Abstract: A method and apparatus by which an operator without Chinese cooking skills or knowledge can cook consistent, superior Chinese stir-fry dishes with higher productivity and with a wider repertoire of recipes than that of the traditional Chinese chef. This invention includes means for entering and storing recipe data in a computer control system, means for selecting a recipe from a displayed menu, and means for cooking the selected recipe automatically by the computer control system including addition of food and liquid ingredients at proper intervals, temperature control throughout the cooking process, stirring of the cooking food, and timing of the cooking process, all according to the recipe selected.

Abstract: A numerically controlled machine tool for producing tangential entry into a compensated contour and for the tangential leaving from a compensated contour. The numerically controlled machine tool also produces the interior or exterior rounding of intersections between two contours.

Abstract: In a plant control system, a transmission channel includes loop transmission lines arranged in duplex. Equivalently connected to this transmission channel are a plurality of one-loop controller stations, a backup station backing up a disabled one of the plural controller stations and a display station for displaying the status of the controller stations and the backup station. Each of the controller stations, backup station and display station includes a built-in microcomputer. Each of these stations includes also a transmission interface circuit and a self-diagnostic circuit. The transmission interface circuit in each station selects one of the transmission lines for data transmission between its own station and the others. The self-diagnostic circuit in each station detects the presence of failure of normal operation of its own station and disconnects the disabled station from the transmission line, so that the other stations may not be adversely affected by the disabled station.

Abstract: A control system for a machine includes a pulse generator for generating a pulse signal synchronized with the speed of drive of the machine and a programmed control device for receiving the pulse signal and controlling the sequence of operation of the machine thereby to synchronize the control operation of the control device and the actual operation of the machine with each other. For this purpose a program of the programmed control device is so designed that a control routine for executing a process necessary to control the machine and a synchronizing routine for controlling the timing at which said control routine is to be started are executed continuously and repeatedly. The routine of the program are so associated with the pulse generator that the number of pulses generated at a speed corresponding to the normal run of the machine during the time equal to the sum of the control routine and the synchronizing routine is at least two.

Abstract: A combination of a programmable logic controller with analog circuitry. The analog circuitry includes a summation point to which several items are coupled. Analog inputs are selectively coupled to the summation point through analog switches. Also, the output of a digital to analog converter couples to the summation point. Still further, the analog output for the controller is obtained from a sample and hold circuit which has its input connected to the summation point and which includes means for outputting the analog value at its output back to the summing point. Even still further, a comparator input couples to the summation point. The arrangement provides for direct processing of analog information either by direct output of analog processed analog data or by obtaining one bit data from the comparator which represents whether a threshold has been reached by the analog data.

Abstract: A numerical control device for controlling a machine tool automatically selects the tool of the specified kind from among a plurality of tools of the same kind disposed in the magazine locations or holders. The numerical control device includes registers for storing the kinds and the lives of the tools disposed in respective magazine locations. Thus, when a tool select command specifying a tool kind is inputted, the magazine location in which the tool of the specified kind having a remaining life is selected by studying the contents of the registers in sequential order. The device further includes registers for storing adjustment values of the tools in the magazine locations, and thus can automatically effect the adjustment operation of the newly selected tool. Preferably, the device includes a tool damage detector and automatically changes the tool in use when it is damaged or reaches the end of its life in the middle of the machining operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for encoding the lateral or circumferential setting within a web press of a laterally or circumferentially adjustable machine for operating on a web is provided. The machine has an element which moves linearly as the machine is adjusted, and the apparatus includes a linkage connectable to the linearly moving element. An electric signal generator is operatively connected to the linkage for operation in response to movement of the linkage. A reference point is defined for describing the setting of the machine, and a code is computed in response to the signal generated by the signal generator for designating the setting of the machine with respect to the reference point. The generated code is then displayed in an appropriate manner or used to automatically set the machine.

Abstract: In a method of rolling metal for producing a metal plate or a metal sheet having a desired range of thickness through a sequence of rolling passes, variations in the deformation resistance of the metal along the longitudinal direction of the metal are detected, variations in deformation resistance and the resulting variations in rolling force in the finishing pass are estimated, and the rolling for obtaining the necessary thickness of the metal at the entrance of the finishing pass is carried out under a combination of a feedback automatic gauge control process and feed-forward automatic gauge control process, whereby variations in the rolling force are cancelled even if the metal which is to be rolled has skid marks thereon.

Abstract: A wagering system having a central processor and a plurality of playing consoles remote therefrom with said console capable of providing data inputs to the central processor, with such data inputs including identification of the playing console, the player, amount played, and games selected which may be an instantaneous game or a delayed game with said central processor being interconnected to the playing console via a multiplexing preprocessing arrangement, said central processor having a means of determining a winning play based upon the time of transmittal of the data or on a random basis, with the player console having a means capable of providing a printed record of the play to the player along with a verification of a win or a loss.

Abstract: A computer-controlled welding apparatus includes a phase-controlled resistance welding circuit (A) for selectively conducting pulses of a welding current to a workpiece (B) and a control circuit (C) for controlling the conduction of the welding current. The control circuit includes a line clock generator (30) for determining the beginning of each voltage half line cycle and a conduction sensor (34) for determining whether or not a contactor (14) is conducting current to the workpiece. A microcomputer (40) is preprogrammed with a plurality of power factor correction curves, each of which represents weld current vs. firing angle for a fixed hangover angle. The computer is programmed to select one of the power factor correction curves. If the preceding half line cycle was conductive, the program selects the curve which corresponds to the hangover angle of the preceding half line cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a system are provided. The overall system operation is described by a plurality of mechanism cycles of operation each defined by a sequence of instructions relating sensed conditions of input devices, selectable conditions of output devices and variable values. Instruction signals representing the instructions of the sequences are stored together with mechanism cycle status signals each representing the executability of the associated mechanism cycle. Only instructions associated with cycles for which the status signal represent an executable condition are executed. Instructions for cycles for which the status signals represent a nonexecutable condition are modifiable during execution of the other instruction sequence. The instruction signals include variable name signals associated with unique interface circuits connected to the input and output devices.

