Abstract: A simulation that integrates historical data and real-time data as a test or simulation tool can capture an entry that relates to a desired output as function points. A determination can intellectually be made as to which activities can achieve the desired output. The activities can be process steps that can represent a workflow that can be automatically implemented by an MES Appliance or other enterprise components. If a simulation reveals that the desired output might not be achieved, a change to one or more function points can be analyzed in an attempt to achieve the desired result. This change can be input into a simulation tool through a feedback loop, for example. Another simulation can performed on the modified data until a determination is made that the desired output can be achieved.

Abstract: A controller directs a process primarily performed to control emission of a particular pollutant into the air. The process has multiple process parameters (MPPs), including a parameter representing an amount of the particular pollutant. The controller includes either a neural network process model or a non-neural network process model. In either case, the model represents a relationship between a first of the MPPs and one or more of the other MPPs. The one or more other MPPs include a second of the MPPs which is other than the parameter representing the amount of the emitted particular pollutant. Also included is a processor configured with logic to estimate a value of the second MPP, and to direct control of the first MPP based on the estimated value of the second MPP and the model.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a deviation value calculation unit which calculates a deviation value from the normal boundary of the relationship between a power index associated with the driving power and the measured rotational speed of the fan, a clogging detection unit which detects, based on the deviation value, clogging in an air duct through which the fan takes in air outside the case and sends it to the radiator, and a deviation value correction unit which corrects the deviation value in accordance with aging of performance of the fan to compensate for deterioration of the clogging detection capability of the clogging detection unit caused by the aging.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the allocation of fluid flow rates among a plurality of well bores in fluid communication with at least one subterranean reservoir is disclosed. An objective function and system equations are generated which utilize constraint violation penalties associated with soft constraints. The soft constraints are constraints which may be violated if necessary to arrive at a feasible solution to optimizing the objective function and the system equations. The fluid flow rates are then allocated among the well bores as determined by the optimizing of the objective function and system equations. Fluid flow rates among well bores, particularly those exhibiting similar fluid characteristics, may be related to one another. Initial flow rates of components (oil, gas, and water) and pressures in the well bores may be determined by an initial simulation run.

Abstract: In a method for thermally managing a data center housing at least one electronic component, the heat generated by a heat generating device of the at least one electronic component is estimated. In addition, a temperature detected by a first temperature sensor positioned to detect an interior temperature of the at least one electronic component is received. The estimated heat generated by the at least one heat generating device is substantially masked out from the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor and an inlet temperature of the at least one electronic component is determined from a difference between the substantially masked out temperature and the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor.

Abstract: A system for controlling nonlinear plants which may be effected with gain scheduled feedback controllers. Several linear sub-controllers having various gains may be put together as one unit. The overall controller may be changed by switching from one sub-controller to another according to an exogenous or endogenous parameter. The signal to the switch may reflect operational ranges of the plant occurring at certain times and indicate the gain desired from the system relative to the output and input signals of the plant at those times. The advantages of the present approach may include a guarantee of nominal and robust stability both global and local, a permitting of the use of control structures that are familiar to industrial practitioners, and no requirement of advanced mathematical techniques for its implementation.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a flow of a fluid using an adaptive closed-loop-control algorithm is described. One embodiment includes a method for receiving a set point indicator and/or a sensor indicator generated by a sensor. A response time of a closed-loop-control algorithm is modified when at least one threshold value is satisfied based on the sensor indicator and/or the set point indicator. The closed-loop-control algorithm, which is implemented by a flow controller, is stabilized in response to the modifying of the response time of the closed-loop-control algorithm by adjusting at least one parameter associated with the closed-loop-control algorithm.

Abstract: An automated receiving system for a distribution facility having at least one automated receiving door and at least one manual receiving door. The automated receiving system includes a scheduler and a transport system. The scheduler is configured to receive electronic shipment data representative of an incoming shipment of packages, to determine an unload score for the incoming shipment based on the electronic shipment data, and to cause the incoming shipment to be directed to either the at least one automated receiving door or the at least one manual receiving door based on the unload score. The transport system is configured to successively receive each package from the incoming shipment and to transport each package within the distribution facility.

