72results about How to "Minimize cost" patented technology

A method and system for improving the efficiency of speech transcription by automating the management of a varying pool of human and machine transcribers having diverse qualifications, skills, and reliability for a fluctuating load of speech transcription tasks of diverse requirements such as accuracy, promptness, privacy, and security, from sources of diverse characteristics such as language, dialect, accent, speech style, voice type, vocabulary, audio quality, and duration.

A system and method for controlling distributed generation equipment based on remotely derived dispatch schemes improves economics and reliability of operation. The system can adapt to variable changing conditions in real-time to provide adaptable, real-time, site-specific load forecasting. The present invention can include one or more local site controller component(s) for receiving dispatch instructions and comparing the instructions to local information to further optimize operating instructions.

A tactile device includes a touch input surface in any number of forms including a force sensitive touch screen. In this embodiment a cover captures a transparent screen located on capacitive sensors. Touching the screen produces signals from each sensor that can be combined to identify the location of the touch and the force exerted by that touch.

An ad-hoc network includes an ad-hoc network coordinator (NC) having a first processor, a first memory, and a first communication interface; and a plurality of ad-hoc network devices (NDs). Each of the NDs includes a second processor, a second memory, and a second communication interface structured to communicate with the first communication interface of the NC or with the second communication interface of at least another one of the NDs. The first processor cooperates with at least some of the NDs to globally optimize a route based on a plurality of link costs for: (i) pairs of the NDs, or (ii) pairs of the NDs and at least one pair including one of the NDs and the NC, in order to minimize cost along the route that: (a) one of the NDs or the NC employs to send a packet to: (b) another one of the NDs or the NC.

A power distribution monitoring system includes a number of power line mounted monitors. Each monitor can acquire data regarding the delivery of electrical power in the power line, wirelessly transmit and receive messages, and electromagnetically acquire and store operating electrical power from electrical current flowing in the power line. The system also includes an aggregator that can wirelessly transmit and receive messages and wirelessly output beacon messages. In response to beacon signals wirelessly output by the aggregator, each monitor co-acts with the aggregator to dynamically build a wireless communication network for the wireless communication of the data acquired by the monitor regarding the delivery of electrical power in the power line to the aggregator.

Provided is a method and system for determining a position of a mobile communication device in a mobile communication network, the method including the steps of: dividing an area covered by the mobile communication network into a plurality of grids and collecting a first base station signal information with respect to each of the divided grids; storing and maintaining the collected first base station signal information in association with position information of the grids in a database; measuring a second base station signal information received by the mobile communication device; comparing the second base station signal information with the first base station signal information to find position information corresponding to the second base station signal information in the database; and generating final position information of the mobile communication device based on the position information found in the database.

System and method for integrated circuit manufacturing. A preferred embodiment comprises transmitting a first set of data to integrated circuits (ICs) while they are in an on-wafer state and having each IC store the first set of data into memory, transmitting a second set of data to the ICs and having the ICs compare the second set of data with the first set of data stored in the memory, reading out the results of the comparisons, and marking an IC as being defective if the comparison indicates that that the first set of data did not match the second set of data. Each IC features an antenna formed in the scribe line region adjacent to the IC so that communications can take place while the IC remains on the wafer without the need to use electrical probes.

A meniscus combiner for a head up display (HUD) system. The meniscus combiner includes a meniscus lens; a multi-layer dichroic coating formed on a first surface of the meniscus lens; and, an anti-reflection coating formed on a second, opposite surface of the meniscus lens. The meniscus combiner preferably utilizes a non-symmetric aspheric meniscus lens which simplifies the optical system of the image source (overhead or in-dash unit) minimizing aberrations and minimizing costs. The meniscus combiner may be fabricated utilizing a number of lens sections which may be bonded together and blended. Use of multiple lens sections provides the ability to easily optimize the lens design. Alternatively, the meniscus combiner can be fabricated from a single lens.

An energy optimization method and control apparatus may be used in a single building or a group of buildings to optimize utility-supplied and renewable sources in order to minimize the total energy cost. Simultaneously, it may also produce and store hydrogen gas that can be used to fuel hydrogen powered vehicles, provide a means for independent production of electricity and thermal energy, or both. Various factors, such as the production of thermal energy and electricity from the renewable sources, the current store of hydrogen, the current and expected thermal and electricity requirements of the building (based on a profile), the current and expected electricity loads of the equipment used to process hydrogen, the expected thermal and electricity generating capacity of the renewable sources and other factors can be used to determine the mix of renewable-based and utility-based energy that minimizes the total energy cost.

