Earthquake Or Volcanic Activity Patents (Class 702/15)
  • Patent number: 11867858
    Abstract: A seismic observation device includes: a waveform acquisition unit that acquires waveform data for a predetermined period including an observation start time of a P wave; a delay time specifying unit that inputs the waveform data to a trained model and acquires, from the trained model, a delay time from the observation start time of the P wave to an observation start time of an S wave; and an observation time estimation unit that estimates the observation start time of the S wave based on the observation start time of the P wave and the delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Kuwamori
  • Patent number: 11842821
    Abstract: A nuclear power plant includes a nuclear structure, a frontline support equipment, and a support structure. The nuclear structure includes, and is configured to protect from incurring damage due to a damaging event, at least one of a nuclear reactor or a nuclear fuel storage. The frontline support equipment is configured to perform a fundamental safety function. The support structure is spatially separate from the nuclear structure and includes an initiating support equipment configured to trigger the frontline support equipment to perform the fundamental safety function such that the fundamental safety function is performed independently of the initiating support equipment subsequent to the triggering. The support structure may be a non-protected structure that is not configured to protect the initiating support equipment from incurring damage due to the damaging event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Derek Bass, Dennis Henneke, Tatjana B. Kirby, Luben I. Todorovski, Mark J. Endre
  • Patent number: 11822028
    Abstract: A method of predicting parameters of an earthquake uses an array of ionosondes to scan an observed volume of an ionosphere located above a seismically active zone. The method includes monitoring ionograms provided by the array of ionosondes; detecting the presence of at least one seismic-induced irregularity (SII); determining a first predicted parameter corresponding to an epicenter location; and determining one or more predicted parameters selected from a group consisting of a magnitude, a time of occurrence, and a hypocenter depth. Algorithms for calculating the predicted parameters are presented in detail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: IONOTERRA LTD.
    Inventor: Nathan Blaunstein
  • Patent number: 11686868
    Abstract: An earthquake estimation method for more promptly estimating an earthquake on the basis of observation data. The earthquake estimation method includes, by a computer: generating an observation image showing a spatial distribution of seismic wave propagation on a basis of an observation result of seismic waves at a plurality of observation points on a ground; and estimating a parameter of an earthquake with respect to the observation image by using an earthquake estimation model in which a parameter of an earthquake including at least a position of a hypocenter and a magnitude is associated with a simulated observation image showing a spatial distribution of seismic wave propagation on a ground obtained from a result of a numerical simulation of the earthquake, performed with the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN AGENCY FOR MARINE-EARTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Daisuke Sugiyama, Seiji Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 11555287
    Abstract: A volumetric enclosure or enclosures and/or a cellular structure pole foundation is provided. The volumetric enclosure/s or cellular structure pole foundation may employ several embodiments: (1) a single or a plurality of volumetric enclosures at the vertical center of the foundation below the foundation's pole cavity; (2) a single or a plurality of volumetric enclosures at the vertical center of the foundation below the foundation's pole cavity and a cellular structure within the foundation walls and base; (3) a cellular structure throughout the entire body of the foundation; (4) a cellular structure within the foundation walls; (5) the above embodiments with fill material consisting of gas or fluid or solids retained inside the foundation walls; and (6) the above embodiments with solid fill material that can reach the foundation core through the pole cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: EXPOSURE ILLUMINATION ARCHITECTS, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel S. Spiro
  • Patent number: 11543547
    Abstract: An early earthquake detection method may comprise acquiring a frame image from a camera; acquiring a vibration signal from the frame image; removing a noise signal due to vibration of the camera from the vibration signal; acquiring a motion signal obtained by magnifying subtle motions from the noise signal-removed vibration signal; extracting vibration characteristics from the motion signal; estimating an occurrence of an earthquake by extracting a peak signal from the vibration characteristics; and determining whether an earthquake occurs by receiving earthquake estimation information from at least one other camera located within a certain range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: POSTECH Research and Business Development Foundation
    Inventors: Dai Jin Kim, Jong Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 11500118
