57results about How to "Reliable indicator" patented technology

An electrode assembly adapted to be attached to the skin over selected facial muscle groups picks up signals to be analyzed by an anesthesia adequacy monitor that measures the level of awareness of a living animal, typically a human being. The electrode assembly also includes a stimulator that stimulates a facial nerve to determine the level of paralysis, or neuro muscular block, of the facial muscles. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the electrode assembly by printing a pattern of electrically conductive material through a silk-screen or an ink type process onto a flexible layer, and then coating the result with a non-conducting adhesive except at points corresponding to sensing points for the desired muscle groups. Finally, a method for using such sensing and stimulating devices is shown in determining and maintaining an appropriate level of patient awareness, muscle paralysis, and analgesia under anesthesia.

An electrode assembly adapted to be attached to the skin over selected facial muscle groups picks up signals to be analyzed by an anesthesia adequacy monitor that measures the level of awareness of a living animal, typically a human being. The electrode assembly also includes a stimulator that stimulates a facial nerve to determine the level of paralysis, or neuro muscular block, of the facial muscles. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the electrode assembly by printing a pattern of electrically conductive material through a silk-screen or an ink type process onto a flexible layer, and then coating the result with a non-conducting adhesive except at points corresponding to sensing points for the desired muscle groups. Finally, a method for using such sensing and stimulating devices is shown in determining and maintaining an appropriate level of patient awareness, muscle paralysis, and analgesia under anesthesia.

Improved methods and devices are provided for detecting and / or predicting the onset of an undesirable physiological event or neural state, such as an epileptic seizure, to facilitate rapid intervention with a treatment therapy such as neurostimulation or drug therapy. The methods and devices involve monitoring the patient's body temperature, preferably by an implanted temperature sensor, to detect a sudden change in a body temperature parameter. The temperature parameter change may comprise an increase or decrease in the patient's body temperature, time rate of change of body temperature, or a difference in a moving average temperature for a first period from that of a second period. When a parameter change is detected that exceeds a threshold, neurostimulation therapy is delivered to a neural structure of the patient.

A system is provided for closed-loop control of a plurality of metering pumps driven by a single source of pressurized fluid. Feedback signals are generated that are proportional to output flow rate from each metering pump, such as velocity of a movable element of the pump with respect to a stationary element. Flow control valves are coupled between the source of pressurized fluid and the metering pumps. A controller receives the feedback signals and regulates flow from the flow control valves to each metering pump to maintain a desired level of output flow. The source of pressurized fluid may include a pressure compensated positive displacement pump having a maximum output flow rate at least equal to the anticipated combined flow rate of drive sections of the metering pumps.

A system for metering a fluid, such as a catalyst in an industrial chemical process plant, includes a controller, a drive pump assembly and an injection pump assembly. The drive pump assembly forces reciprocation of the injection pump assembly via a controlled flow of hydraulic fluid. The injection pump assembly includes a drive cylinder and at least one injection section. The drive cylinder receives pressurized fluid from the drive pump assembly and causes metered fluid to be drawn into and expelled by the injection section. The position of reciprocating components of the injection pump assembly is detected between stroke limits and converted to a velocity signal. Closed-loop control of the flow from the injection pump assembly is implemented by the controller via the drive pump assembly based upon the actual velocity of the reciprocating components of the injection pump assembly and a commanded velocity. The closed-loop injection rate control may be incorporated in a nested fashion with a process parameter control loop to maintain a desired level of a process parameter, such as temperature in a reaction vessel.

Conditions of a mechanical system driven (12) by a motor (14) can be assessed by monitoring an admittance or impedance at an input to the motor (14) over a period of time. The admittance or impedance may be determined by measuring the input voltage (22) and current (20). Variations in admittance or impedance are associated with known conditions including faults. An analyser (24) processes the admittance or impedance and provides a warning signal if a known fault condition is determined. The processing may be done using a neural processor.

A composite structure having an embedded sensing system is provided, along with corresponding systems and methods for monitoring the health of a composite structure. The composite structure includes composite material and an optical fiber disposed within the composite material. The optical fiber includes a plurality of quantum dots for enhancing its non-linear optical properties. The quantum dots may be disposed in the core, in the cladding and / or on the surface of the optical fiber. The optical fiber is configured to support propagation of the signals and to be sensitive to a defect within the composite material. The quantum dots create a non-linear effect, such as a second order effect, in response to the defect in the composite material. Based upon the detection and analysis of the signals including the non-linear effect created by the quantum dots, a defect within the composite material may be detected.

A communication system includes at least a sound re-production system (13-16,18-20) for audibly reproducing sound communicated by one user to another. A method of controlling communications between at least one first and at least one second user of the communication system includes adjusting the sound reproduction system (13-16,18-20) so as to cause an apparent distance between the other user and a location of an origin of the reproduced sound as perceived by the other user to be adjusted. Data (23,25) representative of at least one indicator of at least an interpersonal relation of the at least one first user and the at least one second user is obtained. The apparent distance is determined at least in part according to a pre-determined functional relationship between an indicator of at least an interpersonal relation and a desired interpersonal distance.

