Histogram Distribution Patents (Class 702/180)
  • Patent number: 7167808
    Abstract: A computer implemented method modifies an experimental electron density map. A set of selected known experimental and model electron density maps is provided and standard templates of electron density are created from the selected experimental and model electron density maps by clustering and averaging values of electron density in a spherical region about each point in a grid that defines each selected known experimental and model electron density maps. Histograms are also created from the selected experimental and model electron density maps that relate the value of electron density at the center of each of the spherical regions to a correlation coefficient of a density surrounding each corresponding grid point in each one of the standard templates. The standard templates and the histograms are applied to grid points on the experimental electron density map to form new estimates of electron density at each grid point in the experimental electron density map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas C. Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 7143008
    Abstract: To provide a method of collecting and storing storage network performance information that allows tracking of the cause of application performance deterioration. It is automatically judged whether or not performance information collected, to be stored, from components of a storage network including a host server and a storage system has a possibility of ever being used in a search for the cause of application performance deterioration, and the degree of importance of performance information is determined based on the result of the judgment. The preservation period of performance information that is high in degree of importance is set long, while a short preservation period is set to performance information of low degree of importance. After the preservation period set to the respective performance information expires, the corresponding performance information is deleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ochi, Hideo Ohata, Kei Takeda
  • Patent number: 7139623
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneously controlling multiple control systems is provided. The resulting hybrid control system provides for sharing of inputs and outputs on a control surface membrane between the multiple distinct control systems. A unified tactile/LED interface for both systems is achieved, allowing for a single hybrid control system experience for operators in industrial, manufacturing and control-room environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Adams, Ashley Noble
  • Patent number: 7130767
    Abstract: A computer-implemented data presentation technique for presenting a set of expected failure states of system-related constructs pertaining to a plasma processing system is disclosed. The technique includes receiving a set of indicia pertaining to a first system-related construct of said system-related constructs. The technique also includes computing, in accordance with a first sub-method and responsive to said receiving said first set of indicia, a first expected failure state value. The technique further includes computing a first normalized expected failure state value in accordance with a first weight; correlating said first normalized expected failure state value to a first color; and displaying said first color in a cell of an n-dimensional matrix, wherein n is a number greater than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew D. Bailey, III, Puneet Yadav
  • Patent number: 7124062
    Abstract: A method that includes, in a network, in each of a plurality of compute nodes, maintaining a local store of services, the local store of services including at least a service name, a service functionality and statistics defining a historical performance of the service on each compute node, receiving a request for a service from a client syste, and compiling a list of compute nodes matching the service request, the list having service names ranked according to the service functionality and the statistics for each compute node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Alexander Gebhart
  • Patent number: 7116243
    Abstract: An automatic meter reading (AMR) system and a method of operating an AMR system are disclosed. The AMR system stores and transfers consumptive data, demand data, and data archives. The system and method can also provide a demand reset to reduce or eliminate the need to physically visit a remote endpoint device, for example a residential utility meter, to directly connect to the endpoint device for the collection of data. The system and method provide two-way wireless communication between at least one reader and a plurality of remote endpoint devices and are adapted for use with mobile readers. The AMR system and method therefore provide efficient and reliable storage and transfer of data, including high volumes of data, at mobile read rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Schleich, Jeffrey S. Sanders, Christopher L. Osterloh, Christopher Nagy
  • Patent number: 7107120
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to minimize the number of in-process items. To this end, in an inter-process buffer controlling apparatus according to the invention, the size of a buffer to be used for storage of work subjects of predetermined work is increased if a difference or a ratio between a variance of first intervals at which the work subjects are delivered to the buffer and a variance of duration that is taken for the preceding process exceeds a prescribed first threshold value, and the size of the buffer is decreased if a difference or a ratio between an average of second intervals at which work subjects generated by the work are delivered to the following buffer and an average of the first intervals exceeds a prescribed second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Satomi Furukawa, Shozo Suzuki, Hiroshi Oide
