Earth Science Patents (Class 702/2)
  • Publication number: 20120123681
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, apparatus and a system of fast diagnosis of stresses and diseases in higher plants. The proposed methodology is based on the hypothesis of that when a plant is in imbalance; there are changes in its metabolism that render an alteration of the chemical composition of its organs. This chemical alteration leads to a change in the physical properties, such as the fluorescence of the leaves. Due to the complexity of the material of the leaves, the present method proposes that the signal be treated with statistical methods and that the classification is made through softwares based on machine learning. As an example of the application of the invention, the results are shown for the Greening disease in citrus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Empresa Brasilera De Pesquisa Agropecuaria - Embrapa
    Inventors: Debora Marcondes Bastos Pereira Milori, Ladislau Martin Neto, Ednaldo Jose Ferreira, Ana Flavia Zaghi, Andre Leonardo Venancio
  • Patent number: 8175895
    Abstract: A remote command center for providing services to geographically dispersed hospitalized patients. A datastore accessible to the remote command center receives patient data from geographically dispersed hospitalized patients. Monitored data elements of geographically dispersed hospitalized patients are also received at the remote command center and stored in the datastore. A smart alert module generates and applies patient specific rules to selected data elements. If a patient-specific rule for a hospitalized patient has been contravened, an alert is issued from the remote command center. A patient care module displays selected data elements of the hospitalized patients at the remote command center. A decision support module applies decision support algorithms to selected data elements of a hospitalized patient and to user input to provide patient care advice. Patient care advice comprises a diagnosis, a method of treatment, and a laboratory protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Brian A. Rosenfeld, Michael Breslow
  • Patent number: 8168121
    Abstract: A portable monitor used to measure landfill gas and landfill well parameters. The portable monitor includes a control unit and a measuring unit that can communication wirelessly with one another. The control unit and/or measuring unit can includes a heating arrangement to increase the temperature of one or more components in the control unit and/or measuring unit in cold environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Elkins Earthworks, LLC
    Inventor: Charles D. Elkins
  • Publication number: 20120101729
    Abstract: Ground displacement detecting method and system are invented to save lives and properties. The system and method are quick, reliable, and cost-effective. The system comprises one or more sensing units, optional supportive platforms, optional preprocessing units, and a main computer. A method is invented to determine ground displacement condition and the users can act accordingly. The system checks all components' health status to optimize the reliability of the system and reduce the possibilities of the system failure. The result of the system and the method provides the users with early opportunity to take proper actions to reduce the damages caused by the ground displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventor: TAKAMUNE CHO
  • Patent number: 8165814
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mapping a water pathway. A group of sensors can be employed for detecting one or more features associated with the water pathway in a direction of flow through the water pathway. A buoyant vessel maintains the sensors, and the sensors assist in compiling data indicative of the detected features. The velocity in the direction of flow through the water pathway can be then determined based on data indicative of the detected feature(s). A mapping of the water pathway can be thereafter generated utilizing the velocity with respect to the features detected by the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Joshua Douglas Kenney, Ronald Nelson McGinnis, Jr., Gregory Charles Willden, Ben Allen Abbott, Ronald Thomas Green
  • 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: 8163242
    Abstract: A portable monitor used to measure landfill gas and landfill well parameters. The portable monitor includes a control unit and a measuring unit that can communication wirelessly with one another. The control unit and/or measuring unit can includes a heating arrangement to increase the temperature of one or more components in the control unit and/or measuring unit in cold environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Elkins Earthworks, LLC
    Inventor: Charles D. Elkins
  • Publication number: 20120095683
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting the presence of hydrocarbons near an unmanned offshore oil platform. The method steps include monitoring reflected atmospheric and thermal radiation, detecting the presence of hydrocarbons, and generating an alert based on the presence of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Albert Ballard Andrews, Wei-Chuan Shih, Matthew Clayton, Oliver C. Mullins
  • Publication number: 20120095684
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an environmental monitoring and analyzing device. The device contains a plurality of sensors, a control unit and a display unit. The different types of sensor obtain values of different environmental parameters. The control unit receive the obtained values of the environmental parameters and compare the obtained values against predetermined standards and criteria which define parameter ranges of the different environmental parameters. A display unit display a real-time air quality report comprising a user-friendly interpretation of the obtained values and recommendations in response to the obtained values. By implementing this invention into an embodiment, the environmental monitoring analyzing is carried out instantly by considering the interrelationship of the obtained values of the different environmental parameters. The analyzed results are therefore much more accurate. A real-time comprehensive and easily understood by non-technical user air quality report is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Akos Advanced Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Yiu Wai Chan, Sui Chun Law
