Abstract: A computer method is disclosed for ranking word similarities which is applicable to a variety of dictionary applications such as synonym generation, linguistic analysis, document characterization, etc. The method is based upon transforming an input word string into a key word which s invariant for certain types of errors in the input word, such as the doubling of letters, consonant/vowel transpositions, consonant/consonant transpositions. The specific mapping technique is a morphological mapping which generates keys which will have similarities that can be detected during a subsequent ranking procedure. The mapping is defined such that unique consonants of the input word are listed in their original order followed by the unique vowels for the input words, also in their original order. The keys thus generated will be invariant for consonant/vowel transpositions or doubled letters.

Abstract: A programmable sequence controller has indicator lamps for displaying the status of the respective input and output signals. The indicator lamps are respectively coupled with signal input and output terminals through a connector, and are included as in a panel which cover the front surface of the signal input and output terminals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a teaching apparatus for a robot comprising a graphic display capable of displaying characters, symbols, and figures, a pointing device capable of indicating any point on the display screen, a storage for storing character, symbol, and graphic information, and an arithmetic and logic unit for taking in three dimensional data and data of hand coordinates system stored in the storage, calculating a conversion matrix t.sub.v for conversion to data of hand coordinates system and a conversion matrix T.sub.p for projection to the hand coordinates system, converting three dimensional data to two dimensional data according to the thus calculated conversion matrices T.sub.v and T.sub.p, and allowing a display of surroundings viewed from a view point of the robot in motion or at rest to be made on the graphic display.

Abstract: Segments-in-process (SIPs) of material are automatically routed through a material handling system by distributed routing units under the guidance of a host computer system. The material handling system comprises a network of intersecting material paths. A distributed routing unit is located at material path intersections. Information relating to the source, destination and identity of a SIP is provided to the host computer system by a client process. Typically the destination of the SIP is a process machine located on a material path. Upon receipt of the information from the client process, the host defines a sequence of distributed routing units through which the SIP will move from its source to its destination. Each distributed routing unit in the sequence is then provided with information which enables each unit to identify the SIP and to perform a task with respect thereto. The tasks are then sequentially performed such that the SIP is routed through the defined sequence to its destination.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing a relationship between individual elements of two or more knowledge sets includes a main computer (12) that is operable to receive a portable memory cartridge (20). The computer (12) has an input keypad (16), a storage medium (18) and a display (14). A coordinate transducer (24) is provided to input the coordinates from a test sheet (26). The test sheet (26) has a pattern of knowledge elements in a question and answer format. The relationship between the questions and answers is predetermined and is stored in the portable memory cartridge (20). The coordinate transducer (24) provides for input of the coordinates of the question and answer on the test sheet for storage in the computer. After storage, selection of the coordinates of a particular question is followed by selection of the coordinates of an answer and comparison made by the computer (12) with the stored relationship in the portable cartridge (20).

Abstract: A computer system which learns or assimilates its experience into a hierarchical arrangement. The current set of events, represented as a general directed graph of nodes and arcs, is incorporated into a memory. After each observation or input, the resulting graph is analyzed to determine if any cycles exist. Each cycle is reduced to a single node. This collapsing of the graph creates a hierarchial arrangement of the past events. Each successive level of hierarchy, by burying the details, is a more generalized model of the past experiences. In this manner, not only are computational and memory requirements reduced, but, the computer system will learn from past events which to permit use in such applications as robotics or general operator inquiry and interaction.

