Abstract: The subject system measures and reports the use of a personal computer by a user through a log file. The log file includes entries corresponding to predetermined events and can report on the applications used and communication functions engaged in by the user. The log files from one or more computers may be assembled and analyzed in order to ascertain computer use habits for computer software, computer hardware and computer communications. The system may also be used to predict computer use trends and to represent computer use history.

Abstract: Line voltage and line current signals are sensed on a power line having at least one conducting path. The sensed line voltages and line currents are converted into a digital signal. A phase-to-neutral voltage signal and phase current signal are computed from the digital signal to thereby define a phase of the power line. An interval of orthogonality is determined from the sensed voltage and current signals, coinciding with passage of an integral number of cycles of a fundamental frequency reference signal which is computed from the computed phase-to-neutral voltage signal. A vector metering quantity is computed for the determined interval of orthogonality from the computed phase-to-neutral voltage signal and the computed phase current signal. The vector metering quantities to be computed may be identified and computed based upon an associated detent. The vector metering quantity is also computed based on an identified circuit topology.

Abstract: Signal reconstruction methods reconstruct a missing portion of a signal from a first known portion of the signal preceding the missing portion, and a second known portion of the signal succeeding the missing portion. The first known portion of the signal is represented using a first autoregressive model and the second known portion of the signal is represented using a second autoregressive model. These methods construct a signal estimate from the first and second autoregressive models, thereby permitting the reconstruction of any signal having a missing portion, irrespective of whether or not the length of the missing portion is greater than the short-term stationarity duration of the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the growth of surface cracks in materials includes a means for applying a load to a specimen to simulate actual use of the specimen, means for illuminating the specimen, means for capturing images of the specimen, and means for processing the images to monitor crack growth in the specimen. Optionally, the means for processing can be used to control the other means.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for checking logic circuit checks logic element influenced by hot carriers in the logic circuit. The present invention comprises means for measuring rising transition time t.sub.r (or falling transition time t.sub.f) of signal generated by logic element comprising one portion of the logic circuit; means for calculating a ratio (DUTY) of rising transition time t.sub.r (or falling transition time t.sub.f) and operation period T of the signal; and means for comparing said DUTY with maximum allowable duty (DUTYMAX), in order to detect the logic element having DUTY exceeding maximum allowable duty (DUTYMAX).

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for determing a frequency response of a nonlinear microelectronic circuit includes simulating the behavior of the circuit over a broad frequency range by producing a plurality of periodic component signals, having respective noninterfering frequencies within the frequency range, as an input signal to the nonlinear microelectronic circuit. A time domain simulation of the behavior of the microelectronic circuit is then produced and followed by production of a frequency domain simulation from the time domain simulation once a steady-state condition has been reached. Only a single time domain simulation is required and it can be generated simultaneously for all frequencies in the desired range without the occurrence of second-order harmonic interferences.

Abstract: Specific noise components in an input signal are identified and isolated for processing in a desired manner. The method comprises determining an interval during which the noise component is expected to occur and isolating a portion of the input signal occurring during that interval. Determination of the interval is made by sensing noise impulses in the input signal, temporally correlating the noise impulses, and estimating the time that the noise impulses are expected to recur. The input signal can then be passed during the interval to an output signal to enhance the noise component, or the input signal can be blanked from the output signal to reduce the noise component.

Abstract: A system tracks the amount of time a computer system has operated, after its delivery to a new user. The system includes a terminate and stay resident (TSR) program which is loaded each time the computer is booted. The program counts system timer ticks and, at predetermined intervals but only when the operating system is idle, logs the amount of time counted in a log file located on the computer's local hard drive.

Abstract: Discriminate reduction data processing is disclosed as means of providing multivariate linear and nonlinear data reduction for the evaluation of statistically representative approximating parameters which effectively minimize parametric expressions representing sums of normalized datum variances. Weight factors are provided as products of datum error deviation coordinate normalizing proportions to account for nonlinearities, nonuniform error distributions, variable precision uncertainties. Selective data sampling is provided so as not to require certain transformation weight factor coordinate normalizing proportions. Conformal analysis is provided as an optional replacement for regression analysis to account for errors in more than a single variable parameter. Nested parameter evaluation is provided to evaluate parameters that are embedded within term functions.

Abstract: A process monitoring system capable of notifying the occurrence of the abnormality in the process to be monitored and providing the information concerning the abnormality to the supervising personnel located at a remote location from the central monitoring room.

