Abstract: A method for executing partially trusted behaviors using an automated assistant. The method employs a guarded execution mode which provides for the safe execution of partially trusted behaviors. Further, incremental trust growth is provided for allowing more behaviors to be executed autonomously by the automated assistant. Trust growth is accomplished through the use of a trust library. The method also employs trust reuse which provides for the reuse of individual trust library entries across behaviors which are proven to be erroneous by the automated assistant.

Abstract: A system for laterally stabilizing a two-wheeled vehicle includes a pair of outrigger struts having respective outrigger wheels on opposite sides of the rear wheel, vertically movable between raised and lowered positions relative to a supporting structure, the struts each being connected by a transverse strut shaft for unison vertical movement and extending forwardly of the strut shaft; an electric motor driven actuator mechanism including a rotatably mounted lead screw shaft that is pivotably mounted relative to the supporting structure, a drive nut threadingly engaging the lead screw shaft that is connected to the strut shaft for driving the wheels between the raised and lowered positions in response to rotation of the lead screw shaft.

Abstract: In a method for providing musical accompaniment in response to the playing of an accompaniment-type musical instrument, accompaniment chord voicing is randomly selected from a pluraltiy of stored possibilities and the chord is sounded according to the selected voicing. In a preferred embodiment, the voicings may be stored separately from rhythm information according to which the chord is to be sounded, and the selection of chord voicings is constrained by a pre-selected range of chord tones. In another method for providing musical accompaniment having at least one stored melodic figure, melodic information is represented as a plurality of tokens independent of chord type and the tokens are subsequently converted to note parameters appropriate for a preselected chord type. The tokens are preferably related to the scale functions of the melodic information and may also contain information for each of a plurality of chord sub-types.

Abstract: A router with a revolving spindle having a cutter on the end has a housing supported by a face plate. The face plate is coupled to the housing via a pair of articulated joints, which may be adjusted to a selected one of many possible angles relating the supporting plane of the face plate with the axis of the spindle. The face plate contains a relatively large hole through which the spindle projects with said cutter being positioned beyond the supporting plane, so that the cutter may be seen during normal operation. A protractor scale is engraved on at least one of the articulated joint parts to identify a cutting angle. In another embodiment, a plurality of click stops are provided on one of the articulated joint parts for accurately setting a selected one of several angles to which the joint may be moved.

Abstract: In a method for providing musical accompaniment in response to playing of a processor-controlled musical instrument, a plurality of processes corresponding to different musical components of the accompaniment are executed in a pseudo-concurrent manner. Each component includes a plurality of musical events related according to a tempo at which the accompaniment is to be sounded. A portion of one of the processes is executed to perform at least one of the musical events, whereupon the process is suspended for a musically appropriate period of time substantially equal to the time before the next event of the process. While the first process is suspended, a portion of at least one other process is executed to perform another musical event. The other process is then suspended for another musically appropriate period of time. Execution of the processes is continued in this manner, one portion of a process at a time, such that the processes overlap to produce a coherent musical accompaniment.

Abstract: In a method for providing musical accompaniment in response to the playing of a musical instrument, wherein the accompaniment has a plurality of musical components performing different musical functions, a preselected number of virtual channels implementing the musical components of the accompaniment are mapped into a smaller number of physical channels such that the allocation of physical channels between the musical components fluctuates over time. In another embodiment, one of the musical components of the accompaniment is a fill note component, and the allocation of physical channels between it and at least one other component of the accompaniment may be either static or dynamic.

Abstract: Musical accompaniment is provided in different musical styles to the playing of an instrument, upon selection of one of the styles. A preferred tempo rate, or a range of acceptable tempo rates, are provided in response to selection of the musical style, causing the accompaniment to be sounded at or near a musically correct tempo in all cases. In one embodiment, a preferred tempo rate and a range of acceptable deviation from that rate are provided for each style, causing the accompaniment to be played at the preferred rate unless altered within the acceptable range by a performer.

