Abstract: A control system for an automated jig grinder enables an operator to designate an incremental outfeed distance to be traversed for each outfeed operation and a reciprocation stroke count to be completed between successive outfeeds. The control system counts grinding tool reciprocation strokes and actuates an outfeed mechanism to outfeed the grinding tool the designated outfeed distance when the designated reciprocation stroke count has been reached. The incremental outfeed distance and reciprocation stroke count settings can be modified by the machine operator on a real time basis as the machine is running. The control system also enables the grinding tool to automatically travel from its upper position toward a workpiece at a first relatively high rate of speed, and then change to a slower rate of speed as the tool approaches the workpiece. This aspect of the invention is useful in wipe grinding.

Abstract: A transmitter, for electrical appliance control by transmitting digital control signals on a power main, comprises two releasably connected parts, a first part comprising m actuators to initiate the generation of m control signals, and the second part containing a generator for the control signals, and a selector for selecting m out of n control signals. The selector is hidden by the first part when the parts are joined together and may be adjusted to select different groups of m control signals from the n possible signals. All n control signals can be produced, in groups of up to m signals for each condition of the selector. A monitor is also provided to monitor the main in order to achieve transmitter queueing dependent upon the selector settings at the transmitters.

Abstract: A test initiating device connectible to the power cord of an electronically controlled appliance for initiating appliance operation in either a normal operating mode or a self-diagnostic test mode. When so connected the test device is selectively switchable between a first state in which the device is operative to suppress power signal half cycles of one polarity and a second state in which the power signal from the power supply is coupled to the appliance control circuit essentially unchanged. The appliance control circuit includes circuitry operative to generate interrupt pulses marking the pulsations of the power signal applied to the control circuit. Logic circuitry monitors the pulse rate of these interrupt pulses.

Abstract: An automatic dynamic error compensator for compensating the position error arising within a servo drive system includes a measuring head which is operative to measure the relative indicated position of two or more measuring vanes on the movable member. The measuring head, together with a feedback transducer, that measures indicated movable member position, are coupled to a feedback system. The feedback system determines the indicated movable member position from the feedback transducer reading and then compares the indicated movable member position to the known vane position upon occurrence of a vane crossing to yield a compensating value.

Abstract: A supervised start system for microprocessor based appliance controls and effective to prevent unwanted start operation of the associated appliance due to failure of a critical component of the starting system. The starting system requires a mechanical operation to effect starting of the associated appliance and the system tests all critical components thereof and failure of one component thereof will either render the associated appliance inoperative or cause an obvious but safe malfunction of the associated appliance.

Abstract: A water quality monitoring system for detecting sublethal degradations in environmental quality. The system continuously or periodically monitors the movements of a plurality of living organisms which are exposed to water from one or more selected sources. A computer controls and coordinates the tasks performed by the system. A video camera is used to visually monitor the movements of the organisms. Sensors measure other selected characteristics of the organisms' environment, including the temperature of the water. The computer includes software, responsive to the measurements by the sensors, for deriving a set of prediction parameters corresponding to the statistical distribution of expected movement patterns of the organisms. Other software is used for analyzing the organisms' movements and for comparing the observed movements with the set of prediction parameters, and for initiating the generation of a warning message when the organisms' observed movements do not correspond to the prediction parameters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling interpolated linear motion of a tool centerpoint associated with a function element carried by a machine. The motion is defined by input signals representing locations relative to an input coordinate system and path velocities therebetween. The machine includes at least one member rotating about an axis which is subject to movement at a velocity greater than the path velocity. Control is effected by producing projected velocity signals for the machine axes for each interpolative iteration and reducing the iterative path velocity in response to detecting a projected axis velocity in excess of an associated axis velocity limit. The control is applicable to machines incorporating a structure in which members must instantaneously change position to maintain the tool centerpoint on the path.

Abstract: A manipulator having a grasping mechanism for grasping an object and an arm mechanism for lifting the grasped object, is disclosed. A weight detector is provided which detects a force that the top of the arm mechanism receives in the gravitational direction when the grasped object is being lifted. In order to find the minimum grasping force sufficient to lift the object, a grasp detector is provided for detecting, from the output of the weight detector, that the object cannot be lifted up with the present grasping force and a desired grasping force selector for selecting successively a desired value of grasping force starting from a predetermined minimum desired value until it is detected that the object is lifted. A grasping force control circuit controls the grasping force to the selected desired value.

Abstract: A probabilistic learning element for performing task independent sequential pattern recognition. The element receives sequences of objects and outputs sequences of recognized states composed of objects. A plurality of memory elements are utilized to store received objects in sequence and for storing in context learned information including previously learned states, objects contained in previously learned states, positional information for each object in a learned state and other predetermined types of knowledge relating to previously learned states and objects contained therein. The element correlates sequences of received objects with learned information relating to previously learned states for providing conditional probabilities to possible sequences of recognized states. The most likely state sequence is determined and outputted as a recognized sequence when the element detects that a state has ended.

Abstract: In a robot motion control system a modular sensor data preprocessing unit is provided between the sensors and a motion control unit. Modules in the data preprocessing unit are activated in a temporal sequence in accordance with the kinds of sensors involved and the technological task to be performed. The data preprocessing unit comprises a data transfer control circuit, a basic function control circuit and a complex function control circuit, each such circuit including a plurality of independently activatable function modules. For example, the complex function circuit includes a velocity control module and a path correction module.

