All The Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
image pickup means;
storing means for storing moving image data of a moving image photographed by said image pickup means on a storage medium according to a photographing start instruction;
detecting means for detecting whether free space of a storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough;
communicating means for transmitting the moving image data to an external device; and
controlling means for controlling said image pickup means and said communicating means according to said detecting means detecting that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough during photographing the moving image so as to start to transmit the stored moving image data of the moving image being photographed after the photographing start instruction to the external device, while continuing photographing the moving image.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means further controls said communicating means so that said communicating means outputs a control signal for saving the moving image data transferred to the external device as one file in case of transmission operation of the series of moving image data.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means controls said storing means so that said storing means continues to store the moving image data obtained by said image pickup means even after starting the transmission of the moving image data.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means displays information for directing connection between the external device and said communicating means on a display device according to said detecting means detecting that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough, in the case where the external device and said communicating means are not connected to each other through a transmission line.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said controlling means controls said image pickup means and said communicating means so that photographing is stopped without transmitting the moving image data to the external device, in the case where, even after the said detecting means detects that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough, the external device and said communicating means are not connected and the free space of the storage medium has run out.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means displays information for showing that the transmission of the moving image data is started on the display device according to said detecting means detecting that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
directing means for directing stop of photographing; and
writing means for reading out the moving image data stored on the storage medium and writing the read-out moving image data in a storage device,
wherein said controlling means controls said writing means so that said writing means saves the moving image data stored on the storage medium during a period from the photographing start instruction of the moving image to the stop of photographing as one file in the storage device, in the case where a direction of the stop of photographing is given from said directing means without receiving a detecting result that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough from said detecting means after the photographing start instruction.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising directing means for directing stop of photographing,
wherein said controlling means controls said storing means so that said storing means saves the moving image data stored on the storage medium during a period from the photographing start instruction of the moving image to the stop of photographing as one file, in the case where a direction of the stop of photographing is given from said directing means without receiving a detection result that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough from said detecting means after the photographing start instruction.
9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storing means includes a memory interface which controls write and readout of the moving image data to the storage medium and the storage device different from the storage medium and said controlling means controls said storing means and said communicating means so that when said detecting means detects that the free space is not enough during storing the photographed moving image data into the storage medium, the moving image data is written in the storage device while switching from the storage medium to the storage device and transmission of the moving image data stored in the storage medium to the external device is started.
10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communicating means transmits the moving image data at a rate faster than a data rate of the moving image data output from said image pickup means, said controlling means controls said communicating means so that after starting the transmission to the external device, the transmission is stopped in response to completion of the transmission of the moving image data of an amount corresponding to timing of detection of that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough by said detecting means.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said controlling means further controls said communicating means so that after stopping the transmission of the moving image data, transmission of the moving image data stored in the storage medium to the external device is started in response to reception of a detection result that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough from said detecting means again.
12. An imaging apparatus comprising:
image pickup means;
a memory interface for writing moving image data of a moving image photographed with said image pickup means in a memory according to a photographing start instruction and reading out the moving image data from the memory;
writing means for writing the moving image data in a storage device;
detecting means for detecting whether free space of a storage capacity of the memory is not enough;
communicating means for transmitting the moving image data stored in at least one of the memory and the storage device to an external device; and
controlling means for according to said detecting means detecting that the free space of the storage capacity of the memory is not enough during photographing the moving image, starting to transmit the moving image data of the moving image stored in the memory after the photographing start instruction to the external device while photographing the moving image and switching writing of the moving image data output from said image pickup means from the memory to the storage device.
13. An image data processing system comprising:
image pickup means;
storing means for storing moving image data of a moving image photographed with said image pickup means on a storage medium in accordance with a photographing start instruction;
detecting means for detecting whether free space of a storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough;
communicating means for transmitting the moving image data through a transmission line;
controlling means for controlling said image pickup means and said communicating means to start transmission of the moving image data of the moving image stored on the storage medium after the photographing start instruction to an external device according to said detecting means detecting that free space of a storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough during photographing of the moving image data, while said controlling means photographs the moving image;
receiving means for receiving the moving image data transmitted from said communicating means through the transmission line; and
saving means for saving the moving image data received by said receiving means.
