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a fixed dose combination according to the present invention represents a pharmaceutical multilayer tablet comprising a first layer of telmisartan in substantially amorphous form , a second layer of ramipril alone or ramipril together with a diuretic in a disintegrating tablet matrix , or optionally a third layer of a diuretic in a disintegrating tablet matrix . the active ingredient telmisartan is generally supplied in its free acid form , although pharmaceutically acceptable salts such as the sodium salt may also be used . since during subsequent processing telmisartan is normally dissolved and transformed into a substantially amorphous form , its initial crystal morphology and particle size are of little importance for the physical and biopharmaceutical properties of the multilayer tablet formulation obtained . it is , however , preferred to remove agglomerates from the starting material , e . g . by sieving , in order to facilitate wetting and dissolution during further processing . substantially amorphous telmisartan may be produced by any suitable method known to those skilled in the art , for instance , by freeze drying of aqueous solutions , coating of carrier particles in a fluidized bed , and solvent deposition on sugar pellets or other carriers . preferably , however , the substantially amorphous telmisartan is prepared by the specific spray - drying method described in wo03 / 059327 . ramipril is supplied as a free ester or stabilized with a polymeric coating as described in ep - a - 317878 . examples of polymers suitable for the protective coating are cellulose derivatives such as hydroxyproplycellulose , hydroxypropylmethyl - cellulose , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate , hydroxyethylcellulose , ethylcellulose , cellulose acetate phthalate , cellulose acetate , polyvinyl acetate phthalate , polyvinylpyrrolidone , cationic and anionic polymers , copolymer with neutral character based on poly ( meth ) acrylic esters ( eudragit ®( r ) e , eudragit ®( r ) e 30 d ), anionic polymer of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate ( eudragit ®( r ) l or s , eudragit ®( r ) l 30 d ) and gelatin . the diuretic is usually employed as a fine - crystalline powder , optionally in fine - milled , peg - milled or micronized form . for instance , the particle size distribution of hydrochlorothiazide , as determined by the method of laser light scattering in a dry dispersion system ( sympatec helos / rodos , focal length 100 mm ) is preferably as follows : d 10 : ≦ 20 μm , preferably 2 to 10 μm d 50 : 5 to 50 μm , preferably 10 to 30 μm d 90 : 20 to 100 μm , preferably 40 to 80 μm a multilayer tablet according to the present invention generally contains 10 to 160 mg , preferably 20 to 80 mg or 40 to 80 mg , of telmisartan ; 1 to 20 mg , preferably 5 to 10 mg , of ramipril ; and 6 . 25 to 50 mg , preferably 12 . 5 to 25 mg , of a diuretic such as hctz . presently preferred forms are multilayer tablets comprising 20 / 10 mg , 40 / 10 mg , 80 / 10 mg , 20 / 5 mg , 40 / 5 mg , 80 / 5 mg , 20 / 2 . 5 mg , 40 / 2 . 5 mg and 80 / 2 . 5 mg of telmisartan and ramipril , respectively . the preferred amounts of diuretic are 12 . 5 mg or 25 mg . the first tablet layer contains telmisartan in substantially amorphous form dispersed in a dissolving tablet matrix having instant release ( fast dissolution ) characteristics . the dissolving tablet matrix may have neutral or basic properties , although a basic tablet matrix is preferred . in such a preferred embodiment , the dissolving matrix of the telmisartan layer comprises a basic agent , a water - soluble diluent and , optionally , other excipients and adjuvants . specific examples of suitable basic agents are alkali metal hydroxides such as naoh and koh ; basic amino acids such as arginine and lysine ; and meglumine ( n - methyl - d - glucamine ), naoh and meglumine being preferred . specific examples of suitable water - soluble diluents are carbohydrates such as monosaccharides like glucose ; oligosaccharides like sucrose , anhydrous lactose and lactose monohydrate ; and sugar alcohols like sorbitol , mannitol , erythrol and xylitol . sorbitol is a preferred diluent . the other excipients and / or adjuvants are , for instance , selected from binders , carriers , fillers , lubricants , flow control agents , crystallization retarders , solubilizers , coloring agents , ph control agents , surfactants and emulsifiers , specific examples of which are given below in connection with the second tablet layer composition . the excipients and / or adjuvants for the first tablet layer composition are preferably chosen such that a non - acidic , fast dissolving tablet matrix is obtained . the first tablet layer composition generally comprises 3 to 50 wt . %, preferably 5 to 35 wt . %, of active ingredient ; 0 . 25 to 20 wt . %, preferably 0 . 40 to 15 wt . %, of basic agent ; and 30 to 95 wt . %, preferably 60 to 80 wt . % of water - soluble diluent ( filler ). other ( optional ) constituents may , for instance , be chosen from one or more of the following excipients and / or adjuvants in the amounts indicated : 10 to 30 wt . %, preferably 15 to 25 wt . %, of binders , carriers and fillers , thereby replacing the water - soluble diluent ; 0 . 1 to 5 wt . %, preferably 0 . 5 to 3 wt . %, of lubricants ; 0 . 1 to 5 wt . %, preferably 0 . 3 to 2 wt . %, of flow control agents ; 1 to 10 wt . %, preferably 2 to 8 wt . %, of crystallization retarders ; 1 to 10 wt . %, preferably 2 to 8 wt . %, of solubilizers ; 0 . 05 to 1 . 5 wt . %, preferably 0 . 1 to 0 . 8 wt . %, of coloring agents ; 0 . 5 to 10 wt . %, preferably 2 to 8 wt . %, of ph control agents ; 0 . 01 to 5 wt . %, preferably 0 . 05 to 1 wt . %, of surfactants and emulsifiers . the second tablet layer composition comprises ramipril dispersed in a disintegrating tablet matrix having instant release ( fast dissolution ) characteristics . alternatively , the second tablet layer composition comprises ramipril together with a diuretic dispersed in a disintegrating tablet matrix having instant release ( fast dissolution ) characteristics . the disintegrating tablet matrix may have weakly acidic , neutral or weakly basic properties , a neutral tablet matrix being preferred . in a preferred embodiment , the disintegrating matrix comprises one or more fillers , a binder or polymer , a disintegrant , a lubricant and , optionally , other excipients and adjuvants . preferred fillers are selected from the group consisting of pregelatinized starch , microcristalline cellulose , low - substituted hydroxypropylcellulose , cellulose , mannitol , erythritol , lactose , saccharose , claciumhydrogenphosphate , sorbitol , and xylitol . particularly preferred are pregelatinized starch , microcrystalline cellulose , mannitol and lactose monohydrate . preferred disintegrants are selected from the group consisting of croscarmellose sodium salt ( cellulose carboxymethylether sodium salt , crosslinked ), sodium starch glycolate , crosslinked polyvinyl pyrrolidone ( crospovidone ), corn starch and low - substituted hydroxypropylcellulose . particularly preferred are sodium starch glycolate and croscarmellose sodium salt . preferred binders are selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone ( povidone ), copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone with other vinyderivatives ( copovidone ), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , methylcellulose , hydroxypropyl - cellulose and low - substituted hydroxypropyl - cellulose . particularly preferred are hydroxypropyl - methylcellulose and copovidone . the second tablet layer composition generally comprises 0 . 5 to 25 wt . %, preferably 1 to 15 wt . % of ramipril and 50 to 95wt . %, preferably 75 to 90 wt . % of fillers . the optional content of diuretic amounts to 2 to 15 wt . %. the other excipients and / or adjuvants are , for instance , selected from binders , carriers , fillers , lubricants , flow control agents , crystallization retarders , solubilizers , coloring agents , ph control agents , surfactants and emulsifiers , specific examples of which are given below in connection with the third tablet layer composition . the excipients and / or adjuvants for the second tablet layer composition are preferably chosen such that a neutral , disintegrating tablet matrix is obtained . examples for such fillers are mannitol , pregelatinized starch , lactose monohydrate and cellulose derivatives like low substituted hydroxypropylcellulose . the optional third tablet layer composition contains a diuretic in a fast disintegrating tablet matrix . in a preferred embodiment , the disintegrating tablet matrix comprises a filler , a binder , a disintegrant and , optionally , other excipients and adjuvants . the filler is preferably selected from anhydrous lactose , spray - dried lactose and lactose monohydrate . the binder is selected from the group of dry binders and / or the group of wet granulation binders , depending on the manufacturing process chosen for the second tablet layer . suitable dry binders are , e . g ., cellulose powder and microcrystalline cellulose . specific examples of wet granulation binders are corn starch , polyvinyl pyrrolidone ( povidone ), vinylpyrrolidone - vinylacetate copolymer ( copovidone ) and cellulose derivatives like hydroxymethylcellulose , hydroxyethylcellulose , hydroxypropyl - cellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose . suitable disintegrants are , e . g ., sodium starch glycolate , crospovidon , croscarmellose , sodium carboxymethylcellulose and dried corn starch , sodium starch glycolate being preferred . the other excipients and adjuvants , if used , are preferably selected from diluents and carriers such as cellulose powder , microcrystalline cellulose , cellulose derivatives like hydroxymethylcellulose , hydroxyethylcellulose , hydroxypropylcellulose and hydroxy - propylmethylcellulose , dibasic calcium phosphate , corn starch , pregelatinized starch , polyvinyl pyrrolidone ( povidone ) etc . ; lubricants such as stearic acid , magnesium stearate , sodium stearylfumarate , glycerol tribehenate , etc . ; flow control agents such as colloidal silica , talc , etc . ; crystallization retarders such as povidone , etc . ; solubilizers such as pluronic , povidone , etc . ; coloring agents , including dyes and pigments such as iron oxide red or yellow , titanium dioxide , talc , etc . ; ph control agents such as citric acid , tartaric acid , fumaric acid , sodium citrate , dibasic calcium phosphate , dibasic sodium phosphate , etc . ; surfactants and emulsifiers such as pluronic , polyethylene glycols , sodium carboxymethyl cellulose , polyethoxylated and hydrogenated castor oil , etc . ; and mixtures of two or more of these excipients and / or adjuvants . in a particularly preferred embodiment the third layer is positioned between the first and second layer to avoid contact of telmisartan and ramipril with each other . the layers can be differentiated by using different colors . such a third tablet layer composition generally comprises 1 . 5 to 35 wt . %, preferably 2 to 15 wt . %, of active ingredient ; 25 to 75 wt . %, preferably 35 to 65 wt . %, of filler ; 10 to 40 wt . %, preferably 15 to 35 wt . %, of dry binder ; 0 . 5 to 5 wt . %, preferably 1 to 4 wt . %, of wet granulation binder ; and 1 to 10 wt . %, preferably 2 to 8 wt . %, of disintegrant . the other excipients and adjuvants are generally employed in the same amount as in the first tablet layer composition . for preparing a bilayer tablet according to the present invention , the first and second tablet layer compositions may be compressed in the usual manner in a bilayer tablet press , e . g . a high - speed rotary press in a bilayer tableting mode . however , care should be taken not to employ an excessive compression force for the first tablet layer . preferably , the ratio of the compression force applied during compression of the first tablet layer to the compression force applied during compression of both the first and second tablet layers is in the range of from 1 : 10 to 1 : 2 . for instance , the first tablet layer may be compressed at moderate force of 4 to 8 kn , whereas the main compression of first plus second layer is performed at a force of 10 to 20 kn . during bilayer tablet compression adequate bond formation between the two layers is achieved by virtue of distance attraction forces ( intermolecular forces ) and mechanical interlocking between the particles . the multilayer tablets obtained release the active ingredients rapidly and in a largely ph - independent fashion , with complete release occurring within less than 60 min and release of the major fraction occurring within less than 15 min . the dissolution /- disintegration kinetics of the multilayer tablet may be controlled in different ways . for instance , the layers may dissolve / disintegrate simultaneously . preferably , however , the second layer containing ramipril and the third tablet layer containing a diuretic disintegrate first whereas the first layer containing telmisartan dissolves subsequently . in accordance with the present invention , a substantially increased dissolution rate of the active ingredients and , in particular , of telmisartan is achieved . normally , at least 70 % and typically at least 90 % of the drug load are dissolved after 30 min . the multilayer tablets of the present invention tend to be slightly hygroscopic and are therefore preferably packaged using a moisture - proof packaging material such as aluminium foil blister packs , or polypropylene tubes and high density polyethylene ( hdpe ) bottles which preferably contain a desiccant . a preferred method of producing the bilayer tablet according to the present invention comprises : a ) preparing an aqueous solution of telmisartan , at least one basic agent and , optionally , a solubilizer and / or a crystallization retarder ; b ) spray - drying said aqueous solution to obtain a spray - dried granulate ; c ) mixing said spray - dried granulate with a water - soluble diluent to obtain a premix ; d ) mixing said premix with a lubricant to obtain a final blend for the first layer ; and e ) optionally , adding other excipients and / or adjuvants in any of steps a ) to d ); ( ii ) providing a second tablet layer composition comprising ramipril alone or together with a diuretic ; ( iii ) optionally providing a third tablet layer composition comprising a diuretic ; ( iv ) compressing each of the first , second and third tablet layer composition to form a tablet layer ; and ( v ) compressing the separate tablet layers to form a multilayer tablet . to provide a first tablet layer composition , an aqueous alkaline solution of telmisartan is prepared by dissolving the active ingredient in purified water with the help of one or more basic agents like sodium hydroxide and meglumine . optionally , a solubilizer and / or a recrystallization retarder may be added . the dry matter content of the starting aqueous solution is generally 10 to 40 wt . %, preferably 20 to 30 wt . %. the aqueous solution is then spray - dried at room temperature or preferably at increased temperatures of , for instance , between 50 ° c . and 100 ° c . in a co - current or countercurrent spray - drier at a spray pressure of , for instance , 1 to 4 bar . generally speaking , the spray - drying conditions are preferably chosen in such a manner that a spray - dried granulate having a residual humidity of ≦ 5 wt . %, preferably ≦ 3 . 5 wt . %, is obtained in the separation cyclone . to that end , the outlet air temperature of the spray - drier is preferably kept at a value of between about 80 ° c . and 90 ° c . while the other process parameters such as spray pressure , spraying rate , inlet air temperature , etc . are adjusted accordingly . the spray - dried granulate obtained is preferably a fine powder having the following particle size distribution : d 10 : ≦ 20 μm , preferably ≦ 10 μm d 50 : ≦ 80 μm , preferably 20 to 55 μm d 90 : ≦ 350 μm , preferably 50 to 150 μm after spray - drying , the active ingredient telmisartan as well as the excipients contained in the spray - dried granulate are in a substantially amorphous state with no crystallinity being detectable . from a physical point of view , the spray - dried granulate is a solidified solution or glass having a glass transition temperature tg of preferably & gt ; 50 ° c ., more preferably & gt ; 80 ° c . based on 100 parts by weight of active ingredient telmisartan , the spray - dried granulate preferably contains 5 to 200 parts by weight of basic agent and , optionally , solubilizer and / or crystallization retarder . the water - soluble diluent is generally employed in an amount of 30 to 95 wt . %, preferably 60 to 80 wt . %, based on the weight of the first tablet layer composition . the lubricant is generally added to the premix in an amount of 0 . 1 to 5 wt . %, preferably 0 . 3 to 2 wt . %, based on the weight of the first tablet layer composition . mixing is carried out in two stages , i . e . in a first mixing step the spray - dried granulate and the diluent are admixed using , e . g ., a high - shear mixer or a free - fall blender , and in a second mixing step the lubricant is blended with the premix , preferably also under conditions of high shear . the method of the invention is however not limited to these mixing procedures and , generally , alternative mixing procedures may be employed in steps c ), d ), and also in the subsequent steps f ) and g ), such as , e . g ., container mixing with intermediate screening . to provide a second tablet layer composition comprising ramipril alone , ramipril is premixed and granulated with a binder solution using a fluid bed granulator . part of the excipients can be premixed and granulated together with ramipril in the fluid bed granulator . optionally ramipril can be dissolved or suspended in the binder solution in order to improve content uniformity of ramipril in the final product . the dried granules are sieved through an appropriate sieve . after addition of the other excipients the mixture is blended in a free fall blender . alternative methods for granulation of ramipril and excipients with the binder solution are high shear granulation or one pot granulation , followed by wet sieving , drying and dry sieving of the granules . first and second tablet layer compositions as described above can be compressed into bilayer tablets of the target tablet weight with appropriate size and crushing strength , using an appropriate tablet press . optionally , an appropriate external lubricant spray system for the dies and punches can be used during manufacturing of tablets in order to improve lubrication . to provide an alternative second tablet layer composition comprising ramipril together with a diuretic such as hydrochlorothiazide ( hctz ), ramipril and hydrochlorothiazide are premixed and granulated together with part of the excipients with a binder solution in a fluid bed granulator as described above . optionally , the active ingredients can be dissolved or suspended in the binder solution in order to improve content uniformity in the final product . after addition of the other excipients the mixture is blended in a free fall blender . first and alternative second layer compositions as described above can be compressed into bilayer tablets with appropriate size and crushing strength , using an appropriate tablet press . optionally , an appropriate external lubricant spray system for the dies and punches can be used during manufacturing of tablets in order to improve lubrication . in a further embodiment , a third tablet layer composition comprising a diuretic may be prepared by dry - mixing the constituent components , e . g . by means of a high - intensity mixer or a free - fall blender . alternatively and preferably , the third tablet layer composition is prepared using a wet granulation technique wherein an aqueous solution of a wet granulation binder is added to a premix and subsequently the wet granulate obtained is dried , e . g . in a fluidized - bed dryer or drying chamber . the dried mixture is screened and then a lubricant is admixed , e . g . using a tumbling mixer or free - fall blender . first , second and third layer compositions as described above can be compressed into 3 - layer tablets with appropriate size and crushing strength using an appropriate tablet press . for the production of bilayer tablets according to the present invention , the separate tablet layer compositions can be compressed in a bilayer tablet press , e . g . a rotary press in the bilayer tableting mode , in the manner described above . in order to avoid any cross - contamination between the tablet layers ( which could lead to decomposition of ramipril or hctz ), any granulate residues have to be carefully removed during tableting by intense suction of the die table within the tableting chamber . in order to further illustrate the present invention , the following non - limiting examples are given . | 0 |
fig1 shows a device according to the invention . it is arranged for measuring the voltage between ground and a high voltage power line or bus bar 1 . the device has metal end plates 2 and 3 , which are provided with lugs 4 and 5 for mounting the device and for connecting it electrically to the line or bus bar and to ground . the device has a central rod or tube 6 of a fibre reinforced polymer material , such as glass fibre reinforced epoxy . a poled fibre 7 is wound around the rod and forms a helix with a constant pitch angle . a second , unpoled , fibre 8 is also helically wound around the rod and forms a helix which is interleaved with the helix formed by the fibre 7 . fibres 7 and 8 are wound in parallel in order to achieve similar stress and temperature conditions for the two fibres . at the lower end of the device the two fibres 7 and 8 are connected to the first and second leads of a so - called 2 × 2 fibre - optic coupler 10 . a fibre 9 is connected to a third lead of the coupler and supplies linearly polarized light to the two fibres from a control unit 15 . at the upper end of the device the two fibres are connected to two of the leads of a 3 × 3 optical coupler 11 . the light from the two fibres interferes and is coupled into the three output arms of the 3 × 3 coupler , supplying three phase - shifted output signals through fibres 12 a , 12 b , 12 c to the control unit 15 . the device according to the invention is intended for high voltage use , that is , for use at voltages from about 1 kv and upwards . it is primarily intended for use in electrical power transmission and power distribution systems , and for use up to the highest voltages used in such systems . to obtain the necessary mechanical protection of the fibres , to obtain a sufficient leakage path length , and to obtain the necessary protection against precipitation and pollution for outdoor use , outer layers 13 of polymeric materials are applied outside the fibres and provided with sheds 14 . the poled fibre 7 is a silica fibre which is poled in its transverse direction . the poling of the fibre may be produced by means of uv - excited poling in the presence of a strong electric field in the manner described in the paper “ electro - optic effect induced by uv - excited poling in a silica fibre ” by t . fujiwara et al , electronic letters 31 , pp 573 - 575 , 1995 . a poled fibre exposed to an electric field , which has a component e p in the poling direction of the fibre , experiences a change δn in the index of refraction for light transmitted through the fibre . the relation between δn and e p is given by where r is the electrooptic coefficient of the poled fibre . it has been shown that values of r of about 5 pm / v may be obtained . in the device of fig1 the poled fibre is mounted in a helix with a known and constant pitch angle ξ . fig2 a shows an element of length ds of the fibre 7 . in the orthogonal coordinate system used in the drawing , the z - axis is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the rod 6 , r is a radius in the x - y - plane from the z - axis to the fibre element ds , z ′— z ′ is a line through the fibre element and parallel to the z - axis , and ξ is the pitch angle of the helix , that is , the angle between the fibre element and the line z ′— z ′. assuming that the electric potentials at the upper and lower ends of the helix are v h and v o respectively , the voltage to be measured by the device is the voltage measurement is achieved by sending light through the poled fibre . because of the field - dependent index of refraction of the fibre , the light will be phase - shifted by each element of length of the fibre , and the phase shift will be proportional to the electric field component in the poling direction of the element . as will be shown below , the accumulated phase shift δφ along the whole length of the fibre will be proportional to the voltage δv . the light source would normally comprise a source of sufficiently coherent light and , thus , would normally comprise a laser or a near - lasing device such as a superluminescent diode . the electric field e will have varying direction and magnitude at different parts of the fibre . the change in index of refraction in the fibre may be assumed to be a function of z the electrooptic coefficient r is independent of z , as the poling is constant along the length of the fibre . the change in refractive index in an element of length ds causes a phase shift dφ which is also a function of z fig2 b shows the fibre element of length ds viewed along radius r inwards toward the axis of rod 6 . the line t — t is an element of the curve or arc of the rod in the x - y - plane , and p is the poling direction of the fibre . from fig2 b it is seen that the resultant e p in the poling direction of the electric field components e x , e y and e z is given by e p = e z sin ξ + cos ξ ( e x cos θ + e y sin θ ) ( 8 ) by combining ( 3 ) and ( 5 ) dφ can be expressed as a function of e p ( z ) dφ ( z )=( 2π / λ ) r [ e z sin ξ + cos ξ ( e x cos θ + e y sin θ )] ds ( 10 ) the totally accumulated phase shift for the light transmitted through the fibre is which , if e x and e y may be regarded as constant during one turn of the helix , will equal if e x and e y are not constant , the result ( 12 ) is only approximately correct . the accuracy of the approximation will increase as the pitch angle of the helix is increased , and for this reason it is to be preferred to use a long fibre wound many turns with a large pitch angle . the accuracy of the approximation is also increased with reduced radius r . under the assumption above ( e x and e y constant during each turn ) the voltage drop δv along the axis of the helix is the line integral of e z from v h to v 0 by combining ( 12 ) and ( 13 ) the totally accumulated phase shift along the fibre is obtained as the accumulated phase shift is thus proportional to the voltage δv between the ends of the helix , that is , proportional to the voltage to be measured . fig3 a schematically shows how the fibres of the measuring device of fig1 are connected to the control unit 15 . this unit has a light source 16 in the form of a laser diode , which emits monochromatic and linearly polarized light into the fibre 9 which transmits the light to the fibre - optic 2 × 2 - coupler 10 a and thus to the lower ends of the poled fibre 7 and the unpoled fibre 8 . an isolator 10 b can be provided to prevent reflections back into the light source . if the degree of polarization of the light source is not sufficiently high , a polarizer 10 c may suitably be included . at the upper end the light from the fibre 7 will be phase - shifted an amount which corresponds to the voltage between the upper and lower ends of the fibres . the light arriving at the upper end of the unpoled fibre 8 will not be subject to any voltage - dependent phase shift . the interfering light from the two fibres is coupled by the 3 × 3 coupler 11 into the three unpoled fibres 12 a , 12 b , 12 c which conduct the light down to a signal processing unit 17 . this unit transforms the total voltage induced phase shift δφ into an output signal s out which corresponds to the measured voltage δv . the use of the 3 × 3 coupler 11 prevents signal fading and also increases the dynamic range . the output powers from the three arms of the 3 × 3 coupler are ideally three sinusoids with a 120 ° phase shift between them as shown in fig3 b , where s a , s b and s c are the signal outputs from the three output arms of the coupler . as a consequence of this it will be possible to maintain maximum sensitivity for all output levels by working only on the linear parts of the sinusoids while keeping track of which of the sinusoids that is currently used . fig3 c shows an example of the signal processing equipment . the equipment shown is the subject of australian provisional patent application pn 3292 , filed on may 31 , 1995 . the three outputs from the fibres 12 a , 12 b , 12 c connected to the 3 × 3 coupler 11 are fed into photodetectors 28 a , 28 b , 28 c with their following amplifiers 29 a , 29 b , 29 c . the amplifier output signals are converted into digital form in analog / digital converters 30 a , 30 b , 30 c . the digital output signals from the converters are supplied to a magnitude comparator 31 and to a switch 36 . the magnitude comparator determines which of the three signals that is exhibiting maximum sensitivity at any one time , and the comparator controls the switch 36 so that this maximum sensitivity signal is routed to an inverse sine lookup table 34 . the output from this table is the fine voltage value corresponding to the position within the current fringe . if the magnitude comparator 31 determines that a switch should be made to a different output signal , a phase lookup table 32 is addressed , and the appropriate phase constant as found in the table is supplied to an accumulator 33 . as indicated by the magnitude comparator , when the magnitude comparator switches between output signals , the accumulator will add to or subtract from its contents the appropriate value as obtained from the phase lookup table . the accumulator thus provides a coarse voltage value , and this value is added to the fine voltage value obtained from the inverse sine lookup table 34 in an adder 35 . the output from the adder is the signal s out which corresponds the voltage to be measured . fig4 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention . it uses a helical core poled fibre 7 ′ instead of the transversely poled fibre . a helical core fibre has a core which follows a helical curve in the manner described by birch rd , electronics letters 23 , pp 50 - 52 , 1987 . if the core is poled with the poling field having a significant component in parallel with the fibre axis , the helical form of the core will result in a similar effect as with the transversely poled fibre wound in a helix and discussed above . the result will be that the electric field component in the z direction will have a component in the poling direction of the core . this gives the desired field - dependent index of refraction , and the accumulated phase shift along the fibre will correspond to the voltage to be measured in the same manner as that described above . the fibres 7 ′, 8 , 12 a , 12 b , 12 c may follow straight lines . the device shown in fig4 is suitably provided with a protective outer layer with sheds ( such as layer 13 of fig1 ). an alternative embodiment of the invention uses a fibre poled so that its poling direction has a component in the longitudinal direction of the fibre . if the light in the fibre is presupposed to have a significant longitudinal field component , the fibre will be able to sense an electrical field which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the fibre , and such a poled fibre may be disposed in a straight line in the same manner as that shown in fig4 . another alternative embodiment of the invention is to employ a poling direction which at a point a distance z along the fibre axis is at a fixed angle less than 90 ° to the fibre axis , but rotates about that axis as z increases . the response of the fibre to transverse components of the external electric field averages ( because of the rotation ) to near zero , leaving substantially only response to the external field component parallel to the fibre axis . a fibre poled in this way may be disposed in a straight line in the same manner as that shown in fig4 . fig5 shows still another embodiment of the invention . fig5 a shows an element of an optical fibre 20 with a core 21 . the fibre is poled in the transverse direction . as shown in the drawing , a plurality of alternate closely spaced regions 23 are poled while the intermediate regions 22 are left unpoled . the poling may be made by irradiating the fibre by uv - light through a suitable mask while subjecting the fibre to a strong transversal electrical field . the regions 23 will have an index of refraction n 2 which is dependent on the external electric field , and which is in general different from that — n 1 — of the unpoled regions 22 . the regions 22 and 23 form a bragg grating . a plurality of such gratings are distributed along the length of the fibre . the centre wavelength ( the wavelength of maximum reflection of light arriving at each grating through the fibre ) will shift in response to an external electric field , and the wavelength shift of the reflected light will then be a measure of the change of the local external electric field . fig5 b schematically shows how the fibre 20 is disposed in a helix between two points at potentials v h and v o for measuring the voltage δv between the points . a light source 25 emits light into the fibre through a fibreoptic 2 × 2 coupler 24 . the light reflected from the series of bragg gratings is coupled through a fibre 26 into unit 27 , which by means of suitable signal processing decodes the wavelength shift into an output signal s out corresponding to δv . the gratings may be dimensioned so that their zero - field centre wavelengths are different and their reflection bands non - overlapping . the light source 25 may then be a single broadband source for interrogating the gratings ( and thereby the corresponding local electric fields ). in devices according to the invention it is preferable to use highly birefringent fibre , such as bow tie fibre , in order to reduce polarization changes caused by mechanical stress and temperature effects on the fibre . additional information may be obtained by employing both polarizations of guided light , and by employing several different wavelengths . such additional information may be used ( by means of suitable signal processing ) to reduce or eliminate the contribution of unwanted components of the electric field . the device according to the invention may be used for measuring both ac and dc voltages . in the embodiments described above , the fibres , their support and the surrounding protective layers with sheds etc . form a self - contained entity . alternatively the fibres and their support may be arranged in the interior of a support insulator or suspension insulator , which is used for supporting some kind of electric apparatus . the voltage measuring device according to the invention may also be used as a support insulator for other apparatus . | 6 |
a first embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig1 - 5 . in these figures the screen printing machine will be seen to have a machine frame 1 on which there is arranged a series of printing stations a , b , c and d . it should be understood that the number of printing stations could be smaller or larger than the number that is illustrated in the drawing . in the illustrated embodiment each of the printing stations a - d is provided with an endless tubular printing screen 2 . as the construction of the several printing stations a - d is identical , the description of the details of a single station will hereafter suffice for an understanding of the invention . the respective printing screens 2 are driven in rotation via a motor 3 via a transmission 4 , a coupling 40 , chain drive 5 , gears 6 and angle drive 7 which are driven by a main drive shaft 8 . in fig1 - 5 the main drive shaft and its associated components forms at opposite sides of the machine respective drive trains 80 . drive is transmitted from the angle drives 7 via gears 9 , a pair of gears 10 and a gear 11 to a drive gear 12 mounted at each end of the tubular printing screen 2 so that the latter is rotated . the printing screen 2 is mounted on end rings 20 which are provided with connecting bolts 21 by means of which they can be connected to a bearing sleeve 22 which is the actual component that carries at its outer end the respective printing screen drive gear 12 . the bearing sleeves 22 themselves are mounted in adjustable end supports 13 which are each provided with two cylinder - and - piston units 14 that are connected to a fluid source ( fig3 ) and are operable to raise or lower the end supports 13 . the latter are adjustable in the direction of advancement of the web 17 to be printed ( i . e . normal to the plane of fig3 ) as well as transversely to this direction , so that a precise positioning and alignment of the printing screen 2 is possible . the cylinder - and - piston units 14 have pistons 214 &# 39 ; which act via piston rods 214 upon upright supports 114 which are constructed to serve as extensions of the piston rods 214 . this makes it possible to lift off each printing station in toto upon disconnecting of a few components . it is desirable to be able to provide for a precise adjustment of the end supports 13 and thus the screen 2 ; for this purpose each piston rod 214 has associated to its upper end a nut 314 . by appropriate turning of the respective nut 314 the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the printing screen 2 and the upper table 115 of the counter pressure beam 15 located beneath the printing screen 2 , can be precisely adjusted . through this gap passes the printing blanket 16 which is endless and trained about reversing rollers as known from the prior art , and on top of the printing blanket the workpiece web 17 ( fig4 ), e . g . a rug , a carpet or the like . the reversing rollers 116 and 216 as well as a drive - transmitting roller 316 about which the printing blanket 16 is trained , are shown in fig1 . the printing screens 2 are relatively fragile , as has been discussed with respect to the prior art . despite this it is desirable that it be possible to tension them in axial direction in order to improve the quality of the print that can be obtained . in the illustrated apparatus this is achieved by providing fluid - operated tensioning cylinders 18 at one axial end of the screen 2 which engage the end supports 13 . furthermore , the sleeves 12 of hollow interior construction to permit the convenient introduction of various media to the interior of the printing screen 2 . for example , the ink supply tube 19 ( not shown in fig1 but see fig2 ) is supplied from the exterior and is supported on consoles 119 by means of not illustrated retainers at the respective end supports 13 . printing ink is supplied to the ink supply tube 19 via hoses 219 , pumps 319 and a respective ink supply f as shown in fig5 . the manner in which the ink is supplied to the supply tube 19 has been described only for information and does not form a part of the present invention , being known per se from the prior art . details of the roller squeegee 23 according to the present invention are shown clearly in fig2 - 5 . the roller squeegee is received in the printing screen 2 and extends axially thereof . it has a non - rotatable shaft 24 which extends outwardly past the opposite axial ends of the printing screen 2 , through the respective end supports 13 up to support elements 25 . the support elements 25 for the shaft 24 are themselves mounted on the end supports 13 , and can be vertically adjusted due to the fact that they are provided with vertically extending slots through which bolts 113 are threaded into the end supports 13 . thus , the shaft 24 can be raised and lowered by raising or lowering the support elements 25 , or the entire unit can be raised and lowered by raising or lowering the end supports 13 themselves . the non - rotatable shaft 24 of the roller squeegee 23 is surrounded by a tubular jacket 123 which is provided at its opposite axial ends with annuli of gear teeth , here illustrated as external annuli 223 and 223 &# 39 ;, respectively . the jacket 423 is composed of steel , iron , polyamid for example . the jacket 123 is to be driven in rotation losely surrounds the shaft 24 whereas the shaft 24 remains stationary . for this purpose the shaft 24 is provided with a gear 26 at one or both sides of the machine where the drive trains 80 are provided . the gear 26 meshes with the teeth of a gear 27 which is mounted on a drive shaft 28 which extends through the interior of a tubular printing screen 2 . the shaft 28 also extends through both of the end supports 13 and carries , as illustrated in fig3 and 4 , respective gears 29 and 29 &# 39 ; which mesh with the annuli of teeth 223 and 223 &# 39 ;, respectively , that are provided on the jacket 123 . the shaft 28 is fixedly mounted at a predetermined spacing from the shaft 24 by means of two axially outer supports 30 and 30 &# 39 ; and two axially inner supports 31 and 31 &# 39 ;, respectively , as shown in fig3 . the shaft 24 is mounted on the supporting elements 25 by means of clamping devices which are adjustable so that it is possible to vary the vertical spacing of the roller squeegee 23 with reference to the inner circumferential surface of the printing screen 2 . as indicated before , this variation can be effected by loosening the bolts 113 , shifting the members 25 as desired , and then tightening the bolts 113 again . the roller squeegee 23 is so constructed that it will not bend or flex ( i . e . bow ) under its own weight . however , as will be presently described , the jacket 123 can be made to become sufficiently deformed so as to accommodate itself , e . g . to a downwardly bowed counterpressure beam 15 . it should be understood that the construction of the roller squeegee need not be identical with what has been illustrated in the drawing by way of example . in the illustrated example the annular space , defined between the non - rotatable shaft 24 and the rotary jacket 123 is subdivided in longitudinal direction so as to form an upper chamber 323 and a lower chamber 423 ( see fig5 ). the shaft 24 itself is hollow in this embodiment and a pressure medium hose or conduit 124 extends through it which communicates with the lower chamber 423 . the subdividing of the space into the chambers 323 and 423 is effected via two transverse partitions 224 which in the illustrated embodiment are mounted on the shaft 24 and which have radially outer edges adjacent the inner circumferential surface of the rotary jacket 123 . the partitions 224 are welded or otherwise secured to the shaft 24 . the gap between these edges and the inner circumferential surface of the jacket 123 is sealed in appropriate manner , for example by means of the illustrated elastically yieldable sealing strips 224 &# 39 ; which may be of a suitable sealing material , for example one of the synthetic plastic materials which are known to those skilled in the art for sealing purposes . the sealing strips 224 &# 39 ; sealingty engage the inner circumferential surface of the jacket 123 but do not prevent the latter from rotating . a pressure medium , for example water , oil , air or a gas is admitted via the conduit 124 into the lower chamber 423 ( the chamber is shown filled in fig5 ) and a pressure measuring device 324 ( see fig3 ) permits the pressure to be ascertained at the exterior . a reducing valve 424 permits the pressure to be controlled , and a pressure source 524 is provided , for example a compressor , which produces the compressed medium . it is evident that depending upon the extent to which the chamber 423 is pressurized , a uniform pressure is exerted upon the jacket 123 in the direction towards its line of contact with the inner circumferential surface of the printing screen 2 . this pressure is , as pointed out , uniform over the entire length of the roller squeegee 23 and eliminates any danger that the squeegee might bow in some portions or that due to uneven pressure by the squeegee upon the printing screen 2 the latter might become damaged . in fig5 the direction of travel of the workpiece web 17 , the direction of rotation of the tubular printing screen 2 and the direction of rotation of the rotary jacket 123 of the squeegee roller 23 , are all indicated by appropriate arrows . the sump of ink admitted into the interior of the printing screen 2 via the ink supply tube 19 , is identified by a legend . as before described , the particular construction of the roller squeegee 23 that is shown in fig5 is by way of example only . other parts of constructions will also lend themselves to the purposes of the invention , and for example the squeegee could be constructed in the manner known from calendar rollers used in textile processing , or in other ways , as long as it is assured that the roller squeegee is inherently resistant to bowing and that it can be made to uniformly contact the printing screen surface even in the center region of the squeegee . the squeegee could also be driven in other ways than those described , namely via the annuli of gear teeth 223 and 223 &# 39 ;. either annuli of gear teeth could be used , or axial couplings or the like could be employed , as long as it is assured that the jacket 123 is driven in rotation . as fig6 and 7 show , the embodiment illustrated therein is largely the same as in fig1 . in fact , fig6 clearly shows that a major difference is that a drive train 80 is provided only at one lateral side of the machine , instead of at both lateral sides as in fig1 . at the other side , i . e . the left side in fig6 there is provided an idler gear 111 which meshes with the printing screen gear 12 &# 39 ;. the embodiment of fig6 and 7 makes use of the fact that the drive shaft 28 with its gears 29 , 29 &# 39 ; extends axially through the interior of the printing screen 2 . thus , in fig6 and 7 the shaft 28 is used to provide a positive drive for the printing screen 2 even at that side of the machine which does not have a drive train 80 . adjacent the outer support 30 &# 39 ; the shaft 28 carries in the embodiment of fig6 and 7 an additional gear 127 . an idler gear 126 is freely turnably mounted on the non - rotatable shaft 24 and meshes with the shaft 127 as well as with the idler gear 111 . the latter in turn meshes with the printing screen gear 12 &# 39 ; which transmits rotation to the printing screen 2 via its associated bearing sleeve 22 and the bolts 21 . thus , although in fig6 and 7 a drive train 80 is provided only at one side of the machine , the printing screen is nevertheless positively driven at both sides of the machine , i . e . at both of its axial ends , thus making it unnecessary to provide additional drive at one side of the machine and simplifying the embodiment of fig6 and 7 as compared to that of fig1 - 5 . the construction of the roller squeegee 23 is of course the same in fig6 and 7 as in fig1 - 5 . in both embodiments the supply of pressure medium to the chamber 423 can be continuously varied . appropriate pressure in the chamber 423 makes the squeegee inherently resistant to bowing , i . e . bowing cannot occur because of the internal pressure and thus a straight - line contact will always be assured with the inner circumferential surface of the printing screen 2 . if desired , however , the internal pressure can be further increased so that , for example in the event that the counter - pressure beam 15 should be downwardly bowed away from the printing screen 2 , the jacket 123 can be so pressurized as to conform itself to the deformation of the counter pressure beam 15 . this assures an exact parallel operation of the roller squeegee 23 in the interior of the printing screen 2 at all times , so that the wedge - shaped printing medium sump in the interior of the screen 2 ( compare fig5 ) will be absolutely uniform over the entire axial length of the screen and the squeegee . it is of course possible to adjust the arrangement of the invention in such a way that there is no contact between the circumference of the jacket 123 and the inner circumferential surface of the screen 2 , but instead that a gap exists between them . even in such a case the pressurizing capability according to the present invention is highly useful , because it makes it possible to precisely adjust the width of the gap and , due to the thus - obtained gap uniformity to assure a uniformity of the printed pattern . it will be understood that each of the elements described above , or two or more together , may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above . thus , the roller squeegee may be constructed i . e . as shown in : dt - as1113131 dt - as 1111932 dt - ps 1026609dt - as 1411327 dt - as 2019708 dt - ps 1280035 . while the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a screen printing machine having a tubular printing screen , it is not intended to be limited to the details shown , since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention . without further analysis , the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that , from the standpoint of prior art , fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention . what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims . | 1 |
fig1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of a configurable manual controller 10 that is used with a computing device ( not shown ) for manipulating images or symbols on a display ( not shown ). although it does not show a cable , this embodiment can be connected to a computing device through a cable or a wireless communication link . manual controller 10 includes an exoskeleton 12 formed of a main housing 14 and a main casing 16 that conformably fits around the side surface of main housing 14 . main housing 14 fits inside of but is readily separable from main casing 16 . main housing 14 houses in its interior the electrical components necessary for controlling symbols or images on a display associated with a computer device . main casing 16 has a patterned surface portion 20 that in part covers hand grip mounting plates 22 ( one shown ) to which removable hand grips 30 and 32 can be attached as described below . skilled persons will appreciate that exoskeleton 12 can be alternatively made as a unitary structure having a surface on which patterned surface portion 20 is formed . as shown in fig1 , exoskeleton 12 has an attachable left - hand grip 30 and an attachable right - hand grip 32 for two - handed gripping by a user . a left - side control pad 34 , including four pressable control members 36 , and a left - side analog stick control 38 are positioned for access by digits of the user &# 39 ; s left hand ; and a right - side control pad 44 , including four control buttons 46 , and a right - side analog stick control 48 are positioned for access by digits of the user &# 39 ; s right hand . a selection button 64 and a start button 66 are positioned between hand grips 30 and 32 . skilled persons will appreciate that the above - described number of control actuators , control actuator layout pattern , and hand grip arrangement represent only one of numerous possible control actuator and hand grip configurations . the internal electrical components include the actual electronic circuits , controls , and corresponding switch elements for control pads 34 and 44 and buttons 64 and 66 . patterned surface portion 20 , which in this embodiment covers the exterior side surface of main casing 16 , includes a surface pattern in the form of an array of mutually spaced - apart cylindrical mating features or bosses 80 . each of hand grips 30 and 32 has a handle mount 82 on which is formed an array of mutually spaced - apart cylindrical mating features or recesses 84 . the diameter and depth of each recess 84 and the spacing distances between adjacent ones of recesses 84 are established so that recesses 84 mate with corresponding bosses 80 and provide a snug , releasable attachment of each of hand grips 30 and 32 to main casing 16 . fig2 shows the matable building elements that when assembled form left - hand grip 30 shown in fig1 . left hand - grip 30 is made up of five building elements , of which some have different matable features and some have smooth finished surfaces that contribute to the ornamental appearance and ergonomic quality of the hand grip . left - hand grip 30 includes a five - section body element 90 to which the remaining building elements attach . a mounting element 92 has three recesses ( not shown ) that mate with three corresponding bosses 80 of a mounting section 94 of body element 90 to form handle mount 82 ( fig1 ) having eight recesses 84 . handle mount 82 fits over and attaches to hand grip mounting plate 22 ( fig1 ), with eight recesses 84 and eight corresponding bosses 80 in mating relationship . a medial side element 96 has nine bosses 80 that mate with nine corresponding recesses of a center section 98 of body element 90 . a lateral side element 100 has nine recesses ( not shown ) that mate with nine corresponding bosses 80 of a distal section 102 of body element 90 . side elements 96 and 100 contribute to the shape and appearance of the gripping surface of left - hand grip 30 . an end piece 104 has two bosses 80 that mate with two corresponding recesses ( not shown ) of a tip section 106 of body element 90 to form a rounded terminal end of left - hand grip 30 . the assembled left - hand grip 30 is shown in fig1 with its side elements 96 and 100 removed . right - hand grip 32 can be assembled in a corresponding manner to that described above . fig3 shows a patterned surface portion 120 covering most of the top surface of main housing 14 ( fig1 ), except for the actuators on control pads 34 and 44 . patterned surface portion 120 includes a surface pattern in the form of an array of mutually spaced - apart bosses 80 in the same array pattern as that of patterned surface portion 20 ( fig1 ). patterned surface portion 120 is configured to receive matable building elements 122 . building elements 122 in this embodiment are preferably small molded plastic components that are stackable upon one another , like small bricks , to create a desired object . ( building elements 122 intended to provide a finished surface typically do not have top surface mating features that would enable stacking of another layer of building elements .) building elements 122 can be of different colors . suitable building elements 122 include lego toy bricks , available from interlego ag , zug , switzerland . a preferred building element 122 has on its bottom side recesses 84 that are sized to mate with spatially corresponding bosses 80 so that building element 122 can be affixed to and thereby cover part of patterned surface portion 120 . skilled persons will appreciate that a building element 122 having multiple recesses 84 on its bottom side is configured so that adjacent recesses 84 are separated by the same distance as that separating corresponding adjacent bosses 80 in patterned surface portion 120 . the spaced - apart bottom side recesses 84 of building element 122 that are sized to mate with spatially corresponding bosses 80 of patterned surface portion 120 define a recess feature pattern that is complementary to patterned surface portion 120 . fig3 shows a building element 122 a that has an open rectangular bottom side recess 124 that is sized to fit over and against lateral arcuate peripheral portions of two adjacent bosses 80 to mate with them in an operational manner . building element 122 a defines a surface feature that is matable to bosses 80 in , but not is complementary to , patterned surface portion 120 . either building element 122 or 122 a has on its top side the absence or presence of a matable feature . fig3 shows attached to main housing 14 ( fig1 ) a building element 122 s having a smooth top surface that can be of a color or that contributes to a finished decorative pattern selected by a user . fig3 also shows attached to main housing 14 and positioned adjacent building element 122 s a building element 122 b having on its top side two bosses 80 to which another building element 122 b could mate at its bottom surface . for purposes of simplicity and uniformity , a user preferably constructs a manual controller with a set of stackable building elements in which the bottom side feature and the top side feature mates with and operationally matches , respectively , the features in a patterned surface portion of the manual controller . operationally match is defined to mean that a top side feature is matable to the bottom side feature of the same building element . this is the situation illustrated in fig3 and fig8 a , 8 b , 8 c , and 8 d below . a user constructing a manual controller with building elements 122 stacked to form a specific shape could do so , however , by assembling a set of stackable building elements that are included in subsets . a first subset of building elements could be one in which the bottom side feature mates with , but the top side feature does not operationally match , the features of a patterned surface portion of the manual controller . a second subset of building elements could be one in which the bottom side feature mates with , and the top side feature operationally matches , the top side feature of the building elements in the first subset . fig4 is an isometric view of a second preferred embodiment of a configurable portable manual controller 140 that includes a unitary main and hand grip section . manual controller 140 is built around a remote controller in the form of a wii ™ remote controller , which is available from nintendo of america , inc ., redmond , wash ., and is implemented with motion sensors that move images on a display in response to user movement of manual controller 140 . manual controller 140 includes an exoskeleton 142 that is a main housing that houses in its interior the electrical components necessary for controlling symbols or images on a display associated with a computer device . as shown in fig4 , exoskeleton 142 has a control actuator 144 located between a control pad 146 including four pressable control members 148 and a menu button 150 and two control actuator buttons 152 and 154 . a power button 156 is located near the front end , two control actuator buttons 158 and 160 are located near the back end , and a joystick connector receptacle 162 is located in the back surface of manual controller 140 . exoskeleton 142 has a tapered front end bottom surface on which a user can rest his fingers to grasp the controller and operate a trigger device ( not shown ). exoskeleton 142 has patterned surface portions 170 and 172 that together cover most of the exterior of exoskeleton 142 . similar to patterned surface portion 20 of main casing 16 of manual controller 10 shown in fig1 , patterned surface portion 170 covering the top surface of manual controller 140 includes a surface pattern in the form of an array of mutually spaced - apart cylindrical mating features or bosses 80 . patterned surface portion 172 covering a side surface of manual controller 140 includes a surface pattern in the form of an array of mutually spaced - apart square mating features 174 . for purposes of simplicity , it is preferable to cover exoskeleton 142 with patterned surface portions including arrays of the same mating features . fig4 and 5 show two examples of building elements that are matable to manual controller 140 . a building element 176 shown positioned above ( but not mated to ) a building element 178 has top side cylindrical features 80 in a surface pattern that is less densely packed than features 80 in the surface pattern of patterned surface portion 170 . building element 178 shown mated to bosses 80 of patterned surface portion 170 has top side square features 174 of patterned surface portion 172 . building element 178 may have bottom side features that are matable to either cylindrical features 80 or square features 174 , depending on the surface of manual controller 140 on which a user intends to build . fig6 a , 6 b , 6 c , and 6 d show a customized controller built in the form of a golf club 190 around a remote controller in the form of a wii ™ remote controller . golf club 190 includes an exoskeleton 192 that has a surface portion 170 , which is described above with reference to fig4 . as best shown in fig6 d , golf club 190 includes five building elements , of which adjacent ones mate with each other and all of which collectively mate with exoskeleton 192 . a mounting element 194 includes two side sections 196 and 198 having recesses 84 that mate with corresponding bosses 80 on respective sides 200 and 202 of exoskeleton 192 . golf club shaft components 204 , 206 , 208 , and 210 mate in series connection to form an assembled golf club 190 . fig7 a , 7 b , 7 c , and 7 d show a customized controller built in the form of a baseball bat 220 around a remote controller in the form of a wii ™ remote controller . baseball bat 220 includes an exoskeleton 222 that has a surface portion 170 , which is described above with reference to fig4 . as best shown in fig7 d , baseball bat 220 includes five building elements ( two of which are partly or completely removed to illustrate mating bosses 80 of exoskeleton 222 ) mated to exoskeleton 222 to form a bat handle 224 and eleven building elements ( several of which partly cut away to show mating bosses 80 on adjacent building elements ) mated in series connection to form a bat barrel 226 . a building element 228 mates to the rear end of exoskeleton 222 to provide a bat heel , and a building element 230 mates with the front end of exoskeleton 222 to interconnect it with bat barrel 226 . fig8 a , 8 b , 8 c , and 8 d show a customized controller built in the form of a baseball bat 240 around a remote controller in the form of a wii ™ remote controller . baseball bat 240 includes an exoskeleton 242 that has a surface portion 170 , which is described above with reference to fig4 . as best shown in fig8 d , baseball bat 240 is formed of two multi - layer stacks 244 and 246 of building elements positioned on and mated to either side of a bat barrel core section 248 . rectangular building elements 250 and 252 included in respective multi - layer stacks 244 and 246 have recesses 84 ( not shown ) that mate with bosses 80 on the sides of exoskeleton 242 at its tapered end to connect bat barrel core section 248 to exoskeleton 240 . unlike baseball bat 220 of fig7 a , 7 b , 7 c , and 7 d , baseball bat 240 has substantially large unfinished surface portions . fig9 a , 9 b , and 9 c show a customized controller built in the form of a baseball bat 260 around a remote controller in the form of a wii ™ remote controller . baseball bat 260 includes an exoskeleton 262 that has a surface portion 170 , which is described above with reference to fig4 . as best shown in fig9 c , baseball bat 260 is formed with two matable half - section building elements 264 and 266 that resemble longitudinal half - sections of a complete bat , including its handle and barrel . the interior surfaces of building elements 264 and 266 have arrays of recesses 84 that mate with bosses 80 on the side surfaces of exoskeleton 262 to connect building elements 264 and 266 to exoskeleton 262 . the interior surface of building element 264 has three mounts 268 for sets of bosses 80 that mate with corresponding recesses 84 on the interior surface ( not shown ) of building element 266 to connect building elements 264 and 266 together . baseball bat 260 presents with very few building elements a finished replica of a baseball bat . it will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above - described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention . the scope of the present invention should , therefore , be determined only by the following claims . | 6 |
operation of a data converter , or gearbox , generally , is illustrated in fig1 , which shows a conceptual representation of a gearbox 10 of a type in which the output data stream is wider than the input data stream . for ease of illustration , a case of 8b / 10b encoding will be illustrated , but the principles are the same in the case of 64b / 66b encoding , or any other encoding scheme in which the output data stream is wider than the input data stream . as shown , input data stream 11 is 8 bits wide while output data stream 12 is 10 bits wide . gearbox 10 is divided into a plurality of 8 - bit - wide “ slices ” 13 . as discussed below , one embodiment of the actual construction of gearbox 10 and slices 13 may include various registers and multiplexers , but for purposes of fig1 it is sufficient that slice 13 is , in this example , 8 bits wide . input data 11 sequentially fills slices 13 . at the output , 10 bits are read out . thus , in cycle i , 8 bits are read from slice 130 , along with two bits from slice 131 , to make up 10 bits . 6 bits remain in slice 131 . in cycle ii , the 6 bits remaining in slice 131 are read out , along with 4 bits from slice 132 , leaving 4 bits in slice 132 . in cycle iii , the 4 bits remaining in slice 132 are read out , along with 6 bits from slice 133 , leaving 2 bits in slice 133 . in cycle iv , the 2 bits remaining in slice 133 are read out along with all 8 bits in slice 134 . the sequence begins again on the fifth cycle . as shown in fig2 , the operation of gearbox 20 , where the input data stream 21 is 10 bits wide while output data stream 22 is 8 bits wide , is similar . input data 21 sequentially fills slices 23 . at the output , 8 bits are read out . thus , in cycle i , 8 bits are read from slice 230 , leaving two bits in slice 230 . in cycle ii , the 2 bits remaining in slice 230 are read out along with 6 bits from slice 231 , leaving 4 bits in slice 231 . in cycle iii , the 4 bits remaining in slice 231 are read out , along with 4 bits from slice 232 , leaving 6 bits in slice 232 . in cycle iv , the 6 bits remaining in slice 232 are read out along with 2 bits from slice 233 , leaving 8 bits in slice 233 . in cycle v , the 8 bits remaining in slice 233 are read out . the sequence begins again on the sixth cycle . the invention will now be described with reference to fig3 – 6 . fig3 shows a padded protocol receiver 30 incorporating a data converter ( gearbox ) 40 in accordance with the present invention . receiver 30 preferably includes physical medium attachment (“ pma ”) module 31 , gearbox 40 , data alignment module 32 and decoder 33 . in this example , 64 - bit - wide data 300 are received by receiver pma module 31 from an external source . although transmitted as 64 - bit - wide data ( in fact , these data may be transmitted in four 16 - bit groups for compatibility with existing serializer - deserializers ), the data are actually 66 - bit data , encoded from 64 - bit source data using 64b / 66b encoding . the 64 - bit - wide 66 - bit received data 300 are conducted to gearbox 40 where they are converted to 66 - bit - wide 66 - bit data 310 . these 66 - bit - wide 66 - bit data 310 are the data as encoded at the source from the original 64 - bit source data , and including two padding bits in every 66 bits of data . as is well known in connection with high - speed serial interfaces of this type , although gearbox 40 has converted the data back to its 66 - bit format , the beginning and end of each 66 - bit “ word ” is not known , and the 66 - bit groupings 310 output by gearbox 40 ( as well as the 64 - bit groupings output by pma module 31 ) are arbitrary . these unaligned 66 - bit - wide 66 - bit data 310 are input to data alignment module 32 , which outputs aligned 66 - bit - wide 66 - bit data groupings 320 that match the 66 - bit data from the original source , before it was converted to 64 - bit format for transmission . data alignment module 32 uses well known data alignment techniques to find certain markers in the data , allowing them to be aligned . the specifics of these techniques form no part of the present invention , and will not be described further . after being aligned by data alignment module 32 , the aligned data 320 are input to decoder 33 , which strips out the padding bits , outputting the original 64 - bit - wide 64 - bit source data 330 , which is used by the user circuitry of the device of which receiver 30 is a part . gearbox 40 preferably is clocked by two clock signals 34 , 35 , which preferably are derived using suitable clock division techniques from a single source clock . for example , in a high - speed interface using 64b / 66b encoding , the clock 34 for the 64 - bit data 300 may be about 161 . 13 mhz , while the clock 35 for the 66 - bit data 310 may be about 156 . 25 mhz . both of these clocks may be derived from a single 10 . 312 ghz clock ( 10 . 312 ghz / 66 ≈ 156 . 25 mhz , and 10 . 312 ghz / 64 ≈ 161 . 13 mhz ). one clock division technique that may be used to derive these two clocks from a single 10 . 312 ghz clock may be similar to the technique shown in copending , commonly - assigned u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 714 , 069 , filed nov . 14 , 2003 , which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety . the details of gearbox 40 are shown in fig4 . incoming 64 - bit data 300 preferably are input to a 1 - to - 4 data rate converter 41 and preferably output as a 16 - bit data stream 410 at four times the clock rate ( e . g ., in the case of 161 . 13 mhz 64 - bit input data , the 16 - bit data are output at about 644 . 52 mhz ). the structure of data rate converter 41 preferably is conventional , and may include four 16 - bit buffers ( not shown ) into which the 64 - bit data are clocked at the lower system clock rate for received data ( e . g ., in this case , 161 . 13 mhz ), and a clock , derived from the same source at the system clock ( e . g ., in this case , from the 10 . 312 ghz master clock ), running at four times the system &# 39 ; s received data clock rate ( e . g ., in this case , 644 . 52 mhz ). thus , in the same time that it takes to read in one group of 64 bits , 64 bits can be read out in four 16 - bit groups . the 16 - bit data 410 preferably are input into each of 22 16 - bit registers 42 , whose outputs preferably are input to 22 16 - to - 1 multiplexers 43 . registers 42 preferably represent , collectively , the slices 13 described above , and multiplexers 43 preferably function as selectors to select the appropriate bits from each slice in the manner described in connection with the description of fig1 , above . the result preferably is a 22 - bit data stream 44 at 468 . 75 mhz , which is then converted by 3 - to - 1 data rate converter 45 ( similar in construction to 1 - to - 4 data rate converter 41 ) to a 66 - bit output data stream 46 at 156 . 25 mhz ( 468 . 75 mhz ÷ 3 ). it should be noted that the selection of 16 bits as the width of the intermediate input data upconverted from the original 64 bits is relatively straightforward , insofar as 64 is a power of 2 , and can be converted relatively easily to any other power of 2 . the selection of 22 bits as the width of the intermediate output data is somewhat less straightforward . essentially any integer factor of the ultimate desired output width ( in this example , 66 ) would work . thus , in the case of a 66 - bit output width , the intermediate data width could be 1 , 2 , 3 , 11 , 22 or 33 . 66 also is an integer factor of 66 , but clearly will not result in a reduction in the number of gates used in the gearbox . insofar as the goal of the present invention is to reduce size or gate count of the gearbox , the lowest possible number should be favored . however , the lower the number of intermediate bits , the faster the intermediate clock must run . as discussed above , with current 90 nm semiconductor process technology , a clock speed of 500 – 600 mhz is about the highest that can be expected . an intermediate data width of 22 results in an intermediate clock speed of 468 . 75 mhz . any smaller width — e . g ., even 11 bits , which is the next available factor — would require a clock speed that , using present semiconductor technology , is unattainably high . the intermediate output data width determines the number of multiplexers . once that number has been determined , the number of registers is determined based on the ratio of the register width to the multiplexer width , with the ratio of the number of registers to the number of multiplexers equaling the inverse of the ratio of the register width to the multiplexer width . in the example above , both ratios are 16 : 16 , or 1 : 1 , meaning that the number of registers is the same as the number of multiplexers . if , however , the register width were 8 , then the ratio of the register width to the multiplexer width would be 1 : 2 , so that the ratio of the number of registers to the number of multiplexers would be 2 : 1 , meaning that the number of registers would be 44 instead of 22 . although the speeds of the input and output sides of gearbox 40 are theoretically independent ( note that a factor of three is used on one side while a factor of four is used on the other side ), the respective rates have to be such that excessive storage capacity ( in terms of either hold time or additional registers ) not be required . therefore , the output rate preferably should be of about the same order of magnitude as the input rate , as in the example of gearbox 40 as described above . assuming one flip - flop for each bit in each register 42 , gearbox 40 , with 22 16 - bit registers 42 would include 22 × 16 = 352 flip - flops , plus 110 additional flip - flops for the two rate converters 41 , 45 , plus 22 16 - to - 1 multiplexers , which translates to 4 , 928 gates using a tsmc cell library gate unit . by comparison , a conventional 64 / 66 gearbox may include 33 64 - bit registers , or 33 × 64 = 2 , 112 flip - flops , plus 66 32 - to - 1 multiplexers , which translates to more than 23 , 000 gates using a tsmc cell library gate unit . thus , the invention achieves a substantial reduction in gate count ( here , more than a factor of 4 ), which also directly affects size and power consumption . fig5 shows a padded protocol transmitter 50 incorporating a data converter ( gearbox ) 60 in accordance with the present invention . transmitter 50 preferably includes encoder 51 , gearbox 60 and physical medium attachment (“ pma ”) module 52 . in this example , 64 - bit - wide 64 - bit data 500 preferably are received by encoder 51 from a user source ( i . e ., the logical output of a device of which transmitter 50 is a part ). encoder 51 preferably adds appropriate padding bits and outputs appropriately “ framed ” 66 - bit - wide 66 - bit data 510 at 53 . gearbox 60 then preferably converts the 66 - bit - wide 66 - bit data 510 into 64 - bit - wide 66 - bit data 600 in the manner described above , and outputs the 64 - bit - wide 66 - bit data 600 to transmitter pma module 52 for transmission to its destination . no alignment module is needed in transmitter 50 , because unlike receiver 30 , transmitter 50 is part of the system that generated the source data , and therefore “ knows ” the word boundaries of the data . gearbox 60 preferably is clocked by two clock signals 54 , 55 , which preferably are derived using suitable clock division techniques from a single source clock . for example , as above , clocks 54 , 55 may be about 156 . 25 mhz and about 161 . 13 mhz , respectively , preferably derived from a single 10 . 312 ghz clock . the details of gearbox 60 are shown in fig6 . incoming 66 - bit data preferably are input to a 1 - to - 3 data rate converter 61 and preferably output as a 22 - bit data stream at three times the clock rate ( e . g ., in the case of 156 . 25 mhz 66 - bit input data , the 22 - bit data are output at about 468 . 75 mhz ). thus , in the same time that it takes to read in one group of 66 bits , 66 bits can be read out in three 22 - bit groups . the 22 - bit data preferably are input into each of 16 22 - bit registers 62 , whose outputs preferably are input to 16 22 - to - 1 multiplexers 63 . registers 62 preferably represent , collectively , the slices 23 described above , and multiplexers 63 preferably function as selectors to select the appropriate bits from each slice in the manner described in connection with the description of fig2 , above . the result preferably is a 16 - bit data stream 64 at 644 . 52 mhz , which is then converted by 4 - to - 1 data rate converter 65 to a 64 - bit output data stream 66 at 161 . 13 mhz ( 644 . 52 mhz ÷ 4 ). ( for compatibility with available serializer - deserializers , this 64 - bit data stream may actually be transmitted in 16 - bit portions .) the savings in component count and area is comparable to that of gearbox 40 . and as in the case of gearbox 40 , the ratio of the number of multiplexers to the number of registers is equal to the ratio of the register width to the multiplexer width . a gearbox according to the present invention may be used in a programmable logic device (“ pld ”), that is programmably configurable to handle any of a plurality of communication protocols , including a padded protocol as described above . a pld 908 incorporating one or more transceivers using the components described above according to the present invention may be used in many kinds of electronic devices . one possible use is in a data processing system 900 shown in fig7 . data processing system 900 may include one or more of the following components : a processor 901 ; memory 902 ; i / o circuitry 903 ; and peripheral devices 904 . these components are coupled together by a system bus 905 and are populated on a circuit board 906 which is contained in an end - user system 907 . system 900 can be used in a wide variety of applications , such as computer networking , data networking , instrumentation , video processing , digital signal processing , or any other application where the advantage of using programmable or reprogrammable logic is desirable . pld 908 can be used to perform a variety of different logic functions . for example , pld 908 can be configured as a processor or controller that works in cooperation with processor 901 . pld 908 may also be used as an arbiter for arbitrating access to a shared resources in system 900 . in yet another example , pld 908 can be configured as an interface between processor 901 and one of the other components in system 900 . it should be noted that system 900 is only exemplary , and that the true scope and spirit of the invention should be indicated by the following claims . various technologies can be used to implement plds 908 as described above and incorporating this invention . it will be understood that the foregoing is only illustrative of the principles of the invention , and that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention , and the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow . | 7 |
fig2 shows the desired operation of a format circuit . in the illustrated embodiment , there are two groups of edge signals , which are termed the “ odd ” group and the “ even ” group . fig2 shows the set even , reset even , set odd and reset odd signals . the desired output pulse train is identified as the signal out . it is desired that when the set odd signal is asserted that an output pulse begins . pulse p 1 therefore starts at time t 1 , when the set odd signal is asserted . pulse p 1 lasts until time t 2 , when the reset odd signal is asserted . notice that a pulse of the desired width is created despite the fact that the set odd and reset odd signals overlap . it is also desired that a tester be able to produce a subsequent pulse quickly possibly even before the set odd signal is de - asserted . in fig2 pulse p 2 is shown starting at time t 3 . this time coincides with the assertion of the set even signal , which occurs even before the set odd signal is de - asserted . pulse p 2 is shown to last until time t 4 , when the reset even is asserted . the desired output is produced even though the reset even signal overlaps the set even signal . in a preferred embodiment , the same output would be produced even if the reset even signal overlaps the set odd signal . subsequent pulses are produced in the output pulse train in the same fashion . pulses p 3 and p 4 are shown . it should be appreciated that the four pulses are shown in a periodic fashion . the number of pulses is shown for illustration only . any number of pulses might be created in this fashion . in addition , it is not necessary that the pulses all be of the same width or that the pulses occur at periodic intervals . all of these factors are determined by the times at which the set even , reset even , set odd and reset odd signals are asserted . in a tester , such as the tester of fig1 these signals are preferably derived from edge signals generated by a timing generator , such as 122 . the times of these signals is therefore preferably programmable . in fig2 time is shown divided up in successive intervals denoted i 1 , i 2 , i 3 , i 4 . . . . many testers are programmed to generate or measure test signals during periodic intervals . often , the length of these periodic intervals is programmed to match the clock speed of a particular device under test . therefore , the test pattern specifies a different set of test signals to drive or expect from a device under test in each interval . preferably , a tester will be able to generate a different timing signal during each interval . in fig2 each of the intervals i 1 , i 2 , i 3 , i 4 . . . has a duration , d . however , it should be noted that each of the set even , reset even , set odd and reset odd signals has a width w , which is longer the interval d . if w represents the minimum width of an edge signal that can be accurately generated by timing generator , a conventional tester would therefore be unable to generate a timing pattern as shown in fig2 because the set and reset signals overlap as do the successive set signals and successive reset signals . turning now to fig3 an embodiment of a state based pulse shaping circuit 300 is shown . circuit 300 produces the output pulse stream illustrated in fig2 in response to the input signals . the circuit accepts as inputs groups of edge signals . in the illustrated embodiment two groups are illustrated : set even , and reset even form one group and set odd and reset odd form the second group . each group contains a set and a reset signal . one set signal and one reset signal from each group is routed to one of the s - r flip - flops with memory 310 , 312 , 314 or 316 . in the illustrated embodiment , there are two groups of edge signals . therefore , there are four possible combinations of set and reset signals that can be formed . thus , the example shows four s - r flip - flops with memory . an implementation of the s - r flip - flops with memory 310 , 312 , 314 or 316 is described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 291 , 981 issued to sartschev on sep . 18 , 2001 , which is hereby incorporated by reference . each s - r flip - flop with memory accepts a set and a reset input . it outputs a pulse that starts when the set input is asserted and ends when the reset input is asserted . it operates in this fashion even if the set signal overlaps the reset signal or the reset signal overlaps the set signal . the flip - flop is said to have “ memory ” because its operation is dependent on the order in which the set and reset signals are asserted . the outputs of each of the s - r flip - flops with memory 310 , 312 , 314 or 316 is denoted q 1 , q 2 , q 3 and q 4 , respectively . signal q 1 represents a pulse that starts in response to set even and ends in response to the reset even signal . signal q 2 represents a pulse that starts in response to set even and ends in response to the reset odd signal . for the example edge signals in fig2 the resulting signals q 1 and q 2 are shown in fig4 . signal q 3 represents a pulse that starts in response to set odd and ends in response to the reset even signal . signal q 4 represents a pulse that starts in response to set odd and ends in response to the reset odd signal . for the example edge signals in fig2 the resulting signals q 3 and q 4 are shown in fig4 . the signals q 1 and q 2 are combined in and gate 320 . accordingly , the output of and gate 320 is a pulse that starts in response to a set even signal being asserted and ends when a reset signal in any of the groups of edge signals is asserted . the signals q 3 and q 4 are combined in and gate 322 . accordingly , the output of and gate 322 is a pulse that starts in response to a set odd signal being asserted and ends when a reset signal in any of the groups of edge signals is asserted . the outputs of the and gates 320 and 322 are combined in or gate 330 . thus , the output of circuit 300 is a stream of pulses that begin in response to the set signal in any of the input groups and end in response to the reset signal in any of the groups . this result is achieved even if the set and reset signals overlap or if successive set signals overlap . turning now to fig5 various ways that the groups of edge signals might be generated in a tester are illustrated . in fig5 a , an odd and even group of edge signals are shown . all of the edge signals are shown generated by a timing generator 122 in a single channel of a tester . as is conventional , each timing generator has a plurality of edge generators , which are individually programmable . in the illustrated embodiment , a plurality of the edge generators are used to generate each of the set and reset signals in each group . or gate 520 combines several edge signals into a set even signal . or gate 522 combines several edge signals into reset even signal . or gate 524 combines several edge signals into set odd signal . or gate 526 combines several edge signals into reset odd signal . combining signals in this fashion allows much greater flexibility in programming a tester . each edge signal might be dedicated to signal a particular type of event , more than one of which might signal the transition in an output pulse . fig5 b shows an alternative tester implementation . in this implementation , tester channels are paired . two channels 550 a and 550 b are shown . each channel generates one group of a set and reset signal . in channel 550 a , or gate 530 combines several edge signals into a set even signal . or gate 532 combines several edge signals into reset even signal . in channel 550 b , or gate 534 combines several edge signals into set odd signal . or gate 536 combines several edge signals into reset odd signal . switch 540 routes the signals from channel 550 b to the formatter in channel 550 a so that two groups are edge signals are available at the same formatter , which contains circuit 300 . switch 540 is controlled by work station 112 , which can be programmed to operate the tester in many different states . thus , a tester that can be flexibly programmed is provided . the test system shown in fig5 b can be operated to provide two independent signals from channels 550 a and 550 b . or , the edge signals from channel 550 b can be routed to channel 550 a to provide an output signal from channel 550 a that has twice as many output pulses . in this way , the data rate in channel 550 a can be effectively doubled . it should be appreciated that the tester of fig5 b contains multiple pairs of channels so that multiple test signals can be generated . in a preferred embodiment , circuit 300 is implemented as part of a cmos chip . likely , it will be integrated into an asic chip that includes the formatter 126 . further , this approach is particularly valuable for implementing a tester that operates at a data rate of 800 mhz or more . such a tester would require pulses with a width of 1 . 2 nanoseconds or less . accurately making pulses of that width would be extremely difficult . the circuitry necessary to implement such a design would also have a relatively large area and consume a relatively large amount of power . in a preferred embodiment , the tester operates at 1 ghz or more , meaning the pulses have a width of less than 1 nanosecond . further , fig5 shows that each set and reset signal is made by combining multiple edge signals . possibly , the edge signals could correlate to different events . or , edge signals that are out of phase might be combined to create an output with a higher frequency than any of the edge signals — allowing edge generators to operate at a lower frequency , simplifying their construction . having described one embodiment , numerous alternative embodiments or variations can be made . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . throughout , reference has been made to successive output signals . it should be appreciated that this reference indicates the time at which an output pulse could occur . whether a pulse physically appears at that time depends in part on the data value that the pattern generator 120 indicates should occur in that interval and the format that is being used to represent that data value . for example , some output formats have a 0v signal when a logical 0 is to be represented and a 1 . 3v signal when a logic 1 is to be represented . if pattern generator 120 indicates a logic 0 is to be represented at a particular time , even though the set and reset signals are generated as described above , the output of the tester channel will remain at 0v . also , it should be appreciated that operation of the invention is described in relation to the overlap of successive set signals . the same problem occurs when successive reset signals overlap . overlap of set signal has been described for simplicity of illustration and not as a limitation on the invention . further , output pulses are described herein as being used to control the time when a test signal is applied to a device under test . however , one of skill in the art should appreciate that once a pulse signal is generated , it could also control the time at which an signal being output by the device under test is read . in the illustrated embodiment , either of the set signals may specify the start of a pulse and either of the reset signals may specify the end of that pulse . this allows a tester to be operated with pulses that span multiple intervals such as i 1 , i 2 , i 3 , i 4 . . . shown in fig2 . however , if it were acceptable to have pulses that were only as long as a single interval , then circuit 300 might be simplified by eliminating flip - flops 312 and 314 along with and gates 320 and 322 . furthermore , a specific circuit has been illustrated to show the generation of a output pulses . this circuit represents the preferred embodiment because it can readily be implemented on a semiconductor chip , particularly a cmos chip . thus , it lends itself to relatively low cost , low power implementation . however , it is possible that other systems implementing the invention could be used . | 6 |
the wipe shown in the drawings is formed initially as a flat round disc 10 of material ( fig1 a ). the wipe may comprise a single layer of material , or it may have two or more plies of the same or different materials . here , the wipe has a laminated construction , with a lower layer 10 a of absorbent material , such as paper or the like , and an upper layer 10 b of impervious material , such as glacene paper . each of the layers 10 a , 10 b may comprise one or more plies . the wipe may be impregnated , for example with a scent and / or possibly with an antibacteriological agent . the disc 10 may be formed by any suitable process , such as by being cut from a web of material produced in a continuous process on a machine . as seen in fig1 a , 1 b and 1 c , the wipe is transformed from the planar form of disc 10 seen in fig1 a into the three - dimensional form 11 seen in fig1 c by tucking in a pleat 13 formed by two radial fold lines 14 , 15 in the disc 10 . the pleat 13 enables the disc 10 to be partially wrapped over itself , as seen in fig1 b , which has the effect of drawing it into a conical configuration , as seen in fig1 c . by the nature of the material of which it is made , the wipe will tend to remain in its conical configuration once formed , and a number of wipes can thus be stacked one upon another in this configuration . there will be a tendency for the pleat 13 to protrude slightly from the wipe &# 39 ; s conical profile , and this provides a useful provision by which a user can readily grasp a wipe from a stack . it will be noted that this can be done using only one hand . when a wipe is to be used to mop up a spillage of liquid on a kitchen top , for example , it can be lifted from a stack by its pleat 13 , carried to the spill and simply dropped onto it . when dropped , the wipe will tend to unwrap and return to its original planar form . this transformation will be assisted as the lower layer 10 a begins to absorb the liquid from the spill . when all the spilt liquid has been absorbed ( or when the wipe has become saturated ), the wipe can be lifted and disposed of in this process , the upper layer 10 b ensures that the user &# 39 ; s hand does not become wet or soiled . various dispensers suitable for storing the wipes of fig1 c are seen in fig2 , 3 and 4 . the dispenser of fig2 comprises an essentially round hollow cylindrical body 16 with an internal diameter roughly equal to the overall diameter of the wipes when in their conical form of fig1 c . a vertical slit 17 in the container body allows access to the pleat 13 of the uppermost wipe in the stack for grasping by a user . the dispenser of fig3 is in the nature of a free - standing support , with a base 18 , a stem 19 and a head 20 . the head 20 has a conical configuration to suit the conical configuration of the wipes , which sit upon it . the dispenser of fig4 is similar to that of fig3 in that it has a conically - shaped head 20 on which the wipes are stacked . here , however , the head 20 is attached by an elbow 21 to a bracket 22 which enables the dispenser to be mounted on a wall . a stack of wipes stored and presented in the manner described above offers a more attractive solution for a kitchen than the more traditional forms of paper roller . the arrangement also facilitates use of the wipes , because they can be picked up with just one hand , unlike removing a tissue from a conventional roll of kitchen paper , which often requires two hands . furthermore , the material and form of the wipe maximise its efficiency and ease of use . it will be understood that the wipe may be formed initially in any suitable shape , not necessarily a geometric shape , and that it may also be formed into any suitable three - dimensional shape , again not necessarily a geometric one . | 8 |
the term “ membrane ” as used herein includes permeable and semi - permeable three dimensional structures with or without particles , having a porosity suitable for the desired application . the term “ composite structure ” as used herein includes filled membranes . in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention , those skilled in the art will recognize that many different particles can be used in the composite structures , depending upon the desired objectives of the resulting device . in the case of adsorptive devices , the ideal device will have rapid adsorption kinetics , a capacity and selectivity commensurate with the application , and allows for elution of bound analyte with an appropriate desorption agent . suitable adsorptive composite structures are polymer bound , particle laden adsorptive membrane structures , such as those comprised of chromatographic beads which have been adhered together with a binder . a suitable polymer bound particle laden adsorptive membrane is illustrated in fig4 . this membrane is comprised of about 80 % w / w silica and 20 % w / w polysulfone binder , and is produced by millipore corporation . a similar membrane is shown in fig1 a cast - in - place in a pipette tip 50 . functional composite structures comprising other micron - size ( e . g ., 1 - 30 microns ) resin particles derivatized with other functional groups are also beneficial , including styrenedivinyl - benzene - based media ( unodified or derivatized with e . g ., sulphonic acids , quaternary amines , etc . ); silica - based media ( unmodified or derivatized with c 2 , c 4 , c 6 , c 8 , or c 18 or ion exchange functionalities ), to accommodate a variety of applications for peptides , proteins , nucleic acids , and other organic compounds . those skilled in the art will recognize that other matrices with alternative selectivities ( e . g ., hydrophobic interaction , affinity , etc .) can also be used , especially for classes of molecules other than peptides . the term “ particles ” as used herein is intended to encompass particles having regular ( e . g ., spherical ) or irregular shapes , as well as shards , fibers and powders , including metal powders , plastic powders ( e . g ., powdered polystyrene ), normal phase silica , fumed silica and activated carbon . for example , the addition of fumed silica into a polysulfone polymer results in increased active surface area and is suitable for various applications . polysulfone sold under the name udel p3500 and p1700 by amoco is particularly preferred in view of the extent of the adherence of the resulting composite structure to polyolefin housing , including polypropylene , polyethylene and mixtures thereof . other suitable polymer binders include polyethersulfone , cellulose acetate , cellulose acetate butyrate , acrylonitrile pvc copolymer ( sold commercially under the name “ dynel ”), polyvinylidene fluoride ( pvdf , sold commercially under the name “ kynar ”), polystyrene and polystyrene / acrylonitrile copolymer , etc . adhesion to the housing can be enhanced or an analogous effect achieved with these composite structures by means known to those skilled in the art , including etching of the housing , such as with plasma treatment or chemical oxidation ; mechanical aids such as rims inside the housing ; and inclusion of additives into the housing material that promote such adhesion . adhesion allows uniform precipitation during casting . devices in accordance with the present invention may incorporate a plurality of composite structures having resin materials with different functional groups to fractionate analytes that vary by charge , size , affinity and / or hydrophobicity ; alternately , a plurality of devices containing different individual functional membranes may be used in combination to achieve a similar result . similarly , one or more membranes can be cast in a suitable housing and functionality can be added before or after casting . in accordance with the present invention , the structures of the present invention can be formed by a polymer phase inversion process , air casting ( evaporation ) and thermal inversion . for those systems with minimal or no adhesion , the formed structures can be separately prepared and inserted into the appropriate housing and held in place by mechanical means . in the preferred method , the formed structures are cast in situ in the desired housing . this results in the ability to include large amounts of media in the polymer matrix while still maintaining a three - dimensional porous structure . the membrane substructure serves as a support network enmeshing the particles , thus eliminating the need for frits or plugs , thereby minimizing or even eliminating dead volume ( the adsorptivity of the membrane may or may not participate in the adsorption process ). however , porous frits plugs could be added if desired . preferably the membranes or composite structures formed have an aspect ratio ( average diameter to average thickness ) of less than about 20 , more preferably less than about 10 , especially less than 1 . for example , for adsorptive pipette tips , aspect ratios of two or less , more preferably less than 1 are preferred , especially between about 0 . 005 - 0 . 5 . an aspect ratio within this range provides for suitable residence times of the sample in the composite structure during operation . in the polymer phase inversion process , the solvent for the polymer must be miscible with the quench or inversion phase . for example , n - methyl - pyrolidone is a suitable solvent for polysulfones , polyethersulfones and polystyrene . in the latter case , polystryene pellets can be dissolved in n - methyl - pyrolidone and case - in - place . the resulting structure shows good adhesion to the walls of a polyolefin - based housing , and has adsorption characteristics similar to polysulfone . dimethylsulfoxide ( dmso ), dimethylform - amide , butyrolactone , and sulfalane are also suitable solvents . n , n - dimethylacetamide ( dmac ) is a suitable solvent for pvdf . water is the preferred precipitant . the polymer phase inversion process generally results in an expansion of the structure to about two to three times its casting solution volume in the housing . in the air casting process , a volatile solvent for the polymer binder is used . for example , in the case of cellulose acetate , acetone is a suitable volatile solvent . air casting generally results in a structure which is smaller than the casting solution volume . with this method , particles in the filled structures should be at least about 30μ to allow flow through the interstitial spaces after shrinkage without having to apply higher driving force . the upper limit of particle amounts is dictated by casting solution viscosity . depending on particle type , up to 40 % ( w / w ) of particles can be added to the polymer without resulting in a casting solution too viscous to draw into the housing . higher particle loadings may be achieved using higher temperature . suitable particle sizes include particles in the range of from about 100 nanometers to about 100 microns in average diameter with or without porosity . suitable housing materials are not particularly limited , and include plastics ( such as polyethylene and polypropylene ), glass and stainless steel . polyolefins , and particularly polypropylene , are preferred housing materials in view of the chemical adhesion that is created with the composite structure when the composite containing polysulfone , and in particular udel p3500 and p1700 polysulfones available from amoco , is cast - in - place therein . fig1 b illustrates such adhesion with a polypropylene pipette tip housing having a cast - in - place membrane therein prepared with spherical silica gel and polysulfone . suitable housing configurations are also not particularly limited , and include pipette tips , wells , multi - well arrays , plastic and glass cavities , sample preparation devices such as the microcon d microconcentrator , commercially available from millipore corporation , etc . the preferred housing configuration is substantially cylindrical , as the flow vectors during operation are substantially straight , similar to chromatography , thereby minimizing or avoiding dilutional washing that might occur with non - cylindrical configurations . although housings with volumes between about 0 . 1 μl and about 5 mls . can be used for casting - in - place , volumes less than about 100 μl are preferred , with volumes of from about 0 . 1 - 50 μl , preferably from about 0 . 2 - 20 μl , are especially preferred . pipette tip geometries having volumes as small as about 5 microliters can be used . when chemical adhesion of the composite structure to the housing walls is desired but is insignificant or non - existent , mechanical means can be used to maintain the composite structure in the housing . such as crimping , press fitting , heat shrinking the housing or a portion thereof , plasma treating the housing or a portion thereof , or chemically treating , such as etching , the housing or a portion thereof to promote adhesion . an advantage of adhesion to the housing wall is the ability to “ seal ” the composite structure to the housing without mechanical means . such sealing ( by whatever method ) prevents the sample from channeling or bypassing the composite during operation . preferably the structures of the present invention have a final bed height of from about 0 . 05 to about 5 mm . this allows for good washing , good density per unit volume , and results in a uniform precipitation during formation of the plug . the structures of the present invention also can be cast - in - place in conventional multi - well arrays having suitable geometries . alternatively , as shown in fig5 a - 5 d , multi - well arrays 10 can be used as the housing , such as by casting the structures 11 of the present invention in place in the well 12 . alternatively , fig5 b shows an underdrain subassembly 13 having a plurality of wells 12 ( enlarged in fig5 d ) with cast - in - place structures contained therein . the underdrain 13 can be adapted to be permanently or removably coupled to the reservoir array 10 by any suitable means , such as by snapping , so as to form removable “ boot ” assemblies containing the structures of the present invention . for convenience , each underdrain 13 can contain a polymer matrix having particles with different chemistry , so that the user chooses the appropriate underdrain 13 depending upon the application . alternatively or in addition , the particle laden polymer matrix can differ from well to well . the reservoir housing 10 can be a plurality of open bores , or can include a membrane . the composite structures and the micro sample preparation devices of the present invention containing the composite structures have a wide variety of applications , depending upon the particle selection . for example , applications include peptide and protein sample preparation prior to analysis , peptide removal from carbohydrate samples , amino acid clean - up prior to analysis , immobilized enzymes for micro - volume reactions , immobilized ligands for micro - affinity chromatography , isolation of supercoiled and cut plasmids , clean - up of pcr and dna products , immobilized oligo dt for rna isolation , dye terminator removal , sample preparation for elemental analysis , etc . those skilled in the art will be able to choose the appropriate particles , polymer binder , particle chemistry and form geometry depending upon the desired application . in some cases , a mixture of particles can be used in the same devices . alternatively or in addition , a multi - well device could have different chemistries for each separate well . in the embodiment where the structures of the present invention are not filled with particles , symmetrical or asymmetrical semi - permeable structures , or a combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical semi - permeable structures , can be formed . in this embodiment , the preferred method of formation is casting in situ in the appropriate housing to form a self - retaining , self - supporting structure suitable for separations based on size or adsorption ( depending on polymer identity ) functionality can be added to such a membrane to perform adsorption separations without the use of particles . for example , cellulose acetate can be treated with base to form cellulose , followed by an oxidant to render it reactive . in the in situ formation process ( either with filled or unfilled structures ), the preferred method of formation involves precipitation by means of solvent exchange , such as by means , such as where pressure is the driving force , or example by capillary action or by using a vacuum source . in the embodiment in which the housing is a pipette tip , a preferred driving force is a hand - held pipettor . once the desired volume in the housing is filled with casting solution , the casting solution in the housing is contacted with a liquid in which the polymer is insoluble , preferably water , so that the polymer precipitates in the housing . this can be accomplished by immersing the housing in the liquid , and / or drawing the liquid into the housing with a driving force such as by means of a vacuum . through the exchange of water for the solvent , the structure precipitates . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the solvent used to prepare the casting solution and the non - solvent can contain a variety of additives . at the first contact of the polymer with the precipitant , there is virtually instaneous precipitation , thereby forming a semi - permeable barrier or “ skin ”. such a barrier is illustrated in fig1 as element 60 in a housing 62 . this barrier slows the rate of further precipitation of the substructure . once precipitation is complete , the initial semi - permeable barrier 60 can be removed , such as by cutting the housing at a point above the barrier at a point above the barrier or by abrading exposed polymer . the semi - permeable barrier 60 can be optionally left in place to carry out size - based separations with unfilled structures , as the barrier acts as a micro - filtration membrane . the cast in - place structure assumes the shape of the housing and results in a self - retaining homogeneous structure akin to a chromatographic column , providing a large surface area suitable for bind / elute chromatography ( e . g ., when particles are included in the polymer matrix ) or for other analytical or biochemical techniques . suitable driving forces include centrifugation , gravity , pressure or vacuum . without limitation , the following examples illustrate the objects and advantages of the present invention . in a suitable small vessel , 5 grams of a 7 % ( w / w ) pvdf solution ( pennwalt corp , kynar 761 ) was prepared in n , n - dimethyacetamide . to this , 1 gram of scx , 200 å , 15 μm ( millipore , pn 85864 ) spherical silica was added and mixed thoroughly with a spatula . the mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at room temperature , then mixed again . a 20 μl fluted polypropylene disposable pipette tip was affixed to a common p - 20 pipetman ( gilson , ranin , etc .) and the volume adjustment was set to 20 μl . the plunger was depressed to the bottom and the end of the pipette was placed into the casting solution . while carefully watching , the plunger was slowly raised to fill the tip with ca . 0 . 5 - 1 μl of casting solution . once the tip contained sufficient liquid , equal pressure was maintained , and the pipette tip was removed and dipped into a bath of deionized water @ 60 ° c . for ca . 5 seconds . after this brief period , pressure was released on the plunger and water was drawn into the tip to precipitate the polymer . when the water level was ca . 0 . 5 cm above the polymer height , the tip was ejected into the bath and solvent exchange was allowed to occur for ca . 5 minutes . the tip was removed from the water bath and any precipitated polymer located on the exterior was abraded off . the tip was re - affixed to the pipettor and the liquid expelled . if the flow is poor , ca . 0 . 25 mm can be cut off the end wish a sharp razor blade . to ensure that all solvent was removed , ca . 5 to 20 μl of deionized water was drawn in and expelled several times . in a suitable small vessel , 5 grams of a 6 % ( w / w ) polysulfone solution ( amoco , p3500 ) was prepared in n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone . to this 2 grams of c18 , 200 å , 15 μm spherical silica ( millipore , pn 85058 ) was added and mixed thoroughly with a spatula . the mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at rt ., then mixed again . a 200 μl fluted polypropylene disposable pipette tip was affixed to a common p - 200 pipetman ( gilson , ranin , etc .) and the volume adjustment was set to 200 μl . the plunger was depressed to the bottom and the end of the pipette was placed into the casting solution . while carefully watching , the plunger was slowly raised to fill the tip with ca . 2 - 5 μl of casting solution . once the tip contained sufficient liquid , equal pressure was maintained , and the tip was removed and dipped into a bath of deionized water at room temperature for ca . 5 seconds . after this brief period , pressure on the plunger was released and water was drawn into the tip to precipitate the polymer . when the water level was ca . 0 . 5 - 1 cm above the polymer height , the tip was ejected into the bath and solvent exchange was allowed to occur for ca . 5 minutes . the tip was removed from the water bath and any precipitated polymer located on the exterior was twisted off . the tip was re - affixed to the pipetter and the liquid expelled . if the flow is poor , ca . 0 . 5 mm can be cut off the end with a sharp razor blade . to ensure that all solvent was removed , ca . 50 to 200 μl of deionized water was drawn in an expelled several times . 60 å , 10 μm normal phase silica in wide bore 1000 μl pipette tips in a suitable small vessel , 6 grams of 6 % ( w / w ) cellulose acetate solution ( eastman kodak , 398 - 60 ) was prepared in n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone . to this , 1 gram of 60 å , 10 μm granular silica gel ( davison , grade 710 ) was added and mixed thoroughly with a spatula . the mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at room temperature , then mixed again . a wide bore 1000 μl polypropylene pipette was affixed to a common p - 1000 pipetman ( gilson , ranin , etc .) and the volume adjust was set to 1000 μl . the plunger was depressed to the bottom and the end of the pipette was placed into the casting solution . while carefully watching , the plunger was slowly raised to fill the tip with ca . 10 - 25 μl of casting solution . once the tip contained sufficient liquid , equal pressure was maintained , and the tip was removed and dipped into a bath of deionized water for ca . 5 seconds . after this brief period , pressure on the plunger was released and water was drawn into the tip to precipitate the polymer . when the water level was ca . 1 cm above the polymer height , the tip was ejected into the bath and solvent exchange was allowed to take place for ca . 5 minutes . the tip was removed from the water bath and any precipitated polymer located on the exterior was abraded off . the tip was re - affixed to the pipettor and the liquid expelled . if the flow is poor , cut ca . 0 . 5 mm off the end with a sharp razor blade . to ensure that all solvent was removed , ca . 200 to 1000 μl of deionized water was drawn in and expelled . fumed silica in wide bore 200 μl pipette tips in a suitable small vessel , 8 grams of a 7 . 5 % ( w / w ) polysulfone solution ( amoco , p3500 ) was prepared in n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone . to this , 0 . 5 grams of fumed silica ( degussa , aerosil 200 ) were added and mixed thoroughly with a spatula . the mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at room temperature , then mixed again . a 200 μl wide bore polypropylene pipette was affixed to a common p - 200 pipetman ( gilson , ranin , etc .) and the volume adjust was set to 200 μl . the plunger was depressed to the bottom and the end of the pipette was placed into the casting solution . while carefully watching , the plunger was slowly raised to fill the tip with ca . 10 - 25 μl of casting solution . once the tip contained sufficient liquid , equal pressure was maintained , and the tip was removed and dipped into a bath of deionized water for ca . 5 seconds . after this brief period , pressure on the plunger was released and water was drawn into the tip to precipitate the polymer . when the water level was ca . 1 cm above the polymer height , the tip was ejected into the bath and solvent exchange was allowed to take place for ca . 5 minutes . the tip was removed from the water bath and any precipitated polymer located on the exterior was abraded off . the tip was re - affixed to the pipettor and the liquid expelled . if the flow is poor , cut ca . 0 . 5 mm off the end with a sharp razor blade . to ensure that all solvent was removed , ca . 200 to 1000 μl of deionized water was drawn in and expelled . in a small vessel , 5 grams of a 6 % ( w / w ) polysulfone solution ( amoco , p3500 ) was prepared in n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone . to this , 2 grams of c18 , 200 å , 15 μm silica ( millipore , pn 85864 ) was added and mixed thoroughly with a spatula . the mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at room temperature , then mixed again . using a pipette or eye dropper , 25 - 50 μl of casting solution was dispensed into a suitable fixture . examples of such devices include ( but are not limited to ) an millipore microcon or the wells of a 96 well filter plate . when preparing devices by this method , each chamber must contain a permeable barrier which will retain the solution ( e . g . polypropylene fabric , membrane , etc .). once added , the unit was gently tapped to ensure that the solution covered the entire barrier surface . the device was immersed in water for ca . 2 hours , and was gently stirred every 15 mins to promote solvent exchange . after this period , the units were removed and placed in either a centrifuge or vacuum manifold , as appropriate . the cast in place structure was flushed with 500 to 1000 μl of deionized water to ensure solvent removal . cast porous end plug in wide bore 1000 μl pipette tips containing loose 30 μl silica in a suitable small vessel , 5 grams of a 7 . 5 % ( w / w ) polysulfone solution ( amoco , p3500 ) was prepared in n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone . the mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at room temperature , then mixed again . a 1000 μl wide bore polypropylene pipette was affixed to a common p - 1000 pipetman ( gilson , ranin ., etc .) and the volume adjust was set to 1000 μl . the plunger was depressed to the bottom and the end of the pipette was placed into the casting solution . while carefully watching , the plunger was slowly raised to fill the tip with ca . 2 - 10 μl of casting solution . once the tip contained sufficient liquid , equal pressure was maintained , the tip was removed and dipped into a bath of deionized water for ca . 5 seconds . after this brief period , pressure on the plunger was released and water drawn into the tip to precipitate the polymer . when the water level was ca . 0 . 5 cm above the polymer height , the tip was ejected into the bath and solvent exchange allowed to take place for ca . 5 minutes . the tip was removed from the water bath and any precipitated polymer located on the exterior was abraded off . the tip was re - affixed to the pipettor and the liquid expelled . if the flow is poor , cut ca . 0 . 5 mm off the end with a sharp razor blade . to ensure that all solvent was removed , ca . 100 to 500 μl of deionized water was drawn in and expelled . the pipette was detached and any excess water in the upper chamber was removed with a cotton swab . 5 - 10 mg of ( 250 å ) 30 aμm silica gel was weighed out and carefully added to the back end of the pipette . the pipette was tapped so that the silica rested on top of the cast - in - place barrier if necessary , affix a suitable porous plug ( cotton or polypropylene ) in the upper chamber to prevent particle loss . in a suitable vessel , 5 grams of 7 . 5 % ( w / w ) polysulfone solution ( amoco , p3500 ) in n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone was prepared . the mixture is allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at room temperature , and is then mixed again . a 1000 μl wide bore polypropylene pipette is affixed to a common p - 1000 pipetman pipettor ( gilson , ranin , etc .) and the volume adjust is set to 1000 μl . the plunger is depressed to the bottom and the end of the pipette is placed into the casting solution . while carefully watching , the plunger was slowly raised to fill the tip with ca . 2 - 10 μl of casting solution . once the tip contained sufficient liquid , equal pressure was maintained , and the tip was removed , excess polymer solution was wiped off , and the tip was dipped into a bath of deionized water for about 5 seconds . after this brief period , pressure was released on the plunger and water was drawn into the tip to precipitate the polymer . when the water level was about 0 . 5 cm above the polymer height , the tip was ejected into the bath and solvent exchange was allowed to take place for about 5 minutes . the tip was re - affixed to the pipettor , the liquid expelled , and washed with 100 - 200 μl of deionized water . when cast in this manner , the precipitated polymer had a semipermeable skin at the orifice , which can be used as a filtration medium . in a suitable vessel , 5 grams of a 10 % ( w / w ) cellulose acetate solution ( eastman kodak , 398 - 60 ) in acetone was prepared . to this , 1 gram of methanol , 0 . 5 grams of deionized water and 1 gram of 250 å , 30 μm silica was added . the mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hours at room temperature , and was then mixed again . a 1000 μl wide bore polypropylene pipette was affixed to a common p - 1000 pipetman pipettor ( gilson ) and the volume adjust was set to 1000 μl . the plunger was depressed to the bottom and the end of the pipette was placed into the casting solution . the plunger was then slowly raised to fill the tip with about 5 - 10 μl of casting solution . once the tip contained sufficient liquid , equal pressure was maintained , and the tip was removed , excess fluid was wiped off , and the tip was placed in a rack to allow solvent to evaporate for about 16 hours . after this period , the tip was washed with about 10 μl of distilled water . 30 μl silica end plugs in porous polyethylene prepared by thermal phase inversion in a suitable vessel , 5 grams of beaded polyethylene and 100 grams of mineral oil are added . the mixture is heated to 250 ° c . on a hot plate with agitation . when the plastic liquifies , 4 grams of 250 å , 30 μm silica is added and mixed thoroughly . using a 1 ml graduated glass pipette with filler bulb , 50 - 100 μl of the melt is drawn in . once the tip contains sufficient liquid , equal pressure is maintained , and the tip is removed , excess plastic is wiped off , the tip is allowed to cool to room temperature . the pipette is transferred to a methylene chloride bath for 1 hour to extract the mineral oil . it is then removed , and the methylene chloride is expelled and allowed to air dry . approximately 2 . 5 μg of each peptide from a mixture consisting of glytyr ( 1 ), valtyrval ( 2 ), methionine enkephalin ( 3 ), leucine enkaphalin ( 4 ) and angiotensin ii ( 5 ) ( in 100 μl 0 . 1 % tfa ) was adsorbed to a p200 pipette tip containing ca . 5 μl of cast c18 , 200 å , 15 μm spherical silica . the solution was drawn up and expelled 4 times . the tip was then washed with 200 μl of 0 . 1 % tfa . bound peptides were eluted with 80 % acetonitrile in 0 . 1 % tfa / water . the eluted peptides were diluted with 4 parts of 0 . 1 % tfa and analyzed by reverse phase hplc ( linear acetonitrile gradient 5 - 30 % over 20 min ). the resulting chromatogram was then compared to that of the original mixture . ( see fig6 and 7 ). as expected , the glytyr , valtyrval , which are small and relatively hydrophilic , did not bind to the c 18 . the recoveries of the remaining 3 ( adsorbed ) peptides subsequent to elution ranged from 70 - 85 %. approximately 2 . 5 μg of each solute from a mixture consisting of a five peptides ( see example 10 ) ( in 100 μl in 10 % glacial acetic acid ) were adsorbed to a p200 pipette tip containing ca . 5 μl of cast , styrene sulfonate coated , 300 å , 15 μm spherical silica . adsorption was performed during 4 complete uptake - withdraw cycles followed by a 100 μl flush with 20 % methanol / 10 mm hcl . bound sample was eluted with two 25 μl volumes of 1 . 4 n ammonium hydroxide / 50 % methanol . the eluted sample was analyzed by reversed phase hplc and the resulting chromatogram was compared to that of the original mixture . ( see fig6 and 8 ). the strong cation exchange tip bound all sample components , except glytyr . such performance is consistent with the selectivity of sulfonic acid ion - exchange resins . trypsin was covalently coupled to an aldehyde activated 300 å , 15 μm spherical silica and cast ( 20 μl ) into p200 tips for protein digestion in situ . trypsin activity within the tip was assessed by monitoring the digestion of cytochrome via hplc . a sample of cytochrome c ( 10 μg in 100 μl of 100 mm tris , 1 mm cacl 2 ph 8 @ 37 c .) was taken up into the tip for 15 minutes . the reaction was mixed 4 × with a expel / draw cycle into an eppendorf tube . the digest was analyzed by hplc using a linear gradient of acetonitrile from 5 - 45 % over 30 minutes ( see fig1 ). the resulting chromatogram showed that greater than 90 % of cytochrome c was digested after 15 minutes ( see fig9 for undigested cytochrome c ). recombinant protein a was coupled to precast p200 tips containing aldehyde - activated 300 å , 15 μm soherical silica for the isolation of rabbit immunoglobulin ( igg ). a 100 μl sample of 1 mg / ml igg and bsa in rip buffer ( 150 mm nacl , 1 % np - 40 , 0 . 5 % doc , 0 . 1 % sds , 50 mm tris , ph 8 . 0 ) was cycled six times through a tip containing 40 μl of cast volume containing protein a immobilized beads . the tin was then washed with 5 volumes of rip buffer prior to the elution . desorption of bound igg was performed with ( two 25 μl volumes ) of 6m urea . the desorbed sample was diluted with 50 μl of 2 × sds laemmli sample buffer and boiled for 3 min prior to electrophoretic analysis . this protocol was also performed on a blank tip containing just polysulfone without beads which served as a background control . electrophoresis was performed in a 10 - 16 % acrylamide gel shown ( see fig1 ). samples are as follows : lane 9 : ( mw marker ); lanes 1 - 4 : increasing amounts of protein a tip eluted sample ; and lanes 5 - 8 : increasing amounts of eluted igg / bsa from the blank polysulfone tip . these results indicate selective binding of igg to the protein a tip with minimal nonspecific adsorption . furthermore , the blank tip ( lanes 5 - 8 ), in the presence of detergents ( rip buffer ), did not exhibit adsorption of either igg or bsa . 60 å , 10 μm 1000 μl pipette tips for supercoiled dna [ 0078 ] escherichia coli strain jm109 containing plasmid puc19 was grown in 3 - 5 ml of luria broth containing 100 μg / ml ampicillin at 37 ° c . for 12 - 16 hours . 1 . 5 ml of the overnight culture was pelleted in a microfuge tube spun at maximum g - force for 30 sec at room temperature . residual growth medium was removed while leaving the bacterial pellet intact . plasmid dna was then isolated using a modification of the alkaline lysis procedure of birnboim and doly ( birnboim , h . c . and doly , j . ( 1979 ). nucleic acids res 7 ., 1513 ). briefly , the bacterial pellet was resuspended by vortexing in 50 μl of 50 mm glucose , 25 mm tris - hcl ( ph 8 . 0 ), 10 mm edta , and 10 μg / ml rnase a . next 100 μl of 0 . 2 n naoh , 1 % sodium dodecyl room temperature for 2 min . following the addition of 100 μl of 3 m sodium acetate solution ( ph 4 . 8 ), the suspension was mixed by vortexing then spun in a microfuge at maximum g - force for 2 min . the cleared lysate was transferred to a fresh microfuge tube to which 7 m guanidine hydrochloride ( guhcl ) in 200 mm 2 -( n - morpholino ) ethane sulfonic acid ( mes ) at ph 5 . 6 was added to a final concentration and volume of 4 . 4 m and 700 μl , respectively . the resulting solution was drawn into a 1000 μl polypropylene pipette tip with ca . 60 μl of cast membrane containing ca . 60 å , 10 μm silica gel using a p - 1000 pipettor . the solution was pipetted in - and - out for 2 - 2 . 5 minutes to allow extensive interaction between the dna solution and the silica membrane matrix . the tip was then flushed once with 400 μl of 80 % reagent grade alcohol . residual alcohol is removed by repeated expulsion onto a paper towel . plasmid dna was eluted from the tip in 100 μl of 10 mm tris - hcl ( ph 8 . 0 ), 1 mm edta ( te ) by in - and - out pipetting 3 ×. eluate fractions were adjusted to a final volume of 100 μl with te . six tips were evaluated . to quantitate plasmid dna recovery , 20 % of the eluate , as well as 20 % of the unbound filtrates , were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis ( see fig1 ). included on the gel were samples of puc19 plasmid dna of known concentrations . ( lanes 1 - 4 ) results of these experiments indicate that on average 2 . 5 mg of supercoiled plasmid was recovered ( lanes 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 ). 60 å , 10 μm silica in wide bore 200 μl pipette tips for linear dna the ability of 200 μl polypropylene wide bore pipette tips containing ca . 20 μl of cast 60 å , 10 μm silica - laden membrane to bind linearized dna fragments ( pbr322 digested with either bstni or mspi , to generate dna fragment ladders ) or plasmid pbr322 dna restricted with psti and bamhi ( generates large linear restriction fragments ) was assessed . five μg of linearized plasmid dna was combined with guhcl , ph 5 . 6 in mes to a final concentration of 0 . 5 m and volume of 150 μl . prior to use , p - 200 tips containing the silica membrane were pre - equilibrated in ( 2 ×) 200 μl of 0 . 5 m guhcl , ph 5 . 6 in mes . the dna / guhcl solution was drawn into a pipette tip and cycled in - and - out for 1 . 5 - 2 . 0 min to allow extensive interaction between the dna binding mixture and the silica - laden membrane matrix . the tips were then washed with 125 μl of 80 % reagent grade alcohol to remove salts and other contaminants . bound dna was eluted from the tip matrix in 100 μl te , by in - and - out pipetting 3 ×. to measure dna recovery , eluates and filtrates were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis ( see fig1 ). in order to quantitate the amount of dna recovered , samples representing 100 %, 75 %, 50 %, and 25 % of the starting material were run in lanes 1 - 4 . lanes 5 , 7 , 9 , & amp ; 11 are the eluants . estimate of band intensities indicate recoveries in excess of 95 %. fumed silica in wide bore 200 μl pipette tips for pcr amplified dna the ability of 200 μl wide bore polypropylene pipette tips containing ca . 20 μl of fumed silica immobilized in a polysulfone matrix was assessed for the purification of pcr amplified dna ( 500 bp ). prior to use , tips were flushed 2 × 3 m nai in 200 mm mes buffer ( ph 6 . 4 ). 50 μl samples from the pooled pcr stock ( ca . 3 μg of dna ) were then combined with 7 m nai to a final nai concentration of 3 . 0 m . the total volume following addition of the nai solution was 150 μl . the sample was drawn in and expelled from the p - 200 tips containing the cast fumed silica - laden membrane for 2 - 3 minutes allowing for extensive contact with the matrix . each tip was then washed with 125 μl of 80 % reagent grade alcohol to remove salts and other contaminants . residual alcohol was removed by expelling the tip contents onto a paper towel . bound pcr product was eluted in 50 μl te ( ph 8 . 0 ). to estimate dna recovery , eluates and filtrates were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis ( see fig1 ). loads representing 100 %, 75 %, 50 %, and 25 % of the starting material were run in lanes 1 - 4 as controls . note the presence of the lower band which indicates a slight primer - dimer contamination . the use of immobilized fumed silica along with nai appears to give an amplified dna recovery in excess of 90 %. in addition , there appears to be a reduction in the primer - dimer contaminant . ( see lanes 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 ). cast porous end plug with loose 30 micron silica in a 200 μl pipette tip for dna isolation 200 μl pipette tips containing ca 5 - 10 μl of cast ( 7 . 5 %) polysulfone as a porous end plug and 2 - 4 mg of loose 250 å , 30 μm silica was assayed for the ability to blind linear and supercoiled plasmid dna . regarding linear dna , approximately 5 μg of pbr322 was first digested with mspi in 45 μl te ( 10 mm tris - hcl , 1 mm edta ), ph 8 . 0 , and then combined with 100 μl of 7 m guanidine hydrochloride ( guhcl ) in 200 mm mes buffer at ph 5 . 6 . the final concentration of guhcl in the solution was 4 . 7 m . the resulting solution was drawn ( once ) into a 200 μl pipette tip and allowed to extensively contact the silica by inverting the pipetman with the affixed lip for approximately 2 min . the dna adsorbed to the lips was then washed and eluted as described in example 15 . loads representing 100 %, 75 %, 50 % and 25 % of the starting material where run in lanes 1 - 4 as controls . results from experiments using this format indicate that dna recoveries of better than 75 % can be achieved ( see fig1 , lanes 5 and 7 ). | 1 |
referring to the drawings , fig1 discloses a first embodiment of the invention which employs a dry additive hopper 10 in which the water soluble polymer additive is stored and introduced into the system . twin cyclonic venturis 12 receive the dry additive from the hopper through double walled conduits 14 for mixing with water . the paired venturis are intended to be used one at a time with the second venturi providing backup for the system in case of clogging of the primary . however , both venturis may be used in parallel for high demand requirements . double walled conduit intermediate the dry additive hopper and the venturis is employed to collect condensation which may be caused through temperature differential of the piping in the system due to cold water entering through the inlet manifold into the venturis . collection of condensation by the outer wall of the conduit precludes water contact with the additive prior to mixing in the cyclonic venturi . water from the available irrigation supply is provided through an inline separator / filter for removing dirt from the irrigation water by pump 16 to piping manifold 18 which introduces water into the cyclonic venturis . the solution exiting the venturis is received in a dispersion tank 20 . the dispersion tank in the embodiment shown in fig1 incorporates contradirectional impellers 22 and 24 mounted on a common horizontal shaft 26 . rotation of the shaft by drive motor 28 causes solution within the dispersion tank to be urged in the direction of arrow 22a by impeller 22 and in the direction of arrow 24a by impeller 24 . use of large paddle , low velocity impellers allows agitation of the solution in the dispersion tank without shearing of long chain polymers present in the additive . those skilled in the art will recognize that separately shafted counterrotating impellers driven by common or separate motors may be employed to provide contradirectional flow required by the present invention . alternative embodiments of the invention employ a diagonal mounting of the impeller shaft or shafts to allow mounting of motors and associated hardware outside the tank without sealing requirements necessary for extending a horizontal shaft through the tank wall . in normal operation , water flow through the venturis into the dispersion tank begins prior to introduction of water soluble additive from the hopper . this allows introduction of some water level into the dispersion tank for initiation of water agitation by the impellers prior to introduction of the additive . similarly , water flow continues after introduction of the additive is complete to flush the venturis and associated lines . adjustment of concentration of the water soluble additive during its introduction to accommodate a proper final concentration in the dispersion tank is accomplished through metering of the additive from the hopper through a flow regulating device , as will be explained in greater detail subsequently . once the dispersion tank is full of the proper concentration of additive and water , the mixture is allowed to remain under agitation by the low speed contradirectional impellers to assure complete mixing . the additive mixture is then extracted from the dispersion tank through conduit 30 employing a progressive cavity pump 32 to distribute the additive solution to a field for application , or as shown in the embodiment of fig1 to introduce the mixture into a solution aging tank 34 through manifold 35 . the aging tank employs twin contradirectional impellers 36 and 38 mounted on a common vertical shaft 40 driven by motor 42 . as previously described with regard to the impellers in the dispersion tank , the contradirectional impellers force the mixture to flow in opposite directions within the solution aging tank to maintain the mixture in solution thereby precluding precipitation of the additive . the additive solution is then pumped from the solution aging tank to an irrigation distribution system in the field for application . the invention as described is configured as a parallel branch in the irrigation water flow path which draws water into the dispersion tank while simultaneously reintroducing mixed solution from the aging tank in proper concentration into the irrigation stream . solution flows simultaneously into and out of the aging tank for a continuous flow process . details of the dry additive hopper of the present system are disclosed in fig2 a through 2c . as shown in fig2 a , the dry additive is introduced into the top opening 44 of the hopper which employs a lid 46 to preclude contamination of the dry additive . internal to the hopper , a sifting device is employed to deagglomerate the additive . as shown in fig2 a and 2b , a pair of paddle wheels 48 located over the exit ports 50 in the hopper provide appropriate sifting . in the embodiment shown , the paddle wheels are driven on a common shaft 52 by an electric motor 54 , however , independent shafts and motors are employed in alternative embodiments . metering of the additive from the hopper is accomplished employing a conventional flow regulating device as shown in fig2 c which comprises a horizontal sliding gate 56 variably occluding orifice 58 in plate 60 mounted in the hopper exit . those skilled in the art will recognize alternate flow regulating devices known in the art of dry powder metering for substitution in the present invention . fig3 a shows an embodiment of the present invention employing dual dispersion tanks 20 and 21 with dual dry additive hoppers 10 and 11 . fig3 b shows a side sectional view of the second dipersion tank and second dry additive hopper with associated components and manifolds wherein the components previously described with regard to fig1 are identified by &# 34 ;&# 39 ;&# 34 ; e . g . venturies 12 &# 39 ;. operation of each of the dispersion tanks and hoppers is as described previously with regard to fig1 . duplication of the entire process in a second dispersion tank allows one dispersion tank to be filled and mixed while the other dispersion tank , having completed the mixing process , is being emptied by pump 32 into the solution aging tank . operation in this manner allows the aging tank to maintain a substantially constant level during initial mixing operations in the dispersion tanks and enhances the capability of the system to provide continuous flow to the irrigation system . mounting of the dual dispersion tanks , aging tank , and all supporting pumps and power source on a skid pallet or trailer 62 provides a self contained portable system . a process controller 64 , as seen in fig1 is incorporated to monitor level sensors 66 in the dispersion tanks and high and low level sensors 68 in the aging tank to automate operation of the mixing process . control by the process controller of pumps 16 and 32 , manifold valves 31 and 31 &# 39 ;, as well as flow regulating device 60 in the hopper outlets , responsive to fluid levels in the tanks allows complete automation of the system . those skilled in the art will recognize the use of appropriate sensors in the dispersion tanks , including , float or capacitive type sensors . in operation , the process controller initiates operation by activating pump 16 to provide water to the venturis for mixing of the water soluble additive . a control signal , activated by a low level indication in the dispersion tanks provides an exemplary initial start signal . in the dual dispersion tank system , upon a full indication from the level sensor in the first dispersion tank , the controller activates pump 32 for transfer of solution from the dispersion tank into the aging tank 34 with manifold valve 31 drawing solution from the first dispersion tank . those skilled in the art will recognize that addition of a timer to allow adequate dispersion of the additive in the dispersion tank prior to initiating pump 32 may be employed . the controller selectively operates manifold valving to allow filling of the second dispersion tank while solution is being drawn from the first dispersion tank and similarly drawing solution from the second dispersion tank while refilling the first dispersion tank . this operation allows a substantially constant flow of solution to the aging tank which has sufficient volume to provide a constant solution stream at the desired concentration into the irrigation water . the controller operates manifold valve 69 to provide initial filling of the solution aging tank and again , a timer may be employed to assure sufficient hydration of the solution in the aging tank prior to reintroduction into the irrigation water . once in operation , the system disclosed in the drawings provides a continuous flow of operation , drawing water from the irrigation supply and returning a proper solution concentration to the irrigation system for distribution to the field . the cyclonic flow venturi employed in the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings is shown in fig4 . the venturi shown is a modified penberthy venturi which is commercially available . as shown in fig4 the venturi employed in the embodiment shown in the drawings employs sealed air vents at the entry connection 86 which provides a vacuum in conduit 14 drawing dry additive into the venturi due to water flow from conduit 18 into the water intake 88 . the dry additive product mixes with the water in the cyclonic body of the venturi 90 and the solution of water and dispersed dry additive exits the venturi at orifice 92 . fig5 a discloses an alternate embodiment of the dispersion tank 100 . contradirectional impellers 102 and 104 are mounted vertically on a common shaft 106 driven by motor 108 . operation of the impellers in this orientation is as described previously with regard to the solution aging tank . a conical disburser 110 is also mounted to shaft 106 intermediate the venturi outlets and the high level water surface . the initial additive solution exiting the venturis impacts the rotating conical disperser and is evenly spread across the water surface in the dispersion tank by the conical disperser . as best seen in fig5 the conical disperser employs paddle - like spokes 112 which , in the embodiment shown , extend in spaced curves from the apex of the conical disperser to its rim . a further refinement of the conical disperser incorporates apertures 114 spaced on the conical surface to intermediately disperse the additive solution onto the water surface prior to reaching the periphery of the conical disperser . operation of the embodiment of the dispersion tank shown in fig5 a is substantially similar to the description provided with regard to fig1 . fig6 discloses a trailer mounted limited scale version of the present invention for easy portability . the embodiment shown in fig6 employs a single hopper 10 for dry additive , integrally mounted over a single dispersion tank 20 which incorporates horizontally mounted impellers . operation of the system is substantially as described with regard to fig1 . the mounting trailer 70 incorporates a self - contained generator 72 for operation of the water pump 16 , impeller motor , and any process controller employed . trailer enclosure 74 incorporates shelving 76 for storage of the dry additive in bag form 78 . the totally self - contained system as shown in fig6 is employable in small - scale operations wherein quantity of additive supplied to the field or frequency of application preclude the need for large scale systems such as that disclosed in fig1 and 3 . the lack of an aging tank in the embodiment shown in fig6 does not allow for full hydration of the polymer additives , however , adequate dispersion of the additive in the water is achieved . the system disclosed in fig6 is particularly applicable to open irrigation systems such as canals and furrows . having now described the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes , those skilled in the art will recognize substitutions and modifications to the embodiments of the invention herein . such substitution and modifications are within the scope and intent of the invention as defined in the following claims . | 0 |
the present invention will now be described in detail in relation to some preferred embodiments by way of non - limiting examples with reference to the annexed drawings , wherein : fig1 shows the engineering and purification of met and hgf subdomains . ( a ) schematic representation of the engineered proteins used in this study . left panel : engineered receptors . w . t . met , wild - type met ; extra , extracellular portion ; intra , intracellular portion ; sp , signal peptide ; sema , semaphorin homology domain ; psi , plexin - semaphorin - integrin homology domain ; ipt 1 - 4 , immunoglobulin - plexin - transcription factor homology domain 1 - 4 ; tm , trans - membrane domain ; jm , juxta - membrane domain ; kd , kinase domain ; ct , c - terminal tail ; e , flag or myc epitope ; h , poly - histidine tag . the red triangle indicates the proteolytic cleavage site between the α - and β - chain . right panel : engineered ligands . w . t . hgf , wild - type hgf ; nd , n - domain , k 1 - 4 , kringle 1 - 4 ; pld , protease - like domain ; uncl . hgf , uncleavable hgf . the asterisk indicates the r494q amino acid substitution in the proteolytic site . ( b ) coomassie staining of affinity - purified receptors and ligands . each protein group ( sema , sema - psi , decoy met ; psi - ipt , ipt ; hgf - α , uncleavable hgf , hgf ; hgf nk1 , hgf - β ) has been resolved by sds - page in non - reducing conditions and is quantified against a standard curve of bovine serum albumin ( bsa ). mw , molecular weight marker ; kda , kilo - dalton . fig2 shows an elisa analysis of hgf - met interactions . ( a ) binding of met sub - domains to active hgf . engineered receptors were immobilized in solid phase and exposed to increasing concentrations of active hgf in liquid phase . binding was revealed using anti - hgf antibodies . non - specific binding was measured by using bsa instead of purified receptors in solid phase . ( b , c , d ) binding of decoy met , sema - psi , and ipt to different forms of hgf . engineered receptors were immobilized in solid phase and exposed to increasing concentrations of myc - tagged active hgf , pro - hgf , hgf - α or hgf nk1 in liquid phase . binding was revealed using anti - myc antibodies . non - specific binding was measured by using myc - tagged angiostatin ( as ) in liquid phase . fig3 shows that ipt domains 3 and 4 are sufficient to binding to hgf - a at high affinity . ( a ) schematic representation of deleted ipt variants . color code and legend as in fig1 a . ( b ) elisa analysis of interactions between ipt variants and hgf - α . engineered ipts were immobilized in solid phase and exposed to increasing concentrations of hgf - α in liquid phase . binding was revealed using anti - hgf antibodies . fig4 shows that ipt domains 3 and 4 are sufficient for binding to hgf in living cells . ( a ) schematic representation of the deleted metδ25 - 741 receptor . color code and legend as in fig1 a . ( b ) surface biotinylation analysis . cellular proteins were immuno - precipitated ( ip ) using antibodies directed against the c - terminal portion of met and analyzed by western blotting ( wb ) using horseradish peroxidase - conjugated streptavidin ( sa ). the same blots were re - probed with anti - met antibodies . w . t ., wild - type , a549 , a549 human lung carcinoma cells ; mda , mda - mb - 435 human melanoma cells ; tov , tov - 112d human ovary carcinoma cells ; empty v ., empty vector . the p170 band corresponds to unprocessed met ; p145 is the mature form of the receptor . ( c ) chemical cross - linking analysis . tov - 112d cells expressing met δ25 - 741 ( met δ25 - 741 ) and wild - type tov - 112d cells ( w . t . tov ) were incubated with hgf and then subjected to chemical cross - linking . cell lysates were immuno - precipitated using anti - met antibodies and analyzed by western blotting using anti - hgf antibodies . arrow indicates hgf - met δ25 - 741 complexes . ( d ) met phosphorylation analysis . tov - 112d cells expressing met δ25 - 741 were stimulated with 1 % fbs as a negative control and with equal amounts of hgf , pro - hgf , hgf nk1 or nk1 - nk1 . receptor phosphorylation was determined by immuno - precipitation with anti - met antibodies and western blotting with anti - phosphotyrosine ( anti - ptyr ) antibodies . the same blots were re - probed using anti - met antibodies . arrows indicate bands corresponding to met δ25 - 741 or immunoglobulins ( ig ). ( f ) schematic representation of nk1 - nk1 . from n - to c - terminus : sp , signal peptide ; nd , n - domain ; k1 , kringle 1 , h , poly - histidine tag . fig5 shows that soluble ipt inhibits hgf - induced invasive growth in vitro . ( a ) lentiviral vector transduced mda - mb - 435 cells were stimulated with recombinant hgf and met phosphorylation was determined by immuno - blotting using anti - phosphotyrosine antibodies ( upper panel ). the same blot was re - probed using anti - met antibodies ( lower panel ). empty v ., empty vector . ( b ) branching morphogenesis assay . pre - formed spheroids of lentiviral vector - transduced mda - mb - 435 cells were embedded in collagen and then stimulated with recombinant hgf to form branched tubules . collagen invasion was quantified by scoring the mean number of tubules sprouting from each spheroid . ev , empty vector ; dm , decoy met ; sp , sema - psi . ( c ) representative images from the experiment described in b . magnification : 200 ×. fig6 shows that soluble ipt displays anti - tumor and anti - metastatic activity in mice . cd - 1 nu −/− mice were injected subcutaneously with lentiviral vector - transduced mda - mb - 435 cells , and tumor growth was monitored over time . ( a ) kaplan - meier - like plots of tumor latency ( x axis , time in days ; y axis , percent of tumor free - animals ). empty v ., empty vector . ( b ) mean tumor volume over time . ( c ) immuno - histochemical analysis of tumor sections using anti - flag antibodies . magnification : 400 ×. ( d ) tumor vessel analysis . tumor sections were stained with anti - von willebrand factor antibodies . the number of vessels per square mm of tumor section was determined by microscopy . ev , empty vector ; dm , decoy met ; sp , sema - psi . ( e ) metastasis incidence analysis . upon autopsy , serial lung sections were analyzed by microscopy to determine the presence of micrometastases . metastasis incidence — i . e . the number of mice with metastasis over the total — is indicated in both percentage ( bars ) and fraction ( at the end of bars ). ( f ) representative images of micrometastases from the empty vector group . lung sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin . dotted lines identify the walls of blood vessels ( vs ). metastatic cells ( mc ) can be found inside vessels as an embolus or in the parenchyma . magnification : 400 ×. the data presented in the present disclosure suggest that the α - chain of hgf binds to the ipt region of met at high affinity , and that it does so independently of proteolytic processing of the ligand . they also suggest that hgf binding to ipt in the context of a trans - membrane met lacking the sema domain is sufficient for transmitting the signal for receptor activation to the cytoplasmic kinase domain , although without distinction between the inactive and active form of the ligand . finally , they provide evidence that engineered proteins derived from the ipt region and sema domain of met are capable of neutralizing the pro - invasive activity of hgf both in vitro and in vivo . it has been known for long time that hgf is a bivalent factor . early protein engineering studies identified a high affinity met - binding site in the n domain and first kringle of hgf . subsequently , combined biochemical and biological analysis demonstrated that the hgf serine protease - like domain ( β - chain ), while not necessary for binding , plays a key role in mediating receptor activation . more recently , detailed crystallographic and mutagenesis data have thoroughly characterized both structurally and functionally the low affinity met - binding site on the β - chain of hgf and its interaction with the sema domain of met . the interface between the α - chain of hgf and met had remained however elusive . small angle x - ray scattering and cryo - electron microscopy studies suggested the presence of contacts among the n - terminal and first kringle domain of hgf and the sema domain of met . however , plasmon resonance analysis revealed that this interaction has a very low affinity ( about 2 times lower than that of hgf - β for sema and 100 times lower than that of hgf - α for the intact receptor ). since this weak interaction cannot account per se for the tight bond between hgf and met , the high affinity hgf - binding site on met had still to be identified . the results presented here contribute to fill this gap and suggest that this long sought - after hgf - binding site lies in the ipt region of met and more precisely in the last two immunoglobulin like domains close to the cell membrane . several distinct experimental evidences provided in the present disclosure suggest that this is the case . firstly , a soluble , deleted met receptor containing nothing but the four ipt domains ( ipt ) binds to hgf with substantially the same affinity as the entire extra - cellular portion of met . conversely , sema displays very low affinity towards hgf . secondly , ipt binds to active hgf , pro - hgf or hgf - a with unchanged strength . thirdly , deletion of ipt 1 and ipt 2 does not affect the affinity of ipt for any form of hgf . fourthly , an engineered met receptor carrying a large deletion in its ectodomain corresponding to the sema domain , the psi module and the first two immunoglobulin - like domains ( met δ25 - 741 ) retains the ability to bind to hgf and to transduce the signal for kinase activation to the inside of the cell , although it cannot distinguish between active hgf and pro - hgf . finally , a dimeric form of hgf nk1 , which is known to contain the minimal met binding domain of hgf - α , is capable of eliciting activation of met δ25 - 741 as efficiently as if not more powerfully than hgf , thus identifying in ipt 3 - 4 the hgf nk1 - binding site . while these data point at a key role of ipt in hgf binding , it is noteworthy that two previous structure / function studies on the extracellular portion of met failed to identify any ligand binding site in this region . a first draft of the met ectodomain map suggested that the sema domain is necessary and sufficient for hgf binding based on elisa assays . a second study analyzed the role of the sema domain in receptor dimerization and suggested that an engineered form of the met extracellular portion containing a deletion in the sema domain was not capable of co - precipitating hgf . the present disclosure further demonstrates that cooperation between sema and ipt is observed also when the extracellular portion of met is used as a biotechnological tool to inhibit hgf - induced invasive growth . in the in vitro analysis and in mouse xenografts both the ipt and sema - psi soluble proteins displayed a significant inhibitory effect . however , none of them could achieve the powerful inhibition displayed by the full met ectodomain , which contains both the low affinity and high affinity hgf - binding site . this implies that both of these interactions contribute to controlling met activity . while the hgf - β - sema contact had already been identified as a target for therapy , the results presented here unveil a second interface that offers opportunities for pharmacological intervention . recombinant proteins or antibodies that bind to the ipt region in place of bona fide hgf have an application as highly competitive inhibitors of met for the treatment of hgf / met - dependent cancers . soluble or trans - membrane receptors and engineered ligands described in this work have been generated by standard pcr and genetic engineering techniques . all factors conserve the leader sequence of their parental protein at the n - terminus . the amino acid ( aa ) sequences of soluble met proteins ( gene bank n . x54559 ) correspond to aa 1 - 24 ( signal peptide ) plus : decoy met , aa 25 - 932 ; sema , aa 25 - 515 ; sema - psi , aa 25 - 562 ; psiipt , aa 516 - 932 ; ipt , aa 563 - 932 ; ipt δ1 , aa 657 - 932 ; ipt δ1 - 2 , aa 742 - 932 ; ipt - 3 , aa 742 - 838 ; ipt - 4 , aa 839 - 932 . at the c - terminus of each molecule a double flag ( sdykddddk — seq id no . : 19 ) or single myc ( eqkliseedln — seq id no . : 20 ) epitope sequence and a poly - histidine tag ( hhhhhhh — seq id no . : 21 ) were added for protein detection and purification . the transmembrane engineered metδ25 - 741 is identical to wild - type met except for the deleted region ( aa 25 - 741 ). the amino acid sequences of engineered hgf proteins ( gene bank n . m73239 ) correspond to aa 1 - 31 ( signal peptide ) plus : hgf , aa 32 - 728 ; hgf - α , aa 32 - 473 ; hgf nk1 , aa 32 - 205 ; hgf - β , aa 495 - 728 . the above myc or flag epitope and poly - histidine tag were added at the c - terminus . uncleavable hgf has been described before ( mazzone , m . et al . ( 2004 ) j clin invesn . 114 ( 10 ), 1418 - 1432 ). nk1 - nk1 is a dimeric form of hegf nk1 consisting of the same n - terminal region hgf repeated in tandem ( aa 1 - 205 directly linked to aa 32 - 205 without spacer ). the cdnas encoding all engineered proteins were subcloned into the lentiviral transfer vector prrlsin . ppt . cmv . egfp . wpre ( seq id no . : 1 ) in place of the gfp cdna as disclosed in follenzi , a . et al . ( 2000 ) nat genet . 25 ( 2 ), 217 - 222 . the gfp coding sequence was replaced by the following cdnas : decoy met flag . his ( seq id no . : 2 ), sema flag . his ( seq id no . : 3 ), sema - psi flag . his ( seq id no . : 4 ), pst - ipt flag . his ( seq id no . : 5 ), ipt flag . his ( seq id no . : 6 ), ipt δ1 flag . his ( seq id no . : 7 ), ipt δ1 - 2 flag . his ( seq id no . : 8 ), ipt 3 flag . his ( seq id no . : 9 ), ipt 4 flag . his ( seq id no . : 10 ), met δ25 - 741 ( seq id no . : 11 ), hgf myc his ( seq id no . : 12 ), hgf - α myc his ( seq id no . : 13 ), hgf - nk1 myc his ( seq id no . : 14 ), hgf - β myc his ( seq id no . : 15 ), uncleavable hgf myc his ( seq id no . : 16 ), nk1 - nk1 his ( seq id no . : 17 ), angiostatin nyc his ( seq id no . : 18 ). all engineered receptors and factors were collected from the conditioned medium of lentiviral vector - transduced mda - mb - 345 human melanoma cells in the absence of serum . factor purification was performed by immobilized - metal affinity chromatography as previously described in michieli p . et al . ( 2002 ) nat biotechnol . 20 ( 5 ), 488 - 495 . conversion of pro - hgf into active hgf was performed by incubating purified pro - hgf ( maximal concentration 100 ng / μl ) with 2 - 10 % fbs ( sigma , st . louis , mo .) at 37 ° c . for 24 hours . factor conversion was analyzed by western blotting using anti - hgf antibodies ( r & amp ; d systems , minneapolis , minn .). uncleavable hgf subjected to the same incubation with fbs was used as pro - hgf in all assays that compared active hgf with unprocessed hgf . binding of engineered ligands to soluble receptors was measured by elisa using flag - tagged soluble receptors in solid phase and myc - tagged engineered ligands in liquid phase . a fixed concentration of purified soluble receptor ( 100 ng / well ) was adsorbed to 96 - well elisa plates . protein - coated plates were incubated with increasing concentrations of engineered ligands , and binding was revealed using biotinylated anti - hgf antibodies ( r & amp ; d systems , minneapolis , minn .) or anti - myc antibodies ( santa cruz biotechnology , santa cruz , calif .). binding data were analyzed and fit using prism software ( graph pad software , san diego , calif .). mda - mb - 435 human melanoma cells were purchased from the georgetown university tissue culture shared resource ( washington , district of columbia ). cells were maintained in dmem supplemented with 10 % fbs ( sigma ). tov - 112d human ovarian carcinoma cells were obtained from atcc ( rockville , md . ; atcc n . crl - 11731 ) and were cultured using a 1 : 1 mixture of mcdb 105 medium and medium 199 supplemented with 15 % bbs ( all from sigma ). a549 human lung carcinoma cells were also obtained from atcc ( atcc n . ccl - 185 ) and maintained in rpmi supplemented with 10 % fbs . vector stocks were produced by transient transfection of 293t cells as previously described in follenzi , a . et al . ( 2000 ) nat genet . 25 ( 2 ), 217 - 222 . briefly , the plasmid dna mix for transfection was prepared as follows : env plasmid ( vsv - g ), 9 μg ; packaging plasmid pmdlg / prre 16 . 2 μg ; rev plasmid , 6 . 25 μg ; transfer vector ( plasmid # 2 - 18 ), 37 . 5 μg . the plasmids were diluted in a solution of te / cacl 2 , to which a hbs solution was added while vortexing at maximum speed . the dna / cacl 2 / hbs mix was immediately added drop - wise to the cell plates that were then incubated at 37 ° c . after 14 - 16 hours the culture medium was replaced with a fresh one . cell culture supernatants containing vector particles were collected about 36 hours after medium changing . after collection , the supernatants were filtered through 0 . 2 μm pore membranes and stored at − 80 ° c . viral p24 antigen concentration was determined by the hiv - 1 p24 core profile elisa kit ( nen life science products , boston , mass .) according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions . cells were transduced in six - well plates ( 10 5 cells / well in 2 ml of medium ) using 40 ng / ml of p24 in the presence of 8 μg / ml polybrene ( sigma ) as described in vigna , e . and naldini , l . ( 2000 ) j gene med . 2 ( 5 ), 308 - 316 . medium was changed about 18 hours after transduction . cell growth and protein production was monitored over time . transduced cell lines were then seeded in 15 cm plates , grown to 80 % confluence and incubated in medium without serum . after 72 hours , the supernatants containing the recombinant soluble proteins were collected , filtered and purified by affinity chromatography or stored at − 30 ° c . cell lysis , immuno - precipitation and western blot analysis were performed using extraction buffer ( eb ) as described in longati , p . et al . ( 1994 ) oncogene 9 ( 1 ), 49 - 57 . signal was detected using ecl system ( amersham biosciences , piscataway , n . j .) according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions . anti - met antibodies for immunoprecipitation have been described by ruco , l . p . et al . ( 1996 ) j pathol . 180 ( 3 ), 266 - 270 and were purchased from ubi ( lake placid , n . y .). anti - met antibodies for western blot were purchased from santa cruz . anti - flag antibodies were obtained from sigma . met phosphorylation analysis in lentiviral vector transduced mda - mb - 435 cells was performed as previously described in michieli , p . et al . ( 2004 ) cancer cell 6 ( 1 ), 61 - 73 . lentiviral vector - transduced tov - 112d cells expressing met δ25 - 741 were subjected to surface biotinylation analysis using an ecl ™ surface biotinylation module kit ( amersham biosciences ) according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions . chemical cross - linking was performed as previously described in mazzone , m . et al . ( 2004 ) j clin invest . 114 ( 10 ), 1418 - 1432 . briefly , cells were deprived of serum growth factors for 3 days and then incubated with 1 μm hgf for 3 hours . cell lysates were immuno - precipitated using antibodies directed against the c - terminal portion of met as disclosed in ruco , l . p . et al . ( 1996 ) j pathol . 180 ( 3 ), 266 - 270 , resolved by sds - page using a 3 - 10 % polyacrylamide gradient and analyzed by western blotting using anti - hgf antibodies ( r & amp ; d ). for receptor activation analysis , tov - 112d cells expressing met δ25 - 741 were deprived of serum growth factors for 3 days and then stimulated with 1 nm hgf , uncleavable hgf , hgf nk1 or nk1 - nk1 for 10 minutes . cells were lysed using eb as described in longati , p . et al . ( 1994 ) oncogene 9 ( 1 ), 49 - 57 . cellular proteins were immuno - precipitated with anti - met antibodies as above and analyzed by western blotting using anti - phosphotyrosine antibodies ( ubi ). the same blots were re - probed with anti - met antibodies ( ruco , l . p . et al . ( 1996 ) j pathol . 180 ( 3 ), 266 - 270 ). collagen invasion assays using mda mb - 435 cells were performed using preformed spheroids as described in michieli , p . et al . ( 2004 ) cancer cell 6 ( 1 ), 61 - 73 , briefly , spheroids were generated by incubating cells overnight ( 700 cells / well ) in non - adherent 96 - well plates ( greiner , frickenhausen , germany ) in the presence of 0 . 24 g / ml methylcellulose ( sigma ). spheroids were embedded into a collagen matrix containing 1 . 3 mg / ml type i collagen from rat tail ( bd biosciences , bedford , mass .) and 10 % fbs using 96 - well plates ( 40 spheroids / well ), embedded spheroids were cultured at 37 ° c . for 24 hours , and then stimulated with 30 ng / ml hgf ( r & amp ; d ) or no factor for additional 24 hours . the number of tubules sprouting from each spheroid was scored by microscopy . at least 12 spheroids per experimental point were analyzed . lentiviral vector - transduced mda - mb - 435 tumor cells ( 3 · 10 6 cells / mouse ) in 0 . 2 ml of dmem were injected subcutaneously into the right posterior flank of six - week old immunodeficient nu −/− female mice on swiss cd - 1 background ( charles river laboratories , calco , italy ). tumor size was evaluated every 2 days using a caliper . tumor volume was calculated using the formula v = 4 / 3πx2y / 2 where x is the minor tumor axis and y the major tumor axis . a mass of 15 mm 3 - corresponding approximately to the initial volume occupied by injected cells was chosen as threshold for tumor positivity . mice whose tumors were below this threshold were considered tumor - free . after approximately 4 weeks , mice were euthanized and tumors were extracted for analysis . animals were subjected to autopsy . tumors and lungs were embedded in paraffin and processed for histology . micrometastasis analysis was performed by microscopy on serial lung sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin . tumor sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and analyzed by an independent pathologist not informed of sample identity . transgene expression was determined on tumor sections by immuno - histochemistry using anti - flag antibodies ( sigma ). sections were counterstained with meyer hematoxylin ( sigma ). tumor angiogenesis was analyzed by immuno - histochemistry using anti - von willebrand factor antibodies ( dako , glostrup , denmark ). sections were counterstained as above . vessel density was assessed by microscopy . at least 12 fields per animal were analyzed . all animal procedures were approved by the ethical commission of the university of turin , italy , and by the italian ministry of health . statistical significance was determined using a two - tail homoscedastic student &# 39 ; s t - test ( array 1 , control group ; array 2 , experimental group ). for all data analyzed , a significance threshold of p & lt ; 0 . 05 was assumed , in all figures , values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation , and statistical significance is indicated by a single ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) or double ( p & lt ; 0 . 01 ) asterisk . a schematic representation of the functional domains contained in met and hgf is shown in fig1 a . the extracellular portion of met includes a sema domain , a psi hinge , and four ipt modules ( left panel ). hgf is composed of an α - and a β - chain joined by a disulphide bridge in the mature protein . the α - chain in turn comprises an n - terminal domain and four kringles ( right panel ). to analyze the interactions between met and hgf , the inventors expressed all these functional domains as individual , soluble proteins . functional domains were engineered to contain the signal peptide of the parental protein at their n - terminus , so that they could be properly secreted . at the c - terminus , an exogenous epitope ( flag or myc ) for antibody recognition and a poly - histidine tag for protein purification were added . all cdnas encoding the engineered factors were subcloned into the lentiviral vector prrlsin . ppt . cmv . wpre , and recombinant lentiviral particles were produced as described in materials and methods . recombinant proteins were collected from the conditioned medium of lentiviral vector - transduced mda - mb - 435 human melanoma cells and purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography . purified proteins were quantified against standards by sds - page ( fig1 b ). the ability of met ectodomains to interact with hgf was tested in elisa binding assays . soluble receptors ( decoy met , sema - psi , sema , psi - ipt , ipt ) were immobilized in solid - phase and exposed to increasing concentrations of active hgf . binding was revealed using biotinylated anti - hgf antibodies . non - specific hgf binding was determined using bovine serum albumin ( bsa ) in solid phase instead of soluble met domains binding affinity was determined by nonlinear regression analysis as described in materials and methods . in these conditions , decoy met bound to hgf with a k d of approximately 0 . 2 - 0 . 3 nm . consistent with previous measurements , sema - psi and sema bound to hgf with an affinity at least one log lower compared to decoy met . surprisingly , both psi - ipt and ipt bound to hgf very efficiently , with almost the same affinity as decoy met ( fig2 a ). the presence or absence of the psi domain did not affect the binding affinity for hgf of either sema or ipt . since almost all sema domains found so far in nature have a psi module at their c - terminus , the inventors therefore continued the binding analysis using decoy met , sema - pst , and ipt . to determine the affinity of each met module for pro - hgf , hgf - α , hgf nk1 and hgf - β and to compare it with that for active hgf , engineered receptors were immobilized in solid phase and exposed to increasing concentrations of myc - tagged ligands . binding was revealed using anti - myc antibodies . non - specific binding was determined using the kringle - containing protein angiostatin ( as ) also tagged with a myc epitope — in liquid phase . pro - hgf , hgf α - chain and hgf nk1 , which represents the minimal met - binding module of hgf α - chain , bound to decoy met with a 3 -, 4 - and 10 - time reduced affinity compared to active hgf , respectively ( fig2 b ). binding of hgf - β to decoy met ( or to any other met domain ) was too low to be detected in this kind of assay . sema - psi bound at a significant affinity to active hgf only , while binding to pro - hgf , hgf - α or hgf nk1 was undistinguishable from non - specific binding ( fig2 c ). in contrast , ipt bound to active hgf , pro - hgf and hgf - α with the same high affinity ( fig2 d ). hgf nk1 bound to ipt 10 times less tightly than active hgf , i . e . with the same affinity as it bound to decoy met . these data suggest that the ipt region of met binds to the α - chain of hgf at high affinity independently of proteolytic processing of the ligand . the α - chain of hgf binds to ipt domains 3 and 4 with high affinity the ipt region of met extends for about 400 amino acids and contains four ipt domains . to more finely map the ipt - hgf interface , a series of ipt variants that were deleted in one or more domains were engineered ( fig3 a ). ipt δ1 and ipt δ1 - 2 are two n - terminal deleted forms of ipt lacking the first or the first two immunoglobulin - like domains , respectively . ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 correspond to the two c - terminal immunoglobulin - like domains expressed as single proteins . protein production and purification were performed as described above . the ability of the engineered ipts to interact with hgf α - chain was investigated in elisa binding assays using the whole ipt region as a control . ipt , ipt δ1 , ipt δ1 - 2 , ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 were immobilized in solid phase and exposed to increasing concentrations of hgf - α . binding was revealed using anti - hgf antibodies . non - specific binding was measured using bsa as above . as shown in fig3 b , deletion of the first two immunoglobulin - like domains did not substantially affect hgf binding . in fact , ipt δ1 - 2 , a protein corresponding to the last two immunoglobulin - like domains of met , bound to the α - chain of hgf with equal if not higher strength than ipt . however , further deletion of either the third or fourth immunoglobulin - like domain did almost completely impair hgf - α binding . similar results were obtained using active hgf or pro - hgf instead of hgf - α . these data suggest that the last two immunoglobulin - like domains of met , that lie close to the trans - membrane helix in the context of a bona fide met , are sufficient for binding the α - chain of hgf at high affinity . ipt domains 3 and 4 are sufficient for binding to hgf in living cells . to determine whether hgf could bind to ipt 3 and 4 in the context of a membrane - anchored receptor , a met protein carrying a large deletion in the extracellular region was engineered . amino acids 25 - 741 , corresponding to the sema domain ( aa 25 - 515 ), the psi domain ( aa 516 - 562 ) and the first two ipt domains ( ipt 1 and 2 , aa 563 - 741 ) were deleted , generating a recombinant receptor to containing ipt domains 3 and 4 , the transmembrane helix and the full cytoplasmic region ( fig4 a ). the cdna encoding the engineered receptor met δ25 - 741 was subcloned into the same lentiviral vector described above . recombinant lentiviral particles were used to transduce the human ovary carcinoma cell line tov - 112d , which lacks endogenous met expression as determined by rt - pcr analysis ( michieli , p ., et al . ( 2004 ) cancer cell 6 ( 1 ), 61 - 73 ). surface biotinylation analysis revealed that met δ25 - 741 was properly expressed and exposed on the membrane of tov - 112d cells ( fig4 b ). to examine whether met δ25 - 741 could bind to hgf , lentiviral vector - transduced cells were incubated in the presence or absence of recombinant hgf and subsequently treated them with the cross - linking agent bs3 . cell lysates were immuno - precipitated with an antibody raised against the c - terminal portion of met , resolved by sds page and analyzed by western blotting using anti - hgf biotinylated antibodies . as a control , the same analysis was performed on wildtype tov - 112d cells . immunoblots showed a distinct band with a molecular weight of approximately 180 kd in the lane corresponding to cells expressing met δ25 - 741 treated with hgf but not in lanes corresponding to the same cells without hgf or to wild - type tov - 112d cells , either in the presence or absence of the ligand ( fig4 c ). considering that both met δ25 - 741 and hgf have a molecular weight of approximately 90 kda , the immuno - precipitated cross linked protein is compatible with a complex formed by hgf plus met δ25 - 741 . hgf binding to ipt domains 3 and 4 results in met activation in living cells . the inventors next tested whether hgf binding to met δ25 - 741 could induce met kinase activation . to this end , lentiviral vector transduced tov - 112d cells were stimulated with pro - hgf or active hgf , and cell lysates were immunoprecipitated with anti - met antibodies as above . receptor activation was determined by western blot analysis using anti - phosphotyrosine antibodies . the same blots were re - probed with anti - met antibodies to normalize the amount of receptor immuno - precipitated . remarkably , both pro - hgf and active hgf were capable of inducing robust phosphorylation of met δ25 - 741 ( fig4 d ). since pro - hgf binding to full - size met does not induce kinase activation , this suggests that the sema domain somehow exerts an auto - inhibitory effect on met catalytic activity that is released upon binding to active hgf . receptor stimulation was also performed using hgf nk1 and an engineered dimeric ligand consisting of two nk1 fragments repeated in tandem ( nk1 - nk1 ; fig4 e ). as shown in fig4 d , nk1 - nk1 stimulation of lentiviral vector - transduced tov - 112d cells resulted in potent phosphorylation of met δ25 - 741 , while stimulation with monomeric nk1 had no effect . these results suggest that the two c - terminal ipt domains of met ( ipt 3 and 4 ) are sufficient to bind to hgf ( and more precisely to hgf nk1 that represents the minimal met - binding module in the α - chain of hgf ) and to transmit the signal for receptor activation to the cytoplasmic kinase domain , presumably following ligand - induced receptor dimerization . however , they also suggest that ipt 3 and 4 alone are not sufficient for distinguishing the biologically active form of hgf from its inactive precursor , pro - hgf . in a previous study , it has been demonstrated that the extracellular portion of met expressed as a soluble protein ( decoy met ) inhibits hgf - induced invasive growth both in vitro and in mouse models of cancer ( michieli p . et al . ( 2004 ) cancer cell 6 ( 1 ), 61 - 73 ). recombinant soluble sema - psi was also shown to inhibit both ligand - dependent and - independent met phosphorylation ( kong - beltran m . et al . ( 2004 ) cancer cell 6 ( 1 ), 75 - 84 ). based on these results , it has been tested whether soluble ipt displayed hgf / met antagonistic activity in living cells . mda - mb - 435 human melanoma cells , which express met and are an established model system for analysis of hgf - mediated invasive growth , were transduced with lentiviral vectors encoding soluble decoy met , sema - psi or ipt . cells transduced with an empty vector were used as control . lentiviral vector - transduced cells secreting comparable levels of soluble factors ( approximately 50 pmol / 10 6 cells / 24 hours ) were serum - starved for several days , allowing the recombinant factors to accumulate in the medium , and then stimulated with recombinant hgf . met tyrosine phosphorylation was determined by immuno - blotting with anti - phosphotyrosine antibodies as described above . as shown in fig5 a , both ipt and sema - psi partially inhibited hgf - induced met phosphorylation , while decoy met completely neutralized the ability of hgf to induce met activation . re - probing of the same immuno - blots with antibodies directed against the c - terminal tail of met revealed no substantial difference in the amounts of immuno - precipitated protein . to test the inhibitory potential of met ectodomains in a more biological setting , the same cells were employed to perform an hgf - dependent branching morphogenesis assay . preformed cell spheroids were seeded in a three dimensional collagen matrix and then stimulated with recombinant hgf to form tubular structures . branching was quantified by scoring the mean number of tubules sprouting from each colony . as shown in fig5 b , both soluble ipt and sema - psi inhibited hgf - induced colony branching ( empty vector , 17 . 5 tubules / colony ; ipt , 4 . 0 tubules / colony , sema - psi , 6 . 7 tubules / colony ). however , consistent with the results obtained in phosphorylation experiments , decoy met was a more potent hgf - inhibitor than either of its subdomain ( 2 . 5 tubules / colony ). representative images of colony morphology are shown in fig5 c . the above results prompted the present inventors to explore the therapeutic potential of soluble ipt in mouse models of cancer . lentiviral vector - transduced mda - mb - 435 melanoma cells were injected subcutaneosly into cd - 1 nu −/− mice , and tumor growth was monitored over time . after approximately three weeks , tumors were extracted for analysis , and mice were subjected to autopsy . in a kaplan - meier - like analysis , where the percentage of tumor - free animals is plotted against time and tumor latency is quantified calculating the median in days , all engineered soluble receptors delayed the appearance of experimental tumors . however , ipt was slightly more effective than sema - psi and decoy met was more potent than either ipt or sema - psi ( fig6 a ). analysis of tumor burden over time revealed that ipt was only slightly less effective than decoy met , while sema - psi inhibited neoplastic growth only during the very early stages of the experiment ( fig6 b ). immuno - histochemical analysis of transgene expression showed that decoy met , sema - psi and ipt reached similar levels and distribution in tumors ( fig6 c ). as hgf is a potent pro - angiogenic factor , it has been determined whether inhibition of hgf / met in tumors resulted in impairment of angiogenesis . tumor sections were analyzed by immuno - histochemistry using antibodies against von willebrand factor , and vessel density was assessed by microscopy ( fig6 d ). ipt decreased tumor vessel density by 1 . 5 times , while decoy met achieved a much stronger inhibition ( approximately 4 times ); sema - psi did not significantly affect tumor angiogenesis . upon autopsy , lungs from the mice described above were extracted and processed for histology . serial lung sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin , and analyzed by microscopy to determine the presence of micrometastases . the results are shown in fig6 a . in the control group , 4 out of 6 mice ( 67 %) were bearing micrometastases . in the ipt and sema psi group , micrometastases could be found in only 1 out of 6 mice ( 17 %), while no metastasis could be found in the decoy met group . metastatic lesions were both parenchymal ( extravascular ) and embolic ( intravascular ; see fig6 f for representative images ). the identification of the high affinity hgf binding site on the hgfr provided in the present disclosure allows designing of novel procedures leading to the generation of more specific inhibitors / antagonists of hgf and of hgfr . the following are non - limiting examples of novel methods for the identification of inhibitors / antagonists of hgf / hgfr targeting the high affinity binding site of hgfr or utilizing the high affinity binding site of hgfr as a tool to generate novel inhibitors / antagonists . development of a monoclonal antibody that binds to extracellular ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 domains of hgf preventing hgf binding given that interaction of hgf with the extracellular ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 domains is essential for high affinity hgf binding , one can generate specific monoclonal antibodies that bind to ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 and compete with hgf for hgfr binding . this can be achieved by several strategies . ( a ) a recombinant protein or peptide derived from ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 is generated by standard genetic engineering technology or chemical synthesis . this protein or peptide is injected into an appropriate laboratory animal ( usually a mouse or a rat ) to give rise to an immune reaction . splenocytes are then isolated from the immunized animal and fused to a myeloma cell line , and antibody - producing hybridoma clones are selected by standard monoclonal antibody technology . antibodies directed against ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 are then screened by an elisa method similar to the ones described in this disclosure that utilizes recombinant ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 in solid phase and hybridoma - produced antibodies in liquid phase . binding is revealed using anti - mouse immuno globulin antibodies that are available commercially . alternatively , antibodies are screened for their ability to displace recombinant hgf ( in liquid phase ) from ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 ( in solid phase ), or for their ability to immuno - precipitate recombinant ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 proteins . ( b ) a polynucleotide sequence coding for ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 inserted in an appropriate expression vector is injected directly into a laboratory animal to give rise to an immune response against the gene product . antibodies directed against ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 are then isolated and screened as described above . ( c ) a polynucleotide sequence coding for ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 inserted in an appropriate expression vector is transferred into a mammalian cell line not expressing hgfr to obtain expression of ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 on the cell surface . cells expressing ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 are then injected into a laboratory animal to give rise to an immune response , and antibodies directed against ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 are isolated and screened as described above . ( d ) a library of native antibodies generated by standard genetic engineering techniques ( for example by the technology known as phage display ) from mammalian lymphocytes ( preferably human , for example from lymphocytes infiltrating a tumor expressing hgfr ) is screened using recombinant ipt - 3 and ipt 4 proteins . positive clones ( i . e . those clones that bind to ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 at high affinity ) are then isolated , expanded , and the antibody characterized biochemically . ( e ) human memory b cells are isolated from the peripheral blood of a patient harboring a tumor expressing hgfr as disclosed by several studies including traggiai e . et al . ( 2004 ) nat med . 10 ( 8 ), 871 - 875 . once cultures of immortalized memory b cells are established , a skilled artisan in the field can screen for cells secreting an antibody directed against ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 using the methods described here above in ( a ). having identified such antibody - producing cells , the desired antibody can be cloned by polymerase chain reaction and standard genetic engineering procedures . identification of a test compound that binds to extracellular ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 domains of hgfr inhibiting hgfr activity with a different approach , it is possible to isolate test compounds of diverse origin that bind to the high affinity hgf binding site of hgfr and interfere with hgf - induced hgfr activation . this can be achieved by several strategies . ( a ) using elisa assays similar to those described in this disclosure , a skilled artisan in the field can screen a compound library ( including but not limited to a synthetic chemical library , a natural compound library , a small molecule library , a peptide library ) for agents that displace hgf interaction with ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 . in this kind of assays , recombinant ipt 3 and ipt - 4 protein is immobilized in solid phase and incubated with a fixed amount of hgf in liquid phase . following exposure to library compounds , hgf binding is measured with commercially available anti - hgf antibodies . ( b ) using a cell line expressing an engineered form of the hgfr containing nothing but the ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 domains in the extracellular part similar to that described in this disclosure ( met δ25 - 741 ), a skilled artisan in the field can screen a compound library ( including but not limited to a synthetic chemical library , a natural compound library , a small molecule library , a peptide library ) for agents that displace hgf interaction with ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 or inhibit hgf - induced hgfr activation . this can be achieved by putting said engineered cells in contact with the library and then measuring hgf - induced hgfr phosphorylation as described in the present study , or by other means that reveal hgfr activation including a scatter assay , a reconstituted matrix invasion assay , a branching morphogenesis assay , a cell survival assay or other in vitro biological tests as described in michieli , p . et al . ( 2004 ) cancer cell 6 ( 1 ), 61 - 73 . ( c ) using the engineered cell line described above , a skilled artisan in the field can screen a genetic library ( including but not limited to a cdna expression library , a short hairpin rna library , an antisense dna library , a random nucleotide library ) for polynucleotides or gene products that displace hgf interaction with ipt - 3 and ipt 4 or inhibit hgf - induced hgfr activation . this can be achieved by transfecting , transducing or anyway introducing the nucleotide library into said cells and then testing the ability of hgf to activate the deleted form of hgfr expressed by the same cells . hgfr activation is measured as described in ( b ). exemplary functional assays that measure the biological activity of compounds that bind to extracellular ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 domains of hgfr whatever strategy is employed to generate anti - ipt antibodies or ipt - binding compounds , the final product ( i . e . monoclonal antibodies directed against ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 or natural or synthetic compounds that bind to ipt - 3 and ipt - 4 ) is then subjected to biological assays aimed at determining whether these agents have the ability to interfere with hgfr activity . these assays can be performed in vitro using cultured mammalian cells or in vivo using laboratory animals . ( a ) scatter assay . epithelial cells growing in compact colonies in a petri dish and expressing hgfr are induced to ‘ scatter ’ by stimulation with hgf . as a result of hgf stimulation , cells in the petri dish appear more separated and dispersed . this assay can be performed in the presence of several test compounds . among the compounds tested , an hgf / hgfr inhibitor / antagonist can be identified by the absence of a scattered phenotype in response to hgf stimulation . ( b ) cell migration assay . cells expressing hgfr have the ability to migrate towards an hgf gradient . in other words , cells are attracted by chemotaxis towards higher concentrations of hgf . this ability can be exploited to screen for hgf inhibitors in a boyden chamber assay . cells are seeded in the first chamber and hgf is applied in the second chamber that is separated from the first by a porous membrane . cells migrate through the membrane and reach the second chamber were hgf is more concentrated . agents that inhibit this process are identified as hgf / hgfr inhibitors / antagonists . ( c ) transwell ™ migration assay or reconstituted matrix invasion assay . this is a variation of the assay described in ( b ) in which the porous membrane is covered with a layer of collagen , matrigel ™, or other reconstituted organic matrices . cells have to digest the organic matrix in order to migrate through it . this is a more rigorous assay that measures invasion rather than simple migration of cells . ( d ) collagen invasion assay or branching morphogenesis assay . in this assay , mammalian cells expressing hgfr ( preferably epithelial cells or carcinoma cells ) are seeded in a tridimensional layer of collagen and then allowed to grow until they form spheroids of approximately 1 , 000 cells each . alternatively , spheroids can be pre - formed ahead by incubating cells overnight in non - adherent 96 - well plates in the presence of methylcellulose as disclosed in michieli , p . et al . ( 2004 ) cancer cell 6 ( 1 ), 61 - 73 . once spheroids are embedded in the collagen layer , they are stimulated with hgf and incubated at 37 ° c . this results in the sprouting of hollow tubules from the spheroids ; each tubule is formed by several cells organized in a tubular structure and polarized so that there is a side of the cell that sees the lumen and a second side that sees the medium outside . as the assay goes on tubules tend to branch and to form a more complex architecture . this assay is highly specific for hgf . agents that inhibit this process have a high probability to represent very specific hgf / hgfr antagonists . ( e ) mitogenic assay . hgf has the ability to induce dna replication and cell division in some cell expressing hgfr . the most responsive cells are certainly primary hepatocytes , usually mouse or rat . to test hgf - induced dna replication , cells are deprived of serum growth factors and then stimulated with increasing concentrations of hgf . shortly after , radioactive thymidine is added and the cells are incubated at 37 ° c . for approximately one day . following extensive washing and fixation , radioactive thymidine incorporated into cell dna is measured by liquid scintillation counting or other standard methods that allow radiation quantification . ( f ) survival assay . hgf has the ability to protect hgfr - expressing cells against apoptosis or programmed cell death . this can be exploited to measure hgfr activity in a survival assay , cells are preincubated with hgf and the test compound ( potential hgfr inhibitor ), and then subjected to an apoptotic stimulus such as a toxic drug , absence of adherence , hypoxia , heat shock , radiation , or dna damage . after an appropriate time interval , cell death is measured by standard methods including tunel ( terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin - dutp nick end labeling ), nucleosomes , dna ladder , caspase activity , vital dye staining or any variation thereof . ( g ) mouse tumorigenesis assay . in this kind of assay , the activity of a potential hgf / hgfr inhibitor is tested directly in a laboratory animal , preferably a mouse or a rat . there are several methods for obtaining a tumor in a mouse . the most utilized strategy is to create a xenograft , i . e . to transplant tumor cells ( usually of human origin ) into an animal recipient ( usually an immunodeficient mouse ). cells can be implanted subcutaneously ( a quick and simple method to obtain an experimental tumor ) or orthotopically , i . e . in the same organ where the tumor cell has been isolated ( e . g . a breast carcinoma into the mammary fat pad , a colon carcinoma into the intestine mucosa , a hepatocarcinoma into the liver parenchyma and so on ). whatever the method employed is , injection of tumor cells into a laboratory animal gives rise to an experimental tumor . this tumor - bearing animal can now be used to evaluate the anti - tumor potential of test compounds . anti - hgf / hgfr antibodies or compounds can be delivered to an animal carrying a tumor lesion with dysregulated hgf / hgfr signaling by the most appropriate existing method including intravenous injection , intraperitoneal injection , osmotic pump , oral administration , suppository , gene therapy protocol , local administration and so on . after an appropriate treatment period , the animal is euthanized and its tumor and organs are explanted for analysis . ( h ) mouse metastogenesis assay . experimental metastases can be induced in a mouse by systemic injection of tumor cells . these get entrapped in the lung capillaries and subsequently extravasate to give rise to pulmonary metastases . these can be measured upon autopsy by several approaches including microscopy , histological analysis , immuno - histochemical methods , whole - body imaging . the test compounds are delivered as described in ( g ). ( i ) gene therapy protocol . in case the hgf / hgfr inhibitor is an antibody , a recombinant protein , a peptide or a small interfering rna , delivery to the tumor - bearing animal can be achieved by a gene therapy approach . this consists in introducing the desired polynucleotide into an appropriate delivery vector that can be chosen among lentiviral vectors , adenoviral vectors , retroviral vectors , naked dna , or any variation thereof . the vector preparation can be delivered sytemically or locally to the tumor depending on the tumor site , on the vector or on the tumor histotype . the biological effects of gene therapy are analyzed as described for other compounds in ( g ). | 0 |
direct desorption ionization is of great interest due to the advantage of generating gas phase ions directly from condensed phase samples for mass analysis , which allows the elimination of complex procedures usually required for sample preparation and leads to the development of in - situ analysis based on mass spectrometry . recently developed desorption ionization methods include methods in which the sample is present in the open ambient atmosphere . examples are desorption electrospray ionization ( takats , z . ; wiseman , j . m . ; gologan , b . ; cooks , r . g . mass spectrometry sampling under ambient conditions with desorption electrospray ionization . science 2004 , 306 , 471 - 473 ), direct analysis in real time ( cody , r . b . ; laramee , j . a . ; durst , h . d . versatile new ion source for the analysis of materials in open air under ambient conditions . anal . chem . 2005 , 77 , 2297 - 2302 ), atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge ionization ( na , n . ; zhao , m . x . ; zhang , s . c . ; yang , c . d . ; zhang , x . r . development of a dielectric barrier discharge ion source for ambient mass spectrometry . journal of the american society for mass spectrometry 2007 , 18 , 1859 - 1862 ), electrospray - assisted laser desorption / ionization ( shiea , j . ; huang , m . z . ; hsu , h . j . ; lee , c . y . ; yuan , c . h . ; beech , i . ; sunner , j . electrospray - assisted laser desorption / ionization mass spectrometry for direct ambient analysis of solids . rapid commun . mass spectrom . 2005 , 19 , 3701 - 3704 ), and atmospheric - pressure solids analysis probe ( mcewen , c . n . ; mckay , r . g . ; larsen , b . s . analysis of solids , liquids , and biological tissues using solids probe introduction at atmospheric pressure on commercial lc / ms instruments . analytical chemistry 2005 , 77 , 78267831 ). some of these methods use active species generated in plasmas for chemical desorption . a direct current ( dc ) discharge plasma sustained with he at atmospheric pressure has been developed for desorption ionization of solids and liquids ( andrade , f . j . ; hiefije , g . m . ; ray , s . ; schilling , g . d . ; wetzel , w . c . ; webb , m . r . ; gamez , g . g . ; koppenaal , d . w . ; barinaga , c . j . ; sperline , r . p . ; denton , m . b . ; i v , j . h . b ., seattle , wash ., may 28 - jun . 1 2006 ; thob pm 02 : 50 ; andrade , f . j . ; ray , s . j . ; webb , m . r . ; hieftje , g . m ., indianapolis , ind ., jun . 3 - 7 2007 ; tof pm 2 : 50 ; andrade , j . ; wetzel , w . c . ; chan , g . c . y . ; webb , m . r . ; gamez , g . ; ray , s . j . ; hieftje , g . m . a new , versatile , direct - current helium atmospheric - pressure glow discharge . journal of analytical atomic spectrometry 2006 , 21 , 1175 - 1184 ). an ac direct discharge plasma source has been used for chemical analysis ( ratcliffe , l . v . ; rutten , f . t . m . ; barrett , d . a . ; whitmore , t . ; seymour , d . ; greenwood , c . ; aranda - gonzalvo , y . ; robinson , s . ; mccoustrat , m . surface analysis under ambient conditions using plasma - assisted desorption / ionization mass spectrometry . analytical chemistry 2007 , 79 , 6094 - 6101 ). a plasma pen using a pulsed dc has also been developed ( laroussi ., m . ; lu , x . room - temperature atmospheric pressure plasma plume for biomedical applications . applied physics letters 2005 ). these prior art desorption ionization sources are significantly different from plasma ion sources used for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ( icp - ms ), because these prior art sources use high temperature plasmas and so can not represent molecular structures of the resulting ions . further , the ltp probes of the present invention can generate low temperature plasmas at atmospheric pressure , instead of using decreased pressure as in glow discharge ( gd ) ionization ( mcluckey , s . a . ; glish , g . l . ; asano , k . g . ; grant , b . c . ; atmospheric sampling glow - discharge ionization source for the determination of trace organic - compounds in ambient air , analytical chemistry 1988 , 60 , 2220 - 2227 ). differences between the ltp probes of the invention and dapci center on the nature of the discharge and support gas , while there are major differences in device configuration , discharge , and temperatures from those used in dart , padi , and the fa - apgd sources compared to the ltp probes of the invention . ltp probes of the invention also differ from dielectric barrier methods because use the lip probe configuration of the invention allows direct interaction of the plasma with the sample , a distinguishing feature of the ltp probe . the lit probes of the invention are further differentiated from dielectric barrier discharge ion sources because of the configuration of the probes , in particular , ltp probes of the invention are configured with counter electrodes within the probe . such a configuration allows for the analysis of any type of object ( fixed , small , large , etc .) without having to place the sample between two counter electrodes , as is required with dielectric barrier discharge ion sources . table 1 summarizes the features of the ambient sampling ionization methods utilizing plasmas . in a low temperature plasma ( ltp ) probe of the present invention , a dielectric barrier discharge is used as the plasma source and active species are extracted from the plasma while it is scanned across a surface of interest . dielectric - barrier discharge refers to an electrical discharge between two electrodes separated by an insulating dielectric barrier . the process uses high voltage , for example alternating current . the voltage can be at lower rf frequencies or can be at microwave levels . common dielectric materials can be any electrically insulating material . exemplary materials include glass , quartz , ceramics and polymers . low temperature plasma ( ltp ) is characterized as having high energy electrons , with fairly low energy ions and neutrals . the use of an ltp probe for sampling can result in a temperature on the sampled surface ranging from ambient temperature to about 45 ° c ., from about 10 ° c . to about 40 ° c ., or from about 15 ° c . to about 35 ° c . exemplary temperatures include about 5 ° c ., about 8 ° c ., about 15 ° c ., about 17 ° c ., about 19 ° c ., about 20 ° c ., about 25 ° c ., about 27 ° c ., about 30 ° c ., about 35 ° c ., about 40 ° c ., or about 45 ° c . the sample surface can also be heated to above 250 ° c . to allow for an improvement of the desorption efficiency using an ltp probe . the heating of the surface can be done by using additional heater or by putting the sample on a conductive surface , for which the plasma can be focused onto a small area to cause the increase in surface temperature . high temperatures can be achieved by adjusting the electrode positions and the gas flow , as well as the voltage , dielectric barrier , etc . in certain embodiments , higher temperature is used to facilitate desorption , although this temperature is still nowhere close to that of the equilibrium plasma . at the surface , the active species generate gas phase ions of surface constituents for mass spectrometric analysis . in certain embodiments , the low temperature plasma probe can be formed by an outer electrode wrapped around a glass tube ( dielectric barrier ) and a rod electrode inserted coaxially inside the tube . an ac current of , for example , 5 - 10 kv at a frequency of , for example , 1 - 3 khz , is applied between the electrodes to facilitate a dielectric barrier discharge ( dbd ) with gases such as he , ar , n 2 or air , at a flow rate as low as 0 . 8 ml / min . the power consumption of the ltp probe is about 1 - 3 w . without being limited by any particular theory or mechanism of action , it is believed that the transfer of analytes from the condensed phase to the gas phase with or without being ionized may be the result of chemical sputtering ( vincenti , m . ; cooks , r . g . desorption due to charge exchange in low energy collisions of organofluorine ions at solid surfaces , org . mass spectrom . 1998 , 23 ( 317 - 326 )). this is a type of ion - stimulated desorption of ions ; alternative possibilities include neutral desorption by ion impact with subsequent ionization , electron stimulated ion desorption and electron stimulated neutral desorption with subsequent ionization . there are other possibilities too . there are possibly four types of primary species generated in an ltp that are chemically active : electrons , ions , radicals , and excited neutrals ( kogelschatz , u . dielectric - barrier discharges : their history , discharge physics , and industrial applications , plasma chemistry and plasma processing 2003 , 23 ( 2 ), 1 - 46 ; stefecka , m . ; korzec , d . ; siry , m . ; imahori , y . ; kando , m . experimental study of atmospheric pressure surface discharge in helium , science and technology of advanced materials 2001 , 2 ( 578 - 593 ); massines , f ,; segur , p . ; gherardi , n . ; khamphan , c . ; ricard , a , physics and chemistry in a glow dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure : diagnostics and modelling , surface & amp ; coatings technology 2003 , 174 ( 8 - 14 ); and korzec , d . ; finantu - dinu , e . g . ; teschke , m . ; engemann , j . ; miclea , m . ; kunzc , k . ; franzke , j . ; niemax , k . characterization of a surface barrier discharge in helium , plasma sources science & amp ; technology 2006 , 15 ( 3 ), 345 - 359 ). the major possible reactions are summarized in table 2 . fast electrons , up to a few hundred ev in energy , arising from the cathode fall region can ionize molecules , forming positively charged ions and releasing a slow electron following an electron ionization mechanism ( kogelschatz , u . dielectric - barrier discharges : their history , discharge physics , and industrial applications , plasma chemistry and plasma processing 2003 , 23 ( 2 ), 1 - 46 ; wagatsuma , k . emission characteristics of mixed gas plasmas in low - pressure glow discharges , spectrochimiea acta part b - atomic spectroscopy 2001 , 56 ( 5 ), 465 - 486 ; tsuchiya , m . ; kuwabara , ii , liquid ionization mass - spectrometry of nonvolatile organic - compounds , analytical chemistry 1984 , 56 ( 1 ), 14 - 19 ; massines , f . ; gherardi , n . ; naude , n . ; segur , p . glow and townsend dielectric barrier discharge in various atmosphere , plasma physics and controlled fusion 2005 , 47 ( b577 - b588 ; and wang , d , z . ; wang , y . h ; liu , c . s . multipeak behavior and mode transition of a homogeneous barrier discharge in atmospheric pressure helium , thin solid films 2006 , 506 ( 384 - 388 )). slow electrons (− 1 ev ) can be captured by molecules with appropriate electron affinities , giving rise to negatively charged ions ( wagatsuma , k . emission characteristics of mixed gas plasmas in low - pressure glow discharges , spectrochimica acta part b - atomic spectroscopy 2001 , 56 ( 5 ), 465 - 486 ). although the temperatures of ions and radicals are normally low ( kogelschatz , u . dielectric - barrier discharges : their history , discharge physics , and industrial applications , plasma chemistry , and plasma processing 2003 , 23 ( 2 ), 1 - 46 ), as reactive chemical species they can induce complex chemical reactions by interacting with the surrounding environment through charge transfer , electron transfer , proton transfer , and the radical initiated reactions ( massines , f ,; segur , p . ; gherardi , n . ; khamphan , c ,; ricard , a , physics and chemistry in a glow dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure : diagnostics and modelling , surface & amp ; coatings technology 2003 , 174 ( 8 - 14 ); and boutin , m . ; lesage , j . ; ostiguy , c . ; bertrand , m . j . comparison of e1 and metastable atom bombardment ionization for the identification of polyurethane thermal degradation products , journal of analytical and applied pyrolysis 2003 , 70 ( 2 ), 505 - 517 ). as a result , secondary ionic species or radicals can be generated . excited neutrals can ionize molecules through penning ionization and also induce dissociation upon energy transfer ( korzec , d . ; finantu - dinu , e . g . ; teschke , m . ; engemann , j . ; miclea , m . ; kunze , k . ; franzke , j . ; niemax , k . characterization of a surface barrier discharge in helium , plasma sources science & amp ; technology 2006 , 15 ( 3 ), 345 - 359 ; smith , r , l . ; serxner , d ,; hess , k . r . assessment of the relative role of penning ionization in low — pressure glow - discharges , analytical chemistry 1989 , 6 /( 10 ), 1103 - 1108 ); iwama , t ,; hirose , m . ; yazawa , i . ; okada , h . ; hiraoka , k , development of sniffing atmospheric pressure penning ionization , j . mass spectrom . soc . jpn . 2006 , 54 ( 6 ), 227 - 233 ; hiraoka , k . ; furuya , h . ; kambara , s . ; suzuki , s . ; hashimoto , y . ; takamizawa , a . atmospheric - pressure penning ionization of aliphatic hydrocarbons , rapid communications in mass spectrometry 2006 , 20 ( 21 ), 3213 - 3222 ; and hiraoka , k . ; fujimaki , s . ; kambara , s . ; furuya , h . ; okazaki , s , atmospheric - pressure penning ionization mass spectrometry , rapid communications in mass spectrometry 2004 , 18 ( 19 ), 2323 - 2330 ). the active species , i . e ., electrons , ions and metastable atoms or molecules , can be extracted over distances of & gt ; 5 cm from the low power , non - thermal plasma and used to interrogate the scanned surface . the analytes on surfaces can be desorbed , ionized and subsequently analyzed using , for example , a mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer . the ltp desorption probes of the present invention have been shown to be highly sensitive , versatile and capable of sampling large surface areas as well as bulk liquid solutions . the positive and negative ions , molecular and / or fragment ions , dependent on the types of compounds , are observed with ltp desorption . the extent of fragmentation can be adjusted by the ltp conditions , such as the electric field , type of discharge gas and flow rate , etc . the lit probes of the present invention have been used to ionize and desorb various polar and nonpolar chemicals present on various surfaces in the liquid , gaseous , and solid phase . exemplary chemical classes that can be desorbed and ionized by the ltp probes of the invention include drugs of abuse , explosives , pesticides , amino acids , pharmaceutical pills , metabolites , and chemical warfare agent stimulants . surfaces include teflon , glass , human skin , cloth , and liquid . detection of as little as 50 pg was achieved for tnt on teflon surfaces . further , the direct analysis of active ingredients in drug tablets was demonstrated by detecting loratadine from claritin tablets and fluconazole from diflucan tablets . chemical compounds present in complex matrices , such as the nicotine in chewing tobacco and the metabolites in urine , could also be directly analyzed using the ltp probe without any sample extraction or other pretreatments . the ltp at atmospheric pressure serves as a rich source of highly reactive species which can be used for chemical analysis . these same species can be used as a new way to probe ion chemistry . alternatively , the probes of the invention can be used to transform an inert surface into a highly active surface which itself can be used to probe gas phase ion chemistry or to develop new reactions . because the temperature of the plasma expelled from the ltp is low , e . g ., 15 ° c . to 35 ° c ., chemicals on a human finger could be directly sampled without damaging the skin . the ltp probe can also be used for the analysis of chemicals dissolved in bulk liquid solutions . examples herein show that atrazine and deet dissolved in deionized water at a concentration of 100 ppb were detected by sweeping the ltp across the solution surfaces . further , aspartic acid and oleic acid were also desorbed using the ltp probe . abundant fragment ions from oleic acid , such as those corresponding to ionized nonanal and nonanoic acid and formally the result of cleavage at the double bond , were observed due to the reactions with ozone . further , the sampling of areas larger than 20 cm 2 by the ltp probe has been characterized by demonstrating the desorption of a 1 μg cocaine spot located at different positions within this large area , as shown in examples herein . thus large area sampling is capable with the ltp probes of the present invention , thus making the ltp probes of the present invention of interest for high throughput screening applications such as fast screening of illicit chemicals on luggage . the ltp probes of the invention are an ionization source that require no sample preparation prior to analysis , and are a minimally invasive analytical technique . the ltp probes can ionize and desorb analytes in the condensed , gaseous , and liquid phases . the ltp probes have been shown to analyze bulk liquids with no prior sample preparation . the ltp probes can be used with numerous discharge gases including he , n 2 , ar , and even air . the fact that the ltp probes work well with air provides opportunities for the combination of the ltp probes with a portable mass spectrometer , which could have significant forensic and biological applications . low power consumption and the ability to miniaturize the driving circuit are other reasons the ltp probes are suitable for portable applications . unlike other ltp sources , the high voltage electrode and the discharging area of the ltp probes described herein is distant from the sample surface , allowing the safe analysis of human skin . the ltp probes have been shown to have a large surface area analysis ability (& gt ; 10 cm 2 ) that could be used for rapid identification of explosives or drugs on luggage in an airport . the large surface area scanning ability along with the lenient angle dependencies allows rapid analysis of analytes in - situ , without having to maximize the parameters of the ionization source . the ability to control the energy of the plasma leaving the probe , via the inner electrode , is yet another advantage of the ltp probe . this ability could allow rapid identification of analyte molecules in real - time and provide the user with more information . references and citations to other documents , such as patents , patent applications , patent publications , journals , books , papers , web contents , have been made throughout this disclosure . all such documents are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes . the representative examples which follow are intended to help illustrate the invention , and are not intended to , nor should they be construed to , limit the scope of the invention . indeed , various modifications of the invention and many further embodiments thereof , in addition to those shown and described herein , will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the full contents of this document , including the examples which follow and the references to the scientific and patent literature cited herein . the following examples contain important additional information , exemplification and guidance which can be adapted to the practice of this invention in its various embodiments and equivalents thereof . a dielectric barrier discharge was used to generate a sustainable plasma at atmospheric pressure and new types of ambient ionization sources were developed to study the desorption ionization of condensed phase samples , the plasma reactions of gas phase ions and the interactions between the sprayed ions and the plasma treated surfaces and active species generated by the ltp . lit probe ( fig1 ) was developed . an ac of 1 - 3 kv and 3 - 30 khz was applied between the counter electrodes separated by dielectric barrier materials to generate the ltp plasma at atmospheric pressure . various gases , including he , ar , n2 and air , were used to facilitate and sustain the discharge . compounds of a variety of types , including non - volatile organic compounds , amino acids , and lipids , were successfully desorbed and ionized from various matrices and surfaces using the ltp probes of the invention . the ltp probe allowed for the extraction of active ltp species and interaction of these species with samples outside the discharging area ( up to 10 cm or more away ). the intensity of the discharge , the temperature and other chemical properties of the desorption environment are expected to vary with the type of gas and other conditions in the ltp spray . solid samples can be desorbed without being part of the dielectric barrier material using this ltp probe , so minimum damage occurs to the sample and it is easy to scan any surfaces . the temperature of the ltp probe torch was low ( 25 - 30 ° c .) and it desorbed chemicals on a finger for mass analysis without hurting the individual , as shown in examples herein . high efficiency of desorption ionization was obtained as indicated by the fact that tnt deposited on a teflon surface was analyzed using a ltp probe and the spectrum recorded with a ltq mass spectrometer indicated detection at levels lower than 50 pg . other significant capabilities of the ltp probe of the invention herein that have not been shown previously with other ambient desorption ionization methods ( see takats , z . ; wiseman , j . m . ; gologan , b . ; cooks , r . g ., science 2004 , 306 , 471 - 473 ; karanassios , v ., spectrochimica acta part b : atomic spectroscopy 2004 , 59 , 909 - 928 ; na , n . ; zhao , m . ; zhang , s . ; yang , c . ; zhang , x ., journal of the american society for mass spectrometry 2007 , 18 , 1859 - 1862 ; stoffels , e . ; flikweert , a . j . ; stoffels , w . w . ; kroesen , g . m . w ., plasma sources science and technology 2002 , 383 ; and laroussi , m . ; lu , x ., applied physics letters 2005 , 87 , n . pag ) include the direct desorption and ionization of chemicals dissolved in bulk aqueous solutions and sampling of an area larger than 20 cm 2 . the ltp probe of the present invention was also used for direct ionization of gas phase samples . many other interesting chemical phenomena were observed with the ltp probes of the invention , including the intriguing ionization / desorption mechanisms and material effects on gas phase ion reactions , etc . the investigation of the chemistry in ltp and ltp induced reactions in the gas phase or with surfaces has led to the development of new methods and devices for ambient ionization and desorption ionization prior to mass spectrometry , making new functional surfaces and study of gas phase ion chemistry at atmospheric pressure . the ltp probe consisted of housing ( swagelok tee ) containing a glass tube ( o . d . : 6 . 35 mm , i . d . : 3 . 75 mm ) with an internal axially centered electrode ( stainless steel , diameter : 1 . 57 mm ) and an outer electrode ( copper tape ) surrounding the outside of the tube . when an alternating high voltage was applied on the outer electrode and the center electrode was grounded , a dielectric barrier discharge was formed . a discharge gas was fed through the tube of the probe and served as the source of reagent ions , electrons , radicals , excited neutrals , and metastable species . fig1 is a diagram and picture of the ltp probe instrumentation . the probe was powered by a custom built , variable frequency and voltage power supply . in the power supply , a square waveform with adjustable frequency and amplitude was generated by a digital circuit . the square waveform was then amplified using a power amplifier and an automobile engine ignition coil . the typical excitation voltage was 5 kv to 10 kv at a frequency between 2 hz to 5 khz . the electric field created inside the probe was dependent on the geometry of the probe , more specifically the dielectric thickness and the spacing between the inner and outer electrodes . the power supply frequency was tuned to the resonant frequency of the probe ( controlled by the inductance and capacitance of the ltp probe ), thereby maximizing ionization while minimizing power consumption . the power consumption of this configuration was below 3 watts . initially , helium was used to generate the plasma but it was soon discovered that it was possible to use compressed air , n 2 , and ar and still obtain high quality mass spectra . instead of placing the sample close to or within the discharging area for ionization , as in most cases where plasma ionization is performed , the design of the ltp probe allows the plasma species to be extracted by the combined action of the gas flow and the electric field , with a torch ( visible when ar is used as discharge gas ) extending beyond the glass tube and suitable for direct surface sampling . the temperature of the surface area in contact with the sampling plasma torch was measured , using a fluke 62 mini ir thermometer ( fluke corporation , everett , wash ., usa ), to be approximately 30 ° c ., so there is no damage to the surface due to heating . since the high voltage electrode is electrically isolated from the direct discharge region , the sample is not subjected to the possibility of electric shock . these features mean that even chemicals on a human finger can be directly analyzed using the ltp probe ( as shown in examples below ). the extension of the plasma torch from the probe was controlled by adjusting the center electrode position to decrease its overlap with the outer electrode , so that the electric field along the tube axis was enhanced . data from examples herein were obtained using a thermo ltq linear ion trap mass spectrometer ( thermo scientific , san josé , ca , usa ) tuned for optimum detection of the precursor ion of interest . data were acquired via the instrument &# 39 ; s xcalibur software . ltp - ms analysis was performed in the positive and negative ion modes for the compounds studied . the instrument was set to collect spectra in the automatic gain control mode for a maximum ion trap injection time of 200 ms and 2 microscans per spectrum . the main experimental parameters used were as follows : m / z range 150 - 600 ; ion spray voltage : 4 . 5 kv ; capillary temperature : 200 ° c . ; tube lens ( v ): − 65 v ; capillary voltage : − 15 v . tandem mass spectrometry experiments ( ms / ms ) were performed using collision - induced dissociation ( cid ) in order to confirm the presence of the particular chemicals in the studied samples . these experiments were performed using an isolation window of 1 . 5 ( m / z units ) and 25 - 35 % collision energy ( manufacturer &# 39 ; s unit ). it has been observed that the energy involved in ltp ionization and desorption can be varied over a wide range , and that complex chemical processes occur . as an example , methyl salicylate vapor in air was ionized by ltp using he or n 2 as discharge gas , and different degrees of fragmentation were observed ( fig2 , panels a and b ). the fragment ion m / z 121 was observed only with n 2 and not with he , with which the ltp might be supposed to provide metastable species of highest internal energy . this suggests that mechanisms other than penning ionization may be involved . proton transfer with h 3 o + generated by penning ionization of water in air also would not be expected to give this result . the collisions of ions at atmospheric pressure could be responsible for this , or ionization could occur via charge transfer ( leveille , v . ; coulombe , s ., plasma sources science and technology 2005 , 467 ; and anghel , s . d . ; simon , a ., measurement science and technology 2007 , 2642 ) involving n 2 + or o 2 + could be another hypothesis , as is known for dc plasma desorption ( kogelschatz , u ., plasma chemistry and plasma processing 2003 , 23 , 1 - 46 ). the relative ratio between fragment and molecular species can also be altered by adjusting the position of the center electrode of the ltp probe ( fig1 ), which ultimately changes the electric field and the discharge intensity inside the ltp source . fragmentation was also observed for desorption ionization of solids from surfaces , as in the detection of tnt from a teflon surface ( see examples below ), and the relative ion abundances were also tunable with ltp conditions . generation of fragment ions added complexity to the spectra recorded in the analysis of complex mixtures and also provided information on chemical structures of the analytes . additionally , other ltp sources ( fig3 ) were compared to the ltp probe of the invention herein ( fig4 ). a difference between the ltp probe of the invention and other plasma sources is the location where ionization and desorption of a sample occurs . in other ltp sources , samples are ionized and desorbed inside the discharging region ( fig3 ), while ionization and desorption with the ltp probe of the present invention occurs outside the discharging region ( fig4 ). the oscillating electric field and the intensity of the primary ionic species were very different , depending on which ltp source was utilized . trace analysis of explosives is important to public safety , and is challenging in that trace in - situ analysis is required . direct detection of solid explosives from surfaces using the ltp probe was demonstrated in the cases of hexahydro - 1 , 3 , 5 - trinitro - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine ( rdx ) and 2 , 4 , 6 - trinitrotoluene ( tnt ) on ptfe and glass surfaces performing mass analysis in the negative ion mode . the rdx sample surface was prepared by spotting a 5 methanol solution containing 100 ng rdx onto a 12 mm 2 area of a glass microscope slides and allowing it to dry . the mass spectra recorded in the negative ion mode using the ltp probe with he and air as the discharge gas are shown in fig5 , panels a and b , respectively . adduct ions [ mh + no 3 ] − ( m / z 284 ) and [ m + no 2 ] − ( m / z 268 ) were observed with he as the discharge gas , while both adduct ions with no 3 and no 2 were observed with air as well as the adduct ion [ m + 2 ( no 3 h )− h ] − ( m / z 347 ). the tnt sample was prepared by spotting a 0 . 5 μl meoh solution containing 500 pg tnt onto a ptfe surface , so as to cover an area of about 2 mm 2 after drying . mass spectra with good signal - to - noise ratios were recorded for the negatively - charged ions desorbed using the ltp probe ( fig5 , panel c ). both the radical ion ( m / z 227 ) and the deprotonated ( m / z 226 ) molecule were present along with fragment ions [ m - h 2 o ] − ( m / z 209 ), [ m - no ] − ( m / z 197 ) and [ m - no — oh ] − ( m / z 180 ). the ms 2 spectrum was recorded for the radical ion m / z 227 to confirm the assigned chemical structure ( fig5 , panel d ). limits of detection for tnt were determined to be as low as 5 pg on glass or ptfe surfaces in the ms 2 mode ( fig5 , panel e ), which is comparable to the value achieved in desi experiments . in comparison with desorption methods using sprayed charged droplets , significant fragmentation is often observed for desorption using methods involving gaseous discharges . in some of these methods , this is because the sample is routinely heated to enhance ionization . fragmentation complicates the mass spectra of mixtures so is generally undesirable ; however , it can be produced as needed by using tandem mass spectrometry . using the ltp probe , fragmentation is normally minimal . it was found that the extent of the fragmentation could be adjusted effectively by adjusting the electric field along the tube axis . a series of spectra was recorded for tnt while the center electrode was moved along the tube axis . the intensities of the radical molecular ion m * − ( m / z 227 ), the deprotonated molecule [ m − o ] − ( m / z 226 ) and the fragment ion [ m - no ] − ( m / z 197 ), plotted as a function of displacement with respect to the center electrode are shown in fig5 , panel f . it was observed that as the distance between the front ends of the central and high voltage electrodes was increased , the intensity of the deprotonated molecule [ m - h ] − ( m / z 226 ) decreased while the intensity of the fragment ion [ m - no ] 31 ( m / z 197 ) increased . as the center electrode was displaced farther from the high voltage electrode , the electric field component along the tube axis increased , which resulted in an increase in the maximum accelerating field for the ionic species in the plasma and hence to more energetic fragmentation of the analyte molecules during desorption . the ease of adjustment of fragmentation during desorption ionization was an advantage for identifying unknown analytes by chemical structure confirmation , especially when mass spectrometers without tandem mass spectrometry capability were used . with tandem mass spectrometers , it was convenient to ionize gently and to use tandem mass spectrometry to produce fragmentation when and to the extent needed . desorption of samples directly from the condensed phase and generation of molecular ions in the gas phase in the ambient environment is important for chemical analysis using mass spectrometry . desorption and ionization using ltp desorption / ionization devices for solid compounds from various surfaces has been demonstrated , including nonvolatile organic compounds , amino acids and lipids from glass , paper or teflon , etc . due to the low temperature of the ltp probe , the extracted torch from the ltp can be used for desorption of chemicals directly from human skin , as is shown in examples below . direct desorption of chemicals in molecular form from bulk aqueous solutions was achieved using the ltp probe ( fig6 ). the ltp probe was able to desorb and ionize atrazine from water , the mass spectrum of which is shown in fig6 . it was also observed that the ltp probes of the invention were capable of large area sampling . using a ltp probe with a ltq mass spectrometer , which has a 550 μm diameter opening inlet , analytes on a surface area larger than 20 cm 2 were desorbed , ionized and detected by the ltq . fig7 is a graph showing results of large area sampling using the ltp probes of the invention . the data show an intensity of m / z 304 as a function of the position of 1 μg of cocaine ( distance of approximately 2 mm ) on teflon . this feature of the ltp probe is an advantage when it is applied for fast screening as is desired in many applications , such as luggage scanning for homeland security purposes , and also allows the development of new methods of performing heterogeneous ionic reactions to be discussed later in this proposal . the ltp at atmospheric pressure serves as a rich source of highly reactive species ( or for the preparation of active surfaces ), that can be used to probe gas phase ion chemistry or to develop new reactions . fig8 , panel a shows reactions during the desorption of oleic acid ( unsaturated fatty acid , 18 : 1 , cis - 9 ) from teflon . abundant fragment ions , such as nonanal ( c g h 18 o , 143 m / z ) and nonanoic acid ( c g h 18 o 2 , m / z 159 ) corresponding to the cleavage at the double bond , were observed due to the reactions with ozone . this type of reaction was found to be extremely useful to identify double bond locations in lipids . the ozonolysis of lipids observed suggested that an oxidative environment was generated during the ltp desorption . the capability of desorption over a large area by ltp allowed a complexation reaction between benzeneboronate anions ( phb ( oh ) 3 ) and cis - diol to be conducted by simultaneous desorption of phenylboronic acid and catechol spotted 1 cm apart on a glass surface ( fig8 , panel b ). the cyclic boronates at m / z 213 can be clearly seen ( fig8 , panel b ). data herein show that chemicals difficult to ionization by common means such as esi or apci , can be desorbed and used for gas phase reactions . the ability to control the ltp chemical environment provides capabilities to implement conditions desirable for particular reaction studies . efficient chemical desorption capabilities and surface activation will also allow a significant extension to the means of conducting reactions . methyl salicylate ( c 8 h 8 o 3 ) is a common chemical warfare agent stimulant . to demonstrate the ability of ltp probes of the invention to be used to ionize gas phase molecules , a vial containing 1 ml of methyl salicylate was opened and immediately closed allowing an adequate amount of the highly volatile molecule to be mixed with the ambient air . methyl salicylate was analyzed via the ltp probe . fig2 shows the positive mass spectrum of methyl salicylate . the ltp probe was turned on and immediately produced the intense protonated molecular ion of m / z 153 . a feature of the ltp probes of the invention is the that the probe operates at low temperature ( e . g . 15 ° c . to 35 ° c .) and the discharge occurs inside the probe , allowing the plasma to be in contact with human skin without a perceptible shock ( fig9 ). the ltp probe can utilize any type of discharge gas including air , which is highly desirable for portable chemical detection systems . to demonstrate these features of the ltp probe , cocaine was ionized and desorbed from human skin using compressed air as the discharge gas ( fig9 ). cocaine ( c 17 h 21 no 4 ) was dissolved in methyl alcohol ( meoh ) resulting in a solution of 1 mg / ml . the cocaine / meoh mixture was spotted onto a human finger ( 1 μg / 1 μl ). the cocaine / meoh mixture was allowed to dry on the skin and the ltp probe was used to ionize and desorb the cocaine from the skin . the ltp probe was able to ionize and desorb the protonated molecular ion of cocaine from skin with no heating of the skin or shocking of the subject ( fig1 ). to show that the ltp probe can also be used to analyze pharmaceutical tablets , the over the counter antihistamine claritin ( schering - plough ) and prescription antifungal agent diflucan ( pfizer ) were analyzed using the ltp probe with no pre - treatment besides removing a thin covering layer of the tablet to expose the active ingredients . the tablets were placed on the xy moving stage where the ltp probe ( he discharge gas ) desorbed and ionized the intact tablets for analysis with the mass spectrometer . claritin tablets contained 10 mg of the active ingredient loratadine , and diflucan tablets contained 25 mg of the active ingredient fluconazole . fig1 shows the positive mass spectrum of an intact claritin tablet obtained using the ltp probe . the protonated molecular ion ( m / z 383 ) was observed in the mass spectrum with high intensity . the positive ion desi mass spectra of a claritin tablet has been reported using a ltq ( thermo finnigan , san jose , calif ., usa ) mass spectrometer and a prototype orbitrap mass spectrometer ( thermo finnigan , san jose , calif ., usa ; qizhi hu , n . t ., robert j . noll , r . graham cooks , rapid communications in mass spectrometry 2006 , 20 , 3403 - 3408 ). tandem mass spectrometry was performed on the protonated ion ( m / z 383 ) to confirm its identity as loratidine , fragmentation resulting in m / z 337 by loss of ch 3 ch 2 oh from the ethyl ester side chain and matching ms 2 data previously reported . fig1 , panel a shows the characteristic chlorine isotopic signature of claritin , matching desi - ms data obtained for claritin using an orbitrap mass spectrometer . fig1 shows the positive mass spectrum of an intact diflucan tablet obtained using the ltp probe . the protonated molecular ion ( m / z 307 ) was observed ( fig1 ). tandem mass spectrometry performed via cid ( fig1 , panel a ) confirmed identity of diflucan , and is very similar to prior reports of fluconazole electrospray ionization ms / ms data ( christine m . thompson , d . s . r ., sally - ann fancy , george l . perkins , frank s . pullen , catriona thom , rapid communications in mass spectromeny 2003 , 17 , 2804 - 2808 ). loss of water ( h 2 o ) from the molecular ion results in a fragment of m / z 289 , while loss of s - triazole ( c 2 h 3 n 3 ) results in m / z 238 . the product ion m / z 220 occurred with the loss of s - triazole ( c 2 h 3 n 3 ) from the m / z 289 product ion , while the loss of two s - triazole molecules (( c 2 h 3 n 3 ) 2 ) from the m / z 289 product ion resulted in the m / z 169 product ion . the ltp probes of the invention can ionize and desorb analytes directly from liquid surfaces . deionized water was spiked with the pesticide atrazine at a concentration of 100 parts - per - billion and 50 μl of the liquid spiked deionized water was placed in a small plastic vial cap . the vial cap containing the liquid spiked water was placed on an xy table , and using the ltp probe ( he discharge gas ) was analyzed for trace detection of atrazine . the protonated molecular ion of atrazine ( m / z 216 , fig6 ) was isolated , and ms 2 and ms 3 was each performed via cid ( fig6 , panels a and b ). the relative intensity of the highest background peak was two orders of magnitude lower than the analyte . the ltp probes of the invention can ionize and desorb amino acids , proteins , and peptides . fig1 is a mass spectrum of the amino acid l - aspartic acid ( 5 μg ) that was spotted on a teflon surface . the protonated molecular ion ( m / z 134 ) was detected using the ltp probe ( he discharge gas ). the capability of the ltp probe to analyze samples in complex matrices has been further demonstrated by examination of the stomach contents of a deceased dog , suspected to have died from ingestion of an insecticide . without any sample workup , extraction or separation , a small amount ( about 1 g ) of stomach contents were placed on a glass slide and analyzed directly via the ltp probe with n 2 as the discharge gas . mass spectra of the stomach contents ( fig1 , panel a ) clearly show the protonated molecule terbufos ( m / z 289 ) and terbufos sulfoxide ( m / z 305 ), two active chemicals in common terbufos - based insecticides . urine is another complex sample . direct ms analysis of urine using esi or apci is usually problematic due to the high concentration of salts and matrix interferences . using ambient sampling by desi , patterns of occurrence of metabolites can be quickly acquired from raw urine without pre - treatment . raw human urine ( 1 ul ) was spotted on a ptfe surface , dried and then analyzed using ltp desorption with he as the discharge gas . a spectrum was recorded in the positive ion mode as shown in fig1 , panel b . the peak at m / z 195 corresponds to protonated caffeine . the peaks at m / z 61 and 144 are likely to correspond to urea , and uracil respectively . a small pinch ( about 250 mg ) of the copenhagen smokeless tobacco ( u . s . smokeless tobacco co ., stamford , conn ., usa ) was exposed to the plasma of the ltp probe and the recorded spectra shows an intense signal due to protonated nicotine ( m / z 163 ; fig1 ). tandem mass spectrometry experiments were performed by selecting the ion m / z 163 for dissociation and the ms 2 spectrum shows the characteristic fragmentation pattern of nicotine ( fig1 , panel a ). | 7 |
