Data processing: generic control systems or specific applications inventions 11/07

20070276511 - Control unit that manages the usage of electrical devices: A control unit is disclosed for controlling the usage of an electrical device, such as a television. The control unit maintains a plurality of time accounts for a plurality of users. The control unit, responsive to receiving a request to operate the electrical device from a user, identifies a time... Agent: Duft Bornsen & Fishman, LLP

20070276512 - Automatic tuning method for multivariable model predictive controllers: A fast and reliable technique for tuning multivariable model predictive controllers (MPCs) that accounts for performance and robustness is provided. Specifically, the technique automatically yields tuning weights for the MPC based on performance and robustness requirements. The tuning weights are parameters of closed-loop transfer functions which are directly linked to... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070276516 - Apparatus, method, system and software product for directing multiple devices to perform a complex task: An apparatus, method, and software product use a complex task signal that indicates a desired complex task which will be implemented by at least one electronic device, such as setting up a particular environment. In response to the complex task signal, a fetching application fetches a representation of a sequence... Agent: Ware Fressola Van Der Sluys & Adolphson, LLP

20070276517 - Control unit that manages the usage of electrical devices: A control unit is disclosed for controlling the usage of an electrical device, such as a television. The control unit maintains a plurality of time accounts for a plurality of users. The control unit, responsive to receiving a request to operate the electrical device from a user, identifies a time... Agent: Duft Bornsen & Fishman, LLP

20070276518 - Control unit that manages the usage of electrical devices: A control unit is disclosed for controlling the usage of an electrical device, such as a television. The control unit maintains a plurality of time accounts for a plurality of users. The control unit, responsive to receiving a request to operate the electrical device from a user, identifies a time... Agent: Duft Bornsen & Fishman, LLP

20070276519 - Control unit that manages the usage of electrical devices: A control unit is disclosed for controlling the usage of an electrical device, such as a television. The control unit maintains a plurality of time accounts for a plurality of users. The control unit, responsive to receiving a request to operate the electrical device from a user, identifies a time... Agent: Duft Bornsen & Fishman, LLP

20070276520 - Control unit that manages the usage of electrical devices: A control unit is disclosed for controlling the usage of an electrical device, such as a television. The control unit maintains a plurality of time accounts for a plurality of users. The control unit, responsive to receiving a request to operate the electrical device from a user, identifies a time... Agent: Duft Bornsen & Fishman, LLP

20070276524 - Digital sound signal processing apparatus: Disclosed is a digital sound signal processing apparatus which performs predetermined sound processing to a digital sound input signal of a predetermined format and is capable of outputting a digital or an analog sound signal from a plurality of output terminals, the apparatus including: delay units severally provided at preceding... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070276526 - Construction element form and method of fabricating same: A portable and re-usable form for molding construction panels, and a method for fabricating such a form, including, but not limited to, exterior and interior wall panels, columns, and roof panels is provided. The form includes a frame made from frame members which are precision fitted together utilizing corresponding tabs... Agent: Glenn B. Foreman

20070276513 - Display control apparatus, image pickup apparatus, control method therefor, computer readable medium, and program: An image pickup apparatus allows a user to select and set a desired item to be displayed together with an image with a few operations. The user selects a desired item to be displayed together with an image, and stores the selected item as a setting for a display mode.... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070276514 - Method in a safety system for controlling a process or equipment: A method in an industrial safety system for controlling a process or equipment. The industrial safety system including components with safety devices. The safety system enables signals to be generated as a result of an event or alarm. An automated link is created between the event or alarm and an... Agent: Venable LLP

20070276515 - Control system for a motor vehicle: A control system for a motor vehicle is provided. The control system includes a manual actuating device with a plurality of degrees of freedom of adjustment for selecting and/or activating entries in a menu structure with a plurality of menu levels and a screen display having one or more display... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070276521 - Maintaining community integrity: Maintenance of community integrity in a gaming network is disclosed. One or more devices interacting with a particular game in the gaming network may be monitored. During the course of monitoring these devices, indicia of the violation of certain rules that define fair game play may be identified. A user... Agent: Carr & Ferrell LLP

20070276523 - Central cradling device with integrated detachable wireless component: A communication system having a primary communication device and a wireless headset. The primary communication device could be a cellular telephone and has an integrated electro-mechanical interface for sharing certain circuits common to both the cell phone and the headset, e.g., a battery charging system, an LCD for conveying status... Agent: Law Offices Of Mark A. Garzia, P.C.

20070276522 - Portable sound reproducing system and method: A portable audio device suitable for reproducing MPEG encoded data includes a plurality of inputs, a data storage, a display, an audio output, at least one processor, and a battery. The plurality of inputs includes a forward input, a play control input, and a random input. The data storage stores... Agent: Lawrence R. Youst

20070276525 - Touch pad for handheld device: A media device for storing and playing media such as audio, video or images, includes a memory device configured to store a plurality of media items in a digital format. The media device also includes a display configured to present a group of media items from the plurality of stored... Agent: Apple C/o Mofo Nova

20070276527 - Method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for providing configure to service for a semiconductor manufacturing service guide system: A system, method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for generating a code for a semiconductor manufacturing system are provided. A first code segment is derived from a customer code uniquely associated with a customer. At least one additional code segment is derived from at least one attribute selected for a semiconductor... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20070276528 - Management system of semiconductor fabrication apparatus, abnormality factor extraction method of semiconductor fabrication apparatus, and management method of the same: s

20070276531 - Methods and apparatus for enhanced operation of substrate carrier handlers: A carrier handler is provided that may be adapted to (1) accept transfer commands for carriers before the carriers arrive within the domain of the carrier handler; (2) accept termination commands that result in prior commands being cancelled or aborted independent of the state of the prior commands; (3) select... Agent: Dugan & Dugan, PC

