1532results about "Flow control using electric means" patented technology

A gas delivery system accurately measures and optionally regulates mass flow rate in real time. A fluid conduit connects an inlet valve, calibration volume, flow restrictor, and outlet valve in series. Pressure and temperature sensors are coupled to the calibration volume. One or more pressure sensors may be attached across the flow restrictor. Alternatively, an absolute pressure sensor may be attached upstream of the flow restrictor. One embodiment of differential pressure sensors comprises a floating reference differential pressure sensor, including a first transducer attached to the fluid conduit upstream of the flow restrictor and a second transducer attached to the conduit downstream of the flow restrictor. In this embodiment, each transducer receives a reference pressure from a reference source, and optionally, after the calibration volume is charged, the floating reference differential pressure transducers are calibrated. When gas flow is initiated, differential and/or absolute pressure measurements are repeatedly taken, and a measured mass flow rate calculated thereon. Gas flow is adjusted until the measured mass flow rate reaches a target mass flow. Using the temperature/pressure sensors at the calibration volume, repeated calculations of actual flow rate are made to uncover any discrepancy between actual and measured mass flow rates. Whenever a discrepancy is found, the manner of calculating measured mass flow is conditioned to account for the discrepancy; thus, the measured mass flow rate more accurately represents the actual mass flow rate thereby providing an actual mass flow rate more accurately achieving the target mass flow rate.

A gas supply subsystem for providing a set of process gases to a substrate processing chamber, the set of process gases being a subset of a plurality of process gases available to the substrate processing chamber. The gas supply subsystem has fewer multi-gas mass flow controllers than the number of available process gases, wherein multiple process gases are multiplexed at the input of one or more of the multi-gas mass flow controllers. Pump-purge may be employed to improve gas switching speed for the multi-gas mass flow controllers

A method for determining a burst pipe that requires immediate feeding-valve closing using acoustic and/or vibration sensors coupled to the pipe lor detecting signals, a microprocessor for analyzing signals from said sensors in real-time, a memory coupled to said microprocessor for storing data, including digital signatures acoustic and/or vibration signatures, as well as an actuator electrically coupled to said microprocessor and mechanically coupled to said feeding-valve. When the sensor signals match stored leak-signatures or when a persistent sensor signal produces no match, the system of the present invention initiates a valve closing. To improve detection, signals from other sensors, i.e. water sensors, smoke detectors, heat sensors or acoustic/vibration sensors mounted on other pipes are also used. Some of the said systems have IP addresses and can communicate over the Internet or wirelessly with others.

A flow meter, and related system and method are provided. The flow meter includes a coupler, a support member, an image sensor, a valve, and one or more processors. The coupler is adapted to couple to a drip chamber. The support member is operatively coupled to the coupler. The image sensor has a field of view and is operatively coupled to the support member. The image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view. The one or more processors are operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive image data therefrom and to the actuator to actuate the valve. The one or more processors are configured to estimate a flow of fluid through the drip chamber and to actuate the valve to control the flow of fluid through the drip chamber to achieve a target flow rate.

The power flexibility of energy loads is maximized using a value function for each load and outputting optimal control parameters. Loads are aggregated into a virtual load by maximizing a global value function. The solution yields a dispatch function providing: a percentage of energy for each individual load, a time-varying power level for each load, and control parameters and values. An economic term represents the value of the power flexibility to different players. A user interface includes for each time interval upper and lower bounds representing respectively the maximum power that may be reduced to the virtual load and the maximum power that may be consumed. A trader modifies an energy level in a time interval relative to the reference curve for the virtual load. Automatically, energy compensation for other intervals and recalculation of upper and lower boundaries occurs. The energy schedule for the virtual load is distributed to the actual loads.

