Author: claimsbot

1. A device operating as user equipment (UE) in an LTE network, comprising:
an RF transceiver for providing an LTE air interface for communicating with a base station operating as an enhancedevolved Node B (eNB);
processing circuitry configured to attach to the eNB via component carriers configured as primary and secondary cells (PCells and SCells), wherein the secondary cell carrier does not include cell-specific reference signals (CRSs);
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive channel state information reference signals (CSI reference signals) over the SCell carrier and, if the SCell carrier omits CRSs, further configured to use the CSI reference signals for time and frequency synchronization.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the CSI reference signals mapped to specified resource elements every one, two, three, or four subframes for Type 1 frame structures and to receive the CSI reference signals mapped to specified resource elements every five subframes with subframe offsets selected from (0,3,4), (0,3) (0,4), or (3,4) for Type 2 frame structures.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive two CSI reference signals contained within specified subframes used by the eNB to transmit CSI reference signals.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
receive OFDM symbols with a normal cyclic prefix;
receive the CSI reference signals in subframes designated for carrying CSI reference signals with the CSI reference signals mapped to resource elements (k,l), where k and l are indices in the frequency and time domain, respectively, wherein:
k=k\u2032+m+0 for antenna ports p15 and p16,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22126 for antenna ports p17 and p18,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22121 for antenna ports p19 and p20,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22127 for antenna ports p21 and p22,
m=0, 1, . . . NRB\u22121, where NRB is the number of resource blocks in a downlink slot,
l=l\u2032+l\u2033,

2\u2033=0, 1; and,
receive CSI reference signals in a CSI configuration selected from the following:
1) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
2) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18;
3) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
4) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(2,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
5) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
6) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22; or,
7) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
receive OFDM symbols with an extended cyclic prefix;
receive the CSI reference signals in subframes designated for carrying CSI reference signals with the CSI reference signals mapped to resource elements (k,l), where k and l are indices in the frequency and time domain, respectively, wherein:
k=k\u2032+m+0 for antenna ports p15 and p16,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22123 for antenna ports p17 and p18,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22126 for antenna ports p19 and p20,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22129 for antenna ports p21 and p22,
m=0, 1, . . . NRB\u22121, where NRB is the number of resource blocks in a downlink slot,
l=l\u2032+l\u2033,
l\u2033=0, 1; and,

