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the present invention provides a latch structure which employs a locally generated clock . the latch structure includes latches which are enabled by the locally generated clock to permit data transfer from one latch stage while adjacent latch stages are prevented from transferring data . the latch structure is nearly immune from clock skew and jitter and significantly reduces power consumption . in cook et al ., cited above , a method for embedding a latch in a dynamic logic stage was disclosed . this combination of logic and latch works well for dynamic circuits . for static circuits , the combination of a look aside or parallel latch as shown in fig1 a and 2a can be combined with a locally generated interlocked clock in accordance with the present invention . it should be understood that the elements shown in the figs . may be implemented in various forms of hardware , software or combinations thereof . preferably , these elements are implemented in hardware on one or more appropriately programmed general purpose integrated circuits which may include a processor , memory and input / output interfaces . referring now to the drawings in which like numerals represent the same or similar elements and initially to fig3 a , a simplified pipeline structure 100 is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . latch structure 100 includes full logic stages 102 ( as opposed to the half logic stages of fig2 a ). a latch 104 and a latch 106 are separated by one full logic stage 102 . switches 108 and 110 of latches 104 and 106 are enabled by locally generated clock signals clkei and clkej , respectively , to transfer data ( data ( i ) and data ( j )) across the latches as shown in fig3 b which shows a timing diagram . although latches 104 and 106 and logic stages 102 of fig3 a look similar to the latches and logic of fig2 a , the number of latches differ by a factor of two times since full logic stages 102 can advantageously be employed . this is because the interlocking of stages ( described below ) produces local clocks ( clke ) which are only enabled when the data for that stage is valid and corresponding local clocks on immediately adjacent stages are not enabled . in other words , the interlocking handshake signals provide operations such that when one stage is enabled immediately adjacent stages are disabled for data transfer in a current clock cycle . this eliminates the possibility of signals propagating through multiple latches in a single clock cycle . therefore , in this example , half the number of latch stages are needed while still maintaining safe operation . the reduced number of latch stages combined with enabling the local clocks only when there is an operation to perform results in significant power reduction . referring to fig4 a plot of power versus switching factor comparing a prior art “ synchronous ” latch structure ( e . g ., fig1 a or fig2 a ) to an interlocked pipelined cmos ( ipcmos ) latch structure in accordance with the present invention . the plot includes the power for the master / slave approach ( fig1 a ) or transparent latch approach ( fig2 a ) versus the ipcmos approach of the present invention as a function of macro switching factor , under the assumption that 70 % of the power is in the clocks and latches . power from input transitions after the clock is activated are not considered in any of the cases . switching factors for most macros normally range from 10 % to 30 %. surprisingly , by implementing the locally generated clock and latch structure of the present invention , power reductions of 5 times to more than 10 times can be realized . referring to fig5 a schematic of a latch structure including scan chains is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . fig5 illustrates latch operation in accordance with the present invention . during normal operation , data is captured by a latch 204 when a local clock clke ( clkei in this case ) for that stage is enabled . clke is generated when an acknowledge signal ( ackj ) is received from a local clock circuit 230 ′ of a succeeding adjacent pipeline stage , and validh is received from a preceding pipeline stage h ( not shown ). clkei turns on pass gate switch 212 at the input to a pipeline stage 213 . during testing , the enable clocks clke are turned off and clock signals clka and clkb are used to scan data into or out of latches 204 ( and 204 ′) in the pipeline stages . when clka is enabled , turning on switch 218 , data is transferred to latch 222 . next , clka is turned off and clkb is enabled , turning on switch 220 . this results in the data from latch 222 being transferred to latch 204 ′. although only one pipeline stage is shown , one skilled in the art would understand that multiple stages could be interconnected and that data could either be scanned into the latch associated with each stage from an external pin or data from the latches associated with each stage could be scanned out to an external pin . in a normal mode of operation , clka and clkb and their switches 218 and 220 are off ( not conducting ) and data moves from one latch stage 204 to the next ( latch 204 ′) as the local clke clocks are enabled . clka and clkb are externally activated clocks which may be activated during testing . a local clock circuit 230 sends a valid signal ( validi ) to indicate that valid data was received from a pipeline stage upstream from stage 213 . local clock circuit 230 ′ sends an acknowledge signal ( ackj ) indicating that the valid signal was received . clock pulse clkei is generated locally for stage 213 . clkei enables data to be transferred to latch 204 and through static logic 102 . data output from static logic 102 awaits the next clock cycle to be locally generated by local clock 230 ′ to enable the data to be transferred to a downstream latch stage 204 ′. in this way , one stage is enabled at a time ensuring that data does not move to more than one stage in a single clock cycle . as described above , this reduces the number of latches needed to safely transfer data by at least half the number of latches needed for prior art approaches . the interlocking connections which employ valid and ack signals are one important feature of the present invention . the interlocking signals guarantee that switches of adjacent stages to the stage performing the operation are not turned on at the same time as the switches of the current stage . this prevents data from propagating through more than one latch when the local clock to a stage is activated . during the time the switch is closed , data simply passes from the input side of the switch to the output side launching data to the next logic stage . the parallel or look aside latch holds the information until the switch is closed again and new data is brought in . referring to fig6 a multiple stage pipeline 300 is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . pipeline 300 is an asynchronous pipeline . stages 301 , 302 and 303 each include a latch stage 304 for temporary storage of data which passes from stage to stage through pipeline 300 . latch stages 304 a , 304 b and 304 c are interposed between logic circuits 306 a , 306 b , 306 c for each stage . latch stages 304 a , 304 b and 304 c are each enabled by a separate locally generated clock signal ( clkei , clkej and clkiek , respectively ). when clkei is enabled , latch 304 a simultaneously captures that data that is at its input and launches this data into logic 306 a . in addition , clkei launches the valid signal validi which goes to interlock block 330 b . interlock block 330 b is activated causing clkej to be enabled when both validi and ackk have occurred . when clkej is enabled , latch 304 b simultaneously captures the data at its input from the output of logic 306 a in stage 301 and launches that data into logic 306 b of stage 302 . in addition , clkej launches the valid signal validj which goes to interlock block 330 b in stage 303 . the process is continued for each stage in the pipeline 300 . local clock circuits 330 a , 330 b and 330 c are employed for generating and receiving handshaking interlock signals , valid and ack . referring to fig7 a block diagram showing interlocking at the block level in the forward and reverse directions is illustratively shown . block d is interlocked with all of blocks a , b , c , e and f with which block d interacts . in the forward direction , dedicated valid signals emulate the worst case path through each driving block and thus determine when data can be latched within block d . in the reverse direction , acknowledge ( ack ) signals indicate that data has been received by the subsequent blocks and that new data may be processed within block d . in this interlocked approach local clocks are generated only when there is an operation to perform . measured results on an experimental chip demonstrate robust operation for ipcmos at 3 . 3 ghz under typical conditions and 4 . 5 ghz under best case conditions in a 0 . 18 micron 1 . 5v cmos technology . the block diagram of fig8 illustratively shows the circuit implemented . logic 402 between latches 404 and 406 includes two stages of a worst case path through the 3 to 2 compressor tree of a 64 b floating point multiplier with a total of ten of these stages included in the path . in this example , the asynchronous handshaking local clock circuits 408 were each loaded with 40 latches to simulate practical loading . since the locally generated clocks for each stage ( e . g ., clkej and clkek ) are active only when the data to a given stage is valid , power is conserved when the logic blocks are inactive . furthermore , with the simplified clock environment , it is possible to design a very simple single stage latch that can capture and launch data simultaneously without the danger of a race . ipcmos achieves high speed interlocking , in one embodiment by combining the function of a static nor and an input switch to perform a unique cycle dependent and function as exemplified by a local clock circuit or a strobe circuit 500 shown in fig9 a and 9b . every local clock circuit 408 in fig8 includes a strobe circuit 500 which implements asynchronous interlocking between stages . referring to fig9 a and 9b , a strobe or local clock circuit 500 is shown in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . invertors 501 , n - channel devices 503 a and 503 b , latches 504 , and p - channel devices 505 a and 505 b may be connected , replaced or otherwise altered as known by one skilled in the art . the operation of strobe circuit 500 can be understood by starting at the end of a cycle when external valid signals ( valid 1 to validi ) and clkr which is generated from the acknowledge signals ( ack ) are low , switches 502 are open , and the internal valid signals ( vint 1 to vinti ) and rint are high . the strobe outputs , clke and ack , which are high and low respectively , will transition to low and high respectively only when all of the internal valid signals ( vint 1 to vinti ) and rint go low . for this to happen , each external valid signal ( valid 1 to validi ) is first reset high , thereby turning on its associated switch 502 . next , each of the valid inputs ( valid 1 to validi ) will transition low , as data for that input becomes valid . this causes the associated internal valid signal ( vint 1 to vinti ) to also go low . clken is the falling clock signal having opposite polarity of clke . the strobe circuit 500 outputs , ack and clke will both transition high and clken will transition low , when the last of the external valid signals ( valid 1 to validi ) makes its downward transition and clkr has gone high . when this occurs all the internal valid signals ( vint 1 to vinti ) and rint will be low . ack transitioning high turns each switch ( 502 ) off , since all the external valid signals ( valid 1 to validi ) are low at this time . ack is also the handshaking signal to stages or blocks transmitting data . the ack signal represents that data has been received and the blocks can send more data . immediately after ack turns switch 502 off , clken will precharge each of the internal valid nodes ( vint ) and rint high . this in turn will cause ack and clke to go low and clken to go high . in the strobe circuit 500 of fig9 a , a p - channel load device 505 a of a static nor 506 , also comprising n - channel devices 503 a , is connected to only one internal valid signal ( vinti ). the valid signal to which the load is connected should be the nominally last arriving . however , in actual operation if another signal arrives last the circuit will function normally but with some additional power dissipation . a node x is labeled in fig9 a and 9b to provide a reference between the figs . referring to fig1 , the way strobe circuit 500 ands the valid inputs and at the same time keeps track of the cycle in which the inputs occur is seen in the wave forms of fig1 for a circuit with three valid signals . initially , all the external valid signals ( valid 1 , valid 2 and valid 3 ) are high . they all transition low and the strobe circuit generates a low clken pulse output . subsequently , a strobe output is generated only after all 3 valid inputs have transitioned low to high to low . thus the strobe circuit keeps track of the cycle each input occurs by not generating an output until all the inputs have transitioned from a low to a high and back to a low . y &# 39 ; s ( for yes ) are indicated at positions where the local clock enables data transfer ( where all signals are low in this case ). n &# 39 ; s ( for no ) are indicated at positions where one or more of the signals are high . other circuits and transitioning methods may also be employed . referring to fig1 , measured local clock signals ( clken 1 - 6 ) running at 4 . 5 ghz are shown in the picoprobe wave forms for a testing operation . the way the interlocking automatically compensates for delay variations , which can result from power supply noise , across chip line width variations , and parameter variations , is also seen in the wave forms when the data valid input of local clock stage 2 ( clken 2 ) is intentionally delayed for a period of time by the externally generated valid inhibit signal going high . because of the handshaking , the local clocks for all the stages before and after stage 2 will also be delayed as shown in the wave forms , until valid inhibit goes low again and all the stages resume their normal mode of operation with no loss of data . a significant power reduction results when there is no operation to perform and the local clocks turn off . this is similar to what happened in the wave forms of fig1 when the data valid signal of clock stage 2 was intentionally inhibited . the wave forms also show that the clock transitions are staggered in time , reducing the peak change in current with respect to time ( di / dt ) and therefore reducing noise compared to a conventional approach with a single global clock . having described preferred embodiments of latch structure for interlocked pipelined cmos ( ipcmos ) circuits ( which are intended to be illustrative and not limiting ), it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments of the invention disclosed which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as outlined by the appended claims . having thus described the invention with the details and particularity required by the patent laws , what is claimed and desired protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims .
| 6Physics
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the invention encompasses a method whereby candidate selective adsorbents can be rapidly evaluated for their potential for carrying out the separation of a mixture of two or more chemical components . using this method , libraries containing small amounts of about 1 mg to 100 mg of many different candidate adsorbents can be rapidly evaluated using automated equipment . this approach dramatically decreases the time required to find a suitable selective adsorbent for a given separation . the method is useful for finding adsorbents which can be used for the analytical or preparative chromatographic separation of enantiomers , the separation of impurities from pharmaceuticals or other products , the separation of fermentation products from their associated impurities or any process in which two or more compounds are separated by a chromatography or any process which relies upon differential adsorption of two or more chemical species . the method has the added advantage that the compound mixture for which a separation is desired can be used directly without the need for separations , purifications , radiolabeling or other chemical derivatization . the screening process is depicted schematically in the figures which follow . a small amount of a candidate absorbent is placed in a vial or similar receptacle ( fig1 ). the expanded view of the candidate absorbent shows two particles containing four pendant selectors each . any number of particles can be used , and in contrast to chromatography , the performance of the assay does not require the use of very small and regular particles . indeed , there are some advantages to be found in the use of large particles or even a single bead . for example , since larger particles tend to settle more rapidly and completely , the use of large particles allows the supernatant solution to be sampled without risk of particles clogging the syringe . in the case where a solid phase material which preferentially binds one enantiomer is desired ( e . g . a chromatographic chiral stationary phase ) the preferred method involves adding a solution of the racemic mixture to the candidate chromatographic adsorbents and measuring the enantioenrichment of either the solution phase or the stationary phase using chromatographic techniques such as chiral hplc , hplc / ms , gc , ce or spectroscopic techniques such as nmr with chiral solvating agents or nmr analysis of diastereomeric derivatives or chiroptical spectroscopic techniques such as cd or polarimetry . an alternative method of performing the assay could involve analysis of a nonracemic solution of the target analyte or could involve independently measuring the degree of complexation of each enantiomer . a dilute solution containing known relative concentrations of the mixture of the analytes of interest is then added ( fig2 ). in this example , two analytes are represented as circles and crosses . it is important that the analyte solution be of low enough concentration to prevent saturation of the adsorption sites on the chromatographic adsorbent . in addition , the polarity of the solution phase should be such that the target molecules are neither completely adsorbed nor completely free in solution . equilibration or interaction of the material in the liquid phase with the chromatographic adsorbent may result in the preferential binding of one of the analytes in the mixture to the chromatographic adsorbent , resulting in a depletion of that analyte in the solution phase . analysis of the relative abundance of the analytes in either the solid phase or the solution phase gives some indication of the degree of selectivity of the adsorbent - analyte interaction . in the case illustrated here , a strong preference for adsorption of the circular analyte is depicted . those adsorbents which show the highest degrees of selectivity are likely candidates for a chromatographic stationary phase which may be capable of separating the mixture of chemical components in question , fig3 . this technique has several advantages over previous methods of evaluating candidate selective adsorbents . only a small amount , about 1 mg to 100 mg , of the candidate adsorbent is used in an assay , and this material need not be packed into a column or capillary for evaluation . furthermore , the candidate adsorbent can be washed free of all chemical components and reused . the target analytes can be used directly without any need for purifications , resolutions , or synthetic operations . a variety of analytical techniques can be used to measure the relative abundance of the analyte molecules in either the solid phase or the solution phase . the process is not limited to mixtures of two analytes , but could conceivably be used to screen for e . g ., an adsorbent which would show preferential adsorption of a single desired product from a complex mixture containing a number of different associated impurities . similarly , the technique could conceivably be used to search for an adsorbent which would preferentially adsorb the various impurities from this same complex mixture while only weakly adsorbing the desired product . the screening process is rapid , and is amenable to automation , which allows for high throughput screening of libraries of new candidate chromatographic adsorbents prepared using solid phase diversity - generating synthetic approaches . a variety of analytical tools can be used to determine the relative concentrations of the analytes in the solid phase . for example , analysis of the relative concentrations of the analytes in the liquid phase can be performed using chromatographic techniques such as hplc , hplc / ms , sfc , ce or gc or spectroscopic techniques such as nmr or chiroptical techniques such as cd or any analytical technique or chemical process capable of showing the absolute or relative concentrations of the analytes in question . determination of the relative concentrations of the analytes in the solid phase can be done by a variety of methods . the extent of enrichment in the solid phase is typically greater than that in the supernatant solution . however , these measurements are often more difficult , usually requiring a filtration or other phase separation before the determination of the relative concentration of materials adsorbed onto the solid phase can be determined . a convenient method for determining the relative concentration of the analytes in the solid phase simply involves removal of the supernatant layer by rapid suction filtration , followed by the addition of a solvent which liberates most of the adsorbed material from the solid phase , followed by analysis of the resulting supernatant solution by hplc or other analytical techniques mentioned above . those skilled in this art will recognize that a wide variety of solid polymeric or inorganic particles may be functionalized to form candidate selective adsorbents using techniques and procedures which are known from the fields of solid phase synthesis and combinatorial chemistry . such particles bearing pendant groups such as amine , carboxylic acid , hydroxyl , halide , aldehyde , or thiol may be used for attachment of one or more molecular fragments to provide a large number of candidate selective adsorbents . further , by linking enantiopure moieties to functionalized solid particles , a large number of candidate csps and csp libraries can be prepared . suitable candidate adsorbents are made by techniques described in the following examples or can be purchased from regis technologies , inc ., 8210 austin avenue , morton grove , ill . 60053 - 0519 . modified solid phase peptide synthesis on aminopropyl silica particles was chosen as a preferred method for preparing combinatorial libraries of csps . as a model study , the well known 3 , 5 - dinitobenzoyl leucine ( dnb - leu ) csp was prepared on 5 g scale using the solid phase synthesis protocol outlined in fig4 . the csp thus obtained was packed in a column which separated a group of test analytes nearly as well as the commercial column . preparing and evaluating a group of peptido csps using a split synthesis was conducted in a manner analagous to that shown in fig4 . a representative sampling of some of the csps which were made and evaluated is shown in fig5 . each csps was prepared on 5 g scale , packed into a column and evaluated chromatographically . two additional csps from this initial group are shown in fig6 . these csps are nearly identical , differing only in one leucine residue . nevertheless , substantial differences in enantioselectivity are noted for the group of test analytes . the foregoing experiments show the utility of a silica based solid phase synthesis approach to csp development . while the cost and time required to make each of these materials on 5 g scale is less than that of conventional csp development , an even more rapid way of sampling the structural diversity of the dnb peptide family was required . consequently , candidate csps on 50 mg scale were prepared and screened ex - column to evaluate the enantioselectivity of each csp . a library of 50 dipeptide dnb csps were prepared using combinations of the 5 amino acids ; valine , glutamine , phenylalanine , phenylglycine and proline ( fig7 ). this set includes sterically bulky , strong hydrogen bonding and aromatic amino acids . the solid phase peptide synthesis which was used in the multigram scale preparation of the csps shown in fig5 and 6 was scaled down to prepare 50 mg of each of 50 dipeptide dnb csps resulting from combinations of the 5 amino acids shown in fig7 . the csp library was first evaluated using the test racemate , 1 . the evaluation procedure consists of adding 1 ml of a 1 × 10 − 5 m solution of the test racemate in 20 % ipa / hexane to each of the 50 csp - containing vials . the vials were then capped and transferred to an hplc autosampler , where they were allowed to sit for a period of 30 min . hplc analysis of 50 μl of the supernatant solution from each vial was performed using a 46 × 250 mm ( s ) dnb - leucine csp operating at a flow rate of 1 ml / min with a mobile phase of methanol and detection at 254 nm . three representative chromatograms are shown in fig8 including the blank ( no csp ), a csp which strongly adsorbs the ( r ) enantiomer of the test racemate , and a csp which strongly adsorbs the ( s ) enantiomer of the test racemate . the results of the screen are presented in fig9 . the vertical axis in fig9 represents enantioselectivity , with the tallest bars indicating the most enantioselective csps . the overall method provides useful information on the separation capability of each material . previous experience with this chiral recognition system had led us to believe that an amide hydrogen on the amino acid closest to the dnb group ( aa 2 ) is essential for good separation . furthermore , it was suspected that amino acids with a large steric group at this position should work best , with aromatic groups at this position generally being poorer than steric groups . it thus comes as no surprise that the proline in position aa 2 works very poorly , while valine and phenylalanine in this position work best . some unexpected results are obtained , even though this chiral recognition system has been extensively studied for more than a decade by a variety of techniques in addition to chromatography , including x - ray analysis of co - crystals and noe nmr analyses of 1 : 1 complexes . one unexpected result of the screen is the finding that glutamine in position aa 1 seems to have a beneficial effect on enantioselectivity . this initial screen provides a basis for further optimization for this chiral recognition system . the initial screen indicates that dnb dipeptide csps having a strong hydrogen bonding sidechain in the aa 1 position and a sterically bulky sidechain in the aa 2 position work best for the test analyte . a focused library based on this motif was prepared and evaluated . as shown in fig1 , many of the members of this new library show superior enantioselectivity to the dnb val - gln csp , which was the best csp in the initial library . one of the preferred csps shown in fig1 was prepared on 5 g scale and packed into 4 . 6 × 250 mm hplc column for evaluation . as shown in fig1 , this hplc column was shown to separate the enantiomers of the test analyte , 1 , with an enantioselectivity in excess of 20 . this hplc column was shown to be highly effective for the preparative separation of the enantiomers of the test analyte , 1 , as shown in fig1 . in this example , near baseline resolution of enantiomers is observed , even with a single injection of 100 mg of racemate . analysis of the two fractions from this preparative separation shows that the collected enantiomers are isolated in a highly enantioenriched form . furthermore , the relatively rapid separation time permits a very high preparative throughput . this example illustrates the utility of the technology for the discovery of a highly selective adsorbent for a given separation problem . using an approach analogous to that described in example 1 , a series of tripeptide dnb csps were prepared and evaluated . four such libraries of 36 csps each were prepared by analogous solid phase synthesis techniques and are shown in fig1 . evaluation of this csp library as candidate adsorbents for separation of the enantiomers of the drug , naproxen , revealed several promising library members , as shown in fig1 . fig1 shows the evaluation of the best csp indicated by the library screening shown in fig1 using a 4 . 6 × 250 mm hplc column . using an approach analogous to that described in example 1 , the series of acyl amino acid csps shown in fig1 were prepared . several different boc amino acids were coupled with aminopropylsilica , followed by deprotection to afford the corresponding csps bearing a free terminal amino group . these csps were next transferred to individual vials , where they were coupled with each of a group of 40 different carboxylic acids . the resulting library of acyl amino acid derived csps was screened for ability to separate the enantiomers of the test racemate , 1 . the results of the screens for two such sub - libraries are shown in fig1 . these results emphasize the fact that 3 , 5 dinitrobenzamide groups works well for separation of the enantiomers of test racemate , 1 . this example illustrates that the technique is not limited to csp libraries on a silica surface . we have prepared and evaluated a subset of the library illustrated in fig9 using polystyrene based media . in this example , chiron synphase ™ crowns ( ps crown type : i series : aminomethylated ) were used to prepare several csps in the dipeptide dnb series . evaluation of the resulting crown csps showed results which were similar to those found in example 1 , although some differences were noted . the use of polystyrene as a solid phase may be of some use for the preparation of adsorbent libraries owing to the fact that many types of solid phase synthesis are possible on polystyrene or other media which are not possible with silica . furthermore , existing solid phase libraries can be accessed and evaluated as candidate adsorbents . several members of the csp library described in example 1 were evaluated for their ability to selectively adsorb the enantiomers of the test racemate , 1 , using hplc with ms detection . the evaluation procedure was the same as that described in example 1 , except that hplc evaluation was performed using a 46 × 250 mm ( r ) dnb - phenylglycine csp operating at a flow rate of 1 ml / min with a mobile phase of 1 : 1 : 1 methanol / acetonitrile / water with detection by mass spectrometry . this detection method was shown to afford essentially the same information obtained using uv detection , and in other cases where the analyte under investigation has poor uv absorbance , hplc with ms detection has proven to afford the requisite sensitivity and reliability for direct screening of the csp libraries . an indirect chemical derivatization method was used to evaluate several csp libraries for their ability to separate the enantiomers of a racemic secondary amine which had poor uv absorbance and was not well separated by chiral hplc . a 10 − 4 m solution of the racemic secondary amine in 5 % ipa / hexane was added to a group of vials , each containing about 50 mg of a different candidate csps on a porous silica support . after waiting for one hour , 500 μl of supernatant solution was withdrawn from each vial and transferred to a fresh autosampler vial . 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoyl chloride ( 5 . 5 × 10 − 7 moles ) and diisopropylethylamine chloride ( 6 × 10 − 7 moles ) were then added to each vial . after two hours of reaction , the contents of each vial was analyzed using an autosampler hplc system with uv detection . these examples illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit in spirit or scope .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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before describing details of the present invention , a projection exposure apparatus of a step - and - repeat type or a step - and - scan type , called a stepper , will be explained in conjunction with fig3 . in fig3 denoted at 100 is an illumination optical system for producing exposure light with which a pattern ( having plural chip patterns ) formed on a reticle 101 is projected and printed on a photosensitive resist layer , provided on a wafer 1 . denoted at 102 is a reticle stage for holding the reticle 101 . in response to projection of exposure light from the illumination optical system 100 upon the reticle 101 held by the reticle stage 102 , the pattern of the reticle 101 is projected by a reduction projection lens 103 on the wafer which is held by a wafer chuck 106 , in a reduced scale . denoted at 104 is an autofocus detector of known type . it projects a light beam onto the surface of the wafer 1 and , by detecting reflected light therefrom , it detects the position of the wafer surface in the direction of an optical axis ( z axis direction ), with respect to the focusing plane of the projection optical system . on the basis of the result of this detection , the wafer chuck 106 is moved by a driving mechanism ( not shown ) in the optical axis direction of the projection lens 103 , so as to place the wafer 1 surface on the focusing plane of the projection lens 103 . denoted at 107 is a wafer stage for moving the wafer 1 , held by the wafer chuck 106 , along a plane ( x - y plane ) perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection lens 103 . this stage performs step - and - repeat motion for sequential exposures of zones on the wafer 1 . denoted at 108 is a mirror which is movable integrally with the wafer stage 107 and along the x - y plane . denoted at 109 is a known laser interferometer type measuring device for measuring a position along the x - y plane , and denoted at 110 is a console unit for controlling the projection exposure apparatus as a whole . denoted at 111 is a known alignment detector for detecting an alignment mark , provided on the wafer 1 , through the projection lens 103 to detect the position of the wafer 1 along the x - y plane . the console unit 110 controls the projection exposure apparatus as a whole , and on the other hand it serves to determine and select shot layout , to be described later . operational steps to be described below are executed in a cpu of the console unit 110 , except mentioned otherwise . fig1 a and 1b are plan views showing examples of layout of shots to be exposed by a stepper according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig1 a shows an exposure layout to be used in a stepper of large exposure field size in a single exposure ( large picture size stepper ), and fig1 b shows an exposure layout to be used in a stepper of small exposure field size in a single exposure ( small picture size stepper ) or a layout of ic or lsi chips of a number 11 . denoted in these drawings at 1 is a wafer , and denoted at 2 are shots to be used in the large exposure field size stepper . denoted at 4 are sample shots for alignment or global leveling , to be used in the large picture size stepper . denoted at 3 are shots or ic or lsi chips to be used in the small picture size stepper . denoted at 5 are sample shots for alignment or global leveling , to be used in the small picture size stepper or in the layout of ic or lsi chips . fig1 a relates to an example of layout in a large picture size stepper . if in this example the exposure size is 50 mm square and the wafer 1 has an 8 inch diameter , then shots of a number 14 are defined such as shown in fig1 a . for selection of sample shots for global alignment , global leveling and die - by - die leveling , with this layout there is a possibility that a measured value related to an outside peripheral shot of the wafer contains an error due to a large variation in film thickness of a photosensitive material on the wafer or to a large distortion of the wafer 1 . excluding such outside peripheral shots of the wafer from selection of sample shots for this reason , only four sample shots 4 at the central portion of the wafer 1 are selectable as shown in fig1 a . since the interval ( span ) of these four sample shots 4 is very small as compared with the size of the wafer 1 , if the global alignment or global leveling is executed on the basis of these sample shots 4 and the placement or tilt of all shots on the wafer 1 is determined , a large error will occur . here , considering a layout to be used in a small picture size stepper or a layout of a series of chips such as shown in fig1 b , even when outside peripheral shots of a wafer are excluded as described , tens of shots can be selected as the sample shots 5 . also , the span of sample shots defined as a result of this sample shot selection is not very small as compared with the size of the wafer 1 . this is effective to reduce an error in the determination of placement or tilt . in an occasion where a large picture size stepper and a small picture size stepper are used alternately in manufacture of ics or lsis , even in the small picture size stepper similar procedures ( e . g . global alignment ) as in the large picture size stepper are performed . thus , each shot 3 of the layout for the small picture size stepper shown in fig1 b is provided with a mark ( not shown ) to be used for the global alignment operation , for example . using these marks also in the large picture size stepper substantially makes it possible to select the sample shots 5 in the layout to be used in the small picture size stepper . this can be easily done by setting the same magnification or detecting process to the mark detecting system 111 ( fig3 ). substantially the same advantageous result is attainable by preparing a separate layout of marks ( coordinates of marks on a wafer ) for global alignment , for example , in relation to the large picture size stepper . in that occasion , the advantageous result is retained even if the stepper is not used alternately with the small picture size stepper . a layout for a small picture size stepper or a layout of chips such as shown in fig1 b , or alternatively a layout of mark placement on a wafer prepared separately may be used for the measurement in relation to global alignment , global leveling or die - by - die leveling , for example . the results of measurement may be corrected for the exposure layout of fig1 a , and the exposure process may be performed by using corrected values and in accordance with the exposure layout . this enables high precision alignment and focus leveling even in a large picture size stepper . fig2 is a flow chart for explaining this procedure . in a stepper , after setting a reticle to be used and setting exposure conditions such as focus , exposure amount and layout preparation , an actual exposure sequence starts ( step 10 ). a wafer is loaded and prealignment of the wafer is performed , and thereafter it is placed on the wafer chuck 106 ( fig3 ) of the stepper ( step 11 ). then , for measurement of global leveling component of the wafer 1 placed on the chuck 106 and for the leveling of the same , measurement positions ( i . e . sample shots 5 ) are determined in accordance with the focus leveling layout ( e . g . shot layout of fig1 b ). on the basis of the determination and by using the autofocus detector 104 ( fig3 ), data measurement for the focus leveling is performed . in accordance with the measured data , the leveling is executed ( step 12 ). subsequently , for execution of global alignment , measurement positions ( sample shots 5 ) are determined in accordance with the alignment layout ( e . g . shot layout of fig1 b ). on the basis of the determination and by using the alignment detection system 111 , data measurement for execution of global alignment is performed ( step 13 ). then , calculations in relation to the shot interval and the number of shots , for example , are made to transform the measured data into exposure layout ( e . g . shot layout of fig1 a ), and the placement of shots in the exposure layout is determined ( step 14 ). namely , alignment data is corrected into exposure layout data . then , exposure process is performed in accordance with the thus determined placements ( step 15 ). subsequently , discrimination is made as to whether data measurement for focus and leveling to a shot to be exposed is possible or not , that is , as to whether that shot is an outside peripheral shot to which measurement is unattainable or not ( step 16 ). if measurement is possible , drive for focus and leveling is done in accordance with a measured value ( step 17 ), and exposure of that shot is performed ( step 20 ). if that shot is one for which measurement is unattainable , the focus leveling layout is referred to and a substitute shot in the focus leveling layout adjacent to that shot is selected . measurement for focus and leveling is done with respect to the selected substitute shot ( step 18 ). in accordance with the thus measured data , a value for the focus and leveling to the shot just going to be exposed with the exposure layout , is determined . for example , a focus value may be determined by extrapolation to the leveling data in accordance with tilt of it . the leveling value may be used as it is . on the basis of the thus detected value , drive for focus leveling is done ( step 19 ). then , exposure process is performed ( step 20 ). the sequential operations at steps 16 - 20 are repeated with respect to every shot of the wafer . after this is completed , the wafer is unloaded ( step 22 ). also , the sequential operations at steps 11 - 22 are repeated to every wafer , and the procedure is completed ( step 24 ). in the flow chart described above , many modifications are possible . as an example , the operations at steps 11 and 12 may be inserted between steps 14 and 15 . the present invention is not limited to the form depicted in this flow chart . in the present invention , as described , a separate layout or layouts other than an exposure layout may be prepared as required ( for example , an exposure layout , an alignment layout and a focus leveling layout may be prepared ). these different layouts may be used in the effective exposure of a wafer . in the embodiment of the present invention described above , the alignment layout and the focus leveling layout are the same . however , they may be different from each other . while the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein , it is not confined to the details set forth and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims .
| 6Physics
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fig1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention which is applied to a portable electronic keyboard instrument . referring to fig1 to 3 , reference numeral 1 denotes a portable electronic keyboard instrument . the keyboard instrument 1 comprises a shallow box - like main body 2 extending along the right - and - left direction , and a lid or cover 3 . the main body 2 has upper and lower cases 2a and 2b which are snugly coupled together . the main body 2 and the cover 3 constitute a musical instrument housing . a central portion of the upper front panel of the main body 2 is opened , and a keyboard 4 having a number of white keys 4a and black keys 4b is disposed in the opening of the central portion , thereby constituting a keyboard portion 5 . an operation panel 6 is arranged behind the keyboard portion 5 . this operation panel 6 has inclined surfaces 7a to 7e inclined at the same angle and extended along the longitudinal direction of the main body 2 with appropriate spacing between the adjacent surfaces . electric components 8 such as various operation switches and slide type volume controls ( only some of them are shown in fig1 ) are arranged in the inclined surfaces 7a to 7e . predetermined characters and symbols are displayed on the inclined surfaces 7a to 7e to improve operability and to permit visual confirmation . the main body 2 incorporates various electric components ( not shown ) such as a plurality of key switches respectively corresponding to the keys 4a and 4b , a printed circuit board for wiring a musical tone producing circuit and a control circuit , and cords . the main body 2 also has a pair of speakers 9a and 9b . when a key switch corresponding to a depressed key is operated , a corresponding musical tone is electrically generated , and the musical tone is produced at one or both of speakers 9a and 9b . the speakers 9a and 9b are arranged in speaker holding recesses 10 formed at two ends of the main body 2 so as to interpose the keyboard portion 5 therebetween . the speakers 9a and 9b can be raised from the corresponding recesses 10 through corresponding bellows 11 , respectively . the arrangement of these speakers does not constitute a part of my invention but is described by way of explanation of the embodiment . the speakers 9a and 9b are respectively pivoted about pivot edges a at a predetermined angle and face toward the front side when used . therefore , the speakers 9a and 9b are set at a predetermined inclined angle . the angle may be varied in accordance with a known frictional mechanism or a click mechanism . the pivotal movement of the speakers 9a and 9b can be easily performed by respectively hooking fingers of a hand with engaging recesses 13 formed at the rear edges of the speakers 9a and 9b and by pulling up the speakers . however , the speakers may be automatically pivoted by a drive unit such as an electric motor and a solenoid . the cover 3 as the main feature of the present invention is integrally formed with the upper case 2a . when the electronic keyboard instrument 1 is closed , the cover 3 covers the operation panel 6 and the keyboard portion 5 . the rear end portion of the cover 3 is integrally connected to the case 2a through a thin hinge 20 shown in fig3 along the rear edge of the operation panel on the upper surface of the case 2a . therefore , the hinge 20 becomes the pivot portion of the cover 3 when the cover 3 is opened or closed . a portion of the cover 3 which corresponds to a boundary between the keyboard portion 5 and the operation panel 6 constitutes a hinge 21 . when the cover 3 is opened for playing the keyboard instrument , the cover is folded at the hinge 21 such that an inner surface faces outward , as shown in fig1 and 3 . the front end portion of the cover 3 is bent inward at a right angle to constitute a bent portion 3a ( fig3 ). the bent portion 3a abuts against an upper surface 23 of the front wall portion of the lower case 2b . the front surface 23 constitutes a key slip . the bent portion 3a protects the key front of the keys 4a and a pair of end blocks 24a and 24b disposed at the two ends of the keyboard portion . a cover lock portion 25 is formed in the upper surface of the upper case 2a immediately behind the cover 3 along the longitudinal direction of the cover 3 . the cover lock portion 25 comprises a v - shaped groove for anchoring the bent portion 3a when the cover 3 is opened . the cover 3 is folded at the hinge 21 , and the bent portion 3a is easily fitted in the cover lock portion 25 by laying the cover 3 backward , as shown in fig3 . in this locked state , the cover 3 is kept at the same inclined angle as that of the inclined surfaces 7a to 7e , and the cover will not fall toward the rear portion of the upper surface . a handle 30 ( fig2 ) is integrally formed with the central portion of the rear surface of the main body 2 so as to allow a player to carry the musical instrument . according to the construction of the portable electronic keyboard instrument 1 , the cover 3 is opened and folded , and the bent portion ( front end portion ) 3a is inserted and locked in the cover lock portion 25 formed in the upper surface of the main body 2 . the cover 3 will not fall toward the rear portion of the main body 2 and can be stably held . in addition , the outer appearance of the keyboard instrument can be thus improved . furthermore , a space for the cover 3 need not be reserved at the rear portion of the main body 2 . since the cover 3 is inclined at a predetermined angle and is firmly positioned when opened , the folded cover can be used as a music sheet stand . the inclined angle preferably falls within the range between about 30 ° and about 60 °. in this case , a groove for receiving a lower end of a music sheet may be formed between the operation panel 6 and the cover 3 . alternatively , a projection may be formed at a lower and inner surface of the cover 3 to support a music sheet , and a recess for accommodating the projection may be formed in the upper surface of the upper case 2a when the cover is closed . in the above embodiment , since the cover is integrally formed with the upper case 2a , the cover is made of a flexible plastic resin such as polypropylene , polyester or polystyrene having an impact resistant property so as to provide flexibility to the hinges . in the above embodiment , the cover 3 is integrally formed with the upper case 2a . however , the present invention is not limited to this arrangement . the cover 3 and the upper case 2a may be independently manufactured . in that case , the cover 3 and the upper case 2a are pivotally coupled through a pivot shaft and a hinge , as shown in fig4 . referring to fig4 the cover 3 comprises two elongate metal plates 101 and 102 . the elongate plate 102 is pivotally coupled to the upper case 2a through a pair of hinge assemblies 105 mounted between two side ends of the plate 102 and the upper case 2a . a foldable portion 107 for flexibly bending the elongate plates 101 and 102 comprises u - shaped metal pieces 101a and 102b and a flexible member , i . e ., an elastomer member 108 for coupling the opposing ends of the metal pieces 101a and 102b . in this case , the other end ( not shown ) of the elongate plate 101 may be folded toward the key front in the same manner as in the above embodiment . in the above embodiment , the cover anchoring portion 25 comprises the v - shaped groove . however , this portion 25 may vary in accordance with the shape of the front end portion of the cover 3 . in the above embodiment , the bent portion 3a of the cover 3 is simply inserted in the groove 25 . however , as shown in fig5 several projections 110 are formed at an inclined surface of the groove 25 so as to change the inclined angle of the folded cover when the cover is opened . in addition , as shown in fig6 a plurality of cover lock recesses 25 may be formed in the upper surface of the main body 2 . the bent end portion 3a is inserted in a selected one of the recesses 25 to change an inclined angle . in the above embodiment and its modifications , the cover 3 is folded such that the inner surface of the cover faces outward . however , the cover 3 may be folded such that its inner surface faces inward . in this case , the cover lock portion 25 is formed in front of the pivoted portion of the cover 3 . a plurality of cover lock portions 25 may be formed , as shown in fig7 . as has been described above , the housing structure of the keyboard instrument of the present invention is obtained wherein a foldable cover is arranged on the upper surface of the musical instrument main body to be opened / closed , a cover lock portion is formed in correspondence with the cover , and the front end of the folded cover is locked by the cover lock portion so as to incline the folded cover at a predetermined angle . the folded cover can be stably and firmly held , so that the cover will not fall toward the rear portion of the main body . the housing structure according to the present invention is simple , and a lock member need not be added . as a result , various practical benefits are obtained wherein the number of components will not be increased , thus providing the housing structure at low cost .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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with reference to fig3 , an electrochemical cell 100 according to the present invention ( referred to hereinafter as the “ testing cell ”) is shown to include a glass vessel 102 having a generally central port 104 that receives a working electrode 106 and a laterally disposed port 108 that receives a counter electrode 110 . the testing cell 100 also typically includes a gas inlet port 112 for bubbling / saturation of the testing solution prior to a test procedure , as well as additional ports 114 for ventilation and gas flowing purposes . the testing cell 100 , as described to this point , is generally conventional . the testing cell 100 also includes a port 116 , which preferably is at a level close to , or slightly below , the level of the working electrode 106 . the port 116 receives a pipe 118 that forms a passageway for communication with a reference cell 120 , which holds a reference electrode 124 . as will be apparent from the following discussion , the reference electrode 124 serves as a common reference electrode for a plurality of working electrodes 106 and , as such , is shared by a plurality of testing cells 100 . accordingly , an individual reference electrode for each testing cell 100 is not necessary with the present invention . with reference to fig4 , the electrochemical cell assembly 200 according to the present invention is shown to include a plurality or array of electrochemical cells ( testing cells 100 , such as shown in fig3 ) and a single or common reference cell 120 . the reference cell 120 includes a double bridge assembly 125 that receives the reference electrode 124 . the double bridge assembly 125 is generally conventional , and includes an inner bridge tube 124 a and an outer bridge tube 124 b . the inner bridge tube 124 a is filled with a reference solution 130 a . the outer bridge tube 124 b is also filled with a testing solution 130 b , which is identical to the testing solution 130 in the testing cell 100 . each of the inner and outer bridge tubes 124 a , 124 b include a bridge 124 a ′, 124 b ′ ( preferably formed from vycor frit ) to isolate the interior of the bridge tubes 124 a , 124 b so as to avoid contaminating the testing solution 130 of the testing cell 100 . depending upon the type of reference electrode 124 used in the particular test , the reference solution 130 a may be similar to the testing solution 130 ( i . e ., sulfuric acid ) or may be different from the testing solution 130 . for example , when a mercury - mercurous sulfate ( mms ) reference electrode is used , the reference solution 130 a is sulfuric acid of higher concentration than that of the testing solution 130 . on the other hand , when a saturated calomel ( sce ) reference electrode is used , the reference solution 130 a is potassium chloride , while the testing solution remains sulfuric acid , in which case the illustrated double bridge construction is necessary . the reference cell 120 is in fluid communication with each of the testing cells 100 via the pipes 118 . preferably , the reference electrode 124 is disposed in the double bridge assembly 125 , which is immersed in the testing solution 130 ( sulfuric acid ) contained within the testing cells 100 , the pipes 118 , and the remainder of the reference cell 120 . as noted before , the double bridge assembly 125 includes a pair of bridges 124 a ′, 124 b ′ or filters that fluidly isolate the reference solution 130 a from the testing solution 130 , while permitting electrical connection or communication therebetween . it is assured that the distance between reference electrode 124 and each working electrode 106 is the same . although it is preferred to fluidly isolate the solution in reference electrode 124 in the double bridge assembly 125 , and thereby provide redundant isolation from the testing solution 130 by means of the bridges 124 a ′, 124 b ′, it is considered apparent that the outer bridge tube 124 b , and its associated bridge 124 b ′, could be disposed of and that this isolation function performed by a bridge 124 b ″ disposed within each of the pipes 118 , or at one end of the pipes 118 , as illustrated by dashed lines in fig4 . further , while the pipes 118 are preferred , it is contemplated that these pipes could be replaced with siphon - type fluid connections 118 ′, which are preferred by some researchers . it is important to note that with a common reference electrode according to the present invention , an array of testing cells 100 can be employed . while the array depicted in fig5 includes six testing cells , this is only for purposes of clarity and brevity . rather , it is contemplated that the array may consist of 8 , 16 , 64 , 96 , 128 or any number of testing cells 100 that may be physically disposed around the reference cell 120 . for example , the testing cells 100 may occupy several concentric rings or rows surrounding the reference cell 100 . it is further noted that the testing cells 100 may be disposed vertically above and below the reference cell 120 . each of the testing cells 100 has a working electrode 106 and a counter electrode 110 . preferably , the counter electrode 110 is disposed on the side of the working electrode 106 opposite to the connection of the pipe 118 with the testing cell 100 , as illustrated in fig4 - 5 . the counter electrode 110 is conventional in design , and is disposed within a bridge tube or compartment 110 a that includes a frit bridge 110 b . the working electrode 106 is a conventional rde / rrde having an electrode material 106 a imbedded in an inert insulating body 106 b . a metal shaft 106 c extends from the body 106 b and electrically connects the electrode material 106 a to a controller / analyzer 144 , discussed hereinafter . a chemical composition , whose electron transfer characteristics are to be examined , is coated , via known deposition techniques , on the outer surface of the electrode material 106 a . the working electrode shaft 106 c is secured to a rotator 140 that drives the working electrode 106 at a stable , verifiable rotational speed , such as between about 100 - 8000 rpm or more . the rotator 140 of the array of testing cells 100 may be a motor or may be a device that is magnetically or mechanically driven by a master motor , as described hereinafter . in use , the reference electrode 124 is disposed within the reference cell 120 , and the reference cell 120 is connected to each of the testing cells 100 via a pipe 118 , as illustrated . a counter electrode 110 and working electrode 106 are inserted into each testing cell 100 , and the working electrode 106 is rotatably secured to its associated rotator 140 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 , the rotator 140 is a motor that is controlled by a motor controller 142 . preferably , a multi - channel potentiostat 144 ( such as sold as a potentiostat / galvanostat by princeton applied research and as a multistat by solartron analytical of houston , tex .) is used to apply the desired potential to the electrodes during the testing procedure , and to record the current of the test in real time . naturally , the motor controller 142 and the potentiostat 144 may be integrated into a single device ; typically a computer based multi - channel control system . during the testing procedure a reference potential is established in the assembly 200 via the common reference electrode 124 , a current is generated through the testing solution between the counter electrode 110 and the working electrode 106 within each testing cell 100 while the working electrode 106 is rotated at a desired speed by the associated rotator 140 . through sweeping the potential , current density of the electrochemical reaction on the working electrode surface can be measured , which offers valuable information about the kinetics of the reaction . due to the electrical connection with the testing solution , the single reference electrode 124 is common to each of the testing cells 100 , greatly reducing the costs , set - up work , and time associated with each testing procedure . moreover , the multiple tests simultaneously conducted will inherently have identical testing environments , which leads to more consistent results . while the present invention has been described with particularity herein , it is considered apparent that numerous modifications , rearrangements , and substitutions of parts may be resorted to without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . for example , instead of providing individual motors for each working electrode , it is contemplated that a single motor may be used to more reliably and accurately drive each working electrode . this alternative is schematically illustrated in fig8 , wherein a single motor 140 a ( i . e ., master motor ) is linked to the rotators 140 by a coupling 141 a , 141 b . the coupling 141 a , 141 b may be mechanical ( i . e ., gears , toothed drive belts , etc .) or may be magnetic . with this arrangement , only one motor 140 a is required and the rotators 140 and associated working electrodes will be reliably and consistently driven at identical rotational speeds . accordingly , control over the electrochemical cell assembly 200 is greatly simplified . accordingly , the present invention is not to be limited by the currently preferred embodiments described herein , but rather is only to be defined by the claims appended hereto .
| 6Physics
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an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a scull made of fiber - reinforced plastic ( which will sometimes herein be referred to as &# 34 ; frp &# 34 ;), will be described herein . in fig1 and 2 : reference numeral 1 indicates a deck ; numeral 2 a hull ; numeral 4 a slide seat ; numeral 5 a pair of rails ; numeral 6 a pair of outriggers ; and numeral 7 a stretcher . deck 1 is molded of frp into a longitudinally integral structure and has its center portion recessed to form a cockpit 3 between its sides . as shown in fig3 deck 1 has its side portions 11 merging into side walls 31 and the bottom wall 32 of the cockpit 3 . it is bonded to hull 2 so that its folded end portions clamp the upper edges of the hull 2 . although only one side is shown in fig1 the other side is formed in a symmetrical shape . side deck portions 11 ( i . e . at both sides of the cockpit ) are connected to each other by means of a pipe frame 8 which is arranged to extend beneath cockpit 3 in such a manner as to clamp the same . a reinforcing plate 80 is attached to the connecting portion between the cockpit 3 and each respective side deck portion 11 . at the outer side of the connecting portion , there is attached one of the outriggers 6 , the reinforcing plate 60 of which is fastened to the reinforcing plate 80 through the corresponding side deck portion 11 by means of a bolt ( not shown ). outrigger 6 is supported by means of a supporting arm 61 , which is attached to deck 1 , and has a leading end portion formed with threads 62 . to threads 62 , there is screwed a clamping member 63 , to the supporting column 64 of which is rotatably attached an oarlock 65 ( as shown in fig4 ). reference numeral 66 shows a spacer . clamping member 63 can be fixed in a preset orientation by friction which is effected by tightening a bolt 67 . if bolt 67 is loosened , clamping member 63 can be turned along the threads 62 so that the angle of rotation of the oarlock 65 can be set to any desired value . as a result , the swath of the oar blade can be adjusted , and the oarlock 65 can be tilted outward and inwardly . moreover , the distance of the oarlock 65 from the center of the scull ( e . g ., the rigger spread ) can be adjusted . with the described construction , deck 1 is integral with the cockpit , surrounds it , and with the cockpit covers the hull . its side portions are connected and reinforced in the vicinity of the hull and cockpit by means of pipe frame 8 so that it provides the main strength member , having a high strength , for the hull . as a result , outriggers 6 can be attached to deck 1 . moreover , since the positions where the outriggers 6 are attached are high because they are attached to the deck , little water is liable to attack outriggers 6 , when the scull navigates , thus obviating the drawback that the attacking water causes resistance and also might flow into the hull , as is often experienced by the prior art wherein the outriggers are attached to the hull itself . referring now to fig3 there are provided within cockpit 3 paired rails 5 , which are fixed to bottom wall 32 by means of bolts 55 . slide seat 4 is arranged on the rails 5 so that it can slide back and forth . seat 4 is constructed with a seat portion 45 ( made of polystyrene foam ) atop the seat base . there are attached to the lower sides of the seat base an even number of bearings 41 for rotatably holding axles 42 , to both ends of which are fixed wheels 43 . a guide plate 44 is attached to the outer side of the bearings 41 so that wheels 43 may be prevented from leaving the rails 5 . each seat 4 is equipped with four wheels 43 which are received in rails 5 , as shown , so that they can roll back and forth along rails 5 . each of bearings 41 is formed , as shown in fig6 with a slot 49 through which axles 42 extend and which has its lower portion 47 separated at a separating portion 48 where it is elastically opened at portion 48 , as shown in broken lines , so that wheels 43 can be replaced without any difficulty . on the other hand , because the reciprocating movements of the seat 4 are effected in a manner to correspond to those of the oars , and because the pressure from the rower is not applied completely in parallel with the rails 5 , wheels 43 are required to stably roll on the rails 5 even when an eccentric load is applied . in the embodiment being described , because the paired wheels 43 at both sides are fixed to both ends of each axle 42 , wheels 43 always maintain their relative relationship with the rails 5 even for an eccentric load , so that they can always smoothly roll on the rails . within cockpit 3 there is provided a pair of grooves supporting rails 90 having elongated openings , which rails are fixed to the inner sides of side walls 31 , and in which are fitted sliding members 99 with their bolt portions 92 extending through end portion 91 of stretcher supporting beam 9 , and fastened by means of a nut 98 . stretcher 7 is constructed , as shown in fig7 of foot rest 71 and reinforcing member 72 . reinforcing member 72 has its lower end portion fixed to bottom wall 32 of the cockpit by the combination of a bolt and a nut . its angle of inclination is varied by means of a hinge 75 . on the other hand , the upper end of stretcher 7 is connected by a bolt - nut combination 74 so that a preset gap is formed between foot rest 71 and reinforcing member 72 . as a result , stretcher 7 is held in a preset angle of inclination by having the aforementioned stretcher supporting beam 9 extending through the gap between foot rest 71 and reinforcing member 72 . since stretcher supporting beam 9 is made movable from a position a to a position b between foot rest 71 and reinforcing member 72 , foot rest 71 can be shifted from position a to position b by changing the attached position of the stretcher supporting beam to the supporting rails . when the attached position is to be changed , it is sufficient to loosen nut 98 and then to fasten nut 98 again after sliding member 99 is shifted to a preset position within supporting rails 90 . since supporting rails 90 ( as shown in fig1 ) at both sides are attached to both side walls of the cockpit , which are curved in the longitudinal direction , the spacing between is changed in the longitudinal direction . therefore , when it is intended to change the attached positions of stretcher supporting beams 9 , their length must be accordingly changed . however , since each of stretcher supporting beams 9 is composed of telescopic pipes having different diameters so that it can extend and contract , it can always have a length corresponding to the spacing between the supporting rails 90 , if changed , thus making it unnecessary to replace supporting beams 9 each time . as shown in fig3 and 7 , because supporting rails 90 are constructed of the grooved member which has a vertically elongated cross - section , they can be bent along and attached to curved side walls 31 of the cockpit without difficulty . incidentally , if the auxiliary seat is detachably attached by the use of supporting rails 90 , the scull can be used not only as a training scull , but also as a usual scull without weight increase . between deck 1 and hull 2 , there is formed a sealed space 10 , by which the scull is prevented from sinking even if water floods the cockpit 3 . cockpit 3 is formed , as best shown in fig8 and 9 , at its front portion with an open portion which is covered with a cover 12 and within which is arranged a supporting member 16 made of polyurethane foam and acting as a float . the portion of supporting member 16 which faces the open portion is formed with a recess 18 that can be used as a receptacle . on the other hand , the rear portion of cockpit 3 is also equipped , as shown in fig1 and 13 , with a cover 13 for an open portion and with a supporting member 17 , which is also formed with a recess 19 . deck 1 is formed at its rear center portion with a grooved recess 20 so that the water , which has entered the cockpit 3 due to acceleration of the scull occasioned by oar rowing action , is expelled along the gentle slope of the rear end of cockpit 3 into grooved recess 20 until it is discharged back along recess 20 . turning now to fig1 showing the top ball at the bow of the scull , the folded portions of the deck 1 and the hull 2 are clamped at the bow end of each other and sealed by means of a sealing member 77 . top ball 14 is attached to these portions by fastening a screw 79 through a backing member 78 into them . screw 79 also acts to connect hull 2 and deck 1 . as shown in fig1 , a fin 15 is detachably attached to the stern end of the scull by means of a bolt 39 so that it can be used as a rudder , by loosening the bolt 39 . as has been described herein , the present invention is characterized in that the cockpit is made integral with the deck , in that the deck is made to act as the main strength member , and in that the deck has both its side portions connected through the cockpit by means of a frame . as a result , the thickness of the hull can be reduced , and the outriggers can be attached to the deck , thus eliminating the drawback that water attacks the outriggers , when the scull navigates , thereby to eliminate the resistance to the scull . this invention is not to be limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings and described in the description , which is given by way of example and not of limitation , but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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we have discovered that certain oxygenated or nitrogenous organic compounds , some individually but principally as mixtures , will effectively negate the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water ternary azeotrope and permit the separation of pure isopropanol from isopropyl acetate by rectification when employed as the agent in extractive distillation . table 1 lists a number of phthalates and their mixtures and approximate proportions that we have found to be effective . the data in table 1 was obtained in a vapor - liquid equilibrium still . in each case , the starting material was the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope . the ratios are parts by weight of extractive agent used per part of isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope . the phthalates that are effective are dimethyl phthalate , diethyl phthalate , dibutyl phthalate , dihexyl phthalate , diisooctyl phthalate , diisononyl phthalate , diisodecyl phthalate , butyl benzyl phthalate and butyl cyclohexyl phthalate . the relative volatility shown in table 1 corresponds to the ratio employed . for example , one part of dimethyl phthalate with one part of isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope gives a relative volatility of 1 . 8 . one half part of dimethyl phthalate mixed with one half part of benzyl benzoate with one part of the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope gives a relative volatility of 2 . 0 . table 1______________________________________extractive agents which contain phthalates relativecompounds ratios volatility______________________________________dimethyl phthalate 1 1 . 8diethyl phthalate &# 34 ; 1 . 5dibutyl phthalate &# 34 ; 1 . 4dihexyl phthalate &# 34 ; 1 . 3diisooctyl phthalate &# 34 ; 1 . 5diisononyl phthalate &# 34 ; 2 . 2diisodecyl phthalate &# 34 ; 1 . 3butyl benzyl phthalate &# 34 ; 1 . 3butyl cyclohexyl phthalate &# 34 ; 1 . 4dimethyl phthalate , benzyl benzoate 1 / 2 : 1 / 2 2 . 0dimethyl phthalate , ethyl benzoate &# 34 ; 1 . 8dimethyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 0dimethyl phthalate , glycerol triacetate &# 34 ; 1 . 8dimethyl phthalate , nitroethane &# 34 ; 2 . 1diethyl phthalate , ethyl benzoate &# 34 ; 1 . 4diethyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 2dibutyl phthalate , adiponitrile &# 34 ; 1 . 3dibutyl phthalate , ethyl benzoate &# 34 ; 1 . 9dibutyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 1dibutyl phthalate , hexylene glycol diacetate &# 34 ; 1 . 3dibutyl phthalate , nitromethane &# 34 ; 2 . 0dibutyl phthalate , nitroethane &# 34 ; 2 . 1dibutyl phthalate , 2 - nitropropane &# 34 ; 2 . 1dihexyl phthalate , adiponitrile &# 34 ; 1 . 9dihexyl phthalate , ethyl benzoate &# 34 ; 1 . 4dihexyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 1 . 8dihexyl phthalate , ethylene glycol diacetate &# 34 ; 1 . 3dihexyl phthalate , hexylene glycol diacetate &# 34 ; 1 . 2dihexyl phthalate , glycerol triacetate &# 34 ; 2 . 1dihexyl phthalate , &# 34 ; 1 . 3diethylene glycol diethyl etherdihexyl phthalate , propylene carbonate &# 34 ; 1 . 5diisooctyl phthalate , adiponitrile &# 34 ; 1 . 6diisooctyl phthalate , ethyl benzoate &# 34 ; 1 . 9diisooctyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 1 . 5diisononyl phthalate , adiponitrile &# 34 ; 1 . 9diisononyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 1diisodecyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 1butyl benzyl phthalate , benzyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 0butyl benzyl phthalate , ethyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 1butyl benzyl phthalate , methyl benzoate &# 34 ; 2 . 1diethyl phthalate , methyl benzoate , 1 / 3 : 1 / 3 : 1 / 3 2 . 11 - nitropropanedibutyl phthalate , methyl benzoate , &# 34 ; 2 . 11 - nitropropanedibutyl phthalate , methyl benzoate , &# 34 ; 2 . 1nitromethanedibutyl phthalate , methyl benzoate , &# 34 ; 2 . 22 - nitropropane______________________________________ table 2__________________________________________________________________________data from runs made in rectification column . time stillpot temp . ° c . overhead temp . weight % isopropanol relativeagentmin . at start sampling when sampling overhead bottoms volatility__________________________________________________________________________methyl60 79 . 2 108 . 2 78 . 2 54 . 9 15 . 1 1 . 53benzoate90 79 . 2 117 . 2 77 . 0 56 . 5 17 . 5 1 . 49120 79 . 2 123 . 2 76 . 6 56 . 9 12 . 4 1 . 64 1 . 55 averagemethyl60 76 . 8 95 . 4 76 . 4 74 . 6 40 . 7 1 . 38benzoate , 90 76 . 8 102 . 4 76 . 6 75 . 1 37 . 0 1 . 44diisooctyl120 76 . 8 107 . 2 74 . 8 76 . 1 36 . 4 1 . 46phthalate 1 . 43 average__________________________________________________________________________notes : feed , agent flow boilup rate agent agent comp . agent % isopropanol ml / min . ml / min . temp . weight % methyl benzoate 13 20 10 - 20 70 - 75 100 % mebenzoatemethyl benzoate , 13 20 10 - 20 65 - 75 50 % mebenzoatediisooctylphthalate two of the compounds and mixtures listed in table 1 whose relative volatility had been determined in the vapor - liquid equilibrium still , were then evaluated in a glass perforated plate rectification column possessing 4 . 5 theoretical plates . the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water mixture studied contained 76 wt . % isopropyl acetate , 13 wt . % isopropanol and 11 wt . % water which is the azeotrope composition . in every case , the overhead was richer than 13 wt . % isopropanol and the results are tabulated in table 2 . without the extractive agent , the overhead would be the azeotrope , 13 wt . % isopropanol . this proves that the extractive agent is negating the azeotrope and makes rectification proceed as if the azeotrope no longer exists and brings the more volatile component , isopropanol , out as overhead product . it is our belief that this is the first time that this has been accomplished for this azeotrope . the data in table 2 was obtained in the following manner . the charge was 76 wt . % isopropyl acetate , 13 wt . % isopropanol and 11 wt . % water and after a half hour of operation in the 4 . 5 theoretical plate column to establish equilibrium , methyl benzoate at 70 °- 75 ° c . and 20 ml / min . was pumped in . the rectification was continued for two hours with sampling of the overhead and bottoms after one hour , 1 . 5 hours and two hours . the average of the three analyses was 56 . 1 wt . % isopropanol in the overhead and 45 wt . % in the bottoms which gives a relative volatility of 1 . 55 . this indicates that the ternary azeotrope has been negated and separation accomplished . the usefulness or utility of this invention can be demonstrated by referring to the data presented in tables 1 and 2 . all of the successful extractive distillation agents show that isopropyl acetate , isopropanol and water can be separated from their ternary azeotrope by means of distillation in a rectification column and that the ease of separation as measured by relative volatility is considerable . without these extractive distillation agents , no improvement above the azeotrope composition will occur in a rectification column . the data also show that the most attractive agents will operate at a boilup rate low enough to make this a useful and efficient method of recovering high purity isopropanol from any mixture of these three including the ternary minimum azeotrope . the stability of the compounds used and the boiling point difference is such that complete recovery is obtainable by a simple distillation and the amount required for make - up is small . the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope is 76 wt . % isopropyl acetate , 13 wt . % isopropanol , 11 wt . % water . fifty grams of the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope and fifty grams of diethyl phthalate were charged to an othmer type glass vapor - liquid equilibrium still and refluxed for eleven hours . analyses of the vapor and liquid by gas chromatography gave a vapor composition of 21 . 7 % isopropanol , 78 . 3 % isopropyl acetate ; a liquid composition of 15 % isopropanol , 85 % isopropyl acetate . this indicates a relative volatility of 1 . 5 fifty grams of the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope , 25 grams of methyl benzoate and 25 grams of diisooctyl phthalate were charged to the vapor - liquid equilibrium still and refluxed for 12 hours . analyses indicated a vapor composition of 20 . 2 % isopropanol , 79 . 8 % isopropyl acetate ; a liquid composition of 15 % isopropanol , 85 % isopropyl acetate which is a relative volatility of 1 . 43 . fifty grams of the isopropyl acetate - isopropanol - water azeotrope , 17 grams dibutyl phthalate , 17 grams of methyl benzoate and 17 grams of nitromethane were charged to the vapor - liquid equilibrium still and refluxed for 12 hours . analyses indicated a vapor composition of 21 . 7 % isopropanol , 78 . 3 % isopropyl acetate ; a liquid composition of 11 . 5 % isopropanol , 88 . 5 % isopropyl acetate which is a relative volatility of 2 . 13 . a glass perforated plate rectification column was calibrated with ethylbenzene and p - xylene which possesses a relative volatility of 1 . 06 and found to have 4 . 5 theoretical plates . a solution of 304 grams of isopropyl acetate , 52 grams of isopropanol and 44 grams of water was placed in the stillpot and heated . when refluxing began , an extractive agent comprising methyl benzoate was pumped into the column at a rate of 20 ml / min . the temperature of the extractive agent as it entered the column was 70 °- 75 ° c . after establishing the feed rate of the extractive agent , heat input to the isopropyl acetate , isopropanol and water in the stillpot was adjusted to give a total reflux of 10 - 20 ml / min . after one hour of operation , the overhead and bottoms samples of approximately two ml . were collected and analysed using gas chromatography . the overhead analyses were 54 . 9 % isopropanol , 45 . 1 % isopropyl acetate . the bottoms analyses were 15 . 1 % isopropanol , 84 . 9 % isopropyl acetate . using these compositions in the fenske equation , with the number of theoretical plates in the column being 4 . 5 , gave an average relative volatility of 1 . 53 for each theoretical plate . after 11 / 2 hours of total operating time , the overhead and bottoms samples were taken and analysed . the overhead composition wes 56 . 5 % isopropanol , 43 . 5 % isopropyl acetate and the bottoms composition was 17 . 5 % isopropanol , 82 . 5 % isopropyl acetate . this gave an average relative volatility of 1 . 49 for each theoretical plate . after two hours of total operating time , the overhead and bottoms samples were again taken and analysed . the overhead composition was 56 . 9 % isopropanol , 43 . 1 % isopropyl acetate and the bottoms composition was 12 . 4 % isopropanol , 87 . 6 % isopropyl acetate . this gave an average relative volatility of 1 . 64 for each theoretical plate . a solution of 304 grams of isopropyl acetate , 52 grams of isopropanol and 44 grams of water was placed in the stillpot of the same column used in example 4 and heat applied . when refluxing began , an extractive agent comprising 50 % methyl benzoate and 50 % diisooctyl phthalate was fed to the top of the column at a feed rate of 20 ml / min . and a temperature of 65 °- 75 ° c . after establishing the feed rate of the extractive agent , the heat input to the isopropyl acetate , isopropanol and water in the stillpot was adjusted to give a total reflux rate of 10 - 20 ml / min . having established the reflux rate , the column was allowed to operate for one hour . after one hour of steady operation , overhead and bottoms samples of approximately two ml . were collected and analysed using gas chromatography . the overhead analyses were 74 . 6 % isopropanol , 25 . 4 % isopropyl acetate ; the bottoms analyses were 40 . 7 % isopropanol , 59 . 3 % isopropyl acetate . using these compositions in the fenske equation with the number of theoretical plates in the column being 4 . 5 , gave an average relative volatility of 1 . 38 for each theoretical plate . after 11 / 2 hours of total operation , the overhead composition was 75 . 1 ° isopropanol , 24 . 9 % isopropyl acetate and the bottoms composition was 37 % isopropanol , 63 % isopropyl acetate . this gave an average relative volatility of 1 . 44 for each theoretical plate . after two hours of total operation , the overhead was 76 . 1 % isopropanol , 23 . 9 % isopropyl acetate and the bottoms was 36 . 4 % isopropanol , 63 . 6 % isopropyl acetate . this gave an average relative volatility 1 . 46 for each theoretical plate .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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the present invention relates to methods and compositions used to improve the sensitivity , the spectrum of immunoreactivity , and the specificity of antigens used as immunologic targets for detection . in preferred embodiments , the detection can be performed by enzyme immunoassay ( eia ). the method , designated restriction endonuclease assisted ligation ( real ), involves the construction of an artificial gene from synthetic oligonucleotides . the compositions are synthetic proteins composed of a mosaic of broadly immunoreactive antigenic epitopes from several genotypes of a species , for example hepatitis c virus ( hcv ). the mosaic protein compositions can be used for immunologic detection of , or vaccination against , the organisms from which they are derived . the invention further contemplates that the nucleic acids encoding the mosaic proteins can be used for immunologic detection of , or vaccination against , the organisms from which they are derived . therefore , in addition to compositions and methods for detecting hepatitis , the invention provides a hepatitis vaccine comprising a mosaic protein , or a gene encoding therefor . real employs the use of the klenow fragment of dna polymerase i to convert specially designed complimentary oligonucleotides into double stranded dna fragments , which are subsequently amplified by pcr . restriction sites were engineered into the cloning vector and used to produce complimentary overhangs for the addition of consecutive fragments . each fragment may be cloned and expressed individually , for example in escherichia coli to determine their immunoreactivity or may be assembled into full length product without cloning . two consecutive fragments are subsequently ligated , amplified by pcr , cleaved with restriction endonucleases , and ligated with dna ligase to assemble each fragment into a longer fragment in a consecutive process . by repeating this process fragments of increasing length are assembled , expressed and analyzed for immunoreactivity , and reiterated until the full length gene is assembled . in particular , the present invention provides a method of constructing an artificial gene , comprising synthesizing an initial oligonucleotide containing an initial gene segment encoding an initial gene product . the initial gene segment is flanked in the upstream direction ( 5 ′) by an upstream initial ligating sequence , a first endonuclease recognition sequence that is recognized by a first endonuclease that cleaves at the first endonuclease recognition sequence , and a second endonuclease recognition sequence which is recognized by a second endonuclease that cleaves downstream of the first endonuclease recognition sequence and within the upstream initial ligating sequence . additionally , the initial gene segment is flanked in the downstream direction ( 3 ′) by a downstream initial ligating sequence , a stop codon , a third endonuclease recognition sequence that is recognized by a third endonuclease that cleaves at the third endonuclease recognition sequence , and a fourth endonuclease recognition sequence which is recognized by a fourth endonuclease that cleaves upstream of the third endonuclease recognition sequence , upstream of the stop codon , and within the downstream initial ligating sequence . an example of such an initial oligonucleotide can be seen in fig4 , wherein “ segment ” designates the initial gene segment and “ nnnnnn ” designates the initial ligating sequence . the method further comprises synthesizing a subsequent oligonucleotide containing a subsequent gene segment encoding a subsequent gene product . the subsequent gene segment is flanked in the upstream direction ( 5 ′) by an upstream subsequent ligating sequence , a first endonuclease recognition sequence which is recognized by the first endonuclease that cleaves at the first endonuclease recognition sequence , and a second endonuclease recognition sequence which is recognized by the second endonuclease that cleaves downstream of the first endonuclease recognition sequence and within the upstream subsequent ligating sequence . the subsequent gene segment is flanked in the downstream direction ( 3 ′) by a downstream subsequent ligating sequence , a stop codon , a third endonuclease recognition sequence which is recognized by the third endonuclease that cleaves at the third endonuclease recognition sequence , and a fourth endonuclease recognition sequence which is recognized by the fourth endonuclease that cleaves upstream of the third endonuclease recognition sequence , upstream of the stop codon , and within the downstream subsequent ligating sequence . an example of such an subsequent oligonucleotide can be seen in fig4 , wherein “ segment ” designates the subsequent gene segment and “ nnnnnn ” designates the subsequent ligating sequence . the method further comprises the step of cleaving the initial oligonucleotide with the fourth endonuclease , and cleaving the subsequent oligonucleotide with the second endonuclease . an example of this step is shown in fig6 and 7 . the method further comprises the step of ligating the initial oligonucleotide and the subsequent oligonucleotide together at the downstream initial ligating sequence of the initial oligonucleotide and the upstream subsequent ligating sequence of the subsequent oligonucleotide to form an artificial gene . an example of this step is shown in fig8 . the invention contemplated that additional subsequent oligonucleotides can be prepared , cleaved and ligated in a likewise fashion to make any artificial gene . in a preferred embodiment , the invention provides the subsequent step of cleaving the artificial gene with the first and third endonucleases and inserting the remaining artificial gene into a vector previously cleaved with the first and third endonucleases . this step permits insertion of the final vector construct into a living organism , such as e . coli , and the recombinant expression of the artificial gene to produce the mosaic protein . the invention provides the unique opportunity following the synthesizing the initial oligonucleotide step , and before the cleaving the initial oligonucleotide with the fourth endonuclease step , of confirming the operability of the initial oligonucleotide by cleaving the initial oligonucleotide with the first and third endonucleases and inserting the remaining initial oligonucleotide into a vector previously cleaved with the first and third endonucleases , and expressing the initial gene segment . an example of such an additional step is shown in fig5 , wherein “ segment ” designates the initial gene segment and “ nnnnnn ” designates the initial ligating sequence . this step is made possible by the inclusion of the stop codon downstream of the gene segment , which is removed by the addition of the fourth endonuclease in subsequent steps . in preferred embodiments , the first and third endonucleases are ecori and bamhi , respectively . however , it will be understood that any endonucleases that cleave at the recognition sequence , can be used , with the proviso that two different endonucleases are employed . examples of other suitable restriction endonucleases include : aflii , alw44i , apai , apaii , bcli , bglii , bsphi , bsshii , hindiii , kpni , mlui , nari , ncoi , psti , sali , or xhoi . in preferred embodiments , the second and fourth endonucleases are bbvi and foki , respectively . however , it will be understood that any endonuclease that cleaves downstream of the first endonuclease recognition sequence , or upstream of the third endonuclease recognition sequence , respectively , and within the ligating sequences , can be used , with the proviso that two different endonucleases are employed . examples of other suitable restriction endonucleases that restrict the nucleic acid at a site away from the recognition site include : bspmi , hgai , mboii , or sfani . the invention provides that in preferred embodiments the initial and subsequent gene segments encode antigenic regions of a homologous protein from different genotypes of a hepatitis virus . the invention contemplates , however , that the real technique can be used for the construction of any mosaic or chimeric protein . in preferred embodiments , the gene segments encode antigenic regions of homologous proteins of different genotypes of a hepatitis c virus . preferably , the gene segments encode antigenic regions of a nucleocapsid protein or a non - structural protein of different genotypes of a hepatitis c virus . the invention further provides an artificial gene constructed by the above methods . the invention further provides a mosaic protein encoded by the artificial gene constructed by the above methods . the invention further provides a method of detecting a hepatitis infection in an individual comprising combining a serum sample from the individual with the mosaic protein made by the above methods , and detecting the presence of antibody binding to the mosaic protein , the presence of binding indicating a hepatitis infection in the individual . preferably , an enzyme immunoassay ( eia ) is performed for detection of a hepatitis infection , as is described in examples 2 and 3 . the detection of antibody binding can be facilitated by the use of detectable moieties , such as fluorescence , radioisotopes or solid substrate capture . the invention provides mosaic proteins comprising a plurality of homologous antigenic peptides from different genotypes of a hepatitis virus . in particular , the invention provides mosaic proteins comprising a plurality of homologous antigenic nucleocapsid peptides from different genotypes of a hepatitis c virus . further , the invention provides mosaic proteins comprising a plurality of homologous antigenic non - structural peptides from different genotypes of a hepatitis c virus . the invention also provides the gene sequences which encode for such mosaic proteins . in one preferred embodiment , the mosaic protein can comprise a plurality of homologous antigenic nucleocapsid peptides from different genotypes of a hepatitis c virus as set forth in the amino acid sequences set forth in seq id nos : 23 - 33 , detailed in example 2 , herein . in another preferred embodiment , the mosaic protein can comprise a plurality of homologous antigenic non - structural peptides from different genotypes of a hepatitis c virus as set forth in the amino acid sequence of seq id no : 52 , detailed in example 3 , herein . it will be understood that certain minor or silent amino acid modifications and / or substitutions can be made in the amino acid sequences , while maintaining the antigenic functionality of the mosaic proteins . it will also be understood that certain silent or wobble nucleotide modifications and / or substitutions can be made in the gene sequences , while maintaining the ability of the gene to be ligated by the real technique and the antigenic functionality of the encoded mosaic proteins . this invention is further illustrated by the following examples , which are not to be construed in any way as imposing limitations upon the scope thereof . on the contrary , it is to be clearly understood that resort may be had to various other embodiments , modifications , and equivalents thereof which , after reading the description herein , may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention and / or the scope of the appended claims . the references mentioned in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties . each monomer , or dna segment encoding a peptide of interest , was prepared from synthetic oligonucleotides of 40 - 80 nucleotides that overlapped at 8 - 10 nucleotides and contained an ecori site on the 5 ′- terminus of the plus strand and a bamhi site on the 5 ′- terminus of the negative strand . more detailed examples of such monomers can be seen in seq id nos : 1 - 22 and 34 - 51 described in examples 2 and 3 herein . single strand dna was converted to double stranded dna by adding 50 pmol of each oligodeoxynucleotide , 2 μl bamhi buffer ( boehringer mannheim , indianapolis , ind .) and 2 . 5 pmol dntps in a total volume of 20 μl . the mixture was heated to 95 ° c . for 1 minute and cooled on ice . after adding 1 μl of the klenow fragment of dna polymerase i ( promega , madison , wis . ), the reaction mixture was incubated 30 minutes at room temperature . an incubation step at 65 ° c . for 10 minutes was used to inactivate the dna polymerase . the resulting double stranded dna molecule was cleaved with the restriction enzymes ecori and bamhi and ligated into pcv3 using the t4 dna fast ligation kit ( boehringer mannheim , indianapolis , ind .). ( fig1 ) all internal bbvi , ecori , bamhi , and foki restriction endonuclease sites were previously removed from the synthetic gene by introducing synonymous modifications into codons . the pcv3 vector was created by modification of the multiple cloning site in the expression vector pgex - 4t - 2 ( pharmacia , piscataway , n . j .). after cleaving the vector with bamhi and noti to remove the internal ecori site , the recovered vector was treated with the klenow fragment of dna polymerase ( promega , madison , wis .) in the presence of gtp and atp to prevent self annealing of the restricted plasmid . ( fig2 ) subsequently , a double - stranded dna molecule was prepared by annealing two complimentary oligonucleotides containing one ecori site flanked by a bbvi site , and one bamhi site flanked by a foki site . this dna molecule was inserted into the multiple cloning site of the modified vector by dna ligase . ( fig3 ) the final structure of pcv3 was confirmed by restriction enzyme analysis and by dna sequencing . after each monomer was inserted into the pcv3 vector , it was amplified by pcr using plasmid specific primers thereby acquiring bbvi and foki sites and each structure was confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis and dna sequencing . fig4 shows the elements for each cloned monomer or segment of the synthetic gene . the solid line separating each strand represents the coding sequence of each monomer followed by a stop codon so that each fragment may be individually expressed . the ecori and bamhi sites are used for cloning , while the bbvi and foki sites are used to remove the ecori and bamhi sites and to produce overhangs complimentary to the next consecutive monomer . the process of consecutive assembly of monomers or fragments into a synthetic gene is illustrated in fig5 - 8 . the first monomer is restricted with ecori and bamhi and ligated into similarly treated pcv3 . following amplification by pcr each segment acquired the restriction sites bbvi and foki ( fig4 ). restriction with bbvi creates a 5 ′ overhang 8 base pairs downstream of a gcagc sequence , whereas restriction with foki creates a 5 ′ overhang 9 base pairs downstream of a ggatg sequence . therefore , upon reversing the order of the foki site on the anti - sense strand of the dna to create a 3 ′ overhang , and situating the restriction sites 8 and 9 base pairs , respectively , from 4 - nucleotide complimentary sequences , each consecutive monomer was alternately treated with foki and bbvi to produce complimentary overhangs , a 3 ′- overhang on the first segment and a 5 ′- overhang on the second segment ( fig6 and 7 ). the restricted segments were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis using 25 % low melting point agarose and stained with ethidium bromide . after staining with ethidium bromide and cutting out the bands with correct size , the dna was extracted by using the wizard pcr preps ( promega , madison , wis .) following the instructions of the manufacturer . bands corresponding to the restricted segments were recovered by melting the agarose , and each segment was purified using the wizard pcr preps dna purification system ( promega , madison , wis .). subsequently , the first amplified segment was treated with foki to produce a 5 ′- overhang complimentary to the 3 ′- overhang on the second monomer created by treatment with bbvi . each of the treated segments were purified and ligated with dna ligase . when two monomers were treated as described above , a dimer was formed which could be subsequently treated with ecori and bamhi , and cloned into similarly treated pcv3 . since each segment was supplied with its own stop codon , each monomer , dimer , and multimer could be expressed and analyzed individually . the n - terminal region spanning amino acids 5 - 33 of the nucleocapsid ( nc ) protein was selected as the region to develop a mosaic protein because of the presence of several strong and broadly immunoreactive antigenic epitopes ( unpublished data ). all known hcv sequences deposited in genebank were analyzed using the program fasta ( wisconsin package 9 . 0 , genetics computer group ( gcg ), madison , wis .). out of 77 available sequences demonstrating variations in this region , 11 variants representing 3 different hcv genotypes were selected for designing an artificial mosaic gene . fig9 represents the amino acid sequence of each of the 11 variants , referred to as fragments or monomers , comprising the mosaic nc protein . the construction of the artificial gene was accomplished using the previously described restriction endonuclease assisted ligation ( real ) method and the following synthetic oligonucleotides : each pair of oligonucleotides was converted into double stranded dna by the klenow fragment of dna polymerase i and subsequently cloned , resulting in 11 monomers of 28 amino acids . prior to sequential assembly by real , each fragment was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction , and determined to be the expected molecular weight by agarose gel electrophoresis with ethidium bromide staining . additionally , the primary structure of each fragment was confirmed by sequencing . to begin assembly of the mosaic protein , two consecutive monomers were assembled into 5 dimers as shown in fig1 . in the next step , the remaining monomer , g , was fused with the dimer ef to form a trimer , while the other consecutive dimers were assembled into the tetramers abcd and hijk . fragments efg and hijk were then assembled into a septamer , and the septamer was assembled into a full length , 924 base pair gene by adding the tetramer abcd . proteins were fused to the c - terminus of glutathione s - transferase by transforming competent escherichia coli cells , jm 109 ( invitrogen , san diego , calif . ), with plasmids containing each of the fragments . cells were grown in lb medium containing 100 μg ampicillin per ml in a bacteria shaker at 37 ° c . until the optical density at 600 nm was equal to 0 . 6 . the tac promoter was activated to achieve protein expression by adding isopropyl - b - d - thiogalactoside ( iptg ) at a final concentration of 1 mm . after 1 hour growth at 30 ° c ., the cells were harvested , and a lysate was prepared following the procedure described by sambrook j ., et al ., in molecular cloning — a laboratory manual , latest edition , p . 17 . 38 , cold spring harbor laboratory press , new york , 1989 . the glutathione s - transferase - mosaic fusion proteins were then purified by affinity chromatography using glutathione - sepharose columns ( pharmacia , piscataway , n . j .) ( smith d . b . and johnson k . s ., gene 67 : 37 - 40 , 1988 ). e . coli cells were transformed with plasmid constructs containing each of the pcr amplified fragments . after induction with iptg , crude lysates were prepared and high yields of proteins of the expected molecular mass were observed after analysis by 12 % sds - page ( data not shown ). a comparison of different induction conditions indicated that induction with 1 mm iptg for 1 hour at 30 ° c . gave the highest yield of soluble mosaic - fusion proteins ( data not shown ). following the preparation of lysates , the proportion of soluble protein was estimated to be about 50 - 60 %. each expressed nc fragment was purified by affinity chromatography according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s recommendations , and analyzed by 12 % sds - page and coomassie blue staining . all 21 purified proteins demonstrated a high degree of purity and electrophoresed to their expected molecular weights . although an artifactual doublet was present in many of the samples , this result is typical of the glutathione s - transferase ( gst ) expression system . the full length nc mosaic protein electrophoresed as a single band with an estimated molecular weight of 61 kda . to verify the immunoreactivity of each fragment , the gst - mosaic fusion proteins were analyzed by immunoblot using an anti - hcv positive sample having high anti - nc activity by matrix immunoassay . nitrocellulose membranes containing immobilized proteins were incubated for 1 hour with anti - nc positive human sera diluted 1 : 200 times in washing solution ( 0 . 1m pbs , ph 7 . 2 , containing 1 % bsa , and 0 . 5 % tween 20 ). the membranes were washed three times with washing solution and then incubated for 1 hour with affinity - purified goat anti - human immunoglobulin g conjugated to horseradish peroxidase ( biorad , richmond , calif .) diluted 1 : 5000 in washing solution . after washing , diaminobenzidine and hydrogen peroxide were added to develop the color reaction . as shown in fig1 ( asterisks indicate the location of specific immunoreactivity ), each of the purified proteins demonstrated immunoreactivity suggesting the accessibility of immunoreactive epitopes . the monomers were the least immunoreactive , and as the fragments increased in size they became increasingly more immunoreactive . many of the lanes corresponding to the higher molecular weight fragments demonstrate specific reactivity to proteolytic cleavage products . although fig1 shows data for 16 of the 21 proteins , the remaining 5 proteins behaved in a similar manner . twenty nanograms of full length affinity - purified gst - mosaic nc fusion protein in pbs ( ph 7 . 5 ) was added to microtiter wells ( immunolon ii : dynatech laboratories , inc ., chantilly , va .) and allowed to adsorb at room temperature for 12 hours after which the wells were blocked with 10 % normal goat serum ( ngs ), and 1 % bsa in pbs for 2 hours at 37 ° c . human sera diluted 1 : 500 in 0 . 1 m phosphate - buffered saline , ph 7 . 5 , containing 0 . 1 % tween 20 and 10 % ngs was added and incubated for 1 hour at 37 ° c . after washing , goat anti - human igg conjugated to horseradish peroxidase diluted 1 : 5000 in 0 . 1 m pbs , ph 7 . 5 , containing 0 . 1 % tween 20 and 10 % ngs was added , and the wells were incubated for 1 hour at 37 ° c . the wells were incubated for ten minutes in the dark with substrate . acid was added to stop the reaction and optical density ( od ) was measured at 490 nm . several collections of specimens were used to characterize the various fragments and to assess the nc mosaic eia : 1 .) 128 anti - hcv positive specimens obtained from paid plasma donors ( boston biomedica inc ., west bridgewater , mass . ), 2 .) a collection of normal blood donors negative for anti - hcv activity reposited at cdc , 3 .) 21 anti - hcv positive and genotyped specimens ( boehringer mannheim , mannheim , germany ), and 4 .) 4 anti - hcv positive seroconversion panels ( serologicals inc ., clarkston , ga .). a frequency distribution of 200 anti - hcv negative specimens were tested by eia to statistically derive a cutoff value ( fig1 ). this value was set at an od value greater than the mean od plus 3 . 5 standard deviations of the mean or 0 . 145 . when applying this cutoff value one of the anti - hcv negative specimens gave an od value equal to 0 . 145 , which was interpreted as negative , giving an overall specificity of 100 %. two serially diluted specimens , bbi 304 and bbi 325 were tested by the nc mosaic eia and by matrix immunoassay to determine relative sensitivities . the results were expressed as sample to cutoff values ( s / co ) so that each test may be directly compared ( fig1 and 14 , respectively ). a s / co value greater than 1 is considered positive . specimen bbi 325 reached an endpoint by matrix immunoassay at a dilution of 1 : 256 , 000 . nc mosaic eia gave a s / co value of 1 . 8 at that dilution ; however , an examination of cutoff values at a 1 : 64 , 000 dilution and at a 1 : 128 , 000 dilution suggests that the s / co value for the eia may not be accurate and that the true endpoint by nc mosaic eia may be at a dilution of 1 : 32 , 000 or 4 - fold less sensitive than matrix immunoassay . conversely , specimen bbi 304 gave an endpoint titer of 1 : 128 , 000 by matrix immunoassay , while the nc mosaic eia was still positive at a dilution of 1 : 256 , 000 suggesting that the eia was 2 - fold more sensitive than matrix immunoassay . it is not unusual for several samples to give different endpoint titers since the immunologic targets are very different . the endpoint titers obtained by these two assays on the same sera most probably is a reflection of the relative titers of antibodies to different antigenic epitopes as they are presented within each test format . to measure clinical sensitivity several seroconversion panels ( no . 4812 , 4813 , and 4814 ) were tested by the nc mosaic eia and by matrix immunoassay ( fig1 , 16 , and 17 , respectively ). a cutoff value of 2 . 5 times background was used for the nc mosaic eia , while a s / co value greater than 1 . 0 was used for matrix immunoassay . all three seroconversion panels detected anti - nc activity at approximately the same number of days after transfusion . another manner to measure clinical sensitivity is to test a panel of anti - hcv positive sera for anti - nc activity by nc mosaic eia and by matrix immunoassay . a panel of 128 specimens obtained from professional plasma donors tested positive by a commercially available eia screening assay . among the 128 initially reactive specimens , 109 were confirmed as positive by matrix immunoassay , while 12 tested as indeterminate and 7 as negative . among the 109 confirmed anti - hcv positive specimens , 101 ( 92 . 6 %) demonstrated anti - nc activity by matrix immunoassay and 99 ( 90 . 8 %) by nc mosaic eia suggesting a slightly higher sensitivity for matrix immunoassay . among the 12 indeterminate specimens , 6 demonstrated anti - nc activity by matrix immunoassay , and 3 by nc mosaic eia suggesting a higher specificity for the nc mosaic eia . none of the 7 anti - hcv negatives were positive for anti - nc activity by either test . ( data not shown ). in another study , among 78 initially reactive specimens 66 were confirmed as anti - hcv positive by matrix immunoassay , one specimen tested indeterminate , while 3 tested as negative . the nc mosaic eia gave concordant results with matrix immunoassay for anti - nc activity for the 66 positive samples and for the one negative specimen . the indeterminate specimen tested negative for anti - nc activity by nc mosaic eia suggesting a higher specificity for this specimen . the remaining 8 specimens were known to have nonspecific reactivity to the ns4 antigen , but tested negative by both assays for anti - nc activity . ( data not shown ). finally , 23 anti - hcv sera representing genotypes 1 - 5 were tested for anti - nc activity by nc mosaic eia and by matrix immunoassay . the results indicating a 100 % concordance between the two assays ( data not shown ) indicating that the mosaic nc protein , although composed of sequences from genotypes 1 - 3 , contains crossreacting epitopes that react with anti - nc positive sera obtained from individuals infected with 5 different genotypes . collectively , these results suggest that the nc mosaic protein when used as the immunologic target in an eia format is at least as sensitive and possibly more specific than matrix immunoassay for the detection of anti - nc activity . to construct an artificial ns4 antigen containing antigenic epitopes from several hcv genotypes , all sequences from the 5 - 1 - 1 region as well as a strongly immunoreactive region located at the c - terminal of ns4 were searched in genebank . representative regions from different genotypes were selected based upon significant sequence divergence from each other and are shown in fig1 . the amino acid sequence as shown in fig1 was back translated into its nucleotide sequence , and synthetic oligonucleotides , were used to construct nine monomers , the first eight consisting of two antigenic domains and the ninth consisting of one antigenic domain , and were consecutively assembled using restriction endonuclease assisted ligation ( real ). the synthetic oligonucleotides used were as follows : a1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa gcc gcc cac ata cca tac ( seq id no : 34 ); cta gaa caa gga atg cat ctc gca gaa caa ttc aaa caa aag gca ctt cgt c a2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta act agc ctc ttc cat ctc ( seq id no : 35 ); atc aaa ctc ctg ata caa aac ctc cct atc cgg gat aac agc cgg acg aag tgc b1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa gct agt cac tta ccg tat ( seq id no : 36 ); atc gag cag gga atg cag tta gct gaa cag ttt aaa cag aag gct ctg gct ttt g b2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta agg ccg agc gtc aga ctc ( seq id no : 37 ); agg aac ata atg agt agg aga aac atg att acc ccg aga agc aaa agc cag c1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa cgg cct gcg ata ata ccg ( seq id no : 38 ); gat agg gag gtt ctt cat agg gag ttt gac gag atg gag gag gct ttt gcg c2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta ctg cga agc atc aga ctc ( seq id no : 39 ); agg aac ata atg agc cgg act aac atg att ccc acg aga cgc aaa agc c d1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa tcg cag gcg gcg cct tat ( seq id no : 40 ); att gag cag gct cag gtt att gct cat cag ttt aag gag aag gtt ctt gct tt d2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta cgg ctt cgc gtc cga ctc ( seq id no : 41 ); agg aac ata atg agt cgg aga atc atg att acc acg aga agc aaa agc aag aa e1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa aag ccg gcg ata atc cct ( seq id no : 42 ); gac cgt gag gtt ctg tat cgt gag ttt gat gag atg gag gag tca cag c e2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta aaa cgc cag agc ctt ctg ( seq id no : 43 ); ctt aaa ctg ctc agc aag cat cat acc ctg ctc aat gta cgg aag atg ctg tga ctc f1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa gcg ttt gct tct cgt ggt ( seq id no : 44 ); aat cat gtt gct ccg act cat tat gtt acg gag tca gat gct aag c f2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta gaa agc ctc ctc cat ctc ( seq id no : 45 ); atc ata ctg ctg ata aag aac ctc ctt atc cgg aac cag agc cgg ctt agc atc g1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa gct ttc gct tct cgt ggt ( seq id no : 46 ); aat cat gtt gct cct acg cat tat gtt gtt gag tca gat gct tct gct tc g2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta gaa agc cag aac ctt ctc ( seq id no : 47 ); ctt aaa ctg acc agc aat agc acg cgt ctc gtc cat ata cgg cag aga agc aga ag h1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa gct ttc gct agt cgt ggg ( seq id no : 48 ); aat cat gtg tcg ccg cgt cat tat gtg cct gag tct gag cct cag gtt gt h2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta aga agc ctc ctc cat ctc ( seq id no : 49 ); atc aaa agc ctc ata cag tat ctc ctt atc cgg cgt aac aac aac ctg ag i1 : 5 ′- ccc cga att caa gct tct aag gcc gcg ctg ( seq id no : 50 ); att gag gag ggt cag cgt atg g i2 : 5 ′- ccc cgg atc cta ctg gat ctt aga ctt cag ( seq id no : 51 ); cat ctc agc cat acg ctg to express the synthetic genes , e . coli jm109 competent cells ( promega , madison , wis .) were transformed with plasmids containing 9 monomers , 4 dimers , 2 tetramers , and a full size gene using the real method described in example 1 . cells were grown in luria broth ( lb ) with 50 mg / ml ampicillin overnight at 37 ° c . the cultures were then diluted 1 : 10 in fresh lb with 50 mg / ml ampicillin and grown 3 to 4 hours until the optical density at 600 nm reached 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 . the gene was expressed by activating the tac promoter by the addition of isopropyl - b - d - thiogalactoside ( iptg , sigma chemical co ., st . louis , mo .) at a final concentration of 1 mm . cells were harvested 30 minutes after induction at 37 ° c . cell lysates were prepared and the soluble fraction of the lysates was obtained by centrifugation at 12 , 000 × g for 20 minutes . the glutathione s - transferase ( gst )- mosaic proteins were purified by affinity chromatography using glutathione sepharose 4b column ( pharmacia biotech , piscataway , n . j .). aliquots of each lysate or aliquots of the purified gst - mosaic proteins were subjected to electrophoresis on 12 % polyacrylamide gels containing sds ( sds - page ) followed by blotting onto a nitrocellulose membrane . following protein transfer , the nitrocellulose membranes were incubated with blocking solution ( 0 . 1 m phosphate - buffered saline containing 1 % bovine serum albumin , 0 . 5 % tween 20 , and 10 % normal goat serum ) overnight at 4 ° c ., and then incubated with human hcv positive sera diluted 1 : 100 or 1 : 200 in blocking solution for 1 hour at room temperature . for immunodetection , the membranes were washed three times with blocking solution , followed by the addition of affinity - purified goat anti - human immunoglobulin g ( igg ) conjugated to horseradish peroxidase ( bio - rad , richmond , calif .) diluted 1 : 4000 or 1 : 6000 in blocking solution , and incubated 1 hour at room temperature . after washing the membranes with blocking solution three times , diaminobenzidine ( sigma chemical co ., st . louis , mo .) and hydrogen peroxidase were added to detect the presence of the horseradish peroxidase ( hrp ) reporter molecule . one hundred microliters of the purified full length fusion ns4 mosaic protein ( gst - w3 ) was adsorbed to microtiter wells ( immuno ii ; dynatech laboratories , inc ., chantilly , va .) at a concentration of 100 ng / ml in 0 . 1 m phosphate - buffered saline , ph 7 . 5 , overnight at room temperature . the microtiter wells were then incubated with human anti - hcv negative or positive sera diluted 1 : 500 in blocking solution ( as described above for the immunoblot assay ) for 1 hour at 37 ° c . after washing the microtiter wells , goat anti - human immunoglobulin g ( igg ) conjugated to hrp diluted 1 : 4000 was added and incubated for 1 hour at 37 ° c . after washing the microtiter wells 5 times , substrate and chromophore was added ( abbott diagnostics division , north chicago , ill .) and incubated in the dark for 30 minutes . the reaction was stopped with acid and the optical density was measured at 493 nm . anti - hcv positive sera were obtained from boehringer mannheim inc . ( penzberg , germany ) and from boston biomedical inc . ( west bridgewater , mass .). anti - hcv negative sera were obtained from a collection of normal human blood donors reposited at the centers for disease control and prevention ( cdc , atlanta , ga .). all sera were confirmed as anti - hcv positive or negative by eia and initially reactive specimens were confirmed and further characterized by the supplemental test matrix immunoassay ( abbott laboratories , abbott park , ill .). the full length artificial ns4 mosaic gene was constructed in sequential steps from synthetic oligonucleotides by real . as shown in fig1 , each pair of oligonucleotides were converted into 9 monomers ( a , b , c , d , e , f , g , h , and i ), which were then consecutively assembled into 4 dimers ( ab , cd , ef , and gh ). consecutive dimers were then assembled into 2 tetramers ( abcd and efgh ). the final gene was assembled from the 2 tetramers and the remaining monomer ( i ). sds - page analysis demonstrated that each fragment ( 9 monomers , 4 dimers , 2 tetramers , and the full length gene ) was expressed at high levels following induction for 5 hours at 37 ° c . with 1 mm iptg . each of the expressed fragments and the expressed full length gene were purified by ligand affinity chromatography . all of the purified proteins were shown to be highly purified by sds - page , although many of the purified proteins displayed an artifactual doublet . in addition , each of the purified proteins were analyzed by immunoblot ( fig2 ) to ascertain individual immunoreactivity to human anti - hcv positive sera . the immunoblot showed that most of the purified proteins were strongly immunoreactive with a single anti - hcv positive specimen diluted 1 : 200 . three monomers ( a , h , and i ), however , were not immunoreactive using this specimen diluted 1 : 200 . monomers a and h were immunoreactive using pooled sera diluted 1 : 10 indicating that these monomers were immunoreactive . monomer i demonstrated weak immunoreactivity by eia . a statistically valid cutoff value was determined by screening 160 anti - hcv negative sera and 166 anti - hcv positive sera ( anti - ns4 positive by matrix immunoassay ) by eia . the results showed that approximately 90 % of anti - hcv negative sera gave od values less than 0 . 09 , while approximately 80 % of anti - hcv positive sera gave od values greater than 2 . 1 . the mean od value for the anti - hcv negative specimens was 0 . 0518 ± 0 . 0273 standard deviations ( sd ). the cutoff value was established as the mean of od values for anti - hcv negative sera plus 3 . 5 times the sd of the mean . this cutoff value unambiguously separated the negative sera from the positive sera ( fig2 ), although one negative specimen gave an od value slightly above this cutoff . using this cutoff value , all of the anti - hcv positive specimens tested positive by the ns4 mosaic eia . a two by two analysis of the data revealed a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 99 . 4 % using this derived cutoff value . by raising the cutoff to the mean + 4 . 3 times the sd , the specificity compared to matrix immunoassay was 100 %. ns4 mosaic eia compared to matrix immunoassay on serially diluted anti - hcv positive sera to examine the antigenic reactivity of the ns4 mosaic protein in detecting anti - ns4 activity , two serially diluted anti - ns4 positive sera were tested by the ns4 mosaic eia and by matrix immunoassay . the results showed that anti - ns4 antibody can be detected by the ns4 mosaic eia at a dilution of 1 : 128 , 000 times , while matrix immunoassay was positive for anti - ns4 activity at a dilution of approximately 1 : 4000 . matrix immunoassay utilizes two different ns4 proteins expressed in e . coli and in yeast . this comparison indicated that the antigenic reactivity to the ns4 mosaic protein was 32 times more sensitive than matrix immunoassay for specimen no . 1 ( fig2 a ) and 18 to 25 times more sensitive for specimen no . 2 ( fig2 b ). ns4 mosaic eia compared to matrix immunoassay for the detection of anti - hcv among 182 anti - hcv positive sera , 97 . 8 % tested positive for anti - ns4 activity by the ns4 mosaic eia compared to 86 . 8 % by matrix immunoassay . these results strongly suggest that the mosaic protein is a more sensitive immunologic target than either of the ns4 antigens used by matrix immunoassay . antibody activity to the ns3 and nucleocapsid ( nc ) antigens by matrix immunoassay were also compared to the mosaic protein for anti - ns4 activity . this analysis showed that 98 . 4 % of the 182 sera tested positive for anti - ns3 and 94 . 5 % for anti - nc indicating that the ns4 mosaic eia is more sensitive than matrix immunoassay for anti - nc activity , and almost as sensitive as matrix immunoassay for anti - ns3 activity ( fig2 ). ten seroconversion panels ( bioclinical partners , inc . ; serologicals , chamblee , ga .) were tested by the ns4 mosaic eia and by matrix immunoassay to determine the temporal appearance of anti - ns4 activity in recently infected individuals . the results showed that the ns4 mosaic eia detected anti - ns4 activity approximately 15 ( fig2 ) to 25 days ( fig2 ) earlier than matrix immunoassay when a cutoff value of at least 2 . 5 times background was used . in some cases , the ns4 mosaic eia and matrix immunoassay gave similar results ; however , matrix immunoassay results never demonstrated earlier detection of anti - ns4 activity than ns4 mosaic eia results ( data not shown ). these results indicate that the ns4 mosaic protein , when used as the immunologic target in an eia , was at least as sensitive as matrix immunoassay for the early detection of anti - ns4 activity , and probably more sensitive if more frequent bleed dates were available for each of the ten seroconversion panels . since the ns4 mosaic protein is composed of antigenic regions derived from several hcv subtypes and genotypes , it should detect anti - ns4 activity in the sera from patients infected with different genotypes . genotypes 1 - 5 were tested for immunoreactivity by the ns4 mosaic eia . the results indicated that the only specimens which did not react to the mosaic protein were those that tested negative for anti - ns4 activity by matrix immunoassay . these data indicate that the mosaic protein detected anti - ns4 activity in each of the genotypes tested and was 100 % concordant with matrix immunoassay ( fig2 ).
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
|
in fig1 the plate shaped permanent cathode 1 is held in its position from the hanger bar 2 and the metal deposit 3 is surrounding the permanent cathode from both sides . the separation of the metal deposit 3 is done by two vertically moving knives 4 , which are waiting at the upper position . the knives 4 wedge the permanent cathode 1 free on both sides from the metal deposit 3 . for the separation of the metal deposit 3 can be used also any other known method . the receiver unit 5 is waiting under the permanent cathode 1 for the metal deposit 3 to be separated . the receiver unit has a v - shaped construction for easy receiving of the metal deposit 3 but the design is not limited to this example and can be freely alternated . on both sides of the permanent cathode 1 are situated guiding means , which are for example rollers 6 . the receiver unit 5 under the permanent cathode 1 has a bottom 7 that can be opened . in fig2 the knives 4 have moved to the lower position and separated the metal deposit 3 from the permanent cathode 1 and the separated metal deposit is tilted against the support rollers 6 . next the knives 4 are moving back to the upper position and the metal deposit 3 is moved by gravity to the waiting receiver unit 5 under the permanent cathode 1 . in fig3 the receiver unit 5 is acting as a turning device and tilted 90 degrees from vertical position to the lateral position around the turning axle 8 according to the arrow 9 and the bottom 7 of the receiving unit 5 is opened . the receiver unit 5 lays the metal deposit 3 to the conveyor 10 , which moves the metal deposit further in the process . at the same time another receiving unit 5 , which has solid bottom , is moved under the metal deposit 3 separation process and another permanent cathode 1 is switched to the separation device . this is due the fact that the two receiving units 5 are assembled at 90 degrees angle in relation to each other and the units are moved 90 degrees back and forth . therefore always when another unit is unloading metal deposit 3 to the conveyer 10 the other is waiting next metal deposit from the separation . the construction of the turning device can naturally be made with just one receiving unit 5 but the process is then slower than with the device having two receiving units . also the construction can have two conveyors 10 moving the metal deposits 3 into two opposite directions from the turning device and both receiving units 5 can then have solid bottoms . the turning of the receiver units 5 is done by any known mechanical construction . for example it can be driven by means of motor and gearbox or by a hydraulic cylinder . by turning back and forth the turning device is unloading the metal deposits 3 to both sides of the separation device . this is advantageous for later bundling of the metal deposits 3 . the bundles are better and even more squared than when the metal deposits 3 are continuously unloaded to same direction . the turning device is constructed of one or more separate pieces at the transverse direction of the conveyor 10 and located on both sides of and / or in the middle of the unloading conveyor . in fig4 there are another embodiment of the turning device . the turning device has four receiving units 5 assembled around the turning axle 8 in 90 - degree intervals . the turning device is rotating only in one direction and unloading the metal deposits 3 to one conveyer 10 . the next receiving unit 5 is automatically moving to the position for next metal deposit 3 when at same time the previous receiving unit is unloading metal deposit to the conveyer 10 . here is presented only the embodiment with four receiving units 5 but it is possible to increase the number of receiving units to for example eight , twelve and so on . the only limiting thing for smooth operation between the turning devise and the separation device is that at the same time there is one empty receiving unit 5 waiting for next metal deposit 3 when another is unloading metal deposit to the conveyer 10 . in fig5 is presented an embodiment with lowering device 11 . in this embodiment the metal deposit 3 is lowered in a controlled way to the receiving unit 5 according the arrow 12 . the lowered position is described with dashed line . lowering the metal deposit 3 to the receiving unit 5 is reducing the noise of the device . after that the receiving unit 5 is working as a turning device and passes the metal deposit 3 to the conveyer 10 . at the same time when the receiving unit 5 is turning towards the conveyer 10 the lowering device 11 is raised back to the upper position for receiving the next metal deposit 3 to be lowered to the next receiving unit 5 . the above described devise and method are suitable for all different kinds of cathodes used in electrolytic processes . by above described way the turning device is combined with the separation device and more compact design is achieved . this reduces the amount of movable parts compared to the prior art devices . it also makes possible to speed up the separating unit . while the invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that modifications and variations will occur to those skilled in the art . such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
embodiments of the invention will be described referring to the drawings . fig1 is a plan view showing an essential portion of a switching circuit 10 of an embodiment of the invention . the direction of y - axis in figure such as fig1 will be hereinafter called as a longitudinal direction , and the direction of x - axis in the figure will be hereinafter called as a lateral direction . the switching circuit 10 serves to convert direct current into three - phase current ( u - phase , v - phase , w - phase ) as a circuit equivalent to an inverter as shown in fig6 . referring to fig1 , the switching circuit 10 includes a plurality of bus bars 14 ( 14 p , 14 n ) connected to a power source ( not shown ), and a plurality of bus bars ( 16 u , 16 v , 16 w ) connected to a load ( not shown ). the bus bar 14 includes longitudinal members 14 pc , 14 nc that extend in the longitudinal direction , and lateral members 14 pr , 14 nr that extend in the lateral direction . each bus bar 16 is formed into a strip - like shape extending in the lateral direction . the lateral members 14 pr , 14 nr and the bus bars 16 are arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals . in fig1 , arranged in order from the upper side to lower side along the y - axis direction of the figure are the lateral member 14 pr of the positive electrode side bus bar 14 p , the u - phase side bus bar 16 u , the lateral member 14 nr of the negative electrode side bus bar 14 p , the v - phase side bus bar 16 v , the lateral member 14 pr of the positive electrode side bus bar 14 p , the w - phase side bus bar 16 w , and the lateral member 14 nrof the negative electrode side bus bar 14 n , respectively . the longitudinal member 14 pc of the positive electrode side bus bar 14 p and the longitudinal member 14 nc of the negative electrode side bus bar 14 c are stacked via an insulator 18 in the direction vertical to the switching circuit . the stacked structure will be described in detail later . each of the aforementioned bus bars 14 , 16 may be formed of a metallic member , for example , copper . the insulator 18 is formed of , for example , pps ( polyphenylene sulfide ), pbt ( polybutyleneterephthalate ) or the like . switching elements 20 are disposed on gaps between the lateral member 14 pr and the bus bar 16 and between the lateral member 14 nr and the bus bar 16 . referring to fig1 , arranged in order from the upper side to the lower side of the switching circuit in the figure are a switching element 20 pu between the positive electrode and the u - electrode at load side , a switching element 20 nu between the negative electrode and the u - electrode at load side , a switching element 20 nv between the negative electrode and the v - electrode at load side , a switching element 20 pv between the positive electrode and the v - electrode at load side , a switching element 20 pw between the positive electrode and the w - electrode at load side , and a switching element 20 nw between the negative electrode and the w - electrode at load side . each of the switching elements 20 is connected to the bus bars 14 , 16 via wires 22 bonded to the bus bars 14 , 16 through ultrasonic bonding . in this embodiment , each rear surface of the bus bars 14 , 16 is brought into tight contact with an upper surface of a substrate 12 . rear surfaces of the bus bars 14 , 16 and the upper surface of the substrate 12 are formed into flat faces . then adhesive is applied to the whole flat faces of the rear surfaces of the bus bars 14 , 16 and the upper surface of the substrate so as to be bonded . this makes it possible to make a state of contact between the bus bars 14 , 16 and the substrate 12 uniform , and an oscillating state and the temperature rise caused by ultrasonic bonding uniform . accordingly , variation in the state of contact between the wire 22 and the bus bars 14 , 16 may further be reduced . provided on the bus bars 14 , 16 are control terminal bases 24 ( shown in dashed line ) each formed of a thin frame - like resin having an opening above the switching element 20 and a bonding position . the switching element 20 is connected to a control terminal ( not shown ) provided on the control terminal base 24 via a wire ( not shown ). opening and closing of the switching element 20 is controlled in accordance with a control signal sent from a control unit ( not shown ) via the control terminal and the wire . referring to fig2 to 4 , the description about assembling of the bus bars 14 and the insulator 18 to the substrate 12 , and the structure of the assembly will be explained in detail . fig2 is a perspective view showing assembling of the bus bars 14 and the insulator 18 to the substrate 12 . fig3 is a sectional view along line a — a of fig1 , illustrating a section of the power source - side bus bar of the switching circuit . fig4 is a sectional view along line b — b of fig1 , illustrating another section of the power source - side bus bar of the switching circuit . referring to fig2 , a plurality of bus bars ( two bus bars 14 p , 14 n in this embodiment ) are fixed to the substrate 12 in the state where the insulator 18 is interposed between the bus bars 14 p and 14 n . in this embodiment , a plurality of positioning pins 28 m provided on the upper surface of the substrate 12 are inserted into corresponding holes 28 f formed on the bus bars 14 such that the bus bars 14 are positioned with respect to the substrate 12 . the surface of the substrate 12 on which the bus bars 14 abut is applied with the adhesive so that the bus bars 14 are adhered to the substrate 12 . referring to fig3 , the insulator 18 is interposed between the longitudinal member 14 nc of the negative electrode side bus bar 14 n as the upper side and the longitudinal member 14 pc of the positive electrode side bus bar 14 p as the lower side . the insulator 18 serves to prevent electric current from flowing between the bus bars 14 p and 14 n . positions of the bus bars 14 p and 14 n are aligned with a positioning pin 30 that is formed of the insulating material and inserted into the insulator 18 . the bus bars 14 p , 14 n and the insulator 18 are adhered with the adhesive . referring to fig4 , both ends of the insulator 18 are provided with protrusions 18 e , 18 e each extending vertically in an opposite direction with respect to the insulator 18 . the positive electrode - side bus bar 14 p and the negative electrode - side bus - bar 14 n are fitted in the portion above and below the isolator 18 . accordingly the protrusions 18 e , 18 e serve to align positions of the bus bars 14 p , 14 n . in the aforementioned structure of the bus bars 14 p , 14 n having the insulator 18 interposed therebetween , the direction of electric current that flows through the bus bar 14 p is different from that of electric current flowing through the bus bar 14 n . in the embodiment , the aforementioned bus bars 14 p and 14 n are structured to extend in the same direction ( longitudinal direction ) so as to be connected to the power source at the same side ( left side in fig3 , lower side in fig1 ). as a result , the electric current flows through the negative electrode side bus bar 14 n in the direction designated as n ( from right to left ), and the electric current flows through the positive electrode side bus bar 14 p in the direction designated as p ( from left to right ). the magnetic field generated around the bus bar 14 p has a rotating direction opposite to that of the magnetic field generated around the bus bar 14 n . the aforementioned structure may reduce inductance generated in the bus bars 14 p , 14 n , thus minimizing fly - back voltage upon switching . accordingly this may realize higher switching speed . the invention is not limited by the aforementioned embodiment in which one insulator is interposed between two bus bars over a whole length of those bus bars . alternatively , the insulator may be interposed between two bus bars only partially , or a plurality of insulators are intermittently interposed between the bus bars . in the embodiment , a plurality of bus bars are stacked on the substrate via the insulator in a vertical direction thereto . alternatively , the bus bars 14 p , 14 n may be arranged on the substrate in parallel via the insulator 18 as shown in fig5 . in this case , the second moment of area of the bus bar may be enhanced by forming the section of the bus bar into an l - like shape so as to improve flexural rigidity and flexural strength . in the aforementioned embodiment , each rear surface of the bus bars ( 14 pr , 14 nr , 16 u , 16 v or 16 w ) subjected to the ultrasonic bonding is brought into tight contact with the upper surface of the substrate 12 . alternatively , as shown in fig6 , the bus bar 32 may have portions that are not subjected to the ultrasonic bonding , for example , both ends of the bus bar 32 , supported with the substrate 12 so as to form a gap between the bus bar 32 and the substrate 12 . this structure allows the oscillating state or the temperature rise at a plurality of bonded portions to be uniform , reducing variation of the bonding strength and resistance value of the wire . the structure shown in fig6 may be applied to the bus bars ( 14 pr , 14 nr , 16 u , 16 v , or 16 w ) of the switching circuit 10 of the embodiment according to the invention . in the aforementioned embodiment , the bus bar 14 has two different portions , the portion subjected to the wire bonding ( longitudinal members 14 pc , 14 nc ), and the portion to be stacked via the insulator ( 14 pr , 14 nr ). alternatively , the same members of the bus bar may be subjected to wire bonding at a position close to the fixation . fig7 a is a plan view showing an example of stacking the 34 l and 34 r via the insulator 36 . fig7 b is a sectional view of the bus bars to be fixed via the insulator as shown in fig7 a . in this example , the bus bars 34 l , 34 r are fixed with a bolt 37 and a nut 38 which are inserted through the insulator 36 at a position close to the surface subjected to the wire bonding , that is , the wire bonding area . in this example , a washer 39 formed of an insulating material and a spacer ( not shown ) formed of the insulating material and inserted into a hole of the bolt that fixes the bus bars 34 l and 34 r may bring the nut 38 in contact with the bus bars 34 l , 34 r so as to prevent electric current from flowing between the bus bars 34 l and 34 r . in this example , the bus bars 34 l , 34 r are on the same plane , and positioned at the same height from the substrate 12 ( the surface on which the switching elements are placed ). this structure may allow the wire bonding of the bus bars 34 l and 34 r to be performed in substantially the same conditions , thus reducing variation in the bonded state of a plurality of positions of the bus bars 34 l , 34 r . in this example , the bus bars 34 l and 34 r are bent so as to enhance the second moment of area to bending in the longitudinal direction . as the direction of the electric current flowing through the bus bar 34 l is opposite to that of the electric current flowing through the bus bar 34 r , the inductance may be reduced . the structure may be realized by combining the aforementioned examples . the aforementioned embodiment requires no embedding of the bus bars in the resin for insulating purpose . additionally the embodiment allows enhancement of flexural rigidity and flexural strength , thus making the bus bar further light and compact .
| 7Electricity
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reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a diagram of system 30 involving a script - controlled and pipelined egress packet modifier 1 . egress packet modifier 1 includes a packet input port 2 , a packet output port 3 , a first memory interface port 4 , a second memory interface port 5 , a script parser 6 , a pipeline 7 , and an assembler circuit 8 . the pipeline 7 includes four processing stages 9 - 12 . in addition to egress packet modifier 1 , the system 30 includes a packet supplying memory 13 , a script instruction sram 14 , an argument sram 15 , a processor 19 , and a bus 20 . numerous sets of pipeline stage instructions are stored in the script instruction sram . in this example , each set includes eight instructions . along with each instruction is a value that indicates how many bytes to modify . reference numeral 16 identifies one such set of instructions . numerous sets of arguments are stored in the argument sram . in this example , each set include eight arguments . reference numeral 17 identifies one such set of arguments . in the presently described example , processor 19 causes a packet 18 to be written into packet supplying memory 13 across bus 20 . processor 19 also preloads the sets of instructions and sets of arguments into srams 14 and 15 . information can be written into packet supplying memory 13 in wide words or in more numerous writes of smaller chunks of data , but information is supplied from the packet supplying memory 13 to the egress packet manager 1 in 32 - byte chunks . packet supplying memory 13 is implemented as a fifo ( first in first out ) memory . the packet 18 is larger than thirty - two bytes , so that packet is stored in memory as an ordered set of 32 - byte words . the first 32 - byte word of the packet 18 contains the beginning of the packet , and before the beginning of the first packet header is a 4 - byte script code 21 . the script code 21 was generated by processor 19 . by adding the appropriate script code to the front of a packet , the processor 19 determines the type of egress processing that will later be performed on the packet by the egress packet modifier . at the proper time as determined by a scheduler , packets are loaded into the packet supplying memory 13 . the first thirty - two bytes of the packet is then read out of the packet supplying memory 13 and is supplied to the egress packet modifier 1 . the script code 21 from this first thirty - two bytes is passed to the script parser 6 . fig2 is a diagram that illustrates the various components of a script code . script code 6 includes a starting direct / indirect bit 22 , one set of eight offsets 23 , an address 24 into the script sram where one set of instructions is found , and an address 25 into the argument sram where on set of arguments is found . the direct / indirect bit being set indicates that the pipeline can perform modifications without anything being read from srams 14 and 15 . any necessary instructions and arguments for the modification are carried as part of the script code or at the beginning of the packet between the script code and the beginning of the first packet header . the direct / indirect bit being cleared indicates that the srams 14 and 15 are to be read to obtain instructions and arguments for carrying out the modifications to be performed . in the presently described example , the direct / indirect bit is cleared so the script is an indirect script . script parser 6 therefore issues a read request 26 to the script instruction sram 14 via first memory port 4 . the starting address of the read is given by the first address 24 of the script code . in addition , script parser 6 issues a read request 27 to argument sram 15 via second memory port 5 . the starting address of the read is given by the second address 25 of the script code . it may take several clock cycles for the srams to retrieve the stored information , and for the read transactions to be completed . during this time , the remainder of the first thirty - two bytes of the first chuck of the packet is not passed through the pipeline 7 , but rather the data is held in a buffer ( not shown ). eventually , the set of instructions 16 pointed to by the first address 24 of the script code 21 is returned by sram 14 to script parser 6 via first memory port 4 , and the set of arguments 17 pointed to by the second address 25 of the script code 21 is returned by sram 15 to script parser 6 via second memory port 5 . along with each instruction is a value that indicates a corresponding number of bytes to be modified when the modification of the instruction is carried out . the script parser 6 uses the retrieved set of eight instructions and the retrieved set of eight arguments and the associated set of eight offsets to form a corresponding script 26 of eight opcodes . the opcodes in this example are denoted opcode 1 , opcode 2 , and so forth . fig3 is a diagram that illustrates the structure of script 26 . fig4 is a diagram that illustrates the structure of an opcode 27 . all the opcodes are of identical composition and include an instruction , an offset , a value indicating a number of bytes of modify , and an argument . accordingly , opcode # 1 27 includes instruction 31 , an offset 32 , a value indicating a number of bytes of modify 33 , and an argument 34 , where the instruction is the first instruction of the set of instructions read from sram 14 , where the offset is the first offset in the script code , where the number of bytes to modify is the value read from sram 14 along with the first instruction , and where the argument is the first argument of the set of arguments read from sram 15 . each of the eight opcodes is formed by script parser 6 in this manner . as shown in fig1 , the resulting eight opcodes ( opcode 1 through opcode 8 ) are supplied simultaneously in parallel to the first stage 9 of the pipeline 7 . at this time , the first thirty - two bytes of the first chunk is also supplied to the first stage 9 of the pipeline 7 . each opcode is an instruction to perform a modification , starting at a certain offset from the beginning of the packet . each stage maintains a byte count value that is used to keep track of what the byte count is ( measured from the beginning of the packet ) of the first byte of the chunk that the stage is currently processing . it is possible that several of the opcodes indicate that their modifications should be performed on the same 32 - byte chunk . if this is the case , then the first stage will perform one of the modifications , and will pass the opcodes for the remaining opcodes on to the second stage of the pipeline so that the next stage in the pipeline can do the modification . the opcode of the modification that is actually performed by the first stage is not passed on by the first stage to the second stage , but rather a noop ( no operation ) will be passed on in its place . the stage is therefore said to “ consume ” opcodes . if the first stage can perform multiple modifications in one clock cycle , it will . after the first clock cycle , the modified data contents of the first stage 9 is passed on to the second stage 10 , and the second thirty - two bytes of the packet is supplied via input port 2 into the first stage 9 . during this second clock cycle , the first stage 9 can consider performing any modifications that are indicated by the opcodes to be modifications to be performed on the second thirty - two byte chunk of the packet . during this same second clock cycle , the second stage 10 considers performing any modification indicated by the opcode or opcodes passed to it by the first stage . if the second stage has an opcode that indicates a modification should be performed on the first thirty - two byte chunk , then the second stage 10 will perform the modification if it can . as described above in connection with the first stage , the second stage may perform multiple modifications on the second thirty - two byte chunk if it is able . the opcode of any modification performed by the second stage is not passed by the second stage on to the third stage 11 , but rather a noop is passed on in its place . any opcodes that the second stage 10 received that it did not perform are passed on to the third stage 11 . in the third clock cycle , the third stage considers performing modifications on the first chunk of the packet , the second stage considers performing modifications on the second chunk of the packet , and the first stage considers performing modifications on the third chunk of the packet . the pipeline process continues in this fashion , with such successive thirty - byte chunks of the packet being passed through the pipeline . if a stage performs a modification as indicated by an opcode , then that stage does not pass the opcode on to the next stage . it is possible that a modification may result in the size of the chunk ( size in number of bits ) increasing to be larger than thirty - two bytes , or may result in the size of the chunk decreasing to be smaller than thirty - two bytes . the description above of each chunk of the packet being thirty - two bytes was a simplification — in actuality the chunks may increase and decrease in size as they pass through the stages of the modifier . the “ delete ” instruction , for example , results in bits of the chunk being deleted starting at the indicated offset , where the number of bytes to delete is indicated in the number of bytes to modify field of the opcode . the “ insert ” instruction , for example , results in bits being added to the chunk starting at the indicated offset , wherein the number of bytes to insert is indicated in the number of bytes of modify field of the opcode . accordingly , the size of the chunk passing from stage to stage is indicated by a “ valid ” value . a stage can add at most sixteen bytes , so there are data lines for receiving thirty - two bytes ( 256 data lines ) coming into the first stage , and there are data lines for supplying forty - eight bytes ( 384 data lines ) going out of the first stage . which ones of these lines carry valid data out of the first stage is indicated by the valid value passed from the first stage to the second stage . if the first stage inserted bits , then more than thirty - two worth of data lines going out of the first stage will carry data , and the number of these lines that carry valid data will be indicated by the valid value . if the first stage deleted bits , then fewer than thirty - two worth of data lines going out of the first stage will carry data , and the number of these lines that carry value data will be indicated by the valid value . in a similar fashion , it is possible that the second stage will receive forty - eight bytes worth of data , and will also perform an insert operation of up to sixteen bytes , so that the second stage is to output sixty - four bytes worth of data . notice in fig1 that there are sixty - four bytes worth ( 512 data lines ) of data lines extending from the second stage to the third stage . the number of these lines that carry data is indicated by the valid value passed by the second stage to the third stage . as chunks of data pass out of the fourth stage 12 , the bits of the packet ( that are indicated as valid ) are assembled and are packed together in order by assembler circuit 8 to form larger 256 - byte chunks of data . such a larger chunk of data is referred to here as a “ minipacket ”. each minipacket includes a preceding “ out - of - band control information ” header portion that indicates how the data of the minipacket is to be assembled with data of other minipackets to form the overall packet 18 . in the illustration of fig1 , minipacket 28 includes out - of - band control information 29 . once assembled , the minipacket 28 is output from the egress packet modifier 1 in parallel via output port 3 . the 256 - byte minipackets are supplied directly and in parallel across dedicated conductors to an egress mac ( media access control ) circuit ( not shown ). if the egress mac processing circuit is not ready to receive additional minipackets , then a flow control mechanism detects the backpressure and stalls the egress packet modifier pipeline . the egress mac processing circuit performs egress mac layer processing . for example , the egress mac processing circuit typically recalculates checksums on individual headers within the packet . this recalculating is generally necessary due to the packet having been modified . in addition , the egress mac processing circuit may calculate an overall scs security value over the entire packet and may append the scs security value to the end of the packet in standard fashion . in addition , if the packet is not already in ethernet format , the egress mac processing circuit puts the packet into ethernet format . in such a case , the egress mac processing circuit may generate and attach the appropriate ethernet addresses and headers . the egress mac processing circuit converts the packet into symbols . after egress mac processing , the resulting symbols are communicated via a serdes circuit and an associated physical layer circuit . physical layer communication may , for example , be across metal conductors of a backplane to another line card , or across network cables to another network appliance . egress packet modifier 1 is script - based in the sense that a script of opcodes is set up beforehand by processor 19 . processor 19 places a script code 21 on the front of the packet , where the script code indicates a particular script which when carried out by the egress packet modifier results in a specific modification . in this way , processor 19 can select the particular egress modification to be performed on a particular packet by appending an appropriation script code onto the front of the packet at the time of packet processing . when the packet is then later scheduled for egress , the egress packet modifier reads the script code from the front of the packet and uses the script code to perform the egress modification as previously set up by processor 19 . as the network appliance operates , the processor 19 can add scripts to , and can remove scripts from , the script instruction sram 14 . likewise , as the network appliance operates , the processor 19 can add arguments to , and can remove arguments from , argument sram 15 . in one particular example of a script , opcode 1 includes a replace instruction and the argument is an ethernet source address , and the offset indicates byte six which is the beginning of the 6 - byte ethernet source address of the packet , and the number of bytes to modify is six . opcode 1 therefore results in a replacement of the 6 - byte ethernet source address at bytes six through twelve with the associated 6 - byte ethernet source address stored in argument sram 15 . opcode 2 includes a similar replace instruction , but the argument is an ethernet destination address . the offset value of twelve indicates the beginning of the 6 - byte ethernet destination address of the packet starting at byte twelve . the number of bytes to modify is six . opcode 2 therefore results in a replacement of the 6 - byte ethernet destination address ( packet bytes twelve through eighteen ) with the 6 - byte ethernet destination address stored in argument sram 15 . opcode 3 includes an insert instruction and the argument is a 4 - byte mpls label , and the offset indicates byte thirty - two of the packet , and the number of bytes to modify is four . opcode 3 therefore results in the 4 - byte mpls label being inserted into the packet starting at byte 32 after the ethernet header . opcode 4 includes a decrement instruction and the offset indicates the beginning of the 1 - byte ttl ( time to live ) field of the mpls pushed label , where the byte to decrement is identified by offset thirty - six . opcode 4 results in the ttl value of the packet being decremented . the example described above involves an indirect script where the instructions and the arguments are stored in srams 14 and 15 . in the case of a direct script , the string of opcodes is included after the direct / indirect bit , and before the beginning of the actual packet . there are many other ways that the necessary information for the creation of the opcodes can be supplied to the egress packet modifier 1 . in each case , however , the resulting opcodes are supplied to the first stage 9 . fig5 is a flowchart of the method 200 in accordance with one novel aspect . a packet is received ( step 201 ) onto an egress packet modifier . the packet is received as a sequence of parts . the parts ( also referred to as chunks ) are supplied ( step 202 ) through a pipeline of processing stages of the pipeline such that the parts are supplied to the pipeline in sequence . each part passes through each stage . each stage can perform a selectable one of a plurality of modifications on the part . in one example , the selectable modifications include : a delete modification , an insert modification , a replace modification , an increment modification , a decrement modification , and a pad modification . none of the stages fetches instructions , decodes the instructions , and executes the instructions . the modified parts of the packet as output from the pipeline are assembled ( step 203 ) into larger parts of the packet . the resulting modified packet is output from the egress packet modifier as a sequence of these larger parts . in one example , the larger parts are referred to as minipackets . there may only be one larger part that is actually the entire packet . fig6 is a flowchart of a method 250 in accordance with one novel aspect . a packet is received ( step 251 ) onto an egress packet modifier . the packet is received as a sequence of parts ( also referred to as chunks ). a script code is received ( step 252 ) onto the egress packet modifier . the script code is used ( step 253 ) to generate a plurality of opcodes . the opcodes are supplied ( step 254 ) to a pipeline of processing stages . the opcodes are used over time by the pipeline to configure the various stages of perform modifications at the correct times , and on the correct packet parts . the sequence of parts of the packet are passed ( step 255 ) through the pipeline such that each stage can perform a selectable one of a plurality of modifications on each part of the packet . in one example , the selectable modifications include : a delete modification , an insert modification , a replace modification , an increment modification , a decrement modification , and a pad modification . none of the stages fetches instructions , decodes the instructions , and executes the instructions . the sequence of modified parts are received ( step 256 ) from the pipeline and are output from the egress packet modifier as a modified packet to an egress mac processing circuit . fig7 is a diagram of a network appliance 300 within which a specific embodiment of the script - based and pipelined egress packet modifier operates . the egress packet modifier is described generally in connection with fig1 , whereas a specific example of the egress packet modifier is described in connection with network appliance 300 . network appliance 300 includes a backplane 301 , a management card 302 , and line cards 303 - 305 . each of the line cards can receive 100 gbps ( gigabits per second ) packet traffic from another network via a fiber optic cable and also can transmit 100 gbps packet traffic to another network via another fiber optic cable . in addition , each line card can receive 100 gbps packet traffic from the switch fabric 306 of the backplane and can also transmit 100 gbps packet traffic to the switch fabric . the line cards are of identical construction . in this example , flows of packets are received into line card 303 from a network via the fiber optic cable 307 or from the switch fabric 306 . certain functions then need to be performed on the line card including determining destinations for incoming flows of packets , and scheduling the transmitting of flows of packets . packets of the flows pass from the line card 303 and out either to the network via optical cable 308 or to the switch fabric 306 . exemplary line card 303 includes a first optical transceiver 309 , a first phy integrated circuit 310 , an island - based network flow processor ( ib - nfp ) integrated circuit 311 , a configuration programmable read only memory ( prom ) 312 , an external memory such as dynamic random access memory ( dram ) 313 - 318 , a second phy integrated circuit 319 , and a second optical transceiver 320 . packet data received from the network via optical cable 307 is converted into electrical signals by optical transceiver 320 . phy integrated circuit 319 receives the packet data in electrical form from optical transceiver 320 and forwards the packet data to the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 via serdes connections 321 . in one example , the flows of packets into the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 from optical cable 307 is 100 gbps traffic . a set of four serdes circuits 322 - 325 ( see fig8 ) within the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 receives the packet data in serialized form from serdes connections 321 , deserializes the packet data , and outputs packet data in deserialized form to digital circuitry within ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 . similarly , ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 may output 100 gbps packet traffic to optical cable 308 . phy 310 receives the serialized form packet data via serdes connections 330 and supplies the packet data to optical transceiver 309 . optical transceiver 309 converts the packet data into optical form and drives the optical signals through optical cable 308 . ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 can also output packet data to switch fabric 306 . another set of four duplex serdes circuits 326 - 329 within ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 receives the packet data in deserialized form , and serializes the packet data , and supplies the packet data in serialized form to switch fabric 306 . packet data from switch fabric 306 in serialized form can pass from the switch fabric via serdes connections 331 into the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 and to the set of four serdes circuits 326 - 329 . serdes circuits 326 - 329 convert the packet data from serialized form into deserialized form for subsequent processing by digital circuitry within the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 . management card 302 handles appliance management functions including the configuring of the ib - nfp integrated circuits on the various line cards . the cpu of the management card communicates with the ib - nfp integrated circuits via dedicated pcie connections ( not shown ). fig8 is a more detailed top - down diagram of ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 . serdes circuits 322 - 325 are the first set of four serdes circuits that are used to communicate with the external network via the optical cables 307 and 308 . serdes circuits 326 - 329 are the second set of four serdes circuits that are used to communicate with the switch fabric 306 . each of these serdes circuits is duplex in that it has a serdes connection for receiving information and it also has a serdes connection for transmitting information . each of these serdes circuits can communicate packet data in both directions simultaneously at a sustained rate of 25 gbps . ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 accesses external memory integrated circuits 313 - 318 via corresponding 32 - bit ddr physical interfaces 332 - 337 , respectively . ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 also has several general purpose input / output ( gpio ) interfaces . one of these gpio interfaces 338 is used to access external configuration prom 312 . in addition to the area of the input / output circuits outlined above , the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 also includes two additional areas . the first additional area is a tiling area of islands . each of the islands is either of a full rectangular shape , or is half the size of the full rectangular shape . for example , the island 339 labeled “ pcie ( 1 )” is a full island . the island 340 below it labeled “ me cluster ( 5 )” is a half island . the functional circuits in the various islands of this tiling area are interconnected by : 1 ) a configurable mesh cpp data bus , 2 ) a configurable mesh control bus , and 3 ) a configurable mesh event bus . each such mesh bus extends over the two - dimensional space of islands with a regular grid or “ mesh ” pattern . in addition to the tiling area , there is also a second additional area of larger sized blocks 341 - 345 of circuitry . fig8 illustrates , with arrows , an operational example of how data passes through the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 . 100 gbps packet traffic is received via optical cable 307 ( see fig7 ), flows through optics transceiver 320 , flows through phy integrated circuit 319 , and is received onto ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 spread across the four serdes i / o blocks 322 - 325 . the symbols pass through direct dedicated conductors from the serdes blocks 322 - 325 to ingress mac island 346 . ingress mac island 346 converts successive symbols delivered by the physical coding layer into packets by mapping symbols to octets , by performing packet framing , and then by buffering the resulting packets for subsequent communication to other processing circuitry . the packets are communicated from ingress mac island 346 across a private inter - island bus to ingress nbi ( network bus interface ) island 347 . for each packet , the functional circuitry of ingress nbi island 347 examines fields in the header portion to determine what storage strategy to use to place the packet into memory . in one example , the nbi island 347 examines the header portion and from that determines whether the packet is an exception packet or whether the packet is a fast - path packet . if the packet is an exception packet then the nbi island 347 determines a first storage strategy to be used to store the packet so that relatively involved exception processing can be performed efficiently , whereas if the packet is a fast - path packet then the nbi island 347 determines a second storage strategy to be used to store the packet for more efficient transmission of the packet from the ib - nfp . in the operational example of fig8 , nbi island 347 examines a packet header , performs packet preclassification , determines that the packet is a fast - path packet , and determines that the header portion of the packet should be placed into a ctm ( cluster target memory ) in me ( microengine ) island 348 . the header portion of the packet is therefore communicated across the configurable mesh data bus from nbi island 347 to me island 348 . the me island 348 determines header modification and queuing strategy for the packet based on the packet flow ( derived from packet header and contents ) and the me island 348 informs an egress nbi island 349 of these . in this simplified example being described , the payload portions of fast - path packets are placed into internal sram ( static random access memory ) mu block 344 . the header portions of exception packets are placed into a ctm in me island 353 , and the payload portions of exception packets are placed into external dram 317 and 318 . half island 350 is an interface island through which all information passing into , and out of , sram mu block 344 passes . the functional circuitry within half island 350 serves as the interface and control circuitry for the sram within block 344 . accordingly , the payload portion of the incoming fast - path packet is communicated from ingress nbi island 347 , across the configurable mesh data bus to sram control island 350 , and from control island 350 , to the interface circuitry in block 344 , and to the internal sram circuitry of block 344 . the internal sram of block 344 stores the payloads so that they can be accessed for flow determination by the me island . in addition , a preclassifier in the ingress nbi island 347 determines that the header portions of exception packets are into a ctm in me island 353 , and the payload portions of exception packets should be stored in external dram 317 and 318 . interface island 351 , block 345 , and ddr phy i / o blocks 336 and 337 serve as the interface and control for external dram integrated circuits 317 and 318 . the payload portions of the exception packets are therefore communicated across the configurable mesh data bus from ingress nbi island 347 , to interface and control island 351 , to block 345 , to 32 - bit ddr phy i / o blocks 336 and 337 , and to external dram integrated circuits 317 and 318 . at this point in the operational example , the packet header portions and their associated payload portions are stored in different places . the payload portions of fast - path packets are stored in internal sram in mu block 344 , whereas the payload portions of exception packets are stored in external sram in external memories 317 and 318 . for fast - path packets , me island 348 informs egress nbi island 349 where the packet headers and the packet payloads can be found and provides the egress nbi island 349 with an egress packet descriptor for each packet . the egress packet descriptor indicates a queuing strategy to be used on the packet . egress nbi island 349 uses the egress packet descriptor to read the packet headers and any header modification from me island 348 and to read the packet payloads from either internal sram 344 or external drams 317 and 318 . similarly , for exception packets , me island 353 informs nbi island 249 where the headers and packet payloads of exception packets are found . egress nbi island 349 places egress packet descriptors for packets to be output into the correct order . for each packet that is then scheduled to be transmitted , the egress nbi island 349 uses the egress packet descriptor to read the header portion , and an indication of any header modification to be performed , and the payload portion , and to assemble the packet to be transmitted . note that indication of the header modification to be performed is not actually part of the egress packet descriptor , but rather it is a code stored with the packet header by the me when the packet is presented to the egress nbi island 349 . the egress nbi island 349 then performs any indicated packet modification on the packet . the resulting modified packet then passes from egress nbi island 349 and to egress mac island 352 . egress mac island 352 buffers the packets , and converts them into symbols . the symbols are then delivered by conductors from egress mac island 352 to the four serdes i / o blocks 326 - 329 . from serdes i / o blocks 326 - 329 , the 100 gbps outgoing packet flow passes out of the ib - nfp integrated circuit 311 and across serdes connections and to switch fabric 306 . for additional details on ib - nfp 311 , and on a network device that includes ib - nfp 311 , see : u . s . patent application ser . no . 13 / 399 , 324 , by gavin j . stark , entitled “ configurable mesh data bus in an island - based network flow processor ”, filed feb . 17 , 2012 ( the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference ). fig9 is a more detailed diagram of the me island 348 . the microengines have , through the db island bridge 390 , a command out interface , a pull - id in interface , a pull - data out interface , and a push data in interface . there are six pairs of microengines , with each pair sharing a memory containing program code for the microengines . reference numerals 394 and 395 identify the first pair of microengines and reference numeral 396 identifies the shared memory . one of the microengines is assigned to process the packet . as a result of this processing , the microengine modifies an ingress packet descriptor thereby generating an egress packet descriptor . each egress packet descriptor includes : 1 ) an address indicating where and in which me island the header portion is found , 2 ) an address indicating where and in which mu island the payload portion is found , 3 ) how long the packet is , 4 ) sequence number of the packet in the flow , 5 ) an indication of which queue the packet belongs to ( result of the packet policy ), 6 ) an indication of where the packet is to be sent ( a result of the packet policy ), 7 ) user metadata indicating what kind of packet it is . a microengine within the me island can use data bus commands to interact with a target , regardless of whether the target is located locally on the same me island as the microengine or whether the target is located remotely in another island , using the same configurable data bus communications . if the target is local within the me island , then the microengine uses data bus commands and operations as if the memory were outside the island in another island , except that bus transaction values do not have a final destination value . the bus transaction values do not leave the me island and therefore do not need the final destination information . if , on the other hand , the target is not local within the me island , then intelligence within the db island bridge adds the final destination value before the bus transaction value is sent out onto the configurable mesh data bus . from the perspective of the microengine master , the interaction with the target has the same protocol and command and data format regardless of whether the target is local or remote . fig1 is a diagram of egress nbi island 63 . in the operational example , me island 66 instructs the egress nbi island 63 to transmit a packet by supplying the egress nbi island with an egress packet descriptor of the packet to be transmitted . the me island supplies the egress packet descriptor to the egress nbi island by issuing a transmit packet command across the configurable mesh data bus and to the packet reorder block 401 . the packet reorder block 401 responds by pulling the egress packet descriptor from the me island across the cpp data bus . in this way , multiple egress packet descriptors enter packet reorder block 401 . these egress packet descriptors are reordered so that the descriptors for the packets of a flow are in proper sequence . the scheduler 366 receives the properly ordered egress packet descriptors and pushes them onto appropriate queues in queue sram 367 . each such queue of egress packet descriptors is per port , per data type , per group of connections . reference numeral 368 identifies one such queue . packets of a connection in this case share the same set of source and destination ip addresses and tcp ports . scheduler 366 schedules packets to be transmitted by popping egress packet descriptors off the queues in appropriate orders and at appropriate times , and by supplying the popped egress packet descriptors via conductors 381 to the dma engine 363 . dma engine 363 receives such an egress packet descriptor , and based on the information in the egress packet descriptor , transfers the payload portion and the header portion of the packet across cpp data bus and db interface 364 and into fifo 365 . ( fifo 365 is also referred to here as the “ packet supplying memory ”). in the illustration of fig1 , each entry in fifo 365 includes a complete packet having a script code portion 373 , the header portion 371 , and the payload portion 372 . information can be written into fifo 365 as larger values , but information passes out of fifo 365 and into the packet modifier 374 in ordered 32 - byte chunks . the script code portion 373 at the beginning of the packet was added by the microengine in the me island . as a result of the lookup performed at the direction of the microengine , a packet policy was determined , and part of this packet policy is an indication of what of the packet header to change and how to change it before the packet is transmitted . an example of such a modification is to change the mac source and destination addresses , and to insert an extra mpls header , at the decrement a ttl value , at the time the packet is output from the ib - nfp . in a typical mpls router , the mpls labels of packets can remain the same as the packets flow into and through and out of the router . the mac addresses of such a packet , however , should be changed on a hop by hop basis . the mac hop on the ingress may be different from the mac address on the egress . accordingly , the packet exiting the mpls router should have its source and destination mac addresses changed to be appropriate for the next mac hop into which the packet will be transmitted . the me island supplies a script code portion for each packet for this purpose . the me loads the script instruction sram 375 and argument sram 376 with appropriate values . the script code portion includes : 1 ) a direct / indirect bit , 2 ) a set of offsets , 2 ) a first address pointer into script instruction sram 375 indicating where a corresponding set of instructions is found , and 3 ) a second address pointer into argument sram 376 indicating where a corresponding set of arguments is found . the packet modifier 374 uses script code portion to retrieve the correct set of instructions , and the correct set of arguments . from the set of offsets , the set of instructions , and the set of arguments , a script parser in the packet modifier generates a corresponding set of opcodes . an opcode includes : 1 ) an instruction indicating a modification to be performed , 2 an associated offset , 3 ) a value indicating a number of bytes to be modified , and 4 ) an associated argument to be used in carrying out the modification . in one example , a script defines eight opcodes , and there are four processing stages in the packet modification pipeline . an opcode may be a “ noop ” ( no operation ). an argument is a value to be used in a modification as indicated by the corresponding instruction . examples of arguments retrieved include : 1 ) an ethernet source address that is to replace the ethernet source address of the packet , 2 ) a ethernet destination address that is to replace the ethernet destination address of the packet , and 3 ) an extra 4 - byte mpls label that is to be inserted into the packet . once the set of opcodes has been generated , the opcodes are supplied to the pipeline . a first of the opcodes can , for example , set up a pipeline stage to replace the ethernet source address field value ( starting at a first offset into the packet ) with the ethernet source address retrieved from argument sram 376 , whereas a second of the opcodes can set up a pipeline stage to replace the ethernet destination address field ( starting at a second offset into the packet ) with the ethernet destination address retrieved from argument sram 376 , whereas a third of the opcodes can set up a pipeline stage to insert a 4 - byte mpls header into the packet ( starting at a third offset into the packet ). the packet modifier 374 receives a packet in 32 - byte chunks from fifo 365 . as each 32 - byte chunk passes through the packet modifier 374 , it can increase in size due to the insertion of bits , or it can decrease in size due to the deleting of bits . the chunks pass through the pipeline in sequence , one after the other . the resulting modified chunks as they come out of the pipeline are aggregated at the end of the packet modifier into larger 256 - byte portions of a packet , referred to here as minipackets . a minipacket includes a number of chunks , along with associated out - of - band control information . the out - of - band control information indicates how the data of the minipacket can be assembled with the data of other minipackets to reform the overall modified packet . in this way , the resulting modified packet is output from the egress nbi island 63 as a sequence of 256 - byte minipackets across dedicated connections 369 to egress mac island 64 . reference numeral 370 identifies one such minipacket . fig1 is a diagram of egress mac island 64 . a packet 383 for transmission is received from egress nbi island 63 in the form of 256 - byte minipackets 370 via dedicated connections 369 . such packets are buffered in sram 384 . in the operational example , the packets to be output from the egress mac island via are converted into symbols by interlaken block 385 . the resulting symbols 386 pass via dedicated connections 387 to the four serdes i / o blocks 25 - 28 . as described above in connection with fig1 , the four serdes i / o blocks are coupled by serdes connections 29 to switch fabric 9 of the mpls router 1 . although the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments for instructional purposes , the present invention is not limited thereto . accordingly , various modifications , adaptations , and combinations of various features of the described embodiments can be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims .
| 7Electricity
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in the drawings , the letter i designates generally an installation tool according to the present invention for attaching an elbow electrical connector e to a conductive bushing b on a wall w of a transformer or other piece of high - power , electrical power distribution equipment . the elbow e is used to connect a high voltage electrical power distribution cable c to the transformer , typically at locations where a connection is to be made between the cable c and the transformer or the like . the voltage levels involved can be ten or twenty thousand volts or more . the electrical connection between the cable c and the bushing b is made by inserting a conductive probe 10 of the elbow e into a conductive socket 12 of the bushing b along the longitudinal axis of the probe 10 coaxially into the socket 12 . the elbow e and bushing b are conventional , commonly used items and therefore only those portions of them necessary for an understanding of the present invention will be described . the conductive probe 10 of the elbow e is mounted within a central pocket or socket 14 of a cup 16 at an upper end of the elbow e . the cup 16 is formed of a suitable strength insulative rubber or dielectric material and has an inner surface 18 conforming to an outer surface 20 of the bushing b , so that when the probe 10 and socket 12 are aligned , the probe 10 may be inserted and the cup 16 snap - fitted onto the bushing b . the elbow e has an end cap 22 formed at an upper end opposite the cup 16 from which a u - shaped coupling bracket 24 , typically of metal , rearwardly extends . the coupling bracket 24 is mounted on a recessed inner surface 26 of end cap 22 . an outer rim 28 of the end cap 22 extends about the inner surface 26 in the form of a suitable number of outwardly extending guide lugs 30 spaced from each other by slots 32 formed in the outer rim 28 . a cable housing 34 of the elbow e is located between the cup 16 and a connector section 36 which receives the cable c at an end thereof . a removal eyelet 38 is formed in a rearwardly extending ear 40 on the cable housing 34 of the eyelet e . so far as is known , in the past , the elbow e has been installed and removed from the bushing b using long rods or &# 34 ; shotgun sticks &# 34 ; which had releasable hooks at one end , permitting a worker to stand at a spaced position from the connection being made or broken for safety purposes . as has been set forth , this has presented certain problems , particularly in areas where there is cramped or limited access . with the installation tool i of the present invention , certain of these problems are overcome . in the installation tool i , a first gripping surface 42 and a second gripping surface 44 are formed at opposite ends of an insulative gripping rod or tube 46 of a suitable insulating material , such a fiberglass or some other suitable synthetic resin . the gripping surfaces 42 and 44 may be ribbed or otherwise roughened and uneven for ease of gripping . the gripping rod 46 is typically provided with end caps or caps 48 at each opposite end 49 . a mounting connector 50 is formed on the gripping rod 46 for releasably attaching the gripping rod 46 to the elbow e during installation . the mounting connector 50 takes the form of a raised , outwardly extending knob member 52 located at a central portion of the gripping rod 46 and having a key slot 54 ( fig6 ) formed extending inwardly from an inner flat portion 56 of the knob member 52 . a plurality of raised shoulders 58 are formed on the knob member 52 about the periphery thereof equal in number and location to the slots 32 on the end cap 22 of the elbow e . further , a plurality of guide notches 59 are formed in the knob member 52 , equal in number to the guide lugs 30 on the end cap 22 and correspondingly situated . the key slot 54 ( fig6 ) is of a size to receive and hold within it the coupling bracket 24 of the elbow e . a movable slide bar 60 mounted with the gripping rod 46 extends through openings 62 and 64 formed in the knob member 52 and is adapted for movement into an out of the key slot 54 , as will be set forth . the slide bar 60 has a gripping lug or pin 66 formed at an outer end 68 and is adapted to be slid between a bracket engaging position , shown in fig6 and an extracted position , shown in phantom in fig6 . a guide slot 70 is formed in the slide bar 60 longitudinally along a central portion and is adapted to receive a stop or limit pin 72 extending upwardly from gripping rod 46 . the stop pin 72 limits the extent of travel of slide bar 62 the extended and retracted positions . in the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings , the key slot 54 extends across the flat portion 56 at an angle of approximately 45 ° with respect to a longitudinal axis 74 of the gripping rod 46 , since this provides an optimum spacing between ends 49 of the gripping rod 46 in a plane transverse that of a longitudinal axis 76 ( fig2 ) of the conductive probe 10 and socket 12 of the bushing b when the mounting connector 50 is attached to the elbow electrical connector e . it should be understood , however , that the key slot 54 may be formed extending in other directions across the surface 56 of the knob member 52 . for instance , the key slot 54 may be formed extending perpendicular to the axis 74 of gripping rod . in this situation , the gripping rod 46 extends horizontally in the plane transverse that of the longitudinal axis 76 of the conductive probe 10 when the installation tool i is attached to the elbow electrical connector . similarly , the key slot 54 can be formed to extend nearly parallel to the longitudinal axis 74 of the gripping rod 46 , so long as there is clearance provided for the slide bar 60 through the connector bracket 24 of the elbow e . in that situation , the installation tool i would extend substantially vertically in the plane transverse that of the longitudinal axis 76 of the conductive probe 10 when the installation tool i is attached to the elbow electrical connector e . in the operation of the present invention , it is desirable that the installation tool i be used only when it has been made certain that the cable c and the equipment to which it is to be connected by the elbow e are de - energized . this is because of the proximity of the installing worker &# 39 ; s hands to the connection to be made or broken . the slide bar 56 is then moved to its retracted position , shown in phantom in fig6 and the coupling bracket 24 of elbow e inserted into the key slot 54 of the mounting connection 50 . the guide lugs 30 on the end cap 22 are then fitted into the guide notches 54 on the knob member 52 ( fig2 ) and , correspondingly , the raised shoulders 58 on the knob member 52 are fitted within the slots 32 on the end cap 22 of the elbow e . the slide bar 56 is then moved inwardly through the key slot 54 in the knob member 52 , locking the installation tool i to the elbow e . the probe 10 of elbow e is then aligned with the socket 12 of the bushing b and the cup 16 slid onto the outer surface of the bushing b . with the present invention , the installing worker is able to verify the alignment of the probe 10 and socket 12 along their longitudinal axis 76 during installation . the installing worker is also able to exert sufficient force , due to the ability to grip the installing tool i with both hands , to firmly force the conductive probe 10 into the receptor socket 12 . once the worker has confirmed that a proper , firm mechanical connection has been made , the gripping rod 46 may be rotated , as indicated schematically by an arrow 80 in fig2 to insure proper alignment of the installed elbow e . further , the installing worker is able to sense the establishment of a firm , proper mechanical and electrical connection of the elbow e to the bushing b by either hearing such connection being completed or feeling it through the installing tool i . the foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof , and various changes in the size , shape and materials , as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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in fig3 a microcomputer of the first embodiment of the present invention includes a timer 11 which outputs a value varying the same as a waveform providing a carrier wave , a compare register ( control register ) 12 which controls a time period of the timer 11 , a reload register 13 which holds a count value of a dead time timer which will be described in detail later . and also , the microcomputer includes a u - phase control block 20 - 1 controlling a u - phase of a three - phase motor , a v - phase control block 30 - 1 controlling a v - phase of the same motor , and a w - phase control block 40 - 1 controlling a w - phase of the same motor . the u - phase control block 20 - 1 comprises a buffer register ( transfer register ) 21 , a compare register 22 , a rs - f / f 23 a deadtime timer 24 , and two - input nand gates 25 , 26 . the v - phase control block 30 - 1 and the w - phase control block 40 - 1 also have the same circuit configuration as the u - phase control block 20 - 1 . the first embodiment of the present invention has three differences in circuit configuration . first of the differences is that the timer 11 outputs a value which varies the same as the waveform providing a carrier wave . second of the differences is that the timer 11 has a deadtime timer 24 . and third of the differences is that the circuit generating a timing signal for a pwm control is a two - stage register comprising a buffer register 21 and a compare register 22 . referring to fig4 the microcomputer shown in fig3 operates as follows . a pwm modulation can be of two types from a carrier operation view point . one is a sawtooth wave modulation , and the other is a chopping wave modulation . in this embodiment of the present invention , the sawtooth wave modulation is used . and fig4 shows a timing diagram of u - phase signal . the timer 11 is an up timer the value of which varies the same as the sawtooth wave . and when the compare register 12 detects the coincidence of the value &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; set up in the compare register 12 with the value of the timer 11 , the timer 11 will be cleared according to an interrupt signal 14 output from the compare register 12 . the timer 11 produces an interval timer operation as above mentioned . the free running timer of the prior art has a problem that even if the period of the next time period is same as before , the period of the next time period must be set up using the software process . on the other hand the construction of the embodiment of the present invention has no need to rewrite the comparison value set up in the compare register 12 in case of a constant time period . therefore a load caused by the software process is reduced . when the interrupt signal 14 ( which is shown at timing 1 ) is generated , rs - f / f 23 is set up and the value &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; of the buffer register 21 set within the former time period is transferred to the compare register 22 as a comparison value , then the value &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; provided the pwm timing of following time period is set up to the buffer register 21 by the software process . the timer 11 continues to up count . then , when the timer 11 counts the value &# 34 ; b &# 34 ;, the compare register 22 detects the coincidence of the value , the rs - f / f 23 is reset according to the coincidence detecting signal . after that , the timer 11 continues to up count . then , when the timer 11 counts the value &# 34 ; a &# 34 ;, the compare register 12 detects the coincidence of the value and the timer 11 is cleared . at this time , the interrupt signal 14 ( which is shown at timing 2 ) is generated , rs - f / f 23 is set up and the value &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; of the buffer register 21 is transferred to the compare register 22 as a comparison value , then a next value provided the pwm timing of following time period is set up to the buffer register 21 by the software process . as mentioned before , the value set at one former period can be used at the present period by the generating circuit of the pwm , timing being composed by the buffer register 21 and the compare register 22 . therefore , a value of the pwm timing can be set up within the one former period , and there is an enough margin to operate a software process . the operation of the timer 24 is described as follows . referring to fig4 the timer 24 operates as a deadtime timer . at first stage , the deadtime value ( the value &# 34 ; d &# 34 ;) is held in a reload register 13 , when the set - reset timing of the rs - f / f 23 ( q output ) is triggered , the value &# 34 ; d2 &# 34 ; held in the reload register 13 is set up to the timer 24 , then the timer 24 starts the down - counting . that is , the timer 24 operates as a function of one - shot downtimer , and out puts a low - level signal only during the counting period . the two - input nand gate 25 inputs an output of the timer 24 and a q output of the rs - f / f 23 , and outputs a waveform of u - terminal shown in fig4 . the two - input nand gate 26 inputs an output of the timer 24 and a q output of the rs - f / f 23 , and outputs a waveform of u - terminal shown in fig4 . therefore , the deadtime timer 24 automatically outputs a waveform having a deadtime which does not have an overlapping period of an active level ( low level ) of a signal . the process of the u - phase was illustrated before , and each process of the u - phase and the w - phase operates the same . the above - mentioned construction of this present invention has the advantage that the necessary number of set up registers is only one for one - phase ( three registers for three - phase ) and the generating number of the interruption ( interrupt signal 14 ) is one within one period of a carrier frequency . therefore , there is an advantage of reduced software load compared with the prior construction of the microcomputer . and the deadtime necessary for the driving of inverter devices is set up by means of the deadtime timer , so there is no necessity to set up the timing by a software process . therefore , a high speed motor control of high efficiency can be constructed using inverter devices . referring to fig5 the microcomputer of the second embodiment of this present invention has the same circuit construction as the first embodiment of this present invention shown in fig3 except for the former mentioned two subjects . one is that the timer 11 operates as an up - down counter and the carrier wave is a chopping modulation wave . the other is that the toggle flipflop ( t - f / f ) 27 is used instead of rs - f / f 23 . therefore , as in a former - mentioned illustration , devices having the same function have the same reference number and the illustration of the devices is omitted . referring to fig6 an operation of the microcomputer shown in fig5 is illustrated . an interrupt signal 15 is generated when the value of timer 11 is o &# 34 ;. at the time of the interrupt timing 1 , the value &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; of the buffer register 21 set in the former period is transferred to the compare register 22 as a comparison value . and , the software process sets the value &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; providing the pwm timing of next time period . the timer 11 operates as an up - counter . when the value of that counting reaches the value &# 34 ; b &# 34 ;, the compare register 22 detects the coincidence , and the t - f / f 27 is set by the coincidence detecting signal . afterwards , the timer 11 continues to up - count . when the timer 15 counts the value &# 34 ; a &# 34 ;, the compare register 12 detects the coincidence and the timer 11 changes its function from up - counting to down - counting at the time of the coincidence detecting signal generating . in the next stage , the timer 11 operates as a down counter . when the timer 11 counts the value &# 34 ; b &# 34 ;, the compare register 22 detects the coincidence and the coincidence detecting signal resets the t - f / f 27 . the timer 11 continues to down - count . when the timer 11 counts the value &# 34 ; o &# 34 ;, the timer 11 generates an interrupt signal 15 ( shown at the timing 2 ). according to the interrupt signal 15 , the value &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; set in the buffer register 21 is transferred to the compare register as a comparison value by a software process , and the value providing the pwm timing of next time period is set up in the buffer register 21 . the repeat of the former operation generates the pwm signal . according to the chopping modulation of the prior art , a timing of set and reset of a flipflop is set up respectively . on the other hand , according to the above - mentioned second embodiment of this present invention , the timings of set and reset are same so that their timings are symmetrical with regard to the peak of the chopping wave . so , the pwm timing can be set up by an interrupt signal generated within one period . therefore , the number of a register setting and of interruption are the same as in the first embodiment using a sawtooth wave . and an operation of a deadtime timer 24 and an output of u - terminal , u - terminal are the same as in the first embodiment , so the illustration is omitted . the invention has thus been shown and described with reference to the specific embodiments . however , it should be noted that the present invention is in no way limited to the details of the illustrated structures but changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims .
| 7Electricity
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fig1 illustrates in block diagram form one possible exemplary embodiment of a wideband switching system embodying the present invention . the central portion of the wideband switching system consists of a wideband switching network 120 which logically interconnects the signals from m wideband source devices ( s1 - sm ) with n wideband destination devices ( tv1 - tvn ) as will be disclosed herein . the operation of wideband switching network 120 is controlled by wideband service processor 110 . wideband service processor 110 is connected by a number of service control channels to various sources of control signals . service control channels can be a plurality of data links or channels on a multiplexed facility . service control channels , for example , connect control signals transmitted by a subscriber served by a business communication system ( shown as telephone t1 ) to wideband service processor 110 to control the operation of wideband switching network 120 . wideband service processor 110 is connected to wideband switching network 120 by a data link 130 . wideband service processor 110 can also be controlled by an operator at console 111 which is attached to wideband service processor 110 by leads 112 or by signals on input leads 113 which connect wideband service processor 110 to a local area network ( not shown ). wideband switching network 120 serves a plurality of source and destination terminal devices . fig1 illustrates a plurality of destination terminal devices ( tv2 - tvi ) which , for the purpose of this discussion , can be considered to be color television terminals , each of which is associated with a particular subscriber &# 39 ; s telephone station set . the signals input to each of these destination terminal devices ( such as tv2 ) contain video , audio , voice and data components which are carried on conductors dc2 . these signals are provided by an interface device ( such as dm2 ) which consists of a video pcm decoder device illustrated in further detail in fig4 . the pcm decoder dm2 converts the digital signals received from wideband switching network 120 over optical fiber df2 from the digital format of the optical fiber to the analog signals required to operate destination terminal device tv2 . in addition , destination terminal device tvn illustrates an application where a tape recorder tvn is connected via leads dcn , modem dmn and optical fiber dfn to wideband switching network 120 . tape recorder tvn can receive and record signals from any of the source terminal equipment to which it is connected by wideband switching network 120 . a number of various source terminal devices are served on the input side of wideband switching network 120 . a camera s2 is shown having video and audio analog signal output components which are applied over leads sc2 to a modem sm2 . modem sm2 is a video pcm coder which converts the analog video and audio signals output by camera s2 to pcm encoded digital signals which are carried by optical fiber sf2 to wideband switching network 120 . in similar fashion , video tape players such as sm can be connected through modem smm to corresponding optical fiber sfm to wideband switching network 120 . satellite receiver s4 is yet another source of video signals which are applied via leads sc4 through modem sm4 to corresponding optical fiber sfm to wideband switching network 120 . another type of device shown is controllable video source s1 . a controllable video source is some apparatus which can provide a video and audio output as a result of control signals being applied thereto . such a device can be a frame creation system or a digitally controlled tape player . wideband service processor 110 is connected to controllable video source s1 by source control link 150 . the control signals received by wideband service processor 110 from a subscriber are applied over source control link 150 to select a particular video information selection that the requesting subscriber wishes to receive from controllable video source s1 . controllable video source s1 responds to these control signals by transmitting the selected material in audio and video form over leads sc1 to modem sm1 . modem sm1 converts these analog signals to digital format and transmits same over optical fiber sf1 to wideband switching network 120 . in addition to the above - described video source and destination terminal equipment , computer equipment such as computers s3 and tv1 are connected to wideband switching network as is local area network s5 . the modems sm3 and dm1 are simple devices in this application since the signals to and from computers s3 and tv1 as well as local area network s5 are already in digital form . to illustrate the operation of this system assume that a subscriber goes off hook on a telephone station set served by business communication system t1 and dials a special access code . business communication system t1 responds to the dialed access code by connecting the subscriber through one of service control channels 140 to wideband service processor 110 . the subscriber at the telephone station set then signals wideband service processor 110 by use of the tone signaling pad on the telephone station set to select a particular source of program material and , at the same time , identifies the destination to which the source material should be directed . wideband service processor 110 responds to these control signals by causing the designated wideband source and destination terminal equipment to be connected together . this is accomplished by wideband service processor 110 transmitting control signals over data link 130 to wideband switching network 120 to activate the switching network crosspoints required to connect the designated source and destination . for example , tape player sm can be connected to monitor tv2 by wideband switching network 120 activating the crosspoints required to connect the signal output by modem smm on optical fiber sfm to the input of optical fiber df2 which carries these signals to modem dm2 where these signals are converted back to analog video and audio material . these analog signals are carried by conductors dc2 to the input of destination terminal device tv2 . destination terminal device tv2 then displays program material output by the selected source , tape player sm . there are alternative methods of controlling the operation of wideband switching network 120 . an operator at console 111 can input control signal via leads 112 to designate source and destination interconnections . in addition , a user can signal wideband service processor 110 from a computer connected to a local area network , which network is connected via leads 113 to wideband service processor 110 . fig2 illustrates in schematic diagram form the details of wideband switching network 120 . the switch hardware is a centrally controlled m ( 48 ) in by n ( 390 ) out nonblocking switch matrix based on emitter coupled logic ( ecl ) interconnect circuitry . no link level synchronization is used in the switch matrix , so all switched channels can transparently handle pulse frequency modulated ( pfm ) video signals or pulse code modulated ( pcm ) data or video and data signals . wideband switching network 120 contains a plurality of input port circuits ( sp1 - spm ) to interface the optical fiber data links serving the source terminal devices to the actual switch crosspoints . the output port circuits ( dp1 - dpn ) serve to interface fiber optic data links ( df1 - dfn ) serving the destination terminal equipment with the switching network crosspoints . control of wideband switching network 120 is provided by wideband service processor 110 , which consists of a personal computer , such as an at & amp ; t pc 6300 computer . wideband service processor 110 provides feature programming for wideband switching network 120 , dial up remote control capability , administration and initialization functions and fault recovery . control interface 201 is an 8086 processor based controller . control interface 201 is connected to wideband service processor 110 by data link 130 which is a standard rs232 serial data link which operates at 9600 baud . simple messages are passed between wideband service processor 110 and control interface 201 to establish and tear down video connections . control of wideband switching network 120 is segmented into three areas : switch network control , operations control , and user interactive control . a separate switch processor is located in control interface 201 and provides the low level switch driver functions . these functions include initialization of switch port control registers , writing the control registers to establish connections , clearing these registers for connection tear down , system configuration audits , and a message channel tear down , system configuration audits , and a message channel to wideband service processor 110 . wideband service processor 110 is a separate , high performance , microcomputer with a disk operating system . this processor provides higher level control functions needed to make the system reliable and easy to operate . these functions include an administrative data base , video program scheduling , switch usage recording , and disk backup of switch configurations for power failure recovery . customized feature and applications programs are easy to install and run using high level programming languages and the ms / dos operating system . wideband service processor 110 interfaces to control interface 201 via a rs - 232 serial data link 130 . this link will be used to pass commands and responses for connections to be established and removed , to schedule multiple connections , to load switch status during initialization and recovery , and to query the health of the switch . in addition to the above functions , wideband service processor 110 contains hardware to implement a control center to which users gain access over dial up telephone lines 100 , associated console 111 , or a local area network connection 113 . users are for example able to dial wideband service processor 110 from a remote location , using a standard touch - tone analog telephone set located next to a video monitor , and enter video connection commands using the touch - tone pad of the telephone set in response to synthesized voice prompts received from wideband service processor 110 . control interface 201 interfaces the wideband service processor bus with an address and a control bus that is distributed throughout the wideband switching network to all of the input and output port circuits sp1 - spm and dp1 - dpn . wideband switching network 120 contains m video busses each of which is composed of a paired differential transmission line ( tl1 ) driven by the complimentary outputs of an ecl bus driver ( 272 ) on an associated one of the source port circuits ( sp1 ). each of the source port circuits , for example sp1 , contains six fiber optic data link receivers 273 , control circuitry 271 and a bus driver 272 . wideband service processor 110 writes control information by way of control interface 201 and control bus into control register 271 to activate the bus driver 272 . the output port circuits dp1 - dpn contain m + 1 registers , illustrated on fig2 as control registers 220 . these m + 1 registers are allocated one for each of m channel multiplexers 211 - 21m and one maintenance / id register . the multiplexers 211 - 21m form the connection matrix of the wideband switching network . each of the m channels consists of a single 48 to 1 multiplexer or selector and a control latch to determine which of the video busses is selected for transmission on the fiber link . data stored in the control data latch 220 by control interface 201 are written by wideband service processor 110 using the control bus . digital communications have several advantages over analog communications : reliability of operation , miniaturization of circuitry , less calibration of equipment and more efficient multiplexing . therefore , the wideband switching system of this invention converts the analog ntsc color television signal output by the video source devices into digital form for transmission from the wideband source terminal equipment to the destination wideband terminal equipment . a pcm coder such as sm1 is used to perform this encoding function . this device is illustrated in schematic form in fig3 . the general function of pcm codes sm1 is to sample the analog ntsc color television signal output by the associated source , controllable video source s1 , at three times the color subcarrier and format the sampled signal into eight bit samples . a video compression algorithm is used to reduce the channel output to four bits . the transmission rate of this digitized video signal is 42 . 95 mbps , which is within the 45 mbps transmission rate of ds3 type signaling . there obviously is additional frequency capacity remaining for audio data and voice communication signals . the audio signal output by the source is sampled at two times the video horizontal frequency and formatted into twelve bit samples . the transmission rate for this channel 314 . 6 kbps . in addition , a standard 64 kbps voice and asychronous data signal is multiplexed along with an additional audio channel to form the resultant data signal which is illustrated in fig5 . this resultant pcm frame is transmitted through the optical fiber data link sf1 . in the decoder unit illustrated in schematic form in fig4 this process is reversed and the video , audio , voice and data signals are separated from each other . the compressed video is reconstructed to ntsc color television format and applied along with the associated audio signal to the destination terminal equipment . fig3 discloses in schematic form the functional subsystems of video pcm coder sm1 . a video signal applied by video source s1 is sampled by sync separator 302 to obtain synchronization pulses and the resulting sync signal is applied to sampling and transmit clock generator 307 , which circuit generates the sampling and transmission clock signals required for the operation of video pcm coder sm1 . a video signal is also applied to high pass filter 303 which permits only the analog video signal to be transmitted to a to d converter 308 which digitizes the received analog video signal . a video compression circuit 311 takes the digitized video signal and compresses the received eight bit samples into four bit video samples and applies the resulting signals to multiplexer 301 . concurrently , audio and voice signals are applied respectively to low pass filters 304 and 305 to permit signals of interest to be transmitted to the associated a to d converters 309 , 310 respectively . converters 309 and 310 digitize the received analog signals and apply these to multiplexer 301 . additionally , any data signals transmitted by source s1 are applied to multiplexer 301 through uart 306 . multiplexer 301 multiplexes the digitized video , audio , voice and data signals into a bit stream , the format of which is shown in fig5 . the output of multiplexer 301 is transmitted onto fiber optic data link sf1 by fiber transmitter 313 . sampling and transmit clock circuit 307 generate clock signals necessary for each of the source a to d converters . as can be seen from fig5 pcm frame consists of 1365 samples of the video channel , four samples each of the audio channels , one sample for each voice channel , 28 bits for v2 data channels and 16 bits of framing and flag information . in the frequency allocated for a video there are 1 , 365 samples for two video scan lines . first subframe shown in fig5 consists of 16 bits of framing flag and 140 nibbles of video . subframes 2 - 5 consist of three nibbles of audio channel 1 and 105 nibbles each of video . subframes 6 - 9 each contain three nibbles of audio channel 2 and 105 nibbles each of video . subframes 10 - 11 consist of one 8 bit voice sample and 70 nibbles of video . subchannel 12 consists of 4 nibbles of data and 140 nibbles of video . the last subframe consists of 3 nibbles of data and 105 nibbles of video . sampling clocks for the video , audio and voice a to d conversions as well as the clocks for data framing flag and fiber transmissions are all developed from the video horizontal sync pulses which are separated from the received analog video signal by sync separator 302 . fig4 discloses in schematic form the functional subsystems of video pcm decoder dm2 . the pcm frame from fiber optic data link df2 is received by fiber receiver 401 and passed to demultiplexer 402 and frame detector and clock recovery circuit 403 . the clock signals necessary for d to a converters 405 - 407 , uart 408 and demultiplexer 402 are all derived from the received pcm frame by frame detector and clock recovery circuit 403 . demultiplexer 402 takes the received bit stream , the format of which is shown in fig5 and separates the digitized video , audio , voice and data signals . demultiplexer 402 applies the received data signals to the destination terminal equipment tv2 through uart 408 . in similar fashion , demultiplexer 402 transmits the voice and audio signals to d to a converters 407 , 406 respectively . d to a converters 406 , 407 convert the received digitally encoded signals to analog signals and pass these analog signals to destination terminal equipment tv2 through low pass filters 410 , 411 respectively . the digitally encoded video signals are transmitted by demultiplexer 402 to a video expansion circuit ( 2 : 1 reconstruction 404 ) where the received four bit video samples are expanded into eight bit samples of the original digitized video signal . these eight bit samples are converted into an analog video signal by d to a converter 405 which then passes the analog video signal to destination terminal equipment tv2 via high pass filter 409 . the above description illustrates one way point - to - point connections through wideband switching network 120 and it is obvious that any combination of the wideband terminal equipment can be co - located . camera s2 , monitor tv2 , tape recorder tvn and tape player sm can all be part of a video center served by wideband switching network 120 . similarly , computers s3 and tv1 can be served by both source and destination ports on wideband switching network 120 to obtain bidirectional communication capability . while a specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed , variations in structural detail , within the scope of the appended claims , are possible and are contemplated . there is no intention of limitation to what is contained in the abstract or the exact disclosure as herein presented . the above - described arrangement are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention . normally , other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention .
| 7Electricity
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an inkjet recording device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 through 4 . fig1 shows the structure of an inkjet recording device 1 . the inkjet recording device 1 includes a recording head 10 according to the preferred embodiment , and a recording head driving device 20 . as shown in fig1 , the recording head 10 includes an ink channel unit 101 , a head housing 102 for retaining the ink channel unit 101 , and a piezoelectric element unit 103 . the piezoelectric element unit 103 further includes pole - shaped piezoelectric elements 110 and a piezoelectric element support base 113 having a squared u - shape . one end of each of the piezoelectric elements 110 is fixed to the piezoelectric element support base 113 , and the other end to the ink channel unit 101 . the ink channel unit 101 accommodates ink that is ejected as an ink droplet 30 onto a recording paper 40 when pressed by the piezoelectric element 110 . next , the recording head 10 will be described in greater detail with reference to fig2 . fig2 shows the overall structure of the recording head 10 . the recording head 10 in fig2 is oriented opposite the recording head 10 shown in fig1 in the vertical direction . the ink channel unit 101 includes an orifice plate 130 , an ink channel forming plate 142 , and a diaphragm forming plate 122 . the ink channel forming plate 142 is interposed between the orifice plate 130 and the diaphragm forming plate 122 , and is bonded to both of the orifice plate 130 and the diaphragm forming plate 122 by an adhesive , anodic bonding , or the like . nozzle holes 131 are formed through the orifice plate 130 so as to form a row in which the nozzle holes 131 are separated at a prescribed pitch . the surface of the diaphragm forming plate 122 opposed to the orifice plate 130 is configured of a diaphragm 120 . interposing the ink channel forming plate 142 between the orifice plate 130 and diaphragm 120 forms ink pressure chambers 140 in fluid communication with an end of the nozzle holes 131 , ink channel inlets 145 for directing ink to the ink pressure chambers 140 , and a common ink chamber 150 for supplying ink to the ink channel inlets 145 . the surface of the diaphragm forming plate 122 on which the diaphragm 120 is formed configures one wall surface of the ink pressure chambers 140 , while the other surface is bonded by adhesive to an end of the piezoelectric elements 110 provided in the piezoelectric element unit 103 . the piezoelectric elements 110 are fixed to the piezoelectric element support base 113 in a configuration similar to the teeth of a comb so as to correspond to the nozzle holes 131 . each of the piezoelectric elements 110 is configured of a plurality of layered piezoelectric elements 111 and a plurality of layered electrodes 112 . the piezoelectric elements 111 and electrodes 112 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction of the drawing . a common electrode 1121 and an individual electrode 1122 are provided on opposite side surfaces of the piezoelectric elements 110 . the electrodes 112 are alternately connected to the common electrode 1121 and the individual electrode 1122 . further , a common electrode 1121 ′ and a plurality of individual electrodes 1122 ′ are formed on the piezoelectric element support base 113 and are connected to the common electrode 1121 and individual electrode 1122 , respectively . the individual electrodes 1122 ′ are also connected by pairs to flexible cable terminals 161 of a flexible cable 160 . the flexible cable 160 connects the piezoelectric elements 110 to a switching circuit 304 ( see fig1 and 3 ( a )) described later for driving the piezoelectric elements 110 . as shown in fig1 , two columnar support base fixing units 114 are provided on either end of the piezoelectric element support base 113 with respect to the row of piezoelectric elements 110 . the bottom surface of the support base fixing units 114 is fixed by adhesive or the like to the ink channel unit 101 . the ink channel unit 101 in turn is adhesively fixed to the head housing 102 on endpoints near the areas bonded to the support base fixing units 114 . accordingly , the support base fixing units 114 are fixed relative to the head housing 102 . with this construction , the ink pressure chambers 140 in fluid communication with the nozzle holes 131 and the piezoelectric elements 110 form n nozzle elements # 1 , # 2 , . . . , n in the recording head 10 . in the preferred embodiment , adjacent piezoelectric elements 110 are polarized with reverse polarity , and the amount of polarization is set approximately equal . therefore , in the case of a first nozzle element # 1 and a second nozzle element # 2 ( see fig3 ( a )), the piezoelectric element 110 retains the polarization shown in fig3 ( a ) that is substantially equivalent to , but directionally opposite of the polarization retained in the piezoelectric element 110 of second nozzle element # 2 . hence , when a similar voltage is applied to both nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 , the piezoelectric elements 110 in nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 are displaced approximately the same amount , but in opposing directions from each other . the volume of the ink pressure chambers 140 changes due to the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric elements 110 . next , the recording head driving device 20 will be described with reference to fig1 and 3 ( a ). as shown in fig1 , the recording head driving device 20 includes a recording data signal generating circuit 302 , a piezoelectric element drive data signal generating circuit 303 , the piezoelectric element drive switching circuit 304 , a timing signal generating circuit 301 , and a a & amp ; b phase piezoelectric element driving pulse waveform generating circuit 305 . the recording data signal generating circuit 302 generates a recording data signal based on input data for a recording signal received from a host device ( such as a personal computer , not shown ). the piezoelectric element drive data signal generating circuit 303 further includes an odd - numbered piezoelectric element drive data signal circuit 3031 for driving piezoelectric elements in odd - numbered nozzles , and an even - numbered piezoelectric element drive data signal circuit 3032 for driving piezoelectric elements in even - numbered nozzles . the piezoelectric element drive data signal generating circuit 303 generates each of the piezoelectric element drive data signals based on the recording data signal generated by the recording data signal generating circuit 302 and a timing signal generated by the timing signal generating circuit 301 . the piezoelectric element drive switching circuit 304 includes a switching element drive circuit 3042 , and a plurality of switching elements 3041 ( sw 1 , sw 2 , . . . ; see fig3 ( a )). the switching element drive circuit 3042 actuates the switching elements 3041 based on the piezoelectric element drive data signal generated by the piezoelectric element drive data signal generating circuit 303 . one end of each switching elements 3041 is connected to two adjacent piezoelectric elements 110 , while the other end is grounded . specifically , as shown in fig3 ( a ), a switching element sw 1 is connected commonly to the individual electrode 1122 of the piezoelectric elements 110 in both nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 . a switching element sw 2 is connected commonly to the individual electrode 1122 of the piezoelectric elements 110 in both a third nozzle element # 3 and a fourth nozzle element # 4 . in the same way , other switching elements are commonly connected to the individual electrode 1122 of two piezoelectric elements 110 belonging to a set of two adjacent nozzle elements . the a & amp ; b phase piezoelectric element driving pulse waveform generating circuit 305 generates a a - phase drive pulse and a b - phase drive pulse ( see ( a ) in fig4 ) for driving the piezoelectric elements 110 . as shown in fig3 ( a ), the a & amp ; b phase piezoelectric element driving pulse waveform generating circuit 305 is commonly connected to common electrodes 1121 of the piezoelectric elements 110 via the piezoelectric element drive switching circuit 304 for all nozzle elements # 1 , # 2 , # 3 , . . . , # n . hence , when the switching element sw 1 is turned on , for example , a a - phase drive pulse or a b - phase drive pulse is applied simultaneously to piezoelectric elements 110 in the two adjacent nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 . next , an ink ejection operation performed with the inkjet recording device 1 of the preferred embodiment will be described with reference to fig3 ( a ), 3 ( b ), 3 ( c ), and 4 . fig3 ( a )- 3 ( c ) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of the recording head 10 according to the preferred embodiment . fig4 is a timing chart of the signal waveforms for each element during an operation of the recording head 10 , where ( a ) indicates an output waveform of the a & amp ; b phase piezoelectric element driving pulse waveform generating circuit 305 , ( b 1 ) indicates a drive pulse waveform supplied to the switching element sw 1 , and ( b 2 ) indicates a drive pulse waveform supplied to the switching element sw 2 . as shown in ( a ) of fig4 , the voltage of the a - phase drive pulse changes from 0 to − v during an interval t 1 and remains at − v for a prescribed time t 2 . subsequently , the voltage of the a - phase drive pulse rises from − v to + v during an interval t 3 and remains at + v for a prescribed time t 4 , after which the voltage returns to 0 during an interval t 5 . the b - phase drive pulse acts opposite the a - phase drive pulse , rising from 0 to + v during the initial interval t 1 and remaining at + v for the prescribed time t 2 . subsequently , the voltage changes from + v to − v during the interval t 3 and remains at − v for the prescribed time t 4 before returning to 0 during the interval t 5 . the switching element sw 1 turns on when the drive pulse for the switching element sw 1 ( b 1 ) is high , and turns off when the pulse is low . the switching element sw 2 turns on when the drive pulse for the switching element sw 2 ( b 2 ) is high , and turns off when the pulse is low as shown in fig4 , since the drive pulse for the switching element sw 1 ( b 1 ) is high during a period t ( 1 )- a , the switching element sw 1 is on during this period . further , since the level of the drive pulse for the switching element sw 2 ( b 2 ) is low during this period , the switching element sw 2 is off . in other words , as shown in fig3 ( a ), the contact point for the switching element sw 1 is closed while the contact point for the switching element sw 2 is open . accordingly , the individual electrodes 1122 of nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 are both grounded via the switching element sw 1 , while the individual electrodes 1122 for nozzle elements # 3 and # 4 are in a floating state . since the a & amp ; b phase piezoelectric element driving pulse waveform generating circuit 305 is commonly connected to the common electrode 1121 of each piezoelectric element 110 , a potential difference is generated between the common electrode 1121 and individual electrode 1122 of the nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 during the period t ( 1 )- a . this potential difference corresponds to the voltage variation in the a - phase drive pulse shown in ( a ) of fig4 . hence , throughout the period t ( 1 )- a , the piezoelectric element 110 of nozzle element # 1 gradually contracts during the interval t 1 , maintains its contracted state during the interval t 2 , rapidly expands during the interval t 3 , maintains this expanded state in the interval t 4 , and gradually returns to its original state during the interval t 5 . in this way , the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 110 changes the volume in the ink pressure chamber 140 . fig3 ( a ) shows nozzle element # 1 in the state at time t 1 in fig4 , that is , when the piezoelectric element 110 has rapidly expanded . the expansion of the piezoelectric element 110 constricts the volume in the ink pressure chamber 140 so that the ink droplet 30 is ejected through the nozzle hole 131 of nozzle element # 1 . since the polarization of the piezoelectric element 110 in the neighboring nozzle element # 2 is set to about the same magnitude but has an opposite direction as that in nozzle element # 1 , expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 110 and ink pressure chamber 140 in nozzle element # 2 is completely opposite that in nozzle element # 1 . consequently , the volume of the ink pressure chamber 140 increases during the interval t 3 , and ink is supplied from the common ink chamber 150 to the ink pressure chamber 140 via the ink channel inlets 145 . since the polarization directions of the piezoelectric elements 110 in nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 are opposite one another , an ink droplet is ejected through the nozzle hole 131 of nozzle element # 1 and not through the nozzle hole 131 of nozzle element # 2 when the a - phase drive pulse shown in ( a ) of fig4 is applied . since switching element sw 2 is off for the piezoelectric elements 110 in nozzle elements # 3 and # 4 , a potential differential between the common electrode 1121 and individual electrode 1122 of the piezoelectric elements 110 does not change , even when the drive pulse voltage shown in ( a ) of fig4 is applied to the individual electrodes 1122 in these nozzle elements . hence , the piezoelectric elements 110 in nozzle elements # 3 and # 4 do not expand and contract , but remain still . further , when ink is supplied from the common ink chamber 150 to the ink pressure chamber 140 , a force to draw ink in from the nozzle hole 131 also works . hence , the meniscus formed in the nozzle hole 131 tends to be drawn toward the ink pressure chamber 140 and , in some cases , air bubbles can be sucked through the nozzle hole 131 into the ink pressure chamber 140 . in order to prevent this problem , the size of the ink channel inlet 145 ( see fig2 ) should be fairly large , and the impedance of the ink channel inlet 145 should be set smaller than that of the nozzle hole 131 . next , since the drive pulse for switching element sw 1 ( b 1 ) is low during the following interval t ( 1 )- b , the switching element sw 1 is switched off . further , since the drive pulse for the switching element sw 2 ( b 2 ) is high , the switching element sw 2 is switched on . accordingly , the contact point for switching element sw 1 is open , while the contact point for switching element sw 2 is closed , as shown in fig3 ( b ). at this time , the individual electrode 1122 of the piezoelectric elements 110 in nozzle elements # 3 and # 4 are both grounded via switching element sw 2 . since the a & amp ; b phase piezoelectric element driving pulse waveform generating circuit 305 is connected to the common electrode 1121 of each piezoelectric element 110 , a potential differential is generated between the common electrode 1121 and individual electrode 1122 of nozzle elements # 3 and # 4 . this potential difference corresponds to voltage changes in the b - phase drive pulse shown in ( a ) of fig4 . therefore , the piezoelectric element 110 of nozzle element # 4 expands at the time t 2 , constricting the volume in the ink pressure chamber 140 so that the ink droplet 30 is ejected . at the same time , the piezoelectric element 110 of nozzle element # 3 is set to approximately the same magnitude of polarization but an opposite direction of polarization to the piezoelectric element 110 in nozzle element # 4 . accordingly , the volume in the ink pressure chamber 140 increases at t 2 , so that the ink pressure chamber 140 draws ink from the common ink chamber 150 and does not eject an ink droplet . since the switching element sw 1 is off , the a & amp ; b - phase piezoelectric element drive pulse voltages are not applied to the piezoelectric elements 110 in nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 . therefore , the piezoelectric elements 110 in nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 remain still and do not expand or contract . next , both switching elements sw 1 and sw 2 are turned off during the period t ( 2 )- a shown in fig4 . hence , nozzle elements # 3 and # 4 are halted , while nozzle elements # 1 and # 2 continue to remain halted . since switching elements sw 1 and sw 2 are both on in the period t ( 2 )- b , the b - phase drive pulse voltage is applied to nozzle elements # 1 -# 4 . at the time t 3 , the piezoelectric elements 110 of nozzle elements # 2 and # 4 expand , as shown in fig3 ( c ), causing ink droplets to be ejected from nozzle elements # 2 and # 4 . the following is a description of the operations for the four nozzle elements # 1 -# 4 , but a similar control process can be employed when the number of nozzle elements is increased . specifically , the nozzle elements are driven by the a - phase drive pulse ( or b - phase drive pulse ) when wishing to eject ink from odd - numbered nozzle elements , while the b - phase drive pulse ( or a - phase drive pulse ) is used when wishing to eject ink droplets from even - numbered nozzle elements . it is not possible to eject ink droplets simultaneously from two adjacent nozzle elements ( i . e . one odd - numbered and one even - numbered ). however , in light of the time difference between the a - phase and b - phase drive pulses , it is possible to eject ink droplets from desired nozzle elements by offsetting recording data for odd - numbered nozzle elements from recording data for even - numbered nozzle elements . the recording head 10 is suitable for a serial scanning inkjet recording device and a line scanning inkjet recording device . in a serial scanning inkjet recording device , the recording head 10 is disposed so that the surface of the orifice plate 130 confronts the recording paper . the recording head 10 ejects ink droplets based on the recording signal while being moved in a direction that transverses the conveying direction of the recording paper ( main scan ) to record one line of an image . subsequently , the recording paper is conveyed a prescribed distance in the conveying direction ( sub scan ), and the recording head 10 repeats the main scan to record the next line of the image . the entire image is recorded by repeatedly performing the main scan and sub scan . when employing the recording head 10 in a line scanning inkjet recording device , a plurality of recording heads are arranged in a row along the width of a continuous recording paper so as to oppose the surface of the recording paper across the entire width . the recording heads 10 eject ink droplets based on recording signals , while simultaneously the continuous recording paper is moved at a high speed in the longitudinal direction of the paper ( main scan ). dot formation on the scan lines is controlled by controlling the main scan and the ejection of ink droplets to record an image on the recording paper . as described above , adjacent nozzle elements in the recording head 10 according to the preferred embodiment have piezoelectric elements 110 with approximately the same magnitude of polarization but reverse polarities . since the piezoelectric elements 110 are driven by drive pulse voltages having similar waveforms , vibrations in the diaphragms , excitation of the piezoelectric element support base , displacement of each element , and the like in the adjacent nozzle elements are in completely opposite directions to one another . accordingly , it is possible to suppress the excitation of other elements , that is , excitation of other nozzle elements or such common members as the piezoelectric element support base and the housing . in other words , this structure suppresses abnormal vibrations when driving the piezoelectric element , thereby avoiding abnormal vibrations in the meniscus formed in the nozzle holes . since cross talk is reduced in this way , ink droplets can be ejected with greater stability . hence , ink droplets can be reliably ejected from each nozzle with a uniform ejection rate and droplet weight . therefore , the present invention can provide an inkjet recording device capable of reliably recording high - quality images at a high speed . since two adjacent nozzle elements are connected to a single switching element in the recording head 10 according to the preferred embodiment , the number of switching elements and the number of wires in a cable connecting the recording head to the recording head driving device can be half that required for conventional devices , thereby reducing the cost and size of the recording device . next , a recording head 12 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig5 , wherein like parts and components are designated with the same reference numerals to avoid duplicating description . fig5 shows the general structure of the recording head 12 according to the second embodiment . unlike the recording head 10 in the first embodiment , pairs of the individual electrodes 1122 are connected on the surface of the piezoelectric element support base 113 . with this construction , the surface area of the individual electrodes 1122 ′ capable of being connected to the flexible cable terminals 161 is greater than that in the first embodiment , thereby facilitating connection of the individual electrodes 1122 ′ with the flexible cable terminals 161 of the flexible cable 160 . next , a recording head 13 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig6 , wherein like parts and components are designated with the same reference numerals to avoid duplicating description . fig6 shows the general structure of the recording head 13 according to the third embodiment . in the third embodiment , the ink channel inlet 145 grows gradually smaller in a direction from the common ink chamber 150 toward the ink pressure chamber 140 , giving the ink channel inlet 145 the characteristics of a fluid diode in the direction from the common ink chamber 150 to the ink pressure chamber 140 . since ink flows in the direction from the common ink chamber 150 to the ink pressure chamber 140 , this construction can restrain movement of the meniscus generated in the nozzle hole 131 toward the ink pressure chamber 140 . hence , this construction can prevent air from being sucked through the nozzle hole 131 and can prevent a drop in frequency response in ink ejection . in the third embodiment , an ink accumulating part 132 is also formed around each nozzle hole 131 as a recessed part . since ink accumulated in the ink accumulating part 132 around the nozzle hole can flow into the ink pressure chamber 140 , this construction more effectively prevents the lo meniscus from being completely drawn into the ink pressure chamber 140 and , hence , prevents air bubbles from being drawn into the ink pressure chamber 140 . next , a recording head 14 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig7 , wherein like parts and components are designated with the same reference numerals to avoid duplicating description . fig7 shows the general structure of the recording head 14 according to the fourth embodiment . unlike the recording head 10 in the first embodiment , the polarizations of all of the piezoelectric elements 110 have same direction , the common electrode 1121 of the nozzle element # 1 is connected to the individual electrode 1122 of the nozzle element # 2 via a wire a and the individual electrode 1122 of the nozzle element # 1 is connected to the common electrode 1121 of the nozzle element # 2 via a wire b . the wire a is connected to the a & amp ; b phase piezoelectric element driving pulse waveform generating circuit 305 and the wire b is connected to the switching elements 3041 for each pair of nozzle elements . with this construction , vibrations in the diaphragms , excitation of the piezoelectric element support base , displacement of each element , and the like in the adjacent nozzle elements are in completely opposite directions to one another . accordingly , it is possible to suppress the excitation of other elements with the piezoelectric elements 110 whose polarizations have same direction . while the invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention , the scope of which is defined by the attached claims . for example , a pair of the flexible cables 160 can be connected on the circuit board of the piezoelectric element drive switching circuit 304 , as shown in fig8 , for sharing a switching element with two adjacent nozzle elements . while the number of wires in the flexible cable 160 is the same as the conventional device in this case , the number of switching elements can be decreased by half . in addition to an inkjet recording device for recording on a recording paper in ink , the recording head can also be applied to an industrial liquid dispenser , such as a marking device or a coating device for marking or coating products . further , the piezoelectric elements used in the present invention are not limited to the pole - shaped elements described in the preferred embodiments .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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hereinafter , a depositing apparatus and a method for measuring a deposition quantity according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . as those skilled in the art would realize , the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways , all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention . on the contrary , embodiments introduced herein are provided to make disclosed contents thorough and complete and sufficient transfer the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art . like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the drawings . further , throughout this specification , unless explicitly described to the contrary , the word “ comprise ” and variations such as “ comprises ” or “ comprising ”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements . in addition , throughout this specification , the word “ on ” will be understood to be positioned above or below a target portion , and will be not necessarily understood to be positioned at an upper side based on a gravity direction . fig1 is an oblique view of a depositing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention , fig2 is a cross - sectional view of a main shutter taken along line ii - ii of fig1 , and fig3 is a plan view of a test substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 to 3 , a depositing apparatus constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a depositing source 200 , a substrate holder 500 , a depositing source shutter 300 , and a main shutter 100 . for convenience of the description , although a chamber is not shown in each drawing , all constituent elements of fig1 are disposed in a vacuum chamber in which a degree of vacuum is properly maintained . the vacuum chamber may have various shapes in accordance with a shape of a substrate to be processed . for example , in the case where the substrate to be processed has a circular shape , the vacuum chamber entirely has a cylindrical shape , and in the case where the processed substrate has a rectangular shape , the vacuum chamber entirely has a cuboid shape . in addition , in the vacuum chamber , a vacuum pump ( not shown ) which discharges the gas in the vacuum chamber to lower the pressure in the vacuum chamber , a venting means ( not shown ) which injects a gas into the vacuum chamber to increase the pressure in the vacuum chamber , and the like may be further included . the depositing source 200 is a means of discharging a deposition material to deposit the deposition material on a substrate 400 , and includes a space ( not shown ) storing the deposition material such as an organic material therein . the storing space of the depositing source may be made of a ceramic material such as alumina ( al 2 o 3 ) and aluminum nitride ( aln ) having excellent thermal radiation , but is not limited thereto and may be made of various materials having excellent thermal radiation and thermal resistance . a heater ( not shown ) configured to contact and surround an outer surface of the storing space may be provided at the outer surface of the storing space of the depositing source and serves to heating and vaporizing the stored deposition material . a spraying nozzle ( not shown ) spraying the vaporized or sublimated deposition material at the internal space of the depositing source may be further included at one side of the depositing source 200 which faces the substrate 400 . the depositing source 200 may be configured of a plurality of linear depositing sources in which a plurality of nozzles is included in a row of or a plurality of dot depositing sources in which one nozzle is included , and in the embodiment , the plurality of dot depositing sources is exemplified , but is not limited thereto . the substrate 400 fixed by the substrate holder 500 faces the depositing source 200 . since the substrate holder 500 stably fixes the substrate 400 while forming a thin layer on the substrate 400 and carries out the substrate 400 after a deposition process has completed , the substrate holder 500 has a structure capable of easily attaching and detaching the substrate 400 . since the configuration of the substrate holder 500 is the same as the configuration used in a general depositing apparatus , the detailed description thereof is omitted . while the depositing source 200 and the substrate 400 move relatively to each other , a deposition may be performed . in the case where the depositing source 200 is fixed , the substrate holder 500 may move so that the substrate 400 moves with a predetermined distance from the depositing source 200 ( y - axial direction of fig1 ). in the case where the depositing source 200 is disposed so as to discharge the deposition material in a vertical direction , the substrate 400 may be horizontally disposed above the depositing source 200 . in the case where the depositing source 200 is disposed so as to discharge the deposition material in a horizontal direction , the substrate 400 may be vertically disposed . in the exemplary embodiment , the depositing source 200 is disposed on the bottom of the vacuum chamber and the substrate 400 is horizontally disposed at the upper side thereof , but it is not limited thereto . the depositing apparatus constructed according to the embodiment may deposit an organic material or an inorganic material for forming an organic emission layer or an electrode layer on a substrate for deposition by using a mask for deposition . in addition , before the deposition material such as the organic material or the inorganic material is deposited , a test deposition is performed by using a test substrate in order to verify whether the deposition material sprayed from the depositing source 200 is uniformly deposited on the test substrate and to measure a deposited quantity on a respective area of the test substrate . in the embodiment , the case where the test deposition is performed by the test substrate will be described . the surface of the test substrate 400 may be divided into a plurality of areas , for example 400 a through 400 f as shown in fig3 . a detailed description thereof will be described below . the depositing source shutter 300 is a means for controlling an amount of the vaporized deposition material to be deposited on the substrate 400 . the depositing source shutter 300 is disposed at one side of every depositing source 200 to open and close a passage of the respective depositing source 200 . more specifically , when the depositing source shutter 300 opens the passage of the respective depositing source 200 , a vapor - stated deposition material generated by vaporizing the deposition material included in the depositing source 200 is deposited on the substrate 400 . on the other hand , when the depositing source shutter 300 closes the passage of the respective depositing source 200 , the depositing source shutter 300 prevents the vaporized disposition material from depositing on the substrate 400 . in order to shorten a processing time , the deposition process is performed in a state where the deposition material can be sufficiently vaporized by sufficiently heating the depositing source 200 before the deposition material is deposited on the substrate 400 . the depositing source shutter 300 blocks the passage of the depositing source 200 in a preheating process before the deposition process or a process after the deposition process during which a thin layer having a desired thickness has been deposited on the substrate 400 ; therefore , no additional deposition material is deposited on the substrate 400 before or after the deposition process . since the detailed configuration of the depositing source shutter 300 is the same as the configuration of a known depositing apparatus , the detailed description thereof is omitted . the main shutter 100 is a means to deposit a part of the deposition material sprayed from the depositing source 200 , which passes through the main shutter 100 , on a predetermined area of the substrate 400 . the main shutter 100 is disposed between the depositing source 200 and the substrate 400 fixed to the substrate holder 500 . the main shutter 100 is not used in a depositing process for forming the organic emission layer or the electrode layer , but used in the case of measuring the deposited quantity through the test deposition . the main shutter 100 may move in a y - axial direction so as to be selectively disposed on the depositing source 200 to deposit the respective deposition material in a predetermined area of the substrate 400 . the deposited quantity among the plurality of depositing sources 200 can be measured to determine whether the deposited quantity of the respective depositing source is insufficient or excessive . as shown in fig2 , the main shutter 100 may include a main shutter body 110 formed in a plate shape and an opening 120 ( 121 and 122 ) formed by passing through the main shutter body 110 in a thickness direction ( z - axis direction ). the part of the deposition material sprayed from the depositing source 200 passes through the opening 120 to reach the substrate 400 , and the remaining part is blocked by the main shutter body 110 to deposit the deposition material on the predetermined area . in the exemplary embodiment , a cross section of the opening 120 is shown as a circle , but is not limited thereto and may be formed in various shapes such as a polygon . the opening 120 may be formed in accordance with respective positions of the passages of the plurality of depositing source 200 . in this case , a guiding unit 130 ( 131 and 132 ) surrounding each opening 120 may be further included on one surface of the main shutter body 110 facing the depositing source 200 . this is to pass the deposition material discharged from the depositing source 200 corresponding to each opening 120 and block the deposition material discharged from the depositing source 200 corresponding to another opening 120 . the plurality of depositing sources 200 may be disposed in an m x n matrix form having m rows in a first direction ( x - axial direction ) and n columns in a second direction ( y - axial direction ) crossing the first direction . in this case , each opening 120 formed in accordance with each depositing source 200 may be formed in a matrix form having m rows and k ( k & lt ; n ) columns . that is , the opening 120 is formed in accordance with all of the depositing sources 200 in the first direction and formed smaller than the number of the depositing sources 200 in the second direction . then , the main shutter 100 is formed to move in the second direction and may be disposed in accordance with a depositing source of another row and column disposed in the second direction . the substrate holder 500 is further formed to move in the second direction , and one area of the surface of the test substrate 400 may be set as a deposition area corresponding to the column of the depositing source 200 . in this specification , the deposition area means one area of the test substrate to which the deposition material is attached . hereinafter , a method for measuring a deposition quantity according to another exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings . fig4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for measuring a deposition quantity according to another embodiment of the present invention , fig5 a , 6 a and 7 a are plan views sequentially illustrating the method for measuring a deposition quantity according to another embodiment of the present invention , and fig5 b , 6 b and 7 b are side views sequentially illustrating the method for measuring a deposition quantity according to another embodiment of the present invention . referring to the drawings , a method for measuring a deposition quantity according to another embodiment includes disposing a test substrate ( s 10 ), setting a deposition area ( s 20 ), opening a depositing source ( s 30 ), depositing ( s 40 ), closing the depositing source ( s 50 ), and measuring the test substrate ( s 60 ). according to an embodiment of the prevent invention , the plurality of depositing sources 200 is disposed in an m x n matrix form having m rows in a first direction ( x - axial direction ) and n columns in a second direction ( y - axial direction ) crossing the first direction , and the opening 120 is formed in a matrix form having m rows and k ( k & lt ; n ) columns , but it is not limited thereto . for convenience of the description , in the present exemplary embodiment , as shown in fig1 , the depositing sources are disposed in a form having 4 rows and 6 columns , and the openings 120 formed in the main shutter 100 are exemplified in a form having 4 rows and 2 columns so as to correspond to positions of the depositing sources . the 6 columns of the depositing sources are represented by reference numerals a through f , the depositing sources in the respective columns are represented by reference numerals 200 a through 200 f , and the depositing source shutters in the respective columns are represented by reference numerals 300 a through 300 f . two columns of the openings 120 formed in the main shutter 100 are represented by reference numerals 121 and 122 , respectively . in addition , the test substrate 400 , in which 6 areas 400 a through 400 are divided in the second direction so as to be the same as the number of columns of the depositing sources , may be used . in the exemplary embodiment , the deposition is performed from the depositing source 200 a disposed in a column a through the depositing source 200 f in a column f in sequence , but is not limited thereto and may be performed by being modified in various orders . first , the test substrate 400 of which the surface is divided into a plurality of areas faces the plurality of depositing sources 200 spraying a deposition material m ( s 10 ). the test substrate 400 is fixed to face the depositing source 200 by the substrate holder 500 , but for convenience of the description , the substrate holder 500 is not shown . in this case , a passage of the depositing source 200 is closed by each depositing source shutter 300 . one area of the surface of the test substrate 400 is set as a deposition area to which the deposition material m is attached ( s 20 ). in this case , the main shutter 100 including the main shutter body 110 with the plurality of openings 120 penetrated in a thickness direction ( z direction ) is disposed between the depositing source 200 and the test substrate 400 to be set as the deposition area . the respective openings 120 are arranged so as to be overlapped with the deposition area of the test substrate 400 and the passage of the depositing source 200 . in the exemplary embodiment , a depositing source 200 a is disposed in a column a and an area 400 a of the surface of the test substrate 400 is set as the deposition area to which the deposition material m is attached . in addition , the main shutter 100 is arranged so that the openings 121 and 122 which are formed in two columns are positioned in columns a and b , respectively . thereafter , some depositing sources to measure the deposited quantity among the plurality of depositing sources are selectively opened ( s 30 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the depositing source 200 a disposed in the column a is selected as the depositing source to measure the deposited quantity , and as shown in fig5 a and 5b , each depositing source shutter 300 a disposed at one side of each depositing source 200 a is opened . the deposition material m is partially deposited in one area of the surface of the test substrate 400 based on a position corresponding to the depositing source 200 ( s 40 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the deposition material m sprayed from the depositing source 200 a disposed in the column a is attached to the position corresponding to the depositing source 200 among the area 400 a of the surface of the test substrate ( see ma of fig5 b ). after a predetermined time has elapsed , the opened depositing source is closed ( s 50 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the depositing source 200 a is closed by using each depositing source shutter 300 a disposed at one side of the depositing source 200 a disposed in the column a . thereafter , in order to perform deposition for another depositing source in which the deposition is not performed , an area to which the deposition material is not attached yet on the surface of the test substrate may be reset as the deposition area . in the exemplary embodiment , as shown in fig6 a and 6b , the test substrate 400 may move in the second direction so that an area 400 b adjacent to the area 400 a in which the deposition has been first performed is reset as the deposition area . since the opening 122 of the main shutter 100 is arranged with a depositing source 200 b in a column b , the main shutter 100 does not move . thereafter , another depositing source in which the deposition is not performed among the plurality of depositing sources is selected and opened . in the exemplary embodiment , in order to measure the deposition quantity of the depositing source 200 b in the column b , each depositing source shutter 300 b disposed at one side of each depositing source 200 b is opened . the deposition material m is partially deposited in one area of the surface of the test substrate 400 based on a position corresponding to the depositing source 200 . in the exemplary embodiment , the deposition material m sprayed from the depositing source 200 b disposed in the column b is attached to a position corresponding to the depositing source 200 b among the area 400 b of the surface of the test substrate ( see mb of fig6 b ). after a predetermined time has elapsed , the opened depositing source is closed . in the exemplary embodiment , the depositing source 200 b is closed by using each depositing source shutter 300 b disposed at one side of the depositing source 200 b disposed in the column b . thereafter , in order to perform deposition for another depositing source in which the deposition is not performed , an area in which the deposition is not performed on the surface of the test substrate may be reset as the deposition area to which the deposition material is attached . in the exemplary embodiment , the test substrate 400 may move in the second direction so that an area 400 c adjacent to the area 400 b in which the deposition has been performed in the previous step is reset as the deposition area . further , the main shutter 100 also moves in the second direction and thus the openings 121 and 122 which are formed in two columns in the main shutter 100 are arranged to be positioned in a column c and a column d , respectively . in order to measure the deposited quantity of the depositing source 200 c in the column c , each depositing source shutter 300 c disposed at one side of each depositing source 200 c is opened . thereafter , depositing and closing the depositing source 200 c in the column c are the same as those described above , and the deposition material sprayed from the depositing source 200 c in the column c is attached to the area 400 c of the test substrate ( see mc of fig7 b ). in the above method , the deposition may be performed total six times up to the rest of a depositing source 200 d in the column d , a depositing source 200 e in the column e , and a depositing source 200 f in the column f . as such , when the depositing process for all of the depositing sources 200 is completed , the test substrate 400 is collected and checked . piles of the deposited material as many as the number corresponding to the depositing sources 200 are formed on one sheet of test substrate 400 . for example , like the exemplary embodiment , the plurality of depositing sources 200 is arranged in a matrix form having 4 rows and 6 columns , the piles of the deposition material formed on the test substrate 400 are arranged in the same form . when a deposition thickness of each pile is measured , it may be easily determined whether the deposition quantity of the depositing source disposed at any position is insufficient or excessive . based on the determined result , it is possible to control the deposition quantity of an abnormal depositing source . while this disclosure has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments , but , on the contrary , is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
the present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous methods and systems of food and tissue preservation . particularly , the present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous methods and systems to efficiently utilize wasted energy from the refrigeration and freezer processes to defrost evaporator coils . fig1 depicts a conventional walk - in freezer with freezer box 100 . in this conventional application , a refrigerant that evaporates at near ambient temperature , such as isobutane , may be used to cool the freezer . the refrigerant may be converted from a liquid into a gas in the evaporator 110 . the conversion from a liquid state to gas causes the chemical to become very cold and allows it to absorb heat energy from its surroundings , thereby cooling the refrigerator or freezer . the refrigerant gas is then transported via a suction line 112 to compressor 120 . the compressor 120 compresses the gaseous refrigerant and pumps it via tubing 122 to the condenser 130 . in the condenser 130 , the refrigerant returns to a liquid state , thereby releasing any heat energy it absorbed in the gas state . the heat is then released into the surrounding air . the refrigerant is returned to the evaporator via tubing 114 , where the cooling cycle begins again . during the cooling process , frost forms on the condenser coils , tubing , and fins . conventional systems typically use an electric heater or hot gas to periodically defrost the condenser coils , tubing , and fins . the melted frost and ice drains to drain pan 150 ( herein referred to interchangeably as a wash tray ), from which it is delivered to an evaporation tray or floor drain via drain tubing 152 . referring to fig2 , the walk - in freezer 100 may include various components capable of performing the novel and advantageous methods and systems of the present disclosure . as should be appreciated , zero , one or more components may be located within the freezer 100 walls . similarly , zero , one , or more components may be located exterior to the freezer 100 walls . any suitable arrangement and / or location of the various components may be used and is within the scope of the present disclosure . a hot liquid may generally be stored in an insulated container 200 . a hot liquid pump 204 may be submerged in the hot liquid . in other embodiments , the hot liquid pump 204 may be external to the hot liquid and / or insulated container 200 . the hot liquid may be pumped out of the insulated container 200 through an insulated pipe , or liquid supply pipe , 214 . the hot liquid may be carried through the insulated pipe 214 to a hot liquid delivery manifold and tube system , herein manifold 310 . the hot liquid may be released on one or more evaporator coils , tubing , and fins ( herein evaporator coils 110 ) thereby washing them . the wash may substantially remove the frost and ice accumulated during the cold frosting and freezing cycle . a wash tray , or catch tray , 230 , positioned below the evaporator coils 110 , may capture the hot liquid , frost , and ice resulting from the wash . a return pipe , or hot liquid intake pipe 216 may return the captured hot liquid , frost , and ice back to the insulated container 200 , resulting in the completing of a cycle . the insulated container 200 may be heated by a heat exchanger 206 , such as coolant coils . the heat exchanger 206 may be part of a cold - hot process ( refrigeration process ), which may generally be used in conventional refrigeration techniques . the heat exchanger 206 may be filled with a high pressure , hot vapor coolant . as the vapor travels through the heat exchanger 206 it may transfer heat to the hot liquid in the insulated container 200 , thereby cooling the coolant , or refrigerant . the cooled coolant may exit the insulated container 200 , traveling through tubing , and enter a condenser 130 . the condenser 130 may further cool the coolant , releasing excess heat . while cooling , the coolant may have substantially changed to a liquid . inside the coil system , the cooled liquid coolant may experience a drop in pressure at the thermostatic expansion valve 132 . the drop in pressure may cause the liquid coolant to begin to change back to gas . the coolant may enter into evaporator coils 110 . the coolant in the evaporator coils 110 may absorb the heat from the surrounding area , resulting in the desired refrigeration or freezing . the coolant in the evaporator coils 110 may substantially change to a gas as it absorbs heat . the coolant may enter a compressor 120 . the compressor 120 may compress the low pressure , low temperature gas coolant into a high pressure , high temperature gas coolant . the high pressure , hot vapor coolant may travel through the coil system re - entering the insulated container 200 , thus completing a cycle . embodiments of the present disclosure may additionally include an intelligent sensor process , or isp . the isp may employ one or more cameras , sensors , or computers to monitor user activities around the freezer 100 , refrigerator , or appliance . the isp may also inspect and report the freezing or frost conditions of the evaporator coils . the data may be sent to a local or remote computer by a wired connection , wi - fi or any other suitable method . the efficient freezer method may use heat generated by the refrigeration process , or cold - hot process , to heat a liquid , which can in - turn be used to defrost evaporator coils . the efficient freezer method disclosed may use one or more processes to increase efficient use of energy in freezing and refrigeration including , but not limited to , a hot liquid wash and defrost process , a cold - hot process , and an intelligent sensor process . in various embodiments , the hot liquid wash and defrost process and cold - hot process may run at different times . for example , when the hot liquid wash and defrost process is activated , the cold - hot process may temporarily be suspended until the wash is completed . the hot liquid wash and defrost process ( hlwdp ) may quickly and efficiently remove frost and ice from the evaporator coils . the hlwdp may use a hot liquid wash , herein wash , on the evaporator coils to remove frost and ice build - up . a particularly novel feature of the hlwdp is the utilization of wasted heat from the refrigeration process to replace the conventional electric heater method , in one embodiment . the hlwdp may also decrease defrost cycle times . in some embodiments , the defrost cycle time may be approximately five to ten minutes ( conventional systems taking approximately twenty - five to forty minutes ). cutting defrost times may make food less prone to freezer burn and to bacterial growth . by eliminating the electric heater and decreasing defrost times , embodiments of the present disclosure may be more energy efficient . the hlwdp may be comprised of one or more components . in various embodiments , the hlwdp may include , but is not limited to : a storage component , a washer component , a cold reservoir component , and a wash and defrost cycle activation component . the hlwdp may use liquid which may be hot , warm , cool , or cold in various stages of the hlwdp but may be collectively and interchangeably referred to as “ hot liquid ” herein for ease of reading . the storage component may store hot liquid in a container ( herein referred to interchangeably as “ insulated container ”). the storage component may be comprised of one or more parts , including but not limited to : an insulated container , a drain valve , an overflow valve , a gauge , hot liquid , hot liquid pipes , a hot liquid pump , and a debris trap . referring now to fig3 , an example embodiment of the present disclosure shows a storage component . an insulated container 200 may be a sealed container . in various embodiments , the insulated container 200 may have one or more properties , including but not limited to , being liquid tight , corrosion resistant , and insulated , and / or having a removable inspection panel . depending on the size and capacity of the refrigerator / freezer unit or any other desirable reason , the container may vary in size , capacity , and shape . as seen in fig3 , and in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure , the insulated container may be a cube or cuboid . as is to be appreciated , any suitable container shape can be used , such as a cone , cylinder , or sphere , or any custom shape . in various embodiments , the insulated container may open . one embodiment may have a fastener that may unseal the top surface , allowing it to be lifted or removed . however , any suitable method to open the container may be used and is contemplated by the present disclosure . an inspection panel 209 may also be used to gain access to the container 200 . while the inspection panel 209 is shown to be on the top surface 202 of the container 200 , it should be appreciated that the inspection panel 209 may be located on any suitable surface of the container 200 . it may also be appreciated that the inspection panel 209 may comprise any portion , or all , of the top surface 202 or any other surface of the container 200 . in various embodiments , the insulated container walls 231 may have an inner shell 234 and an outer shell 232 . the inner shell may be a liquid tight liner . in one embodiment , the container walls may be made from pvc . in another embodiment , the walls may be made of some other suitable plastic . in still another embodiment , the walls may be made of metal . it is to be appreciated ; the material composition of the insulated container may contain any number of one or more suitable materials in any number of configurations . in various embodiments , the inner shell 234 and outer shell 232 may cooperate to define an insulation pocket 235 . in one embodiment , an insulating material 236 may be positioned within the insulation pocket 235 . in some embodiments , there may or may not be an insulation pocket . in one embodiment , the insulation material 236 may be applied to the outer wall of the insulated container 200 . in another embodiment , the insulation material 236 may be applied to the inner wall of the insulated container 200 . in some embodiments , the insulating material may have an insulation value of 19 r . however , in other embodiments , the insulating materials may have a greater or lesser insulation value . in various embodiments , a built in drain valve 208 may drain part , or all , of the hot liquid 220 from the insulated container 200 through a drain tube . in one embodiment , the drain valve 208 may be opened manually . in other embodiments , the drain valve 208 may be triggered to open by an automated system in response to a user inputted request , hot liquid overflow of the insulated container , defrost liquid replacement and / or balancing , overheating , system failure , or any other suitable reason . it is understood that one or more combinations of any potential trigger ( s ) may be used . some embodiments may , in addition to a drain valve 208 , have an overflow valve . an overflow valve may drain any excess hot liquid 220 from the insulated container 200 through an overflow drain tube 207 . in one embodiment , the overflow valve may open to release any hot liquid 220 that rises to a point perpendicular with the overflow valve . in another embodiment , the overflow drain tube 207 may be attached to the insulated container 200 at an aperture ; any water at or above the aperture may spill into the overflow drain tube . in one embodiment , the insulated container may have one or more sensors or gauges . a gauge may display one or more pieces of information including , but not limited to : the caloric value of the liquid , the composition of the hot liquid , the average wash time , the last one or more wash times , the temperature of the hot liquid , or the volume of hot liquid . the gauge may transmit information via a local display or through a wired , wireless , wi - fi , or any other suitable method to a remote computer . in some embodiments , information may be sent to the intelligent sensor process , discussed below . in one embodiment , the sensors and gauges may include , but are not limited to , a temperature gauge 240 , a hot liquid level sensor 244 , and a hot liquid level slight glass 242 . the slight glass 242 may be a panel or tube having some transparent properties that may allow a user to visually identify the approximate level of the hot liquid 220 within the container 200 . the insulated container 200 may store a hot liquid 220 . in some embodiments , the hot liquid 220 may be comprised of water , alcohol ( or any other food safe antifreeze ), an industrial color pigment , and anti - bacterial and anti - fungal chemicals . the industrial color pigment may aid in leak detection . in one embodiment , the chemical composition of the hot liquid may be seventy - nine percent water , twenty percent alcohol , and one percent color pigment . water / glycerin mix as well as water / propylene glycol mixes may additionally or alternatively be used , in various embodiments . one skilled in the art may appreciate that any suitable chemical composition may be used . it should be further understood , that any suitable hot liquid may be used . in one embodiment , designed for a walk in freezer , an insulated container may contain approximately 150 liters . for home refrigerators , the hot liquid volume may be less . the hot liquid volume may vary with the size of the evaporator coils . it is understood that any suitable volume of hot liquid may be used . in various embodiments , the temperature the hot liquid may vary . the heated liquid may range in temperature from 100 - 230 degrees fahrenheit , in one embodiment . in another embodiment , the heated liquid may range from 140 - 170 degrees fahrenheit . in still another embodiment , the heated liquid may range from 16 - 200 degrees fahrenheit . it may be appreciated that the heated liquid may be cooler than 100 degrees or hotter than 230 degrees in still other embodiments . any suitable temperature may be used and may vary based on factors such as composition of hot liquid , desired speed of the defrost process , size of the evaporator coils , or any other factor . in various embodiments , the hot liquid 220 may be heated by a heat exchanger 206 housed in the insulated container 200 . the heat exchanger 206 may be comprised of hot pipes , in one embodiment . as in the illustrated embodiment of fig3 , the heat exchanger 206 may be comprised of coolant pipes shaped in the form of a coil . in another embodiment , the heat exchanger may line the inner wall of the insulated container . in still another embodiment , the walls of the insulated container may contain one or more pockets , the heat exchanger being positioned within one or more of the pockets . it is to be appreciated that any arrangement to heat the hot liquid stored in the insulated container may be used . the hot pipes may be round , oval , square , or any other shape or configuration to optimize space and heat transfer . in various embodiments , the heat exchanger 206 may be comprised or one or more types of exchanges including , but not limited to : shell and tube , straight - tube , u - tube , u - tube bundle , fin , plate and frame , plate - fin , counter - flow , cross - flow , or adiabatic wheel . however , any suitable method to heat the hot liquid may be used . in various embodiments , the heat exchanger 206 may be part of the cold - hot process , discussed below . various embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously house these pipes within the insulated container 200 and use the heat from the coolant pipe 210 , 206 , 212 to heat the hot liquid 220 . the coolant pipe 210 may enter the insulated container 200 through a coolant pipe intake opening . the coolant pipe 206 may be housed within the insulated container 200 . the coolant pipes 210 , 206 , 212 may be filled with a high pressure , high temperature , vaporized coolant , resulting in the heating of the hot liquid 220 . the coolant pipe 212 may leave the insulated container 200 through a coolant pipe outtake opening . in some embodiments , the coolant pipes 212 , 206 , 210 may be made out of copper . in other embodiments , the coolant pipes 210 , 206 , 212 may be made out of stainless or carbon steel . it may be appreciated that any suitable material may be used to construct the coolant pipes 210 , 206 , 212 . one or more hot liquid pumps may be submerged in the hot liquid . in some embodiments , a hot liquid pump ( hlp ) 204 may pump the hot liquid 220 , through a hot liquid outtake pipe 214 , to the washer component , discussed below . the hot liquid outtake pipe 214 may exit the insulated container 200 through a hot liquid outtake pipe opening . the hot liquid outtake pipe may be made of insulated copper , aluminum , or any other suitable material . in some embodiments , the hlp 204 may not be located within the insulated container 200 . for example , the storage component may be situated above the washing component , allowing the hot liquid 220 to travel through hot liquid outtake pipe 214 to the washer component using gravitational forces or a secondary pump . a hlp 204 situated in the washer component may pump the hot liquid 220 back to the insulated container 200 , in some embodiments . it is understood that any suitable method for the transportation of the hot liquid between the washer and storage components may be used . the hlp 204 may be any suitably sized pump or combination of one or more pumps . referencing back to the embodiment of fig2 , a debris trap 218 may capture substantially any and all debris , keeping piping clear of obstruction . the debris trap 218 may be placed next to or within the hot liquid outtake pipe 214 . in another embodiment , a debris trap 218 may be located within the hlp 204 . in another embodiment , a debris trap 218 may be located next to or within the hot liquid intake pipe 216 . in some embodiments , there may be one or more debris traps . a debris trap may be placed in any suitable location to collect debris . in some embodiments , the debris trap may be periodically replaced , cleared , or cleaned , for example and example only , every quarter . in another embodiment , there may be an automatic disposal or flush that may occur automatically or upon user request . in some embodiments , the hot liquid 220 may return from the wash component via the hot liquid intake pipe 216 . in various embodiments , the hot liquid intake pipe 216 may traverse the wall of the freezer 100 , thereby existing external to the freezer 100 . in at least one embodiment , a check valve 219 may be located on the hot liquid intake pipe 216 after the hot liquid intake pipe 216 exists . the check valve 219 may control heat loss via the drain using a one - way valve . the pressure of water may open the valve 219 , allowing water to flow through , but as soon as the water stops flowing the valve 219 may close . the check valve 219 may be normally closed and may open only when the hot liquid is flowing through it . however , in some embodiments , the check valve may open at any suitable time . the check valve 219 may be a spring valve , in one embodiment , however any appropriate one - way valve may be suitable . in some circumstances , the check valve 219 may become frozen or locked into place due to frost . a drain defrost valve 217 may be used in such a circumstance . the drain defrost valve 217 may release hot liquid 220 into pipe 216 , thereby warming and defrosting the check valve 219 . any suitable method to warm the check valve may be used . the hot liquid intake pipe 216 may enter the insulated container 200 through a hot liquid intake opening . in one embodiment , the hot liquid intake pipe may be a pvc insulated pipe . however , any suitable material may be used to construct the hot liquid intake pipe . the gauge , hot liquid intake pipe 216 , hot liquid outtake pipe 214 , coolant intake pipe 210 , coolant outtake pipe 212 , overflow drain tube 207 , drain valve 208 and tube , or any other entry and / or exit locations ( and their respective openings ) on the insulated container 200 may be sealed by one or more methods including , but not limited to , caulking , welding , liquid tight o - rings , washers , or any other suitable method . the particular orientation , location , and / or placement of one or more of the aforementioned parts on the insulated container 200 may vary . in some embodiments , all the intake and outtake pipes , the gauge , and the drain pipes may be placed on the top surface 202 of the insulated container . in another embodiment , one or more parts may protrude from one or more side surfaces of the insulated container . in still another embodiment , one or more parts may protrude from the bottom surface of the insulated container . any suitable orientation may be used . the washer component may substantially remove the frost and ice build - up from the evaporator coils . the washer component may be comprised of one or more parts , including but not limited to : a wash hood , evaporator coils , and a wash tray . the wash hood may comprise one or more parts including but not limited to a distributor hood 300 , a manifold 310 , and one or more distributors 320 . the distributor hood 300 may provide a cover or top for the evaporator and housing for the components listed herein . the distributor hood 300 may also serve as a mounting point for the manifold and / or distributor hangers . in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 and 5 , the hot liquid 220 in the hot liquid outtake pipe 214 may be pumped to a hot liquid delivery manifold , ( herein referred to interchangeably as “ manifold ”) 310 . in one embodiment , the manifold 310 may be comprised of one or more distributors 320 . in another embodiment , one or more distributors 320 may attach to the manifold 310 . the one or more distributors 320 may be attached via docks , the docks located on the original manifold . the manifold 310 may be adjusted by length or number of docks , in various embodiments . the distributors may be comprised of one or more parts . in one embodiment , the parts may include but are not limited to , one or more distributor ports 330 and one or more distributor hangers 340 . the distributor port 330 may be comprised of small holes or nozzles located on the distributor 320 . the distributor port 330 may allow for substantially uniform dispersal of the hot liquid over the evaporator coils 110 , 111 . the distributor ports 330 may be adjusted to optimize the washing of the evaporator coils 110 , 111 . the distributor ports 330 may have fixed size , direction , and / or output volume , in some embodiments . in other embodiments , the distributor ports 330 may have adjustable size , direction , and / or output volume . in some embodiments , the direction and / or output may be motorized and / or controlled by the system . in at least one embodiment , the distributors 320 may be adjustable by length , position , distance between ports , the number of ports present , the size or ports , etc . the distributor hangers 340 may have one or more secondary docks for the distributor 320 to attach . the distributor hangers 340 , like the manifold , may be adjusted by length and / or the number of docks present . the distributor hangers 340 may attach the distributor hood 300 at a point distal to the manifold 310 . the manifold 310 and distributors 320 may , generally and in cooperation , substantially evenly direct the hot liquid 220 to each of the attached distributors . the manifold 310 and distributors 320 may be substantially aligned with the evaporator coils 110 , 111 . the hot liquid 220 may be released by the distributor ports 330 and may wash away built - up frost and ice , thereby removing it from the evaporator coils 110 , 111 . the wash may continue until substantially all frost and ice has been removed . in one embodiment , the wash time may be a set period , such as 5 minutes . in another embodiment , the wash time may vary depending on the time since the last wash . for example , one minute of wash for every hour since the last wash was performed . in other embodiments , the wash may be monitored by an intelligent sensor process , as discussed below . any suitable method to administer the wash and wash times may be used . the manifold 310 , distributors 320 , distributor ports , 330 , and / or distributor hangers 340 may be made from a corrosive resistant material . in some embodiments , the manifold 310 , distributors 320 , distributor ports , 330 , and distributor hangers 340 may be made from copper . however , in other embodiments , aluminum , plastic , or any other suitable material may be used . in some embodiments , the manifold , distributors , and distributor ports may be designed to match the shape of the evaporator tubing , thereby enhancing the efficiency of the wash . in various embodiments , a wash tray 230 may be located underneath the evaporator coils 110 , 111 . the hot liquid , frost , and ice may be captured in the wash tray 230 . the wash tray 230 may have high sides , in some embodiments , to eliminate over spray and over flow of the hot liquid into the freezer compartment . the wash tray 230 may be made of a corrosion resistant material . in one embodiment , the wash tray may be made of pvc . in another embodiment , the wash tray may be made of aluminum . however , in other embodiments , the wash tray may be made of any suitable material ( s ). in various embodiments , the wash tray may have a hot liquid return opening 216 . the hot liquid return opening may be the same as the hot liquid intake pipe 216 , thereby returning the hot liquid to the storage component to be reheated and stored for further use . in other embodiments , a pump may be used to pump the hot liquid , frost , and ice mixture back to the insulated container or to a cold liquid reservoir , discussed below . the system may have a tendency to gain water due to the melted frost and ice build - up washed away and collected by the wash tray . because of the low volume of liquid generated or added by the build - up , substantially no or little change may occur in the composition of the hot liquid . however , in various embodiments , a test and / or rebalance of the hot liquid composition may be performed . in some embodiments , a sensor may monitor the composition . the sensor may relay or display the composition , in some embodiments . an automated injection process may balance the composition of the hot liquid by adding in one or more other liquids or additives in order to maintain balance , in at least one embodiment . in another embodiment , the user may inject one or more liquids or additives based on the sensor information . in still another embodiment , a user may manually test and / or balance the chemical make - up , or composition , of the hot liquid . in various embodiments , and with reference to fig6 , a cold reservoir 900 may be used to temporary store the hot liquid 220 ( which may be cool or cold in temperature ) after being collected by the wash tray 230 , but before returning the hot liquid 220 to the insulated container 200 . a cold reservoir 900 may be used , for example , when the configuration requires that the insulated container 200 by placed at a position higher than the wash tray 230 . similar to the insulated container , the reservoir 900 may have an access area , such as a removable top or side . in addition , the reservoir 900 may include one or more components , including but not limited to , a pump 910 , a sight glass 920 , an overflow tube 922 , a drain valve 924 , and a transfer tube 930 . the pump 910 may be submersible , in some embodiments . the pump 910 may be low voltage , in some embodiments . in other embodiments , the pump may not be submerged and / or may be any voltage . the pump 910 , may transfer the hot liquid 220 to the insulated container 200 via the transfer tube 930 for reheating . in other embodiments , as discussed , the wash tray 230 may include a pump capable of pumping the hot liquid directly to the insulated container 200 , thereby making the reservoir 900 unnecessary . it may be understood that any suitable arrangement may be used . the wash and defrost cycle may be activated by turning on the hlp . the hot liquid may travel from the insulated container to the manifold where it may wash the evaporator coils . the wash and defrost cycle may be activated by one or more methods . in one embodiment , the wash and defrost cycle may be activated on a timer . for example , every 6 hours the wash and defrost cycle is activated . in another embodiment , the wash and defrost cycle may be activated by build - up on the evaporator coils reaching a pre - determined thickness , as monitored by cameras or sensors . a camera positioned to monitor the thickness of the frost and ice build - up may , for example and example only , activate the wash and defrost cycle when the build - up thickness reaches 0 . 25 centimeters . in other embodiments , greater or less than 0 . 25 centimeters of build - up thickness may activate the wash and defrost cycle . in still another embodiment , the wash and defrost cycle may be activated using a variety of analyzed factors by an intelligent sensor process ( discussed below ). however , any method activating and controlling the duration of the wash and defrost cycle may be used . the cold - hot process , or freezing cycle , may be used to cool or freeze the refrigerator and freezer compartments , as well as heat the hot liquid used in the hlwdp . the cold - hot process may be a closed loop . the cold - hot process may comprise one or more parts including , but not limited to : a compressor , a hot liquid heat exchange , a condenser , a thermostatic expansion valve , and an evaporator . the loop may contain one or more loops of pipes that pass through one or more of the aforementioned parts . the piping may contain a coolant . in some embodiments the coolant may be comprised of isobutane . in other embodiments , the coolant may be a freon , r - 22 , r 410a , r134a , any suitable cryogenic fluid with a relatively low boiling point , or any other suitable fluid . the boiling point of a closed - system liquid can be controlled by changing the vapor pressure . the coolant may be pushed through the pipes by a pump , gravity , pressure gradients , or any other suitable method . the coolant pipes , in part , make up the heat exchange , discussed above . as seen in fig7 , a compressor 402 may have two coolant pipes emerging from it . the inlet , or suction , coolant pipe 404 may bring in low pressure , low - temperature ( ltlp ) vapor from the evaporator 460 . the compressor 402 may compresses the coolant vapor until it becomes high - pressure , high temperature ( hthp ) superheated vapor . the hthp superheated vapor may exit the compressor through the outlet , or discharge , coolant pipe 406 . in embodiments of the present disclosure , the hthp vapor may enter the hot liquid heat exchanger 418 , or storage component , at the coolant pipe intake opening 430 . as discussed above , the coolant pipes 424 may be housed within an insulated container 415 , in order to serve as a heat exchanger for the hot liquid . the hthp vapor may heat the coolant pipes 424 , as it travels through the hot liquid heat exchanger 418 . in some embodiments , the coil shaped coolant pipes 424 may be used to heat the hot liquid 420 . the heat from the coolant pipes 424 may transfer to the hot liquid 420 , resulting in a cooling of the coolant as it heats the hot liquid 420 . as the hthp vapor cools , the coolant may begin to turn from a vapor ( gas ) into a liquid . the coolant may remain high - pressure ( hp ). the hp coolant may exit the hot liquid heat exchanger 418 at the coolant pipe outtake opening 434 . in some embodiments , the hp coolant may enter a condenser 440 . in various embodiments , the condenser may further cool the hp coolant . the hp coolant may enter the condenser 440 and pass through the condenser coils 442 . as the coolant traverses the condenser coils 442 , a condenser fan 444 may disperse heat , allowing the coolant to further cool . the result of the cooling may cause the hp coolant to become substantially liquid . the hp coolant may exit the condenser 440 as a sub - cooled hp liquid . a thermostatic expansion valve ( tev ) 450 may exist between the condenser 440 and evaporator 460 . the sub - cooled hp liquid coolant may enter a thermostatic expansion valve . a thermostatic expansion valve 450 may have a narrow restriction . on the condenser 440 side of the coolant pipes 448 a cooled high - pressure environment may exist . on the evaporator 460 side of the coolant pipes 452 a cooled low - pressure environment may exist . as the coolant is pushed through the tev the drop in pressure may cause some of the liquid coolant to near instantaneously become vapor . this low pressure drop may cause the coolant to absorb heat . in various embodiments , the coolant may enter the evaporator 460 . the evaporator may generally be situated in the freezer , refrigerator , or any other area desired cooled . the evaporator 460 may still be a low pressure environment . the coolant may be pushed through the evaporator coils 462 . as the lp coolant continues to absorb heat , the temperature of the coolant pipes drops . an evaporator fan 464 may disperse the cooled air . the liquid lp coolant may , as it absorbs heat , begin to boil before substantially changing to vapor . the lp vapor coolant may exit the evaporator 460 before entering into the compressor 402 . the pressure line 480 in fig7 may distinguish the high pressure and low pressure components . the aforementioned process is understood to be one embodiment of a cold - hot process . any suitable method to refrigerator , freeze , or transfer heat may be used . the intelligent sensor process ( isp ) may use a network of one or more components , including but not limited to , sensors , cameras , computers , and / or user inputs to efficiently manage an appliance . the isp may have one or more programs that monitor one or more aspects of the appliance . the isp may monitor appliance use through an appliance and user pattern recognition program , in some embodiments . the isp may monitor the appliance systems and components through a system inspection program , in some embodiments . other programs may exist in other embodiments . in various embodiments , an appliance may have one or more computers . in some embodiments , a computer may have a built - in display . in one embodiment , the built - in display may have a user interface . the display may be touch screen in some embodiments , or have a keyboard or keypad in other embodiments . however , any method to interact with the system may be used . the user pattern recognition may employ one or more methods to gather information on or from a user , including but not limited to : cameras , sensors , gauges , user - interface interactions , microphones , or other suitable methods . this information may be used to monitor user activity , predict future behaviors , and establish an efficient hlwdp routine . this information may also be used for security purposes to monitor access or to deny a user access to the appliance , in some embodiments . referring to fig8 and in various other embodiments , one or more cameras 510 , 512 , 514 or sensors may be set up to monitor appliance 502 activities . the system may monitor users opening the freezer compartment , user traffic , monitoring of product stocking , product destocking , product volume levels , temperature reports , and / or many other options . in some embodiments , a user may enter information on the display screen , keyboard , keypad , or any other suitable device . in some embodiments , the user inputted information may include but is not limited to , a passcode or passkey to enter the appliance , the product to be stocked or destocked , or any other suitable information . the information , including password , may be user specific , resulting in the tracking of individual users of the appliance . the information may be recorded as user information and sent to one or more computers . one of the one or more cameras may be positioned to monitor user traffic . for example , a camera 514 or one or more sensors may monitor the time and duration a door 504 is open on an appliance 502 . a camera 510 , 512 , 514 may also monitor the movement of people 540 , 542 , 544 or vehicles 546 through or around a unit door 504 . in one embodiment , information related to opening or entering the door 504 of the appliance 502 may be captured and stored . information related to opening or entering of the door may include , but is not limited to : time of day , duration the door was open , amount of occupants who entered or exited appliance , duration of occupant stay in appliance , individual ( s ) who gained access , or any other useful information . this user information may be stored , saved , or sent to one or more computers by any suitable method . a camera may collaborate with one or more computers in such a way as to employ an artificial intelligence program . in some embodiments , a vision algorithm software may be used to analyze user activity . the vision algorithm software may train the computer system to recognize the user ( s ) of the appliance . for example , a camera 510 , may capture 516 the facial image of person 540 . the vision algorithm software may be capable of analyzing a user &# 39 ; s facial features to recognize the individual user . in some embodiments , a voice recognition software may be used . a microphone 520 may receive an audio signal 522 from a person 540 . the voice recognition software may be capable of analyzing a user &# 39 ; s particular vocals to recognize individual users . user information on user activity may be collected , including but not limited to : time of day user accesses appliance , frequency user accesses appliance , duration door is open during each appliance access , duration user spends inside appliance , or any other useful information . user information may be collected for one or more users . one or more computers may analyze the user information to determine the most efficient way to use the hlwdp . for example , the user information for a commercial appliance may show that general user activity is regular or substantial between the hours of 9 am to noon but that the appliance is rarely used between noon and 5 pm . another example , may show a family &# 39 ; s user activity . the family activity may show that a first user generally uses the appliance once in the morning and twice in the evening , with the door open for an average of forty - five seconds . a second user may generally use the appliance every weekday between 3 pm and 5 pm with an average door open time of 5 minutes . a third user may generally only use the appliance one day a week but may have the appliance door open for a substantial period , such as 15 minutes to unload groceries . any number of different user activities may be collected and analyzed . the wash cycles start times and durations may be timed to best utilize energy , given this information . the computer ( s ) may use the recognition to interface with the user ( s ). it may greet a user , display information about user activity , or display information obtained from the one or more cameras , sensors , or gauges . the system may also use the information and / or user interface for security purposes . the vision algorithm software , or user recognition , may be used to grant or deny access to users . the voice recognition software may also be used to grant or deny access to users . in one embodiment , the software may require a certain passcode to be spoken , for example , “ open sesame .” in other embodiments , a user may speak any number of one or more words in order to be recognized . in other embodiments , a username and or passcode may be entered on the touchscreen display , keyboard , or keypad . in one example , the door 504 may unlock for person 540 and person 544 after the system recognizes the users face and / or voice . however , the system may not have access information on person 542 . if person 542 tries to open the door 504 access may be denied , an alarm may sound , and / or the user may be photographed , the image being transmitted to the system . this may be useful , for example , to allow one or more scientists access to a cryogenic freezer but deny access to unauthorized persons . in some embodiments , the security system may be time sensitive . in one embodiment , a user may be locked out of the appliance for a limited period . for example , a child user may be locked out of the appliance for the ninety minutes preceding dinner . in another embodiment , a freezer being used for experimental purposes may deny access to one or more users for the duration of the experiment . the user - interface may also grant or deny access based on a passcode or passkey that a user may enter using the screen , keypad , or keyboard . in various embodiments , one or more cameras may be positioned to view the evaporator coils . in some embodiments , one or more cameras may be configured to capture or monitor the various freezing stages of the evaporator coil . in at least one embodiment , a vision algorithm may be used . referring to fig9 - 11 , a camera 606 , 706 , 806 may measure or monitor the clearance 610 , 710 , 810 , or the distance of open space created between two or more of the evaporator coils 602 , 702 , 802 . the clearance 610 , 710 , 810 , may be inversely related to the amount of frost and ice build - up ( herein referred to interchangeably simply as “ build - up ”) 604 , 704 , 804 . that is , as the build - up 604 , 704 , 804 grows on the evaporator coils 602 , 702 , 802 the clearance 610 , 710 , 810 between the coils 602 , 702 , 802 may decrease . in various embodiments , the system may identify one or more build - up stages . for example and example only , one embodiment may have three build - up stages : defrosted 600 , defrost recommended 700 , and defrost required 800 . in other embodiments , there may be three , more than three , or less than three build - up stages . in various embodiments , as represented in fig9 , a defrosted build - up stage 600 may indicate the evaporator coils 602 have been recently defrosted or have sufficient clearance 610 between two or more evaporator coils 602 such that undergoing a defrost process may be unnecessary . when the evaporator coils 602 , have been defrosted there may be no or substantially little build - up and the clearance 610 may be a substantially maximum clearance . as the build - up 604 grows , the clearance 610 may decrease . as should be appreciated , a defrosted build - up stage 600 may have a clearance 610 having a range of thicknesses . the accepted thickness range for clearance 610 may be pre - determined , in various embodiments . in other embodiments , the range for clearance 610 may be selected by the user . in still other embodiments , the range for clearance 610 may be dynamic , such that the range is automatically adjusted to increase efficiency . in various embodiments , the clearance 610 may decrease from the build - up 604 such that the clearance 610 is no longer in the accepted range and thus the defrosted stage 600 may have ended . in various embodiments , as represented in fig1 , the evaporator coils 702 may have build - up 704 that creates a clearance 710 or clearance range , which may define the defrost recommended build - up stage 700 . in various embodiments , the clearance 710 may be thinner than the clearance 610 . similar to the clearance 610 described above , the clearance 710 that defines the defrost recommended build - up stage 700 may exist over a range of thicknesses . the range may be pre - selected , selected by the user , or dynamic . the clearance 710 may , similarly , continue to decrease from the build - up 704 such that the clearance 710 is no longer in an accepted range and thus the defrost recommended stage 700 may have ended . in various embodiments , as represented in fig1 , the evaporator coils 802 may have build - up 804 that creates a clearance 810 or clearance range , which may define the defrost required build - up stage 800 . the clearance 810 may be thinner yet than the clearance 710 . in at least one embodiment , the clearance 810 may represent no , or substantially no clearance . that is the build - up 804 may have grown to a point where no open space exists between the two or more evaporator coils 802 . in some embodiments , when the clearance 610 , 710 , or 810 has a given thickness , the camera 606 , 706 , or 806 may send a signal to one or more appliance computers , including but not limited to , continue freezing , stop freezing , initiate hlwdp , initiate hlwdp at next opportunity , etc . it may be appreciated that that any number of build - up stages may be used . it is should be further understood that the use of one or more cameras or sensors to detect frost build - up may be used to start the hlwdp . while in the defrost stage 600 , the system may signal that initiation of the hot liquid wash or defrost process should not occur . in other embodiments , the system may signal that initiation of the hot liquid wash may be inefficient , but may be initiated , if desired . unlike the defrosted stage 600 , the defrost recommended stage 700 may indicate that it may be efficient to initiate a defrost process , under certain conditions . for example and example only , the system may or may not initiate the hot liquid wash or defrost process based on user activity or user activity patterns , depending on how it may affect overall efficiency . a camera 706 that recognizes a clearance 710 may send a signal to the system indicating that a hot liquid wash is recommended , but may not be necessary . once the defrost required stage 800 has been reached , a signal may be sent to the appliance to stop the freezing cycle and start the hlwdp immediately , substantially immediately , at the next opportune time , or at any suitable time . one skilled in the art may appreciate that the camera 606 , 706 , 806 may additionally or alternatively measure or monitor the frost and ice build - up ( build - up ) 604 , 704 , 804 on an evaporator coil 602 , 702 , 802 in order to determine which of the one or more build - up stages currently exist . that is , the thickness of the build - up 604 , 704 , 804 may be used additionally or alternatively to the thickness of the open space or clearance 610 , 710 , 810 created , thereby yielding a substantially similar result . referencing fig1 , a camera &# 39 ; s perspective of build - up is shown . in at least one embodiment , as shown , there may be four recognized build - up stages , including but not limited to , a no frost , light frost , moderate frost , and excessive frost stage . similar to the analysis above the no frost stage may indicate that a hlwdp may be unnecessary . the light frost may similarly indicate that a hlwdp may be unnecessary , but may be initiated , if desired . the moderate frost stage may indicate that a hlwdp is necessary but may be delayed , if desired . an excessive frost stage may require an hlwdp to be initiated either substantially immediately or at the next opportunity . however , one skilled in the art should appreciate that any frost stage may signal the request for any beginning , end , pause , or continuation of any process . in some embodiments , the wash tray may additionally or alternatively have one or more cameras or sensors . in one embodiment , the tray may have a sensor to prevent overflow of the tray . the sensor may sense when the hot liquid from the wash is approaching the rim of the wash tray 330 . in another embodiment , the sensor may detect when there is no more frost or ice present . the sensor may then send a signal to stop the manifold from further releasing hot liquid . the signal delivery may be wired , wireless , or any other suitable means to transfer data . for purposes of this disclosure , any system described herein may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute , calculate , determine , classify , process , transmit , receive , retrieve , originate , switch , store , display , communicate , manifest , detect , record , reproduce , handle , or utilize any form of information , intelligence , or data for business , scientific , control , or other purposes . for example , a system or any portion thereof may be a personal computer ( e . g ., desktop or laptop ), tablet computer , mobile device ( e . g ., personal digital assistant ( pda ) or smart phone ), server ( e . g ., blade server or rack server ), a network storage device , or any other suitable device or combination of devices and may vary in size , shape , performance , functionality , and price . a system may include random access memory ( ram ), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit ( cpu ) or hardware or software control logic , rom , and / or other types of nonvolatile memory . additional components of a system may include one or more disk drives or one or more mass storage devices , one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output ( i / o ) devices , such as a keyboard , a mouse , touchscreen and / or a video display . mass storage devices may include , but are not limited to , a hard disk drive , floppy disk drive , cd - rom drive , smart drive , flash drive , or other types of non - volatile data storage , a plurality of storage devices , or any combination of storage devices . a system may include what is referred to as a user interface , which may generally include a display , mouse or other cursor control device , keyboard , button , touchpad , touch screen , microphone , camera , video recorder , speaker , led , light , joystick , switch , buzzer , bell , and / or other user input / output device for communicating with one or more users or for entering information into the system . output devices may include any type of device for presenting information to a user , including but not limited to , a computer monitor , flat - screen display , or other visual display , a printer , and / or speakers or any other device for providing information in audio form , such as a telephone , a plurality of output devices , or any combination of output devices . a system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components . one or more programs or applications , such as a web browser , and / or other applications may be stored in one or more of the system data storage devices . programs or applications may be loaded in part or in whole into a main memory or processor during execution by the processor . one or more processors may execute applications or programs to run systems or methods of the present disclosure , or portions thereof , stored as executable programs or program code in the memory , or received from the internet or other network . any commercial or freeware web browser or other application capable of retrieving content from a network and displaying pages or screens may be used . in some embodiments , a customized application may be used to access , display , and update information . hardware and software components of the present disclosure , as discussed herein , may be integral portions of a single computer or server or may be connected parts of a computer network . the hardware and software components may be located within a single location or , in other embodiments , portions of the hardware and software components may be divided among a plurality of locations and connected directly or through a global computer information network , such as the internet . as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art , the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be embodied as a method ( including , for example , a computer - implemented process , a business process , and / or any other process ), apparatus ( including , for example , a system , machine , device , computer program product , and / or the like ), or a combination of the foregoing . accordingly , embodiments of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment , an entirely software embodiment ( including firmware , middleware , microcode , hardware description languages , etc . ), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects . furthermore , embodiments of the present disclosure may take the foam of a computer program product on a computer - readable medium or computer - readable storage medium , having computer - executable program code embodied in the medium , that define processes or methods described herein . a processor or processors may perform the necessary tasks defined by the computer - executable program code . computer - executable program code for carrying out operations of embodiments of the present disclosure may be written in an object oriented , scripted or unscripted programming language such as java , perl , php , visual basic , smalltalk , c ++, or the like . however , the computer program code for carrying out operations of embodiments of the present disclosure may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages , such as the c programming language or similar programming languages . a code segment may represent a procedure , a function , a subprogram , a program , a routine , a subroutine , a module , an object , a software package , a class , or any combination of instructions , data structures , or program statements . a code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and / or receiving information , data , arguments , parameters , or memory contents . information , arguments , parameters , data , etc . may be passed , forwarded , or transmitted via any suitable means including memory sharing , message passing , token passing , network transmission , etc . in the context of this document , a computer readable medium may be any medium that can contain , store , communicate , or transport the program for use by or in connection with the systems disclosed herein . the computer - executable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium , including but not limited to the internet , optical fiber cable , radio frequency ( rf ) signals or other wireless signals , or other mediums . the computer readable medium may be , for example but is not limited to , an electronic , magnetic , optical , electromagnetic , infrared , or semiconductor system , apparatus , or device . more specific examples of suitable computer readable medium include , but are not limited to , an electrical connection having one or more wires or a tangible storage medium such as a portable computer diskette , a hard disk , a random access memory ( ram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), an erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom or flash memory ), a compact disc read - only memory ( cd - rom ), or other optical or magnetic storage device . computer - readable media includes , but is not to be confused with , computer - readable storage medium , which is intended to cover all physical , non - transitory , or similar embodiments of computer - readable media . various embodiments of the present disclosure may be described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods , apparatus ( systems ), and computer program products . it is understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , and / or combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , can be implemented by computer - executable program code portions . these computer - executable program code portions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer , special purpose computer , or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine , such that the code portions , which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus , create mechanisms for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . alternatively , computer program implemented steps or acts may be combined with operator or human implemented steps or acts in order to carry out an embodiment of the invention . additionally , although a flowchart may illustrate a method as a sequential process , many of the operations in the flowcharts illustrated herein can be performed in parallel or concurrently . in addition , the order of the method steps illustrated in a flowchart may be rearranged for some embodiments . similarly , a method illustrated in a flow chart could have additional steps not included therein or fewer steps than those shown . a method step may correspond to a method , a function , a procedure , a subroutine , a subprogram , etc . as used herein , the terms “ substantially ” or “ generally ” refer to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action , characteristic , property , state , structure , item , or result . for example , an object that is “ substantially ” or “ generally ” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed . the exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context . however , generally speaking , the nearness of completion will be so as to have generally the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained . the use of “ substantially ” or “ generally ” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action , characteristic , property , state , structure , item , or result . for example , an element , combination , embodiment , or composition that is “ substantially free of ” or “ generally free of ” an ingredient or element may still actually contain such item as long as there is generally no measurable effect thereof . in the foregoing description various embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for the purpose of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings . the various embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principals of the disclosure and their practical application , and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the present disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth they are fairly , legally , and equitably entitled .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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drawings 1 / 9 through 9 / 9 show the best mode contemplated by the inventor of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner according to the concepts of the present invention . as can be amply seen from the fig1 a to 1e of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner auger 1 is a single or double flight design to move landscape gravel to be cleaned through its entire length and equipped and bolted to auger end shaft 2 which will be inserted into the lubricated bearings 30 ( fig3 a ) located and mounted on the auger support bar plate 3 ( fig1 d ). the auger flights are notched equal distance around its circumference to accept the auger support bars 4 ( fig1 b ) along its length from the front of the cleaning chamber to the end of the discharge chamber and then welded in place ( fig1 e ). the auger support bar plate 3 ( fig1 d ) is then mounted on the end of auger tube at the end discharge chamber and welded to the tube , flighting and support bars . the screen support bands 5 are then welded to the front of the cleaning chamber and the end of the cleaning chamber and screen support 6 is welded midway in the cleaning chamber . the screen support bands 7 are welded on top of the previously placed screen support bands 5 and 6 , flush with the outer edge of screen support bands 5 and centered on screen support band 6 . two sections of screen 8 ( fig1 c ) are rolled and mounted on the outside of the auger 1 overlapping the inner screen support bands 5 and 6 and secured with clamping bands 9 . the screen 8 grid size is determined by the size of the material to be cleaned . as can be amply seen from fig2 a to 2d , an isometric view , and fig3 a , a top view of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner a welded metal frame 10 consists of rectangular tubing 11 with vertical and horizontal supports 12 spaced equally along its distance of sufficient length to accommodate auger assembly . both end structures are surfaced with angle iron 13 to mount end plates 14 . the end plates 14 serve as the mounting structure for the lubricating bearings 30 and dimensions of end plates 14 are determined by the height and width of the welded metal frame 10 . the end plates 14 are drilled to receive the lubricated bearings 30 ( fig3 a ) which are then bolted in place . the discharge chamber end plate 14 is then bolted to the ends of the welded metal frame 10 with the lubricated bearing 30 ( fig3 a ) facing out . locate the discharge chamber 15 end of the auger 1 and insert it first into the receiving chamber 16 end of the welded metal frame 10 and slide the entire auger 1 toward the discharge end of the welded metal frame 10 and insert the end shaft 2 of the auger into the lubricated bearing 30 on the discharge chamber 15 end of the welded metal frame . insert the receiving chamber 16 end shaft 2 into the lubricated bearing 30 on the end plate 2 and bolt into place on the end of the welded metal frame 10 and check to see auger 1 rotates freely . angle braces 17 are welded to the welded metal frame 10 flush with the top and bottom at the end of the receiving chamber 16 before the cleaning chamber 18 to facilitate mounting of a split transition plate 19 . the split transition plate 19 size is determined by the dimensions of the welded metal frame 10 and the size of auger 1 used . the split transition plate 19 is cut horizontally at its vertical midline and bolted to the aforementioned angle braces 17 . additional support angle braces 20 are bolted vertically to each half of the split transition plate 19 on the receiving chamber 16 side of the plate . a section of cylindrical material 32 of sufficient diameter to accommodate the rotation of the auger 1 assembly is placed in the receiving chamber 16 , flush with the split transition plate 19 and the end plate 14 of the receiving chamber 16 . a rectangular section 31 is cutout of the top of the cylindrical material 32 sufficient to receive material to be cleaned from the hopper 34 . mounting tabs 21 for the cylindrical material 32 are first welded to the receiving chamber 16 end plate 14 and the receiving chamber 16 side of the split transition plate 19 at intervals and bolted to the cylindrical material 32 . ( fig3 a ) is a top view including the welded metal frame 10 , the receiving chamber 16 ( including the cylindrical material 32 ), cleaning and discharge chambers 18 and 15 and the auger screen assembly . as can be amply seen from the fig4 a and 4b of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner , two adjustable roller wheel assemblies are required , each composed of a bracket 22 with a hole to allow attachment to the wheel 29 . a hinge 23 is welded to the bracket 22 at the inside edge of the bracket 22 , welded to a channel iron 24 and placed over the middle horizontal support 12 ( fig2 a ). angle iron tabs 25 are welded to the outer edge of the channel iron 24 with a flat bar underneath the horizontal support 12 ( fig2 a ) located at midpoint of the welded metal frame 10 . a nut 27 is welded to the outer edge of the bracket 22 . a bolt and locking nut 28 is placed in the nut 27 to facilitate adjustment of the adjustable roller wheel assemblies to support the middle auger support band 7 on both sides of the auger assembly . as can be amply seen from fig5 a , 5 b and 6 a through 6 f of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner the frame is a welded metal frame 10 using rectangular tubing 11 with vertical and horizontal supports 12 spaced equally along its distance of sufficient length to accommodate auger assembly . a rectangular hopper 34 is constructed of flat metal , sides reinforced with angle iron supports 35 , of sufficient top size to receive material to be cleaned from a device of the operators choosing and the bottom size to open over the entire rectangular cutout section of the cylindrical material in the receiving chamber . a box is constructed of four vertical flat metal bars 37 to support the slide gate hopper assembly 36 ( fig6 a and 6b ). at each outer corner of the box a vertical piece of angle iron 38 is welded to the welded metal frame 10 and bolted to the box to support the box placement . fig6 c and 6d demonstrate additional flat bars 39 are welded horizontally on center across the length of the aforementioned vertical flat metal bars 37 of the supporting box . fig6 e and 6f demonstrate additional , more narrow flat bars are welded to the aforementioned horizontal flat bars 39 , flush with the outer edge to serve as the outer edge slide gate guide 40 . a flat piece of metal , slightly thinner than the last flat bars applied , is welded across the back end of the existing box opening to serve as the slide gate stop 42 . in fig7 a a receiver box 43 is assembled of flat metal welded at the corners at an angle consistent with the angle of the hopper 34 . the box 43 is then welded to the top of the slide gate hopper assembly 36 fig6 a through 6f . the hopper 34 is bolted to top of receiver box 43 . in fig6 e and 6f the slide gate 41 is a piece of flat metal with an attached handle 44 , the dimension of which are determined by the opening of the slide gate guides 40 for the purpose of regulating the flow of material from the bottom of the hopper 34 to the receiving chamber 16 . as can be amply seen from the fig7 a , 7 b and 7 c of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner the auger 1 rotation is achieved by way of a variable speed external power drive 45 mounted on the fixed motor plate 46 bolted to the welded metal frame 10 , connected to the auger by a chain and sprocket drive 47 . the variable speed external power drive 45 is managed at the control panel 48 mounted on the welded metal frame 10 . side panels 49 of solid thin gauge metal are fastened to the welded metal frame 10 on the interior of the both horizontal surface . there are three cover plates 50 hinged and fastened to the top of the welded metal frame 10 for the purpose of inspection , maintenance and worker safety . as can be amply seen from the fig8 a , 8 b and 8 c of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner at the receiving chamber end and mounted to the each side of the welded metal frame are adjustable independent support jacks to add stability and allow leveling of the device during operation . the adjustable independent support jacks are constructed from a length of square tubing 51 , pre - drilled for slide adjustment . two length of angle iron 56 are welded to the upper and lower edge of larger square tubing 51 for bolt mounting to the welded metal frame 10 . a length of inner square tubing 52 of slightly smaller dimension , also pre - drilled for slide adjustment is inserted into the aforementioned larger square tubing 51 . a bolt 54 suitable to fit through the pre - drilled holes in the square metal tubing 51 and 52 is used to secure the inner and outer square tubing 51 and 52 at adjustment height . a flat plate is welded to the bottom of the inner tube 52 with edges bent up to form a foot plate 53 for the adjustable independent support jack stand . the adjustable independent support jack stand is mounted on the receiving chamber end of the welded metal frame 10 . the adjustable independent axle with wheel and floatation tire will be constructed as the adjustable independent support jack stand , however in place of a foot plate a standard spindle and hub 55 will be attached to the bottom of the inner tubing 52 and a flotation wheel / tire 57 assembly of appropriate size to facilitate mobility of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner will be attached to the aforementioned hub 55 with lug nuts . the angle iron 56 of the adjustable independent axle with wheel and floatation tire will be welded to the larger square metal tubing 51 and bolted to the rectangular tubing 11 of the welded metal frame 10 at sixty percent of the length of the welded metal frame 10 from the receiving chamber 16 end . as can be amply seen from the fig9 a and 9b of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner a length of square tubing 58 is welded to the existing lower surface angle irons 13 and 17 on receiving chamber end of the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner which will accept a common receiver hitch for the purpose of towing the mobile mechanical xeriscape gravel cleaner when desired .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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as illustrated in fig1 , a decontamination apparatus 20 includes a heat exchange assembly 22 , a fluid circulation network 24 , and a mixing valve 26 . in the embodiment of fig1 , the heat exchange assembly includes a heater 28 for supplying heat to a fluid for increasing the temperature of the fluid . to facilitate transportation of decontamination apparatus 20 , a support 32 is illustratively provided and is connected to fluid circulation network 24 and heat exchange assembly 22 . a plurality of wheels 34 and a stand 36 are coupled to frame 32 . wheels 34 and stand 36 cooperate with support 32 , illustratively a frame 33 , to support fluid circulation network 24 and heat exchange assembly 22 in the position depicted in fig1 . circulation network 24 includes fluid supply inlet 40 to which a fluid supply line 42 is couplable , fluid supply line 42 illustratively shown as a hose in fig1 . fluid supply inlet 40 leads to a tee or other junction 44 at which fluid flowing through circulation network 24 is divided — a portion of the fluid flows into a cold fluid line 46 and a portion flows into hot fluid line 48 . cold fluid line 46 extends from junction 44 to mixing valve 26 , and is coupled to cold inlet 50 of mixing valve 26 . hot fluid line 48 extends from junction 44 , to heater 28 , and is coupled to mixing valve 26 . as fluid flows through hot fluid line 48 adjacent heater 28 , heat generated by heater 28 is applied to hot fluid line 48 , increasing the temperature of the fluid flowing therein . hot fluid line 48 is coupled to hot inlet 52 of mixing valve 26 . although fig1 discloses junction 44 as dividing a single supply line into the hot and cold fluid streams , it is within the scope of this disclosure to have separate hot and cold fluid supply lines supplying respective hot and cold fluids . as illustrated in fig1 , mixing valve 26 includes a housing 54 in which are mixed hot fluid flowing through hot inlet 52 and cold fluid flowing through cold inlet 50 . illustratively , mixed fluid temperature is controlled using a suitable thermostat and valve assembly , as is known in the art . while reference is made to thermostatic mixing valves , it is within the scope of this disclosure to use other types of mixing valves or systems as are known in the art , illustratively proportional mixing techniques , pressure balancing valves , pressure reducing valves , and the like . mixed fluid flows from housing 54 through mixed fluid outlet 56 , and into mixed fluid line 58 . mixed fluid line 58 leads to an emergency fixture depicted illustratively in fig1 as an eyewash fixture 37 . a restrictor 59 ( internal location as shown in fig1 and 21 ) may be positioned between cold inlet 50 and mixing valve 26 . the arrows in fig2 represent the direction of fluid flow . restrictor 59 may also define one or more holes . in one embodiment , restrictor 59 may be comprised of copper , be circular in shape , 1¼ ″ in diameter , 10 / 1000 ″ ( 1 / 100 ″) thick , and define a hole 3 / 16 ″ in diameter . restrictor 59 may be comprised of metal , plastic , glass , or other suitable materials , may be sized and shaped with diameters and thicknesses suitable for the particular application , and may define one or more holes of varying diameters . restrictor 59 operates to equalize differentials in pressure between cold fluid line 46 and hot fluid line 48 from heater 28 to mixing valve 26 . restrictor 59 is therefore beneficial by equalizing pressures of cold fluid line 46 and hot fluid line 48 entering mixing valve 26 to stop mixing valve 26 from going into bypass , allowing only cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 to flow through mixing valve 26 . bypass occurs in a thermostatic mixing valve when the pressure of the fluids in a fluid line or lines entering a mixing valve are either zero or so insufficient as not to be recognized by the mixing valve . instead of the mixing valve preventing all fluid from flowing in or out , the mixing valve would bypass the fluid line or lines of zero or little pressure , allowing the fluid from the fluid lines with sufficient pressure to pass through the mixing valve . conversely , if the relative pressure of one of the fluids is so high compared to the other fluids entering the mixing valve , the mixing valve may bypass the fluids of lesser pressure , allowing only the highest pressure fluid to pass through the mixing valve . comparable operation of this “ bypass ” is possible with other types of mixing valves , as is well known in the art . accordingly , if fluid pressure is zero or too low from hot fluid line 48 , mixing valve 26 may revert to bypass blocking off hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 , allowing only cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 to flow through mixing valve 26 . if fluid pressure is zero or too low from cold fluid line 46 , mixing valve 26 may revert to bypass blocking off the flow of cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 and , depending on the type of mixing valve , hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 would either be fully restricted or would be moderately or significantly restricted . if cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 is bypassed and mixing valve 26 fully restricts the flow of hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 , no fluid would flow . however , if cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 is bypassed and mixing valve 26 only either only moderately or significantly reduced the flow of hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 , a user could suffer severe burns . additionally , if fluid pressure is too high from cold fluid line 46 , mixing valve 26 may only sense cold fluid and may revert to bypass blocking off the hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 . restrictor 59 , when positioned between cold inlet 50 and mixing valve 26 , would act in this latter fashion to prevent bypass by decreasing the pressure of the cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 . it is within the scope of this embodiment that a restrictor 59 may also be positioned between hot inlet 52 and mixing valve 26 , with or without a restrictor 59 being positioned between hot inlet 50 and mixing valve 26 . while reference is made to restrictor 59 , it is within the scope of this disclosure to use other means or systems as are known in the art to reduce the pressure of fluid flow through a conduit , such as pressure reducing valves and the like . for example , as shown in fig2 , pressure reducing valve 63 may be positioned within cold fluid line 46 prior to mixing valve 26 . the arrows in fig2 represent the directions of fluid flow . pressure reducing valve 63 may operate to equalize differentials in pressure between cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 and hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 to mixing valve 26 by restricting the pressure of cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 . a suitable pressure reducing valve 63 is available in the form of a model number 600 from wilkins industries , a zurn company , erie , pa ., usa , although other pressure reducing valves are suitable , as are known in the art . an additional embodiment , as shown in fig2 , demonstrates an embodiment utilizing multiple pressure reducing valves . in this embodiment , pressure reducing valves 63 may be positioned within cold fluid line 46 prior to mixing valve 26 and may also be positioned within hot fluid line 48 prior to mixing valve 26 . the arrows in fig2 represent the directions of fluid flow . pressure reducing valves 63 may operate to equalize differentials in pressure between cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 and hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 to mixing valve 26 by restricting the pressure of cold fluid from cold fluid line 46 and the pressure of hot fluid from hot fluid line 48 . it is within the scope of this embodiment that one or more pressure reducing valves 63 may be positioned either directly adjacent to mixing valve 26 or prior to an inlet of mixing valve within cold fluid line 46 and / or cold fluid line 48 . as illustrated in fig1 , circulation network 24 has positioned therein a first diffuser 30 between the portion of hot fluid line 48 adjacent heater 28 and hot inlet 52 of mixing valve 26 . illustratively , circulation network 24 has positioned therein a second diffuser 30 a between mixed fluid outlet 56 from mixing valve 26 and eyewash fluid inlet line 38 . eyewash fluid inlet line 38 includes a valve 39 therein that is operable by actuation of actuator 41 . when a user actuates actuator 41 , opening valve 39 , mixed fluid flows from mixed fluid outlet 56 through mixed fluid line 58 , toward eyewash fixture 37 , through eyewash fluid line 38 , and out eyewash outlets 43 of eyewash fixture 37 . refuse fluid is captured , at least in part , by basin 45 and is permitted to exit by way of drain 47 . illustratively , when a user actuates actuator 41 , a burner or other heating element ( described more fully below ) is ignited or otherwise powered to heat fluid flowing through hot fluid line 48 . optionally , decontamination apparatus 20 can be provided as a mobile unit . as illustrated in fig1 , frame 33 includes side members 35 that are coupled to heater 28 . side members 35 are coupled to a base 49 illustratively including an axle tube 51 coupled to lower ends of side members 35 and an axle ( not shown ) extending therethrough . wheels 34 are coupled to the axle to facilitate transport of decontamination apparatus 20 . base 49 of frame 33 further includes a platform 53 having a generally upwardly facing surface 55 . handles 57 are coupled to side frame members 35 to further facilitate transport . upper frame section 59 is connected to side members 35 , and illustratively is a generally rectangular tubular section that extends outwardly from side members 35 to provide additional support for heater 28 . also connected to frame 33 are circulation network 24 , mixing valve 26 , fuel tank 112 , and emergency ( eyewash ) fixture 37 , whether directly connected to frame 33 or indirectly through other parts of decontamination apparatus 20 . to move decontamination apparatus 20 , a user simply disconnects any fluid supply line 42 connected to fluid supply inlet . the user positions a foot on axle tube 51 and pulls handles 57 in direction 61 , lifting stand 36 from engagement with the ground or floor . the user can then move decontamination apparatus 20 by guiding handles 57 and rolling the apparatus using wheels 34 . other fixtures are possible and are within the scope of this disclosure . for example , a decontamination fixture having one or more sprayers or wands ( not shown ) may be included . such a sprayer or wand could include a trigger or other actuator that can be actuated by a user . the sprayer or wand may include a spray nozzle to create a desired pattern of spray . a user can use such a sprayer or wand to direct the flow of fluid from the wand in a pattern and / or a direction selected by a user . as shown in fig3 , decontamination apparatus 320 , described in further detail below , is positioned on support 332 . support 332 is a platform 333 upon which is positioned a heater 328 , emergency fixture 510 , and illustratively mixing valve 326 . platform 333 includes a generally upwardly facing surface 335 sized to support heater 328 and emergency fixture 510 thereon . support members 337 extend from platform 333 downwardly toward base 339 . support members 337 are illustratively spaced apart from each other and are positioned to receive the tines of a fork truck , or other transportation or lifting device , therein to permit convenient transport of decontamination apparatus 320 . to move decontamination apparatus 320 from one location to another , any fluid supply lines , drain lines , and fuel ( or other power source ) lines are disconnected , and transportation or lifting device ( not shown ) is positioned in spaces between support members 337 and platform 333 is lifted so that support 332 and decontamination apparatus 320 are elevated above the ground or floor . decontamination apparatus 320 is then moved to the desired location . while decontamination apparatus 20 of fig1 and decontamination apparatus 320 of fig3 are illustrative examples configured for convenient transport , using frame 20 of fig1 and using a fork - truck or similar device to transport apparatus 320 of fig3 , it is understood that other configurations are within the scope of this disclosure . other portable , semi - portable , and non - portable configurations are contemplated . a self - contained fluid supply vessel may be provided instead of using water from a source such as a well , municipal water supply , or other similar water source . such an apparatus could be transported using a transportation device such as a truck , automobile , military vehicle , train , helicopter , or other mode of transportation . a decontamination apparatus such as apparatus 320 of fig3 could be affixed using known methods to a structure in a building , for example , if portability of the apparatus is not desired . in one configuration rather than having a burner , heating element 314 is provided in an electric heater that enables a user to set the temperature of hot water in the hot water supply to achieve and maintain a higher temperature than is possible with typical residential water heater heating elements . in one exemplary configuration , a tubular heating element manufactured by watlow electric manufacturing company , 12001 lackland road , st . louis , mo ., usa 63146 is capable of maintaining water at and above 180 degrees f . at typical flows for a sufficient time to satisfy requirements for emergency applications . such heating elements are typically constructed to withstand higher temperatures and currents than standard residential heating elements . further , thermostats associated with such heating elements are constructed to permit a user to select a temperature above about 185 degrees f . referring to fig4 , diffuser 30 includes a first conduit 60 and a second conduit 62 surrounding , illustratively , a majority of first conduit 60 . first conduit 60 includes a first end 64 serving as an inlet of fluid to diffuser 30 , and an opposite second end 66 . second conduit 62 includes a first end 74 serving as an outlet for fluid from diffuser 30 and an opposite second end 76 . as illustrated in fig4 , a cap 68 is coupled to second end 76 to close second conduit 62 . cap 68 is coupled to second end 76 illustratively with solder applied around the perimeter of cap 68 . it is understood that this diffuser design is illustrative only and that it is within the scope of this disclosure for diffusers to be different in design . in the illustrative embodiment , diffuser 30 includes a union 70 to assist in positioning first conduit 60 relative to second conduit 62 and to assist in directing or guiding the flow of fluid through diffuser 30 . union 70 is coupled to first ends 64 , 74 of respective first and second conduits 60 , 62 , illustratively with solder . union 70 includes , at a first end 71 thereof , a first opening 72 to receive first end 74 of second conduit 62 . union 70 includes , at a second end 73 thereof , a second opening 78 sized to receive first end 64 of first conduit 60 . referring to fig4 , in operation , fluid enters diffuser 30 through first end 64 of first conduit 60 adjacent second end 73 of union 70 . depending on the outlet configuration ( described in more detail below ), fluid generally flows in first direction 80 through first conduit 60 from its first end 64 to its second end 66 . second end 66 is spaced apart from cap 68 , permitting fluid to exit second end 66 of first conduit 60 and reverse its direction to flow in a second direction 82 , opposite first direction 80 . first conduit 60 is positioned substantially within second conduit 62 so that when fluid exits second end 66 , the fluid remains within the volume defined by cap 68 , second conduit 62 , and portions of union 70 . as shown in fig4 , union 70 includes , between its first and second ends 71 , 73 , a reducing region 75 that necks down or reduces the diameter of union 70 from a diameter sized to receive the outside diameter of second conduit 62 to a diameter sized to receive the outside diameter of first conduit 60 , thus forming a seal to prevent fluid from flowing from second conduit 62 out of the fluid circulation network between first conduit 60 and second end 73 of union 70 . union 70 includes an outlet 86 formed between first end 71 thereof and reducing region 75 . illustratively , reducing region 75 is frustoconical in shape . an outlet 86 surrounds an opening 88 formed in union 70 to permit fluid flowing in direction 82 to exit diffuser 30 and flow toward mixing valve 26 . as illustrated in fig4 and 5 , optional spacers 89 are positioned between the conduits to discourage relative movement therebetween . illustratively , spacers 89 are positioned adjacent second end 66 of first conduit 60 and about the circumference of first conduit 60 to maintain the relative position of first and second conduits 60 , 62 . spacers 89 are illustratively constructed using crimped pieces of copper alloy tubing commonly used in the plumbing industry . if included , spacers 89 may , however , be constructed using any suitable material ( s ) and may have any shape sufficient to maintain the relative position of conduits in a diffuser such as diffuser 30 and still permit adequate flow of fluid therethrough . a first diffuser outlet configuration is depicted in diffuser 30 of fig4 . a series of apertures 90 , designated individually as 90 a through 90 k , are formed in first conduit 60 at various positions around first conduit 60 and along its length . apertures 90 a , b , and c are formed in , approximately , the first half 92 of the length of first conduit 60 . apertures 90 d through k are positioned in , approximately , the second half 94 of the length of first conduit 60 . because apertures 90 a through 90 k are positioned along the length of first conduit 60 , portions of fluid flowing through first conduit 60 exit through apertures 90 and mix with fluid flowing outside of first conduit 60 and in second conduit 62 . illustratively , conduit 60 has an inside diameter of about 0 . 8 inches and has an overall length c of about 29 inches , and conduit 62 has an inside diameter of about 1 . 25 inches and has an overall length a of about 24 . 25 inches . second end 66 is spaced apart from cap 68 by a distance of b , illustratively about 0 . 75 inches . however , it is understood that other sizes for conduit 62 are within the scope of this invention . as ‘ fresh ’ hot fluid ( a second mass of fluid ) that has been recently heated by heater 28 first flows through first conduit 60 , the fresh hot fluid mixes with the previously stagnant fluid that was in first conduit 60 and is in second conduit 62 . because apertures 90 a - 90 j are provided along the length of first conduit 60 , some of the fresh hot fluid flows through the first apertures 90 ( for example 90 a , 90 b and 90 c ) encountered by the fluid flow without flowing all the way to second end 66 of conduit 60 , thus blending the fluid and rendering the blended fluid a temperature between the temperature of the second mass of fluid and the stagnant fluid ( a first mass of fluid ) temperature . as more fresh hot fluid flows into first conduit 60 , the blended temperature gradually approaches that of the fresh hot fluid . by blending the fluids as such , the fresh hot fluid does not reach mixing valve 26 at full temperature all at once , but rather reaches mixing valve 26 blended with previously stagnant fluid , thus providing the mixing valve a gradual increase in fluid temperature instead of the more immediate increase obtained without this blending . first diffuser outlet configuration depicted in fig4 illustrates apertures 90 a through 90 j formed as holes in first conduit 60 on generally opposite sides of the conduit , formed , for example , by drilling through a first point along the length of first conduit 60 and permitting the drilling device to penetrate through the opposite side of the conduit . it is understood , however , that any number of apertures 90 a through 90 j may be provided along the length and circumference of conduit 60 . in the illustrative embodiment , aperture 90 a is positioned about 13 inches from first end 64 . aperture 90 b is positioned about 17 inches from first end 64 . aperture 90 c is positioned about 19 inches from first end 64 . aperture 90 d is positioned about 21 inches from first end 64 . aperture 90 e is positioned about 1 inch from aperture 90 d . apertures 90 f through 90 k are each positioned from the immediately adjacent aperture approximately the same distance as apertures 90 d and 90 e are spaced apart . illustratively , apertures 90 a - j are holes drilled through conduit 60 so that a pair of holes , each 180 degrees around the circumference of conduit 60 from the other , is at each position along the length of first conduit 60 . illustratively , apertures 90 are holes of 0 . 125 inch diameter drilled in conduit 60 ; however , apertures 90 a - j may be of different sizes and shapes and each may be different from one or more other apertures . although certain illustrative outlet configurations are disclosed herein , it is within the scope of this disclosure to use any suitable shape of aperture or combination of shapes . it is also within the scope of this disclosure to space a wide range of sizes and numbers of such apertures 90 apart from one another by various distances to achieve a desired mixing of fluid inside an internal conduit with the fluid outside the internal conduit , and to maintain adequate flow through the diffuser . by way of example , additional outlet configurations are depicted in fig8 through 13 . as shown in fig1 and 2 , a portion of hot fluid line 48 passes adjacent heater 28 to receive heat generated by heater 28 and heat the fluid flowing through hot fluid line 48 . illustratively , hot fluid line 48 is constructed of a copper alloy ; however , use of other suitable materials are within the scope of this disclosure . for example , steel , aluminum , brass , stainless steel , and other alloys or materials that have desirable characteristics such as adequate strength , durability , corrosion resistance , and high heat transfer rates , and are suitable in particular applications . as shown in fig2 , illustrative heater 28 includes a heat exchange chamber 806 through which hot fluid line 48 passes with cool fluid entering through portion 810 of hot fluid line 48 and exiting through portion 807 . illustrative heat exchange chamber 806 is sized to receive burner 114 in its base region 122 . heat exchange chamber 806 is illustratively rectangular in shape and has a plurality of fins 124 extending from a first side wall 126 to a second , opposite side wall 128 . as shown in fig1 , heater 28 includes a flue 130 , the bottom 132 of which is sized to approximate the size of top 134 of draught diverter 805 , the bottom 840 of which is coupled to the top 842 of heat exchange chamber 806 . excess heat and exhaust from the combustion process passes from heat exchange chamber 806 through flue 130 and exits through top 136 of flue 130 to the atmosphere or other suitable destination . a suitable heater 28 is available in the form of a water heater model number 125 fx from robert bosch corporation , broadview , ill ., usa , although other heat exchangers are suitable , as are known in the art . an additional suitable heater is available in the form of a water heater model no . gwh 425 hno , also from robert bosch corporation . as shown in fig1 , heater 28 includes a fuel line 110 coupled to fuel tank 112 . the burner 114 , shown in fig2 , is sized to fit within the bottom 844 of heat exchanger 806 and couples to a fuel valve 814 that is configured to control the flow of fuel from fuel line 110 to burner 114 . illustratively , fuel valve 814 is responsive to a controller system 118 , shown and described in more detail below with reference to fig1 and 17 , or may have a manual control such as on / off switch 833 , by which fuel valve 814 opens upon certain conditions to provide fuel . if on / off switch 833 is used , the switch may be accessed through opening 803 in cover 801 , which fits around heat exchange chamber 806 , burner 114 , and fuel valve 814 . fuel is supplied via ports 835 and 836 and , illustratively , controller - system 118 and fuel valve 814 cooperate to open fuel valve 814 and ignite fuel at burner 114 when actuator 41 is actuated by a user . it is within the scope of this disclosure for a variety of types of equipment to be used instead of or in addition to controller system 118 to determine whether , for example , power or fuel to heater 28 should be increased , or whether heater 28 should be started or ignited . for example , a typical flow sensor could be incorporated to detect flow of fluid in hot fluid line 48 , and when flow is detected in line 48 , heater 28 is ignited . further , a thermocouple to detect the temperature of fluid flowing through hot fluid line 48 could likewise be incorporated . if fluid was flowing through hot fluid line 48 and the thermocouple detected a temperature below a set point , heater 28 could be started or otherwise turned up . it is understood that heater 28 is illustrative , and other heater configurations are within the scope of this disclosure . as illustrated in the diagram of fig1 , cold fluid entering the heater passes through a valve assembly that allows gas to enter the burners only when fluid is flowing . a fluid flow sensor 728 signals computer 729 to light burner 732 , and the gas is ignited in the illustrative gas - fueled example by the pilot or spark ignition . illustratively , burners 732 activate at a flow rate of 0 . 75 gallons per minute ( gpm ), with about 0 . 6 gpm continuous flow required to maintain burners 732 lit . fluid is heated as it flows through heat exchanger 730 , which illustratively includes finned tube copper coils located adjacent burners 732 . as the fluid flow rate changes , a governor ( not shown ) modulates the flow of gas to burners 732 to maintain a constant temperature . the size of the flames and the energy used is thus proportional to the volume of hot fluid being moved through the system . the fluid temperature can be adjusted , illustratively from about 100 ° to about 140 ° f ., by adjusting gas proportioning valve 734 . referring to fig1 and 15 , a flame sensor 620 of heater 28 ( shown in fig1 and 2 ) optionally may be positioned on pilot assembly 621 to sense when a flame 622 is present ( fig1 ), and to shut off the supply of gas upon failure of flame 622 ( fig1 ). as shown in fig1 , optionally a flue gas sensor 713 , a high temperature limiter 707 , and an overheat sensor 706 illustratively positioned in the flue , are coupled in series to an electronic control box 708 , that controls a valve ( not shown ), the valve closing upon a signal from any one or more of these sensors to stop the flow of gas . flow sensor 728 , shown in fig1 senses when the flow of fluid is stopped , similarly signaling to close a valve and shut off the flow of gas to the burners . illustratively , heater 28 includes a push button piezo - electric pilot 624 shown in fig1 and 15 , and as 705 in fig1 , safety interlocked controls , and an illustrative copper heat exchanger 730 illustrated in fig1 . further , illustratively heater 28 includes a slow ignition valve , high - efficiency low - maintenance stainless steel burners 732 , and filters ( not shown ) for the pilot and burners to provide clogging protection . an alternative embodiment of a diffuser 230 is illustrated in fig5 . diffuser 230 is illustrated as a three - pass diffuser and includes first conduit 232 , a second conduit 234 , and a third conduit 236 . as shown in fig5 , first conduit 232 is positioned substantially within second conduit 234 , and second conduit 234 is positioned substantially within third conduit 236 . a first union 238 cooperates with first , second , and third conduits 232 , 234 , 236 to maintain the conduits in position . first union 238 includes a first section 240 and a second section 242 . first section 240 includes a smaller diameter opening 244 sized to receive first conduit 232 therein . first section 240 includes a larger diameter opening 246 sized to receive the second conduit 234 therein . first section 240 includes a reducing or neck down region 248 between openings 244 and 246 . illustratively , reducing region 248 is frustoconical in shape . second section 242 includes a smaller diameter opening 250 sized to receive the second conduit 234 . second section 242 includes a larger diameter opening 252 sized to receive the outside diameter of third conduit 236 . second section 242 includes a reducing or neck down region 254 between openings 250 and 252 . illustratively , reducing region 254 is frustoconical in shape . first section 240 and second section 242 of first union 238 may be provided as two separate pieces or may optionally be formed as a single first union part . diffuser 230 further includes a second union 256 spaced apart from first union 238 . second union 256 includes a larger diameter opening 258 sized to receive an outlet end 260 of third conduit 236 . second union 256 includes a smaller diameter opening 262 sized for coupling to a hot fluid line 264 . second union 256 includes a reducing or neck down region 266 between openings 258 , 262 . illustratively , reducing region 266 is frustoconical in shape . end cap 226 has a side 227 sized to receive a second end 239 of second conduit 324 . while the reducing regions described above are shown and described as being frustoconical in shape , it is within the scope of this disclosure for one or more of the reducing regions to be other shapes . further , although unions are described as being separate components from the conduits , it is within the scope of this disclosure to form diffusers from any number of pieces or to mold diffusers from a single piece . one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a wide variety of formation and / or assembly techniques may be implemented to make a diffuser . first conduit 232 has a length f , illustratively about 53 - 54 inches . second conduit 234 has a length e , illustratively about 50 - 51 inches . third conduit 236 has a length d , illustratively about 48 inches . illustratively , first , second , and third conduits 232 , 234 , 236 have inside diameters of about 1 , 1 . 5 , and 2 . 5 , inches respectively . diffuser 230 outlet configuration depicted in fig5 illustrates apertures 290 a through 290 q formed as holes in first conduit 232 and second conduit 234 , each hole illustratively having a second corresponding hole on generally opposite sides of the conduit , formed , for example , by drilling through a first point along the length of the conduit and permitting the drilling device to penetrate through the opposite side of the conduit . while two opposite holes are described for each of apertures 290 a through 290 q , such is illustrative , and any number of holes of any shape are within the scope of this invention . the sizes and spacing of the apertures 290 are described for illustrative purposes herein . as shown , illustrative apertures 290 a are 7 / 64 inch holes positioned in first conduit 232 about 12 inches from first end 233 of first conduit 232 . apertures 290 b are 3 / 32 inch holes positioned about 24 inches from first end 233 , apertures 290 c are 5 / 64 inch holes positioned about 36 inches from first end 233 , apertures 290 dare 1 / 16 inch holes positioned about 48 inches from first end 233 , and apertures 290 e are 1 / 16 inch holes positioned about 2 inches from second end 235 . still referring to fig5 , illustrative apertures 290 f are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 3 . 5 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 or adjacent the reducing region 254 of the second section 242 of first union 238 . illustrative apertures 290 g are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 4 . 0 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 , and are rotated 90 degrees around the circumference of second conduit 234 relative to apertures 290 f . illustrative apertures 290 h are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 4 . 5 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 , and are rotated 90 degrees around the circumference of second conduit 234 relative to apertures 290 g . illustrative apertures 2901 are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 5 . 0 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 , and are rotated 90 degrees around the circumference of second conduit 234 relative to apertures 290 h . illustrative apertures 290 j are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 5 . 5 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 , and are rotated 90 degrees around the circumference of second conduit 234 relative to apertures 290 l . illustrative apertures 290 k are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 6 . 0 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 , and are rotated 90 degrees around the circumference of second conduit 234 relative to apertures 290 j . illustrative apertures 290 l are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 6 . 5 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 , and are rotated 90 degrees around the circumference of second conduit 234 relative to apertures 290 k . illustrative apertures 290 m are 9 / 16 inch holes positioned about 7 . 0 inches from first end 237 of second conduit 234 , and are rotated 90 degrees around the circumference of second conduit 234 relative to apertures 290 l . illustrative apertures 290 n are 3 / 32 inch holes positioned about 38 . 0 inches from second end 239 of second conduit 234 . illustrative apertures 290 p are 3 / 32 inch holes positioned about 20 . 0 inches from second end 239 of second conduit 234 . illustrative apertures 290 q are 3 / 32 inch holes positioned about 20 . 0 inches from second end 239 of second conduit 234 . it is understood that fluid entering diffuser 230 at first end 233 of first conduit 232 flows upward to end cap 226 , then flows downward between first conduit 232 and second conduit 234 , down to aperture 290 f , and then flows upward again between second conduit 234 and third conduit 236 , up to and out through hot fluid line 264 . as fluid flows past each of the apertures 290 a through 290 q , newly heated fluid may flow through the apertures to mix with stagnant water that may already be in diffuser 230 . an alternative heater embodiment , heater 328 , is depicted in fig3 . heater 328 is a standard “ residential ” water heater , illustratively a 119 gallon water heater including a fuel line 310 coupled to fuel tank 312 and burner 314 . a fuel valve ( not shown ) may be coupled to fuel line 310 to control flow of fuel to burner 314 , and may be responsive to a controller ( not shown ) to provide fuel when the controller senses that additional heat is to be supplied to increase the temperature of fluid stored in heater 328 . many fuels may be used , for example natural gas , propane , or other suitable fuel types . in addition , more than one fuel tank 312 may be used at the same time to provide more fuel to burner 314 than one fuel tank 312 could provide alone . one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that an electric water heater could be used for illustrative heater 328 . heater 328 further includes a storage tank 302 in which fluid is stored that enters storage tank 302 through a fluid inlet line 340 . as shown in fig3 , a heat exchange region 321 includes an interface 323 adjacent burner 314 . interface 323 may take a number of forms , and may include a circuit through which hot combustion gases flow such as a coil , a generally flat surface , or a heat sink extending into fluid stored in storage tank 320 to increase the surface area of interface 323 in contact with fluid in storage tank 320 . if heater 328 is an electric heater , an electric element electrically coupled to an electric source could heat the fluid in storage tank 320 . optionally , a filter 347 may be provided , illustratively in fluid inlet line 340 , to filter out particulate matter . filters may be provided elsewhere in the system , illustratively in cold fluid line 346 . as shown in fig3 , a mixing valve 326 receives hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 and cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 . as with the embodiment described with reference to fig1 , mixing valve 326 mixes hot and cold fluids and supplies tempered water through mixed fluid line 350 . a diffuser , illustratively diffuser 230 of fig5 , is coupled to hot fluid inlet line 348 and is between mixing valve 326 and the fluid outlet from heater 328 . an illustrative mixing valve is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 647 , 531 assigned to lawler manufacturing company , inc . of indianapolis , ind ., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein . other mixing valves of various configurations may be used depending on the specific requirements of the application in which the subject matter hereof is incorporated . in an embodiment of decontamination apparatus 320 shown in fig2 , a heat trap 365 may be positioned within cold fluid line 346 . the arrows in fig2 represent the directions of fluid flow . heat trap 365 may operate to prevent or reduce thermosyphoning ( energy losses ) of hot water from heater 328 during periods of no active fluid flow . in an exemplary embodiment , heat trap 365 is a portion of copper conduit positioned within cold fluid line 346 as an inverted “ u ” shape , wherein a horizontal portion of cold fluid line 346 curves upwards , curves back to a horizontal position in the same or substantially similar direction as the initial horizontal direction , curves downwards parallel or substantially parallel to the initial upward direction , and then curves back to a horizontal position in the same or substantially similar direction as the prior horizontal direction , forming an inverted “ u ” shaped heat trap 365 . it is within the scope of this disclosure to use other heat trap means or systems as are known in the art to reduce energy losses of hot water during periods of no active fluid flow . it is within the scope of this embodiment that one or more pressure reducing valves 63 may be positioned either directly adjacent to mixing valve 26 or prior to an inlet of mixing valve within cold fluid line 46 and / or cold fluid line 48 . a restrictor 349 ( internal location as shown in fig3 and 21 ), may be positioned between the junction of cold fluid line 346 and cold inlet of mixing valve 326 . restrictor 349 may also define one or more holes . in one embodiment , restrictor 349 may be comprised of copper , be circular in shape , 1¼ ″ in diameter , 10 / 1000 ″ ( 1 / 100 ″) thick , and define a hole 3 / 16 ″ in diameter . restrictor 349 may be comprised of metal , plastic , glass , or other suitable materials , may be sized and shaped with diameters and thicknesses suitable for the particular application , and may define one or more holes of varying diameters . restrictor 349 operates to equalize differentials in pressure between cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid line 348 from heater 328 to mixing valve 326 . restrictor 349 is therefore beneficial by equalizing pressures of cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid line 348 entering mixing valve 326 to stop mixing valve 326 from going into bypass , allowing only cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 to flow through mixing valve 326 . accordingly , if fluid pressure is zero or too low from the hot fluid line 348 , the mixing valve 326 may revert to bypass blocking off the hot fluid from the hot fluid line 348 , allowing only cold fluid from the cold fluid line 346 to flow through the mixing valve 326 . if fluid pressure is zero or too low from the cold fluid line 346 , mixing valve 326 may revert to bypass blocking off the flow of cold fluid from the cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid from the hot fluid line 48 , preventing all fluid flow through the mixing valve 326 so that hot fluid is not permitted to flow and perhaps injure the user . additionally , if fluid pressure is too high from cold fluid line 346 , mixing valve 326 may only sense cold fluid and may revert to bypass blocking off the hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 . restrictor 349 , when positioned between cold inlet of mixing valve 26 , would act in this latter fashion to prevent bypass by decreasing the pressure of the cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 . it is within the scope of this embodiment that a restrictor 349 may also be positioned between the junction of cold fluid line 346 and cold inlet of mixing valve 326 , with or without a restrictor 349 being positioned between the junction of hot fluid line 348 and mixing valve 326 . while reference is made to restrictor 349 , it is within the scope of this disclosure to use other means or systems as are known in the art to reduce the pressure of fluid flow through a conduit , such as pressure reducing valves and the like . for example , as shown in fig2 , pressure reducing valve 63 may be positioned within cold fluid line 346 prior to mixing valve 326 . pressure reducing valve 63 may operate to equalize differentials in pressure between cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 to mixing valve 326 by restricting the pressure of cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 . an additional embodiment , as shown in fig2 , demonstrates an embodiment utilizing multiple pressure reducing valves . in this embodiment , pressure reducing valves 63 may be positioned within cold fluid line 346 prior to mixing valve 326 and may also be positioned within hot fluid line 348 prior to mixing valve 326 . pressure reducing valves 63 may operate to equalize differentials in pressure between cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 to mixing valve 326 by restricting the pressure of cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 and the pressure of hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 . it is within the scope of this embodiment that one or more pressure reducing valves 63 may be positioned either directly adjacent to mixing valve 326 or prior to an inlet of mixing valve within cold fluid line 346 and / or cold fluid line 348 . aspects of an additional embodiment of decontamination apparatus 320 are shown in fig2 . the arrows in fig2 represent the directions of fluid flow . in this embodiment , cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 may flow to mixing valve 326 and / or to a second mixing valve 363 . hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 may also flow to mixing valve 326 and / or to second mixing valve 363 . mixed fluid may then flow from mixing valve 326 and / or second mixing valve 363 to emergency fixture 510 such as eyewash outlet fixture 520 and / or emergency shower fixture 530 . in this embodiment , if eyewash outlet fixture 520 is activated by a user , cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 may mix in mixing valve 326 and second mixing valve 363 and flow to eyewash outlet fixture 520 . additionally , if emergency shower fixture 530 is activated by a user , cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 may mix in mixing valve 326 and second mixing valve 363 and flow to emergency shower fixture 530 . second mixing valve 363 may predominantly supply mixed fluid to eyewash outlet fixture 520 , and therefore when eyewash outlet fixture 520 is activated ( the emergency fixture 510 that has a relatively low fluid flow requirement ), second mixing valve 363 may provide mixed fluid to eyewash outlet fixture 520 . it is understood in this additional embodiment that cold fluid from cold fluid line 346 and hot fluid from hot fluid line 348 may mix in one or both mixing valve 326 and second mixing valve 363 under all conditions of fluid flow out of an emergency fixture 510 . a preferred second mixing valve 363 is model no . 911ef , manufactured by lawler manufacturing company , inc . still referring to fig3 , when a user actuates actuator 521 , 526 , or 532 , opening a valve 522 , 534 , mixed fluid flows from mixed fluid outlet of the mixing valve and through mixed fluid line 350 , toward fixture 510 . as shown in fig3 and 6 , a combination emergency fixture 510 is illustrated . emergency fixture 510 includes a tempered fluid inlet 512 receiving tempered water from a source such as the system shown in fig3 . emergency fixture 510 includes a fluid supply line 514 coupled to fluid inlet 512 , the fluid supply line being coupled to an eyewash supply line 516 and a emergency shower supply line 518 . eyewash supply line 516 is coupled to an eyewash outlet fixture 520 so that , when eyewash actuator 521 and valve 522 is actuated , fluid flows from fluid inlet 512 through fluid supply line 514 , into eyewash supply line 516 , and out eyewash outlet fixture 520 . basin 524 is provided to catch at least part of the refuse fluid and divert the discarded fluid into a drain line 525 . an optional foot actuator 526 is coupled with a link 528 to valve 522 so that a user can actuate the eyewash by stepping on foot actuator 526 . combination emergency fixture 510 further includes an emergency shower fixture 530 coupled to the emergency shower supply line 518 . a shower actuator 532 is operably coupled to a valve 534 so that when a user actuates shower actuator 532 , tempered fluid flows from fluid inlet 512 through fluid supply line 514 , into emergency shower supply line 518 , and out emergency shower fixture outlet 536 . it is within the scope of this disclosure for heaters 28 , 328 to be replaced with another suitable heating device , for example a shell and tube heat exchanger — having a heating fluid flowing therethrough ( when access is had to such a heating fluid possessing sufficient heat to raise the temperature of supplied fluid by an acceptable amount ). diffusers 30 , 230 are illustratively constructed using a copper alloy . in these examples , copper is selected because of its high heat transfer rate , and resultant ability to dissipate heat contained in fluid flowing through diffusers 30 , 230 . however , one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many other materials could be used that provide desirable properties such as machinability , durability , corrosion resistance , compatibility with other system materials , cost , and the like . in a further illustrative embodiment represented in fig7 , a conduit 410 is depicted . conduit 410 may serve as the inner conduit of a diffuser , the outer conduit , or a conduit between the outer and inner conduit in a three ( or more ) pass diffuser . conduit 410 includes an internal passageway 412 and an external surface 414 . as shown in fig7 , external surface 414 includes a plurality of fins 416 . fins 416 are actually shown as a single spiral fin created using an extrusion process in which a thick - walled , illustratively copper alloy , tube is extruded to form fins 416 from surface 414 . an integral finned surface 418 is thus formed on conduit 410 . fins 416 increase the surface area of external surface 414 and thus increase heat transfer into adjacent matter such as fluid flowing outside of conduit 410 . it is within the scope of this disclosure to include a separate finned surface 418 constructed from a different piece of material than conduit 410 and connect separate finned surface 418 to conduit 410 to permit heat transfer during operation from conduit 410 into separate finned surface 418 . it is within the scope of this disclosure to form fins 416 independently instead of as a single , spiral fin . conduit 410 could serve as an external conduit , middle conduit ( such as in a three - pass diffuser configuration ) or an inner conduit . a finned conduit may be used instead of or in addition to a conduit with plurality of apertures , or , alternatively , the finned conduit may be provided with one or more apertures , to provide additional mixing . referring now to fig8 through 13 , various aperture configurations are depicted for the apertures provided in the diffusers . these aperture configurations are provided on the internal conduits — in other words , depending on the number of passes fluid makes through a particular diffuse line , all conduits except for the outermost conduit may , or may not , include such aperture configurations . any number of passes may be made through a diffuser , however consideration of physical , practical , and cost factors suggest that diminishing returns exist beyond a maximum number of passes . however , this maximum number of passes may vary depending on such factors as system size , pressure , and flow rate , for example . generally , a higher number of passes should improve mixing between a first mass of fluid and a second mass of fluid adjacent the first mass upon entry into the diffuser . further , a higher number of passes should improve heat transfer between such a first and second fluid mass , from the fluid mass ( es ) and to the diffuser material . fig8 shows a plurality of apertures 90 evenly spaced along the length of conduit 60 . fig1 similarly shows a plurality of apertures 690 a through 690 e . however , apertures 690 a through 690 e are depicted as not evenly spaced . for example , apertures 690 d and 690 e are more closely spaced than apertures 690 a and 690 b , and illustratively the spacing gradually decreases from 690 a to 690 e . a combination arrangement is shown in fig4 , with spacing gradually decreasing in first half 92 from aperture 90 a to aperture 90 d , and the spacing remaining essentially consistent between apertures in second half 94 , from aperture 90 d to aperture 90 k . apertures 95 - 98 in fig9 - 12 depict a variety of illustrative shapes including rhomboid , ovoid , rectangular , and parallelogram shapes . however , it is understood that these shapes are illustrative only , and that other shapes , including irregular shapes , may be included and are within the scope of this disclosure . additionally , any shape aperture may be used with any aperture spacing to achieve the desired mixing effect of fluid in the conduit . fig8 illustrates substantially circular holes , fig9 illustrates a substantially diamond ( rhomboid ) aperture , fig1 illustrates a substantially oval aperture , fig1 illustrates a substantially rectangular aperture , fig1 illustrates an angularly - oriented parallelogram - shaped aperture , and fig1 illustrates a series of apertures positioned at points a , b , c , d , and e along conduit 660 . diffusers 30 , 230 may also serve as heat sinks . the heat sink is a thermally conductive structure that has a mass per unit of linear length of net fluid flow greater than the average mass per unit of linear length of net fluid flow in the overall fluid flow network . illustratively , the heat sink comprises copper . in one exemplary configuration , the heat sink surrounds a first fluid conduit such as conduits 60 , 232 of fig4 and 5 , so that fluid flowing from the first fluid conduit subsequently flows through a passageway defined by or otherwise through the heat sink . further , while the diffusers illustrated herein are used in conjunction with portable emergency fixtures , it is understood that the diffusers may be used with any fixture for which temperature control is desired . such fixtures include fixed stationary emergency fixtures , as well as sinks , showers , and any other fluid fixture . the diffusers illustrated herein may also be used in combination with hot water heaters , for whatever purpose , wherein the diffuser would be installed in the hot water line exiting from the hot water heater . other applications for the diffusers are possible . the following chart contains data from a test performed using a diffuser similar to the diffuser shown in fig3 : fig2 depicts a diagrammatic or schematic diagram of the test from which the above data were derived . in the test represented by the data of table i and fig1 a - g , and as schematically depicted in fig2 , a cold water line 910 from cold water supply 911 was coupled to a mixed water inlet 912 , a hot water line 914 from hot water supply 913 was coupled to mixed water inlet 912 . a diffuser 916 was coupled to mixed water inlet 912 so that hot and cold water flowed through mixed water inlet 912 and into diffuser 916 . a mixed water outlet 918 was coupled to diffuser 916 so that water flowing from the diffuser passed through outlet 918 toward a drain ( not shown ). thermocouples 920 , 922 , 924 , were coupled to cold inlet , hot inlet , and mixed fluid outlet lines respectively to measure the temperature of the water flowing through each . a pressure sensor 926 was positioned in the hot water line to sense the pressure in the hot water . thermocouples 920 , 922 , 924 and sensor 926 were coupled to computer 928 which recorded the data from each thermocouple , as depicted in table 1 above . valves 930 were positioned in each of the water lines to shut off or throttle flow of the hot , cold , and / or mixed water as necessary . to simulate different stagnant hot fluid line temperatures that might be encountered in different settings , a starting mixed water temperature was arrived at by adjusting the hot 930 b and cold 930 a valves until a desired temperature was reached . for example , fig1 a shows a starting mixed fluid temperature of about 85 degrees f . once the desired starting temperature for the mixed water was achieved , all flow was simultaneously shut off . then , the hot water valve 930 b was opened full - open to simulate the hot water displacing the stagnant water in the hot water line . mixed water temperature in the mixed water outlet line was recorded via thermocouple 924 ( shown in the fourth column ). cold and hot water temperatures were recorded via thermocouples 920 and 922 in the cold and hot water lines respectively , those temperatures shown in the second and third columns respectively . the time of day each reading was made is indicated in the first column , each entry separated from the prior entry by ten seconds . the pressure , represented in the fifth column , was recorded in the hot water line , is shown in pounds per square inch gauge ( psig ), and serves to indicate when the hot water was opened to the full - open position . thermocouple 920 was about 6 feet away from the point where cold inlet line 910 connects to mixed inlet line 912 , and thermocouple 922 was about 6 feet away from the point where hot inlet line 914 connects to mixed inlet line 912 ( each distance of about 6 feet including about 2 feet of rubber hose ). thermocouple 924 and sensor 926 were about 5 feet away ( about 3 feet of which was rubber hose ) from the point where diffuser 916 connects to mixed outlet line 918 . fig1 a through g represent graphically certain data from table 1 . data were taken at ten ( 10 ) second intervals . the mixed water temperature is observed to increase to a local maximum in each of the graphs depicted in fig1 a through g . the starting temperature of the mixed water was controlled by adjusting the hot valve while leaving the cold valve in the full - open position to achieve a desired starting mixed water temperature . the gradual increase in mixed water temperature , compared to plug flow through a single pass of pipe resulting in a nearly immediate jump to hot water of equal temperature with the temperature of the hot water in the water heater tank , demonstrates the effects of the diffuser . although this invention has been described and illustrated in detail with reference to certain illustrative embodiments , variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims .
| 6Physics
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the present invention provides for a scheduling algorithm that periodically adjusts scheduling parameters of tasks based comparison of resource usage against desired resource use limitations . in order to convey the details of the scheduler important to this invention , we present the alternative embodiment that uses well - known existing prior - art embodiments for details not specific to this invention . those skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of this embodiment described may differ from other embodiments of the invention . this specific embodiment uses a general - purpose computer system consisting of ( at least ) a processing unit ( cpu ), memory , and a general - purpose operating system supporting multi - tasking and applications . in this embodiment , a scheduler sub - system exists that is made from separate components to better isolate the present invention . those skilled in the art will recognize that an embodiment need not separate these aspects into two different components . the first of these two scheduler components is the general purpose scheduler subsystem , such as may be found in many commercial operating systems . the general - purpose operating system scheduling subsystem uses some memory to store tables of information for tasks that are running in the system . an example of such a table is shown in table 1 . a task that may be in a state of not - ready because it is needs a resource ( such as a disk ) to become available or an event to occur ( such as a message or timer ). a task that is ready to execute the next time the general - purpose schedule subsystem permits it to execute is in the ready state . the general - purpose scheduling subsystem also maintains a list of tasks that are in the ready state in the form of a set of ready - queues . each ready - queues contain a list of tasks of a given priority that are in the ready state . when a task enters the ready state , it is added to the end of the ready - queue for its priority . when the general - purpose schedule subsystem needs a task to execute , it searches the ready - queues starting with the highest priority queue . if there are any tasks in the queue , it selects the task at the top of that queue . if there are no tasks in this queue it searches the next highest priority queue . when the general - purpose schedule subsystem selects a task , it removes the task from the ready queue , changes the tasks state to executing , and activates the task . this task may be allowed to execute until one or more of the following occur : the task enters the not - ready state a higher priority task enters the ready - queue the max interval expires some general - purpose schedule subsystems may also temporarily adjust scheduling parameters to boost the priority of certain tasks under certain conditions . these adjustments are not based on quality based resource usage , but based upon external action such as a user changing the foreground application , a device ( such as a keyboard or disk ) that a task is waiting on becoming available . the second of the two schedule components , the control component , in this specific embodiment augments the general - purpose schedule subsystem by periodically examining the resource utilization of tasks in the system and adjusts parameters used by the general - purpose schedule subsystem . a logic flow of the control component is shown in fig1 through 5 . those skilled in the art will recognize that other logic flows containing the components are also possible . fig1 represents a high level view of a logic flow of the control component . the additional figures provide detail flows of summarized in higher - level modules . the control component maintains a memory table of additional information for tasks in the system . this table is initialized in fig1 module a 2 . an example of the fields of such a table is shown in table 2 : when the timer expires , the algorithm loops for each task ( fig1 modules a 3 through a 5 ) until all tasks have been checked . when all tasks have been checked ( fig1 module a 5 ) the logic waits on the timer again . the purpose of fig1 module a 4 is generally to determine the resource usage of the task and make any adjustments to the scheduling parameters . fig1 module a 4 is further detailed in fig2 and described below . an interval behavior state of the task is determined in fig2 module b 1 . this is further detailed in fig3 ( and described below ). [ heading - 0075 ] logic flow description of control component for each task fig2 illustrates a logic flow used for each task . in fig2 module b 2 , if the interval behavior state is that the task was badly behaved in the interval , the control component processes the badly behaved task ( fig2 module b 3 , further detailed in fig4 ). otherwise control flows to fig2 module b 4 . in fig2 module b 4 , if the interval behavior state is that the task was very - well behaved in the interval , the control component processes the very - well behaved task ( fig2 module b 5 , further detailed in fig5 ). otherwise the interval behavior state of the task was well behaved ( and no processing is required for the task ). fig3 illustrates the logic flow for determining the interval behavior state . the resource usage of the task for the most recent interval is determined ( via exact means or estimation ). for example , most commercial operating systems provide for absolute per - task estimations of cpu usage . in this case the control component can maintain the previous value and take a difference between the previous value and the current value . in fig3 module c 1 a test is made to determine if the resource usage of the task for the most recent interval is greater than the maximum constraint . if the test passes , control is passed to module c 2 where the interval behavior state for the task is set to badly behaved . otherwise control is passed to module c 3 . in fig3 module c 2 , a test is made to determine if the resource usage of the task for the most recent interval is less than the minimum constraint . if the test passes , control is passed to module c 4 where the interval behavior state for the task is set to very - well behaved . otherwise control is passed to module c 5 where the interval behavior state for the task is set to well behaved . fig4 illustrates the flow control for processing of a task that was badly behaved in the interval . the count of very - well behaved intervals is cleared ( fig4 module d 1 ). the count of badly behaved intervals is incremented by one ( fig4 module d 2 ) and compared to the badly behaved burst limit ( fig4 module d 3 ). if the count exceeds the limit , control is passed to modules d 4 and d 5 . in module d 4 adjustments are made to the current scheduling parameters for the task ( for example , reducing priority and / or maximum scheduling interval ). in module d 5 the badly behaved count is cleared . fig5 illustrates the flow control for processing of a task that was very - well behaved in the interval . the count of badly behaved intervals is cleared ( fig5 module e 1 ). the count of very - well behaved intervals is incremented by one ( fig5 module e 2 ) and compared to the very well behaved burst limit ( fig5 module e 3 ). if the count exceeds the limit , control is passed to modules e 4 and e 5 . in module e 4 previous adjustments made to the current scheduling parameters for the task ( for example , reduction of priority and / or maximum scheduling interval ) are partially or fully restored . in module e 5 the very - well behaved count is cleared . note that in fig2 for the case of the interval behavior state being well behaved in the interval , no action is taken by the component . a well behaved interval does not clear the count of either badly - behaved intervals or very - well behaved intervals . the control component of the schedule sub - system requires processor cycles to execute , reducing the overall processor cycles available for application tasks . this is usually referred to as overhead . most of this overhead is caused by the logic flow in fig1 modules a 3 through a 5 . this overhead may optionally be reduced through the detection of tasks which , based upon prior measured behavior , are less likely than others to become badly behaved said tasks may be detected , and the frequency of processing fig1 module a 4 may be reduced for these tasks . those skilled in the art will discern several embodiments to accomplish this reduction . when a quality metric based task scheduler is used , the overall operation of a resource constrained multi - tasking system is improved . by adjusting scheduling parameters on the fly , tasks may be prevented from consuming too many resources for too long a period , allowing fair access to the constrained resource to all . the ramifications of such a system are perhaps best illustrated with an example . tests were made on a commercially available general - purpose multitasking operating system . a test was designed that measured ready - task latency ( delay time from when an average priority task becomes ready to when is actually begins execution ). when one or more tasks are added to this system causing contention for the shared cpu resource , ready - task latency increases dramatically . a component is then introduced to the system to control the scheduling parameters . this test shows it is possible to reduce or even eliminate both the size and / or duration of latency increases . the effects of this on the system includes benefits including : reduction in time - outs leading to improved system stability under load . improved feedback to users ( e . g . response to keyboard input mouse click , reflected on display .
| 6Physics
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according to the present invention , purified dichloropentafluoropropane can be obtained from a mixture of dichloropentafluoropropane and chloroform by first treating the mixture with a fluorinating agent and then effecting the separation and recovery of dichloropentafluoropropane by distillation . further according to the present invention , it has been discovered that treating the mixture with a fluorinating agent will selectively convert the chloroform to lower boiling fluorinated products represented by dichloromonofluoromethane ( hcfc - 21 , b . p . 8 . 9 ° c .) and monochlorodifluoromethane ( hcfc - 22 , b . p . - 40 . 7 ° c .) without significantly fluorinating the dichloropentafluoropropane . the low boiling chlorofluoromethanes produced by the selective fluorination can be removed easily from the higher boiling dichloropentafluoropropane ( e . g ., by fractional distillation or equivalent separation technique ) to provide purified dichloropentafluoropropane . it should be appreciated that for purposes of the present invention the term dichloropentafluoropropane refers to any of the hcfc - 225 , c 3 hcl 2 f 5 , isomers as well as mixtures of these isomers and in particular includes azeotrope - forming compounds ( i . e ., form an azeotrope with chloroform ). it should be further appreciated that the mixture of dichloropentafluoropropane and chloroform referred to in the present invention can include the presence of other additional inert or chemically passive additives , compounds or agents , provided that other compounds and any products derived therefrom by the fluorination step do not interfere with the subsequent separation and recovery of the dichloropentafluoropropane . the fluorination of chloroform to form chlorofluoromethanes is generally well known in the art . thus the use of the term &# 34 ; fluorinating agent &# 34 ; for purposes of this invention includes any fluorination agent as generally known in the art to fluorinate chloroform . such fluorinating agents include , by way of example but not limited thereto : ( 3 ) antimony chlorofluorides of the general formula sbcl 5 - x f x where x is preferably 1 or more , ( 4 ) metal fluorides such as kf , naf , agf , hgf 2 , taf 5 , nbf 5 , and the like , ( 5 ) hydrogen fluoride alone or in the presence of catalytic amounts of sbcl 5 , a mixture of sbcl 3 and sbcl 5 , alf 3 , crf 3 , fecl 3 , sncl 4 , mocl 5 , wcl 6 , ticl 4 , hfcl 4 , taf 5 , nbf 5 , and the like . the preferred fluorination agent is antimony pentachloride and hf since this system is used commercially in the manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons . while vapor phase fluorination processes to fluorinate chloroform can be used , for convenience and simplicity the preferred process is a liquid phase fluorination process . for smaller scale operations , treatment of the dichloropentafluoropropane / chloroform mixture with antimony trifluoride in the presence of a catalyst such as antimony pentachloride is preferred . bromine or chlorine could also be added to the antimony trifluoride to generate the antimony pentafluoride in situ . the amount of fluorination agent to be used should be at least the amount necessary to replace at least one chlorine atom of the chloroform with fluorine , but for ease of reaction and to remove as much of the chloroform as possible , the amount of fluorination agent should be from about 2 to 10 times the minimum required . the success of the present purification process is based upon the discovery that the fluorination of chloroform takes place much more readily than the fluorination of dichloropentafluoropropane such that all or substantially all of the chloroform is fluorinated before any appreciable amount of dichloropentafluoropropane is fluorinated . fluorination pressure is not critical and can be atmospheric or superatmospheric depending upon the nature of the fluorination agent used . since the fluorination is preferably carried out in the liquid state , and since dichloropentafluoropropanes boil at about 50 ° c ., and particularly when hydrogen fluoride is a part of the fluorination agent , the fluorination pressure is preferably superatmospheric . illustrative of the process of the present invention , a mixture of dichloropentafluoropropane and chloroform is contacted with , for example , a mixture of sbf 3 and sbcl 5 in a reaction vessel . such reaction vessel may be at atmospheric pressure suitably equipped with a reflux condenser or a closed vessel whereas autogenous pressure is allowed to develop . the mixture is then heated for a short period and distilled to obtain purified dichloropentafluoropropane essentially free of chloroform ° the following examples are presented to further illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention . a 500 ml three - neck flask was equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a reflux condenser cooled by a circulating liquid to 5 ° c ., and an additional funnel . sbf 3 ( 118 g , 0 . 66 mole ) and sbcl 5 ( 45 g , 0 . 15 mole ) were placed in the reaction flask . to the stirred mixture of antimony halides , 198 g of a mixture of chloroform and dichloropentafluoropropanes ( a mixture of hcfc - 225ca and hcfc - 225cb ) containing approximately 13 % chloroform by weight was added over a period of 0 . 5 hours via the addition funnel . the reaction mixture was then stirred for 0 . 25 hours and gradually heated to about 50 ° c . and kept at that temperature for about 2 hours . the contents of the reaction vessel were then distilled , the distillate washed with water ( 2 × 100 ml ), and dried over anhydrous na 2 so 4 . the resulting dichloropentafluoropropane weighed 126 . 7 g ; gc analysis indicated that the product contained about 0 . 07 % by weight chloroform . 56 . 3 g of a mixture hcfc - 225 isomers ( i . e ., hcfc - 225ca and hcfc - 225cb ) containing about 4 weight percent chloroform were dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and added to a 100 ml three - neck round bottom flask . the flask was equipped with a &# 34 ; teflon &# 34 ;- coated stirring bar , a thermocouple , a reflux condenser cooled by a circulating liquid to 3 ° c ., and an addition funnel . sbf 5 ( 5 g , 0 , 023 mole ) was placed in the additional funnel and added to the rapidly stirred solution in several portions at ambient temperature ; a 6 ° c . exotherm was observed . the reaction mixture was then stirred for 0 . 5 hours . the reflux condenser was then replaced with a short distillation column and distillation head . the hcfc - 225 isomers were then distilled out of the flask at a temperature of 49 ° to 54 ° c . to afford 43 . 5 grams of clear liquid . no chloroform was detected in the product by gc analysis . a full analysis of the starting material and distilled product is given in the following table i . table i______________________________________ startingcomponent material product______________________________________hcfc - 225ca / aa 69 . 7 75 . 8hcfc - 225cb 23 . 6 22 . 6cfc - 215cb 2 . 5 0 . 9cfc - 215ca 0 . 3 0 . 1chcl . sub . 3 2 . 8 0 . 0hcfc - 224 &# 39 ; s 0 . 8 0 . 0______________________________________ sbcl 5 ( 8 g , 0 , 027 mole ) was placed in a 150 ml stainless steel cylinder along with a &# 34 ; teflon &# 34 ;- coated magnetic stirring bar . the cylinder was attached to a metal vacuum line , cooled to - 196 ° c . in liquid nitrogen and hf ( 19 . 3 g , 0 . 97 mole ) was transferred into the flask . the cylinder was warmed to room temperature and stirred for about 1 hour . the cylinder was then cooled to - 196 ° c ., evacuated , and 40 grams of a mixture of hcfc - 225 isomers ( i . e ., hcfc - 225ca and hcfc - 225cb ) containing about 0 . 9 weight percent chcl 3 was added . the cylinder was warmed to 50 ° c . and held at 47 °- 61 ° c . for about 2 hours . the cylinder was then cooled back to - 196 ° c . and evacuated , and the volatile products were distilled out of the reactor and washed with water . analysis of this product revealed only a trace of chloroform . a five liter four neck , round - bottom flask was charged with 4959 grams of a mixture of hcfc - 225 &# 39 ; s and chloroform containing 0 . 97 mole percent chloroform ( 28 . 4 g , 0 . 238 mole ). the flask was fitted with an addition funnel , a mechanical stirrer , a thermocouple , and a reflux condenser . the reflux condenser was connected to a nitrogen bubbler through a - 78 ° c . trap . this trap served to condense hcfc - 21 vapor coming out of the reaction . the addition funnel was charged with 120 grams ( 0 . 554 mole ) of sbf 5 . as the reaction was stirred at ambient temperature , the sbf 5 was added dropwise over the course of about 1 . 3 hours . during the course of the addition , the reaction became steadily darker ; no exotherm was detected . the black reaction mixture was allowed to stand overnight . the reaction mixture was then treated with 1 . 5 liters of 6 molar hcl with rapid stirring ; a 4 ° c . heat kick was observed . the lower layer was withdrawn from the reaction flask and washed consecutively with 1 . 5 liters of 6 molar hcl , 1 . 5 liters of 5 % nahco 3 , and then 2 liters of water . the resulting brown organic product was dried over caso 4 . no chloroform was detected in the product by either gc of 1h nmr . a full analysis of the starting material and product is given in table ii . table ii______________________________________ startingcomponent material product______________________________________hcfc - 225ca 82 . 6 83 . 0hcfc - 225aa 5 . 6 5 . 8hcfc - 225cb 8 . 3 8 . 6hcfc - 225ba * 2 . 6 2 . 7chcl . sub . 3 1 . 0 0 . 0______________________________________ * both diastereomers sbcl 5 ( 4 . 78 g , 0 . 016 mole ) and sbf 5 ( 0 . 86 g , 0 . 0040 mole ) were placed in a 150 ml stainless steel cylinder along with a &# 34 ; teflon &# 34 ;- coated magnet stirring bar . the cylinder was attached to a metal vacuum line , cool to - 78 ° c . in dry ice - methanol , evacuated and warmed to ambient temperature . 200 psig of nitrogen were added to the cylinder and the cylinder was then warmed to 98 °- 99 ° c . and stirred for about 1 hour . the cylinder was then cooled to - 196 ° c . in liquid nitrogen and evacuated . a mixture of hcfc - 225 isomers ( 50 g , 0 . 246 mole ) and chloroform ( 1 g , 0 . 0084 mole ) was condensed into the cylinder in vacuo . the cylinder was warmed to ambient temperature and pressurized with 200 psig of nitrogen and then heated to 97 °- 102 ° c . for 2 hours . the cylinder was then cooled back to - 78 ° c . and carefully vented . the water - washed organic products recovered from the cylinder weighed 42 . 2 grams . the gc analysis of the starting material and product is given in the table iii . table iii______________________________________ startingcomponent material product______________________________________hcfc - 225ca / aa 57 . 9 57 . 9hcfc - 225cb 41 . 1 41 . 0hcfc - 22 0 . 0 0 . 1hcfc - 21 0 . 0 0 . 1hcfc - 123 (?) 0 . 0 0 . 1cfc - 131 0 . 0 0 . 2chcl . sub . 3 1 . 0 0 . 4______________________________________ having thus described and exemplified the invention with a certain degree of particularity , it should be appreciated that the following claims are not to be so limited but are to be afforded a scope commensurate with the wording of each element of the claim and equivalents thereof .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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referring to fig1 through 3 , the foundation for the loop strap hair tie 11 , as a unit , is a generally planar rectangular - shaped strap 13 . alternatively , the invention may include a tail 30 attached to the rectangular - shaped strap 13 as illustrated in fig5 and 6 . by saying that the tail 30 is &# 34 ; attached &# 34 ; to the loop strap 13 , it is meant either that the loop strap 13 and tail 30 are constructed from a continuous piece of fabric or material or that the loop strap 13 and tail 30 are constructed from separate pieces of fabric or materials and fastened together at abutting edges in generally coplanar orientation . the hair tie 11 may be assembled using one or more of a variety of materials or fabrics including , but not limited to , suede , leather , polyester , silk , cotton or vinyl . referring to fig1 the hair tie 11 is rectangular in shape with rounded corners . generally , the overall size range of this embodiment is approximately 3 to 5 inches long and between about 1 and 11 / 2 inches wide . the exact size of the hair tie 11 is determined by the intended range of the amount of hair to be tied by the hair tie . for example , the hair tie 11 is longer for large amounts of hair to be tied and shorter for smaller amounts of hair to be tied . the construction of a single hair tie 11 is detailed in fig3 and 4 . the dimensions that follow are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the size of the invention . as mentioned , the size of the invention is dependent upon how much hair the hair tie is intended to tie . the supporting structure of the invention is a generally planar thin resilient reinforcing film 26 having adhesive 32 laminated on one side . preferably , the reinforcing film 26 is a polyester film characterized by high tensile strength , such as mylar ™ that may be purchased from the dupont company in bloomington , del . the reinforcing film 26 may be any of a variety of thicknesses , but preferably it is about 0 . 003 inches thick . the reinforcing film 26 encompasses the entire surface area of the hair tie 11 and in this example is cut to be 5 inches long by 13 / 8 inches wide . the reinforcing film 26 provides a surface on which all the other components mount directly or indirectly . the preferred adhesive 32 is catalog number 9460 manufactured by the 3m company , minneapolis , minn ., which is a sheet of adhesive material supplied with a wax paper backing 33 ( not shown ) on both sides of the adhesive . the adhesive 32 is cut to the same size as the reinforcing film 26 and laminated to one side 34 of the reinforcing film 26 using pressure . a layer of fabric 14 is laminated by pressure to the adhesive side 34 of the reinforcing film 26 . the fabric 14 may be any of a variety of fabrics and materials such as suede , leather , polyester , silk , cotton and vinyl . the fabric is the same width as the reinforcing film 26 , but is cut 1 / 2 inch shorter than the reinforcing film 26 . in this example , the fabric 14 is 41 / 2 inches long and 13 / 8 inches wide . the fabric 14 is laminated to the reinforcing film 26 so that one end of the fabric 14 corresponds to one end of the reinforcing film 26 . attached to the remaining surface of reinforcing film 26 on side 34 is hook fastening tape 16 . the hook tape 16 is 1 / 2 inch long and 13 / 8 inches wide . the hook fastening tape 16 is a surface consisting of multiple rows of hook fasteners , preferably catalog number 5400 , supplied by rip &# 39 ; n grip industries , chatsworth calif . this specific fastening tape is preferred because it has a high density of hooks per square inch , thus providing increased connecting properties over a small amount of contacting surface area . also , an additional advantage of this fastening tape is that it is less apt to catch the wearer &# 39 ; s hair when the hair tie is fastened . on the adjacent side 35 of the reinforcing film 26 , a stiffening element 28 , the loop fastening tape 18 , a friction pad 20 and an elastic loop 22 is attached to the reinforcing film 26 . the stiffening element 28 must be flexible so that it may be easily shaped and yet maintain its deformation . in the preferred embodiment , the stiffening element 28 is aluminum foil # 1100 soft and 0 . 006 inches thick . it is manufactured by a . j . oster , 22833 la palma avenue , yorba linda , calif . in this example , the size of the stiffening element 28 is 11 / 2 inches long by 13 / 8 inches wide . alternatively , other types of metal foil such as tin or a wire mesh , such as that used in window screens , may be used in place of the aluminum foil . a foil subassembly 36 comprises the stiffening element 28 and the loop fastening tape 18 . adhesive 32 , cut to the same size as the stiffening element 28 , is laminated on both sides of the foil 28 using pressure . on one side of the foil 28 , the loop fastening tape 18 , which is also cut to the same dimensions as the stiffening element of 28 , attaches to the stiffening element 28 . the loop fastening tape 18 is a surface consisting of a fibrous loop fastening material , preferably , catalog number 4600 , also supplied by rip &# 39 ; n grip industries . this subassembly 36 then adheres to one end of the reinforcing film 26 as shown in fig4 . a friction pad subassembly 38 comprises the friction pad 20 having adhesive 32 laminated on one entire side and an elastic loop 22 passing through a hole 24 in the friction pad 20 . the friction pad subassembly 38 adheres to the remaining surface area of the reinforcing film 26 , adjacent to the foil subassembly 36 . preferably , the friction pad 20 is a foam pad , 0 . 062 inches neoprene sponge - hard , manufactured by rubatex corporation , bedford , va . this foam pad is preferred since it provides a non - slip surface and is flexible and supple to allow the hair tie 12 to mold around the hair . alternatively , the friction pad 20 may be made from other rubber - type substances , such as neoprene , so long as it provides a non - slip surface and is flexible . in this illustration , the foam pad 20 is cut to be 31 / 2 inches long by 13 / 8 inches wide . the friction pad 20 includes a hole 24 , about 3 / 16ths of an inch in diameter , for passing an elastic loop 22 therethrough and capturing the ends 23 of the elastic loop . the hole 24 is centrally located in the friction pad 20 and about 13 / 8ths inches from the end of the friction pad 20 as shown in fig2 . the size of the elastic loop 22 varies depending on the amount of hair that the hair tie 11 can hold in a pony tail . generally , the overall length of the elastic loop 22 and ends 23 ranges from approximately 3 to 51 / 2 inches in length and approximately 1 / 8th of an inch in circumference . the size of the loop ranges from approximately 1 to 2 inches in length and has approximately a 190 - 200 percent elastic stretch . the preferred elastic may be purchased from united stretch design , 90 cherry street , hudson , mass , 01749 . the elastic loop 22 passes through hole 24 so that the loop ends 23 adhere to the adhesive 32 laminated to the friction pad 20 . fig5 and 6 represent two views of an alternate embodiment of the invention . this alternate embodiment is the hair tie 12 having a tail 30 extending from the bottom long edge of the rectangular - shaped strap 13 . the actual length of the tail 30 is not critical , but generally its length ranges from about 1 to 2 inches wider at its peak than the width of the rectangular - shaped strap 13 . the assembly of this embodiment is similar to that of the embodiment of fig1 and 2 except that all the components are sized to correspond to the added dimensions of the tail 30 . the tail 30 provides a surface for mounting decorative ornaments 44 such as beads , studs , rhinestones , jewelry , etc . the tail 30 also provides a mounting surface for an optional tailpiece 40 for decoration , which may be a string of beads or braided fabric , ribbon , etc . as illustrated in fig5 and 14 . the hair tie and tail also provide a surface to emboss or print names or logos . in this manner , the hair tie 12 may be decorated to the preference of the user . alternatively , the hair tie 12 may be made in any of various shapes that incorporate the features previously described . for example , the hair tie 12 could be shaped in accordance with holidays or observances , such as a heart for valentine &# 39 ; s day . a preferred method of assembly enables mass production of the hair tie 12 . the method of mass production takes advantage of the layered construction of the components comprising the hair tie 12 and the fact that each component may be purchased in considerable lengths supplied in rolls . fig7 illustrates the method to assemble a roll 54 of the foil sub - assembly 36 from rolls of the individual components that comprise the foil sub - assembly 36 . rolls of the loop fastening material 48 , adhesive 50a , foil 52 and adhesive 50 are aligned in the stated respective descending order in a common vertical plane and attached to spools that rotate at a single constant linear speed . the common vertical plane alignment causes the loop fastening material 18 , adhesive 32 , stiffening element 28 and adhesive 32 to be aligned in the required corresponding layers . the wax paper 33 , is not shown , is removed from both sides on adhesive roll 50a , but the wax paper 33 on adhesive roll 50 is only removed on the face that attaches to the foil 28 unwinding from the foil roll 52 . the ends of the rolls are threaded between rollers 72 that form nip 70 . the pressure of nip 70 causes the adhesive to adhere to each component and the resulting product from the nip winds onto a pickup spool as foil sub - assembly roll 54 . the pickup spool travels at the same linear speed as rolls 48 , 50 , 50a and 52 . fig8 illustrates the method to assemble a roll 58 of the friction pad sub - assembly 38 from rolls of the individual components that comprise the friction pad sub - assembly 38 . rolls of the foam material 56 and adhesive 50 , are aligned in the respective descending order in a common vertical plane and attached to spools that rotate at a single constant linear speed . the wax paper 33 on adhesive roll 50 is only removed on the face that attaches to the foam 20 unwinding from the foam roll 56 . fig8 a illustrates the wax paper 33 on the opposite face slit 63 in one lengthwise location to allow staged removal of wax paper sections 57 and 59 later in the process . the ends of each roll are threaded between rollers 72 that form nip 70 . the pressure of nip 70 causes the adhesive to adhere to the foam 20 and the resulting product from the nip winds onto a pickup spool as friction pad sub - assembly roll 58 . the pickup spool travels at the same linear speed as rolls 56 and 50 . fig9 illustrates the method to assemble a roll of a reinforcing film sub - assembly 62 from a foil sub - assembly roll 54 , a foam pad sub - assembly roll 58 , a roll of reinforcing film 60 and a roll of adhesive 50 . rolls 58 and 54 are aligned in the same horizontal plane so they are laminated on the reinforcing film 26 adjacent to each other in the same horizontal plane as shown in fig4 . also , roll 58 is aligned as such so that wax paper section 59 is adjacent to roll 54 . the remaining wax paper surface 33 on roll 54 is removed and wax paper section 57 on roll 58 is removed . wax paper sections 57 and 59 remain on the foam 20 for removal later in the process . the wax paper 33 on the adhesive roll 50 facing the reinforcing film 26 is removed and the wax paper 33 on the opposite face remains on the adhesive 32 . rolls 58 and 54 , aligned in a in a horizontal plane , are aligned in a common vertical plane with rolls 60 and 50 in the stated descending order . the ends of each roll are threaded between rollers 72 that form nip 70 . the pressure of nip 70 causes the adhesive to adhere to each component and the resulting product from the nip winds onto a pickup spool as reinforcing film sub - assembly roll 62 . as a result of the wax paper section 59 remaining on the adhesive 32 , a portion of the foam sub - assembly 38 does not adhere to the reinforcing film 26 . fig1 illustrates the process of attaching the decorative fabric 14 and hook fastener 16 onto the reinforcing film sub - assembly 62 . decorative fabric roll 66 and hook fastener roll 64 are aligned in the same horizontal plane so they are laminated onto the reinforcing film sub - assembly 62 adjacent to each other in the same horizontal plane as shown in fig4 . the remaining wax paper 33 on the outside face of the reinforcing film sub - assembly roll 62 is removed . rolls 66 and 64 , aligned in a horizontal plane , are aligned in a common vertical plane with roll 62 in the stated descending order . the ends of each roll are threaded between rollers 72 that form nip 70 . the pressure of nip 70 and exposed adhesive 32 causes the fabric 14 and hook fastener 16 to adhere to the reinforcing film sub - assembly and the resulting product from the nip winds onto a pickup spool as finished product roll 68 . fig1 illustrates the finished roll 68 feeding into a die cutter 74 via feed rolls 76 . the die cutter stamps out individual hair ties 12 without an elastic loop 22 . the individual hair tie 12 is deposited into a finished goods hopper 78 and the scrap is deposited into scrap hopper 80 . the advantages of this die - cutting method is that it allows mass production of a uniform hair tie 12 . additionally , the die - cutting method gives the flexibility to vary easily the shape and appearance of the hair tie 12 . die patterns may be easily manufactured in various shapeps that will emboss emblems , names , etc . on the hair ties 12 , or produce cutouts in the hair tie . as currently practiced , hole 24a through foam 20a is formed using a punch in a hand operation . hole 24 is punched - out in the area of wax paper section 57 . after hole 24a is punched in the foam 20 , wax paper section 59 may be peeled away , exposing adhesive 33 . the elastic loop 22a is inserted through the hole 24a so that the loop 23a , not shown will adhere to the adhesive 32a . the loop 23a , not shown are sandwiched between the foam 20a and reinforcing film 26 and securely held in place by the adhesive 32a . additionally , before the foam pad 20a attaches to the reinforcing film 26a , a tail piece 40 may be attached to the tail area 30 by placing a portion of the tail piece 40 between the foam pad 20a and reinforcing film 26a so that the adhesive 32a holds the tail piece 40 in place . optionally , the tail piece 40 may be attached to the tail 30 by attaching a post , similar to those found on pierced earrings , to the tail piece 40 and inserting the post through a pin hole in the fabric layer 14a and reinforcing film 26a . after inserting the post in the pin hole , the post is bent to secure the tail piece 40 in place . the bent post is sandwiched between the foam pad 20a and reinforcing film 26a and held in place by adhesive 32a . alternatively , the tail piece 40 may be attached to the fabric layer 14 using adhesive . as shown in fig1 , elastic loop 22a encircles a lock of hair 42 and initially holds the hair in place . the hair tie 12 wraps in the direction of arrow 46 around the lock of hair 42 in a beltlike fashion until the loop fastening tape 18a faces and detachably engages the hook fastening tape 16a , attached to the outside face of the hair tie 12 . depending upon the amount of hair being tied and how tight the wearer desires the hair tie 12 , the loop fastening tape 18a can engage the hook fastening tape 16a at various selectable locations . the fastening tapes 16 and 18 , when fastened together , strongly resist relative longitudinal movement , but , may be separated from one another by peeling the surfaces apart . if a portion of the loop fastening tape 18a extends beyond and does not engage the hook fastening tape 16a the stiffening element 28 allows the extended end to be molded around the hair tie 12 to give the hair tie 12 a finished look . the friction pad 20a maintains the hair tie 12 in position on the lock of hair . after the hair tie is properly positioned on the lock of hair 42 , decorative ornaments 44 , located on the outside face of the hair tie , face outwardly from the pony tail as illustrated in fig1 . the decorative ornaments 44 , along with an optional tailpiece 40 and imprinted names , are visible to others . modifications and changes from the specific form of the invention herein shown and described as a preferred embodiment will occur to those skilled in the art . all such modifications and changes not departing from the spirit of the invention are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims .
| 0Human Necessities
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the present invention is a process for the production of co - free h 2 . in this process , impure h 2 is produced by some form of hydrocarbon reforming , such as steam methane reforming or partial oxidation of various hydrocarbons . the h 2 - rich synthesis gas produced is then subjected to an adsorption process in which only co and water are removed from the gas , producing a dry , co - free h 2 stream . the process can be performed in a pressure or vacuum swing adsorption system that employs an adsorbent with selectivity for co over co 2 , ch 4 , n 2 and h 2 . the preferred adsorbent is cucl supported on various supports , including alumina , carbon and zeolite . the process is carried out in two or more switching adsorption beds , wherein one bed is on feed gas production while the other bed or beds are on various stages of regeneration , including desorption , purging , repressurization and potentially pressure equalization between beds . the adsorbed co is desorbed using co - free gas , which could include h 2 - rich product exiting from the adsorption system or could be purge gas exiting from the anode section of the fuel cell . the process produces co - free h 2 , but the h 2 - rich gas could contain other synthesis gas impurities . the adsorption process operates at high feed temperature , can operate at low feed pressure and can produce a h 2 stream with essentially no co . the h 2 produced by the process is especially useful for fuel cell applications that require co - free h 2 , but can tolerate impurities like co 2 , ch 4 and n 2 . some typical preferred ranges of operation include : co impurity levels of 100 ppm or less , preferably less than 10 ppm . adsorption vessels may contain water removal prelayer of desiccant including alumina , silica gel or zeolite . referring now to fig1 a hydrocarbon feed 7 ( natural gas , methanol , gasoline etc .) is feed into a reformer 1 with steam 9 and / or air 8 to produce a h 2 - containing stream 10 , which typically also contains co , co 2 , n 2 , and ch 4 . the effluent 10 from the reformer 1 enters into a shift converter 2 , which reacts co and h 2 to form co 2 and h 2 . the shift effluent 11 is then sent to a p ( v ) sa 3 . this p ( v ) sa 3 is essentially a device to remove co from the synthesis gas stream down to 100 ppm or less , or more preferably 10 ppm or less . the purge gas 13 used to regenerate the p ( v ) sa 3 can be the effluent from the p ( v ) sa or anode vent gas 4 . the co - containing purge gas 6 from p ( v ) sa 3 an be recycled to the reformer 1 to capture the carbon value and co - adsorbed hydrogen . the co - free effluent 12 from the p ( v ) sa 3 enters the anode 4 of a fuel cell in which hydrogen is converted to protons and electrons . a proton exchange membrane between the anode and the cathode allows protons to pass through to the cathode 5 side of the fuel cell . electrons cannot pass through this membrane and thereby flow through an external circuit in the form of electric current . in the cathode , oxygen , protons and electrons combine to produce water and heat . the cathode vent gas 15 is then returned to the reformer 1 . the utility of this concept is demonstrated in example 1 below . a computer simulation program was used to estimate the performance of a psa for removal of co from a h 2 - rich stream . the adsorbent used in the simulation is a 15 wt % cucl on alumina adsorbent , produced as in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 175 , 137 , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . a 4 - bed psa cycle with 2 pressure equalizations ( u . s . pat . no . 3 , 986 , 849 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety ) was simulated at a feed temperature of 80 ° c ., feed pressure of 4 . 5 atm absolute . the bed was desorbed at 1 . 5 atm absolute with product gas from the psa . the feed composition was 65 % h 2 , 25 % co 2 , 1 % co , 6 % n 2 and 3 % ch 4 . the psa product had a composition of 84 % h 2 , 6 % co 2 , 7 % ch 4 , 3 % n 2 and 10 ppm co . the overall h 2 recovery of the system was 75 %. a computer simulation program was used to estimate the performance of a prior art h 2 psa for production of co - free h 2 , as depicted in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 986 , 849 , using 4 adsorption vessels filled with activated carbon ( 70 % of bed volume ) at the feed end of the bed and 5a zeolite ( 30 % of bed volume ) at the product end of the bed . the resultant psa performance at 10 ppm co in the h 2 product was a h 2 recovery of 65 %. the h 2 recovery of the psa in example 1 is clearly superior . the present invention has been set forth with regard to a preferred embodiment of the present invention , but the scope of the present invention should be ascertained from the claims which follow .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments , reference is made to the accompanying drawings , which form a part hereof , and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical , mechanical , electrical and software changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . to avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense , and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims . [ 0015 ] fig1 depicts a credit processing system . fig2 is a different depiction of a similar system . a credit originator ( 110 ) creates a credit request ( 120 ) that is sent to a credit - processing center ( 140 ). fig3 depicts a method for processing credit applications by the credit - processing center ( 140 ). the credit request will typically include consumer identification data , a transaction identifier such as an identification number , and transaction data such as credit product , terms , transaction amount , collateral , interest rates , deposits , down payments , possible payment options . table 1 , located in the appendix , below , contains a request for credit layout example . the consumer identification data could be the consumer &# 39 ; s name , social security number or any other data used by a credit bureau to identify a consumer . the originator ( 110 ) of the credit request ( 120 ) may be a consumer , a credit - processing center , a financial institution , institutions in a service bureau arrangement for credit transactions , or institutions wishing to market or broker applications of creditworthy consumers . other originators could be institutional or consumer auction environments of credit applications , institutions using a type of transactional clearing house , or the consumer themselves wishing to shop their credit transaction applications to a number of institutions while remaining anonymous . the transmission of the credit request ( 120 ) from the originator ( 110 ) to the credit - processing center ( 140 ) is preferably made through standard communication channels , such as a telephone call , fax or internet . other forms of communication could be used , as will be apparent to one having skill in the art , as would be appropriate to the parties . the credit - processing center ( 140 ) receives the credit request ( 120 ) and extracts consumer identification data from the credit request ( 120 ). using the consumer identification data , the credit - processing center ( 140 ) requests one or more credit reports ( 150 ) associated with the consumer identified by the consumer identification data from one or more credit bureaus ( 160 ). credit bureaus provide credit information about particular consumers and presently include such bureaus as experian , equifax and trans union . the requests are preferably made by a secure direct connection between the credit - processing center , but other forms of transmission could be used , as appropriate . the credit bureaus ( 160 ) transmit the credit reports ( 165 ) of credit report data for the identified consumer back to the credit - processing center ( 140 ), using an appropriate communication channel . the credit - processing center ( 140 ) arranges the data in the credit reports into a predetermined format of formatted credit report data . table 2 , located in the appendix , below , contains an example of a standard , predetermined format for an anonymized credit request . other formats could be used , as will be apparent to those skilled in the art . formatting preferably includes a “ normalization ” of the credit data received from one or more of the credit bureaus into a standardized method of representing the data uniformly , so that the normalized data is transparent with regard to the data source . table 3 , located in the appendix , below , contains a “ normalized ” credit report layout example . the data is then categorized , summarized , or used in calculations to create a set of predefined attributes . these attributes provide a consistent representation of the credit information received . the credit - processing center ( 140 ) compiles the credit request ( 120 ) and the formatted credit reports ( 165 ) to form a compiled credit file . the credit - processing center ( 140 ) then anonymizes the compiled credit file to form an anonymized compiled credit file . in the alternative , the credit - processing center ( 140 ) would anonymize the credit request ( 120 ) and formatted credit reports ( 165 ) individually , and subsequently compile the anonymized credit request and anonymized credit reports to form an anonymized compiled credit file . the “ anonymization ” process removes all customer identifiable data from the compiled credit file . customer identifiable data is any information that could reveal the identity of the customer , such as the customer &# 39 ; s name , address , social security number , driver &# 39 ; s license number , taxpayer identification number , application data , debit transaction history , public record information , retail company , identification , legal actions , collection activities or similar data . the credit - processing center encrypts the anonymized compiled credit file using an advanced encryption standard ( aes ) fips - approved cryptographic algorithm that can be used to protect electronic data . the aes algorithm is a symmetric block cipher that can encrypt ( encipher ) and decrypt ( decipher ) information . encryption converts this anonymized compiled credit file to an unintelligible form ( ciphertext ) to create the encrypted summary packet of credit and application data . the encrypted summary packet is transmitted ( 180 ) by the credit - processing center ( 140 ) to one or more lending institutions ( 190 ). the ciphertext file may be transmitted to the lending institution by standard communication techniques such as the internet , intranet , telephone , wireless communication , or facsimile or other similar techniques . the method used to convey the encrypted summary packet may depend primarily on the type of transaction requested . if the transaction were a credit application that is to be bid out to multiple lending institutions ( 190 ), the primary transmission method would preferably be the internet . the encrypted summary packet is sent ( 180 ) to the pre - defined ip addresses of lending institutions ( 190 ) that monitor or “ listen ” for these unsolicited transactions . the credit - processing center ( 140 ) generates these parallel transmissions of encrypted summary packets ( 180 ) from a list of lending institutions ( 190 ) interested in receiving those particular transaction types . the lending institution ( 190 ) decrypts the encrypted summary packet ( 180 ) to recover the anonymized compiled credit file . the decryption process will convert the ciphertext back to its original form called plaintext . the aes algorithm is capable of using cryptographic keys of 128 , 192 , and 256 bits to encrypt and decrypt data in blocks of 128 bits . other forms of encryption could be used , as will be apparent to one having skill in the art , as would be appropriate to the parties involved in the transactions . using the anonymized compiled credit file , the lending institutions use their individual credit evaluation systems to evaluate the creditworthiness of a hypothetical consumer for the proposed transaction . the evaluation is typically done using scorecards and / or decision tree scenarios that are standard in the credit evaluation field , or proprietary to the particular lending institution . loan origination systems , credit decisioning systems , loan application scoring / processing systems or specialty platforms would be coded to accept the formatted credit information and could therefore analyze that packet without the need for further translation . co - ops could easily share the encrypted packets for multiple product decisioning as well as multiple lending institution offerings . scoring and decisioning on these credit transactions would provide cross - selling types of multiple decisioning from a single consumer generated transaction request . the consumer generating the initial request could exclude themselves from such cross - selling types of analysis by an application flag within the summary packet . if the lending institution ( 190 ) determines that the hypothetical applicant would be an acceptable risk by that lending institution &# 39 ; s standards and would be willing to accept any conditional terms outlined in the anonymized compiled credit file , the lending institution ( 190 ) transmits a response ( 195 ) to the credit - processing center ( 140 ) that the lending institution ( 190 ) would be willing to consider accepting the proposed transaction . such notification may be via the internet , intranet , telephone , wireless communication , or facsimile . this may be expedited by transmitting the transaction identifier associated with the credit request and the acceptance . if a lending institution would not accept the proposed transaction , then no action is taken by the credit - processing center ( 140 ). only the acceptance of transactions generates a response ( 200 ) from the credit - processing center ( 140 ) to the credit originator ( 110 ). multiple lending institutions ( 190 ) accepting the terms of an individual summary packet can be handled by assigning priority by first response or on a right of first refusal basis . although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity , it should be recognized that elements thereof may be altered by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . the invention is limited only by the following claims and their equivalents . [ 0027 ] table 1 request for credit layout example . input segment : “ in ” ( type , size ) field description 1 insegid text , 4 set to “ in02 ” 2 insourcesegid text , 10 company source id number 3 inreqdate date , 8 date of request 4 inbureaurequested text , 9 bureaus requested ( i . e . efx , tu , xpn ) 5 inmergeflag text , 1 merge = 1 , non - merged reports = 2 6 intracking text , 15 tracking id number 7 inname text , 40 applicant &# 39 ; s full name 8 inappidnum text , 9 applicant &# 39 ; s id number 9 incoapp text , 40 co - applicant &# 39 ; s full name 10 incoappidnum text , 9 co - applicant &# 39 ; s id number 11 instreet text , 35 street name 12 incity text , 50 city , state , province , mail code & amp ; zip code 13 inuser text , 32 user id of requestor ( user name used to select printer , 14 inappid text , 20 application id number 15 intxnid text , 20 transaction id number 16 inproduct text , 35 loan product name 17 interms text , 50 proposed terms of loan 18 intxnamount amount , 12 loan amount requested 19 incollateral text , 35 collateral offered 20 invin text , 20 vehicle id number 21 inapr text , 12 annual percentage rate 22 indownpay amount , 12 down payment amount 23 inpayamount amount , 12 regular payment amount 24 inpayoption text , 50 payment option text 25 ininstype1 text , 35 insurance type 1 26 ininsrate1 text , 9 insurance rate 1 27 ininstype2 text , 35 insurance type 2 28 ininsrate2 text , 9 insurance rate 2 29 inballoonamt amount , 12 balloon amount 30 inballoondate date , 8 balloon date 31 inappincome amount , 12 applicant &# 39 ; s income 32 inappemployer text , 35 applicant &# 39 ; s employer 33 inappempaddr text , 50 applicant &# 39 ; s employer address ( city , state , 34 inappempphone text , 15 applicant &# 39 ; s employer phone 35 incoappincome amount , 12 co - applicant &# 39 ; s income 36 incoappemployer text , 35 co - applicant &# 39 ; s employer 37 incoappempaddr text , 50 co - applicant &# 39 ; s employer address ( city , state , pro - vince , mail code & amp ; zip code ) 38 incoappempphone text , 15 co - applicant &# 39 ; s employer phone 39 incototothincome amount , 12 total additional income for consideration 40 incootherincsource text , 35 source of other income 41 inuserfield1 text , 35 user defined field # 1 42 inuserfield2 text , 35 user defined field # 2 43 inuserfield3 text , 35 user defined field # 3 44 inuserfield4 text , 35 user defined field # 4 45 inuserfield5 text , 35 user defined field # 5 46 inuserfield6 text , 35 user defined field # 6 [ 0028 ] table 2 “ anonymized ” credit packet layout example input segment : “ in ” ( type , size ) field description 1 insegid text , 4 set to “ in02 ” 2 insourcesegid text , 10 company source id number 3 inreqdate date , 8 date of request 4 inbureaurequested text , 9 bureaus requested ( i . e . efxtu xpn ) 5 inmergeflag text , 1 merge = 1 , non - merged reports = 2 6 intracking text , 15 tracking id number 7 inuser text , 32 user id of requestor ( user name used to select printer , account , etc .) 8 inappid text , 20 application id number 9 intxnid text , 20 transaction id number 10 inproduct text , 35 loan product name 11 interms text , 50 proposed terms of loan 12 intxnamount amount , 12 loan amount requested 13 incollateral text , 35 collateral offered 14 invin text , 20 vehicle id number 15 inapr text , 12 annual percentage rate 16 indownpay amount , 12 down payment amount 17 inpayamount amount , 12 regular payment amount 18 inpayoption text , 50 payment option text 19 ininstypel text , 35 insurance type 1 20 ininsratel text , 9 insurance rate 1 21 ininstype2 text , 35 insurance type 2 22 ininsrate2 text , 9 insurance rate 2 23 inballoonamt amount , 12 balloon amount 24 inballoondate date , 8 balloon date 25 inappincome amount , 12 applicant &# 39 ; s income 26 incoappincome amount , 12 co - applicant &# 39 ; s income 27 incototothincome amount , 12 total additional income for consideration 28 incootherincsource text , 35 source of other income 29 inuserfield1 text , 35 user defined field # 1 30 inuserfield2 text , 35 user defined field # 2 31 inuserfield3 text , 35 user defined field # 3 32 inuserfield4 text , 35 user defined field # 4 33 inuserfield5 text , 35 user defined field # 5 34 inuserfield6 text , 35 user defined field # 6 consumer information segment : ci type / size 1 sucisegid text / 4 2 sucisourcesegid text / 4 3 sucibureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 sucidedupflag num / 1 5 sucidedupids text / 250 6 sucicategory text / 2 7 suci001 num / 11 8 suci002 num / 11 9 suci003 num / 11 10 suci004 num / 11 11 suci005 num / 11 12 suci006 num / 11 13 suci007 num / 11 14 suci008 num / 11 15 suci009 num / 11 16 suci010 num / 11 17 suci011 num / 11 18 suci012 num / 11 19 suci013 num / 11 20 suci014 num / 11 21 suci015 num / 11 22 suci016 num / 11 23 suci017 num / 11 24 suci018 num / 11 25 suci019 num / 11 26 suci020 num / 11 27 suci021 num / 11 28 suci022 num / 11 29 suci023 num / 11 30 suci024 num / 11 31 suci025 num / 11 32 suci026 num / 11 33 suci027 num / 11 34 suci028 num / 11 35 suci029 num / 11 36 suci030 num / 11 37 suci031 num / 11 38 suci032 num / 11 39 suci033 num / 11 40 suci034 num / 11 41 suci035 num / 11 42 suci036 num / 11 43 suci037 num / 11 44 suci038 num / 11 45 suci039 num / 11 46 suci040 num / 11 47 suci041 num / 11 48 suci042 num / 11 49 suci043 num / 11 50 suci044 num / 11 51 suci045 num / 11 52 suci046 num / 11 53 suci047 num / 11 54 suci048 num / 11 55 suci049 num / 11 56 suci050 num / 11 57 suci051 num / 11 58 suci052 num / 11 59 suci053 num / 11 60 suci054 num / 11 61 suci055 num / 11 62 suci056 num / 11 63 suci057 num / 11 64 suci058 num / 11 65 suci059 num / 11 66 suci060 num / 11 67 suci061 num / 11 68 suci062 num / 11 69 suci063 num / 11 70 suci064 num / 11 71 suci065 num / 11 72 suci066 num / 11 73 suci067 num / 11 74 suci068 num / 11 75 suci069 num / 11 76 suci070 num / 11 77 suci071 num / 11 78 suci072 num / 11 79 suci073 num / 11 80 suci074 num / 11 81 suci075 num / 11 82 suci076 num / 11 83 suci077 num / 11 84 suci078 num / 11 85 suci079 num / 11 86 suci080 num / 11 87 suci081 num / 11 88 suci082 num / 11 89 suci083 num / 11 90 suci084 num / 11 91 suci085 num / 11 92 suci086 num / 11 93 suci087 num / 11 94 suci088 num / 11 95 suci089 num / 11 96 suci090 num / 11 97 suci091 num / 11 98 suci092 num / 11 99 suci093 num / 11 100 suci094 num / 11 101 suci095 num / 11 102 suci096 num / 11 103 suci097 num / 11 104 suci098 num / 11 105 suci099 num / 11 106 suci100 num / 11 107 suci101 num / 11 108 suci102 num / 11 109 suci103 num / 11 110 suci104 num / 11 111 suci105 num / 11 112 suci106 num / 11 113 suci107 num / 11 114 suci108 num / 11 115 suci109 num / 11 116 suci110 num / 11 117 suci111 num / 11 118 suci112 num / 11 119 suci113 num / 11 120 suci114 num / 11 121 suci115 num / 11 122 suci116 num / 11 123 suci117 num / 11 124 suci118 num / 11 125 suci119 num / 11 126 suci120 num / 11 127 suci121 num / 11 128 suci122 num / 11 129 suci123 num / 11 130 suci124 num / 11 131 suci125 num / 11 132 suci126 num / 11 133 suci127 num / 11 134 suci128 num / 11 135 suci129 num / 11 136 suci130 num / 11 137 suci131 num / 11 138 suci132 num / 11 139 suci133 num / 11 140 suci134 num / 11 141 suci135 num / 11 142 suci136 num / 11 143 suci137 num / 11 144 suci138 num / 11 145 suci139 num / 11 146 suci130 num / 11 147 suci141 num / 11 148 suci142 num / 11 149 suci143 num / 11 150 suci144 num / 11 151 suci145 num / 11 152 suci146 num / 11 153 suci147 num / 11 154 suci148 num / 11 155 suci149 num / 11 156 suci150 num / 11 157 suci151 num / 11 158 suci152 num / 11 159 suci153 num / 11 160 suci154 num / 11 161 suci155 num / 11 162 suci156 num / 11 163 suci157 num / 11 164 suci158 num / 11 165 suci159 num / 11 166 suci160 num / 11 167 suci161 num / 11 168 suci162 num / 11 169 suci163 num / 11 170 suci164 num / 11 171 suci165 num / 11 172 suci166 num / 11 173 suci167 num / 11 174 suci168 num / 11 175 suci169 num / 11 176 suci170 num / 11 177 suci171 num / 11 178 suci172 num / 11 179 suci173 num / 11 180 suci174 num / 11 181 suci175 num / 11 182 suci176 num / 11 183 suci177 num / 11 184 suci178 num / 11 185 suci179 num / 11 186 suci180 num / 11 187 suci181 num / 11 188 suci182 num / 11 189 suci183 num / 11 190 suci184 num / 11 191 suci185 num / 11 192 suci186 num / 11 193 suci187 num / 11 194 suci188 num / 11 195 suci189 num / 11 196 suci190 num / 11 197 suci191 num / 11 198 suci192 num / 11 199 suci193 num / 11 200 suci194 num / 11 201 suci195 num / 11 202 suci196 num / 11 203 suci197 num / 11 204 suci198 num / 11 205 suci199 num / 11 206 suci200 num / 11 207 suci201 num / 11 208 suci202 num / 11 209 suci203 num / 11 210 suci204 num / 11 211 suci205 num / 11 checksum segment : ck type / size 1 cksegid text / 4 2 cknosegments num / 4 3 cknocharacters num / 5 4 ckchecksum num / 13 [ 0029 ] table 3 “ normalized ” credit report layout example input segment : “ in ” ( type , size ) field description 1 insegid text , 4 set to “ in02 ” 2 insourcesegid text , 10 company source id number 3 inreqdate date , 8 date of request 4 inbureaurequested text , 9 bureaus requested ( i . e . efxtu xpn ) 5 inmergeflag text , 1 merge = 1 , non - merged reports = 2 6 intracking text , 15 tracking id number 7 inuser text , 32 user id of requestor ( user name used to select printer , account , etc .) 8 inappid text , 15 application id number 9 intxnid text , 15 transaction id number 10 inproduct text , 35 loan product name 11 interms text , 50 proposed term of loan 12 intxnamount amount , 12 loan amount requested 13 incollateral text , 35 collateral offered 14 inapr text , 12 annual percentage rate 15 indownpay amount , 12 down payment amount 16 inpayamount amount , 12 regular payment amount 17 inpayoption text , 50 payment option text 18 ininstypel text , 35 insurance type 1 19 ininsratel text , 9 insurance rate 1 20 ininstype2 text , 35 insurance type 2 21 ininsrate2 text , 9 insurance rate 2 22 inballoonamt amount , 12 balloon amount 23 inballoondate date , 8 balloon date 24 inappincome amount , 12 applicant &# 39 ; s income 25 incoappincome amount , 12 co - applicant &# 39 ; s income 26 incototothincome amount , 12 total additional income for consideration 27 incootherincsource text , 35 source of other income 28 inuserfield1 text , 35 user defined field # 1 29 inuserfield2 text , 35 user defined field # 2 30 inuserfield3 text , 35 user defined field # 3 31 inuserfield4 text , 35 user defined field # 4 32 tnuserfield5 text , 35 user defined field # 5 33 inuserfield6 text , 35 user defined field # 6 alias segment : ak type / size 1 aksegid text / 4 2 aksourcesegid text / 4 3 akbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 akdedupflag num / 1 5 akdedupids text / 250 6 akfirst text / 15 7 akmiddle text / 15 8 aklast text / 25 9 akprefix text / 3 10 aksuffix text / 3 11 aknamesource text / 1 12 aknameind text / 1 13 akgender text / 1 14 akage text / 3 15 akdatebirth date / 8 16 akssnverif text / 1 17 akssn ssn / 9 18 akssnno text / 2 19 aksourceind text / 1 20 akspouse text / 15 21 aksssn ssn / 9 bank account segment : ba type / size 1 basegid text / 4 2 basourcesegid text / 4 3 babureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 badedupflag num / 1 5 badedupids text / 250 6 bamember text / 10 7 badaterep date / 8 8 badateopened date / 8 9 baacctype text / 2 10 baamount text / 15 11 bahold text / 2 12 bacomment code = text / 255 13 bacomment2 code = text / 255 14 bafbcode text / 1 bureau segment : bu type / size 1 busegid text / 4 2 busourcesegid text / 4 3 bubureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 budedupflag num / 1 5 budedupids text / 250 6 bucode text / 4 7 buname text / 50 8 bustreet text / 128 9 bustreet2 text / 50 10 bucityonly text / 64 11 bustate text / 2 12 buzip text / 10 13 buphone text / 22 14 buphonelang text / 1 address segment : ca type / size 1 casegid text / 4 2 casourcesegid text / 4 3 cabureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 cadedupflag num / 1 5 cadedupids text / 250 6 caqualifier text / 1 7 caparseind text / 1 8 castreet text / 72 9 cahouseno text / 10 10 capredirect text / 2 11 castreetname text / 27 12 capostdirect text / 2 13 castreettype text / 26 14 caapart text / 5 15 cacityonly text / 72 16 castate text / 2 17 cazip text / 10 18 cacountycode text / 2 19 castatecode text / 2 20 camsacode text / 4 21 cadwelltype text / 1 22 cadatesince date / 8 23 castatus text / 1 24 cadaterep date / 8 25 casourceind text / 1 26 caadrvarind text / 1 27 careportno text / 2 28 calastsubcode text / 7 29 cacensusgeo text / 7 30 caphone text / 10 31 caphoneext text / 5 32 caphonesource text / 1 33 caphonequal text / 1 34 caphonetype text / 2 35 caphoneavail text / 10 36 caphonedate date / 8 37 caformer num / 1 0 = current 1 = former 2 = 2 nd former consumer statement segment : cs type / size 1 cssegid text / 4 2 cssourcesegid text / 4 3 csbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 csdedupflag num / 1 5 csdedupids text / 250 6 csstatementmatchid text / 75 ( to associate a cs segment with other segments if filled in ) 7 cssubcode text / 24 8 csaccount text / 40 9 cstype text / 2 10 csstatement ( blanks text / 5000 will be trimmed ) 11 csdaterep date / 8 12 cspurgedate date / 8 decode segment : dc type / size 1 dcsegid text / 4 2 dcsourcesegid text / 4 3 dcbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 dcdedupflag num / 1 5 dcdedupids text / 250 6 dcsubcode text / 40 7 dcsubtel text / 40 8 dcsubphoneext text / 5 9 dcsubphonesource text / 1 10 dcsubphonequal text / 1 11 dcsubphonetype text / 2 12 dcsubphoneavail text / 10 13 dcsubname text / 80 14 dcsubaddrs text / 120 15 dcsubaddrs2 text / 120 16 dcsubcity text / 27 17 dcsubstate text / 40 18 dcsubzip text / 10 19 dcsubdaterep date / 8 20 dcsubsegdc text / 2 21 dcsubmarket text / 4 22 dcsubcontact text / 1 23 dcsubfbcode text / 1 delinquency alert segment : dl type / size 1 dlsegid text / 4 2 dlsourcesegid text / 4 3 dlbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 dldedupflag num / 1 5 dldedupids text / 250 6 dlproduct code = text / 50 6 dlproduct ( cont ) code = text / 50 7 dlscore text / 25 8 dlsign text / 1 9 dlreason1 code = text / 105 10 dlreason2 code = text / 105 11 dlreason3 code = text / 105 12 dlreason4 code = text / 105 13 dlreject code = text / 1 00 14 dlprodstat code = text / 70 15 dlmodcharid text / 8 16 dlmodcharv text / 10 employment segment : em type / size 1 emsegid text / 4 2 emsourcesegid text / 4 3 embureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 emdedupflag num / 1 5 emdedupids text / 250 6 emname text / 35 7 emqualifier text / 1 8 emparseind text / 1 9 emstreet text / 48 10 emstreet2 text / 32 11 emhouse text / 10 12 empredirect text / 2 13 emstreetname text / 27 14 empostdirect text / 2 15 emstreettype text / 2 16 emapart text / 5 17 emcityonly text / 32 18 emstate text / 2 19 emzip text / 10 20 emadrsourceind text / 1 21 emadrdaterep date / 8 22 emoccupation text / 35 23 emdatehired date / 8 24 emdateleft date / 8 25 emincome text / 11 26 empaybasis text / 1 27 emdateveri date / 8 28 emvericode text / 1 29 emsourceind text / 1 30 emphone text / 10 31 emphoneext text / 5 32 emphonesource text / 1 33 emphonequal text / 1 34 emphonetype text / 2 35 emphoneavail text / 10 36 emformer num / 1 0 = current 1 = former 2 = 2 nd former error segment : er type / size 1 ersegid text / 4 2 ersourcesegid text / 4 3 erbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 erdedupflag num / 1 5 erdedupids text / 250 6 ermsg code = text / 81 hit level segment : hi type / size 1 hisegid text / 4 2 hisourcesegid text / 4 3 hibureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 hidedupflag num / 1 5 hidedupids text / 250 6 hihitlevelinit text / 2 7 hihitlevelmsg text / 99 8 himessagecode text / 6 9 hisourceind text / 1 10 hiidqual text / 2 11 hissn ssn / 9 12 hissndatestart date / 8 13 hissnyearscov text / 2 14 hissnfirst date / 8 15 hlssnlast date / 8 16 hissnstateissued text / 2 17 hissndateretired date / 8 18 hissnstateretired text / 2 19 hissndatebirth date / 8 20 hissnsignagefirst text / 1 21 hissnsignagelast text / 1 22 hissnagefirst text / 2 23 hissnagelast text / 2 24 hissnstatus text / 2 25 hissncount text / 4 26 hissnerrorcode text / 1 27 himiscyearscov text / 2 28 himiscfirst date / 8 29 himisclast date / 8 30 hiindicatorl text / 2 31 hiindicator2 text / 2 32 hiindicator3 text / 2 33 hiindicator4 text / 2 34 hidateaddr date / 8 35 hiaddrcount text / 4 36 hiaddrerrorcode text / 1 37 hiaddrmatch text / 1 38 hiaddrind text / 1 39 hiaddress text / 10 40 hinoother text / 3 41 hioccurtime text / 2 42 hithreshold text / 3 identification segment : id type / size 1 idsegid text / 4 2 idsourcesegid text / 4 3 idbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 iddedupflag num / 1 5 iddedupids text / 250 6 idsubjectid num / 1 7 idfirst text / 15 8 idmiddle text / 15 9 idlast text / 25 10 idprefix text / 3 11 idsuffix text / 3 12 idgender text / 1 13 idssn ssn / 11 14 idspouse text / 58 15 idsssn ssn / 11 16 idage num / 3 17 iddatebirth date / 8 18 iddateonfile date / 8 19 iddatelastacc date / 8 20 iddatereport date / 8 21 iddatedeceased date / 8 22 idnamesource text / 1 23 idnameind text / 1 24 idproduct code = text / 50 25 idpersonalsource text / 1 26 idfileno num / 2 27 idfilehit text / 1 28 idfraud text / 1 29 idssnmatch text / 2 30 idindicator text / 50 31 idindicator2 text / 50 32 idmarketfile text / 2 33 idsubmarketfile text / 2 34 idversion text / 2 35 idcountry text / 1 36 idlanguage text / 1 37 iduserref text / 24 38 idmarket text / 4 39 idmember text / 10 40 idreferral text / 3 41 iddatetrans date / 8 42 idtimetrans text / 6 43 idecoa text / 1 44 idoutputfmt text / 2 45 idmthsinq text / 1 46 idmthsmop text / 1 47 idaddmultip text / 1 48 idsegcounters text / 120 49 idbussoldata text / 13 50 iddriverlic text / 20 inquiry segment : iq type / size 1 iqsegid text / 4 2 iqsourcesegid text / 4 3 iqbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 iqdedupflag num / 1 5 iqdedupids text / 250 6 iqdaterep date / 8 7 iqmember text / 18 8 iqmembername text / 24 9 iqecoa text / 1 10 iqloantype code = text / 75 11 iqamount amount / 9 12 iqterms text / 3 13 iqkob text / 2 14 iqmarket text / 4 15 iqaccount text / 40 16 iqphone text / 15 miscellaneous segment : mi type / size 1 misegid text / 4 2 misourcesegid text / 4 3 mibureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 midedupflag num / 1 5 midedupids text / 250 6 mimsg1 - mimsg7 text / 120 6 mimsg1 - mimsg7 ( cont ) text / 120 6 mimsg1 - mimsg7 ( cont ) text / 120 6 mimsg1 - mimsg7 ( cont ) text / 120 6 mimsg1 - mimsg7 ( cont ) text / 120 6 mimsg1 - mimsg7 ( cont ) text / 120 6 mimsg1 - mimsg7 ( cont ) text / 120 public records segment : pu type / size 1 pusegid text / 4 2 pusourcesegid text / 4 3 pubureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 pudedupflag num / 1 5 pudedupids text / 250 6 pucourt text / 60 7 pucourtname code = text / 80 for xpn , efx , contains name only 8 pucourtcity text / 27 9 pucourtstate text / 2 10 pudocket text / 60 11 puplaintiff text / 75 12 puattorney text / 60 13 pudefendant text / 75 14 pugarnishee text / 40 15 putype code = text / 40 15 putype ( cont ) code = text / 40 16 putype 1 text / 2 17 putype2 text / 2 18 pudaterep date / 8 19 pudateveri date / 8 20 pudatepaid date / 8 21 puamount amount / 42 22 puassets amount / 10 23 puliab amount / 10 24 puexempt amount / 7 25 puecoa text / 1 26 pucomment code = text / 255 may be empty code field 27 pucomment2 code = text / 255 28 pufbcode text / 1 29 pueval text / 1 30 pudispute text / 1 31 purepaypct text / 3 32 puadjustpct text / 2 33 pubookpage text / 24 34 puvolinvol text / 1 35 pudateorigfile date / 8 36 pukob text / 2 raw segment : rw type / size 1 rwsegid text / 4 2 rwsourcesegid text / 4 2 rwsourcesegid ( cont ) text / 4 2 rwsourcesegid ( cont ) text / 4 3 rwbureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 rwdedupflag num / 1 5 rwdedupids text / 250 6 rwrawsegment text / 5000 6 rwrawsegment ( cont ) text / 5000 summary consumer information segment : suci type / size 1 sucisegid text / 4 2 sucisourcesegid text / 4 3 sucibureauhitlevelid text / 10 4 sucidedupflag num / 1 5 sucidedupids text / 250 6 sucicategory text / 2 7 suci001 num / 11 8 suci002 num / 11 9 suci003 num / 11 10 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| 6Physics
|
the dispenser device of the figures is a pump that is shown associated with a receptacle r including a neck c on which the dispenser device of the invention is fastened . the pump comprises five component elements , namely a body 1 , a pusher 2 , a piston 3 , a spring 4 , and an inlet valve member 5 the pump can further comprise a dip tube 6 . the body , the pusher , the piston , the valve member 5 , and the dip tube 6 are preferably made by molding a plastics material . the pump includes a pump chamber 10 . the body 1 includes a fastener ring 11 that co - operates with the neck c , so as to fasten the pump on the receptacle r . the ring 11 is engaged with the outside of the neck . in addition , the body forms a self - sealing lip 12 that is in leaktight engagement with the inside wall of the neck . the body 1 also forms a guide bushing 14 . the body also forms a main piston - receiving cylinder 17 that internally defines a leaktight sliding surface having a function that is explained below . the body also forms an inlet sleeve 16 that forms an inlet valve seat 15 . the dip tube 6 is connected to the sleeve 16 that has an inlet duct 18 passing therethrough . the inlet sleeve 16 extends below the main cylinder 17 and is cylindrical about the same axis . the body 1 is circularly symmetrical about an axis x that extends longitudinally along the central axis of the inlet duct 18 . this is a particular design for a particular body of a dispenser device constituting an embodiment of the invention . naturally , the body can present characteristics other than the characteristics described above , without going beyond the ambit of the invention . the pusher 2 forms a dispenser head for the pump . the pusher 2 comprises a bearing plate 21 , and a peripheral skirt 22 that extends downwards from the outer periphery of the bearing plate . thus , the pusher 2 is generally in the shape of an upsidedown bucket , with the bearing plate forming its bottom , and the skirt forming its cylindrical side wall . however , the skirt is not necessarily of cylindrical shape . it could present sections that are frustoconical or rounded . the bearing plate 21 includes a bearing zone 211 on which it is possible to press by means of one or more fingers . in the invention , the plate includes an elastically - deformable wall 212 that is situated in the bearing zone 211 . it is possible to say that the bearing zone contains the deformable wall . in this embodiment , the deformable wall 212 is made by reducing the wall thickness of the plate 21 . the wall 212 can also be made with a plastics material that is more flexible than the remainder of the pusher , e . g . by using a dual - injection method or an overmolding method . the wall 212 is centered on the axis x . the wall 212 is thus displaceable by deforming relative to the remainder of the pusher . the skirt 22 comprises a top dispenser wall 23 and a bottom guide wall 24 . the top end of the dispenser wall 23 is connected to the outer periphery of the bearing plate 21 . the dispenser wall 23 includes an outer surface 231 and an inner surface 232 . the inner surface 232 is preferably circularly cylindrical and defines an outlet - valve slide - cylinder as described below . in addition , the dispenser wall 23 is formed with a through dispenser orifice 25 that extends between its inner and outer surfaces . the dispenser orifice 25 can open out to the outer surface in a diffuser dish 251 . according to an advantageous characteristic of the invention , the inner wall 232 of the dispenser wall 23 is formed with a swirl system that makes it possible to turn the liquid in the form of a swirl having an eye that is centered on the dispenser orifice . the guide wall 24 includes an abutment bead 241 on its inner surface for co - operating with the guide bushing 14 . the abutment bead 241 makes it possible to secure the pusher to the body , with said pusher thus being axially displaceable over no more than a determined maximum stroke . in this embodiment , the piston 3 comprises a main piston in the form of a lip 36 that is engaged to slide in leaktight manner inside the cylinder 17 , and a valve piston formed by two lips 32 and 33 that are in leaktight sliding contact in the cylinder formed by the inner surface 232 of the dispenser wall 23 . the piston 3 is advantageously made as a single part . the piston 3 is a differential piston that is displaced in response to pressure variations in the chamber . the top lip 32 is in contact with the inner surface 232 above the dispenser orifice 25 , whereas the bottom lip 33 is in contact with the inner surface 232 below the orifice 25 . this represents the rest position in which the piston 3 is urged against the bearing plate 21 by the spring 4 which bears firstly against the body , and secondly below an annular flange 31 formed by the piston 3 . in addition , the two lips 32 and 33 are formed on the outer periphery of the flange 31 . at its center , the flange forms an abutment stud 34 that defines a surface 341 for contacting the deformable wall 212 of the pusher . the piston of the differential valve can be thought of as being formed by the flange 31 forming the two lips 32 and 33 . in addition , the piston 3 forms a rod 35 , at the bottom end of which there is formed the piston lip 36 that acts as the main piston . the lip is engaged to slide in sealed manner in the cylinder 17 of the body . the rod has a connection channel 37 passing therethrough , which connection channel connects the piston lip 36 to the flange 31 . the top end of the rod is formed by the stud 34 , and its bottom end is formed by the lip 36 . the body 1 , the pusher 2 , and the piston 3 together form a pump chamber 10 that extends continuously inside the main cylinder 17 , through the connection channel 37 , and between the plate 21 and the flange 31 . in the rest position shown in fig1 , the spring 4 pushes the piston 3 into abutment against the deformable wall . the inlet valve is closed . the two lips 32 and 33 of the differential piston are in contact with the cylinder formed by the inner surface 232 of the dispenser wall 23 . by exerting a force on the bearing zone 211 , the pusher is displaced axially relative to the body 1 . given that the piston is in abutment against the wall 212 , it is pushed by the pusher . initially , the displacement of the pusher causes the inlet valve to be pressed down . the pump chamber 10 is thus isolated from the reservoir r . from that moment on , the liquid in the pump chamber 10 is put under pressure . as a result of the liquid being incompressible , the total working volume of the pump chamber must necessarily remain constant . but since the main piston 36 is pushed down into the cylinder 17 , thereby reducing the volume of the bottom portion of the chamber , a new volume must be created . this is possible as a result of the differential piston moving away from the bearing plate 21 . this causes the lips 32 and 33 to slide inside the dispenser wall 23 . the lips are thus displaced until the top lip 32 reaches the dispenser orifice . at that moment , the liquid under pressure in the pump chamber finds an outlet passage through the dispenser orifice . the passage thus remains open for as long as the pressure inside the chamber is able to overcome the force of the spring 4 . when the pressure inside the chamber drops below a certain threshold , the spring 4 pushes the piston towards the rest position shown in fig1 . the dispenser orifice is then once again isolated from the pump chamber . this corresponds to a normal operating cycle for the pump once it has been primed , i . e . with its chamber full of liquid . in contrast , when the chamber 10 does not contain any liquid and is full only of air , which is the situation before it is used for the first time after manufacture and assembly , the operating cycle is not possible , given that the pressure inside the chamber has not reached the threshold that is sufficient and necessary to displace the piston inside the pusher . air is a compressible medium in contrast to liquids that are incompressible . it is thus possible to actuate the pusher without the chamber being emptied of its air . this is the situation with prior - art devices , but this drawback is remedied in the present invention by the presence of the elastically - deformable wall 212 of the pusher . with reference to fig2 , the pump can be seen in its completely - depressed position , with its spring 4 compressed to its maximum . the chamber 10 is at its minimum volume . the skirt of the pusher comes into abutment against the fastener ring 11 of the body . then , by pressing down hard on the deformable wall 212 of the pusher 2 , said wall deforms by curving inwards . the force is represented in fig2 by arrow f . given that the abutment stud is in contact with the wall 212 , the piston 3 is displaced axially downwards . in other words , the piston 3 is displaced relative to the remainder of the pusher , as a result of it being urged by the deformable wall 212 that is also displaced relative to the remainder of the pusher . this causes the lips 32 and 33 to slide inside the cylinder formed by the pusher . by deforming the wall 212 enough , the top lip 32 uncovers the dispenser orifice 25 a little , thereby creating an escape passage for the air under pressure inside the chamber . this is shown in fig2 , and the escape of air is represented by dashed arrow a . it is not necessary for the lip 32 to uncover the orifice 25 completely : it suffices for a small gap to exist , so as to enable the air under pressure to escape to the outside through the orifice 25 . the chamber 10 is thus emptied of the air that was initially trapped inside . when the bearing force f decreases , the deformable wall 212 returns to its non - deformed state , which once again closes the passage between the lip 32 and the orifice 25 . the chamber is thus once again isolated from the outside , and a vacuum is created as the spring 4 relaxes so as to return the piston and the pusher to the rest position of fig1 . the vacuum generated causes the valve member 5 of the inlet valve to rise , and liquid coming from the reservoir is then able to rise through the dip tube 6 and penetrate into the chamber 10 that begins to fill with liquid for the first time . it should also be observed that the bearing plate 21 forms an abutment ring 26 against which the flange 31 of the piston 3 rests in the rest position . the ring 26 takes up a fraction of the bearing force generated by the spring 4 and that is exerted by the stud 34 against the wall 212 . in the depressed priming position shown in fig2 , the ring 26 is not in contact with the flange 31 . the deformable wall 212 advantageously presents resistance to deformation that is greater than the force exerted by the spring 4 , and greater than or equal to the pressure existing inside the chamber 10 . it is preferable for the wall 212 not to deform under normal operating conditions of the pump . in other words , once the pump is primed , the user normally no longer needs to deform the wall 212 when pressing on the pusher so as to dispense the liquid . for this , it suffices to make the wall 212 with sufficient wall thickness . naturally , if the user presses very hard on the wall 212 in the depressed position , said wall will deform , but said deformation will have no effect on the operation of the pump , given that the pump chamber 10 will already have been emptied of its content . by releasing the bearing force , the wall 212 initially returns to its non - deformed position , and it is only after this that the spring 4 begins to relax . thus by means of the deformable wall of the pusher , it is possible to open the outlet valve , and to create an escape passage for the air that is initially held captive in the pump chamber .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
|
various embodiments of the inventive concept are next described with reference to the accompanying drawings . it is noted that the following description of the different embodiments is merely illustrative in nature , and is not intended to limit the inventive concept , its application , or use . the relative arrangement of the components and steps , and the numerical expressions and the numerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the inventive concept unless otherwise specifically stated . in addition , techniques , methods , and devices as known by those skilled in the art , although omitted in some instances , are intended to be part of the specification where appropriate . first , a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the inventive concept will be described with reference to fig1 a to 1c . specifically , fig1 a to 1c depict cross - sectional views of the semiconductor device at different stages of fabrication . referring to fig1 a , an active region 105 is formed on a substrate 100 . the active region 105 may include a group iii - v semiconductor material , such as gallium arsenide ( gaas ), indium phosphide ( inp ), gallium nitride ( gan ), gallium phosphide ( gap ), gallium antimonide ( gasb ), indium antimonide ( insb ), indium arsenide ( inas ), etc . the iii - v semiconductor material may be epitaxially grown on the substrate 100 , and can be used to form n - type and p - type field effect transistors . the n - type field effect transistors may be formed of iii - v compounds having high electron mobility ( e . g . insb ), while the p - type field effect transistors may be formed of iii - v compounds having high hole mobility ( e . g . gasb ). in some embodiments , a buffer layer 102 may be disposed between the substrate 100 and the active region 105 . next , a gate structure is formed on the active region 105 . the gate structure includes an insulating layer 106 formed on a portion of the active region 105 and a metal gate 107 formed on the insulating layer 106 . the insulating layer 106 may include a dielectric material ( such as high - k oxide ). spacers 108 are then formed on the sidewalls of the metal gate 107 and the insulating layer 106 . referring to fig1 b , the active region 105 is isotropically etched to form recesses adjacent to the gate structure . as shown in fig1 b , the recesses are formed having an undercut beneath the spacers 108 . in some embodiments , the buffer layer 102 may serve as an etch stop for the isotropic etching of the active region 105 . after the etching , the active region 105 is formed having inclined surfaces between the gate structure and the buffer layer 102 . the slope of the inclined surfaces can be adjusted by modifying the etching solution and conditions ( such as etching time , temperature , etc .). referring to fig1 c , a source region 111 and a drain region 112 are formed in the recesses adjacent to the gate structure . as shown in fig1 c , the source region 111 is formed on a left inclined surface of the active region 105 and contacts a portion of the left spacer 106 ; the drain region 112 is formed on a right inclined surface of the active region 105 and contacts a portion of the right spacer 106 . the source region 111 may include a first dopant type ( e . g . in , and the drain region 112 may include a second dopant type ( e . g . n + ). the source region 111 and drain region 112 may be epitaxially grown in - situ in the recesses . in some embodiments , the dopant concentration in each of the source region 111 and drain region 112 may be greater than 1 × 10 19 cm − 3 . with reference to the structure of fig1 c , the active region 105 between the source region 111 and the drain region 112 constitutes a channel region . the inclined surfaces between the source / drain regions 111 / 112 and the channel region increase the surface area available for electron tunneling , thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device . in some embodiments , the slope of the inclined surfaces can be adjusted by modifying the etching solution and conditions ( such as etching time , temperature , etc . ), so as to increase or optimize the surface area available for electron tunneling . in addition , the inclined surfaces can be formed relatively easily ( compared to the formation of lateral or vertical tfets ), thus allowing greater control over the semiconductor fabrication process . next , a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to another embodiment of the inventive concept will be described with reference to fig2 a to 2i . specifically , fig2 a to 2i depict cross - sectional views of the semiconductor device at different stages of fabrication . referring to fig2 a , a sige buffer layer 201 is formed on a silicon substrate 200 , and an undoped ge layer 202 is then epitaxially grown on the sige buffer layer 201 . in some embodiments , a thickness of each of the sige buffer layer 201 and the ge layer 202 may range from about 1 μm to about 5 μm . referring to fig2 b , an oxide layer ( e . g . a silicon dioxide layer ) is formed on the ge layer 202 . the oxide layer is then patterned , such that an oxide layer 203 remains in the n - type tfet area . referring to fig2 c , a gasb active region 204 is formed on the exposed portion of the ge layer 202 in the p - type tfet area . the gasb active region 204 may be formed using mocvd ( metal organic chemical vapor deposition ), mbe ( molecular beam epitaxy ), or other similar deposition techniques . in some embodiments , a thickness of the gasb active region 204 may range from about 10 nm to about 1000 nm . referring to fig2 d , a nitride layer is formed on the gasb active region 204 and the oxide region 203 . the nitride layer is then patterned , such that a nitride layer 220 remains in the p - type tfet area . next , the oxide layer 203 is etched using the nitride layer 220 as an etch mask . as shown in fig2 d , a portion of the oxide layer 203 remains after the etching . the remaining portion of the oxide layer 203 serves as a sti ( shallow trench isolation ) and prevents electrical current leakage between adjacent n - type tfets and p - type tfets . referring to fig2 e , an insb active region 205 is formed on the exposed portion of the ge layer 202 in the n - type tfet area . the insb active region 205 may be epitaxially grown on the ge layer 202 using mocvd , mbe , etc . in some embodiments , a thickness of the insb active region 205 may range from about 10 nm to about 1000 nm . after the insb active region 205 has been formed , the nitride layer 220 is removed . referring to fig2 f , a high - k oxide layer and a metal layer are formed over the p - type and n - type tfet areas . the high - k oxide layer and the metal layer are then patterned to form a gate structure ( comprising a high - k oxide layer 206 and a metal gate 207 ) on each of the gasb active region 204 ( p - type tfet area ) and the insb active region 205 ( n - type tfet area ). referring to fig2 g , spacers 208 are formed on the sidewalls of the gate structures . specifically , the spacers 208 are formed on the sidewalls of the high - k oxide layer 206 and the metal gate 207 in the respective p - type and n - type tfet areas . referring to fig2 h , the gasb active region 204 and the insb active region 205 are isotropically etched to form recesses adjacent to the gate structures in each region . the isotropic etching may include wet etching . for example , the gasb active region 204 may be wet etched using hcl : h 2 o 2 : h 2 o in a ratio of 1 : 1 : 2 ; whereas the insb active region 205 may be wet etched using hf : h 2 o 2 : h 2 o in a ratio of 1 : 1 : 4 . as shown in fig2 h , the recesses are formed having an undercut beneath the spacers 208 . in some embodiments , the buffer layer 202 may serve as an etch stop for the isotropic etching of the active regions 204 and 205 . after the etching , the gasb active region 204 is formed having inclined surfaces between the gate structure ( in the p - type tfet area ) and the buffer layer 202 . similarly , the insb active region 205 is formed having inclined surfaces between the gate structure ( in the n - type tfet area ) and the buffer layer 202 . the slope of the inclined surfaces can be adjusted by modifying the etching solution and conditions ( such as etching time , temperature , etc .). referring to fig2 i , a source region 209 and a drain region 210 are formed in the recesses adjacent to the gate structure in the p - type tfet area ; and a source region 211 and a drain region 212 are formed in the recesses adjacent to the gate structure in the n - type tfet area . the source region 209 is formed on a left inclined surface of the gasb active region 204 and contacts a portion of the left spacer 208 in the p - type tfet area . the drain region 210 is formed on a right inclined surface of the gasb active region 204 , and contacts a portion of the right spacer 208 in the p - type tfet area and a left portion of the remaining oxide layer 203 ( sti 203 ). the source region 211 is formed on a left inclined surface of the insb active region 205 , and contacts a right portion of the remaining oxide layer 203 ( sti 203 ) and a portion of the left spacer 208 in the n - type tfet area . the drain region 212 is formed on a right inclined surface of the insb active region 205 and contacts a portion of the right spacer 208 in the n - type tfet area . the source regions 209 / 211 may include a first dopant type ( e . g . in , and the drain regions 210 / 212 may include a second dopant type ( e . g ., the first dopant type may include te , and the second dopant type may include mg or zn . the source regions 209 / 211 and the drain regions 210 / 212 may be epitaxially grown in - situ in the recesses . in some embodiments , the dopant concentration in each of the source regions 209 / 211 and drain regions 210 / 212 may be range from about 1 × 10 19 cm − 3 to about 5 × 10 19 cm − 3 . the gasb active region 204 between the source region 209 and the drain region 210 constitutes a first channel region , and the insb active region 205 between the source region 211 and the drain region 212 constitutes a second channel region . in some embodiments , the structure of fig2 i may undergo annealing , and the source regions 209 / 211 and the drain regions 210 / 212 may be doped after the annealing . fig3 is a cross - sectional view of a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the inventive concept . as shown in fig3 , the semiconductor device includes an n - type tfet and a p - type tfet formed on a substrate 300 . the p - type tfet includes an undoped channel region 304 , a source region 309 including a first dopant type , and a drain region 310 including a second dopant type . the n - type tfet includes an undoped channel region 305 , a source region 311 including a first dopant type , and a drain region 312 including a second dopant type . each of the p - type and n - type tfets also includes a gate structure comprising an insulating layer 306 and a gate 307 . as shown in fig3 , spacers 308 are formed on the sidewalls of the respective gate structures . the channel regions 304 / 305 may include a group iii - v semiconductor material , such as gallium arsenide ( gaas ), indium phosphide ( inp ), gallium ( gan ), gallium phosphide ( gap ), gallium antimonide ( gasb ), indium antimonide ( insb ), indium arsenide ( inas ), etc . the iii - v semiconductor material may be epitaxially grown on the substrate 300 , and is used to form the n - type and p - type tfets . for example , the n - type tfet may be formed of iii - v compounds having high electron mobility ( e . g . insb ), while the p - type tfet may be formed of iii - v compounds having high hole mobility ( e . g . gasb ). with reference to the p - type tfet in fig3 , a subthreshold voltage v d is applied to the source region 309 , a gate voltage v g is applied to the gale structure , and the drain region 310 is connected to ground ( gnd ). with reference to the n - type tfet in fig3 , the source region 311 is connected to ground ( gnd ), a gate voltage v g is applied to the gate structure , and a subthreshold voltage v d is applied to the drain region 312 . as shown in fig3 , the gate voltages v g of the p - type and n - type tfets have opposite polarities . likewise , the subthreshold voltages v d of the p - type and n - type tfets have opposite polarities . next , the operation of the n - type tfet in fig3 will be described with reference to fig4 a and 4b , and the operation of the p - type tfet in fig3 will be described with reference to fig5 a and 5b . specifically , fig4 a is a schematic diagram of the energy band gap when tunneling in the n - type tfet is blocked , and fig4 b is a schematic diagram of the energy band gap when tunneling in the n - type tfet occurs . similarly , fig5 a is a schematic diagram of the energy band gap when tunneling in the p - type tfet is blocked , and fig5 b is a schematic diagram of the energy band gap when tunneling in the p - type tfet occurs . with reference to fig4 a , when the n - type tfet is in an off state ( v g = 0 and v d & gt ; 0 ), there is a wide potential barrier between the drain region 312 and the channel region 305 , and as a result no tunneling occurs . accordingly , only a very small leakage current exists . with reference to fig4 b , when the gate voltage v g exceeds the subthreshold voltage v d , the potential barrier between the channel region 305 and the drain region 312 becomes narrow enough to allow a significant tunneling current , which switches the n - type tfet to an on state . as shown in fig4 b , the valence band energy ( e v ) of the channel region 305 is closer to the conduction band energy ( e c ) of the drain region 312 when the n - type tfet is in an on state . because of the different source carrier injection mechanism in the n - type tfet compared to a conventional mosfet , the subthreshold voltage v d of the n - type tfet can be reduced to less than 60 mv / dec . with reference to fig5 a , when the p - type tfet is in an off state ( v g = 0 and v d & lt ; 0 ), there is a wide potential barrier between the source region 309 and the channel region 304 , and as a result no tunneling occurs . accordingly , only a very small leakage current exists . with reference to fig5 b , when the gate voltage v g decreases below the subthreshold voltage v d , the potential barrier between the channel region 304 and the source region 309 becomes narrow enough to allow a significant tunneling current , which switches the p - type tfet to an on state . as shown in fig5 b , the valence band energy ( e v ) of the channel region 304 is closer to the conduction band energy ( e c ) of the source region 309 when the p - type tfet is in an on state . because of the different source carrier injection mechanism in the p - type tfet compared to a conventional mosfet , the subthreshold voltage v d of the p - type tfet can be reduced to less than 60 mv / dec . in some embodiments , the channel region 304 may be formed of a narrow bandgap semiconductor material having high carrier ( hole ) mobility ( e . g . gasb ), and the channel region 305 may be formed of a narrow bandgap semiconductor material having high carrier ( electron ) mobility ( e . g . insb ). next , exemplary methods and processing conditions for the epitaxial growth of the active / channel regions in fig1 - 3 will be described . in a conventional mocvd reactor , group iii elements ( e . g . in ) and group v elements ( e . g . sb ) are injected into a reaction chamber from a common manifold . the masses and flow rates of the injected gases can be controlled using mass flow controllers . in some embodiments , gasb is epitaxially grown ( via mocvd ) at a temperature of about 600 ° c . to about 800 ° c . ; tega is used as a source for ga , and the flow rate of tega ranges from about 10 μmol / min to about 100 μmol / min ; tmsb is used as a source for sb , and the flow rate of tmsb ranges from about 10 μmol / min to about 100 μmol / min ; the ratio of tmsb to tega ranges from about 10 to about 100 ; te is used as an n - type dopant ; zn or mg is used as a p - type dopant ; and the process is carried out at a pressure of about 2 torr to about 100 torr . in some embodiments , insb is epitaxially grown ( via mocvd ) at a temperature of about 450 ° c . to about 600 ° c . ; tmin is used as a source for in , and the flow rate of tmin ranges from about 10 μmol / min to about 100 μmol / min ; tmsb is used as a source for sb , and the flow rate of tmsb ranges from about 10 μmol / min to about 100 μmol / min ; the ratio of tmsb to tmin ranges from about 10 to about 100 ; te is used as an n - type dopant ; zn or mg is used as a p - type dopant ; and the process is carried out at a pressure of about 2 torr to about 100 torr . a semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to different embodiments of the inventive concept have been described above . in order to avoid obscuring the inventive concept , details that are well - known in the art may have been omitted . nevertheless , those skilled in the art would be able to understand the implementation of the inventive concept and its technical details in view of the present disclosure . the different embodiments of the inventive concept have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings . however , the different embodiments are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the inventive concept . furthermore , those skilled in the art would appreciate that various modifications can be made to the different embodiments without departing from the scope of the inventive concept .
| 7Electricity
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referring first to fig1 , the present invention is a clamping device to hang a lighting fixture 1 . the lighting fixture 1 is shown with two of the clamping devices attached . a left side clamping device 10 is attached to the left side of the fixture 1 , and a right side clamping device 10 ′ is attached to the right side of the fixture 1 . the right side clamping device 10 ′ is a mirror of the left side clamping device 10 . a bolt 12 and a nut 14 fasten the clamping device 10 , 10 ′ to the mounting holes ( not shown ) of the lighting fixture 1 . a multiple section base 16 of the clamping device 10 , 10 ′ comprises a plurality of bosses 18 that project inward from the base 16 . foot pads 21 are situated on the bosses 18 to support the clamps and lighting fixture when used in a floor mount application . a through hole 20 in a center of each of the bosses 18 receives a pivot axle 22 . a slot 24 is formed between each section of the base 16 , each slot 24 receiving a clamp member 26 that extends from a c - shaped main body 28 of the clamping device 10 , 10 ′. each of the clamp members 26 includes a through hole 30 hole that is concentric with the through holes 20 in the bosses 18 . the pivot axle 22 passes through the through holes 20 in the base and the through holes 30 holes in the clamp member 26 . the above described hinge mechanism forms a structure that allows the clamp member to be rotated from a horizontal position as shown in fig1 through an angle of 90 degrees to a vertical position illustrated in fig2 . referring now chiefly to fig2 , with the clamping devices 10 , 10 ′ in the vertical position , an upper end of the main body 28 of the clamping device 10 , 10 ′ is affixed to a pipe 32 to hang the lighting fixture 1 . a securing means such as a set screw 34 is mounted on a lower end 36 of the main body 28 of each clamping device 10 , 10 ′. the set screw 34 allows the clamping devices 10 , 10 ′ to be securely fastened to the pipe 32 . fig2 depicts a typical configuration in which the lighting fixtures 1 are hung in a theater or musical production . referring to fig3 , the lighting fixture 1 and the clamping devices 10 , 10 ′ are shown with the clamping devices 10 , 10 ′ retracted to the horizontal position . this configuration is one that is used when the lighting fixtures 1 are to be placed on the floor of a stage . this position would also be one that would be used for testing the fixture 1 in a shop environment , or when the fixtures 1 are packed into a road case or box for transportation . fig4 and 5 illustrate a first alternate embodiment of the clamping device 10 ″ that is installed on a second type of light fixture 2 . the second type of light fixture 2 has only a single mounting hole . to stabilize the fixture 2 when it is placed on the floor , a base 16 ′ includes a plurality of support arms 38 . in the preferred embodiment , there are three equally spaced support arms 38 , with the clamp member 28 serving as one of the support arms 38 . the other support arms 38 are affixed to a peripheral support ring 40 . the support ring 40 allows the lighting fixture 2 to stand stably on the floor . the support ring 40 is also useful as an aid in dressing wiring away from the hot lighting fixture 2 . fig4 depicts the light fixture 2 in the floor or transportation position , and fig5 shows the light fixture 2 as hung from a pipe 32 . the clamping device 10 ″ includes the same hinge structure as clamping devices 10 , 10 ′, which allows the main body 28 to swing through a ninety degree arc . any of the clamping devices 10 , 10 ′, 10 ″, can be equipped with a lock or catch that fastens the clamp in the vertical and / or horizontal positions . a small amount of friction can be built into the hinge mechanism to accomplish the same purpose . further , any type of clamping mechanism can be used to secure the clamping member to the pipe . some of these alternate mechanisms are disclosed in the cited prior art . the above disclosure is not intended as limiting . those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention . accordingly , the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the restrictions of the appended claims .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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the present invention is an improvement of the invention described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 which is herein incorporated by reference . the present invention incorporates a herein termed “ twenty six nearest neighbor peak picker ( tsnnpp )” technique . the tsnnpp is an extension of the “ eight nearest neighbor peak picker ( ennpp )” which is completely described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 . for the sake of brevity , the details of the operation of the system of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 , although applicable to the present invention , are not repeated herein , but rather are referenced as needed . in general , the tsnnpp technique of the present invention determines relative maxima in beam levels on a frequency - azimuth - bandwidth ( frazbw ) surface at the output of a beamformer . detection is enhanced for passive sonar systems for picking , peaks on the four dimensional frazbw surface rather than the commonly used fraz surface , especially if the fourier integral method ( fim ) algorithm is used as the beamforming method . the present invention may be further described with reference to fig1 . the apparatus 10 shown in fig1 includes a towed horizontal hydrophone array 12 that receives acoustic signals in the water for all potential sources including any underwater objects . obj 1 and obj 2 represent two objects that produce acoustic signals that radiate as multiple plane waves pw 1 and pw 2 respectively . fast fourier transform ( fft ) processors 14 , shown as individual processors fft ( 1 ) . . . fft ( m ), process signals from corresponding ones of m spaced hydrophones in the array 12 . a conventional measured covariance matrix processor 16 receives the output signals from the fft processors 14 and interacts with an inverse beamforming plane wave beamformer processor 18 for producing an estimated bearing to a possible object . the remaining portions of the apparatus 10 utilize the estimated bearing signal from the inverse beamforming plane wave beamformer 18 and covariance matrix data supplied by the measured covariance matrix processor 16 to produce beam values for each of a plurality of incremental ranges and depths along the estimated bearing . a weighting processor 20 can provide appropriate weighting functions for the output of the measured covariance matrix processor 16 . an inverse beamforming matched field processor 22 uses the output of the measured covariance matrix processor 16 in its original or weighted form and signals from a signal propagation model processor 24 . the processor 24 models the signal propagation path characteristics from each of a plurality of incremental locations located at incremental ranges and depths along the estimated bearing . the ibf matched field processor 22 then generates a correlation value for each such incremental location . a peak selection circuit 26 selects those incremental locations that exhibit a maximum with respect to adjacent incremental locations . the foregoing processors operate iteratively over time . an “ m of n ” tracker circuit 28 comprises a processor that utilizes the succession signals from the peak selection circuit 16 during each iteration to eliminate false targets and enable a target classification circuit 30 to classify a possible object as a target . a target display 32 provides the track of the bearing and range to and depth of each target over time . as previously mentioned , the tsnnpp technique of the present invention is an extension of the ennpp technique more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 . the operation of the ennpp is illustrated in fig2 more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 581 , 505 , and results in the detection of all the peaks relative maxima in beamformed levels on the beamformed fraz surface for a given time epoch , also more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 . a peak or relative maxima , beam level can be described by the following parameters : level ; frequency ; azimuth angle ; azimuthal width ; elevation angle ; elevation angle width ; and time . beam level on the fraz surface as a function of time is input to the ennpp and tracked by the inverse beamforming m of n tracker circuit 28 in a manner as more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 . in the current invention , bandwidth is added to the parameter list above describing a beam level peak , or relative maxima , in the practice of the present invention . since sources of interest in detection are assumed to be point sources , azimuthal angle width and elevation angle width are not used in the peak picking process of the present invention . the bandwidth of the peak beam level may be further described with reference to fig3 and 4 , wherein fig3 illustrates the correlation 34 , in the form of a block , between the bandwidth , azimuth and center frequency parameters , and fig4 is a response curve 36 of the center frequency f c of fig3 having a peak 38 . the bandwidth and center frequency , f c , of a peak beam level is determined , as shown in fig3 by first performing a derivative test known in the art . the center frequency f c being calculated by the bandwidth derivative test has a certain beam level that is examined to see if it qualifies as an ennpp relative maxima as more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 . if there is no ennpp peak , or relative maxima , at this center frequency , no bandwidth based peak calculation is made because the beam energy in this frequency bin will certainly not qualify as a peak among its twenty - six nearest neighbors or relative maxima . if the beam level in the center frequency bin being examined is a ennpp peak as specified in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 , the bandwidth based peak calculation illustrated in fig3 is performed . for frequency bins less than the center frequency f c , the following bandwidth peak test will be performed until bw l n becomes zero or negative : bw l n = [ bl ( f n ) - bl ( f n - 1 ) ] f n - f n - 1 ( 1 ) likewise , for frequency bins greater than the center frequency , f c , the following derivative test will be performed until bw r n becomes zero or positive : bw r n = [ bl ( f n + 1 ) - bl ( f n ) ] f n + 1 - f n ( 2 ) the total bandwidth ( bw ) associated with the ennpp peak , or relative maxima , is defined as : the peak &# 39 ; s bandwidth as defined in equation ( 3 ) is not always greater than the width associated with the beam levels equal to one half of the peak &# 39 ; s beam level ( commonly called the “ 3 db down ” or “ half power ” width ). it is the bandwidth defined in equation ( 3 ) that is the parameter associated with the peak , or relative maxima , level input to the m of n tracker circuit 28 more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 . any bandwidth less than bandwidth calculated from equations ( 1 ), ( 2 ), and ( 3 ) will have less total energy , and any bandwidth greater than bandwidth will have less signal energy than ambient noise energy . for this reason , the peak level at center frequency , f c , azimuth θ o , and bandwidth is greater than the beam levels in all adjacent twenty six nearest neighbor frequency azimuth bandwidth ( frazbw ) cells . since most data processors are digital and the frequency spectra of a beam is generated by a fast fourier transform ( fft ) there is a minimum bandwidth equal to the frequency resolution of the fft . also , all bandwidths determined by equations ( 1 ), ( 2 ), and ( 3 ) will be integral multiples of this minimum bandwidth shown as bw o in fig3 . for analogue processors , bandwidth can be any arbitrary value . finally , peaks found by the above algorithm are processed with the m of n tracker circuit 28 , more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 . the m of n tracker preferably has three additional settings to address the peak &# 39 ; s bandwidth . first , there is a bandwidth range specifying the minimum and maximum bandwidth to be input to the m of n tracker circuit 28 . second , there is “ bandwidth fix ” true or false which allows the bandwidth to vary by only a fixed ( true ) amount , or tolerance , with time about the bandwidth of the first peak in the track or not ( false ). the third m of n tracker circuit 28 parameter is the magnitude of the bandwidth tolerance . these parameters of bandwidth range , bandwidth fix , and magnitude of the bandwidth tolerance are described in detail in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 481 , 505 for the parameters of frequency and azimuth . the advantage of adding bandwidth as a parameter input into the m of n tracker circuit 28 is to improve detection of signals in noisy background by differentiating bandwidth characteristics of signals from bandwidth characteristics of noise . signals of interest in this case are submarines operating submerged and producing signals of finite , but relatively stable bandwidth . noise comes from various sources including surface shipping , wind , waves , marine life , seismic activity , and seismic profilers . the noise sources originating from the sea surface ( shipping , wind , waves , and seismic profiling ) will be highly unstable in levels and bandwidth due to multipath propagation from near surface source depths . the other noise sources originating below the surface are very minor in level and dominated by the near surface noise sources . this use of bandwidth in the practice of the present invention , therefore , improves detection of submerged signals of interest . it will be understood that various changes in the details , steps and arrangements of parts , which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention , may be made to those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the independent claims .
| 6Physics
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fig1 to 5 show an embodiment of the invention where dosing space 1 , which is filled with the dosed liquid and the volume of which can be changed , is formed by flexible metal bellows 2 which are movable back and forth with the aid of cam shaft 4 which is rotated in opposite directions in the area of a half turn and driven by stepper motor 3 . fig1 to 3 show the equipment in the position where the volume of bellows 2 is at its maximum , and fig4 and 5 in a position where the volume of bellows 2 is at its minimum . dosing space 1 is connected , through pipe 5 which serves as a dosing channel , to dosing tip 7 in small rinsing basin 6 , through which the suction and spraying of the amounts of liquid provided by the equipment are carried out . when transferring from the position according to fig4 and 5 to the position according to fig1 to 3 , the equipment sucks the largest possible amount of dosed liquid and sprays it out when returning to the position according to fig4 and 5 . referring to fig1 the bottom of bellows 2 are rigidly attached to support frame 8 which also supports stepper motor 3 with shafts 4 , 9 used by it . said shaft comprises axial portion 9 with respect to motor 3 and cam portion 4 as an extension of it , the end of the cam portion being supported by support frame 8 through ball bearing 10 . cam shaft 4 is surrounded by another ball bearing 11 which is rigidly attached to the upper end of bellows 2 with the aid of collar 12 circling around it . the end of flexible bellows 2 thus follows the movement of cam portion 4 and bearing 11 provided by the rotation of shafts 4 , 9 in the lateral direction of the shaft . the vertical component of this movement provides the change in the volume of dosing space 1 limited by bellows 2 , and thus the suction or injection of the amount of liquid of the corresponding volume through dosing tip 7 . in addition , flexible bellows 2 receive , by bending , a smaller horizontal lateral movement of cam 4 which , per se , is without significance in view of the dosing . fig2 and 4 show that flexible bellows 2 form the generally cylindrical casing of dosing space 1 which is moved back and forth along with cam 4 and bearing 11 , jacket portion 13 , which is rigidly connected to supporting frame 8 , being installed inside the casing so that the dosing space is left between the bellows and said jacket portion 13 . pipe 5 which forms the dosing channel and is axial to bellows 2 , extends from the end of jacket portion 13 and can be taken for dosing to small rinsing basin 6 where the dosing tip 7 of the channel is kept , during the dosing , under the surface 14 of the liquid in order to prevent splashing . when necessary , the dosing space 1 can be provided with one or more additional channels 15 , as seen in fig1 for filling or emptying the space . the dosing equipment according to fig1 to 5 is calibrated for use in a stepping operation , by using stepper motor 3 , from one position to another and by precisely measuring the magnitudes of the liquid dosages produced by these movements which are then recorded in the memory of the equipment for later use . the path of stepper motor 3 which comprises a multi - tooth , magnetic rotor and a surrounding stator which is selectively magnetized by electric current , is divided in the area of a half turn into about a hundred steps which are nominally of the same length , for instance , the lengths of which vary considerably in reality . on the other hand , these steps are typical in having an extremely high individual repeatability , i . e ., the motor can be see very precisely into the same positions over and over again . when stepper motor 3 moves from one position to another , the rotational movement of shaft 9 causes cam 4 to transfer in the lateral direction of the shaft so that bellows 2 , which are bonded to the cam with the aid of bearing 11 and collar 12 , are stretched or reduced , changing the volume of dosing space limited by the bellows , which in turn causes the suction or spraying through dosing tip 7 . since there are no sliding surfaces between stepper motor 3 and bellows 2 , but only ball bearings where the reciprocating , rolling movements are precisely reversible , the reproduction fidelity of the movements of the bellows and the changes of the volume of dosing space 1 essentially correspond to the repeatability of the different steps and step combinations of the stepper motor . a certain calibrated movement of stepper motor 3 can thus be used to repeatably dose an amount of liquid the magnitude of which is very precisely known . the lateral shift of cam 4 between the extreme positions according to fig3 and 5 , which can , according to the above , correspond to about one hundred nominally equally large steps of stepper motor 3 , is carried out so that the shifts and the corresponding changes in the volume of dosing space 1 are very small upon the first steps of the motor , but increase gradually reaching their maximum in the middle of the lateral movement , after motor 3 has stepped about 50 steps and after shaft 9 has rotated through 90 ° in order to start decreasing again after that when approaching the extreme position according to fig5 where bellows 2 and dosing space 1 are compressed to their smallest . with the rotation movement of stepper motor 3 where the increase of the rotational angle is linear , a nonlinearly proceding change in volume is thus provided in dosing space 1 which can be used to calibrate an extensive range varying in a logarithmic scale of different dosage sizes within the reciprocating movements in the area of a half turn of the motor . after the calibration is carried out , the equipment is ready for use in precision dosing where the dosages can be selected from precalibrated dosage sizes and which is based on the repetition of the calibrated movements of the stepper motor , i . e ., the repetition of the steps or step combinations between certain positions . it is easy to find dosages from the abundant dosage size range offered by the rotating stepper motor and the cam , which very precisely correspond to those round numbers which are typically used in liquid dosing and whose &# 34 ; errors &# 34 ;, i . e ., deviations from the absolute round numbers , are known on the basis of the calibration and are taken into account in calculating the results of the analyses . fig6 to 8 show the dosing equipment according to the invention where cam 4 according to fig1 - 5 is replaced with a straight shaft used by stepper motor 3 , to which shaft bellows 2 are connected through draw thread 17 . draw thread 17 , which is preferably of metal , is attached at its one end to the upper end of bellows 2 , and at its other end to rotating shaft 9 with the aid of fastener 18 . the stretching of bellows 2 is carried out so that shaft 9 and draw thread 17 pull them against the spring force of the bellows , the force correspondingly drawing up the bellows when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction . when necessary , an additional spring ( not shown ) connected to bellows 2 can be used to assist in the drawing . fig7 shows the equipment when dosing space 1 limited by bellows 2 is at its largest and fig8 shows the equipment when space 1 is at its smallest . the solution according to fig6 - 8 is characterized in that the movements of bellows 2 are linear and that the change in the volume of dosing space 1 is directly proportional to the rotational angle of shaft 9 rotated by the stepper motor . the equipment can be calibrated according to the above , even though the range of dosage sizes remains narrower than in the application according to fig1 - 5 because of said rotational angle and the linear dependence on the change in the volume . the above drawback is eliminated in the modification of the equipment according to fig9 where draw thread 17 is branched in two and one of the branches 19 is attached to shaft 9 rotated by the stepper motor and the other branch 20 to stationary attachment point 21 . draw thread 17 is guided between the upper end of bellows 2 and branching point 22 of the thread by ball - bearing 23 which keeps the movement of the bellows linear . when shaft 9 is rotated and draw thread 17 moves in accordance with the arrows in fig9 the rotation of the shaft which increases linearly provides , however , a nonlinear change in the volume of dosing space 1 limited by the bellows . if draw thread 17 with its branch 20 leading to attachment point 21 is linear in the smarting situation , the stepwise rotation of shaft 9 causes branching point 22 to move to the right in fig9 and bellows 2 to be stretched by the pulling of thread 17 , of which the movement is first accelerated but then slows down after the middle of the movement . in the solution according to fig9 it is further possible to replace the rotation of draw thread 17 around shaft 9 by the rotating cam according to fig1 - 5 to which thread 17 is connected , whereby the range of the calibrated dosage sizes can be made even larger . fig1 shows modified equipment where bellows 2 are joined at their upper end to crank arm 24 , the other end of which is rotatably joined , with the aid of ball - bearing 25 , to frame 8 of the equipment , and the other end is propelled by draw thread 17 which rotates onto shaft 9 driven by the stepper motor . the solution enables a decrease of the movements of bellows 2 and changes in the volume of dosing space 1 which , however , stay directly proportional to the rotational angle of shaft 9 . in fig1 , crank arm 24 is at its lower position , whereby dosing space 1 is at its smallest . the upper position of the arm where the dosing space is at its largest , is indicated by a line of dots and dashes in the figure . fig1 and 12 show an application of the dosing device according to the invention where dosing space 1 is formed by short bellows 2 which are compressed linearly by a stretching and decreasing piezo rod 26 . dosing space 1 changes its volume nonlinearly when the bellows are first compressed slowly from the center thereof and then faster both from the center and the creases of the bellows . the repeatability of the positions of tip 27 of piezo rod 26 which moves bellows 2 is good , per se , and it can be improved , when necessary , by an optical encoder ( not shown ). the equipment can be thus calibrated to a range of different sizes of liquid dosages in the above - described way . fig1 shows an embodiment of the dosing equipment according to the invention where the bellows limiting dosing space 1 are moved with the aid of linear stepper motor 3 &# 39 ; which is connected to the end of the bellows through rigid arm 28 . motor 3 &# 39 ; is joined , by rolling bearings 29 , to frame 8 of the equipment in such a way that the motor moves back and forth with respect to the frame , propelling bellows 2 along with it . the equipment can be calibrated to different sizes of liquid dosages in the above - described way . fig1 shows an embodiment of the dosing equipment where bellows 2 which form dosing space 1 are propelled with the aid of servomotor 31 controlled by linear encoder 30 . the bottom of bellows 2 and motor 31 are rigidly joined to frame 8 of the equipment . motor 31 rotates ball screw 32 which is projected into chuck nut 33 which , in turn , is rigidly joined to the upper end of bellows 2 and to encoder 30 . the rotational movement of ball screw 32 propels chuck nut 33 and bellows 2 in the axial direction of the screw and the chuck nut . encoder 30 monitors the movements of the upper end of bellows 2 and adjusts servomotor 31 to precisely repeatable positions . the calibration of the equipment to different sizes of liquid dosages is carried out in the above - mentioned way . a dosing equipment according to the invention which essentially corresponds to the one illustrated in fig1 - 5 was tested using metal bellows the diameter of which was 25 mm and the maximum dosing volume 2000 μl and servomotor astrosyn type 14 pm - koo 1 . the cam which was used employed less than half of the maximum volume , about 850 μl . the following measuring results were obtained in the test arrangment where the dosing device was connected , with the aid of the dosing tip according to patent application fi - 922805 , to the vessel of a microbalance , with the discharge opening being under the surface of the water all the time . the calibration of the dosing positions was carried out so that the step of the stepper motor , which was closest to the lower dead point of the bellows , was the starting position recognized by an opto - sensor . the bellows and the dosing tip were full of water at room temperature without temperature control . the reading of the microbalance was recorded and the stepper motor took the number of seeps as recorded in the first column from the left of table 1 ; i . e ., it sucked water into the tip . the lightening of the weighing vessel was registered and the dosed amount was calculated from the difference and dosed back to the weighing vessel by returning to the starting position . each time the measurement was repeated ten times and the averages of the weighing results were calculated as well as the absolute and percentual standard deviations . the results are presented in table 1 . table 1______________________________________ standard deviationnumber of dosing standard % from thesteps ( μg ) deviation % total volume______________________________________1 0 . 207 1 . 0 0 . 00012 0 . 728 1 . 0 0 . 00014 1 . 711 1 . 8 0 . 00028 5 . 446 12 0 . 001416 17 . 053 14 0 . 001628 46 . 166 28 0 . 003344 104 . 282 15 0 . 0018172 804 . 060 41 0 . 0048______________________________________ the results show that the proportion of the maximum volume to the varying of the repeatability of the smallest volume was nearly 1 000 000 to 1 for the bellows , the maximum volume of which was 2000 μl . these bellows were used in measuring purposes so that the area of repeatability could be found out by weighing . the analyzers normally used employ bellows which are about one tenth of the size of the bellows used in the measurements , whereby the repeatability is correspondingly , absolutely better . a linear mode of use is to always start from the starting position , whereby the repeatability is the highest , but the range of volumes is limited to a volume of 100 or 200 , for instance , depending on the number of steps of the stepper motor . another way is to utilize all the possible step combinations which are then 5000 or 20 000 by the above - mentioned numbers of steps , for instance . thus by roughly halving the repeatability , dosages can be calibrated which correspond to all nominal equal volumes of the conventional , known injection dosing so precisely that they fall within the latter - mentioned limits of repeatability . however , when calculating the analysis results , said equal volumes are not used , but rather the calibrated , precise dosage sizes . the strength of the bellows in the dosing according to the invention was tested by using bellows which were otherwise similar to the ones used in the above - described test , only their diameter was 12 . 5 mm . 5 000 000 dosages were carried out using the bellows , which corresponds to the number of dosings during the typical life of dosing equipment . it was stated that by each dosage size used , the change from the calibrated dosage size was less than 0 . 2 %. the testing of the thread - driven dosing bellows essentially according to fig6 - 8 was carried out in the following way : the same bellows were used as in the above - described test and a two - phase stepper motor sankyo msjs 400 all which comprises 400 steps . the change in volume of the bellows on one step of the stepper motor was about 10 microliters . the steps according to following table 2 were taken from the same starting point and the size of the dosage thus obtained was measured . the measurement was repeated 10 times on each step spacing . the average and the relative variation constant of the dosage were calculated from the results and they are presented in the table . in addition , the dosed amount is divided in the table by the number of the steps taken , whereby a reading is obtained of how long the approximate spacing is between the steps taken . the average and deviation are calculated from these . table 2______________________________________number relative amount ofof dosage variation dosage / steps ( mg ) constant (%) step ( mg ) ______________________________________4 37 . 987 0 . 026 9 . 4975 46 . 539 0 . 036 9 . 3086 58 . 449 0 . 034 9 . 7427 66 . 538 0 . 028 9 . 5058 78 . 675 0 . 032 9 . 8349 86 . 162 0 . 010 9 . 57410 100 . 636 0 . 019 10 . 06416 161 . 926 0 . 024 10 . 120 average 0 . 026 % avg . 9 . 705 +/- 2 . 9 % ______________________________________ the results indicate that when assuming the step spacings of the stepper motor as constants , the relative variation coefficient is 2 . 9 % but if the step spacings are calibrated , the variation decreases to less than one part in a hundred . it is clear to those skilled in the art that the different applications of the invention are not limited to the above examples but can vary within the appended claims . the bellows forming the dosing space can also be constructed so that the liquid is outside the bellows . it is possible , especially , to combine elements included in different examples , i . e ., the dosing spaces formed by the bellows , and motors or other corresponding actuators which increase or decrease the dosing space , into different device assemblies where the interdependent relationship between the movement of the actuator and the change in the volume of the dosing space can be linear ( directly proportional ) or nonlinear .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a schematic representation of a communication system for implementing a first embodiment of a control program distribution method of the present invention . in this diagram , cma indicates a user system , cc indicates the service center of an exchange manufacturer , and cr indicates a credit company . the user system cma is equipped with a main apparatus bt , a personal computer pc and a router rt . the main function of the main apparatus bt is to interconnect telephone terminals ( not shown ) and interconnect these telephone terminals and the subscribers &# 39 ; lines of the public telephone network not shown . in addition to this main function , the main apparatus bt has a plurality of optional service functions associated with the interconnection ( switching ) processing . the router rt is connected through a provider isp to the internet inw to which the service center cc is connected . the service center cc is equipped with a control server csv , a user database db , a router crt , a data storage unit dm , which are interconnected by a lan . the control server csv is connected through the router crt to the internet inw to communicate with the user system cma under contract regarding function setting . the control server csv is connected with the credit company dr by , for example , a private line to settle accounts with the credit company cr for the charge for function setting . in the user database db , as shown in fig2 , an identification number ( user id ), an ip address , set functions of the main apparatus bt ( including functions that can be set ), an equipment identification number as private information and a password as authentication information are allocated for each user and stored in the form of a table . in the data storage unit dm , various pieces of process data that describe the contents of exchange control in the user &# 39 ; s main apparatus bt are stored as shown in hg . 3 . fig4 and 5 illustrate a sequence of transmit and receive operations among the main apparatus bt and the personal computer pc in the user system cma , the service center cc , and the credit company cr . in function setting of the main apparatus bt , the user makes access to the service center cc over the internet inw using the personal computer pc and enters necessary items associated with the function setting according to information on a screen downloaded from the service center cc . the necessary items to be entered are information indicating functions to be set and the user id . upon termination of entry of the necessary items , a function acquisition request containing these information is sent to the service center cc over the internet inw . upon receiving the function acquisition request , the service center cc sends to the personal computer pc a request to enter the credit number and the password for authentication . in response to the entry request , the user enters the credit number and the password through the use of the personal computer pc , whereupon the personal computer pc sends these input information to the service center cc . the service center cc determines the validity of the user on the basis of the user &# 39 ; s password and , if there is no problem , makes a comparison between the functional information contained in the function acquisition request and the set function information stored in the user database db to make a decision of whether or not functions that the user desires to acquire can be set . if the functions can be set , then the service center cc reads the corresponding process data from the data storage unit dm and creates parameter data for describing individual setting information that varies from user to user according to the process data and presentation control data ( support tool ) that allows the process data and parameter data to be displayed in script form . the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data are then sent to the requesting personal computer pc . at this point , the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data are enciphered using the function identification number retained in the user database db as private information . upon receipt of the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data from the service center cc , the personal computer pc deciphers them using the equipment identification number allocated to itself and then displays the process data and the parameter data on a monitor ( not shown ) in script form in accordance with the presentation control data . when the user terminates entry of individual setting information to fill in the blanks in the parameter data displayed on the monitor , a control program is prepared from the process data and the parameter data and then stored in a storage unit ( not shown ), such as a hard disk , a ram , or the like . the control program is read from the storage unit and set in the main apparatus bt as requested by the user . upon completion of setting of the control program , the personal computer pc returns to the service center cc a message to the effect that the function setting process has terminated normally . upon receipt of the termination message , the service center cc accesses the credit company cr to make a request to bill the charge for function setting . at this point , the service center cc calculates the charge for each function which the user wanted to set and which has been actually set and creates an electronic bill specification . this electronic bill specification is sent to the credit company cc in the form it is included in the bill request information . upon receipt of the bill request information , the credit company cr performs a process of accepting the bill request on the basis of the user &# 39 ; s credit number and the electronic bill specification included in the bill request information . upon termination of acceptance of the bill request , the credit company cr returns to the requesting service center cc sends an acknowledgement that the bill request has been accepted . fig6 is a functional block diagram of the personal computer pc in the user system cma and the service center cc . the personal computer pc in the user system cm is provided with a request transmitting section 11 , a request receiving section 12 , an information transmitting section 13 , a data receiving section 14 , a data deciphering section 15 , a function setting section 6 , and a message sending section 17 . the request transmitting section 11 sends information concerning functions the user desires to acquire and a function acquisition request containing the user id to the service center cc . the request receiving section 12 receives a request to input the credit number and the password which is sent from the service center cc in response to the function acquisition request . when the user inputs the credit number and the password in response to the request - to - input , the information transmitting section 13 sends these input information to the service center cc . the data receiving section 14 receives the process data , the parameter data , and the presentation control data sent from the service center cc . the data deciphering section 15 deciphers the received process data , parameter data , and presentation control data by using the equipment identification number assigned to itself . the function setting section 16 creates a control program when individual setting information from the user has been written in the parameter data and sets it in the main apparatus bt upon request . when the setting of the control program in the main apparatus bt is completed , the termination message presentation section 17 presents a message to that effect to the service providing section cc . the control server csv in the service center cc is provided with a request receiving section 21 , a request - to - input sending section 22 , an information receiving section 23 , a data creating section 24 , a data enciphering section 25 , a data transmitting section 26 , a message receiving section 27 , and a billing section 28 . the request receiving section 21 receives a request for function acquisition sent from the user system cma . upon receipt of the request for function acquisition , the request - to - input transmitting section 22 sends to the requesting user system cma a request to input the credit number and the password . the information receiving section 23 receives the credit number and the password sent from the user in response to the request - to - input . when the user is validated through the password , the data creating section 24 compares the function information contained in the function acquisition request and the function setting information in the user database db to decide whether or not the function that the user desires to acquire can be set . if it is possible , the data creating section 24 reads corresponding process data from the data storage unit dm and then creates parameter data and presentation control data . the data enciphering section 25 enciphers the process data , the parameter data , and the presentation control data on the basis of the equipment identification number assigned to the user for the purpose of transmission to the user system cma . the data transmitting section 26 sends the process data , the parameter data , and the presentation control data thus enciphered to the user system cma . when the message receiving section 27 receives from the user system cma a message that setting of the control program in the main apparatus bt has been completed , the billing section 28 performs an account ( settlement ) procedure in conjunction with the credit company cr on the basis of the user &# 39 ; s credit number to draw the charge for creation of the process data , the parameter data , and the presentation control data and setting of functions from the user &# 39 ; s bank account . fig7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the service center cc . the processing operation of providing a control program having functions that the user desires is carried out in accordance with the procedure shown in steps st 7 a through st 7 e . the control server csv in the service center cc monitors the arrival of a function acquisition request from the user system cma ( step st 7 a ). upon arrival of the function acquisition request ( yes in step st 7 a ), the control server csv sends to the requesting user system cma a request to input a credit number and a password ( step st 7 b ) and then monitors their reception from the user system cma ( step st 7 c ). if a password arrives and this matches the password entered in the user database db for the user ( yes in step st 7 c ), the control server csv reads process data for the corresponding functions from the data storage unit dm , then creates parameter data and presentation control data ( step st 7 d ) and sends the process data , the parameter data , and the presentation control data to the requesting user system cma ( step st 7 e ). thus , as shown in fig8 , the user system cm is supplied with the process data and the parameter data division - produced from a control program ( call control instructions ) which is to carry out an exchange control process . if , on the other hand , a credit number and a password do not arrive within a fixed length of time or an incoming password does not match any one of the passwords entered in the user database db ( no in step st 7 c ), then the control server csv notifies the requesting user system cma that the password is in error or it is not allowed to provide the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data . in the absence of the corresponding process data in the data storage unit dm in step st 7 d , process data corresponding to functions the user desires are created anew . fig9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure carried out by the personal computer pc in the user system cma . to obtain the supply of a control program corresponding to desired functions , the user causes the personal computer pc to carry out the processes in steps st 9 a to st 9 g . first , the personal computer pc makes access to the home page of the service center cc to receive a selection screen ( panel ) ( step st 9 a ). when the user clicks on the function setting on this screen ( step st 9 a ), the user is prompted to input the user id and functions that he desires to acquire ( step st 9 c ). upon completion of entry , a function acquisition request containing the input information is sent to the service center cc . the personal computer pc monitors the arrival of the process data , the parameter data , and the presentation control data in step st 9 d . upon receipt of these data from the service processing center cc , the personal computer pc displays the process data and the parameter data in script form as shown in fig1 ( step st 9 e ). the user is thus allowed to enter individual setting information , such as telephone numbers / ip addresses , so that they are described in parameter data . the script may be displayed in japanese or any other language ( for example , english ) as requested by the user . suppose here that the user has entered the individual setting information into the personal computer pc . then , the personal computer pc goes from step st 9 f to step st 9 g , then combines the process data and the parameter data having the individual setting information described to create a control program and sets this control program in the main apparatus bt as needed . upon completion of setting of the control program in the main apparatus bt , the personal computer pc sends a setting completion message to the service center cc . if there is no need of setting the control program in the main apparatus bt at the time of creation in step st 9 g , it is stored into a storage unit . if the user performs other processing than entering individual setting information in step st 9 f , then the personal computer pc terminates processing . the control program stored in the storage unit in the main apparatus bt is purchased by the service center cc , which is carried out in accordance with such a procedure as shown in fig1 . that is , the user inquires of the service center cc over the internet inw whether it will purchases the control program which has become unnecessary . if there is no objection to it , the service center cc sends to the user system cma from which the inquiry originated over the internet inw a request to send the unnecessary control program . upon receipt of this request to send , the personal computer pc reads the corresponding control program from the storage unit in the main apparatus bt and then sends it to the service center cc over the internet inw . upon receipt of the control program , the service center cc divides the control program into the process data and the parameter data , then stores the process data into the data storage unit dm and eliminates the individual setting information from the parameter data . the purchased process data will be provided to another user system cmb that demands a control program ( call control instructions ) similar to the main apparatus bt in the user system cma . in the user system cmb , the process data thus provided will be utilized as it is and only individual setting information will be described in the parameter data as shown in fig1 . according to the embodiment , as described above , in carrying out function setting control of the main apparatus bt for each user , the user system cma sends information concerning functions the user desires to acquire and a function acquisition request containing the user id to the service center cc . in response to this , the service center cc creates process data in which the contents of the functions are described and parameter data in which individual setting information is to be described for each user and then sends them to the requesting user system cma over the internet inw . the user system cma creates a control program to be set in the main apparatus bt by describing individual setting information in the parameter data . therefore , the service center cc is allowed to share in the control program creation processing with the user system cma . this allows the user to perform the function setting in the main apparatus bt within a short length of time and at low cost and the center to significantly reduce labor and cost required for function setting . furthermore , in the first embodiment , in the user system cma , process data and parameter data are displayed on the monitor of the personal computer pc each time they are received from the service center cc . the user fills in the blanks in the displayed parameter data with individual setting information , such as telephone numbers / ip addresses , to create a control program and sets this control program in the main apparatus bt . therefore , even if the control program is one to carry out functions that the user desires to acquire , the user does not have to set it in the main apparatus vt when there is no need at present to set it in the main apparatus bt . moreover , since the process data and the parameter data are displayed in script form on the monitor of the personal computer pc , the user simply enters individual setting information into the parameter data through screens easy to see and understand . thus , the labor and time required to create the control program can be reduced and any user is allowed to create the control program through simple operations . in addition , in the service center cc , a decision is made as to whether or not functions can be set in the main apparatus bt through the use of the set function information stored and managed in the user database db ; thus , an appropriate function setting process can be carried out using a simple procedure . in the first embodiment , the settlement of the account for the creation of process data , parameter data and presentation control data and the setting of functions can be performed automatically between the service center cc and the credit company cc over the communication network on the basis of the credit number sent from the user . thus , the work of account on the side of the service center cc can be lightened . also , in the first embodiment , when the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data are sent from the service center cc to the user system cma , they are enciphered using the user &# 39 ; s equipment identification number previously entered into the user database db . for this reason , it becomes possible to prevent false or unauthorized function setting even in case of erroneous transmission of process data , parameter data and presentation control data to a different user system or the theft of these data addressed to a different user system by a third party . in addition , in the first embodiment , prior to transmission of the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data , the user &# 39 ; s password entered , into the user database db in the service center cc is utilized to verify the identity of the user . thus , the validity of the user can be confirmed with certainty prior to transmission of the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data . furthermore , in the present embodiment , since the user can have the service center cc purchase a control program which was prepared by himself and has become unnecessary , he can get the money corresponding to the contents and evaluation of the control program . this will give the user an additional incentive to control program creation . for the service center cc , on the other hand , since the control program purchased from the user can be utilized to create process data and parameter data for another user , the processing load can be reduced correspondingly and the number of subscribers to the communication system is expected to increase . fig1 shows a procedure in which the service center cc purchases a control program stored in the storage unit in the main apparatus bt in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention . that is , the user inquires of the service center cc over the internet inw whether it will purchase the control program which has become unnecessary . if there is no objection to it , the service center cc sends to the user system cma from which the inquiry originated over the internet inw a request to send the unnecessary control program . upon receipt of this request to send , the personal computer pc reads the corresponding control program from the storage unit in the main apparatus bt , then divides the control program into process data and parameter data and eliminates individual setting information in the parameter data . after that , the control program is sent to the service center cc over the internet inw . upon receipt of the control program , the service center cc divides the control program into the process data and the parameter data and then stores the process data into the data storage unit dm . the purchased process data will be provided to another user system cmb that demands a control program ( call control instructions ) similar to the main apparatus bt in the user system cma . in the user system cmb , the process data thus provided will be utilized as it is and only individual setting information will be described in the parameter data . according to the second embodiment , as described above , the control program is sent to the service center cc after the individual setting information in the parameter data has been removed by the user , allowing the privacy protection to be strengthened . the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described so far . for example , in the embodiments , the service center sends process data , parameter data and presentation control data over the internet inw to the user system cma which has made a contract in advance in order to perform functions the user desires to acquire ; however , this is not restrictive . the process data , the parameter data and the presentation control data may be sent as requested by a user having no contract . in this case , the request may be received from the user by telephone , facsimile , or mail . although the embodiments have been described as the service center sending process data , parameter data and presentation control data to a user system as requested by the user , this is not restrictive . process data , parameter data and presentation control data may be sent to the user each time the version of setting function information entered in the user database db is updated . in the embodiments , each time process data , parameter data and presentation control data is received , the user system displays the process data and the parameter data in script form and prompts the user to fill in the blanks in the parameter data with individual setting information . this is not restrictive . the individual setting information may be previously entered in the storage unit in the main apparatus bt or the personal computer pc . in this case , at the time when process data and parameter data are received , the individual setting information may be read from the storage unit and automatically described in the parameter data . this eliminates the need for the user to create a control program with manual processing ; that is , the control program can be created automatically using the previously stored individual setting information . although the embodiments have been described as the user inquiring whether or not the service center cc will purchase a unnecessary control program , the service center cc may inquire of each user as to whether he or she has an unnecessary control program every week or month . although , in the embodiments , the credit number is sent from the user before process data and parameter data are received , this is not restrictive . the credit number may be stored in the user database db in such a way that it is associated with the user id . in this case , the credit number can be read from the user database db on the basis of the user id sent from the user . the user &# 39 ; s credit number need merely be sent only when user information is entered in the user database db . this will eliminate the anxiety that someone may steal a glance at the credit number over the communication network , resulting in increased security . although the embodiments have been described in terms of an example of enciphering process data , parameter data and presentation control data using an equipment identification number assigned to the user , this is not restrictive . use may be made of private information other than the equipment identification number presented to the user from the service center cc . in this case , the service center cc would present the private information to the user by telephone or mail . additionally , the control program creation and distribution procedure , the communication system configuration , the contents of the user database , and the type of the communication equipment ( main apparatus ) can be modified variously without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein . accordingly , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents .
| 7Electricity
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turning first to fig1 , there is shown generally at 10 the blade and hitch assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the assembly 10 is relatively lightweight , preferably weighing between about 50 and about 300 pounds , and is most preferably sufficiently light to enable a single individual to slidingly push the assembly into mounting engagement with the receiver on the vehicle . thus , its various components can be constructed of metal , steel , stainless steel , plastics or composites , for example , depending upon the relative strength required of each component . vehicle mounted receiver 11 attaches to the vehicle chassis or frame , or is integrated therewith . any suitable means can be used to secure the receiver 11 to the vehicle , such as bolting or manufacturing integration ( e . g ., as a stamped component of the vehicle chassis or frame ). for example , as shown in fig2 , the receiver 11 can include a pair of u - shaped flanges 8 with holes for coupling the receiver to the vehicle chassis . the design of the receiver 11 interface for attachment to the chassis will depend upon the identity ( and thus design ) of the particular chassis , and is well within the skill in the art . because in the embodiment shown the receiver 11 is situated under the chassis and is not obtrusive , it optionally can be permanently affixed to the chassis , regardless of whether the snow plow blade or other accessories or working implements are attached or in use . alternatively , the receiver can be located on the vehicle frame where it does not extend below the frame so as to provide adequate ground clearance . it is fixed and preferably has no moving parts ; its main purpose being to provide a means of attachment of the follow - on components . it also can absorb and transfer any shock loads imposed on the snow blade ( or other accessory ) into the vehicle . it can be made of any rigid material suitable for the job , such as steel , metal , stainless steel , plastic or composites , for example . as best seen in fig2 and 3 , the receiver 11 is preferably trapezoidal in shape , uniformly tapering inwardly from its open front end towards the rear . it has an optional top plate 6 , with opposite vertically depending side guides 7 a and 7 b as shown . alternatively , the sides 7 a and 7 b could be independently attached directly to the chassis , directly to the frame , or integrated therewith , preferably defining between them a trapezoidal wedge . a front upwardly angled lip 9 is optionally provided at the receiver entry to assist in guiding the implement to be mounted into the receiver 11 , in the direction of the arrows shown in fig2 and 3 . the sides 7 a , 7 b are in a tapered profile such that the distance between them decreases in the direction towards the vehicle rear when mounted thereto . turning back to fig1 , the blade and hitch assembly 10 is adapted to be releasably coupled to or engaged by the receiver 11 . in the embodiment shown , a blade 15 is illustrated as the utilitarian accessory or working implement , although those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to mounting and dismounting of a blade . the blade 15 can be conventional in design . the preferred blade is made of sheet metal , or is a sheet of steel bumped or rolled to a semi - round shape . the blade 15 also can be in the form of an adjustable v - shaped blade . the blade is braced on the backside with a plurality of mounts 4 providing a means of attachment ( such as via springs 3 ) to the support frame 20 . as best seen in fig7 and 8 , support frame 20 includes opposite side members 21 a , 21 b that preferably are bent along their lengths to define an a - frame portion 22 . the a - frame portion tapers towards an apex that can be pivotably coupled directly to the blade 15 , or is attached to the blade 15 through a trip flame assembly as discussed in greater detail below . those skilled in the art will appreciate that although the term “ a - frame ” is used herein , the frame need not be in the shape of an “ a ”. male hitch member 25 is coupled to a pivotable cross bar 26 ( such as by welding to ears 97 ) that is pivotably supported between opposite sides 21 a , 21 b . at least a portion of the hitch member 25 corresponds in shape to receiver 11 , so that that portion of the hitch member 25 can be slidingly engaged by receiver 11 during the mounting operation . thus , in the preferred embodiment , hitch member 25 has a trapezoidal portion , which tapers outwardly from the free end 25 a in the direction towards the implement 15 . in the embodiment shown , the taper extends to a maximum and then tapers inwardly to the opposite end of the member 25 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the free end of the hitch member 25 can be formed as two or more extensions rather than a single continuous end as shown . the hitch member 25 and cross bar 26 pivot about a horizontal axis , preferably about 20 ° from horizontal in each direction . turning now to fig4 , an optional trip frame assembly is shown that includes half - ring or a - frame retainer 36 supported on the top surface of the a - frame 22 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the half - ring 36 can be designed having shapes other than that shown . the trip frame assembly is connected to the blade 15 via springs 3 ( two shown ). the trip frame assembly allows the blade 15 to pivot forward , which allows it to trip over obstacles and absorb shock that would otherwise be transferred into the plow frame assembly and vehicle , which in extreme cases would cause substantial damage . if the trip frame assembly is eliminated , the blade can have a conventional trip edge as known in the art . extending from the half - ring or retainer 36 is a notched plate 37 , also supported on the a - frame 22 top surface , to set the blade angle . the plate 37 has a plurality of spaced notches 38 extending around the annular edge of the plate 37 as shown . as the blade 15 pivots , the notched plate 37 also pivots , and can be locked in place with locking mechanism 40 that , when properly aligned with a notch 38 , inserts into that notch 38 to prevent movement of the plate ( and thus the blade 15 ) until it is retracted from the notch . one suitable mechanism for actuating the locking mechanism uses cable 41 extending from the locking mechanism 40 to a location where it is readily accessible by the driver of the atv . by tensioning the cable 41 by drawing it towards the vehicle rear , such as with remote control actuator 71 ( fig9 ), the locking mechanism is disengaged from the notch 38 , allowing the blade to pivot . more specifically , actuator 71 is slidably mounted in cable bracket 72 as is conventional in the art . by pulling actuator towards the vehicle rear , in the direction of arrow 73 , the cable 41 is tensioned and the locking mechanism is unlocked , allowing the blade 15 to freely pivot . once the blade 15 is positioned as desired , the tension on the cable 41 is released by releasing the actuator 71 , allowing the locking mechanism to again latch into a notch 38 and lock the blade in place . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the locking mechanism can be operated manually . proper angling of the blade 15 , when the blade is in a freely pivotable position , was conventionally accomplished manually , requiring the operator to leave the vehicle and physically pivot the blade . alternatively , the operator would drive the blade into a stationary object , such as a tree , to pivot the blade . either method was tedious and inconvenient . in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , the blade angle preferably is controlled remotely , such as by the driver of the atv when seated on the atv in the driving position . thus , the remote actuator 71 can be used not only to unlock the blade 15 as discussed above , but also to remotely pivot the blade . to that end , remote actuator 71 is modified with slotted member 77 that receives switch 76 in slot 78 . switch 76 , such as rocker or toggle switch , is in electrical communication with a bi - directional motor 80 ( fig4 and 10 ). it is preferably a double pole , double throw three - position switch , the center being the off position and the other two positions being momentary ( fig1 shows a suitable schematic of the switch ) the motor 80 is preferably powered by the vehicle battery 90 and reversibly drives drum or spool 81 ( fig1 ) wrapped with two separate cables ; one threaded through pulley 82 a and secured at or near an end of the blade 15 , and the other threaded through pulley 82 b and secured at or near the other end of blade 15 . the attachment of each cable to the blade 15 can be a direct attachment , or a spring 84 ( fig8 ) can be positioned between the blade and the cable for added play . to pivot the blade 15 , the operator draws actuator 71 in the direction of arrow 73 to unlock the blade . the actuator is then rotated to the left or to the right , depending upon the desired angle of the blade , thereby actuating switch 76 which engages the motor 80 , driving spool 81 . when driven in one direction , the spool 81 deploys one cable and reels in the other , and when driven in the other direction , the opposite cables are deployed from and reeled onto the spool , respectively . the deploying or reeling in of cable pivots the blade accordingly . once the blade is in the desired position , the actuator is rotated back to the normal position , which corresponds to the center position of the switch 78 , and is then released to lock the blade in place . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the actuator for power angling of the blade need not be the same actuator used to unlock the blade from its fixed position ; separate actuators can be used to accomplish these operations . further details will now be provided regarding the hitch mount of the present invention . as discussed above , receiver 11 , preferably made of ⅜ ″ mild steel , is attached to the vehicle by suitable means or is integrated therewith such as during manufacturing of the vehicle . conveniently , some conventional atv &# 39 ; s come equipped with a round bar or rod 200 , solid or tubular , and generally about ⅜ to ½ ″ in diameter , secured to the vehicle front ( fig1 ). in the embodiment shown in fig4 and 7 , the bar 200 extends horizontally a distance sufficient to be engaged at or near its opposite ends by one or more latch hooks 220 discussed in detail below . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the bar 200 could be vertical or angled , and need not be continuous ; two or more separate bars could be used such as at each end of the receiver 11 ( fig2 a ), as long as they are appropriately positioned for engagement by one or more latch hooks 220 . in addition , the bar need not be round ; other shapes corresponding to the receiving shape of the latch hook could be used . preferably the bar or bars are located above the plane of the receiver 11 . the receiver 11 need not be positioned directly under the bar or bars ; the bar or bars could be positioned radially outwardly of the receiver 11 such as shown in fig2 a . in atv &# 39 ; s where the rod 200 is not original equipment , it can be added . for example , as shown in fig2 a , the bar 200 can be part of the receiver 11 , as one continuous bar or as two or more separate bars . again , the bar ( s ) could be vertical or angled with respect to horizontal , and need not be positioned directly over the receiver 11 . where two or more separate bars are used , they are preferably positioned in the same plane . in the embodiment of fig2 a , there are two bars that each terminate in opposite free ends . receiver 11 includes generally longitudinally extending ( in the direction from the vehicle front to the vehicle rear ) side guide members 7 a , 7 b as discussed above , which help ensure proper alignment of the hitch assembly . the spacing or volume or distance between these guide members is configured to accommodate the male hitch 25 pivotably coupled to the frame 20 . thus , in the embodiment shown , the hitch member 25 is tapered such that the length of its free engaging end 25 a is relatively short , and expands in the direction towards the implement 15 . similarly , sides 7 a , 7 b are configured and placed such that the receiver volume is tapered , with its end farthest from the vehicle front being shorter than the end closes to the vehicle front . the sides 7 a , 7 b thus act as a track for receiving and aligning hitch member 25 . free end 25 a of hitch member 25 can be formed with a notch 15 a ( fig1 ) to ensure that the hitch member 25 clears the nut and bolt that attaches the receiver 11 to the vehicle chassis . those skilled in the art will appreciate that two or more receivers 11 can be used , in which case two or more hitch members would be used . pivotally coupled to spaced side brackets 54 , 55 via a pivot shaft is a latch 220 , which in the embodiment shown , is centrally located on cross bar 23 ( fig6 ). the side brackets 54 , 55 are spaced a sufficient distance to accommodate the latch 220 and allow for its movement . although only one latch 220 is necessary , multiple latches could be used and are within the scope of the present invention . one such embodiment is illustrated in fig1 , where two opposite and aligned latches 220 a , 220 b are shown . where multiple latches are used , the latches 220 can share a common pivot shaft , the pivot shaft extending from one latch to the other so that movement of the latches is coordinated ; actuation of one latch results in a corresponding movement of the other latches . alternatively , the multiple latches can be actuated separately . each latch 220 preferably has a hook shape including an arcuate recess 225 corresponding in angle to the circumference of the bar 200 . the latch is thereby adapted to receive bar 200 . preferably the recess is shaped as a concentric cam , so that upon contact with the bar 200 , the latch 220 can automatically pivot to a closed position , locking onto the bar 200 . this design facilitates the grasping and interlocking of bar 200 as well as the dismounting operation . the latch 220 can include a handle 221 for manual actuation for use such as in the event the latch does not properly lock onto the bar 200 . a latch locking assembly 230 ( fig1 ) optionally can be used to lock the latch in place . one suitable locking assembly includes a spring loaded pin assembly , with spring biasing against a pin 241 . in the locked position , the spring forces pin 241 through an appropriately dimensioned aperture in the latch , thereby fixing the latch 220 in place . lever 243 , shown in fig4 in the locked ( orthagonal ) position , prevents pin 241 from retracting out of the aperture . in the unlocked position , the pin is retracted from the aperture , allowing movement of the latch for engagement or disengagement of the hitch . the preferred method for attaching the hitch mounting assembly to the atv will now be described with particular reference to fig4 . the vehicle 100 is positioned close to the hitch mounting assembly , and one end of a tether 70 , such as a rope , chain , cable , wire , links , etc ., is attached to the vehicle 100 preferably at a location higher ( to later facilitate lifting of the blade ) than the mounting assembly . most atv &# 39 ; s come equipped with a utility hook or clamp 71 coupled to a rope permanently attached at or near the top of the atv body . this or any other convenient location typically at or near the front of the atv can be used as the point of attachment of one end of the tether 70 . in atv &# 39 ; s where the clamp 71 is not original equipment , it can be added or another point of attachment can be used . the tether 70 is also a cached to an actuator 75 such as a winch mounted on the mounting assembly , such as on the a - frame or on the working implement itself . in the embodiment shown , the winch 75 is electrically driven by the motor of the atv , although it is within the scope of the present invention for the winch to be powered separately . actuation of the winch causes the tether to be reeled onto the spool of the winch , in turn causing the mounting assembly to be pulled towards the vehicle 100 . the free end of the hitch member 25 is thus pulled towards receiver 11 in the direction of arrow 90 . in view of the corresponding shapes of the receiver 11 and hitch member 25 , the mounting assembly properly aligns with the vehicle 100 as the hitch member 25 is engaged by the receiver 11 . as the tether continues to wrap around winch 75 and pull the mounting assembly towards the vehicle , the hitch member 25 continues to progress into receiver 11 , until latch 220 engages bar 200 . the engagement of the latch with the bar causes the latch to pivot into a closed position about the bar . the locking assembly is then actuated ( either automatically , or manually via lever 243 ) to secure the latch in place . continued actuation of the winch raises the blade , and thus the winch can be used during operation of the vehicle to raise and lower the blade . alternatively , the blade can be raised and lowered in a conventional manner , such as manually with a lift handle 210 ( fig6 a ) positioned rearwardly of the blade , the lift handle 210 being pivotally mounted on a bracket 212 and connected to a bell crank to vertically lift or lower the blade . such manual actuation of the blade is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 615 , 745 , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . in the embodiment shown , in the latched position the recess of the latch 220 faces downwardly towards the ground , although the latch 220 can be designed so that the recess faces upwardly . alternatively , the assembly can be mounted to the vehicle manually . in view of the design of the hitch member 25 and corresponding receiver 11 and the relatively light weight of the hitch assembly , the assembly can be simply “ pushed ” into mounting relationship by one or more individuals without the use of the winch . for example , an individual can stand in front of the working implement , place his hands on the implement , and slide the assembly 10 towards the receiver 11 , allowing the hitch member to enter the receiver 11 and progress towards the rear thereof until the latch or latches engages bar or bars 200 . to remove the hitch mounting assembly from the vehicle chassis , the locking pin is released , and the lever 221 optionally is placed in the down position . upon separating the vehicle from the assembly ( such as by driving the vehicle away from the assembly or by manually pulling the assembly away from the vehicle ), the latch moves away from the bar 200 , disengaging the same and actually pushing the receiver 11 away from the assembly . the electrical and mechanical connections are then disconnected to complete the dismount . alternatively still , the assembly can be mounted to the vehicle by driving the vehicle towards the assembly , and in particular , towards the free end of the hitch member 25 so that it can be received by the receiver 11 . as the mounting progresses , the latch or latches engage the bar 200 and are locked in place . to facilitate the mounting and minimize or prevent the assembly from moving away from the vehicle as it is engaged by the receiver , the assembly can be temporarily fixed in place , such as by positioning it in front of an obstruction . those skilled in the art will appreciate that although the foregoing illustrates a front - mounted assembly , mounting the same to the rear of the vehicle is within the scope of the present invention .
| 4Fixed Constructions
|
referring to fig1 there is shown a lathe 10 with a chuck 12 mounted on one side of a lathe motor 14 . the chuck 12 is driven rotationally under power by the lathe motor 14 in conventional fashion . a drill pipe 16 being worked has one connector end 18 resting in a steady rest or cradle 20 , and the other connector end 22 is held by the chuck 12 in working position against a tool 24 . as the drill pipe 16 rotates , the tool 24 may be moved by machine assembly 26 in accordance with a desired pattern that is input by an operator . the tool 24 and machine assembly 26 form a means to machine work pieces mounted on the lathe . any of various conventional tools and associated machine assemblies may be used , such as boring , facing , turning , threading and bevelling tools made by such well known manufacturers as kennametal limited , raleigh , s . c ., u . s . a ., sandvik coromant co ., fairlawn , n . j ., u . s . a ., and valenite inc . of madison hts ., mich ., u . s . a . referring to fig2 a joint between two drill pipes 16 a and 16 b is shown . the joint is formed between the box connection 28 of drill pipe 16 a and pin connection 30 of drill pipe 16 b . in this patent document , the box and pin connection both may be referred to as connector ends , which are enlarged in relation to the rest of the drill pipe . each connector end includes mating threaded portions 32 and sealing portions 34 and 36 . referring to fig3 and 4 , there is shown a chuck 12 with longitudinally spaced radially oriented first and second sets of jaws 40 , 42 mounted on the chuck 12 . the first set of jaws 40 is mounted in a first longitudinal position a and the second set of jaws 42 is mounted in a second longitudinal position b spaced from the first longitudinal position . each position a and b is shown roughly bisecting the jaws . each of the first and second sets of jaws 40 , 42 include jaws mounted on x and y axes for positioning the jaws along the respective axes . in fig4 both x and y axes are in the plane of the figure , while in fig3 one of the axes is perpendicular to the plane of the figure . each jaw 40 , 42 has slots 44 formed in the side of the jaw 40 , 42 , and the jaws 40 , 42 are mounted in the chuck 12 with ridges 46 received by the slots 44 . the slots 44 and ridges 46 form tracks for the jaws to slide on and retain the jaws 44 within the chuck 12 . the jaws 40 , 42 may be adjusted in the chuck 12 by screws 48 . the screws 48 are received by threaded semi - cylindrical slots 50 in the chuck 12 . corresponding threaded semi - cylindrical slots 52 in the jaws 42 complete threaded holes for receiving the screws 48 . the tops of the screws 48 have hexagonal slots 54 for receiving hex wrenches . rotation of the screws 48 causes the jaws 40 , 42 to move radially in the chuck 12 . the screws 48 , together with the slots 44 , 50 and 52 and ridges 46 , form means to adjust the position of each of the jaws in the chuck . each jaw of each set of jaws is independently adjustable . a pipe 38 , without upset , is shown gripped by the chuck 12 in fig3 with its pin connection 39 extending forward from the chuck 12 in working position . in this instance , the chuck 12 may be located as close as is feasible to the pin connection 39 . in the case of machining connector ends of drill pipe 16 a or 16 b , the front set of jaws 40 may be centered at the position marked a in fig2 and the rear set of jaws 42 may be centered at the position marked b in fig2 . the exact location of the jaws will depend to some extent on the length of upset as indicated by the notation c in fig2 . if the upset is large enough , as with box connection 28 , both sets of jaws 40 , 42 may fit on the upset as shown in fig2 . with a short upset it may be possible only to fit one of the sets of jaws on the upset . as shown in fig3 and 4 , it is preferable that there be two mutually orthogonal pairs of jaws in each set of jaws , for a total of eight jaws . it is possible to use only six jaws , with three jaws mounted at 120 ° to each other in each set , but this makes it difficult for the operator to adjust the drill pipe . while such a design does allow manipulation of the connector end of the drill pipe in both the x and y directions , it is hard to adjust because rotation of any two jaws necessarily changes the position of the drill pipe in both x and y directions . with the design shown in fig3 and 4 , two jaws can be operated independently for each of the x and y directions . the jaws 40 of the front set of jaws are elongated by addition of jaw pieces 56 screwed by screws 58 onto the sides of the jaws . the jaw pieces 56 make the total jaw length , in a direction along the chuck ( perpendicular to the plane defined of the first set of jaws ), greater than the length of the jaws 42 of the second set of jaws . both sets of jaws may be elongated in this manner if possible , but there is not enough room for the second set of jaws 42 to be extended in the chuck shown . in the case of jaws 42 , the body of the chuck gets in the way on one side of the jaws and on the other side the lathe motor itself must be connected by a drive ( conventional and not shown ) to the chuck and this leaves no room for additional jaw length . the additional length of jaws permits the jaws to grip the pipe firmly . in the method of operating the lathe with the chuck of fig3 and 4 , the first step is to mount the drill pipe in a lathe with one end of the drill pipe 16 resting in steady rest 20 . next , one connector end 22 ( either end 16 a or 16 b ) of the drill pipe is gripped with each of the first and second sets of jaws 40 , 42 , by insertion of the drill pipe into the chuck and tightening the jaws 40 , 42 onto the drill pipe . the operator may then rotate the drill pipe to determine if the connector end 22 is rotating in a circle . conventional means may be used to determine the deviation of the rotation from a circle . if the connector end 22 is not rotating in a circle , within measurable tolerances , then the connector end may be oriented by manipulation of the first and second sets of jaws into a working position . the connector end may be moved in either or both of the x and y directions by screwing of the x and y jaws respectively . once orientation of the jaws is complete , the drilling pipe may be rotated against the working tool . both the threaded portion and sealing portions of the connector end may be machined to produce a new threaded portion and sealing portion of the connector end . the method of the invention is believed applicable to any cylindrical work piece with an end requiring work , but has particular utility for machining a box or pin connection of a drill pipe . while the connector end is being worked , the other end of the relatively flexible drill pipe rests on the steady rest 20 . the drill pipe , once repaired , may be returned to the drilling contractor and used again for drilling . as the drill pipe is used and the connector ends become worn again , the drill pipe can continue to be repaired by repetition of the method of the invention until insufficient upset remains to permit further machining of the connector ends . a workpiece positioning device will now be described in relation to fig5 - 8 . a chuck 12 with jaws 40 and 42 are used as described in relation to fig3 . the workpiece positioning device uses a frame or spider assembly 71 for repeated exact positioning of a tool joint pipe 38 within chuck 12 . the pipe 38 has a shoulder 89 . the spider assembly 71 has four arms 80 extending from a hub 82 , which when the spider assembly 71 is fixed to the chuck is aligned with the opening in the chuck which receives the pipe to be worked on . each arm 80 terminates outwardly at a pedestal 84 from which a cam pin 70 extends parallel to the axis of the hub 82 . a spider mounting frame 65 formed of four arms disposed between the jaws 40 is secured to the chuck 12 using t - slot blocks 62 and capscrews 64 . each arm of the spider mounting frame 65 has a cam pin receiving hole 86 and cam 63 for receiving and securing the cam pins 70 of the spider assembly 71 . at the hub 82 is a tool joint jig 69 with a shoulder 88 , the bore 90 of the tool joint jig 69 being sized to snugly receive a connector end of a pipe 38 . the spider assembly 71 is supplied with a locking nut 72 threaded onto a ring 85 screwed onto the hub 82 over a collet 73 , a bushing 74 within hub 82 and a jam wing nut 75 that threads onto exterior threads 83 of the tool joint jig 69 . see fig7 a in particular for these features . the tool joint jig 69 , hub 82 , locking nut 72 , collet 73 , bushing 74 and wing nut 75 permit a tool joint pipe to be secured within the spider assembly 71 in a fixable , and repeatable position . bushing 74 inside diameter is about the same size as the central portion of the tool joint jig 69 for it fits snugly within the tool joint jig 69 . a keyway 99 on the tool joint jig receives a key 97 in the bushing 74 ( see fig5 a ). operation of the spider assembly for cutting workpieces is according to the following face and chase procedure . 1 install spider mounting frame 65 into machine chuck 12 with t - slot blocks 62 and capscrews 64 . 3 install tool joint pipe 38 into chuck 12 a predetermined distance conventionally determined according to the work order , secure with top jaws 40 by turning operating screw 48 a and align pipe i . d . with alignment jaws 42 , by turning operating screws 48 b . 5 move tool post 92 with alignment dials 94 , 96 and 98 until they engage shoulders of the pipe 38 as illustrated in fig9 and set dials to “ 0 ” reading . 6 back off tool post 92 and remove alignment dials 94 , 96 and 98 . 7 install tool joint jig 69 onto tool joint pipe 38 until shoulder 88 makes - up tight to shoulder 89 . 8 install spider assembly 71 into spider mounting frame 65 and lock in cam pins 70 in position with cams 63 . with the tool joint jig 69 in the hub 82 . 9 install jam wing nut 75 onto tool joint jig 69 to align bushing 74 such that shoulders 87 and 91 abut and tighten up . 10 tighten up locking nut 72 to lock in position collet 73 . 12 unlock cams 63 and remove spider assembly 71 . 14 loosen - up operating screws 48 b to back - up alignment jaws 42 to clear tool joint o . d . 15 loosen - up operating screws 48 a to back - up top jaws 40 and remove tool joint pipe 38 . 16 install damaged tool joint pipe through chuck 12 to predetermined distance ( do not tighten jaws 40 ). 17 install tool joint jig 69 onto damaged tool joint pipe until shoulder 88 makes - up tight to shoulder of damaged tool joint pipe . 18 install spider assembly 71 onto tool joint jig 69 . 19 install jam wing nut 75 and tighten - up to spider assembly 71 . 20 line - up one cam pin 70 , which may be marked for this purpose , in relation to a correspondingly marked socket 86 on spider mounting frame 65 and install spider assembly 71 with tool joint pipe 38 as one unit and lock - in cams 63 . 21 tighten - up top jaws 40 by turning operating screws 48 a onto tool joint pipe 38 and align tool joint pipe 38 with alignment jaws 42 by turning operating screws 48 b . 23 unlock cams 63 and remove spider assembly 71 . 25 check alignment of pin seal faces by seal alignment jig 92 with alignment dials 94 , 96 and 98 . move seal alignment jig 92 until dials read “ 0 ” ( do not re - adjust dials ). 26 recut tool joint 38 ( face & amp ; chase operation or as step 4 ). 27 repeat steps 14 to 26 for another damaged tool joint pipe . a person skilled in the art could make immaterial modifications to the invention described in this patent document without departing from the essence of the invention that is intended to be covered by the scope of the claims that follow .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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referring to fig1 a typical air - breathing battery 10 comprises a sealed ( 16 ) outer casing 12 having a plurality of supply holes 14 for facilitating the infiltration of one or more gases ( e . g ., air ). before using the battery 10 to power a product or device , the seal 16 is removed such as by pulling on an integral tab 18 . this allows any surrounding atmospheric gases to contact an internal chemical substance via the now exposed supply holes 14 . that is , the supply holes 14 allow oxygen and other gases to reach a chemical ( e . g ., zinc ) thereby causing a chemical reaction , which generates electrical power . a number of chemicals and gases may be used without varying from the intent of the invention . as will be appreciated , if an over - supply of air reaches the chemical , a larger that necessary chemical reaction occurs , which reduces the operational lifetime of the battery . thus , exposing all of the supply holes 14 to the atmosphere results in the battery 10 self - discharging at a more rapid rate than if the air supply holes 14 were only partially exposed . this results in the battery 10 discharging more rapidly than necessary even when not powering a device or product . referring to fig2 the holes 14 &# 39 ; on the zinc - air battery 10 &# 39 ; may be selectively exposed on an incremental basis to limit self - discharge and maximum current drain . the number and size of the holes 14 &# 39 ; in zinc - air batteries determines the maximum current capability of the battery and the rate at which the battery will self - discharge . therefore , dividing the seal into a number of sections allows the number of air supply holes 14 &# 39 ; that are exposed to more clearly match the requirements of the device in which it is used ( e . g ., selective call receiver ). in the preferred embodiment , the method of sealing the air supply holes 14 &# 39 ; is accomplished by dividing the tape 16 &# 39 ; into an inner section 20 , a middle section 22 and an outer section 24 with tabs 26 , 28 , and 30 attached , respectively . the sections 20 , 22 and 24 may then be removed entirely or in combination to expose the air supply holes 14 &# 39 ; as required , thereby controlling the battery &# 39 ; s 10 &# 39 ; current capability and appropriately limiting the self - discharge rate . referring to fig3 an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown . the zinc - air battery 10 &# 34 ; also includes air supply holes 14 &# 34 ;. maximum current capability and maximum current drain are controlled by sealing the air supply holes 14 &# 34 ; with the tape 16 &# 34 ;. the tape 16 &# 34 ; is divided into a plurality of wedge - shaped sections 32 each having an integrated tab 18 &# 39 ;. the sections 32 may be selectively removed on an incremental basis to control the desired amount of chemical reaction and corresponding current . the size , shape , and number of the sections 32 used to seal the air supply holes 14 &# 34 ; may vary substantially without deviating from the intent of the invention . the primary objective is to be able to expose the least amount of air supply holes 14 &# 34 ; as possible , while maintaining a sufficient amount of power so as to operate a designated device .
| 7Electricity
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the method and apparatus of the present invention can be employed in the network arrangement that includes a proxy cache , such as that shown in fig1 . an example of the contents of a proxy cache are shown in fig2 . the cache may contain the resource , for example pages 1 , 2 and 3 ( 201 ), the source of each respective page , for example s 1 , s 2 , or s 3 ( 203 ) and whether the proxy cache believes that the information is valid or invalid ( 202 ). alternatively , the validity information could take the form of expiration time information . in accordance with the present invention when the proxy cache receives a request for a particular piece of information , say for example , page 1 , it examines whether the cache has a valid copy of the requested resource . if the cache does not have a valid copy then it will forward a request for that resource to the known source of the data , for example server s 1 . for purposes of discussion this will be referred to as the primary validation request . the proxy cache will also check its contents for other resources which have been downloaded from server s 1 . the proxy cache then creates a cache validation request referring to any one of these additional resources , or all of them , and piggybacks such a request onto the primary validation request . thus , when a subscriber requests a resource , such as a web page from a given server , say the proxy cache will then create a validation request relating to other resources contained in the cache that have the same server as their source even though the subscriber has not asked for that particular information . as a result , the proxy cache does not have to remain concerned that it has a specific expiration time associated with the cached data . instead , it can rely on the fact that multiple resources within the cache , such as documents stored in the cache , will be checked for freshness by requests generated to their respective sources as part of a piggyback request appended to a request generated by a subscriber . [ 0019 ] fig3 illustrates a process flow in connection with operating a proxy cache in accordance with an embodiment of the method of the present invention . the proxy cache first receives a request for a particular resource ( which could be a page , a document or some other type of data ), step 301 . the proxy cache determines whether the resource resides within the proxy cache by known methods , step 302 . if the resource resides in the proxy cache then the proxy cache determines whether it has an understanding of the validity or freshness of the document as cached , step 303 . if the document is valid then a copy of the document is sent back to the subscriber in response to the request , step 304 . if , however , in either step 302 or 303 the proxy cache determines that the document does not reside in the cache or that the document may not be valid , the proxy cache then constructs a request to the server which is the source for the document and asks for a copy of the document or whether the cached version is valid , step 305 . the proxy cache also identifies other documents or resources residing in the proxy cache which come from the same source as is associated with the requested document . the proxy cache then constructs validation requests for one or more or all of those cached documents associated with the particular server . at step 306 , these validation requests are piggybacked on the request to the server asking for the document associated with the request received in step 301 . the cache contents are then modified as required by response of the server to the piggyback validation request , step 307 . this modification may take the form of changing the cache &# 39 ; s contents to indicate that the documents are invalid in the cache thereby causing the cache to automatically call for the resource if a user subsequently requests that resource . alternatively , the cache may take the invalidity information and generate an update request with respect to those documents which are noted to be invalid , requesting a download of a fresh copy of the document so that the cache will store the most up - to - date version of the document that is available from the document source . it is noted that the network shown in fig1 is merely one example of a network in which the present invention might be employed . a proxy cache need not be associated with the local service provider . instead , the proxy cache may reside elsewhere on the network . furthermore , the format of the information in the proxy cache as shown by fig2 is merely meant as one example . alternative formats may be available . the key pieces of information relate to the actual data content itself and an identification of where the cache either received the data content from or must go to assure that the data content is the most up - to - date version of a particular document . with respect to the process flow described in relation to fig3 the applicants note that the present invention could be achieved in today &# 39 ; s data accessing protocol by constructing validation requests constituted by head request messages which will be attached to the request for an update relating the documents specifically requested by a user . for instance a “ get ” message could be sent for the specifically requested update and separate “ head request ” messages for each additional document of interest could be appended to the get message . in response to the head request the source returns a header of the identified document and the header indicates when that document was last modified . the proxy cache can then determine whether to ask for an update of any of the additional documents as well . the cache could generate the piggyback validation requests and associate them not only with the request for an update with respect to the initially requested document but alternatively could associate them with a validation request generated by the proxy server concerning the initially requested documents . in yet another alternative , the proxy cache may use some additional parameters to determine which documents stored in the cache should be the subject of piggyback validation requests . for example , the proxy cache may simply select those documents which have resided in the cache and have not been updated for some threshold period of time . alternatively , the proxy cache could select the “ n ” oldest document received from a given server and provide piggyback validation requests with regard to those n documents . in yet another modification the appended validation request could take the form of a new message ( for example a piggyback cache validation ( pcv ) header ) the sends information to the source about the documents of interest , such as the last modification on record in the cache . the source , in response to the message , would advise the cache whether it has the most up - to - date version of the document . if not the cache could request transmission of the updated version . thus , the new pcv message could achieve similar results using a different format while moving a freshness determination from the proxy cache to the source . the present invention thus provides an improved method and proxy cache for maintaining a proxy with strong cache coherency . it does so while avoiding the need to either complicate the monitoring capabilities of the server and without generating a multitude of validation requests and responses as is known in the prior art .
| 6Physics
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the primary goal of the present invention is to support individuals / families to take control of daily diabetes management fitting into an overall daily living routine incorporating general health habits , choices and behaviors . special focus is placed on developing the right habits , choices and behaviors that result in an individual &# 39 ; s capability to competently manage to achieve personal best diabetes and health outcomes . the individual is his or her own standard for evaluating overall health status , progress or destabilization of health . individual outcomes are also measured against established national standards of care and expected outcomes embedded in the application data collection and analysis processes to evaluate the narrowness or width of similarity or difference between individual outcomes and the standards of care . the present invention design , methodology and value in the market provides a real - time , streamlined process and system of data entry , analyses and immediate information feedback to prompt not only quick response / action to identified problems , outliers and adverse events in real - time but also documentation of the interrelationships among the daily core management elements ; meals / snacks , activity / exercise and medication and their effect on blood glucose values . methods of analyzed data / information presentation in the patterns module make interpretation easier to see the results of self - management ; areas of good management and where changes need to be made to achieve personal best outcomes . the present invention is designed to be used by people with all types of diabetes ; types 1 , 1 . 5 , 2 , gestational , mody ( maturity onset of diabetes in youth ) and lada ( latent autoimmune diabetes in adults ). in addition to the initial four modules ; settings , glucose , patterns and training ( tips ) modules , future modules are planned to address specific needs of people with associated conditions that must be managed with diabetes to stay on course and enjoy a desired quality of life with the foundation of a stable health status . individuals with diabetes , as a progressive disease , benefit from prospective planning and management to become or remain healthy tomorrow and into the future . the present invention offers individuals / families the hope and control of sustaining personal best diabetes and overall health outcomes over the life span . the design of the invention is mapped on the total daily activities required for competent self - management of diabetes . specific focus is on a system and method for detecting daily living habits and choices that contribute to blood glucose outlier patterns that eventually lead to serious systemic complications . the present invention is specifically designed to capture high and low blood glucose patterns and associated information as to frequency , timeframes , symptoms , cause , treatment , results and response time to return to a prescribed blood glucose target range . the target range is personalized and can be set by the individual / family in the settings module . each data point entered is time stamped . in one embodiment , shown in fig1 , the present invention streamlines and structures patient / family reporting on a smart device , e . g ., but not limited to , smart phone , to collect data / information related to the three interrelated daily management activities , i . e ., food intake , activities / exercise and medication to analyze their effect on blood glucose values . the present invention as a privately controlled , personal information application is designed to analyze and integrate blood glucose values with food intake , medications and exercise in multiple presentation formats including a 24 hour clock ( 12 hour am and pm clocks ) to demonstrate the results and response patterns of daily management . this information presentation of management results and patterns is a more familiar visual and understandable format than older methods of scatter grams , pie charts and bar graphs . the majority of individuals / families either can &# 39 ; t or have difficulty interpreting and transferring information in scatter grams , pie charts and bar graphs to daily management planning , decisions and actions . the 24 hour clock method of data / information presentation is designed to empower and support the patient and family to see and more easily interpret , through immediate information analysis and feedback , personal health patterns , habits , lifestyle choices and behaviors that result in the quality of health outcomes . the settings module contains historical baseline clinical data and demographics . the glucose module allows the individual / family to report blood glucose readings , e . g ., normal , high , low and wide swings between high and low values including in - depth , detailed and meaningful data associated with the readings . events associated with high , low or wide glucose swings are reported in the glucose module , specifically , the time of an event associated with an out - of - range glucose reading , the glucose reading ( s ), symptoms , possible causes , treatment , results and response time , i . e ., the time it took to return to the prescribed blood glucose target range and achieve a stable health status . examples of an event may be associated with , but are not limited to , intense exercise , too little exercise , sports , illness , infections , trauma , depression or psychological states such as depression . the present invention is designed to spot problems early and identify patterns that need evaluation for possible intervention and education to anticipate and prevent the same event from happening in the future . this is the anticipatory care function in the application . the anticipatory care function sets the stage for prospectively planning the future health pathway to achieve personal best health outcomes rather than leaving outcomes to chance . refer to fig3 and 4 for the following description . all data and information in the settings and glucose modules are immediately analyzed and results sent to the patterns module . patterns result from analysis of frequent reporting of meals / snacks , activities / exercise and medications to reflect their relationship and effect on blood glucose values and metabolic control . the training or tips module explains how to use the modules to assist in achieving competent management . detailed data is analyzed and presented in diverse presentation formats in the patterns module . immediate information feedback is accessible upon reporting outliers , problems or an adverse event . the patterns module highlights the daily as well as aggregate outcomes resulting from ineffective habits , choices and behaviors . interpretation of data / information is made easier through visualization of one &# 39 ; s patterns in various ways . the individual / family can see when to seek help or where to adjust diet , exercise , medications or a daily routine as needed to achieve blood glucose target range and good metabolic control . in one embodiment ( see fig1 ), the patterns module provides several ways to view the data and corresponding patterns including a pie chart that reports the percentage of time one is in high , low or normal blood glucose levels . also available is a vertical list of blood glucose readings , time stamped , with a timeframe ( before / after meals , daily activities , exercise , medications , bedtime , during sleep and random ). one can select to look at 10 , 14 and 30 days of blood glucose readings . the eye can quickly scan and see blood glucose trends . an am and pm clock provides a 24 hour detailed view of blood glucose levels , events , causes , symptoms , treatments and results in each marked time sector . the clock is designed to assist with easier interpretation of data and information the individual / family entered to reflect where best choices , habits and management are yielding the best outcomes and where improvements or changes may be needed to improve management and outcomes . blood glucose readings and related data : timing of food , activity , exercise and medications , are collected . if blood glucose readings are within a prescribed target range , also called “ normal ” for a given individual , then no further data is preferably collected . the assumption is that the individual is managing food , activity , exercise and medications to achieve blood glucose target range and good metabolic control , the latter , if about 85 % of the time . if blood glucose readings are not “ normal ,” the system captures measurements and the timeframes in which they occurred such as before or after meals , snacks , activities , exercise , and medications . the personal diabetes management program is meter agnostic . numbers data from all meters on the market can be entered manually or automatically . although there may be a downside of manually entering numbers due to human error , there are safeguards to collect as accurate information as humanly possible than can be used for effective self - management and communication of data and information to the healthcare team . these are : adequate education and demonstration of use and purpose of the program , immunoassay tests such as the hgba1c that reflects the level of blood glucose control and thereby determines metabolic control . meter specific uploads directly from a meter to the smart phone are also within the scope of the invention . the scope of the invention also includes data from continuous glucose monitoring ( cgm ) apparatus . such data may be transferred from the cgm apparatus via bluetooth or other transmission protocols . step 2 . data collection specific to blood glucose outliers , high or low outside the prescribed target range . in an embodiment , there are two pathways , color coded to enter outlier blood glucose data . orange is for high blood glucose outliers and violet for low blood glucose outliers . the color code for normal is blue . the user enters symptoms from a list of common symptoms for each high and low . the user enters “ other ” if the symptoms experienced are not on one of the lists . step 3 . pursuant to the pathway selected by entering a high or low blood glucose value , the individual is asked to identify and enter possible causes to orient one and raise consciousness as to why patterns of adverse events associated with high or low or wide swings in high and low blood glucose values are happening . step 4 . following on entering data for symptoms and possible causes , the individual decides to 1 ) call the doctor or team 2 ) determine the treatment to perform oneself 3 ) go to the er that may be followed by discharge following treatment or hospitalization depending on the individual &# 39 ; s stable or unstable status despite treatment . the actual treatment is entered . if the treatment is for high blood glucose , the treatment data can be entered at the time of treatment . if the treatment is for low blood glucose , treatment data is entered after returning to a stable state and target range blood glucose values since low blood glucose is always considered an emergency . the individual doesn &# 39 ; t use the system at or during a low blood glucose episode but is encouraged to enter the data after the fact to render the data in the patterns module as accurate as possible , for example , that the percentages for normal , high and low are accurate on the first screen in the patterns module . warnings related to high and low blood glucose values according to national standards of care are placed at critical points of data entry . for example , if a high blood glucose is 300 or above , the individual is advised to test for ketones . for low blood glucose levels an individual is advised that a low blood glucose value is always a medical emergency and should be treated immediately . data is entered after the fact . step 5 . actual results are entered with blood glucose reading and timeframe so it can be evaluated as to how long and how much treatment was required to return to an individual &# 39 ; s prescribed blood glucose target range from a high or low or wide swings between high and low blood glucose values . utilizing captured data to visualize patterns and better manage health status data entered in real - time in the glucose module is integrated with historical data from the health profiles in the settings module . the personal diabetes management program integrates the historical data in health profiles with the glucose module and sends it immediately to the patterns module for immediate information feedback . the value of the immediate feedback is to more easily see , using , without limitation , different visual techniques such as a pie chart , vertical lists of blood glucose readings and associated data and am and pm clocks , the effect of an individual or family &# 39 ; s results from self - management or interaction with the healthcare delivery system , i . e ., doctor / team , emergency room or hospital . in some cases the healthcare delivery system may be an urgent care , immediate care or outpatient clinic or services . the school system may be involved if the child is of school age and a blood glucose outlier and / or an adverse event happens during school hours . step 1 . the individual / family taps the patterns module icon and proceeds to select a specific time period to look at , interpret and evaluate the data in the patterns module for a specific blood glucose or for 10 , 14 or 30 days to be able to more easily see and interpret trends and patterns resulting from self - management of a daily routine of choices , habits and behaviors that affects diabetes and general health outcomes . the first screen in the patterns module shows the pie chart that has automatically been tracking all blood glucose values entered by the individual or family . the percentages of normal , high and low blood glucose readings are displayed in the pie chart in percent numbers and color coded : blue is normal , orange is high and low is violet to correlate with the blood glucose data entry pathways in the glucose module . this is to help the individual / family to visually follow and understand how to use and see the blood glucose pathways with their associated relevant data and timing : food , activity , exercise and medications . photo and audio data may also be accessed in the patterns module as a result of entering photos , text or verbal descriptions of food intake . the first screen , in addition to the pie chart , provides glucose reading detail , symptoms detail , cause detail , treatment detail and metabolic control . the glucose reading detail provides : date , time , gur ( glucose reading ), d ( determination , tf ( time frame ) and clk ( am and pm clocks ) the am and pm clocks serve to provide a 24 hour view of one &# 39 ; s management and results . the symptoms , cause and treatment screens provide date , time , symptoms , cause or treatment and the clock . step 2 . the clock when selected presents another method of visualizing patterns including specific outlier event data such as carbs , food ( photos , audio ), activities , exercise and medications , correlating them with specific blood glucose values . this is to give the individual / family an overall view of the total elements related to a high or low outlier blood glucose value . the goal is easier interpretation through this visual presentation to guide and help see where changes may need to be changed : diet , activity , exercise and / or medication ( s ), dose , time , type , route . specific days can be selected by pressing the + days or − days from a day being displayed . step 3 . select an event for a specific day from the clock to select a summary . symptoms , causes , or treatments can be drilled down for more details . the events and associated data points are collected and passed on to the pattern analyzer where they can be displayed . this results in a closed loop system , i . e ., an initial series of measurement events lead to a pattern that , in turn , leads to improvements which leads to another initial series of measurement events . the invention tailors the individual / family &# 39 ; s real time perspective and insight into self - care through data question sets . the invention then immediately analyzes and provides integrated information feedback on the management of the interrelationships of meals / snacks , activity / exercise and medications and their effect on blood glucose values that reflect self - management knowledge , competence and results . the result is to educate patients / families in real - time with immediate information feedback to augment learning and the best self - management strategies that yield the best results at a personal pace over time ; prompt and guide quick response and action to address and resolve health problems , adverse events or incorrect knowledge of management protocols to stay on course , i . e ., obviate veering off course . this is designed to teach to anticipate and prevent future problems , adverse events or inaccurate application of management protocols by immediately reflecting results in the patterns module . the clock charts are divided into sectors that enable the total data and results for each 24 hour period over 10 , 14 and 30 days . entire data sets , time stamped for each event associated with a timeframe ( before / after meals , exercise , medications ) and an outlier blood glucose value , including carbs , food intake , activity / exercise , medications causes , treatments , results and response time are used . the clock is designed to help the individual / family to detect patterns more easily . in an embodiment , the invention displays a graphic that shows the variation of blood glucose levels over time and overlays various events such as carbohydrate intake , exercise , basal insulin administration , and bolus insulin administration . the duration of effect of these events is preferably adjustable by the user . other events may be included by the user . the effect of stress and illness , e . g ., may also be displayed . events are of two types : ( 1 ) causal events and ( 2 ) adverse events . the primary causal events are the administration of bolus insulin , administration of basal insulin , and exercise . causal events are events that force or drive the blood glucose level ( as manifested by the reading of the blood glucose level ). other causal events include , but are not limited to , stress or illness . adverse events are events that are a consequence of causal events . unscheduled doctor visits , times in a hospital , number of out of range conditions per month , etc . described in this document under the heading of metabolic control . the reason adverse events are important is because the pwd needs to eliminate or a least minimize adverse events for better health . duration is the length of an event . we have used exercise as example . a pwd can exercise for 1 hour or 2 hours , etc . we show this on the chart as an extended dot that represents duration . duration effect , in our terminology “ pigtail ,” is the lingering effect of an event on the blood glucose level . this effect is after the event and usually starts at the end of the event duration . for example , the duration effect of food starts with the last bite but the pwd may have a meal duration of 30 minutes . as pointed out in this document , the shape of the duration effect on the chart can be linear or vary over time . blood glucose readings were taken at discrete intervals ( e . g ., by finger pricks ). carbohydrates , bolus insulin , and basal insulin were administered at the times shown in table 1 . the patient exercised moderately for the duration shown in table 1 . the pigtail effect ( i . e ., duration of effect ) of exercise was set to “ moderate ” ( 2 hours ). the bottom line 10 represents the date and time line . the small squares 12 represent the blood glucose measurement . the horizontal lines 14 ( pigtails ) associated with carbs , bolus and basal medication doses represent the time of effectiveness , which is assumed to be linear . this shows the relationship to the blood glucose readings . the dots represent the time administered . exercise duration is shown as an extended dot 16 of uniform thickness . the effect of exercise is shown as an extended line 18 ( a pigtail ) of different thickness . the dotted horizontal lines 20 represent the target range for blood glucose readings . this patent application does not cover the calculation of the length of the pigtails but possible settings are , without limitation , as follows . all of these parameters and others may be used to set the pigtail values . moderate — pigtail equal to 2 times duration intense — pigtail equal to 4 times duration strenuous — pigtail equal to 6 times duration . the time duration of rapid and long acting insulin is published , as part of the fda required documentation for approval . mealtime digestion range is 2 - 4 hours , excluding extenuation due to “ re - feeding .” in adults , the development of autonomic gastroparesis leads to delayed gastric emptying . the literature states that it can cause continued emptying after 4 hours but the endpoint is not defined . the consistent “ all done ” criteria is 4 hours . normal individuals will digest a meal in 2 hours . high fat content in a meal is known to “ delay ” gastric emptying . this is well described for “ pizza ” that allows for around 50 % of the carbohydrate to be absorbed in 2 hours and the rest in another 2 hours that usually begins at + 3 hours from starting the ingestion of food . impact of exercise varies with individuals but some published articles provide general suggestions . see , e . g ., “ insulin dose adjustment and exercise in type 1 diabetes : what do we tell the patient ,” alistair n . lumb and ian w . gallen , the british journal of diabetes and vascular disease , vol . 9 , no . 6 , november / december 2009 ; “ glucose requirements to maintain euglycemia after moderate - intensity afternoon exercise in adolescents with type 1 diabetes are increased in a biphasic manner ,” sarah k . mcmahon et . al ., the journal of clinical endocrinology & amp ; metabolism 92 ( 3 ) 963 - 968 , march 2007 . the effect of stress and illness is quite variable . this will be displayed at the discretion of the pwd : infectious diseases , medical intervention with drugs known to antagonize the effect of insulin [ e . g . prednisone , albuterol , etc ], menstrual cycle events , surgery , anesthesia , etc . blood glucose readings were taken continuously using a medtronic solutions continuous glucose monitoring system ( cgms ) ipro model 2 . 0a . finger pricks were taken at discrete intervals to calibrate the cgms . fig9 shows a representation of a relationship graph from the results . the small squares 12 represent these discrete calibration measurements . output 22 from the cgms is overlaid on the graph . the data for carbs , bolus insulin , and basal insulin is the same as in table 1 . the patient exercised moderately for the duration shown in table 1 . blood glucose readings were taken at discrete intervals ( e . g ., by finger pricks ). carbohydrates , bolus insulin , and basal insulin were administered at the times shown in table 1 . the patient exercised moderately for the duration shown in table 1 . fig1 shows a representation of a relationship graph from the results . unlike experiments 1 and 2 , the time of administration and duration of effect of carbohydrates and bolus insulin is calculated from generally accepted parameters and shown 24 as variable over time . the amount of carbohydrates , bolus insulin , and basal insulin is the same as table 1 . blood glucose readings were taken continuously using a medtronic solutions continous glucose monitoring system ( cgms ) ipro model 2 . 0a . finger pricks were taken at discrete intervals to calibrate the cgms . the small squares represent these discrete calibration measurements . output from the cgms is overlaid on the graph . unlike experiments 1 and 2 , the time of administration and duration of effect of carbs and bolus insulin is calculated from generally accepted parameters and shown as variable over time . the amount of carbohydrates , bolus insulin , and basal insulin is the same as table 1 . the patient exercised moderately for the duration shown in table 1 . in order to compare fig9 - 11 , which are based on data from a patient , with normal data , a prospective experiment was carried out . blood glucose readings , carbohydrates , exercise , basal insulin , and bolus insulin values were set to show what a graphic would look like in the case of a patient whose blood glucose readings are optimal with respect to the other parameters . unless otherwise defined , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention , suitable methods and materials are described below . all publications , patent applications , patents , and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations . in case of conflict , the present specification , including definitions , will control . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof , and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention .
| 6Physics
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the present invention provides a particle sorting system for sorting particles suspended in a liquid . the particle sorting system provides high - throughput , low error sorting of particles based on a predetermined characteristic . the present invention will be described below relative to illustrative embodiments . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be implemented in a number of different applications and embodiments and is not specifically limited in its application to the particular embodiments depicted herein . fig1 shows a schematic of a particle sorting system according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention . according to one application of the present invention , a particle sorting system 10 comprises a closed channel system of capillary size for sorting particles . the channel system comprises a first supply duct 12 for introducing a stream of particles 18 and a second supply duct 14 for supplying a carrier liquid . the first supply duct 12 forms a nozzle 12 a , and a stream of particles is introduced into the flow of carrier liquid . the first supply duct 12 and the second supply duct 14 enter a measurement duct 16 for conveying the particles suspended in the carrier liquid , which branches into a first branch 22 a and a second branch 22 b at a branch point 21 . a measurement region 20 is defined in the measurement duct 16 and is associated with a detector 19 to sense a predetermined characteristic of particles in the measurement region 20 . two opposed of bubble valves 100 a and 100 b are positioned in communication with the measurement duct 16 and are spaced opposite each other . the bubble valves 100 a , 100 b communicate with the measurement duct 16 through a pair of opposed side passages 24 a and 24 b , respectively . liquid is allowed to partly fill these side passages 24 a and 24 b to form a meniscus 25 therein . the meniscus defines an interface between the carrier liquid and a gas in the reservoir of the associated bubble valve 100 . an external actuator 26 is also provided for actuating the first bubble valves 100 a , which momentarily causes a flow disturbance in the duct to deflect the flow therein when activated by the actuator 26 . the second bubble valve 100 b serves as a buffer for absorbing the pressure pulse created by the first bubble valve 100 a . the first side passage 24 a is hydraulically connected to a compression chamber 70 a in the first bubble valve 100 a , so that if the pressure in this chamber is increased , the flow in the measurement duct near the side passage is displaced inwards , substantially perpendicular to the normal flow in the duct . the second side passage 24 b , positioned opposite of the first side passage 24 a is hydraulically connected to a buffer chamber 70 b in the second bubble valve 100 b for absorbing pressure transients . this second side passage 24 b co - operates with the first side passage 24 a to direct the before mentioned liquid displacement caused by pressurizing the compression chamber 70 a , so that the displacement has a component perpendicular to the normal flow of the particles through the measurement duct . upon pressurizing the compression chamber 70 a an amount of liquid is transiently discharged from the first side passage 24 a . the resiliency of the second side passage 24 b results upon a pressurized discharge , in a transient flow of the liquid in the duct into the second side passage 24 a . the co - operation of the two side passages and the fluidic structures they interconnect causes the flow through the measurement duct 16 to be transiently moved sideways back and forth upon pressurizing and depressurising of the compression chamber 70 a induced by the external actuator 26 in response to the signal raised by the detection means 19 . this transient liquid displacement , having a component perpendicular to the normal flow in the duct , can be applied in deflecting particles having predetermined characteristics to separate them from the remaining particles in the mixture . as shown , the measurement duct 16 branches at the branch point 21 into two branches 22 a , 22 b and the flow rates in these branches are adjusted so that the particles normally stream through the second of the two branches 22 b . the angle between the branches 22 a , 22 b is between 0 and 180 degrees , preferably between 10 and 45 degrees . however , the angle can even be 0 degrees , which corresponds to two parallel ducts with a straight separation wall between them . the particles to be sorted are preferably supplied to a measurement position in a central fluid current , which is surrounded by a particle free liquid sheath . the process of confining a particle stream is known , and often referred to as a ‘ sheath flow ’ configuration . normally confinement is achieved by injecting a stream of suspended particles through a narrow outlet nozzle into a particle free carrier liquid flowing in the duct 16 . by adjusting the ratio of flow rates of the suspension and carrier liquid , the radial confinement in the duct as well as the inter particle distance can be adjusted . a relative large flow rate of the carrier liquid results in a more confined particle stream having a large distance between particles . in a suspension introduced by the first supply duct 12 , two types of particles can be distinguished , normal particles 18 a and particles of interest 18 b . upon sensing the predetermined characteristic in a particle 18 b in the measurement region 20 , the detector 19 raises a signal . the external actuator 26 activates the first actuator bubble valve 100 a , when signaled by the detector 19 in response to sensing the predetermined characteristic , to create a flow disturbance in the measurement duct 16 between the side passages 24 a , 24 b . the flow disturbance deflects the particle 18 b having the predetermined characteristic so that it flows down the first branch duct 22 a rather than the second branch duct 22 b . the detector communicates with the actuator 26 , so that when the detector 19 senses a predetermined characteristic in a particle , the actuator activates the first bubble valve 100 a to cause pressure variations in the reservoir 70 a of the first bubble valve . the activation of the first bubble valves deflects the meniscus 25 a in the first bubble valve 100 a and causes a transient pressure variation in the first side passage 24 a . the second side passage 24 b and the second bubble valve 100 b absorb the transient pressure variations in the measurement duct 16 induced via the actuator 26 . basically , the reservoir 70 b of the second bubble valve 100 b is a buffer chamber having a resilient wall or containing a compressible fluid , such as a gas . the resilient properties allow the flow of liquid from the measurement duct into the second side passage 24 b , allowing the pressure pulse to be absorbed and preventing disturbance to the flow of the non - selected particles in the stream of particles . at the measurement region 20 , individual particles are inspected , using a suitable sensor means 19 , for a particular characteristic , such as size , form , fluorescent intensity etc . examples of applicable sensing means , known in the art , are various types of optical detection systems such as microscopes , machine vision systems and electronic means for measuring electronic properties of the particles . particularly well known systems in the field are systems for measuring the fluorescent intensity of particles . these systems comprise a light source having a suitable wavelength for inducing fluorescence and a detection system for measuring the intensity of the induced fluorescent light . this approach is often used in combination with particles that are labelled with a fluorescent marker , i . e . an attached molecule that upon illuminating with light of a particular first wavelength produces light at another particular second wavelength ( fluorescence ). if this second wavelength light is detected , the characteristic is sensed and a signal is raised . other examples include the measurement of light scattered by particles flowing through the measurement region . interpreting the scattering yield information on the size and form of particles , which can be adopted to raise a signal when a predetermined characteristic is detected . the actuator 26 for pressurizing the compression chamber of the first bubble valve may comprise an external actuator that responds to a signal from the sensor that a particle has a selected predetermined characteristic . there are two classes of external actuators that are suitable for increasing the pressure . the first class directly provides a gas pressure to the liquid in the first side passage 24 a . for example , the actuator may comprise a source of pressurized gas connected with a switching valve to the liquid column in the side passage 24 a . activation of the switch connects the passage to the source of pressurized gas , which deflects the meniscus in the liquid . upon deactivation , the switch connects the passage 24 a back to the normal operating pressure . alternatively , a displacement actuator may be used in combination with a closed compression chamber having a movable wall . when the displacement actuator displaces the wall of the compression chamber inward , the pressure inside increases . if the movable wall is displaced back to the original position , the pressure is reduced back to the normal operating pressure . an example of a suitable displacement actuator is an electromagnetic actuator , which causes displacement of a plunger upon energizing a coil . another example is the use of piezoelectric material , for example in the form of a cylinder or a stack of disks , which upon the application of a voltage produces a linear displacement . both types of actuators engage the movable wall of the compression chamber 70 to cause pressure variations therein . fig2 – 4 illustrate the switching operation of switch 40 in the particle sorting system 10 of fig1 . in fig2 , the detector 19 senses the predetermined characteristic in a particle and raises a signal to activate the actuator 26 . upon activation of the actuator , the pressure within the reservoir 70 a of the first bubble valve 100 a is increased , deflecting the meniscus 25 a and causing a transient discharge of liquid from the first side passage 24 a , as indicated by the arrow . the sudden pressure increase caused at this point in the duct causes liquid to flow into the second side passage 24 b , because of the resilient properties of the reservoir of the second bubble valve 100 b . this movement of liquid into the second side passage 24 b is indicated with an arrow . as a result , as can be seen in the figure , the flow through the measurement duct 16 is deflected , causing the selected particle of interest 18 b located between the first side passage 24 a and the second side passage 24 b to be shifted perpendicular to its flow direction in the normal state . the flow resistances to the measurement duct 16 , the first branch 22 a and the second branch 22 b is chosen so that the preferred direction of the flow to and from the first side passage 24 a and the second side passage 24 b has an appreciable component perpendicular to the normal flow through the measurement duct 16 . this goal can for instance be reached by the first branch 22 a and the second branch 22 b so that their resistances to flow is large in comparison with the flow resistances of the first side passage 24 a and the second side passage 24 b . fig3 shows the particle sorting system 10 during the relief of the first bubble valve reservoir when the particle of interest 18 b has left the volume between the first side passage 24 a and the second side passage 24 b . the actuator 26 is deactivated , causing the pressure inside the reservoirs 70 a , 70 b to return to the normal pressure . during this relief phase there is a negative pressure difference between the two reservoirs 70 a , 70 b of the bubble valves , causing a liquid flow through the first side passage 24 a and the second side passage 24 b opposite to the liquid flow shown in the previous figure and as indicated by the arrows . fig4 illustrates the particle sorting system 10 after completion of the switching sequence . the pressures inside the reservoirs of the bubble valves are equalized , allowing the flow through the measurement duct 16 to normalize . as the particle of interest 18 b has been displaced radially , it will flow into the first branch 22 a , while the other particle continue to flow into the second branch 22 b , thereby separating the particles based on the predetermined characteristic . this process of detecting and selective deflecting of particles may be repeated many times per second for sorting particles at a high rate . adopting the fluid switching as described , switching operations may be executed up to around several thousand switching operations per second , yielding sorting rates in the order of million sorted particles per hour . according to another embodiment of the invention , the actuator bubble valve 100 a and the buffer bubble valve 100 b may be placed in different positions . for example , as shown in fig5 , the actuator bubble valve 100 a and the first side passage 24 a and / or the buffer bubble valve 100 b and the second side passage 24 b may be place upstream from the branch point 21 . the components may be placed in any suitable location , such that the flow resistance between the actuator chamber 70 a and the buffer chamber 70 b is less than the flow resistance between any of these latter components and other pressure sources . more particularly , the actuator chamber 70 a and the buffer chamber 70 b may be placed such that the flow resistance between them is less than the flow resistance between a selected particle and a subsequent particle in the stream of particles . the positioning of the components in this manner thus prevents a pressure wave generated by the above described method of deflecting a single selected particle , from travelling upstream or downstream and affecting the flow of the remaining particles in the stream of particles . the larger the difference in flow resistances , the larger the level of isolation of the fluidic switching operation with associated pressure transients from the flow characteristics in the rest of the system . moreover , the in - situ dampening of generated pressure pulses applied for sorting allows the implementation of sorting networks comprising a plurality of switches 40 , each of which is hydraulically and pneumatically isolated from the others . according to another embodiment , shown in fig6 , the particle sorting system of the invention may use any suitable pressure wave generator ( in place of a bubble valve ) in combination with the buffer bubble valve 100 b . for example , the pressure wave generator 260 may comprise an actuator such as a piezoelectric column or a stepper motor , provided with a plunger that can act upon the flowing liquid , either directly or via deflection of the channel system , to selectively deflect particles when the actuator is activated by a signal . other suitable pressure wave generators include electromagnetic actuators , thermopneumatic actuators and a heat pulse generator for generating vapor bubbles in the flowing liquid by applying heat pulses . the buffer bubble valve 100 b is positioned to absorb the pressure wave created by the pressure wave generator 260 to prevent flow disturbance in the other particles of the particle stream . the spring constant of the buffer 100 b may be varied according to the particular requirements by varying the volume of the buffer chamber 70 b , the cross - sectional area of the side passage 24 b and / or the stiffness or the thickness of a flexible membrane ( reference 72 in fig7 ) forming the buffer chamber 70 b . fig7 illustrates an embodiment of a bubble valve 100 suitable for creating a pressure pulse to separate particles of interest from other particles in a stream of particles and / or acting as a buffer for absorbing a pressure pulse according to the teachings of the present invention . as shown , the bubble valve 100 is formed adjacent to a side passage 24 a or 24 b formed in a substrate which leads to the measurement duct 16 . the side passage 24 a includes a fluid interface port 17 formed by an aperture in the side wall of the passage . a sealed compression chamber 70 is positioned adjacent to the side passage 24 a and communicates with the side passage through the fluid interface port . the illustrative chamber 70 is formed by a seal 71 and a flexible membrane 72 . the carrier fluid in the side passage 24 a forms a meniscus 25 at the interface between the side passage and the chamber . the actuator 26 depresses the flexible membrane to increase the pressure in the chamber , which deflects the meniscus and causes a pressure pulse in the carrier fluid . fig8 shows a sorting module 50 having an appropriate supply duct 52 for providing a stream of particles to be sorted as well as an outlet duct 54 and a second outlet duct 56 carrying the particles sorted in the sorting module 50 . the sorting module 50 comprises detector system 19 for sensing particles entering the sorting module 50 via the supply duct 52 operationally connected to a switch 40 for providing the required switching capabilities to sort particles . the first branch 22 b and second branch 22 a are in fluidic connection with the outlet duct 54 and second outlet duct 56 . fig9 shows a particle sorting system 500 according to an alternate embodiment of the invention , comprising a plurality of sorting module 50 operating in parallel . the individual outlet duct 54 of the sorting module 50 are forwarded to a first combined outlet 58 , the individual second outlet duct 56 are forwarded to a second combined outlet 60 . the parallel arrangement of sorting modules yields a system of combined sorting module 50 having an overall sorting rate of n times the sorting rate of an individual sorting module 50 , where n is the number of parallel connected sorting module 50 . fig1 shows a particle sorting system 550 according to another embodiment , comprising a first sorting module 50 a and a second sorting module 50 b in series with the first sorting module 50 a . the second sorting module 50 b may be equipped for sorting out particles having a predetermined characteristic different than the predetermined characteristic of the particles sorted out by the first sorting module 50 a . the particle stream enters the first sorting module 50 a through the supply duct 52 and may contain at least two types of particles . a first type of particles is sorted out in the first sorting module 50 a and leaves through the first outlet duct 54 a . the remaining particles leave the first sorting module 50 a through second outlet duct 56 a and are fed into the second sorting module 50 b via the second supply duct 52 b . from this stream of particles , particles having the other predetermined characteristic are sorted out and leave through the second outlet duct 54 b . particles that posses neither of the two predetermined characteristics leave the second sorting module 50 b via the second outlet duct 56 b . fig1 shows a hierarchical architecture for high throughput - low error sorting according to another embodiment of the invention . the embodiment shown is a two - stage particle sorting system 800 for sorting a plurality of parallel particles streams in a first stage , aggregating the outputs of the first stage and then performing a secondary sorting process on the output of the first stage . an input stream of particles in suspension 80 from a particle input chamber 88 is split among n single sorting channels 81 a – 81 n , each channel being capable of sorting a selected number of particles per second . each channel 81 includes a detection region 84 for examining the particles and identifying particles that have a predetermined characteristic and a switching region 82 for separating the particles having the predetermined characteristic from the other particles in the stream , as described above . the switching region 82 produces two output streams of particles : a “ selected ” stream and a “ rejected ” stream in its switching region 82 based on the measured particle characteristics at the detection region 84 . the “ selected ” streams from each channel are aggregated in an aggregation region 86 into one stream to be sorted again in a secondary sorting channel 810 . as shown , the secondary sorting channel 810 repeats the sorting process of detecting and sorting based on a predetermined characteristic . given that each single channel sorting process produces some error ( y ) rate ( y is a probability less than one of a particle being “ selected ” by mistake ) of mistaken selections , the hierarchical architecture produces an lower error rate of y 2 for a 2 - stage hierarchy as drawn or y n for an n - stage hierarchy . for example , if the single channel error rate is 1 % the 2 - stage error rate is 0 . 01 % or one part in 10 4 . alternatively , the architecture could have m primary sets of n sorting channels per secondary channel . given that the application wants to capture particles that have a presence in the input at rate z and single channel sorters have a maximum sorting rate x particles per second . the system throughput is m * n * x in particles per second . the number of particles aggregated in n channels per second is n * x * z and so n * z must be less than 1 so that all particles aggregated from n channels can be sorted by a single secondary channel . to increase throughput above n = 1 / z one must add parallel groups of n primary + 1 secondary channels . overall throughput then comes from m * n * x with m secondary channels . fig1 show a parallel - serial particle sorting system 160 according to another embodiment of the invention . the parallel - serial particle sorting system 160 includes a first parallel sorting module 161 and a second parallel sorting module 162 . the first sorting module 161 is applied in multiple marked particles and particles having both markers are sorted out and conveyed through the exit channel 165 . fig1 shows another parallel - serial particle sorting system 170 . the first parallel sorting module 171 separates particles having a first marker , collects the particles from the different channels and conveys the particles having the first marker through the first exit channel 175 . all other particles are then fed into a second parallel sorter 172 for sorting particles having a second marker . the particles having the second marker are collected and conveyed through a second exit channel 176 . particles having neither the first marker nor the second marker are conveyed through a third exit channel 177 . the present invention has been described relative to an illustrative embodiment . since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention , it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . it is also to be understood that the following claims are to cover all generic and specific features of the invention described herein , and all statements of the scope of the invention which , as a matter of language , might be said to fall therebetween .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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in oceanographic research , marine seismology and underwater search operations , it is often necessary to suspend apparatus such as instruments like sensors , lights or cameras from a cable in a liquid . as shown in fig1 delivery of such apparatus to a desired location is commonly accomplished in a drop package 10 which can be thrown from a ship or airplane to the surface 12 of the liquid 14 such as an ocean , with a parachute 16 being utilized when the latter is the case . upon impact with the surface 12 , the drop package 10 deploys a cable assembly 18 from which the apparatus is ideally suspended along a vertical axis , as shown in fig2 . the cable assembly 18 of fig2 is commonly known and is supported by an elastic cable 20 that connects to a flotation device 22 having communications equipment thereon from which an antenna 24 extends . a negatively buoyant isolation mass 26 may be utilized for interconnecting the cable assembly 18 to the elastic cable 20 . in the cable assembly 18 , a non - elastic cable 28 is affixed to at least one instrument 30 , such as a sensor , and has a negatively buoyant isolation mass 32 connected at the free end thereof . of course , signal wires ( not shown ) are connected between the communications equipment on the flotation device 22 and the instruments 30 which are each precisely spaced in the vertical alignment at a stratum parallel to the ocean surface 12 . the elasticity of cable 20 and the magnitudes of the masses 26 and 32 are selected to substantially maintain the vertical position or stratum of each instrument 30 in the ocean 14 when the surface 12 swells to impose lift forces on the flotation device 22 . of course , those skilled in the art will understand without further explanation that this is accomplished due to the momentum of the masses 26 and 32 that substantially establish a position or mechanical ground from which the elastic cable 20 can extend in length to compensate for increases in the height of the surface 12 . although the elastic cable 20 and the masses 26 and 32 help somewhat to maintain the stability of the cable assembly 18 in the vertical direction when flow fields caused by currents in the ocean 14 are impressed thereagainst , they are of little help when flow fields of substantial magnitude are encountered . the cable assembly 18 will stream or tilt as illustrated in fig3 when a significant flow field is encountered . as is typical , the velocity of the currents in the flow field generally decrease with increasing depth of the ocean 14 and the drift velocity of the cable assembly 18 will be less than the velocity of the currents in the flow field because of its drag characteristic in the direction thereof . this differential velocity results in vortex shedding from the cable 28 which is strummed thereby to cause vibratory motion therein . such motions not only varies the position of the instruments 30 in the ocean 14 , but also causes spurious signals to be generated when the instruments 30 are piezoelectric device for monitoring parameters such as pressure or acceleration . various embodiments of the invention are illustrated in fig4 where at least one instrument 30 is affixed to the cable assembly 18 at some stratum along the vertical axis thereof . in one embodiment , means 40 for enclosing about the cable 28 along the vertical axis is disposed to isolate it from the flow field of the ocean 14 . because of this isolation , votex shedding does not occur on the cable 28 and therefor , the vibratory motion which normally accompanies such shedding is precluded . to implement the enclosing means 40 in a preferred embodiment of the invention , at lease one sleeve 42 of nonporous material , such as rip stop nylon or plastic , is substantially disposed cylindrically about the cable 28 . upon deployment of the cable assembly 18 , the sleeve 42 fills from either or both ends thereof with ocean water which remains substantially stagnant therein . consequently , no vortex shedding occurs from the cable 28 to result in strumming because the flow field is isolated therefrom . also , the sleeve 42 will present substantial rigidity in the ocean 14 and therefore , less tilt will be encountered by the cable assembly 18 . this is so because forces developed against the sleeve 42 by the flow field will be distributed substantially along the entire length thereof . furthermore , due to the greater diameter of the sleeve 42 relative to the cable 28 , greater drag will be encountered therewith to result in less drift being encountered by the cable assembly 18 in the ocean 14 . those skilled in the art will appreciate without any further explanation that the sleeve 42 is particularly appropriate for accomplishing these advantages when a very small diameter optical fiber is utilized as the cable 28 . as shown in fig5 and 6 , the sleeve 42 does not have to be cylindrical and in other preferred embodiments , it can be faired along its length to serve as an orientation vane which maintains the position thereof relative to the flow field in the ocean 14 . of course , when faired , the sleeve 42 may have any cross - sectional configuration , for example , that of a tear drop as shown in fig5 or a wedge as shown in fig6 . also , the cable 28 need not be concentrically located within the sleeve 42 , as illustrated in fig6 . furthermore , where greater tilt can be tolerated , a plurality of sleeves 42 may be disposed along the vertical axis of the cable assembly 18 , such as by having each sleeve 42 individually enclose one segment of the cable 28 which extends between the instruments 30 . in another embodiment of the invention , a means 44 for precluding flow through the sleeve 42 can be incorporated to produce substantial drag when forces are applied to move the cable assembly 18 in either vertical direction through the liquid . because of this drag , the cable assembly 18 will tend to stay motionless by resisting gravitational forces when the surface level of the ocean 14 decreases or by resisting pull forces to extend the elastic cable 20 when the surface level of the ocean 14 increases . to implement the flow precluding means 44 in one embodiment of the invention , a hydraulic valve 46 is disposed in one end of each sleeve 42 . this valve 46 is controlled to permit flow of the ocean water into the sleeve 42 during deployment of the instruments 30 . of course , those skilled in the art will understand without further explanation that such control of the valve 46 could be via an electrical signal from the communications equipment on the flotation device 22 . where the cable assembly 18 has only a marginally negative buoyancy , the gravitation forces when the surface level of the ocean 14 decreases are of little concern . consequently , each valve 46 could be a mechanical check type disposed to permit flow through the sleeves 42 in only one direction with inflow at the bottom end thereof and discharge at the top end . furthermore , a permanent cap ( not shown ) at either or both ends of the sleeves 42 could also be utilized in other embodiments of the invention . of course when such permanent caps are utilized , flow into the sleeve 42 during deployment must be provided for through the sleeve wall , such as with holes or slots disposed in close proximity to the permanent caps . of course , each sleeve 42 must be secured relative to the cable 28 , which can be accomplished in many different ways within the scope of the invention . because it is desirable to pack or fold the sleeves 42 into the drop package 10 , size reducible combinations of hoops 50 and cross - members 52 made of resilient material such as plastic or metal would be utilized at each end of th sleeves 42 , in the preferred embodiments of the invention . one such embodiment is illustrated in fig7 wherein a single sleeve 42 is cut away to show the cable 28 passing therethrough and a single instrument 30 disposed therein . cable 28 passes through each cross - member 52 and is attached thereto as shown at locations 56 . due to the resilient nature of the hoops 50 and cross - members 52 , each sleeve 42 is urged to unfold about the cable 28 upon deployment of the instruments 30 from the drop package 10 . the sleeves 42 may be of any length or periphery and if necessary , other combinations of hoops 50 and cross - members 52 may be utilized at intermittent locations between the ends thereof . those skilled in the art will appreciate without any further explanation that many modifications and variations are possible to the above disclosed cable assembly embodiments within the concept of this invention . consequently , it should be understood that all such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the following claims .
| 6Physics
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in the following detailed description , reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof , and in which is shown by way of illustration specific illustrative embodiments in which the method and system may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical , mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense . embodiments of the present invention provide for an apparatus for troubleshooting a computer system . the apparatus monitors the computer system to obtain diagnostic data . the apparatus includes a wireless device for wireless transmission of the diagnostic data from the apparatus to a remote computer for analyzing . referring to fig1 , one embodiment of a vehicle 100 having a diagnostic system 102 that accumulates information for diagnostic evaluation of computers within vehicle 100 is illustrated . diagnostic system 102 accumulates diagnostic data pertaining to the operating parameters , operating history , and status of computers that are used to operate vehicle 100 . in one embodiment , diagnostic data is software code obtained when a source code trace is used to debug software for a controller . software , as used herein , refers to computer software , firmware , or any other code for operating on a processor , microprocessor , or the like . for example , while vehicle 100 is in operation , system 102 is monitoring a controller for controlling the automatic pilot for vehicle 100 . data obtained while monitoring the controller is stored by system 102 for use in troubleshooting any errors that may have occurred while the automatic pilot was in operation . when vehicle 100 is within wireless transmission range of a terminal gate 104 , the data obtained is transmitted to an access point 106 on gate 104 . the access point 106 is connected to a network such that the data can be transported over the network . although in fig1 vehicle 100 is illustrated as an aircraft , the present invention is not intended to be so limited and can include other vehicles , such as automobiles , buses , semis , water vessels , trains , and the like . referring now to fig2 , one embodiment of an apparatus 200 including diagnostic system 102 is illustrated . fig2 illustrates a block diagram of functional components that operate within apparatus 200 . apparatus 200 includes an operating system 202 which includes a controller 203 to control multiple software process ( tasks ) 204 , 205 , 206 . processes 204 - 206 control aspects of the operation of vehicle 100 . apparatus 200 also includes diagnostic system 102 . diagnostic system 102 includes a memory device 208 , a wireless communication device 210 , and diagnostic software 212 . both controller 203 and diagnostic software 212 are run by operating system 202 . thus , in this embodiment , operating system 202 controls both the processes 204 - 206 which operate vehicle 100 as well as diagnostic system 102 which monitors processes 204 - 206 . as an example , system 102 may include a memory having stored program instructions which are executable by operating system 202 . in an alternative embodiment , diagnostic system 102 is a stand - alone unit and is separate from operating system 202 . as vehicle 100 is operated , processes 204 - 206 operate controlling their respective aspects of vehicle 100 . while processes 204 - 206 are operating , diagnostic system 102 monitors processes 204 - 206 and obtains data regarding the operation of those process 204 - 206 . as the data is obtained , diagnostic system 102 stores the data onto memory device 208 . the data is stored so that it is available for use later to troubleshoot problems with processes 204 - 206 . for example , in one embodiment , process 204 operates the automatic pilot for vehicle 100 . when an operator of vehicle 100 initiates the automatic pilot , operating system 202 starts process 204 and also begins recording data regarding process 204 . if the automatic pilot fails during operation , a technician can obtain the data stored regarding process 204 and review the data to diagnose any problems with process 204 . in one embodiment , memory device 208 is a removable memory device , which allows a technician to remove the memory and analyze the data . in an alternative embodiment , memory device 208 is an internal permanently mounted memory device . since many vehicles are operated without a technician nearby , storing data for the technician to review is important in order to reduce the time and difficulty in troubleshooting the system . in currently available systems , therefore , when a vehicle is brought to an area in which the technician can diagnose the problem , the technician physically access the system in order to diagnose the problem . further , in many situations the technician must analyze the data in a location that is remote to the location of the vehicle . thus , the data must be accessed at the vehicle and physically transported to the location where the analyzing will take place . this increases the time required to diagnose the problem . any time spent diagnosing the problem is downtime in which the vehicle cannot be used . reducing down time for a vehicle improves productivity and is important , especially if the vehicle is a commercial vehicle . to reduce the time and difficulty in diagnosing these systems , in diagnostic system 102 , the data is wirelessly accessible from diagnostic system 102 . wireless accessibility is provided by wireless communication device 210 . in one embodiment , wireless communication device 210 is a pcmcia wireless lan card . here , wireless communication device 210 is an inexpensive off - the - shelf component , which enables easy installation , replacement , and configuration . in an alternative embodiment , wireless communication device 210 is a permanently mounted wireless device . in a preferred embodiment , wireless device 210 is an ip based device which connects and transmits data over a lan connection . advantageously , an ip based device allows diagnostic system 102 to easily connect to existing networks and to easily transmit data to a networked computer for analyzing by the technician . due to the common occurrence and easy set up of ip based networks , an ip based wireless device reduces the difficulty in implementing wireless access to diagnostic system 102 . in one embodiment , wireless device 210 communicates using the 802 . 11 protocol . in particular , one embodiment of wireless device 210 communicates using the 802 . 11g protocol . in an alternative embodiment , wireless device 210 connects to a proprietary network using a proprietary protocol . in another alternative embodiment , wireless device 210 is on the same module as memory 208 . once the data has been obtained , wireless device 210 transmits the data to another wireless device . in one embodiment , the other wireless device is a wireless access point which is connected to a network . in this embodiment , the data is transported through the network to a computer where a technician can analyze the data . in another embodiment , wireless device 210 transmits the data directly to a laptop where a technician can analyze the data . in one embodiment , the data is transmitted automatically once wireless device 210 comes within range of wireless device for reception of the data . in another embodiment , the data is transmitted only if a significant event has occurred which requires review by the technician . in yet another embodiment , the data is transmitted on command after wireless device 210 is instructed to transmit the data . in one embodiment , wireless communication occurs in both directions for diagnostic system 102 . here , wireless device 210 transmits to and receives signals from another computer . the signal transmissions from diagnostic system 102 are primarily for data uploading as described above . the signal reception in to diagnostic system 102 , however , allows a technician to control diagnostic system 102 remotely . often to obtain the data regarding the operation of processes 204 - 206 , a technician runs a test procedure on diagnostic system 102 that obtains the data and records the data onto memory device 208 . there are multiple options of tests to run based on the process to be analyzed and / or the type of data desired . thus , having bidirectional communication with diagnostic system 102 enables the technician to run tests and obtain the data at a remote computer without having to be physically present at vehicle 100 . in one embodiment , a technician remotely configures a test to run on apparatus 200 by sending signals from a computer over a network which are received at wireless device 210 . for example , when wireless device 210 is within range of access point 106 , a technician sends a command from a computer connected via a network to access point 106 . the command is destined for wireless device 210 and access point 106 forwards the command to wireless device 210 . wireless device 210 receives the command and sends the command to operating system 212 . the command instructs operating system 202 to adjust a setting for controller 203 . the technician then remotely initiates a test by sending a command to initiate a certain test from the technician computer over the network to diagnostic software 212 . diagnostic system 102 , the initiates that test when the command is received . data obtained from the test is transmitted by wireless device 210 over the network and to the technician computer . in conventional systems , when a technician runs a test while at the apparatus being tested , the data retrieved by the test is displayed on screen . generally , the apparatus being tested is not designed with a screen . any screen and display protocol attached to the apparatus , therefore , has limited functionality . for example , in many diagnostic systems , the output data is simply displayed on the screen in real - time and once the screen is filled with data , the oldest data is scrolled off the screen to make room for new data . once the information is scrolled off of the screen , the information is gone . in one embodiment , therefore , diagnostic data is streamed from diagnostic system 102 to a technician computer . here , when a technician runs a test , the diagnostic data is obtained and is output to wireless device 208 in real - time , or near real - time . in one embodiment , a block of data ( e . g . 100 kb ) is used to buffer intense bursts of data for streaming . wireless device 210 , then streams the diagnostic data over a network and to a technician pc , wherein the data can be stored and analyzed . then , the technician pc can be configured to display the data or a subset of the data as desired for the particular application . in one embodiment , the technician pc is configured to analyze the data for specific data and take action if the specific data is found . for example , the pc could display the data and surrounding details , or set off a system alarm . in one embodiment , when bidirectional communication is used , while the data is being obtained at the technician pc , the technician can pause the test and scroll through the data forward and backward . after scanning the data , the technician can resume the test . fig3 illustrates a flowchart of one embodiment of a method 300 for troubleshooting a computer system of a computer . method 300 begins by monitoring a process that is operating on a computer ( 302 ). diagnostic data is then obtained regarding the process being monitored ( 304 ). once obtained , the diagnostic data is transmitted to a remote computer over an ip network ( 306 ). to further understand the context of method 300 and diagnostic system 102 , here is one example in which vehicle 100 is an aircraft . as the aircraft is flying , operating system 202 monitors and records data from process 204 which is operating on aircraft . the data is stored in memory device 208 . when the aircraft lands at an airport , the aircraft taxis to a gate for offloading of passengers and fuel / maintenance check . the gate is equipped with a wireless access point . in one embodiment , when wireless device 210 comes within range of the wireless access point at the gate , diagnostic system 102 automatically uploads the data stored on memory device 208 to a technician computer . in this example , the technician computer is located in a maintenance bay at the airport and is networked to a lan which the wireless access point is also networked . thus , when wireless device 210 comes within range of the wireless access point , diagnostic system 102 connects with the technician computer over the lan and the data is uploaded . in an alternative embodiment , the data is retrieved manually by the technician computer initiating connection with diagnostic system 102 at some point in time when wireless device 210 is within range of the wireless access point . although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein , it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement , which is calculated to achieve the same purpose , may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown . this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention . therefore , it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof .
| 6Physics
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exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . detailed descriptions related to well - known functions or configurations will be ruled out in order not to unnecessarily obscure subject matters of the present invention . fig2 is a functional block diagram of a printing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . the printing apparatus includes : a data reception unit 21 receiving data sent from a host computer 10 ; a data transmission unit 25 sending data to the host computer 10 ; a priority identifier establishment unit 22 establishing a priority identifier , which designates data to be processed preferentially ( i . e ., first ) over other data , by analyzing data received in the data reception unit 21 , and storing the established priority identifier ; a processing unit 23 interpreting and processing an instruction , designated by the priority identifier , preferentially over another general instruction that has not been designated by the priority identifier , among the data received in the data reception unit 21 ; a print buffer 24 storing reception data classified as print data by the processing unit 23 ; a control unit 28 controlling the operation of the printing apparatus according to an instruction delivered from the processing unit 23 or performing control to read and print out the data stored in the print buffer 24 ; and a status memory 26 storing information about the status of the printing apparatus . in addition to the above configuration , the printing apparatus , as in the related art printing apparatus depicted in fig1 , may additionally include a plurality of sensors detecting the status of the printing apparatus , a print mechanism unit ( not shown ), and an error status storage unit 27 . also , the printing apparatus may further include other existing known components for printing apparatuses . the functions of those components are identical to those in the existing apparatus . basically , the printing apparatus processes data received from the host computer 10 in fifo order . however , in the event that there is data or an instruction that needs to be processed before another data or instruction , the printing apparatus processes this data or instruction preferentially over others . to this end , the host computer 10 sends the printing apparatus a priority identifier as well as data that requires priority processing . the priority identifier is not a command that is performed directly in association with the operation of the printing apparatus , but is merely identification information that indicates that the accompanying print and instruction data has priority in processing , namely , that it needs to be processed preferentially . the priority identifier is not established in advance but may be established in various forms and methods by the priority identifier establishment unit 22 as an occasion arises . in detail , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 may include a data processor ( not shown ) and a memory ( not shown ). the data processor detects an establish instruction for establishing a priority identifier designating data , which is to be preferentially processed , by analyzing data sent from the host computer 10 , and reads a priority identifier instructed by the establish instruction . the memory stores the read priority identifier . hereinafter , the establishment of the priority identifier in the priority identifier establishment unit 22 will be described in detail . the priority identifier establishment unit 22 may receive information for identifier designation from the host computer 10 and may establish an identifier according to the received information . information received from the host computer 10 contains a predetermined identifier establish command for the establishment of an identifier . the host computer 10 may send a priority identifier which is to be used in combination with an identifier establish command . the priority identifier contains an identification value indicating a priority - processing instruction , and information indicating the length of data which is to be processed preferentially . for example , if an identifier establish command is set to [ ff ] in advance and the host computer 10 sends ‘[ ff ] [ ack ] ’ & lt ; 2 & gt ;’ to the printing apparatus , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 detects [ ff ], an establish command . when the establish command is detected , [ ack ] & lt ; 2 & gt ;, which is a priority identifier designated by the detected establish command [ ff ], is read and stored in the memory . the priority identifier , [ ack ] & lt ; 2 & gt ;, allows two commands following [ ack ] to be interpreted and processed before another instruction when [ ack ] is detected from the received data . thus , when data received from the host computer 10 contains [ ack ], the processing unit 23 interprets , processes and executes two commands following [ ack ] preferentially over another instruction . in detail , if the processing unit 23 receives ‘[ ack ][ esc ]!& lt ; n & gt ;[ eto ]& lt ; n & gt ; abcdfg [ lf ]’, the processing unit 23 processes ‘[ esc ]!& lt ; n & gt ;’ and ‘[ eot ]& lt ; n & gt ;’, two commands following ‘[ ack ] assigned as a priority identifier , before other general instructions . the host computer 10 may send a priority identifier which is to be used in combination with an identifier establish command . the priority identifier contains an identification value for the priority processing of only one successively received command . for example , if an identifier establish command is set to [ ff ] in advance and the host computer 10 sends ‘[ ff ][ ack ]’ to the printing apparatus , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 designates ‘[ ack ]’ as a priority identifier . thereafter , the processing unit 23 interprets , processes and executes only one command following ‘[ ack ]’ before another instruction . in detail , if the processing unit 23 receives ‘[ ack ][ esc ]!& lt ; n & gt ;[ eot ]& lt ; n & gt ; abcdfg [ lf ]’, the processing unit 23 processes one command following ‘[ ack ]’ designated as a priority identifier , that is , ‘[ esc ]!& lt ; n & gt ;’ preferentially over another general instruction . the host computer 10 may send an identification value indicating the start of priority processing and an identification value indicating the end of the priority processing , which are to be used in combination with an identifier establish command . for example , if an identifier establish command is set to [ ff ] in advance and the host computer 10 sends ‘[ ff ][ ack ][ nak ]’ to the printing apparatus , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 sets a priority - processing start identification value and a priority - processing end identification value to ‘[ ack ]’ and ‘[ nak ]’, respectively . thereafter , the processing unit 23 , when receiving ‘[ ack ]’, interprets , processes and executes at least one command received between ‘[ ack ]’ and ‘[ nak ]’ preferentially over another instruction . in detail , when receiving ‘[ ack ][ esc ]!& lt ; n & gt ;[ eot ]& lt ; n & gt ;[ nak ] 0123456 [ lf ]’, the processing unit 23 processes ‘[ esc ]!& lt ; n & gt ;[ eot ] & lt ; n & gt ;’, an instruction received between ‘[ ack ]’ and ‘[ nak ]’, before another general instruction . using an establish command has so far been described as a method for the host computer to establish a priority identifier in the printing apparatus . hereinafter , other methods will be described . as for another method , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 reads information for identifier establishment from a non - volatile memory , and establishes a priority identifier according to the read information . in detail , information for identifier designation is stored on a specific address in the non - volatile memory in advance . when the designation of a priority identifier is necessary , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 may read the information for identifier establishment from the specific address in the non - volatile memory , and establish an identifier according to the read information . the information for the establishment of a priority identifier stored on the specific address in the non - volatile memory may have any one format among “ an identification value indicating a priority - processing instruction and information indicating the length of data of priority processing ”, “ an identification value for allowing the priority processing of one or more successively received commands ”, and “ an identification value indicating the start of priority processing and an identification value indicating the end of priority processing ”. as for another method , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 may establish an identifier by the use of at least one dual in - line package ( dip ) switch . for example , in the case of using five dip switches , each of the dip switches may be matched to a specific identifier as follows : if all the five dip switches are off , a priority identifier is not established . if dip # 1 is on , [ ack ] is designated as a priority identifier , and if dip 42 is on , [ xon ] is designated as a priority identifier . in the case of using five dip switches , dip # 1 may be used to determine whether or not to execute priority processing , and dip # 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 may be used to set the number of priority - processing commands . for example , if dip # 1 is off , priority processing is not executed , and if dip # 1 is on , priority processing is executed . the number of commands for the execution of priority processing may be determined as follows : dip # 2 : on , # 3 : off , # 4 : off , # 5 : off : the number of priority processing instruction : 1 dip # 2 : off , # 3 : on , # 4 : off , # 5 : off : the number of priority processing instruction : 2 dip # 2 : on , # 3 : on , # 4 : off , # 5 : off : the number of priority processing instruction : 3 dip # 2 : off , # 3 : off , # 4 : on , # 5 : off : the number of priority processing instruction : 4 fig3 is a flowchart of a method of establishing a priority identifier according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . the method of establishing a priority identifier according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , includes : receiving data sent from a host computer in operation s 310 ; detecting an establish command for establishing , in the printing apparatus , a priority identifier designating data which is to be processed preferentially by analyzing the received data in operation s 320 ; reading a priority identifier instructed by the establish command in operation 3330 ; and storing the read priority identifier in operation s 340 . fig4 illustrates the configuration of a printing apparatus that processes data sent from a host computer by using a priority identifier according to the present invention . as shown in fig4 , the printing apparatus , which processes data sent from the host computer by using a priority identifier according to the present invention , and detects whether or not the sent data contains an establish command for establishing a priority identifier , thereby establishing a priority identifier in advance . the priority identifier is established by the priority identifier establishment unit 22 . in detail , a data reception unit 21 receives data sent from the host computer 10 . the priority identifier establishment unit 22 detects an establish command for establishing a priority identifier designating data , which is to be processed preferentially , in the printing apparatus by analyzing the received data , reads a priority identifier instructed by the establish instruction , and stores the read priority identifier , thereby establishing the priority identifier . also , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 may transfer an existing priority identifier to a newly transmitted priority identifier . hereinafter , the process of processing data in the printing apparatus after the priority identifier establishment unit 22 establishes the priority identifier will be described in terms of functions of each component . first , the host computer 10 checks whether print data and instruction data to be sent to the printing apparatus require priority processing . if there is a need for priority processing , the host computer 10 generates a priority identifier , which has already been established in the printing apparatus , and sends the priority identifier together with the print data and the instruction data to the printing apparatus . the printing apparatus , when receiving the data from the host computer 10 , checks whether to perform priority processing , using a preset priority identifier . if the data contains a priority identifier , the printing apparatus performs the priority processing on data designated by the priority identifier . if the priority identifier is absent in the data , the received data are processed in fifo order . the printing apparatus includes the data reception unit 21 , the data transmission unit 25 , the priority identifier establishment unit 22 , a priority processing instruction switching part 41 , a reception buffer 42 , an instruction interpreter 43 , the print buffer 24 , the error - status storage unit 27 , the control unit 28 and the status memory 26 . in detail , the data reception unit 21 receives data sent from the host computer 10 , and the data transmission unit 25 sends data to the host computer 10 . if the received data contains a priority identifier pre - established by the priority identifier establishment unit 22 , the priority - processing instruction switching part 41 sends received data designated s by the priority identifier directly to the instruction interpreter 43 , and the remaining received data is output to the reception buffer 42 . the reception buffer 42 stores therein received data which is not designated by the priority identifier , and outputs the data in fifo order . the instruction interpreter 43 interprets received data output from the priority - processing instruction switching part 41 as having the highest priority in processing , and received data output from the reception buffer 42 as having the next highest priority in processing , thereby distinguishing the instruction data from the print data and outputting the distinguished data . if the interpreted instruction is a status send instruction , the status information of the status memory 26 is sent to the host computer 10 via the data transmission unit 25 . the print buffer 24 stores received data classified as the print data by the instruction interpreter 43 , and the control unit 28 controls the operation of the printing apparatus according to the instruction data sent from the instruction interpreter 43 , or performs control to print out the data stored in the print buffer 24 . also , the status memory 26 stores the status information of the printing apparatus . the priority - processing instruction switching part 41 , the reception buffer 42 and the instruction interpreter 43 are mere examples of the processing unit of fig2 , and various methods may be applied , provided that they allow for the priority processing of data using a priority identifier . as in an existing printing apparatus , the printing apparatus according to this exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a plurality of sensors detecting the status of the printing apparatus , print mechanism functions ( not shown ), and the error status storage unit 27 . in addition , the printing apparatus according to this exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include general components used in known printing apparatuses , and the functions of those components are identical to those of existing like components . as set forth above , according to exemplary embodiments of the invention , a priority identifier can be established in various forms and methods in a printing apparatus capable of processing an instruction designated by a priority identifier preferentially over other instructions , so that the printing apparatus can cope properly with diverse situations that may be caused due to the environment of use . while the present invention has been shown and described in connection with the exemplary embodiments , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims .
| 6Physics
|
the invention embodies a pair of elongated floating platforms 10 - 11 arranged as adjustable breakwater wings . in the embodiment of fig1 the wings swing from a central juncture 12 and mooring lines 13a , 13b connect both end portions of the wings to a turntable monobuoy 14 held in position by cables 15 extending to an array of bottom anchors 16 . the mooring lines are connected to cable winches on the platforms and the length of the lines 13a , 13b can be varied to adjust the wing spread . near their outer ends the platform wings 10 - 11 may be provided with suitable propulsion means for assisting in adjustment of the wing spread . this propulsion means can take the form of tunnel thrusters , water jets , steerable propellers or the like , and is designated 17 in the drawing . the inner nose portions of the wings 10 - 11 are shaped as shown in fig1 to provide abutting curved bearing surfaces 12a -- 12a and opposing stop faces 18 -- 18 and 19 -- 19 adjoining the front and lea sides , respectively , of the wings . the front stop faces 18 determine the maximum spread angle and the lea stop faces 19 establish the minimum spread angle of the wings . the minimum spread angle is intended for use in heavy seas and it is intended that in normal sea conditions the spread angle will be about half way between the minimum and 180 °. basic to the present invention is the use of energy collecting cells 20 for converting wave energy to a useable form of energy to thereby assist in quieting the wave action on the lee side of the breakwater and make the breakwater self - sufficient as far as its energy requirements are concerned . it is contemplated that in some instances the power generated may be sufficient to warrant being transmitted to shore , in which case underwater electrical cables can be connected to the bottom anchored component of the turntable buoy 14 and be electrically connected to terminals in the upper turntable component of the buoy to which cables from the breakwater are joined . energy generated on the breakwater can of course also be utilized by ships moored on the lee side of the breakwater by mooring lines to the platforms 10 - 11 or independently anchored . the energy collecting cells 20 are arranged in side - by - side rows extending lengthwise of the breakwater wings and function as a consequence of the rise and fall of the waves therein . the bottom of the breakwater wings is sloped so that the draft increases toward the lea side where a deep keel 23 is provided . the keel is intended to stop waves and provide reflected waves to create standing waves for increased efficiency . the collector cells become increasingly deeper as the breakwater draft increases and they are also made increasingly wider from one row to the next in the direction of the lea side as can be seen in fig3 . it will also be noted in fig3 that the front wall 20f of each cell is sloped upwardly in the lea direction and that the lea wall 20l of each cell is generally vertical . hence , in lateral cross section the collector cells have an inverted vee shape . as a consequence , generally vee - shaped flotation / storage / ballast chambers 21 are also formed in the hull . these compartments can be partially and selectively flooded for energy tuning or for maximum stability . it is preferred to utilize both positive ( pressure ) and negative ( vaccum ) collectors in the system and to link both types to a common turbine . the valving arrangement for accomplishing this result is shown in fig5 and 6 wherein collector 20a is a negative collector and 20b is a positive collector . a conventional low pressure air turbine 22 , shown schematically , is coupled to an electric generator 24 and has its intake and exhaust ports designated 26 and 28 , respectively . gravity balanced valve 30 controls the intake for port 26 so that intake comes from the positive collector 20b via pressure duct 32 during the pressure phase , and is drawn in from the atmosphere at 33 during the vacuum phase . similarly , a gravity balanced valve 34 controls the exhaust for port 28 so that exhaust discharges to the atmosphere at 35 during the pressure phase and is drawn to the negative collector 20a through vacuum duct 36 during the vacuum phase . at the positive collector 20b a gravity balanced valve 38 at the lower end of duct 32 is arranged to open during the pressure phase and a gravity balanced valve 40 is arranged to connect the positive collector to the atmosphere at port 39 during the vacuum phase . the valves for the positive collector are complemented by a gravity balanced valve 42 at the lower end of vacuum duct 36 which is arranged to open during the vacuum phase , and a gravity balanced valve 44 arranged to connect the negative collector to the atmosphere at port 45 during the pressure phase . as shown in fig7 for valve 30 for example , each of the valves 30 , 34 , 38 and 42 is hinged at 46 and has a screw extension 47 on which weights 48 are threaded to act as an adjustable counterbalance for the valve proper . the screw extensions 47 may be positioned to slope downwardly at a slight angle relative to the respective valve to favor the closed position . this can also be accomplished by having the center of gravity of the weights 48 slightly below the longitudinal axis of the extensions 47 . by such means the valves can be adjusted to swing open or close with minimal pressure change . on a rising wave ( fig5 ) air is vented from collector 20a through valve 44 which lifts open while valve 42 lifts closed responsive to the increase in air pressure as the air in the collector is compressed by the rising water . at the same time the increase in air pressure in collector 20b causes valve 40 to close and valve 38 to open whereupon air is forced into the pressure duct 32 and flows past a wave blocking float valve 50 to the intake valve 30 as the pressure builds , and the valve 30 responsively swings upwardly into a closed position blocking the port 33 . as the pressure phase continues the compressed air from the pressure chamber 20b drives the air turbine 22 and discharges to the atmosphere through port 34 . it will be noted that since the vacuum collectors 20a vent to the atmosphere during the pressure phase and hence normally provide less resistance to the rising water than is the case in the pressure collectors 20a , the water level achieved in the vacuum collectors may be higher than in the pressure collectors . this may be of assistance in maximizing performance during the vacuum phase which commences as the water starts to drop in the collectors . the resulting pressure drop in the vacuum collector causes valve 44 to drop closed and valve 42 to drop open as indicated in fig6 and likewise , the valves 38 and 40 drop closed and open , respectively , responsive to the pressure drop in the pressure collector . as a consequence , valve 30 drops open exposing the intake port 26 to the atmosphere , and valve 34 drops closed . accordingly , the increasing vacuum condition in vacuum collector 20a causes air to be drawn in past valve 30 and through the air turbine whereupon it flows through the duct 36 to the vacuum collector . from the foregoing description it is seen that the turbine 22 is driven through both the rising and falling phases of a wave cycle . although for purposes of example only one pressure collector and one vacuum collector have been shown operatively connected to each turbine 22 in detail , it will be apparent that additional ducts 32 &# 39 ;, 32 &# 34 ; can feed from several pressure collectors and that additional ducts 36 &# 39 ;, 36 &# 34 ; can feed to a like number of vacuum collectors . also , because the wings will generally not be parallel to wave fronts , there may be a continuous rather than intermittent air flow . instead of a common turbine linked to both positive and negative air collectors , for some erratic sea conditions it may be preferable to use separate turbines for the vacuum and pressure phases . this can be accomplished by using suitable valves to redirect the air flow . rather than having the floating platforms 10 - 11 coupled together directly , an intermediate floating hub may be provided which is coupled to the platforms . for example , as shown in fig8 the monobuoy 14 &# 39 ; can be coupled at opposite bearing surfaces 12a , 12a &# 39 ; of floating platforms 10a - 11a instead of being spaced forwardly of the platforms and connected thereto by mooring lines . fig9 illustrates a ring of anchor blocks 16 providing multiple anchoring points via lines 15 &# 39 ; for the floating platforms 10 , 11 . when the wave direction , indicated by arrow w , changes to w &# 39 ; the anchoring points can be repositioned on the floating platforms to head into the waves as shown in dotted lines and better protect the drilling rig s , or other vessel behind the platforms . fig1 and 10a illustrate still a further embodiment in which a conventional mooring column 70 is anchored to the ocean bottom by lines 15 and anchors 16 and is coupled at its upper end to the floating platforms 10 , 11 by mooring lines 13 . winches on the platform wings control hausers to the single mooring column . a floating boom 71 encircles the rest of the oil tanker or other vessel s to confine any spilled oil . as shown in fig1 , as a further alternative the hub between the floating platforms can comprise a self - propelled vessel 60 hinged at its sides to platforms 10c - 11c at pivots 12c - 12c &# 39 ; on suitable outriggers on the vessel . such an arrangement is intended for use , for example , in ocean mining operations where a relatively quiet mooring area is desirable for support vessels and barges and the mining site is changed from time to time . when the vessel 60 is underway to move to or from port , or to another mining location , the platform wings can be folded against the vessel hull so as to generally parallel the longitudinal axis of the vessel . in this case the propulsion means at the stern of the wings is preferably of the steerable type so that it can be used to supplement the propulsion system of the vessel to forwardly propel the vessel and the platform wings as a unit . outrigger hausers 88 can hold the wing positions . fig1 illustrates a modified front pivot for platforms 10d , 11d comprising a rounded convex nose 55 on the platform 10d and a matching rounded concave nose 56 on the platform 11d . a twin - spool cable winch 57 on the platform 10d has one cable 58a dead ended on a top center post 59a on the nose 56 and has a second cable 58b passing down through a pipe in the center of the nose 55 and passing across to a dead end on a bottom center post 59b on the nose 56 . tensioning of the cables 58a , 58b keep the noses 55 , 56 snubbed together . additional crossed cables may of course be provided . opposed stops 19 &# 39 ;-- 19 &# 39 ; can be provided to limit the amount of inward swinging travel of the platforms . standard ship construction techniques may be utilized to build the breakwater wings . for economic reasons it is preferred that a modular construction system be utilized such as indicated , for example , in fig4 . each module may comprise a row of progressively larger flotation chambers and energy collecting cells covered by suitably cross - braced plates at the front , back , sides and top . the cells are subdivided by respective braced sloped baffle walls 20f dividing the cells into the energy collectors 20 and flotation chambers 21 . at their upper ends the cells are closed to provide the deck surface 61 , and access to the flotation chambers is provided by standard marine hatches . a manifold system 62 on the deck can be utilized to interconnect the various cells , modules and air turbines as desired and suitable isolation and bypass valves ( not shown ) are provided . it is preferred to have a raised central walkway 49 which may be provided on a permanent deck scaffold 47 along the floating platforms and connect by ladders to the deck proper for access to deck hatches and the manifold valves . energy storage aboard the breakwater may take a variety of forms . banks of batteries may be charged from the electrical generators and banks of air bottles may be charged with compressed air . kinetic energy can be stored by driving flywheels . on large installations hydrogen and oxygen may be generated . the necessary equipment can be housed in the flotation chambers 21 . it has been known that wave action can be dampened by injecting compressed air at depth . accordingly air ejection nozzles 48 , 48 &# 39 ; connecting to an output manifold from the ducts 32 of a bank of pressure cells 20b or from air compressors driven by electric motors or the air turbines 22 , are placed underwater to the front and lea , respectively , of the floating platforms 10 - 11 to further assist in dampening the wave action . compressed air lines can also follow the anchor lines for greater effectiveness in attenuating large waves .
| 4Fixed Constructions
|
fig1 perspective side view of one embodiment of a docking node transporter tug 10 . there is a frame 11 having a first 12 end and a second 14 end , an outer periphery 9 , and a substantially hollow interior . a docking node 13 having at least two docking adapters 16 is disposed on the first end of the frame . the docking adapter 16 can be generic type of adapter for use with adapters on manned spacecraft . the second end 17 also has a docking adapter 16 . the adapters are also used to connect two tugs together . in this fashion various types of tugs can be connected in series . for example , there could be a docking node transporter tugs connected to a tug that provides electrical power through large solar panels to form a series of two tugs . this series could then be docked to a manned spacecraft . the series could provide propulsion and power to the manned spacecraft . however , the invention is not limited to combining only two tugs and can be expanded from a single tug to three tugs to other combinations . a plurality of chemical tanks are disposed within the frame , at least one tank comprised of an oxidizer 18 and one tank comprised of a propellant 19 , each tank having an access valve for refueling in space . in one embodiment , each tank can be removed and replaced in space . however , the invention is not limited to refueling or replacing tanks . in one embodiment , the docking node transporter tug may be discarded after use . in another embodiment , the tanks may have a measure of protection afforded by meteor shielding disposed over the surface of the tug . there are a number of nozzles 20 disposed on the outer periphery of the frame . each nozzle has a valve for regulating the flow of the oxidizer and fuel from the tanks . depending upon the application , the number and disposition of the nozzles can be chosen for a desired execution of orienting and propelling the tug in space . some nozzles may be chosen for positioning of the tug for docking with other craft while others may be designed for propelling the tug to various locations in space . a plurality of solar cell arrays 22 are disposed on the outer periphery of the frame and each solar cell array is independently pivotal in relation to the frame . the solar cells would provide power to the tug . the pivoting feature allows the arrays to be directed toward the sun for optimum production of electricity . the movement of the arrays in relation to the frame is directed by a positioning system . the power from the panels can be used to charge a number of batteries . also present is a wireless communications system connected to the batteries and a computer . the computer is connected to the batteries , the nozzle valves , the positioning system of the solar cell arrays , the solar cell arrays , the communications system , and the computer controls charging of the batteries by the solar cell arrays , directs the flow of the oxidizer and fuel to each nozzle , controls ignition of the oxidizer and fuel combination , controls the positioning of the solar cell arrays , operates the communications system , executes avionics software , provides a status of the tug including the level of oxidizer and fuel in the tanks , operates the docking adapters , and implements a three axis attitude control . in another embodiment , the tug may include sensing elements to detect the position of a spacecraft and transmitting that information to the operator . the tug could then provide data important to docking with a spacecraft . the power is provided to the space tug by the solar cell arrays and the computer can be accessed through a wireless communications so that the tug can be moved to a desired location in space and attached by way of a docking adapter to another craft . in one embodiment , the tug may contain a cable running substantially the length of the tug that could be attached at one end to a manned spacecraft and at the other to another tug that would have large solar panels to provide power to the spacecraft . the tug with the large panels would operate as a solar generator tug . thus , the power from the solar generator tug could be directed through the cable and to the spacecraft . this flexibility allows the standard transfer tug to operate as a building block for use with other specialty tugs to fashion a custom transport vehicle system . the cable could be constructed such that it would be automatically connected and disconnected to other tugs or spacecraft . in another embodiment , there is a communications and data cable running substantially the length of the tug that could be attached at one end to a manned spacecraft and at the other to another tug such as a solar generator tug to allow transmission of data to the spacecraft . the cable could be constructed such that it would be automatically connected and disconnected to other tugs or spacecraft . the invention is not limited by a single cable . numerous connection points can be used to transfer information from the tug , other tugs , or other spacecraft to the docking tug or connected elements . the cable could also carry information from the docking tug to other craft . in another embodiment , there is a control and data cable with one end attached to the docking node transporter tug computer and the other end capable of attaching to a spacecraft so that control of the docking node transporter tug can be controlled from the attached spacecraft . the tug may be constructed to a variety of scales . for example , in one embodiment a tug may be designed to provide only two docking adapters . in another embodiment , the tug may provide a very large docking node that may also serve as an observation structure that includes windows . in yet another embodiment , the tug may provide a docking adapter on the first and second ends . in yet another embodiment , the node may be detachable from the tug . while embodiments have been described in detail , it should be appreciated that various modifications and / or variations may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . in this regard it is important to note that practicing the invention is not limited to the applications described herein . many other applications and / or alterations may be utilized provided that such other applications and / or alterations do not depart from the intended purpose of the invention . also , features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to provide yet another embodiment such that the features are not limited to the embodiments described herein . thus , it is intended that the invention cover all such embodiments and variations . nothing in this disclosure is intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
|
in fig1 - 5 , showing the first embodiment of the present invention , there is provided a golf club head 10 , which is integrally formed by welding and combining the edges of a body 11 with an impact insert 12 so as to form a cavity 13 therein . the body 11 includes a crown portion 14 , a sole plate 15 , a heel portion 16 , a toe portion 17 , a skirt portion 18 and a face perimeter 19 . body 11 can be formed of sheets welded together or cast , preferably from a titanium alloy . the body also includes a hosel 20 that extends from heel portion 16 . hosel 20 includes a bore defining a centerline axis a — a . an opening 21 , that in one embodiment is substantially oval shaped , is defined within face perimeter 19 for receiving impact insert 12 . a plurality of chads 22 , being in alignment with an inner surface 23 of body 11 provide a pocket within opening 21 for receiving the impact insert 12 which is therein integrally connected by welding . insert 12 is preferably formed of high strength material and can be cast , forged or stamped sheet metal . most preferably the insert is stamped sheet metal , and for one embodiment preferably made from a titanium alloy . the thickness of the impact insert 12 should be preferably between about 0 . 05 ″ and 0 . 13 ″. the insert can be uniform thickness or have a thicker center section and thinner outer section . for a preferred embodiment the outer dimension ( t 2 ) should be about 0 . 09 ″ and the center dimension ( t 3 ) should be approximately 0 . 10 ″ controlled by a technique described in co - pending application ser . no . 09 / 836 , 266 . it &# 39 ; s basically a technique wherein the impact insert 12 has two different radii of curvature . the exterior surface 24 being substantially defined along a first radius r 1 and the interior surface 25 being substantially defined along a second radius r 2 , such that the first radius r 1 is less than the second radius r 2 . the present invention further is adapted towards the face having a vertical roll radius : that being from crown 14 to sole 15 . this will allow insert 12 to have less thickness at the outer edge than at the center . the thickness of the impact insert 12 is viewed as a critical compromise between first , being able to achieve the desired “ cor ”, and secondly , providing a club head that is strong enough to withstand the impact forces which occur during collision between club and ball . in one embodiment of the present invention , the edges 27 of face perimeter 19 are as thin as possible , while still maintaining structural integrity . preferably the thickness ( t 1 at the sole / face transition junction 29 and t 4 at the crown / face transition junction 28 ) is approximately the same and is less than 0 . 11 inches . more preferably , they are less than 0 . 09 inches and most preferably approximately 0 . 08 ″ for maximum cor values . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the body 11 includes a face perimeter section 19 that extends from the crown portion 14 over a distance ( denoted as δ 1 in the drawings ), of at least about 0 . 15 inches , and also over a distance of about 0 . 15 inches from the sole plate 15 ( δ 2 in drawings ). the welds 30 of impact insert 12 to body 11 will be conducted at a suitable distance from the transition junctions 28 and 29 . the dimensions of both δ 1 and δ 2 are preferably should not less than 0 . 20 inches . this construction allows for thin shell thickness at the crown / face transition junction 28 and sole / face transition junctions 29 . the thinness of these sections help increase the club head &# 39 ; s cor value that extrapolates into greater distance . in a second embodiment , the body 11 can still be cast from a titanium alloy , but the stamped impact insert 12 can be a stamped titanium alloy sheet metal . the thickness of the impact insert 12 for this embodiments can be a constant measurement of about 0 . 08 to 0 . 13 inches for t 1 , t 2 , t 3 and t 4 . for another embodiment , the body 11 and stamped impact insert can be manufactured out of stainless steel . preferably , the head is more than 270 cubic centimeters and the body is cast and the insert is stamped sheet metal . the thickness of the impact insert 12 for this embodiment is preferably a constant measurement of between about 0 . 075 ″ to 0 . 105 ″ for t 1 , t 2 , t 3 and t 4 . in another embodiment the club head loft is greater than 13 ° and the inserts 12 have a constant thickness between about 0 . 05 ″ to 0 . 09 ″. another important design concept of the present invention is providing a weight element 26 located on the sole plate 15 approximately at the heel / skirt portions 16 and 18 . as shown in fig1 to 5 , weight element 26 is preferably centered substantially on a projection b — b extending directly rearward from a point ( p ) on the sole plate where an extension of the center line a — a of hosel 20 would intersect the sole plate 15 . preferably , the center of gravity of the weight element 26 is adjacent the juncture of the sole and skirt portions 16 and 18 . it is preferred that the center of weight element 26 be located at a distance ( d ) of at least 1 . 0 ″ and more preferably at least 1 . 5 ″ from the intersection point p . this is shown on fig3 . the weight element 26 is preferably at least 12 grams and more preferably at least 16 grams . the weight element 26 can be part of the casting or preferably welded into position . more preferably , the weight element 26 is selected from a plurality of weights designed to make specific adjustments to the head weight . while various descriptions of the present invention are described above , it should be understood that the various features of each embodiment can be used singly or in any combination thereof . therefore , this invention is not to be limited to only the specifically preferred embodiments depicted herein . further , it should be understood that variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains . accordingly , all expedient modifications readily attainable by one versed in the art from the disclosure set forth herein that are within the scope and spirit of the present invention are to be included as further embodiments of the present invention . the scope of the present invention is accordingly defined as set forth in the appended claims .
| 0Human Necessities
|
when referred to hereafter , the term “ wireless transmit / receive unit ( wtru )” includes , but is not limited to , a user equipment ( ue ), a mobile station , a fixed or mobile subscriber unit , a pager , a cellular telephone , a personal digital assistant ( pda ), a computer , or any other type of user device capable of operating in a wireless environment . when referred to hereafter , the term “ base station ” includes but is not limited to , a node b , a site controller , an access point ( ap ), or any other type of interfacing device capable of operating in a wireless environment . at the system level , the following ta allocation principles are used with respect to each of the current ta allocation schemes . 1 . when the wtru is mobile , it should perform as few taus as possible to reduce the system signaling load . this means that the ta or tas should cover as many cells as possible , so that a wtru reselecting from cell to cell does not trigger a ta update . 2 . when the wtru is relatively stationary , the lte paging caused by an incoming call to the wtru should be conducted in as few cells as possible to reduce the paging load system - wide . to achieve the proper balance of the ta allocation principles , the following ta allocation schemes can be utilized . 1 . multiple ta list scheme . when the wtru is in the stationary state or in the low mobility state , only one ta is assigned to the wtru . with only one ta , the wtru will not incur many taus , but the system can page the wtru in a small scope area in one ta . when the wtru is in the high mobility state , multiple tas can be assigned to the wtru to minimize the number of taus . however , each cell belongs to only one ta . fig1 shows a ta deployment for a multiple ta list scheme . in particular , fig1 shows the deployment and composition of different tas , i . e ., large tas and small tas . a large ta usually covers geographical areas with many cells where the wtrus generally move fast over a sustained period ; for example , in a highway area . in this or similar areas , the ta can be laid over many lte cells along the moving path . this is shown by the large ta - 3 and ta - 4 and their associated cells . small tas are generally deployed to places where wtrus are in low mobility or even stationary , such as small ta - 1 and small ta - 2 . small tas can also be deployed adjacent to the high speed areas . specific cells , such as cell - 1 and cell - 2 in fig1 , are located near the entrance to the highway and therefore wtrus will be assigned to multiple tas ( ta - 3 and ta - 4 ) for the high - speed movement with few taus . 2 . ta overlapping scheme . an individual cell may belong to more than one ta . a two - level ta coverage scheme is employed such that when the wtru is in a high mobility state , the wtru is assigned to a ta that covers a large geographical area with many individual lte cells . with the larger ta , the wtru does not have to perform many taus . when a wtru is in the low mobility or stationary state , it is assigned to a ta that has a smaller geographical area with a fewer number of cells . the transition between a large ta and a small ta may happen in a cell covered by both tas . fig2 shows a ta deployment for an overlapping ta scheme . in particular , a large ta is generally assigned to cover the geographical areas where the wtru is able to move fast in a sustaining period , for example in the highway area , while small tas are assigned to the cells where wtrus are not moving fast . the overlapping cells ( for example , overlapping - cell - 1 and overlapping - cell - 2 in fig2 ) situated in both a large ta and a small ta are usually deployed for the small ta ( such as in a mall area adjacent to the highway ), where many stationary or low mobility wtrus are camped . a csg cell is a very small cell that is usually intended to cover one household worth ( for example ) of territory . a csg ta thus represents the ta of one or more small csg cells covering the small area over which cellular coverage is desired ( e . g ., a home or underground shopping mall ). the only wtrus that are allowed access to the csg cells are those wtrus whose universal subscriber identity module ( usim or its lte equivalent or another application residing in the universal integrated circuit card ( uicc ) of the wtru ) includes the csg ta id ( s ) of the csg cell ( s ). the csg ta id may be similar in structure to a macro - cell ta id in that the csg ta id may be determined be concatenating a csg ta code ( tac ) and the operator &# 39 ; s public land mobile network ( plmn ) id . the csg tac may be the same length as the macro - cell tac . alternatively , the csg ta id may have a different format , structure , or length than a macro - cell ta id . the wtru in its usim ( or in any other application residing in the uicc ) may store only a part of the csg ta id . the csg ta id may have an indicator field to indicate the csg cell property / scale . the csg cell may broadcast the csg tac and the plmn id in separate fields and the wtru ( e . g ., in the nas layer ) may have to construct the csg ta id from the broadcast information . the wtrus with the csg cell &# 39 ; s ta id in their usim allowed ta list may belong to a closed subscriber group for the csg cell or the hnb . when a wtru in idle mode detects a csg cell having a ta id that is not configured in its usim ( or its lte equivalent or in another application residing in the uicc ), it will not attempt to access that csg cell and will not perform a tau procedure . it is proposed that the non - access stratum ( nas ) tracking area accept message include new information element ( s ) ( ie ) which allows the network to configure the wtru with the ta ids of the csg cells that the wtru has access to . in one implementation , the ie includes the ta id ( s ) of the csg cell ( s ) that the wtru has access to . if a wtru in idle mode detects a csg cell that has a ta id which is included in its list of allowed csg cell ta ids , but is not included in its allowed list of ta ids ( for signaling free mobility ), it may conclude that it has access to this csg cell but a tau procedure needs to be triggered upon idle mode cell selection / re - selection to this csg cell . in other words , signaling free mobility ( i . e ., mobility between two cells belonging to different tas without performing a tau procedure ) between a macro ta and csg ta may be permitted only when the csg ta id is included explicitly as one of the multiple tas configured for the wtru by the network for signaling free mobility ( e . g ., in the multiple tas configured in the tau procedure ). a csg cell or macro cell may indicate ( e . g ., using the sibs on the broadcast channel ) whether signaling free mobility is permitted or not . such an indication may be provided , for example , by a one bit indicator . if a suitable indication is present , the wtru may camp on the csg cell without performing a tau procedure , provided that the csg ta id is configured in the wtru . alternatively , a wtru may always camp on a csg cell without performing a tau procedure provided that the csg ta id is configured in the wtru . in the absence of such an indication or if the indication is negative , the wtru may camp on the csg cell , but will perform a tau procedure provided that the csg ta id is configured in the wtru . in order for wtrus outside the csg cell ta user group ( referred to as “ visitor wtrus ”) to access the csg cell ta , they may need to execute a special code ( e . g ., 511 ) or a procedure through the operator . an example of a procedure is the “ two - factor authentication ” procedure with a timely generated authentication code from the host access point ( ap )/ enhanced node b ( enb ) to acquire a temporary time - limited access to the csg cell ta ( thus the csg cell ap allows certain special access codes ). on successful temporary registration , only this one ta is assigned . involved multiple tas may also be assigned if a frequent tau ping - pong effect is observed . the ping - pong effect in these circumstances occurs when the wtru sends unnecessary taus when it is accessing a csg cell . all wtrus in the csg cell ta are considered stationary or low mobility . accordingly , no periodic tau or a long periodic tau is proposed if the wtrus are in the lte_idle state . paging to the allowed wtrus in this ta can thus be directed to this one small cell or to only the assigned tas , where the tau ping - pong effect has often been observed . there are a number of mechanisms for wtru mobility detection . the tau counting , cell reselection counting , and positioning detection are coordinated efforts between a wtru and the network . the wtru performs the actions , such as detecting the change ( e . g ., ta change , cell coverage change , and position change ) and signals the updates ( ta or cell ) or reports the position to the network . the network collects the statistics and determines the mobility state of a wtru and assigns the ta ( s ) accordingly . 1 . number of taus . when the wtru is transitioning from the low mobility state to the high mobility state , counting the number of taus can be used as the threshold to trigger the change . lte wtrus in the low mobility state are usually under the tas with small or medium sizes , and when the wtrus accelerate to a higher speed , the need to have a large ta may be measured via tau counting . a number of taus ( x ) on different tas within a fixed time ( y ) may be used as a mobility state trigger criterion . 2 . number of cell reselection decisions . when a wtru in the high mobility state is reducing its speed ( such as exiting from a highway ), one measurement of the reduced mobility in the lte_idle state is the number of cell reselections made by the wtru . the lte wtrus cannot use the tau counting in the high mobility state , since they are usually already assigned to large tas to reduce the number of taus ; therefore , the tau count would not be an accurate mobility measure . it should be noted that the cell reselection counting can also be used for determining whether the wtru is transitioning from a low mobility state to a high mobility state . 3 . wtru positioning assisted mobility detection . given that the lte wtrus will mostly have the positioning device support , the wtru &# 39 ; s mobility state can be measured with the positioning measurement results , i . e ., the positioning longitudes and latitudes . the absolute positioning offsets obtained by the lte wtrus provide the network with the wtru speed , which when combined with the tau counting or the cell reselection counting is an accurate measure with respect to the mobility state detection . 4 . wtru mobility detection based on wtru doppler measurement . a wtru may not have gps capability , so the doppler measurement by the wtru can be used to detect the wtru speed . this method can be combined with above - mentioned counting methods to obtain the wtru mobility state information . fig3 is a mobility state transition diagram for a wtru . the lte wtrus may be in a number of mobility states , including , but not limited to : stationary state , low mobility state , and high mobility state . lte wtrus in the stationary state are stationary in the lte_idle state when they are not moving or hardly moving in terms of crossing cell boundaries via cell reselections . as a result , these wtrus rarely perform taus ( except the periodic tau regulated by a tau timer ). therefore , these stationary lte wtrus can be assigned to a single small ta with one or a few cells to reduce the system paging load . in the low mobility state , lte wtrus are moving or changing locations with low speed ( e . g ., reselecting new cells x times over a period of y seconds , or moving under z kmph ), such as driving slowly in local streets or on congested highways . wtrus in the low mobility state can be assigned to one or a few tas ( multiple tas ) or cells with overlapping tas , where the tas are small ( i . e ., one ta covers a number of cells ) that the lte_idle state wtru &# 39 ; s tau load and the incoming call paging load are balanced . in the high mobility state , lte wtrus are moving fast , such as driving along a highway and changing cells rapidly ( exceeding x times per y seconds ). lte wtrus in this state can be assigned to many tas ( multiple tas ) along the fast mobile path or to a large ta which covers many cells and many smaller tas ( overlapping tas ). when a wtru is in the high mobility state , reducing the number of taus is an important consideration . fig4 is a flowchart of a method 400 for transitioning a wtru from a low mobility state to a high mobility state . the method 400 begins with the wtru in a low mobility state ( step 402 ). the wtru performs a tau or a cell reselection ( step 404 ) and counts the number of taus or the number of cell reselections ( step 406 ). a determination is made whether the number of taus or the number of cell reselections is greater than a predetermined threshold ( step 408 ). if the number of taus or the number of cell reselections is below the threshold , then the method continues performing taus or cell reselections ( step 404 ). if the number of taus or the number of cell reselections exceeds the threshold ( step 408 ), then the wtru transitions to a high mobility state ( step 410 ) and the method terminates ( step 412 ). fig5 is a flowchart of a method 500 for transitioning a wtru from a high mobility state to a low mobility state . the method 500 begins with the wtru in a high mobility state ( step 502 ). the wtru performs a cell reselection ( step 504 ) and counts the number of cell reselections ( step 506 ). a determination is made whether the number of cell reselections is smaller than a predetermined threshold ( step 508 ). when a wtru is moving slower , it will be performing fewer cell reselections . if the number of cell reselections is greater than the threshold , then the method continues performing cell reselections ( step 504 ). if the number of cell reselections is less than the threshold ( step 508 ), then the wtru transitions to a low mobility state ( step 510 ) and the method terminates ( step 512 ). fig6 is a block diagram of a wtru 600 configured to perform taus and cell reselections and a network / enb 620 to perform the mobility state determination function . the wtru 600 includes a transmitter / receiver 602 and an antenna 604 connected to the transmitter / receiver 602 . a tau function 610 , a cell reselection function 612 , and a wtru positioning function 614 are configured to perform taus , cell reselections , and wtru position detections , respectively , and are in communication with the transmitter / receiver 602 via a reporting function 618 . the wtru also maintains a mobility state function 616 for its idle mode mobility management . the network / enb 620 includes a transmitter / receiver 622 and an antenna 624 connected to the transmitter / receiver 622 . a tau / cell reselection counter and wtru position monitor function 626 is in communication with the transmitter / receiver 622 and is configured to count taus and / or cell reselections and to receive updates of the wtru &# 39 ; s current position . a mobility state determination function 628 is configured to maintain the mobility state of the wtru 600 and is in communication with the counter 626 and the transmitter / receiver 622 . the network / enb 620 can perform both the method 400 and the method 500 . in most cases , when the wtru is in the lte active state , the network would have known the location of the wtru through the cell update procedure which the wtru must have performed . hence , periodically updating the ta ( via a timer ) might not be necessary , unless the network wishes to do so . this could be done either explicitly or implicitly . alternatively , the network could signal the timer and instruct the wtru to start the timer when it transitions to the lte_idle state . in the lte_idle state , it might be necessary for the network to have accurate ta level information of the wtru to minimize the paging load . the wtru could be in different mobility scenarios : stationary , low mobility , and high mobility . the network could allocate a single timer whose length is appropriate given the mobility state of the wtru . alternatively , the network may allocate multiple timers ( e . g ., one for each mobility state or one for each assigned ta ) with their lengths adjusted so as to achieve optimum paging efficiency versus tau efficiency and the wtru may have the ability to start and re - start these timers given its estimate of its mobility state and / or current ta . the network may choose to indicate to the wtru , as part of its procedures , the relative size of each ta . in case of multiple ta lists , it may choose to do so using a tau response . in general , the network may put this information on the sib of a broadcast channel from a cell . alternatively , the ta id may reserve an indication field for the scope of the ta area , to facilitate the wtru making the desired cell reselection decision at the ta boundaries based on its mobility state ( from the mobility state function 616 ) and subsequently requesting the tau with the choice of ta based on its mobility state ( from the mobility state function 616 ). from the system point of view , the wtru ta assignment for balanced tau and paging load by the network is accomplished with the help of the wtru &# 39 ; s mobility state information . fig7 is an exemplary signal diagram 700 of ta operations between a wtru 702 and a network 704 . when the wtru 702 is turned on , it sends out an attach request message 710 or the lte equivalent message to register with the network 704 . the attach request message 710 includes the wtru id ( packet - temporary mobile subscriber identity ( p - tmsi ) or international mobile subscriber identity ( imsi )) and the old ta id last assigned before the wtru 702 detached from the network 704 . optionally , the wtru 702 can also send the “ wtru - mobility - info ” information element ( ie ) with available information to help the network 704 assign tas for the wtru 702 . the network 704 accepts the registration request from the wtru 702 and sends an attach accept message 712 to the wtru 702 . the message 712 includes the newly assigned tmsi and the new ta id ( s ) for the ta that the wtru 702 is assigned to , possibly based on the mobility information . when the wtru 702 performs a tau , the wtru can send a ta request message 714 , which includes the wtru mobility information ( such as the location change information , the cell reselection count , or the derived wtru mobility state information ) to the network 704 on the assignment to the tas . the wtru mobility information can also include the wtru &# 39 ; s mobility state , the number of cell reselections , wtru position change measurement results , and the preferred ta - id . the network 704 responds to the ta request message 714 by sending a tau accept message 716 , which assigns new tas with corresponding ta id ( s ), tmsi ( s ), and ta timers , based on the wtru mobility information contained in the ta request message 714 . although the features and elements are described in particular combinations , each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements or in various combinations with or without other features and elements . the methods or flow charts provided herein may be implemented in a computer program , software , or firmware tangibly embodied in a computer - readable storage medium for execution by a general purpose computer or a processor . examples of computer - readable storage mediums include a read only memory ( rom ), a random access memory ( ram ), a register , cache memory , semiconductor memory devices , magnetic media such as internal hard disks and removable disks , magneto - optical media , and optical media such as cd - rom disks , and digital versatile disks ( dvds ). suitable processors include , by way of example , a general purpose processor , a special purpose processor , a conventional processor , a digital signal processor ( dsp ), a plurality of microprocessors , one or more microprocessors in association with a dsp core , a controller , a microcontroller , application specific integrated circuits ( asics ), field programmable gate arrays ( fpgas ) circuits , any other type of integrated circuit ( ic ), and / or a state machine . a processor in association with software may be used to implement a radio frequency transceiver for use in a wireless transmit receive unit ( wtru ), user equipment ( ue ), terminal , base station , radio network controller ( rnc ), or any host computer . the wtru may be used in conjunction with modules , implemented in hardware and / or software , such as a camera , a video camera module , a videophone , a speakerphone , a vibration device , a speaker , a microphone , a television transceiver , a hands free headset , a keyboard , a bluetooth ® module , a frequency modulated ( fm ) radio unit , a liquid crystal display ( lcd ) display unit , an organic light - emitting diode ( oled ) display unit , a digital music player , a media player , a video game player module , an internet browser , and / or any wireless local area network ( wlan ) module .
| 7Electricity
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referring to fig1 there is illustrated a schematic embodiment of a prior art laser apparatus 10 employing a separate and discrete acousto - optic q - switch 15 . in the embodiment of fig1 the laser medium 12 produces a beam of coherent light which is multiply - reflected between mirrors 13 and 14 . mirror 13 totally reflects the light and mirror 14 partially reflects and partially transmits it as the laser output l . disposed between lasing medium 12 and mirror 13 is the acousto - optic q - switch 15 . acousto - optic q - switch 15 could be positioned between mirror 14 and the lasing medium 12 and still function in an identical manner . the acousto - optic q - switch 15 consist of crystal 16 and a transducer 17 affixed thereto . an rf generator 18 , which is operably connected to the transducer 17 , produces a radio frequency signal which transducer 17 converts into an acoustic wave which moves through crystal 16 diffracting the light output from laser medium 12 as shown at d . this structure and function is described in detail in the above - identified u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 746 , 866 and 3 , 805 , 196 . the discrete laser elements represented as laser medium 12 and acousto - optic q - switch 15 of fig1 have been replaced by the laser medium 22 of the laser apparatus 20 of fig2 wherein a laser medium portion 23 of the laser medium 22 is disposed between acoustic transducer 30 and acoustic absorber 40 to function in a manner similar to the crystal 16 of fig1 . the combination of laser medium portion 23 , acoustic transducer 30 and acoustic absorber 40 for the acousto - optic q - switch s . the laser medium selected for illustrating the invention is a solid state laser rod material exhibiting the preferred operational characteristic described above . the laser apparatus embodiment selected to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention is that of a pulsed laser apparatus including a flash lamp 50 , a flash lamp power supply 52 and a pump light reflector 54 . the periodic emission of light from the flash lamp 50 in response to excitation by the power supply 52 excites the laser medium 22 to produce coherent light as described above . the pump light reflector functions to focus or reflect light output from the flash lamp 50 onto the laser medium 22 . the beam of coherent light developed by the laser medium 22 in response to light excitation by flash lamp 50 , is multiply - reflected between mirrors 26 and 28 . mirror 26 totally reflects the light while mirror 28 partially reflects the light and partially transmits it as laser output l &# 39 ;. the well - defined laser energy output path corresponding to laser output l &# 39 ; is selectively diffracted by the acousto - optical q - switch s consisting of the laser medium portion 23 , acoustic transducer 30 and acoustic absorber 40 in response to rf excitation of the acoustic transducer 30 by the rf power supply 32 . as indicated above , the rf power supply 32 produces a radio frequency electrical signal which acoustic transducer 30 converts into an acoustic wave which moves through the laser medium 23 to diffract the light output of laser medium 22 as shown at d &# 39 ;. the diffraction of the light , as illustrated at d &# 39 ;, substantially limits re - entry of the light into the laser medium . the acoustic absorber 40 functions to absorb the transmitted sound waves preventing random reflection of sound waves back through the laser medium 23 thereby assuring concise q - switching control by the rf power supply 32 . while numerous known materials including crystalline quartz , can satisfy the function of the transducer 30 , detailed experimentation of the laser apparatus 20 of fig2 indicates a composition of linbo 3 provides a preferred implementation of the transducer 30 . the implementation of the acoustic absorber 40 can be satisfied through the use of any of numerous compositions , such as wax and epoxy which effectively absorb the sound waves transmitted from the transducer 30 . of particular practical use , is an acoustic absorber consisting of indium pressed and maintained in intimate contact with the laser medium 23 . a composition of indium metal and mercury to form indium amalgamate represents a particularly suitable acoustic absorber material which can be painted on the surface of the laser medium . the sound waves transmitted from the transducer 30 through the laser medium 23 to the acoustic absorber 40 are composed of alternating compression and rarefraction fronts . the indices of refraction in these fronts is different , so that the laser medium 23 acts as a diffraction grating , diffracting light which passes through it in response to the excitation of the transducer 30 by the rf power supply 32 . the angle of diffraction increases as the frequency of the sound wave increases and is determined by the rf power supply 32 . the amount of light diffracted increases with the intensity of the sound wave . the waveform illustrations of fig6 a and 6b illustrate the excitation of the laser medium 22 in response to light output from the flash lamp 50 . the waveforms of fig6 c and 6d illustrate the control of the laser output l &# 39 ; by the acousto - optic q - switch s in response to the excitation by the rf power supply 32 . fig6 c illustrates an excitation pattern by the rf power supply 32 which produces a single maximum energy laser output l as a pulse occurring at the conclusion of the light output from flash lamp 50 . fig6 d illustrates an excitation pattern of the acoustic transducer 30 by the rf power supply 32 to produce a laser output l consisting of a plurality of pulses of light energy . the q - switching operation determined by the rf power supply 32 is a manner of design preference determined by the intended use of the laser apparatus 20 . it is apparent that the above structure and operation for q - switching the laser apparatus 20 will apply equally to a laser apparatus wherein the lamp 50 provides continuous light excitation of the laser medium 22 instead of the pulse excitation disclosed above . the integral combination of the acousto - optic q - switch s and the laser medium 22 of fig2 is illustrated in detail in fig3 and 4 . in fig3 the laser medium portion 23 is provided with a flat surface f to which the acoustic transducer 30 is bonded . the acoustic absorber is illustrated in an intimate contacting relationship with the opposite surface of the laser medium portion 23 and extending over a sufficient area of the side wall of the laser medium portion 23 to assure complete absorption of the sound waves transmitted through the laser medium portion 23 from the acoustic transducer 30 . the length r of the acousto - optic q - switch s is determined in part by the characteristic of the laser medium portion 23 , the transducers 30 and the rf power supply 32 . an increase interaction region corresponding to the laser medium portion 23 can be increased by increasing the length r of the acoustic switch q as a technique for minimizing the adverse affects of heating due to high power rf excitation by distributing the operation of the acoustic q - switch s over a larger surface area of the laser medium 22 . a typical implementation of the acoustic transducer 30 and the acoustic absorber 40 is illustrated in fig4 . the acoustic transducer 30 is illustrated as consisting of transducer material 32 consisting of linbo 3 and gold electrodes 33 disposed on opposite surfaces thereof to which the leads 34 and 35 of the rf power supply 32 are connected . the acoustic absorber is illustrated as consisting of a composition of indium amalgamate 42 being pressed and maintained in intimate contact with the laser medium portion 23 by a stainless steel retainer 44 . the embodiment of fig5 illustrates the combination of the acoustic transducer 30 and the acoustic absorber 40 on opposite surfaces of an etalon 60 positioned within a laser apparatus 70 , while the embodiments of fig7 a and 7b illustrates an acoustic q - switch in combination with a gas or liquid laser apparatus 70 in accordance with the teachings of this invention . the etalon 60 , a well known element in a laser system is illustrated as consisting of a fused silica element 62 and dielectric coatings 64 . the dielectric coatings 64 are typically 30 % reflective . the light output from the laser medium 72 is reflected back and forth within the etalon 60 with functions as a frequency selector to determine the frequency bands of the laser output l &# 34 ;. an advantage of this embodiment of acousto - optic q - switch is that the acoustic wave operates on several reflections of the light output from the laser medium and thus can introduce greater optical losses consistent with the desired operation of the acousto - optic q - switch . the acousto - optic q - switch of the gas / liquid laser embodiments of fig7 a and 7b consists of an acoustic transducer at and an acoustic absorber aa which may be an integral part of the wall of vessel v , as in fig7 a , or may be attached to the external surface of the wall of vessel v as illustrated in fig7 b . the configuration selected and the laser medium employed will determine the amount of rf excitation required as well as the frequency of the acoustic wave developed by the acoustic transducer at .
| 7Electricity
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the invention relates to a solderable polymer thick film silver composition for use in thin - film photovoltaic cells . it is typically used to improve the electrical efficiency of the cells and to make connection to the cell through soldering . a grid - like pattern and / or bus bars of the solderable polymer thick film silver composition are printed on top of a transparent conductive oxide . generally , a thick film composition comprises a functional phase that imparts appropriate electrically functional properties to the composition . the functional phase comprises electrically functional powders dispersed in an organic medium that acts as a carrier for the functional phase . the organic medium typically comprises polymer resin and an organic solvent . generally , the composition is fired to burn out the organics and to impart the electrically functional properties . however , in the case of a polymer thick film , the polymer resin remains as an integral part of the composition after drying . prior to firing , a processing requirement may include an optional heat treatment such as drying , curing , reflow , and others known to those skilled in the art of thick film technology . the main components of the instant thick film conductor composition are a conductive powder dispersed in an organic medium , which includes polymer resin and solvent . in an embodiment , the conductive powders in the present thick film composition are silver conductor powders and are selected from the group comprising silver metal powder , silver metal alloy powder , or mixtures thereof . various particle diameters and shapes of the metal powder are contemplated . in one embodiment , the conductive powder includes any shape silver powder , including spherical particles , flakes ( rods , cones , plates ), and mixtures thereof . in another embodiment , the conductive powder comprises silver flakes . in one embodiment , the particle size distribution of the conductive powder is from 1 to 100 microns . in a further embodiment , the particle size distribution of the conductive powder is from 2 to 10 microns . in one embodiment , the surface area / weight ratio of the particles of the conductive powder is in the range of 0 . 1 to 2 . 0 m 2 / g . in another embodiment , the surface area / weight ratio of the particles of the conductive powder is in the range of 0 . 3 to 1 . 0 m 2 / g . in still another embodiment , the surface area / weight ratio of the particles of the conductive powder is in the range of 0 . 4 - 0 . 7 m 2 / g . furthermore , it is known that small amounts of other metals may be added to silver conductor compositions to improve the properties of the conductor . some examples of such metals include : gold , silver , copper , nickel , aluminum , platinum , palladium , molybdenum , tungsten , tantalum , tin , indium , lanthanum , gadolinium , boron , ruthenium , cobalt , titanium , yttrium , europium , gallium , sulfur , zinc , silicon , magnesium , barium , cerium , strontium , lead , antimony , conductive carbon , and combinations thereof and others common in the art of thick film compositions . the additional metal ( s ) may comprise up to about 1 . 0 percent by weight of the total composition . in one embodiment , the silver flakes are present at 60 to 90 wt % of the total weight of the composition . in another embodiment , the silver flakes are present at 65 to 85 wt % of the total weight of the composition . in still another embodiment , the silver flakes are present at 68 to 78 wt % of the total weight of the composition . the powders are typically mixed with an organic medium , i . e . an organic vehicle , by mechanical mixing to form a paste like composition , called “ paste ”, having suitable consistency and rheology for printing . the organic medium is comprised of three different resins and an organic solvent . the organic medium must be one in which the solids are dispersible with an adequate degree of stability . the rheological properties of the medium must be such that they lend good application properties to the composition . such properties include dispersion of solids with an adequate degree of stability , good application of composition , appropriate viscosity , thixotropy , appropriate wettability of the substrate and the solids , a good drying rate , and a dried film strength sufficient to withstand rough handling . the polymer resins required in one embodiment include a phenoxy resin , i . e ., a polyhydroxyether resin , which allows high weight loading of silver flake and thus helps achieve both good adhesion to indium tin oxide ( ito ) substrates and low contact resistivity , two critical properties for silver electrodes in thin - film photovoltaic cells . another polymer resin required in this embodiment for high - temperature stability and thus adhesion after soldering is a phenolic resin . yet a third required resin is a thermoplastic polyester resin which acts as a flux and helps to wet the silver with solder . in one such embodiment , the phenoxy resin is 0 . 1 to 1 . 0 wt % of the total weight of the composition . in another embodiment , the phenoxy resin is 0 . 2 to 0 . 9 wt % of the total weight of the composition . in still another embodiment , the phenoxy resin is 0 . 25 to 0 . 45 wt % of the total weight of the composition . in one embodiment , the phenolic resin is 0 . 3 to 3 . 0 weight percent of the total composition , while the polyester resin is 1 . 6 to 8 . 0 weight percent of the total composition . solvents suitable for use in the polymer thick film composition are recognized by one of skill in the art and include acetate and terpenes such as alpha - or beta - terpineol or mixtures thereof with other solvents such as kerosene , dibutylphthalate , butyl carbitol , butyl carbitol acetate , hexylene glycol and high boiling alcohols and alcohol esters . in one embodiment , the solvent is one or more components selected from the group consisting of : diethylene glycol ethyl ether acetate ( carbitol acetate ) and dibasic ester , and c - 11 ketone . in addition , volatile liquids for promoting rapid hardening after application on the substrate may be included in the organic vehicle . in many embodiments of the present invention , solvents such as glycol ethers , ketones , esters and other solvents of like boiling points ( in the range of 180 ° c . to 250 ° c . ), and mixtures thereof may be used . the preferred mediums are based on glycol ethers and β - terpineol . various combinations of these and other solvents are formulated to obtain the viscosity and volatility requirements desired . although screen - printing is expected to be a common method for the deposition of polymer thick film silver , other conventional methods including stencil printing , syringe dispensing or other deposition or coating techniques may be utilized . in one embodiment , the organic medium is present at 10 to 40 wt % of the total weight of the composition . in another embodiment , the organic medium is present at 25 to 35 wt % of the total weight of the composition . in still another embodiment , the organic medium is present at 28 to 32 wt % of the total weight of the composition . the polymer thick film silver composition or “ paste ” is typically deposited on a substrate , such as sputtered polyester , that is impermeable to gases and moisture . the substrate can also be a sheet of flexible material . the flexible material can be an impermeable plastic such as polyester , e . g . polyethylene terephthalate , or a composite material made up of a combination of plastic sheet with optional metallic or dielectric layers deposited thereupon . in one embodiment , the substrate can be in the form of a thin - film photovoltaic cell , i . e ., a build - up of layers with metalized , e . g ., stainless steel , polyester followed by the semiconductor layer , e . g ., cigs , followed by a thin cds layer , followed by sputtered indium tin oxide . the solderable polymer thick film silver composition is deposited onto the ito on the front - side of the thin - film photovoltaic cell . the deposition of the polymer thick film silver composition is performed preferably by screen printing , although other deposition techniques such as stencil printing , syringe dispensing or coating techniques can be utilized . in the case of screen - printing , the screen mesh size controls the thickness of deposited thick film . the deposited thick film silver composition is dried , i . e ., the solvent is evaporated , by exposure to heat for typically 15 to 30 min at 180 ° c ., thus forming a thin - film photovoltaic cell with the dried silver composition on the front - side providing a silver metallization . after this drying or curing step , a solder ribbon whose composition is typically 62 / 36 / 2 sn / pb / ag is attached to the printed silver metallization with a soldering gun heated to approximately 270 ° c . the present invention will be discussed in further detail by giving a practical example . the scope of the present invention , however , is not limited in any way by this practical example . adhesion to alumina was measured using an astm tape method . a 600 grade tape was applied to a printed / dried pattern of ptf silver conductor composition . the tape was removed in a continuous fashion and the amount of silver ink material removed was estimated based upon an arbitrary scale of 1 to 5 with 5 representing no material removal , i . e . excellent adhesion . the ptf silver electrode paste was prepared by mixing silver flake with an average particle size of 5 μm and a range of particle size of 2 to 12 microns with an organic medium composed of polyhydroxyether resin , i . e ., phenoxy resin ( available from phenoxy associates , inc ), polyester resin ( available from shell chemical ) and phenolic resin ( available from georgia pacific ). the molecular weights of the resins were approximately 20 , 000 . solvents were used to dissolve the resins completely prior to adding the silver flake . those solvents were carbitol acetate ( available from eastman chemical ) and dibasic esters - 9 ( available from eastman chemical invista ). the composition of the polymer thick film silver composition of example 1 was 70 . 00 wt % flaked silver and 30 . 00 wt % organic medium . the organic medium contained 0 . 25 wt % phenoxy resin , 6 . 88 wt . % polyester resin , 0 . 50 wt % phenolic resin and 22 . 37 wt % solvents . all wt % were based on the total weight of the composition . this composition was mixed for 30 minutes on a planetary mixer . the composition was then transferred to a three - roll mill where it was subjected to two passes at 100 and 200 psi . at this point , the composition was used to screen print a silver grid pattern on top of alumina substrates . using a 280 mesh stainless steel screen , a series of lines were printed , and the silver paste was dried at 170 ° c . for 30 min . in a forced air box oven . the resistivity was then measured as 15 milliohms / sq / mil . soldering with 62 / 36 / 2 sn / pb / ag resulted in good wetting and good adhesion to the substrate . as a comparison , two standard compositions , each containing only one resin , were used in comparative experiments a and b . the standard composition used in comparative experiment a contained the polyester resin but not the other two resins used in example 1 . it was observed as having poor adhesion to the substrate after soldering . the standard composition used in comparative experiment b contained the phenoxy resin but not the other two resins used in example 1 . it showed a resistivity of approx . 15 mohm / sq / mil but would not solder and showed poor adhesion to the substrate . the large improvement in solderability and adhesion for the silver conductor of experiment 1 , key properties for thin - film pv silver compositions , enables it to be used for most applications and improves pv cell efficiency . note that comparative experiments a and b contained the same silver powder as example 1 . a summary of the results appears in table 1
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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the idea of increasing the storage capacitor electrode surface area by the deployment of a layer of coarse material such as the hsg - si layer is straight - forward . however , several factors determine how large an extent the increase may be achieved . these include the shape and size of the grains and the distance between the grains formed in the case when hsg - si layer is used . fig3 a and 3b together depict this relationship . in fig3 b , three hsg - si layers having different grain sizes and average distance between formed grains are shown , with their corresponding surface area increase factor shown in fig3 a . as can be observed in fig3 a and 3b , when only a small fraction of the entire sphere is formed , or when a large fraction of the sphere is formed but closely pack together , as in the case of r 1 and r 2 in fig3 b respectively , the surface area increasing factor is not optimized , as is seen correspondingly in fig3 a . in the case of r 1 in fig3 b , the consecutive spheres formed are not connected to each other , but the overall curvature of the spheres are not significant to increase the entire surface area effectively . on the other hand , in the case of r 2 in fig3 b , although each of the spheres are formed to have large surface area , but the connection between consecutive ones of them reduces the overall surface area significantly . the optimization is the case in which a large fraction of the entire sphere is formed on top of the underlying layer , with a minimal distance preserved between the consecutive spheres , as in the case identified by r * in fig3 b . in general , the optimized distance between the consecutive spheres of the hsg - si layer is about 0 . 1 μm . fig4 a - 4e respectively show the cross - sectional views of a dram memory cell unit fabricated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention . first , in the cross - sectional view of fig4 a , an insulation layer 102 is formed over the surface of the device substrate 100 . a contact opening is formed in this insulation layer 102 that exposes the surface of the source / drain region of the mos transistor fabricated in the device substrate 100 . again , note that details of this mos transistor are not elaborated in this drawing . the insulation layer 102 can be , for example , an interpolysilicon dielectric layer that serves to electrically isolate the mos transistor with other portions of the other components in the cell unit . after the formation of the contact opening in the insulation layer 102 , an electrically conductive material is then formed to cover the surface of the insulation layer 102 , including the exposed surface of the mos transistor source / drain region . this formed conductive layer 104 may be , for example , a doped polysilicon layer that also fills into the contact opening formed in the insulation layer 102 . next , on the surface of the conductive layer 104 , a patterned photoresist layer 108 is then formed covering the area where the bottom electrode for the storage capacitor is to be formed . then , the photoresist layer 108 is used as the shielding mask for the implementation of an etching procedure that removes the portions of the conductive layer 104 that are exposed out of the shielding coverage . after this , the photoresist layer 108 is then removed . the result is the conductive layer 104a shaped to be used as the bottom electrode for the storage capacitor as is illustrated in fig4 b . in order to prevent the stripping - off of the hsg - si layer as was described above in the conventional fabrication procedure , a thin layer of amorphous silicon 105 is formed over the surface of the conductive layer 104a . this layer may be used to improve the adhesiveness of the conductive layer 104a in the subsequent hsg - si layer formation procedure . an lpcvd procedure can be used to form this amorphous silicon layer 105 at a temperature of about 575 ° c ., and the thickness of the amorphous silicon deposited is about 300å . refer next to fig4 c . with the amorphous silicon layer 105 covering the surface of the device substrate , an hsg - si layer 106 can be formed over the surface of the amorphous silicon layer 105 . this may be achieved by performing an lpcvd procedure in an sih 4 - or si 2 h 6 - containing gaseous environment . the formed hsg - si layer 106 , together with its underlying amorphous silicon layer 105 , can then be implanted with impurities in an ion implantation procedure . this turns the hsg - si layer 106 and the amorphous silicon layer 105 underneath into an electrically conductive material suitable to be used as the surface layer of the storage capacitor bottom electrode . in the process of the formation of the hsg - si layer 106 , a native oxide is formed over its surface . as already indicated , since the existence of such native oxides deteriorates the quality of the electrode for the storage capacitor , a wet etching procedure is then employed to remove this native oxide . this may be done by submerging the formed native oxide layer in etchants such as a 100 - to - 1 rca - hf solution for about 60 - 300 seconds . the rca used may , for example , include nh 4 oh / hdiw / h 2 o 2 , or , a buffered oxide etchant ( boe ) can be used . the presence of the amorphous silicon layer 105 between the conductive layer 104a and the hsg - si layer 106 is effective in preventing the stripping - off of the hsg - si when the native oxide - removal etching procedure is performed . this is because of the improved adhesion between the hsg - si layer 106 and the amorphous silicon layer 105 itself . without substantial stripping - off of the hsg - si layer , the etchant quality can be maintained to prevent deterioration of the surface quality of the hsg - si layer . refer to fig4 d . portions of the hsg - si layer 106 formed between the bottom electrodes for the consecutive cell units must be removed to prevent undesirable short - circuiting . the amorphous layer 105 covering the insulation layer 102 between the bottom electrodes is also removed as a consequence of the removal of the portions of the hsg - si layer 106 . these hsg - si portions may be removed in an etching - back procedure employing a dry etchant . this dry etching - back procedure also removes the portion of the hsg - si layer 106 formed on top of the bottom electrodes . due to the fact that the surface of the hsg - si layer 106 on top of the bottom electrodes was coarse surface , therefore the top surface of the conductive layer 104a revealed after the implementation of this etching - back procedure is also coarse in nature , as is schematically illustrated in fig4 d . this ensures that the surface area increase as brought about by the deployment of the hsg - si layer can be substantially sustained even though the portion of the hsg - si layer 106 on top of the conductive layer 104a has been removed . this results in a bottom electrode structural configuration 107 constituting of the conductive layer 104a , the amorphous silicon layer 105a , and the hsg - si layer 106a . refer next to fig4 e , a dielectric material is then formed over the surface of the device substrate resulting into the dielectric layer 112 . the dielectric layer 112 formed may be , for example , consisted of a triple - layered ono or a double - layered no configuration , or , it may be constituted of a tantalum oxide , ta 2 o 5 . subsequent fabrication procedural steps can then be employed to shape into the dielectric and top electrode layers 112 and 114 respectively . thus , the process of the invention for fabricating the bottom electrode for storage capacitors in dram memory cell units is advantageous in that the electrode surface area may be substantially increased . the surface increase is more than that on the top surface of the bottom electrode , as can be observed in the cross - sectional view of fig4 e . the sidewall surface of the bottom electrode is also covered by the surface area - increasing hsg - si layer . in addition , during the process of the removal of the native oxide formed over the surface of the hsg - si layer , the probability of stripping - off of portions of the hsg - si layer is reduced substantially as a result of improved adhesion between the hsg - si layer and its underlying amorphous silicon layer . while the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims , the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures .
| 7Electricity
|
a light source in accordance with the principles of the invention may be used as a decorative lighting element or may be utilized as a general illumination device . as shown in fig1 a light source 100 in accordance with the invention includes an elongate thermally conductive member or heat sink 101 . elongate heat sink 101 is formed of a material that provides excellent thermal conductivity . elongate heat sink 101 in the illustrative embodiment of the invention is a tubular aluminum extrusion . to improve the heat dissipative properties of light source 100 , elongate heat sink 101 is configured to provide convective heat dissipation and cooling . as more clearly seen in fig2 tubular heat sink 101 is hollow and has an interior cavity 103 that includes one or more surface discontinuities or heat dissipating protrusions 105 . in the illustrative embodiment the surface discontinuities or heat dissipating protrusions 105 are triangular shaped fins , but may take on other shapes . in yet other embodiments , the surface discontinuities may include apertures or blind bores either alone or in combinations with heat dissipation protrusions . protrusions 105 are integrally formed on the interior of elongate heat sink 101 . in the illustrative embodiment movement of a medium 102 through elongate heat sink 101 provides cooling . medium 102 utilized in the illustrative embodiment is air , but may in some applications be a fluid other than air to provide for greater heat dissipation and cooling . cooling device 199 is coupled to elongate thermally conductive member 101 to enhance cooling of the led &# 39 ; s . cooling device in one embodiment of the invention is a medium moving device in fluid coupling with elongate thermally conductive member 101 to enhance the movement of medium 102 . medium moving device 199 is utilized to enhance fluid medium 102 to flow to cause cooling of the elongate thermally conductive member and therefore to dissipate heat from the light emitting diodes . medium moving device 199 in a first illustrative embodiment is a fan and may be an electromechanical fan , electronic fan , or solid - state device such as a piezoelectric fan . in a second embodiment of the invention , cooling device 199 may comprise one or more solid state cooling devices utilizing the peltier effect , otherwise known as peltier devices . although cooling device 199 is shown at one end of the light source 100 , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that where solid state devices are utilized , a plurality of solid state devices may be positioned at locations other than on an end of the light source 100 . it will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that solid state cooling devices such as piezoelectric and peltier devices are known . a controller 300 is provided in accordance with the principles of the invention . controller 300 is coupled to a temperature sensor 301 that is disposed on light source 100 so as to monitor the temperature of the light emitting diodes 109 . controller 300 is utilized to control the rate of cooling provided by cooling device 199 . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although controller 300 and sensor 301 are shown separated from each other in the drawing , that such separation is provided merely for clarity in understanding the invention and controller 300 and sensor 301 may be fabricated as a single integrated device . the exterior surface 107 of elongate heat sink 101 has a plurality of light emitting diodes 109 disposed thereon . each led 109 in the illustrative embodiment comprises a white light emitting led of a type that provides a high light output . each led 109 also generates significant amount of heat that must be dissipated to avoid thermal destruction of the led . as noted above cooling device 199 provides cooling to avoid thermal destruction . by combining a plurality of leds 109 on elongate thermally conductive member or heat sink 101 , a high light output light source that may be used for general lighting is provided . conductive paths 129 are provided to connect leds 109 to an electrical connector 111 . the conductive paths may be disposed on an electrically insulating layer 131 or layers disposed on exterior surface 107 . in the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawing figures , the conductive paths and insulating layer are provided by means of one or more flexible printed circuits 113 that are permanently disposed on surface 107 . as more easily seen in fig6 printed circuit 113 includes an electrically insulating layer 131 that carries conductive paths 129 . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , other means of providing the electrically conductive paths may be provided . flexible printed circuit 113 has led &# 39 ; s 109 mounted to it in a variety of orientations ranging from 360 degrees to 180 degrees and possibly others depending on the application . electrical connector 111 is disposed at one end of printed circuit 113 . connector 113 is coupleable to a separate power supply to receive electrical current . flexible printed circuit 113 , in the illustrative embodiment is coated with a non - electrically conductive epoxy that may be infused with optically reflective materials . flexible printed circuit 113 is adhered to the tube 101 with a heat conducting epoxy to aid in the transmission of the heat from leds 109 to tube 101 . flexible printed circuit 113 has mounting holes 134 for receiving leds 109 such that the backs of leds 109 are in thermal contact with the tube surface 107 . tubular heat sink 101 in the illustrative embodiment is formed in the shape of a polygon and may have any number of sides . although tubular heat sink 101 in the illustrative embodiment is extruded aluminum , tubular heat sink 101 may comprise other thermal conductive material . fins 105 may vary in number and location depending on particular led layouts and wattage in some instances , surface discontinuities such as heat dissipation protrusions or fins may be added to the exterior surface of tubular heat sink 101 . in addition , apertures may be added as surface discontinuities to the tubular heat sink to enhance heat flow . [ 0039 ] fig7 and 8 show an alternate elongate thermally conductive member 201 that has both exterior surface discontinuities or heat dissipation protrusions or fins 205 in addition to interior surface discontinuities or heat dissipation protrusions or fins 241 . turning now to fig9 controller 300 is advantageously utilized in accordance with the principles of the invention . controller 300 may be any one of a number of commercially available controllers . each such controller is programmable and includes a processor , and memory ( which are not shown ). controller 300 memory is utilized to program operation of the microprocessor . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that controller 300 may be integrated into the same chip as sensor 301 and interface 303 that is utilized to interface controller 300 to the cooling device 199 . controller 300 is programmed so that when temperature sensor 301 detects a temperature that is too high , cooling device 199 is activated or , if activated at less than full capacity , is activated to a higher cooling capacity . in addition , controller 300 is coupled to power supply 305 , which in turn provides power to led &# 39 ; s 109 at the appropriate voltage level and type via power bus 307 , so that the amount of power provided to led &# 39 ; s 109 may also be regulated to control the amount of power dissipated by led &# 39 ; s 109 . controller 300 controls the amount of cooling provided by cooling device 199 . the amount of cooling provided by cooling device 199 is increased when temperature sensor 301 indicates a predetermined temperature . in addition , controller 300 will turn off all led &# 39 ; s 109 in the event that a second predetermined temperature threshold is reached or exceeded . controller 300 also operates to increase the power provided to led &# 39 ; s 109 in the event that the temperature sensed is below another predetermined threshold . controller 300 has control input 309 to receive control inputs to determine the on - off status of led &# 39 ; s 109 and to determine the brightness level output of led &# 39 ; s 109 . in addition , controller 300 is programmed to be responsive to control signals that will command controller 300 to brighten or dim the light output of led &# 39 ; s 109 interface 303 is provides the appropriate interface between controller 300 and cooling device 199 light source 100 is mounted into a fixture and retained in position by mounting clips 121 , 123 as most clearly seen in fig3 , and 5 each of the clips is shaped so as to engage and retain light source 100 . each clip is affixed on one surface 122 , 124 to a light fixture . although light source 100 is shown as comprising elongate tubular thermally conductive members or heat sinks 101 , 201 , other extruded elongate members may be used such as channels . in the illustrative embodiment shown , cooling by flow of air through elongate thermally conductive members or tubular heat sinks 101 , 201 is utilized such that cool or unheated air enters elongate thermally conductive members 101 , 201 by fluid movement device 199 , passes over the surface discontinuities or heat dissipation protrusions , and exits from the opposite end of elongate thermally conductive member 101 , 201 as heated air . in higher wattage light sources , rather than utilizing air as the cooling medium , other fluids may be utilized . in particular , convective heat pumping may be used to remove heat from the interior of the heat sink . in one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention , the light source of the invention is configured to replace compact fluorescent lighting in decorative applications . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the invention has been described in terms of light emitting diodes , the invention is equally applicable to other non - filament miniature lights sources such as organic light emitting diodes ( oled &# 39 ; s ) and polymer type light sources . it is intended that the term “ light emitting diode ” or “ led ” as used in the claims is intended to not be limited to solid state light emitting diodes , but is intended to include such other miniature light sources . it has further been determined that the uniformity of light distribution of a light source having an elongate thermally conductive member with heat dissipation protrusions or fins 205 on the outer surface of the elongate thermally conductive member 201 is enhanced by utilization of an appropriately selected coating or treatment to the outer or exterior surfaces of elongate thermally conductive member 201 . in particular , in a comparison of various surface coatings or treatments , it has been found that the use of a non - reflective or black surface on the protrusions or fins 205 provides a more uniform light output . it has been determined that the use of reflective or white surfaces on protrusions results in the protrusions producing shadows in the light output . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , the principles of the invention are not limited to the use of light emitting diodes that emit white light . different colored light emitting diodes may be used to produce monochromatic light or to produce light that is the combination of different colors . controller 300 is programmable to be further responsive to control signals 309 to control which of different colored led &# 39 ; s are activated and the amount of power provided to the different colors such that the color output of lights source 100 is varied . although the invention has been described in terms of illustrative embodiments , it is not intended that the invention be limited to the illustrative embodiments shown and described . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments shown and described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . it is intended that the invention be limited only by the claims appended hereto .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
|
below is a detailed description of the optoelectronic material , and a manufacturing method therefor , of the present invention as a first embodiment thereof , using fig1 through 4 ( b ). in the present embodiment , porous si is used as luminescent si . here is described the optoelectronic material formed by nitriding its surface , and a manufacturing method thereof . fig1 shows a cross - sectional view showing a construction of the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment . in fig1 , reference numeral 11 denotes a si single - crystal substrate ; 12 a porous si ; and 13 a si nitride layer . the manufacturing method is described using this figure . first , by anodizing p - type low - resistance ( 0 . 06 - 0 . 12 ω · cm ) si single - crystal substrate 11 with crystal plane orientation ( 100 ), porous si 12 is formed on its surface . as a concrete procedure , after ultrasonic washing of si single - crystal substrate 11 for five minutes each with acetone , methanol , and ultra - pure distilled water , the surface oxide film is removed using a hydrofluoric acid ( hf ) solution diluted to 10 % capacity , in order to obtain ohmic contact between the substrate and indium ( in ) electrodes . then , after washing with ultra - pure distilled water for three minutes , in backside electrodes were formed on four corners of the reverse - surface . after forming the electrodes , the substrate was placed in a teflon cell , and a coiled platinum wire was placed on the front surface of the substrate , forming the opposite electrode . during anodization , hydrogen gas is generated from the si single - crystal substrate surface , which is the anode . for this reason , a local electrical field is easily formed between the si and solution as the si becomes porous , causing an uneven porous si layer . thus , ethanol ( c 2 h 5 oh ), which acts as a surfactant , was mixed with the hf solution , in order to efficiently remove the hydrogen generated by the reaction to create porosity . when the volume ratio of hf ( 50 % by weight ) to c 2 h 5 oh reached 2 : 3 , a porous material layer with a high photoluminescence ( pl ) efficiency and maximum - porosity was obtained . after this hf solution was stirred , it was placed in the teflon cell , the injection of current through the solution was begun using a constant current power supply . the electric current density was about 35 ma / cm 2 , and the current was applied for 10 minutes . during this process , the components were irradiated using a 50 w halogen lamp . after the process was completed , the components were left in this state for 10 minutes , and then etching was carried out . next , the substrate was removed from the teflon cell , and washed with flowing ultra - pure distilled water for three minutes . subsequently , the in electrodes were removed from the rear surface of the substrate using hydrochloric acid aqueous solution diluted to 20 %. finally , the substrate was washed with ultra - pure flowing distilled water for 3 minutes , obtaining porous si 12 . next , the porous si 12 is annealed , hydrogen terminated at the si dangling - bond is removed and the surface nitrided , forming si nitride layer 13 . a rapid thermal annealing apparatus was used so that there was little change in the size of the microcrystals . specifically , the si single - crystal substrate 11 with formed porous si 12 was placed inside the apparatus , and after evacuating the interior of the apparatus to a high vacuum by bringing it to 5 × 10 − 3 pa using a turbo molecular pump , high - purity ( 6n ) nitrogen ( n 2 ) gas was introduced at 1 . 01 / min , then annealing was carried out for one minute at 1 , 100 degrees celsius . the optoelectronic material obtained by the above - mentioned method was measured using infrared absorption , xps , pl , and raman scattering , to evaluate changes in structure and optical properties before and after annealing . the results of the infrared absorption analysis of the porous si before and after annealing indicated that before annealing , in peaks caused by si — o bonds were observed , as well as peaks caused by si — o — h , si — h , and si — h 2 bonds . in contrast , after annealing the peaks to which hydrogen contributed disappeared , and only si — o bond peaks were observed . these results indicate that annealing eliminated dangling - bond terminal hydrogen present on the surface of the si microcrystals . furthermore , xps analysis detected n in the porous si after annealing , seeming to indicate that the surface had been nitrided . fig2 shows the pl spectrum of the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment . a helium cadmium ( hecd ) laser ( wavelength : 325 nm ; output : 15 mw ) was used as the excitation light source , and measurement was conducted at room temperature . while the peak location of the porous si before annealing was in the vicinity of 1 . 9 ev , after one minute of annealing the peak blue - shifted , to a peak in the vicinity of 2 . 3 ev . in addition , it was evident that the spectrum was spreading into the high - energy side . these results indicate that nitriding the surface of the porous si made it possible to control the electroluminescent wavelength . fig3 shows the dependence of the pl peak strength of the present embodiment on irradiation time . before annealing , the intensity of the electroluminescence of the porous si degraded with time of irradiation . this is because the surface of the porous si is oxidized in the presence of air . in contrast , when annealed for one minute , the electroluminescence was stabilized , with almost no degradation of electroluminescence intensity after 1 - hour irradiation . thus , the fact that visible - spectrum pl was obtained in the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment at room temperature indicates that the nitride layer coating , with a bandgap that is larger than si , was able to express a quantum confinement effect in the electroluminescent si . additionally , because the impurity diffusion coefficient of the si nitride layer was lower than that of the si oxide layer , it is believed that the surface state was stabilized by nitriding the surface of the porous si , enabling stable electroluminescence to be obtained , without the effects of oxide diffusion and the like , and without deterioration over time . fig4 ( a ) and ( b ) show the raman scattering spectrum of the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment before and after annealing . an ar ion laser ( wavelength : 514 . 5 nm ; output : 27 mw ) was used as the excitation light source , and measurement conducted at room temperature . in the figure , the solid line is the result of the measurement , and the dotted lines are the results of peak separation by 2 gaussian distributions on each - spectrum . of the two peaks , the peak shifting to the high wave frequency side was the same as bulk si , with a peak location of 521 cm − 1 and full - width half maximum ( fwhm ) of 3 - 4 cm − 1 . from this , it is thought that this spectrum is due to the submerged si substrate . comparing the peaks shifting to the low wave frequency side reveals that after one minute of annealing , the peak width had spread out widely . on the raman scattering spectrum , the peak location shifted to the low wave frequency side due to quantum confinement , and the peak width in particular shifted to the low wave frequency side . consequently , these results indicate that the quantum confinement effect was made more striking by nitriding the surface of the porous si . thus , the present invention was able to obtain optoelectronic material with no oxidation of the surface of the porous si , and no . degradation of the intensity of the electroluminescence . furthermore , it was confirmed that annealing effectively caused a quantum confinement effect to manifest , also enabling the control of the electroluminescence wavelength . note that although the present embodiment used porous si as the electroluminescent si , silicon ultrafine particles with particle diameters on the nanometer order may be used . below is a detailed description of another optoelectronic material , and a manufacturing method therefor , of the present invention as a second embodiment thereof , using fig5 ( a ), 5 ( b ) and 6 . in the present embodiment are described an optoelectronic material comprising ultrafine particles , the surfaces or entirety of which are nitrided , and a manufacturing method therefor . fig5 ( a ) and 5 ( b ) show cross - sectional views showing a construction of the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment . in fig5 ( a ), reference numeral 51 denotes si ultrafine particles , and 52 a si nitride layer formed on the surface thereof . fig5 ( b ) is nitrided si ultrafine particles 53 , the entirety of which is nitrided . next is described the method for manufacturing the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment . in the present embodiment , when the silicon ultrafine particles are deposited on the substrate , adhesion deposition is carried out on the substrate using laser ablation of the si in an atmosphere of gas containing nitrogen ( e . g . n 2 , nh 3 ). note that laser ablation means irradiation of the target material with laser light beam having high energy density ( pulse energy of about 1 . 0 j / cm 2 or more ), causing melting and desorption in the surface of the irradiated target material , and features a nonthermal equilibrium process . a specific effect of nonthermal equilibrium is that it enables spatial and temporal selection excitation . in particular , having spatial selection excitation characteristics allows only the material source to be excited , while with conventional heat or plasma processing a considerable area or the entirety of the reaction tank was exposed to heat or ions . this makes the process clean , controlling the contamination of impurities . furthermore , the pulse laser excitation process has remarkable lower damage characteristics than the ion excitation process with the same nonthermal equilibrium characteristics . material desorped during laser ablation is mainly ions and neutral particles that are atoms , molecules , and clusters ( consisting of several to several tens of atoms ) . the kinetic energy of this material reaches several tens to several hundreds of ev ( electron volts ) in the case of ions , and several ev in the case of neutral particles . this energy is significantly higher than that of heat - vaporized atoms , but significantly lower than the energy of an ordinary ion beam . this clean , low - damage laser ablation process is suited to the fabrication of ultrafine particles with controlled impurity contamination , composition , crystal properties , and the like . this is because with the fabrication of ultrafine particles whose proportion of surface area is enormously large and influenced by structure , it is dispensable to provide low - damage characteristics , and when growing ultrafine particles by a thermal equilibrium process , it is impossible to prevent a wide distribution of such structural parameters as particle diameter . specifically , fig6 is a conceptual construction diagram of the optoelectronic material manufacturing apparatus for forming ultrafine particles with sizes on the nanometer order , by laser ablation of the si target . in fig6 , reference numeral 101 denotes a reaction chamber in which the target is placed ; 102 an ultra - vacuum gas evacuation system that evacuates the air from inside the reaction chamber 101 to create an ultra vacuum ; 103 a mass flow controller that controls the flow level of atmospheric gas supplied to reaction chamber 101 ; 104 a gas introduction line for supplying atmospheric gas to the reaction chamber 101 ; 105 a gas evacuation system that evacuates atmospheric gas from inside the reaction chamber 101 ; 106 a target holder that holds the target ; 107 the target ; 108 pulse laser light source that irradiates laser light as an energy beam ; 109 a deposition substrate upon which material desorped and ejected from the target 107 that has been excited by laser beam irradiation is deposited ; 110 a laser introduction window installed on the laser light introduction portion of the reaction chamber 101 ; 111 a slit to shape the laser light beam irradiated from the pulse laser light source ; 112 a lens to condense laser light beam ; and 113 a reflector to direct the irradiated laser light toward the target 107 . the operation of the optoelectronic material manufacturing apparatus having this construction is described below . in fig6 , first , after the ultra - high vacuum gas evacuation system 102 consisting chiefly of a turbo molecular pump creates an ultimate vacuum of about 1 . 0 × 10 − 9 torr in the all - metal reaction chamber 101 , n 2 gas or helium ( he ) diluted n 2 gas ( 1 %) is introduced therein by gas introduction line 104 , via mass flow controller 103 . here , by linking operation with the gas evacuation system 105 having as its major component a dry rotary pump or high - pressure turbo molecular pump , the pressure of the inert gas inside the reaction chamber 101 is set to a single pressure value in the range of about 0 . 1 - 50 torr in the case of n 2 gas . then in this state , the surface of the si single - crystal target 107 , with purity 4n , placed on the target holder 106 having a rotating mechanism , is irradiated with laser light beam from the pulse laser light source 108 . here , an argon fluorine ( arf ) excimer laser ( wavelength : 193 nm ; pulse width : 12 ns : energy density : 1 j / cm 2 ; cycle frequency : 10 hz ) was used . at this point , a laser ablation phenomenon is generated on the surface of the si target 107 , and si ions or neutral particles ( atoms , molecules , clusters ) are desorped , and at this time , material maintaining sizes of molecules or clusters is ejected mainly in the target normal direction , with a kinetic energy of 50 ev in the case of ions , and 5 ev in the case of neutral particles . next , the ejected flying material scatters as it collides with the atmospheric gas atoms , and the kinetic energy is dissipated into the atmospheric gas , promoting association and agglomeration inside the chamber . furthermore , at the same time chemical reactions occur with the atmospheric n 2 gas in the gas phase . as a result the material is deposited on the facing deposition substrate 109 located about 3 cm away , as nitrided si ultrafine particles ranging in size from several to several tens of nanometers . the substrate and target temperatures are not actively controlled . note that here , n 2 gas is used as the atmospheric gas , but it is also permissible to use another nitrogen including gas , such as nh 3 . in this case , in order to obtain ultrafine particles with the same particle size , it is sufficient to set the gas pressure so that the atmospheric gas has the same average gas density . for example , if nh 3 ( gas density : 0 . 75 g / l ) is used as the atmospheric gas , then using n 2 ( gas density : 1 . 23 g / l ) as a reference , it is sufficient to set the gas pressure approximately 1 . 6 - fold . alternatively , if he diluted n 2 gas ( 1 %) ( average gas density : 0 . 19 g / l ) is used , it is sufficient to set the gas pressure about 6 . 5 - fold . the structure of the deposited ultrafine particles was assessed . this showed that in the case that the deposition was conducted with 100 % n 2 or nh 3 gas as the atmospheric gas , as illustrated in fig5 ( b ), nitrided si ultrafine particles were formed that were nitrided nearly in their entirety . in contrast , in the case that the deposition was conducted in he diluted n 2 gas ( 1 %) as the atmospheric gas , as illustrated in fig5 ( a ), si ultrafine particles nitrided only on the surface were formed . these results indicate that with the fabrication of ultrafine particles by means of the method for manufacturing the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment , it was possible to deposit nitrided si ultrafine particles by controlling the atmospheric gas pressure thereof . additionally , the thickness of the nitride layer can be controlled by adjusting the composition and pressure of the atmospheric gas . in other words , the surface state can be controlled during the fabrication of ultrafine particles , by optimizing the interaction ( collision , scattering , and confinement effects ) between the atmospheric gas and the material ( mainly atoms , ions , and clusters ) ejected from the target by means of laser irradiation . consequently , if the present method is used , since a low - purity chemical compound formed by powder sintering or alloy target is not used , it is possible to manufacture ultrafine particles using a high - purity target by fusion refining a single element . furthermore , immediately after deposition , ultrafine particles have such problems as crystal defects and the presence of unpaired electron bonds . in such cases , in order to improve the film qualities , including crystallinity and purity , it is effective to anneal the deposition ultrafine particles in nitrogen atmosphere at between around 600 and 900 degrees celsius . below is a detailed description of another method for manufacturing the optoelectronic material of the present invention as a third embodiment thereof . in the present embodiment is described a method for manufacturing an optoelectronic material comprising ultrafine particles nitrided in their entirety . as with the second embodiment , an excimer laser is used as the light source , and using the optoelectronic material manufacturing apparatus shown in fig6 , laser ablation is carried out on the si 3 n 4 target , forming si 3 n 4 ultrafine particles . specifically , in fig6 , first , after the ultra - high vacuum gas evacuation system 102 consisting mainly of a turbo molecular pump creates an ultimate vacuum of 1 . 0 × 10 − 9 torr in the all - metal reaction chamber 101 , ultra - pure ( 6n ) helium ( he ) is introduced therein by the gas introduction line 104 , via the mass flow controller 103 . here , by linking operation with the gas evacuation system 105 having as its major component a dry rotary pump or high - pressure turbo molecular pump , the gas pressure inside the reaction chamber 101 is set to a single pressure value in the range of about 0 . 1 - 100 torr . then in this state , the surface of the si 3 n 4 powder sintered target 107 , with purity 4n , placed on the target holder 106 having a rotating mechanism , is irradiated with laser light beam from the pulse laser light source . 108 . here , an arf excimer laser ( wavelength : 193 nm ; pulse width : 12 ns : energy density : 1 j / cm 2 ; cycle frequency : 10 hz ) was used . at this point , a laser ablation phenomenon is generated on the surface of the si 3 n 4 target 107 , and ions or neutral particles ( atoms , molecules , clusters ) are desorped , and at this time , material maintaining sizes of molecules or clusters is ejected mainly in the target normal direction , with a kinetic energy of 50 ev in the case of ions , and 5 ev in the case of neutral particles . next , the ejected flying material scatters as it collides with the atmospheric gas atoms , and the kinetic energy is dissipated into the atmospheric gas , promoting association and agglomeration inside the chamber . as a result , the material is deposited on the facing deposition substrate 109 located about 3 cm away , as si 3 n 4 ultrafine particles . the substrate and target temperatures are not actively controlled . note that here , he gas is used as the atmospheric gas , but another inert gas , such as ar may be used . in this case , it is sufficient to set the gas pressure to the same average gas density . for example , if ar ( gas density : 1 . 78 g / l ) is used as the atmospheric gas , then using he ( gas density : 0 . 18 g / l ) as a reference , it is sufficient to set the gas pressure approximately 0 . 1 - fold . the structure of the deposited ultrafine particles was assessed . as illustrated in fig5 ( b ), si 3 n 4 ultrafine particles were formed that were nitrided nearly in their entirety . these results indicate that with the fabrication of ultrafine particles by means of the method for manufacturing the optoelectronic material of the present embodiment , it was possible to deposit si 3 n 4 ultrafine particles with nearly the same composition as the target , by controlling the atmospheric gas pressure thereof , even when using an inert gas that does not contain nitrogen . in other words , by optimizing the interaction ( collision , scattering , and confinement effects ) between the inert gas and the material ( mainly atoms , ions , and clusters ) ejected from the target through laser irradiation , it is possible to form crystal compound ultrafine particles . here some observations on the effects of the atmospheric gas on laser ablation will be made . the material ejected from the target surface by means of laser irradiation maintains the composition of the target without being vaporized , and is propagated maintaining a straight line , mainly in the form of atoms and ions . in the presence of atmospheric gas , however , collisions cause scattering and rob energy from the material , changing the spatial dispersion at deposition , deposition speed , the distribution of kinetic energy of the deposition material , and the like . these changes differ depending on the type and kinetic energy of the ejected material . in general , it is believed that because heavier material ( here , si ) is less susceptible to scattering , it maintains a straight path even during laser ablation . as a result , if deposition is carried out under low gas pressure , the material reaches the substrate in a state lacking nitrogen , which is susceptible to scattering and also has high vapor pressure . at first , the atoms and ions ejected from the target travel at different speeds , but as the atmospheric gas pressure rises , they are more likely to collide with the atmospheric gas and scatter , causing their speed to slow , at the same time approaching a uniform speed . as a result , the ejected material is confined within a given space , controlling the lack of nitrogen that was occurring at low gas pressures . because during laser ablation in an inert gas atmosphere , the only nitrogen supplied to the deposition material is that which has been ejected from the target , this effect is vital . at the same time , when laser ablation is conducted in a high pressure gas atmosphere , the atmospheric gas is compressed , and its pressure and temperature raised , forming a shock front . hence , some observations on the effects of this shock front on nitride formation will be made . nitrided si is formed in accordance with the following formula . the increase in gas pressure promotes the formation of si 3 n 4 ( the reaction progressing to the right in formula 1 ), which is a reaction that brings about a reduction in mass and molar number . the increase in temperature thermally promotes the excitation of the ejected material . the increase in temperature , however , also works in the direction of increase of the generation energy of si 3 n 4 , inhibiting the formation thereof . as the shock front proceeds forward and its distance from the target increases , the pressure and temperature decline . additionally , the generation energy decreases as the temperature falls . as a result of the above , a region meeting sufficiently low generation energy conditions and at the same time having a high temperature state is formed a certain distance from the target , and nitride reactions are promoted within this region . in other words , it is believed that the crystal cores of si 3 n 4 maintaining stoichiometry are formed in the region that promotes this gas - phase nitriding . then with further airborne motion , the material rapidly cools as it agglomerates , reaching the substrate and providing si 3 n 4 ultrafine particles . if the deposition substrate is placed so that it is in contact with this nitriding promotion region , the substrate surface becomes an active region , and migration of the crystal core generated by gas phase on the substrate is thought to cause orientation and crystallization . conversely , if the deposition substrate is placed so that it is outside this nitriding promotion region , the microcrystals grown in gas phase reach the substrate while associating , which results in a non - oriented structure . as is clear by the above observations , with laser ablation there is an interrelation between atmospheric gas pressure ( p ) and the distance between target and substrate ( d ). the material ejected from the target by means of laser irradiation goes into a plasma state called a plume . because this plume is affected by collisions with the atmospheric gas , the size of the plume is dependent on the gas pressure : the higher the gas pressure , the smaller the plume . furthermore , the features of the substrate deposition material depends greatly on the speed of the material ejected from the target when it reaches the deposition substrate . for this reason , in order to obtain the same characteristics , the value pd a must be in a constant relationship as a process condition for keeping the above - mentioned speed constant . here , the value n is assumed to be between about 2 and 3 . consequently , for example in the case that d is doubled , the corresponding gas pressure may be set to about ¼ - ⅛ . thus , in the optoelectronic material manufacturing method of the present embodiment , if laser ablation is conducted using a target material consisting of a material including an element with high vapor pressure ( here , nitrogen ), then in order to prevent stoichiometry from being altered when the element with high vapor pressure is removed , a method of supplementing the atmospheric gas with a high vapor - pressure element using a gas including a high vapor - pressure element is not used . rather , a plume of the appropriate size is formed , by adjusting the atmospheric gas pressure and the distance between the target and deposition substrate , and forming ultrafine particles which maintain stoichiometry . in other words , inside a plume of the right size , the loss of elements with high vapor pressure is prevented , forming ultrafine particles on the deposition substrate with nearly the same composition as the target . consequently , with the optoelectronic material manufacturing method of the present embodiment , the atmospheric gas pressure and distance between the target and deposition substrate are freely set to ensure that the plume with the appropriate size is formed . when this method is used , it is possible to adjust the pressure of the atmospheric gas , or in other words to adjust the number of collisions between the material desorped from the target material and the atmospheric gas atoms , and control the proportion of element with high vapor pressure formed inside the plume and confined inside the high - temperature , high - pressure region , thereby controlling the characteristics of the substrate deposition material . furthermore , immediately after deposition , ultrafine particles have such problems as crystal defects and the presence of unpaired electron bonds . in such cases , in order to improve the film qualities , including crystallinity and purity , it is effective to anneal the deposition ultrafine particles in nitrogen atmosphere at between around 600 and 900 degrees celsius . note that in the description above , a method for manufacturing si 3 n 4 ultrafine particles , which are two - element nitride ultrafine particles , were described . it is also possible , however , to use such substances as oxides as the target material for fabricating the ultrafine particles . needless to say , it is also possible to use compounds consisting of three or more elements . the present invention has been described , based on the preferred embodiments shown by the drawings . to a person skilled in the art , however , it would clearly be obvious to modify and / or change the present invention , and such modifications are included in the scope of the present invention .
| 7Electricity
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in fig5 showing a medical image processing system , to which this invention is applied , an x - ray produced by an x - ray tube 56 transmits x - rays through a human body 57 , and the x - ray image is transformed into an electrical signal by a television camera 50 , quantized by an a / d converter 51 and received by an image processor 52 . the image processor 52 implements a subtraction processing between images stored in frame memories 520 and 521 , and the result is fed through a d / a converter 53 to a television monitor 54 or multi - format camera 55 . the inventive registration process shown in fig4 is executed by the image processor 52 . fig1 shows a mask image 10 and live image 11 of the human chest under the registration process . since the mask image 10 has been produced before infusing contrast medium , it virtually does not exhibit vessels , but clearly exhibits bones . the live image 11 , which is produced after contrast medium infusion , exhibits some vessels . because of different time points at which the mask image 10 and live image 11 were produced , a distortion generally occurs between these images due to the movement of the body . the mask image 10 and live image 11 are subjected to the adaptive filtering process , as will be described later , so that images 12 and 13 with an emphasis being put on the edge of bones are produced . by a method such as template matching for each pair of partial images 121 and 131 in the emphasized images 12 and 13 , 2 - dimensional distortion vectors 121 at arbitrary pixels in both images are produced , and the distortion of images mainly caused by the movement of bones can be detected . fig2 shows the detection of distortion vectors 221 mainly for vessels between the images through the filtering process which emphasizes a low - contrast portion , e . g ., vessels , 101 to produce an emphasized image 22 . the characteristics of the above - mentioned adaptive filter will be described using fig3 a and 3b . with the input image xij , output image x &# 39 ; ij , average image xij and standard deviation σij of the input image , and function type factor ( will be termed &# 34 ; emphasis factor &# 34 ;) h ( σij ), the filter characteristics are determined by the h ( σij ) as follows . the standard deviation σij is large at edge sections and at a region of large variation of gray value , and is small at a region of small variation of gray value ( flat region ). using such characteristics , the edge section of bones is emphasized by providing a monotone increasing function 31 of σij as shown in fig3 b . for emphasizing flat regions such as vessels , a monotone decreasing function 30 of σij is given ( fig3 a ). in the case where σij of the subject region can be measured in advance because the subject region is known , any of the functions 301 - 303 which best emphasizes the subject region , as shown in fig3 a , can be selected . fig4 shows in flowchart and block form the sequence of process steps of the method . for original mask and live images 40 and 41 , the operator ( e . g ., doctor ) selectively executes filtering depending on the purpose of diagnosis ( step 42 ). for example , when it is intended to remove the articraft caused by the distortion of bones between the images , the monotone increasing function 31 shown in fig3 b is used . after extracting distortion in accordance with the flowchart of fig6 by a method such as template matching using the filtered images 43 and 44 ( step 45 ), the mask image 40 is translated based on the distortion ( step 46 ). thereafter , the subtraction process is implemented between the mask and live images ( step 47 ), and a subtraction image 48 is produced . if the operator is not satisfied with the image 48 , the process is returned to step 42 to change the filtering characteristics . the inventive method puts emphasis on a specific region of the image so as to detect local movement of the region for registration , providing a subtraction image for each purpose such as removal of bones or clarification of vessels , whereby images useful for diagnosis can be produced . although the foregoing embodiment of the invention relates x - ray subtraction angiography in the medical field , this invention can also be applied to the extraction of a change detection in satellite photograph images . besides the subtraction process between images taken in different time points , the inventive method can also be used for the case of difficult registration due to a low contrast of image , for example , by filtering which emphasizes flat regions as mentioned above so as to improve the accuracy of detection .
| 6Physics
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[ 0017 ] fig1 shows a perspective view of truck mounted boom system 10 , including boom system 12 . the boom system 12 is mounted to a boom support of base 14 and includes a turret 15 , a base boom section 16 a , a middle boom section 16 b , an end boom section 16 c , a first actuator assembly 18 a , a second actuator assembly 18 b , and a third actuator assembly 18 c . a pipeline 19 is attached to the boom system 12 . the base 14 of the boom system 12 is mounted on a truck 20 to support the turret 15 and the boom sections 16 a , 16 b , and 16 c . mounting the boom system 12 on the truck 20 provides a mobile platform for the boom system 12 . the boom system 12 can be mounted to a variety of mobile platforms , including a ship , or a train or alternatively a variety of non - mobile ground mounted support systems . a proximal end 22 a of the base boom section 16 a is pivotally connected to the turret 15 . a distal end 22 b of the base boom section 16 a is pivotally connected to a proximal end 24 a of the middle boom section 16 b . likewise , a distal end 24 b of the middle boom section 16 b is pivotally connected to a proximal end 26 a of the end boom section 16 c . the distal end 26 b of the end boom section 16 c is unfixed . although in the embodiment shown in fig1 the boom system 12 has three boom sections 16 a , 16 b and 16 c , in other embodiments the boom system 12 can include any number of boom sections . additionally , please note that in the following description of fig1 - 5 a , specific examples of elements of the boom system such as “ base boom section 16 a ” are referred to with a reference number that includes an appended letter , in this case the letter “ a .” on the other hand , when the elements are referred to generally , no letter is appended ( e . g . “ boom section 16 ”) which refers generally to all of the boom sections in the inventive embodiment . the first actuator assembly 18 a is connected between the turret 15 and the base boom section 16 a for moving the base boom section 16 a relative to the turret 15 . the second actuator assembly 18 b is connected between the base boom section 16 a and the middle boom section 16 b and is used to move the middle boom section 16 b relative to the base boom section 16 a . the third actuator assembly 18 c is connected between the middle boom section 16 b and the end boom section 16 c and is used to move the end boom section 16 c relative to the middle boom section 16 b . in the illustrated embodiment , the boom system 12 is hydraulically actuated and the actuator assemblies 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c are hydraulic pistons / cylinder assemblies . it should be noted , however , that the actuator assemblies 18 a , 18 b and 18 c can be any other type of actuator assembly capable of producing mechanical energy to rotate the boom sections 16 a , 16 b and 16 c with respect to each other . the actuator assemblies 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c can be a type of hydraulic actuator other than a piston / cylinder assembly . for example , 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c can be pneumonic , electrical , or any other type of actuator known to a person skilled in the art . the actuators 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c are controlled by the operator to direct the distal end 26 b of the end section 16 c in the desired position . typically , the turret 15 ( and thus the entire boom system 10 ) can be rotated with respect to the base 14 about a vertical axis . the pipeline 19 is secured to the boom system 12 as well as the truck 20 . the pipeline 19 includes a feed pipe section 32 a , a first pipe section 32 b , a second pipe section 32 c , a third pipe section 32 d , and a placement hose ( or placement pipe ) section 32 e . the pipeline 19 is used to direct material ( e . g . concrete ) forced though the pipeline 19 by a piston pump 40 ( although other types of pumps are contemplated by the invention ). thus , the operator can position the distal end 26 b of the end boom section 16 c ( and the placement hose 32 e ) so as to direct concrete pumped through the pipeline 19 . a typical use of the piping system 19 is to pump concrete into concrete forms at construction sites . a proximal end 42 a of the feed pipe section 32 a is connected to the output of the pump 40 , and extends to the turret 15 where a distal end 42 b of the feed pipe section 32 a is pivotally connected to aproximal end 44 a of the first pipe section 32 b . the first pipe section 32 b is attached to the base boom section 16 a . typically , the first pipe section 32 b is mounted using brackets to the outside of the base boom section 16 a , as is known in the art , and extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base boom section 16 a . a distal end 44 b of the first pipe section 32 b is pivotally connected to the proximal end 46 a of the second pipe section 32 c . the second pipe section 32 c is mounted using brackets as known in the art , to the outside of the middle boom section 16 b and extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the middle boom section 16 b . a distal end 46 b of the second pipe section 32 c is pivotally connected to a proximal end 48 a of the third pipe section 32 d . the third pipe section 32 d is mounted inside the end boom section 16 c ( as indicated by dashed lines ). mounting the third pipe section 32 d in this manner prevents the pipe from being damaged by external objects when the boom system 12 is rotated and articulated . the third pipe section 32 d extends substantially along the longitudinal axis of the end boom section 16 c , which acts to stiffen and strengthen the boom section 16 c without adding eccentric load to the end boom section 16 c . a distal end 48 b of the third pipe section 32 d extends out of the distal end 26 b of the third boom section 16 c and is pivotally connected to a proximal end 50 a of the placement hose 32 e . typically , the placement hose 32 e is not mounted to a support structure . instead , it is allowed to pivot freely from the third pipe section 32 d , and typically will pivot so that a distal end of the placement hose 32 e points downward . while this is the typical connection between the placement hose 32 e and the third pipe section 32 d , other connections are known in the art and do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention . typically , the entire pipeline 19 excluding the placement hose 32 e is steel . the placement hose 32 e is typically rubber . it should be noted , however , that other piping materials may be used for all or part of the pipeline 19 , including rubber hose , composite materials , or other non - steel pipe . [ 0025 ] fig2 a shows a partial elevational view of the joint connection of the distal end 24 b of the middle boom section 16 b to the proximal end 26 a of the end boom section 16 c . the distal end 46 b of the second pipe section 32 c is connected to the proximal end 48 a of the third pipe section 32 d via transitional piping 54 . the transitional piping 54 extends inwardly ( with respect to the page ) or transversely ( with respect to the middle boom section 16 b ) from the second pipe section 32 c , then upwardly as shown by arrow 56 , and to the right , as shown by arrow 58 . thus , the transitional piping 54 is disposed to allow liquid to be pumped from the second pipe section 32 c attached to the outside of the middle boom section 16 b , to the third pipe section 32 d disposed inside the end boom section 16 c . a foot section 59 , typically integral to the end boom section 16 c , is rotatably coupled to the middle boom section 16 b as known in the art . the third actuator assembly 18 c includes a positioning arm 60 , a hydraulic piston 62 , and a support strut 64 . the positioning arm 60 is rotatably coupled to the end boom section 16 c at pin 72 a and rotatably coupled to the hydraulic piston at pin 72 b . the hydraulic piston 62 is rotatably coupled to the middle boom section 16 b at pin 72 c . the support strut 64 is rotatably coupled between the middle boom section 16 b and the positioning arm 60 at pins 72 d and 72 e , respectively . this configuration is known in the art . extending the hydraulic piston 62 rotates the end boom section 16 c counterclockwise relative to the middle boom section 16 b as indicated by arrow 66 . retracting the hydraulic piston 62 rotates the end boom section 16 c clockwise relative to the middle boom section 16 b as indicated by arrow 68 . the pipe sections 32 and the boom sections 16 are able to rotate relative to each other due to a pipe coupling 74 and a pinned joint 76 as best shown in fig2 b . fig2 b shows a partial top view of the joint connection between the middle boom section 16 b and the end boom section 16 c . the pipe coupling 74 allows for the rotation of a first pipe end 78 a with respect to a second pipe end 78 b . a person skilled in the art would realize that any pipe coupling may be used which allows the first pipe end 78 a to rotate with respect to the second pipe end 78 b while still allowing passage of the piped material ( e . g ., concrete ). in this view the transitional piping 54 directs the material transversely ( arrow 80 ), upwardly ( out of the page ) and to the right ( arrow 58 ) to join with the third pipe section 32 d . the third pipe section 32 d is disposed inside the end boom section 16 c . the pinned joint 76 includes a pin 82 , two end boom flanges 84 extending from the proximal end 26 a of the end boom 16 c , and two middle boom flanges 86 extending from the distal end 24 b of the middle boom 16 b . the pin 82 extends through the middle boom flanges 86 and the end boom flanges 84 transverse to the longitudinal axes of the middle and end boom sections 16 b and 16 c . thus , the pin 82 defines an axis of rotation 88 around which the proximal end 26 a of the end boom section 16 c pivots with respect to the proximal end 24 b of the middle boom section 16 b . the pipe coupling 74 also lies along the axis of rotation 88 , so that the articulation of the boom sections 16 does not cause bending or breakage of the rigid pipeline 19 . therefore , the transitional piping 54 contains the pipe coupling 74 along the section that runs transversely ( arrow 80 ). the coupling 74 is disposed so that the axis of rotation 88 defined by the pin 82 runs through the center of the coupling 74 . although the inventive boom system configuration has been described with respect to three boom sections 16 it would be understood by a person skilled in the art that additional boom sections 16 can be added to the boom system 12 without departing from the scope of the invention . additionally , the pipeline 19 can be run internally through any of the boom sections 16 using the configuration described with respect to fig2 a and 2b , it may be desirable to run the pipeline internally through the first or second boom sections ( 16 a or 16 b ) or alternatively through fourth or fifth boom sections ( not shown ). additionally , the pipeline 19 may be run internally through multiple boom sections 16 . an alternate embodiment of the inventive boom system 12 is shown in fig3 illustrating how the pipeline 19 is run through multiple boom sections 16 while still placing the coupling 74 along the axis of rotation 88 . to accomplish the placement of the pipeline 19 in this fashion , the second pipe section 32 c is run internally through the middle boom section 16 b substantially along a longitudinal axis 91 of the middle boom section 16 b . the second pipe section 32 c does not extend completely to the distal end 24 b of the middle boom section 16 b . instead , it is directed transversely outward from the longitudinal axis 91 of the middle boom section 16 b and positioned so as to allow the connection of the distal end 46 b of the second pipe section 32 c to connecting piping 94 . the connecting piping 94 extends transversely through the second boom section 16 b , so as to be disposed outside the boom section 16 b . the connecting piping 94 then extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 91 of the second boom section 16 b to the transitional piping 54 . the connecting piping 94 is coupled at 94 a to the transitional piping 54 . extending the connecting piping 94 out of the middle boom section 16 b in this manner disposes the rigid piping 19 along the axis of rotation 88 between the middle and end boom sections 16 b and 16 c . the rotatable pipe coupling couples the first pipe end 78 a to the second pipe end 78 b and the piping 19 is directed into the end boom section 16 c as described previously . again , the configuration described with respect to fig3 is representative , and a person skilled in the art would realize that this configuration of piping 19 can be used between any of the boom sections 16 making up the boom system 12 ( for example , between the base boom section 16 a and the middle boom section 16 b ), as well as used in a boom system including any number of boom sections 16 . alternatively , other piping configurations which transition the piping 19 out of the middle boom section 16 b , through the axis of rotation 88 and into the end boom section 16 c may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . [ 0031 ] fig4 shows a cross - section of boom section 16 . in this view , the pipe section 32 is disposed inside the boom section 16 . although in the embodiment described with respect to fig1 - 2 b the pipe would only be disposed inside the boom system in the end boom section 16 c , in alternate embodiments ( such as shown in fig3 ) this pipe mounting system can be utilized inside any of the boom sections included in the boom system . typically , the boom section 16 is comprised of a first , second , third , and fourth steel plate 100 - 103 , fillet welded together so that the cross - section of the boom section 16 is substantially rectangular . other cross - sectional shapes ( such as circular , elliptical and hexagonal ) and other materials ( such as aluminum or composites ) may be used for the boom section 16 as long as it is able to internally accommodate the pipe section 32 . as is best exemplifiedusing aboom section having a circular cross - section ( not shown ), the piping inserted may alternatively be referred to as a “ liner ”, and be in contiguous engagement with an inner surface of the boom section 16 . the pipe section 32 typically has a substantially circular cross - section . one method of mounting the pipe section 32 into the boom section 16 is to dispose an external wall 106 of the pipe section into a support bracket 108 ( typically steel ) inside the boom section 16 . the support bracket 108 includes an annular top face 110 having a radius of curvature substantially similar to the radius of curvature of the external wall 106 so that the support bracket 108 contiguously engages a portion of the external wall 106 . two side flanges 112 a and 112 b are secured to the second steel plate 101 , securing the bracket 108 in place . the annular top face 110 provides a support for the pipe section 32 , stabilizing it from moving transversely inside the boom section 16 . although only one bracket 108 is shown in fig4 multiple brackets may be used to provide support to the pipe section 32 . for example , brackets can be mounted on each of the steel plates 100 - 103 to hold the pipe 32 in place . alternatively , the bracket 108 may be made of molded composite materials . a strap 114 extends through an aperture 116 a in the first plate 100 , and contiguously engages the pipe section 32 along an arc 115 of the external wall 106 of the pipe 32 and then extends through an aperture 116 b in the third plate 102 . a first end 117 of the strap 114 is fixedly secured to a mounting block 118 on the first plate , typically by pinning the strap 114 to the block 118 , although other mounting methods are known in the art ( welding , tying , etc .). a second end 120 of the strap 114 is wrapped around a roller 122 mounted to the third plate 102 . the roller 122 is free to rotate in a first direction ( arrow 124 ), and is prevented from rotating in a second opposite direction ( arrow 126 ), for example by a cam or ratchet system ( not shown ). the second end 120 of the strap 114 is disposed around the roller 122 so as to be disposed between the roller 122 and the third steel plate 102 . by disposing the roller 122 proximate to the plate 102 , the strap 114 is frictionally engaged by the roller 122 and the plate 102 . rotating the roller in the first direction pulls on the strap 114 and forces the pipe section 32 transversely with respect to the boom section 16 onto the bracket 108 . the strap 114 is maintained on the roller 122 due to the frictional engagement between the roller 122 and the third plate 102 . to release the tension on the system , the roller 122 is released ( for example by releasing the camming system ) and the roller is rotated in the second direction 126 . adding tension to the strap maintains the pipe section 32 in engagement with the top face 110 of the bracket 108 . multiple straps 114 and brackets 108 can be placed longitudinally along the boom section 16 to maintain the position of the pipe section 32 along the length of the boom section 16 . the strap 114 can be manufactured from a variety of materials including nylon and wire rope . an alternate method of applying and releasing tension to the strap 114 is shown in fig4 a . a bushing 124 is mounted ( i . e . by welding ) on the external side of the third plate 102 circumscribing the aperture 116 b . the strap 114 is a wire rope and the second end 120 ( which extends through the aperture 116 b ) is threaded . a nut 126 is threadably engaged with the second end 120 of the strap 114 . increasing the tension of the strap 114 is accomplished by rotating the nut 126 in one direction . to release the tension of the strap 114 , the nut 126 is rotated in the opposite direction . the bushing 124 prevents wearing of the aperture 116 b by the rotation of the nut 126 . another alternate method for applying and releasing tension to the strap 114 is shown in fig4 b . an l shaped member 130 is pivotally mounted to the steel plate 102 . the strap 114 is fixed to a first leg 132 of the l shaped member 130 for example , by a pin 133 . rotating the member 130 in the direction shown by arrow 134 pulls the attached second end 120 of the strap taught . the member 130 is secured in place by a latch 136 , maintaining the tension on the strap 114 . releasing the latch 136 is accomplished by first pivoting the member 130 in the direction of arrow 134 and then pivoting the latch 136 out of the way ( again , in the direction of arrow 134 ). the member 130 is then allowed to pivot in the direction of arrow 138 to provide slack to the strap 114 . an alternate embodiment for securing the pipe section 32 in place within the boom section 16 is shown in fig5 . the pipe section 32 is disposed on the support bracket 108 as described previously . to secure the pipe section 32 in place , a rigid bar 140 is extended transversely through the boom section 16 . an inner face 142 of the bar 140 is disposed against the external wall 106 of the pipe section 32 , by sliding the bar 140 in the direction of arrow 144 . a bolt and nut fastener 146 ( or other type fastener known in the art ) is used to lock the bar 140 in place . releasing the fastener 146 , allows the bar 140 to be moved in the direction of arrow 148 , and the pipe section 32 can be adjusted inside the boom section 16 . [ 0037 ] fig5 a shows a side view of the boom section using the bar 140 to secure the pipe section 32 ( shown in dashed lines ). the bar 140 is disposed through a slot 150 in steel plates 100 and 102 . the bolt and nut 146 are disposed through the slot and tightened so that the bar 140 is locked in place . placing the pipeline 19 inside the boom sections 16 and securing them in place prevents damage caused by external objects striking the pipeline . folding and clearance problems associated with articulating the boom sections are minimized . additionally , the boom system 12 is stabilized by directing the concrete along the longitudinal axes of the boom sections 16 . the pipeline acts to stiffen the boom sections along the longitudinal axis , while minimizing eccentric loading . heavy bracketing is eliminated , decreasing the weight of each boom system . the result is an increase in the allowable length and performance of the boom system 12 . although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments , workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
| 4Fixed Constructions
|
fig1 shows a block diagram of a computer system 10 which includes a main system bus 12 and an i / o bus 14 . a central processor 16 is attached to the system bus 12 , as is a main system memory 18 . an i / o cache controller ( iocc ) 20 is connected to the system bus 12 and the i / o bus 14 . the iocc 20 performs a number of input output interface functions , including control of a small cache memory ( not shown ) used to buffer the i / o bus 14 . the function of the iocc 20 which is relevant to the present invention is its operation as a direct memory access ( dma ) controller . in its function as a dma controller , the iocc 20 can transfer data directly to and from the system memory 18 . also attached to the i / o bus 14 are i / o slave devices 22 and 24 . the i / o slaves 22 , 24 can be any devices suitable for attachment to the i / o bus 14 . these can include , for example , video controllers , keyboard controllers , serial and parallel i / o ports , and disk controllers . of special interest to the present invention are those devices , such as video controllers and disk controllers , which are capable of block data transfers . a preferred method used by the iocc 20 for transferring data between the system memory 18 and an i / o slave 22 or 24 is shown in fig2 . the first step is for the iocc 20 to initialize the dma parameters 30 . information typically needed for a dma block transfer is the starting address and block length . this step also includes any necessary signalling to the system memory 18 and the device on the i / o bus 14 between which the transfer will be made . the iocc 20 then reads the first word to be transferred 32 . if the transfer is from an i / o slave to the system memory 18 , this word is read from the slave . if the transfer is from the system memory 18 to an i / o slave , this read is made from the system memory 18 . next , a check is made 34 to see if the transfer is complete . it is possible to transfer only a single data word , but for longer blocks the test 34 will be negative . if the transfer is not yet complete , the iocc 20 simultaneously writes one word 36 and reads the next word to be transferred 38 . one each of the write and read steps are performed on the system bus 12 and the i / o bus 14 simultaneously , depending upon the direction of data transfer . flow of control then returns to step 34 to again test for the end of the transfer . once the transfer completes , control passes to step 40 , which causes the last word to be written to the receiving device . the iocc 20 then concludes the dma 42 and the process is complete . for the transfer described in fig2 the system bus 12 and the i / o bus 14 may be of disparate types . if one bus is faster than the other , the maximum data throughput will of course be limited by the transfer speed of the slower bus . fig2 as described is intended for systems in which the block data transfer rate of the two buses is the same . if one bus is significantly faster than the other , it is possible to include a buffer ( not shown ) in the iocc 20 for buffering reads from or writes to that bus . use of a buffer would allow transfers to be made to and from the faster bus at its normal operating speed , freeing some bus cycles for use by other devices . fig3 is a timing diagram illustrating a block data transfer from a device on the i / o bus to system memory 18 . in the described embodiment , the i / o bus 14 is a system2 bus such as found in the ibm ps / 2 family of microcomputers . the system bus 12 may be a system bus such as found in such microcomputers , or may be another system bus such as known in the art , including another system2 bus . the details of the operation of the system bus 12 are not part of the present invention . in fig3 only those bus signals necessary to describe the present invention are shown . additional bus signals exist , and their function is described in detail in publicly available documents . referring to fig3 the signal system mem write indicates the time periods during which data is being transferred into the system memory 18 across the system bus 12 . the signal system mem write is not actually a bus signal ; a high value indicates that bus activity to transfer data is taking place , while a low value indicates that no data transfer is occurring across the system bus 12 . the signal i / o addr is the address placed onto the i / o bus 14 by the iocc 20 . i / o sl is a signal indicating that a read cycle is to take place on the i / o bus . i / o adl is a signal meaning &# 34 ; address latch &# 34 ;, and is used to latch address signals into devices attached to the i / o bus 14 . i / o cmd is the clock signal for the i / o bus 14 . i / o read data represents the data lines of the i / o bus 14 . fig3 shows the relevant bus signals when a transfer is being made from a device attached to the i / o bus 14 to the system memory 18 . first , the iocc determines the parameters of the transfer , including the starting address on the system bus 12 and the i / o bus 14 , and the length of the block to be transferred . the iocc 20 then asserts the first address 50 onto the i / o addr lines . i / o sl is then transitioned low 52 to indicate that this is a read cycle from the i / o bus 14 . adl is then transitioned low 54 to latch the address 50 into the i / o slave being addressed . i / o cmd is transitioned low 56 to begin a bus cycle . i / o adl is transitioned high 58 at the same time . since this is a read cycle on the i / o bus , as indicated by i / o sl , data is placed onto the data lines by the i / o slave . after the bus cycle is begun with the transition 56 of i / o cmd , the slave device drives the previously tri - stated i / o read data lines with the value of the first data item 60 . the signal i / o sl is allowed to transition high 62 as is standard on this bus . the values on i / o addr are changed 64 in order to place a second read address 66 onto the lines . the bus cycle completes when i / o command transitions high 68 , at which time the first data item 60 is read from the i / o bus 14 and latched into an internal register ( not shown ) of the iocc 20 . during the first i / o bus cycle , the system bus has been active 70 . during this time period 70 , the data which is latched into the iocc 20 is written to the system memory 18 . the system mem write active period 70 includes addressing of the system memory 18 , changing of control signals , and writing of data onto the system bus 12 . the transfer above has been described as a read of the first data item from the i / o bus 14 , followed by latching the data into the iocc 20 at the transition 68 of i / o command . this has been described as being followed by a write onto the system bus 12 during the active period 70 . in the alternative , it is not necessary to actually latch the data item 60 into a register latch within the iocc 20 . instead , it is possible for the iocc 20 to provide a direct connection between the data lines of the i / o bus 14 and the system bus 12 . the rising transition 68 of i / o command , normally used to latch the data items 60 into the iocc , can instead be used to generate a control signal onto the system bus 12 which causes the data to be immediately written into the system memory 18 . the remaining two data transfers illustrated in fig3 operate in the identical manner . the second data item 72 is transferred on the rising transition 74 of i / o command , and is written to the system memory 18 during the active bus period 76 . the final data item 78 , addressed by the third address 80 , is written to the system memory 18 during the system bus active period 82 when the i / o command signal transitions high 84 . as can be seen by the above description , a new data item is read during each bus cycle of the i / o bus 14 , and transferred to the system memory 18 in parallel with the data reads . thus , it is not necessary to read the i / o bus 14 on one clock cycle , and generate a write cycle on the system bus 12 on the following system clock cycle . fig4 shows a high speed data transfer using a protocol referred to as a streaming data transfer . the functioning of streaming data transfers is described in detail in copending patent applications ser . no . 07 / 297 , 773 , titled high speed data transfer on a computer system bus , and ser . no . 07 / 297 , 772 , titled data transfer using bus address lines , both copending herewith and assigned to the assignee hereof . fig4 includes only those signals necessary to illustrate how a streaming data transfer on the i / o bus 14 can be used to make a block transfer of data into the system memory 18 . additional control signals , necessary to the transfer but not to its understanding in terms of the present invention , are described in the above cited copending applications . fig4 illustrates a transfer from system memory 18 to a slave device attached to the i / o bus 14 . this involves a read from system memory 18 on the system bus 12 , and a write to the i / o slave on the i / o bus 14 . the i / o signals are the same as those shown in fig3 except that i / o so has been substituted for i / o sl . i / o so is used to indicate that a write operation is being performed to a device attached to the i / o bus 14 . the iocc 20 begins the block data transfer by asserting the starting address 90 onto the signal lines i / o addr . next , i / o so is transitioned low to indicate that this transfer is a write transfer on the i / o bus 14 . next , i / o adl is transitioned low to latch the address 90 into the i / o slave device as described above . the data lines of the i / o bus 14 , represented by i / o write data , are activated by the iocc 20 . the first data item 96 is placed onto i / o write data when it is available from system bus 12 . during a system bus active period 98 , the first data item is read from system memory 18 and made available to the iocc 20 . as described above in connection with fig3 the value read from the system bus 12 can be latched into a buffer internal to the iocc , then made available to the i / o bus 14 . in the alternative , the data item 96 can be connected directly from the system bus 12 to the i / o bus 14 . the transfer cycle actually begins when i / o command transitions low 100 . the signal i / o sd strobe is transitioned low 102 at the same time . as described in more detail in copending application ser . no . 07 / 297 , 773 , incorporated by reference , the signal i / o sd strobe is a separate high speed clock signal dedicated to block data transfers using the streaming data protocol . the first data item 96 is transferred from the iocc 20 to the i / o bus 14 at the second falling transition 106 of i / o sd strobe . once the data is transferred , a next data item 108 is read from the system bus 12 during the next system bus active cycle 110 and transferred to the i / o bus 14 during the falling transition 112 of i / o sd strobe . this process can continue for any number of data cycles until the next to last data cycle . the next to last data item 116 is transferred to the i / o bus 14 on the last falling transition 118 of i / o sd strobe . after the next to last data item 116 is transferred , the last data item 120 is transferred to i / o write data after being read from the system memory 18 during system bus active period 122 . the last data item 120 is transferred to the i / o bus 14 by the rising transition 124 of i / o command . after a sufficient delay to allow the i / o slave device attached to the i / o bus 14 to read and latch the last data item 120 , the data buffers on the i / o bus 14 are tri - stated 126 by the iocc 20 . the system and method described above allow for efficient block transfer of data between the system memory 18 attached to the system bus 12 , and an i / o slave device 22 , 24 attached to the i / o bus 14 . one data item is transferred on each bus during each clock cycle . the technique described herein accommodates the use of a high speed streaming data protocol on the i / o bus 14 , which can greatly increase the block transfer rate of data through the iocc 20 . the present invention has been illustrated by the system and method described above , and it will become apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made thereto . such modification fall within the scope of the present invention , which is defined by the appended claims .
