Abstract: When a motor vehicle is not in motion, an algorithm for establishing the initial zero point offset values for a yaw rate sensor as may be used in motor vehicle software control systems. The initial values are the manufactured values and are downloaded into the vehicle ECU at the time of the manufacture of the ECU. When the vehicle is waken at the vehicle assembly and the ignition is first turned on, the initial actual value of the zero point offset is stored both as a maximum and minimum value. At subsequent adjusting times when the vehicle is not moving, but the ignition is on, the spread between the maximum and minimum values are checked. If the spread becomes greater than a desired predetermined spread, the value, be it the maximum or minimum value reflects the measured value and the other value is adjusted to be within the desired spread. When the ignition is turned off and the vehicle is not moving, the zero point offset maximum and minimum values are stored in memory.

Abstract: A technique is provided for utilizing a computer system to generate tool paths for the computed aided machining (CAM) in at least four axis of a selected workpiece or part, particularly a complex part having hidden surfaces. The technique involves storing in the computer system both a surface point representation of a workpiece, which representation contains a unique code for each surface point, and a representation of the tool for which the paths are to be generated. The workpiece surface is viewed from a discrete number of orientations and a map of surface points visible from each of the orientations is generated. The map is then used to obtain selected most promising access directions for access to voxels in the delta volume to be removed or for access to surface points for a finishing operation. Such most promising access directions may for example be obtained by thinning an access cone for the voxel/point.

Abstract: A statistical design method is provided for minimizing the impact of manufacturing variations on semiconductor manufacturing by statistical design which seeks to reduce the impact of variability on device behavior. The method is based upon a Markov representation of a process flow which captures the sequential and stochastic nature of semiconductor manufacturing and enables the separation of device and process models, statistical modeling of process modules from observable wafer states and approximations for statistical optimization over large design spaces. The statistical estimation component of this method results in extremely accurate predictions of the variability of transistor performance for all of the fabricated flows. Statistical optimization results in devices that achieve all transistor performance and reliability goals and reduces the variability of key transistor performances.

Abstract: In a method of remote monitoring or remote maintenance of an injection molding machine which has an SPC with at least one CPU for the operation of actuators of the injection molding machine in real-time, data are transmitted between the injection molding machine and a remote monitoring or remote maintenance workstation disposed at a remote location. In addition to real-time control operation of the actuators of the injection molding machine the SPC of the injection molding machine operates as a web server, by way of which a simultaneous communication connection can be made with two or more remote monitoring or remote maintenance workstations, wherein a CPU of the SPC performs both real-time control operations of the injection molding machine and also server functions for remote monitoring or remote maintenance.

Abstract: The present invention involves multi-utility energy control system with at least one control center computer which is connected to various utility consuming systems and has specialized software that formats pertinent systems energy data, stores it, retrieves it, diagnoses it and acts in response to changes and includes a multi-utility master meter device and a plurality of sensors. The meter device and sensors monitor consumption of a plurality of different utilities meter and will generate selected information, including recognition of surges, of increase in usage versus historical data. The master meter has a central processing unit, visual display means, programming controls and a power source connection. The sensors connections transmit real time rates to the master meter central processing unit.

Abstract: A system and method for the simulation and modeling of biopharmaceutical batch process manufacturing facilities is described herein. The system and method includes the steps of identifying a production process sequence, the production process sequence including a plurality of zsubprocesses. At least one of the plurality of subprocesses includes a plurality of batch cycles, each of which includes a plurality of unit operations. Each of the unit operations are identified by unit operation identifiers. Next, the system and method retrieves the process parameter information from a master list for each of the unit operation identifiers in the process sequence. The process parameter information includes information on discrete tasks associated with each unit operation. After the steps of identifying and retrieving, the system and method generates a process schedule that identifies initiation and completion times for each of the discrete tasks in the process sequence.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for coating resist onto a substrate and developing the coated resist, comprising a power supply equipped with a main switch controlled in an ON/OFF manner, a plurality of electric appliances operated substantially in the same manner when power is supplied from the power supply, a power distribution circuit for supplying power to each of the plurality of electric appliances, and a control section connected to the power distribution circuit, for controlling power-supply timing to the plurality of electric appliances. The control section staggers power-supply timing to each of the electric appliances when the main switch is turned on.