    Abstract: A seismic dataset and a task to be performed with the seismic dataset may be received. A representative seismic line representative of the seismic dataset may be generated. The representative seismic line may include pixel data representative of the seismic dataset. Based on the representative seismic line, the task may be performed. The task may include at least finding an analogous geological region by searching for an analogous seismic dataset existing in a seismic database by comparing the representative seismic line with the analogous seismic dataset's representative seismic line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rodrigo da Silva Ferreira, Emilio Ashton Vital Brazil, Renato Fontoura de Gusmao Cerqueira
  • Patent number: 11402525
    Abstract: Earthquake detector is a solid-state device that detects the motion of a building or structure and initiates an alarm when the motion of a building or structure rises above a certain base level or threshold level of motion that is automatically calibrated or manually entered for the specific building or structure and the specific location of the building or structure. Earthquake detector measures the amplitude of movement and the magnitude of acceleration of the actual building or structure caused by a seismic event, earthquake, or other external force because this is the primary cause of damage to the building or structure and the associated potential for collapse of the building or structure. Earthquake detector has a circuit board; a microprocessor, integrated circuit, or chip; an accelerometer integrated circuit or chip; an alarm module; a connection to a power source; and a calibration control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventors: Kenneth H Sheeks, Thomas L Wood, Sandra L Ragley
  • Patent number: 11397275
    Abstract: A distributed device and method for detecting groundwater based on nuclear magnetic resonance are provided. The device includes an excitation apparatus, multiple polarization apparatuses, an aerial reception apparatus, and a control apparatus. The aerial reception apparatus includes an array cooled coil sensor. For each of the multiple polarization apparatuses, a position analysis module determines, together with a second position analysis module of the polarization apparatus, a position of the array cooled coil sensor relative to a polarization coil in the polarization apparatus. A polarization transmitter in the polarization apparatus switches to a mode of waiting for output in a case that the array cooled coil sensor is in coverage of the polarization coil. The polarization transmitter in the polarization apparatus remains in a standby mode in a case that the array cooled coil sensor is beyond coverage of the polarization coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: JILIN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tingting Lin, Kun Zhou, Chao Chen, Pengfei Wang, Yang Zhang, Ling Wan
  • Patent number: 11303475
    Abstract: A remote access and control system for test and measurement setups is provided. The remote access and control system comprises at least one virtual network, wherein the at least one virtual network is persistently defined as a set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Sebastian Röglinger
  • Patent number: 11286765
    Abstract: A method may comprise drilling a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; collecting drill time data for the drilling; converting the drill time data into segmented drill time data; decomposing the segmented drill time data into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using an empirical mode decomposition; reconstructing the segmented drill time data by combining the IMFs with different weights, thereby producing modified segmented drill time data; and calculating an invisible lost time for the drilling based on the segmented drill time data and the modified segmented drill time data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Robello Samuel, Vikrant Lakhanpal
  • Patent number: 11215719
    Abstract: A performance-level seismic motion hazard analysis method includes: (1) extracting seismic motion data and denoising the data; (2) extracting feature parameters from the data, and carrying out initialization; (3) generating a training set, an interval set and a test set; (4) training a multi-layer neural network based on the training set; (5) training output values of the neural network based on the interval set, and calculating a mean and a standard deviation of relative errors of the output values; (6) training the neural network based on the test set to determine output values, and calculating a magnitude interval based on an interval confidence; (7) carrying out probabilistic seismic hazard analysis to determine an annual exceeding probability and a return period of a performance-level seismic motion; and (8) determining a magnitude and an epicentral distance that reach the performance-level seismic motion based on the performance-level seismic motion and consistent probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: QINGDAO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Wenfeng Liu, Zheng Zhou, Jianfeng Li
  • Patent number: 11037526
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising ambient light color compensation circuitry to subtract a color component associated with ambient light from a corresponding color component of image data of an image to be displayed in accordance with a color profile of the ambient light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Natan Facchin, Julia Zottis
  • Patent number: 10962664