20070276532 - Methods and apparatus for enhanced operation of substrate carrier handlers: Systems, tools, and methods are provided in which a first signal is transmitted from a tool to a Fab indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool. A second... Agent: Dugan & Dugan, PC

20070276530 - Methods and apparatus for material control system interface: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing movement of small lots between processing tools within an electronic device manufacturing facility. In some embodiments, a number of priority lots to be processed is determined and an equivalent number of carrier storage locations are reserved at a substrate loading station of a... Agent: Dugan & Dugan, PC

20070276529 - Methods and apparatus for transferring a substrate carrier within an electronic device manufacturing facility: In a first aspect, a first method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a request to transfer a carrier from a first substrate loading station to a second substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility including a plurality of... Agent: Dugan & Dugan, PC

20070276533 - Method for detecting transfer shift of transfer mechanism and semiconductor processing equipment: A dummy substrate (17) differs from a substrate to be processed in having a first guide (G1) for assisting centering, however, it can be handled as a substitute of the substrate to be processed. In a process chamber (2), a second guide (G2) is arranged to assist the dummy substrate... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070276534 - Triaxial tool unit, machining device, machining method: A triaxial tool unit includes three actuators 3, 4, 5 which operate in three-axis directions orthogonal to one another, a tool holder 7 provided at an intersection on axial lines in operating directions of the actuators 3, 4 and 5, and sensors 8, 9 and 10 which measure displacement amounts... Agent: Steptoe & Johnson LLP

20070276535 - Automated warehouse facility: An automated warehouse facility for warehousing and storing a plurality of items simultaneously in a plurality of varying levels, in which empty pallets circulate simultaneously with the main circulation of goods but separately from it without interfering with storing and retrieving goods on the all levels. The warehouse facility comprises... Agent: Tucker Ellis & West LLP

20070276536 - Method of storing test data in a fuel dispenser: A method and apparatus for storing test data in a fuel dispenser. The test data is generated for the fuel dispenser. The test data is then stored to a nonvolatile memory within the fuel dispenser.... Agent: Baker & Daniels LLP 111 E. Wayne Street

20070276537 - Products and processes for promotions which employ a vending machine: Products and processes are provided for receiving, from a customer via a vending machine, a selection of a first product that is available for dispensing by the vending machine. It is then determined, based on profit inventory management data, a set of products that are available for dispensing by the... Agent: Walker Digital Management, LLC

20070276540 - Robot, radio detection system, radio detection method and recording medium storing radio detection processing program: A robot is provided with a position setting unit for setting the position information of a destination, a locomotion unit for a movement to the set position, an actuator for driving the locomotion unit to the set position of movement, and a radio detection system for detecting the presence or... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack L.L.P.

20070276539 - System and method of robotically engaging an object: Briefly described, one embodiment is a method for imprecisely engaging an object or tool, the method comprising capturing an image of an imprecisely-engaged object with an image capture device, processing the captured image to identify a pose of the imprecisely-engaged object, and determining a pose deviation based upon the pose... Agent: Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC

20070276538 - Tool for an industrial robot: A robot or manipulator including a wireless power supply and a wireless communication device. One or more actuators on the robot tool may be wirelessly powered and wirelessly controlled. The robot tool may have one or more wireless communication members for transmission of data from sensors on the tool. The... Agent: Venable LLP

20070276541 - Mobile robot, and control method and program for the same: A path planning unit plans a travel path to a destination based on an estimated current travel position and outputs a travel command to a travel control unit to perform travel control so as to follow the travel path. A travel position prediction unit accumulates a travel distance, which is... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070276542 - System and method for optimization of gas lift rates on multiple wells: A method includes controlling a lift-gas compression process, controlling a lift-gas extraction process, and controlling a production separation process. The method also includes receiving asset data and optimizing the lift-gas compression process, the lift-gas injection process, and the production separation process according to the asset data.... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070276543 - Malfunction preventing device for refrigerator and method thereof: The present invention relates to a malfunction preventing device and a method thereof, which ignores an input signal produced by electricity capacity variation because of moisture to prevent a malfunction of a refrigerator. A malfunction preventing device for a refrigerator includes an inputting part in which a static electricity switch... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070276544 - Fluid pump controlling system, a fluid pump controlling method, a linear compresor and a cooler: The present invention relates to a system and to a method of controlling a fluid pump, as well as to a linear compressor and a cooler provided with means to calibrate the respective functioning at the time of the first use or in cases of problems caused by electric or... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20070276546 - Electronic metering apparatus for metering liquids: An electronic metering apparatus for metering liquids with a drive with an electric motor, at least one displacer device with a displacer element, which is connected and/or connectable to the drive, an electric mode key and an electric parameter key for changeover between different menus, a pair of electric control... Agent: Vidas, Arrett & Steinkraus, P.A.

20070276545 - Adaptive response time closed loop control algorithm: A system and method for controlling a flow of a fluid using an adaptive closed-loop-control algorithm is described. One embodiment includes a method for receiving a set point indicator and/or a sensor indicator generated by a sensor. A response time of a closed-loop-control algorithm is modified when at least one... Agent: Neugeboren Law Firm PC

20070276547 - Optimized energy management system: Methods and systems are provided for optimizing the control of energy supply and demand. An energy control unit includes one or more algorithms for scheduling the control of energy consumption devices on the basis of variables relating to forecast energy supply and demand. Devices for which energy consumption can be... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

20070276548 - Power switch: The present invention relates to a power switch, data system, interface and a data structure for controlling power outlets on one or more power switches. Each power switch comprises a sensor bus and watt meters in order to be able to monitor power consumption and environmental changes. Furthermore the power... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070270980 - Computerized procedures system: An online data driven computerized procedures system that guides an operator through a complex process facility's operating procedures. The system monitors plant data, processes the data and then, based upon this processing, presents the status of the current procedure step and/or substep to the operator. The system supports multiple users... Agent: Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC

