Abstract: A method and system for predicting the content level of components in materials based on the response of the materials to near infrared radiation. One embodiment comprises electronically receiving a near infrared reflectance spectrum of a material from a customer, predicting the content level of a component in the material based on the spectrum, and electronically reporting the prediction to the customer. Another embodiment includes the exchange of the customer request and prediction report on a Web site or by electronic mail. Other embodiments include the prediction reports, and uses of the predictions, for example in quality control and toxicity evaluation.

Abstract: A method and a device for measuring the characteristics of a sample by spectral analysis. According to the method, the characteristics are calculated from the spectral data obtained by the spectral analysis, using a calibration model that has been established on the basis of reference samples. In order to improve the stability of the measuring process, an additional calculation of the characteristics (16) of the samples (1) takes place, using at least one additional calibration model (14) that has been established on the basis of additional reference samples (1″). Deviations between the characteristics (12, 16) calculated by the respective calibration models (11, 14) are determined and output.

Abstract: The present teachings describe a solubility prediction approach that is based, in part, upon quantitative-structure property relationships (QSPR). In various embodiments, the solubility prediction methodology comprises identifying a reduced descriptor set from which a solubility equation is derived. The descriptors used in the solubility equation are based upon simplified structural and molecular features which facilitate researcher understanding and solubility model refinement. Moreover, the present teachings provide solubility prediction relationships that may be used to rapidly screen large libraries or collections of compounds.

Abstract: An environmental impact information collection system modifies and analyzes environmental impact information, which is collected and stored in advance, and obtains the environmental impact at each process done in an organization, according to each product. The environmental impact information collection system then obtains a set of environmental impacts in a product's life cycle.

Abstract: Vibration and tachometer measurements are used to assess the health of rotating equipment to compute and store two sided cepstrum parameters used to compare the engine performance to a class of engines for determining out-of-family performance indicating the healthy or defective nature of the engine under test. The cepstrum parameter can be viewed after static test firing of a rocket engine and analyzed for changes in the cepstrum parameter further indicating defect growth during static test firing. Engine-to-engine comparisons of vibration-related parameters can be used to provide information on abnormal gear behavior. The cepstrum is defined as the inverse discrete Fourier transform of the logarithm of two-sided autospectral density. The test method is an effective screen for determining defective rocket engine components during preflight static testing.

Abstract: An electronic, programmable meter register (10) includes an input section (18, 19, 30) for generating pulses in response to units of flow in a water meter, a stored control program (46), a microelectronic CPU (31) for executing the program (46) to read input pulses and to transmit output data representing units of flow volume. An output device (16) is responsive to output data from the CPU (31) to display units of flow volume, and the CPU (31) stores a programmable meter input resolution factor for a corresponding one of several meters that scales the output data that is transmitted to the output device (16). A magnet (49) is held outside the register unit (10), but in proximity to a reed switch (22) inside the sealed unit (10) to sequence the display (16) through a series of totalization, rate of flow and other screen displays. A magnetic pulse pickup (24, 18, 19) is provided to signal both forward and reverse flows.

Abstract: A signal processor, for use with a zero crossing module of a vortex flow meter, includes a peak amplitude detector, a comparator, and a filter module. The filter module is enabled when the comparator determines that the amplitude is less than a low flow rate threshold. The filter module filters a vortex signal and the filtered signal is provided to a frequency estimator that uses a zero crossing algorithm. The signal processor may increase the signal-to-noise ratio at low flow rates for which the frequency estimator may not otherwise be able to accurately estimate the flow rate. Low flow rates may be measured by determining that there is a low flow rate using amplitude detection of a vortex signal, filtering the vortex signal based on the amplitude detection, and using a zero crossing algorithm on the filtered vortex signal.

