Abstract: Techniques and tools for rating computer products are described. For example, software ratings are based on subjective evaluations to determine computer system requirements for a positive user experience, while a computer running a capability tool rates a computer system's (or hardware component's) ability to run software. A capability rating for hardware is determined by comparing a set of features and performance results with capability rating requirements. In another aspect, a capability rating is communicated using a standardized presentation. In another aspect, capability rating level requirements are proposed (e.g., by a ratings board) and then finalized. A capability rating level is determined for computer products (e.g., by a testing organization) based on the finalized requirements and analysis of the products (e.g., by a computer running a capability tool).

Abstract: A system and method is discussed for providing programmable test conditions for a built-in self test circuit of a flash memory device. The present invention employs a flash memory having BIST circuit for testing the memory and a BIST interface circuit adapted to adjust the test conditions of the memory tests. The BIST interface circuit is operable to receive one or more global variables associated with the test conditions of a plurality of tests used on the flash memory and to output results of the memory tests based on the value of the variables. The global variables are used to adjust the test conditions and to trim one or more references used in various flash memory tests and operations. The system may further include a serial communications medium for communicating the global variables to the BIST interface and test results from the interface.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for providing information on the probability of DNA samples being contaminated over days, weeks and months in relation to collection, processing and analysis of DNA samples. Methods are also provided for analysing the likelihood of a result arising due to contamination and/or determining the analysis protocol to be applied to a DNA sample and/or methods of operating databases, particularly containing DNA profiles. Improvements in accounting for sporadic and undetected contamination and improvements in the operation of DNA sampling of analysis are provided by the invention.

Abstract: A method and device for correcting an error caused by electromagnetic interference, in a signal of an inductive displacement sensor or angle sensor, in that when known activation of at least one component which causes electromagnetic interference occurs and there is a known error resulting therefrom in the sensor signal of the inductive displacement sensor or angle sensor the error in the measured sensor signal is corrected.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a first group of a product, a component or a system in reliability life testing has longer lifetime than a second group. This method is non-parametric and free from a pre-assumption of statistical distributions and can be applied to all kinds of data and distributions. Errors from goodness-of-fit of distribution fitting and parameter estimations are thus eliminated. After pre-check on bimodal, early failures, and the failure mechanisms, the method employs numerical solutions with good accuracy by the nonparametric approach. The data under consideration can be censored, interval or bimodal, and not limited to simple cases of complete type. The method can be used to determine multiplicities of reliability tests for all product types and at all levels. Based on a comparability index derived from integrating the weighted difference between the reliability functions of the two groups under comparison. Several indices are proposed for effectiveness of reliability comparability.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system for determining inflating pressures of tires mounted on a motor vehicle wheels, which includes acquiring vertical accelerations of a front wheel and of a rear wheel of the vehicle and estimating coefficients of stiffness of the tires of these wheels based on the acquired accelerations on another of the acquired accelerations, these coefficients of stiffness being estimated based on the thus temporally reset accelerations.

Abstract: Thermodynamic properties of a natural gas stream can be determined in real time utilizing modeling algorithms in conjunction with one or more sensors for quantifying physical and chemical properties of the natural gas. Related techniques, apparatus, systems, and articles are also described.

Abstract: A method for estimating the average-case activity in a digital circuit includes the steps of identifying one or more predesignated types of circuit elements in the digital circuit, and propagating activity values through any identified circuit elements using a predetermined formula.

Abstract: A method for analyzing IC system performance. The method includes receiving system variables that correspond to an IC system; normalizing the system variables; using an infinite dimensional Hilbert space, modeling a system response as a series of series of orthogonal polynomials; and, solving for coefficients of the series of orthogonal polynomials. A system equation or a simulated response may be used to solve for the coefficients. If a simulated response is used, the coefficients may be solved by using the statistical expectance of the product of the simulated system response and the series of orthogonal polynomials. Alternatively, a simulated system response may be used to generate coefficients by performing a least mean square fit.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing a temperature sensing system having a temperature sensor, a field processing module coupled to the temperature sensor, a bitbus, a fieldbus, and an auxiliary processing module communicating with the bitbus and the fieldbus. The method includes generating a temperature characteristic at the temperature sensor, processing the temperature characteristic at the field processing module, and generating field operating data including a temperature diagnostic parameter as a function of the temperature characteristic. The method also includes communicating the field operating data including the temperature diagnostic parameter over the bitbus from the field processing module to the auxiliary processing module, generating at the auxiliary processing module auxiliary field data as a function of the received field operating data, and communicating the auxiliary field data over the fieldbus.

Abstract: A method and circuit for testing phase detectors in a delay locked loop is provided. The method includes storing output from a first phase detector and from a second phase detector when the counter is at the +0, +1, and ?1 counter positions, and comparing the results to determine whether a phase detector is faulty. The circuit implementing this technique uses a second phase detector configured to receive the signals entering a first phase detector. Particularly, the circuit is routed such that a signal entering the D input of the first phase detector is inputted into the clock input of the second phase detector, and a signal entering the clock input of the first phase detector is inputted into the D input of the second phase detector. The circuit is also coupled to a test controller located on-die or at a high volume manufacturing (HVM) tester.