14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said controlling means further controls said communicating means so that said communicating means outputs a control signal for saving the moving image data transferred to the external device, as one file in case of transmission operation of moving image data, and wherein said saving means saves as one file the moving image data which is received according to the control signal by said receiving means.
15. A system according to claim 13, wherein said controlling means controls said storing means so that said storing means continues to store the moving image data obtained by said image pickup means even after starting the transmission of the moving image data.
16. A system according to claim 13, wherein said controlling means displays information for directing connection between the external device and said communicating means on a display device according to the output of said detecting means, in the case where said communicating means and said receiving means are not connected to each other through the transmission line.
17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said controlling means controls said image pickup means and said communicating means so that photographing is stopped without transmitting the moving image data to said receiving means, in the case where, even after said detecting means detects that free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough, said communicating means and said receiving means are not connected and the free space of said storing means has run out.
18. A system according to claim 13, wherein said controlling means displays information for showing that the transmission of the moving image data is started on the display device, according to said detecting means detecting that free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough.
19. An imaging method comprising:
an image pickup step;
a storing step of storing moving image data of a moving image photographed in said image pickup step on a storage medium according to the photographing start instruction;
a detecting step of detecting whether free space of a storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough;
a communicating step of transmitting the moving image data to an external device; and
a controlling step of controlling said image pickup step and said communicating step according to said detecting step detecting that free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough during photographing of the moving image so as to start to transmit the moving image data of the moving image stored in said storing step after the photographing start instruction to the external device, while continuing photographing the moving image.
20. An imaging method comprising:
an image pickup step;
a memory writing and reading step of writing moving image data of a moving image photographed in said image pickup step in a memory according to a photographing start instruction and for reading out the moving image data from the memory;
a writing step of writing the moving image data in a storage device;
an detecting step of detecting whether free space of a storage capacity of the memory is not enough;
a communicating step of transmitting the moving image data stored in at least one of the memory and the storage device to an external device; and
a controlling step of according to said detecting step detecting that free space of the storage capacity of the memory is not enough during photographing of the moving image data, starting to transmit the moving image data of the moving image stored in the memory after the photographing start instruction to the external device while photographing the moving image and switching writing of the moving image data output in said image pickup step from the memory to the storage device.
21. An image data processing method comprising:
an image pickup step;
a storing step of storing moving image data of a moving image photographed in said image pickup step on a storage medium according to a photographing start instruction;
a detecting step of detecting whether free space of a storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough;
a communicating step of transmitting the moving image data through a transmission line;
a controlling step of controlling said image pickup step and said communicating step to start transmission of the moving image data of the moving image stored in said storing step after the photographing start instruction to an external device according to said detecting step that the free space of the storage capacity of the storage medium is not enough during photographing of the moving image data, while said controlling step photographs the moving image;
a receiving step of receiving the moving image data transmitted in said communicating step through the transmission line; and
a saving step of saving the moving image data received in said receiving step.
22. An imaging apparatus comprising:
image pickup means;
recording means for recording moving image data of a moving image photographed by said image pickup means on a recording medium according to a recording start instruction and for reading the moving image data from the recording medium, said recording means stopping recording the moving image data according to a recording stop instruction;
detecting means for detecting whether free space of a storage capacity of the recording medium is not enough;
communicating means for transmitting the moving image data to an external device; and
controlling means for controlling said recording means and said communicating means according to said detecting means detecting that the free space of the storage capacity of the recording medium is not enough during recording the moving image data so as to start to read out, from the recording medium, the recorded moving image data being recorded after the recording start instruction and to transmit the read moving image data to the external device, while continuing recording the moving image data of the moving image on the recording medium,
wherein said controlling means stops transmitting the moving image data to the external device after the moving image data recorded on the recording medium until a recording stop instruction is provided, and transmits a control signal to the external device to cause the external device to store the moving image data of the moving image photographed in a time period from the recording start instruction to the recording stop instruction.

