Abstract: A method for monitoring the operation of a plurality of programmable devices in a system which controls the programmable devices, and corresponding apparatus for monitoring the same. The employs two CPUs. One of the CPUs is controlled to communicate with the programmable logic controller of the system, specifically, to process devices read from the PLC, and to return the result to a two-port memory. The other CPU is controlled to read the result from the two-port memory and display it on the CRT, thus enabling a monitor display, which displays the operation of the programmable device, to have a fast response time.

Abstract: A method for redistributing the mastership of system resources among the processing nodes within the clustered computer system following a change in the system configuration, such as the failure of a processing node or the return to service of a failed processing node. The method includes the steps of: maintaining a set of hash buckets within each processing node; assigning each one of the resources to one of the hash buckets; and assigning a hash vector, determined through utilization of an N-way recursive algorithm, to each one of the hash buckets, each one of the hash vectors identifying the processing nodes within the clustered computer system in a predetermined sequence unique to the one of the hash buckets. Mastership of any system resource resides with the first processing node identified by the hash vector assigned to the hash bucket to which the system resource is assigned.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control system for an industrial robot adapted for storage of user programs which comprise a series of robot instructions. At least one of the robot instructions is arranged as a shell instruction, which constitutes a call to a shell routine (20). The shell routine is associated with a plurality of optional attributes (21a, 21b, 21c) and comprises- a forward list (22) comprising a first set of robot instructions; and- a backward list (23) comprising a second set of robot instructions.The control system comprises a program executor adapted, for forward running of a user program, to execute the shell instructions in accordance with the forward list and, for running the user program backwards, to execute the shell instructions in accordance with the backward list.The invention also relates to a method for controlling an industrial robot. The method comprises creating a plurality of shell routines and testing them in advance.

Abstract: A jog-feed operation is set to enable rotation and movement of a coordinate system. During the jog-feed of the coordinate system, a robot is moved equivalently to the jog-feed steps. A tool distal end point of the robot is initially moved to the origin of a user coordinate system serving as a moving target. A jog-feed mode is set to a coordinate system jog-feed mode in conformity to the coordinate system itself. A translating jog-feed operation is carried out until the tool distal end point of the robot reaches a vertex of a workpiece. The tool distal end point of the robot is subsequently moved to a point on an axis of the coordinate system. A rotational jog-feed operation is carried out until the tool distal end point of the robot reaches an edge line of the workpiece. According to the above jog-feed operation, a robot control device calculates an amount of movement of the coordinate system.

Abstract: A decoder of a communication apparatus includes a CPU which controls decoding processing, and a memory which stores a decoding processing program. The decoding processing program includes a syndrome polynomial generating unit which generates a syndrome polynomial on the basis of a received word, a polynomial updating unit which updates an error locator polynomial and an error evaluator polynomial, which are set using the generated syndrome polynomial, on the basis of a degree of the error locator polynomial, and a decoded sequence generating unit which generates a decoded sequence on the basis of the error locator polynomial and the error evaluator polynomial, thus decoding communication codes at a high speed with a minimal computational complexity.

Abstract: To guide a process whose output variable (c) depends on a plurality of influential variables (v, a, h, .alpha.) acting on the process, the process is controlled by a controlling variable (p*) in such manner that the output variable (c) assumes the value of a guiding variable (c*). Correcting variable (p*) is calculated from guiding variable (c*) on the basis of a model of the process, with the model being adjusted on the basis of a comparison of the results (c.sub.M) supplied by the model with measured variables (c, v, h, a) of the process to the process event.

Abstract: An output control circuit capable of reducing a time lag at the time of switching connection of a flip-flop 3 and port latch 2, which output PWM waveforms, with an input/output terminal 5 to provide a more real-time control, and increasing the control accuracy, by setting data specifying a port latch 2 or flip-flop 3 which is a signal source to be connected next with an input/output terminal in an operation mode reload register 7 beforehand, and reloading the data directly to an operation mode register 4 by means of a reload signal RL.

Abstract: A system and method for simulating LCM mold filling utilizes at least one processor, suitable RAM and storage memory, input means, display means, and logic for simulating the injection of resin into a mold cavity containing a preform based upon mold cavity design parameters, mold filling processing parameters, physical property parameters, and system processing parameters, and identifying the current state of selected mold filling conditions at selected points in time during the simulated mold filling process. The system includes logic for identifying incipient dry spots, and also preferably includes means for interrupting the operation of the program at selected points to vary selected parameters to eliminate incipient dry spots and otherwise maximize the mold filling process.

Abstract: A feedback controller configured to automatically tune a control system by determining proportional gain, integral time and/or derivative time control parameters based on estimates of process time delay, process time constant and process gain values which are monitored by the feedback controller. The feedback controller further determines control limits for estimating the process time delay based on the resolution of the sampled values of the process output and the standard deviation of the process output during the initial steady-state condition. The feedback controller also estimates characteristic areas for a first-order response based on a first-order plus time-delay model to determine process time constant and process gain values. These process time constant, process gain and process delay estimates are translated into proportional gain, integral time and/or derivative time control parameters based on design relations of the particular feedback controller.

Abstract: In a multicomputer system (MRS) with a central computer (ZR), a number of peripheral computers (PR0, . . . , PR29) signal their availability to the central computer (ZR) when starting or restarting the system. It is possible that overload situations occur during this process. According to the invention, a computer-dependent signal delay (V.sub.PR) of the availability is provided for each peripheral computer (PR0, . . . , PR29) within a predetermined time interval (T). Each peripheral computer has a specific computer number (n.sub.PR). All peripheral computers (PR0, . . . , PR29) should have signaled their availability within the predetermined time interval (T). For this purpose, the maximum number (n.sub.max) of peripheral computers (PR0, . . . , PR29) must be known and the central computer (ZR) must be able to process simultaneously an available quantity (A) of peripheral computers (PR0, . . . , PR29) that signal their availability. In this case, the computer-dependent signal delay (V.sub.

Abstract: First blocks with data units are encoded or decoded in a first error protection code in an encoding or decoding device. A sub-set of data units, comprising one data unit from each first block, is encoded or decoded in a second block of the second error protection code. The data units of each first block are stored so as to be group-wise distributed among different pages of a paged memory. On each page data units from different first blocks are stored, so that upon reading of the data units of the sub-set the data units can also be written again so as to be group-wise distributed among different pages. The number of necessary page address changes is thus minimized.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing embroidery data to control a sewing machine to form an embroidery on a work sheet, the apparatus including a determining device for determining, based on outline data representing an outline of an embroidery region, an area of the embroidery region bounded by the outline thereof and a length of the outline of the embroidery region, and determining a degree of roundness of the embroidery region based on the determined area and length, and a selecting device for selecting, based on the determined degree of roundness of the embroidery region, one of a plurality of different stitching manners in which the embroidery is to be formed in the embroidery region by the sewing machine according to the embroidery data.

Abstract: Power demand is monitored and temperature control effected in response. If monitored power demand is below a predetermined power demand limit, a selected desired temperature setpoint is used as the temperature to be attained. If monitored power demand is above the power demand limit, a modified temperature setpoint is used. The modified temperature setpoint preferably is determined to maintain a still comfortable temperature while also reducing power demand.