Author: claimsbot

1. An optical disc drive device comprising:
an FE signal generator which generates a focus error signal;
a TE signal generator which generates a tracking error signal;
a return beam detector which detects a return beam reflected by an optical disc after irradiated by an optical pickup to generate a return beam level signal;
a return beam gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the return beam level signal so that a signal level of the return beam level signal generated by the return beam detector coincides with a predetermined reference level;
an FE gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the focus error signal in accordance with the signal level of the return beam level signal adjusted by the return beam gain setting part so that a signal amplitude of the focus error signal is constant; and
a TE gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the tracking error signal in accordance with the signal level of the return beam level signal adjusted by the return beam gain setting part so that a signal amplitude of the tracking error signal is constant;
wherein the return beam gain setting part includes:
a first amplitude adjustment part which adjusts an amplitude of a difference between the signal level of the return beam level signal and the reference level by a first amplitude adjustment coefficient corresponding to the return beam level signal; and
a first cumulative adder which calculates a cumulative adding value of the difference adjusted by the first amplitude adjustment coefficient,
the FE gain setting part includes:
a second amplitude adjustment part which adjusts the amplitude of the difference by a second amplitude adjustment coefficient corresponding to the focus error signal; and
a second cumulative adder which calculates a cumulative adding value of the difference adjusted by the second amplitude adjustment coefficient,
the TE gain setting part includes:
a third amplitude adjustment part which adjusts the amplitude of the difference by a third amplitude adjustment coefficient corresponding to the tracking error signal; and
a third cumulative adder which calculates a cumulative adding value of the difference adjusted by the third amplitude adjustment coefficient.
2. The drive device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a first offset correction part which performs offset adjustment of the return beam level signal detected by the return beam detector;
a second offset correction part which performs offset adjustment of the focus error signal generated by the FE signal generator; and
a third offset correction part which performs offset adjustment of the tracking error signal generated by the TE signal generator,
wherein the return beam gain setting part sets the amplitude adjustment amount of the return beam level signal after performing the offset adjustment by the first offset correction part;
the FE gain setting part sets the amplitude adjustment amount of the focus error signal after performing the offset adjustment by the second offset correction part; and
the TE gain setting part sets the amplitude adjustment amount of the tracking error signal after performing the offset adjustment by the third offset correction part.
3. The drive device according to claim 2, wherein each of the first to third offset correction parts is separately provided corresponding to playback and record operations of the optical disc.
4. The drive device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a first gain correction part which performs gain adjustment of the return beam level signal detected by the return beam detector;
a second gain correction part which performs gain adjustment of the focus error signal generated by the FE signal generator;
a third gain correction part which performs gain adjustment of the tracking error signal generated by the TE signal generator; and
a gain amount setting part which sets gain amount of the first to third gain correction parts based on the cumulative adding values of the first to third cumulative adders.
5. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein the gain amount setting part sets the gain amounts of the first to third gain correction parts based on the return beam level signal adjusted by the return beam gain setting part and a reference signal of the return beam level signal.
6. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein each of the first to third gain correction parts, the gain amount setting part and the first to third cumulative adders is separately provided corresponding to playback and record operations of the optical disc.
7. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein when the amplitude of the focus error signal and the amplitude of the tracking error signal increase in proportion to the amplitude of the return beam level signal, and a gradient of the focus error signal against the amplitude of the return beam level signal is equal to a gradient of the tracking error signal against the amplitude of the return beam level signal, the gain amount setting part sets the gain amounts of the first to third gain correction parts so that the amplitude of the focus error signal becomes equal to the amplitude of the tracking error signal, regardless of the amplitude of the return beam level signal.
8. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein when the amplitude of the focus error signal and the amplitude of the tracking error signal increase in proportion to the amplitude of the return beam level signal, and a gradient of the focus error signal against the amplitude of the return beam level signal is different from a gradient of the tracking error signal against the amplitude of the return beam level signal, the gain amount setting part sets the gain amounts of the first to third gain correction parts so that the amplitude of the focus error signal is constant, the amplitude of the tracking error signal is constant, and the amplitude of the focus error signal is different from the amplitude of the tracking error signal, regardless of the amplitude of the return beam level signal.
9. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein when the amplitude of the focus error signal and the amplitude of the tracking error signal increase in proportion to the amplitude of the return beam level signal, and a gradient of the focus error signal against the amplitude of the return beam level signal is different from a gradient of the tracking error signal against the amplitude of the return beam level signal, the gain amount setting part sets the gain amounts of the first to third gain correction parts so that the amplitude of the focus error signal is equal to the amplitude of the tracking error signal.
10. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein when the amplitude of the focus error signal increases in proportion to the amplitude of the return beam level signal, and the amplitude of the tracking error signal is constant, the gain amount setting part sets the gain amounts of the first to third gain correction parts so that the amplitude of the focus error signal is constant, the amplitude of the tracking error signal is constant, and the amplitude of the focus error signal is different from the amplitude of the tracking error signal, regardless of the amplitude of the return beam level signal.
11. The drive device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a layer jump control data generator which generates layer jump control data for moving a beam spot of a read-out beam between different layers of the optical disc;
a track search control data generator which generates track search control data for moving the beam spot in radial direction;
an FE servo part which generates a focus servo signal based on the layer jump control data and the focus error signal, the amplitude of the focus error signal being adjusted by the amplitude adjustment amount set by the FE gain setting part;
a TE servo part which generates a tracking servo signal based on the track search control data and the tracking error signal, the amplitude of the tracking error signal being adjusted by the amplitude adjustment amount set by the TE gain setting part;
a focus servo amplitude adjustment part which adjusts the amplitude of the focus servo signal to drive a focus actuator; and
a tracking servo amplitude adjustment part which adjusts the amplitude of the tracking servo signal to drive a tracking actuator.
12. The drive device according to claim 11, further comprising:
a first AD converter which converts the focus error signal generated by the FE signal generator into a digital signal;
a second AD converter which converts the tracking error signal generated by the TE signal generator into a digital signal;
a first DA converter which converts the focus servo signal generated by the FE servo part into an analog signal; and
a second DA converter which converts the tracking error signal generated by the TE servo part into an analog signal,
wherein the return beam gain setting part, the FE gain setting part, the TE gain setting part, the FE servo part and the TE servo part perform digital signal processes.
13. A tilt correction device comprising:
a first tilt sensor which irradiates an optical disc with a tilt detecting beam and detects a first reflected beam from the optical disc;
a second tilt sensor which irradiates the optical disc with a tilt detecting beam and detects a second reflected beam from the optical disc;
a return beam detector which detects a return beam level signal indicative of an adding signal of the first and second reflected beam signals;
a return beam gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the return beam level signal so that a signal level of the return beam level signal coincides with a reference level;
a tilt error signal generator which detects a tilt error signal indicative of a difference signal between the first and second reflected signals; and
a tilt error signal gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the tilt error signal in accordance with the signal level of the return beam level signal so that detection sensitivity of the tilt error signal is constant.
14. The tilt correction device according to claim 13, wherein the tilt error signal gain setting part sets the amplitude adjustment amount of the tilt error signal based on the amplitude adjustment amount of the return beam level signal set by the return beam gain setting part.
15. The tilt correction device according to claim 13, further comprising a low pass filter which removes high frequency noise included in the tilt error signal, a gain of the tilt error signal being adjusted by the amplitude adjustment amount set by the tilt error signal gain setting part.
16. The tilt correction device according to claim 13, further comprising:
a first AD converter which converts the first reflected signal detected by the first tilt sensor into a digital signal;
a second AD converter which converts the second reflected signal detected by the second tilt sensor into a digital signal; and
a DA converter which converts the tilt error signal passing through the low pass filter into the analog signal,
wherein the return beam detector, the return beam gain setting part, the tilt error signal generator and the tilt error signal gain setting unit perform digital signal processes.
17. An optical disc drive device comprising:
an FE signal generator which generates a focus error signal;
a TE signal generator which generates a tracking error signal;
a return beam detector which detects a return beam reflected by an optical disc after irradiated by an optical pickup to generate a return beam level signal;
a return beam gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the return beam level signal so that a signal level of the return beam level signal generated by the return beam detector coincides with a predetermined reference level;
an FE gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the focus error signal in accordance with the signal level of the return beam level signal adjusted by the return beam gain setting part so that a signal amplitude of the focus error signal is constant;
a TE gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the tracking error signal in accordance with the signal level of the return beam level signal adjusted by the return beam gain setting part so that a signal amplitude of the tracking error signal is constant; and
a tilt correction part which detects a tilt of the optical disc,
the tilt correction part includes:
a first tilt sensor which irradiates the optical disc with a tilt detecting beam and detects a first reflected beam from the optical disc;
a second tilt sensor which irradiates the optical disc with a tilt detecting beam and detects a second reflected beam from the optical disc;
a return beam detector which detects a return beam level signal indicative of an adding signal of the first and second reflected beam signals;
a return beam gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the return beam level signal so that a signal level of the return beam level signal coincides with a reference level;
a tilt error signal generator which detects a tilt error signal indicative of a difference signal between the first and second reflected signals; and
a tilt error signal gain setting part which sets amplitude adjustment amount of the tilt error signal in accordance with the signal level of the return beam level signal so that detection sensitivity of the tilt error signal is constant.
