Abstract: As a means to enhance the reliability of a measurement system and render the measurement system tolerant of failure, the method which comprises tripling the component elements of the measurement system, for example, providing three thermometers to measure one and the same temperature and selecting a correct measured value by the logic of decision by majority has found popular recognition in the art. This method, however, entails many problems such as increased cost, increased weight, and increased volume because it necessitates the component elements thereof to be tripled.

Abstract: A methodology for decomposing a three-wire equivalent circuit into a cascade arrangement of a two-wire transmission line and a three-port terminating network is disclosed. Decomposition synthesis is accomplished by iteratively separating the equivalent circuit into the two component parts according to a predetermined algorithm and then comparing the derived three-port network to each network within a class requiring identification, thereby effecting an identification whenever a match occurs. Upon a matched condition, the resistance of the transmission line corresponds to the distance to the terminating network and may be used for fault diagnosis purposes.

Abstract: A computer-aided process is disclosed for automatically generating a camera-ready hardcopy of a graphical plot upon command instructions inputted via a conventional storage tube graphics display terminal having an addressable cross-hair cursor and a keyboard. In accordance with an interactive graphics code or program, tabular data coordinates stored in computer file form are retrieved and plotted on appropriately titled and scaled axes with the plotted coordinates being interconnected along curves formed of a smooth or linear nature by interpolation. The graphical plot viewed on the display terminal is further enhanced by inclusion of labels, shaded areas, and reference symbols and characters prior to printing out the hardcopy of an associated hardcopy unit coupled to the display terminal.

Abstract: A method and a circuit are provided for processing pulses, caused by a radioactive source and produced by an imaging radiation detector, by applying the technique of weighted acquisition for forming an image. An image weight function is formed corresponding to the source radiation, said function being dependent on the energy of said pulses in consideration of both the energy dependent signal-to-noise ratios of said pulses and the energy dependent modulation transfer functions of said pulses. Thereby a weighting pulse is obtained for each of said pulses, the particular value of said weighting pulse determined by the observed energy of said pulse. Said weighting pulses are then accumulated as said image.

Abstract: A submetering apparatus that includes a power supply unit, an apartment monitoring unit, a main meter monitoring unit, a power failure detection unit, a power failure protection unit, a main processing unit and a memory unit. The apparatus further includes a display unit, a modem unit, a terminal unit, a control switch unit and a memory module unit. These units interact to allow the apparatus to monitor furnace on-time for individual apartment units and to store that data until needed and to calculate appropriate billing statements.

Abstract: A system for providing a video output signal representing a thinned image from digitized video input signals representing discrete picture elements (pixels) of a scanned image, comprising convolver means for identifying those pixels which are to be retained as part of the thinned image, those pixels which are to be discarded, and contingent pixels which may be part of the thinned image, and matrix filter means electrically coupled to the convolver means for determining which of the contingent pixels are to be discarded and which of the contingent pixels are to be retained as apart of the video output signal representing a thinned image.

Abstract: An improved switch input arrangement for a system that remotely controls distributed electrical loads. The switch input arrangement is part of a transceiver decoder that receives commands from central controller for controlling the state of latching relays for controlling the power circuits of the loads. The improvements include: monitoring the state of contact closure inputs to the transceiver decoder, selectively enabling/disabling specific contact closures to control the masking of switch inputs, inclusion of an accumulated switch buffer to store the last actuation state of all relays, an answerback to insure that action occurs responsive to a switch input, a shifting threshold and multiplexing technique for more accurate reading of contact closure switch inputs, and the inclusion of a power-up reset message annunciated to the central controller to alert it that certain commands may have to be issued in order to reestablish the desired states of the transceiver.

Abstract: A method for using a gamma camera having a head including an array of photodetectors that produces a group of input pulses in response to an actual interaction of a radiation stimulus with the camera head, includes the step of repetitiously generating groups of synthetic pulses that resemble groups of input pulses and simulate the occurrence of synthetic interactions of stimuli with the head. These groups of synthetic and input pulses are applied to processing circuitry that produces groups of processed pulses. The coordinates of both actual and synthetic interactions based on said processed pulses are computed; and a representation of the spatial locations of both actual and synthetic interactions based on the computed coordinates is stored.

Abstract: Process and device for measuring the state of charge of an electrochemical generator such as a lead-acid battery, while operating. The device includes means for measuring the voltage of the generator means for storing the no-load voltage (V=E(to)) of the generator during its initial connection, then the last value of the computed electromotive force (V, V.sub.M), means for computing the value of the difference .DELTA.V between the measured voltage (Vb) of the generator and the last value of the computed electromotive force (V, V.sub.M), means for determining the sign of said difference .DELTA.V, means for measuring the elapsed time (.delta.) between two successive measurements of the voltage of the generator, means for computing the variation of electromotive force .DELTA.E=f(.DELTA.V).multidot..delta. of the generator means for computing the value of the electromotive force from the last computed value and of said variation .DELTA.E, and means for displaying the computed value of the electromotive force.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring fluid characteristics, particularly useful in performing measurements in remote and severe environments is disclosed. The probe employs an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver, preferably a unitary ultrasonic transducer to both transmit and receive the ultrasonic signal. Further, the probe includes an internal reference reflecting surface hermetically sealed from contact with the fluid and one or more solid/fluid reflecting surfaces as are required. Preferably, two solid/fluid reflecting surfaces are located on opposite sides of a fluid receiving gap. The apparatus and method are useful in measuring fluid characteristics both at remote surface and in downhole drilling locations.

