Measurement System In A Specific Environment Patents (Class 702/1)
  • Publication number: 20120215444
    Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] To provide a resonance calculation program capable of evaluating a physical quantity such as an effective cross section in a radial direction of a circular region of a fuel rod by making a resonance calculation based on the equivalence principle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Koike, Hideki Matsumoto, Kazuya Yamaji, Daisuke Sato, Shinobu Tsubota
  • Patent number: 8249811
    Abstract: A multi-sensor fire detector incorporates at least one acoustic resonator and other type or types of fire sensor. Other types include smoke sensors, gas sensors or optically based fire sensors. Outputs from the acoustic resonator can be processed with or without outputs from the other type or types of fire sensors to establish the presence of an alarm condition. Multiple acoustic resonators can be incorporated into the same detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Dragan P. Petrovic
  • Patent number: 8249827
    Abstract: A diagnostic method and system is described for diagnosing an operating condition of a conductive particulate matter sensor. The sensor has a substrate with electrical resistance that varies with temperature and two electrodes on the substrate adapted to collect particulate matter between the electrodes, thereby establishing an electrically conductive path through collected particulate matter between the electrodes that can be detected by measuring electrical resistance between the electrodes, Relect. The diagnosis is performed by heating the substrate in the area between the electrodes and detecting whether resistance varies with temperature as expected, and then cooling the substrate back down and detecting whether resistance varies with temperature as expected. If resistance varies as expected during both heating and cooling, then a validation is diagnosed that the sensor is in proper operating condition if resistance increases in a manner consistent with evaporation of condensate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Scott Nelson, Lary R. Hocken
  • Patent number: 8234070
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention sets forth an apparatus for registering a scoring event. The apparatus includes a target having a surface; a sensor, positioned in proximity to the target, adapted to detect the occurrence of a scoring event caused by the presence of a projectile in the scoring area and to determine a trajectory of the projectile; a time tracking device adapted to keep track of time of the scoring event; a location sensing device adapted to identify a location of the apparatus; a true north detection device adapted to detect the direction of true north with respect to the surface of the target; and a controller, coupled to the sensor and the true north detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: AAI Corporation
    Inventors: Niall B. McNelis, Matthew Livelsberger
  • Patent number: 8233569
    Abstract: A realtime spectrum trigger system on a realtime oscilloscope considers both the magnitude and phase of an input signal having a periodic component so that successive acquisitions of the input signal are time aligned. A user inputs a frequency, threshold and phase for triggering on the periodic component. Input signal samples are filtered by quadrature filters according to the frequency input to produce quadrature signal components. The square of the magnitude of the input signal is computed from the quadrature signal components, as well as the phase ratio and sign, for comparison with calculated values. When enabled by the magnitude of the input signal, a phase crossing determinator compares the phase ratio and sign with calculated values to determine the phase crossing to generate a trigger, resulting in successive acquisitions of the input signal being in time alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kan Tan, John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 8231541
    Abstract: A method and system for assessing the health status of a patient, such as the asthma status of a patient, provides an asthma status score and a confidence rating indicative of the score's reliability using continuous real-time data. In some embodiments, the assessment comprises a multidimensional analysis in which asthma status scores and respective confidence ratings are generated for multiple individual asthma health dimensions as well as a summary asthma health dimension indicative of overall asthma health. In some embodiments, the individual dimensions include an environmental trigger dimension based on sensor-based environmental data, a physiological burden dimension based on sensor-based physiological data, a medication adherence dimension based on patient diary data and a perceived symptom dimension based on patient diary data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Nhedti Colquitt, Deepak Ayyagari
  • Publication number: 20120191348
    Abstract: A method detects a status of an image measuring machine using an electronic device. The method searches a measuring process of the image measuring machine, records a closed status of the image measuring machine if the measuring process has not been found, obtains status information of the image measuring machine if the measuring process has been found, and calculates a variation of the status information. The method further records a stopped status of the image measuring machine if the variation of the status information is less than a preset value within a specified length of time, or records an operating status of the image measuring machine if the variation of the status information is greater than or equal to the preset value within the specified length of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (Shenzhen) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHIH-KUANG CHANG, ZHENG-CAI SHE, LI JIANG, XIAO-GUANG XUE