  • Patent number: 8160995
    Abstract: A method of predicting information related to a characteristic of a tropical cyclone includes obtaining a plurality of model tracks corresponding to the tropical cyclone from at least one forecast center. A factor from a set of factors is assigned to each of the plurality of model tracks. A value for at least one characteristic for the tropical cyclone at the intersection of each of the plurality of model tracks with a boundary is predicted. A set of probabilities for the value of the at least one characteristic corresponding to an actual value of the at least one characteristic at the time of intersection of the tropical cyclone with the boundary is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: WSI, Corporation
    Inventors: Todd Michael Crawford, Peter Paul Neilley, William Douglas Ramstrom
  • Publication number: 20120089332
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of detecting oil spills on the sea surface at night. According to some embodiments, implementations herein involve detection of the polarized reflectivity and the refractive index of the water and the oil using the polarization properties of the electromagnetic waves based on satellite data to accurately and quantitatively detect the position of the oil band spread on the sea.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: KOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
    Inventor: Sungwook HONG
  • 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: 20120084115
    Abstract: A turf management system includes an irrigation system for providing water to the turf at a turf site, and an irrigation evaluation system for evaluating the performance of the irrigation system. The irrigation evaluation system segments the turf site into irrigation management units, where each of the irrigation management units includes at least one sprinkler head. Qualities of the turf are measured to generate collected data points. The data points are used by the irrigation evaluation system to compute a value for the turf in each of the irrigation management units. The values can then be used to identify irrigation management units having common characteristics. The values can be used to define irrigation management zones for controlling the irrigation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Van Willis Cline, Kathleen Sue Rice, Troy David Carson
  • Patent number: 8150637
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for evaluating the performance of a gas lift well are disclosed. A gas lift well surveillance kit is disclosed. A method for evaluating the performance of a gas lift well includes injecting a tracer into an annulus, measuring a concentration of the tracer present in a substance retrieved from the well, determining actual travel times of the tracer, segmenting the gas lift well into a plurality of ranges of well depth, determining lift gas loss parameters, calculating lift gas velocities in the annulus and in the production tubing for each of the plurality of ranges of well depth based on the lift gas loss parameters, and determining points of entry of the lift gas into the production tubing based on: (i) the actual travel times of the tracer, and (ii) the lift gas velocities in the annulus and in the production tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: WellTracer Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Peacock, Dan Dees
  • Publication number: 20120078515
    Abstract: The invention is a composite of interdependent engineering methods for earthen fill engineering and construction. The invention provides a computer method for correlation of the combination-specific energy values with all physical and engineering properties of all soil types and amended soil types in the compacted state that correspond to and are the product of the specific combination of field variables. In addition to interdependent utilization of the energy and corresponding engineering properties in method development, the energy and corresponding engineering properties are cross-tabulated or integrated with curve intercepts within data-based cross-matrices of all field combinations for use in engineering design, laboratory compaction testing, and construction controls including site-specific moisture-density curve location. The cross-matrix values are related or intercepted in a manner that permits determining values for additional field combinations that have not been tested on a full scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: Earthwork Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Philip A. Tritico, Ronald E. Langston
  • Publication number: 20120078516
    Abstract: In order to enable measurement of salinity and a water temperature in a marine surface layer using data obtained by a marine radar, a deviation ?S? between effect of an ocean wave on received power RSI0? in a reference time zone and effect of the ocean wave on received power RSIm? in a measurement time zone is estimated, a deviation ?s? between effect of the ocean wave on the received power RSI0? in the reference time zone and effect of the ocean wave on the received power in an electrical conductivity variable time zone is estimated, a regression function f(?) of a relationship between received power obtained by subtracting the deviation ?s? from the received power in the electrical conductivity variable time zone and electrical conductivity ? in the electrical conductivity variable time zone is estimated, and a value of electrical conductivity ?c in a measurement time zone is estimated using RSI0??RSIm?=?S?+{f(?0)?f(?c)} (where ?0: electrical conductivity in the reference time zone), thereby calculating pra
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventor: Takumi Yoshii
  • Publication number: 20120078517
    Abstract: A method and system for determining a rate of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation (TKED) in a turbulent fluid environment are provided. A light source provided at a first end of a predetermined path-length passes a beam of light through the turbulent fluid environment. An angle of arrival detection unit detects the angle of arrival of the at least one beam of light. The angle of arrival is then processed at a processing unit that calculates temperature dissipation spectra as a function of the autocorrelation of the angle of arrival. The peak of the temperature dissipation spectra represents the rate of TKED. A number of turbulent quantities can be determined by using the method and system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventor: Darek J. Bogucki