  • Patent number: 7079963
    Abstract: A method for a modified binary search includes steps of: selecting a parameter having a distribution of values, selecting a probability density function representative of the distribution of values of the selected parameter, defining a substantially equal probability weighted binary test interval from the probability density function for each of a selected number of test intervals over a selected test range, translating the weighted binary test intervals to obtain a highest resolution at a target point of the selected parameter, and skewing the translated and weighted binary test intervals by a selected scaling function to generate a modified binary test interval for each of the selected number of test intervals over the selected test range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Cary Gloor, Robert Benware, Robert Madge
  • Patent number: 7062407
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that reduce the amount of memory needed to perform forward-backward recursion to identify posterior probabilities. Under the invention, a forward recursion is performed to identify forward recursion scores. The forward recursion scores are then used directly in a backward recursion to determine posterior probabilities for each state in a set of time frames. The usefulness of this invention is especially high when there is a large number of discrete states, such as when there are more than one set of discrete states in the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Li Deng
  • Patent number: 7058540
    Abstract: Data values representing the (I2+Q2) values are converted to floating-point representations and a histogram of the floating-point numbers is generated. The count for each histogram bin in the histogram is stored in a memory. Each floating-point number acts as an address for a corresponding histogram bin in the memory. The accumulated counts in the histogram bins are then grouped into a desired number of CCDF bins, and the CCDF curve is derived from the histogram data. Grouping the histogram bins into the CCDF bins may include combining one or more histogram bins into a single CCDF bin. Linear interpolation is used to divide a count value in a histogram bin between two CCDF bins when the histogram bin does not align with a single CCDF bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi He, Gerald J. Ringel, Howard E. Hilton, Brian Barton
  • Patent number: 7043383
    Abstract: A frequency error detection apparatus and method based on histogram information of an input signal. The apparatus includes an A/D converter for and converting an analog signal into digital values; a zero crossing point detector for detecting sign changes of the digital values, and detecting zero crossing points; a period information detector for detecting period information which is the number of the digital values corresponding to a periodic signal; a histogram information calculator for counting the number of detections for the respective period information based on the period information, and calculating error-detection-target histogram information; and a frequency error calculator for detecting a difference between the error-detection-target histogram information and a reference histogram information, and calculating a frequency error value based on the difference. This can shorten time for frequency error detections and improve accuracy of the detected frequency error value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-wook Lee, Jung-hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 7016805
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for analyzing a measurable distribution having random components and deterministic components. The method includes the steps of collecting data, constructing a probability density function based on the data such that the probability density function is a convolution of deterministic functions and random functions, constructing a probability density function based on a deterministic and random convolution model having three or more parameters wherein at least one of the parameters are unknown, and determining unknown parameters by using a deconvolution process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Wavecrest Corporation
    Inventors: Jie Sun, Peng Li, Jan Brian Wilstrup
  • Patent number: 7010458
    Abstract: A system and methods for implementing histogram computation, for example, into the rasterization pipeline of a 3-D graphics system, are provided. With the histogram computation mechanism, statistical histogram data may be generated for input data of any kind or retrieved from any source that may be specified in a 2-D array or specified in an immediate fashion to specialized data processing hardware. Depending on the nature of the input data, the data may be filtered before passing the data to data processing hardware for further processing. The data processing hardware may then apply an additional function to the input data set before calculation of the histogram data. Then, at some point, the data processing hardware may apply a function to the data to map the derived data to a real-valued function that can then be quantized to a histogram element in the range specified from zero to the number of histogram elements minus one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Nicholas P. Wilt
  • Patent number: 7010364
    Abstract: A method for forecasting batch end conditions through their depiction as a multi-dimensional regions of uncertainty is disclosed. A visualization of the current condition of a continuous process and visualization of the simulated effect of user control moves are generated for a user. Volume visualization tools for viewing and querying intersecting solids in 3-dimensional space are utilized to perform the process visualization. Interactive tools for slicing multi-dimensional (>3) regions and drawing superimposed projections in 3-D space are provided. Additionally, graphical manipulation of the views of process conditions is accomplished by changing the hypothetical future values of contributing variables online in order to provide users the ability to simulate the effect of proposed control actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: The Mathworks, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajiv Singh, James G. Owen
