Abstract: A system for the storage and retrieval of motor vehicle keys wherein the keys are mounted in a container to which is affixed a printed bar code label identifying the vehicle stock number, its color and model. The system includes a bar code reader and a plurality of vertically rotatable circular plates having a plurality of key storage locations around the periphery of each. A pick and place arm is driven by a central processing unit in response to either the bar code read upon insertion of a key to be stored or upon entry of data from a key pad by a user to either store a key in an assigned location or to retrieve a key from that storage location and deliver it to the user. The system also includes routines whereby reports may be prepared for management indicating the individuals who currently have keys outstanding and the number of times each individual has removed the keys for each particular vehicle over a period of time.

Abstract: An electronic control system and an electronic control are disclosed. The electronic control system comprises a plurality of electronic controls communicating in a half-duplex mode. Each of the electronic controls has a computer with a store program and communicates with other electronic controls and with a host computer only in the event one of the parameters in the store program exceeds its pre-set range. Further, the electronic control system has a repeater which controls the half-duplex communication mechanism to achieve a 100% duty cycle. Finally, a programmable gain and offset circuit is disclosed.

Abstract: The system and method of the present invention calls for reducing steam from one pressure down to a second pressure. Further, the steam st the one pressure is mixed with the steam at the second pressure. The mixed steam is provided for use in a process. The mixing of the steams is controlled in accordance with the providing of the mixed steam.

Abstract: A temperature monitoring and control system for a glass sheet processing system includes a temperature sensor mounted at a preselected location in the system, a display, and a computer connected to the temperture sensor for periodically receiving a series of signals corresponding to temperature values transmitted by the sensor. The computer includes memory for storing selected values received from the temperature sensor and memory for storing one or more preselected threshold values. The computer also includes control logic for comparing the temperature values with one or more of the preselected threshold values, selecting and storing a set of those temperature values which satisfy a predetermined criteria, and displaying the set of temperature values as a profile taken along the length of the glass sheet in the direction of conveyance of the sheet through a glass processing system.

Abstract: Modular web processing units may be physically and electrically assembled into clusters to perform various web processes (e.g. the production of paper forms such as invoices, checks, labels, etc.). Each module has a main process driver which is not directly coupled to a web drive mechanism. Rather, the web driver is program controlled so as to effect the desired web process at controlled displacement intervals along the web. Accordingly, a plurality of successive but different form lengths or depths can be accommodated as the web surface is sequentially processed. A system of such modules can be physically wheeled into position as individual units and electrically connected together by suitable umbilical cords to rapidly configure a desired overall web finishing process. Nevertheless, the entire ensemble of modules performs as though it is a unitary special purpose web processing machine with its various process stations interconnected and synchronized by an electronic "drive shaft".

Abstract: In a supervisory system for elevators, a learning function for changing and controlling the operations of the elevators so as to be suited to the traffic conditions of a building is provided. The traffic conditions are automatically learned by taking the statistics therefor to revise the learing function program by externally applying revisional information, where alterations of the learning function program conforming to traffic conditions in the building are made possible to render the learning function flexible.

Abstract: A system is provided for measuring tool wear of a rotating end mill. The system measures wear by monitoring the side-loading forces on the tool during cutting. The resultant side-loading forces FRES have tangential FT and radial FR components. The radial component FR increases correspondingly with tool wear. FRES and FT are measured directly and on the basis of these measurements FR is determined mathematically to provide an indication of tool wear.

Abstract: There is shown and described a relatively low cost irrigation controlling apparatus for controlling a plurality of watering or irrigating stations. These stations can be individually set to operate for prescribed time durations. Automatic or manual control is also possible.

Abstract: A low power, narrow laser beam, generated by a laser carried by a mobile vehicle, is rotated about a vertical reference axis as the vehicle navigates within a structured environment. At least three stationary retroreflector elements are located at known positions, preferably at the periphery of the structured environment, with one of the elements having a distinctive retroreflection. The projected rotating beam traverses each retroreflector in succession, and the corresponding retroreflections are received at the vehicle and focussed on a photoelectric cell to generate corresponding electrical signals. The signal caused by the distinctive retroreflection serves as an angle-measurement datum. An angle encoder coupled to the apparatus rotating the projected laser beam provides the angular separation from this datum of the lines connecting the mobile reference axis to successive retroreflectors.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a vulcanizable rubber formulation of controlled uniform viscosity properties containing synthetic rubber comprises the steps of determining the Mooney viscosity, MV.sub.a, of the synthetic rubber from which the formulation is to be prepared; determining the relaxation time, T.sub.80, of the synthetic rubber from which the formulation is to be prepared; calculating from MV.sub.a and T.sub.80 the Mooney viscosity, MV.sub.b, of the compounded rubber formulation; selecting synthetic rubber having MV.sub.a and T.sub.80 values within a predetermined range of values calculated to produce a compounded rubber formulation, the MV.sub.b of which is within a desired, preselected uniform range; and, compounding the selected synthetic rubber with carbon black and other conventional rubber compounding agents to produce the rubber formulation of MV.sub.b within the predetermined range of values. A method is also provided for predicting the Mooney viscosity MV.sub.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an area cutting method for cutting the interior of an area (AR) by moving a tool along a plurality of offset paths (CPT1, CPT2, . . . CPTn) successively offset in an inward direction from a closed curve (OLC) specifying the area (AR). In accordance with the area cutting method, the centroid (W) of the area is found and a check is performed as to whether the centroid lies inside the area. It is also checked whether line segments (L1, L2, L3, . . . ) connecting the centroid with the apices (P1, P2, . . . , P10) of the area intersect the closed curve (OLC'). If the centroid (W) lies within the area and none of the line segments intersect the closed curve, the area is not divided into a plurality of convex polygons even if the area is a concave polygon.

