Abstract: A method and system determine peak power consumption over time by a bank of elevator for servicing a set of passenger hall calls and delivery requests, and selecting elevator schedules that keep peak power consumption below a predetermined threshold. For each car in response to receiving a hall call, a set of all possible paths to service all hall calls assigned to the car are determined, in which each path includes a set of all possible segments. A peak power consumption for each possible segment is also determined. The peak power consumptions for the set of all possible segments for each time instant are added to determine a total peak power consumption for each time instant, and a particular path is selected as a schedule to operate the bank of elevator cars, if the total peak power consumption for any instant in time while operating according to the selected schedule is below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method and system detects and diagnoses faults in heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Internal state variables of the HVAC equipment are measured under external driving conditions. Expected internal state variables are predicted for the HVAC equipment operating under the external driving conditions using a locally weighted regression model. Features are determined of the HVAC based on differences between the measured and predicted state variables. The features are classified to determine a condition of the HVAC equipment.

Abstract: A method and system detects and diagnoses faults in heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Internal state variables of the HVAC equipment are measured under external driving conditions. Expected internal state variables are predicted for the HVAC equipment operating under the external driving conditions using a locally weighted regression model. Features are determined of the HVAC based on differences between the measured and predicted state variables. The features are classified to determine a condition of the HVAC equipment.

Abstract: A marketing system and method for a retail environment periodically reads RFID tags attached to products to produce a list of product identifications. Consumer recommendation rules are updated according to each list, and recommendations are generated according to the updated consumer recommendation rules. Then, content can be displayed in the retail environment based on the recommendations.

Abstract: A method schedules cars of an elevator system in a building. The method begins execution whenever a newly arrived passenger presses an up or down button to generate a call for service. For each car, determine a first waiting time for all existing passengers if the car is assigned to service the call, based on future states of the elevator system. For each car, determine a second waiting time of future passengers if the car is assigned to service the call, based on a landing pattern of the cars. For each car, combine the first and second waiting times to produce an adjusted waiting time, The method ends by assigning a particular car having a lowest adjusted waiting time to service the call and minimize an average waiting time of all passengers.

Abstract: A method schedules cars of an elevator system in a building. The method begins execution whenever a newly arrived passenger presses an up or down button to generate a call for service. For each car, determine a first waiting time for all existing passengers if the car is assigned to service the call, based on future states of the elevator system. For each car, determine a second waiting time of future passengers if the car is assigned to service the call, based on a landing pattern of the cars. For each car, combine the first and second waiting times to produce an adjusted waiting time, The method ends by assigning a particular car having a lowest adjusted waiting time to service the call and minimize an average waiting time of all passengers.

Abstract: A method controls the distribution of free cars in an elevator system. First, the number of free cars in the elevator system are counted whenever this number changes. At the same time, the arrival/destination rates of passengers at each of the floor is determined. The rates are used to identify up-peak and down-peak traffic patterns. The floors of the building are then assigned to zones. The number of floors in each zone is determined according to the arrival rates, and the free cars are then parked in the zones so that the expected waiting time of the next arriving passenger is minimized.

Abstract: A method controls the distribution of free cars in an elevator system. First, the number of free cars in the elevator system are counted whenever this number changes. At the same time, the arrival/destination rates of passengers at each of the floor is determined. The rates are used to identify up-peak and down-peak traffic patterns. The floors of the building are then assigned to zones. The number of floors in each zone is determined according to the arrival rates, and the free cars are then parked in the zones so that the expected waiting time of the next arriving passenger is minimized.

Abstract: A method controls an elevator system including multiple elevator cars and multiple floors. A new passenger at one of the floors signals a hall call. In response to receiving the hall call, the method determines, for each car, a set of all possible future states of the elevator system. The future states depend on the current state of the system, which is defined by passengers already assigned to cars, the direction of travel, position and velocity of the cars. A cost function is evaluated to determine a cost for each set of all possible future states. Then, the car associated with the set having a least cost is assigned to service the hall call. The method is applicable to any type of traffic. It is particularly well-suited for up-peak traffic because it handles efficiently the uncertainty in passenger destinations.

Abstract: A method controls an elevator system including multiple elevator cars and multiple floors. A new passenger at one of the floors signals a hall call. In response to receiving the hall call, the method determines, for each car, a set of all possible future states of the elevator system. The future states depend on the current state of the system, which is defined by passengers already assigned to cars, the direction of travel, position and velocity of the cars. A cost function is evaluated to determine a cost for each set of all possible future states. Then, the car associated with the set having a least cost is assigned to service the hall call. The method is applicable to any type of traffic. It is particularly well-suited for up-peak traffic because it handles efficiently the uncertainty in passenger destinations.