Abstract: A method for transportation of articles using a mobile robot. The mobile robot includes a mobile base, a manipulator which rotates relative to the mobile base, a storage platform on the base, and sensors, and has a navigation system. The method comprises: detecting articles at a pick-up area using the sensors; mapping the detected articles to a global map; selecting a set of articles according to predetermined parameters; determining a sequence for picking up the set of articles; loading the set of articles onto the mobile robot using the manipulator; determining a target position and orientation for the mobile base at the drop-off area optimal for unloading articles; the mobile robot travelling to the target position and orientation via the navigation system; unloading the set of articles using the manipulator according to predetermined settings. Also disclosed is a method for relocating the operation space of such a mobile robot.

Abstract: A system and method for optical localization of an autonomous mobile robot. The system includes a number of movable stationary landmarks defining an operating space for the robot. The robot includes a self-propelled mobile chassis, an optical sensor (a LiDAR sensor or optical camera) disposed on a raised portion and configured to detect the landmarks, and a controller configured to determine the position and orientation of the chassis based on information from the optical sensor. The landmarks have an elevated portion extending vertically to a height level which is equal to or higher than the horizontal plane of the optical sensor. Each landmark may have a cross-sectional feature and/or a visually distinct portion, to enable determining the orientation (of the optical sensor/mobile robot) relative to the landmark; as well as an identifier for uniquely identifying the landmark from others.

Abstract: A robotic vehicle apparatus for transporting a harvested crop within a cultivation area is disclosed and includes a vehicle controller operably configured to receive a pickup signal indicating that a harvested crop portion is available for transport to a post-harvesting location and identifying a location of a worker within the cultivation area. The vehicle controller navigates the vehicle to the location of the worker for loading the harvested crop portion into a load carrying repository and generates an identifier attributing the harvested crop portion to the worker. A quantity sensor is operable to produce a quantity signal representative of a quantity of the harvested crop portion loaded and the vehicle controller transmits quantity data to a host controller including the quantity of the harvested crop portion and the identifier. A method for navigating a robotic vehicle within an area having items arranged in a plurality of generally longitudinally extending adjacent rows is also disclosed.

Abstract: An agricultural robot is disclosed, the agricultural robot comprising a chassis comprising a plurality of ground-engaging mechanisms for propelling the robot in a direction of travel; a supply module mounted on the chassis and comprising a fluid providing unit, a power providing unit, a supply interface operatively connected to the fluid providing unit and to the power providing unit and for providing at least one of fluid and power; and a controller for operating the plurality of ground-engaging mechanisms and the supply interface.

Abstract: A manner of processing bit-interleaved data traffic in a communication network. In the increasingly-common scenario where data traffic is bit interleaved and scrambled using a PRBS (pseudo-random binary sequence) before it is transmitted from a sender to a receiver, the receiver is configured to receive the transmitted bit stream and decimate it, that is, remove the bits of the bit stream that are allocated for the receiver, prior to descrambling. To accomplish this, the receiver employs an LFSR (linear feedback shift register) similar or identical to the one used by the sender to scramble the data. The LFSR is initialized by employing helper bits inserted by the sender or an initialization unit, and may employ other techniques for phase adjustment or state skipping depending on the nature of the transmitted bit stream.

Abstract: A virtual personal computer is implemented in a communication system comprising a plurality of central offices each of which communicates with a plurality of client devices over a corresponding access network. A given one of the central offices comprises at least one compute server and at least one storage server. The virtual personal computer is configured by allocating physical processing resources of the compute server and physical storage resources of the storage server to that virtual personal computer. User access is provided to the virtual personal computer via one of the client devices. The virtual personal computer can be dynamically reconfigured by altering the allocation of at least one of the physical processing resources and the physical storage resources to the given virtual personal computer responsive to particular applications selected by the user to run on the given virtual personal computer.

Abstract: A manner of processing bit-interleaved data traffic in a communication network. In the increasingly-common scenario where data traffic is bit interleaved and scrambled using a PRBS (pseudo-random binary sequence) before it is transmitted from a sender to a receiver, the receiver is configured to receive the transmitted bit stream and decimate it, that is, remove the bits of the bit stream that are allocated for the receiver, prior to descrambling. To accomplish this, the receiver employs an LFSR (linear feedback shift register) similar or identical to the one used by the sender to scramble the data. The LFSR is initialized by employing helper bits inserted by the sender or an initialization unit, and may employ other techniques for phase adjustment or state skipping depending on the nature of the transmitted bit stream.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for multiple bit rate optical data transmission. A passive optical network includes an optical line termination unit (OLT) connected to one or more optical network units (ONUs) by optical elements. The OLT is capable of performing downstream transmission to the ONUs at each of a variety of different bit rates, and each ONU performs upstream transmission at one or more bit rates. The OLT can sense a bit rate of a received transmission and change its operation so as to receive and process the transmission exhibiting the sensed bit rate. Each of the ONUs receives and processes downstream transmissions at one or more bit rates, but each ONU is capable of maintaining a phase and frequency lock to downstream transmissions at all bit rates supported by the OLT. One or more of the ONUs may also receive and process downstream transmissions exhibiting different or changed bit rates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an efficient optical access network. In a preferred embodiment, a single light source is used to generate light in a network node, such as an OLT (optical line terminal). The generated light is then distributed using an optical splitter to a plurality of outputs, each associated with an ONU. The distributed light intended for a particular ONU (optical network unit) is modulated, for example by an EOM (electro-optical modulator), with a signal carrying communications for the intended ONU. The OLT includes a bank of EOMs or other kind of optical modulators, such as EAMs for serving a plurality of ONUs. The OLT may also include a second light source for generating light that is propagated to one or more of the ONUs for their use in forming upstream transmissions.

Abstract: A multi-channel processing module is arranged in series with multiple channels of a communication system. The processing module synchronizes downstream symbols among the channels, and synchronizes downstream symbols for at least a given one of the channels with upstream symbols for that channel. The synchronization of downstream symbols among the channels and the synchronization of downstream symbols for at least the given channel with upstream symbols for that channel are collectively achieved by adjusting downstream and upstream adjustable delay elements associated with respective downlink and uplink signal paths in the multi-channel processing module. The channels may comprise respective subscriber lines of a DSL communication system.

Abstract: A multi-channel processing module is arranged in series with multiple channels of a communication system. The processing module synchronizes downstream symbols among the channels, and synchronizes downstream symbols for at least a given one of the channels with upstream symbols for that channel. The synchronization of downstream symbols among the channels and the synchronization of downstream symbols for at least the given channel with upstream symbols for that channel are collectively achieved by adjusting downstream and upstream adjustable delay elements associated with respective downlink and uplink signal paths in the multi-channel processing module. The channels may comprise respective subscriber lines of a DSL communication system.

Abstract: A virtual personal computer is implemented in a communication system comprising a plurality of central offices each of which communicates with a plurality of client devices over a corresponding access network. A given one of the central offices comprises at least one compute server and at least one storage server. The virtual personal computer is configured by allocating physical processing resources of the compute server and physical storage resources of the storage server to that virtual personal computer. User access is provided to the virtual personal computer via one of the client devices. The virtual personal computer can be dynamically reconfigured by altering the allocation of at least one of the physical processing resources and the physical storage resources to the given virtual personal computer responsive to particular applications selected by the user to run on the given virtual personal computer.

Abstract: The specification describes a multicast system wherein user authentication is performed at a specially provided remote node in the multicast system. This reduces incoming traffic to the primary multicast server, thereby reducing latency in the system.