Abstract: A clean room system has filter-fan units each having at least one fan motor and being connected to an electric network. At least one central control unit is provided. A connecting bus system for connecting the filter-fan units to one another and to the at least one central control unit is provided.

Abstract: A technique is provided for providing total flexibility of control of any desired operation within an environment where personnel work, such as an office suite. The location of transponders is determined by a location system. A user arbitrarily selects a convenient region for controlling an operation and the location system registers this in a memory. The location system then determines the position of each transducer and, when a transducer is within one of the selected regions, the location system responds by controlling the operation. For example, a region may be selected entirely arbitrarily so as to control room lighting.

Abstract: A navigation device for navigating a vehicle to a point comprises a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals, a processor connected with the receiver for processing the GPS signals, navigation data created by the processor, and a display page. The navigation data includes ground speed, altitude, vertical speed and rate of turn information, and the display page presents this information in individual graphic, circular displays representative of an aircraft instrument panel.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data from a remote location for evaluation by an expert. A remote appliance couples a data collection device with a communications device to transmit collected data and serve as a virtual remote presence server. The remote appliance transmit collected data. The remote appliance transmits the data in accordance with subscriber information stored in a centralized device. The data can be processed or evaluated in any manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wireless home automation system having a controller for controlling a broad variety of functions via two ways communication with a plurality of devices. The controllers and devices of the system comprises means for generating a signal comprising a destination identifier, instructions related to the input/output of the destination or source device, and a repeater identifier. The devices according to the invention are adapted to act as input/output devices and signal repeating devices. The processors of each device comprises means for, upon reception of a signal, processing said information if the destination identifier corresponds to the device identifier of the device, and means for, upon reception of a signal, transmitting a second signal holding at least said destination identifier and said instruction if the repeater identifier corresponds to the device identifier of the device.

Abstract: A data sample and transmission module for a power distribution system having a microprocessor, a locator device, and a network interface is provided. The microprocessor samples one or more first signals indicative of a condition of power in the power distribution system. The locator device is changeable between a first state and a second state. The network interface can place the microprocessor in communication with a network so that the microprocessor samples the first signals based in part upon a synchronization signal receivable from the network and so that the locator device changes from the first state to the second state in response to a command receivable from the data network.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for monitoring the switching paths of a time/space coupling network in a coupling network (SN), having an originating address generator (UAG) for generating an originating address (UA) to be switched, a target value address generator (SE) for producing an expected target value address, and a comparator apparatus (V) for acquiring and comparing a switched originating address (UA′) on a predetermined output line (AKL) of the time/space coupling network (ZRKN) with the expected target value address. In this way, the time/space coupling network can be monitored or, respectively, tested reliably and completely.

Abstract: A system for implementing a method for initializing and binding ballasts is disclosed. The system comprises a remote control having a master controller and the ballasts each having a slave controller. The master controller and the slave controllers are operated to implement routines whereby the master controller generates a clock sequence of a plurality of clock cycles, and the slave controllers randomly generate addresses and direct a transmission of signals indicative of the generated random addresses to the master controller during corresponding clock cycles. In response thereto, the master controller assigns network addresses corresponding to the random addresses as indicated by the corresponding clock cycles. The master controller and the slave controllers are further operated to implement routines for verifying the assigned network addresses and routines for binding each network address to a command of the remote control.

Abstract: A control unit is set up to operate a target device by receiving a first input for selecting from a plurality of protocols stored in the control unit a protocol that is appropriate for communicating with the target device. The control unit is then caused to transmit to the target device, using the selected protocol, a request for configuration information. In response to the receipt of the request, the target device returns to the control unit a function indicator and the control unit selects from a plurality of commands appropriate for the target device stored in the control unit a command corresponding to the function indicator. The selected command is mapped to a function key of the control unit such that activation of the function key results in communication of the selected command using the selected protocol to the target device to thereby control a function supported by the target device that is represented by the function indicator.