the novel multi - cell generators will now be described by referring to fig1 - 10 of the drawings . the same structural members in the various embodiments will be identified by the same numerals . the multi - cell generator 15 of fig1 consists of five individual electrochemical cells 17 kept under compression and alignment by means of four separators 18 . two stack end plates 20 are placed at opposite ends of the stack and put under compression by means of four compression rods 21 . end plates 20 are perforated plates ( plastic or metal ) to allow access of the organic acid to , and gas evolution from , the electrode surfaces of the electrochemical cells . each individual cell 17 has current collectors 23 with flaps 24 . flaps 24 of appropriate length , provide means to interconnect the various current collectors 23 . the complete stack is immersed in a ( super - saturated ) solution of an organic carboxylated acid such as oxalic acid . fig2 a is a schematic representation of single electrochemical cell 17 that includes an ionic conductor 26 “ sandwiched ” between two electrodes 27 ( see fig2 b ) and two current collectors 23 . ionic conductor 26 has a left outer surface 22 and a right outer surface 25 . separators 18 consisting of four arms 28 are interlocked by means of grooves 29 and tongues 30 , which provides for a rigid structure similar to a human vertebral column and disks . electrodes 27 can either be situated on each side of ionic conductor 26 or can be integrated within the current collectors 23 . if the organic solution is an adequate proton carrier it becomes its own ionic conductor and integral electrode / current collectors can be used . in all instances described herein , the ionic conductor is a proton exchange membrane conducting protons from electrode to electrode . proton exchange membranes of this type are available as nafion films from dupont & amp ; co . the size of electrochemical cells 17 can vary from sub - cm 2 areas , as described in a co - pending patent application , to m 2 as used for brine electrolysis . the examples discussed later in the description make use of this wide range of sizes . current collectors 23 are open - mesh structures that allow easy access of the carboxylated acid solution to the electrodes and they provide for a low resistance path for electron transfer from the external circuit . in some instances a dual current collector is used , i . e . a thin screen is embedded in the electrode and a thicker current collector is maintained in tight contact with the screen . fig3 is a side view of a multi - cell generator stack 32 attached to a container lid 34 . means of attachment to the lid are bent collector flaps 24 which are connected to terminals 36 the lid 34 is securely attached to the container body 37 by means of four lid attachment screws 38 . lid 34 also holds seal 40 that ensures a gas tight container . inter - cell connections 42 are achieved by using short threaded rods 43 and nuts 44 and these combinations provide for low inter - cell connection resistance . a gas exit line 46 and port 47 allow for gas generated within the container 37 to exit the sealed system . during operation the stack is completely immersed in the acid solution . fig4 a and 4b illustrate different interconnections between electrodes to achieve either mixing of gases or gas separation in fig4 a adjacent current collectors 23 from two cells 17 are interconnected at 42 and the counter current collectors 23 become cathode c and anode a . both cells are immersed in solution 49 in chamber 45 of container 48 with the liquid level 50 preferably completely covering the electrodes . a source of electrical current 51 ( usually a battery ) is connected to an electrical circuit 54 having a switch 58 . electrical circuit 54 is connected between cathode c and anode a . in fig4 b alternate current collectors 23 are connected at 52 resulting in h 2 gas being generated at adjacent electrodes . in this arrangement h 2 evolves at facing electrodes and is evacuated through gas exit port 53 . since h 2 evolution does not require the presence of the organic acid solution , the chamber 55 between the electrodes can be sealed off by top wall 56 and bottom wall 57 to create a watertight secondary container 59 . this embodiment has an electrical circuit 60 . fig5 is a modification of fig4 b . in this instance , port 62 is provided to allow air to be injected into the h 2 generation chamber 55 . two of the alternate current collectors 23 are connected at 64 . the other two current collectors are connected at 66 . electrical circuit 68 is connected between cathode c and anode a . the oxygen from the air acts as a depolarizer ( see equation 3 ) thereby preventing the formation of h 2 . air injected in the hydrogen evolution cavity 55 will react electrochemically with protons , thereby reducing the energy ( voltage ) required to perform the electrolytic process . fig6 is a schematic representation of a complete system , including the dc power source 51 , acid feeder sub - system 70 ( hopper ) to feed carboxylic acid to the generator 72 and external processing unit 74 . the hopper is filled either with solid oxalic acid or oxalic acid contained in water permeable bags from which the acid can be dissolved and moved into the generator container by means of conduit and feed port 73 placed below the liquid level 50 of the aqueous oxalic acid solution 49 . by maintaining the liquid level 50 above the feed port the acid is progressively dissolved and can migrate to the electrochemical generator 72 . when the dc power supply 51 is connected to the electrochemical stack by means of switch 58 and power lines 75 , co 2 and h 2 are generated and transported by means of conduit 77 to gas processing unit 74 where the gases are separated and released as h 2 through conduit 78 and co 2 through conduit 79 . water entrained by the gas stream is recovered by means of condenser / scrubber 80 and recycled to the generator 72 by means of conduit 81 . fig7 a and 7b illustrate the concept of a single - cell electrolyzer allowing for separate recovery of co 2 and h 2 . in fig7 a , a single electrochemical cell 17 , incorporated in partition 82 forms two distinct chambers 84 a and 84 b , is immersed in oxalic acid solution 49 . partition 82 does not filly extend to the bottom of container 85 to allow for liquid motion between compartments without allowing gases to escape into adjacent chambers . two separate gas exit ports 87 a and 87 b are provided to allow separate exits for co 2 and h 2 . in fig7 b , partition 89 completely separates container 85 . since the h 2 evolution does not require the presence of oxalic acid solution , the solution is only provided in compartment 84 a , partially defined by the oxalic acid decomposition electrode . in this instance also the gases are released through two different exit lines 87 a and 87 b . in fig8 one of the gases can be collected in a separate collection chamber within the multi - cell electrolyzer 90 . either co 2 or h 2 can be collected separately . for the sake of this description , we have assumed that h 2 is the separated gas while co 2 is allowed to bubble freely in , and from , the solution . the generator 90 consists of five separate h 2 collection chambers 92 ( and therefore 10 electrochemical cells ), releasing h 2 from evacuation lines 93 , merging into a single h 2 gas exhaust line 94 . each individual h 2 chamber assembly 91 is bolted together by means of nuts and bolts 96 , as a single subassembly . these subassemblies are separated from each other by means of perforated separators 97 . the separators are perforated to allow gas to freely move upward from the solution . the complete generator structure 90 is bolted together by means of compression rods 21 , nuts 44 and end plates 20 . the compression rods and separators are used to maintain good electrical contact between current collectors 23 and the electrode surfaces . this is particularly important when cells operate at high current densities , i . e . 2 amps / cm 2 . current collectors 23 ( four for each h 2 chamber ) are electrically connected in a manner such that each individual cell in the chambers releases h 2 whereas each individual counter - electrode releases co 2 . in operation , the complete structure is submerged into the oxalic acid solution . fig9 shows that each h 2 chamber assembly 91 is an autonomous unit progressively stacked between end plates 20 . each separator 97 fits within a cavity of the h 2 chamber end plates 99 . in fig1 , the h 2 compartment 92 consists of two end plates 99 and 100 and an elastomeric center plate 102 , all of which are perforated with 8 holes 103 , four of which are used for the compression rods and four of which are used to bolt the individual chambers together . end plates 99 have cavities or central apertures 98 . center plate 102 is further provided with a gas exit line 93 . to assemble the unit , first separator 105 , provided with perforated arms 106 to allow free flow of h 2 in the chamber , is located within the cavity 108 of the center plate 102 . then current collectors 23 are placed on both sides of the separator , their perforated flaps 24 fitting within the groove 110 of the center plate 102 . current collectors 23 can be either a perforated metal or a metal screen that allows free flow of gases away from the electrodes 112 of electrochemical cells 17 . the electrochemical cells are placed against the current collectors 23 . a h 2 chamber 92 is thereby defined by two electrochemical cells and a center plate 102 . finally , current collectors 23 are placed on top of cells 17 , respectively . all components are bolted together to form a h 2 collection chamber 92 . an internal seal is achieved by using end plates 99 and 100 to compress the outer ring of electrochemical cells 17 against the elastomeric center plate 102 . simultaneously , the end plates 99 and 100 also compress the flaps 24 of current collectors 23 against the elastomeric center plate 102 . separators 97 fit within the cavity 98 of end plates 100 . when compressed with compression rods 21 the end plates apply a load onto current collectors 23 to achieve a good electrical contact with the electrodes of the electrochemical cell . the function of separator 97 is to prevent the cells from bending , an action which would increase the internal resistance . since the generator may be required to operate under high current loads it is essential that internal resistances be kept at a minimum to reduce the generator voltage . the ease and simplicity of controlling the process was illustrated by an experiment with an ac / dc converter , rated at 3 . 3 amps , maximum , ( input 100 - 240 volts ac , 47 - 63 hz , 0 . 7 amps ), that was directly connected to the generator terminals , without additional current and / or voltage regulation . a steady - state operating condition of 2 . 85 amps , 4 . 94 volts and a generator temperature of 55 degree celsius were observed . this type of “ desk - top ” generator is capable of producing over 300 liters of co 2 per day ( more than 1 lb / day ). oxalic acid is the preferred carboxylic acid for the generation of co 2 . either anhydrous oxalic acid ( cooh ) 2 or the dihydrate ( cooh ) 2 . 2h 2 o can be used for the generator . by activating switch 33 , a current is applied to the electrochemical stack immersed in the aqueous oxalic acid solution . the anode reaction is : ( cooh ) 2 → 2co 2 + 2h + + 2 e − eqn . 1 the cathode reaction is : 2h + + 2 e − → h 2 eqn . 2 the generation of h 2 can be beneficially used as an independent gas stream , or evolve simultaneously with co 2 to create an anaerobic gas mixture of 66 . 7 % co 2 and 33 . 3 % of h 2 . whenever h 2 is not beneficially used , the cathode reaction can be mitigated by using an air depolarized cathode , i . e . supplying oxygen or air to the cathode chamber such that reaction of eqn . 2 now becomes : 2h + + 2 e − + ½o 2 → h 2 o eqn . 3 and the electrochemical decomposition process results solely in the production of co 2 and water . processes 1 b and 2 b allow for oxidation of h 2 to water to reduce process energy needs . in instances where water is a rare commodity , oxalic acid dihydrate can be substituted for anhydrous oxalic acid . the dihydrate ( cooh ) 2 . 2h 2 o contains about 28 . 5 % of water by weight that is released during the electrolytic process . the generation of co 2 does not require any additional water , except possibly when immediate full rated output is required . however , even then , only a minimum of water is required to solubilize the oxalic acid to allow access of the solution to the generation electrodes . since heating of the acid solution or slurry increases the oxalic acid solubility , it is beneficial to insulate the generator to allow its operation at higher temperatures , which results in a substantial reduction of the specific power requirements , i . e . kilowatts /( lb of co 2 / hr ). the electrolytic process can also be conducted under pressure , which can be beneficial for the recovery of water and the separation of co 2 from h 2 . the generator systems described so far produce co 2 and h 2 . in some instances the streams do not need separation , in others it is essential to generate high purities of each constituent . whenever separation is desired , multiple processes are available to achieve that result . compression with the possible result that liquid or solid co 2 is produced , while h 2 is released as a gas ; absorption by a solution where co 2 is preferentially extracted and h 2 is released ; then through a secondary process co 2 is released ; adsorption by a material such as metal powders that preferentially produce a metal hydride which can be recovered by heating the metal ; membrane separation where a passive process based on a partition coefficient either preferential to co 2 or h 2 is used to enrich the gas streams ; thin metal ( palladium ) foil separation of hydrogen ; electrochemical extraction of h 2 from the gas stream , releasing nearly pure co 2 and h 2 . hydrogen - hydrogen cells are extremely efficient and able to carry loads in excess of 5 amps / cm 2 . such an electrochemical h 2 - h 2 cell has been described by maget in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 489 , 670 . if h 2 is undesirable either in the co 2 gas stream or as a by - product , h 2 can be converted into thermal energy in the following manners : catalytic combustion of hydrogen to produce water , or electrochemical oxidation of h 2 to water in presence of air . the by - product of his process is the generation of power that can be used to reduce the energy needed to generate co 2 . this process is illustrated in example 5 . the electrochemical process is dc driven . power sources can be either ac - dc converters , batteries or solar photovoltaic cells , that are well suited for this process since they also operate at low voltages and high currents . a single cell is placed in a container holding supersaturated oxalic acid dihydrate in form of a slurry . the cell , having a surface area of 8 . 3 cm 2 is connected to a dc power supply . the following table summarizes some observed currents and voltages displayed by the cell , at 25 ° c . : a single cell would be adequate to satisfy the needs of the small , occasional user . the limiting current is in excess of 6 amps ( 0 . 75 amp / cm 2 ). the current limits are caused by diffusion polarization of the slurry to the electrode surface . by mixing the slurry higher currents can be achieved . the second parameter affecting the performance of the stack is the slurry temperature . at room temperature the oxalic acid solubility in water is approximately 10 wt %, increasing rapidly as temperature increases , thus decreasing diffusion polarization , an observation readily noticeable when the generator , operating at fixed current , is allowed to heat up , resulting in a decrease in cell voltage . experiments were conducted with the 5 - cell stack of example 2 , thermally insulated to allow operation at elevated temperatures , without the need for additional heat source . we have , generally observed that the stack voltage decreases by 43 millivolts for each degree celsius of temperature rise . at an operating temperature of 60 degrees celsius , the following conditions were recorded : these results represent about 27 % power consumption reduction over room temperature operation . a 5 - cell stack , essentially in the form of fig3 , is placed in a container holding supersaturated oxalic acid , in form of a slurry . the cells having a surface area of 8 . 3 cm 2 each , are inter - connected in series and then connected to a dc power supply . the following results are obtained : a small 5 - cell stack would be adequate to satisfy he needs of small users consuming less than 2 . 5 lbs of co 2 / day . note that by a current adjustment the production rate is changed over a substantial dynamic range . therefore a simple potentiometer would be adequate as a means of control of the generator output . in addition , the change in current results in an instantaneous change in carbon dioxide production rate . based on these experimental results and a reduction in cell resistance the following stack capabilities are possible : this analysis shows that the electrolytic process is compatible with “ on - site ” generator capabilities as needed by small to medium - size users . based on the previously described stack performance , the following capabilities are possible : two 8 . 3 cm 2 cells of the type described in this application , placed back - to - back ( anodes facing each other ) with cathodes exposed to air , are used to extract h 2 from a gas stream generated from a 5 - cell co 2 generator stack , described previously . the voltage at a current of 400 milliamps is 0 . 5 volts ; the limiting current , limited by the air cathode , is about 3 amps . this stack is capable of removing 1 . 5 liters / hour of hydrogen gas from the gas stream . four pairs of cells would be adequate to remove the hydrogen generated from a 12 liters / hour ( 1 . 2 lbs / day ) co 2 generator . although this invention has been described in connection with specific forms and embodiments thereof , it will be appreciated that various modifications other than those discussed above may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . for example , equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically shown and described , certain features may be used independently of other features , and the number and configuration of various components described above may be altered , all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . | 2 |
to achieve the above and related aims , the present invention provides an apparatus shown in perspective at 1 in fig1 , and comprising a shaft or post 2 extending upright or at other angle , depending on orientation to which the apparatus is attached and deployed in the field . single element blade , or wing sections 3 are deployed as shown . they may be molded by roto - molding , or injection molding , or other known molding techniques . wing elements or sections 3 are attached to the main support shaft 2 symmetrically , in pairs or higher numbers by employing a molded rib element or elements 9 , 14 , 15 and 16 integrated into the wing element . the wing element 3 comprises a straight section 4 terminating transversely at an arc section 5 of a circle to be described in detail below . preferably , arc extends through an angle from about 105 to 125 degrees . the structure 4 and 5 of wing or blade section 3 is twisted over the upright length 10 of the wing by an angle of about pi / 3 which is about 60 degrees . this turning angle may be from 15 to 89 degrees , with 60 degrees as a general preferred embodiment . thus , the lowermost portion of each blade or wing section is offset , azimuthally relative to the uppermost portion of each blade . the turning angle starts at the top of the wing straight section 4 and extends through to the bottom of the wing indicated at 13 , having terminal arc section 11 . integrated into the single wing section 3 are the support rib elements 9 , 14 , 15 and 16 , these being spaced apart as shown . a plurality of baffles are also integrated into the wing section 3 . these are shown at 17 , 18 and 19 , in three laterally extending rows , the baffles spaced apart and extending generally upright . the baffles may extend in the space through the length of the wing element from top to bottom . the baffles are better seen in detail in fig8 , to be discussed . the baffles 17 - 19 and grooves therebetween provide additional wind resistance on the downwind side of the wing element providing more grip and therefore more extraction of impulse from the moving air upon the working surfaces . the bifacial wing element 3 performs several simultaneous functions . it has an enhanced ability to extract impulse from the wind by maximizing its resistance to the wind on the down stream side of the element when the wind impinges from various obtuse angles . the element has an un - textured and smooth upstream side to minimize resistance to the wind as the wing or blades rotate 360 degrees per cycle , or turn as viewed from center axis of rotation about the support shaft 2 . the wing elements with generally horizontal ribs 9 , 14 , 15 and 16 integrated and protruding from the wing element working surfaces produce a high tensional strength sturdy wing element 3 . the rotational azimuthally turned angle from top to bottom of the wing element adds structural integrity to the element , and strength for survivability in high wind speed environments . the rib elements 9 , 14 , 15 and 16 provide an efficient means for bracketing the wing elements to the center shaft 2 . the plurality of baffles 17 - 19 also provide structural integrity to the molded wing element and great strength , giving further enhanced utility to the apparatus , especially in high wind speeds . usable plastic materials include high density polyethylene , polypropylene and other equivalent materials . the invention provides a method for choosing revolutions per minute rates for given wind speeds and wind zone areas . lower average wind zones enable use of a shorter blade height to width ratio , i . e . less than one , to provide a longer moment arm and produce more torque at low revolutions per minute and low wind speeds . conversely , a higher height to width ratio , greater than one , provides higher revolutions per minute but with less torque . variations in dimensions of the apparatus enable optimization of power output , conversion efficiencies as tuned to the actual site specific characteristics of the wind resource , and the provision of hardware to extract useful work . a preferred height to width ratio is phi , approximately 1 . 618 , also referred to as the golden section . height to width ratio can be adjusted . the bottom of the wing 3 working surface follows the same lateral configuration as the top , starting with a laterally straight section 13 , and terminating at an arc section 12 . the azimuth turning angle extends from the top straight section 4 to the bottom straight section 13 . this turning angle can be within a range from 15 - 89 degrees . using a 15 degree turning angle allows presentation of more blade surface area to the wind at any given moment and is suitable for low wind speed sites . using an 89 degree turning angle is desirable for high wind speed sites . for a general case , about 60 degrees of turning angle is preferred . the rib sections 9 , 14 , 15 and 16 , of each wing section 3 and 23 , when assembled , wrap around seating bearings 24 that are affixed to the support shaft 2 , the wing sections or blades 10 and 23 being alike . the ribs on the blades terminate at integral plates 6 that are assembled by suitable fastening , to embrace the post at plate defined holes 8 . attached to the bottom bracket defined by plates 6 integral with bottom ribs 16 of the two blades is a power rotor 190 that is comprised of a spur gear or friction roller 20 that translates the motion of the blades or wing elements 3 and 23 into a uniform circular motion transferred to spur gear 20 a . gear 20 a turns the shaft of a power converter such as a direct current generator , permanent magnet alternator or other mechanical or electrical power converter 21 supported by a mounting bracket 22 that attaches to the support shaft 2 . fig2 is a top view of the bifacial working surface wing area . the working surface is formed by a straight or flat section 25 terminating at curved section 26 extending through 105 degrees of arc . section 26 terminates at straight section 26 a . the length of the segment 26 from 26 to 26 a is a fraction of straight section 25 length , preferred to be 0 . 33 - 0 . 86 times the straight section length . this combined surface defined as a straight section connecting to the curved section at the end points produces a composite structure . that structure rotates about a center shaft center axis 34 a such that a gap 35 is created between the surface of the center shaft 34 and the wind working surface as described . gap 35 allows moving air , or water working against the wing surface to escape the blade once impulse has been extracted from the moving fluid medium such as air . providing a central means of exit flow allows the stream of air , or water , impinging on the blades to have enhanced statistical opportunity to impart impulse to the working surfaces . the gap 35 operates as a pressure relief zone that stays constant throughout the vertical length of the twisted blade and also provides for free flow or working fluid , wind or water , or other fluid , behind the working surface as it moves into the working fluid stream . the gap width is preferably between 1 / 32 and 1 / 16 ( preferably about 1 / 24 th ) the lateral length of the straight section 25 , and remains about the same throughout the turning angle of the working surface 25 and 29 . the working surface elements 25 and 26 are azimuthally turned or twisted throughout the height of the blade , at a preferred angle of pi / 3 which is 60 degrees . this turning angle gives the working surface increased structural strength , and provides for blade acceptance of wind from any direction , aiding in the initial turning of the working surface at low wind speeds . the bottom of the working surface is a straight section 29 terminating in a curved arc 30 of a circle . arc 30 is preferably about 105 degrees . the endpoints 31 on the top and 32 on the bottom of the blade are connected by the trailing edge 33 that extends the entire upright length of the working surface . this blade configuration provides the means for accepting wind from any lateral direction , and wind that is laminar or turbulent , and converts that wind force into rotational torque acting about the support shaft axis and transferred to the power rotor means driving to the electrical generator or alternator , converting rotational torque into mechanical or electrical power . the working surface 28 that forms a continuous surface from top elements 25 and 26 down to bottom elements 29 and 30 is preferably bifacial , with texturing on the inside , and a smooth surface on the opposite side . this bifacial working surface presents the most resistance to wind slippage when wind of flowing water strikes the inside surface , with ram pressure , and the least resistance to wind slippage when the wind of flowing water impinges the outside surface . this dual functioning increases the efficiency of the power conversion . another preferred embodiment involves both surfaces being smooth . this adds utility in high wind speed zones , as the functional form of the wind surfaces work as described above . fig3 is a side view of the bifacial working surface wing element 43 showing additional aspects of the specific invention . this single element may be formed as follows : rib elements 50 ( corresponding to 9 , 14 , 15 and 16 ) are incorporated and integrated into the blade working surface . the fundamental surface , as described above follows the preferred , but not limited to , formula of a straight section 37 terminating laterally with the arc segment 38 of circle forming an arc of 105 - 125 degrees . this shape is then twisted azimuthally at a turning angle of 60 degrees , preferred , over the entire length of the surface from top to bottom , ending with a bottom straight section 44 that terminates at 45 with an arc of a circle . the leading edge 43 forms continuity between the top elements 37 and 38 and the bottom elements 44 and 45 . a bottom rib element 72 is shown incorporating a half circle at 45 . two or more of these wing elements each oriented opposite each other about the support shaft and separated about the shaft axis by an angle of pi , or 180 degrees . if three wing elements are used then the angle of separation about the shaft axis would be 120 degrees . the laterally opposite rib elements are suitably fastened together at plates 49 by nuts and bolts or other such fastener means to produce the preferred embodiment , though not limited to this disclosure . as shown in fig3 , this wing element 43 incorporates a series of laterally spaced baffles 48 that comprise raised surfaces that extend between the rib elements running laterally along the length of the wing working surface , all ribs and baffles being on the blade inside surface with the outside surface being smooth . a multiple number of these longitudinally running baffles give increased structural strength to the wing element . further , baffles 42 , 49 and 48 produce an increased utility in that the working surface has more exposure , surface area , to moving air and cap increase the impulse extracted from moving air across the working surface . the baffles at 42 , 47 and 48 are convex in shape along their longitudinal lengths , with a raised surface peaking from 6 - 22 millimeters above the blade inner surface . this is a preferred height . the baffles 47 are formed in a concave shape and comprise grooves in the blade working inner surface . concave baffles 47 provide increased structural integrity in a molded , fabricated or cast part . note azimuthally offset or turned extent between 37 and 44 . the array of baffles functions to provide more surface area exposed to the wind flow at obtuse angles about the blade axis of rotation about the central post . a consistent hole pattern 41 in the flat plate section 49 of the ribs 50 provides a means of interconnection of two , or more , wing sections at the same level , to produce an integral structure . the backside 39 of the working surface is smooth to lower resistance to the working fluid when the working surface turns into the wind in its 360 degree rotational cycle . in fig3 indicates a lowermost array of baffles ; 36 is the inner terminus of 37 ; 40 is the inner edge of blade 43 ; and 46 is the turned edge of foil 39 . two or more of these blades are mounted with a 180 degree rotation about the center support shaft . their bifacial working surfaces catch the wind downstream , and turn into the wind upstream , alternating between the textured inside surface with maximum resistance , and the smooth side that presents a minimum resistance . a plurality of surfaces alternate through the rotational cycle such that a textured high resistance side is always available for the ram pressure of the impinging working fluid . fig4 shows a center support post 56 , which may be a pipe preferably of schedule 80 or greater strength . double sealed marine or military grade bearings are secured around the pipe at equal spacing to match the rib pattern described above . these bearings 52 , 53 , 54 and 55 are typically sealed bearings , and made of chrome steel . bushings or other types of bearings can be used , but the preferred embodiment comprises double sealed bearings . the bearing outside diameter is matched to the rib plate inside diameter as discussed above . the bearings may be secured to the support shaft 56 with the use of epoxy . a preferred epoxy is master bond polymer adhesive ep21tdc . the center support shaft or pipe 51 can be fabricated from materials such as steel , aluminum , carbon fiber and other know pipe materials . fig5 shows a bracket assembly 57 in exploded view , that mounts the blades that catch the moving air and translate that impulse into rotational torque . the brackets 58 and 63 are positioned above and below the levels of ribs 61 and 62 . brackets 58 and 63 have center holes 59 and 64 with diameters that exceed the diameter of the support shaft to allow free blade rotation . four holes 60 and 65 line up with holes placed in each rib plate 61 a and 62 a . the entire assembly is then interconnected with fasteners . the brackets 58 and 63 provide the assembly or integration of both halves 61 a and 62 a of the ribs 61 and 62 about the bearings and center shaft described in fig3 . this integration of elements provides the utility of balance about the center axis of rotation , and provides an interconnection close to the center axis of rotation enabling a reduction of centripetal forces acting on the fasteners and other interconnecting elements . the brackets 58 and 63 provide the proper spacing and secure each working surface through the aforementioned ribs to the bearings , with a minimum of materials and a maximum of strength required to translate the enormous forces of high wind speeds while presenting a minimum cross - section exposed to the wind for interconnection . as in fig4 , a center bearing 66 is seated on the support shaft and is encased by the fig5 elements as shown . fig6 is an exploded view of elements of the power train 67 . a power rotor disk 79 such as a spur gear attaches to the bottom of a bracket 77 corresponding to bracket 63 in fig5 . this element 79 power rotor comprises a disk with a center hole 80 tapped with a diameter exceeding the diameter of the center support shaft , preferably by several millimeters for sufficient clearance , so that disk 79 rotates with the blades , free of interference with the shaft . the power rotor 79 attaches to the bottom of the working surfaces of plates 71 and 72 through holes 81 that match the hole pattern of the brackets 58 and 63 as described above in fig5 . fasteners known in the art are attached through the holes 70 and 81 and secure the power rotor 79 to the blade . the outer diameter of the power rotor 79 is such as can be to provide the optimum gearing ratio for the alternator or power converter attached to the power rotor . the edge 82 of the power rotor 79 such as a spur gear is configured to translate rotational torque to drive an electrical power converter . the power rotor edge 82 can also be grooved to seat a belt drive or other means to transfer power from the rotor to a suitable power converter such as an electrical generator , permanent magnet alternator , self - excitation alternator or other known electrical or mechanical power converters . the rib elements such as plates also are made with a hole pattern 75 that matches the hole patterns 70 and 78 and 81 on the various elements . the power rotor center hole 80 is sized just larger than the center shaft , not shown , for clearance and free movement . brackets are shown at 68 and 76 , with center holes 69 and 77 . ribs are shown at 73 and 74 . fig7 is a cross section view of the power train 83 attached to the rotating blades . a top mounting bracket 85 has two wing sections 86 and 87 and bottom bracket 88 above power rotor 89 . below the power rotor and at 90 attached to the center pipe 84 is a mounting bracket 93 that supports a power converter 92 such as a permanent magnet alternator , direct current generator , self - exciting alternator or other such electrical or mechanical power converts in singular or multiple units . the rotational torque of the power rotor 89 is transferred to the alternator or other power converter 92 through a right angle drive 91 mounted on the drive shaft 95 of the power converter 92 . this combination of elements provides the utility of transferring the impulse derived from the impact of moving air , or water , upon the described blades into rotational torque that is in turn transferred to power converter 92 . see output terminals 92 a of the converter or generator 92 . fig8 is a lateral cross - section view of the wing or blade working surface indicated at 96 . the configuration includes a straight section 101 terminating at arc 102 of a circle that has a segment length preferably about 0 . 6 times the lateral length of the straight section 101 . section 101 joins section 102 at 140 . the arc 102 is defined as a range from 105 to 125 degrees about center 142 . in low wind speed zones , the larger arc near 125 degrees is used , and for high wind zones the arc value near 105 degrees is used . the preferred general wind zone arc is about 110 degrees . cross sections like 96 but taken at successively lower elevations are twisted azimuthally through turning angles between 15 and 89 degrees , and preferably about 60 degrees . the wing section 96 has rib structure 97 that is molded with a matching hole pattern 98 with a semi circle 99 such that when two of the plates 100 are attached to one another , a tight fit is achieved at edge 100 a . the rib element 97 then tapers laterally to the end point 110 . baffles 104 are formed into the surface of the wing or blade 96 to provide an enhanced structural integrity and function to provide additional friction for the working fluid , wind or water that impinges upon the blade . the baffles extend longitudinally from the top to the bottom of the blade inner working surface . formed as a ridge , a typical baffle 104 begins at a height of between 2 - 6 millimeters at one end of the baffle and increases to maxima preferred to be 6 - 22 millimeters at locations near the middle of the baffle and declining again to the 2 - 6 millimeters height value near the opposite end of the baffle . an array of baffles , convex from the blade working surface is formed in a parallel plurality laterally along the blade working surface . the tops of these baffles 103 are angled and typically tapered , to provide a wave guide effect , to minimize drag when the working surface turns into the wind . additional concave baffles 105 , 106 and 107 are formed as recesses into the blade working surface . these concave baffles provide additional strength when the element is formed either by casting , injection , roto molding , or other forming means . as the blade working surface rotates through a 360 degree cycle the working surface on the textured side , that is the side with the baffles 104 and 105 produces a resistance to the working fluid such as wind . the blade surface is smooth on the other side 110 producing a minimum resistance when that surface turns into the wind . maximum resistance to air flow is provided on the textured side , and a minimum of resistance to air flow is produced on the other side . in case of roto molding , or other such means known in the art , the wing element 96 typically is hollow . the concave channels 105 - 107 are indented from the textured surface such that in the molding process additional material bonds beyond the normal wall thickness inside the hollow part . this increased material adds substantial strength to molded parts , and increases the utility and survivability of the wing element when subjected to high ram pressures , further increasing the utility of the present invention . fig9 is a longitudinal cross section view 111 of the blade . the rib elements 112 - 115 correspond to those described above and are shown in cross section . the convex baffles are shown beginning at one end 116 with a measurement of between 2 - 6 millimeters in height and increase in height to location 118 . a space of about 5 - 15 millimeters separates the baffles from the ribs . in the case of four ribs 112 - 115 three baffle sections are formed along the longitudinal dimension of the working surface . the middle baffle 119 begins at a height equal to the height at 118 and continues to a maximum height at 120 of 6 - 15 millimeters , and then tapers down to location 121 that is equal in height to location 119 . the third baffle section starts at 122 with height equal to that at 121 , and tapers down to a height at 124 equal to height at 116 . these segmented baffle structures with this convex shaping provide a means for increasing the blade working surfaces &# 39 ; ability to catch the ram pressure of a moving working fluid across the surface , and provides a wave guide to lower resistance when the textured surface becomes a trailing edge as it moves into the wind or water during is rotational cycle . this bifacial working surface is therefore textured on the baffle side , and smooth on the other side 117 . this plurality of baffles also provide an increased strength of the blade critical for surviving and functioning in high wind or water speeds . fig1 is a top view of an assembly 118 , as described . two blades are shown at 119 and 120 , oriented and deployed opposite each other , with respect to center support shaft 121 . working fluid , wind or water , impinges on the blades which are attached to each other by the brackets 122 and 123 as described . once these are fastened to each other about a seated bearing , the two elements 119 and 120 become one structure . the curved sections 126 and 127 become leading and trailing edges as the working surfaces 119 and 120 rotate about the center shaft 121 . the baffles 124 that are convex , and baffles 125 that are concave are shown . shown as a top view 118 it will be appreciated that the device iscapable of efficient functioning with working fluids impinging from any direction . regardless of the incident direction of the working fluid , such as from direction 128 , the working surfaces 119 and 120 will only turn in one direction , clockwise in fig1 . using bernoulli &# 39 ; s principle that the faster a fluid moves the lower its pressure , the improved apparatus uses pressure differences , or gradients to induce a rotation from a resultant ram pressure that results when a working fluid impinges the specific invention . by exposing the textured working surface to the moving working fluid , the ram pressure produced exerts an impulse onto the working surface . as this working surface comes around into the wind , it presents its smooth surface that offers the least resistance to the working fluid . the greater the difference between these ram pressures , the greater the extraction of energy . to further explain the principle of operation , a top view of the basic wing element structure is shown at 129 in fig1 . straight section 131 and 144 are shown . each terminates with an arc of a circle 132 and 133 respectively , about a center post 136 . flow 139 of a working fluid either wind or moving water , impinges on the cupped side of the blade . impingement of the moving working fluid with the blade at 143 acts to slow the incident moving fluid thereby increasing the pressure . a gap 138 is formed between the working surface 130 and the center shaft 136 . the flow 140 of working fluid is shown impinging the blade on the upstream side . this flow 140 is constricted about the leading edge 135 and will follow the curve . this produces a low pressure boundary layer on the leading edge surface 135 producing an acceleration of the working fluid around the leading edge , inducing a venturi effect . this produces a low pressure zone relative to the pressure of the working fluid 140 before it impinges , and low pressure relative to the air or water ( i . e . fluid ) pressure behind the working surface at this point . this effect on the leading edge induces a force from the relative higher pressure zone 134 behind the surface with the low pressure boundary layer at 141 resulting in a lower resistance presented to the working surface as the wing element 133 turns into the wind . as the working surface 144 moves into the flow , a low pressure zone 137 is induced behind the working surface 137 as it moves into the flow of the working fluid . gaps 146 and 145 are held constant as the blades rotate through 360 degrees . the gapping provides an escape for the working fluid to exit by passing through the gaps 145 and 146 . this enhances extraction of energy from the wind . as the working surfaces 130 and 133 rotate about center shaft 136 , a cycling of pressures is produced . pressure gradients are induced to efficiently and effectively use a moving working fluid to induce device mechanical rotation in one direction , independent of the direction of the moving fluid , which in turn can be used directly , or to power a suitable electrical power converter such as a direct current generator , or an alternator to produce electricity . low wind speed zones and areas of low average wind speed have been considered poor wind sites , because of the low power levels available in the wind . this invention has increased utility in that the working surfaces as described above effectively convert working fluid impinging from any direction into mechanical or electrical power . for low wind speed zones a schematic view 147 is shown of a device intended to be used with the present invention to effectively increase the relative speed of an impinging working fluid to allow for its effective and efficient conversion to energy . a ring element 149 is formed with a diameter ranging from 0 . 6 - 1 . 1 times the diameter of the device wing working surfaces . a secondary ring 151 ranging in diameter of 1 . 1 - 2 . 1 times the diameter of the first ring 149 is oriented above the first ring . these rings are connected by a surface 154 forming a truncated conic section . a secondary structure 154 identical to the first is inverted and oriented below the first structure with an open zone formed between the elements . this secondary structure includes a ring 157 that ranges from 0 . 6 - 1 . 1 in diameter compared with the diameter of the working surfaces of the device of the present invention . a secondary ring 158 is formed with a diameter of 1 . 1 - 2 . 1 times the diameter of the first ring 157 with a surface 160 formed between the two rings producing a truncated conic surface with an inverted orientation to the first 154 with a zone 150 between them . an impinging flow 153 of working fluid , such as wind , or flowing water has a ram pressure associated with it . when the working fluid 153 impinges the two elements 148 and 159 a venturi effect is produced as shown . as the working fluid impinges the 154 and 160 a constriction is produced at 155 on the working fluid , resulting under bernoulli &# 39 ; s principle , with a higher velocity and lower pressure . as the working fluid 155 exits the zone 150 a lower velocity and higher pressure is induced . each element has a hollow inside volume 162 and 161 respectively , allowing the placement therein of balance of systems electronics further protecting the control circuits and systems from the environment in the field . view 162 in fig1 shows the device used with the constricting elements described above . the flow constricting element 168 is formed by a primary ring 166 and a secondary larger diameter ring 165 connected by a continuous surface 170 forming a truncated conic section centered by the support shaft 164 . a secondary constricting element 176 is similarly formed , and inverted in orientation to the first element , by a primary smaller ring 174 and a larger diameter secondary ring 173 connected by a continuous surface 175 also forming a truncated conic section . a reduced flow area region 171 is formed between the flow constricting elements 168 and 176 . a moving working fluid flow 169 impinging on the constricting elements 168 and 176 experiences an acceleration by venturi effect , that results in an increase in working fluid velocity in region 171 resulting in a lower pressure consistent with bernoulli &# 39 ; s principle . the device of the present invention is placed in zone in between the constricting elements 168 and 176 and is subjected to the increase in velocity of the working fluid 171 . this increase in working fluid relative velocity effectively concentrates the working fluid increasing the amount of energy per unit volume within the working fluid , allowing more effective conversion of the power available in the impinging ram pressure of the working fluid . the constricting elements combine to increase the effectiveness of the power conversion even in low average wind speed sites . those learned in the art will appreciate the improved utility and efficiency of this process and apparatus as disclosed herein . variations and modifications of the present invention still fall under the claims disclosed herein , and do not detract from the spirit or scope of the specific invention . | 5 |
&# 34 ; ddt type contaminants &# 34 ; means 1 , 1 , 1 - trichloro - 2 , 2 - bis ( p - chlorophenyl ) ethane ( ddt ); 1 , 1 , dichloro - 2 , 2 - bis ( p - chlorophenyl ) ethane ( ddd ); 2 , 2 - bis ( p - chlorophenyl ) 1 , 1 - dichloroethylene , ( dde ); and metabolic transformation products of ddt , ddd and dde including 1 - chloro - 2 , 2 - bis ( p - chlorophenyl ) ethylene ( ddmu ), 2 , 2 - bis ( p - chlorophenyl ) ethylene ( ddoh ), dichlorodiphenylmethane ( dpm ), dichlorobenzophenone ( dbp ), dichlorobenzydrol ( dbz ), and unsym - bis ( p - chlorophenyl ) ethylene dichlorophenylacetate ( dda ). some ddt type contaminants are present in the soil before decontamination by the present process ; some may be formed as transformation products during the present process . &# 34 ; harmless materials &# 34 ; mean materials that are unobjectionable in the concentrations present in soil or sediment for its intended use . &# 34 ; decontamination &# 34 ; means transforming ddt type contaminants to harmless materials , including biodegrading said contaminants and binding said contaminants to soil or other material . &# 34 ; remediation &# 34 ; means decontamination to an unobjectionable level of ddt type contaminants in the soil for the intended use of the soil . &# 34 ; soil &# 34 ; means earth , i . e . humus , sand and particulate rock , and includes sediment from beneath the surface of water . &# 34 ; supersaturated with water &# 34 ; in referring to the decontamination zone means that the soil in the decontamination zone has a water content greater than 100 % of its water holding capacity ( whc ); i . e . the soil is immersed in water with standing water above the top of the soil , and / or excess water greater than 100 % whc is being removed from the soil , such as leachate being drained from the bottom of the degradation zone . in the process of the present invention , during degradation the soil to be decontaminated must contain appropriate types of indigenous viable microbes capable of degrading ddt type contaminants . these microbes must be viable under both the anaerobic and aerobic conditions to which they will be subjected during the present process . the microbes normally are bacteria , fungi , actinomycetes and to a lesser extent protozoa . the microbes preferably are indigenous to the contaminated soil , that is , they are present in the soil to be decontaminated ; or they are recycled from , or along with , soil already subjected to the present process . in some cases it may be beneficial to add an inoculant containing such viable ddt - degrading microbes . in the practice of the present invention , a degradation zone comprising the soil is formed . the degradation zone is a space containing the soil to be decontaminated . the soil may be in - place surface and subsurface soil , i . e . in situ contaminated soil , or preferably it is piled in a decontamination zone . preferably the decontamination zone is circumscribed by a wall or burm to retain the water in which the soil is supersaturated . the decontamination zone may contain a piping system to aerate and oxygenate the soil during aerobic treatment and / or to supply oxygen - free gas during anaerobic treatment . normally it is sheltered to exclude rainfall . during the anaerobic and aerobic steps of the present process , the temperature of the degradation zone is maintained in the range of about 15 ° c . to 37 ° c . this normally is the temperature range that occurs when biodegradation is taking place at a sufficient rate to achieve decontamination in a reasonable time . to achieve degradation in a reasonable time , during the anaerobic and aerobic steps microbial population counts of at least 10 5 , and preferably at least 10 7 , aerobic and anaerobic culture forming units per gram ( as measured by standard plate count techniques ( cfu / g )) are maintained in the degradation zone . these microbe counts of course include microbes other than those that degrade ddt type contaminants . the addition of nutrients and / or a source of the appropriate microbes may be desirable . during the process the aerobic microbes in the soil mixture remain viable for the subsequent aerobic degradation step and the anaerobic microbes remain viable for any needed subsequent anaerobic degradation steps . thus , it is essential in the process of the present invention that viable aerobic and anaerobic degradation microbes be maintained . during the present process , usually it is preferred to add surfactants to the degradation zone . anionic and nonionic surfactants are preferred . normally a mixture of nonionic and ionic surfactants is employed . the surfactants should be biodegradable , non - inhibitory to the microbial population , and have the ability to enhance biodegradation of ddt and ddt metabolites . suitable surfactants include polysorbates , octoxynols , anionic alkyl sulfates , anionic alkyl aryl sulfonates , and ethoxylates . examples of suitable surfactants include &# 34 ; tween &# 34 ; nonionic surfactants which are commercially available from ici americas , inc ., &# 34 ; triton &# 34 ; nonionic surfactants which are commercially available from union carbide , and &# 34 ; dawn &# 34 ; detergent nonionic surfactant mixture which is commercially available from procter & amp ; gamble . a suitable mixture of surfactants is &# 34 ; triton &# 34 ; x - 100 and &# 34 ; dawn &# 34 ;. in the present process , the degradation zone is rendered anaerobic by supersaturating it with water to substantially eliminate oxygen . sufficient water is put into the decontamination zone in excess of 100 % whc to create an oxygen barrier . oxygen in the water is depleted by the microbes . during the anaerobic step a low redox potential is maintained in the degradation zone , below about negative 200 mv . this level has been found to be optimum for the anaerobic degradation of ddt type contaminants in the present process . not intending to be bound by the following theory , at less negative redox potential levels , apparently too much oxygen is present for rapid ddt degradation . the redox potential level can be maintained within this range by the addition of conventional nutrient and / or reducing agents such as sulphite and / or acetate compounds . the first anaerobic step and any subsequent anaerobic steps are continued until a significant amount of ddt type contaminants is degraded . this can be determined by analysis . typically , in the first anaerobic step degradation of about 10 % to 50 % of the initial content of ddt type contaminants is desirable . after the ddt - type contaminant content of the soil is decreased to the desired level during the first anaerobic degradation step , the degradation zone is oxygenated to render it aerobic . aeration is continued sufficiently to maintain the degradation zone at a redox potential level above about positive 100 mv during the aerobic degradation step . oxygenating is done by any conventional technique . preferably this is done by having the water level low enough for air to penetrate into the soil . desirably the soil is cultivated and / or air is also passed through the decontamination zone to maintain the desired redox potential level . the aerobic conditions activate degradation of the ddt type contaminants , particularly ddt metabolites , yielding harmless materials . the aerobic degradation step is continued until a sufficient amount of ddt - type contaminants is degraded . in the present process , the desired degree of biodegradation of ddt type contaminants for acceptable remediation cannot be achieved in a reasonable time in the first sequence of anaerobic / aerobic treatment steps of negative / positive redox potential levels . the sequence must therefore be repeated , usually more than one time , as needed to achieve the desired soil decontamination . substantially complete decontamination from ddt type contaminants is readily achievable by the present decontamination process of several sequences of anaerobic / aerobic degradation steps . not intending to be bound by the following theory , it is believed that during anaerobic degradation the anaerobic microbes remove at least one or two aliphatic chlorines from ddt type contaminants . the toxic metabolites , primarily ddd and to a lesser extent dde , are the initial anaerobic step biodegradation products of ddt . further aerobic degradation reduces these to less toxic metabolites , primarily ddmu and ddoh , dpm , dbp , dbh and dda . aerobic degradation then further transforms these metabolites to less chlorinated compounds . since significant quantities of ddt type contaminants , particularly metabolites , may also be bound to soil and / or organic materials in the present process producing harmless materials , the term &# 34 ; degradation &# 34 ; as used herein includes not only biodegradation but also such binding of contaminants . a desirable feature of this process is that the ddt - degrading microbes are maintained viable throughout the anaerobic / aerobic treatment cycles , so that it is not essential that microbes be supplemented before repeating the treatment cycle . however , it may be desirable to add amendment containing more nutrient materials or other conventional fermentation ingredients , primarily to supplement the organic feed supply . from 0 to about 5 % ( by weight of the soil ) nutrient material addition is preferred , and is added in either the aerobic or anaerobic degradation step , to maintain sufficient nutrient material to support the metabolism of the high anaerobic and aerobic microbial populations . as aforementioned , maintaining the proper redox potential levels of the soil in the anaerobic and aerobic steps is necessary for efficient practice of the present invention . absolute anaerobic and aerobic conditions are needed ( although short localized excursions can be expected ). thus , for the purpose of defining the present invention , a redox potential level of lower than about negative 200 mv is considered anaerobic and is required for the anaerobic steps ; and a redox potential level greater than about positive 100 mv is considered aerobic and is required for the aerobic steps . the redox potential level from about negative 200 mv to about positive 100 mv is considered anoxic . thus , &# 34 ; rendering &# 34 ; the soil or degradation zone anaerobic or aerobic means making the redox potential level of the soil or degradation zone lower than about negative 200 mv ( anaerobic ) or greater than about positive 100 mv ( aerobic ). the soil to be treated can be analyzed and treated in the laboratory by the present process to determine optimizing treating conditions , additives , and anaerobic and aerobic step times and the number of sequences thereof . in one preferred technique in practicing the present invention referred to as the immersion technique , the upper surface of the soil in the decontamination zone is more or less horizontal . this technique is particularly useful in in situ treatment where the contaminated soil is not excavated and transported to a decontamination cell . desirably the soil will be cultivated to facilitate uniformity and speed of treatment . in this immersion technique , which can also be practical in an enclosed cell ( or even in a laboratory test tube ), the soil is supersaturated with water for the anaerobic treatment step by immersing the soil in water to form an oxygen barrier . depending on the depth and area of the decontamination zone and its exposure to the elements , an immersion depth of from a few inches to a foot or more is employed . microbial activity consumes the available oxygen rendering the decontamination zone strongly anaerobic , at a redox potential level of lower than negative 200 mv , where it is maintained until a significant amount of ddt type contaminants is degraded . nutrient and / or microbe addition may be desirable to maintain the strong anaerobic conditions and the desired 10 5 cfu / g anaerobic microbe population . desirably a surfactant mixture of the above described type is also added . in this immersion technique , water is then removed from the treatment zone to less than 100 % whc , but preferably maintained at greater than 50 % whc , and the decontamination zone is oxygenated . oxygenation normally is achieved by cultivation and / or the passage of air through the soil in the decontamination zone by any suitable means . oxygenation renders the decontamination zone strongly aerobic , activating the aerobic microbes . a redox potential level of greater than about positive 100 mv is maintained . nutrition and / or microbe addition may be desirable to maintain the strong aerobic conditions and the desired 10 5 cfu / g aerobic microbe population . this aerobic degradation step is continued until a significant amount of ddt type contaminants is degraded . usually a major percentage , often approaching substantially complete degradation , of available ddt metabolites is achieved in each aerobic step . the decontamination zone is then again supersaturated in water by immersion , giving the soil another anaerobic treatment step . this in turn is followed by another aerobic treatment step . the anaerobic / aerobic treatment step sequence is repeated as many times as needed to achieve the desired level of decontamination . remediation is readily achievable in most instances . in another preferred technique , referred to as the biopile technique , the decontamination zone is not immersed in water . the soil is piled in the decontamination zone , usually in a treatment cell having water containing sides and bottom , with aeration and leachate collection and recirculating means . the decontamination zone soil is supersaturated with water during both the anaerobic and aerobic degradation steps . supersaturation is achieved by feeding water continually onto the top of the pile , such as by spraying or dripping water from one or more nozzles , in such a manner as to wet substantially all of the soil in the decontamination zone beyond 100 % whc . excess water leaches out from the bottom of the pile , and preferably is recycled and again fed onto the top of the pile . several such piles may be present in the decontamination zone . during the anaerobic step normally no air or gas is added or drawn through the system . microbial activity renders the decontamination zone anaerobic , and it is maintained anaerobic at a redox potential level of lower than about negative 200 mv by maintaining an anaerobic microbial population of at least 10 5 cfu throughout the anaerobic steps . nutrient , additional microbes and surfactant mixture may be added during the anaerobic degradation step . after the desired significant amount of ddt type contaminants is degraded in an anaerobic degradation step , the biopile decontamination zone comprising the soil being treated is oxygenated by feeding gaseous oxygen , preferably as air , through the soil to render the soil aerobic and activate the aerobic microbes . throughout the aerobic degradation steps water ( preferably recycled leachate ) is fed to the top of the biopile to maintain the degradation zone supersaturated ; gaseous oxygen is supplied to the soil ; and leachate is drained from the decontamination zone . nutrient , supplemental microbes and surfactant may be added as needed to achieve sufficient microbial action to maintain the desired decontamination zone aerobic microbial population of at least 10 5 cfu / g , the temperature and the rapid contaminant degradation . after the desired significant amount of ddt type contaminants is degraded in the initial aerobic step , the biopile decontamination zone is deoxygenated and again treated anaerobically , followed by oxygenation and aerobic decontamination treatment . the anaerobic / aerobic step sequence is repeated as needed to achieve the desired decontamination . complete remediation is readily achievable in most instances . although the preferred biopile technique is not readily adaptable for in situ soil treatment , and therefore usually requires excavation and transportation of the decontaminated soil , the biopile technique can be better controlled and in general decontaminates the soil more rapidly . it is particularly useful for treating highly contaminated soil . as above described , the present process involves a plurality of sequences of an anaerobic degradation stage followed by an aerobic degradation step . these sequences are necessary to adequately degrade ddt and ddt metabolites in a reasonable time . however , it may be desirable to initially treat the soil aerobically to lower the content of pre - existing ddt metabolites prior to the initial anaerobic stage . this example compares the repeated anaerobic / aerobic sequence treatment method of the present invention with single anaerobic treatment and single aerobic treatment in the degradation of ddt in a soil system . the soil in this example contains populations of & gt ; 10 5 cfu / g viable aerobic and anaerobic microbes capable of rendering ddt - type contaminants harmless and being viable under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions . this soil contains ddt ( 200 ppm ), ddd ( 22 ppm ) and dde ( 18 ppm ). six 20 g samples of soil are each mixed with 25 ml of water containing 500 ppm each of cysteine and sulphite reducing agents and 500 ppm of &# 34 ; triton &# 34 ;- x - 100 . to these slurries are added 1 ppm of radiolabelled 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- ddt - ring ul c 14 in hexane . two 20 g samples are incubated anaerobically ( in 50 - ml polypropylene tubes at 35 ° c ., stationary ); two 20 g samples are incubated aerobically ( in rotating jars with foam plugs at 35 ° c ., 150 rpm ); and two 20 g samples are incubated on a 2 week anaerobic / 2 week aerobic cycle for a total of 8 weeks . redox potential is monitored . after the aerobic phase redox is greater than + 100 mv and after the anaerobic incubation redox potential is less than - 200 mv . the incubation samples are extracted , and the fate of the radiolabelled ddt is determined by thin layer chromatography and autoradiography / densitometry . the experiments are repeated to obtain average results . average results are shown in table 1 . table 1______________________________________fate of radiolabelled ddt in the soil system (% remaining after tests ) treatment % ddt % ddd % dde % other______________________________________aerobic 80 17 2 1anaerobic 60 30 0 10anaerobic 10 60 trace 30thenaerobic______________________________________ this example shows the present invention anaerobic / aerobic sequence method used to decrease ddt contamination in soil within 8 weeks , and the usefulness of different surfactants to aid the process . the soil to be remediated contains populations of & gt ; 10 5 cfu / g of viable aerobic and anaerobic microbes capable of rendering ddt - type contaminants harmless and being viable under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions . this soil contains ddt ( 200 ppm ), ddd ( 22 ppm ) and dde ( 18 ppm ). six twenty gram samples of soil are added to 50 - ml polypropylene tubes with 25 ml of water containing 500 ppm each of cysteine and sulphite reducing agents . this creates a supersaturated anaerobic degradation zone immersed in water . to each slurry sample is added 500 ppm of different surfactants and 1 ppm of radiolabelled 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- ddt ring ul c 14 in hexane . the tubes are capped and incubated stationary for 2 weeks at 35 ° c . after 2 weeks the tubes are opened and the contents are each transferred to a foam - capped jar and aerated by rotary incubation ( 150 rpm ), for a further 2 weeks at 35 ° c . the anaerobic / aerobic cycle is repeated 2 times . the samples are then extracted and the fate of the radiolabelled ddt is determined by thin layer chromatography and autoradiography / densitometry . the experiments are replicated to obtain average results . average results are shown below . table 2______________________________________fate of radiolabelled ddt in the soil system (% remaining after tests ) treatment % ddt % ddd % dde % other______________________________________no surfactant 85 15 0 0 &# 34 ; triton &# 34 ; x - 100 0 40 trace 60 &# 34 ; dawn &# 34 ; 10 75 trace 15______________________________________ this example shows the effect of the anaerobic / aerobic cycling method of the present invention on a ddt - contaminated soil in a pilot scale experiment . three - quarters of a ton of soil that contains ddt ( 728 ppm ), ddd ( 87 ppm ) and dde ( 50 ppm ) is placed in an enclosed degradation zone box 8 foot by 8 foot by 18 inches . it is alternately immersed in water and drained on one month cycles . sodium acetate nutrient ( 500 ppm ) is added as required to maintain the cod above 300 mg / l , and a mixture of &# 34 ; triton &# 34 ; x - 100 and &# 34 ; dawn &# 34 ; nonionic surfactants is added as required to maintain the surface tension in the leachate below 70 dynes / cm . the material is cultivated by hand weekly to aerate the degradation zone and render it aerobic during the drained phase . during the treatment , the temperature ranges from 22 ° c . to 28 ° c . the redox potential level in the treatment zone stays below negative 200 mv while immersed in water and above positive 100 mv while drained . while drained the water content of the soil is in the range of 40 - 100 % whc . after 16 weeks 72 % of the ddt , 31 % of the ddd and 54 % of the dde is degraded , as measured by solvent extraction and gc ecd analysis . this example shows the large scale anaerobic / aerobic repeated sequence method of the present invention , using the biopile technique . eight tons of soil containing ddt ( 728 ppm ), ddd ( 87 ppm ) and dde ( 50 ppm ) is placed in an enclosed degradation zone box 8 foot by 8 foot by 8 feet . the soil is amended with 5 % straw nutrient . water is continuously dripped onto the surface of the soil to supersaturate , and the leachate is collected at the bottom and recycled at a rate of 20 to 100 l / tonne / day . oxygenation is accomplished by passing air through a mechanical distribution system in the soil at the rate of 44 l / tonne / day , weekly alternating the air on and off . the temperatures of the soil during treatment range from 22 ° c . to 28 ° c . the redox potential level in the treatment zone stays below negative 200 mv when aeration is off and above positive 100 mv when aeration is on . sodium acetate nutrient is added as required to boost the cod to above 300 mg / l , and maintain population counts above 10 5 cfu / g , of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria ; and surfactants ( a mixture of &# 34 ; triton &# 34 ; x - 100 and &# 34 ; dawn &# 34 ;) is added as required to maintain surface tension below 70 dynes / cm measured in the leachate , which is recycled . after 16 weeks of cycling , 53 % of the ddt is degraded , 55 % of the ddd , and 54 % of the dde . | 8 |
various embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below . while specific implementations are discussed , it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only . a person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention . as a preliminary matter , the term as used in this specification is defined as follows : dialect : variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology , grammar , and vocabulary , and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially . with reference to fig1 , an exemplary system for implementing the invention includes a general - purpose computing device 100 , including a processing unit ( cpu ) 120 and a system bus 110 that couples various system components including the system memory such as read only memory ( rom ) 140 and random access memory ( ram ) 150 to the processing unit 120 . other system memory 130 may be available for use as well . it can be appreciated that the invention may operate on a computing device with more than one cpu 120 or on a group or cluster of computing devices networked together to provide greater processing capability . the system bus 110 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller , a peripheral bus , and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures . a basic input / output ( bios ), containing the basic routine that helps to transfer information between elements within the computing device 100 , such as during start - up , is typically stored in rom 140 . the computing device 100 further includes storage means such as a hard disk drive 160 , a magnetic disk drive , an optical disk drive , tape drive or the like . the storage device 160 is connected to the system bus 110 by a drive interface . the drives and the associated computer readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer readable instructions , data structures , program modules and other data for the computing device 100 . the basic components are known to those of skill in the art and appropriate variations are contemplated depending on the type of device , such as whether the device is a small , handheld computing device , a desktop computer , or a computer server . although the exemplary environment described herein employs the hard disk , it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of computer readable media which can store data that are accessible by a computer , such as magnetic cassettes , flash memory cards , digital versatile disks , cartridges , random access memories ( rams ), read only memory ( rom ), a cable or wireless signal containing a bit stream and the like , may also be used in the exemplary operating environment . to enable user interaction with the computing device 100 , an input device 190 represents any number of input mechanisms , such as a microphone for speech , a touch sensitive screen for gesture or graphical input , keyboard , mouse , motion input , speech and so forth . the input may be used by the presenter to indicate the beginning of a speech search query . the device output 170 can also be one or more of a number of output means . in some instances , multimodal systems enable a user to provide multiple types of input to communicate with the computing device 100 . the communications interface 180 generally governs and manages the user input and system output . there is no restriction on the invention operating on any particular hardware arrangement and therefore the basic features here may easily be substituted for improved hardware or firmware arrangements as they are developed . for clarity of explanation , the illustrative embodiment of the present invention is presented as comprising individual functional blocks ( including functional blocks labeled as a “ processor ”). the functions these blocks represent may be provided through the use of either shared or dedicated hardware , including , but not limited to , hardware capable of executing software . for example the functions of one or more processors presented in fig1 may be provided by a single shared processor or multiple processors . ( use of the term “ processor ” should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software .) illustrative embodiments may comprise microprocessor and / or digital signal processor ( dsp ) hardware , read - only memory ( rom ) for storing software performing the operations discussed below , and random access memory ( ram ) for storing results . very large scale integration ( vlsi ) hardware embodiments , as well as custom vlsi circuitry in combination with a general purpose dsp circuit , may also be provided . referring to fig2 , the spoken dialog system 200 of the present application will receive as input a user &# 39 ; s voice or utterance 210 that is then processed by the system 200 . spoken dialog systems 200 are typically based on a sterile environment in order to operate at the highest accuracy rate . one component of this sterile environment has been the use of a standardized general american english dialect . however , one aspect of the system allows the speech recognition software to recognize terms outside of this sterile environment and be accessible to those with dialects outside of the standardized dialect . therefore , an example system has the ability to incrementally correct for the dialect of a user in order to facilitate the user &# 39 ; s interaction with the system . in one exemplary embodiment , the input or utterance from the user is converted to text using an automatic speech recognition ( asr ) module 220 . the text from the asr module 220 and / or audio information from the user utterance is then transferred to a testing module 230 where the text and / or audio is tested against known dialect parameters that are stored in the dialect catalogue 240 . this dialect catalogue 240 is accessible to the testing module 230 that serves to identify parameters of speech within different dialects of language . this dialect catalogue 240 is populated with a variety of terms and data from one or more identifiable dialects that the system 200 may encounter . this embodiment can be beneficial to national or regional companies that have automated systems . if a product is only sold in brooklyn , n . y ., then it would be advantageous to have a system 200 that could both recognize and process a distinctive dialect from this region . whereas a system 200 that is accessed nationally may need to recognize not only a dialect of the boroughs of new york city but also southern , midwestern , and western dialects , just to name a few . system 200 can then reference the dialect catalogue 240 after each time the user speaks by first converting the voice to text using the asr module 220 and then testing 230 the text and / or speech and to further assess the proper dialect and to further eliminate any error in word detection . the testing module 230 may also directly receive the user utterance 210 to test for a particular dialect . a further aspect of the system 200 relates to generating an automated response 260 that mimics the dialect of the user by analyzing the digital signal from the asr module 220 in a spoken language understanding module ( slu ) 235 or a dialogue management ( dm ) module 245 . as shown in fig2 , slu module 235 and dm module 245 can both be in communication with each other , the asr 220 , and the testing module 230 . the system benefits with this arrangement by using the information gathered by the respective units being communicated with the testing module . for instance , the slu can contextualize the utterance so the system 200 can differentiate vocabulary . the dialogue management module 245 generates text that is used by the synthesizer 250 and allows for a more natural interaction with the user . the automated response 260 is generated by synthesizer 250 using the text from the dm module 245 and data associated with a dialect to be perceived in the spoken response . module 250 may be a text - to - speech ( tts ) module or any known module for generating an available response . typically the user utterance will be received by the asr module 220 and the digital signal from the asr module 220 will be transferred to the slu module 235 to gain a further understanding of what the user utterance was attempting to communicate . the resulting signal from the slu module 235 may be sent to the testing module 230 in order to determine the dialect of the user . the appropriate dialect , chosen from the dialect catalogue 240 , will be communicated from the testing module 230 to the dm module 245 . the dm module 245 will produce the appropriate response using the selected dialect which is transferred to the synthesizer 250 . the synthesizer 250 will then generate the automated voice 260 reflecting the appropriate dialect and the appropriate amount of dialect as determined by the testing module 230 . data associated with an identified or selected dialect may be communicated to or from any of the modules in fig2 as needed . in preparation of the system 200 communicating with the user , the dialect catalogue 240 is preferably populated with the appropriate terms and inflections that are indicative of speakers utilizing a dialect . within these terms and inflections will be categories of speech that will allow the system to narrow down the origin of the dialect and allow the program to better interact with the user . this interaction is more efficient because the perspective of the computer program will change . an example use of this will be if in a certain dialect certain difficult phraseology or words are preferred , that data may cause the dm module 245 to select different text in formulating a response than it otherwise would select . access to these stored characteristics can be controlled by the program based on analysis of the user &# 39 ; s speech . in one example , the system 200 contains software testing the user &# 39 ; s speech with the testing module 230 and checking for known parameters within the dialects known in the dialect catalogue 240 . each dialect contains initial parameters that the system recognizes as preliminary characteristics of a particular dialect . upon meeting these preliminary characteristics , a threshold determination is made that the person is speaking with a particular dialect . further , the automated response 260 would contain some or a proportional portion of the characteristics of that particular dialect . with each subsequent user answer the system 200 confirms the appropriate dialect for the specific user . fig3 illustrates how the system 200 begins to narrow down the origin of the dialect , and shifts its perspective from a sterile environment to the dialect of the user . initially the dialect catalogue 240 is accessed by the testing module 230 . the testing module 230 compares phonemes based on the text from the voice to text module 220 , the original user utterance , or both to the different dialects in the dialect catalogue 240 . an example of this is a caller using non - rhotic speech that the system 200 recognizes as representative of either north - eastern dialect 316 or a southern dialect 310 as both will exhibit these properties . the testing module 230 also analyzes the speech for dialect distinctive vocabulary , which in this example may be the user saying “ y &# 39 ; all .” thus , based on accent and vocabulary , the testing module 230 makes an initial determination that the user response has a southern dialect 310 . then a subsequent user response is used to further confirm the chosen dialect and refine it to a specific sub - dialect within the southern dialect 310 . since the dialect is non - rhotic and the user exhibits a drawl within words , the testing module 230 further narrows the dialect to virginia piedmont 324 . this chosen dialect replaces the aforementioned sterile environment changing the assumptions the system 200 uses to analyze and generate user interactions . using the chosen dialect allows the system 200 to accept the nuances of the chosen dialect as standard , thus allowing better user interaction . this also allows the system 200 to modify the speech models used by the asr module 220 . by allowing this modification of the sterile environment , the system 200 will be able to adapt to differences in speech and be able to better serve the user . one way that the system 200 can analyze different dialects is by recognizing the different phonemes that are used in different dialects of languages . using english as an example , there is an international phonetic alphabet ( ipa ) for english produced by the international phonetic association that lists an alphabet of phonemes that are spoken in the english language and different dialects can be recognized by the phonemes of their respective speech . further the ipa can be used for many languages besides english and reflects the sounds made in all speech and can be used to recognize words and dialects . it should be further noted that the system 200 can function within any known spoken language and is not limited to use with the english language . another parameter of speech that the system 200 can analyze and mimic is the delivery speed of a user utterance . some speech patterns are slow and deliberate while others are fast and loose . this can in some respects be related to and contained within the prosody of the speech which can describe tone , intonation , rhythm , focus , syllable length , loudness , pitch , formant , or lexical stress . the system can analyze and mimic all of these factors . for example , if the user speaks quickly , the system 200 may incrementally speed up its generated utterances to match the speech ( and thus dialect ) of the user . the system can also utilize further parameters of speech to discern the dialect of the user . one example is vocabulary , which can be geographically specific . for instance , in the united states , there are parts of the country that use “ pop ” versus “ soda ”, “ tennis shoes ” versus “ sneakers ”, and “ lollipop ” versus “ sucker ” to describe the same object . there are also specific terms that are accepted in some regions and shunned in others . “ y &# 39 ; all ” has gained wide acceptance in the southern dialect as a contraction of the phrase “ you all ” but is not recognized in other dialects . there are also syntax and grammar differences in the speech patterns of some dialects , represented by sentences with double negatives or phrases such as “ i done told you ” instead of “ i have told you ”. while these examples are illustrative , the system 200 can recognize many more regionally specific vocabulary , syntax , and grammar differences in order to increase the confidence in both selecting and mimicking the proper dialect of the user . when analyzing for these parameters testing module 230 may utilize the text from asr 220 and / or the direct user utterances . similar terms may then be generated by the dm module 245 in the spoken dialog . the system 200 can also recognize an accent as another parameter of speech within a dialect . an example of an accent within the english language that can be recognized is rhotic versus non - rhotic . this accent is associated with the pronunciation of the letter “ r ” in words . rhotic speakers will typically pronounce the letter r wherever it is written in a word , whereas non - rhotic speakers will typically only pronounce it when it is followed by a vowel . an example of this is heard in the american boston accent where the speaker will drop the “ r ” in “ car ” so that the spoken word sounds like “ caw ”. many different dialects are recognized within the united states alone . the system 200 can recognize regional differences within the united states for example mid - atlantic , north - eastern , midwest , southern , and western . within each of the aforementioned regions there are subsets of dialects that are native to that geographical location . there are also cultural dialects within the united states that involve influences from african , irish , scottish , latino , and yiddish speakers among many others . there are also socially influenced dialects that are recognizable due to the social class of the speaker . further , there are other english speaking countries . some non - limiting examples include : england , scotland , ireland , australia , canada , south africa , and new zealand . another group that would speak with a dialect would be non - native english speakers . these are people born outside of english speaking countries , or learning english as a second language . a person &# 39 ; s native language can vary the pronunciation of letters within the english language . further , there can be words that have different definitions depending on where the word is learned and the native culture of the person learning the word . therefore , an interactive system may be frustrated without a catalogue of terms . within each of these dialects , there are many nuanced differences that native speakers would feel uncomfortable using while talking to the system 200 . using the united states as an example , a person could try to use a generalized american dialect that is rhotic and free of many phonetic differences between dialects . however , upon the system 200 recognizing the differences in dialect , the user would feel much more comfortable resorting to his or her natural dialect . in case where the user does not desire to have that dialect mimicked , a dialog or some interaction may enable the user to request a particular dialect or no dialect . the system 200 allows users to gain a comfort level by generating the automated response 260 using at least part of the dialect of the user . the system 200 recognizes certain characteristics of the dialect and can create and store them within the dialect catalogue 240 for use during the generation of the response 260 . the system 200 , after recognizing the dialect of the user , can slowly evolve the response 260 after each user utterance in order to make the user more comfortable as the conversation continues . the user , perceiving the change , naturally falls back into normal speech patterns that had been sanitized for use with the system 200 . further , the system 200 is helpful to those users who have lived in two geographic regions , each with its own dialect . the system 200 will mimic whichever dialect the user is more comfortable using , and slowly allow the user to speak in the more natural dialect . this allows users to once again fall back into the normal speech patterns associated with a native dialect . in both of the aforementioned cases , as select phrases are spoken by the user and the system 200 picks up those phrases , the system 200 will then insert verbiage that reflects the user &# 39 ; s dialect . with each subsequent interaction with the system 200 , the system 200 would become more confident in the user &# 39 ; s dialect and the user would feel more comfortable using the dialect with the system 200 . as indications within the user utterances increasingly reflect a particular dialect , the system 200 also increases the dialect in responses . this cycle of interactions between the system 200 and the user continues until the automated response 260 and the user voice 210 are consistent in dialect . while inherent in the explanation of the system 200 , it is specifically noted that it is possible for the system 200 to use too much of a dialect in the automated response 260 . the system continues to analyze subsequent user utterances 210 , and then removes some of the dialect in the next automated response 260 . in this manner the system 200 can add too much dialect into an automated response 260 and still remove some of the parameters associated with the chosen dialect in the next automated response 260 and keep the user comfortable . the iterative approach available to the system is further exemplified in fig4 . fig4 represents the system being able to choose the amount of dialect contained in a response in addition to the choosing of the actual dialect . the graph represents one way the system 200 determines the amount of dialect to use in any generated response . initially the term dialogue turn is defined as a user utterance followed by a system 200 response . in fig4 this is represented by a square followed subsequently by a circle at time frame 1 representing the utterance and the generated system 200 response respectively . with the initial dialogue turn the user initially speaks an utterance with only a small amount of dialect . the system 200 then responds with a small amount of dialect . with the next dialogue turn the user increases the amount of dialect used in the utterance and this causes the system 200 to responds with an increased level of confidence in the level of dialect , reflected by small separation of the amount of dialect contained in the utterance and response in the second dialogue turn at time 2 . in the third dialogue turn at time 3 , the user significantly increases the amount of dialect in the utterance received by the system 200 . in response the system 200 generates a response with a heavier dialect , but the confidence in the amount of dialect lessened due to the sudden influx of dialect in the user utterance . this lessened confidence is reflected by the system 200 not just matching the amount of dialect in the user utterance , but rather weighting the response against matching the amount of dialect due to the lower amount of dialect in the previous two dialogue turns . in the fourth dialogue turn at time 4 , the user utterance contains 100 % of the characteristics of a dialect , therefore , the system 200 responds with a full implantation of dialect in the response . this is because the confidence is fully realized when the number of characteristics in the user speech is fully in sync with the known characteristics of a dialect . with the fifth dialogue turn at time 5 , the user removes some dialect from the utterance causing a greater uncertainty in the system 200 compared to dialogue turn 4 . the system 200 generates a response that tracks the user utterance but due to the change in dialect , the system will no longer have 100 % confidence in the amount of dialect to include in the response . however , due to the slowly increasing amount of dialect , the system 200 will remove some of the dialect and wait for the next dialogue turn to see if the amount of dialogue will level out at a certain amount . this iterative approach of the generated response tracking the utterance will continue until both utterance and generated response contain the same amount of dialect , the interaction terminates or perhaps the user selects or provides input requesting a particular dialect or no dialect . it is further presented that this method of tracking is but one possible method and many others will be practiced by those of skill in the art that will still fall within the scope of the present claims . the tracking described can take place in any conceivable way , but some non - limiting examples of a system that would properly track user utterance is the system applying a weighted - average of the previous responses to guard against sudden jumps into too much dialect . another option would be to mimic the exact level of dialect contained in the first half of the dialogue turn as judged by the characteristics in each utterance . the system 200 could also independently judge with each response the threshold of the dialect and then use the threshold determination to choose the closest level of dialect that it has available . an example would be a response with 55 % dialect and the closest library of responses would be at 50 %. therefore , the system 200 would choose responses from the 50 % catalogue . outside data such as location data may also be used by the system in negotiating information . these examples are not meant to limit the scope of the claims . in a combination of fig3 and 4 , the system would be able to determine concurrently the origin of the dialect and the amount of the determined dialect to use in a generated response . upon a second user response , the system would analyze the response to make sure the proper dialect was chosen as well as that the proper amount of dialect was included . embodiments within the scope of the present invention may also include computer - readable media for carrying or having computer - executable instructions or data structures stored thereon . such computer - readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer . by way of example , and not limitation , such computer - readable media can comprise ram , rom , eeprom , cd - rom or other optical disk storage , magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices , or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer - executable instructions or data structures . when information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection ( either hardwired , wireless , or combination thereof ) to a computer , the computer properly views the connection as a computer - readable medium . thus , any such connection is properly termed a computer - readable medium . combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of the computer - readable media . computer - executable instructions include , for example , instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer , special purpose computer , or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions . computer - executable instructions also include program modules that are executed by computers in stand - alone or network environments . generally , program modules include routines , programs , objects , components , and data structures , etc . that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types . computer - executable instructions , associated data structures , and program modules represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein . the particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps . those of skill in the art will appreciate that other embodiments of the invention may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations , including personal computers , hand - held devices , multi - processor systems , microprocessor - based or programmable consumer electronics , network pcs , minicomputers , mainframe computers , and the like . embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices that are linked ( either by hardwired links , wireless links , or by a combination thereof ) through a communications network . in a distributed computing environment , program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices . although the above description may contain specific details , they should not be construed as limiting the claims in any way . other configurations of the described embodiments of the invention are part of the scope of this invention . for example , this catalogue - based approach could be substituted with an interactive learning based program that mimics the user &# 39 ; s dialect as it is spoken , rather than accessing stored terms . a further example of a system configuration is its use with any language , for example spanish or french . accordingly , the appended claims and their legal equivalents should only define the invention , rather than any specific examples given . | 6 |
this invention is a new approach for using fiber optic fabry - perot sensors to make high - resolution temperature and pressure measurements at long distances between the sensor and the signal conditioning system . the approach requires a high power , tunable laser that can provide rapid switching in fine increments in narrow wavelength bands with repeatability in the infrared spectral band from 1500 to 1600 nm . such tunable lasers with very wide tuning range have recently become commercially available . by operating in the 1500 to 1600 mm spectral band where attenuation in optical fiber is very low , high resolution pressure and temperature measurements can be made using fabry - perot sensors at remote distances in excess of 10000 meters with update rates of 10 hz . a schematic of the invention 10 is shown in fig1 . infrared light from the laser l is injected into a multimode optical fiber ( 50 μm / 125 μm for example ), where it passes through a power splitter and thence to two sensors s p and s t - one for pressure and one for temperature , respectively . provided the tuning range of the laser is wide enough , then each sensor s p , s t may be interrogated at two different wavelength bands within the tuning range of the laser l . if not , then separate tunable lasers with different tuning ranges may be used . infrared light is reflected from the sensors s p , s t back to the detector d 1 where the light signal is converted to a photocurrent and amplified for processing in a signal conditioner ( not shown ) connected to the detector . the second fabry - perot temperature sensor s t is provided to track the temperature of the fabry - perot pressure sensor . the output of the temperature sensor s t can be used to correct the pressure sensor output for temperature dependent changes in the pressure sensor gap s p . by way of example , the fabry - perot pressure sensor s p is shown in fig2 , specifically configured as a diaphragm - type pressure transducer s pd . as known in the art , the general pressure sensor s p may be configured as a transducer without a diaphragm in other ways , as further described in fig6 below . infrared light from the tunable laser source is transmitted to the fabry - perot sensor through an optical fiber f . the fabry - perot sensor s pd consists of two reflective surfaces 12 , 14 separated by a gap g . the first reflector 12 may be the end of the fiber with a reflective coating or a separate window with reflective coating . in either case , the first reflector 12 is separated from the pressure diaphragm 16 and the second reflector 14 by a gap distance g , which is equal to 80 μm when no pressure is applied for the preferred embodiment . also , preferably the first reflector 12 is coated with a high reflectance ( r = 99 %) dielectric coating and the second reflector 14 is coated with gold ( r = 98 . 5 %). together , the two parallel reflectors 12 , 14 separated by gap g comprise a high finesse fabry - perot ( f - p ) interferometer . infrared light reflected from the f - p cavity and gap g returns to the signal conditioner ( see fig1 ) where it is detected by the photodiode detector d 1 . the detector material is ingaas , which is sensitive in the infrared wavelength band of interest ( 1500 - 1600 nm ). the pressure transducer s pd may be configured as a circular steel ( e . g . inconel - 718 ) plate ( diaphragm ) welded around the circumference of the plate to the steel sensor body . when external pressure is applied to the diaphragm 16 , it deflects toward the first reflector 12 and the gap g decreases . the radius and thickness of the pressure diaphragm 16 are chosen so that stresses that result are much less than the yield strength of the material . under these conditions , the deflection d of the center of the diaphragm 16 is a linear function of applied pressure p give by the equation : where r is the diaphragm radius , t is the diaphragm thickness , and e is young &# 39 ; s modulus of the diaphragm material . for a typical working design at p = 20000 psi : the infrared light intensity reflected back to the signal conditioner from the f - p cavity is modulated as the diaphragm deflects and the gap g changes . the ratio of the incident - to - reflected intensity i r is a function of both the laser frequency and the gap g and is given by where c = λν is the velocity of light , ν = 1 . 93 × 10 14 hz is the frequency of the infrared light , λ = 1550 × 10 − 9 m ( 1550 nm ) is the wavelength , g is the fabry - perot gap distance between the first and second reflectors , f = 4r /( 1 − r ) 2 , and r =( r 1 r 2 ) 1 / 2 is the composite reflectance of fiber end ( r 1 ) and diaphragm ( r 2 ). for illustration purposes in the remaining fig3 and 4 , a composite reflectance of r = 30 % is assumed , although in the preferred embodiment r & gt ; 99 %. shown in fig3 is a plot of the intensity ratio i r ( ν , g ) for a single gap g = 60 . 062 μm . notably , such an intensity ratio can be generated by normalizing light l provided to sensor s p ( and s t , if appropriate ), preferably through the use of detector d 2 . shown in fig4 is a plot of the intensity ratio i r ( ν , g ) for various gaps . each curve in fig4 represents a different gap . as in fig3 for any given gap g , the reflected intensity ratio measured by the photodiode d 1 oscillates through maxima and minima as the laser frequency is tuned through its range . it is important to note from fig4 that for any given gap , the plot of intensity ratio versus frequency is unique . although the function in equation 3 is oscillatory , the period is not repetitive , which means that the spectrum at some gap ga does not overlay any other spectrum for any other gap gn . thus , measurement of the separation of the minima or maxima in frequency space uniquely determines the gap to within the system resolution . significantly , the inventors were the first to identify and exploit this variation in the intensity ratio versus frequency , as described in equation 3 . previous methods had presumed this dependence was repetitive . consequently , these previous methods could not achieve the level of precision for absolute , quantitative measurements attained by the present invention . moreover , these previous systems could not achieve the fast scan monitoring performed by the present invention . to maximize the resolution of the system , it is important to match the range of gaps with the tuning range of the laser . for example , given a laser with a tuning range of 20 nm , and a transducer with starting gap at 0 psi pressure of 80 μm , then at 20000 psi pressure , the transducer should be designed to deflect 20 μm and the deflection range is 80 μm to 60 μm . it is necessary that for all gaps in the range 60 to 80 μm , there must be at least two minima in the f - p modulated spectrum ( see fig3 ) within the laser tuning range . the minimum length of the gap depends on the laser operating wavelength and tuning range . for a given wavelength , the wider the tuning range the shorter the minimum allowed gap may be . note that the radius and thickness of the diaphragm 16 ( as illustrated in the example above , a flat inconel - 718 ) can be chosen so that at pre - determined deflection distance ( and its resulting the maximum stress , s ) will be well below the yield strength of the material . selection of a low stress is also significant because it provides a very repeatable pressure sensor with little or no hysteresis . as used here , hysteresis refers to the graph of sensor gap versus pressure . if hysteresis is present , the gap will follow two different paths — one path when the pressure increases and a different path when the pressure decreases . an additional source of non - repeatability occurs when the stress in the diaphragm approaches the yield point of the material . when this occurs , the sensor will not produce repeatable results and will need recalibration . thus , it is desirable to design the transducer s pd so that the stress never approaches the yield point and for this reason , alternate transducer designs would be of great value . an alternate for sensor s p is shown as sensor s ps in fig6 . the transduction mechanism is created by the compression of an tubular sleeve 20 with a plug 22 in one end . sleeve 22 is also fitted around the transducer body 24 . reflective surfaces can be provided on fiber f and plug 22 , respectively , as discussed above . with this design there is no bending which occurs in the diaphragm design s pd . the resulting stress is a fraction of the stress in a diaphragm and results in a more repeatable and durable transducer / sensor . in the example shown with a tunable laser that operates over the wavelength range 1500 to 1600 nm ( which corresponds to a frequency range of 200 thz to 187 . 5 thz , respectively speaking ), it is necessary to design both the pressure and temperature sensors so the minimum gap is approximately 60 um . for all gaps in the range , there must be at least two minima in the f - p modulated spectrum ( see fig3 ) within the laser tuning range , and the minimum length of the gap will depend on the laser &# 39 ; s operating wavelength and tuning range . for any given wavelength , a wider tuning range results in a shorter minimally - allowable gap . later we define an algorithm which determines the gap from the measured data and this algorithm requires that for all gaps there exist at least two minima in the f - p modulated spectrum over the tuning range . consider the well - known relationship for a fabry - perot ( reference born and wolf , principles of optics ) with mirror separation g : where ν is the optical frequency at wavelength λ and the velocity of light c = λν . the symbol δ signifies a small change in the frequency ν , where δν = ν 2 − ν 1 . it follows from the velocity of light that where ν is the light frequency and λ the wavelength . the minus sign simply means that as the frequency increases the wavelength decreases . consider a laser with an operating frequency between 192 . 3 thz ( λ = 1560 nm ) and 197 . 5 thz ( λ = 1519 nm ). the laser frequency is tunable with tuning range δν = 5 . 2 × 10 12 hz . note that 1 thz = 10 12 hz . the laser is tuned in a step - wise manner and covers the range in 40000 steps where each step is given by the resolution element δν = 1 . 3 × 10 8 hz . the symbol δ signifies a much smaller change than the symbol δ , but the expression in equation 5 continues to hold . δλ , the resolution element in wavelength is calculated as : equation 4 defines the spacing between the minima or spacing between the maxima plotted in fig3 and 4 . note that for any curve plotted in fig4 , the spacing of the maximum and minimum is unique . consider a laser with a 5 . 2 thz tuning range that is shining on the fabry - perot sensor gap ( see fig1 ). tune the laser over its range 192 . 3 thz to 197 . 5 thz as indicated in fig3 . two minima and two maxima in the reflected light intensity are observed . a precise measurement of the spacing δν between the minima defines the gap g . several examples are provided in table 1 . as long as there are at least two minima in the intensity ratio that are observed when the laser is tuned over its range , it is always possible to measure the gap g uniquely . a calibration plot of sensor gap versus δν is shown in fig5 . the smallest change in the gap that can be measured is determined from equations 4 and 5 . consider the last case in table 1 where g = 60241 nm and ν 2 = 195 . 99 thz . calculate δg corresponding to the resolution element δν = 1 . 3 × 10 8 hz . for a pressure range of 20000 psi and a diaphragm deflection range of 20000 nm ( gap range 80 μm to 60 μm ), a deflection resolution of 0 . 04 nm equates to a pressure resolution of 0 . 04 psi . the following specifications are acceptable for the tunable laser of the present invention : tunable laser scans 40 , 000 steps in 10 sec ( and can also scan 400 steps in 0 . 1 see ); operating scan range is 192 . 3 thz to 197 . 5 thz in laser 1 ; operating scan range is 186 . 8 thz to 192 thz in laser 2 ; step size is 1 pm / step in wavelength space or 130 mhz / step in frequency space ( c = λν , where c is velocity of light , λ is laser wavelength and ν is laser frequency ). additionally , sensor gap ( g ) range is 60000 nm to 80000 nm , and the corresponding pressure range is 20000 psi to 0 psi . a dither operation enables tracking of a minimum in the intensity ratio . an algorithm that details a step - by - step method to determine the size of gap g , and thus the applied pressure ( or some other environmental parameter associated with the fabry - perot sensor s p ), using the tunable laser l is as follows : ( 1 ) interrogate the pressure sensor . perform 40 , 000 step scan . find the frequency minima ν 1 and ν 2 . store the step numbers and values of ν 1 and ν 2 . calculate δν = ν 1 − ν 2 . calculate ga ( ga = c /( 2δν ), where ga is the gap and c is the velocity of light ). note that the location of the minima are determined to 1 pm out of 40 , 000 pm . the difference in the minima is known to 2 pm . thus , the gap ga is known to 80 pm and the pressure is known to 0 . 08 psi . see equation ( 8 ). for 20 , 000 psi range , the pressure is determined to one part in 250 , 000 ; ( 2 ) once the gap is known , the laser is tuned to the frequency minimum nearest the center of the range and laser frequency scan range is changed to 400 steps per 0 . 1 sec . in this mode , small changes in diaphragm deflection ( pressure ) can be tracked at high speed . the pressure update rate in this fast scan mode is 10 hz ; ( 3 ) on a periodic basis , repeat step 1 ; ( 4 ) on a periodic basis , interrogate the temperature sensor and calculate the temperature sensor gap g t ( n ) using a similar algorithm as in steps 1 and 2 ; and ( 5 ) apply temperature correction factor to pressure measurement . in summary , the sensor interrogation system consists of a tunable laser that can provide 40 , 000 separate and adjacent frequency outputs over the band 192 . 3 thz to 197 . 5 thz and a photodiode to measure the light intensity reflected from the fabry - perot gap in a pressure sensor . the system can provide pressure measurement accuracy less than 0 . 1 psi . a second fabry - perot temperature sensor s pt may also be provided as shown in fig1 , although the essence of the invention focuses on the discovery of the non - repetitive nature of the response ( as described above ). the output of the temperature sensor can be used to correct the pressure sensor output for temperature dependent changes in the pressure sensor gap . in long distance applications , the sensor may be 5 km , 10 km or 15 km away from the signal conditioner . to ensure that light from the tunable laser reaches the sensor at the end of such long optical fiber cables , high output power is needed . an output power of 1 mw is sufficient and 10 mw is typically available from tunable laser systems . such large power presents a fundamental problem however . when so much power is injected into the transmission fiber , light is scattered back to the detector . although the percentage of light scattered back is small , the laser power is large , so that over the first 10 meters or so of fiber length , the amount of light back - scattered causes significant detector noise . an optical time domain reflectometer ( otdr ) experiences the same problem , which is why there is a dead band for the first few meters when using an otdr . the large scattered light signal saturates the detector . one method to minimize or reduce the effect is to pulse the light source . light travels about 5 ns / m in optical fiber with refractive index n = 1 . 45 . thus it takes light about 25 μs to travel 5 km , 50 μs to travel 10 km , and 75 μs to travel 15 km . if the laser is turned on and off , then for example , if the range is 10 km , the laser can be turned on for 50 μs and off for 50 μs . the detector can be synchronized with the laser so that when the laser is on the detector is off and when the laser is off the detector is on . for the 50 μs when the laser is on the light travels to the sensor and the detector sees no noise since it is off . for the second 50 μs , the laser is off and the detector sees infrared light reflected from the sensor . with continuous operation in this mode , the laser light is on half the time and off half the time ( 50 % duty cycle ) and the detector noise is minimized because it is not exposed to scattered light . if the laser and detector on - time and off - time are continuously adjustable from 25 to 75 μs , then it is possible to adjust for any sensor range between 5 and 15 km . numerous methods are available to turn the detector on and off . these include a fast shutter , electro - optic modulator , or a simple electronic circuit to switch on and off the electric current to the laser . | 6 |
it will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration , where appropriate , reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements . in addition , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein . however , it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details . in other instances , methods , procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described . the drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features . the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein . several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented . the term “ coupled ” is defined as connected , whether directly or indirectly through intervening components , and is not necessarily limited to physical connections . the connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected . the term “ comprising ” means “ including , but not necessarily limited to ”; it specifically indicates open - ended inclusion or membership in a so - described combination , group , series and the like . in one example as shown in fig1 a , a drilling control system may comprise a control unit 600 and a drilling device 200 . the drilling control system 100 may be coupled to a spatial sensor system 400 to receive spatial information . the spatial sensor system 400 is configured to detect the spatial information of the drilling device 200 and the fiducial marker on the patient and to deliver the spatial information to the control unit 600 . the control unit 600 is configured to receive and store control input , to calculate control output according to the control input and to deliver control output to the drilling device 200 . the control input may comprise spatial information , mechanical information , spindle information and biomechanical information . the control unit 600 may receive control input from outside of the control unit 600 , such as , the spatial sensor system 400 , the drilling device 200 , computed tomography ( ct ), magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ), ultrasonography or a c - arm fluoroscopy or may store the control input , such as biomechanical information pre - processed from medical images . the drilling device 200 is configured to deliver mechanical information and spindle information to the control unit 600 , to receive the control output from the control unit 600 and to perform drilling process according to the control output . the drilling device 200 may comprise a mechanical sensor 220 , a drilling motor 240 , a driving motor , a robotic assembly 230 , and a surgical tool 210 . the mechanical sensor 220 may detect the mechanical information and deliver the mechanical information as a part of the control input to the control unit 600 . the control output may be delivered to the drilling motor 240 for controlling the spindle speed of the surgical tool 210 or to the robotic assembly 230 for controlling the orientation or the position of the surgical tool 210 . the drilling device 200 may comprise a surgical tool 210 , a drilling motor 240 driving the surgical tool 210 , a mechanical sensor 220 detecting mechanical information , a robotic arm assembly and an operation base 300 coupled to the robotic arm assembly . the surgical tool 210 is configured to create a hole powered by the drilling motor 240 . the surgical tool 210 may be a drill bit . the drilling motor 240 provides rotational power to drive the surgical tool 210 and may be controlled by the control unit 600 . the drilling motor may deliver the spindle information to the control unit according to the electric current passing through the drilling motor or via a motor rotation speed detection integrated circuit . in addition , the drilling motor may comprise a rotary encoder , a synchro , a resolver , a rotary variable differential transducer ( rvdt ), or rotary potentiometer to obtain the spindle speed of the surgical tools driven by the drilling motor and deliver the spindle information to the control unit . usually , the drilling motor 240 is an electric motor such as a stepper motor , a servo motor or an ultrasonic motor . the servo motor may be an alternative current ( ac ) servo motor , a direct current ( dc ) ( such as brush or brushless ) servo motor . the mechanical sensor 220 is configured to detect mechanical information . the mechanical information may be the force or the torque applied on the surgical tool 210 and he force or the torque may be measured along x - axis , y - axis or z - axis . the mechanical sensor 220 may be a force sensor to detect the axial force or the deviation force . the mechanical sensor 220 may be a torque sensor to detect the rotational torque . the mechanical sensor 220 may be a torque sensor to detect the rotational torque . the robotic assembly 230 is configured to adjust the position and / or the orientation of the surgical tool 210 . the robotic assembly 230 comprises at least a kinetic pair , such as a prismatic arm , a universal joint pair , a screw joint pair or a cylindrical joint pair . also , the robotic assembly 230 may comprise multiple kinetic pairs , such as stewart type robotic arm or delta robotic arm . each kinetic arm may be powered by a driving motor controlled by the control unit 600 . the operation base 300 is configured to serve as a static mechanical support to the robotic assembly 230 and to position the drilling device 200 near the surgical area . the operation base 300 may be a handheld handle 320 , a fixation stand 310 or a combination of a handheld handle and a fixation stand . the handheld handle gripped by a surgeon provides mobility during drilling process . the fixation stand may be coupled to the operation table fixed on the ceiling or fixed on the floor so that a surgeon may save most effort for handling the drilling device 200 . the spatial sensor system 400 is configured to detect the spatial information of the drilling device 200 corresponding to the fiducial marker at a surgical area . the spatial sensor system 400 may be optical tracking system , magnetic tracking system , ultrasound tracking system , global positioning system ( gps ), wireless positioning system , inertial measurement unit ( imu ) device or visible light camera device for localization of the drilling device 200 . for example , the spatial sensor system 400 may be an optical tracking system comprising a tracking sensor 410 , a device marker 430 and a fiducial marker 420 . the spatial information comprises three - dimensional coordinates and may further be recorded along with time series . in one example as shown in fig1 b , the spatial sensor system 400 may be an optical tracking system comprising a tracking sensor 410 , a fiducial marker 420 and a device marker 430 . the fiducial marker 420 and the device marker 430 may comprise an array of tracking points arranged in a specific geometry , for example , triangular arrangement or quadrilateral arrangement , for precise recognition with the use of the tracking sensor 410 . the fiducial marker 420 may be placed on the subject &# 39 ; s skin surface or on a certain anatomical site , such as spinous process . the device marker 430 may be placed on the drilling device 200 . for example , the spatial sensor system 400 may comprise two device markers , wherein the first device marker 431 is coupled to the base platform of the drilling device 200 and the second device marker 432 is coupled to the moving platform 232 of the drilling device 200 . the tracking sensor 410 is capable of sensing the spatial information according to the relative location of the fiducial marker 420 and the device markers 430 so that the displacement and / or the orientation of the drilling device 200 can be recorded . the spatial information may comprise position and / or orientation in the sensing area , wherein the position in the area are noted as x , y , z and the orientation along x - axis , y - axis , z - axis are noted as α , β , γ . the drilling control system may further comprise a user interface 700 coupled to the control unit 600 to visualize the biomechanical information and the drilling information . in one example as shown in fig2 a , the drilling control system is configured to generate control output 640 according to the received control input for controlling the drilling device 200 during the drilling process . the control input may comprise the biomechanical information 610 and the drilling information 620 . the control unit 600 may send the control output to control the drilling device 200 . for example , the control output may be a visual or audio alarm to alert the surgeon , may be a spindle speed control signal to the drilling motor 240 , or may be a motion control signal to the robotic assembly 230 . as shown in fig2 b , the control unit calculate discrepancy index 630 according to the biomechanical information 610 and the drilling information 620 . the biomechanical information may be generated by the control unit or other processing units according to the image information and the planning information . the biomechanical information 610 may be modeled from image information such as an x - ray image of the surgical area or from a series of computed chromatography ( ct ) images of the surgical area . for example , the image information may comprise three - dimensional voxels with ct numbers . the planning information may comprise the planned spindle speed at each voxel and may further comprise the planned feed rate . therefore , the biomechanical properties of each voxel may be generated according to the planned information . the biomechanical information 610 may comprises one - dimensional coordinate with corresponding biomechanical properties , may comprise two - dimensional pixels with corresponding biomechanical properties or may comprise three - dimensional voxels with corresponding biomechanical properties . the biomechanical properties may represent stiffness , hardness , smoothness , drilling impedance or resistance . the drilling information 620 is generated by the control unit 600 according to the mechanical information 622 , the spatial information 624 and the spindle information 626 . the drilling information 620 may be generated from the mechanical information 622 as a function of the spatial information 624 . the mechanical information 622 is the force or torque in specific direction detected by the mechanical sensor 220 . the spatial information 624 comprises the location of the drilling device 200 corresponding to the anatomical site and may be used to calculate feed rate . the spindle information may comprise the spindle speed of the surgical tool or the drilling motor . the spindle information 626 may be delivered from the drilling motor to the control unit so that the control unit may confirm and adjust the spindle speed consistent with the planning information . as shown in fig2 c , the drilling control method may be performed at a drilling control system . the drilling control method comprises detecting 910 mechanical information ; receiving and storing 920 biomechanical information , mechanical information spatial information and spindle information ; generating 930 drilling information according to the mechanical information , the spatial information , and spindle information ; calculating 940 a discrepancy index according to the biomechanical information and the drilling information ; sending 950 a control input according to the discrepancy index . in one example , the detecting step 910 is performed at a mechanical sensor of a drilling device in the drilling control system . the receiving and storing step 920 is performed at a control unit of the drilling control system wherein the biomechanical information may be received from a medical imaging device ( such as ct or x - ray ) or a medical image processing server , the mechanical information is received from the mechanical sensor , the spatial information is received from a spatial sensor system and the spindle information is received from a drilling motor . the generation step 930 , the calculating step 940 , and the sending step 950 is performed at the control input . in one example as shown in fig3 a , an image information is reconstructed as a three - dimensional model from a series of ct images for spinal pedicle drilling process . in some examples , the biomechanical information may comprise of biomechanical properties along the planned drilling trajectory . then the surgical tool 210 touches the entry point ( denoted as a in fig3 a ) of a vertebra . when the surgical tool starts breaking through the cortical bone on the vertebra , the value of the biomechanical property increases at the beginning and then drops to lower value after the tool penetrates the boundary ( denoted as b in fig3 a ) between the cortical bone and the cancellous bone . afterwards , a different spindle speed , say a low spindle speed , is assigned to the drilling tool . the biomechanical property keeps low values until the tool touches another boundary ( denoted as c in fig3 a ) between the cortical bone and the cancellous bone again . at the exit point ( denoted as d in fig3 a ) of pedicle , the biomechanical property decease drastically . as shown in fig3 b , the planning information comprises the spindle speed varying along the drilling depth . different spindle speeds of the surgical tool are assigned for different stages in drilling process . the spindle speed profile of the drilling tool can be determined from the simulation of the surgical planning software . drilling the cortical bone at a high spindle speed can reduce the possibility of deviation from the planned trajectory at this critical stage of bone drilling procedure . for example , a high spindle speed is assigned when the surgical tool touches the entry point of the cortical bone to achieve a desired feed rate along the planned drilling trajectory . after breaking through into the cancellous bone , the spindle speed is decreased by the control unit to have better detection of the biomechanical property . therefore , the discrepancy index is more sensitive if the drilling information does not match the biomechanical information . as shown in fig3 c , the biomechanical property along the drilling depth is distinguishable at a low spindle speed . the biomechanical properties for drilling cortical bone and cancellous bone at a low spindle speed can be more distinguishable than at a high spindle speed . during simulation , the control unit is also capable of generating the biomechanical information along other trajectories . at an optimized spindle speed , the surgical tool maintains good stability on the planned trajectory and the biomechanical properties of the planned trajectory and other fault trajectories are distinguishable to the control unit . the biomechanical information comprising a biomechanical property per voxel is generated from the image information . the planning information comprising a planned drilling trajectory and a planned spindle speed may be predetermined by a surgeon or may be determined by optimization algorithm . in the example , the planned drilling trajectory is starting from the pedicle of a lumbar vertebra to the vertebral body . for ease of description , the z - axis is defined along the planned drilling trajectory , y - axis is defined as perpendicular to the vertebral body , and x - axis is the cross product of y - axis and z - axis . accordingly , biomechanical information comprising biomechanical properties per voxel along the planned drilling trajectory can be predicted . the image information may be reconstructed into biomechanical information comprising biomechanical properties ( denoted as u ) and tissue types ( denoted as t ) corresponding to spatial location with three reference axes ( denoted as rx , ry , rz ). for example , each voxel with certain biomechanical information may be described as v ( rx , ry , rz , t , u ). in biomechanical simulation , the simulated force or torque may be calculated according to the cutting speed , uncut thickness , rake angle , inclination angle and width of the cutting edge element in each voxel under the condition of the planned information . the biomechanical property may be stored as a vector in directional components . for example , a z - component of the biomechanical property may be calculated as the torque along the z - axis divided by the planned spindle speed . in addition , the biomechanical property may be the force divided by the planned feed rate , the force divided by the planned spindle speed , or the torque divided by the feed rate . tissue type may be classified according to the ct number ( or hounsfield unit ) and may be used to highlight the neural tissue so that the control drilling system is capable of avoiding damage to the neural tissue . the planned drilling trajectory is determined before the drilling process by a surgeon or computer - assisted program . the biomechanical information may be the biomechanical property as a function of drilling depth . one of the typical drilling impedance patterns , for example , may display the large value at the entry point , then drops to low values and last for a certain distance in the pedicle tunnel due to low resistance of the cancellous bone inside the pedicle . afterwards the tool reaches the cortical bone at the exit of the pedicle , the drilling impedance again increases to high values at the contact of cortical bone and drops to low values after breaking through the cortical bone . however , if the tool deviates from the planned trajectory for some reasons , the increasing or dropping pattern of the drilling information will display earlier than expected location on the planned trajectory even though the image displays that tool is on the planned trajectory . the difference of drilling impedance pattern will be able to be used as a second opinion and gives a warning to the surgeon for safety check for the possibility of tool deviation . the biomechanical information may be simulated according to at least one force along an axis or one torque along an axis in varying drilling depth . as shown in fig4 a , the biomechanical property is simulated according to the force along z - axis . as shown in fig4 b , the biomechanical property is simulated according to the torque along the z - axis . as shown in fig4 c , the biomechanical property is simulated according to the force along y - axis . as shown in fig4 d , the biomechanical property is simulated according to the torque along y - axis . as shown in fig4 e , the biomechanical property is simulated according to the force along x - axis . as shown in fig4 f , the biomechanical property is simulated according to the torque along x - axis . in one example as shown in fig5 a , the drilling control system is applied on a spinal pedicle drilling process . the mechanical sensor 220 detects mechanical information and the spatial sensor system detects the spatial information . in one example , the spatial sensor system acquires the spatial information by the tracking sensor 410 detecting the fiducial marker 420 and the device marker 430 . the drilling information comprising the measured biomechanical property along the drilling trajectory will be compared with the biomechanical information comprising the biomechanical property along the planned trajectory . the differences of the drilling information and the biomechanical information are used for the judgment whether the surgical tool 210 is following the planned trajectory . as shown in fig5 b , the biomechanical information 610 is presented as the biomechanical property under the condition of the planning information and the drilling information 620 is the measured biomechanical property recorded as a function of the spatial information . the measured biomechanical property is derived from the mechanical information , the spatial information and the spindle information . for example , the measured biomechanical property may be defined as the ratio of the force / torque over the surgical tool &# 39 ; s feed rate / spindle speed along the moving direction . the control unit 600 monitoring the deviation between the drilling information and the biomechanical information . in the example , the deviation may be determined by the discrepancy index . the discrepancy index is calculated according to the correlation between a first data window extracted from the biomechanical information 610 and a second data window extracted from the drilling information 620 . first of all , a window with width n is assigned ( as shown in fig5 b ). the biomechanical information 610 is represented as the biomechanical property , i p , as a function of the drilling depth z . the discrete calculation of the cross correlation between the biomechanical information and the drilling information in the window with width nis presented as : where z k is the kth sample of the drilling depth , n is the nth sample of the drilling depth , r pm ( z k ) is the cross correlation of ip and im at drilling depth z k , ( z n ) is the biomechanical property at the nth sample of the drilling depth along the planned trajectory , and i m ( z n ) is the measured biomechanical property at the nth sample of the drilling depth during the drilling process . furthermore , the normalized cross correlation is calculated as : ρ pm ( z k ) is defined as the cross correlation normalized by the square root of the product of the autocorrelation . then the discrepancy index is defined as : ψ ( z k )= 1 − ρ pm ( z k ). the discrepancy index is zero when these two curves are completely matched and increases from zero when one of the two curves is away from the other . as shown in fig5 c , the discrepancy index along drilling depth is represented corresponding to the biomechanical information 610 and the drilling information 620 in fig5 b . during the depth from z a to z k , the discrepancy index is around zero . at the depth z b , the drilling information 620 shows increasingly deviated from the biomechanical information 610 . therefore , the increase of the discrepancy index is noted . the control unit detects the discrepancy index and then send a control signal to slow or even stop the drilling motor if the discrepancy index is greater than the predetermined threshold . in another example , the discrepancy index is calculated according to the slope of the biomechanical information and the slope of the drilling information . the control output is determined by the discrepancy index compared to a defined threshold . for example , the control output may be an alarm signal triggered or a spindle speed control signal to decrease the spindle speed when the discrepancy index is greater than the defined threshold ; the control output may be a spindle speed control to keep the spindle rate when the discrepancy index is smaller than the defined threshold . in one example as shown in fig6 a , the mechanical sensor is a force / torque sensor 221 capable of sensing the force in x - axis , y - axis , z - axis and the torque in x - axis , y - axis , z - axis . the mechanical sensor may be a six - axis force / torque sensor 221 coupled to the moving platform 232 of the robotic assembly 230 and the surgical tool 210 , wherein the force / torque sensor 221 detects mechanical information including the force and the torque along x - axis , y - axis and z - axis and delivers the mechanical information to the control unit . in one example as shown in fig6 b , the mechanical sensor may be a joint force sensor 225 capable of sensing the strain or the force along the kinetic pair . the joint force sensor 225 may be a strain gauge coupled to the kinetic pairs 235 of the robotic assembly , wherein the joint force sensor 225 detects mechanical information and delivers the mechanical information to the control unit . the joint force sensors 223 is capable of sensing the force and the torque along x - axis , y - axis and z - axis . in one example as shown in fig6 c , the mechanical sensor is a motor current sensor coupled to the driving motors of the robotic assembly , wherein the mechanical sensor 220 detects mechanical information and delivers the mechanical information to the control unit . the drilling device may comprise multiple driving motors for the kinetic pairs and each of the motor current sensors is coupled to one driving motor of the robotic assembly . the mechanical sensor 220 is capable of sensing the electric current of the driving motors and then calculating the force and the torque along x - axis , y - axis and z - axis . in one example as shown in fig6 d , the robotic assembly may be a stewart type platform comprising six universal - prismatic - spherical ( ups ) kinetic pairs . the ups pair comprises a universal joint pair 236 coupled to the base platform 231 , a prismatic joint pair 237 coupled to the universal joint pair 236 and a spherical joint pair 238 coupled to the moving platform 232 and the spherical joint pair 238 . in one example as shown in fig6 e , the robotic assembly may be a stewart type platform comprising six universal - prismatic - spherical ( ups ) kinetic pairs . the ups pair comprises a universal joint pair 236 coupled to the base platform 231 , a prismatic joint pair 237 coupled to the universal joint pair 236 and a universal joint pair 236 coupled to the moving platform 232 . in one example as shown in fig7 a , the drilling control system comprises an optical tracking system , a drilling device 200 and a control unit 600 , wherein the operation base 300 of the drilling device 200 is a fixation base 310 . the fixation base provides 310 mechanical stability so that the robotic assembly is steadily controlled with minimal unexpected movement . the fixation base 310 may be standing on the floor , hung on the ceiling or clamped to an operation table . the fixation base 310 may further comprise multiple mechanical joints 330 to stabilize the motion of the drilling device 200 . in one example as shown in fig7 b , the operation base 300 comprising the fixation base 310 may further comprise a handheld handle 320 and mechanical joints 330 so that the surgeon may have a degree of motion control of the drilling device 200 . in one example as shown in fig7 c , the fixation base 300 is a handheld handle 320 so that the surgeon may have most motion control of the drilling device 200 and compatible with the surgeon &# 39 ; s user experience . in one example as shown in fig8 a , the spatial sensor system 400 is a drilling trocar 460 comprising a position sensor 450 , wherein the position sensor 450 detects the spatial information of the drilling device 200 and delivers the spatial information to the control unit 600 . the position sensor 450 may be configured on the tunnel of the trocar so that the spatial information comprising at least one degree of freedom as drilling depth is detected . furthermore , the spatial sensor system 400 may be a combination of the drilling trocar and the optical tracking system capable of detecting spatial information comprising six degree of freedom . in one example as shown in fig8 b , the spatial sensor system 400 is a drilling trocar 460 comprising a position sensor 450 , wherein the position sensor 450 detects the spatial information of the drilling device 200 and delivers the spatial information to the control unit 600 . the position sensor 450 may be configured on the tunnel of the drilling trocar 460 so that the spatial information comprising at least one degree of freedom as drilling depth is detected . the position sensor 450 may be a linear variable displacement transducer ( lvdt ) or a displacement sensor . furthermore , the spatial sensor system 400 may be a combination of the drilling trocar and the inertial measurement units ( imu ) 440 capable of detecting spatial information comprising six degree of freedom . in one example , the imus 440 may be configured on the base platform , moving platform 232 and an anatomical site . in one example as shown in fig8 c , the spatial sensor system 400 is a drilling trocar 460 comprising a position sensor 450 , wherein the position sensor 450 detects the spatial information of the drilling device 200 and delivers the spatial information to the control unit 600 . the position sensor 450 may be configured on the outer part of the trocar so that the spatial information comprising at least one degree of freedom as drilling depth is detected . in the example , the position sensor may be a telemeter or a proximeter 455 to detect the distance between the outer part of the drilling trocar 460 and the moving platform 232 . furthermore , the spatial sensor system 400 may be a combination of the drilling trocar and the optical tracking system capable of detecting spatial information comprising six degree of freedom . in one example as shown in fig9 , the drilling control system may receive the image information from a c - arm fluoroscopy to update the biomechanical information . furthermore , the image information from the c - arm fluoroscopy may be used to confirm the spatial information . the drilling control system comprises a drilling device 200 and a control unit 600 and the control unit 600 is coupled to a c - arm fluoroscopy 850 . in addition , the c - arm fluoroscopy may provide a part of spatial information for confirming the position and the orientation of the surgical tool . the drilling control system may further comprise a user interface 700 coupled to the control unit 600 to visualize the biomechanical information and the drilling information . in one example as shown in fig1 , the robotic assembly may be a parallel manipulator configured to position the moving platform 232 with multi - degree - of - freedom . the control unit may generate control output according to the drilling information to compensate mis - alignment of the surgical tools during drilling process . therefore the handheld robot - assisted surgical system can reduce the errors from surgeon &# 39 ; s manual mis - alignment . when surgeon holds the handheld robot to the nearby of the target position / orientation on the vertebras , the handheld robot will automatically adjust the surgical tool 210 to the desired position / orientation and keep the desired position / orientation no matter any motion caused by surgeon &# 39 ; s hand or anatomy . in one example as shown in fig1 , the control unit 600 may generate a control output according to the drilling information . the control output may be a motion control signal to control the robotic assembly or a spindle speed control signal to control the spindle rate of the drilling motor 240 . the mechanical sensor 220 measures the forces and / or torques applied on the surgical tool 210 in the directions , for example , along x - axis , y - axis and z - axis . the robotic assembly adjusts the position / orientation of the surgical tool 210 according to the measured deviation forces / torques so that the deviation of the tool from the planned drilling trajectory can be reduced . moreover , the force and / or torque along the planned trajectory together with the spatial information from marker and / or marker , is used to calculate the drilling impedance . therefore , the robotic assembly can control the surgical tool 210 attached to the moving platform 232 to align with the desired position / orientation . furthermore , the control unit may send a motion control signal to the drilling device according to the planning information . for example , the planning information is the feed rate of drilling process . the drilling device may adjust the force apply on the z - axis by slightly protracting or retracting the robotic assembly . in addition , the drilling device may also be adjusted according to the force or the torque in x - axis and y - axis to reduce deviation from the planned drilling trajectory . it is contemplated that the control unit may be a solitary work station coupled to the drilling device or may be a system in package embedded in the drilling device . the examples shown and described above are only examples . therefore , many such details are neither shown nor described . even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description , together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure , the disclosure is illustrative only , and changes may be made in the detail , including in matters of shape , size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to , and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims . it will therefore be appreciated that the examples described above may be modified within the scope of the claims . | 0 |
a block diagram 500 of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in fig5 . this block diagram 500 is identical the block diagram 100 shown in fig1 except that the gate drive circuit 118 has been replaced by a resonant gate drive circuit 502 , and the resonant circuit 108 has been replaced by an improved resonant circuit 512 which provides loss - less switching of all the fets 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 of the full - bridge inverter 104 without excessive rating of components in the resonant circuit 512 . these two aspects of the present invention are described below . the resonant gate driver 502 as shown in fig5 consists of a conventional gate drive circuit 510 and a resonant circuit 504 . the gate drive circuit 510 has four inputs 510 a that are connected 116 to the gating signals 114 b ( a 1 , a 2 , b 1 , b 2 ) from the phase - shift modulation circuit 114 . the gate drive circuit 510 generates rectangular voltage pulses 510 b ( vga 1 602 , vga 2 604 , vgb 1 606 , vgb 2 608 in fig6 ) that are connected 506 respectively to four inputs 504 a of the resonant circuit 504 . the resonant circuit 504 produces four sinusoidal voltage signals 504 b ( vga r1 610 , vga r2 612 , vgb r1 614 , vgb r2 616 in fig6 ) that are connected 120 respectively to the four inputs 104 c of the full - bridge inverter circuit 104 . now referring to the graphs 700 in fig7 a brief description of the operation of the resonant gate drive 502 with respect to gate circuit losses is given here . for simplicity only gating signals for one gate are shown in fig7 . let us assume that the sinusoidal voltage 702 ( vgarl ) is produced by the resonant gate circuit 502 . this voltage 702 , when applied at the gate a 1 , produces a sinusoidal current igar 1 at its output . since the gate 202 a of the first fet switch s 1 202 is capacitive , current iga r1 704 is also sinusoidal but has a leading angle of 90 ° with respect to voltage vga r1 702 . as a result an instantaneous power pgar 1 706 , which is sinusoidal at twice the frequency of the gate voltage 702 , is drawn from the resonant gate drive circuit 502 . the instantaneous power pga r1 , 706 has a zero average component ( pga r1 = 0 ). this means the resonant gate circuit driver 502 results in a loss - less drive . ( in actual practice , the average power is not ideally zero but has a small value due to the resistance associated with the components of the resonant gate driver circuit 510 . but this average power loss is significantly smaller than the cg vg 2 f losses of the conventional drive circuit 118 .) a resonant gate drive circuit 800 in accordance with the present invention is shown in fig8 . this circuit includes a gate driver 508 ; a series resonant circuit 802 comprising a series inductor 802 a having a value lsg and a series capacitor 802 b having a value csg ; and a gate drive transformer 804 ( tg ) having a primary winding 806 with n1 turns , a first secondary winding 808 , and a second secondary winding 810 each having n2 turns . a parallel resonant circuit 812 , 814 comprising a parallel inductor 812 a , 814 a having a value lg and a gate capacitor 812 b , 814 b having a value cg . the series 802 and parallel 812 , 814 branches are tuned to a frequency of operation of the gate driver 508 . now let us briefly explain the operation of the circuit 800 of fig8 with the help of waveforms 900 as shown in fig9 . after receiving the signals 116 a 1 and a 2 from the phase - shift modulator 114 ( psm ) on its input 508 a , the gate driver 508 generates a square - wave voltage 902 vga at its output 508 b , the square - wave voltage 902 when applied at the series combination of the series resonant circuit 802 and primary winding 806 of the transformer 804 produces a sinusoidal voltage across the primary winding 806 of the transformer 804 . since the parallel branch 812 is tuned to the operating frequency of the driver 508 , the application of the sinusoidal voltage across the parallel resonant circuit 812 produces two sinusoidal currents , icg 1 906 through the capacitor 812 a and ilg 1 908 through the inductor 812 b . both the currents 906 , 908 have the same magnitude but 180 ° phase difference . similarly , the application of the sinusoidal voltage across the parallel resonant circuit 814 produces two sinusoidal currents , icg 2 912 through the capacitor 814 b and ilg 2 914 through the inductor 814 a . again , both the currents 912 , 914 have the same magnitude but 180 ° phase difference . the resultant currents ig 1 910 and ig 2 916 at the secondary windings 808 , 810 are , therefore , zero . this means the current is drawn from the driver circuit 508 is also zero . the above description reveals the following two characteristics of the resonant gate driver 502 : ( 1 ) the average power drawn from the resonant gate drive circuit 502 is zero , and ( 2 ) instantaneous current supplied by the gate driver 508 is zero . however , in actual practice , both the average power and current supplied by the driver 508 are not zero but have small values due to resistance associated with components of the resonant gate driver circuit 502 . an identical resonant gate drive circuit 800 as shown in fig8 is used for driving gates 204 a , 206 a of the second switch 204 and third switch 206 of the full - bridge inverter 104 with the exception that the signals b 1 and b 2 are used as the input signals 116 instead of a 1 and a 2 . [ 0040 ] fig1 shows another embodiment of the resonant gate driver 1000 in accordance with the present invention in which a common parallel inductor 1002 having a value lg is connected across the primary winding 806 of the transformer 804 and the inductors 812 a , 814 a across the secondary windings 808 , 810 are removed . [ 0041 ] fig1 shows another embodiment of the resonant gate driver 1100 in accordance with the present invention in which the parallel inductor 1002 of fig1 is an integral part of the transformer 804 . [ 0042 ] fig1 shows another embodiment of the resonant gate driver 1200 in accordance with the present invention in which both the series 802 a and parallel inductor 1002 of fig1 are integral parts of the transformer 804 . a dc / ac inverter in accordance with the invention is shown in fig1 a and comprises a full - bridge inverter 104 comprising four switches 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 , a commutation inductor 1310 a having a value lc , a blocking capacitor 1310 b having a value cb , a high frequency transformer 214 , a series resonant circuit 210 comprising a series inductor 210 a having a value ls and a series capacitor 210 b having a value cs , and a parallel resonant circuit 212 comprising a parallel inductor 212 a having a value lp and a parallel capacitor 212 b having a value cp . the full - bridge inverter 104 produces a quasi - square voltage at its output terminals . the commutation inductor lc provides a zero voltage switching condition for the inverter switches in conjunction with the parallel capacitors 1302 , 1304 , 1306 , 1308 those are connected across the switches . the transformer t is used to match the output voltage level with the input voltage of the full - bridge . the components ls and cs of the series resonant circuit and the components lp and cp of the parallel resonant circuit are tuned at the operating frequency of the full - bridge inverter . both the series and resonant circuits provide filtering , for the harmonics contained in the quasi - square wave of the full - bridge inverter , and produce a sinusoidal voltage output across the parallel resonant circuit . capacitor cb is used to prevent the saturation of the commutation inductor lc . a detailed description of the resonant inverter 1300 of fig1 a in conjunction with the operating waveforms 1350 as shown in fig1 b is now given . in operation when the resonant gate drive signals vga r1 , vga r2 , vgb r1 , vgb r2 are applied at the gates of switches 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 respectively , a near quasi - square voltage waveform vab 1362 is produced at the output 106 of the full - bridge inverter 104 . since both the series 210 and parallel 212 resonant branches are tuned at the operating frequency of the inverter 1300 , a near sinusoidal current i s 1368 through the series branch 210 , a near sinusoidal voltage v p 1366 across the parallel branch 212 , and a trapezoidal current i lc 1370 through the commutation inductor 1310 a are established . for one cycle of operation of the inverter 1300 , the operation of the inverter 1300 is given below . at time t = 0 , only gate voltage vgb r2 1360 at the gate of the second switch 204 is above the gate threshold voltage vgth 1356 , which makes the second switch 204 continuously conduct . at the same time the net current iab ( is + ilc ) is negative , which is forcing diode 1322 to conduct . at t = t 1 , the gate voltage vgb r2 1360 falls below the threshold voltage vgth , the second switch 204 starts to turn - off and the negative current iab starts to charge the second capacitor 1304 and discharge the third capacitor 1306 . by selecting the proper value of the second capacitor 1304 , the rate of rise of voltage across the second switch 204 can be controlled in such a way that the current flowing through the second switch 204 falls to zero before the voltage across the second switch 204 rises substantially . this results in near loss - less turn - off for the second switch 204 . at t = t 2 , the second capacitor 1304 has charged to the level of input voltage vi and the third capacitor 1306 has discharged to zero . the negative current iab ( is + ilc ) now forces the third diode 1326 to conduct . at t = t 3 , the gate voltage vga r1 1352 rises above the gate threshold voltage vgth 1356 , the first switch 202 now starts to conduct . it should be noted that the first switch 202 turns - on under zero voltage as the first diode 1322 across it was conducting prior to the turn - on . at t = t 5 , the gate voltage vgb r1 1358 rises above the gate threshold voltage vgth 1356 , the third switch 206 now starts to conduct . it should be noted that the third switch 206 turns - on under zero voltage as the third diode 1326 across it was conducting prior to the turn - on . at t = t 6 , the gate voltage vga r1 1352 falls below the threshold voltage vgth 1356 , the first switch 202 starts to turn - off and the positive current iab starts to charge the first capacitor 1302 and discharge the fourth capacitor 1308 . by selecting the proper value of the first capacitor 1302 , the rate of rise of voltage across the first switch 202 can be controlled in such a way that the current flowing through the first switch 202 falls to zero before the voltage across the first switch 202 rises substantially . this results in near loss - less turn - off for the first switch 202 . at t = t 7 , the first capacitor 1302 has charged to the level of input voltage vi and the fourth capacitor 1308 has discharged to zero . the positive current iab ( is + ilc ) now forces the fourth diode 1328 to conduct . at time t = t 8 , only gate voltage vgb r1 1358 at the gate of the third switch 206 is above the gate threshold voltage vgth , which makes the third switch 206 continuously conduct . at the same time the net current iab ( is + ilc ) is positive , which is forcing the fourth diode 1328 to conduct . at t = t 9 , the gate voltage vgb r1 1358 falls below the threshold voltage vgth 1356 , the third switch 206 starts to turn - off and the positive current iab starts to charge the third capacitor 1306 and discharge the second capacitor 1304 . by selecting the proper value of the third capacitor 1306 , the rate of rise of voltage across the third switch 206 can be controlled in such a way that the current flowing through the third switch 206 falls to zero before the voltage across the third switch 206 rises substantially . this results in near loss - less turn - off for the third switch 206 . at t = t 10 , the third capacitor 1306 has charged to the level of input voltage vi and the second capacitor 1304 has discharged to zero . the positive current iab ( is + ilc ) now forces the second diode 1324 to conduct . at t = t 11 , the gate voltage vga r2 1354 rises above the gate threshold voltage vgth 1356 , the fourth switch 208 now starts to conduct . it should be noted that the fourth switch 208 turns - on under zero voltage as the fourth diode 1328 across it was conducting prior to the turn - on . at t = t 12 , the gate voltage vgbr 2 rises above the gate threshold voltage vgth , the second switch 204 now starts to conduct . it should be noted that the second switch 204 turns - on under zero voltage as the second diode 1304 across it was conducting prior to the turn - on . at t = t 13 , the gate voltage vga r2 falls below the threshold voltage vgth , the fourth switch 208 starts to turn - off and the negative current iab starts to charge the fourth capacitor 1308 and discharge the first capacitor 1302 . by selecting the proper value of the fourth capacitor 1308 , the rate of rise of voltage across the fourth switch 208 can be controlled in such a way that the current flowing through the fourth switch 208 falls to zero before the voltage across the fourth switch 208 rises substantially . this results in near loss - less turn - off for the fourth switch 208 . at t = t 14 , the fourth capacitor 1308 has charged to the level of input voltage vi and the capacitor 1302 has discharged to zero . the negative current iab ( is + ilc ) now forces the first diode 1322 to conduct . at t = t 15 , a new cycle begins and the operation of the inverter 104 as described above repeats . from the above description , it is clear that the switches of the inverter 104 are turned - on and turned - off with near zero switching losses . controlling the phase shift ( φ ) of the full - bridge inverter 104 controls the high frequency sinusoidal output voltage . [ 0063 ] fig1 shows another embodiment 1400 of the resonant inverter 500 of fig5 in which the parallel resonant circuit 1402 of the resonant circuit 512 is connected across the secondary winding of the transformer 214 . [ 0064 ] fig1 shows another embodiment of the resonant inverter 500 of fig5 in which both the series 1502 and the parallel resonant 1402 circuits of the resonant circuit 512 are connected across the secondary winding of the transformer 214 . [ 0065 ] fig1 shows another embodiment of the resonant inverter 500 of fig5 in which the parallel resonant inductor of the resonant circuit 512 is an integral part of the transformer 214 . [ 0066 ] fig1 shows another embodiment of the resonant inverter 500 of fig5 in which the series resonant inductor of the resonant circuit 512 is an integral part of the transformer 214 . [ 0067 ] fig1 shows another embodiment of the resonant inverter 500 of fig5 in which both the series and the parallel resonant inductors of the resonant circuit 512 are the integral parts of the transformer 214 . a prototype of high frequency resonant inverter system of fig1 was built to verify the performance . the inverter system is used to produce a 1 mhz , sinusoidal 28 vrms , and 240 volt - ampere output power from an input voltage of 400 v dc . the following parameters are used for the power circuit : cb = 1 uf 1310 b , lc = 76 uh 1310 a , transformer 214 turns ratio ( n1 / n2 = 35 / 3 ), ls = 1 uh 1502 a , cs = 25 nf 1502 b , lp = 0 . 43 uh 1402 a , cp = 59 nf 1402 b , the switches 1302 , 1304 , 1306 , 1308 are irf 840 . the following parameters are used for the resonant gate driver 800 of fig8 : lsg = 25 uh 802 a , csg = 1 nf 802 b , turns ratio for the gate transformer 804 ( n1 / n2 = 10 / 10 ), lg = 18 uh 812 a , 814 a , and cg = 1 . 3 nf 812 b , 814 b . the output voltage had lower than 1 . 5 % total harmonic distortion , better than 1 % voltage regulation and over 96 % efficiency including the gate circuit . the invention therefore provides an ac to dc inverter capable of operating at high frequencies and has very small switching losses . the embodiment ( s ) of the invention described above is ( are ) intended to be exemplary only . the scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
a resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is described below . fig1 a and 1b are an illustration of the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention , in which fig1 a is a perspective view of the semiconductor device seen from a rear surface of an external terminal , and fig1 b is a sectional view taken along the line a - a of part ( 1 ). as illustrated in fig1 a , the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the first embodiment is a 6 - pin type multichip package having six external terminals 5 . the semiconductor device has the following structure . the semiconductor device includes a first resin encapsulated body 25 and a second resin encapsulated body 26 . the first resin encapsulated body 25 includes a first semiconductor element 2 , a plurality of inner wiring lines 4 that are flip - chip connected to bump electrodes 3 a formed on a plurality of electrode pads ( not shown ) formed on the first semiconductor element 2 , and the external terminals 5 formed so as to be integrally coupled to one main surface ( rear surface ) of the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 . the first resin encapsulated body 25 is encapsulated in a first resin 6 so that only another main surface ( front surface ) of the inner wiring lines 4 and a surface to be mounted corresponding to a rear surface of the external terminals 5 are exposed . the second resin encapsulated body 26 includes a second semiconductor element 7 indicated by the broken line in fig1 a , and metal bodies serving as bump electrodes 3 b that are formed on a plurality of electrode pads ( not shown ) formed on the second semiconductor element 7 and that are flip - chip connected to the another main surface ( front surface ) of the inner wiring lines 4 . the second semiconductor element 7 and the bump electrodes 3 b of the second resin encapsulated body 26 are encapsulated in a second resin 8 . a surface of the second resin encapsulated body 26 on which the metal bodies serving as the bump electrodes 3 b are exposed and a surface of the first resin encapsulated body 25 on which the inner wiring lines 4 are exposed are integrally formed so as to be in intimate contact with each other . the first resin encapsulated body 25 has a structure in which the first semiconductor element 2 having the bump electrodes 3 a formed thereon , the external terminals 5 spaced around the first semiconductor element 2 , and the inner wiring lines 4 connected to the bump electrodes 3 a and to the external terminals 5 are encapsulated in the first resin 6 . a rear surface of the first semiconductor element 2 and the rear surface of the external terminals 5 are exposed from the first resin 6 . the rear surface of the first semiconductor element 2 , the rear surface of the external terminals 5 , and a surface of the first resin 6 are flush with one another , and make a first surface of the semiconductor device . further , the second resin encapsulated body 26 has a structure in which the second semiconductor element 7 having the bump electrodes 3 b formed thereon is covered with the second resin 8 and a surface of the bump electrodes 3 b is exposed from the second resin 8 . the inner wiring lines 4 exposed from the first resin encapsulated body 25 and the bump electrodes 3 b exposed from the second resin encapsulated body 26 are connected to each other , thereby forming the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the present invention . note that , the first resin encapsulated body 25 and the second resin encapsulated body 26 are rectangular in a cross section , and the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device including the first resin encapsulated body 25 and the second resin encapsulated body 26 is rectangular in a cross section as well . as illustrated in fig1 a and 1b , in the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the first embodiment , the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 are flip - chip connected to the inner wiring lines 4 via the bump electrodes 3 a and 3 b , respectively , and are mounted in the semiconductor device so as to be opposed to each other . such opposed mounting reduces a length of wiring lines between the semiconductor elements compared with the related - art one , which enables efficient design with reduced routing loss ( in terms of space , electrical resistance , and the like ). according to the first embodiment , the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 are formed of a control element configured to control mosfet switching and a mosfet , respectively . the bump electrodes 3 a and 3 b formed of a copper material are formed at electrode portions of the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 , respectively . a film formed by laminating a nickel layer , a palladium layer , and a gold layer in the stated order is formed on the surfaces of the inner wiring lines 4 connected to the bump electrodes 3 a and 3 b , respectively . abase material of the inner wiring lines 4 is copper . as the first resin 6 and the second resin 8 , a thermosetting epoxy resin containing an ordinary light - shielding component used for encapsulating a semiconductor element is used . depending on the product specifications and the mode , a light - transmitting encapsulating resin is used as the first resin 6 or the second resin 8 . further , the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to a face side is a main surface that is a mounting surface corresponding to the rear surface of the external terminals 5 , and is formed so as to be exposed to the outside from the first resin 6 . the exposing process is realized by grinding the resin . for example , when the flip - chip connection is made , the first semiconductor element 2 can be set to have a thickness of 250 μm so that the flip - chip connection can be made under a state in which the element has a high rigidity , and , in a resin grinding process thereafter , the first semiconductor element 2 can be thinned to an extent that the first semiconductor element 2 is flush with the external terminals 5 . in particular , as the size of the semiconductor element becomes larger , if the semiconductor element is thinned to , for example , 50 μm , the rigidity of the semiconductor element is lowered , which makes it difficult to make a flip - chip connection to lower the quality or to lower the manufacturing yield . in the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the first embodiment , even when a plurality of larger semiconductor elements are mounted thereon , the flip - chip connection is made in the processes described above , and thus , a thinner semiconductor device can be provided with a stable yield . a resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention is described below . fig2 is a sectional view for illustrating the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention . the second embodiment has a structure equivalent to that of the first embodiment except for the following points . the second semiconductor element 7 is fixed to a main surface of the first resin 6 in a face up manner using an adhesive , and the plurality of electrode pads formed on the second semiconductor element 7 and the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 are connected to each other by wire bonding using metal wires 9 corresponding to metal bodies according to this embodiment . as the metal wires 9 used in the second embodiment , copper wires are used . further , instead of the structure of the semiconductor element exemplified in the first embodiment , the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 may be a mosfet and a control element configured to control mosfet switching , respectively . in this case , composition of the first resin 6 and composition of the second resin 8 may be separately determined . the compositions may be the same , or may be different from each other . for example , when the second semiconductor element 7 is an optical element and the first semiconductor element 2 is a control element thereof , it is possible that the second resin 8 is a transparent resin and the first resin 6 is a light - shielding resin . a resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention is described below . fig3 a to 3b are sectional views for illustrating the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention . the third embodiment has a structure equivalent to that of the first embodiment , but is different therefrom in that each of the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 is replaced by a plurality of semiconductor elements . as illustrated in fig3 a , a plurality of first semiconductor elements 2 and a plurality of second semiconductor elements 7 are flip - chip connected to a plurality of inner wiring lines 4 . alternatively , as illustrated in fig3 b , a plurality of first semiconductor elements 2 and the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 may be flip - chip connected to each other , and a plurality of second semiconductor elements 7 and the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 may be connected to each other by wire bonding . modes of connecting the plurality of first semiconductor elements 2 and the plurality of second semiconductor elements 7 to the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 employ combinations selected from wire bonding connection and flip - chip connection depending on an object to be attained by a target product . as described above , the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the third embodiment provides packaging options that makes full use of limited space without increasing the size of the semiconductor device even for more sophisticated product specifications or application to be attained by a plurality of semiconductor elements or a plurality of components , and can contribute to development of electronic equipment that is desired to have a smaller size , a smaller thickness , and higher integration . a resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is described below . fig4 a and 4b are sectional views for illustrating the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention . the fourth embodiment has a structure equivalent to that of the first embodiment . however , the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side is not flush with the mounting surface corresponding to the rear surface of the external terminals 5 , and is formed so as not to be exposed to the outside from the first resin 6 . fig4 a is an illustration of a case in which the first semiconductor element 2 is flip - chip connected and a face thereof is opposed to the second semiconductor element 7 . fig4 b is an illustration of a case in which the first semiconductor element 2 is connected by wire bonding and the face thereof is in the same direction as that of a face of the second semiconductor element 7 . when the product specifications do not allow exposure of the first semiconductor element 2 to the outside , it is effective to use structures in which the first semiconductor element 2 is embedded in the first resin 6 as illustrated in fig4 a and 4b . next , a method of manufacturing the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to sectional views for illustrating process steps thereof . as illustrated in fig5 a , first , a substrate 10 is prepared . the substrate 10 is an iron - based steel plate having a length of 250 mm , a width of 80 mm , and a thickness of 250 μm . other than this , a copper - based alloy material or a nickel - based alloy material may be used as well . further , a plate of ceramic or fiber reinforced plastic ( frp ) that is an insulator , or a plate of an organic material such as a polyimide may be used as well . as illustrated in fig5 b , a wiring pattern having a thickness of 15 μm is formed on one main surface of the substrate 10 by electrolytic plating or printing using the inner wiring lines 4 of copper . after that , as illustrated in fig5 c , a pattern of the external terminals 5 having a thickness of 80 μm is formed by electrolytic plating on a part of the surface of the inner wiring lines 4 on which the external terminals 5 are to be formed on a side opposite to the substrate 10 . the external terminals are formed of a single layer material of solder , gold , silver , copper , aluminum , palladium , or nickel , or a multilayer metal material including laminated layers thereof . then , as illustrated in fig5 d , the first semiconductor element 2 that is back ground to have a thickness of 250 μm is flip - chip connected to the surface of a part of the inner wiring lines 4 via the bump electrodes 3 a . then , as illustrated in fig5 e , the inner wiring lines 4 , the external terminals 5 , and the first semiconductor element 2 on the one main surface side of the substrate 10 are encapsulated in the first resin 6 by transfer molding to form a resin encapsulated body having a resin thickness of about 200 μm . as the first resin 6 , a thermosetting epoxy resin containing an ordinary light - shielding component used for encapsulating a semiconductor element is used . then , as illustrated in fig6 a , one entire main surface of the first resin 6 is ground to expose the mounting surface of the external terminals 5 and the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 on the side opposite to the face side . then , as illustrated in fig6 b , another main surface of the substrate 10 except for edge portions thereof is opened by etching to expose the inner wiring lines 4 and the first resin 6 . then , as illustrated in fig6 c , the second semiconductor element 7 and the inner wiring lines 4 are flip - chip connected to each other via the bump electrodes 3 b arranged on the second semiconductor element 7 . then , as illustrated in fig6 d , the second semiconductor element 7 and the inner wiring lines 4 are encapsulated in the second resin 8 by transfer molding . in this manner , the first resin 6 and the second resin 8 are integrally formed so as to be in intimate contact with each other to form the resin encapsulated body . as the second resin 8 , similarly to the first resin 6 , a thermosetting epoxy resin containing an ordinary light - shielding component is used . further , when the surfaces of the inner wiring lines 4 exposed by etching and the surface of the first resin 6 are cleaned by plasma processing or the like before the integral formation with the second resin 8 is performed , adherence of the resins at the interface is enhanced , thereby being capable of obtaining a highly reliable resin encapsulated body . in forming the second resin 8 , potting or pressing may be used instead of transfer molding . finally , as illustrated in fig6 e , the resin encapsulated body is separated by blade dicing to complete individual resin - encapsulated semiconductor devices . breaking or laser cutting may be used instead of blade dicing . next , a resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is described below . fig8 a and 8b are an illustration of the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention , in which fig8 a is a perspective view of the semiconductor device seen from a rear surface of an external terminal , and fig8 b is a sectional view taken along the line a - a of part ( 1 ). as illustrated in fig8 a , the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the fifth embodiment is a 6 - pin type multichip package having six external terminals 5 . the semiconductor device includes a first resin encapsulated body 25 and a second resin encapsulated body 26 . the first resin encapsulated body 25 includes a first semiconductor element 2 , a plurality of inner wiring lines 4 that are flip - chip connected to bump electrodes 3 a formed on a plurality of electrode pads ( not shown ) formed on the first semiconductor element 2 , and the external terminals 5 formed so as to be integrally coupled to one main surface ( rear surface ) of the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 . the first resin encapsulated body 25 is encapsulated in a first resin 6 so that only another main surface ( front surface ) of the inner wiring lines 4 and a surface to be mounted corresponding to a rear surface of the external terminals 5 are exposed . the second resin encapsulated body 26 includes a second semiconductor element 7 , and metal bodies serving as bump electrodes 3 b that are formed on a plurality of electrode pads ( not shown ) formed on the second semiconductor element 7 and that are flip - chip connected to the another main surface ( front surface ) of the inner wiring lines 4 . the second semiconductor element 7 and the bump electrodes 3 b of the second resin encapsulated body 26 are encapsulated in a second resin 8 . a surface of the second resin encapsulated body 26 on which the metal bodies serving as the bump electrodes 3 b are exposed and a surface of the first resin encapsulated body 25 on which the inner wiring lines 4 are exposed are integrally formed so as to be in intimate contact with each other . the first resin encapsulated body 25 has a structure in which the first semiconductor element 2 having the bump electrodes 3 a formed thereon , a covering layer 12 formed on a surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to a face side thereof , the external terminals 5 spaced around the first semiconductor element 2 , and the inner wiring lines 4 connected to the bump electrodes 3 a and to the external terminals 5 are encapsulated in the first resin 6 . the covering layer 12 formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side and the rear surface of the external terminals 5 are exposed from the first resin 6 . the covering layer 12 formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side , the rear surface of the external terminals 5 , and a surface of the first resin 6 are flush with one another , and make a first surface of the semiconductor device . further , the second resin encapsulated body 26 has a structure in which the second semiconductor element 7 having the bump electrodes 3 b formed thereon is covered with the second resin 8 and a surface of the bump electrodes 3 b is exposed from the second resin 8 . the inner wiring lines 4 exposed from the first resin encapsulated body 25 and the bump electrodes 3 b exposed from the second resin encapsulated body 26 are connected to each other , thereby forming the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the present invention . note that , the first resin encapsulated body 25 and the second resin encapsulated body 26 are rectangular in a cross section , and the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device including the first resin encapsulated body 25 and the second resin encapsulated body 26 is rectangular in a cross section as well . as illustrated in fig8 a and 8b , in the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the fifth embodiment , the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 are flip - chip connected to the inner wiring lines 4 via the bump electrodes 3 a and 3 b , respectively , and are mounted in the semiconductor device so as to be opposed to each other . such opposed mounting reduces a length of wiring lines between the semiconductor elements compared with the related - art one , which enables efficient design with reduced routing loss ( in terms of space , electrical resistance , and the like ). further , the covering layer 12 formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side protects the first semiconductor element 2 from an external environment . also according to the fifth embodiment , the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 are formed of a control element configured to control mosfet switching and a mosfet , respectively . the bump electrodes 3 a and 3 b formed of a copper material are formed at electrode portions of the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 , respectively . a film formed by laminating a nickel layer , a palladium layer , and a gold layer in the stated order is formed on the surfaces of the inner wiring lines 4 connected to the bump electrodes 3 a and 3 b , respectively . a base material of the inner wiring lines 4 is copper . as the first resin 6 and the second resin 8 , a thermosetting epoxy resin containing an ordinary light - shielding component used for encapsulating a semiconductor element is used . depending on the product specifications and the mode , a light - transmitting encapsulating resin is used as the first resin 6 or the second resin 8 . when the first semiconductor element 2 is sensitively affected by external light , by adopting a light - shielding material as the covering layer 12 formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side , the effect of external light can be reduced . further , a surface of the covering layer 12 formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side is a main surface flush with the mounting surface corresponding to the rear surface of the external terminals 5 , and is exposed to the outside from the first resin 6 . the exposing process is realized by grinding the resin . for example , in the case of the flip - chip connection , by setting the first semiconductor element 2 to have a thickness of 50 μm and coating the covering layer 12 formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side with a resin having a thickness of 80 μm , the flip - chip connection is made under a state in which the element has a high rigidity , and , in the resin grinding process thereafter , by grinding the covering layer 12 of the resin formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side so as to be flush with the external terminals 5 , the covering layer 12 can be thinned . in particular , in the resin grinding process , it is difficult to grind three kinds of different materials of the external terminals 5 ( for example , cupper ), the first semiconductor element 2 ( for example , silicon ), and the first resin 6 ( epoxy resin ), and there is a possibility that the quality may be lowered or the manufacturing yield may be lowered . by this reason , in the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the fifth embodiment , the covering layer 12 of the resin is formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 opposite to the face side so that only two kinds of materials ( for example , copper and an epoxy resin ) of the external terminals 5 ( for example , copper ), the first resin 6 ( for example , an epoxy resin ), and the covering layer 12 ( for example , the epoxy resin ) are ground in the grinding process . when a plurality of larger semiconductor elements are mounted , the grinding process described above can be performed with more simplicity , and a multichip semiconductor device having higher integration and a smaller thickness can thus be provided with a stable yield . in particular , silicon that is a base material of the first semiconductor element 2 is a material that is difficult to cut , and thus , the formation of the covering layer 12 to enhance the free - cutting property is effective in improving the quality and in enhancing the manufacturing yield . a resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention is described below . fig9 is a sectional view for illustrating the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention . the sixth embodiment has a structure equivalent to that of the fifth embodiment except for the following points . the second semiconductor element 7 is fixed to a main surface of the first resin 6 in a face up manner using an adhesive , and the plurality of electrode pads formed on the second semiconductor element 7 and the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 are connected to each other by wire bonding using metal wires 9 corresponding to metal bodies according to this embodiment . as the metal wires 9 used in the sixth embodiment , copper wires are used . further , instead of the structure of the semiconductor element exemplified in the fifth embodiment , the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 may be a mosfet and a control element configured to control mosfet switching , respectively . in this case , composition of the first resin 6 and composition of the second resin 8 may be separately determined . the compositions may be the same , or may be different from each other . for example , when the second semiconductor element 7 is an optical element and the first semiconductor element 2 is a control element thereof , it is possible that the second resin 8 is a transparent resin and the first resin 6 is a light - shielding resin . a resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention is described below . fig1 a and 10b are sectional views for illustrating the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention . the seventh embodiment has a structure equivalent to that of the fifth embodiment , but is different therefrom in that each of the first semiconductor element 2 and the second semiconductor element 7 is replaced by a plurality of semiconductor elements . as illustrated in fig1 a , a plurality of first semiconductor elements 2 and a plurality of second semiconductor elements 7 are flip - chip connected to a plurality of inner wiring lines 4 . alternatively , as illustrated in fig1 b , a plurality of first semiconductor elements 2 and the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 may be flip - chip connected to each other , and a plurality of second semiconductor elements 7 and the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 may be connected to each other by wire bonding . modes of connecting the plurality of first semiconductor elements 2 and the plurality of second semiconductor elements 7 to the plurality of inner wiring lines 4 employ combinations selected from wire bonding connection and flip - chip connection depending on an object to be attained by a target product . as described above , the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the seventh embodiment provides packaging options that makes full use of limited space without increasing the size of the semiconductor device even for more sophisticated product specifications or application to be attained by a plurality of semiconductor elements or a plurality of components , and can contribute to development of electronic equipment that is desired to have a smaller size , a smaller thickness , higher integration , and higher quality . next , a method of manufacturing the resin - encapsulated semiconductor device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to sectional views for illustrating process steps thereof . as illustrated in fig1 a , first , a substrate 10 is prepared . the substrate 10 is an iron - based steel plate having a length of 250 mm , a width of 80 mm , and a thickness of 250 μm . other than this , a copper - based alloy material or a nickel - based alloy material may be used as well . further , a plate of ceramic or fiber reinforced plastic ( frp ) that is an insulator , or a plate of an organic material such as a polyimide may be used as well . as illustrated in fig1 b , a wiring pattern having a thickness of 15 μm is formed on one main surface of the substrate 10 by electrolytic plating or printing using the inner wiring lines 4 of copper . after that , as illustrated in fig1 c , a pattern of the external terminals 5 having a thickness of 80 μm is formed by electrolytic plating on a part of the surface of the inner wiring lines 4 on which the external terminals 5 are to be formed on a side opposite to the substrate 10 . the external terminals are formed of a single layer material of solder , gold , silver , copper , aluminum , palladium , or nickel , or a multilayer metal material including laminated layers thereof . then , as illustrated in fig1 d , the first semiconductor element 2 obtained by separating a wafer that has been back ground to have a thickness of 50 μm , and has the covering layer 12 of the resin at a thickness of 80 μm coating the back - ground surface thereof is flip - chip connected to the surface of a part of the inner wiring lines 4 via the bump electrodes 3 a . then , as illustrated in fig1 e , the inner wiring lines 4 , the external terminals 5 , and the first semiconductor element 2 on the one main surface side of the substrate 10 are encapsulated in the first resin 6 by transfer molding to form a resin encapsulated body having a resin thickness of about 200 μm . as the first resin 6 , a thermosetting epoxy resin containing an ordinary light - shielding component used for encapsulating a semiconductor element is used . then , as illustrated in fig1 a , one entire main surface of the first resin 6 is ground to expose the mounting surface of the external terminals 5 and the covering layer 12 formed on the surface of the first semiconductor element 2 on the side opposite to the face side . then , as illustrated in fig1 b , another main surface of the substrate 10 except for edge portions thereof is opened by etching to expose the inner wiring lines 4 and the first resin 6 . then , as illustrated in fig1 c , the second semiconductor element 7 and the inner wiring lines 4 are flip - chip connected to each other via the bump electrodes 3 b arranged on the second semiconductor element 7 . then , as illustrated in fig1 d , the second semiconductor element 7 and the inner wiring lines 4 are encapsulated in the second resin 8 by transfer molding . in this manner , the first resin 6 and the second resin 8 are integrally formed so as to be in intimate contact with each other to form the resin encapsulated body . as the second resin 8 , similarly to the first resin 6 , a thermosetting epoxy resin containing an ordinary light - shielding component is used . further , when the surfaces of the inner wiring lines 4 exposed by etching and the surface of the first resin 6 are cleaned by plasma processing or the like before the integral formation with the second resin 8 is performed , adherence of the resins at the interface is enhanced , thereby being capable of obtaining a highly reliable resin encapsulated body . in forming the second resin 8 , potting or pressing may be used instead of transfer molding . finally , as illustrated in fig1 e , the resin encapsulated body is separated by blade dicing to complete individual resin - encapsulated semiconductor devices . breaking or laser cutting may be used instead of blade dicing . | 7 |
fig3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a magnetic latch 30 configured according to one embodiment of the present invention . the magnetic latch 30 includes a magnetic tunnel junction ( mtj ) 300 , which includes a magnetic layer 301 , an insulator layer 302 , and a magnetic layer 303 . the magnetic layers 301 and 303 may be constructed from a variety of transitional - metal ferromagnets and other magnetic materials , including cobalt - iron , or the like , while the insulator layer 302 may be constructed from a variety of insulating materials , such as aluminum oxide or the like . depending on the current or voltage level applied to the mtj 300 , the relative polarities of the magnetic layers 301 and 303 are affected . in one instance , applying a particular current or voltage level will cause the polarity in the magnetic layer 301 to be anti - parallel to the magnetic layer 303 . similarly , another current or voltage level will cause the polarities of the magnetic layers 301 and 303 to be the same or parallel . the magnetic latch 30 is configured such that the transistors m 1 and m 2 are coupled in parallel to each other , where m 1 is coupled at one terminal to v dd and m 2 is coupled at one terminal to v ss . another terminal of m 1 and m 2 is coupled to the mtj 300 . the gates of both of transistors m 1 and m 2 are coupled to a circuit 304 providing the in retention signal . m 1 is configured as a p - type metal oxide semiconductor ( pmos ) transistor , while m 2 is configured as an n - type mos ( nmos ). thus , depending on the signal received from the circuit 304 either m 1 will be switched on , pulling up the voltage on the mtj 300 to v dd , while m 2 is off , or m 2 will be switched on , pulling the voltage on the mtj 300 to v ss . because of the different transistor types , m 1 and m 2 will generally not be on at the same time . the transistors m 3 and m 4 are also coupled in parallel to each other , wherein each has a terminal connected to the mtj 300 , and wherein each has another terminal connected to v ss and v dd . each of the gate terminals of m 3 and m 4 is connected to an xnor gate 305 . as shown , the transistor m 3 is configured as an nmos , while the transistor m 4 is configured as a pmos . thus , as with m 1 and m 2 , either m 3 is off while m 4 is on or m 3 is on while m 4 is off as determined by the combinational relationship between the in retention and save signals provided by the xnor gate 305 . depending on whether the mtj 300 is connected from v dd to v ss or from v ss to v dd , ( i . e ., whether m 1 and m 3 are on , or m 2 and m 4 are on ) the polarity in the magnetic layers 301 and 303 will either be parallel or anti - parallel ( storing either a 0 state or 1 state ). by measuring the resistance of the mtj 300 , the specific state saved within the mtj 300 can be determined . this state information is provided to a buffer circuit 306 ( or a sense amplifier ) and held as the output from the latch 30 , sa . out . therefore , by utilizing the deterministic save signal , in combination with the in retention signal , the state can be magnetically set within the mtj 300 and provided in an output , sa . out ( sense amplifier output ). because the mtj 300 sets and holds the state information magnetically , no power is necessary to maintain the state in the magnetic latch 30 . in one embodiment , when the save signal is enabled a dc connection is provided to the mtj 300 enabling a write operation . in one example , in order to write a 1 into the mtj 300 , a 1 is impressed on the in retention lead , and the save signal is enabled . thus , the transistors m 1 and m 3 are on , so that current from v dd to v ss runs through the mtj 300 . similarly , to write a 0 into the mtj 300 , a 0 is provided on the in retention lead , and a 1 is provided on the save lead . thus , the transistors m 2 and m 4 are on , so that current from v ss to v dd runs through the mtj 300 . the state ( parallel or anti - parallel ) of the mtj 300 can be resistively sensed , as noted above , to read the state from the mtj 300 . turning now to fig4 a , a circuit diagram of a flip - flop 40 is illustrated that includes a magnetic latch 30 configured according to one embodiment . the flip - flop 40 is configured as an improved version of the master - slave flip - flop 10 of fig1 , with the magnetic latch 30 replacing the slave latch 102 . similar to fig1 , a functional test mode multiplexer 400 comprises three - way devices 401 and 402 operable to select either the scanned - in or data path to feed a master latch 404 via a three - way device 403 . the master latch 404 stores the received value . the scan - enable signals , s e and s e n , are provided to the multiplexer 400 through a scan - enable circuit 408 . an always on internal clock signal ck , as well as the inverse signal ckn , control the three - way devices 403 , 405 - 1 , 406 . the signals ck and ckn , are provided via a clock circuit 409 . the master latch 404 , which comprises three - way devices 405 - 1 and 405 - 2 outputs state information to a three - way device 406 , which then outputs to a slave latch 407 , which in this embodiment is the magnetic latch 30 . the sa . out signal of the magnetic latch 30 , provides the output of the flip - flop 40 to an output stage 410 with q and q - bar , inverted through the inverter circuit 411 . [*** lew : the figure shows 410 as including two invertors . should a single inverter be shown in addition to a buffer ? ***] the deterministic save signal , save , is provided by the internal clock signal , ck . the in retention signal is received as the output of the master latch 404 . by using the magnetic latch 30 as the slave latch 407 , the flip - flop 40 is able to retain state without maintaining an always - on power source . when the flip - flop 40 powers down the state information is maintained magnetically in the mtj 300 ( fig3 ). fig4 b is a pin diagram of a flip - flop package 41 configured according to one embodiment . the flip - flop 40 ( fig4 a ) is contained within the flip - flop package 41 . pin connectors to the flip - flop package 41 include a v dd 412 , a retain - bar 413 , a data ( d ) 414 , a clock ( clk ) 415 , a scan - enable ( se ) 416 , a v ss 417 , and outputs , q 418 and q - bar 419 . in comparison to the flip - flop packages 11 ( fig1 b ) and 21 ( fig2 b ), the flip - flop package 41 does not include the second power supply rail that the flip - flops 10 and 20 used to maintain state . thus , there is less circuitry involved , i . e ., less complexity , because there is no longer a need for extra wiring for the second power supply . moreover , when the flip - flop 40 powers down , no extra power is used to maintain state . when the flip - flop 40 powers back up , the state is read from the mtj 300 ( fig3 ) via the buffer circuit 306 ( fig3 ) and the circuit proceeds as before power down . turning now to fig5 a , a circuit diagram of a flip - flop 50 is illustrated that includes the magnetic latch 30 configured according to one embodiment . the flip - flop 50 is configured as a master - slave flip - flop , similar to fig2 a , however , the flip - flop 50 includes a magnetic latch 30 outside of a critical path . the multiplexer 500 uses scan - enable signals , s e and s e n , provided by a scan - enable circuit 504 , to select the appropriate pathway . a master latch 501 receives the signal from the multiplexer 500 and passes its state information to a slave latch 502 . the slave latch 502 provides output to an output terminal 503 , outputting q and q - bar from the flip - flop 50 . a clock circuit 505 provides the internal clock signal ck and the inverted clock signal ckn for the flip - flop 50 operation . the scan - enable signals , s e and s e n , are provided to the multiplexer 500 through a scan - enable circuit 504 . the magnetic latch 30 also receives the state information from the master latch 501 . the received state information is used as the in retention signal of the magnetic latch 30 . moreover , the magnetic latch 30 receives a specific always on deterministic save input signal , save , in order to provide an asynchronous save signal to the magnetic latch 30 . when powering down , all power is removed from the flip - flop 50 , with the magnetic latch 30 retaining the state information magnetically , as described above . as the flip - flop 50 is again powered up , the restore and nrestore signals are used to trigger the magnetic latch 30 to feed the saved state information back into the master latch 501 through a three - way device 506 . the restore and nrestore basically switch the three - way device 506 on allowing the state information in the magnetic latch 30 to be transmitted to the master latch 501 . again , as with the flip - flop 40 ( fig4 ), no additional power source is needed to preserve the state . thus , the complexity and power use of the flip - flop 50 is much lower than in existing flip - flops . fig5 b is a pin diagram of a flip - flop package 51 configured according to one embodiment of the present invention . the flip - flop 50 ( fig5 a ) is contained within the flip - flop package 51 . pin connectors to the flip - flop package 51 include the same pin connectors as the flip - flop package 41 , such as the v dd 412 , the data ( d ) 414 , the clock ( clk ) 415 , the scan - enable ( se ) 416 , the v ss 417 , and the outputs , q 418 and q - bar 419 . however , because the flip - flop 50 uses the restore and nrestore signals and provides an asynchronous deterministic save signal , the flip - flop package 51 also includes the pin connectors nrestore 507 and save 508 . fig6 is a flowchart illustrating example blocks for implementing an embodiment . in block 600 , an input signal is received . a save signal is received in block 601 . in block 602 , a polarity is established in a free magnetic layer of a magnetic tunnel junction ( mtj ) structure , responsive to a current created based upon a combinational relationship between the input signal and the save signal . the state of an electronic circuit is determined by a polarity relationship between the free magnetic layer and a fixed magnetic layer . although specific circuitry has been set forth , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that not all of the disclosed circuitry is required to practice the invention . moreover , certain well known circuits have not been described , to maintain focus on the invention . similarly , although the description refers to logical “ 0 ” and logical “ 1 ” in certain locations , one skilled in the art appreciates that the logical values can be switched , with the remainder of the circuit adjusted accordingly , without affecting operation of the present invention . although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail , it should be understood that various changes , substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . moreover , the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process , machine , manufacture , composition of matter , means , methods and steps described in the specification . as one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention , processes , machines , manufacture , compositions of matter , means , methods , or steps , presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention . accordingly , the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes , machines , manufacture , compositions of matter , means , methods , or steps . | 6 |
