Abstract: An automated system is provided for servicing a vehicle and its occupants. A first identification signal is communicated either while the vehicle is approaching the terminal or upon arrival and a second control signal is then generated from within the vehicle beginning and terminating the requested servicing and maintaining control over the operation. Vehicle servicing, such as fueling and washing is provided robotically to the vehicle without the vehicle occupants being required to emerge from the vehicle or become physically involved in its implementation. Payment is automatically charged to the customers account.

Abstract: A computerized system for providing various sorts of information regarding the current progress in a mass production process, for the ultimate purpose to allow a manager in charge of the mass production process to use the information to decide various parameters influential for the following processes, the computerized system having a various function to analyze the current position in the mass production process.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for analyzing fault log data from a malfunctioning machine. The system comprises a processor for receiving new fault log data comprising a plurality of faults from the malfunctioning machine and selecting a plurality of distinct faults from the new fault log data. The processor generates at least one distinct fault cluster from the selected plurality of distinct faults. Thereafter, the processor predicts at least one repair for at least one distinct fault cluster using a plurality of predetermined weighted repair and distinct fault cluster combinations.

Abstract: A computer controlled separator device is disclosed. The computer control system monitors the operation of the separator device and makes any adjustments necessary to maintain optimal operation. An operator may input values representing desired operating parameters and/or desired product characteristics of the separator device. Alternatively, these values may be programmed into the computer control system in accordance with optimal product or system standards. The computer control system monitors the operation of the separator device and makes any adjustments necessary to maintain operation in accordance with the selected or programmed values. Specifically, the computer control system may monitor incoming and outgoing product characteristics, i.e. particle weight, particle density, or particle size; and/or operating parameters, i.e. air flow, vibration speed, side tilt, end raise, feed rate, divider knife position and cutout gate position.

Abstract: An intelligent sheet metal bending system is disclosed, having a cooperative generative planning system. A planning module interacts with several expert modules to develop a bending plan. The planning module utilizes a state-space search algorithm. Computerized methods are provided for selecting a robot gripper and a repo gripper, and for determining the optimal placement of such grippers as they are holding a workpiece being formed by the bending apparatus. Computerized methods are provided for selecting tooling to be used by the bending apparatus, and for determining a tooling stage layout. An operations planning method is provided which allows the bending apparatus to be set up concurrently while time-consuming calculations, such as motion planning, are performed. An additional method or system is provided for positioning tooling stages by using a backgage guide member which guides placement of a tooling stage along the die rail the bending apparatus.

Abstract: Control of an interconnection process for optical fibers involves evaluating the status of all modules used in the process and moving an optical fiber through the process in accordance with the status of the modules. Such control allows more than one fiber, and more than one fiber type, to be processed simultaneously. The processing may be optimized using fuzzy logic to track when operations performed by a module are near completion. A graphical user interface displaying the movement of the optical fibers through the process may also be provided.

Abstract: An automated system is provided for servicing a vehicle and its occupants. An identification signal is communicated either while the vehicle is approaching the terminal or upon arrival and a control signal is then generated beginning and terminating the requested servicing and maintaining control over the operation. Vehicle servicing, such as fueling and washing can be provided robotically to the vehicle without the vehicle occupants being required to emerge from the vehicle or become physically involved in its implementation. Payment is automatically charged to the customers account. Other services, such as sales to the vehicle occupants can be obtained using a single identification and control unit either in the vehicle or outside of it.

Abstract: A graphical user interface shop floor control system includes one or more of factory screens, shop floor screens, machine status screens, a material/parts container screens, machine login screens, new production screens, and machine maintenance screens. The factory screen graphically represents a factory. The shop floor screens represent different shop floors or other areas of the factory. These areas of the factory are represented by selectable icons, positioned within the factory screen at locations corresponding to the locations of the represented areas within the factory. Each shop floor screen depicts the general appearance of one of the areas of the factory and the factory elements of that area of the factory. Icons representing factory elements are positioned within the shop floor screens at locations corresponding to the locations of the represented factory elements within the corresponding shop floor.

Abstract: A processing system for processing a substrate. The processing system includes a plurality of processing machines, a machine movable along a transfer path for transferring the substrate to the machines, a drive unit for driving the machine, and a control unit. The control unit includes a memory for storing a teaching threshold in a teaching mode and a practical operation threshold in a practical operation mode that is higher than the teaching threshold when a moving parameter of the drive unit exceeds a given value. The control unit also includes a controller monitoring a parameter representing a moving state of the drive unit to stop the drive unit when the parameter exceeds the practical operation threshold in the practical operation mode or when the parameter exceeds the teaching threshold in the teaching mode.

Abstract: The present invention provides an operation apparatus for a press, of simple structure with lower cost.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for automatically generating a program for controlling a computer controlled system such as a plant. A number of general and standard program modules 49, 51 are prepared beforehand. A standard module is selectively displayed on a display device 21 as a graphics information image. Standard modules are combined as desired in accordance with a system operation procedure to generate customized program modules 50, 52 which are stored as graphics information images in stackers 155. A number of customized modules are generated for respective program functions. Customized modules are compiled to generate source programs, and thereafter assembled to generate intermediate level modules not addressed which are then combined and edited to generate a load module program.

