All The Claims

1. A method of testing automatic data collection devices, the method comprising:
automatically locating tested automatic data collection devices on a network;
communicating with the located tested automatic data collection devices via browser programs;
automatically determining a set of functionalities of a target automatic data collection device to be tested, wherein the determined set of functionalities includes at least one of: a symbology that the target automatic data collection device is configured to read, a scan engine installed in the target automatic data collection device, an imager installed in the target automatic data collection device, or a radio installed in the target automatic data collection device;
based on the determined set of functionalities of the target automatic data collection device, automatically identifying a number of automatic data collection tests to be run against the target automatic data collection device;
executing at least one of the identified automatic data collection tests against the target automatic data collection device; and
at least temporarily storing a set of results from the execution of the identified automatic data collection tests against the target automatic data collection device.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
locating respective ones of the identified automatic data collection tests at various locations on a network.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining a set of functionalities of a target automatic data collection device to be tested includes remotely querying the target automatic data collection device.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining a set of functionalities of a target automatic data collection device to be tested includes querying a database that stores relationships between a number of automatic data collection device model identifiers and a number of functionalities of automatic data collection devices of specific models.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically identifying a number of automatic data collection tests to be run against the target automatic data collection device based on the determined set of functionalities of the target automatic data collection device includes locating respective ones of the identified automatic data collection tests at various locations on a network.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein locating respective ones of the identified automatic data collection tests at various locations on a network includes determining at least one keyword associated with at least one of the functionalities and searching the network based on the determined at least one keyword for automatic data collection tests corresponding to the at least one keyword.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein searching the network based on the determined at least one keyword for automatic data collection tests corresponding to the determined at least one keyword includes searching the network for dynamically linked libraries having attributes with at least one keyword that matches the determined at least one keyword.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
storing a work list indicative of the identified automatic data collection tests and a respective location of each of the automatic data collection tests on a network, the work list selectively retrievable to rerun the identified automatic data collection tests.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that cause a computer to test automatic data collection devices, by:
automatically locating tested automatic data collection devices on a network;
communicating with the located tested automatic data collection devices via browser programs;
automatically determining a set of functionalities of a target automatic data collection device to be tested, wherein the determined set of functionalities includes at least one of: a symbology that the target automatic data collection device is configured to read, a scan engine installed in the target automatic data collection device, an imager installed in the target automatic data collection device, or a radio installed in the target automatic data collection device;
based on the determined set of functionalities of the target automatic data collection device, automatically identifying a number of automatic data collection tests to be run against the target automatic data collection device;
executing at least one of the identified automatic data collection tests against the target automatic data collection device; and
at least temporarily storing a set of results from the execution of the identified automatic data collection tests against the target automatic data collection device.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 storing instructions that cause the computer to test automatic data collection devices, further by:
locating respective ones of the identified automatic data collection tests at various locations on a network.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein locating respective ones of the identified automatic data collection tests at various locations on a network includes determining at least one keyword associated with at least one of the functionalities and searching the network based on the determined at least one keyword for automatic data collection tests corresponding to the determined at least one keyword.
12. A method of facilitating testing automatic data collection devices, the method comprising:
receiving via browser programs at least one keyword that is indicative of at least one functionality or structure provided by some automatic data collection devices, wherein the receiving at least one keyword that is indicative of at least one functionality or structure provided by some automatic data collection devices includes receiving a keyword that is indicative of at least one of a symbology that an automatic data collection device is configured to read, a scan engine installed in the automatic data collection device, an imager installed in the automatic data collection device, or a radio installed in the automatic data collection device; and
based on the received at least one keyword, searching at least a portion of a network for a number of automatic data collection tests that may be run against the automatic data collection devices which provide the at least one functionality or structure indicated by the keyword.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein searching at least a portion of a network for a number of automatic data collection tests that may be run against the automatic data collection devices which provide the at least one functionality indicated by the keyword includes searching a directory of at least one computing system for dynamically linked libraries having attributes with at least one keyword that match the determined keyword.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein searching at least a portion of a network for a number of automatic data collection tests that may be run against the automatic data collection devices which provide the at least one functionality indicated by the keyword includes searching the entire network for dynamically linked libraries having attributes with at least one keyword that match the determined keyword.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the receiving at least one keyword that is indicative of at least one functionality provided by some automatic data collection devices includes receiving a keyword that is indicative of a scan engine installed in the automatic data collection device.