Abstract: A method and a device are proposed for diagnosing flow resistance in the intake tract of internal combustion engines, which permit ascertaining the flow resistance in the intake tract with sufficient accuracy, using only one pressure sensor, in order, for example, to be able to diagnose a fouled air filter. This is done by measuring the suction pipe pressure in unthrottled operation at low and at higher air mass flow, and the flow resistance in the intake tract is inferred from the pressure difference.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the conditions within a storage tank includes a sensor communicating data indicative of conditions within the storage tank to a base controller. The data is decoded and arranged into a graphical display of the conditions of the storage tank. The graphical display includes a representation of storage tank conditions including the configuration of the storage tank, current fluid levels and temperature within the storage tank. The graphical display also includes a historical database of conditions within the storage tank that may be displayed graphically to track usage. The base controller is connected to a communications network such that data indicative of conditions with the storage tank can be communicated to remote users through a wireless communication network by way of alphanumeric messages.

Abstract: The method of the present invention determines the voltage, current, and/or power distribution in a power supply or other resistive network containing holes or contacts having non-rectangular boundaries. The method includes applying a grid over the resistive network. Because the holes and contacts have non-rectangular boundaries, the grid lines are not always coincident with these boundaries. A set of modified finite difference equations are then solved to derive a voltage distribution. Unlike conventional methods, these equations have been specifically adapted to the non-rectangular boundaries of the holes and contacts.

Abstract: In a sampler for use in measuring a waveform of an electric signal, a measurement target current is given as the electric signal to a sampler chip 11 and is also used to produce a trigger current Itr for determining measurement timing on the sampler chip. A comparator 20 compares a sum of a feedback current, a current derived from the measurement target current, and the trigger current Itr with a threshold value to produce an SFQ pulse when the sum exceeds the threshold value. The SFQ pulse produced by the comparator is observed or counted for a predetermined duration to measure the waveform of the electric signal.

Abstract: An apparatus (100), and method, for calibrating gain in satellite uplink receiver electronics includes an uplink receiver, a measurement processor, and an attenuator (106). The measurement processor receives the uplink signal from the uplink receiver and includes circuitry to sample (118) the uplink signals during a blanking interval and outputs a gain calibration signal. The sampling circuitry (118) may sample uplink signals periodically or responsive to extreme changes in conditions, and may sample the uplink signal multiple times during a blanking interval to output a multiple measurement sample. The measurement processor may include averaging circuitry (124) to produce a sample average. The method and apparatus (200) may both be used with TDMA systems.

Abstract: A first strapdown navigation unit (2) generating a first state vector (X2u) whose components give position, attitude and speed values of a carrier with a small instantaneous error.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system including a power on self test (POST) and an extended self test (EST). The POST includes (a) a verification test, (b) a register test (c) a controller test, (d) a receive digital signal path test and (e) a basic front end test. The POST is initiated, performed and completed within a short time, such as three seconds, from power ON. The EST is performed after the POST at the discretion of an operator, and includes a transmit test, a transducer element test, a front end voltage test and a receive test.

Abstract: A computer system (2) which has at least one data defect memory (4), at least one address defect memory (5) and also a test program is connected to a memory module (7) which has a memory space with defect-free and defective memory cells, a plurality of data lines and also a plurality of address lines. The addresses of the defective memory cells in the memory space and also the data lines which are connected to the defective memory cells are determined from the information items of the address defect memory (5) and also from the information items of the data defect memory (4).

Abstract: An intelligent measurement modular semiconductor parametric test system comprises an engine control module. The engine control module is operable to communicate with a user via a user interface, and is further operable to communicate with and to control the state of at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system including pluggable modules. The engine control module is further operable to control test flow via a test monitor module based on data and control events received from an intelligent measurement module. Other modules in various embodiments comprise prober monitor modules.

Abstract: A method and system for modular storage of measurement streams using a hierarchy of stream-processing objects. A first application may log measurement data of a plurality of data types to a shared memory location on a first computer, independent of the data type. Both the data and an index to the data may be logged. A second application may trend the data substantially concurrently as the data is logged. Both applications may include a plurality of filter objects, including a hierarchy of stream processing objects, which may operate to log/trend the data. Trending may include: (1) generating a query; (2) determining the location using the index; (3) accessing the data from the shared memory; and (4) displaying the data. The data may be replicated to an archival database, independent of the type of data. The replicated data may be transmitted to a plurality of computers.

