Abstract: Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first power supply node to supply input power supply; a power transistor coupled to the first power supply node; a multiplexer to selectively control gate terminal of the power transistor according to whether the power transistor is to operate as part of a low dropout voltage regulator (LDO-VR) or is to operate as a digital switch; and a second power supply node coupled to the power transistor, the second power supply node to provide power supply to a load from the power transistor.

Abstract: Smart USB plug detection is disclosed. In some embodiments, a battery charger identification chip includes circuitry configured to determine whether an external USB device has been plugged into a USB port of an associated system while the system is in a sleep mode and includes a pin configured to output a control signal indicating whether an external USB device is plugged into the system, wherein when an external USB device is plugged into the system the control signal facilitates powering on a current limit switch that is otherwise powered off during the sleep mode and wherein the current limit switch facilitates regulated delivery of current to the plugged in external USB device.

Abstract: A method of and device for removing a processor from a low power mode. The method includes and the device provides for performing multiple processor start-up tasks in parallel. Memory interface training between the processor and memory and restoration and initialization of the processor are performed in parallel with each other and with a serial bus controller entering serial bus training to facilitate communication between the processor and a system controller.

Abstract: A modular surgical instrument and method for using the same. The method can comprise attaching a surgical instrument attachment to a surgical instrument handle to form a surgical instrument, and powering a master processor in the surgical instrument attachment. The method can also comprise identifying a slave processor in the surgical instrument handle, wherein the slave processor is configured to control a motor in the surgical instrument handle, and affecting operation of the motor based on at least one command from the master processor.

Abstract: An electric/thermal energy storage schedule optimizing device is provided. The electric/thermal energy storage schedule optimizing device includes a predicting unit setting predicted values of a consumed energy or a supplying energy of a plurality of control-target devices. The electric/thermal energy storage schedule optimizing device also includes a start-stop optimizing unit creating start-stop schedules of the plurality of control-target devices based on the predicted values set by the predicting unit.

Abstract: Technologies for scheduling network requests to reduce power consumption include a mobile computing device configured to receive a network request from a network application, and determine whether the network request is delayable, based on execution constraints of the application. Execution constraints may include required processing resources, acceptable latency, priority, application class, and others. If the request is delayable, the mobile computing device may delay the request until a threshold number of delayable requests are received, or until a non-delayable request is received. The mobile computing device performs the delayed request and any subsequently received requests concurrently. The execution constraints may be supplied by each network application, or may be determined by the mobile computing device through observation. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an arrangement for monitoring a position of a hand-held tool within a work region, comprising the hand-held tool for use within the work region; means that are designed to generate a virtual image of the work region; means that are designed to determine an actual position of the hand-held tool within the image; the hand-held tool having display means that are designed to display the actual position, and to a method for monitoring a position of a hand-held tool.

Abstract: An industrial controller for safety control is disclosed. The controller comprises an interface for receiving a download of a safety control program, a memory for storing at least one safety control program and at least one processing unit for executing a safety control program stored in the non-volatile memory. The at least one processing unit is configured to determine whether a safety control program is verified and to limit an execution of an unverified safety control program according to an unverified run mode. An indicator is configured to indicate the execution of an unverified safety control program. A method of assigning a verification ID to an industrial controller comprises steps of configuring and downloading a safety control program, validating the configured safety control program for the target industrial controller, and assigning a verification ID. Execution of the configured safety control program is limited before the verification ID is assigned.

Abstract: In an example, a method includes determining, at a host device, a power state of a digital input/output device, and transmitting a clock signal having a first frequency from the host device to the input/output device responsive to a determination that the input/output device is in a lower power state. The method also includes determining, at the host device, that the input/output device has transitioned into a higher power state, and transmitting a clock signal having a second frequency from the host device to the input/output device responsive to a determination that the input/output device has transitioned into the higher power state. The first frequency is lower than the second frequency.