A multi-zone landscape irrigation and lighting system includes a personal computer equipped with a detachable wireless remote, and a multi-station controller operating a plurality of irrigation valves and lighting circuits in accordance with schedules wirelessly transmitted to it by the computer through the remote. When detached from the computer, the remote can wirelessly operate selected irrigation or lighting zones manually. The computer has an intuitive graphic user interface capable of using actual zone photographs to identify individual zones in a strip of zone icons. The icon strip is movable past a lens-like window, the zone icon under the lens at a given time determining the zone currently programmable. A residential system can be operated by a contractor from the street, and the system can be programmed by e-mail from the contractor's shop. Fully automatic operation may be derived from data obtained over the Internet.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems, methods and devices for respiratory support. As one example, a ventilation system is disclosed that includes a computer readable medium including instructions executable by a processor to receive a measured pressure value and a net flow value. A patient effort value is calculated based on a relationship between patient effort, the measured pressure value and the net flow value. The instructions are further executable to calculate a gas delivery metric that varies as a function of the patient effort value. Gas is then caused to be delivered consistent with the gas delivery metric.

A method of managing an electric utility grid includes geographically grouping a set of customer electric usage meters to create a set of fine sensors on a power grid. Each usage meter in the grouped set is capable of being remotely monitored, and each usage meter is at a different location along the power line. If a power anomaly is detected at the subset of meters, then power to the electric utility grid is adjusted to correct the anomaly.

An electronic chassis distributes fluids to adjacent chassis and electronic modules housed within the chassis. Provision is made for the detection, containment, and removal of liquid spilled within the chassis. The fluids may be used as coolants, and provision is made for heat exchanger modules to be included within the chassis. Provision is further made to include fluid sensors and actuators, allowing for monitoring and control of fluid distribution by a controller.

A system and method for verifying that a particular fluid supply is connected to an infusion pump or pump channel. An upstream pressure sensor coupled to a fluid conduit associated with the fluid supply is used to provide pressure signals in response to pressure sensed in the conduit to a processor. In a connection verification mode, the processor is configured to receive the pressure signals and delay the flow control device of the infusion pump from moving fluid through the conduit until the processor detects a pressure change in the conduit indicated by the pressure signals to thereby verify that the particular fluid supply is connected to the infusion pump.

A control system comprises a controller for positioning an actuator in a working fluid flow and a model processor for directing the controller as a function of a model feedback. The model processor comprises an output module, a comparator and an estimator. The output module generates the model feedback as a function of a constraint, a model state and a model input describing fluid parameters measured along the working fluid flow. The comparator generates an error by comparing the model feedback to the model input. The estimator generates the constraint and the model state, such that the error is minimized.

An ET based irrigation system includes a stand alone irrigation controller with a seasonal adjust feature and a stand alone weather station including at least one environmental sensor. The ET based irrigation system further includes a stand alone ET unit operatively connected to the irrigation controller and the weather station. The ET unit includes programming configured to calculate an estimated ET value using a signal from the environmental sensor and to automatically modify a watering schedule of the irrigation controller through the seasonal adjust feature based on the estimated ET value to thereby conserve water while maintaining plant health.

An irrigation control module is described that adjusts a watering schedule for a connected irrigation controller based on weather data provided by a local weather station. The irrigation control module can add additional weather-based irrigation schedule adjustments to an irrigation controller that may otherwise lack the hardware (e.g., wireless transmitter, sufficient memory) and software (e.g., evapotranspiration algorithms) to store and interpret weather data from a weather station.

The present invention provides, e.g., apparatus comprising at least one processor; at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and computer program code being configured, with at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: respond to signaling containing information about an instant pressure and a flow rate of fluid being pumped in a pumping system, and obtain an adaptive control curve based at least partly on the instant pressure and flow rate using an adaptive moving average filter. The adaptive moving average filter may be based at least partly on a system flow equation: SAMA_t=AMAF(Q_t/√{square root over (ΔP_t)}), where the function AMAF is an adaptive moving average filter (AMAF), and the parameters Q and ΔP are a system flow rate and differential pressure respectively. The at least one memory and computer program code may be configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to obtain an optimal control pressure set point from the adaptive control curve with respect to an instant flow rate or a moving average flow rate as SP_t=MA(Q_t)/SAMA_t, where the function MA is a moving average filter (MA), to obtain a desired pump speed through a PID control.