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. An air conditioner comprising:
a refrigerant circuit having
a heat source unit having a compression mechanism and a heat source side heat exchanger,
a refrigerant communication pipe, the heat source unit being connected thereto,
an expansion mechanism, and
a utilization unit having a utilization side heat exchanger and being connected to the refrigerant communication pipe; and

an operation controller being configured to perform an oil-return operation in advance when a refrigerant quantity judging operation is carried out to judge the refrigerant quantity inside the refrigerant circuit.
2. The air conditioner as recited in claim 1, wherein
the oil-return operation controls the refrigerant that flows through the refrigerant circuit so that the refrigerant flows inside the pipes at or above a prescribed rate.
3. The air conditioner as recited in claim 2, wherein
a plurality of the heat source units is present.
4. The air conditioner as recited in claim 3, wherein
the compression mechanism has a plurality of compressors.
5. The air conditioner as recited in claim 4, wherein
the operation controller operates at least one unit among the plurality of compressors in the compression mechanism when the oil-return operation is performed.
6. The air conditioner as recited in claim 2, wherein
the compression mechanism has a plurality of compressors.
7. The air conditioner as recited in claim 6, wherein
the operation controller operates at least one unit among the plurality of compressors in the compression mechanism when the oil-return operation is performed.
8. The air conditioner as recited in claim 1, wherein
a plurality of the heat source units is present.
9. The air conditioner as recited in claim 8, wherein
the compression mechanism has a plurality of compressors.
10. The air conditioner as recited in claim 9, wherein
the operation controller operates at least one unit among the plurality of compressors in the compression mechanism when the oil-return operation is performed.
11. The air conditioner as recited in claim 1, wherein
the compression mechanism has a plurality of compressors.
12. The air conditioner as recited in claim 11, wherein
the operation controller operates at least one unit among the plurality of compressors in the compression mechanism when the oil-return operation is performed.

1. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to select a first gain for analog circuitry from among multiple discrete gain values and to select a second gain for a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA), wherein the first gain maintains average power of a baseband signal within a predetermined range at an input of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and wherein the second gain maintains average power of an output signal from the DVGA at a reference power level; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the baseband signal is an OFDM waveform.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined range is at least a particular backoff below fullscale for the ADC, and wherein the particular backoff is selected based on a peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) of the baseband signal, power of interfering signals, or a combination thereof.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference power level is a particular backoff below fullscale for the DVGA, and wherein the particular backoff is selected based on a peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) of the output signal.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to update an automatic gain control (AGC) loop based on power measurements and to select the first and second gains based on the AGC loop.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the average power of the baseband signal based on an output of the AGC loop and the discrete gain value for the first gain.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to select a next higher discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is below a low threshold, and to select a next lower discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is above a high threshold.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the high and low thresholds are dependent on the discrete gain value for the first gain.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the high and low thresholds are defined based on ADC backoff and signal-to-quantization noise ratio (SQR) requirements.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multiple discrete gain values are associated with multiple gain states, wherein each gain state except for a lowest gain state with a lowest analog gain is associated with a respective high threshold used for selecting a next lower gain state, and wherein each gain state except for a highest gain state with a highest analog gain is associated with a respective low threshold used for selecting a next higher gain state.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the high and low thresholds for the multiple gain states are defined to provide a predetermined amount of hysteresis in switching between gain states.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the high and low thresholds for the multiple gain states are programmable.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured
to determine a change in the first gain, and
to delay applying the change in the second gain such that the change is applied concurrently to the analog circuitry and the DVGA to reduce transients in the output signal.
14. A processor configured to select a first gain for analog circuitry from among multiple discrete gain values and to select a second gain for a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA), wherein the first gain maintains average power of a baseband signal within a predetermined range at an input of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and wherein the second gain maintains average power of an output signal from the DVGA at a reference power level.
15. The processor of claim 14, and further configured to update an automatic gain control (AGC) loop based on power measurements and to select the first and second gains based on the AGC loop.