20070270983 - Control apparatus, control method, and engine control unit: A control apparatus which is capable of ensuring both high-level stability and accuracy of control, even when controlling a controlled object having extremal characteristics or a controlled object a controlled object model of which cannot be represented. The control apparatus 1 includes a cooperative controller 30, an onboard model analyzer... Agent: Arent Fox PLLC

20070270985 - Method for navigating large image sets using sort orders: A method of displaying (100, 200) items from a collection (1200) of items including a first item (204) is provided. The method determines (400) a first sort order (901) of the collection, and at least one alternate sort order (902) of the collection. At least items adjacent to the first... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070270987 - Signal processing method, signal processing apparatus and recording medium: The minimum value detecting circuit detects a minimum value, excluding zero, of a coefficient according to a dequantized acoustic signal. The correction coefficient computing circuit computes a correction coefficient based on the minimum value and white noise outputted from the white noise storage which stores white noise. In this process,... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070270989 - Molded-component characteristic estimation device: A molded-component characteristic estimation device that estimates the stress-strain curve of each portion of a molded-component includes a storage unit that stores correlation data showing the correlation between solidification time and mechanical characteristics of a material for the molded-component; and a controller that estimates solidification time of each portion of... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070270990 - System and process for supply management for the assembly of expensive products: A method and system are described for managing component supply for complex products by monitoring the delivery performance of component suppliers and optimizing the times at which orders are placed. Performance of component suppliers is monitored by setting supply delivery performance targets for each supplier, and then monitoring and managing... Agent: Whitham, Curtis, & Christofferson P.C.

20070270978 - Method for identifying marked content, such as by using a class-wise non-principal component approach: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a method of identifying marked content is described. For example, although claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect, in one embodiment, a class-wise non-principal components approach may be employed.... Agent: Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP

20070270977 - Process control system and method for operating a system of this type: The invention relates to a process control system having measuring devices and actuators. All of the measuring devices and actuators process information and exchange data amongst themselves. All measuring devices and actuators are interconnected to enable a bi-directional data exchange. Several, or all of the measuring devices and actuators can... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070270979 - Control device and method of operating the control device: A control device contains a plurality of controller chips connected in parallel on a data side, a common signal output, and a change-over unit. The controller chips are coupled on an output side to the common signal output through the change-over unit. A plurality of differentiating elements are disposed upstream... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20070270981 - Information processing apparatus: A video information processing apparatus 100, which is an existing module, has the function of reading, from a network module 150 as an additional module, software held in the network module 150. The software held in the network module 150 includes control software for the network module and software for... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070270982 - Diagnostics in process control and monitoring systems: A condition of an industrial process is diagnosed based upon process variable information related to a value of a measured process variable. Histogram information is calculated based upon the determined process variable information and time information related to a duration of time the measured process variable has the value. Condition... Agent: Westman Champlin & Kelly, P.A.

20070270984 - Method and device for redundancy control of electrical devices: In general, electrical units have to meet the requirements for high reliability and a high level of operational safety. This applies in particular to communications systems where the constant availability of all devices is necessarily required. For this reason, computer capacity is held in reserve in order to guarantee operational... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20070270986 - Audio reproduction device: Provided is an audio reproduction device capable of immediately starting to reproduce audio data, particularly compressed audio data, from an arbitrary point in a forward or a backward direction at an arbitrary speed. In the case where data, to be reproduced, which is stored in a storage device is compressed... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack L.L.P.

20070270988 - Method of modifying audio content: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a method of generating a Personalized Audio Content (PAC) comprising: selecting Audio Content (AC) to personalize; selecting an Earprint; and generating a PAC using the Earprint to modify the AC.... Agent: Greenberg Traurig, LLP

20070270991 - System and method for monitoring consumable usage in packaging machines: A system and method for monitoring the use of consumable materials in packaging machines is provided. The system generally includes a plurality of packaging machines that are configured to selectively operate in first and second modes to perform different packaging operations, e.g., by using consumable materials at different consumable usage... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20070270992 - Monitoring method, monitoring apparatus, and mounter: The monitoring method, which is capable of improving the efficiency in producing component mounting boards at the whole production line level, is a monitoring method of monitoring an operating status of a production line for producing a component mounting board by mounting components onto a board, the method including: a... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack L.L.P.

20070270993 - Component exchange procedure identifying method and program: This component exchange procedure identifying method includes: receiving data representing a failure of a first operation verification carried out after exchange of a first component and an assembling work of disassembled components, in a state that data concerning said first component corresponding to an error code output from said apparatus... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070270994 - System and method for generating a yield model for an integrated circuit fabrication process and method of manufacturing an integrated circuit using the yield model: A system for, and method of, generating a yield model pertaining to an integrated circuit (IC) fabrication process and a method of manufacturing an IC using the yield model. In one embodiment, the method of generating includes: (1) selecting X-variables as candidates for incorporation into the yield model, (2) sorting... Agent: Texas Instruments Incorporated

20070270995 - Recessing trench to target depth using feed forward data: Recessing a trench using feed forward data is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a region on a wafer including a trench area that includes a trench and a field area that is free of any trench, and a material applied over the region so as to fill... Agent: Hoffman, Warnick & D'alessandro LLC

20070270996 - System and method for cutting-stock optimization across schedules and batches: A method and system for optimizing cutting of various materials. In some embodiments, an algorithm optimizes cutting by grouping items to be cut, wherein a plurality of cutting-stock pieces are grouped together and aligned such that a single cut simultaneously cuts items from all of the pieces. Some embodiments optimize... Agent: Lemaire Patent Law Firm, P.l.l.c.

