Abstract: A system and method of warning and planning failure responses using an automated failure response system including, providing an electro-mechanical system having mechanical and electrical components and providing a failure response system for diagnosing failures of the components. The failure response system then determines effects of said failures on carrying out system activities using the failure response system, quantifies a severity for each failure diagnosed by the failure response system, and identifies repairs for each component failure. The failure response system also prioritizes each failure of a component based on severity and then recommends which repairs should be prioritized as most urgent to keep the electro-mechanical system operational based upon the severity of the associated failures and the effects of their corresponding failure.

Abstract: A length of elongate material such as rubber hose is supported and guided while being fed along a desired path of travel that extends through the hollow interior of a tubular structure. The tubular structure mounts an array of relatively closely spaced rollers that project into the hollow interior to guide and support the moving length of material. The tubular structure is formed as a "tube within a tube" assembly of "inner" and "outer" tubular members that closely interfit, and that sandwich roller support pins between overlying portions of the inner and outer tubular members. The roller support pins bridge roller positioning holes that are formed through the inner tubular member at an array of spaced locations.

Abstract: A system for sensing breakage of one or more of a plurality of strands of material that are being fed in unison along a circular array of separate feed paths while the array of feed paths is being rotated about an imaginary axis that extends substantially centrally among the array of feed paths utilizes separate indicator assemblies positioned along each of the separate feed paths, with the indicator assemblies being arranged in a substantially circular array for rotation along a circular path of movement that extends substantially concentrically about the axis of rotation. At least one optical detector is positioned alongside the substantially circular path of movement that is followed by the indicator assemblies as they rotate, whereby, at least once during each revolution, each of the indicator assemblies is caused to move past an optical detector.

Abstract: A system for feeding a plurality of strands of material such as yarn, in unison, along an array of separate feed paths that extend from a bank of supply packages to a knitter head utilizes a bank of positive drive units that are arranged in an array that extends about the knitter head to coordinate and uniformly tension such strand reaches as extend from the positive drive units to the knitter head. The feeding of the strands takes place while the bank of supply packages, the bank of positive drive units, the knitter head and the array of feed paths all are rotated about an axis that extends substantially centrally among the rotating feed paths. Each feed path has a first reach that extends from a separate supply package to the capstan of a separate one of the positive drive units, a second reach that is wrapped around the capstan of its positive drive unit, and a third reach that extends from its positive drive unit to the knitter head.

Abstract: In artificial intelligence, a method is provided for representing a directed acyclic graph of worlds using an assumption-based truth maintenance system (ATMS) as a tool. The invention introduces the concepts of a nondeletion assumption and a deletion nogood, in order to allow deletion of an assertion upon transition between worlds. The traditional (de Kleer) ATMS tool is augmented to allow distinction between two kinds of assumptions, namely the nondeletion assumption and the world assumption. The nondeletion assumption is the elementary stipulation indicating the presence of an added assertion in a world. The world assumption is the elementary stipulation representing existence of a world. According to the invention, a method for testing assertions is provided for determining whether an assertion holds in a world. The method involves taking into account the presence of deletion nogoods relevant to the tested assertion.