22025 results about "Control equipment" patented technology

Techniques for controlling zone group and zone group characteristics such as audio volume in a multi-zone system are disclosed. The multi-zone system includes a number of multimedia players, each preferably located in a zone. A controller may control the operations of all of the zone players remotely from any one of the zones. Two or more zone players may be dynamically grouped as a zone group for synchronized operations. According to one aspect of the techniques, a zone group configuration can be managed, updated, modified via an interactive user interface provided in a controlling device. The zone group configuration may be saved in one of zone players. According to another aspect of the techniques, the audio volume control of a zone group can be performed individually or synchronously as a group.

A manipulator operative in a master / slave operative mode includes a master unit commanding an operation; a slave unit having a work unit; a detector detecting the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; and a control device controlling the slave unit in response to a command from the master unit. The control device determines a non-master / slave operative mode or a master / slave operative mode, and calculates a difference between the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit. The absolute value of the calculated difference is compared with a preset reference value, and depending upon the result of the comparison, a normal master / slave operative mode or a transitional master / slave operative mode is determined, wherein in the master / slave operative mode, the transitional master / slave operative mode is a transitional mode from the non-master / slave operative mode to the master / slave operative mode.

The invention generally concerns systems and methods for monitoring and controlling the power consumption of a power-consuming device. The system and method may connect to a power source and a power-consuming device, connecting the power-consuming device to the power source. The power usage of the power-consuming device may then be measured and monitored. This monitoring data may then be stored and optionally sent to a controlling device on a data network. The location of the power-consuming device may also be determined, recorded, and sent to a controlling device. The system may also control the power usage of the power-consuming device. In some cases, a remote server may connect multiple energy monitoring systems in order to gain additional efficiencies and foster a community-based social network.

An interactive entertainment and information system using a television set-top box, wherein pages of information are periodically provided to the set-top box for user interaction therewith. The pages include associated meta-data defining active locations on each page. When a page is displayed, the user interacts with the active locations on the page by entering commands via a remote control device, whereby the system reads the meta-data and takes the action associated with the location. Actions include moving to other active locations, hyperlinking to other pages, entering user form data and submitting the data as a form into memory. The form data may be read from memory, and the pages may be related to a conventional television program, thereby providing significant user interactivity with the television.

An operation unit for a vehicle air conditioner includes a display device, a setting input portion of a control parameter of the air conditioner other than a set temperature, an obtaining portion configured to obtain a present set value of the control parameter, and an operating state identification portion configured to identify whether an air-conditioning operating state is in a plurality of predetermined operating states of the air conditioner. In the operation unit, a moving pattern of a pointer of the display device is changed according to the operating state of the air conditioner. For example, a pointer operation control portion can be configured to control an operation of a pointer driving motor such that the pointer moves on a dial of the display device at different moving speeds according to the air-conditioning operating state.

Various exemplary implementations of light emitting diode (LED) based illumination products and methods are disclosed including, but not limited to, glow sticks, key chains, toys, balls, various game accessories, light bulbs, night lights, wall lights, wall switches, wall sockets, wall panels, modular lights, flexible lights, automotive lights, wearable accessories, light ropes, decorative lights such as icicles and icicle strings, light tubes, insect control lights and methods, and lighted air fresheners / scent dispensers. Any of the foregoing devices may be equipped with various types of user interfaces (both “local” and “remote”) to control light generated from the device. Additionally, devices may be controlled via light control information or programs stored in device memory and / or transmitted or downloaded to the devices (e.g., devices may be controlled individually or collectively in groups via a network, glow sticks or other products may be downloaded with programming information that is stored in memory, etc.). Devices also may include sensors so that the generated light may change in response to various operating and / or environmental conditions or a user input. Various optical processing devices which may be used with any of the devices (e.g., reflectors, diffusers, etc.) also are disclosed.

A gesture recognition interface for use in controlling self-service machines and other devices is disclosed. A gesture is defined as motions and kinematic poses generated by humans, animals, or machines. Specific body features are tracked, and static and motion gestures are interpreted. Motion gestures are defined as a family of parametrically delimited oscillatory motions, modeled as a linear-in-parameters dynamic system with added geometric constraints to allow for real-time recognition using a small amount of memory and processing time. A linear least squares method is preferably used to determine the parameters which represent each gesture. Feature position measure is used in conjunction with a bank of predictor bins seeded with the gesture parameters, and the system determines which bin best fits the observed motion. Recognizing static pose gestures is preferably performed by localizing the body / object from the rest of the image, describing that object, and identifying that description. The disclosure details methods for gesture recognition, as well as the overall architecture for using gesture recognition to control of devices, including self-service machines.