| 6Physics
|
now , preferable embodiments of the present invention will be explained with respect to the accompanying drawings . as shown in fig1 a coating unit ( cot ) 1 comprises a spin chuck 2 for holding a semiconductor wafer w almost horizontally by absorption force , a cup 8 surrounding a wafer w mounted on the spin chuck 2 for receiving a solution centrifugally separated from the wafer w and discharge it . a casing 50 of the coating unit ( cot ) 1 has a side opening 54 . an arm holder 61 of a transfer arm mechanism 60 is loaded / unloaded to / from the coating unit ( cot ) 1 through the opening 54 . a lower portion of the spin chuck 2 is connected to a rotation - driving axis of a pulse motor 3 . the power source of the pulse motor 3 is controlled by a controller 20 . the inside of the cup 8 is evacuated by an evacuation means ( not shown ) via a center of the bottom by way of the inside of the pulse motor 3 . a plurality of discharge ports 4 are formed in the bottom of the cup 8 . each of the discharge ports 4 is connected to a drain tank 6 by way of a drain passage 5 . furthermore , the drain tank 6 is connected to a tank ( not shown ) set in a factory by way of a line 7 . the discharge solution is discharged outside the unit ( cot ). the cup 8 has an upper opening . the wafer w is mounted on the spin chuck 52 by the transfer arm mechanism 60 through the upper opening . note that the upper opening of the cup 8 is designed to be covered with a closable cover ( not shown ). a first nozzle 11 is detachably provided at a free end portion of a horizontal arm 14 by means of a holder 17 . the base end portion of the horizontal arm 14 is supported by a nozzle operation mechanism 15 . the nozzle operation mechanism 15 has an x - axis moving mechanism , y - axis moving mechanism , and z - axis moving mechanism ( all are not shown ). a y - axis guide rail 16 is formed on a unit bottom plate 52 . the nozzle operation mechanism 15 is movable in the y - axis direction along the rail 16 by the y - axis moving mechanism . a first nozzle 11 is vertically movable together with the arm 14 by the z - axis moving mechanism . the nozzle 11 is further movable in the x - axis direction by the x - axis moving mechanism . note that a nozzle stand - by position ( not shown ) is provided next to the cup 8 in the coating unit ( cot ) 1 . the nozzle stand - by position is a place in which the first nozzle 11 not in operation is standing by for the operation . in the stand - by position , the solution discharge port of the first nozzle 11 is inserted in a solvent atmosphere chamber . the nozzle holder 17 houses a temperature controller ( not shown ) which controls a coating solution discharged from the first nozzle 11 at a constant temperature . an edge surface cleaning mechanism 25 is provided in the proximity of the edge surface 9 of the wafer w . the edge surface cleaning mechanism 25 comprises a second nozzle 21 , a third nozzle 22 and a sucking nozzle 23 for evacuation . the second nozzle 21 is connected to a solvent supply source 42 and works for discharging a solvent toward the edge surface 9 of the wafer w . the solvent supply source 42 contains solvents such as isopropyl alcohol and either normal methylpyrrodinone or methyl methoxypropionate . the third nozzle 22 is connected to a gas supply source 44 and used for spraying gas to the edge surface 9 of the wafer w . the gas supply source 44 contains an inert gas such as a nitrogen gas or an argon gas . the third nozzle 22 is movably supported by an arm ( not shown ) of a nozzle moving mechanism 46 . note that dry air may be supplied to the third nozzle 22 instead of the inert gas . the tips of discharge ports of the second and third nozzles 22 , 23 are made thinner . for example , the inner diameters of the second and third nozzles 22 , 23 are 0 . 5 mm and 1 . 0 mm , respectively . since such a thin - tip nozzles thus constructed are employed , the solvent and gas can be sprayed out vigorously , increasing film - removing ability and a cleaning ability . the suction nozzle 23 for evacuation is connected to a suction side of an evacuation apparatus 48 , so that the region near the edge surface 9 of the wafer w is widely evacuated . the suction port of the evacuation suction nozzle 23 is sufficiently wide to cover the wafer edge surface 9 including the rear surface 9c . the third nozzle 22 and the suction nozzle 23 for evacuation serve as a dehydration accelerating means for coated films 30a and 30 when a solvent ( coated film removing solution ) is poured . for example , dry air or dry nitrogen gas is supplied from the third nozzle 22 . the third nozzle 22 and the suction nozzle 23 for evaluation may be used either simultaneously or non - simultaneously . now , we will explain how to remove the coated film from the wafer edge surface with reference to fig7 and 8a to 8c . after formation of a predetermined circuit pattern on the wafer surface is completed , the wafer w is transferred to the coating unit by the transfer arm mechanism 60 . the wafer w is inserted together with the holder 61 of the arm mechanism 60 into the coating unit via the loading / unloading port 54 and mounted on the spin chuck 2 ( step s1 ). while the wafer held on the spin chuck by absorption is being rotated at a predetermined speed , a predetermined amount of the polyimide resin solution is poured dropwise from the first nozzle 11 . in this manner , the solution is spread over the entire surface of the wafer w to form an insulation protection film 30 ( step . s2 ). the thickness t1 of the insulating protecting film 30 thus formed is almost uniform within the range of 3 to 10 μm except the wafer edge surface 9 . however , the insulating protecting film 30a is formed thicker on the wafer edge surface 9 than that of other portion , as shown in fig2 since the polyimide resin solution is highly viscous . the &# 34 ; wafer edge surface &# 34 ; used herein includes a peripheral portion 9a of the pattern formation surface of the substrate w , a bevel surface 9b , a peripheral portion 9c of the rear surface , and a circumference edge surface 9d . the controller 20 controls the operation of the nozzle moving apparatus 46 to determine a position and a direction of the nozzle 22 relative to the substrate ( step , s3 ). rotation of the wafer w is initiated at a time point t 0 as shown in fig8 a ( step s4 ). at a time point t 1 after the rotation speed of the wafer w reaches constant at a normal speed of 200 rpm , solvent supply from the second nozzle 21 to the wafer edge surface 9 is initiated in an amount v 0 ( ml / min ) as shown in fig8 b ( step 5 ). subsequently , spray gas supply from the third nozzle 22 is initiated at a time point t 2 . the supply amount is kept at v 1 from a time point t 2 to a time point t 3 , so that the intensity of the sprayed gas is weak as shown in fig8 c ( step s6 ). at a time point t 3 , opening degree of a valve of a flow - rate controller is switched in such a way that the supply rate of the gas from the third nozzle 22 increases from v 1 to v 2 . the gas is supplied in an amount of v 2 from time t 4 to time t 6 ( step , s7 ). the supply of the solvent from the second nozzle 21 is terminated at a time point t 5 ( step s8 ). as mentioned above , it is preferable that the spray amount of the gas be initially low and increased with the passage of dehydration . note that the supply rate of the gas is controlled in two step , however , a plurality steps of supply rates ( 3 or more ) may be used . by virtue of this , it is possible to efficiently prevent attachment of particles and droplets onto the edge surface 9 ( coated film removing region ) of the wafer w . it is preferable that the region in the proximity of the wafer edge surface 9 be continuously evacuated by suction using the evacuation nozzle 23 at least in a time period from time t 1 to time t 6 ( s5 to s9 ). if so , the vaporized solvent will not stay in the proximity of the wafer edge surface 9 , with the result that the dehydration of the film removal region ( particularly the peripheral portion 9a of the pattern formation region ) is accelerated to obtain a clean surface . the particles and droplets are efficiently and increasingly prevented from attaching to the surface . at time t 6 , the gas spray from the third nozzle 22 is terminated ( step s9 ). then , at a time point t 7 , the rotation of the wafer w is terminated ( step s10 ). thereafter , the transfer arm mechanism 60 accesses the coating unit . the wafer w is picked up from the spin chuck 2 by the holder 61 and unloaded from the coating unit ( step s11 ). according to the aforementioned embodiment , the dehydration of the polyimide resin is accelerated by the gas sprayed from the third nozzle 22 and by sucking air through the suction nozzle 23 for evacuation . therefore , the rotation speed of the wafer may be reduced to as low as , for example , 1000 rpm or less . the film 30 can be dried even if the wafer is rotated at a lower speed than a conventionally - employed 1500 rpm . as a result , reattachment of the removed film to the edge surface 9 of the wafer w due to the centrifugal force can be prevented . as the wafer rotation speed , its upper limit is preferably set at 1000 rpm to prevent reattachment of droplets onto the rear surface 9c of the edge surface 9 . on the other hand , it is preferred to set the lower limit at 10 rpm . this is because if the rotation speed of the wafer w is excessively lower , the film 30a melted with the solvent is not efficiently shaken off . as the solvent supplied from the second nozzle 21 , normal methylpyrrodinone ( nmp ), methyl methoxypropionate ( mmp ), and isopropyl alcohol ( ipa ) may be appropriately used . to accelerate the dehydration of the film 30 , ipa is preferred to be used together with either nmp or mmp . the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments and may be modified in various ways . for example , as the dehydration accelerating means , the gas nozzle 22 may be provided alone as shown in fig4 . alternatively , the suction nozzle 23 for evacuation may be provided alone as shown in fig5 . in the aforementioned embodiment , the gas is sprayed from the nozzle 22 to the wafer w in the direction from the periphery to the center along the radius . however , the gas nozzle 22 may be diagonally provided as shown in fig6 where the axis of the nozzle 22 is set at an angle α with the film 30 of the wafer w . in this case , the gas from the nozzle 22 is sprayed outwardly from the center of the wafer w . if the latter case is employed , particles and droplets are leaving from the wafer . therefore , they may not attach onto the wafer w . as the spray gas for use in dehydration , dry air may be used other than a dry - state inert gas such as a nitrogen gas , an argon gas , or a carbon dioxide gas . the gas to be used herein is desirably set at room temperature . however , to accelerate the dehydration of the film , the temperature may be set at a temperature slightly higher than room temperature within the range of 30 to 40 ° c . when a hot gas is used , the temperature of the hot gas may not exceed 100 ° c ., desirably . in the aforementioned embodiment , a difficult - to dry polyimide resin is used as the coating solution . other coating solution such as a photoresist is applicable in the present invention . it should be noted that the present invention is particularly advantageous if a difficult - to - dry resin such as the polyimide resin is used . furthermore , a semiconductor wafer is used as a substrate in the aforementioned embodiments . however , the present invention is not limited to the semiconductor wafer , and a substrate for a liquid crystal display or the like may be used . according to the present invention , since the dehydration is accelerated by sucking the gas from the proximity of the substrate edge surface while the solvent is being poured on it , as explained above , the rotation speed of the substrate can be reduced . on the other hand , it is possible to prevent reattachment of the removed resin film due to centrifugal force even if the polyimide resin ( difficult to dry ) is used . hence , the edge surface of the substrate can be efficiently cleaned . if the rotation speed of the substrate falls within the range of 10 to 1000 rpm , the reattachment of the removed film to the edge surface and the rear surface in the vicinity thereof due to the centrifugal force can be efficiently prevented . furthermore , ipa is used in combination with either nmp or mmp as the cleaning solution , the coated film can be more efficiently removed from the substrate edge surface . additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein . accordingly , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalent .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
|
the invention as referred to in the introduction is characterized in that the deposition step is carried out in an environment in which the substrate is present in a conditioned atmosphere , which conditioned atmosphere has a moisture content lower than that of the non - conditioned atmosphere . it has appeared to be possible to achieve a significant reduction of the attenuation losses caused by hydroxyl groups by conditioning the environment in which the preforms for the glass fibre production are manufactured . the term “ conditioned atmosphere ” is to be understood to mean an atmosphere having a significantly lower moisture content than the atmosphere that has generally been used so far . for an internal deposition process in which glass - forming compounds are added to the interior of a substrate tube , which substrate tube is contracted into a solid preform , it is desirable that the contraction step be carried out in an environment in which the atmosphere is conditioned , which conditioned atmosphere has a moisture content lower than that of the non - conditioned atmosphere . further embodiments of the present invention are defined in the appended claims . preferably , the moisture content of the conditioned atmosphere is lower than 5 g / kg , the moisture content of the conditioned atmosphere is in particular lower than 2 g / kg . when moisture content values below 5 g / kg are used , the reduction of the attenuation is significant in comparison with the spread in attenuation levels that occurs when normal moisture content values are used in a non - conditioned atmosphere , in which the moisture content usually ranges between 8 and 12 g / kg . this strong decrease at a moisture content of approximately 5 g / kg is assumed to be caused by the sub - saturation of the water molecules on the substrate surface , although the present inventors do not wish to be bound to such a theory . in the case of a value higher than 5 g / kg , the attenuation losses and the spread thereof are substantially independent of the moisture content at which it is assumed that the water molecules are fully adsorbed to the substrate surface , so that a further increase of the moisture content will not lead to higher attenuation losses . the moisture content at an ambient temperature of 20 ° c . in a non - conditioned atmosphere is e . g . 10 . 1 g / kg with a relative humidity level of 75 % and 5 . 8 g / kg with a humidity level of 40 %. the appended figure shows the results of experiments carried out in accordance with the present invention , within the framework of which experiments both pcvd and mcvd have been examined . the present inventors have furthermore found that a further attenuation reduction can be achieved by placing the machine in which the deposition and / or the contraction take place in an environment having a low moisture content for a prolonged period of time . after about 10 days , an additional reduction of about 0 . 01 db / km is obtained in this manner . the present inventors assume that this has something to do with the ambient atmosphere leaking into the machine and the adsorption of water molecules on interior parts of the machine through which the reactive gases flow . it is important , therefore , to maintain the low moisture content in the environment for at least 7 days . such a reduction of the moisture content provides a significant reduction of the attenuation losses in comparison with an embodiment that is known from the prior art , in which the deposition step as well as a possible contraction step are carried out in the ambient air or a non - conditioned environment , without the moisture content being reduced . although the term “ conditioned atmosphere ” is used herein , it should be understood that also gases other than dried air may be used for conditioning the environment , wherein the moisture content thereof is in particular lower than 5 g / kg , more in particular lower than 2 g / kg . the deposition step of the present invention is carried out by using a pcvd process or an mcvd process , pcvd and mcvd being so - called internal deposition techniques . outside vapour deposition ( ovd ) and vapour axial deposition ( vad ) can be considered to be external vapour deposition processes for manufacturing optical preforms . both the ovd process and the vad process use a hydrogen / oxygen burner for depositing silicon dioxide , which may be doped , in so - called “ soot ” ( unsintered ) form . the glass - forming precursors are introduced into the flame and react therein , forming an oxide particle that precipitates on a substrate . a cylindrical substrate is used for manufacturing ovd core rods , on the exterior of which substrate the soot particles are deposited . after the deposition process , the substrate is removed and the hollow soot - like tube is sintered and closed . the ovd process is also used for overcladding core rods that have been manufactured by using the ovd process or another technique . in such an embodiment , the soot particles are deposited on a rod that has already been ( partially ) sintered , after which the whole is sintered so as to obtain a composite preform . with the vad process , the growth of a “ soot ”- like rod takes place in axial direction , which means that the preform becomes longer and longer during the deposition process . such a vad rod is also sintered to form a solid rod after the deposition of soot , after which overcladding of the rod may take place , for example by means of the ovd process . it should be understood that the present invention does not relate to the carrying out of a sintering step in a conditioned environment , but that the present invention explicitly relates to the deposition of glass - forming compounds on a substrate , possibly followed by a contraction step for forming the substrate into a solid preform , which deposition and contraction steps are preferably carried out in a conditioned atmosphere , in which the conditioned atmosphere has a moisture content lower than that of the non - conditioned atmosphere that is conventionally used . using the pcvd process , a low - pressure plasma prevailing in the interior of a substrate tube is reciprocated along the longitudinal axis of the substrate tube , as a result of which layers are deposited on the interior of the substrate tube . after layers have been deposited in this manner , the substrate tube is contracted into a solid rod by subjecting it to an external heat treatment . the moisture content of the environment in which the formation of said solid rod takes place , preferably during both the pcvd process and the contraction process , is reduced by means of an air conditioning system , in which moisture is extracted from the air to achieve a moisture content of less than 5 g / kg . a number of solid rods were produced , using different moisture content values , which rods were subsequently formed into optical fibres . then the attenuation losses of said optical fibres at a wavelength of 1385 nm were measured . using the mcvd process , in which the deposition on the interior of the substrate tube was effected by means of a heat source positioned outside the substrate tube , for example a reciprocating hydrogen / oxygen burner , furnace or plasma flame , and a subsequent contraction step , optical preforms were made , from which optical fibres were drawn , of which optical fibres the attenuation losses at the aforesaid wavelength were measured . a conditioned atmosphere having a reduced moisture content was used both in the deposition step and in the contraction step . the appended figure shows the attenuation losses as a function of the moisture content both for pcvd and for mcvd . the results of the experiments show that for mcvd the attenuation losses amount to about 0 . 14 db / km with a moisture content of more than 5 g / kg , which losses slightly increase or decrease as the moisture content further increases . when the moisture content is reduced to a value below 5 g / kg , a significant decrease can be observed . the same trend was measured with pcvd , in which the attenuation losses were even reduced to a value of less than 0 . 05 db / km with a moisture content of less than 2 g / kg .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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the invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate devices embodying the invention . fig1 illustrates that portion of the device of this invention employed to convert the wave action of a body of water through the rotary motion of a shaft . fig2 illustrates that portion of the device of this invention wherein the irregular and pulsating rotary motion of the shaft illustrated in fig1 is converted to the regular , uniform and continuous rotation of a shaft which is suitable for generating power or other uses . fig3 illustrates one suitable ratchet wheel arrangment useful for converting the oscillating motion of the float to rotary motion of a shaft . fig4 illustrates the device of fig3 in a different position . fig5 illustrates the device of fig3 and 4 as viewed from above . fig1 illustrates , without great attention to detail and engineering , the concept of that portion of the device of this invention that is employed to convert the oscillating motion of waves to rotary motion of a shaft . a shaft 10 , which is suitably supported by bearings , not shown , is provided with a plurality of ratchet wheels 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 fixed to the shaft so that movement of the ratchet wheels will cause rotation of the shaft 10 . although only four ratchet wheels are shown on the shaft , it is evident that more or less may be employed . floats 15 , 16 , 17 and 18 are associated , as will be explained hereinafter , with ratchet wheels 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 respectively . the float 15 is connected through the arm 20 over a fulcrum 21 . the side of arm 20 opposite float 15 terminates in a ratchet driving means 22 which is shown generally and without detail . the arm 20 is held by a shackle 23 to fix it to the fulcrum 21 . by this means , the arm 20 is divided by the shackle into an element 25 and an element 26 . similarly , the float 16 is connected to drive ratchet wheel 12 via an arm 27 , a ratchet drive 28 and a shackle 30 which divides the arm 27 into a segment 31 and a segment 32 . floats 17 and 18 are similarly arranged . float 17 is connected through an arm 35 and a driving means 36 to ratchet wheel 13 , and shackle 37 divides arm 35 into a segment 38 and a segment 40 . while float 18 is connected through arm 41 and driving means 42 to ratchet wheel 14 , shackle 43 divides the arm 41 into a segment 45 and a segment 46 . the shaft 10 , as illustrated herein , terminates in a number of gears generally designated 47 which convert the rotational motion of shaft 10 to a rotational motion at a higher rate in shaft 48 , which higher rate of rotation is adaptable to driving a pump . the gears 47 include two larger driving gears 47a and two smaller driven gears 47b which are arranged such that shaft 48 rotates 200 to 400 rpm faster than shaft 10 . in operation the shaft 10 is normally positioned parallel with the shoreline . ordinarily the device of this invention will be positioned in a body of water and mounted on suitable piers to be above the body of water . the arms 20 , 27 , 35 and 41 may be shaped to drive the sprocket wheels even though they are positioned at a higher elevation than the floats 15 through 18 inclusive . the positioning of the various elements may be done in accordance with ordinary engineering techniques without involving invention . the fulcrum 21 is positioned at an angle with respect to the axis of the shaft 10 so that each of arms 20 , 27 , 35 and 41 will be supported by the fulcrum 21 a different distance from their respective sprocket wheels . the floats 15 through 18 inclusive are also arranged so that a line through their centers is at an angle to the axis of the shaft 10 . in fig1 an extension of the axis of the shaft 10 , an extension of the fulcrum 21 , and an extension of the line passing through the centers of each of floats 15 through 18 inclusive intersect at a point . accordingly , the ratio of the lengths of segment 25 and 26 is the same as the ratio of the lengths of segments 31 and 32 and the ratio of the lengths of segments 38 and 40 and the ratio of the lengths of segments 45 and 46 . accordingly , regardless of the length of any of the arms 20 , 27 , 35 or 41 , for a given size wave the travel of driving elements 22 , 28 , 36 , and 42 will be the same , and the leverage urging the sprocket wheels to move will be the same . this arrangement of parts has the following advantages . by staggering the floats 15 through 18 inclusive , a single wave will not pass beneath all of them at the same time , and as a result , a wave passing from the body of water toward the shore will produce four pulses of motion in the shaft 10 rather than one . however , when staggering of floats has been done in the past , the longer arm floats would produce a pulse with different force and different travel on the sprocket wheel than a shorter - arm float so that uniform reaction from a wave was not obtained . in accordance with the structure of the present invention , when a wave of a given height passes beneath the floats , regardless of whether the float has a long arm or a short arm connecting it to its respective sprocket wheel , the force and travel of the sprocket wheel as a result of the wave motion will be the same regardless of which float actuates it . although the floats 15 through 18 inclusive are shown in a regular array going from the shortest arm to the longest arm from left to right , it is within the scope of this invention to position the longer arms and shorter arms randomly and to provide each arm with its own fulcrum so long as the ratio of the length of the segment between the fulcrum and the float to the length of the segment between the fulcrum and the sprocket wheel is the same for each arm . the arrangement of floats will be made in accordance with the prevailing conditions at any position . thus , when waves normally come into shore parallel to the shoreline , the array as illustrated in fig1 is suitable . if waves normally come in at an angle such that they intersect the shoreline in a motion from right to left , then the array shown in fig1 is suitable . however , if waves normally approach the shoreline so that they intersect the shore from an angle from left to right , then the array as illustrated in fig1 should be varied either by putting the longer arm floats to the left and the shorter arm floats to the right or by providing a more random positioning of the longer and shorter arm floats with each having its own fulcrum . fig2 illustrates that portion of the device of this invention that deals with converting the rotational motion of the shaft 48 into a smooth , consistent and reliable source of energy . the shaft 48 will normally move with some pulsating motion , and it is connected to a pump 50 that is selected to be suitable to pump a driving fluid although it is actuated with pulsating motion from the shaft 48 . the pump 50 takes suction through line 51 from a driving fluid although it is actuated with pulsating motion from the shaft 48 . the pump 50 takes suction through line 51 from a driving fluid reservoir 52 . preferably , the driving fluid is selected to be suitable for its purpose and will usually be an oil having the proper viscosity , lubricity and resistance to deterioration . although it is not preferred , the driving fluid may be the body of water itself , in which case a reservoir 52 would simply be the body of water . in pump 50 the driving fluid is raised to a high pressure and discharged through the line 53 into high pressure reservoir 54 . in reservoir 54 , the fluid is maintained at the desired high pressure by an air cushion regulated with control valve 55 which vents air through line 56 . line 57 is connected to a compressor to restore air at the proper pressure to the upper part of reservoir 54 . a level control means 58 operates valve 59 to release excess liquid from reservoir 54 and to return it to a reservoir 52 via line 60 . high pressure fluid from reservoir 54 passes through line 61 to a regulating valve 62 which regulates the flow of fluid through line 63 and to fluid driven motor 64 . the fluid drives motor 64 and discharges from it at low pressure , passing through line 65 and returning to reservoir 52 . excess fluid is bypassed by valve 62 to flow directly back to reservoir 52 . the shaft 66 driven by motor 64 provides regular , continuous , steady rotary motion for driving a device or for conversion into energy , for example if connected to an electric generator . when the seas are high and shaft 48 rotates at a faster - than - normal rate , too much driving fluid will be pumped into line 53 . when such is the case , driving fluid may accumulate in high pressure reservoir 54 where it is stored under high pressure as a source of potential energy to be employed when the seas are low and the rate at which pump 50 is operating is not sufficient to maintain the pressure in line 61 . the arrangement shown in fig2 provides a smooth regular steady flow of driving fluid through the motor 64 . a pulsating motion of shaft 48 causes driving fluid to be introduced into line 53 at an irregular rate . however , the irregularities in the flow are taken up by the air cushion and large capacity of high pressure reservoir 54 so that a constant supply of high pressure driving fluid is available in line 61 . regulating valve 62 will make slight adjustments in the degree that it is open or closed to accommodate for these small pulsations and will provide a flow at steady rate and steady pressure through the motor 64 . to avoid damaging equipment and loss of fluid , the valve 57 is provided only to prevent building up damaging high liquid levels in the reservoir 54 . fig3 and 5 illustrate a suitable ratchet arrangement for the ends of the float arms . fig3 illustrates the float arm 20 , in particular the end of segment 26 . fig3 illustrates the float arm 20 when the float 15 is in its lowermost position . the float arm 20 is connected through a link 70 to a pawl bearing link 71 which in turn is rotatably fixed to the shaft 10 . a pin 72 connects link 70 to arm segment 26 , and a pin 73 connects link 70 to the pawl bearing links 71 which are illustrated as being two in number . the pawl 75 is fixed with pin 76 beween the two pawl bearing links 71 . the ratchet wheel 11 is shown without teeth for simplicity although it is evident that the ratchet wheel 11 will have conventional ratchet teeth in its surface that are suitably shaped to engage the pawl 75 . with the arrangement as shown , as the float goes from its lowermost position , as illustrated in fig3 to its highest position , as illustrated in fig4 the arm segment 26 swings through an arc . however , with the arrangement shown , the link 70 changes its angle with respect to arm segment 26 so that the pawl 25 may be driven through a substantial arc angle without losing contact with the ratchet wheel 11 . in the uppermost position of the arm segment 26 its longitudinal axis may be substantially at right angles with the longitudinal axis of the link 70 while in the lowermost position of the arm segment 26 , arm segment 26 and link 70 are substantially coaxial . accordingly , the ratchet drive means illustrated herein causes the ratchet wheel 11 to be rotated through a significant angle for each cycle of the arm 20 . it is evident that many equivalent structures may be made within the broad scope of this invention .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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fig1 shows a portion of a stringed instrument 100 , such as a guitar . the guitar 100 has a front body portion 110 , strings 200 and a pickup 10 positioned beneath the strings . the guitar 100 is not fully shown . the bridge portion is to the left of the front body portion at 112 , and the neck portion is to the right of the front body portion at 111 . pickup 10 has a mounting plate 11 and is mounted in the pickup cavity 120 . spacer plates 12 are provided to fill the opening in the pickup cavity 120 in the front body portion 110 . spacer plates 12 and mounting plates 11 are held in place by screws 40 b or other type of fasteners passing through mating holes 32 in retainer plate 30 and secured in the guitar body . the fasteners can be plastic push - in friction fasteners , knurled or wing headed screws , etc . only one pair of screws or fasteners 40 b need to be used to hold the spacer plates , accessory plates and mounting plates in position since the plates abut and are held in place by the guitar body at either the front right body portion 111 or the front left body portion 112 . the screws / fasteners 40 b are shown holding each space plate 12 and mounting plate 11 in place ; however only one set of screws / fasteners are needed if they are used to hold the spacer plate to the left in position . the other spacer plate and pickup plate are held in place by the left or neck portion of the guitar body . alternatively , two plates could be held in place with the fasteners . fig1 a shows a guitar 100 with a front body portion 110 , bridge portion 112 and a neck portion 111 . the pickup cavity 120 has one pickup 10 and two spacer plates 12 in the shown variation of the invention . fig2 shows the pickup cavity 120 formed in the guitar . pickup cavity 120 provides an access for installing pickup 10 from the back body portion 130 of the guitar . cavity 120 is provided in the guitar body to provide access to install and replace the pickups from the rear of the guitar . cavity 120 is shown as having an inner guitar surface 121 - 126 which is shown as having a metal liner to provide an electromagnetic shield . the inner guitar surface has an outer wall 121 , a ledge 122 upon which pickup mounting plate 11 slides and seats , an intermediate wall 123 , a bottom wall 124 , an inner wall 125 and a higher bottom wall 126 . a metal spacer of aluminum 20 is provided on the ledge 122 between the ledge and the metal of the pickup mounting plate 11 to provide a wear surface if the liner is a coating , thin foil or other material that may be worn away during the insertion and removal of the pickups , etc . the spacer 20 can be held in place on the ledge 122 by countersunk screws or other fastening means . a retainer plate 30 holds the pickup 10 in place on the spacer 20 and ledge 122 . the retainer plate 30 has holes 31 with screws 40 a holding the plate to the guitar body . retainer plate 30 also has holes 32 with screws 40 b that hold the pickup mounting plate 11 to the retainer plate , the spacer 20 and the ledge 122 . spacer 20 has holes matching holes 32 in retainer plate 30 . screws 40 b used in the holes 32 can be replaced by other types of fasteners , such as plastic pine tree ® fasteners . the screws 40 b are shown as going through the spacer 20 and into holes drilled into the guitar 100 . where the fasteners go into the guitar body , it is preferred to use a threaded insert attached to the guitar body to receive the screw . the electromagnetic shield / liner on walls 121 - 126 of pickup cavity 120 and under the retainer plate 30 can be an electrically conductive paint , such as stewart - mac donald conductive shielding paint , sold by the stewart - mac donald company , athens , ohio . other ways of lining the cavity are to provide copper or aluminum tape , a metal foil with glue , etc . the spacer 20 can be aluminum . the electrically conductive paint on the cavity 121 - 126 , the metal spacer 20 , the metal mounting plates 11 and / or spacer plates 12 provide an electrically conductive / shielded volume to suppress electromagnetic interference . fig3 shows the back body portion 130 of the guitar 100 . the back body portion 130 has a cover plate 131 which provides access to the pickup cavity 120 through an opening 132 in the back portion of the guitar . the cover plate 131 is opened in the direction of the arrow . the cover plate 131 can be magnetically mounted to the back portion of the guitar . the cavity 120 has end wall 129 . to remove the pickup 10 , the cover plate 131 is removed . the screws 40 b or other fasteners , such as pine tree ® or christmas tree ® fasteners are removed from the retainer plate 30 . the electrical connectors are unplugged from the pickup . then , each spacer plate 12 is removed through the opening 132 by sliding it along the spacer 20 on ledge 122 until it reaches the opening 132 and is then removed through the opening 132 . then , the pickup mounting plate 11 is slid along the spacer 20 on ledge 122 until it reaches the opening 132 in the back portion of the guitar and then is removed through the opening 132 . to install the pickup , the pickup mounting plate 11 is introduced through the opening 132 and slid along the spacer 20 on ledge 122 until it reaches the front body portion 111 at one end of the ledge 122 . the spacer plates 12 are then added to close the open space to the left of the pickup and secured with fasteners 40 b . cables are connected to the pickup before introducing the pickup 10 into cavity 120 . the cable connections are covered in fig6 . opening 132 extends across the cavity 120 from the outer wall 121 to the opposing outer wall 121 . the spacer 20 is also missing at the opening 132 . therefore , the pickup mounting plate 11 can be removed from the guitar through the opening 132 . the dimensions of the opening 132 will be larger than the length of the mounting plate 11 . the opening 132 can be larger than the width of the spacer plate 12 or the pickup mounting plate 11 so that different size plates can be introduced therethrough . the opening 132 can have various positions , such as right , left or center of the cavity 120 ( normal bridge , middle and neck pickup positions ). fig4 shows a pickup 10 mounted in a different position by removing screws 40 b , removing the spacer plates 12 if present , sliding the pickup mounting plate 11 to the new position and then repositioning one set of screws or other type of fastener 40 b in the retainer plate 30 and mounting plate 11 . in this embodiment , the electromagnetic shielding can be provided by using shielded pickups . fig5 shows two pickups 10 mounted on either side of a spacer plate 12 on the guitar by screws or fasteners 40 b . only one set of fasteners 40 b need be used . the fasteners 40 b would be used in the pickup plate or spacer plate at the end of the guitar having the opening 132 . fig6 shows multiple , different pickups can be used at the same time on the guitar , such as three or more pickups . for example , the pickups could be a humbucker ™ neck ( rhythm ) pickup , a single coil middle pickup and an angled “ stacked ” humbucker ™ bridge ( lead ) pickup of single coil width . control cavity electrical cables 300 which are fed through a hole into the control cavity ( not shown ) connect to intermediate cables 301 with female and male ends which connect to the pickup cables 302 on the pickups . intermediate cables 301 extend pickup cables 302 and are easily connected to cables 300 and 302 . the control cavity cables 300 connect to controls in the control cavity . optionally , hook and loop fasteners 400 a , b can be added to the cables 301 and / or 302 and to the mounting plates 11 to hold the cables in place . alternatively , only a single hook and loop fastener can be used at the opening 132 to secure all of the cables . the cables can be color or otherwise coded to provide easy matching of the corresponding / correct cables . the cables can have multi - pin , usb or other suitable connectors . connections between the pickup cables 302 , 301 and the corresponding control cavity cables 300 are made in the opening 132 before the pickups are removed or after the pickups have been installed . the intermediate cables 301 are plugged into the pickup cables 302 before introducing the pickup 10 into the cavity 120 . fig7 shows an accessory plate 13 with accessories 500 , such as two rows of electrical slide switches , provided on the plate which is positioned between two pickup mounting plates 11 . the plates 11 , 13 are all held in place by pine tree ® fasteners 40 b in the pickup plate on the left and the guitar body on the right . the accessories / switches 500 which can alter the wiring configuration of dual coil pickups are mounted on a circuit board attached to the accessory plate 13 which may be electrically connected to the pickups by jacks on the circuit board . preferably , the switches can be connected to the pickups by using patch or connecting cables which would extend to the opening 132 for ease of connection at the point . the cables can be color or otherwise coded to help making the proper connections . the accessory plate 13 can be provided in any unused position . the preferred position of the pickup switching accessory plate 13 is in the middle pickup position . the accessory 500 on the accessory plate 13 may be an electronic processor with a touch or pressure sensitive display that may be patched through in a similar manner to switching plate . the processor on the accessory plate can have reference software applications , such as a guitar tuner , a chord library , a scale library , etc . further , various software applications similar to those currently available for the iphone ® or ipod ®, such as the amplitube ® 2 , 3 applications from ikmultmedia . com and the guitar toolkit ® and other applications from agilepartners . com , may be incorporated through the use of the appropriately sized and modified processor with a display . the processor may be provided with cables to provide an output or be a wireless processor . wireless pickups incorporating radio transceivers may be mounted with pickup mounting plates thereby requiring no connecting cables and processed with a wireless processor mounted on an accessory plate or a wireless processor mounted in the control cavity . fig8 shows an alternate embodiment of the invention in which the openings 132 a , b to the back of the guitar are divided into three compartments 132 a for three pickups which are the pickup cavities in this embodiment and a compartment 132 b for the wires or cables . openings 132 a extend through to the front of the guitar . the outlines of the opening 132 a , b are shown in dotted lines since they are behind cover plate 131 . the openings 132 a , b are spaced from the cover plate 131 by enough distance to provide space for the wires or cables and the pickup mount fasteners . cover plate 131 has a coin slot 131 a to help in removing the cover plate . magnets 131 b are mounted on the two walls separating the three compartments 132 a for holding the cover plate 131 in place . the control cavity 133 ( shown in dotted lines ) communicates with the compartments 132 a , b to feeds the wires / cables to the pickups . the control cavity 133 can have any shape and has a cover plate 131 which can be held in place with magnets or other holding means . the control cavity 133 can contain a pickup selector , a volume control for each pickup , a tone control for each pickup , etc . cables / cords will exit the guitar from the control cavity through a hole in the control cavity ( not shown ). while the disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof . therefore , it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure , but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art . for example , the pickups can be of various types and can be in any combination . the pickups can be electromagnetic , optical , active , passive , etc . the pickup cavity 120 may not need to be shielded if the pickups are shielded . a cosmetic plate can be attached to the retainer plate 30 .
| 6Physics
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for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention , reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended . any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein , and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein , which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure , are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed . reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout . fig1 shows a schematic diagram of a gas engine driven heat pump system of the present invention generally referred to by reference numeral 50 . the system 50 includes an engine compressor section 51 , an indoor section 52 and an outdoor section 53 divided by lines 54 , 55 . the system 50 comprises two identical refrigeration circuits referred to as circuit a and circuit b . internal combustion engine 1 runs on natural gas ( or propane or other suitable gases ) and drives two refrigeration compressors 2 a , 2 b . the refrigeration circuits operate using classic rankin cycle principals . a rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle familiar to those skilled in the art . combustion air ( ca ) first enters an inlet silencer device 32 that reduces air flow noise . the combustion air then travels through an air cooler device 33 that , depending on the combustion air temperature , may cool the combustion air several degrees . reducing the combustion air temperature increases the horsepower output of the internal combustion engine 1 . the cooled air then passes through an air filter 34 that filters any particulate matter . the clean air then enters an air fuel mixture device 35 located on , or in proximity to , the internal combustion engine 1 . engine combustion exhaust gases exit the engine 1 through water cooled exhaust manifold 22 where the gases are cooled by engine coolant circulated through the manifold 22 . the exhaust gases then enter a catalytic converter 36 that reduces nox and hydrocarbon emissions . the gases then flow through an exhaust air exchanger 21 such that the gases are cooled to approximately 200 ° by engine coolant circulated through the exchanger 21 . next , the cooled exhaust gases flow through exhaust separator 19 where any condensed water ( a product of combustion ) is removed . the remaining exhaust vapors are vented to the atmosphere . the exhaust liquids ( e . g ., water ), which may be acidic , flow to an exhaust liquid filter 36 that neutralizes any acid in the liquid . the neutralized liquid may then be dispensed through a drain . natural gas , or propane , from a gas source first enters the system 50 via safety cutoff device and pressure regulator 16 . the pressure regulator 16 lowers the gas pressure to a suitable and useable level for receipt by an engine carburetor 35 that causes the gas to be mixed with combustion air . in embodiments utilizing an optional cold climate auxiliary heater 23 , natural gas , or propane , is also piped thereto . an extended engine life and maintenance cycle ( e . g ., 10 , 000 hours ) may be accomplished by the addition of an auxiliary oil storage tank 18 . cool low pressure refrigerant vapor is compressed to high pressure by compressors 2 a , 2 b . pursuant to the principal defined by the ideal gas law ( pv = nrt ), as the vapor is compressed , its temperature increases . the now hot , high pressure refrigerant vapor flows to oil separators 3 a , 3 b which separate oil from the refrigerant . the separated refrigerant oil is returned to compressor suction line 16 a , 16 b through metering devices 14 a , 14 b , 15 a and 15 b and solenoid valves 13 a . 13 b . solenoid valves 13 a , 13 b are activated by a control system in response to changing operating conditions to provide optimum oil flow to the compressors 2 a , 2 b . the hot , high pressure refrigerant vapor flows from the oil separators 3 a , 3 b to reversing or switching valves 4 a , 4 b , where the vapor is diverted to the indoor exchanger 6 or the outdoor exchangers 11 a , 11 b , depending on whether the system is in heating or cooling mode . when the system 50 is in the cooling mode or cycle , the switching valves 4 a , 4 b divert hot , high pressure refrigerant to the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b , which , in the cooling mode , act as condensers . refrigerant from valve 4 a is directed to outdoor heat exchanger 11 a and refrigerant from valve 4 b is directed to outdoor heat exchanger 11 b . each outdoor heat exchanger 11 a , 11 b contains a refrigerant circuit ( a , b ) and a heating circuit ( c ). the heating circuit is used during the heating mode to prevent frost accumulation on the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b . the hot , high pressure refrigerant is then condensed to a high pressure liquid and sub - cooled by removing heat from the refrigerant . the heat is removed by drawing cooler outdoor air across the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b . outdoor fans 30 a , 30 b provide the air flow and are adjusted by the control system to provide the optimum flow rate to match the required refrigeration load and outdoor ambient conditions . the high pressure sub - cooled refrigerant liquid then flows through check valve devices 10 a , 10 b to thermostatic expansion devices 7 a , 7 b . the thermostatic expansion devices regulate the refrigerant flow which lowers the pressure of the refrigerant as it flows through the device . the pressure reduction causes expansion of the refrigerant liquid whereby a portion flashes into a vapor that , according to the joule - thompson effect , causes the temperature of the two phase refrigerant to be reduced . the cold two - phase refrigerant then enters indoor heat exchanger 6 which functions as an evaporator in the cooling mode . warm return air from the subject air - conditioned space is drawn across the indoor heat exchanger 6 by indoor blower 31 . heat is removed from the return air thereby cooling the air stream . the cool air stream is then returned to the subject air - conditioned space . the heat removed from the air stream is transferred to the cold two - phase refrigerant flowing through the tubes of the indoor heat exchanger 6 causing the liquid refrigerant to boil . after all liquid refrigerant has boiled into vapor , additional heat is added to the heat exchanger 6 causing the refrigerant vapor to become superheated . the amount of superheat is controlled by the thermostatic expansion devices 7 a , 7 b . the indoor heat exchanger 6 includes two interlaced refrigeration circuits ( a , b ) and one auxiliary heating circuit ( c ) used during the heating cycle . the interlacing of the refrigerant circuits provides optimum heat exchanger 6 efficiency during full and partial load cycle . the superheated refrigerant vapor then flows back to the switching valves 4 a , 4 b and then to suction accumulators 5 a , 5 b where any liquid refrigerant that may have condensed is separated from the refrigerant vapor . the refrigerant vapor is then drawn into low pressure inlets of the compressors 2 a , 2 b such that the cycle can be repeated . during both heating and cooling cycles , engine coolant is circulated through the system 50 by coolant pump 20 . warm coolant is pumped through the exhaust air exchanger 21 where the coolant temperature is raised a few degrees by waste heat recovered from the engine exhaust . the coolant then flows to the water - cooled exhaust manifold 22 , located on the internal combustion engine 1 , such that the coolant temperature is additionally raised . the coolant then enters the internal combustion engine 1 where it removes heat from the engine 1 . this portion of the coolant circuit collects waste heat for efficient use during the heating and cooling cycles . now referring to fig2 a , the system 50 is shown operating in a cooling cycle without any optional devices installed . engine coolant flows from engine 1 to engine temperature control valve 24 . a proportional integral derivative ( pid ) control loop in the control system maintains an efficient engine temperature by directing the coolant flow either back to the engine 1 or to radiator 27 . upon initial startup , in order to bring the engine 1 to a proper operating temperature , the coolant is directed by engine control valve to the engine 1 . as the engine temperature approaches the desired operating temperature , the engine temperature control valve 24 directs the coolant to switching valve 25 . during the cooling cycle , the switching valve 25 directs the engine coolant to the radiator 27 where excess engine heat is removed . the excess engine heat is removed from the coolant as the result of outside air being drawn across the radiator 27 by outdoor fans 30 a , 30 b . the coolant then flows to the coolant pump 20 where the coolant cycle begins again . fig2 b shows the system 50 operating in the cooling cycle with an optional hot water exchanger 29 installed . hot coolant exiting the switching valve 25 flows to a hot water temperature control valve 26 . hot coolant is then directed to the hot water exchanger 29 where waste heat is used to heat domestic water , swimming pools and the like . a pid control loop in the control system regulates the hot coolant flow to the hot water exchanger 29 and the radiator 27 . once a pre - established threshold temperature of the heated water is achieved , the remaining coolant flow is directed to the radiator 27 . coolant exiting the hot water exchanger 29 and radiator 27 flows to the coolant pump 20 , where the cycle begins again . in this embodiment , waste heat in efficiently used thereby increasing overall system efficiency . fig3 a shows the system 50 , without any optional devices installed , operating in the heating cycle when the ambient temperature is above a threshold frost point temperature of the outdoor exchangers 11 a , 11 b . the switching valve 25 directs the hot engine coolant to a frost avoidance valve 28 . since the outdoor ambient temperature is above the threshold frost point temperature , the pid control loop of the control system directs all hot coolant to circuit ( c ) of the indoor heat exchanger 6 . the indoor heat exchanger 6 includes two interlaced refrigerant circuits ( a , b ) and an auxiliary heat circuit ( c ). the auxiliary heat circuit ( c ) is located on the outlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 6 downstream of the refrigerant circuits with respect to the air flow created by the indoor blower 31 . this configuration of the refrigerant and engine coolant circuits provides several primary benefits . first , due to the sizing and arrangement of the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b , heat recovery from the outside air is maximized and transferred to the subject air - conditioned space . second , due to the interlacing circuits ( a , b ) within the indoor heat exchanger 6 , partial load efficiency is maximized . third , waste heat recovered from engine 1 is transferred to the subject air - conditioned space and provides significantly higher air temperatures than possible with conventional heat pump systems during low ambient temperature cycle . moreover , a significant increase in the cop over conventional heat pump systems is achieved . now referring to fig3 b , the system 50 , without optional devices installed , is shown operating in the heating cycle when ambient temperatures are at or below the threshold frost point temperature of the outdoor exchangers 11 a , 11 b . the switching valve 25 directs the hot engine coolant to the frost avoidance valve 28 . sensors or similar devices located in the outdoor section 53 sense and report when temperatures are such that frost is likely to form on coils of the outdoor exchangers 11 a , 11 b . as temperatures approach the threshold frost point , the pid control loop adjusts the flow through the frost avoidance valve 28 by directing some or all of the engine heat coolant from the indoor heat exchanger 6 to the frost avoidance circuit ( c ) in the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b . the frost avoidance circuit ( c ) is located on an inlet side of the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b wherein the inlet side is upstream with respect to the air flow created by fans 30 a , 30 b . cooled engine coolant exits the indoor heat exchanger 6 and the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b and flows back to the coolant pump 20 where the cycle begins again . this configuration offers two primary benefits . first , the outdoor exchangers 11 a , 11 b never require defrosting thereby eliminating the high energy used by conventional heat pumps to defrost exchanger pipes . second , even though the hot engine coolant is directed from its primary function of increasing the heat delivered to the subject air - conditioned space , the energy is not wasted since it is reabsorbed into the system 50 by increasing the temperature of the air entering the refrigerant circuits ( a , b ) of the outdoor heat exchangers 11 a , 11 b which function as evaporators during the heating cycle of cycle . the effect is that the inlet temperature of the outdoor air to the evaporator is increased several degrees , thus raising the overall heating effect of the system 50 and the corresponding cop . fig3 c shows the system 50 including supplemental heating for system cycle in climates not suitable for conventional heat pump systems . an auxiliary heater 23 is installed between the internal combustion engine 1 and the engine temperature control valve 24 . hot engine coolant exits the internal combustion engine 1 and flows to the auxiliary heater 23 where it is heated to a higher temperature by a natural gas burner using the natural gas ( or propane ) supplied from the combined safety cutoff device and pressure regulator 16 . the engine coolant then flows to the engine temperature control valve 24 . the system 50 continues to operate as described above with respect to the heating cycle . however , since the engine coolant now has a higher temperature , it provides additional heat to the subject air - conditioned space . another advantage of the auxiliary heater 23 is that it facilitates a shorter startup time for the internal combustion engine 1 resulting in the ability to more quickly heat the subject air - conditioned space . an electrical control system including circuitry , logic and related electronic components , is operable to manage the system 50 . a thermostat controllable by a user dictates whether the system 50 is in the cooling or heating cycle and at what temperature level . more particularly , the control system can vary the speed of the engine 1 , indoor blower 31 and outdoor fans 30 a , 30 b and the number of running refrigeration compressors 2 a , 2 b . the control system includes sensors designed to monitor the system 50 for irregular operational conditions . based on the detection of irregular or abnormal operational conditions , the control system automatically takes steps to correct the irregularities or abnormalities or shut down the system 50 when the irregularities cannot be corrected . the control system further controls coolant flow during the different cycles . air - fuel mixture is also managed by the control system . although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments , additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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the present invention seeks to solve the above - mentioned problems , and provides a portable boiler for a heating mat , which can prevent a noise during circulation of circulating water in the heating mat and can selectively control the temperature of the circulating water . the present invention also provides a portable boiler for a heating mat , which has a stable structure of using a portable fuel gas can that can be carried during camping such as climbing . embodiments of the present invention provide portable boilers for a heating mat , including : a water reservoir storing circulating water that is received through an inlet tube disposed on one side of an upper portion of the water reservoir ; a heat - transfer part allowing the circulating water to flow along a flow passage to exchange heat and discharging the circulating water to the heating mat through an outlet tube disposed on one side of the heat - transfer part ; a heating part for heating the circulating water inside the heat - transfer part by burning fuel gas supplied from a fuel tank ; and a housing defining an exterior of the portable boiler , wherein : the water reservoir includes : the inlet tube connected to one and of a circulation pipe buried in the heating mat on the one side of the upper portion of the water reservoir ; a fixing bracket having a plurality of holes to allow the circulating water to flow into the heat - transfer part ; a check valve formed of a thin film and opening / closing the plurality of holes according to a water pressure of the circulating water ; and a temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the circulating water to generate a physical signal using expansion and contraction of a liquid filled therein ; the heat - transfer part has the flow passage that allows the circulating water to absorb heat when the check valve is opened and the circulating water flows therein ; and the heating part includes : a gas controller for controlling an injection amount of the fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank ; a controller receiving the physical signal from the temperature sensor to control the gas controller ; and an igniter including a combustor for burning the fuel gas supplied from the gas controller and a spark plug generating an electric spark on the combustor . in some embodiments , the portable boiler may further include a heat - collecting plate on an undersurface of the heat - transfer part to increase thermal conductivity . in other embodiments , the portable boiler may further include a plurality of heat - collecting fins radially disposed from a center of the heat - collecting plate to the outside . in other embodiments , the gas controller may include : a coupling part coupled to the fuel tank ; a support block including a first fuel discharging tube allowing the fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank to be ejected through a first fuel discharging hole ; a first cylinder assembly mounted with a first piston that moves in a cylinder due to a rotation of a control knob screwed into a control screw part formed in the cylinder to open and close the first fuel discharging tube , and disposed on the support block to communicate with the first fuel discharging tube ; and a second cylinder assembly mounted with a second piston that moves slidably moves in a cylinder to open and close a second fuel discharging tube , and disposed on the support block to communicate with the first cylinder assembly and discharge the fuel gas received through the second discharging tube ; the controller may include : a movement member abutting on an end portion of the second piston of the second cylinder assembly to move the second piston by expanding or contracting due to the physical signal generated by the temperature sensor ; and a location controller for controlling a location of the movement member ; the combustor may burn the fuel gas received through the second fuel discharging hole of the second cylinder assembly ; and the igniter may include the spark plug generating the electric spark on the combustor . in still other embodiments , the flow passage of the heat - transfer part may include : a vertical flow passage to which the circulating water first flows through the check valve of the water reservoir ; a bypass flow passage detouring the circulating water from the vertical flow passage to one side ; an inclination flow passage communicating with the bypass flow passage and inclining toward the outlet tube . in even other embodiments , the portable boiler may further include a space part defined by a support bracket disposed between the flow passage and the heat - collecting plate of the heat - transfer part to support the flow passage and the heat - collecting plate of the heat - transfer part . in yet other embodiments , the portable boiler may further include a shield plate disposed between the inclination flow passage and the bypass flow passage of the heat - transfer part to prevent heat transferred from the heat - collecting plate from being transferred to the water reservoir through the flow passage . in further embodiments , the check valve may be formed using a flexible silicon thin - film and may be coupled to one end of a rise and fall rod penetrating a center of the fixing bracket , and an elastic member may be disposed around an outer circumferential surface of the rise and fall rod and may be supported by the other end of the rise and fall rod and the fixing bracket . in still further embodiments , the temperature sensor may include : a signal generation part submerged in the water reservoir and generating a physical signal that allows expansion and contraction using a liquid filled therein when the temperature of the circulating water loaded in the water reservoir reaches a certain temperature ; and a signal delivery part including a capillary tube filled with the liquid to deliver the physical signal to the movement member . in even further embodiments , the fixing bracket may have an ejection hole for discharging vapor generated when the circulating water flows in the heat - transfer part and may include an air ejector that opens the ejection hole when a pressure of the vapor becomes greater than a certain pressure . in yet further embodiments , the portable boiler may further include a pressurizing member that has a rod shape and allows the rise and fall rod to be manually pushed from the outside . in much further embodiments , the housing may have a plurality of first air passages at a location of an outer circumferential surface thereof corresponding to the bypass flow passage of the heat - transfer part in an outer circumferential surface of the housing and a plurality of air passages at a location of the outer circumferential surface thereof corresponding to the heat - collecting plate . in still much further embodiments , the portable boiler may further include an auxiliary cover in the housing corresponding to the first air passages . here , the auxiliary cover has a plurality of auxiliary air passages that selectively open and close the first air passages . in even much further embodiments , the portable boiler may further include a windproof plate outside the housing corresponding to the second air passages , the windproof plate preventing a direction of a flame from being biased according to a flow of air received through the second air passages . in even much further embodiments , the second piston of the second cylinder assembly may have a recessed groove on a front end thereof such that a very small amount of fuel flows into the second cylinder assembly even when the fuel discharging tube of the second cylinder assembly is closed , and the second fuel discharging tube of the second cylinder assembly may have a recessed groove in an inner circumferential surface thereof such that a very small amount of fuel flows into the second cylinder assembly even when the fuel discharging tube of the second cylinder assembly is closed . in yet much further embodiments , the location controller may include : an elastic frame supporting the movement member while being fixed on one side of the support block ; a fixing frame coupled to the other side of the support block , and a location control lever including a control bolt penetrating the fixing frame and screwed into the elastic frame at one end thereof , and a grip for rotating the control bolt at the other end thereof , and a control nut may be further provided between the fixing frame and the elastic frame to be coupled to the control bolt and be fixed on the elastic frame . fig1 is a schematic view illustrating the exterior of a portable boiler for a heating mat and the heating mat according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention ; fig2 is a cross - sectional view illustrating the overall structure of a portable boiler for a heating mat according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention ; fig3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a fixing bracket , a rise and fall rod , a check valve , and an air ejector , which are mounted on a water reservoir according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention ; fig4 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a heat - transfer part according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention ; fig5 is a front view illustrating the exterior of a heating part according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention ; fig6 is a cross - sectional view taken along line i - i , which illustrates an interaction between a temperature sensor and a heating part according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention ; fig7 and 8 are schematic views illustrating a recessed groove formed in a second piston and a second fuel discharge pipe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . the present invention may , however , be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein . rather , these embodiments are provided so that this invention will be thorough and complete , and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art . hereinafter , exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . these embodiments and the drawings are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention but to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention . fig1 is a schematic view illustrating the exterior of a portable boiler for a heating mat and the heating mat according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . a portable boiler 1000 for a heating mat 10 includes a water reservoir 100 , a heat transfer part 200 , a heating part 300 , and a housing 700 . the water reservoir 100 stores circulating water . an inlet tube 110 is formed on one side of the upper portion of the water reservoir 100 to receive the circulating water that circulates in the heating mat 10 . the circulating water discharged from the water reservoir 100 flows along a flow passage to perform heat - exchange , and then may be discharged into the heating mat 10 through an outlet tube 210 disposed on one side of the heat - transfer part 200 . the heating part 300 heats the circulating water inside the heat - transfer part 200 by burning a fuel gas supplied from a fuel tank t . the housing 700 defines the exterior of the portable boiler 1000 . the circulating water discharged from the heating mat 10 flows into the portable boiler 1000 through the inlet tube 10 , and is heated during the flowing along the flow passage . thereafter , the circulating water is again discharged into the heating mat 10 through the outlet tube 210 . although not shown in fig1 , the portable boiler 1000 further includes a temperature sensor 140 , a gas controller 400 , and a controller 500 . the temperature sensor 140 senses the temperature of the circulating water to generate a physical signal using expansion and contraction of a liquid filled therein . the gas controller 400 controls an injection amount of the fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank . the controller 500 receives the physical signal from the temperature sensor 140 to control the gas controller 400 . a wrinkled part 760 is formed on the housing 700 corresponding to the water reservoir 100 to facilitate the cooling of the circulating water flowing into the water reservoir 100 and reinforce the strength of the housing 700 . a plurality of first air passages 710 are disposed in the outer circumferential surface of the housing 700 corresponding to a location of a bypass flow passage 205 of the heat - transfer part 200 . the plurality of first air passages 710 supply air to perform air - cooling such that the bypass flow passage 205 and a vertical flow passage 203 of the heat - transfer part 200 are not overheated by heat transferred from an inclination flow passage 207 . a plurality of second air passages 720 are disposed on a location corresponding to a heat - collecting plate 250 . the plurality of second air passages 720 discharge gases and heat generated during the combustion of the fuel gas triggered by an igniter 600 described later . when the air flow rate through the second air passages 720 is excessively high , the direction of flame is biased according to the air flow . accordingly , a windproof plate 750 is further provided to prevent the above limitation . an auxiliary cover 740 is mounted in the housing 700 corresponding to the first air passages 710 . the auxiliary cover 740 has a plurality of auxiliary air passages 743 formed therein to selectively open and close the first air passages 710 . the auxiliary cover 740 may serve to prevent reduction of the thermal efficiency when the temperature of the heat - transfer part 200 is excessively reduced due to external air of significantly low temperature received through the first air passages 710 . the auxiliary cover 740 having the auxiliary air passages 743 is used by appropriately adjusting a location thereof relative to that of the first air passages 710 according to the surrounding environment . hereinafter , the structure and operation of the portable boiler for the heating mat of fig1 will be described in more detail with reference to fig1 through 6 . fig2 is a cross - sectional view illustrating the overall structure of a portable boiler for a heating mat according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the housing 700 defining the exterior of the portable boiler houses the water reservoir 100 , the heat - transfer part 200 , and the heating part 300 from top to bottom . although shown as partitioned into three parts , the housing 700 is formed using one member as a whole . the water reservoir 100 includes an inlet tube 110 , a fixing bracket 120 , a check valve 130 , and a temperature sensor 140 . the inlet tube 110 is disposed on the right upper portion of the water reservoir 100 to be connected to one end of the circulation pipe 20 buried in the heating mat 10 . the fixing bracket 120 has a plurality of holes 123 to allow the circulating water to flow into the heat - transfer part 200 . the check valve 130 may open and close the plurality of holes 123 according to a water pressure of the circulating water . the check valve 130 is formed of a flexible silicon thin - film . the temperature sensor 140 senses the temperature of the circulating water to generate a physical signal using expansion and contraction of a liquid filled therein . the check valve 130 is coupled to one end of a rise and fall rod 124 penetrating the center of the fixing bracket 120 . also , a spring is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rise and fall rod 124 that are supported by the other end of the rise and fall rod 124 and the fixing bracket 120 . although the spring 125 is exemplified in the present embodiment , other elastic members that can be restored when a compressive force is removed may be used . to explain the operation of the water reservoir 100 , it will be assumed that circulating water is not included at all in the water reservoir 100 at the initial stage . when an upper cover forming a portion of the housing 700 is opened and then circulating water is inputted , the check valve 130 has to be opened to allow the circulating water to flow into the heating mat 10 through the outlet tube 210 . since the check valve 130 is formed of a silicon thin film , the check valve 130 is closed until the circulating water received in the water reservoir 100 have a certain water pressure . accordingly , the rise and fall rod 120 may be manually moved downward . the spring 125 is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the rise and fall rod 124 , and the both ends thereof are supported by the one end of the rise and fall rod 124 and the fixing bracket 120 . accordingly , when a compressive force is removed , the rise and fall rod 124 may move upward to close the check valve 130 . in this case , the gas fuel supplied from the fuel tank t needs not to be ignited . the check valve 130 is forcibly opened for a certain time to allow the circulating water to flow into the heating mat 10 . when the rise and fall rod 124 is released , the check valve 130 is opened and closed only by the water pressure of the circulating water including in the water reservoir 100 . when the check valve 130 is opened , the circulating water discharged through the holes 123 formed in the fixing bracket 120 flows into the heat - transfer part 200 . hereinafter , the fixing bracket 120 , the rise and fall rod 124 , the check valve 130 , and an air ejector 127 will be described in detail with reference to fig3 . fig3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the fixing bracket 120 , the rise and fall rod 124 , the check valve 130 , and the air ejector 127 that are mounted in the water reservoir 100 . as shown in fig3 , the holes 123 having a certain depth are radially formed in the fixing bracket 120 . when the check valve 130 is opened , circulating water flows through a hollow space of the fixing bracket 120 . a female screw is disposed under the fixing bracket 120 to couple the fixing bracket 120 to the vertical flow passage 203 of the heat - transfer part 200 . the check valve 130 is disposed under the holes 123 of the fixing bracket 120 to allow the holes to be opened when the check valve 130 sinks down due to the water pressure of the circulating water included in the water reservoir 100 . in this case , a rubber packing 128 is disposed under the fixing bracket 120 to prevent a water leakage between the fixing bracket 120 and the heat - transfer part 200 . a stepped hole is formed in the center of the fixing bracket 120 to allow the rise and fall rod 124 to penetrate therethrough . one end of the spring 125 wound around the outer circumferential surface of the rise and fall rod 124 is supported by the stepped portion . as described above , the rise and fall rod 124 is used to load circulating water at the initial stage of the operation . when the rise and fall rod 124 is pushed , the check valve 130 coupled to the end portion of the rise and fall rod 124 is forcibly opened . when the pushing force is removed , the check valve 130 is again closed by a resilient force of the spring 125 . an ejection hole 126 is further formed in an outermost portion of the fixing bracket 120 . the air ejector 127 is screwed into the ejection hole 126 . the ejection hole 126 of the air ejector 127 is provided to discharge vapor generated during flowing of the circulating water in the heat - transfer part 200 . when the vapor has a certain pressure , the vapor pushes up a ball blocking the ejection hole 126 to be discharged into the water reservoir 100 through an air outlet 127 a . since vapor generated from the heat - transfer part 200 is compressible unlike water , the vapor has to be removed because of small volume but high pressure . thus , noise and danger of explosion generated during the circulation along the heating mat 10 can be prevented . although not shown , a pressurizing member having a rod shape is further disposed such that the rise and fall rod 124 can be manually pushed from the outside . the pressurizing member may abut on the head of the rise and fall rod 124 . hereinafter , a configuration of the heat - transfer part 200 will be described in more detail with reference to fig4 . fig4 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the heat - transfer part 200 . as shown in fig4 , the flow passage 220 is provided in the heat - transfer part 200 to allow the circulating water to absorb heat when the check valve 130 of the water reservoir 100 is opened and the circulation water flows therethrough . the water passage 220 includes a vertical flow passage 203 , a bypass flow passage 205 , and an inclination flow passage 207 . the vertical flow passage 203 first receives the circulating water through the check valve of the water reservoir 100 . the vertical flow passage 203 includes a male screw that is coupled to the lower end of the fixing bracket 120 of the water reservoir 100 through a screw - coupling . the bypass flow passage 205 detours the circulating water received from the vertical flow passage 203 to one side . the inclination flow passage 207 communicates with the bypass flow passage 205 , and has an inclined flow passage toward the outlet tube 210 . the bypass flow passage 205 prevents air bubbles generated by a sudden vaporization of the circulating water received from the vertical flow passage 203 when the circulating water vertically drops on the bottom heated at a high temperature . also , the inclination flow passage 207 toward the outlet tube 210 increases a heat - transfer area and prevents a sudden vaporization of the circulating water , thereby facilitating the circulation of the circulating water . a heat - collecting plate 250 having a circular shape is attached to the undersurface of the heat - transfer part 200 to increase the thermal conductivity from the heating part 300 to the flow passage 220 . the heat - collecting plate 250 includes a plurality of heat - collecting fins 255 that are radially disposed from the center of the heat - collecting plate 250 to the outside . a support bracket 230 is disposed between the flow passage 220 ( inclination flow passage 207 to be exact ) and the heat - collecting plate 250 to support the flow passage 220 ( inclination flow passage 207 to be exact ) and the heat - collecting plate 250 . the support bracket 230 secures a space part 240 between the heat - collecting plate 250 and the flow passage 220 . thus , heat transfer from the heat - collecting plate 250 to the flow passage 220 is achieved by convection through the space part . heat transfer from the heat - collecting plate 250 to the upper portion of the inclination flow passage 207 is achieved by conductivity through the support bracket 230 . since the support bracket 230 extends from the upper portion of the inclination flow passage 207 , the thermal transfer at the bottom of the inclination flow passage 207 is performed by convection through the space part 240 . accordingly , a sudden vaporization that is generated on the bottom of the inclination flow passage 207 is prevented in advance . a shield plate 260 is disposed between the inclination flow passage 207 and the bypass flow passage 205 of the heat - transfer part 200 to prevent heat transferred from the heat - collecting plate 250 from being transferred to the water reservoir 100 through the flow passage 220 . the shield plate 260 prevents the temperature of the circulating water entering the heating mat 10 from rising above a desired temperature when the circulating water inside the water reservoir 100 is heated by the heat - transfer part 200 . hereinafter , a mechanism of sensing the temperature of the circulating water loaded in the water reservoir 100 and controlling the amount of fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank t according to the temperature of the circulating water will be described in detail with reference to fig5 and 6 . fig5 is a front view illustrating the exterior of the heating part 300 . as shown in fig5 , the heating part 300 includes a gas controller 400 , a controller 500 , and an igniter 600 . the gas controller 400 adjusts an ejection amount of fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank t . the controller 500 receives a physical signal of expansion or contraction generated from the temperature sensor 140 to control the gas controller 400 . the igniter 600 includes a combustor 610 for burning fuel gas received through a second fuel discharging hole 414 a of a second cylinder assembly 430 , and a spark plug 620 for generating an electric spark on the combustor 610 . fig6 is a cross - sectional view taken along line i - i , which illustrates an interaction between the temperature sensor 140 and the heating part 300 . as shown in fig6 , the temperature sensor 140 may include a signal generation part 143 and a signal delivery part 145 . the signal generation part 143 is disposed in the water reservoir 100 , and senses the temperature of the circulating water loaded in the water reservoir 100 to generate a physical signal by expansion or contraction of a liquid filled therein according to the temperature of the circulating water . the signal delivery part 145 is formed using a capillary tube to deliver the physical signal generated by the signal generation part 143 to the controller 500 ( a movement member 510 ) of the heating part 300 . the physical signal generated in the signal generation part 143 refers to an expansive force or a contractile force of a liquid filled in the signal generation part 143 . accordingly , when the temperature of the circulating water in the water reservoir 100 rises above a certain temperature , the liquid filled therein may expand to deliver an expansive force to the movement member 510 . due to the expansion of the movement member 510 , a second piston 431 moves to the left side on the drawing , closing a second fuel discharging tube 414 . on the other hand , based on the principle that the specific volume of a liquid is reduced when the temperature of the circulating water in the water reservoir 100 becomes smaller than a certain temperature , a second fuel discharging tube 414 is opened . this is because the pressure of fuel gas from the first cylinder assembly 420 to the second fuel discharging tube 414 moves the second piston 431 to the left side of the drawing . since the signal delivery part 145 is formed using a capillary tube , a fine change of the specific volume of the liquid is changed into a change of the pressure to be delivered to the movement member 510 . the liquid filled in the temperature sensor 140 is not limited to a specific material . for example , if there is a change of the specific volume according to the temperature thereof , other materials can be applied . hereinafter , the configuration of the heating part 300 will be described in detail with reference to fig6 . the gas controller 400 includes a support block 410 , a first cylinder assembly 420 , and a second cylinder assembly 430 . the support block 410 includes a coupling part 411 coupled to the fuel tank t , and a first fuel discharging tube 413 . the fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank t is ejected through a first fuel discharging hole 413 a of the first fuel discharging tube 413 . the first cylinder assembly 420 includes a first piston 421 opening and closing the first fuel discharging tube 413 by moving in the cylinder due to a rotation of a control knob 440 that is screwed into a control screw part 422 formed in the cylinder . the first cylinder assembly 420 is disposed on the support block 410 to communicate with the first fuel discharging tube 413 . the second cylinder assembly 430 includes a second piston 431 for opening and closing the second fuel discharging tube 414 by slidably moving therein and is formed on the support block 410 to communicate with the first cylinder assembly 420 . the second cylinder assembly 430 has the second discharging hole 414 a for discharging the fuel gas received through the second fuel discharging tube 414 . the first and second assemblies 420 and 430 are disposed on the support block 414 . the cylinder assemblies 420 and 430 includes the first and second fuel discharging tubes 413 and 414 , the first and second fuel discharging holes 413 a and 414 a , and the first and second pistons 421 and 431 , respectively . the first cylinder assembly 420 manually controls the amount of fuel gas ejected from the fuel tank t . the first cylinder assembly 420 controls the opening degree of the first fuel discharging tube 413 using movement of the first piston 421 due to the rotation of the control knob 440 that is screwed into the control screw part 422 formed in the cylinder . on the other hand , the second cylinder assembly 430 controls the amount of fuel gas necessary to heat the heat - transfer part 200 . the second cylinder assembly 430 sends the fuel gas to the combustor 610 of the igniter 600 . since the second cylinder assembly 430 communicates with the first cylinder assembly 420 , the fuel gas from the first cylinder assembly 420 enters the second cylinder assembly 430 through the second fuel discharging tube 414 and the second fuel discharging tube 414 a thereof . the opening degree of the second fuel discharging tube 414 is determined by the movement of the second piston 431 of the second cylinder assembly 430 . the movement of the second piston 431 is performed the expansion and contraction of the movement member 510 that expands or contracts according to the physical signal generated from the temperature sensor 140 . in this case , since the movement member 510 abuts on the end of the second piston 431 , the second piston 431 moves the left side of the drawing to close the second fuel discharging tube 414 due to the expansion of the movement member 510 , or moves the right side of the drawing to open the second fuel discharging tube 414 due to the contraction of the movement member 510 . since the fuel gas discharged from the first cylinder assembly 420 moves the second piston 431 to the right side of the drawing at a certain pressure through the second fuel discharging tube 414 , the end of the second piston 431 and the movement member 510 may move to the right side of the drawing while maintaining an abutting state therebetween . hereinafter , a configuration of the controller 500 will be described in more detail with reference to fig6 . as shown in fig6 , the controller 500 includes the movement member 510 and a location controller 550 for manually controlling the location of the movement member 510 . the location controller 550 manually controls the opening degree of the second fuel discharging tube 414 of the second cylinder assembly 430 . the location controller 550 includes an elastic frame 520 , a fixing frame 530 , a location control lever 540 , and a control nut 521 . the elastic frame 520 supports the movement member 510 while being fixed on one side of the support block 410 . the fixing frame 530 is coupled to the other side of the support block 410 . the location control lever 540 penetrates through the fixing frame 530 and include a control bolt 541 screwed to the elastic frame 520 at one side thereof , and includes a grip 542 for rotating the control bolt 541 at the other side thereof . the control nut 521 is coupled to the control bolt 541 between the fixing frame 530 and the elastic frame 520 , and is fixed on the elastic frame 520 . as shown in fig6 , since the elastic frame 520 is fixed on only one side of the support block 410 and be coupled to the movement member 510 , the movement member 510 moves together with the elastic frame 520 when the elastic frame 520 moves in a lateral direction . the fixing frame 530 is fixed on the other side of the support block 410 in an l - shape . the control bolt 541 of the location control lever 540 is screwed into the elastic frame 520 through the fixing frame 530 at a location where the fixing frame 530 and the elastic frame 520 face each other at the shortest distance . when the grip 542 of the location control lever 540 rotates in the fastening direction of the screw , the location control lever 540 cannot move upward due to the fixing frame 530 . accordingly , the control nut 521 and the elastic frame 520 fastened to thereto moves to the left side of the drawing . in this case , the control nut 521 is selectively used to reinforce the use strength . although the control nut 521 is not provided , it is possible to obtain the same operational effect . when the initial location of the movement member 510 is set by operating the location controller 550 , the opening degree of the second fuel discharging tube 414 of the second cylinder assembly 430 is determined . thereafter , the movement member 510 is moved by a physical signal of the temperature sensor 140 , and thus the opening degree of the second fuel discharging tube 414 is controlled by the second piston 431 . when the temperature of the circulating water loaded in the water reservoir 100 reaches a predetermined temperature , the movement member 510 is expanded by an expansion signal of the temperature sensor 140 to push the second piston 431 , allowing a very small amount of fuel gas to flow into the igniter 600 through the second fuel discharging hole 414 a even when the second fuel discharging tube 414 is completely closed , thereby enabling the maintenance of the temperature of the circulating water . hereinafter , a detailed description thereof will be made with reference to fig7 and 8 . as shown in fig7 , a recessed groove 431 a is formed in the front end of the second piston 431 of the second cylinder assembly 430 such that a very small amount of fuel can flow into the second cylinder assembly 430 even when the fuel discharging tube 414 of the second cylinder assembly 430 is closed . thus , even when the fuel discharging tube 414 of the second cylinder assembly 430 is completely closed , a very small amount of fuel gas flows into the second cylinder assembly 430 through the recessed groove 431 a , thereby enabling fuel gas necessary for maintenance of the temperature of the circulating water to be sent to the igniter 600 . alternatively , as shown in fig8 , a recessed groove 414 b may also be formed in the inner circumferential surface of the fuel discharging tube 414 of the second cylinder assembly 430 such that a very small amount of fuel can flow into the second cylinder assembly 430 even when the fuel discharging tube 414 of the second cylinder assembly 430 is closed . the exemplary embodiments of the portable boiler 1000 for the heating mat 10 have been described to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention , and should not be construed as limiting the technical scope of the present invention . also , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be modified and changed without deviating from the technical spirit of the present invention . for example , the type of the liquid filled in the temperature sensor 140 , the shape or material of the movement member 510 , the combination structure of the respective components , and the shape and material of the flow passage included in the heat - transfer part 200 set forth herein should not become criteria that determine the technical scope of the present invention , rather the scope of the present invention should be determined only by claims described later .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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please refer to fig1 , which is a diagram of a typical video signal v . the video signal v can provide different frames f ( a 1 ), f ( a 1 + 1 ), f ( a 1 + 2 ), etc . to assemble frames to show a dynamic image . as mentioned above , the video signal may have an advertising section in it . as shown in fig1 , frame f ( a 1 ) to frame f ( a 2 ), frame f ( a 3 + 1 ) to frame f ( a 4 ), etc . are respectively used to show dynamic images of normal programs p 1 and p 2 , and frame f ( a 2 + 1 ) to frame f ( a 3 ) are frames of the advertising section ad for showing the dynamic image of the advertising section . please refer to fig2 , which is a block diagram of an interface system 10 of an embodiment according to the present invention . the interlace system 10 can be implemented in a video recording device or a video playing device , such as a video recorder / player utilizing video tapes , hard disks , or optical disks for users to detect the position of advertising sections . in addition , the interface system 10 can also be implemented in a multimedia computer . as shown in fig2 , the interface system 10 can comprise a buffering module 12 , a processing module , a displaying interface 16 , and an operating interface 18 . when users have to detect the position of the advertising section in the video signal v , the buffering module 12 can temporarily store and provide each frame of the video signal v . the processing module 14 can utilize different sampling times to sample frames from the video signal v , which is provided by the buffering module 12 , as reference frames . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the processing module 14 can additionally achieve a function of a lessening module to lessen the sampled reference frames to be lessened figures ( i . e . thumbnails of the reference frames ) therefore , the displaying interface 16 can show the thumbnails of the reference frames to the users . the operating interface 18 can receive user &# 39 ; s command to transform the command into an electrical signal and transfer the electrical signal to the processing module 14 in order to control the processing module 14 to change the sampling time . for example , if the interface system 10 is implemented in a video recording device , because the video recording device is utilized with a displaying device ( for example , a tv ) to show recorded video signals , the present invention can utilize the displaying device as the displaying interface 16 and utilize the operating interface of the video recording device as the operating interface 18 . it is well - known that a normal video recording device has a remote control as the operating interface of the video recording device , therefore , the present invention interface system 10 can utilize the remote control as the operating interface 18 . if the interface system 10 is implemented in a multimedia computer , the displaying interface 16 can be implemented as the display of the multimedia computer and the operating interface 18 can be implemented as the current operating interface ( such as keyboard or mouse ) of the multimedia computer . please refer to fig3 and fig4 ( in conjunction with fig2 ). fig3 and fig4 are diagrams of operations of the interface system 10 shown in fig2 . first of all , when the interface system 10 starts to help users to detect the position of the advertising section from the video signal v , the processing module 14 of the interface system 10 can utilize n 1 frames as a sampling time to sample frames of the video signal v . that is , the processing module 14 can sample frames of the video signal v every n 1 frames as reference frames . as shown in fig3 , frames f ( c 0 ), f ( c 0 + n 1 ), f ( c 0 + 2 * n 1 ), f ( c 0 + 3 * n 1 ), . . . , f ( c 0 + k * n 1 ), to f ( c 0 + k * n 1 ), which are between n 1 frames , are respectively sampled to be the reference frames r ( 0 ), r ( 1 ), r ( 2 ), r ( 3 ), . . . , r ( k ) to r ( k ), wherein c 0 , k , and ni are all fixed integers . and the interface system 10 can therefore show each reference frame to the users through the displaying interface 16 . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the content of each reference frame can be displayed on the displaying interface 16 as the above - mentioned lessened figures . as shown on the interface display 20 a , this represents the display shown by the displaying interface 16 in this embodiment . as shown on the interface display 20 a , the present invention can display the thumbnails of each reference frame r ( 0 ) to r ( k ) in a matrix so that the users can easily browse the figures and easily compare the contents of each reference frame . following the embodiment shown in fig3 , please refer to fig4 . after browsing and comparing the reference frames shown on interface display 20 a , the users can find out which reference frame belongs to the frame of the advertising section . in the embodiment of fig4 , assuming the users find out that a reference frame r ( k 0 − 1 ) belongs to a normal program ( wherein k 0 is a certain value ) and a next frame r ( k 0 ) is a frame of the advertising section , this means that the advertising section of the video signal v starts between the frame f ( c 0 +( k 0 − 1 )* n 1 ) and the frame f ( c 0 + k 0 * n 1 ). because the reference frames r ( k 0 − 1 ) and r ( k 0 ) respectively correspond to the frames f ( c 0 +( k 0 − 1 )* n 1 ) and f ( c 0 + k 0 * n 1 ) of the video signal v , the users can control the processing module 14 through the operating interface 18 ( shown in fig2 ) so that the processing module 14 can further sample frames according to the reference frame r ( k 0 ). in the second sampling operation , the processing module 14 determines frames from the frame f ( c 0 +( k 0 − 1 )* n 1 ) to the frame f ( c 0 + k 0 * n 1 ) as target frames , and the processing module 14 samples the target frames every n 2 frames to obtain layer - 2 reference frames , wherein n 2 is smaller than n 1 shown in fig3 . in other words , in the second sampling operation , the present invention utilizes a smaller sampling interval to sample the target frames to help the users detect the position of the advertising section more accurately . as shown in fig4 , frames f ( c 1 ), f ( c 1 + n 2 ), f ( c 1 + 2 * n 2 ), . . . , f ( c 1 + p * n 2 ) to f ( c 1 + p * n 2 ), which are between the frame f ( c 0 +( k 0 − 1 )* n 1 ) and the frame f ( c 0 + k 0 * n 1 ), are respectively sampled to be the layer - 2 reference frames s ( 0 ), s ( 1 ), s ( 2 ), . . . , s ( p ), to s ( p ), wherein c 1 , p , and n 2 are fixed integers . and the interface system 10 of the present invention can further display the layer - 2 reference frames s ( 0 ) to s ( p ) through the displaying interface 16 ( shown in fig2 ) to the users . the interface display 20 b shown in fig4 illustrates a displaying result of lessened figures of the layer - 2 reference frames on the displaying interface 16 . similarly , the users browse and compare each layer - 2 reference frame s ( 0 ) to s ( p ) to determine the position of the advertising section more accurately . for example , if the users find out that the layer - 2 reference frames s ( 0 ) and s ( 1 ) belong to the normal program but the reference frame s ( 2 ) belongs to the advertising section , this represents that the advertising section starts between the frame f ( c 1 + n 2 ) and the frame f ( c 1 + 2 * n 2 ) because the layer - 2 reference frames s ( 1 ) and s ( 2 ) respectively correspond to the frames f ( c 1 + n 2 ) and f ( c 1 + 2 * n 2 ). because n 2 is smaller than n 1 , the users can further determine that the advertising section starts between the frame f ( c 1 + n 2 ) and the frame f ( c 1 + 2 * n 2 ), this represents that the present invention can utilize the second - layer interface display 20 b to detect the position of the advertising section more accurately . surely , according to similar operations and theorems , the users can determine the position of the advertising section more accurately , also . from the illustration of fig3 and fig4 , it can be known that the present invention utilizes a bigger sampling time ( interval ) n 1 to detect the position ( the starting frame and the finish frame ) of the advertising section substantially . when the users substantially find out the position of the advertising section , the present invention can utilize a smaller sampling time ( interval ) n 2 to further detect the position of the advertising section more accurately . surely , following the above - mentioned operations , the present can further utilize another smaller sampling time n 3 to sample frames of the video signal . therefore , if the users find out that the starting position of the advertising section is started between the reference frame s ( 1 ) and the reference frame s ( 2 ), the present invention can utilize the smaller sampling time n 3 ( n 3 & lt ; n 2 & lt ; n 1 ) to sample frames of the video signal to obtain layer - 3 reference frames between the frame f ( c 1 + n 2 ) and the frame f ( c 1 + 2 * n 2 ) so that the users can determine the starting position of the advertising section as a certain frame between the frame f ( c 3 ) and the frame f ( c 3 + n 3 ). therefore , the present invention can help the users to initially determine the advertising section in a big range ( multiple frames ) of the video signal , and to further accurately determine the advertising section in a smaller range ( that is , the sampling rate is higher ) of the video signal . in the present invention , the sampling time can be determined according to a practical situation of a normal video signal . for example , if the advertising section is not shorter than 1 minute , and the video signal has 30 frames per second , the sampling time n 1 can be determined as 60 * 30 . that is , frames of the video signal per 1 minute are sampled as layer - 1 reference frames . because the advertising section is longer than 1 minute , if the sampling time n 1 is set as 1 minute , at least one frame of the advertising section is detected as a layer - 1 reference frame . and then , the layer - 2 sampling time n 2 in fig4 can be set as 1 * 30 . that is , between two layer - 1 reference frames , 1 - second time interval is utilized to sample the reference frame of the layer - 2 reference frames . in other words , according to the layer - 1 reference frames , the present invention can first help the users to locate the starting position of the advertising section using the precision of minutes . furthermore , the present invention can further help the users to determine the starting position of the advertising position with the precision of seconds more accurately in the layer - 2 . in addition , please refer to fig3 and fig4 again , the interface display 20 a and 20 b can be utilized to determine the size of lessened figures ( thumbnails ) and the number of reference frames that the users can browse . for example , if an interface display can contain 60 lessened figures of reference frames and the reference frames are sampled per minute in layer - 1 , the users can get a 60 - minute video signal in a single interface display and the users can determine the starting or finishing position of the advertising section of the 60 - minute video signal using the precision of minutes . for the above - mentioned operation , please refer to fig5 ( in conjunction with fig2 ). the interface display 22 a shown in fig5 is a diagram of the displaying interface 16 ( fig2 ) in the above - mentioned operation . as shown in fig5 , the interface display 22 a utilizes each lessened fig2 to respectively show each layer - 1 reference frame . and each lessened fig2 has the sign for showing when the reference frame is sampled . for example , the “ 0 : 01 ” represents that the corresponding reference frame is sampled in the first minute of the video signal , the “ 0 : 02 ” represents that the corresponding reference frame is sampled in the 2 nd minute of the video signal , . . . and “ 0 : 59 ” represents that the corresponding reference frame is sampled in the 59 th minute of the video signal . when the users browse the interface display 22 a and determine the starting position or finishing position of the advertising section , the users can utilize the operating interface 18 to mark the above - mentioned position and to control the interface system 10 to perform another - layer reference frames sampling . in present multi - function dvd players , there has been an operating interface ( such as a directional pad ) having a cursor to control the dvd player . therefore , if the present invention interface system 10 is installed in this normal video recorder , such as the above - mentioned dvd player , the users can utilize the aforementioned operating interface to achieve the function of the present invention operating interface 18 . for example , in a remote control of the multi - function dvd player , there are control buttons to control the cursor to move up , down , left , and right , and there is a “ enter ” button to send a command . therefore , the interface display 22 a can cooperate with a cursor 26 to mark the reference frame chosen by the users . for example , when the interface display 22 a shows the reference frames , the cursor 26 can be first positioned on the reference frame marked 0 : 00 . and then , if the users find out that the reference frame marked 0 : 04 belongs to the normal program , but the reference frame marked 0 : 05 belongs to the advertising section , the users can utilize the control buttons to move the cursor 26 on the reference frame marked 0 : 05 and push the “ enter ” button . therefore , the processing module 14 can determine the frame marked 0 : 04 and the frame marked 0 : 05 as target frames to perform layer - 2 reference frames sampling . absolutely , if the present invention system is utilized in a multimedia computer , because the computer has a lot of operating interfaces , such as a keyboard , a mouse , a touch pad , or a track ball , all these aforementioned devices can be utilized to achieve the function of the operating interface 18 . in addition to the layer - 1 reference frame ( regarded as the first reference frame ), the interface display 22 a can present other commands or states . for example , if the video signal is longer than 1 hour and the sampling time is 1 minute , one interface display can only present 1 - hour reference frames . here , the interface display 22 a can show a command list 28 a ( for example , a word “ more ” or the words “ next page ”). when the users control the cursor 26 on the command list 28 and push the “ enter ” button , the interface system 10 can sample the other part of the video signal to obtain other reference frames . furthermore , the interface display 22 a can show other information , such as total play time of the video signal or the currently proceeding state of the advertising section detection . following the embodiment in fig5 , please refer to fig6 . after the users select the reference frame marked 0 : 05 and control the interface system 10 to perform the layer - 2 reference frames sampling , the display interface 16 utilizes the interface display 22 b to display the layer - 2 reference frames . in the embodiment in fig5 , assuming that a display can contain 60 lessened figures of reference frames , the interface system 10 can sample the video signal between the 4 th minute and the 5 th minute per second in the operation of layer - 2 reference frames sampling for generating the layer - 2 reference frames ( or the second reference frames ). furthermore , the layer - 2 reference frames are presented through the lessened fig3 . similarly , each lessened figure of each reference frame can have a mark to show the sampling timing . for example , the mark 0 : 04 : 01 ; represents that the corresponding reference frame is a frame of the 4 th minute and the 1 st second of the video signal , and the mark 0 : 04 : 51 represents that the corresponding reference frame is a frame of the 4 th minute and the 51 st frame , . . . , etc . and then the users compare each layer - 2 reference frame to accurately determine the advertising section in the unit of seconds . similarly , the interface display 24 b can display a cursor 36 to show the layer - 2 reference frame selected by the users . for example , if the users find out that the reference frame marked 0 : 04 : 50 belongs to the normal program , and the reference frame marked 0 : 04 : 51 belongs to the advertising section , this represents that the advertising section starts between the 4 th minute and the 50 th second and the 4 th minute and the 51 st second of the video signal . therefore , the users can utilize the cursor 36 to select the reference frame marked 0 : 04 : 51 and the interface system 10 ( shown in fig2 ) can perform the corresponding operation . similar to the interface display 24 a shown in fig5 , the interface display 24 b can also display multiple instruction lists 38 a - 38 d and a state list 38 e . for example , if the users move the cursor 36 on the reference frame marked 0 : 04 : 51 , the users can push the “ enter ” button to select the reference frame , and if the users think that it is accurate enough to determine the advertising section in a unit of seconds , the users can move the cursor 36 on the instruction list 38 c ( which can show the words “ mark ad ”) and push the “ enter ” button to trigger the certain instruction so that the interface system 10 can cooperate with a temporarily storing module ( not shown in fig2 ) to mark and store the reference frame marked 0 : 04 : 51 as a starting position of an advertising section . therefore , the users can utilize the record stored in the temporarily storing module to ignore , skip or delete the advertising section . oppositely , after the users select the layer - 2 reference frame marked 0 : 04 : 51 , the users want to determine the advertising section more accurately . the users can trigger the instruction list 38 b ( which can show the words “ down one layer ”), and the interface system 10 utilizes the frames between the 4 th minute and 50 th second and the 4 th minute and the 51 st second as layer - 3 target frames . that is , the interface system 10 utilizes a sampling time , which is shorter than 1 second , to perform the layer - 3 reference frames sampling for helping users to more accurately determine the advertising section . surely , the users can also trigger the instruction list 38 a ( which can show the words “ up one layer ”), and the interface system 10 showing the interface display 24 a shown in fig5 again so that the users can browse the layer - 1 reference frames again . furthermore , the users can trigger the instruction list 38 d ( which can show “ setup ”) to perform the corresponding settings of the interface system 10 . for example , number of reference frames shown in an interface display can be set , or a size of the lessened figures of the reference frames can be set . regardless of the interface display in fig5 or fig6 , the interface display can also have the instruction list 38 d . the instruction list 38 c of the interface display 24 b can further show the state of detecting the advertising section , for example , the interface display 24 b can show “ second layer ” to inform the users that the advertising section detection is performed in layer - 2 . in addition to showing different - layer reference frames to help the users to determine the advertising section , the present invention interface system 10 ( shown in fig2 ) can cooperate with other automatic detecting advertising section mechanisms . for example , because the contents of the advertising section and the normal program are quite different , the transition between the advertising section and the normal program has a discontinuity of contents . taking the embodiment of fig1 for example , the advertising section causes a discontinuity between the frame f ( a 2 ) and the frame f ( a 2 + 1 ). similarly , a discontinuity occurs between the frame f ( a 3 ) and the frame f ( a 3 + 1 ). therefore , the advertising section detection may be completed through detecting the discontinuity of the video signal . however , the discontinuity may occur in the transition of the normal program . therefore , the discontinuity is only a “ possible ” inserting position of the advertising section , and whether the discontinuity is a real inserting position of the advertising section or not has to be determined by other operations . for example , the users can compare the frame of the inserting position with other frames . at this time , the interface system 10 can cooperate with it to utilize the display interface 16 to show the frames of the possible inserting position of the advertising section to the users so that the users can utilize these frames to determine the real inserting position of the advertising section . please refer to fig7 ( in conjunction with fig2 ), wherein fig7 is a diagram of cooperating the interface system 10 shown in fig2 with other automatic advertising detection mechanisms . assuming that an automatic advertising section detection mechanism ( this can be the above - mentioned discontinuity detection mechanism or other detection mechanisms ) has detected a plurality of possible inserting positions pa ( 1 )- pa ( 4 ) of the advertising section in the video signal v , the present invention interface system 10 ( shown in fig2 ) can sample the frames near the possible inserting position of the advertising section as the reference frames and utilize the display interface 16 to lessen the reference frames in order to show the lessened figures to the users . the interface display 42 shown in fig7 is utilized to show the lessened figures of the reference frames to the users in this above - mentioned embodiment of the display interface 16 . here , the possible inserting position pa ( a ) of the advertising section corresponds to two successive frames f ( a 1 ) and f ( a 1 + 1 ), therefore , these two frames are used as the reference frames and lessened to be shown to the users . similarly , the possible inserting positions pa ( 2 ), pa ( 3 ), and pa ( 4 ) of the advertising section respectively correspond to the successive frames f ( a 2 ) and f ( a 2 + 1 ), frames f ( a 3 ) and f ( a 3 + 1 ), and frames f ( a 4 ) and f ( a 4 + 1 ), and these frames can be also lessened to be shown to the users . after browsing two successive frames , the users can determine whether the corresponding possible inserting position is the real inserting position of the advertising section . for example , if frames f ( a 1 ) and f ( a 1 + 1 ) belong to the normal program , this means that the inserting position pa ( 1 ) may not be the real inserting position of the advertising section . oppositely , if the frame f ( a 2 ) belongs to the normal program but the frame f ( a 2 + 1 ) belongs to the advertising section , this represents that the possible inserting position pa ( 2 ) is indeed the inserting position of the advertising section . therefore , the users can utilize the operating interface 18 to select the possible inserting position pa ( 2 ) and trigger the instruction list 48 a of the interface display 42 to ensure that this possible inserting position pa ( 2 ) is the real inserting position of the advertising section . surely , the interface display 42 can further display other instruction lists of other functions for users to perform other operations . for example , after the users trigger the instruction list 48 b , the users can sample more frames near the possible inserting position as the reference frames , such as the f ( a 1 − 1 ), f ( a 1 ), f ( a 1 + 1 ), and f ( a 1 + 2 ) so that the users can determine whether the possible inserting position pa ( 1 ) is the real inserting position of the advertising section more easily . furthermore , the interface display 42 can utilize the state list to show other related information , for example , the state list 48 c is utilized to show the timing of the video signal v corresponding to the possible inserting position pa ( 1 ). to sum up , the present invention can display different - layer reference frames through the interface display of the display interface to help the users to quickly and accurately determine the position of the advertising section . in initial - layer reference frames , the present invention can help the users to quickly browse a large range of video signals and to determine the position of the advertising section initially . and in following - layer reference frames , the present invention can further help the users to accurately determine the position of the advertising section . surely , the aforementioned operation according to the present invention can also help the users to quickly and accurately determine a section of specific content in a big range of the video signal . furthermore , the present invention can cooperate with the automatic advertising section detection mechanisms . in contrast to the prior art , the present invention can help the users to determine the position of the advertising section more easily such that the users can easily ignore or delete the advertising section and the users can utilize the useful information of the video signal more efficiently . those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention . accordingly , the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims .
| 7Electricity
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first , as an example of a time multiplexed network , the dtm mac ( medium access control ) protocol will be described with reference to fig1 and 2 . the basic topology of a dtm - like network is a bus with two unidirectional optical fibers connecting all nodes node 0 , node 1 , . . . , node n − 1 , as shown in fig1 . several buses with different speeds may be connected to form an arbitrary multistage network . in the current prototype implementation , buses can be combined into a two - dimensional mesh . a node at the junction of two buses can synchronously switch data slots between the two buses . this allows for efficient switching with constant delay through the node . the primary communication abstraction in dtm is a multirate , multicast channel . a dtm medium access protocol is a time - division multiplexing scheme . the bandwidth of the bus is divided into 125 μs cycles , which in turn are divided into 64 - bit time slots ( or slots for short ) as illustrated in fig2 . the number of slots in a cycle thus depends on the network &# 39 ; s bit - rate ; for instance , on a 6 . 4 gbit / s network there are approximately 12500 slots per cycle . as shown in fig2 the slots are further divided into two groups , control slots and data slots . control slots are used to carry messages for the network &# 39 ; s internal operation , such as messages for channel establishment and bandwidth reallocation . the data slots are used to transfer user data and are not necessarily read by intermediate network nodes , i . e . nodes arranged between the source node and the destination node or nodes . generally , but not necessarily , in each network node there is a node controller nc , which controls the access to data slots and performs network management operations , such as network start - up and error recovery . the main tasks of the node controller nc are to create and terminate channels on demand from users and to manage network resources in response to user requests and in the background . control slots are used exclusively for messages between node controllers nc . each node controller nc preferably has write permission to at least one control slot in each cycle , which it uses to broadcast control messages downstream to other nodes . since write access to control slots is exclusive , the node controller nc has always access to its control slots regardless of other nodes and network load . the number of control slots a node uses may vary during network operation . the network is not restricted to a dual - bus , as exemplified in fig2 but can be realised by other kind of structures , e . g ., a ring structure with an arbitrary number of nodes . the transmission media can besides to optical fibers be coaxial cables or any other high bandwidth transmission media . the bandwidth of the dtm dual bus in the preferred embodiment is divided into 125 μs cycles , which in turn are divided into 64 - bit time slots . the invention is of course not restricted to time multiplexed networks with these values , but can be used in networks with cycles and slots of arbitrary sizes . principles for resource management ( called slot access of token management ) will be described below . the majority of the slots in a cycle are data slots . access to data slots changes over time , according to traffic demands . write access to slots is controlled by so called slot access . a node controller nc may write data into a slot only if the node has write access thereto . the token or write access protocol guarantees the slot access to be conflict free , which means that several nodes do not write data into the same slot . the write access to slots are controlled by the node controllers and it may be transferred from a node controller to another via control messages . in the following the write access protocol may also be refereed to as the token protocol . control messages for channel establishment and bandwidth reallocation contains set of slots or tokens as parameters . however , a control message is 64 bits and can therefore have only a small number of parameters . this means that if a user requests a large bandwidth transfer , it may be necessary to send several control messages to create the channel . this introduces extra access delay and consumes control signalling capacity . several mechanisms to decrease the amount of information that needs to be sent during channel creation and slot reallocation are considered . the first optimisation in token management is to introduce so called block tokens or slot range access . access to a slot range may be transferred in a single control message and represents access to a group of slots , i . e . a group of slot tokens , but can only be used for particular combinations of slot access . for instance , block token may be denoted by a slot number and an offset giving the number of contiguous slots in the group or block . in a basic form , the slot access protocol guarantees that a data slot can never be used by two nodes simultaneously on the bus , which sometimes may be too conservative . nodes are connected by bus segments . channels typically use a subset of the segments on the bus , and the rest are reserved but left unused and thus wasting shared resources . a better alternative is to let channels only reserve capacity on the segments between the sender node and the receiver node or nodes , as exemplified in fig3 . a single slot may in this case be used multiple times on the bus . for example , channel d and e are using the same slots as channel a and c but on different segments . this is referred to as slot reuse . slot reuse enables simultaneous transmissions in the same slot over disjointed segments of the bus . to allow slot reuse in a dtm - like network , the slot access format is extended to include parameters describing the segment ( s ) it is representing . the slot access management protocol is also modified to avoid conflicts in the slot number dimension as well as in the segment dimension . a distributed slot access manager will be described in the following . each node regularly broadcasts status information about how many free slots or slot ranges it has and how large they are . the other nodes store this information in their status tables . a node that wants more capacity consults its status table to decide from which node to request slots . the broadcast state information gives an approximate and dated view of the current state of slot information , so slot requests may be rejected because they were sent to nodes that no longer have free slots to give away . the protocol on the initiating side may for example work as follows when a user request arrives to a node : 1 . if the node has sufficiently many free slots to satisfy the request , it allocates the requested amount of slots to the user , and starts the channel by sending a channel establishment message to the destination node and then transmitting data using the reserved slots . 2 . otherwise the node marks its available slots as being reserved , and then preferably , but not necessarily , checks its status table : if the total amount of free slots in the network is not enough to fulfil the request , then the request is rejected ( blocked ). otherwise the node requests slots from nodes with unused capacity . 3 . if one of these nodes receiving a slot request does not have the requested amount of free slots , it may still gives away all the slots it has . in any case , it sends a response back to the requesting node . a node preferably , but not necessarily , fulfils incoming requests in strict first - in - first - out order . 4 . when a node receives a response to a slot request , it marks the slots it receives in the response ( if any ) as being reserved . when the node has received responses to all requests it has sent , it either starts the channels or rejects the user request , depending on whether or not it has acquired sufficient capacity . if the user request is rejected , the reserved slots are marked as free again . at start - up all free slots may be evenly distributed among the network nodes , and each node may preferably then take at least one of its free tokens , move it ( them ) to the active state and declares it ( them ) to be a control slot . user requests may then be accepted and slot access can be moved between nodes on demand . the pool of free slots may be distributed in other ways than evenly , e . g ., proportionally ( nodes upstream get more slots than nodes downstream ) among all nodes . in the general case , the average number of contiguous free slots in a node is small due to the random movement of slots and the varying capacity of users &# 39 ; requests . this fragmentation renders the block token optimisation practically useless , and the access delay is relatively long ( milliseconds ) for high capacity channels . to make block allocation efficient , it is necessary to reduce fragmentation of free slots or slot ranges , otherwise fragmentation will be by far the main contributor to access delay for high bandwidth channels at moderate to high load . low capacity channels will usually have a very short channel establishment delay independent of the current amount of fragmentation . in the case of slot reuse , the fragmentation problem is even worse , as fragmentation may occur in both slot ( time ) and segment ( space ) dimensions ( see fig3 ). in the distributed slot access manager system , most of the fragmentation is a result of using many free pools ( one for each node ). two free adjacent tokens , i . e . slots or slot ranges , can only merge if they are found in the same node . an example of a distributed scheme that tries to avoid fragmentation if possible and increases the average block size of free slots belonging to a node works as follows : 1 . a home node is defined for each slot or slot range at network start - up , and the slots are distributed in such a way so slots having the same primary home node will always define at least partly a continuous slot range . this results in a large average slot access area or token area in the token map shown in fig3 . 2 . when two consecutive slots or slot ranges having the same slot or segment range exist in the free pool , they are merged into a single token , i . e . a single slot range access ( sometimes a recursive split and merge operation is needed ). when performing a merge , a segment merge is prioritised before a slot number merge . ( the reason for this is that slot access spanning over just a few segments are less useful to other nodes than slot access spanning over many segments .) two segment - consecutive slots representing at least partly the same slot range and existing in the free pool of a node are split to obtain segment - consecutive slot access , representing the same slot range , which are merged into a single token . 3 . when a node gets a slot access request from the local user or a remote user , slots is picked from the free slot pool , preferably , but not necessarily , using a best - fit algorithm in slot number and segment number dimension ( see fig3 ). the “ value of a token ” is calculated as the area of a token in the token map and the token with the smallest area that fulfil the requested capacity is picked . a cost function can also be defined as a function of , e . g ., number of slots , number of segments , location of slots and location of segments , which function should be minimised , however , still fulfilling the requested capacity . 4 . when a node needs to request slots from other nodes , it does not ask for small chunks from several nodes if it is possible to ask for larger chunks from fewer nodes . the status tables provide this information . transfer of slot access is therefore more efficient , and there are fewer establishment messages and less fragmentation . 5 . free slots are sent back to primary home nodes when they have been idle for a significant time or after a long transfer or after having been used a certain number of times or the like . this scheme returns slots to their respective primary home nodes as a way to increase the probability that two consecutive slot or slot ranges can be merged in the free list , which decreases fragmentation . if the slots are returned to their respective primary home nodes too soon , i . e ., if the home node “ gravity ” is too strong , the scheme will result in less sharing of resources and unnecessary control signalling . if it is too weak , fragmentation will still remain a problem . the “ gravity ” may be changed during the operation of the bus . however , nodes in , e . g ., an integrated services network will have different load depending on the equipment attached to it . also , the load will vary in time . in case of non - uniform traffic , a node that requires high capacity may have to regularly return slots to their respective home nodes , which results in overhead for slot access negotiation and longer set - up times for the channels . to avoid this , a new mechanism which defines new home nodes for slots during network operation , is introduced : according to an exemplifying embodiment of the invention , a first node sends a request to a second node to get more slots assigned to it as primary home node and the second node transfers slots to the first node as new primary home node so that the slot capacity assigned to the first node as primary home node is increased and the slot capacity assigned to the second node as primary home node is decreased . preferably this is done in such a way that the slots that will have the same primary home node will define at least partly a continuous slot range . the invention avoids the problems with overhead for slot access negotiation by efficiently reallocate slots to new home nodes . using the invention , low fragmentation is maintained . it is desirable to be able to define new primary home nodes for slots even though they are in use , i . e . even though they are currently allocated to some other node as temporary home node . preferably , slots sharing the same primary home node define a continuous slot range . then , all nodes assigned as primary home nodes to slots located , in a cycle , in - between slots having the first node as home node and slots having the second node as home node may for example transfer slot access in the following way : 2 . access to a number of slots , amounting to the number requested by the first node , having the present node as home node and neighbouring a slot range having a next node as home node are reallocated from the present node to the next node , said slot range of the next node either being the slot range of the first node or being a slot range of a node located in between the slot ranges of the first and the second nodes and the distance between the slot range of the next node and the slot range of the first node preferably being smaller than the distance between the slot range of the present node and the slot range of the first node . 3 . in case of the next node not being the first node , the next node is assigned as the present node and the step 2 of reallocating is repeated . to explain this procedure in detail , an example is given with reference to fig4 . suppose there are six nodes connected to a bus as shown in fig4 . to each node is assigned a set of consecutive slots in such a way that the first slot range within the cycle is assigned to node 1 as home node , the second slot range within the cycle is assigned to node 2 as home and so on , as indicated in step 1 of fig4 . suppose now that node 4 has determined or evaluated that it often requests or borrows many slots and thus permanently needs more . it then requests , e . g ., node 2 to transfer a number of slots in a slot range . the node to be requested can be chosen in several ways , as will be discussed below . node 2 now chooses a portion of its slots , which corresponds to a set of consecutive slots closest to the slot range assigned to node 3 as home node , and transfers it to node 3 . consequently , node 3 increases the size of the slot range assigned to it as home node , as shown in step 2 of fig4 . node 3 repeats this procedure and thus transfers a portion of its slot range , which is of the same size as the one received but corresponds to consecutive slots closest to the slot range assigned to node 4 as home node , to node 4 . now , the size of the slot range assigned to node 4 as home is increased , as indicated in step 3 of fig4 . this method avoids fragmentation of the slot pools , since consecutive slots will be assigned to each node as home . slot range access , or block tokens , which shall change home node , are in this manner “ pushed ” through the nodes between the two negotiating nodes ( steps 1 - 3 ), thereof the name of the procedure . with this configuration ( node 1 is assigned as home to the first slot range , node 2 is assigned as home to the second slot range etc .) it is possible to implement a simple procedure for sending free slots , which may have been in use during the reallocation , to their respective new home nodes . after the allocation , each home node has information about the slots assigned to it as home node . according to the simple procedure for sending free slots to their respective new home nodes , the node that uses the slot or slot range sends it back from where it got it when it does not need it any more . this because the node may not know the new home node after the reallocation . the node that receives the slot checks if the slot still is assigned to it as home node . if not , the node checks whether the slot or slot range corresponds to slot number ( s ) lower or higher than the slots corresponding to the slot range now assigned to it as home . if it corresponds to lower slot number ( s ), the slot or slot range access is sent to the node &# 39 ; s closest neighbour with node number lower than its own , and if it corresponds to higher slot number ( s ), the slot or slot range access is sent to the node &# 39 ; s closest neighbour with node number higher than its own . the next node that receives the slot or slot range access repeats the procedure until the slots are returned to its new home node . in this way , also returning slots are pushed through the nodes from the old home node to the new home node . using this simple procedure , the change of home node does not affect the use of the slots at that time . since control messages are multicast in for example dtm , the intermediate nodes can observe when nodes borrow slots . in this way the push procedure may be implemented in such a way that the intermediate nodes automatically perform the reallocations of new home nodes . which point in time a node should request more slots assigned to it as home may be decided every time the node requests or borrows slots from other nodes . to avoid oscillation , resilience has to be included , e . g ., by requesting a home node change only every n &# 39 ; th time a node requests or borrows slots from other nodes or for example by only reallocating a certain part of the slots borrwed . another technique that may be used is to correlate the node &# 39 ; s borrowed slots to its owned . if , e . g ., the quotient of borrowed slots , i . e . slots having the node as temporary home node , and owned slots , i . e . slots having the node as primary home node , exceeds a predetermined value , a home node reallocation is initiated . from which node a home node movement shall be requested may be determined for example by using one or more of the following methods . in the first method , the node requests the node which at the time has most free slots ( capacity ). this is easily found by referring to its status table , where information about the free capacity in each node is stored . in the second method , the node maintains a record of nodes from which it has borrowed slots , e . g ., most recently or during a predetermined period . it then requests a change of home node from the node it has , according to the record , borrowed most slot capacity from . how many slots or how large slot range a node should request to be assigned to it as home may be chosen as a fraction of the slot capacity the node requests or borrows from other nodes . it may be implemented as the value at the time for reallocation or as a mean value by referring to the record of loans . alternatively , the quotient of borrowed slots and owned slots may be used . it may also be set as a fixed amount of slots or may be controlled by management operations . in some situations , the procedures may be utilised more efficiently on the dtm bus when combined with a slot reuse method as to be described in the following . when the first node sends a request to the second node to get more slots assigned to it as home node , it requests slot access corresponding only to predetermined segments of the network . the second node transfers slot access corresponding only to these segments to the first node , letting slot access , which correspond to the same slots but on different segments , be unchanged . this increases fragmentation , but will in some situations be advantageous . results from simulations performed , with the ownership reallocation and push mechanisms included , will be described in the following . in the simulations , reallocation of resources in the background to adapt to non - uniform traffic , is evaluated . the frame size is chosen to be 2400 slots , which corresponds to a communication link capacity of approximately 1 . 2 gbit / s . for lower communication link capacity less processing and control signal capacity for each node are required . thus , it is possible to simulate smaller transfers without trashing phenomena , i . e ., very low throughput at high offered loads due to lack of signal capacity . small transfers are used to more clearly observe the difference when including the push mechanism . the traffic in each node is exponentially distributed and a few nodes are designed as hot - spots , i . e ., they have much more traffic in the simulations . initially , the home node assignment is evenly distributed among the nodes as can be seen in fig5 . the change of home node is executed when a node has received a number of requests for more capacity from another node . then it “ pushes ” write access to one slot through the intermediate nodes to the requesting node . in the simulations this is done for every 10 &# 39 ; th request , which introduces inertia in the system . this is important since the push mechanism and ownership reallocation mechanism shall cope with long term variations in load . the state at approximately 100 ms is shown in fig6 . during the operation of the network , the home node is changed according to the load , i . e ., the hot - spots will have more slots assigned to them as home . the ownership allocation mechanism will reduce the amount of reallocations of slots for , e . g ., client / server like traffic . in fig7 is shown the throughput and in fig8 the channel set - up time as a function of offered load with and without the ownership allocation and push mechanisms . results are presented for transfers of 4 kb and 8 kb . it can be observed that the throughput is significantly higher with the ownership allocation and push mechanisms . also , the channel set - up time is lower . this is the case since the hot - spots do not need to return slots to other nodes as frequently as with an evenly distributed home node assignment . according to the invention , there is provided efficient reallocation of slot access to new home nodes , so minimising overhead for slot access negotiation . the criteria for when a node should request more slots assigned to it as home node , which node it should ask and how much capacity it should request , can be chosen in various ways , e . g ., as described above . requests of these types may also origin from the equipment attached to the node . it is possible to , e . g ., manually initiate the reallocation and decide how many slots that are to be reallocated . also , the allocation of slots may be controlled by a network controller controlling the allocation of slots to one or more nodes , such as a master node controlling the allocation of slots to a slave node . however , resilience has to be implemented in order to avoid oscillation and thus overhead for control signalling . the procedures and mechanisms according to the invention are simple and easily implemented . the performance of the time multiplexed network is strongly improved and the fragmentation is maintained low . also , the reallocation of a slot to a new home node may be realised even though the slot is in use . as is understood by those skilled in the art , different variations and modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the scope of the invention , which is defined by the accompanying claims .
| 7Electricity
|
an obvious approach to fashioning a cfc body for a rotating anode is to cause the fibers to terminate on one end at the focal path and to terminate on the other end at the axis - proximal cooling body , as it is described using fig1 and 2 . in fig1 a blank of an anode body 1 with a focal spot path 2 is shown that is composed of a composite fiber material , for example of a carbon fiber material ( cfc ) that has heat - conducting fibers 3 with particularly high heat conductivity in the longitudinal direction . the cup - like anode body 1 narrows and tapers in a shaft 4 . the anode body i exhibits an external diameter d , the focal spot path 2 exhibits a width b , and the shaft 4 exhibits a thickness d . a processed formed component of a rotating anode with a cooling arrangement is shown in fig2 that was generated from a blank . for this , a bore was produced in the center of the anode body 1 , through which a cooled bearing system 5 was placed and attached . in the anode body 1 , fibers 3 are aligned such that they dissipate heat from the focal spot path 2 applied at an angle in the outer region of the rotating anode above to the cooled bearing system 5 . so that all fibers 3 are in contact with the cooled bearing system 5 , even the fibers 3 proceeding parallel to the rotation axis , the bearing system 5 must be provided with a flange 6 that exhibits the width b . if it is desired that all fibers that begin under the focal path end at the cooling surface , and thus optimally use the excellent heat conductivity of the fibers in the lengthwise direction , then the diameter d of the flange 6 is determined from the focal path outer diameter d and the focal path width b as follows , due to the cross - section constant of the total amount of the fibers : for prevalent focal path geometries in the high - power tube range with a diameter of d = 200 mm and a focal path width of b = 15 mm , the flange diameter d must be relatively large , and that is difficult to realize in conventional tube design , thus , the example cited above yields a flange diameter of d = 105 mm . for this reason , in accordance with the invention the anode body 3 is composed of multiple parts , as this is described for three parts using the following figures . in fig3 a first blank is shown that exhibits an outer diameter d and a focal spot path exhibiting a width of b 1 . the blank 7 is formed as a first shell - shaped portion 8 and a shaft - like portion 9 with a : diameter d 1 . the inner wall of the shell - shaped part 8 exhibits a shape that corresponds to the curve r l1 ( x ), whereby x is the distance of the curve from the upper edge of the blank 7 . the outer wall follows the freely - determinable function r a1 ( x ) that determines the outer contour of the anode body . in order to arrive at the first processed formed component 10 shown in fig4 from the blank 7 , the shaft - like portion 9 is removed , by producing a bore 11 with a diameter d . in fig5 a second blank 12 with a diameter d − b 1 and a focal spot path with a width b 2 are shown . the second blank 12 is also formed with a shell - shaped portion 13 and a shaft - like portion 14 with a diameter d 2 . the shape of the outer wall of the shell - shaped portion 13 functionally corresponds to the shape of the inner wall of the part 10 . the second processed formed component 16 shown in fig6 is arrived at from the second blank 12 by producing a bore 15 with the diameter d , whereby the portion 14 is removed . a third blank 17 with an external diameter d − b 1 − b 2 and a focal path surface with a width b 3 is shown in fig7 . the third blank 17 is also fashioned shell - like in the upper portion 18 and has a shaft - like portion 19 with a diameter d 3 . by introducing a bore 20 with a diameter d , at the processed third formed component 21 shown in fig8 is produced from the third blank 17 , whereby the portion 19 is removed . the shape of the outer wall of this third formed component 21 corresponds to the shape of the inner wall of the second formed component 16 . the three formed components 10 , 16 and 21 are now combined and connected with one another , such that a coherent cfc base body 22 results that is shown in fig9 . the interconnection of the n mechanically processed formed components can ensue in the framework of a solidification method , for example vy carbonization or via soldering . the connection of the finished body to the cooling surface can be implemented likewise . a cooling body 23 ( that , in the installed state , has a coolant flowing through it ), at the surface of which all heat - conducting fibers terminates is slid through the single bore arising in the cfc base body 22 , such that the heat is dissipated directly from the focal spot path 2 to the metallic cooling body 23 . as is already described , the cfc base body 22 is composed of n ( in this example n = 3 ) different formed components , in order to be able to use such a rotating anode in tubes of conventional design , the shaping of the blanks 7 , 12 and 17 is undertaken such that these fit into one another after the axial , concentric bores 11 , 15 and 20 with the diameter d are produced , without the mutual fitting surfaces themselves having to be appreciably processed . fibers would be split by processing of the fitting surfaces , and the optimal heat flow thus hindered . such an advantageous shaping of the blanks 7 , 12 and 17 is possible by appropriate design of the mold lining from which the blanks are formed ( set , knit , woven , prefiled , etc . ), if , for example , the desired outer contour of the anode base body is given by r a1 ( x ), whereby r a1 ( x )≧ d , then the outer contour of the mold lining for the outermost of the n formed components 10 is specified by ( r i ( x )) 2 ≈( r a ( x )) 2 −( db − b 2 ){ square root }{ square root over ( 1 +( r a ′( x )) 2 )} whereby the pitch of the fibers in the shell - shaped region between the focal path and the shaft is accounted for by the term under the root . this inner contour ( spedfied by r i1 ( x )) of the outermost formed component 10 , that is identical to the outer contour of that mold lining on which the outermost formed component was formed , is , for r l1 ( x )& gt ; d , at the same time the new outer contour r a2 ( x ) for the second formed component 16 , the mold lining for which in this region can then be calculated analogously to the first mold lining . in the region r a2 ( x )& lt ; d , the outer contour of the second formed component 16 is largely freely determinable . it is only to be noted that it must be possible to accommodate the total fiber cross - section of the second formed component 16 within r a2 . so that real solutions to the equations are obtained , it is necessary , as already stated , for the outer contour values always to be selected such that the total fiber cross - section of the respective formed component can always be accommodated within rotating anode . this can be ensured by appropriate selection of the values for b . in other words : the diameter of the outer contour may never be so small that the circular area corresponding to it is smaller than the total cross - section of the fibers of the respective formed component . the desired geometry of the formed component thus can be easily calculated according to the principle of the cross - section constant of the entirety of the fibers and by suitable selection of the values b 1 through b n , and can be adjusted to desired values for d when either the outer or the inner contour of the anode base body is determined . a ) given use of blanks that are composed only of a loose fiber composite , whereby in this case suitable clampings are selected for mechanical processing of the blanks , and b ) given blanks that are already partially or are ultimately impregnated , reinforced , infiltrated , reaction - infiltrated , pyrolized , carbonized or graphited . the space requirement at the cooling body can be significantly reduced by the inventive device and method . with optimal utilization of the high axial heat conductivities of all carbon fibers beginning in the focal path , geometries are possible that correspond to the tube designs that are common today , thus resulting in , for example , a diameter of d = 62 mm given a diameter of d = 200 mm and a width of the individual focal spot paths of b 1 = b 2 = b 3 = 5 mm . a retrofitting of anodes with cfc base bodies in conventional tubes thus is also possible with optimal utilization of the high axial heat conductivity of the c - fibers . in the figures , for clarity only the temperature - conducting fibers 3 are shown . fibers proceeding in other directions , such as those specified in the patent application ser . no . 102 29 069 . 5 , naturally can be provided , however are not of fundamental importance for the present invention . although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art , it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of his contribution to the art .
| 7Electricity
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referring now to the drawings and more particularly to fig1 there is shown a side view of a hand - held power tool 10 with the handle 14 in the straight - ahead position . the unit basically comprises a motor housing unit 12 , a handle 14 and a rotational coupling system 16 . the motor housing unit 12 extends along a longitudinal axis 11 and comprises a tool attachment area 68 at the forward end of the axis 11 , and a motor 13 at the rear end of the axis 11 . the rotational coupling system 16 interconnects the motor housing 12 to the handle 14 and provides a means by which the handle 14 can rotate axially beneath the motor housing 12 . rotation occurs about an orthogonal axis 15 that is perpendicular to the motor housing &# 39 ; s longitudinal axis 11 . the coupling system comprises a circular cross section ring 20 , a machined groove 22 in the handle , o - rings 24 , gasket 26 , and seal passages 28 and 30 . these components provide a relatively frictionless means by which handle 14 can rotate about the orthogonal axis 15 independent of motor housing 12 . the coupling system 16 also comprises wavey spring 32 which loads the handle outward against the ring 20 and flange 38 . the load is great enough to permit the tool 10 to be positioned on the work without the handle 14 turning relative to the motor housing 12 freely , but light enough for the operator to rotate the handle 14 to the desired position . the ideal load is between 20 and 30 inch pounds , however , depending on the particular application , that range may vary . in the preferred embodiment , the hand tool 10 is powered via compressed air . this is accomplished as follows . air enters through inlet bushing 39 , passes through the throttle valve 40 , through passage 28 , and to a reverse valve 44 . air inlet bushing 39 may be secured to the tool handle 14 by means of a pin 17 and a groove 19 . this permits the inlet to turn freely relative to the handle 14 . with the valve in the forward position , air passes through valve port 45 to port 46 ( see fig2 ) in the motor housing 12 , then through port 48 in the rear cover of the motor housing 12 , causing the motor 13 to operate in the clockwise direction . in this embodiment , there may be two means by which air can exhaust from the motor housing 12 . first , there is a main exhaust which exhausts air via port 58 and through circular handle chamber 30 . exhaust air then continues through handle port 66 , then through diffuser 62 , and into the atmosphere . a second type of exhaust air , referred to as residual exhaust air , passes through air feed holes on the exhaust side of the motor 13 , through the motor housing port 52 ( see fig2 ), past reverse valve 44 and into a circular chamber 30 in the top of the handle 14 . the residual exhaust is then exhausted into the atmosphere in the same manner as the main exhaust air ( i . e ., through handle port 60 and diffuser 62 ). as shown in fig1 the tool is depicted in its standard &# 34 ; straight - ahead &# 34 ; position . that is , the trigger 70 is pointed in the same direction as the tool attachment device 68 on the front of motor housing 12 . this is the position that such tools are normally fixed for use . the tool attachment device 68 may comprise a square drive anvil , a chuck , or any other device which will allow for the attachment of sockets , wrenches , drill bits , or any other rotating attachment apparatus . referring now to fig2 a partial cross sectional front view of the tool is shown . handle 14 is shown with trigger 70 facing forward . motor housing 12 is also shown with tool attachment device 68 shown facing the forward position . fig3 depicts the tool with the handle rotated 90 °. handle 14 is shown ( along with trigger 70 ) facing in a leftward direction , while motor housing 12 ( along with tool attachment device 68 ) is shown facing the forward direction . thus , as depicted in this diagram , handle 14 and the tool housing 12 can be set to face in different directions . this allows the user to adjust the tool to obtain the correct wrist / hand position for the variety of jobs he or she may be doing . because of the design of the air intake and exhaust systems , along with the rotational coupling system 16 , compressed air can still reach the motor housing through the handle 14 and exhaust out of the handle while the handle 14 is in any rotated position . it should also be recognized that handle 14 is fully rotatable ( i . e ., 360 °) about the tool housing 12 . this allows for an unlimited number of handle positions . it should also be recognized that the base of the handle 14 may be constructed such that it is cocked in a slightly backward position as shown in fig1 & amp ; 3 . in addition , it should also be recognized that the handle 14 rotates about an orthogonal axis 15 ( see fig1 ) that in the preferred embodiment is exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 11 ( see fig1 ) of the motor housing 12 . it is possible nonetheless to incorporate a system wherein the handle rotates about an axis that is not exactly perpendicular to the motor housing . in other words , the rotational coupling system which connects motor housing 12 to handle 14 could be constructed skewed , or angularly offset , to allow for a different axis of rotation . finally , it should also be recognized that the motor housing 12 and the handle 14 are co - planar . however , it is envisioned that a system could be utilized in which the motor housing 14 and the handle were not co - planar . as depicted in the previous three figures , the tool motor is driven by compressed air . however , it is envisioned that this rotatable handle system could be used for any fluid - driven power tool . the rotatable handle system could also be used on tools powered by electricity . the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention have been presented for purposes of illustration description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed , and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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the embodiments of a stencil stamp assembly according to a stencil sheet ofthe present invention is explained . fig1 is a perspective view showing a stencil stamp assembly 1 according to a first embodiment . the stencil stamp assembly 1 will be roughly explained with reference to fig1 . this stencil stamp assembly 1 is formed into a generally triangle shape as viewed from the side . a perforated stencil sheet 2 having a perforation area of an image or the like is provided on the lower surface portion , and both ends of the stencil sheet 2 are joined to ends 4a , 5a of plate members 4 , 5 , respectively . the plate members 4 , 5 can be formed of cardboard , plastic , etc . the plate members 4 , 5 has the other ends 4b , 5b joined to each other , and the sides thereof are formed into a generally triangle shape by the stencil sheet 2 and the plate members 4 , 5 . engaging pieces 4c , 5c are projected from the other ends 4b , 5b of the plate members 4 , 5 , and cuts 4d , 5d of the engaging pieces 4c , 5c are engaged with each other to thereby hold the other ends 4b , 5b of the platemembers 4 , 5 in the joined state . ink of predetermined color is placed on the stencil sheet 2 , and the stencil sheet 2 is folded to thereby prevent the ink from leaking out of the side . an elastic body 7 such as a sponge having a predetermined thickness , corresponding to the size of the stencil sheet 2 , is provided on the stencil sheet 2 . a center member 8 is provided in a triangular central opening formed by theplate members 4 , 5 and the stencil sheet 2 . the center member 8 is a generally triangular plate member , in which inclined surfaces 8a , 8b are positioned internally of the plate members 4 , 5 , and a lower surface 8c is positioned on the elastic body 7 . accordingly , the center member 8 is constituted by folding a material wherein the lengthof the inclined surfaces 8a , 8b is small at least by the length corresponding to the thickness of the plate members 4 , 5 . it is to be noted that plastic formed into a triangle shape in advance can be used for the center member 8 . first , perforation is formed in a stencil sheet . in the case where an original image is perforated in the stencil sheet by a hand printer 20 with a general - use perforation function as shown in fig2 the stencil sheet 2 having the size adapted for the hand printer 20 is to be used . in this case , if a board 22 for perforation is used as shown , a plurality of images can be perforated at the same time , which is positioned within asingle stencil sheet 2 . these images can be used for a variety of stamps . in the board for perforation 22 , an original frame a having the same size as the image is formed , and an outer frame b having the size necessary forpreparing a stamp is provided outside the original frame a . this board for perforation 22 is placed on a pedestal 20a of the hand printer 20 . next , an original 23 formed with letters , images or the like as desired along a frame line is placed on the original frame a of the board for perforation 22 . thereafter , when a pressing plate 20b of the handy printer 20 is closed on the side of a base 20c to operate a light irradiation device ( not shown ), perforation corresponding to the original 23 is provided on the stencil sheet 2 . thereafter , the original 23 is adhered to the stencil sheet 2 . this adhered state remains immediately before printing starts which will be described below . the stencil sheet 2 is constituted such that the whole periphery of the edge thereof is supported by a frame 2a formed of a cardboard and a transparent film is placed on the deep side in the figure . however , in the stamp according to the present invention , these frame 2a and the transparent film are not necessary and can be removed by cutting them off or the like . next , since the outer frame b is also linearly perforated on the stencil sheet 2 , they are cut off along the outer frame b . thereby , the images used for the plurality of stamps are separated , and the size necessary foreach of the stamps can be easily obtained . next , as shown in fig3 showing the assembly state , the stencil sheet 2 isset so that the surface to which the original 23 is adhered appears upward , and the plate members 4 , 5 are adhered to the sides of the original 23 . in adhesion , the engaging pieces 4c , 5c are positioned outwardly of the stencil sheet 2 . this adhesion can be easier by using an adhesive tape on the back of the plate members 4 , 5 in advance . further , the aforementioned adhesion can be facilitated by using a locatingsheet 25 shown below in the figure . the locating sheet 25 is provided with a locating frame c adjacent to the outer diameter ( edge ) of the stencil sheet 2 , and an image frame d of the original 23 and an adhesion position frame e showing a adhesion position of the plate members 4 , 5 are provided . accordingly , in the state where the stencil sheet 2 is positioned at the locating frame c of the locating sheet 25 and the image of the original 23is positioned at the image frame d , the adhesion position frame e can be seen through the stencil sheet 2 , and therefore , if the plate members 4 , 5are adhered therealong , they can be easily adhered to accurate positions . next , as shown in fig4 after the stencil sheet 2 having the plate members 4 , 5 adhered thereto has been inverted , a predetermined amount of printing ink 26 is placed on the image plane in the central portion . thereafter , both ends of the stencil sheet 2 is folded in the central direction so as to embrace the ink 26 to form an ink holding portion . at this time , the stencil sheet 2 is folded at the fold line f , g along both the ends of the plate members 4 , 5 . with this , the ink 26 is sealed withinthe stencil sheet 2 whereby the airtightness inside said ink holding portion is kept , to enable the passage of the ink 26 through only the stencil image portion . thereafter , the elastic body 7 and the center member 8 are placed on the central portion , as shown in fig5 . the center member 8 is preformed withcuts 8d , 8e at two places of the cardboard , and can be formed by being folded into a generally triangle shape along the cuts 8d , 8e . it is to be noted that the elastic body 7 may be provided in advance on thelower surface 8c of the center member 8 . then , after the plate members 4 , 5 have been folded along fold lines h , i , in a direction close to each other the cuts 4d , 5d of the engaging pieces 4c , 5c are fixed each other whereby the stamp 1 shown in fig1 can be assembled . the fold lines h , i are folded along the ends of the plate members 4 , 5 adhered to the stencil sheet 2 . thereafter , the original 23 affixed to the lower surface of the stencil sheet 2 is peeled off , and after test printing , stamp printing can be performed continuously . according to the stamp 1 constructed as described above , the perforation surface of the stencil sheet 2 is positioned on the lower surface , and theplate members 4 , 5 are held and pressed from the top whereby the ink held inside can transmit to apply printing corresponding to the image . since at least two sides of the plate members 4 , 5 are inclined and the center member 8 of the triangle shape which is separated from the plate members 4 , 5 is provided internally thereof , when the plate member 4 , 5 are pressed from the top , its pressing force is transmitted to the lower surface 8c through the inclined surfaces 8a , 8b of the center member 8 andthe whole surface of the lower surface 8c presses the stencil sheet 2 toward the printing body . by the construction in which the outer plate members 4 , 5 are separated from the center member and when pressed , they come in contact , even if theink is used up , the plate members 4 , 5 are pressed from the top whereby thecenter member 8 moves downward to feed the ink 26 . therefore , an image in aconstant amount of ink can be printed irrespective of the amount of ink . further , the assembled state can be maintained merely by fixing the engaging pieces 4c , 5c provided on the plate members 4 , 5 , and after assembly , the engaging pieces 4c , 5c do hardly slip when held by hands . further , disassembly can be easily done merely releasing the fixed state of the engaging pieces 4c , 5c , and the ink can be replenished . furthermore , the ink 26 is embraced and sealed by the stencil sheet 2 to thereby prevent the ink 26 from being dried . in order that the ink 26 is prevented from being dried in the case where the stamp 1 is not used for acertain period of time , it is necessary to embrace the lower surface portion ( a stencil image forming place ) where the stencil sheet 2 of the stamp 1 is exposed so that the aforesaid lower surface portion is not leftin the open air . further , the ink 26 is embraced by the stencil sheet 2 , whereby even if plural colors of the ink 26 are used , these ink 26 are not spread to lessen the occurrence of mixed color . further , the elastic body 7 is provided between the center member 8 and thestencil sheet 2 whereby the force for pressing the stencil sheet 2 toward the printing body can be made constant irrespective of the pressing force from the top during operation to prevent the ink 26 from being excessivelyfed . even if the ink 26 is reduced , the amount of feeding the ink can be made even by the elastic force of the elastic body 7 . incidentally , as shown in fig1 the stencil sheet 2 formed with an image of print has both ends adhered to the one ends 4a , 5a of the plate members4 , 5 and the pressing force applied from the top during printing is received by the ends 4a , 5a . therefore , the force more than a predetermined pressing force is not applied to the stencil sheet 2 to prevent the ink 26 from being excessively fed , thus making print quality even . next , fig6 is a view showing an assembly stencil stamp assembly 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention . the fundamentalconstruction is similar to that of the first embodiment . the same parts areindicated by the same reference numerals , and description thereof is omitted . in this embodiment , the plate members 4 , 5 are adhered to the surface side in the state where the original 23 is affixed to the back side of the stencil sheet 2 shown in fig6 and after the ink 26 has been placed between the plate members 4 , 5 , a film 31 for preventing a leakage of ink is placed thereon to form an ink holding portion to seal the ink . next , after the ink is embraced by the film 31 , the stencil sheet 2 is placed on the center member 8 , and the plate members 4 , 5 are folded to prepare a stamp 30 , as shown in fig7 . in this embodiment , although the plate members 4 , 5 are not provided with the engaging pieces 4c , 5c , the top portions where the plate members 4 , 5 are in contact with each other may be adhered to each other by an adhesivetape . further , in the case where the elastic body 7 is not provided as shown , if the pressing force applied from the top during the printing operation is adjusted , in place of the function of the elastic body 7 , the amount of feeding the ink 26 can be adjusted , making the print quality even . next , fig8 is a view showing an assembly stencil stamp assembly 40 according to a third embodiment of the present invention . the fundamental construction is similar to that of the first embodiment . the same parts are indicated by the same reference numerals , and description thereof is omitted . in this embodiment , a pair of plate members 4 , 5 and triangular side plate members 42 , 43 are adhered to the surface side in the periphery of the image plane in the state where the original 23 is affixed to the back sideof the stencil sheet 2 shown in fig8 . at this time , the stencil sheet 2 is cut off into a generally hexagonal shape along the line which passes the outermost side of the plate members 4 , 5 and the triangular side plate members 42 , 43 . thereafter , after the ink 26 has been placed on the image plane , a hexagonal film 31 for preventing a leakage of ink , which has a size smaller than that of the stencil sheet 2 , is placed thereon to form an inkholding portion to seal the ink . then , the central member 8 is placed on the film 31 , and the plate members 4 , 5 and the side plate members 42 , 43 are folded to prepare a stamp 40 , as shown in fig9 . also in this embodiment , the edge portions with which the plate members 4 , 5 and the side plate members 42 , 43 contact are adhered to each other by an adhesive tape . any of the aforementioned embodiments has the construction which has a generally triangle shape in which the stencil sheet 2 is affixed between ends 4a , 5a of the plate members 4 , 5 and the triangular center member 8 is provided therein . therefore , the pressing force applied from the top during printing comprises the force by which the center member 8 presses the lower surface 8c in the direction directly below and evenly pressing the whole image plane of the stencil sheet 2 in the direction of the printing body . in these embodiments , both the plate members 4 , 5 and the center member 8 have the inclined two sides , thus requiring the minimum number of members for construction . if a design is made so that the pressing force from the top causes the whole image surface of the stencil sheet 2 to be pressed against the printing body evenly , the whole shape is not limited to a triangle shape but other shapes can be employed . as concrete modifications , the side sections of the center member 8 provided within the plate members 4 , 5 may have a form of a semicircle , a pentagonal in general and the like . since the present invention provides a stamp using a stencil sheet , printing with the color can be made only by providing ink of suitable color on the surface opposite to the print surface . in addition , in the case that a plurality of colors is prepared in advance , printing with these colors can be made . that is , in the conventional stamp using a stampbed , it is necessary to prepare the stamp beds in the number corresponding to a plurality colors . however , in the present invention , plural colors ofink may be merely prepared and contained in the stamp , and a multi - color stamp can be easily obtained by the simple construction . according to the stencil stamp assembly by a stencil sheet of the present invention , the plate members are provided on the side of the perforation area of the stencil sheet on which an image is perforated , and the internal center member presses the ink holding portion through the plate members by the printing operation to effect the stamp printing . the stamp printing can be made easily by using the stencil sheet having a desired image perforated . according to the construction of the invention wherein the plate members are inclined from the stencil sheet into a generally triangle shape and the triangular center member is provided therein . thus , when the plate members are pressed from the top during printing , the lower surface is moved downward through the inclined surface of the internal center member so that the ink holding portion is pressed by the whole surface , thus improving print quality . as described in the invention , if the engaging pieces are provided on the joining portions of the plate members , these stops can be merely fixed to each other to maintain the assembly state of the stamp . the preparation thereof can be facilitated , and the disassembling when the ink is replenished or the like becomes easy . according to the construction of the invention wherein the ink holding portion embraces ink by folding the stencil sheet or according to the construction of the invention wherein the films are placed one upon another on the stencil sheet , the ink is prevented from being dried and leaked , rendering use for a long period of time possible . according to the construction of the invention wherein the elastic body is provided between the stencil sheet and the center member , the elastic bodypresses the ink holding portion by the elastic force of even surface to apply printing with an even concentration . the preparation method of the invention provides simple steps of merely directly adhering the plate members to the stencil sheet after perforationto seal ink , and providing the center member inside and folding the plate members each other . therefore , the stamp can be easily prepared , the number of necessary parts is minimum . when the board for perforation is used during perforation , an original position on the stencil sheet can be easily located . since the outer frameof the stencil sheet can be known simply after perforation , the size of necessary stencil sheet can be preset according to the size of image to facilitate the preparation of stamp . further , a plurality of originals canbe simultaneously perforated on a single stencil sheet in advance , and the perforation operation can be facilitated and resources such as a lamp light source of a light irradiation device necessary for the perforation operation can be efficiently used . in case the locating sheet is used when the plate members are adhered to the stencil sheet , the adhesive position of the plate members with respectto the stencil sheet can be easily located to facilitate the preparation ofstamp .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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depicted in fig1 is one embodiment of an inventive eyeglass case 10 used for holding eyeglasses . the term &# 34 ; eyeglasses &# 34 ; as used in the specification and appended claims is intended to include all styles and kinds of eyeglasses . by way of example and not by limitation , case 10 can be used for holding sunglasses , prescription glasses , and protective glasses . case 10 is shown in fig1 as comprising a rigid unitary tubular container 12 having an exterior surface 14 extending between a first end 16 and an opposing second end 18 . exterior surface 14 has an outside diameter preferably sized to allow container 12 to fit within a conventional sized cup holder , such as the cup holders incorporated into automobiles . container 12 is also shown as having an interior surface 20 that also extends between a first end 16 and a second end 18 . interior surface 20 defines a holding chamber 22 within container 12 . positioned at first end 16 is an annular lip 24 that defines an opening to holding chamber 22 . means for covering the open end so that the eyeglasses are contained in the holding chamber are attached to the unitary tubular container . lid 28 is an example of a means for covering container 12 . the means for covering includes , but is not limited to , a cap , a lid , top or other type covering . the means for covering is preferably prepared from a rigid material and is preferably lined with a protective lining material 34 to protect the eyeglasses from harm . lid 28 is preferably attached to the tubular container by a means for attaching the lid to the container . hinge 38 is an example of a means for connecting the lid container 12 . other connecting means can be used to attach the lid to the tubular container , including , but not limited to a string or a tab . in a further embodiment , the means for covering container 12 may not be attached to container 12 , but may be a separate piece , such as a cap similar to those used with medicine bottles or to store film for photographs . the lid can be in the open position , as illustrated in fig1 wherein the first end 16 of tubular container 12 is open , allowing eyeglasses to be inserted into holding chamber 22 of the eyeglass case . alternatively , lid 28 can be in the closed position ( illustrated in fig5 ), wherein the lid covers the opening to holding chamber 22 at the first end 16 . when lid 28 is in the closed position , the eyeglasses are securely contained in holding chamber 22 of container 12 . when the lid is in the closed position ( fig5 ), the lid is fastened , or held in the closed position by means for securing the covering means . latch 32 is an example of a means for securing lid 28 to container 12 . other securing means , or differing types of latches can be used , so long as the covering means is securely fastened to the tubular container . latch 32 teams with ridge 54 , illustrated in fig3 and 4 , to securely fasten lid 28 to container 12 . as shown in fig1 container 12 further includes a recessed groove 26 positioned at annular lip 24 and extending a distance toward second end 18 . recessed groove 26 allows latch 32 to be easily engaged and disengaged from ridge 54 . for example , a user &# 39 ; s thumb can easily press appendage 30 disengaging latch 32 from ridge 54 . in fact , because of the location of appendage 30 , and the typical size of tubular container 12 , the eyeglass case can be held in the palm of the user &# 39 ; s hand and the user can open the lid with the thumb of the same hand providing quick , easy access to holding chamber 22 and consequently the user &# 39 ; s eyeglasses . in the preferred embodiment , container 12 is formed as a single unit using conventional injection molding processes . alternatively , other molding process , such as die casting or blow molding , can also be used . furthermore , container 12 can be formed in separate parts which are later assembled together . container 12 along with lid 28 are preferably formed of polypropylene . there are , of course , a variety of different materials that can also be used . by way of example and not by limitation , container 12 can be formed from metals , composites , fiberglass , wood , or other plastics such as polystyrene . positioned at second end 18 , as depicted in fig2 is a base member 27 that closes off access to holding chamber 22 . base member 27 is substantially flat and configured so as to enable container 12 to vertically stand on base member 27 . container 12 can also be formed having a wall with a thickness that increases from first end 16 to second end 18 . by having the thickness minimized at top end 16 , container 12 has increased flexibility at top end 16 for increased ease in insertion and removal of the glasses . in one embodiment of the present invention , the eyeglass case is able to float in water . this is particularly the case when protective liner comprises a thick foam material and lightweight eyeglasses are carried by the eyeglass case or the case itself . in a related embodiment , illustrated in fig3 and 4 , an o - ring 56 can be placed around the interior portion of annular lip 24 , in holding chamber 22 to form a seal with lid 34 . alternatively , the o - ring can be placed around the periphery of the inner portion of the lid so that a water - tight seal is formed when the lid is in the closed position . the seal formed by the o - ring and the inner portion of lid 34 functions to keep water or other liquids out of the holding chamber 22 causing the eyeglass case to be waterproof . in addition , the lid and the seal formed by the o - ring 56 function to keep any harmful debris , liquid or gas from entering the holding chamber and damaging the eyeglasses . the water - tight seal formed by the o - ring is especially useful when eyeglass case is used to store eyeglasses around water , such as during boating , water skiing , at the beach and at the pool . in a preferred embodiment , as illustrated in fig3 and 4 , the interior surface defining a holding chamber is lined with a protective liner 62 . protective liner 62 can be any material that protects the eyeglasses from being scratched or otherwise damaged while in the holding chamber . for instance , the protective liner is preferably a soft , resilient material that is scratch resistant . suitable materials for protective linings include , but are not limited to felt , foam , silk , nylon , rayon , satin or the like . in addition , depending on its thickness , the protective lining functions to absorb impact to the case or other movement of the eyeglasses in the case . this is important in cases where an eyeglass case is dropped or otherwise abruptly impacted . likewise , in a preferred embodiment , the inner portion of lid 28 comprises a protective liner so that the entire surface of holding chamber 22 is lined with a protective liner . it is noted , however , that all dimensions and sizes disclosed herein are only by way of example and not intended to be limiting . in alternative embodiments , the sizes and dimensions can be proportionally altered to accommodate uniquely configured eyeglasses . depicted in fig3 is a top view of container 12 looking into eyeglass case 10 having a protective liner therein . interior surface 20 of container 12 is shown in fig3 as being substantially oval shaped and defined by a substantially flat first wall , opposing substantially flat second wall , and curved sidewalls . in yet another embodiment , the protective liner on the interior surface of the holding chamber is removable . securing protective liner 62 within the holding chamber can be accomplished by any known means , such as by using any suitable adhesive or other attaching means , such as velcro ™. by changing the protective liner in the holding chamber , the eyeglass case can be tailored for specific eyeglasses . for instance , the protective liner can be made thicker to accommodate smaller eyeglasses , thus reducing the amount the eyeglasses move within the holding chamber and decreasing the impact on the eyeglasses . likewise , other users may desire thin protective liners allowing for easy insertion and removal of the eyeglasses . during use , folded eyeglasses are slid into holding chamber 22 through the opening 72 ( fig3 ) at first end 16 . in light ofthe fact that the protective liner can be a variety of different sizes and shapes , many different size and shapes of glasses can be received in the holding chamber . also , in alternative embodiments , different sizes of container 12 can be formed to hold different sizes of glasses . furthermore , in another embodiment , the second end 18 can be open to allow access to holding chamber 22 from both the first end 16 and the second end 18 . in this embodiment , the case preferably comprises a second means for covering the open second end . as with the means for covering the first open end , a lid 28 is an example of a means for covering the second open end . in one embodiment , as shown in fig4 interior surface 20 can be lined with a soft cushioning material 29 such as foam or other type of padding , to further protect the frame and other structures of the glasses . likewise , the interior surface of lid 28 also preferably comprises a cushioning material to further protect the eyeglasses . in another alternative embodiment of eyeglass case 10 , a cleaning cloth can be positioned within holding chamber 22 to allow selective cleaning of the lenses of the glasses . the cleaning cloth can be made out of a chamois or other soft material commonly known to those in the art . a holding bag can also initially be used for receiving the glasses prior to positioning the glasses within holding chamber 22 . the holding bag preferably has a draw string or other means for closing the bag so as to prevent dirt , sand , or other debris from coming in contact with the glasses . the present invention also provides means for attaching container 12 to an independent object . by way of example and not by limitation , fig5 discloses exterior surface 14 of container 12 having a mounting clip 70 secured thereto . alternatively , a loop 72 is also shown attached to exterior surface 14 so as to enable attachment of the container 12 to a belt or other kind of strap . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope .
| 0Human Necessities
|
fig1 shows a front view of the preferred embodiment with the door closed . the outer door 1 is indicated with the outer door latch 2 . the instrument further contains an infusion rate display 3 , a volume to be infused display 4 , a volume infused display 5 , a run / hold key 6 , an infusion indicator 7 , a line power indicator 8 , a battery power indicator 9 , a cpu malfunction indicator 10 , a lockout indicator 11 , a time / piggyback key 12 , an on / off key 13 , a pressure key 14 , a yes key 15 , a no key 16 , and ten numbered keys 17 . the outer door 1 protects the inner door 20 . the outer door latch 2 opens the outer door 1 to give access to the inner door 20 . the inner door 20 has a spring loading between it and the outer door 1 which is depressed when the doors are closed against the tubing . the infusion rate display 3 indicates in milliliters per hour the rate at which the fluid is being delivered by the pump . the volume to be infused display 4 indicates in milliliters the volume of the fluid to be delivered by the pump . the volume infused display 5 indicates in milliliters the cumulative volume of fluid which has been infused by the pump . the run / hold key 6 is used to start , pause , or restart the infusion , as well as to temporarily silence the audible alarm . the infusion indicator 7 flashes when there is a flow of fluid through the drip chamber in the iv administration set . the line power indicator 8 illuminates when the pump is connected to a power line . the battery power indicator 9 illuminates when the pump is operating on its internal battery . the cpu malfunction indicator 10 illuminates when there is a major internal malfunction . the lockout indicator 11 illuminates when the pump &# 39 ; s patient lockout is activated . the time / piggyback key 12 is used to indicate the time for the volume to be infused that is remaining until the end of the infusion . also , this key is used to access the piggyback mode . the on / off key 13 is used to turn the pump on or off . the pressure key 14 is used to set as well as to indicate the pressure alarm setting at high or low . the yes key 15 is used to answer the pump &# 39 ; s prompts and to accept delivery parameters . the no key 16 is used to answer the pump &# 39 ; s prompts and to reject delivery parameters . the numbered keys 17 are used to enter the delivery parameters as well as to enter the access code . fig2 shows the interior view of the preferred embodiment through the open door 1 on the front of the preferred embodiment . outer tubing guides 18 are shown with inner tubing guides 19 , on the interior of the inner door 20 . furthermore , there are shown the free flow clamp 21 , the air in line detector 22 , the door open sensor 23 , the pumping mechanism 24 , consisting here of twelve fingers in a series , and a pressure indicator 25 . the outer tubing guides 18 are used to position the iv set &# 39 ; s tubing for correct pump operation . the inner tubing guides 19 are used to position the set &# 39 ; s tubing for correct pump operation . the inner door 20 presses the tubing against the twelve fingers of the pumping mechanism . in the preferred embodiment the twelve fingers are not spring loaded but are attached to the differential camshaft so that the rotating camshaft pushes and pulls them as it turns . the preferred embodiment uses a dc server motor to control the speed of the differential camshaft . the free flow clamp 21 prevents gravity free - flow when the outer door 1 is open . the air line indicator 22 detects air bubbles in the intravenous administration set . the air in line detector 22 in the preferred embodiment is an ultrasound system . a receiver is on one side of the tube and a transmitter is on the other side of the tube . the signal that is generated is altered by ( and therefore detects ) any bubble within the tubing between the receiver and transmitter . the door open sensor 23 detects if the outer door 1 is open during an infusion . the door sensor 23 is a simple mechanical switch . the pumping mechanism 24 provides accurate delivery of medicine as described further herein . the pressure sensor 25 monitors the pressure inside the tubing . the pressure sensor 25 in the preferred embodiment is a strain gauge that is pressed against the tubing . when the tube contains pressure it expands , thereby creating a signal in the strain gauge . this is calibrated for each tube type to indicate the pressure that exists at that time . the operator &# 39 ; s selection of tubing also activates the integrated circuit chip and the internal memory to select the proper calibration for this pressure sensor . the pressure sensor 25 acts as a blockage sensor , since when the tube is blocked the pressure in it will go up . fig3 shows the rear view of the preferred embodiment with a pump handle 27 , a flow sensor plug 28 , and a communications port 29 . also shown is a portable pole clamp 30 , flow sensor risers 31 , a flow sensor 32 , an ac power source 33 , a grounding screw 34 , a pole clamp 35 , a flow sensor bracket 36 , and the alarm volume control 37 . in the preferred embodiment , the flow sensor 32 comprises an infrared eye system . the flow sensor 32 counts the drops falling into the drip chamber . this can detect a variety of problems , including the wrong tubing being selected , the wrong fluid being selected , a leak in the system , an occlusion in the system , or an empty bag . for any selected tube type and fluid type , in a system without a leak or an occlusion and where the bag does not empty , a specific drop rate range would be tested for . the pump handle 27 is used for transporting the pump . the flow sensor plug 28 receives the plug from the flow sensor &# 39 ; s jack . the communications port 29 permits the exchange of information between the pump and a computer via cable or modem . the portable pole clamp 30 is used to attach an optional portable pole to the pump . the flow sensor risers 31 are used to position the flow sensor on the drip chamber . the flow sensor 32 attaches to the intravenous set &# 39 ; s drip chamber to detect the fluid flow and to signal an alarm for an occlusion in the upper portion of the tube , for an empty bag , or for a high flow rate . the ac power socket 33 provides a 110 volt ac socket with a line fuse . the grounding screw 34 permits an external grounding wire to be attached to the pump if necessary . the pole clamp 35 is used to attach the pump to an intravenous administration set pole . the flow sensor bracket 36 is used to hold the flow sensor when it is not in use . the alarm volume control 37 is used to increase or decrease the audible alarm volume . the piggyback delivery profile function of the present invention allows for the use of a second profile to be applied before , during an interrupt , or after the first profile . in addition to the first iv bag , a second iv bag may be hung higher up and inserted in a y - joint intersection into the iv tube above the pump . with its superior pressure , the second bag &# 39 ; s flow interrupts the flow from the first bag . the piggyback profile can then be selected to interrupt the delivery profile for the original bag . this allows a different medicine and a different fluid to be infused through the infusion pump on an interrupt basis . the memory of the pump remembers the status of the first delivery profile when it is interrupted by the piggyback profile , so that the first delivery profile may be resumed with the first fluid once the piggyback profile is delivered with the piggyback fluid . the data from the pressure sensor 25 , and flow sensor 32 , the speed of the motor of the differential cam are all adjusted for the tube type being used and for the mechanical characteristics of the fluid being delivered , in order to deliver the selected profile . this is necessary to deliver the selected delivery profile given the parameters of the system characteristics being selected . this allows different delivery profiles to be delivered through different tubing types by one pump without any replacement of the mechanical parts of the pump . fig4 shows the main block diagram schematically indicating the logic of the electronic circuitry of the present invention . the microcontroller 1 ( the main cpu ) in the infusion pump is based on the intel ™ 80c31 microcontroller which contains 2 timers , 2 external interrupts , 3 internal interrupts , 128k bytes of memory divided into two pages of 64k bytes each , 128 bytes of internal ram , uart for communication ( the same as the rs - 232c communication standard ), and 4 i / o ports . the low battery detection 2 constantly monitors the battery &# 39 ; s voltage giving a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; logic to the cpu if the voltage is greater than 10 volts . if the voltage is between 9 . 5 volts and 10 volts , then the low battery detector will signal a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; logic to the cpu . the cpu will then stop the motor , cause the words &# 34 ; low battery &# 34 ; to appear on the pump &# 39 ; s dot matrix display , and activate an audible alarm . when a low battery is detected the only recourse available to the user are to connect the pump to ac line - power ( to continue pump operation using ac power and to recharge the battery ), or to resume pump operation using battery power . if pump operation is resumed using battery power ( i . e . without connecting the pump to ac line - power ) and the cpu continues to receive a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; logic signal from the low battery detector , the cpu will cause the words &# 34 ; low battery &# 34 ; to appear on the pump &# 39 ; s dot matrix display every 60 seconds for a period of 3 seconds and activate an audible alarm ( concurrently with the visual alarm ) every 60 seconds for a period of 3 seconds . the empty battery detector 3 constantly monitors the battery &# 39 ; s voltage giving a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; logic to the cpu if the voltage is greater than 9 . 5 volts . if the voltage decreases to less than 9 . 5 volts , the empty battery detector will signal a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; logic to the cpu . the cpu will then stop the motor , cause the words &# 34 ; empty battery &# 34 ; to appear on the pump &# 39 ; s dot matrix display , and activate an audible alarm . when an empty battery is detected the only recourse available to the user is to switch off the pump , connect the pump to ac line - power and then to turn the pump on . the air - in - line detector 4 constantly monitors the status of the infusion set &# 39 ; s tubing giving a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; logic to the cpu when the section of tubing that passes through the air - in - line detector contains fluids only . if there is air ( or an air bubble ) in the section of tubing that passes through the air - in - line detector or if there is no tubing positioned in the air - in - line detector , the air - in - line detector will signal a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; logic to the cpu . the cpu will then stop the motor , cause the words &# 34 ; air - in - line &# 34 ; to appear on the pump &# 39 ; s dot matrix display , and activate an audible alarm . when an attempt is made to resume pump operation following the detection of air - in - line , the cpu first checks the logic received from the air - in - line detector . if a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; logic is received by the cpu , the infusion will resume . if a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; logic is received by the cpu , the pump &# 39 ; s motor will not restart , the words &# 34 ; air - in - line &# 34 ; will reappear on the pump &# 39 ; s dot matrix display , and the audible alarm will be reactivated . the drops detector ( flow sensor ) 5 detects every drop that falls through the drip chamber of the infusion set . the drops detector is based on an infra - red transmitter and a photo - transistor receiver . when a falling drop breaks the infra - red beam , the drops detector sends a pulse to the cpu &# 39 ; s external interrupt number 0 . the pressure sensor 6 monitors , non - intrusively , the pressure within a section of the infusion set &# 39 ; s tubing ( the monitored section of tubing is pressed against the pressure sensor by the pump &# 39 ; s door ). the pressure sensor produces analog data which is converted into frequency ( using a voltage control oscillator ) and then sent to an internal counter in the cpu . the rs - 232 driver 7 functions as a power supply for the + 12 volts and - 12 volts that are necessary for the rs - 232c communication standard . the pizo - electric buzzer ( audible alarm ) 8 will sound a continuing intermittent beep when the audible alarm is initiated by the cpu , a beep whenever one of the keyboard &# 39 ; s keys is pressed ( i . e . an audible feedback for a pressed key ), and a continuing clicking during the pump motor operation when the pump is being calibrated . the keyboard 9 is the input terminal for entering information . the keyboard has 15 single - function and multi - function keys , including 10 keys numbered 0 through 9 ( single function ), a run / hold key ( multi - function ), a time / piggyback key ( multi - function ), a pressure key ( multi - function ), a on / off key ( single - function ), a yes key ( multi - function ), and a no key ( multi - function ). the cpu constantly scans the keyboard to detect if any key is pressed . the dot matrix display 10 consists of three led smart displays each displaying up to 4 characters ( with a total of 12 characters ). the cpu sends each display the desired characters &# 39 ; s ascii code as well as the desired character &# 39 ; s position on the display screen . the cpu also controls the dot matrix display &# 39 ; s brightness by sending an appropriate signal to the display . the power supply 11 converts the ac line - power to a dc current . the power supply produces three different voltages : 5 volts ( regulated voltage ), 12 volts ( regulated voltage ), and approximately 12 volts ( unregulated voltage ). when the on / off key on the on / off system 12 is pressed , a pulse is sent to the on / off system which then relays that information to the power supply . the on / off key is controlled separately from the other keys on the keyboard . the watchdog system 13 monitors impulses from the software to detect if the software is functioning properly . if the watchdog system detects that the software is not functioning properly , it disconnects power supply to the motor , and it illuminates the cpu indicator led on the front panel . the cpu sends the motor control drive 14 a digital code containing information on the desired motor speed . the motor control driver converts the digital code received from the cpu into analog data which is then sent to the power operational amplifier ( op - amp ). the power op - amp changes the motor speed by varying the voltage and current sent to the motor . the voltage and current sent to the motor are determined by the analog data that the power op - amp has received from the motor control driver . the motor speed control ( encoder - disk detector ) 15 which has ten holes evenly - spaced in a circle , is mounted on the end of the motor shaft . each full turn of the shaft represents ten equal steps ( 36 degrees for each step ). the motor speed control is based on a photo - interrupter ( an optical device ) which sends a pulse to the external interrupt number 1 of the cpu each time it detects an encoder - disk hole , thus providing the cpu with verification of the motor speed . fig5 shows further detail of block 1 of fig4 the microcontroller . fig5 shows schematically the logic of the microcontroller . the display decoder 1a receives an address from the cpu via the address decoder 1b and relays the data to the corresponding address of each of the three smart displays . the address decoder 1b decodes the address sent from the cpu via the address bus and then routes it to the appropriate component . the address decoder provides the chip selection for each component . the address latch 1c latches the low address buses ( a0 through a7 ) whenever the cpu requires data from an external component ( such as an eprom , ram , pia ). the infusion pump is based on the intel ™ 80c31 microcontroller 1d which contains 2 timers , 2 external interrupts , 3 internal interrupts , 128k bytes of memory divided into two pages of 64k bytes each , 128 bytes of internal ram , uart for communication ( the same as the rs - 232c communication standard ), and 4 i / o ports . the 64k byte eprom 1e stores all the software . there is a routine that checks the eprom ( a checksum ) whenever the pump is switched on . the ram &# 39 ; s 2 byte memory 1f is backed - up by the ram &# 39 ; s internal battery . the ram stores important pump information ( such as calibration parameters , infusion parameters , and the tubing specification table ). there is a routine that checks the ram whenever the pump is switched on . the p . i . a . ( programmable interface adaptor ) 1g is an expansion component that provides additional input / output ports used to control all the sub - systems located on the main pcb . these ports include : ______________________________________port a ( 8 bits ): * pa . 0 to pa . 3 is the code for the motor driver . pa . 7 is the enable for the air - in - line detector . port b ( 8 bits ): * pb . 0 to pb . 3 is the output that scans the keyboard . port c ( 6 bits ): * pc . 0 to pc . 3 is the input from the keyboard . * pc . 5 is the input from the empty battery detector . ______________________________________ the embodiments as illustrated and discussed in this specification are intended only to teach those skilled in the art the best way known by the inventor to make and use the invention . nothing in the specification should be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention . many changes could be made by those skilled in the art to produce equivalent systems without departing form the invention . the present invention should be limited only by the following claims and their legal equivalents . for example the peristaltic finger pump elements with the revolving differential cam in the preferred embodiment can be replaced in equivalent embodiments by peristaltic rotary pump elements , with a rotor with a plurality of arms , each arm having a roller attached to the end thereof , which rotor rotates inside of a chamber , the outer walls of which chamber contain an iv infusion tube such that the rollers of the rotating rotor in the chamber compress the tube in a series of constrictions moving through the tube in a peristaltic manner . fig6 shows the preferred embodiment of the revolving differential cam with the main motor shaft 61 , the peristaltic ring 62 , the clip 63 holding the rings fixed onto the shaft , and the middle spacer 64 . fig7 shows the preferred embodiment of the rotor in the chamber with the rotor 71 , the arms 72 , a roller 73 at the end of each arm , the chamber 74 , and the tube 75 .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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as shown in fig2 , the present invention , namely a base station system in a hybrid network , comprises a bsc , a tc connected with the bsc , several btss , and further comprises a bandwidth guaranteed ip network which is provided among the bsc , tc and btss . both ip mode transmission and traditional tdm mode transmission between the bsc and the tc are supported in the system , and the btss can be either btss supporting tdm transmission or btss supporting ip transmission . a detailed description will be given below to the bsc , tc and bts , respectively . as shown in fig9 , a base station controller ( bsc ) is connected between several btss and a tc under tdm mode , ip / tdm hybrid mode and ip mode , respectively , which comprises an ip / tdm mode call link controller 12 based on a base station controller body 1 , a first signaling interface controller 13 and a second signaling interface controller 11 each being connected with ip / tdm mode call link controller 12 , and an ip package forwarding unit 14 . in a breakdown , ip / tdm mode call link controller 12 is used for processing setup , handover and releasing of voice and data call links during ip transmission or ip / tdm hybrid transmission ; first signaling interface controller 13 is used for processing signaling transmission with the tc , controlling setup and releasing of switch links between voice channels at ater interfaces and voice channels at a interfaces inside the tc ; second signaling interface controller 11 is used for processing signaling and voice transmission with the btss in ip , tdm or ip / tdm hybrid mode , and controlling setup and releasing of voice channels between the btss and the tc in ip mode or ip / tdm hybrid mode ; further , the base station controller can comprise an m2ua 15 ( mtp2 user adaptive layer ) located inside a signaling no . 7 link controller of base station controller body 1 and for supporting full ip transmission within the system and assuming signaling access of ss7 between the bsc and the tc . referring to fig1 , a transcoder ( tc ) comprises a channel transform unit 22 and an ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 23 based on a transcoder body 2 , as well as a signaling no . 7 tdm / ip transform unit 21 connected with channel transform unit 22 . in a breakdown , channel transform unit 22 is used for accepting control signals from first signaling interface controller 13 of the base station controller and processing link switch between various channels at a interfaces and ater interfaces under ip , tdm or ip / tdm mode ; ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 23 is used for accepting control signals from first signaling interface controller 13 of the base station controller and packing , unpacking , receiving and sending of voice frames under ip transmission mode between the tc and the btss ; signaling no . 7 tdm / ip transform unit 21 is used for processing the switch of signaling no . 7 between tdm transmission mode and ip transmission mode . as shown in fig1 ( a ), a bts which supports ip transmission comprises a bts body 3 , an ip mode call processing unit 31 based on bts body 3 , an ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 32 , as well as an ethernet physical interface 33 connected with both ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 32 and ip mode call processing unit 31 . in a breakdown , ip mode call processing unit 31 is used for processing setup , handover and releasing of voice call links , under the control of second signaling interface controller 11 of the bsc ; ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 32 is used for packing , unpacking , receiving and sending of voice frames in ip transmission mode between the tc and the present bts . as shown in fig1 ( b ), a base transceiver station which supports ip transmission comprises a bts body 3 ′, an ip mode call processing unit 31 ′ based on bts body 3 ′, an ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 32 ′, as well as an ei - based ip transport protocol processing unit 33 ′ connected with each of ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 32 ′, ip mode call processing unit 31 ′ and an e1 physical interface 34 ′ on bts body 3 ′. in a breakdown , ip mode call processing unit 31 ′ is used for processing setup , handover and releasing of voice call links , under the control of second signaling interface controller 11 of the bsc ; ip voice / data frame receiving / sending unit 32 ′ is used for packing , unpacking , receiving and sending of voice frames in ip transmission mode between the tc and the present bts ; e1 - based ip transport protocol processing unit 33 ′ is used for transmitting ip packages between the bts and the bsc where e1 serves as a physical transmission medium . in order to solve the problem concerning ip network - based signaling transmission for an abis interface , the above - described base station system in a hybrid network employs a method of carrying a lapd ( d channel link access ) protocol on udp , thereby achieving both real - time performance and reliability of signaling transmission between the bsc and the bts . the abis interface protocol layer is as shown in the following table : in order to solve the problem concerning signaling no . 7 transmission between the tc and the bsc , the system employs an m2ua approach , thereby achieving reliable transmission of signaling no . 7 between the tc and the bsc over ip . the ip - based signaling no . 7 transport protocol layer between the tc and the bsc is as shown in the following table : to set up traditional tdm transmission at atermux ( a connect between the bsc and the tc ) in a hybrid network , the system employs the existing tcsl protocol , thereby controlling setup and releasing of switch links between a and atermux on the tc by the bsc and enabling the system to support the traditional tdm mode on atermux . the ip - based switch link control protocol layer between the tc and the bsc is as shown in the following table : to solve the problem concerning ip - based user plane transmission between the tc and the btc , the system employs an existing method of carrying the traup protocol on udp , thereby achieving reliable transmission over ip at the user plane between the tc and the bts . the ip - based user plane protocol layer between the tc and the bts is as shown in the following table : as shown in fig3 , a method of call setup during tdm mode - based transmission , which is implemented by the inventive base station system in a hybrid network , comprises the following steps : upon receipt of a call setup request from the msc , the tc transforms signaling no . 7 transmitted on the tdm mode basis into signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis and subsequently forwards signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis to the bsc ; upon receipt of a call setup request from the tc , the bsc allocates wireless resources , checks a call type , determines the mobile terminal to be located at the tdm - bts , sends to the tc a tc switch link setup request , sets up a switch link inside the bsc , and sends a wireless channel allocation request to the bts ; the system &# 39 ; s voice channel for tdm mode - based transmission is activated , whereby an uplink and a downlink are set up . as shown in fig4 , a method of call setup during ip mode - based transmission , which is implemented by the inventive base station system in a hybrid network , comprises the following steps : upon receipt of a call setup request from the msc , the tc transforms signaling no . 7 transmitted on the tdm mode basis into signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis and subsequently forwards signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis to the bsc ; upon receipt of a call setup request from the tc , the bsc allocates wireless resources , checks a call type , determines the mobile terminal to be located at the ip - bts , and sends a wireless channel allocation request to the bts ; the bts sends a voice channel connection setup request to the tc ; the system &# 39 ; s voice channel for ip mode - based transmission is activated , whereby an uplink and a downlink are set up . as shown in fig5 ( a ), a method of call handover from tdm - bts to ip - bts for a mobile terminal , which is implemented by the inventive base station system in a hybrid network , comprises the following steps for an msc - triggered call handover procedure : during the procedure of a call transmitted on the tdm mode basis , the bsc will receive an msc - triggered call handover request . upon receipt of a call handover request from the msc , the tc transforms signaling no . 7 transmitted on the tdm mode basis into signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis and subsequently forwards signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis to the bsc ; upon receipt of a call handover request from the outside , the bsc allocates wireless resources , checks a call type , determines the mobile terminal to be located at the tdm - bts , and sends a wireless channel allocation request to the ip - bts ; the ip - bts sends a voice channel connection setup request to the tc ; the system &# 39 ; s voice channel for ip mode - based transmission is activated , whereby an uplink and a downlink are set up ; the bsc sends a tc switch link releasing request to the tc , and sends a wireless channel releasing request to the tdm - bts while releasing its internal switch link . as shown in fig5 ( b ), the following steps are comprised for the procedure of a call handover triggered inside the bsc : during the procedure of a call transmitted on the tdm mode basis , upon receipt of a call handover request triggered inside the bsc , the bsc allocates wireless resources , checks a call type , determines the mobile terminal to be located at the tdm - bts , and sends a wireless channel allocation request to the ip - bts ; the ip - bts sends a voice channel connection setup request to the tc ; the system &# 39 ; s voice channel for ip mode - based transmission is activated , whereby an uplink and a downlink are set up ; the bsc sends a tc switch link releasing request to the tc , and sends a wireless channel releasing request to the tdm - bts while releasing its internal switch link . as shown in fig6 ( a ), a method of call handover from ip - bts to tdm - bts for a mobile terminal , which is implemented by the inventive base station system in a hybrid network , comprises the following steps for an msc - triggered call handover procedure : during the procedure of a call transmitted on the ip mode basis , the bsc will receive an msc - triggered call handover request . upon receipt of a call handover request from the msc , the tc transforms signaling no . 7 transmitted on the tdm mode basis into signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis and subsequently forwards signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis to the bsc ; upon receipt of a call handover request from the outside , the bsc allocates wireless resources , checks a call type , determines the mobile terminal to be located at the ip - bts , sends a tc switch link setup request to the tc while setting up an internal switch link , and subsequently sends a wireless channel allocation request to the tdm - bts ; the tdm - bts sends a voice channel connection setup request to the tc ; the system &# 39 ; s voice channel for tdm mode - based transmission is activated , whereby an uplink and a downlink are set up ; the bsc sends a wireless channel releasing request to the ip - bts , and the bts sends a switch link releasing request to the tc . as shown in fig6 ( b ), the following steps are comprised for the procedure of a call handover triggered inside the bsc : during the procedure of a call transmitted on the ip mode basis , after a call handover request is triggered inside the bsc , the bsc allocates wireless resources , checks a call type , determines the mobile terminal to be located at the ip - bts , and sends a tc switch link setup request to the tc while setting up an internal switch link , and subsequently sends a wireless channel allocation request to the tdm - bts ; the tdm - bts sends a voice channel connection setup request to the tc ; a voice channel for tdm mode - based transmission is activated , whereby an uplink and a downlink are set up ; the bsc sends a wireless channel releasing request to the ip - bts , and the bts sends a switch link releasing request to the tc . as shown in fig7 , a method of call releasing during tdm mode - based transmission , which is implemented by the inventive base station system in a hybrid network , comprises the following steps : upon receipt of a call releasing request from the msc , the tc transforms signaling no . 7 transmitted on the tdm mode basis into signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis and subsequently forwards signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis to the bsc ; upon receipt of a call releasing request from the tc , the bsc sends a wireless channel releasing request to the tdm - bts and a tc switch link releasing request to the tc and releases a switch link inside itself ; as shown in fig8 , a method of call releasing during ip mode - based transmission , which is implemented by the inventive base station system in a hybrid network , comprises the following steps : upon receipt of a call releasing request from the msc , the tc transforms signaling no . 7 transmitted on the tdm mode basis into signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis and subsequently forwards signaling no . 7 transmitted on the ip mode basis to the bsc ; upon receipt of a call releasing request from the tc , the bsc sends a wireless channel releasing request to the ip - bts ; the ip - bts sends a tc switch link releasing request to the tc ; to sum up , fundamental ideas of the present invention comprise the following : 1 . to protect the investment of providers , the impact on existing networks should be minimized . since main devices and transmission resources are at abis in bbs systems , this solution gives priority to the reduction of impact on abis . 2 . new networks should be compatible with prior tdm mode . btss and tc which operate in tdm mode and cannot be updated to ip mode ( due to the memory , cpu and other restrictions ) should be supported still . 3 . for btss which need to be updated to ip mode , it is possible with ipoe1 that original e1 transmission links need no alteration . providers can switch a mode of btss at any time ( tdm -& gt ; ip , ip -& gt ; tdm ). 4 . new transmission mode ( ethernet , xdsl . . . ) interfaces are provided for new btss , thereby making full use of ip advantages . 5 . for a connection between the bsc and the tc , the network supports both ip and traditional tdm mode , so that providers can protect original transmission resources to the greatest extent . 6 . for a connection between the bsc and the tc , since it is close to the core network and needs a lower cost for transformation , it can be deemed in principle that a bandwidth guaranteed ip network can be provided between the bsc and the tc . additionally , if providers wish to utilize original transmission networks and tc resources , traffic still can be carried over e1 in tdm mode . since all signaling ( ss7 ) will use ip mode , a new tc should provide an interface to the ip network . it should be noted that the technical solution of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense . while the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments , it is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that modification or equivalent arrangements can be made to the present invention . the scope of the claims is to encompass any modifications or partial arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the present invention .
