In described examples, one or more devices include: apparatus including a lens element and a transducer to vibrate the lens element at an operating frequency when operating in an activated state; and controller circuitry. The controller circuitry is arranged to measure an impedance of the apparatus, to determine an estimated temperature of the apparatus in response to the measured impedance, to compare the estimated temperature against a temperature threshold for delineating an operating temperature range of the apparatus, and to toggle an activation state of the transducer in response to comparing the estimated temperature against the temperature threshold.

In described examples, one or more devices include: apparatus including a lens element and a transducer to vibrate the lens element at an operating frequency when operating in an activated state; and controller circuitry. The controller circuitry is arranged to measure an impedance of the apparatus, to determine an estimated temperature of the apparatus in response to the measured impedance, to compare the estimated temperature against a temperature threshold for delineating an operating temperature range of the apparatus, and to toggle an activation state of the transducer in response to comparing the estimated temperature against the temperature threshold.

A method and controller compensates control variables of a continuous process prior to the control variables being input to the controller/control matrix to at least partially mask the effect of a selected disturbance or a manipulated variable on that controlled variable to the controller. The controlled variable(s) has been chosen to be an inference of a desired underlying or related variable which is not directly measurable. The selected disturbance to be masked is one which does affect the (measured) controlled variable, but not the underlying desired variable. By at least partially masking the effect to all intents and purposes the controller is unaware of the effect of the selected disturbance on the controlled variable and therefore, for a fully masked disturbance, does not make any adjustment to a manipulated variable associated with the selected disturbance which would unnecessarily alter the underlying desired variable. In the event of a partially masked disturbance there will be some modification of the manipulated variable in comparison to that which would occur in the absence of the method.

A signal relay device comprises a first connection I/F, to which an emission switch is connected, a second connection I/F, to which an emission signal I/F of an electronic cassette is connected, and a third connection I/F, to which a switch I/F of a source control device is connected, and a signal processing unit. The signal processing unit generates an emission execution signal during a time period in which an emission command signal from the emission switch and an emission enable signal from the electronic cassette are inputted. The source control device drives an X-ray tube to allow X-ray emission while the emission execution signal is inputted.

The invention relates to a placement apparatus for the positionally accurate alignment and/or fitting of a first placement partner with at least one second placement partner complementary thereto, wherein the placement apparatus has at least one camera apparatus for recording separate images of the first placement partner or of a holding apparatus for the first placement partner and of the at least one second placement partner or of a holding apparatus for the at least one second placement partner and a position evaluation apparatus for creating an output data record from processing of the images, wherein the output data record has the visual image of the expected placement result. The invention also relates to a placement method.

The invention relates to a placement apparatus for the positionally accurate alignment and/or fitting of a first placement partner with at least one second placement partner complementary thereto, wherein the placement apparatus has at least one camera apparatus for recording separate images of the first placement partner or of a holding apparatus for the first placement partner and of the at least one second placement partner or of a holding apparatus for the at least one second placement partner and a position evaluation apparatus for creating an output data record from processing of the images, wherein the output data record has the visual image of the expected placement result. The invention also relates to a placement method.

A method of authenticating a consumable or detachable element of a continuous inkjet printer, (CIJ), comprising: the controller of the printer generating and dispatching a 1.sup.st item of random information to an authentication circuit of the element; encrypting the 1.sup.st item of random information by the authentication circuit using a 1.sup.st encryption algorithm and a 1.sup.st secret key to form a 1.sup.st item of encrypted random information; dispatching the 1.sup.st item of encrypted random information to the controller; encrypting the 1.sup.st item of random information by the controller using a 2.sup.nd encryption algorithm and a 2.sup.nd secret key to form a 2.sup.nd item of encrypted random information; and comparing the 1.sup.st item of encrypted random information with the 2.sup.nd encrypted item of random information. If the consumable element is authenticated, a shared key part of a 3.sup.rd key is dispatched by the consumable or detachable element to the CIJ.

A method of authenticating a consumable or detachable element of a continuous inkjet printer, (CIJ), comprising: the controller of the printer generating and dispatching a 1.sup.st item of random information to an authentication circuit of the element; encrypting the 1.sup.st item of random information by the authentication circuit using a 1.sup.st encryption algorithm and a 1.sup.st secret key to form a 1.sup.st item of encrypted random information; dispatching the 1.sup.st item of encrypted random information to the controller; encrypting the 1.sup.st item of random information by the controller using a 2.sup.nd encryption algorithm and a 2.sup.nd secret key to form a 2.sup.nd item of encrypted random information; and comparing the 1.sup.st item of encrypted random information with the 2.sup.nd encrypted item of random information. If the consumable element is authenticated, a shared key part of a 3.sup.rd key is dispatched by the consumable or detachable element to the CIJ.

A method and controller compensates control variables of a continuous process prior to the control variables being input to the controller/control matrix to at least partially mask the effect of a selected disturbance or a manipulated variable on that controlled variable to the controller. The controlled variable(s) has been chosen to be an inference of a desired underlying or related variable which is not directly measurable. The selected disturbance to be masked is one which does affect the (measured) controlled variable, but not the underlying desired variable. By at least partially masking the effect to all intents and purposes the controller is unaware of the effect of the selected disturbance on the controlled variable and therefore, for a fully masked disturbance, does not make any adjustment to a manipulated variable associated with the selected disturbance which would unnecessarily alter the underlying desired variable. In the event of a partially masked disturbance there will be some modification of the manipulated variable in comparison to that which would occur in the absence of the method.

An intelligent control system for an electric curtain is provided. The intelligent control system includes a control apparatus, a monitoring apparatus, a sensing apparatus, a curtain apparatus, a lighting apparatus, and an air conditioning apparatus. The control apparatus is correspondingly coupled to the monitoring apparatus, the sensing apparatus, the curtain apparatus, the lighting apparatus, and the air conditioning apparatus. The monitoring apparatus is able to capture interior images, the sensing apparatus is able to sense exterior illuminance, and the control apparatus is configured to determine an opening degree of the curtain apparatus, illumination brightness of the lighting apparatus, and an air conditioning setting of the air conditioning apparatus by comparing different interior illuminance values, which are obtained from the interior images captured by the monitoring apparatus at different levels of interior illuminance, with an exterior illuminance value sensed by the sensing apparatus.