Abstract: A graphical programming interface for use in developing computer programs uses a structure of graphically displayed elements representing positions, arguments and linkages to enable the development of computational decision making programs. Linkages may implement simple functions including inverting the communicated values from the positions or arguments. Linkage function may be reflected in a graphical depiction of the linkage.

Abstract: An information retrieval system allows the user to identifying not only search terms but also a weighting system for determining document relevance. The weighting systems may implement human-like weighting by the use of continuous curves whose features may be flexibly controlled by the user on the display screen providing interactive yet quantitative manipulation of the curves.

Abstract: A graphical programming interface for use in developing computer programs uses a structure of graphically displayed elements representing positions, arguments and linkages to enable the development of computational decision making programs. The present invention provides new functionality to a clipper element that allows for simple division of a range of input values into contiguous sub-ranges, such as may be used to define a curve or other function.

Abstract: An electronic circuit for use in providing computational decision-making capabilities. The circuit implements a hierarchy of decision-making cells, with outputs derived from input signals supplying argument values, configuration signals for controlling the decision making model and wires between cells defining relationships between cells that modify the decision-making model of dependent cells. The cells are primarily characterized by modified values that may represent outputs although they may have a variety of other function features such as importance values and threshold values. The arguments are characterized by argument values that may represent inputs. The arguments are associated with particular cells and the values of the arguments associated with a given cell are combined to determine the value of that cell. The wires between different cells define different types of functional relationships between them.

Abstract: A graphical programming interface for use in developing computer programs providing computational decision-making capabilities. The interface uses a structure of graphically displayed positions, arguments and linkages to enable the development of computational decision making programs. The positions are primarily characterized by position values that may represent outputs although they may have a variety of other function features such as thresholds. The arguments are characterized by argument values that may represent inputs. The arguments are associated with particular positions and the values of the arguments associated with a given position are combined to determine the value of that position. The linkages extend between different positions and arguments and define different types of functional relationships between them.

Abstract: A computer program and related data processing methods adapted for computational decision-making including a graphical programming interface, a data structure and a program execution engine. The program uses a hierarchical structure of positions and arguments along with linkages which define functional relationships between different positions and arguments. The positions are primarily characterized by position values that may represent outputs although the positions also have other functional features. The arguments are characterized by argument values that may represent inputs. The values of the arguments are associated with each position are combined to determine the value of that position. A data structure is utilized that is comprised of position and argument data tables and a linkage data structure including data arrays associated with each type of linkage. The position and argument data tables store basic position and argument data such as value.

Abstract: A computer program and related data processing methods adapted for use in computational decision-making. The underlying program uses a hierarchical structure of positions and arguments along with linkages which define functional relationships between different positions and arguments. The positions are primarily characterized by position values that may represent outputs although the positions also have other functional features. The arguments are characterized by argument values that may represent inputs. The values of arguments associated with particular positions are combined to determine the value of that position. Supporting arguments increase position value while objecting arguments reduce position value. The program includes an iterative loop that runs until stable values are achieved for all positions and arguments. Position values are calculated position by position. Once a position is selected its arguments are collected and mathematically combined to arrive at a modified position value.

Abstract: A word processing tool for idea generation represents text-identified ideas of a database in either the form of a text outline or in the form of a tree structure of nodes. Ideas of a given level can be assigned weight values to change the ordering of the depiction of ideas in those levels. The weight values can be combined according to the hierarchy of the ideas in the tree to provide quantitative guidance to the user.

Abstract: A word processing tool for idea generation represents text-identified ideas of a database in either the form of a text outline or in the form of a tree structure of nodes. Ideas of a given level can have priorities to change the ordering of the depiction of ideas in those levels. The priorities may be adjusted in a priority window allowing drag and drop reordering of idea and numeric weighting of ideas using a slider control. Loose dependence between ordering and weighting insures consistency of the two in the priority window.

Abstract: A graphical programming interface for use in developing computer programs providing computational decision-making capabilities. The interface uses a structure of graphically displayed positions, arguments and linkages to enable the development of computational decision making programs. The positions are primarily characterized by position values that may represent outputs although they may have a variety of other function features such as thresholds. The arguments are characterized by argument values that may represent inputs. The arguments are associated with particular positions and the values of the arguments associated with a given position are combined to determine the value of that position. The linkages extend between different positions and arguments and define different types of functional relationships between them.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plurality of factory automated components with a unique identifier containing status information, for example, component source address information, vendor site address information, component type information, component version information and component health information. Each component will periodically send status message across a network to the supplier or vendor to an address set by the supplier or vendor or a service supplier. The receiving site will compare the component information against its database and be able to recognize whether product upgrades are available, whether maintenance should be scheduled, or that there might be a safety issue or application solution or opportunity that might be helpful to the customer.

Abstract: The method and system for an industrial control system network jog control of the present invention provides responsive jogging of a machine for a consistent, fixed duration that minimizes the effects of network and processor delays. A jog message is input at a human machine interface by an operator directly observing the operation the machine. The jog message includes an address indicator corresponding to a network location of the controlled equipment and a jog duration period. The jog message is sent along the network directly to an output device attached to the controlled equipment. A jog pulse is then transmitted for the proper duration by the output device. Clock circuitry within the output device is used to limit the jog pulse to the jog pulse duration period of the jog message.

Abstract: A word processing tool for idea generation represents text-identified ideas of a database in either the form of a text outline or in the form of a tree structure of nodes. Ideas of a given level can be assigned weight values to change the ordering of the depiction of ideas in those levels. The weight values can be combined according to the hierarchy of the ideas in the tree to provide quantitative guidance to the user.

Abstract: A word processing tool for idea generation represents text-identified ideas of a database in either the form of a text outline or in the form of a tree structure of nodes. Ideas of a given level can have priorities to change the ordering of the depiction of ideas in those levels. The priorities may be adjusted in a priority window allowing drag and drop reordering of idea and numeric weighting of ideas using a slider control. Loose dependence between ordering and weighting insures consistency of the two in the priority window.

Abstract: Graphically intense utility programs for an industrial control system, requiring the same operating system as is used to run the control program, are run on remote computers having insufficient memory or processing power to support the operating system, by using a shell program executing on a control-computer to run the utilities. The shell program uses the control-computer's operating system except for calls to the remote computer's display or its manual input devices which are routed to a virtual machine updated periodically by communication with the remote machine.

Abstract: Inter-operability of products connected together to form an industrial control system is determined by defining each product as a set of services describing points of interface between the products and by determining complementary services necessary for inter-operability from a table listing complementary services. A new product may be evaluated for inter-operability by comparing its services to services of products with which inter-operability is desired. In one mode of operation after definition of the products in which inter-operability is desired, a necessary list of services is compiled from a database and translated by a relationship map to complementary services which define a virtual product having the desired inter-operability. Inter-operability of an entire control system may be thus modeled prior to construction.

Abstract: Multiple processing units connected along a communication link to form an industrial controller may arrange for efficient block transfer of data by isochronous methods by forwarding to a data producer a connection message including the desired data structure having the variables necessary to be transmitted in a predefined order. Upon receipt of the data structure, the data producer may program itself to collect the data into the structure and forward the data on a periodic basis dictated by the connection message to the data consumer. Changes in the data structure may thus be accommodated efficiently in a manner that is invisible to the user.