1936 results about "Overall efficiency" patented technology

A power subsystem is actively optimized to improve total subsystem efficiency in a way that is responsive to changes in load requirements, power supply variations, and subsystem temperature variations. Detailed, multidimensional power loss models are developed for constituent devices which are then combined into a power subsystem containing a controller and circuity for measuring device operating parameters such as input and output voltage, output current, and temperature. Operating parameters are continually monitored, and set points are correspondingly changed based on the detailed power loss models to achieve maximum overall efficiency for the instantaneous operating state of the system.

An optoelectronic component has a lens that is formed in the surface of an encapsulant surrounding a semiconductor diode element. With respect to emitters, the lens reduces internal reflection and reduces dispersion to increase overall efficiency. With respect to detectors, the lens focuses photons on the active area of the detector, increasing detector sensitivity, which allows a detector having a reduced size and reduced cost for a given application. The lens portion of the encapsulant is generally nonprotruding from the surrounding portions of the encapsulant reducing contact surface pressure caused by the optoelectronic component. This non-protruding lens is particularly useful in pulse oximetry sensor applications. The lens is advantageously formed with a contoured-tip ejector pin incorporated into the encapsulant transfer mold, and the lens shape facilitates mold release.

The present invention provides a method and system for efficiently producing hydrogen that can be supplied to a fuel cell. The method and system of the present invention produces hydrogen in a reforming reactor using a hydrocarbon stream and water vapor stream as reactants. The hydrogen produced is purified in a hydrogen separating membrane to form a retentate stream and purified hydrogen stream. The purified hydrogen can then be fed to a fuel cell where electrical energy is produced and a fuel cell exhaust stream containing water vapor and oxygen depleted air is emitted. In one embodiment of the present invention, a means and method is provided for recycling a portion of the retentate stream to the reforming reactor for increased hydrogen yields. In another embodiment, a combustor is provided for combusting a second portion of the retentate stream to provide heat to the reforming reaction or other reactants. In a preferred embodiment, the combustion is carried out in the presence of at least a portion of the oxygen depleted air stream from the fuel cell. Thus, the system and method of the present invention advantageously uses products generated from the system to enhance the overall efficiency of the system.

The Electric Power Converter has the qualifications for an uninterruptable power supply, battery management, energy conversion, micro-grid formation, Power Factor Correction including Total Harmonic Distortion correction in real time. Uninterruptable power supply's use is for always-on, real-time, all-time, reduced distortion with functions of load reduction and management during peak load events. The Electric Power Converter as well has the ability to provide maintenance for most types of batteries including charging and discharge regiments to increase the overall lifetime of a battery, the maintenance, incorporating restorative functions that can refurbish dead batteries or can further increase the overall efficiency and useful function of weaker / aged / defective batteries. Energy conversion capabilities allow for the conversion of AC or DC to AC or DC with high efficiency and ability to actively vary the frequency in accordance to the required parameters. The Electric Power Converter is able to establish and sustain a micro-grid with multiple and varying sources of power generation and load conditions. The Electric Power Converter is achieving dynamic, real-time, interactive Power Factor Correction (PFC) function with advanced voltage harmonic distortion correction with a high efficiency ratio. The Electric Power converter is designed to function with the emerging Smart Grid technologies and provide an overall higher level of operating efficiency and higher quality of electrical power.

Multi-mode WLAN / PAN MAC. A novel solution is presented in which a MAC (Medium Access Controller) is implemented that includes multiple functionality types. This MAC may include functionality supporting communication according to one or more of the IEEE 802.11 WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) related standards and also to one or more of the standards generated by the IEEE 802.15.3 PAN (Personal Area Network) working group. By providing this dual functionality of a multi-mode WLAN / PAN MAC, a communication device may adaptively change the manner in which it communicates with other communication devices. For example, in an effort to maximize throughput and overall efficiency of communication within a communication system, certain of the various devices may change from using the WLAN related standards to using the PAN related standards, and vice versa, based on any one or more of a variety of operational parameters including system configuration.