20070270997 - Validating removable fare collection system: A low cost fare collection system includes a removable farebox having an integral collection box. The farebox can be installed in a temporary installation at a fare collection location for the collection of fares and can be removed to a secure location for emptying and reconciliation. The farebox can include... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070270998 - Multiple prescription production facility: A production facility configured to fill a multiple prescription order having different medications is described. The production facility comprises a means for processing a multiple prescription order, a plurality of multiple prescription containers, a first labeling component, a first inspection module, a second labeling component and a second inspection module.... Agent: Virtual Legal, P.C. Michael A. Kerr

20070270999 - Automated storage and distribution system: An automated facility for storing and then distributing articles. The facility includes a housing for receiving closed shipping containers, and further means for retrieving articles from inside the shipping containers and distributing the articles to an output of the housing. The further means includes a sensing means for determining the... Agent: Lawrence C. Edelman,IPCounsel Fastcorp

20070271000 - Ring management system: A production system capable of further improving production efficiency and quality. The ring management system includes size measurement unit for measuring size of the ring, first convey unit for moving the ring w whose size has been measured, a first stocker having a plurality of storage positions for storing rings... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070271001 - Method of remotely managaing the distribution of medicine: A method is provided of remotely managing the distribution of medicine. The method includes the step of providing a plurality of medicine containers. Each medicine container receives at least one dosage of medicine therein and includes a control circuit. Each control circuit controls distribution of a dosage of medicine from... Agent: Boyle Fredrickson S.c.

20070271004 - Cleaning robot having carpet detector and method of detecting carpet boundary using the same: A cleaning robot having a carpet detector and a method of detecting a carpet boundary using the same, in which the presence of the carpet on a floor is detected. The cleaning robot having a carpet detector includes a main body, a driver fixed to the main body to move... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070271003 - Robot using absolute azimuth and mapping method thereof: A robot using an absolute azimuth to navigate and a mapping method thereof. The robot includes a control unit controlling a traveling direction of a body of the robot by using the absolute azimuth, which indicates an orientation of the body with respect to a specified reference axis, and a... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070271002 - Systems and methods for the autonomous control, automated guidance, and global coordination of moving process machinery: A control system for controlling and coordinating a plurality of moving machines includes a global coordinator; a first subsystem controlled by the global coordinator, the first subsystem including a plurality of automated moving machines, the machines including sensors and actuators, including actuators for automated guidance and movement; and a local... Agent: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

20070271005 - Power restoration system for electrical power network: A robust power restoration method is described. The method involves establishing a set of virtual paths within a mesh network having at least two sources of electrical power. Each of the virtual paths is used to determine a suitable location for a non-conducting electrical bridge. When a fault is detected... Agent: Freedman & Associates

20070271006 - Modular energy control system: A wireless base unit communicates with one or more wireless load manager units to receive power measurements for one or more loads connected to the wireless load manager. In response to dynamic variables, such as the changing price of electricity, the wireless base unit transmits commands to the wireless load... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

20070271007 - Drug infusion system and method adapted to start during programming cycle: Drug infusion system capable of delivering a fluid medication to a patient and method for doing same. An implantable drug delivery device is capable of delivering the fluid medication at a programmable rate to the patient under control of an original programming cycle having a plurality of steps in a... Agent: Iplm Group, P.A.

20070265714 - Magnetic disk device and head-position control method: A feedback controller performs a feedback control based on an error between a target position and an actual position of a head. A model controller obtains a control command, a model position to be output as a command for the target position to the feedback controller, and a model velocity... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070265717 - Portable communications device with image projecting capability and control method thereof: A method of controlling a portable communications device with an image projecting capability includes: controlling an image projecting unit to project an output screen of an application program, and controlling a touch control display unit to display an operation interface set up according to characteristics of the application program; and... Agent: Quine Intellectual Property Law Group, P.C.

20070265720 - Content marking method, content playback apparatus, content playback method, and storage medium: A content marking method includes the steps of, if a mark command issued by a user is detected when a content is being played back, determining, as a marked part, a part of the content including or close to a point designated by the mark command, and storing marked-part identifying... Agent: Wolf Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.

20070265712 - Instrumentation that serves data over the internet: The invention relates to instruments and methods for controlling operation of remote industrial equipment and process by detected data transfer via internet to an operator located away from the operation who manages variable parameters of the equipment or process via internet control.... Agent: William Anthony Drucker

20070265713 - Intelligent monitoring system and method for building predictive models and detecting anomalies: There is described a method and system for detecting an anomaly in data originating from a component used in an industrial process. The anomaly detection steps comprise: providing predictive models in which at least one of the predictive models corresponds to at least one operating mode from a plurality of... Agent: Ogilvy Renault LLP

20070265715 - Method for permanent calibration based on actual measurement: There is described a method of manufacturing a device to be used with a computer-aided surgery system, a method of calibrating the device, and the device itself. After fabrication, the device is measured to obtain true parameters thereof. The true parameters are stored on a storage medium associated with the... Agent: Ogilvy Renault LLP

20070265716 - Plant operation supporting apparatus and plant operation supporting method: A plant operation supporting apparatus includes a display section which displays at least one of an operation procedure screen for displaying an operation procedure defined by components and wiring in a flowchart format, or an operation procedure screen for displaying an operation procedure defined by components and wiring in a... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20070265718 - Team matching: Players in a gaming environment, particularly, electronic on-line gaming environments, may be scored relative to each other or to a predetermined scoring system. The scoring of each player may be based on the outcomes of games between players who compete against each other in one or more teams of one... Agent: Microsoft Corporation

20070265719 - Handheld racquet sports scoring device with built in logic and technology to track points, games and matches with the ability to display scores on a wall mounted screen: A handheld electronic unit is for marking and scoring a game of squash rackets, racquetball, badminton and table tennis (both singles and doubles and inclusive of their particular variations of scoring) by an observer (the Marker/Referee) watching the game from outside of the court or field of play. It improves/standardizes... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070265721 - Method of application protocol monitoring for programmable logic controllers: A method is provided of application protocol monitoring for a manufacturing line including the steps of constructing a manufacturing line model for the manufacturing line, utilizing logic for a programmable logic controller (PLC), executing a control logic simulation of the PLC logic to validate the PLC logic against the manufacturing... Agent: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

