1. A capping machine in a beverage bottling plant configured to cap beverage bottles with beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps, said capping machine comprising:
a sorting unit being configured and disposed to orient the open sides of beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps with a predetermined orientation for the capping of beverage bottles;
a conveyor channel comprising a conveyor channel output;
said conveyor channel being configured and disposed to permit movement of beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps from said sorting unit to said conveyor channel output;
said conveyor channel being configured to move beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps on their rounded exterior side surfaces;
a sensor being disposed adjacent to at least a portion of said conveyor channel and being configured and disposed to detect the orientation of beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps, upon beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps moving down said conveyor channel and passing said sensor;
an ejector station being disposed on said conveyor channel downstream of said sensor and being configured and disposed to eject beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps not in the predetermined orientation, upon said sensor detecting an beverage bottle crown cap or beverage bottle screw cap not in the predetermined orientation passing by said sensor; and
a control unit being configured and disposed to receive signals from said sensor relating to the orientation of beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps and being further configured and disposed to send signals to said ejector station to eject beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps not in the predetermined orientation, upon said sensor detecting an beverage bottle crown cap or beverage bottle screw cap not in the predetermined orientation.
2. The capping machine according to claim 1, wherein said capping machine comprises a first blocking device:
disposed downstream of said sensor in a direction of transport;
disposed upstream of said ejector station in a direction of transport; and
configured to block said conveyor channel.
3. The capping machine according to claim 2, wherein:
said first blocking device is configured to be controlled by said control unit; and
said first blocking device is further configured to open and close said conveyor channel.
4. The capping machine according to claim 3, wherein said first blocking device is further configured to block said conveyor channel upon a beverage bottle crown cap or beverage bottle screw cap not in the predetermined orientation being ejected.
5. The capping machine according to claim 4, wherein said capping machine further comprises a second blocking device:
disposed on said conveyor channel;
disposed downstream of said ejector station in a direction of transport;
being configured to permit beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps in the predetermined orientation to pass through said conveyor channel; and
being configured to restrict beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps not in the predetermined orientation from passing through said conveyor channel.
6. The capping machine according to claim 5, wherein said capping machine further comprises at least one additional sensor:
disposed downstream of said second blocking device in a direction of transport; and
configured to detect an interruption of the movement of beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps.
7. The capping machine according to claim 6, wherein:
said ejector station comprises at least one discharge or ejector element; and
said at least one discharge or ejector element is configured to be actuated by said control unit.
8. The capping machine according to claim 7, wherein:
said capping machine further comprises an electrically controllable drive element configured to be actuated by said control unit;
said ejector arrangement further comprises an ejector or diverter configured to be actuated by said electrically controllable drive element; and
said electrically controllable drive element further comprises an electromechanical drive element configured to be actuated by said control unit.
9. The capping machine according to claim 8, wherein said ejector station further comprises at least one nozzle configured to permit a discharge of a vapor andor gas medium under pressure to blow out beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps not in the predetermined orientation;
said ejector station is further configured to permit a controlled discharge of compressed air;
said second blocking device comprises a star wheel configured to project into said conveyor channel;
said sorting unit comprises an outlet;
said conveyor channel comprises an inlet configured to connect to said outlet of said sorting unit; and
said sorting unit is configured to accept beverage bottle crown caps or beverage bottle screw caps from an unorganized supply.
10. A capping machine being configured to cap containers with container caps, said capping machine comprising:
a sorting unit being configured and disposed to orient the open sides of container caps with a predetermined orientation for the capping of containers;
a conveyor channel comprising a conveyor channel output;
said conveyor channel being configured and disposed to permit movement of container caps from said sorting unit to said conveyor channel output;
said conveyor channel being configured to move container caps on their rounded exterior side surfaces;
a sensing arrangement being configured and disposed to detect the orientation of container caps upon container caps moving down said conveyor channel and passing said sensing arrangement; and
an ejector arrangement being configured and disposed to eject container caps not in the predetermined orientation, upon said sensing arrangement detecting a container cap not in the predetermined orientation passing by said sensing arrangement.
11. The capping machine according to claim 10, wherein said capping machine comprises a first blocking device:
disposed downstream of said sensing arrangement in a direction of transport;
disposed upstream of said ejector arrangement in a direction of transport; and
configured to block said conveyor channel.
12. The capping machine according to claim 11, wherein:
said capping machine comprises a control unit configured and disposed:
to receive signals from said sensor relating to the orientation of container caps; and
to send signals to said ejector arrangement to eject container caps not in the predetermined orientation, upon said sensing arrangement detecting a container cap not in the predetermined orientation;
said first blocking device is configured to be controlled by said control unit; and
said first blocking device is further configured to open and close said conveyor channel.
13. The capping machine according to claim 12, wherein said first blocking device is further configured to block said conveyor channel upon a container cap not in the predetermined orientation being ejected.
14. The capping machine according to claim 13, wherein said capping machine further comprises a second blocking device:
disposed on said conveyor channel;
disposed downstream of said ejector arrangement in a direction of transport;
being configured to permit caps in the predetermined orientation to pass through said conveyor channel; and
being configured to restrict caps not in the predetermined orientation from passing through said conveyor channel.