16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
determining whether any of the identified automatic data collection tests are indicated as being disabled.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
executing any of the identified automatic data collection tests that are not indicated as being disabled against a target one of the automatic data collection devices; and
at least temporarily storing a set of results from the execution of the identified automatic data collection tests against the target one of the automatic data collection devices.
18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
determining whether any of the identified automatic data collection tests are duplicates;
determining whether the duplicate instances of the identified automatic data collection tests were the result of two different keywords;
removing at least one of the instances of the duplicate identified automatic data collection tests; and
executing any of the remaining identified automatic data collection tests as many times as indicated in a work list.
19. A system to facilitate testing automatic data collection devices, the system comprising:
a network connection;
a processor; and
a memory that stores processor executable instructions of browser programs that cause the processor to receive at least one keyword that is indicative of at least one functionality or structure provided by at least one automatic data collection devices, wherein the at least one functionality or structure includes at least one of: a symbology that an automatic data collection device is configured to read, a scan engine installed in the automatic data collection device, an imager installed in the automatic data collection device, or a radio installed in the automatic data collection device, and based on the received at least one keyword, search at least a portion of a network for a number of automatic data collection tests that may be run against the automatic data collection devices which provide the at least one functionality or structure indicated by the keyword.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein searching at least a portion of a network for a number of automatic data collection tests that may be run against the automatic data collection devices which provide the at least one functionality indicated by the keyword includes searching a directory of at least one computing system for dynamically linked libraries having attributes with at least one keyword that match the determined keyword.
21. The system of claim 19 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine whether any of the identified automatic data collection tests are indicated as being disabled, execute any of the identified automatic data collection tests that are not indicated as being disabled against a target one of the automatic data collection devices, and at least temporarily store a set of results from the execution of the identified automatic data collection tests against the target one of the automatic data collection devices.
22. A method of automating the remote testing of automatic data collection devices, the method comprising:
automatically locating a plurality of existing automatic data collection device tests on a network;
automatically filtering the automatic data collection device tests by keywords to determine a set of relevant automatic data collection device tests, wherein at least one of the keywords is indicative of at least one of a symbology that an automatic data collection device is configured to read, a scan engine installed in the automatic data collection device, an imager installed in the automatic data collection device, or a radio installed in the automatic data collection device;
running the automatic data collection device tests in the set of relevant automatic data collection device tests against at least one target automatic data collection device; and
communicating to a computing system, via browser programs, a result of the automatic data collection device tests run against the at least one target automatic data collection device.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
determining the keywords based on a functionality available on the at least one target automatic data collection device.
24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
remotely querying the at least one target automatic data collection device to determine the available functionality.
25. The method of claim 22 wherein locating a plurality of automatic data collection device tests on a network includes querying a plurality of networked devices to identify executable modules.
26. The method of claim 22 wherein locating a plurality of automatic data collection device tests on a network includes querying a plurality of networked devices to identify executable dynamically linked libraries.
27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
adding a new keyword to a preexisting one of the automatic data collection device tests.
28. A system to automate the remote testing of automatic data collection devices, the system comprising:
a network port to provide a connection to a network; and
a processor configured to locate a plurality of existing automatic data collection device tests on the network, automatically filter the automatic data collection device tests by keywords to determine a set of relevant automatic data collection device tests, wherein at least one of the keywords is indicative of at least one of a symbology that an automatic data collection device is configured to read, a scan engine installed in the automatic data collection device, an imager installed in the automatic data collection device, or a radio installed in the automatic data collection device;
wherein the processor is configured to run the automatic data collection device tests in the set of relevant automatic data collection device tests against at least one target automatic data collection device and communicate to a computing system, via browser programs, a result of the automatic data collection device tests run against the at least one target automatic data collection device.
29. The system of claim 28 wherein the processor is configured to determine the keywords based on a functionality available on the at least one target automatic data collection device.