20070265722 - Method for improved equivalent gate count yield estimation for integrated circuit devices: A method of modeling yield for semiconductor products includes determining expected faults for each of a plurality of library elements by running a critical area analysis on each of the library elements, and assessing, from the critical area analysis, an expected number of faults per unit area, and comparing the... Agent: Cantor Colburn LLP-ibm Burlington

20070265723 - Determining processing times at stations in an assembly system: An assembly system may assemble articles of manufacture at a plurality of assembly regions and may log a time at which each article of manufacture enters or exits an assembly region. Assembly regions may include sequential assembly stations that process the articles. A method of determining when a specific article... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070265724 - Information technology process for prefabricated building panel assembly: The disclosed technology enables manufacturers to efficiently design and manufacture structural wall panels, floor panels and roof panels from cold-formed steel for use in residential and commercial construction. The panels are individual components that can be installed at a building site to form a structure that includes walls, floor and... Agent: Goodwin Procter LLP Patent Administrator

20070265725 - Model import for electronic design automation: Methods and systems for providing processing parameters in a secure format are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for providing semiconductor fabrication processing parameters to a design facility is disclosed. The method comprises providing a set of processing parameters of a fabrication facility; creating a model from the set of... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20070265726 - Automatic part feedback compensation for laser plastics welding: A feedback control system for controlling a laser source. The feedback control system includes a laser source outputting laser energy and an optical sensor detecting the laser energy. The optical sensor outputs a measured signal in response to a measured amount of the laser energy. The system further includes an... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070265727 - System and method for mesh and body hybrid modeling using 3d scan data: A mechanism for enabling a user to treat 3D scan data model regions as surface bodies so as to eliminate the need to convert model regions to parametric surfaces as a prerequisite to performing part body modeling operations is discussed. During CAD re-modeling raw 3D scan data is imported. The... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP

20070265728 - Merged laser and photogrammetry measurement using precise camera placement: The surface of a part is measured using a combination of laser tracking and Photogrammetry processes. Cameras used in the Photogrammetry process are mounted on a carriage for movement to positions along a predetermined path where images of the part surface are recorded and then converted to surface measurements. Laser... Agent: Tung & Associates

20070265729 - System, method and corresponding apparatus for storing, retrieving and delivering unit dose blisters: A system, method and corresponding apparatus are provided for storing, retrieving and delivering unit dose blisters in their natural, raw state (i.e., without over-wrapping or repackaging). In particular, a plurality of unit dose blister mounts are configured to position a corresponding plurality of different types of unit dose blisters in... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20070265730 - System, method and corresponding apparatus for scanning an identification code of an unknown orientation: A method, system and corresponding apparatus are provided for scanning an identification code of an unknown orientation. In particular, the edge of a surface of an item on which the identification code is displayed may be located, and the item may then scanned in a predefined direction relative to the... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20070265731 - Articulated arm robot: To increase the safety of an articulated arm robot with robot members connected by means of joints as open kinematics and with functional elements acting on the joints, such as drive motors, gears, brakes and a weight balance system, while reducing the mechanical limitations of the motion space of the... Agent: Mcglew & Tuttle, PC

20070265732 - Characterization and classification of pose in low dimension: A BodyMap matrix for a pose includes elements representing Euclidean distances between markers on the object. The BodyMap matrix can be normalized and visualized using a grayscale or mesh image, enabling a user to easily interpret the pose. The pose is characterized in a low-dimensional space by determining the singular... Agent: Honda/fenwick

20070265733 - Fuel dispenser management: Fuel dispensers located at a fueling facility may perform operations in a coordinated manner. In particular implementations, a system and process for coordinating the operation of fuel dispensers at a fueling facility may include the ability to determine at a first fuel dispenser that a function is to be performed... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070260331 - Method of testing and installing a home automation remote control unit: A method of testing and installing a remote control unit (RCU) for controlling elements (ACT1, ACT2, ACT3) of a home automation network, intended for managing the security or heat or light comfort in a building, comprising the use of software (ALS) emulating the remote control unit in a computer (PCU)... Agent: Frommer Lawrence & Haug

20070260333 - Method for the automatic optimization of a natural gas transport network: The method of automatic optimization is applied to a natural gas transport network in the steady state comprising at one and the same time a set of passive works such as pipelines or resistances, and a set of active works comprising regulating valves, isolating valves, compression stations, storage or supply... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20070260337 - Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and storage medium: An information processing apparatus which can communicate with a printing apparatus that operates in the first electric power state in which electric power necessary for a status response to an external request is supplied and the second electric power state in which no necessary electric power is supplied includes an... Agent: Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C. John J Torrente

20070260338 - Control device including a ball that stores data: A device for controlling movement of an object relative to an environment is disclosed. The device may include a ball configured to store data for determining at least an orientation of the object relative to the environment. The data may pertain to a plurality of possible orientations of the object.... Agent: Yi-ming Tseng

20070260339 - Automated programming system employing non-text user interface: An automated programming system that includes configuring the automated programming system to include an input module, a programming module, and an output module. Employing a non-text user interface system for real-time representation of the input module, the programming module and the output module.... Agent: Ishimaru & Zahrt LLP

20070260341 - Correcting apparatus for wafer transport equipment and correcting method for wafer transport equipment: A correcting apparatus for wafer transport equipment is provided. The correcting apparatus includes a reflective component, an image capture module, an image processing module and a screen. The reflective component is disposed near a wafer carrying device to reflect an image of the wafer carrying device to the image capture... Agent: Jianq Chyun Intellectual Property Office

20070260332 - Freehand system and method for creating, editing, and manipulating block diagrams: A method of integrating freehand user input into a block diagram environment is disclosed. The freehand user input is a user's approximation of a diagram component or feature of a component which is received by the block diagram environment and compared to multiple patterns stored in a storage location. The... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP

20070260335 - Apparatus and method for coordinating controllers to control a paper machine or other machine: A method includes receiving measurement data from at least one sensor at a first controller. The measurement data is associated with a process. The method also includes receiving a first output signal at the first controller. The first output signal is generated by a second controller and affects the process.... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070260334 - Method and system for rapid modeling and verification of excitation systems for synchronous generators: A method for modeling an excitation system for a synchronous electrical power generator including: selecting a standard mathematical excitation system model from a plurality of standard excitation system models stored electronically; wherein the selected standard model is selected based on a similarity to the excitation system and can be an... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.