A power supply system between a power supply and an electrical load uses a plurality of battery modules which may be different in configuration from one another. The system assesses one or more state variables for each battery module to indicate a health status of the battery module. The variable indicative of the health status typically includes: i) a residual ability of the battery module to accept electric charge, ii) a residual capacity of the battery module to hold electric charge, iii) an internal resistance of the battery module, iv) a conductance of the battery module, v) a capacitance of the battery module, vi) a rate of charge of the battery module, vii) a rate of discharge of the battery module under load, or viii) a rate of self-discharge of the battery module. The system then generates unique charging and discharging criteria for each battery module which is specifically derived from the health status of the battery module.

System and methods for autonomous resource partitioning in a network include a resource controller configured to provision resources which are any of virtual resources and physical resources in one or more layers in the network and monitor availability of the resources in the network; a resource manager configured to determine the any of virtual resources and physical resources as required for Quality of Service (QoS) in the network; a resource broker configured to advertise and assign resource requests to corresponding resources; and a partition manager configured to track the utilization of the resources provided by the one or more layers and to adjust resource usage of the resources in negotiation with the resource broker to minimize a cost of implementation.

A method and system is provided for optimizing the performance of a power generation and distribution system that monitors the performance of a power system, detects disturbances and calculates statistical information, uses historical performance data and economic factors to analyze and control the production of power. Load demands are predicted by utilizing very short term load forecasts that are based on historical load data, demand patterns and short term load forecasts. Generating units are each assigned a temporal trajectory of output power over consecutive time intervals. The allocation of available resources is assigned so as to minimize costs associated with meeting changing loads.

A method and apparatus for supplying a customer with a footbed. A kiosk provides measurements of a consumer's feet with a self-guided display by using both pressure measurements and scanning of the feet. The measurement information is converted to identify which of the preselected and stocked components proximate the kiosk can be combined to provide an appropriate footbed for the consumer.

An optimized operating schedule is obtained while avoiding a complexity of formulation and optimization in response to an incentive type demand response. A device includes an energy predictor 10 setting a predicted value of energy of a control-target device 2 within a predetermined future period, a schedule optimizer 11 optimizing the operating schedule of the control-target device 2 within the predetermined period in accordance with a predetermined evaluation barometer, an incentive acceptance determiner 12 determining a time with a possibility that an incentive is receivable, an electricity suppressing schedule optimizer 13 optimizing, for a time with a possibility that the incentive is receivable, the operating schedule of the control-target device 2 based on a unit price of electricity fee having a unit price for calculating the incentive taken into consideration, and an adopted schedule selector 14 selecting either one of the operating schedules.

A system for, and method of, configuring border gateway selection for transit traffic flows in a computer network. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a border gateway modeler that builds a model of cooperating border gateways, the model including capacities of the border gateways and (2) a traffic flow optimizer, associated with the border gateway modeler, that initially assigns traffic to the border gateways in accordance with a generalized assignment problem and subsequently reassigns the traffic to the border gateways based on cost until the capacities are respected.

Provided is a two-actor user authentication system with a reduced risk of leakage of authentication information.The two-factor user authentication system is designed to use, as a password, a one-time-password derivation rule to be applied to certain pattern elements included in a presentation pattern at specific positions so as to create a one-time password, and further use, as a second authentication factor, information identifying a client to be used by a user. An authentication server is operable to generate a pattern seed value adapted to uniquely specify a presentation pattern in combination with a client ID, and transmit the pattern seed value to an authentication-requesting client. The authentication-requesting client is operable to create a presentation pattern based on a client ID acquired therefrom, and display the presentation pattern to allow a user to enter thereinto a one-time password based on the presentation pattern.

Disclosed is a method of updating software for a vehicle. The method includes determining whether a vehicle terminal of the vehicle is running out-of-date software; selecting a target vehicle among neighboring vehicles via wireless communication, wherein the target vehicle is running updated software; receiving a shared update file from the target vehicle via wireless communication, the shared update file based on the updated software; storing the shared update file; and updating the out-of-date software using the shared updated file.

A camera calibration system for cameras of a vehicle includes a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view exterior of the vehicle, with the fields of view of two of the cameras overlapping. While the vehicle is moving, an image processor of a control processes image data captured by the two cameras to determine and track matching features in an overlapping region of the fields of view of the two cameras. The control, responsive to image processing of image data captured by the two cameras, determines motion of matching features and minimizes a cost function of the error in the matching of the features. The camera calibration system uses the determined minimized cost function to refine calibration results of the two cameras using a feedback loop.

