Abstract: A system for monitoring and controlling the deposition of thin films employed in semiconductor fabrication is provided. The system includes one or more acoustic and/or ultrasonic wave sources, each source directing waves onto one or more thin films deposited on a wafer. Waves reflected from the thin film is collected by a monitoring system, which processes the collected waves. Waves passing through the thin film may similarly be collected by the monitoring system, which processes the collected waves. The collected waves are indicative of the presence of impurities and/or defects in the deposited thin film. The monitoring system analyzes and provides the collected wave data to a processor, which determines whether adjustments to thin film deposition parameters are needed. The system also includes a plurality of thin film deposition devices associated with depositing thin films on the wafer. The processor selectively controls thin film deposition parameters and devices to facilitate regulating deposition.

Abstract: A circuit, apparatus and method obtains system margin at the receive circuit using phase shifted data sampling clocks while allowing the CDR to remain synchronized with the incoming data stream in embodiments. In an embodiment, a circuit includes first and second samplers to sample a data signal and output data and edge information in response to a data clock signal and an edge clock signal. A phase detector generates phase information in response to the data information and the edge information. A clock phase adjustment circuit generates the data clock signal and the edge clock signal in response to the data information during a synchronization mode. The clock phase adjustment circuit increments a phase of the data clock signal during a waveform capture mode.

Abstract: Sensors detects loft time, speed, power and/or drop distance of a vehicle and/or person. The sensors couple with multiple persons during athletic activity. Data from the sensors downloads to a database so that users may compare athletic performances (e.g., speed) between the persons, such as through the Internet.

Abstract: A system sends an electrical signal communicated over a communication link. Both a system hardware and communication architecture and a software data processing system are provided to permit gathering, transmission, processing, storage, access, presentation and use of the data gathered by the system of the present invention.

Abstract: A measuring instrument information providing server delivers to a user terminal via a network an operational program that contains demonstration information for enabling dynamic and interactive operation of a measuring instrument in response to a request for providing demonstration information on the predetermined measuring instrument from a user terminal and a request for making operation, and causes the user terminal to deliver to a predetermined measuring instrument terminal via the network an operational command that contains demonstration information operated and inputted at the user terminal. The measuring instrument information providing server causes the measuring instrument terminal to control the predetermined measuring instrument connected to the measuring instrument terminal in response to the operational command from the user terminal in order to operate the measuring instrument and to deliver a measurement result obtained by the measuring instrument to the user terminal via the network.

Abstract: A storage battery includes a battery housing and a plurality of electrochemical cells in the battery housing electrically connected in series to a positive terminal of the battery and a negative terminal of the battery. A first connection is coupled to the positive terminal of the battery and a second connection is coupled to the negative terminal of the battery. A battery test module is mounted to the battery housing and electrically coupled to the positive and negative terminals through the respective first and second Kelvin connection. A display or other output is configured to output battery condition information from the battery test module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing an aging effect on an integrated circuit using a sensor disposed on the integrated circuit and arranged to generate an output dependent on a condition of an element within the sensor. A processor operatively connected to the sensor is arranged to indicate a code dependent the output.

Abstract: The perceptibility of degradations caused to signals transmitted over a transmission medium is measured by generating one or more predetermined transmission degradation conditions (et) and subjecting a test signal (St) to the transmission degradation conditions (et) in a network simulation device. The degree M(e) to which the or each transmission degradation condition (et) is perceptible to the human perceptual system is measured and a data set is generated and stored for converting one or more transmission degradation conditions (et) to respective values of perceptibility M(e). The data set may be a look-up table or an empirically determined formula. The data set may then be used on live traffic (S?), by identifying objectively measured transmission degradation conditions (e) in the received signal (S?) and retrieving from the data set in the data storage means (7) a value of perceptibility (M) associated with the transmission degradation conditions (e) so identified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating window regulators of the type having a reversible electric motor connected to a slide/carrier plate by means of cables. The apparatus comprises a first transducer such as a piezoelectric accelerometer or a laser for generating a first signal quantity related to periodic noise produced by the motor during operation thereof, a second transducer such as a piezoelectric accelerometer for producing a second signal quantity representing transient noise produced by irregularities in the slide/carrier plate assembly during travel of the carrier plate along the slide, and a processor for decoding the first and second waveforms and using data derived therefrom as a basis for identifying unacceptably noisy window regulator assemblies. The method comprises placing the window regulators on a test fixture, operating the window regulator with a simulated glass load, and generating and processing the first and second signal quantities as described above.

Abstract: Systems and methods configured to guide and manage laboratory analytical process control operations. A Biometric quality control (QC) process application is configured to monitor bias and imprecision for each test, characterize patient population data distributions and compare, contrast, and correlate changes in patient data distributions to any change in QC data populations. The Biometric QC process monitors the analytical process using data collected from repetitive testing of quality control materials and patient data (test results). The QC process identifies the optimal combination of, for example, frequency of QC testing, number of QCs tested, and QC rules applied in order to minimize the expected number of unacceptable patient results produced due to any out-of-control error condition that might occur.