20070260336 - Long infrastructure management system and program: A long object management system for managing the history of the attribute data as well as the shape data constituting the temporal information of pipeline facilities, in which the future prediction is conducted by acquiring and managing the temporal information. The system comprises a unit for managing the time change... Agent: Reed Smith LLP

20070260340 - Ultra small microphone array: Methods and apparatus for signal processing are disclosed. A discrete time domain input signal xm(t) may be produced from an array of microphones M0 . . . MM. A listening direction may be determined for the microphone array. The listening direction is used in a semi-blind source separation to select... Agent: Joshua D. Isenberg Jdi Patent

20070260342 - Method for inspection process development or improvement and parts inspection process: A method of developing or improving a parts inspection process, the method comprising: selecting at least one target part for inspection; convening a panel to review samples of the target part, and to define conditions and determine a disposition of the target part samples; conducting initial inspections of the target... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070260343 - Methods and apparatus for improving operation of an electronic device manufacturing system: In one aspect of the invention, a method for the improved operation of an electronic device manufacturing system is provided. The method includes providing information to an interface coupled to an electronic device manufacturing system having parameters, processing the information to predict a first parameter, and providing an instruction related... Agent: Dugan & Dugan, PC

20070260345 - Component manufacturing system for a prefabricated building panel: The disclosed technology enables manufacturers to efficiently design and manufacture structural wall panels, floor panels and roof panels from cold-formed steel for use in residential and commercial construction. The panels are individual components that can be installed at a building site to form a structure that includes walls, floor and... Agent: Goodwin Procter LLP Patent Administrator

20070260344 - Module evaluation method and system: A module evaluation method and system which can quickly determine overall effectiveness of the modular construction method in an automatic manner, taking into account the transportation cost and so on. A module evaluation unit prepares constructed-equipment physical quantity data from constructed-equipment layout data, and determines an in-module unit-rate reduction effect... Agent: Mattingly, Stanger, Malur & Brundidge, P.C.

20070260346 - System for multiresolution analysis assisted reinforcement learning approach to run-by-run control: A new multiresolution analysis (wavelet) assisted reinforcement learning (RL) based control strategy that can effectively deal with both multiscale disturbances in processes and the lack of process models. The application of wavelet aided RL based controller represents a paradigm shift in the control of large scale stochastic dynamic systems of... Agent: Smith Hopen, Pa

20070260347 - Methods and systems for tracking and managing livestock through the production process: Systems and methods are described that provide a relatively quick and easy way of tracing meat products to their origins. Specifically, methods of tracing a fully processed meat product back through the production process use windows of traceability to quickly identify which lots were being processed at a particular time.... Agent: Sheridan Ross PC

20070260348 - Portable table carrier for construction plans: A combination portable table and carrier device for transporting and reading construction plans (e.g. blueprints) is disclosed. The device includes a table having a plan storage compartment for holding one or more sets of construction plans in a flat or folded position. The storage compartment is flush with the surface... Agent: Mchale & Slavin, P.a

20070260349 - Device and method for producing a three-dimensional object by means of mask exposure: The invention describes device and method for producing a three-dimensional object by solidifying a solidifiable material under an action of electromagnetic radiation by means of energy input via an imaging unit comprising a predetermined number of discrete imaging elements (pixels). The energy input related to a specific cross-sectional area of... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20070260350 - Method for improving efficiency of a manufacturing process such as a semiconductor fab process: The present invention provides a method for improving the efficiency of a product manufacturing process such as a semiconductor fab process, wherein a given step of the process has a quality result which can be actually measured on each product or group of products, and wherein the process comprises a... Agent: Okamoto & Benedicto, LLP

20070260351 - Methods and apparatus for pressure control in electronic device manufacturing systems: In one aspect, improved methods and apparatus for pressure control in an electronic device manufacturing system are provided. The method includes acquiring information related to a current state of the electronic device manufacturing system, determining a desired value of a first parameter of the electronic device manufacturing system based on... Agent: Dugan & Dugan, PC

20070260352 - Automated pattern generation processes: This disclosure relates to an automated system for generating large numbers of digitally-defined patterns suitable for printing on textiles wherein each pattern is individually different but shares one or more unifying design motifs with all other patterns. In the general case, each pattern is comprised of at least two components... Agent: Legal Department (m-495)

20070260353 - Knitting machine, yarn processing method of knitting machine, yarn processing control device of knitting machine and program thereof: A knitting machine, a method of working yarn by the knitting machine, and a controller for working yarn by the knitting machine and its program. In the method, a carriage is controllably stopped at a point where a yarn passage length between a yarn working device and a knitting needle... Agent: Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C.