30. The system of claim 28 wherein the processor is further configured to remotely query the at least one target automatic data collection device to determine the available functionality.
31. The system of claim 28 wherein the processor is further configured to add a new keyword to a preexisting one of the automatic data collection device tests.

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 controlling the temperature of a machine component, the machine having a power source operatively coupled to a torque converter, a circulating fluid system configured to transfer heat generated by the torque converter to the machine component, the machine component being remotely positioned relative to the torque converter, comprising:
sensing a temperature associated with the component;
restricting movement of a turbine of the torque converter if the sensed temperature is below a desired temperature, and;
transferring heat generated by the torque converter through the circulating fluid system to the machine component.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the torque converter is operatively coupled through a torque converter output shaft andor transmission input shaft to a transmission, and wherein restricting movement of the turbine includes actuating a clutch associated with the turbine, a torque converter output shaft, andor a transmission input shaft.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the torque converter is operatively coupled to a transmission, and restricting movement of the turbine includes actuating a clutch associated with the transmission.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the machine is idling, wherein restriction of the turbine occurs only if the machine is idling.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the machine is idling is dependant upon a transmission gear selection or transmission operator controller position.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining whether the machine is in operation, wherein movement of the turbine is not restricted, or the turbine is released, if the machine is in operation.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether the machine is in operation is dependant upon an operator throttle controller position, engine speed sensor, position or motion sensor associated with a hydraulic actuator or brake, or speed sensor associated with one or more drivetrain components or a machine traction device.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein if the sensed temperature is below the desired temperature, an idle speed of the power source is increased.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring whether the machine is idling and the sensed component temperature, and releasing the turbine if the machine is no longer idling or the component temperature rises above the desired temperature.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sensing a second temperature associated with the torque converter, and prohibiting restriction of the turbine if the torque converter temperature is above a desired maximum torque converter temperature.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine component is the power source, and the circulating fluid system is a power source cooling system.
12. A machine, comprising:
a power source operatively coupled to a torque converter having a turbine;
a circulating fluid system configured to transfer heat from the torque converter to a remotely positioned machine component; and
a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature of the component, and to restrict motion of the turbine if the component temperature is below a desired temperature.
13. The machine of claim 12, wherein the component is the power source, and the circulating fluid system is a power source cooling system.
14. The machine of claim 12, wherein the circulating fluid system includes an in-line torque converter fluid cooler that is fluidly coupled to the torque converter.
15. The machine of claim 12, wherein the torque converter turbine is operatively connected to the transmission through a torque converter output shaft andor transmission input shaft, a clutch being operatively associated with the turbine, torque converter output shaft, transmission input shaft or transmission, and the controller is configured to provide a control signal for engaging or disengaging the clutch to restrict motion of the turbine.
16. The machine of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to increase machine idle speed if the component temperature is below the desired temperature.
17. The machine of claim 12, wherein the machine component is the power source, a hydraulic system component, a brake system component, or a transmission component.
18. A machine, comprising:
a power source operatively coupled to a torque converter, the torque converter having a turbine configured for rotation to transmit power to a transmission;
a power source cooling system configured to transfer heat from the torque converter to the power source; and
a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature of the power source and to restrict motion of the turbine if the power source temperature is below a desired temperature.
19. The machine of claim 18, wherein the cooling system comprises a fluid circulating system having an in-line torque converter fluid cooler that is fluidly coupled to the torque converter.
20. The machine of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to increase machine idle speed if the component temperature is below the desired temperature.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of transmitting data from a plurality of optical network units to an optical line termination in a gigabit Ethernet-passive optical network system, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, by the optical line termination, one or more bandwidth allocation request signals from the plurality of optical network units at a start of a first cycle;
allocating bandwidths to the plurality of optical network units in response to the bandwidth allocation request signals; and
transmitting the allocated bandwidths result to the plurality of optical network units before a beginning of a second cycle that follows the first cycle.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting data, by the plurality of optical network units, to the optical line termination in accordance with the respective allocated bandwidths.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data transmission of the plurality of optical network units is performed in the second cycle.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth allocation for the bandwidth allocation request signals that reach the optical line termination after allocating the transmission bandwidths to the plurality of optical network units starts in the first cycle is performed in the second cycle.