Abstract: A fault finder for locating faults along a high voltage electrical transmission line. Real time monitoring of background noise and improved filtering of input signals is used to identify the occurrence of a fault. A fault is detected at both a master and remote unit spaced along the line. A master clock synchronizes operation of a similar clock at the remote unit. Both units include modulator and demodulator circuits for transmission of clock signals and data. All data is received at the master unit for processing to determine an accurate fault distance calculation.

Abstract: An adaptive digitizer circuit for an information processing system includes an entropy filter responsive to an information signal V having a variable noise .sigma..sub.V that is a function of V, for providing a transform signal T, having a constant transform noise level .sigma..sub.T throughout its dynamic range; and an analog to digital converter in which the ratio .sigma..sub.T /.delta..sub.T of the noise level .sigma..sub.T of the transformed signal and the digitization interval .delta..sub.T is constant throughout the dynamic range of T.

Abstract: The classification of signals derived from electrostatic probes (1, 2, 3) disposed in the gas stream of a gas turbine engine in accordance with characteristics (FIGS. 14-23) of wave shapes (FIGS. 57-80) of the signals, employs degradation factors (FIG. 25-FIG. 56) which indicate discrepancy between the signal being classified and exemplary signals (FIGS. 57-FIG. 80) corresponding to a plurality of categories. The degradation factor may be fixed (FIG. 34C) or variable (FIG. 24), based on the deviation of the signal characteristic from the corresponding characteristic of the category. The degradation factors are normalized in each of the routines (e.g. 76, FIG. 34D; 19, FIG. 44; 24, FIG. 45B; etc.). Categories are selected in accordance with the least degradation (FIG. 13).

Abstract: A method of counting articles includes weighing a multiplicity of articles in n weighing hoppers, and dividing the weight of the articles weighed by each of the weighing hoppers by a preset unit weight to determine the number of articles in each of the weighing hoppers. Combinations of the numbers of the articles are computed, and the one of the combinations which has the number of combined articles equal or closest to a set number is found. Then, a new unit weight is derived from the weight of the articles contained in one or more weighing hoppers and the number of articles contained in the same one or more weighing hoppers, and the preset unit weight is renewed by the derived new unit weight. The method also includes the step of renewing the preset unit weight with the new unit weight only when the new unit weight falls within a preset unit weight range, each time a prescribed number of counting operations are carried out or after a prescribed length of time.

Abstract: PASS transistors are used to reduce the layout complexity of logic circuits by using PASS transistors connected to pass a first and second input function to an output node in response to selected CONTROL signals, thereby to generate a selected output function on the output node. The PASS transistor comprises a transistor capable of passing an input function in response to a CONTROL signal applied to the transistor thereby to generate an output function related to the input function. In general, the input function comprises less than all of a set of input variables and the CONTROL function comprises one or more of the remainder of the set of input variables.

Abstract: Equidistant timing pulses are counted during the time between the arrival of a first pulse edge of a first signal sequence and the arrival of a following second pulse edge of another signal sequence and are averaged to a mean value with equidistant timing pulses of an immediately preceding count between two pulse edges of the two signal sequences. The continuously formed mean values are accumulated with mean values of preceding cycles and in each case the least significant bit is further processed.

Abstract: This invention refers to a plant operating method for overcoming an abnormal status of a plant. A plant data is detected from the plant, and all plant state members indicating an abnormality of the plant are identified from the plant data. The plant operating method includes estimating a cause whereby the plant status members are produced, predicting all plant status members arising after passing a given period of time according to the estimated cause, determining whether or not actual plant status members are present in the plant state members predicted and when the latter members are not present in the former members, repeatedly carrying out the processing of the steps of estimating and predicting to which the plant status members forecasted at the predicting step are inputted until all the actual plant status members come to exist in the plant status members forecasted at the predicting step.

Abstract: An improved relay actuating processor for a system that remotely control distributed electrical loads. The relay module is a part of a transceiver decoder that receives commands from a central controller for controlling the state of latching relays for controlling the power circuits of the loads.

Abstract: A system operating in conjunction with a computer whose central processing unit is adapted to process data fed thereto by a variable data source to yield at its output port, parallel binary-coded data having an even number of bits which are supplied to a data bus. The system is coupled to the data bus and includes a series of binary rate multipliers to convert the binary-coded data to a conversion frequency which is divided to provide an output frequency in a range suitable for indicating the variable data and which is at the same time converted to an output current proportional to the variable data. The output frequency and output current are electrically isolated from the computer and its associated data source to avoid any interaction therewith.

Abstract: A photomask on which a circuit pattern is drawn is placed on an x-y table and is illuminated by a light source. A linear image sensor, on which the circuit pattern is imaged, measures the circuit pattern along the direction substantially perpendicular to a moving direction of the x-y table to generate an analog signal in units of measured positions on the mask. In order to eliminate the need for matching the size of the pixel to be measured with the pixel size of the design pattern data and allow effective detection of a defect smaller than the pixel size, an analog-to-digital converter is arranged to convert the analog signal to multi-level digital data, and a measured point calculation circuit calculates the position of the measured point in units smaller than the pixel size unit in accordance with the position of the x-y table.