A hydraulic control apparatus, provided with a manual shift valve that outputs a forward range pressure and a reverse range pressure, and a linear solenoid valve that outputs an engagement pressure to the hydraulic servo that engages during reverse travel when energized, includes a fourth clutch relay valve that is interposed between the linear solenoid valve and the hydraulic servo. A method for estimating, by simulation, a tag read status of an RFID system comprises the steps of calculating the power supply activation status of each of one or more tags having IDs within a range in which the tag moves; and analyzing the operation of a collision avoidance protocol provided in the RFID system. The system includes at least one signal acquisition unit having a plurality of input channels. Upon detection of a degradation, the amplification units commence to amplify, transmit and receive the communication signals across the location of the detected degradation at a first fault frequency and a second fault frequency, rather than the first frequency and second frequency, respectively. Titanium alloys treated according to aspects of the invention may have higher tensile strengths and higher fracture toughness than conventional wrought, mill-annealed Ti 64 alloy. Such layers are used in fabrication of semiconductor and electronic devices such as thin film solar cells.