18. The drive device according to claim 17, further comprising:
a first offset correction part which performs offset adjustment of the return beam level signal detected by the return beam detector;
a second offset correction part which performs offset adjustment of the focus error signal generated by the FE signal generator; and
a third offset correction part which performs offset adjustment of the tracking error signal generated by the TE signal generator,
wherein the return beam gain setting part sets the amplitude adjustment amount of the return beam level signal after performing the offset adjustment by the first offset correction part;
the FE gain setting part sets the amplitude adjustment amount of the focus error signal after performing the offset adjustment by the second offset correction part; and
the TE gain setting part sets the amplitude adjustment amount of the tracking error signal after performing the offset adjustment by the third offset correction part.
19. The drive device according to claim 17, further comprising:
a layer jump control data generator which generates layer jump control data for moving a beam spot of a read-out beam between different layers of the optical disc;
a track search control data generator which generates track search control data for moving the beam spot in radial direction;
an FE servo part which generates a focus servo signal based on the layer jump control data and the focus error signal, the amplitude of the focus error signal being adjusted by the amplitude adjustment amount set by the FE gain setting part;
a TE servo part which generates a tracking servo signal based on the tracking error signal, the amplitude of the tracking error signal being adjusted by the amplitude adjustment amount set by the TE gain setting part;
a focus servo amplitude adjustment part which adjusts the amplitude of the focus servo signal to drive a focus actuator; and
a tracking servo amplitude adjustment part which adjusts the amplitude of the tracking servo signal to drive a tracking actuator.

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 precisely timed control over semiconductor manufacturing processes using a tool host and a process IO controller, wherein the process IO controller includes electrical interfaces to process chamber monitors and controls and supports precisely timed input and output through the electrical interfaces, and the tool host includes a programming environment that symbolically represents the electrical interfaces, the method including:
using the tool host, preparing a control program that includes instructions for the process IO controller to sample inputs and control outputs through the electrical interfaces;
from the tool host to the process IO controller, loading the control program;
and using the process IO controller, upon receiving a command invoking the control program, running the control program to generate statistically accurate timing of sampling inputs and controlling outputs through the electrical interfaces;
wherein the sampling inputs and controlling outputs is considered to have statistically accurate timing when variances in a 99.99 percent range of distribution of variances between a target time and actual times are less than or equal to 5 (five) milliseconds.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control program is prepared in an interpretative programming language.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the loading the control program proceeds with a load processing priority that preserves priority of processing commands by the process IO controller.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the loading the control program further proceeds without taking the process IO controller off-line from at least some sampling inputs and controlling outputs through the electrical interfaces.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sampling inputs and controlling outputs is performed with a 99.99 percent range of distribution of variances between a target time and actual times are less than or equal to 3 (three) milliseconds.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sampling inputs and controlling outputs is performed with a 99.99 percent range of distribution of variances between a target time and actual times are less than or equal to 1 (one) millisecond.
7. The method of claim 1, further including the process IO controller sending the tool host virtual digital signals corresponding to the sampling inputs and changing outputs through the electrical interfaces, without disrupting the statistically accurate timing of the sampling and controlling.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the virtual digital signals include time stamps.
9. The method of claim 7, further including the tool host, responsive to the virtual digital signals, sending the process IO controller a command causing the process IO controller to stop running the control program.
10. The method of claim 1, further including the process IO controller sending control commands to another process IO controller, responsive to the control program, with statistically accurate timing.
11. The method of claim 1, further including specifying timing tolerances for control steps to the tool host and having the tool host determine whether to delegate timing of the control steps to the process IO controller by the preparation and loading of an interpretive control program.
