An image generator system (5) with a warehouse database (3) that is integrated to an image generator system human interface (FIG. 6) (virtual reality) and integrated to a warehouse management system""s (WMS) stock location system (FIG. 1). This software and hardware combination performs warehousing functions in a simple, visual, real time, non real time and three-dimensional environment. This computer combination is intended for organizations to more efficiently manage the warehousing processxe2x80x94especially by locating key positions. World famine can be reduced with the capabilities of visualizing locations within any warehouse. All industries that use warehouses can ultimately use this virtual reality warehouse management system complement to augment their distribution process. The combination of two previous technologies: that of Virtual Reality (real time 3D graphics) and the field of warehousing and warehouse management systems.

1. Technical Field
This virtual reality warehouse management system complement (VR WMS complement) is an advance to the warehousing and logistics industry where image generating graphic board systems, visual computer generated warehouse databases, and other optional components of virtual reality (VR) are incorporated and integrated into the stock location systems of computerized warehouse management systems (WMSs) in order to manage warehouses better.
2. Background Art
1. Warehousing
Since people began the conglomeration of goods into buildings, they have relied on two major methods of warehousing, which had been in existence for thousands of years. The memory system and the stock location naming system and/or the combination of both. The memory system consists of having a person or group of people to keep a memory of location of stock and available spaces to place them. A stock location naming system identifies locations based on a system of symbols, numbers and letters. A notable example of early warehousing with a stock location system begins in Egypt when the Pharoah""s servants kept track of stores of grains and wealth. However, both of these methods are complex, confusing and inefficient. Recently modern advances have greatly improved these ancient techniques. These include the incorporation of the stock location naming system by computer, and the use of audio technology and robot like automated warehousing systems. All these warehousing methods are discussed below.
a. Warehouse Manager(s) Without a Computerized WMS
Warehouse managers have difficulty relying solely on their own memory and/or a stock location system to keep track of stock keeping unit (SKU) locations and available space to place themxe2x80x94especially in the high volume of stock in modern warehouses. Even with two dimensional maps of the warehouse, limited success is achieved due to the dynamic three dimensional nature of a warehouse. Excessive amounts of paperwork produced by inventory data can sometimes confuse workers, even though they are necessary for the management of warehousing.
Recently, with the industrial revolution, warehouses have expanded into square miles, and the copious quantities of goods that are processed today have become increasingly difficult to manage with human memory techniques and a stock location naming system. The human memory system, in both ancient and modern times, has relied on one person or a group of people who has been employed at a warehouse for a long period of time and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge of warehouse locations. Even the most skilled warehouse manager has difficulty in keeping track of locations of stock and available spaces. Psychology studies have proven that the human mind can only retain 5 to 7 items at one time. In order to reduce confusion and better address modern warehousing, companies have no other recourse but to turn to the fast stock location accessing capabilities of computers.
b. Computerized Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Computerized WMS presently do not provide any other way of visualizing a warehouse besides using naming methods based on stock location systems. The naming conventions used in these WMS make the entire WMS difficult to use, maintain, and fully understand. This difficulty also limits WMS users to use any WMS to its fullest capabilities. Which in turn also limits the WMS designer from conceiving of new capabilities.
A numbering system based on a naming convention consisting of warehouse areas and stock locations that are placed on several sheets of paper or monitor fails to quickly and effectively convey this three dimensional SKU location information to the human mind as is needed in the complex and dynamic three dimensional optimum real time environment of warehousing. When very large number of locations must be accounted for very quickly, this process becomes tedious, slow and confusing. The numbers and letters that describe a location of stock or an available space to place goods are difficult to quickly decipher by even the most skilled warehouse worker especially when it needs to be done accurately and efficiently each time. Tediousness and inaccuracy can become commonplace in large volume and or complex warehousing. The naming method based on a written stock location system is very time consuming, difficult, and costly to labor hours, costly to warehouse building space etc. Warehousing performed with the help of computerized WMSs have phenomenally advanced the warehousing process by placing, monitoring, selecting, and shipping SKUs. However, these software systems need to supply SKU data to people to effectively warehouse. These systems based on a stock location naming system, give people locations of SKUs in the form of numbers and letters, such as STE7362-38. All major warehousing processes involve the need to know the location of goods. These processes include planning and design, receipt and placement, monitoring of stock picking SKUs for orders, and shipping SKUs. The human mind takes longer time to read a name like this: YFI-3894-F, than to read and understand a picture. A number based on a stock location naming system fails to quickly and effectively convey this three dimensional SKU location information to the human mind as is needed in the complex and dynamic environment of warehousing.
Software companies have provided systems specifically for the warehousing industry that access locations with a stock location naming system. Numerous software programs that are sold today have been widely used first in the early 1980s. A few of these warehouse management systems include but are not limited to the following table 1 as found in Consumer Goods Manufacturer, September/October 1998, an Edgell Publication, Vol 7 NO 5:
These programs have greatly advanced the warehousing industry, modernizing it with available technology; however, these have been limited in delivering location information as a warehouseman must first read numbers and letters then interpret it into three dimensions. Hand Held Displays (HHDs) have been used with computerized WMS to augment the WMS""s capabilities while a picker is at work on the floor of the warehouse. HHDs are lightweight systems with small screens that can be conveniently carried by hand. They have been used in warehousing to access and enter limited data into a computer via a xe2x80x98windowsxe2x80x99 operating system that can be seen on the screen. Currently, only lists of names of the stock location system are presented to the user. These lists are still confusing even when a user is interpreting them at the stock site.
These WMSs have not fully addressed the needs of the warehousing and logistics industry. Even with the added benefits of two dimensional, readable query capability that is computerized many opportunities for error occur, costing the industry enormous amounts of money. The amount of labor time that is wasted, the misallocation of space, causing a new building to be constructed the needs of consumers are not met on time. With the aid of WMSs, response time to customers is faster, but it can be done even faster if goods are found immediately. There exists room for improvement in this industry to do things faster, cheaper and with less chaos.
c. Audio WMS Complements
Audio WMS complements interpret the written stock location system into audio that can be individually heard through headphones anywhere on the warehouse floor, on or off a forklift. These systems increase productivity by supplying this information while a warehouse worker is performing a tasks however, they only provide limited information within the time necessary to perform daily warehousing functions. In these audio systems, the current scene that the warehouseman is observing needs to be described in detail. This is an impossible task to do in words with the time given to perform daily warehousing. A common phrase describes this problem. It takes a thousand words to describe a picture.
d. Automatic WMS Complements
Automatic warehousing attempts to eliminate human functions on the floor of the warehouse. It attempts to eliminate all human errors and problems of human labor. These systems can work with a computerized WMS and some can work without one. These systems include, but are not limited to, Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS) and Automatic Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS). The AGVS is intended to effectively replace the warehouse material handling vehicle operator by automatically selecting specified stock. Some AGVS use optical systems to follow painted lines on the warehouse floor. AS/RS are incorporated into the warehouse shelving structure so that stock can be selected without human travel within aisles. Although labor has been reduced and efficient stacking methods have emerged, these advancements have come by an increase in cash requirements and a lack of dynamism. Technology that completely replaces a human is of a lessor form.
e. Non Real Time Warehouse Simulations
Warehouses have been visualized in a static non real time form providing an animated visual scene to promote conceptual thought on the design of a warehouse advancing the warehousing, logistics, distribution and supply chain industry. Non real time is defined as any graphics update rate below 1 HZ. It provides a computerized video of what a warehouse might look like. However, since these are animations, each picture needs a large amount of time to create. So within these visual scenes, one does not have the capability to choose what to see within the presented visual. Due to this limitation, the images are not capable of being instantaneously correlated with real warehouse events and truly be effective. These non real time warehouse simulations have not been integrated into warehouse management systems. Stock items cannot be individually selected from the mass of the warehouse and coordinate with the real events. Visual loading software assists in only a small limited aspect of warehousing. It""s non real time form provides a limited amount of information, preventing it from performing other warehousing functions.
f. Additional Previous Warehouse Capability List
Even with these warehouse management techniques (among the most common being the combination of above sections a and b, less common the use of all above sections, a thru e), warehouse managers still have difficulty with and fail in:
a. Locating outdated and obsolete inventory. Locating current inventory without a problem of causing surplus stock production and wasteful redundant expenses.
b. Identifying available space within the warehouse and avoiding new warehouse construction. (Space is lost and wasted within partially empty bins that cannot be seen). Identifying space with accuracy according to precise three dimensional information as well as other parameters such as accessibility. Packing methods that optimally conserve available space.
c. Easily and quickly tracking stock movements that allow for faster delivery and an accurate system of handling customer returns.
d. Having the instant knowledge of the location of stock and its available space on a global basis.
e. Training warehouse workers in one language and in multiple languages in a short amount of time.
f. Control over manipulation of stock.
g. Informing various managers across the logistics infrastructure and departments of an organization of the instant and updated knowledge of locations of stock and available space for it in multiple warehouses in order to make general suggestions, plan future events and quickly respond to changes in a volatile market.
h. Providing workers the quick and accurate information to pick orders and place stock.
