Abstract: An axisymmetric figure shaping device including an input unit for receiving input of a figure formed including a curve and a data processing unit for shaping an input figure to be precisely symmetric with respect to a predetermined axis of symmetry, the data processing unit including a characteristic point calculating unit for calculating, from a coordinate point sequence of a figure input through the input unit, coordinates of each vertex, and maximal points and minimal points in the horizontal and the vertical directions of the input figure and taking them as characteristic points of the input figure, a candidate axis of symmetry calculating unit for calculating a candidate axis of symmetry for use in the decision of symmetry based on calculated characteristic points, a symmetry decision unit for deciding about symmetry of an input figure with respect to a calculated candidate axis of symmetry, and a shaping unit for shaping, when a decision is made that an input figure has symmetry with respect to a candid

Abstract: In the case of a process for measuring the distance between a motor vehicle and an object, in the vehicle, in the case of a short distance of the object, the output signals of a first measuring device with a corresponding measuring range and, in the case of a longer distance of the object, the output signals of a second measuring device with a correspondingly longer measuring range are taken into account in a dominating manner. The measuring devices are constructed as analysis devices. The output signal of a single receiver for a single distance generator is supplied to the analysis devices as an input signal. The analysis devices analyze this input signal via an analysis process which is characteristic of the shorter or the longer distance range.

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: This invention relates to a recording node for receiving energy-related consumption meter data, for calculating consumption amount and consumption rate, and for storing such information. The invention further relates to networks into which the recording node is incorporated, or which can otherwise be accessed by the recording node. The recording node receives signals from a meter and calculates a current consumption rate value and a predicted consumption value for a time interval. At the end of the time interval, values calculated for the interval are stored in memory in the recording node and the recording node resets and begins calculating values for the next time interval. Price data may be received at the recording node from an external source, over a network, such as a distributed network, which includes the recording node. Consumption values and price data stored in the recording node are available to other nodes in the network. The network preferably does not include a central processor.

Abstract: Performance monitoring capabilities are expanded to an entire data processing system so that performance analyses can be made for operations occurring within the entire data processing system and not merely within the processor or any other device containing the performance monitor. Therefore, there is a provision for communicating performance monitor-related signals between the various performance monitors within the various devices and processor within a data processing system.

Abstract: A utilization detector detects when equipment undergoes at least one of a sudden motion or a slowly changing motion. In response to detecting sudden or slowly changing motion of the equipment, the utilization detector causes a production hour meter to accumulate time over which such motion is occurring. In response to detecting an absence of sudden or slowly changing motion of the equipment, the utilization detector causes an idle hour meter to accumulate time over which motion is not occurring. The utilization detector includes an off delay timer for maintaining the production hour meter accumulating time for a predetermined interval after the utilization detector detects the termination of sudden or slowly changing motion. When the production hour meter is accumulating time, the idle hour meter is not accumulating time and vice versa.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for qualifying an object. Several characteristic values of the object are determined and arranged in a sequence in a polar coordinate system having an origin. At least one quality point is determined as the center of gravity on the basis of the positions of the characteristic values in the polar coordinate system. The object is qualified according to the position of the quality point in the polar coordinate system. In determining the quality point, the characteristic values are taken into account by weighting with their distances from the origin of the polar coordinate system.

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: Symmetry in a filter is used to reduce the complexity of an interpolator or a decimator and to simplify derivation of resulting discrete samples. In particular, an inverse relationship between weights applied to two samples is recognized and exploited. An inverse relationship is recognized when a first weight is associated with a first of the samples and a second weight is associated with a second of the samples and a weight which is equivalent to the first weight is associated with the second sample and a weight which is equivalent to the second weight is associated with the first sample. The inverse relationship is exploited by forming two composite weights of the first and second weights and weighting composite sample signals with the composite weights. A first of the composite weights has a value which is one-half of the sum of the values of the first and second weights. A second of the composite weights has a value which is one-half of the difference of the values of the first and second weights.

Abstract: A multi-port data collection system serves as a PC real-time burn-in testing system. It is used to overcome the conventional burn-in system disadvantages of excessive man-power requirements and low efficiency. The system includes a monitoring device to real-time monitor the burn-in states of a plurality of PCs undergoing testing. Each PC being tested executes a program to perform the burn-in test and generate test data representing the test results. After collecting the data, the monitoring device displays the result of each machine undergoing testing using windows on the monitor screen. Using the multi-port data collection system of the present invention, the maximum number of machine undergoing testing exceeds 4096. The present invention can real-time display the states of machines being tested, record data automatically, and help to handle the production state. This test data can also be used to analyze why a particular error occurs and to determine the failure percentage of machines.

Abstract: A speed-sensing projectile such as for example a baseball includes a generally spherical body. An inertial switch is positioned within the body and is actuable between open and closed conditions in response to accelerations of the body greater than a threshold value. A processor also within the body is responsive to the inertial switch and calculates the average speed at which the baseball is thrown over a fixed distance. A visible display on the body is in communication with the processor and displays the calculated speed.

