Abstract: The invention is an intelligent headrail for a window covering which includes an extensible end cap which applies force to the adjacent window or door frame to hold the headrail in place. The end cap includes a pressure sensor or a force sensing resistor to detect whether sufficient force is present to safely hold the headrail in place. The headrail may include a controller which is connected to the pressure sensor or a force sensing resistor. The controller may include program code which identifies the safety status of the window covering based on the pressure or force reading. The controller may include a data transmission port which transmits pressure or force readings to an output device. The program code may also send a report to the output device to indicate whether the force or pressure is moderately low or so low that the window covering is in danger of falling.

Abstract: We disclose a method of using taggants to assess how and to what extent a drug in a drug composition that a user has consumed has decayed in response to storage conditions and time. The taggants may decay in response to environmental conditions which cause different drugs to lose their efficacy. These environmental conditions may include light, temperature, oxidation, moisture, and age. The taggants may be detected in biological samples, including urine and feces. By identifying the taggants, the drug composition and other information relating to the drug may be identified. Additionally, quantification of the different taggants may be used to determine whether the drug in the drug composition has been exposed to environmental conditions which may reduce its efficacy.

Abstract: The drug tracking system may be used to screen a subject's bodily waste and to identify a drug the subject has consumed. The system includes drug tags which include a one or more food dyes, each detectable in a subject's bodily waste using photographic or absorption spectroscopic analysis. The system may further include a database in which is stored the spectral signature of each drug tag and the unique drug associated with each drug tag. A spectral analysis obtained by analyzing a bodily waste sample may be entered into the database. The database may include instructions for comparing the spectral analysis to the spectral signature of each drug tag. The instructions may further report the unique drug associated with a drug tag which has a spectral signature matching the spectral analysis.

Abstract: Window blinds with automated mechanisms that require a power source often include a battery housing that is placed at least partially outside of the headrail. This is done to make room for mechanical devices that are required to be housed within the headrail. We disclose a battery housing which may be mounted within a headrail of a window blind. Consequently, the battery housing is not visible when the headrail is mounted. This creates a more aesthetically pleasing window treatment. The disclosed battery housing may include a base mounted on two elongated battery compartments. An elongated channel may separate the two elongated battery compartments. The elongated channel is designed to allow a tilt rod within the headrail to pass through.

Abstract: We disclose a tag for tracking and identifying pharmaceutical and nutritional products. The tag includes a paramagnetic microparticle which is connected to at least one unique and detectable chemical. The chemical may be coated on the paramagnetic microparticle or connected through functional groups. The tags may be too large to be taken into the bloodstream and therefore remain in the user's gastrointestinal tract. The tags may be fully or partially isolated from feces for analysis. The tags are attracted to an external electromagnetic force but are not magnetically attracted to each other. Consequently, the tags are safe to ingest. The tags may vary in volume or mass so as to be separable according to mass. The tags may be non-spherical in shape thus increasing the surface area to volume ratio and increasing the amount of chemical which may be attached as a taggant.

Abstract: We disclose a headrail for window coverings that may include an extensible end cap and a gearbox which automatically adjusts the headrail mounting. The extensible end cap may include a mounting bracket which may be connected to a piston. The piston may be connected to a floating bearing. The gearbox may include a motor-driven main gear which rotates a threaded rod. As the threaded rod rotates, an end of the threaded rod may move toward a floating bearing. The floating bearing may apply force the piston which may transmit the force to the mounting bracket. The extensible end cap may also include a sensor which detects the amount of pressure or force applied to the mounting bracket. When the sensor collects a measurement below a defined level, the motor may actuate the main gear to rotate the threaded rod and apply additional force to the mounting bracket.

Abstract: We disclose an in-toilet urinalysis system which includes a system for collection urine and for analysis of urine components using aptamer technology. Urine collection system may dispense urine into cuvettes, channels, or other containers that include aptamers. The aptamers may detect target molecules in urine. The aptamers may measure urine analytes, detect excreted drugs or drug metabolites, or disease markers. Upon binding to the target molecule, the aptamers may produce a signal which a sensor in the toilet may detect. In some embodiments, the signal may be electrochemical, fluorescent, or colorimetric. The measurements obtained from analysis of the urine may be used to assess a user's health or diagnose disease. In some embodiments, the measurements are stored in a controller which may transmit the measurements to a healthcare provider for assessment.