Abstract: A method and apparatus determines the presence of and source of instabilities, such as limit cycles, within a process control loop while the process control loop operates on-line within a process environment. The method and apparatus measures one or more signals within a process control loop when the process control loop is connected on-line within a process control environment, stores the measured signal as signal data and then performs one or more statistical analyses on the stored signal data to determine whether instabilities exist and, if so, whether the source of an instability is within a servo loop or outside of a servo loop and is due to friction, external forces or mechanical anomalies.

Abstract: A test machine (10) is provided with a integrating circuit (102) so that when a integrated circuit (12) is inserted in the test machine an external feedback loop between an input (120a) and an output (124a) of a comparator (122) in the integrated circuit under test is established. Thus an input voltage of the comparator (122) oscillates around a threshold level of the comparator (122). A test result is determined dependent on an average value of an oscillating voltage in the feedback loop. In an embodiment the feedback loop is realized with a digital test tester (100, 104, 106) with an added analog integrating circuit added to its output (14).

Abstract: A portable terminal carried by an operator of a target apparatus includes a communicating device for conducting wireless communication and a first information acquiring device for acquiring first information related to the target apparatus from the target apparatus via the communicating device. The portable terminal also includes a second information sending device for sending second information to at least one external information terminal via the communicating device based on the first information. Further, the portable terminal includes a third information acquiring device for acquiring third information from at least one external information terminal responding to the second information via the communicating device and an information outputting device for outputting an information output based on the third information.

Abstract: An on-chip test mechanism for transceiver power amplifier and oscillator frequency for use with the transmitter portion of an integrated RF transceiver. The RF output from the power amplifier in the transmitter is input to a built-in dedicated analog comparator having a configurable threshold. The threshold is adjusted to a predetermined level at which crossings start to occur at the comparator output. The comparator outputs pulses only if the power amplifier output is above a minimum configurable level. The comparator output is input to a frequency divider whose frequency output is tested by a low cost external tester to determine the actual RF frequency thereby confirming generation of the correct oscillator frequency and that the amplitude of the signal at the output of the power amplifier is sufficiently high for the configurable threshold level to be exceeded, thereby determining the compliance of the output power with its defined specifications.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the operation of a gas sensor is disclosed. A system signal is provided in response to sensing first or second system conditions, and a gas concentration signal is provided in response to sensing first or second gas concentration levels of a gas. In response to the system and gas concentration signals, a signal indicating the operating condition of the gas sensor is provided.

Abstract: An invention to facilitate reporting results of a defect inspection. The defect inspection can relate to paint defects, structural defects, dimensional defects, and other defects. The invention is suited to products having multiple body portions. A portable computer displays multiple body portions to an inspector to facilitate reporting defects. A computer receives defect data from the portable computer to facilitate analyzing the reported defects.

Abstract: The invention includes methods for deriving a computer system processing capacity metric for characterizing a computer system comprising at least one computer processor having a known processor clock speed, comprising the step of performing a computational function wherein at least one term of the function is determined by a value X derived at least in part by raising said clock speed to a non-integral exponential power. Processing capacity may be thus calculated by mathematical analysis alone, based on a limited number of inputs regarding a real or theoretical computer system combination, in a fashion that replicates accurately, and can replace, actual physical testing or benchmarkings of systems.

Abstract: A remote emissions sensing system and method for sensing exhaust emissions from motor vehicles is provided where the system determines the opacity of an exhaust plume. The system comprises a radiation source that emits radiation which is passed through the exhaust plume of a motor vehicle to one or more detectors arranged to receive the radiation. Multiple wavelength opacity measuring embodiments and monochromatic wavelength opacity measuring embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An analysis scheduler for scheduling the automatic processing of performance data through a plurality of analysis tools is disclosed. Performance data provided to some of the tools by the analysis scheduler may be specified to be within a predetermined (but variable) look-back period. The analysis tools identify faults and anomalous conditions and also create repair recommendations, and automatically create problem cases when conditions warrant, or update existing problem cases with additional data, all under control of the analysis scheduler. The problem cases are reviewed by a human user and then forwarded to the railroad for implementation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for predicting a routing arrangement for control cable without preparing experimental control cables. In the method according to the present invention, characteristics of a control cable to be laid are obtained (S1, S2, and S3). The characteristics of the control cable can be obtained by subjecting a test piece of control cable to a known test (tensile test). Next, a length of the control cable and a condition for connecting the control cable are provided as conditions for a computation (S4 and S5). Then, the given length of the cable, the given condition for connecting the cable, and the obtained characteristic of the control cable are used for a computation model, which was formed by dividing the control cable into a plurality of elements, in order to perform a finite element method, and, thus, a routing arrangement is calculated (S7).