i. Providing workers information that will prevent them from getting lost in the warehouse and finding stock quickly by reducing travel time and once at the general location quickly selecting that stock.
j. Delegating tasks efficiently to workers due to not continually observing them.
k. Providing forklift and other material handling operators the ability to freely use their hands to safely operate their vehicles and locate stock at the same time. (When stock location system name printouts or computer screens are used operators are distracted from operation and must read the lists of stock locations).
l. Providing time to simply visually inspect the warehouse at frequent intervals to insure that proper protocols are met such as storage of items in certain places within given parameters. These parameters include hazardous materials and food stores, similarly requested items, security of materials, etc. The time taken to visually inspect the warehouse to ensure that SKUs are in the proper place by visually inspecting remote warehouses by organization leaders is extremely costly and time consuming).
m. Optimizing the use of trucking loads. Often trucks run empty due to non coordination of industryxe2x80x94when they could run full.
n. Superior coordination and communication between inter company units and between business to business organizations.
o. Superior understanding at all levels of the supply chain by everyone involved.
p. Verification of the WMS.
q. Planning and design of the most optimum warehouse design according to potential scenarios.
The previous capabilities of the warehousing industry and others are described in detail by James A. Tompkins and Dale Harmelink in their book, The Distribution Management Handbook, published by McGraw Hill in 1994.
2. Advanced Vehicle Systems and Simulation or Virtual Reality
Image generator systems (IGS), head up displays (HUD)s, head down displays (HDD). Head Mounted Displays (HMD)s and monitors have been used for military, aircraft, commercial aircraft flight system, commercial training, simulation, and other vehicle systems. Tank, automobile, aircraft and other vehicles have had simulators created for them with these components. Numerous articles have been written on this subject. One of them from Aviation Week and Space Technology, Simulators. Feb. 20, 1989 Pgs 57-70.
Recently, however, as U.S. military budget has decreased, aircraft flight system and training and simulation companies have searched other business ventures and this technology has been used for entertainment and games. This transfer of industry application has caused these technologies to be exposed to the media, which has named it xe2x80x98Virtual Realityxe2x80x99. An article describing this technology in detail as xe2x80x98Virtual Realityxe2x80x99 outside of the aviation world was written by Ben Delaney, Virtual Reality lands the job. New Media, August 1994, pgs 40-48.
a. Monitors
Any device that can display or project information from a computer has been used in many applications of VR. These devices include but are not limited to flat panel displays, plasma displays. LEDs, matrix displays and many others. The monitor as well as other large screen projecting devices have been used in training to simulate real world views that would normally be seen from the cockpit or from an operator""s station in any vehicle.
b. HDD (Head Down Displays)
In order to more easily control an aircraft or land vehicle, a pilot or other operator has had the use of HDD in the form of dials and cathode ray tubes (CRTs) that indicate speed, altitude and other important data. The HDD refers to any display device that is not mounted in a human operator""s necessary field of view, but provides data for the human operator near a field of view. In FIG. 7, photo 20, photo 22, and photo 24 all show HDD within vehicles. Recently dials have been replaced with small monitors and other flat panel displays that indicate this same information and provide much more data to the operator. However, m an aircraft the pilot must move his head and eyes down from his flight path""s field of view and refocus on the HDD within the vehicle. This process of refocusing on the HDD to obtain operating information of the outside world and then refocusing on flying the aircraft has been timed at nine seconds. Although less complex, land vehicle drivers have the same problem. In complex scenarios or at high speeds the HDD is not sufficient for safe operation.
To address this problem, audio systems have been used to direct the pilot of certain flight procedures. Among the most applicable is the use of audio systems by the ground crew to direct the pilot where the ground is during landing. However, for other flight operations, audio systems take too long to communicate vital data in time for the pilot to effectively respond. In order to communicate the data faster, a visual medium was needed. This was accomplished without solely relying on the HDD as well.
c. HMD and HUD
Both the HMD and the HUD provide a pilot the ability to visually interpret flight data from a large number of sources by providing in the pilot""s field of view a display of information essential to control various systems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,626, Direct Incorporation of Night Vision in a HMD, describes a highly advanced helmet mounted display, HUD systems consist of a transparent screen that is presented between a human""s field of view and the visual scene. On the screen are projected images that superimpose or project into infinity the computer generated visual image or other data. The screen is mounted in such a way that the human operator does not need to move his head down and refocus his eyes in order to receive information but needs to keep his head up for full visual input (hence a Head-Up Display) as well as data projected into infinity on the transparent screen. In FIG. 7, photo 20 shows a HUD not in use in the upper left hand corner. Photo 21 shows what looking through a HUD looks like while in use. The white lines and numbers provide flight data to the pilot directly in front of the pilot""s field of view. Photo 22 shows a pilot looking through a different HUD. Diagram 23 and photo 24 show HUD technology used in car applications. Photo 24 shows how miles per hour and other driving data can be presented in HUD form for automobile drivers, effectively creating a safer method of driving. HMD systems however contain the visual screen directly in front of the eye by means of an attachment to the pilot""s helmet. This optic component is transparent and called a combiner. The information usually displayed on the combiner pertain to piloting and weapons targeting and is projected and focused outward at infinity. This data is fed by the on board computer to a CRT image source. The CRT image is then projected through a series of optical components located in front of the pilot""s eyes. Viewing through the combiner, the pilot sees a virtual image of the CRT image projected in his view of the exterior real world scene.
A HUD operates similarly except that the projected image is presented on a fixed transparent display mounted in the pilot""s field of view. Many HMD systems exist today, among them include but are not limited to the list of HMDs presented in the following table 2:
In order for the HMD to be in sync with the correct three dimensional position of the real world it was superimposing, tracking systems needed to be connected to an image generator system host computer. In order to create these visual images, a special type of computer called an image generator is needed.
d. Other Visual Immersion Methods
Any number of projectors can create an scenic area where one is immersed in graphics imagery where the walls become the visual virtual environment. This is described by Ben Delaney in Virtual Reality gets the job in the August 1994 publication of New Media on page 42.
e. Image Generator Systems (IGS)
The IGS is any computer hardware/firmware integrated circuit assembly graphic board and software capable of producing real time images of a three dimensional database.
A three dimensional perspective view of the warehouse is computed from a viewpoint which include roll, pitch, yaw information in relation to an x, y, z, coordinate location in real time. When any viewpoint or location changes an entire new image must be calculated. The time it takes to create and show this new image is the time calculated or the update rate. Real time is defined within this patent as any graphics three dimensional perspective output update rate above one Hertz (HZ). For this patent, real time can be further be defined into three sub-definitions. Near real time is defined as any graphics update rate between 1 HZ and up to 12 HZ, Almost real time is defined as any graphics output update rate between 12 HZ and up to 60 HZ, Optimum real time is defined as any output update rate above 60 HZ. The faster the image is requested to be updated, then the less amount of data that can be processed. The more visual information that is allowed in the database, then the slower the update rate and the less the imagery will appear to be in real time. The user will define which speed is the most favorable. To have a completely flicker free image, 60 HZ is necessary.
In addition to aiding pilots during flight and other operators in the piloting of their vehicles, these computers have been used in simulators to provide the visual part of the simulation. In FIG. 7, screen shot 25 shows how real time graphics technology has been used for train automobile drivers. The white lines are the sides of a road that are accessible in real time. There exist many IGS including but not limited to the following:
In training usage, the IGS has been connected to an interface to a host simulator which is m turn connected to the host simulator system. The simulator system comprised of a mock cockpit, mock driver""s seat, or the controls of any real aircraft, tanks, automobile or other vehicles that could be controlled in a simulated environment. Often the simulator had motion systems that would simulate the effect of small g forces on the pilot""s body. The databases used by the IGS have historically been of large landscapes of the earth on which operators could train using their various machines. These databases were either created painstakingly by hand or with the aid of any Graphical User Interface (GUI) database generating building tools. These tools include three dimensional creating tool software systems and computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems included but not limited to in the following table:
The simulator would simulate all of the components of a real aircraft or vehicle in order to make the simulator more realistic, HMD HUD, and HDD with their appropriate visual components are all used in simulation. The pilots joystick or the drivers wheel aids the operator in moving throughout the virtual world.
This VR WMS complement will allow for the first time in the history of warehousing the ability to visually keep track of all SKUs and have knowledge of their location and all other locations in the warehouse in real or non real time without the need to refer to symbols, logs or lists of such data.
Millions of dollars in warehouse construction costs are eliminated because available space to put stock can be found quickly and easily. Time spent finding stock is reduced and the difficulty level previously necessary is eliminated, allowing for larger quantities of goods to be processed as needed by consumers.
The introduction of virtual reality, real time and non real time graphics technology in warehousing management systems (WMS) allows for many advances. These VR components briefly include, image generator systems. Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) systems to be used in conjunction with image generator systems.
Never before has anyone applied this real time graphics technology to the specific field of logistics and challenges of managing and controlling inventory by visually locating stock within the warehousing and distribution industry. The warehousing industry is part of a greater logistics and supply chain industry which is in great need of this virtual reality warehouse management system complement (VR WMS complement) and its associated elements to locate physical spaces within the warehouse, and to perform with greater efficiency.
A. Warehouse Manager(s) Without a Computerized WMS
With this VR WMS complement, warehouse managers will no longer need to rely on their own memory abilities and non-computerized stock location systems to keep track of SKU locations and the available space to place them. This VR WMS complement will keep visual real time records of the high volume of stock processed in modern warehouses. Two dimensional maps will become obsolete as the three dimensional world of the warehouse will now be accessible in all capacities. Excessive amounts of paperwork that were given to workers are now eliminated as all communication of warehouse information can be done through an IGS human interface (FIG. 3).
