Abstract: A method and apparatus for constraint propagation control including determining whether more than one range is to be propagated through a selected component, propagating the one range if only one range is to be propagated, and propagated a composite range if more than one range is to be propagated and if the ranges are sufficiently identical.

Abstract: A plant control system includes a plant control network for performing the overall supervision of a process being controlled. The plant control network has at least one external bus for operatively connecting a corresponding interface apparatus to the plant control network. Further, each interface apparatus interfaces with at least one predetermined field device, each field device being a type having a corresponding predetermined signal type. The interface apparatus comprises a controller for controlling the input/output (I/O) of the interface apparatus. At least one I/O module, connected to the controller, preprocesses information signals to and from the predetermined field device connected to the I/O module. The preprocessing is a translation between the signal type of the field device and signals compatible with the controller.

Abstract: A machine for machining a lens blank includes first and second lens blank holders which may be moved alternately between a loading station, where the lens blank can be loaded in the holder, and a machining station where the lens blank in the holder is to be machined. The machining of a lens blank at the machining station is controlled by a signal processor in response to signals from a lens blank sensing apparatus at the loading station. The sensing apparatus comprises means for sensing the position of a peripheral edge of the lens blank, and a plurality of probes engageable with different surface portions of the lens blank, means being provided for sensing the displacement of the probes and feeding to the signal processor output signals indicative of the displacement of the probes and hence indicative of the surface shape of the lens blank.

Abstract: A method for avoiding latent errors in a logic network for majority selection of binary signals in a triplicated system. Errors which result from errors or faults in one of two or more parallel-connected transistors of one or more separate logic devices included in the logic network are avoided by repeatedly switching each of the separate logic devices in a manner such that transistors which were parallel-connected become series-connected, and vice versa. As a result, these devices will perform alternately logic operations which are the dual correspondence of one another, e.g. NAND- and NOR-operations with the aid of the same transistors (61-66) in both instances. Thus, in practice, majority selection will be performed alternately with two mutually different logic networks, which are the dual correspondence of each other.

Abstract: A three dimensional article is produced layer by layer by jetting droplets of at least two different hardenable materials, as appropriate, into the various layers, the first material forming the article itself, and the second material forming a support for the article as necessary. The second material is thereafter separated from the first material, e.g., by heat, to form the desired article.

Abstract: A control system for a textile dying apparatus processes and distributes digitally encoded pattern information. A substrate is moved on a path along which the surface of the substrate comes into operative range of a plurality of arrays arranged along the path of the substrate. Each of the arrays has a plurality of individual dye applicators capable of selectively projecting a stream of dye onto a predetermined portion of the substrate corresponding to a pattern element in a pattern composed of a pattern element matrix with a plurality of pattern elements in each of a plurality of pattern rows. Each pattern element is associated with a visually distinct pattern area. The dye applicators project dye for a time period determined by the pattern information. The method first determines a set of initial values.

Abstract: A controlled tension cable transport system is disclosed, comprising a pulley with fixed axis and a second pulley whose axis occupies a position which is normally fixed during operation. Four sensors measure the tension of the cable during a previous test phase, with the installation off load, and a computing and control assembly compares the measurement results obtained with admissible limit values, for allowing or preventing operation of the installation. Preferably, the computing and control assembly permanently compares the tension of the cable and the torque of the pulley with respect to admissible threshold values during operation of the installation.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus and method controls and implements a goal-directed financial assets management system. The operative system receives investor deposits at selected levels of correspondence to established capital markets. A proportionality factor, or "market multiple" MM, is established as a measure of correspondence between the account and each market or asset of interest. The operative system periodically enters new account data and adjusts the individual accounts in response thereto. The system determines a net position change which is translated into aggregate purchase/sale orders of various market index futures contracts or other capital instruments. The system automatically adjusts the risk exposure in any asset category to prevent its reaching an excessive level. As a result, an account can never lose more than the amount deposited. The data processing system provides efficient operation and low transaction fees to the participating investors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting errors in communicated data words irrespective of the order in which the data words are communicated.

Abstract: A control system for a spinning machine wherein a nonsteady yarn irregularity is measured on the real time basis and results of the measurement is displayed in a concentrated manner or directly displayed on a package. A computing device for computing a standard deviation from a yarn irregularity signal is provided so that a uniformity of a yarn irregularity is evaluated in addition to a thickness and a length of the yarn irregularity.

Abstract: A control data input apparatus for feeding control data to an electronic apparatus, wherein words of a natural language representing a plurality of control commands for a controlled system are received and, after analysis of the natural language expressed by a combination of the words, the control commands are fed to the controlled system so that control of such system is rendered executable by the input natural language. The apparatus comprises word input system with an input keyboard provided corresponding to words of a natural language which represent a plurality of control commands for a controlled system, and natural language processing system responsive to a word input from the input keyboard of the word input system and functioning to analyze the natural language expressed by a combination of the words from the word input system, thereby forming data of control commands represented by the natural language.