12. A method of controlling a process running in a process chamber in a repeatable interval using a process IO controller cooperating with a central controller, the method including:
using the process IO controller that monitors and controls one or more aspects of operating the process chamber, receiving control commands from the central controller and processing the control commands within a first statistically repeatable short interval of 5 milliseconds or less after the receiving;
wherein a short interval is considered statistically repeatable when times in a 99.99 percent range of distribution of the times are less than or equal to the short interval;
without failing statistical repeatability in the processing of the control commands, sampling one or more sensors coupled to the process chamber and buffering the samples within a statistically repeatable tolerance of a sampling schedule; and
wherein a tolerance is considered statistically repeatable when variances in a 99.99 percent range of distribution of variance between a target time and actual times are less than or equal to the tolerance.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first statistically repeatable short interval is 3 milliseconds or less.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first statistically repeatable short interval is 1 millisecond or less.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the statistically repeatable tolerance is 5 milliseconds or less.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the statistically repeatable tolerance is 3 milliseconds or less.
17. The method of claim 12, further including buffering time stamps corresponding to the sampling.
18. The method of claim 12, further including the process IO controller distributing at least some of the buffered samples without failing in statistical repeatability of the processing of the control commands or failing in statistical repeatability of the sampling.
19. The method of claim 12, further including:
without failing in statistical repeatability of the processing of the control commands or failing in statistical repeatability of the sampling, executing dynamically loadable instructions from memory of the process IO controller;
wherein the instructions include responding to selected results of the sampling, the responding happening within a second statistically repeatable short interval that is less than a statistically repeatable feedback interval required to report the sampling to the central controller and receive from the central controller a responsive command.
20. The method of claim 12, further including:
without failing in statistical repeatability of the processing of the control commands or failing in statistical repeatability of the sampling, executing dynamically loadable instructions from memory of the process IO controller;
wherein the instructions include responding to selected results of the sampling, the responding happening within a second statistically repeatable short interval that is less than half as long as the first statistically repeatable short interval.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second statistically repeatable short interval that is less than one-fifth as long as the first statistically repeatable short interval.
22. The method of claim 20, further including at the process IO controller, receiving, recognizing and dynamically loading instructions into memory of the process IO controller, without taking the process IO controller offline from monitoring and controlling aspects of operating the process chamber.
23. The method of claim 20, further including the process IO controller distributing at least some of the buffered samples without failing in statistical repeatability of the receiving and processing of the control commands or failing in statistical repeatability of the sampling or failing in statistical repeatability of the executing dynamically loaded instructions.
24. The method of claim 12, further including:
without failing in statistical repeatability of the receiving and initiating processing of the control commands or failing in statistical repeatability of the sampling, executing dynamically loadable instructions from memory of the process IO controller;
wherein the instructions include initiating closed loop control of at least one particular aspect of operating the process chamber, the initiating happening within a second statistically repeatable short interval that is less than half as long as the first statistically repeatable short interval.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second statistically repeatable short interval that is less than one-fifth as long as the first statistically repeatable short interval.
26. The method of claim 24, further including at the process IO controller, receiving, recognizing and loading dynamically loadable instructions into memory of the process IO controller, without taking the process IO controller off-line from monitoring and controlling aspects of operating the process chamber.
27. The method of claim 24, further including the process IO controller distributing at least some of the buffered samples without failing in statistical repeatability of the receiving and initiating processing of the control commands or failing in statistical repeatability of the sampling or failing in statistical repeatability of the executing dynamically loadable instructions.
28. A process IO controller including:
a port adapted to communicate with the central processor;
memory;
logic and resources coupled to the port and the memory, adapted to receive control commands from the central controller and processing the control commands within a first statistically repeatable short interval of 5 milliseconds or less after the receiving;
wherein a short interval is considered statistically repeatable when times in a 99.99 percent range of distribution of the times are less than or equal to the short interval;

and adapted, without failing statistical repeatability in the processing of the control commands, to sample one or more sensors coupled to the process chamber and buffering the samples within a statistically repeatable tolerance of a sampling schedule; and
wherein a tolerance is considered statistically repeatable when variances in a 99.99 percent range of distribution of variance between a target time and actual times are less than or equal to the tolerance.
29. The controller of claim 28, wherein the process IO controller is further adapted to distribute at least some of the buffered samples without failing in statistical repeatability of the processing of the control commands or failing in statistical repeatability of the sampling.
30. The controller of claim 28, wherein the process IO controller is further adapted to, execute dynamically loadable instructions from memory of the process IO controller;
wherein the instructions include responding to selected results of the sampling, the responding happening within a second statistically repeatable short interval that is less than half as long as the first statistically repeatable short interval.
31. The controller of claim 28, wherein the process IO controller is further adapted to execute dynamically loadable instructions from memory of the process IO controller;
wherein the instructions include initiating closed loop control of at least one particular aspect of operating the process chamber, the initiating happening within a second statistically repeatable short interval that is less than half as long as the first statistically repeatable short interval.

