Abstract: A system and method for identifying and measuring the quantity of leakage from a conduit used in the conveyance of a fluid, such as a hydrocarbon fluid, for example oil, or a gas, such as natural gas. The system includes a measurement device configured to measure a distributed temperature along a length of the conduit. The system further includes a processor configured to calculate a change in volume of the fluid in the conduit for each of a plurality of sections of the length of the conduit based on the distributed temperature. The processor is further configured to calculate a correction factor based on the change in volume of the fluid. The processor is also configured to calculate a corrected mass-balance differential using the correction factor, and compare the corrected mass-balance differential to a predetermined leakage threshold to identify whether a leak exists in the conduit.

Abstract: A calibration method for brittle fracture assessment parameters for pressure vessel materials based on the Beremin model includes selecting at least two types of specimens of different constraints, and calculating the fracture toughness values K0 corresponding to 63.2% failure probability for each type of specimens at a same calibration temperature by using the respective fracture toughness data. The method proceeds by obtaining the stress-strain curve of the material at the calibration temperature, generating finite element models for each type of specimens, and calculating the maximum principal stress and element volume of every element at K=K0 in each model. A series of values of m are assumed to compute a group of ?u values for each type of specimens, and then m˜?u curves are plotted for each type of specimens. Brittle fracture assessment parameters are then determined for the material according to the coordinates of the intersection of the m˜?u curves.

Abstract: A gas detection unit capable of automatically communicating event data is provided. The unit includes a housing, a gas detector module mounted in the housing, and a programmable processor configured to retain preselected event data of the gas detector module and to automatically initiate a wireless signal communicating the preselected event data for further transmission to a remote database in response to the detection of an available communication connection. The unit can include a low power radio module configured to transmit a low power radio signal communicating the preselected event data in response to initiation of the wireless signal by the programmable processor.

Abstract: A visualization system for creating, displaying and animating overview and detail heat map displays for industrial automation. The visualization system connects the heat map displays to an interface component providing manual or automatic input data from an industrial process or an archive of historical industrial process input data. The animated heat map displays providing quality, prognostic or diagnostic information.

Abstract: Adsorbed gas in a formation may be estimated. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data for a subsurface geological formation is obtained, and at least a portion of the NMR data is corrected to produce corrected NMR data. A NMR-based estimate of formation porosity is determined using the corrected NMR data. Dielectric permittivity data for the subsurface geological formation is obtained, and a dielectric permittivity-based estimate of the formation water-filled porosity is determined using the dielectric permittivity data. A gas volume is determined using the determined NMR-based estimate of the formation porosity and the determined dielectric permittivity-based estimate of the formation water-filled porosity. The gas volume may be determined by subtracting the determined dielectric permittivity-based estimate of the formation water-filled porosity from the determined NMR-based estimate of the formation porosity. The gas volume per unit volume of the formation may be determined using an equation of state.

Abstract: A time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer analyzes a sample producing a time series of data points representing amounts of detected ions per unit time. A spectrometer resolution, a spectrometer digitization time period, and a minimum number points per peak needed to maintain the information content of a peak are received. A peak width value is calculated for each point from the resolution and a time of each point. The calculated peak width value for each point is divided by the minimum number points per peak. A maximum time difference between points for each point is produced. A point is selected based on the digitization time period. Adjacent points of the selected point are found. If a difference between the adjacent points does not exceed a sum of a maximum time differences of the adjacent points, the selected point is deleted to compress the time series.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining a timing variation for an edge of a waveform under simultaneous switching noise (SSN) conditions is provided. The method includes characterizing an impact of mutual inductive relationships on a pin while the pin is at a quiet state and characterizing a signal edge applied to the pin. The signal edge can be characterized by the slew rate in one embodiment. A voltage change related to a curve characterizing the impact of mutual inductive relationships is identified and the voltage change is applied to a curve characterizing an impact of SSN on the signal edge. The method includes calculating a timing variation correlated to the voltage change applied to the curve characterizing the impact of SSN on the signal edge and presenting the calculated timing variation.

Abstract: A method and system for spectroscopic measurement of a characteristic of a biological tissue is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) using at least one light source to emit light that penetrates the biological tissue; (2) using at least one light detector to detect light emitted by the at least one light source and passed through the biological tissue, and to convert the detected light into a detection signal, the detection signal including an unwanted noise component; and (3) using a processor to process the detection signal and to determine an adjusted peak-to-peak amplitude value that is representative of an amplitude of the detection signal adjusted for the unwanted noise component.

Abstract: Method, system and computer software for diagnosing a compressor. The method includes generating a feature vector of the compressor, the feature vector of the compressor including components describing states of various parts of the compressor; determining, based on fuzzy constraints, an aggregated anomaly vector corresponding to the feature vector; defining rules for a preset list of possible faults/failure modes of the compressor; calculating a corroborating measure between the aggregated anomaly vector and the rules; and identifying a fault/failure mode of the compressor based on a result of the corroborating measure.