  • Patent number: 8229696
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for preventing the failure of a system, which includes one or more pipes, or one or more cooling jackets, or one or more fluid cooled system components carrying a fluid, involves detecting one or more pressure levels of the fluid in the one or more pipes at one or more points, then comparing the detected pressure levels to a corresponding one or more predetermined limitation values. If the detected pressure levels exceed the corresponding limitation values, a shut-down signal is generated. The shut-down signal triggers the adjusting of one or more systems responsible for causing thermal variations of the fluid, preventing the system from failing while allowing the system to continue operation shortly thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Titanium Metals Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence M. Rubin
  • Publication number: 20120158304
    Abstract: The invention enables the evaluation of a situation of an area being exposed to risk by performing measurements at various points of the area. For this purpose, a risk propagation area is estimated over the area. Then, a subset of measurement points is selected from among the various points of the area which are also in the risk propagation area. Assignments for performing measurements at the subset points are planned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Jean-Marie Fauquant, Hubert Lelache, Yann Kacenelen, Olivier Gerphagnon
  • Publication number: 20120158302
    Abstract: A light intensity measurement apparatus includes a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a number of light sensors, and a micro control unit (MCU). The USB is operable to be connected to a computer. The light sensors are operable to sense light signals and convert the sensed light signals to corresponding electrical signals. The MCU is operable to receive the electrical signals and convert the electrical signals to USB data signals, and then transmit the USB data signals to the computer through the USB interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HONG-RU ZHU
  • Patent number: 8204704
    Abstract: A test structure for precise characterization of an MOS stack has two semiconductor devices DT1 and DT2 comprising MOS transistors. The dimensions (length Li, width Wi) of the transistors of the first device Ti and the dimensions (length L?i, width W?i) of the transistors T?i of the second device are selected so that the sum of the lengths of the transistors on the one hand, and the sum of the widths of the transistors on the other hand, are respectively equal in the two devices, and so that the surface area difference Sequiv between the two devices is nonzero. An associated measurement method is used to calculate the curve of the difference capacitance between the two devices as a function of the voltage by means of a capacimeter. By placing each of the devices as the load of a suitably controlled CMOS inverter, this curve can be recorded by a dynamic measurement method based on measuring the current in each inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Charles Leroux
  • Patent number: 8190398
    Abstract: At a worksite of a client, progeny nuclides of radon and thoron are collected into a filter, then making the gross measurement on ?-ray amount within an hour from the collection. Next, the filter is sent to an analysis center with information added thereto, such as collection-condition information, gross-measurement information, and sampling-worksite information. At the analysis center, the gross measurement on the filter sent thereto is made again. Also, the radioactive-nuclide analysis is made to perform evaluation of the radioactivity intensity. Moreover, radon amount and thoron amount at the measurement-specimen sampling points-in-time at the worksite are calculated, then reporting the analysis result of the radon and thoron amounts to the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kitaguchi, Takahiro Tadokoro, Akihisa Kaihara
  • Patent number: 8190366
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining plasma parameters such as plasma electron density ne. The probe apparatus includes an LC resonance probe comprising an inductive element and a capacitive element connected in series. The capacitive element of the probe can be in the form of a parallel plate capacitor, a cylindrical capacitor, a spherical capacitor, or any other suitable capacitor. The configuration of the probe apparatus gives it a characteristic resonance frequency ?R0 which can be determined by a circuit analysis device. When the capacitive element of the probe apparatus is placed in a plasma, the probe exhibits a new resonance frequency ?R, which is different from ?R0 because of the dielectric constant ? of the plasma. The difference in resonance frequencies can be used to determine plasma density ne, where n e = m e ? ? 0 e 2 ? ( ? R 2 - ? R ? ? 0 2 ) .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: David R. Boris, David D. Blackwell, David N. Walker, Richard F. Fernsler, Scott G. Walton
  • Patent number: 8178356
    Abstract: Naturally present chloride concentration in natural water is utilized for the development of the technique to gauge the performance of percolation tanks in space and time. The chloride mass balance technique is simple, sensitive, reliable and yet powerful enough to resolve the temporal variation due to the effect of silting or climate factors. The percolation efficiency data of percolation tanks can aid in the formulation of guidelines for selection of suitable sites for future tanks with greater efficiency. Otherwise unscientific construction of percolation tanks in sites that yield poor percolation efficiency is uneconomical, and the very purpose of their construction will be forfeited. Thus the technique developed using chloride mass balance in tank water for evaluation of tank performance is highly economy oriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
