94900 results about "Automation" patented technology

The present invention is generally directed to a system and method for monitoring and controlling a host of residential automation systems. The system is implemented by using a plurality of wireless communication devices configured to relay both data and command encoded signals through the wireless network of communication devices interposed between integrated sensors / actuators and a gateway device. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the gateway translates the data encoded signals and embeds the information in a data packet using terminal control protocol / Internet protocol to communicate the data to a computing device on a wide area network. The computing device may comprise data collection and or control algorithms as desired. The computing device may forward command signals to the gateway device. In response thereto, the gateway may convert the command signals into appropriate command encoded signals for wireless transmission to a designated actuator integrated in a residential system. The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for monitoring and controlling residential systems. In its broadest terms, the method can be described as: sensing a parameter; generating a wireless signal; traversing a wireless network to a gateway interconnected with a wide area network; communicating the parameter to a computing device on the network; generating a control signal; communicating the control signal to the gateway; converting the control signal; and broadcasting the control signal such that an appropriate actuator is energized.

Methods and systems provided herein include a cyber intelligence system, a unified application firewall, and a cloud security fabric that has enterprise APIs for connecting to the information technology infrastructure of an enterprise, developer APIs 102 for enabling developers to access capabilities of the fabric and connector APIs by which the fabric may discover information about entities relevant to the information security of the enterprise (such as events involving users, applications, and data of the enterprise occurring on a plurality of cloud-enabled platforms, including PaaS / IaaS platforms), with various modules that comprise services deployed in the cloud security fabric, such as a selective encryption module, a policy creation and automation module, a content classification as a service module, and user and entity behavior analytics modules.

A business method utilizing a system comprising one or more distributed computers, application software, off-the-shelf peripheral components including keyboard-and-mouseless data entry (KDE) devices, business processes, human and KDE device readable data, related information on removable data storage media or available from external databases, and existing communications systems for speeding and improving: 1) personal or business automation, efficiency and productivity, goal attainment; 2) improving, speeding and automating the person-computer interface; 3) selection, acquisition, and tracking usage of items acquired from an existing supply chain; 4) marketing items and retaining customers buying the products, controlling their usage, and disseminating information about the products.

To test the functionality of a computer system, automated testing may use an automation testing tool that emulates user interactions. A database may store words each having a colloquial meaning that is understood by a general population. For each of these words, the database may store associated computer instructions that can be executed to cause a computer to perform the function that is related to the meaning of the word. During testing, a word may be received having a colloquial meaning that is understood by a general population. The database may be queried for the received word and the set of computer instructions may be returned by the database. The automated testing tool may then perform the function returned to the colloquial meaning of the word. The words stored in the database may be in English or another language.

The improved building automation system of the present invention is modular in the extreme. This diminishes the amount of custom programming required in order to affect control of a particular building. It allows for a relatively open architecture which can accommodate a variety of unique control applications which are scripted for a particular building. By modularizing many of the common processes utilized in the automation system, the custom programming required to control any particular building is minimized. This modularity in design allows for uniform and coordinated control over a plurality of automation subsystems which may be incompatible with one another at the device or machine level, but which can be controlled utilizing a relatively small and uniform set of "interprocess control commands" which define an interprocess control protocol which is utilized in relatively high level scripts and control applications which may be written for a particular building.

The present invention presents embodiments of methods, systems, and computer-readable media for the retrieval, mining, filtering and visualization of information stored on a plural of computers connected to the Internet and on a local computer. Embodiments of this invention generate a conceptual search query using a description provided by a user, perform user selectable conceptual filtering of search results, concept following and link following to expand search results, search for files that may or may not contain certain information, rank concepts contained in search results or one or more files, compute relevancy rank of a file in search results, use conceptual path maps to display logic or statistical relationships among search results, monitor changes in information in a search or a file, and protect files or searches based on information contents.

