247results about How to "Cost optimization" patented technology

An energy distribution may include a server and one or more databases. The system may communicate with an energy provider to receive energy provider data, at least one information collector to receive information collector data such as individualized energy usage data, customer preferences, and customer or location characteristics, and the one or more databases for receiving data for optimization. The system may calculate a cost of service or avoided cost using at least one of the individualized energy usage data and a system generation cost at a nearest bus. The system may also forecast individualized demand by end-use, individualized demand by location, energy prices, or energy costs. The system may optimize energy distribution, energy use, cost of service, or avoided cost using the forecasted individualized demand by end-use, the forecasted individualized demand by location, the forecasted energy prices, and the forecasted energy costs.

Systems and methods for energy optimization may receive receiving energy provider data, near-real time individualized energy usage data for each of a plurality of end-uses or near-real time individualized whole premise energy usage data, customer preferences, and near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may forecast, for a selected time period, individualized energy usage for each of the plurality of end-uses or individualized whole premise energy usage data for a customer location using: (1) the energy provider data, (2) the near-real time individualized energy usage data, (3) the customer preferences, and (4) the near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may optimize, for the selected time period, energy usage at the customer location using (1) the individualized energy usage, (2) the energy provider data, and (3) the customer preferences.

An AC-to-DC power converter configured to provide power factor correction and a single isolated low-voltage output. The power converter includes a single-stage resonant power converter including an isolation transformer, a resonant tank, a rectifier, and a bulk storage capacitor coupled to an output of the isolation transformer. In typical applications, at least one non-isolated power converter is coupled to the output of the single-stage isolated power factor correction converter.

A one way direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) communications wide-area network is the data collection channel (uplink) of an automatic meter reading (AMR) system, and a paging network, or other suitable communication channel is the optional forward (downlink) channel. The communications network may include one-way meter modules (transmitters) each communicatively coupled to a corresponding electric, gas or water utility meter, and may include two-way meter modules (transceivers) each coupled to such a corresponding utility meter. The meter modules monitor, store, encode and periodically transmit metering data via radio signals (air messages) in an appropriate RF channel. Metering data air messages are collected by a network of receiver Base Stations (BS) and forwarded to a Data Operations Center (DOC), which acts as a metering data gateway. The reception range of each base station is typically over 5 miles in urban areas, allowing sparse infrastructure deployment for a wide variety of metering data collection applications.

A system and method that enables a consumer or merchant to configure their own respective requirements for using and accessing one or more financial accounts in connection with a financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant. Requirements can include any number of factors including the credit profile of the user, the size of the transaction, the location of the merchant or user, the device used by the user or merchant to perform the transaction. Once requirements have been met for at least one financial account, permitting the completion of a financial transaction using one or more of the financial accounts that have had its requirements met.

Systems and methods for energy optimization may receive receiving energy provider data, near-real time individualized energy usage data for each of a plurality of end-uses or near-real time individualized whole premise energy usage data, customer preferences, and near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may forecast, for a selected time period, individualized energy usage for each of the plurality of end-uses or individualized whole premise energy usage data for a customer location using: (1) the energy provider data, (2) the near-real time individualized energy usage data, (3) the customer preferences, and (4) the near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may optimize, for the selected time period, energy usage at the customer location using (1) the individualized energy usage, (2) the energy provider data, and (3) the customer preferences.

A multiple-phase DC—DC converter adds at least one additional phase to an N-phase DC—DC converter to improve the converter's response to changes in load. In one embodiment, an additional phase operates at a switching frequency greater than that of the N phases, to generate a current which is added to the N phase currents to improve the converter's response to changes in load. In another embodiment, an additional phase is configured to improve the converter's response to a load release. Here, the additional phase is kept off during load increase and steady-state conditions. However, when a load release occurs, the additional phase is turned on and acts to extract current from the converter's output terminal while the N phase currents slowly fall, to reduce the magnitude of output voltage overshoot that occurs on load release.

A digital image projector includes a light assembly configured to project light along a light path from at least one laser array light source, the projected light having an overlapping far field illumination in a far field illumination portion of the light path; a temporally varying optical phase shifting device configured to be in the light path; an optical integrator configured to be in the light path; a spatial light modulator located downstream of the temporally varying optical phase shifting device and the optical integrator in the light path, the spatial light modulator configured to be located in the far field illumination portion of the light path; and projection optics located downstream of the spatial light modulator in the light path, the projection optics configured to direct substantially speckle free light from the spatial light modulator toward a display surface.