    Inventors: Balbir Singh Sukhija, Dontireddy Venkat Reddy, Pasupuleti Nagabhushanam, Mutyala Venkata Nandakumar
  • Patent number: 8171127
    Abstract: Systems and methods for response monitoring are described. A method of generating a measurement for use in calculating an end-user experience metric in a server-based computing environment includes, transmitting a message from a client of the server-based computing environment to an application executing in a user space provided by an operating system of the server, receiving a graphic response for execution by the client from the application, and determining an amount of time elapsed between the transmission of the message and the conclusion of the execution of the graphic response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Frost, William Charnell
  • Patent number: 8165813
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for efficiently performing area-to-point conversion of satellite imagery for photovoltaic power generation fleet output estimation is provided. Satellite imagery data of overhead sky clearness for a geographic region is accessed. Pixels within the satellite imagery data corresponding to a bounded area are identified. Each pixel represents collective irradiance within the bounded area. An area clearness index for the bounded area is set as an average of point clearness indexes derived from the collective irradiance for each point. A variance of the area clearness index is expressed as an average of the variance of the point clearness indexes. The variance of the area clearness index is proportioned to an area metric corresponding to each pixel's physical coverage area. A variance of the point clearness index is determined for one point as a ratio of the variance of the area clearness index and each pixel's physical coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Clean Power Research, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Hoff
  • Patent number: 8165812
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for estimating power data for a photovoltaic power generation fleet is provided. Solar irradiance data is assembled for locations representative of a geographic region. The data includes a time series of solar irradiance observations electronically recorded at successive time periods spaced at input time intervals. Each observation includes measured irradiance. The data in the time series is converted over each time period into clearness indexes relative to clear sky global horizontal irradiance and the clearness indexes are interpreted as irradiance statistics. Each location's irradiance statistics are combined into fleet irradiance statistics applicable over the geographic region. Fleet power statistics are built as a function of the fleet irradiance statistics and the fleet's power rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Clean Power Research, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Hoff
  • Patent number: 8165811
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for determining point-to-point correlation of sky clearness for photovoltaic power generation fleet output estimation is provided. A physical distance between two points is obtained, each point being suitable for operation of a photovoltaic station. A temporal distance that includes the physical distance between the two points in proportion to cloud speed is determined. A correlation between sky clearness over the two points is evaluated as an empirically-derived exponential function of the temporal distance. A set of input clearness indexes for one of the points is correlated into a set of output clearness indexes indicating the sky clearness for the other of the points using a coefficient of the clearness index correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Clean Power Research, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Hoff
  • Patent number: 8160838
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for visualizing environmental conditions in a data center using wireless sensor networks. An example embodiment includes: establishing communication with a plurality of networked environmental sensors deployed at particular points in one of a plurality of pre-defined layers for a facility; periodically obtaining measured environmental data values from each of the plurality of networked environmental sensors using a wireless sensor network; using the measured environmental data values at the particular points to extrapolate computed environmental data values at intermediate points in the facility; and using the measured environmental data values and the computed environmental data values to generate a visualization of environmental conditions in the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: SynapSense Corporation
    Inventors: Yann Ramin, Raju Pandey
  • Patent number: 8160841
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-storage media are provided that allow data from different sources and aspects of bridge design and construction to be merged into a common bridge information model. The bridge information model may include geometric, structural, survey, and construction information associated with a bridge-development project. The bridge information model may be stored as data objects in a relational data structure. Each data object may represent a bridge structure element and include metadata and attributes describing the bridge structure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: HNTB Holdings Ltd
    Inventors: Glen A. Herman, Brian W. Trotta, James C. Peterson
  • Patent number: 8159340
