Abstract: In a method and apparatus for defining an enterprise information flow, a matrix having crossed axes and comprising three elements, that is line application activities which are a series of application activities for manufacturing products and/or services in an enterprise, staff application activities which are a series of application activities for maintaining and controlling the manufacture of the products and/or services, and external organizations related to the accomplishment of the application activities of the enterprise is generated to permit visual display. A user inputs information to a framework of the displayed matrix so that information flows between the application activities and between the application activities and the external organizations are defined.

Abstract: In order to facilitate a customer's non-specific enquiry relating to sales records accumulated by a POS system, the sales records are utilized to form a plurality of data tables in response to the customer's non-specific enquiry. The data tables thus obtained are multiplied to produce at least one fuzzy membership function. The function is used to isolate data in an inventory data base pertinent to the non-specific enquiry.

Abstract: A business demand based control system and method stores past business demand data during past time intervals for use with other data to compute business demands in such manner that the past business demand data is used to project the business demands in current and near-future time intervals. The system measures and stores the business demand data for a plurality of time intervals and a plurality of products or tasks, and projects the business demand for a plurality of products or tasks for near-future time intervals using percentage based demand curves. The system allows the creation of a number of demand curves for the items to determine near future demand, using defined functions and variables. Business demand projections for current and near-future time intervals are revised for a plurality of business items in response to variances in actual business demand data in time intervals just prior to the current time interval.

Abstract: For topographic processing, a plurality of maps are stored, the maps being of different scales and therefore being based on different amounts of map data. The user selects a map of appropriate scale, and can then select a part, for example a line, on which appropriate analysis is to be made, such as obtaining a cross section based on contour data of the map. The map data corresponding to the selected part of the map is investigated and, where it does not meet an appropriate criterion, the data of a part of a map of different scale is investigated, the part of the two maps corresponding to the same region. Hence information can be derived which meets the appropriate criterion. Thus, when obtaining a cross section, if the amount of data for a region of a map is insufficient for a satisfactory cross section to be obtained, the data of the same region of a map of larger scale is analyzed, so that a satisfactory cross section can be achieved.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for assessing relatedness from autoradiograms. A scanner reads and digitizes the one or more banded lanes of an autoradiogram and communicates the information to a digital computer. The information is processed and analyzed to rationalize the banded lanes with a standard. Similarity coefficients and dendrograms of relatedness are generated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a document editing and a printing apparatus comprising a data processor such as a personal computer and a word processor, and more particularly to a method of correcting data to be printed. The object of the present invention is to provide a printed data correcting method capable of correcting an error in a printed document during printing without terminating the printing when such error is found. In order to achieve the object, according to the present invention, data involving printing is displayed to the user. Each data is stored which is indicative of whether data of a specified unit such as a character, a line or a page are printed or print-waiting such that the data stored as being print-waiting can be corrected. When the data stored as being already printed are corrected, only the page which contains the corrected data is reprinted.

Abstract: A system including a method and apparatus for preventive maintenance of PET scanner photomultiplier detector blocks is disclosed. The quantitive comparisons used in the method of the present invention to provide an indication in the form of a display or printout advising the user that the photomultiplier block is stable, intermittently unstable, or drifting unstable, and also advising of the expected date of failure of a photomultiplier block in the PET scanner. The system alerts the user to replace the defective photomultiplier block prior to catastrophic failure in a scheduled preventative maintenance program, thus eliminating expensive and unscheduled downtime of the PET scanner due to photomultiplier failure. The apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention preferably resides in the host computer controlling a PET scanner.

Abstract: The pressure build-up of hydrocarbon wells is quickly measured allowing the well to be shut-in for a shorter length of time than previously possible to achieve the same results. After the well has been shut-in at the surface the rate of change of the level of the gas/liquid interface within the well bore is determined. The level change data are converted into pressure build-up data and flow rate data. Applying the convolution integral to the pressure build-up data gives the value of the equilibrated pressure of the well. The deconvoluted data can then be used to solve conventional algorithms to determine the state of the well bore and surrounding formation. The operator of the well can then make a variety of decisions, including continuing to produce from the well, stimulating the well, or abandoning the well.

Abstract: A method for displaying seismic attributes in an open three-dimensional format is provided. The conventional two-dimensional variable-amplitude traces that represent the magnitude of a selected seismic attribute as a function of time are converted to three-dimensional format. The three-dimensional converted traces are hung beneath a model of their corresponding data-gathering stations to provide a forest of seismic traces in a wire-frame environment. The open configuration of the seismic traces permits the interpreter to see a perspective view of the structure of the subsurface of the earth from any desired viewing angle.

Abstract: A customer order processing system includes a register terminal for sequentially transmitting customer order registered in the register terminal to a kitchen video controller, wherein the customer orders as received are sequentially displayed on a display device of the kitchen video controller. Upon completion of preparation for a customer order by a person in charge, the display of that customer order on the display device of the kitchen video controller is erased by manipulating a control switch. A time length between the reception of the customer order and the erasure thereof is measured and stored as service time data in the kitchen video controller 12. The register terminal totalizes the service time data transmitted from the kitchen video controller 12 to issue a management report.

Abstract: An apparatus for searching a collection of words based upon an input word, the apparatus including means for generating a first set of words containing members that are lexically related to the input word, the first set of words including words that are other than regular inflectional nouns; and also including a search engine for searching the collection of words to detect the occurrence of any of the words from a group of search words, the group of search words including the input word and the first set of words.

Abstract: To determine the speed of propagation of a signal in a medium, wave amplitude is measured over time at one or more detectors disposed within the medium so as to detect and identify signals transmitted at one or more sources disposed within said region. Frequency domain matched field processing power is calculated by matching measured with perturbation normal mode model fields, and beta coefficients which determine sound speed profiles are calculated by beta backpropagation so as to maximize the matched field processing power.

Abstract: A method for exploring and finding a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir by modeling of temperature and/or thermal anomalies within a geologic volume of the earth's crust. The geologic volume is subdivided into a plurality of laterally disposed and aligned, and vertically disposed and aligned, volumetric cells. Geologic properties are assigned for each of the volumetric cells, and a normal gradient temperature is determined and generated for the geologic volume. An x, y, z temperature is assigned for each volumetric cell based on the normal gradient temperature of the geologic volume. A hypothetical hydrocarbon reservoir is disposed in the geologic volume by varying the geologic properties of some of the plurality of volumetric cells; and a true x, y, z temperature is computed for each volumetric cell caused by the hypothetical hydrocarbon reservoir. A true hydrocarbon reservoir in the geologic volume is determined from the true x, y, z temperature of each volumetric cell.

Abstract: In order to ensure that region extraction for extracting a specified internal organ can be effected with high reliability, a region expansion method is applied by using a combination of an expansion condition taking the local density change into consideration and an expansion condition taking the global density change into consideration.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided to monitor fuel level in a tank or tanks, and to monitor fuel pumped from multiple dispensers; and outputs from the monitoring equipment are processed to determine unwanted loss of fuel from the tank, and to determine fuel delivered to the tank.