Methods and apparatus are provided for determining the duty cycle, average amperage, and / or the number of arc starts during a welding operation. The apparatus comprises first and second circuits, the first circuit being a CPU control circuit, and the second circuit being an arc time sensor circuit which is programmed to measure amperage, welding wire feed speed and preferably gas flow rates while welding. A ratio of the cumulative welding time during the audit to the total on-time provides a measurement of the efficiency of the welding arc. The welding deposition efficiency may then be calculated using the average amperage and welding duty cycle as measured and calculated by the apparatus. The number of arc starts where the arc on-time is in excess of one second may also provide a useable measurement in giving secondary information on the overall efficiency of the welding operation.

A method for calling an application module and a mobile terminal thereof are provided in the present document, which can call the application module quickly during text editing. The method includes that: during the text editing, after the mobile terminal detects an identifier for calling an application, it determines that conditions for calling the application module are satisfied and calls the application module. The conditions include receiving a command from user to confirm calling the application. The mobile terminal includes a detecting module, a condition judging module and a calling module. The embodiments of the present invention call each application module instantly during the text inputting, and in addition, the final required data are inserted directly into the text editing position to reduce users' operation procedures, thus greatly improving friendliness of man-machine interaction, the overall efficiency, speed and convenience of input, and making users' input experience improved dramatically.

Systems and methods for activating devices such as RFID tags includes activating a device if an activate command matches a value stored on the device. The activate command can also define which mode of operation or state the device will initiation in, and whether an additional function or functions is to be performed upon activation. Activate commands can also be dynamically assigned to devices in order to increase overall efficiency.

The overall efficiency of a regenerative bed reverse flow reactor system is increased where the location of the exothermic reaction used for regeneration is suitably controlled. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the combustion to improve the thermal efficiency of bed regeneration in a cyclic reaction / regeneration processes. The process for thermal regeneration of a regenerative reactor bed entails(a) supplying the first reactant through a first channel means in a first regenerative bed and supplying at least a second reactant through a second channel means in the first regenerative bed,(b) combining said first and second reactants by a gas mixing means situated at an exit of the first regenerative bed and reacting the combined gas to produce a heated reaction product,(c) passing the heated reaction product through a second regenerative bed thereby transferring heat from the reaction product to the second regenerative bed.

The invention discloses a parking information management and intelligent parking communication system and method. The system includes a personal mobile terminal, a garage management terminal, and a cloud server. The garage management terminal includes a garage total controller, a garage module and parking lot entrance-exit control module. The garage module includes a first controller, a vehicle entrance unit, a vehicle information unit, a vehicle exit unit. The parking lot entrance-exit control module includes a second controller, an obstacle detector, a parking stall lock driving device, a loudspeaker, a second camera, a parking stall monitor, a vehicle obstacle controller, a second timer, and an indicator light controller. The system, in view of two aspects including user convenience degree and parking lot utilization rate, enables all steps that can be simplified in a parking process to be processed by a cloud server, greatly avoids mistakes of manual operation, and optimizes the original parking system of the parking lot so as to improve the overall efficiency of the parking lot.

A power generation plant with a compressed air energy storage system comprises a means to reduce the pressure of air extracted from a compressed air storage cavern for the use in a combustion turbine. The means to reduce the air pressure comprises at least one expansion turbine and means to control the size of pressure reduction. Furthermore, the expansion turbine is arranged on a rotor shaft that drives a generator. The means for pressure redact, according to the invention, avoid power losses and provide an increased overall efficiency of the power generation plant.

The present invention, generally speaking, provides methods and apparatus for producing an amplitude modulated communications signal, in which a constant-envelope carrier signal is modified in response to a power control signal to produce a modified constant-envelope carrier signal. The modified constant-envelope carrier signal is amplified in response to an amplitude modulation signal to produce a communications signal having amplitude modulation and having an average output power proportional to a signal level of the modified constant-envelope carrier signal. This manner of operation allows wide dynamic range of average output power to be achieved. Because amplitude modulation is applied after amplitude varying circuitry used to produce the modified constant-envelope carrier signal, the amplitude modulation is unaffected by possible non-linearities of such circuitry. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, operation in the foregoing manner at comparatively low average output power levels is combined with switch mode operation at comparatively high average output power levels, enabling high overall efficiency to be achieved. Hence, the disclosed modulator and amplifier combination, in addition to supporting very low power signals, also supports high power signals.