    Abstract: A remote wireless network includes a plurality of sensors/transmitters wherein each sensor is uniquely identifiable and lends its unique identity to the transmitter to which it is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: R3 Sensors, LLC
    Inventors: Mark E. Peters, Robert B. Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 8153943
    Abstract: A tornado disarming network includes a command center, tornado detection systems, and tornado busting missile launch sites in communications with the command center. Tornado busting missiles are at the tornado busting missile launch sites. Each tornado busting missile includes a radar, a guidance system and a solid rocket motor for propelling the missile toward the tornado. A thruster control system causes the tornado busting missile to travel upward within the tornado upon reaching the tornado. An explosive discharge system explodes within the tornado to generate heat for causing the air within the tornado to expand, thereby weakening the tornado.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventor: Riley H. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20120078514
    Abstract: The present invention is a sample analyzing system, comprising a sample analyzer and a management apparatus connected to the sample analyzer via a communication network. The management apparatus comprises: a first memory that stores a computer program for the sample analyzer and manual data which corresponds to a version of the computer program; a first communication device; and a first controller configured to transmit, via the first communication device to the sample analyzer, the computer program and the manual data corresponding to the version of the computer program stored in the first memory. The sample analyzer comprises: a second communication device; a second memory that stores the computer program and the manual data received by the second communication device; and a second controller configured to execute the computer program stored in the second memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: Naoki Shindo, Yusuke Suga, Aya Konishi, Daigo Fukuma, Keisuke Kuwano
  • Patent number: 8138961
    Abstract: A step frequency inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) includes a transmitter configured to transmit a transmission pulse at a transmission frequency to a near earth object (NEO), the transmission frequency having a frequency range comprising a starting frequency, an ending frequency, and a step size; a receiver configured to receive a pulse response from the NEO, the pulse response corresponding to the transmission pulse; and a computer configured to determine a 3-dimensional image of the interior of the NEO from the pulse response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Manohar D. Deshpande
  • Publication number: 20120065885
    Abstract: A maintenance support device, supporting a maintenance work by providing a maintenance worker with information useful for a maintenance object, includes: a data storage unit; a characteristic acquiring unit that acquires a narrowing-down useful characteristic value; an information receiving unit that receives maintenance execution information; a storage process executing unit that executes a process of storing the maintenance execution information in association with execution timing information; and a graph image providing unit that forms a graph image in which a graph indicating a change in a plurality of narrowing-down useful characteristic values and a mark representing the execution timing are drawn in two dimensional coordinates including a value axis which is a coordinate axis for representing a value magnitude of the narrowing-down useful characteristic value and an operation axis which is a coordinate axis for representing the number of operation times or an operation time of the maintenance object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Mikiko IMAZEKI, Yasushi Nakazato, Osamu Satoh, Masahide Yamashita, Jun Yamane, Kohji Ue, Masaichi Sawada
  • Patent number: 8131385
    Abstract: A positioning device includes a driver which moves a positioning object and a sensor which measures the distance to the positioning object in a non-contacting manner and outputs a detection signal if the positioning object is detected only in a length measuring area within a predetermined range from any detection position, shaft controller which stops the driver by detecting the detection signal from the sensor and automatically correcting for an overshoot amount between the stop position and any detection position, when the driver moves the positioning object and the sensor, and the positioning controller that stores the coordinate value after the automatic correction by the shaft controller and that performs the positioning based on the reference coordinate value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Yuzawa
  • Publication number: 20120050038
    Abstract: A universal microelectromechanical (MEMS) nano-sensor platform having a substrate and conductive layer deposited in a pattern on the surface to make several devices at the same time, a patterned insulation layer, wherein the insulation layer is configured to expose one or more portions of the conductive layer, and one or more functionalization layers deposited on the exposed portions of the conductive layer to make multiple sensing capability on a single MEMS fabricated device. The functionalization layers are adapted to provide one or more transducer sensor classes selected from the group consisting of: radiant, electrochemical, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, and thermal sensors for chemical and physical variables and producing more than one type of sensor for one or more significant parameters that need to be monitored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: KWJ ENGINEERING INC.