Abstract: A system and method for meeting performance goals in an electronic system in an energy efficient manner. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise operating an electrical circuit at a current level of performance and a current level of energy efficiency by providing the electrical circuit with electrical power characterized by a current set of power characteristics (e.g., utilizing a power control module). The current level of performance may be determined (e.g., by a performance monitor) and compared to a desired level of performance (e.g., by the power control module). If the current level of performance is higher than the desired level of performance, then the electrical circuit may be operated at a next (e.g., lower) level of performance and a next (e.g., higher) level of energy efficiency by providing the electrical circuit with electrical power characterized by a next set of power characteristics.

Abstract: A control system (207) for optimizing a chemical looping process of a power plant includes an optimizer (420), an income algorithm (230) and a cost algorithm (225) and a chemical looping process models. The process models are used to predict the process outputs from process input variables. Some of the process in puts and output variables are related to the income of the plant; and some others are related to the cost of the plant operations. The income algorithm (230) provides an income input to the optimizer (420) based on a plurality of input parameters (215) of the power plant. The cost algorithm (225) provides a cost input to the optimizer (420) based on a plurality of output parameters (220) of the power plant. The optimizer (420) determines an optimized operating parameter solution based on at least one of the income input and the cost input, and supplies the optimized operating parameter solution to the power plant.

Abstract: In the adaptive control apparatus, a computation unit computes weighting coefficients, using a first adaptive control method in a proportion ? of a first computation amount, where the first adaptive control method has a first convergence rate and a first convergence error. Further, a computation unit computes weighting coefficients from initial values of the weighting coefficients computed by the computation unit, using a second adaptive control method in a proportion (1??) of a second computation amount, where the second adaptive control method has a second convergence rate slower than the first convergence rate and a second convergence error smaller than the first convergence error. A controller controls determination of a ratio ?/(1-?) based on a moving speed of a mobile unit, and controls the computation units to perform computing processes.

Abstract: A triggering and activating device and an automated process coupling two reciprocally activatable monitoring devices or operational-intervention devices. A first synchronizing module synchronizes transmissible operational-intervention parameters of a lookup table with operational devices assigned to the first monitoring device, and a second synchronizing module synchronizes storable threshold-value parameters for activating the second monitoring device. Physical measuring parameters of intervention events are detected and transmitted to the activating device, an intervention-event stack being correspondingly incremented by a first filter module based on the physical measuring parameters and a dynamically implemented weighting of the lookup table.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for detecting an abnormal event for process units of a Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit. The method compares the operation of the process units to a statistical and engineering models. The statistical models are developed by principle components analysis of the normal operation for these units. In addition, the engineering models are based on partial least squares analysis and correlation analysis between variables. If the difference between the operation of a process unit and the normal model result indicates an abnormal condition, then the cause of the abnormal condition is determined and corrected.

Abstract: There is provided a process analysis method capable of clustering of executed processes and extraction of similar processes. A process analysis method of the present invention converts the similarity between processes into a numeric value as a metric by including a process matrix transform 12 and a metric calculation 14 for process records 11 made up of a series of records of rendered service of at least three elements of the time of service, the type of service, and the quantity of service. This enables the calculation of the similarity between processes as a metric from information of only a series of records of rendered services. Accordingly, it becomes possible to cluster the executed processes and to extract similar processes based on the metric herein calculated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for an innovative design of the automatic stabilization and pointing control of a device based on the MEMS technology, which is small enough and has acceptable accuracy to be integrated into many application systems, such as, laser pointing systems, telescopic systems, imaging systems, and optical communication systems. The stabilization mechanism configuration design is based on utilization of AGNC commercial products, the coremicro IMU and the coremicro AHRS/INS/GPS Integration Unit. The coremicro AHRS/INS/GPS Integration Unit is used as the processing platform core for the design of the MEMS coremicro IMU based stabilization mechanism.

