Abstract: Nutrition modeling of animal, poultry and marine animals is a critical component of the respective enterprise optimization and managed environment pollution control. The optimization accuracy depends on the description of utilization efficiency of nutrients in a population of animals. The current invention demonstrates that utilization efficiency of nutrients for meat production in a population should be described based on at least three component parts of nutrient utilization, i.e., maintenance, linear gain, and non-linear gain, instead of one only. Efficiencies for maintenance and linear gain are fixed value(s), but nutrient efficiency for non-linear gain is a result of intra-population variation and efficiency of linear gain.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to both a method and apparatus for providing data dynamically during the drilling of a borehole. This invention can be used with drilling apparatus which is commonly used to drill oil or gas wells, including wells which are vertically drilled or highly deviated wells. The invention provides measures of weight on the drill bit and other forces acting on a drill stem in the vicinity of the drill bit. The present invention is incorporated within the drill stem, which is powered from the surface by a typical rotary drilling rig. The associated drilling apparatus, however, further includes and incorporates a mud motor cooperating with a bent subsection of the sort normally used in drilling a borehole which deviates from the vertical. The downhole element of the invention consists of a subsection which is affixed in the drill stem in the vicinity of the drill bit, and preferably immediately above the drill bit.

Abstract: A tap for delivering electrical power and video signals to subscriber substations includes an input coupling module for coupling a main video signal and a main power signal from a cable conductor to the tap. Means are provided for generating a subscriber video signal and a subscriber power signal by extracting portions of the signals from the main cable. The subscriber video signals and subscriber power signals then are transmitted to subscriber substations. Communication devices in the subscriber substations can be powered by the subscriber power signal in the absence of electrical power from a power utility.

Abstract: A fully automated computer controlled system and method to simultaneously measure in a dynamic mode the streaming potential, impedance and permeability resulting from a flow of various liquids through a sample, particularly a compressed mass of human hair. The system includes four air-pressurized reservoirs and three test cells, each test cell containing a sample to be tested. An impedance measurement is made by impressing a signal wave train across each sample over a selected range of frequencies, preferably in the 10-10,000 Hz range, rather than at a single frequency. The air pressure is controlled within 2% of a selected pressure and the outlet flow of liquid from the test cells is continually measured to provide an accurate and reproducible set of measurements.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting a peripheral device within a computer system, wherein the apparatus includes one or more carrier units which may be selectively inserted between mounting rails within a peripheral unit storage device or rack designed to house, store and electrically connect peripheral electronic units within a larger electrical system. The carrier units include an electrical connector which is seated when the carrier is fully inserted into its stored position within the storage rack. The carrier includes a rotational door section which in turn engages a gearing arrangement on corresponding mounting rails to provide leverage to aid in the insertion of the electrical connector as the carrier door is rotated into a closed position. A guidance device on the door assures a proper alignment of the carrier before carrier insertion, and therefore proper engagement of the gearing arrangement.

Abstract: The invention features a system and method to enable real-time establishment and maintenance of a standard of operation for a data communications network. The standard is a data set which includes network activity which is historically categorized by traffic type and by activity. The process begins with monitoring the network media or some network component over some period of time. The monitoring information is used to build benchmark data sets. The benchmark data sets contain a standard of operation for the network, which are historically categorized by either traffic type or activity. This standard of operation is constantly built by the intelligent monitoring facilities. After some period of time which is referred to as the benchmark data set refresh interval, the benchmark that was created is employed in a fashion to allow a determination as to whether the data that is taken from the current monitoring activity indicates normal network behavior.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for predicting the tendency of a protein to form amphiphilic .alpha. or .beta. structure, wherein a series of values for U are calculated for spans of x residues, where the equationU.sub..alpha.x =H.sub.x +.mu..sub..alpha.x -<pt>is used to predict regions of amphiphilic .alpha. structure and the equationU.sub..beta.x =H.sub.x +.mu..sub..beta.x <pt>is used to predict regions of amphiphilic .beta. structure, and where H.sub.x is the average hydrophobicity for a span of x residues, .mu..sub.x is the hydrophobic moment, and <pt> is the position dependent turn propensity. When the values for U.sub..alpha.x and U.sub..beta.x are represented graphically, peaks are predicted to represent regions of .alpha. and .beta. structure, respectively.

Abstract: A modular coating thickness gauge includes a probe which generates a signal representative of coating thickness, a PCMCIA card connected to the probe for converting the signal into a standard PCMCIA output format, and a portable computing unit for receiving the signal via the PCMCIA card. The gauge allows the on-site user to alternately record coating thickness measurement data and descriptive textual or graphical data relating to each coating thickness measurement.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for estimating software operation and performance measures using a goal/question/metric paradigm. In the present invention, each goal is associated with questions and metrics and stored to memory as a tree. The nodes in the tree are then interconnected in accordance with boolean logic relationships. A minimal path is determined through the tree. Probabilities are then assigned to each node and used in assigning an overall probability to the top node or goal. A percentage contribution to the overall probability is then assigned to each node. The probabilities, minimal path and percentage contributions are then used in determing an action plan to use during development of the software to ensure software operation and performance accordingly.