fig1 shows an imaging fluorometer , which preferably comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation , optical components to direct the radiation , excitation and emission filters , an imaging device , and a digital computer . in this embodiment , visible light from a single source 21 is used to illuminate ( or excite ) a sample . light from this source is first filtered by an excitation filter 23 and then reflected off a mirror 25 oriented so that the reflected light passes through a sample window 26 and impinges on the sample 27 . the reflected light excites fluorescence from the sample ; this emitted fluorescence passes through an emission filter 29 and lens 31 on its way to an imaging device 33 . the collected image is then sent via cables 34 to a digital computer 35 for analysis . the components of the imaging fluorometer are arranged to promote simple and efficient operation . the excitation light emerges from the lamp 21 substantially perpendicular to the &# 34 ; emission axis &# 34 ; connecting the sample 27 and imaging device 33 . ( only fluorescence emitted approximately along the emission axis will be collected by the imaging device .) a single mirror 25 is then sufficient to reflect light onto the sample . this mirror is located so that the excitation light passes through the emission axis before being reflected ; the mirror is oriented so that the reflected light impinges on the sample at an angle only a few degrees off the emission axis . alternatively , a dichroic mirror could be used to reflect light onto the sample directly along the emission axis . the dichroic mirror would be chosen to reflect the excitation light and transmit the longer - wavelength emission light . consequently , it could replace or supplement the emission filter 29 . a light source 21 is chosen that emits light with wavelengths suitable for exciting fluorescence from photosynthetic systems . an example is a 500 w , 120 - volt projector lamp ( model czx / dad , gte products inc ., is winchester , ky .). undesired light is eliminated using filters . the spectral properties of two suitable filters are shown in fig2 . on the excitation side , an excitation filter 23 transmits light with wavelengths suited to exciting fluorescence from photosynthetic components . on the emission side , an emission filter 29 blocks the shorter - wavelength scattered excitation light and passes the longer - wavelength fluorescence . the filtered fluorescence image data are collected by an imaging device 33 , such as a charge - coupled device ( ccd ) camera . a ccd camera is preferred because of its sensitivity and its highly linear response to illumination intensity . an example is a thermoelectrically cooled 12 - bit ccd camera ( lynxx pc , ccd digital imaging system , spectra - source instruments , westlake village , calif .) with a spatial resolution of 165 by 192 ( 31 , 680 ) pixels . the digital computer 35 is connected to the imaging device through an interface board and controls the imaging device . suitable results were obtained using an ibm / pc compatible computer ( pentium chip , 90 mhz , intel corp ., palo alto , calif .) connected to a ccd camera through a pc interface board ( lynxx pc , spectra - source instruments ). however , data acquisition and number of data points could be enhanced by using a faster computer . storage of digital images requires considerable system memory . images may be stored on a hard disk or on removable tapes or cartridges . an example of a suitable storage system is a removable 88 mbyte syquest cartridge ( model sq800 ) on the corresponding internal drive ( syquest technology , fremont , calif .) for easy access . communication with the camera and data analysis may be accomplished using programs developed with suitable software . for example , communication with the camera may be accomplished using a program written in borland c ++ 3 . 1 ( borland &# 39 ; s international , scotts valley calif . 95067 ). data may be retrieved and processed using a numerical software package called matlab ( the mathworks , inc ., natick , mass .). the imaging fluorometer captures an image of the fluorescence emitted by an illuminated sample containing photosynthetic components . exposure and total acquisition times depend on the sample and imaging device . for a plant leaf and ccd camera , exposure times are typically about 0 . 1 s ; complete digitization and storage of one image typically takes about 0 . 6 s using an ibm / pc compatible computer having a 90 mhz pentium chip . shorter times can be achieved by using computers with faster processors . for some applications , a series of images is required , each collected at a defined time . such acquisition is readily accomplished if the imaging fluorometer is under the control of a digital computer . images obtained at different times may be analyzed individually , or combined to yield images of the effective quantum yield . the effective quantum yield is an empirical estimate of the quantum yield based on several improvements to eq . 1 made as part of the present invention . first , the need to measure f o , which occurs on the picosecond time scale , is circumvented by replacing f o with f t . this approximation is generally valid , with some important exceptions , as noted below . second , the need to obtain an image at the precise time corresponding to f p is circumvented by obtaining images at a series of times and then approximating f p by the maximum value f m obtained in the series . this approximation enables the fluorometer flexibly to handle differences in timing that reflect differences in species , physiology , and pathology . finally , fluorescence values are corrected , pixel by pixel , for errors introduced by the imaging device . an especially simple correction is to subtract from all fluorescence values the dark signal , f dark , obtained in the absence of illumination , although other corrections may also be used . combining these three improvements gives an empirical estimate of the quantum yield , denoted y &# 39 ;: the dark current is not shown in the numerator of eq . 2 because it cancels out of the difference . correcting for the dark signal always increases the value of y &# 39 ;, because it always decreases the denominator in eq . 2 . as a practical matter , the three variables in eq . 2 are easily measured for each pixel . f m is defined as the maximum value of the fluorescence obtained from about the first 10 images . f t is defined as the value of the fluorescence after about 150 seconds , by which time steady - state has been reached . finally , f dark is defined as the value of the dark signal obtained in the absence of illumination . an image of quantum yield can then be generated by calculating y &# 39 ; on a pixel - by - pixel basis , using associated values of f m , f t , and f dark . a flow chart showing a preferred protocol for calculating y &# 39 ; is shown in fig3 . although in this described use the time of f m is determined for the total leaf image , and not on a pixel - by - pixel basis , the value at that time for each pixel becomes the f m used in the estimation of y &# 39 ;. however , since the data set can be considered as in a three dimensional matrix of space and time in the matlab program , a variant program was run which calculated time of f m for each pixel was tested and found to generate equivalent images in healthy leaves . values of y &# 39 ; are typically 0 . 75 - 0 . 85 for healthy dark - adapted leaves ; lower values indicate reduced efficiency of energy transfer to the rc or else damaged rc . fig4 a and 4b illustrate how the invention can be used to measure the oidpsmt fluorescence transients that occur when dark - adapted leaves are illuminated . in these figures , data from multiple pixels are combined to give a single fluorescence value at each time point . ( in subsequent figures , data from individual pixels are analyzed separately to give images of quantum yield .) as an example , transients were obtained from coffee ( coffea arabica l .) leaves under various conditions . the greatest variation in fluorescence intensity is seen in the untreated ( live ) leaf , which had been dark - adapted ( maintained in an environment with substantially no light in the visually detectable spectrum or near infrared ) for 5 hours . features of interest o &# 39 ;, i &# 39 ;, d &# 39 ;, p , s , m and t are labeled . transients o , i , and d occur too rapidly to be measured by the imaging fluorometer ; they are represented by o &# 39 ;, i &# 39 ;, and d &# 39 ; in an extrapolated trace . significantly , values of transients p , s , m , and t measured by the imaging fluorometer are very similar to those measured by point - source fluorescence apparatuses ( karukstis , 1991 ). also shown are transients from a ) a boiled leaf ( fig4 a ), which had been boiled in water for 25 minutes , b ) a frozen leaf ( fig4 b ), which had been frozen with dry ice and then thawed , and c ) a dcmu - treated leaf ( fig4 b ), which had been treated with 2 mm dcmu . the fluorescence transients in fig4 a and 4b were obtained from measurements taken in an area ( 10 pixels by 10 pixels ) near the center of the leaf . data were collected every 0 . 1 s ; to accelerate data acquisition , the software was modified to run directly under dos 6 . 1 ( microsoft corp ., redmond wash . ), rather than windows 3 . 11 ( microsoft corp .). subsequent analysis was performed using programs written for matlab . the time - dependent fluorescence response was fitted to a q - spline and then smoothed by a 5 - unit &# 34 ; box car &# 34 ; procedure . the q - spline fit is used because it flexibly responds to complexly varying data . the time - dependent ( base - line ) ccd response in the absence of the sample was smoothed by fitting to a fifth - order polynomial ( statgraphic - plus , version 7 for dos , manugistics , inc ., rockville , md .). about fifty points were used to fit all curves . the traces in fig4 represent the difference between the measured fluorescence and the smoothed base - line response . the data acquisition rate and number of data points can be increased by using the fastest available computer . fig5 illustrates how the invention may be used to assay freeze damage in plants . freezing temperatures can damage a leaf &# 39 ; s light harvesting systems , leading to nonfunctional rcs and a concomitant decrease in f p and y &# 39 ;. in this case , y &# 39 ; will not equal the maximum intrinsic ps ii efficiency ; however , it will still reveal damage to the photosynthetic system . as an example , fig5 shows freeze - damage to leaves from digitalis purpurea l . to obtain this data , the leaf was first dark - adapted for 15 minutes . then , while still in the dark , small pieces ( about 3 mm diameter ) of dry ice were placed directly onto the leaf for 2 minutes , and then removed . finally , after 5 more minutes in the dark , the leaf was placed in the imaging fluorometer and analyzed . in the figure , red corresponds to the highest and blue to the lowest values of y &# 39 ;, as indicated by the color bar . the data show that freeze damage is retarded by vascular tissue ; in contrast , the dcmu damage in the following example is spread via vascular tissue . fig6 illustrates how the invention may be used to detect herbicide damage in plants . unlike freezing , which inhibits electron flow at the rcs , certain herbicides instead inhibit electron flow beyond the rcs . these herbicides reduce fluorescence quenching , leading to slower fluorescence decay . for example , the herbicide dcmu blocks electron transfer at q b , preventing re - oxidation of q a ( bolhar - nordenkampf and oquist , 1993 ) consequently , f t does not decay back to about f o after the plant is exposed to dcmu ; rather f t & gt ;& gt ; f o , and y &# 39 ;& lt ;& lt ; y . as with freeze damage , y &# 39 ; will not equal the maximum intrinsic ps ii efficiency ; however , it will reveal damage to the photosynthetic system . in contrast , y will not reveal the damage , because it is based on f o , which is unchanged by the herbicide . as an example , leaves of amaranthus cruentus l . were treated with 50 μm dcmu and then kept in the dark for 15 minutes . fig6 a shows effects of a 15 - minute exposure to droplets , demonstrating the fluorometer &# 39 ; s ability rapidly to detect and localize herbicide damage . fig6 b shows the effects 12 hours after allowing the petiole of the leaf to take up the dcmu solution , demonstrating the fluorometer &# 39 ; s ability to assess the spread of damage via the vascular tissue of the leaf . fig7 illustrates how the invention may be used to detect disease damage in plants . as an example , pathogen - free and pathogen - afflicted needles ( leaves ) were analyzed from the endangered nutmeg cedar or yew ( torreya taxifolia arn . ); needles were dark - adapted for 20 minutes before fluorescence measurements . the yellowish needles on the left clearly reveal toxin - induced damage caused by the fungus pestalotiopsis spp . yet , the needles themselves are free of the fungus that has colonized stem tissues at least 10 cm below the needles , and there are no symptoms visible to the human eye . the reddish needles on the right are from a healthy , pathogen - free plant . the slight yellow band on the lowest healthy needle was caused by folding damage during transport . as another example of using the invention to detect disease - related damage , the effects of isolated fungal toxins on hibiscus were analyzed . four different toxins -- pestaloside , hydroxypestalopyrone , triticone , and pestalopyrone -- were applied to three varieties of hibiscus ( hibiscus sabdariffa l .) -- non soong , red sorrel , and altissima . the results were strongly dependent on toxin , but independent of hibiscus variety . toxins were introduced into leaves by injection , using a 5 % ethanol / 95 % water carrier . damage caused by the injection itself was corrected for by comparing samples injected with toxins with control samples injected only with the carrier . hydroxypestalopyrone and pestaloside did not cause detectable plant damage , even at the highest toxin doses analyzed . hydroxypestalopyrone is a known phytotoxin in other plant species , but apparently has no effect on hibiscus . pestaloside is a known anti - microbial agent , which may act on other fungal pathogens to prevent competition without affecting plants . triticone and pestalopyrone did cause plant damage . damage at the highest toxin doses used , 1 . 4 μg , was apparent for triticone and pestalopyrone in the image of y &# 39 ; within 30 minutes after injection . the damage caused by triticone was still obvious after 24 hours . the damage caused by pestalopyrone was no longer apparent several hours after injection , suggesting that the leaf was able to recover rapidly from the damage caused by this toxin . the dose and time dependence of phytotoxin damage were determined for triticone . a dose of [& lt ;] 0 . 07 μg caused no damage . a dose of 0 . 3 μg caused damage , but only after at least one hour had elapsed ; the extent of damage increased for at least 24 hours . finally , a dose of 1 . 4 μg caused damage within 30 minutes ; the extent of damage increased for several hours and then remained unchanged . imaging was consistently more sensitive than visual inspection . for pestalopyrone , the damage was never visible , even at the highest dose ; in contrast , the damage was readily detectable with the fluorometer . for triticone , the damage caused by the highest dose was visible as a light brown ring around the point of injection , but only - after about 5 hours . thus , for both toxins , fluorescence imaging yielded more rapid and sensitive detection of damage than did visual inspection . fig8 illustrates how the invention may be adapted to remote - sensing applications , when the leaf is relatively far from the fluorometer . remote sensing is possible simply by adjusting the light and camera to focus on a distant leaf . increasing the distance between the apparatus and sample decreases the fluorescence signal ; however , this decrease may be offset by using broader excitation and emission filters or a more powerful or more focused light source or laser . the sample needs to be in the dark before the experiment ; consequently , these measurements must be performed at night or in an enclosed space with little or no external light . in other uses , such as to detect the sufficiency or lack of light to a leaf , it is sufficient to keep the leaf in darkness only during the duration of the measurement , that is , without prior dark - adaption . as an example , the device was used to analyze , from a distance of 7 meters , freeze and herbicide damage in coffee leaves . three leaves were analyzed . the leaf on the left side of each panel was treated by freezing with dry ice and then thawing ; this leaf is barely visible . the leaf in the center was left untreated as a control . the leaf on the right was treated by partially dipping it into 2 mm dcmu . responses are shown for ( fig8 a ) the maximal fluorescence ( f m ), ( fig8 b ) the terminal fluorescence ( f t ), ( fig8 c ) the difference between these two quantities ( f m - f t ), and ( fig8 d ) the effective quantum yield y &# 39 ;=( f m - f t )/( f m - f dark ). color bars in fig8 a - 8c represent ccd ( machine ) response . the y &# 39 ; equation in fig8 d is in percent . this format allows comparisons between the strength of signals evaluated in fig8 a - 8c . ( a ) maximal transient fluorescence alone is sufficient to distinguish the non - fluorescing freeze - damaged leaf from the untreated and dcmu - treated leaves . however , maximal fluorescence is insufficient to distinguish between the dcmu - treated and control leaves . ( b ) terminal fluorescence reveals some differences between the dcmu - treated and control leaves , resulting mostly from the slowing in fluorescence decay induced by the herbicide . however , the area of the dcmu - treated leaf actually treated with dcmu is not delineated . ( c ) the difference between f t and f m distinguishes between all three leaves , but the image of the control leaf is not very uniform . ( d ) the effective quantum yield ( eq . 2 ) gives the best results . the frozen leaf is barely visible , the untreated control leaf gives a uniform response , and the dcmu - treated leaf is barely visible in the area that was directly treated and along the vascular tissue of the leaf veins where the dcmu has begun to spread . thus , the effective quantum yield clearly distinguishes between healthy , freeze - damaged , and dcmu - treated leaves . second , this process was repeated using four vertical strips . together , these steps make the lower values , which are the is of the binary code , a uniform blue color . however , the upper values still vary over a range . the continuous nature of the image was changed to binary using yes / no logic fitted to a threshold . the color range was reduced to two domains : 0s ( orange ) and is ( blue ). however , the edges of the rectangles representing the binary code are still ragged , and the effects of leaf venation are still visible . although the color or numeric value of the rectangle is not known , the size of the rectangles containing the binary code is known ; this size information can be used to smooth the image further . the color of each rectangle is replaced by the color corresponding to the mean of all the pixels of the rectangle . this allows ready machine vision recovery of all 100 encoded digits of π from the original mask . the technique has revealed considerable variation in the storage abilities of leaves of various species . moreover , storage abilities can vary with season . ginkgo leaves no longer produce good images in the fall , even before showing visible signs of senescence . to date , the best leaf source is greenhouse - grown tobacco , which can produce images lasting about eight minutes in vigorous mature leaf tissues . although the principles of the present invention are illustrated and described with reference to preferred embodiments , it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the illustrated embodiments may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles . the present invention includes not only the illustrated embodiments , but all such modifications , variations , and equivalents thereof as fall within the true scope and spirit of the following claims . | 6 |
it is well known that the f - p ld shows a multi - mode output and the mode power is proportional to the spontaneous emission coupled to the mode . the output spectral distribution of the f - p ld can be changed by externally injecting a strong light into the f - p ld . then , a mode that is the nearest from the peak wavelength of the injected light is locked by the injected light and the other modes may be suppressed . namely , the output wavelength of f - p ld coincides with the peak wavelength injected light . as a result we can obtain a wavelength - selective output from multi - mode laser , f - p ld . hereinafter , referring to appended drawings , desirable embodiments of the present invention are described in detail . fig2 is a schematic diagram of the light source according to the embodiment of the present invention . the light source comprises : an incoherent light source ( ils ); a tunable optical filter ( tf ) connected to said incoherent light source ; an optical circulator ( cir ) connected to said tunable optical filter ; and a f - p ld without optical isolator connected to said optical circulator . optionally , the light source according to the embodiment of the present invention further comprises : a polarization controllers ( pc ) connected between said optical circulator and said f - p ld ; and a polarizer ( pol ) connected at the output end of said optical circulator . in the embodiment , the incoherent light source is any one of an optical fiber amplifier generating ase , an led , or a sld . the operation principles of the light source according to the present embodiment are as follows : the broadband incoherent light generated from the incoherent light source is sliced by the tunable optical filter to produce a narrow - band incoherent light . the narrow - band incoherent light is injected into the f - p ld through the optical circulator . the optical circulator separates the narrow - band incoherent light and the output of f - p ld . thus the output of the light source according to the present embodiment comes out through the output end of the optical circulator . when the f - p ld is biased above the threshold current , the output of the f - p ld is multi - mode . however , it becomes wavelength - selective after injection of the narrow - band incoherent light since a strong light is coupled to a specific mode of the f - p ld . the output wavelength of f - p ld is locked to the injected incoherent light and thus can be tuned by changing the pass - band of the tunable optical filter . the output power of the f - p ld can be changed by controlling the bias current applied to the f - p ld . thus , we can modulate the light source directly . when the bias current is lower than the threshold current , the output of the light source is a reflected incoherent light at the interface of the pig - tailing fiber and the air . the output of f - p ld is polarized but reflected incoherent light is unpolarized . using this characteristics , the extinction ratio of the modulated signal can be improved by further comprising a polarization controller ( pc ) and a polarizer ( pol ). in the light source according to the present embodiment , an optical circulator ( cir ) can be replaced by an optical power splitter . using the same principles as that of the embodiments described above , multi - channel wdm light source can be implemented . fig3 shows schematic diagram of the multi - channel wdm light source in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention . the multi - channel wdm light source comprises : an incoherent light source ( ils ); an optical circulator ( cir ) connected to said incoherent light source ; a ( de ) multiplexer (( d ) mux ) connected to said optical circulator ; and plurality of f - p lds without optical isolator connected at the output end of the said ( de ) multiplexer . if the bandwidth of the incoherent light generated said incoherent light source is larger than the free spectral range ( fsr ) of said ( de ) multiplexer , the light source further comprises a band - pass filter ( bpf ) that is connected between said optical circulator ( cir ) and said ( de ) multiplexer . the band - pass filter restricts the bandwidth of the incoherent light entering the ( de ) multiplexer within the free spectral range ( fsr ) of an the ( de ) multiplexer . optionally , the light source further comprises : plurality of polarization controllers ( pc ) connected between the output ends of the said ( de ) multiplexer and said f - p lds ; and a polarizer ( pol ) connected at the output end of said optical circulator . in the embodiment , the incoherent light source is any one of an optical fiber amplifier generating ase , an led , or a sld . the operation principles of the multi - channel wdm light source in the present embodiment is as follows : the broadband incoherent light generated from the incoherent light source is transmitted to the ( de ) multiplexer through the optical circulator . the ( de ) multiplexer receives and slices the broadband incoherent light . then , the sliced narrow - band incoherent light with different wavelengths are injected simultaneously into the plurality of f - p lds . after injection of incoherent light , the output of each f - p ld becomes wavelength - selective and is locked by the injected narrow - band incoherent light . namely , the output wavelength of each f - p ld coincides with the peak wavelength of the ( de ) multiplexer pass - band . the outputs of the f - p lds are multiplexed by the ( de ) multiplexer . then , the multi - channel wdm signals come out through the output end of the optical circulator . the output power of multi - channel wdm light source can be controlled independently and thus multi - channel wdm light source can be modulated directly . we can increase the extinction ratio of the modulated signal by further comprising a polarizer ( pol ) and plurality of polarization controllers ( pc ). in the multi - channel wdm light source according to the present embodiment , an optical circulator ( cir ) can be replaced by an optical power splitter . fig4 a shows a schematic diagram the optical transmission system for upstream signal transmission in a passive optical network using the multi - channel wdm light source in accordance with the present invention . the passive optical network of the present embodiment comprises a central office , a remote node connected to the central office with a single optical fiber , and plurality of optical network units connected to the remote node with plurality of optical fibers ; wherein the central office comprises : an incoherent light source ( ils ); a demultiplexer ( dmux ); an optical circulator that route the output of said incoherent light source to the optical fiber connecting said central office and said remote and the upstream signal transmitted from said remote through said optical fiber to said demultiplexer ; and plurality of receivers ( rx ) connected at the output ends of the said demultiplexer , the remote node comprises : an ( de ) multiplexer that receives the broadband incoherent light transmitted from said central offices , slices said incoherent light spectrally to produce plurality of narrow - band incoherent lights and multiplexes the upstream signals from said optical network units , and the plurality of optical network units comprise a f - p ld that is connected to the output ends of the ( de ) multiplexer in the remote node with said plurality of optical fibers . under this configuration , the upstream signals generated from the optical network units have different wavelengths and multi - channel wdm signal is transmitted from the remote node to the central office . in the passive optical network , electric power is not supplied to the remote node to save the maintenance cost , and thereby the pass - band of the ( de ) multiplexer in remote node can drift with the temperature change . therefore , it is important to control the wavelength of the light sources in the optical network units . in case of the passive optical network using the multi - channel wdm light source according to the present invention , the output wavelength of each f - p ld is automatically aligned to the pass - band of the ( de ) multiplexer in remote node since the output wavelength of the f - p ld is locked by the injected incoherent light . in the passive optical network described above , the broadband incoherent light transmitted from the central office to the remote node may be reflected to the central office due to the rayleigh back - scattering of the optical fiber . the reflected light can degrade the signal quality . fig4 b shows a schematic diagram of the optical transmission system for upstream signal transmission in a passive optical network to reduce the signal degradation described above . as described in the figure , by installing an optical circulator ( cir ) at the remote node and separating the optical fiber that delivers the incoherent light from the optical fiber that deliver the upstream signal , the signal degradation caused by the reflection of the incoherent light can be reduced . in other words , the passive optical network of the present embodiment comprises a central office , a remote node connected said central office with two optical fibers , and plurality of optical network units connected to said remote node with plurality of optical fibers ; wherein the central office comprises : an incoherent light source ( ils ) connected to said remote node with an optical fiber ; a demultiplexer ( dmux ) connected to said remote with the other optical fiber and plurality of receivers ( rx ) connected at the output ends of the said demultiplexer , the remote node comprises : a ( de ) multiplexer that receives the broadband incoherent light transmitted from the central offices , slices said incoherent light spectrally to produce plurality of narrow - band incoherent lights , and multiplexes the upstream signals from said optical network units ; and an optical circulator that route the broad - band incoherent light transmitted from said central office to said ( de ) multiplexer and the upstream signals from said ( de ) multiplexer to the central office , and the plurality of optical network units comprise f - p lds connected to the output ends of the ( de ) multiplexer in the remote node with said plurality optical fibers . under this configuration , the upstream signals generated from the optical network units have different wavelengths and multi - channel wdm signal is transmitted from the remote node to the central office . in optical transmission system for upstream signal transmission in a passive optical network described in fig4 a and fig4 b , an optical circulator ( cir ) can be replaced by an optical power splitter . fig5 shows the experimental set - up to demonstrate the feasibility of the light source in accordance with the present invention . the ase source was two - stage erbium - doped fiber amplifier ( edfa ) pumped counter - directionally with laser diode at 1480 nm . the pump power for the first and the second stage of edfa were 50 mw and 100 mw , respectively . a band pass filter ( bpf ) with a bandwidth of 9 nm was used at the output end of the edfa to limit the spectral width of the ase within one free spectral range ( fsr ) of the waveguide grating router ( wgr ). an optical amplifier ( amp 1 ) and an optical variable attenuator ( att . 1 ) were used to control the ase power injected into the f - p ld . an optical circulator with insertion loss of 0 . 7 db separated the injected broadband ase and the output of the f - p ld . the broadband ase was sliced spectrally by an wgr with a bandwidth of 0 . 24 nm and injected into the f - p ld . a conventional f - p ld without an optical isolator was locked by the externally injected narrow - band ase . the threshold current of the f - p ld was 20 ma . the coupling efficiency of the f - p ld , the rate of power transferred from laser to pig - tailing fiber or vice versa , was approximately 8 %. the f - p ld was modulated directly by pseudorandom nonreturn - to - zero data with a length of 2 7 − 1 at 155 mb / s and its output was transmitted through conventional single mode fiber ( smf ). the transmitted data was amplified by an optical amplifier ( amp 2 ), demultiplexed by another wgr with a bandwidth of 0 . 32 nm , and received by a pin photo - detector based receiver to measure the bit error rate ( ber ) characteristics . the receiver input power was controlled by an optical variable attenuator ( att . 2 ) and measured by an optical power meter ( pm ). a polarization controller ( pc ) and a polarizing fiber ( pzf ) with about 47 db of polarization extinction ratio are used to improve the extinction ratio of the modulated optical signal . fig6 shows ( a ) the output spectrum of the f - p ld without ase injection and ( b ) the spectrum of the narrow - band ase to be injected into the f - p ld . the bias current was 30 ma and the output power of the f - p ld measured at the output end of the optical circulator was about − 10 dbm . the side mode suppression ratio ( smsr ) was less than 6 db . the peak wavelength of narrow - band ase was about 1551 . 72 nm . fig7 shows the measured output spectra of the f - p ld after injection of a narrow - band ase when the injected ase power were ( a ) − 2 dbm and ( b ) 2 dbm , respectively . after ase injection , the f - p ld was wavelength - locked by the injected ase . the measured side mode suppression ratio were 25 db and 27 . 3 db for the injection ase power of − 2 dbm and 2 dbm , respectively . fig8 shows the measured side mode suppression ratio ( smsr ) of the light source in accordance with the present invention . the side mode suppression ratios increases as the injected ase power increases . however , it decreases as the bias current increases . to measure the modulation characteristics of the light source in accordance with the present invention , we measured optical spectra for different bias currents at the fixed injection ase power of 2 dbm . fig9 shows the results when the bias current were 30 ma ( dotted line ) and 0 ma ( solid line ), respectively . the measured peak power difference between two bias states , here called as extinction ratio , was about 5 . 8 db . fig1 shows the measured the extinction ratio of the light source in accordance with the present invention . the extinction ratio decreases as the injection ase power increases while it increases the as the bias current increases . we also measured optical spectra by inserting a polarization controller and a polarizer ( in the present experiment , a polarizing fiber : pzf ) under the same measurement conditions with the fig9 . fig1 shows the results . the extinction ratio increases about 2 . 5 db from 5 . 8 db to 8 . 3 db . this means that the output of the light source according to the present invention is polarized . fig1 shows the measured bit error rate curves . the f - p ld was modulated directly at 155 mb / s . the amplitudes of dc bias and modulation current were both 20 ma . before we use the light source according to the present invention , we measured ber characteristics of the directly modulated f - p ld itself , i . e ., without ase injection . the measured power penalty at the ber of 10 − 9 was about 2 db after transmission over 20 km of smf as shown in fig1 ( a ). the ber characteristics were improved dramatically when we inject a narrow - band ase into the f - p ld . the power and the peak wavelength of the injected ase were 1 dbm and 1551 . 72 nm , respectively . we achieved error free transmission over 120 km of smf with negligible power penalty as shown in fig1 ( b ). we also measured ber characteristics by changing the peak wavelength of the injected narrow - band ase and observed very similar results . as an example , we show the measured ber curves in fig1 ( c ) when the peak wavelength of the injected narrow - band ase was 1550 . 92 nm . this result implies that the output wavelength of the light according to the present invention can be tuned by changing the wavelength of the injected ase . since those having ordinary knowledge and skill in the art of the present invention will recognize additional modifications and applications within the scope thereof , the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings described above . | 7 |
fig1 is a schematic diagram of a model of the cell formation in a polymer matrix of the present invention . a polymeric matrix material 11 has cells 12 which are formed by a second phase polymeric material 13 . the second phase material has a glass transition or melting temperature below the transition temperature of the polymeric matrix material 11 . as the composition is heated and cooled , the second phase material nucleates a cell . as the composition is heated and cooled , the transition temperature of both the matrix material and the second phase material is exceeded . as the composition is cooled , the matrix material goes through its transition temperature . now there is a marked difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between the matrix material and the second phase material . the matrix material shrinks much slower ( for example , five times slower ) than the second phase material . this puts tensile stress on the interface . this stress produces a void which ultimately becomes a cell . gas under pressure , depicted by the arrows 14 , enters the cell 12 and it expands . the expansion of the cell is limited by the physical size of the particle in the second phase material . the outer limits of this matrix are depicted by the circle 15 which is at the boundary between the polymeric material 11 and the second phase material 13 . second phase material 13 is originally present in the matrix as a discrete nucleating particle prior to development of cell 12 . the size of these discrete particles is from 0 . 02 to 10 microns . elastomers , particularly rubber particles , are particularly suitable second phase materials . rubber in high impact polystyrene or in latex has been successfully used as a nucleating agent . hips is a source of rubber particles which can be compounded into almost any polymer at 0 . 1 to 10 % and not substantially change the base polymer properties . rubber latex is a rubber / liquid , water based emulsion . examples of compositions including matrix material and second phase material which have the requisite transition temperatures are : ______________________________________matrix material second phase material______________________________________polystyrene rubberpolycarbonate rubberpolyester rubberpolyethylene rubberpolyethylene polystyrenepolyetherimide polypropylenepolyetherimide polyethylenepolyphenylene oxide / rubberpolystyrene______________________________________ polyetherimide is sold under the trade name noryl ® by the general electric company . polyphenylene oxide / polystyrene is sold under the trade name ultem ® by the general electric company . fig2 depicts the apparatus which produced the compositions of the examples . fig2 also depicts the process for producing the compositions of the present invention . extruder 19 compounds the polymeric matrix material and the second phase material to produce samples . during extrusion , the material is above the transition temperature of the matrix material . merely cooling below the matrix transition temperature is sufficient to activate the cell nucleation process . a sample 20 is placed in pressure vessel 21 where the sample is impregnated with gas at an elevated pressure , for example , from the nitrogen cylinder 22 . any gas can be used , including nitrogen , carbon dioxide , helium , argon , and no x . these can be combined with conventional blowing agents such as cfcs , carbon dioxide , methylene chloride , pentane , etc . anything that is soluble in the second phase material ( rubber ) and which has a vapor pressure substantially above the ambient pressure during the foam nucleation and expansion at temperature is suitable for use . the gas impregnated samples are heated in the high temperature bath 23 to foam them . the samples are then slowly cooled to room temperature . the samples may then be quenched in the liquid nitrogen flask 24 and fractured to expose the foam cells . it has been found that rapid quenching is not necessary for the samples produced with hips or latex as the second phase material . a scanning electron microscope 25 was used to produce photo micrographs of the foamed samples and a computer system 26 was used for cell size analysis . the polymer samples were blended using two procedures . the first procedure utilized a twin screw extruder . the second procedure used a laboratory rheomex single screw extruder with a 1 &# 34 ; barrel and a dc drive control system which gave variable speeds from 0 to 250 rpm . the extruder was equipped with a right angle die and a capillary such that the extrudate was extruded at a diameter of 3 / 32 &# 34 ; . for all of the materials that were compounded , the extruder was operated at the maximum shear rate ( rotation speed of the screw ) that could be tolerated without exceeding the limitations of the pressure disk that was attached to the extruder . the extrudate was cooled in air or a hot water bath and pelletized using a laboratory pelletizer . the resulting pellets were then in some cases remixed and reextruded to provide a double pass through the extruder to improve the dispersion . the different polymer samples were loaded in a parr autoclave . the autoclave was then sealed and nitrogen gas was administrated into the autoclave at a pressure up to 2 , 000 pounds per square inch . the samples were then left in the autoclave for up to 7 days to obtain permeation of the nitrogen gas into the polymeric materials . the materials were then removed from the autoclave and subjected to a heat flux environment of a hot oil bath , microwave oven , or a convective hot air oven at different temperatures . the foaming characteristics of the materials were observed during the heating . the foams were removed from the high temperature , allowed to cool slowly to room temperature , and stored at room temperature until they were analyzed . the foamed materials and the precursors were then evaluated using scanning electron microscopy to determine the degree of dispersion of the second phase nucleation agent and the type and consistency of the microcellular foam that was produced . foams nucleated with rubber latex and hips were produced by nitrogen saturation of an lldpe dispersion at about 2 , 000 psi pressure and subsequent heating in an oil bath or a convective oven . latex was allowed to dry on linear low density polyethyelene ( lldpe ) pellets in order to facilitate the addition of the mixture in the extruder . the rubber latex was compounded in the lldpe using a single screw bench top extruder running at maximum rpm . the materials were extruded into a water bath . the extrudate was cooled and cut into pieces . nitrogen gas was permeated into the linear low density polyethylene ( lldpe )/ latex pieces under pressure ( up to 2 , 000 psi ). the pieces were removed from the pressure and heated . when heated , foaming occurred . the original latex had approximately 0 . 1 micron diameter particles and electron microscopy indicates that the final particle size in the dispersion ranges from 0 . 5 to 1 . 2 microns . the lldpe / latex blends were foamed at approximately 165 ° c . in a convective hot air oven . foams were produced with bubble diameters between 10 and 100 microns depending upon the heat flux during foaming . a foamable material was blended using the same single screw extruder with 20 to 40 volume percent of hips in lldpe . foams were produced with cell sizes in the neighborhood of 10 micron in diameter . noryl ® material ( general electric ) with a 1 : 1 weight ratio of polypropylene oxide ( ppo )/ hips was microcellularly foamed using the above procedures . this composition has about 15 volume percent rubbery particles . the temperature of the foaming was 165 ° c . the material foamed well as demonstrated in fig3 . foams are produced from polystyrene blended with polymer having rubber with particle size of 250 angstroms . these rubber particles are the glass transition phase of a block copolymer . the polymer was saturated at 13 . 8 mpa with nitrogen and foamed in an ethylene glycol bath . the cell size is greater than 10 microns . this same material was compounded into polystyrene , a typical amorphous polymer , so that the rubber particles were approximately 10 8 per cubic centimeter of unfoamed resin . the material was treated in the same way . it was saturated at 13 . 8 megapascals and it was heated to approximately 388 ° k . fig4 is a drawing representing the resultant material with cell sizes in the 3 - 5 micron range . high impact polystyrene , with a particle size of about 2 microns and about 30 volume percent rubbery particles ( hereafter identified as hips 5400 ) was subjected to the same foaming conditions as previously given . it was heated to approximately 115 ° c . at 2 , 000 psi . fig5 is a drawing representing the foamed material . note that the cells produced had a size in excess of 30 microns . linear low density polyethylene , lldpe , a typical semi - crystalline polymer , was foamed with hips 5400 , hips 7800 ( 0 . 8 micron particle size ) with a nominal molecular weight of 200 , 000 and crystalline polystyrene identified as ( ps 1500 ) as second phase materials , following the process conditions described above . hips 5400 has a typical salami type rubber particle with many small particles of polystyrene in each rubber particle . the average rubbery particle size of 5400 is about 2 microns . hips 7800 has core shell rubber particles of about 0 . 8 microns . ps 1500 is pure polystyrene . these materials were compounded into the lldpe using a twin screw extruder at concentrations from 2 . 0 to 18 volume percent . data showing cell size supports the conclusion that the addition of materials with a transition temperature below that of the matrix polymer nucleates a foam and leads to controlled foaming . the data show that the density goes down with increased saturation pressure . for example , using a one melt index lldpe and hips with a particle size of 0 . 8 microns the density went from 0 . 94 to 0 . 53 as the pressure is increased from 0 to 2 , 000 psi . as the number of particles activated are increased , the density increases because the gas is distributed over more cells . several experiments were performed to demonstrate the effect of process pressure , process temperature , and rubbery particle size on foam cell size . the results are presented in fig6 , and 8 . fig6 is a graph showing cell size as a function of process pressure for several samples . the circles depict samples of polystyrene without second phase material and the rectangles depict the same polystyrene with hips added . the samples which include the second phase polymeric material with a lower transition temperature demonstrate minimal dependence of cell size to process pressure . on the other hand , the samples produced under the same process conditions , but without second phase material being added , demonstrate a strong dependence on process pressure . fig7 shows graphs of cell size versus process temperature for various samples with and without a second phase material being added . the samples depicted by rectangles are compositions which include a second phase material having a transition temperature below that of the matrix material . these samples show minimal dependence of cell size for various process temperatures . the samples without the added second phase , which were processed under similar conditions , show a strong dependence of cell size on process temperature . fig8 shows the influence of rubber particle size on cell size . cell size as a function of the particle size is depicted for various process pressures . this demonstrates that the cell size can be selected by selecting the proper nucleating particle to be included as the second phase material . examination of the fracture surfaces of these foams produced using the second phase materials and using oxygen plasma demonstrated that the second phase was substantially distributed over the interior surface of the cells . this material controls the growth of the cells . an amorphous polymer matrix with about 0 . 3 percent rubber particles was saturated with nitrogen , plasticated in an extrusion device , and injected into a mold . the foamed polymer entered the room temperature mold at an approximate temperature of 165 ° c . the part had a fine , about 10 micron , cell size and a substantially lower density than a pure polystyrene produced under similar conditions . pure polystyrene was saturated with nitrogen at an elevated pressure and extruded using a single screw extruder fitted with a capillary die at 165 °. the resulting foam cells had a broad distribution with an average cell size well above the desired 10 micron size . the experiment was repeated while adding 0 . 3 percent rubber particles to the polystyrene . the resulting foam rod was slowly cooled in the ambient air and it had a narrow cell size distribution with an average size of about 10 microns . polystyrene was saturated at room temperature with carbon dioxide . it was then heated in a microwave oven . it produced large nonuniform cells . the same experiment was performed using polystyrene with 0 . 03 percent rubbery second phase . the resulting foam had cells of about 10 micron size and produced parts suitable for use in transport of fragile equipment . while particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described , various modifications are within the true spirit and scope of the invention . the appended claims are , therefore , intended to cover all such modifications . | 8 |
the present invention utilizes an advanced intelligent network (“ ain ”) to provide the targeted disaster warning of the present invention . more specifically , the present invention uses cnd and cnam systems to provide targeted disaster warnings to subscribers within specific geographic areas . the implementation and operation of cnd systems are described in bellcore specification tr - nwt - 000031 , calling number delivery , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . cnam systems are described in bellcore specification tr - nwt - 001188 , calling name delivery generic requirements , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . fig1 is a schematic diagram of the present invention showing a specialized service node (“ s - sn ”) 80 . s - sn 80 has all of the features of a regular service node (“ sn ”), but is also equipped with common channel signaling system 7 (“ ss7 ”) data links , and has the capability of issuing telephone call setup and release messages to several service switching points ( referred to herein as either “ ssp ” or “ switch ”) simultaneously . such call setup and release messages are transmitted over ss7 data link 66 as integrated services digital network user part (“ isup ”) messages . the capability to issue isup messages allows s - sn 80 to emulate some functions of a switch . however , in a preferred embodiment , s - sn 80 has no voice trunks , so although it issues isup messages , no actual voice circuits are allocated between s - sn 80 and a switch . s - sn 80 transmits isup messages using ss7 link 66 to signaling transfer point (“ stp ”) 60 . stp 60 has ss7 links 63 , 64 , 65 and 67 to service switching point (“ ssp ”) 34 , ssp 44 , ssp 54 and service control point (“ scp ”) 70 , respectively . additionally , in a preferred embodiment , s - sn 80 receives database updates from services management system (“ sms ”) 100 using data link 82 . in a preferred embodiment data link 82 uses a high - speed data communications protocol , such as asynchronous transfer mode (“ atm ”), tcp / ip or x . 25 , each of which are well known in the art . s - sn 80 is connected to computer control terminal 90 which is used to define the geographic area in which to send the targeted warning message . in a preferred embodiment , computer control terminal 90 is operated by a national or regional authority such as the national weather service or a state - operated disaster prevention / alerting body . fig2 is a flow chart exemplifying the steps performed in an embodiment of the present invention . the flow chart is described with reference to subscribers 30 , 40 and 50 in fig1 . subscriber 30 has telephone 31 , cpe 32 , and analog telephone line 33 connected to ssp 34 . subscriber 40 has telephone 41 , cpe 42 , and analog telephone line 43 connected to ssp 44 . similarly , subscriber 50 has telephone 51 , cpe 52 , and analog telephone line 53 connected to ssp 54 . lines 33 , 43 and 53 have telephone numbers 333 - 333 - 1000 , 444 - 444 - 1000 and 555 - 555 - 1000 , respectively . in this example , subscribers 30 , 40 and 50 live on street a . subscriber 30 has cnd service , subscriber 40 has cnam service , and subscriber 50 and both cnd and cnam services . it should be noted that while it is possible for a subscriber to subscribe only to cnam service , few subscribers would get cnam without cnd . in the first step , an operator ( or software ) on computer control terminal 90 transmits a warning message to s - sn 80 ( step 101 ). in one embodiment , the warning message includes information such as the disaster type and the geographic_area . in a preferred embodiment , the message includes additional information such as a timing parameter , described below . each disaster_type is assigned a unique numeric code , so the recipient can decipher the warning message . the numeric code is used in the calling party number (“ cgpn ”) field when the warning calls are setup ( step 102 ). thus , under current ain standards , the numeric code is limited to 15 digits . in one embodiment , the disaster_type received from control terminal 90 is the unique numeric code . for example , the disaster_type could be “ 911 - 222 - 3333 ” to indicate a category 3 tornado . in an alternate embodiment , s - sn 80 looks up the numeric code in database 81 according to the disaster_type . in the present example if the nws sends a warning message with a disaster_type of “ category 3 tornado ,” s - sn 80 consults database 81 to determine that the assigned numeric code is 911 - 222 - 3333 . thus , in step 102 , s - sn 80 assigns 911 - 222 - 3333 to the cgpn in the call setup messages . the geographic_area identifies the region to which the targeted warning message will be sent . in a preferred embodiment , a graphical user interface on computer control terminal 90 provides the capability for selecting the geographic_area directly from a mapping system . the maps used in this preferred embodiment provide a high level of granularity enabling highly specific targeting of the area to be warned . using this system , the operator is able to zoom down to the street - level to select the houses to be notified on a particular street . the timing parameter is used to control congestion on the system . in a preferred embodiment , the timing indicates the order in which to notify subscribers , such as to notify subscribers from northeast to southwest within the geographic_area selected . in this embodiment , if the timing is not provided by control terminal 90 , all customers in the geographic_area have the same priority . in a preferred embodiment , the disaster warning service is offered as a complimentary service to customers subscribing to cnd service or cnam service . in this embodiment , database 81 on s - sn 80 stores the telephone number and address for all customers having subscriptions to cnd service , cnam service or both . in an alternate embodiment , the disaster service is offered on a subscription basis . in this embodiment , the database stores information only for those customers also subscribing to the disaster warning service . the data stored in database 81 is provided by and updated by sms 100 , which also provides data to scp 70 for use in database 71 . data paths 82 and 83 from sms 100 to s - sn 80 , and from sms 100 to scp 70 , respectively , use any suitable digital communications protocol , for example , atm , tcp / ip or x . 25 . in step 103 , s - sn 80 queries database 81 to identify the subscribers within the specific geographic region to be warned . in this example , the nws warning message indicated the geographic_area to be “ all houses on street a .” thus , in step 103 , s - sn 80 compiles a list of all subscribers on street a , including subscribers 30 , 40 and 50 . in an iterative manner , s - sn 80 steps through the list of subscribers obtained in step 103 and generates call setup messages for each . in step 104 , s - sn 80 checks to see if all subscribers on the list have been called . if there are any subscribers that have not been called , s - sn 80 moves on to step 105 ; otherwise , the disaster warning system has completed its task . in step 105 , s - sn 80 issues isup messages to setup calls to each subscriber . the isup messages are initial address messages (“ iams ”) which are sent to each subscriber &# 39 ; s ssp . the iam contains the assigned numeric code for the given disaster type in the cgpn field , and the subscriber &# 39 ; s telephone number in the called party number (“ cdpn ”) field . for example , an iam is sent to ssp 34 for subscriber 30 , another iam is sent to ssp 44 for subscriber 40 , and a third iam is sent to ssp 54 for subscriber 50 . the first iam has 911 - 222 - 3333 as the cgpn and 333 - 333 - 1000 as the cdpn . the second iam has 911 - 222 - 3333 as the cgpn and 444 - 444 - 1000 as the cdpn . finally , the third iam has 911 - 222 - 3333 as the cgpn and 555 - 555 - 1000 as the cdpn . because the s - sn does not need to send any voice traffic to the subscriber , there is no need to allocate actual voice circuits between the s - sn and the subscriber . however , under the current telephone switching architecture , an ssp will not attempt call termination unless a voice circuit is established between a cgpn and a cdpn . thus , in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the ssps are “ tricked ” by using special voice circuits 35 , 45 and 55 in a loop - back configuration , as shown in fig1 . when an ssp receives the call setup message from s - sn 80 , the ssp will process the call as if an actual voice circuit were allocated . in a preferred embodiment , loop - back voice circuits 35 , 45 and 55 are created by configuring at least one trunk interface card to loop - back to itself . suitable trunk interface cards are available from several vendors , e . g ., lucent , nortel and siemens . additionally , voice path verification must be turned off for that trunk group so that the ssp will not check to see if the circuit is valid . s - sn 80 is capable of sending these call setup messages to several ssps at once because it has an ss7 connection to stp 60 . although the subscribers listed in database 81 are all subscribers to cnd , cnam or both , the subscriber may have temporarily deactivated the services . thus , when the subscriber &# 39 ; s ssp receives the iam , it detects whether or not the called line is activated for cnd service , cnam service or both ( steps 106 , 107 and 111 ). as shown in fig2 step 105 a is usually performed concurrently with steps 106 - 108 to minimize delays in call processing . in step 105 a , the ssp initiates power ringing on the subscriber &# 39 ; s line . the remaining steps ( 106 - 115 ) in the flow chart are described in the four examples below . in this example , although subscriber 30 normally subscribes to cnd service , it has been deactivated . thus , for subscriber 30 , ssp 34 will detect that neither cnd nor cnam service is currently activated for line 33 ( steps 106 and 107 ). in this case , ssp 34 , moves on to step 108 , and continues ringing the line . after waiting a pre - determined period , s - sn 80 informs the ssp that the calling party has hung up ( step 109 ). in a preferred embodiment , s - sn 80 sends a call release ( rel ) message to the ssp . the waiting period should be long enough to ensure that any data to be transmitted to the subscriber &# 39 ; s cpe has been sent . since cnd and cnam delivery normally takes places between the first and second ring cycle , the waiting period should allow for two ringing cycles to complete . in a preferred embodiment , the pre - determined waiting period is at least six seconds . after sending the call release message , s - sn 80 returns to step 104 and determines whether or not another subscriber is to be notified , as described above . in this example , subscriber 30 has cnd and has not deactivated the service . thus , in step 106 ssp 34 detects that cnd is activated on line 33 , and as a result , prepares to deliver the calling number to cpe 32 ( step 110 ). in step 111 , ssp 34 detects whether or not line 33 also has cnam activated . in this example , line 33 does not have cnam activated , so ssp 34 moves on to step 112 . in step 112 , ssp 34 delivers the information to cpe 32 . that is , ssp 34 uses frequency - shift keying (“ fsk ”) tone modulation to transmit the cgpn for display on cpe 32 . in this case , the disaster warning code of “ 911 - 222 - 3333 ” will be transmitted to cpe 32 , along with the date and time . when subscriber 30 sees this displayed on cpe 32 , he or she will be informed of the disaster alert . after delivering the disaster warning code in step 112 , ssp 34 moves on to step 108 . as described above , in step 108 , ssp 34 continues ringing line 33 until it receives the call release message from s - sn 80 in step 109 . s - sn 80 then moves on to the next subscriber to be notified in steps 104 and 105 . in this example , subscriber 40 has cnam service but does not have cnd service . again , this is an unusual situation , but could occur under current ain standards . in step 106 ssp 44 detects that cnd is not activated on line 43 , and as a result , moves on to step 107 where ssp 44 detects that cnam is activated on line 43 . in this case , ssp 44 moves on to step 113 . in step 113 , ssp 44 queries scp 70 for the calling party name using ss7 transaction capabilities application part (“ tcap ”) messaging . scp 70 looks up the cgpn in name database 71 and returns the corresponding name . in this example , when ssp 44 looks up the calling party number , “ 911 - 222 - 3333 ” in name database 71 , the calling party &# 39 ; s “ name ” identifies the disaster_type . thus in step 114 , scp 70 sends a tcap response message having “ tornado cat . 3 ” in the calling name field . ssp 44 prepares to deliver the calling party name to cpe 42 in step 115 , then moves on to step 112 . as described above , in step 112 , ssp 44 transmits the calling party name , together with a date and time stamp to cpe 42 using fsk tone modulation . the disaster warning is displayed on cpe 42 as “ tornado cat . 3 ” and subscriber 40 can readily determine that a severe tornado is imminent . the remaining steps are the same as those described for basic cnd above . that is , for subscriber 40 , ssp 44 continues ringing line 43 in step 108 . in step 109 , s - sn 80 issues a call release message to ssp 44 ( after waiting the pre - determined wait period ), and moves on to the next subscriber ( step 104 ). in this example , subscriber 50 has both cnd and cnam services and both services are activated . in step 106 ssp 54 detects that cnd is activated on line 53 , and as a result , prepares to deliver the calling number to cpe 52 . in step 111 , ssp 54 detects whether or not line 33 also has cnam activated . in this case , line 53 has cnam activated , so ssp 54 moves on to step 113 . steps 113 through 115 are performed as described in example iii , above . that is a tcap query is issued to scp 70 and , in response , the disaster warning message is sent to ssp 54 . in step 112 , ssp 54 transmits the information to cpe 52 . in this case , both the calling party number and the calling party name , together with a date and time stamp are transmitted to cpe 52 . as before , ssp 54 uses fsk tone modulation to transmit the information to cpe 52 . the disaster warning is displayed on cpe 52 as “ 911 - 222 - 333 tornado cat . 3 ” and subscriber 50 can readily determine that a severe tornado is imminent . the remaining steps are the same as those followed for cnd or cnam services , described in examples ii and iii , above . that is , for subscriber 50 , ssp 54 continues ringing line 53 in step 108 . in step 109 , s - sn 80 issues a call release message to ssp 54 ( after waiting the pre - determined wait period ), and moves on to the next subscriber ( step 104 ). in one alternate embodiment , an extended audible or visible alarm could be implemented by modifying the cpe . in this manner , a specialized cpe could be designed to trigger based on specified cgpns or cnams , which are internally preset or programmed into the cpe . for example , if the cgpn for “ tornado warning ” is 911 - 222 - 1111 , the cpe would read that number and activate the alarm . in another alternate embodiment , one skilled in the art could modify the cpe to issue a loud audible alarm , a visible alarm such as a flashing light , or a vibrating alarm . the type of sound , vibration , or pattern of flashes could be unique depending on the cgpn , e . g ., different sounds or flash patterns could represent different types of warnings . an alarm system as described above is advantageous in that it increases the likelihood that the alarm will be noticed . this modified cpe would work with both basic cnd and cnam service services . in another alternate embodiment , the need for a tcap query is eliminated by programming the s - sn to include the disaster warning text in the iam message itself . under current ain standards , iam messages have a calling party name field which may be used for this purpose . in this embodiment , the disaster warning messages can be transmitted even faster with less load on the systems involved . however , the switch must also be programmed to look for the calling party name in iam . the foregoing disclosure of embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure . the scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto , and by their equivalents . | 7 |
referring to fig1 , support stand 10 is shown comprising base 11 having post or extension tube 12 co - axially inserted into base 11 for in - and - out or telescopic movement with respect to base 11 . an upper end of post or extension tube 12 may have a saddle 12 a thereon . post or extension tube 12 also has a bottom end discussed hereinafter in fig5 and 6 which is provided with a piston 36 , the use of which is described hereinafter . also in fig1 is shown a structure 13 for securing the duel pins together for tandem movement and for preventing vertical and lateral misalignment of the pins as the pins are moved into voids that extend through base 11 and post 12 . this is identified hereinafter as the slide rail pin set 13 . the slide rail pin set 13 is comprised of upper pin 14 , lower pin 16 and arm or slide rail 18 and flange 20 . in fig1 , it can be observed that upper pin 14 has a first end connected to flange 20 and a second end which , in a withdrawn position , contacts the top of base 11 . it may be seen in fig1 that lower pin 16 has a first end which is connected to flange 20 and a second end which is partially extending into base 11 . upper pin 14 and lower pin 16 are connected to flange 20 and it is flange 20 which moves along the length of slide rail 18 as pins 14 , 16 are inserted into base 11 or withdrawn therefrom . flange 20 is provided with a slot or an indent that is mateable or registerable with slide rail 18 for guiding slideable movement of flange 20 along slide rail 18 to thereby prevent unwanted vertical angling or lateral ( side to side ) angling of pins 14 , 16 as they are inserted into base 11 or withdrawn therefrom . it will be appreciated that the connection to flange 20 causes pins 14 , 16 to move simultaneously and that flange 20 traveling along slide rail 18 avoids up or down or side ways movement of the pins so that insertion of pins 14 , 16 accurately moves across the diameter of base 11 and post 12 for insertion of pins 14 , 16 into and through voids on the opposite side of base 11 and post 12 . referring now to fig2 , post or extension tube 12 is seen partially withdrawn from ( or inserted into ) base 11 . post or extension tube 12 is provided with post voids 24 which may be provided as plurality of vertical sets of post voids spaced about the circumference , or separated by approximately ninety degrees about the circumference , of post 12 . each set of post voids comprises a first void on one side of post 12 and a second post void diametrically opposed to the first post void such that insertion of one of pins 14 , 16 may enter a post void on one side of post 12 and travel through the diameter of post 12 to contact and enter into the diametrically opposed post void . in fig2 , saddle 12 a , is shown on a top end of post 12 . it will be appreciated that post 12 is rotatable within base 11 . by such rotation , post voids 24 which were unaligned with pins 14 , 16 may be aligned with pins 14 , 16 as a result of rotation of post 12 within base 11 . it also will be appreciated in fig2 that upper pin 14 partially rests in a depression or crotch 26 in the upper edge of base 11 . crotch 26 is shaped to be complimentary in shape to pin 14 to receive pin 14 therein and to allow pin 14 to slide across the surface of crotch 26 ( better viewed in fig4 ) and into post void 24 . due to the connection of pin 14 and pin 16 to flange 20 , the entry of both pins 14 , 16 into post voids 24 is coordinated as flange 20 slides along the length of slide rail 18 . as previously described , this coordinated entry is guided by the grooved or slotted bottom of flange 20 which engages slide rail 18 therein to prevent both pitch and front - to - rear angle of entry misalignment of pins 14 , 16 during travel which could result in misalignment of pins 14 , 16 with voids 24 and prevention of insertion of the pins . referring to fig4 , a crotch 26 is shown as being present on the opposite side of base 11 for receiving pin 14 . only the upper half of pin 14 is visible in fig4 as the lower half of pin 14 is seated within crotch 26 . referring now to fig2 , it will be appreciated that base 11 also includes a void 28 positioned immediately above slide rail 18 and oriented to receive lower pin 16 therein as flange 20 is pressed inwardly to travel across slide rail 18 toward base 11 . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the insertion of pin 14 into pin crotch 26 and pin 16 into base void 28 is permitted by close registration between post voids 24 and base crotch 26 and base void 28 . the close registration allows for smooth insertion of pin 14 , 16 into base crotch 26 and base void 28 initially , and then into the post voids 24 are positioned in line with slide rail 18 . farther insertion of pins 14 , 16 into post voids results in the movement of pins 14 , 16 across the diameter of post 12 to contact the post void 24 on the opposite side of post 12 from slide rail 18 . insertion is completed by the entry of pins 14 , 16 into base crotch 26 and base void 28 which are on the opposite side of base 11 from slide rail 18 ( see , fig4 ). referring now to fig3 and 4 , the full and complete entry of pins 14 , 16 into base 11 and post 12 may be seen . in fig3 and 4 , a close view of the relationship between pins 14 , 16 and post voids 24 and base crotch 26 and base void 28 is shown . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a very close registration between post voids 24 and base crotch 26 and base void 28 is required to allow pins 14 , 16 to slide across the diameter of both post 12 and base 11 to achieve complete seating of pins 14 , 16 within their respective voids . this close registration is achieved by the use of a compressed gas , such as compressed air or shop air , which is introduced into base 11 . the pressure of the compressed gas within base 11 increases the pressure against a piston , which comprises the bottom end of post 12 , to thereby urge post 12 upwardly as pressure increases , or ease the post downwardly as pressure is reduced within base 11 . this movement of post 12 permits the operator of stand 10 to achieve the close registration between voids 24 and crotch 26 and base void 28 necessary to permit insertion of pins 14 , 16 as has been described . referring now to fig1 , an air nipple 32 is shown , which allows attachment of a compressed air hose with a hose connection being made from nipple 32 to air connector 34 which allows the introduction of the compressed gas or shop air into the bottom of base 11 . it will be appreciated that base 11 , which acts as a cylinder within which the piston travels . also shown in fig1 is valve 32 a which can be used by the operator of stand 10 to add air pressure into base 11 to urge post 12 upward or to bleed air from post 12 to ease post 12 downward . also shown is handle 33 by which stand 10 may be guided while being moved on wheels 35 . referring now to fig5 and 6 , the construction of the piston which is connected to the bottom of post 12 will be described . referring to fig5 , piston 36 is shown attached to the bottom of post 12 as previously described . the piston 36 is designed to closely fit into base 11 . base 11 acts as the cylinder within which piston 36 and attached post 12 travel to allow adjustment of post voids 24 into registration with base crotch 26 and base voids 28 . in fig6 , the components of the piston are shown and which comprise a circumferential seal 38 , which operates to retain the air pressure within the cylinder or base 11 . above seal 38 is wear ring 40 , which operates to seat piston 36 and post 12 within base 11 . screws 42 retain piston 36 within post 12 . piston 36 also is provided with pressure relief valve 44 which is connected to piston 36 by adaptor 46 . the purpose of pressure relief valve 44 is to limit the amount of pressure that can be introduced into base 11 to approximately five ( 5 ) pounds per square inch . for pressures above this limit , the pressure relief valve will prevent the sudden and unwanted expulsion of post 12 from being seated within base 11 due to inadvertent application of excessive air pressure to base 11 . in fig6 , air void 48 is shown . it is the opening of the passage way through piston 36 to allow the pressurized air that is introduced into base 11 to contact adaptor 46 and pressure relief valve 44 . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that base 11 may be provided with two voids as an alternative to crotch 26 and base void 28 to achieve the close registration between voids 24 and the openings in base 11 needed to permit insertion of pins 14 , 16 as has been described . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that base 11 and post 12 may be provided with a registerable vertical key - way formed by a registerable vertical track in base 11 or post 12 for reception of a vertical projection formed on the other member being either base 11 or post 12 therein to maintain the registration between crotch 26 and base void 28 and post voids 24 and thereby eliminate the need for the previously described rotation of post 12 in base 11 . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a worker looking to place stand 10 underneath a large heavy vehicle such as a bulldozer or excavator will need to adjust post voids 24 into a position such that they are aligned with crotch 26 and base void 28 to allow pins 14 , 16 to be inserted through the base 11 and post 12 . to permit this fine adjustment of the spatial relationship between post voids 24 and crotch 26 and base void 28 , the previously described pressurization of base 11 with compressed air produces movement of post 12 within base 11 . as the introduction or removal of compressed gas urges piston 36 to move in response to the gas pressure , the worker by adding compressed gas or removing compressed gas from base 11 can change the height of post 12 within base 11 . this produces a resulting change in the position of post voids 24 . the worker by manipulating the pressure of gas within base 11 can bring post voids 24 into registration with crotch 26 and base void 28 to permit unobstructed insertion of pins 14 , 16 through post voids 24 and crotch 26 and base void 28 . | 5 |
a crude anomeric mixture of lactosamine hydrochloride can be prepared by using literature methods . 1 - 7 different methods of preparation provide different purities of the crude mixture . however , all the expected impurities and side products present in the reaction mixtures obtained by the different methods are found to dissolve in aqueous alcohols at 40 - 100 ° c . temperatures . stirring a solution of the crude mixture in a solvent or mixture of solvents as set out above at between − 5 and 30 ° c . initiates the crystallization of α - lactosamine hydrochloride . filtration , washing of the crystals with etoh or iso - propanol , followed by a drying process at room temperature or higher temperatures provides high purity α - lactosamine hydrochloride monohydrate with a melting point of 174 ° c . alternatively , the crude lactosamine hydrochloride can be dissolved in water at 40 - 100 ° c . and subsequently the at least one water miscible solvent is added . crystallization of α - lactosamine hydrochloride starts upon cooling and stirring . 1 . 5 kg crude anomeric mixture of lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to literature procedures 7 was dissolved in warm water ( 1 . 5 l , 50 ° c .). ethanol ( 4 l ) was added to the mixture over a period of 30 min . then the mixture was cooled down to 0 ° c . and stirred for 8 h . the white crystals were collected by filtration and washed with ethanol ( 200 ml ). yield : 1 . 3 kg pure alpha anomer . 100 g crude anomeric mixture of lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to literature procedures 7 was dissolved in warm water ( 100 ml , 50 ° c .). i - propanol ( 250 ml ) was added to the mixture over a period of 10 min . then the mixture was cooled down to 0 ° c . and stirred for 8 h . the white crystals were collected by filtration and washed with i - propanol ( 20 ml ). yield : 85 g pure alpha anomer . 100 g crude anomeric mixture of lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to literature procedures 7 was dissolved in warm water ( 100 ml , 50 ° c .). the solution was added to acetone ( 1l ) obtaining a white precipitate . this powder was redissolved in water ( 90 ml ) and i - propanol ( 220 ml ) added to the mixture over a period of 10 min . then the mixture was cooled down to 0 ° c . and stirred for 8 h . the white crystals were collected by filtration and washed with i - propanol ( 20 ml ). yield : 82 g pure alpha anomer . 100 g crude anomeric mixture of lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to literature procedures 7 was dissolved in warm water ( 100 ml , 50 ° c .). the solution added to acetone ( 1 l ) obtaining a white precipitate . this powder was redissolved in water ( 90 ml ) and ethanol ( 300 ml ) added to the mixture over a period of 10 min . then the mixture was cooled down to 0 ° c . and stirred for 8 h . the white crystals were collected by filtration and washed with ethanol ( 20 ml ). yield : 78 g pure alpha anomer . 100 g crude anomeric mixture of lactosamine hydrochloride obtained the solution was added to acetone ( 1 l ) obtaining a white precipitate . this powder was redissolved in water ( 90 ml ) and a mixture of ethanol and i - propanol ( 8 % i - propanol , 220 ml ) was added to the mixture over a period of 10 min . then the mixture was cooled down to 0 ° c . and stirred for 8 h . the white crystals were collected by filtration and washed with the solvent mixture ( 20 ml ). yield : 80 g pure alpha anomer . 100 g crude anomeric mixture of lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to literature procedures 7 was dissolved in warm water ( 100 ml , 50 ° c .). a mixture of ethanol and i - propanol ( 8 % i - propanol , 250 ml ) was added to the mixture over a period of 10 min . then the mixture was cooled down to 0 ° c . and stirred for 8 h . the white crystals were collected by filtration and washed with the solvent mixture ( 20 ml ). yield : 88 g pure alpha anomer . 100 g alpha lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to procedures above was dehydrated under high - vacuum ( 1 - 10 mbar ) at the temperature of 55 ° c . resulting in 95 g dehydrated pure alpha anomer . 100 g alpha lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to procedures above was dehydrated under high - vacuum ( 1 - 10 mbar ) at the temperature of 75 ° c . resulting in 95 g dehydrated pure alpha anomer . 100 g alpha lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to procedures above was dehydrated under high - vacuum ( 10 - 15 mbar ) at the temperature of 40 ° c . resulting in 95 g dehydrated pure alpha anomer . 100 g alpha lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to procedures above was dehydrated under high - vacuum ( 10 - 15 mbar ) at the temperature of 75 ° c . resulting in 95 g dehydrated pure alpha anomer . 100 g alpha lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to procedures above was dehydrated under high - vacuum ( 20 - 50 mbar ) at the temperature of 95 ° c . resulting in 94 g dehydrated pure alpha anomer . 100 g alpha lactosamine hydrochloride obtained according to procedures above was dehydrated under high - vacuum ( 50 - 100 mbar ) at the temperature of 120 ° c . resulting in 94 g dehydrated pure alpha anomer . lactosamine hydrochloride sample was made according the present invention for single crystal x - ray diffraction studies . no crystal structure of lactosamine hydrochloride was published before . however , x - ray structure of the n - acetyllactosamine is known . single crystals suitable for x - ray diffraction measurement could be grown by layering methanol onto water solution of lactosamine hydrochloride . this is carried out by preparing a saturated aqueous solution of lactosamine hydrochloride , filtering the solution to remove any remaining solid lactosamine hydrochloride , and then adding a small volume of water followed by careful addition of methanol . a rather small colorless prism crystal was chosen for the measurement and fixed on the loop using perfluorinated paraffin oil . structural data were reliable and the results are acceptable for scientific publication and / or patenting . colorless prism crystal ( 0 . 08 × 0 . 05 × 0 . 02 mm ) of c 12 h 26 n 1 cl 1 o 11 , m = 395 , 79 , monoclinic crystal system , a = 4 . 7931 ( 8 ) å , b = 13 . 5508 ( 19 ) å , c = 13 . 2816 ( 19 ) å , β = 93 . 97 ( 1 ) °, v = 860 . 6 ( 2 ) å 3 , z = 2 , space group : p2 1 , pcalc = 1 . 527 g cm − 3 . data were collected at 110 ( 1 ) k , bruker - gadds multiwire proportional diffractometer , cu kα radiation λ = 1 . 54184 å , θ max = 63 . 3 °, 6882 measured , 2059 independent reflections of which 1793 reflections were unique with i & gt ; 2σ ( i ). raw data was evaluated using the frambo software , the structure was solved using the sir - 92 software and refined on f 2 using shelx - 97 program , publication material was prepared with the wingx - 97 suite , r ( f )= 0 . 061 and wr ( f 2 )= 0 . 156 for 2509 reflections , 254 parameters , 10 restraints . residual electron density : 0 . 33 /− 0 . 33 e / å 3 . hydrogen atoms at carbon atoms were placed into geometric position while other hydrogen atoms could be found at the difference electron density map . distance of these hydrogen atoms to the respective oxygen or nitrogen was constrained . coordinates of hydrogen atoms were allowed to refine within a short range to the donor atom . position of the hydrogens on the amino group was found using the riding model and their distance to the nitrogen atom was fixed . because of the extensive hydrogen bond network , alternative positions for some of these hydrogen atoms are possible , full data and the structure determined therefrom are shown in fig1 and 2 . 10 mg pure α - lactosamine hydrochloride was dissolved in 700 μl d 2 o , then 1h - nmr spectrum was recorded immediately . a second 1h - nmr spectra was recorded a day later , by which time the clean substance had already anomerized . on first spectrum ( fig3 , above ) at 5 . 26 ppm the h - 1 and at 4 . 29 ppm the h - 1 ′ can be seen . on the second spectrum ( fig3 , below ) next to the alpha anomer already the beta appears . at 4 . 78 ppm h - 1 - beta and at 2 . 85 ppm h - 2 - beta can be seen . this experiment shows that the starting material is a clean anomer , which anomerizes at room temperature within one day . 1 . oligosaccharides as antitumor drugs and health foods . misawa , yoshitomo ; kikuchi , kazuaki ; hosomi , osamu . ( yaizu suisan kagaku industry co ., ltd ., japan ). jpn . kokai tokkyo koho ( 2004 ), 16 pp . coden : jkxxaf jp 2004352673 . 2 . an exceptionally simple chemical synthesis of 0 - giycosylated d - giucosamine derivatives by heyns rearrangement of the corresponding 0 - giycosyl fructoses . stuetz , arnold e . ; dekany , gyula ; eder , brigitte ; illaszewicz , carina ; wrodnigg , tanja m . institut fuer organische chemie , glycogroup , technische universitaet graz , graz , austria . journal of carbohydrate chemistry ( 2003 ), 22 ( 5 ), 253 - 265 . 3 . a unique chemoenzymic synthesis of α - galactosyl epitope derivatives containing free amino groups : efficient separation and further manipulation . fang , jianwen ; chen , xi ; zhang , wei ; wang , jianqiang ; andreana , peter r . ; wang , peng george . department of chemistry , wayne state university , detroit , mich ., usa . journal of organic chemistry ( 1999 ), 64 ( 11 ), 4089 - 4094 . 4 . the heyns rearrangement revisited : an exceptionally simple two - step chemical synthesis of d - lactosamine from lactulose . wrodnigg , tanja m . ; stutz , arnold e . institut fur organische chemie der technischen universitat , graz , austria . angewandte chemie , international edition ( 1999 ), 38 ( 6 ), 827 - 828 . 5 . chemical and enzymic synthesis of glycoconjugates 3 : synthesis of lactosamine by thermophilic galactosidase catalyzed galactosylation on a multigram scale . fang , jianwen ; xie , wenhua ; li , jun ; wang , peng george . department chemistry , wayne state university , detroit , mich ., usa . tetrahedron letters ( 1998 ), 39 ( 9 ), 919 - 922 . 6 . synthesis of 2 - acetamidolactose . kuhn , richard ; kirschenlohr , werner . univ . heidelberg , germany . chemische berichte ( 1954 ), 87 1547 - 52 . 7 . process for the large - scale preparation of n - acetyllactosamine , lactosamine , lactosamine salts and lactosamine - containing oligosaccharides . dekany , gyula ; agoston , karoly ; bajza , istvan ; boejstrup , marie ; kroeger , lars . ( giycom aps , den .). pct int . appl . ( 2007 ), 44pp . coden : pixxd2 wo 2007104311 . 8 . method for the preparation of aminosugars . spreitz , josef ; sprenger , friedrich . ( austria ). austrian pat . appl . [ pre - grant ] ( 2007 ), 23 pp . coden : atxxad at 503400 a1 20071015 . | 2 |
a conventional box of square shape designed for holding four one - gallon containers c is shown at 10 in fig1 - 3 . in accordance with conventional practice , the containers are placed in the box in orthogonally disposed side - by - side relationship to one another , and an h - shaped divider 11 , shown in dot - and - dash lines , is placed in the box between the containers . boxes filled with containers are typically stacked in layers on a pallet p , and as depicted in fig1 and 2 , the boxes are stacked on top of one another in columnar relationship . this arrangement is unstable , and layer sheets ( not shown ) are commonly placed between adjacent layers . moreover , only nine boxes may be placed in a layer without producing pallet overhang , but this results in a substantial area of the pallet not being used . the invention solves this problem , as depicted in fig4 - 7 , by making the boxes 12 rectangular in shape , with a greater length dimension l than width dimension w , and placing the containers c in the box so that they are in offset or staggered relationship , as seen best in fig5 and 6 . with this arrangement , the boxes may be cross - stacked in interlocking relationship to produce a stable stack without requiring the use of layer sheets . moreover , the boxes may be arranged on the pallet p so that the footprint or area occupied by the boxes is substantially equal to the surface area of the pallet , thus enabling optimum pallet utilization . the boxes may be arranged in different ways to achieve interlocking when stacked and to maximize use of the pallet surface , as depicted for example in fig6 and 7 . a second embodiment of a box according to the invention is shown at 14 in fig8 - 11 and 19 . the box 14 has a bottom wall 15 , opposite end walls 16 and 17 , opposite side walls 18 and 19 , and angled interior corner panels 20 and 21 extending across the interior of the box from a respective side wall to an adjoining end wall at each of two diagonally opposite corners of the box , defining a generally parallelogram - shaped box interior , as seen best in fig1 . large openings 22 and 23 are formed in the side walls , extending from the top of the wall to an upstanding , narrow , bottom side wall segment 24 at the bottom of the opening , and offset slightly toward respective opposite ends of the box , defining a narrow first side wall end segment 25 at one end of the side wall , and a relatively wider second side wall end segment 26 at the other end of the side wall . the angled interior corner panels are foldably joined at one edge 27 to the respective second side wall end segments at the edge of the respective openings 22 and 23 , and are affixed to the adjacent end wall by a glue flap 28 on the opposite free edge of the corner panel . when four one - gallon containers c are placed in the box , they are oriented in nested , offset or staggered relationship as depicted in fig5 , 6 and 8 . the containers , and thus labels or graphics on the containers , are visible through the large openings 22 and 23 , and the containers are retained in the box by the upstanding narrow bottom side wall segment 24 , the angled interior corner panels 20 and 21 , and the narrow first side wall end segment 25 . the interior corner panels 20 and 21 and adjacent side and end wall portions define triangular reinforcing structures at two diagonally opposite corners of the box , lending stacking strength to the box and enabling boxes filled with containers to be stacked two or more pallets high without imposing load on the containers . a blank b 1 for forming the box of fig8 and 10 is shown in fig9 , and comprises a single unitary piece of corrugated board that is die - cut and scored to form an elongate , rectangular center panel 30 that forms the bottom wall 15 in the erected box . first side wall panels 31 and 32 are foldably joined to opposite side edges of the bottom - forming panel 30 , and define the bottom side wall segments 24 in the erected box . end - wall - forming panels 33 and 34 are foldably joined to opposite ends of the bottom - forming panel 30 , and a second side wall panel 35 is foldably joined along one edge of each panel 33 and 34 to form the narrow first side wall segments 25 in the erected box . relatively wider third side wall panels 36 and 37 are foldably joined along one edge to the opposite side edges of the panels 33 and 34 , and form the second , wider side wall segments 26 in the erected box . comer panel - forming panels 38 and 39 of greater width than the panels 36 and 37 but narrower than panels 30 - 34 are foldably joined along one edge to the panels 36 and 37 and form the angled interior corner panels in the erected box . narrow flaps 40 and 41 are foldably joined to the opposite edges of panels 38 and 39 and form the glue flaps 28 . in the erected box , the glue flaps 28 are adhesively secured to an interior surface of the adjacent end wall , and the flaps 31 and 32 are folded upwardly and glued to an outer surface of the respective side end wall segments 25 and 26 . it will be noted that a continuous score 42 extends along the length of the blank at opposite sides of the bottom - wall - forming panel 30 and the end - wall - forming panels 33 and 34 , and in the particular example shown , short cuts 43 are spaced along these scores . further , in the particular example shown , the scores 44 separating the panels 36 and 38 and the panels 37 and 39 , and the scores 45 separating the panels 38 and 40 and the panels 39 and 41 comprise lines of perforations 46 . it should be understood , however , that the cuts and perforations need not be employed and the scores could comprise creased areas . as indicated in fig1 , the containers c may be inverted and placed upside down in the box 14 , where they are retained by the angled corner panels 20 and 21 , the bottom side wall segment 24 and the narrow side wall segment 25 . this feature enables the container manufacturer to place empty containers in the box for shipment to a facility where the containers are to be filled . a third embodiment of the box of the invention is shown at 50 in fig1 . this embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment 14 described above , except the bottom wall segments 51 and 52 are substantially wider , resulting in effectively higher side walls and a smaller opening through the side walls , and the glue flaps 53 that attach the free edge of the angled interior corner panels 54 and 55 to the adjacent end walls are wider , extending all the way into the opposite corner of the box . a blank b 2 for forming the box of fig1 is shown in fig1 , and is essentially the same as the blank b 1 described above , except for the wider panels 56 forming the bottom side wall segments 51 and 52 , and the wider panels 57 forming the corner panel glue flaps 53 . a fourth embodiment of the box of the invention is shown at 60 in fig1 , and is essentially the same as the first embodiment 14 described above , except that the side walls 61 and 62 are full height , with no opening or cut - out in them . a blank b 3 for forming the box of fig1 is shown in fig1 , and is essentially the same as the blank b 1 described above , except for the width of side wall panels 61 and 62 , which have the same width as the height of the end walls . a fifth embodiment of the box of the invention is shown at 70 in fig1 . in this embodiment , separate inserts 71 and 72 of triangular cross - section are inserted into two diagonally opposite corners of a partial depth rectangular box or tray 73 similar to the box 12 shown in fig4 - 6 . the box 73 , taken alone , is of substantially conventional construction and can be used for many purposes . it has side and end walls 74 and 75 of equal height , but only about one - half the height of the containers c placed in the box . in accordance with the present invention , the inserts 71 and 72 project above the height of the side and end walls and slightly above the height of the containers . a blank b 4 for forming the box 73 is shown in fig1 , and comprises four rectangular panels 76 , 77 , 78 and 79 foldably joined together along spaced transverse score lines 80 . a glue tab 81 is foldably joined to a panel 79 at one end of the blank for adhesive attachment to the panel 76 at the opposite end of the blank when the box is erected . bottom forming flaps 82 , 83 , 84 and 85 are foldably connected along one edge of the respective side - wall - forming panels 76 , 77 , 78 and 79 . a blank b 5 for forming the triangular corner inserts 71 and 72 is shown in fig1 and comprises first , second and third panels 86 , 87 and 88 joined along scores 89 . in fig1 a plurality of containers c ′ of square cross - section are shown placed in the box 14 of fig8 - 11 . this capability exists for all embodiments of the invention . this figure also clearly shows how the containers are retained in place in the box in spite of the large openings through the side walls . a sixth embodiment of the box of the invention is shown at 90 in fig2 . this embodiment is similar to the embodiment of fig8 , except the panels 91 and 92 foldably joined to opposite side edges of the bottom - forming panel 30 have a width to extend the full height of the box , and shaped cut - outs 93 are formed in them to provide the openings through which the containers are visible . this arrangement also produces a double thickness side wall 94 in the area between the respective angled interior corner panels 20 and 21 and the adjacent end walls . a blank b 6 for forming the box 90 is shown in fig2 . this blank is the same as the blank b 1 shown in fig9 , except for the panels 91 and 92 and the cut - outs 93 in these panels . a seventh embodiment 100 is shown in fig2 and 23 , and is similar to the embodiment shown in fig4 and 5 , except in this embodiment the side walls 101 and end walls 102 have a height greater than the height of containers c placed in the box , and a cut - out 103 is formed in one end wall . while particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein , it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims . | 8 |
the present invention refers to new compounds capable of inhibiting the 5α - reductase enzyme , either selectively in respect of 5αr - i and 5αr - ii or on both the iso - enzymes , useful for the treatment of the pathologies mediated by the enzyme . wherein the substituents r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 , r 6 , x , q , w , n and the symbol ----- are as above defined . according to the present invention with group c 1 - 8 alkyl , c 2 - 8 alkenyl and c 2 - 8 alkinyl are indicated linear or branched alkyl radicals as for example : methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , pentyl , hexyl , heptyl , octyl , ethylene , propene , butene , isobutene , acetylene , propine , butine ecc . with cycloalkyl are indicated : cyclopropane , cyclobutane , cyclopentane , cyclohexane , cycloheptane , cyclooctane , norbornane , canphane , adamantane . with aryl are indicated : phenyl and naphtyl . heterocycle means in particular : saturated or aromatic heterocycles containing one or more n atoms , more particularly : piridine , imidazole , pyrrole , indole , triazoles , pyrrolidine , piperidine . halogen means : fluorine , chlorine , bromine , iodine . the substituents of the above said group w are preferably : halogen , or , phenyl , nrr ′, cn , coor , conrr ′, c 1 - 8 alkyl ( wherein r and r ′ are as above defined ). in particular , according to the present invention compounds of formula ( i ) are preferred wherein : q = simple bond , co , conr , nr ( wherein r is as above defined ) w = h , f , cl , br , me , t - butyl , c 1 - 8 alkoxy , 2 , 5 - dimethylhexyl , trifluoromethyl , 2 , 5 -( di - trifluoromethyl )- phenyl , 4 - methoxy - phenyl , 4 - fluoro - phenyl , phenyl , phenyl - c 1 - 8 alkyl , c 1 - 8 alkylcarbonyl , phenylcarbonyl . r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 6 = h , me , cn , phenyl , coor , conrr ′ ( wherein r and r ′ are as above defined ). among the pharmaceutically acceptable esters and salts according to the present invention the following can be mentioned : hydrochloride , sulphate , citrate , formiate , phosphate . the compounds according to the present invention can be prepared for example starting from compounds of formula 2 wherein r 3 , r 4 , w , q and n are as above defined , following the reaction scheme reported hereinafter . the compounds 2 are commercialy available or can be prepared according to known techniques . as it can be seen from the scheme the preparation of the compounds according to the invention involves the protection of the amide - group in compound 2 by the protecting group z , for example tert - butoxycarbonyl ( t - boc ), to give compound 3 ; compound 3 is reduced to compound 4 , for example ( when r 5 is h ) with sodium borohydride in ethanol ( ph 3 ), which is reacted with a silylether 6 , produced “ in situ ” starting from vinyl - ketones 5 ( wherein r 1 , r 2 and r 6 are as above defined ) with a silylating agent as trimethylsilyltrifluorometansulphonic anhydride ( tmsotf ) and thereafter hydrolized , for example in sodium hydrogencarbonate , to give the compounds of formula ( i ) wherein x = 0 . the possible introduction of the double bonds and the transformation of the group x in one of the other groups mentioned above can be easily performed according to known techniques starting from the corresponding compound of formula ( i ) obtained as indicated . for example the introduction of the double bonds in position a or b , can be performed by reaction of dichlorodicyanoquinone ( ddq ) with the corresponding silylenolethers or by oxidation with mercuric acetate of the saturated corresponding compound obtained as described above . the transformation of group x can be performed via the corresponding enoltriflates and their carbonylation in the presence of palladium diacetate , triphenylphosphine and the suitable nucleophilic reagent ( alcohol , amine , nitro - group ). preparation of n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- 3 , 4 - dihydroquinolin - 2 ( 1h )- one [ compound 3 wherein ( qw ) n — h , r 3 — r 4 — h ] 5 g ( 34 mmoles ) of 3 , 4 - dihydroquinolin - 2 ( 1h )- one [ compound 2 wherein ( qw ) 2 ═ h , r 3 ═ r 4 ═ h ] and 111 ml of ch 2 cl 2 are charged , under nitrogen , in a 250 ml round bottom flask , equipped with magnetic stirrer . to the above said mixture 4 . 7 ml ( 34 mmoles ) of triethylamine ( distilled on koh ), 8 . 9 g ( 40 . 8 mmoles ) of di - butyl dicarbonate and 1 g ( 8 . 2 mmoles ) of 4 - dimethylaminopyridine are added . the mixture is stirred under reflux for 5 h , then for one night at room temperature and thereafter the solvent is removed and 200 ml of water are added . the aqueous phase is extracted with diethylether and the organic phase is neutralized with an aqueous solution of khso 4 ( 1 m ). the organic phase is washed with a saturated solution of nacl and dried on na 2 so 4 . after filtration and removal of the solvent 8 . 23 g of the desired product are obtained ( white crystals ). m . p . : 68 - 69 ° c . yield : 98 %. preparation of n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- 2 - ethoxy - 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydroquinoline [ compound 4 wherein ( qw ) n ═ h , r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ h ]. 4 . 35 g ( 17 . 6 mmoles ) of the compound obtained from example 1 and 136 ml of absolute ethanol are charged in a 500 ml round bottom flask equipped with magnetic stirrer . the solution is cooled at − 25 ° c . and 2 . 66 g ( 70 . 4 mmoles ) of nabh 4 ( subdivided in 6 portions ) are added to the mixture in 1 h . after 4 h a solution of hcl 2n in absolute ethanol is added to the mixture , up to ph 3 , and the mixture is stirred at 0 ° c . for 1 , 5 h . 100 ml of water are added , the aqueous phase is extracted with methylene chloride , the organic phase is washed with a saturated solution of nahco 3 and a saturated solution of nacl and the mixture is dried on na 2 so 4 . after filtration the solvent is removed and 4 , 74 g of the expected product are obtained ( dense yellow liquid ); yield 96 %. operating as above said other compounds 4 wherein the substituents can not be reduced by nabh4 are obtained ; if substituents which could be reduced by nabh4 are present these must be previously protected . preparation of 1 , 2 , 4 , 4a , 5 , 6 - hexahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizin - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ) wherein x ═ 0 ; ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 2 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ r 6 ═ h ; a , b , c , e , f , g = simple bond ] 70 μl ( 0 . 86 mmoles ) of 3 - buten - 2 - one [ compound of formula 5 wherein r 1 ═ r 2 ═ r 6 ═ h ] and 2 ml of anhydrous ch 2 cl 2 are charged , at 0 ° c . under argon in a two - necked round bottom flask equipped with magnetic stirrer and dropping funnel . 170 μl ( 1 . 22 mmoles ) of triethylamine ( distilled on koh ) and 209 μl ( 1 . 08 mmoles ) of trimethylsilyltrifluorometansulphonate ( tmdotf ) ( drop by drop ) are added to the mixture . in this conditions 2 -( trimethylsilyloxy )- 1 , 3 - butadiene [ compound 6 wherein r 1 = r 2 ═ r 6 ═ h ] is formed “ in situ ”. the mixture is stirred for 45 minutes and thereafter a solution of 100 mg ( 0 . 36 mmoles ) of the product from example 2 in 2 ml of anhydrous ch 2 cl 2 is added therein , drop by drop , together with 69 μl ( 0 . 36 mmoles ) of tmsotf . the mixture is brought to room temperature and after 30 minutes 4 ml of a saturated solution of nahco 3 are added and the mixture is stirred vigorously for 36 h . 4 ml of water are added to the mixture and the aqueous phase is extracted with methylene chloride , the organic phase is washed with a saturated solution of nahco 3 , water , a saturated solution of nacl and is dried on na 2 so 4 . after filtration the solvent is removed and 59 mg of crude product are obtained . the product is purified by flash chromatography on silica gel column ( fcc ) eluting with methylene chloride and triethylamine 1 %. 18 mg of the wanted product are obtained ( crystals ). m . p . : 53 - 54 ° c . yield 25 %. using various vinyl - ketones 5 , or using directly the various silylenolethers 6 ( when available ), it is possible to prepare the corresponding derivatives of formula ( i ). in particular when 1 - methoxy - 3 -( trimethylsilyloxy )- 1 - 3 - butadiene ( compound 6 wherein r 1 ═ meo , r 2 ═ h , r 6 ═ h ) was used , 4 , 4a , 5 , 6 - tetrahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizin - 3 - one ( compound i wherein x ═ o , ( qw ) n ═ h , r 1 ═ r 2 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ r 6 ═ h , a = double bond ; b , c , e , f , g = single bond ] was directly obtained according to the synthesis described in the following example 4 . preparation of 4 , 4a , 5 , 6 - tetrahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizin - 3 - one [ compound i wherein x ═ o , ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 2 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ r 6 ═ h a = double bond ; b , c , e , f , g = single bond ]. to a stirred solution of compound 4 [( qw ) n ═ h , r 3 ═ r 4 ═ h ] ( 4 g , 14 . 42 mmol ) of the example 3 , in 75 ml of anhydrous ch 2 cl 2 under argon at − 10 ° c . is added , dropwise in 7 min , 28 . 84 ml of a 1m solution of ticl 4 in ch 2 cl 2 maintaining the temperature below − 5 ° c . then 1 - methoxy - 3 -( trimethylsilyloxy )- 1 - 3 - butadiene ( compound 6 , r 1 ═ meo , r 2 ═ h , r 6 ═ h ) ( 3 . 29 ml , 17 . 3 mmol ) is added by syringe at 0 ° c ., and the reaction was left aside at room temperature for 1 h . the reaction mixture is added , cautiously , with 100 ml of nahco satured solution , and then stirred for 30 min . the organic layer is separated , washed with water , filtered on celite and dried over na 2 so 4 . after removal of the solvent the crude product is purified by flash column chromatography ( eluant light - petroleum ether / ethyl acetate 1 : 4 ) affording 0 . 72 g ( 25 % yield ) of the expected product ( white crystals , m . p . : 135 - 137 ° c .). a ) preparation of 4 - methyl - 4 , 4a , 5 , 6 - tetrahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizine - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ) wherein x ═ o ; ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ; a = double bond ; b , c , e , f , g = single bonds ], 4 - methyl - 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 - tetrahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizine - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ) wherein x ═ o ; ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ; b = double bond ; a , c , e , f , g = single bonds ] and 4 - methyl - 5 , 6 - dihydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizine - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ) wherein x ═ o ; ( qw ) 2 ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ; a , b = double bonds ; c , e , f , g = single bonds ]. 1 g ( 4 . 64 mmol ) of 4 - methyl - 1 , 2 , 4 , 4a , 5 , 6 - hexahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizine - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ), wherein x ═ o : ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ; a , b , c , e , f , g = single bonds , obtained according to example 3 by reaction of compound 4 ( wherein ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ h ) of example 2 and ethylvinylketone ( compound 5 wherein r 1 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ] and 120 ml of 5 % solution ( v / v ) of glacial acetic acid in water are charged under nitrogen in a two - necked round bottom flask , equipped with magnetic stirrer , refrigerator and dropping funnel . under vigorous stirring , 7 . 27 g ( 18 . 56 mmol ) of tetrasodic salt edta and 5 . 92 g ( 18 . 56 mmol ) of ( ch 3 co 2 ) 2 hg are added and the reaction mixture is heated at 90 ° c . for 2 h . after cooling at room temperature the reaction mixture is added with 120 ml of water and extracted with methylene chloride ( 4 × 70 ml ). the separated organic phase is washed with a satured solution of nahco 3 , with a satured solution of nacl then dried over na 2 so 4 . after removal of the solvent the crude product is purified by flash chromatography on silica gel by elution with ethylacetate / light petroleum ether 2 : 1 affording : 83 mg ( 10 %) ( gummy solid ) of cis - 4 - methyl - 4 , 4a , 5 , 6 - tetrahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizine - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ) wherein x ═ o : ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 5 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ; a = double bond ; b , c , e , f , g = single bonds ] 350 mg ( 40 %) ( crystals , m . p . : 148 - 150 ° c .) of 4 methyl - 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 - tetrahydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizine - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ) wherein x ═ o : ( qw ) n ═ h ; r 1 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ; b = double bond ; a , c , e , f , g = single bonds ] and 107 mg ( 12 %) ( gummy solid ) of 4 - methyl - 5 , 6 - dihydro -( 11h )- benzo [ c ] quinolizine - 3 - one [ compound of formula ( i ) wherein x ═ o : ( qw ) n ═ h ; r1 ═ r 3 ═ r 4 ═ r 6 ═ h ; r 2 ═ me ; a , b = double bonds ; c , e , f , g = single bonds ]. the inhibition potency of the prepared compounds in respect of the iso - enzymes 1 and 2 of 5α - reductase was determined using tissue samples ( for example prostate human tissue ) or human cellular systems ( for example du 145 cells ) expressing iso - enzymes 2 and 1 respectively . the samples are incubated in the presence of testosterone labelled with tritium and thereafter the quantity of labelled dihydrotestosterone formed in the absence and in the presence of the inhibitor is measured . the compounds showed high inhibiting power of 5α - reductase enzyme ( in particular of iso - enzyme 1 ) with an inhibition higher than 50 % at the concentration of 10 - 100 nm . for the therapeutical administration the compounds according to the invention are prepared in the form of pharmaceutical compositions containing the active principle and the organic or inorganic excipients suitable for the oral , parenteral or topic administration of the compositions . the pharmaceutical compositions can therefore be in the solid form ( dragees , suppositories , creams , ointments ), liquid form ( solutions , suspensions , emulsions ) and can possibly contain the stabilizers , conservatives , humectants , emulsifier , buffers or salts used for equilibrating the osmotic pressure which are commonly used in the art . generally the administration of the compounds is performed according to the modalities and quantities observed for the known agents used for the same purposes and taking into consideration the age and conditions of the patients . | 2 |
fig1 depicts an ethernet protocol metropolitan area network ( man ) 10 comprised of a plurality of multi - service platforms ( msps ) 12 1 - 12 n where n is an integer , each msp taking the form of an ethernet switch or the like . in the illustrated embodiment n = 4 , although the network 10 could include a smaller or larger number of msps . a fiber ring or sonet ring infrastructure 14 connects the platforms 12 1 - 12 4 in daisy - chain fashion allowing each msp to statistically multiplex information onto , and to statistically de - multiplex information off the ring infrastructure 14 . each of msps 12 1 - 12 3 serves at least one , and in some instances , a plurality of premises 16 belonging to one or more customers . in the illustrated embodiment of fig1 , the msp 12 1 serves a single customer premises 16 1 belonging to customer 1 whereas , the msp 12 2 serves premises 16 2 , and 16 3 belonging to customers 2 and 3 , respectively . the msp 12 3 serves a single premises 16 4 that belongs to customer 3 . the msps 12 1 - 12 3 are linked to their corresponding premises via 10 , 100 or 1000 mb links 19 . the msp 12 4 bears the legend “ co msp ” because it serves as a central office to route traffic from the man 10 to a provider edge router ( per ) 18 for delivery to other networks , such as frame relay , atm , mpls networks or the internet as discussed hereinafter . by the same token , the per 18 can route traffic from such other networks onto the man 10 via the co msp 124 . the traffic routed onto and off of the man 10 by each msp takes the form of one or more frames 20 depicted in fig2 . heretofore , traffic routed onto the man 10 from a particular customer &# 39 ; s premises was combined with other customers &# 39 ; traffic with no logical separation , thus raising security concerns . moreover , since all customers &# 39 ; traffic share the same bandwidth , difficulties existed in prior art ethernet mans in regulating the traffic from each customer &# 39 ; s premises , and in affording different customers different quality of service ( qos ) levels in accordance with individual service level agreements . these difficulties are overcome in accordance with the present principles by “ tagging ” each frame 20 routed onto the man 10 at a particular msp , say msp 12 3 , with a customer descriptor 22 ′ ( best seen in fig2 ) that identifies the customer sending that frame . as discussed in greater detail below , each msp receiving a frame 20 on the fiber ring infrastructure 14 uses the customer descriptor 22 ′ in that frame to maintain distinct routing and addressing tables that are assigned to each customer served by that msp . this permits each customer to use its own addressing plan without fear of overlap with other customers , as the customers are all maintained as logically separate . fig2 depicts the structure of an exemplary ethernet protocol frame 20 specified by ethernet standard 802 . 1q . among the blocks of bytes within each frame 20 is a virtual local area network ( vlan ) identifier 22 comprised of sixteen bits . in practice , the vlan identifier 22 , in conjunction with a vlan flag 23 within the frame , facilitates routing of the frame within a customer &# 39 ; s premises to a particular vlan . however , the vlan identifier 22 has no influence on routing of the frame 20 after receipt at a msp . in accordance with the present principles , the prior disadvantages associated with conventional ethernet networks , namely the lack of security and inability to regulate qos levels , are overcome by overwriting the vlan identifier 22 in each frame 20 with the customer descriptor maintained by the service provider . overwriting the vlan identifier 22 of fig2 of each frame 20 with the customer descriptor 22 ′ serves to “ tag ” that frame with the identity of its sending customer , thus affording each msp in the man 10 the ability to route those frames only among the premises belonging to that same sending customer . such tagging affords the operator of the man 10 the ability to provide security in connection with frames transmitted across the network , since frames with . customer id a would not be delivered to any premises of customer with id b . as an example , two or more customers served by a single msp may use overlapping ip addressing schemes . in the absence of any , other identifier , the msp receiving frames with overlapping ip addresses lacks the ability to assure accurate delivery . in the illustrated embodiment depicted in fig2 , each msp of fig1 tags each outgoing frame 20 by overwriting the vlan identifier 22 with the customer descriptor 22 ′. however , tagging could occur in other ways , rather than overwriting the vlan identifier 22 . for example , the source address block 25 within the frame 20 could be overwritten with the customer descriptor 22 ′. alternatively , the data field 21 could include a shim header comprising the customer descriptor 22 ′. the tagging of each frame 20 with the customer descriptor 22 ′ affords several distinct advantages in connection with routing of the frames through the man 10 . first , as discussed above , the tagging affords each recipient msp the ability to distinguish traffic destined for customers with overlapping address schemes , and thus allows for segregating traffic on the man 10 . further , tagging each frame 20 with the customer descriptor 22 ′ enables mapping of the frames from a man 100 depicted in fig3 to corresponding one of a plurality of customer virtual private networks 26 1 - 26 3 within an mpls network 28 . as seen in fig3 , an msp 1202 within the man 100 receives traffic from premises 160 1 , 160 2 , and 160 3 belonging to customer 1 , customer 2 and customer 3 , respectively , which enjoy separate physical links to the msp . upon receipt of each frame from a particular customer , the msp 120 2 overwrites that frame with the customer descriptor 22 ′ corresponding to the sending customer . after tagging each frame , the msp 120 2 statistically multiplexes the frames onto the fiber ring infrastructure 14 for transmission to a co msp 1204 for receipt at a destination per 180 that serves the mpls network 28 within which are customer virtual private networks 26 1 - 26 3 . using the customer descriptor 22 ′ in each frame , the per 180 maps the frame to the corresponding vpn identifier associated with a particular one of customer virtual private networks 26 1 - 26 3 to properly route each frame to its intended destination . the tagging scheme of the present invention also affords the ability to route frames with different qos levels within a man 1000 depicted in fig4 . as seen in fig4 , an msp 12002 within the man 1000 receives traffic from premises 1600 2 , and 1600 3 belonging to customer 2 and customer 3 , respectively , which enjoy separate physical links to the msp , allowing each to send frames into the man . in the illustrated embodiment of fig4 , the frames originating from the premise 1600 2 may contain either voice or data and have a corresponding qos level associated with each type of frame . upon receiving such frames , the msp 1200 2 overwrites the frame with the customer descriptor 22 ′ corresponding to the particular customer sending the frame . the customer descriptor 22 ′ will not only contain the identity of the sending customer , but the corresponding qos level associated with that frame . after tagging each frame , the msp 1200 2 statistically multiplexes the frames onto the fiber ring infrastructure 14 for transmission to a co msp 1200 4 for receipt at a destination per 1800 that serves an mpls network 280 within which are customer virtual private networks 2602 and 260 3 . using the customer descriptor 22 ′ in each frame , the per 1800 of fig4 maps the frame to the corresponding customer vpn to properly route each frame to its intended customer vpn . further , the per 1800 of fig4 also maps the qos level specified in the customer descriptor in the frame to assure that the appropriate quality of service level is applied to the particular frame . in the above - described embodiments , the frames of customer traffic have been assumed to comprise ip packets that terminate on a router ( i . e ., provider edge routers 18 , 180 and 1800 ) and that the vpns employ mpls - bgp protocols . however , some customers may require multi - protocol support , or may otherwise require conventional pvcs so that the traffic streams must be mapped into frame relay or atm pvcs as depicted in fig5 , which illustrates a portion of a man 10000 having a co msp 12000 4 serving an atm switch 30 that receives traffic from the man . as seen in fig5 , each of premises 16000 1 , 16000 2 and 16000 3 belonging to customer 1 , customer 2 and customer 3 , respectively , may send frames for receipt at msp 120002 in the man 10000 . the msp 12000 2 tags each frame with the corresponding customer descriptor prior to statistically multiplexing the data for transmission on the fiber ring infrastructure 14 to the co msp 12000 4 for receipt at the atm switch 30 . the atm switch 30 then maps each frame to the appropriate pvc in accordance with the customer descriptor 22 ′ in the frame in a manner similar to the mapping described with respect to fig3 . thus , the atm switch 30 could map the frame to one of frame relay recipients &# 39 ; 32 1 , 32 2 , or 32 3 , atm recipients 32 4 or 32 5 or ima ( inverse multiplexing over atm ) recipient 326 . fig6 depicts a portion of a man network 100000 that routes frames onto separate mpls tunnels 40 1 - 40 3 ( each emulating a private line 32 in an mpls network 28000 ) in accordance with the customer descriptor 22 ′ written into each frame by a msp 120000 2 in the man . each of customer premises 160000 1 , 160000 2 and 160000 3 depicted in fig6 sends information frames for receipt at msp 120000 2 . the msp 120000 2 tags each frame with the customer descriptor prior to statistically multiplexing the data for transmission on the fiber ring infrastructure 14 for delivery to a co msp 120000 4 that serves a per 18000 . the per 18000 translates ( maps ) the customer descriptors written onto the frames by the msp 120000 2 into the mpls tunnels 40 1 - 40 3 to enable the per to route the traffic to the intended customer . fig7 depicts a portion of a man network 1000000 for routing traffic ( i . e ., frames ) onto separate networks in accordance with the customer descriptor written into each the frame by a msp 120000 2 in the man . each of customer premises 1600000 2 and 1600000 3 depicted in fig7 sends frames for receipt by the msp 1200000 2 . the msp 1200000 2 tags each frame with the customer descriptor 22 ′ prior to statistically multiplexing the data for transmission on the fiber ring infrastructure 14 for delivery to a co msp 1200000 4 that serves a per 180000 . in accordance with the customer descriptor , the per 1800000 of fig7 routes traffic to a particular one of several different networks , e . g ., an intranet vpn 42 1 , a voice network 42 2 and the internet 42 3 , in accordance with the customer descriptor 22 ′ written onto the frame by the msp 1200000 2 . referring to fig8 , a prior art ethernet switch 20000000 receives ethernet frames at one of a plurality of input ( ingress ) ports , exemplified by ports 22000000 , 24000000 , and 26000000 , from one a corresponding one of networks 28000000 , 30000000 and 32000000 , respectively . the frames are destined for an endpoint ( not shown ) served by a wide area network ( wan ) 36000000 linked to an egress port 40000000 of the switch 20000000 by an ethernet trunk 38000000 . each ethernet frame received at one of the ingress switch ports 22000000 , 24000000 , and 26000000 carries a tag , which in accordance with the ieee 802 . 1q standard , identifies the virtual local area network ( vlan ) that originated the frame . thus , for example , a frame originated at network 32000000 associated with a vlan having an identification designation ( id ) of 5 will carry a tag with the corresponding vlan id . the vlan address is twelve bits , offering the ability designate as many as 4096 separate vlans . a vlan domain extends across any set of connected ethernet switches , and therefore the address space of 4096 individual vlans is shared across such an extended network of switches . in the past , the vlan tag associated with an incoming ethernet frame received at one of the ingress switch ports will extend directly to the egress switch port . hence , the vlan tag of an ethernet frame received at the ingress port 26000000 extends directly to the egress port 40000000 on which the switch outputs the frame . the direct extension of the vlan tag between the ethernet switch ingress and egress ports increases the difficulty in the sharing and administration of the limited vlan address space , as it now has to be coordinated across any connected group of ethernet networks , even if they only are connected by termination on a common wan access switch , as shown in fig8 . it also limits the size of a single switch in terms of vlan capacity , being confined to 4096 vlans on any given switch . referring to fig9 , in accordance with the present invention , the significance of the vlan tag is localized to each physical port on the ethernet switch 2000000 , instead of being global to a network . at an ingress switch port , say port 22000000 , the vlan tag is still used to discriminate between different customer &# 39 ; s traffic or services , but the switch 2000000 is free to re - write the tag to another value that is unique to the physical egress port 40000000 . in other words , the switch 20000000 may terminate traffic from many independent networks , each using the full 4096 vlan address space , and internally map the traffic using a unique tuple of ( physical port , vlan id ) to the switch output ports ( only one of which is shown ). this dramatically increases the scale achievable with a single switch , which is , by virtue of the mapping of tags from an ingress to egress port is now limited only by 4096 vlan ids on each physical port , rather than a total 4096 vlans as is the case of the prior network of fig8 . the above - described embodiments merely illustrate the principles of the invention . those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes that will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof . | 7 |
described in detail below is a bar code reader that uses an optical collection system to image light onto differential area photodiodes . in a suitable example , three photodiodes may be used , including a first main photodiode that receives the laser bar code signal along with ambient light and two smaller photodiodes located on either side of the main photodiode that receive only the ambient light . in one example , the total of the active areas of the two smaller photodiodes is approximately equal to the active area of the main photodiode . various aspects of the invention will now be described . the following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples . one skilled in the art will understand , however , that the invention may be practiced without many of these details . additionally , some well - known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail , so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description . the terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner , even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific examples of the invention . certain terms may even be emphasized below ; however , any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section . a bar code reader includes optics for focusing a laser beam and scanning it across a bar code and optics for collecting the laser light reflected off the bar code . the collection optics are designed to optimize the field of view , maximize the collection area , and collect the light on a photodetector . however , parasitic ambient light is present on and around the area near a bar code . the ambient light may have both a dc and a modulated frequency component . when modulated ambient light is superimposed upon the laser light reflected off a bar code , the signal to noise ratio at the photodetector of the bar code signal is degraded , especially when the reading distance between the bar code and the bar code reader increases . to improve the bar code signal , the bar code reader may capture the ambient light near the bar code and subtract it from the light reflected from the bar code that includes ambient light . conventional laser bar code readers , either retro reflective or fixed collective , detect reflected light at a point location . alternatively , a mirror sends reflected light to a point detector , or a collective optic focuses reflected light onto a point detector . in both of these cases , it is impossible to remove ambient light with an additional detector because there is no image of the indicia , and illumination light rays reflected from the indicia would be collected in both light detecting photodiodes . fig1 shows an example block diagram 100 of a bar code reader used to read bar codes or other indicia at a distance . a bar code reader may include one or more light sources 110 , a scanning mirror 115 , imaging optics 120 , and bar code reader electronics 190 . the light sources 110 include light source means such as laser diodes , solid state lasers , light emitting diodes ( leds ), incandescent bulbs , halogen lamps , and gas discharge lamps . a focused light source 110 such as a laser may be used for illuminating a bar code . alternatively , a non - laser light source 110 may be used to illuminate a bar code in the present invention , provided the light source is sufficiently focused . a scanning mirror 115 may be used to scan the laser 110 across a bar code or other indicia 118 , and imaging optics 120 may be used to collect the laser light reflected from a first area surrounding and including the bar code 118 onto a primary light detector 130 . alternatively , the scanning mirror 115 may be shaped to provide the functionality of the imaging optics 120 . the imaging optics 120 also image light from one or more areas near , but should not be overlapping , the first area onto one or more secondary light detectors 130 . the secondary light detectors 130 do not receive any light reflected from the bar code 118 . the bar code reader electronics 190 may include one or more light detectors 130 , processors 140 , memory units 180 , communications modules 150 , input / output devices 160 , and power supplies 170 . the light detectors 130 include light sensing means such as photodiodes , pin diodes , photodetectors , photoconductors , charge - coupled devices ( ccd ) that can convert an optical signal into an electrical signal . a processor 140 may be used to decode the electrical signals from the detectors 130 . memory units 180 may include , but are not limited to , ram , rom , and any combination of volatile and non - volatile memory . the memory units 180 may store the converted electrical communications modules 150 may be used to transmit scanned bar codes either wirelessly or through electrical or optical cables to another device , a database , a memory unit , and / or a processor . input / output devices 160 may include , but are not limited to , triggers to start and stop the bar code reader or to initiate other bar code reader functions , visual displays , speakers , and communication devices that operate through wired or wireless communications . power supplies 170 may include , but are not limited to , a battery or an electrical wall outlet . fig2 a shows an example imaging diagram 200 generated by collection optics 210 used by a laser bar code reader . the collection optics 210 may include , but are not limited to , a lens or a mirror , and a plurality of photodetectors . the collection optics 210 see a field of view 220 . three particular areas are delineated in the field of view 220 , a top rectangular area 222 , a middle rectangular area 224 , and a bottom rectangular area 228 . within the middle rectangular area 224 lies a bar code ( not shown ) to be scanned . a laser in the bar code reader scans a line 226 in the field of view 220 in order to read the bar code . the sum of the areas of the top and bottom rectangular areas 222 , 228 are approximately equal to the area of the middle rectangular area 224 in one example . because parasitic ambient light is present throughout the field of view 220 , and the intensity of the ambient light is essentially spatially independent , the total ambient light to which the top and bottom rectangular areas 222 , 228 are exposed is approximately equal to the ambient light to which the middle rectangular area 224 is exposed . the collection optics 210 image the field of view 220 onto an image plane 230 . the top rectangular area 222 in the field of view 220 is imaged to area 232 , the bottom rectangular area 228 in the field of view 220 is imaged to area 238 , and the middle rectangular area 224 in the field of view 220 is imaged to area 234 in this example . three separate photodiodes may be used in the image plane 230 with active areas covering each of the areas 232 , 234 , 238 . alternatively , a non - laser light source may be used to illuminate the bar code as long as the light source is focused to illuminate only the rectangular area 224 around the bar code and not the neighboring areas 222 , 228 . if the bar code is not entirely contained within the rectangular area 224 , the light source must still be focused to stay within the rectangular area 224 . in another example , a scanning mechanism may use optics to spread light from a light source , such as a laser , into a narrow line of light and project the line of light onto the bar code , while remaining entirely within the area 224 . it is important that the light be confined within the area 224 because the light source must not illuminate the photodiodes 232 , 238 that sense ambient light from , respectively , the top and bottom rectangular areas 222 , 228 in the field of view 220 . fig2 b shows an expanded diagram 250 of the image plane 230 . because the parasitic ambient light is evenly distributed over the field of view 220 , upon imaging by the collection optics 210 , the parasitic ambient light 260 is also evenly distributed in the imaging plane 230 . the line 226 scanned by the laser in the field of view 220 is imaged as line 236 . also shown in the image plane 230 is the image of the bar code 237 scanned by the laser . note that the bar code image 237 and the image of the laser scan line 236 are both contained in the area 234 and do not overlap the adjacent areas 238 , 232 . it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the collection optics 210 may magnify or shrink the field of view 220 as it is imaged onto the image plane 230 , but the ratio of the dimensions of the areas 222 , 224 , 228 is substantially maintained in the image plane 230 . each of the three photodiodes 238 , 234 , 232 in the image plane 230 converts the light impinging upon its surface into an electrical current . thus , due to the fidelity of the image plane , all three photodiodes receive and convert parasitic ambient light , but only the photodiode covering area 234 receives and converts the laser signal reflected off the bar code . fig3 shows a front isometric view of a suitable example 300 of two juxtaposed optical collection imagers 310 , 320 . the optical imagers 310 , 320 each have a concave mirror designed to maximize the collecting area , optimize the optical field , and focus light onto an image plane . a rectangular hole 330 between the two optical collection mirrors 310 , 320 permits a laser beam to pass through . the arrows near the top of example 300 indicate that the bar code or indicia to be scanned is located towards the right side of the imagers 310 , 320 , and the light reflected from the bar code travels in the opposite direction . the laser from the bar code reader is scanned across a bar code , and the reflected light is focused and imaged by the mirrors 310 , 320 onto photodiodes or other transducers that convert light to electricity located on the underside of flexible circuits 315 , 325 , as indicated by the dotted lines . it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that although two optical collection imagers are used in example 300 , any number of collection imagers may be used to image the laser light reflected off a bar code , such as one imager or three or more imagers . fig4 shows an example ray tracing diagram 400 of the example 300 having two juxtaposed optical collection imagers 310 , 320 . for clarity , the rays internal to the bundle of rays depicted in diagram 400 are not shown . a laser beam 410 is seen entering from the left side of the diagram . the laser beam passes through the hole 330 ( not visible ) between the collection optics 310 , 320 . the laser beam then reflects off a bar code ( not shown ) beyond the right side of the diagram and travels back toward the collection optics 310 , 320 . the reflected laser signal is transmitted through the front surfaces 418 , 428 of the collection optics 310 , 320 and then reflects off the back surfaces 419 , 429 of the collection optics 310 , 320 before striking the photodiodes located on flexible circuits 315 , 325 . the optical collection imagers 310 , 320 in fig3 and 4 use mirrors to fold the reflected rays within a compact space . alternatively , the optical collection imagers 310 , 320 may use lenses rather than mirrors where the photodetectors are positioned on the opposite side of the lens from the bar code or other indicia . fig5 shows suitable , relative dimensions of the active areas of the photodiodes used in a suitable optical sensor 500 with the example 300 and the resulting pattern of the photodiodes on a photodiode chip 550 . two of the sensors 500 are used with the example 300 , one on each of the flexible circuits 315 , 325 . there are three photodiodes 510 , 520 , 530 in the sensor 500 , similar to the photodiodes described in diagram 250 . in this example , the middle photodiode 520 is the only one of the three photodiodes to receive the laser signal reflected off the bar code , but all three photodiodes 510 , 520 , 530 receive the parasitic ambient light . the lengths of the three silicon photodiodes 510 , 520 , 530 are approximately equal , having a length of 5 . 6 mm in the prototype . however , while the width of the middle photodiode 520 is 0 . 6 mm , the widths of each of the top 510 and bottom 530 photodiodes are 0 . 3 mm . thus , the area of the middle photodiode 520 that receives the laser signal is approximately the same as the total of the areas of the top and bottom photodiodes 510 , 530 that only receive the parasitic ambient light . electric current generated by photodiode 520 has two components , current from the reflected laser signal and current from the ambient light . because the active area of photodiode 520 is approximately equal to the sum of the active areas of the photodiodes 510 , 530 , the current generated by photodiode 520 due to the ambient light is approximately equal to the total current generated by the ambient light by photodiodes 510 , 530 . the example electrical circuit 600 shown in fig6 may be used to subtract out or remove the current component generated by the ambient light from the current component generated by the laser bar code signal at photodiode 520 to obtain just the desired bar code signal . in one example , the currents generated by the two photodiodes 510 , 530 are combined , and the two photodiodes 510 , 530 are represented by a single photodiode circuit element 612 in the circuit diagram 600 . the photodiode 520 is represented by the photodiode circuit element 610 . note that two of the electrical circuits 600 will be used with the example 400 , one for each set of three photodiodes on the flexible circuits 315 , 325 , and the outputs of the two circuits 600 are combined . in a different example , the current from the two middle photodiodes would be combined , and the currents from the two top photodiodes and the two bottom photodiodes would also be combined ; the latter currents would then be subtracted from the former currents using a single electrical circuit 600 . both photodiode circuit elements 610 , 612 are dc - biased through resistors , transistors , or impedance elements 620 , 622 , 624 , 626 . the currents of the photodiode elements 610 , 612 pass through the capacitors 630 , 640 , 650 , 660 located near the input terminals of the amplifier 640 . consequently , unwanted parasitic current generated by the photodiode 520 ( or equivalently the photodiode circuit element 610 ) is effectively amplified and cancelled electronically at the output to the amplifier 640 without the introduction of any additional noise or the use of any other amplifiers or circuits that might decrease the signal to noise ratio . moreover , because the same optical collector operates upon the same local field , the efficiency of the cancellation of the parasitic ambient light is maximized . it should be noted that the amount of current generated by parasitic ambient light actually removed from the current generated by the photodiode 520 by circuit 600 depends upon the level of the signal detected by the photodiode 520 relative to the levels of the signals detected by the other photodiodes 510 , 530 , and the signal detected by the photodiodes 510 , 520 , 530 depends upon the spatial efficiency of the optical collection imagers used to image the light onto the photodiodes and the surface reflection coefficients of the bar code and the area near the bar code . for the dimensions of the photodiodes in the prototype 500 , where the photodiodes 510 , 530 are approximately half the width of the photodiode 520 , spatial efficiency variations are very small . also , typically the surfaces above and below the bar code usually have the same reflection coefficient as the bar code itself . thus , the configuration of the photodiode prototype 500 may be a preferred implementation in certain situations . it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that other dimensions and configurations of the photodiode active areas and / or different ratios of the width to the length of the photodiode active areas may be used . for example , in fig7 , an alternative sensor configuration 700 is shown . a bar code or other indicia may be raster scanned by a laser onto a two - dimensional sensor 710 located on the image plane . the two - dimensional sensor 710 may be a cmos - based sensor . the two - dimensional sensor 710 may be surrounded by smaller area photodetectors 720 , 730 , 740 or point photodetectors 750 , 751 , 752 that collect ambient light without collecting the laser light reflected from the bar code . it will also be apparent that any number of photodiode areas used for imaging ambient light may be used in conjunction with the photodiode area imaging the laser light reflected off the bar code , following the guidelines given above with respect to the surface area , spatial efficiency , and reflection coefficients . also , the active areas of the detectors for detecting the laser signal and for detecting just parasitic ambient light need not be equal , but other electrical or optical accommodations would be necessary . further , other electrical circuit configurations may also be used to cancel the photodiode current generated by the parasitic ambient light . fig8 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a suitable process 800 for reading an indicia and rejecting ambient light . at block 805 , the system illuminates the indicia to be read with a light source . the light source can be either a laser or non - laser source . in one example , the light source can be focused and scanned over the indicia . at block 810 , the system images the light reflected from a first area immediately surrounding and including the indicia onto the active area of a primary photodetector using imaging optics . the light reflected from the first area includes light reflected from the indicia and also parasitic ambient light . then at block 815 , the primary photodetector converts the imaged light to a primary electric current . in parallel to the imaging performed by the system at block 810 , at block 812 , the system can use the same imaging optics to image ambient light from one or more additional areas near the indicia that should not be overlapping the first area onto one or more secondary photodetectors . because the ambient light is substantially spatially independent , the ambient light per unit area imaged from the first area is substantially the same as the ambient light per unit area imaged from the one or more additional areas near the indicia that do not overlap the first area . note that if the system uses a non - laser source to illuminate the indicia , the non - laser source should be focused by the system such that no light from the source is imaged onto the secondary photodetectors . then at block 817 , the secondary photodetectors each convert the ambient light that impinges on their respective active areas into secondary electric currents . a processor adds up all of the secondary electric currents generated by the secondary photodetectors at block 820 . at block 825 the system calculates a multiplier for weighting the summed secondary currents . the multiplier is calculated by dividing the active area of the primary photodetector by the sum of the active areas of the secondary photodetectors . in some instances , the multiplier can also be dependent upon the spatial efficiency of the imaging optics and / or the surface reflection coefficients of the indicia and the areas near the indicia . at block 830 , the system weights the sum of the secondary electric currents obtained in block 820 by the multiplier obtained in block 825 . at block 835 , the system subtracts the weighted secondary electric current sum from the primary electric current to obtain the electric current generated by the light reflected from the indicia , free of the influence of ambient light . at block 840 , the system optionally amplifies the signal current for further processing . the process 800 ends at block 899 . the words “ herein ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” and words of similar import , when used in this application , shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application . where the context permits , words in the above detailed description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively . the word “ or ,” in reference to a list of two or more items , covers all of the following interpretations of the word : any of the items in the list , all of the items in the list , and any combination of the items in the list . the above detailed description of examples of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above . while specific embodiments of , and examples for , the invention are described above for illustrative purposes , various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention , as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize . for example , while a laser bar code reader for reading bar codes is mentioned , any desired target indicia may be scanned or imaged under the principles disclosed herein , such as alphabetic , numeric , or cjk ( chinese , japanese , korean language character sets ) characters . further any specific numbers noted herein are only examples : alternative implementations may employ differing values or ranges . the teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems , not necessarily the system described above . the elements and acts of the various examples described above can be combined to provide further examples . while the above description describes certain examples of the invention , and describes the best mode contemplated , no matter how detailed the above appears in text , the invention can be practiced in many ways . details of the system may vary considerably in its implementation details , while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein . as noted above , particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics , features , or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated . in general , the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed in the specification , unless the above detailed description section explicitly defines such terms . accordingly , the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples , but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims . | 6 |
next , the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings . hereinafter , the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings . referring to fig1 and 2 , a wrapping material s 1 , in the form of a sheet , in accordance with the present invention is a laminar sheet formed by thermally welding two pieces 1 and 2 of flexible plastic film . the lines ( welding seams ) designated by the numbers 6 , 8 , 9 , and 10 are the lines along which the two pieces of flexible plastic film were thermally welded . the wrapping material s 1 is provided with a plurality of parallel cushioning medium storage portions 3 in which air as cushioning medium can be stored . each cushioning medium storage portion 3 is created by thermally welding the first and second films 1 and 2 along the welding line 10 . it is shaped to be long and narrow as shown in fig1 . incidentally , the flexible films 1 and 2 in this embodiment are laminar , having three layers . more specifically , they comprise a nylon layer , a polyethylene layer , and a polypropylene layer , with the nylon layer sandwiched between the polyethylene and polypropylene layers . the nylon layer is virtually imperviable by the cushioning medium , and the polyethylene and polypropylene are easier to thermally weld . the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is provided with a check valve 4 , which is located at one of the lengthwise ends of the cushioning medium storage 3 . the check valve 4 allows air to pass through the check valve 4 in the direction to be filled into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . referring to fig2 , after the filling of air into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , the pressure generated by the air in the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is used by the check valve 4 to prevent the air in the cushioning medium storage portion 3 from flowing backward . the detailed structure or the check valve 4 is shown in fig2 and 30 . the check valve 4 is manufactured through the following procedure . the film 1 is provided with the top portion of the check valve 4 , which is temporarily attached to the portion 1 a of the film 1 . the film 2 is provided with the bottom portion 4 b of the check valve 4 , and the sealing portion 4 c of the check valve 4 , which also are temporarily attached to the film 2 . the films 1 and 2 are thermally welded to each other along the lines 6 , 8 , 9 , and 10 , as shown in fig1 . the sealing member 4 c is formed of a material which does not melt at the temperature level at which the two films 1 and 2 are welded to each other along the line 8 . the lines 9 and 10 extend in parallel in the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . the lines 6 and 8 extend in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . the line 6 is located at the opposite lengthwise end of the wrapping material 51 from the area 8 . referring to fig3 , the two films 1 and 2 are welded along the portions 8 b and 8 c , of the line 8 ( welding seam ), but not across the portion 8 a which corresponds in position to the sealing member 4 c , allowing air to be guided into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 in the direction indicated by an arrow mark . the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is virtually the same as the direction in which air is allowed to pass through the check valve 4 , making it possible for air to be efficiently guided into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . the wrapping material s 1 is also provided with a plurality of guiding portions 5 through which medium ( air ) is guided into the plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 through the plurality of check valves 4 from outside , in order to inflate the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , one for one . the outward end of each guiding portion 5 constitutes an inlet 11 through which air is injected into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . the guiding portions 5 are also created by welding the films 1 and 2 to each other . the line along which the two films 1 and 2 are welded is the line 7 . referring to fig6 , the width w 1 of each inlet 11 is less than the width w 2 of the joint between the guiding portion 5 , and the check valve 4 located on the downstream side of the guiding portion 5 , in terms of the above described medium injection direction . further , the plurality of inlets 11 are positioned side by side , making it possible to reduce , in size , the outlet portion ( unshown ) of an injecting apparatus , for injecting air into all the cushioning medium storage portions 3 all at once through their inlets 11 . with the provision of the above - described structural arrangement , the direction in which air is injected into the plurality of guiding portions 5 is virtually the same as the direction in which air is guided into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through the check valves 4 , one for one . therefore , air can be efficiently injected into the plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 . further , each of the lines 7 ( welding seams ), which extends from the joint between the check valve 4 and guiding portion 5 to the inlet 11 , is bent toward the inlet 11 . the area 48 of the wrapping material s 1 is the area across which the films 1 and 2 are welded to each other to seal the guiding portions 5 in order to prevent the air having flowed backward from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 into the guiding portions 5 through the check valves 4 , from leaking out of the wrapping material s 1 . the wrapping material s 1 is sealed across this area 48 by a dedicated welding apparatus ( unshown ) after the injection of air into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 . each of the cushioning medium storage portions 3 is provided with a pair of portions 3 b , which are narrower , in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , than the rest of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , and which are located at predetermined locations , one for one , in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . this narrow portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is provided to reduce the amount of the pressure to which an object wrapped with the wrapping material s 1 is subjected after the injection of cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . more specifically , the wrapping material 51 is structured so that its narrow portions 3 b correspond in position to the portions of an object to be wrapped , which could be damaged ( deformed ) by the contact pressure between the wrapping material 51 and the object . referring to fig6 , the width w 4 of the narrow portion 3 b is less than the width w 3 of the other portions of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . in other words , the cross section of the narrow portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is less than that of the other portions of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . also referring to fig6 , the narrow portion 3 b can be formed by widening , in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , the welding seam 23 by which the films 1 and 2 are welded to each other to be wider than the welding seam 10 . the welding seam 23 is also formed by an dedicated welding apparatus ( unshown ). the above described structure of the wrapping material 51 can be summarized as follows . the wrapping material s 1 is characterized in that it comprises : the cushioning medium storage portions 3 for storing the cushioning medium ; the check valves 4 which allow the cushioning medium to pass through them into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , one for one , but prevent the cushioning medium from flowing backward from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through them ; the guiding portions 5 for guiding the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , one for one , through the check valves 4 from outside the wrapping material 51 , in order to inflate the cushioning medium storage portions 3 ; the area 48 which is positioned upstream , in terms of the direction in which the cushioning medium is guided through the guiding portions 5 to the check valves 4 , one for one , of the check valves 4 , in order to prevent the portion of the cushioning medium having flowed backward from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 into the guiding portions 5 through the check valves 4 , from leaking out of the wrapping material 51 , and across which the wrapping material s 1 is sealed after the cushioning medium storage portions 3 are filled with the cushioning medium . each cushioning medium storage portion 3 is shaped to be long and narrow , and its lengthwise direction is virtually the same as the direction in which the cushioning medium flows through the check valve 4 . each guiding portion 5 has the inlet 11 , which is located at the outward end of the guiding portion 5 , and through which the cushioning medium is injected into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 from outside the wrapping material s 1 . the direction in which the cushioning medium is injected into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is roughly the same as the direction in which the cushioning medium flows into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 through the check valve 4 . the plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 are positioned parallel to each other . the check valves 4 provided one for each of the plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 are independent of each other , and so are the guiding portions 5 . the area 48 is located so that the plurality of guiding portions 3 become roughly the same in the amount by which the cushioning medium can be stored in each of the guiding portions 5 after the sealing of the wrapping material s 1 across the area 48 . each of the plurality of guiding portions 5 is provided with the inlet 11 , which is positioned at the upstream end of the guiding portion 5 , in terms of the cushioning medium injection direction , to inject the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 from outside the wrapping material s 1 . the width w 1 of the inlet 11 is less than the width w 2 of the joint between the guiding portion 5 , and the check valve 4 located downstream of the guiding portion 5 in terms of the cushioning medium injection direction . since the width w 1 of the inlet 11 is less than the width w 2 of the joint , and the plurality of inlets 11 are positioned immediately next to each other , it is possible to reduce in size the apparatus ( unshown ) for injecting air into the wrapping material s 1 through the plurality of inlets 11 . the width w 1 of each inlet 11 is in the range of 10 - 15 mm , and the width w 2 of each joint is in the range of 25 - 30 mm . further , in order to reduce the pressure which is applied to an object wrapped with the wrapping material 51 , after the injection of the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , each cushioning medium storage portion 3 is provided with the portions 3 b which are narrower , in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , than the other portions of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , and which are positioned at the predetermined locations , one for one , in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . generally , a wrapping material . such as the wrapping material s 1 in this embodiment , having a plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 . a plurality of check valves 4 , and a plurality of guiding portions 5 , comes in the form of a roll including a substantial number of wrapping materials s 1 . in order to obtain a wrapping material suitable in size for properly wrapping a given object , a single or plural wrapping materials s 1 are cut from the roll of wrapping material . the obtained single or plural units of the wrapping materials s 1 are processed as described above to properly wrap the object . next , one of the methods for wrapping an object with the above described wrapping material , will be described . ( wrapping method which uses wrapping material in accordance with present invention ) referring to fig3 - 9 , the method for packaging a process cartridge removably mountable in the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus , with the use of the wrapping material 5 will be described . incidentally , an electrophotographic image forming apparatus refers to an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium with the use of an electrophotographic image forming method . as examples of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus , there are an electrophotographic copying machine , an electrophotographic printer ( for example , laser beam printer , led printer , etc .) a facsimile machine , a word processor , etc . a process cartridge refers to a cartridge in which a minimum of one processing means among a charging means , a developing means , and a cleaning means , are integrally disposed , along with an electrophotographic photosensitive member , and which is removably mountable in the main assembly of an image forming apparatus . ( 1 ) cutting of wrapping material from wrapping material roll ( fig3 ) the roll s of sheet made up of a substantial number of wrapping materials comprising : a plurality of the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , plurality of check valves 4 , and plurality of guiding portions 5 , and connected by lengthwise edges , is to be cut in the long direction to a piece having the length necessary to properly wrap a process cartridge 35 . in this embodiment , the roll is cut with a pair of scissors k 1 . however , it may be cut with a cutter , or a dedicated cutting apparatus . the wrapping material roll s has a metallic core k 2 , which is in the center of the roll s , making it easier to pullout the wrapping material sheet s to cut it . further , the provision of the metallic core k 2 makes it easier to set the roll s of sheet of wrapping materials in a predetermined position , in an automatic cutting apparatus or the like . ( 2 ) process for turning wrapping material into a pouch ( fig4 - 6 ) the wrapping material s 1 separated from the roll s is to be folded in half roughly at the center thereof in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , so that the downstream end 53 of the wrapping material s 1 meets the area of the wrapping material s 1 shown in fig5 . then , one half of the wrapping material s 1 is to be welded to the other half along the edge areas ( lines 12 and 13 ) to form the wrapping material s 1 into a pouch having an opening at one of the lengthwise ends . incidentally , the lines 12 and 13 ( welding seams ) extend in the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . although the following will be described later in detail , the wrapping material s 1 is provided with a small notch 15 , which is provided to make it easier to tear the wrapping material s 1 when removing an object from the pouch made of the wrapping material s 1 . the notch 15 is also the portion of the wrapping material s 1 , from which the wrapping material can be easily tom to create openings for cushioning medium storage portions , one for one , in order to release the cushioning medium in the cushioning medium storage portions . in this embodiment , the wrapping material s 1 was formed into a pouch , which was open at one of the lengthwise ends . however , the wrapping material s 1 may be formed into a pouch , which is open at one or both ends in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . moreover , it may be formed into a pouch , which is open at one of the lengthwise ends , as well as one of the ends in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise end of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . ( 3 ) insertion of object ( cartridge 35 ) into pouch formed of wrapping material 51 ( fig5 ) referring to fig5 , the cartridge 35 , an object to be packaged , is to be inserted into the pouch formed of wrapping material 51 ( which hereafter may be referred to as “ pouch 51 ”) through the opening 18 located at one of the lengthwise ends thereof . in other words , the cartridge 35 is inserted so that the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 35 becomes virtually parallel to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . thereafter , the front and reverse sides of the pouch 51 are welded to each other across the line 19 ( pouch 51 is thermally sealed ), to seal the inlet 18 in order to airtightly seal the cartridge 35 in the pouch 51 . the line 19 ( welding seam ) extends in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . in other words , the line 19 ( welding seam ) extends in the direction parallel to the shorter edges of the cartridge 35 . it is located closer to the inlet 11 than the line 18 ( welding seam ) and check valve 4 . however , across each of the sections 19 a of the line 19 , the front and reverse sides of the pouch 51 are not welded to each other , because the aforementioned sealing member 4 c extends across the section 19 a , as shown in fig3 . therefore , air can be injected in the direction indicated by an arrow mark , through the check valves 4 , into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the pouch 51 in which the cartridge 35 has been airtightly sealed . ( 4 ) injection of cushioning medium ( fig5 and 9 ) the cushioning medium , which in this embodiment is air , is injected into each of the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the pouch 51 through the inlet 11 , guiding portion 5 , and check valve 4 of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . the reason for injecting air after the sealing of the cartridge 35 in the pouch 51 is to prevent static electricity from being induced between the cartridge 35 and the film 1 or 2 when the cartridge 35 is inserted . more specifically , it is to prevent the object ( cartridge 35 ) being adversely affected by the static electricity which will be induced if an object ( cartridge 35 ) is inserted into the pouch s 1 after the injection of air into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the pouch s 1 . in addition , the wrapping method of injecting air after the insertion of the cartridge 35 is superior in operational efficiency than the wrapping method of injecting air before the insertion of the cartridge 35 . more specifically , referring to fig9 , as air is injected into the pouch 51 after the insertion of the cartridge 35 into the pouch 51 , : pressure is gradually built up in the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , and this pressure works in the direction to tension the guiding portions 5 in the direction to flatten the guiding portions 5 . as a result , the air in the guiding portions 5 is forced out of the guiding portions 5 through the inlets 11 in the direction indicated by arrow marks . incidentally , the cushioning medium injected into the cushioning medium storage portions of the pouch 51 in this embodiment is air . however , the selection of the cushioning medium does not need to be limited to air . for example , nitrogen gas , oxygen gas , or the like , may be used . in particular , nitrogen gas is less likely to leak from the cushioning medium storage portion formed of plastic film or the like , because the molecular weight of nitrogen is relatively large . further , there will be no problem even if a fluid substance such as liquid is used as the cushioning medium . next , referring to fig1 , the pouch s 1 is sealed across the portion of the area ( sealing range ) 48 , which is on the inlet 11 side of the welding seam 8 in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . more specifically , the pouch s 1 is thermally sealed across the area in which the cushion medium guiding portions 5 are present , more specifically , along the line 50 , which makes the cushioning medium capacity of the portion of the cushioning medium guiding portion 5 , between the welding seam 8 and line 50 , after the sealing of the pouch s 1 along the line 50 , equal to 5 %- 10 % of the total cushioning medium capacity of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . the line 50 , along which the pouch s 1 is welded ( thermally sealed ), extends in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . this process , which will be described later in detail , is done to prevent the problem that as the pouch s 1 is left unprotected in an environment which is high in temperature and humidity , and / or low in pressure , for a long period of time , the injected air in the cushioning medium storage portions 3 expands and leaks out of the pouch s 1 ( cushioning 25 medium storage portions 3 ). in other words , the pouch s 1 is thermally sealed across the area 48 to provide the cushioning medium storage portions 3 with regions , one for each cushioning medium storage portion 3 , in which the air having flowed backward through the check valve 4 can be held , up to a certain amount . in addition , in this embodiment , the pouch s 1 is thermally sealed along a line s 1 , which is on the inlet 11 side of the line 50 . this process is done to prevent the air having escaped through the welding line 50 from leaking out of the inlet 11 . the welding line 51 also extends in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . further , referring to fig8 , as the cushioning medium is injected into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the pouch s 1 containing the cartridge 35 , the pouch 51 changes in shape so that the four corners ( c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , and c 4 ) thereof stick out relative to the edge between the corners c 1 and c 2 , and the edge between the c 3 and c 4 . these projecting corners c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , and c 4 add to the shock absorption performance of the pouch 51 , better protecting the object therein when the pouch 51 containing the object landed on one of its corners . in this embodiment , the cartridge 35 is inserted into the pouch formed of the above - described inflatable wrapping material s 1 having a desired number of inflatable cushioning units . however , the cartridge 35 may be airtightly sealed in the inflatable cushioning pouch s 1 by forming the inflatable wrapping material s 1 into a pouch by welding the half of the wrapping material s 1 , on one side of the cartridge 35 , to the other half of the wrapping material s 1 , on the other side , along the edges , after directly wrapping ( covering ) the cartridge 35 with the wrapping material s 1 . the airtightly sealed pouch s 1 , which is formed of the inflatable wrapping material s 1 , and which contains the cartridge 35 , is inserted into a carton 38 ( fig2 and 25 ). then , the tabs 38 a and 38 b of the carton are bent inward at 90 °. next , the tab 38 c of the carton 38 is bent inward onto the tabs 38 a and 38 b . then , the tab 38 d of the carton 38 is bent inward onto the tab 38 c , and is glued to the tab 38 c . during this process , the appendages 38 c 1 and 38 c 2 of the tab 38 c are inserted into the slits 38 d 1 and 38 d 2 of the tab 38 d . referring to fig2 and 34 , a carton , such as the one in this embodiment , in which such an object as the cartridge 35 is placed , is structured so that the object can be inserted into the carton from one of the lengthwise ends . in comparison , a carton in accordance with the prior art is structured so that the object ( cartridge 35 ) is to be inserted into the carton from the direction perpendicular to one of the lateral walls of the carton as shown in fig2 and 36 for the following reason . that is , according to the prior art the cartridge 35 is immovably placed in a packaging carton 43 through the following steps : the cartridge 35 is inserted into a packaging bag 42 ; a pair of side pads 39 and 40 are fitted to the lengthwise ends of the cartridge 35 , over the bag ; and the combination of the cartridge 35 , bag 42 , and pair of side pads 39 and 40 is placed in the packaging carton 43 , as shown in fig3 and 40 . the employment of the above described packaging carton in this embodiment structured so that an object ( cartridge 35 ) to be packaged is to be inserted from one of the lengthwise ends of the packaging carton . along with the combination of the above described packaging pouch , and packaging method , offers the following benefits : ( 1 ) instead of providing one of the lateral walls of a packaging carton , with an opening such as the opening 43 of a packaging carton in accordance with the prior art . an opening 38 e is located at one of the lengthwise end of a packaging carton , making the packaging carton stronger in overall strength . ( 2 ) the packaging carton in this embodiment is smaller , that is , the size of surface area , of material necessary to make it , than the packaging carton 43 in accordance with the prior art , as shown in fig2 and 27 , for the following reason . that is , the tabs 38 a - 38 d in this embodiment are smaller than the tabs 43 b - 43 d . therefore , the number of the full - sized development b 1 of the packaging carton 43 in accordance with the prior art , which can be fitted on a single sheet b 2 of cardboard , is only three , as shown in fig3 , whereas the number of the full - sized development b 3 of the packaging carton 38 in this embodiment , which can be fitted on the single sheet b 2 of cardboard is four , as shown in fig3 ; in other words , only three packaging cartons 43 can be made from a single sheet b 2 of cardboard , whereas four packaging cartons 38 can be made from a single sheet b 2 of cardboard . therefore , the employment of the structural design , in this embodiment , for a packaging carton , is effective to reduce packaging carton cost , and overall cartridge cost . ( 3 ) the number of the cartons 43 in accordance with the prior art which can be mounted on a transportation pallet b 4 is 180 ( fig3 ), whereas the number of the cartons 38 in this embodiment is 203 ( fig3 ), for the following two reasons . first , the carton 38 in this embodiment is smaller than the carton 43 in accordance with the prior art , and secondly , the carton 38 is greater in overall strength than the carton 43 in accordance wit the prior art , as described in paragraph ( 1 ). ( 4 ) the machine for making the packaging carton 38 can be made smaller than that for the packaging carton 43 , because the packaging carton 38 can be finished from a smaller cut of material ( cardboard ), or the like . ( 5 ) with the packaging carton 38 , it is easier for a user to remove an object ( cartridge 35 ) therefrom , because not only is the tearaway strip portion 38 f of the packaging carton 38 smaller than the tearaway strip portion 43 f of the packaging carton 43 , but also , the packaging carton 38 does not require the aforementioned pair of side pads . the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the above - described wrapping material can be summarized as follows . the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material s 1 includes : a plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 for storing the cushiony medium ; a plurality of the check valves 4 which allow the cushioning medium to pass through them into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , one for one , but prevent the cushioning medium from flowing backward from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through them ; a plurality of the guiding portions 5 for guiding the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , one for one , through the check valves 4 from outside the wrapping material s 1 , in order to inflate the cushioning medium storage portions 3 ; the area 48 which is positioned upstream , in terms of the direction in which the cushioning medium is guided from the guiding portions 5 to the check valves 4 , of the check valves 4 , one for one , in order to prevent the portion of the cushioning medium having flowed backward from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 into the guiding portions 5 through the check valves 4 , from leaking out of the wrapping material s 1 , and across which the wrapping material s 1 is sealed after the cushioning medium storage portions 3 are filled with the cushioning medium , is characterized in that the wrapping material s 1 is sealed across the area 48 after an object is placed in the pouch formed of the wrapping material s 1 , and then , the cushioning medium is injected into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through the guiding portions 5 . the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material s 1 in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that each of the guiding portions 5 of the wrapping material 51 used by the wrapping method has the inlet 11 , which is located at the outward end of the guiding portion 5 , and through which the cushioning medium is injected into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 from outside the wrapping material s 1 , through the check valves 4 , in the direction which is roughly the same as the direction in which the cushioning medium flows into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 through the check valve 4 . the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material s 1 in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the wrapping material s 1 used by the wrapping method are positioned parallel to each other ; the plurality of check valves 4 of the wrapping material s 1 are provided one for each of the plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 and are independent of each other ; a plurality of the guiding portions 5 of the wrapping material s 1 are provided one for each of the plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 ; and the cushioning medium is injected into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through the guiding portion 5 and check valves 4 , one for one . the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that each of the plurality of guiding portions 5 of the wrapping material s 1 used by the wrapping method is provided with the inlet 11 , which is positioned at the upstream end of the guiding portion 5 , in terms of the cushioning medium injection direction , to inject the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portion 3 from outside the wrapping material s 1 ; the width w 1 of the inlet 11 is less than the width w 2 of the joint between the guiding portion 5 , and the check valve 4 located downstream of the guiding portion 5 in terms of the cushioning medium injection direction ; and the plurality of inlets 11 are positioned side by side immediately next to each other . incidentally , the above - described wrapping method is a wrapping method suitable for manual operation . the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material s 1 includes : a plurality of cushioning medium storage portions 3 for storing the cushioning medium ; a plurality of the check valves 4 which allow the cushioning medium to pass through them into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 , one for one , but prevent the cushioning medium from flowing backward from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through them ; a plurality of the guiding portions 5 for guiding the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through the check valves 4 , one for one , from outside the wrapping material s 1 , in order to inflate the cushioning medium storage portions 3 ; the area 48 which is positioned upstream , in terms of the direction in which the cushioning medium is guided from the guiding portions 5 to the check valves 4 , of the check valves 4 , one for one , in order to prevent the portion of the cushioning medium having flowed backward from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 into the guiding portions 5 through the check valves 4 , from leaking out of the wrapping material 81 , and across which the wrapping material s 1 is sealed after the cushioning medium storage portions 3 are filled with the cushioning medium , is characterized in that it comprises : the preparatory step of preparing the wrapping material s 1 ; the positioning step of positioning an object in the pouch formed of the wrapping material s 1 ; the injecting step of injecting the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through the guiding portions 5 after the positioning step ; and the sealing step of sealing the pouch across the area 48 . the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material s 1 in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that in the preparatory step , the wrapping material s 1 is prepared , the guiding portions 5 of which have the plurality of inlets 11 , one for one , located at the upstream end , in terms of the injection direction , for injecting the cushioning medium from outside the wrapping material s 1 , and in the injection step , cushioning medium is injected through the inlets 11 in the direction roughly the same as the direction in which the cushioning medium passes through the check valves 4 toward the cushioning medium storage portions 3 . further , the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that in the preparatory step , the wrapping material s 1 is prepared , which has the plurality of the cushioning medium storage portions 3 positioned in parallel immediately next to each other , the plurality of check valves 4 provided one for each cushioning medium storage portion 3 ; and the plurality of guiding portions 5 provided one for each cushioning medium storage portion 3 , and in the injection step , cushioning medium is injected into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 through the guiding portions 5 and check valves 4 . further , the wrapping method for wrapping an object with the wrapping material 81 is characterized in that in the preparatory step , the wrapping material s 1 is prepared , which has the plurality of guiding portions 5 , each of which has the inlet 11 located at the upstream end , in terms of the cushioning medium injection direction , for injecting the cushioning medium from outside the wrapping material s 1 , the width w 1 of the inlet 11 being less than the width w 2 of the joint between the guiding portion 5 and the check valve 4 on the downstream side of the guiding portion 5 , in terms of the cushioning medium injection direction , and the plurality of inlets 11 being positioned immediately next to each other , and in the injection step , cushioning medium is injected through the plurality of inlets 11 . incidentally , the above described wrapping method may be said to be suitable for a mechanical wrapping operation , for example , a wrapping operation using an automatic wrapping machine . as described above . as the inflated wrapping material s 1 is left unprotected in an environment which is high in temperature and humidity , and / or low in pressure , the cushioning medium storage portion 3 increases in internal pressure , causing thereby the cushioning medium ( air ) in the cushioning medium storage portion 3 to flow backward through the check valve 4 . in this situation , the cushioning medium ( air ) in the cushioning medium storage portion 3 of the wrapping material in accordance with the prior art gradually leaks . because the wrapping material in accordance with the prior art is not sealed across the guiding portion 5 . as shown in fig1 . therefore , there is a concern that an object wrapped with the wrapping material in accordance with the prior art cannot be totally protected from shocks . thus , in this embodiment , the guiding portion is utilized as a buffer portion in which the air having flowed backward through the check valve 4 due to the increase in the internal pressure of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is retained , as shown in fig1 , 11 , and 13 . in other words , the air having flowed backward from the cushioning medium storage portion 3 into the guiding portion 5 through the check valve 4 can be prevented , by sealing the wrapping material s 1 across the guiding portion 5 along the lines 50 and 51 , from leaking out of the wrapping material s 1 through the guiding portion 5 . with the wrapping material s 1 sealed across the guiding portion 5 , even if the cushioning medium ( air ) flows backward through the check valve 4 due to the changes in the environment in which an object wrapped with the wrapping material s 1 is stored , or due to the like cause , the cushioning medium does not leak out of the wrapping material s 1 . more specifically , when the inflated wrapping material in accordance with the prior art , that is , the wrapping material which did not have the buffer zone , was left unprotected in a severe test environment ( 400 in temperature and 95 % in humidity ), the internal pressure of this wrapping material s 1 , which was initially 50 kpa , dropped to 0 kpa in 24 hours . in comparison , when the inflated wrapping material s 1 in this embodiment was left unprotected in the same severe test environment ( 400 in temperature and 95 % in humidity ), the internal pressure of this wrapping material s 1 , which also was 50 kpa initially , was roughly 20 kpa even after 60 days . incidentally , at this rate of pressure loss , it will take 4 . 58 years for the internal pressure of 50 kpa of the inflated wrapping material s 1 in this embodiment to drop to 10 kpa , if the inflated wrapping material s 1 in this embodiment is left unprotected in the normal environment ( 230 in temperature and 60 % in humidity ). in other words , wrapping an object with the wrapping material s 1 in this embodiment assures that the object remains protected from shocks . one of the long edges of the wrapping material s 1 in this embodiment is provided with the notch 15 , which corresponds in position to a point between the lines 8 and 50 ( fig6 ). the surface of the wrapping material s 1 is made coarse , across the adjacencies of the notch 15 , providing an anti - slip area , in order to make it easier for a user to tear the wrapping material s 1 starting from the notch 15 . the anti - slip area is on the upstream side , in terms of the cushioning medium injection direction , from the line 8 ( welding seam ) along which the wrapping material s 1 is thermally sealed between the upstream end of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 and guiding portion 5 . the notch 15 is located outward of the line 12 , in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . thus , as the wrapping material s 1 is torn starting from the notch 15 , the cushioning medium storage portions 3 are torn as shown in fig1 and 16 , not only is an opening 21 through which the cartridge 35 can be taken out , but also , the air remaining in the cushioning medium storage portions 3 is released , reducing thereby the used wrapping material s 1 in volume , and therefore , making it easier to remove the cartridge 35 from the pouch formed of the wrapping material s 1 . further , the wrapping material s 1 is welded along the lines 22 and 49 , as shown in fig1 ( a ), in order to assure that the cushioning medium storage portions 3 ( wrapping material s 1 ) are torn in the direction intersectional to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . fig1 ( a ) is a plan view of the reverse side of the pouch , which is formed of the wrapping material s 1 and contains the cartridge 35 . the line 22 along which the wrapping material s 1 is welded is located 7 mm inward of the welding line 19 ( check valve 4 ). these welding seams have a length of 20 mm and are positioned with predetermined intervals . the line 49 along which the wrapping material s 1 is welded is on the inward side of the line 22 . these welding seams also have a length of 20 mm and are positioned with predetermined intervals . the welding lines along the lines 19 and 49 are formed by thermal welding . without the presence of the tear guiding welding seams 19 and 49 , the wrapping material s 1 ( cushioning medium storage portions 3 ) are difficult to tear in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , making it difficult to remove the object ( cartridge 35 ) from the pouch formed of the wrapping material s 1 ; it is more likely for the wrapping material s 1 to be torn along the line 19 ( welding seam ), as shown in fig1 ( c ), making it difficult to release the air in the cushioning medium storage portions 3 . referring to fig1 ( a ), the tear guiding welding seams 22 are extended astride the welding seams 10 between the adjacent two cushioning medium storage portions 3 , one for one , because , if the tear guiding welding seams 22 do not straddle the welding seams 10 one for one , the welding seams 10 resist the tearing action , making it virtually impossible to tear the wrapping material s 1 in the direction perpendicular to the guiding portion 5 , starting from the notch 15 . as will be evident from the above description , there are provided an interval 34 ( portion which has not been welded ) between the adjacent two welding seams 22 , and an interval 35 ( portion which has not been welded ) between the adjacent two welding seams 49 , so that even if the wrapping material s 1 were to become torn between the tear guiding welding seam 19 and tear guiding welding seam 22 , the cushioning medium ( air ) in the cushioning medium storage portions 3 can be released . these tear guiding welding seams 22 and 49 are created when the wrapping material s 1 is in the form shown in fig3 . the tear guiding welding seams 22 and 49 may be shaped like the tear guiding welding areas 38 shown in fig2 a , tear guiding areas 39 in fig2 ( b ), tear guiding areas 40 in fig2 ( c ), or combinations of the tear guiding areas 41 and 48 in fig2 ( d ). also in these cases , there are provided the areas 43 , 44 , 46 , and 47 , respectively , across which the front and reverse sides of the wrapping material s 1 have not been welded to allow the air in the cushioning medium storage portions 3 to escape . the cushioning medium storage portion 3 in this embodiment is characterized in that it is provided with an area which is narrower , in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , than the rest of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , and which is located at a predetermined location in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . with the provision of this narrow area 3 b , the pressure which will apply to the cartridge 35 after the injection of the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions 3 can be reduced . referring to fig1 , the width w 4 of the narrow area 3 b is less than the width w 3 of the upstream and downstream areas 3 a of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , with respect to the narrow area 3 b , in terms of the air injection direction . in other words , the cross section of the narrow portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is less than that of the other areas 3 a of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . also referring to fig1 , the narrow portion 3 b can be formed by widening , in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , the portion 23 of the welding seam 10 , across which the films 1 and 2 are welded to each other , within the range which corresponds in position to the narrow area 3 b . the wider welding seam 23 is also thermally formed by an dedicated welding apparatus ( unshown ). in this embodiment , the width w 3 is in the range of 35 - 35 mm , and the width w 4 of the narrow area 3 b is in the range of 15 - 20 mm . this embodiment is characterized in that the wrapping material 51 is structured so that the amount by which air can be injected into the center portion of each of the cushioning medium storage portions of the wrapping material 51 , which corresponds in position to the approximate center portion of an object ( cartridge 35 ) to be wrapped , is smaller than the amount by which air can be injected into the upstream and downstream portions , in terms of the air injection direction , of each of the cushioning medium storage portions of the wrapping material 51 , with respect to the center portion . referring to fig7 and 8 , in this embodiment , the amount of the air which can be injected into the center portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is reduced by reducing the center portion 3 b in the width , in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , compared to the rest 3 a of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 . the width of the center portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 can be reduced by widening the welding seam 23 , across the range corresponding to the center portion 3 b . with the center portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 reduced in the amount of air injectable into it , the amount of the air pressure which applies to the approximate center portion of the object ( cartridge 35 ) is smaller ( fig1 ( a )). when the object to be wrapped with the wrapping material 51 happens to be the cartridge 35 , the center portion of the cartridge 35 , where the housing 35 d , cover 35 b , handle 35 c , etc ., of the cartridge 35 are located , is more likely to be deformed by the pressure from the air in the cushioning medium storage portion 3 than the end portions of the cartridge 35 . further , the photosensitive drum 35 a and transfer roller 35 e of the cartridge 35 are likely to be deformed by the deformations of the housing 35 d , cover 35 b , etc ., of the cartridge 35 , as shown in fig1 ( b ). thus , the portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , which is narrower in terms of the direction , perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 than the rest 3 a of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 is centrally positioned in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , in order to prevent the pressure from the cushioning medium storage portion 3 from being applied to the center portion of the cartridge 35 . thus , the wrapping material s 1 must be structured so that before the wrapping material s 1 is formed into a pouch , the narrow center portion 3 b of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 will align with the center portion of the object ( cartridge 35 ) to be wrapped with the wrapping material s 1 . referring to fig2 and 21 , in the case of a . wrapping material s 2 , the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of which is perpendicular to the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 35 a of the cartridge 35 , it is possible to shut the check valves 28 by welding the front and reverse sides of the wrapping material s 2 to each other along a line 26 ( welding seam ), in order to prevent air from being injected into the area of the wrapping material s 2 , which corresponds in position to the center portion of the process cartridge 35 in terms of the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 35 a . with the provision of this structural arrangement , it is possible for the wrapping material s 2 to be inflated so that the center portion of the cartridge 35 is not pressured by the portion 25 of the wrapping material s 2 , as shown in fig2 ( a ) ( fig2 ( b ) shows the cartridge 35 , the cartridge housing 35 d and cover 35 b of which have been deformed , as in fig1 ( b )). fig2 ( a ) shows that , as the cartridge 35 is wrapped with the wrapping material s 2 , the cushioning medium storage portions 25 of the wrapping material s 2 , into which air cannot be injected , is positioned against the handle 35 c of the cartridge 35 . as described above , in this embodiment , the width of each of the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the wrapping material s 1 , in terms of the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , is reduced across its center portion , in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cushioning medium storage portion 3 , which corresponds in position to the center portion of the object ( cartridge 35 ), in terms of the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 35 , or the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the wrapping material s 2 , which correspond in position to the center portion of the cartridge 35 , are shut in order to prevent air from being injected into them . however , the structural arrangement in this embodiment may be modified as shown in fig3 , which shows the case in which an object ( cartridge 35 ) having projections 46 and 47 , which are not centrally located , is wrapped with the wrapping material s . in this case , the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the wrapping material s may be reduced in width , across the portions corresponding to the projections 46 and 47 of the object ( cartridge 35 ), or the cushioning medium storage portions 3 of the wrapping material s may be shut across the portions corresponding to the projections 46 and 47 of the object ( cartridge 35 ), in order to prevent the problem that the cushioning medium storage portions 3 are damaged by the projections 46 and 47 , and the air therein escapes from the cushioning medium storage portions 3 . incidentally , the wrapping materials s ( s 1 and s 2 ) in this embodiment were described with reference to the cartridge 35 as the object to be wrapped with the wrapping materials s ( s 1 or s 2 ). however , the wrapping materials s may be used for wrapping the object other than the cartridge 35 ; for example , an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer , a camera , the main assembly of a printer , a video camera , a fixation unit removably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus , etc . further , the flexible material for the wrapping materials s may be paper film , metal film , etc ., instead of plastic film . the manufacturing method for the inflatable wrapping material for wrapping an object can be summarized as follows . the manufacturing method , in accordance with the present invention , of inflatable wrapping material comprises ; the sheet laying step of placing two pieces of flexible sheet , that is , the plastic films 1 and 2 , in layers ; the cushioning medium storage portion forming step of welding the layered first and second films to each other , along multiple parallel lines ( welding seams 9 and 10 ) in order to form the cushioning medium storage portions 3 for holding the cushioning medium ; the cushioning medium storage portion sealing step of welding the plastic films 1 and 2 , having been layered in the sheet laying step , to each other along the line 6 ( welding seam ) in the adjacencies of one of the lengthwise ends of the wrapping material s formed in the cushioning medium storage portion forming step ; the check valve attaching step of attaching the check valve which allows the cushioning medium to pass through it toward the cushioning medium storage portion while preventing the cushioning medium in the cushioning medium storage portion from flowing backward through it , to the lengthwise end of each of the cushioning medium storage portion , opposite to the thermally sealed end ; and the guiding portion forming step of welding the plastic films 1 and 2 having been layered in the sheet layer step , the lines extending from the lines 9 and 10 ( welding seams ) to the lengthwise end of the wrapping material s , opposite to the sealed lengthwise end , in order to form the guiding portions 5 for guiding the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions , one for one , and also , in order to form , on the upstream of the check valve 4 in terms of the direction in which the cushioning medium is guided toward the check valve 4 through the guiding portion , the area 48 across which the wrapping material s will be sealed , after the injection of the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions , to seal the wrapping material s to prevent the portion of the cushioning medium having flowed backward from the cushioning medium storage portion 3 into the guiding portion 5 through the check valve 4 , from leaking out of the wrapping material 5 through the guiding portion 5 . the wrapping material s is shaped to be long and narrow , and comes in the form of a roll having a large number of wrapping materials s connected by their lengthwise edges so that the lengthwise edges of the wrapping materials s become perpendicular to the lengthwise edges of the roll , and the widthwise edges of the wrapping materials s become parallel to the lengthwise edges of the roll . the aforementioned manufacturing method for the wrapping material s 1 comprises the cutting step of obtaining a wrapping unit containing a desired number of wrapping materials s 1 by cutting the roll of wrapping materials s 1 in the direction perpendicular to the edges of the roll , that is , the direction parallel to the widthwise direction of the wrapping material s 1 . the manufacturing method also comprises : the folding step of folding the wrapping unit in the direction perpendicular to the widthwise direction of the wrapping material s 1 after the cutting step ; and the pouch forming step of welding the two halves of the wrapping unit to each other along the long or short edges ( welding seams 12 and 13 ), forming the wrapping unit into a pouch which is open across one of the edges . further , the manufacturing method comprises : the object placement step of placing an object in the pouch formed in the pouch forming step ; the cushioning medium injection step of injecting the cushioning medium into the cushioning medium storage portions through the guiding portions after the object placement step ; and the sealing step of sealing the wrapping unit across the sealing area 48 after the cushioning medium injection step . although , in the case of the wrapping material manufacturing method in this embodiment , the plastic films 1 and 2 placed in layers were attached to each other by welding , along the predetermined lines ( welding seams ). however , choice of the method for bonding the plastic film 1 and 2 does not need to be limited to welding ; any means may be employed as long as the two films 1 and 2 can be sealed along the predetermined lines . according to this embodiment . it is assured that an object can be wrapped with the wrapping material s so that the cushioning medium in the wrapping material s will not leak out of the wrapping material s due to the changes in ambience , or the like . further , it is possible to manufacture a wrapping material capable of protecting the wrapped object from shocks . further , the wrapping material s can be injected with the cushioning medium after the shipment of the wrapping material s to its final destination , being therefore superior in transportation efficiency . further , the wrapping material s can be modified in accordance with the properties of the object to be wrapped . as described above , according to the present invention , even if the cushioning medium in a wrapping material flows backward through the check valve due to the changes in ambience , or the like , it does not leak out of the wrapping material , assuring that an object will remain safely wrapped , that is , remains protected from external shocks . also according to the present invention , the lengthwise direction of the wrapping material , and the direction in which the cushioning medium is injected through the inlet , are made roughly the same as the direction in which cushioning medium passes through the check valve . therefore , the wrapping material in accordance with the present invention is superior in the efficiency with which the cushioning medium can be injected into the cushioning medium storage portions of the wrapping material . further , according to the present invention , a wrapping material may be injected with cushioning medium after the shipment of the wrapping material to its final destination , being therefore superior in transportation efficiency . 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 . | 1 |
an embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the drawings . fig1 is a block diagram showing a memory device according to one embodiment of the present invention . the embodiment shown in fig1 is the same as the conventional memory device shown in fig6 except the following points , and the description of the common portion is not repeated . in the embodiment of fig1 a delay circuit 12 is provided in place of waveform shaping circuit 9 of fig6 between timing generating circuit 10 and output control circuit 7 . delay circuit 12 and output control circuit 7 constitute a control circuit which delays the timing when data output circuit 6 provides data from data processing circuit 5 to an output terminal 8 in the test mode , from the timing of data output to output terminal 8 in the normal operation . delay circuit 12 has a function to delay rise of a timing signal φ r &# 39 ; in the test mode in response to a mode designating signal φ t from a signal source , not shown , and specifically has the structure shown in fig2 for example . fig3 is a waveform diagram schematically showing the operation of delay circuit 12 shown in fig2 . in the normal operation where the mode designating signal φ t ( fig3 ( a )) is at an l level , the signal φ t is inverted to an h level by an inverter 121 to be continuously applied to one input of an nor gate 122 . to the other input of nor gate 122 the signal φ r &# 39 ; ( fig3 ( b )) from timing generating circuit 10 is applied , and nor gate 122 generates a signal which is always at an l level in the normal operation mode . the signal at an l level is inverted through an inverter circuit 123 including three stages of inverters to be continuously applied as a signal at an h level to one input of an nand gate 124 . to the other input of nand gate 124 the timing signal φ r &# 39 ; is directly applied . as a result , an inverted signal of the signal φ r &# 39 ; is obtained from nand gate 124 , which is further inverted by an inverter 125 and provided as a read control signal φ r ( fig3 ( c )). specifically , as shown in the left half of the waveform diagram of fig3 delay operation by delay circuit 12 is not performed in the normal operation mode where the mode designating signal φ t is at an l level , resulting in the timing signal φ r &# 39 ; being provided as it is , as the read control signal φ r . in the test mode where the mode designated signal φ t ( fig3 ( a )) is at an h level , the signal φ t is inverted to an l level by inverter 121 to be continuously applied to one input of nor gate 122 . as a result , nor gate 122 serves as an inverter inverting the timing signal φ r &# 39 ; applied to the other input thereof . inverters 121 and 122 correspond to waveform shaping circuit 9 in the conventional example of fig6 . more specifically , if the timing signal φ r &# 39 ; is at an l level when the signal φ t is at an h level ( fig3 ( b )), both inputs of nor gate 122 are at an l level , so that the output of nor gate 122 is brought into an h level . the output at an h level is inverted to an l level by inverter circuit 123 to be applied to one input of nand gate 124 . since the signal φ r &# 39 ; at the other input of nand gate 124 is also at an l level , the output of nand gate 124 is brought into an h level , which is inverted by inverter 125 to be provided as the read control signal φ r &# 39 ; at an l level ( fig3 ( c )). if the timing signal φ r &# 39 ; to an h level when the signal φ t is at an h level ( fig3 ( b )), the output of nor gate 122 changes from an h level to an l level simultaneously . the change in the output of nor gate 122 is transmitted to one input of nand gate 124 with a delay of certain time period by inverter circuit 123 . when the signal φ r &# 39 ; changes to an h level , the other input of nand gate 124 also changes to an h level , while transmission of the change to one input of nand gate 124 is delayed as described above , whereby the output of nand gate 124 remains at an h level during the certain time period ( delay time period ). when the certain delay time period described above has passed after the change of φ r &# 39 ;, the situation is achieved wherein two inputs of nand gate 124 are both at an h level , changing the output of nand gate 124 to an l level . this change is inverted to a change to an h level by inverter 125 , and provided as the read control signal φ r . that is , as shown in the right half of the waveform diagram in fig3 in the test mode where the mode designating signal φ t is at an h level , rise of the timing signal φ r &# 39 ; to an h level is delayed by a certain time period by delay circuit 12 as shown by the solid line of fig3 ( c ), and provided as the read control signal φ r . when the signal φ r &# 39 ;, further changes to an l level , the other input of nand gate 124 is immediately brought into an h level , so that the output of nand gate 124 is brought into h level simultaneously . this change is inverted to change to an l level by inverter 125 . specifically , in the test mode , the read control signal φ r falls simultaneously with fall of the timing signal φ r &# 39 ; ( fig3 ( b ) and ( c )). fig4 is a waveform diagram showing the whole operation of the embodiment shown in fig1 . the operation in the normal operation mode of the embodiment in fig1 is the same as that of the conventional example , because the timing signal φ r applied to output control circuit 7 is a signal at the same timing as that of the timing signal φ r in the conventional example described in conjunction with fig6 and 10 . therefore , the description thereof is not repeated , and only the operation in the test mode will be described . in the test mode , four data d 1 and d 4 are read from memory cell array 11 as in the normal operation , to be subjected to ex - or operation by ex - or circuit 55 ( fig7 ). since the ex - or operation requires a certain time period , the timing when read data d r ( fig4 ( c )) changes from invalid to valid in the test mode will be delayed by the certain time period from the timing in the normal operation mode . in accordance with this embodiment , therefore , the timing of activation of the read control signal φ r is delayed by the certain time period in the test mode ( the solid line in fig4 ( a )) from the normal timing ( the broken line in fig4 ( a )), whereby the output control signal φ c provided from output control circuit 7 is also delayed by the certain time period ( the solid line in fig4 ( b )) from the normal operation ( the broken line in fig4 ( b )). accordingly , partial output of invalid data ( the broken line in fig4 ( d )) is not provided from data output circuit 6 , unlike in the conventional example , so that only valid data alone is provided as the output data d o ( the solid line in fig4 ( d )). specifically , according to this embodiment , as can be seen from fig4 the read control signal φ r is delayed by a certain time period to prevent partial output of invalid data in comparison with the delay time period of output of valid data caused by partial output of invalid data in the case where the read control signal φ r is not delayed . in other words , since a longer time period than the delay time period by the data processing circuit is required for changing invalid data into valid data after the invalid data has once been provided , delay of the timing of the output control signal by the above described delay time period results in the timing of output valid data being advanced . consequently , access time in the test mode , that is , time required for a function test of the memory device can be reduced . although the case is described in the aforementioned embodiment , in which one selected data d r is provided out of the four data d 1 to d 4 in the normal operation mode and one ex - ored data d r is provided in the test mode , the number of the data is not limited to the case in this embodiment . the present invention is applicable to a case where the number of output data is less than that of data read from the memory cell array ; for example , a case where one output data is provided out of eight data read from the memory cell array , or where two output data are provided out of eight data read from the memory cell array . fig5 is a block diagram showing the embodiment in which two output data are provided out of eight data read from the memory cell array . in this embodiment , four data d 1a to d 4a read from memory cell array 11 by data reading circuits 1a to 4a are processed in one data processing circuit 5a , while four data d 1b to d 4b read from memory cell array 11 by data reading circuits 1b to 4b are processed in the other data processing circuit 5b . data processing circuits 5a and 5b are assumed to have the same structure as data processing circuit 5 shown in fig7 . data processing circuits 5a and 5b are operated by an address signal φ a and a mode designating signal φ t commonly applied thereto . read data d ra provided from data processing circuit 5a is applied to a data output circuit 6a and provided as output data d oa through a terminal 8a , while read data d rb provided from data processing circuit 5b is applied to a data output circuit 6b and provided as output data d ob at a terminal 8b . data output circuits 6a and 6b are assumed to have the same structure as data output circuit 6 shown in fig8 . the other structure and operation thereof is the same as in the embodiment of fig1 . even when two output data are obtained in parallel out of eight read data , common control over the timing of respective data output in the test mode by a single delay circuit 12 will thus prevent output of invalid data in respective outputs , whereby access time of valid data can be reduced . as described above , according to the embodiment of the present invention , an output control circuit is provided which delays the timing of data output from data processing circuit in the test mode from that in the normal operation mode , thereby preventing output of invalid data to the outside in the test mode , and thus enabling timing of output of valid data to the outside to be advanced , and reduction of access time in the test mode . although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail , it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation , the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims . | 6 |
in the following , the process of the present invention will be illustrated in more detail by way of example wherein ; mixtures obtained by mixing an aqueous solution of salts of 2 , 5 - diketo - d - gluconic acid having removed therefrom any microorganisms by filtration with a liquid containing the remainder of the required ingredients while both liquids are being cooled , is used as substrates because of the poor heat - stability of said salts . in a commercial scale operation , an employment of more pertinent , effective and safe procedure of sterilization , for instance , continuous heat sterilization or filtration by a micro - filter is , however , recommended . a sterilized medium ( 600 ml ) containing 1 . 5 % of calcium 2 , 5 - diketo - d - gluconate , 0 . 3 % of glycerol , 0 . 1 % of polypeptone , 0 . 1 % of yeast extract , 0 . 1 % of monopotassium phosphate and 0 . 02 % of magnesium sulfate ( 7 h 2 o ) and having a ph value of about 6 . 3 - 7 is introduced into a small fermenter of 1 . 5 l , and a suspension ( 20 ml , in sterilized water ) of brevibacterium ketosoreductum ( nov . sp .) which is previously cultured on a bouillon agar at 30 ° c . for 2 days , is inoculated . an aerated ( 1 v . v . m .) culture while being stirred ( 300 r . p . m .) is performed at 30 ° c . at each given time during the incubation , samples are withdrawn from the broth to confirm the formation of 2 - keto - l - gulonic acid as a pink spot on a paper partition chromatogram which utilizes a mixed solution of phenol : water : formic acid ( 75 : 25 : 4 ) as a developing solvent . a quantitative determination by means of gas - liquid chromatography ( column , silicone gum : se - 52 ; sample , silylated . iadd .) . iaddend . gives the following results . ______________________________________incubation time ( hrs .) 36 48 722 - keto - l - gulonic acid ( γ / ml ) 200 620 1890______________________________________ a sterilized medium ( 15 l ) containing 1 % of potassium d - gluconate , 0 . 2 % of polypeptone , 0 . 2 % of yeast extract , 0 . 1 % of monopotassium phosphate and 0 . 02 % of magnesium sulfate ( 7 h 2 o ), and having a ph value of 6 . 7 - 7 is prepared in a fermenter of 30 l . this medium is inoculated with the aqueous suspension of brevibacterium ketosoreductum of example 1 to perform an aerated incubation at 30 ° c ., 300 r . p . m . and 1 v . v . m . a portion of the cells of microorganism is separated from the broth at its logarithmic growing period , washed twice with physiological saline water , and suspended in a sterilized phosphate buffer ( 0 . 1 mole , ph 6 . 86 , 400 ml ). to this suspension of the cells , there is added an aqueous solution ( 200 ml ) containing 3 % of 2 , 5 - diketo - d - gluconic acid and being removed of any microorganisms by filtration , and the combined liquid is stirred at 30 ° c . for 48 hrs . at each given time during the contacting treatment , samples are withdrawn from the mixture to perform a qualitative detection by means of paper partition chromatography and a quantitative determination by means of gas - liquid chromatography which proves the formation of 2 - keto - l - gulonic acid at the beginning of the contacting operation . after the contacting operation of 48 hrs , the liquid is removed from the cells by means of centrifugation and concentrated at room temperature under reduced pressure . the concentrated liquid is then treated with an ion exchange resin ( amberlite 1r - 120 ) and active charcoal , and again concentrated after filtration . the solution is then passed through an ion exchange resin ( amberlite cg - 400 , formic acid type ) to permit the formed 2 - keto - l - gulonic acid to adsorb therein . required fractions of eluate obtained by a gradient elution of the adsorbed resin with 0 . 2 n - 1 n formic acid are collected . after the formic acid is removed by extraction with ether , the collected fractions are concentrated to give a syrup . an addition of a small amount of water to the syrup and letting it stand for a night gives crystals of 2 - keto - l - gulonic acid . physico - chemical properties , i . e ., melting point , optical rotation and spectrum of infrared adsorption , of the recrystallized product are found to be completely identical with those of an authentic sample of 2 - keto - l - gulonic acid which is .[. sythetically .]. . iadd . synthetically . iaddend . derived from l - sorbose . measured ( each 80 ml ) amounts of the sterilized medium containing 0 . 7 % of calcium 2 , 5 - diketo - d - gluconate , 0 . 1 % polypeptone , 0 . 1 % of yeast extract , 0 . 05 % of glucose , 0 . 1 % of monopotassium phosphate and 0 . 02 % of magnesium sulfate ( 7 h 2 o ), and having a ph value of 6 . 3 - 7 , are placed in shaking flasks of 500 ml . one loopful of bacillus megaterium , isolated from soil and previously incubated on a bouillon agar , is inoculated in each of the shaking flasks . the fermentation is carried out in a rotary shaker of 200 r . p . m . at 30 ° c . for 96 hrs . qualitative determination of the sample broths , performed as described in example 1 , gives the following results . ______________________________________incubation time ( hrs .) 24 48 72 962 - keto - l - gulonic acid ( γ / ml ) 40 55 68 44______________________________________ measured amounts ( each 15 ml ) of the sterilized medium used in the experiment of example 2 are placed in test tubes of 70 ml wherein into each one .[. looful .]. . iadd . loopful . iaddend . of strains isolated from soil or sewage , and type culture strains obtained from the ifo ( institute of fermentation , osaka ), previously incubated on a bouillon agar , are inoculated . the fermentation is carried out in a test - tube shaker ( 350 s . p . m .) at 30 ° c . for 72 hrs . to give the following results of quantitative determinations of the sample broths . ______________________________________microorganism strains used 2 - keto - l - gulonic acid ( γ / ml ) arthrobacter simplex asm - 10 107staphylococcus aureus asm - 30 53micrococcus dinitrificans ifo 12442 86micrococcus .[. rubeus . ].. iadd . rubens . iaddend . ifo 3768 43micrococcus roseus ifo 3764 28pseudomonas chloroaphis ifo 3904 49______________________________________ | 8 |