20070260355 - Driving method, drive control apparatus, and robot: A robot comprises: a plurality of limbs having joints; a driving section for driving said joints periodically; and a controller capable of performing operations of: deriving a center position of reaction forces received from ground contacting parts and a change in the center position; calculating a phase concerning periodic movement... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20070260354 - Control method of leg type moving robot: A control method for a legged mobile robot includes exercising a body of a robot such that a center of gravity of the robot obtains a momentum or the body obtains an angular momentum in a direction in which an object is to be moved while restraining a force from... Agent: Rankin, Hill, Porter & Clark LLP

20070260356 - Control method for a robot: An apparatus, a method and a control system for controlling an industrial robot with at least one axis of rotation and/or translation. The robot includes at least one actuator or motor at each of the axes for driving a movement of an arm of the robot and at least one... Agent: Venable LLP

20070260357 - Method for the production of hydrophilic polymers and finishing products containing the same using a computer-generated model: The invention relates generally to a process for producing a hydrophilic polymer, a prediction process, hygiene articles, and other chemical products, which comprise a hydrophilic polymer produced according to the process according to the invention, as well as the use of a polymer according to the invention in hygiene articles... Agent: Smith Moore LLP

20070260358 - Power supplying mode switching controller, image forming apparatus, and image reading apparatus: A power supplying mode switching controller is disclosed. The power supplying mode switching controller includes a main controller which controls an image forming apparatus, a power supply circuit which has a normal mode and a power saving mode, an I/O controller which switches the power supply circuit to the normal... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070260359 - System and method for remotely regulating the power consumption of an electric appliance: A system and method for remotely regulating the power consumption of a device are provided. The method comprises sending a message from a remote location and over a wide area data network to a controller locally attached to a device. The method further comprises adjusting, at the controller, the power... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070255428 - Multifunction device, method of controlling multifunction device, control device, method of controlling control device, multifunction device control system, control program, and computer-readable storage medium: A system which can control functions of a multifunction device in an integrative manner and can flexibly change the functions of the multifunction device. The multifunction device includes a computer including a CPU and a RAM and is connected to, is able to communicate with, and is controlled by one... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20070255431 - Monitoring and controlling an aquatic environment: A system and method for monitoring and controlling an aquatic environment thus regulating the aquatic environment and maximizing the stability of the aquatic ecosystem. This system uses sensor and data fusion algorithms to perform system anomaly analysis and predictive failure diagnostics based on the output of sensors associated with the... Agent: Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP Attn:IPDocketing

20070255436 - Audio processing apparatus for automatic gain control: The present invention provides an audio processing apparatus for automatically controlling gain. The audio processing apparatus includes an audio signal source and a sound reproduction device. The sound reproduction device attaches to the audio signal source, which includes a storage unit for storing a default gain value and a gain... Agent: North America Intellectual Property Corporation

20070255437 - Processing audio input signals: A method of processing an audio input signal represented as digital samples to produce a stereo output signal (having a left field and a right field) such that said stereo signal emulates the production of said audio signal from a specified audio source location relative to a listening source location.... Agent: James C. Wray

20070255434 - Storage medium storing sound output control program and sound output control apparatus: A sound output control apparatus includes a controller for a user to perform a stroke operation. The controller is provided with an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations of two axes, for example. The sum of the accelerations is calculated, and the output of a sound is controlled in accordance with... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, P.C.

20070255439 - Product processing system: A product processing system applicable to a production process for producing an electronic device is disclosed. The product processing system includes a plurality of processing apparatuses installed according to processing stages in the production process of the electronic device and configured to process the electronic device in the processing stages... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20070255429 - Automation system and a method and input/output assembly therefore: Disclosed is an automation system (1) for executing safety-relevant automation functions. Said automation system (1) comprises one or several control componentries (10) and one or several input/output componentries (30, 30′,50) that are connected thereto. The control componentry (10) is provided with standard program parts (11, 12) and fail-safe program parts... Agent: Henry M Feiereisen, LLC

20070255430 - Shelf management controller with hardware/software implemented dual redundant configuration: A fault tolerant, multi-protocol shelf management controller architecture that is extensible provides an intelligent platform management interface that is version indifferent as well as programmable and reconfigurable. The shelf management controller is arranged in a dual redundant configuration in a client-server mode and has a message driven configuration with the... Agent: Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A.

20070255432 - High definition audio architecture: In a preferred embodiment, there is provided apparatus locatable between a host interface on the upstream side of the apparatus and one or more non-High Definition Audio (HDA)-compatible Coder/Decoders (CODECs) on the downstream side of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a High Definition Audio (HDA) controller connectable to the host... Agent: Creative Labs, Inc. Legal Department

20070255433 - Method and system for automatically selecting digital audio format based on sink device: A digital multimedia source device automatically discovers the type of sink device it is sending data to, and based on sink device type automatically selects which audio format to send with the video. For example, lower bit rate audio such as stereo PCM can be sent from a source device... Agent: Rogitz & Associates

20070255435 - Personal sound system including multi-mode ear level module with priority logic: A personal sound system is described that includes a wireless network supporting an ear-level module, a companion module and a phone. Other audio sources are supported as well. A configuration processor configures the ear-level module and the companion module for private communications, and configures the ear-level module for a plurality... Agent: Haynes Beffel & Wolfeld LLP

20070255438 - Computer implemented management domain & method: A computer implemented management domain for controlling the production of low volume advanced technology articles of manufacture is provided. The management domain includes an information library, an integrated manufacturing intelligence, and an interrogation network which includes a plurality of analyzers. The information library includes a plurality of databases, each of... Agent: Nawrocki, Rooney & Sivertson Suite 401, Broadway Place East

20070255440 - Method and system for improved performance of manufacturing processes: A system and method including identifying a stopped range, identifying at least one lot of WIP associated with the stopped range, and processing the at least one lot in at least one operation within the stopped range at a lower priority relative to other lots. The system and method may... Agent: International Business Machines Corporation Dept. 18g

20070255441 - Computerized method for creating a cusum chart for data analysis: A method for evaluating the success of a manufacturing process that includes creating a CUSUM chart permitting a mathematical determination of when a step change in an industrial process has occurred, includes the steps of: identifying time slices for select industrial process filter criteria known to be true; determining the... Agent: Michael I Kroll

