Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for measuring a property of a material such as the moisture content of cotton fiber. An embodiment is specifically adapted for determining an absolute value of the moisture content of the cotton fiber while being conveyed through ducts such as the ducts of the ginning machine. The embodiment combines large area capacitor plates with light detectors.

Abstract: A spectrometer including: a photodiode having a depleted region and generating an electrical detection signal indicating instants of detection of optical pulses; a converter generating an electrical delay signal, indicating delays between the instants of detection and corresponding instants of emission of the optical pulses; a memory, storing a theoretical function corresponding to the probability of triggering an avalanche by a charge carrier generated in the depleted region; and a computing stage which determines a statistical distribution of the delays between the instants of detection and the corresponding instants of emission; selects a Gaussian portion of the statistical distribution; calculates the ratio between the sum of the number of delays of the Gaussian portion and the sum of the number of delays of the statistical distribution; and determines an estimate of the wavelength of the optical pulses on the basis of the theoretical function and of the sample value.

Abstract: A wireless system and methods for non-invasive detection of brain injury that includes a detection device for reliable monitoring and analyzing of sleep movement in comparison with normal sleep movement architecture to identify dampened sleep movement patterns indicative of brain injury.

Abstract: A system and method of calculating under changing conditions in real-time aerodynamic drag acting on a rider on a vehicle. A computer receives a signal indicative of a force of the vehicle on the rider from at least one force sensor located at or near at least one point of contact between the rider and the vehicle. The computer determines aerodynamic drag acting on the rider on the vehicle from the received signal. These steps are repeated under changing conditions.

Abstract: Radial waves are generated in a borehole in a saturated porous earth formation. Measurements are made of the velocity of motion of the formation and the fluid in the formation. The difference in the velocities is indicative of formation permeability.

Abstract: A test and measurement apparatus, system, and method for synchronizing an acquisition or triggering system to a specific burst of interest. The subject apparatus and method triggers on varying energy content of a signal qualified by time in the presence of high-frequency input signal bursts, by using an adjustable pulse width envelope detector, disposed in the signal path of the trigger circuitry, as a digital rectifier or to otherwise process and extract an envelope signal. An RF envelope probe having an analog envelope detector among other suitable components is disclosed. A method is implemented for isolating an interval of interest in a signal under test. An envelope detector circuit produces an envelope signal from the signal. Trigger circuitry receives the envelope signal from the envelope detector, and isolates the interval of interesting in the signal under test using the envelope signal.

Abstract: A battery monitoring circuit is described. The battery monitoring circuit includes a high counter that increments when a sense voltage measurement is above a threshold. The battery monitoring circuit also includes a low counter that increments when the sense voltage measurement is below the threshold. The battery monitoring circuit further includes state machine circuitry coupled to the high counter and to the low counter. The battery monitoring circuit additionally includes open circuit voltage monitoring circuitry coupled to the state machine circuitry. The battery monitoring circuit also includes resistance monitoring circuitry coupled to the state machine circuitry.

Abstract: An information processing program is provided, which is executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus that executes predetermined processing based on acceleration data outputted from an input device including an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration. The information processing program causes the computer to function as data obtaining means, change amount calculation means, and gravity direction calculation means. The data obtaining means repeatedly obtains the acceleration data. The change amount calculation means calculates, by using a history of acceleration indicated by the acceleration data, a change amount of acceleration generated in the input device. The gravity direction calculation means calculates a direction of gravity of the input device by using the acceleration indicated by the acceleration data, based on the change amount of the acceleration.

Abstract: A system for testing a plurality of transistors on a wafer having a storage device or personal computer connected via a bus to a plurality of drivers. Each of the voltage drivers having a microcontroller adapted to receive test parameters and provide test data from a plurality of voltage drivers. By utilizing a bus structure, the personal computer can look on one bus for flags indicating test data is available from a driver and receive the data. In addition a bus may be used to provide test parameters to the drivers. In this manner, multiple drivers may be run at the same time incorporating multiple tests. When data is available it is transferred to the personal computer, for providing test parameters to a plurality of drivers, and connected via a second bus for receiving test results from the plurality of drivers.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring libraries and library drives. In one embodiment, a method is provided which includes polling the library to determine whether a storage media has been loaded in to, or unloaded from, a drive. When the media has been loaded, the method includes beginning a media monitoring session. The method may include determining which tape has been loaded in to which drive of the library and associating the session performance with that tape and that drive. Some embodiments include using a Read Element Status command to perform the polling. In some examples, the library is a magnetic tape library and the polling is performed out-of-band. Information regarding the media sessions can be output in order of session performance. Some embodiments include determining whether the cause of a slow session is external to the library and correcting the external cause.

