Abstract: System and method for improving operation of an industrial automation system, which includes a control system that controls operation of an industrial automation process. The control system includes a feature extraction block that determines extracted features by transforming process data determined during operation of an industrial automation process based at least in part on feature extraction parameters; a feature selection block that determines selected features by selecting a subset of the extracted features based at least in part on feature selection parameters, in which the selected features are expected to be representative of the operation of the industrial automation process; and a clustering block that determines a first expected operational state of the industrial automation system by mapping the selected features into a feature space based at least in part on feature selection parameters.

Abstract: The present application provides a method of evaluating valve conditions in a turbine by a data acquisition system. The method may include the steps of receiving a number of operating parameters from a number of sensors, wherein the operating parameters may include steam temperatures determined over time and steam pressure, determining a steam chemistry, a throttling history, and a piping material, determining a probability of valve erosion based upon the steam temperatures determined over time, the steam chemistry, the throttling history, and the piping material, and altering one or more of the operating parameters and/or initiating repair procedures based upon the determined probability.

Abstract: A data center includes a computer room with one or more regions, where each region includes air handling components which can be independently controlled, relative to components in other regions. A purge control system in each region can bypass a control system which adjusts the components based on environmental sensor data to command the components to purge the region. Upon the components in a region entering a purge mode, a purge notification signal can be sent to a master control system, which can instruct other control systems in other non-purging regions to limit controller output ranges to last-known values prior to the purge, so that the components in other regions are operated at last-known states while one or more regions are purging. When regions have ceased purging, the regional control systems can re-establish the control loop output ranges. Such re-establishment can include incrementally expanding the output range over time.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing performance of an appliance. The method includes collecting user feedback and/or performance data related to an operating cycle of an appliance. This collected data is transmitted to a remote server which provides a recommendation, based on the user feedback and/or performance data, for improving the performance of the appliance during a subsequent operating cycle. In addition, feedback related to one appliance may be used to make operating adjustments to another appliance. In this manner, closed loop feedback can be used to improve and optimize the operation of one or more appliances.

Abstract: A device, system, method, business method, and process of monitoring at least one machine tool including: determining a target signal of a component of the machine tool when performing a work step on the basis of at least one pre-definable or predefined reference number; detecting a current signal of the component of the machine tool when performing the work step; detecting a deviation of the target signal from the current signal; and generating a deviation signal. The deviation signal includes a piece of information about the component, the machine tool, and/or the deviation. The device, system, method, business method, and process of monitoring at least one machine tool further includes transferring the deviation signal as a new data set to an externally accessible storage unit that is separate or separable from the machine tool.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention exemplarily described herein relate generally to saving XYZ stage coordinates for intended laser locations as well as a kernel image of an ablation pattern placed during a scan placement process, and comparing the kernel image to a current image of the current field of view of a camera/microscope that includes the location a laser would be fired at. This comparison is used during an experimental run to correct for any built up error. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatuses and methods for software based image recognition to correct errors in open looped systems for positioning a sample relative to a laser in analysis systems for zircon crystal grain dating.

Abstract: Method and device for controlling a system state of a stationary system affected by delays as a function of a variable geoposition of a person, wherein the system is to have reached a predefined presence state when the person arrives at the location of the system. The method comprises: determining the geoposition of the person; estimating the time period needed by the person from the determined geoposition until arrival at the location of the system; and specifying a reference state for changing the current system state, wherein the reference state for reaching the presence state within the estimated time period is determined as a function of the predefined presence state, the performance capability of the system and the estimated time period. The device comprises similarly designed means for determining the geoposition, estimating the time period and specifying the reference state.