A method of adding a device to an existing or new electrical or electronic automation or multimedia network. The invention facilitates adding a device to the network that can communicate using various protocols such as LonWorks, CEBus, X-10, etc. over media such as AC power line, IR, RF, twisted pair, optical fiber, etc. The method is a mechanism for adding a device to a system that can be used by an ordinary user of network capable electrical devices. The method comprises the steps an installer would perform including the handshaking that needs to occur between devices to accomplish the binding process. A Functional Profile for LonWorks networks is given as an example. This includes a Home Device profile that employs an automated explicit type messaging for all devices intended for use in a home environment. The invention includes adding to the device an install button and a visual indicator for status such as an LED. Alternatively, existing buttons and LEDs on the device may be used for installed and binding purposes. Other methods of binding can be employed by the use of wired or wireless handheld tools, remote controls, etc. Other interfaces and user feedback can be used such as touch screen, personal computers, cellular phones, PDAs, etc which can offer simple ‘virtual’ binding by the press of an icon versus the physical button on the device. The binding can be performed locally or remotely such as via LAN, WAN, Internet, etc.

The present invention is directed to security systems and methods for mobile network-based data environments. The present invention provides an integration of security, mobile computing, wireless and IT infrastructure management technology, to create a new level of automation and enforcement to enable the transparent application of mobile security across an enterprise, while embracing end user “transparency” and “ease of use” and empowering IT administration.

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.

This application describes completely in many unique ways and detail all the devices to reduce a vehicle's speed and / or reduce a machines RPM's 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.

Novel methods, components, and systems that enhance traditional techniques for detecting malicious software are presented. More specifically, methods, components, and systems that use important contextual information from a client system (such as recent history of events on that system), machine learning techniques, the automated deployment of generic signatures, and combinations thereof, to detect malicious software. The disclosed invention provides a significant improvement with regard to automation compared to previous approaches.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing the flow of semiconductor wafers through a furnace tool having a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) material handling system. The invention provides for an automated control flow to realize greater efficiency and assure process quality. In one aspect of the invention the wafer batch completing its operation is discharged simultaneous with the charging of the next batch. Essentially the operation takes place by overlapping processing operations. An embodiment of the invention includes a process comprising the steps of: providing a first batch of semiconductor material, and loading the first batch into a carrier which transports the first batch into a semiconductor manufacturing process, and while the first batch undergoes the process, forming a second batch of semiconductor material, and pausing a second batch process operation until the first batch completes processing, to reduce the idle time of said process.

A system for substantially automating transcription services for multiple voice users including a manual transcription station, a speech recognition program and a routing program. The system establishes a profile for each of the voice users containing a training status which is selected from the group of enrollment, training, automated and stop automation. When the system receives a voice dictation file from a current voice user based on the training status the system routes the voice dictation file to a manual transcription station and the speech recognition program. A human transcriptionist creates transcribed files for each received voice dictation files. The speech recognition program automatically creates a written text for each received voice dictation file if the training status of the current user is training or automated. A verbatim file is manually established if the training status of the current user is enrollment or training and the speech recognition program is trained with an acoustic model for the current user using the verbatim file and the voice dictation file if the training status of the current user is enrollment or training. The transcribed file is returned to the current user if the training status of the current user is enrollment or training or the written text is returned if the training status of the current user is automated. An apparatus and method is also disclosed for simplifying the manual establishment of the verbatim file. A method for substantially automating transcription services is also disclosed.

A system and method of home entertainment, security, surveillance, and automation control includes a plurality of remote devices, a display device, and various user input devices capable of receiving a home user's commands. The system further includes a main control unit capable of controlling and programming the system, and a communication link capable of transferring various data and control signals between the main unit and the plurality of remote devices. The home user's command enables to select the remote devices, to transmit various automation control signals, and to establish exchanges of various data between the main control unit and at least one of the plurality of remote devices. Finally, the communication link between the main control unit and the remote devices includes power line communication network over existing home AC power line. The home user is also able to control and communicate with the system at remote location over the Internet.

A home control and automation system and method. The system generally includes one or more wireless remote controls, a plurality of appliances (including network enabled appliances and traditional legacy appliances in the exemplary system), associated control centric devices, and associated content centric devices. Various methods for control and operation of appliances in the networked home control and automation environment are disclosed. Specifically, methods are disclosed which enable advanced home control features such as location based control setup and operation, network enabled legacy appliances and system integration, save and recall capabilities for appliance and media states, generic command based appliance controls, dynamic / complex macro command generation, and Internet based control capabilities from remote locations are disclosed in conjunction with the system of the current invention.

