Abstract: A metrology recipe includes dynamic instructions that allow a metrology tool to perform a secondary metrology operation on a test wafer when previous measurement data indicates a process issue with that test wafer. The metrology recipe can instruct the metrology tool to perform an efficient default metrology operation on all test wafers, and perform a more in-depth secondary metrology operation on only those wafers that warrant additional scrutiny. In this manner, critical metrology data can be captured with a minimum of effect on metrology throughput. The metrology data used to determine whether or not the secondary metrology operation is to be performed can be generated from default metrology operations within the same tool, or can be generated by measurements taken by a completely different tool. Such “external” metrology data can be received via a communications network, either directly or from a server on the network for processing the metrology data.

Abstract: A method for updating the return on investment (ROI) templates used by business consultants. The present invention comprises a Template Evaluation Program (TEP) and a Template Analysis Program (TAP). The TEP compares the default template to the templates modified by the consultants for the customer's ROI analysis and assigns an effectiveness factor to the modified templates. The TAP develops a data list from the default templates and the effectiveness factors and plots the data on a histogram. The TAP performs a statistical analysis for each parameter and updates the default template parameter values if the data fits a normal distribution curve. If the data forms more than one peak on the histogram, then the TAP uses one peak to update the default template and uses the second peak to create a new template. The new template's parameter value is derived from the data in the second peak.

Abstract: Methods for analyzing the connected quality of a hydrocarbon reservoir are disclosed. A model of a portion of the reservoir is divided into cells, each cell having a volume and some attributes, and wherein a speed function is assigned to a portion of the cells. A reference cell is chosen. A connectivity between cells in the reservoir is determined by solving an Eikonal equation that describes the travel time propagation, said propagating front progressing outward from a reference cell until an ending condition is met, said Eikonal equation being solved by a fast marching method with propagation velocity as a function of spatial position being provided by the speed function. Regions of the reservoir are characterized by their connective quality to the reference cell using the connectivity.

Abstract: A displacement detecting encoder including a scale having a positional code that contains positional information, a detection portion which is disposed so as to make a relative movement with respect to the scale and detect at least a part of the positional code equipped on the scale and a processing portion which processes a part of the positional code detected by the detection portion, thereby outputting the positional information, wherein the detected positional code is evaluated by positional code generating means for generating the positional code to detect the presence or absence of erroneous information. Thereby, an error in detecting a pseudo random code is detected by using a minimum code without addition of a redundant code and also correction can be made, thereby improving the reliability of generating ABS position signals.

Abstract: Errors of a measuring system are corrected by acquiring the phases of transmission tracking errors. A network analyzer includes a measuring system error factor recording unit which records measuring system error factors generated independently of frequency conversion carried out by a DUT, and an error factor acquiring unit which measures first coefficients and second coefficients of a correction mixer where a signal output from a terminal is a sum of a product of a signal input to the terminal and the first coefficient, and a product of a signal input to the other terminal and the second coefficient, and the ratio of magnitudes of the second coefficients is constant, and acquires the transmission tracking errors caused by the frequency conversion based on the measuring system error factors recorded in the measuring system error factor recording unit, the first coefficients, and the second coefficients.

Abstract: A method for determining the state of a battery includes receiving measurements representative of at least one of a battery terminal voltage and a battery terminal current from a first unit and using a second unit to determine at least one characteristic variable for a battery state from at least one of the measured battery terminal voltage and the measured battery current. The method also includes using a microprocessor to statistically assess the at least one characteristic variable for the battery state by performing a statistical process check. The method further includes defining an observation window for the at least one characteristic variable within which the at least one characteristic variable is assumed to be steady-state and identifying an implausible value, which is not caused by the battery, for the at least one characteristic variable if the scatter of the at least one characteristic variable exceeds a defined scatter limit.

Abstract: Through the use of image processing and set-up calibration techniques, an accurate position of an object may be determined. Embodiments of the present disclosure measure a change in position over a known time interval. Accordingly, the change in position aids in measuring the object's metrics such as, for example, position, velocity, acceleration, maximum velocity, maximum acceleration and/or maximum deceleration. The object can be, for example, any person, individual body part, a group of body parts, a vehicle, or any other movable object.

Abstract: A circuit board diagnostic operating center (10) including a large flat panel display (18) used for displaying the test system assets (instruments 12) and the circuit card assembly (CCA) schematic diagram, a small flat panel display (20) to display ancillary information, a computer (24) that executes the system application program and provides the means to communicate with automated test equipment. The diagnostic operating center may contain industry standard programmable equipment and instrumentation, or may contain independent instrumentation, or a combination. Physical CCA signal to operating center instrumentation interconnections are accomplished via a cross-point matrix (16). A graphical user interface (GUI) in combination with diagnostic operating center software and hardware provides an interactive means to visually create and store test sequences by capturing the technician's diagnostic methodology.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an APS based integrated sun sensor comprising: a diaphragm unit, a detection unit, a processing electronics unit and an interface unit. The diaphragm unit is operatively connected with the detection unit for forming a sunspots image. The detection unit is configured for outputting a gray value of each pixel. The processing electronics unit is operatively connected with the detector unit and the interface unit respectively, for evaluating an attitude angle on the basis of the gray value and coordinate of each pixel. The interface unit is operatively connected with a host computer, for transferring the attitude angle to the host computer. This disclosure has such merits as high accuracy, wide FOV (Field of View), low power consumption, low weight, small size and high update rate.