16. The processor of claim 14, and further configured to select a next higher discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is below a low threshold, and to select a next lower discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is above a high threshold.
17. A method comprising:
selecting a first gain for analog circuitry from among multiple discrete gain values, wherein the first gain maintains average power of a baseband signal within a predetermined range at an input of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and
selecting a second gain for a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA), wherein the second gain maintains average power of an output signal from the DVGA at a reference power level.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
updating an automatic gain control (AGC) loop based on power measurements, and wherein the first and second gains are selected based on the AGC loop.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the selecting the first gain for the analog circuitry comprises
selecting a next higher discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is below a low threshold, and
selecting a next lower discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is above a high threshold.
20. An apparatus comprising:
means for selecting a first gain for analog circuitry from among multiple discrete gain values, wherein the first gain maintains average power of a baseband signal within a predetermined range at an input of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and
means for selecting a second gain for a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA), wherein the second gain maintains average power of an output signal from the DVGA at a reference power level.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:
means for updating an automatic gain control (AGC) loop based on power measurements, and wherein the first and second gains are selected based on the AGC loop.
22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for selecting the first gain for the analog circuitry comprises
means for selecting a next higher discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is below a low threshold, and
means for selecting a next lower discrete gain value, if available, for the first gain when the average power of the baseband signal is above a high threshold.
23. Computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to:
select a first gain for analog circuitry from among multiple discrete gain values, wherein the first gain maintains average power of a baseband signal within a predetermined range at an input of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and
select a second gain for a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA), wherein the second gain maintains average power of an output signal from the DVGA at a reference power level.
24. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to determine a logarithmic (log) error in an output signal level, to filter the log error with a loop filter to obtain a loop filter output, and to determine a first gain based on the loop filter output, wherein the first gain is used to correct the log error in the output signal level; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the log error using base 2 logarithm.
26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is configured to scale the log error with a loop gain to obtain a scaled log error and to filter the scaled log error with the loop filter to obtain the loop filter output.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one processor is configured to use a first value for the loop gain in an acquisition mode and to use a second value for the loop gain in a tracking mode.
28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is configured to digitally multiply an input signal with the first gain to obtain an output signal and to determine the log error based on the output signal level and a reference power level.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first gain comprises a first part that is a power of two and a second part that is in linear unit.
30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is configured to select one of multiple discrete gain values based on the loop filter output and to provide the selected discrete gain value as a second gain for analog circuitry.
31. A processor configured to determine a logarithmic (log) error in an output signal level, to filter the log error with a loop filter to obtain a loop filter output, and to determine a first gain based on the loop filter output, wherein the first gain is used to correct the log error in the output signal level.
32. The processor of claim 31, and further configured to digitally multiply an input signal with the first gain to obtain an output signal and to determine the log error based on the output signal level and a reference power level.
33. A method comprising:
determining a logarithmic (log) error in an output signal level;
filtering the log error with a loop filter to obtain a loop filter output; and
determining a first gain based on the loop filter output, wherein the first gain is used to correct the log error in the output signal level.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:
digitally multiplying an input signal with the first gain to obtain an output signal, and wherein the log error is determined based on the output signal level and a reference power level.
35. An apparatus comprising:
means for determining a logarithmic (log) error in an output signal level;
means for filtering the log error with a loop filter to obtain a loop filter output; and
means for determining a first gain based on the loop filter output, wherein the first gain is used to correct the log error in the output signal level.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:
means for digitally multiplying an input signal with the first gain to obtain an output signal, and wherein the log error is determined based on the output signal level and a reference power level.
37. Computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to:
determine a logarithmic (log) error in an output signal level;
filter the log error with a loop filter to obtain a loop filter output; and
determine a first gain based on the loop filter output, wherein the first gain is used to correct the log error in the output signal level.
38. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to update an automatic gain control (AGC) loop at a first update rate in an acquisition mode and to update the AGC loop at a second update rate in a tracking mode, wherein the second update rate is slower than the first update rate; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor.
