A control system for a machine comprising a plurality of independently replaceable machine modules comprises a controller operable to control operation of the machine. Memory stores machine data for use by the controller. Communication means are operable to provide communication for data transfer between the controller and the memory. The memory includes a plurality of memory modules associated with respective machine modules. Each of the memory modules is replaceable with the respective associated machine module and independently of other memory modules. The communication means is operable to provide communication for data transfer between the controller and a replacement memory module associated with a replacement machine module.

A food processing machine includes a plurality of tool parts which are exchangeable and which each comprise at least one electronic data storage in which a tool identification is stored for identifying the respective tool parts, and a controlling system for reading the tool identifications. The controlling system is configured to determine, based on the tool identification read by it from the at least one data storage of an exchangeable tool part installed at the food processing machine, processes basically implementable with this tool part which are possible for an operation of the tool part, and to determine an intersection of detailed processes by a comparison of these processes with processes basically performable by the food processing machine based on machine equipment employed for the tool part and firmly installed in the food processing machine, by which the tool part can be controlled by the machine equipment provided for it.

A drive device for providing a drive movement, including a drive motor designed to convert provided electric or fluidic energy into a movement of a motor element, further including a drive sensor assigned to the drive motor and designed to detect the movement of the motor element and to provide a drive sensor signal, and further including a transmission device coupled to the drive motor and designed to convert the movement of the motor element into a drive movement of a drive element, wherein the transmission device is assigned a movement sensor for the detection of the drive movement, the movement sensor being electrically connected to the drive sensor The movement sensor is assigned a detection device designed for the detection of component data and for the provision of detected component data to the movement sensor.

A system includes a mobile unit, road and procedure pieces, and a controller on the mobile unit that includes an optical sensor, a storage storing instructions and identification lookup tables, and a processor connected to the optical sensor and the storage. The optical sensor scans recognition patterns on the procedure pieces and identification patterns on the road pieces to correspondingly obtain recognition and identification codes. The processor controls the mobile unit to perform actions based on a collection of instructions generated according to the recognition codes and the instruction lookup table and based on entries of coordinate information obtained according to the identification codes and the identification lookup table.

A set of respective self-configuring probe interface circuit boards (SC-MPIC's) are disclosed for use with a measurement system comprising host electronics and respective interchangeable measurement probes. Member SC-MPICs each comprises: a local circuit (LS) for probe identification, signal processing and inter-board signal control; and higher-direction and lower-direction connectors pointing toward and away from the measurement probe, respectively. Member SC-MPICs establish a processing hierarchy by generating lower board present signals on their higher-direction connector, higher board present signals on their lower-direction connector, and determining whether they are the highest and/or lowest SC-MPIC based on receiving those signals from adjacent SC-MPICs. They can independently perform probe identification matching operations using probe identification data from compatible and incompatible probes, and the highest SC-MPIC does this first. Member SC-MPICs advantageously pass through or isolate signals from other members in the set depending on the hierarchy, various received signals, and internal processing.

A control method and a control apparatus for a paraffin dispenser in an embedder, a paraffin dispenser and an embedder are provided. The control method includes: collecting information of a current mold so as to acquire an identification of the current mold; determining whether the identification of the current mold is correct; and controlling the paraffin dispenser to pour paraffin into the current mold, when it is determined that the identification of the current mold is correct.

A method performed by a service management device includes (a) receiving from a plurality of worker machines, a plurality of requests, each request from a worker machine indicating a respective work item to be assigned to that worker machine, (b) in response to receiving each request, performing an assignment attempt operation configured to (i) succeed and insert a reference to the worker machine that issued that request in a database entry associated with the respective work item if no other reference to a worker machine has yet been inserted in the database entry and (ii) otherwise report failure, and (c) returning a reply to the worker machine that issued each request indicating whether the assignment attempt operation succeeded, that worker machine configured to (i) process the respective work item in response to a successful reply and (ii) refrain from processing the respective work item in response to a failed reply.

In many aspects, a system for a beverage dispenser can include smartcups and smartcup application management systems configured to validate and identify smartcups for dispensing a beverage. Identifying and validating the authenticity of smartcups as well as identifying registered consumers associated with smartcups may provide more secure beverage dispensers that may be placed in public with minimal oversight. Additionally, by identifying registered users associated with a registered smartcup and providing an individualized and streamlined consumer experience, consumer interactions can be improved with a beverage dispenser/provider and may lead to increased usage by consumers.

An attachment tool includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of a random pattern provided on a comparison region of a part; and an identification result-outputting unit configured to output a part identification result obtained by comparing an image characteristic of the captured image of the random pattern with a previously stored image characteristic of a random pattern of a part.

A portable field maintenance tool system for performing a plurality of different functional tasks on one or more equipment assets in a plant includes a handheld base and a plurality of functional modules for attachment to the handheld base. Each functional module, when operatively attached to the handheld base, interacts with computer circuits on the handheld base to perform a pre-defined one or more of the functional tasks. A portable handheld field maintenance tool for performing one or more pre-selected ones of the functional tasks on an equipment asset in a plant is formed by operatively mounting any one of the functional modules to the handheld base.