  • Patent number: 6987472
    Abstract: A built-in-self-test apparatus for an analog-to-digital converter includes a digital-to-analog converter, a low-pass filter, a histogram analyzer and a software engine. The digital-to-analog converter is intended to generate a first signal. The low-pass filter is intended to smoothen the first signal so that an analog-to-digital converter can perform sampling on the smoothened first signal by a second signal, wherein the bit number of the second signal is greater than or equal to that of the first signal, and the frequency of the second signal is a multiple of that of the first signal. The histogram analyzer is electrically connected to the output end of the analog-to-digital converter. The software engine is electrically connected to the output end of the histogram analyzer so as to display the characteristics of the analog-to-digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Spirox Corporation
    Inventor: Chun Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 6975963
    Abstract: A method for reporting data network monitoring information. The method includes accessing performance metric values for a network component and generating a trace of graph data points for the performance metric values. For a range of the trace, a histogram is built and displayed corresponding to the graph data points. For a user interface, a performance monitoring display is generated including a graph of the trace relative to an x-axis and a y-axis and a representation of the histogram. The graph data points in the trace corresponds to a histogram previously built from the performance metric values, and the trace is generated by determining and plotting an average value of each of the graph data point histograms. The building of the histogram for the performance monitoring display involves combining the graph data point histograms corresponding to the graph data points in the selected histogram range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: McData Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Hamilton, Louis M. Arquié, Kyle C. Lau
  • Patent number: 6963782
    Abstract: The present invention includes a system and method for fine tuning the control of a manufacturing process. A material adjusting device is in communication with a PID controller and PID control loop, and is used to alter a flow of material used in the manufacturing process, so as to maintain a target physical property of the material at a setpoint. A measurement device captures measurements of the flow relevant to the physical property of interest. A change is introduced to the material adjusting device while the PID controller and PID control loop are disabled, and appropriate measurements of the flow are continually captured; a process that may be repeated several times. Once sufficient physical property measurement data has been captured, the data is loaded into an optimization program that outputs optimized controlled parameters that may be used by the PID controller and control loop to better control the physical property of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Automation and Control Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Kieman, David Honigford
  • Patent number: 6944508
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to generate an adaptive value in a short time. An adaptive value generating program has an adaptive procedure control program and a DOE tool. The DOE tool is a general statistical processing tool. The adaptive value procedure generating program functions as an interface between a measuring apparatus and the DOE tool. In a data obtaining process, the adaptive value procedure generating program automatically determines a method of selecting a measurement point and passes the result to the DOE tool. Selection of an approximation function and selection of an optimization method are automated. Further, evaluation of a final approximation expression and determination of confirmation data are also automated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Watanabe, Akira Ohata, Masato Ehara
  • Patent number: 6934646
    Abstract: Trial decimations are performed on an acquired waveform. Each trial produces a sequence of packets applied to a complexity detection circuit. Each packet contains a decimation value to be used in place of acquisition values to be suppressed along a decimation sample width. Each packet also includes the maximum and minimum values that occurred within the associated decimation sample. A plurality of counters record for a trial decimation the number of instances when the differences in waveform extremes exceed a corresponding plurality of selected thresholds. Complexity introduced by decimation will tend to produce waveforms having larger voltage excursions over the region of suppressed acquisition samples. The data in the counters is processed to produce a suite of histograms examined to select a decimation factor that does not introduce significant additional complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Allen Montijo
  • Patent number: 6931335
    Abstract: For determining a jitter value for a digital data signal, a jitter histogram determined for the digital data signal is substantially approximated using n normal distribution functions. The two outermost normal distribution functions are determine, and the jitter value is derived from a distance between the mean values of the two outmost distribution functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Marcus Mueller
