Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating with a vehicle companion are disclosed. The vehicle companion can include receiving state information about an operator and environmental information about a vehicular environment. A cognitive load and a cognitive requirement can be determined using the state information and the environmental information, respectively. The cognitive load and the cognitive requirement are then compared to determine if an intervention indicator exists. The vehicle companion can then enter into conversation with the operator in response to the intervention indicator, including topics selected based on the operator's personality.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and vehicle components for determining user frustration are disclosed. A method includes receiving, by a microphone communicatively coupled to a processing device, a voice input from a user, the voice input corresponding to an interaction between the user and a voice recognition system and including indicators of the user frustration. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, that the user is frustrated from the indicators, connecting, by the processing device, the user to a call center operator, transmitting, by the processing device, data to a call center computing device associated with the call center operator, the data corresponding to a user input and/or a vehicle response that resulted in the user frustration, receiving, by the processing device, commands from the call center computing device, and executing, by the processing device, processes that correspond to the commands.

Abstract: A method and device for providing voice command operation in a passenger vehicle cabin having multiple occupants are disclosed. The method and device operate to monitor microphone data relating to voice commands within a vehicle cabin and determine whether the microphone data includes wake-up-word data. When the wake-up-word data relates to more than one of a plurality of vehicle cabin zones and more than one wake-up-words are coincident, the method and device operate to monitor respective microphone data for voice command data from each of the more than one of the respective ones of the plurality of vehicle cabin zones. Upon detection, the voice command data may be processed to produce respective vehicle device commands and the vehicle device command(s) can be transmitted to effect the voice command data.

Abstract: A method and device are provided to monitor a wireless link state for an electric-powered vehicle, and comparing the wireless link state with a wireless-link trigger condition. When the wireless link state compares favorably with the wireless-link trigger condition, a thick-client application request may be transmitted based on the wireless-link trigger condition. A thick-client application load is received in response, and the thin-client application is transitioned to a thick-client application.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and vehicle components for providing a corrected pronunciation suggestion to a user are disclosed. A method includes receiving, by a microphone communicatively coupled to a processing device, a voice input from the user, the voice input including a particularly pronounced word. The method further includes comparing, by the processing device, the particularly pronounced word to one or more reference words in a reference table, determining, by the processing device, that the particularly pronounced word has been potentially mispronounced by the user based on the one or more reference words in the reference table, determining, by the processing device, a corrected pronunciation suggestion from the one or more reference words, and providing, via a user interface, the corrected pronunciation suggestion to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a shipment are provided. One embodiment of a method includes determining a predetermined destination for delivery of a package for a user, where the package is being delivered by a carrier, determining that delivery of the package to the predetermined destination has been interrupted and the package is being delivered to a new destination, and determining a location of the new destination. Some embodiments include providing a user option to route a vehicle to the new destination to retrieve the package and, in response to a user selection of the user option, providing routing of the vehicle to the new destination.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sending content are provided. One embodiment of a method includes identifying content provided to a user, receiving an indication that the user desires to share the content to a recipient, and determining a content provider that provided the content to the user and a preferred content provider of the recipient. Some embodiments are configured for determining an address associated with the recipient and providing instructions for the preferred content provider to provide the content to the recipient.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and vehicle components for determining user frustration are disclosed. A method includes receiving, by a microphone communicatively coupled to a processing device, a voice input from a user, the voice input corresponding to an interaction between the user and a voice recognition system and including indicators of the user frustration. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, that the user is frustrated from the indicators, connecting, by the processing device, the user to a call center operator, transmitting, by the processing device, data to a call center computing device associated with the call center operator, the data corresponding to a user input and/or a vehicle response that resulted in the user frustration, receiving, by the processing device, commands from the call center computing device, and executing, by the processing device, processes that correspond to the commands.

Abstract: A vehicle virtual assistance system include one or more processors, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, a microphone communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the microphone receives acoustic vibrations, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. The vehicle virtual assistance system receives, through the microphone, a voice request for a meal from a user of a vehicle, determines a recipe for the meal based on the voice request, retrieve one or more ingredients based on the recipe, locates a store within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, and transmits an instruction related to the one or more ingredients to a store.

Abstract: A vehicle virtual assistance system for taking a note is provided. The vehicle virtual assistance system includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, a microphone communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the microphone receives acoustic vibrations, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. The vehicle virtual assistance system initiates a call, receives, from a party of the call, a voice request for taking the note during the call, initiates a note taking function in response to receiving the voice request, and stores voice input from the party as a first note.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for synchronizing service data between a data store and a device using the service data. These synchronization techniques may be used with a synchronization method and device that adaptively adjust synchronization parameters, such as the synchronization interval and quantity of synchronized data, on a per-end-user basis in response to actual end-user behavior. In particular, heavy users of service data are rewarded with improved synchronization parameters, such as a combination of shorter synchronization intervals and increased synchronization data quantities, which provides closer to “direct access” performance. Light users of service, on the other hand, are assigned lower cost synchronization parameters, such as longer synchronization intervals and/or decreased synchronization data quantities.

