Abstract: A method and system for determining the reliability and a remaining time before failure for a DC motor system is provided. The method and system may determine the reliability and a remaining time before failure with a statistical confidence. The method and system may includes acquiring historical motor data, obtaining operational data, performing failure analysis, developing a causal network, and performing an integrated causal network and reliability analysis of the DC motor system.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the reliability and a remaining time before failure for a DC motor system is provided. The method and system may determine the reliability and a remaining time before failure with a statistical confidence. The method and system may includes acquiring historical motor data, obtaining operational data, performing failure analysis, developing a causal network, and performing an integrated causal network and reliability analysis of the DC motor system.

Abstract: A household appliance having a serial bus control system includes a system controller, a plurality of slave nodes, and a serial bus connector. Each slave node is a sensor, an actuator, or the like, that is coupled to the serial bus connector and is responsive to a particular slave node address code generated by a master communications module that is part of the system controller. The serial bus connector is a loop of conductor which is attached at each end of the loop to the master communication module, with the slave nodes coupled to the loop at intermediate positions along the loop. The master communications module includes an interrogation circuit for generating digital transmissions to one or more of said slave node address codes and a receiver circuit for receipt of digital transmissions from the slave nodes coupled to said serial bus connector.

Abstract: A system for testing the integrity of critical circuitry, lines and wires employs a differential amplifier having an input resistance R.sub.in and a feedback loop with a resistance R.sub.fb. The critical wires being tested must be a signal wire series connected to a resistance R.sub.S, which is in turn series connected to a return wire. A test voltage source is connected to the noninverting input of the differential amplifier. The signal wire is connected to the inverting input of the differential amplifier. The test voltage source is activated by a test control unit. When activated, the test voltage source provides two distinct outputs allowing computation of a test gain in the presence of other functional signals. The test control unit measures the output V.sub.out of the differential amplifier and computes the value of the test gain. A break in either the signal wire or the return wire will result in a test gain of 1. If the signal and return wires are shorted, the test gain will be 1+R.sub.fb /R.sub.in.

Abstract: A system for testing the integrity of critical circuitry, lines and wires employs a differential amplifier having an input resistance R.sub.in and a feedback loop with a resistance R.sub.fb. The critical wires being tested must be a signal wire series connected to a resistance R.sub.s, which is in turn series connected to a return wire. A test voltage source is connected to the noninverting input of the differential amplifier. The signal wire is connected to the inverting input of the differential amplifier. The test voltage source is activated by a test control unit. When activated, the test voltage source provides two distinct outputs allowing computation of a test gain in the presence of other functional signals. The test control unit measures the output V.sub.out of the differential amplifier and computes the value of the test gain. A break in either the signal wire or the return wire will result in a test gain of 1. If the signal and return wires are shorted, the test gain will be 1+R.sub.fb /R.sub.in.