Two different strains of Cordyceps sinensis are placed at two different locations in a medium containing purified rattle snake venom and the two strains are allowed to grow until they meet in a boundary zone where a hybrid strain is formed due to exchange of genetic material. The hybrid strain is allowed to grow and is harvested and can be analyzed for the presence and quantity of desired medicinal substances. The amount of N6-(2-hydroxyethyl)-adenosine in a Cordyceps sinensis strain or product sample is a reliable indicator of the overall health benefiting qualities of the strain or sample. Strains of Cordyceps sinensis, are grown in a substrate at 20 to 22 ° C. at sea level atmospheric pressure for 28 to 30 days in diffuse light, and thereafter in an atmosphere containing approximately 50% of oxygen of the sea level atmosphere, at approximately 3 ° C. with exclusion of light, for approximately 15 to 20 weeks to provide a Cordyceps sinensis product that has the characteristic analytical signature of wild Cordyceps sinensis and includes substantial quantities of the health benefiting compounds of the strain found in the wild.

A combinatorial method for identifying a catalyst composition for use in the heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta addition polymerization of an olefin monomer, said catalyst composition comprising a compound of a metal of Group 2 of the Periodic Table of the Elements.

A method and apparatus for monitoring and acquiring data concerning the health of poultry and animals housed in one or more barns or enclosed environments predicated upon the frequencies and intensity of sounds generated by the poultry and animals to obtain baseline data of healthy and happy poultry and animals.

A method and system for determining process uniformity. The method includes selecting a plurality of sample regions. The plurality of sample regions includes a plurality of processed features, and each of the plurality of sample regions includes at least one of the plurality of processed features. Each of the plurality of processed features results from at least one fabrication process. Additionally, the method includes obtaining a plurality of electron microscope images associated with the plurality of sample regions respectively, processing information associated with the plurality of electron microscope images, and, determining a first plurality of grayscale values for the plurality of sample regions respectively. Moreover, the method includes processing information associated with the first plurality of grayscale values, and determining whether the at least one fabrication process is uniform.

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for indicating aircraft height relative to an obstruction in a terrain awareness warning system. The method includes receiving data indicative of geographic features of an obstruction, lateral distance of the geographic feature from an aircraft, height and flight path of the aircraft, calculating a projected height of the aircraft at the location of the obstruction using the data, generating a result signal, and displaying a colored indication on a display screen based on the result signal. The apparatus includes inputs for signals from instruments measuring height, flight path, and location of an aircraft, as well as an input for an instrument providing information about geographic features of terrain surrounding the aircraft. The apparatus includes a means for employing the signals to calculate an effective height of the aircraft relative to the terrain, and a screen display for graphically displaying the results of the calculation.

A device for testing a solenoid valve includes: a voltage generator for applying a short pulse of voltage, which is not long enough to open the solenoid valve, to the windings of the solenoid valve; a current meter configured for measuring the current flowing through the windings of the solenoid valve; and an analysis device which is configured for analysing the current measured by the current meter for detecting a potential fault of the solenoid valve.

The present invention teaches providing a sensor capable of detecting organic vapors in close proximity to the li-ion battery, these organic vapors being reliable indicators of battery troubles before the battery troubles even manifest themselves. The sensor may initiate (actuate) various responses such as alarm indicators of various types, changing the mode of usage of the battery or even taking the battery off-line. The organic vapors may be any of a wide range of types as a degrading li-ion battery may emit any one of a wide range of different organic compounds. The invention may also be used with batteries immersed in fluids. Numerous types of li-ion battery may use the device, which is much faster than a post-failure smoke detection.

A method of operating a filling system, which is configured for transferring a refrigerant to a refrigeration system and comprises a receiver for collecting a refrigerant-air-mixture, comprises the steps of determining the saturation pressure of the refrigerant at the actual environmental conditions; determining the air pressure of the refrigerant-air-mixture within the receiver; and stopping the operation of the filling system and / or issuing an alarm if the air pressure of the refrigerant-air-mixture within the receiver exceeds the saturation pressure of the refrigerant by more than a predetermined margin or if the change of the air pressure within the refrigerant-air-mixture within the receiver over time exceeds a predetermined margin.

A system detects presence of particles in the air of guest rooms of facilities such as motels and hotels for example that indicate that guests are engaged in recreational smoking. The system provides an indication to the facility manager of such behavior.

Contaminants, in particular stains, of cleaned or washed items of laundry can be on both sides. Therefore, it is necessary to examine washed or cleaned items of laundry on each side in respect of contaminants. This is very complicated. The invention provides for illuminating or transilluminating the items of laundry from one side by a lighting apparatus, as a result of which contaminants on this illuminated or transilluminated side of the items of laundry shine through to the opposite side. As a result, contaminants on both sides of the items of laundry are establishable from one side, which is directed away from the lighting apparatus, by way of a camera or the like. Therefore, as a result of the invention, it is not necessary to examine both sides of the items of laundry, either simultaneously or in succession, in respect of the presence of contaminants.