Abstract: A distributed operations system having integrated diagnostics, a bitbus and a fieldbus and includes a field device for generating a field operating characteristic and a field processing module for receiving the field operating characteristic from the field device. The field processing module includes a field diagnostic component and a field communication component configured for communication over the bitbus. The field processing module is configured for generating field operating data including a field diagnostic parameter as a function of the field operating characteristic. An auxiliary processing module is configured for communicating with the bitbus and receiving the field operating data. The auxiliary processing module includes an auxiliary diagnostic component and an auxiliary communication component having a fieldbus interface and a gateway component.

Abstract: A method of measuring a dry gas flow from hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells produce a stream which contains liquids and natural gas. The method comprises providing a differential flow measurement device (orifice) located at a well site containing the hydrocarbon wells. The method further includes testing the stream for gas composition and physical characteristics. Additionally, the method comprises measuring a static temperature (T) of the stream, measuring a static pressure (Ps), and measuring a pressure differential (dP) in the differential flow measurement device (orifice). The method includes computing the liquid-gas ratio (LGR) of the stream, computing the wet gas flow rate (Qw) of the stream, computing a first dry gas flow rate (Qd1) and a second dry gas flow rate and utilizing a iterative process to correct and obtain the dry gas flow rate. The data may be transmitted to another location.

Abstract: A position determining system that includes a spherical inertial sensor assembly, at least one position determining device and a processor is provided. The spherical inertial sensor assembly has a surface with a reference pattern. Each position determining device includes a focal plane configured to record images of the reference pattern and star images. The processor is configured to determine the angular position of the spherical inertial sensor assembly via recorded images of the reference pattern and correlate the determined angular position based on the star images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a measuring device for measuring the arching of an elongate body. The measuring device includes an anvil member against which the elongate body is intended to be placed, a measure-collection member movable along the line of the longitudinal axis of the elongate body via a driving unit included in the measuring device, which measure-collection member is connected to a processor unit for the processing of measured values. Furthermore, the measuring device includes a force-transmission member for applying a predetermined force (F), where F>0 N, to the elongate body. The measure-collection member measures continuously, in abutment against and movement along the line of the longitudinal axis of the elongate body, a length (y) and a height (x) between the elongate body and the measuring device, and delivers a digital signal to the processor unit, which calculates the arching (A).

Abstract: A method of analyzing vibrations of a rolling element bearing installed in a rotating machine includes accessing vibration data corresponding to the bearing to be analyzed, determining a degraded condition factor BD for the bearing, selecting an expected designer-determined mean-time-to-failure MTTF of the bearing operating under a design load in the operating environment of the rotating machine, selecting a forecast time period, calculating a reduced mean-time-to-failure RMTTF of the bearing using the expected designer-determined mean-time-to-failure MTTF and the degraded condition factor BD, calculating a probability of failure of the bearing in the forecast time period using the reduced mean-time-to-failure RMTTF, accessing cost data corresponding to a cost of failure of the bearing in the rotating machine, calculating a financial risk from the calculated probability of failure in the forecast time period and the cost data, and displaying the financial risk for the selected time period.

Abstract: A position detecting circuit including: a plurality of magnetic field detecting devices discretely disposed for outputting a signal corresponding to a magnetic field strength produced by an oppositely disposed magnetic field generation means; a correction parameter arithmetic section for computing correction parameters for bringing to a predetermined constant value a sum of output from one of the magnetic field detecting devices and an output from another of the magnetic field detecting devices; and a position arithmetic section for computing and outputting a relative position between the magnetic field generation means and the magnetic field detecting devices based on an output difference the between the output from the one magnetic field detecting device and output from the another magnetic field detecting device and the correction parameters.

Abstract: An inclination calculation apparatus sequentially calculates an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof. The input device includes acceleration detection means and imaging means. The inclination calculation apparatus sequentially calculates first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of two imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging means. The inclination calculation apparatus also sequentially calculates second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detection means. The inclination calculation apparatus calculates an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.

Abstract: Leaks in a processing chamber, including “virtual leaks” resulting from outgassing of material present within the chamber, may be detected utilizing an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) sensor configured to monitor light emitted from plasma of a sample from the chamber. According to certain embodiments, gas introduced into the chamber by the leak may be detected directly on the basis of its optical spectrum. Alternatively, gas introduced by the leak may be detected indirectly, based upon an optical spectrum of a material resulting from reaction of the gas attributable to the leak. According to one embodiment, data from the OES sensor is received by a processor that is configured to compute a leak detection index. The value of the leak detection index is compared against a threshold to determine if a leak is detected. If the value of the index crosses the threshold, a notification of the existence of a leak is sent.

Abstract: The testing apparatus tests a steering apparatus including a torque sensor which detects a steering torque, a steering actuator which applies a steering force to a steering mechanism, and a controller which controls the steering actuator based on an output of the torque sensor. The apparatus includes a test signal generating unit which generates a test signal of a sine sweep waveform simulating an output signal of the torque sensor, a driving signal generating unit which generates a driving signal according to the test signal generated by the test signal generating unit and supplies the driving signal to the steering actuator, and a torque signal monitoring unit which acquires a torque signal outputted from the torque sensor.