474 results about "Measurement scales" patented technology

A device is provided for compression of objects such as parts of the body. The device has the form of a band that can be shaped like a sleeve, wrap or garment that is sized to encircle the body part or other compressible object and having a component or components made of an elastic material. Indicia such as tick marks or scales are printed on the device. The stretch of the elastic material as the device is tensioned around the body part causes increased separation of the indicia or movement of a free end of the band with respect to the indicia. A system measures the separation of the indicia and converts it to compression as a function of the circumference of the body part. The system may be a card having edges with measurement scales or the scales may be printed on the device and the displacement of a free end of a band or sub-band of the device with respect to the scales indicates the compression for particular circumferences of the body part. The device may have additional scales printed on it for measuring the circumference of the body part.

There is presented a reliable technique for measuring condition change in nonlinear data such as brain waves. The nonlinear data is filtered and discretized into windowed data sets. The system dynamics within each data set is represented by a sequence of connected phase-space points, and for each data set a distribution function is derived. New metrics are introduced that evaluate the distance between distribution functions. The metrics are properly renormalized to provide robust and sensitive relative measures of condition change. As an example, these measures can be used on EEG data, to provide timely discrimination between normal, preseizure, seizure, and post-seizure states in epileptic patients. Apparatus utilizing hardware or software to perform the method and provide an indicative output is also disclosed.

Anomalous behavior in a distributed system is automatically detected. Metrics are gathered for transactions, subsystems and/or components of the subsystems. The metrics can identify response times, error counts and/or CPU loads, for instance. Baseline metrics and associated deviation ranges are automatically determined and can be periodically updated. Metrics from specific transactions are compared to the baseline metrics to determine if an anomaly has occurred. A drill down approach can be used so that metrics for a subsystem are not examined unless the metrics for an associated transaction indicate an anomaly. Further, metrics for a component, application which includes one or more components, or process which includes one or more applications, are not examined unless the metrics for an associated subsystem indicate an anomaly. Multiple subsystems can report the metrics to a central manager, which can correlate the metrics to transactions using transaction identifiers or other transaction context data.

An apparatus and method for measurement, analysis, and optimization of content delivery over a communications network is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus detects data packets en route over a communications network. The detected data packets are read by the apparatus, combined into application messages, and further combined into user centric events. The events are analyzed to identify metrics and statistics relating to the delivery of content over a communications network and the experience of the end user. The metrics and statistics are saved in a data storage area. When the metrics exceed a configurable threshold, the apparatus provides real-time notification of content delivery problems or end user experience problems. Alternatively, the system can take action to proactively prevent anticipated content delivery problems or end user experience problems.

The present invention is a method and system for measuring a set of shopper behavior metrics that represent the strength of a product category or a group of categories in the performance of a store area. A set of rating parameters are defined in order to provide a unified and standardized rating system. The rating system represents the effectiveness of the product category in a store area. The metrics are defined in a manner that is normalized so that they can be used across different types of product categories. The datasets are measured per category or group of categories over time to identify how the strength has varied over time, and to monitor trends in the category performance. The measured datasets are further analyzed based on various demographic groups and behavior segments. The analysis facilitates a better understanding of the strength of the category for different shopper segments, which in turn can be applied for developing better store area optimization strategies.

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for optimizing results produced by a predictive model in order to determine which action to perform out of a plurality of actions. In an operation (a), a plurality of goal metrics are provided for a plurality of possible actions based on a plurality of input conditions. One or more of the goal metrics are produced by one or more predictive models. In an operation (b), the plurality of goal metrics are normalized. In an operation (c), for each possible action a total of each of the normalized goal metrics multiplied by a corresponding predetermined weight is determined. In an operation (d), the totals determined for the plurality of possible actions are compared to thereby determine a highest total. In an operation (e), an action selected from the plurality of possible actions is performed, where the selected action has the highest total. In one implementation, operations (a) through (e) are repeated for a plurality of sets of input conditions, and normalizing the goal metrics for a current set of input conditions is accomplished by assigning a point value for each goal metric of each action, wherein the point value corresponds to the percentage of previously determined corresponding goal metric values that are less valuable than the current goal metric value

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for dynamically monitoring and visualizing metrics within a system that has values which change over time. The values associated with these metrics can be specific to entities within the system or they can be common system-wide metrics. Various attributes can be defined for the metrics to be visualized. The values can then be determined in conformance with these defined data attributes. The values can be mapped to appropriate unique indicators which can be used to represent a visual indication of the determined value. The graphical representation of the entities within the system can be displayed along with unique indicator used to represent the value associated with the metric to be displayed. The metrics to be displayed can be selected from a list. Additionally, the measurements can be periodically made and the display accordingly updated.

