The present invention provides systems and methods for providing cross-device native functionality for a native app. More specifically, the invention is directed to a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data exchange format for use with a native app running on a user's mobile device, wherein the exchange format is configured to improve user experience and interaction with the app. The present invention may be particularly useful in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform in which data is continually exchanged between remote user devices and a cloud-based service for collecting and managing user-driven data based on user interaction with native apps on their devices.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for performing load reduction optimization. In one aspect, a method includes accessing load reduction parameters for a load reduction event, accessing energy consumption models for multiple systems involved in the load reduction event, and performing, based on the load reduction parameters and the energy consumption models, a plurality of simulations of load reduction events that simulate variations in control parameters used to control the multiple systems. The method also includes optimizing, against a load reduction curve, the load reduction event by iteratively modifying the control parameters used in the plurality of simulations of load reduction events, and outputting the optimal load reduction event with optimized control parameters.

The present invention is a sample processing apparatus. The apparatus includes: a sample processing unit configured to process a sample; a display; a memory for storing an electronic manual for the sample processing apparatus; and a controller that is capable of showing a relevant part of the electronic manual on the display when a trouble has occurred in the sample processing unit, the relevant part of the electronic manual describing an operation procedure to deal with the trouble.

A method for controlling an air conditioner system may include a preset reception rate degradation error occurs in one or more indoor unit, transmitting a channel switch request signal to an outdoor unit belonging to a particular group; performing a channel scan by each of the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units; transmitting, by the plurality of indoor units, channel scan results to the outdoor unit; determining, by the outdoor unit, a channel to be used by the particular group based on a result of a channel scan performed by the outdoor unit and the channel scan results received from the plurality of indoor units; and outputting, by the outdoor unit, information on the channel to the plurality of indoor units. Accordingly, the communication channel may be changed to an optimal communication channel according to a change a communication environment.

A method for controlling an air conditioner system may include a preset reception rate degradation error occurs in one or more indoor unit, transmitting a channel switch request signal to an outdoor unit belonging to a particular group; performing a channel scan by each of the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units; transmitting, by the plurality of indoor units, channel scan results to the outdoor unit; determining, by the outdoor unit, a channel to be used by the particular group based on a result of a channel scan performed by the outdoor unit and the channel scan results received from the plurality of indoor units; and outputting, by the outdoor unit, information on the channel to the plurality of indoor units. Accordingly, the communication channel may be changed to an optimal communication channel according to a change a communication environment.

A self-configuring extremum-seeking controller includes a dither signal generator, a communications interface, a phase delay estimator, and a bandwidth estimator. The dither signal generator identifies a stored dither frequency, generates a dither signal having the stored dither frequency, and uses the dither signal to perturb a control input for a plant. The communications interface provides the perturbed control input to the plant and receives an output signal from the plant resulting from the perturbed control input. The phase delay estimator estimates a phase delay between the output signal and the dither signal. The bandwidth estimator estimates a bandwidth of the plant based on the estimated phase delay. The dither signal generator updates the stored dither frequency based on the estimated bandwidth.

A security system includes an individual subscriber unit, an emergency alarm device proximate to a location frequented by people, and a control system configured to a) receive an emergency alert message from the individual subscriber unit, b) receive an emergency stand-down message from the individual subscriber unit, c) automatically transmit an emergency alert signal in response to the control system receiving the emergency alert message from the individual subscriber unit, and d) automatically transmit an emergency stand-down signal in response to the control system receiving the emergency stand-down message from the individual subscriber unit. The emergency alarm device is operatively coupled to the control system for automatically activating for issuing an alert for warning people at the location that an emergency is present, in response to the emergency alert signal, and automatically deactivating for terminating the alert, in response to the emergency stand-down signal.

A food mixer is presented having mixing tool detection capability. The food mixer has a base unit with a tool attachment portion, a mixing bowl attached to the base unit, and a motor attached to the base unit. The motor has operational settings and is configured to apply a torque to the tool attachment portion. A mixing tool is removably attached to the tool attachment portion, and a controller unit of the mixer is configured to detect the mixing tool attached to the tool attachment portion and to automatically control the operational settings of the drive motor based on the mixing tool detected. A magnet carrier may be used to detect a magnetic portion of the mixing tool as it moves with respect to a magnetically-sensitive sensor in the base unit.

Apparatus, systems, methods, for optimizing a schedule of setpoint temperatures used in the control of an HVAC system are presented herein. A schedule of setpoint temperatures may be adjusted by small, incremental amounts so that the schedule migrates from the original schedule to a more energy-efficient schedule.

Techniques for efficient retrosynthesis analysis are provided. A computer-implemented method for determining whether a target compound can be synthesized using known pathways for similar compounds includes receiving, by a processor, target compound data including a target compound. The method further includes obtaining, by the processor, a similar compound to the target compound, along with a reaction rule for synthesizing the similar compound. The method further includes applying, by the processor, the reaction rule to the target compound to generate a set of precursors. The method further includes generating, by the processor, a notification based on the set of precursors.