    Abstract: A method for assessing a performance-based seismic design by setting a seismic risk starts from the exceedance probability of the performance level. The method is configured to determine the structural performance level by setting an exceedance probability, determine the seismic demand when the performance level is constant, set the exceedance probability of the seismic demand in combination with the seismic risk of a set earthquake to finally determine the ground motion input and establish a novel probabilistic seismic risk assessment method that reaches the performance level. The main control and objective of the design are significantly enhanced by using this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: QINGDAO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Wenfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 10885146
    Abstract: Data analysis for structural health monitoring relating to a method of modal identification for structures with non-proportional damping based on extended sparse component analysis. Hilbert transform constructs analytical signal of acceleration response. Analytical signal is transformed into time-frequency domain using short-time-Fourier transform. The criterion is taken as the correlation coefficient of adjacent frequency points is close to 1. Points contributed by only one mode are detected from the time-frequency plane. Phases calculated at single-source-points are used to remove local outliers through local outlier factor method. Amplitudes of complex-valued mode shapes are estimated by Hierarchical clustering of amplitudes for time-frequency coefficients at single-source-points. Averaged phases of grouped single-source-points are estimated phases of complex-valued mode shapes. Finally, complex-valued mode shapes are acquired. Modal responses are estimated by sparse reconstruction method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Tinghua Yi, Xiaojun Yao, Chunxu Qu, Hongnan Li
  • Patent number: 10854064
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to approaches for detecting and monitoring for earthquakes using a control unit of a security system. A security system may include a plurality of sensors that detect alarm conditions and send alarm condition messages to a control unit for the security system. The control unit may be communicatively coupled to the sensors and configured to receive the alarm condition messages from the sensors. The security system may also include an earthquake sensor that senses earthquake conditions and sends an earthquake condition message to the control unit if it detects the earthquake condition. The control unit may include an alarm module. The control unit causes the alarm module to generate an alarm in response to receiving the earthquake condition message from the earthquake sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy B. Warren, Jeffrey G. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10810012
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory and a circuit. The memory may be configured to store a first array of data values, a second array of first modification values, and a third array of second modification values. The circuit may be configured to (a) calculate a plurality of window values for each window position of a first sliding window as the first sliding window is stepped by a predetermined step size along a particular axis of the first array of data values, and (b) calculate the first and the second modification values by summing portions of the first array of data values that correspond to the predetermined step size of the first sliding window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Ambarella International LP
    Inventors: Wen Wan Yang, Peter Verplaetse
  • Patent number: 10802874
    Abstract: Cloud agnostic task scheduling is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving a configuration request for configuring a virtual service in a cloud environment. In response to a pre-specified event, one or more objects that are operated on by the configuration request is identified. The method determines whether the request can be processed based at least in part on a list of pending tasks. In response to a determination that the request can be processed, the method derives one or more end states for the one or more objects that are identified. The method converts the request to a set of one or more tasks operating on the one or more objects, identifies tasks in the list of pending tasks that are combinable, combines the identified tasks into a combined task that would result in the one or more end states, and sends the combined task to be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: VMWARE, INC.
    Inventors: Anurag Palsule, Srinivas Surishetty, Ishant Tyagi
  • Patent number: 10721582
    Abstract: A method for processing an audio signal in accordance with a room impulse response is described. The audio signal is separately processed with an early part and a late reverberation of the room impulse response, and the processed early part of the audio signal and the reverberated signal are combined. A transition from the early part to the late reverberation in the room impulse response is reached when a correlation measure reaches a threshold, the threshold being set dependent on the correlation measure for a selected one of the early reflections in the early part of the room impulse response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Simone Neukam, Jan Plogsties
  • Patent number: 10552151