  • Patent number: 6917899
    Abstract: A system and methods for implementing histogram computation, for example, into the rasterization pipeline of a 3-D graphics system, are provided. With the histogram computation mechanism, statistical histogram data may be generated for input data of any kind or retrieved from any source that may be specified in a 2-D array or specified in an immediate fashion to specialized data processing hardware. Depending on the nature of the input data, the data may be filtered before passing the data to data processing hardware for further processing. The data processing hardware may then apply an additional function to the input data set before calculation of the histogram data. Then, at some point, the data processing hardware may apply a function to the data to map the derived data to a real-valued function that can then be quantized to a histogram element in the range specified from zero to the number of histogram elements minus one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Nicholas P. Wilt
  • Patent number: 6868365
    Abstract: A signal processing technique can be effectively used for source separation, signal enhancement, and noise reduction when using a twin microphone system. The class of stochastic signals for which ratio-estimates can be computed from histograms is defined. This class fits real-world signals of interest such as voice signals. Theoretical computation in closed form of the optimal estimator for this class of signals is disclosed. Two practical implementation solutions are disclosed, as is a practical solution to exploit an echoic environment model. Furthermore, two novel techniques for signal demixing are presented. The application of the optimal estimator and the suboptimal estimator to the case of more than two channels is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Radu Victor Balan, Justinian Rosca
  • Patent number: 6854080
    Abstract: Provided are a device, method and storage medium, which, when a memory LSI defect analysis apparatus is used as a monitoring device to estimate reductions in yield, automatically interprets results, and calculates the period of distribution patterns and the mix rate of regular patterned defects. The total defect number of bits is found, and the factor f, is selected. The value of expected value functions, T(f), for the selected f is found, and if it is decided that regularly patterned defects are included, then regular pattern defect mix rate function MR(f) is calculated from number of bits, factor f, and the value of estimated value function T(f). If it is decided that it does not contain regularly patterned defects the regular patterned defect mix rate function MR(f) is assumed to be zero; and it is confirmed whether or not MR(f) has been found for every f.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Tanaka, Masaaki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 6847924
    Abstract: A system and method for creating an aggregated data model from a plurality data distribution models having bins approximating data elements in a plurality of data distributions is disclosed. Each bin of each data distribution model has a polynomial formula for approximating data elements in a respective data distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce E. Aldridge, Douglas J. Durrant
  • Patent number: 6847850
    Abstract: The system and method disclosed herein allow a user to retrieve data from various process control loops and organize that data in dynamic manner to allow for multiple types of data analysis. A user may associate individual process control loops into groups and analyze the data and impact of select process control loops in those groups. Since the associations of process control loops into groups can be done dynamically, the user is able to easily reconfigure groups (i.e. add or remove process control loops) and redo the analysis. Another feature is the storage of both the data retrieved and the results of the analysis so that comparisons can be performed and reports can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Invensys Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Alain Grumelart
  • Patent number: 6836749
    Abstract: A method of tracking machine breakdown (10) comprising, listing each breakdown relative to a first machine (20) and listing the corrective action taken on the first machine relative to each of the breakdowns (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Sampson
  • Patent number: 6826541
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for facilitating user choices among complex alternatives utilize conjoint analysis to simplify choices to be made by the user. A selector tool presents a user with a first and second series of choices relating to attributes of products or services available to the user. A utilities calculation engine calculates the relative utility of each of the products or services to the user and presents output to the user, which indicates the relative utility of each of the products or services. The user can then select the product or service that has the highest utility value for the user based on the calculated relative utility values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Decision Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Johnston, Adam B. Richman, David L. Sheeks, III, Richard R. Shopmyer
  • Patent number: 6823740
    Abstract: A method and system for selecting a critical plane. The critical plane can then be used to leverage off of uniaxial fatigue theory to predict the fatigue life of an object experiencing multiple stress inducing events. The fatigue life is based on calculating a single critical plane that encompasses all the stress inducing events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Liping Huang
  • Patent number: 6816611