Abstract: Programmable signal processing apparatus for multiplying a sampled analog signal by a multiple bit digital word coefficient. All signal processing operations are accomplished by the splitting, routing and combining of charge packets formed in a charge domain device.

Abstract: A method and device for producing artificial branches from a continuous roll of wire and individual branch tips. The branches tips are attached to the wire by means of wrapping with a filament. In a first embodiment, the wrapping process is started and stopped under control of a stored program computer that measures the amount of wire fed. In a second embodiment, the wire is continuously fed and a wrapping assembly is reciprocated in timed relation with the wire fed to permit the attachment of the individual branch tips.

Abstract: A control system for a direct teaching/playback type robot, including a low spring constant member connected to a drive source for driving a robot element through a frictional coupling. The control system basically includes a first incremental position detector provided between the robot element and the frictional coupling for detecting the rotational position of the robot element, a second incremental position detector connected to the drive source for detecting the rotational position of the drive source, and a switch for selectively connecting the output terminals of the first and second position detectors to a drive source controller in teaching and playback modes of operation, respectively.

Abstract: A method of controlling the rolling efficiency in a continuous hot rolling process. A rolling schedule and a conveying schedule are determined on a mill line for the slabs arranged in succession based on an aimed extraction temperature of the slabs from a heating furnace and a predetermined temperature at the exit of a finish mill. A minimum extraction pitch is calculated for the slabs from the heating furnace under restriction of the side of the mill line, and a different minimum extraction pitch is calculated for slabs from the heating furnace under restriction of the side of the heating furnace based on slab temperature charged to the heating furnace and the aimed extraction temperature. An optimum extraction pitch is determined for slabs from the heating furnace by comparing both of the minimum extraction pitches. With such a method, the continuous hot rolling operation is carried out under an optimum condition.

Abstract: A method for controlling a multi-joint robot having redundant operating joints, wherein joint velocities are calculated for non-redundant joints with redundant joints being fixed for each of at least a portion of the combinations of the non-redundant joints excluding redundant joints capable of attaining the movement of the robot end at a command velocity specified to the robot, by inverse-coordinate-transformation from the spatial coordinate to a joint coordinate inherent to the robot, on the basis of joint angles detected by an encoder mounted on the joints of the robot and the joint velocities are averaged or nearly averaged to obtain the average value or nearly average value as a desired joint velocity for the joints. The desired joint velocity is supplied to a velocity control unit of the robot as a controlled variable.

Abstract: A pattern-recognizing, self-tuning controller is provided for controlling a process wherein measured characteristics including at least one peak of an error signal, derived from the differences occurring over time between the values of a process controlled variable and a desired set-point level for that variable, are used for identifying the behavior pattern of the error signal so that an operating parameter of the controller can be changed as required to minimize process recovery time whenever the process is subsequently disturbed or an abrupt change is made to the set-point level at some later time. The preferred embodiment of the device is in the form of a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller in which the PID coefficients are calculated in accordance with prescribed relationships that are based on damping, overshoot and time period characteristics of the error signal.

Abstract: A probabilistic learning system of the type that receives sequential input data and outputs sequences of recognized patterns. The system includes an array of interconnected probabilistic learning elements of the type that receive sequences of objects and outputs sequences of recognized states, the array of learning elements being interconnected to have a number of input learning elements and a number of output learning elements. The input data is partitioned between the input learning elements of the array so that the partitioned input data forms objects provided to the learning elements in an overlapping and redundant manner. The output sequences of recognized states from the output learning elements are collected and combined to provide a sequence of recognized patterns as an output of the probabilistic learning system.

Abstract: A probabilistic learning element for performing task independent sequential pattern recognition employs context driven searching. The element receives sequences of objects and outputs sequences of recognized states composed of objects. The element includes a short term memory for storing received objects in sequential context and long term memories for storing in sequential context previously learned states and predetermined types of knowledge relating to the previously learned states. The element correlates the information stored in the short term memory with information stored in the long term memories for assigning probabilities to possible next states in the sequence of recognized states. The correlation is facilitated by using the context of the information stored in the short term memory as a pointer to the context of the information stored in the long term memories.

Abstract: A method of controlling the rolling efficiency in a continuous hot rolling process including the steps of inputting a total weight of and the time intervals of slabs already extracted from a heating furnace in a period from the present time up to any previous time, a total weight and a forecast furnace residence time of slabs charged in the heating furnace and a total weight of any number of slabs to be charged, and calculating the desired rolling efficiency of the slabs to be charged to thereby control the overall average rolling efficiency to a predetermined value. With such a method, the total weight of the slabs to be rolled in a unit time is maintained to a predetermined value.

Abstract: An automated financial quotation system for audibly eliciting identification and input information from a user located at a remote terminal, and on the basis of this information, calculating and transmitting a synthesized audible representation of a financial disclosure statement to the remote terminal. The input information includes identification information and at least one variable from which the financial disclosure statement is calculated. The identification information may include user identification and/or identification of the transaction to be performed, preferably modelled by a processor under control of programmed instructions and stored data.