B. Computerized Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
WMS software with a naming method based on a stock location system will now have the addition of this VR WMS complement. The numbers and letters that describe the location of stock or an available space to place stock will now be deciphered by the VR WMS complement for easy and quick communication to a worker instead of having a worker do the entire interpretation based on the results of the computerized WMS.
Tediousness and inaccuracy in large volume and or complex warehousing is eliminated. This naming method based on a stock location system of the WMS combined with the VR WMS complement allows for warehouse locations to be found with ease, simplicity, rapid and accurate use. The SKU names of the stock location system can be superimposed on the visual image of that SKU. Therefore the naming conventions of the stock location system of the existing computerized WMS can be used simultaneously with this VR WMS complement. The picture images of stock can have the SKU number/letter placed on top of it. The invention can also be arranged so that the SKU number/letter will move in real time or non real time with the rest of the visual scene.
The naming conventions used in these WMS combined with the VR WMS complement will allow for new warehousing methods yet to be discovered. Users of a WMS combined with this VR WMS complement will be able to use all of the capabilities of the WMS alone to its fullest capabilities. A creator of a WMS combined with this VR WMS complement will be able to create new capabilities for the WMS that would never have been imagined. The WMS performance can be verified and corrected. Thus the actual WMS can be improved with this VR WMS complement as well.
C. Audio WMS Complements
Audio WMS complements interpret the written stock location system into audio that can be individually heard through headphones on or off a forklift or anywhere on the warehouse floor. These systems will no longer have the burden of supplying the entire data of location but will supplement the VR WMS complement which will have the majority of this task. Instead of relying 100% on audio, updated real time visual information allows a large increase in information transfer, allowing for fast warehousing. The scene that the warehouseman is currently viewing will always be described in full visual detail with the visual image changing as the warehouseman moves his head. Since this image has the option of being in real time, the rapid information is provided to perform daily warehousing tasks.
D. Automatic WMS Complements
Automatic warehousing attempts to eliminate human functions on the floor of the warehouse. It attempts to eliminate all human errors and problems of human labor. However, with this VR WMS complement problems of human labor will be eliminated with the capability of scheduling workers effectively and by making their task easier. These systems include but are not limited to, Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS) and Automatic Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS). The AGVS is intended to effectively replace the material handling vehicle operator by automatically selecting specified stock. Some AGVS use optical systems to follow painted lines on the warehouse floor. AS/RS are incorporated into the shelving structure so that stock can be selected without a human traveling within aisles. When situations occur that require human judgement these automatic and robot like systems cause errors and inefficiencies to occur. Only humans with this VR WMS complement can make the proper judgements with reliability, resolution, flexibility and safety. Humans will be augmented with this technology instead of technology completely replacing a human. This invention is a cheaper more cost effective method over the price/performance ratio of a fully automated system. Fully automated systems are expensive to purchase and expensive to maintain. By retaining the human element and incorporating visual target requisition with VR technology a more improved overall technology is created. It remains difficult to replace the human brain in this industry.
E. Real Time Warehouse Simulations
Warehouses have been visualized in three dimensions in a static non real time form providing an animated visual scene to promote conceptual thought on the design of a warehouse. Non real time is defined as any graphics update rate below 1 HZ. The present invention provides instant three dimensional perspective visual comprehension based on the instant three dimensional viewpoint needs of the user. Real time imagery is much faster than non real time images. For example, one frame from the movie. Toy Story can take up to 5 hours to generate. There are one million {fraction (1/60)}th of a second units in 5 hours. Real time must be one million times faster than this type of animation. In real time one has the capability to choose what to see within the presented visual. In the present invention, images are capable of being instantaneously correlated with real warehouse events and truly be effective. Stock items can be individually selected from the mass of the warehouse and coordinate with the real events. The VR WMS complement assists in all aspects of warehousing. It provides a large amount of information, allowing it to perform multiple other warehousing functions.
F. Additional Capability List
In addition to all the above warehouse management techniques warehouse operators with this VR WMS complement will have the capabilities of:
a. Locating outdated and obsolete inventory. Locating current inventory eliminates the need for surplus stock production and wasteful redundant expenses.
b. Identifying available space within the warehouse and avoiding new warehouse construction. Space within partially empty bins can be visualized with various imaging techniques and all possible perspective views. Wire frame, translucent, transparent imaging options allow for a user to quickly identify lost space. Identifying space with accuracy according to precise three-dimensional information as well as other parameters such as accessibility can now be done. Packing methods that optimally conserve available space are performed with the aid of these imaging techniques.
c. Easily and quickly tracking stock movements allowing for fast delivery and an accurate system of handling customer returns, also called reverse logistics. Within reverse logistics, the precise location of defective items caused by manufacturing defects, sabotage and other reasons. Will now be easily and quickly found.
d. Having the instant knowledge of the location of stock and its available space on a global basis.
e. Training workers who only know one language in a short amount of time. The visual nature makes understanding and operation self-explanatory in all cultures and languages. The time taken to read a stock location system manual and fully understand it is eliminated.
f. Control over manipulation of stock is easy with full imagery of all possible warehouse viewpoints.
g. Informing various managers across the logistics infrastructure and departments of an organization of the instant and updated knowledge of location of stock and available space for it in multiple warehouses in order to make general suggestions, plan future events and quickly respond to changes in a volatile market.
h. Providing workers the quick and accurate visual real time information to pick orders and place stock. Visual imaging techniques can provide a yellow brick road in the most efficient route to the location of stock in order to fill a specific order. Providing workers visual information that will prevent them from getting lost in the warehouse and find stock quickly by reducing travel time. Material handling vehicle operators are prevented from creating traffic jams. Once at the general location real time visualization allows them to quickly select stock. These techniques include the use of superimposed color coding, wire frame and translucent images
i. Delegating tasks efficiently to workers are possible by continually observing representations of workers and their interactions with stock through visualizations. Manpower and material handling vehicle usage time and the amount of shifts necessary can easily be projected according to the projected future flow of the warehouse.
j. Providing forklift and other material handling operators the ability to freely use their hands to safely operate their vehicles and locate stock at the same time. With the aid of various IG human interface systems, including the use of the HMD and/or HUD, operators can simply look directly at stock and see the needed information in a transparent image projected onto the HMD visor or HUD shield.
k. Providing time to simply visually inspect the warehouse at often intervals to insure that proper protocols are met such as storage of items in certain places within given parameters. These parameters include hazardous materials and food stores, similarly requested items, security of materials, etc. The time taken to visually inspect the warehouse to ensure that SKUs are in the proper place can now be done from a central location or numerous other locations. For example, inspectors can ride a forklift fitted with this VR WMS complement or a component of it and perform inventory checking to detect xe2x80x98differencesxe2x80x99. Differences is a term used in warehousing to describe stock that should be there when in reality it is not. The warehouse can be color coded to identify specific types, sections, and categories of stock within the warehouse.
l. Many planning and design functions can be provided using both real time and non real time capabilities. Viewing a warehouse database can be performed with an animation (non real time) and with real time, the database can be experienced with the freedom to move about anywhere in the warehouse, from any viewpoint in three dimensional space, at any time to see the visual information immediately. All information of the warehouse can be accessed visually and immediately.
m Optimizing the use of trucking loads. Often trucks run empty due to non coordination of industryxe2x80x94when they could run full.
n. Superior coordination and communication between inter company units and between business to business organizations.
o. Superior understanding at all levels of the supply chain by everyone involved.
p. Verification of the WMS.
q. Planning and design of the most optimum warehouse design according to potential scenarios.
With the real time capability, planning and design of a warehouse can be done quickly with the input of many people. Suggestions and comments with an immediate visual result of them can be possible in one meeting. Large amounts of warehouse information can be processed and displayed quickly.
Supervising a warehouse""s operations can be performed by moving through a warehouse database that is a model of the real warehouse. Warehouse operations can be simulated in action. Within the real time capability, specific SKUs, stock movements, changes in the warehouse, and any other potentially visual information are all updated to the second or at 60 HZ or at any other rate and provide an opportunity for warehousemen to suggest immediate resolutions to immediate situations and visualize their own results. In a non real time mode, an animation of the warehouse can be made in greater detail in order to observe more specific visual data in the warehouse. This is due to the extra time that the computer has to draw a more complex scene. However, in the real time mode, warehousemen have the opportunity to move about within the model warehouse database however they desire. They are not restricted to movement within any one pre-chosen pathway but have that option as well. An operator can have a bird""s eye view or even the view that a mouse would have of the warehouse.
The operator can visualize only one category of stock at a time and visually erase all other stock in order to manage one type of item at one time. This will eliminate the confusion that can be created of all stock movements within one warehouse.
