International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 17-20, 1988 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada / The explosive use and extensive development of software and hardware for the IBM PC and PC Clones over the past few years has positioned the PC as one of many viable alternatives to system designers configuring systems for both data acquisition and data analysis. Hardware abounds for capturing signals to be digitized and analyzed by software developed for the PC. Communication software has improved to where system developers can easily link instrumentation devices together to form integrated test environments for analyzing and displaying data. Telemetry systems, notable those developed for lab calibration and ground station environments, are one of many applications which can profit from the rapid development of data acquisition techniques for the PC. Recently developed for the ADS100A telemetry processor is a data acquisition module which allows the system to be linked into the PC world. The MUX-I/O module was designed to allow the PC access to telemetry data acquired through the ADS 100A, as well as provide a method by which data can be input into the telemetry environment from a host PC or equivalent RS-232 or GPIB interface. Signals captured and digitized by the ADS100A can be passed on to the PC for further processing and/or report generation. Providing interfaces of this form to the PC greatly enhances the functionality and scope of the abilities already provided by the ADS100A as one of the major front-end processors used in telemetry processing today. The MUX-I/O module helps "bridge the gap" between telemetry and the PC in an ever increasing demand for improving the quantity and quality of processing power required by today's telemetry environment. This paper focuses on two distinct topics, how to transfer data to and from the PC and what off-the-shelf software is available to provide communication links and analysis of incoming data. Major areas of discussion will include software protocols, pre vs post processing, static vs dynamic processing environments, and discussion of the major data analysis and acquisition packages available for the PC today, such as DaDisp and Lotus Measure, which aid the system designer in analyzing and displaying telemetry data. Novel applications of the telemetry to PC link will be discussed.

Increasing habitat fragmentation and rapid global warming is changing the conditions for species populations and ecological communities around the world. This presents challenges for the maintenance of biodiversity and a dominant paradigm for conservation in fragmented habitats is given by island biogeography and metapopulation (or metacommunity) ecology. In this thesis I approach key concepts (area, connectivity and community assembly) in island biogeography and metacommunity ecology within the context of a dynamic land uplift archipelago. The presented work consists of two interwoven themes: (i) A methodological theme in which statistical approaches are developed to deal with the complexities of multispecies dynamic systems, and (ii) an applied theme dealing with community assembly and island biogeography of bryophytes on young land uplift islands. To describe island connectivity for entire species assemblages, an approach using functional principal component analysis (fPCA) on patch connectivity functions (the connectivity of an island as a continuous function of a variable representing the spatial scale of species dispersal capacities) was developed. In addition, a new statistical method, functional co-inertia analysis (fCoIA), for analyzing co-variation between multivariate species data and continuous functions was developed and applied to the relation between bryophyte species incidences and the island age/area-dynamics. Primarily asexual bryophyte species are dispersal limited and presence probabilities are related to island connectivity. No such patterns were found for species, at least occasionally, producing spores. Our results suggest that bryophyte dispersal is regulated by the contribution of spores to a regional spore rain and that bryophyte species with low spore output at the landscape level may be extra vulnerable under habitat fragmentation and loss. Having specialized asexual propagules increases the presence probabilities on islands, partly compensating for the dispersal limitation in asexual species. This suggests a trade-off between dispersal and establishment capacity, but also points to the importance of local dispersal for maintaining populations under the succession driven spatial turnover of microsites on the islands. Bryophyte colonization is strongly limited by habitat availability when a given habitats is rare, but there seems to exist a threshold over which other processes (e.g. dispersal limitation) become more important. Species with more vagile life history strategies appear to be stronger affected by the area of available habitats than many perennial species

The rising cost of military aircraft has driven the DoD to increase the utilization of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components in new acquisitions. Despite several demonstrated advantages of COTS-based systems, challenges relating to obsolescence arise when attempting to design and sustain such systems using traditional acquisition processes. This research addresses these challenges through the creation of an Agile Systems Engineering framework that is specifically aimed at COTS-based systems. This framework, known as the Cyber-physical Acquisition Strategy for COTS-based Agility-Driven Engineering (CASCADE), amends the traditional systems engineering process through the addition of an "identification phase" during which requirements are balanced against the capabilities of commercially-available components. The CASCADE framework motivates the creation of a new Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulation which enables the creation of optimum obsolescence mitigation plans. Using this CASCADE MILP formulation, two sets of experiments are carried out: First, verification experiments demonstrate that the CASCADE MILP conforms to expected trends and agrees with existing results. Next, the CASCADE MILP is applied to a representative set of COTS-based systems in order to determine the appropriate level of obsolescence forecast accuracy, and to uncover new system-level cost-vs-reliability trends associated with COTS component modification.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate potential for and cost related impact of internal lead time reduction through coordination between materials supply and a production activity of customer-order-unique products. In order to achieve the purpose two questions are answered; 1. How can with respect to sourcing strategy, coordination between materials supply and production activity of customer-order-unique products be achieved? 2. How does a coordination affect cost items in related areas of the business? Method – Based on literature in the area of materials supply a theoretical framework for the study was established. The company JELD-WEN, an industrial manufacturer with customer-order-unique-production of fire- and safety-doors was used for a case study. Data collection was performed through interviews, observations and document studies. A comparison between the theoretical framework and empirical data generated the final results. Findings – Using a hybrid sourcing strategy, changes in materials supply through an internal call-off together with the materials feeding method kitting proves potential to reduce the internal lead time in the manufacturing process. An economic impact of such coordination with a production activity has been found for three cost items; handling cost (increase), administrative order cost (increase/decrease) and inventory carrying cost (increase/decrease). Implications – The study does not contribute to new theory in the field. Instead existing theory and relations defined in the theoretical framework have been verified by the case study. Internal lead time reduction identified in the study may be used in other ways than by the means of an improved customer offer. This can be done through sharing time to other time-exposed activities in the manufacturing process or as an additional safety time for finished products to secure company's delivery accuracy. Therefore, in a decision situation for change affected cost items should be assessed in contrast to the more indirect value of a lead time reduction. Limitations – Modifications of materials supply occurs in a context where conditions outside the unit of analysis plays a crucial role and thereby limits the possible usage of the potential lead time reduction. The study handles impact of cost items in a general direction (increase or decrease). Absolute terms contribute to more precise consequences and are probably necessary to support a company's final financial decision of using an alternative approach in materials supply.