fig1 shows schematically the procedure for determining an error rate of a device under test . the description below relates to an application in a mobile telephone system , especially of the third generation , wherein , however , express reference is made to the fact that the method according to the invention can also be used for other communications systems , in which different data rates can be realized in a first transmission direction and in a second transmission direction . one system of this kind is the internet , for which , for example , the modem used can be tested using a method according to the present invention . in fig1 , a connection is established between testing device 1 and a device under test 2 , wherein the device under test 2 in the present example is a mobile telephone device . in establishing the connection between the testing device 1 and the device under test 2 , all of the parameters required for the operation of a mobile telephone device within a given mobile telephone network are determined by emulating a base station . the connection is therefore established according to the specifications of the respective mobile telephone standard or transmission protocol used . the connection between the testing device 1 and the device under test is established in a first transmission direction 3 ( downlink ) and a second transmission direction 4 ( uplink ), wherein an air interface and also a cable connection can be used for the transmission of information between the testing device 1 and the device under test 2 . to determine the error rate , a known test sequence is transferred , that is to say , a given binary data sequence , to the device under test 2 and then it is determined whether the content of the test sequence known to the testing device 1 has been correctly received and evaluated by the device under test 2 . initially , a test sequence , which includes a given bit sequence , is generated in a sequence generator 5 of the testing device 1 as a first data block . the bit sequences used can differ in an application - specific manner and can therefore be adapted to the respective system under test . this test sequence is then supplied to a first error - correction element 6 , which further processes the test sequence to prevent the occurrence of transmission errors or to allow a correction of errors . the processing of the test sequence in the first error - correction element 6 is explained in greater detail below with reference to fig4 . the test sequence generated in the sequence generator 5 is transmitted in a first transmission direction 3 to the device under test 2 as a test signal . the further processing of the test sequence in the first error - correction element is optional and can also be suppressed . however , if an error correction of this kind is carried out in the first error - correction element 6 , the processing of the test sequence in the first error - correction element 6 is reversed by appropriate measures in a second error - correction element 7 of the device under test 2 , so that , in the case of an ideal transmission in the first transmission direction 3 or in the case of an optimum error correction , the original test sequence is completely reconstructed at the output of the second error - correction element 7 of the device under test 2 . by contrast , errors may occur at least to some extent during transmission of the test signal or reception and evaluation of the test signal in a real system . this means that , after the evaluation of the test signal at the output of the second error - correction element 7 , a bit sequence is present , which differs in content from the test sequence originally generated in the sequence generator 5 . this bit sequence of the evaluated test signal is used by the device under test 2 to generate a second data block and from this to generate a response signal . for this purpose , a test section 8 is used (“ test loop ”), which generates from the evaluated test signal a response sequence , which corresponds to the requirements of the connection , especially in the second transmission direction , established between the testing device 1 and the device under test 2 . in an example , in which the length of the data blocks transmitted in the first transmission direction 3 to the device under test 2 , is greater than the length of the data blocks transmitted in the second transmission direction 4 from the device under test 2 back to the testing device 1 , only those data , for example , beginning with the first bit in the block of the evaluated test signal , which are required in order to generate the second data block of shorter length , are used . this is explained in greater detail below with reference to the description of fig5 . a response sequence , which corresponds , apart from incorrectly recognized bits or unrecognized bits , to a corresponding section of the originally generated test sequence , is generated from the test section 8 , as a second data block . before it is transmitted back to the testing device 1 in the second transmission direction 4 as a response signal , this second data block can be processed for error correction in a third error - correction element 9 . a corresponding fourth error - correction element 10 , which reverses the measures of the third error - correction element 9 for the correction of any errors occurring in the transmission path in the second transmission direction 4 , is provided in the testing device 1 . the received and evaluated response signal is supplied to an evaluation unit 11 of the testing device 1 , in which , for example , a bit - error rate ( ber ) is determined from the evaluated response signal and the test sequence , which is in fact already known to the testing device 1 . for this purpose , that section of the test sequence , from which the response sequence of the second data block was generated in the test section 8 , is compared bit - wise by the evaluation device 11 with the evaluated response signal . the use of a given section of the test sequence to generate the response sequence of the second data block in the test section 8 in this context is specified by the standard applicable for the relevant system . as described above , in the example of a mobile telephone device of the third generation presented herein , the respective first coherent data of the test sequence are used to generate the response sequence of the second data block , if the data rate in the first transmission direction 3 is higher than in the second transmission direction 4 . to establish the actual quality of the receiver device of the device under test 2 by determining a bit error rate of this kind , the transmission in the second transmission direction 4 must take place with the minimum possible interference , in order to ensure that the evaluated response signal actually matches the response signal of the second data block accurately . conversely , a fading simulator 12 can also be used to simulate a real transmission path in the first transmission direction 3 thereby simulating , for example , a weakening of level or time displacements in a real transmission in the downlink and determining their influence on the accurate evaluation of the test signal by the receiver device of the device under test 2 . fig2 shows a detailed view of a testing device 1 ′ and a device under test 2 ′. the components of the testing device 1 and the device under test 2 for the implementation of the method according to the invention discussed with reference to fig1 are marked with identical reference numbers in fig2 . to avoid unnecessary repetition , further description of these components is not provided . the testing device 1 ′ illustrated in fig2 comprises , in addition to the sequence generator 5 and the first error - correction element 6 , a modulator 13 , through which the test sequence , which may be processed by means of the error - correction element 6 , is further processed to form a high frequency signal . this further processing includes , amongst other factors , the mixing of a baseband signal to a carrier frequency , with which the test signal then present is transmitted in the first transmission direction 3 . accordingly , a demodulator 14 is provided in the device under test 2 ′, in order to recover from the test signal transmitted in the first transmission direction 3 the original information of the test sequence generated in the sequence generator 5 . after subsequent error correction in the second error - correction element 7 , the test signal evaluated in this manner is supplied to the test section 8 . in the exemplary embodiment shown in fig2 , two alternative embodiments are shown for the test section 8 . the test section 8 comprises a first variant 8 . 1 and a second variant 8 . 2 . the first variant 8 . 1 and the second variant 8 . 2 represent different layers of an osi reference model , on which the so - called “ test loop ”, in which the response sequence is generated from the evaluated test signal , can be arranged . for a given transmission protocol , these possibilities are specified in the relevant standard . given the example of a umts system , “ layer 1 ” or the “ rlc ( radio link control ) layer ” is specified by the standard . according to the specifications of the standard , a choice is possible between the two different variants 8 . 1 and 8 . 2 of the test section 8 . this choice is determined by the respective testing device 1 ′ connected to the device under test 2 ′ preferably during the establishment of the connection . the evaluated test signal is supplied according to the specifications either to “ layer 1 ” for the first variant 8 . 1 or to the “ rlc layer ” for the second variant 8 . 2 , so that a response signal is generated from the evaluated test signal by one of these variants 8 . 1 or 8 . 2 respectively . this response sequence passes through the third error - correction element 9 . the function of the error - correction element 9 can also be switched to transparent mode , that is to say , an error correction is not carried out with the supplied data of the response sequence . this so - called “ transparent mode ” is also possible for the other error - correction elements , and is also preferably determined during the establishment of the connection by the testing device 1 ′ or respectively the testing device 1 from fig1 . the response sequence is once again further processed by a modulator 15 of the device under test 2 ′ to form a transmissible response signal , so that a response signal is finally transmitted back by the device under test 2 ′ in the second transmission direction 4 to the testing device 1 ′. the receiver of the testing device 1 ′ is fitted with a corresponding demodulator 16 , so that the received response signal can be received and evaluated . if an error correction has been implemented by the device under test 2 ′, then the demodulated response signal is supplied to the fourth error - correction element 10 before the completely evaluated response signal is finally compared bit - wise in the evaluation unit 11 with the originally generated test sequence . by comparing the originally - generated test sequence with the completely - evaluated response signal , a bit - error rate or a block - error rate , for example , can then be determined by the evaluation unit 11 . in determining a block - error rate , every block , which contains at least one bit error , is evaluated as a block error . when using the method according to the invention , for example , for a umts system , the data rate in the first transmission direction 3 and in the second transmission direction 4 is determined by the testing device 1 ′. especially during the establishment of the connection , the testing device 1 ′ determines the position within the device under test 2 ′, at which the “ test loop ” is to be placed , that is to say , whether the first variant 8 . 1 or the second variant 8 . 2 of the test section 8 is to be used . the testing device 1 ′ does not participate in the actual implementation of the evaluation of the test signal after the transmission in the first transmission direction 3 or in the subsequent generation of a response sequence for the second data block , but the device under test 2 ′ executes a routine , which is defined in the relevant standard . to evaluate the response signal or to determine an error rate resulting from it , the testing device 1 ′ determines the section of the test sequence , to which the evaluated response signal should , under ideal circumstances , be identical . dependent upon the length of the data blocks used for the transmission in the first transmission direction 3 and the second transmission direction 4 , the testing device 1 ′ therefore compares the full length of the evaluated response signal with a corresponding section of the test sequence if the length of the first data block is greater than that of the second data block . fig3 shows in a very much simplified form the individual stages during the processing of the data sequence used for the generation of the response signal by the third error - correction element 9 or respectively , in the testing device 1 or 1 ′, in the fourth error - correction element 10 . in a first stage 17 , a checksum , for example , a crc ( cyclic redundancy check ) sum is added to the response sequence . the response sequence generated in this manner , to which the checksum has been added , is encoded in a next stage 18 , for example , by “ convolutional coding ” or “ turbo coding ”, the various viable coding algorithms being established by the relevant transmission standard . in a third stage 19 , the encoded data sequence is interleaved for a first - time , that is to say , the sequence of information contained in the encoded data sequence is exchanged according to a predetermined scheme . following this , in stage 20 , individual data packets are formed , the individual data packets being formed according to the specifications , for example , of frame structures , which follow a given time system . in the case of a umts system , the data rate is matched , in the subsequent stage 21 , to the physical channel by bit repetition or bit blanking . the physical channel is established in the second transmission direction 4 dependent upon the data rate to be transmitted . the sequence present after this stage is interleaved once again in a further stage 22 , before the sequence is subjected to spreading using orthogonal spreading codes . after spreading , the data to be transmitted are provided as a chip sequence . the data present in this form are then transmitted in the manner already described in the second transmission direction 4 ′, wherein the second transmission direction 4 ′ indicated in fig3 by a dotted line , symbolizes that a further processing takes place after the second interleaving in stage 22 . the error - correction processes carried out in stages 17 to 22 with the response sequence are cancelled again in a stepwise manner by the fourth error - correction element 10 in the testing device 1 or 1 ′ in the corresponding processing stages 22 ′ to 17 ′, which are not described here because they proceed in a similar manner to the processing stages 17 to 22 , but in reverse order . fig4 shows a second possible procedure for error correction in the first error - correction element 6 of the testing device 1 or 1 ′ and the second error - correction element 7 of the device under test 2 or 2 ′. the stages 23 and 24 correspond to the stages 17 and 18 as discussed previously with reference to fig3 . however , in the subsequent stage 25 , the data rate is matched to the physical channel by bit repetition or bit blanking . the sequence provided after this stage is interleaved in stage 26 . in stage 27 , the bit block is segmented into the corresponding frame structure , which is specified in the relevant transmission standard . the information now segmented into individual bit packets of the frame is interleaved once again in stage 28 . in procedural stages 28 ′ to 23 ′, the error - correction element 7 provided in the device under test 2 or 2 ′, once again in a similar manner , reverses the stages 23 to 28 implemented for error correction in the first error - correction element 6 . fig5 again illustrates how a second data block , which will be used in the evaluation unit 11 of the testing device 1 ′ for comparison and therefore for determination of the error rate , is generated by the device under test 2 ′, for example , from a first data block . for a signal of the downlink , that is to say , in the first transmission direction 3 of the mobile telephone system described by way of example , a length , for example , of 2880 bits , is determined for the first data block . a transmission time ( tti , transport time interval ), within which this data volume will be transmitted , is additionally determined . the data determined are presented in the table in fig6 a . accordingly , the first data block provides a total length of 2880 bits , which can be subdivided into a first section 29 . 1 and a second section 29 . 2 . the length of the entire first data block 29 is identical to the length of the test sequence generated in the sequence generator 5 . this test sequence is processed in the manner described above , wherein , amongst other factors , a checksum 30 is added , before the test signal is transmitted in the first transmission direction 3 to the device under test . if the error correction in the second error - correction element 7 has not been switched to transparent mode , the processing of the received test signal takes the checksum 30 into consideration . in this context , some of the original data of the test sequence are corrected by the second correction element 7 of the device under test 2 or 2 ′, if the relevant , missing information can be corrected , for example , with redundant information . the data obtained in the evaluation of the test signal from the first section 29 . 1 correspond to the data used as the response sequence for the response signal and therefore form the second data block 31 . the response sequence is formed by the device under test 2 or 2 ′, in that those data , which are determined in the evaluation by the device under test 2 or 2 ′ as a content of the first section 29 . 1 , form the response sequence . in the evaluation , the content of the second section 29 . 2 is taken into account in that the entire information of the first data block and the checksum 30 is used for error correction . the length of the second data block 31 , for example , corresponding to the data rate determined by the testing device 1 or 1 ′, is 1280 bits , which must also be transmitted within a transmission time , for example , of 20 ms . accordingly , only the content determined from the test signal of the first section 29 . 1 is used as data for the second transmission block , so that the data u ′ 0 to u ′ k - 1 of the entire second data block 31 are generated from the evaluated data u 0 to u k - 1 of the original test sequence . the parameters for the second transmission direction 4 are shown in fig6 b . a second checksum 32 , which contains the redundant information to the response sequence , is added to these data of the second data block 31 , before the second data block 31 together with the second checksum 32 is transmitted back to the testing device 1 or 1 ′ in the second transmission direction 4 . this response signal is then evaluated , wherein it is ensured by an appropriate test environment , that , at least approximately , no transmission errors occur in the second transmission direction 4 . in the evaluation unit 11 of the testing device 1 or 1 ′, the content of the evaluated response signal is then compared bit - wise with the content of the first section 29 . 1 of the first data block 29 . to generate a response sequence from a test signal , of which the underlying first data block is shorter than the second data block corresponding to the response sequence , for example , filling data can be used , or a given , predetermined bit sequence can be used . for every deviation of the data , a bit error is then counted , from which the bit error rate is determined relative to the total number of bits transmitted . to determine the block error rate , each block , in which a bit error occurs , is at the same time counted as a block error . as explained above , it is of decisive importance for the statistical value of the measured result that different data rates are used for the two transmission directions in a bidirectional channel . in addition to the use of data blocks of a different length , which has been explained in detail with reference to fig5 , it is also possible to form the test signal from a first group 35 with several data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 . this is shown in fig7 . the respective data rate is then determined by the number of data blocks transmitted per unit of time . in the exemplary embodiment illustrated , a first number q of data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 are used to form a first group 35 . these data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 are all of the same length . an individual checksum 34 . 0 to 34 . q - 1 is added to each data block 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 to allow an error correction . a test signal , which is evaluated in the device under test 2 , 2 ′, is formed from this group 35 of data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 . a second group 36 with a second number r of data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 is formed on the basis of the evaluated test signal . a checksum 38 . 0 to 38 . r - 1 is also added to each of the individual data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the second group . in particular , the data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the second group 36 are of the same length as the data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 of the first group 35 . to determine an error rate , the corresponding data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 and 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the first and second group 35 and 36 respectively are compared with one another bit - wise in the testing device 1 or 1 ′. in order to realize different data rates in the two transmission directions 3 and 4 , the first number q of data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 of the first group 35 and the second number r of data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the second group 36 differ from one another . in the case of an error - free transmission of all data blocks , the data blocks of the group 35 or 36 , which has the lower number q or r of data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 or 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 respectively , preferably agree with the first data blocks of the other group 36 or 35 respectively . however , the data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . 1 - r can also be formed in such a manner that , for example , an agreement with every second one of the data blocks 33 . 0 . to 33 . q - 1 is provided in an error - free transmission . in addition to the number of data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 and 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 in the groups 35 and 36 , the length of the data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 of the first group 35 can also differ from the length of the data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the second group 36 . however , the length of the data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 or 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 within one group 35 or 36 respectively is preferably identical in each case . by way of difference from the checksums 38 . 0 to 38 . r - 1 of the data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the second group 36 , which agree with the format of the checksums 34 . 0 to 34 . q - 1 of data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 of the first group 35 , as illustrated in fig7 , fig8 shows an exemplary embodiment , in which , checksums 38 . 0 ′ to 38 . r - 1 ′, which differ in format from the checksums 34 . 0 to 34 . q - 1 of the data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 of the first group 35 , are used for the data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the second group 36 . to avoid repetition , further description of the agreeing elements of the exemplary embodiment shown in fig7 and 8 is not provided herein . the exemplary embodiments are shown for the case that the first number q of data blocks 33 . 0 to 33 . q - 1 of the first group 35 is greater than the second number r of data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 of the second group 36 . this corresponds to the assumption of a greater data rate in the first transmission direction 3 . as with the use of different lengths for the data blocks in order to realize different data rates , the data rate in the second transmission direction 4 can also be greater . in the corresponding case , the second number r is greater than the first number q . the additional number of data blocks 37 . 0 to 37 . r - 1 is then filled with a predetermined data content by the device under test 2 , 2 ′. the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments illustrated , but also covers the combination of individual features from different exemplary embodiments . while the present invention has been described in connection with a number of embodiments and implementations , the present invention is not so limited but covers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements , which fall within the purview of the appended claims . | 7 |
the present invention and its advantages are best understood by referring to the drawings . the elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale , emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention . the illustrated embodiment of the invention is fabricated in a thick layer of silicon or other conductor material . within this thick layer of material , the proof masses , flexures , capacitive position sensors , isolated resistors , humidity sensitive capacitors , and multiple anchors and pads are fabricated . fig1 shows one configuration of these structures that yields a sensor suite with a two - axis accelerometer 1 , a temperature sensor 2 , and a humidity sensor 3 . the three sensors occupy an area on the substrate surface 5 of about 0 . 5 square centimeters or less . bonding pads 4 provide electrical connection to the three sensors . fig2 shows one embodiment of the device &# 39 ; s accelerometer , in which a moveable proof mass 10 responds to acceleration by deflecting the suspension flexures 11 suspending the proof mass 10 above the substrate surface 5 . when an acceleration is applied to the proof mass 10 , it will move in the +/− x , +/− y , or +/− z directions , in accordance with the direction of the acceleration , a distance that depends on the acceleration level , the amount of time the acceleration is applied , the size of the proof mass 10 , and the compliance of the suspension in that direction . this motion results in a deflection of the capacitive position sensors 14 in the x and / or y directions , and a change to the capacitance of those sensors . these deflections are proportional to the level of acceleration seen and can be measured by measuring the capacitance of the sensors . with reference to fig2 , the proof mass 10 is fabricated with holes 13 which are utilized during the fabrication process to allow chemicals to pass through to the substrate surface 5 . four ( 4 ) suspension anchors 20 anchor eight ( 8 ) suspension flexures 11 located at the corners of the proof mass 10 . as can be seen in fig2 , four ( 4 ) of the suspension flexures allow displacement of the proof mass 10 in the x - direction and four ( 4 ) of the suspension flexures allow displacement of the proof mass 10 in the y - direction . four ( 4 ) central flexures 15 decouple lateral motion of the proof mass 10 from the four ( 4 ) capacitive position sensors 14 . the capacitive position sensors 14 are comprised of a row of static comb - fingers 16 that are cantilevered to the comb - finger anchors 18 that are connected to the substrate surface 5 , and an interlocking ( but not contacting ) row of dynamic comb - fingers 17 that are attached to the flexure support 19 . as can be seen in fig2 , the components of the accelerometer 1 are “ mirror - imaged ” about the x - and y - axis in this embodiment . fig3 shows the definition of the primary parameters used to design the accelerometer to detect specific levels of acceleration . the inertial force developed on the proof mass is then given by : where f is the inertial force , m is the mass of the proof mass , and a is the applied acceleration . the stiffness of the suspension provides a force against the inertial force . the stiffness in each axis of the device is given by : k = 6 * kb = 2 * e * t * wb 3 lb 3 , where k is the entire suspension stiffness , kb is the stiffness of one beam in the suspension , e is the young &# 39 ; s modulus of the material the device is made of , wb is the width 66 of a beam in the suspension , lb is the length 65 of a beam in the suspension , and t is the thickness of the material . the distance the proof mass will move under the applied acceleration is given by : the capacitive position sensor capacitance will change with deflection of the proof mass . the capacitance change is given by : δ c = ɛ o * n * t * δ y g o where c is the comb - drive capacitance , ∈ 0 is the permittivity of free space , n is the number of fingers in the comb - drive , t is the thickness of the structure , l o is the initial overlap 67 of the fingers , y is the amount of deflection , and g o is the gap 68 between fingers in the comb - drive . typical capacitive measurement circuits can measure capacitance changes on the order of 10 − 18 farads . fig4 shows the temperature sensor that is comprised of a serpentine bridge 30 composed of doped silicon with a large temperature coefficient of resistance . the serpentine bridge 30 forms a thermistor that has a nominal resistance at ambient temperature that depends on the bridge geometry . as the external temperature changes , the resistance of the bridge 30 will change . electrical contact with the resistor is made via bond pads 31 . a number of readout techniques can be utilized to measure that resistance change . fig5 shows the definition of the primary parameters used to design the temperature sensors . the nominal resistance of the thermistor depends on the cross - sectional area of the device , the full device length , and the resistivity of the material , and is given by : where r o is the resistance at ambient temperature , ρ is the material resistivity , t is the thickness of the material , w is the width 70 of the resistor , and l is the length of the resistor ( i . e ., the total length of all of the segments of length l o 71 ). for a temperature sensitive resistor , the resistance as a function of temperature is given by : where r is the resistance at temperature , t , r 0 is the resistance at ambient temperature , α is the temperature coefficient of the resistor material , and t o is ambient temperature . typical resistance measurement circuits can determine milliohm changes in resistance . fig6 illustrates the humidity sensor for the sensor suite , a parallel - plate capacitor with a humidity sensitive dielectric . the humidity - sensitive layer 40 is deposited above a bottom metal electrode 41 . a top metal electrode 42 is then deposited and patterned on the humidity sensitive layer 40 . that top metal layer is the top electrode , and is also patterned with a mesh 43 so as to allow the water vapor in the atmosphere to interact with the dielectric . bond pads 44 and 45 provide electrical contact to the electrodes of the sensor . as humidity changes , the dielectric constant of the humidity sensitive polymer changes . as this parameters change , the capacitance of the sensor will also change . this can be measured using a capacitive sensing circuit well known in the art of humidity sensing devices . for the humidity sensor capacitor , the nominal capacitance depends on the area of the capacitor , a , the thickness of the dielectric layer , d , the permittivity of free space , ∈ o , and the nominal relative permittivity of the dielectric between the electrodes , ∈ r , and is given approximately by : in the presence of humidity , the polymer layer will absorb water vapor . the dielectric constant of water is approximately ∈ w = 80 , while that of the polymer layer is approximately ∈ p = 3 . 5 . this substantial difference in dielectric constant results in a change to the capacitance of the structure when in the presence of humidity . in the presence of humidity , the relative permittivity of the dielectric between the electrodes is given by a weighted average of the relative permittivities of the constituents : where f w and f p are the volume fraction of each component . furthermore , in general : therefore , the capacitance of the structure will be linear with the volume fraction absorption of water into the polymer . for the polymer used in one embodiment ( pi2723 polyimide ), the volume fraction absorption of water is 4 % at 100 % relative humidity , and 0 % relative humidity , yielding an absorption of 0 . 04 % per 1 % rh . other types of polymers could be used for the humidity sensitive layer of the capacitor depending upon the amount of water absorption that is desired . as can be seen from the above equations , the thickness of the layer of humidity sensitive polymer will vary depending upon the absorption rate of the polymer selected . fig7 shows the theoretical sensor response as a function of humidity level . as can be seen in fig7 , nominal capacitance of 10 pf at 0 % rh increases linearly to 20 pf at 100 % rh . typical capacitance measurement circuits can measure capacitance changes on the order of 10 − 18 farads , making this amount of capacitance change easy to detect . fig8 a through 8i illustrate the steps in the microfabrication process for one embodiment of the invention . this embodiment of the sensor suite is fabricated using a silicon - on - insulator (“ soi ”) microfabrication process . referring to fig8 a , the starting material is a silicon - on - insulator wafer 50 with a handle layer 51 and a 15 - micron thick active silicon layer 52 separated by a 2 micron thick silicon dioxide layer 53 . in addition , a thin coat of isolating oxide 54 is deposited on the top of the wafer 50 for the purpose of isolating the humidity sensor from the substrate . a 0 . 3 micron thickness of isolating oxide has been used in one embodiment , though other thicknesses could also be employed . the areas on the wafer 50 in which the accelerometer 1 , temperature sensor 2 and humidity sensor 3 will be fabricated are shown in fig8 b and 8c . as illustrated in fig8 b , the wafer 50 is patterned to open areas in the isolation oxide 54 . these openings 55 will be areas to which electrical contact and structure definition for the accelerometer 1 and temperature sensor 2 can occur . then , a metal layer 56 is deposited and patterned as shown in fig8 c . this metal layer 56 makes contact to the silicon layer 52 through the openings in the oxide 54 where desired for the accelerometer and temperature sensors , and is also used to form the bottom electrodes 57 of the humidity sensor 3 . after the first metal layer is complete , the humidity sensitive polyimide 58 is deposited on the humidity sensor area 3 and patterned and cured , as shown in fig8 d . after that step is complete , a second metal layer 59 is deposited , as shown in fig8 e . this metal layer serves as the top electrode of the humidity sensitive capacitor 3 and can also be used to add another layer of metal to the bond pads for the accelerometer 1 and temperature sensor 2 , if desired . at this point , the humidity sensor 3 is complete . after completing the humidity sensor , a coating of silicon nitride 60 is deposited and patterned to completely encapsulate all exposed metal , as shown in fig8 f . this encapsulating layer is required to protect the metal layers during the subsequent silicon and silicon dioxide etches . plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (“ pecvd ”) silicon nitride was used in one embodiment to minimize the existence of pinholes that would allow damage to the isolated components during etching . pecvd silicon nitride also uses lower temperatures and therefore minimizes stress on the sensors during processing . other processes could be used instead to manufacture the silicon nitride , however , provided that the resultant coating minimizes pinholes . as illustrated in fig8 g , the soi wafer is then patterned using standard lithography and etched via a deep silicon reactive ion etch (“ drie ”) to define the structures of the accelerometer 1 and resistor 2 . a bosch drie process was used in one embodiment of the invention , though other drie processes could be used instead . referring to fig8 h , after defining the silicon structure , the silicon dioxide layer 53 in between the silicon layers is removed in a fashion that releases the moving parts of the accelerometer 1 structure but allows portions of the layer 53 , specifically those underneath the humidity sensor 3 , the resistor 2 , and anchors and bond pads ( not illustrated ) on the accelerometer 1 , to remain and hold the structure to the substrate . after the structure is released , the entire silicon nitride layer 60 is removed , as shown in fig8 i , thereby completing processing of the device . although the process discussed above incorporated one accelerometer , one resistor and one humidity sensor , any combinations of the three sensors on one chip that includes at least an accelerometer and a humidity sensor on one chip would be within the scope of the present invention . the sensor suite is connected to external electronics well known in the art of sensor systems that provide an oscillator that produces a modulation signal for monitoring the capacitors , a demodulator for detecting the capacitance - induced modulation of that signal , a current source to run through the thermistor , and amplifiers and filters to condition the signal . the electronics can be integrated in an application specific integrated circuit for further miniaturization . using typical capacitance and resistance measurement circuits capable of monitoring changes in capacitance on the order of 10 − 18 farads and changes in resistance on the order of milliohms , the ranges and resolutions for the sensors given the specific set of design parameters are shown in table 1 below . the initial intent of this invention was to miniaturize sensing devices in multifunctional embedded data acquisition systems , diagnostic devices , and test & amp ; evaluation systems . however , the device could also be used in standalone applications where the sensor suite is connected to an rfid tag or other transmitter for remote determination of the environment seen by shipping containers and products . although the current embodiment and some other potential embodiments and forms of this invention have been illustrated , it is apparent that other various modifications and embodiments of the invention can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . for example , alternative designs of the accelerometer may be utilized including single axis versions such as the embodiment shown in fig9 , which incorporates a proof mass 90 , capacitive position sensors 91 , suspension flexures 92 , and anchors 93 . in other embodiments the humidity sensor could be configured as a chemical sensor depending on the specific formulation and characteristics of the polymer used in its creation . | 1 |
in the following description , words like approximately , opposite , sufficient , and the like should be construed to have the broadest permissible meaning . mits have a wide application of use , and their application , construction , and advantages can be better understood through the illustrative description of several examples of use . in some instances , the user would be desirous of installing a marker constructed using a flexible material . this decision may be based on the ground condition , intended use , or other factors . with known means , installing a flexible marker would be laborious or difficult , and the traditional application with a hammer or like tool may actually damage the marker , or create injury to the user . conversely , a user , by use of a mit , may quickly , easily , and safely install flexible markers . while the use contemplated herein describes the installation of flexible markers , it should be understood that the use of a mit can also be advantageous when installing rigid markers . traditional installation requires both hands , while as will be illustrated in more detail below , application of the mit only requires one hand operation . therefore , it should be understood that the application can be applied to a wide variety of marker types and materials . the attached figures describe one embodiment of a mit , but many different embodiments comprise similar features . therefore , while a specific embodiment may not include every feature described in the figures , the numbering convention found therein persists across all embodiments . for example , fig1 includes a shaft portion 1 , a sharpened end portion 5 , and a hole 10 . in one embodiment , a mit may be described having a shaft portion 1 , and a hole 10 , and not having an sharpened end portion 5 , while a second embodiment might describe a mit having a shaft portion 1 and a sharpened end portion 5 , while not having a hole 10 . the embodiments described herein are included for the purposes of illustration . other embodiments may include features in common with one or more of the embodiments included below , and the scope of the invention should not be construed to be limited to following specific examples . a first embodiment of a mit 100 comprises a shaft portion 1 , a hole 10 located at one end of the shaft portion 1 , the hole being in communication with an interior cavity 15 of the shaft portion 1 , and a grip member 20 affixed to the shaft portion 1 in a location proximate to the hole 10 . the shaft 1 as depicted in fig1 is a primarily cylindrical tube , although it should be understood that different shapes and cross - sections would be similarly applicable for use in the invention . the shaft 1 may be constructed out of a hardened metal in order to create a device of sufficient durability to withstand continued use , although it should be understood that other materials may be similarly adopted . the shaft has a first length 25 , which in a typical embodiment may be approximately 2 feet , although other lengths would have similar construction , and may also be adapted to other uses . since the size of the interior cavity , and therefore the length available for a marker to be inserted , is in direct proportion to the first length 25 , a longer first length may provide for the installation of larger markers , and a smaller first length may provide for the installation of smaller markers . in the present embodiment , the shaft 1 is a singular cylindrical tube . in other embodiments , the shaft 1 may be comprised of multiple sections which are either permanently attached together or capable of being detached , collapsed , or reconfigured by a user . the hole 10 , as depicted in fig2 , is sized such that a marker may be inserted into the interior cavity 15 . markers may come in different sizes , so the sizing of the hole may be selected by one of ordinary skill in the art in order to facilitate a particular marker . however , it should be understood that a precise close fit between hole size and marker diameter is not necessary , as even a loose fit provides sufficient support to allow the installation of a marker . the grip member 20 , as depicted in fig1 , is a linear shaft that extends radially from the shaft portion 1 from a location proximate to the hole 10 . this location allows the user to drive the installation of the marker into the ground by exerting force on the grip member 20 . the grip member 20 has a second length 30 , which is sufficiently long to allow for the placement of a hand or foot . in the present embodiment , the second length is approximately 4 inches . in the present embodiment , the grip member 20 is a hardened metal of a similar material to the shaft portion , although it should be understood that other materials could be similarly adopted . similarly , while the present embodiment depicts the grip member 20 as extending radially from the shaft portion 1 such that the grip member 20 is perpendicular to the first length 25 , it should be understood that the grip member 20 may extend from the shaft portion 1 such that it creates a different angle with the first length 25 . additionally , the grip member 20 , instead of being a linear shaft , may have a different shape or cross section . the reasons behind such configurations may include ergonomic benefit , aesthetic considerations , or other considerations . in the present embodiment , the grip member 20 is affixed to the shaft portion 1 through welding , although it should be understood that other means of attachment could be utilized . for instance , the grip member 20 may be attached utilizing pivots , hinges , or sliding mechanisms such that the members may be repositioned by a user or placed into a compact shape for storage . grip members may additionally be comprised of multiple section or pieces to permit complex actions such as folding or reconfiguration by a user , or comprise additional features such as padding . as depicted by fig1 , the present embodiment also comprises an additional grip member 22 proximate to the end of the shaft portion opposite the hole 10 . such a second grip member 22 , has structure and features similar to the grip member 20 , and provides for a place for the user to grasp the mit with a hand during installation of a marker , rather than having the user grasping the shaft portion . it should , however , be understood that having a second grip member 22 is not necessary for a successful application of a mit , and as such , some embodiments of a mit omit a second grip member 22 . additionally , the addition of yet more additional grip members may be advantageous for reasons contemplated by ones of ordinary skill in the art . these additional grip members may have various configurations , features , and attachment mechanisms , but that such inclusion would not materially alter the primary functionality of the mit . a second embodiment of a mit 100 comprises a shaft portion 1 , a grip member 22 , and a sharpened end portion 5 . different grip members may have different lengths and sizes as would be appropriate determined by one of ordinary skill in the art . as depicted in fig1 , the sharpened end portion is a spike , affixed to the end of the shaft portion 1 such that root of the spike 6 is in communication with the end of the shaft 1 , and the tip of the spike 7 extends away from the root such that the spike is parallel with the first length 25 . the sharpened end portion 5 is of sufficient length such that , when used to drive a hole in the ground , the resulting hole would be sized such as to accept the installation of a marker . in the present embodiment , the sharpened end portion 5 is approximately 6 inches long , from root 6 to tip 7 , and has a root diameter of approximately ¼ inch , although it should be understood that different sizes may be similarly adopted . in the present embodiment , the sharpened end portion 5 is constructed from a hardened metal , although it should be contemplated that other materials may be similarly adopted . the selected material , however , must be of sufficient durability to withstand deformation when being subjected to the forces required to drive the sharpened end portion into a wide variety of ground conditions , such as , for example hardened , packed or frozen earth . as in the previous embodiment , the present embodiment comprises an additional grip member 20 , while other embodiments may omit such an addition , or comprise yet additional grip members . as should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art , the two embodiments described above are not mutually exclusive . however , inclusion of both elements in a single apparatus has synergistic benefits . as will be described in more detail below , the primary functionality of the two embodiments above may be used in sequence or combination so as to provide for the installation of markers under a wide variety of circumstances . as such , fig1 depicts a third embodiment of a mit with a sharpened end portion 5 as well as a hole 10 , a grip member 20 , and a grip member 22 . the embodiments describe above have a wide variety of ways in which they may be used . as such , a more complete understanding of the use of the invention can be achieved through the following description of several illustrative methods of using a mit 100 to install a marker . a first embodiment of the installation of a marker using a mit 100 comprises the following steps . first , the user selects a location for the marker . the user then inserts a marker into the hole 10 such that a portion of the marker occupies the interior cavity 15 . the mit 100 is then oriented so that an exposed portion of the marker is pointed toward the ground , and the shaft portion 1 is at a desired angle of installation relative to the ground . while in many cases , the angle of installation may be perpendicular to the ground , or 90 degrees , it should be understood that a different angle may be desirous for a variety of reasons as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art . the user then exerts force on the mit 100 in order to drive the exposed portion of the marker into the ground down to a desired depth . the force may be exerted upon the mit by pushing on the shaft portion 1 . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a foot on the grip member 22 and pushing downward . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a hand on the grip member 20 or another like grip member , and pushing on the shaft portion 1 . additionally , a combination of the above forces may be used . the proper depth for installation may vary depending on several factors including the intended purpose of the markers , the ground condition , or other factors . the mit is then removed . if desired , the user may exert force on the marker by hand in order to make final adjustments to the installation depth and angle . such adjustments , if necessary , might still require significantly less labor and time than were the entire installation conducted by hand . a second embodiment of the installation of a marker using a mit 100 comprises the following steps . first the user selects a location for the installation of a marker . the user then orients the mit such that the sharpened end portion is pointing toward the desired location , and the shaft portion is at a desired angle of installation relative to the ground . while in many cases , the angle of installation may be perpendicular to the ground , or 90 degrees , it should be understood that a different angle may be desirous for a variety of reasons as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art . the user then exerts force on the mit 100 in order to drive the sharpened end portion 5 into the ground down to a desired depth . the force may be exerted upon the mit by pushing on the shaft portion 1 . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a foot on the grip member 20 and pushing downward . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a hand on the grip member 22 or another like grip member , and pushing on the shaft portion 1 . additionally , a combination of the above forces may be used . the user then removes the mit 100 , and inserts a marker into the hole resulting from the removal of the sharpened end portion 5 from the ground . if desired , the user may exert force on the marker by hand in order to make final adjustments to the installation depth and angle . such adjustments , if necessary , might still require significantly less labor and time than were the entire installation conducted by hand . a third embodiment of the installation of a marker using a mit 100 comprises the following steps . first the user selects a location for the installation of a marker . the user then orients the mit such that the sharpened end portion is pointing toward the desired location , and the shaft portion is at a desired angle of installation relative to the ground . while in many cases , the angle of installation may be perpendicular to the ground , or 90 degrees , it should be understood that a different angle may be desirous for a variety of reasons as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art . the user then exerts force on the mit 100 in order to drive the sharpened end portion 5 into the ground down to a desired depth . the force may be exerted upon the mit by pushing on the shaft portion 1 . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a foot on the grip member 20 and pushing downward . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a hand on the grip member 22 or another like grip member , and pushing on the shaft portion 1 . additionally , a combination of the above forces may be used . the user then removes the mit 100 , and inserts a marker into the hole 10 , such that a portion of the marker occupies the interior cavity 15 . the mit 100 is then oriented so that an exposed portion of the marker is pointed toward the ground , and the shaft portion 1 is at the angle of installation relative to the ground . the user then exerts force on the mit 100 in order to drive the exposed portion of the marker into the hole resulting from the removal of the sharpened end portion , and into the ground down to a desired depth . the force may be exerted upon the mit by pushing on the shaft portion 1 . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a foot on the grip member 22 and pushing downward . the force may also be exerted upon the mit by the user placing a hand on the grip member 20 , or another like grip member , and pushing on the shaft portion 1 . additionally , a combination of the above forces may be used . the proper depth for installation may vary depending on several factors including the intended purpose of the markers , the ground condition , or other factors . the mit is then removed . if desired , the user may exert force on the marker by hand in order to make final adjustments to the installation depth and angle . such adjustments , if necessary , might still require significantly less labor and time than were the entire installation conducted by hand . different features of the described embodiments may be suited for different purposes , as one of ordinary skill in the art would determine based on factors such as ground condition , environmental conditions , or other factors . for example , when dealing with hard , packed , or frozen earth , the force created by pressing a marker inserted into the ground using , for example , the third embodiment of a method of installation as described above may not provide sufficient force to drive the marker in the solid ground . using the sharpened end portion , such as in , for example , the second or third embodiments of the installation process , may create a hole that breaks through the solid ground , and easily and quickly provides for the installation of a marker in what would otherwise be a difficult and time consuming endeavor . the figures , descriptions , and embodiments disclosed herein are included for the purposes of illustration only . one of ordinary skill in the art may perceive obvious modifications or additions in order to accommodate for user comfort , performance , weight , durability , cost , size , storage , ease of use , or other factors , but , as such modifications or additions would be obvious to one of ordinary skill , they should be deemed to be within the scope of the present invention . | 4 |
in accordance with the invention , as embodied and broadly described herein , a release polymer is provided comprising a copolymer of : ( 2 ) at least one comonomer selected from a vinyl monomer , an acrylate monomer or a methacrylate monomer . the acrylate ester of the invention of formula ( i ) is available as petrolite x - 5100 ( from petrolite corporation , tulsa , okla ). the comonomers that can be used in accordance with the invention include , but are not limited to , vinyl acetate , styrene , acrylonitrile , methacrylonitrile , methyl methacrylate , ethyl acrylate , 2 - ethyl hexyl acrylate , isooctyl acrylate , isodecyl acrylate , isodecyl methacrylate , isobutyl acrylate , 4 - methyl - 2 - pentyl acrylate , 2 - methylbutyl acrylate , isoamyl acrylate and isononyl acrylate . the release power of the copolymers of the invention can be selectively altered by varying the ratio of the acrylate ester ( i ) to the comonomer . generally , the greater the amount of the acrylate ester ( i ) in the copolymer , the higher the release power . preferably , the acrylate ester ( i ) is incorporated in an amount of about 1 to about 25 % by weight of the weight of the copolymer . the copolymer of the invention is preferably prepared by a suspension polymerization process . in the suspension polymerization process , an appropriate amount of the acrylate ester ( i ) and the comonomer or comonomers , together with a free radical initiator , are emulsified into an aqueous suspension agent to obtain an oil - in - water suspension . the suspension is then heated to a temperature preferably ranging from about 75 ° c . to about 105 ° c . where a reaction exotherm is observed . the reaction mixture is preferably held at a temperature of about 80 °- 99 ° c . for a period preferably ranging from about 2 to about 16 hours to complete the copolymerization reaction . the resulting slurry containing the copolymer can then be filtered through , for example , a cheese cloth or a 212 micron screen , to remove the largest particles or aggregates . the resulting filtered copolymer can be coated onto a substrate , such as , for example , a 24 # bond paper , at a coat weight ranging from about 2 to about 6 g / m 2 and dried in a heated oven at a temperature preferably ranging from about 80 ° c . to about 150 ° c . for a time preferably ranging from about 20 seconds to about 2 minutes . the substrate coated with the copolymer is then ready for use as a release material . the present inventor has found that a copolymer having a particle size of about 0 . 1 to 4 microns provides a continuous , film - like coating pattern when coated on a substrate . on the other hand , a copolymer having a particle size of 4 - 150 microns provides a discrete , non - film - like coating pattern . generally , a discrete coating pattern produces a release material with stronger release properties or release power . the preferred particle size , in accordance with the invention , is about 0 . 1 to about 25 microns . examples of free radical initiators that can be used in this invention include : benzoyl peroxide , t - amyl peroxyneodecanoate , t - amyl peroxypivalate , t - amylperoxy - 2 - ethyl - hexanoate ( aeh ), t - butyl peroxy - isobutyrate , t - amyl perbenzoate , di - t - butyl peroxide , 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- azobis ( 2 - methylbutyronitrile ), 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- azobis ( 2 , 4 - dimethylvaleronitrile ), 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- azobis ( 2 - methylpropanenitrile ), and the like . a preferred free radical initiator is t - amylperoxy - 2 - ethyl - hexanoate ( aeh ). partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol is a preferred suspension agent for use in this invention . however , many other suspension agents can be used , such as starch derivatives , cellulose derivatives , polyacrylamide , and the like . the release material of the invention is useful , for example , as a backsize material , particularly for repositionable adhesives . the release material may also be used in printable release applications . the release power can be selectively varied to suit a particular application by selectively varying ( 1 ) the ratio of the acrylate ester ( i ) to the comonomer and ( 2 ) the particle size of the copolymer . the following examples further illustrate advantageous features of the present invention and are illustrative of the various features of the present invention . 30 parts of petrolite x - 5100 were dissolved into 80 parts of vinyl acetate . to this solution , 0 . 30 part of t - amylperoxy - 2 - ethylhexanoate ( aeh ) and 0 . 11 part of benzoyl peroxide were dissolved . the resultant mixture was emulsified into 150 parts of a 3 % vinol 523 solution in a waring blender at 65 ° c . until particles of about 3 - 5 microns were obtained . vinol 523 is a partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol , commercially available from air products and chemicals . the mix was heated to about 80 ° c . where a reaction exotherm was observed . after that , the mix was held at 105 ° c . for 21 / 2 hours . particle sizes of the resultant mix ranged from about 5 - 20 microns . coating on a 20 # bond paper resulted in very good release properties even against a permanent acrylic adhesive . 7 . 5 parts of petrolite x - 5100 were dissolved into 142 . 5 parts of vinyl acetate . to this solution , 0 . 38 part of aeh was dissolved . the resultant mixture was emulsified into 150 parts of 3 % vinol 523 solution in a waring blender at 65 ° c . until particles of about 3 - 5 microns were obtained . the mix was heated to about 80 ° c . where a reaction exotherm was observed . after that , the mix was held at 97 ° c . for 4 hours . particle sizes of the resultant mix ranged from about 5 - 50 microns . coating on a 20 # bond paper resulted in very good release properties even against a permanent acrylic adhesive . 1 . 5 parts of petrolite x - 5100 were dissolved into 148 . 5 parts of vinyl acetate . to this solution , 0 . 38 part of aeh was dissolved . the resultant mixture was emulsified into 150 parts of 3 % vinol 523 solution in a waring blender at 65 ° c . until particles of about 3 - 5 microns were obtained . the mix was heated to 80 ° c . where a reaction exotherm was observed . after that , the mix was held at 70 ° c . for 4 hours and then at 100 ° c . for 1 hour . there were some aggregates in the mix . after filtering through a cheese cloth , the mix was coated on a 20 # bond paper . very good release properties were obtained . 7 . 5 parts of petrolite x - 5100 were dissolved into 44 . 55 parts of methyl methacrylate and 22 . 95 parts of 2 - ethyl hexyl acrylate . to this solution , 0 . 19 part of aeh was dissolved . the resultant mixture was emulsified into 225 parts of 2 % vinol 523 solution in a waring blender at 65 ° c . until particles of about 3 - 5 microns were obtained . the mix was heated to 94 ° c . where a reaction exotherm was observed . after that , the mix was held at 95 ° c . for 4 hours . there were some particles larger than 1000 microns in the mix . however , the majority were between 1 - 200 microns . after filtering through a cheese cloth , the mix was coated on a 20 # bond paper . very good release properties were obtained . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the release polymer of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided that they come within the scope of the appended claim and their equivalents . | 2 |
the invention compounds of formula i may be prepared from intermediates of the formula ii below wherein the variables n , r 1 , r 2 , x , a and b are as previously defined . ## str16 ## oxadiazolidinediones of formula i are prepared from a formula ii intermediate by first converting to a hydroxylamine followed by reaction with n -( chlorocarbonyl ) isocyanate or by converting the formula ii alcohol to a n - hydroxyurea which is reacted with methyl chloroformate to give a formula i oxadiazolidinedione . the formula i oxazolidinediones and thiazolidinediones are prepared by convening the intermediate of formula ii to the halide of formula iii below followed by reaction with 2 , 4 - oxazolidinedione or 2 , 4 - thiazolidinedione . ## str17 ## these synthetic transformations are more fully described in the following reaction schemes i - xii . scheme i outlines the synthesis of a formula ii intermediate where a is phenyl and b is an olefinic linking group as shown under formula i . ## str18 ## the terms r 1 - r 5 , x , n , and m are as defined previously . scheme ii illustrates the synthetic sequence for preparing a formula i compound from the intermediate viii . ## str19 ## the terms r 1 - r 5 , x , n , and m are as defined previously . when r 4 is halogen the compounds of the present invention can be prepared according to scheme iii . ## str20 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , x , and n are as defined above ; r 4 is halogen . when r 6 is alkyl the compounds of the present invention can be prepared according to scheme iv ## str21 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 , r 6 , x , n and m are as defined above . scheme v outlines the synthesis of an intermediate where b is cyclopropylmethyl from an intermediate of formula viii where m is 0 . ## str22 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , x , and n are as defined above ; r 4 is hydrogen , alkyl , aryl , aralkyl , cycloalkyl . scheme vi outlines the synthesis of a formula ii intermediate where b is propynyl . ## str23 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 6 , x , and n are as defined above scheme vii outlines the reactions used to prepare formula i compounds where z is ch and y is o or s from an intermediate of formula viii . ## str24 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 5 , r 6 , x , n and m are as defined above ; r 4 is hydrogen , alkyl , allyl , aryl , aralkyl , trimethylsilyl , cycloalkyl ; y is o or s . preparation of a formula i compound where a is benzofuran - 2 , 5 - diyl , y is o and z is n is shown in scheme viii . ## str25 ## wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 5 , x and m are as defined above ; r 4 is hydrogen , alkyl , allyl , aryl , aralkyl , trimethylsilyl , cycloalkyl . the starting heterocyclic intermediates of the formula v can be prepared according to standard literature procedures . for example , 4 -( 1 &# 39 ;- hydroxyethyl )- 5 - r 2 - 2 - phenyloxazoles and thiazoles where r 2 is hydrogen or c 1 - c 6 alkyl can be prepared according to scheme ix ( european patent ep 0177353a2 ). ## str26 ## the starting heterocyclic intermediates of the formula iv can be prepared by known methods conventional in the art ( heterocyclic compounds 34 , 1979 and heterocyclic compounds 45 , 1986 ). the 2 - phenyl - 4 - chloromethyl - 5 - methyloxazoles can be prepared according to the reaction sequence shown in scheme x . ## str27 ## the intermediate 4 - chloromethyl - 2 - phenyloxazoles or thiazoles can be prepared according to the reaction shown in scheme xi . ## str28 ## intermediate of the formula vii can be prepared either from the commercially available phenols of formula ix or according to the synthetic scheme xii . the following examples are included for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the disclosure of this invention in any way . the reagents , intermediates , or chemicals used herein are either commercilly available or can be readily synthesized using standard laboratory procedures known to those skilled in the art . a mixture of 4 - chloromethyl - 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazole ( 5 . 25 g , 19 . 1 mmol ), 3 - hydroxylbenzaldehyde ( 2 . 33 g , 19 . 1 mmol ), potassium carbonate ( 3 . 77 g , 27 . 3 mmol ) and dimethylformamide ( 50 ml ) was stirred at 80 ° c . for 3 hours . the mixture was then poured into h 2 o , acidified with hcl ( 2n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and crystallization from ethyl ether / hexane , gave a yellow solid ( 4 . 47 g , 65 % yield , m . p . 104 °- 105 ° c .). analysis for : c 19 h 14 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 16 ; h , 3 . 91 ; n , 3 . 88 found : c , 62 . 84 ; h , 3 . 97 ; n , 3 . 87 ethylmagnesium bromide ( 11 . 1 ml , 33 . 24 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold ( 0 ° c .) solution of 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -(- 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy )- benzaldehyde ( 12 . 0 g , 33 . 24 mmol ) and thf ( 50 ml ). after stirring for 30 minutes the reaction mixture was quenched with aqueous nh 4 cl , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation gave a yellowish oil ( 13 . 0 g ), which was dissolved in acetone ( 200 ml ). the mixture was cooled to 5 ° c . and freshly prepared jones &# 39 ; reagent ( 40 ml ) was added dropwise . after the addition , the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes , poured into water and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and crystallization from ethyl ether / hexane ( after cooling to 0 ° c . ), gave a white solid ( 9 . 6 g , 74 % yield , m . p . 73 °- 74 ° c .). analysis for : c 38 h 36 n . sub . 2 o 9 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 64 . 78 ; h , 4 . 66 ; n , 3 . 60 found : c , 64 . 63 ; h , 4 . 60 ; n , 3 . 91 triethylphosphonoacetate ( 8 . 67 ml , 43 . 1 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold ( 0 ° c .) suspension of sodium hydride ( 1 . 24 g , 41 . 5 mmol ) and toluene ( 200ml ). after the addition , the mixture was stirred for 1 hour , and then 1 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- propan - 1 - one ( 8 . 5 g , 21 . 85 mmol ) in thf ( 20 ml ) was added dropwise . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 8 / 1 ) gave the trans - isomer ( white solid , 5 . 5 g , 55 % yield , m . p . 85 °- 86 ° c . ), and the cis - isomer ( clear oil , 2 . 8 g28 % yield ). a ) analysis for : c 25 h 24 f 3 no 4 ( trans - isomer ) calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 35 ; h , 5 . 27 ; n , 3 . 05 found : c , 65 . 25 ; h , 5 . 42 ; n , 3 . 01 b ) analysis for : c 25 h 24 f 3 no 4 ( cis - isomer ) calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 35 ; h , 5 . 27 ; n , 3 . 05 found : c , 65 . 11 ; h , 5 . 31 ; n , 3 . 00 di - isobutyl aluminum hydride ( 1 . 0m in thf , 25 . 05 ml , 25 . 05 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold (- 50 ° c .) solution of ( e )- 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- pent - 2 - enoic acid ethyl ester ( 4 . 6 g , 10 mmol ) in thf ( 100 ml ) and ethyl ether ( 1 00 ml ). the reaction was warmed to 0 ° c . and stirred for 1 hour . the reaction mixture was quenched with acetone ( dropwise addition ), methanol , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 1 ), gave a clear oil ( 3 . 8 g , 91 % yield ). analysis for : c 23 h 22 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 66 . 18 ; h , 5 . 31 ; n , 3 . 36 found : c , 65 . 88 ; h , 5 . 41 ; n , 3 . 26 diisopropylazodicarboxylate ( 1 . 98 ml , 10 . 07 mmol ) in thf ( 15 ml ) was added dropwise n to a cold (- 20 ° c .) solution of ( e )- 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- pent - 2 - en - 1 - ol ( 3 . 5 g , 8 . 39 mmol ) in thf ( 30 ml ), triphenylphosphine ( 2 . 64 g , 10 . 07 mmol ) and tert - butyl n -( tert - butoxy - carbonyloxy ) carbamate ( 2 . 35 g , 10 . 07 mmol ). after the addition , the mixture was stirred for 1 hour , poured into water , and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 7 / 1 ) gave a clear oil ( 5 . 1 g , 96 % yield ). analysis for : c 33 h 39 f 3 n 2 o 7 × 0 . 5 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 61 . 77 ; h , 6 . 24 ; n , 4 . 37 found : c , 61 . 58 ; h , 6 . 46 ; n , 4 . 60 a mixture of ( e )- n - tert - butoxycarbonyloxy - 3 -( 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- pentyl - 2 - enyl )- carbamic acid tert - butyl ester ( 5 . 0 g , 7 . 9 mmol ), ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ), and trifluoroacetic acid ( 10 ml ) was stirred at room temperature for 8 h . the volatiles were removed in vacuo , and the residue taken in ethylether / water . it was basified to ph = 9 - 10 with naoh ( 2n ), and the organic layer separated and washed with water and brine . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 1 / 1 , and meoh / etoac 1 / 10 ), gave a clear oil ( 3 . 0 g , 88 % yield ). analysis for : c 23 h 23 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 88 ; h , 5 . 36 ; n , 6 . 48 found : c , 63 . 63 ; h , 5 . 27 ; n , 6 . 48 n -( chlorocarbonyl ) isocyanate ( 0 . 37 ml , 4 . 63 mmol ) was added dropwise to a cold (- 5 ° c .) mixture of ( e )- n -( 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- pent - 2 - enyl )- hydroxylamine ( 2 . 0 g , 4 . 63 mmol ) in thf ( 20 ml ). the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes , then poured into hcl ( 1n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on acid washed ( 5 % h 3 po 4 / meoh ) silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 1 ) gave a white solid ( 1 . 48 g , 64 % yield , mp 66 °- 67 ° c .). analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 88 ; h , 4 . 42 ; n , 8 . 38 found : c , 59 . 83 ; h , 4 . 37 ; n , 8 . 28 di - isobutyl aluminum hydride ( 1 . 0m in thf , 10 . 89 ml , 10 . 89 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold (- 50 ° c .) solution of ( z )- 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- pent - 2 - enoic acid ethyl ester ( 2 . 0 g , 4 . 35 mmol ) in thf ( 30 ml ) and ethyl ether ( 30 ml ). the reaction was warmed to 0 ° c . and stirred for 1 hour . the reaction mixture was quenched with acetone ( dropwise addition ), methanol , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 1 ), gave a white solid ( 1 . 65 g , 91 % yield , m . p . 88 °- 89 ° c .). analysis for : c 23 h 22 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 66 . 18 ; h , 5 . 31 ; n , 3 . 36 found : c , 65 . 85 ; h , 5 . 12 ; n , 3 . 15 diisopropylazodicarboxylate ( 0 . 68 ml , 3 . 45 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml ) was added dropwise n to a cold (- 20 ° c .) solution of ( z )- 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- pent - 2 - en - 1 - ol ( 1 . 2 g , 2 . 87 mmol ), thf ( 20 ml ), triphenylphosphine ( 0 . 9 g , 3 . 45 mmol ) and tert - butyl n -( tert - butoxy - carbonyloxy ) carbamate ( 0 . 8 g , 3 . 45 mmol ). after the addition , the mixture was stirred for 1 hour , poured into water , and extracted with etoac . evaporation gave a yellowish oil ( 1 . 7 g ), which was dissolved in ch 2 cl2 ( 30 ml ), and treated with trifluoroacetic acid ( 3 . 0 ml ). after stirring at room temperature for 8 hours , the volatiles were removed in vacuo , and the residue taken in ethylether / water . it was basified to ph = 9 - 10 with naoh ( 2n ), and the organic layer separated and washed with water and brine . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 1 / 1 , and meoh / etoac 1 / 10 ), gave a white solid ( 3 . 0 g , 82 % yield , m . p . 72 °- 73 ° c .). analysis for : c 23 h 23 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 88 ; h , 5 . 36 ; n , 6 . 48 found : c , 63 . 74 ; h , 5 . 34 ; n , 6 . 26 n -( chlorocarbonyl ) isocyanate ( 0 . 12 ml , 1 . 5 mmol ) was added dropwise to a cold (- 5 ° c .) mixture of ( z )- n -( 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- pent - 2 - enyl )- hydroxylamine ( 0 . 65 g , 1 . 5 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml ). the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes , then poured into hcl ( 1n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on acid washed ( 5 % h 3 po 4 / meoh ) silica gel ( hexane / etoac 2 / 1 ) gave a white solid ( 0 . 48 g , 64 % yield , mp 126 °- 127 ° c .). analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 88 ; h , 4 . 42 ; n , 8 . 38 found : c , 60 . 03 ; h , 4 . 55 ; n , 8 . 03 hcl gas ( 21 . 2g , 58 . 1 mmol ) was bubbled via syringe into a 0 ° c . solution of 4 - trifluoromethylbenzaldehyde ( 50g , 28 . 7 mmol ), 2 , 3 - butanedione monoxime ( 26 . 40 g , 26 . 1 mmol ), and etoac ( 105 ml ). the reaction was stirred at 5 ° c . for 3 h . ice cold ether ( 575 ml ) was then added , and the resultant precipitate was filtered , washed with ether , and dried at 25 ° c . for 16 h to give the product as a white solid ( 54 . 79 g , 71 % yield , mp 149 °- 159 ° c .). analysis for : c 12 h 11 clf 3 no 2 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 49 . 08 ; h , 3 . 77 ; n , 4 . 77 found : c , 49 . 48 ; h , 3 . 81 ; n , 4 . 88 in to a 5 ° c . solution of 4 , 5 - dimethyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazole n - oxide hydrochloride ( 113 . 71 g , 387 . 5 mmol ) in chcl 3 ( 560 ml ), was added phosphorus oxychloride ( 39 . 4 ml , 422 . 4 mmol ) in chcl 3 , dropwise over 15 min . the reaction was refluxed for 2 . 5 h , then cooled to 5 ° c ., poured into ice water , and basified with naoh ( 1n ). the organic layer was dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and recrystallization from ether / hexane , gave a yellow solid ( 30 . 0 g , 28 % yield , mp 84 °- 85 ° c .). analysis for : c 12 h 9 clf 3 no calc &# 39 ; d : c , 52 . 29 ; h , 3 . 29 ; n , 5 . 08 found : c , 52 . 54 ; h , 3 . 20 ; n , 4 . 92 a mixture of 4 - chloromethyl - 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazole ( 24 . 3 g , 88 . 2 mmol ), 3 - hydroxyacetophenone ( 10 . 0 g , 73 . 5 mmol ), and potassium carbonate ( 13 . 2 g , 95 . 6 mmol ), was stirred at 70 ° c . for 16 h . the reaction was poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 1n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 9 / 1 ), gave an off - white solid ( 20 . 14 g , 60 % yield , mp 90 °- 91 ° c .). analysis for : c 20 h 16 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 99 ; h , 4 . 29 ; n , 3 . 73 found : c , 63 . 86 : h , 4 . 30 ; n , 3 . 64 in to a 0 ° c . mixture of sodium hydride ( 4 . 27 g , 142 . 6 mmol ) and toluene ( 500 ml ), was added triethylphosphonoacetate ( 29 . 79 ml , 150 . 1 mmol ) via syringe . the reaction was stirred for 1 hour , and then 1 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- ethanone ( 28 . 15 g , 75 . 1 mmol ) in thf ( 150 ml ) was added dropwise . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 16 h , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 20 / 1 ) gave a white solid ( 24 . 42 g , 73 % yield , mp 91 °- 92 ° c .). analysis for : c 24 h 23 f 3 no 4 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 64 . 57 ; h , 5 . 19 ; n , 3 . 14 found : c , 64 . 81 ; h , 5 . 01 ; n , 3 . 13 di - isobutyl aluminum hydride ( 1 . 0m in thf ) ( 219 . 2 ml , 219 . 2 mmol ) was added , by syringe , to a - 25 ° c . solution of 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- but - 2 - enoic acid ethyl ester ( 24 . 42 g , 54 . 8 mmol ) in thf ( 300 ml ). the reaction was warmed to 0 ° c . and stirred for 1 . 5 h . it was poured into ice water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), stirred for 45 min , then extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 1 ), gave a light yellow solid ( 17 . 68 g , 82 % yield , mp 145 °- 146 ° c .). analysis for : c 22 h 18 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 83 ; h , 4 . 52 ; n , 3 . 49 found : c , 65 . 78 ; h , 4 . 53 ; n , 3 . 45 in to a - 20 ° c . solution of 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- but - 2 - en - 1 - ol ( 3 . 1 g , 7 . 69 mmol ) in thf ( 50 ml ), was added triphenylphosphine ( 2 . 42 g , 9 . 23 mmol ) and tert - butyl n -( tert - butoxy - carbonyloxy ) carbamate ( 2 . 15 g , 9 . 23 mmol ). diethylazodicarboxylate ( 1 . 45 ml , 9 . 23 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml ) was then added via syringe , and the reaction was stirred for 1 h at 0 ° c . the reaction was poured into water , and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 6 / 1 ) gave a light yellow oil ( 4 . 69 g , 98 % yield ). analysis for : c 32 h 37 f 3 n 2 o 7 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 62 . 13 ; h , 6 . 03 ; n , 4 . 53 found : c , 62 . 17 ; h , 6 . 12 ; n , 4 . 67 trifluoroacetic acid ( 20 ml ) was added in to a solution of ( e )- n - tert - butoxycarbonyloxy - 3 - 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- but - 2 - enyl )- carbamic acid tert - butyl ester ( 4 . 5 g , 7 . 28 mmol ) and ch 2 cl 2 ( 40 ml ). the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 8 h . the volatiles were removed in vacuo , and the residue taken in ether / water . it was basified to ph = 9 - 10 with naoh ( 2n ), and the organic layer separated and washed with water and brine . the organic layer was dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 1 / 1 and meoh / etoac 1 / 10 ), gave a clear oil ( 2 . 70 g , 88 % yield ). analysis for : c 22 h 21 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 15 ; h , 5 . 06 ; n , 6 . 70 found : c , 63 . 34 ; h , 4 . 79 ; n , 6 . 53 n -( chlorocarbonyl ) isocyanate ( 0 . 548 ml , 6 . 22 mmol ) was added dropwise to a - 5 ° c . mixture of n -( 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- but - 2 - enyl )- hydroxylamine ( 2 . 6 g , 6 . 22 mmol ) in thf ( 25 ml ). the mixture was stirred for 30 min , then poured into hcl ( 1 n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on acid washed ( 5 % h 3 po 4 / meoh ) silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 1 ), gave a white solid ( 1 . 85 g , 61 % yield , mp 136 °- 138 ° c .). analysis for : c 24 h 20 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 14 ; h , 4 . 13 ; n , 8 . 62 found : c , 58 . 95 ; h , 3 . 92 ; n , 8 . 77 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 3 , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 145 °- 146 ° c . analysis for : c 24 h 20 f 3 n 3 o 6 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 57 . 26 ; h , 4 . 00 ; n , 8 . 35 found : c , 57 . 26 ; h , 3 . 94 ; n , 8 . 22 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 3 , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 145 °- 146 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 o 6 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 58 . 03 ; h , 4 . 29 ; n , 8 . 12 found : c , 58 . 05 ; h , 3 . 28 ; n , 8 . 30 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 3 , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 131 °- 132 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 21 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 86 ; h , 5 . 05 ; n , 10 . 02 found : c , 65 . 89 ; h , 5 . 10 ; n , 9 . 87 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 3 , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 118 °- 119 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 21 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 86 ; h , 5 . 05 ; n , 10 . 02 found : c , 65 . 83 ; h , 5 . 18 ; n , 9 . 97 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 . the required 1 -{ 4 -[ 2 -( 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - yl )- ethoxy ]- phenyl }- ethanone was prepared according to the following procedure . the title compound was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 142 °- 143 ° c . analysis for : c 24 h 23 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 66 . 50 ; h , 5 . 35 ; n , 9 . 69 found : c , 66 . 18 ; h , 5 . 41 ; n , 9 . 48 diethylazodicarboxylate ( 20 . 7 ml , 131 . 6 mmol ) in thf ( 35 ml ) was added dropwise in to a cold ( 0 ° c .) solution of 4 -( 2 &# 39 ;- hydroxy - ethyl )- 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyloxazole ( 25 . 0 g , 123 . 0 mmol ), triphenylphosphine ( 34 . 5 g , 131 . 6 mmol ), and 3 &# 39 ;- hydroxyacetophenone ( 18 . 0 g , 131 . 6 mmol ) and thf ( 180 ml ). the mixture was allowed to come to room temperature and stirred for 48 hours . then , it was poured into h 2 o , acidified with hcl ( 2n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 5 / 1 ) gave a white solid ( 30 . 5 g , 77 % yield , m . p . 70 °- 71 ° c .). analysis for : c 20 h 19 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 74 . 75 ; h , 5 . 96 ; n , 4 . 36 found : c , 74 . 70 ; } i , 6 . 15 ; n , 4 . 28 methyl magnesium chloride ( 4 . 2 ml , 12 . 62 mmol ) was added in to a cold ( 0 ° c .) solution of 2 -( 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - ylmethyl )- benzofuran - 5 - carbaldehyde ( prepared according to ep 0 428 312 a2 , 4 . 0 g , 12 . 62 mmol ) and thf ( 20 ml ). the reaction was stirred at 0 ° c . for 20 min , and at room temperature for 30 min , then poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 2 / 1 ) gave a yellow solid ( 3 . 75 g , 88 % yield , mp 103 °- 105 ° c .). analysis for : c 21 h 19 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 75 . 66 ; h , 5 . 74 ; n , 4 . 20 found : c , 75 . 35 ; h , 5 . 80 ; n , 4 . 11 freshly prepared jones &# 39 ; reagent ( 6 . 5 ml , 10 . 51 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold ( 3 . 5 g , 10 . 51 mmol ) and acetone ( 50 ml ). after 30 min , the mixture was poured into water , and extracted with ethyl ether / etoac : 1 / 1 . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 2 / 1 ), gave a yellow solid ( 3 . 4 g , 97 % yield , mp 108 °- 109 ° c .). analysis for : c 21 h 17 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 76 . 12 ; h , 5 . 17 ; n , 4 . 23 found : c , 76 . 38 ; h , 5 . 13 ; n , 4 . 09 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 3 , step d , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 81 °- 83 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 23 no 4 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 74 . 80 ; h , 5 . 77 ; n , 3 . 49 found : c , 74 . 68 ; h , 5 . 75 ; n , 3 . 40 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner its described in example 3 , step e , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 119 °- 121 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 21 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 76 . 86 ; h , 5 . 89 ; n , 3 . 90 found : c , 76 . 71 ; h , 5 . 87 ; n , 3 . 77 diethylazodicarboxylate ( 2 . 56 ml , 16 . 3 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold (- 20 ° c .) mixture of ( e )- 3 -[ 2 -( 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - ylmethyl )- benzofuran - 5 - yl ]- but - 2 - en - 1 - ol ( 4 . 5 g , 12 . 5 mmol ), triphenylphosphine ( 4 . 27 g , 16 . 3 mmol ), n , o - bis ( carbophenoxy ) hydroxylamine ( 4 . 45 g , 16 . 3 mmol ) and thf ( 100 ml ). after stirring for 30 minutes at - 20 ° c ., the mixture was allowed to come to 0 ° c . and stirred for 2 hours . then , it was poured into h 2 o and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation gave a yellow oil ( 6 . 5 ), which was placed in a pressure vessel . anhydrous ammonia ( 20 ml ) was condensed in the vessel . the mixture was stirred at - 5 ° c . to - 10 ° c . for 3 hours and then at room temperature 18 hours . the excess ammonia was allowed to escape in to an acidic solution and the residue was recrystallized from ethyl ether / acetone , to give a white solid ( 2 . 5 g , 48 % yield , m . p . 111 °- 113 ° c .). analysis for : c 24 h 23 n 3 o 4 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 69 . 05 ; h , 5 . 55 ; n , 10 . 07 found : c , 68 . 66 ; h , 5 . 36 ; n , 9 . 83 sodium hydride ( 0 . 3 g , 10 . 0 mmol ) was added portionwise in to a cold ( 0 °) solution of ( e )- 1 - hydroxy - 1 -( 3 -[ 2 -( 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - ylmethyl )- benzofuran - 5 - yl ]- but - 2 - enyl )- urea ( 1 . 9 g , 4 . 55 mmol ) and thf ( 20 ml ). after stirring for 1 hour , methyl chloroformate ( 1 . 6 ml , 18 . 2 mmol ) was added dropwise . the reaction mixture was stirred for 1 hour , poured in to dioxane ( 50 ml )/ maoh ( 2n , 5 ml ) solution and after 10 minutes acidified with hcl ( 2n ) and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silicagel ( hexane / etoac 2 / 1 ), gave a yellow solid ( 1 . 72 g , 79 % yield , m . p . 65 °- 67 ° c .). analysis for : c 26 h 25 n 3 o 6 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 68 ; h , 5 . 30 ; n , 8 . 84 found : c , 65 . 94 ; h , 5 . 06 ; n , 8 . 83 sodium hydride ( 76 mg , 2 . 52 mmol ) was added portionwise in to a cold ( 0 °) solution of e )- n - carbamoyl - n - methoxycarbonyloxy - 3 -[ 2 -( 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - ylmethyl )- benzofuran - 5 - yl ]- but - 2 - enyl - amine ( 1 . 2 g , 2 . 52 mmol ) and dmf ( 10 ml ). the reaction mixture was stirred for 30 minutes and then poured into water ( 10 ml ), acidified with hcl ( 2n ) and extrated with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and crystallization from ethyl ether , gave a yellow solid ( 0 . 72 g , 65 % yield , m . p . 163 - 165 ). analysis for : c 25 h 21 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 67 . 71 ; h , 4 . 77 ; n , 9 . 47 found : c , 67 . 79 ; h , 4 . 56 ; n , 9 . 39 triethyl 2 - phosphonopropionate ( 2 . 64 ml , 11 . 08 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold ( 0 ° c .) suspension of sodium hydride ( 0 . 31 g , 10 . 52 mmol ) and toluene ( 50ml ). after the addition , the mixture was stirred for 1 hour , and then 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -(- 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy )- benzaldehyde ( 2 . 0 g , 5 . 54 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml ) was added dropwise . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 8 / 1 ) gave a clear oil ( 2 . 2 g , 89 % yield ). analysis for : c 24 h 22 f 3 no 4 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 64 . 71 ; h , 4 . 98 ; n , 3 . 14 found : c , 64 . 82 ; it , 4 . 99 ; n , 2 . 93 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 3 , step e , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 90 °- 91 ° c . analysis for : c 22 h 20 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 50 ; h , 4 . 99 ; n , 3 . 47 found : c , 65 . 40 ; h , 5 . 12 ; n , 3 . 33 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step b , and was obtained as a yellow oil . analysis for : c 22 h 21 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 15 ; h , 5 . 06 ; n , 6 . 69 found : c , 62 . 82 ; h , 4 . 99 ; n , 6 . 64 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , step h , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 144 °- 146 ° c . analysis for : c 24 h 20 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 14 ; h , 4 . 13 ; n , 8 . 62 found : c , 59 . 20 ; h , 3 . 95 ; n , 8 . 57 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 10 , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 124 °- 125 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 88 ; h , 4 . 42 ; n , 8 . 38 found : c , 59 . 94 ; h , 4 . 40 ; n , 8 . 34 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , stepa , and was obtained as a yellow solid , mp 104 °- 105 ° c . analysis for : c 19 h 14 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 16 ; h , 3 . 91 ; n , 3 . 88 found : c , 62 . 84 ; h , 3 . 97 ; n , 3 . 87 a solution of sodium hydroxide ( 1 . 13 g , 28 . 25 mmol ) in water ( 15 ml ), was added to a mixture of 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- benzaldehyde ( 6 . 0 g , 16 . 62 mmol ) and acetone ( 100 ml ). the reaction was stirred for 1 hour , and the excess acetone was removed in vacuo . the residue was acidified with hcl ( 1n ), stirred for 10 min , then extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( etoac 4 / 1 ) gave a white solid ( 4 . 6 g , 69 % yield , mp 84 °- 84 ° c .). analysis for : c 22 h 18 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 83 ; h , 4 . 52 ; n , 3 . 49 found : c , 65 . 74 ; h , 4 . 41 ; n , 3 . 52 sodium borohydride ( 0 . 389 g , 10 . 22 mmol ) was added to a - 20 ° c . solution of ( e )- 4 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- but - 3 - en - 2 - one ( 4 . 1 g , 10 . 22 mmol ), cerium trichloride ( 3 . 81 g , 10 . 22 mmol ), methanol ( 150 ml ), and thf ( 30 ml ). the reaction was stirred for 30 min , then poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), an extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 2 / 1 ), gave a white solid ( 3 . 7g , 89 % yield , mp 48 °- 50 ° c .). analysis for : c 22 h 20 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 50 ; h , 4 . 99 ; n , 3 . 47 found : c , 65 . 78 ; h , 5 . 07 ; n , 3 . 58 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , step b , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 118 °- 120 ° c . analysis for : c 22 h 21 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 15 ; h , 5 . 06 ; n , 6 . 69 found : c , 62 . 72 ; h , 5 . 04 ; n , 6 . 59 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step c , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 119 °- 121 ° c . analysis for : c 24 h 20 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 14 ; h , 4 . 13 ; n , 8 . 62 found : c , 59 . 00 ; h , 3 . 96 ; n , 8 . 82 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 12 , and was obtained as a white solid , mp 172 °- 174 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 20 cln 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 60 . 86 ; h , 4 . 44 ; n , 9 . 26 found : c , 60 . 92 ; h , 4 . 39 ; n , 9 . 17 the title compounds was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , step c , and were obtained as white solids . ( trans -) analysis for : c 25 h 24 f 3 no 4 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 35 ; h , 5 . 26 ; n , 2 . 3 . 05 found : c , 66 . 74 ; h , 5 . 39 ; n , 2 . 84 ( cis -) analysis for : c 25 h 24 f 3 no 4 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 45 ; h , 5 . 26 ; n , 3 . 05 found : c , 65 . 45 ; h , 5 . 29 ; n , 2 . 80 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step a , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 115 - 116 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 22 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 66 . 18 ; h , 5 . 31 ; n , 3 . 56 found : c , 66 . 04 ; h , 5 . 32 ; n , 3 . 49 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step b , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 115 °- 116 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 23 f 3 n 2 o 3 × 1 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 61 . 33 ; h , 5 . 55 ; n , 6 . 22 found : c , 61 . 34 ; h , 5 . 57 ; n , 5 . 84 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step c , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 152 °- 153 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 88 ; h , 4 . 42 ; n , 8 . 38 found : c , 59 . 79 ; } t , 4 . 33 ; n , 8 . 16 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 13 , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 144 °- 145 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 88 : h , 4 . 42 ; n , 8 . 38 found : c , 59 . 69 ; h , 4 . 45 ; n , 8 . 37 in to a solution of ( e )- 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- but - 2 - en - 1 - ol ( 21 . 48 g , 53 . 3 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 500 ml ), was added manganese dioxide ( 27 . 8 g , 319 . 8 mmol ), and the reaction was stirred at room temperature for 60 h . the mixture was filtered through solka floc . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 7 / 1 ), gave a light yellow solid ( 17 . 68 g , 82 % yield , m . p . 145 °- 146 ° c .). analysis for : c 22 h 18 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 83 ; h , 4 . 52 ; n , 3 . 49 found : c , 65 . 78 : h , 4 . 53 ; n , 3 . 45 methyl magnesium bromide ( 3 . 0m in ether )( 13 . 9 ml , 41 . 4 mmol ) was added to a 0 ° c . mixture of ( e )- 3 -{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ] phenyl }- but - 2 - enal ( 16 . 68 g , 41 . 6 mmol ) in thf ( 200 ml ). the reaction was stirred at 0 °- 5 ° c . for 25 min , then poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 4 / 1 ), gave a yellow solid ( 5 . 85 g , 33 % yield , m . p . 45 °- 47 ° c .). analysis for : c 23 h 22 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 66 . 18 : h , 5 . 31 ; n , 3 . 36 found : c , 65 . 97 ; h , 5 . 24 ; n , 3 . 34 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step b , and was obtained as a clear oil . analysis for : c 23 h 23 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 88 ; h , 5 . 36 ; n , 6 . 48 found : c , 63 . 48 : h , 5 . 33 ; n , 5 . 08 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step c , and was obtained as a white solid ( 0 . 31 g , 27 % yield , mp 55 °- 56 ° c .). analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 88 ; h , 4 . 42 ; n , 8 . 38 found : c , 60 . 14 ; h , 4 . 49 ; n , 8 . 32 triethylphosphonoacetate ( 4 . 38 ml , 22 . 06 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold ( 0 ° c .) suspension of sodium hydride ( 0 . 59 g , 19 . 74 mmol ) and toluene ( 100 ml ). after the addition , the mixture was stirred for 1 hour , and then 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -(- 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy )- benzaldehyde ( 5 . 7 g , 15 . 79 mmol ) in thf ( 20 ml ) was added dropwise . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hour , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 5 / 1 ), gave a white solid ( 6 . 3 g , 93 % yield , m . p . 79 °- 80 ° c .). analysis for : c 23 h 18 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 64 . 03 ; h , 4 . 67 ; n , 3 . 25 found : c , 64 . 25 ; h , 4 . 63 ; n , 3 . 16 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , step d , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 117 °- 118 ° c . analysis for : c 21 h 18 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 64 . 78 ; h , 4 . 66 ; n , 3 . 59 found : c , 64 . 60 ; h , 4 . 54 ; n , 3 . 65 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step b , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 128 °- 130 ° c . analysis for : c 21 h 19 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 62 . 37 ; h , 4 . 73 ; n , 6 . 93 found : c , 62 . 17 ; h , 4 . 71 ; n , 6 . 79 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , step g , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 179 °- 181 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 18 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 58 . 35 ; h , 3 . 83 ; n , 8 . 88 found : c , 58 . 47 ; h , 3 . 70 ; n , 8 . 86 chloroiodomethane ( 3 . 37 ml , 46 . 28 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold ( 0 ° c .) solution of diethyzinc ( 23 . 14 ml , 23 . 14 mmol ) and dichloroethane ( 40 ml ). after stirring for 10 minutes ( e )-{ 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl }- prop - 2 - en - 1 - ol ( 4 . 5 g , 11 . 57 mmol ) in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ) was added dropwise . the reaction mixture was stirred for 1 hour , quenched with aqueous nh 4 cl and allowed to come to room temperature . after 15 minutes it was poured into water and extracted with ethyl ether . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 2 ), gave a clear oil ( 2 . 8 g , 80 % yield ). analysis for : c 22 h 20 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 50 ; h , 5 . 00 ; n , 3 . 47 found : c , 65 . 36 ; h , 5 . 12 ; n , 3 . 43 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step b , and was obtained as a clear oil . analysis for : c 22 h 21 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 15 ; h , 5 . 06 ; n , 6 . 69 found : c , 62 . 90 ; h , 5 . 07 ; n , 6 . 66 the title compound wets prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , step g , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 126 °- 128 ° c . analysis for : c 24 h 20 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 14 ; h , 4 . 14 ; n , 8 . 62 found : c , 59 . 27 ; h , 3 . 99 ; n , 8 . 78 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 17 , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 42 °- 43 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 22 f 3 n 3 6 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 58 . 03 ; h , 4 . 28 ; n , 8 . 12 found : c , 57 . 69 ; h , 4 . 32 ; n , 8 . 09 lithium bis ( trimethylsilyl ) amide ( 45 . 12 ml , 45 . 12 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold solution fo triethyl 4 - phosphonocrotonate ( 10 . 0 ml , 45 . 12 mmol ) in thf ( 200 ml ). after stiring for 1 hour , 1 -( 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl )- ethanone ( 12 . 0 g , 39 . 1 mmol ) in thf ( 50 ml ) was added dropwise . the reaction mixture was allowed to come to room temperature and stirred for 24 hours . then , it was quenched with aqueous nh4cl , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 8 / 1 ), gave a yellow oil ( 9 . 6 g , inseparable mixture of cis - and trans - isomers ). analysis for : c 25 h 25 no 4 × 0 . 25 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 73 . 62 ; h , 6 . 26 ; n , 3 . 43 found : c , 73 . 69 ; h , 5 . 86 ; n , 3 . 44 di - isobutyl aluminum hydride ( 1 . 0m in thf , 55 . 83 ml , 55 . 83 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold (- 50 ° c .) solution of ( e , e )- 5 -( 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- phenyl )- hexa - 2 , 4 - dienoic acid ethyl ester ( 7 . 5 g , 18 . 61 mmol , mixture of cis - and transisomers ), thf ( 100 ml ) and ethyl ether ( 100 ml ). the reaction was warmed to 0 ° c . and stirred for 1 hour . the reaction mixture was quenched with acetone ( dropwise addition ), methanol , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 4 / 1 ), gave the trans -( 4 . 9 g ), and the cis -( 1 . 7 g ) isomers as yellow oils . ( trans -) analysis for : c 23 h 23 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 76 . 43 ; h , 6 . 41 ; n , 3 . 88 found : c , 76 . 25 ; h , 6 . 36 ; n , 4 . 03 ( cis -) analysis for : c 23 h 23 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 76 . 43 ; h , 6 . 41 ; n , 3 . 88 found : c , 75 . 98 ; h , 6 . 21 ; n , 3 . 69 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step b , and was obtained as a light yellow oil . analysis for : c 23 h 24 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 73 . 38 ; h , 6 . 43 ; n , 7 . 44 found : c , 73 . 41 ; h , 6 . 45 ; n , 7 . 20 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step c , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 151 °- 152 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 23 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 67 . 40 : h , 5 . 20 ; n , 9 . 43 found : c , 67 . 70 ; h , 5 . 28 ; n , 9 . 35 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same mariner as described in example 20 , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 117 °- 118 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 23 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 67 . 40 ; h , 5 . 20 ; n , 9 . 43 found : c , 67 . 32 ; h , 5 . 21 ; n , 9 . 32 ( bromomethyl ) triphenylphosphonium bromide ( 21 . 2 g , 48 . 61 mmol ) was added portionwise to a - 78 ° c . mixture of potassium - tert - butoxide ( 10 . 9 g , 97 . 23 mmol ) in thf ( 200 ml ). the mixture was stirred for 2 h , then 3 -[ 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy ]- benzaldehyde ( 11 . 7 g , 32 . 41 mmol ) in thf ( 50 ml ) was added dropwise . the mixture was stirred for 1 hour at - 78 ° c ., then at room temperature for 2 days . the reaction mixture was quensched with aqueous nh 4 cl , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 8 / 1 ) gave a white solid ( 7 . 5 g , 67 % yield , mp 62 °- 64 ° c .). analysis for : c 20 h 14 f 3 no 2 × 0 . 25 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 66 . 39 ; h , 4 . 01 ; n , 3 . 87 found : c , 66 . 67 ; h , 3 . 75 ; n , 4 . 15 lithium bis ( trimethylsilyl ) amide ( 10 . 5 ml , 10 . 5 mmol ) was added to a cold ( 0 ° c .) solution of 4 -( 3 - ethynyl - phenoxymethyl )- 5 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- oxazole ( 3 . 0 g , 8 . 77 mmol ) in thf ( 100 ml ). after 1 h at 0 ° c ., acetaldehyde ( 0 . 59 ml , 10 . 5 mmol ) was added dropwise . the mixture was stirred for 30 min , then quenched with aqueous nh 4 cl , poured into water , acidified with hcl ( 2n ), and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 4 / 1 ) gave a yellow solid ( 2 . 1 g , 59 % yield , m . p . 86 °- 87 ° c .). analysis for : c 22 h 18 f 3 no 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 83 ; h , 4 . 52 ; n , 3 . 49 found : c 65 . 89 ; h , 4 . 38 ; n , 3 . 36 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 2 , step b , and was obtained as a light yellow solid , m . p . 110 °- 112 ° c . analysis for : c 22 h 19 f 3 n 2 o 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 63 . 46 ; h , 4 . 60 ; n , 6 . 73 found : c , 66 . 71 ; h , 4 . 56 ; n , 6 . 69 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 1 , step g , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 84 °- 86 ° c . analysis for : c 24 h 18 f 3 n 3 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 38 ; h , 3 . 74 ; n , 8 . 66 found : c , 59 . 38 ; h , 3 . 50 ; n , 8 . 56 the title compound was prepared in substantially the same manner as described in example 21 , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 55 °- 57 ° c . analysis for : c 23 h 19 n 3 o 5 × 0 . 25 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 40 ; h , 4 . 01 ; n , 9 . 95 found : c , 65 . 20 ; h , 4 . 36 ; n , 10 . 23 3 -[ 3 -( 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazol - 4 - ylmethoxy )- phenyl ]- but - 2 - en - 1 - ol ( 10 . 0 g , 29 . 85 mmol ) in ether ( 50 ml ) was added to a cold ( 0 ° c .) suspension of phosphorus oxychloride ( 9 . 31 g , 44 . 77 mmol ), calcium carbonate ( 4 . 47 g , 44 . 77 mmol ), and ether ( 300 ml ). after 30 minutes , the reaction mixture was poured into water . the organic layer was separated , washed with water and brine . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography oil silica gel ( hexane / etoac 5 / 1 ) gave a clear oil ( 9 . 1 g , 86 % yield ). analysis for : c 21 h 20 clno 2 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 71 . 28 ; h , 5 . 70 ; n , 3 . 96 found : c , 71 . 42 ; h , 5 . 71 ; n , 3 . 88 tert - butyl lithium ( 17 . 5 ml , 29 . 7 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a rapidly stirred cold (- 78 ° c .) solution of lithium chloride ( 3 . 6 g , 84 . 84 mmol ) and oxazolidine - 2 , 4 - dione ( 1 . 43 g , 14 . 14 mmol ) in thf ( 90 ml ). the mixture was stirred at - 78 ° c . for 30 minutes , then gradually warmed to 0 ° c . after recooling to - 78 ° c ., ( e )- 4 -[ 3 -( 3 - chloro - 1 - methyl - propenyl )- phenoxymethyl ]- 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazole ( 5 . 0 g , 14 . 14 mmol ) in thf ( 5 ml ) was added all at once . after stirring for 10 minutes at - 78 ° c ., the mixture was gradually warmed to room temperature , and allowed to stir for 5 hours . then , the reaction mixture was quenched with aqueous nh 4 cl , poured into water , acidified with hcl , and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 1 ), gave a white solid ( 3 . 5 g , 59 % yield , m . p . 138 °- 139 ° c .). analysis for : c 24 h 22 n 2 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 68 . 89 ; h , 5 . 30 ; n , 6 . 69 found : c , 68 . 49 ; h , 5 . 29 ; n , 6 . 71 the title compound was obtained in substantially the same manner as described in example 24 , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 120 °- 121 ° c . analysis for : c 26 h 23 f 3 n 2 o 6 calc &# 39 ; d : c . 60 . 46 ; h , 4 . 49 ; n , 5 . 42 found : c , 60 . 62 ; h , 4 . 47 ; n , 5 . 18 the title compound was obtained in substantially the same manner as described in example 24 , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 105 °- 106 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 21 f 3 n 2 o 6 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 76 ; h , 4 . 21 ; n , 5 . 58 found : c , 59 . 92 ; h , 4 . 12 ; n , 5 . 54 the title compound was obtained in substantially the same manner as described in example 24 , and was obtained as a white solid , m . p . 100 °- 101 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 24 n 2 o 5 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 69 . 43 ; h , 5 . 59 ; n , 6 . 48 found : c , 69 . 59 ; h , 5 . 89 ; n , 6 . 16 butyl lithium ( 16 . 6 ml , 41 . 58 mmol ) was added dropwise in to a cold (- 78 ° c .) solution of thiazolidine - 2 , 4 - dione ( 2 . 31 g , 19 . 8 mmol ) and thf ( 80ml ). the mixture was stirred at - 78 ° c . for 15 minutes , then gradually warmed to 0 ° c ., and stirred for 30 minutes to complete the dianion formation . after recooling to - 78 ° c ., 4 -[ 3 -( 3 - chloro - 1 - methyl - propenyl ) phenoxymethyl ]- 5 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - oxazole ( 7 . 0 g , 19 . 8 mmol ) in thf ( 15 ml ) was added all at once . after stirring for 30 minutes at - 78 ° c ., the mixture was gradually warmed to room temperature , and allowed to stir for 2 hours . then , the reaction mixture was quenched with aqueous nh 4 cl , poured into water , acidified with hcl , and extracted with etoac . the organic extracts were dried over mgso 4 . evaporation and purification by flash chromatography on acid washed ( 5 % h 3 po 4 / meoh ) silica gel ( hexane / etoac 3 / 1 ), gave a white solid ( 2 . 9 g , 33 % yield , m . p . 48 °- 49 ° c .). analysis for : c 24 h 22 n 2 o 4 s × 0 . 25 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 65 . 68 ; h , 5 . 13 ; n , 6 . 38 found : c , 65 . 72 ; h , 5 . 19 ; n , 6 . 45 the title compound was obtained in substantially the same manner as described in example 27 , and was obtained as a light yellow solid , m . p . 50 °- 51 ° c . analysis for : c 25 h 21 f 3 n 2 o 5 s calc &# 39 ; d : c , 57 . 91 ; h , 4 . 08 ; n , 5 . 40 found : c , 57 . 57 ; h , 4 . 16 ; n , 5 . 30 on the morning of day 1 , 35 mice 1 male diabetic db / db ( c57bl / ksj ) mice ( jackson laboratories ), 2 - 7 months of age and 50 - 70 g ] were fasted for 4 hours , weighed and a baseline blood sample ( 15 - 30 μl ) was collected from the tail - tip of each mouse without anesthesia , and placed directly into a fluoride - containing tube , mixed and maintained on ice . food was then returned to the mice . the plasma was separated and levels of glucose in plasma determined by the abbott vp analyzer . because of the variable plasma glucose levels of the db / db mice , 5 mice having the most extreme ( i . e ., highest or lowest ) plasma glucose levels were excluded and the remaining 30 mice were randomly assigned into 7 groups of equivalent mean plasma glucose levels ( n = 6 for vehicle and n = 4 for each drug group ). on the afternoon of days 1 , 2 and 3 , the vehicle , control or test drugs were administered ( p . o .) to the ad libitum fed mice . on the morning of day 4 , the mice were weighed and food removed , but water was available ad libitum . three hours later , a blood sample was collected and then the mice were given the fourth administration of drug or vehicle . blood samples were collected again from the unanesthetized mice at 2 and 4 hrs after drug administration . the plasma was separated and levels of glucose in plasma was determined by the abbott vp analyzer . for each mouse , the percent change of its plasma glucose level on day 4 ( mean of the 2 and 4 hr samples ) from respective level before drug administration ( day 1 baseline sample ) is determined as follows : ## equ1 ## analysis of variance followed by dunnett &# 39 ; s multiple comparison ( one - sided ) will be used to estimate the degree of statistical significance of the difference between the vehicle control group and the individual drug - treated groups . a drug will be considered active , at the specific dosage administered , if the difference of the plasma glucose level has a p & lt ; 0 . 05 . the actual difference between the mean percent change of the vehicle and drug - treated groups is shown in table 1 . the positive control , ciglitazone produces a 18 to 34 % decrease in plasma glucose levels at 100 mg / kg / day × 4 days , p . o . table i______________________________________ db / db datacompound of dose % changeexample no . mg / kg . p . o . glucose______________________________________1 100 - 762 100 - 783 100 - 714 100 - 455 100 - 476 100 - 337 100 - 509 100 - 4710 100 - 4711 100 - 3012 100 - 5016 100 - 2018 100 - 3821 50 - 3224 100 - 2325 100 - 49______________________________________ 1 . coleman , d . l . ( 1982 ) diabetes - obesity syndromes in mice . diabetes 31 ( suppl . 1 ); 1 - 6 . 2 . tutwiler , g . f ., t . kirsch , and g . bridi ( 1978 ). a pharmacologic profile of mcn - 3495 [ n -( 1 - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidinylidene )- n &# 39 ;- phenyl - 1 - pyrrolidine - carboximidamide ], a new , orally effective hypoglycemic agent . diabetes 27 : 856 - 857 . 3 . lee , s . m ., g . tutwiler , r . bressler , and c . h . kircher ( 1982 ). metabolic control and prevention of nephropathy by 2 - tetradecylglycidate in the diabetic mouse ( db / db ). diabetes 31 : 12 - 18 . 4 . chang , a . y ., b . w . wyse , b . j . gilchrist , t . peterson , and r . diani ( 1983 ) ciglitazone , a new hypoglycemic agent . 1 . studies in ob / ob and db / db mice , diabetic chinese hamsters , and normal and streptozocin - diabetic rats . diabetes 32 : 830 - 838 . 5 . hosokawa , t ., k . ando , and g . tamura ( 1985 ). an ascochlorin derivative , as - 6 , reduces insulin resistance in the genetically obese diabetic mouse , db / db . diabetes 34 : 267 - 274 . the non - insulin - dependent diabetic syndrome can be typically characterized by obesity , hyperglycemia , abnormal insulin secretion , hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance . the genetically obese - hyperglycemic ob / ob mouse exhibits many of these metabolic abnormalities and is thought to be a useful media to search for hypoglycemic agents to treat niddm ( coleman , 1978 ) male or female ob / ob mice ( c57b1 / 6j ), ages 2 to 5 months ( 10 to 65 g ), of a similar age are randomized according to plasma glucose into 4 groups of 10 mice . the mice are housed 5 per cage and are maintained on normal rodent chow with water ad libitum . the mice receive test compound daily . the test compound is suspended in 0 . 5 ml of 0 . 5 % methyl cellulose and is administered by gavage ( dissolved in drinking water ) or admixed in the diet . the dose of compound given ranges from 2 . 5 to 200 mg / kg / day . body weight of fed animals is measured at the beginning of each week and doses for the entire week are calculated using this weight and are expressed in terms of the active moiety of the compound . control mice receive vehicle only . on the morning of days 4 , 7 or 14 two drops of blood ( approximately 50 μl ) are collected into sodium fluoride containing tubes either from the tail vein or after decapitation . for those studies in which the compound is administered daily by gavage , the blood samples are collected four hour after compound administration . the plasma is isolated by centrifugation and the concentration of glucose is measured enzymatically on an abbott v . p . analyzer and the plasma concentration of insulin is determined by radioimmunoassay ( heding , 1972 ). for each mouse , the percentage change in plasma glucose on day 4 , 7 or 14 is calculated relative to the mean plasma glucose of the vehicle treated mice . analysis of variance followed by dunnett &# 39 ; s comparison test ( one tailed ) is used to estimate the significant difference between the plasma glucose values from the control group and the individual compound treated groups . the results are presented in table ii . the diabetic db / db ( c57bl / ksj ) mouse exhibits many metabolic abnormalities that are associated with non - insulin dependent diabetes mellitus ( type ii ) in humans . the animals are obese , glucose intolerant and have fasting hyperglycemia which is sometimes accompanied by a paradoxical hyperinsulinemia ( 1 ). furthermore , the db / db mouse will eventually develop some of the long - term complications that have been associated with diabetes mellitus ( 1 ). in spite of these commonalities , the acute administration of sulfonylureas ( even at extremely high doses ) will not reduce the hyperglycemia of the db / db mouse ( 2 ). the ability of a few other hypoglycemic agents to be effective in this species suggest that the other agents have mechanism of action which are different from that of the sulfonylureas ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ). such compounds , therefore , are more likely to be efficacious in the population of type ii diabetic patients that do not respond to sulfonylurea therapy . table ii______________________________________ ob / ob datacompound of dose % change % changeexample no . mg / kg , p . o . glucose insulin______________________________________4 100 - 39 - 826 100 - 39 - 767 100 - 30 - 7510 100 - 36 - 2822 100 - 32 - 91______________________________________ 1 . brichard , s ., bailey , c . and henquin , j . : marked improvement of glucose homeostasis in diabetic ob / ob mice given oral vanadate . diabetes 39 : 1326 - 1332 , 1990 . 2 . chang , a ., wyse , b ., gilchrist , b ., peterson , t . and diani , a . : ciglitazone , a new hypoglycemic agent . i . studies in ob / ob and db / db mice , diabetic chinese hamsters , and normal and streptozoticin - induced diabetic rats . diabetes 32 : 830 - 838 , 1983 . 3 . coleman , d . : obese and diabetes : two mutant genes causing diabetes - obesity syndromes in mice . diabetologia 14 : 141 - 148 , 1978 . 4 . heding , l . g . : determination of total serum insulin ( iri ) in insulin - treated diabetic patients . diabetologia 8 : 260 - 266 , 1972 . based on the results of the pharmacological assay , the compounds of this invention are useful in the treatment of hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus . the compounds may be administered neat or with a pharmaceutical carrier to a mammal in need thereof . the pharmaceutical carrier may be solid or liquid and the active compound shall be a therapeutically effective amount . a solid carrier can include one or more substances which may also act as flavoring agents , lubricants , solubilizers , suspending agents , fillers , gildants , compression aids , binders or tablet - disintegrating agents ; it can also be an encapsulating material . in powders , the carrier is a finely divided solid which is in admixture with the finely divided active ingredient . in tablets , the active ingredient is mixed with a carrier having the necessary compression properties in suitable proportions and compacted in the shape and size desired . the powders and tablets preferably contain up to 99 % of the active ingredient . suitable solid carriers include , for example , calcium phosphate , magnesium stearate , talc , sugars , lactose , dextrin , starch , gelatin , cellulose , methyl cellulose , sodium carboxymethyl cellulose , polyvinylpyrrolidine , low melting waxes and ion exchange resins . liquid carriers are used in preparing solutions , suspensions , emulsions , syrups , elixirs and pressurized compositions . the active ingredient can be dissolved or suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid carrier such as water , an organic solvent , a mixture of both or pharmaceutically acceptable oils or fats . the liquid carrier can contain other suitable pharmaceutical additives such as solubilizers , emulsifiers , buffers , preservatives , sweeteners , flavoring agents , suspending agents thickening agents , colors , viscosity regulators , stabilizers or osmo - regulators . suitable examples of liquid carriers for oral and parenteral administration include water ( partially containing additives as above , e . g . cellulose derivatives , preferably sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution ), alcohols ( including monohydric alcohols and polyhydric alcohols , e . g . glycols ) and their derivatives , and oils ( e . g . fractionated coconut oil and arachis oil ). for parenteral administration , the carrier can also be an oily ester such as ethyl oleate and isopropyl myristate . sterile liquid carriers are useful in sterile liquid form compositions for parenteral administration . the liquid carrier for pressurized compositions can be halogenated hydrocarbon or other pharmaceutically acceptable propellent . liquid pharmaceutical compositions which are sterile solutions or suspensions can be utilized by , for example , intramuscular , intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injection . sterile solutions can also be administered intravenously . the compound can also be administered orally either in liquid or solid composition form . preferably , the pharmaceutical composition is in unit dosage form , e . g . as tablets or capsules . in such form , the composition is sub - divided in unit dose containing appropriate quantities of the active ingredient ; the unit dosage forms can be packaged compositions , for example , packeted powders , vials , ampoules , prefilled syringes or sachets containing liquids . the unit dosage form can be , for example , a capsule or tablet itself , or it can be the appropriate number of any such compositions in package form . a dosage range of from 0 . 1 to 200 mg / kg / day is contemplated , with a preferred dosage of from 0 . 1 to 100 mg / kg / day . due to uncertainty in relating laboratory mouse study data to other mammals , the degree of hyperglycemia , and the compound selected , the dosages used in the treatment of non - insulin dependent diabetes mellitus must be subjectively determined by a physician or veterinarian according to standard medical or veterinary practice . | 2 |
embodiments of the invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which embodiments of the invention are shown . fig3 is a schematic view of the tft substrate in accordance with one embodiment . the tft substrate 10 includes a plurality of pixel cells 110 . the structure of the pixel cells 110 are substantially the same . the structure of an pixel cell 110 will be taken as an example hereinafter . fig4 is a schematic view of one pixel cell of the tft substrate of fig3 . fig5 is a cross section view of the pixel cell of fig4 along the dashed line “ ef ”. fig6 is an enlarged view of the area a of fig5 . fig7 is an enlarged view of the area b of fig5 . referring to fig4 and 5 , the pixel cells 110 includes a substrate 11 , a gate electrode 12 , an active layer 14 , a bm 150 , a source electrode 16 , a drain electrode 17 , a second insulation layer 18 , and a pixel electrode 19 . the gate electrode 12 is arranged on the substrate 11 . the data line 13 and the active layer 14 are arranged on the gate electrode 12 in turn . the bm 150 is arranged on the active layer 14 . the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 are arranged on the bm 150 . the second insulation layer 18 is arranged on the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 . the pixel electrode 19 may be indium tin oxide ( ito ) transparent electrode arranged on the second insulation layer 18 . the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the drain electrode 17 via the second insulation layer 18 . in other embodiments , the pixel electrode 19 may electrically connect to the source electrode 16 via the second insulation layer 18 . thus , in the embodiment , as the bm 150 is arranged on the side of the tft substrate 10 , the masking effect of the bm 150 may not be affected when the panel assembled by the tft substrate 10 has been curved . as shown in fig8 , the contrastness of the panel assembled by the tft substrate 10 is enhanced . on the other hand , as the bm 150 may be made by black resin material , and the manufacturing temperature of the active layer 14 is usually 400 degrees . under the temperature , the black resin material may greatly aging and may be carbonized to cause fire . by arranging the bm 150 on the active layer 14 , the bm 150 is formed after the active layer 14 is formed so as to avoid the above aging or fire issue . not only the manufacturing process may be smoothly conducted , but also the performance of the bm 150 may be ensured . fig9 is a cross section view of the pixel cell of fig4 along the dashed line “ cd ”. as shown in fig4 and 9 , the pixel cell 110 of the tft substrate 10 also include a scanning line ( s ), a data line ( d ), and a bm 151 . the scanning line ( s ) is arranged on the substrate 11 and is arranged on the same layer with the gate electrode 12 . the data line 13 covers the scanning line ( s ). the active layer 14 has not covered the scanning line ( s ). the bm 151 is arranged on the scanning line ( s ) and is arranged on the same layer with the bm 150 . the data line ( d ) is arranged on the bm 151 , and is arranged on the same layer with the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 . in the embodiment , as the data line 13 covers the scanning line ( s ), the bm 151 is arranged on the data line 13 . in the embodiment , as the bm 151 is arranged between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ), the insulation between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ) has been increased , which decreases the coupling capacitance between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ). as such , the stability of the transmission between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ) is enhanced . also referring to fig5 , the pixel cell 110 of the tft substrate 10 further includes capacitance electrodes 111 , 112 forming a common capacitance . the capacitance electrode 112 is arranged on the substrate 11 , and is arranged on the same layer with the scanning line ( s ) and the gate electrode 12 . the data line 13 further covers the capacitance electrode 112 . the bm 151 is arranged on a corresponding capacitance electrode 112 of the first insulation layer 13 . the capacitance electrode 111 is arranged on the bm 151 , and is arranged on the same layer with the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 . the second insulation layer 18 further covers the capacitance electrode 111 . the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the capacitance electrode 111 via the second insulation layer 18 . also referring to fig6 and 7 , the bm 150 and the bm 151 are respectively formed with contacting holes m 1 , m 2 such that the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 contact with the active layer 14 via the contacting hole m 1 on the bm 150 . in addition , the capacitance electrode 111 contact with the first insulation layer 13 via the contacting hole m 2 on the bm 151 . in the embodiment , the tft substrate 10 further includes a photoresist layer 113 and an insulation protection layer 114 . the photoresist layer 113 is arranged between the second insulation layer 18 and the pixel electrode 19 . the insulation protection layer 114 is arranged between the photoresist layer 113 and the pixel electrode 19 . the photoresist layer 113 is made by red ( r ), green ( g ), and blue ( b ) materials . as the insulation protection layer 114 is formed on the photoresist layer 113 , the photoresist layer 113 and the components covered by the photoresist layer 113 may be well protected . a first contacting hole m 3 and a second contacting hole m 4 are respectively formed are formed in locations on the photoresist layer 113 corresponding to the drain electrode 17 and the capacitance electrode 111 . the second insulation layer 18 is exposed by the first contacting hole m 3 . the second contacting hole m 4 passes through the second insulation layer 18 such that the capacitance electrode 111 is exposed . the insulation protection layer 114 is arranged within the first contacting hole m 3 and the second contacting hole m 4 . the insulation protection layer 114 within the first contacting hole m 3 and the second insulation layer 18 form a third contacting hole m 5 . the third contacting hole m 5 exposes the drain electrode 17 . the insulation protection layer 114 within the second contacting hole m 4 is arranged on the second insulation layer 18 in which the second contacting hole m 4 has not been covered . the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the drain electrode 17 via the third contacting hole m 5 . in addition , the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the capacitance electrode 111 via the second contacting hole m 4 . in other embodiments , the first contacting hole m 3 may be formed in a location on the photoresist layer 113 corresponding to the source electrode 16 so as to expose the second insulation layer 18 . similarly , the third contacting hole m 5 is arranged corresponding to the location of the source electrode 16 . the third contacting hole m 5 exposes the source electrode 16 . the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the source electrode 16 via the third contacting hole m 5 . as stated above , in the embodiment , as the bm 150 is arranged on the side of the tft substrate 10 , the masking effect of the bm 150 may not be affected when the panel assembled by the tft substrate 10 has been curved . as shown in fig8 , the contrastness of the panel assembled by the tft substrate 10 is enhanced . on the other hand , as the bm 151 is arranged between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ), the insulation between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ) has been increased , which decreases the coupling capacitance between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ). as such , the stability of the transmission between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ) is enhanced . fig1 is a flowchart of the manufacturing method of the tft substrate in accordance with one embodiment . fig1 - 12 is a flowchart of the manufacturing method of the tft substrate of fig1 . in block s 1 , a substrate 11 is provided . in block s 2 , the gate electrode 12 is formed on the substrate 11 . in addition , as shown in fig1 , the capacitance electrode 112 and the scanning line ( s ) being arranged on the same layer with the gate electrode 12 is formed on the substrate 11 in block s 3 , the first insulation layer 13 and the active layer 14 are formed on the gate electrode 12 in turn . in addition , the first insulation layer 13 further covers the capacitance electrode 112 and the scanning line ( s ). the active layer 14 has not covered the capacitance electrode 112 and the scanning line ( s ). in block s 4 , the bm 150 is formed on the active layer 14 . in addition , the bm 151 being arranged on the same layer with the bm 150 is formed on the scanning line ( s ) and the capacitance electrode 112 . as the first insulation layer 13 covers the capacitance electrode 112 and the scanning line ( s ), the bm 151 being arranged on the same layer with the bm 150 is respectively formed on the first insulation layer 13 corresponding to the scanning line ( s ) and the capacitance electrode 112 . in block s 5 , the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 are formed on the bm 150 . in addition , as shown in fig1 , the data line ( d ) and the capacitance electrode 111 being arranged on the same layer with the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 are formed on the bm 151 . in block s 4 , the bm 150 and the bm 151 are respectively formed with contacting holes m 1 , m 2 such that the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 contact with the active layer 14 via the contacting hole m 1 on the bm 150 . in addition , the capacitance electrode 111 contact with the first insulation layer 13 via the contacting hole m 2 on the bm 151 . in block s 6 , the second insulation layer 18 is formed on the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 . the second insulation layer 18 covers the data line ( d ) and the capacitance electrode 111 . in block s 7 , the pixel electrode 19 is formed on the second insulation layer 18 . the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the source electrode 16 or the drain electrode 17 via the second insulation layer 18 . in the embodiment , the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the drain electrode 17 via the second insulation layer 18 . the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the capacitance electrode 111 via the second insulation layer 18 . in addition , before the pixel electrode 19 is formed , the photoresist layer 113 is formed on the second insulation layer 18 . the insulation protection layer 114 is formed on the photoresist layer 113 . lastly , the pixel electrode 19 is formed on the insulation protection layer 114 . that is , the photoresist layer 113 is formed between the pixel electrode 19 and the second insulation layer 18 . the insulation protection layer 114 is formed between the photoresist layer 113 and the insulation protection layer 114 . as the insulation protection layer 114 is formed on the photoresist layer 113 , the photoresist layer 113 and the components covered by the photoresist layer 113 may be well protected . in the embodiment , the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the drain electrode 17 and to the capacitance electrode 111 via the second insulation layer 18 . the detailed steps will be described hereinafter . a first contacting hole m 3 and a second contacting hole m 4 are formed are respectively formed in locations on the photoresist layer 113 respectively corresponding to the drain electrode 17 and the capacitance electrode 111 . the second insulation layer 18 is exposed by the first contacting hole m 3 . the second contacting hole m 4 passes through the second insulation layer 18 such that the capacitance electrode 111 is exposed . when the insulation protection layer 114 is formed on the photoresist layer 113 , the insulation protection layer 114 is arranged within the first contacting hole m 3 and the second contacting hole m 4 at the same time . the insulation protection layer 114 within the first contacting hole m 3 and the second insulation layer 18 form a third contacting hole m 5 . the third contacting hole m 5 exposes the drain electrode 17 . the insulation protection layer 114 within the second contacting hole m 4 is arranged on the second insulation layer 18 in which the second contacting hole m 4 has not been covered . the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the drain electrode 17 via the third contacting hole m 5 . in addition , the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the capacitance electrode 111 via the second contacting hole m 4 . in other embodiments , the first contacting hole m 3 may be formed in a location on the photoresist layer 113 corresponding to the source electrode 16 such that the third contacting hole m 5 corresponds to the location of the source electrode 16 . in this way , the pixel electrode 19 electrically connects to the source electrode 16 via the third contacting hole m 5 . in view of the above , in the embodiment , as the bm 150 is arranged on the side of the tft substrate 10 , the masking effect of the bm 150 may not be affected when the panel assembled by the tft substrate 10 has been curved . as shown in fig8 , the contrastness of the panel assembled by the tft substrate 10 is enhanced . on the other hand , as the bm 150 , 151 may be made by black resin material , and the manufacturing temperature of the active layer 14 is usually 400 degrees . under the temperature , the black resin material may greatly aging and may be carbonized to cause fire . by arranging the bm 150 , 151 on the active layer 14 , the bm 150 , 151 are formed after the active layer 14 is formed so as to avoid the above aging or fire issue . not only the manufacturing process may be smoothly conducted , but also the performance of the bm 150 , 151 may be ensured . in addition , as the bm 151 is arranged between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ), the insulation between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ) has been increased , which decreases the coupling capacitance between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ). as such , the stability of the transmission between the data line ( d ) and the scanning line ( s ) is enhanced . it is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description , and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages , the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention . | 7 |
the invention is explained in the following in detail using examples . further embodiments and particularities also result in particular from the attached figures , to which reference is made in the specification . fig1 shows the dependency of the conversion rate (%) on the ph for peptide amidase obtained from xanthomonas maltophilia . fig2 shows a plot of relative activity vs . time for peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia in various buffers at 30 ° c . fig3 shows a plot of the conversion rate as a function of the temperature for peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . fig4 shows the temperature stability of the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . fig5 shows the kinetic determination of the conversion of z - gly - tyr - nh 2 with the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . fig6 shows the splitting [ separation ] of racemic mixtures of z - d , l - ala - nh 2 with the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . fig7 shows the enantioselective deamidation of n - ac - d , l - met - nh 2 with the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . fig8 shows the influence of solvent on the enzymatic activity of the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . fig9 shows the solvent stability of the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . production and workup of the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia 40 g moist biomass / l and an activity of 4 u / l were obtained in the partially optimized medium with the following composition . the media optimization took place with the aid of the genetic algorithm . the nutrient medium was autoclaved , glucose , n - ac - dl - met - nh 2 , cacl 2 * 2h 2 o , mgso 4 * 7h 2 o and the vitamin solution were added in a sterile manner . * schlegel , h . g . ( 1985 ): allgemeine mikrobiologie [ german - general microbiology ], thieme verlag , stuttgart the cell maceration took place by the wet grinding of a 20 - 40 % cellular suspension in 50 mm tris / hcl buffer , ph 7 . 5 with glass beads ø 0 . 3 mm . the glass beads and the cellular fragments were separated by centrifugation . the glass beads were then re - suspended in 50 mm tris / hcl , ph 7 . 5 and separated again by centrifugation . the supernatants were purified and constituted the raw extract for the workup described in the following . the cellular maceration was evaluated by determining the amount of protein released according to bradford ( bradford , m . m . ( 1976 ), anal . biochem ., 72 , 248 - 254 ) and by microscopic observation . as the first step in the purification of the peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia , an anion exchange chromatography was carried out on q - sepharose fast flow ( pharmacia , uppsala ). the following conditions applied for the anion exchanger : the detection took place at 280 nm , the fractions were trapped at 10 ml each . the peptide amidase was able to be eluted at a salt content of 80 - 120 mm kcl from the anion exchanger . the active fractions were pooled and concentrated with the aid of an amicon ultrafiltration cell with a ym 10 membrane to 2 ml for the following gel filtration . the active fractions of the anion exchange chromatography were concentrated as described and subjected to a gel filtration on superdex g 75 material ( pharmacia , uppsala ). the following conditions applied for the gel filtration : the active fractions of the gel filtration were pooled and concentrated via a ym 10 membrane in an amicon ultrafiltration cell to 1 ml ( 1 . 47 mg bsaeq / ml ) and were available in this manner for the following isoelectric focusing . the active fractions of the gel filtration and those of the gel filtration evaporated to 1 ml as described under 1 . 3 . 2 were purified with the aid of isoelectric focusing . the conditions for this are presented in the following . in the first two steps of the purification ( anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration ) interfering protease / peptidase activities were completely removed . after the isoelectric focusing , a preparation enriched 533 - fold was obtained . a main band which is enzymatically active is observed in the native gel . the n - terminal sequence was determined by means of a liquid - phase sequenator ( applied biosystems 470 with on - line hplc coupling ) after elution of the band out of the native gel . fig1 shows the dependency of the conversion rate in % on the ph . 50 mm mc - ilvain buffer were used in the ph range of 3 . 0 - 7 . 25 , 50 mm tris / hcl buffer between ph 7 . 0 - 9 . 0 and for the basic ph range of 9 . 5 - 10 . 5 50 mm na 2 co 3 buffer . the test batch of 1 ml was composed as follows : a pre - incubation took place without the addition of substrate for 5 min at 30 ° c . the reaction was then started by adding 100 μl substrate and incubated 4 hours at 30 ° c . in order to stop the reaction , 100 μl of the reaction batch were removed and compounded with 100 μl glacial acetic acid as well as 1 . 4 ml hplc mobile solvent ( see 1 . 4 standard assay of peptide amidase ). fig1 shows the results of the analysis of the ph optimum . the ph optimum of the peptide amidase peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia results at 6 . 0 ± 0 . 5 . the relative activity (%) as a function of the time ( h ) was determined for the ph stability of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . 50 mm kp i buffer was used for the ph range of 5 . 0 - 7 . 0 and 50 mm tris / hcl buffer between 7 . 0 - 9 . 0 . for the analyses of ph stability 100 μl enzyme solution a 0 . 73 mg bsaeq / ml ( purification stage after the gel filtration ) were incubated with 900 μl buffer of differing ph at 30 ° c . specimens were drawn at different times and the activity determined with z - gly - tyr - nh 2 as substrate . the results are shown in fig2 . a good stability results in the range of ph 7 - ph 8 . the temperature optimum of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia was determined . to this end 200 μl enzyme solution à 63 μg bsaeq / ml of the purification stage after the gel filtration were compounded with 700 μl of the 50 mm tris / hcl buffer pre - tempered to the particular temperature and the reaction started with 100 μl z - gly - tyr - nh 2 ( 10 mm in the test batch ). aliquots of 100 [ mycro ] l were stopped after 2 h with 100 μl glacial acetic acid and the activity determined corresponding to 1 . 4 . the result is shown in fig3 . the temperature optimum was approximately 35 - 40 ° c . at a ph of 7 . 5 . the relative activity (%) as a function of the time ( h ) was determined for the temperature stability of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . to this end 100 μl enzyme solution & amp ; 0 . 73 mgbsaeq / ml were compounded with 900 μl pre - tempered 50 mm tris / hcl buffer and incubated at 20 , 30 , 37 and 56 ° c . specimens were drawn at different times and the activity determined with z - gly - tyr - nh 2 as substrate . the results are shown in fig4 . whereas the enzyme is inactivated at 56 ° c . after only a few minutes , it proves to be extremely stable at 20 , 30 and 37 ° c . the dependency of the reaction rate of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia on the substrate concentration ( z - gly - tyr - nh 2 ) was determined and the kinetic parameters determined from the data according to marquardt . to this end , 50 μl enzyme solution à 27 μg bsaeq / ml were compounded with 400 μl 50 mm tris / hcl buffer , ph 7 . 5 . the reaction was started by adding z - gly - tyr - nh 2 as substrate . the substrate was present in the reaction batches in a concentration range of 0 . 4 to 20 mm . the incubation took place for 2 hours at 30 ° c . the enzyme activity was then determined as described under 1 . 4 . the k m value was determined with 0 . 82 mm and v max with 0 . 53 u / mg bsaeq . fig5 shows the reaction rate of the deamidation of z - gly - tyr - nh 2 as a function of the substrate concentration . the reaction conditions were selected with a view to the ph stability of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . in order to stop the reaction 100 μl of the reaction solution was removed , compounded with 100 μl glacial acetic acid and filled with 1 . 4 ml hplc mobile solvent . an aliquot of 20 μl was analyzed by hplc . the conditions for the hplc analysis of z - gly - tyr - nh 2 were as follows : 18 mu of peptide amidase ( purification state after the gel filtration ) per ml test batch was used for the substrate spectrum of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . the concentration of the tested substrates was 10 mm in the reaction batch . unless otherwise indicated , l - amino acid derivatives were used . the incubation took place in 50 mm tris / hcl , ph 7 . 5 at 30 ° c . for 3 hours . the reaction was stopped by heating for 5 minutes at 95 ° c . the determination of activity took place using enzymatic determination of the released ammonia ( bergmeyer , u . ( 1985 ): methods of enzymatic analysis , p . 459 , vch verlagsgesellschaft , weinheim ). table 4a shows the conversion of dipeptide amides , table 4b the conversion of n - acetylamino acid amides and table 4c the influence of the n - terminal protective groups and of the amino acid adjacent to the c terminus . the following thin - layer chromatographic methods were used for the analysis of the substrates and products cited in table 4d . to this end 1 μl of the stopped reaction batch was applied . the following hplc separating conditions applied for the analysis of the conversion of longer - chain peptides shown in table 4e : in addition , the presence of possible protease - or peptidase activity was tested for with the aid of thin - layer chromatography . no release of amino acids could be detected for any of the peptides . the results show that with the exception of l - pro , all proteinogenous , protected amino acid amides and peptide amides are deamidated . even a few protected , non - proteinogenous amino acid amides are hydrolyzed ( phenylglycine , naphthylalanine , neopentylglycine ). d - amino acids in the c - terminal position are not converted . the amide function in the side chains of asparagine and glutamine are not attacked . the peptide bonds of longer - chain oligopeptides are not split , unprotected amino acid amides are not converted . the tests for the splitting [ separation ] of racemic mixtures took place in 50 mm triethylammonium carbonate buffer , ph 7 . 5 . the test batches a 50 ml with 20 u peptide amidase each were incubated at 30 ° c . z - d , l - ala - nh 2 , ac - d , l - met - nh 2 and ac - d , l - neopentylglycine amide ( ac - d , l - npg - nh 2 ) were available as substrates . the concentration of the substrates in the reaction batch was 10 mm . specimens were taken at different times , the reaction stopped by heating for 5 minutes at 95 ° c . and the enantiomeric purity examined with hplc . the results are shown in the following : the results are also shown in fig6 which refers to the splitting of racemic mixtures of z - d , l - ala - nh 2 , and fig7 which shows the enantioselective deamidation of n - ac - d , l - met - nh 2 . the tests took place in 50 mm tris / hcl , ph 7 . 5 . after a preincubation of the enzyme ( 38 mu per batch , purification stage after the gel filtration ) with the effector ( 10 mm in the test batch ) for 1 h at 30 ° c . the reaction was started by adding substrate ( z - gly - tyr - nh 2 , 10 mm in the test batch ). the reaction batches were incubated for 2 . 5 h at 30 ° c . table 5 shows the results of the influence of enzyme effectors on the peptide amidase activity . it is apparent that peptide amidase belongs neither to the classic serine hydrolases which are inhibited at a concentration of pmsf of 1 mm or of pefabloc of 0 . 2 mm nor to the metalloenzymes which are inhibited by edta or 1 . 10 - phenanthroline in the concentration range indicated here . 200 μl enzyme solution ( 59 μg bsaeq / ml , purification stage after the gel filtration ) were compounded in each instance with 700 μl of an appropriate mixture of 50 mm tris / solvent , ph 7 . 5 for the examinations of the influence of solvents on the peptide amidase activity . dimethylformamide ( dmf ), acetone , ethanol and propan - 1 - ol , which were present in the reaction batch up to 70 % by volumetric amount , were tested as solvents . the reaction was started by adding substrate z - gly - tyr - nh 2 . the incubation took place for 90 minutes at 30 ° c . then , aliquots of 100 μl of the reaction batches were provided with 100 μl glacial acetic acid and the enzyme activity determined as described in 1 . 4 . fig8 shows the results of the influence of solvents on the enzyme activity . it is apparent that at 20 % dmf , 94 % residual activity is still present and even at 30 %, 59 % is still present . in the presence of other solvents such as propan - 2 - ol the enzyme distinctly loses activity but is nevertheless not completely inactivated at a content of 10 % ( residual activity 30 %). in order to determine the solvent stability of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia , 600 μl enzyme solution à 57 μg bsaeq / ml ( purification state after the gel filtration ) was compounded with 150 μl solvent and , as control , 150 μl 50 mm tris / hcl , ph 7 . 5 . the incubation took place at 30 ° c . specimens for the determination of activity were drawn at different times . dimethylformamide ( dmf ), acetone , ethanol and propan - 1 - ol were tested as solvent . fig9 shows the solvent stability of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . after 26 hours , a residual activity of 32 % still results at a solvent content of 20 % dmf . the relative molar mass of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia was determined by gel filtration ( travel conditions see 1 . 3 . 2 ). the following calibration proteins were used . the detection took place at 280 nm . the elution volume of the peptide amidase was determined by determination of activity . the relative molar mass was determined from the elution volume , using the calibration curve , at 38000 ± 1000 daltons . 1 l erlenmeyer flasks were provided with 200 ml of the nutrient medium used in the second part of the screening for the examinations of the inducibility of peptide amidase from xanthomonas maltophilia . the amount of yeast extract was raised to 0 . 1 % thereby and only one amide derivative added to 0 . 5 % of the medium in each instance . in addition , media without the addition of amides and with 1 . 5 % yeast extract were examined . ac - dl - met - nh 2 , leucine amide and carnitine amide were used as amides . the flasks were inoculated to 0 . 5 % and agitated 2 days at 30 ° c . and 120 rpm . the obtention of the raw extracts took place as already described above . table 6 shows the results . it is apparent from the data that the enzyme is formed even without the addition of ac - dl - met - nh 2 as inductor in the cell , but that the specific activity can be doubled to tripled by the addition of this inductor . on the other hand , the addition of other amides shows no influence . 30 g ( 0 . 20 mole ) dl - methionine amide was agitated with 250 ml methyl formate for two days at room temperature , during which fine , slightly yellow crystals developed . they were filtered off and recrystallized out of a mixture of 150 ml hexane and 160 ml ethanol . after cooling off , filtering , washing and drying , 23 g ( 55 %) n 60 - formyl - dl - methionine amide was obtained in the form of colorless crystals with a melting point of 121 - 122 ° c . 18 ml ( 0 . 3 mole ) methylisocyanate was dripped into a solution of 30 g ( 0 . 2 mole ) dl - methionine amide in 350 ml water at 5 - 10 ° c ., during which a colorless , crystalline precipitate formed . after 30 min of subsequent agitation at 5 - 10 ° c . and 30 min at room temperature , the crystals were filtered off , washed with water and dried , yielding 25 g product . a concentrating of the mother liquor yielded a further 10 g . 29 g ( 70 %) n α methylaminocarbonyl - dl - methionine amide in the form of light , flaky crystals with a melting point of 156 - 157 ° c . were obtained by recrystallization out of methanol / acetic ester . 85 ml ( 1 . 11 moles ) methylchloroformate were dripped into a solution of 150 g ( 1 . 02 moles ) dl - methionine amide in 200 ml water at 5 - 10 ° c ., during which the ph was maintained at 8 - 10 by the addition of sodium hydroxide solution . after 30 min of subsequent reaction , 60 ml water was added , whereupon crystals formed which were filtered off , washed with water and dissolved in 250 ml water . this solution was extracted twice and the crystallization mother liquor extracted once with 500 ml methylene chloride in each instance . after drying in a vacuum , 162 g yellowish , crystalline residue remained . it was dissolved in 200 ml hot ethanol . then , 400 ml mtbe was added and after the appearance of the first colorless crystals another 200 ml mtbe . after cooling in an ice bath , filtering off , washing with 200 ml mtbe and drying , 127 g ( 60k ) n α - methoxycarbonyl - dl - methionine amide with a melting point of 93 - 94 ° c . was obtained . 106 ml ( 1 . 10 moles ) ethylchloroformate were dripped into a solution of 150 g ( 1 . 02 moles ) dl - methionine amide in 200 ml water at 5 - 10 ° c ., during which the ph was maintained at 7 - 9 by adding sodium hydroxide solution . a thick , finely crystalline precipitate rapidly formed . a suspension which was just able to still be agitated was obtained by the addition of 800 ml water , which suspension was agitated 3 hours further at room temperature . then the colorless crystals were filtered off , washed with water and recrystallized out of 900 ml water . after cooling to 0 - 5 ° c ., filtering off , washing with water and drying , 129 g ( 57 %) n α ethoxycarbonyl - dl - methionine amide with a melting point of 110 - 112 ° c . was obtained . 51 ml benzyloxycarbonyl chloride was dripped into a solution of 50 g ( 0 . 34 mole ) dl - methionine amide in 200 ml water at 5 - 20 ° c ., during which the ph was maintained at 7 - 9 with sodium hydroxide solution . a slimy precipitate formed immediately which became finely crystalline upon the addition of 200 ml mtbe . after the end of the addition the mixture was agitated 30 min further at room temperature . the precipitated , colorless crystals were then filtered off , washed with a little mtbe and recrystallized out of 700 ml toluene . after filtering off , washing with toluene and drying , 67 g ( 69 %) n α benzyloxycarbonyl - dl - methionine amide with a melting point of 120 - 122 ° c . was obtained . 12 ml ( 0 . 13 mole ) acetic anhydride was dripped into a solution of 17 g ( 0 . 12 mole ) dl - neopentylglycine in 200 ml water under ice cooling in approximately 30 min , during which the ph was maintained at approximately 8 with sodium hydroxide solution . after 1 h agitation at room temperature , an extraction was performed three times with 100 ml methylene chloride and the organic phase was evaporated after drying over sodium sulfate . 20 g ( 89 %) n - acetyl - dl - neopentylglycine remained as colorless solid . then , 14 ml ( 0 . 1 mole ) triethylamine was dripped into 19 g ( 0 . 1 mole ) n - acetyl - dl - neopentylglycine in 150 ml thf at − 10 ° c . in 15 min . after 10 min a solution of 10 ml ( 0 . 1 mole ) ethylchloroformate in 10 ml thf was added dropwise in such a manner that the temperature did not exceed − 5 ° c . then , 70 ml 25 % ammonia solution were added all at once , then 50 ml thf , following which the mixture was agitated 2 h at − 5 ° c . and overnight at room temperature . the batch was then evaporated to dryness , thoroughly agitated with 100 ml water , the solid filtered off and recrystallized out of 70 ml methanol . a total of 15 g ( 78 %) n α - acetyl - dl - neopentylglycine amide was obtained in the form of colorless crystals with a melting point & gt ; 205 ° c . 15 ml ( 0 . 11 mole ) benzyloxycarbonylchloride was dripped into a solution of 15 g ( 0 . 10 ml ) dl - neopentylglycine in 150 ml water under ice cooling in approximately 30 min , during which the ph was maintained at approximately 9 with sodium hydroxide solution . after 1 h agitation at room temperature an extraction was carried out three times with 75 ml methylene chloride and the organic phase dried in a rotary vacuum after drying over sodium sulfate . 25 g ( 90t ) n - benzyloxycarbonyl - dl - neopentylglycine remained as a colorless oil which crystallized upon standing . then , 12 ml ( 0 . 90 mole ) triethylamine was dripped into 24 g ( 0 . 09 mole ) n - benzyloxycarbonyl - dl - neopentylglycine in 150 ml thf at − 10 ° c . in 15 min . after 10 min a solution of 8 ml ( 0 . 09 mole ) ethylchloroformate in 10 ml thf was added dropwise in approximately 30 min in such a manner that the temperature did not exceed − 5 ° c . after 30 min agitation at − 5 ° c ., 60 ml 25 % ammonia solution were added all at once and the mixture then agitated 2 h at − 5 ° c and overnight at room temperature . the batch was then evaporated to dryness , taken up with 50 ml water and extracted with 150 ml methylene chloride . after drying of the organic phase over sodium sulfate and drying in a rotary vacuum , 26 g residue remained which was dissolved in 50 ml methanol and then compounded with 70 ml water within approximately 2 h under ice cooling . after filtration , washing with methanol / water and drying , 13 g ( 54 %) n α benzyloxycarbonyl - dl - neopentylglycine amide were obtained as a colorless solid with a melting range of 132 - 137 ° c . 10 mm n - acetyl - d , l - neopentylglycine amide were incubated with 20 u peptide amidase in a 50 ml erlenmeyer flask in 50 mm triethylammonium carbonate buffer at ph 7 . 5 and 30 ° c . the conversion was controlled by hplc . after 24 hours the conversion was 50 % and did not change any more as time passed . the enzyme was now deactivated by five minutes of heating and the enantiomeric purity examined . the purity of n - acetyl - l - neopentylglycine ( determined by ligand exchange chromatography ) was 99 . 8 % and the purity of the n - acetyl - d - neopentylglycine amide ( determined by inclusion chromatography ) was 99 . 7 %. the two products were separated by anion exchange chromatography on amberlite m 500 and the n - acetyl - d - neopentylglycine amide converted by several hours of hydrolysis in 6 - normal , boiling hydrochloric acid into the free d - amino acid , during which the demonstration of the complete conversion by hplc or dc takes place . the amount of rotation of the d - neopentylglycine [ α 25 d ] ( c = 0 . 5 , 6n hcl ) was − 16 . 2 °. the enantiomers of the remaining n - acyl - amino acid amide were separated from each other by inclusion chromatography and the two enantiomers of the n - acyl amino acid product by ligand exchange chromatography . xaa arg asn val pro phe pro tyr ala glu thr asp val ala asp | 2 |
the composition used in the method of the present invention contains ftd and the tpi - 1 in a molar ratio of 1 : 0 . 5 . ftd , α , α , α - trifluorothymidine is a drug showing the growth inhibition of cancer cells through being phosphorylated by an intracellular thymidine kinase to form f 3 tmp which binds to a thymidine synthase to exert a dna synthesis - inhibition . the tpi - 1 is an agent preventing the inactivation of ftd due to degradation , through inhibition of the thymidine phosphorylase , a degradative enzyme for ftd . the composition can be a composition capable of being administered orally , and a preparation containing both ftd and tpi - 1 , or a combination of ftd - containing and tpi - 1 - containing preparations . the forms of these preparations include tablets , coated tablets , pills , powders , granules , capsules , solutions , suspentions , emulsions or the like . these preparations may be formulated by any conventional formulation method generally known in the art , using a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the like . the preparation may be also divided conveniently for packaging so that it can be administered at a dose of 20 to 80 mg / m 2 / day in 2 to 4 divided portions . there is no limitation particular for the packaging method provided that it is a conventional packaging method generally known in the art ; for example , tablets may be packaged in a material for moisture - and oxygen - impervious packaging . for shaping into tablet form , the carriers may include , for example , an excipient such as lactose , sucrose , sodium chloride , glucose , urea , starch , calcium carbonate , kaolin , crystalline cellulose , or silicic acid ; a binder such as water , ethanol , propanol , corn starch , simple syrup , a glucose solution , a starch solution , a gelatin solution , carboxymethylcellulose , shellac , methylcellulose , hydroxypropylcellulose , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , potassium phosphate , or polyvinylpyrrolidone ; a disintegrator such as dry starch , sodium alginate , powdered agar , powdered laminaran , sodium bicarbonate , calcium carbonate , a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester , sodium lauryl sulfate , monoglyceride stearate , starch , or lactose ; a disintegration inhibitor such as sucrose , stearic acid , cacao butter , or hydrogenated oil ; an absorption promoter such as a quaternary ammonium base , or sodium lauryl sulfate ; a humectant such as glycerin or starch ; an adsorbent such as starch , lactose , kaolin , bentonite , or colloidal silicic acid ; and a lubricant such as purified talc , a stearate , powdered boric acid , or polyethylene glycol . in addition , the tablet may be , optionally , a tablet given a conventional coating such as a sugar - coated tablet , a gelatin - coated tablet , an enteric coated tablet , a film coated tablet , a double - coated tablet , a multiple - layer tablet , or the like . for shaping into pill form , the carriers may include , for example , an excipient such as glucose , lactose , starch , cacao butter , hydrogenated vegetable oil , kaolin , or talc ; a binder such as powdered acacia , powdered tragacanth , gelatin , or ethanol ; and a disintegrator such as laminaran or agar . the capsule is prepared by mixing the aforementioned component with various carriers as exemplified above , followed by packing the mixture in a hard gelatin capsule , a soft capsule , or the like , according to the ordinary method . for liquid preparations for oral use , an oral solution , a syrup , an elixir , and the like may be produced according to conventional art using a flavoring agent , a buffer , a stabilizer , a smell correcting agent , or the like . the flavoring agent may be , for example , sucrose , bitter orange peel , citric acid , tartaric acid , or the like ; the buffer may be , for example , sodium citrate ; and the stabilizer may be , for example , tragacanth , gum arabic , gelatin , or the like . in addition , a coloring agent , a preservative , a perfume , a seasoning , a sweetening agent , or the like , or other drugs may be optionally mixed in the above preparations , if desired . the composition is administered at an oral dose of 20 to 80 mg / m 2 / day in terms of ftd in 2 to 4 divided portions . the daily dose is more preferably 25 to 75 mg / m 2 / day in terms of ftd , further more preferably 30 to 75 mg / m 2 / day , particularly 50 to 70 mg / m 2 / day . the dose for a patient is determined by the body surface area ( bsa ) calculated from the height and weight of the patient . the calculation of the body surface area is carried out using a conventional suitable method depending on the race , sex , health condition , symptom , and the like of the patient , for example , using one of the following no . 1 to no . 5 , preferably no . 1 or no . 2 ( a ) calculating formula : 1 . the mosteller formula ( see n . engl . j . med . 1987 oct . 22 ; 317 ( 17 ): 1098 ( letter )) 2 . the dubois and dubois formula ( see arch . int . med . 1916 17 : 863 - 71 ; j . clin . anesth . 1992 ; 4 ( 1 ): 4 - 10 ) 3 . the haycock formula ( see the journal of pediatrics 1978 93 : 1 : 62 - 66 ) 4 . the gehan and george formula ( see cancer chemother . rep . 1970 54 : 225 - 35 ) 5 . the boyd formula ( see minneapolis : university of minnesota press , 1935 ) for example , when the body surface area of a cancer patient 175 cm high and 70 kg in weight is calculated by the above formula of item 1 , the area is determined to be [ 175 ( cm )× 70 ( kg )]/ 3600 ) 1 / 2 = 1 . 84 ( m 2 ). the assumption that the dose of 60 mg / m 2 / day is used in the patient gives 1 . 84 × 60 = 111 mg , whereby the total daily dose is set to 110 mg which will be administered in 2 to 4 divided portions . the composition of the present invention is administered in an oral dose of 20 to 80 mg / m 2 / day in terms of ftd in 2 to 4 divided portions ; however , the dose is preferably given in 2 to 3 divided portions . a dosage interval for the composition is preferably 6 hours or more . for the method of the invention , a dosing schedule in one week can be daily administration , but , in terms of burden relief on patients , is preferably daily dosing for 5 days followed by 2 days off treatment in the week , more preferably two cycles of daily dosing for 5 days followed by 2 days off treatment in the week , and subsequent 2 weeks off treatment . the method of the invention is intended for cancers including , but not limited to , esophageal , gastric , liver , gallbladder - bile duct , pancreatic , colorectal , head and neck , lung , breast , cervical , ovarian , bladder , prostate cancers , cancer of the testicles , soft tissue and bone sarcomas , skin cancer , malignant lymphoma , leukemia , and brain tumor , preferably malignant solid cancers such as gastric , pancreatic , breast , colorectal , head and neck , gallbladder - bile duct and lung cancers . according to the method of the present invention , a much more favorable therapeutic effect may be obtained against cancer despite the use of the reduced dose , compared to conventional once - a - day administration . this is due to an increased amount of ftd incorporated into target site dna resulting from administration at a daily dose in 2 to 4 divided portions . in addition , the method of the invention has facilitated the management of side effects . next , the present invention is described in further detail with reference to examples . however , this invention should not be construed to be limited to these examples in any manner . a tablet was prepared in the preceding compounding ratio according to the ordinary method . a tablet was prepared in the preceding compounding ratio according to the ordinary method . a granule was prepared in the preceding compounding ratio according to the ordinary method . a capsule was prepared in the preceding compounding ratio according to the ordinary method . effects of single - and divided - dosing of tas - 102 on the incorporation of ftd into dna in mice bearing the human gastric cancer cell line nugc - 3 were studied . our previous data demonstrated that , when tas - 102 ( the composition containing ftd and tpi in a molar ratio of 1 : 0 . 5 ) was orally administered to the mice at a dose of 50 mg / kg in terms of ftd , ftd levels in cancer cells could be maintained at a several - micro molar range for several hours . from this finding , we supposed that , when ftd , being divided into three times ( totally , 150 mg / kg / day ), would be administered at intervals of every 3 hours , tumor could contact with ftd at a several - micro molar range for 5 hours or more . then , tas - 102 containing [ 3 h ]- labeled ftd was orally administered to the cancer - bearing mice at a dose of 150 mg / kg / day in terms of ftd , and the amount of ftd incorporated into the cancer cell dna was quantitatively determined . the results are shown in fig1 . at one day after single - or divided - dosing , the amount of ftd in the dna in the divided - dosing group was significantly increased as compared to that in the single - dosing group ( p = 0 . 002 ). in addition , the divided - dosing of ftd for further three consecutive days produced a significant increase in the amount of ftd in the dna ( p = 0 . 03 ). these results suggested that the amount of ftd incorporated into cancer cell dna could be enhanced by such a divided - dosing modality of tas - 102 . antitumor effects of single - and 3 divided - dosing of tas - 102 were studied in a cancer - bearing mouse model . in order to confirm whether an increased incorporation of ftd into dna as shown in fig1 may lead to enhanced antitumor effects , the antitumor effects of single - and divided - dosing of tas - 102 were examined using mice xenografted with a human gastric cancer cell line ( nugc - 3or az - 521 ) or a human pancreatic cancer cell line ( pan - 12 ). the results are shown in table 1 . when tas - 102 was administered at almost the same total dose in single - and divided - dosing ( thrice a day at intervals of 3 hours ) modalities , a significant antitumor effect , as compared to the control group , was observed in all the group treated with tas - 102 except for the group of mice bearing the pan - 12 cell line given tas - 102 at 150 mg / kg in a single - dosing modality . in addition , the divided - dosing of tas - 102 thrice a day at 30 mg / kg / dosing or 50 mg / kg / dosing increased the inhibition rate ( ir ). at the higher dosage of tas - 102 ( 150 mg / kg / day ), the divided - dosing significantly enhanced the antitumor effect of tas - 102 against not only the cell line relatively high sensitive ( az - 521 ) to but also the cell line relatively low sensitive ( pan - 12 ) to the single - dosing of tas - 102 . in this respect , body weight loss used as a toxicological parameter was estimated to be − 15 % or less in a relative body weight loss ratio , indicating that such treatments were all tolerable . therapeutic effects of tas - 102 were studied by oral administration once a day at a daily dose of 100 mg / m 2 in terms of ftd ( trial 1 ) or at a daily dose of 70 mg / m 2 in 3 divided portions ( trial 2 ) to cancer patients . these trials were performed using patients with digestive cancer which is refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative therapy exists , in order to evaluate , principally , the safety of the tas - 102 administrations , representing a phase i clinical trial for determining the recommended dose ( rd ) at which tas - 102 can be safely administered without causing problematic side effects in phase ii clinical trials carried out in each type of cancer . this phase i trial was also designed to evaluate , if possible , therapeutic effects of the administrations against tumors . for therapeutic effects against tumors , tumor - shrinking effects were determined on the basis of the comprehensive evaluation of target lesions ( lesions of a measurable size , or more , depending on slice thickness ) and nontarget lesions ( all lesions other than the target lesions ), referring to the recist evaluation method ( journal of the national cancer institute , 2000 , vol 92 , no . 3 , 205 - 216 ). for the trial , pr ( partial response ) means at least a 30 % decrease in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions , maintained for a certain period of time ( typically , 4 weeks ) during which no progression of nontarget lesions is observed . pd ( progressive disease ) means at least a 20 % increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions , taking as reference the smallest sum longest diameter recorded since the treatment started , or unequivocal progression of existing nontarget lesions or the appearance of a new lesion ( s ). sd ( stable disease ) means neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for pr nor sufficient increase to qualify for pd , the stopping of tumor growth , and no progression of tumor . mr ( minor response ) means a tumor shrinkage of less than 30 %; however , it refers to a case maintaining a shrinkage near the percentage ( a shrinkage of a 15 % range ), or temporarily showing a therapeutic response equivalent to pr . the results obtained are provided in fig2 . in fig2 , trial 1 shows the result of daily dosing of the tas - 102 preparation ( tablet ) at 100 mg / m 2 ( in terms of ftd ) for 5 days followed by 2 days off treatment in the week , indicating that the dosing modality was effective ( stabilizing but not aggravating the tumor ) in two of six cases ( 33 %). trial 2 shows the result of daily dosing of the preparation at 70 mg / m 2 ( in terms of ftd ) in 3 divided portions for 5 days followed by 2 days off treatment in the week , indicating that this dosing modality was effective in four of six cases ( 67 %): the four cases reflected the stopping of tumor growth and no progression , and one of the four cases showed even tumor shrinkage . these results suggest that for tas - 102 , the divided - dosing is an effective mode of administration in patients with digestive cancer which is refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative therapy exists . a phase i clinical trial was performed using patients with breast cancer , as described in example 3 . therapeutic effects of tas - 102 were studied by oral administration twice a day at 60 mg / m 2 / day in terms of ftd ( trial 3 ) or twice a day at 50 mg / m 2 / day ( trial 4 ) to patients with breast cancer , which was refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative therapy was available . the results obtained are shown in fig3 . trial 3 shows the result of daily dosing of the tas - 102 preparation ( tablet ) at 60 mg / m 2 ( in terms of ftd ) in 2 divided portions for 5 days followed by 2 days off treatment in the week , indicating that the dosing modality was effective in five of seven cases ( 71 %). trial 4 shows the result of daily dosing of the preparation at 50 mg / m 2 ( in terms of ftd ) in 2 divided portions for 5 days followed by 2 days off treatment in the week , indicating that this dosing modality was effective in seven of nine cases ( 78 %): most cases reflected the stopping of tumor growth and no progression , and a plurality of cases had sd continued over half a year or more , including one case having sd continued over one year or more . in the case of breast cancer , it is considered that a method of treatment capable of being continued over six courses ( about half a year ) is excellent in clinical utility . therefore , these results suggest that for tas - 102 , the divided - dosings are effective modes of administration in patients with breast cancer which is refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative therapy exists as in the example 1 . 1 ) relative tumor volume ( a ratio of the estimated tumor volume on the day of response evaluation to the tumor volume on the day of animal allocation ) 3 ) body weight change ( a ratio of the increased body weight to the body weight on the animal allocation day ) 6 ) significantly different from the sid group at ± probability level of less than 0 . 05 . | 0 |
referring now to fig1 a construction of a vibration wave motor according to the first embodiment is explained . a housing ( 21 ) includes an outer housing ( 21a ), an inner housing ( 21b ) and a housing base ( 21c ). the housing base ( 21c ) is positioned between the outer housing ( 21a ) and the inner housing ( 21b ). the outer housing ( 21a ) and the housing base ( 21c ) accommodate a first rotor ( 40a ), and the inner housing ( 21b ) and the housing base ( 21c ) accommodate a second rotor ( 40b ). the outer housing ( 21a ), the inner housing ( 21b ) and the housing base ( 21c ) have four related flanges ( 21al , 21bl , 21cl ), ( 21a2 , 21b2 , 21c2 ), ( 21a3 , 21b3 , 21c3 ) and ( 21a4 , 21b4 , 21c4 ) respectively . the outer housing ( 21a ), the inner housing ( 21b ) and the housing base ( 21c ) are integrated by four pairs of screws ( not shown ) and nuts ( not shown ). a spindle ( 22 ) is rotatably supported by three bearings ( 23 , 23b , 23c ). the bearing ( 23a ) is mounted in the center of the outer housing ( 21a ). the bearing ( 23b ) is mounted in the center of the inner housing ( 21b ). the bearing ( 23c ) is mounted in the center of the housing base ( 21c ). a center part of the first stator ( 30a ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ) by a screw . the outer circumferential part of the first stator ( 30a ) operates as a ring - shaped vibration member ( 31a ). a plurality of projections ( 31al ) are provided integrally on one side of the vibration member ( 31a ), a ring - shaped piezoelectric member ( 32a ) is adhered by a conductive adhesive . as shown in fig3 ( a ), the piezoelectric member ( 32a ) includes two driving elements ( a , b ). these elements ( a , b ) are separated by a proper interval which corresponds to 1 / 4 the wave length of the traveling wave which is generated on the vibration member ( 31a ). further , these driving elements ( a , b ) are polarized as shown in fig3 ( b ). referring again to fig1 the first rotor ( 40a ) is explained . the first rotor ( 40a ) rotates together with the spindle ( 22 ) but is mounted slidably along the axial direction of the spindle ( 22 ). the first rotor ( 40a ) is pressed toward the first stator ( 30a ) by a cone spring ( 43a ) through a rubber seat ( 42a ). the rubber seat ( 42a ) absorbs vibrations from the first stator ( 30a ). a disc ( 41a ) of the first rotor ( 40a ) includes a ring - shaped friction portion ( 41al ). the ring - shaped friction portion ( 41al ) is in contact with the projections ( 31al ) of the first stator ( 30a ). similar to the first stator ( 30a ), a center part of the second stator ( 30b ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ) by a screw . the second stator ( 30b ) comprises the same members as the first stator ( 30a ). the outer circumferential part of the second stator ( 30b ) operates as a ring - shaped vibration member ( 31b ). a plurality of projections ( 31bl ) are provided integrally on one side of the vibration member ( 31b ). tops of the projections ( 31bl ) are in touch with the second rotor ( 40b ). on the opposite side of the vibration member ( 31b ), a piezoelectric member ( 32b ) is adhered by a conductive adhesive . the piezoelectric member ( 32b ) is the same as the piezoelectric member ( 32a ) except for inverted polarization . the second rotor ( 40b ) is the same as the first rotor ( 40a ). the second rotor ( 40b ) rotates together with the spindle ( 22 ) but is mounted slidably along the axial direction of the spindle ( 22 ). the second rotor ( 40b ) is pressed toward the second stator ( 30b ) by a cone spring ( 43b ) through a rubber seat ( 42b ). the rubber seat ( 42b ) absorbs vibrations from the second stator ( 30b ). a disc ( 41b ) of the second rotor ( 40b ) includes a ring - shaped friction portion ( 41bl ). the ring - shaped friction portion ( 41bl ) is in contact with the projections ( 31bl ) of the second stator ( 30b ). an outer shim ( 50a ) is inserted between the bearing ( 23a ) and the cone spring ( 43a ) in order to adjust the pressure between the first stator ( 30a ) and the first rotor ( 40a ). accordingly , the pressure between the first stator ( 30a ) and the first rotor ( 40a ) can be adjusted by exchanging the outer shim ( 50a ) for another shim of different thickness . further , an inner shim ( 50b ) is inserted between the bearing ( 23b ) and the cone spring ( 43b ) in order to adjust the pressure between the second stator ( 30b ) and the second rotor ( 40b ). accordingly , the pressure between the second stator ( 30b ) and the second rotor ( 40b ) can be adjusted by exchanging the inner shim ( 50b ) for another shim of different thickness . thus , each pressure between stators ( 30a , 30b ) and rotors ( 40a , 40b ), respectively , can be adjusted without mutual interference , since the first and the second rotors ( 40a , 40b ) are mounted slidably along the axial direction of the spindle ( 22 ). the vibration wave motor which is explained above is built up as follows : first of all , the first stator ( 30a ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ) by the screw . next , the spindle ( 22 ) is inserted into the bearing ( 23c ) which is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ). then the disc ( 41a ), the rubber seat ( 42a ), the cone spring ( 43a ) and the outer shim ( 50a ) are inserted in the spindle ( 22 ). after that , the outer housing ( 21a ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ). at this stage , a pair of a . c . signals are applied to the piezoelectric member ( 32a ) of the first stator ( 30a ). then a travelling wave is generated on the vibration member ( 31a ). the first rotor ( 40a ) starts rotating as soon as the travelling wave is generated on the vibration member ( 31a ). the thickness of the outer shim ( 50a ) is adjusted by exchanging the shim with other shims having different thicknesses in order to maximize an output torque while the first rotor ( 40a ) is rotating . secondly , the second stator ( 30b ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ) on the opposite side relative to the first stator ( 30a ) by a screw . next , the disc ( 41b ), the rubber seat ( 42b ), the cone spring ( 43b ) and the outer shim ( 50b ) are inserted on the spindle ( 22 ). after that , the inner housing ( 21b ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ). at this stage , the a . c . signals are applied to the piezoelectric members ( 32a , 32b ). then the independent travelling waves in the same rotational direction are generated on each vibration member ( 31a , 31b ). the first and second rotors ( 40a , 40b ) start rotating as soon as the travelling waves are generated on the vibration members ( 32a , 31b ). the thickness of the inner shim ( 50b ) is adjusted by exchanging the shim with other shims having different thicknesses in order to harmonize the vibration characteristic of the second stator ( 30b ) with that of the first stator ( 30a ). when the thickness of the inner shim ( 50b ) is adjusted properly , and the vibration characteristics of the first and second stators ( 30a , 30b ) are harmonized , the output torque becomes almost twice as much as the output torque based on the single first stator ( 30a ) and rotor ( 40a ). further , the squealing of the vibration wave motor can also be stopped . in the above embodiment , the first stator ( 30a ) is the same as the second stator ( 30b ), and the first rotor ( 40a ) is the same as the second rotor ( 40b ). therefore , standardization of the parts can be obtained and the variety of parts can be reduced . meanwhile , the inner and outer shims ( 50a , 50b ) are utilized for adjusting the pressures between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ) in the above embodiment . however , the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment shown in fig1 and 3 . referring now to fig4 the second embodiment is explained . the second embodiment is one modification of the present invention . accordingly , like reference characters in fig4 designate like or corresponding parts in fig1 further , only some differences between first and second embodiments are explained in this explanation . the outer housing ( 21a ) has a central bore ( 210a ). an outer screw plate ( 51a ) is provided in the central bore ( 210a ). the bearing ( 23a ) is mounted on the outer screw plate ( 51a ). the spindle ( 22 ) is slidably supported by the bearings ( 2ea , 23c ) along the axial direction of the spindle ( 22 ), but displacement of the spindle is limited between the outer screw plate ( 51a ) and the bearing ( 23b ). the pressure between the first stator ( 30a ) and the first rotor ( 40a ) is adjusted by rotating the outer screw plate ( 51a ) in the central bore ( 210a ). similar to the outer housing ( 21a ), the inner housing ( 21b ) has a central bore ( 21b ). an inner screw plate ( 51b ) is provided in the central bore ( 210b ). the bearing ( 23b ) is mounted on the inner screw plate ( 51b ). the pressure between the second stator ( 30b ) and the second rotor ( 40b ) is adjusted by rotating the inner screw plate ( 51b ) in the central bore ( 210b ). in the second embodiment , each pressure between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ), respectively , can be adjusted independently without any mutual interference similar to the first embodiment . therefore , the same method as the first embodiment can be executed for adjusting the pressures between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ). further , each pressure between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ), respectively , can be adjusted externally from the outer housing ( 21a ) and the inner housing ( 21b ) in the second embodiment . it is preferred that resins ( 52a , 52b ) are poured into the gaps around the screw plates ( 51a , 51b ) after adjusting the pressures between stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ) in order to prevent the screw plates ( 51a , 51b ) from loosening . referring now to fig5 a third embodiment , which is a modification of the present invention , is explained . in the third embodiment , the pressures between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ) are adjusted by axial displacements of the first and second housing ( 21a , 21b ) with respect to the housing base ( 21c ). like reference characters in fig5 designate like or corresponding parts in fig1 . in this explanation , only some differences between the first embodiment and the third embodiment are explained . the outer housing ( 21a ) does not have the flanges ( 21al , 21a2 , 21a3 , 21a4 ), and therefore , the outer housing ( 21a ) has an almost cylindrical shape . further , the inner housing ( 21b ) does not have the flanges ( 21bl , 21b2 , 21b3 , 21b4 ), and therefore , the inner housing ( 21b ) has an almost cylindrical shape . furthermore , the housing base ( 21c ) does not have flanges ( 21c2 , 21c2 , 21c3 , 21c4 ) but has a t - shaped flange with two screw portions ( 21c11 , 21c12 ). the outer housing ( 21a ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ) by a screw portion ( 21a11 ) which is provided on a side of the outer housing ( 21a ). the screw portion ( 21a11 ) on the outer housing ( 21a ) is threaded into the screw portion ( 21c11 ) on the housing base ( 21c ). further , a locking member ( 60a ) is also threaded onto the screw portion ( 21a11 ) in order to prevent the outer housing ( 21a ) from rotating . similar to the outer housing ( 21a ), the inner housing ( 21b ) is fixed to the housing base ( 21c ) with a screw portion ( 21b11 ) which is provided on a side of the inner housing ( 21b ). the screw portion ( 21b11 ) on the inner housing ( 21b ) is threaded into the screw portion ( 21c12 ) on the housing base ( 21c ). further , a locking member ( 60b ) is threaded onto the screw portion ( 21b12 ) in order to prevent the inner housing ( 21b ) from rotating . in the third embodiment , each pressure between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ), respectively , can be adjusted independently without any mutual interference similar to the first and second embodiments . therefore , the same method as the first embodiment can be executed for adjusting the pressures between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ). further , each pressure between the stators ( 30a , 30b ) and the rotors ( 40a , 40b ), respectively can be adjusted externally by rotation of the outer housing ( 21a ) and inner housing ( 21b ) relative to the housing base . in the third embodiment , three or more pairs of the stator and the rotor can be stacked because each pressure between a stator and a rotor can be adjusted by rotating each housing . accordingly , the output torque of the vibration wave motor can be increased more than triple the output torque based on a single first stator ( 30a ) and rotor ( 40a ). various modifications may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . | 7 |
in fig1 a steam power plant fuelled with fossils or biomass is represented as block diagram . fig1 essentially has the purpose of designating the single components of the power plant and to represent the water - steam - cycle in its entirety . for reasons of clarity in the following figures only those parts of the water - steam - cycle are represented which are essential to the invention . in a steam generator 1 under utilization of fossil fuels or by means of biomass out of the feed water live steam is generated , which is expanded in a steam turbine 3 and thus drives a generator g . turbine 3 can be separated into a high - pressure part hd , a medium - pressure part md and a low - pressure part nd . after expanding the steam in turbine 3 , it streams into a condenser 5 and is liquefied there . for this purpose a generally liquid cooling medium , as e . g . cooling water , is supplied to condenser 5 . this cooling water is then cooled in a cooling tower ( not shown ) or by a river in the vicinity of the power plant ( not shown ), before it enters into condenser 5 . the condensate originated in condenser 5 is then supplied , by a condensate pump 7 , to several preheaters vw i , with i = 1 . . . n . in the shown embodiment behind the second preheater vw 2 a feed water container 8 is arranged . behind the feed water container 8 a feed water pump 9 is provided . in combination with the invention it is of significance that the condensate from condenser 5 is preheated with steam beginning with the first preheater vw 1 until the last preheater vw 5 . this so - called tapping steam is taken from turbine 3 and leads to a diminution of the output of turbine 3 . with the heat exchange between tapping steam and condensate the temperature of the condensate increases from preheater to preheater . consequently the temperature as well of the steam utilized for preheating must increase from preheater to preheater . in the shown embodiment the preheaters vw 1 and vw 2 are heated with steam from low - pressure part nd of steam turbine 3 , whereas the last preheater vw 5 is partially heated with steam from high - pressure part hd of steam turbine 3 . the third preheater vw 3 arranged in the feed water container 8 is heated with steam from medium - pressure part md of turbine 3 . in fig2 and 3 various operation conditions of a first embodiment of a steam power plant according to the invention are shown . as the invention essentially is concerned with the section of the steam power plant between condenser 5 and feed water container 8 , only this part of the steam power plant is shown in fig2 . neither are , for reasons of clarity , all fittings and components in fig2 . designated with reference numerals . the designation of the fittings and representation of the fittings and components corresponds to din 2482 “ graphic symbols for heat diagrams ”, which herewith is referred to , and are thus self - explanatory . where obviously identical connections are present several times , partially the insertion of reference numerals is dispensed with in order to maintain the clarity of the figures . as example thereof the strands of the three condensate pumps 7 . 1 , 7 . 2 and 7 . 3 are designated . for reasons of clarity in the strand of the third condensate pump 7 . 3 only shutoff devices 13 and non - return valve 15 are provided with reference numerals . concerning the parts of the steam power process that are not represented fig1 is referred to . identical components are designated with identical reference numerals and what is mentioned concerning the other figures correspondingly applies . in a first section 19 . 1 of the condensate line three condensate pumps 7 . 1 , 7 . 2 and 7 . 3 are arranged . as several condensate pumps 7 are provided , the supply quantity can be simply controlled and in case of breakdown of one condensate pump the operation of the steam power plant is not impaired . the condensate pumps 7 . 1 to 7 . 3 are secured by means of shutoff devices 13 and non - return valves 15 and can be shut off if necessary . downstream of the condensate pumps 7 . 1 to 7 . 3 a flow - through measurement 17 and a condensate cleaning installation kra are provided . downstream of the condensate cleaning installation kra a first section 21 . 1 of a connecting line 21 branches off . the first section 21 . 1 of the connecting line 21 is connected with a cold connection 23 of a heat reservoir 25 . a second section 21 . 2 of the connecting line connects a warm connection 27 of heat reservoir 25 with a second section 19 . 2 of condensate line 19 . the second section 19 . 2 of the condensate line is arranged downstream of preheater vw and upstream of feed water container 8 . in the first section 19 . 1 as well as in the second section 19 . 2 of the condensate line liquid condensate flows . parallel to the control valves 31 . 1 and 31 . 3 choke valves 33 . 1 and 33 . 2 are provided which take over the tasks of control valves 31 in case of their breakdown . all in all this guarantees a very high disposability and operation security of the power plant according to the invention . this is also achieved by realizing an identical construction at the cold and the warm side of heat reservoir 25 containing multiple redundancies . the redundancies can affect pumps 29 as well as control valves 31 and choke valves 33 . in the embodiment shown in fig2 heat reservoir 25 is filled with liquid condensate up to approximately 90 %. a small steam bolster is situated in the upper part of heat reservoir 25 . in fig2 the condition is shown in which heat reservoir 25 is loaded . this means that pump 29 . 1 sucks condensate out of heat reservoir 25 and conveys it in the direction of arrows 36 and into the first section 19 . 1 of condensate line 19 , i . e . upstream of the preheater passage , into condensate line 19 . control valve 31 . 2 takes care that the filling level of heat reservoir 25 remains constant . choke valve 33 . 2 is closed . the shown shutoff devices 35 are necessary in order to separate the heat reservoir installation from the main condensate system in case of improper operation resp . excess of a defined container level . when loading heat reservoir 25 cold condensate from heat reservoir 25 gets into condensate line 19 . 1 and is then preheated in preheater passage vw 1 to vw 4 as well as the condensate sucked out of condenser 5 by condensate pumps 7 . with the condensate stream through the preheater passage of course the demand of tapping steam increases , so that the electric output of steam turbine 3 ( cf . fig1 ) is reduced correspondingly . i . e . that by means of loading heat reservoir 25 the electric output of the steam power plant can systematically and very quickly be reduced , without restricting the output of the steam generator . as heat reservoir 25 when being loaded with preheated condensate is filled out of the second section 19 . 2 of the condensate line , the temperature of the condensate in heat reservoir 25 increases ; i . e . sensitive heat is stored in heat reservoir 25 . when loading heat reservoir 25 pump 29 . 1 is in operation . the shutoff devices before and behind pump 29 . 1 are opened . choke valves 33 . 1 and 33 . 2 , pump 29 . 2 and shutoff devices of pump 29 . 2 are closed . control valve 31 . 2 is in engagement . consequently the condensate stream taken from the heat reservoir exclusively streams via pump 29 . 1 and flow - through measurement 17 . in fig3 the unloading process of the embodiment according to fig2 is shown . consequently the stream direction of the condensate into the first connecting line 21 . 1 and 21 . 2 reverses against the loading process shown in fig2 . this is demonstrated by arrows 41 . in the other embodiments as well ( fig4 ) arrows 36 show the stream direction of the condensate during the loading and arrows 41 the stream direction of the condensate during the unloading of heat reservoir 25 . when loading pump 29 . 1 is set into operation and pump 29 . 2 is set out of operation . when unloading heat reservoir 25 pump 29 . 2 is in operation . with the embodiment of the steam power plant according to the invention explained by means of fig2 and 3 the first section 21 . 1 of the connecting line always branches off before first preheater vw 1 and the second section of connecting line 21 . 2 always ends upstream of last preheater vw 4 into condensate line 19 . thus must not necessarily always be the case ; by this connection a maximal additional output is provided . between condensate line 19 and heat reservoir 25 shutoff devices 35 are arranged . with the utilization of a heat reservoir being filled with condensate only up to 90 % and with a steam bolster up to 10 %, a lower operation pressure in the heat reservoir occurs than in condensate line 19 , which has the result of a cost - saving construction . in fig4 a second embodiment of a steam power plant according to the invention is shown , with which taking out and feeding - in of condensate of condensate line 19 can take place in a flexible manner . for this purpose five shutoff devices 35 . 1 to 35 . 5 and four branch lines 37 . 1 to 37 . 4 are provided altogether . the first branch line 37 . 1 branches off from condensate line 19 between condensate cleaning installation kra and the first preheater vw 1 . the second branch line 37 . 2 is arranged between the first preheater vw 1 and the second preheater vw 2 . the third branch line 37 . 3 is arranged between the second preheater vw 2 and the third preheater vw 3 . the same applies to the fourth branch line 37 . 4 . in each of these branch lines 37 . 1 to 37 . 4 a shutoff device 35 . 1 to 35 . 5 is provided . furthermore , parallel to each preheater vw 1 to vw 4 , a bypass - line 39 . 1 to 39 . 4 with a shutoff device ( without reference numeral ) is provided . with branch lines 37 it is possible , according to requirements , to connect heat reservoir 25 parallel e . g . only to the first preheater vw 1 . this means that in heat reservoir 25 , due to the comparatively small temperature difference between the cold condensate and the condensate preheated solely by the first preheater vw 1 , only relatively little energy is stored with a low temperature level . alternatively it is also possible to connect preheater 25 parallel to preheater vw 4 and thus operate it on a temperature level corresponding to the temperature level of preheater vw 4 . of course it is also possible to connect heat reservoir 25 parallel to the preheaters vw 2 and vw 3 . depending on the requirements concerning the operation of the steam power plant all combinations of parallel connection of heat reservoir 25 to one or several preheaters vw 1 are possible . this variation of the steam power plant according to the invention thus allows a very flexible and thus economical and thermodynamically optimal operation of the steam power plant . the stream directions of the condensate during loading and unloading heat reservoir 25 are illustrated by arrows 36 and 41 . with the embodiment according to fig4 as well the level regulation in heat reservoir 25 takes place via control valves 31 . 1 / 31 . 2 . in fig5 a further embodiment of the steam power plant according to the invention is shown . with this connection variation heat reservoir 25 with its cold connection 23 is connected twice with the first section 19 . 1 of the condensate line . section 21 . 1 of the connecting line is already known from the preceding embodiments . a third section 21 . 3 branches off from condensate line 19 . 2 between condenser 5 , to be more precise from hotwell , and before condensate pumps 7 and ends in the cold connection 23 of heat reservoir 25 . as the pressure in condensate line 19 . 1 upstream of condensate pumps 7 is very small , it is possible to load the heat reservoir without pump 29 . the pressure difference between second section 19 . 2 and the exit of condenser 5 is sufficient for this purpose . when unloading heat reservoir 25 during operation of pump 29 . 2 the condensate can be extracted via the cold connection 23 and the first section 21 . 1 of connecting line 21 and fed - in by control valve 31 . 1 into heat reservoir 25 . when heat reservoir 25 is unloaded the third section 21 . 3 of connecting line 21 is closed and loading takes place via the first section 21 . 1 of the connecting line and a corresponding control of control valve 33 . 1 . in this case condensate pumps 7 take over the pressure increase of the condensate required for loading , because contrary to the aforementioned embodiments a pump 29 . 1 is not provided . with the embodiment according to fig6 heat reservoir 25 is constructed as displacement reservoir . that means that it is completely filled with liquid condensate . the separation line between cold condensate in the lower part of heat reservoir 25 and the preheated condensate in the upper part of heat reservoir 25 is indicated by a horizontal line 43 in fig6 . with the embodiment according to fig6 all pumps can be constructed redundantly . of course this is also possible with the other embodiments . all pumps 29 have the common feature that they can dispose of a speed control so that an optimal and at the same time energy saving operation of pump 29 is possible . with the embodiment according to fig7 an energy recycling takes place via turbines 48 converting the pressure energy into mechanical energy . the mechanical energy generated in the turbines 48 is converted into electric energy by a generator . in this way the own requirements of the steam power plant according to the invention are reduced . furthermore pipelines are uncritical concerning their effects on the operation of the steam power plant in case of breakdown . if , e . g . the generator of turbine 48 is separated from the net , pipelines 31 also throttle in case of runaway speed and thus reduce the pressure . the same applies to a blocked bulb turbine resp . a blocked generator . for this reason these turbines are no additional shutoff organs or redundant components . the embodiment according to fig8 shows large analogies to the embodiment according to fig6 . however , and this is the essential difference , in the second section 19 . 2 of the condensate line , i . e ., a fourth condensate pump 7 . 4 is provided serving as a pressure increase of the condensate before it streams into feed water container 8 . thus it is possible to correspondingly lower the pressure level in condensate line 19 as well as in connecting line 21 and heat reservoir 25 . thereby a very simple and safe system is provided which additionally has a low own - current demand . with the embodiment according to fig8 the pressure level in the preheaters vw and in heat reservoir 25 can be clearly reduced compared to the aforementioned embodiments , as between preheater passage and feed water container 8 a fourth condensate pump 7 . 4 is provided , which brings the condensate provided in the second section 19 . 2 to the required pressure level and conveys it into feed water boiler 8 . otherwise this embodiment essentially corresponds to the embodiment shown in fig6 . | 5 |
fig1 illustrates a shared service module data interface system , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . the shared service module data interface system comprises a caller application 110 , a shared service module , and a shared service module data structure . the caller application 110 sends a request 120 to the shared service module for a transaction that is performed by the shared service module . in this embodiment , the shared service module data interface system is a common accounting module ( cam ) data interface system 100 , the shared service module is a common accounting module ( cam ) 200 , the shared service module data structure is a common accounting module ( cam ) data structure 300 , and the transaction is an accounting service . the cam data structure 300 comprises a caller identifier 301 , at least one cam attribute 310 , a configuration table 320 , at least one container 330 , a mapping table 340 , a relational table 350 , and a generic accounting document 360 . the caller identifier 301 differentiates each caller application 110 that requests an accounting service of the cam 200 . the caller identifier 301 is configured by the cam 200 and identifies all data associated with the caller application 110 within the cam data structure 300 . data that are specific to each caller application 110 are produced while the cam 200 performs an accounting function according to the request 120 from the caller application 110 . thus , a single web application instance of the cam 200 concurrently provides accounting services to multiple caller applications 110 that are uniquely identified by the caller identifier 301 through the cam data interface system 100 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the caller identifier 301 is stored in a variable instappl_id that is included in a document header . in another embodiment , the caller identifier 301 is stored in another variable instappl_id that is included in all data entities that are built up to service a request 120 from the caller application 110 that is identified by the caller identifier 301 . the caller application 110 provides a value of the caller identifier 301 to the cam 200 . examples of values of the caller identifier 301 include , inter alia , ‘ apu001 ’, ‘ req001 ’, and ‘ req002 .’ each example value of the caller identifier 301 comprises an application number and a sequence number for a running instance . a pair of caller identifiers 301 ‘ req001 ’ and ‘ req002 ’ of the example above represents that one caller application 110 that has the application number req has two running instances , and each of the running instances is uniquely identified with the sequence number followed by the application number , hence ‘ req001 ’ and ‘ req002 ’ comprises respective caller identifier 301 . the cam attribute 310 describes properties of the request 120 within the cam data structure 300 . the cam attribute 310 is identified from the request 120 and subsequently classified to service the request 120 from the caller application 110 . the cam attribute 310 comprises at least one part key . if the cam attribute 310 comprises more than one part key , each part key is separated by a delimiter . the cam 200 maintains the cam attribute 310 without manipulating the cam attribute while servicing the transaction requested by the caller application 110 . formats of the cam attribute 310 may include , inter alia , a single column key , a multi - column key , etc . the single column key may be a unit data value such as ‘ af34k1 ’ which identifies a single purchase request . the multi - column key may be , for example , ‘ 631 ˜ 03 ˜ 420038688 ’ which is a series of code representing hierarchical information of a purchase order by an entity , as a country , a company , and a serial number of the purchase order that has been made by the entity . the configuration table 320 stores category and level information of all cam attributes 310 that the cam 200 needs to service the request 120 for the caller application 110 . the cam attribute 310 is categorized as one of two categories : a basic - category and an extended - category . basic - category attributes are original to the caller application 110 that requests the cam 200 to perform a transaction . both the caller application 110 and the cam 200 recognize basic - category attributes . extended - category attributes are , on the other hand , not recognized by the cam 200 without additional configuration . the cam may recognize extended - category attributes either by additional configuration or by encoding of specific accounting rules and associating the encoded rules with extended - category attributes . the cam 200 data model need not be changed in recognizing extended - category attributes as described above . extended - category attributes may be defined for a specific entity that manipulates the requested accounting function . the cam attribute 310 is also divided into two levels , a header - level and an item - level , independent of a category of the cam attribute 310 . the header - level attribute is applicable to all items in a service document with a header comprising the header - level attribute . the item - level attribute is applicable only to an item within a service document that is described by the item - level attribute . information on both the category and the level of a cam attribute is collectively referred to as classification information in this specification . a container 330 is created within the generic accounting document 360 for each cam attribute 310 to hold a data value of an associated cam attribute 310 . each container 330 is classified according to the category and the level information of a respective cam attribute 310 for which the container 330 holds a data value . the mapping table 340 comprises information regarding association between each cam attribute 310 and a respective container 330 that corresponds to each cam attribute 310 . see description of the mapping table 340 in fig2 , infra . the relational table 350 is a set of cam attributes 310 in the cam data structure 300 . the relational table 350 is classified as one of four tables that store a respective cam attribute 310 according to the category and the level information of the cam attribute 310 : a document header table that comprises basic - category and header - level attributes , a document item table that comprises basic - category and item - level attributes , a document header extension table that comprises extended - category and header - level attributes , and a document item extension table that comprises extended - category and item - level attributes . the generic accounting document 360 comprises containers 330 and is returned to the caller application 110 after servicing the request 120 . fig2 is a flowchart depicting a method for a common accounting module data interface system of fig1 , supra , in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention . in step 210 , the common accounting module ( cam ) receives a request for an accounting service from a caller application . examples of the accounting service may include , inter alia , a data collection , a data validation , a purchase , etc . in step 220 , the cam builds up a relational table in the cam data structure comprising containers . see fig2 a , infra , for details . in step 230 , the cam determines a storage location of each container that is a column and / or a row in the relational table built in step 220 . in step 240 , the cam stores a cam attribute associated with the located container from step 230 . see fig2 b , infra , for details . in step 250 , the cam determines if there is a container that does not hold a data value for an associated cam attribute left unprocessed . if the cam determines that there is a container left unprocessed , the cam loops back to step 230 and re - performs steps 230 , 240 , and 250 . if the cam determines that there are no more containers left , then the cam proceeds with step 260 . in step 260 , the cam services the request from the caller application . see fig2 c , infra , for details . fig2 a is a flowchart depicting a method for building up the cam data structure of fig1 , supra , in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention . in step 2201 , the cam identifies and classifies attributes that are necessary to the accounting process in the request . the cam data interface instantiates a configuration table in the cam data structure with item identity and classification information . in step 2202 , the cam configures a caller identifier that is unique to each caller application . the cam differentiates transactional data of one caller application from the other caller application with the caller identifier . the caller identifier is used to compose the primary key of all stored transactional data as to the service of the request . consequently , the cam may service multiple caller applications within an instance without confusing identities of each caller application . in step 2203 , the cam creates a generic accounting document which represents the business transaction or purchasing document , parsing the input stream and assembling the cam data structure . in step 2204 , the cam creates a container per cam attribute , and attaches created containers to the generic accounting document . the container holds a data value of a corresponding cam attribute . these containers hold the business data values . when each container is created , each container is associated with respective cam attribute in each mapping . all mapping is stored in a mapping table . in step 2205 , the cam reads the mapping table and obtains names of cam attributes . the cam interface program assigns the cam attribute names to each container using the mapping table . by using the mapping table , the method of the present invention can dynamically extend a data structure in order to share existing application system data from multiple caller applications . a data structure of the cam , i . e ., the cam data structure , and a data structure of the caller application independently operate without exposing respective data structure to each other . two independent data structures of the cam and the caller application are associated by a name , a position , and a combination of the name and the position , and information regarding this association is stored in the mapping table . in one embodiment of the present invention , the cam associates a data element of the caller application , i . e ., an attribute , with a data item of the cam , i . e ., a container , by a name . respective data of the cam and the caller application are associated solely by the name of the data , without regarding a position of the data element by the cam . in another embodiment of the present invention , the cam associates a data element of the caller application , i . e ., an attribute , with a data item of the cam , i . e ., a container , by a position in a set of data elements . thus , the cam uses the position of the data element in the set of data elements of the caller application in identifying the data element and locating storage of the data item as stored within the cam data structure . if no data element is named in the request of the caller application , the cam maps all data elements by the position of the data element . in still another embodiment of the present invention , the cam associates a data element of the caller application , i . e ., an attribute , with a data item of the cam , i . e ., a container , by a name of the data element and a position in a set of data elements . in the same embodiment , the cam uses a name of the data element for some data elements in combination with the position to assure proper association of data elements . for a named data element , a position of the named data element is assumed to be honored for all data elements and the position of the named data element is checked by the cam . if the named data element is not in a defined position , then an unnamed data element is assumed to be in a correct position relative to the position of the named data element within a set of data elements . if the named element is in the defined position , then all data elements are handled by respective position . fig2 b is a flowchart depicting a method for storing cam attributes in the cam data structure of fig1 , supra , in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention . steps 2401 to 2407 are performed on each container located in step 230 of fig2 , supra . in step 2401 , the cam determines whether the container holds an extended attribute by looking up the configuration table that comprises classification information , i . e ., a category and a level , of cam attributes . if the cam determines that the container holds an extended - category attribute , the cam proceeds with step 2402 . if the cam determines that the container does not hold an extended - category attribute , the cam proceeds with step 2403 . in step 2402 , the cam determines whether the container is either a header - level container or an item - level container . if the cam determines that the container is a header - level container , the cam proceeds with step 2404 . if the cam determines that the container is an item - level container , the cam proceeds with step 2405 . in step 2403 , the cam determines whether the container is either a header level container or an item level container . if the cam determines that the container is a header level container , the cam proceeds with step 2406 . if the cam determines that the container is an item level container , the cam proceeds with step 2407 . in step 2404 , because the cam had determined that the container has an extended attribute in a header level container , the cam stores the container comprising a name and a value of the extended attribute as a row in a document extension data store that is designated to store an extended - header level container . in step 2405 , because the cam had determined that the container has an extended attribute in an item level container , the cam stores the container comprising a name and a value of the extended attribute as a row in a document item extension data store that is designated to store an extended - item level container . in step 2406 , because the cam had determined that the container has a basic attribute in a header level container , the cam stores the container comprising a value of the basic attribute as a column in a document header table that is designated to store a basic - header level container . in step 2407 , because the cam had determined that the container has a basic attribute in an item level container , the cam stores the container comprising a value of the basic attribute as a column in a document item table that is designated to store a basic - item level container . after the cam performs one of steps 2404 , 2405 , 2406 , or 2407 , the cam proceeds with step 250 in fig2 , supra . fig2 c is a flowchart depicting a method for servicing the request of the caller application , in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention . in step 2601 , the cam performs the data validation or collection request from the caller application as received in step 210 of fig2 , supra . in step 2602 , the cam reads the mapping table to find out container - attribute association and proper storage location for the attribute . in step 2603 , the cam reloads accounting element types from data store into the generic document . in step 2604 , the cam returns the generic document representing a document and / or a transaction to the caller application . the generic document that is passed to the caller application is by a position and a name of each attribute to accommodate an attribute locating system of the caller application . fig3 illustrates a computer system 90 used for extensible data interface for a shared service module , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . the computer system 90 comprises a processor 91 , an input device 92 coupled to the processor 91 , an output device 93 coupled to the processor 91 , and memory devices 94 and 95 each coupled to the processor 91 . the input device 92 may be , inter alia , a keyboard , a mouse , a keypad , a touchscreen , a voice recognition device , a sensor , a network interface card ( nic ), a voice / video over internet protocol ( voip ) adapter , a wireless adapter , a telephone adapter , a dedicated circuit adapter , etc . the output device 93 may be , inter alia , a printer , a plotter , a computer screen , a magnetic tape , a removable hard disk , a floppy disk , a nic , a voip adapter , a wireless adapter , a telephone adapter , a dedicated circuit adapter , an audio and / or visual signal generator , a light emitting diode ( led ), etc . the memory devices 94 and 95 may be , inter alia , a cache , a dynamic random access memory ( dram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), a hard disk , a floppy disk , a magnetic tape , an optical storage such as a compact disc ( cd ) or a digital video disc ( dvd ), etc . the memory device 95 includes a computer code 97 which is a computer program that comprises computer - executable instructions . the computer code 97 includes , inter alia , an algorithm used for extensible data interface for the shared service module , according to the present invention . the processor 91 executes the computer code 97 . the memory device 94 includes input data 96 . the input data 96 includes input required by the computer code 97 . the output device 93 displays output from the computer code 97 . either or both memory devices 94 and 95 ( or one or more additional memory devices not shown in fig3 ) may be used as a computer usable medium ( or a computer readable medium or a program storage device ) having a computer readable program embodied therein and / or having other data stored therein , wherein the computer readable program comprises the computer code 97 . generally , a computer program product ( or , alternatively , an article of manufacture ) of the computer system 90 may comprise said computer usable medium ( or said program storage device ). any of the components of the present invention can be deployed , managed , serviced , etc . by a service provider that offers to deploy or integrate computing infrastructure with respect to a process for extensible data interface for the shared service module of the present invention . thus , the present invention discloses a process for supporting computer infrastructure , comprising integrating , hosting , maintaining and deploying computer - readable code into a computing system ( e . g ., computing system 90 ), wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a method for extensible data interface for the shared service module , in another embodiment , the invention provides a business method that performs the process steps of the invention on a subscription , advertising and / or fee basis . that is , a service provider , such as a solution integrator , can offer to create , maintain , support , etc . a process for extensible data interface for the shared service module of the present invention . in this case , the service provider can create , maintain , support , etc . a computer infrastructure that performs the process steps of the invention for one or more customers . in return , the service provider can receive payment from the customer ( s ) under a subscription and / or fee agreement , and / or the service provider can receive payment from the sale of advertising content to one or more third parties . while fig3 shows the computer system 90 as a particular configuration of hardware and software , any configuration of hardware and software , as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , may be utilized for the purposes stated supra in conjunction with the particular computer system 90 of fig3 . for example , the memory devices 94 and 95 may be portions of a single memory device rather than separate memory devices . while particular embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration , many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention . | 6 |
microspheres made according to the method described below can be formed in a size suitable for injection through a 26 - gauge needle ( less than 50 micrometers in diameter ) and can contain from less than 0 . 01 % by weight up to approximately 50 % by weight active agent . active agents which can be incorporated into the microspheres include peptides , proteins , carbohydrates , polysaccharides , nucleic acids , lipids , steroids , and organic and inorganic drugs which are either hydrophobic or hydrophilic . other excipients can also be entrapped in the microspheres , including , for example , dextran , poly ( ethylene glycol ), glucose and various salts . polymers that can be used to form the microspheres include bioerodible polymers such as poly ( lactic acid ), poly ( lactic - co - glycolic acid ), poly ( caprolactone ), polycarbonates , polyamides , polyanhydrides , polyamino acids , polyortho esters , polyacetals , polycyanoacrylates and degradable polyurethanes , and non - erodible polymers such as polyacrylates , ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymers and other acyl substituted cellulose acetates and derivatives thereof , non - erodible polyurethanes , polystyrenes , polyvinyl chloride , polyvinyl fluoride , poly ( vinyl imidazole ), chlorosulphonated polyolefins , and polyethylene oxide . almost any type of polymer can be used provided the appropriate solvent and non - solvent are found which have the desired melting points . in general , a polymer solution is prepared containing between 1 % polymer and 20 % polymer , preferably 5 - 10 % polymer . there are two principal embodiments of the system for making microspheres : a combination cold liquified gas -- frozen non - solvent system and a cold non - solvent system , wherein &# 34 ; cold &# 34 ; is defined as a temperature which will immediately freeze the polymer and &# 34 ; non - solvent &# 34 ; is a liquid in which the polymer is not soluble . the process is shown schematically in fig1 for a liquified gas - frozen solvent system . polymer 10 and agent to be incorporated 12 in solution 14 are atomized 16 using an ultrasonic device 18 into a cold liquified gas 20 . the microspheres 22 are immediately frozen by the liquified gas 20 . the non - solvent 24 thaws and the frozen spheres 22 sink into the very cold non - solvent 24 . the non - solvent 24 extracts the solvent 14 from the spheres 22 as they thaw , leaving microspheres 26 containing the incorporated agent . the liquified gas 20 can be liquid argon (- 185 . 6 ° c . ), liquid nitrogen (- 195 . 8 ° c . ), liquid oxygen (- 182 . 9 ° c .) or any other gas that results in the immediate freezing of the atomized droplets into frozen spheres 22 . alternatively , a cold non - solvent for the polymer can be substituted for the combination of liquified gas - frozen non - solvent , provided the temperature of the non - solvent is below the freezing temperature of the polymer / active agent solution . in both embodiments , it is important that the solution or suspension of polymer and active agent freeze immediately upon contacting the cold liquid , and then be slowly thawed and the polymer solvent extracted from the microspheres , leaving behind the polymer and active agent . fig2 is a schematic of the freezing and solvent extraction steps of the process depicted in fig1 . in fig2 a , the atomized droplets 16 freeze when they contact the liquified gas 20 ( liquid nitrogen ), forming frozen spheres 22 . in fig2 b , these sink to the surface 28 of the frozen non - solvent ( ethanol ) 24 . in fig2 c , the liquid gas 20 is evaporated and , in fig2 d , the spheres 22 begin to sink into the non - solvent 24 as the non - solvent thaws . in fig2 e , the solvent 14 in the spheres 22 is extracted into the non - solvent 24 to form microspheres 26 containing the polymer and the active agent . in fig2 f , other non - solvents such as hexane are added to the non - solvent ( ethanol ) to increase the rate of solvent extraction from certain polymers , where appropriate , for example , when spheres are formed of poly ( lactic - co - glycolic acid ) polymers . the thawing rate is dependent on the choice of solvents and non - solvents , and the ambient temperature at which the system is thawed . it is important to select a solvent for the polymer having a higher melting point than the non - solvent for the polymer so that the non - solvent melts first , allowing the frozen microspheres to sink into the liquid where they later thaw . if a cold liquid non - solvent system for making the polymeric microspheres is used , the microspheres will sink immediately into the non - solvent . as the solvent in the microsphere thaws , it is extracted into the non - solvent . the solvent for the polymer and the non - solvent for the polymer must be miscible to allow extraction of the solvent from the microspheres . table 1 shows some exemplary polymer / solvent / non - solvent systems that can be used in this process along with their melting points . an advantage of this method is that surface active agents are not required in most cases , as in most processes for making microspheres involving formation of an emulsion , as in phase separation . there are many drug delivery applications where surface active agents , or emulsifiers , interfere with release or cause an undesirable reaction . however , when desired , other materials can be incorporated into the microspheres with the biologically active agents . examples of these materials are salts , metals , sugars , surface active agents , acids , bases , stabilizers , and release enhancing agents . surface active agents may also be added to the non - solvent during extraction of the solvent to reduce the possibility of aggregation of the microspheres . table 1______________________________________polymers and appropriate solvents and non - solventssystems , with solvent and non - solvent melting pointspolymer solvent non - solvent______________________________________poly ( lactic methylene ethanol (- 114 . 5 ) acid ) chloride (- 95 . 1 ) chloroform (- 63 . 5 ) methanol (- 97 . 5 ) poly ( lactic - ethyl ethanol (- 114 . 5 ) co - glycolic acetate (- 83 . 6 ) acid ) acetone (- 95 . 4 ) ethyl ether (- 116 . 3 ) methylene pentane (- 130 ) chloride (- 95 . 1 ) isopentane (- 160 ) poly ( capro - methylene ethanol (- 114 . 5 ) lactone ) chloride (- 95 . 1 ) poly ( vinyl water ( 0 ) acetone (- 95 . 4 ) alcohol ) ethylene - methylene ethanol (- 114 . 5 ) vinyl chloride (- 95 . 1 ) acetate______________________________________ the polymer / active agent / solvent mixture can be sprayed into the cold liquid , either the liquified gas or the cold non - solvent , using a variety of devices which can be used to form small droplets , including sonic nozzles , pressure nozzles , pneumatic nozzles and rotary atomizers . a wide range of sizes of microspheres can be made by varying the droplet size , for example , by changing the nozzle diameter . if very large spheres are desired , the spheres can be extruded through a syringe directly into the cold liquid . increasing the inherent viscosity of the polymer solution can also result in an increasing microspheres size . the size of the spheres produced by this process can range from greater than 1000 down to 5 micrometers in diameter . a preferred size range for injectable microspheres is from 30 to 50 micrometers in diameter . the microspheres made by this technique are spherical in shape , without irregularities . the microspheres made by this process can be either homogeneous or heterogeneous mixtures of the polymer and the active agent . homogeneous mixtures are produced when the active agent and the polymer are both soluble in the solvent , as in the case of certain hydrophobic drugs such as steroids . heterogeneous two phase systems having discrete zones of polymer and active agent are produced when the active agent is not soluble in the polymer / solvent , and is introduced as a suspension in the polymer / solvent solution , as with hydrophilic compounds such as proteins in methylene chloride . the present invention is further described by the following non - limiting examples which demonstrate that the process is applicable to a wide range of polymers , solvents , and substances to be incorporated within the microspheres . 0 . 7 g of poly ( l - lactic acid ) ( polysciences , inc ., warrington , pa ., mw 2000 ) was dissolved in 14 . 0 ml of methylene chloride to produce a 5 % ( w / v ) polymer solution . 3 . 36 ml of this polymer solution was added to 42 mg of the enzyme superoxide dismutase ( sod ) ( american international chemicals , inc ., natick , mass . ), to yield a 20 % by weight superoxide dismutase ( sod ) in 5 % polymer solution . similar preparations were made containing 10 % and 5 % sod . the mixture was sonicated using a virsonic 300 ultrasonic probe , virtis company , inc ., gardiner , n . y ., to decrease the size of the protein particles , using the method of co - pending u . s . ser . no . 07 / 345 , 684 entitled &# 34 ; process for producing small particles of biologically active molecules &# 34 ; filed may 1 , 1989 by wayne r . gombotz , michael s . healy , larry r . brown , and henry e . auer , and then placed in a 5 ml gas tight syringe . a 150 ml amount of 100 % ethanol was added to a 8 × 6 × 1 . 5 in poly ( propylene ) tray . to this was added 300 ml of liquid nitrogen (- 195 . 8 ° c .) which resulted in a frozen layer of ethanol covered by a layer of liquid nitrogen . the polymer / protein mixture was extruded from the syringe via a syringe pump at a rate of 6 . 75 ml / min , into an ultrasonic nozzle ( model 8700 - 60ms microspray atomic nozzle , sonotek corp ., poughkeepsie , n . y .) that was placed over the liquid nitrogen / frozen ethanol solution . the nozzle atomized the mixture into droplets which froze upon contacting the liquid nitrogen and formed microspheres which then sank onto the frozen ethanol . the container was placed in a - 80 ° c . freezer where the liquid nitrogen evaporated and the ethanol slowly melted over time . fig3 is a graph of the temperature of the ethanol over time . at ( a ), the ethanol is still frozen . at ( b ), the microspheres are beginning to sink into the ethanol as it melts . once the temperature reaches - 95 . 1 ° c ., the methylene chloride is extracted from the polymer / protein spheres into the ethanol ( c and d ). after three days the container was removed from the freezer and the microspheres were filtered from the solvent . they were then dried in a vacuum desiccator for 24 hrs . under light microscopy , the microspheres were round and had diameters ranging from 30 to 50 micrometers . scanning electron microscopy of microsphere cross sections showed the spheres to be porous . the dried microspheres were suspended in a phosphate buffered solution , ph 7 . 4 , and the release of the superoxide dismutase was monitored . active protein was released over a time period of 38 days , as shown in fig4 . the specific activity of the sod released was 90 % of the starting specific activity . release was compared for three different loadings : 5 %, 10 % and 20 %. the 5 % loaded microspheres released the least amount of enzyme , with a greater amount being released from the 10 % and 20 % loaded microspheres , approximately 5 - 6 micrograms sod / mg of microsphere for both loadings . the microspheres containing 20 % sod ( 60 mg ) were suspended in a 1 . 5 ml aqueous solution containing 5 . 5 mg of carboxymethylcellulose , 75 mg of d - mannitol and 1 . 5 mg of polysorbate 80 . the microspheres were then injected into a rat through a 26 - gauge needle at a concentration of 40 mg / ml . no clogging of the needle occurred demonstrating that these microspheres can be used for injection through a narrow gauge needle . the procedure in example 1 was repeated using poly ( dl - lactide - co - glycolide ) ( 50 : 50 ) resomer l - 104 , ( boehringer ingelheim , w . germany ) to form the microspheres . after the microspheres were extracted for three days in the cold ethanol at - 80 ° c ., 100 ml of hexane was added and the extraction was continued for another 24 hrs . the microspheres were then filtered and dried in a vacuum desiccator . results of the size analysis and sem observations were similar to those in example 1 . the procedure of example 1 was repeated using poly ( dl - lactide - co - glycolide ) ( 50 : 50 ) in methylene chloride to form microspheres containing horse radish peroxidase ( hrp ) ( sigma chemical co .) extracted into ethanol and hexane . results were similar to those in example 1 . poly ( l - lactic acid ) 2000 in methylene chloride with 5 % by weight mitomycin c was sprayed into ethanol . mitomycin c is a 334 dalton chemotherapeutic agent . results of the size analysis and sem were similar to those in example 1 . this example demonstrates that molecules other than proteins can be incorporated into the microspheres . etoposide is an antineoplastic agent that is soluble in organic solvents . poly ( l - lactic acid ) 2000 was dissolved in methylene chloride with 40 % by weight etoposide and sprayed into ethanol . the resulting microspheres were 30 to 50 micrometer in diameter . continuous release of etoposide was measured over a one week period . the results demonstrate that microspheres can be made from solutions containing both dissolved polymer and dissolved active agent . preparation of microspheres from a blend of poly ( l - lactic acid ) and poly ( dl - lactic - co - glycolic acid ) containing hemoglobin a ( 1 : 1 ) blend of 5 % poly ( l - lactic acid ) and 5 % poly ( dl - lactic - co - glycolic acid ) with bovine hemoglobin ( sigma chemica co .) suspended in methylene chloride was sprayed into ethyl ether . results of size analysis and sem were similar to those in example 1 , demonstrating that the process is applicable to microspheres formed from polymer blends . release of the hemoglobin from the microsphere into physiological buffer was achieved over a two month period . preparation of microspheres from poly ( l - lactic acid ) 2000 containing hemoglobin using liquid argon hemoglobin suspended in a solution of poly ( l - lactic acid ) 2000 in methylene chloride was sprayed into liquid argon and frozen ethanol . under the light microscope , the resulting dried spheres were seen to contain a heterogeneous dispersion of small hemoglobin particles distributed throughout the polymer matrix . this example demonstrates the applicability of other gases in the process . examples 8 through 12 describe the preparation of microspheres from different polymer solutions , demonstrating the variety of different polymers , solvents and non - solvents that can be used in the process of the present invention . a 5 % by weight solution of polyvinyl alcohol ( elvanol , du pont de nemour & amp ; co ., wilmington , del .) was dissolved in water . this was atomized through an ultrasonic nozzle into liquid nitrogen covering a layer of frozen acetone . after thawing for three days the 30 to 50 micrometer diameter microspheres were filtered and dried . a 5 % by weight solution of poly ( caprolactone ) ( sigma chemical co .) was dissolved in methylene chloride . this was atomized through an ultrasonic nozzle into liquid nitrogen covering a layer of frozen ethanol . after thawing for three days the microspheres were filtered and dried . a 5 % by weight solution of ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymer ( vynathene , usi chemicals , cincinnati , ohio ) was dissolved in methylene chloride . this was atomized through an ultrasonic nozzle into liquid nitrogen covering a layer of frozen ethanol . after thawing for three days the microspheres were filtered and dried . preparation of poly ( lactic acid ) 2000 microspheres in a cold liquid solvent a 5 % by weight solution of poly ( l - lactic acid ) was dissolved in methylene chloride . this was atomized through an ultrasonic nozzle into cold isopentane (- 141 . 2 ° c .). the droplets froze into spheres upon contact with the cold liquid and sank to the bottom of the container . the microspheres were placed in an - 80 ° c . freezer for three days to extract the solvent . they were then filtered and dried . this example illustrates that a cold non - solvent for the polymer can be used , if its temperature is below the melting point of the polymer / solvent solution . experiments were conducted to determine the necessity of using a liquid that has a temperature below the freezing point of the polymer / solvent solution . a 5 % solution of poly ( l - lactic acid ) was prepared in methylene chloride . this solution was atomized into six different systems ( a ) cold ethanol (- 80 ° c . ); ( b ) room temperature ethanol ( 23 ° c . ); ( c ) cold hexane (- 80 ° c . ); ( d ) liquid nitrogen layered over frozen ethanol (- 195 . 8 ° c . ); ( e ) room temperature hexane ( 23 ° c . ); and ( f ) cold isopentane (- 80 ° c .). the results of systems ( a ) through ( e ) are shown in fig5 . ( in ( a ), atomized droplets of polymer were sprayed into cold ethanol (- 80 ° c .). only teardrop shaped polymer particles and polymer fibers were produced . in ( b ), atomized polymer droplets were sprayed onto room temperature ethanol . although spheres formed initially , these spheres gradually took on amorphous shapes and some of them fused . in ( c ), atomized droplets were sprayed onto cold hexane (- 80 ° c .). room temperature hexane was also used ( e ). in both cases , although spheres formed initially , these fused to form a polymer film . similar results were obtained spraying into isopentane (- 80 ° c .) ( f ). in ( d ), the atomized droplets were sprayed into liquid nitrogen layered over frozen ethanol and spherical , non - aggregated microspheres were formed . as described in example 11 , well shaped microspheres were also formed when the isopentane was at a temperature of - 141 . 2 ° c . in both embodiments of the system , the liquified gas overlaying a frozen non - solvent and the cold temperature solvent , the atomized polymer droplets were frozen upon hitting the solvent . temperatures warmer than those which resulted in the immediate freezing of the polymer were not effective in producing uniformly spherical non - aggregated polymeric microspheres . modifications and variations of the present invention , a method for making microspheres , and products thereof , will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the foregoing detailed description of the invention . such modifications and variations are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims . | 5 |