A method of transmitting encoded computer display images between computers over a nondeterministic network is disclosed. During a display session in which images are transmitted from a host to a client, the client requests sections of encoded image updates at a predetermined time in advance of when the requested at least one section is to be transmitted by the display controller. When the requested section is received, a time value is compared to a display controller timing value and, if the difference between the compared times is outside of an acceptable range, the client adjusts a predetermined time at which time the client requests image sections from the host.

A system and method are provided to isolate outputs of parallel converter threads of a power system converter of a wind turbine generator by utilizing isolated power windings on the output transformer from the converter. Such isolation eliminates the circulating common mode current between the parallel converters of the wind turbine system and eliminates the need for a common mode inductor. System reliability is enhanced and total system cost is reduced.

A method and system to provide optimizing shipping costs that can help arbitrate between a precise solution at an unreasonable cost and a reasonable solution at a very reasonable cost. In one aspect, a method includes: receiving data related to delivering shipments to a set of recipients at separate addresses; generating a first shipping option to deliver shipments to a first sub-set of the recipients within a first time period, and to deliver shipments to a second sub-set of recipients within a second time period that is greater than the first time period, shipments to the second sub-set of recipients being a greater distance than shipments to the first sub-set of recipients, the first shipping option provides a cost of shipping savings relative to shipping to all of the recipients within the first time period; and presenting the first shipping option in a user interface to a user for selection.

A system and method are provided to isolate outputs of parallel converter threads of a power system converter of a wind turbine generator by utilizing isolated power windings on the output transformer from the converter. Such isolation eliminates the circulating common mode current between the parallel converters of the wind turbine system and eliminates the need for a common mode inductor. System reliability is enhanced and total system cost is reduced.

A digital printer is equipped with a built-in color measurement device (6) in the form of a colorimeter or spectral photometer, as well as with color management support. The built-in color measurement device (6) is used for control and optimization of the print output, especially for the simplification, optimization and automation of the work processes and for the verification of the output results.

A method and device for manipulating alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to obtain desirable changes in the beverages, comprising subjecting said beverages to a flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation process and continuing the application of such process for a period of time sufficient to produce a consumable product. In the case of wine, the method includes altering the composition and accelerating the conversion of ingredients to obtain wine with a superior homogeny, an extended shelf life and a mouth feel, flavor, bouquet, color and body resembling those of wine that was subjected to a traditional oak barrel maturation. The system provided implements the described method.

An assistance system that optimizes the operation of a self-propelled agricultural working machine includes a device for determining working and efficiency parameters of the machine includes an arithmetic logic unit and a display unit. The arithmetic logic unit processes information generated by machine-internal sensor systems, external information and information stored in the arithmetic logic unit. One or more mathematical models describing the working process are stored in the arithmetic logic unit and derive efficiency parameters of the working machine from the available working parameters and, with consideration for monetary interrelationships, determine the opportunity costs of the working process and visualize the opportunity costs in the display unit.

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting and processing download requests specifying download instructions and additional optional intent hints. A client computer signals intent information to an edge server resident within a content delivery network via download requests. The intent information indicates contextual information regarding the download of a digital content file, such as the reason for the download or the amount of the digital content file that might be downloaded in subsequent requests. A suitably equipped edge server adapts the processing of the download request based on the intent information specified by the client computer. In response to the download request, the edge server also transmits a response to the client computer indicating performance characteristics associated with the edge server. The response also indicates alternative servers that can be accessed by the client computer for downloading the digital content file.

A lighting device (40-40″, 45-45″, 50-50″, 60, 80, 93-93″) is provided for the uniform illumination of curved, uneven, or polyhedral surfaces. The lighting device has a plurality of flat chip-on-board LED modules (1, 11, 11′, 21, 31, 41-41″, 46-46″, 51-51″, 61-61″, 71-71′″, 811-818), which are arranged adjacent to each other at least in pairs. Each chip-on-board LED module (1, 11, 11′, 21, 31, 41-41″, 46-46″, 51-51″, 61-61″, 71-811-818) has a plurality of light-emitting LEDs (4, 4′, 14, 14′, 24, 34, 64, 72). The lighting device (40-40″, 45-45″, 50-50″, 60, 80, 93-93″) is characterized by at least one pair of the adjacent chip-on-board LED modules (1, 11, 11′, 21, 31, 41-41″, 46-46″, 51-51″, 61-61″, 71-71′″, 811-818) being arranged at an angle greater than 0° with respect to the surface normals of the modules.

In a method for operating a MIMO radar, an influence of an object motion on an angle estimate is substantially eliminated, and a time multiplex schema having a transmission sequence and transmission instants of transmitters of the MIMO radar is identified by optimizing the following mathematical relationship: d _ pulses , opt = arg max d _ pulses [ Var S ( d _ pulses ) - ( Cov S ( d _ pulses , t ) ) 2 / Var S ( t _ ) ] in which: dpulses,opt is optimized positions of the transmitters in the sequence in which they transmit; dpulses is positions of the transmitters in the sequence in which they transmit; t is transmission instants; VarS is sample variance; and CovS is sample covariance.