| 7Electricity
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fig1 shows a side perspective view of a portable metal crusher 1 in operation mode . the portable metal crusher 1 includes a semi - trailer 3 and a baler 6 . the semi - trailer 3 has a gooseneck 9 , a rear frame 12 , and a belly section 15 , which supports the baler 6 . while the semi - trailer 3 portrayed in fig1 is a low - boy type , it should be noted that other types of semi - trailers may be utilized . as shown in fig1 and 2 , the rear frame 12 is supported above the ground by wheels 18 mounted on axles 19 . located within the rear frame 12 , aft of the baler 6 and above the axles 19 , are one or more plunger cylinders 24 for actuating a plunger 27 . alternatively , the one or more plunger cylinders 24 may be located aft of the baler 6 and fore of the axles 19 . as indicated in fig1 , a power plant 30 for powering and controlling the hydraulics of the portable metal crusher 1 is located on the gooseneck 9 of the semi - trailer 3 . the power plant 30 has an engine 33 , an oil reservoir 36 , a hydraulic pump 39 , a control valve manifold 42 , a control panel 43 , a fuel tank 45 , and multiple hydraulic hoses 48 that run from the control valve manifold 42 to the various hydraulic cylinders of the portable metal crusher 1 . connected to the bottom of the gooseneck 9 is a kingpin 52 for connecting the semi - trailer 3 to a semi - tractor &# 39 ; s fifth wheel ( not shown ) for transporting the portable metal crusher 1 . four stabilizers 55 for stabilizing the portable metal crusher 1 during operation mode , as shown in fig1 , are connected to the semi - trailer 3 . two stabilizers 55 are located on each side of the semi - trailer 3 , one being connected to the semi - trailer near the junction between the gooseneck 9 and the baler 6 and the other being connected to the semi - trailer 3 near the junction between the rear frame 12 and the baler 6 . the stabilizers 55 are hydraulically extended and retracted . prior to operation of the portable metal crusher 1 , the operator will extend the stabilizers 55 to stabilize the crusher 1 . prior to transporting the portable metal crusher 1 , the operator will fully retract the stabilizers 55 . the baler 6 has a top deck 60 , a pair of side shields 65 , and a baling chamber 70 , wherein loose scrap metal or auto bodies are loaded for crushing into bales of scrap metal . the baling chamber 70 includes a crush plate 75 , a fore wall 80 , an aft wall 85 , a back wall 90 , a bottom deck 95 , and a load door 100 . the crush plate 75 is vertically displaceable within the baling chamber 70 . the fore wall 80 and the aft wall 85 are rigidly connected to the back wall 90 , thereby forming three sides of the baling chamber 70 . the fore wall 80 , the aft wall 85 , and the back wall 90 are rigidly connected to the bottom deck 95 . as best shown in fig3 , the fore wall 80 has a fore guide plate 110 that has a guide slot 120 and a fore wall peak 122 . as best shown in fig4 , the aft wall 85 has a plunger 27 and an aft guide plate 130 that has a guide slot 120 and an aft wall peak 123 . the plunger 27 is horizontally displaceable within the baling chamber 70 . as shown in fig1 , the load door 100 has a top edge 135 and a bottom edge 140 , the bottom edge 140 being pivotally connected by a system of hinges 141 to the bottom deck 95 and its supporting belly section 15 of the semi - trailer 3 . a ramp 145 is removably connected to the top edge 135 of the load door 100 . a shaft 150 is rigidly connected to each corner of the top edge 135 of the load door 100 . each shaft end 155 is pivotally connected to the first end of a lower arm 160 . the second end of each lower arm 160 is pivotally connected to a first end of an upper arm 165 , forming an elbow 170 . as shown in the combination of fig1 and 5 , the second end of each upper arm 165 is pivotally connected to the arm eye 175 of an arm rotator 180 . each arm rotator 180 is pivotally connected about its fulcrum 185 to a pivot shaft 190 protruding from a wall 80 , 85 of the baler 6 . each lever eye 195 of each arm rotator 180 is pivotally connected to a piston shaft end 200 of a door cylinder 205 , the cylinder end 210 of each door cylinder 205 being connected to the semi - trailer 3 near its intersection with the walls 80 , 85 of the baler 6 . each door cylinder 205 causes its respective arm rotator 180 to pivot about its fulcrum 185 thereby causing the arms 160 , 165 to extend or retract . when the arms 160 , 165 extend , the load door 100 will pivot about the system of hinges 141 connected to the bottom edge 140 to an open position as reflected in fig1 . when the load door 100 is in its fully open position , as reflected in fig1 , the arms 160 , 165 will still not be in a fully extended , linear configuration but will form an angle at the elbow 170 that is slightly greater than 90 degrees . not fully extending the arms 160 , 165 to a straight linear configuration provides increased mechanical leverage for the arms when closing the load door 100 . when the arms 160 , 165 retract , the load door 100 will pivot about the system of hinges 141 connected to the bottom edge 140 to a closed position as reflected in fig6 . the arm rotators 180 are mechanically advantageous in that their lever action increases the closing force of the load door 100 , allowing the load door 100 to squeeze scrap metal into the baling chamber 70 . once the load door 100 reaches its fully closed position , the arms 160 , 165 will have folded into a position that is self - locking as illustrated in fig6 . fig1 shows that a side shield 65 is pivotally attached to the loading side of each fore wall 80 and aft wall 85 . as reflected in fig7 , when the portable metal crusher 1 is in transportation mode , the side shields 65 are folded in against the load door 100 , which is in its fully up position . as reflected in fig1 , when the portable metal crusher 1 is in operation mode , the side shields 65 will be unfolded to their full open positions ( i . e ., until the side shields 65 are perpendicular to the long axis of the semi - trailer 3 ), thereby allowing sufficient clearance for the load door 100 to be lowered into its loading position . the side shields 65 are locked in their full open positions by attachment rods 215 , which run from connections on the side shields 65 to connections on the semi - trailer 3 or the baler 6 . in operation mode , the side shields 65 shield an operator standing at the control valve manifold 42 from debris that may emanate from the baling chamber 70 during loading , crushing or unloading . since the load door 100 is positionable at any angle between the fully down and fully up positions , and since the side shields 65 are continuous along the full range of load door 100 positions , the combination of the load door 100 and side shields 65 form an adjustable hopper , as shown for example in fig8 . this hopper aspect of the portable metal crusher 1 is advantageous in that it prevents pieces of loose scrap metal from spilling out of the baling chamber 70 during loading of the baling chamber 70 or closing of the load door 100 . the hopper feature is also advantageous because it allows the portable metal crusher 1 to be loaded by a crane , in addition to side loading equipment like front end loaders , forklifts and skidders . as can be seen in fig1 , the load door 100 in its fully down position lays nearly flat on the ground . this feature allows the upper surface of the load door 100 and the bottom deck 95 to be relatively parallel and to form an essentially level continuous surface . this continuous level surface is advantageous because it allows a front end loader to simply approach and remove a bale from the baling chamber 70 with the loader arms low and the tines of the loader head relatively level , as opposed to having to raise and extend the loader &# 39 ; s arms and tilt the loader &# 39 ; s head in order to pick up the bale . the continuous level surface makes bale removal easier and safer for the loader operator , keeping the bale &# 39 ; s mass as low and close to the loader &# 39 ; s center of gravity as possible during the bale &# 39 ; s removal from the baling chamber 70 . as illustrated in fig1 , the ability of the load door 100 to lay nearly flat on the ground is a result of the bottom deck 95 being in close proximity to the ground . as shown in fig1 and 9 , the belly section 15 of the semi - trailer 3 provides the structural support for the bottom deck 95 . because the belly section 15 is the low part of the low - boy type semi - trailer 3 and is constructed of structural members 218 having relatively small vertical cross - sectional dimensions , the bottom deck 95 is located in close proximity to the ground level . as shown in fig1 , a top deck 60 has two deck cylinder mounts 220 and two crush plate cylinders 225 . a cylinder mount pin 230 secures each crush plate cylinder 225 to its respective deck cylinder mount 220 . each crush plate cylinder 225 is independently operable and the piston shaft end 228 of each vertical piston 229 ( see fig1 and 18 ) emanating from each crush plate cylinder 225 is pivotally connected to the top of the crush plate 75 , thereby allowing one end of the crush plate 75 to be extended down below the other end for selective leverage tilting of the crush plate 75 . to facilitate selective leverage tilting of the crush plate 75 , the crush plate ends 235 are sloped towards the center of the crush plate 75 , thereby providing the necessary clearance between walls 80 , 85 when the crush plate 75 is in a tilted position ( see fig1 and 14 ). as reflected in fig1 and 14 , a crush plate gooseneck 236 extends from each crush plate end 235 and is slidably engaged within the guide slot 120 in the fore and aft guide plates 110 , 130 . the interaction of the crush plate goosenecks 236 with the guide slots 120 prevents the crush plate 75 from being displaced horizontally as the crush plate 75 is displaced vertically by the crush plate cylinders 225 . as shown in fig1 , 11 and 14 , a top deck gooseneck 237 extends from the fore and aft ends of the top deck 60 and is slidably engaged within the guide slot 120 in the fore and aft guide plates 110 , 130 . the interaction of the top deck goosenecks 237 with the guide slots 120 prevents the top deck 60 from being displaced horizontally as the top deck 60 is displaced vertically by the crush plate cylinders 225 . as illustrated in fig1 and 11 , each wall peak 122 , 123 has a pair of saddles 238 located on its top , a single saddle 238 being located adjacent to each side of the guide slot 120 . a pin hole 239 penetrates each top deck gooseneck 237 . when the top deck 60 is in its fully up , operational position ( as reflected in fig1 ), a peak pin 240 is inserted in the pin hole 239 and rests in the saddles 238 . the peak pin 240 then supports the top deck 60 from the wall peaks 122 , 123 . a push pin 241 may be used to insert the peak pin 240 into the pin hole 239 . the push pin 241 may be operated by hand or may be mechanized via mechanical or hydraulic means . as indicated in fig1 , horizontal plates 242 extend horizontally from the guide plates 110 , 130 . a guide hole 243 penetrates each horizontal plate 242 . guide pins 244 , which extend up from the top deck 60 , protrude up through the guide holes 243 when the top deck 60 is in its fully up , operational position ( as reflected in fig1 ). when the guide pins 244 are engaged in the guide holes 243 , the top of the top deck 60 encounters the bottom of the horizontal plates 242 , thereby preventing the top deck 60 from being displaced upwards by the crush plate cylinders 225 during crushing operations . to illustrate the transformation of the portable metal crusher 1 from transport mode to operation mode , fig1 , 7 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 will be addressed . as illustrated in fig7 , the portable metal crusher 1 will be towed in transport mode to a metal salvage location by a semi - tractor 245 and positioned as desired . as reflected in fig7 and 12 , when the portable metal crusher 1 is in transport mode , the stabilizers 55 will be in their fully retracted positions , the load door 100 will be in its fully up position , the side shields 65 will be folded against the load door 100 and the top deck 60 and the crush plate cylinders 225 will be recessed within the baling chamber 70 so that the crush plate is supported by removable supports 246 . next , as shown in fig1 , the stabilizers 55 will be fully extended to support the portable metal crusher 1 after which the semi - tractor 245 may be detached . the side shields 65 are then unfolded to their full open positions and secured in place by the attachment rods 215 . the load door 100 is then fully lowered . now the interior of the baling chamber is visible and appears as reflected in fig1 . as illustrated in fig1 , the crush plate 75 is still supported by removable supports 246 . the vertical pistons 229 of the crush plate cylinders 225 press against the crush plate 75 and raise the top deck 60 to its fully up , operational position at the top of the baling chamber 70 . as the top deck 60 rises , the top deck goosenecks 237 slide within the guide slots 120 , ensuring that the displacement of the top deck 60 is strictly vertical . as shown in fig1 , as the top deck 60 nears its fully up operational position , the guide pins 244 will penetrate the guide holes 243 , thereby ensuring proper alignment for insertion of the peak pins 240 . once the top deck 60 is in its fully up operational position with the guide pins 244 properly located within the guide holes 243 , the upward displacement of the top deck 60 will be arrested because the top of the top deck 60 will encounter the bottom of the horizontal plates 242 . the peak pins 240 are now inserted into the pin holes 239 by hand or by using the push pin 241 . the peak pins 240 rest in the saddles 238 located on top of each wall peak 122 , 123 . the top deck 60 is now supported by and secured to the walls 80 , 85 ( see fig1 , 10 and 11 ). the vertical pistons 229 are then retracted , bringing the crush plate 75 up to the bottom of the top deck 60 . as the crush plate 75 rises , the crush plate goosenecks 236 slide within the guide slots 120 , ensuring that the displacement of the crush plate 75 is strictly vertical . the removable supports 246 are then removed . the baling chamber 70 is now configured as illustrated in fig1 . the portable metal crusher 1 has now been fully converted from transportation to operation mode and appears as indicated in fig1 . the portable metal crusher 1 is now ready to bale scrap metal . to convert the portable metal crusher 1 back to transportation mode , the above steps are reversed . to illustrate the operation of the portable metal crusher 1 , fig6 , 8 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 and 19 will be addressed . with the portable metal crusher 1 configured as illustrated in fig1 and 14 , an automobile 250 ( or other scrap ) is loaded into the baling chamber 70 by a front - end loader , forklift , skidder or crane . the loaded baling chamber now appears as shown in fig1 and 16 . alternatively , if loose scrap is to be loaded into the baling chamber 70 , the load door 100 may be positioned to form a hopper as reflected in fig8 . once the baling chamber 70 has been loaded with an automobile 250 and / or loose scrap metal , the first crushing stage can occur . the door cylinders 205 will pivot the arm rotators 180 , causing the arms 160 , 165 to retract . the retracting arms 160 , 165 will cause the load door 100 to pivot about its system of hinges 141 to the fully closed position , forcing the load door 100 against the automobile 250 , reducing it to a crushed automobile 251 in the lateral axis as illustrated in fig6 and 17 . in one embodiment , the load door 100 is configured to create a crushed automobile 251 having a four foot lateral dimension . the second crushing stage is then employed . as shown in fig1 , the vertical pistons 229 force the crush plate 75 down against the crushed automobile 251 , crushing it in the vertical axis . in one embodiment , this second crushing stage reduces the crushed automobile 251 to a height of two feet . in one embodiment , a third crushing stage then takes place with the plunger pistons 255 forcing the plunger 27 in the longitudinal axis against the crushed automobile 251 forming a bale 260 ( see fig1 ). in one embodiment , the third crushing stage reduces the length of the crushed automobile to twelve feet . in another embodiment , the final length of the crushed automobile 251 ( or loose scrap ), is dependent upon the pressure within the hydraulic cylinder and within the baling chamber 70 . the plunger 27 and crush plate 75 then return to their starting positions as reflected in fig1 , the load door 100 opens to its fully down position as shown in fig1 , and the bale 260 is removed by a front - end loader , forklift , skidder or crane . the portable metal crusher 1 is now ready to process another load of scrap metal . the portable metal crusher 1 is fully controllable from the control valve manifold 42 or from the control panel 43 ( see fig1 ). the portable metal crusher is also fully controllable from a hand held remote control 261 , which utilizes any form of wireless communication such as radio frequency , infra - red , or any other technique known in the art , to communicate with the control panel 43 mounted on the gooseneck 9 of the portable metal crusher 1 . the portable metal crusher 1 is fully automated . for example , by pressing a single button on the control panel 43 or the remote control 261 , the crush plate 75 and the plunger 27 will return to their retracted positions as reflected in fig1 , 14 and 15 , and the load door 100 will fully open . by pressing another button , the three stage crushing cycle will begin as narrated above and reflected in fig1 , 18 and 19 . pressing yet another button will stop the portable metal crusher 1 in any cycle . the portable metal crusher 1 may be programmed to exert different crush pressures , thereby being capable of producing bales of different densities . also , the portable metal crusher 1 may be programmed to produce bales of varying length . the above - programmed operations are given as examples only and other operations may be programmed . although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments , persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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before beginning a detailed description of the subject invention , mention of the following is in order . when appropriate , like reference materials and characters are used to designate identical , corresponding , or similar components in differing figure drawings . the figure drawings associated with this disclosure typically are not drawn with dimensional accuracy to scale , i . e ., such drawings have been drafted with a focus on clarity of viewing and understanding rather than dimensional accuracy . in the interest of clarity , not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are shown and described . it will , of course , be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation , numerous implementation - specific decisions must be made in order to achieve the developer &# 39 ; s specific goals , such as compliance with application - and business - related constraints , and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another . moreover , it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time - consuming , but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure . fig1 . depicts the component parts of an exemplary system 100 for reading an encoded value using the method of the current invention . a sensor assembly 110 is connected to a processor 150 , which also connects to a program memory 160 and a data memory 170 . the sensor assembly 110 comprises a multiplicity of sensor elements including a conductive reference element 120 which is preferentially a half disk , and a plurality of conductive sensor elements 130 , 140 which are preferentially arcuate segments disposed so that the axis of half - disk sensor element 120 is coincident with the axis of arcuate segments 130 , 140 . each of the elements 120 , 130 , 140 of sensor assembly 110 is electrically connected to processor 150 . under control of program instructions stored in program memory 160 , processor 150 reads sensors elements 130 , 140 in sequence , in each case reading the capacitance between the sensor element and the reference element 120 . processor 150 converts the sensor readings , using calibration data stored in data memory 140 , into an identity value that is reported to an external device through communication channel 150 . one skilled in the art will recognize that program memory 160 and data memory 170 can be any type of memory including solid state , optical , magnetic , or other memory means ; furthermore , program memory 160 and data memory 170 could be logical divisions of physical memory locating within a single memory system . in the exemplary system two sensor elements are depicted , however , three or more sensor elements may be included in sensor assembly 110 to allow decoding of a greater number of combinations of indicia . fig2 shows in perspective view the assembly of the components of a sensor assembly onto a non - conductive substrate 200 . within a circular raised ring 210 on the substrate 200 , the conductive reference element 120 and conductive sensor elements 130 , 140 are disposed so that the axes of reference element 120 and sensor elements 130 , 140 are coincident with the axis of circular raised ring 210 . a non - conductive shield 220 is placed over the elements 120 , 130 , 140 , within the raised ring 210 . for clarity , the electrical connections of elements 120 , 130 , 140 are not shown . fig3 depicts an exemplary game piece for use with system 100 . the game piece 300 , depicted in an inverted position , comprises a non - conductive body 310 with a flat bottom surface 320 upon which are arranged conductive indicia in a multiplicity of fixed positions 330 , 340 . indicia may be emplaced at some or all of the multiplicity of fixed positions 330 , 340 , whereby the number and placement of the indicia uniquely encodes the identity of the game piece . fig4 shows in greater detail the relationship between game piece 300 and sensor assembly 110 when determining the presence and identify of game piece 300 by the inventive method . game piece 300 is placed by a player within ring 210 , which confines it position over the location of sensor assembly 110 . indicia at locations 330 , 340 are thereby brought into proximity with reference element 120 and sensor elements 130 , 140 , with a fixed spacing between indicia 330 , 340 and elements 120 , 130 , 140 maintained by non - conductive shield 220 . the relationship between indicia locations 330 , 340 and sensor elements 120 , 130 , 140 is shown schematically in fig5 , which shows a schematic plan view of these elements to depict their spatial relationship . a conductive indicium at position 330 spans the gap between conductive reference element 120 and conductive sensor element 130 , thereby modifying the capacitance measured between reference element 120 and sensor element 130 ; similarly , a conductive indicium at location 140 spans the gap between reference element 120 and sensor element 140 , thereby modifying the capacitance measured between reference element 120 and sensor element 140 . the presence or absence of indicia at locations 330 , 340 will determine the capacitance measured by processor 150 when determining the identity of game piece 300 . because of the circular symmetry of indicia at locations 330 , 340 and the positional relationship between indicia locations 330 , 340 and sensor elements 120 , 130 , 140 , the measured capacitance for each sensor element is independent of the rotation orientation of game piece 300 . while the embodiment portrayed in fig4 uses a raised ring to confine the position of the game piece , alternative methods of positioning the game piece relative to the sensor may be employed . for example , the sensor assembly 110 may be emplaced in a circular depression in substrate 200 , or a series of pins or posts might be substituted for raised ring 210 , or magnets might be incorporated into substrate 200 underlying sensor 210 and into game piece 300 . any of these or other alternative methods could be employed to ensure that game piece 300 is disposed coaxially with sensor assembly 110 when determining the presence and identity of the game piece , without departing from the spirit and intention of the invention . processor 150 can measure the capacitance of the various sensor elements 130 , 140 , without requiring additional external switching circuitry , thereby reducing the complexity of system 100 . fig6 depicts an exemplary procedure 400 by which the identity of a game piece is determined . at a first step 410 the identity value is set to 0 , and measurement starts at the first sensor . at a further step 420 , the sensor is read . at a further step 430 , the sensor reading is converted to a number , either 0 indicating the absence of an indicium at this sensor position , or 1 indicating the presence of an indicium at this position . the conversion at step 430 is made using calibration tables stored in data memory 170 . at a further step 440 the number derived at step 430 is added to the identity value . at a further step 450 a test is made to determine if more sensors remain to be read . if more sensors remain to be read , at a further step 460 the identity value is multiplied by two . at a further step 470 , the next sensor is selected , and processing continues at step 420 . when all sensors have been read , at a further step 480 the identity value is output , signaling the identity of the game piece . preferentially a game piece will have at least one indicium emplaced on the bottom surface , so that executing step 430 , processor 150 will measure a 1 value for at least one sensor , thereby minimizing the chance of a false determination of the presence of a game piece . thus , for a sensor assembly 110 with n sensor elements , the number of unique codes that can be differentiated is ( 2 raised to the n - th power ) minus 1 . fig7 depicts an alternative embodiment of the inventive system in which indicia of multiple sizes are used at fixed locations 330 , 340 to encode the identity of a game piece . in the left panel , indicia of a first width 500 , 501 are emplaced over the sensor elements 120 , 130 , 140 . in the right panel , an indicium of a different width 502 is emplaced over sensor element 130 . in this alternative embodiment , the identity of the game piece is determined by detecting both the presence and character of indicia . the use of indicia of multiple sizes allows for the differentiation of a greater number of unique codes , thereby reducing the number of sensor elements to differentiate among a fixed number of unique game pieces . it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the foregoing description of exemplary implementations is intended only to provide examples of the use of the invention , and is not a limitation upon the possible uses of the invention . other similar embodiments could be designed or modified to utilize the features of this description without departing from the spirit and intention of this invention . those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications and changes may be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the claimed invention . it will , of course , be understood that modifications of the invention , in its various aspects , will be apparent to those skilled in the art , some being apparent only after study , others being matters of routine mechanical , chemical and electronic design . no single feature , function or property of the preferred embodiment is essential . other embodiments are possible , their specific designs depending upon the particular application . as such , the scope of the invention should not be limited by the particular embodiments herein described but should be defined only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof .
| 6Physics
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the exemplary embodiments may be further understood with reference to the following description of the exemplary embodiments and the related appended drawings , wherein like elements are provided with the same reference numerals . the exemplary embodiments are related to an exercise apparatus . the exercise apparatus according to the present invention enables three degrees of freedom of movement of plate - loaded assemblies for upper and lower - body dumbbell pressing exercises including , but not limited to , flat / incline / decline bench press exercise , dumbbell overhead press exercise , squat lunge exercise , deadlift exercise , all whilst ensuring the safety of an exerciser . fig1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of an exercise apparatus 100 according to the present invention . the exercise apparatus 100 includes a first base member 1 and a second base member 2 . the first base member 1 is joined to a first vertical strut 3 and a second vertical strut 6 . the second base member 2 is joined to a third vertical strut 4 and a fourth vertical strut 5 . upper ends of the first vertical strut 3 and the second vertical strut 6 are joined to a first cross strut 7 . similarly , upper ends of the third vertical strut 4 and the fourth vertical strut 5 are joined to a second cross strut 8 . the first cross strut 7 and the second cross strut 8 extend towards a center of the exercise apparatus 100 , where they are joined . a first lateral horizontal back - and - forth rail 9 extends between the first vertical strut 3 and the second vertical strut 6 . similarly , a second lateral horizontal back - and - forth rail 10 extends between the third strut 4 and the fourth strut 5 . a first handle 29 and a second handle 30 are slidably mounted on a first guide rail 31 and a second guide rail 32 , respectively , thus allowing a vertical movement up and down . immediately above the first handle 29 is a first plate hanger 27 , while a second plate hanger 28 is immediately above the second handle 30 . weight plates ( not shown ) may be slid onto the plate hangers 27 , 28 . a bench 50 ( optional ) may be situated in a lower middle of the exercise apparatus 100 . furthermore , rest plate hangers 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 may be attached to any of the vertical struts 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 to hold a variety of different weight plates . in an alternate exemplary embodiment of the present invention , the plate hangers 27 , 28 may be positioned below the handles 29 , 30 or , alternately , the plate hangers 27 , 28 and the handles 29 , 30 may be on the same horizontal plane . those skilled in the art would understand that the plate hangers 27 , 28 and the handles 29 , 30 may be composed of a single body or two joined bodies . referring to fig2 and 3 , the top of the first guide rail 31 is connected to a first horizontal left - and - right slider 17 and the top of the second guide rail 32 is connected to a second horizontal left - and - right slider 18 . as will be understood by those skilled in the art , each of the first and second guide rails 31 , 32 and each of the first and second sliders 17 , 18 may be formed as a single body or as multiple bodies . the first slider 17 is slidably mounted on a first pair of horizontal left - to - right guide rails 15 , 16 and the second slider 18 is slidably mounted on a second pair of horizontal left - to - right guide rails 13 , 14 ; thus , allowing horizontal movement left - and - right of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . in an alternative exemplary embodiment , a first single horizontal guide rail may be used instead of the first pair of horizontal guide rails 15 , 16 and a second single horizontal guide rail may be used instead of the second pair of horizontal guide rails 13 , 14 . those skilled in the art would understand that the shape of the first and second single horizontal guide rails would determine whether the first and second sliders 17 , 18 may rotate in addition to sliding . it should be noted that while the first pair of horizontal guide rails 15 , 16 and the second pair of horizontal guide rails 13 , 14 are is set as being substantially parallel to a horizontal plane , those skilled in the art would understand that circumstances may require for the first pair of horizontal guide rails 15 , 16 and the second pair of horizontal guide rails 13 , 14 to deviate from the horizontal plane . the ends of the first pair of guide rails 15 , 16 are connected to a first traveling member 11 , while the opposite ends of the first pair of guide rails 15 , 16 are connected to a second traveling member 20 . similarly , the ends of the second pair of guide rails 13 , 14 are connected to a third traveling member 12 , while the opposite ends of the second pair of guide rails 13 , 14 are connected to a fourth traveling member 19 . this forms a first transverse support system . the first member 11 is slidably mounted on the first lateral rail 9 . the second member 20 is slidably mounted on the rail formed by the first cross strut 7 . the third member 12 is slidably mounted on the second lateral rail 10 . the fourth member 19 is slidably mounted on the rail formed by the second cross strut 8 . the first lateral rail 9 , the second lateral rail 10 , the rail formed by the first cross strut 7 , and the rail formed by the second cross strut 8 form a second transverse support system . this allows for independent lateral back - and - forth movement of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . those skilled in the art would understand that alternate configurations may be used to form the second transverse support system . fig4 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of an exercise apparatus 200 according to the present invention . the exercise apparatus 200 utilizes rollers instead of sliding joints . fig5 shows a detailed view of an upper structure of the exercise apparatus 200 . a first roller 39 connects the first member 11 to the first lateral rail 9 . a second roller 40 connects the third member 12 to the second lateral rail 10 . a third roller 33 connects the second member 20 to the rail formed by the first cross strut 7 . a fourth roller 34 connects the fourth member 19 to the rail formed by the second cross strut 8 . this allows for independent lateral back - and - forth movement of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . a fifth roller 35 and a sixth roller 36 connect the first slider 17 to the first pair of horizontal guide rails 15 , 16 . a seventh roller 37 and an eighth roller 38 connect the second slider 18 to the second pair of horizontal guide rails 13 , 14 . this allows for independent horizontal left - and - right movement of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . the fifth roller 35 and the sixth roller 36 are situated inside first slider 17 , while the seventh roller 37 and the eighth roller 38 are situated inside second slider 18 . while fig4 and 5 show a single roller on each guide rail , those skilled in the art would understand that multiple rollers per guide rail may be used instead . referring to fig4 , each of the guide rails 31 , 32 may have multiple holes 43 spanning a portion of the length of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . the holes 43 may be used for inserting a pin ( not shown ). the pin may prevent the handles 29 , 30 from sliding below a predetermined height set by the pin . the holes 43 may be of any shape , including , but not limited to , circular , triangular or rectangular . fig6 shows a detailed view of the first roller 39 connecting to the first member 11 to the first lateral rail 9 . as mentioned above , this allows for independent lateral back - and - forth movement of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . fig7 shows a detailed view of the third roller 33 connecting the second member 20 to the rail formed by the first cross strut 7 and the fourth roller 34 connecting the fourth member 19 to the rail formed by the second cross strut 8 . as previously mentioned , this allows for independent lateral back - and - forth movement of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . fig8 shows a detailed view of the fifth roller 37 and sixth roller 38 connecting the second horizontal slider 18 to the second pair of horizontal guide rails 13 , 14 . as previously mentioned , this allows for independent horizontal left - and - right movement of each of the guide rails 31 , 32 . in addition , a detailed view of the second roller 40 connecting the third member 12 to the second lateral rail 10 is shown . fig9 and 10 show an exemplary utilization of the exercise apparatus 100 according to the present invention . in particular , fig9 and 10 demonstrate starting and ending positions of the dumbbell bench press exercise . during a concentric phase ( i . e ., a pushing phase ) of the dumbbell bench pressing exercise , ergonomics require for the exerciser to bring his palms toward a center of the body . this requires the horizontal left - and - right movement of the first handle 29 and the second handle 30 . when performing a flat bench press exercise , the exerciser may choose to place a flat bench in the center of the exercise apparatus 100 , and load desirable amount of weight plates onto the first plate hanger 27 and the second plate hanger 28 . the exerciser may start pushing the dumbbells upward , with the plate assembly sliding along the first and second guide rails 31 , 32 . throughout the pressing movement , the first pair of guide rails 13 , 14 and the second pair of guide rails 15 , 16 will allow the exerciser to bring his palms close together . meanwhile , each one of the lateral rails 9 , 10 and each one of the travelling members 11 , 12 add to the freedom of movements , allowing the exerciser to work out the surrounding small muscle groups called stabilizing muscles . the iso - lateral design ( i . e ., the separation of the left weight load from the right ), allows the exerciser to move either arm independently , prompting the exerciser to develop a balanced physique and muscularity . fig1 and 12 show another exemplary utilization of the exercise apparatus 100 according to the present invention . in particular , fig1 and 12 demonstrate starting and ending positions of the shoulder press exercise . similar to the dumbbell bench pressing exercise shown in fig9 and 10 , during a concentric phase of the exercise , ergonomics require that the exerciser bring his palms toward the center of the body . this requires the horizontal left - and - right movement of the first handle 29 and the second handle 30 . when performing the shoulder press exercise , the exerciser may choose to place an upright bench in the center of the exercise apparatus 100 , and load desirable amount of weight plates onto the plate hangers 27 , 28 . the exerciser may start pushing the dumbbells upward , with the plate assembly sliding along the first and second guide rails 31 , 32 . throughout the pressing movement , the first pair of guide rails 13 , 14 and the second pair of guide rails 15 , 16 will allow the exerciser to bring his palms closer together . meanwhile , each one of the rails 9 , 10 and each one of the travelling members 11 , 12 add to the freedom of movements , allowing the exerciser to work out the stabilizing muscles . again , the iso - lateral design allows the exerciser to move either arm independently . fig1 and 14 show yet another exemplary utilization of the exercise apparatus 200 according to the present invention . in particular , fig1 and 14 demonstrate the starting and ending positions of the incline bench press exercise . similar to the dumbbell bench pressing exercise shown in fig9 and 10 , during a concentric phase of the exercise , the exerciser brings his palms toward the center of the body . this requires the horizontal left - and - right movement of the first handle 29 and the second handle 30 . when performing the incline bench press , the exerciser may choose to place an incline bench in the center of the exercise apparatus 200 , and load desirable amount of weight plates onto the plate hangers 27 , 28 . the exerciser may start pushing the dumbbells upward , with the plate assembly sliding along the first and second guide rails 31 , 32 . throughout the pressing movement , the first pair of guide rails 13 , 14 and the second pair of guide rails 15 , 16 will allow the exerciser to bring his palms closer together . meanwhile , each one of the rails 9 , 10 and each one of the travelling members 11 , 12 add to the freedom of movements , allowing the exerciser to work out the stabilizing muscles . again , the iso - lateral design allows the exerciser to move either arm independently . fig1 and 16 show a further exemplary utilization of the exercise apparatus 100 according to the present invention . in particular , fig1 and 16 demonstrate the starting and ending positions of the squat lunge exercise , which requires back - and - forth movement as the exerciser alternatingly lunges forward on each leg . the first and second lateral guide rails 9 , 10 and first and second members 11 , 12 allow the exerciser to move in a back - and - forth direction . in contrast to the exercises described above , it is the first pair of guide rails 13 , 14 and the second pair of guide rails 15 , 16 which add the freedom of movement during the squat lunge exercise , allowing the exerciser to work out the surrounding small muscle groups called stabilizing muscles . as can be seen in fig1 and 16 , this exercise does not require the optional bench 50 ; thus , the bench 50 is removed or is not placed prior to the squat lunge exercise . one of the advantages of the present invention is that an exemplary embodiment achieves a safe simulation of heavy dumbbells exercise with three degrees of freedom of movement can be achieved . this is advantageous over the smith machine , which offers only one degree of freedom , and the dual action machine , which offers only two degrees of freedom . further , if an exerciser is having difficulty completing an exercise , the present invention prevents injury to the exerciser because the first guide rail 31 and second guide rail 32 can be adjusted to a suitable length so that weight plate assemblies will stop once they reach the bottom of the guide rails 31 , 32 . alternatively , if the pins and the holes 43 along the first guide rail 31 and the second guide rail 32 are utilized , each of the pins will prevent each of the handles 29 , 30 from sliding below a predetermined height . another one of the advantages of the present invention is the capability to develop smaller muscles groups ( i . e ., stabilizing muscles ) while ensuring safety as described above . the development of the stabilizing muscles is achieved by utilizing the three degrees of freedom of the present invention and permits either arm to exercise independently of the other while preventing each of the handles 29 , 30 from sliding below a predetermined height . yet another one of the advantages of the present invention is that each one of the rollers 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 may reduce friction and increase the lifespan of the 100 / 200 . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments , without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents .
| 0Human Necessities
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the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention , its application , or uses . referring now to fig1 a multiple shaft seal arrangement according to the present invention is shown and designated with the reference numeral 10 . the multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 is positioned between a wall 26 and a shaft 20 to seal the internal environment 50 on one side of the wall 26 from the external environment 46 on a second side of the wall 26 . multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 allows shaft 20 to rotate within wall 26 while minimizing the amount of matter 48 that passes from external environment 46 to internal environment 50 . the multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 generally includes a flinger 12 , a face seal 14 and a seal 16 . the finger 12 includes a disc 18 , external cup area 22 , and a mounting area 28 . the disc 18 is mounted on and extends radially from the shaft 20 . the external cup area 22 is at a radially outward portion of disc 18 and is positioned in close proximity to the inside diameter of aperture 24 . the close proximity of external cup area 22 to the inside diameter of aperture 24 provides a minimal gap to enable rotation of the shaft while preventing material from passing through the gap . external cup area 22 preferably extends away from disc area 18 in a direction along the inside diameter of aperture 24 . as a result , a large surface of external cup area 22 faces the inside diameter of aperture 24 . this , helps to reduce the amount of matter that passes between external cup area 22 and the inside diameter of aperture 24 . however , alternate designs and arrangements may be used other than the external cup disclosed in the present application . or , no external cup may be used if so desired . shaft mounting flange 28 extends radially inward from the disc area 18 . shaft mounting flange 28 preferably extends along shaft 20 to provide a surface for a press fit attachment between the flinger 12 and shaft 20 . shaft mounting flange 28 supports face seal 14 on an interior surface . face seal 14 is preferably made of rubber and has a mounting portion 30 and a seal lip 32 . mounting portion 30 is preferably elastic and is able to be stretched over the outer diameter of shaft mounting flange 28 . accordingly , mounting portion 30 elastically presses against the shaft mounting flange 28 to create increased friction between the mounting portion 30 and shaft mounting flange 28 to maintain the face seal 14 as part of the flinger 12 . the mounting portion 30 may be attached to a back side of the disc area 18 and also to interior surface of shaft mounting flange 28 . such attachment may be accomplished by adhesion , glue or any other known means . moreover , mounting portion 30 may be attached to either the disc area 18 or the shaft mounting flange 28 and not attached to both . furthermore , mounting portion 30 can be attached to flinger 12 by any other known means and is not limited to the description disclosed herein . seal lip 32 is conically shaped and extends away from the mounting portion 30 . preferably , seal lip 32 and mounting portion 30 are formed as a one piece unit . as will be discussed in greater detail , seal lip 32 is pressed against seal 16 such that seal lip 32 exhibits an elastic force against seal 16 . seal 16 includes a bracket portion 34 ( preferably made of metal ), a seal area 36 , and a spring 42 . bracket portion 34 has a cup area 38 and a support 40 . cup area 38 has an outside diameter that press fits into the aperture 24 . this serves to mount the entire seal 16 in the wall 26 . support 40 extends radially inward from the cup area 38 . seal area 36 is attached to support 40 by adhesion , glue or other known means of attachment . spring 42 extends around an outer circumference of the seal area 36 to press the lip 52 against the outer surface of the shaft 20 . this provides a fluid barrier and sealing action from one side of the multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 to the other . it is noted that seal 16 can be any type of oil seal known in the art including a single lip or double lip oil seal . grease or another similar substance is positioned within the space 44 , defined by wall 26 , flinger 12 , face seal 14 , and seal 16 . as will be discussed , the grease or other substance within space 44 helps prohibit material from passing from one side of multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 to the other . when assembled , flinger 12 is press fit onto an outer surface of shaft 20 and rotates with shaft 20 . as mounting portion 30 of face seal 14 is also attached to flinger 12 , it also rotates with the rotation of shaft 20 and flinger 12 . seal 16 is press fit into aperture 24 of wall 26 . therefore , seal 16 is rotationally fixed and does not rotate with shaft 20 . instead , lip 52 slides against the outer surface of shaft 20 . in operation , shaft 20 is rotated , causing rotation of flinger 12 and face seal 14 . the disc area 18 of flinger 12 , by centrifugal force , throws matter 48 away from the disc area 18 as shown in fig4 . this removes matter from the general area of multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 . additionally , the centrifugal force throws the grease to the outermost area of the flinger , thereby plugging up the gap between the cup portion 22 and wall surface 24 . this , again , helps minimize the amount of matter that passes through the gap . due to the rotation of shaft 20 with respect to wall 26 , some space must exist between shaft 20 and the wall 26 . multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 serves to minimize this space and reduce the possibility of matter , such as matter 48 , from traveling from external environment 46 to internal environment 50 . however , a path still exists as illustrated by the arrows in areas 54 , 56 , 58 and 60 , which also represents the large number of areas that matter must pass through to get to internal environment 50 . this large number of areas is generally created by all the elements in the multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 . the large number of areas through which the matter 48 must pass makes it difficult for matter 48 to pass to internal environment 50 . specifically , matter must first pass through area 54 . here , matter must pass between the small space provided between external cup area 22 and aperture 24 . as a further barrier at area 54 , the rotational energy of disc area 18 throws matter 48 away from the general area of disc area 18 . also , space 44 is filled with grease or other material . therefore , matter 48 must pass through the entire area of grease before even arriving at area 56 . next , matter 48 must pass through area 56 . here , the elastic force of seal lip 32 against support 40 creates an additional barrier which matter 48 must pass through . if matter 48 manages to pass through area 54 , the grease in space 44 and area 56 , it must next pass through areas 58 and 60 . at area 60 , the tightening force of spring 42 clamps lip 52 against the outer surface of shaft 20 to create a further barrier . accordingly , multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 according to the present invention creates a substantial barrier to prevent matter 48 from passing from external environment 46 to internal environment 50 . with respect to fig2 a speed reducer 62 is shown having shafts 20 a and 20 b passing through housing 64 . the walls of housing 64 operate as wall 26 in fig1 and the multiple shaft seal arrangement 10 serves to allow rotation of shafts 20 a and 20 b while maintaining matter external to the housing 64 from entering the speed reducer 62 . referring now to fig3 and 5 , the assembly of the present invention is shown and described . in step 68 of fig5 the face seal 14 is first attached to the flinger 12 by any of the methods described previously . next , the shaft 20 is positioned in the housing bore in step 70 . however , it is noted that the order of steps 68 and 70 can be reversed or the operations can be performed simultaneously . the positioning of the shaft 20 in step 70 places the shaft 20 at the proper location in the aperture 24 . the seal 16 is then pressed into the aperture from the external environment as the internal environment is preferably sealed by this point by the wall 26 . the seal is preferably pressed into the aperture 24 to a predetermined recessed distance from the outer surface of the wall 26 . the amount of this recess is selected to distance the face seal 14 from the oil seal such that the seal lip 32 is pressed against the seal 16 , while at the same time , the recess is also selected to position the flinger close enough to the outside of the wall 26 to ensure that the minimal gap exists between the outer diameter of the flinger 12 and the inside diameter of the aperture . more specifically , the recess preferably positions the outside surface of the flinger 12 flush with the outside surface of the wall 26 . as a result , the flinger 12 does not stick out from the wall 26 and allow matter to pass therebetween . however , it is noted that variations in the dimensions of the recess can exist , and that the present application is not limited to that disclosed herein . accordingly , in step 74 , the flinger 12 and face seal 14 , as an assembled unit , is pressed onto shaft 20 . preferably , between steps 72 and 74 , grease 44 is filled between flinger 12 and face seal 14 . however , it is noted that grease 44 is not a necessary element and it may be omitted . accordingly , in the above described invention , a sealing arrangement is provided that minimizes the amount of contaminants or dirt that may pass from one side of a wall to another where the wall contains a rotating shaft . the description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and , thus , variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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fig1 shows the interaction between a client device 140 and a social networking system 100 . an individual may be a member of the social networking system 100 and a user of the client device 140 . the social networking system 100 stores a social graph 108 that includes information about users , objects , and connections among the users and objects . the client device 140 includes one or more third - party applications 146 and a local social networking application 142 . a third - party application 146 is provided and maintained by an entity other than the provider of the social networking system 100 . the local social networking application 142 is executed on the client device 140 and relays information between the third - party applications 146 and the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 is embedded in another application capable of communicating with the social networking system 100 such as a web browser application . for example , the local social networking application 142 may be a web browser plug - in . the local social networking application may be provided by the social networking system and installed on the client device 140 by a user of the client device . the local social networking application 142 includes an application programming interface ( api ) 144 that enables communication with the third - party application 146 . an api is an interface implemented by a software program that enables it to interact with other programs . the third - party application 146 may receive a user &# 39 ; s information several ways . in some embodiments , the third - party application 146 sends the social networking system 100 a request for information containing an access token provided to the third - party application 146 by the local social networking application 142 . in some embodiments , the third - party application 146 obtains the user &# 39 ; s information from the local social networking application 142 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 stores information about a user and provides the information in response to requests from the third - party application 146 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 acts as a proxy for the social networking system 100 and relays information between the third - party application 146 and the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 responds to requests from the third - party application 146 with information that is stored by the local social networking application 142 . the local social networking application 142 may store a subset or all of the user &# 39 ; s information . the local social networking application 142 may periodically request the user &# 39 ; s information from the social networking application 100 or may request the information after the user is authenticated on the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 provides the third - party application 142 with an access token . the third - party application 142 may use the access token to request information directly from the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 generates an access token . in some embodiments , the access token is generated or retrieved after a user has been authenticated . the access token may include information that allows the social networking system 101 to identify the user . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 relays information between the third - party application 146 and the social networking systems 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 receives a local api request 134 from a third - party application 146 , generates a server api request 135 , sends the server api request 135 to the social networking system 100 , receives the requested information from the social networking system 100 , and sends the requested information to the requesting third - party application 146 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 stores or obtains a user identifier for a user who has been authenticated on the social networking system 100 and inserts the user identifier into the server api request 135 . in this way , the third - party application 146 does not need to ask a user for their login information and does not need to include a user identifier in the local api request 134 sent to the local social networking application 142 . the user identifier identifies the user &# 39 ; s profile on the social networking system 100 and is used to uniquely identify the user . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 stores a user identifier for a user after the user logins to the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 sends a request to the social networking system 100 to identify a user of the client device 140 who has been authenticated on the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 does not send requests for information to the social networking system 100 when there are no users of the client device 140 logged into the social networking system 100 . stated in another way , the local social networking application 142 does not retrieve information from the social networking system 100 when the user has not been authenticated on the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , responsive to receiving the local api request 134 from the third - party application 146 , the local social networking application 142 may display an authorization request to the user which prompts the user to allow or deny the third - party application 146 access to the user &# 39 ; s social graph information . the local social networking application 142 may do this the first time the third - party application request 146 requests the user &# 39 ; s social graph information or if the user previously prevented the third - party application 146 from accessing the user &# 39 ; s information . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 communicates with the social networking system in order to determine whether a third - party application 142 is authorized to request the user &# 39 ; s information . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 sends a message to the social networking system 100 to update the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings based on the user &# 39 ; s reply to the authorization request . the server api request 135 sent from the local social networking application 142 to the social networking system 100 may be used to request information from the social networking system 100 and to send information and content to the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the server api request 135 includes a request to save information and / or content provided by the third - party application 146 . for example , a game may send a user &# 39 ; s game scores to the social networking system 100 which may save the scores to the user &# 39 ; s profile and / or provide the scores to other users . the third - party application 146 may retrieve information from the social networking system via the local social networking system 142 . the third - party application 146 communicates with the local social networking application 142 using an application programming interface ( api ). as illustrated in fig1 , the third - party application 146 sends a local api request 134 to the local social networking application 142 to request social graph information associated with a user and receives at least a portion of the requested social graph information 132 from the local social networking application 142 . the third - party application 146 may use the social graph information 132 for various purposes . the third - party application 146 may display at least a portion of the social graph information 132 in conjunction with content from the third - party application 146 to a user . for example , a game may display a user &# 39 ; s gaming statistics along with the user &# 39 ; s friends &# 39 ; gaming statistics . in some embodiments , the third - party application 146 sends data to the social networking system 100 via the local social networking application 142 . in some embodiments , the data includes content created by the user of the third - party application 146 . for example , the user may post a status message , a picture , link , or a comment to the social networking system 100 using the third - party application 146 . in some embodiments , the data includes information describing the user &# 39 ; s activity with respect to the third - party application 146 . for example , the data may describe the media items the user has consumed using the third - party application 146 . the social networking system 100 includes an api request module 120 that receives and responds to requests from the local networking application 142 . the api request module 120 receives a server api request 135 from a local social networking application 142 , identifies the user and the third - party application , retrieves at least a portion of the requested information 132 , and sends the social graph information 132 to the local social networking application 142 . in some embodiments , the api request module 120 receives a request from the local social networking application 142 to save and post information and / or content to one or more communication channels of the social networking system 100 . for example , the api request module 120 may receive a request to save a picture to a user &# 39 ; s photo album and to make the picture available to the user &# 39 ; s friends . the social networking system 100 includes a social graph 108 that stores user profile objects , edge objects and content objects . user profile objects include declarative profile information about the viewing user . edge objects include information about the viewing user &# 39 ; s interactions with other objects on the social networking system 100 , such as clicking on a link shared with the viewing user , sharing photos with other users of the social networking system , posting a status update message on the social networking system 100 , and other actions that may be performed on the social networking system . the similarity score measures the similarity between two objects and represents the likelihood that a user would be interested in one of the objects . content objects include event objects created by users of the social networking system 100 , status updates that may be associated with event objects , photos tagged by users to be associated with other objects in the social networking system 100 , such as events , pages , and other users , and applications installed on the social networking system 100 . fig2 is a high level block diagram illustrating a system environment , in accordance with one embodiment . the system environment comprises one or more client devices 140 , the social networking system 100 , a network 204 , and external websites 208 . in alternative configurations , different and / or additional modules can be included in the system . in some embodiments , the social networking system 100 is implemented as a single server , while in other embodiments it is implemented as a distributed system of multiple servers . for convenience of explanation , the social networking system 100 is described below as being implemented on a single server system . the communication network ( s ) 204 can be any wired or wireless local area network ( lan ) and / or wide area network ( wan ), such as an intranet , an extranet , or the internet . it is sufficient that the communication network 204 provides communication capability between the user devices 140 and the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the communication network 204 uses the hypertext transport protocol ( http ) and the transmission control protocol / internet protocol ( tcp / ip ) to transmit information between devices or systems . http permits the client devices 140 to access various resources available via the communication network 204 . the various embodiments of the disclosure , however , are not limited to the use of any particular protocol . the client devices 140 comprise one or more computing devices that can receive user input and can transmit and receive data via the network 204 . in one embodiment , an client device 140 is a conventional computer system executing , for example , a microsoft windows - compatible operating system ( os ), apple os x , and / or a linux distribution . in another embodiment , an client device 140 can be a device having computer functionality , such as a personal digital assistant ( pda ), mobile telephone , smart - phone , etc . the client device 140 is configured to communicate via network 204 . the client device 140 can execute an application , for example , a browser application that allows a user of the client device 140 to interact with the social networking system 100 . in another embodiment , the client device 140 interacts with the social networking system 100 through an application programming interface ( api ) that runs on the native operating system of the client device 140 , such as ios and android . the web server 212 links the social networking system 100 via the network 204 to one or more client devices 140 ; the web server 212 serves web pages , as well as other web - related content , such as java , flash , xml , and so forth . the web server 212 may provide the functionality of receiving and routing messages between the social networking system 100 and the client devices 140 , for example , instant messages , queued messages ( e . g ., email ), text and sms ( short message service ) messages , or messages sent using any other suitable messaging technique . the user can send a request to the web server 212 to upload information , for example , images or videos that are stored in the content database 112 . additionally , the web server 212 may provide api functionality to send data directly to native user device operating systems , such as ios , android , webos , and blackberry os . the action logger 214 is capable of receiving communications from the web server 212 about user actions on and / or off the social networking system 100 . the action logger 214 populates an action log with information about user actions to track them . such actions may include , for example , adding a connection to the other user , sending a message to the other user , uploading an image , reading a message from the other user , viewing content associated with the other user , attending an event posted by another user , among others . in addition , a number of actions described in connection with other objects are directed at particular users , so these actions are associated with those users as well . an action log may be used by a social networking system 100 to track users &# 39 ; actions on the social networking system 100 as well as external websites that communicate information back to the social networking system 100 . as mentioned above , users may interact with various objects on the social networking system 100 , including commenting on posts , sharing links , and checking - in to physical locations via a mobile device . the action log may also include user actions on external websites . for example , an e - commerce website that primarily sells luxury shoes at bargain prices may recognize a user of a social networking system 100 through social plug - ins that enable the e - commerce website to identify the user of the social networking system . because users of the social networking system 100 are uniquely identifiable , e - commerce websites , such as this luxury shoe reseller , may use the information about these users as they visit their websites . the action log records data about these users , including viewing histories , advertisements that were clicked on , purchasing activity , and buying patterns . user account information and other related information for users are stored as user profile objects in the user profile database 110 . the user profile information stored in user profile database 110 describes the users of the social networking system 100 , including biographic , demographic , and other types of descriptive information , such as work experience , educational history , gender , hobbies or preferences , location , and the like . the user profile may also store other information provided by the user , for example , images or videos . in certain embodiments , images of users may be tagged with identification information of users of the social networking system 100 displayed in an image . the user profile database 110 also maintains references to the actions stored in an action log and performed on objects in the content database 112 . the edge database 114 stores the information describing connections between users and other objects on the social networking system 100 in edge objects . some edges may be defined by users , allowing users to specify their relationships with other users . for example , users may generate edges with other users that parallel the users &# 39 ; real - life relationships , such as friends , co - workers , partners , and so forth . other edges are generated when users interact with objects in the social networking system 100 , such as expressing interest in a page on the social networking system , sharing a link with other users of the social networking system , and commenting on posts made by other users of the social networking system . the edge database 114 stores edge objects that include information about the edge , such as affinity scores for objects , interests , and other users . affinity scores may be computed by the social networking system 100 over time to approximate a user &# 39 ; s affinity for an object , interest , and other users in the social networking system 100 based on the actions performed by the user . multiple interactions between a user and a specific object may be stored in one edge object in the edge store 114 , in one embodiment . for example , a user that plays multiple songs from lady gaga &# 39 ; s album , “ born this way ,” may have multiple edge objects for the songs , but only one edge object for lady gaga . the authentication module 216 authenticates a user accessing the social networking system 100 with a client device 140 and verifies that a user is authenticated on the social networking system 100 . in order for a user to be authenticated , the user may need to provide a username and password associated with the user &# 39 ; s account . after a user is authenticated , the authentication module 216 sends a user identifier of the authenticated user to the local social networking application 142 . as discussed above , the local social networking application 142 may store the user identifier for subsequence use . the authorization module 218 manages and enforces one or more privacy settings of the users of the social networking system 100 . a privacy setting of a user determines how particular information associated with a user can be shared . the privacy setting comprises the specification of particular information associated with a user and the specification of the entity or entities with whom the information can be shared . examples of entities with which information can be shared may include other users , third - party applications , third - party websites or any entity that can potentially access the information . the information that can be shared by a user comprises user profile information like profile photo , phone numbers associated with the user , user &# 39 ; s connections , actions taken by the user such as adding a connection , changing user profile information and the like . the privacy setting specification may be provided at different levels of granularity . for example , the privacy setting may identify specific information to be shared with other users . for example , the privacy setting identifies a work phone number or a specific set of related information , such as , personal information including profile photo , home phone number , and status . alternatively , the privacy setting may apply to all the information associated with the user . the specification of the set of entities that can access particular information can also be specified at various levels of granularity . various sets of entities with which information can be shared may include , for example , all friends of the user , all friends of friends , all applications , all third - party websites , specific third - party websites , specific client devices , all client devices 140 , specific third - party application , or all third - party applications . one embodiment allows the specification of the set of entries comprise an enumeration of entities , for example , the user may select a list of third - party applications that are allowed to access certain information . another embodiment allows the specification to comprise a set of entities along with exceptions that are not allowed to access the information . for example , a user may allow all third - party applications to access the user &# 39 ; s work information but specify a list of third - party applications that are not allowed to access the work information . certain embodiments call the list of exceptions that are not allowed to access certain information a block list . third - party applications belonging to a block list specified by a user are blocked from accessing the information specified in the privacy setting . note that the various combinations of granularity of specification of information and the granularity of specification of entities with which information is shared are possible , i . e ., all personal information may be shared with friends whereas all work information may be shared with friends of friends . for example , a user &# 39 ; s privacy setting indicates that a first application is allowed to access the user &# 39 ; s profile photo while preventing the first application from accessing other information about the user , such as the user &# 39 ; s work phone number or the user &# 39 ; s list of friends . however , the user &# 39 ; s privacy setting indicates that a second application is allowed to access the user &# 39 ; s friend list . the information associated with a user includes actions taken by a user such as the action of adding a new friend . the user can completely block another user or an application from accessing any information associated with the user . a user or an application that is blocked by the user does not have access to any information associated with user . the authorization module 218 contains logic to determine if certain information associated with a user can be accessed by a user &# 39 ; s friends , third - party websites , third - party applications , and / or entities . based on the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings , the authorization module 216 determines if another user , a third - party website , an application or another entity is allowed to access information associated with the user , including information about actions taken by the user . for example , the authorization module 218 uses a users privacy setting to determine if the user &# 39 ; s comment about a url associated with a third - party website can be accessed by the third - party application . this enables a user &# 39 ; s privacy setting to specify which other users , or other entities , are allowed to receive data about the user &# 39 ; s actions or other data associated with the user . in some embodiments , the authorization module 218 determines which portions of the requested information a third - party is authorized to access , retrieves the information , and sends the information to the api request module 120 which sends the information to the local social networking application 142 . fig3 is a flow chart of a process 300 by which a third - party application 146 accesses information associated with a user from the social networking system 100 . in the embodiment shown by fig3 , the third - party application 146 and the local social networking application 142 are executed on a client device 140 that is separate from the social networking system 100 . in this process 300 , the third - party application 146 sends 302 a request for social graph information associated with a user to the local social networking application 142 . in some embodiments , the request is sent responsive to the user taking an action on the third - party application 146 . for example , the user may select a user interface element of the third - party application 146 . in some embodiments , the request is sent without any user action to initiate the request and may be sent when the third - party application 146 determines a need for a user &# 39 ; s information from the social networking system 100 . for example , a game may want to present the user with a list of the user &# 39 ; s friends who also play the game . the request may also be sent by the third - party application 146 when the third - party application 146 is initially executed . in some embodiments , the request is sent from the third - party application 146 without the user providing login information to the third - party application 146 . stated in another way , the user does not need to provide a username and password for the social networking system 100 to the third - party application 146 in order for the third - party application 146 to request social graph information associated with the user . the request may be any information for the user that is maintained by the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the request is for profile information of the user . for example , the request may for the user &# 39 ; s name , identifier , email address , location , or address . in some embodiments , the request includes a request for a user &# 39 ; s notifications . the notifications identify an action or activity that took place on the social networking system 100 . for example , the notifications may indicate that the user has a new message , that someone has requested to become friends with the user , or that someone commented on the user &# 39 ; s posted content . in some embodiments , the request for information includes a request for the user &# 39 ; s friends list . in some embodiments , the request for information includes a request for messages sent to the user in the social networking system . in some embodiments , the request for information includes a request for content posted by the user or the user &# 39 ; s friends . the content , for example , may include photos , status messages , comments , url links , or any combination thereof . in some embodiments , the request for information includes a request for information about the activities of a user &# 39 ; s friends . in some embodiments , the request for information includes a request for recommendations . the recommendations may be for applications , products , services , content , links , or any combination thereof . in some embodiments , the request sent from the third - party application 146 to the local social networking application 142 does not include information identifying the user . for example , the request does not include a user identifier , username , or e - mail address . in some embodiments , the request sent from the third - party application 146 to the local social networking application 142 includes criteria used to filter and / or rank the requested information . in some embodiments , after receiving the request from the third - party application 142 , the local social networking 142 provides the requested content to the third - party application 142 . in this case , the local social networking 142 may store at least a portion of the user &# 39 ; s information . for example , the local social networking 142 may periodically request information about the user from the social networking system 100 or may request information about a user form the social networking system 100 after the user is authenticated on the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , after receiving the request from the third - party application 142 , the local social networking 142 provides the third - party application 142 with an access token . the third - party application 142 uses the access token to obtain the user &# 39 ; s information directly form the social networking system 100 . more specifically , the third - party application 142 sends a request to the social networking application 100 containing the access token . after receiving the request from the third - party application 142 , the local social networking application 142 generates 304 a server request based on the request from the third - party application 142 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 obtains or retrieves a user identifier for the user and inserts the user identifier into the server request . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 obtains the user identifier from the social networking system 100 . in some embodiments , the local social networking application 142 inserts an application identifier that identifies the third - party application into the server request . the local social networking application 142 sends 306 the sever request to the social networking system 100 . after receiving the request , the api request module 120 of the social networking system 100 identifies the user and the third - party application 146 . in some embodiments , the api request module 120 identifies the user and the third - party application 146 from a user identifier and an application identifier contained in the request . in some embodiments , when the request is associated with multiple users , the api request module 120 identifies each user associated with the request . for example , the api request module 120 may identify multiple user identifiers contained in the request . the api request module 120 sends a request to the authorization module 218 to determine whether the users associated with the request have authorized the third - party application 146 to access the requested information . the authorization module 218 checks 308 the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings in order to determine whether the third - party application 146 is authorized to access the requested information . more specifically , the authorization module 218 retrieves the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings and determines which portions of the requested information the third - party application 146 is authorized to access . in some embodiments , the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings allow the third - party application 146 to access a subset of the requested information . for example , the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings may allow the third - party application 146 to access the user &# 39 ; s profile picture but not user &# 39 ; s phone number . in some embodiments , when the requested information is associated with multiple users of the social networking system , the authorization module 218 checks 310 the privacy settings of all the users associated with the request in order to determine which portion of the requested information to send to the third - party application 146 . the third - party application 146 can at most access the same amount of information as the user corresponding to the request . stated in another way , a user who is not allowed to access certain information in the social networking system 100 is not allowed the access the same information when using the third - party application 146 . the authorization module 218 retrieves 312 the information that is authorized by the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings and / or the user &# 39 ; s friends &# 39 ; privacy settings . in some embodiments , the authorization module 218 retrieves the information based on criteria contained in the request . as discussed above , the information from the social networking system may be filtered and / or ranked based on a number of criteria . for example , a media application may want media consumption information for friends of the user who live in the same city as the user . in some embodiments , the authorization module 218 stores criteria for the third - party application 146 and retrieves the information based on the stored criteria . for example , the authorization module 218 may retrieve content items based on an affinity function for the user and the content items , thereby providing the third - party application 146 with content that is likely to be relevant to the user . the authorization module 218 sends the retrieved information to the api request module 120 which sends 314 the requested information to the local social networking application 142 . the local social networking application 142 receives the requested information and sends 316 the information to the third - party application 146 . in some embodiments , after receiving the requested information , the third - party application 146 combines the requested information with content from the third - party application 146 . the third - party application then presents 320 the combined information to the user . fig4 shows an example of an output by a third - party application 146 that combines information from a social networking system 100 with content from the third - party application 146 . in this example , the third - party application 146 is a game that displays recent activity 404 related to the game , top scores 406 for the game , and comments 408 about the game . the top scores 406 , recent activity 404 , and comments 408 include information from the user and the user &# 39 ; s friends . for example , the top scores 406 may show the user &# 39 ; s top score along with user &# 39 ; s friends &# 39 ; top scores . as discussed above , the information retrieved from the social networking system 100 is subject to the user &# 39 ; s privacy settings and the user &# 39 ; s friends &# 39 ; privacy settings . in the example of fig4 , the game received a subset of the requested profile pictures of the users . for example , one of the users is represented by a default profile picture 407 to indicate that the corresponding user did not allow the game to access to the user &# 39 ; s profile picture . the game may also send information about a user &# 39 ; s activities to the social networking system . for example , the game may send a user &# 39 ; s scores or information about the user &# 39 ; s gaming achievements to the social networking system 100 via the local social networking application 142 . the social networking system 100 may save this information to the user &# 39 ; s profile and / or provide this information to the user &# 39 ; s friends . other applications may similarly provide various functionalities that leverage the social graph information contained in the social networking system 100 . for example , a media application where a user can view videos or listen to music may present a user with information related to the user &# 39 ; s friends &# 39 ; media consumption activity . this information may be filtered based on information from the user &# 39 ; s profile , for example , a user that lists a certain artist , author or actor as part of the user &# 39 ; s profile on the social networking system may be presented with media items that the user &# 39 ; s friends may have purchased . this presents a mechanism for applications to present information that they are very likely to be interested in and to filter out information a user is not interested in . the foregoing description of the embodiments of the disclosure has been presented for the purpose of illustration ; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the systems and methods to the precise forms disclosed . persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure . some portions of this description describe the embodiments of the systems and methods in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information . these algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively to others skilled in the art . these operations , while described functionally , computationally , or logically , are understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits , microcode , or the like . furthermore , it has also proven convenient at times , to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules , without loss of generality . the described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software , firmware , hardware , or any combinations thereof . any of the steps , operations , or processes described herein may be performed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules , alone or in combination with other devices . in one embodiment , a software module is implemented with a computer program product comprising a computer - readable medium containing computer program code , which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or all of the steps , operations , or processes described . embodiments of the systems and methods may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein . this apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes , and / or it may comprise a general - purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer . such a computer program may be stored in a non - transitory , tangible computer readable storage medium , or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions , which may be coupled to a computer system bus . furthermore , any computing systems referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability . embodiments of the systems and methods may also relate to a product that is produced by a computing process described herein . such a product may comprise information resulting from a computing process , where the information is stored on a non - transitory , tangible computer readable storage medium and may include any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein . finally , the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes , and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter . it is therefore intended that the scope of the systems and methods systems and methods be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon . accordingly , the disclosure of the embodiments of the systems and methods are intended to be illustrative , but not limiting , of the scope of the disclosure , which is set forth in the following claims .
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reference will now be made in detail to embodiments , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . in this regard , embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to embodiments set forth herein . accordingly , embodiments are merely described below , by referring to the figures , to explain aspects of the present invention . fig1 illustrates a system implementing a 3 - dimensional ( 3d ) model , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 , the system generating a 3d model may include an object identification unit 11 , a user interface 12 , an edge detection unit 13 , an object classification unit 14 , a surface information calculation unit 15 , a first 3d model generation unit 16 , and a second 3d model generation unit 17 , for example . the object identification unit 11 may identify at least one object included in a 2d photographic image , based on at least one of changes in image characteristics in the 2d photographic image and user input information , e . g ., input through the user interface 12 . that is , the object identification unit 11 may automatically identify an object based on the changes in the image characteristic in the 2d photographic image , and / or may manually identify an object based on the user input information ; the term semi - automatic refers to the combined use of both automated and input information to identify an object . in particular , here , in order to identify an object , texture from among a variety of 2d photographic image characteristics may be used . in this aspect , the texture information can include all information items , excluding geometric information , among information items for expressing a 3d model . that is , the object identification unit 11 may detect the boundary of an object corresponding to boundaries of different areas in which textures of pixels forming a 2d photographic image are different , and then identify the object based on the detection result . fig2 , in illustrations ( a )-( c ), illustrates an automatic identification of an object , according to an embodiment of the present invention . illustration ( a ) of fig2 is a 2d photographic image of a city center photographed by using a digital camera . this 2d photographic image captures the ground , buildings , and sky . referring to illustration ( a ) of fig2 , it may be determined that the textures of the ground , the buildings , and the sky are very different from each other . accordingly , the object identification unit 11 , for example , may detect the boundaries of the ground , the buildings , and the sky , corresponding to boundaries of areas in which textures of pixels in the 2d photographic image are different from each other . illustration ( b ) of fig2 illustrates the boundary 21 of the ground , the boundary 22 of the buildings , and the boundary 23 of the sky , e . g ., as detected by the object identification unit 11 . in addition , in an embodiment , by extending the boundary of the buildings to the ground , the object identification unit 11 can identify the boundary 24 of the buildings , as shown in illustration ( c ) of fig2 . further , the object identification unit 11 may permit manual identification of an object based on the user input information input to the user interface 12 . this corresponds to a case where the user draws all boundaries of an object by using the user interface 12 , for example , a touch screen input device . thus , in an embodiment , the object identification unit 11 can identify at least one object included in a 2d photographic image , based on both changes in the image characteristics in a 2d photographic image and the user input information input to the user interface 12 . here , such a method of automatically identifying an object may be more convenient for the user , but the resultant identification speed may be slow or errors may occur . further , a method of only permitting manual identification of objects imposes a heavy burden on the user . fig3 , in illustrations ( a )-( e ), illustrates such a semi - automatic identification of an object , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to illustration ( a ) of fig3 , a user may specify a search area 31 for identifying an object in the 2d photographic image , such as by using the user interface 12 . accordingly , the object identification unit 11 may identify an object only within the search area specified by the user input information , thereby more quickly identifying the object compared to the fully automatic method . illustration ( b ) of fig3 illustrates an example left and right boundaries 32 of an object identified based on a search area specified by the user . referring to illustration ( c ) of fig3 , the user may further draw the top line 33 for the object in the 2d photographic image , e . g ., by using the user interface 12 . accordingly , the object identification unit 11 may identify an object more accurately compared to the fully automatic method , by identifying the object based on the top line 33 of the object indicated by the user input information input to the user interface 12 and changes in the texture in the 2d photographic image . illustration ( d ) of fig3 further illustrates a boundary 34 of the object identified based on the top line of the object drawn by the user . illustration ( e ) of fig3 still further illustrates a rough boundary 35 of the object , as drawn by the user . in this way , the boundary of the object can be semi - automatically identified through user interaction . the edge detection unit 13 may be used to detect edges , e . g ., indicating points in which changes in image information are equal to or greater than a threshold , for an object that is currently desired to be 3d - modeled ( hereinafter referred to as a “ current object ”) from among at least one or more objects identified by the object identification unit 11 . in this case , after performing such an edge detection operation multiple times , for example , the threshold may be determined appropriately by a user or designer , based on the result of such operations . in particular , in an embodiment , in order to detect edges in the current object , luminous intensity is used from among a variety of image information items . that is , the edge detection unit 13 may detect edges indicating points in which changes in luminance are equal to or greater than a threshold . for example , a building includes many windows . accordingly , for such a building , the edge detection unit 13 may detect the boundaries between the concrete surface of the building and the windows , corresponding to points in which changes in luminance are equal to or greater than the threshold , for example . the object classification unit 14 may determine the complexity of the current object , e . g ., based on the shape of the extended lines of the edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 , and according to the thus determined complexity , the object classification unit 14 may classify the current object as one of a simple object and a complex object , for example . generally , any one surface in a 3d space can be defined based on three surface points . since two points correspond to one straight line , any one surface in a 3d space can be defined by one point and one straight line existing on the surface . accordingly , if the shape of each extended line of the edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 is a straight line , and a point existing on a surface including the straight line can be determined , the surface of the building corresponding to the extended edge lines can be defined . that is , if the extended lines of the edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 are straight lines , and a surface including the extended straight lines of the edges is perpendicular to the ground surface of a 2d photographic image , the object classification unit 14 may classify the current object as a simple object . alternatively , for example , if the object is not classified as being simple , it may be classified as a complex object . fig4 a through 4c illustrate different classifying of an object , e . g ., by the object classification unit 14 , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig4 a , a current object illustrated in illustration ( a ) of fig4 a includes one surface perpendicular to the ground of the 2d photographic image . the current object illustrated in illustration ( b ) of fig4 a includes two surfaces perpendicular to the ground of the 2d photographic image . further , the current object illustrated in illustrations ( c ) and ( d ) of fig4 a include four surfaces perpendicular to the ground of the 2d photographic image . in the objects illustrated in fig4 a , the shapes of extended lines of edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 are straight lines and each surface including the extended straight lines of the edges is perpendicular to the ground of the 2d photographic image . accordingly , the objects in fig4 a can be classified as simple objects by the object classification unit 14 , for example . referring to fig4 b , the shown current object in illustration ( a ) of fig4 b includes one surface perpendicular to the ground of the 2d photographic image and another surface that is not perpendicular to the ground . further , the current object in illustration ( b ) of fig4 b includes surfaces perpendicular to the ground of a 2d photographic image , but the shapes of extended lines of edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 are not straight lines . referring to fig4 c , among the surfaces of the current objects illustrated in fig4 a - 4c , some surfaces are perpendicular to the ground of the 2d photographic images and others are not perpendicular . further , among the extended lines of the edges detected from the current objects illustrated in fig4 c by the edge detection unit 13 , some are straight lines , and others are not straight lines . in the objects illustrated in fig4 b and 4c , the shapes of extended lines of edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 are straight lines and the surface including the extended straight lines of the edges is not perpendicular to the ground of the 2d photographic image . accordingly , here , the objects are classified as complex objects by the object classification unit 14 , for example . however , in an embodiment , the object classification criteria as described above consider whether a plane equation of a building , which will be explained later , can be calculated . accordingly , a person of ordinary skill in the art of the present invention should further understand that if a surface equation of a building is calculated according to an additional or different technique , the object classification criteria would be correspondingly different . here , if the current object is classified as a simple object , the surface information calculation unit 15 , for example , may detect at least one vanishing point that is a point at which the extended lines of the edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 would eventually cross each other . for example , fig5 illustrates a 2 - point perspective view of a cube in a 3d space , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig5 , the cube in a 3d space is illustrated by using a perspective method having two vanishing points in a 2d space as references . a perspective view can express a cubic effect because a principle of how an object is seen by the human eyes is applied to the perspective view . in particular , it can be determined that if a cube in a 3d space is projected onto a 2d plane , parallel boundaries among the boundaries of surfaces of the cube are projected as lines intersecting each other at any one common point . this common point is referred to as a vanishing point . the vanishing point may be a finite point or an infinite point in the 2d space . as illustrated in fig5 , horizontal boundaries that are parallel to each other among the boundaries of the surfaces of the cube have finite vanishing points , with fig5 showing a vanishing point from extensions from the cube &# 39 ; s right vertical wall &# 39 ; s vertices and the other vanishing point being from extensions from the cube &# 39 ; s back vertical wall &# 39 ; s vertices behind the illustrated cube . however , vertical boundaries that are parallel with each other have infinite vanishing points . in an embodiment , a vanishing point means a finite vanishing point . as shown , it can be determined from fig5 that one vanishing point corresponds to one surface . that is , by using the geometric information of an extended edge line converging at a detected vanishing point , the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate geometric information of an object corresponding to the detected vanishing point . here , in this embodiment , the geometric information of an extended edge line means a straight line equation of the extended edge line and the geometric information of a surface of an object means a plane equation of the surface of the object . however , a person of ordinary skill in the art of the present invention should understand that the geometric information of an extended edge line or a surface of an object may be geometric information of a type other than that of the equations mentioned above , in differing embodiments . more specifically , by using a straight line equation of an extended edge line ( hereinafter referred to as a “ middle line ”) positioned closest to the center of the current object boundaries , from among extended edge lines converging at a thus detected vanishing point , and the coordinates of an arbitrary point on the boundary ( hereinafter referred to as a “ bottom line of a current object ”), the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate a plane equation of the surface of the object corresponding to the detected vanishing point . in particular , if there are a plurality of vanishing points , the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate a plane equation of a first surface corresponding to a first vanishing point , from among the plurality of vanishing points , by using a straight line equation of a middle line among the extended edge lines converging at the first vanishing point , and the coordinates of an arbitrary point on the bottom line of the first surface corresponding to the first vanishing point . in addition , the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate a plane equation of a second surface corresponding to a second vanishing point , from among the plurality of vanishing points , by using a straight line equation of a middle line among the extended edge lines converging at the second vanishing point , and the coordinates of an arbitrary point on the bottom line of the second surface corresponding to the second vanishing point . in relation to the remaining vanishing points among the plurality of vanishing points , the same process may be again performed . fig6 and 7 illustrate a building , explaining a method of calculating surface geometric information , such as by a surface information calculation unit illustrated in fig1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention . in the illustrated portion ( a ) of fig6 , the boundaries of a current object 61 , e . g ., as detected by the object identification unit 11 , are shown . as described above , since one surface in a 3d space is defined by one point and one straight line existing on the surface , one point on the bottom line of the current object may be determined . accordingly , the surface information calculation unit 15 may determine one point 62 on the bottom line of the current object shown in illustrated portion ( a ) of fig6 . in particular , when it is not easy to detect the correct bottom line of a current object , e . g ., because of obstacles such as a car , on the boundary between the current object and the ground , a user may specify this point 62 . in this case , the surface information calculation unit 15 may determine one point 62 on the bottom line of the current object shown in illustrated portion ( a ) of fig6 based on the user input information , e . g ., as input to the user interface 12 . in addition , illustrated portion ( b ) of fig6 , shows extended lines of edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 . among the extended lines of the edges , extended edge lines 63 converging at a right vanishing point ( not shown ) exist on the surface of the current object 61 including the point 62 determined above . illustrated portion ( a ) of fig7 shows extended lines of edges detected by the edge detection unit 13 , for example . extended edge lines 72 converging at a left vanishing point 71 among the extended edge lines correspond to the left surface of the current object , and the extended edge lines 63 converging at the right vanishing point ( not shown ) correspond to the right surface of the current object . illustrated portion ( b ) of fig7 shows a process of calculating a plane equation of the right surface of the current object corresponding to the right vanishing point . that is , the surface information calculation unit 15 , for example , may determine a middle line 73 positioned in the middle in the current object boundaries from among the extended edge lines converging at the right vanishing point , and a straight line equation of the middle line and an arbitrary point on the bottom line of the right surface of the current object . then , by using the determined straight line equation of the middle line and the 3d coordinates of the bottom line , a plane equation of the right surface of the object may be calculated . fig8 and 9 are illustrations explaining a method of calculating a plane equation of any one surface , e . g ., by the surface information calculation unit 15 illustrated in fig1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig8 , the building illustrated in fig8 is formed by three surfaces . points at which the boundaries of the three surfaces intersect with the middle lines of the three surfaces are indicated by a , b , c , and d . for example , the left surface from among the three surfaces can be determined by a line segment ab and a point g on the bottom line of the left surface . according to an embodiment , a method by which the surface information calculation unit 15 , for example , calculates a plane equation of the left surface , by using the straight line equation of the line segment ab and the 3d coordinates of the point g , will now be explained in greater detail with additional reference to fig9 . referring to fig9 , the position of a camera in a 3d space is o . here , it may be assumed that the 3d space is a real world space in which a 2d photographic image was taken , and the position of the camera is the position of the camera from which the 2d photographic image was taken , and can be the very center of the 2d photographic image . in particular , it may further be assumed that the camera is a pin - hole camera and is capable of perfect projection . since an actual camera is not a pin - hole camera , slight error may thus occur . a surface including a line segment a ′ b ′ is a surface of an actual building in a 3d space , and is projected as the surface of the building including the line segment ab in the focal length of the camera , i . e ., a surface of the building in the 2d photographic image . the extended lines of line segments oa and ob go through a ′ and b ′, respectively , of the surface of the building in the 3d space . since the heights of line segments c ′ a ′ and d ′ b ′ relative to the ground are identical , d ′ b ′: oo ′= c ′ a ′: oo ′ and ob ′: ob ″= oa ′: oa ″. from this , it can be determined that the line segment a ′ b ′ is parallel to the line segment a ″ b ″. since a surface c ′ a ′ b ′ d ′ of the building is perpendicular to the ground , a normal to the surface of the building is parallel to the ground . accordingly , it can be known that a vector perpendicular to the line segment a ″ b ″ is a vector perpendicular to the surface of the building . the surface information calculation unit 15 , for example , may calculate an equation of a straight line oa from the 3d coordinates of the position o of the camera and the 3d coordinates of the intersection a of the boundary of the building and the middle line . in addition , in this embodiment , the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate an equation of a straight line ob from the 3d coordinates of the position o of the camera and the 3d coordinates of the intersection b of the boundary of the building and the middle line . in this case , the position o of the camera and the 3d coordinates of the intersections a and b can be estimated from 2d coordinates of the points in the 2d photographic image and the focal length of the camera . further , by using the thus calculated equation of the straight line oa , the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate the 3d coordinates of the intersection a ″ of the straight line oa and the ground , and the intersection b ″ of the straight line ob and the ground , and from the thus calculated 3d coordinates of the intersections a ″ and b ″, calculate an equation of a straight line a ″ b ″. by using the thus calculated equation of the straight line a ″ b ″, the surface information calculation unit 15 may , thus , calculate a vector n perpendicular to the straight line a ″ b ″ existing on the ground . the surface information calculation unit 15 may still further calculate an equation of a straight line og , from the 3d coordinates of the position o of the camera and the 3d coordinates of the arbitrary point g on the bottom line of the building . by using the thus calculated equation of the straight line og , the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate the 3d coordinates of the intersection g ′ of the straight line og and the 3d space ground . an equation of a surface can then be calculated if the 3d coordinates of any one point existing on the surface and a vector value perpendicular to the surface are given . that is , assuming that a point existing on a surface is ( x0 , y0 , z0 ) and a vector n perpendicular to the surface is n = ai + bi + ck , the surface may be represented by the below equation 1 , for example . accordingly , by using the 3d coordinates of the thus calculated vector n and intersection g , the surface information calculation unit 15 may calculate a plane equation of the left surface of the building including the middle line ab . the first 3d model generation unit 16 may further generate a resultant 3d model of the current object by using 2d photographic image data and surface geometric information , such as calculated by the surface information calculation unit 15 . here , the 2d photographic image data means 2d coordinates and textures of pixels forming the 2d photographic image , and the surface geometric information calculated by the surface information calculation unit 15 means the plane equation of the surface . more specifically , the first 3d model generation unit 16 may substitute 2d coordinates of the pixels forming the current object of the 2d photographic image , in the plane equation of each surface calculated by the surface information calculation unit 15 , thereby calculating 3d coordinates , e . g ., x , y , and z coordinates of the pixels forming each surface of the current object . the first 3d model generation unit 16 may further generate a 3d model of the 3d object by mapping the texture of the 2d photographic image corresponding to each of the pixels forming each surface of the current object on the 3d coordinates of the pixel . fig1 is an illustration explaining a method of mapping texture , such as by the first 3d model generation unit 16 illustrated in fig1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to illustrated portions ( a ) and ( b ) of fig1 , the first 3d model generation unit 16 may map a texture photographed by a camera facing each surface of a current object , on the 3d coordinates of each of pixels forming each surface of the current object . more specifically , in relation to the left surface 102 of the current object 101 , the first 3d model generation unit 16 may set the position of the camera so that the camera can face the left surface 102 , and then , the first 3d model generation unit 16 may map the texture of the 2d photographic image photographed by the camera at the thus set position , onto the left surface 102 . in relation to the right surface 103 of the current object 102 , the first 3d model generation unit 16 may set the position of the camera so that the camera can face the right surface 103 of the current object 101 , and then , the first 3d model generation unit 16 may map the texture of the 2d photographic image photographed by the camera at the thus set position , onto the right surface 103 . if a current object is determinatively classified as a complex object , e . g ., by the object classification 14 , the second 3d model generation unit 17 may selectively generate a 3d model of the current object , by using a conventional 3d modeling method instead of by the 3d modeling method of the current embodiment described above . for example , in relation to objects that are classified as complex objects by the object classification unit 14 , the second 3d model generation unit 17 may generate 3d models of the objects by using the auto pop - up algorithm described above in relation to the conventional technology . fig1 illustrates a method of generating a 3d model , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 , in one embodiment , the method of generating a 3d model may include sequentially performed operations , e . g ., in the system for generating a 3d model illustrated in fig1 . accordingly , the contents described above in relation to the system for generating a 3d model illustrated in fig1 may also be equally inclusive in the method of generating a 3d model according to such an embodiment , noting that further embodiments not specifically recited above are also available . in operation 111 , at least one or more objects forming a 2d photographic image may be identified based on at least one of changes in textures in the 2d photographic image and user input information , e . g ., as input to the user interface 12 . in operation 112 , edges may be detected as indicating points in which changes in luminous intensities are equal to or greater than a threshold , for example , in a current object from among at least one or more identified objects , such as those identified in operation 111 . in operation 113 , the complexity of the current object may be determined based on the shapes of the extended lines of the edges detected in operation 112 , and the current object may then be classified as one of a simple object and a complex object . in operation 114 , if the current object is classified as a simple object then operation 115 may be performed , while operation 118 may be performed if the current object is classified as a complex object . in operation 115 , at least one vanishing point at which the extended lines of the edges detected in operation 112 intersect each other may be detected , and a plane equation of a surface corresponding to the vanishing point may be calculated by using a straight line equation of a middle line , from among the extended edge lines converging at the detected vanishing point , and the coordinates of an arbitrary point on the bottom line of the surface corresponding to the vanishing point . in operation 116 , 2d coordinates , e . g ., x and y coordinates , of pixels forming the current object of the 2d photographic image may then be substituted in the plane equation of each surface calculated in operation 115 , thereby calculating the 3d coordinates , e . g ., x , y , and z coordinates , of the pixels forming each surface of the current object . in operation 117 , a 3d model of the 3d object may then be generated by mapping the texture of the 2d photographic image corresponding to each of the pixels forming each surface of the current object onto the 3d coordinates of the pixel . in operation 118 , the 3d model of the current object may be selectively generated by using a conventional 3d modeling method instead of by using a 3d modeling method according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig1 illustrates a navigation system as the system for generating the 3d model illustrated in fig1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention . briefly , though described herein as a navigation system , an embodiment of the present system may be implemented as other systems with or without such navigation capabilities . referring to fig1 , the navigation system may include a camera 121 , a 3d model generation apparatus 122 , a memory 123 , a global positioning system ( gps ) 124 , a rendering system 125 , and a display system 126 , for example . in combination with the other elements , the 3d model generation apparatus 122 may implement aspects of the aforementioned system for generating a 3d model illustrated in fig1 , which is described in detail above , and therefore an explanation thereof will be omitted here , again noting that the navigation system of fig1 may merely be another embodiment of the system for generating the 3d model illustrated in fig1 . accordingly , with that being said , the camera 121 may capture a scene in the real world , for example , thereby generating a 2d photographic image . the navigation system may further also be a mobile system , such that the camera 121 is potentially mounted on the front part of such a mobile body , e . g ., a car , so that scenes corresponding to the moving direction of the mobile body can be photographed . based on a point at which extended lines of edges , which correspond to points in which changes in the image information are equal to or greater than a threshold in an object , from among objects forming the 2d photographic image , e . g ., as generated by the camera 121 , intersect each other , the 3d model generation apparatus 122 , for example , may calculate geometric information of a surface of the object , for thereby generating a 3d model of the object . the memory 123 may further store the 3d model generated by the 3d model generation apparatus 122 . accordingly , in the memory 123 , 3d models of 2d photographic images photographed by using the camera 122 may be stored , potentially among other 3d models . however , as noted , a person of ordinary skill in the art should understand that such a navigation system according to the current embodiment may merely include only the memory 123 storing pre - generated 3d models , e . g ., generated in advance by another device other than the navigation system . however , since a calculation for obtaining 3d geometric information is simple , e . g ., for the 3d model generation apparatus 122 , according to this embodiment , the 3d model generation apparatus 122 may not need a large capacity memory for storing 3d models of all areas that can be visited by the mobile body . in this case , in an embodiment , the 3d model generation apparatus 122 , for example , may directly perform 3d modeling of a 2d photographic image of a place where the mobile body is currently positioned , and delete 3d models of areas far from the mobile body from among the 3d models stored in the memory 123 , thereby operating only with a small capacity memory , noting that alternative embodiments are equally available . the gps 124 , for example , may be used to receive current position information of the navigation system mounted on / in such a mobile body , from at least one or more gps satellites , also noting that alternative positioning systems are available . the rendering system 125 may further extract such a 3d model corresponding to the current position information of the navigation system , received by the gps 124 , from among 3d models stored in the memory 123 , and render the thus extracted 3d model on a 2d plane corresponding to the moving direction of the mobile body on which the navigation system is mounted . here , for example , the system for generating the 3d model illustrated in fig1 may merely be a system without such a camera , or even the gps 124 , that renders or renders and displays such generated 3d models . the display system 125 may then display such a result of the rendering performed by the rendering system 125 . thus , in view of at least the above , fig1 illustrates a navigation method , according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 , the navigation method may include operations performed in a time series , e . g ., in the navigation system illustrated in fig1 . accordingly , although omitted below , aspects described above in relation to the navigation system illustrated in fig1 may also be equally applied to the navigation method according to the current embodiment , again noting that alternative embodiments are also available . in operation 131 , a 2d photographic image may be generated by photographing a scene in the real world . in operation 132 , based on a point at which extended lines of edges , which correspond to points in which changes in the image information are equal to or greater than a threshold in an object , from among objects forming the 2d photographic image generated in operation 131 , intersect each other , geometric information of a surface of the object may be calculated , thereby generating a 3d model of the object . in operation 133 , the 3d model generated in operation 132 may be stored . in operation 134 , current position information , e . g ., of the navigation system mounted on a mobile body , may be received from at least one or more gps satellites . in operation 135 , a 3d model corresponding to the received current position information may be extracted , from among 3d models including the 3d model stored in operation 133 , and rendered on a 2d plane corresponding to the moving direction of the example mobile body on which the navigation system is mounted . in operation 136 , the rendered results may be displayed . according to one or more embodiments of the present invention , by using linear equations of at least one or more extended edge lines converging at a vanishing point for any one object in a 2d photographic image , a plane equation of a surface corresponding to the vanishing point may be calculated , and by using the calculated plane equation , a 3d model of the object may be generated . in this way , calculation of 3d geometric information in a process of generating a 3d model can be simplified . further , according to one or more embodiments of the present invention , by using a straight line equation of an extended edge line positioned closest to the center portion of an object , among extended edge lines converging at a vanishing point , such a plane equation of the surface of the object may be calculated , thereby accurately generating a 3d model even when an example car exists between a building and the ground , noting that embodiments of the present invention overcome drawbacks from further potentially distracting elements , in addition to such a car existing between a building and the ground . in addition , according to one or more embodiments of the present invention , the complexity of an object may be determined based on shapes of edges in the object , and according to the complexity , an aspect of the present invention is a selective employment of the geometric information calculation method according to one or more embodiments of the present invention or a conventional 3d modeling method or alternate 3d modeling method developed in the future , thereby providing an optimal 3d modeling process . still further , as described above , according to one or more embodiments of the present invention , calculation in the 3d modeling method is simple and accurate . accordingly , when the method is directly applied as a navigation system , the capacity of a memory storing 3d models can be reduced , and a more accurate navigation screen can be provided to users . in addition to the above described embodiments , embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented through computer readable code / instructions in / on a medium , e . g ., a computer readable medium , to control at least one processing element to implement any above described embodiment . the medium can correspond to any medium / media permitting the storing and / or transmission of the computer readable code . the computer readable code can be recorded / transferred on a medium in a variety of ways , with examples of the medium including recording media , such as magnetic storage media ( e . g ., rom , floppy disks , hard disks , etc .) and optical recording media ( e . g ., cd - roms , or dvds ), and transmission media such as media carrying or including carrier waves , as well as elements of the internet , for example . thus , the medium may be such a defined and measurable structure including or carrying a signal or information , such as a device carrying a bitstream , for example , according to embodiments of the present invention . the media may also be a distributed network , so that the computer readable code is stored / transferred and executed in a distributed fashion . still further , as only an example , the processing element could include a processor or a computer processor , and processing elements may be distributed and / or included in a single device . while aspects of the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to differing embodiments thereof , it should be understood that these exemplary embodiments should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation . any narrowing or broadening of functionality or capability of an aspect in one embodiment should not considered as a respective broadening or narrowing of similar features in a different embodiment , i . e ., descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in the remaining embodiments . thus , although a few embodiments have been shown and described , it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention , the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents .
| 6Physics
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this invention reveals a method to provide rapid destruction of the cells of polystyrene foams by use of a combination of specific chemicals of the class of aliphatic dibasic esters , either alone or with other foam reduction agents and surfactants that are active and which readily attack , with no or little heat activation , polystyrene foam and allows easy recycling . the easy recycling is due to reduced bulk and ease of storage of the collapsed polystyrene foam in sludge foam , ease of processing , and economical transportation prior to recycling . the process involves the exposure of said foams to liquid sprays of specific esters , which have a relatively high boiling point and may be easily and safely transported . this invention solves the volume problem of polystyrene foam materials and allows the easy and inexpensive shipment of the foam materials after cost effective reduction in volume by use of liquid aliphatic dibasic esters . these materials such as dimethyl glutarate , dimethyl adipate and dimethyl succinate are all effective foam reduction agents . while they have activity individually , as mixtures the action is especially favorable . moreover , with the addition of small amounts of heat to the process the overall effectiveness is increased while having little effect on the cost of recycling . also , because of the reactants lower boiling points not much reactant is lost in the heating process . the lower boiling points and benign nature of the reactants makes the reactant process safer than know chemical reactants with highly boiling points . the use of active chemicals assists in making foamed polystyrene materials easier to incinerate or reprocess . the product of this process and method is solvatable and can be made pumpable and can then be filtered and reprocessed or injected into the furnaces where the high fuel value of the material offers energy savings . if filtered and recycled , high quality polystyrene raw material bead product can be made . heretofore it has been impossible to cost effectively recycle polystyrene high quality raw material . high quality recycling is important in polystyrene recycling where the recycled product is desirable to be used in the food packing industry . the food packing industry has strict requirements for parts per million of contaminant in the styrene used . the process disclosed herein is the only known recycling that is cost effective and yields recycled material that would meet the requirements of the food packing industry . the process of volume reduction has been hampered by high loss due to evaporation . this invention helps cure this problem by discovery of agents with high boiling points , which effect foam reduction in the liquid state with little or no heat added . the materials used in this method of volume reduction are also recoverable by removal in the recycling process and the majority of compounds used can be easily separated from moisture and volatile organic by a combination of decanting , mutual solubility with other organic compounds and thermal stripping . the invention started with identification of the unexpected affinity of the vapors of certain solvents found in perfumes . identification of the active agent in the process became the key to the initial foam volume reduction process . this material identified was d - limonene . d - limonene vapors acted upon the foam and rapidly reduced the volume . the sorption process , when there was sufficient vapor present , was one that continued until the foam was reduced to a viscous liquid . this aggressive mutual solubility was relatively fast as long as there is a presence of the needed vapors . this invention furthers the concept of foam reduction by the discovery of a set of chemicals which are as effective as the vapor process noted with d - limonene but which work in a liquid state and thus avoids the need for a vapor saturated atmosphere around the collapsing foam . the process in this invention would still be a curiosity if the solvents used were some of the common materials such as acetones , methylene chlorides or other relatively toxic compounds . it was known that these strong solvents were effective in dissolving polystyrene foams . early work assumed key requirements were the relatively high vapor pressure of d - limonene since this chemical and the other known active solvents that were relatively toxic all had high vapor pressures . it was thus assumed at earlier points in the research , that the key conditions were the presence of an active vapor and polystyrene foams . the volatile oils which were the key solvents in earlier work all had relatively low boiling points and thus to make the process effective , restriction of the vapor must also be present . a result was relatively large loss to the atmosphere and the resulting lessening cost effectiveness of the chemical due to this evaporation and vapor loss . this invention discloses a new series of chemicals that have not previously been considered for this purpose since they are not easy to use in the vapor phase . these new dibasic ester uses eliminate much of the loss and further improves fire safety of the recycling or foam reduction process . the extra factor is the removal of the vapor requirement with discovery of liquid phase foam reduction agents . the formulas used for this invention consist of esters , specifically dibasic esters . these esters , especially the aliphatic dibasic esters such as dimethyl glutarate , dimethyl adipate , and dimethyl succinate ( cas # 1119 - 40 - 0 ; 627 - 93 - 0 ; 106 - 65 - 0 ) have rapid reaction with polystyrene foams , again acting as a stress cracking agent to destroy the cell wall webs which are highly stressed , then destroying the inter cellular structure that remains . in addition , through the experimentation that is the subject of the invention disclosed herein it was learned that esters themselves were effectives reactants when small amounts of heat were added to the process . esters have been disclosed in a u . s . patent to shiino et al . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 629 , 352 . however , that disclosure did not teach or contemplate heating . the addition of small amounts of heat to the ester prior to use as a reactant greatly increases is reactant characteristics . the presence of ester without heat will reduce foam but in a time period that is not efficient for recycling purposes . the dibasic esters disclosed above are not like the vapor processes used previously for foam reduction , which attack foam by dissolving the foam in the vapors of natural organic compounds . the present chemicals act as liquids . they have boiling points of 196 to 225 degrees c . with a vapor pressure of only 0 . 2 mm hg at 20 degrees c . they have an evaporation rate one tenth that of butyl acetate , a common reference . the specific gravity is slightly greater that water and mutual solubility is limited , allowing easy separation from water mixes . the dibasic esters also have low solubility in water and very high solubility in many alcohols so that separation schemes for recovery of the dibasic mix is feasible . the use of the dibasic esters , especially as a mixture , eliminates the large loss due to evaporation of the d - limonene used as the reducing agent in previous reduction and recovery methods . the evaporation of active agents had previously made the process partly ineffective in many applications because of cost . the present invention is cost effective since this loss is very low . the active agents also have several key property needs . since they will be going into dumps and trash , they must be environmentally sound . ideally , they should not be within a range of boiling points and vapor pressures that will either immediately flash off or will over time evaporate to form a vapor layer within a landfill . looking at solvents , which attack polystyrene foams , nearly all are environmental problem chemicals . one class of chemicals broadly noted as isoprenoid and terpene compounds contain mostly environmentally safe naturally derived compounds , but most of these compounds are relatively volatile and would at least form a vapor layer in a dump situation . the dibasic esters of this invention are of sufficiently low volatility that they do not form an indump layer . this removes future problems of large vapor escape if the dump top impermeable layers are destroyed or damaged by man made or natural phenomena such as earthquakes . in patents on activation ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 223 , 543 ) the emphasis was on d - limonene . this was selected for cost and volatility reasons since prior uses relied on rapid action due to application in exposed areas as activated liquid . the use of a variety of liquid volatilities as long as vapor is generated over an extended time ranging from several hours to several days is also covered . the present use of esters with small amounts of heat , dibasic esters , and d - limonene in combination with esters and dibasic esters , as foam reduction agents is also effective . the present invention is superior in creating a vast reduction in the vapor loss , in preventing vapor layers within disposal dumps , in reduction of loss in reprocessing operations , which are typically at temperatures of over 270 degrees c . also , the present invention limits reliance on d - limonene , which is can experience unstable pricing and is not easily reclaimed after recycling . finally , all of the contemplated reactants described herein may be optionally aided in their reactant effectiveness by including in the reactant process a pretreatment shredding of the polystyrene . the shredding can be effectively accomplished through the use of a hopper that shreds the polystyrene in the first stage of the process . the second stage of the process would have the shredded polystyrene being treaded with one of the disclosed reactants in a holding compartment of the hopper . the resultant foam sludge could then be pumped from the hopper to containers for transportation to waste or recycling locations . in the most preferred embodiment a mixture of a dibasic ester that is at least one of the group of dimethyl glutarate , dimethyl adipate and dimethyl succinate ; and , a surfactant , are sprayed onto pre shredded polystyrene foam waste . this foam waste would typically be from foam serving plates and containers in a fast food restaurant , the residues of packing for food or industrial objects . the foam waste would be shredded in a hopper . the shreds of polystyrene foam would be contained in a compartment of the hopper . the reactant would be sprayed onto the shredded foam waste . the spray and shredded foam combination will rapidly decrease in volume as the foam collapses and would result in the forming of foam sludge and volume of reducing agent . the sludge and reducing agent would be pumped from the hopper compartment into drum type containers and sent to dumps where it occupies a greatly reduced volume or sent to a reprocessor to recover the active agent dibasic esters and the polystyrene polymer . preferably the reducing agent is ninety eight percent dibasic ester and two percent surfactant . the process is preferably the same as described above with alternate reactant compositions . however , embodiments are not limited to the pre shredding of the foam waste , the use of a hopper , the pumping of the foam sludge and reactant or the use of drum like containers for transporting the foam sludge and reactant . in a second embodiment the reactant is at least one of the named dibasic esters is combined with d - limonlene ; and a surfactant , whereby the reactant in a liquid state contacts polystyrene foam causing the collapse of the polystyrene cell to form a compact polystyrene gel material that is shippable . preferably the reactant , or foam reduction agent , is eighty eight percent of the dibasic ester , ten percent d - limonene and two percent of the surfactant . in addition , it is preferred that the surfactant is at least one of an industry standard surfactant known as np5 and np9 . in a third embodiment , the reactant is a dibasic esters that is at least one of the group of dimethyl glutarate , dimethyl adipate and dimethyl succinate ; d - limonlene ; and , a vegetable oil are used as the reducing agent whereby the reactant in a liquid state contacts polystyrene foam causing the collapse of the polystyrene cell to form a compact polystyrene gel material that is shippable . preferably , the reactant , or foam reduction agent , is fifty five percent vegetable oil , thirty percent dibasic ester and fifteen percent d - limonene . it is also preferred that the vegetable oil is soy oil . all of the embodiments described above are sprayed onto polystyrene foam . the preferred process is to have the polystyrene foam placed into a hopper wherein the foam is converted to small pieces that can be combined with the reducing agent . the resulting material , sludge and reducing agent are pumped from the hopper to drums for transportation . the process involves the use of a novel mechanical device known as a polystyrene reactant hopper that is to be the subject of another application by the inventor herein . the resulting material removed from the hopper and placed into drums is a novel article of manufacture that has unique and inventive qualities for waterproofing . its preferred use is mixing the resulting polystyrene foam sludge with concrete to enhance the concrete &# 39 ; s waterproof qualities . in another preferred use of the article of manufacture , the sludge alone or in combination with a rubberizing material may be used as an application such as waterproofing the undercarriage of the car . the embodiments described herein are not a limitation to invention disclosed by this application but are shown to illustrate the best methods and uses of the invention . further uses would be obvious to those skilled in the art by a complete review the disclosure made herein .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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the diagnostic probe architecture of the present invention provides system administrators with the ability to identify the root cause of system problems . the diagnostic probe architecture includes a probe manager and a set of diagnostic probes and also very preferably includes a sufficiently well defined interface that provides support for creating additional probes . the probe manager is responsible for building a dependency tree of probes and for running the probes based on their position in the tree , from the bottom of the tree to the top of the tree and is also responsible for returning probe results to the system administrator . the diagnostic probes of the present invention are relatively small , stand - alone programs that provide the actual diagnostic functionality relevant to a specific part of a system . each probe is responsible for checking the health of a subsystem or part of a subsystem . probes are usually invoked by the probe manager , not by the end user . upon invocation , each probe is responsible for determining the “ health ” of a particular part of the system and reporting its findings back to the probe manager . since components usually depend on other components , a probe for a component is provided with the ability to express dependency on probes for dependent components . the architecture of the diagnostic probe system herein also provides templates and utilities which can be used by component or subsystem developers and system administrators for easily creating new probes . the diagnostic probe architecture includes a probe manager and a set of diagnostic probes and is very preferably designed to provide support for creating additional probes which may be customized and specialized to address any number of software subsystems . the external design details of the components associated with the diagnostic probe architecture are discussed in this section . the probe manager uses a dependency list , which is returned by each of the individual diagnostic probes , to build a dependency tree and then executes the probes starting from the leaves of the tree to the root of the tree and then returns the probe result to the system administrator . by executing the probes from the lowest level to the highest level , the root cause of a software / system problem is thereby more easily determined thus avoiding the occurrence of downstream effects . it is noted that in some cases the dependency list may contain a null entry indicating that , for that particular probe , directed to a particular subsystem , there are no immediate dependencies beyond the initial probe itself . as an example , consider a set of probes a , b , c and d . suppose that the probes &# 39 ; dependencies are as follows : the order in which these probes are run , with the above dependencies , is as follows : run c & amp ; d ( specific order not deterministic ) run b run a fig1 illustrates a typical set of diagnostic probe dependencies . for example , it is seen that higher level application probes p 1 and p 2 are dependent upon probes p 3 and p 4 ( for probe p 1 ) and on probes p 5 and p 6 ( for probe p 2 ). likewise , probe p 3 is dependent on probe p 7 and probe p 8 , and so on , as shown . in operation , probes p 7 , p 8 , p 9 , p 10 and p 11 would be run first and would return their results to probes p 3 , p 4 , p 5 and p 6 in the manner set forth in fig1 . in this regard it is noted that the probes do not call each other directly ; rather , individual probes provide an indication of their dependency other probes . the probe manager takes care of running the probes in the correct order and also takes care of ensuring that the same probe does not get run more than once . also there are no messages that get passed between the probes ; each probe performs its task independently of the other probes . in normal operation , any error detected by a probe causes the probe manager to stop executing the probes that depend on the failed probe , thus isolating the problem in a component to the realm of items checked by the failed probe . the probe manager is provided with an option which allows execution of probes that depend on a failed probe . this option is specified by the system administrator when invoking the probe manager command . a probe - to - probe - manager interface is defined and the interaction between the probe and the probe manager is through this interface . the probe manager command ( probemanager ) provides options to indicate what severity of error messages should be returned , whether it should continue when an error is found , what probes should be run or excluded , etc . these options are also specifiable in a more persistent fashion via environment variables . probes are small stand - alone programs that provide the actual diagnostic functionality for a specific aspect of a component . every significant piece of software or system is normally composed of a number of parts that do a specific task and interact with each other to provide a significant function . the parts are referred to components . each diagnostic probe performs a specific diagnostic task and specifies a list of probes upon which it is dependent . as an example , a probe checking the health of a network daemon ( server ) will check some specific characteristic of the daemon and could express a dependency on a probe that checks the health of the network . each component is preferably associated with its own set of probes , with each probe being capable of diagnosing a particular aspect of the component and expressing dependencies on other probes . these other probes either belong to the subject component &# 39 ; s probe set or belong to probes associated with other components outside of the first set of probes . in accordance with a preferred implementation of the present invention each diagnostic probe support employs a command line invocation such as the preferred one shown below : diagnostic probe options are shown between the square brackets above . in particular , they have the following meanings : - h means “ show usage information .” - d means “ return the probe dependency list . the probe can specify a required set of dependencies and an optional set of dependencies as well . - s means “ return a one line summary of the purpose of the probe .” - m means “ return a detailed documentation for the probe .” - e msgnum 1 , msgnum 2 , . . . indicates that the messages identified by the passed message numbers are to be ignored . they are therefor not output . the probe itself determines whether ignoring the message should affect the exit status or not . indicates the level of message output that is to be reported by the probe . the message level determines the urgency of the message . the following message levels are available in preferred embodiments of the present invention : 1 — show probe trace messages , probe explanation and suggested action messages , probe attention messages and probe error messages . this is the equivalent of a verbose option . 2 — show probe explanation and suggested action messages , probe attention ( warning or information ) messages and probe error messages . 3 — show probe attention messages and probe error messages only . 4 — show probe error messages only . output from probes is provided in the form of dependency lists , messages , purpose summary or detailed documentation . an optional status code can also be provided upon return . if the probe is given the - d option , the probe simply outputs its list of dependencies to stdout ( the standard output file or device as defined to the operating system by or for the system administrator ). the list is a colon - separated list of probe names . probe name message level message number ( not needed for trace messages ) and message text the message text format is “ probe - name : message - level : message number : message text .” -- probe - name is the name of the probe -- message level is one of trace , attention , error or internalerror indicating the message type . trace - trace message used mostly for debugging . attention - warning or informational message . error - failure message . internalerror - the probe could not perform the check because of an internal problem with the probe . -- message number ( which is unique ) identifying the message . the message number is not needed for trace messages . -- message text is the text that describes the message being output . if the probe is given the - s option , the probe outputs a one line summary about the purpose of the probe . if the probe is given the - h option , the probe outputs usage information , which typically includes information on using the command , including the meaning and structure for all of the valid arguments that are passed to the command . if the probe is started with the - m option set , the probe outputs detailed documentation for the probe including such items as exactly how a probe goes about its task of identifying problems . when a probe exits , it returns one of five exit status codes to indicate its level of success : 0 — success — the probe found nothing wrong with the subsystem that it was checking . 1 — invalid — the software component that the probe is checking is not installed or the probe is not valid for the current hardware / software environment . this is not an error and will be ignored by the probe manager . 10 — attention — the probe found some things that must be brought to the attention of the system administrators ; but no errors were detected . 20 — error — the probe found an error in the subsystem that it was checking . 127 — internal error — the probe could not complete its check because an unexpected error occurred while the diagnostics were run . in order to achieve the greatest level of success for the present probe manager architecture , an abundance of probes should be available to most fully address the needs of end users but which of practical needs ought to be provided by component and subsystem developers who are most familiar with their own software . the system administrator should also be able to add new probes easily to identify problems for which probes do not currently exist . thus the process of diagnostic probe creation should be easy and flexible . accordingly , the following are important aspects to consider with regard to the task of probe development : ( 1 ) probes are stand - alone programs that communicate with the probe manager using a well - defined interface ; ( 2 ) the probe manager invokes the probes with certain command line flags and options ; ( 3 ) the user may have set certain environment variables which the probe should check ; ( 4 ) the probe communicates back to the probe manager by printing messages to stdout and appropriately setting its exit status ; ( 5 ) probes should be intelligent and along with the probe manager simulate the way an expert administrator systematically checks various parts of the system to find the root cause of a problem ; ( 6 ) each probe codifies a specific part of this debugging knowledge ; ( 7 ) probes scope is small ( if the scope of the probes diagnostics are limited , the administrator can be brought very close to the root cause of a failure . ); ( 8 ) a probe only lists direct dependencies in its dependency list ; ( 9 ) probes are preferably conventional executables such as shell scripts , perl scripts , and statically linked compiled executables . the naming of probes is also providable in a consistent manner . for example , a probe name preferably comprises three components ( say company name , product name and probe ) specified in the following format ( the choice of delimiter being somewhat arbitrary ): an example of a probename in this format is as follows : if the probe is given the - d option , the probe simply outputs its list of dependencies to stdout . this list is a colon - separated list of probe names . note though that any delimiter , not just a colon may be employed . the probe preferably specifies a set of required dependencies and a list of optional dependencies . if the dependencies in the optional list are not available , then the probe manager assumes that those probes were run successfully . the required dependency list and the optional dependency list are separated by the ‘#’ character ( again , any convenient delimiting character may be employed ). for example , such a list may preferably take the following form : for probes developed internally ( that is , by the original manufacturer of the data processing system ) the probes , probe utilities ( if any ; see below ), probe configuration ( if any ; also , see below ) and the message files are preferably installed under the standard top - level probe directory ( named “/ opt / diagnostics ” in the pseries of data processing systems manufactured and sold by international business machines corp ., the assignee of the present invention ). for probes developed by the user , the suggestion is to place the probes , utilities and the configuration in a directory that is different from the standard directory and using the following mechanisms to identify them to the probe manager and to the probes . the directory containing the user developed probes is specified by using the - d flag when invoking the probe manager . the directory containing user developed probe utilities is specified by using the user_probe_utildir environment variable . the user can also change the standard utilities directory by setting the std_probe_utildir environment variable , but in this case all the standard utilities would have to be copied to this new directory . the directory which contains configurations information for user developed probes is specified by using the user_probe_configdir environment variable . to change the configuration files for standard probes ( those shipped as part of the diagnostic probes package ), the user must copy all the standard configurations to another directory and modify the configuration files for specific probes to reflect the component configuration and then set the std_probe_configdir environment variable to point to this directory . it should be remembered that when changing the standard configuration directory , the configuration information for all the probes should be copied to the new directory . a perl script based probe template is provided as part of the probe package in order to make it easy to develop probes in per . the probe template is preferably placed in the directory labeled “/ opt / diagnostics / templates .” the template shows how to use the probe_support utility to handle tasks that are common to all probes , including the following tasks : parsing command - line arguments ; printing messages in the correct format ; filtering out messages based on command - line arguments ; and returning correct status codes . the user developed probes may be placed in any directory and can express dependencies on the probes in the standard probes directory (/ opt / diagnostics / probes ). in order to complete its diagnostic work , a probe may need support scripts or some other executable ( s ). a set of standard utilities is shipped as part of the probe package and is , by default , located in the “/ opt / diagnostics / utilities ” directory . if desired , the user can change this by setting the std_probe_utildir environment variable . a probe &# 39 ; s authors may provide , along with the probe , a collection of utilities which are installed on the system . the utilities are preferably provided in a directory that is common to all probes and contains utilities that are useful to a plurality of probes . the location of this directory is preferably “/ opt / diagnostics / utilitites ” and can be changed by setting the environment variable std_probe_utildir . utilities developed by the users are preferably placed in a directory that is different from the standard utilities directory and this information is passed to user developed probes by setting the user_probe_utildir environment variable . the following table provides a list of utilities which are may be typically provided by a system manufacturer . these are general utilities which are typically desirable for use in conjunction with certain probes and are further provided to ease development . all these utilities are preferably provided as perl scripts . all of the following utilities , unless otherwise noted , return exit status 0 on success , 1 on failure , and 127 when an unexpected error occurs . a probe may require access to some configuration parameters ( for example , location of a subsystem &# 39 ; s configuration ). for example , if an application depends on another application that runs on another remote machine and the application gets the hostname of the remote machine from a file located in a specific directory , this file can be called as the configuration file for the application . consequently , there is provided a predefined directory where all probes may find a configuration file . the location of this directory is specified via the std_probe_configdir environment variable . the name of the file is determined by the probe . the probe , however , does not write to this file . the information in the file represents system - specific options that a probe uses while examining the system . a probe &# 39 ; s operation should not depend on the configuration file . if the probe cannot find the configuration file , the probe falls back upon reasonable defaults and outputs an attention message with the default values that are used by the probe . if reasonable defaults cannot be determined , then the probe terminates with a return code of 127 indicating that an internal error occurred . the std_probe_configdir environment variable determines the directory where probe configurations are stored . the directory name should not be relative ( that is , it should begin with a ‘/’). if the variable is unset , the configuration directory is “/ opt / diagnostics / config .” for user developed probes the user_probe_configdir environment variable is used to specify the directory where the configuration files for those probes reside . a set of diagnostic probes providing basic diagnostic functionality is preferably provided by system manufacturers when a system is shipped or when its software is upgraded . a typical set of these basic diagnostic probes are set forth in table ii below : table ii available base probes probe name dependencies description fs . mounts none checks to make sure that all filesystems specified in / etc / fstab as automount ( i . e .. the noauto flag is not given ) are actually mounted . also ensures that the files are indeed read - only if that is specified or read - write if nothing is specified . network network . enabled , this is a dummy probe that expresses dependencies on all other network . hostname , network probes . this probe with all of its dependencies verifies network . ifaces , proper operation of network devices and verifies ip settings . it network . ip_defrag , checks route configuration and also attempts to ping the local network . ip_forward , machine . network . ping , network . routes network . enabled none this probe checks to see if networking = yes in / etc / sysconfig / network . it returns an error if it is “ no ” or if / etc / sysconfig / network does not exist . network . hostname none this probe checks to see if the hostname in / etc / sysconfig / network is consistent with the hostname of the system . network . ifaces network . enabled this probe checks that the interfaces specified in / etc / sysconfig / network - scripts / ifcfg -* have the specified parameters ( ip address , netmask , and broadcast address ). it also ensures the interfaces are up and running . for dynamically configured interfaces this probe only ensures the device exists and the interface is up . network . ip_defrag none this probe checks to see if the enabled status ip auto defragmentation is consistent with / etc / sysconfig / network . this probe relies on the / proc filesystem . it also relies on the ability to configure ipv4 parameters at runtime . network . ip_forward none this probe checks to see if the enabled status ip forwarding is consistent with / etc / sysconfig / network . this probe relies on the / proc filesystem . it also relies on the ability to configure ipv4 parameters at runtime . network . ping network . enabled , this probe tries to ping each interface of the local machine network . ifaces , ensuring that it is properly responding . it sends 10 icmp echo network . routes packets to each interface and counts the number of replies . no replies implies there is an error . if less than 10 replies are received , a warning is displayed . there is a timeout period of 10 seconds , which should be sufficient . network . routes network . enabled , this probe ensures that the routes that should be created for each network . ifaces , interface and the default routes are in the kernel route table . this probe does not check for the routes specified in / etc / sysconfig / static - routes . it prints a warning for any interface that does not specify its ip address in its configuration file , which produces an attention message for every interface that is dynamically configured . attention : this probe incorrectly gives error messages if host / network names are used in the configuration files rather than addresses in dotted quad notation . note : in the table above the term “ dotted quad configuration ” refers to an ip ( internet protocol ) address represented as in the format ww . xx . yy . zz ( such as , 161 . 53 . 4 . 28 ). in addition to diagnosing problems in software components , probes can also sometimes suggest fixes for the problem found . since each probe is a “ domain expert ” with respect to the component it is analyzing , it is reasonable to expect that in some cases the probe “ knows ” exactly what caused the problem and how to resolve it . to enable this , an additional message level ( see probe output section ) is defined called “ fix ”. for this message level , the message text is actually a command string that can be run to address the problem found . this command is normally run by the probe manager or a higher level application ( for example , a probe gui ) after displaying the problem message to the user and asking the user whether or not the fix should be executed . for cases in which the solution is less exact , another message level called “ suggestion ” is defined . this is output by the probe to give the user instructions on how to solve the problem . while the invention has been described in detail herein in accordance with certain preferred embodiments thereof , many modifications and changes therein may be effected by those skilled in the art . accordingly , it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention .
| 6Physics
|
the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings figures wherein like numerals represent like elements throughout . referring to fig2 b , a prior art data burst is shown . the data burst comprises two data fields separated by a midamble which are followed by a guard period ( gp ). the tfci is transmitted within one or both of the data fields of the burst . the number of coded tfci bits depends upon the number of possible tfcs that are supported . since the tfci is transmitted within the data fields , each bit required to transmit the tfci reduces the number of user data bits . therefore , it is desirable to limit the number of tfci bits . the location of the tfci adjacent to the midamble allows for the best possible transmission , since interference from the midamble can be canceled and the channel estimate is most reliable for bits adjacent to the midamble . as those of skill in the art should realize , the data fields comprise both user data and physical control fields , although these fields will not be described in further detail hereinafter . the present invention comprises six different embodiments for performing dynamic link adaptation . the first embodiment , as shown in fig3 a - 3e , comprises adding a new control field to the data burst to indicate which particular timeslots are active , and which timeslots should be avoided . for example , as shown in fig3 a , a control field has been added to data field 1 . fig3 b shows the control field added to data field 2 . alternatively , fig3 c shows the control field as part of the midamble . fig3 d shows the control field added to both data field 1 and data field 2 . although the control field ( s ) are shown in a particular location within the data fields , they may be located in any portion of the data field . in any of the alternatives shown in fig3 a - 3d , it is important to note that the control field identifies the timeslots to which the receiver should look for valid data . the data in the control field may refer to “ active ” timeslots which include valid data ; may include “ inactive ” timeslots which have invalid data and are to be avoided ( hereinafter “ inactive ” timeslots ); or may include both active and inactive timeslots . the active or inactive timeslots may be identified individually , or the identifier may include a bit string , with a one indicating an active timeslot and a zero indicating an inactive timeslot . it also should be noted that the control field can comprise a separately delineated control field or may simply reside in a portion of the data fields . referring to fig3 e , the allocation / configuration of timeslots using the method of the first embodiment is shown . in this example , it is assumed that the control fields shown in fig3 a - 3d indicate that timeslots s 4 , s 6 and s 7 are active , and that s 5 is inactive . accordingly , timeslot s 5 is not used , and codes a 1 - a 12 are allocated / configured in timeslots s 4 , s 6 and s 7 . this permits the system to avoid an “ offending ” timeslot , such as timeslot s 5 in this example , which will not adequately support a communication without a substantial increase in ue power output . referring to fig4 a - d , a second embodiment of the present invention is shown . in this embodiment , one or both of the tfci fields are expanded and / or modified to include the extra data regarding which timeslots are active and which are inactive . fig4 a shows the first tfci field expanded and / or modified in order to include the extra data ; fig4 b shows the second tfci field expanded and / or modified in such a way ; and fig4 c shows both tfci fields expanded and / or modified in such a way . referring to fig4 d , the allocation / configuration of the timeslots using the method of the second embodiment is shown . in this example , it is assumed that the control fields shown in fig4 a - 4c indicate that timeslot s 6 is inactive and timeslots s 4 , s 5 and s 7 are active . accordingly , the codes are assigned / configured such that timeslot s 6 is avoided and timeslots s 4 , s 5 and s 7 are assigned / configured with the codes in consecutive order . timeslot s 4 will be filled first , followed by timeslots s 5 and s 7 consecutively . referring to fig5 a - 5f , a third embodiment is shown . in this embodiment , a special encoded bit pattern is added to one or both of the data fields or the midamble within the data burst ; for example data field 1 as shown in fig5 a , data field 2 as shown in fig5 b or the midamble as shown in fig5 c . by including this special encoded bit pattern within a data burst , the transmitter indicates that these are inactive timeslots , which are to be avoided . when the receiver detects the special encoded bit pattern in the data burst , the information associated with that timeslot is discarded or otherwise ignored . fig5 d - 5f are similar to fig5 a - 5c except that the data burst does not include the tfci fields . as shown in fig5 d , the encoded bit pattern may be included at any location within data field 1 . alternatively , as shown in fig5 e , the encoded bit pattern may be located within data field 2 , or as shown in fig5 f may be located within the midamble . although the encoded bit pattern located within data field 1 or data field 2 is preferably located close to the midamble , this is not required in the present embodiment or any of the other embodiments . additionally , the encoded bit pattern may be minimal , as shown in fig5 a - 5d and 5 f , or may comprise most or all of the data field as shown in fig5 e . the length of the bit pattern is such that a high gain coding scheme may be used so that it can be received with reduced power . thus , for example , if a 256 chip sequence is used , then the power requirements are reduced relative to a spreading factor of 16 , by 12 db . in one alternative , a sync - like ( golay ) sequence that does not require channel estimation may be used . fig5 g shows an allocation / configuration of timeslots using the method of the third embodiment . in this example , it is assumed that the data bursts shown in fig5 f have indicated that timeslot s 6 has been designated as inactive . thus , the data burst associated with timeslot s 6 will include the special encoded bit pattern . as a result , timeslots s 4 , s 5 and s 7 will be allocated / configured consecutively and timeslot s 6 will be avoided . the fourth embodiment of the present invention ranks all active timeslots in order of decreasing interference , and then the channel allocation / configuration is made based upon the interference levels . preferably , the transmitter periodically performs interference measurements in each timeslot for the amount of interference and sends this information to the receiver . once the timeslots are ranked based upon the interference level , the timeslots with the least interference are filled first and the timeslots with the worst interference are filled last . the interference information , or rank , may be transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver in one of the fields of the data burst , or a new field may be created ; for example data field 1 as shown in fig6 a , data field 2 as shown in fig6 b or the midamble as shown in fig6 c . the measurements used for ranking the timeslots are those which are well known to those of skill in the art , such as the channel quality cq measurements that are signaled between the rnc , the rns and the node b in a 3 g system . the node b may also use higher layer signaling with an acknowledgement to prioritize the channel allocation / configuration . fig6 d illustrates an allocation / configuration of timeslots using the method of the fourth embodiment . in this example , it is assumed that timeslot s 6 has the least amount of interference , timeslot s 5 has the second least amount of interference , timeslot s 7 has the third least amount and timeslot s 4 has the most interference . accordingly , the timeslots will be filled in the following order : s 6 , s 5 , s 7 and s 4 , as shown in fig6 d . the fifth embodiment in accordance with the present invention creates an even distribution of data across all timeslots . in this embodiment , referring to fig7 a , a tfc is chosen , and the corresponding tfcis are transmitted in the tfci fields , that reduce the data rate evenly across all timeslots to the point where the offending timeslot can support the data transmission . this embodiment is the most simple solution since the tfcis that are transmitted are the same as in the prior art . however , the system allocates / configures timeslots and codes such that the data is evenly distributed across all of the timeslots . the method of the fifth embodiment results in an allocation / configuration of timeslots shown in fig7 b . as shown , the codes are allocated such that the data is distributed evenly across all timeslots . this embodiment has the additional advantages that no new fields are needed and no synchronization between the transmitter and receiver has to be performed in order to make a notification of active or inactive timeslots since all timeslots are active . in a sixth embodiment in accordance with the present invention shown in fig8 a , the inactive timeslot , and all timeslots thereafter , are not used to send any information . the tfci is used to convey which timeslots should be used . however , when the ue calculates maximum allowable power will be exceeded in a certain timeslot , such as timeslot s 5 , that timeslot and all subsequent timeslots are not used . the result of the sixth embodiment is a code allocation / configuration shown in fig8 b . in this example , it is assumed that timeslot s 5 is the inactive timeslot . accordingly , since the offending timeslots and all timeslots thereafter are discarded , only timeslot s 4 will be used and only codes a 1 - a 5 will be allocated / configured . in an alternative to the embodiment , the inactive timeslot may still be used , albeit in a lesser capacity . as shown in fig8 c , less codes may be assigned to that timeslot to reduce the burden on the timeslot . a summary of the different embodiments of the present invention is shown in table 1 below . it should be noted that one drawback in implementing the present invention is the location of the tfci and the control information for active and inactive timeslots , ( hereinafter “ timeslot information ”). since the tfci typically exists only in certain timeslots , it is possible to have a communication that uses five timeslots , but designates only timeslot 2 , or timeslots 1 and 4 , to have the tfci and / or the timeslot information . the tfci and the timeslot information are necessary to synchronize the transmitter and the receiver in the processing of the data . however , there may be instances when the only timeslots that have the tfci or the timeslot information will be the timeslots that exceed the maximum allowable transmission power . for the first four embodiments of the present invention and described with reference to fig3 a - 6d , if the tfci or the timeslot information are in only the timeslots that have been designated as inactive , the communication will fail . one solution to this problem is to put the tfci and timeslot information in at least two timeslots ; and potentially every used timeslot when data loss is a greater concern . this will ensure that if the receiver receives a timeslot , it will also receive the tfci and timeslot information . for the fifth and sixth embodiments shown and described with reference to fig7 a - 8b , the tfci problem does not exist . for the fifth embodiment , the data rate is reduced , but all timeslots are still used and the tfci and timeslot information will always be available . the sixth embodiment will always include the tfci and timeslot information in the first timeslot . it should be noted that although the present invention has been described with reference to the uplink , it is equally applicable to the downlink ; and utilizing the teachings of the embodiments as described herein in both the uplink and the downlink are contemplated herein as within the scope of the present invention . while the present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment , other variations , which are within the scope of the invention as outlined in the claims below will be apparent to those skilled in the art .
| 7Electricity
|
while this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms , there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated . in accordance with the invention , generally stated , an illuminated tap handle system having an interchangeable top handle portion is disclosed . the top handle preferably is constructed from a clear acrylic or other plastic material and includes an open bottom that can be slipped over a base portion in which electronic circuitry is housed . in the preferred embodiment , the open bottom of the top portion and base are cylindrical in shape . one or more primary batteries are disposed in the base portion . secondary or other types of batteries may be used , if desired . a first timer is included in the electronic circuit of the base portion for saving battery power and for maximizing advertising effectiveness , which preferably is triggered at the beginning of the business day by a multi - axis motion sensor . preferably the first timer expires at the end of the business day after a predetermined period of absence of motion is sensed by the sensor , and upon expiration causes the illumination system to power off . when the timer expires , the system is placed in a substantially zero power mode waiting for sensed motion indicative of the beginning of the next business day . the electronic circuit of the preferred embodiment also includes a second timer that adjusts frequency of light activity during the business day so that light on - time is at its maximum during hours of peak customer activity , for example during the lunch hour . the pattern of light activity can be adjusted to match any particular duration of business activity , including but not limited to a 24 - hour business activity cycle . the illumination system of the preferred embodiment also includes three light sources consisting of three primary colors , for example , red , green and blue . any number of colors may be used as necessary to implement the particular color requirements of the tap handle top portion . the light sources are independently adjustable in brightness under control of the electronic circuit to achieve a plurality of perceived colors , including generation of any color in the visible spectrum if desired . the preferred embodiment also includes one or more switches disposed in the sealed electronic base , accessible when removing or changing the interchangeable top portion . the electronic circuit controls illumination of the light source based on the positions of the switches . therefore the switches allow the light colors and / or sequence to be changed to correspond to the type and style of the interchangeable top . in an alternative embodiment , the switches can be located in such a way as to be accessible without removal of the interchangeable top , for example with sealed watertight switches , or switches that can be activated automatically by the shape of the interchangeable top portion when the top portion is disposed in the base . the electronic circuit preferably is a microprocessor adapted to control all aspects of illumination and the operation of the first and second timers . the light source preferably includes at least one light emitting diode ( led ). referring now to fig1 reference numeral 1 indicates one illustrative embodiment of the tap of the present invention . the tap 1 may comprise a variety of designs , and those skilled in the art will recognize that various designs are compatible with the broader aspects of this invention . the tap 1 preferably is a clear acrylic or other plastic material , and includes a handle portion 15 on which advertising indicia 40 may be deployed . this advertising indicia 40 is optional , in that the invention attracts prospective customers with or without the use of the indicia 40 . the tap 1 is , in the embodiment illustrated , an elongated structure having the handle portion 15 and a bottom portion 16 . the bottom portion 16 has an axial opening , not shown , extending through it , for the purpose of receiving an electronic base portion 100 . as best observed in fig2 the electronic base portion 100 includes a body 50 . the body 50 has a top 51 and a bottom 52 . the bottom 52 comprises a frusto - conical shape 56 which meets a flange 54 . the shape 56 has an opening 9 formed in it . in the embodiment illustrated , the opening 9 ( fig3 ) has a plurality of internal threads associated with it that are utilized to attach the tap 1 to a particular application . as shown in fig1 the base portion 100 is intended to be received within the opening formed in the bottom 16 of the tap 1 with a distal end 102 of the bottom portion 16 meeting the flange 54 to provide an attractive aesthetic appearance to the combined parts . the flange 54 has an axially upwardly extending portion 60 having an annular groove formed in it , which receives , in the embodiment illustrated , an o - ring 8 . the o - ring 8 seals the body 50 within the bottom 16 of the tap 1 and prevents liquids from entering the bottom 16 of the tap 1 in operational use . body 50 is of a generally semi - cylindrical construction in the embodiment illustrated , and includes two pairs of arms respectively indicated by the reference numerals 20 , 21 , 22 , and 23 . the arms 20 through 23 are relatively flexible , and are intended to permit insertion and removal of a pair of batteries 2 . the batteries 2 , in the embodiment illustrated , are conventional and an electrical connection 60 extends from the bottom 52 of the body 50 to the upper end 61 of the body 50 . the end 61 generally comprises a circular flange 62 formed about the periphery of the body 50 . flange 62 has a plurality of snap hooks 64 which are integrally formed with the flange 62 and are flexible with respect to it , in order to permit insertion of circuit board 65 thereunder . referring now to fig5 the circuit board 65 is generally circular and has a plurality of notches 67 formed in it , which are intended to aid in the positioning , location and holding of the circuit board 65 by the hooks 64 . the circuit board 65 has a microprocessor 6 mounted to it , the operation of which is more fully described below . the circuit board 65 also has at least one light emitting diode ( led ) 4 mounted to it . in the preferred embodiment , a plurality of leds 4 are employed . the board 65 also has a switch box 70 mounted to it , which houses at least one switch 7 . again , preferably , a plurality of the switches 7 are employed in the preferred embodiment of the invention . as indicated above , a multi - axis motion sensor 5 is associated with the circuit board 65 . the motion sensor 5 is best shown in fig6 in which a preferred embodiment of a multi - axis motion sensor is shown . the sensor 5 preferably is positioned axially upwardly within the tap 1 to produce the greatest possible motion of the sensor 5 when the tap 1 is moved , which will be tangential to a curve centered near the tap 1 mount . the motion sensor 5 includes a mass 10 constructed from a suitable conductive material , which is mounted vertically to a conductive spring 11 . spring 11 has an end 12 which is electrically connected to the microprocessor 6 in a conventional manner . the base 12 also is fixed to the body 50 of the electrical base portion 100 . as indicated in fig5 the mass 10 is centered in an opening 14 in the circuit board 65 . an inside surface 66 of the opening 14 preferably is plated with a conductive material . a material such as gold works well , for example , because gold works well as a contact because it does not oxidize or tarnish . mechanical motion of the base portion 100 during operation of the tap 1 is transmitted to the circuit board 13 because the mass 10 tends to remain stationary , and the mass 10 contacts the conductive inside surface 66 of the opening 14 , thereby completing the motion sensing circuit . in the embodiment illustrated , the motion sensor 13 is intended to be mounted approximately vertically relative to the earth so as to be the most sensitive to any possible tap 1 motion and least sensitive to the earth &# 39 ; s gravity , thus minimizing the sensor &# 39 ; s 5 sensitivity as a tilt switch . referring now to fig7 the microprocessor 6 which is mounted in a conventional manner to the circuit board 65 is electrically connected to the motion sensor 5 , and to at least one of the light emitting diodes 4 . as indicated above , preferably a plurality of light emitting diodes 4 exhibiting the primary colors in activation are provided for the greatest visual effect . the batteries 2 also are electrically connected to the microprocessor 6 . as indicated above , the switches 7 are intended to control the operation of the light emitting diodes 4 , and the switches 7 are electrically connected to the microprocessor 6 . for example , the switches can be used to control the relative intensity of the leds 4 or to control a sequence of illumination and de - illumination . the switches 7 in the embodiment illustrated are changed manually by technical personnel installing the tap 1 . as will be recognized by those skilled in the art , alternatively , the switches could be configured so that they are automatically actuated by protrusions in the tap 1 so that the desired switch position is obtained simply by the insertion of the electrical base portion 100 within the tap 1 . as indicated above , the switches 7 are intended to change the lighting behavior of the leds to provide increased battery life or change the aesthetics of the lighting pattern . for example , the switches 7 could be set to indicate to the processor to slowly dim and brighten the illumination over time . dimming of the illumination is achieved by rapidly switching the light source on and off under electronic control at a frequency faster than the human eye can perceive , resulting in perceived partial brightness . this function provides novel and attention getting light activity that improves the advertising value of the system , even though the majority of the time is spent at less than full brightness . moreover , such illumination control does not require the use of inefficient resistive regulation circuitry . fully adjustable color illumination can be provided through the use of three light sources . the relative brightness of each color is controlled by the control circuitry . in the preferred embodiment , three primary colors , red , green and blue are used . by adjusting the relative brightness of the three light sources , any color in the light spectrum can be generated and changed over time by the control circuitry to achieve desired aesthetic effects . non - visible light sources , such as those in the ultra - violet spectrum , may also be used to illuminate florescent materials in the handle portion , thereby indirectly producing visible light . adjustable color illumination as described above may be also be achieved by combining two or more non - visible light sources , each source emitting a different band of non - visible light . the visible brightness of each florescent material in the handle is controlled by the brightness of the corresponding band of non - visible light to which the florescent material is sensitive . in the preferred embodiment , a first timer 110 and a second timer 112 also are electrically connected to the microprocessor 6 or incorporated therein . in operation , after receiving the body portion 100 , the tap 1 is attached to its intended environment along the opening 9 . at least one led 4 , and preferably a plurality of leds 4 , is disposed axially on the upper surface 63 of the circuit board 65 . in embodiments that are capable of producing the entire spectrum of visible light using three primary color leds , the preferred placement of the leds is in a tight group , generally as depicted in fig5 . this tight grouping has the effect of producing a more homogeneous mixing of the light from the leds 4 , thereby giving the desired perception of color to the human eye . alternatively , the led &# 39 ; s could be placed further apart as desired or necessary to produce other aesthetic multi - color lighting effects . the timers 110 , 112 operate to save battery power by stopping or minimizing electrical current at different times . the timer 110 is intended to interrupt current to the leds 4 after a predetermined length of time has expired from the first motion detected by the motion sensor 5 . for example , the timer 110 would begin counting down at the first use of the tap 1 after the timer 110 has expired as detected by the motion sensor 5 . the length of time counted by the timer 110 would be equivalent to the length of the establishment &# 39 ; s business hours , such that the timer 110 stops electrical current through the leds 4 at the end of the business day . alternatively , the first timer 110 could have a timeout value that caused electrical current to be interrupted to the leds when the tap 1 has not been operated in a some other predetermined length of time . the timer 112 would be a secondary timer to cause the brightness of the leds 4 to vary based upon the time of day . savings of battery power is provided by automatically adjusting the frequency of light activity during the business day so that light on - time is at its maximum during hours of peak customer activity , and light on - time is at its minimum during hours of low customer activity . for example , during the lunch hour , light on - time could be near 100 percent , while other hours light on - time could be to closer to 0 percent . moreover , the microprocessor 6 may count the frequency of uses of the tap 1 within a period of time and adjust the led 4 brightness based upon frequency of use . a randomization circuit disposed in the electronic base portion may or may not initiate the different light sequence upon actuation of the tap , depending on the average frequency of occurrence desired for the particular promotion . the different light display can signify any of various events such as a free beer for the patron who &# 39 ; s glass is being filled at the time . a light display mode may also be provided for use in conjunction with product promotions whereby the light display changes to a substantially different light sequence during a particular time of the day , e . g . happy hour , during which any of various promotions take place , e . g . beer for half price , as signified by the substantially different light sequence . a light display mode may also be provided for use in conjunction with product promotions whereby the light display changes to a substantially different light sequence at a random time of day for a fixed time period of time , e . g . ten minutes , during which any of various promotions take place , e . g . beer for half price , as signified by the substantially different light sequence . in view of the above , it will be seen that several advantages of the present invention have been achieved and other advantageous results have been obtained .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
|
fig1 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a filtration system 100 comprising a filter housing 110 , a filter support 120 and a filter material 130 . in this embodiment , filter housing 110 is constructed from stainless steel or polyvinylchloride ( pvc ) and is approximately 0 . 45 meters in diameter . in the exemplary embodiment shown , filter support 120 comprises a stainless steel or pvc tubular meshes or screen approximately 0 . 2 meters in diameter , with a nominal pore size of 50 microns . in this embodiment , filter material 130 comprises a stainless screen , cellulose acetate ( ca ), polysulfone ( ps ), polyethylene ( pe ), polyethersulfone ( pes ), polyvinylidene difluoride ( pvdf ) or pvc membrane with a nominal pore size of less than 1 microns . in addition , filtration system 100 comprises a piston 140 extending into one end of filter material 130 . as explained in more detail below , piston 140 may be used to remove filtered material from filter material 130 . filtration system 100 further comprises a backflow system 150 configured to direct air or permeate across filter material 130 in a direction that is reverse to the direction of flow across filter material 130 during normal operation . backflow system 150 comprises conduit 152 ( e . g ., tubing or piping ) configured to direct air into filter housing 110 . filtration system 100 comprises an inlet conduit 160 configured to allow algae - containing fluid to enter an inner volume 121 of filter support 120 and filter material 130 during operation . inlet conduit 160 can also comprise a pressure indicator ( e . g ., a gauge ) 162 that monitors the fluid pressure prior to the fluid entering inner volume 121 . as shown in the top schematic view of fig2 , piston 140 comprises apertures 142 configured to allow the algae - containing fluid to pass through the central portion of piston 140 . during operation , the fluid passes from inner volume 121 through filter material 130 and filter support 120 and into an outer volume 111 between filter support 120 and filter housing 110 . as the fluid passes through filter material 130 , algae 122 is separated from the fluid and remains in inner volume 121 . the fluid can exit filter housing 110 via an outlet conduit 170 and be sent for further processing or recycling . outlet conduit 170 can also comprise a pressure indicator ( e . g ., a gauge ) 172 that monitors the fluid pressure downstream of filter housing 110 . during operation , the pressure at pressure indicators 162 and 172 can be monitored to determine the pressure across filter material 130 . when the differential pressure reaches a predetermined value ( e . g ., 15 psig ), the user may cease flow of the fluid through filter material 130 by closing an inlet valve 163 and outlet valve 173 . in other embodiments , the flow of fluid may be stopped at predetermined time intervals , even if the differential pressure remains below the pre - determined value . a drain valve 174 can then be opened to drain water back to a supply tank . a collection conduit 180 ( comprising a collection valve 183 and a pressure indicator ( e . g ., a gauge ) 182 can then be opened to collect the harvested algae . during harvesting , piston 140 is pushed downward from the position shown in fig1 towards collection conduit 180 . as piston 140 is pushed downward , it scrapes algae 122 from filter material 130 . algae 122 can then be forced out through collection conduit 180 . after algae 122 has been collected or harvested , filter material 130 can be cleaned by backflow system 150 . in this embodiment , backflow system 150 comprises valves 154 and nozzles 153 . during the cleaning process , valves 154 can be opened to allow higher pressure air ( or other suitable cleaning fluid ) to enter outer volume 111 between filter housing 110 and filter support 120 . the introduction of higher pressure air into outer volume 111 can create a pressure differential across filter material 130 and dislodge algae 122 from filter material 130 . the dislodged algae 122 can then be pushed down to the bottom of filter housing 110 by pressurized air via valve 156 and be collected via collection conduit 180 . with collection valve 183 open , algae 122 can be directed to a collection vessel . after algae 122 is collected , collection valve 183 can be closed and the system prepared for additional filtration . for example , piston 140 can be returned to the position shown in fig1 , drain valve 174 can be closed , and outlet valve 173 and inlet valve 163 can be opened to allow water to pass through filtration system 100 as previously described . in certain exemplary embodiments , the clearance between piston 140 and filter material 130 is between 0 . 1 and 1 . 0 mm . in specific embodiments , piston 140 may be constructed from rubber and be coupled to a stainless steel support rod 141 . in certain embodiments , piston 140 may comprise a retractable scraper constructed from polypropylene or stainless steel that can be adjusted to increase or decrease the outer diameter of piston 140 . such a configuration can allow for variation in the diameter of filter material 130 . in still other embodiments , piston 140 may comprise a nylon brush that engages filter material 130 . such a configuration may be useful when the algae layer on filter material 130 is thinner than the clearance between rubber portion of piston 140 and the inner diameter of filter material 130 . the following references are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety . u . s . pat . no . 3 , 951 , 805 u . s . pat . no . 3 , 983 , 036 u . s . pat . no . 4 , 255 , 261 u . s . pat . no . 4 , 465 , 600 u . s . pat . no . 4 , 869 , 823 u . s . pat . no . 4 , 554 , 390 u . s . pat . no . 5 , 562 , 251 u . s . pat . no . 5 , 254 , 250 u . s . pat . no . 6 , 063 , 298 borowitzka , m . a . ( 1999 ). commercial production of microalgae : ponds , tanks , tubes , and fermenters . j biotechnol 70 , 313 - 321 . chisti , y . ( 2007 ). biodiesel from microalgae . biotechnol adv 25 , 294 - 306 . daigger , g . t ., b . e . rittmann , s . s . adham , and g . andreottola ( 2005 ). are membrane bioreactors ready for widespread application ? environ . sci . technol . 39 : 399a - 406a . rittmann , b . e . ( 2008 ). opportunities for renewable bioenergy using microorganisms . biotechnol . bioengr . 100 : 203 - 212 . rittmann , b . e . and p . l . mccarty ( 2001 ). environmental biotechnology : principles and applications . mcgraw - hill book co ., new york .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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fig1 is a flow chart illustrating the various steps involved in producing the isolated heart / lung preparation of the present invention . the exemplary procedure , which follows , has parameters that are appropriate for use in conjunction with an excised swine heart / lung . these parameters would of course need to be adjusted appropriately in conjunction with isolated heart / lung preparations using hearts obtained from human or other animal donors . the first step , indicated at 10 , is the initiation of anesthesia . atropine may be employed to act as an anticholinergic , which dries up secretions and stabilizes the heart . the next step , indicated at 20 , is to monitor the blood pressure and the cardiac electrogram of the animal and establish iv access . this is accomplished by positioning the animal and securing it to the operating table , attaching electro cardiac leads to the animal to monitor the ecg and inserting an intravenous line into the animal &# 39 ; s ear vein . the intravenous drip may comprise two to three liters of ringer &# 39 ; s solution continuously administered through the operation , containing 20 milligrams per kilogram of thiopental , a short acting anesthetic . 5 - milligram doses of pancuronium or vecuronium ( or other non - depolarizing muscle relaxants ) may also be administered to temporarily paralyze the animal &# 39 ; s muscles . the next step , indicated at 30 , is intubation and beginning of mechanical ventilation . this step is accomplished by inserting an endotracheal tube for mechanical ventilation and use of inhalation anesthetics . any mode of general anesthesia or muscle relaxants may be employed to anesthetize the animal . exhaled carbon dioxide is monitored according to standard operating room procedures and the levels of the administered gas components are titrated to maintain normal hemodynamic parameters . the next step , indicated at 40 , is the placement of monitoring probes . this is accomplished using standard operating room pressure measurement probes such as a swan - ganz catheter , millar pressure transducer catheter , etc . for in - vivo blood pressure measurements . the next step , indicated at 50 , is the opening of the chest cavity . this is accomplished by making a longitudinal incision along the midline , cutting the sternum along the midline , and retracting the ribcage to expose the heart and great vessels . a lateral approach may also be employed . the pericardium may then be excised and pericardial fat and other connective tissues removed . alternatively , the pericardium may be left intact if evaluation of devices employed in the pericardial space is desired . the next step , indicated at 60 , includes the isolation of superior and inferior vena cava , the aorta , the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein of the lung to be removed , along with the insertion of the aortic cannula . this is accomplished by dissecting out the major blood vessels listed above for clamp placement and transsection , followed by introduction of an aortic cardioplegic cannula , for example a nine french double lumen cannula . prior to placement of the aortic cannula , heparin is delivered to prevent coagulation . if desired , adenosine may be introduced to dilate coronary vessels and prepare the heart for cardioplegia . the inferior vena cava is then tied off at one or two spaced locations , the superior vena cava is clamped at one or two spaced locations and the aorta is clamped distally from the insertion site of the aorta cardioplegic cannula . the next step , indicated at 70 , comprises arresting the heart and initiating the cardioplegia procedure . this step is accomplished by initiating antegrade coronary flow of cardioplegia solution through the aortic cannula , for example one to two liters of st . thomas hospital cardioplegia solution . delivery of the cardioplegia solution stops the electrical activity of the heart , due to the high potassium content . topical cold in the form of ice or a slurry of buffers is applied to the heart to slow any remaining myocardial activity , and the left ventricle is decompressed through a pulmonary artery puncture . the next step , indicated at 80 , comprises the removal of the heart / lungs and transfer of the heart in ice to a fluid bath to maintain the heart / lungs in a cooled condition . in this step , continuous low flow cardioplegia may be maintained by means of the aortic cannula . the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava are then cut . the aorta is cut as distal to the clamp as possible ( e . g . beyond the arc so that a portion of the descending aorta is removed ) and the pulmonary vein of the lung to be removed is excised . the next step , indicated at 90 , is to cannulate the major vessels . this step is accomplished by recannulating the aorta using a larger cannula , for example a 40 - 50 french cannula secured directly into the aorta . the pulmonary artery and vein of the dissected lung are cannulated , for example using a 28 - 40 french cannula . the right atrium is cannulated , for example with a 36 - 40 french cannula inserted into the inferior vena cava . the superior vena cava , any viewing equipment passing through the wall of any heart chamber and any other remaining openings are sutured to eliminate leaks of perfusate . the next step , indicated at 100 , is the attachment of the heart / lung to the associated apparatus for oxygenating and delivering the clear perfusate . this step is discussed in more detail in conjunction with the description of the equipment associated with the heart in fig2 , below . the associated apparatus includes two perfusion pumps for delivering perfusate to the right and left chambers of the heart , fluid columns to adjust input ( pre - load ) to the right and left atria to appropriate physiologic pressures and to mimic vascular resistance ( after - load ), a ventilator for inflation / deflation of the lung , and an optional water bath , in which the heart may be located to control the overall temperature of the preparation . the next step is to initiate ventilation of the lung . the primary bronchus of the dissected lung is ligated , clamped , or otherwise sealed shut to recreate a closed volume airway . the trachea is intubated with a standard medical balloon tipped intubation tube to maintain airway control . the intubation tube is subsequently connected to a ventilator that is set to similar physiological ventilation parameters as the respective species being used . for swine it is set to approximately 15 breaths per minute and a volume of 300 - 400 milliliters . the next step , indicated at 110 , is the reinitiation of normal rhythm . this may be accomplished by placing a epicardial defibrillation electrode on the surface of the left ventricle , cannulating the superior vena cava and passing a defibrillation lead through the cannula , through the right atrium and into the right ventricle and thereafter delivering a defibrillation shock between the two electrodes to initiate normal rhythm . the cannula located in the superior vena cava preferably extends upward a sufficient distance to prevent leakage from the right atrium and may be employed to introduce additional or alternative leads , catheters or viewing equipment into the right atrium or ventricle . the defibrillation lead preferably includes cardiac pacing and sensing electrodes that may be used to moderate and control the heart rhythm as necessary in conjunction with an associated external cardiac pacemaker . the last step , indicated at 120 is to maintain the isolated heart . this is accomplished by employing the associated equipment to deliver a clear , oxygenated perfusate such as a modified krebs buffer solution adjusted to physiological conditions of ph and calcium . in addition , epinephrine , milrinone or other ionotrope may be added to the perfusate if the heart is not beating to increase the sensitivity to defibrillation . lidocaine or other anesthetic may be added to the perfusate as a local anesthetic , reducing likelihood of ventricular arrhythmias . other pharmacological treatment as appropriate may be administered in order to support the preparation . the flow of clear perfusate can be controlled , for example via a series of automated pinch valves around the tubes leading to and from any cannulations of the preparation and / or via automated level changes of load chambers at 210 , 212 , 256 . this may serve the purposes of extending the preparation &# 39 ; s viability when full physiological mimicry is unnecessary , isolating a fluid volume of perfusate to maintain temperature and / or chemical content control , adjusting physiological stressors or maintaining constant experimental conditions with loading pressures . once the preparation is established , it may be employed at 130 to generate information with regard to heart / lung function alone or in conjunction with medical devices inserted in or mounted to the preparation . monitoring of heart / lung function may comprise the insertion of optical viewing equipment into a chamber or a blood vessel of the preparation and / or imaging the preparation using an external video camera , fluoroscope , infrared camera , chemical imaging system ( e . g . ramon spectroscopy ), ultrasound , mri or other imaging method , and / or monitoring the physiologic performance of the heart , including hemodynamic and electrical functioning of the heart . equipment for monitoring hemodynamic and electrical heart functions may for example include heart sound monitors such as phonocardiograph equipment or other microphones , electrogram sensors , heart rate sensors , pressure sensors , gas concentration sensors , and / or flow sensors located in the chambers and / or in the coronary vasculature and / or lung ( s ) of the preparation . the outputs of the various imaging devices and sensors may be recorded at 140 to provide a record of the monitored parameters alone or in conjunction with one another . the recorded outputs of the optical viewing equipment , imaging devices and / or sensors may be combined at 150 to provide a recording , which will allow for simultaneous display of the obtained images and / or monitored cardiac and lung parameters . the recordings obtained may be duplicated and distributed at 160 , in the form of cd roms , video tape , electronic files , movies , or the like , allowing for the information obtained using the preparation to be widely available to physicians and students . fig2 is a schematic diagram of the isolated heart / lung 200 in conjunction with associated equipment employed to maintain the preparation and to evaluate medical devices in conjunction with the preparation . the preparation is maintained in a support apparatus illustrated schematically at 204 , which may include a support of surgical netting . the preparation may simply hang suspended in the support netting in a position with the atria located above the ventricles or may be re - oriented to simulate the position of the heart / lung in the donor species in upright , reclining or other positions . the pericardium of the excised heart may also be used as a support , and the heart / lung preparation may be positioned as desired ( e . g . vertically or horizontally ) to mimic a desired physiological condition . the preparation is maintained at physiological temperature , either by means of the perfusate in combination with the surrounding ambient temperature or optionally by means of an optional temperature control bath . an oxygenator 244 with associated cardiotomy reservoir 246 is coupled to the preparation such that the drain from the pulmonary artery 250 and the output of the aorta 248 both feed the cardiotomy reservoir 246 associated with the oxygenator 244 . the right atrium chamber filling pump 242 draws perfusate from the reservoir directly and delivers it to the right atrial preload chamber 210 which comprises a fluid column adjusted to maintain approximately 5 mm hg pressure going into the right atrium 252 via cannula 208 coupled to the inferior vena cava . the outlet of the pulmonary artery 250 , as noted above , drains into the reservoir 246 to complete the circulation path for the right side of the heart . return flow of perfusate from the coronary sinus is allowed to enter the right atrium or can be separately cannulated to allow periodic sampling or monitoring of the perfusate . a second pump 240 pumps perfusate from the reservoir 246 , through the oxygenator 244 and to the left atrium 254 by means of the cannula 238 inserted into the pulmonary vein . a left atrium preload chamber 256 comprises a fluid column that maintains approximately a 10 mm hg input pressure into the left atrium . the outflow from the aorta 248 is delivered via cannula 236 to the reservoir 246 , against an aortic afterload chamber 212 which defines a fluid column which maintains an average pressure of approximately 70 mm hg , opposing outflow of fluid from the aorta and mimicking vascular flow impedance . perfusate enters the coronary arteries from the aortic root , providing for oxygenation of the heart tissue without separate cannulation of the coronary arteries . a port may optionally also be installed in the aortic cannula to allow periodic sampling or monitoring of the perfusate . either or both of the preload chambers may be fitted with oxygen bubblers to increase oxygenation of the perfusate if desired . flow into the left atria may also occur through the lung from the right atria as in the normal physiologic situation . this can be controlled by clamping the root of the lung if desired . in the event that both lungs are excised , no pre - load to the left atrium is required and this aspect of the preparation need not be performed . the ventilator 500 is illustrated coupled to the primary bronchus 502 of the dissected lung 504 . the trachea 506 is intubated with a standard medical balloon tipped intubation tube to maintain airway control . the intubation tube is connected to ventilator 500 , set to similar physiological ventilation parameters as the respective species being used . the apparatus described above in conjunction with the preparation may , if desired , be powered by means of storage batteries and mounted in a wheeled cabinet , allowing the preparation to be readily moved from one location to another . the preparation so configured may be employed as a teaching aid in multiple classrooms and / or may be conveniently moved between different laboratories or research facilities . also illustrated in conjunction with the preparation is an optical viewing scope 224 , for example a fiber optic viewing scope 224 and associated display 232 and control keyboard 234 . scope 224 is inserted into one or more of the chambers of the heart , for example by means of a t - fitting 226 associated with one of the four cannulas coupled to the heart . in the drawing as illustrated , the t - fitting is associated with the cannula 258 coupled to the pulmonary artery 250 , allowing for visualization of the right chambers of the heart . however , the optical scope may as well be inserted into the left side of the heart , for example , via the aorta or pulmonary vein . alternately , the viewing scope 224 may be passed through the wall of a chamber of the heart or lung , for example through the right atrial appendage and secured by means of a purse - string suture to minimize leakage . with the optical scope in place allowing observation of a desired chamber of the heart or lung , a medical device intended for use in the heart may be inserted therein . for example , a cardiac pacing lead , cardiac ablation catheter , diagnostic catheter , or other medical device , may be inserted into the heart or lung , and monitored under visual observation using the optical scope , for example by being passed through the cannula 216 coupled to the superior vena cava in the same manner as the pacing / defibrillation lead 220 as illustrated . additionally , surgical implants such as cardiac valves and atrial septal defect devices may also be tested in conjunction with the isolated heart / lung preparation , under observation of the fiber optic scope . for example , a prosthetic device such as a tricuspid valve may be implanted into the test animal in place of the natural valve 202 , weeks , days or months prior to harvesting the animal &# 39 ; s heart . using the isolated heart preparation , the condition and operation of the prosthetic devices may be monitored optically , while the heart beats in an essentially normal fashion . to enhance controllability of the preparation , control valves 400 as illustrated schematically may be placed in the fluid lines to and from the pre - load and after - load chambers as illustrated to allow fine control of pre - load and afterload parameters . the valves may be coupled to a computer 402 via interface 404 . pressure sensors may also optionally be placed in the various fluid lines and corresponding connected to the computer 402 . a data acquisition device 406 may optionally be provided to sense conditions in the reservoir as illustrated and may also be coupled to the computer 402 . similarly , computer 402 is coupled to control the ventilator 500 and to adjust the ventilation parameters thereof . instrumentation and control systems may be varied depending upon the specific purpose for the preparation . fig3 illustrates schematically the preparation of the present invention in conjunction with imaging and monitoring equipment and audiovisual processing equipment appropriate for producing recordings combining the outputs of the imaging and monitoring equipment . the heart / lung preparation is illustrated at 300 , shown suspended over a cabinet 310 that contains or supports the apparatus illustrated in fig2 , with the possible exception of the display 232 and associated control keyboard 234 . interconnection of the chambers of the heart / lung with the equipment illustrated in fig2 is omitted for the sake of simplicity , but corresponds to that illustrated in fig2 . illustrated schematically in conjunction with the preparation 300 are examples of the types of available monitoring and imaging equipment that may be used in conjunction with the preparation . for example , a fiber optic viewing scope 314 may be inserted into one or more chambers of the heart / lung , along with monitors 312 of hemodynamic or electrical hear functions , as discussed above which may be inserted into a chamber of the heart / lung , within the vasculature of the heart , or applied to the exterior surface of the heart and or lung . in addition , video imaging by means of a camera 316 of the exterior of the heart / lung may be employed . in addition or alternatively , an imaging apparatus 318 such as a fluoroscope ( x - ray ), ultrasound scanner , mri , or other medical imaging system may also be employed . the obtained images and / or signals obtained from the imaging devices and / or monitoring equipment are preferably all provided to processing , display and recording equipment 320 , 322 , 324 and 326 of the types typically employed with the imaging and monitoring equipment . the recorded images and / or signals may be combined with one another by means of audio - visual processing equipment 328 and provided to a recorder 330 to produce a combined recording allowing for simultaneous observation of visual imaging and / or recorded monitored parameters and / or other types of medical imaging on a single audio - visual recording . the recording may be reproduced and distributed , for example in the form of cd roms , video tapes , movies or electronic files , to allow the information obtained from the preparation to be viewed by physicians and / or students at remote locations . also illustrated at 332 is a pacemaker / defibrillator , coupled to the preparation by means of one or more implantable leads . the operation of the pacemaker / defibrillator or other electronic medical device associated with the heart / lung may also be processed , displayed and recorded by means of associated equipment 334 and provided to audio - visual processing equipment 328 . in some cases , particularly in those cases in which the operation of a medical device such as a pacemaker or a defibrillator is of interest with regard to the obtained images and / or other monitored parameters , information with regard to the operation of the medical device may also be combined with obtained images and / or other monitored parameters for display and reproduction . for example , in the context of an implantable pacemaker or cardioverter , the device may provide a signal indicative of the electrogram of the heart and may also provide signals indicative of the operation of the device , including sensing of spontaneous depolarizations by the device , delivery of stimulation pulses to the heart , and information regarding other operational parameters of the device . this information may also be displayed in a combined recording , along with simultaneously obtained images and / or monitored parameters . the preparation may also serve as a mechanism for allowing physicians to practice implant techniques while directly observing the operation of the heart and implanted devices in a beating heart / lung model . in this context , the physician would implant the prosthesis or device , as if in an intact animal , and have the opportunity to observe the progress of the device through the heart and its interaction with the various structures of the beating heart and ventilated lung , for example by using a display associated with an optical probe . in conjunction with the above specification , we claim the following subject matter .
| 6Physics
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the following is a detailed description of plants in the new variety , jpd - 001 , grown outdoors near mcfarland , calif ., on their own rootstock . the color - terminology used herein is in accordance with the royal horticultural society colour code . jpd - 001 is a large berry - size , white , seedless grape maturing for harvest in approximately the third week of august in the san joaquin valley of central calif . vineyard .— the vineyard is trained to a quadrilateral cordon on a wood trellis . the approximate height of the trellis is 114 cm with cordons resting at approximately 112 cm . the width between the cordons is approximately 56 cm . size .— circumference of 16 . 5 cm and length of 76 cm from graft union to the cordons . surface texture .— rough and shaggy . color of bark .— ( one year or older wood ) gry / g 197 - b . cane length .— 1 . 65 meters . mature / lignified cane color .— gry / b n199 - d . mature / lignified cane texture .— smooth . internode length .— 8 to 10 . 5 cm . size .— 102 cm in length and 11 cm in circumference . surface texture .— slightly tough and shaggy . color .— ( one year old wood ) gry / g 197 - b . lenticels .— 0 . size .— 12 to 17 cm . density .— moderately dense . form .— pentagonal . leaf base .— sagittate . texture .— upper : smooth . lower : glabrous . color .— upper : g 141 - b . lower : g 138 - a . leaf vein .— color : y / g 144 - b . thickness : 1 . 5 to 2 mm . presence of anthocyanin : absent . leaf margin .— serrated / toothed ; slightly undulating . glands .— absent . petiole .— length : 9 to 11 cm . thickness : 2 to 4 cm . erect hairs on petiole : absent . color : y / g 144a but with streaks of gry / r 180 - a on side exposed to sun . petiole sinus .— general shape : open ( ovate ). stem glands .— absent . stipules .— absent . lobes .— 5 . teeth .— serration length : 0 . 33 to 1 . 5 mm ; width 0 . 5 to 1 . 0 mm . ratio of length / width : about 1 : 1 . size .— large ; approximately 18 cm in length at full bloom . shape .— long , conical . number borne per shoot .— one or two . number borne per vine .— 45 to 55 . general .— flower sex : perfect . flower buds .— size : 5 to 7 mm in width and 7 to 8 mm in length . shape : triangular . fruitfulness : good . flowers .— pedicle length : 3 mm . calyptra color : g 134 - a . ovary : length 2 mm ; width 1 . 5 mm ; color g 135 - b . pistil : length 1 . 5 mm . anthers : length 0 . 5 mm ; color y 6 - c . filament : length 1 . 0 mm ; color g 142 - c . date of visible berries .— approximately may 14 . maturity .— ripening approximately august 27 . solids .— 17 . 5 to 18 . 0 brix at desired maturity . acids .— 5 . 0 to 7 . 5 ta . sugar / acid ratio .— 2 . 5 : 1 to 3 . 5 : 1 . seeds ( number , characteristics ).— two aborted , non - lignified seeds due to embryo abortion . capstem .— normal size ; color y / g 145 - a . berry weight .— average weight ; large natural berry size , around 6 g to 7 g ; with size augmentation , berry weight increases to around 9 g to 15 g . juice color .— y / g 145 - b . cluster .— large , loose , conical cluster with an average weight of 2 to 3 lbs . stem size ( general characteristics ).— strong stem ; not prone to breaking , with average thickness . berry size ( number / bunch ).— large natural berry size of around 19 mm ; with size augmentation treatments , berry size increases to 23 mm to 28 mm . skin .— berry skin is of average thickness , and not prone to cracking . seed trace .— slight trace of non - lignified seed due to embryo abortion . flesh color .— y / g 149 - d ; very nice eating quality and crunchy texture . flavor and aroma similar to thompson seedless , but with much crisper texture . use .— table . although the new variety of grapevine described herein possesses the described characteristics noted above as a result of the growing conditions prevailing in or around mcfarland , in the central san joaquin valley of calif ., united states of america , it is to be understood that variations of the usual magnitude and characteristics incident to changes in growing conditions , training , irrigation , fertilization , pruning , pest control , climatic variation , and the like , are to be expected .