Abstract: Methods and systems for electronics assembly system consultation and sales build upon an approach to modeling and simulation of such systems in which the system is modeled at a preselected level of abstraction, which in the preferred embodiment of the invention is the material flow level of abstraction. Models capable of producing accurate results, but that avoid predicting system events at too low a level of detail, in turn permit the generation of configuration options for a customer, along with substantiated performance predictions, within a comparatively short period of time, one that permits various assembly system configurations to be proposed and evaluated within the course of a particular customer visit.

Abstract: A fabrication history of a group of wafers is provided, having a record for each wafer of the manufacturing events that did or did not occur in its fabrication, and having the measured value of a given target. A binary decision rule is formed based on the fabrication history, the rule being that if a wafer has a particular pattern of manufacturing events in its fabrication history then the statistic of the given fabrication target for that wafer is a first value; otherwise, the statistic is a second value having at least a given distance from the first value. The pattern of manufacturing events in the binary decision rule is identified in the generation of the binary decision rule. The identified pattern is significant with respect to the given target.

Abstract: A method and system for performing model-based multi-objective asset optimization and decision-making is provided. The method includes building at least two predictive models for an asset. The building includes categorizing operational historical data via at least one of: controllable variables, uncontrollable variables, output objectives, and constraints. The building also includes selecting at least two output objectives or constraints, and identifying at least one controllable or uncontrollable variable suitable for achieving the at least two output objectives or constraints. The method also includes validating each predictive model and performing multi-objective optimization using the predictive models. The multi-objective optimization includes specifying search constraints and applying a multi-objective optimization algorithm. The method further includes generating a Pareto Frontier, and selecting a Pareto optimal input-output vector.

Abstract: A method for determining if a proposed color solution, such as paint, pigments, or dye formulations, is acceptable, is provided. The inputs to the system are the actual color values of an item, differential color values, a proposed color solution, and second color values associated with the proposed color solution. The system includes an artificial intelligence model to analyze the inputs and produce an output for communicating whether the proposed color solution is acceptable. The artificial intelligence model may be embodied in a neural network.

Abstract: A method of optimizing production cycle queue time includes selecting a plurality of process steps for a production cycle, calculating queue times for each of the plurality of process steps, statistically analyzing the queue times, and generating at least one visual output that illustrates the statistically analyzed queue times.

Abstract: A circuit and method for using hardware to calculate a first derivative of the number of performance events that occur in a microprocessor during a predetermined period of time. This first derivative indicates a frequency of such performance events, which can be used as either a predictor of future problems or needs, or may be used to invoke a corrective action.

Abstract: A controller design for switching between m linear multivariable controllers each of whom stabilizes a linear plant has been presented. A Youla-Kucera factorization was exploited in the interest of obtaining a closed-loop system that is exponentially stable for any switching signal ?(t) in the absence of plant model uncertainty. Robustness to practical model uncertainty was also considered and lower and upper bounds on the tolerable magnitude of unstructured additive plant uncertainty were presented. Numerical example demonstrated that the two controller degrees of freedom in the proposed controller design could be used to separately modify the closed-loop steady-state (with respect to ?(t)) performance and the switching transients.

Abstract: In a drive circuit in which a plurality of drive motors are connected to a power source through a protective device which trips when the flow of current is excessive, provision is made to detect which circuit or circuits were active at the time of the failure. A microprocessor is provided to both control the activation of each of the various circuits and to also sense which circuits were active at the time of the failure. Appropriate signals are sent from the microprocessor to a user interface so that proper diagnostic and repair action can be taken.