    Abstract: An apparatus including a memory and a circuit. The memory may be configured to store a multidimensional array of data values. The circuit may be configured to (i) fetch a plurality of data vectors from the memory, where each of the data vectors comprises a plurality of the data values, (ii) calculate a plurality of modification values based on the data values, (iii) calculate a first value of a first window based on the data values, and (iv) calculate a second value of a second window by adding to the first value of the first window a next one of the modification values and subtracting from the first value of the first window a previous one of the modification values. The second window generally overlaps the first window in the multidimensional array along a particular axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen Wan Yang, Peter Verplaetse
  • Patent number: 10422897
    Abstract: Described herein is method for the detection of seismic activity using a network of lights, and in particular, street lights (43) arranged over a number of streets (42). Each light includes a control module having the facility for both long- and short-distance communication, the control modules being grouped with other control modules and associated with a group controller to create a short-distance or mesh network. Each control module includes a sensor which is capable of detecting seismic activity and data relating to such activity may be transmitted to a central server via its group controller using long-distance communication. Even if the sensors are relatively inaccurate, the high number of such sensors present in the network makes it possible to detect and analyze the activity using geocoordinate information provided by the control modules at the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: SCHREDER
    Inventors: Helmut Schröder, Daniel Brand, Didier Wellens
  • Patent number: 10403056
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing components of physical systems, including decomposing raw time series by extracting an aging trend and a fluctuation term from the time series using an objective function of an optimization problem, the objective function minimizing reconstruction error and ensuring flatness of the fluctuation term over time. The optimization problem is transformed into a Quadratic Programming (QP) formulation including a monotonicity constraint and a non-negativity constraint, the constraints being merged together to reduce computational costs. An aging score and a confidence score are generated for the extracted aging trend to determine a severeness of aging for one or more components of the physical system, and the aging score and confidence score are fused to provide a fused ranking for the extracted aging trend for predicting future failures of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Tan Yan, Guofei Jiang, Haifeng Chen, Kai Zhang
  • Patent number: 10386510
    Abstract: An earthquake detection system includes an earthquake data receiving module, for receiving a plurality of earthquake data and generating an earthquake parameter according to the plurality of earthquake data; a threshold value setting module, for setting an earthquake threshold according to the earthquake parameter; and an earthquake detector, for determining whether a new earthquake data belongs to an earthquake event according to the earthquake threshold when the new earthquake data is received, in order to generate a determination result; wherein the threshold value setting module further adjusts the earthquake threshold according to the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES
    Inventors: Shieh-Kung Huang, Hung-Wei Chiang, Pei-Yang Lin, Ting-Yu Hsu, Kung-Chun Lu
  • Patent number: 10145972
    Abstract: Many embodiments provide a hybrid data processing system (HySDS) of an end-to-end geodetic imaging data system enabling near-real-time science, assessment, response, and rapid recovery. The HySDS may be an operation data processing system that integrates data from many different geodetic data sources and/or sensors, including interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), GPS, pixel tracking, seismology, and/or modeling, and processes the data to generate actionable high quality science data products. The HySDS may provide for an automated imaging and analysis capabilities that is able to handle the imminent increases in raw data from new and existing geodetic monitoring sensor systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Susan Ethel Owen, Angelyn W. Moore, Zhen Liu, Sang Ho Yun, Hook Kian Hua, Gian Franco Sacco, Timothy M. Stough, Costin Radulescu, Eric J. Fielding, Paul A. Rosen, Frank H. Webb, Jennifer W. Cruz, Mark Simons, Piyush Shanker Agram, Paul Randall Lundgren, Gerald John Maramba Manipon, Michael David Starch, Brian Wilson
  • Patent number: 10089854
    Abstract: A system (10) for receiving measurement data wherein there is a processing means of the measurement data to create or update at least two models (28) where each model is a representation of a real-world object, event or phenomenon. There is a means for processing the characteristics (32) of the models to establish relationships (34) between the models and to generate alarms (40) when the relationships meet a certain criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: IINTEGRATE SYSTEMS PTY LTD
    Inventors: Adam Jamie Hender, Mark Oliver Carniello, Simon Matthew Taylor, Fernando Andres Cosa, Carlos Enrique Kruger, Damian Paul Slee
  • Patent number: 10042051
    Abstract: Systems and techniques are described for tsunami detection and warning using coastal radar systems designed primarily for the real-time mapping of ocean surface currents. These radar systems are configured to detect an approaching tsunami in the system's “near field,” i.e., the near-shore region over which the radar system observes the sea surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CODAR Ocean Sensors, Ltd.