The present invention is directed to security systems and methods for mobile network-based data environments. The present invention provides an integration of security, mobile computing, wireless and IT infrastructure management technology, to create a new level of automation and enforcement to enable the transparent application of mobile security across an enterprise, while embracing end user “transparency” and “ease of use” and empowering IT administration.

The present invention presents embodiments of methods, systems, and computer-readable media for the retrieval, mining, filtering and visualization of information stored on a plural of computers connected to the Internet and on a local computer. Embodiments of this invention generate a conceptual search query using a description provided by a user, perform user selectable conceptual filtering of search results, concept following and link following to expand search results, search for files that may or may not contain certain information, rank concepts contained in search results or one or more files, compute relevancy rank of a file in search results, use conceptual path maps to display logic or statistical relationships among search results, monitor changes in information in a search or a file, and protect files or searches based on information contents.

A transaction automation and archival system is provided for controlling, real-time logging, and archiving complex commercial transactions such as the purchase and financing of an automobile. The heart of the system is an electronic contract disclosure unit, or ECDU. The ECDU includes a digitizing display that includes a video display for imaging to participants the various documents involved in the transaction and a digitizer for allowing participants to sign, indicate choices, and otherwise interact directly on documents and images presented on the display. A computer controls the entire progress of the transaction, and thus controls the collaborative space occupied by the participants to the transaction. The computer, for instance, controls the order of presentation of documents to a vehicle purchaser, receives the purchaser's signature on the displayed documents when required, offers choices of various packages that can be accepted or declined by the purchaser, and insures that the entire transaction is carried out properly. The ECDU further logs the transaction for future review and preferably includes a video camera and microphone for logging images and sounds of the participants during the transaction. One or more fingerprint readers are associated with the digitizing display for allowing participants to select between options by pressing their thumb or finger on the reader, which simultaneously verifies the identity of the individual making the selection through the fingerprint.

An automated server based system for monitoring, reading, controlling as well as switching gases, liquids and electric power is provided for use in remote Automated Meter Reading (AMR) industry for water, gas and electric power utilities, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA); Security, Safety and Fire Alarm Systems (SSFA) and Home and Industrial Automation (HIA), in connection with appliances and equipment of all kinds.

A method to systematically analyze a next generation telecommunications network to result in creating a provisioning plan for provisioning the network to provide services for one or more subscribers. In one specific embodiment, the method involves creating and storing information that represents a logical decomposition of the next generation network into a plurality of discrete functional areas. The information representing the functional areas is analyzed to identify one or more provisioning requirements for each of the functional areas. One or more provisioning procedures are determined, and one or more required provisioning tools are identified for each of the functional areas, based on the provisioning requirements. A sequence of execution of the procedures and tools is created and stored as a provisioning plan.

An security system for an enterprise network and data automates the revision, deployment, enforcement, auditing and control of security policies on mobile devices connected to said enterprise network, through automated communication between a security policy server and the mobile device. Control of the security system is centralized through administrative control of security policies stored on the security policy server. Automation of deployment of security policies to mobile devices occurs through transparent background communication and transfer of updated policies either triggered by a change in a security policy within the central repository of security policies or upon the expiration of a certain time period during which no policies were downloaded to the mobile device. When the mobile device is not in compliance with a security policy, a software security agent operating thereon limits access to said enterprise network and enterprise data. To aid in preventing the overwhelming of the enterprise network and the security policy server as a result of to many synchronization communications coming from too many mobile devices, a randomized timer is set by the software security agent upon receipt by the mobile device of a synchronization command from the security policy server.

A system for providing communications with a plurality of power distribution equipment via a broadband over power line communication system that provides broadband internet access to a plurality of consumers is provided. In one embodiment, the system may include a computer system having executable program code executable to generate control messages for controlling the plurality of power distribution automation equipment and a plurality of interface devices, wherein each interface device is communicatively coupled to one or more of the plurality of power distribution equipment. The computer system may be configured to transmit control messages to the plurality of power distribution equipment via a communication path that includes the broadband over power line communication system and the plurality of interface devices.

