Abstract: A system includes a plurality of thermostats corresponding to a plurality of HVAC systems that serve a plurality of spaces and a computing system communicable with the plurality of thermostats via a network. The computing system is configured to, for each space of the plurality of spaces, obtain a set of training data relating to thermal behavior of the space, identify a model of thermal behavior of the space based on the set of training data, perform a model predictive control process using the model of thermal behavior of the space to obtain a temperature setpoint for the space, and provide the temperature setpoint to the thermostat corresponding to the HVAC system serving the space. The plurality of thermostats are configured to control the plurality of HVAC systems in accordance with the temperature setpoints.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate generally to facilitate performing a task on a surface such as woodworking or printing. More specifically, in some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to mapping the surface of the material and determining the precise location of a tool in reference to the surface of a material. Some embodiments relate to obtaining and relating a design with the map of the material or displaying the current position of the tool on a display device. In some embodiments, the present disclosure facilitates adjusting, moving or auto-correcting the tool along a predetermined path such as, e.g., a cutting or drawing path. In some embodiments, the reference location may correspond to a design or plan obtained from obtained via an online design store.

Abstract: The invention concerns predominantly enclosed spaces, typically buildings, which are exposed to directionally and temporally varying levels of solar electromagnetic radiation, as well as temporally varying levels of ambient air temperature, flow velocity and direction. Such a building can include at least one primary compartment and at least one secondary compartment. The primary compartment predominantly serves to achieve the primary purpose of the building. An electronic controller can modulate air flow to and from the secondary compartment.

Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine power system connected to an electrical grid includes collecting data relating to one or more parameters of one or more electrical components of the wind turbine power system. The method may also include performing a statistical analysis of the data relating to one or more parameters of the one or more electrical components. Further, the method includes predicting future behavior of the electrical component(s) based on the statistical analysis. Moreover, the method includes determining set points for the electrical component(s) using the predicted future behavior. In addition, the method includes operating the wind turbine power system at the determined set points for the electrical component(s) so as to optimize at least one characteristic of the electrical component(s).

Abstract: A domestic laundry-washing appliance including an optical measuring device for obtaining measured values which are representative of a spectral transmission signature of a washing liquid used during operation of the laundry-washing appliance for cleaning textiles, and a control device which is adapted to categorise a cleaning agent contained in the washing liquid in respect of its chemical properties on the basis of the spectral transmission signature obtained, and to control the operation of the laundry-washing appliance in dependence on the categorisation result. The categorisation result can indicate, for example, a distinction between a heavy-duty detergent containing bleach and another bleach-free detergent.

Abstract: A control unit that controls an automatic milking machine to operate in accordance with control commands and/or parameter settings received from either of a local user interface fixedly arranged at the milking machine or a remote terminal, where the control unit, in response to receiving a lock command from one of the local user interface or the remote terminal, causes the automatic milking machine to operate in a single-control mode in which it operates exclusively to commands and/or parameter settings received from the one of the local user interface or the remote terminal that generated the lock command, in order to ensure predictable and safer operation of the milking machine particularly in view of personnel located in proximity of the milking machine.

Abstract: A system includes a control unit having one or more processors and a communication interface. The communication interface is configured to communicate with one or more charging stations that are electrically coupled to receive electrical power from a power distribution grid and that are configured to selectively charge one or more energy storage devices connected to the charging stations. The one or more processors are configured to generate first control signals for communication by the communication interface to the one or more charging stations to control transfer of reactive and/or active power from the charging stations to the power distribution grid. The control signals are generated based at least in part on a load cycle profile of one or more electric machines electrically coupled to the power distribution grid.

Abstract: An execution plan segment of an execution plan can be received at a control unit of a computer numerically controlled machine from a general purpose computer. The execution plan segment can define operations for causing movement of a moveable head of the computer numerically controlled machine to deliver electromagnetic energy to effect a change in a material within an interior space of the computer numerically controlled machine. The execution plan segment can include a predefined safe pausing point from which the execution plan can be restarted while minimizing a difference in appearance of a finished work-product relative to if a pause and restart are not necessary. Operations of the computer numerically controlled machine can be commenced only after determining that the execution plan segment has been received up to and including the predefined safe pausing point by the computer numerically controlled machine.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for adjusting environmental conditions based on automatically and manually generated requests. A commissioned unit comprising at least one IP luminaire (140, 150), transmits a signal comprising one or more identification codes. The signal may be, for example, a coded light signal. An environment control device (160) receives the signal, detects user input indicating one or more preferred environmental conditions, and transmits an environment control request comprising the one or more preferred environmental conditions. An environment manager module (110) receives the environment control request, generates an environment control command using the control request, and transmits the environment control command to one or more commissioned units to alter environmental conditions in a space in accordance with the user input.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for autonomous, automatic interleaving of cycled loads coupled to a grid. In one or more embodiments, the method comprises (i) determining, by a smart load coupled to a grid, a first grid stress value; (ii) comparing, by the smart load, the first grid stress value to an activation threshold; (iii) waiting, by the smart load, when the first grid stress value is less than the activation threshold, a delay period; (iv) determining, by the smart load and after the delay period ends, a second grid stress value; (v) comparing, by the smart load, the second grid stress value to the activation threshold; and (iv) activating, by the smart load, when the second grid stress value is less than the activation threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus having a sample sectioning device including a cutting mechanism that is operable to cut sections from a sample and a sample holder that is operable to hold the sample. The apparatus further includes a drive system coupled with the sample holder to drive movement of the sample holder and a reciprocating member coupled to the drive system to drive vertical movement of the drive system. The reciprocating member to move in a reciprocating manner within an angle of rotation of less than 180 degrees. A surface orientation sensor may further be provided that is operable to sense an orientation of a surface of the sample held by the sample holder.