In the real time mode, simulations of potential scenarios of everyday warehousing can be done immediately, preventing hazards and saving potentially wasteful warehousing operations. Warehouse operators can simulate their recommendations before implementation and observe effectiveness. Common simulations are: the determination of appropriate shelving systems, the operation of new material handling equipment, the operation of innovative warehouse designsxe2x80x94all operations that can now for the first time in warehousing be seriously considered for purchase due to the ability to examine all simulated results, without purchase, and the return on an investment that they would bring. Other simulations include projecting how the warehouse will function when a large order is delivered or projecting any other type of scenario in order to properly prepare for the future. A simulation of a future day""s activities within a short amount of time can provide warehouse managers knowledge of what needs to be done to affectively accomodate the day.
If more time permits, the non real time capability would allow greater visual detail of the warehouse with an animation.
By observing the affects of a new warehouse design in both real time and non real time, potentially monumental savings in time and increases in stock volume processed can now be achieved. The simulation of complex warehousing techniques is now possible as there are numerous quantities of stock transfers that can be visualized and various viewpoints that can now be used to comprehend various warehouse operations. With the new full visual understanding provided, the configuration of dock bays can be designed with full optimization, as this VR WMS complement can display the large amount of inventory that moves in a dock bay. Another complex warehousing technique capability that eliminates the need to store SKUs by transferring stock directly from one docked transport to another is called crossdocking. The amount of visual information in crossdocking is processed fast enough to be effective in everyday warehousing.
Organization leaders can simply view any warehouse in the world and view any part of that warehouse from one central location. Even remote warehouses can easily be reviewed. The entire world can be viewed showing all warehouse locations and stock locations en route in shipping vehicles. The desired warehouse or vehicle can then be viewed by zooming the eye point to that location. This invention is not limited to conventional warehouse buildings but can be applied to all types of warehouses. Such examples are shipping vehicles with many items on board where transport time often is long. During this time, the unloading of stock from docks can be affectively planned. Another unconventional warehouse example is a library where books can be found much faster with the same methods described above.
With the visualization capabilities of the invention, multiple warehousing capabilities can be performed in ways never before imagined. This invention provides warehousing managers with real time and non-real time three dimensional SKU location information to use and augment all facets of the warehousing process. With real time SKU data, as opposed to non real time data, SKUs can be located faster and easier as a warehouse manager can move within the computer generated warehouse with an update rate of images that occur from 1 (one) HZ to 60HZ and faster. In non-real time a warehouse manager cannot move through the warehouse database at his own free will, but must either wait for the image to update, a slow process for the quick necessity of warehousing, or walk through an animation of the warehouse that has been prearranged and not useful for the dynamic needs of all warehousing processes but can be used for future planning requirements. Non real time is any graphics output rate below 1 (one) HZ.
FIG. 1 WMS
A brief list is provided in table 1. This includes any warehouse management system (WMS) software which uses a stock location system of naming SKUs. These systems usually use graphical user interfaces (GUI) in the form of windows that allow a warehouse manager to perform daily warehousing tasks by using knowledge of the location of SKU within a warehouse and within other stock items.
FIG. 2 Interface to the Host WMS
The interface to the host WMS (FIG. 2), consists of customized software along with hardware connections catering to a specific WMS stock location system that correlates, integrates, and translates the exact coordinates of the simulated warehouse database 3 on the IGS 5 with the coordinates used on the stock location system of any WMS (FIG. 1), so that as the conventional, stock location system of the WMS is used the correlating image of the SKU can be simultaneously viewed on any type of IGS human eye interface (FIG. 6). A map from the WMS stock location system has to be converted to a three dimensional data base. This interface to the host WMS parses data from the WMS to the formats of the database and the specific IGS chosen. A specific interface must be developed for each combination of IGS and WMS data formats. An interface control document will need to be created to accomplish the software necessary to handle these conversions. Hardware interfaces can range from connecting thru the internet, loppy disks. RS-232 interface or any other means by which data can be transferred from the WMS (FIG. 1) to the warehouse image system of FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 Warehouse Image System (WIS)
This provides the user with a real time three dimensional visual representation of the warehouse. Three dimensional SKU data is created in real time and optional non real time by first constructing a simulated warehouse database 3 in the IGS 5 through the IGS host computer 1. The simulated warehouse database 3 is created with any warehouse database generation system 4. The IGS 5 is connected to the IGS Host computer 1 via a standard PC connector. Connected to the IGS host computer 1 is any printer system 6.
Numeral 1 WIS: IGS Host Computer
This consists of any computer system or any computer system capable of interfacing with any IGS 5.
Numeral 2 WIS: IGS Host Computer Monitor
This consists of any monitor that can be connected to the IGS host computer 1.
Numeral 3 WIS: Simulated Warehouse Database
This represents the warehouse database that graphically represents the real physical structure of any warehouse and can show such details of a warehouse from a simple graphical cubical three dimensional representation to such an extent that such items as aisles. SKUs, shelves, pallet racks, forklifts, and unused portions can be graphically represented in three dimensional detail necessary to perform complex warehousing functions where it is inputted into the IGS 5. The physical coordinates used to create the simulated warehouse database are inputed using points, polygons, texture maps (including photographic), vectors or any other standard geometric and trigonometric mathematics. Standard geometry and trigonometric calculations shall be as defined in the textbook xe2x80x9cComputer Graphics Principles and Practice. Second Editionxe2x80x9d James D. Foley, Andries van Dam, Steven K. Feiner, and John F. Hughes, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, ISBN 0-201-12110-7, and all references that this book calls out. The three dimensional data base is designed to look like the real world within the constraints of the real time IGS 5.
Numeral 4 WIS: Warehouse Database Generation System
These consist of graphical user interfaces made for the purpose of creating visual databases. These include three dimensional creating tool software systems as listed but not limited to table 4.
Numeral 5 WIS: Image Generator System (IGS)
Listed in table 3, this consists of any hardware and software combination capable of creating real time or optional non real time warehousing imagery and other logistics scenes.
Numeral 6 WIS: Printer Systems
These consist of any device capable of providing a visual image on any medium such as paper, slides, viewgraphs, transparencies, etc. These devices include plotters.
FIG. 4: Tracking and Positioning Systems
Tracking and positioning systems 7 and 8 connected to the IGS host computer 1 keeps track of the location of the HMD within the warehouse. These systems correlate to the IGS Host computer the three dimensional eye point location of a user between the real physical warehouse and the virtual warehouse database. The tracking and positioning system communicates to the IGS the movements of the HMD mounted on the human head. Wherever the warehouse worker moves the warehouse image system will keep up the correct imagery to properly superimpose the real world. The HMD is in synchronization with the driver of the forklift and the forklift is in synchronization with the position of the warehouse.
FIG. 5 Pointing and Selecting Devices
These include any devices that help the human move through the virtual world. These devices include but are not limited to the following: mouse 9, joystick 10, hand held scanner 11 and glove system 12. The glove system can be used to select, pick up, move, etc. that would otherwise be difficult with other devices.
FIG. 6 Human Eye Interface (HEI)
This consists of any device where the information of the IGS and its warehouse database is communicated to the human eye. The Warehouse Image System (FIG. 3) is connected to any number(s) of human eye interfaces (FIG. 6) via any means to transmit an image to the device such as a video cable, tv signal, radio frequency, etc. The human eye interface (FIG. 6) consists of any device capable of transmitting or communicating the warehouse image system information to the human eye. With these human eye interfaces, the user can see the location of inventory that is targeted for selection in much the same way enemy targets are selected in the military as on the F-15E, F-16, AH-64 and other aircraft. A forklift operator can see the pathway to select inventory in a similar method that a pilot""s HUD can visualize a pathway in the sky for flying. Instead of an exterior world of land, clouds and runways of the pilot, the exterior world (on which an image is superimposed upon) seen by a warehouse operator is the warehouse, its stock and all other components of the entire supply chain including trucks, trains, ships, planes, etc. The most common of these include a helmet mounted display (HMD), either non see through 13, or see through 14, a hand held display (HHD) 15, a head down display (HDD) 16, a head up display (HUD) 17, projection system 18, a monitor 19, or any other device that inputs the warehouse image system into the human brain via the human eye.
Numerals 13,14 HEI: Helmet Mounted Display (HMD)
A list of these are provided in table 2. Similar to the HUD but with an optic lens mounted on the helmet and positioned over the eye, the HMD projects imagery onto a see through visor. A human can see the projected translucent to transparent image of visual information of the warehouse database on the clear visor as well as the view beyond the visor. This see through visualization function allows for the projected visual imagery on the visor to superimpose objects that are seen beyond the HMD.
Numeral 15 HEI: Hand Held Displays (HHD)
HHDs 15 have small monitors that can be carried by hand and display visual information of the warehouse database from the IGS 5 to warehouse workers. As a warehouse worker moves within inventory, the HHD 15 will provide the visual information of the warehouse image system (FIG. 3).
With this VR WMS complement the HDD 16 will be used to aid material handling drivers in selecting inventory as they pause from observing their field of view and read the HDD 16 for visual location information
Numeral 16 Head Down Display (HDD)
The HDD 16 consists of any type of display, preferably a flat panel display that takes up a small amount of space, that can be located in the peripheral field of view of an material handling vehicle. Although the images are not superimposed, the visual image created in three dimensions by the image generator is similar to the corresponding real world view.
Numeral 17 HEI: Head Up Displays (HUD)
A Head Up Display (HUD) 17 is used to display the visual warehouse image system onto the display glass which is mounted in the field of view of operation of any material handling vehicle. The Warehouse Image System (FIG. 3) image is correlated and superimposed over the real world scene.
Numeral 18 HEI: Projection Systems
The visual warehouse database information is presented onto walls, domes, screens, etc. that would immerse the user in a virtual scene. Projector(s) display the corresponding imagery via various means such as lenses, beam splitters or any other means onto any number of surfaces.
Numeral 19 HEI: Monitors
The visual warehouse database information is presented on the screen where a human can look at and obtain visual information on a monitor. Computer monitors create a virtual image that is not superimposed on the warehouse. The image represents the warehouse.