1. A method for improving liquid injection into a rock formation, the method including the following steps:
introducing a gas impulse device into a wellbore in the formation;
pumping a pressurized liquid into the wellbore; and
firing the gas impulse device periodically so that the device generates impulses of high pressure compressed gas which when the gas expands through the pumped pressurized liquid substantially instantaneously increases the liquid flow rate into the rock formation, and creates rapid cyclical injected liquid surges into the rock formation with liquid oscillation occurring inside the fractures andor pores of the formation
2. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of monitoring the pressure or injection rate of the pressurized liquid.
3. A method according to claim 2, further including the step of periodically adjusting the pressure or injection rate of the pressurized injected liquid based on the results of the step of monitoring so that the pressure or injection rate of the injected liquid remain within a predetermined range.
4. A method according to claim 1 further including the step of estimating the pressure or injection rate of the pressurized liquid required for improving liquid flow into the formation,
wherein the pressure or injection rate of the pumped pressurized liquid in said step of pumping ranges from about 25% to about 100% of the estimated injection pressure or injection rate and is periodically adjusted so that the pumped liquid pressure or injection rate remains in that range, and
wherein the gas impulse device working pressure in said step of firing is at least 10 bars greater than the pumped injection liquid pressure.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said compressed gas of said step of firing forms bubbles oscillating between expansion and contraction within the pressurized liquid thereby improving injected liquid flow distribution over the fractures andor pores of the rock formation.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of pumping the liquid is pumping a liquid that comprises hazardous, industrial andor municipal wastes.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said rock formation is an oil containing rock formation and said method further includes the step of monitoring oil production in at least one production well of the oil containing rock formation.
8. A method according to claim 7, further including the step of periodically adjusting the pressure of the gas supplied to the gas impulse device based on the results of the step of monitoring oil production so that the pressure of the supplied gas remains within a predetermined range.
9. A method according to claim 7, further including the step of periodically adjusting the pressure or injection rate of the pressurized liquid based on the results the step of monitoring oil production so that the pressure or injection rate of the injected liquid remains within a predetermined range.
10. A method according to claim 7, further including the step of estimating the pressure or injection rate of the pressurized liquid required for improving liquid flow into the formation.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the pressure or injection rate of the pumped pressurized liquid in said step of pumping ranges from about 25% to about 100% of the estimated injection pressure or injection rate and wherein the gas impulse device working pressure in said step of firing is at least 10 bars greater than the pumped injection liquid pressure and
wherein at least one of the following parameters is periodically adjusted based on the results of said step of monitoring oil production so that the at least one parameter remains within a predetermined range:
pressure of the compressed gas supplied to the gas impulse device;
pressure of the pressurized injection liquid; and
rate of injection of the pressurized injection liquid.
12. A method according to claim 7, wherein said compressed gas of said step of firing forms bubbles oscillating between expansion and contraction within the pressurized liquid, thereby improving oil displacement by the injected liquid inside the oil containing rock formation.
13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is employed for extracting residual oil in an oil formation in which oil production has substantially ceased, and
where said step of introducing a gas impulse device into a wellbore, includes introducing the device into a wellbore in a formation where oil production has substantially ceased, and
wherein said step of firing the gas impulse device periodically generates impulses of high pressure compressed gas which when the gas expands through the pumped pressurized liquid substantially instantaneously increases the liquid pressurized flow rate into the oil formation causing residual oil found in fractures andor pores of high flow resistance to flow toward and empty into nearby producing wells.
14. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of monitoring the rate of discharged residual oil.
15. A method according to claim 14, further including the step of periodically adjusting the pressure of the gas supplied to the gas impulse device or the pressure or injection rate of the injected liquid based on the results of the monitored rate of discharged residual oil so that the gas pressure or the liquid pressure or liquid injection rate remain within a predetermined range.
16. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of monitoring the pressure or injection rate of the injected liquid.
17. A method according to claim 16, further including the step of periodically adjusting the pressure or injection rate of the injected liquid based on the pressure or rate determined in said step of monitoring so that the pressure or injection rate of the injected liquid remain within a predetermined range.
18. A method according to claim 13, wherein said compressed gas in said step of firing forms oscillating bubbles, which expand and contract within the injected pressurized liquid periodically, thereby improving residual oil displacement from the formation that has substantially ceased production towards a well that still is a producing well.
