Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-management system for managing energy within a predominantly closed power system. The system includes an upper-level energy-management module, at least one lower-level energy-management module coupled to the upper-level energy-management module, and at least one component coupled to the lower-level energy-management module. The component is configured to provide a performance model associated with the component to the lower-level energy-management module. The lower-level energy-management module is configured to provide an aggregated model to the upper-level energy-management module.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides managing component driver for an energy-management system that manages energy within a predominantly closed power system. The component driver includes a receiving mechanism configured to receive current status information for a component associated with the component driver, a model-construction mechanism configured to construct a performance model for the component, and a transmitting mechanism configured to transmit the performance model to an optimization and control module.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-management system for managing energy within a predominantly closed power system. The system includes an identifying mechanism configured to identify a number of components coupled to the energy-management system, a receiving mechanism configured to receive current status information of the components, an evaluating mechanism configured to evaluate future energy need, a planning mechanism configured to plan future energy activities based on the energy need and the current status information, and a controlling mechanism configured to control operations of the components based on the planned energy activities.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-management system for managing energy within a predominantly closed power system. During operation, the system obtains one or more control actions that control energy transitions of a plurality of components, receives transitional characteristics associated with the components, and schedules the energy transitions by generating a set of offsets. A respective offset results in a delay of at least one energy transition.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of managing resources in a virtual machine environment can include determining a specification of provisioning success corresponding to each of a plurality of jobs in the virtual machine environment, forming a prioritized listing of the plurality of jobs and, responsive to the specification of provisioning success and the prioritized listing, providing a resource specification for each of the plurality of jobs. The providing can include determining a first prediction of resource needs corresponding to each of a first subset of the plurality of jobs and determining a second prediction of resource needs corresponding to a second subset of the plurality of jobs.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of managing resources in a virtual machine environment can include determining a specification of provisioning success corresponding to each of multiple jobs in the virtual machine environment, determining a prediction of resource needs corresponding to each of the jobs, and determining a resource specification corresponding to each of the jobs based on the specification of provisioning success and the prediction of resource needs.

Abstract: A computer-controlled method of determining costs of power consumption in a data center includes monitoring power consumption for a customer, determine a cost of the power consumption for the customer, adjusting a cost of operation for the customer to include the cost of power consumption to produce an adjusted cost of operation for the customer, and comparing the adjusted cost of operation for the customer to a price for the customer.

Abstract: A power control system in a data center has a plurality of physical servers, each server having a local controller, at least one virtual server coupled to at least some of the physical servers, and a central controller to control task loading on the physical servers through the virtual servers. A method of controlling power consumption in a data center includes receiving inputs from local controllers residing on loads, the inputs including data about power consumption on the loads, receiving as an input at least one quality of service requirement, and allocating tasks to at least one server based upon the quality of service and the power consumption on the loads.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides managing component driver for an energy-management system that manages energy within a predominantly closed power system. The component driver includes a receiving mechanism configured to receive current status information for a component associated with the component driver, a model-construction mechanism configured to construct a performance model for the component, and a transmitting mechanism configured to transmit the performance model to an optimization and control module.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-management system for managing energy within a predominantly closed power system. The system includes an identifying mechanism configured to identify a number of components coupled to the energy-management system, a receiving mechanism configured to receive current status information of the components, an evaluating mechanism configured to evaluate future energy need, a planning mechanism configured to plan future energy activities based on the energy need and the current status information, and a controlling mechanism configured to control operations of the components based on the planned energy activities.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-management system for managing energy within a predominantly closed power system. During operation, the system obtains one or more control actions that control energy transitions of a plurality of components, receives transitional characteristics associated with the components, and schedules the energy transitions by generating a set of offsets. A respective offset results in a delay of at least one energy transition.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an energy-management system for managing energy within a predominantly closed power system. The system includes an upper-level energy-management module, at least one lower-level energy-management module coupled to the upper-level energy-management module, and at least one component coupled to the lower-level energy-management module. The component is configured to provide a performance model associated with the component to the lower-level energy-management module. The lower-level energy-management module is configured to provide an aggregated model to the upper-level energy-management module.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of managing resources in a virtual machine environment can include determining a specification of provisioning success corresponding to each of multiple jobs in the virtual machine environment, determining a prediction of resource needs corresponding to each of the jobs, and determining a resource specification corresponding to each of the jobs based on the specification of provisioning success and the prediction of resource needs.

Abstract: Various traveling wave grid configurations are disclosed. The grids and systems are well suited for transporting, separating, and classifying small particles dispersed in liquid or gaseous media. Also disclosed are various separation strategies and purification cells utilizing such traveling wave arrays and strategies.

Abstract: A power control system in a data center has a plurality of physical servers, each server having a local controller, at least one virtual server coupled to at least some of the physical servers, and a central controller to control task loading on the physical servers through the virtual servers. A method of controlling power consumption in a data center includes receiving inputs from local controllers residing on loads, the inputs including data about power consumption on the loads, receiving as an input at least one quality of service requirement, and allocating tasks to at least one server based upon the quality of service and the power consumption on the loads.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for extracting and concentrating bioagents within a fluid medium includes a container with sample solution inlet port and traveling wave grids patterned on surfaces of the container. The traveling wave grids cause bioagents to migrate to a specified surface within the container and then to an extraction port. The traveling wave grids include a substrate, across which extend a collection of closely spaced and parallel electrically conductive electrodes, and a collection of buses providing electrical communication with the collection of conductive electrodes. A voltage controller provides a multiphase electrical signal to the collection of buses and electrodes of the traveling wave grids.

Abstract: A system for displaying information which comprises a substrate and a conformable display media and control logic associated with the substrate. The display media has an input for receiving display information and the control logic provides display information to the display media through the display media input. The system may also contain other elements which interact with the control logic and the display media such as sensors, speakers, buttons, lights and a interface for communicating with the control circuitry.

Abstract: A method to greatly simplify and reduce the cost of displays when all of the images that need to be displayed are known beforehand. By precomputing the intersections of the images and addressing the intersections of the images, the number of drivers that are required becomes a function of the number of images rather than a function of the resolution. For example, four arbitrarily complex, overlapping images require, at most, 16 drivers. In general, n arbitrarily complex, overlapping images require, at most, 2n drivers. This result holds irrespective of the size of the display or the complexity resolution, or amount of overlap of the images. Further reduction of the number of drivers is possible if some of the images do not overlap some of the other images. For example, two images overlap each other in one area and two other images may overlap each other in a separate area while the two sets of images do not themselves overlap.

Abstract: A bistable display device that is powered only by ambient energy. Ambient energy is collected by an ambient energy receiver which converts the ambient energy into an operating signal and provides the operating signal to a controller. The controller drives the display device based on the operating signal. A user can create a custom display by fixing customizable patterned electrodes to the display. A display controller uses a self-starting oscillator. The oscillator outputs a clock input signal wave to a ripple counter and a voltage signal to a voltage doubler. The voltage doubler outputs a stored charge signal to a transformer concurrently with a clock pulse that is output by the ripple counter to change a state of the voltage output from the transformer to conductive electrodes within or on the display. The voltage output from the transformers applies an electric field across the display in the portions of the display covered by the conductors to switch the image on the display.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the location of an object. An object to be located can be provided with an object locator that includes a display. When the object locator receives a signal indicating that the object associated with the object locator is to be located, the display changes display state to provide a visual indication that the signal has been received. The object locator can be ambient energy-powered, and the display can be a bistable display, such as a rotating element display device.