Abstract: Provided is a service menu presentation system which: acquires operation data relating to an electric power generation plant; decides which operation pattern, from among a plurality of operation patterns set in advance in accordance with an output mode, is the basis for the operation being indicated by the operation data; calculates, on the basis of the operation data acquired in a certain period, an operation time with respect to each of the operation patterns in the period; determines, on the basis of an operation time ratio in the certain period, an in-period operation pattern of the certain period; and outputs a service menu corresponding to the in-period operation pattern that has been determined.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing environmental conditions and energy usage associated with a site. One exemplary method of regulating an environment condition at a site involves a server receiving environmental measurement data from a monitoring system at the site via a network, determining an action for an electrical appliance at the site based at least in part on the environmental measurement data and one or more monitoring rules associated with the site, and providing an indication of the action to an actuator for the electrical appliance.

Abstract: A key-duplicating system comprises a network that includes a multiplicity of kiosks at a multiplicity of different locations, each of the kiosks having a customer interface and a processor coupled to the customer interface. A remote central server coupled to the kiosks is adapted to receive, from the kiosks, information identifying master keys to be duplicated. A key analysis module uses the information identifying master keys to be duplicated to derive information required to produce duplicates of the identified master keys, and a key duplicating module uses that information to produce duplicates of said identified master keys.

Abstract: A method may include receiving, via at least one processor of a cloud-computing system, an indication that a portion of a workflow is complete. Here, the workflow is associated with commissioning one or more well devices at a hydrocarbon site. The method may then include identifying one or more subsequent portions of the workflow to be performed and sending the one or more subsequent portions to one or more computing devices associated with one or more users assigned to the one or more well devices.

Abstract: A control system for controlling an operation of a machine subject to constraints including equality and inequality constraints on state and control variables of the system iteratively solves an optimal control structured optimization problem (OCP), such that each iteration outputs primal variables and dual variables with respect to the equality constraints and dual variables and slack variables with respect to the inequality constraints. For a current iteration, the system classifies each of the inequality constraints as an active, an inactive or an undecided constraint based on a ratio of a slack variable to a dual variable of the corresponding inequality constraint determined by a previous iteration, finds an approximate solution to the set of relaxed optimality conditions subject to the equality constraints and the active and undecided inequality constraints, and update the primal, dual, and slack variables for each of the equality and inequality constraint.

Abstract: A vibration analysis system for predicting performance of a building system includes one or more memory devices configured to store instructions that, when executed on one or more processor, cause the one or more processors to receive vibration data from the building equipment, generate a performance prediction for the building equipment, generate a performance explanation for the performance prediction, and cause a user interface to display the performance prediction and the performance explanation.

Abstract: Methods of printing a three-dimensional object, layer by layer are provided. Layers are formed by a bulk inner region which may be formed by depositing a transparent material, a white material, a colored material or a combination thereof, and a color outline which includes voxels formed by depositing a colored building material.

Abstract: A cascaded control system is configured to control power consumption of a building during a demand limiting period. The cascaded control system includes an energy use setpoint generator and a feedback controller. The energy use setpoint generator is configured to use energy pricing data and measurements of a variable condition within the building to generate an energy use setpoint during the demand limiting period. The feedback controller is configured to use a difference between the energy use setpoint and a measured energy use to generate a control signal for building equipment that operate to affect the variable condition within the building during the demand limiting period.

Abstract: Real-time dynamic optimization of a process model in an online model-based process control computing environment. A mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) solver utilizes grouping of first-principle model units to implement constraints of the underlying process. A group identifier parameter and a group complement parameter enable the grouping behavior through association with the first-principles model units.