  • Patent number: 8145337
    Abstract: A method to enable wafer result prediction from a batch processing tool, includes collecting manufacturing data from a batch of wafers processed in batch in the batch processing tool, to form a batch processing result; defining a degree of freedom of the batch processing result based on the manufacturing data; and performing an optimal curve fitting by trial and error for an optimal function model of the batch processing result based on the batch processing result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Hsien Lin, Amy Wang, Francis Ko, Jean Wang
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8135178
    Abstract: A method of processing vegetation data including the steps of identifying data relating to an agricultural field, segregating areas of predetermined development patterns and prescribing application rates of an agricultural compound. The identifying step includes identifying data relating to an agricultural field representative of areas of predetermined development patterns of vegetation in the field. The segregating step includes segregating the areas of the predetermined development patterns thereby defining segregated areas, other areas in the field being non-segregated areas. The prescribing step including prescribing application rates of an agricultural compound to the non-segregated areas dependent on at least one attribute determined from the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Larry Lee Hendrickson, Rendell Bruce Clark
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120035850
    Abstract: A method for determining a flux of a gas contained in a medium through a boundary of the medium comprises 1) measuring at least twice with a probe a concentration C of the gas over a time interval ?t and 2) determining the flux of the gas using the following mathematical equation: (I) where F is the gas flux, D is the diffusivity value and ?C is a variation in the gas concentration during the time interval ?t. The probe is placed proximate the boundary. The probe has a gas inlet, a cavity, a gas concentration sensor and a membrane. Each element is in fluid communication with each other so that the gas flows from the gas inlet through the membrane and contacts the gas concentration sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: ST. FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: David A. Risk, Hugo J. Beltrami, Nicholas R. Nickerson, Gordon McArthur
  • Publication number: 20120019382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for determining the state, state changes, and/or condition changes of a potted plant and for indicating the determined state of said object to the owner or user thereof, wherein the system and method locally determine at least one physical and/or chemical parameter on top of on the side of or in the immediate vicinity of the plant (1) to be monitored by means of preferably several sensors or sensing elements (3). Said physical and/or chemical parameter is processed into a coded digital parameter signal and transmitted wirelessly, optionally by means of intermediate stages, to a central processor, which determines a statement about the state of the plant (1) from said coded digital parameter signal and other digital as an optical and/or acoustic indication of the current or prognosticated state of the plant/object (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: EIDGENÖSSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZÜRICH
    Inventors: Moritz Köhler, Philipp Bolliger, Benedikt Ostermaier
  • Patent number: 8095314
    Abstract: A new method and system for generating probabilities of objective values of hazards as a fine granularity grid in four dimensions (three spatial dimensions plus time) to be used by decision support and visualization tools. Utilizing the proposed system, proxies for hazard data received at different times and in different formats may be used as input data to a grid of intelligent software agents which generate a four dimensional matrix of probabilities of objective values of hazards. The method allows for proxies and/or subjective information on hazards that may arrive asynchronously and with coarse temporal and spatial accuracy to be converted into a standard fine granularity four dimensional hazard probability grid. The grid is created automatically, without the need for expert human interpretation, can provide visualization of the four dimensional hazard volumes and may be used directly by decision support tools without the need for expert human interpretation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian A. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20120004849
    Abstract: One or more computer-readable media including computer-executable instructions to instruct a computing system to define a Radon transform convolution mask; specify an angle that defines a line extending at least partially across a pixel image; and apply the mask successively to target pixels on the line to compute a statistical value for each of the target pixels where application of the mask identifies a set of pixels for computing the statistical value and where each successive application of the mask identifies a set of pixels that includes at least one pixel of a prior set and at least one pixel not included in the prior set to thereby reduce requirements for computing the statistical values. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Victor AARRE
  • Publication number: 20120004847
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying individual trees in LiDAR data based on the view of a LiDAR data point. In one embodiment, the number of trees represented by a LiDAR data point cluster is estimated based on a calculated value related to the exposure to the sky of a LiDAR data point in the LiDAR data point cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Welty
  • Publication number: 20120004848
    Abstract: The present invention includes a device and method for more particularly evaluating the compaction of soil by automating the use of a prior art dynamic cone penetrometer such that user error and error caused by field conditions are eliminated. Recordation of penetrometer data previously not recorded is made more precise by the present invention such that standardized measurement results. The device further includes means for facilitating the determination of compaction of soils through keyhole openings and a means for automating the collection and processing of the generated compaction data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Sandy Golgart Sales Inc. d/b/a SGS
