Abstract: A method for evaluating the extent of deterioration of pipes whereby an inspection instrument is passed through a length of casing to determine the extent of corrosive deterioration. The resulting measurements generated by the inspection instrument are processed to exclude those responses caused by the structural configuration of the casing length under inspection. The remaining responses are then analyzed to compile a detailed interpretation of the measurements including specific information regarding the state of deterioration of the length of casing under inspection.

Abstract: A method for improving the limit of detection for a data set in which experimental noise is uncorrelated along a given abscissa and an analytical signal is correlated to the abscissa, the steps comprising collecting the data set, converting the data set into a data signal including an analytical portion and the experimental noise portion, designating and adjusting a baseline of the data signal to center the experimental noise numerically about a zero reference, and integrating the data signal preserving the corresponding information for each point of the data signal. The steps of the method produce an enhanced integrated data signal which improves the limit of detection of the data signal.

Abstract: The life expectancy of a mechanical structure that undergoes repeated loading is estimated by determining the maximum crack length on the surface of the structure. The maximum length of the cracks on the surface of the structure is related to the life ratio of the structure, wherein the life ratio is a ratio of the number of loads the structure has undergone to the number of loads the structure will undergo until failure. An optical system is used to measure the crack length of the cracks on the surface of the structure being inspected. A statistical distribution of greatest length cracks for a sampling of areas within a larger area can be made. Apparatus is provided to statistically process such distribution data to obtain a statistically estimated maximum length crack for the larger area. The maximum crack length determination can be used to estimate the life expectancy of the structure from the relationship between crack length and life ratio.

Abstract: An initial start-up schedule is prepared based on given parameters relating to a thermal power plant and its operation. A dynamic characteristic model is prepared, permitting simulation of start-up characteristics which would be obtained if the thermal power plant is started according to the initial start-up schedule. Estimates are made of specified parameters, such as energy loss, the time interval between steam admission to an intermediate pressure turbine and steam admission to a high pressure turbine, and thermal stress of the power plant. Determination is made of whether the estimated values of the selected parameters are within predetermined allowable ranges or not. The initial start-up schedule is then corrected according to a predetermined rule depending upon whether the estimated values are determined to be within the predetermined allowable ranges or not. The estimating, determining, and correcting are repeated until an optimized start-up schedule is obtained.

Abstract: This ultrasound imspection method using the Born approximation simplifies the problem of characterizing 3-dimensional flaws of general shape by reducing it to a series of 2-dimensional tomographic image reconstructions. The reconstructed 2-dimensional images represent the 2-dimensional projections or shadows of the 3-dimensional flaw characteristic function which specifies the shape of the flaw. Each projection image is reconstructed independently using well developed computerized tomography techniques. If the shape of the flow is not too irregular or fine details are not of interest, only a few of these projection images are needed. The 3-dimensional flaw shape is reconstructed from the 2-dimensional projection images through a 3-D reconstruction process.

Abstract: A "pressure" gauge which measures density of a gas in a vacuum system is temperature-compensated to give more accurate pressure readings by taking into account the actual gas temperature in the gauge as well as the temperature of the gas during calibration of the gauge. The calibration is for gauge output current versus measured gas pressures; during calibration, the gas temperature is also measured. During pressure measurement gas temperature is measured in the gauge and a microcomputer is used for computations and for lookup of calibration pressure values which nominally corespond to gauge output current values. The output current is first compensated for temperature correction by multiplying it by the actual absolute gas temperature and dividing the product by the absolute calibration gas temperature. This new temperature-compensated output current is used by the microprocessor to access the stored calibration data and to provide a temperature-compensated pressure value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus creates a display of a scene having a plurality of object elements. One or more frame buffers are utilized in creating the display.

Abstract: A driving device forming part of a controller is connected in a circuit and supplies power to a number of stations in the circuit. Each station has a microcomputer and at least one sensor capable of detecting a significant event of interest. Each microcomputer monitors its adjacent circuit, stores information derived from any sensor in its station and periodically informs the controller. The stations each have at least one circuit breaker controlled by its microcomputer for isolating that station from an adjacent station. The controller interrogates all the stations to identify any station at which an event has occurred and receives, stores, and analyzes data from the microcomputers and sends instructions thereto.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic inspection method and apparatus for inspecting the presence or absence of a defect in an object to be inspected by receiving as an RF signal a reflection beam of an ultrasonic beam emitted from a probe to the object and displaying data of the RF signal on a display unit, a maximum value indicative of a positive peak of the RF signal is detected, a maximum absolute value indicative of a negative peak of the RF signal is detected, a computation is performed for comparing in magnitude the maximum value indicative of the positive peak with the maximum absolute value indicative of the negative peak, and a computed value is displayed on the display unit so that the presence or absence of a phase inversion of the RF signal may be judged for deciding the presence or absence of a defect in the object.

Abstract: The stability of floating structures is determined using a plurality of changes in weight distribution and by processing the resulting signals from two inclinometers arranged so as to measure the inclination about two orthongonal non-vertical axes. The inclinometer axes need not coincide with the structre axes as any divergence is compensated by the specified signal processing steps.