Abstract: A control for an excavator controls the position of the bucket cutting edge to a desired depth accurately by a calibrating laser receiver mounted on the excavator stick member and passed through a stationary laser plane wherever the stick is moved into or out of a trench. Linear position encoders monitor the length that the actuating cylinders are extended and lookup tables convert the encoder outputs to angle representations for determining the positions of the laser receiver and the cutting edge. Other lookup tables are utilized to avoid time-consuming iterative calculation procedures to provide real-time digital process solutions of trigonometric functions. The apparatus includes a unique laser receiver comprising a plurality of linearly aligned photo receptors with associated circuitry for producing an output representative of the receptor illuminated or, if a group of receptors are illuminated, the centermost receptor illuminated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer, in particular for simulating biological processes. The essential feature of the computer is a central logic/computing system which is constructed as an n-valent permutograph. The negation network of this permutograph consists of individual nodal computers which are connected with other nodal computers via information or negation lines. Each nodal computer contains the negation network of the permutograph in a subnodal unit. The total computer can be controlled externally or internally, resulting in an intentional computer.

Abstract: The operation of a spiked sheet 15 advancing relatively to a compactable mass 14 e.g. of textile fibres in a bin emptying arrangement in a blending line is controlled by measuring the resistance through compaction of the mass 14 to said relative advance and adjusting the operation so as to maintain the resistance substantially constant. The resistance can be measured e.g. by measuring the torque reaction on the motor 24 powering the spiked sheet.

Abstract: A method for supervision and management of an industrial installation having a plurality of stations, each able to occupy at least two distinct functional states, and a corresponding system of supervision and management. In the discussed method of supervision and management of an industrial installation having a plurality of stations (Pi), each station is able to occupy at least two distinct functional states and the supervision is normally effected by an operator who, after controlling the functional state of each of the stations (Pi), is able to ensure the changing of the functional state of the said station. Each station (Pi) is assigned a coded identifying reference which, preliminarily to any operation on the stations (Pi), defines in a central console for control and management, a series of operations on each of the stations by the operator for establishing a corresponding system of supervision/management.

Abstract: This invention relates to a complex curved surface creation method for creating a complex curved surface (201) composed of at least two three-dimensional curved surfaces (201a, 201b, 201c). The complex curve surface creation method comprises a first step of inputting data for specifying each of the three-dimensional curved surfaces (201a-201cand inputting data specifying one line of intersection (CLi) on a predetermined plane e.g. an X-Y plane (203) as well as a rule for specifying a number of lines of intersection on the predetermined plane on the basis of the line of intersection, a second step of finding a section curve (SCi) of the complex curved surface (201) based on a section (202) which has an i-th line of intersection, among the number of lines of intersection, as its line of intersection with the predetermined plane (203), and a third step of specifying the complex curved surface (201) by assembling the section curves (SCi; i=1, 2, 3, . . .

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of processing data transactions in a banking terminal which permits to effect an appropriate cash handling of received money and disbursement of money due as change even in the case when data which is indicative of the types of denominations of the received money is inputted after data indicative of an actual amount of a transaction is inputted, and also even when data which is indicative of the types and denominations of the received money or sorts of money is inputted before data indicating an actual amount of the transaction involved is inputted.

Abstract: The invention provides an arrangement of controlling reactants in a chemical engineering system comprising feeding to a background electronic logic control circuit analysis signals with respect to the operation of the reactants in the reaction for interpretation therein; drawing conclusions as would a field technologist, implementing experiments from these conclusions to improve the efficiency, and if greater efficiency is achieved, feeding interpreted data signals with respect thereto from the background logic circuit to a data file; feeding data signals from the data file to a foreground electronic logic circuit together with signals relating to the activity level of the reaction and the physical conditions of the incoming supply of at least one reactant to the reaction; the foreground logic circuit controlling the flow of one or more reactants to the reaction on the basis of the signals received thereby.

Abstract: An injection molding machine wherein the values of variables for the current and several preceding molding cycles are displayed simultaneously, so as to perform process monitoring. Detection values of the variables in the current molding cycle are stored in a current value memory section of a memory (14). Every time a molding cycle ends, a CPU (11) transfers data from the current value memory section and past variable memory sections (which store the detection values of the respective variables of several preceding steps), to the past variable memory sections for the next preceding cycles. As a result the stored data of the memory sections is sequentially updated. The updated data and the current data are read out and displayed on a display unit (18).

