1. A method for setting virtual representations of an area for conducting virtual operations, comprising:
setting boundaries of an area with a wireless communications device enabled with location determination capabilities; and
marking the position of at least one obstacle in the area with the wireless communications device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device is enabled with a global positioning system receiver.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting the boundaries of the area and the position of the at least one obstacle to a server.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
storing the boundaries of the area and the position of the at least one obstacle in a memory of the wireless communications device.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting boundaries step comprises:
marking corners of the area with the wireless communications device; and
designating that the area extends in straight lines between the marked corners.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting boundaries step comprises:
marking a center point of the area with the wireless communications device; and
designating a radius between the center point and the boundary of the area.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting boundaries step comprises:
at least two points of the area with the wireless communications device; and
designating a relationship between the marked points and the area.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least two points are opposite corners of a rectangle, and the shape of the area is designated as a rectangle in which the two points are opposite corners.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the marking step comprises:
marking the position of at least one obstacle using the wireless communications device when the wireless communications device is located in proximity to the obstacle; and
designating a size of the obstacle.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting the boundary and obstacle information from the wireless communications device to a server; and
transmitting the boundary and obstacle information from the server to at least a second wireless communications device.
11. A server apparatus, comprising:
a network interface to transmitreceive network communications signals tofrom one or more base stations;
a controller operable to receive information from said network interface from at least a first wireless communications device enabled with location determination capabilities, the information from the first wireless communications device including location information along with information indicative of an area for virtual operations, the location information including information related to a boundary of the area and at least one exception associated with the area boundary.
12. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein said location information includes information from a satellite positioning system and said information indicative of an area for virtual operations includes a description of a geometric shape of the area, and wherein said controller is further operable to determine a perimeter of the boundary of the area based on the location information and geometric shape.
13. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is operable to run an application that receives user input from a user of the wireless communications device identifying boundary locations and determine boundary information and exception information based on said boundary locations.
14. The server apparatus of claim 13, wherein the boundary locations are corners of the area.
15. The server apparatus of claim 14, wherein the location of at least one obstacle is received at the server as an exception to the boundary.
16. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein said controller is further operable to receive boundary and exception information from said first wireless communications device and transmit the boundary and exception information to least a second wireless communications device.
17. The system of claim 11, wherein said controller is further operable to store boundary and exception information related to the area in a memory, and transmit the information to a wireless communications device when it is determined that the wireless communications device is within the area boundary.
18. The system of claim 11, wherein said controller is further operable to store historical boundary information according to frequency of detection of the wireless communications device within a proximity of a location.
19. A wireless communications device comprising:
a location determination subsystem;
a controller operably interconnected to the location determination subsystem;
a memory operably interconnected to the controller;
wherein the controller is operable to run an application stored in the memory, the application determining the location of the wireless communications device based on the location determination subsystem that is used for designating a boundary of an area of a virtual operation, and marking at least one obstacle within the boundary.
20. The wireless communications device of claim 19, wherein the controller is operable to transmit the location information to a server, and receive an area boundary and obstacle information from the server.
21. The wireless communications device of claim 19, wherein the controller periodically transmits location information from the location determination subsystem to a server when conducting virtual operations within the area, and wherein the controller receives instruction from the server in response to the transmission of location information.
22. A computer readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:
program code for boundary determination based on location information provided by a wireless communications device enabled with location determination capabilities, the boundary defining an area for conducting virtual operations; and
program code for exception determination based on position information for at least one exception to the boundary.
23. The computer readable medium, as claimed in claim 22, wherein the location information provided by the wireless communications device comprises:
locations of one or more corners of a perimeter of the area for conducting virtual operations; and
information designating a geometrical shape of the area for conducting virtual operations.
24. The computer readable medium, as claimed in claim 22, wherein the location information provided by the wireless communications device step comprises:
a center point of the area for conducting virtual operations; and
information designating a geometrical relationship between the center point and a perimeter of the area.
25. The computer readable medium, as claimed in claim 22, wherein the information for at least one exception to the boundary comprises:
a position of at least one obstacle that is determined using the wireless communications device when the wireless communications device is located in proximity to the obstacle; and
a size of the obstacle.
26. A system for setting virtual representations of boundaries, comprising:
means for setting a boundary with a wireless communications device enabled with location determination capabilities, the boundary defining an area for conducting virtual operations; and
means for setting an exception to the boundary of the area with the wireless communications device.
