Abstract: An occupancy tracking device configured to receive sound samples, to identify voices within the sound samples, and to determine a first occupancy level based on the identified voices. The device is further configured to identify user devices connected to an access point and to determine a second occupancy level based on the user devices that are connected to the access point. The device is further configured to measure a signal strength of a network connection with the access point and to determine a third occupancy level based on the signal strength of the network connection with the access point. The device is further configured to determine a predicted occupancy level based on the first occupancy level, the second occupancy level, and the third occupancy level and to control a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system based on the predicted occupancy level.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for in vivo multi-material bioprinting. The in vivo multi-material bioprinting can be used to fabricate biomedical constructs within a patient minimally invasively. The systems and methods can utilize a multi-material bioprinter, which includes a biocompatible portion. The biocompatible portion can include a single printhead for in vivo bioprinting. The single printhead can include a plurality of outlets, each linked to one of a plurality of reservoirs. Each of the plurality of reservoirs can each house a different bioink for bioprinting. Each of the plurality of outlets can be activated to release a respective bioink.

Abstract: A secured “smart” container is disclosed for collecting green waste products including operational functions for collection, video surveillance and monitoring capacity. The secured “smart” container may include one or more programmable logic controllers. Operational functions are performed by electrical components including sensors to determine green waste deposits characteristics and contents. Operational functions are further adapted to send and receive data, operationally wirelessly, and configured and adapted to utilize solar derived electric power and, optionally, electric power from other sources. Embodiments provide constant 24 hour/7 days a week video surveillance and alert monitoring capabilities. Disclosed systems and methods also include collection and transportation of waste contents from the container to a processing subsystem.

Abstract: A method of forming an ice resistant surface includes determining, based at least in part on a desired pattern of frost formation, a vertex angle for a ridge that is to be formed on a substrate. The method also includes determining, based at least in part on the desired pattern of frost formation, a vertex height for the ridge that is to be formed on the substrate. The method further includes forming a plurality of ridges on the substrate, where each ridge in the plurality of ridges has the vertex angle and the vertex height.

Abstract: A distributive adaptive control system for HVAC control and a method for controlling the temperature in a building with one or more zones is disclosed. The control system and method are based on a design that may accommodate buildings with multiple interconnected thermal zones. The system includes a controller for each zone of the building. Each controller is designed to regulate temperature while attenuating the effect of directly neighboring zones, wall temperature, weather conditions and heat gains. The control mechanism does not require any prior accurate knowledge of system parameters but instead calibrates itself to meet the needs of each thermal zone. An appropriate adaptive law may be used for learning the building and HVAC system parameters and auto-calibrating the controller. The proposed system and method can extend the life of the HVAC by compensating for a wide range of tear and wear and other defects in the equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a first adaptive filter, a second adaptive filter, a filter, and a third adaptive filter. The first adaptive filter can be configured to determine an estimated magnitude of a control signal associated with a control measure based on a magnitude of a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal is indicative of operating temperature of a memory system. The second adaptive filter can be configured to determine an estimated operating temperature based on a magnitude of the control signal. The filter can be configured to determine a change magnitude of the control signal based on a difference between the magnitude of the signal from the sensor and a threshold operating temperature. The third adaptive filter can be configured to determine a throttle rate at which to apply the control signal based on a change magnitude of the control signal.

Abstract: A fan unit reduces the number of man-hours for a preliminary test and eliminates the need for a trial run at the time of duct connection are realized. A second controller acquires: a rotation speed of a fan motor of a second fan; a volume of air, a wind speed, or front-rear differential pressure of the second fan; and an air volume target value or a wind speed target value for the second fan, and calculates a rotation speed target value Ny for the fan motor 31b by using a first function: Ny=(Qy/Qx)2×?Px×{m×(Qy/Qx)×Vx+p}+n×(Qy/Qx)×Vx+q. Furthermore, when the front-rear differential pressure fluctuates and the wind speed is decreased from Vt to V, the second controller calculates a rotation speed change amount to the rotation speed target value by using a second function: ?N=a×(Vt?V).

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an air filter sensor system that can monitor a status of a filter and provide information to a remote system regarding the filter's status. The system can receive, by a computing server via one or more computer networks and from each of a plurality of sensor assemblies coupled to a corresponding plurality of air filters, information indicative of filter contamination levels respectively associated with each corresponding air filter of the plurality of air filters. Each of the respective filter contamination levels being provided by one sensor assembly of the plurality of sensor assemblies based at least in part on a difference in detected air pressure between first and second sides of the corresponding air filter.

Abstract: Disclosed are a control method and a control device of an apparatus and an apparatus using the control device. The control method includes: detecting whether an outdoor unit of the apparatus enters a standby state; and controlling the outdoor unit to enter a low power consumption mode for controlling a drive of the outdoor unit to be powered off after detecting that the outdoor unit enters the standby state.

