Abstract: A method and system for monitoring at least one of a system, a process and a data source. A method and system have been developed for carrying out surveillance, testing and modification of an ongoing process or other source of data, such as a spectroscopic examination. A signal from the system under surveillance is collected and compared with a reference signal, a frequency domain transformation carried out for the system signal and reference signal, a frequency domain difference function established. The process is then repeated until a full range of data is accumulated over the time domain and a SPRT sequential probability ratio test methodology applied to determine a three-dimensional surface plot characteristic of the operating state of the system under surveillance.

Abstract: An alarm event generation method and apparatus for signaling an alarm (436, 1400) for a process control system (100). The process control system (100) monitors a production run using a computer system (108). The computer system (108) collects process data corresponding to the production run from operator workstations (104, 106) and stores the process data in a process data database (110). The process data includes a plurality of process parameter counts (430) each corresponding to a process parameter type (428). The process parameter counts (430) are polled from the computer system (108). Each process parameter count (430) has a corresponding manufacturing limit (434) to which it is compared. When a polled process parameter count (430) exceeds its corresponding manufacturing limit (434), an alarm (436, 1400) is signaled. While an alarm (436, 1400) is being signaled, the computer system (108) is prevented from collecting and storing process data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an effective amount of light energy to deliver to fluids, particularly fluids having target and non-target materials. The systems and methods specifically relate to phototherapy and photopheresis systems where an effective amount of light energy is desired to be delivered to targets in biological fluids.

Abstract: An alerting system is provided for proactively ensuring awareness of pending customer generated trouble tickets which have not been resolved for at least a predetermined time duration corresponding to an escalation level. A customer service center selects the time duration. The alerting system includes a manager module which periodically monitors the pending customer generated trouble tickets and determines whether each pending customer generated trouble ticket remains unresolved for the time duration corresponding to the escalation level. The alerting system also includes an alerting module which sends an alert to a recipient assigned to the escalation level when the manager module determines the pending customer generated trouble ticket has not been resolved for the time duration corresponding to the escalation level. The alerting system may also include a parsing module which parses the pending customer generated trouble tickets to remove extraneous and invalid information.

Abstract: A microprocessor system intended for safety-critical control systems includes two synchronously operated central units (1, 2) which receive the same input data and process the same program, in addition, read-only memories (5, 10) and random-access memories (6, 11) for useful data and test data, and comparators (18, 19) which check the output signals of the central units (1, 2) and issue disconnecting signals in the event of non-correlation. The central units (1, 2) are connected to the memories and the input and output units by way of separate bus systems (3, 4) and coupled by driver stages (15, 16, 17) which enable the central units (1, 2) to jointly read and process the data available in the two bus systems (3, 4).

Abstract: An Event Management System (EMS) for logging and correlating alarm events in a network, and a method of efficiently integrating the EMS, which communicates in a standard format, with external devices and external viewers which communicate in device-specific formats. A plurality of core EMS components which log and correlate events are functionally separated from a plurality of EMS boundary components which interact with external devices and external viewers. The boundary components perform both generic external interface functions and device-specific functions. An external device's information, including a class and location for a protocol handler and a content handler for the external device, is stored in an information repository associated with the EMS. When a connection is initiated from the external device to one of the boundary components, the boundary component obtains the external device information from the information repository.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for burning in a computer having a parallel port, includes a diagnostic program, stored in an internal memory of the computer, for running diagnostic tests on at least one component of the computer. The apparatus also includes a power cycling circuit, coupled to the parallel port of the computer, for receiving a power-off signal from the computer, for turning power off to the computer in response to the power-off signal and for automatically turning power back on to the computer after a specified period of time has elapsed.

Abstract: A system software solution for controlling an enterprise which defines and illustrates the electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, logic, diagnostics, external behavior, controlled resources and safety elements of an enterprise control system. The elements of the control system are encapsulated in objects of an object-oriented framework within a control assembly. The control assembly is the fundamental building block for providing object-oriented control of the enterprise. A control assembly component is a deployable control subsystem that provides an interface using a common object model that is configurable. The enterprise control system includes facilities for retrieving external models utilizing a predefined interface. The retrieved model includes support for external resources such as an external resource tree in which the leaf nodes correspond to resources to be controlled, resource and process information and a computer aided design model.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and a computer-readable program for designing software applications for execution in a programmable logic controller includes determining whether a physical input is analog or discrete, and responsive to the physical input being analog, inputting a set of analog parameters, and responsive to the physical input being discrete, inputting a set of discrete parameters, and storing the parameters in a user parameter data table. The method includes executing a programmable logic controller application responsive to a set of user-defined parameters, including reading an input, and determining whether the input is in fault, and, responsive to the input being in fault, performing an operation from a group of operations consisting of an alarm and a shutdown.

Abstract: A user controlled chemical management system for small-, medium- and large-sized organizations for use with a computer. The chemical inventory management system includes a chemical inventory control system allowing a user to manage chemicals from a central station, the plurality of combined receiving and outpost stations, to allow for the tracking of individual chemical containers throughout its life. In addition, an environmental, health and safety information system as contained in the chemical management system to allow the user create customized chemical storage groups that are color coded for a particular area. Also included is a safety equipment management system to allow accurate records to be kept of all safety equipment. Finally, an international chemical compatibility system is included with a compliance/education design to create compliance/education files for any country in the world.

Abstract: Apparatus to detect tampering with a totalizing device on a fuel dispenser with a totalizing device acting to keep a running total of fuel dispensed from the fuel dispenser and including an electric circuit containing at least one coil that will emit a magnetic pulse responsive to a condition consistent with proper totalizer operation, the apparatus including an arrangement for sensing the presence of the magnetic pulse and generating a signal responsive thereto and an arrangement for causing an alarm responsive to absence of the magnetic pulse.

Abstract: A control unit for controlling a load is provided with a durable-time diagnosing device for generating integrated count data by integrating an operating time of the load, and for generating warning data for notification when the integrated count data has reached the durable time, and concurrently generating an interrupt command for prompting processing for stopping the driving of the load which approached a limit of its life. A notification is given to the effect that the load has approached a limit of its life when the integrated time has reached a durable time set in advance concerning the load. A method of predicting a failure of a load using the control units and a load controlling system using the control units are also disclosed.