| 0Human Necessities
|
in the following description , for purposes of explanation , specific numbers , materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention . it will be apparent , however , to one having ordinary skill in the art , that the invention may be practiced without these specific details . in some instances , well - known features may be omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the present invention . furthermore , reference in the specification to “ one embodiment ” or “ an embodiment ” means that a particular feature , structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention . the appearances of the phrase “ in an embodiment ” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment . the term “ video data ” referred to in the descriptions of various embodiments of the invention herein described is intended to generally describe electronic audio and video signals containing or incorporating video for display on a television or other video display device . this term is used in the broadest sense as known in the electronic arts , and may include analog and / or digital signals . likewise , the term “ video stream ” is used in a non - limiting fashion and generally refers to the collection of video data , together with any carrier signals , data headers or other electronic information , which singularly or taken together allow the described embodiments to operate . for example , a digital video stream from a given video source might include multiple packets of compressed video data , each packet or group thereof having one or more packet headers . typically , one or more of the headers includes information relating to the video data , such as the compression algorithm used , the aspect ratio , etc . as used herein , the terms “ picture frame ” and “ frame ” refer to the borders of a displayed picture . unless otherwise specified , a picture frame does not necessarily have a border of any particular width , i . e ., a displayed picture might occupy the entire area of the picture frame , or the picture frame may include a border . reference to locations on a display device may be made by referring to either the location of the picture frame or to the location of displayed picture itself , without limitation . reference to the size of a picture frame refers to the height and width of the frame , and frames of differing width and / or differing height are referred to as being of different sizes . as used herein , the term “ picture ” refers to the whole of the display image and its picture frame , unless otherwise indicated , without limitation . fig1 illustrates an exemplary television set displaying a broadcast television channel and an internet television channel at the same time . in an embodiment of the invention , television set 100 is an electronic device that receives images and sound signals from a plurality of television channels , including a broadcast television channel 161 and an internet television channel 165 . broadcast television channel 161 or broadcast channel 161 relates to images and sounds signal source 191 , which , in one embodiment , is from a broadcast television network , a cable television network , a satellite television network , or any other multi - service or multi - channel operator . in one embodiment , internet television channel 165 or internet channel 165 relates to images and sounds signal source 195 from the internet , a web portal , or a web site , and provides an interactive television session between signal source 195 and consumer 104 . in an embodiment , television set 100 includes picture 121 and picture 125 . picture 121 and picture 125 are controlled by a frame controller 150 , which displays broadcast channel 161 onto picture 121 , and internet channel 165 onto picture 125 . the frame controller 150 displays picture 121 and picture 125 simultaneously . in one embodiment , the frame controller 150 is included in television set 100 . in another embodiment , the frame controller 150 connects to television set 100 through an interface . the interface may be an rf interface , a hdmi interface , an s - video interface , a component interface , a composite interface , a network interface , or a wireless network interface such as wireless local area network ( wlan ), worldwide interoperability for microwave access ( wimax ), an ultra - wideband ( uwb ) network , or other suitable interface , without limitation . in various embodiments of the invention , the frame controller 150 connects to a broadcast television channel input 190 , such as an antenna , cable television network , satellite television network , iptv . the broadcast television channel input 190 includes a signal source 191 . the frame controller 150 also connects to an internet input 193 , which may include a home network , an ethernet network , a wifi network , a dsl network , an intranet network , a hotspot network , a public data network , a cellular data network , or a private data network . internet input 193 includes signal source 195 . an exemplary frame controller 150 relates broadcast channel 161 and internet channel 165 . in one embodiment , frame controller 150 selects broadcast channel 161 based on internet channel 165 . in another embodiment , frame controller 150 selects internet channel 165 based on broadcast channel 161 . in yet another embodiment , broadcast channel 161 and internet channel 165 are related to a theme such as sports , news , or movie . fig2 illustrates an exemplary process of selecting an internet channel based on broadcast channel . in an embodiment , frame controller 250 displays broadcast channel 261 onto picture 221 , and then selects internet channel 265 based on broadcast channel 261 , displaying internet channel 265 onto picture 225 . in one embodiment , frame controller 250 selects internet channel 265 based on the type of broadcast channel 261 . for example , broadcast channel 261 may be a movie channel , a sports channel , a news channel , a cartoon channel , or a shopping channel , having the type “ movie ”, “ sports ”, “ news ”, “ child ”, or “ shopping ”, respectively . the frame controller 250 includes a datastore 280 , which includes pairs of broadcast channel 261 and channel type 271 , wherein channel type 271 is broadcast channel 261 type . frame controller 250 then matches broadcast channel 261 against its datastore 280 and retrieves channel type 271 . the datastore 280 further includes a pairs of channel type 271 and internet channel 265 . the frame controller 250 may then match retrieved channel type 271 against datastore 280 and retrieve internet channel 265 . the frame controller 250 may then select internet channel 265 for display onto picture 225 . in another embodiment , the frame controller 250 connects to a network computer 214 over a data network 210 , such as the internet , a home network , or other type of data network . the frame controller 250 then sends a query with broadcast channel 261 to the network computer 214 , and retrieves internet channel 265 from network computer 214 . in such an embodiment , network computer 214 may select internet channel 265 by any criteria , such as by type relatedness . in one example , broadcast channel 261 is a sports channel . frame controller 250 selects internet channel 265 to be an internet video portal providing highlights of current sport events , or an internet video portal providing archives of sports event videos or televised sports programs . in another example , broadcast channel 261 is a us news channel . frame controller 250 selects internet channel 265 to be an internet video portal providing news in europe , news in asia , news in africa . in other examples , internet channel 265 may provide news in entertainment , news in local community , news in traffic , or other news . in another example , broadcast channel 261 is a movie channel , and frame controller 250 selects internet channel 265 to be an internet video portal providing information about movie stars , celebrities , or fashion . in other examples , internet channel 265 may provide previews of movies currently shown in cinemas , or archives of classic movies . in one embodiment , frame controller 250 selects internet channel 265 based on the current television program 241 showing on broadcast channel 261 . for example , if television program 241 is a movie , frame controller 250 may obtain information about television program 241 , such as program type , casts , content description , and other information . in another example , television program 241 is a movie , such as “ titanic ”, starring “ leonardo dicaprio ” and “ kate winslet ”. in one embodiment , datastore 280 includes a television guide . frame controller 250 obtains television program 241 information from datastore 280 by matching broadcast channel 261 and current time against datastore 280 . in another embodiment , frame controller 250 queries a network computer 214 using broadcast channel 261 and current time to obtain information regarding television program 241 . frame controller 250 sends television program 241 information to network computer 214 , and obtains internet channel 265 . frame controller 250 receives signals from internet channel 265 and displays these onto picture 225 . fig3 illustrates a process of selecting a broadcast channel based on an internet channel . frame controller 250 displays internet channel 265 onto picture 225 . frame controller 250 selects broadcast channel 261 based on internet channel 265 , and displays broadcast channel 261 onto picture 221 . in one embodiment , frame controller 250 selects broadcast channel 261 based on the type of internet channel 265 . for example , internet channel 265 may be a movie channel providing movie videos , a sports channel providing information and videos about sports , a news channel , a children friend video portal , or an online e - commerce shopping portal . in these instances , internet channel 265 has type “ movie ”, “ sports ”, “ news ”, “ kids ”, or “ shopping ”, respectively . in another embodiment , datastore 280 includes a pair of internet channels 265 and channel type 275 , wherein channel type 275 is internet channel 265 type . frame controller 250 matches internet channel 265 against datastore 280 and retrieves channel type 275 . datastore 280 further includes a pair of channel type 275 and broadcast channel 261 . frame controller 250 matches retrieved channel type 275 against datastore 280 and retrieves broadcast channel 261 . frame controller 250 receives signals from broadcast channel 261 and displays the signals onto picture 221 . in one embodiment , frame controller 250 sends a query with internet channel 265 to network computer 214 , and retrieves broadcast channel 261 from network computer 214 . in another embodiment , internet channel 265 includes a hyperlink 2651 , which references broadcast channel 261 . in one example , hyperlink 2651 includes a url such as “ tv :// espn ”, “ tv :// cable / channel - 38 ”, “ tv :// att - iptv / sanfrancisco / channel - 7 ”, or “ tv :// verizon - tv / premium - services / hbo ”. frame controller 250 processes hyperlink 2651 and selects broadcast channel 261 based on hyperlink 2651 . in one embodiment , internet channel 265 includes an interactive web page 2657 . consumer 104 provides input 205 to frame controller 250 , which processes the input 205 and obtains hyperlink 2651 . in one embodiment , web page 2657 includes hyperlink 2651 . frame controller 250 processes input 205 to retrieve hyperlink 2651 . in another embodiment , frame controller 250 processes input 205 , sends a message to network computer 214 , and retrieves hyperlink 2651 , which is processed to select broadcast channel 261 . in another embodiment , frame controller 250 processes url “ tv :// espn ”, and retrieves “ espn ”. broadcast channel 261 is associated with name “ espn ”, and is selected by frame controller 250 . alternatively , datastore 280 may associate “ espn ” with broadcast channel 261 . in another embodiment , frame controller 250 processes url “ tv :// cable / channel - 38 ”, and retrieves “ cable ” and “ channel - 38 ”. frame controller 250 determines broadcast television channel input 190 includes cable television network , matching “ cable ”. frame controller 250 then selects broadcast channel 261 as channel 38 from the broadcast television channel input 190 . fig4 illustrates an exemplary internet channel providing a television programming guide . in an embodiment , internet channel 265 provides program guide 390 . for example , program guide 390 is a web page including a program object 381 , which includes hyperlink 393 referenced to broadcast channel 261 , and program preview 395 . in one embodiment , program preview 395 is a video clip , and frame controller 250 displays program preview 395 onto picture 225 . the consumer 104 selects program object 381 , and frame controller 250 processes the selected hyperlink 393 of program object 381 , selects broadcast channel 261 , and displays broadcast channel 261 onto picture 221 . in another embodiment , program object 381 is associated with television program 391 showing on broadcast channel 261 . television program 391 may include a television show , a movie , a televised sports program , a news program , an episode , a documentary program , a televised concert show , or a televised event . television program 391 may also include an advertisement , a public announcement , or an alert . in one embodiment , program object 381 includes a program schedule 397 . frame controller 250 checks the current time 398 against program schedule 397 . for example , frame controller 250 may include a clock 252 form which current time 398 is obtained . in another embodiment , frame controller 250 obtains current time 398 from a broadcast television channel input 190 or from an internet input 193 . if the program schedule 397 matches the current time 398 , frame controller 250 processes hyperlink 2651 . for example , in one embodiment , program schedule 397 includes a beginning time such as 7 : 00 pm , and duration such as 30 minutes . in another embodiment , program schedule 397 includes a start time such as 11 : 30 am and an end time such as 1 : 30 pm . in such an embodiment , the current time 398 matches program schedule 397 when the current time 398 is within the duration of the beginning time , or between the start and end times . fig5 illustrates an exemplary process for selecting a second internet channel . frame controller 250 displays broadcast channel 261 and internet channel 265 . broadcast channel 261 is playing a television program 391 . frame controller 250 selects a second internet channel 367 based on television program 391 . in an embodiment , frame controller 250 includes datastore 280 , which further includes program schedule 397 of television program 391 on broadcast channel 261 . frame controller 250 obtains current time 398 and matches it against the program schedule 397 and determines the current time 398 is not within program schedule 397 . frame controller 250 determines that television program 391 ends and selects second internet channel 367 , for example , an internet television programming guide channel , as illustrated in fig4 . in one embodiment , frame controller 250 displays internet channel 367 onto picture 225 . in one embodiment , broadcast channel 261 includes a second television program 392 . frame controller 250 detects that broadcast channel 261 changes from television program 391 to television program 392 . in an embodiment , datastore 280 includes program schedule 396 of program 392 . frame controller 250 determines current time 398 matches program schedule 396 , and selects internet channel 367 . in another embodiment , frame controller 250 selects a second internet channel 367 based on images of television program 391 . in an embodiment , datastore 280 includes image 284 . frame controller 250 matches image 284 against images of television program 391 . if there is a match , frame controller 250 selects second internet channel 367 . in one embodiment , selection of second internet channel 367 is based on images of television program 392 . in another embodiment , image 284 includes control information of television program 391 . although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments , it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention . it is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims .
| 7Electricity
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the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is a compound represented by the following formula : ## str3 ## wherein 1 r and 2 r are as described above , or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt selected from the group consisting of its na -, k -, 1 / 2mg -, 1 / 2ca - and 1 / 3al - salts . the sugar moiety of the active ingredient has a structure of six membered heterocyclic ring . the method of preparation of the active ingredient of the present invention is illustrated as follows : a mixture of 4 . 5 to 5 g of aminobenzoic acid , 5 - 6 g of mono saccharide ( l - arabinose , d - xylose , d - glucose , d - galactose , l - rhamnose or d - mannose ) and 0 . 1 to 0 . 5 g of ammonium chloride ( formic acid , hydrochloric acid , acetic acid , or magnesium chloride ) was heated in 40 to 90 ml of 95 to 100 % ethanol or pure methanol under a reflux condenser to induce condensation . after the reaction is over , the reactant is left at room temperature or in a cool place and the crystals separated out are collected by filtering the reactant solution . these crystals are washed with water , ethanol or ethyl ether , and then recrystallized from methanol , ethanol or an aqueous solution of methanol or ethanol . in order to substitute the hydrogen atom of the carboxyl group of the thus prepared compound with a base , it is preferable to follow the known method . the compound , ortho - aminobenzoic acid -- n -- pyranoside , is dissolved in an aqueous ethanolic solution and an inorganic salt is added to the solution to effect the substitution . the physical properties of the compounds ( the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention ) prepared by the above - mentioned methods are shown in table 1 , and their infrared absorption spectra are respectively shown in fig1 to 13 . methods of determination of the physical properties are as follows . table 1__________________________________________________________________________physical properties of the active ingredients specific elementary ultraviolet melting point rotation analysis (%) absorption maximumcompound (° c .) | α |. sub . d . sup . 20 c : h : n ( millimicron ) __________________________________________________________________________ 1 . o - aminobenzoic acid - n -- l - arabinoside 167 - 11 ( 10 ° c .) 50 . 1 : 6 . 0 : 5 . 1 330 , 250 , 220 in ethanol ( 50 . 2 : 6 . 0 : 4 . 9 )* 2 . sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - arabinoside 155 - 162 ( decomp .) - 44 46 . 6 : 5 . 1 : 4 . 6 315 , 246 , 212 in water ( 46 . 6 : 5 . 2 : 4 . 5 ) 3 . o - aminobenzoic acid - n -- d - xyloside 168 ( decomp .) + 11 ( 18 ° c .) 53 . 4 : 5 . 7 : 5 . 0 330 , 250 , 220 in ethanol ( 53 . 5 : 5 . 6 : 5 . 2 ) 4 . sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - xyloside 160 - 170 ( decomp .) + 1 49 . 7 : 4 . 8 : 4 . 7 316 , 248 , 215 in water ( 49 . 5 : 4 . 8 : 4 . 8 ) 5 . o - aminobenzoic acid - n -- d - glucoside 137 - 138 ( decomp .) + 68 ( 15 ° c .) 49 . 0 : 6 . 1 : 4 . 2 330 , 250 , 220 in ethanol ( 49 . 2 : 6 . 0 : 4 . 4 ) 6 . sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - glucoside 145 - 160 + 6 46 . 1 : 5 . 2 : 4 . 0 318 , 249 , 215 in water ( 46 . 0 : 5 . 3 : 4 . 1 ) 7 . o - aminobenzoic acid - n -- d - galactoside 152 - 16 52 . 3 : 6 . 0 : 4 . 8 330 , 250 , 220 in ethanol ( 52 . 2 : 5 . 7 : 4 . 7 ) 8 . sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - galactoside 157 - 163 ( decomp .) - 9 48 . 5 : 5 . 2 : 4 . 4 317 , 248 , 215 in water ( 48 . 6 : 5 . 0 : 4 . 4 ) 9 . o - aminobenzoic acid - n -- l - rhamnoside 165 - 166 ( decomp .) + 52 54 . 8 : 5 . 9 : 4 . 9 330 , 250 , 219 in ethanol ( 55 . 1 : 6 . 0 : 4 . 9 ) 10 . sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - rhamnoside 152 - 162 ( decomp .) + 54 51 . 0 : 5 . 4 : 4 . 9 320 , 249 , 215 in water ( 51 . 1 : 5 . 2 : 4 . 6 ) 11 . o - aminobenzoic acid - n -- d - mannoside 150 - 165 ( decomp .) - 10 51 . 9 : 5 . 8 : 4 . 7 333 , 249 , 218 in ethanol ( 52 . 2 : 5 . 7 : 4 . 7 ) 12 . sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 148 - 167 ( decomp .) - 2 46 . 1 : 5 . 5 : 4 . 0 330 , 250 , 219 in water ( 46 . 0 : 5 . 3 : 4 . 1 ) 13 . methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 177 - 178 - 54 49 . 1 : 6 . 1 : 4 . 3 330 , 251 , in ethanol ( 48 . 1 : 6 . 6 : 4 . 0 ) __________________________________________________________________________ note : (: : ): theoretical values of c , h and n (%). ( 1 ) melting point : determined by the use of micro melting point determination apparatus made by yanagimoto works , japan . ( 2 ) specific rotation : determined by using directreading polarimeter mode or50 made by yanagimoto works , japan , with a thickness of 50 mm of an aqueous ethanolic solution of the acidic active ingredient and an aqueous solution of the sodium salt of the acidic active ingredient . ( 3 ) molecular composition : elementary analysis was carried out by using chncoder model mt2 made by yanagimoto works , japan . ( 4 ) ultraviolet absorption spectrum : by using selfrecording spectrophotometer model ps3t made by hitachi works , japan , on an aqueous ethanolic solution of the acidic active ingredient and on an aqueous solution of the sodium salt of the acidic active ingredient of the medicine . ( 5 ) infrared absorption spectrum : determined by kbrmethod using infrated absorption spectrometer model ds701g made by nippon bunko co . ltd . japan . the chart number of the spectrogram coincides with the number of specimen of the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition . the following are the physiological properties of the active ingredient of pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention described in the order of ( 1 ) acute toxicity , ( 2 ) anti microbial activity , ( 3 ) mutagenicity , ( 4 ) delayed - type intracutaneous reaction and ( 5 ) antibody - producing activity . acute toxicity of the active ingredient was examined by respective intraperitoneal and oral ( forcible ) administration to icr - jcl mice . the specimen was dissolved in the physiological saline solution in intraperitoneal administration , and dissolved in distilled water in oral administration . their symptoms were observed after administration until the 7th day of administration , and ld 50 of the specimen was obtained from the mortality accumlated to the 7th day , according to the graphic method of litchfield - wilcoxon . the results are shown in table 2 . as is seen in table 2 , more than half of the active ingredients are qualified to be highly safe active ingredients of the medicine . table 2______________________________________acute toxicity of the active ingredients ( ld . sub . 50 in g / kg ) route of administration intra - peri - compound toneal oral______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - arabinoside 7 . 48 6 . 35sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - xyloside 9 . 27 6 . 35sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - glucoside 13 . 38 8 . 96sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - galactoside 7 . 42 6 . 10sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - rhamnoside & gt ; 15 . 00 12 . 50sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside & gt ; 10 . 00 & gt ; 10 . 00methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 2 . 5 & gt ; 7 . 50______________________________________ the active ingredient was dissolved in distilled water at a series of two fold dilution system . these diluted solutions were mixed with agar medium in 9 times by volume and the mixture was poured into a petridish . heartinfusion agar medium was used for bacteria , and sabouraud &# 39 ; s agar medium was used for fungi . after streaking with the pre - culture , the inoculated plates were incubated at 37 ° c . for 20 to 24 hours for bacteria and at 25 ° c . for 3 to 7 days for fungi , and then the growth was examined . the following microorganisms were used for assessing the antimicrobial activity : as the result of the above - mentioned tests , it was found that none of the tested active ingredients showed growth inhibition of the microorganism at a concentration of 1 mg / ml . as the first stage , the active ingredients were tested by rec - assay ( i ), and as the second stage , they were tested by reversion assay ( ii ). ( i ) a strain of bacillus subtilis m 45 , a defectant of recombination repair , and a wild strain of bacillus subtilis h 17 keeping recombination repair activity were inoculated to make their own streaks not crossed at the start on a b - 2 agar culture plate ( made by dissolving 10 g of meat extract , 10 g of polypeptone , 5 g of sodium chloride and 15 g of agar in 1000 ml of distilled water at a ph of 7 . 0 ). then , a circular sheet of filter paper 8 mm in diameter , which absorbed 0 . 04 ml of an aqueous solution of the active ingredient ( using sterilized water ) was put on the surface of the agar plate so as to cover the starting point of the above - mentioned streaks of bacterial culture . the inoculated b - 2 agar culture was kept at 37 ° c . for a night and the length of growth - inhibited region was measured . kanamycin was used as the negative control and mitomycin c was used as the positive control . the results of the rec - assay are shown in table 3 . ( ii ) the strains ta 98 and ta 100 ( both are histidine requiring ) of salmonella typhimurium were used in the reversion assay . into 2 ml of a soft agar culture medium ( the medium itself contains 6 g of sodium chloride and 6 g of agar in 1000 ml of distilled water ) to which one tenth by volume of an aqueous solution of 0 . 5 mm of biotin and 0 . 5 mm of histidine had been added , 0 . 1 ml of the bacterial suspension and 0 . 1 ml of an aqueous solution of the active ingredient were admixed and the mixture was layered on the minimum agar culture medium . after 2 days of incubation at 37 ° c ., the number or revertant colonies was counted . furylfuramide ( af - 2 ) was used as the positive control . the results of the reversion assay are shown in table 4 . as is seen in table 3 , the active ingredients showed a weak mutagenicity only at a high concentration of 5000 microgram / disk . and as is seen in table 4 , the rate of occurrence of mutation by the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention did not shown any difference from that in the control to which no substance was added , even at a high concentration of 5000 microgram / plate . these findings demonstrate that the active ingredient is safe from the standpoint of mutagenicity . table 3______________________________________result of rec - assay length of growth - inhibition zone * dif - concen - fer - tration m 45 h 17 encecompound ( μg / disk ) ( mm ) ( mm ) ( mm ) ______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 500 0 0 0l - arabinoside 5 , 000 8 4 4sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 500 0 0 0d - xyloside 5 , 000 7 3 4sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 500 0 0 0d - glucoside 5 , 000 5 2 3sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 500 0 0 0d - galactoside 5 , 000 6 1 5sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 500 0 0 0l - rhamnoside 5 , 000 6 2 4sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 500 0 0 0d - mannoside 5 , 000 7 1 6methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- 500 0 0 0d - mannoside 5 , 000 7 3 4kanamycin 10 5 4 1mitomycin c 0 . 05 12 2 10______________________________________ note : * difference = length of inhibition zone of m 45 minus length of inhibitio zone of h 17 . table 4______________________________________results of reversion assay number of concen - revertant colonies tration ( n / plate ) compound ( μg / plate ) ta 100 ta 98______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 5 , 000 59 4l - arabinosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 5 , 000 166 4d - xylosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 5 , 000 151 5d - glucosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 5 , 000 151 6d - galactosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 5 , 000 61 9l - rhamnosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- 5 , 000 91 7d - mannosidemethyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- 5 , 000 95 8d - mannosidefurylfuramide 0 . 1 911 167control ( nothing added ) -- 149 13______________________________________ in order to know the effects of the active ingredients on cellular immunity , the food pad reaction test was carried out using icr - jcl mice as experimental animals and erythrocytes of sheep as an antigen . a mouse was primary - sensitized by injecting 0 . 2 ml of 10 % suspension of sheep erythrocytes in physiological saline solution from the caudel vein and after 7 days of the first sensitization , 0 . 05 ml of 40 % suspension of sheep erythrocytes in physiological saline solution was injected in the foot pad for the second sensitization . the thickness of the foot pad was determined on the next day . the administration of the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention was carried out at the dosage of 250 mg / kg / day once a day for consecutive 5 days centering around the day when the first sensitization was carried out . as the result , the increment of the thickness of the foot pad of the mouse administered with the active ingredient showed no significant difference as compared to the increment in the group of mouse not administered with the active ingredient . in order to know the effects of the active ingredients on humoral immunity , the hemagglutination test was carried out using icr - jcl mice sensitized with sheep erythrocytes . a mouse was sensitized by injecting 0 . 2 ml of 10 % suspension of sheep erythrocytes in physiological saline solution from the caudel vein and after 7 days of sensitization to the mouse blood was sampled for the hemagglutination test of determination of the antibody - producing activity . the active ingredient was administered for consecutive 5 days centering around the day of sensitization , intraperitoneally at the dosage of 250 mg / kg / day . as the result , there was no significant difference in agglutination titer between the group administered with the active ingredient and the control group . the following are the pharmacological properties of the active ingredients of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention described in the order of ( 1 ) blood sugar - reducing activity , ( 2 ) antihypertensive activity , ( 3 ) antitumour activity , ( 4 ) analgetic activity , ( 5 ) antipyretic activity , ( 6 ) antiinflammatory activity , and ( 7 ) blood lipid reducing activity . streptozotocin was administered intraperitoneally to a group of wistar rats at a dosage of 60 mg / kg and after confirming the positivity of uninary sugar of the animals on the 8th day , regular insulin was further administered to the rats to reduce both the urinary sugar and the blood sugar . out of thus treated animals , those which certainly showed a higher urinary sugar value and also a higher blood sugar value after a few days of insulin - administration were used as the model animals suffering from artificial diabetes mellitus . the active ingredient was administered to the model animals orally as a solution in distilled water at the respective dosages of 30 and 300 mg / kg . blood specimens were collected after 3 and 6 hours of the administration , and the determination of glucose in the specimen was carried out by using a raba - kit ( made by chugai pharmaceutical co ., japan ) according to the enzyme method . the results are shown in table 5 . as is seen in table 5 , the difference between the values of blood sugar before and after the administration of every active ingredient ( δ value ) was larger than the δ value of control . especially , the activity of reducing blood sugar was conspicuous in the case of sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - l - arabinoside , sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - d - glucoside , sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - l - rhamnoside , and sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - d - mannoside , the δ value of thes compounds being 150 to 460 mg / dl at the dosage of as low as 30 mg / kg . table 5______________________________________blood sugar - reducing activity change δ value mg / dl of blood dose sugar aftercompound ( mg / kg ) 3 hr 6 hr______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - 30 - 254 - 225arabinoside 300 - 108 - 83sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 - 62 - 60xyloside 300 - 80 - 76sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 - 220 - 200glucoside 300 - 134 - 217sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 - 82 - 42galactoside 300 - 95 - 49sodium , o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - 30 - 156 - 124rhamnoside 300 - 462 - 397sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 - 180 - 110mannoside 300 - 230 - 150methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 - 121 - 86mannoside 300 - 166 - 147control -- - 36 - 39______________________________________ an aqueous solution of the active ingredient in distilled water was orally administered to rats of spontaneous hypertension at respective dosages of 30 and 300 mg / kg and their blood pressure was determined after 3 and 6 hours of administration by a sphygmomanometer ( made by ueda works , japan , model usm - 105r ). the difference of blood pressures before and after the administration was used to evaluate the antihypertensive activity of the active ingredients . mean value of blood pressure of the above - mentioned rats in spontaneous hypertension was 200 mmhg . the results are shown in table 6 . as is seen in table 6 , all the tested active ingredients clearly showed that antihypertensive effect . table 6______________________________________antihypertensive activity reduced amount of dose blood pressure after rate 3 hr 6 hrcompound ( mg / kg ) ( mm hg ) ______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - 30 13 9arabinoside 300 22 25sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 16 16xyloside 300 9 5sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 8 5glucoside 300 26 20sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 9 16galactoside 300 9 8sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - 30 13 19rhamnoside 300 28 20sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 12 14mannoside 300 24 22methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 30 18 14mannoside 300 26 21control -- - 2 * 2______________________________________ note : * blood pressure raised by 2 mm hg . sarcoma 180 were transplanted subcutaneously into the right axillary of icr - jcl mice at the rate of 1 × 10 6 cells / mouse , and from after 24 hours of transplantation an aqueous solution of the active ingredient is sterilized physiological saline solution was orally administered every other day at a dose rate of 500 mg / kg , 10 times in all . on the 25th day of the transplantation , the nodular tumour ( s ) was extirpated and weighed . the inhibition ratio ( i . r .) (%) of the active ingredient was calculated by the following formula : the results of the test are shown in table 7 . as is seen in table 7 , all the active ingredients tested exhibited an antitumour activity . table 7______________________________________antitumour activity against sarcoma - 180 inhibitioncompound ratio ( i . r . %) ______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - arabinoside 44 . 4sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - xyloside 18 . 9sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - glucoside 22 . 4sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - galactoside 21 . 6sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - rhamnoside 57 . 4sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 32 . 0methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 59 . 0______________________________________ note : amount of administration was 10 × 500 mg / kg p . o . female icr mice which showed a threshold value of pain of 50 to 80 mm hg when their tail base part was pressured by a pressure stimulation apparatus ( made by natsume works , japan ) of takagi and kameyama were chosen as test animals , ten animals comprising a group . after administering the active ingredient , the test was carried out as the time passes and the applied pressure and the time period until the animal showed a quasi - escaping reaction were determined to evaluate the analgetic activity of the active ingredient . the results are shown in table 8 . as is seen in table 8 , the pressure applied on animals when the animal showed the quasi - escaping reaction was higher in animals to which the active ingredient had been applied than in animals not administered , and the time period from the beginning to the time point when the animal showed the reaction was longer in animals administered with the active ingredient than in animals not administered . thus , the analgetic activity of the active ingredient was confirmed . the active ingredient was orally administered to a group ( ten animals ) of female icr mice of age of 5 to 6 weeks , and after 30 min of the administration an aqueous 0 . 6 % acetic acid solution was intraperitoneally injected into the mouse at a dose rate of 0 . 1 ml / 10 g of body weight . the number of writhing motion which occurred in the mouse during 10 minutes after 10 minutes of intraperitoneal administration was recorded . the analgetic activity was evaluated from the writhing syndrome inhibiting ratio obtained by the following formula : the results are shown in table 9 . as is seen in table 9 , every active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention showed analgetic activity . the above - mentioned process was carried out following the method of kostet et al . ( 1959 ) table 8______________________________________analgetic activity by the mechanical stimulation method quasi - escape reaction pressure at time until ( mm hg ) ( sec ) compound occurrence______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - 82 38arabinosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 88 37xylosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 88 36glucosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 80 36galactosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - 79 40rhamnosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 92 41mannosidemethyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - 75 35mannosidecontrol 70 33______________________________________ note : amount of administration , 1000 mg / kg p . o . table 9______________________________________analgetic activity by the chemical stimulation methodcompound i . r . (%) ______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - arabinoside 43 . 1sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - xyloside 27 . 9sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - glucoside 24 . 5sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - galactoside 19 . 8sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - rhamnoside 52 . 1sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 43 . 4methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 40 . 5______________________________________ note : amount of administration was 1000 mg / kg p . o . following the method of winter et al . ( 1961 ), a 20 % suspension of beer yeast was subcutaneously injected to a group ( consisting of 6 animals ) of rats , and after 10 hours of fasting , the active ingredient was orally administered to the rats and their rectal temperature was determined . the antipyretic activity is expressed by the ratio of inhibiting pyrexia due to beer yeast ( i . r .%) at the time when the antipyretic activity of the active ingredient is at its maximum according to the following formula : ## equ1 ## wherein t : mean rectal temperature of rats to which the active ingredient was administered . c 1 : mean rectal temperature of rats injected beer yeast , without the active ingredient . c 2 : mean rectal temperature of untreated rats ( control ) the results are shown in table 10 . as is seen in table 10 , all the active ingredients exhibited a considerable antipyretic activity . table 10______________________________________antipyretic activity antipyretic activity ( suppressingcompound pyrexia ) i . r . (%) ______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - arabinoside 35 . 7sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - xyloside 29 . 8sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - glucoside 15 . 6sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - galactoside 40 . 6sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - rhamnoside 66 . 6sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 19 . 8methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 25 . 0______________________________________ following the method of van arman et al . ( 1963 ), the active ingredient was forcibly and orally administered to each rat of a group consisting of 10 animals at the dose rate of 1000 mg / kg , and after one hour of the administration 0 . 1 ml of 1 % suspension of carrageenin in physiological saline solution was injected to their right foot pad . the volume of the foot pad was determined as time passes and the antiinflammatory activity was expressed by the ratio of inhibition of the swelling of the foot pad due to carrageenin by the active ingredient , using the determined value of 1 - 4 hours from the injection and calculating by the following formula : c : mean value of volume of the foot pad of control ( not administered and then injected ) the results are shown in table 11 . as is seen in table 11 , all the ingredients tested showed the inhibitory activity against the edema caused by carrageenin . following the method of winter et al . ( 1963 ), two cotton wool pellets were implanted into the skin of back of each rat of a group consisting of 6 rats at the symmetrical positions having the median line as the axis of symmetry , the weight of one pellet being 30 ± 1 mg . oral administration of 1000 mg / kg / day of the active ingredient was carried out for consecutive 7 days . on the 8th day , the granuloma formed in the rats was extirpated and weighed after drying . the antigranuloma activity expressed by the ratio of inhibition of the growth of the granuloma ( i . r .,%) was calculated in a manner as shown in ( 6 ) ( a ), and the results are shown in table 11 . as is seen in table 11 , each active ingredient exhibited the inhibiting activity of growth of the granuloma . following the method of baris et al . ( 1965 ), a volume of air was injected subcutaneously in the back of each rat of a group consisting of 6 rats to make a air pouch , and then 0 . 5 ml of 1 % croton oil solution in sesame oil was injected into the pouch . the oral administration of 1000 mg / kg / day of the active ingredient was then began to continue for 5 days . on the 6th day , the amount of exudated liquid into the pouch was determined and the antiexudation activity expressed by the ratio of inhibitory activity to exudation was calculated in a manner as shown in ( 6 ) ( a ). the results are shown in table 11 . as is seen in table 11 , all the active ingredient tested exhibited the antiexudation activity . following the method of fujiware et al . ( 1971 ), mycobacterium tuberculosis suspended in liquid paraffin was injected subcutaneously into the right foot pad of each rat of group consisting of 6 rats . after 14 days of the injection , rats with similar volume of the foot pad were chosen to form groups ( 10 animals / group ), each active ingredient was orally administered daily from the 15th day for consecutive 7 days . the volume of the foot pad of rats was determined , and the antiadjuvant arthritis activity of each active ingredient was calculated as the ratio of inhibiting the swelling of the foot pad by using the formula shown in ( 6 ) ( a ). the results are shown in table 11 . as is seen in table 11 , all the tested active ingredient exhibited the antiadjuvant arthritis activity . table 11______________________________________antiinflammatory activity expressed * gran - * exuda - compound * edema uloma tion * arthritis______________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - 26 . 0 6 . 3 10 . 5 22 . 7n -- l - arabinosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - 4 . 6 10 . 1 18 . 0 19 . 0n -- l - rhamnosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - 6 . 9 4 . 7 12 . 9 16 . 1n -- d - galactosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - 20 . 1 12 . 6 17 . 8 28 . 6n -- d - xylosidesodium o - aminobenzoate 4 . 0 7 . 9 9 . 1 12 . 1n -- d - glucosidesodium o - aminobenzoate - 4 . 8 11 . 8 7 . 1 17 . 8n -- d - mannosidemethyl o - aminobenzoate - 21 . 5 10 . 7 15 . 4 11 . 5n -- d - mannoside______________________________________ note : amount of administration of the active ingredient = 1000 mg / kg japanese male white rabbits were fed for about 3 months with solid feed ( cr - 1 ) containing 1 % of cholesterol and those animals in which the increase of seral lipid component was confirmed were used as the model animals having experimental arteriosclerosis . an aqueous solution of the active ingredient in distilled water was administered respectively at the dose rates of 30 and 300 mg / kg orally and after the administration , blood specimen was collected as time passes from the auricular vein and the change of total cholesterol ( determined by the enzyme method ), phospholipid ( determined by the enzyme method ) and beta - lipoprotein ( determined by turbidmetry ) in the serum was observed . the results are shown in table 12 . in table 12 , the values of serum cholesterol ( mean value of 550 mg / dl ), of phospholipid ( mean value of 320 mg / dl ) and of beta - lipoprotein ( mean value of 2500 mg / kg ) before administration were respectively subtracted from the respective values after 3 and 6 hours of the administration , and only the differences are shown , respectively . therefore , the minus value shows the decrease and the plus value shows the increase of the respective values due to the administration . as is clearly seen in table 12 , generally , the active ingredients exhibited the activity of reducing the lipid components as compared to control . table 12__________________________________________________________________________activity of reducing blood lipids phospholipid beta - lipoprotein cholesterol dose ( mg / dl ) ( mg / dl ) ( mg / dl ) compound ( mg / kg ) 3 hr 6 hr 3 hr 6 hr 3 hr 6 hr__________________________________________________________________________sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 30 - 40 - 40 - 132 - 175 - 98 - 74 300 - 43 - 59 - 174 - 158 - 120 - 135sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - glucoside 30 - 27 - 40 - 142 - 169 - 96 - 77 300 - 33 - 43 - 200 - 203 - 72 - 105sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - galactoside 30 + 11 - 27 - 192 - 113 + 3 - 25 300 0 - 30 - 380 - 194 + 10 - 75sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - arabinoside 30 - 26 - 51 - 213 - 179 + 3 - 100 300 - 74 - 87 - 300 - 202 - 5 - 210sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- l - rhamnoside 30 - 23 - 23 - 148 - 197 - 122 - 115 300 - 25 - 19 - 220 - 284 - 180 - 175sodium o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - xyloside 30 - 19 - 47 - 179 - 181 - 50 - 60 300 - 23 - 64 - 244 - 320 - 100 - 125methyl o - aminobenzoate - n -- d - mannoside 30 - 24 - 32 - 144 - 127 - 181 - 163 300 - 37 - 39 - 201 - 139 - 230 - 215control 0 - 19 0 + 3 + 8 - 4__________________________________________________________________________ the formulation of the active ingredients to make the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is described below . in the case where the pharmaceutical composition is used as an antiinflammatory agent , it is possible to use the pharmaceutical composition in the form which is convenient to produce the effectiveness according to the kinds and the symptoms of the disease , and moreover , the active ingredient may be used by itself or may be used as mixtures combined with any diluent allowable in pharmaceutical process and with other medicines . the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is administered orally or parenterally and accordingly , the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may take any form optionally for the oral or parental administration . the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be offered as a form of unit administration . the form of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be powder , granule , tablet , sugar - coated tablet , capsulated one , suppository , suspension , solution , emulsifiable concentrate , ampouled one , injection , etc . as a diluent , any one of solids , liquids and semisolids may be utilized , for instance , excipients , fillers , binders , wetting agents , disintegrating agents , surfactants , demulcents , dispersing agents , buffering agents , perfumes , preserratives , dissolution aids and solvents . moreover , one or more than one of these adjuvants may be used in combination or in mixutres . the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be formulated by any known method , and the amount of the active ingredient contained in the composition ( preparation ) is generally from 0 . 01 % to 100 % by weight . the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be administered orally or parenterally to human or animals , however , it is preferably administered orally . sublingual administration is included in oral administration . parenteral administration includes subcutaneous -, intramuscular - and intravenous injection and the injection by drop method . the dose of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention depends upon the age , the personal difference and the state of disease , and whether the object is human or animal and accordingly , an extraordinary amount may be administered other than the following dose : generally , for human , the oral dose is 0 . 1 - 1000 mg / kg body weight / day , preferably 1 - 500 mg / kg / day and the parenteral dose is 0 . 01 - 200 mg / kg / day , preferably 0 . 1 - 100 mg / kg / day divided into 1 - 4 parts , one part being administered in one time . the following are the more detailed explanation of the formulation and the production of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention in examples . 10 parts by weight of one of the active ingredients of the present invention ( sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - l - arabinoside ), 75 parts by weight of lactose were uniformly mixed and formulated into powder or granules . the powder is filled in capsules to be capsulated formulation . 45 parts by weight of one of the active ingredients of the present invention ( sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - d - xyloside ), 30 parts by weight of water were uniformely mixed , crushed and formulated , and then dried and shifted to be granules . granules were prepared as in example 2 , except using sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - d - glucoside instead of sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - d - xyloside , and the mixture of 96 parts by weight of this granule and 4 parts by weight of calcium stearate was compression - formulated to be tablets 10 mm in diameter . 94 parts by weight of one of the active ingredients of the present invention ( sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - l - rhamnoside ), 30 parts by weight of water were mixed and the mixture was processed as in example 2 to be granules . to 90 parts by weight of the thus processed granules 10 parts by weight of crystalline cellulose were mixed and the mixture was compression - formulated to be tablets 8 mm in diameter . the tablets were coated with syrup , gelatine and precipitated calcium carbonate to be coated tablets . 0 . 6 part by weight of one of the active ingredients of the present invention ( sodium o - aminobenzoate - n - d - galactoside ), 97 parts by weight of physiological saline solution were mixed under heating and then the mixture was sterilized to be an injection . a mixture of 2 . 3 g of anthranilic acid , 2 . 5 g of l - arabinose and 0 . 2 g of ammonium chloride was heated in 30 ml of methanol under a reflux condenser . after the reaction was over , crystals separated out when the reaction mixture was left at room temperature . the crystals thus obtained by filtering were washed with water , methanol and then with ether . the crystals were colorless needles or plates . yield was 61 . 3 %. thus obtained anthranilic acid - n - l - arabinoside was dissolved gradually into an aqueous 1 % sodium hydroxide solution containing in total the amount of calculated sodium hydroxide and after filtering , the solution was condensed under reduced pressure . the crystals which separated out by the addition of a large excess of acetone to the condensate was dehydrated and dried . colorless crystals of sodium salt was obtained at the yield of 100 %. the total yield from anthranilic acid was 61 . 3 %. a mixture of 2 . 3 g of o - aminobenzoic acid , 2 . 5 g of d - xylose and 0 . 2 g of ammonium chloride was heated in 35 ml of ethanol under a reflux condenser . after the reaction was over , the reaction mixture was condensed under reduced pressure to half of the original volume , and after leaving at room temperature , crystalline needles separated out . after washing with water , methanol and then ether , the crystals were recrystallized from ethanol . colorless needles were obtained at the yield of 74 . 6 %. in the case where ammonium sulfate was used instead of ammonium chloride in the above - mentioned experiment , quite a similar result was obtained . thus obtained anthralinic acid - n - d - xyloside was gradually dissolved in an aqueous 1 % sodium hydroxide solution containing the alkali in an calculated amount . after filtering and condensing the solution , a large excess of acetone was added to the condensate to obtain wet crystals . colorless crystals were obtained after dehydration and drying at the yield of 100 % based on the anthranilic acid - n - d - xyloside . total yield from anthranilic acid was 74 . 6 % of theoretical . a mixture of 4 . 6 g of anthranilic acid , 6 . 0 g of d - glucose and 0 . 5 g of ammonium chloride was heated in 40 ml of 95 % ethanol under a relux condenser . after the reaction was over , the reaction mixture was condensed to about one third of the original volume and left in a refrigerator for a night to form of crystals . after collecting crystals by filtration of the reactant solution , and washing the filtered crystals with water , methanol and then ether and further recrystalizing the washed crystals two times from methanol , colorless crystals were obtained at the yield of 4 . 6 %. by dissolving thus obtained crystals into an aqueous 1 % sodium hydroxide solution in stoichiometric proportions , and filtering the solution , then condensing the filtrate and at last adding a large excess of acetone into the condensate , crystals separated out from the acetonic solution . after dehydration and drying , colorless needle - like crystals were obtained at the yield of 100 % of the anthranilic acid - n - d - glucoside . total yield from anthranilic acid was 4 . 6 %. a mixture of 2 . 4 g of anthranilic acid , 3 . 0 g of d - galactose and 0 . 2 g of ammonium chloride was heated in 30 ml of 95 % ethanol under a relux condenser . after the reaction was over , the reactant was condensed to one half of the original volume under reduced pressure and left at room temperature to separate crystals . after filtration of the reactant and washing the collected crystals with water , methanol and then ether and further recrystallizing from 95 % ethanol , colorless needle - like crystals were obtained at the yield of 16 . 4 %. thus obtained crystals of anthranilic acid - n - d - galactoside were dissolved in 1 % sodium hydroxide solution in stoichiometric proportions , and after filtration of the solution , and condensation of the filtrate to one half in volume , a large excess of acetone was added to the condensate . thus separated crystals were dehydrated and dried . colorless crystals were obtained at the yield of 100 % based on the anthranilic acid - n - d - galactoside and at the total yield of 16 . 4 % based on anthranilic acid . a mixture of 2 . 3 g of l - rhamnose and 0 . 2 g of ammonium chloride was heated in 25 ml of methanol under a reflux condenser . after the reaction was over , the reactant was left at room temperature to separate crystals . after filtering the reactant and washing the collected crystals with water , methanol and then recrystallizing the washed crystals from 50 % methanol , colorless needle - like crystals were obtained at the yield of 9 . 8 %. thus obtained anthranilic acid - n - l - rhamnoside was slowly dissolved in 1 % sodium hydroxide solution in stoichiometric proportions . after filtering the solution and condensing the filtrate to one half of the original volume , a large excess of acetone was added to the condensate to obtain crystals . by dehydrating and drying the wet crystals , colorless crystals were obtained at the yield of 100 % based on the anthranilic acid - n - l - rhamnoside , the total yield based on anthranilic acid being 9 . 8 %. a mixture of one gram of methyl anthranilate and one gram of d - mannose was heated in 10 ml of ethanol in the presence of 0 . 1 g of ammonium chloride for about one hour to effect condensation . after the reaction was over , the reactant was left at room temperature to separate crystals . the crystals were recrystallized from 95 % ethanol to be colorless crystals with a yield of 60 %. a mixture of 2 g of anthranilic acid , 3 g of d - mannose was heated in 10 ml of ethanol in the presence of 0 . 2 g of ammonium chloride under a reflux condenser , in a waterbath at 95 ° to 96 ° c . after a while , thick crystals separated out . after collecting the crystals by filtration and washing the crystals with water and methanol thoroughly , the crystals were recrystallized from methanol to be colorless needles . the yield was 53 . 0 % based on anthranilic acid . thus obtained anthranilic acid - n - d - mannoside was slowly dissolved in 1 % sodium hydroxide solution in stoichiometrical proportions . undissolved matter , if any , was removed by filtration , and the solution ( or the filtrate ) was condensed under reduced pressure and then a large excess of ethanol was added to the condensate . the crystals separated were collected by filtration and they were dehydrated and dried to give colorless crystals at a yield of 100 % based on the anthranilic acid - n - d - mannoside and at the total yield of 53 . 0 % based on anthranilic acid .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
this is an invention of a new optical element called the polarizing wavelength separator , pws , which is an array of micro - polarizers that convert unpolarized white light into a polarized array of light strips or bands that are spectrally and spatially separated , with a conversion efficiency that can theoretically approach 100 %. the light strips of different wavelengths have widths and spacings ( the spaces between strips are dark areas ) that can be controlled during the manufacturing process . it is also shown that when pws elements are used in liquid crystal displays ( direct view and projection ) prior art problems of low yield , high cost , low brightness , and bulkiness are solved . a manufacturing method is also shown that produces pws elements inexpensively . my co - pending application ser . no . 07 / 561 , 104 teaches how to make polarizing filter arrays , but does not address the ability to produce pws elements as described herein , especially the production of spectrally and spatially separated bands . this production of bands improves the prior art filtering efficiency by a factor of 3 and improves the fill factor of lcd to more than 90 %. another important new feature of the pws elements is that the wavelengths of the strips can be randomly ordered instead of having values of ascending or descending order . diffractive elements such as gratings and dispersive elements such as prisms are known to separate white light spatially into its constituent wavelengths ( ascending or descending order ). to my knowledge , there is no prior art that teaches how to produce the features of pws which simultaneously performs these three functions : polarization , wavelength separation , and spatial separation . the construction of the pws and its features depend on the well known properties of chiral liquid crystals , clc , ( also called cholesteric liquid crystals ) described in the following references : s . d . jacobs et al , journal of the optical society of america , b , vol . 5 ( 9 ), pp . 1962 - 1978 ( september 1988 ); ii ) martin schadt and jurg funfschilling , society of information displays , sid 90 digest , p 324 ( 1990 ); and iii ) robert maurer , et al , society of information displays , sid 90 digest , p 110 ( 1990 ). these liquid crystals spontaneously order themselves in an optically active structure of a left handed ( lh ) helix or a right handed ( rh ) helix with a helix pitch p , and an optical axis which coincides with the helix axis . fig4 a shows an rh , clc film 52 ( cross section ) prepared with its optical axis 52a perpendicular to the film and exhibits the property of selective reflection when a monochromatic beam of wavelength l , propagating along the helix axis satisfies the relationship where n a is the average refractive index of the clc material and p is its pitch . unpolarized light 53 with wavelength λ = λ 0 incident on the film will interact with the helix structure and causes the reflection of 50 % of its intensity as right circularly polarized light 53a ( rcp ), and the other 50 % is transmitted as left circularly polarized light 53b ( lcp ). on the other hand , if the incident light 67 has one or more wavelengths λ that are not equal to λ 0 , all the light is transmitted . i remark that equation ( 1 ) is strictly valid in the case where the angle of incidence θ ( measured from the helix axis ) is zero . for a non - zero value of θ , the effective value of λ 0 shifts to a shorter wavelength λ . sub . θ given by in all subsequent discussion in this application , whenever θ does not = 0 it is implied that λ 0 means λ . sub . θ as given by eq . ( 1a ).] if the film had an lh helix , fig4 b , and the incident unpolarized light 55 satisfies λ = λ 0 , 50 % of the selectively reflected polarized light 55a would have the lcp state , and the other 50 % transmitted part 55b would have the rcp state . it is important to note that this selective reflection polarizing property does not involve depend on an absorptive mechanism as is the case with conventional sheet polarizer . this fundamental fact is the source of the high efficiency of the pws element . a fundamental property of light is that it can have only two independent , mutually orthogonal polarization states , either circular , lcp and rcp states , or linear states . other polarization properties of light used in this invention are shown in fig4 c - d . fig4 c shows that an lcp light 57 normally incident on a metallic reflector 56 is converted into an rcp light 58 because the metal causes a phase shift of 180 ° between the independent electric field vector components . a quarter wave retarder 59 , fig4 d , causes a 90 ° phase shift and converts a circular light 60 into linear 61 , and a linear length 62 into circular 63 . in fig4 c , a half - wave retarder 64 converts rcp light 65 into lcp light 66 and vice versa by causing a phase shift of between the independent electric field vector components . the first preferred embodiment of this invention is the lighting system 70 ( fig5 a ) which comprises the pws element 71 and a light source 72 which emits unpolarized white light in the form of light strips 73 . as shown in fig5 b , each said light strip 73 is separated by pws 71 into three red 74 , green 75 , and blue 76 color bands that are also spatially separated by dark bands 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ( no illumination ). the triad of color bands , spatially separated , are periodically repeated as a regular array that makes up the entire pws 71 . as explained in more detail below , the clc layers 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 and the metallic layers 81 , 88 are responsible for the pws operation . large area pws elements ranging in thickness from 100 microns to several centimeters can be produced . an entire thin pws sheet can be used in flat panel direct view lcd (& gt ; 10 &# 34 ; diagonal ) or smaller parts of a large area pws may be used as in projection lcd or other applications . the pws functions as a polarizing filter array with the added benefit of spatial separation of light . the most important feature of the pws is the fact that all the energy of the collimated unpolarized light beam 73 is converted into polarized light , and that the colors are separated with nearly 100 % efficiency because there is no absorptive mechanisms that convert light into heat . note that this function is carried out in a transmissive mode by means of a very thin element 71 that is not taught by prior art . a fundamental property of unpolarized light is that exactly half of its energy is in one polarization state , rcp , and the other half is the other orthogonal polarization state , lcp ( the two independent orthogonal states could be linearly polarized ). the operating principles of the pws is now explained using fig6 - 8 . the simplest element of this invention , fig6 a , comprises two identical lh , clc layers 89 , 90 that are at an angle of 45 ° with respect to the normal or vertical direction , and are separated by a distance s , 93 . according to the fundamental properties of clc described above ( fig4 b ), an incident beam of unpolarized light 73 of wavelength satisfying eq . 1 above , and having a width w b , is separated into an rcp beam 91 that is transmitted through clc 89 , and an lcp beam 92 that is reflected first by clc 89 and then by clc 90 . thus two beams 91 , 92 having orthogonal polarization states rcp and lcp emerge separated from each other by a distance s . this distance s determines the width of the dark ( not illuminated ) region 93 between the beams 91 , 92 . and it can be varied . fig6 c - d shows a particular configuration where s = 0 . the black areas represent absence of illumination . the clc layers 89 , 90 , because of the absence of an absorptive mechanism , are perfect reflectors and have been shown to have reflectivities better than metals . therefore , 50 % of the incident energy 73 is converted into rcp 91 and the other 50 % into lcp 92 . on the other hand , polarizers and filters used in prior art displays are based on absorptive mechanisms and lose most of the light energy into heat . to convert all the incident light beam 73 into one polarization state , a half - wave retarder layer 94 is added after the clc layer 89 as shown in fig6 e . the retarder , as described in fig4 e , converts the rcp light beam transmitted through clc 89 into an lcp beam 95 , and the result is that all the unpolarized light 73 is converted to polarized light 95 , 92 having one polarization state , lcp as in fig6 f . thus , unpolarized light beam 73 is fully converted to a single polarized beam ( the sum of beams 92 and 95 ) having an lcp and with a 100 % conversion efficiency . in another embodiment illustrated in fig6 g - h , an unpolarized beam 73 is 100 % converted into a linearly polarized beam 99 , 100 using quarter - wave retarders 98a , 98 b on both sides of clc 96 , and 98c , 98d , on both sides of clc 97 . the quarter wave retarders convert the circularly polarized light into linear polarization according to fig4 d . in yet an other embodiment , metallic reflectors instead of half - wave retarders are used to convert lcp into rcp as illustrated in fig7 a . the unpolarized beam 73 is split by means of clc layer 101 into an rcp beam 103 , and an lcp beam that is reflected by layer 101 and then reflected and 180 ° phase - shifted by the metallic reflector 102 ( with a retarder element to compensate for the 45 ° angle of incidence ), to produce a second rcp beam 104 . thus all the unpolarized beam 73 is fully converted into rcp beams 103 , 104 , fig7 b . in an other embodiment , a broad - band polarizer is produced as in fig7 c by having a plurality of left handed ( lh ) clc layers 105a , 105b , 105c ( inset fig7 c ) each satisfying eq . 1 at different wavelengths . unpolarized white beam 73 is split by clc 105 into an rcp white beam 107 which is transmitted and an lcp white beam which is reflected first by clc 105 and then reflected and 180 ° phase - shifted by a metallic reflector 106 to produce rcp beam 108 , fig7 d . the preferred embodiment of the invention for making the pws element is illustrated in fig8 a . its construction and operating principles are based on the concepts described above in connection with simpler elements as shown in fig6 - 7 . the pws element comprises a metallic reflector 109 , three pairs of lh , clc layers 110 , 112 , 117 , 119 , 124 , 126 . clc pair 110 , 112 is tuned to satisfy eq . 1 , to selectively reflect the red color band , pair 117 , 119 for green band , and pair 124 , 126 for the blue band . half - wave retarder layers 111 , 118 , and 125 are placed after clc layers 110 , 117 , and 124 respectively to convert the transmitted rcp beams into lcp beams . said retarders are respectively designed for the red , green and blue bands . a beam of unpolarized white light 73 having three color bands , red , green and blue is converted into three red , green , and blue beams that are left - circularly - polarized ( lcp ) and spatially separated by a distance s . first the incident beam is reflected by the reflector 109 . then the red lcp component is reflected by the first red lh clc layer 110 forming red a lcp beam 114 , the rest of the light is transmitted through 110 . the retarder layer 111 converts the red rcp component into a second red lcp component 115 which reflected by the second red clc 112 , mean while , the remaining green and blue beams are transmitted through first and second red clc layers 110 , 112 . using the same principles , the remaining clc layers , and retarders , form the green lcp beams 121 , 122 , and the blue lcp beams 128 , 129 . the red , green and blue beams are separated by dark spaces 120 and 127 as in fig8 b . an entire pws array is constructed by repeating the pws elements shown in fig8 thus making the pws sheet 71 as the preferred embodiment . for practical implementation of the pws concepts , clc layers in the form of solid polymer ( plastic ) sheets are preferred . examples of such materials are the lc - silicone polymers described by kreuzer and gawhary in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 410 , 570 . other clc materials listed by jacobs et al may also be used . typical clc layer thicknesses are in the range of 20 to 40 wavelengths , or 10 to 20 microns . although the above embodiments for making pws elements employ left handed ( lh ) helix clc layers , it is also possible to use right handed ( rh ) materials or a combination lh and rh . persons skilled in the art may find other configurations pws elements described herein by using different arrangements of lh and rh clc layers in conjunction with retarding layers of appropriate phase shift . a high throughput , low cost method for fabricating pws sheets is described in fig9 . the starting material is a cell sheet ( typical size is 36 &# 34 ;× 36 &# 34 ;) that comprises a plurality of layers laminated together with a clear adhesive . said plurality of layers can be designed to produce any of the pws elements described above in fig6 - 8 or any other variations . to produce the pws preferred embodiment , that converts unpolarized white light into polarized red , green , and blue color bands that are spatially separated , the cell sheet 130 is designed to comprise two outer metallic layers 131 , 136 , three sets of clc and half - wave retarder layers , and seven optically clear substrate layers 132 . said substrate layers are made of glass of clear plastics such as polycarbonate , cellulose butyrates , or cellulose acetate , or other clear substrates may be use so long as their index of refraction matches that of the clc layers . the first set which is designed to select the red band , comprises lh clc layers 133a , 133c , ( 10 to 20 micron thick ) and half - wave retarder layers 133b , 133d ( 10 micron thick ) separated from their respective clc layers by clear adhesive layers ( 1 - 5 micron thick ). the second and third sets are designed to select the green and blue bands respectively , and comprise clc layers 134a , 134c , 135a , 135c , and retarder layers 134b , 134d , 135b , 135d . the clear substrates 132 have thicknesses as small as 100 micron ( for flat panel lcd ) or as large as 5 cm ( for projection lcd ) and are designed to achieve the desired spatial color band separation 78 , 79 , 80 in fig5 . the three sets can be rearranged in any desired order , to obtain rgb , gbr , or brg . the next step in manufacturing is to form a stack 137 ( fig9 b ) comprising a large number of cell sheets 130 which are adhesively bonded together . to minimize material waste , the sheets 130 are pushed against an inclined wall 138 ( 45 °). the stack is subsequently sliced at a 45 ° angle by known slicing means , forming several slices 139a , 139b , 139c , 139d , 139e . these slices are then polished and anti - reflection coated ( if necessary ) to produce the finished pws 140 , fig9 b . note that the manufacturing process is simple and can achieve high throughput and low cost . by exploiting the properties of inexpensive pws sheets fabricated according to the method described in fig9 high efficiency , high brightness direct view flat panel color lcd can be realized as illustrated in fig1 and fig1 . the first system , fig1 , comprises three discrete components : a back light 72 , a pws sheet 140 , and an lc panel 141 . the second system , fig1 a , integrates the backlight 72 , the pws 140 , and the lc panel 141 into a single unit . the back light 72 produces unpolarized white light strips 73 , and can be made using well known thin film electro - luminescent ( tfel ) technology that is capable of delivering very low profile . the lc panel 141 is designed to exploit the fact that pws produces rgb strips that are separated by dark regions 151a , 151b , 151c , fig1 c . the wiring 150 , and the thin film transistors 147 , fig1 a - b , can be located in said dark regions away from the light strips . consequently , the red 148 green 149 and blue beams do not meet any obstructions , leading to an effective fill factor ( ff ) of nearly 100 %. the most popular prior art lcd technology has ff of 70 % and can be lower than 50 % for higher resolution displays . the lcd panel 141 , fig1 a - b , is much simplified because the filters 10 , 11 , 12 , and the black absorbing matrix 9 of fig1 are eliminated . therefore a significant yield improvement and reduction in cost can be realized . also , in prior art lcd in fig1 the filters 10 , 11 , 12 , waste more than 66 % of the light , and the polarizers 3 , 8 waste more than 60 %. these losses along with losses due to ff , are eliminated by the use of pws , leading to about a factor of 14 improvement in illumination efficiency . this further leads to smaller , and lighter weight lcd panels and the integrated lcd embodiment in fig1 a - b results in a very low profile display at a lower cost . here the pws 140 performs the additional function of the back glass substrate in the prior art systems of fig1 on which the ito layer 145 and the alignment layer 146 are deposited , becoming an integral part of the lc cell . furthermore , the light source 72 , 73 , based on thin film technology can also be deposited on the top surface of the pws 140 . thus a compact , fully integrated lcd can be produced . by using the polarizer concept described in fig6 a in the manufacture of pws , a micropolarizing filter array is produced in which the polarization states periodically alternate , for instance between the rcp state and the lcp state . if such pws is incorporated in the lcd systems of fig1 - 11 , then image displayed will be in 3 - d stereo as describe in my copending application ser . no . 7 / 536 , 190 . the prior art projection lcd systems described in fig2 - 3 , can be simplified , made more compact , and made more efficient by using the pws elements fabricated according to the present invention as described in fig9 . fig1 illustrates a much simplified projection rlclv system when compared with its counterpart of fig3 which uses many more discrete parts . for instance , in the rlclv system of fig1 , two pws elements 155 , 156 replace four discrete dichroic mirrors 35 , 36 , 39 , 40 , used in prior art system ( fig3 ), two conventional mirrors 37 , 37 , and three bulky polarizing prisms which waste more than 50 % of the energy . the bottom pws 155 performs the polarization and wavelength separation functions , while the top pws 156 performs combiner function . white unpolarized light from the metal halide lamp 151 is separated by pws 155 into nearly 100 % polarized red 158 , green 160 , and blue 159 beams which are modulated by the reflective lc valves 152 , 153 , 154 respectively and then combined with the pws 156 and finally projected on the screen with lens 157 . fig1 is another projection system which is based on transmissive lclv cells 161 , 162 , 163 , and it is also more compact , and more efficient than its prior art counterpart of fig2 . the lossy polarizers in prior art tlclv cells are eliminated , here the pws elements 155 , 156 perform the polarizing function as well as separating , analyzing and combining the color beams . layer 155a is a metallic reflector that is part of pws 155 . fig4 is another transmissive lclv embodiment which functions similarly to that of fig1 , except that the pws 156 is rotated 180 degrees in order to place the source 151 and the projection lens at opposite ends , and replacing reflector 164 with clc reflectors 168 , 169 , 170 in order to achieve energy recovery or recycling . in another embodiment of projection lcd system , fig1 , the polarizing function is carried out by the broad - band polarizer 172 based on the concept described in fig7 c . the two identical pws elements 178 , 177 perform the color separation and recombination respectively . the advantage of using two identical pws in fig1 , is the flexibility of placing the source 151 in several locations . this is illustrated in fig1 , wherein sources 151 , 151a , 151b , 151c , 151d , are placed at different ends with respect to pws 177 , 179 . a significant prior art described by schadt and funfschilling and illustrated in fig1 teaches how to separate unpolarized white beam 182a , 183a into polarized red , green , blue beams . it uses metallic reflectors , 179a , 179b , 179c , and three clc pairs 180 , 181 , one for each color . each pair consists of left handed helix clc , lh , and a right handed helix clc , rh . it operates as follows : let ray 182a be a red left circularly polarized , lcp , and ray 183a be a red rcp . lcp ray 182a is reflected as ray 182b by the lh clc layer 180a and then reflected and 180 ° phase shifted by metallic layer 179a and converted into rcp ray 182c , which can be transmitted by clc 180a as rcp ray 182d . rcp ray 183a is transmitted as 183b and reflected by rh clc 181a , as unchanged rcp ray 183c . thus all the red light is separated and polarized . similarly , the the unpolarized green and blue components are polarized and separated by the rest of the components . the distinctions between prior art , fig1 , and the preferred embodiment of fig5 are outlined as follows : 1 . for each color band , three different layers , the metal 179 , the lh clc 180 , and the rh clc are needed . these layers are not parallel to each other ; instead they are at three different angles from each other , 45 °, 90 °, and 135 °, whereas this invention uses metallic layers , lh clc layers , and retarder layers that are all parallel to each other . the fact that they are all parallel makes possible the realization of the simple fabrication method in fig9 of slicing and stacking to produce thin sheets . on the other hand the prior art configuration is complex , difficult and costly to make , and therefore is limited only to projection lcd . prior art does not address manufacturability in high volume . note also that prior art uses left handed and right handed clc that have to be matched spectrally , and thermally , and are often of different chemical compositions . the present invention teaches how to manufacture , inexpensively , and at high volume . general pws sheets 140 ( fig9 ) that can be utilized not only in projection , but also in large area flat panel lcd and other applications . 2 . prior art is limited to projection , and specifically , the source 151 can be located only in one position as shown in fig1 . the present invention gives flexibility in where to locate the source with respect of the pws as shown in fig1 . 3 . prior art does not teach how to produce high efficiency polarizers that are utilized in the transmissive mode which is crucial in many applications . in the present invention , the pws can be used as general purpose polarizers in the transmissive mode . 4 . no prior art teaches energy recovery mechanisms which recycle instead wasting the unmodulated energy . 5 . prior art does not teach means for eliminating the light losses in direct view lcd associated with the filters and the filling factor . 6 . prior art does not teach means for making large sheets of micro - polarizing filter arrays which produce arrays of beams that are polarized , spectrally separated and spatially separated that can be used in transmissive mode . the color displays described above are based on the mixing additive primary colors red , green and blue . it is also possible to use the subtractive primary colors cyan , magenta , and yellow to produce displays that have some advantages . fig1 is a projection subtractive color lcd system that uses three transmissive lc light valves 185 , 186 , 187 , each designed to rotate the polarization of only one primary color and not affect the polarization of the other two primary colors . such lc light valves are marketed in the u . s . by in focus technology , inc ., and by kyocera in japan but use a pair of absorptive polarizer for each lclv . the embodiment of fig1 , uses high efficiency reflective polarizing elements 184 , 188 , 189 , 190 that are located outside the lc light valves . the unpolarized white source 151 is converted into polarized white beams 191a , 191b by the element 184 according the principles described in fig7 c . the lclv 185 rotates the polarization of the red component only such that the red is reflected by the clc layer 188 and the combination transmit the cyan color ( subtracting the red from white ). similarly , the lclv 186 , and clc layer 189 , subtract the green and transmit magenta , and the lclv 189 , and clc layer 190 subtract the blue , and transmit yellow . thus color mixing is achieved by the light valves and then the modulated beams are projected with lens 159 . this subtractive projection system is much more compact than the those using the additive primary colors fig1 - 16 . fig1 a illustrates a subtractive color flat panel lcd ( direct view ) system 192 that utilizes 3 lc panels 196a , 197a , 198a with their clc polarizers 196b , 197b , 198b each tuned to subtract a primary color . the pws sheet 194 used in this system functions as a broad - band high efficiency polarizer made of plurality of appropriately tuned clc layers 200 , 201 , 202 , 203 , ( fig1 ) and half - wave retarder layers 201a , 202a , 203a . this pws 194 is manufactured according to the method of fig9 .
| 7Electricity
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fig1 is a schematic diagram of an information storage and retrieval system based around a general - purpose computer 10 having a processor unit 20 including disk storage 30 for programs and data , a network interface card 40 connected to a network 50 such as an ethernet network or the internet , a display device such as a cathode ray tube device 60 , a keyboard 70 and a user input device such as a mouse 80 . the system operates under program control , the programs being stored on the disk storage 30 and provided , for example , by the network 50 , a removable disk ( not shown ) or a pre - installation on the disk storage 30 . the storage system operates in two general modes of operation . in a first mode , a set of information items ( e . g . textual information items ) is assembled on the disk storage 30 or on a network disk drive connected via the network 50 and is sorted and indexed ready for a searching operation . the second mode of operation is the actual searching against the indexed and sorted data . the embodiments are applicable to many types of information items . a non - exhaustive list of appropriate types of information includes patents , video material , emails , presentations , internet content , broadcast content , business reports , audio material , graphics and clipart , photographs and the like , or combinations or mixtures of any of these . in the present description , reference will be made to textual information items , or at least information items having a textual content or association . so , for example , a piece of broadcast content such as audio and / or video material may have associated “ metadata ” defining that material in textual terms . the information items are loaded onto the disk storage 30 in a conventional manner . preferably , they are stored as part of a database structure which allows for easier retrieval and indexing of the items , but this is not essential . once the information and items have been so stored , the process used to arrange them for searching is shown schematically in fig2 . it will be appreciated that the indexed information data need not be stored on the local disk drive 30 . the data could be stored on a remote drive connected to the system 10 via the network 50 . alternatively , the information may be stored in a distributed manner , for example at various sites across the internet . if the information is stored at different internet or network sites , a second level of information storage could be used to store locally a “ link ” ( e . g . a url ) to the remote information , perhaps with an associated summary , abstract or metadata associated with that link . so , the remotely held information would not be accessed unless the user selected the relevant link ( e . g . from the results list 260 to be described below ), although for the purposes of the technical description which follows , the remotely held information , or the abstract / summary / metadata , or the link / url could be considered as the “ information item ”. in other words , a formal definition of the “ information item ” is an item from which a feature vector is derived and processed ( see below ) to provide a mapping to the som . the data shown in the results list 260 ( see below ) may be the information item itself ( if it is held locally and is short enough for convenient display ) or may be data representing and / or pointing to the information item , such as one or more of metadata , a url , an abstract , a set of key words , a representative key stamp image or the like . this is inherent in the operation “ list ” which often , though not always , involves listing data representing a set of items . in a further example , the information items could be stored across a networked work group , such as a research team or a legal firm . a hybrid approach might involve some information items stored locally and / or some information items stored across a local area network and / or some information items stored across a wide area network . in this case , the system could be useful in locating similar work by others , for example in a large multi - national research and development organisation , similar research work would tend to be mapped to similar output nodes in the som ( see below ). or , if a new television programme is being planned , the present technique could be used to check for its originality by detecting previous programmes having similar content . it will also be appreciated that the system 10 of fig1 is but one example of possible systems which could use the indexed information items . although it is envisaged that the initial ( indexing ) phase would be carried out by a reasonably powerful computer , most likely by a non - portable computer , the later phase of accessing the information could be carried out at a portable machine such as a “ personal digital assistant ” ( a term for a data processing device with display and user input devices , which generally fits in one hand ), a portable computer such as a laptop computer , or even devices such as a mobile telephone , a video editing apparatus or a video camera . in general , practically any device having a display could be used for the information - accessing phase of operation . the processes are not limited to particular numbers of information items . the process of generating a self - organising map ( som ) representation of the information items will now be described with reference to fig2 to 6 . fig2 is a schematic flow chart illustrating a so - called “ feature extraction ” process followed by an som mapping process . feature extraction is the process of transforming raw data into an abstract representation . these abstract representations can then be used for processes such as pattern classification , clustering and recognition . in this process , a so - called “ feature vector ” is generated , which is an abstract representation of the frequency of terms used within a document . the process of forming the visualisation through creating feature vectors includes : create “ document database dictionary ” of terms create “ term frequency histograms ” for each individual document based on the “ document database dictionary ” reduce the dimension of the “ term frequency histogram ” using random mapping create a 2 - dimensional visualisation of the information space . considering these steps in more detail , each document ( information item ) 100 is opened in turn . at a step 110 , all “ stop words ” are removed from the document . stop - words are extremely common words on a pre - prepared list , such as “ a ”, “ the ”, “ however ”, “ about ”, “ and ”, and “ the ”. because these words are extremely common they are likely , on average , to appear with similar frequency in all documents of a sufficient length . for this reason they serve little purpose in trying to characterise the content of a particular document and should therefore be removed . after removing stop - words , the remaining words are stemmed at a step 120 , which involves finding the common stem of a word &# 39 ; s variants . for example the words “ thrower ”, “ throws ”, and “ throwing ” have the common stem of “ throw ”. a “ dictionary ” of stemmed words appearing in the documents ( excluding the “ stop ” words ) is maintained . as a word is newly encountered , it is added to the dictionary , and running count of the number of times the word has appeared in the whole document collection ( set of information items ) is also recorded . the result is a list of terms used in all the documents in the set , along with the frequency with which those terms occur . words that occur with too high or too low a frequency are discounted , which is to say that they are removed from the dictionary and do not take part in the analysis which follows . words with too low a frequency may be misspellings , made up , or not relevant to the domain represented by the document set . words that occur with too high a frequency are less appropriate for distinguishing documents within the set . for example , the term “ news ” is used in about one third of all documents in the a test set of broadcast - related documents , whereas the word “ football ” is used in only about 2 % of documents in the test set . therefore “ football ” can be assumed to be a better term for characterising the content of a document than “ news ”. conversely , the word “ fottball ” ( a misspelling of “ football ”) appears only once in the entire set of documents , and so is discarded for having too low an occurrence . such words may be defined as those having a frequency of occurrence which is lower than two standard deviations less than the mean frequency of occurrence , or which is higher than two standard deviations above the mean frequency of occurrence . a feature vector is then generated at a step 130 . to do this , a term frequency histogram is generated for each document in the set . a term frequency histogram is constructed by counting the number of times words present in the dictionary ( pertaining to that document set ) occur within an individual document . the majority of the terms in the dictionary will not be present in a single document , and so these terms will have a frequency of zero . schematic examples of term frequency histograms for two different documents are shown in fig3 a and 3 b . it can be seen from this example how the histograms characterise the content of the documents . by inspecting the examples it is seen that document 1 has more occurrences of the terms “ mpeg ” and “ video ” than document 2 , which itself has more occurrences of the term “ metadata ”. many of the entries in the histogram are zero as the corresponding words are not present in the document . in a real example , the actual term frequency histograms have a very much larger number of terms in them than the example . typically a histogram may plot the frequency of over 50000 different terms , giving the histogram a dimension of over 50000 . the dimension of this histogram needs to be reduced considerably if it is to be of use in building an som information space . each entry in the term frequency histogram is used as a corresponding value in a feature vector representing that document . the result of this process is a ( 50000 × 1 ) vector containing the frequency of all terms specified by the dictionary for each document in the document collection . the vector may be referred to as “ sparse ” since most of the values will typically be zero , with most of the others typically being a very low number such as 1 . the size of the feature vector , and so the dimension of the term frequency histogram , is reduced at a step 140 . two methods are proposed for the process of reducing the dimension of the histogram . i ) random mapping — a technique by which the histogram is multiplied by a matrix of random numbers . this is a computationally cheap process . ii ) latent semantic indexing — a technique whereby the dimension of the histogram is reduced by looking for groups of terms that have a high probability of occurring simultaneously in documents . these groups of words can then be reduced to a single parameter . this is a computationally expensive process . the method selected for reducing the dimension of the term frequency histogram in the present embodiment is “ random mapping ”, as explained in detail in the kaski paper referred to above . random mapping succeeds in reducing the dimension of the histogram by multiplying it by a matrix of random numbers . as mentioned above , the “ raw ” feature vector ( shown schematically in fig4 a ) is typically a sparse vector with a size in the region of 50000 values . this can be reduced to size of about 200 ( see schematic fig4 b ) and still preserve the relative characteristics of the feature vector , that is to say , its relationship such as relative angle ( vector dot product ) with other similarly processed feature vectors . this works because although the number of orthogonal vectors of a particular dimension is limited , the number of nearly orthogonal vectors is very much larger . in fact as the dimension of the vector increases any given set of randomly generated vectors are nearly orthogonal to each other . this property means that the relative direction of vectors multiplied by this a matrix of random numbers will be preserved . this can be demonstrated by showing the similarity of vectors before and after random mapping by looking at their dot product . it can be shown experimentally that by reducing a sparse vector from 50000 values to 200 values preserves their relative similarities . however , this mapping is not perfect , but suffices for the purposes of characterising the content of a document in a compact way . once feature vectors have been generated for the document collection , thus defining the collection &# 39 ; s information space , they are projected into a two - dimensional som at a step 150 to create a semantic map . the following section explains the process of mapping to 2 - d by clustering the feature vectors using a kohonen self - organising map . reference is also made to fig5 . a kohonen self - organising map is used to cluster and organise the feature vectors that have been generated for each of the documents . a self - organising map consists of input nodes 170 and output nodes 180 in a two - dimensional array or grid of nodes illustrated as a two - dimensional plane 185 . there are as many input nodes as there are values in the feature vectors being used to train the map . each of the output nodes on the map is connected to the input nodes by weighted connections 190 ( one weight per connection ). initially each of these weights is set to a random value , and then , through an iterative process , the weights are “ trained ”. the map is trained by presenting each feature vector to the input nodes of the map . the “ closest ” output node is calculated by computing the euclidean distance between the input vector and weights of each of the output nodes . the closest node is designated the “ winner ” and the weights of this node are trained by slightly changing the values of the weights so that they move “ closer ” to the input vector . in addition to the winning node , the nodes in the neighbourhood of the winning node are also trained , and moved slightly closer to the input vector . this process will be described further below with reference to fig1 to 19 . it is this process of training not just the weights of a single node , but the weights of a region of nodes on the map , that allow the map , once trained , to preserve much of the topology of the input space in the 2 - d map of nodes . once the map is trained , each of the documents can be presented to the map to see which of the output nodes is closest to the input feature vector for that document . it is unlikely that the weights will be identical to the feature vector , and the euclidean distance between a feature vector and its nearest node on the map is known as its “ quantisation error ”. by presenting the feature vector for each document to the map to see where it lies yields and x , y map position for each document . these x , y positions when put in a look up table along with a document id can be used to visualise the relationship between documents . finally , a dither component is added at a step 160 , which will be described with reference to fig6 below . a potential problem with the process described above is that two identical , or substantially identical , information items may be mapped to the same node in the array of nodes of the som . this does not cause a difficulty in the handling of the data , but does not help with the visualisation of the data on display screen ( to be described below ). in particular , when the data is visualised on a display screen , it has been recognised that it would be useful for multiple very similar items to be distinguishable over a single item at a particular node . therefore , a “ dither ” component is added to the node position to which each information item is mapped . the dither component is a random addition of +/ of the node separation . so , referring to fig6 , an information item for which the mapping process selects an output node 200 has a dither component added so that it in fact may be mapped to any node position within the area 210 bounded by dotted lines on fig6 . so , the information items can be considered to map to positions on the plane of fig6 at node positions other than the “ output nodes ” of the som process . an alternative approach might be to use a much higher density of “ output nodes ” in the som mapping process described above . this would not provide any distinction between absolutely identical information items , but may allow almost , but not completely , identical information items to map to different but closely spaced output nodes . fig7 schematically illustrates a display on the display screen 60 in which data sorted into an som is graphically illustrated for use in a searching operation . the display shows a search enquiry 250 , a results list 260 and an som display area 270 . in operation , the user types a key word search enquiry into the enquiry area 250 . the user then initiates the search , for example by pressing enter on the keyboard 70 or by using the mouse 80 to select a screen “ button ” to start the search . the key words in the search enquiry box 250 are then compared with the information items in the database using a standard keyword search technique . this generates a list of results , each of which is shown as a respective entry 280 in the list view 260 . also , each result has a corresponding display point on the node display area 270 . because the sorting process used to generate the som representation tends to group mutually similar information items together in the som , the results for the search enquiry generally tend to fall in clusters such as a cluster 290 . here , it is noted that each point on the area 270 corresponds to the respective entry in the som associated with one of the results in the result list 260 ; and the positions at which the points are displayed within the area 270 correspond to the array positions of those nodes within the node array . fig8 schematically illustrates a technique for reducing the number of “ hits ” ( results in the result list ). the user makes use of the mouse 80 to draw a box 300 around a set of display points corresponding to nodes of interest . in the results list area 260 , only those results corresponding to points within the box 300 are displayed . if these results turn out not to be of interest , the user may draw another box encompassing a different set of display points . it is noted that the results area 260 displays list entries for those results for which display points are displayed within the box 300 and which satisfied the search criteria in the word search area 250 . the box 300 may encompass other display positions corresponding to populated nodes in the node array , but if these did not satisfy the search criteria they will not be displayed and so will not form part of the subset of results shown in the box 260 . fig9 schematically illustrates a technique for detecting the node position of an entry in the list view 260 . using a standard technique in the field of graphical user interfaces , particularly in computers using the so - called “ windows ”™ operating system , the user may “ select ” one or more of the entries in the results list view . in the examples shown , this is done by a mouse click on a “ check box ” 310 associated with the relevant results . however , it could equally be done by clicking to highlight the whole result , or by double - clicking on the relevant result and so on . as a result is selected , the corresponding display point representing the respective node in the node array is displayed in a different 20 ′ manner . this is shown schematically for two display points 320 corresponding to the selected results 330 in the results area 260 . the change in appearance might be a display of the point in a larger size , or in a more intense version of the same display colour , or in a different display colour , or in a combination of these varying attributes . at any time , a new information item can be added to the som by following the steps outlined above ( i . e . steps 110 to 140 ) and then applying the resulting reduced feature vector to the “ pre - trained ” som models , that is to say , the set of som models which resulted from the self - organising preparation of the map . so , for the newly added information item , the map is not generally “ retrained ”; instead steps 150 and 160 are used with all of the som models not being amended . to retrain the som every time a new information item is to be added is computationally expensive and is also somewhat unfriendly to the user , who might grow used to the relative positions of commonly accessed information items in the map . however , there may well come a point at which a retraining process is appropriate . for example , if new terms ( perhaps new items of news , or a new technical field ) have entered into the dictionary since the som was first generated , they may not map particularly well to the existing set of output nodes . this can be detected as an increase in a so - called “ quantisation error ” detected during the mapping of newly received information item to the existing som . in the present embodiments , the quantisation error is compared to a threshold error amount . if it is greater than the threshold amount then either ( a ) the som is automatically retrained , using all of its original information items and any items added since its creation ; or ( b ) the user is prompted to initiate a retraining process at a convenient time . the retraining process uses the feature vectors of all of the relevant information items and reapplies the steps 150 and 160 in full . fig1 schematically illustrates a camcorder 500 as an example of a video acquisition and / or processing apparatus , the camcorder including an image capture device 510 with an associated lens 520 ; a data / signal processor 530 ; tape storage 540 ; disk or other random access storage 550 ; user controls 560 ; and a display device 570 with eyepiece 580 . other features of conventional camcorders or other alternatives ( such as different storage media or different display screen arrangements ) will be apparent to the skilled man . in use , metadata relating to captured video material may be stored on the storage 550 , and an som relating to the stored data viewed on the display device 570 and controlled as described above using the user controls 560 . fig1 schematically illustrates a personal digital assistant ( pda ) 600 , as an example of portable data processing apparatus , having a display screen 610 including a display area 620 and a touch sensitive area 630 providing user controls ; along with data processing and storage ( not shown ). again , the skilled man will be aware of alternatives in this field . the pda may be used as described above in connection with the system of fig1 . the node training process mentioned earlier will now be described in more detail with reference to fig1 to 19 . as mentioned above , during the som training process , when the “ closest ” node is found for a particular feature vector , the node weighting applicable to that node is altered . the alteration is made in such a way that the closest node would be slightly more likely to be the closest node after the alteration . in addition , nearby nodes are also adjusted , in such a way that their adjusted weightings bring them slightly closer to the current information item &# 39 ; s feature vector . this process is illustrated schematically in fig1 . here , a closest node 700 has been identified . the weighting associated with that node is adjusted . after the adjustment , the node 700 would still be the closest node , and indeed would be slightly closer to the current feature vector . but in addition to the adjustment made to the weighting of the closest node 700 , adjustments are also made to other nearby nodes , within a region 710 surrounding the closest node . the simplified example shown in fig1 has the nodes arranged in a rectangular grid and any node within a grid position of + 1 of the closest node has its weighting adjusted in this way . in another conceptual view of the nodes of the self organising map , the nodes are arranged in an offset or hexagonally - packed grid such as the grid shown in fig1 . this has an advantage that for any particular node , the adjacent nodes in all directions are an equal distance from that node . this allows a straightforward polar distance - based function to be used for selecting nodes to be modified . in fig1 , a closest node 720 has been identified . in one example , the weightings associated with nodes in a region 730 are modified . the region 730 is defined by a distance from the closest node , and includes all of the nodes immediately adjacent to the closest node 720 . however , a different distance - based function could be used , for example to define the region 740 as the nodes which are to be modified . fig1 schematically illustrates a so - called “ bubble ” training profile . this term has been coined for a node training arrangement in which an equal modification ( e . g . an equal multiplicative factor or an equal additive factor ) is applied to the weighting of all nodes within a certain distance of the node 720 in fig1 . outside of the threshold distance , no modification is applied . an alternative scheme , referred to as a “ gaussian ” training profile , is schematically illustrated in fig1 . here , the amount of modification applied to a node depends upon its distance from the node 720 , with the amount of modification generally decreasing as the distance increases . so far the examples which have been described are arranged so that the closest node ( 700 or 720 ) is well away from the edge of the som . fig1 schematically illustrates what happens if the closest node is at all very near the edge of the som . note that in fig1 , many more nodes are illustrated to aid in the clarity of the diagram . referring to fig1 , a node 750 has been identified as the closest node and a generally semicircular region 760 is selected for weighting modification . no nodes to the left of the closest node 750 are modified because there are no such nodes in the map as drawn . it has been recognised in empirical trials that , while the arrangement of fig1 can provide a useful map , the map can suffer from various drawbacks . in particular , information items which could be perceived as being difficult to categorise tend to be placed at the very edges of the map by the training process . the weightings for nodes at the extremities of the map can therefore tend to reflect more extreme values than the weighting factors associated with nodes nearer the centre of the map . for this reason , nodes at the edge of the map tend to become less useful in representing the information items . a solution to this problem is shown schematically in fig1 , which again illustrates an som . in this elegantly straightforward arrangement , the map is considered to wrap around at each edge . so , a node 770 is considered to be adjacent to a node 780 and also to a node 790 . the nodes 770 and 780 are considered adjacent in the horizontal direction ( as drawn ) and the nodes 770 and 790 are considered adjacent in the vertical direction . furthermore , the node 770 is considered to adjacent to a node 800 at the opposite corner of the map . the way in which this is achieved will be described below with reference to fig1 but , first , reference will be made to fig1 which shows the effect of this measure . referring to fig1 , a closest node 810 has been identified . the nodes within the region selected for modification comprise those nodes within four sub regions 820 , 830 , 840 and 850 . similarly , for a node 860 at one edge of the som , nodes within two sub regions 870 and 880 are selected for modification . fig1 schematically illustrates a simple way in which this revised mapping can be obtained . if a particular node ( a closest node for example ) is identified as being within a threshold distance of the edge of the map , the map is transformed as follows . if the closest node is detected to lie within a threshold distance from an edge of the array ( where the threshold distance could be , for example , a half of the width or height of the map as appropriate ), the map is rearranged so that the map is effectively split and what were the two opposite edges are made adjacent to one another , before the group of nodes is selected for training modification . this process can be carried out in both vertical and horizontal directions or , as required , only in the vertical direction or only in the horizontal direction . of course , no nodes need actually be moved ; the rearrangement can be carried out simply by temporarily altering the addressing of nodes during the training process . fig1 and 19 show an example region 890 which is rearranged in this way , and the effect of the rearrangement on the regions 820 . . . 850 . the position in the map at which the split ( and rearrangement ) takes place is variable . in the example illustrated , the map is split at approximately half - way positions both horizontally and vertically . but the split positions could be different . in each direction , a portion including the “ closest node ” can be split off and notionally rearranged ( for the purposes of considering that closest node ) to the opposite side of the map , where ideally that portion is at least as wide as the extent of the group of nodes which will be modified in that training process , and also that the remaining part of the map also meets the same constraint . the result here is that in the rearranged map , the group of nodes to be modified is not split between map regions . another technique for treating the map so that the edges wrap around in this way is to process the map to determine the nodes to be adjusted during the training process using map addresses in the horizontal direction modulus n , where n is the horizontal width of the map ( in nodes ) at that position , and to use map addresses in the vertical direction modulus m , where m is the height of the map ( in nodes ) at that position . it will be appreciated that references to “ vertical ” and “ horizontal ” directions , and terms such as “ width ” are used merely to aid the clarity of the description . they do not refer to any physical attributes of the array of nodes . finally , when the map is displayed , the same type of technique can be applied . that is to say , the map can be displayed in a wrapped around form so that nodes at an extreme edge of the map are displayed as adjacent to nodes at the opposite edge . in this way , the map appears to the user to be endless in any direction . although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments , and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims .
| 6Physics
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for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention , references will now be made to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in fig1 - 3 , and specific language used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation . any modifications or variations in the depicted method or device , and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein , as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates are considered to be within the spirit of the invention . referring now to fig1 there is shown a side view of headstone planter 10 as seen when looking at the headstone planter from the front . in the preferred embodiment of this invention , headstone planter 10 is made of metal that , once completely assembled , is then coated with a corrosion - resistant film . headstone planter 10 may also be made of other materials such as plastic , or may be coated with other corrosion - resistant materials such as textured or non - textured corrosion - resistant paint that can withstand years of continuous use exposed to the elements . headstone planter 10 has a first end wall 12 , a second end wall 14 , a front side wall 36 , a back side wall 38 ( not shown ) and a curved bottom 18 which are manually cut , plasma cut or punched to their desired shape and all edges are deburred . first end wall 12 has a rounded top portion 20 and a bottom end 30 . after first end wall 12 is manually cut , plasma cut or punched to its desired shape , it is deburred and rounded top portion 20 is rolled into its final shape having an outwardly rounded radius which will not injure plant life , preferably a radius of approximately one and one - half inches . the remaining walls are cut , deburred , then rolled in a manner similar to first end wall 12 . second end wall 14 has a rounded top portion 22 and a bottom end 32 . front side wall 36 has a rounded top portion 24 and a bottom end 52 . the front side wall 36 also has a hook 60 ( not shown ) which is welded to its outside face under rounded top portion 24 after rounded top portion 24 is formed . hook 60 may also be punched , then bent outwards from front side wall 36 . rounded top portion 24 may have first and second holes 70 and 72 near its edges so a nameplate can be hung from first and second holes 70 and 72 . preferably , first and second holes 70 and 72 are 3 / 16 &# 34 ; in diameter and are drilled , plasma cut or punched . back side wall 38 ( not shown ) has a rounded top portion 26 ( not shown ) and a bottom end 54 ( not shown ), which are similar to those of front side wall 36 . headstone planter 10 has a front side wall 36 connected between first end wall 12 and second end wall 14 . a back side wall 38 ( not shown ) is also connected between first end wall 12 and second end wall 14 . curved bottom 18 is connected to front side wall 36 , back side wall 38 ( not shown ), first end wall 12 and second end wall 14 . in the preferred embodiment of this invention , each wall - to - wall interface is continuously welded together along the entire interface and each bottom - to - wall interface is spot welded together approximately every six inches . curved bottom 18 is curved downward from its center toward first and second end walls 12 and 14 to allow any excess water within headstone planter 10 to run down to the base of first and second end walls 12 and 14 and out of drain holes 62 and 64 ( not shown ). curved bottom 18 also allows headstone planter 10 to be set securely atop a variety of differently shaped headstones , without needing any other stabilizing or securing components . the shape of curved bottom 18 is contoured to fit a majority of standard curved top headstones . referring now to fig2 there is shown an end view of headstone planter 10 showing a front side wall 36 and a back side wall 38 . back side wall 38 has a rounded top portion 26 and a bottom end 54 . front side wall 36 has a hook 60 welded to or punched from its outside face under rounded top portion 24 . also shown in fig2 is curved bottom 18 with its raised center 17 and its relation to front side wall 36 , back side wall 38 and second end wall 14 . bottom end 32 of second end wall 14 is cut prior to assembly so that it has a flat bottom portion 34 and a recessed bottom end portion 33 having a radius of approximately 6 inches . the radius is recessed from flat bottom portion 34 approximately one inch . this shape allows a first notch 46 to be formed where second end wall 14 connects with front side wall 36 and a second notch 48 to be formed where second end wall 14 connects with back side wall 38 . bottom end 30 is similar to that of bottom end 32 . referring now to fig3 there is shown a top view of headstone planter 10 as seen when looking into the headstone planter from the top . front and back side walls 36 and 38 and first and second end walls 12 and 14 are connected to form a receptacle for receiving plants and flowers . fig3 reveals the interior of headstone planter 10 formed by front side wall 36 , back side wall 38 , first end wall 12 , and second end wall 14 . the preferred embodiment of this invention has drain holes 62 and 64 , which are cut in curved bottom 18 prior to assembly , to allow excess water to drain out of headstone planter 10 . the rounded top portions 22 , 24 , 26 and 20 provide a smooth gradual surface for growing plants , allowing such plants to conform to and not be injured by rounded top portions 22 , 24 , 26 and 20 .
| 0Human Necessities
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the present invention provides improved circuit design for electronic devices requiring low - voltage digital - to - analog conversion . in the following description , numerous details are set forth in order to enable a thorough understanding of the present invention . many such details relate to an embodiment of the present invention using a 3 . 3 volt cmos fabrication process to implement digital - to - analog conversion for a 10 - bit binary value . however , it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that these specific details are not required in order to practice the invention . further , well - known elements , devices , process steps and the like are not set forth in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention . [ 0020 ] fig1 is a block diagram of a digital - to - analog converter ( dac ). digital - to - analog converter 100 comprises encoder circuitry 110 , and analog conversion circuitry 160 . encoder circuitry 110 further comprises data register 120 , binary - to - thermometer encoders 130 , 132 , latches 140 , 142 , inverter 112 , and interconnecting signal pathways 122 , 124 , 134 , 136 , 150 , 152 , 154 , 156 . analog conversion circuitry 160 further comprises external bias current connection 161 , master current bias circuitry 162 , current cell matrices 170 , 172 , signal pathways 180 , 182 , 184 , 186 , and current summing nodes 190 , 192 . encoder circuitry 110 functions to receive a binary number at its input 101 and to present complementary signal pairs at its outputs 150 - 156 that are representative of the received binary number . the binary number is the digital value for which the dac is to produce an analog counterpart . the complementary pairs will be used by the analog conversion circuitry to turn on and off individual cells that contribute to the complementary analog output of the dac . operation of the various circuit elements within encoder circuitry 110 are synchronized by means of a clock signal presented at input 102 . data register 120 temporarily stores the incoming binary number at the rising edge of the clock signal . in the presently described embodiment , data register 120 is a 10 - bit register , permitting the binary number to have a maximum value of 21 °− 1 , or 1023 ( i . e ., 1024 possible values including zero ). upon storage by the data register 120 , the 10 bits representing the binary number are communicated over signal pathways 122 , 124 to binary - to - thermometer encoders 130 , 132 . binary - to - thermometer encoders 130 , 132 are also referred to as unit encoders , herein . each unit encoder operates such that the number of bits turned on at its output is the same as the numeric value presented at its input . the numeric value presented at its multi - bit input is presumed to be a binary number . a binary number has a least significant bit with a unit value ( i . e ., 20 = 1 ), and each successive bit represents twice the numeric value of the preceding bit . when the number is unit coded all bits share the same significance , i . e ., the unit value . a least significant segment of the binary number stored in register 120 , comprising the four least significant bits ( lsb ), are communicated to lsb unit encoder 132 over signal pathway 124 . signal pathway 124 communicates four bits in parallel . lsb unit encoder 132 converts the 4 - bit input to a 16 - bit ( 24 = 16 ), unit coded output . note that one of the 16 output bits will always be in the off state and is included for design convenience . while the 4 - bit input can represent 16 possible values , one of those values is zero . accordingly , the highest numeric value that can be represented is 15 , so at most 15 unit coded outputs will be in the on state . a most significant segment of the binary number stored in register 120 , comprising the six most significant bits ( msb ), are communicated to msb unit encoder 130 over signal pathway 122 . signal pathway 122 communicates six bits in parallel . msb unit encoder 130 converts the 6 - bit input to a 64 - bit ( 26 = 64 ), unit coded output . note that one of the 64 output bits will always be in the off state and is included for design convenience . while the 6 - bit input can represent 64 possible values , one of those values is zero . accordingly , the highest numeric value that can be represented is 63 , so at most 63 unit coded outputs will be in the on state . each of unit encoders 130 , 132 performs and completes the encoding operation during the “ on ” state of the master clock signal that first triggered the storage of a binary number in register 120 . completion of the encoding operation includes presenting outputs in a settled and static state . in the described embodiment , unit encoders 130 , 132 were coded in the verilog programming language and synthesized into transistor - based hardware . unit encoder 130 communicates its output to msb latch circuitry 140 over signal pathway 134 . signal pathway 134 communicates 64 bits in parallel . unit encoder 132 communicates its output to lsb latch circuitry 142 over signal pathway 136 . signal pathway 136 communicates 16 bits in parallel . msb latch circuitry 140 and lsb latch circuitry 142 function as “ slave ” registers . the clock signal that drives these registers is an inverted version of the master clock signal that drives register 120 . the inversion of the master clock signal is implemented through simple inverter 112 . msb latch circuitry 140 and lsb latch circuitry 142 store their input signals communicated over signal pathways 134 and 136 , respectively , on the rising edge of the inverted master clock signal . the msb 140 and lsb 142 latch circuitry present stable output values to analog conversion circuitry 160 for a first binary number during the time a second binary number is being stored by register 120 and encoded by unit encoders 130 , 132 . the msb 140 and lsb 142 latch circuitry further produce a complementary pair of outputs for each bit of their inputs . the first output signal of the complementary pair is identical in value to the corresponding input bit . the second output signal of the complementary pair is the complement , or inverse , of the value of the corresponding input bit . msb latch circuitry 140 communicates the non - inverted signals of the complementary pairs on signal pathway 150 , and the inverted signals of the complementary pairs on signal pathway 152 , to the msb current cell matrix 170 . lsb latch circuitry 142 communicates the non - inverted signals of the complementary pairs on signal pathway 154 , and the inverted signals of the complementary pairs on signal pathway 156 , to the lsb current cell matrix 172 . one complementary output pair of msb latch circuitry 140 corresponds to the single bit in the output of msb unit encoder 130 that is always in the off state as described earlier . similarly , one complementary output pair of lsb latch circuitry 142 corresponds to the single bit in the output of lsb unit encoder 132 that is always in the off state . in some embodiments such an output pair corresponding to an always - off input is not communicated to the analog conversion circuitry . other embodiments may communicate such an output pair to the analog conversion circuitry in modified form ; i . e ., the outputs are not complementary but are both fixed in the off state . one skilled in the art recognizes that these and other embodiments may be employed in the practice of the invention . the analog conversion circuitry 160 prominently contains a plurality of current cells . differential outputs from each of the current cells are summed at current summing nodes 190 , 192 , and drive a pair of load resistors that are centered at ground ( not shown ). the current driving the load resistors is related to the full - scale current in almost identical proportion as the original binary number relates to the maximum binary number the dac 100 accommodates , i . e ., 1023 . thus , the current represents an analog approximation of the original number in binary ( digital ) form . the individual current cells obtain current from master current bias circuit 162 . fig2 is a schematic diagram of the master current bias circuit used in the present embodiment . the master current bias circuit 162 uses a pair of low voltage , wide swing , high impedance current mirrors . the mirrors receive current from some stable current source at the external current bias connection point 161 . the stable current source may be , for example , a bandgap reference current tap . the mirrors take in the current source and translate it to a current sink for use by the individual current cells . the current mirror and the bandgap reference current tap are well known in the art . the presently described embodiment organizes the plurality of current cells into two sets of current cells , each physically configured as a matrix . msb current cell matrix 170 is controlled by the complementary output signal pairs of msb latch circuitry 140 . lsb current cell matrix 172 is controlled by the complementary output signal pairs of lsb latch circuitry 142 . the msb current cell matrix 170 is a coarse conversion matrix . in the presently described embodiment the msb matrix 170 is fabricated on an integrated circuit die in an eight column by eight row matrix configuration , providing 64 cells . one sixty - fourth ({ fraction ( 1 / 64 )}={ fraction ( 1 / 26 )}) of the nominal full - scale dac output current is distributed equally to each of 63 of the 64 current cells in msb matrix 170 . one of the 64 current cells remains unused . the unused one sixty - fourth of the full - scale current supplies all of the current cells in the lsb current cell matrix 172 . the full - scale current of the present embodiment is on the order of 20 milliamps . each of the cells is controlled by one of the complementary output signal pairs of msb latch circuitry 140 to deliver its portion of the full - scale current to one or the other of the current summing nodes 190 , 192 at the output of the dac 100 . an exception in the present embodiment is the unused current cell . its control input signals are not complementary , but rather are both fixed in the off state . this prevents the cell from making a contribution to either summing node . the lsb current cell matrix 172 is a fine conversion matrix . in the presently described embodiment the lsb matrix 172 is fabricated on an integrated circuit die in an eight row by two column matrix configuration , providing 16 cells . one sixteenth ({ fraction ( 1 / 16 )}={ fraction ( 1 / 24 )}) of the one sixty - fourth of the nominal full - scale current unused by the msb current cell matrix 170 is distributed equally to each of 15 of the 16 current cells in lsb matrix 172 . one of the 16 current cells remains unused to accommodate a zero value . ( the unused { fraction ( 1 / 1024 )} ({ fraction ( 1 / 24 )}+ 6 ) of the nominal full - scale current remains unused resulting in an operational full - scale current just slightly below the nominal value .) in similar fashion to the msb cell matrix 170 , each of the cells in the lsb current cell matrix 172 is controlled by one of the complementary output signal pairs of lsb latch circuitry 142 to deliver its portion of the full - scale current to one or the other of the current summing nodes 190 , 192 at the output of the dac 100 . as above , an exception is the unused current cell . its control input signals are not complementary , but rather are both fixed in the off state . this prevents the cell from making a contribution to either summing node . employing such equal current - based weighting to each current cell in a matrix provides faster settling time than with , for example , voltage divider dac designs . this improves ac and dc performance and represents an advantage of the present invention . [ 0043 ] fig3 is a schematic diagram of a current cell circuit . the msb matrix ( 170 of fig1 ) and the lsb matrix ( 172 of fig1 ) both employ the current cell architecture represented in the schematic for their individual current cells . because a current cell in the msb matrix 170 conducts some multiple of the current conducted by an lsb matrix 172 current cell , however , transistor sizes are scaled accordingly . each current cell 300 as depicted in fig3 is a fully differential current switch , which takes in a pair of signals having complementary binary states , and passes a differential signal out to two loads having a common dc reference . each current cell 300 comprises a differential current switch circuit 310 , a regulated cascode current source 320 , a master current bias slave circuit 325 , a dc reference voltage connection 370 , inputs for a complementary signal pair 350 , 352 , differential outputs 354 , 356 , electrical ground connection 378 , and master current bias connections 372 , 374 , 376 . the differential current switch 310 further comprises current source connection 312 , switching transistors 330 , 332 , and charge canceling transistors 334 , 336 . the regulated cascode current source 320 further comprises cascode transistors 340 , 342 , dc bias node 341 , impedance multiplier transistor 344 , and capacitance element 346 . the master current bias slave circuit 325 further comprises master current supply bias mirror transistors 360 , 362 . differential current switch 310 receives current from the regulated cascode current source 320 at current source connection 312 . the source of each of pmos switching transistors 330 , 332 is connected to current source connection 312 . the drain of switching transistor 330 is connected to the source of charge canceling transistor 334 . the source and drain of charge canceling transistor 334 are short - circuited , and the drain is further connected to one of the differential outputs 356 . switching transistor 330 has its gate connected to an input 350 for one of the signals of a complementary pair . charge canceling transistor 334 , in contrast , has its gate connected to an input 352 for the complementary signal of the pair . in similar , but complementary , fashion , the drain of switching transistor 332 is connected to the source of charge canceling transistor 336 . the source and drain of charge canceling transistor 336 are short - circuited , and the drain is further connected to the remaining differential output 354 . switching transistor 332 has its gate connected to input 352 for one of the signals of the complementary pair . charge canceling transistor 336 has its gate connected to an input 350 for the complementary signal of the pair . accordingly , it can be seen that the gates of the switching transistors 330 , 332 are driven by complementary signals , as are the gates of the charge canceling transistors 334 , 336 . each of charge canceling transistors 334 , 336 is roughly equal to one half the size of its corresponding switching transistor , i . e ., 330 , 332 , respectively . the charge canceling transistors 334 , 336 cancel unwanted channel charge injection and minimize unwanted clock feed - through from the gate stimulus , by canceling charges between the switch transistor and the complementarily switched charge canceling transistor . this configuration achieves minimal unwanted feed - through to the loads coupled to the differential outputs 354 , 356 . the reduced feed - through minimizes harmonic distortion , improving spurious free dynamic range ( sfdr ). this represents a further advantage of the present invention . regulated cascode current source 320 delivers current to the differential current switch 310 at current source connection 312 . regulated cascode current source 320 uses a very high impedance cascode configuration ( e . g ., 100 megaohms ) to source up to the full value of the current through either leg of the differential current switch 310 depending on the value of the complementary input code . the cascode configuration employs two series cascoded transistors 340 , 342 . the source of cascode transistor 340 is connected to a common dc reference voltage connection 370 . the drain of cascode transistor 340 is connected to the source of cascode transistor 342 at dc bias node 341 . the drain of cascode transistor 342 is connected to current source connection 312 . by utilizing a regulated cascode current source configuration the stacked transistor area can be kept smaller than with a conventional stacked cascode configuration , while still maintaining high output impedance . the smaller area also serves to impair either active switching signal from feeding through the drain - source path of the cascode transistor 342 and ultimately to dc bias node 341 . this improves differential non - linearity ( dnl ) characteristics by reducing disturbance at dc bias node 341 . this represents a further advantage of the present invention . the dc bias node 341 at which both cascode transistors 340 , 342 meet is connected to the gate of impedance multiplier transistor 344 . the drain of transistor 344 is fed back to the gate of cascode transistor 342 . the source of transistor 344 is connected to a common dc reference voltage connection 370 . impedance multiplier transistor 344 operates to effectively multiply the high impedance of the cascode output by a factor of the gain of the transistor 344 . transistor 344 further adds an additional path for unwanted charge at connection 312 to travel , and so reduces unwanted signal injection to the common dc bias node 341 . capacitance element 346 is connected in parallel with impedance multiplier transistor 344 , increasing transient stability while further minimizing unwanted signal feed - through to the dc bias node 341 . so increasing the stability of common dc bias node 341 reduces glitch energy transferred to the loads coupled to the differential outputs 354 , 356 , again reducing harmonic distortion , and improving sfdr . these operational characteristics represent yet another advantage of the present invention . further , the higher impedance of the individual cells than seen in earlier dac designs helps maintain a higher overall impedance as seen by the load when the differential outputs of all the current cells are connected in parallel to the current summing nodes . the higher impedance contributes to lower integral non - linearity ( inl ) characteristics , a further advantage of the present invention . [ 0055 ] fig4 illustrates the layout orientation of current cell matrices and the relative switching order among the cells in each matrix . as described earlier , the msb current cell circuitry 170 is configured as a matrix of 8 rows by 8 columns . the number appearing within each cell of the msb matrix 170 in fig3 indicates the switching order of the cell . in accordance with the unit encoding described earlier in relation to the encoder circuitry ( 110 of fig1 ), for any cell switched on within the msb matrix 170 , all other cells within the msb matrix 170 having a switching order number lower than that of the switched on cell , will also be switched on . the complementary signal pairs communicated from encoder circuitry ( 110 of fig1 ) via signal paths ( 150 , 152 of fig1 ) are connected to the individual current cells of msb matrix 170 to produce the switching order depicted in fig4 . cell 410 is the unused cell of the matrix 170 as described above in reference to fig1 . the lsb current cell circuitry 172 is configured as a matrix of 8 rows by 2 columns . the number appearing within each cell of the lsb matrix 172 in fig3 similarly , indicates the switching order of the cell . as with the msb matrix 170 , for any cell switched on within the lsb matrix 172 , all other cells within the lsb matrix 172 having a switching order number lower than that of the switched on cell , will also be switched on . the complementary signal pairs communicated from encoder circuitry ( 110 of fig1 ) via signal paths ( 154 , 156 of fig1 ) are connected to the individual current cells of lsb matrix 172 to produce the switching order depicted in fig4 . cell 412 is the unused cell of the matrix 172 as described above in reference to fig1 . the cell switching order assignments depicted in fig4 utilize hierarchical gradient symmetry cancellation techniques . such a layout orientation has the advantage of reducing inl attributable to process - related surface gradients . this represents a further advantage of the present invention . various modifications to the preferred embodiment can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , the design could be extended or contracted to accommodate a binary input number having more or fewer than 10 bits . thus , the foregoing description is not intended to limit the invention which is described in the appended claims in which :
| 7Electricity
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in the drawing figures , generally shown at 1 is a ski boot including a shell 2 , an inner shoe 3 , and a bootleg 4 . the shell and bootleg are preferably plastics mouldings . the shell 2 ( fig5 ) has a sole 5 with oppositely located toe 6 and heel 7 ends which identify a longitudinal direction of the boot . defined on the remote end from the sole 5 , at the free end of the shell portion which encircles the skier &# 39 ; s leg , is an entrance 8 whence two , respectively forward and rearward , openings 9 , 10 extend . such openings 9 , 10 , which in the example illustrated carry no flaps , although it should be understood that one or both of them may be of the overlapping flap type , serve the function of allowing a comparatively wide swing range for the inner shoe 3 and a tongue 3a associated with it in the longitudinal direction of the boot . thus , they may be replaced within the scope of this invention with another means providing that swing range . in view of the supporting function served by the tongue and the inner shoe when the boot is flexed forwards , these are also referred to as forward boot supports in the claims . said openings 9 , 10 define two lateral sides 11a , b on the shell ; notice that such lateral sides span a considerable distance from the sole 5 for reasons to be explained . the ends of the lateral sides 11a , b next to the entrance 8 are provided with respective holes 12a , b ; holes 13a , b are correspondingly provided through the shell proximate to the sole 5 for the bootleg 4 articulation . this articulation is obtained using conventional means , such as rivets 13 . for closing and clamping the shell onto the user &# 39 ; s foot , a lever fastening arrangement 14 , known per se , is provided which acts on a cover 15 extending over the opening 9 on the back of the shell 2 . the bootleg 4 is preferably of the overlapping flap type having two fastening arrangements 16 , 17 , also conventional , whereby it can be clamped in an adjustable manner onto the shell and the inner shoe to gird the skier &# 39 ; s leg with a desired tension force . said bootleg 4 has a lug 18 rearwardly , also called &# 34 ; spoiler &# 34 ;, which provides hind support for the calf region of the skier &# 39 ; s leg . formed outwardly on said lug 18 is a seat 19 which extends circumferentially at the same level as the entrance 8 . notice that the top portions of the two lateral sides 11a , b project beyond the bootleg 4 on both sides of the lug 18 . on the top portion of the lateral side 11a , there is secured , as by means of a rivet or a stud 20 engaged in the hole 12a , the middle portion of a band - like flexible element 21 having , attached to its opposite end regions 21a , b , a pull - apart closure 22 of the kind known as &# 34 ; velcro &# 34 ;, a registered trademark . the application of that closure is such that both end regions of the element 21 can be closed on each other in an adjustable manner . in a similar way to the lateral side 11a , to the middle of the top portion of the lateral side 11b there is attached , as by means of a rivet or stud 23 engaged in the hole 12b , a second band - like element 24 whose ends 24a , b carry a ring 25 through which the corresponding end portion 21a , b of the elements 21 is engaged in a releasable manner . the lateral sides 11a , 11b are substantially rigid in the longitudinal direction so as to resist a pull applied thereto by the fastening devices . thus , the corresponding end portions 21a , 24a and 21b , 24b , respectively , constitute fastening elements of respective band - like fastening devices which are tightened in a releasable and adjustable manner by means of their respective rings 25 and pull - apart closures to provide the following functions . as for the band - like fastening device composed of the elements 21a , 24a , it is led along the seat 19 on the lug 18 such that it will bridge the opening 10 and function to limit the rearward swing of the bootleg 4 and the inner shoe 3 . in essence , by lengthening the adjustment of that fastening device from the skiing position of fig1 ( or , in the extreme , by fully releasing the pull - apart closure ), the bootleg is caused to straighten up toward the rest position of fig2 . said device 21a , 24a , therefore , controls the free rearward swing of the bootleg and the inner shoe , which swing is , as previously mentioned , allowed for by the opening 10 . conversely , by shortening the adjustment of the fastening device 21a , 24a , the forward inclination of the bootleg 4 can be increased . as for the band - like fastening device composed of the end elements 21b , 24b , it is led across the inner shoe 3 and the tongue 3a to bridge the forward opening 9 , and functions to limit the forward flex of the boot 1 . in essence , the shorter is the setting of the fastening device 21b , 24b , the stiffer becomes the boot , because the band - like device in question becomes a forward support for the skier &# 39 ; s leg and is attached to the shell by means of the studs 20 , 23 . by converse , the longer is the setting of the device 21b , 24b , the more flexible becomes the boot in the forward direction . notice that both these adjustments are quite independent of the bootleg clamp - action adjustment performed by means of the lever fasteners 16 , 17 . also notice that the tension transferred to the fastening devices 21a , 24a and 21b , 24b affords , by virtue of the considerable length of the lever arm from the pivot axis of the bootleg on the shell , the application of large resisting torques to the skier &# 39 ; s leg . additionally , all the stresses are transferred directly to the shell through the studs 20 , 23 . in a modified embodiment shown in fig7 where similar parts are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the previous embodiment , the two fastening devices located at the forward opening 9 and the rearward opening 10 , respectively , are each comprised of a band - like flexible element 30a , b , one end whereof is attached , as by means of a rivet 31 , to a corresponding lateral side 11a , b of the shell 2 , the opposite end carrying a conventional lever fastener 32a , b whose ring 33a , b is engageable in an adjustable and releasable manner between teeth of a rack 34a , b which is attached to the opposite lateral side 11b and 11a , respectively , by means of the rivet 31 itself . it will be understood that the fastening devices in question may be any suitable arrangement known in the ski boot art . thus , the invention does solve the problem proposed with an advantageously simple , economical and versatile structure .
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in the following , embodiments according to the present invention are described referring to the drawings . fig1 shows a block diagram of a television receiver according to the present invention . a digital tv signal tuner part 102 has a vsb ( vestigital side band ) demodulation part and a qam ( quadrature amplitude modulation ) demodulation part , receives a signal of either of ground wave digital broadcast or cable tv broadcast according to user &# 39 ; s tuning directions , and takes out a desired mpeg ( moving picture experts group ) transport stream . a security module i / f part 109 controls input / output and the like of the mpeg transport stream into a security module 110 . the security module 110 is a pc card used for a conditional access processing of the cable tv broadcast called a cablecard module in north america . when a digital program of the cable tv broadcast is selected and if the security module 110 is fixed , the mpeg transport stream is sent out to the security module 110 via the security module i / f part 109 . when the security module 110 is not inserted or ground wave digital broadcast is tuned in , the stream is sent out to a descrambling part 103 directly . the security module 110 determines the watching and listening propriety of the tuned - in cable tv program according to the user &# 39 ; s contract information in the emm transmitted from a cable station , and if it can be descrambled , scrambling to the corresponding program is canceled for the input mpeg transport stream . when a program needs a copy control , the security module 110 newly gives scrambling to the mpeg transport stream so that a raw mpeg transport stream should not be illegally robbed from the security module 110 to the descrambling part 103 . after processing in such a way , the mpeg transport stream is sent out to the descrambling part 103 via the security module i / f 109 . the descrambling part 103 cancels scrambling for the copy controls of the mpeg transport stream by the above - mentioned security module 110 , and an mpeg decoding part 104 performs demultiplexing processes and av decoding processes of mpeg . an analog tv signal tuner part 105 demodulates ground wave analog broadcast programs or analogue broadcast programs of cable tv broadcast according to user &# 39 ; s tuning directions . an av encoding part 106 performs av encoding processes for outputting images and sounds in response to av demodulation signals from the mpeg decoding part 104 and the analog tv signal tuner part 105 and sends out the signals to a monitor 107 and a speaker 108 , and the images and sounds come out with the monitor 107 and the speaker 108 . a cpu 111 controls entirely using the programs and data stored in a memory 112 . a remote control light receiving part 113 receives remote control signals , and a sub - cpu 114 analyzes the remote control signals for controlling a power supply circuit 115 and for communication with a cpu 111 . a power supply circuit 115 supplies power / stops supply of power so that it may have the following three standby power modes at the time of power supply off . ( a ) full standby : to supply power only to the minimum required hardware , such as a remote control reception part and the like ( to stop power supply to hardware enclosed with dotted lines 116 ). ( b ) partial standby : to supply power also to hardware required for the communication with the security module 111 in addition to the minimum required hardware , such as a remote control receiving part and the like ( to stop power supply to hardware enclosed with dashed lines 117 ). ( c ) false standby : to stop power supply only to a monitor and a speaker ( to stop power supply to hardware enclosed with chain lines 118 ). an electronic program guide is provided to a receiver 101 , and it has a function for automatically displaying the electronic program guide at the time of power supply on ( hereinafter , automatic guide display function ) and can set up whether or not the function is enabled with a menu . selection of the standby power mode at the time of remote control power supply off follows the flowchart of fig2 . the false standby will be selected if the automatic guide display function is set to be effective at s 201 . it is because it can be said that inconvenient for the user would be enormous due to requiring considerable time till displaying the guide after starting up in the full standby or partial standby , and the false standby , which permits immediate displaying of the guide , would be more preferable even though the false standby requires largest standby power . if the automatic guide display function is set to be disabled at s 201 , it will be determined whether or not a security card is equipped at s 202 . the full standby is chosen if the security card is not equipped . since standby power would be smallest accordingly and a guide display and descrambling processes are not required , the images and sounds can be immediately presented to the user , thus avoiding making the user to feel inconvenient . the partial standby is selected if the security card is equipped at s 202 . since it conforms to the constraint in the standards that power should be normally supplied to a security card even at the time of power supply off and serves to reduce power consumption and it is prevented that the cpu power is taken to the automatic guide display function at the time of startup , scrambling can be cancelled in little time even when a channel after startup is of a scrambled program of cable tv and the program can be presented to the user . selection of the standby power mode at the time of remote control power supply off may follow the flowchart of fig3 . the same numerals are given to the same steps as in fig2 . when the security card is equipped at s 202 , it is determined whether or not a security module is required for watching and listening to the channel at the next startup at s 301 . since ground wave digital broadcast and analogue broadcast of ground waves or cable tv can be watched and listened to without a security module , the partial standby is selected , while the false standby is selected since a security module is required for digital broadcast of cable tv . although standby power would be larger accordingly , after startup , all the programs including scrambled digital broadcast of cable tv can be immediately displayed , thus eliminating inconvenient to the user . since programs without scrambling can be watched and listened to without a security module even though it is of digital broadcast of cable tv , it is also possible to lead to the partial standby by adding this condition to s 301 . moreover , since as for hardware enclosed by 116 shown in fig1 , for example a cpu 112 , a descrambler part 103 , and an mpeg decoding part 104 may be assembled into one chip , it may vary with actual hardware configurations .
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the present invention is to be played over the internet in real - time against multiple opponents on a game site . the winner of the game receives a certain amount of money depending upon how many people play that particular game . the game uses categories of trivia questions including but not limited to : sports , general trivia and entertainment . the game format is a cyclical timed system . each player is given a password and a time block to log into their multiplayer game . the password allows a user to access his or her account in conjunction with a user name . regarding the free multiplayer demo , a password or user name may not be necessary . each game can accommodate up to 100 people and is played live when the game session begins . the game session comprises a total of 22 questions , 25 in the event of an overtime , asked over approximately a 1 0 - minute period . each person is given 10 , 000 points at the beginning of the game . they wager these points after being shown the topic asked . for example if baseball is a topic in sports the screen may ask : how much would player like to wager on this topic ? baseball here , the player can wager 100 , 300 or 500 points . the player would then choose the wager amount and the question is then asked . the player has 8 seconds to answer the question , but the amount of points they would earn would decay over time . for example , if the player answers within 4 seconds , they get the full amount of the wager . if they answer after 4 seconds have lapsed , their points will decrease over time . if they are incorrect , they lose the full amount of the wager . on the right or left side of the game board is a leader board , telling each player their position in the game and who the top 10 players are at the time . as the game progresses , they are allowed to wager more points . if they make it to the last two questions , they are allowed to wager their full amount of points . if the player runs out of points before the 22 questions have been asked then they will have lost the game . the winner of the game is the one with the most points in the end . the winning player wins the money prize . players contribute an entry fee , which is pooled to form the money prize . the game will always keep a data history that is a person &# 39 ; s individual performance history as they continue to play . they will be able to see the questions they got right vs . those they got wrong . they will be able to see total earnings , and they will be able to see their average as compared to others who have played . the operation of the system is by software and is preferably a game written in asp , net , cgi , javascript , html and / or flash that runs on the internet . it incorporates thousands of batch questions into a format for a real - time trivia game every 15 minutes where multiple players can compete simultaneously from all parts of the world . the game optionally incorporates a message board and instant messaging , so players can discuss the game and other topics before and after each game . the game has 22 questions . a full game takes approximately 10 minutes to play and with a constant stream of questions to answer and wagering decisions . a wagering screen will appear in which each player will have 10 seconds to place his or her wager . the category of the upcoming question will also be displayed . next , the question screen pops up . each player has approximately 7 seconds to read the question , although that is subject to change . after each player has time to read the question , four answer choices will appear beneath the question . there will be three wrong answers and one correct answer . each player tries to choose the best answer within the next 5 seconds . the player clicks the button that corresponds to the answer or presses 1 , 2 , 3 or 4 on the keypad to choose . but a player must choose quickly ! the longer it takes to answer the question , the fewer points are awarded . the next screen shows the correct answer from the last question along with the player &# 39 ; s points won . the next screen is the wagering screen for the upcoming question . it will also show the correct answer from the last question . each player &# 39 ; s statistics for the current game will be updated after each question . these include the percentage of correct answers , average response time , average points , average wager and total points . the leader board will also be updated , which allows players to see how a player stacks up against other players . the leader board can also help a player decide how to wager on the next question . if a player is far behind , that player might want to wager more points to catch up . also , players must pay attention to the category of the next question to determine their wager . if a player finishes a question early , they will have to wait because all the players in the game have the same time frame . although all players use the same timing , and are similarly constrained , the users see their own local time zones so that the local time zone is displayed to the user . at the end of 22 questions , the final leader board will be displayed along with the player &# 39 ; s final statistics for that game . if players are playing the multiplayer challenge and finish in first place , the amount won will be credited to the winner &# 39 ; s account in the form of credits . any qbucks accumulated will also be added to player account . players can cash out their credits at any time and the money will be deposited into their player bank account or eft account such as a paypal , neteller or a check will be mailed from bjea llc . each player will have the option to have player stats e - mailed to the player , which is stored on the computer system . players will be able to access player cumulative stats from a player &# 39 ; s entire history of games played on the ‘ my account ’ page . in all games , players start off with 10 , 000 points to play with . these points will be for one game only because points do not carry over to future games . for the first 10 questions of any game each player will be given the option of selecting 100 , 300 , or 500 points to wager on the upcoming question . each player will know the category of the next question and can base a wager on knowledge of that subject ( i . e . football , baseball , miscellaneous etc .) as questions pass the player will be given more wagering options . questions eleven to twenty will have a 1 , 000 - point wagering option . for the last two questions , 21 and 22 , up to 25 in the event of an overtime , the player will also have the opportunity to manually choose any wager amount using a slider labeled “ bet the farm ,” which lets a player quickly bet all player remaining points or any other amount in increments of 100 . that way , players who are lower in points can take a larger risk to place higher on the leader board . if a player runs out of points , the player will have lost the game . qbucks is a special term created by the inventor to refer to reward points for buying credits , playing the game or telling their friends about the trivia game service . qbucks can be redeemed for entry fee free buy - ins to pay games . credits are used to pay for entry fees . 1 ) tell a friend — player gets 250 qbucks just for referring new players to the game . 2 ) placing 2 nd in a multiplayer challenge game gets the q buck equivalent of the games buy in value . 3 ) purchasing incentives — purchase a certain amount of credits at a time to receive qbucks . the best mode is currently : purchase and play 50 credits = 250 qbucks purchase and play 100 credits = 500 qbucks purchase and play 200 credits = 1000 qbucks players must play all of the credits purchased to receive the qbucks . players will see the qbucks in their pending qbucks , but they will not be real qbucks until they play all credits purchased . qbucks can be used to purchase games where 500 qbucks = 1 free $ 5 game , 1000 = 1 free $ 10 game and points are earned through various ways mentioned . if a player refers 2 friends , the friends purchase and play 20 credits , the player will receive 500 qbucks that the player can use to purchase a 5 credit game . one credit equals one us dollar . five credits can be applied toward a $ 5 game entry fee . qbucks will have a value of $ 0 . 01 , which is one penny , but they cannot be redeemed for cash value only to purchase games . players will have the option to buy into a $ 5 , $ 10 , $ 25 , $ 50 or $ 100 game using the entry fee paid by electronic fund transfer . each time block , such as that of 9 p . m . will have identical games for the $ 5 , $ 10 , $ 25 etc . users will only be able to be registered for one game at each time block , either $ 5 , $ 10 , $ 25 etc . so they could register for a $ 5 game at 9 p . m ., then a $ 10 game at 9 : 15 p . m ., if they wish , but not both $ 5 and $ 10 simultaneously . when a user purchases 100 credits , they will be charged $ 100 . they must use those 100 credits to participate in games before cashing out to receive the 500 qbucks . winnings will be added to winning player &# 39 ; s credits . if a winner wins $ 300 , it would then become 300 credits and the winner would then be able to use those credits to play another game or to “ cash out ”. winning credits will not be awarded to 2 nd and 3 rd place players , only qbucks will be awarded to the 2 nd place winner , and will be a qbuck equivalent to the games buy in value . 1 . free single player demo : this is for the player who is new to the game and wants to become familiar with the way it works . after playing this once or twice , the player can be ready to move on to the next level . 2 . free multiplayer demo : this game has most of the features of the multiplayer challenge . these game sessions are available all day long and start as soon as 10 players sign up . once a quiz session gets to 10 players , it will start automatically . the game is free and the winner does not receive a prize — except the satisfaction that comes with being a winner ! these games are a good way to familiarize the player with the competitive aspect of the game and to decide whether the player is ready to compete for money — or needs some more time to hone skills in the minors . these games can feature the same questions asked in the previous night &# 39 ; s multiplayer challenge games . 3 . multiplayer challenge : this fast - paced , high adrenaline and fun contest lets the player compete against other trivia buffs from around the world for real money prizes . a new game starts every 15 minutes between 8 pm and 12 : 30 a . m . est ( 7 pm - 11 : 30 pm cst , 6 - 10 : 30 p . m . mst , 5 - 9 : 30 p . m . pst ). game times are subject to change . there are three categories of games : entertainment ( music , tv , arts , drama , pop culture etc . ), sports ( football , basketball , baseball , hockey , boxing , etc . ), and general ( politics , history , grammar , sports , entertainment , etc .). there are a variety of entry fee buy - in ranges : $ 5 , $ 10 , $ 25 , $ 50 and $ 100 . the $ 5 and $ 10 games have a minimum of 10 players . the $ 25 , $ 50 and $ 100 games have a minimum of four players . all games have a maximum of 100 players . a new game is available every 15 minutes . registration cuts off 1 minute prior to the start of the game . a player can sign up for games up to one week in advance to reserve a spot . if the game the player wants is full , a new game is automatically generated after 100 players sign up for a particular time slot . as long as the minimum amount of players sign up for the new game , a player can always play at the time that is most convenient and the money level that is most comfortable for that player . on games with money entry fees , a player will log in before game the interface and would register for the quiz session by clicking the sign - up text on the interface . for example , if a player had already registered and paid an entry fee for a game of sports for the 9 p . m . time block , then player will be prompted to log in when the player clicks the multiplayer challenge button . game sessions can be set to start automatically with the countdown shown , provided at least 10 users are logged in ( four for the higher money levels ). a player user cannot log in for their 9 p . m . block game at 8 p . m . they may , however , log in 15 minutes before their quiz session . if at 9 p . m . there are not enough participating player users , the players will be credited the $ 5 , $ 10 $ 25 etc . entry fee and notified by e - mail if possible . emails can be sent 15 minutes prior to the game start time . a paid user for that game cannot log in after the game has started . the user must be ready at the given time , or they will forfeit the game and lose their credits . the games for a given time are identical for all money levels ($ 5 , $ 10 , $ 25 etc .) in regards to the questions asked , however they will be different sets of people playing each other . when user tries to register for a game they will be prompted to use either qbucks or credits . if they do not have enough they will be notified and prompted to buy more credits . the screen is shown in a web browser format allowing a display of a variety of elements including a game session calendar . the game calendar is preferably weekly displaying one or more weeks and scrolling such that for example if a game were to begin on friday , and friday comes , it will be on the left , and next thursday will be on the far right . the game calendar has a sign - up button for all time blocks in each day . a user clicks the time block he or she wants . the current time is listed on the interface screen according to the player &# 39 ; s local time zone . the list indicates with color codes as to which slots have already passed . games with brackets have passed . on the interface , there will be an indication as to the total amount a user could win in a time block (# user × either $ 5 game or the $ 10 game , etc )× 0 . 6 . users will know how much they can win if they place 1 st . 2 nd place winners receive the qbucks equivalent of the games buy in value ( 500 qbucks for a 2 nd place finisher in a 5 credit game ). once a user clicks on a sign - up , after entering all necessary details , a confirmation email will be sent to the email account associated with the players roomq22 account . roomq22 is a sample name of a website or company hosting the trivia game . on paid wager games , a player need not login to the quiz to play the games if the player is already logged in . the database of questions is preferably maintained in six columns . the trivia administrator can maintain quizzes in database format where column 1 is the question , columns 2 - 5 are the answers , column 6 is a number 1 - 4 that is referencing the column that represents the correct answer ( a number 1 here would mean that column 2 is the correct answer , number 2 means column 3 is the correct answer , etc ). after the user logs in , they will be directed to the “ buy credits ” interface . the user interface also includes the following buttons “ home ”, “ my account ”, “ how to play ”, “ single - player demo ”, “ multiplayer demo ”, and “ game room ”. the “ home ” button directs the user to the intro page that they first see when visiting room q22 . “ my account ” button directs the user to a login screen if they are not logged in as a current player . if the player has logged in it will direct them to a page that contains an average of their stats of all pay games , the players current credits , qbucks , pending qbucks , and the current games that they are registered for . “ how to play ” button will direct the player to a screen with the directions about the game . “ single - player demo ” button will direct the player to a game selection interface for our single player demos as discussed previously . “ multi - player demo ” button will direct the player to a game selection interface for our multiplayer demos as discussed previously . “ game room ” button takes the player to a game selection interface that includes the games category , day of the week , credit value , and time block , including the number of players registered for those certain games and the total winnings possible .
| 0Human Necessities
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referring now to the accompanying drawings , a preferred embodiment of the hosiery displaying device of the present invention is illustrated and generally designated at 10 . as best seen in fig1 the displaying device 10 basically comprises a main body 12 having an elongate longitudinal extent le and a central hanging axis ha perpendicular to the longitudinal extent le , a hanger portion 14 projecting from one side of the main body 12 centrally with respect to the longitudinal extent le and in alignment with the hanging axis ha and a stabilizing portion 16 extending from the opposite side of the main body 12 . advantageously , the main body 12 , the hanger portion 14 and the stabilizing portion 16 may be conveniently formed integrally with one another from a planar sheet of plastic such as by a conventionally stamping , molding or other suitable forming process . the hanger portion 14 is configured in the form of a hook 18 to engage and hang from a retail hosiery display rod 20 ( fig2 and 3 ) or other conventional retail display fixture . the hook 18 preferably defines a relatively narrow entrance slot 22 opening into a circular rod receiving area 24 sized and configured in conformity to the retail display rod 20 , with the slot 22 extending from the rod receiving area 24 upwardly and angularly away from the main body 12 . the transverse dimension of the slot 22 is preferably about the same as or may even be slightly smaller than the cross sectional display rod 20 . preferably , the outwardly projecting free end of the hook 18 is sufficiently flexible to yield to open the slot 22 for easy placement of the hanger portion 14 onto and removal from the display rod 20 or other support fixture . the main body 12 is preferably of a rectangular configuration , although various other forms of regular geometric shapes may also be utilized . in accordance with the present invention , a multiplicity of hosiery attachment openings 26 are formed through the main body 12 in an array generally uniformly spaced relative to one another , e . g ., in longitudinal rows and transverse columns as shown in fig1 collectively forming a grid 28 of substantially the same rectangular ( or other geometric ) shape as the main body 12 and disposed symmetrically with respect thereto . as more fully explained below , each of the openings is sized and otherwise configured to be adapted for receiving a conventional fastener element ( e . g ., fastener 30 as shown in fig2 ) extended through the opening to secure an article of hosiery to the main body 12 and thereby to be suspended in hanging relationship therefrom . the stabilizing portion 16 basically comprises a pair of legs 32 projecting downwardly from the opposite ends of the main body 12 at the side thereof opposite the hanger portion 14 and a connecting web 34 laterally extending between and bridging the lower ends of the legs 32 , thereby forming the stabilizing portion 16 overall in a generally u - shape . as will thus be understood , the hosiery displaying device 10 is adapted to support multiple pairs of substantially any type of hosiery , particularly socks , as representatively designated by sock pairs 36 , 38 in fig2 in a balanced suspended disposition from a conventional hosiery retail display fixture . by way of example , the displaying device 10 is illustrated in fig2 and 3 as supporting six pairs of socks in two sets of three pairs each , but it will be understood that a greater or lesser number of pairs may be supported as desired . as previously indicated , the sock pairs are attached to the main body 12 by conventional plastic fasteners 30 of the type basically comprising a thin elongated body stem 31 with laterally projecting retainer portions 33 at the opposite ends of the stem 31 . as is known , such fasteners 30 may be projected through textile fabrics via a conventional installation gun . advantageously , the multiplicity of openings 26 arrayed within the grid 28 of the main body 12 provide numerous locations for such fasteners 30 to penetrate readily through the main body 12 without the necessity of carefully aligning the fastener installation gun within any individual opening , thereby greatly simplifying and speeding the process of attaching the sock pairs 36 , 38 to the device 10 . the advantageous feature of the display device of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 014 , 957 is still achieved by facilitating the placement of the sock pairs 36 , 38 equidistantly from the hanging access ha so as to cause the sock pairs 36 , 38 to hang in balanced suspension from the main body 12 with its longitudinal extent le in a generally horizontal disposition , thus orienting the sock pairs in mutually side - abutting relation to provide a pleasing aesthetic symmetry when hung from the display rod 20 or other display fixture . as depicted in fig2 and 3 , the sock pairs 36 , 38 may be advantageously attached at both side surfaces of the main body 12 so that the device 10 is substantially covered by the sock pairs 36 , 38 except for the hanger portion 14 . in such an arrangement , the stabilizing portion 16 advantageously provides support for the downwardly extending suspended portions of the sock pairs 36 , 38 which insures a neat and uniform overall appearance of the retail display of the hosiery . as desired , a paper band 40 , e . g ., of a conventional construction having an inward adhesive surface and an outward surface printed with advertising , labeling and such thereon , may be provided for encircling the suspended portions of the sock pairs 36 , 38 about the stabilizing portion 16 . advantageously , the hosiery displaying device 10 resist efforts to tamper with or remove individual sock pairs supported thereby , since the sock pairs are bound together by the device 10 in combination with the fasteners 30 and the paper band 40 . it will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application . many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described , as well as many variations , modifications and equivalent arrangements , will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof , without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention . accordingly , while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention . the foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments , adaptations , variations , modifications and equivalent arrangements , the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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referring to fig1 , depicted is a bulk material loader 100 , according to an embodiment of the invention , and a container 102 mounted on a flatbed tractor - trailer ( only the rear wheels of the flatbed tractor - trailer are shown ). in one embodiment , the container 102 is a standard sized container used in the freight industry , and can be a standard 40 ′, the 40 ′ high - cube , the standard 20 ′, or another common sized container . the bulk material loader 100 comprises a hopper 104 . the hopper 104 is suitable to withstand the loading and unloading of bulk material , including hms , without being damaged . in one embodiment , the hopper 104 is constructed to support and withstand loads in excess of 66 , 000 pounds , although the loader of the present invention can be constructed to load materials of less than or greater than 60 , 000 pounds . referring briefly to fig2 and fig3 , it is apparent that the height and width of the hopper 104 is less than , and preferably slightly less than , the internal height and width of the container 102 . accordingly , as depicted in fig5 , the hopper 104 can be at least partially enclosed by the container 102 . the exact height and width of the hopper 104 will depend on its specific application , but in one embodiment , the hopper 104 is slightly less than 7 ′ 8 ″ tall and slightly less than 7 ′ 7 ″ wide , thereby permitting the hopper 104 to fit within most iso containers . the length of the hopper 104 will also depend on its specific application . in one embodiment , the hopper 104 is at least 40 ′ long , thereby permitting the hopper 104 to occupy substantially the entire volume of most standard sized containers , as depicted in fig5 . the hopper 104 comprises an open end 116 to permit bulk material to be expelled from the hopper 104 into the container 102 . in some embodiments , and as illustrated in fig1 , the hopper 104 further comprises , for example , a steel frame supporting a steel bottom and two steel sides . in other embodiments , as illustrated in fig4 , the hopper 104 comprises , for example , a steel frame supporting a reciprocating conveyor floor system 400 and two steel sides . referring now to fig4 , the reciprocating conveyor floor system 400 , also known as a walking floor , is well known to those skilled in the art , and extends from a back end 114 to the open end 116 of the hopper 104 . the floor system 400 comprises a plurality of horizontal floor slats 402 and at least one drive mechanism ( not shown ), typically mounted below the slats 402 , configured to move groups of slats in an alternating manner . in one embodiment , every third slat is a member of the same group and is moved in unison , and the floor system 400 operates in a four step process . in step i , all three groups of floor slats 402 are extended out through the open end 116 of the hopper 104 approximately the same distance . this motion causes ail the bulk material loaded in the hopper 104 to be pushed slightly forward towards the open end 116 of the hopper 104 . the bulk material closest to the open end 116 of the hopper 104 is moved through the open end 116 and out of the hopper 104 while still being supported by the floor system 400 . in step ii , the first group of floor slats 402 of the floor system 400 is retracted into the hopper 104 to its original position . during this retraction , the first group of floor slats 402 changes its position relative to all of the bulk material supported by the floor system 400 . the bulk material external to the hopper 104 remains supported by the second and third group of floor slats 402 . in step iii , the second group of floor slats 402 is retracted into the hopper 104 to its original position . again , this retraction causes the second group of floor slats 402 to change its position relative to the bulk material supported by the floor system 400 . at this point , the bulk material external to the hopper 104 is supported only by the third group of floor slats 402 . finally , in step iv , the third group of floor slats 402 is retracted into the hopper 104 to its original position . this last retraction causes the third group of floor slats 402 to change its position relative to all of the bulk material , and causes the bulk material external to the hopper 104 to no longer be supported by the floor system 400 . as a result , this external bulk material is expelled into the standard container ( not shown ). steps i - iv are repeated until all of the bulk material has been unloaded from the hopper 104 . referring back to fig1 , the bulk material loader 100 , in some embodiments , further comprises a ram 118 . the ram 118 comprises a plate 106 and a driver 108 . in one embodiment , the plate 106 is sized to fit snuggly to the bottom and sides of the hopper 104 . in a preferred embodiment , the plate 106 is made of a heavy duty steel material . in an embodiment , the plate 106 blocks the back end 114 of the hopper 104 to prevent bulk material from accidentally being expelled from the hopper 104 . the plate 106 is attached to the driver 108 . the driver 108 is a mechanical device configured to move the plate 106 between the back end 114 and the open end 116 of the hopper 104 to load material into the container 102 . in an embodiment of the invention , the driver 108 is capable of moving at least 22 , 000 pounds . in another embodiment , the driver 108 is capable of moving at least 58 , 000 pounds . in an embodiment of the invention , as depicted in fig1 , the driver 108 is a hydraulic cylinder . in this embodiment , the plate 106 is attached to the hydraulic cylinder &# 39 ; s adjustable piston rod . thus , when the piston rod of the driver 108 is extended , the plate 106 is pushed from the back end 114 of the hopper 104 to the front open end 116 of the hopper 104 . the hydraulic cylinder is any standard hydraulic cylinder , well known to those skilled in the art , capable of pushing scrap metal or similar bulk material out of hopper 104 . as is apparent to those skilled in the art , the hydraulic cylinder is part of a hydraulic system ( not shown ), the main components of which are a hydraulic pump , a hydraulic cylinder , and a series of electrical controls . when the driver 108 is a hydraulic cylinder , the length of the hydraulic cylinder varies based on the length of hopper 104 . in one embodiment , as most clearly depicted in fig2 and fig3 , the hydraulic cylinder is long enough to adjust the position of the plate 106 from the back end 114 of the hopper 104 to the front open end 116 of the hopper 104 . those skilled in the art will recognize that the driver 108 need not be a hydraulic cylinder , and can be any mechanical device ( s ) capable of moving the plate 106 between the back end 114 and the open end 116 of the hopper 104 . thus , in one embodiment , the driver 108 comprises a chain or belt drive ( not shown ) connected to the plate 106 . in another embodiment , the driver 108 comprises a rack and pinion setup ( not shown ), where the pinion is connected to a motor to drive the rack forward and or backward . the pinion is connected to the plate 106 to move the plate 106 between the back end 114 and the open end 116 of the hopper 104 . in yet another embodiment , driver 108 is a screw system ( not shown ) designed to move the plate 106 between the back end 114 and the open end 116 of the hopper 104 . all of these configurations including their operations are well known to those skilled in the art . in another embodiment , the bulk material loader 100 further comprises a stand 110 onto which the hopper 104 is mounted . in one embodiment , most clearly depicted in fig2 , the hopper 104 is mounted to the stand 110 such that hopper 104 is off the ground and positioned at approximately the same height as the container 102 . in this way , the hopper 104 can easily be partially enclosed by the container 102 without having to alter the distance between the ground and the container 102 or the hopper 104 . as will be apparent , the exact height of the hopper 104 off the ground will depend on the specific application . in one embodiment , the hopper 104 is mounted to the stand 110 such that the hopper 104 is approximately 5 ′ off the ground . in another embodiment , the hopper 104 is mounted such that it is between approximately 3 ′ 2 ″ and 3 ′ 4 ″ off the ground . the stand 110 is made from heavy duty steel and , in some embodiments , is capable of supporting the entire weight of the loaded hopper 104 , thereby preventing the bulk material loader 100 from tipping over or otherwise being damaged . in one embodiment , the stand 110 is counterbalanced with concrete blocks or a similar material ( not shown ) to enable the stand 110 to support the weight of the hopper 104 . all or part of the driver 108 can also be mounted to the stand 110 as necessary , depending on the specific implementation of the driver 108 . thus , when the driver 108 is a hydraulic cylinder , as depicted in fig1 , the driver 108 is mounted to the stand 110 . referring to fig1 and fig2 , in another embodiment , the bulk material loader 100 also comprises collapsible support legs 112 . these support legs 112 prevent the bulk material loader 100 from tipping over under heavy loads and allow the hopper 104 to be loaded quicker in high volume operations . the support legs 112 collapse towards the stand 110 , thereby enabling portions of the hopper 104 beyond the point of the support legs 112 to occupy space within the container 102 . once the support legs 112 have collapsed , any necessary support is provided by the container 102 and flatbed . in one embodiment , the support legs 112 are hingedly mounted to the bottom of the hopper 104 . in a more detailed embodiment , the bottom of the hopper 104 has recesses configured to receive the collapsed support legs 112 . in this embodiment , when the support legs 112 collapse they are received in complimentary recesses , giving the hopper 104 a flat bottom and preventing the support legs 112 from protruding beyond the bottom of the hopper 104 when collapsed . thus , the support legs 112 are protected from damage when collapsed , and weight not supported by the stand 110 is transferred through the entire portion of the hopper 104 inside the container 102 to the container 102 and flatbed . in one embodiment , the bottom of the hopper 104 includes multiple rollers to facilitate the movement of the container 102 relative to the hopper 104 . in another embodiment , the collapsible support legs 112 are hingedly mounted to the ground . in this embodiment , the usable space of the hopper 104 is increased because clearance for the support legs 112 inside the container 102 is no longer required . for example , the legs 112 can be mounted to a foundation provided on the ground with a hydraulic line connected to it . in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , operation of the bulk material loader 100 proceeds as follows . first , the length of the container 102 must be determined to set the position of the piston rod of the driver 108 and thus the position of the plate 106 in the hopper 104 . for instance , if the container 102 is a standard 20 ′, then only 20 ′ of the hopper 104 or less can be used to occupy space within the container 102 . for example , in this case , the piston rod of the hopper 104 must be set so that the plate 106 is 20 ′ from the front opening of the hopper 104 . if , on the other hand , the container 102 is a standard 40 ′ and the hopper 104 is 40 ′ long , then the piston rod must be fully retracted so that the plate 106 is at the back end 114 of the hopper 104 . once the plate 106 is set in position , and the support legs 112 are extended ( if necessary ), the bulk material is loaded into the hopper 104 . any type of material can be loaded , including hms over 6 ′ in length . in one embodiment , the bulk material is dumped into the hopper 104 through the open top of the hopper 104 . once the hopper 104 is loaded , the container 102 , still attached to the flatbed tractor - trailer , is positioned in front of the hopper 104 and is backed up to enclose the hopper 104 within the container 102 . if the support legs 112 are extended , they collapse when impacted by the container 102 . alternatively , the support legs 112 are set to collapse prior to being impacted by the container 102 . as a result of the flatbed tractor - trailer hacking up , the hopper 104 is at least partially enclosed by the container 102 , one embodiment of which is illustrated in fig5 . at this point , the hydraulic system is activated to push the piston rod of driver 108 forward . the piston rod pushes the plate 106 , which in turn pushes the bulk material out of , the front opening of the hopper 104 and into the container 102 . as bulk material is pushed into container 102 , the flatbed tractor - trailer moves forward so as to fill the container 102 with all of the material in the hopper 104 . in one embodiment , at the same time the hydraulic system is activated , the flatbed tractor - trailer is set to neutral . as a result of the bulk material being pushed into the container 102 , the flatbed tractor - trailer is pushed forward . in another embodiment , when the hydraulic system is activated , the flatbed tractor - trailer is slowly driven forward at approximately the same speed the hydraulic piston is pushing the plate 106 . in this manner , when the hydraulic piston of the driver 108 is fully extended , all of the bulk material that was in the hopper 104 is pushed into the container 102 . once all of the material is loaded in the container 102 , the flatbed tractor - trailer pulls forward , the container 102 doors are closed , and the flatbed tractor - trailer drives away . referring now to fig1 , embodiments of the invention have several advantages over the prior art . for instance , the bottom and side walls of the hopper 104 prevent the container 102 from coming into contact with the bulk material when the bulk material is moving with respect to the container 102 . thus , at no point can the container 102 suffer damage from the bulk material . furthermore , the bulk material loader 100 has few moving parts . in one embodiment , only the driver 108 and the plate 106 move , leading to less wear and tear on the loader 100 , and less chance for damage and costly repairs . in another embodiment , the bulk material loader 100 utilizes a readily available reciprocating conveyor floor system ( not shown ), reducing costs and deployment time . also , in some embodiments , a flatbed tractor - trailer engine is used in the loading process to reduce the amount of work to be done by the bulk material loader 100 , again reducing costs and the likelihood of failures . while in accordance with the patent statutes , description of the various embodiments and examples have been provided , the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereto or thereby . modifications and alterations of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . therefore , it will be appreciated that the scope of this invention is to be defined by the appended claims , rather than by the specific examples which have been presented by way of example .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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fig1 shows a lighting device 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention . the lighting device comprises a base part 2 , and a second part 3 having a light source 4 . in the illustrated example the light source 4 is in form of at least one light emitting diode ( led ). the leds may be white , red , blue , amber or green colored or a combination thereof . the leds are placed on a printed circuit board ( pcb ) in the circular front part of the non - magnetic shell 5 . a cooling element 11 leads to the pcb , thereby providing cooling of the leds . the second part 3 further comprises a non - magnetic shell 5 defining an essentially closed cavity . the closed cavity is defined by a trumpet - shaped , cooling element 11 surrounded by the non - magnetic shell 5 . in this way a torus like cavity is formed . naturally other ways of forming a closed cavity can be used . it is advantageous to use a rotational symmetrical cavity as this provides for turning the second part 360 °. preferably the non - magnetic shell 5 is a made of transparent glass , but other materials having suitable optical properties , such as plastic , and translucent glass , may be used . the light source 4 and the non - magnetic shell 5 are in a fixed positional relationship such that when the non - magnetic shell 5 is moved the light source 4 is also moved . fig2 shows an exploded view of the lighting device 1 illustrated in fig1 . the lighting device 1 comprises a base part 2 with a first magnetic material 7 . the first magnetic material 7 is in form of at least one permanent magnet . preferably there is more than one permanent magnet . in the illustrated example one permanent magnet is arranged in the center surrounded by a number of other permanent magnets , preferably in a circumferential pattern , such as one permanent magnet surrounded by six permanent magnets . the pattern may e . g . be a circle , a square , a hexagon or any other polygon . it is also possible to use only one permanent magnet that has the shape e . g . of a circle . alternatively a number of permanent magnets are arranged in a circle , a square , a hexagon or any other polygon . the essentially closed cavity encloses a second magnetic material 6 displaceable therein . this provides for a flexible adjustment of the second part 3 . in the illustrated example the second magnetic material 6 comprises a plurality of elements of ferromagnetic material . the plurality of ferromagnetic material elements will try to fit the inner side of the non - magnetic shell providing for the minimal distance between the ferromagnetic material 6 and the permanent magnet 7 . preferably the elements are ball shaped , this provides for an optimum packaging of the elements , as well as for easy displacement within the closed cavity . naturally the elements may have other shapes such as cubes , or any other three - dimensional shape . in order to reduce friction a lubricant can be added to the elements . the ferromagnetic material comprises iron e . g . in the form of iron or steel balls . alternatively , the non - magnetic shell 5 comprises a magnetic material in a fixed shape , e . g . that of a spherical cap . that is , part of its form follows a part of the inner side of the non - magnetic shell 5 . for example , if the non - magnetic shell 5 is essentially spherical , part of the magnetic material will be curved in a form following the inner side of the sphere . the curved part of the magnetic material is e . g . supported by at least three possibly non - magnetic bearing balls . the bearing balls are rotatable embedded in the magnetic material . the bearing balls may be lubricated in order to facilitate the displacement of the magnetic material . in a preferred embodiment the first magnetic material 7 comprises at least one permanent magnet and the second magnetic material 6 comprises a ferromagnetic material . the arrangement of the first and second material is shown in greater detail in fig3 . the arrangement comprises a bottom plate 13 , preferably made of iron , with a ring 10 arranged on top of it . on top of the bottom plate 13 a number of magnets 7 are arranged . the permanent magnets are separated from the second magnetic material 6 by the non - magnetic shell 5 . the permanent magnet in the center has its magnetic north pole 7 ″ facing down towards the bottom plate 13 and its magnetic south pole 7 ″ facing up toward the second magnetic material 6 . the surrounding permanent magnets are arranged in an opposite manner such that their magnetic south pole 7 ″ faces down towards the bottom plate 13 and their magnetic north pole faces up toward the second magnetic material 6 . in this way the bottom plate acts as a magnetic path , and a magnetic field 14 is created , thereby creating a pseudo pot magnet . obviously the permanent magnets could be arranged the other way around such that the permanent magnet in the center has its magnetic south pole facing down towards the bottom plate 13 and its magnetic north pole facing up toward the second magnetic material 6 . likewise the surrounding permanent magnets would then be arranged in an opposite manner such that their magnetic north pole faces down towards the bottom plate 13 and their magnetic south pole faces up toward the second magnetic material 6 . it is preferred to use a pot magnet , since this will create a strong magnetic field , but it is rather expensive so alternatively a pseudo pot magnet can be used by arranging a number of permanent disk magnets onto an iron plate so as to form the bottom part of the pseudo pot magnet , e . g . as in one of the examples of the arrangement of the permanent magnets explained above . alternatively the first magnetic material 7 comprises a ferromagnetic material and the second magnetic material 6 comprises at least one permanent magnet . this is especially advantageous when the second magnetic material 6 is one piece of material such as a spherical cap . the lighting device 1 further comprises a battery 8 , arranged in the base part 2 . the battery serves as the power supply for the electrical devices comprised in second part . the electrical devices comprise e . g . the light source 4 . the base part 2 with the battery 8 is electrical connected with the light source 4 in the second part 3 via a wire 9 . this is advantageous as the base part 2 and the second part 3 in this way are connected , such that one of the parts is not mislaid . alternatively the battery 8 can be arranged in the second part . in this way there is no need of a wire between the base part 2 and the second part 3 . also the power between the battery 8 and the light source 4 can be transmitted by magnetic induction e . g . by use of inductors , e . g . induction coils , thereby rendering the need for a wire superfluous . this furthermore provides for various base parts to be used together with the one and the same second part 2 . in the illustrated example the magnetic force between the first magnetic material 7 and the second magnetic material 6 is greater than the force of gravity on the base part 2 , such that when the second part 3 is lifted the base part 2 follows without the two parts detaching and dropping , which may be harmful . in order to facilitate detachment of the base part 2 from the second part 3 a mechanical lever may be implemented , such that only a small gap between the base part 2 and the second part 3 can be created in order to separate both parts easily . in an embodiment one end of the lever is placed below the non - magnetic shell 5 of the second part 3 , and the other end of the lever is placed outside of the base part 2 . in this way only a small gap between the non - magnetic shell 5 and the base part 2 has to be created in order to separate both parts easily , assuming that the magnetic force between the base part 2 and the non - magnetic shell 5 decreases more than linearly with the distance between the two parts . for example , the lever may be arranged such that pivoting the lever causes the non - magnetic shell 5 to be tilted a few millimeters . alternatively at least one electro magnet is used , such that when the power is disconnected the magnetic force between the base part 2 and the second part 3 disappears , thereby facilitating the separation of the base part 2 and the second part 3 . instead the magnetic material may comprise at least one electro magnet that when power is turned on creates a reverse electromagnet , thereby neutralizing the magnetic attraction or even pushing the first and the second magnetic material away from each other if they are both permanent magnets . the non - magnetic shell 5 comprises a cooling element 11 . here the non - magnetic shell 5 comprises the cooling element 11 connected thereto in a fixed manner . furthermore the light source 4 is connected to the non - magnetic shell 5 in a fixed manner . preferably the non - magnetic shell 5 is at least partially spherical . this provides for the second part to be readily positioned in various spatial angles on the base part . a portion of the spherical part of the non - magnetic shell 5 is in contact with a ring 10 , such as a plastic ring 10 , comprised in the base part 2 . this facilitates turning the non - magnetic shell 5 in various directions . the person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above . on the contrary , many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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embodiments are directed toward herbicide resistant bacterial strains and inoculant compositions capable of enhancing the growth of plants . embodiments also include methods for using the subject strains and inoculants . the deposit has been assigned accession number atcc no . pta - 10253 by the repository and was deposited on aug . 6 , 2009 . unless otherwise defined , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains . although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the exemplary embodiments , suitable methods and materials are described below . all publications , patent applications , patents , and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety . in case of conflict , the present specification , including definitions , will control . in addition , the materials , methods , and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting . the section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the described subject matter in any way . it will be appreciated that there is an implied “ about ” prior to metrics such as temperatures , concentrations , and times discussed in the present teachings , such that slight and insubstantial deviations are within the scope of the present teachings herein . in this application , the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise . also , the use of “ comprise ”, “ comprises ”, “ comprising ”, “ contain ”, “ contains ”, “ containing ”, “ include ”, “ includes ”, and “ including ” are not intended to be limiting . it is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention . the articles “ a ” and “ an ” are used herein to refer to one or to more than one ( i . e ., to at least one ) of the grammatical object of the article . by way of example , “ an element ” means one element or more than one element . various herbicide resistant bacteria were isolated at a rate of about one in five to ten million cells under high level glyphosate selection conditions that prevent growth of its parent strain and natural soil bacteria . an exemplary embodiment comprises a biologically pure strain of a glyphosate - resistant bradyrhizobium , designated as pta - 10253 , which was obtained by this direct mutant selection . various exemplary embodiments comprise an isolated strain of bacteria , deposited as atcc pta - 10253 . in a preferred embodiment , pta - 10253 is utilized in an inoculant formulation . in various embodiments , the glyphosate resistant derivative , deposited as pta - 10253 , grows unaffected at high glyphosate levels that totally inhibit or kill its wildtype parent strain . the deposited strain is a mutant derived by direct mutant selection . in various embodiments , the subject strain may be further mutagenized or otherwise manipulated ( e . g ., via the introduction of a plasmid ). accordingly , embodiments include mutants , variants , and or derivatives of the strain deposited as pta - 10253 , both naturally occurring and artificially induced mutants . for example , mutants may be induced by subjecting the enhancing bacteria to known mutagens , such as n - methyl - nitrosoguanidine , using conventional methods . “ glyphosate resistance ” and “ glyphosate resistant ” when referring to nitrogen fixing rhizobia of exemplary embodiments refers to the ability of the bacteria to survive and reproduce following exposure to a dose of glyphosate normally inhibitory or lethal to a non - resistant rhizobia wildtype strain . “ herbicide resistance ” refers to the inherited ability of a bacteria or plant to survive and reproduce following exposure to a dose of herbicide normally inhibitory or lethal to the wildtype . “ rhizobia ” refers to members of genera rhizobium , sinorhizobium , azorhizobium , mesorhizobium , and most especially bradyrhizobium that form symbiotic relationships with leguminous plants , including b . japonicum , bradyrhizobium elkanii , sinorhizobium fredii , sinorhizobium meliloti , sinorhizobium sp . ngr234 , rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae , r . leguminosarum biovar trifolii , r . leguminosarum biovar phaseoli , r . tropici , r . etli , mesorhizobium loti , and azorhizobium caulinodans . “ inoculate ” and “ inoculating ” when referring to the rhizobia and leguminous plants of the present invention refer to the introduction of viable rhizobia into seed furrows at time of planting or applying the rhizobia to the seeds at a population sufficient to form effective nodules . the density of inoculation of subject bacterial cultures onto seed or into the furrows should be sufficient to populate the sub - soil region adjacent to the roots of the plant with viable bacterial growth . an effective amount of bacterial inoculant should be used . an effective amount is that amount sufficient to establish sufficient bacterial growth so that the yield from the plant is increased . as used herein , reference to “ isolated ” means that the subject strain is removed from the environment in which the wildtype strain normally exists in nature . thus , the isolated strain may exist as , for example , a biologically pure culture in association with an agricultural carrier . as may be readily appreciated by one of skill in the art , the mutant strain deposited as pta - 10253 is not known to exist in nature . as used herein , the term “ increasing plant growth ” or “ enhancing plant growth ” includes , without limitation , increasing plant weight , increasing nodule number , increasing nodule weight , increasing nitrogen fixation , increasing total biomass , and or increasing grain yield . in various embodiments , bacteria can be combined with an inert carrier to form a composition suitable for applying to soil or a plant material . in various embodiments , atcc accession no . pta - 10253 can be used as a solid . for example , a culture of atcc accession no . pta - 10253 may be grown in a suitable growth medium , the bacteria separated from the spent medium , resuspended in a fresh medium and the bacteria spray - dried . the resulting powder can be used . alternatively , atcc accession no . pta - 10253 can be used as a liquid , e . g ., a culture of atcc accession no . pta - 10253 can be grown in a suitable growth medium , the bacteria separated from the spent medium , and resuspended in water , buffer or fresh medium . the resulting suspension can be used . in other embodiments , the bacterial strain designated as atcc accession no . pta - 10253 can be combined with one or more compounds to form a mixture suitable for packaging or applying the bacteria to seed . compounds that can be combined with the bacterial strain designated as pta - 10253 include fertilizers , micronutrient donors , surfactants , or adjuvants conventionally employed in the art of formulation . the number of compounds selected for a given mixture may be chosen in accordance with the intended application and / or existing conditions . the resulting mixture can be a solid or a liquid , e . g ., an emulsifiable concentrate , a coatable paste , a directly sprayable solution , a dilutable solution , a dilute emulsion , a wettable powder , a dusting powder , a granular formulation , or an encapsulated formulation . in some embodiments , a growth medium is also included in the composition . in various embodiments , an amount of water is present in the composition . for liquid concentrates , water is up to 99 % by weight . pct publication no . wo2007 / 030557 ( u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 517 , 051 ) and u . s . patent pub . no . us2009 / 0048128 ( u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 119 , 178 ), fully incorporated by reference in their entirety , disclose various formulations for microorganisms . those applications also disclose methods for producing and utilizing various formulations . the herbicide resistant microorganisms of exemplary embodiments described herein may be utilized in conjunction with the compositions and or methods described in application ser . nos . 11 / 517 , 051 and 12 / 119 , 178 , particularly those directed toward encapsulating microorganisms , along with other substances to produce new and useful formulations and methods . for example , embodiments include an inoculant formulation of viable microorganisms comprising an effective amount of the microorganism deposited as pta - 10253 along with an encapsulating material that forms microbeads encapsulating the microorganism deposited as pta - 10253 . in at least one embodiment , the encapsulating material is a water soluble material capable of forming microbeads containing the microorganism deposited as pta - 10253 when dried . suitable encapsulating materials include , without limitation , native or modified chitosans , native of modified starches , glucans or dextrins , celluloses modified so they are soluble , and any of a number of native or modified vegetable or microbial gums , including agars , guar , locust , carrageenan , xanthans , pectins , and the like , and combinations thereof . in a preferred embodiment , the encapsulating material is a dextrin , such as crystal - tex ( national starch and chemical co ., bridgewater , n . j .). encapsulating the microorganisms pursuant to the method of the present invention provides many advantages . in particular , encapsulated microorganisms are more resistant to chemical pesticides , which may dramatically reduce the shelf life of unencapsulated microorganisms by contact toxicity . in at least one embodiment , the formulation may comprise a herbicide resistant microorganism deposited as pta - 10253 in an amount of at least 5 × 10 8 colony forming units per gram of the formulation ; an encapsulating material that forms microbeads encapsulating the microorganisms when dried ; and a water insoluble , water - absorbent substance mixed with the microorganisms , the water insoluble , water - absorbent substance present in an amount sufficient to maintain the formulation as a dry , free - flowing powder . in some embodiments , the inoculant composition further comprises a particulate machine lubricant including at least one of talc and graphite . exemplary embodiments described herein may specifically improve the efficacy of such seed inoculant formulations , especially when used in the presence of glyphosate . embodiments also feature methods comprising applying a composition to improve nutrition and / or yield of the treated plant under herbicide treated conditions . such an environment can be soil , a plant seed , a plant , or a plant part ( e . g ., leaves and stems ). the composition typically is applied in an amount effective to provide nitrogen sufficiency in the treated plant . typically , the rate of application is about 1 . 3 × 10 3 cfu / cm 2 to about 1 . 3 × 10 8 cfu / cm 2 of soil or seed , or about 1 . 3 × 10 3 cfu to about 1 . 3 × 10 8 cfu per seed or cutting . like the nature of the composition , a method of application such as spraying , atomizing , dusting , scattering or pouring , is chosen in accordance with the intended objectives and the prevailing circumstances . particularly suitable methods for applying a composition include methods that involve seed coating , soil application or incorporation into a growth medium . the number of times that a composition is applied may vary depending on the application . a composition can be applied to soil as a liquid , but can also be applied to soil in granular form . outdoor soil applications can be in furrow , broadcast , or soil injection . in greenhouse or other indoor environments , a composition can be applied by mixing with potting soils typically used in such environments . a composition may also be applied to seeds by impregnating the seeds with a liquid formulation , or coating them with a solid formulation . in various embodiments , liquid suspensions of bacteria ( in water or a growth media ) may be applied to seed at a rate of 5 to 10 ml per kg of seed and allowed to dry prior to bagging and storage . in special cases , further types of application are also possible , for example , selective treatment of individual plant stems or buds . the methods and compositions of the invention may be useful for increasing growth in a wide range of plants , including , without limitation , legumes , non - legumes , cereals , oilseeds , fiber crops , starch crops and vegetables . non - limiting examples of legumes include soybeans ; peanuts ; chickpeas ; all the pulses , including peas and lentils ; all the beans ; major forage crops , such as alfalfa and clover ; and many more plants of lesser agricultural importance , such as lupines , sainfoin , trefoil , and even some small tree species . non - limiting examples of cereals include corn , wheat , barley , oats , rye and triticale . non - limiting examples of oilseeds include canola and flax . non - limiting examples of fiber crops include hemp and cotton . non - limiting examples of starch crops include potato , sugar cane and sugar beets . non - limiting examples of vegetables include carrots , radishes , cauliflower , broccoli , peppers , lettuce , cabbage , peppers , celery and brussels sprouts . techniques for applying inoculants to plants are known in the art , including appropriate modes of administration , frequency of administration , dosages , et cetera . typically , inoculants are in a liquid or powdered form . suitable auxiliaries , such as carriers , diluents , excipients , and adjuvants are known in the art . for example , dry or semi - dry powdered inoculants often comprise the microorganism ( s ) of interested dispersed on powdered peat , clay , other plant material , or a protein such as casein . the inoculant may include or be applied in concert with other standard agricultural auxiliaries such as fertilizers , pesticides , or other beneficial microorganisms . the inoculant may be applied to the soil prior to , contemporaneously with , or after sowing seeds , after planting , or after plants have emerged from the ground . the inoculant may also be applied to seeds themselves prior to or at the time of planting ( e . g . packaged seed may be sold with the inoculant already applied ). the inoculant may also be applied to the plant after it has emerged from the ground , or to the leaves , stems , roots , or other parts of the plant . inoculants of the various embodiments may contain only one plant growth promoting bacterial strain ( e . g ., the microorganism deposited as pta - 10253 ) or may contain combinations of different bacterial strains . one or more strains of nitrogen - fixing rhizobacteria or other beneficial microorganisms may also be present . kits containing an inoculant will typically include one or more containers of the inoculant , and printed instructions for using the inoculant for promoting plant growth . the kit may also include tools or instruments for reconstituting , measuring , mixing , or applying the inoculant , and will vary in accordance with the particular formulation and intended use of the inoculant . further details concerning the preparation of bacterial inoculants and methods for inoculating plants with bacterial inoculants are found in e . g . u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 586 , 411 ; 5 , 697 , 186 ; 5 , 484 , 464 ; 5 , 906 , 929 ; 5 , 288 , 296 ; 4 , 875 , 921 ; 4 , 828 , 600 ; 5 , 951 , 978 ; 5 , 183 , 759 ; 5 , 041 , 383 ; 6 , 077 , 505 ; 5 , 916 , 029 ; 5 , 360 , 606 ; 5 , 292 , 507 ; 5 , 229 , 114 ; 4 , 421 , 544 ; and 4 , 367 , 609 , each of which is incorporated herein by reference . an isolated microorganism deposited as atcc accession number , pta - 10253 , or a herbicide resistant strain derived therefrom . in some embodiments , the microorganism is a bradyrhizobium deposited as atcc accession number , pta - 10253 . in various embodiments , the microorganism does not contain an artificial exogenous nucleic acid ( e . g ., a plasmid ). in various embodiments , the microorganism is glyphosate resistant . in some embodiments , the microorganism exhibits normal growth and viability at a glyphosate concentration between about 40 ppm to at least about 80 ppm glyphosate . in other embodiments , the microorganism exhibits normal growth and viability at a glyphosate concentration between about 50 ppm at least about 80 ppm glyphosate . in still other embodiments , the microorganism exhibits normal growth and viability at a glypho sate concentration between about 60 ppm to at least about 80 ppm glyphosate . in yet other embodiments , the microorganism exhibits normal growth and viability at a glyphosate concentration between about 70 ppm to at least about 80 ppm glyphosate . in still other embodiments , the microorganism exhibits normal growth and viability at a glyphosate concentration of about 80 ppm . at least on embodiment comprises an isolated culture comprising the microorganism deposited as atcc accession number , pta - 10253 , or a strain derived therefrom . embodiments further include an inoculant for application to plants , comprising an effective quantity of the microorganism deposited as atcc accession number , pta - 10253 , or a strain derived therefrom , and an agricultural carrier . in some embodiments , the carrier is a seed treatment . in various embodiments , the carrier is a liquid . in other embodiments , the carrier is a solid . in various embodiments , the effective quantity of the microorganism comprises an amount of at least 5 × 10 8 colony forming units per gram of the formulation ; and the inoculant further comprises an encapsulating material that forms microbeads encapsulating the herbicide resistant rhizobia strain when dried . in some embodiments , the inoculant composition comprises a particulate machine lubricant including at least one of talc and graphite . embodiments include a method for enhancing the growth of a plant , the method comprising the step of placing in the vicinity of the plant an effective quantity of a herbicide resistant microorganism deposited as atcc accession number , pta - 10253 or a strain derived therefrom , the strain able to enhance the growth of plants . various embodiments further comprises the step of administering the herbicide resistant microorganism by a method selected from the group consisting of application to the seeds of the plant , application to the plant , application to the locus of the plant root , and application by in - furrow spray . in some embodiments , the method further comprises the step of applying a glyphosate - containing herbicide to the plant . in various embodiments , the applying step is performed by a method selected from the group consisting of application before administering the herbicide resistant microorganism , application simultaneously with administering the herbicide resistant microorganism , and application after administering the herbicide resistant microorganism . in exemplary embodiments , the plant is a legume . in specific embodiments , the legume is a soybean plant . in various embodiments , the plant is a glyphosate - resistant soybean plant . embodiments further include a glyphosate - resistant soybean plant infected by a herbicide resistant microorganism deposited as atcc accession number , pta - 10253 or a strain derived therefrom exemplary embodiments are further detailed in the following examples , which are offered by way of illustration and are not intended to limit the invention in any manner . direct mutant selections were performed within petri dishes poured with vincent &# 39 ; s yeast extract , + d - mannitol agar ( vincent , 1970 ) amended with high level glyphosate . approximately 25 ml agar plates were initially spread with 100 μl of an undiluted commercial glyphosate formula ( roundup ®) containing 2 % glyphosate , resulting in a plate concentration of 80 ppm glyphosate . after the plates were sufficiently dry , about 10 8 to 5 × 10 8 colony - forming units ( cfu ) of the parent bacteria ( abm201 ) ( advanced biological marketing , van wert , ohio ), determined by serial dilution and plating on nonselective medium , were spread with a sterile , bent glass rod . the plates were carefully wrapped with parafilm ® to prevent the desiccation of the agar growth medium during prolonged incubation . the plates were then incubated at room temperature to 30 ° c . for approximately 2 to 3 weeks . colonies that developed resembled the parent strain and its growth characteristics on non - selective yem medium . the colonies were convex , entirely opaque , smooth , and only about 1 mm in diameter after 10 - 14 days of incubation . mutant frequency was about 5 × 10 − 7 to 1 × 10 − 6 . fig1 shows a photograph of glyphosate - resistant mutant bacterial colonies from successful direct selection of glyphosate - resistant bradyrhizobium strain 201 . mutant glyphosate - resistant bacterial colonies were picked with a sterile inoculating loop and then streaked on glyphosate medium of the same composition as selection , for purification . in order to determine whether the derivative microorganisms were biologically effective , a nodulation test in vermiculite support medium with nitrogen - free hoagland &# 39 ; s 1950 formulation of plant nutrient solution was initiated . briefly , soybean seeds of the minimax variety ( b . f . matthews , reg . no . cv - 489 , pi 643148 ) were surface - sterilized with 70 % ethanol for 30 seconds followed by two rinses with bacteria - free water . the seeds were then inoculated with 10 7 cfu of strain pta - 10253 . after inoculation , the seeds were subjected to a photoperiod of 16 hr using a 55 - watt daylight compact fluorescent bulb illuminated at a distance of about 20 cm . as shown in fig2 , nodules formed near the top of the tap root of soybean inoculated with the symbiotically - effective , glyphosate - resistant mutant strain pta - 10253 . the distribution and size of the nodules was similar to the parent strain and suggests the nodules are biologically effective . successful direct selection of glyphosate - resistant derivatives of a parent bradyrhizobium strain , abm strain 201 , one of the strains in various multi - strain soybean inoculant formulations made by abm , was confirmed by plant passage and demonstrated recovery of glyphosate bradyrhizobia from nodules . briefly , petri plates poured with yem amended with glyphosate were made as described above . isolation of glyphosate resistant mutants was demonstrated from nodules that had been surface - sterilized with commercial 3 % hydrogen peroxide for 1 hr , followed by 3 or 4 sterile water rinses . sterile blunt - ended glass rods were utilized as nodule - squashing instruments to re - isolate the nodule bacteria . the isolated bacteria were plated on glyphosate medium to verify resistance . glyphosate resistant bradyrhizobia strain abm201 mutants were obtained from nodules grown on glyphosate medium . accordingly , these experiments successfully demonstrated that bacteria occupying the nodules in fig2 were the glyphosate - resistant bradyrhizobium mutant strain . to further confirm the efficacy of atcc strain pta - 10253 , a multi - liter broth culture of pta - 10253 was prepared . a randomized block design in at least two field locations will be used to test the ability of strain pta - 10253 to boost soybean seed yield when high - level glyphosate resistant soybeans are planted and dosed with higher levels of roundup ® than traditionally employed . strain pta - 10253 will be compared specifically with its parent strain abm201 . the following references and others cited herein but not listed here , to the extent that they provide exemplary procedural and other details supplementary to those set forth herein , are specifically incorporated herein by reference . the citation of any publication is solely for its disclosure and should not be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention . b . e . caldwell and g . vest ( 1970 ), effects of rhizobium japonicum strains on soybean yields crop sci . ; 10 : 19 - 21 . hoagland , d . r . & amp ; amon , d . i . ( 1950 ). the water culture method for growing plants without soil . california agricultural experimental station circular no . 347 , pp . 1 - 32 . university of california , berkeley . kuykendall l d , elkan g h ( 1976 ). rhizobium japonicum derivatives differing in nitrogen - fixing efficiency and carbohydrate utilization . appl environ microbiol . oct ; 32 ( 4 ): 511 - 519 . holt et al ., in bergey &# 39 ; s manual of determinative bacteriology , 9th ed ., williams and wilkins , baltimore , md . ( 1994 ). kuykendall , l . d ., young , j . m ., martinez - romero , e ., kerr , a . and sawada , h . 2005 . order rhizobiales ( new ) family rhizobiaceae genus rhizobium . in brenner , krieg , staley and garrity ( eds ), the alpha -, beta -, delta - and epsilonproteobacteria , the proteobacteria , part c , bergey &# 39 ; s manual of systematic bacteriology , 2 nd . ed ., vol . 2 , springer , new york , n . y ., pp . 324 - 340 . kuykendall , l . d . and dazzo , f . b . 2005 . allorhizobium . in brenner , krieg , staley and garrity ( editors ), the alpha -, beta -, delta - and epsilonproteobacteria , the proteobacteria , part c , bergey &# 39 ; s manual of systematic bacteriology , 2 nd . ed ., vol . 2 , springer , new york , n . y ., pp . 345 - 346 . kuykendall , l . d ., hashem , f . m . and wang , e . t . 2005 . genus sinorhizobium . in brenner , krieg , staley and garrity ( eds ), the alpha -, beta -, delta - and epsilonproteobacteria , the proteobacteria , part c , bergey &# 39 ; s manual of systematic bacteriology , 2 nd . ed ., vol . 2 , springer , new york , n . y ., pp . 358 - 361 chen , w . x ., wang , e . t . and kuykendall , l . d . 2005 . genus mesorhizobium . in brenner , krieg , staley and garrity ( eds ), the alpha -, beta -, delta - and epsilonproteobacteria , the proteobacteria , part c , bergey &# 39 ; s manual of systematic bacteriology , 2 nd . ed ., vol . 2 , springer , new york , n . y ., pp . 403 - 408 . kuykendall , l . d . 2005 . genus bradyrhizobium . in brenner , krieg , staley and garrity ( editors ), the alpha -, beta -, delta - and epsilonproteobacteria , the proteobacteria , part c , bergey &# 39 ; s manual of systematic bacteriology , 2 nd . ed ., vol . 2 , springer , new york , n . y ., pp . 438 - 443 . kuykendall , l . d . 2005 genus azorhizobium . in brenner , krieg , staley and garrity ( editors ), the alpha -, beta -, delta - and epsilonproteobacteria , the proteobacteria , part c , bergey &# 39 ; s manual of systematic bacteriology , 2 nd . ed ., vol . 2 , springer , new york , n . y ., pp . 505 - 506 . zablotowicz , r . m ., and k . n . reddy . 2004 impact of glyphosate on the bradyrhizobium japonicumsymbiosis with glyphosate - resistant transgenic soybean : a minireview . j . environmental quality 33 : 825 - 831 . it is to be understood that while the embodiments have been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof , the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention . other aspects , advantages , and modifications are within the scope of the following claims .
