Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling a temperature of a thermal load comprises: a dynamic compensator for calculating a heater command as a function of a user input signal without using a temperature measurement; and a heater for controlling said temperature of said thermal load by applying heat in response to said heater command.

Abstract: A fault detection and isolation system for detecting leaks and blockages in a fluid handling system having at least one component through which fluid flows includes sensors for measuring fluid conditions upstream and downstream of the component. The sensors generate signals that are representative of the upstream and downstream fluid conditions and are fed to a control algorithm. The control algorithm uses the measured fluid conditions to generate estimates of an inlet state for the component and an outlet state for the component. The control algorithm also calculates innovation sequences for the estimated inlet and outlet states, and then compares the innovation sequences to predetermined thresholds to detect leaks and blockages.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a component include using at least two sensors arranged to sense an operating condition of the component. The system further includes a controller that controls the component in response to feedback signals output by one or more of the sensors. The controller also determines how the sensor feedback signals are to be used in controlling the component. To this end, the controller includes a model-based statistical filter for each one of the second sensors.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining at least one boil phase of a liquid is provided. The boil phase is determined from an acoustic signal generated by the liquid during heating, the acoustic signal is measured by an acoustic sensor. The apparatus comprises at least one filter connected to the acoustic sensor. The at least one filter receives and filters the acoustic signal to eliminate excess variation and to eliminate high frequency noise from the acoustic signal producing a filtered acoustic signal. At least one derivative estimation filter is also provided and is connected to the at least one filter. The at least one derivative estimation filter estimates at least one derivative of the filtered acoustic signal. A processor is provided and is connected to the at least one filter and the at least one derivative estimation filter. The processor identifies the at least one boil phase of the liquid using at least the filtered acoustic signal and at least one derivative of the filtered acoustic signal.

Abstract: In predicting failure of an x-ray tube in a computed tomography (CT) system, reference detector elements normally disposed on each end of the detector, receive x-rays directly from the x-ray tube. In accordance with the invention, the output values of the reference detector elements are utilized by a tube condition prediction algorithm to predict a failure in the x-ray tube of the CT system. The tube condition prediction algorithm utilizes at least one model of the CT system and at least one prediction routine, which typically is a Kalman filter, to generate the prediction. The prediction routine uses the model to analyze the output values of the reference detector elements in order to determine the condition of the x-ray tube and predict future performance of the x-ray tube.

Abstract: An adhesion control system for a locomotive is provided for achieving and maintaining a maximum adhesion value.

Abstract: An operating circuit for a semiconductor switch device of the type that passes electrical current from a source to an electrical load by forward biasing of the semiconductor's control terminal includes a resistance bridge network having in an arm thereof the control terminal to one main terminal circuit of the semiconductor switch, and a bias control for alternately applying forward bias and reverse bias to the control terminal through the bridge network, whereby a voltage is developed across the bridge output during the interval in which the control terminal is reverse biased that is representative of the junction temperature within the semiconductor. The temperature representative voltage is observed, monitored, and used for indication and control.