Abstract: A system for obtaining environmental data such as temperature, pressure, humidity, and the like which utilizes a data acquisition sensor. In the case of obtaining temperature data, the sensor may be in the form of a thermistor which measures a particular temperature value and generates a signal representing the same. A microprocessing unit receives the signal from the data acquisition device and sends the same to an erasable memory unit. A data collection computer receives the value signal directly from the erasable memory unit, since access to the erasable memory unit by the microprocessor is shielded. The data collection computer can communicate directly with the erasable memory without the need for generating a prior art RS-232 protocol.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an instrumentation system, wherein the present invention includes an improved instrument driver software architecture. The instrument driver software architecture of the present invention provides a number of features, including instrument interchangeability, i.e., the use of interchangeable virtual instruments or interchangeable instrument drivers, improved performance, an improved attribute model, improved range checking, and improved simulation features, among others.

Abstract: A usage monitor circuit monitors the amount of use of various components within a computer system. The circuit includes a plurality of timers and counters that are respectively coupled to the various components to be monitored such that the counters record the number of times the components are activated and the timers record the cumulative times the components are activated. The usage monitor circuit also includes a tamper protection unit that indicates whether the circuit has been tampered with.

Abstract: A method of testing a large number of products in which every product to be tested is subjected to at least one test mode that is carried out in a test sequence successively on all products by means of a test operation comprising several successively performed measurement operations, where statistical information on the test operation of products already tested is allowed for and where a test result is allocated for every product tested. In every test mode the order of the measurement operations of a test operation is specified such that the measurement operations are arranged in accordance with their fault frequency per measurement time and the functional dependencies between the measurement operations. Every test operation within the test sequence of a test mode is allocated a measurement mode which has a certain quantity of measurement operations to be performed and which is specified in accordance with the quantity and the products already tested in a test sequence.

Abstract: Process for measuring performance and monitoring service quality of an information system, this process comprising a process for acquiring data within the information system, a process for processing the data and calculating Indicators, and a supply of reports on the performance and/or the service quality within this information system. It further comprises a process for homogenizing acquired data originating from various data sources, in particular: 1) data acquired by real-time polling; 2) data, in particular continuous or discrete data or events, acquired in real time from an external source; and 3) data, in particular continuous or discrete data or events, acquired in deferred time from an external source.

Abstract: A device for calculating a correction factor for correcting an output of a rotational velocity detecting device for detecting the rotational velocities of right and left tires mounted on a vehicle. Discrimination between a state where the vehicle is traveling linearly and a state where the vehicle is traveling on a curved path is made on the basis of the output of the rotational velocity detecting device. Only when it is judged that the vehicle is traveling linearly, an initial correction factor for eliminating the effect of a difference in effective rolling radius between the tires, depending on an initial difference on the rotational velocities of the tires, is calculated.

Abstract: A sheet profile for bank formation is controlled by using a system including a die and two rotational formation rolls arranged substantially to be parallel to each other at a downstream side of the die, in which a plastic material heated and plasticized is fed through a discharge port of the die in shape of sheet to an upstream side of a gap between the two formation rolls and a sheet is formed so as to provide a predetermined sheet profile by passing through the gap between the two rolls under pressure while forming a bank of the plastic material at the upstream side of the roll gap.

Abstract: A method for calculating an amount and determining a position of an eccentric mass existing in a rotary head apparatus of a fixed shaft type, and to an apparatus for calculating and determining the same is disclosed. The method for calculating an amount and determining a position of the eccentric mass of the rotary head apparatus of the fixed shaft type and the apparatus for calculating and determining the same, are very accurate and credible. Accordingly, the rotational vibration of the head apparatus can be largely reduced through a balancing utilizing the eccentric mass calculated by and determined by the above-mentioned method and apparatus.

Abstract: The method of acquiring, calibrating and storing measured weight data in a secure manner and of acquiring and storing other non-calibratable measured data for display and processing includes providing calibratable weight data acquisition devices (2) and at least one non-calibratable data acquisition device (2) for non-calibratable data other than weight, providing an approved calibrating device (1) in non-interacting dialogue with each data acquisition device, wherein the approved calibrating device includes a computer (3) including a first driver (I,8), a second driver (II,10), a monitor (5), a memory and an EEPROM card (11); triggering the data acquisition devices (2) to obtain calibratable measured weight data and non-calibratable data besides weight; providing the measured weight data and non-calibratable data with references by means of the first driver (I,8), the second driver (II,10) and the EEPROM card (11) during transfer by the approved calibrating device (1); calibrating the measured weight data to

Abstract: A technician evaluates each of the pieces (22, 24, 26 and 28) of building infrastructure equipment in a distribution network (18) by accessing a data base (34) to obtain a record (36.sub.i) for the selected equipment piece. Each record contains an identification for the selected equipment piece as well as its operating tolerance specification. A comparison of the actual operating parameters to the operating tolerance specification reveals whether the piece of equipment is operating properly. Should the equipment have an operating parameter outside an acceptable range, the out-of-compliance data entry value is visually flagged and the impact of that piece of equipment on the network is assessed to determine the appropriate corrective action.