39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the at least one processor is configured to update the AGC loop multiple times for each OFDM symbol in the acquisition mode and to update the AGC loop once for each span of at least one OFDM symbol in the tracking mode.
40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the at least one processor is configured to update the AGC loop at OFDM symbol boundaries in the tracking mode.
41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the at least one processor is configured to start in the acquisition mode upon waking up from sleep and to remain in the acquisition mode for at least a predetermined number of AGC loop updates or until satisfaction of an exit condition prior to transitioning to the tracking mode.
42. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the at least one processor is configured to derive power measurements based on a first predetermined number of samples in the acquisition mode, to derive power measurements based on a second predetermined number of samples in the tracking mode, wherein the second predetermined number is larger than the first predetermined number, and to update the AGC loop with the power measurements.
43. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the at least one processor is configured to update the AGC loop with a first loop gain value in the acquisition mode and to update the AGC loop with a second loop gain value in the tracking mode.
44. A processor configured to update an automatic gain control (AGC) loop at a first update rate in an acquisition mode and to update the AGC loop at a second update rate in a tracking mode, wherein the second update rate is slower than the first update rate.
45. The processor of claim 44, and further configured to update the AGC loop multiple times for each OFDM symbol in the acquisition mode and to update the AGC loop once for each span of at least one OFDM symbol in the tracking mode.
46. The processor of claim 44, and further configured to derive power measurements based on a first predetermined number of samples in the acquisition mode, to derive power measurements based on a second predetermined number of samples in the tracking mode, wherein the second predetermined number is larger than the first predetermined number, and to update the AGC loop with the power measurements.
47. A method comprising:
updating an automatic gain control (AGC) loop at a first update rate in an acquisition mode; and
updating the AGC loop at a second update rate in a tracking mode, wherein the second update rate is slower than the first update rate.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein the updating the AGC loop at the first update rate in the acquisition mode comprises updating the AGC loop multiple times for each OFDM symbol in the acquisition mode, and wherein the updating the AGC loop at the second update rate in the tracking mode comprises updating the AGC loop once for each span of at least one OFDM symbol in the tracking mode.
49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:
deriving power measurements based on a first predetermined number of samples in the acquisition mode;
deriving power measurements based on a second predetermined number of samples in the tracking mode, wherein the second predetermined number is larger than the first predetermined number; and
updating the AGC loop with the power measurements.
50. An apparatus comprising:
means for updating an automatic gain control (AGC) loop at a first update rate in an acquisition mode; and
means for updating the AGC loop at a second update rate in a tracking mode, wherein the second update rate is slower than the first update rate.
51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the means for updating the AGC loop at the first update rate in the acquisition mode comprises means for updating the AGC loop multiple times for each OFDM symbol in the acquisition mode, and wherein the means for updating the AGC loop at the second update rate in the tracking mode comprises means for updating the AGC loop once for each span of at least one OFDM symbol in the tracking mode.
52. The apparatus of claim 50, further comprising:
means for deriving power measurements based on a first predetermined number of samples in the acquisition mode;
means for deriving power measurements based on a second predetermined number of samples in the tracking mode, wherein the second predetermined number is larger than the first predetermined number; and
means for updating the AGC loop with the power measurements.
53. Computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to:
update an automatic gain control (AGC) loop at a first update rate in an acquisition mode, and
update the AGC loop at a second update rate in a tracking mode, wherein the second update rate is slower than the first update rate.

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 die assembly for use on a press and adapted to form a plurality of features on a strip of material, said die assembly comprising:
a first die section supported on the press and having a first tooling surface for forming a first feature; and,
a second die section longitudinally spaced from said first die section, said second die section supported on the press and capable of at least lateral movement relative to said first die section and to the longitudinal spacing, and said second section having second and third tooling surfaces, said second tooling surface for engaging the first feature and at least laterally displacing the second die section transverse to the longitudinal spacing, and said third tooling surface for forming a second feature.
2. A die assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first and second die sections each respectively include upper and lower die portions.
3. A die assembly according to claim 2 further comprising an upper die shoe and a lower die shoe in spaced relation to one another and supported on the press, said first and second die sections being disposed between said upper and lower die shoes.