    Inventors: Donald E. Barrick, Belinda J. Lipa, James Isaacson
  • Patent number: 9157318
    Abstract: A method for performing wellbore operations of a field having a subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randy Koepsell, Tom R. Bratton
  • Publication number: 20150142322
    Abstract: A vibration information gathering method includes: gathering output data about information of a vibration of a structure; and selecting at least one of an average value, a maximum value and a minimum value from the output data that is gathered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroshi OKAMOTO, Tomoyuki KURATA
  • Patent number: 9013322
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for well control and monitoring including an independent web server computer integrated with a pump controller located at each well in an oil field. The well controller locally controls the well pump, processes well and pump data, generates surface and downhole cards, and communicates production reports, recommendations for production improvements, and production statistics to remote sites via the internet. The controller can be queried remotely to provide production reports, etc. Furthermore, the controller can initiate alerts via email, text messaging, or internet messaging, for example, during fault conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Lufkin Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Alan L. Roberson, Doneil M. Dorado, David L. Pinnell, Eric S. Oestreich
  • Publication number: 20140368341
    Abstract: The systems, methods and articles described herein are directed to a cloud based server which can access and retrieve data for dynamically calculating and generating information relating to an earthquake (or other hazard event), including damage and injury caused by the earthquake. In addition, the information relating to the earthquake can be distributed to one or more cloud connected vehicles and external sources, such as for either providing early warning or assistance with emergency response. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Aaron Williams
  • Patent number: 8893551
    Abstract: A system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises at least two electrodes coupled to an electromagnetically sensitive bio-organism and control logic configured to predict an earthquake based upon signals produced by the electrodes in response to an electromagnetic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bioelectrochemistry, LLC
    Inventor: Alexandre G. Volkov
  • Publication number: 20140324356
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for evaluating the safety of a building. The apparatus includes first and second measurement instruments which measure earthquake accelerations of the top and bottom stories, a fast Fourier transform unit which performs fast Fourier transform on the earthquake accelerations, an integration unit which double-integrates the measured earthquake accelerations and creates drift data of the top story and the bottom story, a maximum inter-story drift ratio calculation unit which calculates a maximum inter-story drift ratio, a natural frequency change rate calculation unit which determines a natural frequency of the building, and compares the natural frequency with an ambient natural frequency of the building so as to calculate a natural frequency change rate, and a building safety evaluation unit which compares the maximum inter-story drift ratio and the frequency change rate with preset evaluation criteria and outputs a result of evaluation in the safety of the building.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: REPUBLIC OF KOREA (NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE)
    Inventors: Byung Cheol PARK, Ji Young SEONG, Ki Hwan LIM, Ki Jong PARK, Seong-Hoon Jeong, Kwang Ho LEE, Won Seok JANG, Woon Kwang YEO, Jae Hyun SHIM
  • Publication number: 20140316708
    Abstract: A sensor for structural health monitoring includes a tri-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer and a tri-axis MEMS gyrometer. Sampled 3D accelerometer data and 3D gyrometer data are processed using integration and sensor fusion to produce an estimate of 3D rotation of the sensor device and an estimate of 3D displacement of the sensor device expressed in a global reference frame. The sensor measurements may also be corrected using structural model information. Optionally, the sensor may include a tri-axis MEMS magnetometer and use the 3D magnetometer data to increase the accuracy of the estimates. The sensor transmits the estimates wirelessly to a central unit for assessing structural damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Mark G. Mollineaux, Ram Rajagopal, Anne S. Kiremidjian
  • Publication number: 20140249756
    Abstract: An earthquake early warning method for an earthquake detecting system includes utilizing support vector regression (SVR) method to build an earthquake detecting model according to the a plurality of vectors, wherein each of the vectors is corresponding to an earthquake information and a ground motion intensity; detecting a new earthquake information of a new earthquake and generating a specific vector according to the new earthquake information when the new earthquake occurs; and predicting a new ground motion intensity of the new earthquake according to the specific vector and the earthquake detecting model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: National Applied Research Laboratories
    Inventors: Ting-Yu Hsu, Shieh-Kung Huang
  • Publication number: 20140188394
    Abstract: A system, method and/or software for determining at least one characteristic of at least one structure. A server sub-system includes a processor set and seismic software that runs on the processor set. The sever sub-system being in data communication with a communication network. The server sub-system receives, through the communication network, first detected movement information, relating to seismically-induced physical movement of a first client device. The server sub-system performs structure-characteristic determination, by its seismic software, to determine at least one structure characteristic of a first structure based, at least in part, upon the first detected movement information. Preferably, detected movement data from a great many client devices is utilized in performing the structure-characteristic determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Barbara Febonio, Sandro Piccinini, Stefano Sidoti
  • Patent number: 8661431