    Inventor: Joseph R. Stetter
  • Publication number: 20120053837
    Abstract: Method, system, and computer program product for estimating a consumed battery life of a battery used in a wind energy application. An energy storage system for use with a wind farm includes a rechargeable battery configured to be selectively charged by wind turbines or the power grid and configured to be selectively discharged to a power grid. One or more remaining battery life algorithms are used to compute a consumed battery life for the battery. A battery life curve characteristic of the battery and a state of charge profile are used as inputs to each remaining battery life algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Daniel Viassolo, Jason Hoffman, Jianhui Zhang
  • Patent number: 8124415
    Abstract: The discovery that apolipoprotein B exhibits spectral features in the mid IR spectrum that make it identifiable within blood serum leads to the invented use of a statistical correlation between a concentration of apolipoprotein-B (apoB) in a sample of blood serum and infrared spectral features of the blood serum sample to produce a test for apoB. A method for providing such a test, and tests produced by the method are taught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: National Research Council of Canada
    Inventors: Kan-Zhi Liu, Anthony Shaw
  • Patent number: 8126680
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for locating and tracking objects are disclosed. According to one system, a locating device can be configured to determine a location of an object. According to another system, an identifying device can be configured to determine the identification of an object. Further, a tracking system configured to store tracking information associated with the object. A communications system can be configured to communicate a signal to a remote computer device that identifies the location of the object and includes the tracking information associated with the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Ernest Troxler, Francois Jacques Malassenet
  • Publication number: 20120041679
    Abstract: Phase sensitive X-ray imaging methods provide substantially increased contrast over conventional absorption based imaging, and therefore new and otherwise inaccessible information. The use of gratings as optical elements in hard X-ray phase imaging overcomes some of the problems impairing the wider use of phase contrast in X-ray radiography and tomography. To separate the phase information from other contributions detected with a grating interferometer, a phase-stepping approach has been considered, which implies the acquisition of multiple radiographic projections. Here, an innovative, highly sensitive X-ray tomographic phase contrast imaging approach is presented based on grating interferometry, which extracts the phase contrast signal without the need of phase stepping. Compared to the existing phase step approach, the main advantage of this new method dubbed “reverse projection” is the significantly reduced delivered dose, without degradation of the image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT
    Inventors: Marco Stampanoni, Ziyu Wu, Peiping Zhu
  • Patent number: 8117150
    Abstract: A method of ocean property forecasting. The method includes generating one of a magnetic field prediction and an electric field prediction between a first observation point and a plurality of uniform ocean cells by generating a vector sum of magnetic field contributions from a plurality of magnetic field vectors and a vector sum of electric field contributions from a plurality of electric field vectors, respectively. The method further includes generating one of a magnetic field forecast and an electric field forecast of the ocean volume at a second observation point in the ocean volume by re-using the magnetic field vectors and electric field vectors and scaling one of the plurality of magnetic field vectors and the plurality of electric field vectors by a plurality of tri-axial equivalent electrical currents with identical geometry to the first observation point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: William Avera
  • Patent number: 8108169
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for matching translucent coatings of absorbent substrates. In one embodiment, a method for matching a color of a sample includes generating a plurality of recipes, each of the recipes representing a mixture of one colorant and a clear vehicle and defining a concentration of the one colorant and a concentration of the clear vehicle, applying each of the recipes to one or more absorbent substrates, determining an absorption value and a scattering value for each of the recipes as applied to the absorbent substrates, storing the recipes in a database, where each of the recipes is stored with an associated absorption value and an associated scattering value, selecting a first recipe from among the recipes stored in the database, and evaluating a quality of the first recipe as a match to the color of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Datacolor Holding AG
    Inventor: Denis Martin
  • Patent number: 8108083
    Abstract: In a system for providing vehicular hospitality information, biological characteristic information about a user using a vehicle is acquired. Then, in accordance with a predetermined correlation between the biological characteristic information and stored hospitality information, hospitality information matching the acquired biological characteristic information is retrieved and outputted. Accordingly, in accordance with a character, mental condition, or physical condition of each user, appropriate information can be provided timely and sensitively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Kameyama
  • Patent number: 8095340
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing power usage are provided. The system includes a programmable microprocessor, at least one input mechanism, a memory having instructions and/or other information, a display, at least one power consuming power device and a remote server. The systems allows the user of a power consuming device to receive instructions or other information from the server. The method includes using stored program instructions to generate power device related information on a display, collecting power device data representative of the electrical current or power consumed, connecting to a remote computing facility having a server, and providing the data to a computer remotely located from the central server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Health Hero Network, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen J. Brown