Abstract: In a motor control device according to the invention, upon velocity control of a motor, a superimposed signal generating unit 9 outputs a superimposed signal idh of a repetitive waveform, such as a triangular wave or a sine wave. A d-axis current command generating unit 10 adds the superimposed signal idh generated by the superimposed signal generating unit 9d to a d-axis current command idc*0 and outputs a d-axis current command idc*. An axial misalignment detecting unit 11 (11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d) receives the d-axis current command idc* and a q-axis current command iqc* and outputs an axial misalignment angle estimation value ??^. An axial misalignment correction unit 12 receives the axial misalignment angle estimation value ??^ and an actual detected position ?m and outputs a position after correction ?m?. Therefore, detection and correction can be performed in real time through calculation at a given timing during a normal operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for analyzing a production process. In order to make it possible to analyze the production process in an improved manner for the purpose of production planning, the invention proposes a method for analyzing a production process in which at least one production device that is controlled by a control program is involved, wherein the method has the following method steps: at least one part of the control program is simulated using a simulation program and instructions which are executed in this case are logged, and an associated data record, in which the real-time requirement of an action caused by the logged instruction on the production device is respectively assigned to the logged instructions, is generated.

Abstract: A method utilizes a multithreaded processor having at least one hardware thread among a plurality of hardware threads that is capable of being selectively activated and deactivated responsive to a control circuit. The control circuit additionally provides the capability of controlling how an inactive thread can be activated after the thread has been deactivated, e.g., by enabling or disabling reactivation in response to an interrupt.

Abstract: A system and method for providing energy-efficient support of continuous aggregate queries in a sensor network by efficiently orchestrating the collection and transmission of data gathered by a collective set of sensors to ensure conformance to a specified QoI bound. To ensure this, the sink communicates a potentially different value of precision range or interval to each individual sensor, the sensor is adapted to only report its samples back to the sink if the sample values fall outside this specified range. An additional way to specify temporally varying precision ranges to an individual sensor or groups of sensors is provided without having to explicitly communicate the precision bounds for these different time instants. Using temporally varying precision ranges permits the exploitation of temporal correlation among the sample values recorded by an individual sensor to further reduce the need for reports from the sensors.

Abstract: A control for a glass forming machine is disclosed which receives as an input the event angles used to control the machines operation. These event angles, which define the time in a cycle when each event is turned on and off, are unwrapped to represent times in the glass forming process which takes more than two machine cycles to complete. A computerized model of the unwrapped cycle is defined and a control analyzes the computerized model as a constrained optimization problem to define an optimized schedule of event times and defines a plurality of intermediate event time schedules in an incremental application.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device including a power supply circuit which receives an external power supply voltage supplied, and outputs an internal power supply voltage not higher than the external power supply voltage; a system module which receives the internal power supply voltage, and performs a predetermined operation; and a performance monitor circuit which measures a processing speed of said system module when the internal power supply voltage is applied, and, on the basis of the processing speed, outputs a first control signal which requests to set the external power supply voltage at a first level, and a second control signal which requests said power supply circuit to set the internal power supply voltage at a second level. The power supply circuit outputs the internal power supply voltage having the second level on the basis of the second control signal applied thereto.

Abstract: With regard to electric-power-supply control, there is provided an electric power supply control system for implementing load control used to be executed for each individual customer consuming electric power as coordinated control for all customers and for selecting an optimum electric-power supplier in case there are a plurality of electric-power suppliers supplying electric power to the customers.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide determination of a processor performance characteristic associated with a first workload, and determination of a processor performance state for the first workload based on the performance characteristic. Further aspects may include determination of a second processor performance characteristic associated with a second workload, determination of a second processor performance state for the second workload based on the performance characteristic, determination of a similarity between the first performance characteristics and the second performance characteristics, determination of a cluster comprising the first workload and the second workload, and association of a third processor performance state with the cluster, wherein the third processor performance state is identical to the first processor performance state and to the second processor performance state.