    Abstract: A flesh tone region detection processor (12) detects a flesh tone region from a color still image, and a projective distribution generator (13) generates the projective distribution of the detected flesh tone region. A facial region search processor (14) searches the projective distribution for a parabola using, e.g., a genetic algorithm, and extracts a facial region candidate from the position of the found parabola. A knowledge processor (15) checks based on the aspect ratio of the region, matching with facial patterns prepared in advance, or the presence/absence of a region corresponding to hair if the extracted facial region candidate is a facial region. The user can set the processing time, the number of persons to be detected, and the face area ratio as a search end condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masafumi Hagiwara, Ken Sakakibara, Toshihiro Kimura, Yoshihisa Tadokoro, Masami Kato, Yuuki Yokoo
  • Patent number: 6799144
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for analyzing measurements. The invention provides a method for separating and analyzing the components of a distribution, such as deterministic and random components. The method performs the steps of collecting data from a measurement apparatus, constructing a histogram based on the data such that the histogram defines a distribution, fitting tails regions wherein deterministic and random components and associated statistical confidence levels are estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Wavecrest Corporation
    Inventors: Peng Li, Ross Adam Jessen, Jan Brian Wilstrup, Dennis Petrich
  • Patent number: 6793806
    Abstract: Many actual data 30, each consisting of a set of an actual water distribution amount obtained in advance from a water management system 10 and a variable needed for prediction, are loaded and retained as history data 52, an input space of a case base 54 is quantized according to a desired output allowance error, each history data 52 is set in the quantized input space, and a case representing at least one history data is prepared to generate a case base 52. Then a similar case corresponding to a newly input prediction condition 40 is retrieved from the case base 54, and a water distribution amount corresponding to the prediction condition 40 is estimated from the retrieved similar case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Oka, Hiroaki Tsutsui, Junji Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6751577
    Abstract: In a method of degradation diagnosis according to the present invention, an equipment degradation diagnosis request is input through network 4 from a diagnosis requester and a degradation diagnosis requests handler is selected in accordance with execution condition information of degradation diagnosis specified in respect of at least one degradation diagnosis requests handler and condition information in accordance with which an diagnosis requester requests degradation diagnosis. A request for execution of degradation diagnosis is made to this selected degradation diagnosis requests handler and the results of execution of the degradation diagnosis obtained by the selected degradation diagnosis requests handler are acquired and output through network 4 to the diagnosis requester. In this way, a service can be implemented whereby diagnosis of degradation requested by a diagnosis requester from a diagnostic service provider is performed rapidly and easily at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Keiichi Sasaki, Akira Sawada, Yoko Todo, Katsumi Kanehira, Kazushige Kimura, Kenji Adachi, Masaaki Ookubo, Tadayoshi Murayama, Hiromi Imai
  • Patent number: 6735554
    Abstract: A method for representing a modulated signal vector by determining complex coordinates for the signal vector where the complex coordinates define respective locations on a complex plane that is logically segmented into a plurality of regions, and by generating, for each logical region, a respective signal density indicative magnitude value to form a histogram of the logical regions and their respective magnitude values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark L. Guenther
  • Patent number: 6732061
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes each communicate signals pursuant to a channel plan. The channel plan includes one or more predefined specifications for each of one or more signal channels on each of the plurality of nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Wichelman, Bruce Votipka, Eric N. Flink, Craig Chamberlain
  • Patent number: 6725102
    Abstract: An automatic operation system provides a CPU to detect and record a status of operation for the operated mechanism. As soon as a response is to be output for allowing the operated mechanism to perform a operation, the CPU figures out corresponding responses by way of a statistic analysis based on past record of operation status as a reference for the operator. Thus, an operation is simplified or a response is output automatically so as to allow the operated mechanism processing itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Kinpo Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-I Sun
  • Patent number: 6711523
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques used in connection with determining a health indicator (HI) of a component, such as that of an aircraft component. The HI is determined using condition indicators (CIs) which parameterize characteristics about a component minimizing possibility of a false alarm. Different algorithms are disclosed which may be used in determining one or more CIs. The HI may be determined using a normalized CI value. Techniques are also described in connection with selecting particular CIs that provide for maximizing separation between HI classifications. Given a particular HI at a point in time for a component, techniques are described for predicting a future state or health of the component using the Kalman filter. Techniques are described for estimating data values as an alternative to performing data acquisitions, as may be used when there is no pre-existing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Robert Bechhoefer, David Hochmann