Abstract: Digital filters are used to compensate for echoes in a transmission system in which unwanted couplings occur between a signal value in the receiving direction and a signal value in the transmitting direction. The correct adjustment of the filter coefficients has a considerable influence on the achievable echo compensation. Disturbance signals such as background noises, nonlinear effects in A/D converters or an active local speaker can briefly change the adjustment of the filter coefficients in a way so that the digital filter does not compensate for the echoes and causes additional echoes in unfavorable cases. In accordance with the invention a set of filter coefficients (C(j)) are weighted with an envelope curve (H(j)) and an error measurement (F(j)) is determined therefrom. Depending on the magnitude of the error measurement (F(j)), the filter coefficients (ci) are used for further processing or are discarded.

Abstract: A machine diagnostic system is provided which includes a host computer for determining a health state of a machine. The host computer is operatively coupled to a network backbone. The system also includes a machine diagnostic module adapted to be integrally mounted to a machine, the machine diagnostic module being operatively coupled to the network backbone. The machine diagnostic module collects data relating to operation of the machine and preprocesses the data, and the host computer analyzes the preprocessed data in determining the health state of the machine. The machine diagnostic system includes a system architecture which facilitates the machine diagnosis. The system architecture includes several software layers which provide for collecting and preprocessing machine data, transmitting the collected and/or preprocessed data over a network and analyzing such for machine diagnosis and process diagnosis.

Abstract: A digital data processing circuit has an inverting circuit for inverting a positive/negative sign of the output data of an encoding circuit. A correcting circuit returns the inverted sign of the data to an original sign of data after decoding. Offset is made for truncation noises caused by the respective filtering operations in the encoding circuit and said decoding circuit. Sound quality is suppressed from degrading without increasing the circuit scale.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling plumbing fixtures includes an electronic control board having a microprocessor that accepts four inputs and produces four outputs. Inputs at other than the microprocessor's operating voltage are converted thereto. Outputs having different voltages are controlled by latching relays. The control board can be used with a Smart Sink that requires a sequenced hand washing. The control board can form a node on a network that monitors and controls the functions of multiple boards throughout a facility.

Abstract: A test procedure detects the onset of stator winding damage, identifies the failure mechanism, determines the winding's susceptibility to further damage, and predicts stator winding failure. This is accomplished by introducing a high frequency signal onto power lines which feed the stator and monitoring a change in the capacitance between the individual windings during introduction of the high frequency signal. In order to monitor the change in capacitance, a current sensor and voltage sensor are used to measure the current and voltage on the power lines during introduction of the high frequency signal. Changes in the capacitance between the individual stator windings are reflected as changes in the broadband impedance response of the stator windings which can be calculated by dividing the measured voltage by the measured current.

Abstract: A system, a signal bearing medium embodying a program of machine-readable instructions, and a method employing Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to determine the current pace, the distance traveled and speed of a person, for example a runner, are disclosed. A GPS receiver for receiving signals from GPS satellites is attached to the person. A processor processes the signals received at a plurality of points from sub-sets of GPS satellites to determine the Earth Centered Earth Fixed (ECEF) fix in the x, y, and z planes relative to the center of the earth of each point. The processor detects when the signals are received from a different sub-set of satellites and corrects for the resulting fix error. The processor calculates the relative distance of the segment between the ECEF fixes of each pair of sequentially adjacent points, and adds together the distances of the segments to determine the distance of the path traveled by the person, which is defined by the points.

Abstract: A instrument and method for measuring archery tackle performance is disclosed. A low power, electronics measurement unit attached onto or mounted internal to a bow in communication with a sensor which detects a signal from an external trigger mechanism mounted onto or internal to an arrow shaft for the purposes of measuring arrow velocity or collecting data indicative of arrow position. The statistical parameters of the collected data may then be used to determine and improve archery tackle performance in any shooting situation.

Abstract: A novel process is disclosed for continually or periodically correcting gas spectrometer measurements for wavelength calibration drift without interrupting the gas measurement process. The spectrometer employs certain calibration vectors for use in obtaining single component information based on a composite measurement for a multi-component gas sample. A calibration vector can be provided for each component of interest as well as an average spectrum and other spectra as desired. These calibration vectors are used to selectively compensate for spectral interference between the multiple components so as to effectively isolate and measure a selected spectral characteristic for a particular component of interest. Temperature changes and attendant variations in spectrometer dimensions or other temperature related factors can degrade measurement performance.

Abstract: An automated method for selectively locating fill pattern diffusion regions on a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, the present invention determines the locations of well regions on a semiconductor substrate. The present invention also determines the locations of interconnect lines on the semiconductor substrate. Next, the present invention creates a union of the location of the well regions on the semiconductor substrate and the location of the interconnect lines on the semiconductor substrate. The present invention uses this union to define allowable locations for placement of fill pattern diffusion regions on the semiconductor substrate such that the fill pattern diffusion regions are not disposed under the interconnect lines.

Abstract: A method and apparatus capable of generating and executing large numbers of functional tests for complex digital electronic systems at low cost are presented. The apparatus includes a test generator which uses a decision tree representation of a verification space, derived from a functional specification of the digital electronic system, to generate functional tests. A decision tree representation of a verification space includes an initial goal node, a leaf goal node, and at least one intermediate goal node interconnected by a plurality of directed decision arcs formed between the initial goal node and the leaf goal node. Goal plans assigned to goal nodes include operations which generate functional tests. Functional tests are generated by recursively "walking" the decision tree, the choices of which goal node to visit next being made at random and according to decision weights assigned to each goal node.