Abstract: A unified method to detection and isolation of parametric faults in a physical system resulting from variations in the parameters of its constituting subsystems, termed herein as diagnostic parameters, uses Kalman filter residuals. Rather than using the feature vector made of the coefficients of the numerator and denominator of the system transfer function, which is known to be a non-linear function of the diagnostic parameter variations, the method first shows and then exploits, for fault detection purposes, the fact that the Kalman filter residual is a multi-linear function of the deviations in the diagnostic parameters, i.e. the residual is separately linear in each parameter. A fault is then isolated using a Bayesian multiple composite hypotheses testing approach. A reliable map relating the diagnostic parameters to the residual is obtained off-line using fault emulators.

Abstract: In some aspects of the invention, a computer-implemented method of obtaining sigma values from pulsed neutron capture decay curve is disclosed. The method can include selecting spectra collected by pulsed neutron instrument disposed down a borehole traversing a rock formation, the spectra including capture interactions and inelastic interactions; and modeling the selected spectra using a nonlinear model to obtain sigma values relating to one or more reservoir properties.

Abstract: A prediction apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount and a non-operation amount of a transporting unit that transports a medium; and a prediction unit that predicts a timing at which a transporting capability value changing with degradation of the transporting unit arrives at a threshold value using the operation amount and the non-operation amount of the transporting unit acquired by the acquisition unit based on (i) a relational expression between the operation amount of the transporting unit and the transporting capability value of the transporting unit and (ii) a relational expression between the non-operation amount of the transporting unit and the transporting capability value of the transporting unit.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for estimating an amount of charge on a power source. A processor may determine an uncertainty value associated with a first charge level of a power source and an uncertainty value associated with a second charge level of the power source. Based on the uncertainties, the processor may adjust the first charge level to generate an adjusted charge level. The processor may further adjust the adjusted charge level based on the behavior of the power source.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring the status of a steam trap include a device for sensing a process condition of the steam trap and a device for processing the sensed condition. The apparatus can include a processor positioned on a steam trap. The connection of the monitoring device to the steam trap can be to the trap itself or to an adjacent pipe or other apparatus.

Abstract: Enhancing resolution of distributed optical measurements along a wellbore can include acquiring optical signals during an acquisition time period, thereby producing a convolved profile along the wellbore, and deconvolving the profile using a first function corresponding to the acquisition time period, thereby determining a second function. Another method of enhancing resolution of distributed temperature measurements along a wellbore can include acquiring optical backscatter signals during at least first and second acquisition time periods, thereby producing respective first and second convolved temperature profiles along the wellbore; deconvolving the first temperature profile using a first function corresponding to the first time period, thereby determining a second function; and deconvolving the second temperature profile using the second function, thereby determining the first function corresponding to the second time period.

Abstract: A seismic acquisition system includes a distributed optical sensor (having an optical fiber) and an interrogation subsystem configured to generate a light signal to emit into the optical fiber. The interrogation subsystem receives, from the distributed optical sensor, backscattered light responsive to the emitted light signal, wherein the backscattered light is affected by one or both of seismic signals reflected from a subterranean structure and noise. Output data corresponding to the backscattered light is provided to a processing subsystem to determine a characteristic of the subterranean structure.

Abstract: A test and measurement apparatus, system, and method for synchronizing an acquisition or triggering system to a specific burst of interest. The subject apparatus and method triggers on varying energy content of a signal qualified by time in the presence of high-frequency input signal bursts, by using an adjustable pulse width envelope detector, disposed in the signal path of the trigger circuitry, as a digital rectifier or to otherwise process and extract an envelope signal. An RF envelope probe having an analog envelope detector among other suitable components is disclosed. A method is implemented for isolating an interval of interest in a signal under test. An envelope detector circuit produces an envelope signal from the signal. Trigger circuitry receives the envelope signal from the envelope detector, and isolates the interval of interesting in the signal under test using the envelope signal.

Abstract: An assembly and a method determine the angular position of a rotating machine by way of an inductive sensor. From the excitation signal for a primary winding of a sensor and voltages induced in the two secondary windings of the sensor, three more signals are derived using phase shifters and polarity sign determination units. The six signals in total are sampled using a sample and hold sampling unit and provided to a processor for evaluation, which then calculates the current angular position of the rotating machine at the sampling time.

Abstract: A system for measuring a plurality of operating parameters of an object in a harsh environment is provided. The system includes a first energy transceiver system configured to transceive energy signals. The system also includes a transcieved modulant coupled to the first energy transceiver system. The system further includes a second energy transceiver system at least partially disposed on the object and capable of being interrogated by the first energy transceiver system. The second energy transceiver system still further includes a sensing system. The system also includes a processor coupled to the first energy transceiver system. The processor is configured to determine of the plurality of the operating parameters of the object in the harsh environment based upon the transceived modulant.