A method of controlling fluid flow in a fluid network system by means of a plurality of fluid machines. The disclosure provides a simple empirical method of identifying network characteristics of the fluid network system used for providing the required fluid flow rate in the fluid network system utilizing minimal fluid machine power. The method includes the steps of determining a relation between a change in fluid machine speed and a corresponding change in fluid flow rate for each of the plurality of fluid machines empirically; determining a minimum total fluid machine power which provides a minimum required flow rate in the fluid network system based on a constraint involving the relation between the fluid flow rate and the corresponding fluid machine speed, and controlling a speed of the plurality of fluid machines such that the minimum total fluid machine power in the fluid network system is attained.

PCT No. PCT/EP97/06574 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 6, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 6, 1999 PCT Filed Nov. 25, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO98/24496 PCT Pub. Date Jun. 11, 1998A medicament dosing system comprises a replaceable unit and a permanent unit. The replaceable unit comprises a fluid reservoir for receiving therein a pressurizable liquid medicament, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of said liquid medicament, a fluid channel which is provided with a flow resistor and which is in flow communication with the fluid reservoir, and a hose means which is connected to the fluid channel. The permanent unit comprises a squeezing valve means for squeezing the hose means together, and a control means which is coupled to the temperature sensor and the squeezing valve means so as to control a flow rate of the liquid medicament by clocked actuation of said squeezing valve means depending on the temperature detected. Alternatively, the temperatur sensor can be arranged in the permanent unit.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for the mixing of two microfluidic channels wherein several wells are oriented diagonally across the width of a mixing channel. The device effectively mixes the confluent streams with electrokinetic flow, and to a lesser degree, with pressure driven flow. The device and method may be further adapted to split a pair of confluent streams into two or more streams of equal or non-equal concentrations of reactants. Further, under electrokinetic flow, the surfaces of said wells may be specially coated so that the differing electroosmotic mobility between the surfaces of the wells and the surfaces of the channel may increase the mixing efficiency. The device and method are applicable to the steady state mixing as well as the dynamic application of mixing a plug of reagent with a confluent stream.

A device (100, 2604) includes a controllable skin texture surface (2602), a sensor (2700), and control logic (200). The sensor senses a plurality of points of interest (2804, 2806) of a user surface (2800). The control logic controls a plurality of portions (2900) of the controllable skin texture surface to protrude at locations with respect to the plurality of points of interest in response to the sensor sensing the plurality of points of interest. In one example, the control logic periodically adjusts the plurality of portions protruding from the controllable skin texture surface in response to movement between the user surface and the controllable skin texture surface.

An irrigation device including an actuator configured to control water flow to at least one water delivery device, a first stored energy source configured to power the actuator to effect irrigation via the at least one water delivery device, and a second stored energy source which is separate from the first stored energy source, wherein the second stored energy source is configured to power the actuator to terminate the irrigation via the at least one water delivery device. The irrigation devices further includes a controller configured to cause the first stored energy source to power the actuator to effect the irrigation, responsive to an instruction to provide irrigation, and to cause the second stored energy source to power the actuator to terminate the irrigation responsive to a termination condition.

An electronic faucet (10) mounted on a countertop (12) includes a housing, at least one fluid inlet line (24a, 24b) extending into the housing, a fluid outlet (46) from the housing, a solenoid (142, 143) for operating a valve controlling the fluid flow between at least one inlet line and the outlet, and a control circuit (206) for controlling the opening and closing of the valve.

An airflow control valve for a clean room having a duct section with a damper positioned within the duct. The damper being capable of an adjustment from an open position to a closed position. The opening and closing of the duct is accomplished through a magnetic coupling such that the duct can remain sealed during operation. The airflow control valve includes a sensor for measuring the airflow rate, so that the duct can be adjusted to maintain one or more predetermined flow rate set-points.

Methods, apparatus, computer readable media, and signals for managing utility usage are disclosed. Generally, each involves receiving a representation of a utility service usage at a load, receiving and storing a usage range representation, and producing a control signal for use by a utility service interrupter, when the usage is outside of the usage range representation. The control signal is operable to cause the utility service interrupter to interrupt a supply of the utility service to the load. Each also involves receiving a control signal indicating that a usage of the utility service at the load is outside of a usage range representation, and interrupting the supply of the utility service to the load in response to the control signal. Systems and methods for monitoring subscriber usage of a utility service and for billing a subscriber for utility service usage are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for dispensing beverages are provided. In accordance with various embodiments, beverage vendors may maintain the quality associated with a branded beverage while permitting consumers to enjoy the personalized beverages. In one embodiment, a user input may select a beverage formulation. The beverage formulation may be a commercially available branded beverage. A second user input may be received that is configured to modify a concentration of an ingredient of the selected beverage formulation. The ingredient may be a sweetener, such as a sugar. In response to the adjusting the ingredient, a concentration of at least one second ingredient may be automatically adjusted to form a recipe of a modified beverage formulation. In one embodiment, the user input adjusts a natural sugar and, in response, the carbon dioxide concentration is automatically adjusted. In another embodiment, carbon dioxide and another acid may be adjusted.