an image forming apparatus having a sheet supply device according to embodiments of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings . as an image forming system in the image forming apparatus , a known electrophotographic process is used . a structure of the image forming apparatus 10 and a summary of image formation will be described first , and a main section of the invention will be explained thereafter . as sheets p on which an image is formed , sheets with a smooth surface are used such as normal paper or coated paper , the surface of which undergoes a coating process in order to provide whiteness and gloss . as shown in fig1 , the image forming apparatus 10 has a control unit 24 that controls the entire image forming apparatus 10 and stores various information therein . an operation panel 11 is provided on an upper portion of the apparatus . when a user operates the operation panel 11 , the control unit 24 controls the apparatus in accordance with the contents of the operation . the image forming apparatus 10 is further provided with an image forming unit 12 that forms an image using a known electrophotographic process . the image forming unit 12 has a photosensitive drum 14 . a charging unit 16 , a developing device 18 and a cleaner 20 are disposed along a circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum 14 . an image writing device 22 is provided so as to emit a laser beam l to the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 between the charging unit 16 and the developing device 18 . a transfer roller 34 is provided at a side of the photosensitive drum 14 opposite to the image writing device 22 . the image writing device 22 is connected to the control unit 24 , and the control unit 24 is connected to a receiving unit 26 . the receiving unit 26 is connected to external devices such as an image reading device 28 and a personal computer 30 via a communication line 32 , and image information is transmitted to the receiving unit 26 from the image reading unit 28 and the personal computer 30 . the image information is transmitted from the receiving unit 26 to the control unit 24 , and the control unit 24 controls the image writing device 22 based on the image information so that the image writing device 22 emits the laser beam l . the photosensitive drum 14 is charged by the charging unit 16 so that the surface thereof has a predetermined electric potential . the image writing device 22 emits the laser beam l so that the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 is exposed and an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon . the developing device 18 develops the electrostatic latent image so that a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 . a sheet p is transported from a sheet feed unit 40 , described below , via a sheet transport unit 44 having plural transport rollers 46 to a nip portion between the photosensitive drum 14 and the transfer roller 34 . the transfer roller 34 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 14 to the sheet p , and the sheet p is sent to a fixing device 36 installed downstream in a transport direction , so that the toner image is fixed to the sheet p . a pair of discharge rollers 38 are provided downstream of the fixing device 36 in the transport direction , which discharge the sheet p to which the toner image is fixed onto a discharge tray 39 . the cleaner 20 collects the toner which is not transferred to the sheet p and remains on the surface of the photosensitive drum 14 . the sheet feed unit 40 , in which plural ( four in this embodiment ) sheet supply devices 50 are aligned in an up - down direction , is disposed at a lower portion of the image forming apparatus 10 . each of the sheet supply devices 50 has a sheet feed tray 52 on which the sheets p are stacked and stored . a bottom plate ( not shown ) is provided in the sheet feed trays 52 , and is raised and lowered by a driving mechanism ( not shown ). due to the raising / lowering of the bottom plate , the stacked sheets p are raised and lowered . as shown in fig3 , an end guide 64 , which can be moved according to the size of the sheets p and regulates a rearward end surface of the sheets p , is provided at an upstream side of the sheet feed tray 52 in a feeding direction s of the sheets p . a side surface fixed guide 66 is disposed at one side surface in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction s of the sheets p . a side surface movable guide 68 , which can be moved according to the size of the sheets p , is disposed at the side surface opposite to the side surface fixed guide 66 . as shown in fig1 , a feed mechanism 90 , which has a nudger roller ( drawing - in roller ) 56 and sequentially feeds the sheets p to the nip portion between the photosensitive drum 14 and the transfer roller 34 via the sheet transport unit 44 , is provided downstream of the sheet feed tray 52 in the feeding direction s . as shown in fig2 and 3 , the nudger roller 56 frictionally contacts with an upper surface of a top sheet tp at the top position of the stacked sheets p so as to sequentially feed the sheets p . the nudger roller 56 , as shown in fig7 , can be moved to a feeding position a where it contacts with the upper surface of the top sheet tp so as to feed it and to a rest position b where it rests in an upper position . as shown in fig2 and 3 , a feed roller ( transport roller ) 58 and a retard roller ( sorting roller ) 60 pressurized by the feed roller 58 are provided downstream side of the nudger roller 56 in the feeding direction s . the nudger roller 56 , the feed roller 58 and the retard roller 60 are composed of rollers having the same shape and size , which frictionally contact with the sheets p so as to transport the sheets p . specifically , the sheets p fed by the nudger roller 56 are sorted into separate sheets by the feed roller 58 and the retard roller 60 and conveyed downstream one sheet at a time . as shown in fig4 , the retard roller 60 is pressed against the feed roller 58 with weak pressure by a spring 96 via a support which moves rotationally about a pivot 92 . the retard roller 60 is connected to a first gear 100 , which moves rotationally via a torque limiter 98 provided on a shaft 60 a , and to a fixed second gear 102 . a driving force is transmitted from a feed motor , not shown , to the second gear 102 , and the retard roller 60 receives the driving force in the direction of the arrow shown . the nudger roller 56 is structured so as to move rotationally about a shaft 58 a of the feed roller 58 via an arm 82 , and is rotated by a gear group 84 in conjunction with driving of the feed roller 58 . when a plunger 86 a moves inward and outward due to an operation of a solenoid 86 which operates on the basis of a driving signal received from the control unit 24 ( see fig1 ), a link 88 rotates around a shaft 89 so as to raise and lower a protrusion 88 a . a pin 82 a of the arm 82 is mounted on the protrusion 88 a , and moves upward and downward in conjunction with the protrusion 88 a . as a result , the arm 82 rotationally moves upward and downward so that the nudger roller 56 moves between the rest position b and the feeding position a ( see fig7 ). in other words , when the protrusion 88 a of the link 88 is lowered , the nudger roller 56 descends to the feeding position a where it contacts with the upper surface of the top sheet tp and feeds the top sheet tp by rotatably driving it with a predetermined pressurizing force . the movement of the arm 82 ( nudger roller 56 ) in the feeding position a is controlled in the following manner . a photosensor 85 detects a protrusion 83 of the arm 82 , and the control unit 24 ( see fig1 ) controls raising and lowering of the bottom plate ( not shown ) so that the height of the top sheet tp falls within a constant range . as shown in fig7 , a chute member 110 is provided downstream of the nudger roller 56 to guide the sheets p to the feed roller 58 and the retard roller 60 . as shown in fig3 , each of the sheet supply devices 50 has an air blowing device 54 , which blows air at the side surface of the sheets stacked on the sheet feed tray 52 , in a vicinity of the side surface fixed guide 66 . the air blowing device 54 has a fan 55 which rotates in a direction shown by an arrow k , and high - pressure air is blown from a nozzle 70 of the air blowing device 54 and through a nozzle 71 formed at the side surface fixed guide 66 . when the air is blown to the sheets p , the air is sent between the stacked sheets p so that the sheets p lift , and the adhesion between the sheets p is released . the air blowing device 54 is controlled by the control unit 24 so that an operation and a non - operation are repeated for predetermined periods , for example , as shown in fig6 . the nozzles 70 and 71 have approximately the same size , and their positions are approximately the same . more specifically , the number of revolutions of the fan 55 can be changed and is set so as to be lower when the sheets are being fed than when the sheets are not being fed . that is to say , the air flow rate of the air blower 54 is set to be lower when the sheets are being fed than when the sheets are not being fed , and the force pushing up the sheets is made weaker when the sheets are being fed than when the sheets are not being fed . this feature that an air flow rate of the air blower is set at a lower rate when the sheets are being fed than when the sheets are not being fed , of the present embodiment , may be applied to the other embodiments described below . as shown in fig2 , 3 and 7 , two lift regulating members 62 are provided upstream of the nudger roller in the feeding direction s of the sheets p , which contact against the top sheet tp when it lifts due to the air and thus regulate the lift of the sheets p . the function of the sheet supply device 50 according to the invention is explained below . when feeding the sheets p , as shown in fig4 and 5a to 5 c , the solenoid 86 is operated based on the driving signal from the control unit 24 ( see fig1 ), so that the arm 82 is lowered . as a result , the nudger roller 56 is moved from the rest position b to the feeding position a . in the sheet feed tray 52 , the stacked sheets p are raised by the raising of the bottom plate ( not shown ). when the top sheet tp contacts with the nudger roller 56 and the nudger roller 56 is raised , the photosensor 85 detects the protrusion 83 of the arm 82 and the control unit 24 stops the raising of the bottom plate . as the sheets p are sequentially fed , the position of the top sheet tp descends and thus the nudger roller 56 descends . as a result , the photosensor 85 does not detect the protrusion 83 of the arm 82 , and the control unit 24 raises the bottom plate . in such a manner , the height of the top sheet tp is controlled so as to fall within the constant range . when the air blowing device 54 is driven and operated based on the driving signal from the control unit 24 , air is blown at the side surface of the stacked sheets p . when the air is blown the sheets p lift gradually as shown in fig5 a to 5c . when the operation is stopped ( becoming inoperative ), the sheets p descend gradually ( from the state shown in fig5 c to the state in fig5 a ). further , the air blowing device 54 repeats operation and non - operation for predetermined periods by means of the control unit 24 as shown in fig6 . the sheets p repeatedly change from the states shown in fig5 a to fig5 c and from fig5 c to fig5 a , so that the adhesion between the sheets p is released more effectively . as shown in fig4 , when the nudger roller 56 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown , it frictionally contacts with the upper surface of the top sheet tp so as to feed the sheets p . the sheets p fed by the nudger roller 56 are held between the feed roller 58 and the retard roller 60 , and are sorted into separate sheets to be conveyed downstream one sheet at a time . since the adhesion between the stacked sheets p is released by the air , double feed wherein plural sheets p are fed in an adhered manner can be prevented . the solenoid 86 is operated with a timing corresponding to when a sheet p reaches the feed roller 58 , whereby the arm 82 is raised so that the nudger roller 56 is moved to the rest position b . as shown in fig6 , the feed mechanism 90 feeds the sheets p in synchronization with the operation / non - operation of the air blowing device 54 . specifically , after the air blowing device 54 is changed from an operational state to a non - operational state , the feed mechanism 90 feeds the sheets p . that is to say , the upward - pressing force of the air blowing device 54 pushing up the sheets p is weaker when the feed mechanism 90 is operated ( sheet is fed ) than when it is not operated ( sheet is not fed ). as shown in fig7 , therefore , the top sheet tp is fed in a state in which the members above the top sheet . tp such as the rise regulating members 62 , the nudger roller 56 in the rest position b and the chute member 110 do not rub the upper surface of the top sheet tp , or rub in response to a weak upward - pressing force . damage to the surface of the top sheet tp is , therefore , minimized , and thus the surface of the top sheet tp is not damaged . in the present embodiment and other embodiments described below , a time when the air blower is operated may correspond to a time when the sheets are not fed , and a time when the air blower is not operated may correspond to a time when the sheets are fed , as typically shown in fig6 . according to this feature , the sheets are fed when the air blower is not operated . that is , the air flow rate is made remarkably low when the sheets are being fed , whereby the function of the second aspect is achieved more effectively . the sheet supply device according to a second embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings . members identical to those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals , and explanations thereof will be omitted . as shown in fig8 a to 8c , in a sheet supply device 51 , the air blowing device 154 is provided with a shutter 150 between the nozzle 70 and the nozzle 71 of the side surface fixed guide 66 . a rack ( flat plate gear ) 150 a is formed on a side of the shutter 150 , and is engaged with a gear 152 attached to a shaft of the driving mechanism , not shown . the shutter 150 is supported by a guide rail , not shown , so that it can freely move in a vertical direction . the gear 152 can rotate in either direction based on a signal from the control unit 24 ( see fig1 ), so as to move the shutter 150 upward and downward . the control unit 24 controls the shutter 150 so that the shutter 150 is moved to an upward or downward position for predetermined periods and is thus repeatedly closed and opened . the function of the sheet supply device 51 according to the invention will be explained below . fig8 a to 8c illustrate subsequent states in which the shutter 150 is being opened and a boundary delimiting the air blown to the sheets p ( in this embodiment , an upper end 150 b of the shutter 150 ) gradually descends so that the sheets p lift accordingly . conversely , the process of the shutter being closed is approximately illustrated in the reverse order of fig8 c to fig8 a . the shutter 150 moves up and down for predetermined periods and the state of the sheets p repeatedly changes from that of fig8 a to that of fig8 c and from that of fig8 c to that of fig8 a . as a result , the adhesion between the sheets p is released more effectively . as shown in fig9 , the feed mechanism 90 feeds the sheets p in synchronization with the up - down movement of the shutter 150 . specifically , when the shutter 150 reaches the upper position , namely , when the upward - pressing force pushing up the sheets p is at a minimum , the feed mechanism 90 feeds a sheet p . as shown in fig7 , the top sheet tp is fed either without the upper surface thereof rubbing against the members above the top sheet tp such as the lift regulating members 62 , the nudger roller 56 in the rest position b and the chute member 110 , or while rubbing thereagainst due to a weak upward - pressing force . damage to the surface of the top sheet tp is , therefore , minimized , and thus the surface of the top sheet tp is not damaged . the sheets are not necessarily fed when the shutter 150 reaches the uppermost position . it is sufficient to feed the sheets in synchronization with the up - down movement of the shutter 150 such that the height of the shutter 150 is higher when the feed mechanism 90 is operated ( feed ) than when it is not operated ( non - feed ). this is because the upward - pressing force pushing up the sheets p becomes weaker when the feed mechanism 90 is operated ( supply ) than when it is not operated ( non - supply ). the sheet supply device according to a third embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings . members identical to those in the first and the second embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals , and explanations thereof will be omitted . as shown in fig1 a to 10c , in a sheet supply device 53 , the dimensions of a nozzle 271 formed on the side surface fixed guide 66 are larger than the dimensions of a nozzle 270 of an air blowing device 254 . a protruded contact plate 250 is formed below the nozzle 270 of the air blowing device 254 . a rack ( flat plate gear ) 250 a is formed on a side of the protruded contact plate 250 , and the rack 250 a is engaged with a gear 252 attached to the shaft of a driving mechanism , not shown . the air blowing device 254 is supported by a guide rail , not shown , so that it can freely move in a vertical direction . the gear 252 can rotate in both directions based on a signal from the control unit 24 ( see fig1 ), such that the air blowing device 254 moves up and down ; namely , the nozzle 270 moves up and down . the control unit 24 controls the nozzle 270 ( air blowing device 254 ) such that it moves up and down for predetermined periods . when the nozzle 270 is in the lower position , the upward - pressing force pushing up the sheets p is at a maximum , and when it is in the upper position , the upward - pressing force reaches a minimum . the function of the sheet supply device 53 according to the invention is explained below . fig1 a to 10c illustrate subsequent states in which the nozzle 270 descends and the boundary delimiting the air blown to the sheets p ( in this embodiment , the lower end 270 a of the nozzle 270 ) gradually descends so that the sheets p lift . conversely , a state of the nozzle 270 ascending is approximately illustrated in the reverse order of fig1 c to fig1 a . when the nozzle 270 moves up and down for predetermined periods , the air is sequentially blown to the sheets p from the stacked upper sheets p to the lower sheets p , and from the lower sheets p to the upper sheets p . as a result , since , for example , sheets above sheets with weak adhesion can be prevented from being lifted in a bundled state , the adhesion between the stacked sheets p can be released more effectively . double feed or the like can , therefore , be reliably prevented . as shown in fig9 , the feed mechanism 90 feeds the sheets p in synchronization with the upward - downward movement of the nozzle 270 . specifically , when the nozzle 270 reaches the upper position , namely , when the upward - pressing force pushing up the sheets p is at a minimum , the feed mechanism 90 feeds the sheets p . as shown in fig7 , therefore , the sheets p are fed either without the upper surface of the top sheet tp rubbing against the members above the top sheet tp such as the lift regulating members 62 , the nudger roller 56 in the rest position b and the chute member 110 , or while rubbing thereagainst due to a weak pushing - up force . damage to the surface of the top sheet tp is , therefore , minimized , and the surface of the top sheet tp is not damaged . the sheets do not always have to be fed when the nozzle 70 reaches the upper point . that is to say , it is sufficient to feed the sheets p in synchronization with the up - down movement of the nozzle 270 so that the height of the nozzle 270 is higher when the feed mechanism 90 is operated ( feed ) than when it is not operated ( non - feed ), because then the upward - pressing force becomes weaker when the feed mechanism 90 is operated ( supply ) than when it is not operated ( non - supply ). the sheet supply device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings . members identical to those in the first to the third embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals , and explanations thereof will be omitted . the structure of the sheet supply device is similar to that in the first embodiment , but the control unit 24 ( see fig1 ) controls the driving voltage of the fan 55 ( see fig3 ) so that the number of revolutions of the fan 55 is controlled . specifically , as shown in fig1 , the number of revolutions is controlled such that fast rotation and slow rotation are repeated for predetermined periods . that is to say , the air flow rate is repeatedly increased and decreased for the predetermined periods . the function of the sheet supply device according to the invention is explained below . the fan 55 repeatedly switches between fast rotation ( large air flow rate ) and the slow rotation ( small air flow rate ) so that the adhesion between the sheets p can be released more effectively , similarly to in the first embodiment . as shown in fig1 , the feed mechanism 90 feeds the sheets p in synchronization , with fluctuations in the number of revolutions of the fan 55 . specifically , when the number of revolutions of the fan 55 is at its lowest ( the air flow rate is the lowest ), namely , when the upward - pressing force pushing up the sheets p is weakest , the feed mechanism 90 feeds the sheets p . as shown in fig7 , therefore , the sheets p are fed either without the surface of the top sheet tp rubbing against the members above the top sheet tp such as the lift regulating members 62 , the nudger roller 56 in the rest position b and the chute member 110 , or while rubbing thereagainst due to a weak upward - pressing force . damage to the surface of the top sheet tp is , therefore , minimized , and the surface of the top sheet tp is not damaged . the sheets p do not have to be fed when the number of revolutions of the fan 55 is at its lowest . the sheets p may be fed in synchronization with a fluctuation or variation in the number of revolutions of the fan 55 so that the number of revolutions is lower when the feed mechanism 90 is operated ( feed ) than when it is not operated ( non - feed ), since then the upward - pressing force pushing up the sheets p is weaker when the feed mechanism is operated ( feed ) than when the feed mechanism is not operated ( non - feed ). the invention is not limited to the above embodiments . for example , in the embodiments , the nudger roller 56 moves between the feeding position a and the rest position b , but the invention is not limited to this . for example as shown in fig1 , the sheets p may be fed by a semilunar roller 356 the fixed section of which has a d shape . in this case , an arc portion 356 b contacts with the top sheet so as to feed the top sheet tp and , thereafter , a flat portion 356 a faces downward so that the semilunar roller 356 is disjoined from the top sheet tp and disposed thereabove . the nudger roller may be provided with a rotation allowance mechanism ( a mechanism according to which when the nudger roller contacts with the fed sheet , it rotates accordingly ) that allows the rotation of a one - way clutch , an electromagnetic clutch , a torque limiter or the like in the sheet feeding direction . the above embodiments use the well - known electrophotographic process as the image forming system , but the system is not limited to this . for example , the image forming system may be a conventionally - known ink jet recording system or another image forming system . although the above - described embodiments of the present invention are those regarding the image forming apparatus , the present invention is not limited to the image forming apparatus . the invention can also be applied to other devices which transport sheets such as cutting machines or press machines . | 1 |
the novel process of this invention comprises fermentation of the microorganism actinoplanes sp . ma6559 ( atcc 53771 ) or a mutant thereof in the presence of substrate compound ( ii ) ## str5 ## in a nutrient medium , and isolation of the resulting biotransformation product , compound ( i ) in a conventional manner . a biologically pure sample of actinoplanes sp . ma6559 has been deposited in the permanent culture collection of the american type culture collection , 12301 parklawn drive , rockville , maryland , and is available under the accession number atcc 53771 . actinoplanes sp . ma6559 ( atcc 53771 ) is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 981 , 792 . mutants of actinoplanes sp . ma6559 ( atcc 53771 ) may be prepared by conventional procedures . in general , compound ( i ) can be produced by culturing the actinoplanes sp . ma6559 ( atcc 53771 ) in the presence of an appropriate concentration of substrate compound ( ii ) in an aqueous nutrient medium containing sources of assimilable carbon and nitrogen , preferably under submerged aerobic conditions ( e . g . shaking culture , submerged culture ). compound ( ii ) may be prepared according to the procedures described in european patent application 0253310 a2 . an appropriate concentration of the substrate compound in the aqueous medium ranges from 0 . 05 mg / ml to 0 . 2 mg / ml , preferably 0 . 05 mg / ml ; less than 0 . 05 mg / ml is inefficient and greater than 0 . 2 mg / ml can inhibit the culture . the aqueous medium is incubated at a temperature between 26 ° c . and 29 ° c ., preferably 27 ° c . ; culture growth will be inhibited below this temperature range and culture death will occur above this temperature range . the aqueous medium is incubated for a period of time necessary to complete the biotransformation as monitored by high performance liquid chromatography ( hplc ), usually for a period of about 4 days , on a rotary shaker operating at about 220 rpm with a throw of about 2 inches . the aqueous medium is maintained at a ph between 6 and 8 , preferably about 7 , at the initiation and termination ( harvest ) of the fermentation process . a higher or lower ph be detrimental to the viability of the culture . the desired ph may be maintained by the use of a buffer such as morpholinoethanesulfonic acid ( mes ), morpholino - propanesulfonic acid ( mops ), and the like , or by choice of nutrient materials which inherently possess buffering properties , such as production media described herein . the preferred sources of carbon in the nutrient medium are certain carbohydrates such as glucose , xylose , galactose , glycerin , starch , dextrin , and the like . other sources which may be included are maltose , rhamnose , raffinose , arabinose , mannose , salicin , sodium succinate , and the like . the preferred sources of nitrogen are yeast extract , meat extract , peptone , gluten meal , cottonseed meal , soybean meal and other vegetable meals ( partially or totally defatted ), casein hydrolysates , soybean hydrolysates and yeast hydrolysates , corn steep liquor , dried yeast , wheat germ , feather meal , peanut powder , distiller &# 39 ; s solubles , etc ., as well as inorganic and organic nitrogen compounds such as ammonium salts ( e . g . ammonium nitrate , ammonium sulfate , ammonium phosphate , etc . ), urea , amino acids , and the like . the carbon and nitrogen sources , though advantageously employed in combination , need not be used in their pure form because less pure materials which contain traces of growth factors and considerable quantities of mineral nutrients are also suitable for use . when desired , there may be added to the medium mineral salts such as sodium or calcium carbonate , sodium or potassium phosphate , sodium or potassium chloride , sodium or potassium iodide , magnesium salts , copper salts , cobalt salts , and the like . if necessary , especially when the culture medium foams seriously , a defoaming agent , such as liquid paraffin , fatty oil , plant oil , mineral oil or silicone may be added . submerged aerobic cultural conditions are preferred for the production of compound ( i ) in massive amounts . for the production in small amounts , a shaking or surface culture in a flask or bottle is employed . furthermore , when the growth is carried out in large tanks , it is preferable to use the vegetative form of the organism for inoculation in the production tanks in order to avoid growth lag in the process of production of compound ( i ). accordingly , it is desirable first to produce a vegetative inoculum of the organism by inoculating a relatively small quantity of culture medium with spores or mycelia of the organism produced in a &# 34 ; slant &# 34 ; and culturing said inoculated medium , also called the &# 34 ; seed medium &# 34 ;, and then to transfer the cultured vegetative inoculum aseptically to large tanks . the fermentation medium , in which the inoculum is produced , is substantially the same as or different from the medium utilized for the production of compound ( i ) and is generally autoclaved to sterilize the medium prior to inoculation . the fermentation medium is generally adjusted to a ph between 6 and 8 , preferably about 7 , prior to the autoclaving step by suitable addition of an acid or base , preferably in the form of a buffering solution . temperature of the seed medium is maintained between 26 ° c . and 29 ° c ., preferably 27 ° c . ; culture growth will be inhibited below this range and culture death will occur above this range . incubation of the seed medium is usually conducted for a period of about 24 to 72 hours , preferably 48 hours , on a rotary shaker operating at about 220 rpm ; the length of incubation time may be varied according to fermentation conditions and scales . agitation and aeration of the culture mixture may be accomplished in a variety of ways . agitation may be provided by a propeller or similar mechanical agitation equipment , by revolving or shaking the fermentor , by various pumping equipment or by the passage of sterile air through the medium . aeration may be effected by passing sterile air through the fermentation mixture . the preferred culturing / production media for carrying out the fermentation are the following media : ______________________________________component g / l______________________________________seed medium adextrose 1 . 0dextrin 10 . 0beef extract 3 . 0ardamine ph 5 . 0n z amine type e 5 . 0mgso . sub . 4 . 7h . sub . 2 o 0 . 05k . sub . 2 hpo . sub . 4 0 . 37adjust ph to 7 . 1add caco . sub . 3 0 . 5 g / ltransformation medium bglucose 10 . 0hycase sf 2 . 0beef extract 1 . 0corn steep liquor 3 . 0adjust ph to 7 . 0______________________________________ the product , compound ( i ), can be recovered from the culture medium by conventional means which are commonly used for the recovery of other known biologically active substances . compound ( i ) is found in the cultured mycelium and filtrate , which are obtained by filtering or centrifuging the cultured broth , and accordingly can be isolated and purified from the mycelium and the filtrate by a conventional method such as concentration under reduced pressure , lyophilization , extraction with a conventional solvent , such as methylene chloride and the like , ph adjustment , treatment with a conventional resin ( e . g . anion or cation exchange resin , non - ionic adsorption resin ), treatment with a conventional adsorbent ( e . g . activated charcoal , silicic acid , silica gel , cellulose , alumina ), crystallization , recrystallization , and the like . a preferred recovery method is solvent extraction , particularly using methylene chloride . a preferred purification method involves the use of chromatography , especially hplc , using a silica gel column and an eluant mixture composed of water and an organic solvent such as methanol , acetonitrile and the like , and a small amount of acid such as acetic acid , trifluoracetic acid , phosphoric acid and the like . a preferred eluant is composed of water containing 0 . 1 % trifluoroacetic acid and acetonitrile and is run through the column in a linear gradient . the product of this invention , compound ( i ), exhibits a ii antagonist activity by the ic 50 assay , and therefore is useful in treating hypertension . compound ( i ) is also of value in the management of acute and chronic congestive heart failure . these compounds may also be expected to be useful in the treatment of secondary hyperaldosteronism , primary and secondary pulmonary hyperaldosteronism , primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension , renal failure such as diabetic nephropathy , glomerulonephritis , scleroderma , glomerular sclerosis , proteinuria of primary renal disease , end stage renal disease , renal transplant therapy , and the like , renal vascular hypertension , left ventricular dysfunction , diabetic retinopathy and in the management of vascular disorders such as migraine , raynaud &# 39 ; s disease , luminal hyperplasia , and to minimize the atherosclerotic process . the products of this invention are also useful for cognitive function enhancement . the application of the compounds of this invention for these and similar disorders will be apparent to those skilled in the art . the compound of this invention is also useful to treat elevated intraocular pressure and to enhance retinal blood flow and can be administered to patients in need of such treatment with typical pharmaceutical formulations such as tablets , capsules , injectables , as well as topical ocular formulations in the form of solutions , ointments , inserts , gels , and the like . pharmaceutical formulations prepared to treat intraocular pressure would typically contain about 0 . 1 to 15 % by weight , preferably 0 . 5 % to 2 % by weight , of the compound of this invention . in the management of hypertension and the clinical conditions noted above , the compounds of this invention may be utilized in compositions such as tablets , capsules or elixirs for oral administration , suppositories for rectal administration , sterile solutions or suspensions for parenteral or intramuscular administration , and the like . the compounds of this invention can be administered to patients ( animals and human ) in need of such treatment in dosages that will provide optimal pharmaceutical efficacy . although the dose will vary from patient to patient depending upon the nature and severity of disease , the patient &# 39 ; s weight , special diets then being followed by a patient , concurrent medication , and other factors which those skilled in the art will recognize , the dosage range will generally be about 1 to 1000 mg per patient per day which can be administered in single or multiple doses . preferably , the dosage range will be about 2 . 5 to 250 mg per patient per day ; more preferably about 2 . 5 to 75 mg per patient per day . the compound of this invention can also be administered in combination with other antihypertensives such as α - methyldopa , and / or diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide , and / or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors such as enalapril , and / or calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine . typically , the individual daily dosages for these combinations can range from about one - fifth of the minimally recommended clinical dosages to the maximum recommended levels for the entities when they are given singly . these dose ranges can be adjusted on a unit basis as necessary to permit divided daily dosage and , and as noted above , the dose will vary depending on the nature and severity of the disease , weight of the patient , special diets and other factors . typically , these combinations can be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions as discussed below . about 1 to 100 mg of compound ( i ) or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof , or any combination of these compounds or their physiologically acceptable salt forms , is compounded with a physiologically acceptable vehicle , carrier , excipient , binder , preservative , stabilizer , flavor , etc ., in a unit dosage form as called for by accepted pharmaceutical practice . the amount of active substance in these compositions or preparations is such that a suitable dosage in the range indicated is obtained . illustrative of the adjuvants which can be incorporated in tablets , capsules and the like are the following : a binder such as gum tragacanth , acacia , corn starch or gelatin ; an excipient such as microcrystalline cellulose ; a disintegrating agent such as corn starch , pregelatinized starch , alginic acid and the like ; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate ; a sweetening agent such as sucrose , lactose or saccharin ; a flavoring agent such as peppermint , oil of wintergreen or cherry . when the dosage unit form is a capsule , it may contain , in addition to materials of the above type , a liquid carrier such as fatty oil . various other materials may be present as coatings or to otherwise modify the physical form of the dosage unit . for instance , tablets may be coated with shellac , sugar or both . a syrup or elixir may contain the active compound , sucrose as a sweetening agent , methyl and propyl parabens as preservatives , a dye and a flavoring such as cherry or orange flavor . sterile compositions for injection can be formulated according to conventional pharmaceutical practice by dissolving or suspending the active substance in a vehicle such as water for injection , a naturally occuring vegetable oil like sesame oil , coconut oil , peanut oil , cottonseed oil , etc ., or a synthetic fatty vehicle like ethyl oleate or the like . buffers , preservatives , antioxidants and the like can be incorporated as required . three frozen rabbit aortae ( obtained from pel - freeze biologicals ) were suspended in 5 mm tris - 0 . 25m sucrose , ph 7 . 4 buffer ( 50 ml ) homogenized , and then centrifuged . the mixture was filtered through a cheesecloth and the supernatant was centrifuged for 30 minutes at 20 , 000 rpm at 4 ° c . the pellet thus obtained was resuspended in 30 ml of 50 mm tris - 5 mm mgcl 2 buffer containing 0 . 2 % bovine serum albumin and 0 . 2 mg / ml bacitratin and the suspension was used for 100 assay tubes . samples tested for screening were done in duplicate . to the membrane preparation ( 0 . 25 ml ) there was added 125 i - sar 1 ile 8 - angiotensin ii [ obtained from new england nuclear ] ( 10 ul ; 20 , 000 cpm ) with or without the test sample and the mixture was incubated at 37 ° c . for 90 minutes . the mixture was then diluted with ice - cold 50 mm tris - 0 . 9 % nacl , ph 7 . 4 ( 4 ml ) and filtered through a glass fiber filter ( gf / b whatman 2 . 4 &# 34 ; diameter ). the filter was soaked in scintillation cocktail ( 10 ml ) and counted for radioactivity using packard 2660 tricarb liquid scintillation counter . the inhibitory concentration ( ic 50 ) of potential aii antagonist which gives 50 % displacement of the total specifically bound 125 i - sar 1 ile 8 - angiotensin ii was presented as a measure of the efficacy of such compounds as aii antagonists . using the methodology described above , the compounds of this invention were evaluated and were found to exhibit an activity of at least ic 50 & lt ; 50 μm thereby demonstrating and confirming the utility of the compounds of this invention as effective aii antagonists . the following example is given for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and should not be construed as being a limitation on the scope or spirit of the instant invention . a frozen vial ( approximately 2 . 0 ml ) of actinoplanes sp . ma6559 ( atcc 53771 ) was used to inoculate a 250 ml baffled shake flask containing 50 ml of medium a . the seed flasks were incubated at 27 ° c . for 24 hours on a rotary shaker operating at 220 rpm . a 2 . 5 ml aliquot of the resulting seed culture was used to inoculate 250 ml non - baffled shake flasks ; each flask contained 50 ml of previously autoclaved medium b , used as transformation medium . substrate compound ( ii ) was added as an aqueous solution with ph of 7 at 0 hour to achieve a final concentration of 0 . 1 mg / ml in each flask . the resulting flasks with their contents were subsequently incubated for 2 days at 27 ° c . on a rotary shaker operating at 220 rpm . the resultant broths were combined for isolation and purification . the whole broth was maintained at ph 7 . 0 and centrifuged . the mycelial cake was washed with water , then discarded . the clear filtrate and washings were pooled and passed thru a spe - ed octadecyl cartridge ( 14 % carbon load , applied separation , lehigh valley , pa ) under vacuum . the column was washed with 10 % aqueous methanol . column effluent and wash did not contain microbial product when tested with hplc . the cartridge was eluted with methanol . methanol was evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure at 30 ° c . the resulting oil was dissolved in methanol and subjected to purification by hplc . hplc was carried out on whatman magnum 20 partisil 10 ods - 3 column ( c18 , 22 . 1 mm id × 25 cm ) at room temperature and monitored at 250 nm . the column was developed at 6 ml / min with linear gradient from 15 % to 80 % acetonitrile in 0 . 1 % aqueous phosphoric acid over 80 minutes . the metabolite fractions were pooled , adjusted to ph 3 . 0 and evaporated to remove acetonitrile . the desalting was carried out using a c 18 sep - pak ( waters associates ) and methanol - water elution solvent to yield pure compound ( i ). compound ( i ) of this invention was identified via nmr spectroscopy yielding the following proton nmr spectrum : 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cd 3 od / tms , ppm ), 1 . 12 ( 3h , d , j = 6 . 1 hz ), 1 . 7 ( 2h , m ), 2 . 65 ( 2h , m ), 3 . 7 ( 1h , m ), 4 . 48 ( 2h , s ), 5 . 5 ( 2h , s ), 7 . 04 ( 2h , d , j = 8 . 2 hz ), 7 . 55 ( 2h , m ), 7 . 7 ( 2h , m ). | 2 |
in the present invention the film forming material is selected from a group of fluorinated aliphatic compounds represented by the general formula cf 3 ( cf 2 ) n ( ch 2 )-- x as defined hereinbefore . examples of the hydrophilic group x in the general formula are -- cooh , -- ch 2 oh , -- cn , -- ch 2 nh 2 , -- conh 2 , -- ch ═ noh , -- ch 2 coch 3 , -- nhconh 2 , -- nhcoch 3 , -- ococh 3 , -- so 3 - , -- oso 3 - , -- nr 3 ( r is an alkyl group ), -- ch 2 och 3 and -- cooch 3 . among these hydrophilic groups , -- cooh is preferred in this invention . still alternatively , the hydrophilic group x may be one having a double bond such as -- cooch ═ ch 2 , -- ococh ═ ch 2 or -- ococ ( ch 3 )═ ch 2 . when the film forming material is unsaturated at the terminal group it is possible to polymerize the film forming material in the state of monomolecular film or multilayers to thereby obtain a film which features enhanced toughness and impact resistance . the polymerization may be accomplished while the monomer lies on the water surface as a monomolecular film by using a water soluble initiator or after forming a built - up film on a substrate surface by a photopolymerization method using uv rays or ionizing radiation . the aqueous phase on which a monomolecular film is to be spread needs to contain trivalent metal ions such as al 3 + , fe 3 + , ni 3 + , co 3 + , cr 3 + or ce 3 + . in general a suitable range of the concentration of the trivalent metal ions is from 1 × 10 - 7 to 1 × 10 - 3 mol / liter . the selected film forming compound is dissolved in a suitable volatile solvent such as , for example , benzene , hexane or chloroform to obtain a suitably dilute solution . in a well known manner the solution is gently dropped on the surface of the aqueous phase containing trivalent metal ions to thereby spread a monomolecular film of the selected fluorine - containing compound on the water surface . by lateral compression the monomolecular film is maintained at a predetermined surface pressure , which is usually 10 - 50 dyne / cm . in that state a clean solid substrate held perpendicular to the water surface is vertically submerged in the aqueous phase through the plane of the monomolecular film and then vertically pulled up through the same plane to thereby transfer the monomolecular film onto the substrate surface . by repeating this procedure a built - up film having a desired number of monomolecular layers can be formed on the substrate . also it is possible to cause cohesion of the monomolecular film to a solid substrate surface held parallel to the water surface . the material of the substrate is not particularly specified . the material may be glass , metal , semiconductor ; ceramics , insulating oxide , plastics or rubber . in any case the substrate should have smooth and sufficiently clean surfaces . the invention will further be illustrated by the following nonlimitative examples . in example 1 , a partially fluorinated fatty acid cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 7 ( ch 2 ) 2 cooh was employed as a preferred example of the compounds represented by the general formula given hereinbefore . the fluorinated fatty acid was dissolved in chloroform to obtain a spreading solution in which the concentration of the solute was 3 × 10 - 3 mol / l . separately an aqueous phase was prepared by dissolving k 2 al 2 ( so 4 ) 4 , which was chosen as the source of trivalent metal ions , in water in a concentration of 5 × 10 - 5 mol / l together with 2 × 10 - 6 mol / l of khco 3 used as a ph controller . a small amount of the spreading solution was spread on the aqueous phase containing al 3 + ions so as to form a monomolecular film of the fluorinated fatty acid salt , and the monomolecular film was compressed so as to maintain the surface pressure of the film at about 27 - 31 dynes / cm . in that state , the monomolecular film was transferred onto a cleaned glass substrate , which was a microscope slide 1 . 2 - 1 . 5 mm in thickness and 76 mm × 26 mm in widths , by the langmuir - blodgett &# 39 ; s technique . on several glass substrates the transferred monomolecular film was left in that state . on another group of glass substrates the langmuir - blodgett operation was repeated to form a built - up film consisting of eleven monomolecular layers . besides , a built - up film having 29 monomolecular layers was formed by the same method as a sample for measurement of the refractive index . in every case the glass substrate was moved vertically through the plane of the monomolecular film spread on the aqueous phase . to prepare samples for measurement of electrical properties of the monomolecular and built - up films , some of the substrates were precedingly coated with a thin film of aluminum by a vapor deposition technique , and subsequently a counter - electrode was deposited on the monomolecular or built - up film on each of these substrates . in examples 2 , 3 and 4 , cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 7 ( ch 2 ) 4 cooh , cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 7 cooh and cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 9 cooh were used , respectively , as the film forming material . in each of examples 2 - 4 a monomolecular film or a built - up film was formed on each glass substrate by the same method and under the same condition as in example 1 . for comparison , stearic acid ch 3 ( ch 2 ) 16 cooh too was used as the film forming material . the following table shows several items of the properties of the thin films formed in examples 1 - 4 and the films formed by using stearic acid for comparison . the conductivity was calculated from the current - voltage relation examined by using a saw - tooth waveform current . the withstand voltage refers to a short - circuit voltage measured by using a saw - tooth waveform voltage . the critical surface tension was calculated from zisman plot . the refractive index was measured with an automatic ellipsometer . __________________________________________________________________________ degree with - critical refractive of electric stand surface indexfilm forming build - up conductivity voltage tension ( for 29material ( layers ) ( 10 . sup .- 15 ω . sup .- 1 cm . sup .- 1 ) ( v ) ( dyne / cm ) layers ) __________________________________________________________________________ex . 1 1 8 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 1 . 326cf . sub . 3 ( cf . sub . 2 ). sub . 7 ( ch . sub . 2 ). sub . 2 -- 11 1 . 2 6 . 0coohex . 2 1 9 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 1 . 328cf . sub . 3 ( cf . sub . 2 ). sub . 7 ( ch . sub . 2 ). sub . 4 -- 11 1 . 7 6 . 0coohex . 3 1 2 . 4 6 . 0 6 . 0 1 . 308cf . sub . 3 ( cf . sub . 2 ). sub . 7 cooh 11 0 . 9 6 . 0ex . 4 1 2 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 1 . 302cf . sub . 3 ( cf . sub . 2 ). sub . 9 cooh 11 0 . 8 6 . 0ch . sub . 3 ( ch . sub . 2 ). sub . 16 cooh 1 27 . 0 2 . 8 24 . 0 1 . 462 11 6 . 0 24 . 0__________________________________________________________________________ the conductivity values in the table indicate that the fluorine - containing thin films formed in examples 1 - 4 were all insulators . the higher value of the withstanding voltage of these films than the value of the film formed by using stearic acid is demonstrative of an important merit of the present invention . the critical surface tension value measured on the films formed in examples is nearly equal to that of -- cf 3 . this fact evidences very good orientation of the cf 3 - terminated molecules in each of these films in the thickness direction . the refractive indices of the fluorine - containing films were as low as can be expected from the low value of atomic refraction of fluorine . this is indicative of usefulness of built - up films formed by the method according to the invention as low refraction films . alternately using the four kinds of the fluorinated fatty acids mentioned in the foregoing examples , the langmuir - blodgett build - up process described in example 1 was repeated except that 3 × 10 - 5 mol / l of either bacl 2 or cdcl 2 was dissolved in the aqueous phase as the source of divalent metal ions in place of the trivalent metal ion source used in examples . when either of cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 7 cooh and cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 9 cooh was used it was impossible to transfer the monomolecular film spread on the water surface onto the glass substrate . when cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 7 ( ch 2 ) 2 cooh was used it was possible to transfer a single monomolecular film from the water surface onto the glass substrate , but it was impossible to build up even another monomolecular layer on the firstly transferred film . when cf 3 ( cf 2 ) 7 ( ch 2 ) 4 cooh was used it was possible to form a built - up film having two monomolecular films on the glass substrate , but the obtained built - up film was inferior in mechanical strength . | 1 |
fig2 and 3 represent different embodiments of optical network evaluation systems and are presented herein to facilitate the understanding of the manner in which the novel optical channel analyzing switches described below in reference to fig4 and 5 a – d can be used . the network evaluation system 200 of fig2 provides a system and method of viewing traffic over an optical channel without impacting the performance of the individual channel under observation or requiring disconnection and recoupling of the test equipment with each successively observed channel . referring to fig2 , network evaluation system 200 includes an optical channel analyzing switch 202 and a channel - shared test equipment such as a network analyzer 204 . the optical channel analyzing switch 202 selects a particular channel for monitoring and / or analyzing from among a plurality of channels , for example , channels 206 – 212 . the architecture of fig2 enables a single or shared test equipment 204 to monitor a plurality of channels . the network evaluation system 200 may operate within a network configuration which , by way of example , may include a full - duplex or half - duplex gigabit ethernet or fibre channel configuration . those of skill in the art appreciate that gigabit ethernet may operate on either single - mode fiber or multi - mode fiber at data rates that require optical connections . similarly , fibre channel details computer channel communications over fiber optics at transmission speeds from 132 mbps to 1062 . 5 mbps at distances of up to 10 kilometers . as illustrated in fig2 , optical channel analyzing switch 202 receives optical channels 206 – 212 and “ taps ” each of the channels using optical couplers 214 – 220 to provide a sample of each of the channels to a switching array , depicted in fig2 as multiplexor 222 . multiplexor 222 selects a specific channel from among a possible plurality of channels under direction from a control signal 224 which may be discretely controlled by a network administrator from a remote location or manually controlled through local means . it should be appreciated that the routing of the “ tapped ” sample signal from optical channels 206 – 212 to the input of test equipment 204 introduces jitter and noise to the signal and reduces the signal to noise ratio of the signal carried on the channel under evaluation . in order to mitigate such signal contamination , additional functionality , illustrated in subsequent fig4 and 5 a – d , restores or retimes the data and clock relationship . additionally , prior to being input to the test equipment , the signal is processed according to the invention to comply with the input signal requirements of the test equipment or network analyzers that evaluate optical channels . for example , if the network analyzer is optical , the signal is converted from an electrical signal to an optical signal . if the network analyzer requires an electrical signal , the signal is transduced according to the input signal requirements of the network analyzer . fig3 illustrates a block diagram of a cascading array of optical analyzing switches forming a network evaluation system for analyzing an additional quantity of optical channels , and represents another way in which the optical channel analyzing switches of the invention can be used . according to fig3 , network evaluation system 300 includes a first optical channel analyzing switch 302 cascaded with a second optical channel analyzing switch 304 for selecting a channel for analysis from among a first plurality of input channels 306 and a second plurality of input channels 308 . the selection of the channel for analysis or monitoring by test equipment 310 is directed by control signal 312 received at first optical channel analyzing switch 302 which is also coupled to second optical channel analyzing switch 304 via a control signal 314 . physical selection and routing of the specific channel to the test equipment 310 is performed by respective multiplexors 316 and 318 . if a channel from first optical channel analyzing switch 302 is selected , it is routed into a cascade multiplexor input 320 for facilitating a single routing connection to test equipment 310 . fig4 is a functional block diagram of an optical channel analyzing switch in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . an analyzing system 400 is depicted as including an optical channel analyzing switch 402 for selecting a specific channel from among a plurality of channels 404 for coupling with test equipment 406 . plurality of channels 404 is comprised of optical channels which may be implemented as single - mode or multi - mode fibers and operated at various channel standards and capacities such as gigabit ethernet or fibre channel . the present invention facilitates the monitoring and evaluation of a specific channel without interruption to that specific channel &# 39 ; s traffic . such an implementation is facilitated by coupling channels 404 to individual optical couplers 408 which split or “ tap ” each of the individual channels and provide two groups of outputs , one being a group of pass - through outputs 410 and a second group of outputs depicted as analyzable output optical signals 412 . one benefit of the cascading capabilities of this embodiment is that two or more units and associated switches can be combined to tap and analyze more channels than could be handled by a single unit . the combined , or cascaded , switches can be controlled together as a single combined system . these features are in contrast with the system configuration that would otherwise be required , in which multiple independent switches would be used to tap different channels , with each switch being controlled separately one from another . analyzable output optical signals 412 directly couple with receivers 414 which perform optical - to - electrical conversion thereby facilitating the signal timing and manipulation in electrical form as opposed to the more complex optical signal manipulation . receivers 414 convert analyzable output optical signals 414 into analyzable electrical signals 416 which are coupled to a multiplexor 418 , which in fig4 is depicted for illustrative purposes only as being an 8 - to - 1 multiplexor . multiplexor 418 selects , according to control signal 420 , one of the input signals from among analyzable electrical signals 416 as the output signal depicted as multiplexor output signal 422 . signal 422 then undergoes various signal modifications in order to restore the timing relationship of the signal which has been contaminated by the extended propagation path through optical channel analyzing switch 402 as well as the noise contamination inherent in electrical devices and components within optical channel analyzing switch 402 . in optical channel analyzing switch 402 , a retimer 424 receives a multiplexor output signal 422 in electrical form and performs a clock recovery function which extracts the clock from the serial data and generates retimed data signal . this retiming operation reduces the jitter that would otherwise be introduced into the signal provided to the test equipment 406 . in this manner , the optical channel analyzing switches of the invention provide significant advantages over switches of the prior art . in order to prepare retimed electrical analyzable output signal 434 to be evaluated by optical test equipment 406 , the output signal is converted into an optical format . a transmitter 436 receives retimed electrical analyzable output signals 434 in electrical form and transforms those electrical signals into a retimed optical analyzable output signal 438 which is an approximation in optical form of the selected input signal from among the plurality of channels 404 selected by multiplexor 418 . if the test equipment analyzes electrical signals rather than optical signals , no conversion of the output signal 438 to optical form is needed . instead , the transmitter 436 included in optical channel analyzing switch 402 performs transducing operations to process the output signal 438 such that it complies with the input signal requirements of the test equipment . accordingly , optical channel analyzing switch 402 includes a transmitter 436 that is selected to process the output signal 438 in an appropriate manner such that the output signal complies with the input signal requirements of the test equipment . the type of transmitter 436 is typically determined by the type of test equipment ( optical or electrical ) with which the optical channel analyzing switch is to be used . as described above in fig3 , the present invention also includes an embodiment capable of cascading or coupling a plurality of optical channel analyzer switches , such as 402 , for selecting from among an even greater plurality of inputs 404 . transmitter 436 includes electrical outputs 440 , which may be further coupled with a multiplexor of another optical channel analyzer switch as depicted in fig3 . fig5 a – 5d represent a schematic diagram of a single channel of the optical channel analyzing switch , in accordance with one implementation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention . in fig5 a – 5d , input optical signal 502 is coupled to a multi - mode wide - band fiber coupler 504 . in addition to an input , coupler 504 is further comprised of two output signals , a pass - through output signal 506 and an analyzable output optical signal 508 in optical form . it is desirable that coupler 504 exhibit low insertion loss , high directivity , high stability and reliability and low excess loss . by way of example and not limitation , coupler 504 may be comprised of a multi - mode coupler such as an mmc - multimode wideband fiber coupler , manufactured by transwave fiber , inc ., of fremont , calif . optical signal 508 is coupled to a receiver portion which exhibits acceptable operational characteristics in converting from optical to electrical transmissions . it would be desirable for a receiver 510 to exhibit high - speed data rates up to and in excess of 2 . 125 gbit / sec which is compatible with fibre channel and gigabit ethernet data rates . additionally , receiver 510 would desirably exhibit very low jitter , low power dissipation , and for ease of integration exhibit a small form - factor . by way of example and not limitation , receiver 510 may be comprised of transceiver implemented in a receiver mode only such as a 2 gigabit / 2 × 5 transceiver ftrj - 8519 - 1 - 25 available from finisar systems of sunnyvale , calif . a receiver 510 generates analyzable electrical signals 512 , now in electronic rather than optical form which are coupled to a multiplexor 514 . it is desirable that multiplexor 514 exhibit sufficient addressability for individually selecting from among the plurality of possible channels presented to the optical channel analyzing switch 500 . also , multiplexor 514 desirably operates at propagation delays and frequencies consistent with the frequencies of the communication standards being evaluated . fig5 a – 5d illustrate multiplexor 514 implemented using a plurality of discrete 4 - to - 1 multiplexors arranged to implement an 8 - to - 1 multiplexor configuration . by way of example , multiplexor 514 is implemented using a plurality of multiplexor devices such as the mc10ep57 and mc10el57 available from on semiconductor , phoenix , ariz . the selected output signals 516 including reference clock signals 520 are coupled to a retimer circuit 518 to generate output data signals 522 and output clock signals 524 . retimer 518 extracts the clock from the serial data and generates retimed clock signal 524 and retimed data signal 522 . retimer circuit 518 desirably performs continuous - rate clock and data recovery , at the desirable data rate standards of at least fibre channel and gigabit ethernet . it is also desirable for retimer circuit 518 to exhibit low jitter and sufficient input sensitivity . by way of example and not limitation , retimer circuit 518 may be comprised of an s3056 clock recovery device that performs the clock recovery function for various optical standards including sonet , fibre channel , and gigabit , ethernet . the s3056 is capable of operating at 30 mbps to 2 . 7 gbps continuous - rate clock and data recovery . the exemplary device is available from applied micro circuits corporation of san diego , calif . output signals 522 and 524 are further coupled to a latch or flip - flop configuration 526 . the purpose of latch 526 is to recombine the timing - realigned separated clock signal 524 and data signal 522 into combined retimed electrical analyzable output signal 528 . by way of example and not limitation , an exemplary latch configuration 526 may be comprised of a “ d ” flip - flop such as an mc100ep52 available from various sources including on semiconductor , phoenix , ariz . outputs 528 are further coupled to a transmitter for converting from an electrical signal to an optical signal by way of a transmitter 530 . transmitter 530 generates an optical output 532 for coupling with the test equipment . transmitter 530 also alternatively generates cascading signals 534 for coupling with additional switches in an alternate embodiment , as discussed above . by way of example and not limitation , an exemplary transmitter 530 may be comprised of a ftrj - 8519 - 1 - 25 available from finisar systems of san jose , calif . 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 . | 7 |
referring to fig1 , the desiccant reactivation apparatus with which the present invention operates follows from the use of an enclosure 10 having a heat exchanger 12 and its method of operation both follow from the use of an enclosure 10 having a heat exchanger 12 and a desiccant 14 . reference numeral 20 identifies a building in which moisturized air is present and which is to dehumidified , with the enclosure 10 having a bottom surface 16 which may rest upon a trailer or truck bed adjacent the building 20 once driven to the work site . alternatively , the enclosure 10 could be off - loaded from the trailer or truck bed onto the ground itself . reference numeral 18 indicates a diesel fuel burner according to the invention in my afore - cited patent , having an exhaust gas stack 22 . as will be understood , the diesel fuel burner 18 heats the exchanger 12 from the inside out — although any other type of burner to heat the exchanger 12 may be employed . a first , or processed air , blower 26 draws the moisturized air from within the building through ductwork 72 and the desiccant 14 in a first direction ( shown by the arrows 60 ), which traps the moisture therein before discharging the dried air out the enclosure 10 as shown by the arrows 61 - 62 . a second , or reactivation , blower 24 draws ambient air from the surrounds via ductwork 70 into the enclosure 10 , over and about the diesel fired heat exchanger 12 and through the desiccant 14 in a second direction , as illustrated by the arrows 50 ; the moisture liberated , heated air through the desiccant 14 is discharged outside the enclosure 10 as shown by the arrows 51 - 52 . the heat exchanger 10 thus dehumidifies the desiccant 14 of the moisture collected from the wet building air in reactivating the desiccant 14 for continuing use . at the same time , the dried air from the enclosure 10 is blown or pumped along the arrows 51 - 52 back into the building 20 . typically , this is accomplished by a flexible hose shown as 80 coupled about a duct 82 at an output port 84 of the enclosure 10 . in accordance with the teachings of the present invention , as illustrated in fig2 and 3 , raised ring 90 is utilized to encircle the duct 82 , and made a permanent part of it as by welding at 92 when the duct 82 is fabricated of sheet metal and the raised ring 90 is constructed of aluminum . the flexible hose 80 , which previously coupled about the duct 82 , continues to overlie the duct 82 , but additionally now overlies the raised ring 90 as well , and to be mechanically secured about the duct 82 forwardly of the ring , as at 94 . such mechanical means may continue to be a worm gear type of screw tightenable in understood manner — but one which is now deterred and prevented from blowing back off the duct 82 by the construction of the raised ring which acts as a block or stop . with the flexible hose 80 of a thermoplastic composition , and with almost any type of hose clamp being employable , the raised ring 90 merely needs to be constructed of a raised height , width and composition sufficient to withstand the rearward movement ( if any ) of the clamp brought about by the dried air blowing back through the output port 84 of the heat exchanger 10 . while there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention , it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein . for at least such reason , therefore , resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention . | 1 |
the following is a detailed description of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings . first , in order to clarify the relationship between each means of the invention as set forth in the claims and the embodiment described below , the features of the present invention are described below by including a corresponding embodiment ( one example ) within the parentheses after each means . of course , this description does not limit each means thereto . ??? more specifically , the information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 comprises computation means ( for example , an ieee1394 interface 58 of fig1 ) for computing the topology of a network on the basis of the information for identifying each information processing apparatus and the number of connections of each information processing apparatus to the network and for controlling the communication timing of each information processing apparatus . the present invention will now be described below . it is assumed that , also in the present invention , the network is constructed as shown in fig2 and 22 . fig1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an ird 1 . a tuner 51 causes an antenna 7 to operate and outputs an image signal and an audio signal in accordance with a signal from the antenna 7 . a lcd ( liquid - crystal display ) 53 and a touch panel 54 are connected to the internal bus through an input / output interface 52 . the lcd 53 displays display data supplied from a cpu ( central processing unit ) 55 or an ieee1394 interface 58 . the touch panel 54 supplies a signal corresponding to the operation of a user to the input / output interface 52 . the cpu 55 performs various programs . a rom ( read only memory ) 56 stores basically fixed data from among programs used by the cpu 55 and parameters for computations . a ram ( random access memory ) 57 stores a program used in the execution of the cpu 55 and parameters which vary appropriately in the execution thereof . the ieee1394 interface 58 is an input / output interface which complies with ieee1394 , to which ieee1394 serial buses 8 - 1 to 8 - 5 are connected . the tuner 51 , the input / output interface 52 , the cpu 55 , the rom 56 , the ram 57 , and the ieee1394 interface 58 are connected with each other through the internal bus . the ieee1394 complies with the csr ( control & amp ; status register ) architecture having a 64 - bit address space defined by iso / iec13213 . fig2 illustrates the structure of the address space of the csr architecture . the high - order 16 bits are physical id ( identification data ) which indicates the node on each ieee1394 , and the remaining 48 bits are used to specify an address space provided to each node . these high order 16 bits are further divided into the 10 bits of the bus id and the 6 bits of the physical id ( physical id in a narrow sense ). since the value at which all the bits become 1 is used for a special purpose , it is possible to specify 1023 buses and 63 nodes . the space defined by the high - order 20 bits within the address space of 256 tera - bytes defined by the low - order 48 bits is divided into an initial register space of 2048 bytes used for a register specific to csr , a register specific to ieee1394 , and so on , a private space , and an initial memory space . the space defined by the low - order 28 bits , when the space defined by the high - order 20 bits thereof is an initial register space , is used as a configuration rom ( read only memory ), an initial unit space used for an application specific to a node , plug control registers ( pcrs ), etc . [ 0064 ] fig3 shows the structure of a topology map disposed in the initial unit space of csr of a node which operates as a bus manager . a length field stores a value which indicates the length after a generation number in units of quadlets ( quadlet : 4 bytes ). a node count ( node_count ) field stores a value which indicates the number of present nodes on the ieee1394 serial bus . a self - id count ( self_id_count ) field stores a value which indicates the number of self - id packets [ self_id_packet ] to be stored in the topology map . self - id packets [ 0 ] to [ self_id_count − 1 ] field stores an actual self - id packet sent from each node . a crc ( cyclic redundancy check ) field stores a value for cyclic redundancy check for the object of the entire topology map . next , a description is given of a self - id packet stored in the topology map . fig4 a and 4b show an example of the structure of a self - id packet . in a self - id process , one of one to four self - id packets is output from the physical layer 24 of each node . the self - id packet shown in fig4 a is for the case in which it is single , or an example of a self - id packet which is output first . the self - id packet shown in fig4 b is for an example of the self - id packet which is output as the second or later . the first 32 bits of the self - id packet are effective data , and the remaining 32 bits are used for error detection . [ 0066 ] fig5 illustrates components of the self - id packet . the contents described in the cells below the cell described as “ name ” of the uppermost line correspond to the name of the component of the self - id packet of fig4 a and 4b . the cell at the position of the intersection of the rightward extension area of the contents described in the cell downward of the cell described as “ field ” of the uppermost line and the downward extension area described as “ field ” of the uppermost line show the contents of the components of the self - id packet of fig4 a and 4b . the bus manager reads information stored in the field sp of the seventeenth bit or the eighteenth bit from the start to be transmitted and can be informed of the transfer speed performance of the node which has output the self - id packet . the information which indicates the connection state of the port , stored in the fields p 0 to p 26 , indicates one of four types : the connection partner is a child node , the connection partner is a parent node , the port is not connected , or the terminal does not exist . gap_cnt which determines the range of the subaction gap and the arbitration reset gap is stored in the eleventh to sixteenth bits from the start to be transmitted of the self - id packet . [ 0067 ] fig6 shows the structure of a speed map disposed in the initial unit space of csr of the node which operates as a bus manager . the length field stores a value which indicates the length after a generation number in units of quadlets ( quadlet : 4 bytes ). the generation number ( generation_number ) field stores a value which indicates the number of creations of the speed map . the speed code ( speed_code ) fields [ 0 ] to [ 4029 ] store a value which indicates the highest communication speed of two nodes . the value which indicates the highest communication speed of a node m and a node n is stored in the speed code field [ 64 ( m + n ]. for example , the value which indicates the highest communication speed of a node 0 and a node 2 is stored in a speed code field [ 2 ]. in the case of the structure in fig2 , a value which indicates s 100 is stored in the speed code field [ 2 ]. [ 0068 ] fig7 is a flowchart illustrating a process for computing the value of an optimum gap count . in step s 11 , the bus manager ( possessed by , for example , the ird 1 in fig2 ) creates a topology map . in step s 12 , the bus manager creates tree structure data composed of transfer speed performance , the number of child nodes , and the id of the parent node , of all the nodes connected to the bus . in step s 13 , the bus manager determines the number of hops with respect to the combination of all the nodes connected to the bus . in step s 14 , the bus manager computes the optimum value of the gap count on the basis of the number of hops determined in step s 13 , sets the optimum value of the gap count in each node , and the processing is terminated . a description is given in detail below of a process of each step of fig7 . [ 0069 ] fig8 is a flowchart illustrating a process for creating a topology map in step s 11 of fig7 . in step s 21 , the bus manager writes a predetermined value in a reset start register of the csr , and performs command resetting of the bus . in step s 22 , the physical layer 24 of each node performs a tree id process , and sets one of the values of the branch and the leaf in each node . in step s 23 , the physical layer 24 of each node performs a self - id process and provides the physical id to each node . in step s 24 , the bus manager sets 0 , which is an initial value , in the length field of the topology map . in step s 25 , the bus manager obtains the self - id packet sent from each node and stores it at a predetermined position of the topology map . in step s 26 , the bus manager sets the generation number , the node count , the self - id count , and the crc to predetermined values . in step s 27 , the bus manager sets an appropriate value in the length field . in a manner as described above , the bus manager creates a topology map from the self - id packet sent from each node . [ 0070 ] fig9 is a flowchart illustrating a process for creating tree structure data of each node in step s 12 of fig7 . the tree structure data is composed of data indicating the highest communication speed of each node , the number of child nodes of each node , and the physical id of the parent node of each node . in step s 31 , the bus manager reads a value from the sp field of the self - id packet corresponding to each node stored in the topology map . in step s 32 , the bus manager determines the number of child nodes of each node from the fields of p 0 to p 26 of the self - id packet corresponding to each node stored in the topology map . in step s 33 , the bus manager determines the physical id of the parent node of each node . next , a description is given of a process for determining the physical id of the parent node in step s 33 of the flowchart of fig9 . fig1 and 11 illustrate a process for determining the physical id of the parent node of each node when the connection shown in fig2 is made . when step s 32 of fig9 is terminated , as shown in fig1 , the bus manager has the information indicating the physical id and the number of children of each node . the physical id of the node connected to the ieee1394 serial bus is smaller than the physical id of the parent node , and the number of parent nodes of each node is 1 or 0 . by using this condition and a stack having a last - in first - in structure , the physical id of the parent node of each node is determined . [ 0072 ] fig1 a , 11b , 11 c , 11 d , 11 e , 11 f , 11 g , 11 h , and 11 i illustrate the operation of a stack for computing the physical id of the parent node . this process for computing the physical id of the parent node is performed by tracing in sequence from the node with a smaller physical id to a node with a greater physical id . fig1 a shows an initial state of a stack . the stack is null in the initial state . fig1 b shows a state in which the stack traces a node 0 . since the number of children of the node 0 is zero , the stack stores 0 which is the physical id of the node 0 . fig1 c shows a state in which the stack traces a node 1 . since the number of children of the node 1 is zero , the stack stores 1 , which is the physical id of the node 1 , on 0 . fig1 d shows a state in which the stack traces node 2 . since the number of children of the node 2 is zero , the stack stores 2 which is the physical id of the node 2 on 1 . [ 0073 ] fig1 e shows the initial state in which the stack traces a node 3 . since the number of children of the node 3 is 2 , the stack pops up two values 2 and 1 , which are stored above . this shows that the parent node of the node 1 and the node 2 is the node 3 . fig1 f shows the next state when the stack traces the node 3 . “ 3 ” which is the physical id of the node 3 is stored on the remaining value 0 . fig1 g shows the initial state in which the stack traces a node 4 . since the number of children of the node 4 is 1 , the stack pops up one value 3 , which is stored above . this shows that the parent node of the node 3 is the node 4 . fig1 h shows the next state when the stack traces the node 4 . “ 4 ”, which is the physical id of the node 4 , is stored on the remaining value 0 . fig1 i shows a state in which the stack traces a node 5 . since the number of children of the node 5 is 2 , the stack takes out two stored values 4 and 0 . this shows that the parent node of the node 4 and the node 0 is the node 5 . since the node 5 has the maximum physical id , it can be seen that it is a root node . in a manner as described above , it is possible for the bus manager to compute the physical id of the parent node with respect to each node . [ 0074 ] fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for computing the physical id of the parent node . in step s 41 , the bus manager sets 0 , which is an initial value , in a variable p which indicates a node to be traced . in step s 42 , the bus manager determines whether or not p is less than the number of nodes connected to the bus . when it is determined that p is less than the number of nodes connected to the bus , the process proceeds to step s 43 where the number of child nodes of the node p is set in the counter . in step s 44 , the bus manager determines whether or not the value of the counter set in step s 43 is 0 . when it is determined that the value of the counter is not 0 , the process proceeds to step s 445 where the physical id is popped up from the stack . in step s 46 , the bus manager sets the physical id popped in step s 45 in a variable c . in step s 47 , the bus manager sets the node p in the parent node of the node c . in step s 48 , the bus manager decrements the count value , and the process returns to step s 44 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 44 that the value of the counter is 0 , the process proceeds to step s 49 where the bus manager pushes , the physical id into the stack . in step s 50 , the bus manager increments the variable p , and the process returns to step s 42 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 42 that p is equal to or greater than the number of nodes connected to the bus , the process is terminated . [ 0076 ] fig1 is a flowchart illustrating another process for computing the physical id of the parent node which does not use a stack . in step s 51 , the bus manager sets 0 , which is an initial value , in the variable p which indicates a node to be traced . in step s 52 , the bus manager determines whether or not p is less than the number of nodes connected to the bus . when it is determined that p is less than the number of nodes connected to the bus , the process proceeds to step s 53 where the number of nodes of children of the node p is set in the counter . in step s 54 , the bus manager sets the value of p − 1 in the variable c . in step s 55 , the bus manager determines whether or not the value of the counter is not 0 and c is equal to or greater than 0 . when it is determined that the value of the counter is not 0 and c is equal to or greater than 0 , the process proceeds to step s 56 where a determination is made as to whether or not the node of the parent of the node c has been found . when it is determined in step s 56 that the node of the parent of the node c has not been found , the process proceeds to step s 57 where the bus manager sets the node p in the parent node of the node c and then proceeds to step s 58 . in step s 58 , the bus manager decrements the count value , and then proceeds to step s 60 . when it is determined in step s 56 that the node of the parent of the node c has been found , the process skips step s 57 and s 58 and proceeds to step s 60 . in step s 60 the value of c is set at c − 1 , and the process returns to step s 55 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 55 that the value of the counter is 0 or c is less than 0 , the process proceeds to step s 59 . in step s 59 , the bus manager increments the value of p , and the process returns to step s 52 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 52 that p is equal to or greater than the number of nodes connected to the bus , the processing is terminated . in the manner described above , the bus manager can compute the physical id of the parent node with respect to each node by the processing of fig1 or the processing of fig1 . next , a description is given of a process for determining the number of hops among nodes . fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for computing the number of hops between the node m and the node n , which is performed in step s 13 of fig7 . in step s 61 , the bus manager compares m with n in order to determine whether or not m is greater than n . when it is determined that m is greater than n , in step s 62 , the values of m and n are interchanged , and the process proceeds to step s 63 . when it is determined in step s 61 that m is not greater than n , the process proceeds to step s 63 . in step s 63 , the bus manager sets − 1 , which is an initial value , in a hop . the hop is a counter for the number of hops . in step s 64 , the bus manager sets m of a variable top . the top is a variable for storing the physical id of the apex when a search is made from the node m to the root . in step s 65 , the bus manager compares the top with n in order to determine whether or not the top is smaller than n . when it is determined that the top is smaller than n , the process proceeds to step s 66 where the value of hop is incremented . in step s 67 , the bus manager sets in top the physical id of the parent node of the top , and the process returns to step s 65 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 65 that the top is equal to or greater than n , the process proceeds to step s 68 where n is set in a variable node . the node is a variable for storing the physical id of the apex when a search is made from the node n toward the root . in step s 69 , the bus manager determines whether or not the node is equal to or smaller than top . when it is determined that the node is equal to or smaller than top , the process proceeds to step s 70 where the value of hop is incremented . in step s 71 , the bus manager sets in the node the physical id of the parent node of the node “ node ”, and the process returns to step s 69 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 69 that the node is greater than top , the process proceeds to step s 72 where the bus manager sets the value of hop in the number of hops , and the processing is terminated . in a manner as described above , it is possible for the bus manager to compute the number of hops between the node m and the node n . [ 0079 ] fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for computing the optimum value of a gap count on the basis of the number of hops in step s 14 of fig7 . this process searches and the maximum number of hops for the objects of the leaf nodes and the leaf nodes , and computes the optimum value of the gap count on the basis of the value thereof . in step s 81 , the bus manager sets 0 , which is an initial value , in a variable maxhop . in step s 82 , the bus manager sets 0 , which is an initial value , in a variable m . in step s 83 , the bus manager determines whether or not the value of m is less than the number of leaf nodes . when it is determined that the value of m is less than the number of leaf nodes , in step s 84 , the bus manager sets m + 1 in a variable n . in step s 85 , the bus manager determines whether or not the value of n is less than the number of leaf nodes . when it is determined that the value of n is less than the number of leaf nodes , the process proceeds to step s 86 where the number of hops between the leaf node n and the leaf node m , which has been computed in the process of fig1 , is set in the variable hop . in step s 87 , the bus manager determines whether or not the hop is greater than maxhop . when it is determined that the hop is greater than the maxhop , in step s 88 , the value of hop is set in the maxhop . when it is determined in step s 87 that the hop is equal to or smaller than the maxhop , step s 88 is skipped . in step s 89 , the bus manager increments n , and the process returns to step s 85 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 85 that the value of n is equal to or greater than the number of leaf nodes , the process proceeds to step s 90 where the bus manager increments m , and the process returns to step s 83 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 83 that the value of m is equal to or greater than the number of leaf nodes , the process proceeds to step s 91 where the bus manager computes the optimum value of the gap count from the value of the maxhop on the basis of the specifications of ieee1394 , and the processing is terminated . in a manner as described above , it is possible for the bus manager to compute the optimum gap count corresponding to the topology of the network and to set the optimum subaction gap and arbitration reset gap . it is possible for the bus manager to store the tree structure data determined in step s 12 of fig7 to compute a subject communication speed when there is an inquiry of the highest communication speed among the nodes from another node , and to respond to that node . at this time , the bus manager must transmit a response in units of quadlets in conformance with the specifications of ieee1394 . fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for creating a speed code in response to an inquiry of the communication speed from another node . in step s 101 , the bus manager determines whether or not the accessed address is an address at which the speed code is stored . when it is determined that the accessed address is an address at which the speed code is stored , in step s 102 , the address of the row of the speed map of the accessed address is set in the variable m . in step s 103 , the address of the column of the speed map of the accessed address is set in the variable n . in step s 104 , the bus manager sets 0 , which is an initial value , in the highest communication speed . in step s 105 , the bus manager sets 0 , which is an initial value , in the speed code . in step s 106 , the bus manager sets the value of n in a variable i . in step s 107 , the bus manager determines whether or not i is less than ( n + 4 ). when it is determined that i is less than ( n + 4 ), in step s 108 , the highest communication speed of the node m and the node i is computed . in step s 109 , the bus manager creates a speed code on the basis of the highest communication speed obtained in step s 108 and stores it as a predetermined value . in step s 110 , the bus manager increments i , and the process returns to step s 107 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 101 that the accessed address is not an address at which the speed code is stored , and when it is determined that i is equal to or greater than ( n + 4 ), the processing is terminated . [ 0082 ] fig1 and 18 are flowcharts illustrating a process for computing the highest communication speed of the node m and the node n in step s 108 of fig1 . in step s 121 , the bus manager determines whether or not m is greater than n . when it is determined that m is greater than n , the process proceeds to step s 122 where the values of n and m are interchanged . when it is determined in step s 121 that m is equal to or smaller than n , the process proceeds to step s 123 . in step s 123 , the bus manager sets s 400 , which is an initial value , in a variable s1 . in step s 124 , the bus manager sets s 400 , which is an initial value , in a variable s2 . in step s 125 , the bus manager determines whether or not the highest communication speed of the node n is s 100 . when it is determined that the highest communication speed of the node n is not s 100 , the process proceeds to step s 126 where the bus manager sets the value of m in a variable top . the top is a variable for storing the physical id of the apex when a search is made from the node m toward the root . in step s 127 , the bus manager determines whether or not the top is less than n . when it is determined that the top is less than n , the process proceeds to step s 128 . in step s 128 , the bus manager determines whether or not the highest communication speed of the node top is s 100 . when it is determined that the highest communication speed of the node top is not s 100 , the process proceeds to step s 129 . in step s 129 , the bus manager determines whether or not the highest communication speed of the node top is less than s1 . when it is determined that the highest communication speed of the node top is less than s1 , the process proceeds to step s 130 where the communication speed of the node top is set in s1 . when it is determined in step s 129 that the highest communication speed of the node top is equal to or greater than s1 , step s 130 is skipped , and the process proceeds to step s 131 . in step s 131 , the bus manager sets , in top , the physical id of the parent node of the node top , and the process returns to step s 127 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 127 that the top is equal to or greater than n , the process proceeds to step s 132 . in step s 132 , the bus manager sets the value of n in the variable node . the node is a variable for storing the physical id of the apex when a search is made from the node n toward the root . in step s 133 , the bus manager determines whether or not the node is equal to or smaller than top . when it is determined that the node is equal to or smaller than top , the process proceeds to step s 134 where a determination is made as to whether or not the communication speed of the node “ node ” is s 100 . when it is determined in step s 134 that the communication speed of the node “ node ” is not s 100 , the process proceeds to step s 135 where the bus manager determines whether or not the communication speed of the node “ node ” is less than s2 . when it is determined in step s 135 that the communication speed of the node “ node ” is less than s2 , the bus manager sets in s2 the communication speed of the node “ node ” in step s 136 . when it is determined in step s 135 that the communication speed of the node “ node ” is equal to or greater than s2 , step s 136 is skipped , and the process proceeds to step s 137 . in step s 137 , the bus manager sets in the node the physical id of the parent node of node “ node ”, and the process returns to step s 133 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 133 that the node is greater than top , the process proceeds to step s 138 where the bus manager determines whether or not s1 is smaller than s2 . when it is determined in step s 138 that s1 is smaller than s2 , in step s 139 , the bus manager sets s1 in the highest communication speed of the node m and the node n , and the processing is terminated . when it is determined in step s 138 that s1 is equal to or greater than s2 , in step s 140 , the bus manager sets s2 in the highest communication speed of the node m and node n , and the processing is terminated . when it is determined in step s 125 that the communication speed of the node n is s 100 , when it is determined in step s 128 that the communication speed of the node top is s 100 , and it is determined in step s 134 that the communication speed of the node “ node ” is s 100 , the process proceeds to step s 141 where the bus manager sets s 100 in the highest communication speed of the node m and node n , and the processing is terminated . in a manner as described above , it is possible for the bus manager to compute the highest communication speed among the nodes . [ 0087 ] fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a process for computing the highest communication speed of the node m and node n and the number of hops between the node m and node end at the same time . in step s 151 , the bus manager determines whether or not m is greater than n . when it is determined that m is greater than n , the process proceeds to step s 152 where the values of n and m are interchanged . when it is determined in step s 151 that m is equal to or smaller than n , the process proceeds to step s 153 . in step s 153 , the bus manager sets s 400 , which is an initial value , in a variable s1 . in step s 154 , the bus manager sets s 400 , which is an initial value , in the variable s2 . in step s 155 , the bus manager sets − 1 in the variable hop . in step s 156 , the bus manager sets the value of m in the variable top . in step s 157 , the bus manager determines whether or not the top is less than n . when it is determined that the top is less than n , the process proceeds to step s 158 . in step s 158 , the bus manager determines whether or not the communication speed of the node top is less than s1 . when it is determined that the communication speed of the node top is less than s1 , the process proceeds to step s 159 where the communication speed of the node top is set in s1 . when it is determined in step s 158 that the communication speed of the node top is equal to or greater than s1 , step s 159 is skipped , and the process proceeds to step s 160 . in step s 160 , the bus manager sets hop + 1 in the hop . in step s 161 , the bus manager sets , in the top , the physical id of the parent node of the node top , and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 157 that the top is equal to or greater than n , the process proceeds to step s 162 . in step s 162 , the bus manager sets the value of n in the variable node . in step s 163 , the bus manager determines whether or not the node is equal to or smaller than top . when it is determined that the node is equal to or smaller than top , the process proceeds to step s 164 . in step s 164 , the bus manager determines whether or not the communication speed of the node “ node ” is less than s2 . when it is determined that the communication speed of the node “ node ” is less than s2 , in step s 165 , the communication speed of the node “ node ” is set in s2 . when it is determined in step s 164 that the communication speed of the node “ node ” is equal to or greater than s2 , step s 165 is skipped , and the process proceeds to step s 166 . in step s 166 , the bus manager sets hop + 1 in the hop . in step s 167 , the bus manager sets in the node the physical id of the parent node of the node n , and the process returns to step s 163 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 163 that the node is greater than top , the process proceeds to step s 168 where the bus manager sets the value of hop in the number of hops . in step s 169 , the bus manager determines whether or not s1 is smaller than s2 . when it is determined that s1 is smaller than s2 , in step s 170 , the bus manager sets s1 in the highest communication speed of the node m and node n , and the processing is terminated . when it is determined in step s 169 that s1 is equal to or greater than s2 , in step s 171 , the bus manager sets s2 in the highest communication speed of the node m and node n , and the processing is terminated . [ 0091 ] fig2 is a flowchart illustrating a process for computing the optimum value of the gap count and for creating the entire speed map . in step s 181 , the bus manager sets 0 in the length of the speed map . in step s 182 , the bus manager sets 0 in the variable maxhop . in step s 183 , the bus manager set 0 in the variable m . in step s 184 , the bus manager determines whether or not m is less than the number of nodes . when it is determined that m is less than the number of nodes , in step s 185 , the value of m is set in n . in step s 186 , the bus manager determines whether or not n is less than the number of nodes . when it is determined that n is less than the number of nodes , the process proceeds to step s 187 where the highest communication speed of the node m and node n is computed . in step s 188 , the bus manager sets the speed code corresponding to the highest communication speed determined in step s 187 in the address from the node n to the node m and in the address from the node m to the node n of the speed map . in step s 189 , the bus manager computes the number of hops between the node m and node n . in step s 190 , the bus manager sets , in the hop , the number of hops between the leaf n and the leaf m . in step s 191 , the bus manager determines whether or not the hop is greater than maxhop . when it is determined that the hop is greater than maxhop , the process proceeds to step s 192 where the value of hop is set in the maxhop . in step s 193 , the bus manager increments n , and the process returns to step s 186 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 186 that n is equal to or greater than the number of nodes , the process proceeds to step s 194 where m is incremented , and the process returns to step s 184 and the processing is continued . when it is determined in step s 184 that m is equal to or greater than the number of nodes , the process proceeds to step s 195 where the bus manager computes the optimum value of the gap count on the basis of the maxhop . in step s 196 , the bus manager sets the length field of the speed map to an appropriate value , and the processing is terminated . in a manner as described above , it is possible for the bus manager to determine the highest communication speed between two apparatuses on the ieee1394 serial bus , to compute the optimum gap count , and to set it in the most appropriate subaction gap and arbitration reset gap . as distribution media for providing a computer program which performs processing such as that described above to a user , a magnetic disk , a cd - rom , a solid - state memory , and further , communication media , such as a network or a satellite , may be used . having now fully described the invention , it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth herein . | 7 |
referring first to fig1 to 5 , there is shown a drug delivery device in accordance with the present invention in a number of positions . the drug delivery device comprises a housing having a first cartridge retaining part 2 , and second main ( exterior ) housing part 4 . a first end of the cartridge retaining means 2 and a second end of the main housing 4 are secured together by retaining features 6 . in the illustrated embodiment , the cartridge retaining means 2 is secured within the second end of the main housing 4 . a cartridge 8 from which a number of doses of a medicinal product may be dispensed is provided in the cartridge retaining part 2 . a piston 10 is retained in a first end of the cartridge 8 . a removable cap 12 is releasably retained over a second end of the cartridge retaining part 2 . in use the removable cap 12 can be replaced by a user with a suitable needle unit ( not shown ). a replaceable cap 14 is used to cover the cartridge retaining part 2 extending from the main housing 4 . preferably , the outer dimensions of the replaceable cap 14 are similar or identical to the outer dimensions of the main housing 4 to provide the impression of a unitary whole when the replaceable cap 14 is in position covering the cartridge retaining part 2 . in the illustrated embodiment , an insert 16 is provided at a first end of the main housing 4 . the insert 16 is secured against rotational or longitudinal motion . the insert 16 is provided with a threaded circular opening 18 extending there through . alternatively , the insert may be formed integrally with the main housing 4 having the form of a radially inwardly directed flange having an internal thread . a first thread 19 extends from a first end of a piston rod 20 . the piston rod 20 is of generally circular section . the first end of the piston rod 20 extends through the threaded opening 18 in the insert 16 . a pressure foot 22 is located at the first end of the piston rod 20 . the pressure foot 22 is disposed to abut a second end of the cartridge piston 10 . a second thread 24 extends from a second end of the piston rod 20 . in the illustrated embodiment the second thread 24 comprises a series of part threads rather than a complete thread . the illustrated embodiment is easier to manufacture and helps to reduce the overall force required for a user to actuate the device when dispensing the medicinal product . the first thread 19 and the second thread 24 are oppositely disposed . the second end of the piston rod 20 is provided with a receiving recess 26 . a drive sleeve 30 extends about the piston rod 20 . the drive sleeve 30 is generally cylindrical . the drive sleeve 30 is provided at a first end with a first radially extending flange 32 . a second radially extending flange 34 is provided spaced distance along the drive sleeve 30 from the first flange 32 . an intermediate thread 36 is provided on an outer part of the drive sleeve 30 extending between the first flange 32 and the second flange 34 . a helical groove ( thread ) 38 extends along the internal surface of the drive sleeve 30 . the second thread 24 of the piston rod 20 is adapted to work within the helical groove 38 . a first end of the first flange 32 is adapted to conform to a second side of the insert 16 . a nut 40 is located between the drive sleeve 30 and the main housing 2 , disposed between the first flange 32 and the second flange 34 . in the illustrated embodiment the nut 40 is a half - nut . this assists in the assembly of the device . the nut 40 has an internal thread matching the intermediate thread 36 . the outer surface of the nut 40 and an internal surface of the main housing 4 are keyed together by splines 42 ( fig1 , 11 , 15 and 16 ) to prevent relative rotation between the nut 40 and the main housing 4 , while allowing relative longitudinal movement there between . a shoulder 37 is formed between a second end of the drive sleeve 30 an extension 47 provided at the second end of the drive sleeve 30 . the extension 47 has reduced inner and outer diameters in comparison to the remainder of the drive sleeve 30 . a second end of the extension 47 is provided with a radially outwardly directed flange 39 . a clicker 50 and a clutch 60 are disposed about the drive sleeve 30 , between the drive sleeve 30 and a dose dial sleeve 70 ( described below ). the clicker 50 is located adjacent the second flange 34 of the drive sleeve 30 . the clicker 50 is generally cylindrical and is provided at a first end with a flexible helically . extending arm 52 ( fig6 ). a free end of the arm 52 is provided with a radially directed toothed member 54 . a second end of the clicker 50 is provided with a series of circumferentially directed saw teeth 56 ( fig7 ). each saw tooth comprises a longitudinally directed surface arid an inclined surface . in an alternative embodiment ( not shown ) the clicker further includes at least one spring member . the at least one spring member assists in the resetting of the clutch 60 following dispense . the clutch 60 is located adjacent the second end of the drive sleeve 30 . the clutch 60 is generally cylindrical and is provided at a first end with a series of circumferentially directed saw teeth 66 ( fig7 ). each saw tooth comprises a longitudinally directed surface and an inclined surface . towards the second end 64 of the clutch 60 there is located a radially inwardly directed flange 62 . the flange 62 of the clutch 60 is disposed between the shoulder 37 of the drive sleeve 30 and the radially outwardly directed flange 39 of the extension 38 . the second end of the clutch 60 is provided with a plurality of dog teeth 65 ( fig8 ). the clutch 60 is keyed to the drive sleeve 30 by way of splines ( not shown ) to prevent relative rotation between the clutch 60 and the drive sleeve 30 . in the illustrated embodiment , the clicker 50 and the clutch 60 each extend approximately half the length of the drive sleeve 30 . however , it will be understood that other arrangements regarding the relative lengths of these parts are possible . the clicker 50 and the clutch 60 are engaged as shown in fig7 . a dose dial sleeve 70 is provided outside of the clicker 50 and clutch 60 and radially inward of the main housing 4 . a helical groove 74 is provided about an outer surface of the dose dial sleeve 70 . the main housing 4 is provided with a window 44 through which a part of the outer surface of the dose dial sleeve may be seen . the main housing 4 is further provided with a helical rib ( thread ) 46 , adapted to be seated in the helical groove ( thread ) 74 on the outer surface of the dose dial sleeve 70 . the helical rib 46 extends for a single sweep of the inner surface of the main housing 4 . a first stop 100 is provided between the splines 42 and the helical rib 46 ( fig1 ). a second stop 102 , disposed at an angle of 180 ° to the first stop 100 is formed by a frame surrounding the window 44 in the main housing 4 ( fig1 ). conveniently , a visual indication of the dose that may be dialed , for example reference numerals ( not shown ), is provided on the outer surface of the dose dial sleeve 70 . the window 44 conveniently only allows to be viewed a visual indication of the dose currently dialed . a second end of the dose dial sleeve 70 is provided with an inwardly directed flange in the form of a number of radially extending members 75 . a dose dial grip 76 is disposed about an outer surface of the second end of the dose dial sleeve 70 . an outer diameter of the dose dial grip 76 preferably corresponds to the outer diameter of the main housing 4 . the dose dial grip 76 is secured to the dose dial sleeve 70 to prevent relative movement there between . the dose dial grip 76 is provided with a central opening 78 . an annular recess 80 located in the second end of the dose dial grip 76 extends around the opening 78 . a button 82 of generally “ t ” section is provided at a second end of the device . a stem 84 of the button 82 may extend through the opening 78 in the dose dial grip 76 , through the inner diameter of the extension 47 of the drive sleeve 30 and into the receiving recess 26 of the piston rod 20 . the stem 84 is retained for limited axial movement in the drive sleeve 30 and against rotation with respect thereto . a head 85 of the button 82 is generally circular . a skirt 86 depends from a periphery of the head 85 . the skirt 86 is adapted to be seated in the annular recess 80 of the dose dial grip 76 . operation of the drug delivery device in accordance with the present invention will now be described . in fig9 and 11 arrows a , b , c , d , e , f and g represent the respective movements of the button 82 , the dose dial grip 76 , the dose dial sleeve 70 , the drive sleeve 30 , the clutch 60 , the clicker 50 and the nut 40 . to dial a dose ( fig9 ) a user rotates the dose dial grip 76 ( arrow b ). with the clicker 50 and clutch 60 engaged , the drive sleeve 30 , the clicker 50 , the clutch 60 and the dose dial sleeve 70 rotate with the dose dial grip 76 . audible and tactile feedback of the dose being dialed is provided by the clicker 50 and the clutch 60 . torque is transmitted through the saw teeth 56 , 66 between the clicker 50 and the clutch 60 . the flexible arm 52 deforms and drags the toothed member 54 over the splines 42 to produce a click . preferably , the splines 42 are disposed such that each click corresponds to a conventional unit dose , or the like . the helical groove 74 on the dose dial sleeve 70 and the helical groove 38 in the drive sleeve 30 have the same lead . this allows the dose dial sleeve 70 ( arrow c ) to extend from the main housing 4 and the drive sleeve 30 ( arrow d ) to climb the piston rod 20 at the same rate . at the limit of travel , a radial stop 104 ( fig1 ) on the dose dial sleeve 70 engages either the first stop 100 or the second stop 102 provided on the main housing 4 to prevent further movement . rotation of the piston rod 20 is prevented due to the opposing directions of the overhauled and driven threads on the piston rod 20 . the nut 40 , keyed to the main housing 4 , is advanced along the intermediate thread 36 by the rotation of the drive sleeve 30 ( arrow d ). when the final dose dispensed position ( fig4 and 13 ) is reached , a radial stop 106 formed on a second surface of the nut 40 abuts a radial stop 108 on a first surface of the second flange 34 of the drive sleeve 30 , preventing both the nut 40 and the drive sleeve 30 from rotating further . in an alternative embodiment ( not shown ) a first surface of the nut 40 is provided with a radial stop for abutment with a radial stop provided on a second surface of the first flange 32 . this aids location of the nut 40 at the cartridge full position during assembly of the drug delivery device . should a user inadvertently dial beyond the desired dosage , the drug delivery device allows the dosage to be dialed down without dispense of medicinal product from the cartridge ( fig1 ). the dose dial grip 76 is counter rotated ( arrow b ). this causes the system to act in reverse . the flexible arm 52 preventing the clicker 50 from rotating . the torque transmitted through the clutch 60 causes the saw teeth 56 , 66 to ride over one another to create the clicks corresponding to dialed dose reduction . preferably the saw teeth 56 , 66 are so disposed that the circumferential extent of each saw tooth corresponds to a unit dose . when the desired dose has been dialed , the user may then dispense this dose by depressing the button 82 ( fig1 ). this displaces the clutch 60 axially with respect to the dose dial sleeve 70 causing the dog teeth 65 to disengage . however the clutch 60 remains keyed in rotation to the drive sleeve 30 . the dose dial sleeve 70 and associated dose dial grip 76 are now free to rotate ( guided by the helical rib 46 located in helical groove 74 ). the axial movement deforms the flexible arm 52 of the clicker 50 to ensure the saw teeth 56 , 66 cannot be overhauled during dispense . this prevents the drive sleeve 30 from rotating with respect to the main housing 4 though it is still free to move axially with respect thereto . this deformation is subsequently used to urge the clicker 50 , and the clutch 60 , back along the drive sleeve 30 to restore the connection between the clutch 60 and the dose dial sleeve 70 when pressure is removed from the button 82 the longitudinal axial movement of the drive sleeve 30 causes the piston rod 20 to rotate though the opening 18 in the insert 16 , thereby to advance the piston 10 in the cartridge 8 . once the dialed dose has been dispensed , the dose dial sleeve 70 is prevented from further rotation by contact of a plurality of members 110 ( fig1 ) extending from the dose dial grip 76 with a corresponding plurality of stops 112 formed in the main housing 4 ( fig1 and 16 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the members 110 extend axially from the dose dial grip 76 and have an inclined end surface . the zero dose position is determined by the abutment of one of the axially extending edges of the members 110 with a corresponding stop 112 . in another embodiment of the invention ( fig1 ) there is seen a drive mechanism comprising a second main housing 4 ′ having a first end and a second end . a cartridge , containing medicinal product , can be mounted to the first end of the second main housing 4 ′ and retained by any suitable means . the cartridge and its retaining means are not shown in the illustrated embodiment . the cartridge may contain a number of doses of a medicinal product and also typically contains a displaceable piston . displacement of the piston causes the medicinal product to be expelled from the cartridge via a needle ( also not shown ). in the illustrated embodiment , an insert 16 ′ is provided within the main housing 4 ′. the insert 16 ′ is secured against rotational and axial motion with respect to the second main housing 4 ′. the insert 16 ′ is provided with a threaded circular opening extending there through . alternatively , the insert may be formed integrally with the second main housing 4 ′. an internal housing 154 is also provided within the second main housing 4 ′. the internal housing 154 is secured against rotational and axial motion with respect to the second main housing 4 ′. the internal housing 154 is provided with a circular opening extending through its length in which a series of longitudinally directed splines are formed . a helical thread 150 extends along the outer cylindrical surface of the internal housing 154 . alternatively , the internal housing may be formed integrally with the second main housing 4 ′ and / or with the insert 16 ′. a first thread 19 ′ extends from a first end of a piston rod 20 ′. the piston rod 20 ′ is of generally circular section . the first end of the piston rod 20 ′ extends through the threaded opening in the insert 16 ′ and the first thread 19 ′ of the piston rod 20 ′ is engaged with the thread of the insert 16 ′. a pressure foot 22 ′ is located at the first end of the piston rod 20 ′. the pressure foot 22 ′ is disposed to abut a cartridge piston ( not shown ). a second thread 24 ′ extends from a second end of the piston rod 20 ′. the first thread 19 ′ and the second thread 24 ° are oppositely disposed . a drive sleeve 30 ′ extends about the piston rod 20 ′. the drive sleeve 30 ′ is generally cylindrical . the drive sleeve 30 ′ is provided at a first end with a first radially extending flange 32 °. a second radially extending flange 34 ′ is provided , spaced a distance along the drive sleeve 30 ′ from the first flange 32 ′. an external helical thread ( not shown ) is provided on the outer part of the drive sleeve 30 ′ extending between the first flange 32 ′ and the second flange 34 ′. an internal helical thread extends along the internal surface of the drive sleeve 30 ′. the second thread 24 ′ of the piston rod 20 ° is engaged with the internal helical thread of the drive sleeve 30 ′. a nut 40 ′ is located between the drive sleeve 30 ′ and the internal housing 154 , disposed between the first flange 32 ′ and the second flange 34 ′ of the drive sleeve 30 °. the nut 40 ′ can be either a ‘ half - nut ’ or a ‘ fill - nut ’. the nut 40 ′ has an internal thread that is engaged with the external helical thread of the drive sleeve 30 ′. the outer surface of the nut 40 ° and an internal surface of the internal housing 154 are keyed together by means of longitudinally directed splines to prevent relative rotation between the nut 40 ′ and the internal housing 154 , while allowing relative longitudinal movement there between . a clicker 50 ′ and a clutch 60 ′ are disposed about the drive sleeve 30 ′, between the drive sleeve 30 ′ and the internal housing 154 . the clicker 50 ′ is located adjacent the second flange 34 ′ of the drive sleeve 30 ′. the clicker 50 ′ includes at least one spring member ( not shown ). the clicker 50 ′ also includes a set of teeth ( not shown ) having a triangular profile disposed towards the second end of the drive mechanism . when compressed , the at least one spring member of the clicker 50 ′ applies an axial force between the flange 34 ′ of the drive sleeve 30 ′ and the clutch 60 ′. the outer surface of the clicker 50 ′ and an internal surface of the internal housing 154 are keyed together by means of longitudinally directed splines to prevent relative rotation between the clicker 50 ′ and the internal housing 154 , while allowing relative longitudinal movement there between . the clutch 60 ′ is located adjacent the second end of the drive sleeve 30 ′. the clutch 60 ′ is generally cylindrical and is provided at its &# 39 ; first end with a plurality of teeth of triangular profile disposed about the circumference ( not shown ), that act upon the teeth of the clicker 50 ′. towards the second end of the clutch 60 ′ there is located a shoulder 158 . the shoulder 158 of the clutch 60 ′ is disposed between the internal housing 154 and a radially inwardly directed flange of the dose dial grip 76 ′ ( described below ). the shoulder 158 of the clutch 60 ′ is provided with a plurality of dog teeth ( not shown ) extending in the direction of the second end of the drive mechanism . the clutch 60 ′ is keyed to the drive sleeve 30 ′ by way of splines ( not shown ) to prevent relative rotation between the clutch 60 ′ and the drive sleeve 30 ′. a dose dial sleeve 70 ′ is provided outside of the internal housing 154 and radially inward from the second main housing 4 ′. a helical thread is provided on an inner surface of the dose dial sleeve 70 ′. the helical thread of the dose dial sleeve 70 ′ is engaged with the helical thread 150 of the internal housing 154 . the second main housing 4 ′ is provided with a window ( not shown ) through which part of the outer surface of the dose dial sleeve 70 ′ may be viewed . conveniently , a visual indication of the dose that may be dialed , for example reference numerals ( not shown ), is provided on the outer surface of the dose dial sleeve 70 ′. conveniently , the window of the second main housing 4 ′ allows only the dose that is currently dialed to be viewed . a dose dial grip 76 ′ is located towards the second end of the drive mechanism . the dose dial grip 76 ′ is secured against rotational and axial motion within respect to the dose dial sleeve 70 ′. the dose dial grip 76 ′ is provided with a radially inwardly directed flange 160 . the radially inwardly directed flange 160 of the dose dial grip 76 ′ is provided with a plurality of dog teeth ( not shown ) extending in the direction of the first end of the drive mechanism to abut the dog teeth of the clutch 60 ′. coupling and decoupling of the dog teeth of the dose dial grip 76 ′ with the dog teeth of the clutch 60 ′ provides a releasable clutch between the dose dial grip 76 ′ and the clutch 60 ′. a button 82 ′ of generally “ t ” shaped cross - section is provided at a second end of the drive mechanism . a cylindrical feature of the button 82 ′ extends towards the first end of the drive mechanism , through an opening in the dose dial grip 76 ′ and into a recess in the drive sleeve 30 ′. the cylindrical feature of the button 82 ′ is retained for limited axial movement in the drive sleeve 30 ′ and against rotation with respect thereto . the cylindrical feature of the button 82 ′ has lugs extending radially ( not shown ) that abut the second surface of the shoulder 158 of the clutch 60 ′. the second end of the button 82 ′ is generally circular arid has a cylindrical skirt about its &# 39 ; periphery that descends towards the first end of the drive mechanism . the skirt of the button 82 ′ is located radially inward from the dose dial grip 76 ′. operation of the drive mechanism in accordance with the present invention will now be described . to dial a dose , a user rotates the dose dial grip 76 ′. the spring member of the clicker 50 ′ applies an axial force to the clutch 60 ′ in the direction of the second end of the drive mechanism . the force exerted by the spring member of the clicker 50 ′ couples the dog teeth of the clutch 60 ′ to the dog teeth of the dose dial grip 76 ′ for rotation . as the dose dial grip 76 ′ is rotated , the associated dose dial sleeve 70 ′, the drive sleeve 30 ′ and the clutch 60 ′ all rotate in unison . audible and tactile feedback of the dose being dialed is provided by the clicker 50 ′ and the clutch 60 ′. as the clutch 60 ′ is rotated , torque is transmitted from the teeth at the first end of the clutch 60 ′ and the teeth of the clicker 50 ′. the clicker 50 ′ cannot rotate with respect to the internal housing 154 , so the at least one spring member of the clicker 50 ′ deforms allowing the teeth of the clutch 60 ′ to jump over the teeth of the clicker 50 ′ producing an audible and tactile ‘ click ’. preferably ; the teeth of the clicker 50 ′ and the teeth of the clutch 60 ′ are disposed such that each ‘ click ’ corresponds to a conventional unit of the medicinal product , or the like . the helical thread of the dose dial sleeve 70 ′ and the internal helical thread of the drive sleeve 30 ′ have the same lead . this allows the dose dial sleeve 70 ′ to advance along the thread 150 of the internal housing 154 at the same rate as the drive sleeve 30 ′ advances along the second thread 24 ′ of the piston rod 20 ′. rotation of the piston rod 20 ′ is prevented due to the opposing direction of the first thread 19 ′ and the second thread 24 ′ of the piston rod 20 ′. the first thread 19 ′ of the piston rod 20 ′ is engaged with the thread of the insert 16 ′ and so the piston rod 20 ′ does not move with respect to the second main housing 4 ′ while a dose is dialed . the nut 40 ′, keyed to the internal housing 154 , is advanced along the external thread of the drive sleeve 30 ′ by the rotation of the drive sleeve 30 ′. when a user has dialed a quantity of medicinal product that is equivalent to the deliverable volume of the cartridge , the nut 40 ′ reaches a position where it abuts the second flange 34 ′ of the drive sleeve 30 ′. a radial stop formed on the second surface of the nut 40 ′ contacts a radial stop on the first surface of the second flange 34 ′ of the drive sleeve preventing both the nut 40 ′ and the drive sleeve 30 ′ from being rotated further . should a user inadvertently dial a quantity greater than the desired dosage , the drive mechanism allows the dosage to be corrected without dispense of medicinal product from the cartridge . the dose dial grip 76 ′ is counter - rotated . this causes the system to act in reverse . the torque transmitted through the clutch 60 ′ causes the teeth at the first end of the clutch 60 ′ to ride over the teeth of the clicker 50 ′ to create the clicks corresponding to the dialed dose reduction . when the desired dose has been dialed , the user may then dispense this dose by depressing the button 82 ′ in the direction of the first end of the drive mechanism . the lugs of the button 82 ′ apply pressure to the second surface of the shoulder 158 of the clutch 60 ′, displacing the clutch 60 ′ axially with respect to the dose dial grip 76 ′. this causes the dog teeth on the shoulder 158 of the clutch 60 ′ to disengage from the dog teeth of the dose dial grip 76 ′. however , the clutch 60 ′ remains keyed in rotation to the drive sleeve 30 ′. the dose dial grip 76 ′ and associated dose dial sleeve 70 ′ are now free to rotate ( guided by the helical thread 150 of the internal housing 154 ). the axial movement of the clutch 60 ′ deforms the spring member of the clicker 50 ′ and couples the teeth at the first end of the clutch 60 ′ to the teeth of the clicker 50 ′ preventing relative rotation there between . this prevents the drive sleeve 30 ′ from rotating with respect to the internal housing 154 , though it is still free to move axially with respect thereto . pressure applied to the button 82 ′ thus causes the dose dial grip 76 ′ and the associated dose dial sleeve 70 ′ to rotate into the second main housing 4 ′. under this pressure the clutch 60 ′, the clicker 50 ′ and the drive sleeve 30 ′ are moved axially in the direction of the first end of the drive mechanism , but they do not rotate . the axial movement of the drive sleeve 30 ′ causes the piston rod 20 ′ to rotate though the threaded opening in the insert 16 ′, thereby to advance the pressure foot 22 ′. this applies force to the piston , causing the medicinal product to be expelled from the cartridge . the selected dose is delivered when the dose dial grip 76 ′ returns to a position where it abuts the second main housing 4 ′. when pressure is removed from the button 82 ′, the deformation of the spring member of the clicker 50 ′ is used to urge the clutch 60 ′ back along the drive sleeve 30 ′ to re - couple the dog teeth on the shoulder 158 of the clutch 60 ′ with the dog teeth on the dose dial grip 76 ′. the drive mechanism is thus reset in preparation to dial a subsequent dose . referring to fig1 to 22 there may be seen a drug delivery device in accordance with the present invention . the drug delivery device comprises a two - part housing 2 ″ within which are located a cartridge 4 ″ containing a medicinal product , means for setting or selecting the dose of medicinal product to be expelled and means for expelling the selected dose of medicinal product . the housing 2 ″ is generally cylindrical in shape and houses a rack 6 ″ to be described in more detail below . the cartridge 4 ″ is located within a first part 8 ″ of the housing 2 ″. the dose setting means and the means for expelling the selected dose of medicinal product are retained , that is held , within a second part 10 ″ of the housing 2 ″. the first part 8 ″ of the housing 2 ″ and the second part 10 ″ of the housing 2 ″ may be secured together by any suitable means the cartridge 4 ″ may be secured in position in the first part 8 ″ of the housing 2 ″ by any suitable means . a needle unit may be secured to a first end of the cartridge 4 ″. a temporary covering 12 ″ is shown in this position in the figures . the cartridge 4 ″ further comprises a displaceable piston 14 ″. advancing the piston 10 ″ towards the first end of the cartridge 4 ″ causes the medicinal product to be expelled from the cartridge 4 ″ through the needle unit . a cap 16 ″ is provided to cover the needle unit when the drug delivery device is not in use . the cap 16 ″ may be releasably secured to the housing 2 ″ by any suitable means . the dose setting means and the means for expelling the selected dose of medicinal product will now be described in more detail . the rack 6 ″ is located within a drive sleeve 18 ″ located within the housing 2 ″ and is fixed both axially and rotationally with respect to the housing 2 ″ by any suitable means . the drive sleeve 18 ″ comprises an internally threaded portion 20 ″, which extends along substantially the entire internal surface of the sleeve . an internal toothed gear 22 ″ is located within the drive sleeve 18 ″ and has helical teeth which match the pitch of the internal thread of the drive sleeve 18 ″. the internal thread of the drive sleeve 18 ″ is a multistart thread with a lead which is the same as the lead of the helical thread of the dose dial sleeve , which will be described later . the drive sleeve 18 ″ terminates in an externally threaded section 24 ″ which extends from an end of the sleeve as far as an external circumferential flange 26 ″ which projects from the drive sleeve 18 ″. a limiting nut 28 ″ is mounted for rotation on the externally threaded section 24 ″ of the sleeve 14 ″. the limiting nut 28 ″ is keyed to the housing 2 ″ by means of a plurality of longitudinally extending splines 30 ″ which extend along the internal surface of the first portion 8 ″ of the housing 2 ″. in the illustrated embodiment , the limiting nut 28 ″ is shown as a half - nut , but a full nut could be used . a . piston rod 32 ″ is provided extending along the length of the rack 6 ″ and through a hole in the end of the rack 6 ″. the piston rod 32 ″ is generally elongate and , is provided with a pressure foot 34 ″. in use the pressure foot 34 ″ is disposed to abut the cartridge piston 14 ″. the toothed gear 22 ″ is mounted on the end of the piston rod 32 ″ remote from the pressure foot 34 ″ in a journal bearing ( not shown ). a dose dial sleeve 36 ″ of generally cylindrical form comprises a first section 38 ″ of first diameter and a second section 40 ″ of larger second diameter : the first section is located within the housing 2 ″. the second section 40 ″ of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ is preferably of the same outer diameter as the housing 2 ″. the second part 10 ″ of the housing 2 ″ comprises an . external sleeve portion 42 ″ surrounding a coaxial internal sleeve portion 44 ″. the external sleeve portion 42 ″ is closed to the internal sleeve portion 44 ″ at a circular internal flange portion 46 ″. the first section 38 ″ of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ is located within the second part 10 ″ of the housing 2 ″, between the external sleeve portion 42 ″ and the internal sleeve portion 44 ″. an inner surface of the first section 38 ″ and the outer surface of the internal sleeve portion 44 ″ are provided with inter engaging features to provide a helical thread 48 ″ between the internal sleeve portion 44 ″ of the second part 10 ″ of the • housing 2 ″ and the dose dial sleeve 36 ″. this helical thread 48 ″ has the same lead as the internal thread of the drive sleeve 18 ″, as noted above . within the helical track , a helical rib provided on the inner surface of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ may run . this enables the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ to rotate about and along the housing 2 ″. the second section 40 ″ of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ is provided with an end wall 50 ″ adjacent its free end , which defines a central receiving area 52 ″ between the end wall 50 ″ and the free end of the dose dial sleeve 36 ′″. a through hole 54 ″ is provided in the end wall 50 ″. a dose button 56 ″ of generally “ t ” shaped configuration is provided , the head 58 ″ of which is retained within the receiving area 52 ″ and the stem 60 ″ of which is sized to pass through the through hole 54 ″. the stem 60 ″ of the button 56 ″ is provided with a plurality of fingers 62 ″ that are deformable to pass through the through hole 54 ′″ of the end wail 50 ″ only in the direction away from the free end of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″. the drive sleeve 18 ″ is closed at its end remote from the externally threaded section 24 ″ by an apertured end wall 64 ″ from which a plurality of engagement features 66 ″ project external to the drive sleeve . 18 ″. a substantially u - shaped locking spring 68 ″ comprising first and second legs 70 ″, 72 ″ joined by a link portion 74 ″ is provided for longitudinal mounting on the exterior of the drive sleeve 18 ″. the link portion 74 ″ is of a length which is substantially equal to the external diameter of the drive sleeve 18 ″. each of the legs 70 ″, 72 ″ of the locking spring 68 ″ terminates in a latch portion 76 ″, the function of which will be described later . when the device is assembled , the locking spring 68 ″ urges the dose button 56 ″ axially away from the piston rod 32 ″ and drive sleeve 18 ″, towards the inside of the end wall 50 ″ of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″. in this position , the dose button 56 ″ is locked with respect to rotation with the dose dial sleeve 36 ″. the dose button 56 ″ is also permanently locked with respect to rotation with the drive sleeve 18 ″. an outer surface of the first section of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ is provided with graphics 82 ″. the graphics are typically a sequence of reference numerals . the housing 2 ″ is provided with an aperture or window 84 ″ through which a portion of the graphics , representing a dosage value selected by the user , may be viewed . the graphics 82 ″ may be applied to the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ by any suitable means . the graphics 82 ″ may be printed directly on the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ or may be provided in the form of a printed label encircling the dose dial sleeve 36 ″. alternatively the graphics may take the form of a marked sleeve clipped to the dose dial sleeve 36 ″. the graphics may be marked in any suitable manner , for example by laser marking . the external circumferential flange 26 ″ which projects from the drive sleeve 18 ″ is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed through apertures 78 ″ sized to receive the corresponding latch portions 76 ″ of the locking spring 68 ″. a clicker projection 80 ″ from the outer edge of the flange 26 ″ is associated with each through aperture 78 ″. in fig1 , the drug delivery device is provided with a filled cartridge 4 ″. to operate the drug delivery device a user must first select a dose . to set a dose the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ is rotated with respect to the housing 2 ″ until the desired dose value is visible through the window 84 ″. the drive sleeve 18 ″ is linked to the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ and spirals out at the same rate during dialing . during the dialing of a dose , the locking spring 68 is straight and urges the dose button 56 ″ axially away from the piston rod 32 ″ and drive sleeve 18 ″, towards the inside of the end wall 50 ″ of the dose dial sleeve 36 ″, thereby providing a clutch mechanism . the drive sleeve 18 ″ therefore rotates over the toothed gear 22 ″ that is located inside it . the relative rotation between the drive sleeve . 18 ″ and the housing 2 ″ causes an audible confirmation of the dose being dialed by engagement of the two clicker projections 80 ″• with the splines 30 ″ which extend along the internal surface of the first portion 8 ″• of the housing 2 ″. the limiting nut 28 ″ climbs up the drive sleeve 18 ″• in proportion to the dose dialed . the position of the limiting nut 28 ″, which only moves along the external thread of the drive sleeve 18 ″ when there is relative rotation between the drive sleeve 18 ″ and the housing 2 ″, corresponds to the amount of medicinal product remaining in the cartridge 4 ″. once a desired dose has been set ( as shown for example in fig1 ), to deliver the dose the user depresses the dose button 56 ″• to urge the button 56 ″• against the locking spring 68 ″. as the dose button 56 ″• pushes down on the spring 68 ″•, the clutch between the dose button 56 ″ and the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ is disengaged . the axial force applied from the dose button 56 ″• onto the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ causes the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ to spin into the housing 2 ″ on the helical thread between the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ and the housing 2 ″. the locking spring 68 ″• deforms and the legs of the spring move axially down the drive sleeve 18 ″. the latch portions 76 ″ of the locking spring 68 ″ engage in the through apertures 78 ″ on the external flange 26 ″ which projects from the drive sleeve 18 ″ and maintain engagement between the clicker projections 80 ″• of the flange 26 ″ with the grooves between the splines 30 ″, locking the drive sleeve to the housing 2 ″ and preventing the drive sleeve 18 ″ from rotation relative to the housing 2 ″ during dispensing of the dose . the drive sleeve 18 ″• is thus prevented from spinning and moves axially in , causing the toothed gear 22 ″ to rotate against the fixed rack 6 ″. the toothed gear 22 ″, together with the piston rod 32 ″ on which it is mounted , move along the rack 6 ″• a distance corresponding to one half of the distance by which the drive sleeve 18 ″ moves axially , creating a 2 : 1 mechanical advantage . this has the two - fold benefit of allowing the display on the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ to be larger for a given amount of travel of the piston 14 ″ within the cartridge 4 ″, that is for a given amount of medicament to be dispensed and secondly of halving the force required to dispense the dose . the piston rod 32 ″ is driven through the drive sleeve 18 ″ towards the first end of the drug delivery device , thereby to advance the cartridge piston 14 ″ and expel the desired dose of medicinal product . the piston rod 32 ″ continues to advance until the drive sleeve 18 ″ and dose dial sleeve 36 ″ have returned to their initial positions ( fig2 ). it can be seen that the dose selecting means and the dose expelling means extend beyond a second end of the housing 2 ″ as the dose is selected and are returned within the housing 2 ″ as the selected dose is expelled . further dosages may be delivered as required . fig2 shows an example of a subsequently selected dosage . as noted above , the position of the limiting nut 28 ″ along the external thread of the drive sleeve 18 ″ corresponds to the amount of medicinal product remaining in the cartridge 4 ″; such that when the nut 28 ″ reaches the external flange 26 ″ and can rotate no further this corresponds to no medicinal product remaining in the cartridge 4 ″. it will be seen that if a user seeks to select a quantity of medical product greater than that remaining in the cartridge 4 ″, this cannot be done since when the nut 28 ″ stops rotating against the drive sleeve 18 ″, the drive sleeve 18 ″ and the housing 2 ″ will become locked together preventing rotation of the drive sleeve 18 ″ and hence the dose dial sleeve 36 ″. this prevents the setting of a larger dose than the amount of medical product remaining within the cartridge 4 ″. fig2 shows a drug delivery device according to the present invention in which the entire medicinal product within the cartridge 4 ″ has been expelled . the illustrated embodiment of the device according to the invention further comprises a maximum dosage dial end stop . when the dose dial sleeve 36 ″ is dialed fully out , the external flange 26 ″ on the drive sleeve 18 ″ engages the internal flange 46 ″ in the housing • 2 ″. it will be seen that if the user tries to dial beyond the maximum dosage , this cannot be done . when the drive sleeve 18 ″ stops rotating against the housing 2 ″, the dose dial sleeve is also prevented from rotating . the reaction between the external flange 44 ″ and the internal flange 86 ″ indicates to the user that the maximum dose has been dialed . | 0 |
fig1 is a diagram of an optical fiber 1 that contains a grating 3 that has a uniform period of index of refraction variation along a length of the core 5 of the optical fiber 1 . when the fiber grating is illuminated with a light source , that may be spectrally broadband or a tunable laser source , the overall spectrum of light reflected from the fiber grating 3 is a relatively narrow spectral band 7 . a much broader spectral reflection may be obtained as shown in fig2 by using a chirped fiber grating 51 that is written in the core 53 of an optical fiber 55 . in this case the period of index of refraction variations of the chirped fiber grating 51 vary along the length of the core 53 of the optical fiber 55 . when a spectrally broadband light source illuminates this type of chirped fiber grating the reflected spectral profile 57 is much wider . because portions of the fiber grating may effectively spectrally “ shade ” successive regions the reflection and transmission of a chirped fiber grating may vary and can be designed to be “ flat ” over a specific spectral range . fig3 shows the spectrum of the reflection 101 associated with an actual chirped fiber grating of 50 mm length . note also that the transmission 103 of the same 50 mm long chirped fiber grating has a linear slope . thus it is important to understand the orientation of a chirped fiber grating in a fiber grating measurement system as this can dramatically alter its spectral properties . fig4 illustrates the output spectrum 151 of a typical ase light source that has been “ gain flattened ” using an external fiber grating . the spectrum 151 is relatively flat over the region centered about 1550 nm but exhibits significant variations in amplitude at wavelengths shorter than about 1540 nm . this is typical for this type of light source which has the advantage of being very low noise while outputting high optical power levels . the reflection spectrum 101 from the 50 mm chirped fiber grating that is illuminated by this ase light source is shown for comparison . chirped fiber gratings can be written over long lengths of many cm and in some cases have been written to lengths of over 1 m . to demonstrate the principles of measuring velocity in a blast wave 50 mm and 100 mm chirped fiber gratings were obtained . by inserting the chirped fiber grating into an explosive material that is detonated from one end the blast wave may be monitored as it propagates across the sample destroying the chirped fiber grating and effectively reducing its spectral reflection . fig5 illustrates this principle . a 100 mm chirped fiber grating is physically cut back in 2 to 3 mm increments through a distance of approximately 49 mm . the spectral reflection band from the 100 mm chirped fiber grating 201 is effectively halved as shown in the spectral reflection band 203 . thus by monitoring the changes in the spectral reflection band the position along the chirped fiber grating may be determined during a blast wave which in turn can be used with a time base to generate velocity . the overall layout of the test system is shown in fig6 . here a broad band light source 253 that may be an ase light source which is a gain flattened 1550 nm erbium fiber light source pumped by a 980 nm laser diode is used to inject the light beam 255 into a beamsplitter 257 that may be a 50 / 50 coupler . one of the beamsplitter 257 output fiber legs 259 is attached to a chirped fiber grating 261 that is placed in an area generating a high speed energetic pressure wave and the broadband light beam 263 propagates to the chirped fiber grating 261 . when the detonation begins , a portion of the chirped fiber grating 261 is destroyed and the spectral reflectance decreases and a corresponding light beam 265 is reflected . the light beam 265 from the chirped fiber grating 261 is directed back to the beamsplitter 257 and into a second beamsplitter 267 that may be a 50 / 50 coupler . one output leg 269 of this second beamsplitter 267 is attached to a reference detector 271 that monitors the changes in the spectral reflection via the light beam 273 directly . the second output fiber leg 275 contains a second filter 277 that may be a chirped fiber grating that has a spectral reflection that overlays that of the chirped fiber grating 261 that is placed in the high pressure wave area ( that may be generated by a blast wave ). the light beam 279 that reflects from the second chirped fiber grating 277 as the light beam 281 is then directed back into the second beamsplitter 267 and a portion of this reflection 281 is then directed as the light beam 283 to a second detector 285 used to monitor this reflected signal . since the chirped fiber grating 261 used as the sensor and the second filter 277 that may be a chirped fiber grating used as the reflector overlay spectrally light that is associated with the energetic event , that may be a blast wave , that is not in the spectral band of the chirped fiber grating sensor is filtered from the output detector . by comparing the reference and reflected signals on the detectors light induced by the pressure wave that may be a blast wave in the detection band can be monitored . a blast test was conducted to verify the performance of the invention . the test involved placement of an optical fiber 301 with a chirped fiber grating 303 with a length of approximately 37 mm into a cylindrical container 305 of nitromethane 307 as shown in fig7 . one end of the chirped fiber grating was placed at the bottom of the cylinder adjacent to the igniter 309 . a positioning tube 311 held the fiber near the center of the cylinder . the test results from the test shot are shown in fig8 . both the reference and reflected signal detectors associated with fig7 showed the chirped fiber grating being destroyed at the same rate . this would indicate that the light associated with the nitromethane blast is not affecting the output reference signal in a significant way . the manufacturer of the chirped fiber grating was originally targeting an overall physical length of 100 mm . however when cut back tests were performed on a second identical “ 100 mm ” chirped fiber grating the spectrum did not change until it was cut back to approximately 14 mm . this indicates that the length associated with the spectral band of the cut back fiber grating spectrum associated chirped fiber grating # 509 was about 36 or 37 mm . this matches up very well with the velocity associated with the pin timing used to support the first blast test . during the course of performing these tests it became evident that the chirped fiber grating specified at 100 mm actually had a physical length of approximately 74 mm . this was determined by using two sets of physical “ cut back ” tests on the 100 mm chirped fiber gratings . this was done by laying out the 100 mm fiber gratings in a straight line and then physically cutting them back by increments of 1 to 2 mm until the spectral band of the chirped fiber grating changed in a measurable manner . the spectrometer used to support these tests was an ibsen i - mon 400 that can be operated at 200 hz over the 1520 to 1580 nm spectral band . this was very useful in providing real time feedback during the cut back tests . each of the fiber gratings tested was cut back from the longer wavelength end until a clear transition in response was observed . this allowed an unambiguous starting point for the chirped fiber grating sensor position . plotting the response via a cut back test also allowed the overall position and effective length of the chirped fiber grating to be established . the cut back method , via mechanical or laser trimming can be used to establish the exact position of the fiber grating ends in terms of significant spectral bandwidth change . this information in turn can be used in coordination with the fiber grating manufacturer to optimize the performance of the chirped fiber gratings which in turn will result in improved velocity and position information . fig9 shows a waterfall plot of the reflected spectrum from a chirped fiber grating that is laser trimmed in length . fig1 shows actual data obtained from the spectral reflections of the cut back chirped fiber grating to be in good agreement with the numerical integration of the chirped fiber grating spectral bandwidth . when a fiber grating is exposed to a pressure it will compress , the overall period of the fiber grating will shorten and the spectrum will shift toward short wavelengths . by setting up a system with a linear filter such as a linear chirped fiber grating filter this shift may be measured and the local pressure inferred . consider the system block diagram shown in fig1 . in this case a linear filter 351 that may be chirped fiber grating filter is used as a reflector . for simplicity in this diagram the length of a fiber grating 353 with uniform index of refraction variations is assumed to have a short length relative to the leading edge pressure wave 355 . in general this would not be the case and this will be expanded upon in association with fig1 . before detonation the fiber grating sensor 353 spectrum is at a nominal wavelength f o . when after detonation the pressure wave 355 passes , the fiber grating 353 is compressed and there is an overall spectral shift toward shorter wavelengths . because of the slope of the reflective filter 351 this short wavelength shift results in an increase in the amplitude of the light reflected from the reflected filter 351 that in turn can be used to interpret the pressure wave 355 amplitude . when the blast wave passes , the fiber grating is destroyed . the overall reflected amplitude drops to zero when the pressure wave 355 passes if it is energetic enough to destroy the fiber grating 353 . a more typical case would involve a fiber grating with a uniform period whose length is long compared to the leading edge pressure segment associated with the pressure or blast wave . this situation is illustrated by fig1 . the top portion of fig1 shows a uniform fiber grating 401 in an optical fiber 403 before detonation with an associated reflective spectral profile 405 . after detonation a pressure wave 407 is initiated from the right and the leading edge pressure wave propagates over a portion 409 of the fiber grating 401 . if the assumption is made that the leading edge of the pressure wave 407 is very small and the pressure behind it is uniform then the region of the fiber grating that is under compression will have a smaller period and a portion 411 of the overall spectrum 405 from the fiber grating 401 will be shifted toward shorter wavelengths . if the total spectrum from the fiber grating 401 is measured then the portion 411 of the fiber grating 401 under pressure may be determined by the relative amplitude of the spectral peaks 411 and 413 where 413 has the same spectral position as the spectral peak 405 but lower amplitude . the very fast system associated with fig1 captures an average spectral shift so information conveyed by this system is a combination of the magnitude of the pressure wave and how much of the fiber grating 401 is under this increased pressure . however a very fast spectrometer could be used to monitor the spectral output of the fiber grating . in this case the detailed information of the position and amplitude of the pressure wave could be captured . fig1 shows a pressure wave 451 that may be a blast wave traveling along the length of an optical fiber 453 that contains a series of fiber gratings 455 , 457 , 459 , 461 and 463 . these fiber gratings 455 , 457 , 459 , 461 and 463 may be arranged so that their reflective wavelength spectral bands do not overlap . if the pressure wave 451 is of sufficient strength to destroy the fiber gratings 455 , 457 , 459 , 461 and 463 in sequences while they are all illuminated by a broadband source then the amplitude of the return signal will drop suddenly with their disappearance enabling position markers that may be used to determine the position and velocity of the pressure wave 451 . by varying the amplitude , spacing and wavelength of the fiber gratings 455 , 457 , 459 , 461 and 463 as well as other supporting fiber grating in the optical fiber 453 it would be possible to develop a large set of “ markers ” to support velocity and position measurements . the fiber gratings 455 , 457 , 459 , 461 and 463 however also have the potential to enable detailed measurements of the shape of the pressure wave 453 that may be a blast wave . fig1 shows a fiber grating spectral profile 501 prior to detonation and the generation of a pressure or blast wave . because the pressure or blast wave 503 may not be uniform when it passes over a fiber grating 505 there will be a region 507 of the fiber grating 505 where the fiber grating is compressed in a non - uniform manner . the result is that the original fiber grating spectral profile 501 will be split into two spectral profiles ; the spectral profile 509 corresponding to the region where the fiber grating 505 remains uniform as the pressure wave has not reached it and the spectral profile 511 corresponding to the region 507 of the fiber grating 505 that is compressed . the details of the spectral profile 511 can in turn be used to aid in the interpretation of the pressure distribution behind the pressure or blast wave 503 . in order to make these spectral profile measurements at high speed a system similar to that associated with fig1 may be employed . the major elements of this figure are similar to those described in association with fig5 and 8 . a broadband light source 555 is used to illuminate a fiber grating 557 that may be a chirped fiber grating or a series of discrete fiber gratings . when a pressure or blast wave 559 passes through the fiber grating 559 a complex spectral profile associated with compression regions associated with the fiber grating 559 results . the reflective spectrum 561 passes through a set of beamsplitters and is directed as the reflective light beam 563 toward a wavelength division multiplexing ( wdm ) element 565 that might be a bulk optic grating or series of bulk optic gratings . the wdm element spread the spectrum associated with the light beam 563 across a series of n discrete spatially displaced high speed detectors 567 whose outputs 569 are directed to a data acquisition unit 571 where they can be captured , processed and displayed . a second portion of the reflected light beam 561 is directed through a series of couplers as the light beam 573 which is in turn converted to an electrical signal by the detector 575 . the output from the detector 575 is then directed into a data acquisition unit 577 that may be an oscilloscope to display the time varying amplitude of the output signal associated with the pressure or blast wave 559 . the output 579 from the unit 577 may be used as a trigger or timing signal for the data acquisition unit 571 . fig1 is an illustration of how a three port circulator 601 may be used in place of the first beamsplitter associated with fig5 , 8 and 14 . in this case a broadband light source 603 inputs a light beam 605 into the optical fiber 607 that directs it into the circulator 601 . the light beam 605 is then directed into the optical fiber 609 to the test fiber grating 610 that may be a chirped fiber grating or array of fiber gratings . the reflected spectral signature 611 is then directed back to the 3 port circulator 601 and into the optical fiber 613 to the fiber beamsplitter 615 where it is split into the first output light beam 617 that is directed by the optical fiber 619 to the reference detector 621 . the second output light beam 623 is directed into the optical fiber 625 and reflected off the reference reflector 627 that is spectrally matched to the test fiber grating 610 and may be a dielectric reflector or a chirped fiber grating . the reflected light beam 629 is directed back through the beamsplitter 615 and a portion of it is directed as the light beam 631 into the optical fiber 633 to the output detector 635 . the main advantage of using a 3 port circulator is that it increases the overall optical efficiency of the system increasing signal to noise ratio . for optimum performance it is highly desirable to be able to very accurately know the physical position of the chirped fiber grating in the optical fiber . this physical position in turn is very important in being able to fully characterize a pressure wave or blast wave passing through the chirped fiber grating sensor . in general it would be highly desirable to have a chirped fiber grating that has a spectral profile 651 with very sharp edges as shown in fig1 a . most chirped fiber grating have spectral profiles that are more similar to the spectral profile 653 shown in fig1 b . here the edges of the spectral profile 653 are much less well defined as illustrated by the transition zones 655 and 657 in fig1 b and the zones 659 and 661 in fig1 c . when a pressure or blast wave passes these transition zone regions the measurements have more noise and the errors in these regions are larger . one solution is to physically trim the fiber grating to eliminate the transition zone on the edge of the chirped fiber grating facing the oncoming pressure or blast wave . this can be done by cutting or trimming the chirped fiber grating with mechanical cutters or laser trimming . this results in a much sharper spectral profile edge as shown in association with fig5 and 9 . the cutting or laser trimming approach is most practical for the edge facing the blast wave . to cut or trim the other edge of the chirped fiber grating to attain a similar result it would then be necessary to cut or trim and then splice the other end . the splicing procedure could damage the spectral profile and produce a mechanically weak junction . a method to avoid this problem is shown in fig1 . here a chirped fiber grating 701 is written into an optical fiber 703 . at each physical end of the chirped fiber grating 701 short length fiber gratings 705 and 707 are written with a period that is distinct from those associated with the chirped fiber grating 701 . the spectral profile 709 corresponding to the chirped fiber grating 701 is broad and has transition zones 711 and 713 that have higher noise . the profiles 715 and 717 of the shorter fiber gratings 705 and 707 respectively provide clear measurement points for the start and end of the chirped fiber grating . fig1 shows the amplitude of the reflected signal as a pressure or blast wave propagates along the length of the optical fiber 703 destroying the fiber gratings 707 , 701 and 705 . before detonation the reflected signal level 751 has constant amplitude . when the short fiber grating 707 is destroyed the amplitude drops rapidly in the region 753 . as the pressure or blast wave propagates through the chirped fiber grating 701 destroying it as is propagates through the amplitude decreases with a fairly linear slope in region 755 . when it reaches the second short fiber grating 705 there again is a sharp drop in amplitude in the region 757 . after the event is over the amplitude of the output signal again is constant in the region 759 . in general n “ marker ” fiber gratings could be used across a chirped fiber grating to determine distinct points at which a pressure or blast wave crossed . it is also not necessary for the “ marker ” or chirped fiber gratings to use the same light source or the same wavelength band . fig1 illustrates a configuration where the “ marker ” fiber gratings are supported by a separate light source and detection system . a light source 801 that may be a broadband light source at 1550 nm is used to launch a light beam 803 into the optical fiber 805 . a second light source 807 operates on a distinct wavelength band from light source 803 and may be broadband and operating at 1300 nm launches a light beam 809 into the optical fiber 811 . the light beam 803 cross couples across the wavelength division multiplexing ( wdm ) element 813 and combines with the light beam 811 to form a new light beam 815 that is directed into the optical fiber 817 . a portion of the light beam 815 passes through the beam directing element 815 that may be a broadband fiber beamsplitter or a broadband 3 port circulator and continues on as the light beam 821 into the optical fiber 823 that contains a chirped fiber grating 825 that may be centered in the 1550 nm band and a series of “ marker ” short fiber gratings 827 , 829 , 831 and 833 . the reflected light beam 835 then is directed back by the beam direction element 819 to the optical fiber 837 that is attached to the wdm element 839 . a portion 841 of the light beam 835 that may be at 1550 nm is then directed to the optical fiber 843 to the optical detector 845 that is used to monitor the chirped fiber grating 825 . a second light beam 847 that may be at 1300 nm is directed into the optical fiber 849 and the output optical detector 851 that is used to monitor the output of the “ marker ” fiber gratings 827 , 829 , 831 and 833 . in this way the “ marker ” and chirped fiber grating reflections may be monitored independently and in combination to improve localization and characterization of a pressure or blast wave . in addition to pressure , velocity and position another important parameter to be monitored during passage of a pressure or blast wave is the local temperature . fig2 illustrates the cross section of a sidehole optical fiber 901 . the core 903 of this type of optical fiber is surrounded by two air holes 905 . a fiber grating written onto this type of optical fiber generates a single peak spectral profile 907 when the fiber core 903 has low birefringence . if the section of sidehole optical fiber with the fiber grating is spliced to ordinary single mode optical fiber capping the air holes 905 and pressure is applied the birefringence of the core changes . the result is a dual spectral peak profile 909 where the peak to peak spectral split is proportional to pressure and the overall spectral position depends on temperature ( and axial strain if it is present ). by isolating the optical fiber 901 from axial strain pressure and temperature may be monitored simultaneously . an alternative approach to measuring pressure and temperature simultaneously with a fiber grating involves writing the fiber grating onto birefringent optical fiber 951 that may be commercially available polarization preserving optical fiber shown in fig2 . the core 953 of the birefringent optical fiber 951 may have stress inducing elements 955 that induce a differential stress across the core 953 . the result is that in the absence of pressure the spectral profile 957 of the fiber grating has a dual peak structure . when pressure is applied the relative birefringence will increase the separation of the peaks will change as in the spectral profile 959 . the peak to peak separation and overall spectral position of the spectral peaks may be used to measure pressure and temperature in the absence of axial strain . if a very fast spectral read out system may be used such as that illustrated by fig1 then the spectral profiles of the fiber gratings written into sidehole or birefringent optical fibers and described in association with fig2 and 21 may be used to measure pressure and temperature . there may however be cases where the events are very fast and a single point detector system can be constructed to support measurements of these extremely fast events . in this case the system shown in fig2 may be used . a light source 1001 that may be broadband is used to couple a light beam 1003 into an optical fiber 1005 . the light beam 1003 is directed to a beam directing element 1007 that may be a 3 port optical circulator or a fiber beamsplitter and in turn is directed to the optical fiber 1009 that contains sections of sidehole optical fiber 1111 and 1113 that are capped with fusion splices to conventional single mode fiber on both ends and have fiber gratings 1115 and 1117 written onto them . the fiber gratings are written at the same wavelength , with the same spectral profile and designed to have high reflectivity that may be higher than 50 %. before pressure is applied to the optical fiber 1009 by a pressure or blast wave 1119 the first fiber grating 1115 blocks a portion of the light beam 1003 from reaching the fiber grating 1117 . when the pressure or blast wave 1119 reaches the fiber grating 1117 it causes the spectral profile of the fiber grating 1117 to split and shift so that it moves out the spectral profile “ shadow ” caused by the fiber grating 1115 and the net reflective signal 1121 from the light beam 1003 increases until the fiber grating 1117 is destroyed . if the spectral profile of the fiber grating 1115 is designed to completely “ shadow ” the spectral profile of the fiber grating 1117 then these reflective amplitude transitions may be sharply defined . the reflected light beam 1121 returns to the beam directing element 1007 , that may be a 3 port circulator , and is directed to the optical fiber 1123 and the output detector 1125 . when a pressure or blast wave encounters the end of a chirped fiber grating there may be a portion of the fiber grating subject to compression before it is destroyed by passage of the wave if it is of sufficiently high amplitude . fig2 illustrates that the spectral shape changes associated with the chirped fiber grating will be different depending on whether the short or long wavelength end is directed toward the incoming direction of the blast wave . fig2 a shows the spectral profile 1051 with the long wavelength edge 1053 corresponding to the end nearest the blast wave 1055 . when the blast wave 1055 encounters the long wavelength edge 1053 of the chirped fiber grating it is compressed and shifts toward shorter wavelengths which if the chirped fiber grating is designed to have moderate reflectivity that may be between 20 and 80 % then the spectral profile 1051 near the long wavelength edge will have a higher reflectivity region 1057 or bump whose amplitude will be proportional to the pressure rise . in fig2 b the spectral profile 1059 of a chirped fiber grating has the short wavelength edge 1061 directed toward the pressure or blast wave 1055 . in this case when the blast wave encounters the short wavelength edge it compresses a region of the chirped fiber grating near the edge 1061 and drives the spectral profile away from the main profile resulting in a dip 1063 again providing a means to measure pressure . while the shifts of due to the pressure or blast wave are likely to be principally pressure they may also be due in part to temperature . by using polarization maintaining fiber throughout a system such as that shown on fig2 and a fast detector array to measure the entire spectral profile ( see fig1 ) both parameters could be measured by extracting two distinct signatures corresponding to each of the polarization states . in fig2 a broadband light source 1101 is used to launch a light beam 1103 into a polarization preserving fiber lead 1105 . the light beam enters a polarization preserving beam guiding element 1107 that may be a polarization preserving beamsplitter or polarization preserving 3 port circulator . a portion of the light beam 1103 is directed into the polarization preserving fiber lead 1109 as the light beam 1111 and directed to the fiber grating sensor assembly 1113 that may be a chirped fiber grating , an array of short length fiber gratings or a combination of both . the reflected light beam 1115 from the fiber grating sensor assembly 1113 is directed back into the beam guiding element 1107 and a portion of the light beam 1115 is directed into the polarization preserving fiber leg 1117 as the light beam 1119 . the polarizing coupler 1121 then splits out the two orthogonal polarization states of the light beam 1119 into the light beam 1123 that is launched into the optical fiber lead 1125 and directed toward the first output detector 1127 , and the light beam 1129 that is coupled into the optical fiber 1131 and directed into the second output detector 1133 . for lowest possible cost and the highest degree of flexibility it is desirable to produce in large quantities fiber grating sensors that have similar characteristics . as an example a fiber grating fabrication system might be set up with a set of phase masks to produce 100 mm long chirped fiber gratings centered about 1550 nm with out of chirped fiber grating spectral band short length marker fiber gratings incorporated into the chirp fiber grating physical structure . this could be done with a single phase mask and a production line set up to write fiber gratings of this type onto 1 m lengths of optical fiber . a single fiber grating system of this type could be used to monitor a 100 mm length . but there are cases where it is desirable to be able to measure highly energetic pressure waves over longer lengths over distances of 200 mm , 400 mm or longer . it is possible to make longer chirped fiber gratings but the costs go up with longer lengths and there are costs associated with each new fabrication set up . instead of this more costly procedure standard measurement systems can be set up to support 2 , 4 , 8 and higher numbers of the shorter fiber gratings using multiple fibers that offer the user flexibility in terms of the length of the region to be measured as well as the flexibility to make measurement of different regions of a material . fig2 shows a system configured to support four single fibers each of which may have an identical fiber grating sensor assembly . a broadband light source 1151 launches a beam of light 1153 into an optical fiber 1155 that is attached to a first fiber coupler 1157 that splits the light beam 1153 into the light beams 1159 and 1161 that are in turn directed via the optical fibers 1163 and 1165 to the second fiber coupler 1167 and the third fiber coupler 1169 . the fiber coupler 1167 splits the light beam 1159 into the light beams 1171 and 1173 . the light beam 1171 propagates along the optical fiber 1175 to a fourth coupler 1177 and a portion of the light beam 1171 continues onward as the light beam 1179 via the optical fiber 1181 . the light beam 1179 then passes through an optical fiber connection 1183 that may be a physical optical fiber connector or a fusion splice , and onto a fiber grating sensor assembly 1185 . the reflected optical light beam 1187 from the fiber grating sensor assembly is then directed back through the connection 1183 to the coupler 1177 and a portion of it becomes light beam 1189 that is directed via the optical fiber 1191 to the output detector 1193 where it is converted to an electrical signal . similarly the light beam 1173 is directed though the coupler 1195 and a portion of it becomes light beam 1197 that propagates though the connection 1199 and onto the fiber grating sensor assembly 1201 and reflects back as the light beam 1203 past the connection 1199 to the coupler 1195 where a portion of it is split into the light beam 1205 that falls onto the output detector 1207 . the third fiber grating assembly 1209 and the fourth fiber grating assembly 1211 are monitored in a similar manner by light beams reflecting off them and a portion being directed toward the output detectors 1213 and 1215 respectively . the system shown in fig2 is an extension of that shown and described in association with fig2 . in addition to the elements that are common to both systems , the system of fig2 has the spectral filter element 1251 in front of the output detector 1193 , this could be a chirped fiber grating filter with a sloping spectral profile and a second detector 1253 to monitor the reflection of the light off the filter 1251 . in a similar manner the fiber grating sensor assembly 1201 is monitored by the output detector 1207 in combination with the filter 1255 and the second detector 1257 . similar arrangements are made to support monitoring the fiber grating sensor assemblies 1209 and 1211 . the motivation for the filter combinations is to filter out any stray light associated with energetic events and to provide options for different shaped filters that can be used to provide details at high speed of how the spectral profiles of the fiber grating sensor assemblies are changing allowing such parameters as pressure changes to be inferred . in addition the three detector positions 1261 , 1263 and 1265 can be used to monitor the amplitude of the return signals from the fiber grating sensor assemblies 1185 , 1201 , 1209 and 1211 , either in pairs in the case of 1261 and 1263 or all four in the case of 1265 . these detector positions 1261 , 1263 and 1265 can be supported by single detector elements or pairs of detectors with filter assemblies similar to those described earlier . which combination of detectors is most desirable depends on the specifics of the test parameters to be measured , the speed and accuracy of the electronic support equipment used to support the test and the physical displacement of the fiber grating sensor assemblies . both the systems shown in fig2 and 26 offer the end user considerable flexibility in supporting a wide variety of measurements using a “ standard ” fiber grating sensor assembly . the systems described in association with fig2 and 26 can be extended to n fiber lines . fig2 shows a light source 1301 that couples a beam of light 1303 into an optical fiber end 1305 which directs the light beam 1303 to the n port coupler 1307 . the light beam 1303 is divided by the n port coupler into n light beams the first of which light beam 1309 is directed into the optical fiber 1311 where it is directed to the fiber coupler 1313 . a portion of the light beam 1309 is then split by the fiber coupler 1313 into the light beam 1315 that is propagates down the optical fiber 1317 to the fiber grating sensor assembly 1319 . a portion of the light beam 1315 is then directed back to the fiber coupler 1313 and a portion of it is directed by the fiber coupler 1313 into the optical fiber 1321 as the light beam 1323 which falls onto the output detector 1325 . in a similar manner the light beam 1327 is directed into the second fiber line 1329 to the coupler 1331 that directs a portion of the light beam 1327 to the fiber grating assembly 1333 where whose reflected signal is directed as a new beam to the output detector 1335 by the fiber coupler 1331 . each of the n lines associated with this system have similar elements and operation . if the fiber grating assemblies associated with the system of fig2 are spaced sufficiently and the high speed event is sufficiently energetic so that the fiber grating assemblies are destroyed then a single optical fiber output 1337 from the n port coupler 1307 may be used to direct a light beam 1339 from the n fiber grating sensor assemblies to an output optical detector 1341 that can be used to support monitoring the high speed event . fig2 shows another system that extends the capabilities of that associated with fig2 . here the light source 1401 couples a beam of light 1403 into an optical fiber 1405 that serves as the input port to the n output port coupler 1407 . a portion of the light beam 1403 is split into the light beam 1409 that is coupled into the optical fiber 1411 and propagates past the fiber coupler 1413 and a portion of the light beam 1409 is split into the light beam 1415 that is coupled into the optical fiber 1417 that contains the fiber grating sensor assembly 1419 . a portion of the light beam 1415 reflects off the fiber grating sensor assembly 1419 as the light beam 1421 and enters the fiber coupler 1413 . a portion of light beam 1421 is then split as light beam 1423 to the beam directing element 1425 that may be a 3 port optical circulator . the light beam 1423 then passes the filter 1427 and a portion of it passes through to the output detector 1429 . another portion reflects from the filter as light beam 1431 and directed by the beam directing element 1425 to the output detector 1433 . a second light beam 1435 enters a second optical fiber 1435 that acts as the second output port of the n port coupler 1407 and enters a fiber subassembly consisting of the optical fiber 1437 , the fiber coupler 1439 , fiber grating sensor assembly 1441 , beam directing element 1443 , filter 1445 and output detectors 1447 and 1449 that behave in a manner similar to that associated with the first fiber line . similarly n fiber sensing and detection lines can be supported . the output fiber line 1451 of the n port coupler 1407 can be used to direct the light beam 1453 that captures signals from each of the n fiber grating assemblies which in turn in directed to the output detector 1455 . thus there has been shown and described a novel system for measuring high intensity pressure or blast waves or other environmental parameters including those that destroy and optical fiber and fulfills all the objectives and advantages sought therefore . many change , modifications , variations and applications of the subject invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after consideration of the specification and accompanying drawings . all such changes modifications , alterations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only to the claims that follow : | 6 |
reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout . in fig1 , a sun cover 10 is positioned above a cab portion 14 of a motor vehicle 18 . the sun cover 10 is generally configured to be appropriate for slight dimensional variations in the cab portion 14 as can be expected to occur in the various different makes and models of the motor vehicle 18 . a plurality of contour lines 22 are shown formed in the sun cover 10 to further assist in its installation upon the cab portion 14 . an outer reflective surface 26 is provided to direct a substantial portion of incident solar radiation away from the sun cover 10 and the underlying cab portion 14 of the motor vehicle 18 . a plurality of cover fasteners 28 are used to removably attach the sun cover 10 to the motor vehicle 18 . at present the most preferred ( as being the most convenient ) are either hook and loop fasteners or magnets . others fastening devices , such as mechanical snaps , are also considered as included within the present invention — in addition to such future fasteners as may hereinafter be developed . in a presently preferred embodiment the reflective surface 26 is formed on only an outer surface of the sun cover 10 . as is shown in fig2 a non - reflective surface 32 forms an inner surface of the sun cover 10 . it is this surface that lies adjacent the roof and windows of the cab portion 14 of the motor vehicle 18 ( not shown in fig2 ). in fig3 an enlarged view illustrates a presently preferred manner of attachment for temporarily securing the sun cover 10 to the motor vehicle 18 . one of the plurality of cover fasteners 28 is shown placed adjacent a corner of the sun cover 10 , as defined by the contour line 22 . on the motor vehicle 18 , this location corresponds to either the passenger - side rear window or to the driver - side front window . if hook and loop fasteners are used , a corresponding fastening component would be attached to the motor vehicle 18 at these corresponding locations . this same positioning of the cover fastener 28 is also depicted in fig4 , where the fastening system is alternatively shown as a hook and loop cover fastener 28 a or a magnetic fastener 28 b . the latter fastening system offers the convenience of permitting attachment to a magnetic material that is part of the motor vehicle 18 instead of being required to appropriately locate a corresponding hook / loop fastener and attach it to the motor vehicle 18 . both offer advantages , and each is considered included as alternative fastening options of the presently preferred embodiment . as fig4 also illustrates , the sun cover 10 is of unitary sheetform construction , and is preferably of a multilayer construction , consisting of a reflective outer layer 36 and a reinforcing inner layer 38 . in combination the two layers form a resilient construction that is lightweight and tear resistant . both characteristics enable the sun cover 10 to be rapidly deployed to cover the cab portion 14 of the motor vehicle 18 , and easily removed and stored when the vehicle is again moved . in fig5 an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown , with a sun wrap 40 positioned above the cab portion 14 of the motor vehicle 18 . the sun wrap 40 is essentially a rectangular length of material that is appropriately sized for the window height and cab portion perimeter of the vehicle with which it is to be used . as is the case with the sun cover 10 ( not shown in fig5 ), the reflective surface 26 is formed on only an outer surface of the sun wrap 40 . the non - reflective surface 32 forms the inner surface of the sun wrap 40 , and lies adjacent the windows of the cab portion 14 of the motor vehicle 18 . similarly to fig4 , fig6 illustrates that the sun wrap 40 is preferably a multilayer construction , consisting of the reflective outer layer 36 and a reinforcing inner layer 38 . the presently preferred manner of attachment for temporarily securing the sun wrap 40 to the motor vehicle 18 utilizes a hook - and - loop fastening system . additionally , although not depicted in fig6 , magnets may also be used in the temporary securement of the sun wrap 40 to the motor vehicle 18 . in a presently preferred positioning of the fasteners , the cover fastener 28 is attached to front window of the car as shown in fig5 , adjacent the driver side . it is also contemplated that additional cover fasteners 28 can be attached to the car at other strategic locations , such as is shown in fig5 with the second fastener attached to the front window on the passenger side of the vehicle . returning to fig6 , in one embodiment the cover fastener 28 b consists of one or more strips extending along an edge of a window . a corresponding cover fastener 28 a is attached to the sun wrap 40 along an inner surface . attachment of the sun wrap 40 can then proceed in a known manner with the inner cover fastener 28 a attaching to the cover fastener 28 b attached to the edge of the vehicle window . the remaining sun wrap 40 is then extended around the cab portion 14 , with attachment at additional strategic locations as desired . a strip of the appropriate cover fastener 28 b is attached to the outer surface of the sun wrap 40 at the initial edge , and a strip of the corresponding cover fastener 28 a is attached to an inner surface of the sun wrap 40 at the ending edge , which then overlaps the beginning edge to complete the releasable attachment of the sun wrap 40 to the motor vehicle 18 . in fig7 a still further alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown , with a sun flap 60 positioned above a front window of the motor vehicle 18 . the reflective surface 26 is preferably formed on only an outer surface of the sun flap 60 , with the non - reflective surface 32 ( not shown in fig7 ) forming an inner surface of the sun flap 60 and lying adjacent the front window of the motor vehicle 18 . the sun flap 60 is essentially a rectangular ( or trapezoidal ) length of material that is appropriately sized for ( i . e ., substantially matching ) the front window height and width . attachment is obtained utilizing the hook - and - loop or magnetic fastening systems previously described in the context of the other preferred embodiments . as an example utilizing the hood - and - loop fasteners , a plurality of first cover fasteners 28 a are attached to the inner surface of the sun flap 60 , such as at each of the four corners as is depicted in fig7 . a matching plurality of second cover fasteners 28 b are attached at locations proximate to the front window and that correspond to the attachment locations selected for the sun flap 60 . in fig7 with the first cover fasteners 28 a located at the four corners of the sun flap 60 , the second cover fasteners 28 b are located at or adjacent to the four corners of the front window of the motor vehicle 18 . other attachment locations are also contemplated as part of the present invention . it is further contemplated by the present invention that various other fractional covers , such as one - half or three - quarters covers , could also be provided . in each such instance , either hook - and - loop fasteners or magnets would be appropriate for temporarily securing the cover to the vehicle . in a presently preferred embodiment , the sun cover 10 , the sun wrap 40 , and the sun flap 60 are fabricated out of a reflective material such as aluminized , non - stretch polyolefin . the original “ space blanket ” products were fabricated using polyester ( for example , mylar ®) to which an aluminum layer was vacuum deposited , and are appropriate for use as the outer reflective layer . competitive products utilizing other polyolefins , including polypropylene , are also considered appropriate for use in the present invention . an example of one such competitive product is a non - woven polyolefin / polypropylene fabric having an aluminized coating and marketed by under the “ thermolite ®” brand . a thin fabric film of nylon ® or polyester may also be bonded to the aluminized film to provide a reinforcing layer . the edges of the sun cover 10 are thermally bonded or sewn , to resist delamination and / or tearing during use . the size of the sun cover 10 , the sun wrap 40 or the sun flap 60 is selected to correspond to the cab size for the particular motor vehicle with which it will be used . the fasteners used to temporarily affix the sun cover 10 , the sun wrap 40 or the sun flap 60 to the vehicle can be of conventional hook and loop fastener material or magnets can be used . for the majority of sun cover installations , swatches of such hook and loop materials are placed at a minimum of four locations — driver &# 39 ; s side front / rear , passenger side front / rear , and possibly other , additional points along the vehicle . in a similar manner , magnets can be used , with the magnets located within a hemmed area to avoid scratching the vehicle surface . my invention has been disclosed in terms of preferred embodiments thereof , which provides a motor vehicle cab cover , wrap , and / or flap that are of great novelty and utility . various changes , modifications , and alterations in the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof . it is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications . | 1 |
the novel coal dispersions preferably contain ground coal from flotation processes , advantageously having a particle size distribution of less than 300 μm . for example , in a particularly advantageous distribution , 100 % of the particles are smaller than 300 μm , 80 % smaller than 200 μm and 50 % smaller than 50 μm . of course , coal having a high ash content is generally more difficult to disperse than that having a low ash content , a high ash content being about 8 - 12 % and a low one less than 4 % of ash . as a rule , the sulfur content of the preferably used coal from flotation processes is less than 1 %. the characteristics pumpability and free flow relate to the viscosity of the coal dispersion . as a rule , a dispersion having a viscosity of 2000 mpa . s is just free - flowing . in order to be able to effect transportation with very low energy consumption , the desired value in practice is 1000 mpa . s or less , the optimum range being & lt ; 800 mpa . s . as shown in the examples , the novel coal dispersions can be brought to this viscosity without difficulty . as stated above , from 1 to 60 % by weight of the water may be replaced with methanol , the addition of methanol serving to reduce the viscosity , ie . to improve the pumpability , of the coal dispersions at below 0 ° c ., for example down to - 20 ° c . moreover , the novel coal dispersions contain the conventional additives with which the skilled worker is familiar : antifoams , ie . conventional antifoams such as fatty acid polyoxyalkylates , eg . stearyl alcohol oxypropylate containing from 10 to 50 propylene oxide units or silicone oils , etc . ; soluble inorganic salts as viscosity regulators , eg . ammonium chloride or carbonate , and alkali metal and alkaline earth metal chlorides and carbonates , in particular those of sodium and of calcium and magnesium , water - soluble phosphates and silicates , such as sodium hexametaphosphate or sodium metasilicate 9 - hydrate ; ph regulators , since a ph of from 8 to 10 is particularly advantageous for use in practice , eg . alkali metal and alkaline earth metal hydroxides , ammonium compounds and primary and secondary amines ; stabilizers having a protective colloid action and / or a thickening action , suitable substances being polyethers ( eg . polyethylene oxide , and copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide ), carboxymethylcellulose , hydroxyethylcellulose , polysaccharides ( eg . alginates ), polyalcohols , polyacrylates and copolymers of these . other conventional additives are biocides . the dispersants of the formula i are known per se , or may be prepared in a conventional manner by the processes described in german laid - open applications dos no . 2 , 745 , 449 and dos no . 2 , 751 , 519 . particularly preferred dispersants of the formula i are those in which x is 0 and y is from 80 to 400 , and those in which x is from 50 to 150 and y is from 200 to 400 . the aqueous coal dispersions are prepared in a conventional manner . as a rule , a concentrated aqueous solution which contains from 40 to 70 % by weight of a novel dispersant and , in contrast to some prior art dispersants , can easily be prepared is added to the required amount of water , and the ground coal and , if desired , other additives are added to the vigorously rotated mixture . ( a ) 228 g ( 1 mole ) of 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- dihydroxydiphenyldimethylmethane , 104 g ( 1 mole ) of styrene and 1 . 66 g of p - toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst were mixed at room temperature and then heated . an exothermic reaction took place at about 60 ° c ., and the temperature increased to 120 °- 130 ° c . at this temperature , a further 1 - 3 moles of styrene may be added dropwise in the course of about 2 hours . stirring was continued for 1 hour at 130 ° c . to complete the reaction . a reddish brown viscous oil was obtained , the yield being quantitative . ( b ) 1 % by weight of potassium hydroxide was added to the product obtained in stage ( a ), and propylene oxide and ethylene oxide were forced into the stirred mixture a little at a time , if desired in the reverse order , at from 120 ° to 130 ° c ., so that the pressure did not exceed 8 bar . 70 % by weight of imported polish coal ( ground bituminous coal from a flotation process ) 0 . 5 % by weight of a dispersant of the formula i according to table 1 and the dispersant was dissolved in the water , and the coal was added in the course of 3 minutes while stirring in a pilot - scale dissolver at about 1000 - 2000 rpm , and then dispersed for 20 minutes at 6500 rpm . the viscosity [ mpa . s ] was determined at 20 ° c . and a shear velocity d of 220 s - 1 , using a rotational viscometer . table 1______________________________________ viscosity , mpa · sdispersant of the formula i ( 20 ° c ., r . sup . 2 - r . sup . 4 x y d = 220 s . sup .- 1 ) ______________________________________r . sup . 2 - r . sup . 4 = h -- 100 410 -- 200 375 -- 400 390 100 200 400 100 400 360r . sup . 1 = r . sup . 2 -- 100 400r . sup . 3 , r . sup . 4 = h -- 200 320 -- 400 425 100 200 360 100 400 390r . sup . 2 - r . sup . 4 = r . sup . 1 -- 100 385 -- 200 300 -- 400 430 100 200 350 100 400 330 100 600 420comparison : 1 . ethylenediamine containing 30 % of 460 propylene oxide and 70 % of ethylene oxide , molecular weight 15 , 500 ( tetronic 1307 ) 2 . block polymer of 20 % of propylene oxide 960 and 80 % of ethylene oxide , molecular weight 8 , 500 ( pluronic 6800 ) 3 . isononylphenol containing 200 ethylene 710 oxide units______________________________________ the table shows that a comparison has been made with dispersants from u . s . pat . no . 4 , 358 , 293 . the comparison shows that useful values are obtained with oxyalkylated ethylenediamine and nonylphenol , but the dispersants of the formula i are more advantageous in every case . the oxyalkylated ethylenediamines are known to be difficult to handle and only 17 % strength aqueous solutions can be prepared . the novel dispersants give from 50 to 60 % strength aqueous solutions without difficulty , which is a substantial advantage for industrial handling . | 8 |
fig1 is a perspective view of the computer unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown , the computer unit comprises three modules -- a cpu module 101 , a display module 102 and a user control module 103 . the cpu module 101 includes circuit card assemblies having components including a processor , control circuitry including video and disk drive controls , memory and stored programs necessary for providing the computer processing , control , mass storage and input / output functions . the display module 102 , which is fastened to the front of the cpu module 101 via six easily removable bolts 106 , includes a display device 110 , operator interface displays and controls 111 and an air intake assembly 112 . the display module housing includes extended top and side portions which provide protection against precipitation such as rain or snow and shade the display window against bright ambient light conditions such as in the sunlight for improved readability . the user control module 103 , which is hinged to the bottom front of the display module 102 , includes a computer keyboard 107 for interfacing the circuits in the cpu module 101 . other user interfaces such as a trackball may be used and may also be integrally installed at the keyboard 107 . the user control module 103 hinges up onto the front of the computer unit against the display module 102 for stow - away portability . when used in the hinged - up or folded position , the user control module 103 also serves as a cover for the computer unit . an adjustable shoulder strap 108 enables hands - free transportation . when the user control module 103 is hinged down for use , the placement of the hinges 113 causes the user control module 103 to act as a fulcrum which automatically tilts the display 110 at an angle for better viewing by the computer user . molded protection bumpers 105 , which may be made of polyurethane , rubber or the like , are fastened to all eight corners of the computer unit to provide protection from bumps and shock . preferably , a polyurethane compound is used to provide the proper shock protection and ensure the bumpers 105 and the computer do not skid on a smooth work surface . the left side of the cpu module 101 serves as an i / o and expansion card area . fig2 a to 2f are right side views of various modular implementations of the computer unit according to the present invention . the modular implementation permits the computer to be configured to meet a variety of different requirements . numerous other advantages are derived from the modular design according to the present invention . for example , the performance characteristics and physical size of the computer are more tailored to what is actually required , rather than like an ordinary general purpose computer , the size and performance characteristics are typically selected to accommodate the maximum configuration anticipated . if added computing or memory capacity is needed , the user need only add modules to provide additional capability . another benefit is that the computer can be upgraded or can incorporate new technology by simply changing a module . other advantages derived from the modular design include the ease of adding or removing the modules , the ease of access of the modules for service and the reduction in equipment down time . fig2 a , 2b , 2c , 2d and 2e show different modular implementations of the computer . fig2 a shows a display module 102 as previously shown in fig1 expansion modules 202 and 203 and a rear module 204 , which may include cpu module 101 as previously shown in fig1 . the modules are fastened together using bolts 205 , which may be in different lengths depending on the number of attached modules . the modules may also be hinged along one edge to permit the modules and the computer unit to be opened accordion style for improved accessibility . other fastening techniques such as screws , latches , catches or the like may also be used . the rear module 204 includes a rear cover . the expansion modules 202 and 203 may contain various elements of a computer such as display , cpu , expansion cards , additional memory , disk storage , etc . fig2 b shows the basic computer unit as previously shown in fig1 which includes a user control module 103 , a display module 102 , and a large cpu module 101 . fig2 b further shows the angle of tilt of the display module 102 when the computer unit is placed on a flat surface with the user control module 103 in the hinged - down position . fig2 c shows an implementation with a user control 103 , a display module 102 , and a small cpu module 207 . fig2 d shows an implementation with a user control module 103 , a display module 102 , a large expansion module 208 , and a large cpu module 101 . fig2 e shows an implementation with a user control module 103 , a display module 102 , a large expansion module 209 containing the computer circuit cards and a rear cover 210 . fig2 f shows a detachable user control module 103 , a display module 102 , and a large cpu module 101 . the computer unit as shown in fig2 b has dimensions of about 11 inches in height , 17 inches in width and 9 inches in depth with the user control module 103 in the hinged - up position . the basic unit weighs about 20 pounds . a computer unit as shown in fig2 a weighs about 25 pounds . an important aspect of the computer unit according to the present invention is the environmental protection features incorporated in the modular design . referring to fig2 g , module 212 includes at the outer edges of the module a groove 213 , in which a hollow circular silicone , electrically conductive gasket 215 is deposited . the groove and gasket combination is run completely around one edge of the module . the edges of a second interfacing module 214 fits into the groove and compresses against the gasket 215 . gasket compression stops , which limit the compression of the gasket 215 , are located at each of the six bolts 205 used to clamp the modules together . preferably , the gasket may be one available from chomerics , part number cho - seal ® 1285 . with the implementation , emi , moisture and dust intrusion at the joints between the modules are nearly completely eliminated and the computer is able to operate in severe environments such as specified in mil - std - 462 and mil - std - 810 . each module according to the present invention is housed in a protective cover which is rigid , waterproof and acts to shield the interior from emi intrusion . fig3 a shows the front panel of the display module 102 . a display device , preferably a high resolution color flat panel display in active matrix lcd , is mounted to the back of the display module front panel behind a glass window 110 . to ensure emi integrity , for example , within mil - std - 461 specifications , the window 110 is coated with an electrically conductive indium tin oxide ( ito ) coating which is applied to the back side of the window 110 . the ito coating is terminated around the periphery of the rear surface of the window 110 with a conductive silver bus bar ( not shown ). this bus bar is then connected to the aluminum chassis with a conductive gasket ( not shown ). this technique provides emi shielding without compromising the readability of the display through the window 110 . an anti - reflective coating is applied to the front surface of the window 110 to enhance readability of the display in high ambient light conditions such as bright sunlight . a removable air intake grille assembly is located on the left side of the front panel . fig3 b shows an exploded view of the grille assembly 111 and its associated air intake components . cooling external air is drawn into the computer through the grille assembly 111 to cool the computer . emi integrity is provided by a pattern of small holes 301 in the front panel . the size and number of these holes is arranged to ensure adequate cooling air flow through the display module 102 to the cpu module 101 while maintaining emi integrity . an air filter 302 is located in front of this pattern of holes 301 to filter dust from the cooling air stream . the air filter 302 is preferably comprised of two different media bonded together into a common filter element . the outer filter material is chosen to be more course than the inner filter . it is used to remove larger particles of dust . preferably , demembered polyurethane is used . the inner filter is preferably made from a 3m ® &# 34 ; filtrete &# 34 ; material with a permanent dipole charge to capture the fine dust particles . the air filter 302 is held in place by an air intake grille 303 which attaches to the front panel via four slide latches 304 . the air intake grille 303 includes a series of horizontal slots which angle upwards as they progress from the front to the rear of the grille assembly 202 . this upward tilt of the slots repels falling rain or snow and thus prevents precipitation from entering the computer via the grille assembly 111 . fig4 is a front view of the interior of the cpu module 101 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . installed in the chassis of the cpu module 101 are circuit boards 401 , which are printed circuit boards with electronic components such as processor and processor control integrated circuits mounted thereon . the electronic components perform functions such as processing , video and i / o controls , and mass storage . the circuit boards 401 plug into a backplane 409 attached to the back of the chassis . ( refer to fig1 for a block diagram of the computer components .) in the embodiment shown in fig4 the circuit boards 401 are ibm pc / xt or at form factor compatible and the backplane 409 is preferably electronically passive with a capacity to accept seven plug - in boards . other implementations are possible with the backplane containing active components , e . g ., a motherboard such as found in a typical ibm pc . the circuit boards 401 may be a different form factor and implement a computer with a different architecture such as vme , multibus , std bus , s - bus , etc . the circuit boards 401 may interface to external devices or expansion cards through i / o area 420 . fig5 a shows the i / o and expansion card area 420 viewed from the left side of the cpu module 101 . a common bus structure may be used to electrically connect the expansion cards , power and / or disk drives . an example of a bus structure would be the pc / at isa bus which may be implemented as a passive backplane printed circuit board ( pcb ) running horizontally from the front to the back of the module . the pcb includes a male connector on one end and a female connector on the other end to connect additional expansion modules similarly equipped with the male / female connectors . beneath the circuit cards 401 are emi filters 407 for ac and dc power . a power supply 408 , located below the emi filters 407 , is bolted to the bottom surface of the aluminum chassis 410 . this provides a heat conductive surface for the power supply components . an improved technique of extraction and removal of heat from the computer apparatus is by use of air plenum heatsinks . an air plenum heatsink includes an open center area surrounded by an outer heat conductive medium , such as metal , and inlet and outlet ports which allow air within the open center area to be forced through or withdrawn from the center area . typically , the air plenum heatsink is positioned adjacent to the apparatus being cooled ( e . g ., circuit board 401 ) so that heat from the apparatus is conducted to the heat conductive surface of the air plenum , via conduction , convection and / or radiation . preferably , the outer heat conductive medium extends the full length of a module with the inlet and outlet ports being terminated outside the modules , thereby causing all controlled airflow in the interior of the module to be through the center area of the air plenum heatsink . a heat conductive material such as silicone or urethane binders containing thermally conductive fillers may be placed between the air plenum heatsink and the apparatus to improve thermal transfer . the heat extracted from the apparatus is then cooled by the external air flowing through the open center area of the plenum or is exhausted out of the computer by a fan . the fan 402 exhausts air from the cpu module 101 and the computer unit . emi integrity at the air exhaust is provided by a pattern of small holes 601 ( refer to fig6 ). the size and number of these holes is arranged to ensure adequate cooling air flow through the computer while maintaining emi integrity . the fan 402 includes electronic circuitry which senses exhaust air temperature and controls the speed of the fan to maintain a constant internal temperature ; preferably , the internal ambient temperature is maintained at less than 35 ° c . however , during operation in a high temperature environment , such as at an external temperature of 50 ° c . and the computer is operated at 125 watts , the fan 402 will run at full speed and the internal temperature will be kept at 55 ° c . at normal room temperature , the fan 402 is running at a reduced speed . this feature minimizes fan noise and air flow for most room temperature environments . the floppy disk drive 403 and hard disk drive 404 are mounted on vibration isolators 405 and 406 to afford protection to these components from severe shock and vibration conditions such as during transport in an aircraft . ( fig7 a and 7b show the vibration isolators in further detail .) the user may access the disk drives through the disk drive access area 421 . the i / o and expansion card area 420 ( fig5 a ) is an area commonly prone to emi and moisture leakage . a technique according to the present invention provides emi integrity surpassing mil - std - 461 and / or nacsim - 5100a and moisture sealing surpassing mil - std - 810 or similar specification . referring to fig5 b , the technique includes the use of special i / o plates 502 in place of the normal bracket supplied with the commonly available expansion cards or slot cpu . the i / o plates 502 are attached to the cpu module chassis wall 503 . the i / o plates are preferably made from a sheet of aluminum or similarly conductive metal or metalized plastic . each of the i / o plates 502 includes connector holes cut into it to match those on the standard bracket furnished with the expansion circuit card 501 . the i / o plates 502 are slightly wider than the standard bracket to provide a surface for a gasket to seal against . the i / o plates 502 are secured to the mating surface of the special panel via two screws 506 into captive fasteners 507 , pems or the like . the cpu module chassis wall 503 includes slots for each board for facilitating a gasket 504 , which is placed around each slot . a gasket stop 505 is provided at the top and bottom of the panel where the screws 506 attach the i / o plates 502 to the panel . the gasket stop 505 is used to limit compression of the gasket 504 to limits specified by the gasket manufacturer . to provide emi and moisture protection as specified , the gasket 504 must be soft enough to be easily compressed by the i / o plates 502 without distortion , while not causing galvanic corrosion with the mating materials . according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , a gasket which is comprised of a soft foam core surrounded by a nylon material and impregnated with a conductive silver compound is used . the gasket 504 may be one commercially available from schlelgel ®, part designation , c 2 emi . an alternate gasketing material which may be employed is a silver loaded silicone emi gasketing material which is deposited in a groove milled into a wall of the computer . this provides a gasket stop all along the emi gasket . referring now to fig6 which is a right side view of the disk drive access area 421 of the computer , which may also be in the cpu module 101 . air exhausted by fan 402 exits from the top half of the computer via a pattern of holes 601 , which are selected to be sufficiently small to provide emi integrity . rain precipitation would not enter through holes 601 because of the operation of the fan 402 exhausting air outward through the holes 601 . serial or parallel connection ports 609 and 610 may be provided to interface external peripheral devices such as a printer . access to the floppy disk drive 403 and hard disk drive 404 is at the bottom half of the computer via a hinged disk drive access door 606 . the drive access door 606 pivots down as shown for access to the disk drives . it pivots up and latches in place with a sliding latch 607 to provide protection to internal components from external environments . a gasket 608 is used between the door 606 and the cpu module chassis . the gasket 608 also provides emi shielding as well as moisture sealing and is soft enough to permit easy closure of the door . a gasket similar to the gasket 504 previously described may be used . it should now be apparent to one ordinarily skilled in the art that the computer according to the present invention is provided with the mechanisms necessary to prevent or inhibit entry of moisture , dust and emi at all openings including joints , gaps , seams , and vents . the computer according to the present invention is capable of sustained operation while being exposed to a precipitation event such as rain or snow , or in a dust storm , or in an area having a heavy concentration of emi . another technique to ruggedize the computer unit according to the present invention is the provision of vibration absorbing isolators to absorb or substantially prevent damage to sensitive computer apparatus from vibrational force or shock . for example , disk drives 403 and 404 are mounted on such vibration absorbing isolators 405 and 406 respectively . fig7 a is a perspective view of a vibration absorbing isolator according to the present invention . a continuous layer of vibration isolation material 701 which serves to absorb vibration energy , is bonded between two support plates 702 and 703 by an adhesive film . a computer such as a disk drive ( 403 of fig6 ) may be mounted to one support plate while the other plate is fastened to a supporting structure such as the computer chassis . a thicker or more dense energy absorbing material will provide greater vibration isolation . for example , in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the thickness of isolation material 701 is made much greater than the thickness of each of the support plates 702 and 703 , thereby allowing for relatively large amounts of energy to be absorbed . preferably , the vibration isolation material is made of open cell polyurethane foam , which is commercially available from the scott corporation , product designation sif - 100ppi . the vibration isolation characteristics of the isolator may also be affected by other factors such as vibrational resonant frequency and transmissibility at resonance , which in turn may be affected by the combination of the computer apparatus when attached to the vibration isolator when it is subjected to shock or vibration . such characteristics can be optimized by the placement of holes 705 throughout the vibration isolation material as shown in fig7 b . the size , number and position of the holes can be selected to modify the required isolation properties . the mounting plates 702 are preferably rigid and may have access areas 706 for mounting hardware . holes 707 may also be placed in the plates to reduce weight . one or both of the mounting plates 702 , 703 may be eliminated if desired . for instance , the vibration isolation material 701 could be bonded directly to the component and / or the support structure . alternatively , a secondary support mechanism such as flexible cables 708 may be implemented to capture the component in the event of a failure of a bond or the vibration isolation material . fig8 a shows a disk drive 403 in a protective enclosure 802 . the enclosure 802 includes at its sides an indent and extended edges 804 to form a &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; shaped channel 803 . a housing 806 having a protrusion 807 that has substantially the same width as the channel 803 slidingly mates with the channel 803 , thereby allowing the disk drive 403 and enclosure 802 to be selectively and removably fixed upon the housing 806 . for added protection from vibration or shock , the housing 806 may be affixed to a vibration isolator 406 ( fig4 and 6 ), which is in turn affixed to the computer chassis . fig8 b shows an alternate embodiment in which the housing 806 includes a channel for slidingly receiving the protrusion 803 of enclosure 802 . fig8 c illustrates a mechanism for locking the enclosure 802 to the housing 806 . an &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; shaped clamp 809 is disposed between the protrusion 807 of the housing 806 and the channel 803 of the enclosure . when lock 805 is turned in a clockwise direction , the clamp 809 is pushed downward , exerting a clamping force on enclosure 802 to securely retain it and prevent its movement even under severe shock and vibration conditions . the disk drive 403 and enclosure 802 can be easily removed by releasing clamp 809 by turning lock 805 counterclockwise . other lock and clamp mechanisms such as a level actuated lock and retaining plates may also be used . fig9 is a block diagram which shows the interconnection between the major functional elements of the computer according to the present invention . processor 901 , which includes associated memory and i / o and disk drive control circuits , executes or processes substantially all operations of the computer . the processor 901 is connected through a passive backplane 902 to a video card 903 , which in turn controls display 904 through video interface 905 . a keyboard 906 and a trackball 907 may be connected to the processor 901 through emi filter 908 . serial ports 909 and parallel ports 910 are provided to interface external devices . hard disk drives 911 provide mass memory storage , which may include operational and application software . floppy disk drives 912 provide user interaction functions such as system initialization , set - up , diagnostics , memory data transfer and software upgrade . a status board 913 is in direct electrical communication with cpu , memory , io , and disk control 901 , a speaker 914 and a temperature control board 915 . the status board communicates all vital status information relevant to operation of the rugged modular portable computer of this invention . a cooling fault detector 916 is in electrical communication with temperature control board 915 to communicate temperature control information therewith . intensity control 930 is electrically connected to blacklight power supply 932 , which is electrically connected to display 904 . the intensity and blacklight power supply provide for varying the display &# 39 ; s backlighting . finally , the contrast of video card 903 is controlled via contrast control 903a . the operations of these functional elements are well know to one ordinarily skilled in the art . it will be understood that various modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention herein disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof . for example , various sizes of the computer are contemplated , as well as various types of construction materials . also , various modifications may be made in the configuration of the parts . therefore , the above description should not be construed as limiting the invention but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof . those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims appended hereto . | 7 |