  • Patent number: 8087477
    Abstract: Drill bits and methods of measuring drill bit conditions are disclosed. A drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation comprises a bit bearing at least one cutting element and adapted for coupling to a drill string. The drill bit may also comprise a chamber formed within the bit and configured for maintaining a pressure substantially near a surface atmospheric pressure while drilling the subterranean formation. In addition, the drill bit may comprise at least one optical sensor disposed in the chamber and configured for sensing at least one physical parameter exhibited by the drill bit while drilling a subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric C. Sullivan, Tu Tien Trinh
  • Patent number: 8090972
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of registering events in a wind power system comprising at least two data processors, wherein the data processors of said wind power system are mutually time synchronized, wherein events are registered in said at least two data processors, wherein the timing of said events registered in different of said at least two data processors is established according to said time synchronization. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, events may be registered and preferably analyzed according to a common timing. This analyzing makes it possible to establish an analysis where events of different wind turbines are basically interrelated and where information regarding such interrelation is important or crucial for establishment of control or fault detection based on correctly timed events from different wind turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: John Bengtson, Bo Lovmand, Tage Kristensen, Niels Erik Danielsen
  • Patent number: 8089391
    Abstract: A weather radar system or method can be utilized to determine a location of a weather hazard for an aircraft. The weather radar system can utilize processing electronics coupled to an antenna. The processing electronics can determine presence of the hazard in response to data related to returns received by the weather radar antenna and data from a lightning sensor. The system can include a display for showing the hazard and its location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Woodell, Kevin M. Kronfeld
  • Patent number: 8086408
    Abstract: A method for positioning a wire having nodes and streamers is provided herein. The wire can be secured to tow lines secured to a floating vessel for detecting near surface geology formations. The method can use in-water sensors deployed proximate to the wire near the tow lines, and a processor with data storage in communication with the in-water sensors. The method can use a data array, a library of data formats, a library of wires, a library of preset limits, and a network. The method can include receiving sensor information, filtering sensor information, verifying filtered signals, constructing and modifying a mathematical model, obtaining a list of coordinates, constructing a real-time display of the wire, identifying a location of at least one streamer, transmitting alarms, creating a trend analysis over time and event-by-event, and creating a log file using the industry standard data formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: NCS Subsea, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Majzlik, Alfred L. Hise, Brian Hardy
  • Patent number: 8078307
    Abstract: A defect testing apparatus for testing defects of optical film sheet-shaped product of an optical displaying apparatus, which includes a defect detecting means for detecting defects of a monolayer body and/or a laminate body constituting the sheet-shaped product in a state in which a protective layer on a surface of the sheet-shaped product is not disposed and defect information preparing means for preparing defect information which is information related to the defects detected by the defect detecting means, and the defect information is used for producing the sheet-shaped product provided in a roll form or in separate sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromichi Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20110301847
    Abstract: A method of generating reference spectra includes polishing a first substrate in a polishing apparatus, measuring a sequence of spectra from the first substrate during polishing with an in-situ optical monitoring system, for each spectrum in the sequence of spectra, determining a best matching reference spectrum from a first plurality of first reference spectra to generate a sequence of reference spectra, calculating a value of a metric of fit of the sequence of spectra to the sequence of reference spectra, comparing the value of the metric of fit to a threshold value and determining whether to generate a second library based on the comparison, and if the second library is determined to be generated, storing the sequence of spectra as a second plurality of reference spectra.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Harry Q. Lee, Jun Qian, Jimin Zhang
  • Patent number: 8070677
    Abstract: A patient physiological information monitoring system includes a plurality of patient monitoring devices (6) and a physiological information analyzer (2). The plurality of patient monitoring devices (6) monitor physiological information from a patient and generate corresponding physiological signals. The physiological information analyzer (2) processes the monitored physiological information and determines whether a physiological change is a clinically significant event or an artifact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Walid S. I. Ali
  • Patent number: 8069020
    Abstract: A first wafer is fabricated using a first value for a process parameter specifying a process condition in fabricating the structure. A first value of a dispersion is measured from the first wafer. A second wafer is fabricated using a second value for the process parameter. A second value of the dispersion is measured from the second wafer. A third wafer is fabricated using a third value for the process parameter. The first, second, and third values for the process parameter are different from each other. A third value of the dispersion is measured from the third wafer. A dispersion function is defined to relate the process parameter to the dispersion using the first, second, and third values for the process parameter and the measured first, second, and third values of the dispersion. The simulated diffraction signal is generated using the defined dispersion function. The simulated diffraction signal is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shifang Li, Hanyou Chu