15. The capping machine according to claim 14, wherein said capping machine further comprises at least one additional sensing arrangement:
disposed downstream of said second blocking device in a direction of transport; and
configured to detect an interruption of the movement of container caps.
16. The capping machine according to claim 15, wherein:
said ejector arrangement comprises at least one discharge or ejector element;
said at least one discharge or ejector element is configured to be actuated by said control unit.
17. The capping machine according to claim 16, wherein:
said capping machine further comprises an electrically controllable drive element configured to be actuated by said control unit;
said ejector arrangement further comprises an ejector or diverter configured to be actuated by said electrically controllable drive element; and
said electrically controllable drive element further comprises an electro-mechanical drive element configured to be actuated by said control unit.
18. The capping machine according to claim 17, wherein said ejector arrangement further comprises at least one nozzle configured to permit a discharge of a vapor andor gas medium under pressure to blow out container caps not in the predetermined orientation; and
said ejector arrangement is further configured to permit a controlled discharge of compressed air.
19. The capping machine according to claim 18, wherein said second blocking device comprises a star wheel configured to project into said conveyor channel.
20. The capping machine according to claim 19, wherein:
said sorting unit comprises an outlet;
said conveyor channel comprises an inlet configured to connect to said outlet of said sorting unit; and
said sorting unit is configured to accept container caps from an unorganized supply.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of transmitting a request signal to a base transceiver station (BTS) using a first reverse link channel, the method comprising:
receiving, by a field unit, assignment information; wherein the assignment information is used to determine a value associated with an offset;
applying a modulo function to at least the determined value to compute a series of periodic time intervals, each time interval including at least one time slot, in the first reverse link channel for transmitting the request signal; wherein the request signal indicates that the field unit is requesting to transmit packet data to the BTS;
receiving a first power control message for the first reverse link channel and a second power control message for a second reverse link channel;
determining a first power level for the first reverse link channel in response to the first power control message and a second power level for the second reverse link channel in response to the second power control message; and
transmitting the request signal using the first reverse link channel at the first power level to the BTS in the computed time interval; wherein the first reverse link channel is transmitted when the field unit is not allocated a second reverse link channel to transmit packet data; wherein in response to the field unit being allocated the second reverse link channel, transmitting the second reverse link channel at the second power level.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein a different modulo function is applied to different field units.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein each at least one the computed time slot is one of 128 time slots defined by Internet code division multiple access (I-CDMA).
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the assignment information includes an identifier that is a medium access control layer identifier (MAC13 ID).
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the modulo function based on how many time division multiplexed time intervals are defined.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one other field unit applies a different modulo function.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitted request signal is derived from at least a PN code.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one other field unit transmits in a same time interval as the time interval computed to transmit the request signal.
9. A field unit for transmitting a request signal to a base transceiver station (BTS) using a first reverse link channel, the field unit comprising:
a circuit configured to receive assignment information; wherein the assignment information is used by the field unit to determine a value associated with an offset;
the circuit is further configured to receive a first power control message for the first reverse link channel and a second power control message for a second reverse link channel;
the circuit is further configured to determine a first power level for the first reverse link channel in response to the first power control message and a second power level for the second reverse link channel in response to the second power control message;
the circuit is further configured to apply a modulo function to at least the determined value to compute a series of periodic time intervals in the first reverse link channel for transmitting the request signal; wherein each time interval includes at least one time slot; wherein the request signal indicates that the field unit is requesting to transmit packet data to the BTS; and
the circuit is further configured to transmit the request signal using the first reverse link channel at the first power level to the BTS in the computed time interval; wherein the first reverse link channel is transmitted when the field unit is not allocated a second reverse link channel to transmit packet data; wherein in response to the field unit being allocated the second reverse link channel, the circuit is further configured to transmit the second reverse link channel at the second power level.
10. The field unit of claim 9 wherein at least one other field unit applies a different modulo function.
11. The field unit of claim 9 wherein the transmitted request signal is derived from at least a PN code.
12. The field unit of claim 11 wherein at least one other field unit transmits in a same time interval as the time interval computed to transmit the request signal.
13. A base station for receiving a request signal using a first reverse link channel, the base station comprising:
a circuit configured to transmit assignment information; wherein the assignment information is used by a field unit to determine a value associated with an offset;
the circuit is further configured to transmit a first power control message for the first reverse link channel and a second power control message for a second reverse link channel;
the circuit is further configured to apply a modulo function to at least the determined value to compute a series of periodic time intervals in the first reverse link channel for receiving the request signal from the field unit; wherein each time interval includes at least one time slot; wherein the request signal indicates that the field unit is requesting to transmit packet data to the base station; and
the circuit is further configured to receive the request signal using the first reverse link channel that was transmitted at a first power level set in response to the transmitted first power control message in the computed time interval; wherein the first reverse link channel is transmitted when the field unit is not allocated a second reverse link channel to transmit packet data; wherein in response to the field unit being allocated the second reverse link channel, the circuit is further configured to receive the second reverse link channel at the second power level.
14. The base station of claim 13 wherein the circuit is further configured to receive a request signal from at least one other field unit in a time interval derived using a different modulo function.
15. The base station of claim 13 wherein the received request signal was derived from at least a PN code.
16. The base station of claim 13 wherein the circuit is further configured to receive a request signal from at least one other field unit in a same time interval as the time interval computed to receive the request signal from the field unit.