It is disclosed a weather-predictive apparatus for controlling a climatization plant, comprising a weather-climate data sensor associated with a building, a processing unit and a signal transceiver. The signal transceiver is configured to transmit a current measured value of the weather-climate data associated with the building to a weather forecast device and it is configured to receive from the weather forecast device a plurality of weather forecast data associated with the building in a forecast time interval. The processing unit is configured to: calculate a change in a nominal activation instant of the climatization plant of the building, calculate a modified activation instant; check whether the current instant is equal to the modified activation instant. In case wherein the current instant is equal to the modified activation instant, the processing unit is configured to generate a command signal having a value representative of the activation of the climatization plant.

Approaches presented herein enable cooling a data center with a cooling system having a relatively high coolant temperature. This cooling system is controlled by a building management system and includes piping through which coolant flows, an air cooling unit in thermal contact with the coolant, and a chiller to cool the coolant to a temperature between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius as instructed by the building management system. The building management system uses a chiller controller to vary the chilling of coolant within a range of 18-22 degrees Celsius, thereby controlling the air temperature within the data center to within a required temperature range. Because the building management system maintains the coolant temperature to 18-22 degrees Celsius, the cooling system can be simplified by excluding typical cooling system components such as variable flow control valves and their controllers. This simplification decreases the need for maintenance and reduces operating cost.

Approaches presented herein enable cooling a data center with a cooling system having a relatively high coolant temperature. This cooling system is controlled by a building management system and includes piping through which coolant flows, an air cooling unit in thermal contact with the coolant, and a chiller to cool the coolant to a temperature between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius as instructed by the building management system. The building management system uses a chiller controller to vary the chilling of coolant within a range of 18-22 degrees Celsius, thereby controlling the air temperature within the data center to within a required temperature range. Because the building management system maintains the coolant temperature to 18-22 degrees Celsius, the cooling system can be simplified by excluding typical cooling system components such as variable flow control valves and their controllers. This simplification decreases the need for maintenance and reduces operating cost.

An analysis assistance apparatus 10 includes: a control program obtainment unit 11 that obtains a control program of a plant based on sensor data from a sensor installed in the plant; an event information obtainment unit 12 that obtains event information, which includes a variable that defines a state of the plant when a predetermined event has occurred and a value thereof, as information necessary for searching the control program for a safety barrier for avoiding the occurrence of the predetermined event in the plant; and a safety barrier search unit 13 that extracts, from the control program, a causal relationship between an input variable and an output variable, and searches the control program for the safety barrier based on the variable and the value included in the event information and on the extracted causal relationship.

A device for computing data models, in particular comprising the possibility to detect errors occurring during the computation, has at least two processing units, at least one of the at least two processing units being designed to compute a main data model as a function of at least one state of a system, at least one other of the at least two processing units being designed to compute, as a function of this at least one state of the system, an approximation data model associated with the main data model, the main data model comprising at least one property of the system as a first data model, the approximation data model comprising at least the same property of the system approximately as a second data model, a comparator unit being designed to compare a first result of a first computation of the main data model with a second result of a second computation of the approximation data model associated with the main data model, in order to determine information about a deviation between the first result and the second result, the comparator unit being designed to detect an error as a function of the information about the deviation if the deviation exceeds a maximum admissible deviation.

A device for computing data models, in particular comprising the possibility to detect errors occurring during the computation, has at least two processing units, at least one of the at least two processing units being designed to compute a main data model as a function of at least one state of a system, at least one other of the at least two processing units being designed to compute, as a function of this at least one state of the system, an approximation data model associated with the main data model, the main data model comprising at least one property of the system as a first data model, the approximation data model comprising at least the same property of the system approximately as a second data model, a comparator unit being designed to compare a first result of a first computation of the main data model with a second result of a second computation of the approximation data model associated with the main data model, in order to determine information about a deviation between the first result and the second result, the comparator unit being designed to detect an error as a function of the information about the deviation if the deviation exceeds a maximum admissible deviation.

A universal metering cabinet (UMC) apparatus comprises an input/output (I/O) interface configured to receive at least two data streams, each of the at least two data streams received from one of at least two sensors, and each of the at least two data streams having a different connectivity protocol. The UMC further comprises a customizable programmable interface coupled with the I/O interface and configured to convert the connectivity protocol of each of the at least two data streams into a same uniform connectivity protocol. A method comprises receiving, from the UMC, at least one data stream that includes data from at least two sensors, and receiving, from at least one server, data related to an environment around the at least two sensors. The method further comprises performing data cleansing on the data stream and the data to generate validated data and performing prognostic modeling on the validated data.

Control systems and methods for controlling an engine. The control system includes a computation module and an input/output (I/O) module attached to the engine. The computation module is located in an area of the engine, or off-engine, that provides a more benign environment than the environment that the I/O module is subject to during operation of the engine. The I/O module includes a first processor and a first network interface device. The computation module includes a second processor with higher processing power than the first processor, and a second network interface device. The control system also includes a sensor configured to provide sensor readings to the first processor. The first processor transmits data based on the sensor readings to the second processor. The control system also includes an actuator operably coupled to the I/O module and that is controlled by the first processor based on commands from the second processor.

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for adaptively performing diagnostics in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes at least one microcontroller and a communication controller. The at least one microcontroller is positioned in a vehicle and is configured to provide first information indicative of operating characteristics for at least one switch in the vehicle. The communication controller is configured to receive the first information from the at least one microcontroller and to wirelessly transmit the first information to a remote server. The communication controller is further configured to receive second information related to a remaining useful life (RUL) for the at least one switch from the remote server and to transmit the second information to the at least one microcontroller to determine when the at least one switch will exhibit a failure.

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for adaptively performing diagnostics in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes at least one microcontroller and a communication controller. The at least one microcontroller is positioned in a vehicle and is configured to provide first information indicative of operating characteristics for at least one switch in the vehicle. The communication controller is configured to receive the first information from the at least one microcontroller and to wirelessly transmit the first information to a remote server. The communication controller is further configured to receive second information related to a remaining useful life (RUL) for the at least one switch from the remote server and to transmit the second information to the at least one microcontroller to determine when the at least one switch will exhibit a failure.