Abstract: An installation for the continuous manufacture of differing mineral fiber products, wherein control parameters associated with each fiber product to be manufactured are changed when the production line is to be changed from the production of one product to that of another. For this purpose, the individual control parameters for a new product are first adjusted by hand by means of a reference value adjusting device in the course of a test cycle and thereby optimized. Control signals corresponding to the adjustments thus obtained for a respective fiber product are then stored in a fixed memory and are addressable by means of a common address. If production of the same product is subsequently to be resumed, the set of associated control signals is transferred from the fixed memory to a CPU, whereby the whole production line or an envisaged part of the production line is immediately converted to the new product.

Abstract: A knowledge base processor is callable by an application program to access a knowledge base and to govern the execution or interpretation of the knowledge base to find the values of selected objects or expressions defined in the knowledge base. The application program is written in a conventional computer language which specifies control by the ordering of program steps. The application program provides a user interface for input/output and provides top level control for calling the knowledge base processor to find values for goal expressions. During its search for the values of goal expressions, the knowledge base processor calls the application program to determine values of expressions which are not concluded by the knowledge base, and to signal important events during the execution of the knowledge base. Preferably the knowledge base processor and the application program each include a library of subroutines which are linked-loaded to provide a complete knowledge system for a specific application or task.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus (10) having an overtravel check function, includes a central processing unit (11), periodically performs pulse distribution, adds an amount of distribution to a present machine position stored in a present machine position register (R2), and checks whether the sum value falls within a preset moving range of a machine. If the value falls within the moving range, the amount of distribution is output and added to the present machine position register (R2) to update the machine position. On the other hand, if the value falls outside the moving range, a corrected amount of distribution obtained by subtracting the present machine position from the overtravel preset value is output and added to the present machine position register (R2) to update the present machine position.

Abstract: A tool or a workpiece is fed by the cut feed by cut feed commands during periods when the tool or the workpiece would normally be fed by rapid feed. These periods are chosen to occur when the distance of the sections to be fed is a predetermined distance or less. Then, in the case that the feeding distance is the predetermined distance or less, the tool or the workpiece can be fed more rapidly by cut feed rather than rapid feed. Thus, machining time is shortened to that extent.

Abstract: In apparatus for correcting displacement of a movable member of a machine tool wherein the effect caused by the displacement of the movable member is corrected by a correction load applying device supplied with pressurized fluid, there is provided a position detector for detecting the position of the movable member to produce a position signal, a displacement correction value calculator for calculating a displacement correction value in accordance with the position signal for producing a displacement correction signal, and an electromagnetic valve supplied with the displacement correction signal for adjusting the pressure of the pressurized fluid.

Abstract: A monitor device for a screw position and an internal die pressure is used by an injection molding machine for driving a screw (29) by a servo motor (27). During injection, a sequentially updated address from an address generator (20) is supplied to first and second memories (16, 18) through an address switching circuit (21) to designate addresses of the memories (16, 18) so that the output from a pulse counter (15), which represents the screw position, and the output from an analog/digital converter (17), which represents the internal pressure of a die (30), are sequentially stored in the first and second memories (16, 18). During monitoring, the values stored in the first and second memories (16, 18) are read out through the address switching circuit (21) which has performed switching, and the relationship between the screw position and the internal die pressure is displayed on a display unit (25).

Abstract: A system for balancing rotating members comprising a laser head which emits a laser shot in response to a laser control signal to remove material from the rotating member. The laser control signal is produced by a computer which is responsive to a plurality of signals representing vibration of the rotating member and influence coefficients from a memory device. The computer applies less than a calculated number of laser shots at each targeted location of the rotating member and then applies this reduced number sequentially to all targeted locations while calculating whether the vibration signals fall below targeted levels and, if so, discontinuing removal of material by the laser.

Abstract: A method for refining an original command signal which is intended to locate a robot at a desired position and orientation (pose) comprising the steps of identifying the actual system parameters of the robot; predicting, through utilization of those actual system parameters the anticipated pose of the robot which would actually be obtained as the result of the original command signal; calculating corrected command signals required to minimize the difference between the predicted anticipated pose and the desired pose; and employing the corrected command signals to place the robot. Preferably, a plurality of desired calibration pose command signals are used in the step of identifying the actual system parameters to place the robot in a plurality of actual calibration poses in the measuring range of at least one pose sensor.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling the resultant velocity of a member is provided, the resultant velocity being derived by driving the member in two component directions, simultaneously. First sensor means derive a signal indicative of the resultant velocity, the derived signal being compared with a preselected reference signal to derive an error signal constituting a resultant velocity demand signal which is integrated to obtain a resultant amount of movement demand signal. The resultant amount of movement demand signal is selected from `look-up` reference table memory means and corresponding desired values derived for the amounts of movement of the member in the two component directions. The desired values are compared with signals derived from the first and second sensor means sensing the movement of member and error signals are obtained for controlling the driving of the member in the two component directions.