receive CSI reference signals in a CSI configuration selected from the following:
1) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
2) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18;
3) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(6,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
4) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(0,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
5) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
6) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22; or,
7) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18.
6. The device of claim 4 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the CSI reference signals mapped to specified resource elements every one, two, three, or four subframes for Type 1 frame structures and to receive the CSI reference signals mapped to specified resource elements every five subframes with subframe offsets selected from (0,3,4), (0,3) (0,4), or (3,4) for Type 2 frame structures.
7. The device of claim 5 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the CSI reference signals mapped to specified resource elements every one, two, three, or four subframes for Type 1 frame structures and to receive the CSI reference signals mapped to specified resource elements every five subframes with subframe offsets selected from (0,3,4), (0,3) (0,4), or (3,4) for Type 2 frame structures.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to estimate a timing offset by measuring the phase shift of CSI reference signals across different subcarrier frequencies and configured to estimate a frequency offset by measuring the phase shift of CSI reference signals at different times.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to average the measured phase shift of CSI reference signals across different subcarrier frequencies at different times in order to estimate the timing offset and configured to average the measured phase shift of CSI reference signals at different times across different subcarrier frequencies to estimate the frequency offset.
10. A device operating as user equipment (UE) in an LTE network, comprising:
an RF transceiver for providing an LTE air interface for communicating with a base station operating as an enhancedevolved Node B (eNB);
processing circuitry configured to attach to the eNB via a component carriers configured as primary and secondary cells (PCells and SCells), wherein the secondary cell carrier does not include cell-specific reference signals (CRSs);
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive UE-specific reference signals (UERSs) over the SCell carrier in an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) and further configured to use the UERSs for time and frequency synchronization; and,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive a specified number of resource blocks reserved in each slot of each subframe for the ePDCCH where UERSs are always transmitted.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein the UE is configured to receive the UERS transmitted in each of the specified resource blocks with predefined precoding that is constant across the subframe but changes from resource block to resource block in the frequency domain.
12. The device of claim 10 wherein the UE is configured to receive the UERS transmitted in each of the specified resource blocks with predefined precoding that alternates with each successive resource block in the time domain.
13. The device of claim 10 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to estimate a timing offset by measuring the phase shift of UERSs across different subcarrier frequencies and configured to estimate a frequency offset by measuring the phase shift of UERSs at different times.
14. A method for operating an enhancedevolved Node B (eNB) in an LTE network, comprising:
attaching to UEs via component carriers configured as primary and secondary cells (PCells and SCells), wherein the secondary cell carrier does not include cell-specific reference signals (CRSs);
transmitting channel state information reference signals (CSI reference signals) over the SCell carrier for use by the UE in performing time and frequency synchronization.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the CSI reference signals are mapped to specified resource elements every one, two, three, or four subframes for Type 1 frame structures and mapped to specified resource elements every five subframes with subframe offsets selected from (0,3,4), (0,3) (0,4), or (3,4) for Type 2 frame structures.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein two CSI reference signals are contained within specified subframes used to transmit CSI reference signals.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
transmitting OFDM symbols with a normal cyclic prefix;
transmitting the CSI reference signals in subframes designated for carrying CSI reference signals with the CSI reference signals mapped to resource elements (k,l), where k and l are indices in the frequency and time domain, respectively, wherein:
k=k\u2032+m+0 for antenna ports p15 and p16,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22126 for antenna ports p17 and p18,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22121 for antenna ports p19 and p20,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22127 for antenna ports p21 and p22,
m=0, 1, . . . NRB\u22121, where NRB is the number of resource blocks in a downlink slot,
l=l\u2032+l\u2033,
l\u2033=0, 1; and,

transmitting CSI reference signals in a CSI configuration selected from the following:
1) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
2) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18;
3) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
4) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(2,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
5) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
6) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22; or,
7) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(8,5) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
transmitting OFDM symbols with an extended cyclic prefix;
transmitting the CSI reference signals in subframes designated for carrying CSI reference signals with the CSI reference signals mapped to resource elements (k,l), where k and l are indices in the frequency and time domain, respectively, wherein:
k=k\u2032+m+0 for antenna ports p15 and p16,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22123 for antenna ports p17 and p18,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22126 for antenna ports p19 and p20,
k=k\u2032+m+\u22129 for antenna ports p21 and p22,
m=0, 1, . . . NRB\u22121, where NRB is the number of resource blocks in a downlink slot,
l=l\u2032+l\u2033,
l\u2033=0, 1; and,

transmitting CSI reference signals in a CSI configuration selected from the following:
1) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
2) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18;
3) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(6,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
4) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(0,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16;
5) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22;
6) (k\u2032,l\u2032) =(9,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(9,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using eight antenna ports p15 through p22; or,
7) (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in each slot of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using two antenna ports p15 and p16, and (k\u2032,l\u2032)=(3,4) in the first slot only of a subframe designated to carry CSI reference signals using four antenna ports p15 through p18.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the CSI reference signals are mapped to specified resource elements every one, two, three, or four subframes for Type 1 frame structures and mapped to specified resource elements every five subframes with subframe offsets selected from (0,3,4), (0,3) (0,4), or (3,4) for Type 2 frame structures.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the CSI reference signals are mapped to specified resource elements every one, two, three, or four subframes for Type 1 frame structures and mapped to specified resource elements every five subframes with subframe offsets selected from (0,3,4), (0,3) (0,4), or (3,4) for Type 2 frame structures.
21. A method for operating an enhancedevolved Node B (eNB) in an LTE network, comprising:
attaching to UEs via component carriers configured as primary and secondary cells (PCells and SCells), wherein the secondary cell carrier does not include cell-specific reference signals (CRSs);
transmitting UE-specific reference signals (UERSs) over the SCell carrier in an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH) for use by the UE in performing time and frequency synchronization; and,
transmitting a specified number of resource blocks reserved in each slot of each subframe for the ePDCCH where UERSs are always transmitted.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising transmitting the UERS in each of the specified resource blocks with predefined precoding that is constant across the subframe but changes from resource block to resource block in the frequency domain.
23. The method of claim 21 further comprising transmitting the UERS in each of the specified resource blocks with predefined precoding that alternates with each successive resource block in the time domain.