  • Publication number: 20110288777
    Abstract: System, device and method for automatic detection and reporting of location and extent of service failure in utility and/or telecommunication networks are disclosed. In one embodiment, operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower is obtained by using a pole/tower sensing device disposed to monitor operational conditions at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the respective utility or telecommunication networks. Further, the obtained operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower is sent to a remote monitoring server via a communication network by the associated pole/tower sensing device. Furthermore, the operational condition information received from each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower is processed by the remote monitoring server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: VARUN GUPTA
  • Patent number: 8042347
    Abstract: A compressor inlet pressure estimation apparatus for a refrigeration cycle system is disclosed. An electronic control unit 14 uses Tefin_lag(N) as an actual corrected temperature Tefin_AD(N) during a period Tp1 included in the timing t1 to t2. During a period Tp2 included in the timing t1 to t2, Tefin_fwd(N) is used as the actual corrected temperature Tefin_AD(N). Thus, a highly accurate corrected temperature Tefin_AD(N) can be determined over the on period (t1 to t2) of a compressor 2. In addition, Tefin_fwd(N) is used as the actual corrected temperature Tefin_AD(N) during the off period (t2 to 3) of the compressor 2. As a result, a highly accurate corrected temperature Tefin_AD(N) can be determined over the whole period including the on and off periods of the compressor 2. In this way, a highly accurate estimated value Ps_es(N) of the refrigerant inlet pressure of the compressor 2 can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Sawada, Yasutane Hijikata
  • Publication number: 20110251792
    Abstract: In a method for servicing a field device of process automation technology having at least two measurement channels, with the assistance of an external service unit, separate device descriptions are provided in the service unit for the measurement channels. The individual measurement channels can be invoked on the service unit via the corresponding device descriptions as logical units, so that, in servicing, the field device appears to the user as at least two logically independent field devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Conducta Gesellschaft fur Mess und Regeltechnik mbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Detlev Wittmer, Stefan Robl, Wolfgang Babel
  • Publication number: 20110246072
    Abstract: A digital interior system includes a sensitivity-space-environment detection engine for collecting sensitivity information, space related information, or environmental information about an interior space. Further, the digital interior system includes an interior content generation system for generating interior content about each of objects in the interior space based on the sensitivity information, space related information or environmental information collected by the sensitivity-space-environment detection engine. Furthermore, the digital interior system includes a digital interior construction system for performing interior construction using each of pieces of interior content generated by the interior content generation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Hyun Soon SHIN, Intark Han, Yong Kwi Lee
  • Publication number: 20110238310
    Abstract: A method comprises operating one or more commercial fryers, including activating an operational event for the one or more commercial fryers by sending a current through a wire to an operational member of the commercial fryer, collecting information each time a different operational event is carried out in the commercial fryer by sensing whether the current is flowing through the wire or by sensing whether a voltage is present in the wire, and communicating the information to a database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: ARIES ESTRELLADO, MICHAEL J. ZWEBER, MATT JENNINGS
  • Publication number: 20110238311
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, and devices for monitoring one or more utilities consumed within a monitored area. At least certain disclosed methods include detecting an amount of a first utility consumed by a load associated with a device. An amount of a second utility consumed by a load associated with the device is detected. The identity of the device is determined based on the amount of the first and second utility consumed. In further disclosed methods, a utility monitoring method is disclosed that includes measuring an amount of a utility consumed by a first device at a first time and an amount of a utility consumed by a second device at a second time. The identity of the first device is determined based on the measured consumption of the first and second devices at the first and second time. In certain implementations, the electricity meter uses an effective variance analysis of the conductance waveform on an electrical circuit to identify specific appliances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Hampden Kuhns, Peter R. Edwards, George Nikolich, Morien W. Roberts
  • Patent number: 8027809
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing power usage are provided. The system includes a programmable microprocessor, at least one input mechanism, a memory having instructions and/or other information, a display, at least one power consuming power device and a remote server. The systems allows the user of a power consuming device to receive instructions or other information from the server. The method includes using stored program instructions to generate power device related information on a display, collecting power device data representative of the electrical current or power consumed, connecting to a remote computing facility having a server, and providing the data to a computer remotely located from the central server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Health Hero Network, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen J. Brown