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 signaling messages, the method being performed by a first base station of a communication network, the method comprising:
providing a service to a terminal, the service being further provided to the terminal by at least a second base station of the communication network,
determining a first roundtrip time for a signaling message, the first roundtrip time corresponding to a first time period required to transmit a signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via the relay component and to receive a response from the second base station via the relay component at the first base station, the relay component being linked through a radio link of the communication network with the first base station and through a radio link of the communication network with the second base station;
determining a second roundtrip time for the signaling message, the second roundtrip time corresponding to a second time period required to transmit the signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via a fixed communication path of the communication network, and to receive the response from the second base station at the first base station via the fixed communication path; and
transmitting signaling messages relating to the service to the second base station via the relay component, if the first roundtrip time is shorter than the second roundtrip time, and otherwise transmitting the signaling messages to the second base station via the fixed communication path.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving responses to the signaling messages from the second base station, wherein the responses are sent via the radio links of the communication network and the relay component from the second base station to the first base station.
3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising employing encryption means to encrypt the signaling messages before transmission or to cryptographically sign the signaling messages, and employing decryption means to decrypt the responses after reception.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the signaling messages and the responses relate to scheduling messages exchanged between the first and second base station, wherein a scheduling message is exchanged with respect to a datagram or a burst of datagrams, wherein the datagram or the burst of datagrams are to be simultaneously transmitted by the first and second base stations to the terminal, wherein the scheduling message is employed to synchronize the transmission of the datagram or the burst of datagrams between the first base station and the second base station.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relay component is comprised in the terminal or in another terminal serviced by the first base station and the second base station.
6. A non-transitory computer program product comprising computer executable instructions, the instructions perform steps of the method according to claim 1.
7. A base station, the base station relating to a first base station, the first base station comprising:
means for providing a service to a terminal, the service being further provided to the terminal by at least a second base station of the communication network;
means for determining a first roundtrip time for a signaling message, the first roundtrip time corresponding to a first time period required to transmit a signaling message from the first base station to a second base station via a relay component and to receive a response from the second base station via the relay component at the first base station;
means for determining a second roundtrip time for the signaling message, the second roundtrip time corresponding to a second time period required to transmit the signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via a fixed communication path of the communication network and to receive the response from the second base station at the first base station via the fixed communication path, wherein the relay component is linked via radio links with the first base station and the second base station, wherein the second base station provides the service simultaneously with the first base station to the terminal; and
means for transmitting the signaling messages relating to the service to the second base station via the relay component, if the first roundtrip time is shorter than the second roundtrip time, and otherwise transmitting the signaling messages to the second base station via the fixed communication path.
8. A relay component or a communication network, the relay component comprising:
means for communication with a first base station and a second base station of the communication network via radio links of the communication network;
means for receiving signaling messages from the first base station, the first base station and the second base station simultaneously provides a service to a terminal, wherein the signaling messages relate to the service, wherein the first base station determines a first roundtrip time for a signaling message, the first roundtrip time corresponding to the time period required to transmit a signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via the relay component and to receive a response from the second base station via the relay component at the first base station;
means for forwarding the signaling messages to the second base station,
means for receiving responses with respect to the signaling messages from the second base station, wherein the first base station further determines a second roundtrip time for the signaling message, the second roundtrip time corresponding to the time period required to transmit the signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via a fixed communication path of the communication network, and to receive the response from the second base station at the first base station via the fixed communication path;
means for forwarding the responses to the first base station if the first roundtrip time is shorter than the second roundtrip time.
9. A communication network comprising a first base station, the first base station comprising:
means for providing a service to a terminal, the service being further provided to the terminal by at least a second base station of the communication network;
means for determining a first roundtrip time for a signaling message, the first roundtrip time corresponding to a first time period required to transmit a signaling message from the first base station to a second base station via a relay component and to receive a response from the second base station via the relay component at the first base station;
means for determining a second roundtrip time for the signaling message, the second roundtrip time corresponding to a second time period required to transmit the signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via a fixed communication path of the communication network, and to receive the response from the second base station at the first base station via the fixed communication path; and
means for transmitting signaling messages relating to the service to the second base station via the relay component, if the first time period is shorter than the second time period, and otherwise transmitting the signaling messages to the second base station via the fixed communication path.