    Inventors: John Arthur Kinast, Khalid A. Farrag, H.A. (Alan) Todres
  • 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: 8089356
    Abstract: Systems and methods to generate weather alerts are provided. A particular system includes a weather band radio receiver to receive weather alerts. The system further includes a processor to perform an analysis of the received electromagnetic radiation and to determine based on the analysis whether the electromagnetic radiation indicates rotation in a storm system. The processor initiates an alert when the analysis indicates rotation in the storm system and a weather alert has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Inventor: Jason Lee Moore
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20110320124
    Abstract: Determining optical visibility in an environment that may contain airborne dust particles is described. In one aspect, a method determines an ambient relative humidity in the environment. A near infrared wave is transmitted through a portion of the environment. An optical visibility in the environment is calculated based on the ambient relative humidity and attenuation of the near infrared wave during transmission through the environment. Various contrast thresholds are employed in the determination of optical visibility in the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: King Saud University
    Inventors: Abdulaziz Salem Al-Ruwais, Abobakr Sultan Ahmed
  • Patent number: 8086407
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an environmental monitoring and analyzing device. The device contains a plurality of sensors, a control unit and a display unit. The different types of sensors obtain values of different environmental parameters. The control unit receives the obtained values of the environmental parameters and compares the obtained values against predetermined standards and criteria which define parameter ranges of the different environmental parameters. A display unit displays a real-time air quality report including a user-friendly interpretation of the obtained values and recommendations in response to the obtained values. By implementing this invention into an embodiment, the environmental monitoring analyzing is carried out instantly by considering the interrelationship of the obtained values of the different environmental parameters. A real-time comprehensive and easily understood by non-technical user air quality report is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: AKOS Advanced Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Yiu Wai Chan, Sui Chun Law
  • Patent number: 8083481
    Abstract: A system for arranging and operating an array of wind machines to protect crops from damaging weather conditions, such as freezing frost, rain and heat. The method includes a wind machine positioned to force air across the crop. The wind machine is preferably a propeller/tower configuration. The operational method of the wind machine array includes the steps of sensing ambient meteorological and the hardiness of the crop to withstand a particular adverse weather condition and operating the wind machines in response to these factors. Multiples of wind machines are employed in the preferred embodiment of the method, the siting of the wind machines preferably based upon topographic and historical meteorological conditions. The operation of the wind machines can be automatically and remotely operated with the aid of satellite communications including internet links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Inventor: Daryl G. Hill
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20110313666
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method, a system, apparatus, and software to be used for the method for the determination of the environmental impact of the production of cultivation plants and for increasing or maximizing a positive environmental impact. In the method, production parameters for cultivation are selected and cultivation procedures are performed, crop yieldhus produced is harvested, and a representative sample of the crop yield is delivered to reception analysis with the appendant information for the analysis of energy and carbon dioxide factors. An environmental impact index reflecting the environmental impact of the production of said cultivation plant is determined on the basis of this data and the appendant information. The index thus provided is utilized for the production of cultivation plants in an environmentally friendlier manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: RAISIO NUTRITION LTD
    Inventors: Tero Hirvi, Jaakko Laurinen, Pasi Lähdetie
  • Patent number: 8082103
    Abstract: Hourly CO2 concentration, amount of solar radiation, and plant distribution information are calculated through observation from predetermined satellites. A concentration of CO2 absorbed by plant-chlorophyll per each time unit is calculated. By adding up the CO2 concentration on the earth and the concentration of CO2 absorbed by the plant-chlorophyll, a CO2 concentration obtained provided that no plant-chlorophyll exist is calculated for a certain period. Thereafter, a mean concentration of CO2 that is absorbed according to changes in the distribution of plant-chlorophyll is calculated on the basis of a monthly mean solar radiation amount and plant-chlorophyll distribution information. By subtracting the CO2 concentration, which is a mean, from the total CO2 concentration, a CO2 concentration, which is a normal, is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Shuichi Tanahashi
  • Publication number: 20110307177
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method that obtains emissivity or reflectivity based on ratios of the brightness temperature measured by a satellite and the land surface temperature, calculates two reflectivity using polarizing features of a microwave according to surface characteristics, and measures a volumetric soil water content of a land surface considering that water has different physical characteristics from those of soil. In particular, it may be possible to measure volumetric soil water contents on territories of other countries as well as regions which have many limitations and troubles in direct measurement of the volumetric soil water contents. Accordingly, valuable materials in terms of nation economy may be produced together with substantial contribution to industrial fields that have direct effects on agriculture and disaster prevention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: KOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