Abstract: In a security system that has a large number of individually-addressable modules interconnected on a data bus to a control panel, a method of concurrently supervising the modules by first configuring each module with a unique zone number including a group number and a module number. During operation, the control panel initiates a group supervision poll sequence for each group number by transmitting a group poll command including a group number data field populated by the group number currently being polled. If a module is part of the group being polled, then it sets a discrete bit appended to a group poll response message that logically corresponds to the module number for that module. The control panel then determines if any bit in the group poll response message has not been set, and then issues a unit poll sequence addressed to a module that corresponds to any such bit not determined to have been set in the group poll response message.

Abstract: An addressable monitoring system and method for addressing sensors. In one embodiment, the invention provides an addressable monitoring system for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of sensors each having at least one address input; a harness; and a controller. The harness includes a common bus coupled to each of the plurality of the sensors. Each sensor is operable to determine its own address according between the sensor and the harness. The controller sends a signal having address information and control or command information through the harness. The sensor having an address that corresponds to the address information in the signal sent by the controller responds. The system is applicable to a tire pressure monitoring system having multiple sensors, one sensor located on or in each tire. Each sensor may be paired with an addressable initiator located in the proximity of the tire.

Abstract: An input device for robotic surgical techniques and other applications has a handle supported by a linkage with a redundant degree of freedom, the joints being movable with at least one more degree of freedom than the handle. At least one joint of the linkage is actively driven to prevent the linkage from approaching singularities of the joint system, motion limits of the joints, and also to drive the linkage toward a freely articulatable configuration. A robotic master controller can include an arm assembly supporting a gimbal having a redundant linkage, with the arm primarily positioning the gimbal in a three dimensional controller workspace and the gimbal coupling the arm to the handle with four rotational degrees of freedom. One or more additional degrees of freedom may also be provided for actuation of the handle, to close the jaws of a surgical grasper.

Abstract: A device and procedure for associating an identifier with each of a plurality of slave units in a master slave system is provided. In one aspect, a master outputs a signal on a multi-line bus with a single, preferably lowest-numbered, line pulled-up and the remaining lines pulled-down. A first slave in a daisy chain communication architecture, in response to the pull-up of the bus wire configures itself with the lowest-numbered slave number, preferably so as to respond to a lowest-numbered com line. The first slave unit then outputs, to the next slave unit, a signal on the multi-line bus with the next-higher numbered line pulled-up and all other lines pulled-down. In response, the second slave unit will configure itself with the second-lowest slave identifier number such as configuring itself to respond to the second-lowest com line, and so forth.

Abstract: An addressable monitoring system and method for addressing sensors. In one embodiment, the invention provides an addressable monitoring system for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of sensors each having at least one address input; a harness; and a controller. The harness includes a common bus coupled to each of the plurality of the sensors. Each sensor is operable to determine its own address according between the sensor and the harness. The controller sends a signal having address information and control or command information through the harness. The sensor having an address that corresponds to the address information in the signal sent by the controller responds. The system is applicable to a tire pressure monitoring system having multiple sensors, one sensor located on or in each tire. Each sensor may be paired with an addressable initiator located in the proximity of the tire.

Abstract: A location device connectable to a power outlet of a mains power system, the location device being connectable to a power connection of a network appliance, the location device being operable to transmit location information to the network appliance via said power connection.

Abstract: A connection control system for a mobile communication network comprising means for (a) classifying services of base stations according to service levels and (b) for storing, in each of the base stations, identification information corresponding to one or a plurality of providable service levels in a memory part, and (c) for comparing a service level requested by a mobile station with the one or plurality of providable service levels based on the identification information stored in the memory part. Then selecting, in each base station, a service to be provided on the basis of the comparison described in step (c), so that services of service levels independently established for every area can be provided to the mobile stations each registered in a respective one of the base stations.

