One way to improve fuel efficiency of a vehicle is to detect the vehicle operational shortcomings related to fuel consumption by determining whether fuel used during operation of the vehicle is normal fuel use or wasted fuel use. Considerations of idling, speeding and inappropriate gear shifts are some ways to measure the amount of fuel wasted due to operator shortcomings. Communicating this information to the operator in real-time so adjustments can be made will improve vehicle fuel efficiency. These techniques are applicable to tracking employment of other driving best practices as well.

Methods and apparatus for quantifying pneumatic volume usage via valve controllers are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a valve controller operatively couplable to a pneumatic actuator, the pneumatic actuator being operatively coupled to a control valve. In response to an input signal indicating that a flow control member of the control valve is to be moved in a specified direction, the valve controller commands a current-to-pressure (I/P) converter of the valve controller to pulse a relay valve of the valve controller between a closed position and an open position. The pulsing of the relay valve causes the pneumatic actuator to move the flow control member in the specified direction. The valve controller calculates a pneumatic volume usage associated with the moving of the flow control member in the specified direction. The pneumatic volume usage is based on the pulsing of the relay valve.

A method collects data, a physical or physico-chemical parameter and/or an operating state, during operation of a sensor. The sensor contains a measuring element which provides elementary measuring units, which correspond to a physical or physico-chemical variable or the physical or physico-chemical parameter, as raw measurement data, and the sensor has a communication device and a memory. To determine the measurement resolution of the sensor, the conditions for generating time stamps are first determined using a correlation model. Time stamps of successive raw measurement data are generated in the sensor on the basis of the correlation model. The time stamps are transmitted with the result that the raw measurement data acquired by the measuring element are reconstructed and evaluated based on the time stamps using the correlation model. Wherein operating state monitoring of the sensor is carried out by comparing current time stamps with historical and/or empirical time stamps.

An HVAC system includes a blower, a motor drive, and a controller. A benchmark rate of the flow of air provided by the blower and a corresponding benchmark power output of the motor drive associated with operation of the blower at a test condition are received. The controller determines a first motor drive frequency at which the motor drive is operating. Based on the benchmark rate and a comparison of the first motor drive frequency to the predefined motor drive frequency, a first rate of the flow of air provided by the blower is determined. At a later time, a current power output of the motor drive is determined during operation of the blower at the test condition. Based on a comparison of the current benchmark power output to the benchmark power output, an updated benchmark rate of the flow of air provided by the blower is determined.

A brewing guide device is provided having a communication device, a processing device, and a display device. The communication device obtains real-time weight information and real-time time information from an electronic scale. In a first brewing stage, the processing device determines whether the flow rate is higher than, equal to or lower than a first threshold according to the real-time weight information and the real-time time information to generate a first display instruction. According to the first instruction, the display device displays a first water line corresponding to the real-time weight information, a first target line corresponding to the first brewing stage, and a first display pattern corresponding to a first display block below the first target line on a display interface, wherein the level of the first water line is lower than or equal to the first target line.

An HVAC system includes a blower, a motor drive, and a controller. A benchmark rate of the flow of air provided by the blower and a corresponding benchmark power output of the motor drive associated with operation of the blower at a test condition are received. The controller determines a first motor drive frequency at which the motor drive is operating. Based on the benchmark rate and a comparison of the first motor drive frequency to the predefined motor drive frequency, a first rate of the flow of air provided by the blower is determined. At a later time, a current power output of the motor drive is determined during operation of the blower at the test condition. Based on a comparison of the current benchmark power output to the benchmark power output, an updated benchmark rate of the flow of air provided by the blower is determined.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for identifying one or more water dispensing appliances that are currently using water. In one aspect, the method includes actions of obtaining a dispensing appliance signature, obtaining water consumption data that is based on first sensor data from a first sensor that is installed at the property, identifying a particular water dispensing appliance from among multiple different water dispensing appliances located at the property based on an analysis of (i) the water dispensing appliance signature and (ii) the water consumption data, and responsive to identifying the particular water dispensing appliance located at the property based on an analysis of (i) the water dispensing appliance signature and (ii) the water consumption data, generating output data based on the one or more particular water dispensing appliances that were identified.

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for diagnosing urinary disturbances by simultaneously measuring a urinary flow rate and residual urine. The method for diagnosing urinary disturbances according to the present disclosure includes obtaining at least one ultrasonic image of a bladder for each unit time from a patient who is urinating, obtaining at least one urine region image for each unit time from the at least one ultrasonic image for each unit time, calculating at least one estimated urine volume for each unit time based on an area of the at least one urine region image for each unit time, calculating at least one parameter value with respect to urinary disturbances based on the at least one estimated urine volume for each unit time, and outputting the at least one parameter value.

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for diagnosing urinary disturbances by simultaneously measuring a urinary flow rate and residual urine. The method for diagnosing urinary disturbances according to the present disclosure includes obtaining at least one ultrasonic image of a bladder for each unit time from a patient who is urinating, obtaining at least one urine region image for each unit time from the at least one ultrasonic image for each unit time, calculating at least one estimated urine volume for each unit time based on an area of the at least one urine region image for each unit time, calculating at least one parameter value with respect to urinary disturbances based on the at least one estimated urine volume for each unit time, and outputting the at least one parameter value.

The innovation relates to a device and a method for measuring a powder mass flow for powder cladding. Before the powder cladding, the powder mass flow is set by means of a powder mass determining device and a powder mass flow sensor is calibrated on the basis of the setting. Then a powder switch is used to begin the powder cladding without interrupting the delivery of the powder mass. During the powder cladding, the powder mass flow is monitored by means of the powder mass flow sensor.