Abstract: An interactive system and method for navigating a person from a starting point to a destination, using a wireless location determining device and a wireless navigating device. The person sends a request for navigational directions via the wireless location determining device. Using a database that contains the geographic location and a corresponding name of the starting point and the destination, the request is answered and navigational information is sent to the wireless navigating device. The database was previously established by recording the movement of subjects, using a wireless location determining device, as the subjects moved from place to place in their environment. When the number of occurrences of subjects passing by any individual location reached a predetermined threshold, the subjects were prompted to enter a name that described and corresponded to that location. Using the provided navigational information, the person moves from the starting point toward the destination.

Abstract: A method for resource management in a supply chain is provided. The method is used by a pallet device (106) that can be associated with a pallet (104) in the supply chain. The pallet is associated with one or more resources. Further, the supply chain includes a decentralized control system (100) that has at least one system server, a plurality of pallets, a plurality of pallet devices, and a plurality of resources. The method includes detecting (302) an event and acquiring (304) status information of at least one of the plurality of pallets in response to the event. Further, the method includes determining (306) a reporting condition of at least one of the plurality of resources, based on the status information. The method includes reporting (308) the status information to one of at least one system server and at least one of the plurality of pallet devices, based on a positive reporting condition.

Abstract: A structured product coding system that reflects both the components as are used to fabricate a given product but component manipulators as are used to execute part-mating operations to combine the components and intermediate structures as are assembled during the fabrication process can be used to generate a generic assembly/disassembly tree that corresponds to that product.

Abstract: An interface block (300) carries a removable electrical connection (310, 312) that can be quickly connected and removed from a high speed machine for picking and placing electronic components. The interface block is attached to a vacuum ported tool changer (200) which further couples to a heated end effector (100) to create a removable heated nozzle assembly (50). The entire assembly can be easily plugged into and removed from a high speed placement machine.

Abstract: An interface block (300) carries a removable electrical connection (310, 312) that can be quickly connected and removed from a high speed machine for picking and placing electronic components. The interface block is attached to a vacuum ported tool changer (200) which further couples to a heated end effector (100) to create a removable heated nozzle assembly (50). The entire assembly can be easily plugged into and removed from a high speed placement machine.

Abstract: A structured product coding system that reflects both the components as are used to fabricate a given product but component manipulators as are used to execute part-mating operations to combine the components and intermediate structures as are assembled during the fabrication process can be used to generate a generic assembly/disassembly tree that corresponds to that product.

Abstract: A precision placement apparatus comprises an improved probe for aligning a component and a substrate based upon features on the inner surfaces arranged in facing, spaced relationship, prior to assembling the component to the substrate. The probe comprises a dual prism assembly having a first face for viewing the componenet surface and a second face for viewing the substrate surface. The dual prism assembly superposes the images of the surfaces to permit an operator to accurately align the elements. A liquid crystal shutter is mounted onto one face of the dual prism assembly to exclude the image of the corresponding surface and thereby allow the operator to quickly determine the features of the other surface in order to make the appropriate adjustments.