Abstract: HVAC network devices are provided with radio frequency identification tags (RFID tags) which can be read by a read/write device. The read tag identification of each network device is stored in memory within the HVAC network device . A device capable of reading the RFID tags of the HVAC network devices will be used by a person to assign network addresses to each network device. In particular, the person will use information concerning the location of an HVAC network device to determine the network address that is to be assigned to the network device. The thus identified network address along with the tag identification is transmitted to a network controller for the communication network. The network controller will transmit a configuration message over the communication bus that will include the tag identification as well as the desired network address.

Abstract: A voice controlled surgical suite is provided for controlling a plurality of surgical apparatus by a single human. The system includes a voice recognition device adapted to recognize a plurality of predetermined speech commands from a single human and to generate a corresponding set of command output signals. A surgical table is operatively connected with the voice recognition device and is responsive to a first set of the command output signals to initiate selected surgical table movements. A surgical lighthead is similarly connected with the voice recognition system and is responsive to a second set of the command output signals to initiate selected surgical lighthead operations. In addition, surgical camera and task light devices are included in the system and are responsive to fourth and third sets of command output signals, respectively, generated by the voice recognition device to initiate selected surgical camera and surgical task light operations.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method whereby each module is determined from the address of the module located immediately upstream in the network relative to the central unit, the detected address being transmitted by the upstream module in an attribution message, which triggers off an automatic search phase for the module without address, nearest downstream to a module with an address, during which each downstream module without address receives (50) the address attribution message, triggers (52) a delay whereof the duration is so much longer if the received message reception is low, and if at the end (54) of the delay, no address capture message is detected (53), it transmits (56) such a message, stores (57) the received address, determines the address of the nearest downstream module without address, and triggers (30) the search phase for the nearest downstream module without address.

Abstract: The infusion device comprises a central controller (10) and a plurality of infusion apparatus (12) each connected via a data channel (15) with the controller (10). Each infusion apparatus (12) is provided with a unique identification number. When an infusion apparatus (12) is connected to the controller (10) the identification number is requested and the controller (10) checks whether this identification number has already been allocated. If this is not the case, the controller (10) sends the inverted identification number back to the infusion apparatus (12). The infusion apparatus (12) accepts commands from the controller (10) only if the returned signal corresponds to the identification number.

Abstract: In a system for performing signal transmission, through a field bus, between field devices and higher-rank apparatuses connected on a transmission line, the field devices are of the analog signal type, and a substitution means is provided between the analog type field devices and the field bus so that the substitution means acts to perform communication on the field bus as a substitute for the field devices. By the substitution means, the field devices can be gradually changed to those adapted to the field bus as occasion demands, so that an existing system can be transformed step by step into a field bus system.

Abstract: A method of binding one or more lamps from a neighborhood group into a control group that are controlled together. First, the addresses of the lamps in the neighborhood group are requested. The first address received from the lamps in response to the address request is considered as an address (represented as ADDR1) of a first lamp in the neighborhood group. The lamps in the neighborhood group are queried as to whether they have address ADDR1 of the first lamp in the neighborhood. A response to the query is received, of course, from the first lamp, which has address ADDR1. In addition, it is determined whether one or more additional responses to the query are received from one or more of the other lamps in the neighborhood group. If additional responses are received, all lamps having address ADDR1 are instructed to randomize their addresses.

Abstract: A clean room system has filter-fan units each having at least one fan motor and being connected to an electric network. At least one central control unit is provided. A connecting bus system for connecting the filter-fan units to one another and to the at least one central control unit is provided.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data from a remote location for evaluation by an expert. A remote appliance couples a data collection device with a communications device to transmit collected data and serve as a virtual remote presence server. The remote appliance transmit collected data. The remote appliance transmits the data in accordance with subscriber information stored in a centralized device. The data can be processed or evaluated in any manner.