20070255442 - Process fault analyzer and method and storage medium: The process fault analyzer includes a process data editing part for extracting a process characteristic quantity from process data in a time series stored in a process data storing part, a fault analysis rule data storing part for storing a fault analysis rule for performing fault detection on a product... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070255443 - System and method for automatically distributing materials: A method for distributing materials to corresponding production lines is provided. The method includes: receiving an identification code of the materials transmitted from the scanner; querying the production line of the material by searching for the identification code in material-production line table that lists the identification codes and the production... Agent: North America Intellectual Property Corporation

20070255444 - Service activity management system and method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment: An activity management system, and a method of using thereof, is described for a service process in semiconductor manufacturing. The activity management system includes a data collection system configured to receive service activity data associated with at least one service component and a service operator, and relate the service activity... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070255445 - Method and apparatus for achieving a fast cross direction caliper control recovery time: Fast cross direction caliper control recovery time in a sheet making machine during startup of the machine after a sheet break is achieved provided that a preselected time duration measured from the occurrence of the sheet break to the clearing of sheet break has elapsed. One or more of three... Agent: Abb Inc. Legal Dept. - 4u6

20070255446 - Apparatus and method for controlling a paper machine or other machine using measurement predictions based on asynchronus sensor information: A method includes predicting measurements or states to be used by a controller to control a process. The predicted measurements or states are generated using a model of the process. The method also includes providing the predicted measurements or states to the controller such that the controller uses the predicted... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070255448 - Systems and methods for processing packaged goods in the nature of cigarettes: Systems and methods for processing tobacco-oriented goods are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor. The pick-up signal is indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on inclusion in an associated order. Also received... Agent: Christopher L. Holt Westman, Champlin & Kelly, P.A.

20070255447 - Method for operating a vacuum handling device: A method is proposed for operating a vacuum handling device controlled by a programmable controller (39) which can be connected to a machine controller (10), with at least one vacuum generator (28) and with a number of gripper modules (20), which are connected to the vacuum generator and are each... Agent: Dreiss, Fuhlendorf, Steimle & Becker

20070255449 - Design support apparatus and design support method therefor: A design support apparatus that can easily verify the conveyance design for a flexible medium based on input design information. A transit time is calculated when a flexible medium passes a characteristic point on a conveying path based a conveying conditions that are set.... Agent: Rossi, Kimms & Mcdowell LLP.

20070255450 - System and method for dispensing bulk products: A dispensing system and method is used to dispense a bulk product or to mix and to dispense bulk products on site and to price the products according to the quantity and distribution thereof. The dispensing system preferably provides automated merchandising by providing up-to-date product information and by allowing customers... Agent: Devine, Millimet & Branch, P.A.

20070255451 - Control and monitoring apparatus for fluid dispensing means: Control and monitoring apparatus for fluid dispensing means comprising a first electronic control means and a second electronic control means, in which the first electronic control means is adapted to directly control and monitor fluid dispensing means with which the apparatus is used, in which the first electronic control means... Agent: Paul Grandinetti Levy & Grandinetti

20070255454 - Control of robots from human motion descriptors: A control system and method generate torque comments for motion of a target system in response to observations of a source system. Constraints and balance control may be provided for more accurate representation of the motion as replicated by the target system.... Agent: Honda/fenwick

20070255452 - Control system, moving robot apparatus having the control system, and a control method thereof: A moving robot apparatus and a control system and method thereof. A current state variable (e.g., the current direction of the main body of the robot apparatus) may be estimated using current data output from a sensor part of the robot apparatus. Initially, it is determined whether the current data... Agent: Stanzione & Kim, LLP

20070255453 - Parallel kinematic robot and method for controlling this robot: An industrial robot for moving an object in space. A platform is arranged for carrying the object. A first arm is arranged for influencing the platform in a first movement. The first arm includes a first actuator and three links. Each link includes an outer joint connected to the platform... Agent: Venable LLP

20070255455 - Robotic station for capturing both image and weight of a sample: A robotic system with a common software and hardware platform for integration of a variety of modular components is provided that can be set up for a given application and reconfigured to address changing needs. Modules attach to the robotic platform with standard interfaces in order to maximize the platform's... Agent: Symyx Technologies Inc Legal Department

20070255456 - Image processing system and method, and terminal and server used for the same: An imaging unit (1) images an imaging object and acquires image data. On the other hand, imaging information which is information at the time of imaging is acquired by an imaging information acquisition unit (2). A storage unit (3) contains image correction information for correcting the acquired image. An imaging... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070255457 - Consumer pollution impact profile system and method: A system and method developing an ongoing relationship with a consumer for assessing the pollution impact attributable to the consumer. The ongoing relationship is provided utilizing a pollution impact profile. In one example a pollution impact profile represents a pollution impact attributable to the consumer. The pollution impact profile may... Agent: Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC

20070255458 - System and method for managing stratified liquids in storage tanks: A system for managing stratified liquids in a storage tank includes a variable height, in-tank sonar transducer, configured to identify liquid layers of differing densities and to indicate an elevation of the liquid layers, a motorized drive unit for adjusting an orifice to intercept a selected layer, wireless data transmission... Agent: Edwin L. Hartz

20070255459 - Method and apparatus for operation of a power station: A power station comprises a power-consuming shaft run on which a motor and a compressor are arranged, as well as a power-emitting shaft run on which a generator and an expansion machine are arranged. The compressor feeds a compressed fluid into a storage volume. The compressed storage fluid is expanded... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070255460 - Integrated current fault controller: A fault monitoring and management system integrates a fault controller with the power load functions within the power management device of a battery operated system. Multiple input load lines allow the fault controller to diagnose and disable defective or faulty power load functions that draw current from the system supply... Agent: Duane Morris, LLPIPDepartment

20070255461 - Automatic energy management and energy consumption reduction, especially in commercial and multi-building system: Automatic energy management is provided, in even the most complex multi-building system. The necessity of a human operator for managing energy in a complex, multi-building system is reduced and even eliminated. Computer-based monitoring and computer-based recognition of adverse energy events (such as the approach of a new energy peak) is... Agent: Mcguirewoods, LLP