3365results about "Force/torque/work measurement apparatus calibration/testing" patented technology

A method and system detects and diagnoses faults in heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Internal state variables of the HVAC equipment are measured under external driving conditions. Expected internal state variables are predicted for the HVAC equipment operating under the external driving conditions using a locally weighted regression model. Features are determined of the HVAC based on differences between the measured and predicted state variables. The features are classified to determine a condition of the HVAC equipment.

A wireless sensor system is installed inside pipelines using sensors and wireless transceivers that are small, low-cost, and rugged. The objective is monitoring the pipeline and recommending maintenance and repair at specific locations in the pipeline. Maintenance includes detection of leaks and prevention of catastrophic failures as a result of internal corrosion or other damage, such as third party mechanical damage, using multitude of sensors. After establishing the wireless sensor network the network is activated so the sensor can make measurements periodically or continuously using instructions transmitted via the base station. The sensor data from the various sensors are transmitted inside the pipe and extracted to access points in the pipeline to a remote computer that stores the data within the computer memory. The sensed information can be used for monitoring as well as analysis using a recommendation engine to provide maintenance and repair alerts.

A method of manufacturing a disk drive is disclosed. The disk drive comprising a disk, a head actuated radially over the disk, a host interface for receiving disk commands from a host system, and a semiconductor memory for storing a drive operating program and a manufacturing program. The drive operating program comprising a disk access procedure for processing disk commands and a disk access vector for calling the disk access procedure. During a development stage, the manufacturing program is executed by an external test system that sends disk commands to a development drive. During a manufacturing stage, the manufacturing program is executed internally on each disk drive being manufactured by calling the disk access procedure of the drive operating program through the disk access vector.

According to one aspect of the invention, a force measurement system includes a force measurement assembly, a motion base configured to displace the force measurement assembly, and an inertial compensation system configured to determine the inertial forces and / or moments resulting from the displacement of the force measurement assembly by the motion base. According to another aspect of the invention, a method for accurately determining the forces and / or moments applied to a surface of a force measurement device by a subject disposed thereon is disclosed, which includes the step of determining, by using an inertial compensation system, the inertial forces and / or moments resulting from the displacement of a force measurement assembly by a motion base. According to still another aspect of the invention, a force and / or motion measurement system having inertial compensation includes a motion acquisition system having a plurality of motion sensing devices configured to capture a subject's movement.

This disclosure describes systems and methods for testing a medical device. The disclosure describes a novel approach determining if the ventilator system is functioning properly without having to connect the medical device to a patient.

A control system is operable to selectably activate shock damping devices associated with a bicycle so as to eliminate bobbing encountered under extreme pedaling conditions. The system includes a crank axle torque detector which operates to detect a level of torque applied to a crank axle and provide a control signal corresponding to the level of torque. A shock damping device is coupled to the frame of the cycle, and functions to absorb and dampen mechanical shocks communicated to the frame. The shock damping device includes an activator for controlling its damping function. The activator is operable to receive the control signal from the crank axle torque detector and control the shock damping device in response thereto. The control signal may be an electrical or a mechanical signal.

A wireless sensor network is installed inside pipelines using sensors and wireless transceivers that are small, low-cost, and rugged. The objective is monitoring the pipeline and recommending maintenance and repair at specific locations in the pipeline. Maintenance includes detection of internal corrosion using sensors that can result in leaks. Furthermore detection of leaks for prevention of catastrophic failures as a result of damage, such as third party mechanical damage. After establishing the wireless sensor network, the network is activated so the sensors can make measurements periodically or continuously using instructions transmitted via a base station. The sensor data from the various sensors are transmitted inside the pipe and extracted to access points in the pipeline to a remote computer that stores the data within the computer. The sensed information can be used for monitoring as well as analysis using a recommendation engine to provide maintenance and repair alerts.

This disclosure describes systems and methods for testing a medical device. The disclosure describes a novel approach determining if the ventilator system is functioning properly without having to connect the medical device to a patient.

A method for the in vivo re-calibration of a force sensing probe such as an electrophysiology catheter provides for the generation of an auto zero zone. The distal tip of the catheter or other probe is placed in a body cavity within the patient. Verification that there is no tissue contact is made using electrocardiogram (ECG) or impedance data, fluoroscopy or other real-time imaging data and / or an electro-anatomical mapping system. Once verification that there is no tissue contact is made, the system recalibrates the signal emanating from the force sensor setting it to correspond to a force reading of zero grams and this recalibrated baseline reading is used to generate and display force readings based on force sensor data.