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 circuit board, comprising:
a first board portion and a second board portion each including insulating layers made of a flexible material;
an antenna coil including coil conductors provided on the insulating layers in the first board portion;
wiring conductors provided on the insulating layers in the second board portion and electrically connected to the antenna coil; and
a magnetic substance layer; wherein
the first board portion and the second board portion are arranged so as to include regions that face each other; and
the magnetic substance layer is provided with the first board portion and is located between the coil conductors of the first board portion and the wiring conductors of the second board portion.
2. The circuit board according to claim 1, wherein a board body, which includes the first board portion and the second board portion, is bent such that the first board portion and the second board portion include the regions facing each other.
3. The circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic substance layer has an area size that is larger than an area size of the first board portion in plan view.
4. The circuit board according to claim 1, wherein electronic components electrically connected to the wiring conductors are mounted on a principal surface of the second board portion, which is opposite to the region of the second board portion that faces the region of the first board portion.

1. An article of manufacture for use with a data processor for finding information in a corpus of documents, wherein words in the corpus of documents include a set of stopwords, comprising:
a machine readable data storage medium including executable instructions to:
identify stopwords in the corpus of documents;
form abnormal words, each abnormal word including a stop word and a character of a word adjacent to the stopword, such that each abnormal word includes a complete word and an incomplete word;
define a dictionary including stopwords, unique words and abnormal words associated with the corpus of documents;
form an abnormal query word with a stopword and a character of a word adjacent to the stopword in a query;
apply the abnormal query word to the dictionary to identify a match.
2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to locate a pointer associated with the match.
3. The article of manufacture of claim 2 further comprising executable instructions to follow the pointer to an inverted index.
4. The article of manufacture of claim 3 further comprising executable instructions to process document identification information and word location information in the inverted index.
5. The article of manufacture of claim 4 further comprising executable instructions to supply documents responsive to the query.
6. The article of manufacture of claim 5 further comprising executable instructions to supply word location information in documents responsive to the query.
7. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein an abnormal word includes a stop word and N leading characters of a subsequent word.
8. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein N is 3 or less.
9. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein N is 1.
10. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein a stopword is a special character.
11. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the stopwords include: \u201cthe\u201d, \u201cof\u201d, \u201cand\u201d, \u201ca\u201d, \u201cis\u201d, and \u201cin\u201d.
12. An article of manufacture for use with a data processor for finding phrases in a corpus of documents, comprising:
a machine readable data storage medium including executable instructions to:
store an index structure on a memory device medium readable and writable by the data processor, the index structure including:
a first plurality of entries representing words found in the corpus of documents associated with locations of the words in the documents,
a second plurality of entries representing marks which identify a set of marked words associated with locations of the marked words in the documents, wherein one or more entries representing marks include fewer than all of the characters of the corresponding marked words, and
a mapping of the first plurality of entries and the second plurality of entries to documents in the corpus;

modify an input phrase query provided to the data processor to form a modified query by adding a mark corresponding to a word in a subject phrase; and
execute the modified query using the index structure and the data processor.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein at least one entry representing a mark in the index structure comprises a token representing a type of mark coalesced with a prefix of a corresponding marked word, the prefix comprising one or more leading characters of the corresponding marked word.
14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein the prefix comprises N leading characters of the marked word, and N is 1, 2, or 3.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 12 further comprising executable instructions to generate the index structure.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein the index structure comprises a dictionary and an inverted index including the first plurality of entries and the second plurality of entries.
17. The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein the set of marked words are identified by at least one mark includes a context of the corresponding marked word.
18. The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein the index structure includes entries representing stopwords in the corpus including tokens coalesced with prefixes of respective adjacent words adjacent to the stopwords, the prefixes comprising one or more leading characters of the respective adjacent words.

