Abstract: Among other things, one or more systems and techniques for retuning a semiconductor fabrication component are provided. The semiconductor fabrication component, such as an advanced process control (APC) component, is configured to evaluate or adjust various fabrication parameters associated with semiconductor fabrication processing. Processing data associated with the semiconductor fabrication component is evaluated to formulate performance indices used to evaluate performance of parameters used by the semiconductor fabrication component. One or more fabrication process change simulations are performed to generate a component operating behavior data structure indicating how different values for the parameters result in improved or degraded performance by the semiconductor fabrication component. In this way, the component operating behavior data structure is evaluated to identify tuning values for the parameters that are used to retune the semiconductor fabrication component.

Abstract: Operating status transitions of production plants according to the PROFIEnergy standard are increasingly provided for the energy management of an individual component within a plant. The definition of an operating status change for an individual component leaves unsolved the problem as to how an operating status change of a plant having multiple components is to be effected. Thus, methods and systems that support an automatic operating status change of a plant consisting of a multiplicity of components are provided herein.

Abstract: A method and system automatically and dynamically updates the design of perforation lines in a package design file. It identifies an edge between two facets to which a perforation line is to be applied, determines a length of the edge, and uses the length of the edge and a default cut segment length to determine a number of cut segments that will be included in the perforation line. The method and system also may determine a phasing for the perforation line to ensure that the ends of the line are either a cut or spacer, depending on the desired function or placement of the line.

Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation in accordance with a user program has a control unit receiving a plurality of control input signals from a plurality of sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program. The control output signals drive actuators in order to adopt one of a plurality of installation states of the automated installation. An installation diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of installation state signals representing which one of the plurality of installation states is existent at a defined moment of time. In addition, a system diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of system state signals, with each system state signal representing one from a plurality of operational system states of the controller system, which is formed by the control unit and its connected sensors and actuators, at the defined moment of time.

Abstract: A facility for performing setpoint adjustment-based duty cycling techniques by adjusting the setpoint of a device or component is described. The facility reduces energy consumption for a system, such as an HVAC system, or device by adjusting or modulating an associated setpoint or temperature setting. The facility modulates the setpoint between a base setpoint value and another setpoint value based on a mode of the system. When the system is in a cooling mode, the facility modulates the temperature between the base setpoint value and a higher setpoint value. When the system is in heating mode, the facility modulates the temperature between the base setpoint value and a lower setpoint value. The facility may modulate the setpoint between the two setpoint values based on an offset value or a fixed setpoint value.

Abstract: A method includes identifying at least one local power segment of a circuit, estimating at least one performance parameter of the at least one power segment based on a computer-based simulation of the circuit, and changing a design of the circuit based on at least one electromigration avoidance strategy if the at least one parameter is greater than or equal to a threshold value. A data file representing the circuit is stored if the at least one parameter is less than the threshold value.

Abstract: Sounds sensed by a microphone of a device include sounds from a cooling fan of the device that varies based on the speed of the cooling fan, and other sounds used by a program of the device such as voice inputs. The sound level of sounds used by the program is determined, and the speed of the fan is adjusted so that a desired cooling level is attained while keeping the fan speed low enough that the noise from the fan does not interfere with the sounds used by the program.

Abstract: An HVAC unit includes an HVAC motor and a system controller. The HVAC motor is coupled to a motor controller. The motor controller is configured to receive a command signal bearing a digitally encoded operating level of the HVAC motor. The system controller is coupled to the motor controller, and is configured to transmit the command signal to the motor controller. The system controller modulates the command signal with the digitally encoded operating level in response to a service demand.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for optimizing a composite load disaggregation. The system comprises an input module, a factor graph module, a contextual information database, a rule engine, a priori database and a rule database. The factor-graph module is configured to perform factor-graph analysis on one or more input variables received from the input module to generate confidence measures wherein the confidence measures indicate the composite load disaggregation. The method and system is enabled to retrieve contextual information from the contextual information database. The method and system is further enabled to optimize the composite load disaggregation by means of the rule engine. The rule engine is adapted to retrieve one or more rules from the rule database and further adapted to apply retrieved rules to the confidence measures and to the contextual information for identifying at least one appliance from one or more appliances in an electrical environment.

Abstract: An appliance includes an oven cavity; a gas burner disposed within the oven cavity; an electrical heating element disposed within the oven cavity; and a controller in operative communication with the gas burner and the electrical heating element, the controller being configured to receive a signal indicative of a current state of an associated utility, and to selectively activate at least one of the gas burner and the electrical heating element based upon the signal.