The invention relates to an overlay network layered multicast optimal resource allocation method for a scalable video stream, and provides a new measurement standard for the multicast performance, namely layer extensity which is used for measuring end-to-end time delay of video layers during data distribution aiming at layered multicast communication of the scalable video stream in the overlay network. In order to realize the overall minimization of the layer extensity, the method carries out the combined optimization on the network code of relay nodes, the receiving end driven flow control, and multi-path route strategy, and adopts a linear programming method to establish a layered multicast resource optimum allocation model for the overlay network. On one hand, the method adaptively matches the interlayer dependency of the scalable video code; on the other hand, the method allows a receiving node to decide and regulate the required video quality of own accord. In addition, the invention also provides a distributed heuristic algorithm which has low complexity, approaches the globally optimal solution and is applied to the construction of a scalable video flow distribution network.

Spherical-like textures are useful to simulate reflections and to generate arbitrary views from a point. For addressing simplicity, graphics systems typically require rectangular arrays of texture samples but an infinite variety of functions can be used to map these samples to a sphere-like object. A new metric is presented for measuring how well various maps use a given number of samples to provide the greatest worst-case frequency content of the image everywhere over the sphere. Using this metric and other important local properties, a comparison is presented of maps used previously in computer graphics as well as other mapping techniques borrowed from cartography. Based on these analysis several novel mapping techniques are presented that are fairly simple to implement and significantly more efficient in terms of the amount of processing and data required, and the quality of the resulting images. The novel metric and mapping techniques can be employed to analyze or otherwise improve the sampling efficiency of mapping textures onto any three-dimensional surface.

The invention asks for protecting a cross-layer and bi-directional routing method in a wireless sensor network and relates to the technical field of communication. The existing wireless sensor network has the disadvantages that no downlink route is established in route establishing process, function of inquiring a sink node can not be supported, extra-cost occurs when energy information is updated by adopting node energy as the routing standard, and the cost of controlling the system is slightly larger. The method adopts source routing and cross-layer information share manner and uses smaller cost to establish the downlink route from the sink node to a sensor node without using special control group, the function of inquiring the sink node is added, and regular acquiring, releasing and updating of the rest energy information of the node are realized, when routing, the hop number and the rest energy of the node are both used as the measure standards, the energy consumption when forwarding the node is balanced when reducing the node energy and the network bandwidth consumption, and the service life of the wireless sensor network can be prolonged, and the network bandwidth utilization rate is increased.

A system and method for evaluating and comparing businesses and, more specifically, to an Internet-based benchmarking or management tool or platform that provides one or more metrics by which a business owner may anonymously track, evaluate and compare the relative condition of its business with other similarly situated businesses of the same or related type whereby the one or more metrics are based upon the business' quantifiable data (e.g., profits, movement of inventory, etc) that is indicative of the business' operations such that a business owner may implement improvements to the business' operations in response to the information provided.

A brace for stabilizing a joint such as a knee disposed between a first and second limb structure. The brace includes upper and lower frame members, cuffs for encompassing a portion of each limb structure, and a uniting pivoting joint member. The joint member includes two opposing pivoting assemblies, with each including a forward and a rearward arm member each having upper and lower ends spherically-pivotally connected to the upper and lower frame members for enabling multiple angular relationships. The pivoting assembly can include a limb extension regulator, preferably a cable, extending between the rearward arm member and the upper frame member to permit infinitely adjustable extendability of the brace-bearing limb. Most preferably, a visible measurement scale is provided for precise extension distances.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are disclosed for reducing Medical Administered Errors, (MAE) in the administration of injectable medications to patients by using a syringe device that is designed, labeled, and calibrated to decrease the risk of such errors. The syringe may be designed for a specific medication, and labeled to indicate the name of the medication for which it was designed. The syringe is calibrated to deliver a specific amount of the medication that is the appropriate dosage for a patient of a particular weight or other feature, thereby making it unnecessary for the user to perform calculations to determine the correct dosage volume for the particular patient. The syringe may also be calibrated with additional measurement scales that enable the user to verify that the correct dosage.