Abstract: A measuring instrument includes a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor and circuitry. The first and second temperature sensors each generate a signal indicative of the temperature of a medium being detected. The circuitry is configured to activate verification of temperature being sensed with the first sensor. According to one construction, the first temperature sensor comprises at least one thermocouple temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor comprises an optical temperature sensor, each sensor measuring temperature over the same range of temperature, but using a different physical phenomena. Also according to one construction, the circuitry comprises a computer configured to detect failure of one of the thermocouples by comparing temperature of the optical temperature sensor with each of the thermocouple temperature sensors. Even further, an output control signal is generated via a fuzzy inference machine and control apparatus.

Abstract: A device for detecting the position of a human finger or other object on a touch-sensitive scrolling pad. Dual independent oscillators may be used to generate two pulse trains at frequencies dependent upon the capacitance of two conductors resulting from the position of the finger on the conductors. The pulses from each oscillator may be counted over a time interval. A ratio-metric measurement may be taken by calculating the ratio of the two counts, and a sum may also be calculated. The ratio of the two counts relates to finger position on the device, and their sum relates to finger pressure upon the device.

Abstract: A three-dimensional modeling system. The modeling system includes an antenna and a stylus. The stylus has at least one tag that communicates with the antenna to provide position signals of the tag, allowing the stylus to trace the surface of an object into a processor. The system may include more than one antenna, each producing an electromagnetic field within which the object to be modeled is positioned. The stylus may have two tags, which will allow derivation of orientation information from the position signals. The stylus may have a pressure-sensitive tip allowing the communication between the tag and the antenna to be controlled only when the stylus is in contact with the object to be modeled. The system may also have at least one tag attached to the object to provide more accurate information as to the position and orientation of the object relative to the points traced by the stylus. The stylus may also be used to trace an outline or other two-dimensional shape.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing a surface. The system includes a computer including a CPU and a memory medium operable to store programs executable by the CPU to perform the method. The method may include: 1) receiving data describing an n-dimensional surface defined in a bounded n-dimensional space, where the surface is embedded in an m-dimensional real space via embedding function x( ), and where m>n; 2) determining a diffeomorphism f of the n-dimensional space; 3) computing the inverse transform f−1 of the diffeomorphism f; 4) selecting points, e.g., a Low Discrepancy Sequence, in the n-dimensional space; 5) mapping the points onto the surface using x(f−1), thereby generating mapped points on the surface; 6) sampling the surface using at least a subset of the mapped points to generate samples of the surface; and 7) analyzing the samples of the surface to determine characteristics of the surface.

Abstract: An improved system for monitoring non-coincident, non-stationary, process signals. The mean, variance, and length of a reference signal is defined by an automated system, followed by the identification of the leading and falling edges of a monitored signal and the length of the monitored signal. The monitored signal is compared to the reference signal, and the monitored signal is resampled in accordance with the reference signal. The reference signal is then correlated with the resampled monitored signal such that the reference signal and the resampled monitored signal are coincident in time with each other. The resampled monitored signal is then compared to the reference signal to determine whether the resampled monitored signal is within a set of predesignated operating conditions.

Abstract: Outlier identification is employed to detect abnormally high or low energy use in a building. The utility use is measured periodically throughout each day and the measurements are grouped according to days that have similar average utility consumption levels. The data in each group is statistically analyzed using the Generalized Extreme Studentized Deviate (GESD) method. That method identifies outliers which are data samples that vary significantly from the majority of the data. The degree to which each outlier deviates from the remainder of the data indicates the severity of the abnormal utility consumption denoted by that outlier. The resultant outlier information is readily discernable by the building operators in accessing whether the cause of a particular occurrence of abnormal utility usage requires further investigation.