Abstract: A production plan is made for a production line for producing finished products from a raw material. Based on the stock number of works in respective process steps at a planning time, the number of works processed at the respective process steps up to the planning time is calculated as the current cumulated processed works of the respective process steps. The target of the stock number of works in the respective process steps at a planned time following a passage of a plan period is calculated based on a target production representing the number of finished products outputted up to the planned time and an average cycle time of production from the raw material to finished products. The target cumulated processed works of the respective process steps at the planned time is calculated based on the target of the stock number of works in the respective process steps.

Abstract: An apparatus for regulating welding parameters during laser beam welding includes a camera for detecting the geometry of a melt bath formed during the welding process. The camera is connected with an image-data-processing unit. The welding depth is regulated by the processing unit as a function of the detected melt bath length or melt bath area. The focus position of the laser beam is regulated as a function of the geometric similarity factor, which is calculated as the quotient of the melt bath area and the distance between the geometric centers of gravity of the laser beam keyhole and the melt bath area. Detection and regulation of gaps between the workpieces of height offset between the workpieces and/or lateral offset of the laser beam is also provided for.

Abstract: A method for pre-positioning routed material in a computer controlled manufacturing arrangement having alternate locations for predetermined ones of a plurality of manufacturing process steps and predetermined types of materials to be routed into alternate locations. The method includes establishing a distribution of events indicative of the alternate locations at which material is processed for a manufacturing process step with respect to the materials to be routed and documenting the distribution of events in a database with respect to the type of materials to be routed and the alternate locations in terms of routing times, therein establishing a historical routing time for the type of material to be routed. In addition, there is established the actual mix of materials to be routed to the alternate locations and their historical routing time and actual routing time for the type of routed material are compared.

Abstract: An apparatus for calculating an operating time of a measuring machine, includes: a part program storing unit storing a part program; a command analyzing unit extracting commands relating to movement of a measurement probe from the part program stored in the part program storing unit, calculating operating times required for the measuring machine to implement the respective extracted commands, on the basis of movement parameters for the movement of said measurement probe, and summing up the calculated operating times to calculate a total operating time from a start of measurement to an end of measurement; and a displaying unit displaying the total operating time thus calculated by the command analyzing unit.

Abstract: A smart card for use in connection with execution of a software program by a computer includes a microcontroller configured by a program stored in a smart card memory to verify information received from the computer during execution of the software program. The microcontroller is further configured to cause a signal to be stored in the smart card memory which is indicative of whether execution of the software program is certified as valid based on results of verifying the received information. Methods of using the smart card are also disclosed.

Abstract: When a molten plastic is molded using a metal mold, sufficient cooling time has to elapse before the metal mold is opened, but this cooling time restricts the production per unit time. If a metal mold is opened without sufficient cooling, the plastic undergoes significant deformation by thermal shrink. If this deformation can be estimated and the metal mold designed so as to make allowance for the anticipated deformation, it will be possible to produce a molding with a shape that is equal to the design dimensions, despite shortening the cooling time. The finite element method is used to obtain the deformation. Mold design can also be performed taking account of the deformation due to the hydrostatic pressure that is produced when the molding is filled with its liquid contents. In addition, as for a portion of an in-mold labelled container which include lamination construction, the deformation due to thermal shrink is not estimated as a container which an in-mold label is not being applied.