referring first to fig1 , this schematically illustrates a conventional single phase brushless dc motor , comprising stator 1 and rotor 2 . this motor may be controlled using a control method or apparatus embodying the present invention , and may be combined with control apparatus in certain embodiments of the invention . stator 1 comprises stator windings 3 , shown here as being wound around pole pieces such that when current passes through the windings 3 two pairs of north and south poles are created as shown . in other words , excitement of the stator windings generates a stator magnetic field . the rotor comprises permanently magnetised material arranged to generate a rotor magnetic field which interacts with the stator field to produce rotation . in certain embodiments , the rotor comprises one or more permanent magnets . in the present example , the rotor comprises a ring of magnets 6 having two pairs of poles as shown . the rotor 2 rotates about an axis passing through the centre of stator 1 . a hall effect sensor 8 is arranged to detect the rotor position . alternatively , stator windings 3 may be arranged in a ring around a central rotating rotor . in fig1 , the motor is shown with the poles almost aligned . the rotor 2 is repelled by the poles of the stator 1 such that it rotates in the direction shown by 7 . as the rotor 2 rotates , such that opposite poles on the stator 1 and rotor 2 move into alignment the direction of current flow within the stator windings 3 reverses . this current reversal ( a commutation ) ensures that onward motion of the rotor 2 continues . referring now to fig2 , this illustrates the current passing through the stator windings 3 of a conventional single phase brushless dc motor , illustrating the problem of an increase in current towards the end of a drive portion of the commutation cycle . the current signal is plotted on the y - axis against time on the x - axis . at time t 0 , a voltage supply is first applied across the stator windings 3 at the beginning of a drive portion of the commutation cycle . this gives rise to current flow . the current passing through the windings 3 builds rapidly to an initial peak at time t 1 . the current does not rise to its maximum value immediately due to the inductance of the stator windings 3 . as discussed in the introduction , it is during this early part of the commutation cycle that the motor is most efficient in terms of transferring energy from a stator windings 3 to the rotor 2 , i . e . converting electrical energy into kinetic energy . as the rotor turns , and the poles move apart , the current passing through the stator windings falls off slightly to a low at time t 2 . this is due to the interaction of the magnetic field generated by the current passing through the stator windings 3 and the magnetic field of the rotor 2 affecting the inductance of the stator windings 3 as the stator and rotor poles move apart . as the rotor 2 rotates further , bringing the rotor poles towards alignment with the similar poles on the stator windings 3 , the current starts to rise as the rotor magnets affect the inductance of the stator windings . the voltage applied across the stator windings is switched off at time t 3 , by which time winding current has risen to a peak 10 due to inductance change caused by the changing position of the rotor 2 relative to the stator 1 . by switching off when such a large current is flowing , a large back emf is generated which can in turn generate a large current spike as described above . the winding current then drops back towards zero , and there is then a short commutation delay 11 before the next drive portion of the commutation cycle begins at time t 4 . after each drive portion 13 , the direction of current flowing through the stator windings 3 is reversed in order to ensure that the rotor 2 continues to rotate in the same direction . this is achieved by controlling the states of the switching elements within the h - bridge such that the supply voltage is applied across the stator windings in the opposite sense . however , it is convenient to measure the current passing through the stator windings 3 at the ground return of the switching circuit driving the stator windings . consequently , the second drive portion of commutation cycle beginning at time t 4 is shown as also having a positive current , although it will be appreciated that within the stator windings 3 the current will be reversed . in other words , it will be appreciated that in fig2 the variation of only the current magnitude with time is shown , not its sense . the winding current in the second drive portion of the cycle , beginning at t 4 , is in the opposite sense to that during the interval t 0 - t 3 . the current variation during the next drive portion has substantially the same profile as that in the first drive portion ( t 0 - t 3 ) and hence the portion of fig2 between t 0 and t 4 is indicative of winding current variation during the entire commutation cycle . portion 13 is representative of each drive portion , portion 11 is representative of each commutation delay , and portion 12 is representative of half a commutation cycle . as discussed above in the introduction , the current spike 10 is inefficient at transferring energy to the rotation of the rotor 2 . the half commutation cycle 12 depicted in fig2 is illustrative of the problem of current spikes for a brushless dc motor having a relatively large commutation delay 11 between consecutive drive portions . with a conventional brushless dc motor , conventionally commutated , there will always be some current spike towards the end of each drive portion . however by increasing the size of the commutation delay the spike may be partially reduced . this may be achieved by altering the position of the hall sensor relative to the stator such that the current is terminated lower down the rising waveform . the current supply is turned off at time t 3 in order to reduce the size of the current spike . for other configurations of motor , the current spike may be significantly greater than the desired pulse at time t 1 towards the beginning of the commutation cycle 12 . commutation delay 11 is necessary to ensure that the current is not supplied to the stator windings 3 before the stator and rotor poles have passed each other . the current spike 10 at the end of each drive portion of each commutation cycle also generates a voltage spike on the voltage supply due to the charge pump effect of the transistor body diodes ( or alternatively any external diodes present ) as discussed above in the introduction . fig3 illustrates this effect . the normal voltage supply level 20 rises rapidly to peak 21 at the end of each drive portion of each commutation cycle at the time of the current peak 10 , before dropping back to the normal level 20 . the speed of a brushless dc motor may be varied by varying the voltage applied across the stator windings 3 using linear techniques such as a variable resistor or transistor in series with the coil . however , it is increasingly common to use pulse width modulation ( pwm ) techniques to switch the current passing through the stator windings on and off at a high frequency during the drive portion 13 of the commutation cycle , i . e . between t 0 and t 3 . the average voltage applied across the stator windings during the drive portion is therefore lower than the peak voltage applied during each applied voltage pulse . consequently , the average current within the coil is dependent upon the pwm duty cycle of the switching signal supplied to the h - bridge switching elements at any time . pwm serves to vary the amount of energy stored within the coil as magnetic flux . pwm operates by generating a very fast oscillating signal , typically for motor controllers at a frequency of around 25 khz . this oscillating signal is then compared with a reference or control signal generating a pulsed output at the same frequency but with a variable duty cycle dependent upon the magnitude of the control signal . the duty cycle may vary between 100 % ( pulse signal always high ) and 0 % ( pulse signal always low ). the pwm signal may then be used to drive circuits , in this instance the stator windings 3 , such that the signal applied to the windings is either fully on or fully off , but the average current flowing through the coil is variable . therefore , the speed of the motor may be varied by an externally generated control signal driving the pwm oscillator . fig4 schematically illustrates a simplified known brushless dc motor controller 30 providing variable speed switching signals via pwm to switching circuit 31 . controller 30 is depicted as being integrated onto a single chip , having a positive voltage supply v cc and a connection to ground 32 ( or a connection to a negative voltage supply ). stator windings 3 are controlled by switching circuit 31 . the flow of current through the stator windings 3 is controlled by a h - bridge circuit 37 comprising transistors 38 , 39 , 40 and 41 which form the switching elements , voltage supply v cc and ground return 43 . the voltage supply v cc and ground return 43 for the switching circuit 31 may be the same as for the controller 30 , or they may differ , for instance if the motor is driving a large load and consequently needs a larger power supply . current is allowed to pass through the stator windings 3 in a first direction by turning on transistors 38 and 41 and turning off transistors 39 and 40 . current is allowed to pass through the stator windings 3 in a second opposite direction by turning on transistors 39 and 40 and turning off transistors 38 and 41 . the times at which transistors 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 are turned on and off are determined by the switching signals supplied to the gates of the transistors on lines 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 respectively . the switching signals are generated by the controller 30 . in this example , transistors 38 - 41 are mosfets . transistors 38 and 39 are high side p - channel mosfets and transistors 40 and 41 are low side n - channel mosfets . the signals on lines 44 - 47 are applied to the gate of transistors 38 - 41 respectively . when the signal on line 44 or 45 is low transistor 38 or 39 conducts . when the signal on line 46 or 47 is high transistor 40 or 41 conducts . transistors 38 and 39 should not be turned on at the same time . similarly , transistors 40 and 41 should not be turned on at the same time . as described above , the current passing through stator windings 36 is conveniently measured at the ground return , i . e . at the point where the connections to transistors 40 and 41 and ground connection 43 meet . controller 30 comprises a pwm modulator 33 having a speed control signal input 34 derived from speed control circuitry outside of the controller 30 . input 34 is used to set the speed of the motor and may include feedback from the motor monitoring the speed of the motor . the means by which input 34 is derived may be entirely conventional , and as such will not be described further here . the output 35 from the pwm modulator 33 is a pulse width modulated switching signal having a duty cycle proportional to the level of input 34 . in certain embodiments of the invention the motor is controlled such that the rotor rotates at substantially constant speed with respect to the stator ( in other words , the control is such that the average angular velocity of the rotor is substantially constant from one revolution , and hence from one full commutation cycle , to the next ). even though rotor speed is constant , winding current is actively reduced in the end portion of each drive portion of the commutation cycle . thus , the motor may run at a constant speed , in which case input 34 is constant or may be omitted entirely . additionally , further inputs to the pulse width modulator 33 may be included , such as current feedback to control the current at motor start up and under stall conditions . these additional inputs may be entirely conventional , and as such will not be described further here . pwm modulator switching signal output 35 is supplied to phase drive and control circuit 48 . circuit 48 applies the pwm signal 35 to either line 46 or 47 , or neither , depending upon the signal supplied to circuit 48 by commutation control circuit 49 on control line 50 . control circuit 49 additionally supplies a second control signal on control line 51 to phase drive circuit 52 . phase drive circuit 52 switches transistors 38 and 39 on and off via signals supplied on lines 44 and 45 . together phase drive and control circuit 48 and phase drive circuit 52 comprise the drive means for the controller . the result is that commutation control circuit 49 controls the time at which transistors 38 - 41 are switched on and off , and phase drive and control circuit 48 ensures that when transistors 40 and 41 are switched on the signal supplied to the gate of either transistor 40 or transistor 41 is the pwm signal supplied on line 35 . therefore , the high side h - bridge switches 38 and 39 are used to provide commutation and determine the duration of the drive portion of the commutation cycle for the stator windings 36 , while low side h - bridge switches 40 and 41 provide commutation , timing of the drive portion and pwm speed control . in the alternative , the pwm speed control may be performed by the high side switches 38 and 39 , by supplying these with the pwm switching signal . commutation control circuit 49 ensures that only transistor pairs 38 and 41 or 39 and 40 may be switched on at any one time , or alternatively that all transistors are switched off during the commutation delay 11 , or when the motor is disabled . pwm modulator 33 provides speed control to the motor by ensuring that the current supplied to stator windings 3 by h - bridge 37 is pwm modulated . commutation control circuit 49 comprises one or more control inputs 53 . for instance there may be inputs to disable the motor and vary the commutation delay . controller 30 further comprises inputs 54 and 55 from hall sensor 56 . hall sensor 56 is used to detect the position of the rotor 2 relative to the stator 1 . hall sensor 56 provides a differential signal to inputs 54 and 55 . in one embodiment , the hall sensor may be a “ naked ” hall sensor , which normally outputs half its supply voltage to each of its outputs . when a pole of the first orientation passes one output goes to a higher voltage and the other output goes to a lower voltage , and vice versa . in an alternative embodiment , the sensor may be a buffered hall sensor , which provides a high or low signal on an output provided to either input 54 or 55 . the other input to hall amplifier 57 is held halfway between the supply voltages to the hall sensor . hall amplifier 57 provides an output to control circuit 49 dependent upon the difference between its inputs . hall amplifier 57 provides a pulse train on output 58 , registering either a positive or a negative pulse as each pole of the rotor passes . consequently , the pulse train on output 58 is at the frequency of the commutation cycle . this information is used within commutation control circuit 49 to determine the position of the rotor 2 relative to the stator 1 , and consequently determine when each commutation cycle 12 should start and finish . for a controller 30 , in accordance with the present invention , the pwm functionality is further used to specifically control the voltage applied across the stator windings 3 and consequently the current flowing through the stator windings 3 towards the end of each drive portion of the commutation cycle , such that the current is gradually reduced , thereby avoiding the unwanted current spikes and large back emfs at the end of each drive portion . in certain embodiments , the current is reduced to zero at the end of the drive portion , although it may alternatively be reduced substantially , but to a non - zero value ( e . g . close to zero ) thereby substantially reducing any voltage and / or current spikes which may then appear when the current is switched off completely . alternatively , if the current is reduced to zero earlier then this gives a greater tolerance to timing inaccuracies at the point of commutation . to achieve this active current reduction , towards the end of each drive portion 13 of the commutation cycle 12 , the duty cycle of the pulse signal on lines 46 or 47 is reduced , such that the proportion of the time that the voltage is applied across the windings is reduced . this has the effect of gradually reducing the average voltage applied across the windings and therefore gradually reducing the current flowing through the stator windings 3 . referring to fig5 , this illustrates a partial circuit for achieving this gradual reduction in current within the stator windings 3 towards the end of each drive portion 13 of the commutation cycle 12 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . in order to be able to correctly time the reduction in current passing through the coil , it is necessary to generate a waveform indicative of the commutation cycle within the controller . typically , the portion of the drive portion , during which the current supply to the stator windings is reduced , is a constant proportion of the drive portion regardless of the speed of rotation of the rotor . as the speed of rotation of the rotor changes the absolute time period during which the current supply to the stator windings is reduced will vary . however , it may be desirable to vary the proportion of the drive portion during which the current supply to the stator windings is reduced during fine tuning of the technique for some applications . the outputs of existing hall effect sensor 56 , conventionally used to determine the commutation timings , are additionally used to generate waveforms indicative of both the speed of the motor and each commutation cycle . as before , the outputs of hall effect sensor 56 are connected to inputs 54 and 55 of hall amplifier 57 . output 58 is a voltage pulse train signal , the frequency of which is equal to the frequency of the full single phase commutation cycle . as well as being supplied to commutation control circuit 49 as described above , hall amplifier output 58 is also provided to an integrator circuit 60 and a saw tooth generator 61 . with reference to fig6 , integrator 60 outputs a voltage waveform 70 , which is substantially a dc voltage , whose magnitude is proportional to the rotational speed of the rotor 2 . saw tooth generator 61 outputs a substantially saw tooth waveform 71 at double the frequency of the pulse train signal output from the hall amplifier 57 . saw tooth waveform 71 starts at its lowest point at t 3 , i . e . at the end of a drive portion 13 of a commutation cycle . there is then a short flattened portion corresponding to the commutation delay 11 , before waveform 71 begins to rise at a substantially steady rate throughout the next drive portion ( of the same , or a subsequent commutation cycle ) to point t 3 . the outputs of integrator 60 and saw tooth generator 61 are passed to level detector 62 which gives an output 72 on control line 63 which at any moment is equal to the greater of waveforms 70 and 71 . waveform 72 is equal to the saw tooth signal 71 where it crosses above dc level 70 , and dc level 70 at all other times . the portion of waveform 72 where it assumes the saw tooth waveform corresponds to that part of the drive portion of the commutation cycle during which it is desired to back off the pulse width modulation such that the average voltage applied across the stator windings is reduced , so as to actively reduce winding current . waveform 72 is thus a current reduction control signal . the current reduction control waveform on line 63 may be combined with other signals controlling the output of the pulse width modulator 33 , for instance a speed control input 34 in combiner 64 . the effect of this additional control signal on line 63 is to progressively back off the pwm switching signal output on line 35 being provided to phase drive and control circuit 48 during an end portion of a drive portion of a commutation cycle . the pwm switching signal output 35 is backed off by reducing the duty cycle of the pwm signal . the effect of an increased speed control input is a reduced duty cycle over the whole of the commutation cycle . the effect of an increase in the current reduction control signal is to reduce the duty cycle of the pwm switching signal . this has the effect of reducing the average voltage applied across the stator windings and therefore reducing the current flowing through the stator windings . alternatively , the pulse width modulator 33 may be arranged such that reducing either the speed control input 34 or the current reduction control signal 63 reduces the duty cycle of the pwm switching signal . current reduction control signal 72 remains steady during the initial portion of each drive portion of the commutation cycle before beginning to ramp up linearly towards the end of the drive portion . consequently , for an end portion of each drive portion of the commutation cycle it begins to reduce the average current flowing through the stator windings . the average current may be reduced to zero by or before the end of the drive portion ( i . e . the time when all of the h - bridge switching devices are opened to remove current drive from the winding ). there may be a gap between the initial portion and the end portion of each duty cycle . in particular , the initial portion may be considered to be only the initial portion of the drive portion during which the current flowing through the stator winding is rising to its initial peak . similarly , the end portion of the duty cycle may be considered to be only the end portion of the duty cycle during which the magnitude of the stator winding current is being actively reduced . the duty cycle of the pwm output 35 is reduced during the period for which signal 72 rises above the dc level 70 , the reduction being in proportion to the magnitude of signal 72 . fig7 illustrates schematically the pwm signal 80 provided to the phase drive and control circuit 48 on line 35 . for the first part 81 of the drive portion 13 of commutation cycle 12 the voltage signal being supplied to the h - bridge 37 is shown as being constantly on . this represents a motor running at full speed , with pwm duty cycle at 100 %. however , it will be appreciated that if the motor is required to run at a lower speed then during period 81 signal 80 may be modulated to reduce the average current ( i . e . the duty cycle may be less than 100 %). in the second part 82 of the drive portion 13 of the commutation cycle 12 , the pwm duty cycle is progressively reduced . as before , there is a commutation delay 11 before the next drive portion , with the current being reversed through the stator windings . fig8 illustrates the current 90 flowing through the stator windings of a dc brushless motor during each drive portion of each commutation cycle when controlled using the combined circuits of fig4 and 5 . as before , there is a peak 91 during the early part of the drive portion of the commutation cycle . as with the unmodified waveform , the current begins to fall back at point 92 as the poles of the stator and the rotor move further apart . this represents an intermediate , or middle , part of the drive portion in which winding current is being passively reduced , in the sense that drive is constant , and current magnitude is reducing only as a result of inductance changes . the passive change in current magnitude is not a result of any controlling action or step ( i . e . change in any control parameter ). then , however , rather than current increasing towards the end of the drive portion , the current falls back progressively towards zero as indicated over the portion 93 of the waveform . this portion 93 is the end portion in which current magnitudes is actively reduced ( i . e . by changing a control parameter ). as the duty cycle of pwm modulated switching signal reduces individual peaks and troughs 94 in current 90 become evident , which are not readily detectable when the duty cycle is higher . however , it is the average current flowing at any one time that is important , and it may be readily seen that this progressively reduces before the end of the drive portion , at t 3 . the magnitude of the individual peaks and troughs 94 are increased due to the fact that the current 90 is measured at the ground return of the h - bridge . this effect is dependent upon the size of capacitor connected across the h - bridge . the current variations 94 within the stator windings are smaller due to recirculating currents . fig9 illustrates the voltage on a supply 100 to a brushless dc motor according to an embodiment of the present invention . it is clear that the pulses 101 on the supply line corresponding to commutation points at the ends of the drive portions are much reduced compared with the unmodified motor , the voltage supply for which is shown in fig3 . if the stator winding current is reduced completely to zero before the end of each drive portion of the duty cycle then the voltage spikes will be removed entirely . as the current during part 93 of the commutation cycle is actively backed off , there is a reduction in the average current drawn by the motor . a reduction in average current drawn by the motor of around 10 % or better over the full commutation cycle has been achieved by implementing a method embodying the current invention . however , as the later part of the drive portion of the commutation cycle is inefficient in terms of transferring energy to the rotating rotor 2 , the reduction in average speed over the whole commutation cycle is significantly less , or even approximately zero . consequently , a motor controlled by a controller in accordance with the present invention is significantly more efficient than an unmodified brushless dc motor . referring now to fig1 , this illustrates another control circuit ( or control system ) which may be used in embodiments of the invention to achieve active reduction in stator winding current towards the end of each drive portion 13 of a commutation cycle 12 . as in the circuit of fig5 , this arrangement uses a hall sensor 56 whose outputs 55 , 54 are supplied to a hall amplifier 57 . the output 58 from the hall amplifier 57 is substantially a square wave . however , rather than this square wave output 58 being supplied to an integrator and a saw - tooth generator as in fig5 , in the example shown in fig1 square wave output 58 is supplied just to a saw - tooth generator 61 and a commutation control circuit ( not illustrated in the figure ). the saw - tooth generator 61 generates a saw - tooth output signal 71 from the square wave input . the substantially saw - tooth wave form 71 output from the generator 61 is supplied to one input ( in this example the non - inverting input ) of a differential amplifier 200 , and to a peak detector 210 . the peak detector output 211 is a dc signal whose magnitude corresponds to the peak height of the saw - tooth signal and hence is proportional to the rotational speed ( i . e . angular velocity ) of the rotor . the peak detector output 211 is divided down using a potential divider 220 , and the divided down signal 221 is supplied to the other input ( in this example the inverting input ) of the amplifier 200 . the output 72 ( on line 63 ) of the amplifier 200 has the approximate form shown in the figure . this wave form comprises substantially flat portions , corresponding to the times when the saw - tooth generator output voltage is less than the divided down signal 221 from the peak detector output 211 , and a series of peaks above that base level , corresponding to those times when the saw - tooth generator output voltage 71 exceeds the divided down voltage 221 derived from the peak detector output 211 . the peak detector output voltage 211 shifts up and down according to rotor speed and in proportion to the peak voltage of the saw - tooth signal 72 . thus it will be appreciated that the output waveform 72 has substantially the same proportion of flat portion to peak saw - tooth portion regardless of the speed of rotation of the motor . this gives the control circuit in fig1 some superiority over that shown in fig5 where the saw - tooth signal 71 and integrator signal 70 are generated and may vary independently . the current reduction control signal 72 in the circuit of fig1 may then be combined with a motor speed control signal 34 ( which may also be referred to as a speed demand signal ) and used to control a pwm generator 33 . the basic duty cycle of the pwm signal output from the generator 33 is determined by the speed control signal 34 . however , the effect of combining the speed control signal 34 with the current reduction control signal 72 is that the duty cycle of the pwm output 35 is progressively reduced during the end portion of each drive portion , i . e . at times corresponding to the positions of the peaks on the current reduction control signal 72 . conveniently , in certain embodiments of the invention the hall amplifier 57 , the saw - tooth generator 61 , the peak detector 210 , and the differential amplifier 200 are integrated on a single control chip . it will be appreciated that the circuit of fig1 , by employing a peak detector 210 rather than an integrator 60 ( as was the case in the circuit of fig5 ), provides the advantage that the substantially dc voltage waveform 221 tracks in proportion to the peak of the saw - tooth waveform 71 . by reducing the magnitude of current and voltage spikes generated at the end of the drive portion ( s ) of the commutation cycle , and in some cases by avoiding these spikes altogether , embodiments of the invention provide the advantage that it is no longer necessary to use over specified components , resulting in motors that are cheaper to make and more efficient due to the reduced internal losses within , for instance , the transistors forming the h - bridge . as the current and voltage spikes are substantially reduced , and may be absent completely , a motor controlled ( commutated ) in accordance with the present invention is quieter than a motor controlled according to the prior art as audible clicks caused by rapid changes in energy within the stator 1 and the rotor 2 are reduced . as an alternative to controlling the current in the later part of the drive portion of the commutation cycle by utilising the pwm control circuit , the current may be progressively reduced by placing a linear component having a variable resistance in series with the stator windings 3 in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention . this may be a variable resistor or transistor , or any other suitable component or circuit as is known in the art . means are provided to detect the speed and the position of the motor , and typically this will comprise a similar arrangement of hall effect sensor , hall amplifier , integrator and saw tooth generator as discussed above . however , in place of passing the resultant control signal to pwm circuitry , the control signal will be provided to circuitry controlling the resistance of the component in series with the stator windings . any other means of progressively reducing a current known in the art may be substituted for either of the above - described techniques . the controller may be formed from a single integrated circuit , with inputs and outputs to control the operation of the h - bridge , or the controller and the h - bridge may be combined into a single integrated circuit . alternatively , the controller may be formed from discrete components and control circuits . the apparatus and methods embodying the invention and described in detail above are particularly applicable to the control of single phase brushless dc motors . however , the present invention may be applied to any form of brushless dc motor . it is particularly applicable to single and two phase motors , as it is for these types of motors that the problems of excessive current and voltage spikes are particularly significant , but may also be applied to the control of motors having more than two phase windings . although the present invention has been primarily described above in connection with brushless dc motors , it will be readily apparent to the appropriately skilled person that the invention may also be applicable for control of an actuator comprising a stator , having at least one stator winding , and an armature ( e . g . a plunger ) arranged to move ( e . g . linearly ) with respect to the winding . the armature may , for example , comprise an elongate permanent magnet disposed within the winding , such that it may move linearly along the axis of the winding . by driving current through the winding in accordance with the above teaching controlled motion of the armature may be achieved . in particular , by applying a voltage having a drive portion during an end portion of which the voltage is progressively reduced , across the winding stepped motion of the plunger may be achieved . this is in contrast to normal actuators of this sort for which the current through the winding is either fully on or fully off , thereby only allowing the plunger to be moved from one extreme of its range of motion to the other , dependent upon the sense in which the voltage is applied across the winding . it will be readily apparent to the appropriately skilled person that although the present invention has been described in terms of controlling the flow of current through the stator windings of a brushless dc motor , the same techniques may be used to control the flow of current through other inductive loads . in particular , the present invention has particular utility in applications where the problems of current and voltage spikes when the current is switched off are significant . it will also be appreciated that the terms “ winding ” and “ windings ”, although encompassing structures formed from wire , are not limited to such structures . the stator winding ( s ) may comprise other forms of conductor arranged to provide suitable current paths . as just one example of alternative arrangements , a winding may be provided by a conductive track on a printed circuit . other modifications , and applications , of the present invention will be readily apparent to the appropriately skilled person , without departing from the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
embodiments of the invention are explained below in detail with reference to the drawings . fig1 is a schematic block diagram of an optical reception terminal in which a first embodiment of the invention is installed . a signal light enters from an optical transmission line 10 to an optical reception terminal 12 of the embodiment . a photodetecting element 14 in the optical reception terminal 12 converts the signal from the optical transmission line 10 into an electric signal and applies it to one input of a comparator 16 . a threshold generating circuit 18 generates a threshold vth for binarizing the output of the photodetecting element 14 and applies it to the other input of the comparator 16 . the comparator 16 compares the output of the photodetector 14 and the output vth of the threshold generating circuit 18 to binarize the output of the photodetecting element 14 . a demultiplexing circuit 20 demultiplexes the output of the comparator 16 into n ( e . g . n = 16 ) channels and applies binary signals of the respective channels to error correcting circuits 22 - 1 ˜ 22 - n respectively . the error correcting circuits 22 - 1 ˜ 22 - n correct errors of the signals from the demultiplexing circuit 20 and apply them to a multiplexer 24 as well as send the number of the errors to a counter 26 . most of the existing error correcting circuits comprise such function for outputting the error number and therefore it is not necessary to provide a particular error correcting circuit for the embodiment . the multiplexer 24 multiplexes the n signals from the error correcting circuits 22 - 1 ˜ 22 - n on the time domain and supplies them as stm signal to the following circuit ( when the optical transmission line 10 is , for instance , an international optical fiber transmission line , the following circuit is a domestic communication network ). the counter 26 sums up the number of the errors from the error correcting circuits 22 - 1 ˜ 22 - n and applies the total result to a threshold control circuit 28 . the output value of the counter 26 represents the q value of the optical transmission line 10 . the threshold control circuit 28 can apply a threshold control signal to the threshold generating circuit 18 in order to change its generating threshold vth . the threshold control circuit 28 controls the threshold generating circuit 18 to generate a plurality of thresholds one after another , determines an optimum discrimination threshold for the present transmission condition of the optical transmission line 10 from the outputs of the counter 26 corresponding to the respective thresholds , and directs the threshold generating circuit 18 to generate the determined discrimination threshold until the following discrimination threshold is optimized thereafter . fig2 shows an operation flow chart of the threshold control circuit 28 and fig3 is a schematic diagram showing the relation between the thresholds and the number of the errors . in fig3 , the horizontal axis shows the discrimination thresholds and the vertical axis shows the number of the errors as a bar graph . the threshold control circuit 28 fetches the output ( the total of the errors of the whole channels ) of the counter 26 at the present threshold and stores its average value ( s 1 ). also , the threshold control circuit 28 controls the threshold generating circuit 18 to shift its discrimination threshold toward the minus side by a predetermined value ( s 2 ) and fetches the output of the counter 26 at the threshold ( s 3 ). the shifting amount of the discrimination threshold at a time can be rough to a certain extent . fig4 is a measured example showing a variation of the q value relative to a variation of the threshold . in fig4 , the horizontal axis shows deviations from the optimum threshold with a volt unit , and the vertical axis shows a deteriorated amount ( db ) from the q value at the optimum threshold . when the discrimination threshold is varied within the width of 10 mv , the deteriorated amount of the q value becomes no more than 0 . 1 db . therefore , the threshold should be varied every 10 mv to count the number of the errors . after that the shift of the threshold vth toward the minus side ( s 2 ) and the fetch of the output of the counter 26 at the threshold ( s 3 ) are repeated until the threshold reaches the limit threshold on the minus side ( s 4 ). when the threshold reaches the limit threshold on the minus side ( s 4 ), the threshold control circuit 28 adjusts the threshold to the initial value at s 1 ( s 5 ), fetches again the output of the counter 26 for a predetermined period and stores its average value ( s 6 ). then , the threshold control circuit 28 stepwisely shifts the threshold vth toward the plus side ( s 7 ), fetches and stores the output of the counter 26 at the respective thresholds ( s 8 ) until the threshold vth reaches the limit threshold on the plus side ( s 9 ). at the point that the threshold vth on the plus side reaches the limit threshold ( s 9 ), the whole information is obtained that contains the number of the errors at the respective thresholds within the range from the limit threshold on the minus side to the limit threshold on the plus side . from the obtained result , the threshold control circuit 28 determines an optimum discrimination threshold to make the number of the errors minimum and controls the threshold generating circuit 18 to generate the determined threshold thereafter ( s 10 ). after the threshold determined at s 10 is used for a predetermined period , the flow shown in fig2 is again executed so as to optimize the discrimination threshold . in fig2 , the information of the error number relative to the threshold is measured between both limit thresholds on the minus side and plus side . however , when the error number reaches over the limit value , it is meaningless to vary the threshold any further in the direction to increase the number of the errors . from this point of view , it is obvious that the threshold can be varied within the range in which the number of the errors reaches no more than the limit value at the steps from s 4 to s 9 . in fig1 , to make it easily understandable , the comparator 16 binarizes the signal ( the output of the photodetecting element 14 ) with one threshold . it is obvious , however , that this embodiment is applicable to the case in which thresholds for mark signal and space signal are separately provided . in this case , each threshold should be optimized respectively following the process shown in fig2 . fig5 shows a measured result of q values when a discrimination threshold is adaptively controlled according to the embodiment . the solid line shows the q values of the embodiment . as a comparative object , the broken line shows q values when the discrimination threshold is fixed . by comparison between both lines , it is clear that , according to the embodiment , the average q value can be kept in the higher range . in the above embodiment , the discrimination threshold is determined so as to minimize the number of the errors . it is possible that an standard deviation of a mark level is measured and then an optimum threshold is determined according to the measured result . this method is also applicable to optimize the discrimination threshold . fig6 illustrates a measured example showing the relation between the optimum thresholds and a distribution of the mark level ( standard deviation of the mark level ) of the signal light . in fig6 , the vertical axis shows the standard deviations of the mark level and the horizontal axis shows the optimum thresholds . in this measured result , the correlation coefficient between the standard deviations of the mark level and the optimum thresholds is 0 . 82 . it is understood from the measured result that the discrimination threshold can be dynamically optimized by feedback - controlling the discrimination threshold according to the measured result of the standard deviations of the mark level . in order to find the standard deviation of the mark level , for instance , a method is applicable in which bit error rates are measured while varying discrimination thresholds and then q values are obtained from the measured result ( e . g . n . s . bergano et al ., ieee photonics technology letters , vol . 5 , pp . 304 – 306 , 1993 ). when transmission characteristics such as q value and the like are measured on a mark side ( or a space side ), bit error rates at respective threshold levels are measured while the discrimination threshold is shifted toward the mark side ( or the space side ). an optimum threshold can be determined from the variation of the measured result relative to the thresholds . fig7 illustrates a schematic diagram of the variation of the bit error rate relative to the discrimination threshold . the horizontal axis and vertical axis show the discrimination threshold and bit error rate respectively . the crosses show measured points . the inclination of the interpolation line connecting the measured points on the mark side shows the standard deviation of the mark level . accordingly , when the bit error rates on the mark side corresponding to at least two discrimination thresholds are measured , the standard deviation on the mark side is obtained and thus the discrimination threshold can be optimized . each of fig8 , 9 and 10 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment in which the standard deviation on a mark side is measured and the discrimination threshold is optimized according to the measured result . each of the embodiments in fig8 , 9 and 10 has fundamentally the same operation and function except for a branching step of a received signal . fig8 is explained first . a signal light enters an optical receiving apparatus 32 according to the invention from an optical transmission line 30 . a photodetecting element 34 in the optical receiving apparatus 32 converts the signal light from the optical transmission line 30 into an electrical signal , and a linear amplifier 36 linearly amplifies the output from the photodetector 34 . an electric signal branching circuit 38 branches the output of the amplifier 36 into a discriminating circuit 40 having a variable threshold and discriminating circuits 42 , 44 respectively having fixed thresholds va , vb . the branching circuit 38 can be either one that simultaneously applies the output of the amplifier 36 to the discriminating circuits 40 , 42 and 44 or that applies the output of the amplifier 36 to the discriminating circuits 42 and 44 when an optimum threshold is determined and applies the output of the amplifier 36 to the discriminating circuit 40 for the rest of the period . from the point of view of constant signal reception , the former configuration is obviously preferable . the discriminating circuits 42 and 44 discriminate the input signals according to the fixed thresholds va and vb respectively . error rate measuring circuits 46 and 48 measure bit error rates of the outputs from the discriminating circuits 42 and 44 and apply the measured results to a standard deviation calculating circuit 50 . the values of the thresholds va and vb are respectively preset so as to be able to measure bit error rates of two points required for calculating a standard deviation on the mark side . it is also applicable to calculate a standard deviation on the space side instead of that on the mark side . in optical pulse transmission , however , the standard deviation on the mark side can grasp the condition of the transmission line more accurately . the standard deviation calculating circuit 50 calculates the standard deviation on the mark side from the measured results of the error rate measuring circuits 46 and 48 . a threshold generating circuit 52 determines an optimum discrimination threshold by comparing the standard deviation calculated by the standard deviation calculating circuit 50 with the premeasured relation between the standard deviation and optimum threshold , and applies the optimum threshold vx to the discriminating circuit 40 . the discriminating circuit 40 discriminates the signal from the electric signal branching circuit 38 according to the threshold vx from the threshold generating circuit 52 . the signal discriminated at the discriminating circuit 40 is applied to the following circuit as a received signal . the part consisting of the error rate measuring circuits 46 and 48 , standard deviation calculating circuit 50 and threshold generating circuit 52 can be realized with digital arithmetic circuits such as a microcomputer and the like . the discriminating circuits 42 and 44 also can be included in the digital arithmetic circuit . as readily understandable from the above description , the branching circuit 38 usually applies the output of the amplifier 36 to the discriminating circuit 40 and applies to the discriminating circuits 42 and 44 only when a new optimum discrimination threshold is to be determined . needless to say , the branching circuit 38 can steadily apply the output of the amplifier 36 to all of the discriminating circuits 40 , 42 and 44 . as discussed above , in the embodiment shown in fig8 , the error rate , namely the standard deviation on the mark side is measured intermittently or constantly according to more than one fixed threshold . then , the optimum discrimination threshold is determined from the measured result and the received signal is discriminated according to the optimum discrimination threshold . therefore , in the embodiment , since the discrimination threshold of the received signal is varied according to the variation of the transmission condition , the receiving condition is always maintained to be most suitable . in the embodiment shown in fig8 , although the received signal is branched in the electric stage by the electric signal branching circuit 38 , it is also applicable to branch the received signal in the optical stage . fig9 illustrates a schematic block diagram of such embodiment for branching the signal in the optical stage . a signal light inputs to an optical receiving apparatus 62 according to the invention from an optical transmission line 60 . an optical signal branching circuit 64 in the optical receiving apparatus 62 branches ( switches or divides ) the signal light from the optical transmission line 60 and applies it to photodetecting elements 66 , 68 and 70 . the branching function of the optical signal branching circuit 64 can be the same with that of the electric signal branching circuit 38 . the photodetecting elements 66 , 68 and 70 respectively convert the signals from the branching circuit 64 into electric signals . linear amplifiers 72 , 74 and 76 respectively linearly amplify the outputs from the photodetectors 66 , 68 and 70 . discriminating circuits 78 and 80 respectively discriminate the output signals from the amplifiers 74 and 76 according to fixed thresholds va and vb and apply the results to a threshold control circuit 82 . the threshold control circuit 82 comprises the same configuration with the part consisted of the error rate measuring circuits 46 and 48 , standard deviation arithmetic circuit 50 and threshold generating circuit 52 of the embodiment shown in fig8 . that is , the threshold control circuit 82 calculates bit error rates from the outputs ( the signal discriminated results according to the two different thresholds va and vb ) of the discriminating circuits 78 and 80 , calculates a standard deviation on the mark side from the obtained bit error rates , and determines an optimum discrimination threshold from the standard deviation on the mark side . the threshold control circuit 82 then applies the determined optimum discrimination threshold vx to a discriminating circuit 84 . the discriminating circuit 84 discriminates the output signal of the linear amplifier 72 according to the discrimination threshold vx from the threshold control circuit 82 . the signal discriminated at the discriminating circuit 84 is applied to the following circuit as a received signal . fig1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment combining the branching in the optical stage and in the electric stage . a signal light enters an optical receiving apparatus 92 according to the invention from an optical transmission line 90 . an optical signal branching circuit 94 in the optical receiving apparatus 92 branches ( switches or divides ) the signal light from the optical transmission line 90 and applies it to photodetecting elements 96 and 98 . the optical signal branching circuit 94 can be either one that selectively applies the signal light from the optical transmission line 90 to the photodetecting element 96 or 98 or that divides the signal light into two portions and applies them to the photodetecting elements 96 and 98 simultaneously . from the point of view of continuous signal reception , the latter is more preferable . the photodetecting elements 96 and 98 respectively convert the signal lights from the branching circuit 94 into electric signals . linear amplifiers 100 and 102 linearly amplify the outputs from the photodetecting elements 96 and 98 respectively . an electric signal branching circuit 104 simultaneously applies the output signal from the linear amplifier 102 to discriminating circuits 106 and 108 respectively having fixed thresholds va and vb . the discriminating circuits 106 and 108 respectively discriminate the signals from the electric signal branching circuit 104 according to the fixed thresholds va and vb , and apply the results to a threshold control circuit 110 . the threshold control circuit 110 has the same configuration and operation with the threshold control circuit 82 . namely , the threshold control circuit 110 calculates bit error rates from the outputs ( the signal discriminated results according to the two different thresholds va and vb ) of the discriminating circuits 106 and 108 , calculates a standard deviation on a mark side from the obtained bit error rates , and determines an optimum discrimination threshold from the standard deviation on the mark side . then , the threshold control circuit 110 applies the determined optimum discrimination threshold vx to a discriminating circuit 112 . the discriminating circuit 112 discriminates the output signal from the linear amplifier 100 according to the discrimination threshold vx from the threshold control circuit 110 . the signal discriminated at the discriminating circuit 112 is applied to the following circuit as a received signal . as a simpler method , bit error rates on both mark side and space side are measured , and an optimum discrimination threshold is estimated from the variation of the measured values . on the assumption that variation slopes of the bit error rates on the mark and space sides relative to the discrimination thresholds are constant respectively , the optimum discrimination threshold can be determined with a simpler configuration since it is sufficient if only one bit error rate is measured on each of the mark and space sides . when the bit error rates are measured according to a plurality of discrimination thresholds on the mark and space sides respectively , variation slopes of the bit error rates on the mark and space sides relative to the discrimination thresholds can be measured dynamically . therefore , it is obvious that the discrimination threshold can be optimized more accurately . fig1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an embodiment for optimizing a discrimination threshold according to bit error rates on the mark and space sides . a signal light enters an optical receiving apparatus 122 according to the invention from an optical transmission line 120 . a photodetecting element 124 in the optical receiving apparatus 122 converts the signal light from the optical transmission line 120 into an electric signal , and a linear amplifier 126 linearly amplifies the output from the photodetecting element 124 . an electric signal branching circuit 128 branches an output from the amplifier 126 to a discriminating circuit 130 with a variable threshold , and discriminating circuits 132 , 134 with fixed thresholds vc , vd respectively . the branching circuit 128 comprises the same function with the branching circuit 38 . the discriminating circuit 132 discriminates marks in the input signal according to the fixed threshold vc for the mark . the discriminating circuit 134 discriminates spaces of the input signal according to the fixed threshold vd for the space . the threshold vc is set higher than a standard discrimination threshold for discriminating a binary signal , and the threshold vd is set , in reverse , lower than the standard discrimination threshold . an error rate measuring circuit 136 calculates the bit error rate on the mark side from the output of the discriminating circuit 132 , and an error rate measuring circuit 138 calculates the bit error rate on the space side from the output of the discriminating circuit 134 . the measured results of the error rate measuring circuits 136 and 138 are applied to a threshold control circuit 140 . the threshold control circuit 140 determines an optimum discrimination threshold vx from the bit error rates on the mark and space sides measured by the error rate measuring circuits 136 and 138 , and applies it to the discriminating circuit 130 . the discriminating circuit 130 discriminates the signal from the electric signal branching circuit 128 according to the threshold vx from the threshold control circuit 140 . the signal discriminated at the discriminating circuit 130 is applied to the following circuit as a received signal . the decision mechanism of the optimum threshold vx at the threshold control circuit 140 is explained below referring to fig1 , 13 and 14 . fig1 , 13 and 14 show variations of the bit error rate relative to the discrimination thresholds . fig1 shows an initial state , fig1 shows a state in which the bit error rate on the space side is increased compared to the initial state shown in fig1 , and fig1 shows , inversely , a state in which the bit error rate on the mark side is increased compared to the initial state shown in fig1 respectively . in fig1 , 13 and 14 , the horizontal axis shows the discrimination thresholds and the vertical axis shows the bit error rates . in the initial state shown in fig1 , the discrimination threshold v 1 , corresponding to the intersection point of the straight line representing the bit error rates on the mark side and that representing the bit error rates on the space side , indicates the optimum discrimination threshold vx . when the inclinations of the two straight lines showing the bit error rates on the mark and space sides are already known , the discrimination threshold v 1 corresponding to the intersection point is easily calculated by measuring the bit error rate on the mark side according to the threshold vc and the bit error rate on the space side according to the threshold vd , as shown in the embodiment of fig1 . when the inclination variation of the bit error rate relative to the discrimination threshold is not negligible or a more precise optimum discrimination threshold is desired , it is obvious that the bit error rates on both mark and space sides should be measured according to a plurality of discrimination . when the bit error rate on the space side is increased from the initial state shown in fig1 , the threshold v 2 corresponding to the intersection point of the two straight lines of the bit error rates on the mark and space sides moves to the right direction compared to the threshold v 1 as shown in fig1 . accordingly , the threshold control circuit 140 applies the discrimination threshold v 2 as a new optimum discrimination threshold vx to the discriminating circuit 130 . contrarily , when the bit error rate on the mark side is increased from the initial state shown in fig1 , the threshold v 3 corresponding to the intersection point of the two straight lines of the bit error rates on the mark and space sides moves to the left direction compared to the threshold v 1 as shown in fig1 . accordingly , the threshold control circuit 140 applies the discrimination threshold v 3 as a new optimum discrimination threshold vx to the discriminating circuit 130 . as described above , in the embodiment shown in fig1 , the discrimination threshold is optimized adaptively according to the condition of the transmission line with the simple configuration , and therefore the receiving condition is maintained at the optimum state . in the same way that the embodiment shown in fig8 is modified to the embodiments shown in fig9 and 10 , the embodiment shown in fig1 also obtain the equivalent operating effect when it is modified to a configuration that the signal is branched in an optical stage and / or an electric stage . fig1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment for optimizing a discrimination threshold with amplitude of a clock signal reproduced from a received signal . a signal light enters an optical receiving apparatus 152 according to the invention from an optical transmission line 150 . a photodetecting element 154 in the optical receiving apparatus 152 converts the signal light from the optical transmission line 150 into an electric signal , and a linear amplifier 156 linearly amplifies the output from the photodetecting element 154 . an electric signal branching circuit 158 branches the output from the amplifier 156 to a discriminating circuit 160 with a variable threshold and clock extracting circuit 162 . the branching circuit 158 , similarly to the branching circuits 38 and 128 , can be either one that simultaneously applies the output of the amplifier 156 to the discriminating circuit 160 and clock extracting circuit 162 or that selectively applies the output to the discriminating circuit 160 or the clock extracting circuit 162 . from a viewpoint of continuity of signal receiving , the former function is more preferable . the clock extracting circuit 162 extracts a clock out of the signal from the branching circuit 158 . in a standard optical receiving apparatus , a limiting amplifier is employed in order to control the amplitude of the clock signal to be constant . however , the embodiment uses the linear amplifier 156 , and therefore the clock extracting circuit 162 can obtain the clock signal having the amplitude according to a waveform of a received signal light . the clock signal extracted at the clock extracting circuit 162 is linearly amplified by a linear amplifier 164 and applied to a threshold control circuit 166 . the threshold control circuit 166 controls the discrimination threshold of the discriminating circuit 160 at the optimum value vx according to the amplitude of the clock signal from the linear amplifier 164 . that is , as shown in fig1 , when noise on the mark side is large , the optimum threshold moves to the space side and at the same time the amplitude of the clock decreases due to the influence of the noise . in reverse , when the noise on the mark side is small , the optimum threshold moves to the mark side and at the same time the amplitude of the clock increases due to the influence of the noise . the threshold control circuit 166 is preprogrammed with the information to indicate such relations between the clock amplitude and the optimum threshold , thus determining an optimum threshold vx by comparing the amplitude ( clock amplitude ) of the output from the linear amplifier 164 with this information , and applies it to the discriminating circuit 160 . the discriminating circuit 160 discriminates the signal from the electric signal branching circuit 158 according to the threshold vx from the threshold control circuit 166 . the signal discriminated at the discriminating circuit 160 is applied to the following circuit as a received signal . fig1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment in which the embodiment shown in fig1 is modified so that the signal is branched in the optical stage instead of in the electric stage . a signal light enters an optical receiving apparatus 172 according to the invention from an optical transmission line 170 . an optical signal branching circuit 174 in the optical receiving apparatus 172 branches ( switches or divides ) the signal light from the optical transmission line 170 and applies it to photodetecting elements 176 and 178 . the branching function of the optical signal branching circuit 174 is similar to that of the electric signal branching circuit 158 . the photodetecting circuits 176 and 178 respectively convert the signal light from the branching circuit 174 into an electric signal . a linear amplifier 180 linearly amplifies the output from the photodetecting element 176 and applies it to a discriminating circuit 182 . similarly to the clock extracting circuit 162 , a clock extracting circuit 184 extracts a clock from the output of the photodetecting element 178 . similarly to the case shown in fig1 , the amplitude of the clock output from the clock extracting circuit 184 reflects the noise condition of the optical transmission line 170 . a linear amplifier 186 linearly amplifies the clock signal extracted at the clock extracting circuit 184 and applies it to a threshold control circuit 188 . the threshold control circuit 188 , similarly to the threshold control circuit 166 , controls the discrimination threshold of the discriminating circuit 182 to an optimum value vx according to the amplitude of the clock signal from the linear amplifier 186 . the discriminating circuit 182 discriminates the output from the linear amplifier 180 according to the threshold vx from the threshold control circuit 188 . the signal discriminated at the discriminating circuit 182 is applied to the following circuit as a received signal . fig1 shows a schematic block diagram of an optical transmission system in which the optical receiving apparatus of the above - discussed embodiments is employed as a reception terminal . an optical transmission terminal 210 outputs an optical signal onto an optical transmission line 212 . the optical transmission line 212 comprises a number of optical fibers 214 and optical amplification repeaters 216 for connecting those optical fibers 214 in serial . the signal light propagated on the optical transmission line 212 enters an optical reception terminal 218 . the optical reception terminal 218 having the above - mentioned built - in optical receiving apparatus adaptively optimizes the discrimination threshold of the signal according to the transmission condition of the optical transmission line 212 and discriminates the received signal . accordingly , the most suitable discrimination threshold is selected according to the time variation of the transmission characteristics on the optical transmission line and therefore the satisfactory signal receiving performance is also maintained . in the above embodiment , although the transmission characteristics are finally evaluated with the electric signal , it is also applicable to evaluate them in the optical state . fig1 shows a schematic block diagram of such embodiment . in fig1 , a signal light enters an optical receiving apparatus 192 according to the invention from an optical transmission line 190 . an optical signal branching circuit 194 in the optical receiving apparatus 192 branches ( switches or divides ) the signal light from the optical transmission line 190 and applies it to a characteristics - evaluating optical circuit 196 and photodetecting element 198 . the branching function of the optical signal branching circuit 194 may be the same as that of the signal branching circuits 158 and 174 . the characteristics - evaluating optical circuit 196 generates a discrimination threshold control signal for determining a discrimination threshold of a received signal out of the input signal light from the optical signal branching circuit 194 . the photodetecting element 198 converts the signal light from the branching circuit 194 into an electric signal . a linear amplifier 200 linearly amplifies the output of the photodetecting element 198 and applies it to a discriminating circuit 202 having a variable threshold . the discriminating circuit 202 discriminates the output signal from the linear amplifier 200 with a discrimination threshold according to the discrimination threshold control signal from the characteristics - evaluating optical circuit 196 . the signal discriminated at the discriminating circuit 202 is applied to the following circuit as a received signal . the characteristics - evaluating optical circuit 196 comprises , for instance , a saturable absorber . the saturable absorber is an element that absorbs weak input light and also transmits intense input light without absorbing . considering that the amplitude variation of the optical signal affects the optimum discrimination threshold , it is possible to obtain the information for determining the discrimination threshold from the optical signal transmitted through the saturable absorber . namely , when the output light of the saturable absorber is weak , it is considered that the amplitude of the optical signal is small , and thus the discrimination threshold should be moved toward the space side . in reverse , when the output light of the saturable absorber is intense , it is considered that the amplitude of the optical signal is large , and thus the discrimination threshold should be moved toward the mark side . in this way , the discriminating threshold may be determined from the transmitted light out of the saturable absorber . thus , the transmission characteristics are evaluated in the optical stage , and the discrimination threshold of the received signal can be feedforward - controlled according to the evaluated result . as readily understandable from the above explanation , according to the invention , a signal can be received in an optimum state regardless of a variation of transmission characteristics . while the invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiment , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the specific embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims . | 7 |
referring to fig1 , there is disclosed a plan view of the game board that has a bull &# 39 ; s eye configuration of concentric circles . the board 10 is divided into four quadrants 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 of different colors such as purple , orange , blue and yellow . each quadrant has nine concentric rings 20 which are bisected by radii to have ten individual blocks 22 in each ring of each quadrant . thus , each quadrant has nine concentric rings where each ring has ten individual blocks which totals ninety individual blocks in each quadrant . the individual blocks of each quadrant are numbered from one to ninety . located at the center of the board and surrounded by the innermost ring is a bull &# 39 ; s eye 24 . except for color , the layouts of the four quadrants are identical . referring to quadrant 12 at the top of the board , the outermost or first ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from one to ten in a counterclockwise direction where the number ten is located in a red circle . the second ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from eleven to twenty in a counterclockwise direction where the number twenty is located in a red circle and the number twelve is located in a black circle . the third ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from twenty one to thirty in a counterclockwise direction where the number thirty is located in a red circle and the number twenty three is located in a black circle . it is understood that these targets can be positioned anywhere on the board . in this particular embodiment they happen to be at these described numbers . the fourth ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from thirty one to forty in a counterclockwise direction where the number forty is located in a red circle and the number thirty four is located in a black circle . the fifth ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from forty one to fifty in a counterclockwise direction where the number fifty is located in a red circle and the number forty five is located in a black circle . the sixth ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from fifty one to sixty in a counterclockwise direction where the number sixty is located in a red circle and the number fifty six is located in a black circle . the seventh ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from sixth one to seventy in a counterclockwise direction where the number seventy is located in a red circle and the number sixty seven is located in a black circle . the eighth ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from seventy one to eighty in a counterclockwise direction where the number eighty is located in a red circle and the number seventy eight is located in a black circle . the ninth ring includes ten blocks which are numbered consecutively from eighty one to ninety in a counterclockwise direction where the number ninety is located in a green circle . located between the block ninety and the red bull &# 39 ; s eye 24 at the very center of the board is a dart - shaped symbol 26 matching the player &# 39 ; s quadrant color with the number one hundred located in a circle . referring to fig2 , there is shown a front elevational view of a timer which marks the time that each player has to form a word with a fixed number of letters . a typical timer that can be used to mark the time that the players have to form a word can be a digital type of timer shown in fig2 . referring to fig3 a and 3b , there are shown perspective views of different faces of the same die where at least one face of the die has a symbol such as a bull &# 39 ; s eye which denotes range of values . referring now to fig3 a , there is shown three different faces of the same die which have colored recesses that represent , on two of the faces , the numbers two and three , and on one of the three faces the symbol of a bull &# 39 ; s eye . the die 30 shown in fig3 b shows three of the six faces that have colored recesses that represent the numbers four , five and six . the numbers on the die determine the number of letters that are to be in the word that is to be formed by the players in a particular round . in this embodiment the face of the die that normally has one recess has the symbol of a bull &# 39 ; s eye which has a variable numerical value of one to six where the actual numerical value on the bull &# 39 ; s eye symbol is determined by the person who rolled the die . for example , if the bull &# 39 ; s eye faces upward after a roll , the player who made the roll has the authority to select any number of letters between one and six that are to be in the word that is to be formed during that round . alternately , the die can have a different symbol on a second face of the die where the different symbol can have a numerical value that is equal to or different than the numerical value of the bull &# 39 ; s eye . the board game is played with three separate decks of cards which are designated as the black deck , the red deck and the playing deck . referring to fig4 , there is shown a plan view of the faces of the sixteen cards 31 - 46 of the black deck with their specific instructions . referring to the cards in their order of occurrence , each card has the following instructions . card 31 shows the instruction “ all players but you move back five points right now . no additional card picking as a result ”; card 32 shows the instruction “ move the leader on the board back seven points right now . ( leaders in the event of a tie .) no additional card picking as a result ”; card 33 shows the instruction “ return to your previous score . ( where you were before you landed here .) turn ends !” card 34 shows the instruction “ lose your turn in the next round ”; card 35 shows the instruction “ pick an extra letter card in the next round . ( you will have eight cards instead of seven . )”; card 36 shows the instruction “ move to the next highest red bull &# 39 ; s eye ! turn ends ”; card 37 shows the instruction “ swap scores with the player to your left ”; card 38 shows the instruction “ lose your turn in the next round ”; card 39 shows the instruction “ roll the die now and deduct that number from your score . ( bull &# 39 ; s eye = 6 ) turn ends ”; card 40 shows the instruction “ advance your score by the total points of the word you made in this round ”; card 41 shows the instruction “ add ten points to your score ”; card 42 shows the instruction “ swap scores with the player to your right ”; card 43 shows the instruction “ move to the closest red bull &# 39 ; s eye — forward or backward ! ( in case you &# 39 ; re on space 45 , move forward ) turn ends ”; card 44 shows the instruction “ all other players each roll the die now and deduct the rolled number from their scores ( bull &# 39 ; s - eye = 6 ) no additional card picking as a result ”; card 45 shows the instruction “ immunity ( use at any one time in the game to offset any penalty . return to the pile after using )”; card 46 shows the instruction “ make one word , of any length , in the next round ! ( disregard the die )”; referring to fig5 , there is shown a plan view of the faces of the sixteen cards 47 - 62 of the red deck with their specific instructions . referring to the cards in their order of occurrence , each card has the following instructions . card 47 shows the instruction “ all players but you move back five points right now . no additional card — picking as a result of this move ”; card 48 shows the instruction “ make any number of words , of any lengths , in the next round ! you may be able to use all of your cards ! ( discard the die )”; card 49 shows the instruction “ add seven points to your score ”; card 50 shows the instruction “ all players but you move back five points right now . no additional card - picking as a result of this move ”; card 51 shows the instruction “ advance your score by the total points of the word you made in this round ”; card 52 shows the instruction “ make any number of words , of any lengths , in the next round ! you may be able to use all of your cards ! ( disregard the die )”; card 53 shows the instruction “ add five points to your score ”; card 54 shows the instruction “ move to the next highest red bull &# 39 ; s - eye ! ( move to 90 if you &# 39 ; re currently on 80 ). turn ends ”; card 55 shows the instruction “ make one word of any length in the next round ! ( disregard the die )”; card 56 shows the instruction “ immunity ! ( use at any one time in the game to offset any penalty . return to the pile after using )”; card 57 shows the instruction “ immunity ! ( use at any one time in the game to offset any penalty . return to the pile after using )”; card 58 shows the instruction “ add six points to your score ”; card 59 shows the instruction “ roll the die now and add that number to your score ! ( bull &# 39 ; s - eye = 1 - 6 , it &# 39 ; s your choice )”; card 60 shows the instruction “ in the next round you can make any one of your seven cards wild ! ( it can be any letter but the card value remains the same )”; card 61 shows the instruction “ play a bonus round by yourself . you roll the die . seven cards and one minute only . the immunity card cannot be used to join in this round . ( previous playing order resumes afterward )”; card 62 shows the instruction “ move to the next highest red bull &# 39 ; s - eye ! ( move to 90 if you &# 39 ; re currently on 80 ) turn ends ”; referring to fig6 a , 6 b and 6 c , there is shown three charts of the letter distribution of the deck of playing cards where 97 cards of the 136 cards in the deck are different . fig6 a is for letters a through g ; fig6 b is for letters h through q ; and fig6 c is for the letters r through z plus blank cards and bull &# 39 ; s eye cards . fig6 a has three columns where the first column identifies the letter card , the second column identifies the value which is assigned to that card , and the third column shows how many cards have that letter and the indicated value are in the deck . for example , in the first row , there are two letter a cards with a value of zero in the playing deck . in another example , in the eighth row , there is one letter a card with a value that can be zero , one , two , or three in the playing deck . similar to fig . a , the columns of fig6 b and 6c each have three columns where the first column identifies the letter card , the second column identifies the value which is assigned to that card , and the third column shows how many cards with that letter and that value are in the deck . fig6 b is the letter distribution for the letter cards h through q ; and fig6 c is the letter distribution for the letter cards r through z plus the blank and bull &# 39 ; s eye cards . with the word board game disclosed , words are created from letters cards with specific and / or variable values , where a player is trying to create a total word score that will advance his / her playing token by either the greatest , or a predetermined amount . this can be achieved by either creating a high - scoring word or by strategically forming a word that will advance his / her playing token to land on predetermined target values — some that have a guaranteed reward , and some that risk a chance of a reward or penalty . the die of fig3 a , 3 b is used to determine how many letters are to be in a created word . the die has a symbol such as a bull &# 39 ; s eye on at least one face that allows the player who rolls the die to select any number of letters between one and six that are to be in the word that is to be formed when the symbol is face up after a roll . the word game is played with three decks of cards , a playing deck of cards that has one hundred thirty six cards of which ninety seven cards are not duplicate cards . it is understood that the game is not limited to a playing deck of 136 cards where 97 are not duplicate , but any number of cards may be used . a second deck of sixteen red cards which are reward cards ; and a third deck of sixteen black cards which are reward and penalty cards . unlike other word games where the players try to create words from letters consecutively , not simultaneously , all players in this game create their word at the same time . there is no waiting for one player to finish before the next player can play . at the beginning , each player chooses a colored playing token which matches his / her quadrant and places it in the start circle in his / her quadrant of the board . the players choose a person to shuffle the cards . the shuffler shuffles the red deck and the black deck of cards and places them in the two designated spaces on the board outside of the colored playing quadrants . the shuffler now shuffles the playing cards , the deck of one hundred thirty six cards , and roughly arranges them into stacks equal to the number of players . for example , when there are four players the cards are arranged into four stacks . the stacks do not have to be exactly even . if needed later on , cards can be shared among stacks to make another round possible . the shuffler gives a stack of playing cards to each player . each player deals himself / herself seven cards off the top of his / her stack and leaves the cards face down in front of himself / herself and off of the board . if desired , a player may hold the cards provided there is no peeking . the cards should be arranged so that the logos are all right side up . this way the letters of the alphabet on the cards will be right side up when the player starts to play . the game now begins . a player such as , for example , the youngest player is chosen to go first and rolls the die . the rolled number represents the number of letters in the word that each player will be trying to form from his / her seven cards for that round . for example , if a “ 4 ” is rolled , each player must make a 4 - letter word during that round . each player can make only one word each round ( with the rare exception that if a player picks a red or black card that says otherwise ). if a bull &# 39 ; s eye symbol is rolled on the die , the roller , without looking at his / her cards , gets to choose the length of the word for that round — from one to six letters . the players can decide ahead of time what words will be considered acceptable . a designated player starts a one minute timer and all players turn their cards over and try to make an acceptable word with the proper length . note that there are red and black targets on the board where a red target is indicated by a red circle in a block and a black target is indicated by a black circle is a block . when a player lands on one of the target blocks , the player must pick a red or black card and follow its instructions . the instructions on the cards of the red deck are always beneficial and a player should aim for these . the cards of the black deck may or may not be beneficial and a player takes his / her chances . as a player makes his / her word , he / she should keep these targets in mind . making good use of targets is a key to doing well in this game . it is not always the best move to make the highest scoring word in any one hand . a player may prefer to choose a lesser score in order to hit a target . when the one minute timer sounds aurally the play ends and scoring begins for that round . scoring begins with the player who rolled the die . the player declares his / her score and moves his / her playing token accordingly . scoring moves clockwise , one player at a time , until each player has had a chance to score . note that some cards have no value , some have a fixed value , and some have a variable value — these are the most valuable because a player can get to choose their value from a range of values . when scoring , no word equals no points . an invalid word does not incur a penalty — except that a player can &# 39 ; t play in the possible extension round explained below . when scoring , assume that a “ 4 ” has been rolled and one player makes the word “ love ” and another player makes the word “ well ”. referring to fig7 , “ love ” is worth 8 points because l is worth 1 point , o is worth zero points , v is worth 5 points and e is worth 2 points . looking now at the word “ well ”, this word can be worth either 6 , 7 or 8 points . this is so because “ e ” can be worth either “ 0 ”, “ 1 ” or “ 2 ” points . there are two special cards in the playing deck . one is a blank . it can be any letter that the player wants , but it has no value . the other special card is the card with the symbol of a bull &# 39 ; s eye . this card can be any letter and it has a variable value from “ 0 ” to “ 6 ” points . during a players scoring turn , events may be triggered by landing on a target . some secondary events may even be triggered for other players during a players scoring turn . for example , a black card that is picked by a player may cause an opponent to move and land on a target . unless the card says otherwise , the player &# 39 ; s opponent would then pick a card during the player &# 39 ; s scoring turn . if no acceptable words are created during a round , those players who didn &# 39 ; t make a word draw two additional cards facedown and play an extension round . the timekeeper starts the timer for one more minute and players try once again to make an acceptable word with their nine cards ( original 7 plus 2 new ). a scoring round follows if a word or words are made . if no acceptable word is made the round ends , there is no scoring and play proceeds clockwise . once every player has had a chance to score , that round ends . all letter cards from that round are placed in a discard pile ( face - up near the dealer ) and each player draws seven new cards . play moves clockwise for the next roll of the die and a new round begins . all cards are reshuffled when there are not enough new cards to begin a new round . the first player to reach 100 is the winner . to be eligible to try for the winning target ( 100 ) a player must first hit the 90 - point target exactly . once on 90 a player becomes eligible for a special carry - over privilege . this privilege allows a player to carry any or all letter cards used in an acceptable word that didn &# 39 ; t equal 10 points , thus winning the game , into the following round if so desired . he / she would still begin the following round with a total of 7 cards , but may gain an advantage of having some known letters of known values . if a player should make a word that scores more than 90 , he / she doesn &# 39 ; t move from his / her current score . once a player reaches 90 an opponent may manage to move that player backward off 90 . in this event the player must once again get back to exactly 90 before trying to win the game . in the event of a tie , the tied players play rounds against each other until one player makes a higher - valued word than the other . another embodiment of the game is where the die is removed from play and is passed each round to indicate whose turn it is to score first . the normal rules apply except a player can make any number of words of any lengths from his / her cards . in another embodiment , eliminate the black targets and keep ; the red targets just the way they are , or leave a fixed reward for landing on a red target , i . e ., advance token 5 spaces . in another embodiment , eliminate the black targets and make players hit all the red targets on the board before advancing beyond any of them . the red target spacing would not have to be every ten spaces as it is now — they can be spaced any desired distance apart . in another embodiment , eliminate the black targets . from the deck of playing cards overturn any fixed number of cards , or a number of cards generated by a die or similar method of generation . from these cards all players would have the opportunity to create a word or words of their choice and then advancer their tokens based on the word they each chose to make . in this way no player could claim that he / she was dealt bad cards . this method of using one set of cards for players to work from at the same time could be employed in the initial version of the game . while there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments , it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings . the embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled . | 0 |
in the present system , instances of an object class are described through characteristic set of features / parts which can occur at varying spatial locations . the objects are composed of parts and shapes . parts are the image patches that may be detected and characterized by detectors . shape describes the geometry of the parts . in the embodiment , a joint probability density is based on part appearance and shape models of the object class . the parts are modeled as rigid patterns . their positional variability is represented using a probability density function over the point locations of the object features . translation of the part features are eliminated by describing all feature positions relative to one reference feature . positions are represented by a gaussian probability density function . in one aspect , the system determines whether the image contains only clutter or “ background ”, or whether the image contains an instance of the class or “ foreground ”. according to an embodiment , the object features may be independently detected using different types of feature detectors . after detecting the features , a hypothesis evaluation stage evaluates candidate locations in the image to determine the likelihood of their actually corresponding to an instance of the object class . this is done by fitting a mixture density model to the data . the mixture density model includes a joint gaussian density over all foreground detector responses , and a uniform density over background responses . [ 0021 ] fig1 shows a basic diagram of the operation and fig4 shows a flowchart of the basic operation . in general , the operation can be carried out on any programmed computer . gigure 1 may be embodied in a general - purpose computer , as software within the computer , or as any kind of hardware system including dedicated logic , programmable logic , and the like . the images may be obtained from files , or may be obtained using a camera . an image set 100 may be used for automatic feature selection at 400 . the image set is applied to a feature selection system 110 . the feature selection system 110 may have an interest operator 112 which automatically detects textured regions in the images . the interest operator may be the so called forstner interest operator . this interest operator may detect corner points , line intersections , center points and the like . fig3 shows a set of 14 generic detector templates which may be used . these templates are normalized such that their mean is equal to zero . other techniques may be used , however , using other templates . the automatic feature selection in 400 may produce 10 , 000 or more features per image . the number of interesting features is reduced in a vector quantizer 114 which quantizes the vectors and clusters them by grouping similar parts . a clustering algorithm may also be used . this may produce approximately 150 features per image . shifting by multiple pixels may further reduce the redundancy . model training at 410 trains the feature detectors using the resultant clusters , in the model learning block 120 . this is done to estimate which are of the features are actually the most informative , and to determine the probabilistic description of the constellation that these features form when they are exposed to an object of interest . this is done by forming the model structure , establishing a correspondence between homologous parts across the training set , and labeling and other parts as background or noise . the inventors recognize three basic issues which may produce advantages over the prior art . first , the technique used for training should be automated , that is , it should avoid segmentation or labeling of the images manually . second , a large number of feature detectors should be used to enable selecting certain feature detectors that can consistently identify a shared feature of the object class . this means that a subset of the feature detectors may be selected to choose the model configuration . a global shape representation should also be learned autonomously . training a model requires determining the key parts of the object , selecting corresponding parts on the number of training images , and estimating the joint probability function based on part appearance and shape . while previous practitioners have done this manually , the present technique may automate this . the operation proceeds according to the flowchart of fig2 . initially , a number of feature detectors f . may be selected to be part of the model . at 200 , all the information is extracted from the training image . the objects are modeled as collections of rigid parts . each of those parts is detected by a detector , thereby transforming the entire image into a collection of parts . some of those parts will correspond to the foreground , that is they will be an instance of the target object class . other parts stem from background clutter or false detections known as the background . assume t different types of parts . then , the positions of all parts extracted from 1 image may be summarized as a matrix of feature candidate positions of the form : x 0 = ( x 11 x 12 , … , x 1 n 1 x 21 x 22 , … , x 2 n 2 ⋮ x t1 x t2 , … , x t n t , each row contains the two - dimensional locations of detections of the feature type f . random variables of the type d ={ x o t , x m , n t , h t , b t }. may be used to represent the explicit or unobserved information . the superscript “ o ” indicates that the positions are observed , while unobserved features are designated by the superscript “ m ” for missing . the entire set x of feature candidates can be divided between candidates which are be true features of the object or the “ foreground ”, and noise features also called the “ background ”. the random variable vector h may be used to create a set of indices so that if h i = j ;, j & gt ; 0 , if the point x ij is a foreground point . if an object part is not included in x 0 then the corresponding entry in h will be zero . when presented with an unlabeled image , the system does not know which parts correspond to the foreground . this means that h is not observable . therefore , h is a hypothesis , since it is used to hypothesize that certain parts of x 0 belong to the foreground object . positions of the occluded or missed foreground features are collected in a separate vector x m , where the size of x m varies between 0 and f . depending on the number of unobserved features . the binary vector b encodes information about which parts have been detected and which omissions or occluded . therefore , bf is 1 if hf & gt ; 0 ( the object part is included in x 0 ), and is 0 otherwise . the vector n denotes the number of background candidates included in a specific row of x 0 . at 210 , the statistics of the training image is assessed . the object is to classify the images into the classes of whether the object is present ( c 1 ) or whether the object is absent ( c 0 ). this may be done by choosing the class with the maximum a posteriori probability . the techniques are disclosed herein . this classification may be characterized by the ratio p ( c 1 | x 0 ) p ( c 0 | x 0 ) ∝ ∑ h p ( x 0 , h | c 1 ) p ( x 0 , h 0 | c 0 ) , p ( x 0 , x m , h , n , b )= p ( x 0 , x m | h , n ) p ( h | n , b ) p ( n ) p ( b ). the probability density over the number of background detection may be modeled by a poisson distribution as p ( n ) = ∏ f = 1 f 1 n f ! ( m f ) n f - m f , where m f is the average number of background detections per image . allowing a different m f for each feature allows modeling different detector statistics and ultimately enables distinguishing between more reliable detectors and less reliable detectors . the vector b encodes information about which features have been detected and which are missed . the probability that b is 1 , p ( b ), is modeled by a table of size 2 f which equals the number of possible binary vectors of length f . if f . is large , then the explicit probability mass table of length 2 f may become even longer . independence between the feature detectors and the model p ( b ) is shown as : p ( b ) = ∏ f = 1 f p ( b f ) . the number of parameters reduces in that case from 2 f to f . p ( h | n , b ) = { 1 ∏ f = 1 f n f b f h ∈ h b 0 o t h e r h where hb denotes the set of all hypotheses consistent with both b and n and n f and denotes the total number of detections of the feature f . p ( x 0 , x m | h , n )= g ( z | μ , σ ) u ( x bg ), where z f ≅( x 0 x m ) is defined as the coordinates of the hypothesized foreground detections both observed and missing , x bg is defined as the coordinates of the background detection , g ( z | μ , σ ) denotes a gaussian with a mean of μ and covariance of σ . the positions of the background detections are modified with a uniform intensity shown by u ( x b g ) = ∏ f = 1 f 1 a n f , statistical learning is then used to estimate parameters of the statistical object class . this may be done using expectation maximization . the joint model probability density is estimated from the training set at 420 . a probabilistic attempt is carried out to maximize the likelihood of the observed data , using expectation maximization ( em ) to attempt to determine the maximum likelihood solution . l ( x 0 | θ _ ) = ∑ τ = 1 t log ∑ h τ ∑ b τ ∑ n τ ∫ p ( x τ 0 , x τ m , h τ , n τ , b τ | θ ) x τ m , q ( θ _ | θ ) = ∑ τ = 1 t e [ log p ( x τ 0 , x τ m , h τ , n τ , b τ | θ _ ) ] . where e [.] denotes taking the expectation with respect to p ( h t , x t m , n t , b t | x t 0 , θ ). as notation , the tilde implies that the values from a previous iteration are substituted . by using the em technique , a local maximum may be found to thereby determine the maximum values . at 130 , update rules are determined . this may be done by decomposing q into four parts : q ( θ _ | θ ) = q 1 ( θ _ | θ ) + q 2 ( θ _ | θ ) + q 3 ( θ _ | θ ) + q 4 ( θ ) = ∑ τ = 1 t e [ log p ( n τ | θ ) ] + ∑ τ = 1 t e [ log p ( b τ | θ ) ] + ∑ τ = 1 t e [ log p ( x τ 0 , x τ m | h τ , n τ , θ ) ] + ∑ τ = 1 t e [ log p ( h τ | n τ , b τ ) ] the first three terms contain the parameters that will be updated while the last term includes no new parameters . first , the update rules for μ . q 3 depends only on μ tilde . therefore , taking the derivative of the expected likelihood yields ∂ ∂ μ _ q 3 ( θ _ | θ ) = ∑ τ = 1 t e [ ∑ _ - 1 ( z τ - μ _ ) ] , where z t =( x 0 x m ) according to the definition above . setting the derivative to 0 yields the update rule μ _ = 1 t ∑ τ = 1 t e [ z t ] . next the update rule for σ operates in an analogous way . the derivative with respect to the covariance matrix ∂ ∂ ∑ _ - 1 q 3 ( θ _ | θ ) = ∑ τ = 1 t e [ 1 2 ∑ _ - 1 2 ( z τ - μ _ ) ( z τ - μ _ ) t ] . ∑ _ = 1 t ∑ τ = 1 t e [ ( z τ - μ _ ) ( z τ - μ _ ) t ] = 1 t ∑ τ = 1 t e [ z τ z τ t ] - μ _ μ _ t . the update rule for p ( b ) may require considering q 2 since this is the only term the depends on the parameters . the derivative with respect to p ( b ) yields ∂ ∂ p _ ( b _ ) q 2 ( θ _ | θ ) = ∑ τ = 1 t e [ δ b , b _ ] p _ ( b _ ) p _ ( b _ ) = 1 t ∑ τ = 1 t e [ δ b , b _ ] . the update rule for m only depends on q3 , and hence differentiating this with respect to m yields ∂ ∂ m _ q 3 ( θ _ | θ ) = ∑ τ = 1 t e [ n τ ] m _ - i . m _ = 1 t ∑ τ = 1 t e [ n τ ] . at 140 the sufficient statistics are determined . the posterior density is given by p ( h τ , x τ m , n τ , b τ | x τ 0 , θ ) = p ( h τ , x τ m , n τ , b τ , x τ 0 | θ ) ∑ b τ ∈ h b ∑ b τ ∈ b ∑ n τ = 0 ∞ ∫ p ( h τ , x τ m , n τ , b τ , x τ 0 | θ ) x τ m which may be simplified by noticing that if the summations are carried out in the order ∑ b τ ∈ h b ∑ b τ ∈ b ∑ n τ = 0 ∞ this enables selecting a hypothesis that is consistent with the observed data . a final operation assesses the performance of the model at 430 . after applying all the feature detectors to the training samples , a greedy configuration search may be used to explore different model configurations . in general , configurations with a few different features may be explored . the configuration which yields the smallest training error , that is the smallest probability of misclassification , may be selected . this may be also augmented by one feature trying again all possible types . the best of these augmented models may be retained for subsequent augmentation . the process can be continued until a criterion for model complexity is met . for example , if no further improvement in detection performance is obtained before the maximum number of features is reached , then further operations should be unnecessary . an iterative process may start with a random selection of parts . at each iteration , a test is made to determine whether replacing one model part with a randomly selected part improves or worsens the model . the replacement part is capped when the performance improves , otherwise the process is stopped when no more improvements are possible . this can be done after increasing the total number of parts to the model to determine if additional parts should be added . this may be done by iteratively trying different combinations of small numbers of parts . each iteration allows the parameters of the underlying probable listed model to be estimated . the iteration continues until the final model is obtained . as an example , a recognition experiment may be carried out on comic strips . in an embodiment , the system attempted to learn the letters e , t , h and l . two of the learned models are shown in fig5 a and 5b which respectively represent the model for the letter b and the model for the letter t . the above has described the model configuration being selected prior to the em phase . however , this could conceivably require a model to be fit to each possible model configuration . this may be avoided by producing a more generic model . this system has been used to identify handwritten letters e . g . among comic books , recognition of faces within images , representing the rear views of cars , letters , leaves and others . this system may be used for a number of different applications . in a first application , the images may be indexed into image databases . images may be classified automatically enabling a user to search images that include given objects . for example , a user could show this system can image that includes a frog , and obtain back from at all images that included frogs . autonomous agents / vehicle / robots could be used . for example , this system could allow a robot to rome and area and learn all the objects were certain objects are president . the vehicle could then report events that differ from the normal background or find certain things . this system could be used for automated quality control , for example , this system could be shown a number of defective items , and find similar defective items . similarly , the system could be used to train for dangerous situations . another application is in toys and entertainments e . g . a robotic device . finally , visual screening in industries such as the biomedical industry in which quality control applications might be used . although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above , other modifications are possible . all such modifications are intended to be encompassed within the following claims , in which : | 6 |
as illustrated by the accompanying drawings , the present invention is directed to a method , system , and computer program for unicode encoding , or utf - 8c . specifically , the present invention cr utf - 8c is directed to improving and simplifying the existing utf - 8 encoding and decoding standard . in order to better understand how utf - 8c differs and improves upon the current standard , a brief background of the utf - 8 standard is first provided below . for brevity and clarity , binary and hexadecimal representations in this document may be used interchangeably , and should not be construed to be limiting . for example , binary bits 11111111 may be illustrated as hexadecimal value ff , and vice versa . for purposes of brevity , the prefix 0x for hexadecimal representations may be omitted , i . e . 0xff is equivalent to ff , in contrast , the prefix u + is used exclusively to denote the unicode code space throughout this document . as illustrated in fig1 , the current utf - 8 method encodes the unicode code space from u + 00 . u + 10ffff , as in 101 , to at least one byte or a byte sequence , as in 102 , having various value ranges . for example , u + 00 .. u + 7f can be represented by only the first byte having a value range of 00 .. 7f , while u + 100000 .. u + 10ffff requires representation using a four byte sequence with the first byte having a value of f4 , followed by 2 nd through 4 th bytes each having a value range between 80 .. 8f , 80 .. bf , and 80 .. bf respectively . the initial bits on each byte of the byte sequence , or the overhead portion as in 150 , represents the unicode range corresponding to the at least one byte . based on the overhead portion , a corresponding decoder can first determine how many bytes correspond to the unicode character to be decoded , or the length of the byte sequence , and what portion of each byte comprises the payload portion , as in 160 , that is to be decoded for example , if the first byte is 0xxxxxxx , the leading bit 0 is the overhead portion , and the remainder xxxxxxx is the payload portion . accordingly , a corresponding decoder will then determine the number of bytes to be one , and then decode the payload portion cf that byte to resolve a unicode character within the unicode range u + 00 .. u + 7f . for example , 01111111 will decode to u + 7f , 01000000 will decode to u + 40 , and 00000000 will decode to u + 00 . under the present utf - 8 standard , 7 different unicode ranges ( u + 00 .. u + 7f , u + 80 .. u + 7ff , u + 800 .. u + fff , 1 . 14 - 1000 .. u4tfff , u + 10000 .. u + 3ffff , u + 40000 .. u + fffff , u + 100000 .. u + 10ffff ) require 7 different overhead representations on the at least one byte . further , as another step and after decoding , the resulting unicode code point must then be checked to ensure that it does not fall within an invalid range exception of u + d800 . u + dfff . this encoding scheme , however , presents an unnecessary level of complexity which requires additional special cases in writing a robust decoder , including checking for 2 nd continuation byte range exceptions . incidentally , failure to account for any of these special cases may pose security risks , which is likely if the programmer is unaware cf these range exceptions or forgets to implement them . compared to the current standard implementation , the improved utf - 8c standard described below provides for a simpler solution that overcomes the disadvantages of utf - 8 described above , as discussed above , the present invention is directed to an improved utf - 8 encoding scheme , code named utf - 8c throughout this document which employs a unique numeric offset method . accordingly , and as illustrated in fig6 , at least one unicode character within the unicode code space is first encoded to at least one byte according to an encoding scheme , as in 610 . the unicode code space , as described above , has a hexadecimal range of u + 00 .. u + 10ffff . the at least one byte , as in 611 , comprises an overhead portion and a payload portion . as described above , the overhead portion serves as an index for the decoder to determine how many bytes are in the byte sequence associated with a unicode character to decode , and what portion of those bytes are the payload portion to be decoded into a unicode character . the encoding scheme , as in 612 , comprises representing a given range of the unicode code space with a given value range of the at least one byte , and applying a given offset to the payload portion of the at least one byte based on the given range of the unicode code space . the given offset may comprise a positive or negative value . this encoding scheme or process can be better illustrated in fig2 , wherein different ranges of unicode code space , as in 201 , are uniquely mapped to different value ranges of the at least one byte 202 and have given offsets applied to the payload portion as in 203 , based on the different ranges of the unicode code space to be encoded . for example , when encoding a code point in the unicode code range 0 + 80 .. 0 + 7ff , the range of values would be encoded to a first byte having a value range of c2 .. df and a second byte having value range of 80 .. bf . an offset of 0x00 , or no offset , would be applied to this range . as another example , if a code point in the unicode code range u + 800 .. u + d7ff was to be encoded to bytes 1 , 2 , 3 , of e0 .. ec , 80 .. bf , 80 .. bf respectively , then an offset of 0x800 would be applied to the payload portions of the three bytes . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , particular different ranges of the unicode code space are mapped to particular value ranges of up to four bytes . specifically , the unicode range 0 + 00 .. 0 + 7f is represented with a first byte having a value range between 00 .. 7f , however in at least one embodiment , u + 00 may be separately represented by value ed . the unicode range u + 80 .. 0 + 7ff is represented with the first byte and a second byte having respective value ranges of c2 .. df and 80 .. bf , with a first offset applied to the payload portion . the unicode range u + 800 .. u + d7ff is represented by the first byte , the second byte , and a third byte having respective value ranges of e0 .. ec , 80 .. bf , and 80 .. bf , with a second offset applied to the payload portion . the unicode range u + e000 .. u + ffff is represented by the first byte , the second byte , and the third byte having respective value ranges of ee .. ef , 80 .. bf , and 80 .. bf , with a third offset applied to the payload portion . finally , the unicode range 0 + 10000 .. u + 10ffff is represented by the first byte , the second byte , the third byte , and a fourth byte having respective value ranges of f0 .. f3 , 80 .. bf , 80 .. bf , 80 .. bf , with a fourth offset applied to the payload portion , the present invention may further comprise a decoding step , as in 620 of fig6 , in order to decode the at least one byte to at least one unicode character in the unicode code space . accordingly , the overhead portion of the at least one byte is first matched , as in 621 , to determine the payload portion of the at least one byte . next , the payload portion of the at least one byte is adjusted , as in 622 , with a given offset in order to decode the at least one unicode character . the offset employed may match the encoding scheme described above and may comprise a positive or negative value . thus , a first , second , third , or fourth offset as described above may be applied to the payload portion based on the overhead portion . specifically , and in accordance with fig2 , the adjusting step of the decoding method or a decoder will adjust the payload portion 260 of the byte sequence or at least one byte in accordance with its overhead bits 250 . if the overhead portion of the first byte leads with 0 , no offset is to be applied . however , the payload portion will be adjusted with a first offset , if the overhead portion of the first byte leads with the binary bit 110 . the payload portion will be adjusted with a second offset , if the overhead portion of the first byte leads with binary bits 1110 the payload portion will be adjusted with a third offset , if the overhead portion of the first byte leads with the binary bits 1110111 . finally , the payload portion will , be adjusted with a fourth offset , if the overhead portion of the first byte leads with the binary bits 111100 . the application of the encoder and adjustment of the decoder may comprise addition (+=) and subtraction (−=) operations . it should be understood that various different numeric offsets may be employed , as illustrated in fig2 and 4 showing the utf - 8c “ ant ” method , versus the offset system illustrated in fig3 and 5 showing the utf - 8c “ bee ” method . the example code segments presented are not intended to be limiting , as the present invention may be implemented in any number of programming languages known to a programmer skilled in the art , and the particular numeric offsets of the present invention may also be assigned and decoded using any base number numeral systems . as such , the first , second , third , and fourth offsets described above may comprise different values while preserving the particular range allocation and representation of unicode code space with one to four bytes as described above . under the “ ant ” embodiment , the first , second , third , and fourth offsets for the set ranges may comprise 0x 00 , 0x800 , 0x00 , and 0x10000 respectively , in accordance with fig2 and 4 illustrating an example code implementation . similarly , under the “ bee ” embodiment , the first , second , third , and fourth offsets for the set ranges may comprise 0x3000 , 0xdf800 , 0xe0000 , and 0x3bf0000 respectively , in accordance with fig3 and 5 illustrating another example code implementation . the “ bee ” implementation combines the numeric payload offset of the “ ant ” method with a lead byte overhead mask ( post bit distribution ) as one value . thus , after the payload is calculated , the larger mixed offset is then subtracted , not added , to reveal the code point . the “ bee ” implementation allows the code to omit traditional lead byte payload mask and operation , and offers additional marginal performance gain due to a further reduction of code complexity . in yet further embodiments of the present invention , the encoding scheme at 610 of fig6 may further comprise the additional representation of a null character . specifically , the null character , or u + 00 , may be represented with the hexadecimal value of ed , and applying a trick offset applied to the payload portion . in the “ ant ” implementation of fig2 and 4 , the trick offset may be omitted or may be 0x00 , and any combination of payload mask and corresponding offset values may be used to satisfy this method . further , the payload mask used in equating ed as null may serve as a trick value , if zeroed masks flag erroneous sequences in generic loop decoders . in the “ bee ” implementation of fig3 and 5 , the trick offset may simply be the value 0xed . the purpose of equating 0xed as 0x00 is for improved convenience for systems internalizing to c - strings , which allows for the faster processing of incoming data by merely filtering the value 0x00 to 0xed , rather than re - encoding it as a two byte sequence under a known method called utf - 8m . the value “ ed ” happened to be the one free gap in the utf - 8c design , and it is very convenient for the purpose of ending a string , i . e . think of “ e ” and “ d ” as “ end ”. of course , no offsets need to be applied as a decoder can also be hard - coded to interpret 0xed as u + 00 . it should also be understood that the above method may exist as other embodiments when not in operation . specifically , a computer program may exist on a non - transitory storage medium such as a hard disk , flash drive , nonvolatile memory , or other storage device , which captures the operational processes and characteristics described above , and which may be executed by a computer or other device to perform the method described above . the computer program may be written in any language known to a person reasonably skilled in the art , such as c , c ++, c #, ruby , java , dart , rust , swift , and other equivalent languages and past , present and future variations . further , a physical system may also be designed by employing existing components and hardware known to those of ordinary skill in the art , such as to effect the operation of the method described above in a general purpose computer , a specialized computer or machine , as a system on chip , or as part of other integrated circuits or combination of circuitry and components . since many modifications , variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention , it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . thus , the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents . now that the invention has been described , | 7 |
in one example , an automatic tape head assembly for a multiple axis tape laying machine for depositing tape in courses upon a work surface comprises a tape supply reel and a tape compaction roller . the tape compaction roller comprises a tape feed puller and a tape cutter . the tape supply reel and tape compaction roller are independently movable relative to the work surface and with respect to each other . the tape fed from the supply reel to the compaction roller and a tape travel path there between is maintained at substantially zero gaussian curvature . the tape travel path between the supply reel and the compaction roller may be greater than a straight line between the supply reel and compaction roller . the tape head assembly may further comprise a backer reel rotatable around a third axis and a backer travel path between the compaction roller and the backer reel . the backer travel path may be greater than a straight line between the compaction roller and the backer reel . the movement of the supply reel and compaction roller is accomplished by independent positioning motors , and the positioning motors may be controlled by a common controller . the supply reel may unwind tape and feed it to the compaction roller in a continuous motion . the length of the tape travel path may vary during operation of the tape laying machine . the tape travel path may have a generally c - shaped curve , a generally s - shaped curve , or a generally helical - shaped curve . the following example shown in the attached drawings is merely one alternative of the present invention . of course those of skill in the art may take the teachings herein and develop further and additional variations based on the teachings herein . referring to fig1 and fig2 , an example of an automated tape head assembly is shown . a tape supply reel 2 , rotates on shaft 3 , that is supported by the supply reel structure 4 , pays out tape 25 ( shown when reel is full 5 and shown when reel is almost depleted 6 ), is guided over a roller 7 , and descends to the motorized tape supply feed assembly 8 . the feed assembly 8 pushes the tape 25 into the compliance loop 9 . the tape travel path between the feed assembly 8 ( a portion of the supply reel structure ) and the feed assembly 110 ( a portion of the compaction roller structure ) is shown as compliance loop 9 . as shown , the tape travel path ( compliance loop 9 ) has a c - shaped curve . the tape travel path defines a substantially or partially unrestrained curve that enables a substantially zero gaussian curvature of the tape . a tape travel path , in order to be substantially or partially unrestrained , must be greater than the distance defined by a straight line between a supply reel and a compaction roller . a tape travel path may also be s - shaped or define a generally helical - shaped curve . referring again to fig1 and 2 , the tape 25 enters the compaction roller structure 11 and is guided into a motorized feed assembly 110 where the backer tape 26 is removed and pushed into its unique compliance loop 13 by an associated motorized feed assembly 115 . the fiber tape 25 , now separated from the backer tape 26 is pushed forward by the pinch feed assembly 110 , through the flying shear cutter assembly 111 and under the compaction roller 112 where it is pressed adherently onto the work surface . the actual roller 112 can alternatively be a shoe or a presser shoe or foot . these alternative constructions are included herein with respect to the term compaction roller . the backer tape 26 passes through guides 10 to motorized puller assembly 14 and then wound onto a motorized take - up reel 15 rotating on a shaft 16 . paths 18 and 19 show the backer tape &# 39 ; s path as it is wound onto the take - up reel at the start 18 and finish 19 of winding . the entire assembly is mounted on a single carriage 21 that can be moved by servo motor control ( not shown ) along linear bearings 22 fixed to a support beam 20 . the supply reel structure 2 is mounted on the carriage 21 by means of a rotary bearing 34 whose rotation is positioned by a servo motor 32 and associated pinion and ring gear 33 . the compaction roller structure 11 is moved relative to the supply reel structure 4 by four servo motors — 35 , 36 , 130 and 131 . the compaction roller structure 11 is positioned relative to the supply reel structure 4 by the coordinated motion of the following four motors and associated mechanical drive components : servo motor 35 is able to translate the compaction roller structure support 12 parallel to the z axis 132 , servo motor 36 is able to rotate the compaction roller structure support 12 about an axis indicated by 133 , servo motor 36 is able to rotate the compaction roller structure 11 about another axis indicated by 130 and servo motor 131 is able to rotate the compaction roller structure 11 about the axis indicated by 134 . lastly the tool surface 200 is able to translate along one axis controlled by a servo motor ( not shown ). the coordinated motion of all of these motors are able to position the compaction roller structure 11 relative to the supply reel structure 4 and relative to the work surface 200 in all degrees of freedom except pitch . the pitch rotation axis is defined as the vector normal to both the tape course centerline and to the work surface at any point along the tape centerline . because of the moderate surface contours of the tool experienced in this particular embodiment and to simplify the presentation , the pitch axis was not deemed necessary . and further , the axis required to translate the compaction roller structure in the direction along the tape path at the point of compaction roller contact with the work surface , is not required in this embodiment to simplify the presentation and because the compaction roller structure contains a flying shear so that the tape head can cut while in motion relative to the work surface . suitable inverse kinematics calculations , well known in the art , that utilize the desired tape course centerline , work surface normal vector and the kinematics relationships of the all of the axis explained above are required to provide the command signals for each of the associated motors . the relative position of the compaction roller structure 11 with respect to the supply reel structure 4 is further governed by the tape and backer compliance loops 9 and 13 respectively . a c - shaped compliance loop 9 ( as shown ) will require that there be a small but significant steering angle offset between the plane normal to the shaft of the supply reel and the plane of the normal to the shaft of the compaction roller when the compaction roller structure has to be either positioned laterally ( 133 rotated ) or rolled at an angle ( 134 rotated ) to the supply reel structure . an s - shaped compliance loop does not require the small but significant angle as detailed above , but does impose a tighter bending radius on the tape . the compliance loops 9 and 13 for the tape 25 and the backer 26 respectively are managed by their respective motorized feed assemblies 110 and 14 . the supply reel 2 is managed by a servo motor 30 operating in torque mode so that it can rotate the reel to assist in its startup and apply a resisting torque to manage the tension on the tape and decelerate the reel . the backer reel 15 is managed in a similar manner as the supply reel . however , the backer servo motor 31 is usually applying torque to wind the tape . fig3 a and 3b show two different arrangements where two tape heads are mounted on to the same carriage 21 , said carriage being able to move along the y axis beam , translating both tape head supply reel structures 2 in fixed relation to one another along the y axis . each supply reel structure may rotate independently relative to the carriage 21 about an axis generally normal to the work surface that each head is to address . when the beam is able to be controllably moved relative to the work surface in the x direction , both of the tape heads are able to apply tape simultaneously due to the fact that the compaction roller assembly of each tape head can be positioned relative to its associated supply reel structure . each tape head is able to follow generally parallel , but significantly varying courses that , in this embodiment , are on the order of two or three times the width of the tape . tape head proximity for fixedly mounting the heads to a common carriage is governed by avoidance of collisions between each of the tape heads or any appendage thereof during expected simultaneous movements . turning now to fig4 a and 4b , there is shown a supply reel 2 and compaction roller 112 as discussed in more detail earlier herein . the additional tape head structure has been removed for the sake of demonstrating the positional relationship between the supply reel 2 and the compaction roller 112 . in fig4 a and 4b , the applied tape 201 has been pressed onto the work surface 200 . three successive locations of the supply reel 2 versus the compaction roller 112 are shown as the tape head passes over a ramp on the work surface 200 . the supply reel 2 moves relative to the work surface 200 at a fixed height along a straight line , while the compaction roller 112 structure makes path changes in the transverse , roll and elevation directions . the tape travel path or compliance loop 9 between the supply reel 2 and compaction roller 112 shows a c - shape . the compliance loop 9 and the relative orientation of the supply reel 2 with the compaction roller 112 allow the compaction roller to enjoy substantial independent movement in relation to the supply reel . fig5 a and 5b illustrate how an alternative tape head construction could operate . in these figures , the supply reel 2 are all fixed to a single carriage ( not shown ) to allow the tape head to address six separate strips of applied tape 201 on the work surface 200 . fig5 a and 5b demonstrate how this single tape head construction would conceptually operate in an efficient manner . the compliance loops 9 facilitate the independent movement of the compaction rollers 112 with respect to the respective supply reels 2 . fig6 a , 6 b and 6 c demonstrate various views of a supply reel 2 and compaction roller 112 , and importantly , an s - shaped compliance loop 9 . these figures illustrate how the applied tape 201 is adhered to the work surface 200 by a compaction roller assembly as described . this alternative demonstrates the s - shaped compliance loop between the tape supply 2 and the compaction roller 112 . of course , as with all of the tape travel path or compliance loop 9 illustrated herein , the size of the compliance loop may vary during operation or by design as a result of the physical characteristics of the tape 25 that is being laid down . fig7 a and 7b illustrate a supply reel 2 and compaction roller 112 and a helical - shaped compliance loop 9 there between . in these figures , the supply reel 2 is oriented such that the tape 25 will form a helical curve as it feeds from the reel 2 to the compaction roller 112 . the size , curvature , and number of curves of the helical curve that may be formed will vary depending on the operation of the tape head assembly and the type of tape that is being laid down . generally , with reference to all of fig4 - 7 , the reference coordinate frame shows x , y , z as the right hand orthoganal axis , about which u , v , w are the rotational axis , also right hand oriented . the motion of the supply reel 2 relative to the work surface 200 is in the positive x direction . otherwise , the supply reel 2 maintains a fixed y and z position where it is only allowed to rotate about the z axis . on the other hand , the compaction roller 112 is allowed to articulate in at least four degrees of freedom relative to its associated supply reel 2 . the reel support structure has one degree of freedom — it is able to rotate about the z axis . the reel support structure can be fixed to a frame that either 1 ) is able to translate in the x - y plan relative to the work surface , 2 ) is able to translate in only the x or y axis will the work surface is able to translate along the other of the two axes ( x or y ), or 3 ) is stationary , where the work surface is able to translate in the x and y directions . while the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it will be understood that numerous variations , modifications and additional embodiments are possible , and all such variations , modifications , and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention . | 1 |
referring to fig1 , a medication delivery system of the present invention is shown and generally designated 10 . the medication delivery system 10 comprises an infusion pump 12 and a bolus injector 14 . the medication delivery system 10 further comprises a connective tube 16 , which provides fluid communication between the infusion pump 12 and the bolus injector 14 , and a catheter 18 , which provides fluid communication between the bolus injector 14 and a treatment site ( not shown ) in a user . the infusion pump 12 has a rigid opaque housing 20 , which comprises a series of interconnected components . in particular , the housing 20 includes a top end cap 22 , a bottom end cap 24 and a front face plate 26 . the housing 20 inter alia functions as a structural frame and a protective shield for the remaining components of the infusion pump 12 . the housing 20 is adapted to the external profile of the infusion pump 12 , which is compactly sized for portability , enabling ready transport of the medication delivery system 10 by the user during normal daily activities . the housing 20 may be fitted with one or more optional accessories ( not shown ), which facilitate transport of the medication delivery system 10 by the user . for example , the housing 20 may be fitted with an external strap for wearing the pump 12 on the body of the user or the housing 20 may be fitted with an external clip for clipping the housing 20 to an article of clothing worn by the user , such as a trouser waistband or a belt . a pump inlet port 28 extends through the top end cap 22 of the housing 20 and a pump outlet port 30 correspondingly extends through the bottom end cap 24 of the housing 20 . the front face plate 26 is provided with an opening 32 , which exposes a discharge sight window 34 . the discharge sight window 34 is a light transmissive window , i . e ., a transparent or translucent window , fitted into , or integral with , the surrounding wall of a drip chamber 36 enclosed within the housing 20 and described in greater detail below . the front face plate 26 is also configured to expose first and second storage sight windows 38 a , 38 b . the first storage sight window 38 a is a light transmissive window fitted into , or integral with , the surrounding wall of a first medication storage chamber 40 a retained by the housing 20 . the second storage sight window 38 b is similarly a light transmissive window fitted into , or integral with , the surrounding wall of a second medication storage chamber 40 b retained by the housing 20 . the discharge sight window 34 , in cooperation with the opening 32 , renders the interior of the drip chamber 36 visible to the user . the drip chamber 36 contains a drip tube 42 and a chamber outlet tube 44 , which are described in greater detail below . the first and second storage sight windows 38 a , 38 b render the interiors of the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b , respectively , visible to the user . an overlay ( not shown ) in the form of a paper or plastic sticker or the like , which displays a gradient of fluid level markings , may optionally be positioned adjacent to each storage sight window 38 a , 38 b to facilitate measurement of the fluid levels in the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b without preventing the user from viewing the interiors of the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b . the connective tube 16 is a flexible transparent tube , which has an inside diameter , for example , of about 0 . 060 inches . the connective tube 16 has an inlet end 46 and an outlet end 48 , wherein the inlet end 46 is removably coupled with the pump outlet port 30 by means of a conventional tube / port coupling 50 , such as male and female luer lock fittings . the bolus injector 14 is a fluid - tight flexible bladder , which has an injector inlet port 52 and an injector outlet port 54 . the bolus injector 14 is formed from a flexible , preferably transparent , material , which renders the bolus injector 14 manually compressible when a fluid is contained therein . the bolus injector 14 typically has a fluid capacity in a range of about 4 to 6 ml . in accordance with the embodiment shown in fig1 , the bolus injector is an elastomeric squeeze bulb having an elastic memory , which returns the squeeze bulb to its original shape after deformation . although not shown , a plastic bag or the like is an alternate bolus injector within the scope of the present invention . the alternate bolus injector is likewise flexible , but not substantially elastic . the injector inlet port 52 of the bolus injector 14 is integrally connected with the outlet end 48 of the connective tube 16 in a substantially fixed manner and the injector outlet port 54 is removably coupled with an inlet end 56 of the catheter 18 by means of a conventional tube / port coupling 57 , such as male and female luer lock fittings . the catheter 18 is a flexible transparent tube preferably having an inside diameter substantially less than the inside diameter of the connective tube 16 . for example , the inside diameter of the catheter 18 is about 0 . 025 inches . the catheter 18 has an outlet end 58 , which is open to enable fluid flow therethrough . as noted above , the infusion pump 12 is designed to be worn by the user or otherwise connectively supported by the user . the bolus injector 14 , however , is preferably freely suspended from the outlet end 48 of the connective tube 16 with the inlet end 46 of the connective tube 16 connected to the infusion pump 12 . the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b are retained in parallel relation to one another by the top and bottom end caps 22 , 24 , which are fastened to the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b by top retention screws 59 ( shown in fig2 ) and bottom retention screws ( not shown ), respectively . the first medication storage chamber 40 a has a first piston , seal and spring set 60 a , 62 a , 64 a positioned therein and the second medication storage chamber 40 b has a corresponding second piston , seal and spring set 60 b , 62 b , 64 b positioned therein . the first piston , seal and spring set 60 a , 62 a , 64 a and second piston , seal and spring set 60 b , 62 b , 64 b are substantially identical to one another . accordingly , the following description of the first piston , seal and spring set 60 a , 62 a , 64 a applies equally to the second piston , seal and spring set 60 b , 62 b , 64 b . the first piston 60 a is cooperatively configured so that the first piston 60 a is slidably displaceable up and down within the first medication storage chamber 40 a in response to expansion or compression of the first spring 64 a as described below with respect to operation of the system 10 . the first piston 60 a has an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the first medication storage chamber 40 a and the first seal 62 a is an elastomeric o - ring positioned around the first piston 60 a to maintain a fluid - tight seal between the wall of the first medication storage chamber 40 a and the first piston 60 a . the first spring 64 a is a coiled metal spring fitted in the first medication storage chamber 40 a and has an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the first medication storage chamber 40 a . the top end of the first spring 64 a engages the first piston 60 a and the bottom end of the first spring 64 a engages the bottom of the first medication storage chamber 40 a , which is integral with the vented bottom end cap 24 . further details of the medication delivery system 10 are described below with reference to fig2 . the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b have first and second tubular walls 66 a , 66 b , respectively . the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b are substantially identically configured and each has a fluid capacity several times greater than the fluid capacity of the bolus injector 14 . for example , each of the medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b may have a fluid capacity of about 50 ml for a combined fluid capacity of about 100 ml . a first storage chamber outlet 68 a is positioned at the top of the first medication storage chamber 40 a and a second storage chamber outlet 68 b is likewise positioned at the top of the second medication storage chamber 40 b . the first and second storage chamber outlets 68 a , 68 b open into a manifold 70 which functions as a receiving chamber for the first and second storage chamber outlets 68 a , 68 b . a filter 72 is positioned in series downstream of the manifold 70 . the filter 72 is a conventional in - line fluid filter which is designed to trap solid particles exceeding an appropriate maximum size , such as 2 microns , and prevent such particles from continuing downstream of the filter 72 . the filter 72 discharges into the drip tube 42 positioned in the drip chamber 36 . the drip chamber 36 has a tubular wall 74 of substantially uniform inside diameter along its entire length and an inside diameter substantially greater than each of the outside diameters of the drip tube 42 and chamber outlet tube 44 . the drip tube 42 functions as a flow restriction , having a substantially uniform inside diameter , which is significantly less than the inside diameter of the connective tube 16 or catheter 18 . for example , the inside diameter of the drip tube 42 is about 0 . 002 inches . the drip tube 42 has an outlet end 76 , which extends downwardly into the drip chamber 36 from the top of the drip chamber 36 . the chamber outlet tube 44 has an inlet end 78 , which correspondingly extends upwardly into the drip chamber 36 from the bottom of the drip chamber 36 . the chamber outlet tube 44 has a substantially uniform inside diameter , which significantly is greater than the inside diameter of the drip tube 42 . for example , the inside diameter of the chamber outlet tube is about 0 . 060 inches . a drip gap 80 , which is a void space on the order of about 0 . 5 inches or more in length , is provided between the outlet end 76 of the drip tube 42 and the inlet end 78 of the chamber outlet tube 44 . the drip gap 80 is aligned with the discharge sight window 34 and opening 32 ( shown in fig1 ) so that the drip gap 80 is visible to the user . upward extension of the inlet end 78 of chamber outlet tube 44 into the bottom of the drip chamber 36 defines a fluid accumulation annulus 82 between the wall 74 of the drip chamber 36 and the chamber outlet tube 44 . the bolus injector 14 , which in the present embodiment is a squeeze bulb , has a flexible wall 84 enclosing a bolus chamber 86 . the flexible wall 84 is formed from an elastomeric material , which is capable of deformation when a sufficient displacement force is applied to it , but has an elastic memory , which returns the wall 84 to its original configuration after the displacement force causing the deformation is removed . when the wall 84 is not compressed to the point of deformation , the internal volume of the bolus chamber 86 is equal to the above - recited fluid capacity of the bolus injector 14 , i . e ., in a range of about 4 to 6 ml . when the wall 84 is compressed past the point of deformation , the internal volume of the bolus chamber 86 correspondingly decreases . for purposes of illustrating its operation , the above - described system 10 is characterized in terms of three functionally distinct sub - assemblies , i . e ., a system flowpath , a pair of automated fluid drive mechanisms and a manual fluid drive mechanism . the system flowpath is an essentially passive or static sub - assembly , whereas the automated and manual fluid drive mechanisms are essentially active or dynamic sub - assemblies . the system flowpath comprises in series the manifold 70 , filter 72 , drip tube 42 , drip chamber 36 , chamber outlet tube 44 , connective tube 16 , bolus chamber 86 , and catheter 18 . the two automated fluid drive mechanisms comprise in parallel the first piston , seal and spring set 60 a , 62 a , 64 a and the second piston , seal and spring set 60 b , 62 b , 64 b , respectively . the manual fluid drive mechanism comprises the flexible wall 84 of the bolus injector 14 . fig1 shows the medication delivery system 10 in an inactive or passive state , wherein the inlet end 46 of the connective tube 16 is uncoupled from the pump outlet port 30 and the inlet end 56 of the catheter 18 is uncoupled from the injector outlet port 54 . when the automated fluid drive mechanisms are in the inactive state , the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b are substantially devoid of any fluid medication . operation of the system 10 is initiated with a start - up procedure , wherein the medication delivery system 10 is charged with a desired fluid medication , such as a pain care medication . the start - up procedure comprises placing the outlet end 58 of the catheter 18 in the treatment site , which is typically a surgical wound site . placement of the outlet end 58 in the treatment site is effected by any conventional technique . a preferred technique for placing a catheter in a surgical wound site is described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 270 , 481 , which is incorporated herein by reference . in accordance with this technique , a concentrically fitted introducer needle and insertion catheter ( not shown ) are simultaneously pierced through the outer surface of the skin adjacent to the surgical wound site and pushed through the skin until they enter the wound . the introducer needle is then removed while the insertion catheter remains in place . the outlet end 58 of the catheter 18 is threaded from the outer surface of the skin through insertion catheter into the wound . finally , the insertion catheter is removed leaving the catheter 18 in place with the outlet end 58 in the wound and the remainder of the catheter 18 extending out through the skin . the start - up procedure continues by coupling the inlet end 56 of the catheter 18 with the injector outlet port 54 by means of the tube / port coupling 57 . the bolus injector 14 is primed with the fluid medication by injecting the fluid medication into the inlet end 46 of the connective tube 16 until the connective tube 16 , bolus chamber 86 and catheter 18 are charged , preferably at or near their fluid capacity , with the fluid medication . although the sequential order of the above - recited steps is preferred , the present invention is not so limited and alternate sequences of these steps are within the scope of the present invention . the start - up procedure further comprises placing a charge of the fluid medication in the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b . the volume of the charge typically approximates the total combined capacity of the chambers 40 a , 40 b and manifold 70 , although the volume of the charge may alternatively be less than the total capacity of the chambers 40 a , 40 b and manifold 70 , if desired . placement of the fluid medication in the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b is effected by injecting the fluid medication through the pump inlet port 28 using an injection means ( not shown ) such as a syringe or the like . the injection means discharges the fluid medication into the pump inlet port 28 at a pressure , which causes the fluid medication to urge open an inlet valve 87 , which is a one - way check valve positioned at the pump inlet port 28 . the inlet valve 87 is normally biased closed when fluid medication is not being injected into the pump inlet port 28 . the open inlet valve 87 enables the fluid medication to pass through the pump inlet port 28 into the manifold 70 . the bulk of the charge is displaced under the pressure of the injection means from the manifold 70 through the first and second storage chamber outlets 68 a , 68 b into the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b , respectively . the remainder of the charge remains in the manifold 70 or is diverted from the manifold 70 into the filter 72 under the pressure of the injection means . however , this remainder is very small relative to the bulk of the charge because the flow resistance into the filter 72 is substantially greater than the flow resistance into the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b . once the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b are charged with the fluid medication , the inlet valve 87 closes and the injection means is withdrawn from the pump inlet port 28 . the inlet end 46 of the connective tube 16 is then coupled with the pump outlet port 30 by means of the tube / port coupling 50 . operation of the automated fluid drive mechanisms in cooperation with the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b is described hereafter with respect to the first piston , seal and spring set 60 a , 62 a , 64 a and first medication storage chamber 40 a , it being understood that the description applies equally to the second piston , seal and spring set 60 b , 62 b , 64 b and second medication storage chamber 40 b , which are substantially identical to the first . the first medication storage chamber 40 a has a volume which varies as a function of the position of the first piston 60 a relative to the fixed wall 66 a of the first medication storage chamber 40 a . when the automated fluid drive mechanism is in the inactive state , the first medication storage chamber 40 a is at its minimum volume , typically at or approaching zero . at this point the first spring 64 a is expanded to a substantially more relaxed or less stressed position and the first piston 60 a is in an extended upward position . when the automated fluid drive mechanism transitions to the active state as shown in fig2 , the first medication storage chamber 40 a is at its charge volume , which typically exceeds the minimum volume of the first medication storage chamber 40 a by slightly less than one - half the total volume of the charge of fluid medication to the system 10 , the remainder of the total volume going to the second medication chamber 40 b and the manifold 70 . at this point the first spring 64 a is compressed to a substantially more stressed or less relaxed position and the first piston 60 a is in a depressed downward position . the compressed first spring 64 a exerts an upward expansion or displacement force on the first piston 60 a when the automated fluid drive mechanism is in the active state , which biases the first piston 60 a toward its extended upward position . consequently , the displacement force of the first spring 64 a against the first piston 60 a in cooperation with the first seal 62 a displaces the fluid medication from the first medication storage chamber 40 a back through the first storage chamber outlet 68 a in an automated manner , which requires no user intervention or additional driving force . the second piston , seal and spring set 60 b , 62 b , 64 b likewise displace the fluid medication from the second medication storage chamber 40 b back through the second storage chamber outlet 68 b in the same manner . the pressure created by the automated fluid drive mechanisms directs displacement of the fluid medication past the closed inlet valve 87 at the pump inlet port 28 through the manifold 70 into the filter 72 . with reference to fig3 , displacement of the fluid medication from the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b through the manifold 70 and filter 72 by means of the automated fluid drive mechanisms creates a substantially continuous uninterrupted stream of fluid medication in this portion of the system flowpath . however , the relatively small inside diameter of the drip tube 42 creates a flow restriction of sufficient degree to convert the continuous steam of fluid medication to a discontinuous drip stream at the outlet end 76 of the drip tube 42 . the drip tube 42 preferably has a smaller inside diameter than any other components of the system flowpath . thus , the fluid medication is discharged from the outlet end 76 of the drip tube 42 downward into the drip gap 80 within the drip chamber 36 as a periodic series of droplets 88 . although the inlet end 78 of the chamber outlet tube 44 is aligned with the outlet end 76 of the drip tube 42 , the bulk of the droplets 88 in the drip stream falling through the drip gap 80 are deflected into the fluid accumulation annulus 82 upon impact with the inlet end 78 rather than flowing into the chamber outlet tube 44 . when a sufficient volume of droplets 88 accumulate in the annulus 82 to fill the annulus 82 , the fluid level 89 in the annulus 82 reaches the inlet end 78 of the chamber outlet tube 44 . ultimately the fluid medication spills over the inlet end 78 and continues through the chamber outlet tube 44 along the system flowpath into the injector inlet port 52 . the fluid medication spillover into the chamber outlet tube 44 is substantially continuous , thereby converting the discontinuous drip stream back to a continuous stream in the chamber outlet tube 44 . the ambient pressure of the fluid medication in the system flowpath urges open an outlet valve 90 positioned at the injector outlet port 54 . the outlet valve is a one - way check valve , which is biased closed in the absence of the fluid medication . the ambient pressure of the fluid medication contacting the outlet valve 90 alone is sufficient to overcome the biasing force of the outlet valve 90 without reliance on any other external forces . the open outlet valve 90 enables the fluid medication to exit the bolus chamber 86 via the injector outlet port 54 and flow as a substantially continuous stream of an extended dosage through the catheter 18 and out the outlet end 58 to the treatment site in an essentially steady - state manner . delivery of the extended dosage of the fluid medication to the treatment site is characterized by a relatively moderate first flow rate over a relatively long time , for example , about 2 ml per hour over about 2 days . the above - described operating mode of the system 10 shown in fig3 is termed an automated or extended mode insofar as the system 10 operates in this mode by default without any need of user intervention once the fluid medication is charged to the system 10 . in the absence of user intervention , the system 10 maintains the automated mode of operation in the essentially steady - state manner until substantially all of the fluid medication is displaced from the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b or until the springs 64 a , 64 b reach their expansion limit , whichever occurs first . the automated mode of operation is deemed essentially steady - state because the system 10 discharges an extended substantially continuous stream of fluid medication to the treatment site at a relatively constant first flow rate for the duration of the automated mode of operation . an exemplary first flow rate of fluid medication from the system 10 is in a range of about 2 to 5 ml per hour . the term “ essentially steady - state ” as used herein encompasses operating conditions , wherein the automated mode is not precisely steady - state due to relatively small fluctuations or perturbations , which may occur in the first flow rate of the fluid medication or which may occur in the continuity of the stream of fluid medication from the system 10 . for example , if the frictional forces between the first and second walls 66 a , 66 b and the first and second pistons 60 a , 60 b and seals 62 a , 62 b remain constant while the displacement forces of the springs 64 a , 64 b decline with time throughout the automated mode , the first flow rate of the fluid medication from the system 10 may exhibit a relatively small correspondent decline with time . an exemplary decline rate of the flow rate under such conditions is relatively small , e . g ., on the order of about 1 % per hour . an advantageous feature of the present system 10 is the passive conversion by the system flowpath of a continuous fluid medication stream to a more visible drip stream within the drip chamber 36 . as noted above , the discharge sight window 34 , in cooperation with the opening 32 , enables the user to observe the interior of the drip chamber 36 . however , it would be difficult to detect the presence of a continuous fluid stream within the drip chamber 36 due to the absence of light contrast between the continuous stream and the drip chamber wall 74 . the intermittent droplets 88 of the drip stream provide greater light contrast than a continuous stream , which enables the user to visually monitor whether fluid medication is flowing through the system 10 or not in a relatively simple manner without disrupting operation of the system 10 . the first , and second storage sight windows 38 a , 38 b also advantageously enable the user to easily visually monitor the remaining level of fluid medication in the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b . another advantageous feature of the present embodiment is the raised position of the inlet end 78 of the drip chamber outlet tube 44 , which is approximately at the volumetric center of the drip chamber 36 . if the infusion pump 12 is inadvertently overturned during user activity , the configuration of the inverted drip chamber 36 nevertheless maintains the ratio of air to liquid in the drip chamber 36 constant at about 1 to 1 by trapping an air pocket in the fluid accumulation annulus 82 . therefore , fluid medication cannot drain back into the drip chamber 36 via the chamber outlet tube 44 because it is unable to displace the air pocket out the inlet end 78 . if the drip chamber 36 were not so configured , the entire drip chamber 36 could fill with fluid medication upon inversion and remain in the drip chamber 36 even after the drip chamber 36 is restored to its upright position . if the drip chamber 36 is filled in its entirety with fluid medication , the user is unable to visually detect fluid flow through the drip chamber 36 . the manual fluid drive mechanism is transitioned to an active state during an alternate mode of operation termed the manual or instantaneous mode , which is described below with reference to fig4 . the manual mode of operation enables the user to manually override the automated mode of operation and provide instantaneous delivery of a bolus dosage of the fluid medication to the treatment site when desired . the manual mode can be performed at any time when the bolus chamber 86 is charged with the fluid medication , and preferably when the bolus chamber 86 is charged at or near its fluid capacity . operation in the manual mode is effected by manually applying a sufficient displacement force to the flexible wall 84 of the bolus injector 14 to deform the wall 84 and collapse the bolus chamber 86 , which contains a volume of the fluid medication . the displacement force is typically applied by squeezing the wall 84 in the hand 92 of a user , e . g ., between the thumb and fingers as shown . collapse of the bolus chamber 86 applies a displacement force to the fluid medication therein , which maintains the outlet valve 90 at the injector outlet port 54 open and instantaneously drives substantially all of the fluid medication , or at least the bulk of the fluid medication , downstream from the bolus chamber 86 through the injector outlet port 54 and into the catheter 18 . essentially none , or relatively little , of the fluid medication residing in the bolus chamber 86 is driven upstream from the bolus chamber 86 when the displacement force is applied to the wall 84 because of the severe flow restriction provided by the drip chamber 36 and in particular , the drip tube 42 . the fluid medication manually driven from the bolus chamber 86 through the catheter 18 to the treatment site is termed the bolus dosage . in contrast to the extended dosage , delivery of the bolus dosage to the treatment site may generally be characterized by a relatively higher second flow rate over a relatively short time , for example , about 4 ml instantaneously . thus , the bolus dosage is essentially delivered to the treatment site in a single large pulse . the volume of the fluid medication in the bolus dosage is preferably approximately equal to the fluid capacity of the bolus injector 14 , i . e ., in a range of about 4 to 6 ml . once the bolus dosage is delivered to the treatment site , the displacement force is withdrawn from the wall 84 and the outlet valve 90 at the injector outlet port 54 closes . the bolus chamber 86 begins recharging with the fluid medication from the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b in accordance with the automated mode of operation if fluid medication is present in the medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b . in addition to the displacement force applied to the system flowpath by the automated fluid drive mechanisms upstream of the bolus injector 14 , which drives the fluid medication from the first and second medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b into the bolus chamber 86 , the elastic memory of the bolus injector 14 may apply a suction force to the system flowpath both upstream and downstream of the bolus injector 14 . however , the closed outlet valve 90 at the injector outlet port 54 negates the downstream effect of the suction force , blocking the backflow of fluid into the bolus chamber 86 from the catheter 18 or treatment site . the drip chamber 36 negates the upstream effect of the suction force , preventing the bolus injector 14 from drawing the fluid medication into the bolus chamber 86 at a faster rate than is dictated by the drip tube 42 . when the bolus chamber 86 is recharged preferably at or near its fluid capacity , the ambient pressure of the fluid medication reopens the outlet valve 90 at the injector outlet port 54 , enabling the fluid medication to resume flow as a substantially continuous stream to the treatment site . as is apparent from above , the drip chamber 36 limits the rate at which the bolus chamber 86 can recharge to substantially prevent a user from overmedicating oneself by attempting to repeat the manual mode of operation in a relatively short time period . the medication delivery system 10 has been described above as comprising a single infusion pump 12 having two medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b , respectively . however , the present invention is not so limited . it is readily apparent to the skilled artisan that the present invention additionally encompasses alternate embodiments of the medication delivery system 10 , wherein the infusion pump has a single medication storage chamber or includes three or more medication storage chambers . such alternate embodiments require only minor modifications of the present teaching in a manner within the purview of the skilled artisan . the first and second springs 64 a , 64 b have also been described in the embodiment of the invention set forth above as being identical . the present invention additionally encompasses alternate embodiments of the medication delivery system 10 , wherein the first spring 64 a has a different displacement force than the second spring 64 b . for example , the first spring 64 a could be selected with a displacement force substantially greater than the displacement force of the second spring 64 b so that all or some of the fluid medication would be discharged from the first medication storage chamber 40 a before any fluid medication would be discharged from the second medication storage chamber 40 b . if there is a decline in the fluid flow rate from the system 10 during the automated mode as described above , the practitioner can alter the decline by selecting the first and second springs 64 a , 64 b with various balanced or unbalanced displacement forces as desired . referring to fig5 , an alternate embodiment of a medication delivery system of the present invention is shown and generally designated 110 . the present medication delivery system 110 differs somewhat from the medication delivery system 10 described above . the medication delivery system 10 described above employs a single infusion pump 12 having two medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b and two automated fluid drive mechanisms . the medication storage chambers 40 a , 40 b of the medication delivery system 10 are in fluid communication with one another via a single flowpath upstream of the bolus injector 14 . thus , the infusion pump 12 in cooperation with the bolus injector 14 serves both the automated and manual modes of system operation . in contrast , the medication delivery system 110 of the present embodiment employs separate first and second infusion pumps 112 a , 112 b , which are in fluid isolation from one another because each has a separate flowpath upstream of a bolus injector 114 . the first infusion pump 112 a has a first medication storage chamber 140 a , which serves the manual mode of system operation exclusively , while the second infusion pump 112 b has a second medication storage chamber 140 b , storage chamber outlet 168 b , and manifold 170 , which serve the automated mode of system operation exclusively . the remainder of the flowpath of the second infusion pump 112 b is substantially similar to that described in the medication delivery system 10 . accordingly , the elements of fig5 , which are common to fig1 - 4 , are denoted by the same reference characters . the primary functional difference between the system 110 and the system 10 is that the automated and manual modes of the system 110 operate independently in parallel , whereas the automated and manual modes of the system 10 operate cooperatively in series . to enable independent operation of the system 110 , the first medication storage chamber 140 a is provided with a separate inlet port 128 having an one - way inlet valve 187 , an outlet port 130 and a tube / port coupling 150 , which are similar to the corresponding elements employed in the second medication storage chamber 140 b . however , the outlet port 130 has a flow restriction ( not shown ) positioned therein to regulate the fluid flow rate therethrough and to substantially prevent backflow . an injector inlet tube 116 a connects the first medication storage chamber 140 a with the bolus injector 114 via the outlet port 130 and the injector inlet port 152 . an injector outlet tube 116 b connects the bolus injector 114 with a “ y ” fitting junction 194 via the injector outlet port 154 . it is noted that the outlet valve ( not shown ) positioned at the injector outlet port 154 has a stronger pressure rating than that of the system 10 so that it only opens in response to a displacement force on the bolus injector 114 . a connective tube 116 c connects the second infusion pump 112 b with the “ y ” fitting junction 194 via the pump outlet port 30 . the tubes 116 b and 116 c are joined at the “ y ” fitting junction 194 and a common flow tube 118 , preferably a catheter , exits the “ y ” fitting junction 194 to a treatment site . one apparent advantage of the present system 110 is that different fluid medications can be stored in each of the medication storage chambers 140 a , 140 b and independently delivered to the treatment site . the medication delivery system 110 has been described above as having a single medication storage chamber 140 a or 140 b for each infusion pump 112 a or 112 b , respectively . however , the present invention is not so limited . it is readily apparent to the skilled artisan that the present invention additionally encompasses alternate embodiments of the medication delivery system 110 , wherein the infusion pump includes two or more medication storage chambers . such alternate embodiments require only minor modifications of the present teaching in a manner within the purview of the skilled artisan . referring to fig6 , another alternate embodiment of a medication delivery system of the present invention is shown and generally designated 210 . the medication delivery system 210 employs a single infusion pump 212 having a single medication storage chamber 240 , piston , seal and spring set 260 , 262 , 264 , storage chamber outlet 268 , and manifold 270 . the automated and manual modes of operation are served by the same infusion pump 212 , but via separate flowpaths . to enable separate flowpaths , an outlet port 230 is positioned in the top of the medication storage chamber 240 . in all other respects the medication delivery system 210 is substantially the same as the medication delivery system 110 . accordingly , the elements of fig6 , which are common to fig5 , are denoted by the same reference characters . while the forgoing preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and shown , it is understood that alternatives and modifications , such as those suggested and others , may be made thereto and fall within the scope of the invention . | 0 |
the novel method aims to achieve multimode representation of image contents on a display device for video holograms , in short a holographic display . the display device comprises at least one or a plurality of light sources , an optical system and a spatial light modulator slm with hologram contents . the display device is based on the idea to project to corresponding eye positions the wave front which would be emitted by an object , so that the observer can watch the reconstruction of the scene . further , for generating the stereo effect , the eyes are offered different perspectives by way of temporal or spatial multiplexing . the novel method is based on the idea that in a first mode , for holographic representation , the light of the first diffraction order is directed towards the eye positions , so that the observer sees the reconstructed scene . according to the invention , in a second mode for direct representation , which can be selected or switched to , the non - diffracted light is directed towards the eye positions , so that the observer sees an autostereoscopic and / or a two - dimensional representation on the slm . if an amplitude - modulating slm is used , this mode is based on the idea that on such an slm an intensity - modulated image is represented . the observer can watch a direct , i . e . autostereoscopic or two - dimensional representation on that slm . in a special embodiment , the observer can either watch the slm directly or an image of that slm . according to the invention , in order to switch between holographic representation and direct representation , the illumination of the slm is modified such that in the direct mode the non - diffracted light is directed to the eye positions instead of the light which is diffracted by the slm . switching between non - diffracted light of the zeroth order and light of the first order is achieved according to the invention by displacing the light source ( s ) or by switching to spatially incoherent illumination . switching between holographic representation and direct representation is preferably realised by displacing the light source ( s ) from positions of the directed first diffraction order to positions for direct non - diffracted light . the term ‘ displacement ’ shall not be limited to changing their arrangement positions , as for example by way of displacement with the help of actuators , but shall also include any general change of the effective direction of the light source ( s ). the effective direction can for example be affected in a controllable manner with the help of controllable projection means , mirror systems etc . according to another solution , a shutter panel is disposed in the display device for individual control of the direction of light , said shutter panel having a plurality of discretely controllable openings . the effective direction of a laser source can also be controlled using projection means . switching can alternatively be realised by switching between first light source ( s ) for the directed first diffraction order to second light source ( s ) for the direct light . in another preferred embodiment , switching is realised by changing the light source ( s ) with light which exhibits sufficient spatial coherence for the directed first diffraction order to incoherent light for direct representation . for example , the spatial coherence of point light source ( s ) and / or line light source ( s ) is changed to an areal , incoherent illumination . the change from a point or line light source to an areal light source can for example be realised by turning on additional regions . again , the combination of an areal light source and a subsequent shutter panel is particularly preferred , where the controllable openings of the panel allow controlled switching from a coherent point or line light source to an incoherent areal light source . analogously , switchable projection means , diffuser foils , mirror systems etc . may be used in order to sufficiently compensate the coherence . the possibility of combining those exemplary embodiments , namely displacement , switching and changing the coherence , appears to those skilled in the art . according to a continuation of the invention , the mode of direct representation with non - diffracted light is further subdivided into autostereoscopic representation and two - dimensional representation . autostereoscopic representation will be provided if temporal or spatial multiplexing is active , and two - dimensional representation will be provided if multiplexing is deactivated or compensated . if spatial multiplexing methods are used , multiplexing can for example be deactivated with the help of a switchable lenticular . compensation of multiplexing can be realised for example by interleaving image contents on the slm such that the stereo effect is cancelled out , so that the observer is provided identical perspectives for the left and right eyes . a switchable lenticular consists for example of a birefringent material and is surrounded by an isotropic material with a refractive index that is identical to that of the polarisation direction of the lenticular . the light of one polarisation direction thus passes the lenticular without being diffracted , while the light in the perpendicular polarisation direction is subject to a lens effect . behind the lenticular , there are disposed optical components which only transmit the light of the one or of the other polarisation direction . it can thus be selected whether the observer sees the light with or without lens effect , and thus whether he watches a two - dimensional or an autostereoscopic representation . if it is switched between the modes , the image content of the slm will be encoded in accordance with the selected mode . the continuation of this inventive idea also allows simultaneous mixed representation of holographic and / or autostereoscopic and / or two - dimensional contents by illuminating individual regions on the slm differently . if a plurality of light sources illuminate the slm such that each source illuminates a precisely defined region of the slm , and the light of all light sources reaches the observer eyes , then each of those regions on the slm can be individually switched from holographic to autostereoscopic or two - dimensional representation by displacing the corresponding light sources or by switching them to spatial incoherence accordingly . the inventive device is thus characterised by light source ( s ) which allow the implementation of the above - discussed method and individual process steps thereof . more details will be explained in the description of individual embodiments below . the novel method and the devices to implement it provide simultaneous holographic , autostereoscopic and two - dimensional representations for any number of observers , as stipulated as the object of the invention . exemplary fields of applications are computer monitors , telecommunications appliances , digital cameras , desktop computers , games consoles and other mobile applications . the diffraction orders of the light will be explained with the help of fig1 and fig2 . the schematic diagrams are based on a device and method according to wo 2006 / 027228 . a device contains one after another , seen in the direction of light propagation , a light source ( ls ), an optical system as a projection means ( l ) and an slm ( s ). a virtual observer window ( vw ) is located in an observer plane ( vp ). the observer plane ( vp ) is identical to the fourier plane of the back transformation of the video hologram with the diffraction orders . the light source ( ls ) is projected into the observer plane ( vp ) through an optical system , here a lens ( l ). the slm ( s ) with periodic pixels creates equidistantly staggered diffraction orders in the observer plane ( vp ), where the holographic encoding takes place into higher diffraction orders , e . g . by way of the so - called detour phase effect . because the light intensity decreases towards higher diffraction orders , the 1 st or − 1 st diffraction order is typically used as the observer window ( vw ). the dimension of the reconstruction was chosen here to correspond with the dimension of the periodicity interval of the 1 st diffraction order in the observer plane ( vp ). consequently , greater diffraction orders are adjoined without forming a gap , but also without overlapping . being the fourier transform , the selected 1 st diffraction order forms the reconstruction of the slm ( s ). however , it does not represent the actual three - dimensional scene ( 6 ). it is only used as the virtual observer window ( vw ) through which the three - dimensional scene ( 3d - s ) can be observed . this can be seen in fig2 . the actual three - dimensional scene ( 6 ) is indicated in the form of a circle inside the bundle of rays of the 1 st diffraction order . the scene ( 3d - s ) is thus located inside a reconstruction frustum which stretches between the slm ( s ) and the virtual observer window ( vw ). the scene is rendered visible as the fresnel transform of the hologram , whereas the observer window forms a part of the fourier transform . in a preferred embodiment according to wo 2004 / 044659 , the hologram is encoded on the amplitude slm with a detour phase encoding method , e . g . the burckhardt encoding method . by way of temporal multiplexing , i . e . sequentially , a small virtual observer window with the left - eye perspective is projected on to the left eye , and another small virtual observer window with the right - eye perspective is projected on to the right eye . the holographic reconstruction is realised in the first diffraction order and at an angle to the optical axis . in the holographic representation mode , the light source ( s ) ( ls ) is / are disposed such that the observer eye positions are in the first diffraction order . in contrast , the non - diffracted light , which does not cause a three - dimensional scene to be reconstructed , is in the zeroth diffraction order , along the optical axis . switching to a direct , i . e . autostereoscopic or two - dimensional , representation is realised by displacing the light source ( s ) ( ls ) such that the eye positions are in the zeroth diffraction order , and two - dimensional or autostereoscopic contents are shown on the slm . displacing the light source ( s ) and changing between sequential representation with active multiplexing and simultaneous representation with deactivated or compensated multiplexing makes three representation modes possible : holographic : watching in the first order ; sequential representation with active multiplexing ; autostereoscopic : watching in the zeroth order ; sequential representation with active multiplexing ; two - dimensional : watching in the zeroth order ; simultaneous representation with deactivated or compensated multiplexing . wo 2006 / 027228 describes how an autostereoscopic image separation means is used in order to project a small virtual observer window with the left - eye perspective on to the left eye , and another small virtual observer window with the right - eye perspective on to the right eye . if using a switchable image separation means , three representation modes will be possible : holographic : watching in the first order with active image separation means , i . e . with active multiplexing ; autostereoscopic : watching in the zeroth order , activated image separation means ; two - dimensional : watching in the zeroth order , deactivated image separation means , i . e . deactivated multiplexing ; the switchable autostereoscopic image separation means is for example a switchable lenticular or a switchable barrier . in wo 2006 / 027228 , spatial coherence of the light sources is realised with the help of sufficiently narrow openings in a shutter panel , which is fully illuminated by a large - area backlight . if the shutter panel is switched to full transparency instead of the narrow openings , the coherence is insufficient for holographic reconstruction . instead , direct two - dimensional or autostereoscopic contents can be shown on the slm , which are watched by the observer as two - dimensional or autostereoscopic representations in the slm plane . in this embodiment it is again possible to switch between autostereoscopic and two - dimensional representation , i . e . between sequential or simultaneous representation , or active or deactivated multiplexing , using a switchable image separation means . fig3 shows schematically how a mixed representation of holographic , autostereoscopic and two - dimensional contents is implemented by way of varying the illumination . as can be seen in the figure , for holographic representation ( holo ) the upper part of the slm is illuminated by a first light source ( ls 1 ), which is disposed such that the first diffraction order is projected on to the eye positions ( ep ) of the observer , so that the observer sees a reconstructed three - dimensional scene ( 3d - s ). in contrast , the lower part of the slm ( s ) is illuminated by a second light source ( ls 2 ) through a lens ( l 2 ). for direct representation , the light source ( ls 2 ) is disposed such that the non - diffracted light of the zeroth diffraction order is projected towards the eye positions ( ep ). the observer thus sees an autostereoscopic and / or two - dimensional representation ( 3d - 2d ). taking advantage of a plurality of lenses and a plurality of light sources permits a fine division into regions with holographic and regions with direct representations . further , in this figure it can be seen that it is possible to change from holography ( holo ) to direct representation ( 3d - 2d ), if not the positions of the individual light sources are modified , but their degree of spatial coherence . as indicated in the lower section of the schematic diagram , a shutter panel ( sp ) is disposed between the light source ( ls 2 ) and the lens ( l 2 ). this panel ( sp ) allows for example to turn a coherent point or line light source into an incoherent areal light source . further , an image separation means ( bt ) is indicated in the drawing in order to demonstrate the spatial multiplexing used to generate the stereo effect . following the principles of wo 2005 / 060270 or wo 2005 / 027534 , if the shutter panel ( sp ) with its controllable openings and the image contents of the slm ( s ) being controlled such , then it can be seen in the figure that if multiplexing is activated , different perspectives are projected towards the eye positions ( ep ), and / or if multiplexing is deactivated or compensated , identical perspectives are projected towards the eye positions ( ep ). several shutter panels ( sp ) may be necessary in order to implement both a control of the coherence of the light source and a directed illumination of the slm ( s ) towards the observer eyes . | 6 |
in accordance with the present invention , crosslinking of the polyethylene oxide ( peo ) continuous phase and selection of the solvent for the liquid phase are carefully controlled to obtain a highly conductive electrolyte . the peo continuous phase is preferably crosslinked using a polyacrylate crosslinking agent . these crosslinking agents are described in more detail in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 734 , 876 where they are generally represented by the formula ## str1 ## where a is nitrogen or oxygen ; n is 2 or greater , r is hydrogen , c1 - c6 alkyl , or c6 - c14 aryl ; x is cyh2y or -- cyh2y ( ocyh2y ) m -- where y is 2 to 10 , m is 1 to 50 and when a is oxygen a is o and when a is nitrogen a is 1 . representative examples include poly ( ethylene glycol ) diacrylate , neopentylglycol diacrylate , methylene bisacrylamide , butylene glycol diacrylate , etc . the crosslinking agent is reacted with the peo in an amount of about 1 to 10 parts per 100 parts peo in the continuous phase and more preferably 3 to 6 parts per 100 parts peo . the degree of crosslinking is controlled such that the film retains an amorphous character and has the necessary mechanical strength . a free radical catalyst is required for the reaction such as acetyl peroxide or 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- azobis ( 2 - methylpropionitrile ). the peo forming the continuous phase preferably has a molecular weight of about 2 × 10 5 to 10 6 . examples of dipolar aprotic solvents useful in the invention are dipolar solvents such as propylene carbonate , γ - butyrolactone , 1 , 3 - dioxolane , 2 - methyl - tetrahydrofuran and the less dipolar poly ( ethylene glycol ) dimethylether . the preferred solvents are dimethyl ethers of glycols such as poly ( ethylene glycol ) dimethylether ( pegdme ) because they are chemically similar to the crosslinked phase and they do not attack anode materials such as lithium . a less expensive form of these solvents is known as glymes . examples of such glymes are tetraglymes and hexaglymes . preferably , the solvent has a dielectric constant of at least 6 . examples of metal salts useful in the present invention include those conventionally used in solid state batteries . useful examples are provided in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 303 , 748 to armand and include sodium , potassium and lithium salts of anions selected from the group consisting of i --, br --, scn --, c10 4 - , bf 4 - , pf 6 - , asf 6 - , cf 3 co 2 - and cf 3 so 3 - . specific examples are liclo 4 , naclo 4 , lif 3 cso 3 and libf 4 . preferably , the salt is dissolved in the solvent in an amount which does not exceed its solubility limit . depending on the nature of the solvent the salt may be used in amounts ranging from about 40 to 80 % by weight of the solvent . in solid state electrochemical cells , the ratio of the crosslinked continuous phase to the included liquid phase is designed to provide the desired combination of conductivity and mechanical strength . preferably the weight ratio of the continuous crosslinked phase to the liquid phase is about 40 : 60 to 20 : 80 and still more preferably about 30 : 70 to 20 : 80 . in one method to prepare the ion - conductive electrolyte film , a solution of peo solvent , crosslinking agent and a thermal initiator in an inert organic is heated under nitrogen to effect the crosslinking of the peo . the resulting viscous solution contains the crosslinked matrix . portions of this matrix solution are mixed with a solution of the electrolyte salt in the dipolar aprotic solvent and the organic solvent for the matrix material is caused to evaporate . these steps result in a solid film of the matrix containing the liquid conductive phase . this method requires that there be a large differential in the vapor pressure of the first solvent and the aprotic solvent such that after evaporation of the former , the latter remains in the film . in another potentially useful method a crosslinked film of peo is immersed in a solution of the salt and aprotic solvent . in this method , a solution of peo in benzene , the crosslinking agent , a free radical catalyst , is reacted , the mixture poured into a mold and the benzene allowed to evaporate . the film is then immersed in a solution of the salt in aprotic dipolar solvent . the solid electrolyte of the present invention can be used in various electrochemical cells . a preferred cell consists of an alkali metal anode and an intercalary cathode having the solid electrolyte therebetween . such structures can also employ current conducting backing layers , insulating layers and / or bipolar electrode connections in a manner known in the art . a particularly useful anode is lithium foil . the cathode preferably includes an intercalation or insertion metal compound . these compounds are well known in the art and include transition metal oxides , sulfides , selenides , etc . representative materials are vanadium oxides such as v 2 o 5 and v 6 o 13 , tis 2 . the cathode may also contain an electronically conductive material such as graphite or carbon black . these materials may be dispersed in a binder such as peo , poly ( ethylene glycol ) diacrylate polymer or the film described in this invention . the invention is illustrated in more detail by the following non - limiting examples . in a three - necked flask 10 g of poly ( ethylene oxide ) of m . w . 600 , 000 in 200 ml benzene containing 0 . 6 g poly ( ethylene glycol ) diacrylate ( m . w . 302 ) and 100 mg 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- azobis ( 2 - methylpropionitrile ) was purged with nitrogen gas , and the mixture was stirred and heated to 60 c . and kept there for 6 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere . the flask was then stoppered and allowed to drift to room temperature and left overnight . the viscous solution was poured into moulds and the benzene evaporated under ambient conditions to make films ready to absorb li salt solutions in aprotic dipolar solvents . the above viscous solution ( 10 g ) was mixed with 0 . 5 g poly ( ethylene glycol ) 400 - dimethyl ether . this mixture was poured into molds at ambient conditions . a whitish polymer film consisting of 50 % ( weight ) matrix and 50 % peg - dimethyl ether ( liquid ) resulted . in another example 20 g matrix solution was mixed with 0 . 390 g lithium trifluoromethane sulfonate in 1 . 0 g poly ( ethylene glycol ) 400 - dimethylether . to ensure lithium salt solution 10 ml of methanol was added . this clear solution formed whitish polymer films under ambient conditions . the films were hygroscopic and turned clear and viscous ( sticky ) after prolonged exposure to ambient air . they returned to white solid in a desiccator under reduced pressure . having described the invention in detail and by reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims . | 7 |
certain examples are shown in the above - identified figures and described in detail below . in describing these examples , like or identical reference numbers are used to identify the same or similar elements . the figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic for clarity and / or conciseness . additionally , several examples have been described throughout this specification . any features from any example may be included with , a replacement for , or otherwise combined with other features from other examples . fig1 depicts a cabinet 100 having a solid back panel 102 to which a mounting rail 104 and a cable tray or wiring trough 106 are directly mounted . the mounting rail 104 defines a plurality of apertures 108 through which fasteners 110 extend to couple the mounting rail 104 directly to the solid back panel 102 . coupling the mounting rail 104 to the solid back panel 102 enables one or more electronic device ( s ) 112 to be securely fastened to the mounting rail 104 within the cabinet 100 . spaced from the mounting rail 104 , the cable tray 106 may be similarly coupled to the solid back panel 102 via fasteners ( not shown ). one or more wire ( s ) or cable ( s ) 114 electrically coupled to the one or more electronic device ( s ) 112 may extend a distance 116 from the electronic device ( s ) 112 to the cable tray 106 . the cable tray 106 enables wires or cables to be relatively organized within the cabinet 100 . however , in such known configurations , both the mounting rail 104 and the cable tray 106 are mounted directly to the solid back panel 102 . as a result , a significant portion of a width 118 of the solid back panel 102 is occupied by the mounting rail 104 , the cable tray 106 and the electronic device ( s ) 112 , while a significant portion of a depth 120 of the cabinet 100 is not sufficiently utilized or occupied . therefore , in some instances , a greater number of cabinets must be designed and manufactured to mount the required number of electronic devices needed for a given facility ( e . g ., a process control plant ). an inherent drawback of having more cabinets in the given facility is the large amount of floor and / or wall space occupied by such cabinets . additionally , because such known configurations are typically custom designed and manufactured , these configurations are inherently non - versatile and require significant amounts of time to design and manufacture and , thus , are relatively expensive and difficult to modify . fig2 depicts an example mounting frame 200 that includes first and second opposing frame portions or plate portions 202 and 204 that may be substantially parallel to one another . the example mounting frame 200 also includes a wall , spacer , rib , spine or central beam 206 that may be substantially perpendicular to the first and second frame portions 202 and 204 . the frame portions 202 and 204 and the spacer 206 may be made from any suitable material such as , for example , a metallic material ( e . g ., aluminum ) and may be produced using any suitable method such as , for example , an extrusion process and / or a roll - forming process . the spacer 206 separates the first frame portion 202 from the second frame portion 204 and defines a first wiring cavity or wiring trough 208 and a second wiring cavity or wiring trough 210 . the first and second wiring cavities 208 and 210 may be substantially parallel to each other and extend along a length of the mounting frame 200 . advantageously , providing the mounting frame 200 with the first and second wiring cavities 208 and 210 enables wires or cables associated with a first type of device ( s ) and / or current type ( e . g ., alternating current ( ac ) or direct current ( dc )) to be positioned in the first wiring cavity 208 while wires or cables associated with a second type of device ( s ) or current type may be positioned in the second wiring cavity 210 , for example . the first frame portion 202 includes an elongated plate 211 that defines a plurality of laterally spaced channels 212 , 214 and 216 that may be substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 217 of the first frame portion 202 . the channels 212 - 216 include inwardly extending lips 220 - 230 to enable a portion of a securing apparatus or mounting bracket 500 ( fig5 ) and / or a nut or other fastener ( not shown ) to be retained or captured within the corresponding channel 212 - 216 . additionally , the channels 212 - 216 define openings or apertures 232 , 234 and 236 to enable a fastener or bolt to extend through the openings 232 - 236 and to be received by the mounting bracket 500 ( fig5 ), nut or other fastener , for example . additionally , first and second walls or extensions 238 and 240 may extend substantially perpendicularly from an exterior surface or face 241 of the elongated plate 211 on opposing sides of the channel 214 . however , the extensions 238 and 240 may be positioned differently on the exterior surface 241 or the first frame portion 202 may not be provided with the extensions 238 and 240 . the extensions 238 and 240 include opposing lips 242 and 244 that may form a mounting rail , a deutsches institut für normung e . v . ( din ) rail or a top - hat rail , for example , that enable a process control device and / or an electronic device or module to be secured or mounted relative to the mounting frame 200 . specifically , the electronic device may receive and be held in place by an interaction between a portion ( not shown ) of the electronic device and the extensions 238 and 240 . to enable wire guides or wire combs 246 and 248 to be coupled to lateral edges 250 and 252 of the first frame portion 202 , in this example , the lateral edges 250 and 252 define channels or grooves 253 and 254 that receive a tongue or portion 256 and 258 of the respective wire guide 246 and 248 and , adjacent the channels 253 and 254 , the lateral edges 250 and 252 include a tongue or portion 260 and 262 that is received by a channel or groove 264 or 266 of the respective wire guide 246 and 248 . in this example , a friction fit or interference fit between the channels 253 and 254 and 264 and 266 and the respective tongues 256 and 258 and 260 and 262 couple the wire guides 246 and 248 to the first frame portion 202 . the wire guides 246 and 248 include a plurality of flexible fingers or portions 265 between which wires or cables may be securely held , for example . to enable relatively easy access to the first wiring cavity 208 and / or the second wiring cavity 210 while enabling the cavities 208 and 210 to be enclosed , a cover 267 may be positioned between the opposing wire guides 246 and 248 . the cover 267 may be made of any suitable material such as , for example , a plastic material , a metallic material , etc . in this example , the first and second frame portions 202 and 204 are substantially mirror images of one another and may be symmetrical about a longitudinal axis 268 of the mounting frame 200 . however , in other examples , the first frame portion 202 may be different than the second frame portion 204 . for example , the first frame portion 202 may define the channels 212 - 216 and the extensions 238 and 240 and the second frame portion 204 may not include or define the extensions 238 and 240 and / or some or all of the channels 212 - 216 . additionally or alternatively , some or all of the channels 212 - 216 and / or the extensions 238 and 240 of the first frame portion 202 may be offset relative to the channels 212 - 216 and / or the extensions 238 and 240 of the second frame portion 204 . the spacer 206 is positioned between interior surfaces 269 and 270 of the first and second frame portions 202 and 204 , respectively . the spacer 206 includes a plurality of apertures or channels 272 and 274 that receive fasteners ( one of which is represented by reference number 276 ) to couple the frame portions 202 and 204 to the spacer 206 . in some examples , ribs 278 and 280 extend along a length of the apertures 272 and 274 . the ribs 278 and 280 may be sized and / or spaced to threadably engage threads on the fasteners . however , the spacer 206 may not include the ribs 278 and 280 . in such examples , a distance 282 between walls 284 , 286 , 288 and 290 of the spacer 206 that define the apertures 272 and 274 may be slightly undersized relative to the fastener such that threads may be formed in the walls 284 - 290 as the fastener is threaded through the respective frame portion 202 or 204 and into the respective aperture 272 and 274 . additionally , the spacer 206 may include a plurality of opposing channels 292 and 294 that may be similar to the channels 212 - 216 of the first and / or second frame portions 202 and / or 204 . the channels 292 and 294 may receive a portion 614 ( fig6 ) of a wire tie device or cradle 612 ( fig6 ), which may enable wires or cables that extend through the wiring cavities 208 and 210 to be secured relative to the spacer 206 and , thus , organized within the respective wiring cavity 208 and 210 . fig3 depicts a cross - sectional view of the example mounting frame 200 including the first and second frame portions 202 and 204 , the spacer 206 , the wire guides 246 and 248 and the cover 267 . while not shown , a cover similar to the cover 267 may be positioned between the wire guides 246 . in some examples , a distance 302 between surfaces 304 and 306 and 308 and 310 of the respective lateral edges 250 and 252 may be approximately 60 millimeters ( mm ) and / or a height 312 of the spacer 206 may be approximately 66 mm . however , the height 312 of the spacer 206 may be adjusted to change the size of the wiring cavities 208 and 210 or for any other reason . advantageously , the height 312 may be changed without changing any of the dimensions of the first and second frame portions 202 and 204 . additionally or alternatively , in some examples , a distance 314 between an inner surface 316 of the wire guide 248 and a surface 318 of the spacer 206 may be approximately 57 mm and / or a distance 320 between ends 322 and 324 of the wire guides 246 may be approximately 30 mm . however , the example distances or lengths noted above can be varied as needed to suit a particular application . fig4 depicts another cross - sectional view of the example mounting frame 200 including the first and second frame portions 202 and 204 and the spacer 206 . in some examples , a width 402 of the first frame portion 202 and the second frame portion 204 may be approximately 140 mm and / or a distance 404 between a center 406 and 408 of the respective channels 212 and 216 may be approximately 80 mm . however , the width 402 may be adjusted to change the size of the wiring cavities 208 and 210 or for any other reason . advantageously , the width 402 may be changed without changing any of the dimensions of the spacer 206 . additionally or alternatively , a distance 410 between ends 412 and 414 of the lips 242 and 244 may be approximately 35 mm , a distance 416 between the exterior surface 241 and the end 412 may be approximately 7 . 5 mm and / or a distance 418 between surfaces 420 and 422 of the extensions 240 of the first and second frame portions 202 and 204 may be approximately 99 . 6 mm . however , the example distances or lengths noted above can be varied as needed to suit a particular application . fig5 depicts the securing apparatus or mounting bracket 500 that includes an elongated portion or tab 502 to be inserted into one of the channels 212 - 216 and a transverse or lateral portion 504 that is to extend from the mounting frame 200 and which may be coupled directly to a structure 602 ( fig6 ). the lateral portion 504 defines a plurality of tapered apertures 506 and 508 to receive a plurality of fasteners 618 ( fig6 ) to mount the mounting frame 200 ( fig2 ) to the structure 602 ( fig6 ). the elongated portion 502 defines an aperture 510 through which a fastener ( not shown ) may extend to more securely couple the mounting frame 200 to the mounting bracket 500 . however , the mounting bracket 500 may not include the aperture 510 in some examples . in this example , the mounting bracket 500 is a substantially t - shaped bracket . however , the mounting bracket 500 may have any other suitable shape . fig6 and 7 depict different views of the example mounting frame 200 coupled to the structure 602 and shown partially cut away in fig6 . additionally , fig6 depicts how one or more electronic device ( s ) ( e . g ., process control device ( s )) 604 may coupled to the mounting frame 200 via an interaction between a portion ( e . g ., a hook or lip ) 606 of the electronic device 604 and the extensions 238 and 240 on either the first frame portion 202 and / or the second frame portion 204 . mounting the one or more of the electronic device ( s ) 604 via the extensions 238 and 240 of the first portion 202 and the second portion 204 further utilizes space available within the cabinet 100 ( fig1 ), thereby maximizing the number of electronic devices that may be positioned in a single cabinet , for example . one or more wire ( s ) or cable ( s ) 608 electrically coupled to the one or more of the electronic device ( s ) 604 may extend from the electronic device ( s ) 604 through the fingers 265 of the wire guides 246 and 248 and toward an aperture 610 of the wire tie device or cradle 612 . the one or more wire ( s ) or cables ( s ) 608 may be secured relative to the wire tie device 612 by any suitable method such as threading a wire tie 613 through the aperture 610 and then coupling the one or more wire ( s ) or cables ( s ) 608 to the wire tie device 612 via the wire tie 613 , for example . the portion 614 of the wire tie device 612 may be positioned within either of the channels 292 or 294 of the spacer 206 to secure the wire tie device 612 relative to the mounting frame 200 via a fastener ( not shown ). to secure or mount the mounting frame 200 to the structure 602 having a lower channel ( not shown ) that may be substantially parallel to an upper channel 616 , in some examples , two of the mounting brackets 500 may be positioned adjacent the lower channel ( similar to the upper channel 616 ) of the structure 602 such that the elongated portion 502 of the mounting bracket 500 extends toward the upper channel 616 . fasteners ( similar to the fasteners 618 ) may then be inserted through the respective tapered apertures 506 and 508 of the mounting bracket 500 and into the lower channel to be received by a nut ( similar to a nut 620 ) captured within the lower channel . the channels 212 and 216 of the mounting frame 200 may then be aligned with the elongated portions 502 of the mounting brackets 500 extending from the lower channel . the elongated portions 502 may then be inserted into respective ones of the channels 212 and 216 . the mounting frame 200 may then be moved toward the upper channel 616 of the structure 602 and two additional mounting brackets 500 may be inserted into the channels 212 and 216 on an opposite end of the mounting frame 200 . the fasteners 618 may then be inserted through the respective tapered apertures 506 and 508 and into the upper channel 616 to be received by the respective nuts 620 captured within the upper channel 616 . once the mounting frame 200 is secured relative to the structure 602 , the one or more electronic device ( s ) 604 may be coupled to the extensions 238 and 240 and the one or more wire ( s ) or cable ( s ) 608 may be fed through the fingers 265 of the wire guides 246 and 248 and coupled to the wire tie device 612 within the first wiring cavity 208 and / or the second wiring cavity 210 , for example . the cover 267 may then be snapped in place between the wire guides 246 and 248 . fig7 additionally depicts additionally mounting frames 702 , 704 and 706 mounted to the structure 602 . fig8 depicts a cross - sectional view of an alternative mounting frame 800 . the mounting frame 800 includes an elongated body or frame 802 and an elongated mounting plate portion 804 that may be coupled to the elongated body 802 by one or more fasteners 806 . the elongated body 802 and / or the elongated mounting plate portion 804 may be made from any suitable material such as , for example , a metallic material ( e . g ., aluminum ) and may be produced using any suitable method such as , for example , an extrusion process and / or a roll - forming process . the elongated body 802 includes a spine , wall or spacer 808 , a plurality of laterally extending portions 812 and 814 and a plurality of walls 816 and 818 that may extend perpendicularly from the respective portions 812 and 814 . the spine 808 , the laterally extending portions 812 and 814 and the walls 816 and 818 may at least partially define at least one of a first wiring cavity or wiring trough 820 and a second wiring cavity or wiring trough 822 . the wiring cavities 820 and 822 may be substantially parallel to each other and extend along a length of the mounting frame 800 . the spine 808 includes a first plurality of supports 824 and 826 that extend from a central portion 828 of the spine 808 toward the laterally extending portions 812 and 814 . additionally , the spine 808 includes a second plurality of supports 830 and 832 that extend outwardly from the central portion 828 toward a plate 834 that may be coupled to the second plurality of supports 830 and 832 via a plurality of fasteners 835 . the plate 834 may include a plurality of wire guides 836 and 838 ( shown most clearly in fig9 ) extending along lateral edges 840 and 842 of the plate 834 . in some examples , the lateral edges 840 and 842 may include lips 844 and 846 that are engaged by a portion 848 of a cover 850 that may cover openings 852 and 854 of the wiring cavities 820 and 822 . additionally , the cover 850 may include a leg or tapered portion 856 to frictionally engage an end 858 and 860 of the respective walls 816 and 818 to maintain the position of the cover 850 relative to the respective openings 852 and 854 . the elongated mounting plate portion 804 includes an elongated plate section 862 and walls 864 and 866 that may extend substantially perpendicularly from the elongated plate section 862 . the walls 864 and 866 define a chamber 868 into which the elongated body 802 is at least partially positioned . additionally , the elongated mounting plate portion 804 includes a mounting rail 870 having extensions or walls 872 and 874 that extend substantially perpendicularly from an exterior surface 876 of the elongated plate section 862 . as discussed above , the extensions 872 and 874 may be received by a portion of one or more electronic device ( s ). fig9 depicts the frame member 800 without the covers 850 . to secure the frame member 800 relative to a structure ( such as the structure 600 of fig6 ), the elongated plate section 862 defines a plurality of apertures 902 - 912 that are to receive corresponding fasteners . although certain example methods , apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein , the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto . on the contrary , this patent covers all methods , apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents . | 7 |
the invention is based on the identification of proteins encoded by chlamydia trachomatis which are immunogenic in man as a consequence of infection . the invention provides a c . trachomatis protein having the mw and pi characteristics of protein 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , as set out in table ii on page 15 . these include proteins having , in the l2 strain of c . trachomatis , an n - terminal amino acid sequence disclosed in table iii on page 16 . the invention also provides proteins having sequence identity to these c . trachomatis proteins . depending on the particular protein , the degree of identity is preferably greater than 50 % ( eg . 65 %, 80 %, 90 %, 95 %, 98 %, 99 % or more ). these homologous proteins include mutants , allelic variants , serovariants , and biovariants . identity between the proteins is preferably determined by the smith - waterman homology search algorithm as implemented in the mpsrch program ( oxford molecular ), using an affine gap search with parameters gap open penalty = 12 and gap extension penalty = 1 . typically , 50 % identity or more between two proteins is considered to be an indication of functional equivalence . the invention further provides proteins comprising fragments of the c . trachomatis proteins of the invention . the fragments should comprise at least n consecutive amino acids from the proteins and , depending on the particular protein , n is 7 or more ( eg . 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 , 50 , 100 or more ). preferably the fragments comprise an epitope from the protein . the proteins of the invention can , of course , be prepared by various means ( eg . recombinant expression , purification from cell culture , chemical synthesis etc .) and in various forms ( eg . native , fusions etc .). they are preferably prepared in substantially isolated or purified form ( ie . substantially free from other c . trachomatis or host cell proteins ) according to a further aspect , the invention provides antibodies which bind to these proteins . these may be polyclonal or monoclonal and may be produced by any suitable means . according to a further aspect , the invention provides nucleic acid encoding the proteins and protein fragments of the invention . nucleic acid having sequence identity to this nucleic acid is also provided . depending on the particular nucleic acid , the degree of identity is preferably greater than 50 % ( eg . 65 %, 80 %, 90 %, 95 %. 98 %, 99 % or more ). furthermore , the invention provides nucleic acid which can hybridise to this nucleic acid , preferably under “ high stringency ” conditions ( eg . 65 ° c . in a 0 . 1 × ssc , 0 . 5 % sds solution ). fragments of this nucleic acid are also provided . the fragments should comprise at least n consecutive nucleotides from the sequences and , depending on the particular sequence , n is 10 or more ( eg . 12 , 14 , 15 , 18 , 20 , 25 , 30 , 35 . 40 or more ). it should also be appreciated that the invention provides nucleic acid comprising sequences complementary to those described above ( eg . for antisense or probing purposes ). nucleic acid according to the invention can , of course , be prepared in many ways ( eg . by chemical synthesis , from genomic or cdna libraries , from the organism itself etc .) and can take various forms ( eg . single stranded , double stranded , vectors , probes etc .). in addition , the term “ nucleic acid ” includes dna and rna , and also their analogues , such as those containing modified backbones , and also peptide nucleic acids ( pna ) etc . according to a further aspect , the invention provides vectors comprising nucleic acid of the invention ( eg . expression vectors ) and host cells transformed with such vectors . according to a further aspect , the invention provides compositions comprising protein , antibody , and / or nucleic acid according to the invention . these compositions may be suitable as immunogenic compositions ( including vaccines ), for instance , or as diagnostic reagents . the invention also provides nucleic acid , protein , or antibody according to the invention for use as medicaments ( eg . as vaccines ) or as diagnostic reagents . in particular , the invention provides protein 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , or 55 ( as set out in table ii on page 15 ) for use as a chlamydial immunogen . whilst it is believed that some of the proteins described in table ii may be known per se , they have not been disclosed as being immunogenic . the invention also provides the use of nucleic acid , protein , or antibody according to the invention in the manufacture of ( i ) a medicament for treating or preventing infection due to chlamydia ; ( ii ) a diagnostic reagent for detecting the presence of chlamydia or of antibodies raised against chlamydia ; and / or ( iii ) a reagent which can raise antibodies against chlamydia . the chlamydia may be any species or strain , but is preferably c trachomatis . in preferred embodiments , the invention provides a protein of the 55 proteins of table ii for use in such manufacture . the invention also provides a method of treating a patient , comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of nucleic acid , protein , and / or antibody according to the invention . a process for producing proteins of the invention is provided , comprising the step of culturing a host cell according to the invention under conditions which induce protein expression . a process for producing protein or nucleic acid of the invention is provided , wherein the protein or nucleic acid is synthesised in part or in whole using chemical means . a process for detecting nucleic acid of the invention is provided , comprising the steps of : ( a ) contacting a nucleic probe according to the invention with a biological sample under hybridising conditions to form duplexes : and ( b ) detecting said duplexes . a process for detecting proteins of the invention is provided , comprising the steps of : ( a ) contacting an antibody according to the invention with a biological sample under conditions suitable for the formation of an antibody - antigen complexes ; and ( b ) detecting said complexes . similarly , the invention provides a process for detecting anti - chlamydial antibodies in a sample , comprising the steps of : ( a ) contacting a protein according to the invention with a biological sample under conditions suitable for the formation of an antibody - antigen complexes ; and ( b ) detecting said complexes . the invention also provides kits comprising reagents suitable for use in these processes . a kit is provided comprising a nucleic probe according to the invention and means for detecting duplexes formed by the probe . a kit is provided comprising an antibody according to the invention and means for detecting antibody - antigen complexes formed by the antibody . a kit is provided comprising a protein according to the invention and means for detecting antibody - antigen complexes formed by the protein . for the avoidance of doubt , the term “ comprising ” encompasses “ including ” as well as “ consisting ” eg . a composition “ comprising ” x may consist exclusively of x or may include something additional to x , such as x + y . fig1 shows the annotated reference 2d electrophoretic eb map , also indicating the positions of the immunoreactive protein spots , labelled 1 - 55 . groups of spots which appear to be an isolectric series of the same protein are encircled together and classified under the same identification number . fig2 shows typical immunoblots . the whole map area is shown . major known immunogens are marked for easier comparison . for other spot identification , refer to fig1 and table ii . blot a is from pid patient jo05 ( mif titre 256 ), and has a serum dilution 1 : 5000 . blot b is from patient j035 ( mif titre 64 ) affected by secondary sterility , and has a serum dilution 1 : 2500 . blot c is similar to blot b , but is from patient j052 . blot d is from pid patient jo31 ( mif titre 256 ), and gas a serum dilution 1 : 5000 . sera ( table i ) were obtained from women who had responded to a chlamydial infection of the genital tract . the seventeen sera ( a . . . q ) were obtained from 4 cases of lower genital tract infection and 13 laparoscopically - confirmed cases of pid ( pelvic inflammatory disease ), including 2 cases of secondary sterility . all sera were positive for a standard microimmunofluorescence test ( mif ) with purified c . trachomatis l2 elementary bodies [ 11 ], and confirmed as c . trachomatis immune sera by an elisa test with the plasmid - encoded pgp3 antigen [ 5 ]. a group of 10 seronegative control sera from healthy blood donors was tested by immunoblotting in the same way , and using the same dilutions as for patient sera , in order to exclude the occurrence of non - specific reactions . most sera were obtained from the chlamydia collection of the biobanque de picardie ( amiens , france ). some pid and control sera from healthy blood donors were obtained from the ospedale policlinico s . orsola ( bologna , italy ). purified chlamydial cells were obtained as described in reference 12 , by growing c . trachomatis strain l2 / 343 / bu in vero cell cultures according to standard procedures , followed by two cycles of density gradient centrifugation [ 13 ]. the average protein concentration of the purified elementary body ( eb ) preparation was determined using a biuret assay . aliquots ( 2 mg protein / nil ) were stored in water at − 20 ° c . for subsequent electrophoretic analysis . the cells used were mainly in the form of ebs — all known chlamydial antigens to date have been found in elementary bodies , rather than reticular bodies . chlamydial proteins were separated using high resolution 2d electrophoresis , performed using the immobiline / polyacrylamide system , essentially as described in references 14 and 15 . for analytical gels , approximately 45 μg total elementary body protein was used per gel . for semipreparative gels ( for microsequencing ), approximately 1 mg protein was used . aliquots of the eb proteins were pelleted by low - speed centrifugation and resuspended in 8m urea , 4 % chaps ( 3 -[( 3 - cholamidopropyl ) dimethylammonium ]- 1 - propane sulfonate ), 40 mm tris base , 65 mm dithioerythritol ( dte ) and trace amounts of bromophenol blue . isoelectric focusing was carried out on immobiline strips providing a non - linear 3 to 10 ph gradient ( ipg strips , amersham pharmacia biotech ). voltage was linearly increased from 300 to 3500 v during the first three hours , then stabilised at 5000 v for 22 hours ( total volts - hour product = 110 kvh ). after electrophoresis . ipg strips were equilibrated for 12 min against 6 m urea , 30 % glycerol , 2 % sds , 0 . 05 m tris . hcl , ph 6 . 8 , and 2 % dte . the second dimension was carried out in a laemmli system on 9 - 16 % polyacrylamide linear gradient gels ( 18 cm × 20 cm × 1 . 5 mm ), at 40 ma / gel constant current . for approximately 5 hours until the dye front reached the bottom of the gel . analytical gels were stained with ammoniacal silver nitrate [ 16 ]. the protein maps were scanned with a laser photodensitometer ( molecular dynamics ) and converted into electronic files which were then analysed with the melanie ii computer software ( bio - rad ). fig1 shows the annotated reference eb map which was used to identify proteins on immunoblots . mw and pi coordinates for the reference map were calibrated by co - migration of the chlamydial proteins with human serum proteins acting as reference proteins . the isoelectric point values used for serum proteins were those described in reference 17 . immunoblotting results are summarised in fig2 and table ii . after two - dimensional electrophoresis , the gels were electroblotted onto nitrocellulose membranes [ 18 ], and processed according to standard procedures , modified as described in reference 19 . briefly , before immunodetection , the membranes were stained in 0 . 2 % ( w / v ) ponceau s in 3 % ( w / v ) trichloroacetic acid for 3 minutes and the positions of selected anchor spots were marked on the blot to assist matching of the immunoblots with the silver stained map . immunoreactive spots were detected by overnight incubation at room temperature with patient sera ( 1500 - 5000 × dilutions ), followed by incubation with rabbit anti - human iggs conjugated with peroxidase ( cappel , 7000 × dilution ), and detection with a chemiluminescence based kit ( pharmacia amersham biotech ). typically , six identical 2d maps were prepared in parallel for each experiment — five were blotted onto nitrocellulose and one was stained with silver nitrate for subsequent correlation with the immunoblots and computer - assisted matching to the reference map . the spot signals on the immunoblot almost always corresponded to a spot on the silver stained gel . however , in at least two instances ( spots 13 and 14 in fig1 ), immunoblot analysis detected protein spots which were not visible in the silver stained map . this shows that this technique has a superior sensitivity and should be taken into consideration as a valuable tool also for systematic proteomics studies . to assist matching of the immunoblot with the reference map shown in fig1 , the nitrocellulose blots were marked with a number of internal “ anchor ” spots using transient ponceau red staining . after incubation with the sera and detection of bound antibodies by chemiluminescence , the immunoblot images were matched to the reference map and spots were assigned the corresponding pi and mw coordinates ( see table ii ). when the position and shape of the spot ( or isoelectric series of spots ) coincided with a previously - identified eb antigen , an immune response against such antigen was recorded . in all other cases the immunoblot spot was identified by the mw and p 1 coordinates taken at the baricentre of the stained area ( or the coordinate range , in the case of complex spot patterns ). it will be appreciated that the mw and pi values are determined electrophoretically , and may have a potential average error of ± 10 %. the higher mw measurements will tend to be less accurate . while control blots were totally blank , patient blots showed individually different patterns comprising a number of spots , which varied from 2 to 28 , with an average of around 15 ( see table ii ). the number of immunoreactive spots had did not correlate with the serum mif titres ( see tables i and ii ), so blot patterns appear to reflect a real individual variation in humoral responses , and not just the difference of antibody titres . this was also confirmed by comparing the results of each serum at various dilutions . typical immunoblot results are shown in fig2 . the only constant feature for all examined sera was the presence of antibodies against a complex cluster of spots previously identified as due to the cysteine - rich outer membrane protein omp2 [ 12 ]. this cluster is shown as spot 1 in fig1 — all the spots labelled “ 1 ” were scored as a single antigen , but a number of accessory spots with lower mw and pi values which usually appear associated to omp2 reactivity were separately scored , as their relationship to the omp2 polypeptide is still unclear . because the omp2 protein is chlamydia - specific , and does not seem to undergo any relevant antigenic variation , it can be considered probably the best marker of chlamydial infection in this study . the next - most frequent spots which were observed correspond to the following : spot 2 — the groel - like ( hsp60 ) protein ( 15 / 17 patients ) spot 3 — the major outer membrane protein momp ( 13 / 17 patients ) spot 4 — the dnak - like ( hsp70 ) protein ( 11 / 17 patients ). reactivity with these known immunogens can be considered as an internal control which demonstrates the quality of the human sera used in this study . the lack of pgp3 reactivity on the blots , however , is significant because all the sera had been found positive in an elisa confirmatory assay with a purified soluble form of pgp3 . this suggests that antibody response to pgp3 in human infections occurs mainly against epitopes available only in a correctly folded protein structure , which would be lost in these experiments . patient immune reactions were also detected against the following proteins [ cf ref . 12 ]: spot 10 — protein elongation factor ef - tu ( 8 / 17 ) spot 19 — ribosomal proteins si ( 5 / 17 ) spot 12 — ribosomal protein l7 / l12 ( 7 / 17 ) besides these known proteins , several new immunoreactive proteins were detected with frequencies ranging from 11 / 17 down to 11 / 17 . the mw and pi characteristics of these proteins are shown in table ii . in addition in a few cases , further analysis was performed by n - terminal amino acid sequencing supplemented with database homology searches . 2d maps were prepared as described above , starting from ] mg total eb protein per run , followed by blotting onto polyvinylidene difluoride membranes ( biorad pvdf membranes 20 × 20 cm , 0 . 2 micron pore size ), as in reference 20 . the blots were stained with 0 . 1 % ( w / v ) coomassie brilliant blue r250 in 50 % aqueous methanol for 5 minutes , and de - stained in 40 % methanol , 10 % acetic acid . membranes were dried at 37 ° c . and stored at − 20 ° c . for further analysis . selected protein spots were cut out and submitted to amino acid sequencing by edman degradation using an automatic protein / peptide sequencer ( mod 470a ; applied biosystem inc .) connected on - line with a phenylthiohydantoin - amino acid analyser model 120a and a control / data module model 900a ( applied biosystems inc .). typically 3 or 4 equivalent spots from similar blots were used , according to the estimated relative molar amount of protein in the spot . the results of the sequencing are shown in table iii on page 16 . using the n - terminal sequence data , database searches for protein similarity were performed using the blast program [ 21 ] available from ncbi [ http :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov ] and programs of the gcg software ( wisconsin package version 9 . 0 ) [ 22 ]. theoretical pi and mw values were calculated by the pi / mw computer program available from the expasy internet server [ http :// www . expasy . ch ]. in addition to the usual databases , the genomic sequencing data of the c . trachomatis d / uw - 3 / cx strain provided by the chlamydia genome project [ http :// chlamydia - www . berkeley . edu : 4231 ] was searched . although the present study used a c . trachomatis serovar l2 strain ( lymphogranuloma biovar ), which has a different pathogenicity phenotype , several protein sequences could be safely correlated to the serovar d genes . these searches with n - terminal data allowed the correlation of seven immunoreactive spots to known sequences ( in addition to the seven noted above ): spot 15 : predicted to be a periplasmic peptidase ( currently annotated in the serovar d genomic database as htra ). spots 18 & amp ; 46 : predicted to be an outer membrane protein ( currently annotated in the genomic database as ompb ). spot 21 : although the amino acid sequence does not match any previously - described proteins , it shows homology to an internal sequence from ef - tu . this protein may be a breakdown or processing product of ef - tu , or a variant . spot 24 : the rna polymerase alpha subunit ( rpoa ) spot 25 : homologous to bacterial leucine peptidases ( currently annotated in the genomic database as pepa ). spot 38 : predicted to be a gtp - binding protein ( currently annotated as ychf ). the n - terminal sequences of spots 26 , 31 and 33 do not match any database sequences , including the published serovar d sequence . table iv shows a summary of identifications ( some putative ) of several immunoreactive antigens , which were obtained either by comparison with previous 2d mapping data , or by homology searches with the n - terminal sequencing data obtained above . this spot is believed to be the alpha chain of the c . trachomatis rna polymerase ( gi620029 ), based on its mw / pi position , and on its n - terminus sequence . although the rnap alpha chain has previously been described [ 23 ], it has never been reported as a chlamydial immunogen . four patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . whilst the intracellular parasitic nature of chlamydia means that it can generally evade antibody - mediated immune responses , the antibody reactivity demonstrated above indicates that the immune system does encounter these proteins during natural infection , and the formation of antibodies may , for instance , also help to prime the t - cell - mediated immune responses . spots 18 and 46 appear to be homologous to the ompb gene in the serotype d genome , annotated as encoding a putative outer membrane protein . the n - terminal sequences and pi & amp ; mw values ( at least for spot 18 — 5 . 08 / 34 . 09 vs predicted theoretical values of 5 . 06 / 34 . 5 ) are in agreement with the expected properties of an ompb gene product , after cleavage of the predicted n - terminal signal peptide . it has also been found that that both spot 46 and 18 are present in a 2d electrophoretic map of a purified preparation of chlamydial outer membrane complex , which also supports the view that spots 18 and 46 represent the homologs of the serotype d ompb gene . the reason why this protein appears as two distinct electrophoretic species was not investigated , but a spot shift of this type is usually associated to a variation of amino acid composition , either due to amino acid sequence variation , and / or to true or artefactual derivatisation of some amino acid residues . five patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . this spot is believed to be an aminopeptidase , based on its mw / pi position and on its n - terminus sequence ( both in comparison with the published serovar d sequence pepa ). four patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . this spot is believed to be a gtp - binding protein , based on its mw / pi position and on its n - terminus sequence ( both in comparison with the published serovar d sequence ychf ). two patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . this spot is believed to be a stress - induced protease , based on its mw / pi position and on its n - terminus sequence ( both in comparison with the published serovar d sequence htra ). seven patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . nine patients showed reactivity towards protein spot 8 , which could not be characterised by n - terminal sequencing . it does , however , have the following ‘ constellation type 2 ’ amino acid composition ( molar percentages ): aa % aa % aa % aa % ala 6 . 5 gly 22 . 5 lys 3 . 7 ser 13 . 7 arg 3 . 5 his 0 . 5 met 0 . 5 thr 5 . 1 asx 8 . 4 ile 3 . 7 phe 2 . 8 tyr 2 . 2 glx 12 . 5 leu 6 . 7 pro 3 . 4 val 4 . 3 cys and trp are not determined in this type of analysis , and it is not possible to distinguish between glu / gin and asp / asn . inability to obtain n - terminal sequence , despite repeated attempts , suggests that the n - terminal residue is blocked due to some form of modification ( eg . a lipoprotein ). modification is often a characteristic of membrane - associated proteins in eukaryotes , but is also a characteristic of outer surface proteins or secreted proteins in bacterial species ( eg . lipoproteins [ 24 ], mycoplasma outer membrane proteins [ 25 ], the fha virulence factor of b . periussis [ 26 ] etc .). this spot is believed to be due to the ribosomal protein l7 / l12 . seven patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . although this protein has previously been described in chlamydia [ accession number p38001 ], it has never been reported as a chlamydial immunogen . it has , however , been described as an immunogen in brucella infections [ 27 , 28 ]. this spot is believed to be due to the ribosomal protein si . five patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . although this protein has previously been described in chlamydia [ accession number p3801 6 ], it has never been reported as an immunogen . this spot is believed to be due to the protein synthesis elongation factor ef - tu . eight patients showed reactivity to this protein , demonstrating that it is immunogenic in humans as a consequence of chlamydial infection . although the chlamydial ef - tu has previously been described [ accession number p26622 ]. it has never been reported as an immunogen . given the importance , in chronic infections , of a possible previous sensitisation to conserved microbial antigens that may trigger immunopathogenic reactions , it is noteworthy that several of these new immunoreactive antigens belong to conserved families of bacterial proteins : four ( 23 %) sera reacted with spot 24 ( the alpha subunit of the rna polymerase ); five ( 29 %) recognised spot 19 ( ribosomal protein s1 ); eight ( 47 %) recognised spot 10 ( ef - tu ); seven ( 41 %) recognised spot 15 ( putative stress - induced protease of the htra ( s2c peptidase ) family ); and seven sera ( 41 %) recognised spot 12 ( the ribosomal protein l7 / l12 ). in the group of sera used in this study , 12 / 17 ( 70 . 6 %) reacted with at least one of these five antigens and , including the hsp60 and hsp70 antigens , all sera had antibodies reacting with between 1 and 7 ( average 3 . 7 ) chlamydial proteins which have homologs in other bacteria . theories which postulate a role for immunological sensitisation mechanisms in chlamydial pathology , as described for the hsp60 groel - like antigen [ 29 ], should in fact be extended to several other common bacterial antigens , which may be immunogenic in other bacterial infections . for instance the protein elongation factor ef - tu is immunogenic during the acute phase of infection with haemophilus influenzae . and both l7 / l12 and the htra stress - induced protease homologues are immunogenic in brucella infections . in the case of ef - tu , the abundance of this protein in the bacterial cell may favour its “ visibility ” by the immune system . it should be noted , however , that ef - tu has been described as associated to outer membrane and periplasmic cell fractions [ 30 ], and more recently data suggest that ef - tu , in addition to its function in peptide elongation , has also a chaperone activity implicated in protein folding and protection from stress [ 31 ]. particularly intriguing is the response to the l7il12 ribosomal protein , since in brucella melitensis infections the homologous l7 / l12 antigen induces a dth cell - mediated response [ 27 ]. furthermore vaccination of balb / c mice with l7 / l12 was shown to give protection against infection by b . abortus [ 32 ]. the unexpected finding that antibodies to l7 / l12 are fairly frequent in patients infected by c . trachomatis suggests that perhaps further attention should be paid to this antigens also in chlamydia - induced disease . these proteins , whilst not yet correlated with any available genome sequence , and not yet having been sequenced , are of obvious interest given their prevalence (& gt ; 50 %) in the sera tested . it will be understood that the invention is described above by way of example only and modifications may be made whilst remaining within the scope and spirit of the invention . table i summary of patient sera serum id in original serum mif table ii id pathology titre best dilution a jo45 / 7931 bb cervicitis 256 1 : 5000 b jo28 / 7935 bb cervicitis 16 1 : 1500 c jo29 / 7936 bb cervicitis 16 1 : 2000 d jo51 / 7997 bb cervicitis 256 1 : 5000 e hs - c ( bologna ) p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 f 14293 bb p . i . d . 1024 1 : 10000 g hs - b ( bologna ) p . i . d . 32 1 : 2000 h jo6 / 7942bb p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 i jo17 / 7953 bb p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 j jo43 / 7989 p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 k jo20 = / 7956 bb p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 l jo42 / 7988 bb p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 m jo41 / 7987 bb p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 n jo31 / 7977 bb p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 o 13839 bb p . i . d . 256 1 : 5000 p jo35 / 7934 bb sterility 64 1 : 2500 q jo52 / 7933 bb sterility 64 1 : 2500 the letters in the first column correspond to those given in table ii . the codes in the second column refer to the original serum collection . the pathology associated with each patient is broadly indicated as cervicitis ( lower genital tract infection ), pid or sterility ( secondary to infection ). all sera were characterised by mif assay with purified l2 elementary bodies . the mif titre given in the table is the highest two - fold dilution which gave a positive signal . the ‘ best # dilution ’ is the dilution which was found to give minimum background without loss of signal on weaker spots . references ( the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety ) 1 raulston ( 1995 ) chlamydial envelope components and pathogen - host cell interactions . mol microbiol 15 ( 4 ): 607 - 616 . 2 stephens et al . ( 1998 ) genome sequence of an obligate intracellular pathogen of humans : chlamydia trachomatis . science 282 : 754 - 759 . 3 ward ( 1995 ) the immunobiology and immunopathology of chlamydial infections . apmis . 103 : 769 - 96 . 4 moulder ( 1991 ) interaction of chlamydiae and host cells in vitro . microbiol rev 55 ( 1 ): 143 - 190 . 5 comanducci et al . ( 1994 ) humoral immune response to plasmid protein pgp3 in patients with chlamydia trachomatis infection . infect immun 62 ( 12 ): 5491 - 5497 . 7 wo 95 / 28487 8 murdin et al . ( 1993 ) infect immun 61 : 4406 - 4414 9 cerrone et al . ( 1991 ) cloning and sequence of the gene for heat shock protein 60 from chlamydia trachomatis and immunological reactivity of the protein . infect immun 59 ( 1 ): 79 - 90 . 10 raulston el al . ( 1993 ) molecular characterization and outer membrane association of a chlamydia trachomatis protein related to the hsp70 family of proteins . j . biol . chem . 268 : 23139 - 23147 . 11 wang & amp ; grayston ( 1970 ) immunologic relationship between genital tric , lymphogranuloma venereum , and related organisms in a new mcrotiter indirect immunofluorescence test . am . j . ophihalmol . 70 : 367 - 374 12 bini et al . ( 1996 ) mapping of chlamydia trachomatis proteins by immobiline - polyacrylamide two - dimensional electrophoresis : spot identification by n - terminal sequencing and immunoblotting . electrophoresis 17 : 185 - 190 . 13 schacter & amp ; wyrick ( 1994 ) culture and isolation of chlamydia trachomatis . meth enzymol 236 : 377 - 390 14 görg et al . ( 1988 ) the current state of two - dimensional electrophoresis with immobilized ph gradients . electrophoresis 9 : 531 - 546 15 hochstrasser et al . ( 1988 ) methods for increasing the resolution of two - dimensional protein electrophoresis . anal . biochem . 173 : 424 - 435 . 16 oakley et al . ( 1980 ) a simplified ultrasensitive silver stain for detecting proteins in polyacrylamide gels . anal . biochem . 105 : 361 - 363 . 17 bjellqvist el al . ( 1993 ) a nonlinear wide - range immobilized ph gradient for two - dimensional electrophoresis and its definition in a relevant ph scale . electrophoresis 14 : 1357 - 1365 18 towbin et al . ( 1979 ) electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets : procedure and some applications . proc natl acad sci usa 76 : 4350 - 4354 . 19 magi et al . chapter entitled “ immunoaffinity identification of 2 - de separated proteins ” in methods in molecular biology , 2 - d proteome analysis protocols . aj link ( ed . ), humana press , totowa , n . j ., usa . 20 matsudaira ( 1987 ) sequence from picomole quantities of proteins electroblotted onto polyvinylidene difluoride membranes . j biol chem 262 : 10035 - 10038 . 21 altschul et al . ( 1990 ) basic local alignment search tool . j mol biol 215 : 403 - 410 . 22 devereux et al . ( 1984 ) a comprehensive set of sequence analysis programs for the vax . nucleic acids res 12 : 387 - 395 . 23 gu et al . ( 1995 ) chlamydia trachomatis rna polymerase alpha subunit : sequence and structural analysis . j bacteriol 177 : 2594 - 2601 . 24 nystrsm et al . ( 1992 ) membrane protein acylation . preference for exogenous myristic acid or endogenous saturated chains in acholeplasma laidlawii . eur j biochem 204 : 23140 25 jan et al . ( 1995 ) acylation and immunological properties of mycoplasma gallisepticum membrane proteins . res microbiol 146 : 739 - 50 26 lambert - buisine et al . ( 1998 ) n - terminal characterization of the bordetella pertussis filamentous haemagglutinin . mol microbiol 28 : 1283 - 93 27 bachrach et al . ( 1994 ) brucella ribosomal protein l7 / l12 is a major component in the antigenicity of brucellin inra for delayed - type hypersensitivity in brucella - sensitized guinea pigs . infect . immun . 62 : 5361 - 5366 28 roop el al . ( 1994 ) identification of an immunoreactive brucella abortus htra stress response protein homolog . infect immun . 62 : 1000 - 1007 29 morrison et al . ( 1989 ) chlamydial disease pathogenesis : the 57 - kd chlamydial hypersensitivity antigen is a stress response protein j . exp . med . 170 : 1271 - 1283 . similarly : morrison et al . ( 1989 ) chlamydial disease pathogenesis : ocular hypersensitivity elicited by a genus - specific 57 - kd protein . j . exp . med . 169 : 663 - 675 30 marques et al . ( 1998 ) mapping and identification of the major cell wall - associated components of mycobacterium leprae . infect . immun . 66 : 2625 - 2631 . 31 caldas et al . ( 1998 ) chaperone properties of bacterial elongation factor ef - tu . j biol . chem . 273 : 11478 - 82 32 oliveira & amp ; splitter ( 1996 ) immunization of mice with recombinant l7 / l12 ribosomal protein confers protection against brucella abortus infection . vaccine 14 : 959 - 62 | 2 |