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for indicating aircraft height relative to an obstruction in a terrain awareness warning system. The method includes receiving data indicative of geographic features of an obstruction, lateral distance of the geographic feature from an aircraft, height and flight path of the aircraft, calculating a projected height of the aircraft at the location of the obstruction using the data, generating a result signal, and displaying a colored indication on a display screen based on the result signal. The apparatus includes inputs for signals from instruments measuring height, flight path, and location of an aircraft, as well as an input for an instrument providing information about geographic features of terrain surrounding the aircraft. The apparatus includes a means for employing the signals to calculate an effective height of the aircraft relative to the terrain, and a screen display for graphically displaying the results of the calculation.

An ablation control device (110) configured for halting, in real time, ablation of body tissue at a current ablation point to achieve a predetermined lesion size upon halting includes a control section (120) configured for registering, with a characteristic curve, one or more values and halting the ablation based on the registering. The value or values are obtained from monitoring (115), for the current ablation point, displacement caused by force applied to the body tissue. In one embodiment, halting is performed upon detecting, by the monitoring and after a peak value of the monitored displacement has occurred, an endpoint value of the monitored displacement. In another embodiment, the end-point value is determined prior to the detecting, and the determining is performed by the registering.

An abrasion sensing type conveyor chain, in which a degree of abrasion in a roller rolling surface is easily judged by a visual or a tactile sensing during checking and maintaining of rollers of the conveyor chain so that a maintenance operation can be significantly reduced. An abrasion sensing type conveyor chain in which rollers which travel along a guide surface while rolling on a conveyor line, each comprise a roller rolling surface with a roller outer diameter of a required standard and an abrasion limiting surface with a smaller diameter than the roller outer diameter, the abrasion limiting surface being disposed adjacently and coaxially to the roller rolling surface.

The present disclosure provides a method for reducing large particle counts (LPCs) in copper chemical mechanical polishing slurry by way of using high purity removal rate enhancer (RRE) in the slurry. The conductivity of the RRE in deionized water solutions correlates very strongly with the number of LPCs in the RRE, and thus in a slurry using the RRE.

A device for image frame capturing, a device for detecting at least one frozen image frame within at least one video stream, a system for providing a frozen image frame detection within at least one video stream, respective methods and vehicle are described.

Apparatus and methods control CMP to uniformly polish a series of wafers. Average motor current I(avg) drawn by, and related average work W(avg) performed by, motors during CMP on the wafers reliably indicate quality of a roughness polishing characteristic of a polishing surface of a polishing pad. A conditioner controller controls a rate at which the quality of the polishing surface is restored by conditioning in relation to a rate of change of the quality of the polishing surface due to the CMP. Motor current is measured and averaged over many CMP-processed wafers. The method defines a baseline range of values of average work and controls conditioning according to whether average work is within the baseline range. When the polishing surface moves at constant velocity relative to each of the wafers that are being polished, a control signal based on average motor current represents the quality of the polishing characteristic.

In some embodiments, apparatus and systems, as well as methods, may operate to record a plurality of acoustic waveforms comprising cross-dipole waveforms and corresponding to acoustic waves received 5 at azimuthally orthogonal dipole receiver arrays surrounded by a geological formation, the waves being generated by azimuthally orthogonal dipole transmitter arrays. Further activity may include defining an objective function dependent on the cross-dipole waveforms, eigenvalues, an azimuth angle corresponding to an 10 orientation of the transmitter and receiver arrays; minimizing the objective function with respect to said angle and the set of auxiliary parameters; and determining at least one property of the geological formation based on the global minimum. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

The present invention provides an efficient and simple method of preparing a product quote for a customer operating a technical installation. The product quote is based on a data set acquired during the operation of the installation, a product chosen for use with the installation and a customer benefit related to the chosen product and the data set.

A method and apparatus for measuring battery cell DC impedance by controlling charging of the battery cell. The method includes real-time characterization of a battery, (a) measuring periodically a DC impedance of the battery to determine a measured DC impedance; (b) ratioing the measured DC impedance to a reference DC impedance for the battery to establish an impedance degradation factor; (c) obtaining, during use of the battery and responsive to a set of attributes of the battery, an operational reference impedance for the battery; and (d) applying the impedance degradation factor to the operational reference impedance to obtain a real-time effective impedance for the battery.

A progressive, or graded, passive moisture detector is configured to provide an indication of the amount of moisture to which a moisture-sensitive substrate has been exposed, a duration of time that a moisture-sensitive substrate has been exposed to moisture or the effectiveness of one or more protective coatings at preventing moisture-sensitive components from being exposed to moisture. A progressive passive moisture detector includes a plurality of different passive moisture detectors with different properties. The passive moisture detectors may be arranged in a manner (e.g., a sequence, etc.) that correlates to information the progressive passive moisture detector is intended to provide.