    Abstract: Timing parameters that influence an install time interval for installing a product on computing machines in a test environment in accordance with an installation configuration option are identified. A test value of the timing parameter and a test value of the install time are determined for each of the computing machines. The test values of the timing parameter and the install time determined for the sample computing machines are analyzed to determine an install time calculation expression for the installation configuration option. For installation in accordance with the installation configuration option in a normal operating environment, a current value of each of the timing parameters of the predetermined install time calculation expression for the installation configuration option. The install time interval in the normal operating environment is estimated based on the current value of the timing parameters and the install time calculation expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rand K. Barthel, Yong Li, Eduardo N. Spring
  • Publication number: 20140039800
    Abstract: A data acquisition module acquires seismic data actually measured at a plurality of observation points; a pulse calculation module acquires information of a propagation environment where seismic waves propagate from a hypocenter of earthquake to each observation point, and applies time reversal processing on the seismic waves received at the observation points by considering the propagation environment to acquire time reversal pulses at each observation point; a line calculation module calculates a parametric line in a length direction of a fault from a distribution of azimuths of frequency spectra of the time reversal pulses acquired by the pulse calculation module; a head searching module searches a parametric head by analyzing the seismic waves received in the vicinity of the parametric line calculated by the line calculation module; and a monitoring module monitors developments of a crack in the fault by observing the parametric head searched by the head searching module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventor: Toshiaki KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 8620592
    Abstract: A method of diagnosing, predicting, or prognosticating about a disease that includes obtaining experimental data, wherein the experimental data is high dimensional data, filtering the data, reducing the dimensionality of the data through use of one or more methods, training a supervised pattern recognition method, ranking individual data points from the data, wherein the ranking is dependent on the outcome of the supervised pattern recognition method, choosing multiple data points from the data, wherein the choice is based on the relative ranking of the individual data points, and using the multiple data points to determine if an unknown set of experimental data indicates a diseased condition, a predilection for a diseased condition, or a prognosis about a diseased condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Javed Khan, Markus Ringner, Carsten Peterson, Paul Meltzer
  • Patent number: 8594972
    Abstract: A system for measuring a parameter of a medium with a vehicle moving in a traveling direction through the medium includes four detecting portions and a calculating portion. The four detecting portions respectively detect first through fourth values of the parameter from first through fourth lines-of-sight in first through fourth directions at first through fourth positions of the vehicle at first through fourth times. The first line-of-sight and the third line-of-sight are in a first plane and intersect at a first intersection, while the second line-of-sight and the fourth line-of-sight are in a second plane and intersect at a second intersection. The calculating portion calculates the parameter based on the first through fourth values and the first and second intersections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Larry J. Paxton, Joseph M. Comberiate, Michael A. Kelly
  • Patent number: 8589080
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of determining the stress state associated with a geological fault is described. The source data comprises measured fault displacement values, or proxy displacement values, associated with the fault. An error function calculates error as a function of normalized fault displacement and normalized slip tendency. Candidate stress states are used to determine slip tendency values, which are used in the error function to calculate an error value. This value is minimized to determine the “best” candidate stress state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Alan P. Morris, David A. Ferrill, John M. McFarland
  • Patent number: 8583722
    Abstract: Systems and method are provided for testing an infrastructure. The infrastructure may include one or more computers connected by a network. Moreover, each of the computers may include an agent. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, at a controller, a test request to perform at least one of a plurality of predetermined tests, the predetermined test including one or more parameters associated with performing the predetermined test and one or more expected results from performing the predetermined test. The method further includes determining whether the predetermined test is available at one of the computers. The method also includes sending, by the controller, the predetermined test to one of the computers based on the results of the determining step, such that the agent at the computer performs the predetermined test sent by the controller. Furthermore, the method includes receiving, at the controller, one or more results of the predetermined test performed by the agent at the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory A. Gibson, Daniel V. Wood
  • Publication number: 20130261982
    Abstract: Methods for rapidly determining earthquake parameters of an earthquake include inputting a seismogram of the earthquake, searching concurrently in pre-established historical seismogram database and theoretical seismogram database by use of an approximate nearest neighbor search method, to find a set of seismograms similar to the input seismogram according to a preset similarity condition, and determining from the set of similar seismograms one or more seismograms matched with the input seismogram, and determining the earthquake parameters from the matched seismograms. With the present invention, it is possible to search in millions of seismograms and determine parameters for an earthquake in a few second, and thus realize rapid and even real-time estimation of earthquake parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CHINA
    Inventors: Jie Zhang, Haijiang Zhang, Enhong Chen, Yi Zheng, Wenhuan Kuang
  • Patent number: 8538734
    Abstract: Extreme event performance evaluation using real-time hysteresis monitoring. A structure is monitored using one or more sensors. One or more inter-story Hysteresis Loops for the structure are generated in real-time using data from the sensors, thus enabling rapid decision making regarding the structure's condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, Digitex Data Systems, Corp.
