Abstract: A method of polarizing a portion of a monolithic piezoelectric actuator element for use in droplet deposition apparatus where the element has first and second portions, includes the steps of placing the first portion of the element at an equipotential and generating a polarizing electric field across the second portion between said first portion and a further conducting layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving microprocessor data acquisition. Noise in analog signals is removed by a low pass filter with a variable cutoff frequency controlled to cut off all frequencies above a frequency range of interest. The filtered signal is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter at a sampling rate which is variable and controlled to sample at a rate that is at least two times the low pass filter cutoff frequency thereby reducing the rate at which data is passed to a microprocessor and reducing the need for speed in the microprocessor's processing.

Abstract: An electronic monitor is disclosed which continuously monitors the sound emanating from rotating machinery, non-rotating equipment, or any other sound-producing process or environment, as a means of detecting abnormalities and thus determining the operating condition thereof. The monitor continuously computes the power spectrum of the monitored sound and has two modes of operation: learn and operate. The monitor is placed in the learn mode during a time when the machine or process to be monitored is known to be operating normally. During the learn mode, the maximum and minimum acoustic power output from each of a plurality of digital bandpass filters is continuously maintained and updated in data memory as the acoustic signature of the machine or process being monitored.

Abstract: A gear transmission monitoring method includes: forming a good operating condition baseline matrix by, for each of a plurality of different gear mesh frequencies, obtaining a good operating condition signal indicative of gear transmission conditions over a segment of time and transforming the obtained good operating condition signal into a good operating condition time-frequency spectrum; and then obtaining a gear mesh frequency and a test signal over a segment of time, transforming the obtained test signal into a test time-frequency spectrum, and using the gear mesh frequency and the good operating condition baseline matrix to examine the test time-frequency spectrum to monitor gear transmission conditions.

Abstract: A method and system for remotely inspecting the integrity of a structure. This can be performed by a method creating a vibratory response in the structure from a remote location and then measuring the vibratory response of the structure remotely. Alternatively, this can be performed by a system for remotely measuring the integrity of a structure using a vehicle and an artificial neural network, where the vehicle is equipped with a vibratory response device. The vibratory response can be produced by infrasonic and audio frequencies that can be produced by at least a vehicle, motor, or sound recording. The vibratory response can be measured with a laser vibrometer or an audio recording device.

Abstract: Terminal equipped with an application program, with at least one output constituted either by a display, or by a printer, or by a communications network, or by a portable object, and cooperating with a portable object equipped with a non-volatile memory area (ZD) containing data, and comprising a reader which communicates with said portable object, characterized in that the device comprises means for reading or storing, in its memory, self-diagnostic or supervisory data (Ti, Dj, Sk) and means for sending said data to outputs (1-4) specified as a function of information supplied by the self-diagnostic or supervisory data following the execution of at least one task Tt of its application program in connection with the portable object.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of testing an evaluation circuit (10 11), which checks the correct contact of a switch (13) with a testing means (14) in a d.c.-supplied circuit. The testing means (14) includes for example a capacitor (15) in parallel with the switch (13). The evaluation circuit (10) itself is made up of a controller (11), an input and an output buffer (17 18). To determine faulty conditions in the output buffer (17), the invention arranges that when testing for faults both the input and the output buffer (17 18) be actively connected by connecting them connected to the controller (11) via a respective data line (21 21a) for exchanging data.

Abstract: A thermal printer using colorful rays and infrared rays for identifying colorant regions of an ink sheet is provided. The ink sheet includes a number of colorant region sets. Each colorant region set includes a yellow region, a magenta region, a cyan region and a black mark arranged at the beginning of the cyan region. The black mark is infrared ray non-transmittable. The thermal printer further includes an infrared ray source/an infrared ray sensor for sensing the black mark, and a blue ray source/a blue ray sensor (or an amber ray source/an amber ray sensor) for sensing the colorant regions.

Abstract: A computerized system and method of computerized bullet ballistic analysis is based on acquisition of depth profiles of the surface of a bullet under examination, estimation and compensation for coaxiality errors of the data acquired, and matching normalized data with reference data related to reference bullet(s) or a gun in question to determine whether the bullet under examination was fired from the gun in question. The computerized system includes a mechanism used for holding and rotating a bullet, a depth sensor measuring the depth profile of striations over part of the surface of the bullet, an analog to digital converter for receiving data from the sensor and sending digitized data to the computer where a computer program estimates and compensates the received digitized data for coaxiality errors and compares the normalized data of the bullet under examination with reference data.

Abstract: A computer system implements a process for gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing data relating to a pump and/or seal or other rotating equipment failure. Data indicating the current state of the equipment is gathered and verified prior to a failure occurring so that accurate information is available. After a failure or problem occurs, data about the problem or failure are methodically gathered to aid in the determination of the root cause of the failure. In particular, visual images of failure modes are provided to the user to ensure that proper and accurate data are obtained. A user also is directed to gather other data about the failure and the system. After data relating to the problem or failure has been gathered, the data are synthesized and an analysis is performed to determine the root cause of the failure or problem. These various methods and apparatus allow a non-specialist to properly identify and diagnose a failure or problem associated with a mechanical seal and pump.