Virtual reality warehouse management system complement


Methods and systems for seamlessly broadcasting data to a user moving among a plurality of broadcast coverage areas. A first signal containing desired data may be received by a receiving device at a user location, wherein the first signal is broadcast from a first transmitting station associated with a first broadcast coverage. Thereafter, the receiving device (e.g., a radio or in-vehicle television) can be automatically instructed to search for and tune to a second transmitting station associated with a second broadcast coverage area broadcasting a second signal containing the desired data if the first signal fades at the user location, thereby permitting the user to seamlessly receive data as the user moves among a plurality of broadcast coverage areas. The receiving device can also be automatically instructed to search for and tune to a third transmitting station broadcasting a third signal containing data of a type associated with the desired data, if the second signal containing the desired program cannot be identified.

In-vehicle devices, such as televisions, radios, and computers are becoming increasingly popular for use with automobiles, trucks, vans, and recreational vehicles such as campers and boats. Such in-vehicle devices, including Internet-enabled personal digital assistants (PDAs) and wireless cellular telephones, are also being integrated with modern vehicles. Consequently, car, truck, van, and motor home manufacturers and suppliers have become increasingly aware of the need to provide for the installation or accommodation of various electronic devices, particularly video screens (e.g., television) in their automobiles. Thus, attempts are currently being made to equip modern vehicles with high-technology communication systems, which can permit consumers to convert previously wasted commuting time into productive work or entertainment hours. It is anticipated that multimedia technologies will advance tremendously in the coming years, and that so-called "telematics" (i.e., in-vehicle multi-media and telecommunications systems) will increasingly become a part of everyday vehicle usage.
One of the problems that modern in-vehicle devices and systems face is the inability to seamlessly provide data to a mobile user. For example, a radio or television viewer in an automobile typically experiences fading signals as the automobile moves out of the coverage area of a broadcast station. The listener or viewer is thereafter forced to manually search for a new station that may broadcast the same program, if one is available. This can be a time consuming, distracting and even dangerous task, particularly on a busy highway.
Various types of solutions to this problem have been proposed. For example, so-called "Web agents" have been proposed for assisting mobile wireless users in receiving data such as radio and television programs. In such configurations, an agent associated with the user can be utilized to send the location of the user from a GPS locator positioned within a cellular phone, along with a user's music profile to a radio station index agent. The radio station index agent then can return a list of the best matching radio stations to the mobile user, including current play lists. Such a "Web agent," if in communication with an in-vehicle computer could be utilized for automatically tuning radio stations.
The problem with the use of "Web agents" is that such devices do not result in the seamless receipt of broadcasts at the location of the mobile user. These type of agents fail to utilize information implicit in the user's current tuning of his/her radio/television and to utilize recent historical information regarding the location of the user. In addition, these types of agents may rely solely on GPS information in locating the user. For users, GPS may simply not be available.
The ability to provide the seamless transmission of desired data, such as a favorite television or radio program, presents a challenge that until now has not been adequately addressed. The present inventors have thus concluded, based on the foregoing, that a genuine need exists for improved in-vehicle devices and systems thereof that can permit continued program listening, viewing and other multimedia experiences for a mobile user. A method and systems are thus disclosed herein for seamlessly broadcasting user-selected data to a user moving among a plurality of broadcast coverage areas.

Follow-me broadcast reception method and system


A cable tie having a head for receiving a tail for binding various objects is provided wherein a head of an integral buckle is tilted so that the tail portion is more easily received. By employing a tilted head, of preferably 30 degrees, a 15-20% increase in performance over similar cables ties of the prior art has been achieve. In addition, a cable tie is provided that includes a bulged or coined portion. A leading edge of the band that is associated with the buckle also includes a bulged or coined portion. The bulged portions are preferably created by a coining process and facilitate binding mechanically the band to the buckle. In addition, a cable tie is provided wherein a head of the integral buckle is interconnected to the band via angled side walls. The angled side walls increase an opening in the buckle that receives the band such that during tensioning less energy is needed to tension the cable tie around a bundle of cables, for example.

A number of fastening or clamping devices have been devised for a variety of purposes. These devices generally comprise a band with interconnected buckle which receives a free end of the band. In one application, clamps are used to connect electric shielding or insulation about electric wires. In other applications, fastening or clamping devices are used to bundle a plurality of cables, wires, or other items, together. U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,393 to Young ("Young"), for example, discloses a one-piece cable tie comprised of a band and interconnected buckle. The buckle is generally in the form of a longitudinally extending opening. The free end, or tail, of the band is inserted through the opening provided by the buckle and affixed thereto after tension is applied to the band.
Other one-piece cable ties are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 356,083 to Schrader, et al., ("Schrader") and U.S. Pat. No. 157,032 to Smith ("Smith"). Schrader discloses a hose clamp that includes a number of projections that are folded to provide a buckle or catch for securing the band. Smith discloses a band with integral wings that are bent over to engage portions of the band to secure it in place. A one-piece cable tie is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,869 to Caveney, et al. ("Caveney"). The Caveney cable tie employs a row of teeth disposed on one longitudinal surface by the band that interacts with a pawl on the buckle. One-piece cable ties similar to that disclosed in Caveney are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,870 to McCormick ("McCormick") and U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,828 to Furutsu ("Furutsu"). The cable tie of McCormick employs serrated teeth disposed on one longitudinal surface of the band that engage complementary teeth disposed on the interior of the upper surface of the buckle. In contrast, attachment of the band and buckle of Furutsu is accomplished by engagement of the serrated teeth with a single, ratchet-like tooth disposed on the interior of the lower surface of the buckle.
Although cable ties and associated buckles are generally known, it is desirable to improve the characteristics thereof. More specifically, it is desirable to provide a one-piece cable tie that provides improved retention force, and/or clamping force. It is also desirous to provide a band that possesses these qualities even when very small objects are bound. Further, it has been a goal to produce such cable tie that can be made relatively inexpensively with reduced material waste and can be readily fastened about a hose, cable, or other item. Similarly, it remains desirable to provide a one-piece cable tie that exhibits these improved engagement or securement characteristics between the band and the buckle. More specifically, there exists a need for a one-piece cable tie that promotes locking engagement of band to the buckle, enhances insertion of the band into the buckle and provides increased performance.