    Inventor: Sungwook HONG
  • Patent number: 8077927
    Abstract: In various embodiments, old flood maps may be compared to new flood maps to determine which areas of the flood map have changed. These changed areas may be correlated against geographic area descriptions that are within changed areas of the flood map. The changed areas may also be analyzed to determine whether each area has had a change in status (e.g., from a high risk flood zone to a non-high risk flood zone or vice versa) or a change in zone within a status (e.g., from one flood zone to another flood zone). The information on type of change (or no change) may be used to populate a database that includes geographic area description identifiers. In some embodiments, detection of certain types of changes may initiate a manual comparison of the old and new flood maps to verify the change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: CoreLogic Real Estate Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: David R. Maltby, II
  • Patent number: 8073791
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that generates design profiles and a surface therefrom that promote water drainage from soil in an area of interest. Topographical data describing an initial surface of the area of interest are used to form initial profiles. The method generates the design profiles using the initial profiles and desired design parameters such as minimum slope, maximum slope, optimal slope, maximum depth, optimal depth, starting elevation, ending elevation, rules of curvature, and rules of earth balancing. The method generates design surface profiles so that the cut volumes and fill volumes of the soil are at or near balance as much as possible from the available soil in the area of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Inventors: Mark Williams, Alan Williams
  • Patent number: 8073622
    Abstract: A long-range lightning detection and characterization system and method. Electromagnetic radiation produced by a lightning strike is sensed at a sensing location and a measured signal representative of the strike is produced that defines an amplitude versus time. A set of reference data containing waveforms comparable to the measured signal is established. The set of reference data defines a set of reference amplitudes versus time, representative of one or more predetermined reference lightning strikes at various predetermined distances, where for each of the distances, the reference lightning strikes have associated therewith various predetermined day/night percentages. The measured signal is compared with the reference data, the comparison including finding a correlation between the measured signal and a correlating waveform in the reference data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Ryan Khalil Said, Umran Savas Inan
  • Publication number: 20110295500
    Abstract: A system and method for managing the collection and processing of agricultural field data from a single location is provided. The system includes functionality to create workorders for the taking of samples at a predetermined location, transmit the sampling workorders to the equipment or operators at a job site, e.g., an agricultural field, and log the results of a completed sampling workorder. The system also includes functionality to transmit log data related to the taken samples to a laboratory and receive analysis information on the taken samples from the laboratory. The system then combines log data and analysis information on the taken samples for use in determining additional actions at the predetermined location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: GVM, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Dale HUNT, Jeffrey Allen DEARBORN
  • Patent number: 8068985
    Abstract: The disclosed earthquake vapor theory, statistically significant in practice, overcomes two difficulties: the dependency on cold weather to pinpoint an earthquake epicenter and the time window not being short enough for evacuation. Finding a vapor nozzle based on boiling temperature can solve the former. Isolating the nozzle to find the next peak of daily maximum after vapor eruption can solve the latter by narrowing the time window to 1-2 days. The embodiments may also be utilized to prevent mysterious air and sea accidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventor: Zhonghao Shou
  • Patent number: 8057124
    Abstract: A soil compaction device has a vibrated contact element that makes contact with the soil during a contact phase and that is exposed to a contact force exerted by the soil and travels over a contact distance. A dynamic stiffness of the soil is formed from the gradient of the contact force and from the contact distance. Furthermore, a contact surface parameter to take account of the actual contact surface of the contact element with the soil is determined. The dynamic deformation modulus is then the product of the contact surface parameter and the dynamic stiffness. The method allows the determination of the dynamic deformation modulus, and hence of the soil stiffness, during the compaction operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Wacker Neuson Produktion GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Otto W. Stenzel, Stefan Wagner, Dittmar Lange
  • Patent number: 8050892
    Abstract: Method, apparatus, computer program and data carrier for modeling a multidimensional, heterogeneous structure using a digital processing unit, by means of a grid built up of stacks of multidimensional cells. A cell is bounded by boundary surfaces and represents at least one property of the structure. The composition of a stack, the position of the stacks in the grid and the properties represented by cells are stored in memory means by the processing unit. For modeling a discontinuity, a respective stack is divided into two or more substacks separated by separating surfaces. The composition and the position of the substacks in a respective stack are stored in the memory means. The modeling method enables an accurate and fast computation of properties of the modeled structure or space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: JOA Oil & Gas B.V.