Abstract: An audio, video, or multimedia control system and associated method are provided. The audio, video or multimedia control system preferably includes at least one keypad responsive to a user and a keypad controller responsive to the at least one keypad. The keypad controller preferably has a multiple vector command path protocol to operate the controller through a plurality of multiple vector command paths within an application or other equivalent layer of an audio, video, or multimedia communication network. The system also preferably has a plurality of communication channels connected to the at least one audio, video or multimedia keypad controller and a plurality of audio, video, or multimedia devices each connected to at least one of the plurality of communication channels and positioned within a plurality of rooms within a home or business so as to define the audio, video, or multimedia communications network.

Abstract: A geometric harmonic modulation (GHM) communication system communicates GHM signals on a power line of a reconfigurable network. The GHM communication system includes a master controller connected to the power line for transmitting GHM signals on the power line. A boundary component is also connected to the power line. A GHM addressable device is connected to the power line between the master controller and the boundary component. The GHM addressable device defines a boundary of a network region based on the GHM signals transmitted over the power line.

Abstract: The present invention provides a smart wireless fire site notifying device, which comprises a plurality of fire sensors, a plurality of route indicators, and at least a remote control master. The fire sensor gives an alarm and outputs a wireless alarming signal to other fire sensors when detecting abnormal situations. The route indicator receives the wireless alarming signal, discriminates the signal, and determines and displays the fire site and the best escape route. The remote control master sets the address serial code of each fire sensor and mutual learning of digital codes of the fire sensors and the route indicators to let them receive the wireless alarming signal simultaneously. The present invention not only has learning and regular self testing functions, it can also inform the users of the fire site and situation and the best escape direction and route to exactly ensure their properties and safety.

Abstract: An interface module is proposed, to which sensors are connected and which is positioned in a control device, it being indicated via an identification input how the sensor data are to be classified by the interface module. In particular, this can be used to distinguish between safety-relevant and safety-irrelevant data. Furthermore, the nature of the data can be identified therewith. This identification input is advantageously designed as a voltage input, the voltage levels being then converted into a bit sequence. The identification input is connected to ground via a resistor, so that, in the case of an unspecified input potential, the voltage level is connected to ground. The interface module has a logic circuit to which voltage comparators are connected, which compare the voltages to reference potentials, and then the logic circuit performs a coding using the bit sequences, as a function of the output signals of the voltage comparators.

Abstract: In the remote control device a receiver receives a signal corresponding to a command issued from a remote controller group to a control object appliance. A command string analyzing section registers in a database in a nonvolatile memory a plurality of commands received by the receiver as a command string. When a command is issued from the remote controller group, then a command issuing section retrieves a command string containing this command from the database, estimates the issued command based on the retrieval result, and issues the command. A transmitter transmits the issued command to the control object appliance as a command signal.

Abstract: The operating control device can be use on equipment such as hand tools, electronics or fuel pumps. An input device enables the input of user access codes and a readout panel monitors the equipment status. A control member is in communication with the input device, readout panel, power source, driver member and activation member to prevent operation of the equipment by requiring entry of a user code. The control device can include a programmable timer to communicate with the control member to enable the power to flow from the power source to the driver member for a predetermined period of time. A clock can track time and activate and deactivate the timer. The communication can be through electrical wires that can be encased in a solid material to make the control member and wires inaccessible. When used directly on a fuel pump, the control member prevents fuel from reaching the engine without the input of a proper user code.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wireless network including a master processing device (14) for generating information and broadcasting the information through wireless, transmission of signals and a plurality of client processing devices (18) having circuitry for receiving the information from the master processing device (14) and transmitting other information to the master processing device (14). The master processing device (14) selects one of the plurality of client processing devices (18) to acknowledge the receipt of the information from the master processing device.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in an addressable distributed wireless remote control system includes a receiver operative to receive a request from an unidentified remote control device via a wireless communication medium. The apparatus also includes a storage device to store an identifier which identifies the receiver in the system, and transmit logic, coupled to the receiver and the storage medium, operative to transmit both the request and the identifier to a system controller.

