Abstract: A control system and method for a battery charger. The system includes a processor that receives inputs from a battery current sensor and temperature sensors within the batteries. The processor terminates and resumes charging in response to measured battery temperatures compared to stored reference values in order to prevent high temperatures associated with damage to the batteries.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flow-measuring method determines the flow rate of a medium flowing through a line is determined by measuring the runtime of an ultrasonic signal that travels from a first ultrasonic transducer to at least one other ultrasonic transducer. The runtime of the ultrasonic signal as it makes m passes in immediate succession through a predefined path over a predefined path length and at a predefined angle relative to the flow direction is measured, and the runtime of the ultrasonic signal as it makes n passes in immediate succession through the predefined path over the predefined path length at the predefined angle relative to the flow direction is measured, with m and n being mutually different integers, and the dead time of the ultrasonic flow-measuring process is determined on the basis of the measured runtimes. This ultrasonic flow-measuring method permits real-time compensation for the dead time during the actual measuring process, the result being highly accurate measurements.

Abstract: Where a result of operations to mount electronic components is inspected, for example, an operating procedure of an inspecting operation is determined on the basis of mounting-condition information such as used-device information relating to used suction nozzles, feeders and other devices, and mounting-result information such as information relating to recovery actions. The operating procedure may be determined on the basis of device-usage historical information as well. For instance, the inspection operation is performed on inspecting objects selected from the mounting objects, such as mounting objects mounted with nozzles of high mounting defect ratios, mounting objects mounted with feeders of long use, etc. Additional inspecting objects are selected such that the inspection can be effected within a predetermined time. The inspecting order may be determined so as to complete the inspection in a shortest possible time.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining a load on an object immersed in a fluid stream under a set of flow and attitude conditions associated with unsteady flow phenomena. The method comprises measuring surface heat transfer at a plurality of surface locations on the object under the flow and attitude conditions to provide a set of heat transfer data. The heat transfer data are used to determine an indicator surface location of at least one critical flow feature indicator. The method further comprises calculating a load coefficient using the indicator surface location of the at least one critical flow feature indicator and calculating the load from the load coefficient and the flow and attitude conditions.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for estimating the weight of horses. To estimate the weight of a horse, a girth, a length, and a height of the horse are measured. The measurements can be taken with commercially available measurement tapes, for example. The weight of the horse is then estimated based on the girth, the length and the height of the horse. The present invention will be utilized in the care and management of horses thereby resulting in advanced equine health and nutrition, better training results, and improved overall health monitoring.

Abstract: A length measuring apparatus is provided that combines upper data with lower data and then outputs the composite data. The apparatus monitors taking down or up a digit of upper data or lower data and synchronization of lower data, thus preventing an occurrence of reading error. When an A/D area showing an area of lower data matches with an upper area quadrant showing an area of upper data (R2, R3), the upper count value outputting the upper data is output without any change. When the quadrant (0, 1, 2, 3) of the A/D area does not match with the quadrant (0, 1, 2, 3) of upper area because of an erroneous timing of a digit-taking-up of upper data (R1, R4), +1 or −1 is added to the upper count value. Thus, the continuity of a measured value can be obtained when the scale is being moved.

Abstract: A plurality of system checks on a turbine component inspection system are monitored, and an end user interface element to cause an inspection of a turbine component to commence is enabled only upon determining based on the monitored system checks that the inspection system is in a predetermined state of readiness, thereby ensuring each turbine component inspected is stimulated with thermal stimulus having the same characteristics. Further, a binary passed or failed indicator is displayed to unequivocally inform the operator whether a turbine component being inspected passed or failed the inspection. In a preferred embodiment, thermal images of a turbine component's response to applied thermal stimulus, as well as status of automatically launched quantitatively analyses on the turbine component's response to the applied thermal stimulus are also displayed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for measuring loading, stresses and/or material fatigue in a structure. The invention also relates to a measuring sensor unit (50) and a measuring sensor (302) suitable for use in connection with said method. The invention is applicable especially to the measurement of stresses and loading on a ship hull. One inventive idea is that the measuring sensor unit (50) of the measuring system comprises means (310) for processing a signal from the sensor so as to allow complete mathematical measuring results to be transmitted (316, 21) from the measuring sensor unit to the central processing unit. Another inventive idea is to form a measuring sensor from the sensor assembly and the strain gauge so that deformations are transmitted to the strain gauge attached to an elastic area of the sensor assembly. By means of the invention, the measuring units can be calibrated apart from the structure material and additional measuring units can be provided in the system whenever necessary.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a metal fill process and systems therefor involving providing a standard calibration wafer having a plurality of fill features of known dimensions in a metalization tool; depositing a metal material over the standard calibration wafer; monitoring the deposition of metal material using a sensor system, the sensor system operable to measure one or more fill process parameters and to generate fill process data; controlling the deposition of metal material to minimize void formation using a control system wherein the control system receives fill process data from the sensor system and analyzes the fill process data to generate a feed-forward control data operative to control the metalization tool; and depositing metal material over a production wafer in the metalization tool using the fill process data generated by the sensor system and the control system. The invention further relates to tool characterization processes and systems therefor.