Abstract: A system for controlling the flow of articles within a work area including a plurality of work stations and for acquiring real time information relating to the status of articles in process. The system comprises a sorting conveyor for delivering articles to be processed to the work stations from a storage area, means at each work station for indicating that an unprocessed article is requested at the station, and computer means coupled to the sorting conveyor and to the indicating means for controlling the movement of articles from the storage area to the work stations in response to work station requests and for providing information, based on articles dispatched to each work station, relating to the status of articles in process.

Abstract: An acid alkylation process is controlled so as to maintain a desired ratio of isobutane to olefins in a fluid stream flowing to the alkylation reactor and to maintain a desired acid to hydrocarbon ratio in the alkylation reactor. Also, if parallel alkylation reactors are utilized, the flow rate of the olefin stream to one of the alkylation reactors is manipulated so as to maintain a balanced loading on the parallel alkylation reactors. Such control results in improved quality of the alkylate produced and also improves the amount of alkylate produced from a particular amount of fluid to the alkylation reactor.

Abstract: A robot control method and apparatus of the type in which robot operations are taught in advance and the robot is subsequently actuated in accordance with the robot instruction data so taught. Areas in which the robot is forbidden to enter are established and the resulting information is stored in a memory. During the teaching of the robot operations the robot instruction data is created by moving the robot without regard to the forbidden areas. Thereafter, the robot instruction data so created is modified using the forbidden area information, the robot being controlled on the basis of the data so modified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the positions of switch members such as a deceleration limit switch installed on a machine tool in a numerical control system for controlling the machine tool on the basis of numerical control data and for executing predetermined numerical control processing on the basis of signals produced by the switch members. When the switch member such as a limit switch is actuated, a display device displays the current position of a movable member on the machine tool, or a numerical value corresponding to the current position of the movable member. Whether the switch member is installed on the machine tool at the correct position is determined on the basis of the displayed current position or numerical value corresponding thereto. When it is determined that the switch member is installed at an incorrect position, the switch member is positionally adjusted on the basis of the indication given by the display device.

Abstract: A numerical control method and apparatus for controlling the movement of a movable member by setting entry forbidden areas which the movable member is forbidden to enter. Entry forbidden information relating to the boundaries of the entry forbidden areas is created and stored in memory, the current position of the movable member is monitored, the entry forbidden information is used to determine whether the current position of the movable member has entered a forbidden area, and the movement of the movable member is halted when the current position thereof has entered an entry forbidden area.

Abstract: A feedback system for a robot controller provides feedback signals representing incremental motion along an axis in either a first or second direction based upon a pair of encoder signals from a position encoder. The feedback system includes circuitry which produces a pair of signals indicating the state of the first encoder signal and whether the first encoder signal has changed state, and circuitry which produces a pair of signals indicating the state of the second encoder signal and whether the second encoder signal has changed state. A read only memory receives these four signals at its address inputs and produces the first and second feedback signals at its data outputs based upon stored microcode. The encoder signals may be in the form of pulsed up/down feedback, where one of the two encoder signals contains pulses and the other encoder signal remains unchanged.

Abstract: A smear-desmear filter having the frequency depending group delay characteristics is implemented by a transversal filter having a plurality of delay elements each having the delay time 1/(2f.sub.2), where f.sub.2 is the highest frequency component of an input signal, tap weight coefficient means for providing the product of the output of the tap and the predetermined coefficient which is supplied from a digital memory, and an adder for summing up all the outputs of the tap weight coefficient means. A tap and/or a tap weight coefficient means is provided for every m number of delay elements, where m is an integer larger than 2, thus, the number of tap weight coefficient means is merely 1/m of the number of the delay elements. The tap weight stored in said the digital memory is determined by the position (n) of a tap, a delay time (.tau.) of each delay element, the required delay expansion width (a), and the value of said integer (m). The obtained delay characteristics is sinusoidal in the given frequency band.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of sensing an overload abnormality in a robot control apparatus for controlling a robot on the basis of instructive data. A motor for driving the robot has the upper and lower limits of its drive current or of its driving power set in advance. Then, when the robot is operating in the playback mode, the value of the drive current or power is monitored, and an operation is performed to check whether the value of the motor drive current or power is within the range of the set limit values, enabling an overload abnormality to be sensed. In accordance with the inventive method an instruction for checking the motor drive current or power is inserted beforehand at a proper location in the instructive data. When said instruction is read, a discrimination operation is performed to determine whether the drive current or power is within the range of the limit values.

Abstract: A programmable transversal filter utilizes a plurality of programmable multiplying means. The result of each multiplication is summed by a summing circuit, thus providing an output signal. The delay network comprises a plurality of signal sample and hold circuits which are selectively connected to the input bus in sequence, in order that one sample and hold circuit may store an analog signal sampled during the present time instant, with other sample and hold circuits storing a plurality of analog signals each of which has been sampled during a corresponding one of a plurality of preceding sample periods. The filter also includes a plurality of reference sample and hold circuits which store error voltages equal to the error voltage component of the voltages provided by the signal sample and hold circuits.A first analog cross-point switch is utilized wherein each of said plurality of time delayed analog signals may be selectively applied to a selected multiplying means.