Abstract: A controller includes an execution environment capable of executing an application for controlling a process element in a processing environment. The controller also includes a web server capable of being executed in the execution environment. The web server is also capable of providing direct web access to the controller by providing information associated with at least one of the controller and the process element over a network for display on a web browser. The information could be provided in the form of graphical images embedded in web pages or using a web service, a web form, or a smart client application. Also, the web server could be executed as a background task in the execution environment, the execution environment could represent a deterministic execution environment, and the application could represent a real-time application.

Abstract: A method is presented comprising assigning each of a plurality of segments comprising a received corpus to a node in a data structure denoting dependencies between nodes, and calculating a transitional probability between each of the nodes in the data structure.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an integrated circuit that includes a plurality of functional circuit blocks. Respective associated multiplexers are used to change over between a normal mode and a test mode. The input side of the multiplexers each have a test register connected thereto which is coupled to a serial bus. A control unit controls the transfer of test data to a selected function block on the basis of the state of a mode-of-operation memory cell in the respective test register. This means that there is little involvement required to put individual function blocks of a chip deliberately into a test mode and to program them as appropriate, while other function blocks are operating in normal mode. The principle described allows a high degree of flexibility with regard to the testing of integrated circuits with a multiplicity of functional assemblies.

Abstract: A method and system is provided to perform a process for forecasting the characteristics of a target item based on historical characteristic data. The process includes determining one or more equations that when solved present a representation of forecasted characteristics of the target item, wherein each of the one or more equations includes one or more variables. Further, the process involves determining a data value for each of the one or more variables that best represents the characteristics of the target item and solving the one or more equations using the determined data values to forecast the characteristics of the target item.

Abstract: A mediation system as disclosed herein is capable of performing a method for facilitating mediated communication. In at least one embodiment of the method for facilitating mediated communication, the method includes receiving a service selection from a mediation subscriber communication device, determining a context associated with the service selection, and preparing plurality of contextual arrangement options in response to determining the context.

Abstract: Simulation of electromagnetic characteristics of an electrical circuit uses netlist data defining component instances, including layout component instances, and their topological interconnection in an electrical circuit. A circuit simulation is performed using the netlist data, involving use of a model for each layout component instance. An attempt is made to retrieve an existing simulation model of the layout component instance from a database of such layout component simulation models. If no suitable simulation model can be found in the database, an attempt is made to interpolate a new simulation model from among existing simulation models in the database. If interpolation is determined not to be feasible, then an electromagnetic simulation of the layout component instance is performed to develop a new electromagnetic simulation model. This new model is used in the circuit simulation, and added to the database for future use.

Abstract: A method, or corresponding apparatus, for controlling deformation of a structure, in part, includes applying a command signal at a first signal level to at least one actuator mechanically coupled to a structure, the first signal level known to produce an energy level in the actuator(s) substantially the same as an energy level currently stored by the actuator(s). The method enables the actuator(s) to respond to the command signal by applying an electrical reference to the actuator(s). The method drives the command signal from the first signal level to a second signal level, changing the actuator(s) in at least one dimension as a function of the command signal, which results in a corresponding deformation of the structure. The method electrically disables the actuator(s) by removing the electrical reference, which results in maintaining deformation of the structure defined by energy stored by the actuator(s).

Abstract: A medical instrument, in particular a generator for high-frequency surgery, comprises setting elements for presetting functions, and also functional elements for performing functions according to the settings. A controller interrogates the setting elements and controls the functional elements accordingly. Furthermore, a safety controller is provided for performing plausibility checks with the aid of information from the setting elements and also the functional elements, and for deactivating, or putting into a safe operating condition, the functional elements in the case of inadmissible working conditions.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods of facilitating and evaluating user thinking about an arbitrary problem. The system includes first logic to facilitate user specification of the problem to populate a problem statement structure. It also includes second logic to facilitate user specification of a conclusion, related to the problem specification, to populate a conclusion statement structure. It also includes third logic to facilitate user creation and specification of knowledge, related to at least one of the problem specification and the conclusion specification, to populate a knowledge structure. Certain embodiments include control logic to persuade user interaction with the first through third logic to a sequence of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define an archetype process for user thinking about the problem.

Abstract: A control system for a plant, having an identifier and a controller. The identifier identifies model parameters of a controlled object model which is obtained by modeling the plant. The controller calculates a control input to the plant so that an output from the plant coincides with a control target value, using the identified model parameters. The controller calculates a self-tuning control input, using the model parameters identified by the identifier. The controller further calculates a damping control input according to the rate of change in the output from the plant or the rate of change in a deviation between the output from the plant and the control target value. The controller calculates the control input to the plant as a sum of the self-tuning control input and the damping control input.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for automatically generating an execution order for a control system function block diagram. The input data availability is determined for the inputs of the function blocks in the diagram, and an execution order is generated for the function block diagram according to the input data availability for the function block inputs. Also disclosed are methods and systems for generating a control routine from a function block diagram having a plurality of function blocks, wherein the control routine is generated from the function block diagram according to the execution order.