19. The method according to claim 1, said method used for preventing drilling fluid lost circulation,
wherein said step of introducing a gas impulse device into a wellbore in the formation, the formation at least partially includes a drilling fluid \u201cthief\u201d zone, and
wherein said step of pumping a pressurized liquid, the pressurized liquid is a pressurized sealing slurry which when pumped into the wellbore covers at least a portion of the \u201cthief\u201d zone, and
wherein said step of firing the gas impulse device, the device expels gas which expands through the slurry substantially instantaneously increasing the slurry flow rate into the formation causing fissured and porous regions of the formation to be sealed with the sealant slurry.
20. A method according to claim 19, said method further including the step of moving the device along the \u201cthief\u201d zone so that the gas impulse device is fired all along the zone so that the sealing slurry can enter the fissures and porous regions throughout all portions of the \u201cthief\u201d zone.
21. A method according to claim 19, further including the step of monitoring at least one of the following: the pressure of the pumped pressurized sealing slurry; the injection rate of the pumped pressurized sealing slurry; and the density of the pressurized sealing slurry.
22. A method according to claim 21, further including the step of periodically adjusting at least one of the following parameters: the pressure of the pressurized sealing slurry; the injection rate of the pressurized sealing slurry; the density of the pressurized sealing slurry; and the pressure of the compressed gas supplied to the gas impulse device, where said adjustment is based on the pressure, rate andor density determined in said step of monitoring so that the at least one parameter remains within a predetermined range.
23. A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of firing, the device expels gas which expands through the slurry substantially instantaneously increasing the slurry flow rate into the formation and creates rapid cyclical injected slurry surges into the rock formation with liquid oscillation occurring inside the fractures andor pores of the formation.

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 play yard comprising:
a collapsible upper frame;
a collapsible lower frame;
posts to support the upper frame above the lower frame, the posts including respective channels; and
a foldable, frameless enclosure operatively coupled to the upper frame, the lower frame and the posts, the enclosure having a plurality of sides and a bottom to define an enclosure volume, the enclosure having a plurality of corner beads dimensioned for receipt in a respective one of the channels to secure the enclosure to the posts.
2. A play yard as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the posts includes a substantially exposed, outward facing surface.
3. A play yard as defined in claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes first sleeves dimensioned to receive the upper frame and second sleeves dimensioned to receive the lower frame.
4. A play yard as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each of the posts is curved.
5. A play yard as defined in claim 4, wherein the channels follow curvatures of the posts.
6. A play yard as defined in claim 1, wherein a first one of the sides and a second one of the sides extend from one of the channels in one of the posts, the first one of the sides extending in a first direction and the second one of the sides extending in a second direction different than the first direction.
7. A play yard comprising:
a frame movable between an erected position and a collapsed position, the frame including an upper frame and a lower frame;
a post positioned between the upper frame and the lower frame, the post having an inner portion including a channel; and
a flexible enclosure having a first side, a second side and a bottom side, a corner bead threaded into the channel to couple the enclosure to the post.
8. A play yard as defined in claim 7, wherein the enclosure extends along the post between the upper frame and the lower frame.
9. A play yard as defined in claim 7, the post comprising a wall that defines an interior cavity and the channel separate from the interior cavity.
10. A play yard as defined in claim 7, wherein the first side and the second side extend from the channel, the first side extending in a first direction and the second side extending in a second direction different than the first direction.
11. A play yard comprising:
a collapsible upper frame;
a collapsible lower frame;
posts to support the upper frame above the lower frame, the posts defining respective channels; and
a foldable, frameless enclosure operatively coupled to the upper frame, the lower frame and the posts, the enclosure having a plurality of sides and a bottom to define an enclosure volume, the enclosure having a plurality of corner beads dimensioned for receipt in a respective one of the channels to secure the enclosure to the posts.
12. A play yard as defined in claim 11, wherein the channels are integrally formed within respective ones of the posts.
13. A play yard as defined in claim 11, wherein a first one of the sides and a second one of the sides extend from one of the channels, the first one of the sides extending in a first direction and the second one of the sides extending in a second direction different than the first direction.
14. A play yard as defined in claim 11, wherein at least a portion of each of the posts is curved.
15. A play yard as defined in claim 14, wherein the channels follow respective curvatures of the posts.
16. A play yard as defined in claim 11, wherein each of the posts includes a substantially exposed, outward facing surface.
17. A play yard as defined in claim 11, each of the posts comprising a wall that defines an interior cavity and one of the channels separate from the interior cavity.
18. A play yard as defined in claim 11, wherein the enclosure includes first sleeves dimensioned to receive the upper frame and second sleeves dimensioned to receive the lower frame.