The invention discloses a full biodegradation plastic material, which comprises, by weight, the polylactic acid 20-40%, the long-chain branch aliphatic polyester or long-chain branch aliphatic series-aromatic copolyesters 50-60%, the chain extender 0.1-3%, the filler 1-10%, the plasticizer 5-10%, the antioxygen 0.1-1%, the lubricant 0.1-1%, the stabilizer 0.1-1% and the nucleating agent 0.1-1%. A preparation method of the full biodegradation plastic material comprises the steps of enabling all components to be mixed in a high speed mixer, feeding in a twin-screw extruder after accurate measurement by means of a measurement scale to conduct squeezing-out and prilling to obtain the full biodegradation plastic material. The full biodegradation plastic material improves mechanical property of biodegradable plastic (PBSA) products by adjusting screw combination and extruding through reaction mixing and improves suppleness and degradation rate of the polylactic acid simultaneously, the obtained full biodegradation plastic material has not only excellent biodegradation performance and aging quality, but also excellent mechanical property and blow-film processability.

The invention which discloses a method for behavior collection and analysis comprises recording the operation information of the contents demonstrated to an entrance system by the users of the entrance system, making statistics of the ultimate contribution value to the preset characteristics caused by the contribution information according to the corresponding relations of the contents and contribution information which contributes to preset characteristics and contribution measurement standards which are used for measuring the contribution to the preset characteristics of the operations and determining whether the preset characteristics are the characteristics of the users of the entrance system according to the ultimate contribution value. The invention which also discloses a system of behavior collection and analysis has the advantages of realizing the all-wave analysis of the operation behaviors of the users of the entrance system, subdividing the users accurately and providing pointed service for the subdivided user part, improving service quality and being simple and easy to implement.

A method for multi-hop forwarding of data packets in vehicular ad-hoc networks is disclosed. Each node knows both its own and the destination's geographical coordinates. The coordinates of the one-hop neighbors are obtained from periodically broadcast Cooperative-Awareness Messages (CAMs). The method comprises the following distributed coordination scheme, executed by each node upon receiving a packet: i) computing the set of candidate forwarders; ii) ranking the candidate forwarders according to an utility metric; iii) forwarding the packet after a period of time proportional to its rank if top-ranked, dropping the packet otherwise. The base utility metric used for ranking forwarders is the inverse of the distance to the destination. Moreover, an extension is disclosed where this metric is replaced by the inverse of the expected number of packet transmissions to reach the destination. The latter metric is calculated based on spatial connectivity information cooperatively collected by nodes in the network.

The invention discloses an amylum category complete biodegradable material and a preparation method thereof. The amylum category complete biodegradable material comprises, by weight, the long-chain branch aliphatic polyester or long-chain branch aliphatic series- aromatic copolyesters 50-70%, the starch 20-30%, the chain extender 0.1-3% and the balance chain extender 9-17%. The preparation method comprises the steps of enabling all components to be mixed in a high speed mixer, feeding in a twin-screw extruder after accurate measurement by means of a measurement scale, and extruding and prilling by adjusting a built-up sequence of a screw and designing different exhaust ports. The amylum category complete biodegradable material and the preparation method of the amylum category complete biodegradable material solve the problems of dispersing, plasticizing and exhausting of starch filler in the twin-screw extruder, and obtained amylum complete biodegradation material not only has complete biodegradation performance, but also has excellent mechanical property and good extrusion molding working quality.

The invention discloses a two-step on-orbit iterative calibration method based on multiple parameters for a multi-error model of a microsatellite magnetic sensor. The method comprises the following steps: at first, calculating by utilizing a sun sensor and a top in an illumination area to obtain a satellite pitch angle; then, only calibrating zero-offset errors by using ground calibration or last-measurement scale factors as standard; and finally, re-building a multi-error calibration model, and re-calibrating the zero-offset and scale factor errors by using a best-fit method. According to the method, the zero-offset and scale factor errors of a magnetometer are calibrated and compensation in an attitude algorithm is carried out, so that the navigation accuracy of the satellite is effectively improved; a new filter does not need to be designed for a calibration algorithm, real-time calculation is also not needed, so that the operation cost and the load of the satellite are effectively reduced.