The present invention models dynamic behavior of flight vehicles for simulation, analysis, and design. The present invention allows a user to define the complexity of a flight vehicle model, and such models may be simple rigid body models, models of medium complexity, or very complex models including high order dynamics comprising hundreds of structural flexibility modes and variables related to aero-elasticity, fuel sloshing, various types of effectors, tail-wags-dog dynamics, complex actuator models, load-torque feedback, wind gusts, and other parameters impacting flight vehicles. The present invention accommodates and analyzes multiple vehicle and actuator concepts and configurations as defined in flight vehicle input data, which specifies flight vehicle parameters at a steady-state condition for modeling flight vehicle response to dynamic forces and flight control commands with respect to steady state operation.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for remotely analyzing and affirmatively notifying appropriate personnel of problems and events associated with an oil recovery system-comprising hundreds of oil rigs over a vast geographic area. The results of selected Health Checks, which are run on each oilrig, are reported to a central server. The central server populates a data base for the oil recovery system, displays a red / yellow / green color coded electronic notification and status for an entire oil recovery system and affirmatively alerts appropriate personnel of actions required to address events associated with an oilrig in an oil recovery system. The diagnostics run at each oilrig are configurable at the individual rig. The present invention provides a dynamic oilrig status reporting protocol that enables population and display of a tree node structure representing an entire oil recovery system status on a single screen at a top level. Detailed information is available by drilling down in to other screens, enabling rapid visual evaluation of a system Health Check.

An apparatus, system, method and kit for testing fluid flow and pressure is provided. The apparatus, system, method and kit include or include the use of a flow unit which is configured to measure flow rate and / or flow velocity when interfaced with a flow valve or hydrant and a pressure unit configured to measure at least residual pressure when interfaced with a test valve or hydrant. At least one of the units is configured to wirelessly send data transmissions to the other unit which is configured to receive such transmissions.

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for using black box data to analyze vehicular accidents. The methods include obtaining information from an event data recorder associated with a vehicle and using the data obtained therefrom in determining and analyzing the vehicular accident. Attributes to be analyzed include impact severity, change in velocity, and other desired parameters. Further disclosed are methods to securely communicate the downloaded black box information to a secure location for later analysis and processing.

A device testing apparatus, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) testing apparatus, using one host computer to test a plurality of the devices, such as to burn-in test HDDs. A host computer having at least two serial communication ports is communicably connected to power cards which supply operating power to each HDD to be tested. A serial communication exchanger is communicably connected to the serial communication ports of the host computer and to the HDDs, and responds to channel selection instructions issued by the host computer to selectively establish a serial communication channel among HDDs, the power card, and the host computer. The single host computer conducts the testing of the HDDs by communicating with the HDDs via the established serial communication channel.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for remotely analyzing and affirmatively notifying appropriate personnel of problems and events associated with an oil recovery system—comprising hundreds of oil rigs over a vast geographic area. The results of selected Health Checks, which are run on each oilrig, are reported to a central server. The central server populates a data base for the oil recovery system, displays a red / yellow / green color coded electronic notification and status for an entire oil recovery system and affirmatively alerts appropriate personnel of actions required to address events associated with an oilrig in an oil recovery system. The diagnostics run at each oilrig are configurable at the individual rig. The present invention provides a dynamic oilrig status reporting protocol that enables population and display of a tree node structure representing an entire oil recovery system status on a single screen at a top level. Detailed information is available by drilling down in to other screens, enabling rapid visual evaluation of a system Health Check.

A micromanipulation system includes a micromanipulator that includes a handpiece, and a micromanipulation tool that includes a tool shaft and is operatively connected to the handpiece. The micromanipulator further includes an actuator assembly connected to the micromanipulation tool to provide manual control of the micromanipulation tool, and a force sensing system comprising a force sensor attached to the tool shaft. The force sensing system is configured to provide an output signal that indicates a force imposed on the tool shaft. The micromanipulation system also includes a processor that is in communication with the force sensing system, and is configured to receive the output signal and compensate for forces due to actuation of the micromanipulation tool to determine a force due to interaction of the micromanipulation tool with a region of interest. The processor outputs an indication of at least one of a magnitude and a direction of the determined force.

A sensor comprises a semiconductor pellet (10) including a working portion (11) adapted to undergo action of a force, a fixed portion (13) fixed on the sensor body, and a flexible portion (13) having flexibility formed therebetween, a working body (20) for transmitting an exterted force to the working portion, and detector means (60-63) for transforming a mechanical deformation produced in the semiconductor pellet to an electric signal to thereby detect a force exerted on the working body as an electric signal. A signal processing circuit is applied to the sensor. This circuit uses analog multipliers (101-109) and analog adders / subtracters (111-113), and has a function to cancel interference produced in different directions. Within the sensor, two portions (E3, E4-E8) located at positions opposite to each other and producing a displacement therebetween by action of a force are determined. By exerting a coulomb force between both the portions, the test of the sensor is carried out. Further, a pedestal (21, 22) is provided around the working body (20). The working body and the pedestal are located with a predetermined gap or spacing therebetween. A displacement of the working body is caused to limitatively fall within a predetermined range corresponding to the spacing. The working body and the pedestal are provided by cutting a same common substrate (350, 350')

The present invention discloses a mechanical sensor array calibration device and the working method thereof. The device comprises locating transmission part and control part which is electrically connected with the locating transmission part; wherein, the locating transmission part comprises calibrated working platform and pressure head testing part; the pressure head testing part is connected with a force sensor through an extension head of a Z-directional linear stepper motor. Using the working method of the device adopts three stepper motors as the driving source; two stepper motors drive the coordinate motion of the slides on the guide rail to finish the location of coordinate point on the working platform; an extension of a linear stepper motor drives the pressure head to exert force on the tested sensor; when the force exerted by the pressure head achieves the set pressure valve, the singlechip collects the output of the tested sensor and the force sensor and the position coordinate of the tested sensor. The present invention is able to execute the choose and configuration of the calibrating mode and process according to the specific sensor array and the specific calibrating demand so as to enlarge the using range of the device.