Systems and methods for providing energy management utilize wireless wide-area network broadcast signals and a decentralized receiver architecture to allow customers to make informed choices with regard to energy consumption and load shedding for particular appliances. A receiver assembly embedded within an appliance receives a broadcast signal, e.g., an FM subcarrier signal, including tariff data and other electrical grid data. A processor coupled with the receiver controls the appliance in accordance with the received data and in accordance with user-defined preferences. In some embodiments, a transceiver assembly is embedded in one or more appliances in a household. Each transceiver is configured to receive broadcast signals regarding grid data, and to communicate with other appliances and / or a usage meter over a wireless personal area network. Meter data from one or more households may be aggregated and uplinked back to the energy provider or other entities.

A multifunction sensor device which provides various transducer functions including means for performing temperature sensing, humidity sensing, ambient light sensing, motion detection, thermostat functions, switching functions, load switching and dimming functions, displaying actual and set temperature values, displaying time of day values and a means to put the device in an on, off or auto mode. The device has utility in environments such as that found in offices, schools, homes, industrial plants or any other type of automated facility in which sensors are utilized for energy monitoring and control, end user convenience or artificial or natural cooling, heating and HVAC control. The device can be used as a switch or dimmer, sensor or thermostat as well as to adjust and control all natural and artificial lighting, temperature and humidity devices. Key elements of the invention include overcoming the difficulty of mounting diverse sensors or transducers within the same device or housing; permitting these various sensors to exist in a single package that can be mounted to a wall in a substantially flush manner; and eliminating the requirement of an air flow channel in the device, thus minimizing any adverse effects on the motion detecting element or sensor as well as providing built in partial hysteresis. The device may include additional transducers or sensors and is constructed such that the temperature and humidity sensors are neither exposed to the flow of air in a room or area nor in an airflow channel whereby a chimney effect may occur. The device can transmit and receive real time data, relative data and actual discrete data in addition to switching and controlling loads locally or remotely. An embodiment utilizing airflow channels to direct air over the temperature and humidity sensors is also disclosed.

This application describes completely in many unique ways and detail all the devices to reduce a vehicle's speed and / or reduce a machines RPMs and / or stop any piece of equipment's as well as guide it if mobile through automated controls. First to slow it down, and guide it and / or control it if necessary (i.e., other pieces of equipment). Secondly it discusses how to stop any piece of equipment completely. And thirdly, the invention secures it in a safe stationary position either entirely or any number of specific moving parts. Many of these systems are initially here described to slow, reduce speed, steer, stop and / or secure equipment functions. However, they also can be used to increase a piece of equipment's functions. In other words their variations are completely capable to serve any remote or automated controls on a vehicle in the future to provide full robotics systems, e.g., for automated transportation systems, automated manufacturing, etc., either through individually isolated remote control systems and / or interfaced with other off-board systems through communication links, gateway computers, computer networks and the world wide web for inexpensive long distance monitoring and remote control. The invention focuses on the automobile industry but as has always been maintained throughout all these applications these devices and systems are designed to control every piece of equipment. The invention includes various accountable protocols and commercial developments to control speed, brake and steering for an automobile shut down to be performed through automation to a safe controlled secured deactivated state to be considered as a basis for a standard in aggressive vehicle remote control and / or to control and guide a vehicle and / or piece of equipment through many different automated systems.

A system for providing medical treatment to a patient, including a medical treatment apparatus and a remote control device. The medical treatment apparatus has a local processor, and a local communication element connected to the local processor, while the remote control device includes a remote processor, user interface components connected to the remote processor, and a remote communication element connected to the remote processor and adapted to communicate with the local communication element of the medical treatment apparatus in a wireless manner such that information can be transferred between the local processor and the remote processor. The remote control device also includes at least two separate power supplies connected to the remote processor.