Abstract: A multipurpose weather measurement instrument sensor system in which a fan circulates air past temperature and other sensors to ensure their accurate operation, a basin collects rainwater and precisely directs the rainwater into a tipping receptacle to measure the amount of rainwater collected per unit time and a wind speed gauge is provided with a counter-balanced toggle beam to product wobble-free rotation.

Abstract: A method correcting a measured spectrum of X radiation, according to a number of channels Nc, each channel i corresponding to an energy range between Ei and Ei+?Ei, including: determining function ?ti,j(k) determining size of temporal deviation ?t interval separating two interactions with energy Ei and Ej, stacking of which leads to a detected energy value Ek; determining, from the function ?ti,j(k), probability function Pi,j(k) that an event counted in a channel k corresponds to a stack of two interactions, respectively of energies Ei and Ej; determining, from the probability function Pi,j(k), a stack spectrum as a part of the measured spectrum that corresponds only to the stacks alone; and calculating or estimating at least a first corrected spectrum, by the difference between the measured spectrum and the stack spectrum.

Abstract: A first measured value of a specific physical quantity at a target portion is correlated with a damage evaluation index to calculate a damage degree corresponding to the first measured value. The specific physical quantity is measured at least once at a position corresponding to the first measurement position in another time period having a different usage elapsed time from that of the first measurement, and these second and subsequent measured values are correlated with damage degrees calculated based on temporal changes corresponding to the second and subsequent measurements. A new damage evaluation index is approximately calculated based on a relationship between the first, second, and subsequent measured values and the damage degrees corresponding to the first, second, and subsequent measured values.

Abstract: A vehicle accelerometer system comprises an accelerometer (290) for installation in a vehicle (500), a processor (210) for selection of accelerometer output data items for inclusion in an accelerometer output data set representative of measurements by the accelerometer (290) at a plurality of different vehicle locations, each accelerometer output data item being representative of a respective measurement by the accelerometer (290), and a storage device (230) for storing the accelerometer output data set, wherein the processor (210) is configured to process the accelerometer output data set to determine an orientation output representative of the orientation of the accelerometer (290) with respect to the vehicle (500).

Abstract: A battery history information management device for managing history information of a secondary battery includes: a connection determination unit which determines whether a charge/discharge device connected to the secondary battery is (i) a first charge/discharge device connected via a communication network to a server which manages the history information or (ii) a second charge/discharge device not connected to the server; a battery history recording unit which records, when it is determined that the charge/discharge device is the second charge/discharge device, charge/discharge history for second charge/discharge device into battery history data; and a history upload control unit which transmits, when it is determined that the charge/discharge device is the first charge/discharge device, the battery history data to the server via the first charge/discharge device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for in-situ calibration of a flow controller are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of flowing a gas includes providing a flow controller configured to provide a first gas at a first value of a flow rate based on a calculated first relationship determined by using a standard gas; determining an actual first relationship between the flow rate and the setpoint for the first gas from a plurality of values of the flow rate of the first gas determined at a corresponding plurality of values of the setpoint of the flow controller, wherein each of the plurality of values of the flow rate is determined from flowing the first gas through the flow controller at corresponding ones of the plurality of values for the setpoint; and flowing the first gas at the first value of the flow rate based on the actual first relationship.

Abstract: A method implemented using a processor based device includes obtaining a measured electrical signal from an electrical device coupled to a mechanical device and generating a signal signature representative of a fault in the mechanical device based on the measured electrical signal. The method also includes determining a diagnostic parameter based on a harmonic frequency of the signal signature and determining the fault in the mechanical device based on the diagnostic parameter.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating the residual fatigue life of a load cell includes storing, in a memory, fatigue life reference data associated with a test load cell. A predetermined number of data storage bins are provided. Each data storage bin is representative of a predefined value range of peak loads. Peak loads applied to an in-service load cell are detected, and each is stored in an appropriate one of the data storage bins. A number of load cycles of the in-service load cell are calculated based on the detected peak loads stored in each of the data storage bins. An estimate of the residual life of the in-service load cell is calculated from the fatigue life reference data and the calculated number of load cycles of the in-service load cell.

Abstract: Techniques for distributed testing are provided. Resources are identified for performing tests over a network. The tests and policies are sent to the resources and a proxy. The proxy delivers data for the tests to the resources and enforces the policies during the tests. The proxy also gathers statistics and results from the resources, which are executing the tests, and the proxy reports the statistics and results to one or more third-party services for subsequent manipulation and analysis.

Abstract: There is provided a measuring device that includes a first measuring unit that measures a distance between a measurement reference point and an intersection of a plane and a line passing through the measurement reference point, a calculator that calculates angles formed by the plane and the intersection; and a second measuring unit that measures an object using data of the distance or the angles.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for populating and using a pressure database to determine an altitude of a unit with an unknown altitude are presented. A pressure from one or more barometric pressure sensors linked to respective base stations are interpolated to determine a reference pressure (e.g., at sea level) at arbitrary coordinates (x,y) having pressure reading. For example, a mobile station at the arbitrary coordinates (x,y) records a pressure at the mobile station. A difference between this pressure at the mobile station and the interpolated reference pressure is determined, which may directly be interpreted as a defined altitude of the mobile station.