A first circuit generates a first voltage which increases at a predetermined time constant in synchronism with the leading edge of a pulse contained in a sync signal. A second circuit compares the first voltage with a fixed second voltage. When the trailing edge of the pulse contained in the sync signal arrives at the first circuit before the increasing first voltage reaches the fixed second voltage, the first circuit stops generating the first voltage. A third circuit compares the first voltage with a fixed third voltage and a fixed fourth voltage which are higher than the fixed second voltage, and generates a train of burst gate pulses which become high in level after the first voltage exceeds the fixed third voltage, and low in level after the first voltage exceeds the fixed fourth voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal processing circuit, and more particularly to a burst gate pulse generating circuit for generating a burst gate pulse for extracting a burst signal from a sync separation output signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a burst gate pulse generating circuit is used in a color television set, a video tape recorder, and the like. A sync separation signal is supplied to a burst gate pulse generating circuit which in turn generates a burst gate pulse. The burst gate pulse derived from the burst gate pulse generating circuit is used as a gate pulse for the burst signal detection in a color synchronizing circuit. The same is also used in an AGC (automatic gain control) circuit, as a key pulse for AGC detection. Specifically, in the AGC circuit, a potential of the video signal at the pedestal portion is extracted by using the burst gate pulse. This potential at the pedestal portion is compared with a reference potential. By using the comparison result, the gain of the AGC circuit is controlled so that the amplitude of the sync signal is kept constant. The burst gate pulse is used as a reference signal in the ACC (automatic color control) detection mode.
As just mentioned, the burst gate pulse is used as reference signals in the video circuits. Therefore, high exactness is required for the pulse width and the pulse position of the burst gate pulse. Actually, however, noise is frequently introduced into the sync separation signal. The introduced noise leads to improper operation of the burst gate pulse generating circuit, and consequently generation of a mistaken burst gate pulse.
An example of a conventional burst gate pulse generating circuit is illustrated in FIG. 1. In the figure, reference symbol IN indicates an input terminal for receiving a sync separation circuit; OUT an output terminal for outputting a burst gate pulse; Q1 to Q16, npn or pnp transistors; R1 to R13, resistors; C1 a capacitor; V1 and V2 constant voltage sources; I1 and I2 constant current sources; and A1 to A3, differential amplifiers. A value of the constant voltage source V2 is higher than that of the constant voltage source V1.
FIG. 2 shows a timing chart useful in explaining the operation of the bust gate pulse generating circuit shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a waveform A represents a variation of a sync separation signal applied to the input terminal IN; a waveform B, a voltage variation of a base signal of each of the transistors Q2, Q8 and Q15; a waveform C, a voltage variation of a base signal of each of the transistors Q4 and Q7 or a current variation of at the collector of each of the transistors Q5 and Q6; a waveform D, a voltage variation of a base signal of the transistor Q3; and a waveform E, a variation of a burst gate pulse derived from the output terminal OUT.
The operation of the above burst gate pulse generating circuit will be described in brief. When a sync signal rises to "1" level, charge to the capacitor C1 starts and it is charged by the power source voltage V.sub.CC via the resistor R3. With progression of the charging operation, a base voltage of the transistor Q3 rises at a given time constant as indicated by the waveform D in FIG. 2. The base voltage of the transistor Q3 exceeds a voltage V0 that is obtained by dividing the power source voltage V.sub.CC by the resistors R4, R7 and R6. At this time, the transistor Q3 is turned on, while the transistor Q4 is turned off. In turn, the transistors Q5, Q6 and Q7 are also turned off. The turning off of the transistor Q7 places the bases of the transistors Q2, Q8 and Q15 in a "1" level, as indicated by the waveform B.
When the base voltage of the transistor Q3 rises and exceeds the voltage of the constant voltage source V1, the transistor Q14 is turned on and a signal at the output terminal OUT rises to a level of "1". See the waveform E in FIG. 2. The base voltage of the transistor Q3 further rises and exceeds the value of the constant voltage source V2. The transistor Q9 is turned off, and the signal at the output terminal OUT drops again to "0", as indicated by the waveform E.
In this way, in the conventional burst gate pulse generating circuit, a pulse signal with a predetermined pulse width is generated in synchronism with the leading edge of the pulse contained in the sync separation signal.
Also in response to the noise contained in the sync separation signal, the burst gate pulse generating circuit operates to generate pulses in a similar way.


A passive diverter fitting for a cooling system of an engine includes a base defining an interior cavity, an inlet opening extending through the base that is in fluid communication with the interior cavity, an outlet opening that is in fluid communication with the interior cavity, and a bypass opening that is in fluid communication with the interior cavity. The base is configured to be removably disposed in a cavity of an engine block. The inlet opening is positioned to receive coolant when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block. The outlet opening is in fluid communication with the area exterior to the engine block when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block. The bypass opening is in fluid communication with an interior coolant passage of the engine block when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block.

Internal combustion engines used to operate motor vehicles or heavy mechanical equipment generate considerable heat that must be dissipated. If not properly dissipated, heat reduces operating efficiency of the engine and can ultimately lead to damage of the engine. Engines typically include a cooling system that is configured to circulate coolant through the engine block such that the coolant captures the heat from the engine to cool the engine. The coolant then moves through a radiator such that the coolant loses the heat to the atmosphere before moving back through the engine block.
In some instances, the engine cooling system can be used to provide auxiliary cooling to coolers for engine accessories (e.g., transmission coolers, brake coolers, etc.). For example, conventional transmission coolers and/or brake coolers often use the engine's coolant to cool the hydraulic fluid used with the transmission and/or brake coolers. These coolers for engine accessories typically take the form of a shell and tube heat exchanger, which means that these coolers are typically too large to fit on the engine and must be located elsewhere in the machine chassis.
German Patent No. DE10127711 ("the '711 patent") discloses a three-way valve that can be used as a replacement to a thermostatic valve in a cooling system for an engine. The three-way valve is used to control the mixing ratio between a supply line to a radiator and a bypass line that bypasses the radiator. The three-way valve includes a throttle body that is actively controlled to control the diversion of coolant flow to the radiator and the bypass line.

Diverter fittings for cooling systems of an engine


In an arrangement for coding multi-element signals such as used in speech or image processing, a plurality of N element reference signals representable in a prescribed vector space are stored. An N element input signal representable in the prescribed vector space is received and one of the reference signals is selected to represent the input signal. A set of signals each representative of the projection of one of the reference signals on a predetermined orientation in the prescribed vector space and a signal representative of the projection of the input signal on the predetermined orientation are formed. The reference signals are arranged according to their projections on the predetermined orientation. Candidates for the best matching reference signal are selected according to the differences between their projections on the prescribed orientation and the projection of the input signal on the prescribed orientation and the projection difference signals are utilized to determine the reference signal closest to the input signal in the prescribed vector space.

In digital speech and image transmission systems, the complex nature of signals to be transmitted requires high bit rates and time consuming processing. As is well known in the art, it is usually sufficient to transmit an approximation of a speech or image signal that is perceptually acceptable. Consequently, the transmission arrangements may be simplified by determining a set of indexed codes covering the range of expected signals and transmitting the indexed code closest to the signal. The process is known as vector quantization wherein vectors representing speech or image signals from a given vector space are mapped into a reduced set of vectors within the original vector space or some other representative vector space by well known clustering techniques. The reduced set of vectors, along with the associated mapping, is chosen to minimize error according to some distortion measure. This representative set of vectors is referred to as a codebook and is stored in fixed memory.
In transmission systems, the codebooks generated by vector quantization are stored at both the transmitter and the receiver. An input signal to be transmitted is processed at the transmitter by searching the stored codes for the one that best matches the signal. The index of the best matching code is transmitted as representative of the input signal. A code corresponding to the transmitted index is retrieved from the codebook at the receiver so that the transmission bit rate is greatly reduced.
The best matching code, however, only approximates the input signal. A codebook with only a few entries permits a rapid search. The selected code, however, may be a poor representation of the input signal so that it is difficult to obtain accurate signal representation. If a codebook contains sufficient entries to accurately represent all possible input signals, a time consuming search through a very large set of codes is needed to determine the closest matching code. The processing delay may exceed the time allotted for transmission of the signal. In some cases, vector quantization cannot meet the signal quality standards. In other cases, a compromise must be made between the accuracy of signal representation and the speed of transmission. Various improvements in search processing have been proposed to obtain the advantages of vector quantization with a large codebook.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,354 issued Feb. 23, 1988 to R. A. Lindsay discloses a system for selecting a best fit vector code in vector quantization encoding in which a sequential search through a codebook memory puts out a series of prestored associated error code vectors. These error code vectors are compared in sequence over a period of time in order to select the minimum error code vector (best fit). A clocking-sequencing arrangement enables an output latch to hold the index number which represents the particular error code vector presently having the minimum distortion. Each new set of input vector components will be sequenced to search for the minimum error code vector and index for that particular set of input vector components.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,925 issued Jan. 10, 1989 to Daniel Lin discloses a method for coding speech at low bit rates in which each code sequence is related to a previous code sequence so that the computational complexity of using a stored codebook is reduced. The article "Efficient Procedures for Finding the Optimum Innovation in Stochastic Coders" by I. M. Trancoso and B. S. Atal appearing in the Proceedings of the International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP), 1986, at pages 2375-2378, discloses an arrangement in which the signal and vectors are transformed into the frequency domain to simplify the search processing.
The article "Effect of Ordering the Codebook on the Efficiency of Partial Distance Search Algorithm for Vector Quantization" by K. K. Paliwal and V. Ramasubramanian appearing in the IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol. 37, No. 3, May 1989, at pages 538-540, describes a search algorithm in which the distance between a codebook vector and a signal is evaluated as it is being calculated to remove vectors from consideration as early as possible. The algorithm is further improved by ordering the vectors in the codebook according to the sizes of their corresponding clusters.
The aforementioned schemes require complex signal processing for searching through complete codebooks to obtain accurate matching. It is an object of the invention to provide improved vector codebook searching with reduced signal processing requirements.