An environmental control system controls monitoring and operation of a multiplicity of disparate environmental control devices by determining an appropriate configuration for each control device and communicates corresponding monitoring and control commands to each device in accordance with its corresponding communication protocol over a selected I / O port. An operational instruction set includes a structural definition of an enterprise facility in which devices are defined by personality modules and communicate with a system host in accordance with a protocol defined in a protocol module. Facility implementation is defined by a node tree structure which collects suitable protocol nodes under a corresponding I / O interface port node. Device (personality) nodes are collected under corresponding protocol nodes, and data point nodes depend from their corresponding device nodes. Data points nodes are individually accessible by merely traversing the node tree using a URL-like notational structure, allowing off-site users to control and monitor environmental devices by issuing commands in the form of a URL.

An interactive control device includes a display device, and a method is for operating the interactive control device. The method includes: displaying graphical information on the display device; receiving sensor information; activating a control action if on the basis of the sensor information it is ascertained that a body part of a user is located within an activation region that is spatially defined relative to a display region of a control element on the display device with which the control action is associated; the received sensor information including user information that is evaluated prior to an activation of the control action in order to ascertain a control intention for the at least one control element; and the information represented on the display device being adapted as a function of the ascertained control intention such that the at least one control element is represented in a manner optimized for the activation of the control action associated with the control element. The control device may be arranged as a component of a motor vehicle console so as to be able to implement the control method.

The present invention relates generally to a building automation system, and, more particularly, to an Internet-centric, open, extensible software and hardware framework supporting all aspects of control and monitoring of a smart building ecosphere. The present invention further relates to an “intelligent,” real-time control system capable of both autonomous process control and interaction with system users and system administrators, which is configured to accommodate functional extensions and a broad array of sensors and control devices. The system allows individuals to communicate, monitor and adjust their personal environmental preferences (temperature, light, humidity, white noise, etc.) much like they would in an automobile, via the Internet. The system is equipped with an occupancy sensor that recognizes the presence and identity of the individual. A built-in expert system can make decisions based on data from multiple sources so that the system can alter its activity to conserve energy while maintaining users' comfort.

A system and method for calibrating a set-point for climate control includes a sensor network having a plurality of sensors configured to report a climate condition. A database is configured to receive reports from the sensors and generate one or more profiles reflecting at least one of historic climate control information and occupant preferences. A controller is configured to receive information from the profiles to generate a set-point based upon an optimization program. The optimization program is implemented to balance competing goals to generate the set-point for controlling climate control equipment in accordance with the set-point.

A speech dialog system wherein a process for automatic control of devices by speech dialog is used applying methods of speech input, speech signal processing and speech recognition, syntatical-grammatical postediting as well as dialog, executive sequencing and interface control, and which is characterized in that syntax and command structures are set during real-time dialog operation; preprocessing, recognition and dialog control are designed for operation in a noise-encumbered environment; no user training is required for recognition of general commands; training of individual users is necessary for recognition of special commands; the input of commands is done in linked form, the number of words used to form a command for speech input being variable; a real-time processing and execution of the speech dialog is established; and the speech input and output is done in the hands-free mode.

Various exemplary implementations of light emitting diode (LED) based illumination products and methods are disclosed including, but not limited to, glow sticks, key chains, toys, balls, various game accessories, light bulbs, night lights, wall lights, wall switches, wall sockets, wall panels, modular lights, flexible lights, automotive lights, wearable accessories, light ropes, decorative lights such as icicles and icicle strings, light tubes, insect control lights and methods, and lighted air fresheners / scent dispensers. Any of the foregoing devices may be equipped with various types of user interfaces (both “local” and “remote”) to control light generated from the device. Additionally, devices may be controlled via light control information or programs stored in device memory and / or transmitted or downloaded to the devices (e.g., devices may be controlled individually or collectively in groups via a network, glow sticks or other products may be downloaded with programming information that is stored in memory, etc.). Devices also may include sensors so that the generated light may change in response to various operating and / or environmental conditions or a user input. Various optical processing devices which may be used with any of the devices (e.g., reflectors, diffusers, etc.) also are disclosed.