Abstract: A system (10) includes any number of Boundary-Scan integrated circuits (28), a common bus (14), and a Boundary-Scan master (22). The integrated circuits (28) include mode selection logic (58) that isolates pins (30, 32) from core logic (34) during Capture-DR, Update-DR, Run-Test/Idle, and Select-DR-Scan states (66, 88, 62, 64) when a system action instruction is active so that a system action may be asserted. During all other states, including a Shift-DR state (82), the pins (30, 32) remain coupled to the core logic (34). The Boundary-Scan master (22) includes an arbitration interface (112). The arbitration interface (112) requests control of the common bus (14) prior to the time when the integrated circuits (28) assert a system action. The Boundary-Scan master arbitration interface (112) then releases control of the common bus after system action by the integrated circuits (28) is completed.

Abstract: Utilizing a simple, low-cost beacon and receiver technology to allow users to build their own infrastructure by placing beacons in key locations provides intelligent location awareness. This location awareness can be leveraged by the computer electronic equipment that the user is carrying, needs no networking or server infrastructure, works indoors, has no line-of-sight restrictions, is compact and inexpensive.

Abstract: The method and system provide a means of inspecting die sets by scanning the core die and the cavity die separately. A special software technique is used to transform both data scans to the same coordinate system or frame in an orientation which simulates die closure. Then methods are used to determined the exact shape of the interior of the die set when closed.

Abstract: An improved torque sensor, or relative angular movement sensor, comprises an input member, an output member, LED light sources, a pair of photodetector units adapted to receive light from the LED light sources, and signal processing means, in which said signal processing means is adapted to receive output signals from the photodetector units, the output signals of the photodetector units being dependent upon the light signals which they receive, and the signal processing means being adapted to process the output signals from the photodetector units so as to produce a modified output signal indicative of the relative angular displacement between, or torque applied between, the input and output member. The improvement comprises the provision of diagnostic means which continuously monitors a sum signal, .SIGMA., which comprises the sum of the output signals from the photodetector units, and which detects any variation in the sum signal due to failure of the sensor.

Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for rotating machinery having mechanical problems combine AI-based interpretive reasoning with rotordynamic-based modeling and numerical optimization. A vibration response in the machinery to be diagnosed is first measured by machine sensors, and this measured response is used in a rule-based expert system to determine a probable cause of the machinery's mechanical problem. An appropriate finite element analytical model of the machinery is generated based on the probable cause. An optimizer computes the predicted response from the analytical model and compares it with the measured response. The model is automatically refined, guided by the expert system and numerical optimization, to match the predicted response with the measured response. The modifications to the model necessary to duplicate the measured response of the defective machinery are then indicative of the defects.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring an industrial process and a sensor. The method and system include generating a first and second signal characteristic of an industrial process variable. One of the signals can be an artificial signal generated by an auto regressive moving average technique. After obtaining two signals associated with one physical variable, a difference function is obtained by determining the arithmetic difference between the two pairs of signals over time. A frequency domain transformation is made of the difference function to obtain Fourier modes describing a composite function. A residual function is obtained by subtracting the composite function from the difference function and the residual function (free of nonwhite noise) is analyzed by a statistical probability ratio test.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for acquiring data relating to an amount of force required to move a manually movable member operatively associated with a motor vehicle through a predetermined range of movement. The apparatus comprises a movable assembly constructed and arranged to be able to engage the manually movable member through the predetermined range of movement of the manually movable member. A drive mechanism is constructed and arranged to drive the movable assembly so that the movable assembly applies a force to the manually movable member and moves the manually movable member through the predetermined range of movement so as to generally simulate a predetermined manual movement of the manually movable member.

Abstract: A device monitors a pressurized vessel to detect small leaks, ruptures and hard hits on the vessel. Transducers are attached to the vessel and transmit acoustic signals which are processed to extract frequency spectra which contain dominant resonant frequency peaks, if the vessel contains a small leak. If multiple frequency component of the spectra shift to a lower frequency suddenly and stay at the lower frequency, this indicated the presence of a larger leak or rupture. A hard hit on the vessel, for example by machinery, is detected by a shift in the transient response of harmonics in the acoustic signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for compensating V2 for bias error on one or more magnetometers used for one or more borehole directional surveys, comprising determining the constant or first-order varying bias values which minimize the variance of computed local magnetic field vectors with respect to central values, which may be either independent estimates of the local magnetic field vector or the mean values of the computed local magnetic field vectors.

Abstract: Data processing systems are disclosed which use arithmetic processors with final stage discriminate rectifiers and discriminate data sampling to evaluate parameters which effectively minimize parametric expressions representing sums of normalized datum variances to provide corresponding data representations which account for such items as nonlinearities, nonuniform error distributions, and variable precision uncertainties. Conformal analysis is provided as an optional replacement for regression analysis to account for significant errors in more than a single variable parameter. The applications include general forms of curve fitting, transformations, function approximations and corresponding forms of real time data processing. The systems provide for both linear and nonlinear forms of data reduction.