The invention discloses methods and apparatus based on tabular concepts which greatly simplify the configuration, maintenance and run-time operations of a broad range of electronic equipment control systems, including, but not limited to: (a) industrial controls, (b) supervisory control and data acquisition, such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and (c) home automation, including systems or stand-alone equipment, such as video recording devices. The tabular concepts of the invention are applied in three primary stages, namely (i) data input or configuration, including automated data population, (ii) generic operating rule application to tables of rules data variables, and (iii) English (or other) language translations of the current rule sets, for ease of verification. By each of these methods alone and through combination of all of these methods, the current invention makes the configuration and operation of automated equipment easily accessible to persons who do not have technical skills in either process control, automation, or software programming. Development of software for automatic control of equipment is also greatly simplified by these inventions.

A method and apparatus for switching AC appliances and lights of residences and other automation systems through SPDT or DPDT relays connected in electrical circuit with SPDT or DPDT switch including a current sensor and / or a status sensor. The operating key of the relay and the key lever of the electric switch can each be used for operating a dedicated appliance or light, a group of appliance and lights and all appliance and / or lights including scenarios setup via the many well known two way, three way or four way light switches, by operating the switch lever or key in multi steps. The SPDT or DPDT relays are operated via RF, IR and fiber optic communicating two way signal for operating the lights and reporting statuses.

A single platform for controller functionality for each of security, monitoring and automation, as well as providing a capacity to function as a bidirectional Internet gateway, is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by virtue of a configurable architecture that enables a user to adapt the system for the user's specific needs. Embodiments of the present invention further provide for remote access to the configurable controller, thereby providing for remote monitoring of the state of a dwelling and for remote control of home automation.

The present invention relates to a system and methodology facilitating automation security in a networked-based industrial controller environment. Various components, systems and methodologies are provided to facilitate varying levels of automation security in accordance with security analysis tools, security validation tools and / or security learning systems. The security analysis tool receives abstract factory models or descriptions for input and generates an output that can include security guidelines, components, topologies, procedures, rules, policies, and the like for deployment in an automation security network. The validation tools are operative in the automation security network, wherein the tools perform security checking and / or auditing functions, for example, to determine if security components are in place and / or in suitable working order. The security learning system monitors / learns network traffic patterns during a learning phase, fires alarms or events based upon detected deviations from the learned patterns, and / or causes other automated actions to occur.

A workspace security system having processors, sensors, and actuators for local and remote monitoring, control, and automation of physical and environmental security, safety, efficiency, and productivity. The system includes passive and active access authentication devices and active or passive unlocking and lockdown of office furniture components, work sites, and facilities. The system may include multilevel authentication credentials, automatic lockdown of office furniture and other components based on the proximity of credentials, and video or other imaging systems to detect and record motion.

Systems and methods for customizing business logic rules within a business process automation system and for processing business logic rules in a business process automation system are disclosed. The method for customizing business rules of a business logic application generally comprises serving a content page to a client browser of a client by a server that allows entering and modifying of data relating to a business logic rule, generating data by the server according to a predefined format such as a predefined XML format from information received via the content page, and automatically committing the generated data in the predefined format into a database. Preferably, a verification process such as by using DTDs (Document Type Definitions) is performed by the server prior to committing the data. The database stores data including data relating to business logic rules for implementing business logic as entries in the database and the generated data is committed into a corresponding entry in the database. Upon committing, the committed database business rule entry is ready for execution by the business logic application.

A software application for enabling creation and execution of an automated browser navigation sequence is provided. The software application comprises a session recording module for recording parameters associated with a manual navigation sequence, a file creation module for converting data of a manual session into data comprising an executable sequence of instructions for conducting an automated navigation sequence, and an application-program-interface module for integrating a functional capability with the automated navigation sequence. The automated navigation sequence is characterized in that a completely automated browser-navigation sequence performed by the browser application is enabled through execution of the executable instruction sequence created from the recorded parameters of the manual navigation sequence.