  • Patent number: 6711522
    Abstract: Data to be analyzed, for example, a yield value and various measurement values are selected and extracted from an original data group (step S1). At least one data distribution characteristic is extracted with respect to the extracted data (step S2). The data distribution characteristic amount to be analyzed is selected from these characteristics, and data mining such as a regression tree analysis is performed, designating it as a target variable (step S3). After the regression tree analysis has been completed with respect to all the extracted data distribution characteristics (step S4), the analysis result is output, and the engineer confirms it (step S5), and makes a decision (step S6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hidehiro Shirai, Hidetaka Tsuda
  • Patent number: 6691064
    Abstract: Computerized method and system for identifying repeatedly malfunctioning equipment and root causes therefor are provided. The method allows to provide a database comprising detailed equipment data including data indicative of historical equipment malfunctions in a plurality of pieces of equipment. The equipment data includes a unique equipment identifier for uniquely relating each malfunction to respective equipment. The method further allows to analyze the data base for a selected time window to review equipment malfunctions logged in the database and resulting in servicing activities over that time window. An equipment malfunction threshold for the number of malfunctions occurring during a predetermined period of time is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Douglas Scott Vroman
  • Patent number: 6687652
    Abstract: A diagnostic clearing house comprises a tool repository to store a plurality of diagnostic tools. A communication vehicle allows a plurality of diagnostic tool users to exchange diagnostic information. A management system manages access to and content of the tool repository and the communication vehicle and manages distribution of diagnostic tools from the tool repository to an end user. The diagnostic clearing house may be web-based.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J. Mikal, Mou-Sheng Cheng, Stephen YiPing Chou
  • Patent number: 6678623
    Abstract: A failure analysis device is provided which can realize automatic light emission analysis even when the tested chips have logic LSIs etc. fabricated therein. A comparator (11) compares individual Iddq values (I1) to (In) sequentially provided from a probe card (3) with a threshold (Ith1) provided from a main control unit (7). An abnormality occurrence vector specifying unit (8) receives data (D2) about the results of comparison from the comparator (11) and specifies an abnormality occurrence vector or vectors from among a plurality of test vectors (TB1) to (TBn) on the basis of the data (D2). More specifically, the abnormality occurrence vector specifying unit (8) specifies the test vector as the abnormality occurrence vector when the corresponding detected Iddq value is larger than the threshold (Ith1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tohru Koyama
  • Patent number: 6675137
    Abstract: A method is provided for compressing data. The method includes collecting data representative of a process. The method further includes scaling at least a portion of the collected data to generate mean values and mean-scaled values for the collected data. The method also includes calculating Scores from the mean-scaled values for the collected data using at most first, second, third and fourth Principal Components derived from a model using archived data sets and saving the Scores and the mean values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony John Toprac, Hongyu Yue
  • Patent number: 6671659
    Abstract: The invention provides a diagnostic method and system for monitoring controller performance. The diagnostic system includes a tool and a controller. The tool includes a user interface that displays at least one operational status command, such that a user may select the operational status command. A controller has an operation status. The operational status command of the tool queries the operation status of the controller. As a result, the controller generates at least one operational status response. A communications path for transmission of the at least one operational status command from the tool to the controller and the at least one operational status response from the controller to the tool is provided. The user interface displays the operational status response of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Terry A. Troia, Kenneth W. Boggs, Patrick J. Conroy
  • Publication number: 20030233213
    Abstract: A signal processing technique can be effectively used for source separation, signal enhancement, and noise reduction when using a twin microphone system. The class of stochastic signals for which ratio-estimates can be computed from histograms is defined. This class fits real-world signals of interest such as voice signals. Theoretical computation in closed form of the optimal estimator for this class of signals is disclosed. Two practical implementation solutions are disclosed, as is a practical solution to exploit an echoic environment model. Furthermore, two novel techniques for signal demixing are presented. The application of the optimal estimator and the suboptimal estimator to the case of more than two channels is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicant: Siemens Corporate Research
    Inventors: Radu Victor Balan, Justinian Rosca
  • Patent number: 6658368