Abstract: A processor and method are described for performing proactive throttling of execution unit ports. For example, one embodiment of a processor core comprises: a plurality of execution unit ports within an execution stage of the processor core; a scheduler unit to schedule execution of a plurality of operations to the plurality of execution unit ports; and proactive throttling logic to limit acceleration of execution of the operations by the ports to an acceleration level which does not result in significant power supply droops.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining a clock time associated with an event at a higher precision than is attainable by a main clock signal. A system includes a plurality of processing modules distributed across an integrated circuit, a main clock signal being transmitted to ones of the plurality of processing modules at a main clock frequency. A plurality of sub-cycle frequency resolution modules are disposed in corresponding ones of the processing modules, the sub-cycle frequency modules generating sub-cycle phase indicators at a frequency that is greater than the main clock frequency, the sub-cycle frequency resolution modules being configured to receive the main clock signal and to determine a clock time of an event based on a combination of the main clock and the sub-cycle phase indicators.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods associated with electrical fast transient tolerant input/output (I/O) communication (e.g., universal serial bus (USB)) design are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include common mode extraction circuitry to extract a common mode voltage from a USB input signal for a USB device, compare the common mode voltage with a reference voltage range and determine, based on the comparison, that the common mode voltage is outside of the reference voltage range. In the embodiments, the apparatus may further include processing circuitry to adjust the common mode voltage to within the reference voltage range. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: A workpiece processing system and method to process a workpiece in processing chambers in order, in which even if processing duration varies at any chamber, such a variation does not affect the processing of the workpiece in other chambers. Each chamber performs processing of a workpiece in a predetermined order; a conveyor that conveys a workpiece to a next chamber; and a control device controls at least a start time of predetermined processing at each processing chamber. The control device sets: predetermined representative processing at a first chamber as a reference processing step, start time of the reference processing step as control start time, necessary processing duration specific to each chamber, necessary conveyance duration required to convey a workpiece between the chambers, and controls starting of the representative processing at each chamber while considering the control start time as origination.

Abstract: A system management controller includes a processing module and a removable storage device interface. The removable storage device interface is connectable to a removable storage device. The removable storage device pre-stores a controller configuration file. In response to connection of the removable storage device interface to the removable storage device, the processing module accesses the controller configuration file from the removable storage device and configures the system management controller according to data in the controller configuration file.

Abstract: A method estimates resource consumption between applications within and among a population of wireless mobile devices. Aggregating and analyzing samples for each member of the population of devices provides comparable individual results. Subsequently aggregating and analyzing only summary information for each member of the population of devices provides cluster, crowd, and global comparisons. An apparatus determines out of norm behavior of an individual within a crowd, or relative differences between two crowds.

Abstract: A cloud server associated with a plurality of home-control network, downloads sensor data, Internet data, and data from network devices outside the user's home-control network, and analyzes the data to control water valves and leak detectors within the user's home-control network.

Abstract: A system management controller includes a processing module and a removable storage device interface. The removable storage device interface is connectable to a removable storage device. The removable storage device pre-stores a controller configuration file. In response to connection of the removable storage device interface to the removable storage device, the processing module accesses the controller configuration file from the removable storage device and configures the system management controller according to data in the controller configuration file.

Abstract: A method for dispatching buildings in a demand response program event including generating data sets for each of the buildings, each set having energy consumption values along with corresponding time and outside temperature values, where the energy consumption values within each set are shifted by one of a plurality of lag values relative to the corresponding time and outside temperature values, and where each of the plurality of lag values is different from other ones of the plurality of lag values; performing a regression analysis on each set to yield regression model parameters and a residual; determining a least valued residual from all residuals yielded, the least valued residual indicating a corresponding energy lag for the each of the buildings; and using energy lags for all of the buildings to generate a dispatch schedule for the demand response program event according to a prioritization of the energy lags.

Abstract: An electrical power system includes an electrical power distribution network and a control device configured to regulate at least one attribute of said electrical power system. The electrical power system further includes a processor coupled to the control device configured to identify an out-of-bound condition on said electrical power distribution network at a first time. The out-of-bound condition is associated with the at least one attribute. The processor is also configured to determine a trend for the at least one attribute at a second time that is later than the first time after a predetermined delay time elapses. The trend indicates a direction away from at least one of a predetermined range and a predetermined value. The processor is also configured to transmit a control action to said control device based at least in part on the trend.

Abstract: A method for dispatching buildings in a demand response program event including retrieving a plurality of baseline energy use data sets for the buildings from a baseline data stores; generating data sets for each of the buildings, each set having energy consumption values along with corresponding time and outside temperature values, where the energy consumption values within each set are shifted by one of a plurality of lag values relative to the corresponding time and outside temperature values, and where each of the plurality of lag values is different from other ones of the plurality of lag values; performing a regression analysis on each set to yield regression model parameters and a residual; determining a least valued residual from all residuals yielded, the least valued residual indicating a corresponding energy lag for the each of the buildings; and using energy lags for all of the buildings to generate a dispatch schedule for the demand response program event according to a prioritization of the ener