| 0Human Necessities
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as described above , traditional plasma processing apparatus may generate particles that adhere to the sidewalls of the process chamber 102 . as described above , a liner 193 may be used to eliminate adhesion to sidewalls of the process chamber 102 , however adhesion to the liner 193 may still present yield issues due to particle buildup and subsequent separation . currently , as shown in fig1 , the liner 193 extends the entire height of the chamber sidewall , reaching from the first section 120 to the floor of the chamber , and along the floor of the process chamber 102 . in some embodiments , the chamber is cylindrical in shape , thereby resulting in a liner 193 with a bottom surface 196 that is annular , with side surfaces 197 extending upward from the outer circumference of the annular bottom surface 196 . the side surfaces 197 are preferably orthogonal to the bottom surface 196 . in some embodiments , the process chamber 102 may have one or more inlets and / or outlets along the sidewalls of the chamber . for example , the exhaust port 110 may be located along the sidewall of process chamber 102 . in the case of inlets or outlets located along the sidewalls of the process chamber , the liner 193 contains a corresponding aperture 195 in the side surface 197 , thereby allowing the free flow of gasses into and out of the process chamber 102 . according to one embodiment of the present disclosure , a liner is defined as shown in fig2 . the liner 200 may be constructed of aluminum or another electrically conductive material and may be of unitary construction . in some embodiments , the liner 200 is coated , such as with a thermal sprayed silicon . as described above , the liner 200 includes a bottom surface 201 , which is annular in shape . extending upward from the outer circumference of the bottom surface 201 is a side surface 202 . the side surface 202 of the liner 200 has a height that is less than that of the sidewalls of the process chamber 102 . to insure that the liner 200 protects the sidewalls of the process chamber 102 , spacers 210 are introduced beneath the liner 200 . these spacers 210 elevate the liner 200 so that the upper edge of the side surface 202 of the liner 200 covers the top portion of the sidewall of the process chamber 102 . in other words , the height of the side surface 202 added to the height of the spacer 210 is preferably about the same as the height of the sidewalls in the process chamber 102 . thus , the liner 200 extends to first section 120 . this allows the liner 200 to protect the sidewalls of the process chamber 102 . the spacers 210 are preferably constructed of an electrically conductive material . the spacers 210 may be aluminum bushings , or another structure , and there may be one or more spacers 210 used to support the liner 200 . the height of the spacer may be between 0 . 25 ″ and 1 . 00 ″ inches tall . in some embodiments , it is preferable that the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 is no higher than the platen 134 . fig6 shows an expanded view of one embodiment of the liner 200 and the spacer 210 . in this embodiment , the liner 200 is installed so as to be offset from the bottom of the process chamber 102 through the use of spacer 210 . a fastener 207 is used to secure the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 and the spacer 210 to the process chamber 102 . the fastener 207 is preferably electrically conductive and may be a screw or bolt . the spacer creates a volume 310 between the floor of the process chamber 102 and the bottom surface 201 of the liner . referring to fig2 - 4 , it can be seen that the liner 200 may have one or more apertures 305 along its side surface 202 . as described above , these apertures preferably align with inlet or outlets in the sidewalls of the process chamber 102 . additional apertures may be needed to allow the workpiece 138 and platen 134 to be moved into and out of the process chamber 102 . the side surface 202 of the liner 200 may be between 0 . 1 and 0 . 25 inches in thickness . as described above , the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 is preferably annular in shape , where the inner diameter may be greater than or equal to the diameter of the platen 134 , so that the liner 200 fits around the platen 134 in the process chamber 102 . in some embodiments , the inner diameter is between 15 . 5 ″ and 16 . 0 ″ inches . the outer diameter of the annular bottom surface 201 may be made to be roughly the same as the diameter of the process chamber 102 , so that the side surfaces 202 of the liner 200 are in close proximity to the sidewalls of the process chamber 102 during normal operation , such as less than 0 . 125 ″ away . the outer diameter may be between 21 . 5 ″ and 22 . 0 ″ inches . in addition to being elevated from the floor of the process chamber 102 , the liner 200 also has apertures 309 on its bottom surface 201 . these apertures 309 allow particles to fall through the bottom surface 201 and become trapped in the volume 310 defined between the floor of the process chamber 102 and the bottom surface 202 of the liner 200 . in some embodiments , the spacers 210 are affixed to the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 , such as by fasteners 207 that pass through one or more fastener holes 307 . in one embodiment , the fasteners 207 are screws . the apertures 309 can be configured in a variety of ways . for example , fig3 shows the apertures as concentric curved , arcuate slots . fig4 shows the apertures are radial rows of holes . in addition , any other pattern of holes , or any shape of hole may be used to form the apertures 309 . fig5 shows a bottom view of one embodiment of the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 . in this embodiment , six fastener holes 307 are provided to allow attachment to a corresponding number of spacers 210 . in this embodiment , the apertures 309 are concentric curved arcuate slots , having a width of about 0 . 125 inches . the apertures 309 may be positioned as close to one another as desired , as long as sufficient structural support is maintained . in some embodiments , over 40 % of the area between the outer diameter 311 and the inner diameter 312 is open . in other words , at least 40 % of the material that would exist between the outer diameter 311 and inner diameter 312 is removed by the presence of the apertures 309 . in other embodiments , the percentage of open area on the bottom surface 201 is higher than 50 %. the amount of open space maximizes the possibility that a particle will fall through the bottom surface 201 and get trapped in the volume 310 between the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 and the floor of the process chamber 102 . although only two sets of concentric slots are shown , the disclosure is not limited to this embodiment ; any suitable number of apertures may be used . once particles falls into the volume 310 between the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 and the floor of the process chamber 102 , it is beneficial that these particles remain trapped within this volume . the constant changes in pressure in the process chamber 102 may cause the particles to be agitated and float upward from the floor of the process chamber 102 . in some embodiments , the apertures are designed to minimize the possibility of particles floating upward through the apertures . in some embodiments , this is achieved by controlling the ratio of the thickness of the bottom surface 201 of the liner 200 to the width of the aperture 309 , also referred to as the aspect ratio of the aperture . for example , in some embodiments , the width of the apertures 309 is about 0 . 125 inches , while the thickness of the bottom surface of the liner is 0 . 25 inches . in this case , the ratio of surface thickness to aperture width is 2 . in other embodiments , ratios of greater than 1 are suitable . in a two dimensional aperture 309 , the characteristic dimension is typically the smaller dimension . for example , the characteristic dimension of the aperture 309 may be defined as its diameter ( in the case of circular apertures 309 ) or its width ( in the case of slotted apertures 309 ). by creating an aspect ratio greater than 1 , the possibility of a particle floating upward and passing through the aperture is reduced . this reduces the number of particles that fall atop the workpiece 138 , and consequently improve the device yield of the apparatus . in another embodiment , the liner comprises only a bottom surface . fig7 shows an embodiment where a liner 700 , having only a bottom surface , is used in a process chamber 102 . in this embodiment , a convention liner 193 is installed to line the sidewalls of the process chamber 102 to facilitate cleaning . liner 700 is installed on top of liner 193 , and may be secured to liner 193 , or process chamber 102 using fasteners . the liner 700 is offset from the bottom surface 196 of liner 193 , such as by spacers 210 . as described above , the spacers may be electrically conductive and may be aluminum bushings or any other suitable means . in some embodiments , the spacers are between 0 . 25 ″ and 1 . 0 ″ in height . in some embodiments , the fasteners secure the liner 700 to the pre - existing liner 193 . in other embodiments , the fasteners secure the liner 700 directly to the process chamber 102 , such as by passing through a hole in the pre - existing liner 193 . in other embodiments , liner 700 can be used without a pre - existing liner 193 . in this embodiment , the liner 700 is fastened to the floor of the process chamber 102 using fasteners through spacers 210 . in the embodiments employing liner 700 , a volume 310 is still created between the floor of the process chamber 102 and the bottom surface of the liner 700 . in addition , the bottom surface of liner 700 comprises a plurality of apertures , as described above with respect to liner 200 . thus , particles pass through the apertures in liner 700 and become trapped in the volume 310 . in some embodiments , the apertures comprise over 40 % of the area of the liner 700 . in some embodiments , the aspect ratio of the apertures is greater than 1 . furthermore , the liner 700 has dimensions similar to the bottom surface of liner 200 . in other words , it is annular in shape with an inner diameter of between about 15 . 5 ″ and 16 . 0 ″ and an outer diameter of between about 21 . 5 ″ and 22 . 0 ″. the apertures of liner 700 may be of any pattern , such as those shown in fig3 - 5 . the present disclosure is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein . indeed , other various embodiments of and modifications to the present disclosure , in addition to those described herein , will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings . thus , such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure . further , although the present disclosure has been described herein in the context of a particular implementation in a particular environment for a particular purpose , those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the present disclosure may be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes . accordingly , the claims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadth and spirit of the present disclosure as described herein .
| 7Electricity
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the present invention is predicated on the discovery that soluble sulfur , such as s 8 rings of sulfur , is catalyzed by a zinc complex of dithiocarbamate in combination with potassium caprylate and sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate ( sdbs ) surfactant creating pre - vulcanized , synthetic polyisoprene particles in a latex composition . this latex composition enables the production of latex film articles by dipping coagulant coated or coagulant free formers into the composition . a surfactant package inhibits synthetic polyisoprene particle agglomeration and flocculation . the latex dipped film has synthetic polyisoprene particles that become crosslinked and regions between the particles are crosslinked during the vulcanization cure forming both intra - crosslinked and inter - crosslinked bonds . the articles that result comprise a high quality and uniform latex film . the latex - stabilizing composition is one that keeps the particles of synthetic polyisoprene separated from each other in the aqueous medium . since the polyisoprene particles do not touch each other , they are unable to agglomerate and flock . this is important because , once the particles begin to agglomerate , the particles may never be separated due to van der waals forces . preferably , the latex - stabilizing composition comprises a surfactant package comprising at least one surfactant . an anionic surfactant is preferred , especially one that can be stably maintained for a period of well over one month and up to two months or more . an example of such a surfactant is sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate ( sdbs ). other examples include , but are not limited to , other alkyl aryl sulphonates , alkyl sulphonates , olefin sulphonates ( e . g ., c14 olefin sulphonate , which is sold under the trade name calsoft aos - 40 ( pilot chem . co ., red bank , n . j . ), and alcohol sulphates ( e . g ., sodium lauryl sulphate ). sdbs or another alkyl aryl sulphonate is preferably present in an amount of about 0 . 1 - 0 . 35 wt %, based on the dry weight of the polyisoprene . sdbs or another alkyl aryl sulphonate can be combined with one or more other surfactants , such as potassium caprylate , polyoxyethylene cetyl / stearyl ether , and the like . for example , sdbs or another alkyl aryl sulphonate can be combined with potassium caprylate , alone or in further combination with polyoxyethylene cetyl / stearyl ether . when sdbs or another alkyl aryl sulphonate is used in combination with one or more other surfactants , preferably each surfactant is present in an amount of about 0 . 05 - 1 . 2 wt %, based on the dry weight of the polyisoprene , and the total amount of the surfactant package is about 0 . 4 - 1 . 2 wt %, based on the dry weight of the polyisoprene . when sdbs or another alkyl aryl sulphonate is used in combination with potassium caprylate and polyoxyethylene cetyl - stearyl ether , preferably the polyoxyethylene cetyl - stearyl ether is present in an amount of about 0 . 1 - 0 . 5 wt %, based on the dry weight of the polyisoprene . in view of the above , the present invention provides a surfactant - stabilized , pre - vulcanized , synthetic polyisoprene latex composition having a isopropanol index rating of 3 . 0 . the isopropanol index test measures the extent of pre - vulcanization of synthetic latex particles in an aqueous latex emulsion by combining equal volumes of latex and isopropanol at room temperature and allowing the mixture to stand for 3 min . the isopropanol coagulates the latex , and the resulting consistency is numerically rated . the consistency of the coagulum indicates the degree of pre - vulcanization of the latex . as the latex becomes more pre - vulcanized , the coagulum loses more of its tackiness and becomes more crumbly . a rating of 2 . 5 indicates that small lumps form , whereas a rating of 3 . 0 indicates that the lumps are non - tacky , a rating of 3 . 5 indicates that , not only are the lumps non - tacky , the lumps disintegrate easily , and a rating of 4 . 0 indicates that dry crumbs form , evidencing a high degree of pre - vulcanization of the synthetic latex particles . the pre - vulcanization is monitored to assure that the synthetic latex emulsion is ready for dipping of polyisoprene condoms . the pre - vulcanization composition includes potassium caprylate and sdbs or another alkyl aryl sulphonate surfactants with zinc dithiocarbamate and soluble sulfur . the latex emulsion with surfactants wets the synthetic polyisoprene particles , catalytic action of zinc dithiocarbamate breaks the ring of soluble s 8 molecule forming linear chain of soluble sulfur pre - vulcanizing particles of synthetic polyisoprene . the post - vulcanization composition has sulfur and other accelerators that cause inter - particle cross - linking during vulcanization cure . such cross - linking results in a more homogeneous latex film having greater strength and elongation properties and crosslink density . preferably , the pre - vulcanizing composition comprises ( i ) a cross - linking package comprising zinc diethyldithiacarbamate or zinc dibutyldithiocarbamate accelerator and soluble sulfur ( ii ) a wetting agent . during pre - vulcanization , sulfur with its ring structure broken by the catalytic action of zinc dithiocarbamate accelerator penetrates the polyisoprene particles and initially interacts with the isoprene double bonds therein . the catalytic reactivity of zinc dithiocarbamate is detailed in the publication entitled “ the mechanism of zinc ( ii )- dithiocarbamate - accelerated vulcanization uncovered ; theoretical and experimental evidence ” by nieuwenhuizen , et al . is published in j . am . chem . soc ., 121 ( 1 ), 163 - 168 , 1999 . a second publication entitled “ zinc accelerator complexes . versatile homogeneous catalysts in sulfur vulcanization ” by nieuwenhuizen published in applied catalysis a : general 207 ( 2001 ) 55 - 68 . these two publications discuss the mechanism of catalytic action of zinc dithiocarbamates specifically zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate with sulfur . the book published by gary r . hamed , professor at university of akron , the chapter 2 of which is available at web address files . hanser . de / hanser / docs / 20040401 — 244515439 - 6683 — 3 - 446 - 21403 - 8 . pdf clearly indicates in chapter 2 . 3 . 1 . 1 . that for sulfur to be soluble it must have s 8 rings . the same chapter indicates that with zdbc , you need only small amount of sulfur since zdbc is an ultrafast accelerator . the web article at http :// www . chemistrymag . org / cji / 2007 / 097032pe . htm entitled ‘ effect of adding pyridine ligand on the structure and properties of complex zn ( s 2 cnbz 2 ) 2 ’ by zhong et al . indicates that zinc dibenzyldithiocarbamate and zinc dipyridinedithiocarbamate also have similar functionality of catalytic activity with sulfur . it is recognized that , unlike the s 8 rings of soluble sulfur , amorphous or polymeric sulfur are not soluble . however amorphous or polymeric sulfur becomes soluble at 120 ° c ., which is at or near the latex cure temperature , thus insoluble or polymeric sulfur remain outside synthetic polyisoprene particles in the latex emulsion and facilitates crosslinking of inter particle regions . according to embodiments of the present invention , diffusion of sulfur into synthetic polyisoprene particle requires sulfur to be soluble . the wetting agents used in accordance with the present invention facilitate wetting of the polyisoprene particles and brings soluble sulfur with ring structure broken by zinc dithiocarbamate catalytic action into contact with the surface of the polyisoprene particles and permeation of sulfur occurs during processing time provided . the pre - vulcanized structure of the aqueous latex emulsion is stable for several days , e . g ., up to 5 days . sulfur is preferably present in the synthetic polyisoprene latex emulsion in an amount of about 0 . 8 - 1 . 8 wt %, based on the dry weight of polyisoprene . if zinc oxide is used , preferably it is present in an amount of about 0 - 0 . 5 wt %, based on the dry weight of polyisoprene . examples of suitable wetting agents include , but are not limited to , salts ( e . g ., sodium salt or potassium salt ) of fatty acids , which are anionic , e . g ., sodium stearate , sodium oleate , and potassium caprylate . potassium caprylate is advantageously used with a salt of a short - chain fatty acid , sdbs and polyoxyethylene cetyl / stearyl ether . the penetration of the components of the pre - vulcanizing composition into the polyisoprene particles is a strong function of the polyisoprene particle size and size distribution . typically , smaller particles have a larger surface area , and the components of the pre - vulcanizing composition penetrate these small particles more rapidly . however , these larger surface areas result in more inter - particle regions , which are cross - linked by the cross - linking agent during post - vulcanization . in contrast , larger particles have a smaller surface area , and the components of the pre - vulcanizing composition penetrate these large particles more slowly . the smaller surface areas result in less inter - particle regions . aggregates of smaller particles appear like a large particle , which behaves differently than a large particle . therefore , there is a delicate balance in selecting the size and size range distribution of the polyisoprene particles to produce optimal strength properties that balance pre - vulcanization intra - particle cross - linking with post - vulcanization inter - particle cross - linking . as indicated above , particles in the range of about 0 . 2 - 2 micrometers provide optimal results . the penetration of the components of the pre - vulcanizing composition into the polyisoprene particles is also a function of the diffusion process , itself , which is a linear function of time and an exponential function of temperature , reflecting a thermally activated process . therefore , increasing the temperature by a few degrees during the pre - vulcanization step increases significantly the pre - vulcanization rate . for example , pre - vulcanization at room temperature requires from about 3 - 5 days or as much as about 9 days , while pre - vulcanization at an elevated temperature , e . g ., about 50 - 70 ° c ., requires only about 3 - 7 hours . preferably , the post - vulcanization composition comprises sodium dibutyl dithiocarbamate ( sdbc ), sulfur , a thiuram compound , and / or a xanthogen compound , alone or in further combination with a surfactant . examples of suitable xanthogens include , but are not limited to , diisopropyl xanthogen polysulphide ( dxp ), diisopropyl xanthogen , tetraethylthiuram disulfide , and xanthogen sulfide . dxp is a preferred xanthogen . an example of a thiuram compound is tetrabenzyl thiuram disulfide . the post - vulcanization composition is one that causes inter - particle cross - linking upon activation at the elevated temperature ( e . g ., 120 - 150 ° c .). in addition , this post - vulcanization cure also crosslinks the synthetic polyisoprene particles with permeated sulfur . such crosslinking results in a more homogeneous latex film having greater strength and elongation properties . the method comprises adding a latex - stabilizing composition , such as one comprising a surfactant package comprising at least one surfactant , such as at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of an alkyl aryl sulphonate ( e . g ., sdbs ), an alkyl sulphonate ( e . g ., olefin sulphonate ) and an alcohol sulphate ( e . g ., sodium lauryl sulphate ). sdbs can be combined with potassium caprylate , alone or with polyoxyethylene cetyl / stearyl ether . a preferred surfactant package comprises sdbs , potassium caprylate , and polyoxyethylene cetyl / stearyl ether . upon addition of the latex - stabilizing composition , the emulsion is stirred , to keep the polyisoprene particles from touching each other . then , the method comprises the steps of adding a pre - vulcanization composition to formulate a synthetic polyisoprene latex emulsion ( a ) a zinc dithiocarbamate selected from zinc diethyldithiocarbamate and zinc dibutyldithiocarbamate and combinations thereof ; ( b ) sulfur , preferably with high s 8 content and ( b ) a wetting agent . the wetting agent is preferably a salt of a fatty acid , such as sodium stearate , sodium oleate , or potassium caprylate . the aqueous latex emulsion is stirred and periodically examined for permeation of pre - vulcanization agents into the synthetic polyisoprene particles by using the isopropanol index test . the reason why this sequence is adopted is because the polyisoprene latex has an inherent tendency to flock and ‘ case harden ’ due to peripheral reaction with sulfur catalyzed by zdbc or zdec . this has to be prevented so that tightly bonded particles do not result . the presence of surfactants and creation of opened out s 8 chains of sulfur enables the diffusion of sulfur into the particles . the method further comprises the steps of adding post - vulcanization composition to the synthetic polyisoprene latex emulsion with accelerators selected from the group consisting of sdbc , reactive zinc oxide , sodium diethyldithiocarbamate , sodium dibutyldithiocarbamate , thiuram such as tetrabenzyl thiuram disulfide and xanthogen . if reactive zinc oxide is present , preferably it is present in an amount of about 0 to 0 . 5 wt %, based on the dry weight of polyisoprene . the thiuram can be tetraethylthiuram disulfide , tetrabenzyl thiuram disulfide . the xanthogen can be dxp , diisopropyl xanthogen , or xanthogen sulfide . the composition thus produced is stable for up to about 5 days at 20 ° c . to 25 ° c . and can be used in a production line . table 1 below shows an example of a composition that exhibits pre - vulcanization behavior . a typical mixing sequence of the aqueous synthetic latex emulsion is illustrated in table 2 . the table lists the steps and the time period involved . thus , the present invention further provides a method of forming a synthetic polyisoprene latex article . the method comprises dipping a coagulant - free or coagulant coated former in the above - described pre - vulcanized synthetic polyisoprene aqueous latex emulsion composition at least once to form a thin layer of latex film with individual particles of pre - vulcanized synthetic polyisoprene on the surface of the former . the former can be any suitable former as is known in the art . the present inventive composition is particularly useful for layering onto formers for condoms and gloves . the method then comprises allowing the thin layer of latex film formed on the surface of the former to dry after each dip . the spaces between the particles decrease as the layer dries . after the last layer of latex film is dry in the case of multiple dips of the former into the synthetic polyisoprene latex emulsion , the method further comprises post - vulcanizing the thin latex film on the former . the film can be post - vulcanized by heating the film , e . g ., to about 120 to 150 ° c . for about 8 to 15 min . during this period , the inter - particle regions are cross - linked . the intra - particle regions also undergo further crosslinking , producing a more homogeneous latex product . then , the method comprises stripping the latex film from the former . in the absence of pre - vulcanization of the synthetic polyisoprene particles , crosslinking predominantly occurs in the periphery of the synthetic polyisoprene particles , resulting in weak particles . attempts to crosslink the inter particle region within the particles only during post - vulcanization results in over crosslinking of the intra - particle regions , which , in turn , results in a latex product with poor stretch properties . table 3 lists a typical dipping sequence of a condom . a similar sequence can be created for a synthetic polyisoprene surgical glove . the sequence of dipping for the condoms using the surfactant - stabilized , pre - vulcanized synthetic polyisoprene latex composition is typically within the 5 - day period , the average lifetime of synthetic polyisoprene latex emulsion tank . a condom former is dipped in the composition in a first dip , and the thickness of the latex film is controlled by the total solids content of the composition in the dip tank and the speed of movement of the formers . the latex film is dried at about 60 - 80 ° c . for about 1 - 3 min . the latex film on the former is dipped again into the composition to apply a second dip coating . the latex film after the second dip is dried at about 60 - 80 ° c . for about 1 - 3 min . the free end of the condom is rolled to create a bead ring and is dried at about 70 - 100 ° c . for about 1 - 3 min . the latex film is post - vulcanized at about 110 - 130 ° c . for about 11 - 15 min . the latex film is leached in water at about 70 - 80 ° c . for about 1 - 2 min to remove residual surfactants and cross - linking agents from the latex film . the latex film is then stripped from the formers . the latex articles produced display higher strength and improved stretch , even when a low stereo - regularity synthetic polyisoprene is used . the synthetic polyisoprene articles are free from irritation - causing proteins and solves the long outstanding problem of latex sensitivity . mechanical properties of a synthetic polyisoprene latex film produced according to the subject invention were compared that disclosed in prior art . for example , the synthetic polyisoprene disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 828 , 387 ( wang ) had a tensile strength of over 3000 psi ( 20 . 68 mpa ), elongation of greater than about 750 % at break , and a tensile modulus of less than about 300 psi ( 2 . 07 mpa ) at 300 % elongation as measured in accordance with astm d412 . tensile properties of synthetic polyisoprene production condom measured according to iso 4074 : 2002 test method is shown in the table 4 below . tear is a very important property of a condom material . tear strength of synthetic polyisoprene condom was measured and compared with that of natural rubber condom according to astm d624 : 2000 method and is shown in table 5 below . the burst pressure and burst volume of a condom is a critical measure of its performance . tables 6a and 6b show burst volume and burst pressure data . where mv , p = mean volume , pressure respectively , sd - v , p = standard deviation volume , pressure respectively , ncv , p = nonconformance volume , pressure respectively the method of measuring molecular weight distribution and calculating crosslink density requires cutting of disks from condom samples and swelling the disk samples in toluene until equilibrium . the disks were initially weighed and after swelling they are weighed again . the equilibrium volume fraction of the swelled rubber was calculated using equation shown below . in this equation p r is the density of rubber ( 0 . 92 g / cm 3 ), p s is the density of toluene ( 0 . 862 g / cm 3 ), w r is the weight of rubber before swelling and w s is the weight of swelled rubber . the volume fraction was used in the florey - rehner equation shown below to calculate the crosslink density . in this equation n is the crosslink density , v s is the molar volume of toluene the swelling solvent , which is 106 . 3 cm3 / mol , v r is the volume fraction of the rubber phase in the swollen gel , and is the toluene - cis polyisoprene interaction parameter , which is 0 . 39 . the molecular weight between crosslinks was calculated by the following equation . table 7 shown below reports measured molecular weight between crosslinks and corresponding crosslink density for several of synthetic polyisoprene condoms manufactured according the embodiments of the subject invention . also shown are the values for a synthetic polyisoprene condom marketed by durex , presumably manufactured according to uk gb 2 , 436 , 566 lrc patent application . also shown are the values for natural rubber condoms . higher the molecular weight between crosslinks , lower is the crosslink density . the data presented indicates that the process of the present invention results in synthetic polyisoprene condoms that have very consistent molecular weight between crosslinks . since durex polyisoprene condoms have a higher value of molecular weight between crosslinks , the crosslink density is lower than that produced by the present process . the molecular weight between crosslinks for the condoms according to the present invention is comparable to that of natural rubber and has adequate mechanical properties . fig1 shows a transmission electron micrograph of a pre - vulcanized and post - vulcanized synthetic polyisoprene condom latex taken from the middle portion of the condom thickness . the sample was prepared using the following procedure . sample regions of the condom sample were taken and extracted in cold acetone overnight to remove any low molecular weight materials that may subsequently interfere with the styrene polymerization process . the samples were then dried for approximately 48 hrs at below 40 ° c . to remove any solvent traces . the extracted films were then swollen overnight in styrene solution containing 1 wt % benzoyl peroxide initiator and 2 wt % dibutylphthalate plasticizer to aid sectioning . the swollen films were then placed in capsules with excess styrene solution and heated at 70 ° c . until the styrene had fully polymerized . the styrene - swollen , polymerized samples were sectioned by ultramicrotomy at room temperature . by leaving some polystyrene attached to the surfaces of each condom , it was possible to prepare ultra - thin sections that contained the entire width of each condom . the sections were carefully relaxed by exposure to low levels of xylene vapor and transferred to transmission electron microscopy ( tem ) grids . the sections were then stained in osmium tetroxide vapor for one hour and examined by tem . osmium tetroxide reacts with carbon - carbon double bonds and , therefore , it imparts a dark stain to polymers containing unsaturated groups , while leaving the polystyrene unstained . the figure shows at 10 the original synthetic polyisoprene particles showing uniform distribution of cross - link networks . the intersection of these particles is shown at 11 , and it shows a similar distribution of cross - link networks indicated by uniformity of dark stains , indicating that the synthetic polyisoprene latex film is cross - linked at the synthetic polyisoprene particle level and at intersections . the polystyrene remnants are seen at 13 . the overall particle size is approximately 0 . 8 microns . this homogeneously cured , synthetic polyisoprene results in improved tensile strength at break , superior elongation , and tear properties . in view of the above , the present invention provides an article made from the above - described surfactant - stabilized , pre - vulcanized , synthetic polyisoprene latex emulsion composition . the article is free from defects and has a stretch to failure of at least about 600 %. table 5 shows an elongation of over 1000 % at failure . the article has intra - particle and inter - particle crosslinking and under transmission electron microscopy ( tem ) a uniform distribution of dark stains with a deviation of less than about 5 % from one location to other within the tem micrograph . the synthetic polyisoprene article is preferably a condom or a glove . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ,” “ an ,” “ the ,” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to illuminate better the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention , unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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in its broadest aspects , the invention comprises thermoplastic compositions which are admixtures of ( b ) an ultraviolet light radiation stabilizing amount of an ultraviolet light stabilizer which is a synergistic combination of compounds ( i ) and ( ii ) described above . for the compounds of formula ( 1 ) above , which are employed as component ( b ) ( i ) in the compositions , examples of substituents r 1 and r 2 include divalent radicals derived from straight lined compounds such as ethane , propane , butane , pentane , hexane , heptane , octane , nonane , decane , undecane , dodecane , tridecane , tetradecane , pentadecane , and hexadecane , as well as branched alkanes such as isobutane , isopentane , neopentane , isohexane , and so forth . particularly referred are those compounds in which r 1 and r 2 are derived from c 2 to c 10 alkanes especially c 2 to c 6 alkanes , and most of all , propane , to give a compound having the formula ## str4 ## a commercial product with this formula is available from ciba - geigy corporation under the trade designation tinuvin 234 . for those compounds represented by formula ( 2 ) above , which make up component ( b ) ( ii ), in the preferred embodiments the substituents r a , r b , r c and r d are methyl , r 3 is methyl or hydrogen , and especially hydrogen , r 6 and r 7 are branched alkyl , and especially tert butyl , and r 5 is c 1 to c 6 alkyl , that is , methyl , ethyl , propyl , butyl , pentyl or hexyl , straight lined or branched , and especially n - butyl . most highly preferred is the compound butyl -( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - benzyl ) malonic acid - bis ( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethyl - 4 - piperidinyl ) ester , which has the formula ## str5 ## a commercial product having this formula is available from ciba - geigy corporation under the trade designation tinuvin 144 . only small amounts of component ( b ) are needed in the usual case to impart good ultraviolet light resistance in the composition . for instance , preferred embodiments will comprise from about 0 . 1 to about 10 parts by weight of ( b ), which includes components ( b )( i ) and ( b )( ii ) combined , for each 100 parts by weight of total resin in the composition , that is , polyphenylene ether resin if used alone , or polyphenylene ether resin together with polystyrene resin , etc . the polyphenylene ethers ( also known as polyphenylene oxides ) used in the present invention are a well known class of polymers widely used in industry as a result of the discovery by allan s . hay of an efficient and economical method of preparation . since their discovery , they have given rise to numerous variations and modifications but still may , as a class , be generally characterized by the presence of arylenoxy structural units . the present invention includes all of said variations and modifications , including but not limited to those described hereinafter . the polyphenylene ethers generally comprise structural units having formula i , below . in each of said units independently , each q 1 is independently hydrogen , halogen , primary or secondary lower alkyl ( i . e ., alkyl containing up to 7 carbon atoms ), phenyl , haloalkyl or aminoalkyl wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen or nitrogen atom from the benzene ring , hydrocarbonoxy , or halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms ; and each q 2 is independently hydrogen , primary or secondary lower alkyl , phenyl , haloalkyl , hydrocarbonoxy or halohydrocarbonoxy as defined for q 1 . examples of suitable primary lower alkyl groups are methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , n - butyl , isobutyl , n - amyl , isoamyl , 2 - methylbutyl , n - hexyl , 2 , 3 - dimethylbutyl , 2 -, 3 - or 4 - methylpentyl and the corresponding heptyl groups . examples of secondary lower alkyl groups are isopropyl , sec - butyl and 3 - pentyl . preferably , any alkyl radicals are straight chain rather than branched . most often , each q 1 is alkyl or phenyl , especially c 1 - 4 alkyl , and each q 2 is hydrogen . suitable polyphenylene ethers are disclosed in a large number of u . s . patents . the following are illustrative but not limiting : ______________________________________3 , 226 , 361 3 , 330 , 806 3 , 929 , 930 4 , 234 , 7063 , 234 , 183 3 , 390 , 125 4 , 028 , 341 4 , 334 , 0503 , 257 , 357 3 , 431 , 238 4 , 054 , 533 4 , 340 , 6963 , 257 , 358 3 , 432 , 466 4 , 092 , 294 4 , 345 , 0503 , 262 , 892 3 , 546 , 174 4 , 097 , 556 4 , 345 , 0513 , 262 , 911 3 , 700 , 630 4 , 140 , 675 4 , 374 , 9593 , 268 , 478 3 , 703 , 564 4 , 158 , 728 4 , 377 , 6623 , 306 , 874 3 , 733 , 307 4 , 207 , 406 4 , 477 , 6493 , 306 , 875 3 , 875 , 256 4 , 221 , 881 4 , 477 , 6513 , 318 , 959 3 , 914 , 266 4 , 226 , 951 4 , 482 , 697 4 , 517 , 341 . ______________________________________ both homopolymers and copolymers are included . suitable homopolymers are those containing , for example , 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 1 , 4 - phenylene ether units . suitable copolymers include random copolymers containing such units in combination with , for example , 2 , 3 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 , 4 - phenylene ether units . many suitable random copolymers , as well as homopolymers , are disclosed in various hay patents . also contemplated are graft copolymers , including those prepared by grafting onto the polyphenylene ether chain such vinyl monomers as acrylonitrile and vinylaromatic compounds ( e . g ., styrene ), and such polymers as polystyrene and elastomers . other suitable polyphenylene ethers are the coupled polyphenylene ethers in which the coupling agent is reacted with the hydroxy groups of two polyphenylene ether chains to increase the molecular weight of the polymer . illustrative coupling agents are low molecular weight polycarbonates , quinones , heterocyclics and formals . the polyphenylene ether generally has a molecular weight ( number average , as determined by gel permeation chromatography , whenever used herein ) within the range of about 5 , 000 - 40 , 000 ; its intrinsic viscosity is most often in the range of about 0 . 45 - 0 . 5 dl ./ g ., as measured in chloroform at 25 ° c . the polyphenylene ethers may be prepared by known methods , typically by the oxidative coupling of at least one corresponding monohydroxyaromatic compound . a particularly useful and readily available monohydroxyaromatic compound is 2 , 6 - xylenol ( wherein each q 1 is methyl and each q 2 is hydrogen ), whereupon the polymer may be characterized as a poly ( 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 1 , 4 - phenylene ether ). any of the various catalyst systems known in the art to be useful for the preparation of polyphenylene ethers can be used in preparing those employed in this invention . for the most part , they contain at least one heavy metal compound such as a copper , manganese or cobalt compound , usually in combination with various other materials . a first class of preferred catalyst systems consist of those containing copper . such catalysts are disclosed , for example , in the aforementioned u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 306 , 874 , 3 , 306 , 875 , 3 , 914 , 266 and 4 , 028 , 341 . they are usually combinations of cuprous or cupric ions , halide ( i . e ., chloride , bromide or iodide ) ions and at least one amine . manganese - containing systems constitute a second preferred class of catalysts . they are generally alkaline systems containing divalent manganese and such anions as halide , alkoxide or phenoxide . most often , the manganese is present as a complex with one or more complexing and / or chelating agents such as dialkylamines , alkanolamines , alkylenediamines , o - hydroxyaromatic aldehydes , o - hydroxyazo compounds , ω - hydroxyoximes ( monomeric and polymeric ), o - hydroxyaryl oximes and α - diketones . also useful are cobalt - containing catalyst systems . the following additional patents disclose manganese - and cobalt - containing catalyst systems for polyphenylene ether preparation : ______________________________________3 , 956 , 242 4 , 083 , 828 4 , 184 , 0343 , 962 , 181 4 , 093 , 596 4 , 315 , 0863 , 965 , 069 4 , 093 , 597 4 , 335 , 2333 , 972 , 851 4 , 093 , 598 4 , 385 , 168 . 4 , 058 , 504 4 , 102 , 8654 , 075 , 174 4 , 110 , 312______________________________________ particularly useful polyphenylene ethers for the purposes of this invention are those which comprise molecules having at least one of the end groups of formulas ii and iii , below , wherein q 1 and q 2 are as previously defined ; each r 1 is independently hydrogen or alkyl , with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in both r 1 radicals is 6 or less ; and each r 2 is independently hydrogen or a c 1 - 6 primary alkyl radical . preferably , each r 1 is hydrogen and each r 2 is alkyl , especially methyl or n - butyl . polymers containing the aminoalkyl - substituted end groups of formula ii may be obtained by incorporating an appropriate primary or secondary monoamine as one of the constituents of the oxidative coupling reaction mixture , especially when a copper - or manganese - containing catalyst is used . such amines , especially the dialkylamines an preferably di - n - butylamine and dimethylamine , frequently become chemically bound to the polyphenylene ether , most often by replacing one of the α - hydrogen atoms on one or more q 1 radicals . the principal site of reaction is the q 1 radical adjacent to the hydroxy group on the terminal unit of the polymer chain . during further processing and / or blending , the aminoalkyl - substituted end groups may undergo various reactions , probably involving a quinone methide - type intermediate of formula iv , below , with numerous beneficial effects often including an increase in impact strength and compatibilization with other blend components . reference is made to the aforementioned u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 054 , 553 , 4 , 092 , 294 , 4 , 477 , 651 and 4 , 517 , 341 . polymers with biphenol end groups of formula iii are typically obtained from reaction mixtures in which a by - product diphenoquinone of formula v , below , is present , especially in a copper - halide - secondary or tertiary amine system . in this regard , the disclosures of the aforementioned u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 234 , 706 , 4 , 477 , 649 and 4 , 482 , 697 are particularly pertinent . in mixtures of this type , the diphenoquinone is ultimately incorporated into the polymer in substantial proportions , largely as an end group . in many polyphenylene ethers obtained under the above - described conditions , a substantial proportion of the polymer molecule , typically constituting as much as about 90 % by weight of the polymer , contain end groups having one or frequently both of formulas ii and iii . it should be understood , however , that other end groups may be present and that the invention in its broadest sense may not be dependent on the molecular structures of the polyphenylene ether end groups . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing that the polyphenylene ethers contemplated for use in the present invention include all those presently known , irrespective of variations in structural units or ancillary chemical features . to insure completeness of disclosures and to facilitate an understanding of the scope of the present invention , the relevant disclosures of all of the patents listed hereinabove are incorporated by reference herein . if a rubber modified , high impact alkenyl aromatic resin is used together with the polyphenylene ether ( oxide ) resin , it is preferred that the alkenyl aromatic portion is derived at least in part from a compound or compounds of the formula ## str7 ## wherein r 1 and r 2 are selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl or alkenyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms , and hydrogen ; r 3 and r 4 are selected from the group consisting of chloro , bromo , hydrogen and lower alkyl of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms ; r 5 and r 6 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl or alkenyl groups of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms , or r 5 or r 6 may be concatenated together with hydrocarbyl groups to form a naphthyl group . compounds within the above formula include styrene and its homologs and analogs . in addition to styrene , examples include alpha - methyl styrene , paramethyl styrene , 2 , 4 - dimethyl styrene , chlorostyrene , dichlorostyrene , bromostyrene , dibromostyrene , p - tert - butylstyrene , p - ethylstyrene , vinyl xylene , divinylbenzene , and vinyl naphthalene . styrene is especially preferred . suitable rubber modifiers , which can be in admixture or interpolymerized with the alkenyl aromatic resin , include natural rubber , as well as synthetic rubbers such as polyisoprene , polybutadiene , polychloroprene , ethylene - propylene - diene terpolymers ( epdm rubber ), styrene - butadiene copolymers ( sbr rubber ), styrene - acrylonitrile copolymers ( san ), ethylene - propylene copolymers ( epr rubber ), acrylonitrile rubbers , polyurethane rubbers and polyorganosiloxane ( silicone ) rubbers . the rubber content can vary widely , but generally will range in amount from about 5 to about 45 percent by weight , depending on particular requirements of impact resistant modification . the polyphenylene ether resin and the rubber modified , high impact poly ( alkenyl aromatic ) resin are admixable in virtually all proportions , for example , in a weight ratio between 95 : 5 and 5 : 95 of the two , and more often between 80 : 20 and 20 : 80 . the plasticizer will generally be any high boiling liquid or low melting solid having the effect of softening the composition and reducing the glass transition temperature of the polyphenylene ether resin . the plasticizer may be selected from among non - polymeric and polymeric materials known to exert effects . by way of illustration , suitable types include linear aliphatic esters based on dibasic acids , such as adipates , azelates , and sebacates , or linear aliphatic esters based on phosphorus . other suitable types include cyclic esters , such as phthalates , terephthalates , benzoates and trimellitates . especially preferred are organic phosphate plasticizers , and particularly aromatic phosphate compounds of the formula : ## str8 ## in which each q represents the same or a different radical selected independently from among alkyl , cycloalkyl , aryl , alkyl - substituted aryl , aryl - substituted alkyl , halogen , and hydrogen , with at least one q always being aryl . examples include phenylbisodecyl phosphate , phenylbisneopentyl phosphate , phenylethylene hydrogen phosphate , phenyl - bis -( 3 , 5 , 5 &# 39 ;- triethylhexyl phosphate ), ethyldiphenyl phosphate , 2 - ethylhexyl di ( p - tolyl ) phosphate , diphenyl hydrogen phosphate , bis ( 2 - ethylhexyl ) p - tolylphosphate , tritolyl phosphate , bis ( 2 - ethylhexyl ) phenyl phosphate , tri ( nonyl - phenyl ) phosphate , phenylmethyl hydrogen phosphate , di ( dodecyl ) p - tolyl phosphate , tricresyl phosphate , triphenyl phosphate , dibutylphenyl phosphate , 2 - chloroethyldiphenyl phosphate , p - tolyl - bis ( 2 , 5 , 5 &# 39 ;- trimethylhexyl ) phosphate , 2 - ethylhexyldiphenyl phosphate , diphenyl hydrogen phosphate , and the like . most preferred are triphenyl phosphate and its derivatives , for example , isopropylated triphenyl phosphate . also useful are polymeric plasticizing resins , such as polystyrene homopolymers , which exert a plasticizing function in the present blends . in general , amounts from the minimum effective , for example , about 5 parts by weight , up to about 30 parts by weight , per 100 parts of the combined polymeric ingredients , are employed in the plasticized embodiments , with particular amounts being dependent on specific requirements . plasticized components in accordance with the invention can and often do also include effective amounts of an impact strength modifier or modifiers . these may be selected from among polymeric materials customarily employed for this purpose . typically , the impact modifiers will be copolymers or terpolymers of alkenyl aromatic compounds of the formula shown above with rubber or elastomer precursors . preferred are linear , graft or radial teleblock copolymers of styrene and a diene , for instance , copolymers of styrene and butadiene or of styrene and isopropene , as well as hydrogenated versions thereof in which the degree of unsaturation has been reduced . the amounts are conventional . the compositions of this invention may also contain other ingredients . these may be selected from among the various materials customarily employed with polyphenylene ether resins and blends as inert extenders or to enhance the chemical and physical properties . examples include flame retardant agents , mineral fillers ( for instance , clay , talc , mica and aluminum silicate ), reinforcing agents ( for instance , glass fibers , flakes or spheres , or titanate fibers ), coloring agents ( for instance , dyes or pigments ), plasticizers , odor suppressants , mold release agents , flow enhancers ( for instance , melt viscosity reducers ), and so forth . these may be employed singly or in combination , in amounts which are conventional . the flame retardant agent or agents may be selected from among materials containing chemical elements known for their ability to impart flame resistance , for example , bromine , chlorine , antimony , phosphorus and nitrogen . included among them are various aliphatic and aromatic phosphates , phosphonates and phosphites ; halogenated ( brominated or chlorinated ) organic compounds ; halogenated organic compounds in admixture with antimony oxide ; halogen - containing compounds in admixtures with phosphorus compounds containing phosphorus - nitrogen bonds ; halogenated ( brominated or chlorinated ) polymers such as polystyrene and aromatic polycarbonates or their lower molecular weight oligomeric counterparts . special mention is made of flame retardant organic phosphorus containing compounds , especially aromatic phosphates such as found among the compounds mentioned above , as well as di - and polyfunctional phosphates as disclosed in british pat . no . 2 , 043 , 833 ; stable halogen - containing flame retardant compounds , especially brominated or chlorinated bis - phenoxy alkanes ; and brominated or chlorinated polystyrenes . especially preferred are triphenyl phosphate and isopropylated triphenyl phosphate , which have the capability of functioning as both a plasticizer and flame retardant in suitable proportions in the present blends . amounts of up to about 30 parts by weight for each 100 parts of the polymeric components are typical for the flame retardant agent in the compositions of this invention . preparation of the compositions into shaped articles may be accomplished in any conventional or convenient manner . in one procedure , the ingredients are dry - or solution blended , the mixture is passed through a screw extruder at a temperature of from about 450 ° to about 650 ° f ., the extrudate is cooled , chopped into pieces and then injection molded at a temperature of from about 450 ° to about 650 ° f . the compositions may be prepared into any of the types of articles for which polyphenylene ether resin blends are known , and they are especially advantageous for the manufacture of products intended for regular use in the outdoors , or indoors under bright artificial light , either of which can change the original color of the plastic surface over a period of time . by way of illustration , the compositions of this invention can be made into grilles , headlamp bezels , wheelcovers and decorative trim on automobiles , home laundry and dishwasher consoles , air conditioner grilles , personal care or home use products such as coffee makers , food processors , curling irons and shower massagers , bases and housings for office business machines , tv cabinets , and so forth . the invention is illustrated in the following examples , which are intended to show best or preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting . various thermoplastic compositions were prepared with 45 parts by weight of poly ( 2 , 6 - dimethyl 1 , 4 - phenylene ) ether resin ( ppo ®, general electric co . ), 55 parts by weight of rubber modified , high impact polystyrene resin , 13 parts by weight of isopropylated triphenyl phosphate ( kronitex ® 50 , fmc corp . ), 1 . 5 part by weight of polyethylene , 0 . 5 part by weight of diphenyl decyl phosphite , 0 . 15 part by weight of zinc sulfide , 0 . 15 part by weight of zinc oxide and 3 parts by weight of titanium dioxide . to one such composition , no stabilizer was added . to others , butyl -( 3 , 5 - di - tert butyl - 4 - hydroxy - benzyl )- malonic acid - bis ( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetra methyl - 4 - piperidinyl ) ester ( tinuvin 144 , ciba - geigy corp ., a hindered amine antioxidant - type uv stabilizer ), by itself , or 2 ( 2 &# 39 ;- hydroxy - 3 &# 39 ;, 5 &# 39 ;- bis ( di - methyl benzyl ) phenyl ) benzotriazole ( tinuvin 234 , ciba - geigy corp . a combination benzotriazole and hindered phenol screening - type uv light stabilizer ), by itself , or both , in the amounts shown in the table below , were included . each of the compositions was prepared by pre - blending the ingredients at room temperature ( about 23 °- 25 ° c .) using a mixer , extruding the pre - blend through a twin - screw extruder at 540 ° c ., and injection molding the extrudate into test pieces using an injection melt temperature of 450 ° c . and a mold temperature of 180 ° c . the molded samples were evaluated for uv light resistance by exposure in an atlas xenon arc uv test apparatus , under a glass panel having a thickness of 0 . 130 inch , and measuring the yellowness index at various time intervals . the time needed to reach a change in yellowness index ( δy . i .) equivalent to + 1 was determined in each case . the percentage of synergism , if any , for the compositions containing both of the uv stabilizers was calculated using the following equation : ## equ1 ## where t s = exposure time required to reach δy . i .=+ 1 for combination of additive 1 ( tinuvin 234 ) and additive 2 ( tinuvin 144 ) at the same concentration ; t c = exposure time required to reach δy . i .=+ 1 of control sample ( containing no additive ); t 1 = exposure time required to reach δy . i .=+ 1 for additive 1 ; t 2 = exposure time required to reach δy . i .=+ 1 for additive 2 . the results are shown in the table . the amounts for the additives are stated in parts by weight per 100 parts of total resin weight . table__________________________________________________________________________polyphenylene ether resin blends containing none or various amounts of uvstabilizers ratiouv stabilizer , uv stabilizer , day of exposure to control percentexampletinuvin 234 tinuvin 144 to reach δy . i . = + 1 samples synergism__________________________________________________________________________control0 0 10 . 8 1 -- 1a * 0 . 25 0 18 . 6 1 . 7 -- 1b * 0 0 . 25 16 . 1 1 . 5 -- 1 0 . 25 0 . 25 25 . 6 2 . 4 13 . 02a * 0 . 5 0 20 . 6 1 . 9 -- 2b * 0 0 . 5 24 . 6 2 . 3 -- 2 0 . 5 0 . 5 39 . 2 3 . 6 20 . 33a * 1 . 0 0 21 . 4 2 . 0 -- 3b * 0 1 . 0 34 . 0 3 . 2 -- 3 1 . 0 1 . 0 55 . 5 5 . 3 32 . 2__________________________________________________________________________ * comparison composition , only one of the two additives present . ** calculated according to equation shown . as can be seen from the table , the percentage of synergism increases as the concentrations of the uv stabilizers ( tinuvin 234 and tinuvin 144 ) increase . the synergistic effect is illustrated in the figure , in relation to the control sample and the samples containing each of the additives by themselves . the improvement over the shorter term ( that is , exposure time required to reach δy . i .=+ 1 ) as well as over the longer term ( that is , leveled - off δy . i . values ) are both indicated beside the respective curves .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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fig1 shows prior art in a cross - sectional view of a free ( freestanding ) t - gate 10 formed by conventional processing . t - gates are typically formed using a stack of metals , e . g . ti / pt / au for state - of - the - art si / sige p - modfets , where ti is used for the gate contact because of its high schottky barrier on p - type si . alternate gate stacks may be used depending on the gate work function desired . for example , the t - bar and neck portions of the t - gate may be formed from any conductive material , including metals ( for example al , au , co , ir , mo , nb , ni , pd , pt , re , ru , ti , ta , and w ), conductive nitrides and suicides ; layers of these materials , combinations of these materials . the t - gate has a neck portion 20 , which rests on the surface that the whole t - gate is standing on . the neck portion is topped by the t - bar portion 30 . the t - bar portion has overhangs which extend beyond the neck portion by a certain width . there is an empty volume under the overhang , bounded on three sides by the bottom surface of the overhang , the neck - portion , and the surface on which the t - gate is standing . fig2 shows schematically the steps for forming a prior art sidewall - supported t - gate structure . a t - shaped opening 12 is formed in dielectric layer 14 to form the structure of fig2 a , and opening 12 is filled with conductive gate material 16 to form the structure of fig2 b . then dielectric layer 14 is etched back , using the t - bar portion of the gate as a mask , to form the structure of fig2 c with dielectric supports 18 . the volume underneath the overhang is completely filled up with the dielectric supports 18 . fig3 shows schematically the steps for forming enhanced t - gate structures . fig3 a - 3f show the steps of two embodiments of the methods for forming an enhanced t - gate from a free t - gate . both embodiments start with the formation of a conventional , prior art , free t - gate 10 , with neck portion 20 and t - bar portion 30 , on substrate 40 , as shown in fig3 a . formation of a free t - gate 10 would typically be accomplished by a lift - off process comprising the steps of forming a 2 - tone resist layer on substrate 40 , patterning neck and t - bar openings in the resist , depositing the conductive materials of the t - gate by a vertical deposition process , and lifting off the unwanted conductive materials by removing the resist . in both embodiments , free t - gate structure 10 is conformally coated with a of low - k ( low - k means a dielectric constant of under 3 . 5 ) insulating material . in one embodiment this is a thick layer as shown 50 on fig3 b . layer 50 is shown as being planarizing , but it may be conformal or intermediate between conformal and planarizing . this layer 50 completely fills the region of space shadowed by the t - bar . in an alternate embodiment of the method the conformal dielectric on the t - gate is a thin layer of low - k insulating material 80 , as shown in fig3 e . for both embodiments the next step is anisotropically removing the insulator by using the t - bar portion as mask . fig3 c shows the structure of fig3 b after insulator 50 has been anisotropically etched ( for example , by reactive ion etching ) to leave behind sidewall spacers 55 sandwiching the t - gate neck 20 , forming enhanced t - gate 60 . the thickness and shape of sidewall spacers 55 can be adjusted by controlling the anisotropy of the etch , as well as the overetch time . fig3 d shows the structure of fig3 c after a thinning of sidewall spacer supports 55 to form thinned sidewall spacer supports 70 in enhanced t - gate structure 75 . the lateral etch may be performed concurrently with or after the anisotropic etch used to form the structure of fig3 c . the volume underneath the overhang is only partially filled up with insulator 70 in the enhanced t - gate 75 , leaving air - gaps / voids 220 in that certain volume . this void 220 is important for reducing capacitance and in forming self - aligned source / drain metallurgy . in an alternate embodiment of the method fig3 f shows the structure of fig3 e after insulating layer 80 has been anisotropically etched ( for example , by reactive ion etching ) to leave behind sidewall spacers 85 around the neck portion 20 , forming enhanced t - gate 90 . the insulator 80 under the t - bar overhang has a thickness which is less than half the height of the t - gate neck portion . accordingly in the enhanced t - gate 90 the insulator has approximately a “ c ”- shape , as it is attached to the bottom surface of the t - bar portion , the neck portion , and the surface on which the free t - gate is standing . the air - gap / void 220 now is found inside the c - shaped insulator . an advantage of this embodiment of the method is that the dimensions of sidewall spacers 85 are controlled by the thickness and conformality of layer 80 , rather than by the timing and anisotropy of the etch . sidewall spacers 55 , 70 and 85 provide respective enhanced t - gates 60 , 75 and 90 with additional mechanical stability and serve to protect the delicate neck portion 20 from chemical attack during processing . thin conformal low - k spacers with voids also result in low gate parasitic capacitances . experiments with exposure to 9 : 1 buffered oxide etch ( boe ), which is a commonly used reagent in si processing for removing native oxide from si , of prior art free t - gates and enhanced t - gates show the superior resiliency of the enhanced t - gates . in the case of prior art free t - gates , formed by conventional ti / au / pt metallurgy , after a 20 second dip in boe a large fraction were no longer attached to the substrate . in contrast the enhanced t - gates of the present invention were all intact even after a 30 second exposure to 9 : 1 boe . these enhanced t - gates were formed from the same ti / au / pt metallurgy as the free t - gates , but with sidewall spacers of diamond - like carbon ( dlc , also known as amorphous hydrogenated carbon , a - c : h ). while dlc is a preferred material for the sidewall spacer , other insulating materials may be used as well , providing that they have the necessary thermal stability , chemical inertness and low dielectric constant . these insulating materials are preferably selected from the group of low - k ( k & lt ; 3 . 5 ) materials comprising amorphous hydrogenated silicon ( a - si : h ), sico , sicoh , and sich compounds ; these silicon - containing materials with some or all of the si replaced by ge ; insulating inorganic oxides , inorganic polymers ; organic polymers such as polyimides or silk ™ ( trademark of dow chemical co . ); fluorinated organic materials , fluorinated amorphous carbon , other carbon - containing materials ; hybrid organo - inorganic materials such as spin - on glasses and silsesquioxane - based materials . these materials may be deposited by any number of deposition techniques , for example , chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ), plasma - enhanced cvd ( pecvd ), plasma polymerization , hot - filament - assisted cvd , and high - density - plasma pecvd ( hdp - pecvd ); sputter deposition , reactive sputter deposition , ion beam deposition ; spinning from solution , spraying from solution , dipping , etc . fig4 shows schematically the steps of a further embodiment of the method for forming an enhanced t - gate structure . conventional , free t - gate 10 , with neck portion 20 and t - bar portion 30 , is first formed on substrate 40 , as shown in fig4 a . fig4 b shows again , as in the previous embodiments , that the free t - gate structure 10 has been conformally coated with a of low - k insulator . in this embodiment the conformal insulator is a thick layer of a photosensitive insulating material ( pim ) 105 . pim layer 105 is shown as being planarizing , but it may be conformal or intermediate between conformal and planarizing . fig4 c shows the structure of fig4 b after pim 105 has been anisotropically removed using the t - bar portion as masking element . this embodiment of the method involves some intermediate steps . the pim layer 105 is blanket - exposed to light of the appropriate wavelength and intensity , and developed to leave behind self - aligned sidewall spacers 107 and enhanced t - gate structure 109 . sidewall spacers 107 are self - aligned because the overhang of the t - bar portion 30 masks the underlying pim during the blanket exposure . the thickness of sidewall spacers 107 can be adjusted by controlling the exposure dose , as well as the develop time . sidewall spacers 107 can provide enhanced t - gate 109 with additional mechanical stability and serve to protect delicate neck portion 20 from chemical attack during processing . air - gaps / voids 220 are left in the volume under the overhang , since the pim sidewall width is less than the overhang width . photosensitive insulating materials for forming the enhanced t - gate of fig4 c should be “ positive - tone ,” i . e ., the exposed material is removed during development . suitable photosensitive insulating materials may be selected from the group comprising photosensitive organic polymers ( such as photosensitive polyimides ) and photosensitive fluorocarbons ( such as amorphous cfx ). these materials may be deposited by spinning or spraying from solution , dipping , or any other technique known to the art , such as the deposition techniques listed for sidewall spacers 55 , 70 , and 85 . the insulating sidewall spacers of enhanced t - gates 75 and 109 also enable the formation of source contacts that are under the t - bar portion , thereby allowing a closer source - to - gate spacing ( and lower r s ) than is possible with conventional t - gates . fig5 shows schematically the self - aligned source / drain metallurgy steps for a prior art t - gate device , and for the enhanced t - gate device . in a conventional free t - gate , ohmic source and drain contacts are often formed by directly evaporating the metallurgy over the t - gates without any lithography steps . the deposited metal breaks over the t - gate overhang , thereby forming self - aligned source / drain contacts . this is shown in fig5 a , where a modfet with conventional free t - gate 10 has additional source / drain contacts 110 and t - bar portion metal 120 formed by a vertical metal deposition indicated by arrows 130 . this self - aligned process can be taken one step further with the enhanced t - gate , when directional deposition techniques such as angled evaporation are used . the insulating layer around the neck of the t - gate allows the source - to - gate spacing to be reduced without shorting the source to the gate . this is shown in fig5 b , where a modfet with enhanced t - gate 75 or 109 has source / drain contacts 140 and additional t - bar portion metal 150 formed by an angled metal deposition indicated by arrows 160 . source / drain contacts 140 extend at least partially under the t - bar portion of the t - gate , and their edge is defined by the sidewall spacers 70 , 107 . if desired , source / drain contact metallurgy 140 may be induced to react with substrate 40 ( by a process such as annealing ) to form , for example , silicide contacts . air - gaps / voids 220 are left in the volume under the overhang . fig6 shows schematically two modfet devices comprising an enhanced t - gate structure . the modfet of fig6 a has a free t - gate 170 ( indicating the combined neck and t - bar portions ), with enhancement from sidewall spacers 70 or 107 . the enhanced t - gate stands on an appropriately processed substrate 40 , with self aligned source / drain metallurgy 140 penetrating nearer to the neck portion than the width of the overhang . the modfet of fig6 b has a free t - gate 170 , with enhancement from sidewall spacers 85 . the enhanced t - gate stands on an appropriately processed substrate 40 , with self aligned source / drain metallurgy 140 , with self aligned source / drain metallurgy 140 preferably penetrating nearer to the neck portion than the width of the overhang . contacts to the devices are shown only symbolically , 42 to the source , 43 to the gate , and 44 to the drain . fig7 shows symbolically an integrated circuit comprising a modfet device which in turn is comprising an enhanced t - gate structure . the integrated circuit 79 , for instance , a communication device , comprises at least one modfet of the kind which has an enhanced t - gate . in contrast to the prior art supported t - gate of fig2 c , the dielectric neck supports of the present invention are thinner than the width of the t - bar portion overhang , as shown in fig3 d , 3 f , and 4 c resulting in a reduced gate parasitic capacitance relative to prior art supported t - gates in which the region of space shadowed by the t - bar portion is completely filled with dielectric . fig8 shows the enhanced t - gate structures with voids under the t - bar portion after deposition of a first layer of interconnect dielectric . as indicated in fig8 a and 8b , the advantage of reduced gate parasitic capacitance can persist even after the fabrication of an interconnect wiring structure , providing that the first layer of interconnect dielectric 210 ( typically a low - k material that may be the same or different from the sidewall spacer dielectric ) can be deposited nonconformally so as to leave the air - gaps / voids 220 of the enhanced t - gate structure intact even after the interconnect wiring has been fabricated . we have described and illustrated an enhanced t - gate structure and a method for fabricating it . the structure offers advantages in device performance , yield and scalability . while the present invention has been described in an illustrative manner , it should be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in a nature of words of description rather than of limitation . many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings , and could be apparent for those skilled in the art . the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims .
| 7Electricity
|
turning now to fig1 and 2 , indicated generally at 10 in fig1 is a mold box assembly incorporating the present invention , with a mold box , shown generally at 12 , received in a mold box support frame , shown generally at 14 . as best seen in fig2 mold box 12 includes a pair of opposed , substantially parallel side plates 16 , 18 shown in dashed lines , and a pair of opposed , substantially parallel mounting brackets 20 , 22 which are positioned at opposite ends of side plates 16 , 18 . mounting brackets 20 , 22 are secured to side plates 16 , 18 by bolts indicated generally at 24 . partition plates 26 , 28 , shown in dashed lines , extend between side plates 16 , 18 and include end surfaces , such as surfaces 30 , 32 shown in fig1 which flushly abut an interior side of each side plate . the spaces between partition plates , such as plates 26 , 28 , provide cavities into which wet cement is compressed and thereafter stripped therefrom to form a molded concrete product . a pair of elongate slots or couplers 34 , 36 are formed centrally on the outer planar surfaces or sides of mounting brackets 20 , 22 . coupler 34 includes slots 34a , 34b , 34c . coupler 36 is substantially identical to coupler 34 . mounting bracket 22 is substantially identical to mounting bracket 20 . coupler 36 is also substantially identical to coupler 34 . as illustrated in fig1 and 2 , support frame 14 includes a pair of opposed , substantially parallel side beams 42 , 44 and a pair of opposed , substantially parallel end brackets 46 , 48 positioned at opposite ends of side beams 42 , 44 , which together define a substantially rectangular frame having four corner portions as shown . an alignment pin , such as pin 58 shown in fig2 is mounted on the end bracket at each corner portion and an alignment bore , such as bore 60 , coaxial with the pin , is formed on the side beam . the bores are sized and positioned so that , when each bore has its associated alignment pin therein , the mold box support frame is sufficiently aligned to form molded products , all as more fully described in my u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 361 , 790 for self - aligning mold box assembly . as seen in fig2 a pair of elongate slots 62 , 64 is formed on the inner sides of side beams 42 , 44 . a pair of substantially rectangular spacers or plates 66 , 68 , shown in fig1 and 2 , are provided for assembly 10 . spacer 66 has an expanse , shown generally in fig2 at 70 , 72 , disposed adjacent each of its ends 74 , 76 . spacer 68 also has an expanse 78 , 80 ( not shown ) disposed adjacent each of its ends . expanses 70 , 72 and 78 , 80 of spacers 66 , 68 are received in slots 62 , 64 respectively , of side beams 42 , 44 and slidably travel therealong . the sides 82 , 84 of spacers 66 , 68 respectively , are provided with elongate lip portions 86 , 88 which couple with elongate slots or couplers 34 , 36 on mounting brackets 20 , 22 . as best seen in fig3 and 4 , a pair of retractors , one of which is retractor 90 , are included in assembly 10 for moving spacers 66 , 68 in order to adjustably accommodate exchange of smaller mold boxes , such as box 12 , in assembly 10 . the other retractor , not visible in the drawings , is located at the opposite end of mold box assembly 10 and is substantially identical to retractor 90 . retractor 90 includes a bore 94 disposed centrally in frame end bracket 46 , and a threaded bore 96 , disposed centrally in a side of spacer 66 , with the bore and the threaded bore being coaxial with respect to each other . retractor 90 further includes an associated bolt 98 , which is threaded adjacent its end so as to engage spacer 66 when the bolt is fully extended through the bores . each frame end bracket , such as end bracket 46 , further includes a pair of threaded bores , such as bores 100 , 102 ( fig3 and 4 ), spaced apart from each other , and each spacer , such as spacer 66 , has a pair of corresponding bores having ends , such as bores 104 , 106 , disposed in the spacer , with the threaded bores in the end brackets and the bores in the spacers being coaxial with respect to each other . a pair of associated bolts threaded adjacent their heads , such as bolts 108 , 110 , are provided to engage the threaded bores , such as bores 100 , 102 , in the end brackets , such as end bracket 46 , when the bolts are fully extended through the end brackets with the ends of the bolts abutting the ends of the spacer bores , such as spacer bores 104 , 106 . lock washers , such as washers 112 , 114 , are provided for each bolt , such as bolts 108 , 110 , to lock the bolts in place , as shown in fig4 . a mold box having substantially shorter side plates than the side beams of the mold box support frame may be adapted by the method of the invention by removing one of the frame end brackets , such as end bracket 46 , and installing in the frame a pair of spacers , such as spacers 66 , 68 , with the expanses of each spacer received in the slots , such as slots 62 , 64 , of side beams 42 , 44 to slidably travel therealong . the end bracket is then fixedly mounted on the ends of the frame side beams . the retractor 90 retractably moves spacer 66 to accommodate placement or exchange of mold boxes , such as box 12 , in assembly 10 . bolt 98 is threaded through central bore 94 on the frame end bracket and into threaded bore 96 to engage spacer 66 , and move the spacer outwardly toward the frame end brackets , as best seen in fig3 . the mold box is placed in the frame , and the spacers are slid into the slots on the mounting brackets of the mold box by movement of bolts , such as bolts 108 , 110 through threaded bores 100 , 102 in the end brackets , such as end bracket 46 , with the ends of the bolts abutting the end of the spacers bores , such as spacer bores 104 , 106 . the lock washers , such as washers 112 , 114 then are engaged to lock the bolts in place , as shown in fig4 . so positioned , the spacers are flushly received in the slots in the box mounting brackets and the mold is ready to be filled with wet cement material . it can thus be seen that the structure and method provided by the present invention produces important advantages . first , the vertical vibration forces imparted to mold box assembly 10 during operation are distributed over a relatively larger area . specifically , the top and bottom surfaces of spacer 66 are substantially flushly abutted against the top and bottom surfaces of slots 34a , 34b , 34c . similarly , top and bottom surfaces of spacer 66 are substantially flushly abutted against the top and bottom edges of slots 62 , 64 . vertical vibration forces set up in mold box 12 are thus spread over a larger area than if mold box 12 were , e . g ., simply bolted to mold box support frame 14 at several locations . when bolts are used , as in prior art adapters , only the heads of the bolt resist upward forces imparted to the mold box . another advantage of the present invention relates to the ease of changing a mold box , like mold box 12 , out of the mold box support frame and mounting a different mold box thereon . to achieve the same , bolts 108 , 110 are unscrewed from the position of fig4 to that of fig3 and bolt 98 is inserted through bore 94 and into threaded bore 96 . threaded bolt 98 moves spacer 66 into configuration of fig4 to that of fig3 . when the same procedure preformed on the structure associated with spacer 68 at the opposite end of the assembly , both spacers are withdrawn to the position of fig3 thereby allowing mold box 12 to be removed by withdrawing the same through the top or bottom of mold box support frame 14 . the mold box to be installed , which includes mounting brackets substantially identical to mounting brackets 20 , 22 , is inserted into frame 14 in the same position as mold box 12 is depicted in fig1 . thereafter , bolt 98 ( in fig3 ) is removed , bolts 108 , 110 are screwed in to slide spacer 66 into bores 100 , 102 the configuration shown in fig4 . substantially the same procedure is performed on structure at the opposite end of assembly 14 to urge spacer 68 into the slots making up coupler 36 in the same fashion that spacer 66 is urged into slots 34a , 34b , 34c . while a preferred construction for , and methods of practicing the invention have been disclosed herein , it is appreciated that variations and modifications may take place without departing from the spirit of the invention .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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the blank of the present invention is made from a single piece which comprises folds and connections . the connections protrude from a plurality of panels . fig1 - 7 depict embodiments of the two - dimensional blank mask of the present invention . fig1 - 6 are blanks without any design . the blanks show a plurality of folds in dotted line . the overall shape of the blanks is of a butterfly , wherein the head is the front panel 100 , the wings are the right side panel 200 and left side panel 300 , the torso is the top panel 400 and the tail is the back panel 500 . the five panels are joined by connections formed in the blank . fig1 and 2 comprise numbered tabs which are matched to corresponding numbered slots or cuts in solid lines . fig3 and 4 comprise numbered tabs which are matched to corresponding numbered cuts as well as shaded adhesive sections . fig5 and 6 comprise numbered adhesive sections , shown in shading and numbered non - adhesive section , but do not comprise tabs or cuts . adhesive sections may be covered with removable protective sheet during shipping , which is removed prior to assembly . alternatively , adhesive sections may require moisture to activate prior to assembly . alternatively , the numbered sections illustrated as non - adhesive may also be adhesive . the embodiments vary by the type of connections and minor differences in the shapes of the panels . other types of connections and panel shapes are contemplated so long as the blank has the overall butterfly shape and the connections are suitable to join panels together . the number of connections may vary if the panels have modified shapes , as discussed below and illustrated in fig1 . the minimum number of connections contemplated is six , namely , one connection on each side of the front panel 100 coupled to each of the side panels 200 , 300 ; one connection on each side of the back panel 500 coupled to each of the side panels 200 , 300 and one connection proximate the top panel 400 at each intersection of the front panel 100 and side panels 200 , 300 . fig7 illustrates the blank of fig3 with a design of a known superhero face , namely spider - man ™. this blank was suitable as it comprises a rounded chin design , as compared to the chin on the front panel of fig2 , for example , which is more square - shaped . the skilled worker having regard to the specification and drawings will choose appropriate blank embodiments of the present invention which are suitable to the desired design . other blank embodiments of the present invention may comprise shortened side panels 200 , 300 with less connections , as shown in fig1 . as well , various shapes may be cut out from one or more panels such as semi - circles to accommodate the user &# 39 ; s ears in side panels 200 , 300 or ovals to accommodate the user &# 39 ; s eyes in front panel 100 , both shown in fig1 . the blank may be made from paper , cardboard , plastic or any suitable material which can be folded stored and shipped in two - dimensions , for subsequent assembly . a combination of different materials may also be used , such as more rigid material for the majority of the blank and transparent material at various locations such as at the eye placement on the front panel . holes or various shapes may be precut in one or more panel or perforated for the user to remove as needed . the fold lines may be pre - stamped to expedite assembly . assembly may be done by anyone of school age or older , having regard to the following assembly instructions : 1 . fold the blank along all the fold lines . 2 . a ) embodiments with tabs and cuts connections : insert a numbered tab into and through the corresponding numbered cut . for example , tab 1 is inserted into cut 1 ′, tab 2 is inserted into cut 2 ′, etc . 2 . b ) embodiments with adhesive section connections : activate the numbered adhesive section by removing protective sheet or wetting , then apply to the corresponding non - adhesive numbered section . 3 . perforate eye holes , if applicable and as needed , for wear . as such , the top panel 400 is integrally joined to all other panels . the front panel 100 is integrally joined to the top panel 400 and adapted to be coupled to the right side panel 200 by connections 1 , 1 ′ and 4 , 4 ′ and left side panel 300 by connections 2 , 2 ′ and 3 , 3 ′. as well , the back panel 500 is integrally joined to the top panel 400 and adapted to be coupled to the right side panel 200 by connections 6 , 6 ′ and 7 , 7 ′ and left side panel 300 by connections 5 , 5 ′ and 8 , 8 ′. corner connections 9 , 9 ′ and 10 , 10 ′ once assembled provide a smooth and continuous look to the mask at the interface of panels 100 , 300 , 400 and 100 , 200 , 400 respectively . assembled embodiments of the present invention are depicted in fig8 - 12 . fig1 and 12 show examples of superhero and sports figure designs . other designs are contemplated . fig1 shows a user wearing one of the assembled blanks of fig9 and 10 . the eye location on front panel 100 may optionally be cut out or made of transparent or porous material to enhance the user &# 39 ; s wearing experience . the blank of the present invention may be precut from a template or formed within a larger surface for easy removal by a user . while it is contemplated that the blanks of the present invention are of suitable size to be worn by a user , any size blank may be constructed with regard to the present description and figures , including smaller model versions . in addition , while the blanks may be constructed with colour designs , the skilled worker will appreciate that any type of design may be applied to the blank including design outlines that may be coloured or painted by a user prior to assembly of the mask . although the description above contains many specific details , these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments . thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , rather than by the examples given .
| 0Human Necessities
|
as stated above , the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for enhancing yield and turnaround time ( tat ) in semiconductor device manufacturing by employing multiplicate - layer - handling optical correction , which are now described in detail with accompanying figures . like and corresponding elements are referred to by like reference numerals . the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale . referring to fig1 , a flow chart illustrates a method of manufacturing a set of at least one reticle ( lithographic mask ) using a chip design layout modified to enhance lithographic performance . the enhancement of lithographic performance can lead to enhancement in lithographic yield , product yield , and product reliability of semiconductor chips that are manufactured employing the modified chip design layout . further , this method can also be employed to optimize a chip design layout employing multiplicate - layer - handling optical correction . referring to step 100 , a chip design layout including at least one design level is provided . each of the at least one design level can represent a lithographic level employed in a manufacturing sequence for manufacturing semiconductor chips embodying the design in the chip design layout . each design level includes at least one design shape . depending on the nature of a design level , the design level can include only a single type of design shape or many different types of design shapes . for example , a contact via level or interconnect metal via ( vx ) levels may include only a single type of design shape , i . e ., a design shape for a contact via hole or a metal interconnect via hole , while a recessed oxide ( rx ) level , a gate conductor ( gc ) level , and interconnect metal line ( mx ) levels may include multiple types of design shapes , i . e ., various design shape each having different shapes . if multiple types of design shapes are present in a design level , each type geometrically differs from other types , e . g ., by at least one of dimensions , angles , or other geometric interrelations between line or curve segments that define a design shape . for example , design shapes representing different metal lines may have different lengths , widths , or inflection . a set of at least one design shape that is known to be associated with potential lithographic printing problems are identified in the chip design layout . if a region includes a design shape known to be associated with potential lithographic printing problems , such a region is referred to as a potential lithographic hot spot . a potential lithographic hot spot is a region in which lithographic images are expected to cause undesirable electrical shorts or electrical opens upon formation of a corresponding structure in a semiconductor chip . if a design level includes only a single type of design shape , this design shape can be deemed to be associated with potential lithographic printing problems if any lithographic printing problem is expected at the design level . if a design level includes multiple types of design shapes , the types of design shapes deemed to be associated with potential lithographic printing problems can be identified with an automated program or by manual identification . once the set of at least one design shape is defined , for each design shape in the set of at least one design shape , regions in which at least one instance of the design shape is present are marked with a marker layer . thus , regions of potential lithographic hot spots associated with an instance of each identified design shape are marked with marker layers in the chip design layout , thereby a first modified chip design layout that includes the marker layers . in one embodiment , the regions of potential lithographic hot spots in the chip design layout can be identified employing an automated program that analyzes geometrical features in the chip design layout around each instance of the design shape . referring to step 200 , for each design shape in one or more design levels in the chip design layout , multiplicate shapes are added to each instance of the in the marker layers in the chip design layout . each of the multiplicate shapes represents a variant design shape , i . e ., an alternate design , for the design shape . in one embodiment , each variant design shape can include at least one modification to the design shape that can enhance lithographic printability in one aspect . the design shape as originally present in the chip design layout before addition of the multiplicate shapes is referred to as the “ original ” design shape to be distinguished from the design shapes of the multiplicate shapes . in another embodiment , one of the multiplicate shapes may be identical to the original design shape . in this embodiment , the set of multiplicate shapes includes one original design shape and at least one variant design shape . a design shape may be modified only at a single edge or a plurality of edges of the design shape . alternately , a design shape may be modified to a set of geometrical features to a degree that is sufficient to affect circuit performance . if modifications are made to a design shape to the degree that affects circuit performance , the design shape may be referred to as a design circuit , and the modifications are referred to as a variant design circuit . as used herein , a design shape includes one or more unit design shapes that define a unit component of a semiconductor device , a sub - unit of a unit component of a semiconductor device , a plurality of components of a semiconductor device , a single semiconductor device , a plurality of semiconductor devices , or a set of semiconductor devices that constitutes a circuit . for example , a first variant design shape may be smaller than the design shape so that a conductive component corresponding to an instance the first variant design shape in a semiconductor chip is not electrically shorted to an adjacent conductive component or , alternately , a conductive path corresponding to an instance of the first variant design in a semiconductor chip does not form an electrical open therein . in addition , a second variant design may be larger that the design shape so that a conductive component corresponding to an instance the second variant design shape in a semiconductor chip does not form an electrical open therein or , alternately , a conductive path corresponding to an instance of the second variant design in a semiconductor chip is not electrically shorted to an adjacent conductive component . further , additional variant design shapes may provide different degrees of modification to prevent undesirable electrical opens or undesirable electrical shorts . yet further , the additional variant design shapes may provide a wider or a narrower conductive path and / or a thicker , thinner , deeper , or shallower conductive path or electrical isolation structure to modulate the degree of electrical connection or electrical isolation associated with the design shape . the multiplicate shapes are added wherever any instance of the original design shape is marked with a marker layer . if multiple types of design shapes are marked with a marker layer , each design shape may be associated with a different set of multiplicate shapes . in other words , the set of multiplicate shapes that are added to an instance of a design shape depends on the design shape . thus , if n different types of original design shapes are marked with marker layers , up to n different sets of multiplicate shapes may be provided so that an i - th set of multiplicate shapes are added to each instance of an i - th design shape . the number of multiplicate shapes in each set of multiplicate shapes may be the same or different across different sets of multiplicate shapes . the number of multiplicate shapes in a set of multiplicate shapes corresponding to a single original design shape may be typically from 2 to 1 , 000 , and more typically from 2 to 10 , although a greater number can also be employed . a second modified design is derived from the first modified design by adding corresponding multiplicate shapes to each marker layer at step 200 . referring to step 300 , an optical correction program having multiplicate layer handling capability is run for all design levels including marker layers . each of the multiplicate shapes is successively employed to perform optical corrections for each instance of the design shape in the marker layers . the optical correction program having multiplicate layer handling capability can be configured to apply at least one of optical proximity correction ( opc ) and optical rule checking ( orc ). as used herein , opc refers to a photolithography enhancement technique used to compensate for image errors due to diffraction or process effects as known in the art . as used herein , orc refers to opc verification in which rule checks are performed on wafer print image simulation to predict failures . the optical correction program having multiplicate layer handling capability calculates effects of shapes located outside a selected marker layer upon a lithographically simulated printed image of each multiplicate shape within the selected marker . referring to fig2 , a flow chart illustrates a sequence of steps that can be employed to perform step 300 in fig1 . specifically , multiplicate - layer - handling optical correction can be performed employing the steps of the flow chart in fig2 for each design level in the second modified chip design layout . the steps in the flow chart of fig2 can be performed by an automated system including at least one computing means such as at least one computer . in one embodiment , the multiple - layer - handling optical correction can be performed sequentially for each design layer including instances of at least one design shape that are marked with marker layers . in another embodiment , each such design layer can be sequentially selected at each step in the flow chart of fig2 . all design layers including marked instances of at least one design shape are processed with multiplicate - layer - handling optical correction . referring to step 301 , multiplicate - layer - handling optical correction begins for each selected design layer . the selected design layer may be the only design layer including marked layers in a chip design layout or one of the multiple design layers including marked layers . the chip design layout is divided into a number r of regions . each of the marker layers is included in one of the number r of regions . each of the number r of regions can include no marker layer , a single marker layer , or multiple marker layers . in one embodiment , each of the number r of regions can include none or only one of the marker layers . for example , if a design level includes only a single design shape representing a contact via or a interconnect metal via , all regions including at least one instance of the design shape for that design level include marked layers . if a design level includes multiple design shapes and a subset of design shapes less than all of the multiple design shapes are marked with marked layers , for example , in a gate conductor level or in an interconnect metal line level , some regions may not include any marker layer and some other regions may include at least one marker layer . in one embodiment , the regions can be divided without regard to the number of design layers present therein . in another embodiment , the regions can be divided to include a predetermined number of levels so that a set of multiple regions correspond to a same physical area on a manufactured semiconductor chip . between step 310 and step 399 , optical corrections are successively performed on each of the multiplicate shapes located within the number r of regions . referring to step 310 , a region index r for running an automated program for multiplicate - layer - handling optical correction on a computing means is set to 1 . referring to step 315 , an automated program running on the computing means determines whether the selected region , i . e ., the region of the chip design layout labeled with the current value of the region index r , includes any of the marked layers . the optical correction program having multiplicate layer handling capability may be subsequently run only if a selected region includes one or more of the marker layers . if the selected region does not include any of the marker layers , step 320 is performed . at step 320 , a normal optical correction program is run on design shapes in the selected region , which include only unmarked design shapes . the unmarked design shapes are identical to the design shapes as provided in the chip design layout at step 100 in fig1 prior to generating any marked layers . any optical correction program known in the art can be employed for the normal optical correction program . after step 320 , step 370 is performed . at step 370 , a determination is made on whether the region index r is equal to the maximum number for the region index r_max , which is the same as the total number of regions in the chip design layout as divided at step 310 . if the region index r is less than the maximum number for the region index r_max at step 370 , step 380 is performed . at step 380 , the region index r is incremented by 1 . the process flow is directed to step 315 thereafter . if the region index r is equal to the maximum number for the region index r_max at step 370 , step 399 is performed . the results of all optical corrections up to that step are saved in a non - transitory machine readable medium as a third modified chip design layout , and step 300 in fig1 ends . thus , the third modified chip design layout is updated at each pass through step 340 . if the selected region includes any of the marker layers , steps 330 , 340 , and 350 are sequentially performed . a multiplicate index i is set to 1 at step 330 . if the selected region includes a single instance of a design shape that is marked with a marker layer , the multiplicate index i runs from 1 to the total number m of multiplicate shapes for the design shape in steps 340 , 350 , and 360 . if the selected region includes two or more instances of at least one design shape , the numbers of multiplicate shapes m k for each of the two or more instances of at least one design shape in the selected region are summed to calculate the maximum value m ′ for the multiplicate index . in other words , m ′= σm k , wherein the summation is performed over al instances of the at least one design shape in the selected region . in both embodiments , each multiplicate shape in the selected region is assigned a unique multiplicate index between 1 and the maximum value . referring to step 340 , an optical correction program having multiplicate layer handling capability is run on the selected region by making a single alteration to the chip design layout as originally provided . this alteration is the substitution of an instance of an original design shape with an instance of a multiplicate shape that corresponds to the multiplicate index i . this , if the multiplicate index i has a value of j , the j - th multiplicate shape among the m multiplicate shapes or m ′ multiplicate shapes substitutes the instance of the corresponding original design shape . the corresponding original design shape is marked with a marker layer at step 100 in fig1 , and the j - th multiplicate shape is one of the multiplicate shapes that are added at step 200 in fig1 . the optical correction is performed on an area including the selected region and neighboring regions that can affect the printability of lithographic image in the selected region . the range that corresponds to all of the neighboring regions that can affect the printability of lithographic image in the selected region is herein referred to as an “ optical range of interest .” by performing the optical corrections based on other design shapes located within the optical range of interest , the optical effect of all instances of design shapes in the design level within the optical range of interest is reflected on the results of the optical correction on the selected variant of the design shape , i . e ., on the j - th multiplicate shape if the value of the multiplicate index i is j at step 340 . as discussed above , the optical correction can be opc . the second modified chip design layout is continually updated to include a latest modification to a multiplicate shape on which optical correction is performed at each pass through step 340 . in other words , the optical correction to the j - th multiplicate shape in the selected region , which is generated by the optical correction program with multiplicate - layer - handling capability while the multiplicate index i has a value of j , can be stored in a non - transitory machine readable medium as known in the art at the end of each pass through step 340 . referring to step 350 , a determination is made on whether the multiplicate index i is equal to the maximum number for the multiplicate index i , which is m or m ′ depending on embodiments . if the multiplicate index i is less than the maximum number for the multiplicate index i , step 360 is performed . at step 360 , the multiplicate index is incremented by 1 . the process flow is directed to step 340 thereafter . by looping through steps 340 , 350 , and 360 , optical correction is performed for all multiplicate shapes in the selected region . if the multiplicate index i is equal to the maximum number for the multiplicate index i for the selected region , the process flow is directed to step 370 . at the completion of the steps in fig2 , the third modified chip design layout is finalized . the third chip design layout includes a set of optically corrected multiplicate shapes for each instance of design shapes marked with a marker layer at step 100 . during the steps of the flow chart in fig2 , for each design shape in a selected design level , optical corrections are performed for each marker layer in the second modified chip design layout . by performing the steps in fig2 on all design levels including marker layers , optical corrections can be performed for each design level that is selected one at a time . referring back to step 300 in fig1 , for each design level , optical corrections can be performed for each design shape having instances that are marked with marker layers . referring to step 400 , lithographic simulations are performed for all design levels including marker layers . each design level can be sequentially selected for the lithographic simulations , i . e ., the lithographic simulations can be performed for each design level that is selected one at a time . further , for each design level , lithographic simulations can be performed for each design shape having instances that are marked with marker layers . thus , a lithographic simulation is performed for each instance of a multiplicate shape in a selected design level . each optically corrected multiplicate shape can be sequentially selected for a lithographic simulation . each lithographic simulation is performed in the optical range of interest around the selected optically corrected multiplicate shape , i . e ., on an area including the region of each selected optically corrected multiplicate shape and neighboring regions that can affect the printability of lithographic image of the selected optically corrected multiplicate shape . by performing the lithographic simulations based on other design shapes located within the optical range of interest , the optical effect of all instances of design shapes in the design level within the optical range of interest is reflected on the results of the lithographic simulation on the selected optically corrected multiplicate shape . a lithographic performance metric is calculated for each of the lithographic simulations that employ an instance of a multiplicate shape corresponding to each instance of the original design shape . the lithographic performance metric can include , but is not limited to , at least one lithographically simulated quantity selected from a width of an exposure dose window , a range of depth of focus , an area of a two dimensional process window for exposure dose and depth of focus , and a mathematically weighted combination thereof . further , the lithographic performance metric can include , but is not limited to , at least one lithographically simulated quantity selected from a minimum distance between two printed features , a minimum width of a printed feature , an area of a region having a width less than a predetermined dimension and located between two printed features , an area of a region having a width less than a predetermined dimension within a printed feature , and a mathematically weighted combination thereof . a fourth modified chip design layout is generated by selecting , for each marker layer , a multiplicate shape that satisfies at least one predefined selection criterion for the lithographic performance metric . in one embodiment , the at least one predefined selection criterion for the lithographic performance metric can be maximization of the lithographic performance metric . as discussed above , each multiplicate shape at step 400 includes an optical correction provided in step 300 . the fourth modified chip design layout can be updated after each lithographic simulation on an instance of a design shape with a marker layer , i . e ., after each selection of an optically corrected multiplicate shape based on comparison of corresponding lithographic performance metrics . the fourth modified chip design layout is finalized when all lithographic simulations are completed and an optically corrected multiplicate shape is selected for each instance of design shapes marked with marker layers . the data representing the fourth modified chip design layout is stored in a non - transitory machine readable storage medium by encoding the data in the non - transitory machine readable storage medium employing data encoding methods known in the art . in one embodiment , the encoded data can be stored in a form of a netlist or in a data format used for the exchange of layout data of integrated circuits . referring to step 500 , a set of at least one mark can be manufactured employing a final version of the fourth modified chip design layout . the set of at least one mark can be can be manufactured , for example , by transmitting the data representing the fourth modified chip design layout and stored in a non - transitory machine readable medium to a mask writer by electronic means or by physical transfer of the non - transitory machine readable medium to a device electrically connected to the mask writer and configured to read the data in the non - transitory machine readable medium . referring to fig3 , a diagram illustrates an exemplary set of multiplicate shapes at contact via ( ca ) level according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . specifically , an instance of a contact via design shape ca_ 0 landing on a gate conductor ( gc ) line is marked with a marker layer ml . a set of four multiplicate shapes , each labeled as ca_ 1 , ca_ 2 , ca_ 3 , or ca_ 4 , is added to the instance of the contact via design shape ca_ 0 . referring to fig4 a - 4c , diagrams illustrating optical correction to each multiplicate shape for an instance of a contact via design shape at ca level . in fig4 a , a first instance of the contact via design shape ca_ 0 is replaced with a first multiplicate shape ca_ 1 . a second instance of the contact via design shape ca_ 0 is located in proximity to the first multiplicate shape ca_ 1 . optical correction can be performed on the first multiplicate shape ca_ 1 based on the effects of the presence of the second instance of the contact via design shape ca_ 0 in the form of the original design shape . similar corrections can be made to the second multiplicate shape ca_ 2 , the third multiplicate shape ca_ 3 , and the fourth multiplicate shape ca_ 4 . once the optical corrections to the multiplicate shapes for the first instance of the contact via design shape ca_ 0 are calculated , optical corrections to the multiplicate shapes ( not shown ) for the second instance of the contact via design shapes ca_ 0 can be performed employing the original design shape for the first instance of the contact via design shape ca_ 0 . referring to fig5 a - 5d , diagrams illustrate an exemplary set of multiplicate shapes at an interconnect metal line ( mx ) level according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . specifically , each of fig5 a , 5 b , 5 c , and 5 d illustrate a multiplicate shape that can be employed for an original design shape . in one embodiment , one of the multiplicate design shapes can be identical to the original design shape , e . g ., the design shape of fig5 a . in general , the multiplicate shapes can differ among one another in at least one attribute selected from a total cross - sectional area , a length - to - width ratio , and corner rounding . referring to fig6 , a system can be provided for manufacturing a set of at least one lithographic mask in which a chip design layout is optimized employing multiplicate - layer - handling optical correction . the system can include at least one computing means 910 , which can include a computer . the at least one computing means 910 can be in communication with a database 920 , which can be a standalone computing means or can be incorporated into the at least one computing means 910 . if the database 920 is a standalone computing means , a data cable 930 or wireless communication can be employed to transfer data between the database 920 and the at least one computing means 910 . the at least one computing means 910 can be employed to perform at least one or all of steps 100 , 200 , 300 , and 400 in fig1 to modify a chip design layout . the at least one computing means 910 can be configured to perform the various steps in fig1 automatically without human intervention once a chip design layout is provided . the first modified chip design layout , the second modified chip design layout , the third modified chip design layout , the fourth modified chip design layout , and / or any intermediate modified chip design layout can be stored in at least one non - transitory machine - readable data storage medium that can be provided within the at least one computing means 910 and / or within at least one non - transitory machine - readable data storage medium provided within the database 920 . the non - transitory machine - readable data storage medium may be of any type known in the art . one or more non - transitory machine readable medium within the at least one computing means 910 and / or the database 920 can be a portable non - transitory machine - readable data storage medium 942 such as a cd rom or a dvd rom . a data - writing device 940 may be provided in the at least one computing means 910 or within the database 920 to enable encoding of the data representing any of the data employed during the various steps in fig1 . the final version of the fourth modified chip design layout is transferred to a mask writing device 990 to enable manufacturing of a set of at least one lithographic mask ( reticle ) encoding the final version of the fourth modified chip design layout . the data transfer to the mask writing device 990 can be effected by a portable non - transitory machine - readable data storage medium 942 , a data cable ( not shown ) or by wireless communication . the various data employed in the method of the present disclosure , including the first modified chip design layout , the second modified chip design layout , the third modified chip design layout , the fourth modified chip design layout , and / or any intermediate modified chip design layout , can be in any data format used for the exchange of layout data of integrated circuits and / or symbolic data format ( e . g . information stored in a gdsii ( gds2 ), gl1 , oasis , map files , or any other suitable format for storing such design data structures ). the various data may comprise information such as , for example , symbolic data , map files , test data files , design content files , layout parameters , and any other data required by a reticle manufacturer to manufacture a set of at least one reticle encoding the fourth modified chip design layout . while the disclosure has been described in terms of specific embodiments , it is evident in view of the foregoing description that numerous alternatives , modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the disclosure is intended to encompass all such alternatives , modifications and variations which fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure and the following claims .
| 6Physics
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referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference , fig1 - 4 disclose an improved open cycle solar energy collector and conversion system 10 comprising a vertically positioned cylindrical insulated tank or column 11 resting on a rotatable support 12 which is mounted on a concrete footing 13 . one or more tilting collector panels or collectors 14 are pivotally secured to the sides of column 11 . a rotational drive motor 18 is provided for rotating column 11 on support 12 with a tilting drive motor 19 for tilting the collectors 14 . a plurality of cups 21 are secured to both sides of an endless drive chain 22 . chain 22 is carried on first and second coplanar sprocket wheels 23 and 24 having parallel axis 25 and 26 , respectively . the first wheel 23 is mounted near the top of column 11 and the second wheel 24 is mounted near the bottom of column 11 so that when wheels 23 and 24 rotate in a clockwise direction , as viewed in fig4 the plurality of cups 21 which are equally spaced along both sides of the full length of chain 22 are moved upward in an inverted position on the rising or left half portion of chain 22 , are then tilted upright as they pass over the top of wheel 23 , and move downward in an upright position as they are carried to the bottom of tank 11 where they again rotate to an inverted position as they pass around wheel 24 . it should be noted that the cups may be spaced closer together as shown in fig9 or farther apart along chain 22 and may be randomly spaced or spaced in separate groups , if so desired . a vertical plate 27 separates the right half of column 11 from the left half of column 11 . a liquid 28 is provided in column 11 in which the wheels 23 ( except for the top portion thereof ), chain 22 and cups 21 are submerged , which liquid may be water or any other suitable liquid , such as oil or fused salts . as shown in fig1 and 2 , the endless drive chain 22 comprises pairs of cups 21 juxtapositioned along the chain and opening in the same direction to provide , when containing gas , a joint buoyancy effect on the chain . fluid 28 , which for purposes of discussion is considered , but not limited to , water , is confined to the interior of column 11 where it serves as a medium for the buoyancy effect produced on the inverted cups 21 by a moving gas 29 which is injected into column 11 from a pair of nozzles 31 ( only one of which is shown in fig4 ) located just below a juxtapositioned pair of cups 21 near a point to the lower left of wheel 24 where the cups 21 are achieving their inverted position during their travel along the endless path . beginning at the point of discharge from nozzles 31 , a quantity of the gas 29 is discharged into each passing cup 21 as it assumes the inverted position , the gas producing a buoyant upward force on cups 21 and driving then upwardly until they reach the top surface 32 of fluid 28 . then , as the cups rotate to an upright position , the gas is spilled into the open space above the surface 32 of fluid 28 where it flows around a baffle plate 33 and upward through a pipe 34 to atmosphere . in the simple open cycle system shown in fig1 - 4 , with solar collectors 14 omitted , pipe 39 receives air or steam from a source of heat , such as , for example , waste steam from an industrial process or geothermal steam which is transmitted directly to nozzles 31 . as shown in fig1 - 4 , air from the atmosphere may be drawn into pump 20 and discharged under pressure into a tube 36 which carries it to collectors 14 where it flows through collector tubes 37 picking up thermal energy collected from the sun , the added thermal energy when the gas is released causes it to flow at a greatly increased rate through an exhaust tube 39 which leads directly to nozzle 31 ; although pump 20 is shown for purposes of illustration , it may be omitted if the gas is under pressure . ideally , the liquid 28 inside column 11 is held at a temperature approximating that of the gas 29 as it is ejected from nozzles 31 into cups 21 partially filling them . the quantum load of gas 29 inside cups 21 then expands as it is subjected to the lessening hydrostatic pressure as it rises and absorbs additional thermal energy from the surrounding cups 21 and fluid 28 . as the captured gas within cups 21 drives them upward , the thermal energy of the gas manifesting as buoyancy is converted to mechanical energy . expansion of gas 29 within the inverted cups 21 as heat is gained from the surrounding medium produces an added increment of buoyancy accounting for additional conversion of thermal to mechanical energy . the buoyancy force thus applied to the inverted cups 21 is converted into torque acting on axis 26 of wheel 24 . the axis 26 is coupled directly to a gear box 41 which is mounted on the outside wall of column 11 . the gear box 41 accomplishes a step - up in rotational velocity at its output shaft 42 on which is mounted a drive pulley 43 which in turn , is coupled to a second pulley 44 by means of a drive belt 45 . the second pulley 44 is mounted on the shaft of an electric generator 46 which converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy for transmission to the point of use . the column 11 has an outer insulation barrier 47 which prevents excessive heat loss through its walls and facilitates the maintenance of the elevated temperature of the liquid 28 . each of the collectors 14 have a plurality of parallel collector tubes 37 which run in a generally vertical direction , each lying along the focal line of a linear parabolic reflector channel 37a , shown in fig3 the surface of the channel being coated with a reflective material . the reflector channels 37a are supported and insulated inside a collector frame 48 having a flat back - up plate 49 and surrounding perpendicular walls 51 . the collector tubes 37 are coated with a black material for maximum thermal absorption . covering the front of the collectors 14 is an insulating glass face 52 which comprises two parallel sheets of glass separated by a depleted air space , the insulating glass sandwich commonly known in the building trade as thermopane . the glass face 52 readily passes the incident thermal energy radiated from the sun but substantially reduces heat loss from the tubes 37 by convection . the upper ends of the tubes 37 are interconnected by an upper junction tube 53 and the lower ends of the tubes 37 are interconnected by a lower junction tube 54 . tube 36 from pump 20 connects through an articulated joint to lower junction tube 54 delivering pressurized gas to collector 14 which flows upward through the plurality of parallel collector tubes 37 into upper junction tube 53 through a return articulated joint and thence into tube 39 which connects throttling valve 39 and expansion tube 40 to jet nozzles 31 for discharge into cups 21 . where more than one of the collectors 14 are employed , as indicated in fig1 the upper junction tubes 53 are all connected together and the lower junction tubes 54 are all connected together so that all of the collectors 14 are effectively connected in parallel for parallel fluid or gas flow . the collector panels 14 are supported by means of brackets 55 and pivot bars 56 . as shown more clearly in fig1 one bar 56 and two brackets 55 are utilized to support two collector panels 14 , the bar 56 constituting a round horizontal bar which is fixedly attached to the two adjacent collectors 14 and passes through aligned holes in the two brackets 55 , the brackets 55 being attached side - by - side to the outside wall of column 11 . the tilt drive motor 19 which is also secured to the wall of column 11 has its shaft coupled through a gear box 57 and a lever type linkage 58 to one of the collectors 14 and is controlled to direct the gang coupled collectors 14 toward the sun . it will be recognized that the tilting of the collectors 14 can accomplish only the appropriate elevation adjustments . the collectors must also be turned to the proper azimuth orientation . this is accomplished by means of the rotatable support 12 and the rotational drive motor 18 . rotatable support 12 incorporates a set of heavy duty ball bearings 59 confined within mating concentric raceways 61 and 62 , raceway 61 being fixedly attached to footing 13 and raceway 62 being fixedly attached to the base of column 11 . column 11 is thus free to rotate relative to footing 13 as it is supported by the rolling bearings 59 . the combined double planes of rotation permits the maximum incidence of solar heat to be focused on the tubes 37 . the relatively simple open cycle solar collector and converter system of fig1 - 4 is thus seen to provide the desired functions of collecting radiated thermal energy from the sun or from any other heat source converting it first to mechanical energy and then to electrical energy for transmission to the point of use . the total system is compact unitized and inexpensive and does not require carefully machined parts or parts subjected to excessively high temperatures or to high fluid velocities . low initial cost , low maintenance and long equipment life are thus to be expected . it should be noted from fig5 that a simple means of producing power by using atmospheric air as a working medium or fluid in an open cycle system may be implemented by merely using the combined compressor , collector and converter unit 70 as a power generating means . as shown in fig5 the power generating means comprises collectors 14 , a compressor 72 and an expander tower 73 , all mounted on a common rotatable support 74 which is similar to rotatable support 12 shown in fig1 and 4 . atmospheric air is drawn through an air inlet 75 which may be in the form of an evaporative cooler 76 or other means and is then directed to compressor 72 where it is captured in the decending cups 21 and isothermally compressed within a cooled liquid 28 &# 39 ; of compressor 72 . the compressor 72 is similar in construction to the converter of fig1 - 4 incorporating an identical vertical column 11 , sprocket wheels 23 and 24 , chain 22 , attached cups 21 , a fluid medium 28 &# 39 ;, etc . in the case of the compressor , however , the inverted cups 21 are mechanically driven downward by an externally applied torque applied to upper sprocket wheel 23 , the torque being supplied by the expander tower 73 which is identical with column 11 of fig1 - 4 . motor 77 is provided in this combination for start - up only . as the cups 21 revolve to the inverted position above the fluid 28 &# 39 ; within compressor 72 , they trap quantities of cooled air supplied by air inlet 75 carrying the trapped air downward toward the bottom of compressor 72 , the pressure increasing in direct proportion to the hydrostatic depth pressure of the fluid 28 &# 39 ;. the temperature increase due to compression is dissipated into the fluid 28 &# 39 ; which is continuously cooled by means well known in the art . finally , as the cups pass around the lower sprocket wheel 24 and are thereby rotated to an upright position , the compressed gas is spilled from the cups and is captured by a shroud 106 from which it is led by a tube 79 out the bottom of compressor 72 through tubes , joints , etc . to the solar panels 14 to acquire additional heat energy then led to the throttling valve 40 for release into the cups 21 of the air expander tower 73 in the same manner as described for the structure shown in fig1 - 4 . expander tower 73 is also very similar in construction to the converter of fig1 - 4 having inside a column 11 , the sprocket wheels 23 and 24 , chain 22 , attached cups 21 , fluid 28 , nozzles 31 , etc . the pressurized hot air from tube 39 is introduced at nozzle 31 . it is captured by the inverted cups 21 and its thermal and compressive energy is utilized to drive the cups upward until the now cooled air is spilled above the surface of the fluid 28 and is released to the atmosphere through exhaust port 80 . in this case , the net mechanical energy developed is delivered through the axle 26 of the lower sprocket wheel 24 . the external sprocket 81 which is attached directly to the axle 82 of the compressor is also coupled to and is driven by the shaft of sprocket 23 of expander 73 . because sunlight is not available twenty - four hours of the day , it is desirable to provide a means for storing energy during the daylight hours for use during hours of darkness . the more elaborate system of fig6 incorporates the additional energy storage capability . fig6 discloses a solar energy collection , conversion and storage system 90 comprising a solar energy collector and converter unit 91 which is essentially identical to the collector and converter 70 of fig5 with the addition of a storage unit 93 . unit 91 comprises a collector 94 , a compressor 72 &# 39 ; and an expander 73 &# 39 ;, all mounted on a common rotatable support 95 which is similar to rotatable support 12 of fig1 and 4 . atmospheric air is drawn into the first collector 94 and is heated by solar energy . it is then transferred to compressor 72 &# 39 ; which intensifies its temperature by hydrodynamic compression in hot liquid . from compressor 72 &# 39 ;, it is passed through storage unit 93 where a major part of its thermal energy is transferred to the contained fluid 97 for storage . the pressurized , but lower temperature air , is then passed onto expander 73 &# 39 ; where its residual pressure is converted to mechanical energy to be utilized in augmenting the drive motor 77 driving compressor 72 &# 39 ;. it should be noted that coil 97 &# 39 ; of storage unit 93 may be used as a passageway for fluid flow to withdraw heat from the contained fluid 97 . the heat of the fluid flowing through coil 97 &# 39 ; may be used to augment the heat energy at the base of column 11 of fig1 . the collector 94 is similar in construction to the collectors 14 of fig1 - 4 . in this case , however , an intake port 98 is provided for the ingestion of atmospheric air . the heated air from collector 94 is drawn to the top of compressor 72 &# 39 ; by a flexible connecting tube 99 . the compressor 72 &# 39 ; is similar in construction to the converter shown in fig1 - 4 and fig5 incorporating substantially identical vertical column 11 , sprocket wheels 23 and 24 , chain 25 , attached cups 21 , a fluid medium 28 &# 39 ;, etc . as in fig5 the compressor employs inverted cups 21 mechanically driven downwardly by an externally applied torque being supplied by the motor 77 to the upper sprocket wheel 23 , the torque being continuously supplied by motor 77 and augmented by recovery unit 73 &# 39 ; which is substantially identical with column 11 of fig1 - 4 . as cups 21 revolve to the inverted position above fluid 28 &# 39 ; within compressor 72 &# 39 ;, they trap heated air supplied by collector 94 carrying the trapped air downward toward the bottom of compressor 72 &# 39 ;, the pressure and temperature increasing in direct proportion to the rising hydrodynamic pressure of fluid 28 &# 39 ;. finally , as the cups pass around the lower sprocket wheel 24 and are thereby rotated to an upright position , the compressed gas is spilled from the cups and is captured by a shroud 106 which collects and leads the pressurized hot air through conduit 101 into and through the storage unit 93 where it transfers most of its heat by conduction to the fluid content of storage unit 93 and back through conduit 102 to the nozzle 31 of the expansion recovery tower 73 &# 39 ;. tower 73 &# 39 ; operates in the same manner as described for expander tower 73 of fig5 . fig7 and 8 illustrate shrouds which may be used in the compressors 72 and 72 &# 39 ; of fig5 and 6 . each of these shrouds comprise an arcuate configuration 107 formed by flanges 108 , 108 &# 39 ; spaced apart to define a pathway for cups 21 which capture the compressed gas therebetween and directs the captured gas out of the shrouds through pipes 109 . fig8 illustrates a combination of two shrouds arranged in a side by side arrangement for handling an arrangement of juxtapositioned cups 21 on chain 22 , as shown . although but a few embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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now , a description will be given of an embodiment of this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings . first , a description will be given of a specific configuration of a computer system 100 according to the embodiment of this invention with reference to fig1 to fig4 . fig1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the computer system 100 according to the embodiment of this invention . the computer system 100 includes one or more storage systems 101 , a storage management server 102 , a management client 103 , one or more host computers 104 , storage networks 105 , a management network 106 , and a virtualization device 107 . each of the host computers 104 executes various business processings ( for example , a database process , a web application process , and a streaming process ) by using storage resources that are supplied by the storage systems 101 and the virtualization device 107 . each of the host computers 104 is formed of , for example , a workstation system , a main frame computer , or a personal computer . each of the host computers 104 is connected to the plurality of storage systems 101 via the virtualization device 107 , to thereby recognize the storage resources that are supplied by the respective storage systems 101 as one storage resource logically . the virtualization device 107 is formed of , for example , a virtualization switch , an intelligent switch , or a virtualization dedicated device . the virtualization device 107 may be formed of a storage system that provides a virtualization function . each of the storage systems 101 has one or more controllers 111 and a plurality of storage devices 112 . each of the controllers 111 controls the plurality of storage devices 112 as a redundant arrays of inexpensive disks ( raid ) configuration corresponding to raid levels ( for example , 0 , 1 and 5 ). in the raid configuration , the plurality of storage devices 112 are managed as one raid group . the raid group is configured by grouping four or eight storage devices 112 as one set . in other words , the storage areas that are supplied by the respective storage devices 112 are assembled to configure one raid group . in the raid group , one or more logical volumes serving as access units from the host computer 104 are defined . each of the storage devices 112 is a physical device that actually stores data therein . more specifically , the physical device may be a fibre channel ( fc ) disk drive , a serial advanced technology attachment ( sata ) disk drive , a parallel advanced technology attachment ( pata ) disk drive , a serial attached scsi ( sas ) disk drive , a fibre attached technology adapted ( fata ) disk drive , or a small computer system interface ( scsi ) disk drive . as the storage device 112 , a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory can be employed together . the management network 106 is connected to the one or more host computers 104 , the one or more storage systems 101 , the virtualization device 107 , the storage management server 102 , and the management client 103 , so as to be used for transmitting or receiving management information . the management client 103 is a computer for maintaining and managing the computer system 100 . a user inputs a command for storage management via a web browser 131 that is installed in the management client 103 , to thereby maintain and manage the computer system 100 . the command for storage management may be , for example , a command for increasing or decreasing the number of storage devices 112 , a command for instructing a change in raid configuration , or a command for setting communication paths between the host computers 104 and the storage systems 101 . the storage management server 102 receives various commands for storage management from the management client 103 , and maintains and manages the computer system 100 . the storage management server 102 has a data migration management program 121 . the data migration management program 121 executes a process for migrating the volumes between the storage tiers . the data migration management program 121 is a generic term of the respective programs for migrating the volumes , and will be described in detail with reference to fig4 . also , the storage management server 102 has a storage device 122 for storing information such as the configuration information of the computer system 100 . fig2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the storage system 101 according to the embodiment of this invention . the storage system 101 includes the controller 111 and the storage device 112 . the controller 111 includes a host interface ( i / f ) 211 , a management interface ( i / f ) 212 , a processor 213 , a cache 214 , and a memory 215 . the host interface 211 is a network interface for connecting to the host computers 104 through the storage network 105 . the management interface 212 is a network interface for connecting to the storage management servers 102 and the management client 103 through the management network 106 . the processor 213 receives a data input / output request from the host computer 104 , and controls the input and output of data with respect to the storage device 112 . the processor 213 is , for example , a central processing unit ( cpu ). the cache 214 temporarily stores the data that is input to or output from the storage device 112 . the memory 215 stores information necessary for various control microprograms and processes . the memory 215 stores a volume migration program 231 , a table management program 232 , an i / o control program 233 , a data deletion program 234 , and a storage volume table 241 therein . the volume migration program 231 is a program for changing a correspondence between the volumes and the storage device 112 . the host computer 104 identifies the volumes by using identifiers ( id ). also , the host computer 104 recognizes the logical position of the storage area ( logical address ) on the volume from / to which data is read / written , but does not recognize the physical position of the storage area ( physical address ) of the storage device 112 . the volume migration means to change the logical position of the storage area on the volume which is recognized by the host computer 104 . the volume migration program 231 migrates a volume that belongs to a certain storage tier ( described later with reference to fig1 ) to another storage tier . the table management program 232 is a program for reading information that is stored in the storage volume table 241 or writing information that is to be stored therein . the i / o control program 233 is a program for controlling data input to or output from the storage device 112 in response to an i / o request from the host computer 104 . the data deletion program 234 is a program for deleting the data stored in the storage device 112 . the deletion of data is a process for preventing the contents of the storage device in which the data has been stored from being read by writing data ( for example , data represented by “ 1 ” and “ 0 ” placed at random , data represented by merely “ 0 ”, and data represented by merely “ 1 ”) in the physical area of the storage device 112 in which the data has been stored , once or a plurality of times . the storage volume table 241 stores information indicative of a correspondence between the volumes and the storage device 112 , and information related to the volume characteristics therein . the details of the storage volume table will be described with reference to fig5 . fig3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the virtualization device 107 according to the embodiment of this invention . the virtualization device 107 includes a host interface ( i / f ) 311 , a storage interface ( i / f ) 314 , a processor 315 , a memory 316 , a cache 313 , a storage device 112 , and a management interface ( i / f ) 312 . it is unnecessary that the storage device 112 be installed in the virtualization device 107 . the host interface 311 is a network interface for connecting to the host computers 104 through the storage network 105 . the storage interface 314 is a network interface for connecting to the storage system 101 through the storage network 105 . the number of storage interfaces 314 is one in fig3 , but it is desirable that the storage interface 314 be disposed in each of the storage systems 101 . the processor 315 executes the program stored in the memory 316 , to thereby execute a process of virtualizing the storage resources ( storage devices 112 ) that are supplied by the respective storage systems 101 by logically recognizing them as one storage resource . the memory 316 stores information necessary for various control microprograms and processes therein . the memory 316 stores a storage volume table 241 , an external volume table 341 ( volume information ), a volume migration program 231 , a table management program 232 , an i / o control program 233 , a data deletion program 234 , and an external association control program 331 therein . the virtualization device 107 has one or more virtual volumes 321 . each of the virtual volumes 321 is a volume to which the volume that is supplied by the storage system 101 is virtually allocated . hereinafter , the volume that is supplied by the storage system 101 is called “ external volume ”. the address space ( an area where the address is mapped ) of the virtual volume 321 is mapped in the address space of the external volume . the host computer 104 recognizes the virtual volume 321 as the storage area of the storage system 101 , and issues an i / o request with respect to the virtual volume 321 . upon receiving the i / o request from the host computer 104 , the virtualization device 107 executes address conversion between the virtual volume 321 and the external volume . then , the virtualization device 107 transfers the i / o request from the host computer 104 to the storage system 101 , and accesses to the external volume . the respective external volumes that are supplied by the plurality of storage systems 101 are allocated to the virtual volumes 321 . in this way , the virtualization device 107 virtualizes the storage resources of the plurality of storage systems 101 by logically recognizing them as one storage resource . the external association control program 331 is a program for controlling an external association between the virtualization device 107 and the storage system 101 . more specifically , the external association control program 331 executes an address conversion between the virtual volume 321 and the external volume and a command transfer to the storage system 101 . the external volume table 341 stores information indicative of the correspondence between the virtual volume 321 and the external volume therein . the details of the external volume table 341 will be described with reference to fig6 . the cache 313 temporarily stores data that is input to or output from the storage device 112 and the virtual volume 321 therein . the management interface 312 is a network interface for connecting to the storage management server 102 and the management client 103 through the management network 106 . fig4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the storage management server 102 according to the embodiment of this invention . the storage management server 102 includes an interface ( i / f ) 411 , a monitor 412 , a processor 413 , an input device 414 , a memory 415 , and the storage device 122 . the interface 411 is a network interface for connecting to the management network 106 . more specifically , the interface 411 can be formed of a lan adapter . the storage management server 102 acquires the volume configuration information of the storage device 112 from the storage system 101 through the interface 411 , and transmits an instruction of the volume migration to the storage system 101 . the monitor 412 is a display device for supplying a screen for storage management to a user under graphical user interface ( gui ) environments . the input device 414 is a device for inputting a storage management command such as a keyboard or a mouse . the monitor 412 and the input device 414 may not be disposed in the storage management server 102 . the processor 413 executes the program stored in the memory 415 to maintain and manage the computer system 100 . in addition , the processor 413 executes the data migration management program 121 to execute a process of migrating the volumes between the storage tiers . the memory 415 stores the data migration management program 121 therein . specifically , the data migration management program 121 includes a storage operation program 431 , a priority management program 432 , a gui program 433 , a table management program 434 , an execution management program 435 , and a configuration information acquisition program 436 . the storage operation program 431 is a program for instructing the execution of the data migrating process and the data deleting process to the storage system 101 and the virtualization device 107 . an object to which the data migrating process is to be instructed is as follows . the processor 413 instructs the data migration to the storage system 101 to which the migration source volume and the migration destination volume belong in the case where the migration source volume and the migration destination volume belong to the same storage system 101 . also , the processor 413 may instruct the data migration to the virtualization device 107 in the case where the migration source volume and the migration destination volume belong to the same storage system 101 , and are connected to the virtualization device 107 . in addition , in the case where the migration source volume and the migration destination volume belong to the different storage systems 101 , the processor 413 instructs the data migration to the virtualization device 107 . also , in the case where the migration source volume or the migration destination volume belongs to the virtualization device 107 , the processor 413 instructs the data migration to the virtualization device 107 . on the other hand , the processor 413 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby instruct the execution of the data deleting process to the virtualization device 107 or the storage system 101 to which the migration source volume belongs . the priority management program 432 is a program for determining the priority of the data migrating process . the gui program 433 is a program that displays the information on the storage system 101 and the virtualization device 107 on the monitor 412 , and provides an interface to be used for operating the storage management server 102 to an administrator . the details of the interface that is displayed on the monitor 412 by the gui program 433 will be described with reference to fig1 and fig1 . the gui may be replaced with another interface such as a command line interface . the table management program 434 is a program that manages a storage table 441 that is stored in the storage device 122 , a migration group table 442 , a migration plan table 443 , a storage tier table 444 , a volume table 445 , a volume relation table 446 , and a priority table 447 . the execution management program 435 is a program that instructs the execution or stop of the migration plan that is configured by the volume migrating process and the data deleting process . the configuration information acquisition program 436 is a program that acquires the configuration information on the storage system 101 , the virtualization device 107 , and the host computer 104 through the management network 106 . also , the storage device 122 stores the storage table 441 ( physical configuration information ), the migration group table 442 ( migration group information ), the migration plan table 443 ( migration plan information ), the storage tier table 444 , the volume table 445 ( physical configuration information ), the volume relation table 446 , and the priority table 447 . the details of those tables will be described with reference to fig7 to fig1 . fig5 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the storage volume table 241 according to the embodiment of this invention . the storage volume table 241 stores information necessary for reading or writing the data in the volumes by using the controller 111 therein . the storage volume table 241 includes a vol # 511 , a vdev # 512 , a raid level 513 , a disk type 514 , and a capacity 515 . the storage volume table 241 produces a record in each of the volumes . the vol # 511 is no . for identifying the volumes within the storage system 101 . the vdev # 512 is no . for identifying the virtual device to which the storage area on the volume is allocated . the raid level 513 is a raid level of the storage area on the volume . the raid level 513 may include the drive configuration of the storage device 112 . the disk type 514 is a disk type of the storage devices 112 that provide the storage areas on the volumes . the capacity 515 is a storage capacity of the corresponding volume . fig6 is a diagram showing an example of the external volume table 341 according to the embodiment of this invention . the external volume table 341 stores information necessary for virtualizing the respective storage resources ( storage devices 112 ) provided by the plurality of storage systems 101 by logically recognizing them as one storage resource . the external volume table 341 associates the vol # 611 , the external port # 612 , the ip address 613 , and the external vol # 614 with each other . in the external volume table 341 , a record is produced in each of the produced virtual volumes 321 . the vol # 611 is an identifier for identifying the virtual volume 321 that has been produced in the virtualization device 107 . the external port # 612 is no . for identifying a port ( an external association port of the virtualization device 107 ) for transferring the i / o request with respect to the virtual volume 321 to the external volume from the host computer 104 . the ip address 613 represents the ip address of the storage system 101 having the external volume . the ip address 613 is used for identifying the storage system 101 having the external volume . the information for identifying the storage system 101 having the external volume can be configured by world wide name ( wwn ). the external vol # 614 is no . for identifying the external volume within the storage system 101 . the external vol # 614 corresponds to the vol # 511 of the storage volume table 241 . fig7 is a diagram showing an example of the storage table 441 according to the embodiment of this invention . the storage table 441 stores information related to the storage system 101 therein . the storage table 441 includes a storage system id 711 , a storage name 712 , and a device type 713 . in the storage table 441 , a record is produced in each of the storage systems 101 . the storage system id 711 is an identifier for identifying the storage system 101 . the storage name 712 is a name of the storage system . the device type 713 is the type of storage system 101 . the device type 713 stores , for example , a model number of the device therein . fig8 is a diagram showing an example of the migration group table 423 according to the embodiment of this invention . the migration group table 423 stores information related to the migration group therein . the volume migration is executed in the group unit that is called “ migration group ” collectively . when the administrator executes the volume migrating process , the administrator first produces the migration group , and registers the produced migration group in the migration group table 423 . thereafter , the administrator adds the volume that migrates the volume ( hereinafter referred to as “ migration source volume ”) to the migration group . subsequently , the administrator selects the storage tier ( hereinafter referred to as “ migration destination storage tier ”) to which the volume is migrated with respect to the produced migration group . in addition , the administrator selects the volume that belongs to the selected storage tier as the migration destination volume ( hereinafter referred to as “ migration destination volume ”) in the respective migration source volumes . the migration group table 423 includes an mg id 811 , a belonging vol # 812 , a migration destination tier 813 , and a migration destination tier 814 . in the migration group table 423 , the record is produced in each of the migration groups . the mg id 811 is an identifier for identifying the migration group . the belonging vol # 812 is an identifier of the volume added to the migration group . the migration destination tier 813 represents information on the storage tier to which the respective volumes of the migration group belong . the storage tier will be described with reference to fig1 . the migration destination tier 814 is an identifier of the storage tier in which the volume that belongs to the migration group is migrated by the migration of the volume . the symbol “—” of the migration destination storage tier 814 indicates that the migration destination storage tier is not designated . fig9 is a diagram showing an example of the migration plan table 443 according to the embodiment of this invention . the migration plan table 443 stores information related to the volume migrating process in each of the migration groups therein . the volume migration is executed according to the migration plan in each of the migration groups . the administrator designates the migration destination storage tier and the time at which the migration should be completed in the migration group to execute the volume migration . the migration plan table 443 includes an mg id 911 , a priority 912 , a scheduled start time 913 , a scheduled end time 914 , and a designated end time 915 . in the migration table 443 , the record is produced in each of the migration plans . the mg id 911 is an identifier for identifying the migration group . the mg id 911 corresponds to the mg id 811 of the migration group table 442 . the priority 912 stores the priorities of the respective migration plans . the priority is determined by the data migration management program 121 according to the information on the migration source tier of the migration group , the migration destination tier , and the priority table 447 . the priority may be changed by the administrator . the scheduled start time 913 is a scheduled time at which the migration plan starts to be executed . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the data migration management program 121 , to thereby calculate a required period of time for the data migration on the basis of the configuration information of the migration plan and determine the scheduled start time according to the required period of time and the scheduled end time 914 . the scheduled end time 914 is a scheduled time at which the execution of the migration plan is completed . the scheduled end time 914 is determined on the basis of the priority 912 and the designated end time 915 with the execution of the data migration management program 121 . the scheduled start time and the scheduled end time may be changed on the basis of the priority of another migration plan when the another migration plan is registered . the scheduled end time 915 is a time at which the execution of the migration plan is to be completed . the administrator designates the designated end time at the time of producing the migration plan . an execution status 916 stores the execution status of the migration plan therein . in the execution status 916 there are stored , for example , “ unprocessed ”, “ migrating ”, “ deleting ”, “ suspended ”, “ completed ”, and “ failed ”. “ unprocessed ” represents that the migration is not yet processed . “ migrating ” represents that the volume that belongs to the migration plan is being migrated . “ deleting ” represents that the migration of the volume that belongs to the migration plan has been completed , and the data of the migration destination volume is being deleted . “ suspended ” represents that the subject migration group is suspended by the data migration management program 121 in order to migrate another migration group in advance . “ completed ” indicates that the migration of the respective volumes of the migration group are migrated , and the deletion of the respective migration source volumes have been completed . “ failed ” represents that the data migrating process or the data deleting process of the migration group fails . fig1 is a diagram showing an example of the storage tier table 444 according to the embodiment of this invention . the storage tier table 444 stores information related to the storage tier therein . the storage tier means the classification of the volumes which is determined on the basis of the characteristics such as the performance and the type . the storage tier table 444 includes a storage tier id 1011 , a tier name 1012 , a tier order 1013 , and a tier condition . the tier condition includes a capacity 1014 , a device id 1015 , a device type 1016 , a raid level 1017 , and a disk type 1018 . in the storage tier table 444 , the record is produced in each of the storage tiers . the storage tier id 1011 is an identifier for identifying the storage tier . the tier name 1012 is a name of the storage tier . the tier order 1013 is a relative order of the performance of the storage tier . the tier order 1013 is set on the basis of the tier condition when the administrator produces the storage tier . the production of the storage tier will be described with reference to fig1 . in addition , the data migration management program 121 is executed , to thereby set the priority in the priority table 447 on the basis of the tier order 1013 . this will be described with reference to fig1 . the tier condition is a condition for specifying the storage tier to which the volume belongs . as described above , the tier condition includes the capacity 1014 , the device id 1015 , the device type 1016 , the raid level 1017 , and the disk type 1018 . also , the tier condition other than the device type 1016 may be the combination of two or more of those conditions . an item in which the tier condition is not designated is represented by the symbol “—”. the capacity 1014 is a storage capacity necessary to belong to the storage tier . the device id 1015 is an identifier for identifying the storage system 101 . the device type 1016 is a type of the storage system 101 . the raid level 1017 is a raid level of the storage tier . the disk type 1018 is a disk type of the storage device 112 that provides the storage area of the storage tier . for example , the disk type of “ fc ” represents an fc disk . also , the disk type of “ sata ” represents an sata disk . fig1 is a diagram showing an example of the volume table 445 according to the embodiment of this invention . the volume table 445 stores the information related to the volume that is supplied by the storage system 101 . the volume table 445 includes a volume id 1111 , an mg id 1112 , a storage id 1113 , a vol # 1114 , a raid level 1115 , a disk type 1116 , and a capacity 1117 . in the volume table 445 , a record is produced in each of the volumes . the volume id 1111 is an identifier for identifying the volume in the storage system 101 by the host computer 104 . the mg id 1112 is an identifier for identifying the migration group serving as a unit of operating the migrations of the volumes collectively . the storage id 1113 is an identifier for identifying the storage system 101 . the vol # 1114 is no . for identifying the volume within the storage system 101 . the raid level 1115 is a raid level of the volume . the disk type 1116 is the disk type of the storage device 112 which supplies the storage area of the volume . the disk type 1116 is , for example , information for distinguishing the fc disk and the sata disk from each other . more specifically , the disk type of “ fc ” indicates the fc disk . also , the disk type of “ sata ” indicates the sata disk . the capacity 1117 is a storage area of the volume . fig1 is a diagram showing an example of the volume relation table 446 according to the embodiment of this invention . the volume relation table 446 stores the information related to the progress of the data migrating process of the volume that belongs to the migration group therein . the volume relation table 446 includes an mg id 1211 , a migration source volume id 1212 , a migration destination volume id 1213 , a capacity 1214 , and a progress 1215 . in the volume relation table 446 , a record is produced in each of the volumes that belong to the migration group . the mg id 1211 is an identifier for identifying the migration group to which the migration source volume belongs . the migration source volume id 1212 is an identifier for identifying the volume that belongs to the migration group . the migration source volume id 1212 corresponds to the volume id 1111 of the volume table 445 . the migration destination volume id 1213 is an identifier for identifying the volume to which the data of the migration source volume is migrated . the migration destination volume id 1213 corresponds to the volume id 1111 of the volume table 445 . the capacity 1214 is the capacity of the migration source volume . the progress 1215 represents the execution status of the volume migration and the date deletion of the migration source volume . the progress 1215 stores , for example , “ unprocessed ”, “ migrating ”, “ migration completed ”, “ deleting ”, “ interrupted ”, and “ completed ”. “ unprocessed ” indicates that the migration of the subject volume is not processed . “ migrating ” means that the subject volume is being migrated . “ migration completed ” represents that the migration of the subject volume has been completed . “ deleting ” indicates that the migration of the subject volume has been completed , and the data of the migration source volume is being deleted . “ interrupted ” indicates a state in which the migration of the subject volume or the data deletion of the migration source volume is suspended . “ completed ” indicates that the migration of the subject volume and the deletion of the migration source volume have been completed . in this situation , the data of the migration source volume may not deleted after the migration of the volume . in this case , the status of “ deleting ” is not set , and “ completed ” is set at the time when the migration of the volume is completed . fig1 is a diagram showing an example of the priority table 447 according to the embodiment of this invention . the priority table 447 stores the priority that is used to determine a process to be prioritized and the condition for allocating the subject priority in the case where the execution timings of the data migrating processes are overlapped with each other , therein . the priority table 447 includes the condition # 1311 , a migration condition 1312 , a priority 1313 , and a condition order 1314 . in the priority table 447 , a record is produced in each of the conditions ( hereinafter referred to as “ migration condition ”) for determining the priority of the data migration . also , the priority table 447 has a condition that is held as an initial value , and a condition that is produced by the data migration management program 121 when the administrator produces the storage tier . also , the administrator may register data in the priority table 447 . the condition # 1311 is an identifier for identifying the migration condition . the migration condition 1312 stores the contents of the migration condition therein . the migration condition has a condition that is held as an initial value , and a condition that is produced on the basis of the storage tier table according to the data migration management program 121 . in the migration condition 1312 , there is a case in which the capacity of the migration destination storage tier is set as the condition as in a case of a condition # 1 “ the capacity of the migration source storage tier is 25 % or lower at the time of migration ”. also , there is a case in which the processing content is set as the condition as in a case of a condition # 8 “ complete deletion of data in the migration source vol ”. further , there is a case in which the data migration from the migration source storage tier to the migration destination storage tier is set as the condition as in a case of a condition # 2 “ the data migration from tier 2 to tier 1 ”. each of tier 1 , tier 2 , and tier 3 of fig1 is a name of storage tier . the priority 1313 indicates the priority of the data migrating process on the basis of the migration condition . the data migration is scheduled on the basis of the priority 1313 of the migration plan by executing the data migration management program 121 . the priority 1313 is determined , for example , on the basis of the following rules . the rule is managed by the data migration management program 121 . the condition based on the capacity at the time of migration such as the condition # 1 is set to the highest priority , and the condition # 8 is set to the lowest priority . the lower the numeric value , the higher the priority . under the condition that is determined according to the migration source storage tier and migration destination storage tier such as the conditions # 2 to # 7 , the priority is higher in the case where the tier order of the migration destination storage tier is higher than the tier order of the migration source storage tier . further , in the case where the tier order of the migration destination storage tier is highest , the priority is higher . in this case , the priority of the condition in which the tier order of the migration source storage tier is higher is higher . on the other hand , in the case where the tier order of the migration destination storage tier is lower than the tier order of the migration source storage tier , the priority of the condition in which the tier order of the migration source storage tier is higher is higher . in the case where the tier order of the migration source storage tier is equal to each other , the priority of the condition in which the tier order of the migration destination storage tier is higher is higher . when the data deleting process is defined separately , as in the case of the condition # 8 , it is possible to give the priority to the data migrating process and the data deleting process , individually . when the tier order of the storage tier is set to tier 1 , tier 2 , and tier 3 in a descending order , the conditions are determined on the basis of the above - mentioned rules as shown in the condition # 1 to the condition # 8 of fig1 . the condition order 1314 is an order at the time of applying the migration condition . the condition order 1314 is determined by executing the data migration management program 121 . for example , in the case where the condition # 1 and the condition # 2 are satisfied at the same time , that is , in the case where there occurs a status in which the capacity of the tier 2 is equal to or lower than 25 % at the time of migrating data from tier 2 to tier 1 , the condition # 1 that is lower in the value of the condition order is prioritized , and “ 1 ” is set in the priority 1313 . fig1 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of producing the storage tier according to the embodiment of this invention . this processing is appropriately executed by the administrator in the storage management server 102 . first , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the table management program 434 , to thereby acquire the configuration information of the storage system 101 from the storage table 441 and the volume table 445 . in addition , the processor 413 executes the gui program 433 , to thereby display the configuration information of the storage device through the web browser 131 of the management client 103 ( step 1411 ). subsequently , the administrator refers to the information that is displayed through the process of step s 1411 , produces the storage tier , and registers the produced storage tier in the storage tier table 444 ( step 1412 ). hereinafter , a description will be given of a procedure of producing the storage tier with reference to fig1 showing a screen that is displayed by executing the gui program 433 in order to produce the storage tier . fig1 is a screen for registering the storage tier according to the embodiment of this invention . the administrator first inputs a tier name to a field of the tier name 2111 . the administrator then sets the configuration contents in a search condition 2112 on the screen by selecting each content from pull - down , to thereby set the tier condition of the storage tier . finally , the administrator operates an execute button 2113 in order to register the selected contents . also , in the case where the administrator does not register the set contents , the manager operates a cancel button 2114 in order to cancel the selected contents . the information that has been input from the management client 103 is transmitted to the storage management server 102 by operating the execute button 2113 . upon receiving the information that has been input from the management client 103 , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the table management program 434 , to thereby register the produced storage tier in the storage tier table 444 . then , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 to search the storage tier table 444 and determine whether another storage tier exists , or not ( step 1413 ). in the case where another storage tier does not exist ( the result in step 1413 is “ no ”), processing is completed directly . on the other hand , in the case where another storage tier exists in the storage tier table 444 ( the result in step 1413 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the priority management program 432 to compare the received storage tier with the tier condition in each of other storage tiers , and determine the tier order ( step 1414 ). the procedure of determining the tier order will be described with reference to fig1 . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the priority management program 432 , to thereby produce the priority table 447 on the basis of the tier order that is determined in step 1414 ( step 1415 ). fig1 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of determining the tier order 1013 of the storage tier table 444 according to the embodiment of this invention . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 first executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby compare the tier condition of the storage tier that has been produced by the process in step 1412 with the tier condition of the storage tier that has been registered in the storage tier table 444 , and determine whether the device type coincides with each other , or not ( step 2011 ). in the case where the device type is different from each other ( the result in step 2011 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 sets the storage tier having the higher - order device type to be higher ( step 2013 ). the higher - order device type means the higher - performance storage system . the storage performance is determined according to the i / o speed of data , the system configuration , and the like . the information for determining which of higher order or lower order the device type is may be held in the storage management server 102 in advance , or may be determined by the administrator . in the case where the device type coincides with each other ( the result in step 2011 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby compare the disk type of the storage tier produced in the process of step 1412 with the disk type of the tier condition of the storage tier registered in the storage tier table 444 , and determine whether the disk type is equal to each other or not . alternatively , it is determined that the disk type is not set to at least one of those ( step 2012 ). in the case where the device type is different from each other ( the result in step 2012 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 sets the storage tier having the higher - order disk type set to be higher ( step 2015 ). the higher - order disk type indicates the higher performance disk type . the performance of the disk type is determined according to the i / o speed of data , the lifetime of the disk , and the like . the information for determining which of higher order or lower order the disk type is may be held in the storage management server 102 in advance , or may be determined by the administrator . in the case where the device type coincides with each other or is not set to at least one of those ( the result in step 2012 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby compare the raid level of the storage tier produced in the process of step 1412 with the raid level of the tier condition of the storage tier registered in the storage tier table 444 , and determine whether the raid level is equal to each other or not . alternatively , it is determined that the raid level is not set to at least one of those ( step 2014 ). in the case where the raid level is different from each other ( the result in step 2014 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 sets the storage tier having the higher - order raid level to be higher ( step 2016 ). the higher - order raid level indicates the higher performance raid level . for example , with respect to fault tolerance , the raid 1 is higher than the raid 5 . therefore , the raid 1 is higher than the raid 5 in view of the fault tolerance . the information for determining whether the raid level is higher or lower may be held in the storage management server 102 in advance , or may be determined by the administrator . in the case where the raid level is equal to each other or not set in at least one of those ( the result in step 2014 is “ no ”), both of the storage tiers are set to be the same ( step 2017 ). now , a description will be given in more detail of the operation of fig1 and fig1 while comparing the storage tier tier 1 and the storage tier tier 2 , and then the storage tier tier 2 with the storage tier tier 3 with reference to fig1 . first , when tier 1 and tier 2 are compared with each other , because tier 1 is of high performance and tier 2 is of low performance , the device type is different therebetween . accordingly , the result of step 2011 of fig1 is “ no ”, and tier 1 having the higher - order tier type is defined to have the higher - order storage tier than tier 2 in step 2013 . then , when tier 2 and tier 3 are compared with each other , because the device types of tier 2 and tier 3 are equal to each other , the result in step 2011 is “ yes ”. then , the disk type is not set in tier 3 . accordingly , the result in step 2012 is also “ yes ”. further , when of the raid levels of tier 2 and tier 3 are compared with each other , the raid level of tier 2 is raid 1 and the raid level of tier 3 is raid 5 . in this embodiment , because raid 5 is higher than raid 1 , tier 2 is higher than tier 3 . fig1 and fig1 are flowcharts showing an example of a procedure of producing the migration plan . fig1 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of producing the migration plan according to the embodiment of this invention . the procedure shown in fig1 is a process mainly in the case where the execution of another migration plan is not overlapped with the execution scheduled time of the produced migration plan . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the gui program 433 , to thereby display a screen that registers the migration plan through the web browser 131 of the management client 103 ( step 1511 ). the administrator sets the migration group that migrates data on the displayed screen , the migration destination storage tier , and the designated end time . hereinafter , a description will be described of the operation of the administrator in step 1511 with reference to fig1 showing the screen that is displayed in the web browser 131 of the management client 103 . fig1 shows a screen for registering the migration plan according to the embodiment of this invention . the administrator first operates a select field 2211 on the basis of information on an mg id 2212 , a belonging vol # 2213 , and a migration destination tier 2214 which are displayed on the screen , and selects one migration group . the mg id 2212 , the belonging vol # 2213 , and the migration destination tier 2214 correspond to the mg id 811 , the belonging vol # 812 , and the migration destination tier 813 in the migration group table 442 , respectively . subsequently , the administrator operates a select field 2221 on the basis of information on a tier name 2222 , a capacity 2223 , a device id 2224 , a device type 2225 , a raid level 2226 , and a disk type 2227 , to thereby select the migration destination storage tier of the volume within the migration group . the tier name 2222 , the capacity 2223 , the device id 2224 , the device type 2225 , the raid level 2226 , and the disk type 2227 correspond to the tier name 1012 , the capacity 1014 , the device id 1015 , the device type 1016 , the raid level 1017 , and the disk type 1018 in the storage tier table 444 , respectively . in addition , the administrator inputs a designated end time 2231 . finally , in order to execute the selected contents , the manager operates an execute button 2241 . in the case where the selected contents are canceled , the administrator operates a cancel button 2242 . subsequently , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby searches the priority table 447 for the subject priority on the basis of information on the migration group designated by the administrator , and the migration destination storage tier ( step 1512 ). the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby calculate a period of time required for the data migration which is designated by the administrator . in the calculation of the period of time required for the data migration , for example , a sum of capacities of the volumes that belong to the migration group is calculated based on the configuration information of the volumes that belong to the migration group , and a product of the sum and the data transfer speed per unit capacity is obtained . the data transfer speed per unit capacity is held by the storage management server 102 in advance . the configuration information of the volume is acquired from the migration group table 442 and the volume table 445 . subsequently , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 sets a scheduled end time . the scheduled end time is a time obtained by subtracting a constant time ( hereinafter referred to as “ margin time ”) from the designated end time designated by the administrator . the margin time is held by the storage management server 102 in advance . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 sets a scheduled start time on the basis of the scheduled end time and the required period of time ( step 1513 ). the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the table management program 434 , to thereby acquire the registered migration plan from the migration plan table 443 . in addition , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 acquires the scheduled start time and the scheduled end time ( hereinafter , a period of time between the scheduled start time and the scheduled end time will be called “ scheduled period of time ”) of the acquired migration plan , and determines whether the scheduled period of time that is set in the process of step 1513 is overlapped with the scheduled period of time of another migration plan , or not ( step 1514 ). in the case where the scheduled period of time is not overlapped with that of other migration plans ( the result in step 1514 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby determine whether the scheduled start time is before the present time , or not ( step 1611 ). more specifically , the processor 413 compares the scheduled start time that has been set in the process of step 1512 with the present time . in the case where the scheduled start time is before the present time ( the result in step 1611 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the table management program 434 , to thereby register the information in the migration plan table 443 ( step 1613 ). the information to be registered in the migration plan table 443 is information set in the processes of steps 1511 and 1512 and information designated by the administrator . in the case where the scheduled start time is not before the present time ( the result in step 1611 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby determine whether the scheduled end time is later than the designated end time , or not ( step 1612 ). more specifically , the processor 413 compares the scheduled end time set in the process of step 1512 with the designated end time designated by the administrator . in the case where the scheduled end time is earlier than the designated end time ( the result in step 1612 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby instruct the data migration to the storage system 101 ( step 1614 ). in this situation , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 designates the migration source volume and the migration destination volume which are described in the volume relation table 446 from the migration plan to the storage system 101 . in the case where the scheduled end time is later than the designated end time ( the result in step 1612 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 notifies the administrator of the error ( step 1615 ). the above process is a process in the case where the execution of another migration plan is not overlapped with the execution scheduled time of the produced migration plan . hereinafter , a description will be given of the process in the case where the execution of another migration plan is overlapped with the execution scheduled time of the produced migration plan with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of producing the migration plan according to the embodiment of this invention . specifically , a case in which the execution of another migration plan is overlapped with the execution scheduled time of the produced migration plan is illustrated . in the case where the scheduled period of time is overlapped with each other ( the result in step 1514 of fig1 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby select the migration plan having a higher priority ( step 1711 ). more specifically , the processor 413 compares the priority of the overlapped migration plan with the priority set in the process of step 1511 . in this situation , in the case where the priorities are equal to each other , the processor 413 selects the overlapped migration plan . subsequently , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby determine whether the migration plan that has been selected in the process of step 1711 is being executed , or not ( step 1712 ). in the case where the migration plan is in execution ( the result in step 1712 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby delay the scheduled start time of the migration plan not selected in the process of step 1711 so that those executions are not overlapped with each other ( step 1715 ). in the case where the migration plan selected in the process of step 1711 is not in execution ( the result in step 1712 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby hasten the scheduled start time of the migration plan selected in the process of step 1711 . more specifically , the processor 413 hastens the scheduled start time of the migration plan selected in the process of step 1711 as much as the period of time between the scheduled start time and the present time , as much as the period of time between the scheduled end time and the present time , to the scheduled end time of another migration plan , or to the latest time among the times corresponding to the periods of time , the scheduled end time , and the present time , on the basis of the information on the migration plan other than the migration plan compared in the process of step 1711 and the information on the present time ( step 1713 ). the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 may not change the scheduled start time according to the scheduled end time of another migration plan , but may execute the process of fig1 with respect to the migration plan selected in the process of step 1711 and the migration plan whose scheduled end time competes against the scheduled end time thereof in this step . subsequently , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby compare the scheduled period of time changed in the process of step 1713 with the scheduled period of time of another migration plan compared in the process of step 1711 , and determine whether the scheduled period of time is overlapped with each other , or not ( step 1714 ). in the case where the scheduled period of time is overlapped with each other ( the result in step 1714 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes a process of step 1715 . in the case where the scheduled period of time is not overlapped with each other ( the result in step 1714 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the processes after step 1611 with respect to the respective migration groups whose scheduled period of time has been changed . now , a process of producing the migration plan will be described with reference to an example of fig2 . fig2 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of a procedure of producing the migration plan according to the embodiment of this invention . in the migration plan table before producing the migration plan , there is registered a migration plan whose mg id 911 is “ 101 ”. the administrator executes the processes of steps 1511 to 1513 to register a migration plan whose designated end time is “ 12 / 10 12 : 00 ”, the scheduled start time is “ 12 / 10 9 : 00 ”, the scheduled end time is “ 12 / 10 10 : 00 ”, and the priority is “ 5 ”, at the present time “ 12 / 10 9 : 00 ”. the mg id of the migration plan is set to “ 102 ”, and the scheduled start time 913 , the scheduled end time 914 , and the priority 912 are determined by the execution of the execution management program 435 . subsequently , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 determines whether the scheduled period of time of the migration plan whose mg id is “ 101 ” is overlapped with the scheduled period of time of the migration plan whose mg id is “ 102 ”, or not , through the process of step 1514 . the migration plan whose mg id is “ 101 ” has the scheduled start time of “ 12 / 10 9 : 00 ” and the scheduled end time of “ 12 / 10 10 : 00 ”. the migration plan whose mg id is “ 102 ” has the scheduled start time of “ 12 / 10 9 : 30 ”, and the scheduled end time of “ 12 / 10 10 : 00 ”. thus , the scheduled periods of time of those migration plans are overlapped with each other . accordingly , because the result of step 1514 is “ yes ”, the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the process of step 1711 . in the process of step 1711 , the table management program 232 is executed , and the migration plan whose mg id is “ 101 ” that is higher in the priority is selected . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 determines whether the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” is being executed , or not , through the process of step 1712 . because the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” is unprocessed , the processor 413 executes the process of step 1713 . as a result , the scheduled start time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” is hastened up to 9 : 00 which is the present time . in this situation , the scheduled start time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” is “ 9 : 00 ”, and the scheduled end time thereof is “ 9 : 30 ”. subsequently , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 determines whether the scheduled periods of time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” and that of the migration plan whose mg id of “ 102 ” are overlapped with each other , or not , through a process of step 1714 . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes a process of step 1715 because the scheduled periods of time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” and that of the migration plan whose mg id of “ 102 ” are overlapped with each other . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 changes the scheduled start time and the scheduled end time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 102 ” to “ 9 : 30 ” and “ 10 : 30 ”, respectively , so as not to be overlapped with the scheduled period of time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ”. in addition , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the processes after step 1611 of fig1 with respect to the migration plans having the mg id of “ 101 ” and the mg id of “ 102 ”, respectively . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the process of step 1611 to determine whether the scheduled start time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” is before the present time , or not . because the scheduled start time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ” is not before the present time , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the process of step 1612 to determine whether the scheduled end time is before the designated end time , or not . in addition , the processor 413 executes the process of step 1614 , and executes the migration plan having the mg id of “ 101 ”. on the other hand , because the scheduled start time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 102 ” is not before the present time , the processor 413 executes the process of step 1613 , and registers the scheduled start time and the scheduled end time in the migration plan table 443 . fig2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the volume migrating process registered in the migration plan according to the embodiment of this invention . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the table management program 434 , to thereby regularly acquire the migration plan table 443 ( step 1811 ). the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby retrieve the scheduled start time of the migration plan acquired in the process of step 1811 , and determine whether the scheduled start time has passed , or not , and whether the unprocessed migration plan exists , or not ( step 1812 ). in the case where the scheduled start time has passed , and the unprocessed migration plan does not exist ( the result in step 1812 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 terminates this process . in the case where the scheduled start time has passed , and the unprocessed migration plan exists ( the result in step 1812 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 425 , to thereby determine whether the migration plan in execution exists , or not ( step 1813 ). more specifically , the processor 413 refers to the execution status of the migration plan acquired in the process of step 1811 for determination . in the case where the migration plan in execution does not exist ( the result in step 1813 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby instruct the data migration to the storage system 101 ( step 1814 ). in this situation , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 designates the migration source volume and the migration destination volume , which are described in the volume relation table 446 , from the migration plan having the scheduled start time passed . in the case where the migration plan in execution exists ( the result in step 1813 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby compare the priority of the migration plan in execution with the priority of the migration plan having the scheduled start time passed , and determine whether the priority of the migration plan having the scheduled start time passed is higher , or not ( step 1815 ). in the case where the priority of the migration plan having the scheduled start time passed is higher ( the result in step 1815 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby suspend the data migrating process of the migration plan in execution . then , the processor 413 designates the migration source volume and the migration destination volume , which are described in the volume relation table 446 , from the migration plan having the scheduled start time passed , and instructs the data migration to the storage system 101 ( step 1816 ). the stopped process is again executed in a case where the migration plan that is higher in priority does not execute . fig2 is an example of a flowchart that instructs the stop of the data migrating process of the storage system 101 according to the embodiment of this invention . this process represents the stop of the data migrating process in the process of step 1816 shown in fig1 . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby access to the storage system 101 and acquire the information on the process that stops ( step 1911 ). the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the execution management program 435 , to thereby determine whether the process in execution is the data migrating process , or the data deleting process ( step 1912 ). in the case where the process in execution is the data deleting process ( the result in step 1912 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby acquire information on the subject storage device ( step 1914 ). in addition , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 determines whether the interruption of the data deleting process is enabled , or not ( step 1915 ). the interruption of the process means that the subject process is suspended when the storage operation program 431 is executed to transmit a stop command of the subject process to the storage system 101 , and the suspended process is restarted when the storage operation program 431 is executed to transmit the restart command of the subject process to the storage system 101 . in the case where the process in execution is the data migrating process ( the result in step 1912 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby acquire the information on the subject storage device ( step 1913 ). in addition , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 determines whether the interruption of the data migrating process is enabled , or not ( step 1915 ). in the case where the process in execution can be interrupted ( the result in step 1915 is “ yes ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby instruct the interruption of the present process to the storage system 101 ( step 1916 ). in the case where the process in execution cannot be interrupted ( the result in step 1915 is “ no ”), the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program , to thereby instruct the forced termination of the present process to the storage system 101 ( step 1917 ). further , in the subject process , the processor 413 updates the progress 1215 of the volume relation table 446 . for example , when the value of the progress 1215 is “ migrating ”, the processor 413 changes the value to “ unprocessed ”, and when the value of the progress 1215 is “ deleting ”, the processor 413 changes the value to “ migrating ”. the forced termination of the process means that the processor 413 executes the storage operation program 431 , thereby transmitting the forced termination command of the subject process to the storage system 101 to cancel the subject process . in this situation , in order to restart the process , the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 is required to execute the storage operation program 431 to again transmit the execution command of the subject process . in this situation , the subject process is executed from the beginning . fig2 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of a procedure of executing the migration plan according to the embodiment of this invention . in the migration plan table before execution shown in fig2 , the migration plan having the mg id of “ 201 ” is “ migrating ”, and the migration plan having the mg id of “ 202 ” is “ unprocessed ”. a description will be given of a case in which the execution of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 201 ” is not completed , and the scheduled start time of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 202 ” has passed ( in the case where the result of step 1812 is “ yes ”). in this case , because the migration plan having the mg id of “ 201 ” is in execution , the processor 413 executes the process of step 1815 to compare the priority of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 201 ” with the priority of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 202 ”. as a result , because the priority of the migration plan having the mg id of “ 202 ” is higher , the migration plan having the mg id of “ 201 ” is suspended , and the migration plan having the mg id of “ 202 ” is executed . in this situation , the migration plan table 443 is in a state of the migration plan table after execution shown in fig2 . according to the embodiment of this invention , it is possible to start the volume migration that is higher in priority such that the process completes before the end time . therefore , the migrating process of the volume that is higher in priority can be completed by the designated time . also , according to the embodiment of this invention , in the case where a timing at which the access frequency is increased is grasped by a system monitor and the like in advance , it is possible to complete the migrating process of the volume before the processing performance is deteriorated due to increased access frequency . in the embodiment of this invention , the data migration is executed by the virtualization device 107 in a state where a plurality of storage devices are logically identified as one storage device . now , a description will be given of a modified example in which the data migration is conducted in the interior of one storage system . more specifically , the modified example is different from the computer system 100 shown in fig1 in that the virtualization device 107 is not included , and the storage management server 102 manages one storage system 101 . other structures are the same as those in fig1 . the processor 413 of the storage management server 102 executes the storage operation program 431 , to thereby transmit instructions of the data migrating process and the data deleting process to the storage system 101 . according to the modified example of the embodiment of this invention , it is possible to apply this invention to the configuration in which one storage system 101 is disposed for the storage management server 102 . accordingly , even in a computer system that is relatively small - scaled , it is possible to complete the migrating process of the volume before the access frequency increases , by means of the system monitor . while the present invention has been described in detail and pictorially in the accompanying drawings , the present invention is not limited to such detail but covers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements , which fall within the purview of the appended claims .
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