Abstract: A computer-implemented apparatus and method for coordinating paint-related process steps of at least one paint-related facility. The paint-related process steps exhibit paint-related characteristics. A data acquisition module is provided for acquiring paint characteristic data indicative of the paint-related characteristics. A paint process control data structure is provided for interrelating the acquired paint characteristic data with at least two of the paint-related process steps to produce interrelated paint process control data. A paint process control coordinator is connected to the data acquisition module for storing the acquired paint characteristic data in the paint process control data structure. A data display is connected to the paint process control data structure for remotely receiving and viewing the interrelated paint process control data.

Abstract: A computer program is provided for developing a bend model of a part to be produced at an intelligent production facility. In accordance with an aspect of the disclosed program, faces of the part are detected based on initial part information, and bendlines of the part are identified based on the detected faces of the part. Further, additional part information is generated by performing a predetermined operation (e.g., a folding operation or an unfolding operation) on the detected faces of the part. The disclosed program also includes other capabilities, such as the capability to perform clean-up operations on initial, 2-D part information and to selectively eliminate part thickness representations in order to facilitate the preparation of a 3-D representation of the part from the modified 2-D part information.

Abstract: This invention provides a stable process for depositing films which include silicon and nitrogen, such as antireflective coatings of silicon oxynitride. Nitrogen is employed to permit lower flow rates of the process gas containing silicon, thereby reducing the deposition rate and providing better control of film thickness. Additionally, the use of nitrogen stabilizes the process, improving film uniformity, and provides a higher-quality film. The invention is capable of providing more accurate and easier fabrication of structures requiring uniformly thin films containing silicon, nitrogen, and, optionally, oxygen, such as antireflective coatings.

Abstract: An editor in a CAD system, which assigns different command functions to each of a plurality of buttons, enables commands for editing processing such as “movement”, “deletion”, and copying” to be issued by the corresponding buttons, and adds one polygon and another polygon by a first button or subtracts them from each other by a second button and, further, even when one of the commands of editing processing is being executed, makes it possible to perform a “change”, “cancellation”, “confirmation”, etc. of the mode of processing by operation of the corresponding buttons, thereby enabling change of a once input parameter or initialization of once input information, whereby the efficiency of work in pattern design using a pointing device can be improved.

Abstract: The exactness of surge-limit information facilitates the determination of how safely a turbocompressor can operate as well as determining the size of the operational envelope in which a compressor can function with a closed antisurge valve. Furthermore, in order to accurately describe the complete interface between stable and unstable operation, a sufficient number of test points must be found. Consequently, if a turbocompressor operates within the broad ranges of rotational speed or guide vane position or both of them, the unit must be repeatedly tested using different values of process variables; as a result, each test leads the turbocompressor into surge which can be detrimental because of strong dynamic loading. For that reason, this invention describes a technique employed during turbocompressor testing (either without generating surge or with a minimum number of surges) for defining both the shape and the location of a turbocompressor's surge limit.

Abstract: An electronic equipment control apparatus is connected to one or more pieces of external electronic equipment by communication lines and used for controlling the electronic equipment through the communication lines. The electronic equipment control apparatus comprises a communication portions for communication with the pieces of external electronic equipment through the communication lines; control portion for controlling operations to request the pieces of external electronic equipment to transmit user interface information, for controlling the pieces of external electronic equipment, to the electronic equipment control apparatus; and storage portion for storing the user interface information transmitted by the pieces of external electronic equipment through the communication lines.

Abstract: A system and method for calculating a future function value, such as velocity, for an object, from derivative values, such as acceleration, includes a sensor, such as an accelerometer, coupled to an object, such as a car. By predetermining a sampling rate of the derivative values and determining the highest frequency in the sampled signal, a set of prediction coefficients can be derived for use in a prediction formula which generates the future function value. A processor, which derives the prediction coefficients and implements the prediction formula may use the future function value to control operation of the object or a related object. By including a past function value in the prediction formula, a highly accurate future function value can be determined.

Abstract: In a CAD system, an electronic system is arranged by receiving an aid of a computer, and also a designing work of an architecture of this electronic system is carried out under the aid of the computer. An estimation with a high usability can be realized in high precision in an upstream stage, namely an earlier designating stage. The acquired design information is stored as know-how, and this stored know-how can be succeeded to the design information in a downstream stage. In this CAD system, a block diagram is edited by a block diagram input/editing unit, and this block diagram contains symbols indicative of independent functions, and lines used to connect these symbols. These symbols and lines are represented as the same design information. Both design information and parameter information may be applied to the symbols and the lines in a similar manner. Furthermore, the respective design information owns such a structure having a plurality of detailed level information with an architecture idea of a layer.

Abstract: Aspects for device and package separation of a multi-layer integrated circuit device attached at a frontside to an integrated circuit package are described. In an exemplary method aspect, the method includes cutting through coupling material between the multilayer integrated circuit and the integrated circuit package with a high precision saw blade. The method further includes cutting with a high precision saw blade of approximately 50 microns thickness. Additionally, the multi-layer integrated circuit device is utilized for device analysis from a frontside following separation from the integrated circuit package by the step of cutting.