In a method of evaluating surface tension of a solid body surface, selection is made of at least three liquid samples having different surface tensions, and contact angles between the respective liquid samples and the solid body surface are measured. Thereby, a correlation between cosines (Y) of the contact angles and surface tensions (X) of the liquid samples is derived as a logarithmic function. Surface tension of the solid body surface is evaluated by the use of a value of X that is calculated by substituting 1 for Y in the correlation. When evaluated by the foregoing evaluation method, a magnetic disk has a surface where the value of X, when 1 is substituted for Y, is greater than 0 and no greater than 17 mN / m.

This invention relates to safety instrumented systems (“SIS”) for monitoring and controlling chemical and other industrial process field devices, and that are responsive to signals for the emergency shutdown of the process or system. The patent will significantly improve the reliability of communications within an emergency shutdown system, reduce unwanted trips, and adapt to process conditions by failing to a safe mode in dynamic conditions that are not considered by prior art logic solvers.

An interferometric measurement system includes a spun optical fiber including multiple optical waveguides configured in the fiber. Interferometric detection circuitry detects measurement interferometric pattern data associated with each of the multiple optical waveguides when the optical fiber is placed into a bend. Data processing circuitry determines compensation parameters that compensate for variations between an optimal configuration of the multiple optical waveguides in the fiber and an actual configuration of multiple optical waveguides in the fiber. The compensation parameters are stored in memory for compensating subsequently-obtained measurement interferometric pattern data for the fiber. The compensation parameters are applied to the subsequently-obtained measurement interferometric pattern data in order to distinguish between axial strain, bend strain, and twist strain on the fiber and to accurately determine one or more strain values for the fiber corresponding to one or more of the axial strain, bend strain, or twist strain on the fiber.

This invention is device and method for electronic measurements of the force and torque applied to a work piece. The measured values are visually displayed, audibly indicated, and / or transferred in electronic formats to other controlling devices. The values could be displayed in different physical measuring units, and as an average or peak. The device produces different output signals when the torque applied equals or exceeds predetermined values. This device and method provide an automatic, accurate, and easy calibration, which could be self-calibration or in-the-field calibration. It has protection from accidental activation of the switches, and provides a permanent record of the incidents in which the device was operated at conditions beyond its specifications. It provides a manual and / or automatic scale selection to improve the accuracy.

A fault detection system and method is provided that facilitates detection of faults that are manifest over a plurality of different operational phases. The fault detection system and method use multiway principal component analysis (MPCA) to detect fault from turbine engine sensor data. Specifically, the fault detection system uses a plurality of load vectors, each of the plurality of load vectors representing a principal component in the turbine engine sensor data from the multiple operational phases. The load vectors are preferably developed using sets of historical sensor data. When developed using historical data covering multiple operational phases, the load vectors can be used to detect likely faults in turbine engines. Specifically, new sensor data from the multiple operational phases is projected on to the load vectors, generating a plurality of statistical measures that can be classified to determine if a fault is manifest in the new sensor data.

The instant invention is directed toward a method and an apparatus for mapping the magnetic field strength or flux density of a magnetic source. The invention provides a robotically controlled sensor which is moved in a controlled manner throughout an area of flux density and the variations in the flux density are recorded. The position and recorded magnetic field strength at numerous points throughout the test area are recorded and the data is assembled into a graphical representation the end result of which is a multi-dimensional mapping of the magnetic field strength as a function of distance from the source. The testing method and apparatus provide a convenient methodology for accurately determining dosimetry and tissue penetration of therapeutic magnetic devices.

In one embodiment, a method of and apparatus for determining calibration options in a motion control system is provided. The method includes the steps of measuring error in a commanded motion, modeling the error, identifying sources of the error; and predicting a degree to which applying compensation for one of the sources of the error might affect the error.

An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for processing a position signal. The method includes receiving a first position signal from a capacitive sensor and determining a proximity of the capacitive sensor to a connection of an array of capacitive sensors. The sensitivity of the capacitive sensor is then adjusted and a second position signal is received from the capacitive sensor. The second position signal may then be reported. The present invention facilitates more accurate readings from an array of capacitive sensors.

A sensor system for performing gait analysis of a person includes a sensor system that includes a pair of sensor insoles that include a plurality of force sensors, an accelerometer, and a transmitter for transmitting data to a portable electronic device. A monitoring program operably installed on the portable electronic device performs the following steps: receiving a desired cadence; receiving the data from the sensor insoles; determining an actual cadence of the person's footsteps based upon the data received; and comparing the actual cadence with the desired cadence.