Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems associated with and/or having components capable of, detecting a temperature of an integrated circuit in real time during testing are disclosed herein. In exemplary embodiments, an integrated circuit includes a register to store a temperature limit for the integrated circuit; a temperature sensor formed on the integrated circuit to sense a temperature of the integrated circuit, and output a signal indicative of the temperature sensed, based at least in part on the temperature sensed; and testing logic coupled to the register and the temperature sensor to record a temperature violation if at any time during a testing mode of operation the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor violates the stored temperature limit.

Abstract: Real time battery impedance spectrum is acquired using one time record, Compensated Synchronous Detection (CSD). This parallel method enables battery diagnostics. The excitation current to a test battery is a sum of equal amplitude sin waves of a few frequencies spread over range of interest. The time profile of this signal has duration that is a few periods of the lowest frequency. The voltage response of the battery, average deleted, is the impedance of the battery in the time domain. Since the excitation frequencies are known, synchronous detection processes the time record and each component, both magnitude and phase, is obtained. For compensation, the components, except the one of interest, are reassembled in the time domain. The resulting signal is subtracted from the original signal and the component of interest is synchronously detected. This process is repeated for each component.

Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) port tester for testing a USB port of an electronic device includes an interface unit, a current-testing unit, and a voltage-testing unit. The interface unit is used for electrically connecting with the USB port of the electronic device and a USB device. The current-testing unit is connected to the interface unit for testing quality of the USB port of the electronic device in a standard current range. The voltage-testing unit is connected to the interface unit for testing quality of the USB port of the electronic device in a standard voltage range.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus provides control of power consumption of multiple central processors. The apparatus includes, sections for: measuring temperature of each central processor; calculating halt percentage for each of the central processors from measured temperatures halt percentages and a particular thread executed in each of the central processors; transitioning to a wait state in which a central processor executes another thread during a predetermined wait period or a running state in which an internal halt instruction is executed causing the central processor to halt processing in accordance with the halt percentage; and interrupting each of the central processors and causing a central processor that is halting processing to resume processing.

Abstract: A method for improving bandwidth of an oscilloscope involves, in preferred embodiments, the use of frequency up-conversion and down-conversion techniques. In an illustrative embodiment the technique involves separating an input signal into a high frequency content and a low frequency content, down-converting the high frequency content in the analog domain so that it may be processed by the oscilloscope's analog front end, digitizing the low frequency content and the down-converted high frequency content, and forming a digital representation of the received analog signal from the digitized low frequency content and high frequency content.

Abstract: A signal processing system for detecting purposive signals includes an input receiving a signal having a signal characteristic subject to user manipulation. An activation detector compares a property of the signal characteristic to one or more signal characteristic property thresholds over time. A filter module determines whether the signal characteristic is purposively manipulated based on an amount of time preceding or following an occurrence of the property exceeding or falling below one or more signal characteristic property thresholds.

Abstract: An electronic gas sensor signal conditioner which can automatically adapt to a wide variety of commercial off-the-shelf sensors and provide a digital output in a standard, easily used format. The signal conditioner has analog and digital sections. The analog section includes a sensor excitation sub-section and a signal amplification sub-section. The digital section comprises a microcontroller and controls the analog section. The digital section also converts the signal from the analog section into digital form, reads the sensor TEDS (Transducer Electronic Data Sheet), applies calibration constants and converts the signal into a standard, easily readable digital format.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the physical quantities of a data center during operation and method for servicing large-scale computing systems is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cart that supports a plurality of sensors. The cart is moveable within the data center. The sensors capture temperature or other physical parameters within the room. The sensor readings, along with position and orientation information pertaining to the cart are transmitted to a computer system where the data is analyzed to select the optimum temperature or other system environmental parameters for the data center.

Abstract: The current drawn by a precision resistor that is selectively connected across a load is utilized to calibrate a current sensed by current sensing device that is connected in series with the load.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring performance of a wireless network are disclosed. According to one described example, at least one probe is generated. In the example, the probe determines the portion of a wireless network to monitor, the type of the probe, and the number and frequency of the probe or probes to target a specific carrier, a specific system, or a specific geographical area. A probe server generates the probe based on a parameter specified by the user and transmits the probe to a plurality of posts or to the wireless network. In the example, the probe server controls the posts to send and receive probes to the wireless network. In response to the received probes, the wireless network responds by sending feedback information, which can be used to indicate how the wireless network is performing.