Abstract: A data retrieval system includes a gateway server and an access client. The gateway server is communicatively connected to the access client through a network. The gateway server provides a presentation service (PS) and a real-time service (RTS), which cooperate with the access client to retrieve data from a data store and then provide the retrieved data to a user's remote communication device. More particularly, when a user wishes to retrieve data from the data store or to send data to the data store, the user establishes a communication connection between his or her remote communication device and the gateway server, and then requests the desired data from the gateway server. In response, the gateway server sends a command to the access client, instructing it to retrieve the requested data. The access client retrieves the requested data from the data store, and returns the retrieved data to the gateway server.

Abstract: A data retrieval system includes a gateway server and an access client. The gateway server is communicatively connected to the access client through a network. The gateway server provides a presentation service (PS) and a real-time service (RTS), which cooperate with the access client to retrieve data from a data store and then provide the retrieved data to a user's remote communication device. More particularly, when a user wishes to retrieve data from the data store or to send data to the data store, the user establishes a communication connection between his or her remote communication device and the gateway server, and then requests the desired data from the gateway server. In response, the gateway server sends a command to the access client, instructing it to retrieve the requested data. The access client retrieves the requested data from the data store, and returns the retrieved data to the gateway server.

Abstract: A data retrieval system includes a gateway server and an access client. The gateway server is communicatively connected to the access client through a network. The gateway server provides a presentation service (PS) and a real-time service (RTS), which cooperate with the access client to retrieve data from a data store and then provide the retrieved data to a user's remote communication device. More particularly, when a user wishes to retrieve data from the data store or to send data to the data store, the user establishes a communication connection between his or her remote communication device and the gateway server, and then requests the desired data from the gateway server. In response, the gateway server sends a command to the access client, instructing it to retrieve the requested data. The access client retrieves the requested data from the data store, and returns the retrieved data to the gateway server.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for synchronizing service data between a data store and a device using the service data. These synchronization techniques may be used with a synchronization method and device that adaptively adjust synchronization parameters, such as the synchronization interval and quantity of synchronized data, on a per-end-user basis in response to actual end-user behavior. In particular, heavy users of service data are rewarded with improved synchronization parameters, such as a combination of shorter synchronization intervals and increased synchronization data quantities, which provides closer to “direct access” performance. Light users of service, on the other hand, are assigned lower cost synchronization parameters, such as longer synchronization intervals and/or decreased synchronization data quantities.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of identifying and diagnosing certain types of cancers and pre-stages thereof in a patient by identifying alternatively spliced isoforms of wild type KLF6 (KLF6wt), in particular any one of the isoforms selected from the group consisting of: KLF6 splice variant-1 (KLF6SV1), KLF6 splice variant-2 (KLF6SV2), and KLF6 splice variant-3 (KLF6SV3). Also disclosed are methods for diagnosing cancer using the polypeptides and polynucleotides identified herein, as well as methods of treating certain types of cancers by inhibiting polynucleotides and polypeptides identified herein.

Abstract: A data retrieval system includes a gateway server and an access client. The gateway server is communicatively connected to the access client through a network. The gateway server provides a presentation service (PS) and a real-time service (RTS), which cooperate with the access client to retrieve data from a data store and then provide the retrieved data to a user's remote communication device. More particularly, when a user wishes to retrieve data from the data store or to send data to the data store, the user establishes a communication connection between his or her remote communication device and the gateway server, and then requests the desired data from the gateway server. In response, the gateway server sends a command to the access client, instructing it to retrieve the requested data. The access client retrieves the requested data from the data store, and returns the retrieved data to the gateway server.

Abstract: The present invention relates to identification of tumor suppressor activity of a protein, KLF6 (KLF6), and to related diagnostic and therapeutic compositions and methods. The discovery of this tumor suppressor activity provides screening targets as well, particularly screening for compounds that overcome gene inactivation or alteration.

Abstract: server is communicatively connected to the access client through a network. The gateway server provides a presentation service (PS) and a real-time service (RTS), which cooperate with the access client to retrieve data from a data store and then provide the retrieved data to a user's remote communication device. More particularly, when a user wishes to retrieve data from the data store or to send data to the data store, the user establishes a communication connection between his or her remote communication device and the gateway server, and then requests the desired data from the gateway server. In response, the gateway server sends a command to the access client, instructing it to retrieve the requested data. The access client retrieves the requested data from the data store, and returns the retrieved data to the gateway server. The gateway server then relays the requested information back to the user's remote communication device.

Abstract: Treatment methods and compositions for the treatment of fibrosis are provided. In some embodiments, these methods include augmentation of dendritic cells for treatment of fibrosis. In some embodiments, fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) is used for the treatment of fibrosis and/or the augmentation of dendritic cells. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to methods for the treatment of fibrosis using Flt3L-expanded dendritic cells. In certain embodiments, the fibrosis is hepatic or pulmonary fibrosis.