The local device is disposed in a toilet paper dispenser and includes a sensor and a first processor. The sensor is configured to measure a distance to a toilet paper roll. The first processor is configured to calculate, using the measured distance to the toilet paper roll, a percentage of toilet paper remaining on the toilet paper roll. The first processor is further configured to transmit, when it is determined that the percentage of toilet paper remaining is less than a minimum threshold, sensor data across a wireless communications network. The remote computing system includes a second processor configured to receive the sensor data and send an alert for display on a user device in response to receiving the sensor data.

Abstract: A system for diagnostic analysis of a toilet over time intervals comprises a processor operable to receive a distance measurement from a sensor over a network. The processor is operable to determine an instance of a decrease in a water level in a toilet tank based on a comparison of the received distance measurement to a setpoint and to determine a plurality of instances of the decrease in the water level within a period of time. The processor is operable to calculate a ratio of the determined number of the plurality of instances of the decrease in the water level to a number of instances wherein a door changes from a first position to a second position. The processor is operable to compare the calculated ratio to a threshold ratio and to send an alert to a user device when the calculated ratio is less than the threshold ratio.

Abstract: A system for determining an ambient concentration of compositions for bathroom cleaning comprises a processor operable to receive a concentration measurement from a sensor over a network within a first period of time. The processor is operable to compare the received concentration measurement to a first threshold and to a second threshold greater than the first threshold. The processor is operable to instruct a memory communicatively coupled to the processor to store an indication that a bathroom was cleaned in response to a determination that the received concentration measurement is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold. The processor is operable to send an alert for display on a user device indicating either that the sensor has been tampered or that a spill event has occurred in response to a determination that the received concentration measurement is greater than the second threshold.

Abstract: A system includes a sensor and a computing system. The sensor is coupled to a syrup line of the beverage dispenser and is configured to measure a pressure within the line. The syrup line is coupled at a first end to a syrup bag and at a second end to a pump configured to pump syrup from the syrup bag to an outlet of the beverage dispenser. The pump is operated using pressurized gas and generates a pressure corresponding to the pressure of the gas within the syrup line when both the syrup bag is full and the outlet of the beverage dispenser is closed. The sensor transmits a measured pressure to the computing system. The computing system determines that the measured pressure is less than a threshold pressure. In response, the processor transmits an alert for display on a user device, which identifies the syrup bag for replacement.

Abstract: A system includes one or more memory units and a processor. The processor is configured to receive, from a food temperature probe, a first temperature associated with a first food item. The processor is further configured to receive, from the food temperature probe, a second temperature associated with a second food item. The processor is further configured to receive, from the food temperature probe, a third temperature that was measured by the food temperature probe after measuring the first temperature but before measuring the second temperature, the third temperature associated with a cleaning of the food temperature probe. The processor is further configured to send an alert for display on a user device when the third temperature is greater than the cleaning threshold temperature.

Abstract: A system includes a door sensor that provides a status of whether a door of a refrigeration system is open or closed, a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of a food compartment of the refrigeration system, a power sensor that measures an amount of power consumed by the refrigeration system, and a compressor sensor that provides acoustic data about a compressor of the refrigeration system. The system further includes a remote computing system configured to send an alert indicating that the refrigeration system needs servicing when the temperature of the food compartment of the refrigeration system is determined to be above a predetermined temperature while: the door of the refrigeration system is closed, the amount of power consumed by the refrigeration system is within a predetermined power range, and acoustic signals of the compressor of the refrigeration system are within a predetermined acoustic range.

Abstract: A biopsy marker may include three shaped portions arranged sequentially along an axis, each shaped portion having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface. A first narrow portion connects a first of the three shaped portions to a second of the three shaped portions. A second narrow portion connects the second of the three shaped portions to a third of the three shaped portions. The first narrow portion is twisted about the axis such that the first surface of the first shaped portion is at a first angle to the first surface of the second shaped portion. The second narrow portion is twisted about the axis such that the first surface of the second shaped portion is at a second angle to the first surface of the third shaped portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a novel system and method for providing a fast, inexpensive and reliable diagnostic test for indicating the presence of a biological threat. This test utilizes surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to interrogate a sample comprising metallic plasmonic particles suspected of contamination with the biological threat. The Raman spectrum is analyzed for specific Raman shifts that are characteristic of an interaction of the biological threat with the metallic plasmonic particles to produce a diagnostic result.

Abstract: A biopsy marker may include three shaped portions arranged sequentially along an axis, each shaped portion having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface. A first narrow portion connects a first of the three shaped portions to a second of the three shaped portions. A second narrow portion connects the second of the three shaped portions to a third of the three shaped portions. The first narrow portion is twisted about the axis such that the first surface of the first shaped portion is at a first angle to the first surface of the second shaped portion. The second narrow portion is twisted about the axis such that the first surface of the second shaped portion is at a second angle to the first surface of the third shaped portion.

Abstract: A vehicle driveline component with a housing, a ring gear of a transmission, and a plurality of spring sets. The housing defines a bore and a plurality of grooves that are spaced circumferentially about the bore. The ring gear includes an internally-toothed ring gear body and a plurality of mounting teeth that project radially from the ring gear body. The first mounting teeth are received into the grooves in the housing. Each of the spring sets has a first spring, which is disposed between a first side of an associated one of the mounting teeth and a first wall of an associated one of the grooves into which the associated one of the mounting teeth is received, and a second spring that is disposed between a second side of the associated one of the mounting teeth and a second wall of the associated one of the grooves.

Abstract: An electrical connector socket includes an outer receptacle and an inner receptacle disposed with the outer receptacle. A biasing element disposed between the inner receptacle and the outer receptacle biases the inner receptacle to a predetermined position with respect to the outer receptacle and allows displacement of the inner receptacle from the predetermined position to another position in response to an external force.