    Inventor: Robert Petrus Adrianus Hartman
  • Publication number: 20110246075
    Abstract: A transform function is useable to map a characteristic (e.g., acoustic impedance, shear impedance, density, and/or other characteristic) to a mechanical property (e.g., Young's modulus or other mechanical property). Values of the characteristic can be derived based on surface survey data, and such values can be mapped to respective values of the mechanical property using the transform function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventor: Niranjan C. Banik
  • Publication number: 20110246073
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying individual trees in LiDAR data based on the view of a LiDAR data point. In one embodiment, those LiDAR data points that do not have neighboring LiDAR data points that block the local view at a defined angle are considered to be in a central part of a tree canopy. In one embodiment, those LiDAR data points that are in a central part of a tree canopy are added to an output file that stores clusters of data points for each tree canopy detected. The central part of the tree canopy area can be analyzed to predict one or more characteristics of the tree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: Zhenkui Ma
  • Patent number: 8032302
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of identifying weather events in geographic regions of interest includes monitoring queries to a weather information system. The queries contain at least one field indicative of a geographic region of interest. A signal indicative of the presence of a weather event in the geographic region of interest is generated when the number of queries pertaining to the geographic region of interest is above the statistically determined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Strategic Design Federation W, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Scot Agronow
  • Patent number: 8004405
    Abstract: It is provided an alarm system for underground boundary intrusion detection, and methods for deployment and operation. The deployment method includes constructing of a computing-and-empowering apparatus, connecting thereof a longitudinally extended power-and-communication cable, connecting addressable junction-units, storing a physical location and an address of each junction-unit in the computing-and-empowering apparatus, connecting each addressable junction-unit to a wired-mole having a wire bundle which initially is contracted there within and measurable physical characteristics, and infiltrating the wired-moles normally into ground to a desired depth. In operation, the sensors frequently measure the physical characteristics of the wired-mole, deliver the measurement of the physical characteristics to the computing-and-empowering apparatus, which stores and analyzes the measurements, comparing past and present measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Nuclear Research Center-Negev
    Inventor: Gyora Gal
  • Patent number: 7991556
    Abstract: A method for analyzing formation data includes decomposing the formation data into simple components that can be used to reconstruct the formation data, wherein the decomposing is performed at a first location and includes a process to minimize an overlap between the simple components; and transmitting parameters representing the simple components to a second location for reconstructing the formation data. A system for analyzing formation data that includes a processor and a memory that stores a program having instructions for decomposing the formation data into simple components that can be used to reconstruct the formation data, wherein the decomposing is performed at a first location and includes a process to minimize an overlap between the simple components; and transmitting parameters representing the simple components to a second location for reconstructing the formation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jaideva C. Goswami, Denis Heliot
  • Patent number: 7983844
    Abstract: A method for determining wind conditions within a geographic area based on a plurality of input wind resource grids. The input wind resource grids include input points associated with a geographic position and a wind condition. An output wind resource grid having a plurality of output points is defined. Each output point is associated with a geographic position within the geographic area. For each output point in the output wind resource grid, a wind condition is calculated based at least in part on wind conditions associated with at least some of the input points. A wind condition associated with an input point may be weighted based on the proximity of the output point to a meteorological instrument associated with the input point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kelsey Elizabeth Beach, Karsten Hilt, Vinicius Ubarana