33results about How to "Minimal power requirement" patented technology

A distributed voice user interface system includes a local device which receives speech input issued from a user. Such speech input may specify a command or a request by the user. The local device performs preliminary processing of the speech input and determines whether it is able to respond to the command or request by itself. If not, the local device initiates communication with a remote system for further processing of the speech input.

The T-bar includes an elongate rigid spine extending between terminal ends including either a fixed anchor or adjustable anchor for attachment to adjacent T-bars or other supports. An upper heat sink is provided on an upper portion of the spine to enhance heat transfer from the T-bar to air surrounding upper portions of the T-bar. A light housing is provided on a lower portion of the T-bar which is configured to support a lighting module therein, such as a light emitting diode (LED) light. A lower heat sink is provided above this light housing and integrated into a rest shelf which supports ceiling tiles adjacent the T-bar. A power supply is provided which can be removably attached to the T-bar and provide appropriately conditioned power for the lighting module.

A method for determining the configuration of a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the method including a step for determining a minimum power required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission, and a step for determining an operating condition of the diesel-fueled power generating unit such that the minimum power requirement is satisfied while yielding at least one of lower fuel consumption and lower emissions for the diesel powered system.

A direct expansion refrigerant-based heating and cooling system which includes a refrigerant pumping devise calibrated to ease or eliminate the pumping requirements placed upon the system's compressor unit when one or both of significant system height differentials between the compressor unit and the condensing unit are present and significant system refrigerant fluid transport line distances are present, or are desirable, such as in a deep well direct expansion system application.

An apparatus, system and methodology enable non-intrusive measurement of parameters related to fluid flow in a conduit. An acoustic sensor is located along the conduit and includes a mechanical amplifier having an acoustic input coupled to the conduit and a microphone coupled to the mechanical amplifier. The microphone receives mechanically amplified acoustic energy from the conduit and establishing first signals which are processed for generating second signals which are related to fluid flow in the conduit. The second signals can include quantitative flow data and qualitative data such as change in state and alarms. The second signals can be transmitted wirelessly to a remote site for further processing. Use of low power components and power management enable long term operations on battery power.

Apparatus for concentrating a vaporous substance, which comprises: a sorbent material capable of capturing said vaporous substance; a first housing in which the sorbent material is located, which housing is metallic and has an inlet port and an outlet port, said housing being fitted with a heating element proximate the exterior of the housing, which heating element is capable when activated of delivering an amount of heat energy to a zone within the interior volume of the housing, the amount of said heat energy being sufficient to effect release of said substance captured by the sorbent material; at least one metallic screen element welded to the interior surface of said first housing, said screen element holding the sorbent material in position within the housing between the inlet and outlet ports and in said zone; a second housing defining a chamber within which the first housing resides, the first housing being located in said chamber such that there is a space permitting gas flow between the outside of the first housing and the inside of the second housing; and a pump, the intake of which is interconnected with the interior volume of said first housing, such that when the pump is activated gas possibly containing said vaporous substance is caused to flow through the inlet port and to come in contact with the sorbent material, and the exhaust of which is interconnected with the space between the first housing and the second housing, such that when the pump is activated the exhaust gas therefrom is caused to flow through the space in contact with the outside of the first housing; and methods for making and utilizing such apparatus.

An apparatus and method for unloading a rotor bearing is described. The apparatus includes an electromagnet for levitating the rotor. In one embodiment, a sensor of the magnetic field near the electromagnet is used to control the current to levitate the rotor. In another embodiment, a method is provided that includes rotating the rotor, increasing the current to levitate the rotor and decrease the gap between electromagnet and rotor, and then reducing the current to levitate the rotor with a minimal amount of electric power to the electromagnet.

The present invention provides an easily mounted, self-contained, compact fluid leak detection kit and/or method. When water begins to flow through the kit housing, a flow switch triggers a timer mechanism such as a processor. As long as the flow continues, the timer mechanism will count down the amount of preset time. The kit provides a manual or computer controlled adjustment to set a predetermined delay time or shutdown time, which is adjustable to the normal operating cycle time of any particular toilet. In this way, the water is shut off as quickly as possible if a leak occurs. The kit may also provide overflow protection, reset to initial values, low battery indication, and bypass function with suitable hardware to implement each.