Abstract: A self contained electronic system for manual or automatic control and navigation of fixed winged aircraft using electronic position sensing such as GPS, DGPS, WAAS, and the like, as the primary sensor and making use of known flight characteristics of the aircraft to determine aircraft attitude without any interaction with the aircraft, its controls, or the outside environment and without any moving mechanical devices other than switches, dials and connectors. The automatic and visual interface between the system and the pilot provides for simplified flight controls, and a new solution to the hazard of disorientation, and will reduce the time needed for a pilot to become proficient in VFR and instrument flying. A single instrument replaces many of the conventional instruments used for flight. Navigation data is provided in an easy to understand graphical format. The pilot is told explicitly where to move aircraft controls.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating over networks, particularly generally-linear networks such as a netowrk of railcars in a railway train. The disclosed system and method include the relaying of packets which may contain plural messages down a line of nodes. Acknowledgement of the packets is obtained implicitly by listening to a subsequenct relay of the packet and retransmission of the packet is effected on a diverse antenna in the event of non-acknowledgement. Message bandwidth is shared among the nodes of the system by a message priority system and by the reservation of portions of a packet for certain types of messages. Message bandwidth is also shared by the use of groups of nodes as relay particpiants and by periodically changing the group which is peforming the relay operations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus that record/reproduce a digital audio signal to/from a rewritable magnetic optical disc. With an operating portion and a displaying portion having an input field with a plurality of lines, character information such as titles of individual programs in a plurality of character formats can be input at a time.

Abstract: A communications system is provided for communicating information to and from recipients scattered over wide geographic areas. A computer controlled head end communications interface adds address information to a message in accordance with who the intended recipients are. A media router directs the message through appropriate transport media in accordance with the address information. Preferably, the messages are communicated, at least in part, over existing paging systems. Additional transport media include existing power distribution networks, twisted wire pairs and fiber optics networks. Bi-directional reporting capability is provided. The system is well-suited for applications such as remote reading of utility meters, communication of emergency warnings, bi-directional alarm reporting, time synchronization, and encryption/authentication.

Abstract: A control system is disclosed which permits information captured by each sensor to be sent exactly to a main controller and a fall in the level of sensor signals with time to be automatically compensated for with no need to make sensor signal lines long and without reducing the sensor monitoring accuracy and limiting the number of sensors used. The levels of signals from sensors connected to each of unit controllers are compared with slice levels. The results of comparisons are converted into a serial signal and then transmitted to the main controller. Each time the sensor signal level is monitored, the optimum slice level therefor is set.

Abstract: In a system for performing signal transmission, through a field bus, between field devices and higher-rank apparatuses connected on a transmission line, the field devices are of the analog signal type, and a substitution means is provided between the analog type field devices and the field bus so that the substitution means acts to perform communication on the field bus as a substitute for the field devices. By the substitution means, the field devices can be gradually changed to those adapted to the field bus as occasion demands, so that an existing system can be transformed step by step into a field bus system.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to control systems and provides a run time configurable control system for selecting and operating one of a plurality of operating room devices from a single input source, the system comprising a master controller having a voice control interface and means for routing control signals. The system additionally may include a plurality of slave controllers to provide expandability of the system. Also, the system includes output means for generating messages to the user relating to the status of the control system in general and to the status of devices connected thereto.

Abstract: A network control system is provided which includes: a network terminal; and a control terminal. The network terminal transmits to the control terminal manipulation information indicating a type of at least one manipulation component and a manipulation requesting signal corresponding to the manipulation component, receives from the control terminal the manipulation requesting signal, and performs an operation corresponding to the manipulation requesting signal upon receipt of the manipulation requesting signal from the control terminal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of performing bus transactions on the bus of the computer system. The present invention includes a method and apparatus for permitting out-of-order replies in a pipelined bus system. The out-of-order responses include the sending of tokens between both the requesting agents and the responding agents in the computer system without the use of dedicated token buses.