A computer-implemented method for tracking includes obtaining an infrared image and a visible image from an imaging device supported by a carrier of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), obtaining a combined image based on the infrared image and the visible image, identifying a target in the combined image, and generating control signals for tracking the identified target using the imaging device.

Modern unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used to perform a variety of tasks such as navigation, surveillance and tracking, remote sensing, search and rescue, scientific research, and the like. In particular, UAVs equipped with infrared cameras are useful in surveillance, inspection, and search and rescue operations. However, tracking objects can be difficult using only infrared information acquired by such infrared cameras, especially when the objects and the surrounding environment have similar temperatures.

Methods and system for infrared tracking


In one example, a first headset establishes a connection with a second headset that is associated with a target participant. The first headset obtains, via the connection, a first audio signal corresponding to speech of the target participant. Based on the first audio signal, one or more parameters associated with a position or a movement of a head of a user of the first headset, one or more head-related transfer functions associated with a shape of the head of the user, and a layout of the environment of the first headset, the first headset modifies the first audio signal to produce a first modified audio signal that corresponds to the speech of the target participant that would be present at the head of the user in absence of the first headset and the noise generated in the environment.

An open office environment can be a professional setting where multiple employees work in a shared space. One common example of an open office environment is a large room without individual offices/cubicles for individual employees. Open office environments are popular among employers due to reduced area (rent) per employee, and because open office environments are often seen as trendy, dynamic, and playful. Office technology suppliers are constantly seeking to improve the conditions for employees in open office environments in order to increase workplace productivity.


The present invention is a methodology to prioritize packets based on the conditional probability that given the values of attributes carried by packet, the packet is a legitimate one. We will call this the conditional legitimate probability of a packet from here onward. The conditional probability of each packet is evaluated based on Bayesian estimation technique. This is accomplished by comparing the attributes carried by an incoming packet against the “nominal” distribution of attributes of legitimate packet stream. Since an exact prioritization of packets based on their conditional legitimate probability would require offline, multiple-pass operations, e.g. sorting, we take the following alternative approach to realize an online, one-pass selectively dropping scheme. In particular, we maintain the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the conditional legitimate probability of all incoming packets and apply a threshold-based selective dropping mechanism according to the conditional probability value computed for each incoming packet. To speed-up the computation of the conditional legitimate probability for each incoming packet, we may, as an alternative, use the logarithmic version of the equation to implement the Bayesian estimation process. Other features of the invention include: providing means to guarantee minimum throughput of particular (pre-configured) type(s) of packets; providing a. Filtering Mechanism to suppress the noise during estimation/maintenance of nominal attributes distribution; applying state-of-the-art efficient algorithm/data-structures for quantile and histogram building/updates; using the proven, industrial-strength load-shedding algorithms as a submodule in the overload control algorithm; and being amenable to practical implementation to support online, one-pass processing on high-speed communication links.

One threat faced by Internet and other networks is a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack. In such an attack, a network device (commonly a server, i.e., a specialized computer used in an Internet-Protocol (IP)-based network) is bombarded with IP packets from many sources, in various forms including email, file transfers and so-called ping/UDP/ICMP floods, so that the network device (ND) is overloaded and rendered useless for normal operations. In order to limit and contain the damage of an attack, it is preferable for the network or a communications system within a network to decide intelligently on what packets to be dropped on-the-fly. Ideally, legitimate user packets should be kept while dropping abnormal/attacking packets.
Prior art methodologies for detecting and preventing DDOS attacks entailed storing and processing stored packets to determine potentially violating packets. A monitoring process which attempts to monitor and catalog every detail of every IP packet is quickly overwhelmed, however. Thus, to effectively prevent DDOS attacks, network processors must operate using a minimum number of states or traffic statistics in order to keep storage and computational requirements within a practical range. Accordingly, there is need for more efficient techniques for detecting, identifying and preventing DDOS attacks, wherein such steps can be accomplished essentially on-the-fly.

Apparatus and method for an overload control procedure against denial of service attack


Systems and methods are provided for utilizing support tools for forming laminates. One embodiment is a system that includes a pair of dies that hold a multi-layer laminate over a gap, a male die that presses the laminate into the gap causing the laminate to change shape, and a support tool inserted into the gap beneath the laminate. The support tool includes a base that extends in a lengthwise direction, struts fixedly attached to the base that project upward from the base and are distributed along the lengthwise direction, and a cap that is slidably attached to the struts, and that covers the struts to form an upper surface of the support tool. Each of the struts rises from the base to the cap.

Multi-layer laminates of constituent material (e.g., carbon fiber) may be formed into any of a variety of shapes before they are cured into a composite part. For example, dies and/or other forming tools may be utilized to alter the shape of a sheet of laminate. Some sheets of laminate have been impregnated with a curable resin, and are referred to as "prepreg" laminate. After a sheet of prepreg laminate has been formed into a desired shape, it may be placed upon a curing tool and cured into a composite part. The curing tool ensures that the laminate does not deform or otherwise change shape during the curing process.
While forming tools remain useful for the purposes of shaping sheets of laminate, it remains difficult to effectively form multi-layer laminates into complex shapes without creating imperfections between the layers of the laminate. This is because the very act of forming the laminate may create interlaminar shear forces that result in the creation of out-of-tolerance imperfections (e.g., wrinkles). Thus, those who design composite parts continue to desire enhanced systems capable of shaping laminates in a cost-effective manner while also reducing the incidence and severity of out-of-tolerance imperfections.


If an engine undergoes high-load operations immediately after start up from its cold state, a thermostat is closed to inhibit passage of cooling water through the inside of the engine, and the cooling water stagnant in a cylinder head receives heat from a combustion chamber. Therefore, the cooling water will possibly boil. However, the thermostat is formed in such a manner that a valve body may be opened forcedly if the discharge flow rate of a water pump is greater than the flow rate in a normal use region. Therefore, in such a situation, the discharge flow rate of the water pump is increased greater than the flow rate in the normal use region to open the valve body with good response, thereby passing water into the engine quickly. This configuration prevents the cooling water stagnant in the cylinder head from boiling before the valve body is opened completely.

A cooling device for a vehicle is known that is provided with a cooling water circuit for circulating cooling water through the inside of an engine by driving a pump and a thermostat in a part of the cooling water circuit that is downstream of the engine. The thermostat permits and inhibits passage of the cooling water through the inside of the engine by selectively opening and closing a valve body in accordance with the temperature of the cooling water.
A thermostat having such a configuration inhibits the passage of the cooling water by closing the valve body if the temperature of the cooling water is low. On the other hand, if the temperature of the cooling water is high, the thermostat opens the valve body by using a thermoelement that receives heat from the cooling water, thereby permitting the passage of the cooling water inside of the engine. By selectively opening and closing the valve body of the thermostat in such a manner, the passage of the cooling water through the inside of the engine is inhibited if the engine is cold owing to the low cooling water temperature, thereby promoting warming up of the engine. On the other hand, if the temperature of the cooling water is high, the passage of the cooling water through the inside of the engine is permitted, to prevent the cooling water inside the engine from boiling.
It is to be noted that immediately after the engine starts from the cold state, the cooling water in the cooling water circuit is low in temperature, so that the thermostat is closed to promote warming up of the engine. In such a case, the thermostat is closed to inhibit the passage of the cooling water through the inside of the engine. In this state, if heat is generated a lot in a combustion chamber owing to a high-load operation of the engine, such a situation occurs in which the temperature of the cooling water only in the cylinder head of the engine rises while the temperature of the cooling water around the thermostat element does not rise. In such a situation, the cooling water stagnant in the cylinder head of the engine receives heat from the combustion chamber so that its temperature may rise excessively, and can start boiling.
To cope with such a situation, a device described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a heat generator in a thermostat for heating a thermoelement. By permitting the heat generator to heat the thermoelement, a valve body can be opened even if cooling water around the thermoelement is low in temperature. In this case, if the cooling water in the cylinder head of the engine in a condition where the thermostat valve body is closed reaches a temperature at which the water will possibly boil, the thermoelement is heated by the heat generator of the thermostat, thereby opening the valve body. By permitting the passage of the cooling water to the inside of the engine by opening the valve body in such a manner, it is possible to prevent the water stagnant in the cylinder head from boiling.