4. A die assembly according to claim 3, wherein said first upper die portion is fixedly secured on said upper die shoe, said first lower die portion is fixedly secured on said lower die shoe in alignment with said first upper die section, and said second die section is moveably supported between said upper and lower die shoes.
5. A die assembly according to claim 4 further comprising a wear plate disposed between said second die section and one of said upper and lower die shoes facilitating sliding movement therebetween.
6. A die assembly according to claim 4, wherein said second die section includes an alignment member interconnecting said second upper die portion and said second lower die portion.
7. A die assembly according to claim 4 further comprising a plurality of retaining members disposed on one of said upper and lower die shoes to thereby limit the movement of said second die section.
8. A die assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least lateral movement includes a transverse displacement component and a longitudinal displacement component.
9. A die assembly adapted to form first and second substantially concentric features on a strip of material, said die assembly comprising:
a first die section having first upper and lower die portions with corresponding first upper and lower tooling surfaces for forming the first feature; and,
a second die section longitudinally spaced from said first die section, said second die section adapted for radial movement relative to the first feature and to the longitudinal spacing, said second die section having second upper and lower die portions with corresponding second upper and lower tooling surfaces for forming the second feature, and one of said second upper and lower die sections including a third tooling surface for engaging the first feature to thereby radially locate said second die section transverse to the longitudinal spacing.
10. A die assembly according to claim 9, wherein said second die section includes a pilot extending from one of said second upper and lower die portions and said third tooling surface is disposed along said pilot.
11. A die assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first feature includes a side wall and said third tooling surface engages the side wall to locate said second die section relative thereto.
12. A die assembly according to claim 11, wherein the side wall is substantially cylindrical and said third tooling surface includes a substantially cylindrical portion dimensioned to be received within the side wall.
13. A die assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second feature is a substantially circular peripheral wall, said second upper die portion includes a punch having a substantially circular second upper tooling surface, and said second lower die portion includes a die ring having a substantially circular second lower tooling surface.
14. A die assembly according to claim 9, wherein said first feature has an approximate circular cross-section shape and said second tooling surface is adapted to engage said first feature and radially displace said second die section relative to said first feature, said radial displacement including a transverse displacement component and a longitudinal displacement component.
15. A method of forming first and second features on a strip of material, said method comprising steps of:
a) providing a first die section having a first tooling surface and a second die section longitudinally spaced from said first die section and having second and third tooling surfaces, said second die section being at least laterally displaceable relative to said first die section and to the longitudinal spacing;
b) providing the strip of material and advancing a portion of the strip of material into a first position adjacent said first tooling surface of said first die section;
c) forming a first feature on the strip of material using said first tooling surface;
d) advancing the strip of material into a second position such that the first feature is adjacent said second tooling surface;
e) engaging said second tooling surface with the first feature to displace said second die section and thereby locate said third tooling surface relative to said first feature and transverse to the longitudinal spacing; and
f) forming a second feature on the strip of material using said third tooling surface.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said first die section has first upper and lower die portions and said second die section has second upper and lower die portions, said first and second upper die portions and said first and second lower die portions being displaceable toward one another in a closing stroke and being displaceable away from one another in an opening stroke, and steps e) and f) being performed on the same closing stroke.
17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the strip of material is substantially stationary in step e).
18. A method according to claim 15, wherein step c) includes forming the first feature by one of drawing, coining, blanking, and breaking said strip of material.
19. A method according to claim 15, wherein step f) includes forming the second feature by one of drawing, coining, blanking, and breaking said strip of material.
20. A method according to claim 15, wherein the first feature formed in step c) is a cup having a side wall, said second die section includes a pilot adapted to be received within the cup and engage side wall, and step e) includes at least partially extending said pilot at least partially into said cup to engage the side wall and position said second die section in relation thereto.
21. A method according to claim 15, wherein step f) includes blanking a workpiece from the strip of material that includes the first and second features.
22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said step of blanking a workpiece includes substantially simultaneously forming the second feature.