Abstract: A method of simulating a production process on the basis of a continuous fluid model with discrete time evolution is described. The method of simulating makes use of assigning production and processing resources of various stations of the fluid model to various fluids with respect to a priority identifier of the fluids. Division of the station resources to various fluids is further based on a momentary amount of the various fluids. Based on the assignment of the station resources to the various fluids, the time evolution of the fluid amounts are determined without having to perform time and resource consuming optimization. Additionally, assignment of station resources can be manually and temporarily modified by a fluid manipulation means allowing for a universal and dynamic modification of the behavior of particular stations without interrupting or affecting the entire simulation process.

Abstract: In a method for optimizing control parameters, a transfer function of a transformer that includes a controller and a system to be controlled is ascertained experimentally. Quality criteria are derived from the transfer function of the transformer, the quality criteria being used for optimizing control parameters. Following a variation of the control parameters, a modified transfer function is calculated from the transfer function of the unmodified transformer without a new experimental identification.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for bringing user attention to guidance information presented on a display device. These methods and systems comprise displaying guidance information in an initial animation mode, receiving a first user input in response to the displayed guidance information, determining whether the first user input satisfies validation criteria for responses to the guidance information, and displaying the guidance information in an altered animation mode when the first user input fails to satisfy the validation criteria.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment collect a performance metric of a first partition in a logically-partitioned computer. If the difference between the performance metric and an expected performance metric exceeds a threshold, then a job or another partition is shut down or suspended. The expected performance metric is calculated based on the performance that is expected if the first partition is the only partition.

Abstract: In a control system for controlling a plant system or process (22), a model based problem is formulated and an explicit control solution is constructed off-line such that a parametric profile (24) is constructed using parametric optimisation techniques (26). As a result the system can operate in real-time with significantly reduced computational burden.

Abstract: An automated method of scheduling reinforcing bars for use in reinforced products, the method including the steps of: storing default reinforced product parameters in a database (14); in a database engine (12), automatically detecting (115) one or more reinforced product properties from one or more reinforced product drawings; and using the stored reinforced product parameters and detected reinforced product properties to generate (121) reinforcing bar scheduling data.

Abstract: A restaurant system includes a lighted pour spout for use in dispensing liquid from a bottle. The pour spout includes a coupling portion for attachment to a bottle and an interior portion that extends into the bottle. The interior portion may include a light and a battery for illuminating the pour spout and bottle. The restaurant system includes an electronic kiosk having a first display for use by a customer and a second display for use by a bartender or waiter. The kiosk includes a first input device for use by the customer. A processor is in data communication with the displays and the first input device to retrieve data from the first input device, such as a drink order, and actuate the displays. Drink recipes may be displayed on the second display to aid a bartender in mixing drinks.

Abstract: A data center may be operated to achieve reduced power consumption by matching workloads to specific platforms. Attributes of the platforms may be compiled and those attributes may be used to allocate workloads to specific platforms. The attributes may include performance attributes, as well as power consumption attributes.

Abstract: To provide a line balance control method, a line balance control apparatus, and a component mounting machine, which do not require a higher-level device. A production line 100 is equipped with a printing machine 120, a coating machine 130, a component mounting machine 101, a component mounting machine 102, and a reflow machine 140, and they are connected through a communication line 110, respectively.

Abstract: A MEMs-based system (and method), includes a sensor array including at least two sensors providing a basis for ensemble averaging.

Abstract: A business rules engine works with an optimization engine through various user interfaces to facilitate increased efficiency in retail space planning. Rules and models are built from templates that are stored in a repository. Business analysts and retail space planners both have access to the repository to develop models and rules. A project consists of a selection of rules and models from the repository along with selected data from various data sources. A scenario is created for the project by specifying constraints, parameters, and optimization objectives. The optimization engine processes the scenario and attempts to find an optimum solution. when a perfect solution (100%) cannot be found, the optimization engine evaluates the various criteria in the scenario and relaxes requirements until an acceptable solution is found. The output of the optimization engine can automatically be provided as graphical visualizations such as plan-o-grams, graphs, charts, and other forms.

