Abstract: A product inspection device that includes a measuring section, a deemed standard deviation calculation unit, a measurement value standard deviation calculation unit, a determination unit, and a risk calculation unit. The measuring section measures characteristic values of products, the deemed standard deviation calculation unit calculates a deemed standard deviation, and the risk calculation unit calculates a consumer risk and a producer risk based on at least one of an average value of the measured characteristic values of some of the products contained in a measured product lot, the deemed standard deviation, or the measurement value standard deviation. The determination unit changes a inspection standard based on at least one of the calculated consumer risk or the calculated producer risk, and determines whether or not all the products contained in the product lot are non-defective articles with the changed inspection standard as a reference.

Abstract: The disclosed device provides a high-accuracy plunger arrival detection system comprising a low-power magnetometer with high sensitivity and which is capable of sampling low or high intensity magnetic fields. The device processes gathered data from sensors, stores at least some processed data in memory, executes a trending algorithm which compares the magnetic field of the plunger to the ambient magnetic field or a predetermined set of initialization values, and generates an output which is relayed to a well controller. An output signal may be via hard wire, RF, wireless or other known means. In addition, the implementation of two sensing devices mounted in series and in spaced relation to each other, can provide for an actual plunger average velocity. An actual plunger average velocity, as opposed to approximate average velocity, can be used to better optimize well control and improve safety of the overall well production system.

Abstract: Compensating for frequency drift of a reference energy source in an FT interferometer based spectrometer instrument may include obtaining data representing a reference interferogram collected in response to a trigger signal having been generated in dependence on the emission frequency of the reference energy source, and subsequently obtaining data representing a target interferogram recorded by the FT interferometer in response to a trigger signal also having been generated in dependence on the emission frequency of the reference energy source in the same manner. The method may further include comparing the obtained data to determine a phase shift between the interferograms in a window in at least one region away from center-burst, and generating a mathematical transform dependent on the determined shift to be subsequently applied to generate data representing a frequency stabilized interferogram of an unknown sample recorded by the FT interferometer.

Abstract: Provided is a technique of compensating time degradation of a CPU and maintaining performance of an electronic device without disturbing a normal operation of the electronic device. A maintenance apparatus includes: a degradation information acquisition unit that acquires degradation information from a sensor circuit integrated in a CPU when the CPU performs a normal operation, the degradation information varying according to degradation of the CPU; a degradation level determination unit that determines a degradation level based on the degradation information, the degradation level indicating a degree of progression of degradation of the CPU; and a power supply control unit that controls a power supply to increase a power supply voltage applied to the CPU with increasing the degradation level.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a value receiver, configured to receive fluorescence values measured during a chemical reaction involving a test sample, each value pertaining to a respective physical parameter value, a difference calculator, configured to calculate differences, each difference being between respective one of the measured fluorescence values and one of reference fluorescence values of a reference sample, each reference fluorescence value pertaining to a respective physical parameter value, a cumulative index calculator, configured to calculate a cumulative index, by selecting a first difference among the calculated differences, and selecting and adding to the first difference differences, each one of the added differences being selected according to a proximity standard applied on each two differences selected in a sequence, the proximity standard being based on proximity of physical parameter values and difference size, and a similarity determiner, configured to determine similarity between the samp

Abstract: The approaches presently disclosed provide for fault-interpretation in a seismic volume with computer assistance, allowing automatic or semi-automatic determination of a fault surface and associated displacement across the fault. The present fault interpretation approach uses pattern matching algorithms and does not require prior interpretation of the stratigraphic horizons. In certain implementations the fault interpretation approach estimates the 3D fault surface as part of a joint fault surface location and displacement optimization process.

Abstract: A system and method to determine health prognostics for selection and management of a tool for deployment in a downhole environment are described. The system includes a database to store life cycle information of the tool, the life cycle information including environmental and operational parameters associated with use of the tool. The system also includes a memory device to store statistical equations to determine the health prognostics of the tool, and a processor to calibrate the statistical equations and build a time-to-failure model of the tool based on a first portion of the life cycle information in the database.

Abstract: In one implementation, an apparatus estimates body core temperature from an infrared measurement of an external source point using a cubic relationship between the body core temperature and the measurement of an external source point is described, estimates temperature from a digital infrared sensor and determines vital signs from a solid-state image transducer, or determines vital signs from a solid-state image transducer and estimates body core temperature from an infrared measurement of an external source point using a cubic relationship between the body core temperature and the measurement of an external source point; after which the estimated and/or determined information is transmitted to an external database.

Abstract: Systems and methods for lap timing and counting in athletic events are disclosed. The systems and methods do not require the athlete to wear a counter/timer, a transmitter, a reflector or another kind of marker. A portable computing device with a sensor, such as a tablet computer with a camera, is positioned in an appropriate location. Data from the sensor is transformed into a time series of data, and one or more learned statistics are calculated in real time as benchmark ambient conditions. The learned statistics are essentially continuously updated and data that indicates irrelevant volatility is excluded. A detection threshold is determined and essentially continuously updated based on the learned statistics, and lap completion is determined based on the threshold. Times, lap counts, and other data are displayed on the portable device in real time.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for estimating at least one parameter of interest of an earth formation including an estimation of the parameter of interest using a time-dependent ratio of information obtained from at least one neutron detector through the exposure of the earth formation to a radiation source, particularly a pulsed nuclear source. The apparatus includes a processor and storage subsystem with a program that, when executed, implements the method. Also, an apparatus and method for estimating at least one parameter of interest of an earth formation including an estimation of the parameter of interest using a first component and a second component of an information set obtained using a single radiation detector.

