Importance

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Abstract

A method and an apparatus are disclosed for characterizing the unknown state of a physical system having a variant signature, the characterization being made with reference to a known state of like physical systems. A response signature representative of the unknown system state is compared to a standard signature representative of the known system state. The standard signature comprises a multi-dimensional region within a pre-defined, transformed coordinate system having an inner and outer boundary. If the response signature lies wholly within the bounded region, the system being characterized is deemed to be in the known state. Conversely, if the response signature does not lie wholly within the bounded region, the system being characterized is deemed to be in a state other than the known state. The ability to characterize the state of a physical system may be enhanced by adjusting the coordinate transformations of the standard signature and the response signature by an offset factor, and by subsequently subjecting both signatures to a topological transformation which produces a standard signature comprised of two concentric geometric figures.

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First Claim