A system and method for interactively evaluating energy-related investments affecting building envelope with the aid of a digital computer are provided. Obtained is a total amount of fuel purchased for a building over a set period from which an existing amount of the fuel consumed for space heating is derived. Characteristics including thermal performance and furnace and delivery efficiencies of the building for both existing and proposed equipment are obtained, including remotely controlling a heating source inside the building. The thermal performance and furnace and delivery efficiencies characteristics of the existing and proposed equipment are expressed as interrelated ratios. An amount of fuel to be consumed for space heating is evaluated as a function of the existing amount of the fuel consumed for space heating and the ratios of the existing and proposed equipment.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a hydrogen gas filling method includes receiving, from a vehicle equipped with a tank to be filled with hydrogen gas and powered by the hydrogen gas, a temperature of the tank before a start of filling; calculating a difference between a preset maximum temperature and the temperature of the tank; calculating a filling speed of the hydrogen gas depending on the difference; and filling the hydrogen gas from an accumulator in which the hydrogen gas is accumulated into the tank at the filling speed calculated via a measuring machine.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a hydrogen gas filling method includes receiving, from a vehicle equipped with a tank to be filled with hydrogen gas and powered by the hydrogen gas, a temperature of the tank before a start of filling; calculating a difference between a preset maximum temperature and the temperature of the tank; calculating a filling speed of the hydrogen gas depending on the difference; and filling the hydrogen gas from an accumulator in which the hydrogen gas is accumulated into the tank at the filling speed calculated via a measuring machine.

Various embodiments include a method for determining the thermal consumption of an energy system having a thermal energy storage unit, wherein the energy system generates a total thermal energy within a time range comprising: determining a thermal charging energy of the thermal energy storage unit within the time range; determining a thermal discharging energy of the thermal energy storage unit within the time range; and calculating a resulting thermal consumption within the time range using a sum of the total thermal energy and the difference between the ascertained thermal discharging energy and the ascertained thermal charging energy.

Various embodiments include a method for determining the thermal consumption of an energy system having a thermal energy storage unit, wherein the energy system generates a total thermal energy within a time range comprising: determining a thermal charging energy of the thermal energy storage unit within the time range; determining a thermal discharging energy of the thermal energy storage unit within the time range; and calculating a resulting thermal consumption within the time range using a sum of the total thermal energy and the difference between the ascertained thermal discharging energy and the ascertained thermal charging energy.

An electrical contact element for a plug connector includes an electrically conductive base body electrically connected to a mating contact element, the base body having a longitudinal axis extending along a plugging direction between the contact element and the mating contact element, and a first temperature probe and a second temperature probe arranged at a pair of different measurement regions of the contact element spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis.

An electrical contact element for a plug connector includes an electrically conductive base body electrically connected to a mating contact element, the base body having a longitudinal axis extending along a plugging direction between the contact element and the mating contact element, and a first temperature probe and a second temperature probe arranged at a pair of different measurement regions of the contact element spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis.

A temperature controlled attenuator circuit is disclosed. The temperature controlled attenuator circuit comprises a temperature sensor circuit for sensing the temperature of an electronic component and generating a control voltage inversely proportional to a difference in temperature between an ambient temperature and the temperature of the electronic component and a variable attenuator circuit configured to vary its attenuation based upon the control voltage to provide an attenuation based upon the difference in temperature between the ambient temperature and the temperature of the electronic component. A radio frequency module and wireless device comprising said temperature controlled attenuator circuit are also provided.

An image forming apparatus comprises an ultrasonic sensor and a processor is configured to control the image forming apparatus based on an output signal of the ultrasonic sensor. The processor estimates a barometric pressure based on the output signal of the ultrasonic sensor and determines an image forming condition based on the estimated barometric pressure. The ultrasonic sensor is utilized for controlling the image forming apparatus and for estimating the barometric pressure.

An image forming apparatus comprises an ultrasonic sensor and a processor is configured to control the image forming apparatus based on an output signal of the ultrasonic sensor. The processor estimates a barometric pressure based on the output signal of the ultrasonic sensor and determines an image forming condition based on the estimated barometric pressure. The ultrasonic sensor is utilized for controlling the image forming apparatus and for estimating the barometric pressure.