Abstract: A data collection and management system is provided for monitoring the condition of fuel tanks and for determining for each tank a degradation profile which provides an estimate of useful tank life and a prediction of when the tank is likely to need replacement before failure. The system is especially useful for monitoring residential fuel tanks and is also applicable for commercial and other tanks which are in a location where a tank failure would be harmful and potentially hazardous. A primary benefit of the system is to allow fuel dealers to identify tanks that should be replaced before they actually fail. The system provides the dealer with information which is useful in monitoring and servicing the fuel tanks of the dealers' customers.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the performance of beverage preparation equipment includes a device, such as a data collector, for monitoring the use of the equipment. Information regarding one or more inputs to the equipment is provided to the data collector which uses the information to monitor the performance of the equipment. The information may include information relating to voltage, current, phase angle, and time. The information may be used by a supplier to time delivery of product to the end user of the apparatus or servicing of the equipment in response to use, inferred information, and other alerts. A method of billing based on the results of the monitoring includes a method of billing the use of the apparatus and product in relation to the quantity of water, product, or both used by the apparatus.

Abstract: A system that uses statistical techniques to selectively transmit sensor data which is likely to be of interest. During operation, the system uses statistical techniques to compute a likelihood that the sensor is observing a real event. Next, the system compares the likelihood to an upper threshold. If the likelihood is greater than or equal to the upper threshold, the system determines that the sensor is observing a real event and transmits sensor data for the real event to a receiver.

Abstract: A wafer pattern inspecting apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an image sensor to acquire image data from a reference die and a sample die, an external memory to store the image data, an encoder to compress the data, a decoder to decompress the data, an internal memory device to store the compressed image data of the reference die, an arithmetic module to process the image data for the reference dies to extract a reference image data, a reference storage memory to store compressed reference image data, and a comparison module to compare the sample die image data with the reference image data to an extract defect data for the sample die.

Abstract: A multi-instrument triggering system includes in each instrument trigger system a system ready line for coupling an internal ready signal to an external port. A multi-instrument trigger bus cable connects the external ports, trigger event outputs and trigger event inputs of multiple instruments together in such a way as to enable the trigger generators in the instruments when all instruments are ready to receive a trigger event. When enabled, a coordinated trigger is generated in response to an internal trigger event from at one of the instruments. The coordinated trigger is coupled via the multi-instrument trigger bus cable as the trigger event to trigger all instruments in synchronism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the service life of a cyclic system the method including the steps of determining at least one characteristic of the system to determine a characteristic value and determining a cycle time of the system. The at least characteristic value is applied to an algorithm in which the characterisitic value is integrated to determine a diagnostic value, and comparing the diagnostic value to a predetermined value to determine the performance status of the system. The apparatus including a sensor for determining a system characteristic and a calculating unit operatively connected to the sensor. The calculating unit including circuitry for performing a mathematical integration on the system characteristic to determine a diagnostic value and comparing the diagnostic valve to a predetermined value to determine the performance status of the system. A notification device operatively connected to the calculating unit for indicating the operational status of the system.

Abstract: An information transmitting device to supply operation data of a machine as needed and without unnecessary data. The information transmitting device includes information control device 4, remote base station 9, transmission means, e.g. communication satellite 6, and selected data outputting means for selecting and transmitting predetermined operation data from operation data collected. Information control device includes operation data collecting unit 4a and communication control unit 4b which includes transmitting and receiving parts.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of calibrating an oscillator within a radio-frequency identification (RFID) circuit for use in an RFID tag. A plurality of calibration values is stored within a memory structure associated with the RFID circuit. Each of the calibration values corresponds to a respective oscillation frequency of the oscillator. A selected calibration value is selected from the plurality of calibration values stored within the memory structure, according to a first selection criterion. The oscillator is then calibrated in accordance with the selected calibration value.

Abstract: A remote particle counter comprising a pulsed laser generator, laser light emitting optics, scattered light collecting optics, a high-sensitivity two-dimensional photo detector as a scattered light detecting portion having a fast gating capability such as a CCD camera, and a control and measure system, wherein suspended fine particles forming aerosols in the atmosphere which are far away from the site of laser emission are illuminated with laser light, the resulting backward scattered light from the individual fine particles is detected as image, and the number and size distribution of the suspended fine particles are measured at a remote site.

Abstract: A system and method for calibrating a multi-port S-parameter measurement device reduces the number of full calibrations necessary to characterize the multi-port S-parameter measurement device by utilizing a reciprocal network concept. The multi-port S-parameter measurement device includes a network analyzer having network ports connected to respective sets of switch ports on a switch. Full calibrations are performed on selected port pairs of the switch to determine the calibration arrays for each of the port pairs. Each port pair includes one switch port from two different sets of switch ports. A switch error having three switch error terms attributable to a reciprocal network introduced by an unselected one of the switch ports not included within any of the one or more port pairs is determined, and the switch error is de-embedded from the calibration arrays to construct a complete set of calibration arrays for all of the measurement paths in the multi-port S-parameter measurement device.