A consumable part, for use inside a chamber where plasma is used to process a semiconductor substrate, includes a body and a trigger feature. The body has a surface configured to be exposed to the plasma during processing in the chamber, and the trigger feature is integrated within the body. The trigger feature includes a void disposed under the surface of the body, where the void is configured to become visible when the surface is eroded from exposure to the plasma over time. The void becoming visible is an identifiable feature on the surface of the body that indicates a wear level for the consumable part, the wear level being associated with an amount of processing time remaining for the consumable part.

A repeating cell frame for a battery pack assembly is disclosed having a cooling module and a spacer module. The cooling module includes a frame having a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector disposed thereon, wherein a first battery cell includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the first electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the second electrical connector. The spacer module includes a frame having a third electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector disposed thereon, wherein a second battery cell includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the third electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the fourth electrical connector. The third electrical connector of the spacer module is releasably joined to the second electrical connector of the cooling module to form the repeating cell frame.

A muzzle brake assembly for a firearm provides several benefits including an ability to reduce firearm recoil by redirecting the propellant gases and reshaping the pressure wave in a new manner, reduction or substantial elimination of muzzle movement upon discharge, lessening the acoustic signature of the firearm closer to non-braked levels and relatively easy and low cost to manufacture by current machining practices thereby minimizing cost of manufacturing. Ports in the muzzle brake assembly are arranged opposing one another about a circumference of the muzzle brake assembly.

An electronic design automation method of placing circuit components of an integrated circuit (“IC”) is provided. A synthesized circuit netlist including one or more soft macros is received and a rough global placement of this netlist is performed. A shaper function is determined. The shaper function evaluates a cost of a current placement of the one or more soft macros based on one or more constraints and one or more penalty functions which are associated with the one or more constraints. Moreover, the current placement is optimized to produce a subsequent placement of the one or more soft macros by minimizing the cost. Furthermore, where the netlist includes one or more hard macros, a legalization requirement is applied to the one or more hard macros.

A method for producing a hydrogen enriched fuel and carbon nanotubes includes the steps of providing a flow of methane gas, and providing a catalyst mixture comprising a Fe based catalyst and carbon. The method also includes the steps of pretreating the catalyst mixture using microwave irradiation and exposure to CH4, heating the catalyst mixture and the methane gas using microwave irradiation at a selected microwave power, directing the flow of methane gas over the catalyst mixture, and controlling the microwave power to produce a product gas having a selected composition and the carbon nanotubes. For producing multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) only a flow of methane gas into the reactor is required. For producing single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), a combination of hydrogen gas and methane gas into the reactor is required.

Dynamic Multi-sourced Persisted Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) instances are dynamically created on aJ2EE compliant Application Server to access data contained in multiple data source systems. This Dynamic Multi-sourced Persisted EJB is a general class responsible for dynamically aggregating source system information and caching it based on a Context definition. Individual EJB attributes that include mapping, caching and security definitions are mapped to individual pieces of data in source systems by the Context definition. A caching definition can be reloaded during execution as desired. Applications can access the Dynamic Multi-sourced Persisted EJB directly, or use a Session EJB to create a static interface to the dynamically mapped, cached and secured data. Bi-directional synchronization of the cache between client and source system data and modifications of data attributes are achieved without recoding, recompiling and redeploying of custom coded solutions.

A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer program product provide the ability to optimize a transport alignment. Terrain data, constraint data, and cost data are read. Terrain pixels having elevation values are organized and stored in a first grid structure with rows and columns that enable efficient access to each terrain pixel. One or more raster layers of a same dimension and orientation as the first grid structure are created. A starting alignment is obtained. The starting alignment is then optimized using the one or more raster layers.

A seat structure is provided for disposing below an assembly in order to support the assembly from underneath. The assembly has a base portion formed with an opening. The seat structure includes a bottom seat for placing within the opening in the base portion and a plurality of flexible connecting elements. Each flexible connecting element includes an outer bent end connected to a periphery confining the opening in the base portion, an inner bent end connected to the bottom seat and a main body between the outer and inner bent ends. The vibration of the assembly is absorbed by the seat structure to provide stability to the assembly.

A downhole system including a downhole device for data acquisition during fracing operations is disclosed. It includes a bypass device (102) operatively coupleable to for instance a frac plug (10) and is adapted to allow downhole fluid flow through the bypass device (102) and frac plug (10) but also permits the closure of that path whilst providing at least one second fluid path (120) for fluid communication between at least one data acquisition device (108) provided to detect at least one physical property such as pressure and a region inside the wellbore located uphole of the bypass device (102).