Abstract: A noise analyzing apparatus includes an input unit for inputting a structure of an autonomous system, parameter values and analysis conditions, a periodic steady-state solution calculating unit for calculating a periodic steady-state solution of the autonomous system, a noise source adding unit for adding a noise source to a periodic linear time-variant system obtained by linearizing the autonomous system around the periodic steady-state solution, a time-variant transfer function calculating unit for calculating, for each noise source, a time-variant transfer function of the periodic linear time-variant system to which noise sources are added, a reflected component calculating unit for adding power of a time-variant transfer function reflected to a frequency to be observed, and an output unit for outputting as a result of analysis relating to noise based on results of calculations by the above-described calculating units.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a viewport definition for a computer generated image using sensor information relating to a video camera's pan, tilt, zoom, and focus controls. The method generally comprises the steps of: (a) establishing reference points within an enclosed space which is to be used for recording images with the camera; (b) positioning the camera within the enclosed space relative to the reference points such that the camera position can be determined through triangulation with respect to the reference points; (c) developing position data through triangulation which identifies the camera position in a coordinate system relative to the reference points; (d) recording camera orientation data from sensors disposed to detect camera parameters defining the camera's pan, tilt, zoom, and focus settings; and (e) developing a database defining a viewport for the camera defined from a combination of the position data and the camera orientation data. Calculating the viewport (i.e.

Abstract: A welding system for automatically welding two workpieces together at a joint. The system includes a welding box having an electrode for welding the workpieces together; a camera assembly for viewing selected regions of the workpieces including a first edge and a second edge of the joint; and a controller connected to the camera assembly and the welding box for receiving the location of the first edge and the second edge of the joint and calculating the centerline of the joint and providing an output signal representative of the difference of the relative position of the centerline of the joint and the centerline of the fusing element. In the preferred embodiment, a 2-axis light source illuminates the surface of the workpieces to better locate the centerline of the joint.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for visually monitoring the radius of an item which is rotating about a fixed axis and which has a trackable contour known to lie in a plane normal to the rotation, such as a part turned on a lathe. The present invention can also estimate the cross-sectional diameter of a growing crystal, and the height of the cross-section above the melt surface. In addition, the height and radius of the meniscus at the crystal/melt interface can be tracked by the system of the invention. The present makes it possible to further automate crystal growing processes in a manner that increases manufacturing efficiency, consistency, and overall quality. In general, the invention provides a machine vision method for estimating both a longitudinal position and a radius of a circular cross-sectional feature of a solid of revolution.

Abstract: A system and method for calculating the performance of a cluster tool using a weighted configuration matrix. The system includes a computer system which maintains a database of entities corresponding to semiconductor wafer processing modules in a fab. A user "clusters" the entities, i.e., selects entities to reflect the relationship of the constituent modules physically linked together which form the cluster tool. The user also designates a main module against which the main performance events of the cluster tool, such as begin run and end run, are logged in the database. The computer system configures all of the "up" and "down" state configuration combinations of the cluster tool modules and displays the configurations for the user. The user specifies a weight for each of the configurations based upon an estimate of the performance the cluster tool while in the respective configuration relative to the performance of the cluster tool in a fully operable configuration.

Abstract: A take-up device of an image forming sheet material, in which a plurality of sheet materials used for formation of images is sequentially wound, comprises: a core member formed in the shape of a cylinder and supported rotatably, the core member being provided such that the plurality of sheet materials can be wound around an outer periphery of the core member; an endless belt entrained across a plurality of rollers and moved in a circulating manner in a predetermined direction with an outer periphery of the endless belt contacting by pressure an outer periphery of the core member so as to rotate the core member and the endless belt nipping the sheet material together with the core member to sequentially wind the plurality of sheet materials around the core member; and tension maintaining means for maintaining tension of the endless belt substantially fixedly irrespective of a change of a winding diameter of the sheet material wound around the core member.

Abstract: A modified air activated pressure valve is described, together with a method for its manufacture, that has a pressure sensitive switch located in the inlet chamber and in the outlet chamber. These pressure sensitive switches are preset by the user to output a finite voltage (typically about 5 volts) only when they are exposed to a pressure that exceeeds some value. The outputs of both switches may then be displayed, as needed. Additionally, a display circuit is provided that gives an output signal only when both the inlet and the outlet chambers are at or above their intended pressures.

Abstract: The impending overheating of the compressor motor in a chiller is predicted by comparing measured output values in the chiller with output values predicted by passing said output values and chiller input values through a Kalman filter. Variances which exceed thresholds are used to predict the overheating condition. The Kalman filter is derived from a low order state space model of the chiller, the matrix values of which are derived by linear regression from the outputs and states resulting from random signal input excitation of a high order model of the chiller in a computer.

Abstract: A terminal device which can set a connection status of a communication tool line between terminal devices in various ways and an electronic conference system having such a terminal device are provided. The terminal device for communicating information between remote terminal devices comprises a connection status operation/control unit for setting a connection status of a line to be used by the communication tool, a connection modification unit for changing the line connection in accordance with the content set by the connection status operation/control unit, a connection status modification convey unit for outputting the content set by the connection status operation/control unit to other terminal device, and a connection status modification inform unit for receiving the content of the modification of the line connection from the other terminal.