Abstract: A method and system for forecasting using pattern recognition and extension software. Models of the present invention select patterns from a library that match historical data and extend them into the future to make forecasts that can be used with a variety of predictive technologies.

Abstract: The failure rate of an integrated circuit (IC) is quickly determined by analyzing the corresponding design. The IC is partitioned into multiple cells, with each cell typically containing a logic gate. A default input signal is assumed for each cell and the default failure in time (FIT) rates of the cells are computed. The default signal is selected based on pessimistic assumptions on overshoots. The IC is analyzed to determine the cells (“overshoot cells”) that would actually experience overshoots. Detailed analysis is performed on the overshoot cells to determine exact FIT rates. The failure rate of the IC is determined based on the exact FIT rates for the overshoot cells and the default FIT rates for the remaining cells.

Abstract: Artificial Neural Net (ANN) coupled with an Expert System (ES) which monitors production test plans in real-time is provided. The ANN recognizes and classifies production yield patterns occurring at individual tester, complete test stage, and production line test aggregation and executes a proscribed range of responses. The ANN will automate human statistical analysis and line monitoring functions, identify emerging yield trends, identify proximate cause of a yield-degrading event, classify event severity, and provide conclusional accuracy. The ES, based on recognized or inferred conditions provided by the ANN, consults it's knowledge base and applies cognitive heuristics to execute responses in the manner described by the human expert it is modeled after.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a predictive warning system of the failure of O2 and CO2 sensors, which are particularly suited for an incubator environment are disclosed. An application of the predictive failure of O2 and CO2 sensor method and apparatus to incubators is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for controlling production process by performing near-infrared absorptiometric analysis by simple procedures in an accurate manner, in which control of production process step can be realized at a high accuracy by simple operation based on the thereby obtained analytical results, the said method comprising taking each absorbance spectrum for a plurality of standard samples in an analysis range including near-infrared region, calculating the average intensity and standard deviations for each of selected wave lengths to construct a data base, taking an absorbance spectrum in the said analysis range for each of analysis samples and comparing it with the data base in order to judge whether or not the intensity of the absorbance spectrum is within an assumed tolerance limit determined based on the stored standard deviations of the standard samples in the data base to thereby obtain control data by comparing, when wave lengths at which the observed intensity is outside the tolerance limit are present, thes

Abstract: An oilfield equipment identifying apparatus for tracking selected parameters for each of a plurality of pieces of oilfield equipment adapted to be inserted into a drill string supported by a drilling rig. The drilling rig also supports a drilling device for selectively rotating portions of the drill string to form a well bore. The apparatus comprises a computer loaded with an oilfield equipment database. A reader is provided for inputting into the computer a unique identification code for each piece of oilfield equipment added to the drill string so as to build a grid including a reference to each piece of oilfield equipment.

Abstract: A system and method of reducing cross talk in pulse oximetry signals that are attenuated by a patient tissue site are provided. In one embodiment, Red and IR LEDs of a pulse oximeter are separately excited (1010) and the respective Red and IR data vectors output by the detector are measured (1020). The Red and IR data vectors are normalized (1030) to unit length Red and IR data vectors. Red to IR and IR to Red cross talk vectors are computed (1040). The Red to IR cross talk vector may be computed as a vector having a length equal to the dot product of the normalized Red and IR data vectors with its direction being opposite that of the normalized IR data vector. The IR to Red cross talk vector may be computed as a vector having a length equal to the dot product of the normalized Red and IR data vectors with its direction being opposite that of the normalized Red data vector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for efficiently determining grating profiles using dynamic learning in a library generation process. The present invention also relates to a method and system for searching and matching trial grating profiles to determine shape, profile, and spectrum data information associated with an actual grating profile.