27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:
means for transmitting the boundary of the area and the position of the exception to a server.
28. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for setting boundaries comprises:
means for designating the location of at least one point associated with the area; and
means for designating a geometrical shape of the boundary of the area in relation to the at least one point.
29. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for setting an exception comprises:
means for designating the location of an exception; and
means for designating a geometrical size and shape of the exception in relation to the at least one point.
30. The system of claim 26, further comprising:
means for monitoring the location of a wireless communications device when conducting virtual operations in the area; and
means for generating an alert when the location of the wireless communications device is outside the boundary or within a preset proximity to the exception.
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 comprising the steps of:
providing a paperboard handling machine comprising a frame and a roll support assembly having left and right roll support arm assemblies which are movably mounted on the frame;
mounting a first paperboard roll having left and right ends on the roll support assembly between the left and right arm assemblies;
measuring with a first distance sensor a first axial distance from a first reference point to one of (a) the left end of the roll, and (b) a second reference point on the left arm assembly;
calculating with a logic circuit a first axial position of the roll based on the first axial distance;
comparing the calculated first axial position with a predetermined correct axial position; and
if the first and correct axial positions are different from one another, adjusting the roll axially while mounted on the roll support assembly to move the roll from the first axial position to the correct axial position.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first axial distance is from the first reference point to the second reference point on the left arm assembly; and the first reference point is axially fixed relative to the frame.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of measuring with a second distance sensor a second axial distance from a third reference point on the left arm assembly to the left end of the roll; and
wherein the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the second axial distance.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second and third reference points define therebetween a third axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the third axial distance.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein a fourth reference point to the right of the left end of the roll and the first reference point define therebetween a fourth axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the fourth axial distance.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of calculating the first axial position comprises the step of subtracting a sum of the first, second and third axial distances from the fourth axial distance to obtain a difference.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of calculating comprises the step of multiplying the difference by a factor.
8. The method of claim 2 wherein a third reference point on the arm and the second reference point define therebetween a second axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the second axial distance.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein a fourth reference point to the right of the left end of the roll and the first reference point define therebetween a third axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the third axial distance.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of calculating the first axial position comprises the step of subtracting a sum of the first and second axial distances from the third axial distance.
11. The method of claim 2 wherein a third reference point to the right of the left end of the roll and the first reference point define therebetween a second axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the second axial distance.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of calculating the first axial position comprises the step of subtracting the first axial distance from the second axial distance.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first axial distance is from the first reference point to the left end of the roll.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first reference point is on the left arm assembly.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the first sensor is mounted on the left arm assembly.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein a second reference point on the left arm assembly and the first reference point define therebetween a second axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the second axial distance.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein a third reference point to the left of the left arm assembly and a fourth reference point to the right of the left end of the roll define therebetween a third axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the third axial distance.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein a second reference point to the left of the left arm assembly and a third reference point to the right of the left end of the roll define therebetween a second axial distance; and
the step of calculating the first axial position is based on the second axial distance.
19. A method comprising the steps of:
providing a paperboard handling machine comprising a frame and a roll support assembly having left and right roll support arm assemblies which are movably mounted on the frame;
mounting a first paperboard roll having left and right ends on the roll support assembly between the left and right arm assemblies;
ascertaining a first value representing an ordered axial width of the roll;
measuring a first axial distance from a first reference point to a second reference point, wherein the first reference point is to the left of the left end of the roll and the second reference point is to the right of the left end of the roll;
determining a second axial distance from the first reference point to the left end of the roll;
calculating a calculated value including subtracting the second axial distance from the first axial distance; and
moving the roll axially while mounted on the roll support assembly to a position at which the calculated value equals the first value.
20. A paperboard handling machine configured for handling a paperboard roll having left and right ends, the machine comprising:
a frame;
left and right axially spaced roll support arm assemblies mounted on and axially adjustable relative to the frame;
a roll-receiving space which is defined between the left and right arm assemblies and comprises a left side adjacent the left arm assembly and a right side adjacent the right arm assembly; the space adapted to receive therein the paperboard roll with the left and right ends respectively adjacent the left and right sides of the space; and
a first distance sensor configured to measure a first axial distance from a first reference point to one of (a) the left side of the roll-receiving space, and (b) a reference point on the left arm assembly.