Abstract: An article including a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed, causes receipt of a control request for a medical-monitoring device located on a client and determining if the control request is serviceable by the medical-monitoring device. In addition, the instructions also include sending the control request unaltered to the client if the control request is serviceable by the medical-monitoring device, and modifying the control request to a serviceable control request if the control request is not serviceable by the medical-monitoring device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a semi-empirical process simulator used to determine process values in a plasma process for creating a desired surface profile on a process substrate includes providing a test model which captures all mechanisms responsible for profile evolution in terms of a set of unknown surface parameters. A set of test conditions is derived for which the profile evolution is governed by only a limited number of parameters. For each set of test conditions, test values are selected and a test substrate is actually subjected to a test process defined by the test values, thereby creating a test surface profile. The test values are used to generate an approximate profile prediction and are adjusted to minimize the discrepancy between the test surface profile and the approximate profile prediction, thereby providing a final model of the profile evolution in terms of the process values.

Abstract: Software (50) is loaded into the host computer (12) and includes an Ethernet server (52), a Modbus (DDE) server (54), an MMS server (56), and a third-party proprietary protocol server (58). Each of these servers (52, 54, 56, and 58) allows external programs (60) running on the host and view node computers (12, 40, and 44) to access power management data from the various devices (26) in the power management control system (10). Modbus server (52) allows external programs (60) to access power management data from devices (26), which communicate using the Modbus protocol. MMS server (56) allows external programs (60) to access power management data from MMS/UCA2 compliant devices (34), which communicate using the MMS protocol. Ethernet server (52) provides for network layer TCP/IP encapsulation for communications over Ethernet networks (20) and (22). Third party server (58) allows communications between external programs (60) and device (38), which uses any proprietary protocol.

Abstract: A spindle is formed with a radial flange in a vicinity of a front end thereof, a spindle feed shaft rotatably holding the spindle has a non-contact type deviation detector secured thereto in opposite to a surface of the flange in an axial direction of the spindle, the deviation detector detects a deviation of an air gap in the axial direction between therefrom to the flange surface, a correction value of an axial position of the spindle is calculated in accordance with the detected deviation of the air gap, and a command responsible for tile axial position of the spindle is corrected in accordance with the calculated correction value to compensate for an axial position of the front end of the spindle.

Abstract: The invention provides an indication of boil phase, such as during cooking. In one embodiment, a boil phase determination system is used in connection with a range heater during heating of a liquid. Sensors, which may include a timer, acoustic sensors, optical sensors, and such or temperature sensors, measure certain parameter values during the heating process. The sensors in turn provide output readings to a processor. The processor is operative for determining a boil phase based on the sensor information. The processor may derive and/or store boil phase relationships, for example, based on the operation of an induction tool with respect to test data. Upon making the boil phase determination, the processor provides an output indicative of the determined boil phase. The output may be used to notify a user of a boil phase such as by sounding an alarm or providing a visual output. The boil phase determination may also be used to operate a controller to thereby control operation of the range heater.

Abstract: An automated monitoring and notification system for use with a testing arrangement is able to identify “potentially faulty test sockets”. The system uses a set of pre-existing data contained in a manufacturing database regarding the number of device failures for each socket. A threshold number of consecutive device failures is used to flag a particular test socket as “suspect”. Another database, containing historical “failure” data for the test sockets is then queried upon identification of each “suspect”. When the number of “failures” for a “suspect” exceeds a predetermined threshold, the socket is identified as “potentially faulty” and an alarm is sent to the system user.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for determining the alignment positions and orientations of vehicle wheels includes optical targets mounted on the wheels. A pair of cameras or other image sensing devices on each side of the vehicle are used to obtain images of the various optical targets and a computer is responsive to the images of the targets to determine values of wheel alignment parameters of the vehicle. The surface on which the wheels are disposed may be an automotive lift or a stationary runway. One camera on each side is directed at the target on the corresponding front wheel and the other camera on each side is directed at the target on the corresponding rear wheel. When used with a rack, the major axis of the field of view of each camera is disposed vertically. When used with a stationary runway, the major axis of the field of view of each camera is disposed horizontally.