Abstract: A first cooling unit is provided for an exothermic member and has a capability of cooling the exothermic member to a temperature less than an ambient temperature of the exothermic member by absorbing heat from the exothermic member. A second cooling unit has a capability of cooling the exothermic member by blowing air onto the exothermic member. A temperature of the exothermic member is detected. It is determined that whether or not the exothermic member is in a supercooled state based on a detection result. The cooling capability of the first cooling unit is decreased and the cooling capability of the second cooling unit is increased, when the exothermic member is in the supercooled state.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for generating a bill of materials for inspection are disclosed. The apparatus for generating a bill of materials for inspection comprises a risk operation module, a data filtering module, and a data outputting module. The risk operation module selects a material risk index, a manufacturer risk index, a laboratory risk index corresponding to a material from the risk database, and decides the risk level according to the material risk index, the manufacturer risk index, and the laboratory risk index. The data filtering module determines whether a material needs to be inspected according to the risk level. The data outputting module selects a material sample from the material, and adds the material sample to the bill of materials for inspection.

Abstract: A control system for a distributed power grid includes a simulation module operative to directly interface with operational control of distributed energy resources (DER) to develop and when necessary dynamically modify control inputs of the distributed power grid. By conducting a decentralized and distributed simulation of DER topology (components and their surrounding infrastructure) each distributed control module can simulate control response characteristics of a plurality of DER to determine a control methodology necessary to achieve a desired target. Once developed the same control inputs can be directly applied to physical DER and thereafter monitored to validate performance. Once validated, operational control of the DER is established while ongoing modifications of the control inputs continues in parallel to maintain desired performance.

Abstract: A computing device is described that is configured to display a graphic visualization for modeling an irrigation system, such as a center pivot irrigation system. In an implementation, the computing device includes a memory and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The computing device also includes one or modules stored in memory and executable by the processor. The one or more modules are configured to instruct the processor to receive a command for placing one or more representations of a center pivot irrigation system within a graphical representation of a cultivation area and to receive one or more operational parameters of the center pivot irrigation system. The one or more modules are also configured to instruct the processor to model operation of the center pivot irrigation system based upon the one or more operational parameters.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a current internal corrosion level at a current time is read from an internal corrosion sensor that is internal to a computer. An internal corrosion difference is calculated between the current internal corrosion level and a previous internal corrosion level. If the internal corrosion difference is more than a first threshold amount, a first action is performed that decreases an internal temperature of the computer.

Abstract: A household energy management system for managing multiple appliances is provided. In an embodiment the system comprises a controller for managing power consumption of multiple appliances within a household; a utility meter for measuring an amount of energy usage to a household, the utility meter communicating to the controller a demand limit; and a user interface through which a user can enter a parameter of energy usage. The controller establishes a demand limit. A communication network connects the controller to the utility meter and/or to a demand server. The controller controls or operates the multiple appliances based cm communications from at least one of the utility meter, the user interface, and a demand server, such that the energy usage does not exceed the established demand limit.

Abstract: The electrical phase synchronization technology includes a system, a method, and/or components thereof. In some examples, the electrical phase synchronization system includes an electrical power transmission network having a plurality of transmission lines and a plurality of electrical power generation devices. Each electrical power generation device includes an electrical power source and a control unit.

Abstract: A management method is able to quickly investigate the cause of a defect generated in a semiconductor product manufacturing process. Manufacturing conditions in various QFP manufacturing steps are stored in a main server while correlating them with an identification number of the QFP, and a two-dimensional bar code corresponding to the identification number is stamped to the surface of the QFP. In the event of occurrence of a defect of the QFP, the manufacturing conditions for the QFP stored in the main server can be traced in an instant by reading the two-dimensional bar code of the QFP and thereby specifying the identification number.

Abstract: A method for determining quality includes receiving supplier quality data from a supplier. The supplier quality data includes discrete quality data. The supplier quality data is for a quantity of a component supplied to a company or for a service provided on behalf of the company over a supplier measurement period. The method includes aggregating quality data from two or more suppliers. The quality data is for the supplied component or provided service over a baseline time period. The method includes determining a quality benchmark using the aggregated quality data and setting one or more alarm levels. The alarm levels are based on the quality benchmark of the aggregated quality data. The method includes determining supplier quality level for the supplier for the supplier measurement time period. The supplier quality is based on the supplier quality data. The method includes determining if the supplier quality data exceeds an alarm level.

Abstract: A construction machine control system comprises a laser surveying instrument for projecting a laser beam in rotary irradiation at constant speed and a construction machine for operating in a photodetection range of the laser beam, and in the construction machine control system, the construction machine comprises a working mechanical unit for carrying out construction operation, a machine control device for controlling the working mechanical unit, and at least three beam detectors which are disposed at known positions with respect to a device reference position of the construction machine and have a photodetector for receiving the laser beam and a direction of the construction machine is calculated based on photodetection timing of each of the beam detectors and the machine control device controls the working mechanical unit so that direction of the construction machine is set to a condition as required based on a result of calculation.