Abstract: For the employment of an FEC method in systems of a variety of types, the serial binary data stream to be transmitted is supplied to a means for rate matching and for serial-to-parallel conversion wherein, first, the data rate is increased to the transmission rate upon formation of free locations for the acceptance of redundancy bits and, second, a corresponding plurality of parallel data streams are generated from the serial data stream, respectively one half of said parallel data streams forming the I-channel and the other half forming the Q-channel. The redundancy locations lie in the least significant bits of the I-channel and Q-channel. The more significant bits of the I-channel and the Q-channel directly control the appertaining inputs of a quadrature modulator, whereas the least significant bit is supplied to the appertaining input via a respective multiplexer.

Abstract: A digital signal, such as obtained during playback from a DAT machine, includes a first component containing e.g. the audio content and a second component containing error recognition code. A signal processor derives in accordance with the second component an error signal representative of errors in the digital signal. A microcomputer then calculates an error rate signal. The error rate signal may be visually displayed or the error rate signal may be applied to the pre-amplifier circuits in the playback transducer stage to minimize the errors.

Abstract: A pipelined data processing system comprises a series of pipeline stages through which instructions pass sequentially. If an error associated with a particular instruction (e.g. an illegal instruction) is detected, a Mayday signal is produced. This does not become active immediately. Instead it is passed down the pipeline along with the instruction that caused it, and becomes active only if that instruction attempts to terminate at the end of the pipeline. When the Mayday becomes active, it causes an interrupt to a diagnostic processor. If, on the other hand, the instruction that caused the Mayday is aborted, or does not attempt to terminate, then the Mayday is discarded and does not become active. This prevents unnecessary diagnostic actions.

Abstract: In a pattern associative memory system, an error correcting circuit is constructed in the form of a neural network. A memory condition of the error correcting circuit is established according to a back propagation method. If a memory pattern is recollected, an output from the error correcting circuit is again inputted to the error correcting circuit for feedback, thereby repeatedly performing error correction calculations of a pattern as the basis of recollection.

Abstract: A circuit for encoding and formatting data, the circuit having an input suitable for receiving a data stream in the form of bytes, the circuit comprising firstly a working memory in which the data is stored in the form of a matrix, and from which the data is taken sequentially, with the data being stored and taken by means of respective different sequences (either by being stored in lines and then taken in columns, or else by being stored in columns and then taken in lines), and secondly first and second encoder means each suitable for calculating, respectively for each line and for each column, a given number of redundancy bytes which are respectively horizontal redundancy bytes and vertical redundancy bytes (with one of said encoding means being connected to the outlet of said memory), wherein the first and second encoding means are connected in parallel to the output from the memory, with said second encoding means (for performing redundancy calculations corresponding to the sequence opposite to that by wh

Abstract: A control system for a printing plant comprising a central computer and a plurality of substantially identical peripheral computers. The central computer has a memory including a table defining the functions of each peripheral computer. The table is transmitted for storage in definition memories of the peripheral computers. The table includes a list of allowed or non-allowed interface units for each of the peripheral computers. Each of the peripheral computers includes an array of connectors for interfacing with auxiliary equipment. Each peripheral computer is capable of polling the busy or non-busy status of each connector and utilizing that information in conjunction with information in the definition memory to determine the functions assigned to it.

Abstract: Tomographic imaging of an inanimate object in which a fan-shaped beam of radiation is generated and divided into fan ray elements which are directed through a planar section of the object and detected by a set of detectors. Each detector produces a signal representative of the intensity of the radiation of a detected fan ray element and selected coordinates defining a cross-sectional image of the object are determined from the intensity signals of the detectors. The coordinates are stored and displayed on a display device. The detectors include a scintillation crystal which is provided with a half-solid cylinder of lead disposed on a side of the crystal.

Abstract: A means of controlling a process with a multiplicity of measurements dependent on one process parameter, so that only the most constraining of the measurements manipulates the process in such a way that the performance of each individual controller selected is equivalent to the performance if there were a single controller controlling only one measurement, the most constraining variable. The means of controlling also manipulates the process to prevent a measurement, that is within a process constraint limit, from excessively exceeding that process constraint limit when it is projected that it would do so without the corrective manipulation.

Abstract: A method for inputting a part profile which includes a standard or repeating shape. If a pattern profile input is requested at the time of a part profile input operation, a profile menu is displayed in a software key area (13b). When a pattern profile is selected by the profile menu, the selected pattern profile, e.g., a pattern view (CGP) of a series of grooves is displayed in conversational screen display area (13a) and a message (DQS) calling for various dimensions is displayed. The profile of the series of grooves is specified based on data entered in response to the message.