referring to the drawings for the purpose of describing the preferred embodiment and not for limiting same , fig1 illustrates a flexible fish landing net 10 for landing fish from a elevated fishing station , such as a pier or bridge wherein the weight and size of the fish is potentially greater than the strength of the fishing tackle . as such , the net is distinguished from regular fishing nets used by sports fisherman and typically ranges in size from two to three feet or larger . the landing net 10 comprises a flexible retaining hoop 12 having a generally circular configuration in the illustrated open position , a netting 14 having top loops 16 periodically peripherally threaded over the retaining hoop 12 and depending therebelow , and a lifting rigging 18 attached at three circumferentially spaced locations to the hoop 12 and operable for lowering and raising the net 10 from the fishing station . during the raising of the net 10 , with a larger fish carried in the netting , the load and the lifting rigging 18 are operative to cause the retaining hoop 12 to flex inwardly at three reversely bent lobes 19 to a closed position of restricted opening during raising movement , as shown in fig2 to securely retain the fish within the netting 14 and stabilizing the lifting load . referring to fig9 through 11 , for storage and transportation , the retaining hoop 12 in the open position of fig9 may be diametrically twisted into a “ figure - 8 ” position , as shown in fig1 , and inwardly collapsed to form a series of concentric subhoops 20 as shown in fig1 , thereby establishing a compact storage position . more particularly , the retaining hoop 12 is formed of an elastic material and establishes a prestressed circular condition in the open position sufficient for maintaining the continuous open profile while being insufficiently stressed or strong to resist locally inward deflection of the nodes 19 toward the closed positions shown in fig2 in the presence of a sufficiently large fish . as described in greater detail below , the retaining hoop is annealed at the inner surface by reverse bending at the attachment locations to reduce the inward loading required for establishing the nodes 19 and facilitate the inward deflection . referring to fig3 the retaining hoop 12 may be formed from an elongated single strip 30 of planar material . the strip 30 has a rectangular cross section of moderate to high aspect ratio for preventing vertical flexing about the transverse section axis while permitting the aforementioned inward deflection about the longitudinal section axis in the presence of threshold loading . an aspect ratio of height to thickness of at least 2 : 1 is satisfactory , an aspect ration in the range of 3 : 1 to 6 : 1 desirable , and an aspect ratio of about 4 : 1 preferred . a preferred material is plastic such a nylon . the strip 30 is provided with a plurality of through holes for use in assembly and rigging . a pair of fastener holes 32 are formed at each end of the strip 30 . for assembly the ends are overlapped and suitable fasteners 34 , such as nuts and bolts , are inserted through the fastener holes and tightened to fixedly establish a circular shape for the retaining hoop by flexing the strip and establishing a stressed outer skin condition therein . three evenly circumferentially and closely spaced sets of rigging holes 40 are formed along the length of the strip 30 . the rigging holes 40 in the assembled hoop are equally circumferentially spaced 120 ° apart . consistent with the above , a retaining hoop formed of nylon with a ¾ by { fraction ( 3 / 16 )} inch cross section , is effective for a 30 inch diameter hoop . the netting 14 may be formed of any suitable , commercially available material and is configured to provide a closed lower end and an open upper end 52 terminating with the end loops 16 . the end loops 16 are threaded onto the strip 30 prior to assembly and thereafter uniformly circumferentially spaced thereabout . the length of the netting is sufficient to provide ample volume for retaining targeted species and sizes of fish . the rigging 16 comprises a three - point rigging at a lower section 70 and an upper section 72 interconnected by a middle coupling section 74 . referring to fig6 through 8 , the lower section 70 includes three arms 76 . each arm 76 terminates with outwardly diverging end 77 establishing circumferentially spaced loadings at the attachment locations . the arm is sequentially threaded inwardly under the hoop along a first run , through one of the holes 40 , along the inner periphery of the hoop , and outwardly through the other hole . the free end is then knotted to establish the lengths of the ends . in the preferred embodiment , the ropes are a tubular braided polyethylene . the distal end is heat terminated and inserted into the tubular core to fix the attachment . the upper ends of the rope arms 76 are gathered and knotted to form a lifting loop at the coupling section 74 . the lower end of the upper section 72 , preferably a single strand of roping , is attached at the lifting loop with a non - slipping marine knot . under loading conditions , it bas been found as shown in fig5 that an inclination of the arms at about 45 ° to 60 ° with respect to vertical provides preferable results . under sufficient loading at the net , the inwardly directed loading forces at the lower section of the rigging will overcome the prestressing and inwardly reversely flex the hoop at the nodes 19 at the attachment locations . the nodes 19 converging toward the center of the deformed hoop , causing the hoop to assume a progressively closed position under loading conditions that exceed the threshold prestressed value . thus smaller fish raised by the landing net may be insufficient to close the net , but may nonetheless be securely upwardly raised under stable , balanced conditions . larger fish , more prone to activity , will be prevented from escape , by the flexing closure of the hoop . the flexing characteristics of the hoop are enhanced by locally annealing the hoop sections adjacent the attachment sections surrounding the holes sufficient to lower the compressive strength thereat and accommodate the reverse deflection . for the preferred nylon hoop material , the hoop sections may be annealed by reverse flexure as shown by the arrows in fig8 . such annealing has been determined to significantly reduce the net closing forces required to effect the collapse of the hoop as shown in fig2 . the nodal tendencies are also increased by the circumferentially spaced points , and by the ends 77 engaging the lower surface of the hoop and exerting further inward and upward force vectors for overcoming the residual annealed compressive strength at the inner surface and promoting the nodal buckling . the annealing of the strip may be performed either before hoop formation of after assembly , by manual or mechanical bending . a limited number of moderate bends are generally sufficient . in use , when the user has hooked a fish and desires to utilize the landing net 10 for securing and landing a fish from the elevated fishing station , the collapsed landing net is removed from the carrying container and the subhoops reversely rotated allowing the prestressing to expand the hoop 12 to the open position . the expanded net is lowered into the water and maneuvered below the fish . the rigging 18 is manually raised to capture the fish within the netting 14 in the confines of the hoop . as the net is raised above water level , the increasing loading on the rope arms 76 , in the presence of a sufficiently large fish , will inwardly deflect the hoop 12 at the node 19 narrowing the top opening and thereby securing the fish therewithin . when the fish is landed at the elevated station , the loading is released allowing the hoop to assume the open position and faciliatating safe removal of the landed fish . having thus described a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention , it will now be appreciated that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved , and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the sprit and scope of the present invention . the disclosures and description herein are intended to be illustrative and are not in any sense limiting of the invention , which is defined solely in accordance with the following claims . | 0 |
a person of skill in the art will readily recognize that , as a corollary to the endoscopic imaging , the true scale of the motions of the imaging camera is not known due to the ambiguity of scale of the imaged scene that is caused by the relative motion of the imaging system and the scene . the present invention is directed to a system and method devised to enable accurate reconstruction of human anatomy with the use of images acquired with a single moving endoscope . the method , referred to herein as quantitative endoscopy ( or qe ), effectuates the estimate of the geometry of an imaged surface ( and , in particular , of an imaged bodily cavity such as a pediatric airway ) on a true metric scale based on relative motion between an imaging camera and the tissue , sparse bundle adjustment , and estimation of shape of the surface . to independently verify the results of such reconstruction , the devised geometry is compared with that obtained with the use of a computed topography ( ct ) approach . while the details pertaining to the invention are discussed below mostly in reference to the region - of - interest ( roi ) that includes non - collapse tubular cavities such as subglottic and paraglottic regions , it is appreciated that , generally , the reconstruction of anatomy corresponding to any closed bodily cavity is within the scope of the invention . in particular , images acquired during the endoscopic exploration of a subglottic airway were used to generate a 3d mesh representation of the inside ( the hollow ) of the airway . embodiments of the invention , which are specifically structured to characterize feature - poor and highly - variant to illumination changes surfaces , provide a practical alternative to the mechanical measurement of a dimension of the bodily cavity and do not require such mechanical measurement to produce the metrically - accurate dimension ( s ) of the bodily cavity . embodiments of the invention employ a realistic photometric model for surface reconstruction and refinement algorithm . specifically , according to an embodiment , a sparse set of surface features is extracted from the smooth and specular images acquired with an imaging system of the invention to generate a low - frequency thin - plate spline representation . the representation of the surface is then refined based on the surface &# 39 ; s reflective properties . the resulting rendering of the surface is sufficiently accurate for clinical use , specifically in the planning of reconstructive surgery of the subglottic and paraglottic airway . as discussed below , volumetric reconstructions of anatomic regions based on visible light images acquired during exploration of the region with monocular endoscopic system . using visible light images provides a cheap alternative to x - ray based imaging and prevents the need for radiation exposure or potentially harmful mechanical sizing of the imaged anatomical region . the results of metrically - accurate volume reconstruction is further compared with measurements obtained from the ct scans . references throughout this specification to “ one embodiment ,” “ an embodiment ,” “ a related embodiment ,” or similar language mean that a particular feature , structure , or characteristic described in connection with the referred to “ embodiment ” is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention . thus , appearances of the phrases “ in one embodiment ,” “ in an embodiment ,” and similar language throughout this specification may , but do not necessarily , all refer to the same embodiment . it is to be understood that no portion of disclosure , taken on its own and in possible connection with a figure , is intended to provide a complete description of all features of the invention . in the drawings like numbers are used to represent the same or similar elements wherever possible . the depicted structural elements are generally not to scale , and certain components are enlarged relative to the other components for purposes of emphasis and understanding . it is to be understood that no single drawing is intended to support a complete description of all features of the invention . in other words , a given drawing is generally descriptive of only some , and generally not all , features of the invention . a given drawing and an associated portion of the disclosure containing a description referencing such drawing do not , generally , contain all elements of a particular view or all features that can be presented is this view , for purposes of simplifying the given drawing and discussion , and to direct the discussion to particular elements that are featured in this drawing . a skilled artisan will recognize that the invention may possibly be practiced without one or more of the specific features , elements , components , structures , details , or characteristics , or with the use of other methods , components , materials , and so forth . therefore , although a particular detail of an embodiment of the invention may not be necessarily shown in each and every drawing describing such embodiment , the presence of this detail in the drawing may be implied unless the context of the description requires otherwise . in other instances , well known structures , details , materials , or operations may be not shown in a given drawing or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment of the invention that are being discussed . furthermore , the described single features , structures , or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more further embodiments . moreover , if the schematic flow chart diagram is included , it is generally set forth as a logical flow - chart diagram . as such , the depicted order and labeled steps of the logical flow are indicative of one embodiment of the presented method . other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function , logic , or effect to one or more steps , or portions thereof , of the illustrated method . additionally , the format and symbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the method and are understood not to limit the scope of the method . although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flow - chart diagrams , they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding method . indeed , some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the method . for instance , an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted method . without loss of generality , the order in which processing steps or particular methods occur may or may not strictly adhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown . the invention as recited in claims appended to this disclosure is intended to be assessed in light of the disclosure as a whole , including features disclosed in prior art to which reference is made . fig1 a , 1 b show schematically an embodiment 100 of the endoscopic system of the invention , that included a unit 110 to which a tube 114 ( containing an imaging system 116 therein ) was operably connected . the imaging system 116 was structured to define a camera with a lens having a clear outwardly - directed field - of - view ( fov ) at the distal end 118 . in operation , the system 100 ( that has been inserted into a bodily cavity such as an airway , for example ) was moved to sequentially position the distal end 118 at a plurality of points within the cavity to take an image of the cavity from each of the plurality of points . juxtaposed with the unit 110 there was an electromagnetic ( em ) tracker coil 120 . operational aggregately with the tracker coil 120 , an external electromagnetic field generator 124 was used to augment the system 100 . the combination of the coil 120 and the generator 124 facilitated the recordation of the motion of the endoscope , in operation , and synchronization of such motion with the video capture . the data cable 122 connected the system 100 with an external data - processing system ( not shown ). fig1 b illustrates the coordination of the frames of reference used during the image data acquisition . here , the reference frame b corresponds to the em tracker coil 120 and the reference frame f corresponds to the imaging system 116 . in practice , prior to image acquisition with the endoscope 100 the distal end 118 of which has been inserted into a hollow of the bodily tissue , a short calibration procedure is performed on the endoscope and the tracker 120 , 124 . in one implementation , the tracker included an aurora electromagnetic measurement system . in the course of video - assisted endoscopy , video / set of image frames from the endoscope 100 is recorded using an output from the video tower . the recorded image / video data are decomposed into timestamped images . the timestamp and the recorded em data from the tracker are used to determine the relative position of the endoscope at the moment when a given image has been acquired . the electromagnetic measurement system and video equipment ( not shown ) were connected to an isolating power supply to protect equipment from power surges ad suppress electrical noise . the sensor coil 120 was additionally sterilized before the use of the endoscope . to achieve the above - mentioned reconstruction of the cavity surface on a true metric scale , an embodiment of the method of the invention incorporates steps for recovering the motion of the camera and the “ up - to - scale ” 3d positions of salient features of the imaged scene . in reference to fig2 a , to effectuate the process of the invention , the following steps are taken : based on the sequence of acquired images of the anatomic roi , salient features are identified and the motion of the endoscopic camera with respect to the roi is estimated in reference to salient regions of the imaged anatomy , at steps 210 and 220 ; a sparse geometry camera bundle is generated , which consists of the estimated camera positions at a common motion scale , a sparse set of estimated 3d points and the views in which they are visible , at step 230 ; an external tracking device ( such as , for example , an accelerometer , a gyroscope , an optical tracker , or an electromagnetic tracker ) is used to determine the correct ( metric ) scale of the endoscope motion : data from the external tracking advice are used to apply a true metric scale to the estimated geometry using the image and tracker timestamps , at steps 240 and 250 ; the measured motion of the endoscope is used to determine the structure of the biological tissue with respect to the position of the endoscope , at step 260 ; the sparse geometry is used to estimate the interior surface of the roi . the commutation of a mesh is effectuated with the use of the reprojection error of the feature points as well as an ( optional ) establishing photo - consistency between the 3d surface and its image projections . refinement of the mesh is performed by solving a constrained optimization problem with gauss - newton iterations , at step 270 ; and graded diameter of the roi is further computed , at step 280 . the block scheme of fig2 b provides additional illustration to the process flow of the embodiment of the invention . the calibration data comes from pre - processing steps using standard mathematical methods and software . the result is a set of intrinsic camera properties ( several — for example , 4 to 6 - distortion coefficients and 5 values of the camera matrix ). the bi - directional arrows in fig2 b describe the intermediate results that are used in the reconstruction process . the embodiment of the method of the invention and results of empirical implementation of the embodiment are discussed below . notation . in the following , a 3d point pi having coordinates { x i , y i , z i } t that has been imaged is denoted by its projected pixel coordinates , in the image j , as { circumflex over ( p )} i , j ={ u i , j , v i , j } t and in normalized homogeneous image coordinates as p i , j ={ x i , j , y i , j } t . the scale - invariant feature transform ( sift ) features are extracted from the endoscopic images and the fast approximate nearest neighbors method is used to compute matches across image pairs . in one embodiment , the sift implementation of vedaldi ( see “ vlfeat — an open and portable library of computer vision algorithms ”, in proc . acm int . conf on multimedia , 2010 ) was used . this feature detection step provides a set of matched sift features in pixel coordinates {{ circumflex over ( p )} i , 1 ,{ circumflex over ( p )} i , 2 | i ∈ 1 . . . n }. in normalized homogeneous coordinates p i , 1 ={ x i , 1 , y i , 1 } t , p i , 2 ={ x i , 2 , y i , 2 } t , a five - point motion estimation algorithm and a random sample consensus algorithm ( see fischler et al ., “ random sample consensus : a paradigm for model fitting with aliation to image analysis and automated cartography ”, in commun . acm , vol . 24 , pp . 381 - 395 , june 1981 ; and nister , “ an efficient solution to the five - point relative pose problem ”, in cvpr , 2003 ) was used to arrive at argmin r , t σ i = 0 n p i , 1 t ( r · sk ( t )) p i , 2 ( 1 ) the result is decomposed into an orthogonal rotations matrix r ∈ s03 and a translation vector t ∈ 3 , which describe the repositioning of the imaging camera . accordingly , the generalized motion associated with the camera between the acquisition of a first and a following second image is expressed as according to a method of the invention , the motion of the camera among different locations is estimated between the sequentially acquired images in each pair of the image frames . the problem of calibration ( or resectioning ) of a camera includes the determination of a position and aiming ( i . e ., translation and rotation ) of the camera when a particular image in the series of images is taken . one of the positions of the camera can be used as a reference , with zero translation and rotation . when the scale of translation of the camera between different viewpoints is not known ( even if the direction of the translation and the angle or the corresponding rotation are known ), such scale can be introduced into the calculation as a constant unknown multiplier λ . the common scale is computed using the estimated motion between a pair of frames as a reference scale . in particular , an arbitrary scale can be chosen for the translation of the camera from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint and the location of the point of the imaged scene is reconstructed based on triangulation . when the same operation is carried out for each of the points of the imaged scene , the estimated scene will be principally correct but off by the scaling constant λ . this is often referred to as a reconstruction that is only accurate “ up to scale ” and results in “ bundle ” output data representing the camera motion and sparse geometry estimates . the images and sparse geometry form the input to the surface refinement algorithm . scale recovery . the first position of the camera is selected as a reference frame c 0 , and the previously computed normalized scale for the translation motion of the camera is used . in order to determine the true metric scale of the reconstruction , the following hand - eye calibration problem is solved : θ a t x + γt f = θ x t b + t x ( 5 ), is the homogeneous transformation operator describing the position of the tracker coil 120 with respect to the field generator 124 ; is the homogeneous transformation from the tracker coil 120 to the camera 116 ; describe a correctly scaled position of the camera 116 with respect to the reference frame a 0 and is the up - to - scale position of the camera 116 with respect to the reference frame a 0 . in addition to the function t f , describing the translational motion of the imaging camera , the operator f includes the additional term γ ( which is unknown due to “ up - to - scale ” motion estimation described below ). a general solution to ax = xb is provided by park et al . ( in ieee trans . robotics and automation , v . 10 , no . 5 , pp . 717 - 721 , october 1994 ) for the case where b and a are known exactly . x is computed as a pre - processing step along with the intrinsic camera and distortion parameters , using a calibration pattern with known size . for each relative camera motion estimate , f ij the corresponding tracker positions f i and f j are computed by selecting the two closest time stamps and using spherical quaternion interpolation to estimate the positions b i , b j of the em tracker . the relative positions of the camera centers are computed using the equation where aij is the homogeneous transform from a i to a j . this approach facilitates the consistent scaling of all camera motion estimates . the estimated relative translation scale γ is expected to be more or less noisy depending on the precision of the tracking system , but the maximum likelihood estimate of geometry produced by the sparse bundle adjustment is expected to be preserved . by applying the estimated scale to the reconstructed points , the reconstructed surface becomes accurately scaled to the units supplied by the tracking system . spline surface representation . points of the imaged scene viewed from the different positions by the camera are now mapped onto a 3d surface representing the imaged scene . given a set of 3d points ( c 1 . . . c k ) in a reference frame f 0 of the camera occupying a pre - determined position , the surface viewed from f 0 can be represented using a thin plate spline function using projected homogeneous coordinates ( c 1 . . . c k ) as control points . for this purpose , the thin - plate spline parameterization was adopted ( as described , for example , by richta et al ., “ three - dimensional motion tracking for beating heart surgery using thin - plate spline deformable model ”, in int . j . rob . res ., v . 29 , pp . 218 - 230 , february 2010 ; or by bookstein , “ principal warps : thin - plate splines and the decomposition of deformation ”, in ieee tpami ., v . 11 , pp . 567 - 585 , june 1989 ). this parameterization approach maps points p =( x , y , 1 ) t in homogeneous image coordinates to distance in the z direction along their associated ray , t p s ( p ; w )= z . given control points ( c 1 . . . c k ), the mapping function t p s (·; w ) is defined by a weighing vector w , where w =( w 1 , . . . w n , r 1 , r 2 , r 3 ) ( 8 ). the mapping function tps is used to estimate on which contour the mapped points pi lie . the mapped - onto - the surface value of a given point p is given by tps ( p , w )= r 1 + r 2 x + r 3 y + σ i = 0 k w i u (∥ c i − p ∥) ( 9 ), here , the u ( x )= x 2 log ( x ) is the radial basis function . accordingly , a point p on a 3d surface representing the surface of the imaged scene and associated with the point p is characterized as p = tps ( p ; w )· p = z ·( x , y , 1 ) t =( x , y , z ) t ( 10 ) the optimization of the determined surface may be required to incrementally correct both the camera position estimates { f 0 . . . f n } and the mapping from the image plane to r 3 ( the mapping defined as a weighted sum of the control point positions in 3d ). alternatively or in addition , the optimization may be required to correct for photometric errors caused by different photometric properties of different portions of the imaged surface . is defined to transform a 3d point , p =( x , y , z ) t to its projected pixel location in the reference frame ; f n is defined as the homogeneous transformation matrix ( which describes the n th position of the camera ); i 0 denote the image at the reference frame , while i n is used to denote the intensity image of camera at position n ; for a 3d point p , the brightness of its projection in the nth image is given by i n ( k *( f n p )). assuming , in addition , that the brightness distribution of the imaged surface of the roi is constant ( invariable with respect to the position across the surface ) the image of an arbitrary point p i should have the same intensity when projected into any image . by selecting a uniform set of mesh surface points p i , a photometric error term d i is defined as a modification of the helmholtz stereopsis equation ( discussed , for example , by zickler et al ., in int &# 39 ; l j . of computer vision , pp . 869 - 884 , 2002 ) as d i = i 0 ( k *( p i ))− i n ( k *( f n p i )) ( 12 ) d i = i 0 ( k *( p i ))− i n ( k *( f n tps ( p i ; w )· p i ) ( 13 ) as the parameter vector w that defines tps is derived from ( c 1 . . . c k ) ( see above ), the computational error associated with imaging of the surface of the roi is expressed with the following error jacobian ( computed through the taylor series expansion of the error terms d i about the current estimate of ( c 1 . . . c k ) and r , t ): under the assumption that that the detected image feature matches c j , 0 and c j , n , having come from fiducial markers ( such as , for example , anatomical landmarks ), or robust matches , are accurate , the mapping function tps and homogeneous transform f n should map c j , 0 to the detected position of c j , n . one can , therefore , define the additional error terms as e i =∥ k *( f n ( tps ( c j , 0 ; w )· c j , 0 ))− c j , n ∥= 0 ( 15 ) these error terms can be written as equality constraints in the minimization of j d . the gradient of these error terms is computed with respect to the translation and rotation parameters t ={ x , y , z } and ω ={ θ x , θ y , θ z }. the resulting constraint jacobian j e and the error jacobian j d can be combined into a karush - kuhn - tucker matrix ( see kuhn , nonlinear programming : a historical view , in sigmap bull ., pp . 6 - 18 , june 1982 ) yielding the following system of equations in the above equation , d represents the vector of error terms and λ are the lagrange multipliers associated with the constraint error , e . this formulation combines the photometric error terms d i with the traditional bundle adjustment terms defined by e j to compute the optimal correction terms δc and δ ( w , t ). optionally , additional corrective measures can be employed to correct the impractical assumption ( made above at the stage of optimizing the determined surface ) that the brightness of the imaged surface is invariant with respect to a position across the surface ( which in the context of endoscopy and other in - vivo procedures is substantially incorrect ). while various measures ( such as , for example , normalized cross correlation , mutual information and sum of conditional variance are matching metrics ) exist to robustly deal with this problem , these methods are not applicable to the case at hand because they do not directly model or inform the three dimensional geometry of the scene imaged with an endoscope . according to an embodiment of the invention , therefore , an optional step of modeling the reflectance and brightness attenuation may be taken as part of data - processing algorithm . the attenuation of intensity { i 0 ( k *( p i )) . . . i n ( k *( f n p i ))} at a given point p i of the surface with respect to the angle and distance between the camera and the point to p i is carried out under the lambertian assumption of reflectance ( stating , in short , that the color intensity emitted by an imaged point p i is proportional to the dot - product of the unit surface normal vector and light source direction at p i : here , the term r is simply the z - coordinate of p i , which represents the distance from the point p i to the camera 116 of he endoscope system of the invention . it should be noted that under the assumption of lambertian reflectance , the intensity is substantially independent of the direction of the viewer and the constant α , which represents the unknown albedo of the surface . in the case of an endoscope , the only source of light is at the optical center of the camera , and moves along with it . in other words , the light source and viewer are co - located . using the estimated camera motions and surface representation determined with the method of the invention , one can further estimate the camera positions { f 0 . . . fn } and the surface normal at any point p i . as a result , the terms θ i and z i can be easily determined . the resulting augmentation of the d i terms to reflect the correct attenuation is represented by the following corrected ( geometric brightness ) error equation : d i , lambert = i 0 ( k *( f n p i ))− i n ( k *( f n p i )) ( 18 ), which should replace the eq . ( 13 ) to account for the change in color intensity of the imaged surface as a function of lighting direction . empirical results . a method of the invention has been applied to both synthesized and actual experiment . in the synthetic experiment , the method was used to render images of a sphere from several viewpoints under the assumption of lambertian distribution of reflectance of the sphere . according to the algorithm of fig2 a , the initial surface was computed with noise - free motions of the camera and sparse geometry ; then , the surface - correction ( step 270 ) was applied to the data with noise added to the sparse geometry . fig3 a , 3 b show the results of this simulated experiment . in fig3 b , the x - axis represent the difference between the value corresponding to a surface point and its projected pixel value , while the y - axis represents the expected difference under the lighting law and the estimated surface geometry . if the estimate of the geometry of the imaged surface , obtained according to the method of the invention , is correct , these values match and all points lie on the line x = y . points 310 show the values at initialization ( start of iteration procedure ), while points 320 correspond to the values at the termination of the surface optimization . it can be seen that the predicted brightness differential corresponding to the refined geometry better matches the actual difference in pixel value between the two images than the unrefined geometry . fig3 a illustrates the measured area of the scene along the z - axis of the reference camera . line 330 shows the values of the noise - free surface , line 340 shows the area measurements of the surface with noise , and line 350 represents the results of surface optimization . it can be seen that the refinement carried out with the algorithm of the invention caused the area of the surface to deform to be more similar to the ground truth value . in a real experiment , images were taken with the system 100 of fig1 a from inside a larynx . a typical image is shown in fig4 , with areas 410 indicating the presence of visually - perceivable specular reflections . the acquired image data were used according to the data - processing method of the invention to reconstruct the image scene . the results of surface reconstruction for two independently measured larynxes , which vary greatly in shape , texture of the surface , and color , is summarized in fig5 a and 5b . it is worth noting that lambertian reflectance is the most basic reflectance model and does not model the specular reflectance that is present in the endoscopic images . in computer graphics , the relationships among a surface , view and light are used to define geometry shades for a surface or material type . in general , any such model of surface reflectance can be inserted into eq . ( 18 ) by simply deriving a change in the brightness function in response to the normal vector camera position , and light position distance to point , in order to model the surface properties of the larynx . the phong reflection model used in the real experiment is approximated as follows : where ρ =( cos θ i ) β and β accounts for the fall - off of the specular reflectance value as cos θ i decreases . to define d i , phong , the lambertian lighting model of eqs . ( 7 , ( 18 ) was replaced with this geometric brightness model . each of fig5 a , 5 b presents a set of three images ( i , ii , and iii ). images i illustrate the images recorded with the endoscope 100 of fig1 a . images ii present the corresponding qe surfaces with the reprojected image . images iii show the shaded surfaces that are rendered with the phong reflectance model . comparison with reference data and sensitivity analysis . in cases where additional data representing the closed cavity of interest is available that have been independently acquired with a different imaging modality ( for example , computed tomography , ct ), the resulting qe surfaces can be registered to the surface determined based on the additional data using an initial manual alignment ( for example , by using the tracheal bifurcation as a landmark ). the registration is then refined iteratively with , for example , the closest point algorithm . fig6 a illustrates the generated qe surface 610 corresponding to the trachea that is registered with the surface 620 determined using the ct scan . fig6 b provides additional illustration of the registration of the area of the qe surface 630 near the tracheal bifurcation and that obtained with the ct scan , 640 . in order to compare the qe and ct surfaces , the corresponding volumes of the trachea were sliced into polygons along the principal axes of the volumes and computed the areas of each of the polygons . during the comparison of the imaging data obtained with the system and method of the invention with the reference data ( such as the ct scan data referred to as the “ ground truth ” data ), the criteria that are clinically important are the accuracy of the measured surface area and diameter of the spline volume . here , the isosurface of the airway from the voice - box to the carina was extracted with the algorithm of the invention , the comparison between the ct extracted volume and the qe computed volume of the airway an initial alignment by un - rotating and centering the qe volume was performed . to un - rotate , the eigenvectors of the volume &# 39 ; s point covariance matrix were computed and the volume was rotated so that the longest eigenvector was aligned with the principal z - axis . lastly , the mean was subtracted from the point volume . the resulting volume was centered at the origin , with the principal z - axis extending through the trachea . this step is performed on both the ct extracted volume and the qe computed volume , and provides and initial alignment . using the axes alignment as a starting point , we use the iterative closest point algorithm to refine the registration . both axis alignment and icp are rigid body transforms , so the scale of the qe computed volume does not change . the comparison between the qe and ct volumes is performed as follows . we compute a set of level curves for each volume , at intervals along the principal axis ( as shown in fig7 , where the plane 710 , that is transverse to the airway volume 720 , defines the principal axis of the volume as a line that is substantially perpendicular to the plane 710 ). for each of these curves , we compute the area of the contour using green &# 39 ; s theorem . we then compute the diameter of each contour and compare difference between the two volumes . the results are shown in fig8 a through 8d for three sets of level curves , where the solid lines represent the ct scan and the dashed lines show the qe measurements . determination of the quality of the measurement of an area of a closed cavity with an embodiment of the invention is carried out by propagating the covariance of the measurement results . given that , according to eq . ( 9 ), tps ( p , w , r , t )= r 1 + r 2 x + r 3 y + σ i = 0 k w i u (∥ c i − p ∥) ( 20 ) using the eq . ( 10 ), and denoting σz as the measurement covariance of the output values z , of tps (·), the measurement covariance matrix is determined empirically using the reprojection error of the sparse geometry bundle ( based , for example , on triggs et al ., “ bundle adjustment a modern synthesis ”, in vision algorithms : theory and practice , lncs ; springer verlag , 2000 , pp . 298 - 375 ). let j tps define the jacobian of the mapped values with respect to the thin plate spline parameters : the parameter covariance σ tps is determined using back propagation of the measurement covariance σz , as σ tps =( j tps * σ z − 1 *( j tps ) t ) − 1 ( 22 ) if ji is chosen to denote the jacobian of the area measurement a i at distance z i where [( x j , y j , z j ) are the points in the level set z i , then the covariance matrix of σi can be approximated as σ i =( j i t * σ tps * j i ) ( 24 ) fig8 a through 8d show the variation of a diameter of the ct volume measured along the principal axis of the airway cavity , as well as the aligned qe volumes . the value of the diameter was computed without knowledge of the ct surface , and would serve to provide the clinician an estimate of the measurement quality . note that this value provides a conservative estimate of the deviation between the qe volume diameter and the ct volume diameter . these data sets each represent a different traversal of the airway from 2 different patients ( sets 1 and 2 are from the first patient , sets 3 and 4 are from the second patient ). the results illustrated in table 2 show that the mean deviation is close to zero compared to the diameter . these data sets are based on the alignment of the tracheal bifurcation , which provides an unambiguous registration landmark . as discussed above , the proposed method of measurement of a true , metric scale based geometric parameter of a closed cavity — for example , a diameter of the corresponding hollow — is an alternative for measurement such parameter with the mechanical means . the proposed experimental methodology for a cavity surface recovery and refinement causes both the surface back - projection and constraint errors to converge and produces a better approximation of the true surface . the advantage of the thin - plate spine function , chosen as a base model for 3d surface fitting , is that the generated surface directly coincides with the sparse geometry ( namely , 3d points reconstructed from feature matches ), for which the sub - pixel accuracy is achieved at the bundle - adjustment step of the embodiment of the invention . this produces better results than , for example , a nurbs surface that provides an approximation without necessarily touching the control points . while the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail , it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention . | 6 |
fig1 a - 1c illustrate certain electronic systems 10 that utilize a whiteness correction application 12 running on one or more processors 14 to detect and adjust the color of objects 16 within an original image 18 and produce a corrected image 20 . in the preferred embodiment , the objects 16 are teeth and the color of the teeth are adjusted to make them appear whiter , without appearing unnatural and losing detail . the whiteness correction application 12 may also be used to enhance the color of the eye , pearls and other objects . the whiteness correction application 12 may also include other image correction / management functionality , such as resize , color management , format and other such functionality . fig1 a illustrates a computer electronic system 10 a . in this embodiment , the computer electronic system 10 a includes one or more processors 14 a . a whiteness correction application 12 a is loaded into the computer electronic system 10 a and runs on the processors 14 a . the whiteness correction application 12 a operates to receive an original image 18 a from a source , such as a removable media drive , external imaging system , storage system or other such device ( not shown ). the whiteness correction application 12 a operates to detect one or more objects 16 a within the original image 18 a . the whiteness correction application 12 a adjusts the whiteness of the objects 16 a and produces a corrected image 20 a . the corrected image 20 a can then be exported , displayed or stored . fig1 b illustrates a camera electronic system 10 b . in this embodiment , the camera electronic system 10 b includes one or more processors 14 b . a whiteness correction application 12 b is loaded into the camera electronic system 10 b and runs on the processors 14 b . in this embodiment , the whiteness correction application 12 b is generally optimized to operate on processors 14 b having comparably low processing power . the whiteness correction application 12 b operates to receive an original image 18 b directly from the camera &# 39 ; s optical sensor ( not shown ) or storage device ( not shown ) within the camera electronic system 10 b . the whiteness correction application 12 b operates to detect one or more objects 16 b within the original image 18 b . the whiteness correction application 12 b adjusts the whiteness of the objects 16 b and produces a corrected image 20 b . the corrected image 20 b can then be exported , displayed or stored . fig1 c illustrates a scanner electronic system 10 c , such as a flatbed scanner , copy machine , fax or other such scanning device . in this embodiment , the scanner electronic system 10 c includes one or more processors 14 c . a whiteness correction application 12 c is loaded into the scanner electronic system 10 c and runs on the processors 14 c . the whiteness correction application 12 c operates to receive an original image 18 c directly from the scanner &# 39 ; s optical sensor ( not shown ) or storage device ( not shown ) within the scanner electronic system 10 c . the whiteness correction application 12 c operates to detect one or more objects 16 c within the original image 18 c . the whiteness correction application 12 c adjusts the whiteness of the objects 16 c and produces a corrected image 20 c . the corrected image 20 c can then be exported , displayed or stored . it will be understood that the electronic systems 10 may comprise any suitable device or system for running the whiteness correction application 12 . it should also be understood that the electronic systems 10 may include other components and devices without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . fig2 is a flow diagram of a color morphology whiteness correction application 12 d in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , the color morphology correction application 12 d comprises the steps of receiving an original image ( 18 ) 200 , detecting areas within the original image 18 that may be teeth ( 16 ) 202 , skin analysis 204 , foliate analysis 206 , filtering 208 , whitening 210 and outputting a corrected image ( 20 ) 212 . as described below , the color morphology whiteness application 12 d is described in terms of detecting and whitening teeth , but as discussed above , the application 12 d can be applied to other objects 16 within the original image 18 . in step 200 , the original image 18 is received and opened by the color morphology correction application 12 d . in the preferred embodiment , the original image 18 is a color digital image with a suitable resolution . as illustrated in fig1 a - 1c , the original image 18 may be received from any suitable device , system or storage in step 202 , a mask is created to find areas that could be teeth 16 d . teeth 16 d can be in multiple subjects . as part of the analysis process , each image is evaluated based on several parameters of the image data . in the preferred embodiment , teeth 16 d are located by producing a mask image , matched in register with the original image 18 , in which each pixel is assigned a value of true or white if a pixel is likely to be over tooth , zero or black if it is unlikely to be over tooth , and intermediate if the disposition is uncertain . one way to assign these values to each pixel is by a series of layers that assign probabilities to each pixel based on morphologies in the image . these morphologies include attributes such as color , texture , and shapes in the image at and near the pixel being assigned . the original image 18 will have a red record , green record , and blue record value either directly as in an rgb image or by mapping from a color space as in a yuv image . since teeth vary from white to off - white , to yellow white , they tend to be light in the red and green record , and a darker in the blue . on the other hand surrounding skin and lips tend to be more pink or brown or darker yellow and therefore tend to be like teeth light in the red record , but darker than teeth in the green record and blue record . therefore a morphological characteristic of a pixel over a tooth is that it will be lighter in the green and blue records than the average colors within a region , typically 100 pixels in radius . in step 204 , the areas that could be teeth 16 d are analyzed based on the adjacent areas . in the preferred embodiment , each area is analyzed based on whether it is surrounded by skin tones . skin can be found by its color characteristic in which the red channel is about 30 % to 200 % lighter than the green and blue channel . if the pixel candidate for tooth is near a region that averages to this color , the region being at least about 100 pixels across , the probability of being a tooth increases . furthermore , if this color completely surrounds the candidate tooth , the probability is higher still . a further characteristic of teeth is that they are usually near lips that are reddish . such a region can be distinguished as a small region , typically about 25 pixels across , in which the ratio of red to green is 2 : 1 up to 1 : 0 , i . e . no green component . if the candidate tooth is close to such a region , the probability is higher still . yet another characteristic of teeth is that they are near a mouth that has contrasting light and dark areas . particularly in the red channel where teeth , skin , and lips appear white , the shadows internal to a mouth can be seen as quite dark . if the candidate tooth is proximal to a region , typically 50 pixels across , in which there is a wide variation of brightness in the red record , typically 2 : 1 or higher , the probability of being a tooth is higher still . in optional step 206 , the areas that could be teeth 16 d are analyzed based on whether foliage is near the area . in the preferred embodiment , if the candidate area is immediately proximal to a region in which the yellow record averages well below the green record , and also the red record averages even a little below the green record , which is a characteristic of foliage , then the probability of the area being a white flower is higher and the probability of the area being a tooth is lower . in step 208 , the areas are filtered based on the analyses performed in steps 204 and 206 to determine which areas are likely teeth 16 d and remove the areas that are not likely teeth 16 d . the filtering can also include other features and morphology to further improve the identification of objects 16 , i . e ., teeth 16 d . it should be understood that the filtering step 208 can be incorporated into the other steps . in step 210 , the areas identified as being teeth 16 d are lightened . in the preferred embodiment , the most natural appearing lightening has been found to be to lighten the blue record primarily about 30 %, the green record intermediately , and the red record little or none , thereby removing a yellowish cast . furthermore it has been found that in addition to a simple rote lightening of the blue record , that substituting some of the value of the red record into the blue record , typically about 30 %, will have a proportionate effect to the amount of yellowishness of the teeth , varying from no effect if the teeth are already white or gray , and having the strongest effect if the teeth are deep yellow , and therefore modulate correction in proportion to how much it is needed . in step 212 , the data from the original image 18 is combined with the data for lightening the teeth 16 d to create a corrected image 20 d . the corrected image 20 d can then be output to a location selected by the user , such as a display , storage device or other system . fig3 is a flow diagram of a feature whiteness correction application 12 e in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , the feature correction application 12 e comprises the steps of receiving an original image ( 18 ) 300 , detecting the teeth ( 16 ) 302 , whitening 304 and outputting a corrected image ( 20 ) 306 . to maintain consistency , the feature whiteness application 12 e is described in terms of detecting and whitening teeth , but as discussed above , the application 12 e can be applied to other objects 16 within the original image 18 . in step 300 , the original image 18 is received and opened by the feature whiteness application 12 e . as illustrated in fig1 a - 1c , the feature whiteness application 12 e can operate on any suitable device and the original image 18 can be received from any such suitable device . in step 302 , the location of the teeth 16 e are determined through feature recognition . in the preferred embodiment , facial recognition functionality is used to find the face and then the teeth 16 e . step 302 may utilize any suitable facial recognition software to detect the teeth 16 e . for example , the facial recognition can be implemented through intensity variations and through the steps of localization , corner detection , facial feature matching and filtering to reject false matches . in step 304 , the areas identified as being teeth 16 e are lightened . in the preferred embodiment , the most natural appearing lightening has been found to be to lighten the blue record primarily about 30 %, the green record intermediately , and the red record little or none , thereby removing a yellowish cast . furthermore it has been found that in addition to a simple rote lightening of the blue record , that substituting some of the value of the red record into the blue record , typically about 30 %, will have a proportionate effect to the amount of yellowishness of the teeth , varying from no effect if the teeth are already white or gray , and having the strongest effect if the teeth are deep yellow , and therefore modulate correction in proportion to how much it is needed . in step 306 , the data from the original image 18 is combined with the data for lightening the teeth 16 e to create a corrected image 20 e . the corrected image 20 e can then be output to a location selected by the user , such as a display , storage device or other system . throughout the description and claims of this specification the word “ comprise ” and variation of that word , such as “ comprises ” and “ comprising ”, are not intended to exclude other additives , components , integers or steps . while the invention has been particularly shown and described in the foregoing detailed description , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . | 7 |
a door 10 and a cabinet front lower panel 12 are best seen in the view of the cabinet illustrated in fig1 , while cabinet rear upper and lower panels 14 and 16 are best seen in the illustration provided by fig2 . the door 10 and the panels 12 , 14 , and 16 are all provided with slots 18 which permit air circulation in a manner which will be described . the door and the panel material is deformed immediately above each of the slots so as to define overhanging , rain - deflecting protrusions 20 . the cabinet rear upper panel 14 forms part of an upper cabinet frame portion , which is generally designated 22 as shown in fig4 , while the cabinet rear lower panel 16 forms part of a lower cabinet frame portion , which is generally designated 24 as shown in fig5 . the upper and lower cabinet frame portions may be unitary but , as illustrated , are separately constructed and then joined together . a hinge 26 is secured by connectors 23 such as bolts or other fasteners , rivets , or welds , as appropriate , to both the door 10 and the upper cabinet frame portion and interconnects the door and the upper cabinet frame portion so that the door 10 can swing between the closed position shown in fig1 and the open position shown in fig3 and 4 . a lower divider wall 28 defines a base or bottom of an upper chamber 30 , adapted to receive the repeater , and separates the upper chamber 30 from a lower chamber 32 , adapted to receive the power components for the repeater . the divider wall 28 thus constitutes a floor of the upper cabinet frame portion 22 , and , as is apparent from fig3 , may operate to secure that upper cabinet frame portion 22 to the lower cabinet frame portion 24 through the use of connectors 23 . the upper cabinet frame portion 22 includes the divider wall 28 , a pair of side walls 34 extending upwardly from the divider 28 , and a top wall 31 ( see fig6 ) interconnecting the side walls 34 at the upper ends of the side walls . the cabinet rear upper panel 14 , the lower divider wall 28 , the top wall 31 , and the side walls 34 may be of a one - piece , unitary construction and together form the upper cabinet frame portion 22 . the front surface 36 of the top wall 31 is visible in fig4 . a flange 29 ( see fig8 ), defined at forwardly facing edges of the divider wall 28 , the side walls 34 , and the front surface 36 , delimits a forward opening into the upper chamber 30 , and is provided with resilient sealing material 38 . the material 38 provided on the flange delimiting the upper chamber opening cooperates with another flange 40 defined around the perimeter of the door 10 in order to provide adequate sealing against water intrusion when the door 10 is closed . the lower cabinet frame portion 24 includes the cabinet rear lower panel 16 and a pair of side walls 42 with flanges 44 defined at least partially around the perimeter thereof . the cabinet rear lower panel 16 and the side walls 42 with the flanges 44 may be of a one - piece , unitary construction and together form the lower cabinet frame portion 24 . a front upper lateral member 46 and a front lower lateral member 48 are adapted to be fastened by connectors 23 to the flanges 44 . the flanges 44 at the forward facing portion of the frame portion 24 and the front lateral members 46 and 48 delimit a forward opening into the lower chamber 32 . as is best shown in fig5 , a flange or flanges 50 depending from the lower edge of the cabinet front lower panel 12 can be received in a hole or holes 51 in the front lower lateral member 48 , and at least one rotatable locking element 52 cooperates with the front upper lateral member 46 , thereby securing the cabinet front lower panel 12 in place on the lower cabinet frame portion 24 . as illustrated , two rotatable locking elements 52 , which are star locks , are provided . the use of a can wrench such as that which will be described may be required to rotate each locking element 52 . alternatively , the use of a key or other such element could be required . a top cover 54 is secured by connectors 23 to the top of the upper cabinet frame portion 22 and encloses the top wall 31 of the upper cabinet frame portion 22 . the top wall 31 includes an opening therein , which opening is visible in fig6 . a ventilation grid 33 is secured to the inner surface of or , alternatively , formed in , the top wall 31 as shown in fig6 . air is thus permitted to flow out of the upper chamber 30 through the ventilation grid 33 and then through spaces ( not shown ) defined between rear and front overhanging portions 57 and 59 of the top cover 54 and the upper surface of the top wall 31 . as best seen in fig3 , and 5 , screen filters 56 are secured , by adhesive 58 , to the inner surfaces of the door 10 and the panels 12 , 14 , and 16 so as to prevent insects from entering into the chambers 30 and 32 through the slots 18 . a screen filter may optionally be secured over the ventilation grid 33 for the same reason , as shown in fig6 . the door 10 is provided with a supply manifold 60 riveted or otherwise attached to the interior thereof . the supply manifold 60 has an opening 61 which is adapted to line up with a cooling air intake of a fiber optic repeater , which is to be located in the upper chamber 30 , so as to direct air entering into the chamber 30 through the slots 18 in the door 10 to that cooling air intake . the cabinet rear upper panel 14 , similarly , is provided with an exhaust manifold 62 riveted or otherwise attached to the interior thereof . heated air exiting the repeater will enter an opening 64 of the exhaust manifold 62 and is then directed out of the cabinet . a deflector 66 , best shown in fig7 , facilitates entry of the heated air exiting the repeater into the exhaust manifold opening 64 . a substantially u - shaped bracket 70 is secured by connectors 23 to each of the side walls 34 forming part of the upper cabinet frame portion 22 . the brackets 70 oppose and are parallel to each other . each bracket 70 has a track 72 provided on its side facing the other bracket 70 . each track 72 is adapted to receive a corresponding guide 74 provided on opposite lateral sides 78 of a sliding shelf 76 . the tracks 72 and the guides 74 cooperate to permit the shelf to slide between a pushed - in position , illustrated in fig4 - 5 and 8 , and a pulled - out position , illustrated in fig7 . the fiber optic repeater , in use , is disposed on the shelf 76 . by way of the tracks 72 and the guides 74 , the shelf is readily displaced between its pushed - in position , in which the repeater may be in use , and its pulled - out position , in which the repeater may be serviced or replaced . the shelf 76 has openings 80 defined therein which are adapted to accommodate any of several types of fiber optic repeater equipment , such as the mikom / andrew and adc fiber optic repeaters mentioned . the openings 80 provide for mounting of either type of repeater , should it be necessary or desirable to replace one repeater type with another . it is alternatively possible , of course , to replace one shelf 76 having openings specific to one type of repeater with another shelf 76 having openings specific to another type of repeater . as illustrated in fig3 , 7 , and 8 , the divider wall 28 is provided with access holes 82 for the necessary electrical , coaxial , and fiber optic cable connections . bearing rings 84 , in the form of rubber grommets , are incorporated in the access holes to prevent cable damage . a crank 86 , best shown in fig3 , is mounted on and affixed to a crankshaft 88 extending through the door 10 by way of an appropriate bearing element 90 . rods 92 are pivotally secured to opposite ends of the crank 86 , and pass through guides 94 affixed to the interior of the door 10 . rotation of the crankshaft 88 in a clockwise direction as seen in fig3 causes rotation of the crank 86 which , in turn , causes ends 96 of the rods 92 to retract or move toward one another , while rotation of the crankshaft 88 in a counterclockwise direction causes the ends 96 to extend or move away from one another . ends 96 may be configured as rollers . by appropriate rotation of the crankshaft , therefore , the ends 96 of the rods may be displaced into and out of engagement with a rear surface of the flange 29 , best seen in fig8 , so as to lock and unlock the door 10 when the door is in its closed position . at the same time , a locking plate 100 defined on or attached to the crank 86 is moved into and out of engagement with the flange rear surface . the door 10 may therefore be securely retained in its closed position at three separate locations by the ends 96 of the rods 92 and the locking plate 100 . referring now to fig9 and 10 , operation of the overall locking mechanism of the door 10 , which locking mechanism includes the crank 86 , the rods 92 , and the plate 100 mentioned , will be described . a handle seat 112 is welded or otherwise secured to the exterior surface of the door 10 , and includes a central opening 114 . the central opening of the handle seat is configured so as to receive a handle 110 , which forms part of the locking mechanism , when that handle is in its inoperative or closed position . fig9 shows the handle 110 in its closed position , while fig1 shows the handle 110 in its operative or open position . at its upper end 116 , the handle 110 is secured by a conventional ball joint and pin or other such coupling ( not shown ) to the crankshaft 88 , which extends through the door 10 to the crank 86 . the coupling is configured such that the handle 110 is permitted by the coupling to pivot outwardly , e . g . about an axis defined by the coupling pin , with respect to the door 10 but is rotationally fixed to the crankshaft 88 , e . g . by the pin , so that rotation of the handle produces rotation of the crankshaft which , in turn , causes rotational movement of the crank 86 and the locking plate 100 and longitudinal movement of the rods 92 with respect to the guides 94 . the handle 110 also includes a first opening 120 roughly near the longitudinal midpoint thereof and a second opening 122 closer to its lower end 124 . a padlock post 126 is welded or otherwise secured to the door 10 , as best seen in fig9 and 10 , and extends outwardly from the door 10 . when the handle 110 is in the closed position shown in fig9 , the padlock post 126 extends through the first handle opening 120 . the padlock post 126 includes a hole or bore 128 provided therein which is adapted to receive the shackle of a particularly configured , heavy gauge padlock , in a manner which will be described , which assists in locking the handle 110 in its closed position . the padlock used is sufficiently small in size , and the diameter of the padlock post 126 is sufficiently large , that the shackle of the padlock closely matches the contour of the padlock post 126 , thereby making it impossible to place a bolt cutter between the padlock post and the shackle of the padlock . a receptacle 130 is mounted to the interior of the door 10 and is adapted to receive an oblong plate or other locking element 132 of a handle mounted lock 136 disposed at the lower end 124 of the handle 110 . the locking element 132 can be operated by rotation of an actuation element to retain the end 124 of the handle in place or to permit movement of the end 124 . operation of the handle - mounted lock 136 , by engagement and disengagement of the locking element 132 which will be described , is effected by rotating a hexagonally - shaped head 134 of a bolt - shaped actuation element . fig1 shows the locking element 132 disposed in a first position by solid lines and in a second position by phantom lines . the locking element 132 is rigidly connected , by a shaft of the actuation element , to the hexagonally shaped head 134 , which also forms part of the actuation element . when the locking element 132 is in its first position , the longer sides of the locking element are aligned with the body of the handle 110 , and the locking element 132 can pass through an oblong opening 140 defined in the door 10 . the handle 110 can be freely moved about the coupling at its upper end 116 between the inoperative or closed position shown in fig9 and the operative or open position when the locking element 132 is in its first position . if the locking element 132 is moved out of its first position and into a second position such as that illustrated in phantom in fig1 , the locking element 132 is prohibited from passing through the oblong opening 140 . after the locking element 132 has passed through the opening 140 so that it is received within the receptacle 130 , therefore , the locking element 132 can be moved out of its first position by rotation of the hexagonally - shaped head 134 to preclude movement of the handle 110 out of the inoperative or closed position shown in fig9 . conversely , the locking element can also be moved from a second position back into its first position by rotation of the hexagonally shaped head 134 . once the padlock has been removed from the padlock post 126 , therefore , a particular tool , such as a 7 / 16 ″ can wrench , is still required to produce the requisite rotation of the hexagonally shaped head 134 in order to get the door 10 open . since such a tool is typically not readily available to the public , and since the particularly configured padlock is not susceptible to vandalism by bolt cutters , the handle 110 is redundantly locked in its closed position in a manner which is highly secure . the invention can be used to house mikom / andrew and adc fiber optic repeaters and the associated power transformers in a particularly advantageous manner , and defines a standard for a ground mounted , vandal - proof , highly secure , and ventilated electrical enclosure that meets nema ( national electrical manufacturers association ) 3 rainproofing standards . in one preferred configuration , the invention is 53 ″ high by 22 ″ wide by 29 ″ deep . the lower compartment is 19 ″ high and designed to hold the power components associated with fiber optic repeaters in distributed antenna systems . the 39 ″ high upper compartment contains the sliding drawer assembly and is designed to securely house and provide ready access to a fiber optic repeater and , specifically , the andrew / mikom and adc type components used in nextel &# 39 ; s distributed antenna system networks across the country . the foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting . since modifications to the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art , the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof . | 7 |
fig1 schematically illustrates different autonomous software systems ( local software systems — lsys ) 1 to 7 which can be based on different traditional programming languages p 1 , p 2 , p 3 , . . . , pn - 1 , pn ( for example c , prolog , lisp , pascal , fortran , cobol , c ++, etc .). the autonomous software systems 1 to 7 may be represented by concurrent processes , and each of them can be regarded as a uniquely defined system written in such a programming language , particularly , systems 1 to 7 can each be a local software system , each based on another programming language , so that these systems 1 to 7 cannot cooperate directly . ( theoretically it is possible that two systems interact directly — for the sake of simplicity , however ,— these directly interacting systems are , regarded as one single system here , and optionally more systems , e . g . three , may be grouped together too ). in fig1 , 8 denotes a so - called agent space , where the corresponding agents , which will be described below , provide the objects 9 to 17 . in the present case , these objects 9 to 17 are e . g . write - once objects , optionally updateable objects , and they may be considered as units or containers for communication data ; they represent communication objects contained in the shared object space accessible to the different local systems 1 to 7 . access to each communication object 9 to 17 is only possible via one of the agents . a main task of the agents is to provide concurrent access to objects 9 to 17 in such a way that all participants authorized to see said objects 9 to 17 have the same consistent view of them at any time . this aspect is similar to a distributed database system offering transactions on data objects accessible to several participants . the management of activities also includes the specification of tasks , i . e . of programs , which have to processed by certain software systems . a process request can be considered as a contract between the requesting software system and one of the agents , which is responsible for the task being executed by a certain ( other ) software system . the start of a computation is the beginning of a new interaction between the calling and the executing parties . the objects should survive any kind of controllable failures in systems . once occurred , certain situations must remain , because globally visible situations must not be cleared nor changed after other processes have seen them and have based their computations on them . it is necessary to be able to rely on communicated data . as soon as a write - once objects becomes a defined object ( i . e ., a non - empty container ), it represents a certain constant value with high reliability . for example ( in case of write - once objects ), it can not be manipulated to contain other data at a later point of time . activities are implicitly synchronized , because if a system depends on the result of another system , it knows which object contains the data , and it can simply perform an access to them . if the data are not yet available , a system wanting to access them will simply nedd more access time . for the above mentioned requirements , the following coordination “ tools ” described in detail hereinafter are provided in the present system , which enhance the single local systems and programming languages : the communication objects form a reliable , abstract communication mechanism ; specific functions for transactions are provided ; and special language constructs are provided to ensure parallelism and concurrency . all parties participating in a communication have a consistent view of the data objects thus shared . objects may be accessed as if they were present at the local site and embedded in the corresponding software system in such a way that they practically cannot be distinguished from local data . upon proper embedding into the local software ( which requires an enhancement of the software with regard to functions ; examples for the extension of semantics of the basic functions of the software systems to allow operation on communication objects will be discussed below in greater detail ), it will then be possible to communicate via these objects as communication media , with different software systems also being able to communicate via these communication objects , because from their point of view , these communication objects look like local objects . for the programmer this system looks like a globally available space , even though , in reality , it is distributed over a number of sites , comparable to a large distributed database . each interactive process has its own window to this global space , but all processes have the same view on the object . if data are not yet available , a process must wait instead of operating with non - actual data . in such a local space a process will hold local data as usual . the data types in the local space and in the global space must of course be compatible . the communication objects can be of any type , i . e . they may be assigned a value only once or they may be updateable like variables . each process can rely on the data read from the global space , because ( in case of write - once objects ) they will not change , or they are recoverable , respectively . moreover , the communication objects have a unique identification number , but no global name . these object identification numbers ( oid ) are suitable exported via the above mentioned name servers , which are realized at application level by means of known database technologies . the communication objects are shared between processes by passing them in arguments . a process having no reference to a communication object will not gain access to it . the agent maintaining the communication objects prevents processes from obtaining the reference to a communication object by trickery . this gives security , because only authorized processes are granted access to the data . a communication object can be structured , and it can contain other communication objects as components . such sub - communication objects are new containers for the communication , which may obtain values independently of the enclosing communication object . this will be illustrated below by means of an example ( example 1 : producer - consumer problem ) in greater detail . in order to give to all processes shareing communication objects a consistent view , values can be written only within transactions into the globally shared space . the present coordination system advantageously further allows function replication , relaxation of the isolation property of nested transactions , and semantic compensation . the function replication is based on the necessity to replace a failed service by another one which is able to fulfill the same task in an equivalent way . thus a complex task composed of a number of subtasks can be completed , even if a local system fails . the relaxation of the isolation property is important for two reasons : firstly , the principle of autonomy would be negatively effected to a substantial extent if a subtransaction during the coordination of local database systems would require locks in the local database system and holding these locks until the end of the global action . in particular , long - living or interminable processes ( such as the producer - consumer process , cf . example 1 below ) would then become a serious problem . therefore , subtransactions are allowed to terminate ( in database technology : to commit ) before the global process is terminated . on the other hand , working in cooperation requires that intermediate results become visible before the global process terminates . subtasks cannot wait for data of other subtasks until the global process has terminated . the semantic compensation is thus the logical consequence of the relaxation of the isolation property . for example , it may happen that , after successful completion , an action becomes unnecessary ( e . g . due to function replication ) or an action is withdrawn ( if the global task finally fails ). a committed transaction , however , must not be withdrawn , because other autonomous processes might already have seen its results and might have based their computations on them . if a process later decides , that a transaction is not needed , a semantic compensation must be provided for this case . a user - defined compensation action may be specified for this purpose , which will then be activated automatically and may write another communication object . as the software systems to be coordinated already exist and run in parallel in many different places , parallelism in the system is crucial . parallelism between processes is essential for mutual coordination , and it may be provided by means of appropriate language extension , by which means a process can be created ( at a remote site ) and controlled , and by which means communication objects can be passed which are shared between the place of the caller and the place where the process is spawned . the site and the software system where the process shall be executed may be specified . the respective local site is assumed as such a priori , and the process is executed as a process ( if possible , as a thread ) of the system by which it was called . this , ensures sufficient parallelism between the processes . in principle , parallelism within one process is not necessary for the present coordination system , but parallelism between processes is a must . the agents previously mentioned in the context of fig1 mentioned agents are represented by local server processes called coordination servers . wherever the present coordination system shall run , such a coordination server must exist which extends and services the corresponding local software system , as can be seen in the architecture scheme in fig2 . according to fig2 , a coordination server 21 , 22 and 23 , respectively , is present at various locations or computer sites x , y , z in addition to the local software systems 18 , 19 , 20 , which are extended by the enhancements described in greater detail below for the present coordination system ( this is expressed by “& amp ; co ” attached to the corresponding programming languages p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n − 1 , p n ; i . e . p 1 & amp ; co , p 2 & amp ; co , . . . , p n − 1 & amp ; co , p n & amp ; co ). these coordination servers 21 , 22 , 23 are the above mentioned “ agents ” ( cf . hatching in fig1 and 2 ) and define the “ agent space ” in fig1 discussed above and together they form a global operating system 24 . for this purpose , the coordination servers (“ coke ”—“ coordination kernel ”) 21 , 22 , 23 are build in the same way , and for building of the global operating system it is irrelevant how many coordination servers 21 , 22 , 23 are present in each single case . due to this global operating system 24 , it does not matter for the user whether a process runs locally or at a remote place ; the identical coordination servers 21 , 22 , 23 show the same behavior , and this globality results in data abstraction ; access to an object located at a remote site is like access to a local object — the user senses no difference and sees no messages in this respect . according to fig2 , for example , object 9 is created by agent ( coordination server ) 21 and then passed to agents 22 and 23 . the agents serve as distributed “ transaction managers ”. in general , each coordination server can be seen as including the modules ( 1 ) transaction manager ; ( 2 ) process manager ; ( 3 ) strategy manager ; ( 4 ) recovery manager . regarding its general function , the global operating system 24 is shown in fig3 and , in greater detail with regard to transaction control , in greater detail with regard to transaction control , in fig4 to 9 in connection with fig1 to 23 ( transaction manager ); the process manager is apparent from fig2 in connection with fig2 to 31 , and the strategy manager ( composed of single managers smi for the corresponding distribution strategy ) from fig3 to 40 . the recovery manager referred to in fig1 , 14 , 15 , and 28 , 30 , and 32 , contains the following essential elements : either all or none of the actions occurring between start and end are executed ; i . e . in case of a system failure between start and end , no action will be executed . depending on the strategy used ( by setting flags ), the execution is reliable , i . e . effects are recorded ( stored ) into log and data files , or unreliable . fig3 illustrates the main work flow , namely the main loop , of the present system , i . e . in the domain of the global operating system 24 or the corresponding coordination servers 21 , 22 , or 23 , respectively , represented systematically in the form of a flow chart . as can be seen , after an initialization step 25 , a recover step 26 , where all data needed by the coordination server 21 , 22 , or 23 are recovered from the data file or the log file , and step 27 , where an independent , not yet terminated , currently not active process p is defined , in step 28 it is asked whether the process list p is empty , i . e . whether no such process p was found . if this is not the case , the process manager is called , to — according to block 29 — spawn the process p , whereafter the control returns to step 27 . the spawning of a process is a subprogram illustrated below in greater detail by means of fig3 . if the result of the query at 28 is positive , i . e . if no process p exists , in step 30 the execution of triggered work is passed , and in step 31 the next event e is waited for . in step 32 it is asked whether this event e is a message from another coordination server . if not , subsequently in 33 it is asked whether the event e is a request of a local software system ; if not , the event e is treated in step 34 as a console request ; if yes , the event e is treated as a local request , namely according a procedure as shown in fig3 , which is illustrated below by means of fig4 . if , on the other hand , the event e is a message from another coordination server , the strategy manager is called according to block 36 in order to process event e as a message from another coordination server , as will be illustrated below using fig3 . after all three steps 34 , 35 and 36 , the control of the program main loop returns to block 27 according to fig3 to run through the same cycle with regard of a next independent process p . as can be seen in fig4 , in the sub - program , block 35 in fig3 , initially in step 37 the request ( event e in fig3 ) is defined as a local request r . in 38 , it is asked whether request r is a valid query of a coordination server . if not , in step 39 a failure message is generated , and the control is passed immediately to the end of subprogram 35 . if r , however , is a valid request , according to block 40 ( cf . explanation of fig5 below ) control is passed to a subprogram concerning the creation and inspection of communication objects ; then a subprogram follows , block 41 ( see fig9 ), concerning transaction control , then a subprogram , block 42 , concerning transactional requests ( see fig1 ), and finally , in block 43 , a subprogram “ process request ” ( see also the following explanation of fig2 ). with these parts 40 to 43 , the type of the respective local request r is investigated , and the necessary actions are triggered . in the following and with reference to fig5 to 40 , the commands and functions partly already generally mentioned , but partially not yet mentioned are discussed in greater detail ; in general , as can already be observed in fig3 and 4 , in the figures the blocks with bold lines refer to figures that are to be explained hereinafter and that show the respective blocks in bold lines to clarify the context . the commands described below referring to fig5 to 40 , may be seen as an extension of a traditional language to a “ coordination ” language ( by means of library extension or embedding into the respective programming language ). the names of the commands here mentioned are clearly arbitrary and must be seen as examples . the used description is generally based on a programming language neutral syntax and is independent of the data types of the corresponding host language . the execution of the commands takes place within the coordination servers or agents ; the command names solely used as examples ( e . g . “ cobj_create ”, etc . ), are part of the user interface , clarifying the meaning of programming language extension ( p i turns into pi & amp ; co ). firstly , the general control flow of the request to create and inspect communication objects , block 40 in fig4 , is discussed using fig5 . the type of local request r is retrieved by means of different questions , and depending on the result , different functions on objects are triggered , which will be discussed using fig6 , 7 and 8 . in detail , initially at 44 it is asked whether the local request r is a request for the creation of a new object . if yes , the block 45 “ object creation ” ( see fig6 ) follows . if not , next it is asked whether the incoming local request is a request for “ object read ” ( query 46 ). if yes , in block 47 ( see fig7 ) the command “ read object ” is executed . if not , as a third query it is checked at 48 whether the local request is a request for “ alternative wait ” ( supervision of objects ). if yes , the subprogram “ alternative wait ”, block 49 ( see fig8 ), is called ; if not , block 41 in fig4 follows . following is an illustration of the above mentioned functions , where named examples are shown only for those functions which are exported to the application interface , this function serves to create a new communication object , where as the answer a unique object identification number ( oid ) is returned for the new object . this oid is passed as argument to other commands . if desired , when creating a new object — as a so - called option — a distribution strategy can be selected ; by default ( i . e . as suggested by the system ) a standard strategy is used . the type defined upon creation specifies whether the object can be written only once , or whether the object is updateable . moreover , as can be seen in fig6 , block 45 , a new object structure is created , which is administrated by the local agent , is uniquely identified by its oid , and represents a new communication object . the object status is initially undefined (“ undefined ”), and an object time stamp is defined ( and set to null ). this function is used for non - updateable communication objects and returns the contents of the desired communication object , if the latter is already defined ( i . e ., was written in a transaction ). if the communication object is still undefined and a blocking flag is set , the request will wait until the object is written , or otherwise it will return an error code . also , if the process is not authorized to access the object , an error code is returned . if , however , the object is defined and accessible , its value will be returned ; otherwise , if the blocking flag is set , the read request will be appended to the object , where it is automatically woken up as soon as the object is written . it depends on the respective distribution strategy and its flags , whether , it is sufficient for the read request to check the local object structure , or whether communication steps have to be performed which ask other agents for the state and value of the object . in detail , with “ object read ” according to fig7 it is initially tested at 50 whether the process is granted access to the object , and whether the object is of write - once type . if the result of this query is negative , at 51 an error message occurs , but if the result , is positive , at 52 a test takes place whether the object state is defined . if it is defined , at 53 the value of the object is returned , and control proceeds to the end of the function ( block 41 in fig5 ). if , however , the object state is not defined , at 54 it checked whether if the reading is blocking ( i . e . whether the blocking flag is set ), and if not , at 55 an error message occurs ; if yes , in step 56 it is then tested whether the request has been issued by the user , which means that there exists no read request structure yet for this read request . if the result is negative , control proceeds to step 41 ; if the result is positive , according to block 57 a read request structure is created , which is then appended to the object . then , according to block 58 the strategy manger is called to execute the function that the object is to be read . this step 58 will be illustrated in greater detail below , using fig3 . this command is used for non - updateable objects and waits for a group of communication objects like a blocking read . as soon as one of these communication objects from this list becomes defined , the command returns the corresponding oid number of the object . thus , the synchronization of several communication objects can be programmed very conveniently ( without “ busy - waiting ”). if one of the objects denoted in list ( listofoids ) does not exist or is not of write - once the type , or if the process is not authorized to access one of these objects ( see block 59 ), according to step 60 an error message occurs . if the object denoted by the oid is a defined object ( test 61 ), this object is returned as the “ fired object ” ( resp . its list index is returned ), see block 62 in fig8 . this holds true for each oid from the list listofoids . if no object from the list listofoids is defined , an “ alt_wait ” request is appended to each object ( i . e . to the object structure which is maintained by its local agent — 21 , 22 or 23 , according to fig2 ) from the list ( steps 64 to 67 , fig8 ), provided that according to test 63 the request was called by the user . at 64 an “ alternative wait ” request is created , at 65 the next object 0 from the waiting list ( listofoids ) is taken , and at 66 it is tested whether such an object o exists ; if not , the “ alt_wait ” request is appended to the object o ( step 67 ). then the strategy manager is informed that object o is to be read , see step 58 ( which , as already mentioned , will be discussed in greater detail by means of fig3 , below ). steps 65 to 67 and 58 are repeated for all objects of the list . as soon as an object from the list listofoids is defined ( i . e . written in a transaction ), this request is automatically fulfilled , the number of the object in the list is returned , and the request on the actual object and all requests sticking on the other objects are removed . the flow of the transaction control is as shown in general in the scheme , block 41 , of fig9 ; the respective arrived request r is now investigated with regard to possibly contained transactional requests . initially , at 68 it is tested whether a top - level transaction is to be started , and if yes , this is done according to block 69 ( see the following explanation of fig1 ); if not , it is tested at 70 whether a subtransaction is to be started , and if yes , this is done according to block 71 ( see fig1 ); if not true , it is tested at 72 whether a soft transaction commitment is to take place ; if yes , the soft transaction commit is done according to block 73 ( see fig1 in connection with fig1 ); if not , it is tested whether a commitment with a possible abortion ( hard transaction commitment ) is to be done , see block 74 in fig9 ; if the result is yes , the transaction commitment is done according to block 75 , which is shown in fig1 together with the soft transaction commitment . if the request r is no transaction commitment request , next it is tested at 76 whether an abortion of the transaction is required , and if yes , this transaction abortion is done according to block 77 ( see fig1 ); if not , next it is tested at 78 whether the request concerns a transaction cancellation , and if yes , this cancellation is done according to block 79 ( see also fig1 ); if not it is finally tested at 80 whether the request concerns the cancellation of a transactional request , and if yes , at 81 this request cancellation is performed ( see also fig1 ); if not , the flow continues after the execution of the single transactional functions 69 , 71 , 73 , 75 , 77 , 79 or 81 , at block 42 in fig4 , which is the block for transactional requests as illustrated below in greater detail by means of fig1 . before , the single transactional functions 69 , 71 , 73 , 75 , 77 , 79 or 81 , will be illustrated in greater detail according to fig1 , 11 , 12 ( with 13 ), 14 , 15 , and 16 . start of a top - level transaction : tid & gt ;- top — trans_begin ( cf . fig1 ) by means of this function a new top - level transaction is created and its unique identification number ( tid ) is returned . the tid is passed as argument to other commands . more precisely , with these functions in step 82 a unique tid is generated and a transaction structure uniquely identified by this tid is created , with a note that this is a top - level transaction ( i . e . it does not have a father transaction ). the execution state of tid is set to started (“ started ”). then at 83 it is tested whether the start of the transaction has been called via the application interface ( api ) of the local software system ; if this is true , the transaction type is defined as normal ( step 84 ); if this is not true , the transaction type is set to be an aide transaction ( step 85 ). in both cases , subsequently the tid is returned ( step 86 ). start of a ( sub ) transaction : ( tid , msgnr )& lt ;- trans_begin ( tid father ) ( cf . fig1 ) this function , block 71 in fig1 , serves for the creation of a nested subtransaction ; a tid is returned together with the unique identification of this subtransaction request . ( more precisely , trans_begin is also a transactional request .) the argument tid father must denote a valid tid in which this transaction is started as a subtransaction , and this is tested initially at 87 . tid father depends on the success of tid , and tid must be aborted , if tid father does not succeed . as the isolation property of transactions has been relaxed , tid may commit before tid father has finished . if , however , tid father fails afterwards , tid will be compensated . essentially , the procedure is the same as for top_trans_begin , only that a note is made in the transaction structure that tid father is the father transaction of tid . apart from the test for the tid father transaction , at 87 it is also checked whether this tid father transaction is in the state of started (“ started ”) or whether is has not succeeded (“ failed ”). if the result of the test at 87 is negative , in step 88 an error message is returned . otherwise in step 89 a unique tid is generated , the corresponding transaction structure is created , the transaction father ( tid father ) is defined , the execution state of the transaction is set to started (“ started ”), and the transaction type is set to normal . subsequently , at 90 , the tid and the unique message number are returned , and then — like in the case of the error message according to step 88 — the control proceeds to block 42 ( fig4 ). the start of a weak transaction commitment ( i . e . a commitment action without an abortion ) of a transaction tid , tiggers the execution of all transactional requests ( analogous to the “ hard ” or unconditional transaction commitment ) called in this transaction ; if only one of these requests cannot be executed , the commitment cannot succeed , and as a result the number of the failed request is returned . otherwise , if the commitment is successful , the effects of all requests are made visible in one atomic step and all specified on - commitment actions are started ; moreover , a success message is returned . if the procedure for a ( weak ) transaction commitment is called by the user , the transaction identification tid must not denote an aid transaction . in detail , if the transaction denoted by tid does not exist , or if its execution state is neither “ started ” nor “ failed ”, or if the process is not authorized to access the objects appearing in the transactional requests ( see test block 91 in fig1 ), an error message ( step 92 in fig1 ) is created . moreover , the execution state of the transaction is set to “ committing ” ( see block 93 ). then — according to block 94 — the strategy of the transaction is determined or checked , respectively , by means of the requests called in this transaction , i . e . the strategies of all objects written in this transaction by write requests , of all objects read by cobj_trans_read ( see below ), of all objects serving as pids or appear in entries in the requests dep_process , compensation_action , and on_commitment_action described below , and the strategies of all subtransactions must have the same the reliability class and must belong to the same basic strategy . if this is not the case , again an error message will be generated ( see block 92 ). then an attempt is made to fulfill each transactional request of this transaction . if applicable , all transactional requests r are treated sequentially by loop 95 with 96 as the first step ( which invariably switches to the next request ), until the list of requests has been completely treated , i . e . it is empty ( test 97 ), where upon the control passes to the procedure “ transaction commitment termination ” ( see block 98 and fig1 ). as long as requests exist , i . e . r is not empty ( test 97 ), the following happens : if r is a subtransaction ( test 99 ), the request must have completed ( test 100 ) and must have committed successfully ( test 101 ); otherwise , an error message is created ( block 92 ). if request r is a write request ( test 102 ), it is appended ( block 103 ) to the object structure of the object oid to be written , and an attempt is a made to write into the object ( block 104 ); this procedure will be illustrated hereinafter using fig2 , for how the following explanations will suffice : the corresponding distribution strategy is called in order to obtain an exclusive lock on oid ( i . e . the “ main copy ” if replication protocols are used ); if the oid is already locked by another transaction and if the locking transaction is younger than the current transaction tid , the younger transaction must temporarily release the lock for tid ( deadlock prevention ! ); the request of the younger transaction will be woken up later automatically ; if the oid is already defined and if it is a write - once object , an error message occurs ; otherwise , the object carrying the number oid will now be locked for tid , and tentatively the value is written into oid ( i . e . it is not yet globally visible ); in this case , all write requests called so far called in this transaction must be considered ; communication objects appearing in an overwritten value of an updateable object , are subjected to garbage collection depending on the protocol at hand ( see fig4 ), provided that their reference counter has decremented to 0 ; if the request concerns a dependent process ( which will be explained in detail by means of fig2 ), i . e . it is a dep_process request , which is checked by means of test 105 in fig1 , in step 106 a corresponding dep_process request is created which is then appended to the pid object of the process , and subsequently this transactional request is treated again in block 104 ( see fig2 ); it is waited until this dep_process request has terminated . if the execution state of this request is neither “ prepared ” nor “ cancelled ”, an error message occurs . if the request r is a request for transactional read ( see fig1 ), i . e . a cobj_trans_read request , which is tested at 107 in fig1 , this request ( according to step 108 ) is will be appended to the object structure of the object oid to be written , and the control flow proceeds to the procedure according to block 104 ( see fig ., 23 ), calling the respective distribution strategy in order to obtain an exclusive lock for the object oid ( viz . the above procedure for write requests ); then it is tested whether the value read is still valid ; if not , or if the initial trans_cobj_read request has failed , an error message occurs . as soon as all requests have been executed successfully ( test : r is empty , block 97 ), as described above , the procedure “ transaction commitment termination ” block 98 ( see fig1 ) is called ; no lock may be given up in favour of other transactions ; all effects ( values written into objects ) are now made visible in one ( atomic ) step ; this also includes the starting of all “ on_commitment_action ” requests of this transaction ( the same procedure as the start of an independent process to be described ) and the sending of a signal “ commit ” to all dep_process procedures of this transaction . the reliability of the effects of the transaction depend on the respective distribution strategy of the transaction . if the transaction was a top - level transaction , its transaction structure may now be removed ( not shown in fig1 for the sake of simplicity ). otherwise , its execution state is set to “ committed ”, and it must be kept until its father transaction terminates , because compensation action procedures are still needed until then . if it is an aide transaction , the termination ( exit ) of the corresponding independent process is now called . the call of the distribution strategy in order to obtain an exclusive lock ; need not be successful immediately , but may require a number of communication steps . as soon as a decision exists , the transaction manager is activated automatically in order to proceed with the commitment ( fig1 ). an error message — see block 92 in fig1 in the execution of transactional requests does not mean that the transaction is aborted ; in case of a soft transaction commitment ( test 109 ), the execution state of the transaction is set to “ failed ” ( step 110 ), and the message number ( msgnr ) of the request which caused the error message can be queried ; this request can be withdrawn by means of “ cancel ” and an attempt to commit the transaction may be made again . if the strategy of the transaction is a “ reliable ” strategy , the effects of the transaction will also survive system failures . if the result of the test 109 is , that a “ hard ” transaction commitment is involved , this function trans_commit behaves like the above soft transaction commitment function ( trans_try_commit ), with the exception that if the commitment is not successful , the transaction tid will be automatically aborted , see block 77 in fig1 , “ trans_abort ”, illustrated in detail in fig1 . before the abortion of a transaction is explained in detail by means of fig1 , an explanation is now given of the procedure “ transaction commitment termination ” ( see block 98 in fig1 ) by means of fig1 . in this procedure , it is initially tested at 111 whether all transactional requests of the transaction have already been done ; if not , control passes immediately to the exit of this procedure ( and , for example , to block 42 in fig4 ). if the result of the test at 111 is positive however , at 112 the recovery manager is called in order , to perform the atomic step start . subsequently , the next request is taken from the list of transactional requests of the transaction ( step 113 ), and at 114 it is tested whether there is another request r in the list r . if r is not empty , i . e . as long as transactional requests exist , it is tested at 115 whether the request concerns the creation of a subtransaction ; if yes , control returns to step 113 ; if not , it is then tested at 116 , whether the request concerns a transactional request “ object write ”. if not , at 117 it is tested whether the request concerns an independent process ; if yes , control also returns to step 113 , otherwise it is tested at 118 whether the request is the transactional request “ transactional object read ”; if not , then at 119 it is tested whether this request concerns the transactional request “ om - commitment action declaration ”; if not , the control also returns to step 113 . the transactional requests “ object write ”, “ transactional object read ” and “ on - commitment action declaration ” are illustrated in detail below in fig1 , 19 and 21 . if in the control flow of fig1 the result of the test for “ object write ”, block 116 , is positive , in step 120 the value of the object is tentatively written into the object , the time stamp of the object is incremented , and the status of the object is set to “ defined ” or “ reference ”, respectively . subsequently , at 121 , the transactional procedure “ object wake - up ” is called , which will be explained below in greater detail by means of fig2 , and the control then returns to step 113 . if test 118 reveals that the request is a transactional object read , in step 122 it is tested whether the time stamp of the object concerned equals the time stamp at the time of reading , and if this is the case , procedure 121 “ object wake - up ” is called , too . if , however , this is not the case , at 123 the recovery manager is called in order to execute the atomic step abort , after which it is tested at 124 whether the commitment concerned was a soft or an ordinary ( hard ) transaction commitment . in case of a hard transaction commitment , according block 77 the transaction is aborted in case of a soft transaction commitment , however , the execution state of the transaction is set to . “ failed ”, see block 125 in fig1 . in both cases an error message will follow according to step 126 . if the result of the test 119 reveals , that the request r is the declaration of an on - commitment action , according to block 127 the process manager is called in order to start an independent process ( as explained below in fig2 ) for the on - commitment action . subsequently , control also returns to step 113 . if at test 114 it turns out that there are no requests any more ( r is empty ), the previously set locks will be released on all objects locked by the transaction , see step 128 , and the signal commit is sent to all dependent subprocesses of the transaction , step 129 , whereafter in step 130 the execution state of the transaction is set to “ committed ”. after the successful commitment of the transaction , finally the recovery manager is called to execute the atomic step “ end ” ( block 131 ). then , for example , the control is passed to the next procedure ( transactional requests according to block 42 in fig4 ). in the control flow according to fig9 , a transaction abortion follows , after the transaction commitment , as the next option , see block 77 , and such a transaction abortion must also be performed at the end of the procedure according to fig1 ( transaction commitment ). this function causes the abortion of the specified transaction tid and — if this transaction has subtransactions — their abortion recursively ( see block 77 ′ in fig1 ). it must be noted that if one or more subtransaction ( s ) has ( have ) already committed successfully , the abortion of the transaction will cause the execution of the compensation action ( s ) of those subtransactions which are assumed to also compensate for all effects of their subtransactions , i . e . in this case no cascading compensation takes place . if the transaction tid to be aborted possesses a father transaction , the latter cannot commit successfully unless the transaction tid is cancelled explicitly ( by means of “ trans_cancel ( tid )”, see below ) in detail , the control flow according to fig1 is as follows : after the initial call of the recovery manager at 132 to execute the atomic step start , at 133 is is tested whether the starting state of the transaction tid is “ failed ” or “ started ”; if yes , “ trans abort ” is also called for all subtransactions of the transaction tid , and the signal “ abort ” is sent to all dependent (“ dep_process ”) processes ( see below ), which were started in the transaction tid . according to step 134 , the next dependent process of the transaction is denoted by r , and at 135 it is tested whether such processes still exist ; if r is not yet empty , according to block 219 , the process manager is called to send the signal “ abort ” to the pid of the request ( as to “ send signal ”, see also fig2 , below ); if , according to test 135 , there are no processes left , i . e . if r is empty , in step 136 the next subtransaction of the transaction is denoted by t , and at 137 it is tested whether there still is one . if there is , this subtransaction t is aborted according to block 77 ′., and control returns to step 136 . if there are no subtransaction any more ( exit “ y ” of test 137 ), according to step 138 the starting state of the transaction tid is set to “ aborted ”. if after a negative test result at 133 it turns out in test 139 that the starting state of the transaction tid is “ committed ”, according to step 140 ( definition of the next r ); test 141 (“ is list r empty ?”) and block 142 ( start of an independent process ) all compensation actions of this transaction tid are activated ( the same procedure as the starting of an independent ( indep ) process ). if , on the other hand , the starting state of the transaction tid is not “ committed ” ( block 139 ), but “ committing ” according to test 143 , all transactional requests of the transaction must be found which have been appended to objects by the commitment action , and they must be removed . in addition , potential object locks caused by the transaction tid must be re - set ( step 144 ). subsequently , the procedure “ object wake - up ” 121 ( see fig2 ) is called to wake up all objects locked by the transaction . then , the state of the transaction is set to “ aborted ” and the transaction structure can be removed ( step 138 ). according to step 121 ′, subsequently the procedure “ object wake - up ” is called again ( fig2 ) to wake up the pid of the process of the transaction . then , at 145 , the recovery manager is called to execute the atomic step “ end ”. this step 145 is also reached if in test 143 it turns out that the state of the transaction is not “ committing ”. cancellation of a transaction : trans_cancel ( tid ) ( see fig1 and block 79 in fig9 ) this request behaves like “ transaction abort ” (“ trans_abort ( tid )”), ( see above and block 77 in fig1 ), except that the success of an enclosing father transaction is not concerned . thus , if after the start step 146 , in test 147 it turns out that the respective transaction tid is not a top - level transaction , according to step 148 , the trans begin ( tid father ) request is removed from the list of transactional requests of its father transaction . afterwards — or if the transaction is a top - level transaction ( test 147 ) the abortion of the transaction follows , block 77 , followed by the termination step 149 . cancellation of a transactional request : cancel ( tid , msgnr ) ( block 81 in fig9 , see fig1 ) the last block in the control flow of fig9 concerns a possible request cancellation ( block 81 ); in this case , according to fig1 , initially at 150 the state of the transaction is tested ; if this state is started or failed , the request having the specified number is removed from the transaction tid , see step 151 in fig1 . if the state of the transaction is neither started nor failed , an error message is given according to step 152 . thus , according to fig1 , the transactional request specified by the message number “ msgnr ” is cancelled . ( if this request concerns the creation of a subtransaction , “ cancel ” has the same effect as “ trans cancel ”, see above , and analogously , for dependent processes it has the same effect as “ signal_ ( cancel )”, see below ; this , however , is not shown in fig1 for the sake of simplicity .) if control returns to fig4 , the control flow there after block 41 , command for transaction control , is block 42 : transactional request . the control flow of this function 42 is shown in fig1 in greater detail ; it can be seen that initially it is tested ( at 153 ) whether the request is an object write request . if yes , the procedure “ object write ” is called according to block 154 ; this transactional request object write will be explained below in detail using fig1 . if there is no request to write an object , subsequently it is tested at 155 whether a request for transactional read exists . if yes , according to block 156 the procedure “ transactional object read ” is called , which will be described by means of fig1 . if not , at 157 it is tested whether the request concerns a dependent process . if yes , at 158 the process manager is called to start the dependent process ; the respective procedure (“ dep_process start ”) will be illustrated in greater detail below in the context of the process manager . if no dependent process is to be treated , it is tested in step 159 whether the request concerns the declaration of a compensation action , and if so , according to block 160 , the procedure “ compensation action declaration ” will follow ( which will be explained in greater detail below using fig2 ). if not , finally at 161 it is tested whether the request concerns the declaration of an on - commitment action , and if yes , according to block 162 the procedure “ on - commitment action ” will follow , which will be explained in greater detail below using fig2 . in detail , the transactional requests mentioned above ( see fig1 ) must be explained as follows : declaration of an object write : msgnr & lt ;- cobj_write ( tid , oid , value )( see block 154 in fig1 ; fig1 ) using this request , the writing of a value into the communication object oid in a transaction tid — see block 163 in fig1 is declared . however , the writing will only be performed at the time of a successful transaction commitment ( see above explanations of fig1 and 13 ). according to step 164 , a locally unique message number (“ msgnr ”) is returned , which can be used to refer to following this write request , e . g . to cancel it . in detail , by means of this command , a transactional request structure is generated , which specifies that a value is to be written into the communication object oid , and this request structure is appended to the transaction structure identified by tid . this request is used for updateable communication objects and behaves similar to “ object read ” (“ cobj_read ”; see above fig7 ), with a logical time stamp ( time1 ) being used to assure that the value to be read is more recent than this time stamp . otherwise , depending on the blockingflag , either an error message is returned or it is blocked . if a blockingflag is set , it may be waited ( in contrast to “ object read ”) until the time condition is fulfilled , whereafter , besides a locally unique identification of the read request (=“ msgnr ”) the actual value of oid (“ value ”) and a logical time stamp (“ time2 ”) of the read value , will be returned . if the blockingflag is not set , and if the time condition is fulfilled , the same data as described above will be returned ; otherwise an error message will occur , and it will be noted that the read did not succeed . after a successful corresponds read , the transaction tid checks at transaction commitment time whether the time stamp time2 still to the actual value of the object , and makes the success of the commitment dependent on this fact . the number (“ msgnr ”) uniquely identifying the read request can later be used to cancel this command . analogously to “ alt_wait ” ( see fig8 ), there also exists a transactional request for updateable communication objects , which also uses time stamps . in detail , according to fig1 , for the transactional object read it is initially tested ( step 165 ) whether the read request has already been answered ; if yes , the control flow immediately turns to the exit ( e . g . to 43 or 215 ) of procedure 156 ; if not , subsequently it is tested at 166 whether the process is authorized to access the object ; if this is not the case , according to step 167 an error message is returned , and the control flow also turns to the exit of procedure 156 . if the access authorization is given , it is then tested , whether the request has been called by the user ( which means that there does not yet exist a transactional read request structure on the transaction for this read request ). if the request has been called by the user , subsequently in step 169 the state of the object is tested , i . e . it is tested whether the state is “ defined ”, and it is also tested whether the object time stamp is older , i . e . larger than the time stamp of the value ( time1 ). if , however , the result of test 168 is that a transactional read request structure does not yet exist , such a structure is created in step 170 and appended to the transaction , whereupon the control flow continues at test 169 . if then the result of test 169 is positive , according to step 171 the time stamp time2 of the time when the object was read is marked on the object , and the value (“ value ”), the above mentioned unique message number ( msgnr ) and the time stamp time2 of the value are returned . afterwards , control flow goes to the exit of procedure 156 . however , if the result of the test at 169 is negative it is tested at 172 whether it is a blocking read ( i . e . whether the above mentioned blockingflag is set ), and if not , according to step 167 an error message occurs ; if yes , the strategy manager is called to execute the procedure “ object shall be read ”, block 58 ( see also fig3 ). dep process start : generation of a local process structure ( see block 158 in fig1 ): msgnr actually , this procedure belongs to the process manager , although it can also be treated as a transactional request ( see fig1 ), and therefor its description is given here . in general , after the tests of tid , pid , entry and site , like in the case of “ indep_process ” ( see below , and fig2 ), a new process structure is created if the process ( with the number pid ) shall run on the local computer (=“ site ”), and the process is started locally ; otherwise , the distribution strategy of pid is called to send the process to the computer specified as “ site ”. moreover , a transactional request structure is generated , which specifies that a dependent process has been started , and this transactional request structure is appended to the transaction structure denoted by tid . a locally unique number is returned , which can be used to cancel the request . a transaction tid can only commit successfully if all its dependent subprocesses have completed successfully . an aide transaction is generated , which is marked to be the transaction of this process in its process structure . in detail , according to the control flow in fig2 , initially at 173 it is tested whether the process is granted access to all objects of the dependent process and to the process identifier pid ; if not , according to step 174 an error message occurs , and the control flow goes to the exit of the procedure ( for example to 43 ). if the access authorization is given , in step 175 a dep_process request is generated and appended to the transaction , whereupon at 176 the procedure “ create process ” is called , which will be explained below in greater detail using fig3 . then , in step 177 a unique message number is returned . declaration of a compensation action : msgnr & lt ;- compensate_action ( tid , pid , lsys , site , entry )( see fig2 and block 160 in fig1 ) at 178 it is tested , whether the current process having the number pid is authorized to access all objects appearing in “ entry ” and to the pid ; if not , an error message is created ( step 179 ). otherwise , in step 180 a transactional request structure is generated , specifying that a compensation action has been defined , and this structure is appended to the transaction structure denoted by tid . then , in step 181 a locally unique number is returned , which can be used to cancel the command . compensation actions are started when the transaction tid has successfully committed and must be aborted later . on - commitment action declaration . msgnr & lt ;- on_commitment action ( tid , pid , lsys , site , entry )( see fig1 and block 162 in fig1 ) in principle , this command is similar in its control flow to the command “ compensate_action ” according fig2 , but the request structure specifies that an on - commitment action has been declared . initially in step 182 the access authorization of the process , concerning the objects of the on - commitment action and the pid is tested , and if access authorization is not given , an error message is returned according to step 183 . otherwise , in step 184 an on - commitment request is generated and appended to the transaction concerned , and then in step 185 a unique message number (“ msgnr ”) is returned . on - commitment actions are started with the commitment of tid . before discussing the process requests ( see block 43 in fig4 ) and the corresponding process manager ( fig2 , 26 and 28 to 31 ) in greater detail , the wake - up of an object ( compare , e . g . block 121 or 121 ′ in fig1 and 14 ) and the treatment of transactional requests ( see block 104 in fig1 ) will be explained , referring to fig2 and 23 . initially , in block 186 , r is set to the next request of the object , and then at 187 it is tested whether r is empty ; if not , at 188 it is tested whether r concerns the reading of an object ; if yes , the procedure object read is called at block 47 , and subsequently the control flow returns to step 186 . if the result of the test at 188 is negative , at 189 it is tested whether r concerns an alternative wait , and if yes , the corresponding procedure 49 is called , whereafter the control flow also returns to step 186 to check the next request . if r does not concern an alternative wait , either according to block 104 transactional requests are treated ( see the following explanation of fig2 ), and then the control flow returns to step 186 . if at test 187 it turnes out that r is empty ( exit “ y ”), then at 190 it is tested whether the object is a process identification number , and if not , the control flow goes to the exit of procedure 121 ; if the result of the test is positive , according to block 190 ′ it is tested whether the process denoted by pid is terminating ; if yes , the process manager is called to execute a “ soft process end ”, see block 191 , which will be described below in greater detail using fig2 . if the result of the test in block 190 ′ is negative , the control flow jumps to the exit of procedure 121 . treatment of transactional requests : ( fig2 , block 104 ) initially , at 192 , the object is dereferenced , giving o , and at 193 the relationship o & lt ;& gt ; object is tested , i . e . it is checked whether o does not equal the object . if the result of the test is positive , in step 194 the transactional requests of the object concerned are moved to o , and according to block 104 ′ again procedure 104 for the treatment of transactional requests is called , but this time it is called for o , an then the control flow goes to the end of the procedure . if , however , the result of the test at 193 is negative , at step 195 , r is set to the next dependent process request of o , and at 196 it is tested whether r is empty . if not , at 197 it is tested whether the process has terminated , and if not , the strategy manager is called with the procedure “ object shall be read ”, depending on the respective process identification number pid ( block 58 ). if , however , the process has already terminated ( see test 197 ), in step 198 the request is removed from the object , and in step 199 it is tested , whether the state of the request is “ prepared ” or “ cancelled ”. if not , in step 200 the transaction commitment is aborted , the requests are removed from the objects , and the execution state is set to “ failed ”, whereafter at 201 an error message is returned and the control flow goes to the exit of the procedure . if , however , the result of the test at 199 was positive , procedure 98 “ transaction commitment termination ” is called ( with regard to the transaction of the actually treated dependent process request ), and the control flow returns to step 195 , to treat the next dependent process request . if the result of the test at 196 is that r is empty , i . e . there are no more requests concerning dependent processes , in step 202 , t is set to the oldest transaction of all requests of o , and at 203 it is tested , whether the state of o is “ locked ” and whether the locking transaction is younger than t or not in the “ committing ” state . if not , in step 204 , t is set to the locking transaction , and at 205 the strategy manager is called to execute the procedure “ is object exclusively locked ”, which is described below using fig3 . if such an exclusive lock does not yet exist , the strategy manager is called ( step 206 , see also fig3 and the following explanation ) to obtain an “ exclusive object lock ”. then the control flow proceeds to the exit of procedure 104 . the strategy manager calls 205 , 206 also follow if the result of test 203 is positive , in which case according step 207 the object locks of all requests of the locking transaction are given up in favour of t ( i . e . the oldest transaction of all requests of o ), the requests are again appended to the objects , and then according to 104 ″ the procedure 104 is called for the treatment of transactional requests , i . e . with regard to all requests of the previously locking transactions . then , as mentioned at 0 . 205 and at 206 if applicable , the strategy manager is called to achieve an exclusive object lock . if it has turned out at procedure 205 that the object is already exclusively locked , in step 208 , r is set to the next transactional object write request or the next transactional object read request of t on o and the request r is removed from o . then at 209 it is tested whether r is empty , and if yes , the control flow proceeds to the exit of the procedure ; if r is not yet empty , at 210 it is tested whether r concerns the writing of an object , and if yes , at 211 it is then tested whether the object to be written is a write - once object ; if not , i . e . if the object is an updateable object , in step 212 the state of the object is set to “ locked ”, the desired value is tentatively written into the object , and the time stamp is incremented ; the request is thus fulfilled , and the control flow returns to step 208 to treat the next request . if , however , at test 211 the result is that the object to be written is a write - once object , at 213 it is tested whether the state of the object is “ defined ”, and if yes , an abortion of the transaction commitment takes place according to step 200 , and an error message occurs according to step 201 . if , however , the state of the object is not “ defined ”, i . e . the result of the test at 213 is negative , in step 214 it is tested whether the object state is “ locked ”, i . e . whether the object concerned is locked by another write request . if yes , the transaction commitment is also aborted according to step 200 , and an error message is produced according to step 201 ; if not , the above described procedure , according to 212 will follow before the control flow returns to step 208 . if the test at 210 , i . e . whether r is an object write request , gets a negative result , the procedure “ transactional object read ” is called according to block 156 ( see fig1 and the corresponding description ), whereupon it is tested at 215 whether the read request could be answered . if not , the control flow returns to step 208 , if yes , the state of the object is set to “ locked ”, the request is fulfilled , see block 216 , and the control flow also returns to step 208 . fig2 illustrates the control flow of the process request ( see block 43 in fig4 ) in detail . initially at 217 it it tested whether the request concerns an independent process ( indep_process ), and if yes , the process manager mentioned above in the context of fig1 is called for the start of an independent process , block 127 . if the request , however , does not concern an independent process , at 218 it is tested whether the request concerns the sending of signals , and if yes , at 219 the process manager is called with the procedure “ send signal ” ( see fig2 , explained below ). otherwise , at 220 it is tested whether the request concerns a “ soft process end ” ( coke_try_exit ), i . e . the termination of a process with permission check ; if yes , at 191 the process manager is called for the execution of the “ soft process end ” of this process ; if not , at 221 it is finally tested whether an unconditional termination of the process (“ coke_exit ”) is concerned , and if true , the process manager is called to execute the procedure “ process end ”. the procedures “ soft process end ” and “ process end ” will be described below in greater detail , using fig2 and 29 . the above mentioned processes and the processes “ process creation ” and “ process spawning ” are now explained using fig2 to 31 . start of an independent process , indep process start : indep_process ( pid , lsys , site , entry ) ( see fig2 ) with this command , an independent (= autonomous ) process is started , which is uniquely identified by a pid number ( process identification number ). this pid number is also a communication object by itself , the value reflecting the execution state of the process . the process is started at the computer at location “ site ” ( x , y or z in fig2 ) at the local software system lsys ( 18 , 19 or 20 ), where it is checked ( see step 223 in fig2 ) whether the process at issue possesses access authorization to all objects appearing in “ entry ” and to the pid ( and whether these objects and the pid are compatible regarding the strategy used , whether “ site ” is a valid site address , and whether tid denotes a running ( started or failed ) transaction ); if this is not fulfilled , according to step 224 an error message is created . if the pid is already in use as a pid , an error message occurs , too . “ entry ” specifies the function to be executed , to which communication objects may be added as arguments this new process 1 then also authorized to see . according to block 176 ( see also fig3 , below ), a new process structure is generated if the process is to run at the local site , and the process is started locally ; otherwise the strategy manager is called by pid to send the process to the computer specified as “ site ”. the reliability of the process start depends on the actual distribution strategy . moreover , an aide transaction is generated , which is noted as the transaction of this process in its process structure . if an independent process belongs to a reliable distribution strategy ( protocol flag “ reliable ”), it is , recovered after a system failure , and if it has not yet terminated , it is also automatically recovered . independent processes are started by the coordination server until a final execution state is reached . sending of signals : signal ( pid , signal ) ( see fig2 ) with this request a specified signal ( e . g ., “ abort ”, “ commit ”, or “ cancel ”, etc . ), for which optional flags can be specified , e . g . specifying whether the signal shall be passed to subprocesses , is sent to the process , which is denoted by the pid number . in the called procedures it is suitably tested whether pid is a communication object , denoting a process , and whether it is a valid signal ( for example , a user must not send the signal “ abort ” to a dependent process (“ dep_process ”) which is already “ prepared ”). if the process denoted by pid runs on a remote site ( see test 225 in fig2 ), the strategy manager , given by pid , is activated to send the signal to the agent of the remote site ( block 226 , procedure “ send signal ”; see fig3 below ), which will send it to the corresponding process there . the reliability of sending depends on the distribution strategy (“ reliable ” or “ unreliable ”). moreover , according to fig2 , at 227 , 228 , 229 and 230 the individual signals are checked for their subject (“ abort ”, “ commit ”, “ cancel ”, etc . ), and if applicable , the corresponding “ process end ” is called with the corresponding exit value (“ abort ” or “ commit ” or “ cancel ”), block 191 , which will be illustrated below using fig2 . process termination with permission check ( soft process end ): coke_try_exit ( exitvalue ) ( see fig2 ) this command serves to terminate a current process , where “ exitvalue ” can take values analogously to the signal types . the reached execution state is written into pid . if the desired state is not reachable , then “ coke try exit ” returns an error message . it is therefore — after an “ atomic step start ” 231 — initially tested whether the exit value is allowed ( test 232 ); this depends on whether “ coke_try_exit ” has been called by the user or by the system . the latter is , for example , the case if internally a signal “ abort ” or a signal “ commit ” is sent to a process . allowed are : exit value — by whom — in which type of process where the execution state is either not yet set or has the explicitly given value ): e . g . “ prepare ” from the user to an independent or dependent process ; or “ commit ” from the user to an indep process ( not yet set or succeeded ) or by the system to a dep process ( prepared ); or “ abort ” from the user to an indep process ( not defined or succeeded ) or to a dep process or from the system to a dep process ( not defined or prepared ); or “ cancel ” from the user to a dep process ( not defined or prepared ). afterwards it noted on the process that it is terminating ( block 233 ). if the exit value is “ abort ” ( see test 234 in fig2 ), after writing of the pid ( block 235 ) the atomic procedure “ coke_try_exit ” is terminated as follows ( hereinafter referred to as procedure a ): all sleeping requests for pid and a potential process end of a father process are woken up ( block 121 ): transaction structures of failed top - level transactions of this process no longer needed are removed ( block 237 ) after checking whether a final process state has been reached ( step 236 ); the reference counters of all objects to which the terminating process had authorized access are decremented for garbage collection , block 238 ( see also fig4 ) ( depending on the protocol of the pid of the process ); the process structure is removed ( step 239 ), and then the atomic step end ( recovery manager ) follows ( block 240 ). if it is an independent process (“ indep process ”) ( see test 241 , exit y ), the state is tested at 242 , and if the state of the aide transaction is “ started ”, the soft transaction commitment “ trans_try_commit ” is called by its aide transaction ( block 73 ). if the state of the aide transaction is “ committed ” ( test 243 ), the execution state of the process is set to “ succeeded ” ( if the exit value is “ prepare ”) in block 235 ( optionally “ prepared ” may be used , too ), and if the exit value is “ commit ”, the execution state of the process is set to “ committed ”, and the above described procedure a is applied . if at the test 243 the state is not “ committed ”, an error message occurs ( step 244 ). if it is a dependent process (“ dep_process ”) negative result at test 241 ), then : if the exit value is “ prepare ” ( test 245 ), the execution state of its aide transaction is computed ( which can not be determined if a subtransaction or a dependent process of the aide transaction has not yet terminated ; it is all only right if all subtransactions and all dependent processes have succeeded , otherwise it is not ); the soft transaction commit is delayed to wait ( see test 246 ) until the state can be determined ; if it is not all right , an error message is returned ; otherwise , all transactional requests of the aide transaction of the process are transferred to the transaction of the dependent process ( block 248 ); if this transaction is not local ( see test 247 ), the transfer must be performed by the strategy manager ( according to the pid of the process ) ( see block 249 ; compare also with fig3 ); only then the termination state of the process is set to “ prepared ” ( block 235 ), and procedure . a will follow . if all subprocesses of the aide transactions have terminated ( see test 250 ) after it turned out that a commitment of the aide transaction was not possible ( test 246 ), an error message occurs ( step 251 ); otherwise , procedure a will follow . if the exit value is not “ prepare ” ( see test 245 ), it must be “ abort ”, i . e . the termination state of the process is set to “ aborted ” ( block 235 ) and procedure a is applied . termination of a process : coke exit ( exitvalue ) ( see fig2 ) the control flow is the same as for “ soft process end ” ( see above and block 191 in fig2 ), but in case of failure the process ( see test 252 ) is automatically aborted , i . e . the signal “ abort ” is automatically sent to the current process ( block 219 “ send signal ”, “ abort ” a process ). process creation : create_process ( see fig3 ) after an initial call of the recovery manager concerning “ atomic step start ” at 253 , it is tested at 254 whether a process structure already exists for the process having the given number ; if yes , the control flow proceeds immediately to the process end ; if not , the strategy manager is called to determine whether the object is exclusively locked , see block 205 and fig3 , which will be discussed below . if not , the strategy manager is called to obtain an exclusive object lock for the process at issue according to block 206 ( see also fig3 ), and the control flow returns to step 205 in fig3 , from where , as the object is now exclusively locked , the control flow can proceed in the procedure , and test at 255 whether the specified process identification number pid is already in use for the identification of a process . if this is the case , at 256 an error message is returned , and the end of the process is reached . if the pid number is not yet in use , now in step 257 it is marked on the pid object that it represents a pid , i . e . it serves from now on to identify this process . depending on whether the process shall be executed on the local site ( test 258 ), the required new process structure is created , block 259 , if the local site is responsible , and the transaction manager is called to start a top - level transaction according to block 69 ( see also fig1 ); then the new transaction in step 260 is recorded as the aide transaction of the process concerned ; then “ process spawning ” 29 ( see also fig3 ) is called ; finally , the recovery manager is called to execute “ atomic step end ”, see block 261 in fig3 . if it turns out at test 258 , that the process is not to be executed at the local site , the strategy manager is called to execute the procedure “ send process ” according to block 262 , whereafter the end step 261 follows , too . procedure 262 “ send process ” is described below in greater detail using fig3 . process spawning . ( see fig3 ) when a process is spawned , depending on whether the local software system is transient or permanent ( tests 263 —“ is software system x - transient ?”, 264 —“ is software system transient ?” and 265 —“ is software system permanent ?”) and depending on whether the local server runs ( tests 266 , 267 ), either the local server is started in step 268 to send the entry data to the server and to start the process according step 269 , or the latter step 269 is executed immediately in case of a permanent local software system , if the server is already running . in case of an x - transient local software system ( test 263 ), if the server is already running ( see test 266 ), triggering of the required work is effected , if the server is free , and for this purpose the procedure “ process spawning ” is executed again in a loop according to block 29 ′. if the local software system is neither x - transient nor transient nor permanent , according to step 270 an error message is returned . finally , using fig3 to 40 , the strategy manager will be described , which is responsible for the establishment of the distribution strategy , also called communication protocol . with the execution of a request , messages can be sent to other coordination servers , which is controlled by the corresponding distribution strategy . in the control flow according to fig3 , after the “ atomic step start ” of the recovery manager in 271 the strategy manager of the strategy concerned is called to execute the request ( block 272 ), and then in step 273 o is set to the next object occurring in the work list , and in step 274 it is tested whether 0 is empty . if o is not empty , and if an exclusive lock has been set for the object or a new object value has been obtained ( test 275 ), the transaction manager is called to wake up the object , block 121 ( see also fig2 ). depending on the distribution strategy ( sm ), after block 274 it may also be tested whether there was an object lost message for the object ( because of a fatal error ), and then transaction abortion is called in the transaction manager ( for the sake of simplicity , this is not shown in fig3 ). if , according to test 274 , there are no object left , the recovery manager executes “ atomic step end ” in block 276 . treat message from another coordination server : ( coke ) ( see fig3 ) initially , in step 277 , the strategy of the received message is kept , and then according to block 278 the procedure “ request execution ” ( fig3 ) is called for the treatment of the message received from a coke . initially , the strategy of the object to be read is kept in step 279 , and then in block 278 the procedure “ request execution ” is called , because an “ object shall be read ”. after initially the strategy of the object for which the exclusive lock is to be obtained is kept ( step 280 ), in block 278 the procedure “ request execution ” is called to obtain an exclusive object lock . after keeping the strategy of the object for which it shall be tested whether an exclusive lock exists , according to step 281 the procedure “ request execution ” ( block 278 ) follows again , this time for the test whether the object is exclusively locked . initially , in step 282 the strategy of the pid object of the process to be sent is kept , then in step “ request execution ” 278 the process is sent . here the strategy of the pid object of the process is kept , to which the signal is to be sent ( step 283 ), before , according block 278 , the signal is sent . before according to step 278 the request is executed and transactional requests are transferred , the strategy of the pid of the aide transaction , the request of which shall be transferred , is kept ; see step 284 in fig3 . garbage collection : ( see fig4 , procedure 238 in fig2 ) the strategy of the object to be collected is kept ( step 285 ), before the garbage collection takes place by executing the request , block 278 . as to the available strategies , preferably a basic strategy is selected and generally used . basic strategies can , for example , be pr_deep and ar_flat ; pr_deep denotes a passive replication with a deep object tree ; ar_flat means active replication with a flat object tree and offers even more reliability and availability than pr_deep . as strategy flags ( protocol flags ), the flags reliable / unreliable ; mobile / non_mobile ; garbage collection / no_garbage_collection ; security / no_security ; topology_graph / no_topology_graph , having the following meanings can be used , among others . reliable / unreliable : whether critical state changes shall be stored in data and log file to allow recovery ; mobile / non_mobile : whether a computer can be removed intentionally from the network during run time ; garbage_collection / no_garbage collection : whether the object is to be cleaned automatically , when it is no longer needed ; security / no_security : whether it is to be checked if a process is granted access authorization to an object ; topology graph / no_topology_graph : whether a topology graph is to be administrated as an aide structure , where information is stored , on which sites copies of the object exist , and thus optimizes the replication behavior for very large objects . the application of the present and its system the advantages will now be illustrated by means of two examples : a classical example for the administration of shared resources is the consumer - producer problem , where an arbitrary number of distributed , parallel - running processes exist , which either produce or consume data . all produced data shall be equally consumable by all consumers ( i . e . without preference ), and as soon as a data item has been consumed , it must not be consumed again . a solution based on write - once communication objects by means of the described coordination system , uses as a common data structure an infinitely growing list into which the produced items are written one after the other ( such a list is termed “ stream ”). the beginning of the list is represented by a communication object termed “ root ”, into which the first producer writes a list cell in a transaction , which consists of two elements , namely a head and a tail . the producer writes in the same transaction its data item into the head and a newly created communication object , termed “ flag ”, the meaning of which will be explained below . into the tail the producer writes in the same transaction a further , newly created communication object , termed “ listtail ”. “ listtail ” represents the rest of the list , i . e . the next producer in a transaction will again write a list cell containing its data item , a new flag and a new “ listtail ”, into “ listtail ” and so on ; see table 1 below : the synchronization of concurrent write accesses of several producers pr 1 , . . . , prk to the same listtail works as follows : as each producer pri ( i = 1 , . . . , k ) tries to write to the communication object , which represents the listtail , in a transaction t 1 , . . . , tk , only one of these transactions can succeed ( commit ). if , for example , the j - th transaction tj was successful , i . e . the producer prj has successfully written its data item to the stream , all other producers pri ( i = 1 , . . . , and i & lt ;& gt ; k ) must cancel the write request of the listtail , in their corresponding transaction tj ( cancel request ), must read the new contents of the listtail , must extract the new listtail from it and must now try to write the desired list cell with the produced data into the new listtail ( as a newly issued write operation in transaction tj ). assuming that there are not always two producers trying at the same time to write to the same listtail , it is guaranteed that each producer can make its data available in the shared stream . to consume a data item ., the corresponding consumer ki reads the stream until it finds an entry in which the “ flag ” is still undefined , which means that no consumer has consumed the data so far . the consumer ki starts a transaction and tries to write the value “ done ” into flag . if the commitment of the transaction succeeds , the consumer ki may process the data item . if the transaction commitment does not succeed , this means that currently another consumer has consumed this data item , and the consumer ki must withdraw the write operation on “ flag ”, must read the next list cell from the current listtail and — if the communication object “ flag ” is still undefined there — it must now try again to set “ flag ” to “ done ” in the transaction . thus , concurrent consumer accesses to the same data item are synchronized , and it is guaranteed that each data item is processed by no more than one consumer . each producer and consumer process , which is passed the root communication object of the list ( start of the list ), as argument , is started as independent process . thus , each of these processes has access to all data items produced / consumed . the fault - tolerance can be tuned at creation time of all used communication objects : assuming that a distribution strategy ( see tables 2 , 3 , and 4 , strategy prx ) has been selected for these communication objects , with option “ reliable ” set . then the described producer - consumer system is resistant against system failures as well as against network failures . if a site crashes , the local coordination server is re - started , which recovers all communication objects as well as all producer and consumer processes and starts the latter with the original root communication object as parameter . thus , each of these processes can again get access to all produced data items in the stream and can start working again . a consumer now reads the stream until the first data item , the corresponding flag of which is still undefined ; a producer tries to write to the stream , starting from the root communication object at the first listtail , then the second listtail , etc . ; a transaction commitment failure will occur with each communication object already written , the producer therefore cancels the write operation , over - reads the written communication object and tries again at the next listtail , until it reaches the end of the list and can deposit its data item there . a useful optimization for this recovery case is that the logic of the producer is extended so that it always tests ( using blocking read ), whether a listtail is already defined , before it issues its write operation on it , and that it over - reads it immediately , if the listtail is already defined . network failures are masked with “ reliable ” as well as with “ unreliable ” strategies , but the latter can guarantee for this only as long as no system failures ( computer failures ) occur . therefore , usually “ unreliable ” strategies ; will show a better performance i . e . the user can , depending on the application requirement , tune the fault - tolerance / performance on the communication object : the programming system representing the producers and the consumers always remains identical . further adjustment possibilities are , e . g ., related to availability and replication behavior ( i . e . at which site communication objects actually use disk space ). in table 2 below the logic of the producer , to which the communication object root has been passed , is shown in a procedural pseudo notation , the previously mentioned names are given for the single functions here only by way of an example ( but not in the following tables ). table 3 shows the logic of the consumer to whom the communication object root has been passed , is shown using a procedural pseudo notation : this example also demonstrates the possibility to specify ever lasting processes : the producer processes as well as the consumer processes run forever and survive system as well as network failures , provided that a “ reliable ” distribution strategy has been selected . the addition of new producers and consumers ( at distributed sites ) is dynamic (“ dynamic scale - up ” through the start of a process at the respective site , to whom the root communication object is passed as parameter . authorization is dependent on the selected distribution strategy in that only a process explicitly started as consumer or producer gets access to the stream data . assuming that in the distributed environment other parallel running processes exist , none of these processes may access the stream data , even if it “ guesses ” the object identification number of an object contained in the stream by chance , it is assumed that this communication object neither appears in the parameter list passed to it nor has been written as a subobject into a communication object accessible for this process , nor has been created by this process . known tools for distributed programming do not allow such a simple and short specification of this classical problem , where the programmer is completely liberated from hardware and software aspects and nevertheless has the possibility to adapt the performance etc . of the program entirely to the given application requirements . the producer / consumer problem can be found as a basic pattern of a wide range of distributed application problems , such as , for example distributed banking , where the shared bank safes of distributed counters are administrated as a stream , or the administration of work flow data . a trip is to be arranged , and the following reservations are needed : a flight from vienna to paris , a hotel room in paris and a car in paris . the flight can be booked at one of the three airlines a , b , or c . the hotel room can be booked at either hotel h or hotel i . the car can be booked at car rental company v or w . it is assumed that the client does not have any reservation preferences . moreover , a flight reservation can be cancelled . in this case a “ reservation reversion ” is to be called as compensation action at the corresponding airline database . therefore , it is not necessary to require that the local database system of the airline offer a 2 - phase - commitment , i . e . the flight reservation transaction can be closed as soon as possible , so that the local airline database is not blocked too long by the global travel reservation transaction . hotel room reservation and car reservation transactions should not be compensatable , i . e . it must be demanded that the corresponding databases support a 2 - phase - commitment and are able to hold locks at the data concerned until commitment of the global travel reservation transaction . in the present coordination system , several possibilities exist to solve this problem , offering different degrees of parallelism . the solution shown below offers maximum parallelism . the entire travel reservation is represented as transaction t . all airline flight reservations are started in parallel as independent processes ( which commit autonomously ) executing the help function c_reservation . c_reservation stands for “ compensatable reservation . it must be noted that independent processes implicitly start a new top - level transaction , which is termed “ aide transaction of the independent process ” and is either automatically aborted or committed dependent on the specified exit value of the process . the function c_reservation starts the transaction “ reservation ” in the database of the corresponding institution . if the reservation has been executed in the database systems dbs ( and immediately committed ), c_reservation declares the action “ reservation reversion ” as compensation action in the transaction of the independent process ( i . e . if this process is cancelled or aborted , after it has successfully terminated , this action is executed automatically ) and terminates the process withthe exit value “ prepare ” this means that the process is still waiting for one of the signals “ abort ” “ cancel ” or “ commit ”. the behaviour of the process in case of the first two signals is , as already mentioned , the abortion of its transaction , which triggers the execution of the compensation action “ reservation reversion in dbs ”. a signal “ commit ” closes the work of the process so that from now on it will not accept any more signals ; the reservation is finally closed . the hotel room and car reservations are also started in parallel , but as dependent processes executing the function “ nc_reservation ” (“ non - compensatable reservation ”). this function starts the transaction reservation ” in the database of the corresponding institution . if the reservation in database system dbs is successful , the dbs reports “ 1 db_ready ” i . e . dbs waits until it receives a “ db_commit ” or a “ db_abort ”. only after a “ 8 db_commit ” the changes in the dbs become visible . if the dbs returns “ db_ready ”, nc_reservation declares “ db_commit ” in dbs as on - commitment action in the current process , i . e . this on - commitment action refers to the transaction of the current process , which , in case of a dependent process is the transaction by which the process was called transaction t in the example . this on - commitment action is therefore started if and only if the transaction succeeds . after all reservations have been started as parallel running processes , transaction t synchronizes these processes . for this two help functions are used : “ wait_for_dependent_process ”. both functions use the blocking “ alternative waiting ” ( alt_wait ) construction to wait for all passed process identifiers ( pids ), which are communication objects . as soon as a process terminates , it automatically sets its pid to the termination state specified via the exit value of the process . if the desired exit value is “ prepare ”, and the process is an independent ( or dependent ) process , the pid is set to “ succeeded ” ( or to “ prepared ”), if the aide transaction of the independent process could terminate successfully ( or if the aide transaction of the dependent process still has a chance to commit ). the value of the pid is now tested , if alt_wait becomes active . if the terminated process was successful , the aide function wait_for_independent_process sends the signal “ abort ” to all other processes , declares the sending of the signal “ commit ” to the successful process as on - commitment action of the transaction t ( i . e . the triggering of “ db_commit ” is delegated to transaction t ) and returns “ ok ”. otherwise , the aide function wait_for_independent_process sends the signal “ abort ” to the process which has activated alt_wait , but has not terminated successfully , and starts an alt_wait again for all other processes . the help function wait_for_dependent_process behaves as follows : if the terminated process was successful , the help function wait_for_dependent_process cancels all other dependent processes with regard to t and returns “ ok ”. this cancellation on the one hand removes the dependent process from the actions t must execute ( as if this dependent process has never been called by t — this demonstrates the property of cancellation (“ backtracking in a transaction ”) of the coordination system ) and on the other hand also sends the signal “ abort ” to the process , which in turn causes the abortion of all direct subtransactions of t , in the current situation of ti , i . e . the compensation action (= db_abort in dbs , which is still waiting in the 2 - phase - commitment ) of transaction t 1 is executed , because t 1 had already terminated successfully . if the terminated process was not successful , the help function wait_for_dependent_process cancels the dependent process ( this is another application of “ backtracking in a transaction ”) referring to t and starts another alt_wait for all other processes . this example demonstrates how the coordination system can serve as a control system for real database transactions , where the databases may be autonomous , i . e . different with respect to the supported transaction mechanism . in particular , it was shown that databases having a traditional 2 - phase - commitment and databases which do not have this property can be coordinated within one single global transaction , where the property of the coordination system to relax the isolation of the transaction is employed . moreover , it is demonstrated that it is possible by means of the coordination system to coordinate a global transaction , where alternative solution possibilities exist for its subtransactions , and that the combination of “ 2 - phase - commitment ”/“ no 2 - phase - commitment ” is possible , too . it is guaranteed that exactly the necessary database transactions are committed , i . e . that for example neither two flights nor two hotels are bocked . assuming that two airline databases have committed a flight at the same time , in alt_wait of the help function wait_for_independent_process indeterministically a flight is selected ( this will most likely be the process , whose pid was set fastest ), and all other flight reservation processes are aborted . assuming that two room reservation database transactions have reported “ db_ready ” at the same time , the help function wait_for_dependent_process in its alt_wait will also select indeterministically one of the processes reflecting this reservation and will cancel the other process , which triggers the sending of “ db_abort ” to the corresponding hotel database . if for a group of reservations ( flight / hotel room / car ) no solution is found , an abortion of the global transaction is called , which in turn causes the abortion of all successful reservations done so far , so that finally no reservation has been made at all . in spite of all these properties , the transaction t guarantees the atomicity of the global transaction even in case of network failures . whether atomicity is also guaranteed in case of system failures , depends on the distribution strategy , selected at creation time of the process identifier ( pid ) after the start of t . if the strategy is a reliable protocol (“ reliable ”), in case of a system failure atomicity is guaranteed , too . assuming that the site where the transaction t is running crashes after all processes have been started in parallel , and assuming that all processes run on other sites than the site where t is running , and that e . g . a hotel room reservation process ( e . g . at hotel i ) has already terminated successfully , now that the global transaction has been aborted by the crash , it must be guaranteed that the hotel room reservation is not made . at recovery of the coordination server at the site of t , the process identifier pid_hotel i is found , and it is recognized that it is the pid of a dependent process , the transaction of which has been aborted . therefore , the signal “ abort ” is automatically sent to this process , which triggers the “ db_abort ” of the hotel room reservation . assuming that a flight reservation has succeeded too , in the shown example no mechanism is provided which automatically triggers the reversion , like in case of the hotel room reservation . as flight reservations are compensatable , it is assumed that the user sends a reversion to the airline , if the check for the flight is received . however , it is not complicated to change the transaction t such in a way that in case of a flight reservation ( i . e . via the database transaction which is controlled by an independent process ) an abortion is done automatically if t is aborted . the required change of the example is to start flight reservations also as dependent processes ( and to synchronize them by using the function wait_for_dependent_process ), where the function c_reservation is called unchanged . the tunability concerning fault - tolerance is thus easily controllable via the selection of the distribution strategy used . moreover , it is easy to change the semantics of the example according to other requirements . usually the modification of a few lines is sufficient ; this can be justified by the power of the control mechanisms supported by the coordination system . the shown transaction t can be used as a component ( i . e . as subtransaction ) in other transactions . it demonstrates the property of non - cascading compensation : if t has committed , t can be reversed only as an entire arrangement , i . e . if the enclosing transaction of t is aborted after t has succeeded , then the compensation action “ reversal of the paris trip ” is called ; thus the trip can be compensated , although the hotel room and car reservation subcomponents were not compensatable . table 5 below illustrates this reservation example by using a procedural pseudo notation . the invention was illustrated above by means of detailed examples . however , changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention . clearly the given function names are arbitrary , and the functions can also be changed in the control flow . | 6 |
referring to fig1 a printer 10 includes a processor 12 which controls the operation of a print engine 14 ( e . g ., a laser print engine ) via bus 16 . a random access memory ( ram ) 18 includes a pixel conversion procedure 20 which controls the operation of processor 12 during a conversion of a grey level pixel image into a binary level pixel image . the grey level pixel image is stored in a ram 22 and comprises a plurality of pixels 24 , arranged in a raster format , each one of which is represented by a multi - bit value that defines the respective grey level . in the example to be described hereinbelow , each pixel is assumed to be represented by an 8 - bit byte . a resultant binary level pixel image is stored in a ram 26 in such a form that each pixel 28 is represented by either a 1 or a 0 . print engine 14 responds to a 0 , for example , by not printing a dot and further responds to a 1 by printing a dot at pixel locations on a sheet of media that correspond to the pixel locations in ram 26 . during conversion of the grey level image contained in ram 22 to the binary level image contained in ram 26 , each grey level pixel value is subjected to a dither procedure in dither module 30 which , in turn , outputs to ram 26 a corresponding 1 or 0 value for the respective pixel . the operation of dither module 30 is controlled by processor 12 which is , in turn , controlled by pixel conversion 20 . hereafter , the operation of the invention will be described in the context of a hardware implementation of dither module 30 . however it is to be understood that the invention can also be carried out by processor 12 , under control of a dither procedure contained on media disk 31 or loaded into an appropriate area of ram 20 . prior to providing a detailed explanation of the operation of dither module 30 and the circuitry contained therein , the overall operation of the dither procedure will be briefly considered . the dither procedure employed to diffuse error values along each raster scan line utilizes , as a portion thereof , the blue noise dither procedure described above . however , a critical difference between the prior art blue noise dither procedure and that performed by dither module 30 is that the seed value that is employed to control a random counter which , in turn , outputs the variable threshold value against which each grey level pixel value is compared , is , itself , a random value which changes for each succeeding scan line ( over a preset range of scan lines ). more specifically , a seed value is generated by a pseudo - random counter for each scan line . that seed value controls the beginning count of a further pseudo random counter which outputs a pseudo - random threshold value for each pixel position in ram 22 . the grey level pixel value at each particular pixel position ( e . g ., pixel position &# 34 ; ii &# 34 ;) is compared against the variable threshold and an error value is developed that is either positive or negative , depending upon whether the grey value of pixel ii is equal to greater than , or lesser than the variable threshold value for the respective pixel . if the grey level pixel value is equal to or exceeds the threshold value , a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; binary value is output which is fed to ram 26 and stored in a corresponding pixel position pi . by contrast , if a grey level pixel value is less than the threshold value , a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; binary value is passed to ram 26 for storage in pixel position pi . during the comparison action , an error value is derived as follows : if the grey level pixel value equals or exceeds the variable threshold value , the error value is the grey level pixel value less 256 ( assuming an 8 - bit grey value ). if , by contrast , the grey level pixel value is less than the variable threshold value , then the error value is the incoming grey level pixel value . such error value is propagated to the next pixel to the right ( ii + 1 ) and is added to the grey value thereof , after which the summed values are compared against a further variable threshold , etc . the procedure ends at the end of the respective scan line where any remaining error value is discarded . at the beginning of a next scan line ( line n + 1 ), the procedure is repeated with the seed random counter providing a new start value for the random counter which generates the variable threshold values . as is known to those skilled in the art , pseudo random counters provide a random count sequence up to a maximum number of counts , and then repeat the random count sequence for a next series of random counts , etc . through use of the pseudo random seed count at the beginning of each scan line which , in turn , controls the generation of the variable threshold values , it is assured that propagating error terms will not line up on succeeding scan lines , avoiding streaks or other anomalies in the binary image that would otherwise result from aligned error values . as will be further understood from the description below , if a grey level pixel value is within a preset percentage of either a full black value ( e . g . 255 ) or a full white value ( e . g . 0 ), the error value is set to zero and only the grey level pixel value is compared against the variable threshold value . hereafter , the description of the operation of dither module 30 will be presented , as shown in fig2 . dither module 30 comprises a pixel latch 32 , to which is input grey level pixel data and a data latch signal . outputs from pixel latch 32 are fed to an adder 34 , an error adder 36 and a test module 38 . the output from test module 38 is applied to an error latch 40 and clears the value therein if a grey level pixel value exceeds either upper or lower threshold values and prevents error values from dominating in the error diffusion operation . the output of error adder 36 is fed to error latch 40 which in turn outputs its value to adder 34 wherein the propagated error value is added to a new grey level pixel value from pixel latch 32 . a seed random counter 42 feeds a single random count at the beginning of each scan line to random counter 44 . random counter 44 commences its count from the seed random value and provides a variable threshold value output that is fed to signed compare module 46 . the output from signed compare module 46 is either a one value or a zero value , depending upon the comparison between the variable threshold value output from random counter 44 and the output from adder 34 . the output from signed compare module 46 is the pixel value which is fed to ram 26 ( fig1 ). the output from signed compare module 46 is also fed back to error adder 36 so as to enable a subtraction to occur in the event the output is a 1 - bit ( to be described in further detail below ). the pixel data coming from ram 22 is a sequence of grey level pixel values . pixel conversion procedure 20 acquires a single horizontal line of data from ram 22 , sequentially sends the data out to dither module 30 , then steps to a next scan line . the pixel data is defined to be an 8 - bit grey level value ( 0 - 255 10 ). in this example , 255 is defined to be black and 0 is defined to be white . ( the hardware can invert the data so that white can be 0 or 255 .) each of random counters 42 and 44 is implemented as an 8 - bit linear feedback shift register ( lfsr ) that counts in a pseudo - random sequence that uses all of the possible numbers except zero ( 1 - 255 10 ). the counters can be constructed to use zero , but this requires additional gates . sections of the circuit of dither module 30 must be initialized at different times : at the beginning of each page of printing , seed random counter 42 is initialized to a known starting value . at the beginning of each scan line , the contents of seed random counter 42 are used to set the seed value of random counter 44 . seed random counter 42 is then incremented ( goes to a new pseudo - random number ). this assures that each new scan line starts with a pseudo - random number that is different from the previous line . random counters 42 and 44 are used to generate the pseudorandom values needed for the dithering process . by using two lfsr &# 39 ; s instead of one larger lfsr , the pseudo - random numbers are independent of the left / right margins ( number of pixels per line ). for each pixel in a scan line , the pixel grey level value is added to the previous error value , then a decision about placing a black dot is made by comparing this value to a random number . the result of this decision generates an error term that is be added to the previous error value . the grey level pixel data is put on bus 16 and is applied to pixel latch 32 . a data latch signal is strobed and latches the incoming pixel grey level value in pixel latch 32 and the error term from a previous pixel position is latched into error latch 40 . if output value from pixel latch 32 meets the test in test module 38 ( e . g ., & gt ;= 224 or & lt ; 32 ), an output from test module 38 causes error latch 40 to be cleared . otherwise , the value from pixel latch 32 is added to the value in error latch 40 by adder 34 . the output from adder 34 is compared to a pseudo - random number from random counter 44 in signed compare module 46 . the dither output from signed compare module 46 is a single bit that is asserted if the output value from adder 34 is greater than or equal to the output value from random counter 44 . if the dither output is not asserted ( a white dot is to be placed ), the error term is calculated by adding the current pixel value from pixel latch 32 , divided by 2 , to the previous error value from error latch 40 . the division by 2 prevents the error term from being so great as to overcome the effect of the variable threshold value . if the dither output from signed compare module 46 is asserted ( a black dot is to be placed ), the error term is calculated by subtracting ( 128 minus ( the current pixel data value from pixel latch 32 divided by 2 )) from the previous error value from error latch 40 . since the pixel data is divided by 2 , the maximum error value that can be added per pixel is 127 10 . the error keeps getting larger until a black dot is printed ( dither output is asserted ), then 128 10 is subtracted from the error . since the error can be & gt ; 255 and can be positive or negative , a ten bit signed error is needed . the division and addition / subtraction is done by error adder 36 : division by 2 is accomplished by only connecting the upper 7 bits of data to the 7 lowest significant bits of the input ; the addition is due to the function of adder 36 , and the subtraction is due to the use of the dither output bit ( from signed compare module 46 ) to fill in the remaining 3 most significant bits above the 7 bit pixel data . the key is that subtracting 128 10 is the same as adding in a 2 &# 39 ; s complement of 00 1000 0000 2 ( 128 10 ) which is 11 1000 0000 2 . since the upper three bits are ` 1 ` s and the lower 7 bits are ` 0 `, adding this number to any 7 bit value will result in the upper three bits still being ` 1 ` s and the lower 7 bits being the original 7 bits : and no logic gates are needed . the error term dominates the output for sequences of very large or very small values of pixel data . this causes streaks in the output when the dots tend to line up . to remove these artifacts , error latch 40 is cleared when the input is below 32 10 or equal to or above 224 10 . a black dot should be placed when the output of signed compare module 46 is active , and a white dot should be placed when the output is inactive . table 1 below illustrates an example of constant grey value pixel inputs of 127 ( solid grey data ) to dither module 30 . table 1__________________________________________________________________________ error error random signedpixel pixel adder 36 latch adder counter comparenumber latch in a in b out 40 34 44 46__________________________________________________________________________ 127 0 63 63 0 127 133 01 127 63 63 126 63 190 221 02 127 126 - 65 61 126 253 55 13 127 61 - 65 - 4 61 188 2 14 127 - 4 63 59 - 4 123 195 05 127 59 - 65 - 6 59 186 170 16 127 - 6 - 65 - 71 - 6 121 22 17 127 - 71 63 - 8 - 71 56 110 08 127 - 8 63 55 - 8 119 203 09 127 55 - 65 - 10 55 182 88 110 127 - 10 - 65 - 75 - 10 117 68 111 127 - 75 63 - 12 - 75 52 155 012 127 - 12 - 65 - 77 - 12 115 28 113 127 - 77 63 - 14 - 77 50 202 014 127 - 14 63 49 - 14 113 164 015 127 49 63 112 49 176 226 016 127 112 - 65 47 112 239 153 117 127 47 - 65 - 18 47 174 92 118 127 - 18 63 45 - 18 109 251 019 127 45 - 65 - 20 45 172 63 120 127 - 20 - 65 - 85 - 20 107 55 1__________________________________________________________________________ before pixel number 1 comes in , error latch 40 is cleared . pixel latch 32 contains the last pixel transferred ( 127 10 ). when pixel number 1 is latched into pixel latch 32 , error latch 40 is updated from error adder 36 which calculates : 0 ( previous error value )+ 63 ( previous pixel data / 2 )= 63 ( addition since the previous pixel did not assert the dither output ). adder 34 adds the output from pixel latch 32 to the output from error latch 40 and comes up with 127 ( current pixel data )+ 63 ( current error )= 190 . this is compared to the output from random counter 44 which now has a count of , for example , of 221 . signed compare module 46 determines that 190 & lt ; 221 , so the dither output is not asserted ( i . e ,. puts out a white dot ). when pixel number 2 is latched into pixel latch 32 , error latch 40 is updated from error adder 36 which calculates : 63 ( previous error value )+ 63 ( previous pixel data / 2 )= 126 ( addition since the previous pixel did not assert the dither output ). adder 34 adds the output from pixel latch 32 to the output from error latch 40 and comes up with 127 ( pixel value )+ 126 ( current error ) = 253 . this is compared to the output from random counter 44 which now has a count , for example , of 55 . signed compare module 46 determines that 253 & gt ;= 55 , so the output is asserted ( i . e ., puts out a black dot .) when pixel number 3 is latched into pixel latch 32 , error latch 40 is updated from error adder 36 which calculates : 126 ( previous error value )--( 128 - 63 ( previous pixel data / 2 ))= 61 . a subtraction of ( 128 - previous pixel ) is performed since the previous pixel asserted the dither output . adder 34 adds the output from pixel latch 32 to the output from error latch 40 and comes up with 127 ( pixel value )+ 61 ( current error )= 188 . this is compared to the output from random counter 44 which now has a count , for example of 2 . signed compare module 46 determines that 188 & gt ;= 2 , so the output is asserted ( puts out a black dot ). thereafter the procedure continues until all of the grey value pixels have been subjected to the dither operation an binary image values have been inserted into ram 28 . it should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention . various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention . for instance , while the invention has been described in the context of a printer , it can also be implemented in a scanner , copier or other similar apparatus which converts grey level images to binary pixel images . further , while the term &# 34 ; grey &# 34 ; has been used , it is to be understood that the multi - bit image pixel values can also be an indicator of a color component . accordingly , the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
referring now to the drawings , a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described . the invention provides a compact telephone pay station especially suited for use aboard mass transit vehicles . an inactive telephone handset is retained in a storage trough defined within a telephone handset housing . when a caller presses a button defined on the face of the housing , the telephone handset is dispensed from the trough for subsequent use . upon replacement of the telephone handset into the trough , a latching mechanism secures the telephone handset therein . the principal components of the present invention include a telephone handset 10 , shown most clearly in fig1 and 2 , a telephone handset housing 30 , shown most clearly in fig3 a , 5 , and 7 , a cord reel assembly 33 , shown most clearly in fig5 and a latching mechanism 130 , shown most clearly in fig6 and 9 - 16 . referring now to fig1 and 2 , the telephone handset 10 will be described . the handset 10 is formed from an ultraviolet light - resistant material such as a polycarbonate material , and is consequently stabilized against color degradation due to ultraviolet light . the fundamental component of the telephone handset 10 is a box - shaped body 11 . the body 11 has an end 12 , a side 13 , and a front face 14 . in addition , the body 11 has an end 15 , a side 16 , and a rear face 17 . the end 15 , side 16 , and rear face 17 are parallel and opposite to the end 12 , side 13 , and front face 14 , respectively , thereby collectively forming a generally rectangular box - like configuration for the body 11 . a latching recess 25 is defined within the end 12 . a speaker 18 and a microphone 19 protrude from and are formed on the face 14 . in addition , a keypad 20 is provided on the face 14 to enable a user to operate the handset 10 by pressing a plurality of keys 21 . a long narrow groove 22 is provided within the body 11 for slidably receiving a credit card as part of the operation of the handset 10 . additionally , the handset 10 includes a collar 24 formed upon the end 15 of the body 11 . a cord 23 passes through the 13 collar 24 and is electrically attached to a handset circuit , not shown , located inside the body 11 . the handset circuit performs standard telecommunications functions of the handset 10 as are readily understood by those having ordinary skill in the art of telephony . the handset 10 further includes a rectangular opening 26 , defined within the side 16 . protruding through the opening 26 is a knurly disk - shaped dial 27 for adjusting the parameters of the handset circuit in order to change the volume of the signal received by the speaker 18 . the dial 27 rotates about the axis defined by the line a -- a &# 39 ;. referring now to fig3 there is shown the telephone handset housing 30 with which the handset 10 is used . the housing 30 is shown with a bezel 32 attached thereto . the housing 30 is typically also formed from an ultraviolet light - resistant material such as a polycarbonate material and is therefore stabilized against color degradation due to ultraviolet light . the housing 30 has a front surface formed by a six - sided face 31 of the bezel 32 and by a planar surface 112 of the aforementioned cylindrical cord reel assembly 33 . a rear surface 75 , shown in fig5 is parallel to the front surface of the housing 30 . a side 34a is perpendicular to both front and rear surfaces . likewise , a side 34b , shown in fig7 is perpendicular to both front and rear surfaces and parallel to the side 34a . also perpendicular to the front and rear surfaces is an end , not shown . still referring to fig3 additional features of the bezel 32 and the housing 30 will be described . in particular , a rectangular opening 35 is defined within the six - sided face 31 of the bezel 32 . protruding through the opening 35 is a rectangular button 36 of a latching mechanism 130 , shown in fig6 and 9 - 16 . in addition , the bezel 32 has a generally rectangular opening 50 defined therein , shown more clearly in fig4 . the housing 30 has a longitudinal storage trough 37 defined therein , corresponding to the rectangular opening 50 of the bezel 32 when the bezel 32 is attached to the housing 30 . the trough 37 is rectangular , so as to provide a receptacle for receiving and retaining the handset 10 in snug relationship . the trough 37 includes a number of additional features , as are best shown in fig3 . in particular , two resilient compressive buttons 38 , the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter , are connected to the trough 37 . the buttons 38 are tightly maintained within holes ( not shown ) defined in the trough 37 , from which the buttons 38 protrude . additionally , holes 39 , the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter , are defined within the trough 37 . another feature of the trough 37 is a speaker cup 40 defined therein , and of dimensions suitable for receiving the speaker 18 of the telephone handset 10 . also defined within the trough 37 is a microphone cup 41 , of dimensions suitable for receiving the microphone 19 of the telephone handset 10 . a raised portion 41 &# 39 ;, formed on the microphone cup 41 , has a hole 43 defined therein . similarly , a raised portion 40 &# 39 ;, having a hole 42 defined therein , is formed on the speaker cup 40 . the purposes of the portions 40 &# 39 ; and 41 &# 39 ; and the holes 42 and 43 will be explained hereinafter . the speaker cup 40 additionally includes a rectangular latching slot 44 defined therein . a leg 45 of the latching mechanism 130 ( not shown ) extends through the latching slot 44 . in addition , a spring 46 is interposed between the leg 45 and the speaker cup 40 . referring now to fig3 a , a front plan view of the telephone handset housing 30 , with the bezel 32 removed , will be described . the cord reel assembly 33 defines a planar surface 112 , as discussed hereinabove . an outer ridge 113 is formed upon the housing 30 , adjacent to the side 34a ( fig3 ). similarly , an outer ridge 114 is formed upon the housing 30 , adjacent to the side 34b ( fig7 ). in addition , an inner ridge 115 is formed upon the housing 30 . an aperture 116 is defined within the housing 30 . the aperture 116 corresponds to the opening 35 of the bezel 32 when the bezel 32 is inserted into the housing 30 . the inner ridge 115 surrounds the trough 37 and additionally extends around the aperture 116 . a portion of the ridge 115 between the aperture 116 and the trough 37 will be referred to as ridge 119 . the ridges 113 , 114 , 115 , and 119 form a surface that lies in a plane that is parallel and slightly raised with respect to the planar surface 112 of the cord reel assembly 33 . the housing 30 further includes a shallow channel 117 , defined in the housing 30 between the inner ridge 115 and the outer ridge 113 . similarly , a channel 118 is defined in the housing 30 between the inner ridge 115 and the outer ridge 114 . furthermore , a channel 120 is defined in the housing 30 between the inner ridge 115 and the cord reel assembly 33 . the channels 117 , 118 , and 120 define a recessed portion of the housing 30 that is generally planar , and is additionally parallel to the surface formed by the ridges 113 , 114 , 115 , 119 and the planar surface 112 . referring now to fig3 a , and 4 , the bezel 32 will be described . the bezel 32 is also typically formed from an ultraviolet light - resistant material such as a polycarbonate material , and is therefore stabilized against color degradation due to ultraviolet light . the bezel 32 primarily comprises a six - edged , planar , polygonal front face 31 and a similarly shaped rear face 33 . an edge 51 is parallel to an edge 52 . an edge 53 and an edge 54 are parallel to each other , and mutually perpendicular to the edge 51 and the edge 52 . an edge 55 is obliquely interposed between the edge 51 and the edge 54 . similarly , an edge 56 is obliquely interposed between the edge 51 and the edge 53 . the bezel 32 further includes an elongated ridge 57 , formed upon the rear face 33 . the ridge 57 is positioned adjacent to the edges 51 and 56 , and is parallel thereto . additionally , an elongated ridge 58 is formed upon the rear face 33 , adjacent and parallel to the edge 52 . furthermore , the ridges 57 and 58 are positioned to reside within the channels 117 and 118 ( fig3 a ), respectively , when the bezel 32 is inserted into the housing 30 . a barrier 59 protrudes perpendicularly from the rear face 33 , between the opening 35 and the edge 53 , and is positioned to reside within the aperture 116 ( fig3 a ) in the housing 30 , adjacent to the ridge 115 , when the bezel 32 is inserted into the housing 30 . a further feature of the bezel 32 is a flange 60 , formed upon the rear face 33 . the flange 60 extends perpendicularly to the rear face 33 , so as to surround the opening 50 defined in the bezel 32 . the flange 60 and the opening 50 are positioned so as to correspond to the trough 37 when the bezel 32 is attached to the housing 30 . the flange 60 has a rectangular cross - section defined by a side 61 , a side 62 , a side 63 , and a side 64 . a pair of tabs 65 and 66 are formed upon the side 61 of the flange 60 . similarly , a pair of tabs 67 and 68 are formed upon the side 63 . formed upon the tabs 65 - 68 are barbs 65 &# 39 ;- 68 &# 39 ;, respectively . referring now to fig5 a rear view of the telephone handset housing 30 with the bezel 32 removed will be described . the rear surface 75 of the housing 30 is shown . in addition , the trough 37 is shown in relation to the rear surface 75 . the trough 37 has four rectangular openings 76 - 79 ( shown more clearly in fig3 a ) for receiving the tabs 65 - 68 , respectively , of the bezel 32 . upon insertion of the tabs 65 - 68 into the openings 76 - 79 , the trough 37 is grasped by the barbs 65 &# 39 ;- 68 &# 39 ; of the tabs 65 - 68 thereby attaching the bezel 32 to the housing 30 . the rear view of the housing 30 shown in fig5 further shows a housing circuit 80 interposed between the speaker cup 40 and the microphone cup 41 . control of the present invention &# 39 ; s electronic functions is performed by the housing circuit 80 in conjunction with remotely located central communications circuitry , not shown , and the handset circuit , not shown . the circuit 80 is held in place by pedestals 99 which protrude into holes 39 ( fig3 and 3a ) of housing 30 . electrically attached to the housing circuit 80 is a connector 81 , a connector 82 , and a connector 83 . the housing circuit 80 can be electrically attached to the remotely located central communications circuitry 80 by the connector 81 . the housing 30 also includes a switch 85 , which is mounted in an aperture ( not shown ) defined in the microphone cup 41 . the switch 85 protrudes into the microphone cup 41 , and functions to detect the presence or alternately the absence of the handset 10 in the trough 37 . the switch 85 is electrically attached to a wire 86 . the wire 86 is electrically attached to a connector 83 &# 39 ; which can be electrically attached to the housing circuit 80 via the connector 83 . still referring to fig5 the cord reel assembly 33 will be described . a curved portion of the housing 30 defines a generally cylindrical shell 88 . a spool - shaped cord reel 89 , residing within the cylindrical shell 88 , is provided for storage of the cord 23 . the cord reel 89 is of a dimension slightly smaller than that of the shell 88 so that the shell 88 provides a receptacle for maintaining the cord reel 89 in snug relationship . additionally , the cord 23 is guided by the shell 88 from the cord reel 89 into an aperture 98 formed in the microphone cup 41 . the cord reel 89 rotates about an axial bolt 90 which is surrounded by a concentric cylindrical connector 91 . the connector 91 is electrically attached to a wire 84 . the wire 84 is electrically attached to a connector 82 &# 39 ; which can be electrically attached to the connector 82 , thereby electrically attaching the cord reel 89 to the housing circuit 80 . in cooperation with the shell 88 , a cord reel cover 92 functions to enclose the cord reel 89 . the cover 92 has three holes 93 defined therein and is secured to the housing 30 by fastening devices 94 which are passed through the holes 93 and connected to corresponding sockets 94 &# 39 ; of the housing 30 . furthermore , the cover 92 has a center hole 93 &# 39 ; defined therein for routing the wire 84 . referring now to fig6 the latching mechanism 130 of the present invention , in the fully latched position , will be described . the latching mechanism 130 is an integral member also formed from an ultraviolet light - resistant material such as a polycarbonate material , and is therefore stabilized against color degradation due to ultraviolet light . the latching mechanism 130 includes a generally broad , flat body 130 &# 39 ;. in fig6 the body 130 &# 39 ; is shown in relation to other components of the invention , including the speaker cup 40 and the handset body 11 . the body 130 &# 39 ; has a first section 131 and a second section 132 . the rectangular button 36 is shown in fig6 in a cross - sectional view . the button 36 is mounted upon the first section 131 , in a direction perpendicular thereto . the button 36 is bisected by its intersection with section 131 of the body 130 &# 39 ;. the body 130 &# 39 ; additionally includes a catch 134 , formed on the section 131 of the body 130 &# 39 ;. the catch 134 has a ridge - engaging tooth 135 that extends from the catch 134 in a first direction . thus , a notch 136 is defined between the tooth 135 and the region of the section 131 adjacent to the button 36 . the size of the notch 136 is slightly larger than a cross - sectional portion 141 of the ridge 119 . thus , the ridge 119 can be securely maintained within the notch 136 . in addition to the ridge - engaging tooth 135 , the catch 134 has formed thereon a handset - engaging tooth 137 , extending therefrom in a second direction , generally perpendicular to the first direction , mentioned above . the tooth 137 resides within the latching recess 25 of the handset 10 when the handset 10 and the latching mechanism 130 are in the fully latched position . interposed between the tooth 135 and the tooth 137 is an inclined plane 138 , formed upon the catch 134 . the body 130 &# 39 ; has several additional features . in particular , a leg 45 is formed upon the section 132 . the leg 45 extends from the section 132 in a direction generally parallel to the direction in which the tooth 137 extends from the catch 134 . in the fully latched position , a spring 46 is compressed between the leg 45 and the speaker cup 40 , thereby pressing the leg 45 against the front face 14 of the handset 10 . the spring 46 is connected to a cylindrical nub 139 , formed upon the speaker cup 40 . also defined within the section 132 is an elongated aperture 140 . a cylindrical pivot pin 97 resides in the aperture 140 , in an orientation that is perpendicular to the body 130 &# 39 ;. also residing within the aperture 140 is a spring 47 , which is compressed between the pin 97 and a portion of the body 130 &# 39 ; adjacent to the aperture 140 . the pivot pin 97 is held in position by a fin 95 and a fin 96 , as best shown in fig5 . the fins 95 and 96 are formed on the speaker cup 40 and rear surface 75 of the housing 30 . thus , the body 130 &# 39 ; is permitted to rotate about the pin 97 . additionally , the body 130 &# 39 ; is simultaneously permitted to slide , as guided by the interaction between the pin 97 and the portion of the body 130 &# 39 ; surrounding the aperture 140 the apparatus for mounting the present invention will be described by referring to fig7 and 8 , where the housing 30 is shown installed in a typical seat back . in order to more clearly describe the apparatus for mounting the invention , the switch 85 is not shown in fig7 and 8 . the outermost covering of a typical seat back comprises a layer of upholstery 151 . beneath the upholstery 151 lies a layer of seat cushion 153 . furthermore , beneath the seat cushion 153 is a diaphragm 154 . the diaphragm 154 is a thin , flat piece of durable , yet lightweight material , such as aluminum . typically , the diaphragm 154 is used to provide inner support for the seat . an additional seat cushion 153 is located beneath the diaphragm 154 . in order to mount the housing 30 in the seat back , an opening ( not shown ) is formed in the upholstery 151 , the opening having nearly the same shape and size as the ridge 115 , and additionally forming an edge ( not shown ) of the upholstery 151 . furthermore , an opening ( not shown ) in the seat cushion 153 is formed corresponding to the opening in the upholstery 151 . then , the housing 30 is fully inserted into the openings in the upholstery 151 and the cushion 153 , and the upholstery 151 is placed over the housing 30 . subsequently , the edge of the upholstery 151 is secured by fully inserting the bezel 32 into the housing 30 so that the tabs 65 &# 39 ;- 68 &# 39 ; engage with the regions of the trough 37 surrounding the openings 76 - 79 . in this position , the upholstery 151 is tightly maintained between the rear face 33 of the bezel 32 and the ridges 113 , 114 , and 115 ; between the rear face 33 and the surface 112 ; between the ridge 57 and the channel 117 ; and between the ridge 58 and the channel 118 . beneath the upholstery 151 , the housing 30 is surrounded by the seat cushion 153 and is connected to the diaphragm 154 . the connection between the diaphragm 154 and the housing 30 is achieved by a mounting bracket 155 . the mounting bracket 155 has a flat , rectangular roof 156 . two flat , rectangular sides 157 are obliquely connected to opposing longitudinal edges of the roof 156 . furthermore , each side 157 has a flat , rectangular base strip 158 obliquely connected thereto . the base strips 158 are typically positioned flatly against the diaphragm 154 and joined to the diaphragm 154 by rivets or welds , not shown . when the housing 30 is secured to the diaphragm 154 by the mounting bracket 155 , the speaker cup 40 and the microphone cup 41 contact the diaphragm 154 , as is best shown in fig7 . specifically , the recessed portions 40 , and 41 &# 39 ; of the speaker cup 40 and the microphone cup 41 , respectively , abut against the roof 156 of the mounting bracket 155 . a fastening device 159 is passed through the hole 42 ( shown in fig5 ) of the recessed portion 40 &# 39 ;. similarly , a fastening device 160 is passed through the hole 43 ( shown in fig5 ) of the recessed portion 41 &# 39 ;. in addition , fastening devices 159 and 160 are passed through holes , not shown , in the roof 156 . the fastening devices 159 and 160 are connected to anchor nuts 161 and 162 , respectively , thereby securing the housing 30 to the roof 156 . referring to the various drawings as described above , the function of the present invention will now be described . during normal operation of the invention , the bezel 32 is fully inserted into the housing 30 . the flange 60 of the bezel 32 is positioned within the trough 37 of the housing 30 , and the opening 35 of the bezel 32 is aligned with the aperture 116 in the housing 30 . the tabs 65 - 68 of the bezel 32 are inserted into the openings 76 - 79 , respectively , in the housing 30 so that the bezel 32 is attached to the trough 37 of the housing 30 by the barbs 65 &# 39 ;- 68 &# 39 ;. additionally , the ridges 57 and 58 of the bezel 32 reside within the channels 117 and 118 , respectively , of the housing 30 . in this position , then , the bezel 32 is firmly held in place . now the storage of the handset 10 within the housing 30 will be discussed . when the handset 10 is inactive , it is stored in the trough 37 of the housing 30 . in this position , the collar 24 of the handset 10 resides within the aperture 98 of the housing 30 , thereby securing the end 15 of the handset 10 within the trough 37 . furthermore , the end 12 is secured within the trough 37 by the latching mechanism 130 , in the fully latched position . in particular , the tooth 137 of the catch 134 extends through the latching slot 44 of the speaker cup 40 and into the latching recess 25 of the handset 10 , thereby retaining the end 12 of the handset 10 firmly within the trough 37 . in this position , the of the handset 10 . furthermore , the body 130 &# 39 ; is biased by the spring 47 so that the ridge 119 resides within the notch 136 , adjacent to the button 36 and the tooth 135 , thereby locking the body 130 &# 39 ; in the fully latched position . additionally , when the handset 10 is retained within the trough 37 , the compressive resilient buttons 38 are compressed between the face 14 of the handset 10 and the trough 37 . the buttons 38 thus exert a force on the handset 10 , in an outward direction from the trough 37 . in this position , then , the handset 10 is firmly maintained within the trough 37 by the latching mechanism . furthermore , if pressure is exerted on the handset 10 in a direction outward from the trough 37 , the ridge - engaging tooth 135 is caused to more firmly contact the ridge 119 of the housing 30 . thus , if an attempt is made to remove the handset 10 from the trough 37 without disengaging the latching mechanism , the handset 10 will still be firmly retained . the condition of the inactive handset 10 stored within the housing 30 will now be described further . a constant tension is maintained on the cord 23 by the spring - loaded cord reel 89 . most of the cord 23 is snugly wound upon the cord reel 89 . in addition , the switch 85 is triggered , due to the presence of the handset 10 in the trough 37 . the process of disengaging the handset 10 from the trough 37 will now be discussed . in particular , referring to fig9 the operation of disengaging the tooth 135 from the ridge - section 141 will be explained . this process commences when a caller depresses the rectangular button 36 . the pressure on the button 36 causes the button 36 to travel toward the pin 97 . as a result , the body 130 &# 39 ; slides about the pin 97 and the spring 47 is thereby compressed . additionally , during this sliding motion , the ridge - engaging tooth 135 is caused to slide against the ridge section 141 by the force exerted by the spring 46 upon the body 130 &# 39 ;. further movement of the body 130 &# 39 ; causes the tooth 135 to disengage the ridge - section 141 , as shown in fig1 . referring now to fig1 , the operation of the present invention subsequent to the disengagement of the tooth 135 from the ridge - section 141 will be discussed . after the tooth 135 disengages the ridge - section 141 , pressure upon the leg 45 by the spring 46 results in a sudden rotation of the body 130 &# 39 ; about the pin 97 , so that the first section 131 travels away from the handset 10 . hence , the handset - engaging tooth 137 is removed from the latching recess 25 , thereby disengaging the handset 10 . as a result of the disengagement of the handset 10 , the handset 10 is permitted to be urged from the trough 37 by the compressive resilient buttons 38 . in addition , the rotation of the leg 45 away from the speaker cup 40 urges the handset 10 further from the trough 37 . due to this sudden rotation , the natural tendency is for the user to release the button 36 . referring now to fig1 , the operation of the invention immediately after the handset 10 is disengaged , and the caller releases the button 36 , will be discussed . due to the pressures exerted upon the body 130 &# 39 ; by the spring 47 and the pressures exerted upon the leg 45 by the spring 46 and the handset 10 , the body 130 &# 39 ; is caused to slide in the direction defined by the aperture 140 , as guided by the pivot pin 97 . as a result , the inclined plane 138 is brought into contact with the ridge - section 141 , as shown in fig1 . pressure by the spring 46 upon the leg 45 results in rotation of the body 130 &# 39 ; about the pin 97 , and pressure by the spring 47 upon the body 130 &# 39 ; results in the inclined plane 138 sliding against the ridge section 141 . accordingly , the handset 10 is urged further from the trough 37 by the leg 45 . subsequent to the condition depicted in fig1 , the rotating and sliding movements of the body 130 &# 39 ; stop when the button 36 contacts the barrier 59 and the pivot pin 97 contacts the portion of the body 130 &# 39 ; adjacent to the aperture 140 . thus , the latching mechanism 130 has achieved the fully disengaged position , as shown in fig1 . under normal conditions , the latching mechanism 130 will be maintained in this position by the springs 46 and 47 until the handset 10 is returned to the trough 37 . referring now to fig1 , the operation of the latching mechanism 130 will be discussed in the case where the user maintains pressure on the button 36 after the condition shown in fig9 occurs . if the calling passenger does not release the button 36 , but instead maintains pressure thereon , the body 130 &# 39 ; is caused to rotate due to the pressure on the button 36 by the caller in conjunction with the pressure on the leg 45 from the spring 46 . the direction of rotation causes the catch 134 to travel away from the ridge - section 141 as in fig1 . however , the inclined plane 138 does not contact the ridge - section 141 due to the pressure placed on the button 36 by the caller . this rotation is continued until the spring 47 is entirely compressed , as shown in fig1 . at this point , the body 130 &# 39 ; has rotated to the fully disengaged and fully depressed position . as a result , the handset 10 is thus urged further from the trough 37 by the leg 45 . after the body 130 achieves the fully disengaged and fully depressed position , described above , and the button 36 is released , the body 130 is caused by the spring 47 to slide , as guided by the interaction between the pin 97 and the portion of the body 130 &# 39 ; surrounding the aperture 140 . the motion of the body 130 &# 39 ; is stopped when the pivot pin 97 contacts the portion of the body 130 adjacent to the aperture 140 , and the button 36 contacts the barrier 59 . thus , the latching mechanism 130 achieves the fully disengaged position , as shown in fig1 . therefore , whether the caller releases the button 36 after the latching mechanism 130 reaches the condition shown in fig9 or maintains pressure upon the button 36 until the latching mechanism 130 reaches the condition shown in fig1 , the body 130 ultimately achieves the final condition illustrated in fig1 . further displacement of the handset 10 from the housing 30 will now be discussed . subsequent displacement of the handset 10 from the housing 30 is manually performed by the caller . the caller grips the end 12 of the handset 10 and removes the handset 10 from the trough 37 . upon continued withdrawal of the end 12 , the end 15 is displaced from the trough 37 and the collar 24 is disengaged from the aperture 98 . thus , the handset 10 is entirely removed from the housing 30 . after removal of the handset 10 in this manner , the switch 85 is un - triggered . a number of additional events occur upon displacement of the handset 10 from the housing 30 . in particular , the operation of the cord reel 89 during displacement of the handset 10 from the housing 30 will now be described . tension on the cord 23 from removal of the handset 10 causes the cord 23 to be pulled from the cord reel 89 , thereby rotating the cord reel 89 . the shell 88 maintains the cord 23 on the cord reel 89 for proper unwinding thereof . in addition , the shell 88 properly guides the cord 23 from the rotating cord reel 89 into the aperture 98 , for use by the handset 10 . since the cord reel 89 is spring - loaded , a constant tension is maintained on the cord 23 throughout displacement of the handset 10 from the housing 30 . referring now to fig1 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 11 , 12 , and 13 , the replacement of the handset 10 into the trough 37 , with the latching mechanism 130 in the fully disengaged position of fig1 , will now be discussed . first , the end 15 is replaced by the caller . the microphone 19 is brought into the microphone cup 41 and the collar 24 is directed into the aperture 98 . slack in the cord 23 , caused by the replacement of the handset 10 , is taken up by the spring - loaded cord reel 89 . once the end 15 has been fully inserted into the trough 37 , the end 12 is brought into the trough 37 . after the speaker 18 sufficiently enters the speaker cup 40 , contact is made between the leg 45 of the latching mechanism 130 and the front face 14 of the handset 10 , as shown in fig1 . further movement of the end 12 into the trough 37 causes displacement of the leg 45 toward the speaker cup 40 and compression of the spring 46 . accordingly , the body 130 &# 39 ; is caused to rotate about the pin 97 . as the end 12 is brought further inside the trough 37 , the body 130 &# 39 ; is slidably and rotatably moved about pin 97 so that inclined plane 138 slides against the ridge section 141 , as shown in fig1 . further rotation of the body 130 &# 39 ; causes the tooth 137 to protrude through the latching slot 44 and enter the latching recess 25 , as shown in fig9 . in addition , the notch 136 is caused to move into a position adjacent to the ridge section 141 . subsequently , when the caller releases pressure on the handset 10 , the body 130 &# 39 ; is caused by the spring 47 to slide about the aperture 140 toward the ridge - section 141 . further sliding of the body 130 &# 39 ; brings the ridge - section 141 into the notch 136 , as shown in fig6 . the handset 10 is thus firmly maintained in the trough 37 by the latching mechanism 130 . referring now to fig1 , 6 , 13 , 14 , 15 , and 16 , replacement of the end 12 of the handset 10 will now be discussed in the case where the latching mechanism 130 is in the fully engaged position . under normal conditions , the end 12 is replaced into the trough 37 when the latching mechanism 130 is in the fully disengaged position . however , when the end 12 is absent from the trough 37 , pressure on the leg 45 can move the latching mechanism 130 into the fully latched position shown by fig6 . in this case , insertion of the handset 10 into the trough 37 causes the latching mechanism 130 to re - set into the fully disengaged position , then fully engage the handset 10 . in particular , the end 15 is first replaced into the trough 37 . then , as the end 12 is moved into the trough 37 , the front face 14 of the handset 10 is brought into contact with the inclined plane 138 , as shown in fig1 . upon further insertion of the end 12 into the trough 37 , the front face 14 causes disengagement of the notch 136 from the ridge - section 141 and compression of the spring 47 , as is shown in fig1 . after further insertion of the end 12 into the trough 37 , the ridge - engaging tooth 134 is caused to travel past the ridge - section 141 . once this condition occurs , the body 130 &# 39 ; is suddenly caused to rotate away from the handset 10 by pressure of the spring 46 upon the leg 45 , as shown in fig1 . this rotation of the body 130 &# 39 ; is continued due to the sliding of the inclined plane 138 against the ridge - section 141 and the pressure asserted on the leg 45 by the spring 46 . thus , the latching mechanism 130 is caused to re - set into the fully disengaged position , as shown in fig1 . further replacement of the end 12 and return of the latching mechanism 130 to the fully latched position are therefore permitted to occur , as in the sequence of fig1 , 11 , 9 , and 6 , described above . the present invention provides a number of advantages over prior arrangements . since the handset 10 is wired to the housing circuit 80 and the housing circuit 80 is wired to remotely located central communications circuitry , the handset 10 functions without signal deterioration due to electromagnetic interference . another advantage is the compact size of the invention . the shell 88 permits the cord 23 to be wound and unwound from the cord reel 89 in a direction perpendicular to the circumference thereof . as a result , the cord reel 89 can be centered with respect to the longitudinal storage trough 37 , effectively decreasing the overall vertical dimension of the housing - cord reel combination when installed in a seat back . in addition , the self - resetting latching mechanism is smaller than those of the current technology . furthermore , since the latching mechanism 130 is hand - operated , it eliminates the need for a credit card slot in the housing 30 . as a result , the longitudinal dimension required for the housing 30 has been decreased . the present invention , then , is more compact than prior arrangements . another advantage is the simplified installation the present invention provides . the installation of the invention has been simplified because the cord reel 89 is integrally attached to the housing 30 . therefore , the cord reel 89 and the housing 30 can be easily mounted simultaneously . furthermore , adjustment of the cord reel 89 to properly interact with the housing 30 is unnecessary . in addition , the compact size of the invention makes installation easy . the reduced size of the housing 30 enables installation to be performed on any commercial airplane seat back without trimming the width of the housing 30 or cutting a notch in the housing 30 to accommodate a tray table latch . therefore , installation of the present invention has been substantially simplified . another advantage is the simple cleaning and servicing that the present invention affords . the bezel 32 can be inserted and removed from the housing 30 without the use of any tools . by manually placing pressure on the tabs 65 - 68 from the inside of the trough 37 , the barbs 65 &# 39 ;- 68 &# 39 ; can be disengaged from the trough 37 . bezel 32 is thus disengaged from the housing 30 and can be fully removed from the housing 30 by sliding the bezel 32 in an outward direction from the housing 30 . removal of the bezel 32 is sometimes necessary for cleaning or replacement . additionally , the bezel 32 must be removed before the surrounding upholstery is withdrawn . since the bezel 32 is removable without tools , ordinary cleaning people without particular aircraft training are able to remove and replace the bezel 32 without difficulty . still another advantage is the simple operation of the invention . the handset 10 is dispensed upon the pressing of the button 36 . accordingly , the only operation requiring a credit card is that of swiping the card through the groove 22 , for reading of the card &# 39 ; s magnetic strip . therefore , operation of the present invention is simpler than that of the current technology . another advantage provided by the present invention is the color stability and durability of the exposed components . the housing 30 , the bezel 32 , and the latching mechanism 130 are all formed from an ultraviolet light - resistant material such as a polycarbonate material . consequently , the components of the invention that are exposed to view are protected from color degradation due to ultraviolet light . additionally , these components are more resistive to damage . while there have been shown what are at present considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