Abstract: Convolutional networks (12) can be defined by a set of layers (1, 2, 3) being respectively made up by a two-dimensional lattice of neurons (4). Each layer (1, 2, 3)—with the exception of the last layer (3)—represents a source layer (7) for respectively following target layer (8). A plurality of neurons (4) of a source layer (7) called a source sub-area respectively share the identical connectivity weight matrix type. Each connectivity weight matrix type is represented by a scalar product of an encoding filter (10) and a decoding filter (11). For each source layer (7) a source reconstruction image (9) is calculated on the basis of the corresponding encoding filters (10) and the activities of the corresponding source sub-area. For each connectivity weight matrix type, each target sub-area and each target layer (8) the input of the target layer (8) is calculated (S6) as a convolution of the source reconstruction image (9) and the decoding filter (11).

Abstract: A method of efficiently extracting the pull-in parameters of an electrostatically activated actuator. The actuator is modeled as an elastic element. For each of a plurality of deformations of the elastic element, a corresponding voltage is calculated. The highest such voltage is the pull-in voltage of the actuator. The corresponding deformation is the pull-in deformation of the actuator. Each deformation is defined by fixing a displacement of one degree of freedom of the elastic body and calculating corresponding equilibrium displacements of all the other degrees of freedom without the application of any external mechanical forces to ensure equilibrium. The actuator is altered to optimize whichever pull-in parameter is relevant to the desired application of the actuator.

Abstract: The invention consists of computer simulated instruments that interact with a simulated environment for the purposes of measurement and manipulation of that environment. Game programs may make use of various combinations of these instruments to create intellectually stimulating play involving mathematics, physical science, and art (when the tools are used for creative manipulation of an environment to create pictures or structures).

Abstract: The invention improves the preparation efficiency, the portability and the reusability by centralizing the implementation of the communication procedure of the program for simulating a microprocessor and a device connected by a bus. In the invention, the simulated bus manager mediates the communication between the simulated microcomputer and the simulated device, and the simulated bus slot API102 and 103 provide the common interface to both parties. Therefore, the implementation of the communication procedure can be centralized.

Abstract: A process allowing communication between a java code and an executable software file which permits the java code to receive an access to the internal system resources of the user's computer. The java code is arranged to be configured as a server in the client's configuration, by means of the establishment of a server socket communication channel. Once established, that socket communication channel is used for allowing a full ordered, error-free communication between the java code and the local executable file, thereby allowing the java code to take profit of the internal system resources of the user's computer. Preferably, the java code is received by the user through an Internet/Intranet network as an applet which thus receives an effective and powerful access to the system resources of the user's machine.

Abstract: Development assistance for a program comprising code in more than one language, is provided appropriately for each language in an integrated development environment. The assistance can include syntax highlighting, structure analysis, error reporting, completion assistance and/or context-sensitive help. The language of the subject element of code is determined and the appropriate assistance processes are applied. If the code is in a supplementary language, routines associated with the supplementary language are invoked to provide the assistance. When needed, information from other parts of the program file is provided to determine the appropriate assistance for the element of code.

Abstract: A method for generating a corresponding Chinese character representation for a positive integer number and a Chinese number generating system that accepts a positive integer number as input and generates a corresponding Chinese character representation.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for chaining machine translation engines using linguistic annotation language in the intermediate language. A first machine translation engine is provided that translates the source language text into an intermediate language text marked up with linguistic annotation language. A second machine translation engine translates the intermediate language text into the target language using the linguistic annotation language.

Abstract: Word sense ambiguity, for “thematic” words in a sentence, is achieved based on thematic prediction. The senses of “thematic” words are disambiguated in a sentence by determining and weighting possible themes for that sentence. Possible themes are determined for that sentence based on thematic information associated with the different senses of each word in the sentence. A highly deterministic thematic-based word sense disambiguation method is used to preprocess the sentence prior to further syntactic and semantic analysis, thereby enhancing accuracy and decreasing the demand for computational resources (memory and CPU) by reducing input ambiguities.