Abstract: Electronic self-test and/or self-diagnostic systems particularly useful with emergency lighting fixtures, including exit signage having light emitting diodes as light sources and unit emergency fixtures powered with lead-acid batteries, the systems perform testing and diagnostic functions on the circuitry, power supply, charger and lamping of such fixtures either by manual or automatic initiation. Testing functions are provided through use of a programmable microprocessor, the diagnostic circuitry not only monitoring operation of charger/transfer circuitry but also controlling the charger/transfer circuitry to enable alternate strategies for alleviation of a given failure. In emergency mode of a light emitting diode exit sign, a microprocessor-controlled two-stage inverter is employed not only to power the LED light source, but also to efficiently power the microprocessor.

Abstract: A fault tolerant liquid measurement system includes a plurality of sensors for measuring parameters of a liquid in a container; each sensor generating a measurement signal representative of the liquid parameter measured thereby. The sensors are grouped into a number of sets, each set including some sensors of another set. The measurement signals of each set of sensors are processed in a processor to determine for each set of sensors a first estimate signal representative of a likelihood of measurement signal validity for the measurement signals of the corresponding set, and a second estimate signal representative of liquid quantity in the container based on the measurement signals of the corresponding set. The processor further determines a third estimate signal of liquid quantity in the container based on a function of the first and second estimate signals.

Abstract: A thickness of a form document loaded in a pin feed tractor is measured to appropriately adjust a gap between a platen and a print head. A projection formed on a pressing block is linearly moved toward and away from the form document supported on a tractor cover. The pressing block is moved by a stepping motor, and an amount of rotations of the stepping motor is detected to measure the movement of the projection. A first amount of rotations is detected under a condition where the form document is not loaded and subsequently a second amount of rotations is detected under a condition where the form document is loaded. The thickness of the form document is computed based on a difference between the first amount of rotations and the second amount of rotations to eliminate influence of resilient deformation of the tractor cover.

Abstract: A vehicle seat weight classification system includes a recalibration strategy to ensure sensor accuracy over time. A controller preferably is programmed to periodically sample outputs of the sensors when a seat is unoccupied. Average sensor output information is compared to a currently stored calibration value. If the newly determined average value meets selected criteria, then the sensor is recalibrated using the new information. The system and method of this invention compensates for changes in sensor performance over time caused by changes in system characteristics, such as material offset drift.

Abstract: In a packaging body, an ink sheet or an image receiving sheet for laser heat transfer recording is wound onto a winding core and a flange is mounted to at least one end portion of the winding core and the packaging body is packaged into a packing material such as a carton box or the like. In the image forming method, the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet which are respectively wound up in rolls, are taken out from the packaging bodies, loaded onto rack(s), and then respectively pulled out from the rack(s). The ink sheet and the image receiving sheet are irradiated image-wise with a laser in a state in which they are superposed to thereby form an image.

Abstract: A method of measuring impedance is based on carrier function Laplace transform. The measurement includes detecting a response signal from a device under test, to which signal an excitation such as a pulse, interrupt or constant load is applied. Resulting data is fitted to a carrier function, selected so as to be capable of providing a good fit and for which an analytical Laplace transform is known, in order to obtain parameters of such function providing best fit. Obtained parameters are further substituted into the analytical expression of Laplace transform of carrier function which is used to calculate a frequency dependent impedance function in the Laplace domain. The resulting impedance function is used for calculating the impedance spectrum in a frequency domain and for calculating the measurement error of the frequency domain impedance spectrum using the standard deviations of the parameters, obtained during fitting of time-domain data.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus with a carriage having a first liquid discharge unit with first liquid discharge openings and a second liquid discharge unit with second liquid discharge openings, the first liquid discharge unit and the second liquid discharge unit arranged for performing discharge when the carriage is moving, a first wiping member for wiping the first liquid discharge unit surface when the carriage is stopped at a first stopping position, and a second wiping member for wiping the second liquid discharge unit surface when the carriage is stopped at a second stopping position which is different from the first stopping position, wherein wiping by the first wiping member and the second wiping member is performed by movement of the respective wiping member along a direction different from the carriage movement direction.

Abstract: A method for the inspection of male or female tapered threads located at the extremities of metal pipes. The pitch diameter of the threads in a measuring plane located substantially in the middle of a zone of perfect threads is inspected using a plane diameter measuring device while the pitch diameter of the threads is conventionally defined by the specification API 5B in the plane of the last perfect male thread. The pitch diameter of the threads measured is compared with an estimated value calculated from the nominal value of the pitch diameter in the plane P0, from the distance between P0 and P1, and a plot value for the taper, itself a function of the distribution of the tapers formed.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing an image on a generally non-absorbent surface of a food item selected from the group consisting of chocolate, cheese and the like or a combination thereof includes a computer allowing an operator to create a unique template for the food item. The apparatus further includes software adjusting a scanned image to the created template and a production line controllably operating a process of making the food product that corresponds to the template. Also, the apparatus has a mechanism for treating the surface of the food item so as to directly print the image on its non-absorbent surface.

Abstract: A clock for the attachment of a dog's collar or the like that indicates the passage of time according to the dog's or pet's frame of reference. For example, the rate of passage of time may be such that for each human day of time passage, seven dog or pet days are reflected by the clock's display. Additional data, displays, and information may be carried, manipulated, entered and chosen by the use of user control buttons or the like. A battery may supply power to internal circuitry that drives a display of liquid crystals (LCD). The data carried by the pet chronometer and identification tag may be held in EEPROM such that a power failure does not erase the data. This is particularly useful for any health data or contact information that is incorporated or recorded into the pet chronometer and identification tag.