Abstract: We disclose a method of using taggants to assess how and to what extent a drug in a drug composition has decayed in response to environmental conditions and time. The taggants may decay in response to environmental conditions which cause drugs to lose their efficacy. The decay may occur due to improper storage or excursions into certain environmental conditions. These environmental conditions may include light, temperature, moisture, oxidation, and age. By including taggants that have different decay characteristics, the environmental condition that caused the decay may be determined. The amount of time the drug composition was exposed to the environmental condition and the amount of effective drug remaining may also be determined. The disclosed method may reduce the need for a unique assay for each drug to assess decay and determine shelf life. The disclosed method may also be used as a quality control technique for pharmaceutical products.

Abstract: We disclose a method of using taggants to assess how and to what extent a drug in a drug composition that a user has consumed has decayed in response to storage conditions and time. The taggants may decay in response to environmental conditions which cause different drugs to lose their efficacy. These environmental conditions may include light, temperature, oxidation, and age. The taggants may be detected in biological samples, including urine and feces. By identifying the taggants, the drug composition and other information relating to the drug may be identified. Additionally, quantification of the different taggants may be used to determine whether the drug in the drug composition has been exposed to environmental conditions which may reduce its efficacy.

Abstract: We disclose a method of using taggants to assess how and to what extent a drug in a drug composition that a user has consumed has decayed in response to storage conditions and time. The taggants may decay in response to environmental conditions which cause different drugs to lose their efficacy. These environmental conditions may include light, temperature, oxidation, moisture, and age. The taggants may be detected in biological samples, including urine and feces. By identifying the taggants, the drug composition and other information relating to the drug may be identified. Additionally, quantification of the different taggants may be used to determine whether the drug in the drug composition has been exposed to environmental conditions which may reduce its efficacy.

Abstract: We disclose a method of tagging nutritional or drug compositions using chemical entities which are known to be safely consumed and which are detectable using known techniques, including near IR spectroscopy. The chemical entities used as tags may be detected in easily obtainable biological samples, including urine and feces. The biological sample may be deposited into a medical toilet which may analyze the biological sample using an analytical device associated with the medical toilet. The tag may be identified and quantified to then identify and quantify the nutritional or drug composition the subject consumed along with the tag. This system may be used to track the source of a food or drug, confirm compliance to a prescribed diet or drug treatment, confirm drug consumption in clinical trials, identify the source of contaminated food, and identify the food substances used to produce food products.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a toilet that includes a liquid level sensor on the surface of a flush jet fill tube. The liquid level sensor is a noncontact electrical impedance sensor that is an electrical capacitor. The capacitor may be used alone or with other volume sensors to detect volume of materials added to a toilet bowl. Some embodiments include a processor which records data and provides reports that may be clinically useful to assess the user's health status. The temporal nature of the liquid level sensor measurements is particularly useful because urination or defecation may be measured over time. Not only are total volumes detected but rates at which waste is deposited into the toilet during the entire excretion event are detected. These measurements are particularly useful in assessing certain health conditions.

Abstract: We disclose a cordless window covering that may raise, lower, and tilt a plurality of slats without the use of lift cords. The covering may include an external frame with two vertical sides and a headrail. The covering may also include a plurality of slats, each of which may be connected to an adjacent slat by at least one string on each side and the headrail. This may allow the slats to hang freely when lowered. It may also allow all the slats to tilt when only the top slat has been mechanically tilted by a drive belt. The bottom slat may include a bottom bearing connector which may interact with a drive belt such that it may be raised and lowered when the drive belt rotates. Each slat may be connected to a bearing and a bearing connector that may be slidably connected to a guide channel.