10. A method of transmitting signaling messages, the method being performed by a first base station of a communication network, the method comprising:
providing a service to a terminal, the service being further provided to the terminal by at least a second base station of the communication network;
transmitting the signaling messages to the second base station via a relay component, the signaling messages relating to the provision of the service to the terminal, the relay component being linked through a radio link of the communication network with the first base station and through a radio link of the communication network with the second base station; and
receiving responses to the signaling messages from the second base station, wherein the responses are sent via the radio links of the communication network and the relay component from the second base station to the first base station, wherein the signaling messages and the responses relate to scheduling messages exchanged between the first and second base station, wherein a scheduling message is exchanged with respect to a datagram or a burst of datagrams, wherein the datagram or the burst of datagrams are to be simultaneously transmitted by the first and second base stations to the terminal, and wherein the scheduling message is employed to synchronize the transmission of the datagram or the burst of datagrams between the first base station and the second base station.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising employing encryption means to encrypt the signaling messages before transmission or to cryptographically sign the signaling messages, and employing decryption means to decrypt the responses after reception.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the relay component is comprised in the terminal or in another terminal serviced by the first base station and the second base station.
13. A non-transitory computer program product comprising computer executable instructions, the instructions perform steps of the method according to claim 10.
14. A base station, the base station relating to a first base station, the first base station comprising:
means for providing a service to a terminal;
means for transmitting signaling messages to a second base station via a relay component, wherein the signaling messages relate to the service, wherein the relay component is linked via radio links with the first base station and the second base station, wherein the second base station provides the service simultaneously with the first base station to the terminal; and
means for receiving responses to the signaling messages from the second base station, wherein the responses are sent via the radio links of the communication network and the relay component from the second base station to the first base station, wherein the signaling messages and the responses relate to scheduling messages exchanged between the first and second base station, wherein a scheduling message is exchanged with respect to a datagram or a burst of datagrams, wherein the datagram or the burst of datagrams are to be simultaneously transmitted by the first and second base stations to the terminal, and wherein the scheduling message is employed to synchronize the transmission of the datagram or the burst of datagrams between the first base station and the second base station.
15. A relay component for a communication network, the relay component comprising:
means for communication with a first base station and a second base station of the communication network via radio links of the communication network;
means for receiving signaling messages from the first base station, the first base station and the second base station simultaneously provides a service to a terminal, wherein the signaling messages relate to the service;
means for forwarding the signaling messages to the second base station,
means for receiving responses with respect to the signaling messages from the second base station;
means for forwarding the responses to the first base station; and
means for receiving responses to the signaling messages from the second base station, wherein the responses are sent via the radio links of the communication network and the relay component from the second base station to the first base station, wherein the signaling messages and the responses relate to scheduling messages exchanged between the first and second base station, wherein a scheduling message is exchanged with respect to a datagram or a burst of datagrams, wherein the datagram or the burst of datagrams are to be simultaneously transmitted by the first and second base stations to the terminal, and wherein the scheduling message is employed to synchronize the transmission of the datagram or the burst of datagrams between the first base station and the second base station.
16. A communication network comprising a first base station, the first base station comprising:
means for providing a service to a terminal;
means for transmitting signaling messages relating to the service to the second base station via the relay component, if the first time period is shorter than the second time period, and otherwise transmitting the signaling messages to the second base station via the fixed communication path; and
means for receiving responses to the signaling messages from the second base station, wherein the responses are sent via the radio links of the communication network and the relay component from the second base station to the first base station, wherein the signaling messages and the responses relate to scheduling messages exchanged between the first and second base station, wherein a scheduling message is exchanged with respect to a datagram or a burst of datagrams, wherein the datagram or the burst of datagrams are to be simultaneously transmitted by the first and second base stations to the terminal, and wherein the scheduling message is employed to synchronize the transmission of the datagram or the burst of datagrams between the first base station and the second base station.