A premixed charge compression ignition engine, and a control system, is provided which effectively initiates combustion by compression ignition and maintains stable combustion while achieving extremely low nitrous oxide emissions, good overall efficiency and acceptable combustion noise and cylinder pressures. The present engine and control system effectively controls the combustion history, that is, the time at which combustion occurs, the rate of combustion, the duration of combustion and / or the completeness of combustion, by controlling the operation of certain control variables providing temperature control, pressure control, control of the mixture's autoignition properties and equivalence ratio control. The combustion control system provides active feedback control of the combustion event and includes a sensor, e.g. pressure sensor, for detecting an engine operating condition indicative of the combustion history, e.g. the start of combustion, and generating an associated engine operating condition signal. A processor receives the signal and generates control signals based on the engine operating condition signal for controlling various engine components to control the temperature, pressure, equivalence ratio and / or autoignition properties so as to variably control the combustion history of future combustion events to achieve stable, low emission combustion in each cylinder and combustion balancing between the cylinders.

The overall efficiency of a regenerative bed reverse flow reactor system is increased where the location of the exothermic reaction used for regeneration is suitably controlled. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the combustion to improve the thermal efficiency of bed regeneration in a cyclic reaction / regeneration processes. The process for thermal regeneration of a regenerative reactor bed entails(a) supplying the first reactant through a first channel means in a first regenerative bed and supplying at least a second reactant through a second channel means in the first regenerative bed,(b) combining said first and second reactants by a gas mixing means situated at an exit of the first regenerative bed and reacting the combined gas to produce a heated reaction product,(c) passing the heated reaction product through a second regenerative bed thereby transferring heat from the reaction product to the second regenerative bed.

Systems and methods for turbocharging an internal combustion engine include operating two turbochargers in a series configuration for a first operating region and a parallel configuration for a second operating region. Systems and methods for controlling exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in a turbocharged internal combustion engine provide low pressure EGR upstream of a compressor inlet for a first operating region and high pressure EGR downstream of a compressor outlet for a second operating range to further improve turbocharger operating margin and overall efficiency.

An intelligent communications capability that enhances legacy military tactical datalink systems by creating an interface between disparate civil and military communications systems onboard military aircraft, ground vehicles, and ground-based communications infrastructures. This capability performs various information management tasks to interface with avionics systems, ground vehicle computer systems, and ground-based infrastructure computer systems. The invention enhances message processing through automation in areas such as data collection, incoming message handling, outgoing message construction, communications network management, and message priority management and routing. The invention also incorporates learning techniques to improve the overall efficiency of integrated military missions, operations, and maintenance in areas such as intelligent consolidation of datalink information, intelligent message distribution, and adaptive message re-routing in response to communications network failures. These enhancements will benefit the military by improving mission effectiveness with real-time information integration and management while reducing their support costs.

Track and track / vehicle analyzers for determining geometric parameters of tracks, determining the relation of tracks to vehicles and trains, analyzing the parameters in real-time, and communicating corrective measures to various control mechanisms are provided. In one embodiment, the track analyzer includes a track detector and a computing device. In another embodiment, the track / vehicle analyzer includes a track detector, a vehicle detector, and a computing device. In other embodiments, the track / vehicle detector also includes a communications device for communicating with locomotive control computers in lead units, locomotive control computers in helper units, and a centralized control office. Additionally, methods for determining and communicating optimized control, lubrication, and steering strategies are provided. The analyzers improve operational safety and overall efficiency, including fuel efficiency, vehicle wheel wear, and track wear, in railroad systems.

According to an embodiment, a biomass conversion subsystem produces methane and / or alcohol and residual biomass. A pyrolysis or a gasification subsystem is used to produce thermal energy and / or process gasses. The thermal energy may be stored thermal energy in the form of a pyrolysis oil. A fuel conversion subsystem produces liquid hydrocarbon fuels from the methane and / or alcohol using thermal energy and / or process gasses produced by the gasification or pyrolysis subsystem. Because the biomass production system integrates the residual products from biomass conversion and the residual thermal energy from pyrolysis or gasification, the overall efficiency of the integrated biomass production system is greatly enhanced.