    Abstract: Circuitry for generating a histogram of output codes produced by an analog/digital converter (ADC) on an integrated circuit chip includes a comparator, disposed on the chip together with the ADC. A first input of the comparator is coupled to receive output codes from the ADC, while a second input is coupled to receive a sequence of target codes covering at least a portion of a range of the output codes. A pulse generator is disposed on the chip together with the ADC and the comparator, and coupled to receive the output of the comparator and, when the output is in the first state, to generate pulses for output from the chip at a pulse rate determined by a clock signal of the ADC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Israel Wagner, Tibi Galambos
  • Patent number: 6658369
    Abstract: The invention relates to the method for the predictive determination of a parameter representative of the mental activity of a person, which method involves: A) the acquisition of encephalograms of said person in the course of at least two exertion sequences separated by a rest sequence; B) the calculation in the course of each of said exertion sequences of the mean value of the dimension of a chaotic attractor, denoted df(t); C) the calculation for said exertion sequences and said rest sequence of a fatigue function F(t) and of a recovery function R(t) according to an exponential mode, with: F(t)=Fo e−ft R(t)=Ro ert  f and r denoting a fatigue coefficient and rest coefficient respectively; D) making a prediction of the changes in the dimension d, defined by df(t)=E(t)R(t) in the course of at least two exertion sequences separated by a period of rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventors: Vladimir Pletser, Olga Quadens
  • Patent number: 6647354
    Abstract: Process control methods and apparatus for controlling batch processes including batch heating processes. The present invention includes iterative learning control (ILC) techniques to provide improved run-to-run process control. One method provides a desired temperature profile over the length of a batch time period. This method gathers historical measured value data over the length of a first batch run which can be converted to deviation or error historical data, as well as a historical output history of outputs provided to control the process for the first run. The historical deviation and output histories from the first run can then be used to generate the output profile for a second batch run. Thus, the outputs from a first batch, such as the output to a local heater control, together with the deviation or error history from the first batch run, can be added to the output value provided during the previous batch to generate new output value to be used to control a second batch run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Dimitry M. Gorinevsky
  • Patent number: 6615158
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Lothar Wenzel, Dinesh Nair, Ram Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 6580768
    Abstract: An adapter and a method for adapting a programmable digital maximum likelihood detector to a variable channel output and a calibration system for calibrating a programmable digital maximum likelihood detector from unknown data in a known code at a variable channel output, the maximum likelihood detector having a number of maximum likelihood states. A detector detects a digital sample of the recorded analog signals as corresponding to one of the maximum likelihood states. An accumulator partially accumulates the detected digital sample with prior detected digital samples corresponding to the one of the maximum likelihood states. Logic coupled to the accumulator employs the accumulated digital samples for the corresponding maximum likelihood state to determine at least one numerical metric coefficient matching the digital samples to the one of the maximum likelihood states, and updates or sets the numerical metric coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Glen Alan Jaquette
  • Patent number: 6553270
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods controlling a process producing segments of product wherein a destabilizing event of a particular type periodically destabilizes the process, resulting in product or process deviation from a target parameter associated with a number of segments of the product, from segment number 1 to segment number n. The method associates, with respective ones of the n units of product, deviation amounts corresponding to historical deviation amounts for the respective so-numbered units of product in past occurrences of the particular type destabilizing event, and applying to selected ones of the n segments of product correction factors derived from respective associated historical deviation amounts for the respective units of product, thereby making pro-active adjustments to respective ones of the n units of product, upon occurrence of the destabilizing event. Preferred methods include applying the correction factors to each of the n units of product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Christian Houle, Michael Earl Pennings, Andrew Norman, Glen Everett Lashbrook, John Gerard Hein
  • Patent number: 6535837
    Abstract: A method is provided to represent the calculated phase space of photons emanating from medical accelerators used in photon teletherapy. The method reproduces the energy distributions and trajectories of the photons originating in the bremsstrahlung target and of photons scattered by components within the accelerator head. The method reproduces the energy and directional information from sources up to several centimeters in radial extent, so it is expected to generalize well to accelerators made by different manufacturers. The method is computationally both fast and efficient overall sampling efficiency of 80% or higher for most field sizes. The computational cost is independent of the number of beams used in the treatment plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Alexis E. Schach Von Wittenau