A pollution control device suitable for use with an internal combustion engine (e.g., a diesel engine) and comprising a pollution control element arranged in a casing with non-woven mat disposed between the casing and the pollution control element, said non-woven mat being a non-intumescent mat comprising at least 90% by weight based on the total weight of the mat of chopped magnesium aluminium silicate glass fibers that have a number average diameter of 5μ or more and a length of 0.5 to 15 cm, said glass fibers being needle punched or stitch bonded and said mat being free or substantially free of organic binder.

An target vertical trajectory for a flight plan is produced using aircraft performance characteristics taking into account only the altitude constraints, but ignoring any speed and time constraints. The target vertical trajectory is evaluated for violations of altitude, speed, and time constraints and on the basis of other criteria. An alternative vertical trajectory is generated by randomly changing parts of the target vertical trajectory, and this alternative is likewise evaluated. If the child vertical trajectory has a more robust evaluation, it becomes to new target vertical trajectory; otherwise the previous target vertical trajectory remains in place. The alternative vertical trajectory generation process is performed repeatedly and over time the target vertical trajectory evolves toward an optimum trajectory solution.

A system and method are provided to isolate outputs of parallel converter threads of a power system converter on a generator side of a wind turbine generator by utilizing isolated power windings on the wind turbine generator. Such isolation eliminates the circulating common mode current between the parallel converters of the wind turbine system and eliminates the need for a common mode inductor. System reliability is enhanced and total system cost is reduced.

A system and method are provided to isolate outputs of parallel converter threads of a power system converter on a generator side of a wind turbine generator by utilizing isolated power windings on the wind turbine generator. Such isolation eliminates the circulating common mode current between the parallel converters of the wind turbine system and eliminates the need for a common mode inductor. System reliability is enhanced and total system cost is reduced.

A method for treating a fatty acid methyl ester. The method can include mixing the fatty acid methyl ester with an amount of urea and an amount of alcohol to make (i) a urea / fatty acid methyl ester ratio of from about 0.1:1 to 1:1 wt / wt and (ii) an alcohol / fatty acid methyl ester ratio of from about 3:1 to 10:1 wt / wt; heating the fatty acid methyl ester / urea / alcohol mixture to a temperature at which a homogenous mixture is obtained, cooling the fatty acid methyl ester / urea / alcohol mixture to a temperature where a solid phase comprising a clathrate of urea and saturated fatty acid ester and a liquid phase comprising unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester are formed, and separating the solid phase from the liquid phase. The unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester is useful as a fuel resistant to gel formation at low temperature.

The present invention provides a low cost energy monitoring and accounting system for conservation and management of both electrical and mechanical energy. The energy balance established by the energy monitoring system clearly brings out the losses and wastes as well as abnormalities in energy consumption at different sections of the industry paving the way for effective energy management.

A method for creating a vertical trajectory profile of an aircraft by optimization of a criterion representative of a flight cost, comprises: performing a first iterative computation of a profile free of altitude constraints as long as a condition dependent on the criterion is not reached, replacing each free level of the constraint-free profile with a permitted level so as to generate an initial constrained profile comprising a plurality of permitted levels, and, for each level, an altitude change point and a plurality of speeds, and performing a second iterative computation of a profile in which the altitude levels to be reached remain constant, equal to the initial permitted levels of the initial constrained profile, as long as a condition dependent on the criterion is not reached.

In a method of 3D object detection, a learning procedure is used for feature selection from a feature set based on an annotated image-volume database, generating a set of selected features. A classifier is built using a classification scheme to distinguish between an object location and a non-object location and using the set of selected features. The classifier is applied at a candidate volume to determine whether the candidate volume contains an object of interest.

A computerized maintenance management system for vehicles comprises a data warehouse, comprising a communications link for receiving data relating to vehicle maintenance, a storage component for storing received data, and a modeling component comprising modeling algorithms stored within the data warehouse. The modeling component is thus able to process the data in real-time within the data warehouse, and outputs a predictive model with recommended maintenance and / or replacement schedules that is always based on the most current available data.

Techniques are disclosed for configuring computing systems. Configuration-related data for the system under evaluation is collected. At least a portion of the configuration-related data is quantitatively analyzed to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation. The configuration complexity of the system under evaluation is reported based on the quantitative analysis. The technique may further assess a quality of the configuration of the system under evaluation. Then, the reporting step / operation may further report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis and the quality assessment.