A burst mode resonant power converter with high conversion efficiency has a rectifier, a power factor correction circuit, a resonant circuit, a controller, and a burst mode triggering unit. The maximum frequency switching end of the controller is connected to a maximum frequency variable circuit. When the load is medium or heavy, the maximum frequency variable circuit increases the maximum switch frequency of the controller. When the load is in the no-load or the light conditions, it reduces the maximum switch frequency thereof. Therefore, the controller reduces the number of times that the resonant circuit switches the bridge switch circuit. The conduction cycle of the 50% pulse signal output to the bridge switch circuit becomes longer. Larger energy can be transmitted at a time to the secondary coil of the transformer. This increases the overall efficiency.

The embodiment of the invention provides a taxi service providing method, a server and a system. The method includes the steps of receiving taxi calling request information sent by a passenger client, and selecting at least one service taxi on the basis of distance, deadhead conditions, road conditions, passenger preference information and service taxi assessment information; feeding back received vehicle information corresponding to at least one vehicle-mounted terminal receiving an order to the passenger client sending a taxi calling request; receiving information, fed back by the passenger client, of the service taxi selected by a passenger according to the vehicle information, and forwarding order success information to the vehicle-mounted terminal of the service taxi selected by the passenger. Preference of the passenger to service taxis and work wills of drivers of the service taxis are fully taken into consideration, the service taxi satisfying the passenger and good in service is sent to provide taxi calling service to the passenger, use experience of users is improved, meanwhile, the success rate of taxi calling transactions is guaranteed, and overall efficiency of the taxis calling service provided by taxi calling software is improved.

A system and method for associating a personalized application tool and / or service in response to data supplied by any number of search requests is disclosed. The present invention in some preferred embodiments integrates a Session Manager (0701), Tool / Service Integrator (0702), Result Analyzer (0703), Registration Manager (0704), and a Request Server (0705) in conjunction with a DTD Schema (0707), a Tool / Services Database (0706), and an Optional Accounting Manager (0708). Several preferred embodiments of the present invention are configured to process user search requests (0711) comprising Internet search queries (0712) that are subsequently processed by an Internet Search Engine (0713) under control of a Session Manger (0701). The focus of the present invention is to permit brokering of search results post-processing tools and / or services, thus improving the overall efficiency of the searching and data analysis functions by a given user.

The subject invention leverages threshold-based strategies applied to relational data to facilitate in determining an optimal execution plan for top-k selection queries. These strategies utilize a given query and relational data metadata to identify possible execution plans. This allows alternatives to scanning techniques to be considered in order to further enhance the overall efficiency of the optimal execution plan. A query optimizer can prune, for example, the alternative execution plans during enumeration of the plan space and / or during cost evaluations of the possible alternative execution plans. A cost model for the query optimizer can utilize a cost function based on an approximation of the number of iterations required to complete a threshold-based strategy.

A system and methods for encouraging a user to continue recycling behavior through various rewards systems and economic benefits, each of which contribute to the overall efficiency and sustainability of a recycling program. The system includes both hardware and software components that are adapted to receive, quantify and assess the quality of recyclable goods. Further, a method includes cooperating with the system to provide users with economic incentives to increase both the quantity and the quality for recycling. Further still, a method includes steps of receiving recyclables from a recyclables container associated with a user, electronically capturing data relating to individual recycled items, and providing a benefit to the user associated with the recyclables container in response to both the quantity and the quality of the recyclables received.

According to an embodiment, a biomass conversion subsystem produces methane and / or alcohol and residual biomass. A pyrolysis or a gasification subsystem is used to produce thermal energy and / or process gasses. The thermal energy may be stored thermal energy in the form of a pyrolysis oil. A fuel conversion subsystem produces liquid hydrocarbon fuels from the methane and / or alcohol using thermal energy and / or process gasses produced by the gasification or pyrolysis subsystem. Because the biomass production system integrates the residual products from biomass conversion and the residual thermal energy from pyrolysis or gasification, the overall efficiency of the integrated biomass production system is greatly enhanced.