Abstract: A method for protecting a power system having inverter-interfaced renewable energy sources is provided. The power system includes an inverter and a control system. The control system includes a current controller including a saturation limiter and a proportional and integral (PI) controller, a phase-locked system, and a low-voltage ride-through (LVRT)control unit. The method includes: by using a Park transformation matrix, determining an output voltage of the inverter; determining a modulated voltage of the output voltage; upon detecting a grid fault, obtaining current references by the LVRT control unit; determining a fault current in a first stage of a transient phase of the grid fault; determining a fault current in a second stage of the transient phase; determining a fault current in a third stage of the transient phase; and switching the control system to a fault control mode by tracking the fault currents in the first, second and third stages, to the current references.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the ambient temperature within a region or zone of a building are disclosed. A system comprises a thermostat, one or more sensors placed throughout an environment, a computing cloud, and a remote mobile or desktop device running a software application (“app”). An end user may interact with an app running on the mobile device or desktop. The app may display the current conditions in a house and allow the user to select specific temperature sensors located throughout the house which the user wants to monitor and control. This selection of one or more temperature sensors is communicated to the computing cloud, and the computing cloud sends commands to the thermostat to monitor the user's selected temperature sensors for controlling the heating and cooling of the house.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for computer aided design of physical structures include: producing a quad parameterization computer model (including quad parameter domains) of a polygon mesh, where quad parameter domain(s) adjacent to a boundary curve interpolate the boundary curve; and forming a computer model of a three dimensional object by constructing locally refinable surface representation(s) from the quad parameterization computer model, refining a boundary of the locally refinable surface representation(s) to approximate the boundary curve within a first tolerance value set in accordance with a smallest dimension representable by a geometry modeling kernel, freezing control points of the locally refinable surface representation(s) at the boundary, and modifying remaining interior portions of the locally refinable surface representation(s) to approximate the polygon mesh within a second tolerance value that is at least an order of magnitude larger than the first tolerance value.

Abstract: An air conditioning device includes an air purifier, a sensor, a communicator, and a processor. The sensor is configured to measure an air pollution level. The communicator comprises circuitry and configured to communicate with a server. The processor is configured to activate the sensor in a state where the air purifier is not driven, in response to receiving a first signal requesting an air pollution level state information from the server based on a location of a mobile terminal, transmit a second signal indicating that the air conditioning device needs to be driven to the server based on the air pollution level measured by the sensor, and drive the air purifier in response to a driving instruction received from the server.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for optimizing resource operations within an energy network. The systems and methods can include retrieving historical interval meter data, profile data, and a curtailment plan, determining, using the historical interval meter data, estimated annual deviation of a customer's load based on average interval load divided by peak load over a given period, calculating a load curtailment for the customer based on the historical interval meter data, the profile data, the curtailment plan, and the estimated annual deviation of the customer's load, and building a report, using the load curtailment, indicating a resource commitment capability for the customer to help inform market participation and operational decision making for load curtailment and distributed energy resources (DER).

Abstract: During each of a plurality of iterations, a policy of a controller is updated and at least part of a process is controlled using the updated policy. The updated policy is associated with a performance level of the controller. For each iteration, the updated policy is determined using the associations generated during one or more previous iterations between the policies and the corresponding performance levels of the controller in controlling the at least part of the process, such that the updated policy is optimized to have a highest likelihood of producing a positive change in the performance level of the controller in controlling the at least part of the process rather than optimized to have a highest likelihood of producing a largest positive magnitude of change in the performance level of the controller in controlling the at least part of the process relative to the previous iteration.

Abstract: An electricity management system for a residential setting includes a controller that is coupled with a plurality of appliances. A plurality of sensors are coupled with the controller and respectively coupled to the plurality of appliances. The controller cooperates with the sensors and the appliances to generate a demand response plan for delivering electrical power to the plurality of appliances. The demand response plan includes a shifting strategy that regulates a delivery of electrical power based upon a regional pattern of electrical consumption, a shedding strategy that maintains a household consumption of electrical power below a household upper consumption limit and a modulating strategy based upon the respective operating cycles of the plurality of appliances that prevents a simultaneous peak electrical event within more than one appliance of the plurality of appliances. The shifting strategy, the shedding strategy and the modulating strategy are implemented contemporaneously.

Abstract: Tools, strategies, and techniques are provided for enhancing the control and operation of air curtain devices. The air curtain device can be provided with a computer system programmed to receive input data from various sensors and to communicate the sensor data to a wireless mesh computer architecture. An algorithm module can be programmed to determine adjusted settings or parameters for the air curtain device in response to the sensor data and/or other data sources such as external data sources. Data may be obtained from multiple air curtain devices configured for cooperative performance, and operating parameters or settings may be adjusted in connection with one or more of the multiple air curtain devices. A control device of the air curtain may be provided with a unitary structure suitable for efficient installation of multiple control harness connectors thereon to supply power and/or to establish data connectivity with multiple components of the control device.

Abstract: A transformer economizer automatically disconnects a main electric power transformer from a grid power line during low-load periods, and automatically reconnects the main transformer to the grid power line during high-load periods, to reduce low-power electricity losses incurred by the main transformer. The main transformer is therefore deenergized and a much smaller auxiliary transformer is energized during low-load periods to reduce the low-power electricity losses incurred by the main transformer. The main transformer is then automatically switched back into service during high-load periods, while the auxiliary transformer is switched out of service. This provides long-term energy, cost, and carbon footprint savings by automatically switching the large transformer's loads to a much smaller auxiliary transformer, and therefore proportionally lower losses, during light-load conditions.

Abstract: Provided is a highly reliable technology for optimizing an action for controlling an environment in a target space.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for summarizing and conveying expected thermal responses is described. Expected thermal responses of a room or an entire structure are calculated based on thermostat setpoints. The expected thermal responses are summarized into an expected thermal response visualization and displayed to a user for easy understanding of current, and future, temperature expectations before or as a room or entire structure is heated or cooled.