Abstract: A system and method for sizing semiconductor wafer defects combines contiguous light intensity values over a defect area of the wafer to provide a defect sizing metric. The light intensity values resulting from a light source applied to the wafer are summed and the summation is compared to known metric values related to known defect sizes. The result of the comparison provides an estimate for the defect size under consideration. The combination of the light intensity values produces defect sizing estimates in saturated and unsaturated ranges of operation for the wafer inspection equipment. Calculations applied to the combined light intensity values vary depending upon whether the light intensity component is from a saturated or an unsaturated measurement. The defect sizing metric can be applied continuously in saturated and unsaturated ranges of operation to avoid additional processing steps, such as recalibration of the inspection equipment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring, diagnosis and condition-based maintenance of mechanical systems. The disclosed systems and methods employ intelligent model-based diagnostic methodologies to effectuate such monitoring, diagnosis and maintenance. According to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the intelligent model-based diagnostic methodologies combine or integrate quantitative (analytical) models and graph-based dependency models to enhance diagnostic performance. The disclosed systems and methods may be employed a wide variety of applications, including automotive, aircraft, power systems, manufacturing systems, chemical processes and systems, transportation systems, and industrial machines/equipment.

Abstract: To provide a signal measuring circuit that measures a signal, such as noise, with high precision. A maximum reference value and a minimum reference value are generated based on the voltage level of a signal, the voltage difference between the maximum reference value and the minimum reference value is divided, a reference value is generated according to the divided voltage, and the voltage level of the signal is compared with the reference value, thereby measuring the signal.

Abstract: A system and methods are given for providing information on the amount of life remaining for a memory having a limited lifespan, such as a flash memory card. For example, it can provide a user with the amount of the memory's expected remaining lifetime in real time units (i.e., hours or days) or as a percentage of estimated initial life. An end of life warning can also be provided. In a particular embodiment, the amount of remaining life (either as a percentage or in real time units) can be based on the average number of erases per block, but augmented by the number of spare blocks or other parameters, so that an end of life warning is given if either the expected amount of remaining life falls below a certain level or the number of spare blocks falls below a safe level.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for measuring the temperature of a microprocessor through the use of ESD circuitry. The present invention uses diodes and an I/O pad within ESD circuits to determine the temperature at the location of the ESD circuitry. First, a current measuring device connects to a diode. A user or a computer program disables the protected component or circuitry, and subsequently applies a predetermined voltage to the I/O pad. This creates a reverse saturation current through the diode, which is measured by the current measuring device. From this current the user or a computer program determines the temperature of the microprocessor at the diode through the use of a graphical representation of diode reverse saturation current and corresponding temperature.

Abstract: A method serves to correct drift phenomena, in particular creep effects, occurring in an electronic balance that has a measuring transducer through which a measuring signal is formed which is representative of a load applied to the force-measuring device. The measuring signal is delivered by way of an analog/digital converter to a signal-processing unit that is supported by at least one processor, said signal-processing unit being capable of compensating drift deviations, for which purpose the signal-processing unit, via the processor, accesses drift parameters that are stored in a memory unit and serve as basis for calculating a time-dependent correction value by which the drift error of the measuring signal (ms) is corrected.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides apparatus including a data structure representing a fault tree for a system. The data structure comprises a plurality of events linked by propagations. Each event is classified as one of at least three possible event types. A first type of event is a problem event, which represents an underlying cause of misbehavior in the system. A second type of event is an error event, which represents an error in the system comprising an incorrect signal or datum. A third type of event is a report event, representing the formal detection by the system of an error. Each propagation in the fault tree denotes a cause and effect linkage from one event to another event. There are no propagations within the fault tree to a problem event.

Abstract: A method for initializing a chain of non-initialized data collectors is disclosed. The chain of non-initialized data collectors are coupled to a controller. In a first step communication between the controller and each data collector in the chain of non-initialized collectors is disabled, except for an active non-initialized data collector, The active non-initialized collector is coupled to the controller and any remaining non-initialized data collectors. Next, the active non-initialized data collector is initialized by assigning an identification number to the active non-initialized data collectors. The active non-initialized collector becomes an initialized data collector. Then, communication is restored between the initialized data collector and a next active non-initialized data collector in the chain of non-initialized data collectors. The method repeats until all non-initialized data collectors are initialized.

Abstract: A method of determining accuracy of predicted system behavior can include creating a plurality of noise adjusted analytical models, wherein each noise adjusted analytical model is associated with a set of predefined analytical model parameters. A set of inferred analytical model parameters for each noise adjusted analytical model can be derived. Each set of inferred analytical model parameters can depend upon a current noise adjusted analytical model and each prior noise adjusted analytical model. For each set of inferred analytical model parameters, a measure of error between the set of inferred analytical model parameters and the set of predefined analytical model parameters associated with the noise adjusted analytical model from which the set of inferred analytical model parameters was derived can be determined.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for detecting and correcting non-deterministic data that provides substantially real-time validation results and maximizes flexibility for the device manufacturer while reducing test costs. The automatic test apparatus and method can correct non-determinism caused by cycle slipping at the beginning of data transmission, between packets of data being transmitted and out-of-order data types of non-determinism. A data validation circuit is coupled to the receiver for validating the packet data based on expected packet data stored in a vector memory.

Abstract: Circuits, methods and apparatus are provided to reduce skew among signals being received by a data interface. Signal path delays are varied such that data and strobe signals received at a memory interface are calibrated or aligned with each other along a rising and/or falling edge. For example, self-calibration circuitry provides skew adjustment of each data signal path by determining one or more delays in each data signal path and strobe signal path based on relative timings of test signals. The rising or falling edges may be used for this alignment.