4925 results about "Life time" patented technology

Techniques are disclosed which provide a substantially constant battery reserve capacity with respect to therapeutic medical devices. Accordingly, a battery control system may be operable to maintain a substantially constant reserve capacity throughout the life of the battery. The battery reserve capacity activation threshold may be set and continuously or periodically updated so that a battery's remaining capacity equals the predetermined reserve capacity when the measured parameter reaches the activation threshold, thereby allowing a maximum amount of a battery's total capacity to be employed for therapeutic use and reserve only that portion of that capacity determined to provide for a desired level and / or period of device function after reaching the reserve threshold.

A trial (test) power toothbrush designed to emulate the performance of a corresponding commercial toothbrush, powered by a non-rechargeable battery. The power to drive the toothbrush is controlled by a control circuit which is responsive to the battery to maintain the drive power at approximately the level of the commercial unit and a short “trial use” period, i.e. one month / 30 days, and then to terminate operation of the power toothbrush. The trial toothbrush may then be readily disposed of by the user, including the battery therein.

An electronic device (e.g., computer system, etc.) employing dynamic power management of the present invention adjusts power consumption in accordance with an analysis of parameters and events occurring over one or more time-periods. Preferably, the electronic device monitors microprocessor, operating system, peripheral and / or device-level events and adjusts run-time parameters, such as microprocessor clock frequency and voltage, to reduce power consumption with minimal perceived degradation in performance.

The invention provides control systems and methodologies for controlling a process having computer-controlled equipment, which provide for optimized process performance according to one or more performance criteria, such as efficiency, component life expectancy, safety, emissions, noise, vibration, operational cost, or the like. More particularly, the subject invention provides for employing machine diagnostic and / or prognostic information in connection with optimizing an overall business operation over a time horizon.

The present invention describes a method and apparatus for measuring the voltage and current characteristics of the OLED pixel as it ages and correlating the measured data to the decrease in quantum efficiency and changes in OLED impedance over the life of the OLED, so that corrections can be made to the image drive system to prevent image sticking and color point drift. The method and apparatus of the present invention do not require any additional circuitry or changes in the display design. The circuitry of the present invention is implemented in the display driver integrated circuit (IC) chips. The basis of the invention is the luminance-current-voltage (LIV) curves which characterize the OLED materials over their life time. A series of these curves are stored in memory representing a OLED material at various ages. The apparatus of the present invention is used to measure driver voltages and currents for a pixel having an OLED, which measurements are then used to extract the voltage current curve for the OLED at any point in time. The extracted curve is compared to the aging curves stored in memory to determine the aging curve that best describes the measured present voltage current characteristic of the pixel. That aging curve is used to drive the pixel.

The present invention allocates the supply of critical components and manufacturing capacity by optimizing critical material planning decisions and dynamically allocating constrained materials using advanced substitution logic that considers alternate suppliers and supports product life cycle from design through end-of-life. The present invention may utilize unique synchronized allocations and matched sets logic. The synchronized allocations ensure that all materials necessary for production are available in the appropriate time-phased allocation before beginning production to minimize wasted production capacity and materials. The supply system may include various combination of components, including a Supply Planner, a Resource Optimizer, a Constraint Based Master Planner, a Product Change Analyzer, a Comparer, a Resource Requirements Planner, a Finite Resource Planner, a Customer Promiser, and an Interactive Master Scheduler. Another embodiment of the supply system includes a tool that allows users to define products using engineering specifications.

A passive transponder identification system and credit card type transponder are disclosed, particularly, the transponder identification system to utilize a transmitting manner of two different RF signals is provided. The present invention directly relates to a passive transponder without any kind of power source. Therefore, the present invention has advantages of having a constant gain value by developing a high-gain dual polarizing antenna for a small credit card type passive tranponder to identify at long distance, independently to any direction of the transponder; improving gain values than conventional transponder tag antenna by 6-9 dB to ensure a sub-permanent life time by providing the desired identification performance by means of a small credit card type passive transponder without power supply; and being applicable to any systems to identify and distinguish high-speed moving objects.

The invention provides control systems and methodologies for controlling a process having computer-controlled equipment, which provide for optimized process performance according to one or more performance criteria, such as efficiency, component life expectancy, safety, emissions, noise, vibration, operational cost, or the like. More particularly, the subject invention provides for employing machine diagnostic and / or prognostic information in connection with optimizing an overall business operation over a time horizon.

