The invention relates to a device using a sensor and a control system, which is configured to automatically change its state under certain conditions. The control system is configured to analyse measurement data derived from the sensor readings and to identify whether the device is in an operating environment or a non-operating environment. The control system will then cause the device to automatically enter into or revert to a particular mode of operation depending on the outcome of the analysis.

A standby control for a machine tool. The standby control is operable for regulating the energy consumption of one or more energy-consuming components of the machine tool during nonoperation of the machine tool. The standby control includes a controller operable to individually activate or deactivate energy-consuming components according to a predeterminable input value in order that a temperature of at least one of the individual components or a temperature of the machine tool is influenced during nonoperation of the machine tool.

A method of determining an energy-efficient operating point of a machine tool of a machine tool system with which identical workpieces for processing can be supplied to the machine tool sequentially in time. The machine tool has an operating point dependent machine cycle time and an operating point dependent power demand. The machine tool system has at least two machine tools and has a system cycle time, and the machine cycle time is shorter than the system cycle time. The method includes determining the energy-efficient operating point in accordance with a machine cycle time dependent characteristic energy demand function of the machine tool. The characteristic energy demand function represents a machine cycle time dependent energy demand of the machine tool over the system cycle time. A corresponding device and a machine tool system are also described.

The invention provides a system and method for controlling smart household appliance. The system comprises a router, at least one smart household appliance, and at least one mobile communication device configured with an application program. The application program of the mobile communication device is connected to the smart household appliance in a LAN or WAN connection mode. The smart household appliance records the connection mode between each application program and the smart household appliance to generate a connection information. If the connection information indicates that there is not any application program connected to the smart household appliance in LAN connection mode, the application program of the mobile communication device will send a disable signal to the smart household appliance from a remote end to turn off the smart household appliance so that the energy consumption of the smart household appliance may be reduced when nobody is at home.

An energy-reducing method and apparatus for retrofitting a single zone, constant volume HVAC system, with or without an economizer, that provides heating, cooling, and ventilation to occupants within a building space. The present invention includes the introduction of a programmable logic controller and variable frequency drive (VFD) that takes control of the existing fan, heating, cooling, and optional economizer operation. The reduction of the fan speed in the ventilation mode when the 100% operation is not needed saves significant energy of the existing constant volume HVAC system where the fan motor is designed to run 100% of the time.

A method for reducing an energy demand of a machine tool (2, 3, 4) of a machine tool system (1), wherein the machine tool system (1) comprises at least a first machine tool (3), with a first machine cycle time, and a second machine tool (4), with a second machine cycle time. Identical workpieces (9) are transported sequentially in time for processing (101, 107), first to the first machine tool (3) and then to the second machine tool (4). The second machine cycle time is shorter than the first machine cycle time. The method according to the invention is characterized in that the workpieces (9), after being processed by the first machine tool (3), are collected (105, 106) before they are conveyed (107) to the second machine tool (4) for processing. The invention also concerns a related device (10) and a machine tool system (1).

This application presents a solution for measuring different physical parameters from the felt and its surrounding environment, such as: pressure, temperature, humidity, pH, airflow and the degradation of the felt. It is disclosed a monitoring system, comprising: an independent measuring unit fixed in a felt, comprising at least one of the following sensors: temperature, humidity, pH, pressure or air flow; a central acquisition unit comprising a microcontroller, a real-time clock, a communication transceiver connected to at least one independent measuring unit and a communication transceiver connected to a computing device; and a polymeric encapsulation material layer. Applications for this technology are the monitoring of the felt and its surrounding environment in, for example, dry filtration, laundries, wet filtration and other suitable applications. Although the system is focused specifically on felt, the same principles could be applied to other types of fabrics with no further modifications to the system.

Disclosed herein is method and system for determining energy savings target for distributed sites of an entity. Energy profiles of the distributed sites in a service window are identified. Energy coefficients related to the energy profiles are determined by performing optimization of values of operational parameters of the distributed sites. Energy consumption within the service window is predicted using modular transformation of the energy coefficients. Finally, the energy savings target is determined based on modular transformation of the energy coefficients and current energy savings of the distributed sites. The present disclosure discloses a unique framework for defining a generic set of operational energy savings strategies that are applicable to each type of asset and service window of the distributed sites of an entity.

An energy-reducing method and apparatus for retrofitting a single zone, constant volume HVAC system, with or without an economizer, that provides heating, cooling, and ventilation to occupants within a building space. The present invention includes the introduction of a programmable logic controller and variable frequency drive (VFD) that takes control of the existing fan, heating, cooling, and optional economizer operation. The reduction of the fan speed in the ventilation mode when the 100% operation is not needed saves significant energy of the existing constant volume HVAC system where the fan motor is designed to run 100% of the time.

A microcontroller is operable to monitor power supply levels corresponding, respectively, to a first power supply (e.g., a main power supply) and a second power supply (e.g., a battery backup power supply). In one or more modes of operation, the same brownout detector in the microcontroller alternately monitors signals corresponding, respectively, to the first and second power supply levels.