Abstract: A system and method utilize multiple, asynchronous, voltage isolated integrated power data circuits (IPDCs) to respectively determine one or more power parameters of a multi-phase power distribution system. In at least one embodiment, the power parameters represent differences between voltage phases of a multi-phase power distribution system. In at least one embodiment, the IPDCs each sense a voltage or current from a single phase of a three-phase power distribution system. Additionally, the IPDCs are electrically isolated from each other and, thus, in at least one embodiment, can utilize voltage divider or shunt resistor sensing without being subject to high voltages representative of the difference between voltage phases. Additionally, in at least one embodiment, each of the IPDCs utilizes a separate clock signal to determine phase sequence and phase angle deltas of one or more three phase voltages of the three-phase power distribution system.

Abstract: A method for generating a pulse signal sequence using a processor unit is provided that allows calibrating a tip timing measurement system in a turbomachine in order to increase operational security and lifespan of the turbomachine. This is achieved by the method having the steps of: storing a number of wait time elements in a memory unit, creating a pulse signal in a signal output unit during at least one processor cycle, reading a wait time element from the memory unit, and creating a null signal in the signal output unit for a number of processor cycles derived from the wait time element read.

Abstract: A device for calculating a position of an actuator, the actuator including a movement mechanism configured to move in one direction in proportion to a control signal generated for each minimum movement amount ?M and a movement amount detection sensor configured to detect a movement amount of the movement mechanism in a minimum resolution ?S, where A=?S/?M?2, and the device includes a position calculation unit configured to calculating a position SA of the movement mechanism at a target position from the control signal at a time point T1, at which the sensor signal becomes (S0+m×?S) or (S0?m×?S), where m is a natural number of 1 or more, the control signal at the target position of the movement mechanism is denoted by M0, and the sensor signal is denoted by S0.

Abstract: A technique for reducing altitude error involves determining a corrected altitude for an aircraft using forecast atmospheric pressure data available, for example, from a weather forecasting service. The forecast atmospheric pressure data includes, for a number of points in time and for a number of geographic locations, a set of pressure levels and corresponding altitude values. Altitude correction data is periodically calculated from the forecast atmospheric pressure data for each of a number of geographic grid points. Upon receiving aircraft position information and an aircraft altitude measurement for an aircraft, one or more of the geographic grid points corresponding to the aircraft position are identified, and a corrected altitude of the aircraft is determined based on the altitude correction data of the one or more geographic grid points.

Abstract: In order to provide a method for measuring a filling capacity of a raw material such as leaf tobacco without carrying out a complicated operation, the present invention includes the steps of (i) irradiating a near infrared ray on a sample of a raw material so as to measure a transmission absorption spectrum or a diffuse reflectance spectrum of the sample; and (ii) calculating an estimated filling capacity value by use of the transmission absorption spectrum or the diffuse reflectance spectrum thus measured and on the basis of a calibration curve which has been prepared in advance.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and method perform a spectral analysis in a power measurement system to determine the total harmonic distortion (“THD”) in a power signal by correlating one or more THD calculation parameters to a sensed period of a voltage input signal. In at least one embodiment, the one or more THD calculation parameters are a number of samples of a voltage, current, or voltage and current components of the power signal that correlate to the sensed period. Because, for example, the period of the power signal can vary or the clock frequency can drift over time, the power measurement system correlates the number of samples with the period and, thus, varies the count of samples over which THD is calculated when the period varies. By correlating the samples with the period, the samples more closely represent a period of the sampled component of the power signal.

Abstract: In one implementation, an apparatus estimates body core temperature from an infrared measurement of an external source point using a cubic relationship between the body core temperature and the measurement of an external source point is described, estimates temperature from a digital infrared sensor and determines vital signs from a solid-state image transducer, or determines vital signs from a solid-state image transducer and estimates body core temperature from an infrared measurement of an external source point using a cubic relationship between the body core temperature and the measurement of an external source point; after which the estimated and/or determined information is transmitted to an external database.

Abstract: A proximity sensing apparatus includes a device housing, a plurality of energy emitters, an energy detector, a reflective member, and a controller system. The proximity sensing apparatus channels reflected energy to the energy detector and determines the location of the source of reflection. The channeling of energy to the energy detector may reduce manufacturing costs by utilizing less hardware while maintaining a high level of reliability.

Abstract: Disclosed is a drinking water reminding system and the reminding method thereof. The water intake of user is measured by the operation of a reminder of the drinking water reminding system, and a collector of the drinking water reminding system is provided for adjusting the daily drinking water demand of user according to environmental parameters or the physiological parameters of user. The drinking water reminding system reminds the user to drink water if the drinking water reminding system determines that the user has taken insufficient water according to predetermined conditions and measurement results, drinking water reminding system.

Abstract: Operational specifications of a photovoltaic plant configuration can be inferred through evaluation of historical measured system production data and measured solar resource data. Based upon the location of the photovoltaic plant, a time-series power generation data set is simulated based on a normalized and preferably substantially linearly-scalable solar power simulation model. The simulation is run for a range of hypothetical photovoltaic system configurations. The simulation can be done probabilistically. A power rating is derived for each system configuration by comparison of the measured versus simulated production data, which is applied to scale up the simulated time-series data. The simulated energy production is statistically compared to actual historical data, and the system configuration reflecting the lowest overall error is identified as the inferred (and optimal) system configuration.