The present invention provides for a system for operating a communication device (20) for reception of scheduled intermittent information messages (22) with a dual mode timer (70) that extends battery life. A controller (50) schedules the timer (70) to power down all idle components of the device (20) between message receptions in a power saving sleep mode to conserve battery power. During active mode when the device is fully active in reception of messages, the timer (70) uses a reference oscillator (90) with a relatively high frequency to support digital processing by the receiver (26). During sleep mode when only the timer is powered on, a much lower frequency sleep oscillator (96) is used to maintain the lowest possible level of power consumption within the timer itself. The timer (70) has provision for automatic temperature calibration to compensate for timing inaccuracies inherent to the low-power low-frequency crystal oscillator (96) used for the sleep mode. The resultant improvement in timer accuracy during sleep mode eliminates the need for an initial reacquisition period following wake up in active mode, thereby reducing battery drain in active mode as well.

The invention provides control systems and methodologies for controlling a process having computer-controlled equipment, which provide for optimized process performance according to one or more performance criteria, such as efficiency, component life expectancy, safety, emissions, noise, vibration, operational cost, or the like. More particularly, the subject invention provides for employing machine diagnostic and / or prognostic information in connection with optimizing an overall business operation over a time horizon.

The invention provides control systems and methodologies for controlling a process having computer-controlled equipment, which provide for optimized process performance according to one or more performance criteria, such as efficiency, component life expectancy, safety, emissions, noise, vibration, operational cost, or the like. More particularly, the subject invention provides for employing machine diagnostic and / or prognostic information in connection with optimizing an overall business operation over a time horizon.

An energy-efficient consumer device audio power output stage provides improved battery life and reduced power dissipation. A power supply having a selectable operating mode supplies the power supply rails to the power amplified output stage. The operating mode is controlled in conformity with the audio signal level, which may be determined from a volume control setting of the device and / or from a signal level detector that determines the amplitude of the signal being amplified. The power supply may be a charge pump in which the operating mode uses a capacitive divider to provide for selection of a power supply output voltage that is a rational fraction of the power supply output voltage in a full-voltage operating mode.

The invention provides control systems and methodologies for controlling a process having one or more motorized pumps and associated motor drives, which provide for optimized process performance according to one or more performance criteria, such as efficiency, component life expectancy, safety, emissions, noise, vibration, operational cost, or the like. More particularly, the subject invention provides for employing machine diagnostic and / or prognostic information in connection with optimizing an overall business operation.

The present invention is directed to a miniaturized apparatus to locate, track, recognize and control objects using miniature RF circuits that are programmed as an active tag or as one of several embodiments of a controller, including one small enough to be incorporated into a personal object, like a ring. In its simplest embodiment, a portable or wearable controller communicates wirelessly with a tag secured to a surface, analogously to a car remote—push button, receive a signal from tag or back at the controller, to locate tagged object. In more complex forms, the tag can be integrated into objects or connected to a network. One controller can manage a plurality of tags. The basic platform of tag and controller can be built up to create a sophisticated area control with environmental sensors, inventory functions, tracking individuals and allowing or denying access, operating objects like doors and lights, and creating supporting ambient security with checks and balances between tags and controllers on people and their possessions, such as baggage at an airport. Arrays of tag or controllers extend the wireless range to accommodate large structures and areas. This novel system is self-contained, with a low power protocol to give long battery life time and does not require internet or GPS to perform its functions.

A battery monitoring apparatus that senses battery conditions such as low battery charge, end of battery capacity, and end of battery life, and responds by taking actions such as sending messages to a remote site and / or powering down. A rechargeable battery is coupled to one or more power-consuming electrical components, including battery monitoring equipment. The battery monitoring equipment senses battery charge. In response to a low-battery-charge condition, the battery monitoring equipment transmits a battery status message to a remote site and powers-down some of the electrical components. Whenever the battery nears the end of its capacity, the monitoring equipment powers down all electronic components and awaits the application of external power. The invention also tracks the time required for the battery charge to deplete. Charge duration decreases over time, and whenever it reaches a predetermined minimum, the battery monitoring equipment transmits a representative status message to the remote site.

A system is described. The system includes a lithium battery, a charge storage capacitor electrically connected to the lithium battery, a first device, and at least one second device. The first device is electrically connected to the lithium battery and is powered by the lithium battery. The at least one second device is attached to the charge storage capacitor and adapted to read a rate of charge storage in the charge storage capacitor or to calculate the rate of charge storage by measuring both a time of charging and a charge stored or added to the charge storage capacitor during the time of charging.