Direct drive electromechanical rotary-to-linear actuators include one or more electric motors mounted in a housing. Each motor includes a stator and a rotor. The motor drives a planetary drive mechanism that includes an elongated central shaft having one or more helical threads on an external surface coupled to the rotor for conjoint rotation. A planetary nut having helical threads on an internal surface is disposed concentric to the shaft, and a plurality of planetary rollers are disposed concentrically between the shaft and the planetary nut. Each of the rollers has a helical thread on an external surface that is complementary to and in engagement with a thread of the shaft and a thread of the nut. Rotation of the rotor is converted with mechanical advantage into linear movement of the planetary nut. The actuators provide backlash-free operation, higher stiffnesses, slew rates and frequency responses, and better overall efficiency.

The present invention discloses a condensing heat-exchange copper tube for a flooded type electrical refrigeration unit, which comprises a smooth surface portion, a finned portion provided with plurality of fins and a transitional portion connecting the smooth surface portion to the finned portion. Said fin includes a fin base close to the outer surface of the heat-exchange tube and a fin top away from the outer surface. Said fin is further provided with a secondary fin at the central portion of the fin and a third fin at the top portion of the fin, wherein a certain distance is provided between two axially adjacent secondary fins or two axially adjacent third fins. Secondary fins as well as third fins according to the invention further increase the heat transfer area for the heat-exchange tube. Meanwhile, secondary fins and third fins help to attenuate the condensate film such that the condensate film is substantially eliminated, and vapor condensation and heat transfer may be carried out in a better way. At the same time, secondary fins and third fins help to guide the condensate film away from the surface of the heat-exchange tube such that heat resistance may be reduced. Thus, the overall efficiency of heat transfer through condensation is enhanced, and the property of the condenser is improved.

An apparatus for providing exercise to recreational users and training to professional users comprising a support frame on which a bicycle frame is mounted and a resistance generation unit coupled to the support frame to provide resistance against the pedaling of the user. The resistance unit comprises a magnetic field generation source and a flywheel having an annular ring constructed from a plurality of segments of a non-magnetic, conductive material. The resistance exercise apparatus and trainer utilizes the flywheel to eliminate the need for the conventional rear wheel of a bicycle. The use of the flywheel as part of the resistance generation unit creates a “single-stage” resistance exercise trainer, because the resistance generated on the flywheel is transmitted to the user through a direct chain drive of a conventional bicycle. According to another aspect of the present invention, the resistance exercise apparatus includes a chain tensioning mechanism. The chain tensioning mechanism provides a method of tightening or loosening the tension of the chain to improve the overall efficiency of the chain drive mechanism and prevent the chain from “jumping” off the chain ring during operation.

A blade of a wind turbine is presented. This blade is provided with a root section for connecting the blade to the shaft or hub of the turbine. The blade also contains a wind-energy-absorbing profile which is optimized for wind flow. The output of the wind turbine is increased by providing the root section with a member that is designed in such a way that the assembly consisting of the member and the root section can absorb wind energy and will increase the overall efficiency of the wind turbine.

In an insulation type AC-dc converter in which input current from a commercial power supply is converted to obtain insulated direct current, the overall efficiency is raised and the structure is simplified. A multi-resonance type half-bridge DC-DC converter having an insulation transformer T is used as a first converter, and a boosting chopper circuit for power factor improvement is used as a second converter. Hence through multi-resonance operation, increases in losses can be suppressed even when the switching frequency is raised, and because a half-bridge circuit is used, switching elements and similar with lower voltage ratings can be employed, whereby overall efficiency can be increased. Moreover, a voltage substantially similar to the full-wave rectified waveform of the power supply voltage is obtained from the output capacitor at the boosting chopper circuit input, whereby there is no need for a feed-forward circuit across the insulation transformer, and moreover the electrolytic capacitor which had to be provided on the converter input side is unnecessary. This is advantageous for achieving miniaturization and a thin design.