A syringe for performing a medical procedure includes a pressure sensor, a volume sensor, and a compensation circuit. The volume sensor measures a volume of a flowable material that is dispensed from the syringe, the pressure sensor measures a pressure being applied to the flowable material, and the compensation circuit calculates a delivered volume of the flowable material by accounting for system compliance (expansion) as the pressure is increased. By compensating for system compliance in this manner, a syringe can be used in high pressure procedures while still providing accurately controllable material delivery.

A valve body has an elongated bore in communication with an inlet port and an outlet port. A valve element is movable within the bore between deactuated and actuated positions. A valve sensor generates a sensor signal indicative of an instantaneous parameter of the valve that changes between the deactuated and actuated positions. A logic unit receives the sensor signal and a pilot command signal that actuates the valve. A predetermined change in the pilot command signal causes the logic unit to determine a cycle parameter responsive to a time period between two predetermined events. At least the beginning or end of the time period corresponds to a predetermined value of the sensor signal. The individual determinations of the cycle parameter are accumulated to obtain an expected cycle parameter. The logic unit generates an indication signal when the cycle parameter exhibits a predetermined variance from the expected cycle parameter.

A flow control system (10) is provided in which a flow control valve (12) is controlled by a control system (14). The control system (14) measures a flow rate or temperature of a fluid flowing through the flow control valve (12) and adjusts the flow control valve (12) to achieve a desired flow rate. The flow control valve (12) includes an electromagnetically adjustable spool (26).

A control system for controlling at least one irrigation station in an irrigation system in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a moisture probe operable to gather moisture information regarding moisture present in soil at the irrigation station and to periodically transmit the moisture information wirelessly and a controller operable to receive the moisture information and operable to provide control signals to control the irrigation station based on the moisture information to maintain a desired moisture level at the water station.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for water conservation with landscape irrigation controllers, plug-in and add-on devices, and centralized systems. In embodiments of the invention, a water budget percentage is determined by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data, and the preliminary irrigation schedule or station run times are automatically modified based upon that water budget percentage. Embodiments of the present invention also provide for automation of mandated landscape watering restrictions alone, or in various combinations with water budgeting methods and apparatus.

A sensor-augmented medication infusion system includes a sensor attached to a body of a user to detect an analyte level of the user. An infusion device is adapted to be carried by the user that includes a drive mechanism operatively coupled to a reservoir containing a fluid to infuse the fluid into the body of the user, a processor operatively coupled to the drive mechanism to control the drive mechanism, a communication receiver operatively coupled to the processor to receive data from the sensor corresponding to the analyte level of the user, and a display screen operatively coupled to the processor to display the data corresponding to the analyte level of the user, wherein the infusion device includes a user-selectable function to disable the infusion device from infusing the fluid into the body of the user while continuing to display the data corresponding to the analyte level of the user on the display screen.

Method and apparatus for remotely controlling a fire protection system for buildings. This method of fire protection uses a wireless or wired control system to remotely activate a fire protection system by sending it an activation signal or activation message wherein one or more commands can configure the system with specified operation instructions. The system utilizes roof top sprinklers and may additionally utilize existing irrigation systems or additional zones only used during the prevention of wildfires to wet down area in advance of fires. The system can be controlled by various municipal fire authorities that are given the authority to control fires. Immediate control of the system is always available to the transmitting authority. When activated, the central processor communicates to the authority that activated the fire protection system. The central processor transmits information back to the transmitting authority such as but not limited to water flow confirmation, water pressure, air temperature, roof temperature, wind direction, humidity and still or live images of the protected property.