Abstract: An improved method for efficiently and accurately entering detailed data by yes/no entries so that the data is automatically recorded, optionally automatically distributed and optionally transformed into a readable prose report of the data, which is entered by yes/no markings.

Abstract: A dictionary management apparatus is disclosed, which can optimize a dictionary required for speech synthesis of character data. The apparatus checks if character data which is to undergo speech conversion includes character data which is not registered in the dictionary. When the unregistered character data is included, the apparatus generates new dictionary data of that character data using another dictionary and adds the generated new dictionary data to the dictionary.

Abstract: A system for generating a relational database based on a fixed set of statement types. Each statement type defines a permitted relationship between a subject noun type, a verb, and an object noun type. The statement types are the basis for user defined statements. Each user-defined statement links a subject noun with an object noun by way of a verb. In addition, each statement may contain one or more prepositional phrases, consisting of a preposition type and an object of preposition noun. The preposition types and object of preposition noun types are defined by a fixed set of prepositional phrase types. The user defined statements represent the user's relational database, and form the basis for responding to various user queries. Statements are defined through a number of steps, during which the statement types are used to control the user's selections as to subject noun, verb, and object noun.

Abstract: A transcoder reduces excess requantization error in quantization of spectral data. The transcoder phase shifts data decompressed by a decompressor. The phase shifting causes a change to corresponding spectral data produced in later transform coding of the decompressed data. When the spectral data is then quantized to reduce bitrate, the earlier phase shifting reduces excess requantization error. After transcoding, a second decompressor can compensate for the phase shifting by, for example, reverse shifting by the amount of the phase shift. Instead of phase shifting, the transcoder can reduce excess requantization error by, for example, adding random noise to the decompressed data or changing transform block sizes.

Abstract: An adaptive noise suppression system includes an input AID converter, an analyzer, a filter, and a output D/A converter. The analyzer includes both feed-forward and feedback signal paths that allow it to compute a filtering coefficient, which is input to the filter. In these paths, feed-forward signal are processed by a signal to noise ratio estimator, a normalized coherence estimator, and a coherence mask. Also, feedback signals are processed by a auditory mask estimator. These two signal paths are coupled together via a noise suppression filter estimator. A method according to the present invention includes active signal processing to preserve speech-like signals and suppress incoherent noise signals. After a signal is processed in the feed-forward and feedback paths, the noise suppression filter estimator then outputs a filtering coefficient signal to the filter for filtering the noise out of the speech and noise digital signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for quickly selecting an optimal excitation waveform from a codebook are presented herein. In encoding schemes that use forward and backward pitch enhancement, storage and processor load is reduced by approximating a two-dimensional autocorrelation matrix with a one-dimensional autocorrelation vector. The approximation is possible when a cross-correlation element is configured to determine the autocorrelation matrix of an impulse response and a pulse energy determination element is configured to determine the energy of a pulse code vector that incorporates secondary pulse positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for suppressing noise interference with the following steps:

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of supporting the proof-reading of a text (2, 30) obtained in particular by speech recognition from a speech signal (1), of which at least one text component (B1 to B5) has a reliability level (3) for its correctness, which method comprises a control of the progression of the replay speed (12, 13) of the part of the speech signal (1) belonging to the text component (B1 to B5) as a function of the reliability level (3) of the text component (B1 to B5).

Abstract: A method is provided for prosody generation by unit selection from an imitation speech database. A rule based method of text to speech conversion is used to produce a set of intonation events by selecting syllables on which there would be either a pitch peak or dip (or a combination), and produces the parameters to generate a pitch curve of the event. The synthetic pitch curve shape generated by the rule based method is then utilized to select the best matching units from an imitation speech database of a speaker's prosody, which are then concatenated to reduce the final prosody.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and device that gives users the ability to select and manipulate specific celebrity voice types into “voice flavors”. Voice flavors can be used with voice-enabled appliances, devices and computer programs, Internet and satellite delivered news services, and other software and hardware applications used in business and/or daily life.