Abstract: This electronic signal processing system is a subsystem of an automatic focus system for an E-beam lithography tool. This subsystem allows the automatic focus system to achieve resolution of 0.25 microns. An automatic focus system is composed of several subsystems. The first is an optical subsystem which produces a focused image of a source aperture on a transducer, which is the second subsystem. This image moves across the transducer in response to variations of the z-position of the measured surface. The transducer, in this case a linear photodiode array, converts the optical position signal into an electronic signal similar to a television video signal. The signal processing subsystem produces multiple outputs from the electronic signal produced by the transducer. The analog correction output of this subsystem realizes a mathematical function of the measured z-height. This analog output is sent to the focus correction subsystem of the E-beam tool, thus achieving focus correction.

Abstract: A control system has a detector for obtaining a detected signal corresponding to a controlled variable of a controlled system and a controller for supplying the controlled system with a control signal corresponding to the detected signal. The controller includes an error circuit for producing an error signal corresponding to the detected signal, a storage circuit having a plurality of stored values corresponding to the error signal, and an output circuit for producing the control signal by mixing the error signal and one or more stored values of the storage circuit. The storage circuit renews the stored values sequentially and periodically with a value corresponding to a mixed value of the error signal and a set of N stored values, the N stored values having been renewed at intervals of L renewing cycle periods, where each of N and L is an integer at least equal to 2. Preferably, a microprocessor executes the tasks of the error circuit, the storage circuit and the output circuit.

Abstract: An industrial robot has a position controller for each one of the axes of the robot and a computer for control of the robot. The computer continuously determines, with the aid of a mathematical model set up in advance, in dependence on the robot configuration and load in question, the mass moment of inertia of the axes, the coupled mass moment of inertia, and the moment caused by gravity. From the relationships between acceleration/deceleration and the drive motor torque for the different axes, the maximum available acceleration/deceleration for the axis is determined while assuming that maximum motor torque prevails for each axis. For each axis this value is compared with the maximum acceleration/deceleration value that may be allowed from the point of view of stability. On the basis of the lower of these values, optimum gain is determined and set in the position controller and/or a path planning parameter.

Abstract: A machine tool has a workpiece which is rotated by a motor. The tool is moved by a tool drive to machine a required surface profile on the workpiece and is also indexed on a carriage. The stepping signals for the workpiece motor are produced by a control system and, for each workpiece step, the control system also produces from a data store, a signal which moves the tool to the required tool position for machining the workpiece profile at the angular position corresponding to the stepped position of the workpiece motor. After each revolution of the workpiece motor, the carriage is indexed. Thus, the control system also controls the rotation of the workpiece and so no feedback of the workpiece position is required. This means that, during the machining cycle, the control system is involved solely with the supply of data from the store and does not conduct any calculation.

Abstract: In an industrial robot according to this invention, at least three points among a large number of off-line teaching points set for tasks are directly taught in the actual site of the tasks, the "deviations" between the actual teaching points and the off-line set teaching points respectively corresponding to each other are computed in directions X, Y and Z, and all the large number of off-line teaching points are corrected on the basis of the errors detected for at least the three points.

Abstract: A digitizing method for obtaining data indicative of the three-dimensional shape of an object by effecting movement along at least one axis (X or Y axis) under numerical control on the basis of path data and along another axis (Z) under tracer control and monitoring the present position along each axis. A numerial control unit performs numerical control to moving a tracer head in X and Y directions. A tracer control unit generates a Z-axis velocity command V.sub.z to move the tracer head along the Z axis. The numerical control unit counts pulses generated by a motor driving a tracer control axis to obtain the present position along the tracer control axis. The numerical control unit also obtains a commanded position along each numerical control axis (X,Y axes) by using the path data, and obtains a present position, represented by a machine position, by substracting an amount of servo-system delay (i.e., the contents of error registers) from the commanded position.