Thermostat and cooling device for vehicle


A concentration distribution in an active material of a battery unit is calculated by using a diffusion equation, and a first polarization elimination time taken for the concentration distribution in the active material to fall within an allowable range is calculated assuming that charge and discharge of the battery unit is not performed. A concentration distribution in an electrolyte of the battery unit is calculated by using a diffusion equation, and a second polarization elimination time taken for the concentration distribution in the electrolyte to fall within an allowable range is calculated assuming that the charge and the discharge of the battery unit is not performed. It is determined that polarization of the battery unit is eliminated when a time for which the charge and the discharge of the battery unit is not performed is longer than the longer one of the first polarization elimination time and the second polarization elimination time.

Patent Document 1 has described a technique in which it is determined that polarization of a battery is eliminated when a predetermined time has elapsed since switching of an ignition key to OFF. Since charge and discharge of the battery is not performed after the switching of the ignition key to OFF, the polarisation of the battery can be changed to be eliminated. When it is determined that the polarization of the battery is eliminated, the current and the voltage of the battery are sampled, and the SOC (State Of Charge) of the battery is estimated, on the basis of the current and the voltage.
In the battery where the polarization occurs, the polarization may vary to reduce the accuracy in estimating the SOC. To address this, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the SOC of the battery is estimated after the elimination of the polarization of the battery is determined, thereby improving the accuracy in estimating the SOC.

Battery system and method of determining polarization of secondary battery


The present invention provides a cooling medium flow path for improving cooling efficiency of a cooling medium used for liquid-cooling systems for motors, radiators and the like.

A structure of a liquid-cooled motor is described with reference to FIG. 1 (a front view) and FIG. 2 (a side sectional view taken along A-A′ section of the front view). The motor rotates with its rotor 107 about its rotation axis 105. Alternating current flows in the rotor 107 and heat is generated due to an eddy current loss based on the alternating current. When the heat generation grows to increase the motor temperature, problems will arise, such as a decrease of generated torque of the motor and an increase of inverter failure rate. As such, cooling liquid is introduced into the motor through cooling liquid ports 101 and circulated through a cooling liquid flow path 103 formed around the motor.
Incidentally, an example of application of such a motor is for electric vehicles. An electric vehicle has an economical advantage that electricity therefor costs less in comparison to gasoline for a current gasoline vehicle. In addition, the electric vehicle has environmental advantages that it emits no exhaust gases such as NOx and COx, discharging no causative agents for atmospheric pollution and global warming and is quieter in engine sound than the gasoline vehicle, causing less noise problems.
On the other hand, the electric vehicle has a disadvantage that it cannot get sufficient mobile performance in comparison to the gasoline vehicle. For the electric vehicle, the criterion of practical use is whether it can obtain a mobile performance equivalent to or more than that of the gasoline vehicle by the combination of motor and battery.
In order to solve such problems associated with the electric vehicle, it is considered an important proposition to lengthen travel distances by increasing battery performance and reducing recharging times. Simultaneously, as an elemental technique for realizing that, motors must be reduced in size and weight, improved in performance and durability and reduced in cost.
With this respect, in order to improve motor efficiency and performance, refinement for increasing magnetic flux density of magnets to be used for the motor, refinement for increasing winding density of lead wires, development for methods of controlling inverters and the like are currently under way. Such modifications of designs are necessary, but a huge amount of cost and time for development will be necessary.
When a currently available motor is used for an electric vehicle, problems are that its output is small in relation to battery capacity and motor output is small. For output, when the motor has too high a temperature, its output will further decrease.
A decrease in output will more quantitatively be described. An electric vehicle uses mainly a polyphase induction motor or a permanent magnet-based synchronous motor. When copper lead is used for armature windings, resistance of the copper lead will increase as much as 12% with an increase in temperature of 30° C. Along with this, an induced voltage that is in proportion to a generated torque of the motor will also decrease. When permanent magnets are used for the motor, magnetic flux density will decrease, depending on their material, due to an increase in temperature. For reference, when barium ferrite is used as a permanent magnet material, the magnetic flux density will decrease as much as 5.4% with an increase in temperature of 30° C. Accordingly, the torque will decrease for the same percentage. Due to these factors, some motors may decrease their torques nearly 20% with an increase in temperature of 30° C.
It is also said that a failure rate for an inverter will usually double as the surrounding temperature increases for 10° C. (10° C. law). For this respect, the increase in temperature of the motor must be suppressed to the minimum.
Suppression of increase in temperature of a motor is extremely important for maintaining motor efficiency and minimizing failures. To this end, performance of a motor-cooling system must securely be guaranteed. Otherwise, the temperature of a motor or an inverter for drive control would excessively increase, preventing a wanted output from being obtained at high-revolution, high-output ranges.
To cope with an increase in temperature of a motor, measures are taken currently, such as a combined use with air-cooling, an increase of cooling capacity by enlarging a heat sink for preventing inverter overheating or an increase of cooling capacity per unit time by enlarging a pump for cooling liquid circulation. These solutions will, however, be contradictory to the objectives as described above, such as reduction in size and weight, improvement in performance and durability and reduction in cost for a motor.
On the other hand, water in which water molecules are finely dispersed by a magnetic force for activation (active water) is known. Such active water and treatment processes therefor are disclosed in detail in the following literatures.
Patent literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1993-293491 (in its entirety)
Patent literature 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1996-155442 (in its entirety)
The active water is highly surface-active, dissolving and permeating and is therefore known for possessing effects such as removing stains very well and inhibiting scale and slime buildup in pipes. Also the active water is in a highly energized state in which electron-exciting action is exerted to actively move electrons and is therefore known for having effects such as being stable because substances contained in a liquid are uniformly present as ions, inhibiting proliferation of aquatic algae and preventing harmful compounds from being produced by ionic bond.

Abstract: The cooling medium flow path according to the present invention is capable of increasing cooling efficiency of a cooling medium by providing magnetic members for generating a magnetic force in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling medium so that clusters of a liquid, such as cooling water, antifreeze liquid or the like flowing through the flow path may be finely divided or activated.


An emitter coupled logic circuit includes a series connected PNP transistor and diode to improve the pull-up delay and power consumption. The biasing of the PNP transistor is established by utilizing existing voltage levels in the emitter coupled logic circuit with no extra biasing circuit and power. Complementary push-pull emitter coupled logic circuit configurations with no power wasted in the biasing of the push-and-pull transistors can be derived based on this PNP pull-up scheme and NPN active-pull-down scheme.

The present invention relates to bipolar transistor logic circuits and more particularly to emitter coupled logic (ECL) circuits where pull-up delay and power consumption are reduced by using a direct-coupled pull-up scheme. Specifically, the circuit includes a PNP transistor as the pull-up device for the output node of the circuit, and the biasing of this PNP pull-up transistor is established entirely by direct tapping of the existing voltage levels in the ECL circuit, thus eliminating the need for extra biasing circuit.
The power dissipation of high-speed bipolar ECL circuits has long been known to limit their VLSI application. The power and speed limitation of the ECL circuits derives mainly from passive resistors in the delay path where the pull-up delay is limited by the collector load resistor and the pull-down delay is limited by the output emitter-follower resistor.
Recently, various active-pull-down schemes have been pursued in an effort to reduce the power consumption of the emitter-follower stage. Exemplary schemes are described, for example, in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, entitled "High-Speed ECL Circuit", vol. 32, no. 4A, September 1989 pages 374-380; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, entitled "High-Speed/Low-Power Charge-Buffered Active-Pull-Down ECL/NTL Circuits", vol. 33, no. 1A, June 1990, pages 470 to 472; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin entitled "High-Speed Low-Power ECL Circuit with an AC-Coupled Transient Current Source", vol. 33, no. 10B, March 1991, pages 31 to 33 and IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin entitled "High-Speed, Low-Power ECL Circuit With a Darlington-Like Transient Current Source and Active-Pull-Down Driving Stage", vol. 33, no. 11, April 1991, pages 252 to 254.
These active-pull-down schemes, in general, improves the pull-down delay by replacing the emitter-follower resistor with active devices. The pull-up delay, however, is still limited by the collector load resistor and a substantial amount of power is still needed in the current switch to achieve fast switching. While an ac-coupled complementary push-pull configuration has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,724 entitled "High-Speed Low-Power ECL/NTL Circuits With AC-Coupled Complementary Push-Pull Output Stage" and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, to decouple the collector load resistor from the delay path, the approach utilizes capacitor coupling and requires careful design and extra biasing circuit for the push-and-pull transistor.

Direct-coupled PNP transistor pull-up ECL circuits and direct-coupled complementary push-pull ECL circuits

International Business Machines Corporation