Abstract: An automated system for evaluating biological samples which includes a centralized registry that contains protocols and configuration information for both instruments and analysis applications. The registry provides for improved automation of biological process runs using an autoanalysis applications manager component or daemon, which accesses and transmits the appropriate protocol and configuration information to selected instruments and/or applications. This information is used to instruct data capture by the biological instruments and direct the analysis of the data by the analysis applications.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically testing circuit boards, such as computer system boards and the like. The circuit board device under test (DUT) is loaded into an automated test apparatus (tester), which includes a mechanism for automatically connecting test electronics to various DUT circuitry and I/O ports via corresponding connectors on the DUT. A type of DUT is identified, and a corresponding set of tests are performed to verify the operation of the DUT. Appropriate power signals and sequencing are also applied to the DUT, as defined by it type. Data logging is performed to log the results of the testing. The apparatus includes replaceable probe/connector plates that are DUT-type specific and corresponding universal electronics and cabling to enable a variety of different board types to be tested with the same apparatus.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling test conditions using logic built-in self-test (LBIST) components to affect test conditions. In one embodiment, an LBIST controller is coupled to LBIST circuitry that is incorporated into the design of a device under test, and also to a thermal sensor that is in thermal communication with the device under test. The LBIST controller is configured to receive device temperature information from the thermal sensor and to modify control signals that are provided to the LBIST circuitry in order to cause the LBIST circuitry to operate in a manner that drives the device temperature to a desired level. In one embodiment, the LBIST controller adjusts the speed with which the LBIST circuitry scans data into and out of a plurality of scan chains, thereby adjusting the amount of heat generated by this operation, which in turn affects the temperature of the device.

Abstract: A method for preventing the unwanted maloperation of a protective relay system that is caused by the imprecise detection of an actual secondary current value resulting from a measured secondary current being distorted comprises the steps of calculating difference values for sampled secondary currents; comparing absolute values of the difference values with a predetermined critical value, and determining a saturation starting moment of a current transformer when one of the absolute values exceeds the predetermined critical value; obtaining a magnetizing current at the saturation starting moment using the difference values if the saturation starting moment is determined, and obtaining a magnetic flux value in a steel core of the current transformer from a magnetization curve using the magnetizing current; calculating a magnetic flux value at a time after the saturation starting moment using a secondary current value measured at that time and the magnetic flux value obtained at the saturation starting moment so

Abstract: A circuit arrangement in which two parallel subcircuits having a same functionality have a same input signal applied to them, and their output signals are compared in a common comparison arrangement. The two subcircuits are designed differently in terms of sensitivity to changes in environmental or operating parameters. Impermissible environmental parameters are indicated if the output signals differ from one another, and an alarm is generated.

Abstract: A method is provided to notify a printer user of a predicted result of a failure without employing dedicated display means. According to the method, information regarding the service situation of a printer P is acquired, the relation between the acquired service situation and a failure is analyzed, the occurrence time, etc. of the failure of the printer P are predicted from the relation, and the result of the prediction is notified to the printer P so as to print the predicted result by employing the print function of the, printer P itself. Thus, the occurrence time, contents, etc. of the failure can be reliably notified to a printer user without employing dedicated display means.

Abstract: In case of the present invention, a microcomputer (271) controls a charging mode changeover switch (275) and connects the switch to a terminal (275d) to change the terminal (275d) to an initial charging mode power source (278). In this case, the microcomputer (271) requests the information on the charging capacity stored in a microcomputer (252) as charging information, the charging voltage measured by a voltage detector (258) and a standard charging capacity and obtains the information through a communication circuits (254) and (272). The microcomputer (271) obtains an actual charging capacity in accordance with a received measured charging voltage, compares the actual charging capacity with a stored charging capacity, and updates the actual charging capacity to zero when the comparison result is equal to or larger than a threshold value and the charging voltage is equal to or less than another threshold value. According to the present invention, a charging capacity is correctly corrected.

Abstract: A continuous environmental noise level recording and analysis system is provided. The system is capable of sampling, processing and storing Equivalent Sound Level values over a period of about two weeks. The recorded data is downloaded and analyzed to show graphs, and to automatically detect noise events of interest.

Abstract: An electronic tester with digital, and analog, and memory test circuitry on a single platform. A test head is coupled to a device under test. The device under test can be a system-on-a-chip integrated circuit, a mixed signal integrated circuit, a digital integrated circuit, or an analog integrated circuit. Digital test circuitry applies digital test signals to the device under test coupled to the test head and receives digital outputs from the device under test in response to the digital test signals. Analog test circuitry applies analog test signals to the device under test coupled to the test head and receives analog outputs from the device under test in response to the analog test signals. Memory test circuitry applies memory test patterns to the device under test coupled to the test head and receives memory outputs from the device under test in response to the memory test patterns.

Abstract: A method of identifying a configuration of an object, the method comprising the steps of: specifying a plurality of different object configurations; for each specified object configuration, using a first simulation procedure to simulate the specified conditions so as to generate data that can be used to evaluate the object configuration against the optimisation criterion; identifying a functional relationship between data generated for each specified object configuration; using the functional relationship and the optimisation criterion to select a data point, and identifying an object configuration corresponding thereto; and using a second simulation procedure, wherein the second simulation procedure comprises iteratively calculating values of variables characterising the object configuration until the values satisfy a convergence criterion, wherein for at least one of the specified object configurations, the first simulation procedure is completed before the values calculated therein satisfy the convergence