Abstract: A controller system for a CD-ROM drive or other slow access device such as a magneto-optical device using a conventional hard disk drive as a cache memory. In some embodiments, the hard disk cache is partitioned to use a portion thereof to clone the most often used data blocks on the CD-ROM disk such as the directory/file allocation table, while the balance of the hard disk is used to cache some or all of the balance of the CD-ROM disk using conventional cache memory least recently used rules. Three bus controllers for the host computer, CD-ROM drive and the hard disk cache are controlled by a microprocessor which runs a control program that implements the cloning and cache rules. The three bus controllers are connected by a DMA bus for faster transfer of data. The microprocessor controls the directions of the DMA transfers by data written to a control register.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a field inspection system for compressing video signals received from a field inspection video camera into compressed video data and for burning the compressed video data on a compact disc along with an electronic logsheet. The electronic logsheet includes a listing of suspected defects or anomalies and associated pointers to reference frames in the compressed video data. The electronic logsheet may be displayed and an operator may access a portion of the field inspection video showing a listed defect by clicking a mouse button when a pointer icon is posited on the listed defect. To perform this task, the present invention utilizes a technique for randomly accessing the compressed video data in which reference frames included therein are used as access points to the video footage. The field inspection system of the present invention may also utilize a neural network and an artificial intelligence system to detect, identify, and log defects without human intervention.

Abstract: Immersive video, or television, images of a real-world scene are synthesized, including on demand and/or in real time, as are linked to any of a particular perspective on the scene, or an object or event in the scene. Synthesis is in accordance with user-specified parameters of presentation, including presentations that are any of panoramic, magnified, stereoscopic, or possessed of motional parallax. The image synthesis is based on computerized video processing--called "hypermosaicing"--of multiple video perspectives on the scene. In hypermosaicing a knowledge database contains information about the scene; for example scene geometry, shapes and behaviors of objects in the scene, and/or internal and/or external camera calibration models. Multiple video cameras each at a different spatial location produce multiple two-dimensional video images of the scene. A viewer/user specifies viewing criterion (ia) at a viewer interface.

Abstract: A method of measuring information related to an object, includes the steps of measuring a change of a measurement error with respect to time, and determining the frequency of measurements for measuring the measurement error, to be done during a measurement period, on the basis of the change in measurement error. Then, in the measurement period, a measured value is corrected by using a latest measurement error.

Abstract: A technique for interactively analyzing system log-files. System log-files, which are monitored by technical personnel and systems specialists to determine system performance, status, and software faults, are often generated during various hardware and software monitoring operations. Each log-file contains time stamped reports. This technique is especially useful for analyzing large log-files. A new release of software may contain many incremental versions that must be tested. The testing of each incremental version may generate a log-file containing thousands of reports. Using this technique, reports are correlated, faults are isolated, and temporal patterns are recognized more quickly and efficiently than by using conventional, non-graphical techniques.

Abstract: A high resolution, independent position sensor is provided, having application in a magnetic tape drive and other environments in which a linear or angular position is to be monitored. Analog outputs from an inexpensive, low resolution optical encoder are processed to correct gain and offset distortions and are used as the basis for an interpolation process. If a code strip having a 127-micron grating is used, a resolution of about 0.125 microns can be achieved.

Abstract: A protective mutex switch is used in data processing installations for control of execution paths within processes. Library subroutines are protected by shell subroutines with the original name and thereby, establish the synchronization of processes using the libraries.

Abstract: A device for determining the measurement zone of an object which permits the adjustable setting of a plurality of measurement zones bounded by user-defined division points comprises a distance measurement apparatus for measuring a distance to an object, a specific division point setting circuit, such as a digital switch, for adjustably setting a specific distance point within the effective measurement range of the distance measurement apparatus, a circuit for adjustably setting one or more predetermined division points on at least one of the near side and the far side of the specific distance point, such that the specific distance point and the at least one predetermined division point define a plurality of measurement zones within the effective measurement range of the distance measurement apparatus, and a judgment circuit for judging which of the plurality of measurement zones a distance measurement result of the distance measurement apparatus belongs to.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating a linear vibratory output force having a variable amplitude. The force is generated by the cooperation of four rotating eccentric masses that are grouped in two pairs of two masses. The masses in each pair are counter-rotating (i.e., they rotate at the same speed but in opposite directions). The phase relationship between the two pairs is adjustable. For example, the phase of one pair can be advanced while the phase of the other pair is retarded by an equal amount, thereby changing the amplitude of the output force without changing the direction along which the force acts, and also without changing its frequency if desired.

Abstract: A method for enabling a computer program written in one scope to call a program written in another scope. The calling program may be statically or dynamically scoped and may call programs that are of a different scope. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes providing a call stack for programs called in the program, the call stack storing the names of the programs via a pointer and the dynamic or static scope of the called programs. The name pointer of a called program and its scope are pushed onto the call stack. For each non-local variable referenced in the called program, a lookup routine is followed. If the called program is dynamically scoped, the value associated with the variable's latest entry in its attribute stack is provided. If the called program is statically scoped, the value associated with the variable's latest active entry in the attribute stack is provided.

Abstract: A method for encoding a state machine includes performing a state transition probability analysis (11) to identify hot states (12) and cold states. Then hot (13) and cold (14) states are encoded. The encoding minimizes the expected bit flip (EBF). In addition, a local encoding exploration may be performed to further optimize the encoding of the state machine for area and power consumption. The local encoding exploration preserves the EBF.