Abstract: A method and system for managing fleet health of vehicles comprises gathering environmental data for potential mission locations. A data processing system collects vehicle data, including historical use data and maintenance data associated with corresponding vehicular components of vehicles within a fleet. A mission planner establishes a list of candidate missions for the fleet of vehicles. A stress module assigns a stress severity indicator to the established candidate missions based on the environmental data. The mission planner matches vehicles to corresponding missions based on the collected vehicle data and the stress severity indicator such that the matched vehicles are likely to complete the missions with a desired degree of reliability.

Abstract: A logical module for an industrial automation system is provided. This includes one or more resources to perform an action and a logic component to control a state of the resources. A module employs the resources and the logic component to expose functionality of the module while providing generic interfaces to external components of the module.

Abstract: In a method for developing a machine for producing a product, properties of the product to be produced are defined and tasks to be performed for producing the product are defined. The tasks are subdivided into a plurality of sub-tasks, and, based on the sub-tasks, an algorithm is established for producing the product in a virtual model, wherein hardware and control functions are established simultaneously. A machine that implements the algorithm and the control functions can then be constructed, with the control functions implemented as reconfigurable hardware.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing movement of work-in-process materials between processing units in an automated manufacturing environment are provided. A system includes a host system in communication with a work-in-process (WIP) material lot. The system also includes an application executing on the host. The application implements a method that includes tracking a position of the WIP material lot, receiving a list of the processing units designated to be inoperative during a down time, and receiving a start time and a duration of the down time. The method also includes determining a maximum dwell time for each of the designated processing units and scheduling movement of the WIP material lot during an interim between a current time and the start time of the down time based on current position of the work-in-process material lot, the current time, the start time and duration of the down time, and the maximum dwell time.

Abstract: An operating time reducing method in which a processing procedure of a component mounting order determination method can be changed depending on the type of an operation loss that affects a component mounting time for mounting components onto the board is an operating time reducing method for a component mounter, wherein the method includes: an operation loss identifying step (S22 to S26, S30, S34 to S38, S42 to S46) of identifying an operation loss to be resolved in the component mounter; a processing procedure selecting step (S28, S32, S40, S48, S50, S52) of selecting, based on the identified operation loss, a processing procedure for reducing an operating time of the component mounter; and a processing procedure executing step (S28, S32, S40, S48, S50, S52) of executing the selected processing procedure.

Abstract: An arc detector is provided for a plasma processing system including a HF power source, a plasma processor, and a voltage/current signal detector. The arc detector includes a calculator for the phase difference between the AC voltage signal and the AC current signal, a calculator for an effective voltage based on the AC voltage signal, a calculator for an effective current based on the AC current signal, an FFT processor for the frequency spectrum of the AC voltage or current signal, and an arc analyzer connected to the phase difference calculator, effective voltage calculator, effective current calculator, and FFT processor. The arc analyzer calculates the plasma processor's impedance based on the calculated phase difference, effective voltage, and effective current. The arc analyzer monitors arcs in the plasma processor, based on the fluctuation rate of the calculated impedance and the output level of a frequency component in the spectrum. (FIG.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of determining a metric of capacity in computing systems and computer applications. Capacity in this sense refers to the ability of computer systems and computer applications to perform work. Many applications and multi-hop system strategies could benefit from understanding the amount of work a particular system or application is capable of performing. A metric such as this can be very difficult to calculate due to widely varying system hardware, operating system architectures; application behavior/performance, etc. This disclosure describes a method of dynamic capacity estimation which learns the capacity of an application or system with respect to the work asked of the system and the resources used by the application in question.

Abstract: Provided is a multi-objective optimization method in a ubiquitous computing environment. The wearable computer includes: a wireless communication unit configured to receive features of condition information and features of service from the outside; a feature collecting unit configured to collect features of condition information according to user's input, and the features of the condition information and the features of the service transmitted from the wireless communication unit; and a computing unit configured to perform the multi-objective optimization by using the features collected through the feature collecting unit in order for optimized user service.