Abstract: A calibration factor for a sensor including a material-containing conduit and a plurality of motion transducers operative to generate motion signals representing motion of the conduit is determined from a normal modal dynamic characterization of motion of the conduit. The calibration factor may be generated by generating a solution to a modal differential equation of motion in a modal domain including a plurality of normal modes of motion of the conduit, and by generating the calibration factor from this solution. The normal modal dynamic characterization may characterize motion of the conduit as a function of a modal Coriolis term that describes coupling among a plurality of normal modes of the conduit responsive to mass flow in the conduit. The modal Coriolis term may be determined from a mode shape function that describes modal motion of the conduit as a function of location on the conduit. The invention may be embodied as methods, apparatus and computer program products.

Abstract: A system and method for determining which of a plurality of pre-data-collection software applications to apply to optically imaged responses received from a response provider.

Abstract: An analog signal is digitized by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter clocked by a periodically jittery clock signal. Elements of the digital data sequence (vector) output of the A/D converter are sorted into a set of smaller vectors according to clock signal jitter phase and each of the smaller vectors is then separately subjected to Fourier transform and time shift functions. The resulting vectors are then processed to produce an output vector representing the frequency spectrum of the analog signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring an absolute rotation angle and a method thereof. In particular, the apparatus is available for a measurement and servo system in which high precision is required in rotation drive and absolute rotation angle measurement.

Abstract: A system and method for remotely determining at least one of the temperature of, and the relative concentrations of species making up, a hot fluid, based on the spectral structure of radiation emitted from the fluid. Thermal radiation over a field of view including the hot fluid is collected. At least a portion of the emission spectrum from the collected radiation is resolved. The resolved emission spectrum is resolved into spectra that are characteristic of specific emitting species and emitter temperatures. The temperature of, and the relative concentrations of species making up, the hot fluid, are determined from the relative amounts of at least two resolved spectra.

Abstract: The health of a process is monitored in a computer system by a process monitor. The monitored process (a configuration management system daemon (CMSD)) is not a child of the process monitor. The process monitor uniquely determines the identity of a monitored process and verifies the correct operation of the monitored process. In the absence of verification of the correct operation of the monitored process, the monitored process is caused to initiate. On successful initiation of the monitored process, the monitored process is uniquely identified to the system and is detached from the process monitor. Each monitored process is arranged to write, on initiation, its unique process identification information (PID) to a file, which file is then accessed by the process monitor to identify the process monitor. The process monitor can interrogate the operating system to verify correct operation of the CMSD.

Abstract: A parameter sensor including a conduit configured to contain a material is controlled. A first excitation applied to the conduit is determined. Motion of the conduit in response to the first excitation is determined. A second excitation to apply to the conduit is determined from the determined first excitation, the determined motion in response to the first excitation, a desired motion for the conduit, and a frequency response for the conduit. In particular, excitations may be iteratively determined and applied to the conduit, and motion signals representing motion of the excited conduit may be processed to generate process parameter estimates, such as mass flow rate estimates. The frequency response may be assumed to be time-invariant, or may be adaptively estimated. The invention may be embodied as methods, apparatus and computer program products.

Abstract: The invention presents a new methodology to monitor and display the resin flow during fabrication of organic matrix composite laminates in real-time or near real-time and includes data acquisition, remote data distribution, flow analysis and reconstruction, and flow visualization. The data acquisition apparatus is based on SMARTweave technology, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,499, which provides the location of points on the flow front as a function of time by using voltage measurements. However, the methodology will monitor and display the resin flow if the location and time information is acquired using modified SMARTweave or different apparatus.

Abstract: Liquid gauging apparatus using a time delay neural network for determining a quantity of liquid in a container that is not directly measurable by sensors is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a plurality of sensors and a processor. Each of the sensors are capable of measuring a respective parameter of the liquid and for producing a time varying sensor output signal representative of the respective parameter measured thereby. The processor is programmed to process the sensor output signals by a time delay neural network algorithm to determine a current quantity of the liquid in the container based on current and past parameter measurements of the sensor output signals. Also disclosed is a method of training a time delay neural network algorithm for computing a quantity of liquid in a container from current and past liquid parameter sensor measurements.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for calibrating an output from a sensor array in a scanner. The system comprises a processor circuit having a processor and a memory. Stored on the memory and executable by the processor is the scanner calibration logic. The scanner calibration logic comprises logic for determining a minimum dark value for the sensor array, and logic for determining an optimum exposure time of a number of light sources associated with the sensor array. The scanner calibration logic also includes logic for determining a maximum white value for the sensor array at the exposure time, and logic for setting an analog offset based upon the minimum dark value. The scanner calibration logic further comprises logic for setting an analog gain associated with the sensor array based on a sensor output range from the minimum dark value to a maximum white value.

Abstract: A method for measuring at least one desired characteristic of a patterned article is presented. The article is of a kind containing a plurality of different pattern elements located at different sites, each including a stack of layers. An optical model is provided, which is based on a set of parameters corresponding to predetermined characteristics of the article, and is capable of generating theoretical data indicative of spectral response of the article. The set of parameters includes parameters corresponding to geometrical characteristics of the pattern elements. Reference data is prepared containing a plurality of sets of parameters for at least some of the different pattern elements. A spectral measurement of light response is carried out at a selected site of the patterned article and measured data is generated.