    Inventors: Wilfred D. Iwan, Dan Constantin Radulescu, Costin Radulescu
  • Patent number: 8531515
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit for capturing a subject and generating image data of the subject, an operation input unit for receiving inputs of operation signals containing a release signal for instructing the imaging unit to shoot, an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration of the imaging apparatus, a state detector for separately detecting a case in which the imaging apparatus is overland, a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and a photographer shoots while swimming, and a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and the photographer shoots while changing a water depth, and a control unit for performing operation control depending on an input into the operation input unit and/or into the acceleration detector according to a state detection result by the state detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Yuko Watanabe, Yoko Saito, Tomoko Kobayashi, Koichi Shintani
  • Patent number: 8452540
    Abstract: An earthquake damage spread reducing method and an earthquake damage spread reducing system, for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which can predict occurrence of an earthquake and prevent fall down of a boat, thus minimizing damage by the earthquake. An earthquake damage spread reducing system includes a receiving unit for receiving urgent earthquake information, based on preliminary tremors, distributed via a communication network, or alternatively, includes a preliminary tremors detection unit for directly detecting the preliminary tremors. A control unit performs a first step of stopping operation of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, based on the urgent earthquake information received or on the preliminary tremors detected, as well as performs a second step of holding a boat in order to prevent fall of the boat, in which objects to be processed are loaded in a multistage fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yudo Sugawara, Hiroshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8392122
    Abstract: A method of forecasting naturally-occurring phenomena, such as seismic activity, includes taking localized measurements of the Earth's gravitational force change using MEM inertial motion units. Trends in the measurements are interpreted and related to a phenomenon of interest, a likelihood of occurrence is predicted based on the relationship, and the likelihood is reported to interested parties, preferably automatically to emergency bulletin sources. Measurements can be taken from above the Earth's atmosphere. The trends can be interpreted by determining blind source separation information directed to the region underneath the Earth's mantle crust to determine composition and/or movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventor: Harold Szu
  • Publication number: 20130046475
    Abstract: A system and method instantly on-site analyze seismic acceleration signals measured from a primary wave of an earthquake and at a detecting site. The system includes an embedded computing host and a signal preprocessing module. Hardware preprocessing is executed on the seismic acceleration signals; and whether the earthquake is a seismic event is able to be determined according to a seism determining logic. Seismic acceleration signals are converted into ground velocities and ground displacements to obtain a peak ground displacement. A seismic fracture time parameter is calculated through the ground velocities and ground displacements and then a seismic magnitude of the earthquake is obtained. According to the peak ground displacement and the seismic magnitude, an epicentral distance is further calculated. Then a peak ground acceleration of the earthquake's shear wave at the detection site is able to be obtained through the seismic magnitude and the epicentral distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Pei-Yang LIN, Tao-Ming Chang, Tzu-Kang Lin, Shieh-Kung Huang, Hung-Wei Chiang, Zhe-Ping Shen
  • Patent number: 8363510
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for the detection of features such as faults or channels in seismic images. First, edges are detected in a smoothed seismic image (106). To detect a fault line, an image intensity of the edges is projected in multiple spatial directions, for example by performing a Radon transform (118). The directions of maximum intensity are used to define a fault line (124c). To detect channels, smooth curves are identified within the detected edges (810). Sets of parallel smooth curves (812a) are then identified and used to define channels (812).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Krishnan Kumaran, Jingbo Wang
  • Patent number: 8354933
    Abstract: An automated trigger device and a corresponding method for dynamic triggering of developing and/or imminent tropical storms for integrated monitoring devices and/or control devices and/or early warning systems. The trigger device includes a trigger module, and measurement devices arranged in cellular, geographically and/or topologically definable units or zones. Geophysical measurement parameters can be transmitted from the measurement devices to the trigger module. By a Monte Carlo module—and based on the measurement parameters—data records can be dynamically generated for definable future time intervals. By an extrapolation module track distribution parameters of a track distribution integrable over the plurality of data records are generated for each of the definable future time intervals. By an activating device—and based on the generated track distribution parameters and/or the trigger parameters—a corresponding control signal is transmitted to the monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd.
    Inventors: David Bresch, Pamela Koellner-Heck, Stefan Wunderlich
  • Patent number: 8260555
    Abstract: To perform a marine survey, a streamer is deployed into a body of water, where the streamer has plural first sensors to perform a subterranean survey. Indications are received from second sensors in corresponding sections of the streamer, where the indications are regarding which sections are in the body of water. Information is updated regarding which sections of the streamer are in the body of water in response to the received indications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker