Abstract: A beverage pod is provided. The beverage pod includes an outer shell, a filter, and a shelf. The outer shell has a bottom layer, a lid opposite the bottom layer, and side walls between the bottom layer and the lid. The bottom layer is operable to be breached by a brewing pin from a beverage brewing machine. The filter forms a chamber operable to contain a beverage material. The beverage material is operable to mix with a liquid to form a beverage. The shelf supports a shape of at least a portion of the filter. The shelf forms a receiving portion operable to receive the brewing pin. The receiving portion has substantially a toroidal shape.

Abstract: Single-serving beverage pods can include a first chamber operable to contain a dry beverage material and a second chamber operable to contain a second beverage material. A seal layer is disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber to prevent fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber. The seal layer can be operable to be breached by a brewing pin such that the brewing pin is received in the second chamber. The second beverage material can then be removed from the beverage pod via the brewing pin.

Abstract: A system for managing perishable goods within a cold chain distribution system including: a transport refrigeration system including: a refrigerated container; a refrigeration unit coupled to refrigerated container; a controller configured to control the operation of the refrigeration unit; and a plurality of sensors configured to monitor parameters associated with at least one of N the perishable goods, refrigeration unit, and refrigerated container, the plurality of sensors configured to transmit parameters to the controller. The system also includes: a first user device located proximate to refrigerated container and configured to allow manual entry of at least one of driver feedback and user commands; a sensor connectivity module configured to connect first user device to controller; and a network wirelessly connected to first user device, the network including: a storage device to store and a processor to analyze at least one of the requirements, driver feedback, user commands, and parameters.

Abstract: The present invention communicates with a point of sale terminal using near field data communications and a purchase is either allowed or denied by a billing statement network according to a set of parameters.

Abstract: Ordering data is received from retailers regarding customer purchases. Social media posts made by the customer are received. First, second and third textual elements are identified from the social media posts and sorted into categories. Fourth textual elements are identified from the ordering data and sorted into the categories. When a sum of the first and second textual elements for a category is greater than a predetermined threshold and when one of the first textual elements from the social media posts matches one of the fourth textual elements from the ordering data or when one of the second textual elements and one of the third textual elements are sorted into a same category and the category matches a category for one of the first textual elements from the social media posts, a prediction is made that the customer will purchase a product or a service corresponding to the category.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the freshness of perishable goods including: a storage device (80) to store consumer parameters (84) and historical freshness parameters (82) associated with the perishable goods; a freshness management system (90) coupled to the storage device. The freshness management system including: a current freshness module (92) to determine a current freshness parameter of the perishable goods in response to the historical freshness parameters; a freshness projection module (94) to determine predicted freshness parameters of the perishable goods in response to the historical freshness parameters and the consumer parameters; and a meshing module (96) to determine output parameters (100) in response to at least one of the historical freshness parameters, the consumer parameters, the current freshness parameters, and the predicted freshness parameters.

Abstract: A method for designing a smoothie pod includes: receiving input from a user via a user device that communicates with a beverage profile system over a communications network, wherein the input is received via a graphical user interface and includes selections of ingredients to be added to the smoothie pod; determining, via the beverage profile system, that a flavor profile of the smoothie pod that is based on the ingredients selected by the user includes at least one flavor type having a percentage of the flavor profile that is outside of an acceptable threshold percentage range of the flavor profile; and presenting a suggestion via the graphical user interface of one or more additional ingredients to be added to the smoothie pod to modify the percentage of the flavor type to be within the acceptable threshold percentage range of the flavor profile.

Abstract: Various embodiments of multi-component products are provided herein, with specific reference to methods of making the same. In some embodiments, the present invention is a method that includes feeding a heated gas to a powder feeder containing a powder having an element, spraying the powder from the powder feeder through a nozzle onto a surface of a substrate at a sufficient velocity to form a multi-component deposit on the substrate, and directing an energy beam from an energy source at the multi-component deposit to heat the multi-component deposit until the multi-component deposit is fixed to the substrate thereby forming a multi-component alloy coating on the substrate.

Abstract: A method for designing a smoothie pod includes: receiving input from a user via a user device that communicates with a beverage profile system over a communications network, wherein the input is received via a graphical user interface and includes selections of ingredients to be added to the smoothie pod; determining, via the beverage profile system, that a flavor profile of the smoothie pod that is based on the ingredients selected by the user includes at least one flavor type having a percentage of the flavor profile that is outside of an acceptable threshold percentage range of the flavor profile; and presenting a suggestion via the graphical user interface of one or more additional ingredients to be added to the smoothie pod to modify the percentage of the flavor type to be within the acceptable threshold percentage range of the flavor profile.

Abstract: Systems and methods for customizing beverage profiles, such as customizing beverage pods via input received via web-based portals or interfaces, are described. For example, the systems and methods may provide users with interactive interfaces that facilitate the reception of user input regarding the customization of a beverage, such as the customization of a nutritional or flavor profile of a beverage, such as a smoothie.

Abstract: A system for managing risk associated with the transportation of perishable goods including a storage device to store perishable good requirements, sanitation schedule parameters, sanitation requirements, maintenance schedule parameters, maintenance requirements, transportation schedules, and transport parameters associated with the perishable goods; and a risk management system coupled to the storage device.

Abstract: The present invention communicates with a point of sale terminal using near field data communications and a purchase is either allowed or denied by a billing statement network according to a set of parameters.

Abstract: The present invention communicates with a point of sale terminal using near field data communications and a purchase is either allowed or denied by a billing statement network according to a set of parameters.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically communicating information (e.g., patient information, flow rate, etc. . . . ) between a non-MRI compatible IV pump and a MRI compatible IV pump are described herein. Such methods and systems prevent human error from affecting the reprogramming of the IV pumps. Furthermore, automatically clamping infusion lines when a new line is added and locked in also reduces possible human error by removing the need for user input during this process.

Abstract: Systems and methods for customizing beverage profiles, such as customizing beverage pods via input received via web-based portals or interfaces, are described. For example, the systems and methods may provide users with interactive interfaces that facilitate the reception of user input regarding the customization of a beverage, such as the customization of a nutritional or flavor profile of a beverage, such as a smoothie.

Abstract: A method for adjusting environmental parameters for patient condition monitoring comprising: inputting via a user interface a patient condition and other information relating to the patient; searching a database for environmental parameters and other information relating to the patient condition; determining environmental parameters to adjust based on the patient condition; defining oxygen saturation level threshold ranges corresponding to various sets of environmental parameters; measuring via a pulse oximeter a first oxygen saturation level of the patient under a first set of environmental parameters; adjusting the environmental parameters corresponding to the patient condition if the first oxygen saturation level lies outside the threshold ranges defined for the first set of environmental parameters; and measuring a second oxygen saturation level of the patient under the adjusted environmental parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting a physiological condition and customizing displayed physiological data. A pulse oximeter and second physiological sensor are connected to a control unit that controls a patient monitor display. A medical professional uses the patient monitor display to upload a list of symptoms and data from the pulse oximeter and the second physiological sensor to a cloud-based prediction engine to determine a likely physiological condition and determine key physiological indicators associated with the physiological condition that was not uploaded. A plurality of analysis and customization tools are also provided for analyzing, correlating, tagging, labeling, and annotating the displayed data.

Abstract: A system and method for a universal device accessory (i.e. dongle) that is compatible with various different user devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets) that includes functionalities associated with the particular location (e.g. resort, theme park) is described herein. The universal device accessory would be designed specifically for the location in order to provide the user device with a streamlined suite of tools that would allow the user to interact with the location's native software and infrastructure through the user device. In this way, each location may have their own device accessory that facilitates various different user devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets) to be compatible with the software and infrastructure available at that location would simplify user interactions with the location.

Abstract: A system for waste disposal monitoring using wearable recycling and cleaning monitors includes a plurality of user devices each associated with a unique identifier and each configured to be carried by a respective user. A smart waste receptacle includes a receptacle configured to hold a plurality of waste items, a reader configured to detect the unique identifier of one user device when the user carrying the user device deposits a waste item in the receptacle portion, and a communication interface configured to transmit a notification including the detected unique identifier of the one user device based on the user depositing the waste item in the receptacle. A processing system and incentive redemption location device can be used to issue incentive to users based on a quantity of waste deposited by each user.

Abstract: A system and method for linking mobile devices wirelessly to a capture and distribution system associated with a ride (i.e. roller coaster) is described herein. The capture and distribution system would be used to facilitate documentation of the user's experience on that ride via pictures, video and/or audio recordings. The capture and distribution system may be set up so as to provide a personal documentation of each user's experience. After the ride has been completed, the capture and distribution system can provide the pictures, video and/or audio recordings wirelessly to the user's mobile device.