Abstract: We disclose a cordless window blind that includes at least one electromagnet within each slat. The slats may be inserted into orifices within rotatable slat mounting members on a vertical guide rail assembly. The orifices may house electrical connections which connect the electromagnets to at least one battery. The electromagnets may have the same polarity such that the electromagnet of one slat attracts the electromagnet of an adjacent slat. The magnetic attraction may move one slat toward the other slat causing the slats to move vertically along the guide rail assembly and either raise or lower the blinds. Alternatively, electromagnets on only one of two longitudinal edges of the slats may be actuated and attract a metal member on an adjacent slat. The magnetic attraction may cause the slats to tilt and rotate within the slat mounting members thus closing the blinds.

Abstract: We disclose a drug tracking system and method of use which may be used to screen a subject's bodily waste in order to assess whether the subject has consumed a drug. The system includes a drug composition which is tagged with at least one artificial sweetener that may be detected in the subject's bodily waste. The subject may consume the tagged drug and a user may obtain a sample of the subject's bodily waste. The bodily waste sample may be analyzed to detect the artificial sweetener or its metabolite. In some embodiments, the result of the analysis of bodily waste may be entered into a database, compared to standards that comprises analyses of a plurality of drug tags, and the identity of the drug tag, and consequently the drug composition, determined.

Abstract: The drug tracking system may be used to screen a subject's bodily waste and to identify a drug the subject has consumed. The system includes drug tags which comprise a one or more food dyes, each detectable in a subject's bodily waste using photographic or absorption spectroscopic analysis. The system may further include a database comprising the spectral signature of each drug tag and the unique drug associated with each drug tag. A spectral analysis obtained by analyzing a bodily waste sample may be entered into the database. The database may include instructions for comparing the spectral analysis to the spectral signature of each drug tag. The instructions may further report the unique drug associated with a drug tag which has an spectral signature matching the spectral analysis.

Abstract: We disclose a window blind which includes a metamaterial film on the slats. The metamaterial film reflects solar irradiance and is infrared emissive. The metamaterial fabric may contain silicon dioxide microspheres embedded in a polymer and the polymer may be coated with a silver coating. The long edges of the slats of the blinds may be attached to a sheet of substantially transparent infrared reflective optical interference film. When the slats of the blinds are open, the infrared reflective optical interference film may reflect infrared radiation thus preventing it from passing into the adjacent room while still permitting light to enter the room. The metamaterial film may inhibit both solar and infrared radiation from heating the adjacent room. Consequently, the disclosed window blinds promote radiative cooling instead of impeding heat transmission into an adjacent room.

Abstract: We disclose a window blind that includes a capacitor within each slat. Each plate of the capacitor may be connected to one of two batteries. At least one switch may be placed between each capacitor plate and its adjoining battery. When one switch is open, another switch may be closed thereby sending current to only one plate at a time. The plate that receives the current is negatively charged and the remaining plate is positively charged. The switch that is open may be changed to reverse the charges of the plates. This charge reversal may be actuated through a series of pull cord gestures from a user. By creating an electrical charge on the plates, dust is pulled from the air according to the net charge of the dust particles. The window blind therefore functions as an air purifier as well as a traditional window blind.

Abstract: We disclose a window blind which purifies the surrounding air using electrostatic interactions. The window blind includes slats which may have a strip of positively charged material, a strip of negatively charged material, or both attached to the top of the slat. In some embodiments, the positively charged material and the negatively charged material are attached to alternating slats. In other embodiments, the positively charged material and the negatively charged material are attached to the top of the same slate with a strip of insulating material positioned between them. The window blind may include an air-moving device which moves air past the slats so that dust particles with either a net positive charge or net negative charge may be attracted to the oppositely charged material on the slat. The air-moving device may be a vacuum or a fan. The positively and negatively charged materials may be removeable for cleaning.

Abstract: We disclose a headrail for window coverings that may include an extensible end cap and a gearbox which automatically adjusts the headrail mounting. The extensible end cap may include a mounting bracket which may be connected to a piston. The piston may be connected to a floating bearing. The gearbox may include a motor-driven main gear which rotates a threaded rod. As the threaded rod rotates, an end of the threaded rod may move toward a floating bearing. The floating bearing may apply force the piston which may transmit the force to the mounting bracket. The extensible end cap may also include a sensor which detects the amount of pressure or force applied to the mounting bracket. When the sensor collects a measurement below a defined level, the motor may actuate the main gear to rotate the threaded rod and apply additional force to the mounting bracket.