Abstract: A fuel cell evaluation apparatus of the present invention is provided with a fuel cell for generating electricity using fuel gas and oxidizer gas; a fuel gas supplying section for supplying the fuel gas; an oxidizer gas supplying section for supplying the oxidizer gas; an inert gas supplying section; a detector for detecting an amount of electricity generated by the fuel cell; a bypass for interconnecting a gas supply port of the fuel cell with a gas exhaust port of the fuel cell; three-way valves for switching the gas to either the fuel cell and the bypass; and a control section for controlling at least one of the three-way valves so as to replace the gas inside the fuel cell. The fuel cell evaluation apparatus and a fuel cell evaluation method of the present invention can evaluate the properties and performance of a fuel cell in a nondestructive manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for saving, retrieving, and adjusting metering data uses information about the period between saves of the metering data to non-volatile memory and other information, for example, a number of recovery events experienced by the computer. The retrieved metering data may be adjusted according to the number of recovery events so that more frequent power interruptions cause metering data adjustments to favor a service provider. The time between data saves may be altered to increase the difficulty of timing attacks. Information about the time between saves, or the period of the save cycle, may also be stored with the metering data for use in the metering data restoration process.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method determining a corrective design for a system component exhibiting time-in-service reliability concerns. The method comprises the steps of establishing a plurality of remote customer databases for collecting service data for a system component, receiving at a centralized database during a predetermined period of time at least one parameter representative of a failure rate for the system component based at least in part on the service data and determining if the at least one parameter represents a system component defect. When the at least one parameter represents a system component defect, the method includes determining at least one failure mode of the system component based at least in part on the at least one received parameter and determining a corrective design for the system component based at least in part on the at least one failure mode.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a newly acquired waveform with respect to previously acquired waveforms during monitoring of a generally repetitive signal, where the previously acquired waveforms have been rasterized into a two-dimensional array of memory locations, reads history values for those memory locations associated with an active portion of the newly acquired waveform, compares the history values with history value ranges, increments a count for one of a plurality of recent pixel counters corresponding to the history value ranges, each counter having a different history value range, and modifies the history values in the memory locations. From the counts accumulated for each of the history value ranges the variability of the newly acquired waveform from the generally repetitive signal is determined.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for collecting and processing raw process data. The method includes processing the raw data through a process model to obtain a prediction of the process quality; processing this prediction through two dynamic transfer functions thus creating two intermediate signals; storing the two intermediate signals as a function of time; retrieving at the time of a real and validated measurement of the process quality from the history the absolute minimum value and maximum value of the two intermediate signals in the time period corresponding to a minimum and maximum specified deadtime, in which the absolute minimum value and maximum values define the minimum and maximum prediction possible; calculating the deviation as being the difference between the real and validated measurement and the uncertainty area encompassed between the minimum and maximum prediction possible; incorporating the deviation into the process model to calibrate the process model; and, repeating.

Abstract: A computer-based method for testing an input/output functional board is provided. The method includes the steps of: obtaining control information of the computer; testing devices coupled with the input/output functional board by using the control information; and determining whether the devices work normally according to test results. A related system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for monitoring consumption of a component, including the steps of emitting a radiation beam onto a first area of the component and detecting a portion of the radiation beam that is refracted by the component. A radiation level signal is generated based at least on a strength of the detected portion of the radiation beam, and a thickness of the component is determined based on the radiation level signal. The thickness of the component is compared to a predetermined thickness value, and a status signal is generated when the comparing step determines that the thickness of the component is substantially equal to or below the predetermined thickness value. When the comparing step determines that the thickness of the component is greater than the predetermined thickness value, the component is exposed to a process that can erode at least a portion of the component.

Abstract: The applicant describes a system and methods of calculating the overall operating efficiency of an air conditioning chiller that evaluates efficiency of the component parts of the chiller and generates an overall efficiency based on these component efficiency values. If the overall chiller efficiency is less than the maximum attainable chiller efficiency, the cost of the inefficiency is calculated and presented to the user. Recommendations for corrective action to restore maximum chiller efficiency are identified and presented to the user. The system also adjusts the efficiency calculations as appropriate to account for actual compressor current load conditions.

Abstract: A system to monitor the health of a structure, health monitoring sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. Each health monitoring sensor node includes sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node interrogator. Each health monitoring sensor node has a tunable antenna arrangement individually tunable to minimize data collisions between each other of the health monitoring sensor nodes. Each health monitoring sensor node also includes a processor and memory in communication with the processor storing a parameter processing program product adapted to control tuning the antenna arrangement and providing data to the health monitoring sensor node interrogator.

Abstract: A dual source real time clock (RTC) synchronization system and method for implementation within automatic meter reading (AMR) systems that provide system-wide device time synchronization. In one embodiment, a microcontroller-implemented RTC counts elapsed seconds from a pre-determined system timestamp using a low-speed, low-accuracy crystal. A second source is used to compensate for the low-speed, low-accuracy crystal. This second source comprises a high speed clock in one embodiment. This dual source RTC system can synchronize the endpoint device.