Abstract: A non-intrusive monitor of energy consumption of residential appliances is described in which sensors, coupled to the power circuits entering a residence, supply analog voltage and current signals which are converted to digital format and processed to detect changes in certain residential load parameters, i.e., admittance. Cluster analysis techniques are employed to group change measurements into certain categories, and logic is applied to identify individual appliances and the energy consumed by each.

Abstract: Information from multiple CICS host applications is gathered and the information is displayed on a single display screen. The information includes graphics, reports, and monitoring information. The display screens that the user is presented with are in a format that correspond to the host display screens that are commonly employed in large data processing (DO) centers. A host based status array is used to minimize the overhead of the communications between the host and the PC. The IBM 3270-PC or other microprocessor with a host communications interface receives existing, summarized information and reduces the information to a complete, accurate picture of the multiple applications that enables the operator to have timely information and respond effectively in a complex DP environment. The alarm information is organized to effectively call the operator's attention to a key problem quickly and efficiently.

Abstract: In a routing method for efficiently routing the interconnections of a printed circuit board, the list of interconnections to be made is ordered to provide a work order for deriving routes. The circuit board is notionally divided into a grid of addressable cells. Then grid lines are considered in turn. A particular grid line may have a certain number (x) of cells that are full and so cannot be used for routing and other cells which are empty and so available for routing (capacity). If all interconnections to be made were made by direct spans then that particular grid line would have grid crossings occupying a certain number (y) of cells (occupancy). A MAOMIC (maximum occupancy-minimum capacity) product of that grid line is derived. When assigning routes, the routes of those interconnections which, if directly made, would cross the grid line of highest MAOMIC product are assigned first.

Abstract: A circuit and a method deaverages a stream of digital data in order to reconstruct an original non-averaged data stream therefrom, and particularly for reconstructing non-averaged (original) pixel values from a scan line containing averaged odd/even pixel values. If "n" equals the number of separate values used to determine each average value, deaveraging is accomplished by multiplying an incoming averaged digital data value by a pre-determined amount to yield a multiplied average value; subtracting "m" successive prior data values in a reconstructed stream of original non-averaged data values from the multiplied average value in order to yield a current value, wherein the value of "m" equals "n-1"; delaying the current value by "m" successive delay intervals in order to provide "m" separate corresponding ones of the prior data values; and routing the current value to an output point as being a current non-averaged value in said reconstructed data stream.

Abstract: This is a stochastic method for determining the likely conformations of a molecule by starting with an initial molecular structure along with given atomic coordinate positions and defined bonds between atoms. Each of the atom's initial X, Y and Z coordinates are modified by the combination therewith of random numbers to create a new random coordinate position for each atom. A predetermined constraint is placed on the distance of each new coordinate from each initial coordinate. The steric energy of the reconfigured molecule is then calculated, stored and a new set of randon numbers combined with the atomic coordinates and the steric energy of the new structure calculated. The process is repeated until most, if not all, steric minima are detected and the structures associated therewith are determined.

Abstract: A combinatorial weighing system includes a combinatorial weighing apparatus, a packing machine and master/slave changeover switch. The combinatorial weighing apparatus has a plurality of weighing machines for sensing the weight of articles supplied thereto, and a calculation control unit for performing a combinatorial calculation, based on weight data from the weighing machines, to obtain an optimum combination, and for causing weighing machines corresponding to the optimum combination to discharge their articles. The articles are then packed by the packing machine. The master/slave changeover switch switches between a mode in which the packing machine is the master of the weighing and packing operation and a mode in which the weighing apparatus is the master of the weighing and packing operation. The arrangement results in a combinatorial weighing apparatus which has greatly simplified hardware and which can operate in association with either a master- or slave-type packing machine.

Abstract: A computer-based method evaluates the structure of a protein to thereby identify sites in the protein molecule at which the natural amino acid residues can be replaced with cysteine residues in order to permit the formation of a potentially stabilizing disulfide bond.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are used to cyclicly degrade a peptide to be sequenced, arriving at a set of amino acid residues for each cycle. The amount of each amino acid residue is quantitatively measured in each set, then a background level is fit to each cycle to obtain a background fit. A measure of dispersion is then calculated for the background fit, and the measured amounts of amino acid residues in each cycle are normalized relative to the background fit. The largest normalized background-corrected residue amount in each cycle then provides a sequence assignment that can be used for further correction steps if desired.

Abstract: Lines of various slopes and positions are generated simply in a computer aided manual drafting system. Such lines may be drawn with a modified puck manually movable over a surface to control the position of a cursor in an electronic computer display, and may be stored for later adoption in a manually directed computer aided drafting step. The puck senses two spaced positions on a surface over which it moves, thereby to define the slope of a line positioned with a datum point at the cursor location positioned by the puck in a conventional manner. Lines in this system are defined by two points in a coordinate system, namely a datum position point and a slope position point. This format affords simplified entry, processing and storage of line data in a computer.

Abstract: The disclosed system determines the concentration of components of body fluids using test carriers and an instrument to evaluate the test carriers. The instrument has an electronic evaluating system with a processor which, on the basis of information transmitted to it concerning the batch-specific evaluation curve of the particular test carrier batch used, calculates the concentration (C) from a value (R) measured on the test carrier. The information about the evaluation curve is contained in visible indicia printed on each test carrier itself or on material for packaging, or packaged with, multiple test carriers.