118results about How to "Minimal power" 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.

Systems for generating electric power from wind are disclosed, which use buoyant aircraft and spinnaker sails to generate very large pulling forces, which will be used to drive electric generators. The buoyant aircraft, referred to as “airbarges”, will have large, wide, and flat shapes which combine various traits of kites, manta rays, and “flying wing” aircraft. They can be flown “nose up” during the pulling stage of each power cycle, and “nose down” during retrieval. Spinnaker sails are comparable to horizontal parachutes, with tethering systems that will enable them to be pulled back to a starting location in a “luffing flag” or “closed umbrella” configuration. Because of various factors, spinnaker sails can generate much greater power output and operating efficiency than 3-blade wind turbines. “Webbing sails” made from interwoven straps also are disclosed, which can be used even in extremely high winds.

A storage power station (S), for example an air storage plant, that includes a compressor unit (V), a turbine unit (T) and a storage volume (100) can be operated using a specific method of operation, which allows as fast a reaction as possible to changes in the load demands. Rapid changes in the load demands can be satisfied by controlling the power consumption of the compressor unit (V), which results in a variable net power output, with the power output from the turbine unit (T) remaining constant. The power of the compressor unit can be controlled approximately one order of magnitude more quickly than the power generation machine can be controlled. In the extreme, the compressor unit can simply be shut down, thus resulting in its drive power becoming available to an electricity grid within seconds. During this process, the turbine unit can continue to operate normally, and can slowly follow the power demand, thus reducing the load on the turbine. A storage power station can thus be ideally suitable for frequency support and for covering rapid load ramps in an electricity grid.

A communications system that uses electromagnetic waves. The communications system preferably operates in the millimeter-wave frequencies, and provides relatively high signal restoration and isolation. The communications system can use polarization diversity to increase the capacity of a channel. Isolation and restoration features in the transceivers eliminate or reduce the effects of precipitation and / or reflection and diffraction from objects, and thus is well-suited for an urban environment.The transceiver will select the proper antenna and signal path for optimal information throughput as the conditions in the propagation medium of the network vary.

An optical DQPSK modulator comprises a pair of phase modulators. Each of the pair of the phase modulators is provided with first and second driving signals. The first and second driving signals are amplified by first and second amplifiers, respectively. An RZ intensity modulator generates an optical RZ-DQPSK signal from an optical DQPSK signal output from the optical DQPSK modulator. A photodetector generates a monitor signal from the optical RZ-DQPSK signal. A gain adjuster unit adjusts the gains of the first and second amplifiers so as to minimize the power of the monitor signal.

The instant invention relates to an animation actuator and devices employing such an animation actuator. Actuators and devices of the invention are useful in animated entertainment devices. In one embodiment of the instant invention, the actuators are used in connection with an animated greeting card.

A food steamer is described hereinafter. The food steamer includes a base unit, a steam basket supported on the base unit, a heating device configured in the base unit for converting water into steam, a water tank configured for supplying water for the heating device, a drip tray configured for collecting water drops from the steam basket, and an electronic controller configured for control the heating device. The heating device includes at least a steam outlet for jetting steam to the steaming basket. The water tank is detachably sited on the base unit and beside the steam basket. This food steamer can reserve much more water, extend the cooking time and shorten the time of steam generation, convenient and safe operation.

A battery powered ignition and control system for a gas burner includes circuits for controlling a pilot burner, a main burner, a flame sensor and an igniter. Mechanically latched valves, which require power only to switch between and open and closed state are used to control the pilot and main gas. The circuitry spends a majority of time in a powered down state and draws power only when required to interrogate the state of the flame and to perform an ignition sequence as required, as periodically dictated by a watchdog system. The latching valves are electrically pulsed to change state and thus draw very low average power when called upon. Lithium batteries provide system power for a long duration.

Long existing performance, noise, and power consumption problems of prior art output drivers are solved by using n-channel transistors as pull up transistors and p-channel transistors as pull down transistors for high performance output drivers. Output drivers of the present invention can be fully compatible with HSTL or SSTL interfaces without using termination resistors. High resolution switching applications are also made possible without consuming much power. Output drivers of the present invention provide excellent solutions to support high performance interface while consuming much lower power.

A translinear variable-gain amplifier. The translinear variable gain amplifier receives a differential input voltage and produces a differential output current having a selected gain. The amplifier comprises a buffer amplifier that receives the differential input voltage and produces a differential input current. The amplifier further comprises a translinear gain cell coupled to receive the differential input current and produce the differential output current. The gain cell includes a first adjustable bias source that operates to set a linear input range of the gain cell, and a second adjustable bias source that operates to set a gain value of the gain cell.

An electrical booster in an internal combustion engine with an exhaust gas turbocharger is activated so that the electrical booster is connected with the minimum possible power consumption. The connection of the electric booster depends on the power balance, the electric booster being activated when the instantaneously available compressor power of the exhaust gas turbocharger is insufficient to provide the necessary power.