Apparatus and methods for selectively separating a volatile constituent of a particle from a gas stream for analysis. Particles are separated from bulk flow by inertia and impacted in a cavity containing a small but stable vortex or eddy. Heat is applied to volatilize constituents of the particles. The gas entrained within the vortex, which exchanges only slowly with the bulk flow, is withdrawn for analysis. In this way, a high volume flow containing particles of interest is reduced to a low volume flow containing a vapor concentrate. Advantageously, the apparatus may be operated at very low pressure drops in fully continuous, semi-continuous or batch mode according to the requirements of the downstream analytical unit. The apparatus finds use in active surveillance, such as in use of aerosols to detect explosives or chemical residues on persons, vehicles or luggage in real time.

The center-pivot vehicle has forward and rearward sections with traversing means for traversing terrain. A rotary actuator connects the forward and rearward sections. Rotation of the rotary actuator articulates the forward and rearward sections relative to each other for steering the vehicle. The present invention also includes a method for controlling articulation of a center-pivot vehicle which includes connecting first and second sections of the center-pivot vehicle together with a rotary actuator, powering the rotary actuator with an engine and providing a steering input by an operator for operating the rotary actuator for rotating the rotary actuator and articulating the first and second sections of the vehicle relative to each other for turning the vehicle.

A method for measuring a flow rate of a medium through a measuring tube which is penetrated by a constant magnetic field orthogonal to a flow direction and in which an electrical voltage building up in the medium is sensed by electrodes, insulted with respect to the medium and located on an outer wall of the measuring tube in a plane orthogonal to the flow direction of the medium, in which the capacitance of at least one capacitive unit is formed by the electrodes, and a measuring tube interior area and a charge change brought about by a change to the at least one capacitive is determined, and from this a voltage is established which is determinative of the flow rate of the medium through the measuring tube.

The center-pivot vehicle has forward and rearward sections with traversing means for traversing terrain. A rotary actuator connects the forward and rearward sections. Rotation of the rotary actuator articulates the forward and rearward sections relative to each other for steering the vehicle. One of the sections includes a bed operably attached to a bed frame that is operably attached to a trailer frame for actuated movement between trailing and loading positions. The bed is pivotally attached to the bed frame for moving between tilted and non-tilted positions.

A fluid control circuit system is capable of maintaining fluid within a fluid tank at a desired level using electronic sensors and control circuitry, where the control circuitry and actuators are configured for low power consumption, thus allowing operation to be powered by a self contained internal power supply. To provide appropriate fluid control, the system includes a fluid sensor indicating if fluid is at a predetermined level, control circuitry attached to the fluid sensor, a latching solenoid attached to the control circuitry and also attached to a fluid control valve, and an internal power supply to power all electrical components.

A flywheel apparatus that magnetically unloads a top rotor bearing is described. The apparatus includes a flywheel housing, a rotor with a vertical axis of rotation that includes a magnetic material, a magnet configured to apply a desired upward off-loading force along the vertical axis of rotation, an upper bearing connected to an upper shaft of the rotor, and a bearing housing disposed between the upper bearing and the flywheel housing that substantially prevents downward axial motion of the upper bearing. The magnet includes an electromagnet. A force sensor is used to measure a force on the upper bearing which is provided as input to a controller that updates the current to the electromagnet. The rotor is maintained in a fixed axial position and a spring disposed below a lower bearing absorbs axial dimension growth of the rotor.

Described are methods of removing one or more heavy metals from water. A source of calcium carbonate is added to the water, which is treated to cause coprecipitation of calcium carbonate and the one or more heavy metals. Then, the coprecipitated calcium carbonate and one or more heavy metals are separated from the water.

An on-site controller for an HVAC system is operated to maintain temperature and humidity set points inside an enclosed facility. A weather station inside the facility records microclimate data pertinent to environmental conditions inside the facility, and a weather station outside the facility records microclimate data pertinent to meteorological conditions outside the facility. A summing network compares the inside microclimate data with the outside meteorological data to establish an actuating signal. A throttle, responsive to the actuating signal, varies the power demand for the HVAC system to maintain the predetermined set points for environmental conditions inside the facility.

A capacitance measuring apparatus and method detects gas/liquid and liquid/gas transitions by monitoring a sensing capacitor having a gap in fluid communication with a monitored volume. The capacitor electrodes can be any arrangement that does not obstruct drainage, such as parallel plates or concentric cylinders. Embodiments have smooth and/or low wetting surfaces. Detection thresholds are automatically set to account for remnant drops and coatings of liquid, and can be automatically readjusted if additional liquid drains or a different liquid is introduced. Embodiments include an insulating layer to prevent conduction through a conductive liquid. A second capacitor can be included in series and/or the insulating layer can create a second virtual capacitor in series with the sensing capacitor gap to provide high sensitivity at low capacitance. The sensing capacitor can be combined in a cluster with a pressure sensor and/or temperature sensor.