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 for controlling, via application of first and second inputs, a system incorporating a load having a non-linear output-input relationship, the method comprising:
(A) applying the first input to the load;
(B) measuring a first output resulting from the first input applied to the load;
(C) applying the second input to the load;
(D) measuring a second output resulting from the second input applied to the load, an output difference between the second output and the first output having a magnitude and a polarity;
(E) altering the second input by an input increment having a magnitude and polarity based at least in part on the magnitude and polarity of the output difference between the second output and the first output; and
(F) repeating steps (A)-(E) during operation of the system to regulate operation of the load notwithstanding any changes in the non-linear output-input relationship of the load during operation.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the first input equal to the second input after step (D).
3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (E) comprises:
(i) if the magnitude of the output difference is greater than a pre-determined value and the polarity of the output difference is positive, increasing the second input by the input increment;
(ii) if the magnitude of the output difference is smaller than the pre-determined value and the polarity of the output difference is positive, decreasing the second input by the input increment;
(iii) if the magnitude of the output difference is greater than the pre-determined value and the polarity of the output difference is negative, increasing the second input by the input increment; and
(iv) if the magnitude of the output difference is smaller than the pre-determined value and the polarity of the output difference is negative, decreasing the second input by the input increment.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (E) comprises, before increasing or decreasing the second input, setting the first input equal to the second input.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the second input by the input value increases the second input above a maximum operating input value, further comprising decreasing the second input to the maximum operating input value or less prior to applying the second input to the load.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising pausing for a pre-determined amount of time prior to applying the second input to the load.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pre-determined amount of time increases as a number of times steps (A)-(E) are repeated increases.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to operate at a design point, the design point comprising a design output value and a design input value.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the input increment is less than about 20% of the design input value.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnitude and polarity of the input increment are determined from (i) a comparison of a pre-determined value to the magnitude of the output difference between the second output and the first output and (ii) the polarity of the output difference between the second output and the first output.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pre-determined value is constant as steps (A)-(E) repeat.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the pre-determined value decreases as a number of times steps (A)-(E) are repeated increases.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the input increment decreases as a number of times steps (A)-(E) are repeated increases.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein, after a plurality of repetitions of steps (A)-(E), the system operates at a stable operating range of inputs for at least a second plurality of repetitions of steps (A)-(E).
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising pausing for a pre-determined amount of time prior to applying the second input to the load, the pre-determined amount of time increasing at least once while the system operates at the stable operating range.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising resetting the pre-determined amount of time to a default value if system operation diverges from the stable operating range.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising decreasing the input increment at least once while the system operates at the stable operating range.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnitude and polarity of the input increment are determined from a table of pre-determined rules.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-linear output-input characteristic of the load comprises a knee therewithin.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the output increases as the input increases in the knee region.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the output decreases as the input increases in the knee region.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-linear output-input characteristic of the load comprises one of a global minimum or a global maximum therewithin.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a position control system, whereby the input comprises a position-adjustment signal and the output comprises a position signal.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a pressure control system, whereby the input comprises a pressure-adjustment signal and the output comprises a pressure signal.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a temperature control system, whereby the input comprises a temperature-adjustment signal and the output comprises a temperature signal.
26. The method of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a humidity control system, whereby the input comprises a humidity-adjustment signal and the output comprises a humidity signal.
27. The method of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a lighting control system, whereby the input comprises a lighting-characteristic-adjustment signal and the output comprises a lighting-characteristic signal.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the lighting-characteristic signal corresponds to at least one of intensity, luminance, illuminance, or color temperature.
29. The method of claim 1, wherein (i) a first plurality of cycles of steps (A)-(E) repeating constitutes a start-up phase, and (ii) a second plurality of cycles of steps (A)-(E) repeating constitutes an operation phase, the start-up phase preceding the operation phase.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the magnitude and polarity of the input increment are determined from a table of pre-determined rules.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein the non-linear output-input characteristic of the load comprises a knee therewithin.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein the non-linear output-input characteristic of the load comprises one of a global minimum or a global maximum therewithin.