Abstract: Ladles and the like into which hot metal is teemed are refractory lined to withstand the high-temperature effects of the hot metal. Prior to teeming of the hot metal into the ladle, the ladle is heated by applying a flame to the interior thereof, which flame is provided by a burner that directs the flame through a ladle cover plate having a substantially flat surface covered with heat-insulating refractory material, which surface is brought into sealing engagement with the ladle. This seal minimizes the amount of heat energy that escapes from the ladle to render the preheating operation more efficient. The rim of the ladle, which contacts in sealing engagement the heat-insulating refractory material of the ladle cover plate, causes wear and damage to the heat-insulating refractory material.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for sounding music played by a performer according to a preselected style. Accompaniment notes having a harmonious tonal relationship to preselected melody and chord information are arranged into a plurality of groups. Appropriate accompaniment notes are selected from the groups in accordance with musically derived sequences and sounded for preselected periods of time so that the melody and chord chosen by the performer are sounded in accordance with a derived playing style.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for embellishing the melody played on an electronic musical keyboard instrument. A set of musically-derived tables relates harmonious accompaniment notes to the melody in accordance with the chosen harmony and is addressed to generate a signal that represents at least one appropriate accompaniment note. The latter signal causes sounding of selected accompaniment notes to produce the desired musical harmony. A choice of voicing style and an orchestration option are additionally provided within the scope of the apparatus and method herein.

Abstract: Apparatus for spark perforation of sheet material comprising spaced apart first and second electrodes which define between them a sparking zone through which sheet material to be perforated can be moved in a predetermined direction, and in which the portion of the first electrode which is nearest to the nearest portion of the second electrode is located between an overlap position upstream of the second electrode in the direction of movement of the sheet by a distance of 1 mm and an offset position also equal to 1 mm in the direction of movement of the sheet, and means for guiding the sheet through the sparking zone along a path closer to said second electrode than said first electrode.

Abstract: A spark perforation apparatus includes a rotary electrode assembly for effecting spark perforation of sheet material passing between the electrodes of the assembly and a suitably juxtapositioned earthed surface. The electrode assembly comprises a first set of annular electrodes for connection to a suitable power source, a second set of annular electrodes alternating with and of greater external diameter than the electrodes of the first set, and dielectrical material spacing the electrodes so as to form a series of parallel capacitors.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument by which a performer can provide a musical accompaniment in different musical styles. The performer selects a desired musical style and plays on a standard keyboard in order to express a desired harmony. The instrument translates the keyboard playing into a chord type and root that defines the harmony expressed by the performer. A processor generates parameter signals defining a segment of music including a plurality of accompaniment notes arranged in the selected musical style and related harmonically to the selected chord type and root. Output circuitry converts the parameter signals to sound so that a performer of limited skill or musical knowledge can play an appropriately-styled accompaniment to a melody written in any one of a variety of musical keys.

Abstract: Apparatus for spark perforation of sheet material comprising spaced apart first and second electrodes which define between them a sparking zone through which sheet material to be perforated can be moved in a predetermined direction, and in which the portion of the first electrode which is nearest to the nearest portion of the second electrode is located between an overlap position upstream of the second electrode in the direction of movement of the sheet by a distance of 1 mm and an offset position also equal to 1 mm in the direction of movement of the sheet, and means for guiding the sheet through the sparking zone along a path closer to said second electrode than said first electrode.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument by which a performer can provide a musical accompaniment in different musical harmonies by playing on a standard keyboard. The performer adjusts a tempo clock in order to determine the period of the rhythmic beat of the accompaniment. The instrument enables the performer to change to a different harmony at the end of a beat (e.g., by changing his hand position on the keyboard) without interrupting the continuity of the accompaniment and to hear much of the subsequent beat in the changed harmony even if his hand does not complete the change to the new harmony position until a portion of the subsequent beat has elapsed.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the duty cycle of a rectangular input signal so that the duty cycle normally remains constant irrespective of the frequency of the input signal, but can be adjusted with accuracy. A generator initiates a rectangular output signal in synchronism with the input signal. A comparator enables the generator to terminate the output signal after a time period related to the relative amplitudes of the output signal and another reference voltage. An adjustment transistor can adjust the amplitude of the reference voltage in order to control the overall duty cycle of the output signal.

Abstract: Techniques for translating the harmony expressed by the keyboard playing of a performer into a chord type and root. Playing key pattern representations are stored in a digital memory at locations having addresses defining the corresponding chord type. A playing key pattern signal identifying the pattern of the keys played by the performer is then generated. The playing key pattern signal is used to locate the corresponding stored playing key pattern representation. When a match occurs, the chord type and root are derived by a processor.