Abstract: An electronic control system for cycles, for use with a set of sensors, a set of actuators, and a set of control members associated to a cycle. The system having a first processor unit for processing and displaying information; a second processor unit for communication and for interfacing with said set of control members; and a third processor unit for interfacing with said set of sensors and said set of actuators. The first processor unit, the second processor unit, and the third processor unit are connected together via asynchronous bi-directional communication channels.

Abstract: In a method and system for controlling a device coupled to an information handling system, an object is defined to include a hardware and software component having a corresponding hardware operating state and a software operating state. The hardware component is operable to receive at least one hardware input, which is indicative of a target hardware operating state. The software component is operable to receive at least one software input, which is indicative of a target software operating state. A coordination component is included in the software component to receive the hardware and software inputs, and control the operating state of the device in response to the target hardware operating state and the target software operating state.

Abstract: A method for predicting the on-set of sand production or critical drawdown pressure (CDP) in high flow rate gas wells. The method describes the perforation and open-hole cavity stability incorporating both rock and fluid mechanics fundamentals. The pore pressure gradient is calculated using the non-Darcy gas flow equation and coupled with the stress-state for a perfectly Mohr-Coulomb material. Sand production is assumed to initiate when the drawdown pressure condition induces tensile stresses across the cavity face. Both spherical and cylindrical models are presented. The spherical model is suitable for cased and perforated applications while the cylindrical model is used for a horizontal open-hole completion.

Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a communication component, an integral display operatively connected to the communication component, an operator input component operatively connected to the display and a processing component operatively connected to the communication component, to the display and to the operator input component. The communication component communicates with external electronic devices via a common software interface to send data to and receive data from the devices and to send control signals to the devices to control the operation of the devices. The processing component processes an operator's input to the operator input component and data received by the communication component to formulate the control signals. A method of controlling external electrical components is also provided.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods of facilitating and evaluating user thinking about an arbitrary problem. The system includes first logic to facilitate user specification of the problem to populate a problem statement structure. It also includes second logic to facilitate user specification of a conclusion, related to the problem specification, to populate a conclusion statement structure. It also includes third logic to facilitate user creation and specification of knowledge, related to at least one of the problem specification and the conclusion specification, to populate a knowledge structure. Certain embodiments include control logic to persuade user interaction with the first through third logic to a sequence of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define an archetype process for user thinking about the problem.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for designing perturbation signals to excite a number of input variables of a system, in order to test that system for the purpose of obtaining models for the synthesis of a model-based controller. The method begins with providing input parameters of the system. A plurality of binary multi-frequency (BMF) signals are generated based on these input parameters and the frequency spectra of these BMF signals are calculated. One BMF signal is selected out of the set of BMF signals so that the frequency spectrum of the selected BMF signal most closely matches a desired frequency spectrum specified by the input parameters. The selected BMF signal is used as a first perturbation signal for testing the system. The selected BMF signal is also shifted by predetermined amounts of samples to create delayed copies of the original BMF signal to be used as additional perturbation signals.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling the position of an actuating element (1) which prevent damage to the actuating element by a collision with at least one stop (25, 30) and simultaneously ensure good dynamic characteristics. The position of the actuating element (1) tracks a desired value within a displacement range. The displacement range is limited for the actuating element (1) by at least one stop (25, 30). A check is made as to whether the distance between the desired value for the position of the actuating element (1) and the at least one stop (25, 30) drops below a pregiven value (S1). Only in this case is a change of the desired value limited.

Abstract: A container tracking system comprises a dispatcher workstation with a graphical user interface and a database. These are used to track the whereabouts of shipping containers in a storage and transfer yard. A mobile unit in the yard is attached to container handling equipment and monitors the container lock-on mechanism. When a container is locked on for a move, the mobile unit starts reporting positions and velocities to the dispatcher workstation over a radio channel. These positions and solutions are computed from a combination of GPS satellite navigation receiver solutions, inertial navigation, and local beacon markers. Reports stop when the container handling equipment unlocks from the container. The database then updates the new position for that container, and the graphical user interface can be used to “see” the container on a yard map.

Abstract: A modular formulation of model predictive controller is proposed by this invention (400). The modular formulation offers a robust model predictive controller with unified method of tuning. Explicit use of material and energy balance provides stable and robust performance (412). Use of economic based tuning offers a unified tuning method (411). The unified tuning method establishes consistency of control actions resulting from the steady state optimization and the dynamic control (400). Further, a method for formulating and tuning integrated optimization and control using multiple modular model predictive controllers is presented in this invention (100). The method incorporates a direct and explicit method of integration of a number of modular model predictive controllers. The integration of the modular controllers is achieved seamlessly without requiring any further tuning adjustments (200).