Applications, systems and methods for efficiently accessing and controlling data of devices among multiple computers over a network. Peer-to-peer exchanges of data between private computers is made possible while providing seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity. Such functionality is available even among private users over a public network, and even when multiple firewalls must be passed through. A firewall compliant connection may be established between a local computer and at least one remote computer; at least one file on a storage device associated with one of the computers is selected, and securely sent to at least one other computer over the secure connections. Computers may be connected over a wide area network with or without a connection server, with or without a VPN.

An electronic device coupleable to a display screen includes a camera system that acquires optical data of a user comfortably gesturing in a user-customizable interaction zone having a z0 plane, while controlling operation of the device. Subtle gestures include hand movements commenced in a dynamically resizable and relocatable interaction zone. Preferably (x,y,z) locations in the interaction zone are mapped to two-dimensional display screen locations. Detected user hand movements can signal the device that an interaction is occurring in gesture mode. Device response includes presenting GUI on the display screen, creating user feedback including haptic feedback. User three-dimensional interaction can manipulate displayed virtual objects, including releasing such objects. User hand gesture trajectory clues enable the device to anticipate probable user intent and to appropriately update display screen renderings.

A system and method for accessing conference room devices connected to a first computer include receiving status information from available devices connected to the first computer, displaying a device menu of available devices for a particular conference room, displaying a control menu to control a selected one of the available devices, and transmitting commands to the selected one of the available devices to control the device in response to user input. In one embodiment, the first computer is accessible via a web browser so a remote user can control or operate the conference room devices. The conference room devices may include facility devices, such as room lights, thermostat, door lock, drapes, etc. in addition to audio / visual equipment, such as VCR's, projectors, screens, and cameras, for example.

Systems and methods for creating fully custom products from scratch without exclusive use of off-the-shelf or pre-specified components. A system for creating custom products includes an image capture device for capturing image data and / or measurement data of a user. A computer is communicatively coupled with the image capture device and configured to construct an anatomic model of the user based on the captured image data and / or measurement data. The computer provides a configurable product model and enables preview and automatic or user-guided customization of the product model. A display is communicatively coupled with the computer and displays the custom product model superimposed on the anatomic model or image data of the user. The computer is further configured to provide the customized product model to a manufacturer for manufacturing eyewear for the user in accordance with the customized product model. The manufacturing system is configured to interpret the product model and prepare instructions and control equipment for the manufacturing of the customized product.

The present invention relates generally to a building automation system, and, more particularly, to an Internet-centric, open, extensible software and hardware framework supporting all aspects of control and monitoring of a smart building ecosphere. The present invention further relates to an “intelligent,” real-time control system capable of both autonomous process control and interaction with system users and system administrators, which is configured to accommodate functional extensions and a broad array of sensors and control devices. The system allows individuals to communicate, monitor and adjust their personal environmental preferences (temperature, light, humidity, white noise, etc.) much like they would in an automobile, via the Internet. The system is equipped with an occupancy sensor that recognizes the presence and identity of the individual. A built-in expert system can make decisions based on data from multiple sources so that the system can alter its activity to conserve energy while maintaining users' comfort.

In a device having a display, at least one sensor signal is generated from a sensor in the device. One or more context values are then generated from the sensor signal. The context values indicate how the device is situated relative to one or more objects. At least one of the context values is then used to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device.

A method, computer medium, and system for programming a control device are provided. The control device is configured for controlling electrical stimulation energy provided to a plurality of electrode leads that are physically implanted within a patient in a side-by-side lead configuration. Electrical energy is conveying from the electrode leads to create a stimulation region within the patient. The stimulation region is automatically shifted along the electrode leads (e.g., by selecting and using at least one navigation table) in accordance with an electrical current shifting pattern that is based on a stagger of the side-by-side lead configuration. At least one stimulation parameter set is selected based on the effectiveness of the shifted stimulation region, and the control device is programmed with the selected stimulation parameter set(s).

A matching network system including communication devices, servers and software which enables the provisioning of services and execution of transactions based on a plurality of private and public personality profiles and behavior models of the users, of the communication devices, of the products / services and of the servers; in combination with the software resident at the communication device level and or the local / network server level. Matching and searching processes based on a plurality of personality profiles wherein the information, communication and transactions are enabled to be matched with the user, the communication device and or the servers. The communication device is a stationary device or a mobile device, such as a portable computing device, wireless telephone, cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, or a multifunction communication, computing and control device.