A hybrid vehicular powertrain includes an electrical energy storage device. State-of-life for the electrical energy storage device is predictively determined based on electrical current, state-of-charge, and temperature of the electrical energy storage device during active and quiescent periods of operation.

A display system in which subsequent failures of plant equipment and plant systems are predicted to occur and in which the probability of failure before a specified date and the probability of failure after a specified date is determined and displayed and in which the calendar date is determined and displayed when the desired probability that the equipment not fail prior to the calendar date is specified. The system includes an Equipment Failure And Degradation Module that determines the remaining equipment / system life; a Probability-of-Failure Predictor Module that determines the probability of the equipment / system failing prior to a specified date and the probability of the equipment / system failing after a specified date; and a Date-of-Failure Predictor Module that determines the calendar date that corresponds to a specified probability that equipment not fail prior to the date.

A system monitors parameters (e.g., speed, position, threshold boundaries) of mobile items attached to beacons and produces signals indicating these parameters. The system also monitors non-mobile parameters (e.g., battery life, door locks, windows) in the items. Different technologies (e.g., wireless) are provided for communicating between the beacons and a beacon controller interface. Different technologies are provided for locating and indicating item positions. The beacons and the interface provide for new beacons to be added to the system with different characteristics than the existing beacons for monitoring the operation of new beacons without affecting the operation of existing beacons. The system includes resellers, retailers, users and subscribers in a flexible relationship to enhance the ease in the system operation. Beacons can perform more than one function (e.g. tracking, threshold monitoring) simultaneously. Scenarios for the beacons can be created and monitored. Recovery personnel can intervene to resolve crises.

Sate-of-life for an electrical energy storage device is predictively determined based on electrical current, state-of-charge, and temperature of the electrical energy storage device during active and quiescent periods of operation.

Provided is an organic electroluminescent device that exhibits an efficient host-dopant energy transfer mechanism, and thus, expresses a certain high-efficiency electroluminescent performance, based on improved electron density distribution. The organic electroluminescent device also overcomes low initial efficiency and short operation life property, and secures high-performance electroluminescent performance with high efficiency and long life property for each color.

A framework for adaptively managing the life of components. A sensor provides non-destructive test data obtained from inspecting a component. The inspection data may be filtered using reference signatures and by subtracting a baseline. The filtered inspection data and other inspection data for the component is analyzed to locate flaws and estimate the current condition of the component. The current condition may then be used to predict the component's condition at a future time or to predict a future time at which the component's condition will have deteriorated to a certain level. A current condition may be input to a precomputed database to look up the future condition or time. The future condition or time is described by a probability distribution which may be used to assess the risk of component failure. The assessed risk may be used to determine whether the part should continue in service, be replaced or repaired. A hyperlattice database is used with a rapid searching method to estimate at least one material condition and one usage parameter, such as stress level for the component. The hyperlattice is also used to rapidly predict future condition, associated uncertainty and risk of failure.

A battery cell converter (BCC) unit including one or more energy-storing battery cells coupled to one or more DC / DC converters is disclosed. A management unit can monitor and control the charging and discharging of each battery cells; including monitoring of voltages & State-of-Charge of each cell as well as controlling the switching of the DC / DC converters. The combined power and cell switching algorithms optimizes the charging and discharging process of the battery cells. A compound battery cell converter system comprising a series stack of BCCs to achieve high effective converter output voltage is also disclosed. The new proposed Battery Cell Converter architecture will enable improvements in battery pack usage efficiencies, will increase battery pack useable time per charge, will extend battery pack life-time and will lower battery pack manufacturing cost.

An improved network of sensor nodes can self-organize so as to reduce energy consumption and / or improve coverage of a surveillance field. Nodes within the network may be dynamically activated or deactivated so as to lengthen network lifetime and / or enhance sensor coverage of the surveillance field.

A method (150) and device (200) adapted to run an application in synchronous communication with an application server is described. The method (150) can include the steps of: detecting (155) motion in proximity to the mobile computing device; and adjusting (160) a synchronization interval between the mobile computing device and a server in response to the detected motion. The method and device can provide substantial energy savings in an energy storage device for a mobile computing device and provides a useful compromise for energy conservation on one hand, while also accommodating a user's demand for a short synchronization interval when desired, on the other.