The awareness and concern of our environment together with legislation have set more and more tightening demands for energy efficiency of non-road mobile machinery(NRMM). Integrated electro- hydraulic energy converter (IEHEC) has been developed in Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) /1/. The elimination of resistance flow, and the recuperation of energy makes it very efficient alternative. The difficulties of IEHEC machine to step to the market has been the requirement of one IEHEC machine per one actuator. The idea is to switch IEHEC between two actuators of log crane using fast on/off valves. The control system architecture is introduced. The system has been simulated in co-simulation using Simulink/Mevea. The simulated responses of pumpcontrolled system is compared to the responses of the conventional valve-controlled system.

Fuel cost represents a significant operating expense for owners and fleet managers of hydraulic off-highway vehicles. Further, the upcoming Tier IV compliance for off-highway applications will create further expense for after-treatment and cooling. Solutions that help address these factors motivate fleet operators to consider and pursue more fuelefficient hydraulic energy recovery systems. Electrical hybridization schemes are typically complex, expensive, and often do not satisfy customer payback expectations. This paper presents a hydraulic energy recovery architecture to realize energy recovery and utilization through a hydraulic hydro-mechanical transformer. The proposed system can significantly reduce hydraulic metering losses and recover energy from multiple services. The transformer enables recovered energy to be stored in a high-pressure accumulator, maximizing energy density. It can also provide system power management, potentially allowing for engine downsizing. A hydraulic test stand is used in the development of the transformer system. The test stand is easily adaptable to simulate transformer operations on an excavator by enabling selected mode valves. The transformer’s basic operations include shaft speed control, pressure transformation control, and output flow control. This paper presents the test results of the transformer’s basic operations on the test stand, which will enable a transformer’s full function on an excavator.

Most commercially available valves are able to produce a large flow rate or a fast response, but are incapable of producing both simultaneously. Commercially available valves that can achieve both are expensive as they require multiple stages of actuation and piloting pressures to deliver large flow rates quickly, preventing them from being broadly used in fluid power applications. This work investigates the design of an Energy Coupling Actuated Valve (ECAV) that is capable of solving this trade-off between large flow and fast switching times through the use of an innovative, high performance actuation system. The ECAV is a new development in valve technology in the area of hydraulic, high speed, proportional and digital on/off valves. High speed actuation is produced through the intermittent coupling of a kinetic energy source with a translational poppet or spool. This coupling process occurs through the use of magnetorheological fluid and a controlled magnetic flux through the fluid in the energy coupler. The ECAV has several design advantages including proportional force control and a large (7mm) stroke capability. Early results predict a nominal flow rate of 100 L/min at a 5 bar pressure drop can be achieved with a 3 ms on/off response time.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 23-26, 2000 / Town & Country Hotel and Conference Center, San Diego, California / TSI TelSys, Inc. is in the process of developing a production level, continuously tunable satellite receiver designed to support multiple high data rate, low earth and geostationary orbit missions in the 20 Mbps to 800 Mbps composite QPSK data rate range. This paper will evaluate market demands on satellite receivers and outline receiver design technique as a solution to high rate, multi-mission support.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 30-November 02, 1995 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) satellite was designed to operate with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) and Deep Space Network (DSN). NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Center for EUV Astrophysics have been evaluating a commercially available ground station already used for NASA's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) weather satellites. This ground station will be used in a network of unattended, autonomous ground stations for telemetry reception, processing, and routing of data over a commercial, secure data line. Plans call for EUVE to be the initial network user. This network will be designed to support many TDRSS/DSN compatible missions. It will open an era of commercial, low-cost, autonomous ground station networks. The network will be capable of supporting current and future NASA scientific missions, and NASA's LEO and geostationary weather satellites. Additionally, it could support future, commercial communication satellites in low, and possibly medium, Earth orbit. The combination of an autonomous ground station and an autonomous telemetry monitoring system will allow reduction in personnel. The EUVE Science Operations Center has already reduced console work from three shifts to one by use of autonomous telemetry monitoring software.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 17-20, 1994 / Town & Country Hotel and Conference Center, San Diego, California / The Advanced Telemetry Processing System (ATPS) is the result of a joint development project between Harris Corporation and Veda Systems, Incorporated. The mission of the development team was to produce a high-performance, cost-effective, supportable telemetry system; one that would utilize commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software, thereby eliminating costly customization typically required for range and telemetry applications. A critical element in the 'cost-effective, supportable' equation was the ability to easily incorporate system performance upgrades as well as future hardware and software technology advancements. The ATPS combines advanced hardware and software technology that includes a high-speed, top-down data management environment; a mature man-machine interface; a B1-level Trusted operating system and network; and stringent real-time multiprocessing capabilities into a single, fully integrated, 'open' platform. In addition, the system incorporates a unique direct memory transfer feature that allows incoming data to pass directly into local memory space where it can be displayed and analyzed, thereby reducing I/O bottleneck and freeing processors for other specialized tasks.