the details of the invention are best comprehended when considered in light of the drawings herein . fig1 represents a five layer structure of films of this invention . in fig1 the overall film is designated 10 . layer 12 is the heat seal layer of surlyn ionomer . layer 16 is evoh or polyamide or a blend of evoh and polyamide . layer 20 is a polymer based on polyethylene or polypropylene . layers 14 and 18 are adhesives based on olefin polymers . the sealant layer 12 is typically surlyn ionomer which may be selected as such because of its ability to reliably form hermetic heat seals . the term &# 34 ; hermetic &# 34 ; as used herein refers generally to gas - tight seals where pressure of , for example , atmospheric gases is minimized . for purposes of this invention , the composition of layer 12 is not so important as is its capability to form seals which have strength sufficient for hindering attempts to open the package by peeling apart of the seals . in the construction of sealed film packages , such as that shown in fig2 there are known two general types of seal structure . in the first type , the seal extends to the outer edge of the package as in fig3 . as seen in fig3 the sealed area of the sealant layers 312 extends from a location 322 inwardly of the edge 313 of the film to the edge 313 thereof , such that the edge of the package functions as a single film . in the second type , as seen in fig4 the seal extends from a location 422 which is inward of the edge 413 of the film , outwardly to another location 424 short of the edges of 413 , such that the edges 413 of the film are not sealed together . the unsealed portion of the film between edges 413 and 424 can be grasped for peeling open the package in cases where the seal layer can be peeled apart as peelable seals . in cases where the seals are strong , the interfacial boundary between the sealant layers as at 326 in fig3 essentially disappears and the two layers function as one layer . such a construction is seen in fig5 where the sealant layers 512 have been joined in the seal area . in structure of fig5 the seal area may be so strongly sealed as to form an inseparable bond and , thereby , resist separation into two layers in the seal area , such that the film will fail by tearing thereof as at 428a when sufficient pulling force is used in attempting to pull apart the two sides 510a and 510b of the package by pulling on it near the edges 513 . such efforts fail to open the package to make the contents available . the package may be opened by grasping it on both sides , inwardly of the seal area , and pulling the two sides 510a and 510b apart . this opening is by tearing through the entire thickness of the package sidewall as at 528b . while the package may thus be opened , the tearing through of the entire thickness of the packaging film may be sudden , and is typically accompanied by an uncontrolled and jerky motion , with spillage of contents , as well as other undesirable results . the packages of fig3 and 4 , having weaker seals , as shown by the interfaces 326 and 426 , may conceivably be opened along the seal interfaces and thus are of little consequence to the invention beyond their use as background information on conventional peelable seals which are undesirably weak . while the packages illustrated as fig5 have sufficient seal strength , they do not have a peel - open capability . the packages of this invention do have peel - open capability in combination with strong seals and excellent barrier properties , effected by the use of the multiple layer films disclosed herein . turning back now to fig1 layer 14 is an adhesive tie layer whose composition is selected for good adhesion to its adjacent layers . typical adhesive materials for use inlayer 14 are the anhydride modified polyolefins . these are available commercially as , for example , plexar 3 or plexar 158 from chemplex company and ap220l from novatec company . it is common , and satisfactory , for layer 14 to form an inseparable bond with layer 12 . it is also desirable that layer 14 form a good , but separable bond with layer 16 . layer 16 provides the package with a barrier to transmission of oxygen through the package wall . the composition of layer 16 is evoh , a polyamide - based polymer or a blend of evoh with a polyamide - based polymer . as referred to herein , a polyamide - based polymer is one having a substantial recurrence of amide type molecular subgroupings . among the preferred polyamide - based polymers are the various nylon polymers and polyetheramide copolymers . significantly , layer 16 has moderate adhesion to layer 14 , such that the package is structurally sound ; but the adhesion between layers 14 and 16 is not so strong as to preclude the peeling apart of those layers . layer 18 is an adhesive tie layer whose composition is selected for good adhesion to its adjacent layers 16 and 20 . adhesive materials used in layer 18 are similar to those used in layer 14 , as the functional requirements of adhesion are similar . thus , the anhydride modified polyolefins are exemplary of satisfactory adhesive materials for use in layer 18 . in some cases , it is acceptable , and for economic reasons may be desirable , to use the same material composition for both layers 14 and 18 . layer 20 has , as its primary purpose , the protection of layers 12 , 14 , 16 , and 18 from intrusions into the package , as in fig2 from the external environment . common intrusions of concern are those of oxygen and moisture . the intrusion of oxygen is prevented primarily by the oxygen barrier layer 16 . in the usual case where layer 16 contains evoh , the effectiveness of the evoh depends on it being dry . to the extent moisture reaches the evoh , the effectiveness of its oxygen barrier property is reduced . thus it is important that layer 20 not only prevent moisture from getting into the package , it should also prevent moisture from reaching any evoh which may be in layer 16 . the functional requirements of layer 20 are fulfilled by polyethylene , polypropylene , propylene ethylene copolymers , or ethylene vinyl acetate having less than 5 % by weight vinyl acetate . particularly desirable compositions for layer 20 are low density polyethylene , linear low density polyethylene and high density polyethylene . packages of the invention may be made entirely from films of the invention . in making these packages , portions of the films are positioned face - to - face with the sealant layers facing each other . the packaging materials thus positioned for formation of heat seals are in closure relationship . the package such as is seen in fig2 is formed and sealed closed by forming heat seals generally about a contiguous enclosure defined by the film portions . packages of the invention may also be made by sealing a first film of the invention to a second packaging material not of the invention . in these cases , both the overall cohesive strength of the second packaging material and the seal strength of the package closure seals must be stronger than the strength required to peel open the package . the closed and sealed packages of this invention are represented by the illustration of fig6 . they may also have unsealed edge portions such as those seen in fig4 and 5 . the joining of the seal layers 612 in fig6 is represented as being inseparable by the absence of any line representing the interfacial surfaces of layers 612 in the seal area . for opening packages of the invention , the package sidewalls , as at 610a and 610b fig6 are grasped at locations inwardly of the package from the seal area and pulled apart , as shown by arrows adjacent the sides of the package in fig7 . the inseparable seal between the sealant layers 612 , 712 remains intact , and the packaging film is torn partially through its thickness , tearing the sealant layer 12 and the adjacent adhesive layer 14 . layers 712 and 714 in fig7 have been torn through . the adhesion at the interface between layers 714 and 716 is strong enough to allow for package integrity while being weak enough to be separated with moderate amounts of force . as seen in fig7 layers 712 and 714 have been torn through , and the opening has progressed along the interface of layers 714 and 716 by ply separation , toward the edge 713 of the package . fig8 shows the package fully opened after peeling along the interface to the outer edge 713 , for access to its contents through the opening shown by the double headed arrow in fig8 . attempts to open the package by other conventional means may not be successful . thus the method of opening the package is not obvious . for example , in a package of the invention wherein the seal does not extend to the edge of the film , one may grasp the loose edges and pull them apart , expecting to open the package . such a package is illustrated in fig1 . it is seen that the same combination of tear and peel opening which functions to open the package as in the method illustrated by fig7 and 8 , does not function to open the package when done by the method illustrated in fig1 . while a plurality of layers of the packaging material may be removed by that method , the package is not opened for access to the contents . thus it is seen that the packages of this invention have strong seals , and function with a special peelable opening feature , the seals being preferrably made as by heat sealing . the packaging films , themselves , are preferrably made by coextrusion processes wherein all cross - sections , by virtue of the process , comprise the peelable interface between two of the layers , though other processes are acceptable so long as the resulting film has functional integrity for the life of the package and provides a peelable interface between two layers other than the heat seal layers . for those purposes the interfacial adhesion between the two layers should be between 50 grams per inch width and 400 grams per inch , preferrably between 100 and 300 grams per inch , as determined by astm d - 903 . films of this invention are generally thin , usually in the range of 1 . 25 mil to 3 . 5 mils in overall thickness . thinner films in this range are preferred for purposes of driving heat through them in the heat seaing process , and are economical in use of materials . thicker films are stronger and more durable . a highly desirable film is 1 . 5 mils thick , and may be made by a conventional coextrusion process . the sealant layer as at 12 , is surlyn ionomer at 33 % of the film thickness . the two tie layers , as at 14 and 18 , are each 7 . 5 % of the overall film thickness and are composed of plexar 3 anhydride modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer . the oxygen barrier layer , as at 16 , is 10 % of the overall thickness and is soarnol - et evoh from nippon gohsei company , japan . the outer layer , as at 20 , is 42 % of the overall film thickness and is norchem 963 low density polyethylene . in opening tests of pouch - type packages , and film peeled to open the package between layers 14 and 16 . another desirable film which may also be made by coextrusion is also 1 . 5 mils thick . the sealant layer is surlyn ionomer at 15 % of the film thickness . the two tie layers are each 7 . 5 % of the overall film thickness and are composed of plexar 3 anhydride modified ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer . the oxygen barrier layer is 10 % of the overall thickness and is nylon 6 . the outer layer is 60 % of the overall film thickness and is high density polyethylene . packages made from this film could be peeled open in like manner as those in example 1 . the minimum thickness of the overall film is somewhat based on functional performances of the individual layers . minimum thickness of the oxygen barrier layer and the tie layers is about 0 . 1 mil each , as that represents the approximate state of the art minimum thickness for fabrication of film layers by coextrusion . minimum thickness of the outer layer , as at 20 , is about 0 . 5 mil to ensure good moisture barrier and at least a moderate amount of abuse resistance . minimum thickness of the sealant layer is that necessary to achieve the required seal strength . while the use of layers 14 and 16 for ply separation is illustrated , other layer pairs could be selected so long as the functional affect is the same . it should be noted that , in the package structure , there is a substantial fraction of the film thickness between the peelable interface and the exterior surface of the package . in the film illustrated in example 1 , about 60 % of the film thickness is between the peelable interface and the exterior surface . in the film in example 2 , about 87 % of the film thickness is between the peelable interface and the exterior surface . other percentages will be functional so long as the required peel force is less than the force required to tear through the remaining thickness of the film . in some cases , additional protective properties are desired of films of this invention , whereby more complex structures are needed . in one such structure , having 7 layers , an additional adhesive tie layer 21 is used to adhere a special abuse resistant layer 23 to the moisture barrier layer 20 , as seen in fig9 . acceptable materials for abuse resistant layer 23 are paper , cellophane , biaxially oriented polyester , biaxially oriented polypropylene or biaxially oriented nylon . suitable adhesive materials for tie layer 21 are the anhydride modified polyolefins as well as the unmodified polyolefins , depending on the specific compositions chosen for layers 20 and 23 . those skilled in the arts will be able to make appropriate selections of adhesive compositions for these layers based on conventional knowledge . in another of the complex structures illustrated by fig1 , a layer 25 having a metal composition is adhered to layer 20 by an adhesive layer 27 and an abuse resistant layer 23 is adhered to layer 25 by an adhesive layer 21 . layer 25 may be metal foil or a metallized plastic film such as metallized polyester or polypropylene . suitable adhesive material for layer 27 is typically the same as for adhesive layers 14 and 18 . layer 23 is the abuse resistant layer as in the 7 - layer structure . in the 9 - layer structure , layer 21 is preferrably ethylene acrylic acid copolymer for good adhesion to a metal surface or may be other of the known adhesive polymers , such as low density polyethylene . where layer 23 is a generally transparent layer on an outside surface of the film , it is sometimes desirable to print artwork , graphics , and other indicia on the surface of the film which is disposed toward the adjacent layer in the film . this process is known as reverse printing and is completed before the single abuse resistant layer is incorporated into the multiple layer film as layer 23 . thus it is seen that the films of this invention provide a combination of properties never before achieved in a single film . there is particularly provided a strong seal in combination with a ply - separating peel capability , good oxygen and moisture barriers , and in some of the films there is good capability for light barrier , abuse resistance and further enhanced gas barrier provided by a metal barrier . | 1 |
the dienes suitable for use according to the present invention are conjugated dienes optionally containing the substituents previously noted . preferred are well - known conjugated dienes that are readily available industrially wherein one of r 1 - r 4 may be methyl and the remaining substituents are all hydrogen . most preferred diene reactants include 1 , 3 - butadiene , 1 , 3 - pentadiene or isoprene or mixtures thereof . accordingly , the unsaturated esters prepared therefrom preferably have one of r 1 - r 4 either hydrogen or methyl and the remaining substituents are hydrogen . the dienes may be employed in a purified form or used as mixtures with other gases that are unreactive under the reaction conditions employed . it is seen that the reaction generally requires two moles of diene reactant for every mole of cyclic alkylene carbonate . the cyclic alkylene carbonates for use according to the present invention are preferably those wherein r 5 of the formula provided is hydrogen or c 1 - 4 alkyl . most preferred cyclic alkylene carbonates are ethylene and propylene carbonate . suitable catalysts for the invented process are selected from zero valent nickel phosphine complexes capable of catalyzing the reaction . preferred phosphines are organo phosphines of the formula ( r ) 3 p wherein r is phenyl or c 1 - 10 alkyl . a most preferred phosphine is triethyl phosphine . the process may be conducted in a solvent or neat . suitable solvents include polar organic compounds such as tetrahydrofuran , ethylene glycol , ethylene glycol monoalkyl ether , glyme , diglyme , etc ., and mixtures thereof . a preferred solvent is tetrahydrofuran . the process is conducted at elevated temperatures from 100 ° c . to about 150 ° c ., depending on the solvent system and reactants employed . at lower temperatures the reaction rate tends to diminish , while at elevated temperatures above about 150 ° c ., the catalyst tends to degrade due to thermal instability . a preferred temperature is from about 110 ° c . to about 130 ° c . the reaction may be conducted at elevated or reduced pressures or at atmospheric pressure , depending primarily on the partial pressure of the olefin reactant . in particular , where the temperature employed exceeds the normal boiling point of the solvent system , it will be necessary to employ elevated pressures . continued heating of the reaction product results in condensation of the unsaturated ester product thereby forming a bis ester of the formula xc ( o ) och 2 chr 5 o ( o ) cx and release of an aliphatic diol . thus , it is possible upon heating of the reaction product of ethylene glycol and butadiene for example , to prepare ethylene glycol plus the bis ester of the formula : ## str3 ## such bis esters constitute one embodiment of the present invention . the stability of the products and thus their utility in such applications as cross - linking agents may be enhanced by substitution of a less reactive ester group for the β - hydroxy - containing ester functionality originally prepared by the process . the substitution is readily accomplished under transesterification conditions by reaction of the ester product including the above bis esters with a c 1 - 6 alcohol such as methanol or ethanol . accordingly , the product prepared will be a compound of the formula xc ( o ) or &# 39 ; where r &# 39 ; is c 1 - 6 alkyl and x is as previously defined . having described my invention the following examples are provided as further illustrative of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting . a 200 - ml stainless steel autoclave was filled in an argon atmosphere with the following : ethylene carbonate ( 11 . 01 g , 0 . 125 mole ), tetrahydrofuran ( 25 ml ), ni [ 1 , 5 - cyclooctadiene ] 2 ( 300 mg , 1 . 09 mmole ) and triethylphosphine ( 800 mg , 6 . 78 mmole ). the autoclave was sealed , weighed to the nearest 0 . 1 g in air , and charged with butadiene ( 31 . 5 g net weight , 0 . 583 mole ). the autoclave was then heated to 120 ° c . for 17 hours . during the reaction , the pressure inside the autoclave rose to about 215 psig . after heating for the indicated time period , the autoclave was cooled and vented . the product mixture comprised a yellow - green solution that was evaporated and then slowly distilled ( 150 ° c ., 1 torr .) to remove butadiene oligomers , unreacted ethylene carbonate and ethylene glycol . analysis of the reaction product indicated a major component was 2 - hydroxyethyl 3 - ethylidene - 2 - methyl - 1 - cyclopentene - 1 - carboxylate . continued bulb to bulb distillation of the reaction product ( air bath , 220 ° c . at 0 . 2 torr ) resulted in the production of further amounts of ethylene glycol and a pale yellow oil that crystallized upon standing . an analytical sample obtained by recrystallization from hexane was identified as the desired product 1 , 2 - ethanediyl bis -( 3 - ethylidene - 2 - methyl - 1 - cyclopentene - 1 - carboxylate ). mp . 95 ° c .- 97 ° c . a 200 - ml stainless steel autoclave was filled in an argon atmosphere with the following : ethylene carbonate ( 22 . 0 g , 0 . 25 mole ), 1 , 3 - pentadiene ( e and z mixture , 50 . 0 ml , 0 . 50 mole ), tetrahydrofuran ( 50 ml ), ni [ 1 , 5 - cyclooctadiene ] 2 ( 300 mg , 1 . 09 mmole ) and triethylphosphine ( 515 mg , 4 . 36 mmole ). the autoclave was sealed and heated to 120 ° c . for 18 hours . the resultant yellow - green solution was evaporated and the title compound was isolated using column chromatography . isolated yield was 11 . 19 g ( 20 percent of theory ) of an isometric mixture containing 80 percent by weight of the title compound . analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed the product &# 39 ; s identity . the reaction conditions of example 1 were substantially repeated except that isoprene ( 10 . 21 g , 0 . 150 mole ) was used in place of butadiene . the crude reaction material was evaporated and distilled at 140 ° c . at 1 mm . the pot residue was then bulb to bulb distilled ( 210 ° c . air bath at 0 . 6 mm ) to give 9 . 27 g of a viscous yellow oil . this material is a mixture (˜ 50 : 50 ) of the title compound and 2 - hydroxyethyl 3 -( 2 , 7 - dimethyl - 2 , 5 , 7 - octatriene ) carboxylate : ## str7 ## the bis ester of example 1 , 1 , 2 - ethanediyl bis -( 3 - ethylidene - 2 - methyl - 1 - cyclopentene - 1 - carboxylate ), was polymerized in a small test tube . accordingly , a mixture of 0 . 42 g of the crystalline glycol diester and 0 . 05 g of dibenzoyl peroxide in a test tube was immersed in an oil bath maintained at 80 ° c . for 65 hours . the resulting solid casting was translucent , amber in color , slightly sticky and conformed in shape to the original test tube . the product was insoluble in hexane but soluble in methylene chloride . | 2 |
the following compounds of the general structure ( i ) are already known in the prior art ( synlett ( 1997 ), 177 - 178 ), without their use in a medicament or for the preparation of a medicament for treatment and / or prophylaxis of pain , urinary incontinence , itching , tinnitus aurium and / or diarrhoea being described : n , n - dimethyl -[ phenyl -( 2 - pyrrolidin - 1 - yl - cyclohexyl )- methyl ]- amine , n , n - dimethyl -[( 2 - morpholin - 4 - yl - cyclohexyl )- phenyl - methyl ]- amine , 4 -[ phenyl -( 2 - pyrrolidin - 1 - yl - cyclohexyl )- methyl ]- pyrrolidine , 4 -[ phenyl -( 2 - pyrrolidin - 1 - yl - cyclohexyl )- methyl ]- morpholine , 1 -[ phenyl -( 2 - pyrrolidin - 1 - yl - cyclohexyl )- methyl ]- piperidine , 1 -[ 2 - methyl - 1 -( 2 - pyrrolidin - 1 - yl - cyclohexyl )- propyl ]- piperidine , n , n - dimethyl -( 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - diphenyl - 3 - pyrrolidin - 1 - yl - propyl )- amine , n , n - dimethyl -( 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - diphenyl - 3 -( n , n - diethylamino )- propyl )- amine , 4 -( 1 , 3 - diphenyl - 3 - pyrrolidin - 1 - yl - propyl )- morpholine , n , n - dimethyl -( 2 - methyl - 1 - phenyl - 3 -( morpholin - 4 - yl )- pentyl )- amine , benzyl -[ 2 -( dimethylamino - phenyl - methyl )- cyclohexyl ]- amine and ( 2 - methyl - 1 , 3 - diphenyl - 3 - piperidin - 1 - yl - propyl )- propyl - amine . the present invention therefore also provides these compounds inasmuch as processes according to the invention for their preparation , medicaments comprising them and their use for the preparation of medicaments for treatment and / or prophylaxis of pain , urinary incontinence , itching , tinnitus aurium and / or diarrhoea are concerned . in the context of this invention , the terms “ alkyl ”, “ c 1 - 12 - alkyl ” and “ c 1 - 6 - alkyl ” comprise acyclic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals , which can be branched or straight - chain and unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents , having ( as in the case of c 1 - 12 - alkyl ) 1 to 12 ( i . e . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 or 12 ) or ( as in the case of c 1 - 6 - alkyl ) 1 to 6 ( i . e . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 or 6 ) c atoms , i . e . c 1 - 12 - alkanyls or c 1 - 6 - alkanyls , c 2 - 12 - alkenyls or c 2 - 6 - alkenyls and c 2 - 12 - alkynyls or c 2 - 6 - alkynyls . “ alkenyls ” here have at least one c — c double bond and “ alkynyls ” at least one c — c triple bond . alkyl is advantageously chosen from the group which comprises methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , tert - butyl , n - pentyl , iso - pentyl , neo - pentyl , n - hexyl , 2 - hexyl , n - heptyl , n - octyl , n - nonyl , n - decyl , n - dodecyl ; ethenyl ( vinyl ), ethynyl , propenyl (— ch 2 ch ═ ch 2 , — ch ═ ch — ch 3 , — c (═ ch 2 )— ch 3 ), propynyl (— ch 2 — c ≡ ch , — c ≡ c — ch 3 ), butenyl , butynyl , pentenyl , pentynyl , hexenyl , hexynyl , octenyl and octynyl . in the context of this invention , “ c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl ” ( or “ cycloalkyl ”) denotes a cyclic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical having 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 or 8 c atoms , where the radical can be unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents and optionally benzo - fused . by way of example , cycloalkyl represents cyclopropyl , cyclobutyl , cyclopentyl , cyclohexyl and cycloheptanyl . for the purposes of the present invention , the term “ aryl ” is to be understood as a radical which is chosen from the group comprising phenyl , naphthyl , anthracenyl and biphenyl and is unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents . preferred substituents are c 1 - 6 - alkyl , f , cl , br , i , cf 3 , or 11 , ocf 3 , sr 12 , so 2 ch 3 , so 2 cf 3 , phenyl cn , co 2 r 13 and no 2 , wherein r 11 , r 12 and r 13 independently of one another denote h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , phenyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , benzyl or phenethyl . aryl is preferably a phenyl , 1 - naphthyl or 2 - naphthyl which is unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents , in particular an unsubstituted or monosubstituted phenyl . the term “ heterocyclyl ” represents a monocyclic or polycyclic organic radical in which at least one ring contains 1 heteroatom or 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 identical or different heteroatoms which is / are chosen from the group containing n , o and s , where the radical is saturated or unsaturated and is unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents . examples of heterocyclyl radicals in the context of this invention are monocyclic five -, six - or seven - membered organic radicals with 1 heteroatom or 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 identical or different heteroatoms , which is / are nitrogen , oxygen and / or sulfur , and benzo - fused analogues thereof . a sub - group of heterocyclyl radicals is formed by the “ heteroaryl ” radicals , which are those heterocyclyls in which the ring , at least one of which is present , which contains the heteroatom / s is heteroaromatic . each heteroaryl radical can be present as a radical which is unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents . examples of heterocyclyl radicals in the context of the present invention are pyrrolidinyl , tetrahydrofuryl , piperidinyl , piperazinyl and , in particular , morpholinyl . examples of heteroaryl radicals are pyrrolyl , furanyl , thienyl , pyrazolyl , imidazolyl , pyridazinyl , pyrimidinyl , pyrazinyl and , in particular , pyridinyl , and benzo - fused analogues thereof . all these radicals can in each case be present as radicals which are unsubstituted or substituted . for the purposes of the present invention , the terms “( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl ”, “( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl ” and “( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl ” mean that the cycloalkyl , heterocyclyl or aryl radical is bonded via a c 1 - 6 - alkyl group to the compound substituted by it . in connection with “ alkyl ”, “ alkanyl ”, “ alkenyl ”, “ alkynyl ” and “ cycloalkyl ”, the term “ substituted ” in the context of this invention is understood as meaning replacement of a hydrogen atom by , for example , f , cl , br , i , — cn , nh 2 , nh - alkyl , nh - aryl , nh - alkyl - aryl , nh - heterocyclyl , nh - alkyl - oh , n ( alkyl ) 2 , n ( alkyl - aryl ) 2 , n ( heterocyclyl ) 2 , n ( alkyl - oh ) 2 , no , no 2 , sh , s - alkyl , s - aryl , s - alkyl - aryl , s - heterocyclyl , s - alkyl - oh , s - alkyl - sh , oh , o - alkyl , o - aryl , o - alkyl - aryl , o - heterocyclyl , o - alkyl - oh , cho , c (═ o ) c 1 - 6 - alkyl , c (═ s ) c 1 - 6 - alkyl , c (═ o ) aryl , c (═ s ) aryl , c (═ o ) c 1 - 6 - alkyl - aryl , c (═ s ) c 1 - 6 - alkyl - aryl , c (═ o )- heterocyclyl , c (═ s )- heterocyclyl , co 2 h , co 2 - alkyl , co 2 - alkyl - aryl , c (═ o ) nh 2 , c (═ o ) nh - alkyl , c (═ o ) nharyl , c (═ o ) nh - heterocyclyl , c (═ o ) n ( alkyl ) 2 , c (═ o ) n ( alkyl - aryl ) 2 , c (═ o ) n ( heterocyclyl ) 2 , so - alkyl , so 2 - alkyl , so 2 - alkyl - aryl , so 2 nh 2 , so 3 h , so 3 - alkyl , cycloalkyl , aryl or heterocyclyl , where polysubstituted radicals are to be understood as meaning those radicals which are polysubstituted , e . g . di - or trisubstituted , either on different or on the same atoms , for example , trisubstituted on the same c atom , such as in the case of cf 3 or — ch 2 cf 3 , or at different points , such as in the case of — ch ( oh )— ch ═ ccl — ch 2 cl . polysubstitution can be by identical or different substituents . cf 3 is particularly preferred as substituted alkyl for the purposes of the present invention . in the context of this invention , in respect of “ aryl ”, “ heterocyclyl ” and “ heteroaryl ”, “ monosubstituted ” or “ polysubstituted ” is understood as meaning one or more , e . g . two , three or four , replacements of one or more hydrogen atoms of the ring system by a suitable substituent . where the meaning of these suitable substituents is not defined elsewhere in the description or in the claims in connection with “ aryl ”, “ heterocyclyl ” or “ heteroaryl ”, suitable substituents are f , cl , br , i , cn , nh 2 , nh - alkyl , nh - aryl , nh - alkyl - aryl , nh - heterocyclyl , nh - alkyl - oh , n ( alkyl ) 2 , n ( alkyl - aryl ) 2 , n ( heterocyclyl ) 2 , n ( alkyl - oh ) 2 , no , no 2 , sh , s - alkyl , s - cycloalkyl , s - aryl , s - alkyl - aryl , s - heterocyclyl , s - alkyl - oh , s - alkyl - sh , oh , o - alkyl , o - cycloalkyl , o - aryl , o - alkyl - aryl , o - heterocyclyl , o - alkyl - oh , cho , c (═ o ) c 1 - 6 - alkyl , c (═ s ) c 1 - 6 - alkyl , c (═ o ) aryl , c (═ s ) aryl , c (═ o )— c 1 - 6 - alkyl - aryl , c (═ s ) c 1 - 6 - alkyl - aryl , c (═ o )- heterocyclyl , c (═ s )- heterocyclyl , co 2 h , co 2 - alkyl , co 2 - alkyl - aryl , c (═ o ) nh 2 , c (═ o ) nh - alkyl , c (═ o ) nharyl , c (═ o ) nh - heterocyclyl , c (═ o ) n ( alkyl ) 2 , c (═ o ) n ( alkyl - aryl ) 2 , c (═ o ) n ( heterocyclyl ) 2 , s ( o )- alkyl , s ( o )- aryl , so 2 - alkyl , so 2 - aryl , so 2 nh 2 , so 3 h , cf 3 , ═ o , ═ s ; alkyl , cycloalkyl , aryl and / or heterocyclyl ; on one or optionally various atoms ( where a substituent can optionally be substituted in its turn ). polysubstitution here is by identical or different substituents . particularly preferred substituents for aryl and heterocyclyl are c 1 - 6 - alkyl , f , cl , br , i , cf 3 , or 11 , ocf 3 , sr 12 , so 2 ch 3 , so 2 cf 3 , phenyl , cn , co 2 r 13 and / or no 2 , wherein r 11 , r 12 and r 13 independently of one another denote h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , phenyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , benzyl or phenethyl . for the purposes of the present invention , “ benzo - fused ” means that a benzene ring is fused on to another ring . pharmaceutically acceptable salts in the context of this invention are those salts of compounds according to the general structure ( i ) according to the invention which are physiologically tolerated in pharmaceutical use — in particular when used on mammals and / or humans . such pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be formed , for example , with inorganic or organic acids . the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of compounds according to the invention are preferably formed with hydrochloric acid , hydrobromic acid , sulfuric acid , phosphoric acid , methanesulfonic acid , p - toluenesulfonic acid , carbonic acid , formic acid , acetic acid , oxalic acid , succinic acid , tartaric acid , mandelic acid , fumaric acid , lactic acid , citric acid , glutamic acid or aspartic acid . the salts formed are , inter alia , hydrochlorides , hydrobromides , phosphates , carbonates , bicarbonates , formates , acetates , oxalates , succinates , tartrates , fumarates , citrates and glutamates . solvates are also preferred , and in particular the hydrates of the compounds according to the invention , which can be obtained e . g . by crystallization from aqueous solution . preferred compounds of the general formula ( i ) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof are those wherein r 2 denotes c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl or heteroaryl , wherein r 1 and r 2 are not at the same time aryl or aryl and heteroaryl , or r 1 and r 2 together form —( ch 2 ) m —, where m = 3 , 4 or 5 ; r 3 denotes h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heteroaryl or c (═ o )— r 7 , r 4 denotes h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl or heteroaryl , or r 3 and r 4 together form —( ch 2 ) n —, where n = 4 , 5 or 6 , or —( ch 2 ) 2 — x —( ch 2 ) 2 —, where x ═ o or nr 8 ; r 5 and r 6 independently of one another denote c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl or ( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl or together form —( ch 2 ) o —, where o = 4 , 5 or 6 , or —( ch 2 ) 2 — y —( ch 2 ) 2 —, where y ═ o or nr 9 ; r 7 denotes c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heteroaryl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heteroaryl ; r 8 and r 9 independently of one another denote h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl or heteroaryl ; r 10 denotes c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl ; r 14 , r 15 , r 16 , r 17 , r 18 , r 19 , r 20 , r 21 , r 22 , r 23 , r 24 and r 25 independently of one another denote h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , f , cl , br , i , cf 3 , or 11 , ocf 3 , sr 12 , so 2 ch 3 , so 2 cf 3 , phenyl , cn , co 2 r 13 or no 2 ; and r 11 , r 12 and r 13 independently of one another denote h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , phenyl , benzyl or phenethyl . r 1 denotes methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , tert - butyl or phenyl , r 2 denotes methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , tert - butyl , phenyl , benzyl , phenethyl or pyridinyl , wherein r 1 and r 2 are not at the same time phenyl or phenyl and pyridinyl , or r 1 and r 2 together form —( ch 2 ) m —, where m = 3 or 4 ; r 3 denotes h , methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , tert - butyl , phenyl , — ch 2 - aryl 1 or c (═ o )— r 7 , r 4 denotes h , methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , tert - butyl , phenyl or — ch 2 - aryl 3 , or r 3 and r 4 together form —( ch 2 ) n —, where n = 4 or 5 , or —( ch 2 ) 2 — x —( ch 2 ) 2 —, where x ═ o or nr 8 ; r 5 and r 6 independently of one another denote methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl or — ch 2 - phenyl , or together form —( ch 2 ) o —, where o = 4 or 5 , or —( ch 2 ) 2 — y —( ch 2 ) 2 —, where y ═ o or nr 9 ; a denotes aryl 4 , pyridinyl which is unsubstituted or monosubstituted or polysubstituted by identical or different substituents , c (═ o ) or 10 or 2 - propyl ; wherein r 7 denotes methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , tert - butyl or aryl 2 ; r 8 and r 9 independently of one another denote h , methyl or phenyl ; r 10 denotes methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , tert - butyl or benzyl ; and aryl 1 , aryl 2 , aryl 3 and aryl 4 independently of one another denote wherein 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 of the radicals r 14 , r 15 , r 16 , r 17 and r 18 represent h and the other radicals of r 14 , r 15 , r 16 , r 17 and r 18 independently of one another denote c 1 - 6 - alkyl , f , cl , br , i , cf 3 , or 11 , ocf 3 , sr 12 , so 2 ch 3 , so 2 cf 3 , phenyl , cn , co 2 r 13 or no 2 ; and r 11 , r 12 and r 13 independently of one another denote h , c 1 - 6 - alkyl , phenyl , benzyl or phenethyl . very particularly preferred compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention are those in which r 1 and r 2 together form —( ch 2 ) 4 —; r 3 denotes h , n - propyl , — ch 2 - phenyl or c (═ o )— r 7 ; r 5 and r 6 each denote methyl or together form —( ch 2 ) 2 — o —( ch 2 ) 2 —; the compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention always have at least three centres of asymmetry which are identified with * in the formula below : the compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention can thus be present as a racemate , in the form of one or more of their diastereomers , i . e . in the diastereomerically pure form or as a mixture of two or more diastereomers , or in the form of one or more of their enantiomers , i . e . in the enantiomerically pure form or as a non - racemic mixture of enantiomers , and in particular both as the substance or as pharmaceutically acceptable salts of these compounds . the mixtures can be present in any desired mixing ratio of the stereoisomers . it is preferable here that the compounds of the general formula ( i ) according to the invention , or one of their pharmaceutically acceptable salts , are present as diastereomers of the formula ( syn , anti - i ) and optionally in the enantiomerically pure form . the designation “ syn , anti ” chosen for identification of the relative configuration ( relative stereochemistry ) is to be understood as meaning that the two adjacent substituents nr 3 r 4 and r 1 in the conformation drawn above point into the same spatial half (=“ syn ”), while the two adjacent substituents r 1 and nr 5 r 6 in the conformation drawn point into opposite spatial halves (=“ anti ”) ( s . masamune et al ., j . am . chem . soc . ( 1982 ) 104 , 5521 - 5523 ). compounds of the general structure ( i ) or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts which are present as diastereomers of the formula ( anti , anti - i ) and optionally in the enantiomerically pure form are also preferred . the designation “ anti , anti ” chosen for identification of the relative stereochemistry is to be understood as meaning that the two adjacent substituents nr 3 r 4 and r 1 in the conformation drawn point into opposite spatial halves (=“ anti ”) just as the two adjacent substituents r 1 and nr 5 r 6 do . compounds of the general structure ( i ) or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts which are present as diastereomers of the formula ( anti , syn - i ) and optionally in the enantiomerically pure form are furthermore preferred . the designation “ anti , syn ” chosen for identification of the relative stereochemistry is to be understood as meaning that the two adjacent substituents nr 3 r 4 and r 1 in the conformation drawn point into opposite spatial halves (=“ anti ”), while the two adjacent substituents r 1 and nr 5 r 6 in the conformation drawn point into the same spatial half (=“ syn ”). compounds of the general structure ( i ) or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts which are furthermore preferred are those which are present as diastereomers of the formula ( syn , syn - i ) and optionally in the enantiomerically pure form . the designation “ syn , syn ” chosen for identification of the relative stereochemistry is to be understood as meaning that the two adjacent substituents nr 3 r 4 and r 1 in the conformation drawn point into the same spatial half (=“ syn ”) just as the two adjacent substituents r 1 and nr 5 r 6 do . compounds by way of example and advantageous compounds of the present invention are chosen from the group which comprises the present invention also provides processes for the preparation of the compounds of the general structure ( i ). thus , compounds of the general structure ( i ) in which r 3 represents h , c 1 - 12 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl and r 4 represents hydrogen can be obtained by reduction of the corresponding imine of the general formula ( ii ) suitable reducing agents are , for example , complex hydrides , such as e . g . zncnbh 3 , which can be formed in situ by reaction of sodium cyanoborohydride with anhydrous zinc ( ii ) chloride in an anhydrous organic solvent , diisobutylaluminium hydride (= dibah , dibal ), l - selectride ( i . e . lithium tri - sec - butylborohydride ) and libh 4 , nabh 4 , nabh 3 cn and nabh ( oc (═ o ) ch 3 ) 3 . the reduction is carried out here at temperatures from − 70 ° c . to + 65 ° c ., preferably 0 ° c . to 40 ° c ., over a period of 0 . 5 h to 24 h . this imine reduction process in general gives the diamine ( i ) as a mixture of various conceivable stereoisomers ( diastereomer mixture ). alternatively , the reduction can also be carried out with hydrogen ( under an h 2 partial pressure of 1 to 50 bar ) in the presence of a suitable transition metal catalyst , e . g . ni , pd , pt or pto 2 , preferably in situ . surprisingly , it has been found that the imine reduction process described above can also be adapted to diastereoselective synthesis of ( anti , anti - i ) or ( syn , syn - i ) ( where r 3 and r 4 ═ h ): if an imine ( ii ) with the relative configuration anti is reacted with a suitable reducing agent , in particular zinc cyanoborohydride , libh 4 , nabh 4 , nabh 3 cn or nabh ( oc (═ o ) ch 3 ) 3 , in an alcoholic solvent , the diamine ( i ) with the relative configuration anti , anti is obtained with a high stereoselectivity . the reduction is preferably carried out in methanol with slow warming from 0 ° c . to room temperature over 8 to 24 h , in particular 10 to 14 h . on the other hand , if the imine ( anti - ii ) is reacted with a suitable reducing agent in an ethereal solvent , the diamine ( i ) with the relative configuration syn , syn is obtained virtually exclusively : this reduction is preferably carried out with l - selectride or diisobutylaluminium hydride ( dibah ), in particular in thf and with warming from 0 ° c . to room temperature over 8 to 24 h , in particular 10 to 14 h . to obtain the diastereomers of the diamine ( i ) with the relative configuration syn , anti or anti , syn , the diastereomer product mixture of the imine reduction process which has not been carried out stereoselectively can be subjected , for example , to a fractional crystallization , also of its salts , or a chromatographic separation . the imines of the formula ( ii ) employed in the non - stereoselective imine reduction process according to the invention are readily accessible from the corresponding mannich bases of the general structure ( iii ) wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 5 , r 6 and a are as defined for formula ( i ) and ( ii ), by reaction with ammonia or an equivalent reagent ( if r 3 in formula ( ii ) denotes h ) or with a primary amine r 3 nh 2 ( if r 3 in ( ii ) denotes not h but c 1 - 12 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl . in the case where r 3 ═ h , it is preferable to react the mannich base ( iii ) with ammonium acetate in an ethereal or alcoholic solvent to give the imine ( ii ), which in its turn is reduced , preferably in situ , to the compound ( i ) according to the invention . the reaction of ( iii ) with ammonium acetate can thus be carried out in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran ( thf ) at temperatures of 0 ° c . to 80 ° c ., preferably at 20 to 25 ° c ., and with a reaction time of 0 . 5 h to 12 h , preferably 30 min to 120 min , in particular 60 min , in particular if the subsequent reduction is carried out in thf . alternatively , the reaction of ( iii ) with ammonium acetate can also be carried out in anhydrous methanol at temperatures of 0 ° c . to 80 ° c ., preferably at 20 to 25 ° c ., and with a reaction time of 0 . 5 h to 12 h , preferably 30 min to 120 min , in particular 60 min , in particular if the subsequent reduction is carried out in methanol . the anti - configured imines ( anti - ii ) are accessible analogously starting from the corresponding anti - configured mannich bases ( anti - iii ) by reacting these with the primary amine r 3 nh 2 or with ammonia or an equivalent reagent , such as e . g . ammonium acetate , under the conditions described above for the formation of ( ii ). the preparation of the mannich bases ( iii ) is known per se from the literature and is described in detail e . g . in the patent applications ep 1 043 307 a2 and ep 1 043 306 a2 , which are herewith incorporated into the disclosure of the present invention . the 1 , 4 - addition of secondary amines hnr 5 r 6 on to enones of the general structure ( xi )— which in their turn are obtained by aldol condensation of ketones of the formula ( ix ) with aldehydes of the general formula ( x )— thus leads to the desired mannich bases ( ii ) ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 017 , 637 ), which as a rule are obtained as a mixture of the stereoisomers . the meaning of the radicals r 1 , r 2 , r 5 , r 6 and a corresponds to the meaning for the formulae ( i ) and ( ii ). the mannich bases ( iii ) obtained in this way can be used as a mixture of stereoisomers or can be separated into their diastereomers employing processes well - known in the prior art , such as e . g . crystallization or chromatography , and reacted as such . alternatively , mannich bases with preferably the anti - configuration can be prepared diastereoselectively by reaction of enamines of the general structure ( xii ), wherein the radicals r e . g . denote alkyl or together form —( ch 2 ) 4 — or —( ch 2 ) 5 —, with iminium salts of the general structure ( viii ), in which z — is a suitable counter - ion , such as e . g . cl —, br —, i — or alcl 4 ( ep 1 043 307 a2 and ep 1 043 306 a2 ). the enamines are prepared by processes known from the literature from ketones of the general structure ( ix ) and secondary amines , e . g . dimethylamine , pyrrolidine , piperidine or morpholine ( acta chem . scand . b 38 ( 1984 ) 49 - 53 ). the iminium salts ( viii ) are prepared by processes known from the literature , e . g . by reaction of aminals of the general structure ( xiii ) with acid chlorides , e . g . acetyl chloride or thionyl chloride ( houben - weyl — methoden der organischen chemie , e21b ( 1995 ) 1925 - 1929 ) or by reaction of aldehydes of the formula ( x ) with secondary amines in the presence of sodium iodide , trimethylsilyl iodide and triethylamine ( synlett ( 1997 ) 974 - 976 ). the iminium salts ( viii ) do not have to be isolated here , but can also be produced in situ and reacted with the enamines of the formula ( xii ), preferably to give the anti - mannich bases ( anti - iii ) ( angew . chem . 106 ( 1994 ) 2531 - 2533 ). it is also possible to react ketones of the general structure ( ix ) directly with iminium salts ( viii ) to give mannich bases ( iii ). in this case also , the mannich bases ( anti - iii ) with the anti - configuration are preferably formed . from the anti - configured mannich bases ( anti - iii ), the corresponding syn - configured isomers ( syn - iii ) can also be obtained , if necessary , by dissolving the mannich base ( anti - iii ) in a suitable solvent , e . g . an alcohol , such as methanol or ethanol , or water , adding a sufficiently strong acid , e . g . aqueous hydrochloric acid , dilute sulfuric acid or conc . acetic acid , and stirring the mixture for about 8 to 24 h ; for the desired epimerization , it is essential here that the dissolved mannich base ( iii ) does not precipitate out or crystallize out of the solution , but remains in solution . after removal of the solvent , the anti - mannich base ( anti - iii ) and the syn - mannich base ( syn - iii ) are obtained as a diastereomer mixture , usually in a ratio of 1 : 1 , which can be separated by conventional methods ( crystallization , chromatography ). another process according to the invention for the preparation of the compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention in which r 3 and r 4 each denote h starts from an amino - alcohol of the general structure ( iv ), which is converted in a process step ( a ) into the corresponding mesylate or tosylate of the formula ( v ), wherein l denotes mesyl ( ch 3 so 2 —) or tosyl ( 4 - ch 3 - phenyl - so 2 —), for example by reaction of ( iv ) with mesyl chloride ( ch 3 so 2 cl ) or tosyl chloride ( p - toluensulfonic acid chloride , 4 - ch 3 - phenyl - so 2 cl ) in the presence of a base ( e . g . triethylamine ); the mesylate or tosylate ( v ) is then reacted in a process step ( b ), for example , with sodium azide to give the azide ( vi ), which is converted in a process step ( c ), with reduction , into the diamine of the formula ( i ) according to the invention . the reduction is carried out here by processes known from the literature , e . g . with sodium borohydride in the presence of catalytic amounts of cobalt ( ii ) bromide ( d . m . tschaen et al ., j . org . chem . ( 1995 ) 60 , 4324 - 4330 ) or with lithium aluminium hydride in diethyl ether . this process can also be applied such that a compound of the formula ( i ) according to the invention is preferably obtained in a particular relative configuration . if an amino - alcohol of the general structure ( anti , anti - iv )— an amino - alcohol ( i ) with the relative configuration ( anti , anti )— is used as the starting substance , process step ( a ′) preferably proceeds with the relative stereochemistry being retained to give the compound ( anti , anti - v ), while the subsequent azide formation ( b ′) proceeds with inversion of the configuration of the stereo - centre on the o - l carbon atom and thus results in the azide ( syn , anti - vi ). subsequent reduction of ( syn , anti - vi ) results in the diamine ( syn , anti - i ) the diamine ( anti , anti - i ) is correspondingly also accessible stereoselectively if the process according to the invention starts with an amino - alcohol of the general structure ( syn , anti - iv ) and leads via the mesylate or tosylate of the general structure ( syn , anti - v ) to the azide of the general structure ( anti , anti - vi ), which is finally reduced to the diamine ( anti , anti - i ). the amino - alcohols of the formula ( iv ) employed in this process are obtained in accordance with ep 0 143 306 a2 starting from the corresponding mannich bases ( iii ) by reduction with a reducing agent , such as e . g . sodium borohydride , sodium cyanoborohydride , lithium aluminium hydride , diisobutylaluminium hydride or a complex analogue of these compounds , at − 70 to + 110 ° c . in suitable solvents , e . g . diethyl ether , thf , methanol or ethanol . for example , if a mannich base with the anti - configuration ( anti - iii ) is used as the starting substance , the corresponding ( anti , anti - iv ) amino - alcohol is obtained by reduction with nabh 4 in ethanol at room temperature over a reaction time of 8 to 16 h . on the other hand , if dibah or l - selectride in thf is used for reduction of the mannich base ( anti - iii ), the ( syn , anti - iv )- amino alcohol is obtained in a high diastereomer purity . on reduction of a mannich base ( iii ) which is not present in a diastereomerically pure or concentrated form , a mixture of the various stereoisomers of the amino - alcohol ( iv ) is usually obtained , which — if necessary — can be separated into the diastereomers and optionally also the enantiomers by known methods ( crystallization , chromatography ). alternatively to the tosyl / mesyl - azide process , the amino - alcohol ( iv ) can also be converted into the corresponding diamine ( i ) by means of the mitsunobu reaction by reaction first with azodicarboxylic acid dimethyl or diethyl ester , triphenylphosphane and a phthalimide and then with hydrazine ( o . mitsunobu , synthesis ( 1981 ) 1 - 28 ). since this reaction proceeds with inversion of the stereochemistry on the o carbon atom , with its aid the diamine ( syn , anti - i ) can be obtained stereoselectively from the alcohol ( anti , anti - iv ), while the diamine ( anti , anti - i ) can be obtained stereoselectively from ( syn , anti - iv ). in another process according to the invention , compounds of the general structure ( i ) where r 3 ═ h , c 1 - 12 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl and r 4 ═ h — and in particular preferably the diastereomers ( syn , anti - i ) ( with the relative configuration syn , anti )— are obtained , the process being characterized by the following process steps : wherein r 1 and r 2 are as defined for formula ( i ) and r 3 denotes h , c 1 - 12 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl , wherein r 5 , r 6 , a and z — are as defined above ; and ( bb ) subsequent reduction of the intermediate product / s formed in process step ( aa ). the reduction is preferably carried out with a complex hydride or with molecular hydrogen ( h 2 partial pressure of 1 to 50 bar ) in the presence of a transition metal catalyst ( ni , pd , pt , pto 2 ). suitable complex hydrides are e . g . sodium borohydride , sodium cyanoborohydride , lithium aluminium hydride , diisobutylaluminium hydride or a complex analogue of these compounds , which can be employed at − 70 to + 110 ° c . in suitable solvents , e . g . diethyl ether , thf , methanol or ethanol , optionally as a mixture with methylene chloride . the imines ( vii ) are obtainable starting from the corresponding ketones ( ix ) by reaction with ammonia or ammonium acetate ( r 3 ═ h ) or primary amines r 3 nh 2 ( r 3 ≠ h ) by processes known from the literature ( j . march , advanced organic chemistry , new york , chichester , brisbane , toronto , singapore , 3rd ed ., ( 1985 ), p . 796 - 798 ). if an imine ( vii ) for which r 3 denotes —( ch 2 )- phenyl , wherein phenyl can be substituted by c 1 - 6 - alkyl , is used in this ( imine + iminium salt ) process , the imine ( vii ) is thus an n - benzyl - substituted imine ( wherein the benzyl radical can be alkyl - substituted ), this benzyl radical in the product ( i ) according to the invention where r 3 = benzyl ( optionally alkyl - substituted ) can be removed by reaction with hydrogen ( h 2 ) in the presence of a transition metal ( e . g . palladium , platinum or nickel ) and the diamine ( i ) where r 3 ═ r 4 ═ h can thus be obtained . this process step ( cc ) is preferably carried out with 10 % palladium on carbon as the transition metal , preferably in methanol . syn , anti - configured diamines of the general structure ( i ) are thus also accessible diastereoselectively with this process according to the invention . compounds of the general structure ( i ) where r 3 ═ h and r 4 ═ h , c 1 - 12 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl can be converted — regardless of whether they are present as a racemate or in the form of one or more diastereomers or one or more enantiomers — by reaction with an acylating reagent into the corresponding compounds of the general structure ( i ) where r 3 ═ c (═ o )— r 7 , wherein r 7 is as defined above . the acylating agent is preferably an acid chloride of the general formula r 7 — c (═ o )— cl , wherein r 7 denotes c 1 - 6 - alkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl . in a manner known from the literature , the compounds of the general structure ( i ) where r 3 ═ h and r 4 ═ h , c 1 - 12 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl can also be alkylated or subjected to a reductive amination with aldehydes or ketones ( see e . g . j . march , advanced organic chemistry , new york , chichester , brisbane , toronto , singapore , 3rd ed ., ( 1985 ), 798 - 800 ), so that the corresponding compounds ( i ) in which r 3 and / or r 4 denote / s c 1 - 12 - alkyl , c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , aryl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- c 3 - 8 - cycloalkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl are readily accessible . diamines of the general structure ( i ) where r 3 ( or r 4 )═ h can then likewise be subjected to an acylation ( so that r 3 or r 4 respectively denotes — c (═ o )— r 7 ), preferably with an acid chloride cl — c (═ o )— r 7 as defined above . the compounds of the general formula ( i ) according to the invention in which the radicals r 3 and r 4 denote c 1 - 12 - alkyl , —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- aryl , heterocyclyl or —( c 1 - 6 - alkyl )- heterocyclyl or together form —( ch 2 ) n —, where n = 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 or 7 , or —( ch 2 ) 2 — x —( ch 2 ) 2 —, where x ═ o , s or nr 8 , wherein —( ch 2 ) n — or —( ch 2 ) 2 — x —( ch 2 ) 2 — is unsubstituted or substituted by c 1 - 6 - alkyl , are also accessible , for example , by reaction of the corresponding enamine ( xii ) with a corresponding iminium salt ( viii ) and subsequent reduction with , for example , nabh 4 in methanol ( synlett ( 1997 ) 177 - 178 ). the syn , anti diastereomers of the compound ( i ) are preferably formed here . the starting compounds , reagents and solvents employed in the processes used for the preparation of the diamines of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention are , unless stated otherwise in the description , commercially obtainable ( from acros , geel ; avocado , port of heysham ; aldrich , deisenhofen ; fluka , seelze ; lancaster , mulheim ; maybridge , tintagel ; merck , darmstadt ; sigma , deisenhofen ; tci , japan ) or can be prepared by processes generally known in the prior art . the compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention can be isolated either as the substance or as a salt . the compound of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention is usually obtained after the reaction has been carried out in accordance with the process according to the invention described above and subsequent conventional working up . the compound of the general structure ( i ) obtained in this way or formed in situ without isolation can then be converted , for example , by reaction with an inorganic or organic acid , preferably with hydrochloric acid , hydrobromic acid , sulfuric acid , phosphoric acid , methanesulfonic acid , p - toluenesulfonic acid , carbonic acid , formic acid , acetic acid , oxalic acid , succinic acid , tartaric acid , mandelic acid , fumaric acid , lactic acid , citric acid , glutamic acid or aspartic acid , into the corresponding salt . the salts formed are , inter alia , hydrochlorides , hydrobromides , phosphates , carbonates , bicarbonates , formates , acetates , oxalates , succinates , tartrates , fumarates , citrates and glutamates . the particularly preferred hydrochloride formation can also be brought about by adding , advantageously in the presence of water , trimethylsilyl chloride ( tmscl ) to the base , which is dissolved in a suitable organic solvent , such as e . g . butan - 2 - one ( methyl ethyl ketone ). if the compounds of the general structure ( i ) are obtained in the preparation process according to the invention as racemates or as mixtures of their various enantiomers and / or diastereomers , these mixtures can be separated by processes well - known in the prior art . suitable methods are , inter alia , chromatographic separation processes , in particular liquid chromatography processes under normal or increased pressure , preferably mplc and hplc processes , and processes of fractional crystallization . in these , in particular , individual enantiomers can be separated from one another e . g . by means of hplc on a chiral phase or by means of crystallization of diastereomeric salts formed with chiral acids , for example (+)- tartaric acid , (−)- tartaric acid or (+)- 10 - camphorsulfonic acid . the present invention also provides a medicament comprising at least one compound of the general structure ( i ) as defined above or one of its pharmaceutical salts , in particular the hydrochloride salt . the medicament according to the invention preferably comprises , in a pharmaceutical composition , at least one of the compounds mentioned above by way of example as the substance or as a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and optionally further active compounds and auxiliary substances . the diamine ( i ) according to the invention can be present here as a racemate or in the form of one or more diastereomers or one or more enantiomers . since the compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention have surprisingly proved to have an analgesic action , the medicaments according to the invention comprising them are preferably employed in the prophylaxis and / or the treatment of states of pain , such as e . g . acute pain , chronic pain or neuropathic pain , in particular severe to very severe pain . it has also been found that the medicaments according to the invention can be employed for treatment and / or prophylaxis of diarrhoea , urinary incontinence , itching and / or tinnitus aurium . the present invention also provides the use of a diamine of the formula ( i ) or of one of its pharmaceutically acceptable salts for the preparation of a medicament for prophylaxis and / or treatment of pain , diarrhoea , urinary incontinence , itching and / or tinnitus aurium . the medicaments , medical preparations and pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention can be present and administered as liquid , semi - solid or solid medicament forms and in the form of e . g . injection solutions , drops , juices , syrups , sprays , suspensions , granules , tablets , pellets , transdermal therapeutic systems , capsules , patches , suppositories , ointments , creams , lotions , gels , emulsions or aerosols , and in addition to at least one compound of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention , comprise , depending on the galenical form and depending on the administration route , pharmaceutical auxiliary substances , such as e . g . carrier materials , fillers , solvents , diluents , surface - active substances , dyestuffs , preservatives , disintegrating agents , slip agents , lubricants , aromas and / or binders . these auxiliary substances can be , for example : water , ethanol , 2 - propanol , glycerol , ethylene glycol , propylene glycol , polyethylene glycol , polypropylene glycol , glucose , fructose , lactose , sucrose , dextrose , molasses , starch , modified starch , gelatine , sorbitol , inositol , mannitol , microcrystalline cellulose , methylcellulose , carboxymethylcellulose , cellulose acetate , shellac , cetyl alcohol , polyvinylpyrrolidone , paraffins , waxes , naturally occurring and synthetic gums , acacia gum , alginates , dextran , saturated and unsaturated fatty acids , stearic acid , magnesium stearate , zinc stearate , glyceryl stearate , sodium lauryl sulfate , edible oils , sesame oil , coconut oil , groundnut oil , soya bean oil , lecithin , sodium lactate , polyoxyethylene and - propylene fatty acid esters , sorbitan fatty acid esters , sorbic acid , benzoic acid , citric acid , ascorbic acid , tannic acid , sodium chloride , potassium chloride , magnesium chloride , calcium chloride , magnesium oxide , zinc oxide , silicon dioxide , titanium oxide , titanium dioxide , magnesium sulfate , zinc sulfate , calcium sulfate , potash , calcium phosphate , dicalcium phosphate , potassium bromide , potassium iodide , talc , kaolin , pectin , crospovidone , agar and bentonite . the choice of auxiliary substances and the amounts thereof to be employed depends on whether the medicament / medical preparation is to be administered orally , subcutaneously , parenterally , intravenously , vaginally , pulmonally , intraperitoneally , transdermally , intramuscularly , nasally , bucally , rectally or locally , for example on infections on the skin , the mucous membranes and the eyes . formulations in the form of tablets , coated tablets , capsules , granules , drops , juices and syrups , inter alia , are suitable for oral administration , and solutions , suspensions , easily reconstitutable powders for inhalation and sprays are suitable for parenteral , topical and inhalatory administration . compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention in a depot in dissolved form or in a patch , optionally with the addition of agents which promote penetration through the skin , are suitable formulations for percutaneous administration . formulation forms which can be used rectally , transmucosally , parenterally , orally or percutaneously can release the compounds of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention in a delayed manner . the medicaments and pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention are prepared with the aid of agents , devices , methods and processes which are well - known in the prior art of pharmaceutical formulation , such as are described , for example , in “ remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences ”, ed . a . r . gennaro , 17th ed ., mack publishing company , easton , pa . ( 1985 ), in particular in part 8 , chapter 76 to 93 . thus e . g . for a solid formulation , such as a tablet , the active compound of the medicament , i . e . a compound of the general structure ( i ) or one of its pharmaceutically acceptable salts , can be granulated with a pharmaceutical carrier , e . g . conventional tablet constituents , such as maize starch , lactose , sucrose , sorbitol , talc , magnesium stearate , dicalcium phosphate or pharmaceutically acceptable gums , and pharmaceutical diluents , such as e . g . water , in order to form a solid composition which comprises a compound according to the invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in homogeneous distribution . homogeneous distribution is understood here as meaning that the active compound is distributed uniformly over the entire composition , so this can readily be divided into unit dose forms which have the same action , such as tablets , pills or capsules . the solid composition is then divided into unit dose forms . the tablets or pills of the medicament according to the invention or of the compositions according to the invention can also be coated or compounded in another manner in order to provide a dose form with delayed release . suitable coating compositions are , inter alia , polymeric acids and mixtures of polymeric acids with materials such as e . g . shellac , cetyl alcohol and / or cellulose acetate . the amount of active compound to be administered to the patient varies and depends on the weight , the age and the case history of the patient , and on the mode of administration , the indication and the severity of the disease . 0 . 005 to 500 mg / kg , in particular 0 . 05 to 5 mg / kg , preferably 2 to 250 mg / kg of body weight of at least one compound of the general structure ( i ) according to the invention are usually administered . the present invention is explained further in the following by examples , without limiting it thereto . the chemicals and solvents employed were purchased from acros , geel ; avocado , port of heysham ; aldrich , deisenhofen ; fluka , seelze ; lancaster , mülheim ; maybridge , tintagel ; merck , darmstadt ; sigma , deisenhofen and tci , japan or synthesized by conventional processes known in the prior art . anhydrous thf was freshly distilled over potassium under an argon atmosphere . thin layer chromatography analyses were carried out with hptlc pre - coated plates , silica gel 60 f 254 from e . merck , darmstadt . silica gel 60 ( 0 . 040 - 0 . 063 mm ) from e . merck , darmstadt , or al 2 o 3 , neutral , from macherey - nagel , düren was employed as the stationary phase for the column chromatography and mplc . the yields of the compounds prepared are not optimized . all the temperatures stated are uncorrected . the mixing ratios of the mobile phases for chromatography analyses are always stated in volume / volume ( v / v ). esi mass spectra were recorded with an lcq classic mass spectrometer from finnigan , and the 1 h - and 13 c - nmr spectra were recorded with a 300 -( 75 -) mhz - avance - dpx - 300 - nmr apparatus , a 600 -( 150 -) mhz - avance - drx - 600 nmr apparatus or a bruker - arx - 200 nmr apparatus from bruker , tetramethylsilane being used as the internal standard . ir spectra were recorded with a nicolet 510 p ft ir spectrometer . gc / ms data were obtained with a finnigan mat magnum system 240 apparatus . elemental analyses , where carried out , were carried out with a perkin elmer elemental analyser and gave adequate elemental analyses results : c ± 0 . 34 , h ± 0 . 28 , n ± 0 . 19 . the reactions were carried out under an argon atmosphere . a solution of the imine ( vii ) ( 2 . 5 mmol ) in anhydrous ch 2 cl 2 ( 2 . 5 ml ) was cooled to − 80 ° c . the iminium salt ( viii ) ( 2 . 5 mmol ) was then added in one portion , while stirring . the mixture was stirred and the temperature was allowed to rise to − 30 ° c . over 2 - 3 h . the reaction mixture was kept at this temperature in a deep - freeze for 15 h . nabh 4 ( 40 mmol ) in meoh ( 10 ml ) was then added and the temperature was allowed to rise to room temperature . after the mixture had been stirred for 5 hours at ambient temperature , hcl ( 5 ml , 6 n ) was added and the mixture was washed a few times with et 2 o . the aqueous layer was then rendered alkaline by addition of nh 3 ( 25 % nh 3 : h 2 o = 1 : 1 ) and the diamine ( i ) according to the invention was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 3 × 50 ml ). the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 . the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator and the residue was purified by means of column chromatography on al 2 o 3 ( ch 2 cl 2 )/ meoh ). the fraction eluted last was the diamine ( i ). general working instructions 2 ( gwi 2 ; debenzylation of the diamine ( i ) where r 3 ═— ch 2 - phenyl ) a solution of the benzylated diamine ( i ) in anhydrous meoh ( 10 ml ) was stirred at room temperature in the presence of 10 % pd / c ( 20 mg ), and h 2 was passed into the mixture until the debenzylation was complete ( tlc control ). after removal of the catalyst by means of filtration over celite , the filtrate was evaporated to give the debenzylated diamine ( i ). the residue was purified by means of column chromatography on al 2 o 3 ( ch 2 cl 2 / meoh = 95 : 5 ). dimethylamine hydrochloride ( 2 . 5 mmol ), net 3 ( 5 mmol ) and me 3 sicl ( 5 . 5 mmol ) were added to a solution of anhydrous nai ( dried at 140 ° c . in vacuo ) in dry mecn ( 5 . 5 mmol ; c ≅ 1 mol / l ). after the mixture had been stirred for 30 min at ambient temperature , the aldehyde a - cho ( 2 . 5 mmol ) was added and stirring was continued for a further 30 min . 1 -( pyrrolidino )- 1 - cyclohexene ( 2 . 5 mmol ) was then added as the enamine and the mixture was stirred for a further 60 min . thereafter , the mixture was acidified with aq . hcl ( 5 ml , 37 % hcl : h 2 o = 1 : 1 ), stirred for 10 min and washed with et 2 o ( 3 × 50 ml ). dilute nh 3 ( 25 ml , 25 % nh 3 : h 2 o = 1 : 4 ) were then added with vigorous stirring , and the mannich base ( iii ) was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 or et 2 o ( 3 × 50 ml ). the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 . finally , the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator without heating . the mannich base ( iii ) ( 1 mmol ) was dissolved in ethanol ( 10 ml ), nabh 4 ( 2 . 5 mmol ) was added and the mixture was stirred for 5 h at room temperature . aq . hcl ( 37 % hcl : h 2 o = 1 : 1 , 10 ml ) was then added and the mixture was washed a few times with et 2 o ( 50 ml ). the aqueous layer was rendered alkaline by addition of nh 3 ( 25 % nh 3 : h 2 o = 1 : 1 ). the product was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 3 × 50 ml ) and the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 . the solvent was removed in vacuo , to give a yellow oil . the product ( iv ) was used without further purification . mesyl chloride ( 2 . 4 mmol ) and net 3 ( 3 mmol ) were added to a solution of the amino - alcohol ( iv ) ( 2 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 5 ml ). after 1 h the reaction was complete ( tlc control ). the mixture was diluted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 10 ml ) and washed twice with aq . na 2 co 3 solution and once with salt solution . the organic phase was dried with na 2 so 4 to give the mesylate ( v ) as a yellow oil , which was employed in the following reactions without further purification . a solution of nan 3 ( 20 mmol ) and the mesylate ( v ) ( 2 mmol ) in dmso ( 40 ml ) was heated at 50 ° c . for 3 h . the tlc showed complete consumption of the starting material . the reaction was quenched with salt solution and the mixture was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 50 ml ). the organic phase was washed three times with saturated na 2 co 3 solution and once with salt solution . after drying over na 2 so 4 , the azide ( vi ) was obtained as a brown oil . the crude product ( vi ) was employed in the following reaction without further purification . a solution of the azide ( vi ) ( 1 mmol ) in et 2 o was added slowly to a suspension of lialh 4 ( 1 . 5 mmol ) in et 2 o . after 4 h the reaction was quenched very slowly with water and hcl ( 37 % hcl : h 2 o = 1 : 1 ). after being rendered alkaline , the product was extracted with et 2 o ( 3 × 50 ml ) and washed with water ( 50 ml ). the organic phase was dried with na 2 so 4 and chromatographed over al 2 o 3 ( ch 2 cl 2 / meoh = 95 : 5 ) to give the diamine ( i ) as a yellowish oil . a solution of ammonium acetate ( 12 . 1 mmol ) and the mannich base ( iii ) ( 1 . 8 mmol ) in thf were stirred for 1 h at room temperature . a solution of l - selectride in thf ( 3 . 6 mmol ) was added at 0 ° c ., the temperature was allowed to rise to room temperature and stirring was continued overnight . hcl ( 5 ml , 6 n ) was added and the mixture was washed a few times with et 2 o . the aqueous phase was then rendered alkaline with nh 3 ( 25 % nh 3 : h 2 o = 1 : 1 ) and the diamine ( i ) was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 3 × 50 ml ). the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 . the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator and the residue was purified by means of column chromatography over al 2 o 3 ( ch 2 cl 2 / meoh ). the fraction eluted last was the diamine ( i ). a solution of ammonium acetate ( 12 . 1 mmol ) and the mannich base ( iii ) ( 1 . 8 mmol ) in thf was stirred for 1 h at room temperature . a solution of dibah in n - hexane ( 3 . 6 mmol ) was added at 0 ° c . the temperature was allowed to rise to room temperature and stirring was continued overnight . hcl ( 5 ml , 6 n ) was added and the mixture was washed a few times with et 2 o . the aq . phase was then rendered alkaline by addition of nh 3 ( 25 % nh 3 : h 2 o = 1 : 1 ) and the diamine ( i ) was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 3 × 50 ml ). the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 . the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator and the residue was purified by means of column chromatography over al 2 o 3 ( ch 2 cl 2 / meoh ). the fraction eluted last was the diamine ( i ). nacnbh 3 ( 2 . 1 mmol ) was added to a suspension of zncl 2 in meoh at 0 ° c . after the mixture had been stirred for 1 h at this temperature , the mannich base ( iii ) ( 1 . 8 mmol ) and ammonium acetate ( 12 . 1 mmol ) were added in one portion . the mixture was stirred and the temperature was allowed to rise to room temperature . stirring was continued overnight . hcl ( 5 ml , 6 n ) was added and the mixture was washed a few times with et 2 o . the aqueous phase was then rendered alkaline by addition of nh 3 ( 25 % nh 3 : h 2 o = 1 : 1 ) and the diamine ( i ) was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 3 × 50 ml ). the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 . the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator and the residue was purified by means of column chromatography over al 2 o 3 ( ch 2 cl 2 / meoh ). the fraction eluted last was the diamine ( i ). the reaction vessel was thoroughly heated in a drying cabinet . the diamine ( i ) ( where r 3 ═ r 4 ═ h ) ( 600 mg ) was initially introduced and a solution of 1 . 3 molar equivalents of triethylamine in methylene chloride ( v / v = 1 : 8 ), which contained a trace of 4 - dimethylaminopyridine , was added . 1 . 3 molar equivalents of the acid chloride r 7 — c (═ o )— cl were then added at − 10 ° c . and the mixture was stirred overnight , while warming to room temperature . after renewed cooling to − 10 ° c ., 2 ml 5 n koh solution were added , the phases were separated and the organic phase was washed again with 4 ml 0 . 1 n koh solution . the organic phase was dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated at 40 ° c . in vacuo . the crude product obtained was purified via mplc ( mobile phase n - hexane ; gradual addition of diethyl ether up to 100 %). the final precipitation of the hydrochloride was carried out by dissolving the crude base in approx . 10 ml 2 - butanone per gram of base , subsequent addition of half a molar equivalent of water , followed by 1 . 1 molar equivalents of chlorotrimethylsilane , and stirring overnight . the hydrochloride which had precipitated out was filtered off and dried in vacuo . for precipitation of the hydrochloride , the crude base ( i ) was taken up in approx . 10 ml of 2 - butanone per gram of base . 0 . 5 molar equivalent of water was then added , followed by 1 . 1 molar equivalents of chlorotrimethylsilane , and the mixture was stirred overnight . the hydrochloride which had precipitated out was filtered off and dried in vacuo . the compounds prepared by way of example in accordance with gwi 1 - 6 are shown in table 1 . the determination of the stereochemistry was carried out by means of 1 h - and 13 c - nmr analyses , in particular by comparison of the chemical shifts of the c atoms c — nr 3 r 4 , c — r 1 and c - a in the 13 c - nmr spectrum of the compounds according to the invention with one another and with the shifts of the corresponding c atoms in the 13 c - nmr spectrum of ( anti , anti )- 1 - hydroxy - 2 -( pyrrolidin - phenyl - methyl )- cyclohexane and ( syn , anti )- 1 - hydroxy - 2 -( pyrrolidin - phenyl - methyl )- cyclohexane . table 2 1 h nmr 13 c nmr example ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ir no . δ [ ppm ], j [ hz ] δ [ ppm ] ν [ cm − 1 ] 44 0 . 74 - 0 . 83 ( m , 1 h , ]- 24 . 41 , 25 . 42 , 27 . 49 , 3444 , 1635 , ( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1 . 07 - 1 . 28 31 . 68 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1557 , 1452 , ( m , 3 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 41 . 42 ( d , 1028 , 744 , 1 . 57 - 1 . 70 ( m , 3 h , chchchph ), 42 . 23 698 . ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1 . 94 - 2 . 09 ( q , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 50 . 75 ( m , 1 h , chchch ), ( t , ch 2 ph ), 60 . 44 ( d , 2 . 12 ( 6 h , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), chchchph ), 73 . 79 2 . 14 - 2 . 20 ( m , 1 h , ]- ( d , chph ), 126 . 50 , ( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 2 . 29 - 2 . 36 126 . 52 , 127 . 31 , ( m , 1 h , chchch ), 128 . 01 , 128 . 17 , 3 . 65 ( d , 1 h , j = 12 . 8 , 129 . 33 ( d , ch ), phch ), ab - system 136 . 36 , 141 . 00 ( s , c ). ( a = 3 . 65 , b = 3 . 95 , j = 12 . 8 , ch 2 ph ), 7 . 11 - 7 . 40 ( m , 10 h , ar — h ). 45 0 . 62 - 2 . 36 ( m , 14 h , 25 . 04 , 26 . 31 , 29 . 49 , 3446 , 2924 , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 33 . 96 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 2852 , 1627 , chchchph , 48 . 13 ( d , 1451 , 1383 , chchch — ph , chchchph ), 51 . 54 , 1251 , 1106 , ]- ch 2 — n — ch 2 -[), 52 . 18 ( t , 1070 , 700 . 3 . 36 - 3 . 97 ( m , 7 h , ]- ch 2 — n — ch 2 -[, ch 2 ph , ch 2 ph ), 61 . 83 ]- ch 2 — o — ch 2 -[, ( d , chchchph ), chph ), 7 . 11 - 7 . 37 ( m , 67 . 32 ( t , 10 h , ar — h ). — ch 2 — o — ch 2 —), 67 . 40 ( d , chph ), 127 . 25 , 128 . 57 , 128 . 63 , 128 . 71 , 128 . 86 ( d , ch ), 141 . 34 , 143 . 13 ( s , c ). 46 0 . 53 ( d , 3 h , j = 6 . 8 13 . 58 ( t , ch 3 ch ), 3025 , 2940 , hz , chch 3 ), 2 . 19 ( s , 39 . 37 ( d , ch 3 ch ), 2791 , 1605 , 6 h , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 42 . 05 ( q , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 1476 , 1444 , 2 . 46 - 2 . 65 ( m , 1 h , 52 . 19 ( t , ch 2 ph ), 1365 , 1073 , chch 3 ), 3 . 23 ( d , 1 h , 64 . 80 , 73 . 07 ( d , 1028 , 754 . j = 9 . 4 , phch ), phch ), 127 . 18 , ab - system ( a = 127 . 97 , 128 . 36 , 3 . 57 , b = 3 . 71 , 128 . 70 , 128 . 77 , j = 13 . 1 , ch 2 ph ), 128 . 98 , 129 . 10 , 3 . 93 ( d , 1 h , j = 6 . 3 , 129 . 93 ( d , ch ), phch ), 7 . 13 - 7 . 52 136 . 48 , 141 . 56 , ( 15 h , ar — h ). 142 . 63 ( s , c ). [ 0222 ] table 3 1 h nmr 13 c nmr example ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ir no . δ [ ppm ], j [ hz ] δ [ ppm ] ν [ cm − 1 ] 47 0 . 70 - 1 . 89 ( m , 9 h , 24 . 90 , 25 . 13 , 30 . 23 , 3339 , 2955 , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 31 . 83 , ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 2852 , 2868 , chchchph ), 2 . 16 ( s , 38 . 17 ( q , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 1557 , 1458 , 6 h , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 2 . 43 - 45 . 13 ( d , 1452 , 1381 . 2 . 53 ( m , 1 h , chchchph ), 57 . 94 chchchph ), 3 . 40 ( d , ( d , chchchph ), 1 h , j = 10 . 9 , chph ), 76 . 65 ( d , chph ), 7 . 09 - 7 . 42 ( m , 5 h , 127 . 26 , 128 . 03 , ar — h ). 129 . 83 ( d , ch ), 137 . 29 ( s , c ). 48 0 . 40 - 2 . 60 ( m , 13 h , 25 . 41 , 26 . 11 , 27 . 26 , 3440 , 2921 , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 37 . 45 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 2852 , 1652 , chchchph , 44 . 34 ( d , chchch ), 1456 , 1448 , ]- ch 2 — n — ch 2 -[), 51 . 56 ( t , 1384 , 1113 , 3 . 16 - 3 . 98 ( m , 5 h , ]- ch 2 — n — ch 2 -[), 1031 , 703 . ]- ch 2 — o — ch 2 -[, 54 . 22 ( d , chchchph ), 4 . 19 ( d , chchchph ), 67 . 40 1 h , j = 10 . 0 , chph ), ( t , ]- ch 2 — o — ch 2 [), 7 . 21 - 7 . 56 ( m , 5 h , 67 . 71 ( d , chph ), ar — h ). 126 . 83 , 127 . 41 , 128 . 15 , 128 . 59 , 129 . 85 ( d , ch ), 137 . 56 ( s , c ). 49 0 . 48 ( d , 3 h , j = 6 . 8 , 13 . 00 ( q , chch 3 ), 2950 , 2929 , chch 3 ), 2 . 15 ( s , 6 h , 40 . 75 ( d , chch 3 ), 2858 , 1729 , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 42 . 16 ( q , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 1452 , 1383 , 2 . 65 - 2 . 41 ( m , 1 h , 57 . 84 ( d , 1185 , 1029 . chch 3 ), 3 . 13 ( d , 1 h , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ch ), j = 9 . 4 , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ch ), 72 . 94 ( d , nh 2 ch ), 4 . 14 ( d , 1 h , j = 6 . 0 , 127 . 09 , 127 . 27 , chnh 2 ), 7 . 09 - 128 . 03 , 128 . 13 , 7 . 42 ( m , 10 h , 128 . 37 , 129 . 89 ar — h ). ( d , ch ), 136 . 54 , 145 . 08 ( s , c ). 50 0 . 60 - 2 . 06 ( m , 9 h , 25 . 01 , 25 . 69 , 30 . 01 , 3430 , 2929 , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 31 . 65 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1635 , 1438 , chchchph ), 2 . 50 ( s , 38 . 34 ( q , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 1062 , 750 . 6 h , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 43 . 47 ( d , 3 . 10 - 3 . 19 ( m , 2 h , chchchph ), 69 . 72 chph , chchchph ), ( d , chph ), 77 . 98 ( d , 7 . 08 - 7 . 51 ( m , 4 h , chchchph ), 127 . 22 , ar — h ). 128 . 83 , 128 . 95 , 129 . 35 ( d , ch ), 133 . 27 , 135 . 66 ( s , c ). 51 0 . 60 - 2 . 06 ( m , 9 h , 25 . 01 , 25 . 69 , 30 . 01 , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 31 . 65 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), chchchph ), 2 . 50 38 . 34 ( q , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), ( s , 6 h , n ( ch 3 2 ), 43 . 47 ( d , 3 . 10 - 3 . 19 ( m , 2 h , chchchph ), 69 . 72 chph , chchchph ), ( d , chph ), 77 . 98 ( d , 7 . 08 - 7 . 51 ( m , 4 h , chchchph ), 127 . 22 , ar — h ). 128 . 83 , 128 . 95 , 129 . 35 ( d , ch ), 133 . 27 , 135 . 66 ( s , c ). [ 0223 ] table 4 1 h nmr 13 c nmr ms exam - ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ir ( 70 ev ) ple no . δ [ ppm ], j [ hz ] δ [ ppm ] ν [ cm − 1 ] m / z [%] 52 0 . 96 - 2 . 13 ( m , 21 . 86 , 24 . 22 , 3405 , 2929 , 232 [ m + ] 8 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 27 . 45 , 32 . 40 37 2857 , 2782 . ( 13 ), 134 chchchph ), ( t , -] ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1450 , 1384 , ( 100 ), 118 2 . 17 ( s , 6 h , 37 . 96 ( d , 1068 , 975 , ( 5 ), 91 n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 2 . 25 - chchchph ), 752 , 703 . ( 9 ), 77 2 . 60 ( m , 1 h , 41 . 25 ( q , ( 3 ). chchchph ), n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 68 . 97 3 . 74 - 4 . 06 ( m , 2 chchchph ), h , chchchph , 71 . 90 ( d , chph ), chph ), 7 . 09 - 7 . 53 127 . 85 , 128 . 26 , ( m , 5 h , ar — h ). 130 . 24 ( d , ch ), 136 . 86 ( s , c ). 54 0 . 96 - 1 . 88 ( m , 21 . 76 , 24 . 63 , 3434 , 2929 , 267 [ m + ] 8 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 27 . 70 , 32 . 37 ( t , 2859 , 2782 , ( 53 ), 167 2 . 23 ( s , 6 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 38 . 50 1643 . 1463 , ( 100 ), 130 n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 2 . 31 - ( d , chchchph ), 1062 . 1035 . ( 7 ). 2 . 56 ( m , 1 h , 41 . 49 ( q , 975 , 754 . chchch ), 3 . 94 - n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 62 . 27 4 . 03 ( m , 1 h , ( chchchph ), chchchph ), 72 . 56 ( d , chph ), 4 . 90 ( d , 1 h , j = 126 . 42 , 128 . 88 , 11 . 6 , chph ), 130 . 41 , 130 . 56 7 . 20 - 7 . 48 ( m , ( d , ch ), 132 . 68 , 4 h , ar — h ). 136 . 42 ( s , c ). 55 0 . 89 - 1 . 87 ( m , 22 . 10 , 23 . 72 , 3417 , 2927 , 235 8 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 27 . 12 , 32 . 33 2857 , 1646 , [ m + + 1 ], 2 . 13 ( s , 6 h , ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1062 , 1029 , 217 ( 2 ), n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 2 . 42 - 38 . 10 ( d , 977 . 164 ( 5 ), 2 . 54 ( m , 1 h , chchchph ), 135 ( 100 ), chchch ), 3 . 71 - 41 . 16 ( q , 119 ( 4 ), 4 . 02 ( m , 2 h , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 66 . 79 92 ( 2 ). chchchph , ( chchchph ), chph ), 7 . 29 - 7 . 49 71 . 13 ( d , chph ), ( m , 2 h , ar — h ), 123 . 43 ( d , ch ), 8 . 41 - 8 . 56 ( m , 128 . 90 ( s , c ), 2 h , ar — h ). 137 . 13 , 149 . 33 , 151 . 32 ( d , ch ). 57 0 . 95 - 1 . 94 ( m , 21 . 43 , 24 . 92 , 3426 , 2927 , 263 8 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 27 . 97 , 32 . 32 2857 , 2784 , [ m + + 1 ], 2 . 15 ( s , 6 h , ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -]), 1068 , 975 , ( 3 ), 218 n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 2 . 48 - 38 . 02 ( d , 752 , 703 . ( 2 ), 164 2 . 56 ( m , 1 h , chchchph ), ( 100 ), 148 chchch ), 3 . 73 - 41 . 42 ( q , ( 12 ), 121 4 . 00 ( m , 2 h , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 55 . 87 ( 7 ), 91 chchchph , ( chchchph ), ( 8 ). chph ), 3 . 83 ( s , 3 73 . 01 ( d , chph ), h , ome ), 6 . 94 - 111 . 30 , 120 . 11 , 7 . 01 ( m , 2 h , 122 . 38 ( s , c ), ar — h ), 7 . 12 ( d , 128 . 64 , 129 . 65 1 h , j = 7 . 5 , 43 ( d , ch ), ar — h ), 7 . 28 - 158 . 98 ( s , c ). 7 . 33 ( m , 1 h , ar — h ). 59 0 . 81 - 1 . 91 ( m , 22 . 70 , 23 . 41 , 3417 , 2931 , 277 [ m + ] 8 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 25 . 92 , 32 . 55 2859 , 1527 , ( 12 ), 261 chchch ), 1 . 98 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1455 , 1068 , ( 3 ), 179 ( s , 6 h , 39 . 03 ( d , 977 . ( 100 ), 132 n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 2 . 20 - chchchph ), ( 37 ), 91 2 . 46 ( m , 2 h , 40 . 99 ( q , ( 5 ). chchch ), 3 . 51 - n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 60 . 88 3 . 69 ( m , 1 h , chchchph ), chchchph ), 70 . 51 ( d , chph ), 4 . 73 ( d , 1 h , j = 124 . 42 ( d , ch ), 11 . 3 , chph ), 127 . 92 ( s , c ), 7 . 29 - 7 . 41 ( m , 2 128 . 37 , 130 . 27 , h , ar — h ), 7 . 51 - 131 . 56 ( d , ch ), 7 . 59 ( m , 1 h , 152 . 76 ( s , c ). ar — h ), 7 . 69 ( d , 1 h , j = 8 . 0 ). [ 0224 ] table 5 1 h nmr 13 c nmr ms exam - ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ( cdcl 3 )/ tms ) ir ( 70 ev ) ple no . δ [ ppm ], j [ hz ] δ [ ppm ] ν [ cm − 1 ] m / z [%] 53 0 . 53 - 2 . 50 ( m , 25 . 03 , 26 . 20 , 3421 , 2929 , 232 [ m + ] 9 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 29 . 29 , 35 . 37 2857 , 2782 , ( 19 ), 134 chchch ), 2 . 17 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1450 , 1384 , ( 100 ), 91 ( s , 6 h , 41 . 32 ( d , 1062 , 1043 , ( 9 ), 77 n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 3 . 41 - chchchph ), 1033 , 975 . ( 3 ). 3 . 76 ( m , 2 h , 42 . 75 ( q , chchchph , n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 76 . 60 chph ), 7 . 08 - 7 . 44 ( chchchph ), ( m , 5 h , ar — h ). 78 . 00 ( d , chph ), 127 . 79 , 128 . 17 ( d , ch ), 137 . 45 ( s , c ). 56 0 . 57 — 2 . 07 ( m , 24 . 83 , 26 . 03 , 3421 , 2929 , 234 [ m + ], 9 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 29 . 22 , 35 . 19 2857 , 1445 , 164 ( 5 ), chchch ), 2 . 14 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1384 , 1070 , 135 ( 100 ), ( s , 6 h , 41 . 22 ( q , 1043 , 977 . 91 ( 5 ). n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 3 . 44 - n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 42 . 47 3 . 63 ( m , 2 h , ( d , chchchph ), chchchph , 74 . 10 chph ), 7 . 29 - 7 . 56 ( chchchph ), ( m , 2 h , ar — h ), 77 . 77 ( d , chph ), 8 . 35 - 8 . 54 ( m , 123 . 37 ( d , ch ), 2 h , ar — h ). 129 . 63 ( s , c ), 136 . 83 , 149 . 32 , 151 . 24 ( d , ch ). 58 0 . 61 - 2 . 52 ( m , 25 . 08 , 26 . 22 , 3423 , 2934 , 262 [ m + ] 9 h , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[, 28 . 87 , 35 . 38 2857 , 2784 , ( 3 ), 164 chchch ), 2 . 17 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1068 , 975 , ( 100 ), 148 ( s , 6 h , 41 . 59 ( d , 752 , 703 . ( 20 ), 121 n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 3 . 48 - chchchph ), ( 10 ), 91 3 . 69 ( m , 1 h , 42 . 93 ( q , ( 6 ). chchchph ), n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 55 . 76 3 . 83 ( s , 3 h , ( q , och 3 ), 65 . 42 och 3 ), 4 . 40 ( d , ( chchchph ), 1 h , j = 11 . 1 , 77 . 98 ( d , chph ), chph ), 6 . 92 - 7 . 30 110 . 70 , 120 . 40 ( m , 4 h , ar — h ). ( d , ch ), 122 . 75 ( s , c ), 127 . 99 , 130 . 82 ( d , ch ), 159 . 16 ( s , c ). 60 0 . 92 - 2 . 49 ( m , 24 . 75 , 26 . 03 , 3415 , 2936 , 277 [ m + ] 9 h ,]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 28 . 42 . 35 . 11 2864 , 1523 , ( 20 ), 179 chchch ), 2 . 07 ( t , ]-( ch 2 ) 4 -[), 1455 , 1068 , ( 100 ), 132 ( s , 6 h , 41 . 40 ( q , 977 . ( 37 ), 91 n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 3 . 63 - n ( ch 3 ) 2 ), 43 . 02 ( 30 ). 3 . 73 ( m , 1 h , ( d , chchchph ), chchchph ), 67 . 78 4 . 42 ( d , 1 h , j = ( chchchph ), 10 . 6 hz , chph ), 77 . 54 ( d , chph ), 7 . 33 - 7 . 81 ( m , 124 . 41 , 128 . 54 , 4 h , ar — h ). 129 . 37 ( s , c ), 130 . 54 , 131 . 81 ( d , ch ), 152 . 45 ( s , c ). the investigation for analgesic activity was carried out in the phenylquinone - induced writhing in the mouse ( modified by i . c . hendershot and j . forsaith ( 1959 ) j . pharmacol . exp . ther . 125 , 237 - 240 ). male nmri mice weighing 25 to 30 g were employed for this . groups of 10 animals per substance dose received 0 . 3 ml / mouse of a 0 . 02 % aqueous solution of phenylquinone ( phenylbenzoquinone , sigma , deisenhofen ; preparation of the solution with the addition of 5 % ethanol and storage in a water bath at 45 ° c .) administered intraperitoneally 10 minutes after intravenous administration of the test substances . the animals were placed individually in observation cages . the number of pain - induced stretching movements ( so - called writhing reactions = straightening of the body with stretching of the hind extremities ) was counted by means of a push - button counter 5 to 20 minutes after the administration of phenylquinone . animals which received only physiological saline solution were also run as a control . all the substances were tested in the standard dosage of 10 mg / kg . the percentage inhibition (% inhibition ) of the writhing reaction by a substance was calculated according to the following formula : % inhibition = 100 - writhing reactions of the treated animals writhing reactions of the control animals * 100 all the compounds according to the invention investigated showed a pronounced analgesic action . the results are summarised in the following table 6 . 1 g of the hydrochloride of ( syn , syn )- 2 - chloro - n -[ 2 -( dimethylaminopyridin - 3 - ylmethyl ) cyclohexyl ]- benzamide was dissolved in 1 l of water for injection purposes at room temperature and the solution was then adjusted to isotonic conditions by addition of sodium chloride . the foregoing description and examples have been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and are not intended to be limiting . since modifications of the described embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art , the invention should be construed broadly to include all variations within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof . | 2 |
the present invention is applicable to a number of different case designs for different uses . the invention is particularly , but not exclusively , well suited for frozen food type cases , such as those used to store and display ice cream and similar products . in general , there are two common basic styles of refrigerated display cases . in the first type , called open - top or well - type , the access opening may lie in a substantially horizontal plane or the access opening may be angled slightly downwardly from front to rear to present a slanted opening to the customer . the second basic style of case is the upright , or open - front type in which the access opening lies in a substantially vertical plane . examples of well - type and open - front incorporating the features of this invention are described below . referring to fig1 the well - type display case 4 has an open top 10 to permit access to products within the display case , a bottom 12 , and opposing front and rear walls 14 and 16 , respectively . the sides , or end walls , of case 4 are not shown . an inner or primary air conduit 18 , which is approximately u - shaped , extends around the front , bottom and rear of the display case . inner air conduit 18 has an air outlet opening 20 at one end and an air inlet opening 22 at its opposite end . openings 20 and 22 are arranged at opposite sides of the open top display case . the openings 20 and 22 are so constructed and aligned that air expelled through outlet opening 20 is directed across the open top of the display case and received by inlet opening 22 so as to re - enter the conduit 18 . surrounding inner air conduit 18 , and separated therefrom by a common divider wall 26 , is an outer or secondary air conduit 28 , which is also approximately u - shaped between its ends . outer air conduit 28 has an air outlet opening 30 at one end and an air inlet opening 32 at its opposite end , with such openings being arranged at opposite sides of the open top of the display case . as with openings 20 and 22 , openings 30 and 32 are so constructed and aligned that air expelled through outlet opening 30 is directed across the open top towards inlet opening 32 to re - enter the conduit 28 . at least one fan 34 is located within inner air conduit 18 as an air propelling means . the number of fans can vary depending , for example , on the size of the display case and the size of the fans . also positioned within inner air conduit 18 is one or a plurality of sets of evaporator coils , such as represented by box 36 . in the refrigeration mode , refrigerant flows through the coils 36 to cool the air being circulated through conduit 18 and over and through the evaporator coils . in the defrost mode , means are provided to temporarily shut off the flow of refrigerant through coils 36 , in known manner . one or more fans 38 are arranged within conduit 28 for circulating air through conduit 28 . the number of fans varies depending , for example , on the size of the display case and the size of the fans . in the refrigeration mode , a continuous primary refrigerated air band is established across the open top of case 4 between the air outlet 20 and air inlet 22 . an outer guard band of cool but unrefrigerated air is established across the open top of case 4 between the air outlet 30 and air inlet 32 . when the refrigerated case enters the defrost mode ( e . g . as controlled by a timer or ice sensor , in known fashion ), the direction of air flow through at least one of the two air flow conduits may be reversed and air warmer than the refrigerated air , e . g ., ambient air , is caused to flow through the inner air conduit . for example , the direction of air flow through inner air conduit 18 may be maintained in the same direction as during the refrigeration mode while the air flow direction through outer air conduit 28 is reversed . alternately , the air flow through inner conduit 18 may also be reversed , whereby both bands operate in reverse air flow direction in the defrost mode . as noted above , evaporator coils 36 are deactivated during the defrost period so that air passing through conduit 18 is not refrigerated . in the embodiment shown here , a portion 40 of common wall 26 contains a plurality of perforation 42 . during the defrost mode , as the warmer ambient air is drawn into conduit 28 through outlet 30 , it is circulated in a reverse direction through conduit 28 and is sucked into inner air conduit 18 , as represented by arrow 44 . this air flows into inner air conduit 18 from outer air conduit 28 and then blends with the air flowing through the inner air conduit , thereby increasing the temperature of the inner air . an example of an upright refrigerated display case is shown in fig2 . the display cabinet , generally designated 110 , comprises a top portion 112 , a rear portion 114 , a bottom portion 116 , and an open front 118 , permitting access to an inner display area or space 120 . the display space is bounded on the sides by a pair of end walls ( not shown ). shelves ( not shown ) may be mounted , preferably adjustably , on suitable uprights fixed to or made an integral part of the interior wall of rear portion 114 , in a conventional manner . the display cabinet 110 houses an inner or primary air conduit 122 having an air outlet opening 124 and an air inlet opening 126 arranged along opposite perimeters of the access opening 118 . the cabinet 110 further houses an outer or secondary air conduit 128 adjacent to inner air conduit 122 and separated therefrom by a common divider wall 130 . conduit 128 terminates at its respective end portions in an air outlet opening 132 and an air inlet opening 134 arranged along the top and bottom perimeters , respectively , of the access opening 118 . inner conduit outlet 124 may be located below the outer outlet opening 132 . inlet openings 126 and 134 generally share a common cover grill 136 . the outlet openings 124 and 132 are preferably aligned with their respective outlet openings 126 and 134 so that air exiting from the outlet openings is propelled downwardly across the access opening 118 in the form of inner and outer air curtains toward and into respective inlet openings , as indicated by the solid line arrows in fig2 . one or more sets of evaporator coils 138 is located in conduit 122 . also located in conduit 122 is an air propelling means , in the form of one or more fans 140 . a corresponding air propelling means , in the form of one or more fans 142 , is located in conduit 128 . ( the number of fans used is a function of the size of the case , as is well known to those skilled in the pertinent art ). one or both sets of fans 140 and 142 is preferably of the reversing motor type . during the normal refrigeration cycle , fans 140 and 142 propel air through conduits 122 and 128 , respectively , in the direction shown by the solid line arrows . in one embodiment , when the defrost mode is triggered , fan motors 142 are controlled to reverse their direction of rotation . the air flow direction in the secondary band 128 is therefore reversed during the defrost cycle ; as indicated by the dashed line arrows , ambient air is drawn into the secondary band conduit through outlet 132 and exits the secondary band conduit 128 through inlet 134 . substantially all of the secondary conduit air exiting inlet 134 is immediately sucked back into the primary band conduit 122 . for further details of an example of the defrost mode operation of this embodiment , reference is made to the disclosure of the aforementioned u . s . pat . no . 4 , 114 , 720 , which is incorporated in its entirety by reference . frozen food ( e . g . ice cream storage / display ) cases , to which this invention is primarily directed , may employ one or more anti - sweat heater wires located adjacent the air conduit outlet opening ( s ) and / or the air conduit inlet opening ( s ). in the embodiment shown in fig1 anti - sweat heater wires 46 are located inside a rear riser 48 of the case 4 , in the region 50 which overlies the air outlet grills of conduit 18 and 28 . heater wires 46 prevent condensation ( in the form of frost ) from building up on the surface of riser portion 50 . in an upright case , of the type shown in fig2 one or more anti - sweat heater wires 144 may be located on an extended portion 131 of the common wall 130 , since this is a likely location for frost build - up in the refrigeration mode . heater wires 144 are therefore employed to prevent such frost build - up . having described examples of suitable environments therefor , the subject matter of this invention will be described in detail below with reference to fig1 and 2 , wherein like reference numerals in both figures refer to the same or similar parts . this invention relates primarily to the addition of a supplemental demand heater to be utilized during the defrost cycle of a refrigerated display cabinet and particularly , such cabinets which employ air defrost principles , as described , for example , in the above tyler &# 39 ; 720 patent . the supplemental heat source for this invention comprises an elongated heater 60 , such as a calrod heating element . heating element 60 is located in the primary air flow conduit ( 18 and 122 in fig1 and 2 , respectively ) upstream of the evaporator coils ( 36 and 138 in fig1 and 2 , respectively ), considered in the air flow direction in the defrost cycle . thus , heating element 60 is shown positioned in fig1 and 2 for systems in which the primary band fans are not reversed during the defrost cycle as compared to the refrigeration cycle . elements 60 &# 39 ; are shown in phantom in fig1 and 2 located upstream of the evaporator coils for systems in which the primary band fans are reversed during the defrost cycle . the supplemental heater 60 is controlled independently of the operation of anti - sweat wires . the supplemental heater 60 may be energized in any one of several ways to aid in the rapid defrosting of the evaporator coils . in one embodiment , the supplemental heater 60 may be energized by a control which senses the moisture content in the air ; one such control device is marketed by minneapolis honeywell company as &# 34 ; dew point controller 4 - 409a &# 34 ;. the dew point controller measures the moisture content in the air ; when the measured humidity is below a preset limit , indicating low moisture content condition , and thus low latent heat available for defrosting , the supplemental heater 60 will be energized . for example , supplemental heat may be required when the measured dew point temperature is below 35 ° f . in the alternative embodiment , the dew point or demand controller may be replaced by a timer controlled device ; for example , if the defrost cycle does not terminate within a predetermined time , for example , after 30 - 35 minutes , the controller will then energize the supplemental heater 60 to speed up the defrost cycle . in either embodiment , the supplemental heater 60 and the heater controller are electrically connected to the defrost controller . referring to fig3 reversible fan motors 150 , a defrost limit switch 152 , and a supplemental heater 154 are connected through a multi - socket plug 156 to a defrost controller 158 . a normally open relay 160 controls operation of the supplemental heater when the defrost cycle is activated by controller 158 . a dew pointer or timer 162 closes relay 160 when an abnormal defrost condition is detected . the supplemental heater 60 is energized only during the defrost cycle and then only when the necessary condition ( e . g . low moisture content or excessive defrost time ) is detected . in this way , supplemental defrost heat is added only when necessary during defrost and only during defrost , thereby resulting in a significant contribution to energy conservation . the above - described examples of open top and open front cases are both of the multi - band type . it will be apparent that this invention is also applicable to single band cases , that is refrigerated display cases utilizing only a single air flow conduit containing the cooling coils and reversible fan ( s ) ( or other equilalent air flow reversing means ). one such case , of the open top type , is disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 60 , 459 filed july 25 , 1979 in the name of fayez abraham and assigned to tyler refrigeration corporation , the disclosure of said ser . no . 60 , 459 is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference . the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the present embodiment is , therefore , to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description , and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein . | 5 |
with reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate an understanding of the present subject matter , the various embodiments of a system and method for calibrating chips in a 3d chip stack architecture are described . embodiments of the present subject matter overcome the challenges associated with implementing calibration methods for 3d architectures and avoid the penalties that that must be paid when using traditional calibration methods that result in fixed driving strengths for all chip pairs in the 3d architecture at all times and operating conditions . in one embodiment , described in further detail below , the driving strength between a first and second chip in a 3d architecture is adaptively adjusted by sending a first signal from the first chip to the second chip , comparing the signal received by the second chip with a voltage input high (“ vih ”) signal and a voltage input low (“ vil ”) signal , comparing a version of each of the resultant signals with a version of a vih duty signal and a vil duty signal , respectively , sending the resultant compared signals back to the first chip which causes circuitry on the first chip to send a modified first signal in response to the received compared signals . in another embodiment , described in further detail below , the driving strength between a first and second chip in a 3d architecture , where the first chip may be a “ near end ” chip and the second chip may be a “ far end ” chip , is adaptively adjusted by sending a first signal from the first chip to each of four loops , two without output loads and two with output loads on the second chip . thus , each of the loops carries a loop signal which is compared , on the first chip , with the appropriate vih or vil signal , as described below , and versions of the resultant signals are then compared with a version of the appropriate vih or vil duty signal . the resultant compared signals are then used to modify circuitry on the first chip to send a modified first signal . with attention now directed at fig1 , a simplified schematic diagram of a chip - to - chip calibration arrangement according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is presented . one of skill in the art will readily understand that the simplified schematic diagrams do not represent a detailed view of all circuitry and devices on a chip . chip a , 110 , chip b , 120 , and chip c , 130 , are shown where chip a includes transmission circuit 101 and chip b includes receiver circuit 102 . likewise , chip c may also include a receiver circuit ( not shown for sake of clarity ) similar to receiver circuit 102 on chip b . the transmission circuit on chip a and the receiver circuit on chip b are connected through a silicon interposer and / or one or more tsvs , shown as references 10 a and 10 b . in the case where chip c also includes a receiver circuit , similar connections would be made to chip c . another connection , shown as reference 10 s , also connects the receiver circuit on chip b with the transmission circuit on chip a . the same connection 10 s would also connect to chip c where chip c included a receiver circuit . these connections , or pathways , will be discussed in further detail below . the transmission circuit 101 includes adjustable drivers 111 and 112 , and logic and driving code control 113 . the receiver circuit 102 includes receiver comparators 121 and 122 , duty generator counter 123 , duty - to - voltage converter low pass filters 141 , 142 , 151 , and 152 , and comparators 161 and 162 . in order to calibrate chips in a 3d architecture or chip stack , each driver 111 and 112 sends a signal , sometimes referred to herein as a vih calibration signal or a vil calibration signal , respectively , to chip b through separate connections across the silicon interposer / tsv 10 a and 10 b , respectively . the vih and vil calibration signals are received by a respective receiver comparator 121 and 122 . receiver comparator 121 also has an input for a vih signal , compares the vih signal with the vih calibration signal received from driver 111 , and outputs a signal , sometimes referred to herein as a vih comparison signal . similarly , receiver comparator 122 also has an input for a vil signal , compares the vil signal with the vil calibration signal received from driver 112 , and outputs a signal , sometimes referred to herein as a vil comparison signal . as will be discussed in further detail below with respect to fig5 , the vih and vil comparison signals operate on the transition time between a low voltage value and a high voltage value ; either increasing or decreasing the transition time and thus adaptively changing the duty value based on the current operating conditions . the vih comparison signal is operated on by duty - to - voltage converter low pass filter 141 and the resultant output signal , which is representative of the vih comparison signal , is input to comparator 161 . likewise , the vil comparison signal is operated on by duty - to - voltage converter low pass filter 142 and the resultant output signal , which is representative of the vil comparison signal , is input to comparator 162 . duty generator counter 123 sends a vih duty signal to duty - to - voltage converter low pass filter 151 and the resultant output signal , which is representative of the vih duty signal , is input to the comparator 161 . duty generator counter 123 also sends a vil duty signal to duty - to - voltage converter low pass filter 152 and the resultant output signal , which is representative of the vil duty signal , is input to the comparator 162 . the vih and vil duty signals are representative of the current target duty cycle of chip b . comparators 161 and 162 compare their respective input signals and send a vih duty comparison signal and a vil duty comparison signal , respectively , to the logic and driving code control 113 . the vih and vil duty comparison signals travel from chip b to chip a through a shared channel , sometimes referred to herein as a feedback channel , through the silicon interposer and / or one or more tsvs 10 s . the logic and driving code control 113 receives the vih and vil duty comparison signals and , in response thereto , sends a signal , sometimes referred to herein as a driving signal , which modifies the state of operation of adjustable drivers 111 and 112 . consequently , the drivers 111 and 112 send a modified vih calibration signal and a modified vil calibration signal , respectively , to chip b . in certain conditions , the driving signal may be such that it does not modify the drivers 111 and 112 so that the vih and vil calibration signals do not change . similarly , the driving signal may only modify one of the two drivers 111 and 112 . the above - described embodiment allows for on speed operation response of the chips to the then - current real load and transition times . furthermore , the above - described system allows for adaptive adjustment of the driving strength between chips a and b . since the system includes an independent receiver comparator for vih and vil , there is no concern for propagation delay . also , the transition times may be adjusted independently . the duty generator counter 123 outputs the vih and vil duty signals that may represent the high speed performance of chip b and the vih and vil duty signals are compared in comparators 161 and 162 , respectively , with slower signals from the receiver comparators 121 and 122 . thus , the shared feedback channel 10 s has the advantage of being able to operate at a speed lower than the design maximum while conserving valuable tsv resources in the event the number of chips in the 3d architecture increases . directing attention now to fig2 , a pictorial view of a chip - to - chip calibration arrangement according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is depicted . silicon interposer and one or more tsvs are represented by reference number 10 . also depicted are chip a 110 , chip b 120 , chip c 130 , chip d 140 , chip e 150 , chip f 160 , chip g 170 , and chip h 180 . those of skill in the art will understand that this particular arrangement is for convenience of explanation only and in no way is the present subject matter intended to be restricted to this particular arrangement of chips . pathways through interposer / tsv 10 between specific pairs of chips are shown as 20 a , 20 b , 20 c , and 20 d . for the sake of clarity , in fig2 pathway 20 a represents both pathways 10 a and 10 b in fig1 , i . e ., the outputs of the transmission circuit 101 to the inputs of the receiver circuit 102 . likewise , pathways 20 b , 20 c , and 20 d represent similar multiple connections between the respective chips . in fig2 , pathway 20 a connects chips a and e while pathway 20 d connects chips a and h . also shown in fig2 are connections between chips a and b , chips a and c , and chips a and d , although no reference numbers are shown for the sake of clarity . these pathways also represent similar multiple connections between the respective chips . additionally , shared feedback channel 10 s , which is described above , is shown connecting each of the chips , i . e , the output of each chip &# 39 ; s receiver circuit to the input of each chip &# 39 ; s transmission circuit . in fig2 , chip a 110 is shown having transmission circuit 201 while chip h 180 is shown having receiver circuit 202 . transmission circuit 201 as shown differs from transmission circuit 101 in fig1 in that transmission circuit 201 includes a set of drivers for each connection to the other chips , i . e ., one set of drivers for the connection to chip b , one set of drivers for the connection to chip c , etc . in another embodiment , transmission circuit 201 will be similar to transmission circuit 101 in fig1 with the exception that the single set of outputs of the transmission circuit 201 is switched by any known switching arrangement , so that the signals sent from the output of the transmission circuit 201 are directed towards only one selected other chip in the 3d architecture . in certain embodiments , receiver circuit 202 will be similar to the receiver circuit 102 except that the receiver circuit 202 will include multiple inputs to the receiver comparators in order to establish a connection with each of the other chips in the 3d architecture . while embodiments of the present subject matter contemplate that a plurality of chips a - h may include a transmission circuit 201 and / or a receiver circuit 202 , only the transmission circuit 201 on chip a 110 and the receiver circuit 202 on chip h 180 are shown for clarity . thus , in an embodiment where each chip has a transmission and receiver circuit , one of skill in the art will readily understand that chip - to - chip calibration between any pair of chips , as described above with reference to fig1 , can be undertaken . looking now to fig3 , a simplified schematic diagram of a single chip calibration arrangement according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is shown . one of skill in the art will readily understand that the simplified schematic diagrams do not represent a detailed view of all circuitry and devices on a chip . chip a , 110 , chip b , 120 , and chip c , 130 , are shown . chip a includes calibration driver circuitry 301 , duty generator counter 323 , duty - to - voltage low pass filters 341 a , 341 b , 341 c , 342 a , 342 b , 342 c , average comparators 361 and 362 , and logic and driving code control 113 . chip b includes circuit devices 321 and 322 which represent loading on the indicated circuits / connections . likewise , chip c may also include a similar circuitry to chip b , although such circuitry is not shown for sake of clarity . chip a and chip b are connected through a silicon interposer and / or one or more tsvs , shown as references 10 e and 10 f . in the case where chip c also includes load circuitry , similar connections would be made between chip a and chip c . the calibration driver circuitry on chip a includes circuit devices 31 a , 31 b , 31 c , and 31 d , each of which receives a signal from an driver in a transmission circuit , for example transmission circuit 101 shown in fig1 , such as adjustable driver 111 ( for circuit devices 31 a and 31 c ) and adjustable driver 112 ( for circuit devices 31 b and 31 d ). chip a further includes comparators 32 a , 32 b , 32 c , and 32 d . comparators 32 a and 32 c each include a connection to a vih signal while comparators 32 b and 32 d each include a connection to a vil signal . chip a also includes duty generator counter 323 , which provides a vih duty signal and a vil duty signal , in a manner similar to duty generator 123 described above with respect to fig1 . also included on chip a are duty - to - voltage low pass filters 341 a , 341 b , 341 c , and 342 a , 342 b , 342 c , which operate in a manner similar to duty - to - low pass filters 141 , 142 , 151 , and 152 described above with respect to fig1 . in a particular embodiment , the inputs to these low pass filters are paired with the outputs of the comparators 32 a , 32 b , 32 c , and 32 d and the outputs of the duty generator counter 323 as follows : 341 a with 32 a ; 341 b with vih duty ; 341 c with 32 c ; 342 a with 32 b , 342 b with vil duty ; and 342 c with 32 d . those of skill in the art will readily recognize that certain other variations of these pairings are possible while being consistent with the teachings of the present subject matter . the outputs of duty - to - voltage low pass filters 341 a , 341 b , 341 c are input to average comparator 361 while the outputs of duty - to - voltage low pass filters 342 a , 342 b , 342 c are input to average comparator 362 . average comparators 361 and 362 output signals , similar to the vih duty comparison signal and the vil duty comparison signal , respectively , as described in fig1 with reference to comparators 161 and 162 , respectively . the details of the operation of the average comparators 361 and 362 will be discussed in further detail with respect to fig5 below . the output of the average comparators 361 and 362 are sent to logic and driving code control 113 which operates as described above with respect to fig1 . consequently the signal input to the circuit devices 31 a , 31 b , 31 c , and 31 d will be modified . also shown in fig3 are loop 1 , loop 2 , loop 3 , and loop 4 . loop 1 , as shown , includes circuit device 31 a and comparator 32 a . loop 2 , as shown , includes circuit device 31 b and comparator 32 b . loop 3 , as shown , includes circuit device 31 c , interposer / tsv 10 e , load circuit 321 , interposer / tsv 10 e , and comparator 32 c . loop 4 , as shown , includes circuit device 31 d , interposer / tsv 10 e , load circuit 321 , interposer / tsv 10 e , load circuit 322 , and comparator 32 d . it should be noted that a signal traversing either loop 1 or loop 2 does not have any output loading while a signal traversing either loop 3 or loop 4 will have a higher path load . these path loads will be described in more detail with respect to fig5 below . the above - described embodiment allows for on speed operation response of the chips to the then - current real load and transition times . furthermore , the above - described system allows for adaptive adjustment of the driving strength between chips a and b . since the system includes an independent receiver comparator for vih and vil , there is no concern for propagation delay . also , the transition times may be adjusted independently . the above - described embodiment allows for a single - chip solution to the calibration challenges of a 3d architecture since the transmission circuit , receiver circuit , calibration driver , and other mentioned devices all reside on chip a . additionally , in an embodiment where chip a is at the “ near end ” of the 3d architecture and the only connection is to chip b which is at the “ far end ” of the 3d architecture , no other chips need to be connected in the calibration circuit . this is shown below in fig4 . fig4 is a pictorial view of a single chip calibration arrangement in a 3d architecture according to the above - described embodiment of the present subject matter . shown in fig4 are chip a 110 , chip b 120 , chip c 130 , chip d 140 , chip e 150 , chip f 160 , chip g 170 , and chip h 180 . those of skill in the art will understand that this particular arrangement is for convenience of explanation only and in no way is the present subject matter intended to be restricted to this particular arrangement of chips . chip a includes the operation and details of calibration driver 301 , as discussed above with respect to fig3 , with the addition of adjustable drivers as shown ( reference numbers omitted for clarity ). chip a also includes logic and driving code control 113 the output of which is used to modify the adjustable drivers as discussed above with respect to fig1 . additionally , chip a includes receiver circuit 402 which incorporates the operations and details of the duty generator counter , duty - to - voltage converter low pass filters , and average comparators discussed above with respect to fig3 . included in chip a is transmission driver 401 which further include adjustable drivers as shown ( reference numbers omitted for clarity ). in this embodiment , calibration driver 301 is used only for calibration of the chips in the 3d architecture and is not used for information transfer between chips . transmission driver 401 is used for information transfers between chips . it will be noted that the output of logic and driving code control 113 also modifies the adjustable drivers in the transmission driver so that they are modified the same way as the adjustable drivers in the calibration driver . fig4 also includes silicon interposer / tsv 10 . connections between chip a , shown here to be at the “ near end ” of the 3d architecture , and chip h , shown here to be at the “ far end ” of the 3d architecture , includes pathways 10 g , 10 h , 10 j , and 10 k through the silicon interposer / tsv . chip h also includes circuit devices 421 and 422 which are representative of loads on their respective circuits / connections . since chips a and h are at opposite ends of the 3d architecture chip stack , calibration between these two devices is sufficient to calibrate the 3d architecture chip stack since the effects of all of the intervening chips will be necessarily taken into account . with reference now to fig5 , a representation of a voltage level profile according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is presented . line 51 represents a conventional profile of a duty cycle as may be produced by a duty generator such as the duty generator counter 123 in fig1 or the duty generator counter 323 in fig3 . the profile 51 transitions between a low voltage value 5 l , which may be electrical ground , and a high voltage value 5 h , which may be a supply voltage level , as shown in fig5 . additionally , the profile 51 is at or above a voltage input high (“ vih ”) signal , shown as vih in fig5 , and a voltage input low (“ vil ”) signal , shown as vil in fig5 , for a specific interval of time . the duty cycle for profile 51 may be changed by altering the transition times ( rising time and falling time ) between 5 l and 5 h thus changing the specific interval of time that the profile 51 is above vih and vil . for the embodiment shown in fig1 , if the duty cycle for profile 51 is to be increased one way to accomplish this is to shorten the transition times between low voltage value 5 l and high voltage value 5 h . for example , if the transition time in fig5 for the profile 51 is shortened , such as for the profile designated as 52 , the time spent above vih and vil is increased thus increasing the duty cycle so that the duty cycle of profile 52 is greater than the duty cycle of profile 51 . similarly , if the transition time in fig5 for the profile 51 is lengthened , such as for the profile designated as 53 , the time spent above vih and vil is decreased thus decreasing the duty cycle so that the duty cycle of profile 53 is less than the duty cycle of profile 51 . for the embodiment shown in fig3 , there are four loops as discussed above . representative duty cycles for each of the loops are shown . for each of loop 1 and loop 2 , the representative duty cycle is shown as profile 52 . for each of loop 3 and loop 4 , the representative duty cycle is show as profile 53 . in this embodiment , a representative profile of an estimated average of loop 1 and loop 3 is shown as the profile 54 . in an embodiment , profile 54 is also a representative profile of an estimated average of loop 2 and loop 4 . the rising time for each of loop 1 , loop 2 , loop 3 , and loop 4 for the embodiment shown in fig3 are proportional to the resistances and capacitances seen by the respective loop and can be calculated as follows : where r pu is a pull - up resistance and c chipa is a capacitance value for chip a . as stated above , loop 1 has no output loading off of chip a . where r pd is a pull - down resistance and c chipa is a capacitance value for chip a . as stated above , loop 2 has no output loading off of chip a . loop 3 rising time α r pu ( c chipa + c sil / tsv + c chipb + c sil / tsv + c chipa ) where r pu is a pull - up resistance , c chipa is a capacitance value for chip a , c sil / tsv is a capacitance value for the interposer / tsv , and c chipb is a capacitance value for chip b . as shown in fig3 and stated above , loop 3 has off chip loading including traversing the silicon interposer / tsv path twice as well as a load with respect to chip b . this may be seen as roughly a double path loading value . loop 4 falling time α r pd ( c chipa + c sil / tsv + c chipb + c sil / tsv + c chipa ) where r pd is a pull - down resistance , c chipa is a capacitance value for chip a , c sil / tsv is a capacitance value for the interposer / tsv , and c chipb is a capacitance value for chip b . as shown in fig3 and stated above , loop 3 has off chip loading including traversing the silicon interposer / tsv path twice as well as a load with respect to chip b . this may be seen as roughly a double path loading value . using the above equations , the average of loop 1 and loop 3 is : avg loops 1 & amp ; 3 rising time α r pu ( c chipa + c sil / tsv +( c chipa + c chipb )/ 2 ) avg loops 2 & amp ; 4 falling time α r pd ( c chipa + c sil / tsv +( c chipa + c chipb )/ 2 ) for the embodiment represented in fig3 , the specification for the duty generator counter rising time for chip a and chip b is : duty gen . spec rising time for far end α r pu ( c chipa + c sil / tsv + c chipb ) likewise , for the embodiment represented in fig3 , the specification for the duty generator counter falling time for chip a and chip b is : duty gen . spec falling time for far end α r pd ( c chipa + c sil / tsv + c chipb ) as can be seen from the equations above , there is only a minor difference between the average rising and falling times and the specification rising and falling times , respectively . the difference , or inaccuracy , between the two can be represented by the following equations : rising time inaccuracy = r pu ( c chipa − c chipb )/ 2 ) falling time inaccuracy = r pd ( c chipa − c chipb )/ 2 ) this inaccuracy is well within the capability of the single chip embodiment shown in fig3 to maintain and / or alter the duty cycle of the 3d architecture / chip stack . with attention now drawn to fig6 , a flow diagram 600 of methods for a chip - to - chip calibration arrangement in a 3d chip stack / architecture according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is shown . at block 602 , on a first chip , a vih signal is compared with a first signal to produce a vih comparison signal . the first signal typically is a vih calibration signal from a second chip , as discussed above with reference to fig1 . at block 604 , a vil signal is compared with a second signal to produce a vil comparison signal . the second signal typically is a vil calibration signal from the second chip , as discussed above with reference to fig1 . at block 606 , a first voltage signal representative of the vih comparison signal is compared with a second voltage signal representative of a reference vih duty signal to thereby produce a vih duty comparison signal . at block 608 , a first voltage signal representative of the vil comparison signal is compared with a second voltage signal representative of a reference vil duty signal to thereby produce a vil duty comparison signal . at block 610 , the vih and vil duty comparison signals are sent to the second chip . at block 612 , the vih and vil duty comparison signals are received at the second chip and in response to the vih and vil duty comparison signals , the second chip sends a modified first signal to the first chip . in a further embodiment , at block 614 , the modified first signal alters a duty cycle of the first chip by changing a transition time between a low level and a high voltage level . now considering fig7 , a flow diagram 700 of methods for a single chip calibration arrangement in a 3d chip stack / architecture according to embodiments of the present subject matter is presented . in one embodiment at block 702 , on a first chip in a 3d architecture / chip stack , a calibration signal is generated using a calibration driver circuit . at block 704 , the calibration signal is sent to a first , a second , a third , and a fourth loop circuit . at block 706 the calibration signal sent to the first , second , third , and fourth loop circuits returns as a first , a second , a third , and a fourth loop signal , respectively . at block 708 , a driving signal is determined based at least on the first , second , third , and fourth loop signals . at block 720 , the calibration driver circuit is adjusted based on at least the driving signal to thereby produce a modified calibration signal . in another embodiment , blocks 702 , 704 , and 706 are as described above . at block 710 , the first , second , third , and fourth loop signals are each individually compared with a predetermined one of two reference signals to thereby determine a respective first , second , third , and fourth comparison signal . as a non - limiting example , the first loop signal is compared with a vih signal to produce the first comparison signal ; the second loop signal is compared with a vil signal to produce the second comparison signal , the third loop signal is compared with a vih signal to produce the third comparison signal , and the fourth loop signal is compared with a vil signal to produce the fourth loop signal . at block 712 , the first , second , third , and fourth comparison signals are converted into a first , a second , a third , and a fourth voltage signal , respectively . at block 714 , in one embodiment , the first and third voltage signals are compared with a first duty reference signal to thereby determine a first control signal . the first duty reference signal may be a voltage signal representative of a vih duty signal generated by a duty generator counter such as is shown in fig3 . in an embodiment , the first and third voltage signals are averaged and the average is compared with the first duty reference signal . at block 716 , in one embodiment , the second and fourth voltage signals are compared with a second duty reference signal to thereby determine a second control signal . the second duty reference signal may be a voltage signal representative of a vil duty signal generated by a duty generator counter such as is shown in fig3 . in an embodiment , the second and fourth voltage signals are averaged and the average is compared with the second duty reference signal . at block 718 , a driving signal is determined from at least the first and second control signals . at block 720 , as described above , the calibration driver circuit is adjusted based on at least the driving signal to thereby produce a modified calibration signal . as shown by the various configurations and embodiments illustrated in fig1 - 7 , a system and method for location and network timing recovery in communications networks have been described . while preferred embodiments of the present subject matter have been described , it is to be understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence , many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof . | 7 |
in the following reference in the exemplary embodiments described will be made to an lte system . however , the invention is not limited to an lte system but is applicable to any radio system using radio base station keys for protecting data transmitted to and from a mobile station associated with the radio base station . in fig1 a schematic view of a cellular radio system 100 providing encrypted communication for a mobile station also termed user equipment ( ue ) 101 is shown . the ue 101 transmits and receives data to and from a radio base station 103 . in the case when the cellular radio system is an lte system the radio base station 103 is commonly termed evolved nodeb ( enb ). when the ue 101 moves around in the geographical area covered by the cellular radio system 100 it will sometimes be necessary to hand over the connection from one radio base station to another radio base station . also sometimes the ue may drop the connection to the cellular radio system 100 and may then need to reconnect to the cellular radio system . in both these scenarios it is desired to maintain a secure connection between the cellular radio system 100 and the ue 101 . in case the ue moves from an area covered by the radio base station 103 towards an area covered by a radio base station 105 the cellular radio system prepares for a handover from the source radio base station 103 to the target radio base station 105 . also because it can sometimes be difficult to predict which radio base station that a mobile station 101 will be handed over to a number of other radio base stations may also be prepared for handover . the “ be prepared ” radio base stations are fig1 represented by a single radio base station 107 . during handover a new radio base station key needs to be derived that can be used for continued secure communication between the mobile station 101 and the radio base station 105 , 107 to which the connection is transferred after handover . the new base station key can be termed a transformed or derived base station key . in the case the cellular radio system is an lte system the transformed key can be labeled k_enb *. in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , the information for creating unique transformed base station key k_enb * in the to - be - prepared set can be based on the least significant bits of an identity which is known by ( or is made known to ) both the mobile station ue and the radio base station enb . for example the nine - bit e - utran physical cell identity , here denoted phycell_id can be used or some other cell specific data determined by the radio access technology ( rat ) context . the transformation can in accordance with one embodiment make use of a pseudo - random function ( prf ) or a hash function with source base station key k_enb and the cell data such as the phycell_id bits as input . also other input parameters can be included . examples of other parameters can be c - rnti or any other user specific information , data identifying when the key can be used , etc . the mobile station will know the phycell_id bits from its radio access technology ( rat ) context . in the exemplary embodiment above the derivation of a target base station key k_enb * for a given base station enb with phycell_id can in one exemplary embodiment be written as : in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , a terminal identity token teit can be formed in a corresponding way and be made unique per base station enb , i . e . it can also be derived by applying a prf on the mobile station identity , the base station key k_enb of the source and the phycell_id bits of the receiving base station enb . also other input parameters can be included . examples of other parameters can be c - rnti or any other user specific information , data identifying when the key can be used , etc . furthermore , when a mobile station is required to prove its identity it can be adapted to generate the corresponding identity token . this can typically be the case during handover when the user equipment connects to a new radio base station and the system needs to verify the identity of the user equipment or if the connection to a user equipment is dropped and the user equipment needs to re - connect to the system . in accordance with one embodiment a terminal identity token 1 ( teit1 ) can be defined as : in fig2 a flow chart illustrating steps performed when generating a base station encryption key for a secure connection between a mobile station 101 and a cellular radio system 100 when the secure connection is handed over from one source radio base station 103 to a target radio base station 105 , 107 is shown . first in a step 201 , the system detects that there may be a handover . for example the system may determine that the mobile station 101 is close to the cell border of the source radio base station based on radio measurements . next , in a step 203 the source radio base station generates and transmits a transformed base station key to the target base station 105 . in step 203 the source base station 103 can also send a transformed base station key to a set of “ be prepared ” radio base stations 107 . the transformed base station key can be derived in accordance with the above . in accordance with one embodiment the source base station also transmits a terminal identity token in a step 205 . the terminal identity token can for example be a token generated as the token teit1 as described above . thereupon handover can be performed in a conventional manner as indicated by step 207 . in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention the source base station enb can be adapted to distribute a common token , teit3 , to all base stations in the to - be - prepared set . this token can be the output from a prf applied to the output from a second prf , which takes at least the terminal identity and k_enb as input . also other input parameters can be provided . examples of other parameters can be c - rnti or any other user specific information , data identifying when the key can be used , etc . in accordance with one exemplary embodiment , when a mobile station transmits its identity token information , teit2 , it transmits the prf of the terminal identity and the base station key k_enb . the receiving base station can apply the outer prf on the teit2 received from the terminal and compare the outcome against the identity token , i . e . the teit3 received from the source base station . if the two entities correspond , the terminal identity is determined to have been established . expressed differently the terminal identity tokens 2 an 3 can be written : a comparison in a base station of teit2 received from mobile station and teit3 received from source enb can be performed as follows : in the above descriptions the terminal_id can for example be the c - rnti assigned to the terminal in the source base station enb or any other user specific information , data identifying when the key can be used , etc . thus if for example a connection for a ue 101 is dropped and the ue 101 needs to reconnect to the cellular radio system 100 , all the radio base stations having access to the teit3 identity token information can verify the authenticity of a mobile station transmitting the identity token teit2 . in accordance with one embodiment the transformed base station key k_enb * for the target base station enb can be derived in the same way as for the radio base station enbs in the to - be prepared set . the target base station enb can then receive the same type of information as all other prepared base stations enbs as the hand over may fail and the mobile station will then try to reconnect to the intended target base station enb . in fig3 a flowchart illustrating steps performed in a source radio base station when preparing for verifying the authenticity of a moving mobile station is shown . first in a step 301 a source radio base station determines to transmit a terminal identity token to a number of other radio base stations . the reason for transmitting the terminal identity token may for example be that there is a handover procedure in progress . the terminal identity token can for example be generated as the teit3 token described above in a step 303 . next , the token is transmitted to the other radio base stations in a step 305 . the other radio base stations can typically be adjacent radio base stations , which the mobile station is likely to connect to in the near future . in fig4 a flowchart illustrating steps performed in a target radio base station when verifying the authenticity of a mobile station . first in a step 401 the target radio base station receives a token identity teit3 from a source radio base station . next , in a step 403 , the target radio base station receives a terminal identity token teit2 from a mobile station . thereupon , in a step 405 the target base station compares the token identity teit3 with the terminal token identity teti2 . finally , in a step 407 the target radio base station verifies the authenticity of the mobile station based on the comparison in step 405 . in fig5 a flow chart illustrating steps performed in a mobile station when verifying the authenticity of the mobile station to a cellular radio system . first , in a step 501 , the mobile station is triggered to send an authentication message . for example during handover or when a connection is dropped the mobile station may need to ( re -) authenticate itself to a radio base station of the cellular radio system . next in a step 503 , the mobile station generates a terminal identity token . the terminal identity token can be generated as the terminal identity token teit2 described above . finally , the mobile station transmits an authentication message to a radio base station of the cellular radio network in a step 505 based on which the cellular radio system can authenticate the mobile station . in fig6 an exemplary radio base station 103 adapted to generate a transformed cryptographic radio base station key in accordance with the above is depicted . the radio base station comprises a module 601 for selecting data to be used when creating a cryptographic key or a terminal identity token in accordance with the above . the module 601 is connected to a module 603 adapted to generate a cryptographic key or a terminal identity token in accordance with the above . the exemplary radio base station 103 may also comprise an identifier module 605 adapted to identify a ue connecting to the radio base station using a terminal identity token as described above . in fig7 an exemplary user equipment ( ue ) 101 adapted to generate a terminal identity token in accordance with the above is depicted . the ue comprises a module 701 for selecting data to be used when creating a terminal identity token in accordance with the above . the module 701 is connected to a module 703 adapted to generate a terminal identity token in accordance with the above . a terminal identity token generated in the module 703 can be transmitted by a token transmitter 705 connected to the module 703 . using the method and system as described herein will provide a more efficient procedure for providing secure communication in a cellular radio system both in a handover situation and in situations calling for authentication of a mobile station . | 7 |
the three - way diversity antenna , as realized by orthogonal horizontal conductors and a vertical conductor , in a compact configuration , has many advantages over other diversity antennas . one embodiment is shown in fig1 . the basic shape of the antenna 10 is shown without the elemental antenna feed arrangements , and is formed on a ground plane 11 . the ground plane 11 , and the other ground planes shown in the figures , is preferably electrically small , namely its length , in the longest dimension , should be less than the wavelength , and preferably less than half the wavelength , for example one - quarter of the wavelength , of the carrier frequency of the transceiver the antenna is to be used with . the hx antenna element 12 ( aligned in the y direction ) extends in a loop from spaced apart locations on the ground plane 11 , provides ( when a current passes through it , that is , when it is in use ) a magnetic field in the x direction ( hx ) which produces a vertically polarized em wave with approximately a sin φ radiation pattern and provides an electric field in the y direction , which in turn produces a horizontally polarized em wave with approximately a cos φ radiation pattern . the hy antenna element 14 ( aligned in the x direction ) also extends in a loop from spaced apart locations on the ground plane 11 , and , in use , provides a y directed magnetic field ( hy ) which produces a vertically polarized em wave with an approximate pattern of cos φ and provides an electric field in the x direction ( ex ) which produces a horizontally polarized em wave with approximately a sin φ radiation pattern . this complete angular coverage and polarization coverage makes the antenna very suitable for a cell phone and personal communication phone as the antenna can have a variety of orientations with the user and can have a variety of orientations and polarizations with the base station antenna . the vertical reactively loaded monopole conductor 13 produces an electric field in the z direction ( e z ) that is approximately omnidirectional and is vertically polarized . the antenna elements 12 and 14 intersect at an intersection 15 , and the monopole 13 connects between the intersection 15 and the ground plane 11 . when these antennas are fed so as to preserve physical and electrical symmetry each antenna element is highly isolated from the other two antenna elements . the length of the loop antenna elements should not exceed about λ / 2 and the height of the monopole should not exceed about λ / 4 where λ is the wavelength of the carrier frequency the antenna is to be used with . the choice of the actual dimensions is dictated by the end use , and involved a trade off between features well known in the art such as efficiency , bandwidth and return loss . good isolation between the antenna elements ensures that antenna elements do not affect each other in terms of their radiation patterns or input impedance or polarization . the outputs from all antenna elements may be directed to separate receivers ( not shown ) without diminishing the power available from any other antenna element . this allows the antenna elements to be used for switched selective combining , equal gain combining and maximal ratio combining as discussed by w . c . jakes , editor , microwave mobile communications , ieee press , pp . 309 - 329 , 1994 , or w . c . y . lee , mobile communications engineering , mcgraw - hill , pp . 291 - 318 , 1982 , or any other combining method . for most cellular radio applications it is desirable to make the antenna as small as possible but still achieve the necessary electrical performance . this antenna can be made very compactly for a given bandwidth and operating frequency . another possible conductor arrangement is shown in fig2 in which an antenna 20 is formed from a round ground plane 21 , intersecting loop antenna elements 22 and 24 forming part of a spherical shell , and monopole 23 . each of the antenna elements and the ground plane function in much the same manner as the configuration of fig1 . while the configuration of fig2 provides improved bandwidth using curved antenna elements , the configuration of fig1 is easier to make . it is preferred that the antenna elements bisect each other as shown in fig1 and 3 , and that the antenna elements be orthogonal to each other as shown in fig1 and 3 . however , the antenna elements do not need to be equal in length . as shown in fig3 one antenna element 32 may be shorter than the other antenna element 34 , such that the antenna elements 32 and 34 have different height to width aspect ratios . in addition to the variations in the shape of the h antenna element profiles , the antenna elements 12 , 13 , 14 , 22 , 23 and 24 etc may also have different cross - sectional shapes as well as widths along the length of the conductor . the cross section of the magnetic loops and the monopole conductor may be round , elliptical , flat or a cross made out of flat conductors . these conductors may also be tapered along their length as shown in fig2 - 28 . this might be useful where the physical strength of the antenna could be important in exposed environments . varying the cross section of the conductors may be used to vary the bandwidth and input impedance of the antenna . various placements of the antenna elements to the ground plane may be used . the simplest conceptual arrangement consists of the conductors being placed on an infinite ground plane , or a ground plane that is very large in relation to the size of the antenna elements . possible ground planes include the square ground plane 41 of fig4 round ground plane of fig5 diamond ground plane of fig6 and rectangular ground plane of fig7 . an elliptical ground plane as shown in fig3 may also be used . the antenna elements 42 , 44 , 52 , 54 , 62 , 64 , 72 and 74 of fig4 - 7 are preferably symmetrically placed on a symmetrical ground plane to ensure that high isolation between the radiating elements will be maintained . the non - symmetrical arrangement shown in fig7 will cause a degradation of the isolation between hx magnetic loop and the e z radiating element monopole . the high isolation between the hx and the hy antenna element feed points will be maintained . the relationship between the ground plane and the radiating elements can also be changed in the side cross sectional view of the antenna . in fact , the concept of the ground plane can be significantly altered . fig8 shows an embodiment that uses a local sunken ground plane 81 forming a box in which antenna elements 82 and 84 span across the top of the ground plane 81 . the sunken ground plane may have plan views other than square configurations . these may also be round as shown in fig9 diamond , elliptical and rectangular . a vertical , cross - sectional view of the cavity below the hx and hy antenna elements may take the shape of a square , a circle , a rectangle or an ellipsoid , or other largely arbitrary but symmetrical shape . the normal cross - sectional vertical view may be different from the top view . the antenna may also be built into a conductive box 100 as shown in fig1 , in which the box 100 is formed from a peripheral wall 106 depending from antenna elements 102 and 104 and a bottom surface 107 spaced from the antenna elements 102 and 104 and enclosed by the peripheral wall 106 . the antenna elements 102 and 104 of fig1 are commensurate in size with the ground plane 107 . preferably , the ground plane 107 does not extend any further outward than the antenna elements 102 and 104 as shown in fig1 . the conductive box 100 does not need to be square in cross section but it may have other shapes ( such as part of a spherical or ellipsoid shell ) and may be build into the end of a rectangular box 118 as shown in fig1 . the box in fig1 is formed from sides 116 and bottom 117 with antenna elements 112 , 113 and 114 . each antenna element must accept electrical power from a transmission line or some other electrical circuit . the feed arrangement should satisfy two issues , ( 1 ) the physical and electrical symmetry of the antenna structure must be maintained to retain antenna element isolation and ( 2 ) tuning and impedance matching between the antenna elements and the feed structures minimizes the vswr and therefore maximizes power transfer from the antenna to receiver or maximizes power transfer from the transmitter to the antenna . the feed arrangement can best be illustrated with an antenna 120 in place on a ground plane 121 with antenna elements 122 and 124 as illustrated in fig1 . the hx element 122 is driven by feed points fp3 and fp4 . these feed points must be supplied with equal currents that are anti - phasal , essentially 180 ° out of phase . in this way the center point of the cross becomes a virtual ground , thus ensuring isolation . no voltage is conveyed to the hy element feed point ( fp1 and fp2 ) or to the e z element feed point ( fp5 ). voltages may be delivered to feed points 1 and 2 ( fp1 and fp2 ) with a variety of circuits that are shown in fig1 through to 15 . the hx element will have another feed circuit which would normally be identical to the hy element feed . transmission lines l 1 leading to the feed points can have a length that may be varied to maximize the bandwidth of the e z antenna element . the bandwidth of the ez element is sensitive to the transmission line length l 1 . the e z element achieves best bandwidth when the composite impedance looking into the feedpoints and ground plane from the loop approaches an open circuit . in fig1 , a signal is input at feedpoint 132 and split by splitter 133 to feedpoints fp1 and fp2 at the end of equal length transmission lines l 1 in a magic t arrangement . splitter 133 provides a 180 ° delay on one path ( 3λ / 4 ) as compared with the other ( λ / 4 ) where λ is the wavelength of the carrier frequency of the signals the antenna is to be used with . in fig1 , a 3 db branch line coupler splitter arrangement is shown with signal input from a source at 142 delayed by λ / 4 on the input to fp1 and delayed 3λ / 4 on the input to fp2 . in fig1 , a 3 db splitter feed arrangement is shown with input feedpoint 152 , transmission lines l 1 leading to fp1 and fp2 , with a delay line with λ / 2 delay on the line leading to fp2 . the e z element may be fed by a single transmission line or single feed circuit without a splitter or its equivalent but it requires impedance matching . the complete antenna then has three input or output ports . another feed arrangement essentially applies the signal to the center of each magnetic loop ( i . e . at the intersection of the hx element and hy element ). such an arrangement is shown in fig1 using a microstrip line feed arrangement . in this case , the antenna elements 164 and 162 are each formed of a pair of conducting strips , each being wider than they are deep ( depth being measured perpendicular to the plane of the figure ), and are used as microstrip line ground planes to produce a balun action that applies a balanced signal to the intersection 165 of the antenna elements 162 and 164 . this feed arrangement eliminates the need for signal splitters shown in fig1 to 15 . conducting microstrip lines 168 and 169 extend respectively along antenna elements 162 and 164 and are spaced from them by a small gap , which is preferably filled or partly filled with insulating material . microstrip 168 connects to the antenna element 162 at feed point 166 at the intersection generally labelled 165 . microstrip 169 bridges microstrip 168 and connects to antenna element 164 at feedpoint 167 . the antenna elements 162 and 164 may be spaced from and capacitatively coupled to a monopole ( for example of the type shown as element 13 in fig1 ) at the intersection 165 ( the dotted line shows roughly the boundary of the monopole ). the inputs to the antenna elements 162 and 164 may be applied to the two microstrip lines 168 and 169 . other transmission line types may be substituted for the microstrip lines . coaxial transmission lines as well as other types of transmission line may be appropriate for particular applications . a coaxial transmission line 290 is shown in fig2 overlying one portion 292a of a strip antenna element to which the outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line is continuously connected . in this case , the antenna element 292a is separated from the other portion 292b by gap 293 , similar to the gap between the portions of antenna elements 162 and 164 shown in fig1 . an inner conductor 294 extends from the coaxial transmission line 290 and is capacitatively coupled to portion 292b of the antenna element by pad 295 spaced from the antenna element . in this embodiment the e z element has very small bandwidth even after the very low radiation resistance is matched . thus the three way diversity antenna is no longer viable but the two magnetic loop antenna elements have very good bandwidth , are very compact and have very simple construction . this antenna makes a very good two way diversity antenna . the electrical equivalent circuit of each of the loop antennas according to the invention is shown in fig1 , where in the antenna elements each behaves essentially as a radiation resistance r rad and a series inductance l loop . in most cases a parallel capacitance c st also arises . the values of the radiation resistance varies with the square of the area enclosed by the loop and inversely with the wavelength to the fourth power . the inductance varies approximately as the length of loop multiplied by the natural log of the loop length over the conductor periphery . the capacitance may be regarded as a stray capacitance that occurs due to the equivalent parallel capacitance across the feed points . normally in a compact loop antenna the inductive reactance is large compared with radiation resistance and this effect limits the usable bandwidth of the antenna . this problem becomes more severe as the antenna is made smaller with respect to a wavelength . the loop antenna is a relatively broadband antenna compared with an electric dipole or patch antenna , k . siwiak , &# 34 ; radiowave propagation and antennas for personal communications &# 34 ;, pp . 228 - 245 , artech house , 1995 . in some cases , where the loop is made large and / or the bridging capacitance is large , the impedance of the loop will become capacitative and in that case the tuning and matching circuit will require at least one inductive reactance per matching port . in the case of reception of signals , output signals from the antenna appear at the feedpoints and are conditioned in like manner to input signals . to connect the antenna impedance ( admittance ) to a practical impedance as seen by the transmitter or receiver , a tuning and matching circuit is required . separate tuning and matching circuits can be used or a single circuit that performs both functions is often most desirable . the tuning circuit normally causes a resonance of the antenna at the desired operating frequency and the matching circuit transforms the remaining input impedance to an impedance that matches feed transmission lines and / or transmitter and / or receiver . often the desired output impedance of the antenna is 50ω . the antenna tuning and matching may be done at the loop feed points as in fp1 , fp2 , fp3 , fp4 , and fp5 of fig1 or at feed points of fig1 , 14 and 15 for example . more tuning and matching circuits are required for the former case but better performance in terms of bandwidth and lower feed structure losses is achievable . for best electrical performance the match should be performed at or in the loop or at the junction of the loop and the feed points . l , t and π matching circuits can all be used effectively to match the loop radiators . of the three choices the l match is preferable due to its inherent wider bandwidth and simplicity of construction . the single equivalent circuit 180 of the antenna is shown in fig1 , 19 and 20 , formed of a capacitance c st , an inductance l loop and a resistance r rad . the source 182 driving the antenna is illustrated as a resistance rs and a voltage vs . the most effective simple circuit to match this to 50ω or some other standard resistance value is shown in fig1 in which a capacitance c1 is formed in series between the antenna 180 and source 182 , and a capacitance c2 is formed parallel with antenna 180 and source 182 to form a tuning circuit 181 . in cases where loop radiators present capacitative reactances at least one inductor should be used for matching and tuning . examples of other circuits that may be used are shown in fig1 , using elements e1 , e2 and e3 to form a tuning and matching circuit 191 , and in fig2 , using elements e4 , e5 and e6 to form a tuning and matching circuit 201 . in the circuits 191 and 201 , at least one of the elements e1 , e2 , e3 , e4 , e5 and e6 in each circuit will normally provide a capacitive reactance , while the other two can be inductive . lossy elements in the matching circuits substantially increase loss of power to ( or from ) the antenna . the circuit of fig1 becomes the same as the circuit in fig1 if e1 has zero reactance and e2 and e3 are capacitances . the circuit of fig2 becomes the same as fig1 if e6 has zero reactance and e4 and e5 are capacitances . an example of a method of realizing the capacitances c1 and c2 integral with an antenna constructed with printed circuit board material is shown in fig2 , for feed points fp1 through fp4 of fig1 . c1 is created by capacitative gap 210 in antenna element 210 . dielectric 213 holds the antenna element 212 together . c2 is created by a capacitative gap between foot 214 of antenna element 212 and ground plane 211 . foot 214 is spaced from ground plane 211 by dielectric 215 . fp1 feeds signals to the antenna element 212 through gap 217 in ground plane 211 . alternatively the capacitors of the t match and tuning circuit 191 where e3 has zero reactance and e1 and e2 are capacitances are shown in fig2 . antenna element 222 terminates in a foot 224 spaced from ground plane 221 by dielectric 213 to produce capacitance e2 . foot 224 is spaced from feed element 225 by dielectric 226 to produce capacitance e1 . in the special cases where the loop presents a resistance and a capacitance the tuning and matching circuit must use at least one inductive tuning element per matching and tuning circuit . inductive tuning elements may be connected across the capacitative gaps 214 and 210 in fig2 and 224 and 226 in fig2 to perform the proper tuning and matching . generally , a mobile radio transceiver with an antenna may have the overall configuration shown in fig2 a or 29b . antennas 300 ( corresponding to the three antenna elements ) are connected to radio transceivers 308 or 309 respectively through feed circuit 302 , tuning and matching circuit 304 and combiner 306 or 307 respectively . the feed circuits 302 and tuning and matching circuits 304 are preferably as shown in fig1 - 15 and 18 - 20 respectively . combiner 306 is a conventional switched selection combiner , altered in accordance with the specifications of the antenna 300 , feed circuit 302 and tuning and matching circuit 304 . combiner 307 is an equal gain , maximal ratio or other similar combiner . transceivers 308 or 309 are conventional mobile radio transceivers or cellular phones . fig3 shows a matching arrangement for a monopole antenna element 313 at the intersection of crossed loops 312 . the monopole 313 is connected via a series reactance to a feed line 316 , which is in turn connected to the ground plane 311 via a short reactance 317 . measurements and numerical antenna analysis ( mininec ) show that magnetic loop antennas on a small square ground plane produce weak magnetic and electric fields on the back side of the ground planes compared with the front side of the antenna . the electric monopole antenna produces a weak field on the back side of the ground plane providing that the ground plane is slightly larger ( i . e . 0 . 015λ or so ) than the electric monopole structures . the loops ( h x and h y elements ) produce both a near magnetic field and a near electric field . the near electric field on the back side ( ground plane side ) shielding effects are as much as 35 db down from the corresponding point of the front side of the antenna . the near magnetic field is as much as 10 db down on the back side compared with the corresponding front side location . the average suppression of the near e field on the back is about 25 db and the average suppression of the h field on the back is about 6 db . the electric monopole produces similar results when a ground plane is extended about 0 . 015λ beyond the monopole radiating structure . these results were obtained for a ground plane with dimensions of 0 . 22λ by 0 . 22λ with full length loops with a height of about 0 . 06λ and the point of consideration for measurement is either 0 . 03λ above the antenna or 0 . 03λ below the antenna . the sunken ground plane structures of fig8 and 9 , and the open ended box ground structure of fig1 , are the most effective for reducing the back near electric and magnetic fields . these features should make the antenna quite desirable where it is important to shield an operator ( or the operator &# 39 ; s head ) from electromagnetic radiation . see fig2 for the relationship of the antenna , the human head and the balance of the cell phone . cell phone 236 includes a housing 237 and a radio transceiver 238 , with a microphone 233 on one side of the radio transceiver 238 . antenna 230 may be slidable over the housing 237 and transceiver 238 and in use is preferably oriented in space so that the back side 232 of the ground plane 231 is adjacent to the head 239 while the front side 235 of the antenna points directly away from the head . the antenna 230 is thus oriented with respect to the housing 238 such that when the microphone 233 is in position close to the mouth of a mobile phone user the first side 232 of the antenna 230 is closer to the head 239 of the user than the second side 235 of the antenna 230 . ( 1 ) bandwidth and antenna compactness may be traded for each other . higher bandwidths will require a larger antenna . small antennas will have reduced bandwidth . bandwidths of 1 to 20 % of the operating frequency are practical design goals . ( 2 ) the antenna may have many different embodiments . there are numerous ground plane relationships and there are a number of distinct feed arrangements , that still allows for different tuning and matching circuits as well as different plan views and different side view embodiments . the various practical and effective embodiments make the antenna very adaptable and therefore suitable for many applications . ( 3 ) t . auberey and p . white , &# 34 ; a comparison of switched pattern diversity antennas &# 34 ;, proc . 43rd ieee vehicular technology conference , pp . 89 - 92 , 1993 , has identified the sin φ , cos φ and omni as a near optimal group of radiation patterns in a vertically polarized multipath environment . the three way diversity embodiment of this antenna provides the above and also provides for reception and transmission of horizontally polarized waves in a multipath environment . ( 4 ) the antenna elements , when properly fed , are highly isolated from each other . each antenna is unaffected , impedance wise , radiation pattern wise , power output wise by whatever signal is fed into any one of the other antenna elements , or by whatever impedance that terminates any of the other antenna elements . ( 5 ) the center fed cross magnetic loop antenna elements provide a two way diversity antenna that has good bandwidth and very simple construction . ( 6 ) the available ground plane embodiments provide for substantial shielding of the operator &# 39 ; s head from near electric and magnetic fields . these ground planes are compact and do not add significantly to the antenna structure . the shielding will help reduce health and legal concerns and will provide more power to the communications channel . as shown in fig2 and 25 , an antenna 250 may be formed of antenna elements 252 and 254 formed of pie shaped sections tapering towards the intersection 255 of the antenna elements , with vertical straps 256 and 257 extending between the antenna elements 252 and 254 and the ground plane 251 respectively . as shown in fig2 , antenna 270 may have pie shaped antenna elements 272 , 274 extending diagonally between opposed corners 273 of the square ground plane 271 . the antenna elements 272 , 274 intersect at 275 , and are connected physically to the ground plane 271 by vertical straps 276 and 277 . the pie shaped sections should not occupy the entire area above the ground plane 271 , since otherwise the radiation may be blocked . the angle of the pie shaped sections may be about 45 °. a further embodiment of an antenna 280 is shown in fig2 designed for sliding over a cellular phone housing or transceiver . pie shaped antenna elements 282 and 284 extend diagonally across a rectangular ground plane 281 . each antenna element 282 , 284 is connected physically to the ground plane by vertical straps 287 . the angle δ must be chosen to minimize coupling between the two antenna elements 282 and 284 . the antenna elements 282 , 284 are spaced from the ground plane 281 to form an inside cavity 285 into which the radio transceiver 238 of fig2 may be slid when the radio transceiver is not in use . 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 . | 7 |
the sealing method of the invention may be used to make a wide variety of ultracapacitors such as described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 464 , 453 ; 5 , 420 , 747 ; 5 , 150 , 283 ; 5 , 136 , 472 ; and 4 , 803 , 597 ; as well as pct application wo96 / 11486 ( pct / us95 / 12772 ; apr . 18 , 1996 ), all of which are incorporated herein by reference . fig1 and 2 herein , are based on pct application wo 96 / 11486 and show non - limiting examples of structures that can be sealed according to the present invention . in all of the figures of this application , like structures are identified by the same numbers . referring to fig1 ultracapacitor 10 includes a nonconductive enclosing body 12 , a pair of carbon electrodes 14 and 16 , an electronic porous separator layer 18 , an electrolyte 20 , a pair of conductive layers which are current collectors 22 and 24 and electrical leads 26 and 28 , extending from the current collectors 22 and 24 . one of the pair of current collectors 22 and 24 is attached to the back of each electrode 14 and 16 . in fig1 electrodes 14 and 16 can each represent a plurality of electrodes so long as the electrodes are porous to electrolyte flow . the current collectors 22 , 24 can be made of a metal foil such as aluminum , conductive polymer or polymer with a conductive filler . carbon - filled polyethylene is a preferred material for the current collectors 22 , 24 of the present invention . the electronic separator 18 is preferably made from a highly porous material which acts as an electronic insulator between the carbon electrodes 14 and 16 . the separator 18 assures that opposing electrodes 14 and 16 are never in contact with one another . contact between electrodes can result in a short circuit and rapid depletion of the charges stored in the electrodes . the porous nature of the separator 18 allows movement of ions in the electrolyte 20 . a wide variety of types and arrangements of separation layers can be employed , as those of ordinary skill in the electrochemical arts realize . separation layers are usually made from nonconductive materials such as cellulosic materials ; glass fiber ; polymers such as polyesters or polyolefins ; and the like . in those embodiments in which the separator layers will be in contact with sealant material , they should have a porosity sufficient to permit the passage of sealant and should be resistant to the chemical components in the sealant . in a typical ultracapacitor , the separator layers have a thickness in the range of about 0 . 5 mil to about 10 mils . preferred separators 18 are porous polypropylene and tissue cellulosic materials . exemplary organic solvents for electrolyte 20 include but are not limited to nitriles such as acetonitrile , acrylonitrile and propionitrile ; sulfoxides such as dimethyl , diethyl , ethyl methyl and benzylmethyl sulfoxide ; amides such as dimethyl formamide and pyrrolidones such as n - methylpyrrolidone . preferably , the electrolyte 20 includes a polar aprotic organic solvent such as a cyclic ester , chain carbonate , cyclic carbonate , chain ether and / or cyclic ether solvent and a salt . preferred cyclic esters are esters having 3 to 8 carbon atoms . examples of the cyclic esters include β - butyrolactone , γ - butyrolactone , γ - valerolactone and δ - valerolactone . the chain carbonates are preferred to be carbonates having 3 to 8 carbon atoms . examples of the chain carbonates include dimethyl carbonate , diethyl carbonate , dipropyl carbonate , methyl ethyl carbonate , methyl propyl carbonate and ethyl propyl carbonate . the preferred cyclic carbonates have 5 to 8 carbon atoms . examples of the cyclic carbonates include 1 , 2 - butylene carbonate , 2 , 3 - butylene carbonate , 1 , 2 - pentene carbonate , 2 , 3 - pentene carbonate and propylene carbonate . the preferred chain ethers have 4 to 8 carbon atoms . examples of the chain ethers include dimethoxyethane , diethoxyethane , methoxyethoxyethane , dibutoxyethane , dimethoxypropane , diethoxypropane and methoxyethoxypropnane . the preferred cyclic ethers have 3 to 8 carbon atoms . examples of the cyclic ethers include tetrahydofuran , 2 - methyl - tetrahydrofuran , 1 , 3 - dioxolan , 1 , 2 - dioxolan , 2 - methyldioxolan and 4 - methyl - dioxolan . suitable electrolyte salts include quaternary ammonium salts such as tetraethylammonium tetraflouroborate (( et ) 4 nbf 4 ), hexasubstituted guanidinium salts such as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 726 , 856 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference , and lithium salts such as disclosed by ue et al ., mobility and ionic association of lithium salts in a propylene carbonate - ethyl carbonate mixed solvent , electrochem . soc ., vol . 142 , no . 8 , august 1995 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . in a preferred embodiment , the electrodes 14 , 16 in fig1 are both carbon electrodes on carbon - filled polyethylene current collectors . the electrode can be fabricated by a forming process or by pressing electrode materials in a die and slurry pasting or screen printing carbon as a paste with a liquid phase binder / fluidizer . the liquid phase may be water or an electrolyte solvent with or without a thinner such as acetone . both dry and wet electrode formations may include a binder such as polymers , starches , teflon ® particles or teflon ® dispersions in water . the enclosing body 12 can be any known enclosure means commonly used with ultracapacitors . it is an advantage to minimize the weight of the packaging means to maximize the energy density of the ultracapacitor . packaged ultracapacitors are typically expected to weigh 1 . 25 to 2 times more than the unpackaged ultracapacitor . the electrical leads 26 and 28 extend from the current collectors 22 and 24 through the enclosing body 12 and are adapted for connection with an electrical circuit ( not shown ). individual ultracapacitor cells can be stacked in series to increase operating voltage . the optimum design is to have adjacent cells separated with only a single current collector . this collector is nonporous so that no electrolytic solution is shared between cells . this type of design is called bipolar and is illustrated in fig2 of the drawings . in a bipolar double layer capacitor , one side of the current collector contacts a positive electrode and the other side contacts a negative electrode of an adjacent cell . a series stack 40 of the high performance bipolar double layer cells 30 ( a , b , c and d ) is illustrated in fig2 . in fig2 each pair of polarized carbon electrodes , 14 , 16 is separated with a separator 18 . a current collector 32 is attached at one surface to charged electrode 14 of a first cell . attached to an opposite surface of the current collector 32 , is an oppositely charged electrode 16 of a second cell . if one side of the current collector 32 is in contact with the negative electrode for a first capacitor cell “ a ,” then the other side of the same current collector 32 is in contact with a positive electrode for an adjacent cell “ b .” a sufficient amount of an electrolyte 20 is introduced such that the electrolyte 20 saturates the electrodes 14 and 16 and separator 18 within each cell . exterior current collectors 22 and 24 are placed at each end of the stack . the internal current collectors 32 of the series stack of cells are preferably carbon filled polyethylene layers designed to separate the electrolyte 20 between adjacent cells . the exterior current collectors are also nonporous such that they can be used as part of the external capacitor case seal , if necessary . the electronic separator 18 is located between the opposing carbon electrodes 14 and 16 within a particular capacitor cell . the electronic separator 18 allows ionic conduction via charged ions in the electrolyte . in the present invention , the ultracapacitor cell of fig1 and at least one cell of the stack of fig2 are sealed with a reclosable hermetic closure . fig3 is a schematic representation of an ultracapacitor cell sealed with a reclosable hermetic closure according to the present invention and fig4 a and 4b are sectional views of a preferred embodiment of a reclosable hermetic closures according to the invention both unclosed ( fig4 a ) and closed ( fig4 b ). in fig3 cell 10 includes current collectors 22 , 24 which preferably are made of a material that is compatible with the material of the reclosable hermetic closure as hereinafter described . preferably , the collectors 22 , 24 are carbon filled polyethylene . the cell 10 includes a separator 18 and electrodes 14 , 16 . the cell 10 is sealed on at least one side by a reclosable hermetic closure represented schematically at 120 . the remaining sides are sealed with sealant 132 . the closure 120 includes interlocking closure elements 122 , 124 and supporting polyolefinic film portions 128 which can be polyethylene or polypropylene film or the like , and which are attached to respective current collectors 22 , 24 by means of heat weld joints 130 . the closure 120 can be any type that can be reopened to release gas and reduce internal pressure of the cell 10 . and reclosed to form an hermetic seal . suitable closures 120 include mechanical closures and adhesive closures and the like . preferably , closure 120 is a mechanical closure formed by interlocking elements such as interlocking channel elements , interlocking rib and groove profiles such as zipper closures and interlocking male and female elements as hereinafter described with reference to fig4 a and 4b . the types of closures used with ziploc ® ( dowbrands , indianapolis , ind .) bags are preferred closures 120 . fig4 a and 4b show a preferred closure 120 which is an interlocking male element and female element type . referring to fig4 a and 4b , closure 120 comprises oppositely disposed male and female closure elements 122 and 124 and ribs 126 for guiding the elements 122 and 124 into interlocking engagement when a deforming compressive force is applied to the outer surfaces of film portion 128 . the male closure element 122 consists of a single blunt - shaped profile member which extends from film portion 128 and has a blunt head extremity 136 , which is suited for interlocking with the cavity 138 formed by profile members 140 of the female element 124 . the means employed by the embodiment of fig4 a and 4b for guiding the extremity 136 and cavity 138 into interlocking engagement comprises flexible ribs 126 which flank the profile member 132 on both sides and which are positioned generally adjacent the profile member 132 . each rib 126 is characterized by a bevel 144 that slopes downwardly towards profile member 132 . during closure , the bevels 144 contact and guide respective extremities 138 of the female element 124 into an interlocking engagement with blunt head extremity 136 as shown in fig4 b . the closure 120 has a differential pressure requirement that relates to an internal release pressure of the cell . preferably the release pressure ( the pressure which will cause release of the closure 120 ) is a factor of about 10 to about 20 times greater than internal cell pressure . blunt head extremity 136 has an angled profile . hence , when the blunt head extremity 136 is in interlocking relationship with cavity 138 as shown in fig4 b , one side is tightly urged against one wall of the cavity 138 to provide a seal that is released only upon application of the release pressure specified by the present invention . the ultracapacitor cell of the present invention is sealed by the reclosable hermetic closure at one or more sides and is otherwise sealed by the application of pressure and / or heat with or without a sealant at remaining sides . many different types of sealants can be used in the present invention and the term is meant to encompass , “ glues ”, or “ pastes .” sealants are described , for example , in the kirk - othmer encyclopedia of chemical technology , 3 rd edition , vol . 1 , pp . 488 - 508 ( 1978 ), and in the condensed chemical dictionary , 10th edition , 1981 , van nostrand reinhold company . in general , the selected sealant should be chemically resistant to electrolyte . it should also be capable of withstanding operating temperatures of the ultracapacitor without substantial degradation . moreover in those embodiments where the sealant contacts the separators , it should be capable of flowing through the thickness of the separator layers . once cured , the sealant should be substantially impermeable to the flow or passage of electrolyte . heat - curable sealants may be used in some embodiments . moisture - cured sealants or externally - cured materials may be used . other embodiments may use air - curable or pressure - sensitive sealants , such as “ hot melt ” glues . illustrative sealants include those based on acrylic , ethylene such as ethylene vinyl acetate ( eva ) copolymer , silicone , rubber , epoxy materials , or combinations of these materials . commercial examples include the materials commonly referred to as “ hot glues .” the sealants are usually in the form of liquids , pastes , or solids . a sealant may be applied to one or both of the facing surfaces of the separators or other surfaces . many techniques are available for applying sealant . known application techniques include the use of a spatula , brush , roller , spray , or glue gun . as one example , a bead , strip or “ ring ” of sealant is applied along the peripheral area 68 of one of the separator layers . alternatively , individual droplets of sealant can be deposited at sites in the peripheral area 68 with the droplets flowing and covering the peripheral area 68 upon the application of pressure , vacuum and / or heat . as yet another alternative , at least one of the separator layers 18 can be pre - impregnated with sealant . all of these techniques cause the sealant to form a continuous layer . in general , the particular method of deposition is not critical , as long as the sealant is applied to locations where it will eventually form a seal after pressure or vacuum is released . the ultracapacitor becomes sealed by a barrier which is perpendicular to the horizontal capacitor layers which are encased in the barrier . a compressive force can be applied to promote the flow of the sealant — especially in the case of sealant compositions with very high softening points or glass transition temperatures , such as the eva based types . compression can be applied indirectly to the sealant through upper ultracapacitor layers by means of a mechanical press . a film portion with a male closure element as shown in fig4 a and 4b was heat welded to one side of a carbon filled polyethylene current collector . the current collector was then screen printed with a carbon - electrolyte slurry to form an electrode . another current collector with a female element was similarly prepared . a porous polyethylene separator was placed between the two current collectors with carbon electrodes and the package was heat welded on the three sides that did not have the attached closure . edges of the separator were sealed with hysol 7811 , a polyamide sealant from hysol engineering & amp ; industrial productons division of dexter corporation , to prevent wicking of electrolyte . an electric potential between 1 and 2 volts was applied to the cell so that moisture trapped within the cell was hydrolyzed , resulting in the formation of gaseous products . the closure was then opened to allow the gases to escape and then immediately reclosed to provide a hermetically sealed cell . | 8 |
while the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in varied forms , what is shown in the drawings will hereinafter be understood to be a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the present disclosure is to be considered as setting forth an exemplification of the invention , which in no way is intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated below . in referring to the drawings , like reference numerals and letters indicate like parts throughout the several drawings . fig1 shows an exemplary apparatus for circuit board routing 10 . in this embodiment , a sixteen cba 20 is shown installed on a fixture 30 , which is a substantially cylindrical element fixture 30 in this embodiment . however , there are a variety of fixtures 30 which can be utilized in the present application . the fixture 30 is installed on a top portion of a fixture adapter 40 . fixture 30 comprises a generally elongated connecting surface 31 and at least one , and preferably , a plurality of supports 32 that are connected to and extend transverse from the connecting surface 31 . in this embodiment , the supports 32 ( hereinafter referred to as “ hollow elements ”) are substantially cylindrical hollow elements . these hollow elements are positioned substantially perpendicular to the connecting surface 31 . the hollow elements 32 are generally elongated with their shape defined by the terminating open end 33 of the connecting surface 31 . the terminating open end 33 is a cut - through creating an aperture in the fixture 30 . the terminating open end 33 has a defined circumference or perimeter , which allows vacuum suction to be localized to a particular location on the circuit board . the hollow elements 32 can take on a number of shapes , including but not limited to , squares or rectangles , all of which extend transverse from the connecting surface 31 in one embodiment , the hollow elements 32 have a first and second open end 35 , whose openings are defined by the perimeter or circumference of the terminating open end 33 . in this embodiment , the underside of the cba 20 rests across the hollow elements 32 . in addition , the present embodiment shows , one or more standing pins 34 , which are substantially cylindrical , connected to , and extending perpendicularly transverse from the connecting surface 31 . in the present embodiment , a routing machine 70 , of which any variety known in the art may be used , is utilized to route the cba 20 . in another exemplary embodiment , drilling directly through the fixture 30 at the tab locations creates the terminating open end , and , no hollow elements 32 are installed on the fixture . this particular embodiment allows the cba to rest directly on the fixture 30 , as vacuum suction is localized directly through the terminating open ends 33 . fig2 shows generally , an overhead view of an exemplary cba 20 , with tabs 24 positioned throughout the cba 20 . the cba 20 includes etchings 26 for six individual circuit boards 22 , and scrap 28 between the six circuit boards 22 . the etchings 26 carve through the cba 20 leaving only the tabs 24 holding the six circuit boards 22 to the scrap 28 . fig3 is an overhead view illustrating , generally , cba 20 and fixture 30 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , and open area under each tab 24 . fig4 is a bottom view of a fixture 30 . fig4 illustrates surface areas d , e , f , and g that are suctioned by a vacuum system 50 , which is illustrated in fig8 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , suction is applied generally to the surface areas d , e , f , and g . fig5 is an overhead view of surface areas a , b and c suctioned by a preferred embodiment of the vacuum system 50 . a hollow element 32 or terminating open end 33 is adjacent to each of surface areas a , b and c . suction is applied through the hollow element 32 or terminating open end 33 to each of areas a , b and c . the circumference or perimeter 36 of each hollow element 32 or terminating open end 33 is preferably sufficient to surround the length of the tabs 24 of fig2 . the surface areas a , b and c correspond to the tabs 24 on the printed cba 20 shown in fig6 . fig6 shows an overhead view of cba 20 and tabs 24 to be cleaved . the etchings 26 are located in this illustration throughout the outer perimeter of the cba 20 , and when the tabs 24 are cleaved , four circuit boards 22 are singulated from one another . fig7 is an overhead view illustrating the location of the terminating open ends 33 on a multiplicity of tabs 24 . the terminating open ends 33 have a circumference or perimeter 36 , which surrounds each of the tabs 24 to be cleaved . each individual circumference or perimeter 36 of each of the terminating open ends 33 is preferably large enough in size to engulf an individual tab 24 . further , the tabs 24 in this embodiment have varying lengths , and consequently the corresponding terminating open ends 33 , preferably have different circumferences or perimeters . the suction from the vacuum system 50 of fig8 is preferably concentrated through one or more of the terminating open ends 33 , and more preferably , through each one of the terminating open ends 33 directly to the tabs 24 , which are cleaved by the routing machine 70 of fig1 . as can be seen in the figures , the length of the individual tabs 24 is substantially the same as the diameter across the circumference 36 of each of the terminating open ends 33 in this embodiment . this allows for an optimal suction velocity to pass through the individual terminating open ends 33 , and be directly applied to the area where the routing process is taking place . fig8 is a side planar view illustrating a fixture 30 , with hollow elements 32 integrated and channeled through terminating open ends 33 of the fixture 30 . each of the multitude of hollow elements 32 preferably pass into the terminating open ends 33 of the fixture 30 and extend through the aperture created by terminating open ends 33 , in order to feed into a cavity 62 , which is illustrated in fig1 . in this embodiment the hollow elements 32 are flush with the bottom of the fixture 30 , and connected perpendicular to the connecting surface 31 . tn some cases , however , the hollow elements may be above or below the bottom of the fixture 30 . vacuum system 50 is shown positioned underneath the fixture 30 in fig8 , and a vacuum hose 52 extends from the vacuum system and integrates with the fixture 30 , as will be described in more detail in fig1 . fig8 also illustrates the first open end 33 of the hollow element 32 . fig9 shows another overhead view of cba 20 , having the same cba 20 as in fig2 and 3 , positioned on fixture 30 . the figure shows six separate circuit boards 22 , which are singulated by the routing process , and the resulting scrap 28 is preferably disposed . fig9 further illustrates the circumference or perimeter 36 of the hollow elements 32 or terminating open ends 33 in relation to the length of the tabs 24 . the diameter or length of the open ends of the hollow elements 32 or terminating open ends 33 are preferably substantially similar to the length of the tabs 24 . each terminating open end 33 , or hollow element 32 is still large enough to surround the tabs 24 . further , the first open end 35 of fig8 is large enough to surround the tabs 24 . fig1 shows an exemplary fixture adapter 40 installed on machine top plate 60 . the machine top plate 60 has the cavity 62 . the cavity 62 has vacuum hose 52 connected on the underside of the machine top plate 60 , and applies suction through the cavity 62 , and then up through the terminating open ends 33 , and then through the hollow elements 32 . the vacuum system 50 applies suction to the underside of the fixture 30 when the fixture 30 is installed on fixture adapter 40 . fig1 shows a preferred embodiment of the fixture 30 installed on the top surface of the fixture adapter 40 . in this embodiment , thirty - two hollow elements 32 , and four standing pins 34 flanking the outside rows of the hollow elements 32 are provided , although as should be understood , other numbers of elements 32 and standing pins 34 can also be provided where desired . the standing pins 34 provide support when a cba 20 is placed on top of the hollow elements 32 . in operation , when the vacuum system 50 is utilized , it applies suction through the terminating open ends 33 and up through hollow elements 32 and down into the cavity 62 , as illustrated in fig1 . also , this embodiment shows the first open end 35 , of the hollow element 32 , through which suction is applied . the components illustrated in the exemplary embodiments can be comprised of a number of suitable materials . the fixture plate , fixture adapter , and machine top plate can be comprised of , individually or in combination , steel , aluminum , titanium alloy , or any other of a number of materials , which exhibit the aforementioned materials characteristics . in a preferred embodiment tile fixture plate is comprised of aluminum . the hollow elements can be comprised of any of a number of materials including steel , aluminum , and those exhibiting plastic qualities , such as polyethylene , and also material such as teflon ®, delrln ® or nylon . the cba described in the exemplary embodiments of this invention is comprised of materials well understood and recognized in the art . the above description and the views and materials depicted by the figures are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to be , and should not be construed as , limitations on the invention . moreover , certain modifications or alternatives may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art upon reading of this specification , all of which are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the attached claims . | 7 |
referring now to the drawings in more detail , there is shown , in fig1 a control unit 2 and a plurality of subordinate units represented by the units 4 and 6 . the control unit is connected to the several subordinate units by a communication bus represented by four communication channels ; a &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; channel 8 , a &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 , an &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; channel 12 and a &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; channel 14 . the subordinate units are connected in parallel to the communication bus . a validity and timer circuit is included at the location of each of the subordinate units although it is electrically a part of the control unit . the validity and timer circuit includes a first and gate 16 and a second and gate 18 , a timer 20 and a flip - flop 22 . the and gate 16 has one input terminal connected to the output of the flip - flop 22 . a second input to the gate 16 is connected to respond to a &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal from an address response circuit 23 . the second and gate 18 has one input terminal connected to the request channel 10 of the communication bus ; the second input terminal of the gate 18 being also connected to respond to the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal . the output of the gate 18 is connected to initiate the operation of the timer 20 . the output of the timer 20 is connected to the &# 34 ; set &# 34 ; input terminal of the flip - flop 22 . the output of the gate 16 is connected to the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; channel 14 of the communication bus . in operation , the control unit 2 issues an address for one of the subordinate units , for example , the unit 4 , on the &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; channel 8 and issues a &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 . the combination of the address information and the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal from the control unit is recognized by the address response circuit 23 of the addressed subordinate unit , i . e ., unit 4 , and the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal is returned on the lead 24 . the flip - flop 22 is normally in the state of having a high level output signal applied to one of the leads of the gate 16 . the occurrence of the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the lead 24 connected to the other input terminal of the gate 16 causes an output signal from the gate 16 to be applied to the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; channel 14 of the communication bus , then returned to the control unit as a signal that the addressed subordinate unit is present and basically operational . the concurrence of the command on the request channel 10 and the return &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the lead 24 applied as input signals to the gate 18 produce a high output signal from the gate 18 as an initiating signal for the timer 20 . the timer 20 in each of the subordinate units is adjusted to produce an output signal after the passage of a time period slightly longer than the maximum response time of the particular subordinate unit with which it is associated . if that particular subordinate unit has performed the operation assigned to it within the framework of the response time , an acknowledge signal will be generated within the subordinate unit and applied to the &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; channel 12 of the communication bus and returned to the control unit to effect a release of the control unit for its next operation . if , through some malfunction of the subordinate unit , an &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; signal has not been generated within the prescribed time , the timing out of the timer 20 produces a &# 34 ; reset &# 34 ; signal for the flip - flop 22 , turning off the gate 16 , thereby withdrawing the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; signal applied to the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; channel 14 . the withdrawal of the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; signal is accepted by the control unit to effect a release of that control unit allowing it to advance to its next scheduled operation . in fig2 there is shown a system similar to that shown in fig1 but with a somewhat different arrangement for the interface means of the subordinate unit . in fig2 the component parts that are the same as those shown in fig1 bear identical reference numerals ; those that are similar bear similar reference numerals but primed . thus , the control unit 2 exercises authority over a plurality of subordinate units 4 &# 39 ; and 6 &# 39 ;. the control unit is connected to the several subordinate units , again , by a communication bus represented by four communication channels ; a &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; channel 8 , a &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 , an &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; channel 12 and a &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; channel 14 . a validity and timer circuit is included at the location of each of the subordinate units as before . the validity and timer circuit includes a first and gate 16 &# 39 ; having both input terminals connected together and to a lead 24 &# 39 ; to respond to a &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal from an address response circuit 23 &# 39 ;. a second and gate 18 &# 39 ; has one input terminal connected to the lead 24 &# 39 ; to respond to the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal ; a second input terminal of the and gate 18 &# 39 ; is connected to the &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 . the output of the and gate 18 &# 39 ; is connected to initiate the operation of a timer 20 &# 39 ;. the output of the timer 20 &# 39 ; is connected to the input terminal of a flip - flop 22 &# 39 ;. the output of the flip - flop 22 &# 39 ; is connected to one input terminal of an or gate 26 . the other input of which is connected to a source of a normal acknowledge signal . the output of the or gate 26 is connected to one input terminal of a third and gate 28 . the other input of the and gate 28 is connected to the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; lead 24 &# 39 ;. the otput of the and gate 28 is connected to the &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; channel 12 . the output of the and gate 16 &# 39 ; is connected to the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; channel 14 . a fourth and gate 30 also has one input terminal connected to the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; lead 24 &# 39 ;. another input of the and gate 30 is connected to the output of the flip - flop 22 &# 39 ;. a third input to the and gate 30 is connected to the &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 . the output of the and gate 30 is connected to the &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; channel 8 . in the operation of the structure of fig1 the control unit is effectively released from the malfunctioning subordinate unit by the removal of the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; signal . with such a removal , however , the control unit has effectively lost contact with that subordinate unit . if it is desired that the control unit be able to come back to the subordinate unit to perform a diagnostic analysis of the nature of the failure there must be a way of keeping that subordinate unit on line . the structure illustrated in fig2 provides means for releasing the control unit to proceed with its orderly business and , yet , maintain the subordinate unit on line , available for the control unit to come back to perform its diagnostic routine . as before , the control unit 2 issues an address for one of the subordinate units such as the unit 4 &# 39 ; on the &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; channel 8 then issues a &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 . the combination of the address information and the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal from the control unit is recognized by the address response circuit 23 &# 39 ; of the addressed subordinate unit , i . e ., unit 4 &# 39 ; and the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal is returned on the lead 24 &# 39 ;. the occurrence of the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the lead 24 &# 39 ; connected to both input terminals of the and gate 16 &# 39 ; causes an output signal from the gate 16 &# 39 ; to be applied to the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; channel 14 of the communication bus , thence , to the control unit as before . the coincidence of the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the lead 24 &# 39 ; and the &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; signal on the &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 , applied to the input terminals of the and gate 18 &# 39 ; initiate the operation of the timer 20 &# 39 ;. as before , the timer 20 &# 39 ; is adjusted to time - out after a period slightly longer than the normal response time of the subordinate unit with which it is associated . in this configuration , the output of the flip - flop 22 &# 39 ; is normally at a low level output which is applied to one of the two input terminals of the or gate 26 . if the subordinate unit responds in a normal manner , a normal acknowledge signal will be applied to the other input terminal of the or gate 26 and transmitted therethrough to one of the input terminals of the and gate 28 . the and gate 28 will have been already enabled by the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the lead 24 &# 39 ; applied to the other input terminal thereof . that will , in turn , produce an output signal from the gate 28 to the &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; channel 12 and return it to the control unit to effect a releasing thereof for continuation of its program . if , on the other hand , the subordinate unit malfunctions , allowing the timer 20 &# 39 ; to time - out , the flip - flop 22 &# 39 ; will be &# 34 ; set &# 34 ; to produce a high level output signal . that high level output signal will be applied to one of the input terminals of the or gate 26 , thence , to the input terminal of the and gate 28 . as before , the and gate 28 is enabled by the signal on the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; lead 24 &# 39 ;. accordingly , a simulated &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; signal is produced at the output of the and gate 28 and applied to the &# 34 ; acknowledge &# 34 ; channel 12 for return to the control unit 2 . again , the control unit 2 is released to continue its program . the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; signal , in the meantime , remains applied to the channel 14 . the high level output signal from the flip - flop 22 &# 39 ; is also applied to one of the input terminals of the and gate 30 , to which has also been applied the &# 34 ; unit select &# 34 ; signal on the lead 24 &# 39 ;. when a request for data signal is issued by the control unit 2 , on the &# 34 ; request &# 34 ; channel 10 , the and gate 30 is enabled . the resulting output signal from the and gate 30 is applied to the &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; channel 8 and fed back to the control unit 2 as a signal that there is an error condition existing in the identified subordinate unit . with the &# 34 ; valid &# 34 ; signal still on the line identifying the subordinate unit and the error signal on the &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; channel , the control unit may then institute a diagnostic routine to either correct or determine the nature of the failure of the subordinate unit . thus , there has been provided , in accordance with the present invention , an improved interface which effects improved communication between a control unit and any of a plurality of subordinate units with a minimum of time - out period . | 6 |
referring first to fig1 , the system 100 comprises a first communications device 110 and a second communications device 130 operable to communicate with each other in a wireless communications network . the devices 110 and 130 may be a mobile phone , a personal digital assistant ( pda ) device , a desktop computer , a laptop computer or a tablet computer . the network may be a institute of electrical and electronics engineers ( ieee ) 802 . 11 wireless network using wireless standards such as 802 . 11a , 11b , 11g , or 11ad . the specifications of ieee 802 . 11 can be found , for example , on the ieee standards website at http :// standards . ieee . org / getieee802 / 802 . 11 . html , and are incorporated herein by reference . in one example , the first communications device 110 is a transmitting device that wishes to transmit data signals to the second communications device 130 , which is the receiving device . while not shown , the second communications device 130 may also be a transmitting device and vice versa . before any data signals sent by the transmitting device 110 can be reliably received by the receiving device 130 , the receiving device 130 has to synchronise its carrier frequency and time or clock with those of the transmitting device 110 . to facilitate synchronisation between the devices 110 130 , a beacon signal is sent by the transmitting device 110 periodically so that the receiving device 130 , after power - up , is able to search for the beacon signal . in particular , the transmitting device 110 has two transmit antennas : omni - directional transmit antenna ( tx_l ) 112 is operable to transmit a beacon signal 120 to the receiving device 130 at a lower frequency band , f l , which may be 900 mhz , or 2 . 4 ghz , or 5 ghz . directional transmit antennal 14 ( tx_h ) is operable to transmit at least one data signal 122 to the receiving device 130 in a higher frequency band , f h , which may be in the range of 57 to 64 ghz . correspondingly , the receiving device 130 has two receive antennas to receive signals transmitted by the transmitting device 110 : omni - directional receive antenna ( rx_l ) 132 is operable to receive a beacon signal 120 transmitted by transmit antenna ( tx_l ) 112 at a lower frequency band , f l , which may be 900 mhz , or 2 . 4 ghz , or 5 ghz . directional receive antenna ( rx_h ) 134 is operable to receive at least one data signal 122 transmitted by transmit antenna ( tx_h ) 114 at a higher frequency band , f h , which may be in the range of 57 to 64 ghz . the beacon signal 120 can then be used to synchronise reception of the data signal 122 . upon receiving the beacon signal 120 , the receiving device 130 analyses the beacon signal 120 and adjusts its frequency and timing to match those of the transmitting device 110 . by transmitting the beacon signal 120 at the lower frequency band , the beacon signal can therefore be received by the receiving device 130 more reliably . this also substantially reduces power consumption of the receiving device 130 and therefore increases stand - by time . further , transmitting the data signal 122 in the large band of 57 to 64 ghz permits increased data throughput . compared to the higher frequency band , f h , the path loss of a channel on the lower frequency band , f l is lower due to lower levels of oxygen absorption and rain attenuation . for example , we compare the path loss of a 60 ghz channel and that of a 2 . 4 ghz channel , both bands being for unlicensed use . the extra path loss of the 60 ghz channel , above the path loss of the 2 . 4 ghz channel , is within the range of 42 db to 56 db using environment - dependent parameter l = 2 and 3 respectively : [ 10 log 10 ( 60 / 2 . 4 ) 3 db , 10 log 10 ( 60 / 2 . 4 ) 4 db ]=[ 42 db , 56 db ]. fig2 illustrates the transmit power ( dbm ) and time needed by an equivalent transceiver to deliver equal energy via the 60 ghz and 2 . 4 ghz channels , respectively . the box 200 at bottom left illustrates a reference power and time required by a 2 . 4 ghz transmitter . the two larger boxes in fig2 show the transmit power 210 and time 220 required by a 60 ghz transmitter to effect the same energy transfer . this means that omni - directional antennas are more suitable for transmitting the beacon signal 120 on the lower frequency band , while directional antennas are more suitable for transmitting the data signal 122 on the higher frequency band . fig3 and fig4 illustrate steps performed by the transmitting device 110 and receiving device 130 for synchronisation respectively . referring first to fig3 , the transmitting device 110 first generates a beacon signal 120 that includes information on timing and / or frequency of the device 110 itself ; step 310 . the beacon signal 120 is then transmitted at a first frequency on a lower frequency band , f l , using an omni - directional transmit antenna 112 at the transmitting device 110 ; see step 320 . at power - up , the receiving device 130 searches for a beacon signal 120 and may decide to join and synchronize with the transmitting device 110 . referring also to fig4 , the receiving device 130 receives the beacon signal 120 from the transmitting device 110 at the first frequency on the lower frequency band f l ; see step 410 . as mentioned , the first frequency may be 900 mhz , 2 . 4 ghz or 5 ghz . the beacon signal 120 is received using an omni - directional receive antenna 132 at the receiving device 130 . from the received beacon signal , the receiving device 130 then determines timing and / or frequency of the transmitting device 110 , and adjusts its own timing and / or frequency according to the beacon signal ; see steps 430 and 440 . for example , the frequency on the higher band f h is synchronized to the beacon frequency on the lower frequency band f l . consequently , no calibration or accurate external rf source is required for frequency synchronization . in terms of time synchronization , the receiving device 130 determines its frame time boundary from the time by which the beacon signal is received . in one example , the receiving device 130 does not try to use an ‘ absolute ’ accurate frequency . the receiving device 130 only tries to synchronize to the frequency used for beacon signal , even if the beacon frequency itself is inaccurate . since the receiving device 130 periodically tracks the beacon frequency , the scheme can cope well with frequency drifting . the ‘ absolute ’ frequency accuracy in the receiving device 130 is not important as long as the receiving device 130 can track the frequency used by the transmitting device 110 . once the receiving device 130 has adjusted its own timing and / or frequency based on the beacon signal 120 , it sends a request signal to the transmitting device 110 to request for data ; see step 440 in fig4 . the request signal may be sent at a frequency on the lower frequency band f l using an omni - directional transmit antenna 112 at the receiving device 130 . there may also be an association phase , where the receiving device 130 notifies the transmitting device 110 of its presence and initiates an association with the transmitting device 110 . where applicable , quality of service parameters are negotiated between the transmitting 110 and receiving device 130 . further , there may be an authentication phase , where the receiving device 130 authenticates its identity with the transmitting device 110 . upon receiving the request signal , the transmitting device 110 transmits data signal to the receiving device 130 at a second frequency on a higher frequency band f h . as mentioned , the second frequency may be in the range of 57 to 64 ghz ; see step 340 in fig3 . however , if no request signal is received , the transmitting device 110 continues to transmit the beacon signal 120 periodically at the lower frequency band . the data signal 122 is transmitted using a directional transmit antenna 114 at the transmitting device 110 . the receiving device 130 then receives the data signal 122 at the second frequency within the range of 57 to 64 ghz ; see step 450 in fig4 . the data signal 122 is received using a directional receive antenna 134 at the receiving device 130 . while not shown in fig1 , it will be appreciated that the transmitting device 110 may also have an omni - directional receive antenna ( rx_l ) for receiving a signals on the lower frequency band and a directional receive antenna ( rx_h ) for receiving signals on the higher frequency band . similarly , while not shown , the receiving device 130 may have corresponding omni - directional ( tx_l ) and directional ( tx_h ) transmit antennas operating at low and high frequency bands respectively . referring now to fig5 , the periodic beacon signal may be transmitted as part of a sync signal on a lower - frequency band f l , which in this example is 2 . 4 ghz . the sync signal also includes command and control signals exchanged between the transmitter ( tx ) and the receiver ( rx ). the data transmitter ( tx_h ) operates on a higher - frequency band f h , which in this embodiment is the 57 to 64 ghz band . the data and the sync signals can thus be thought of as operating in a type of frequency - division multiplexing ( fdm ). in addition to being transmitted in fdm in this way , the data and sync signals are transmitted using time - division multiplexing ( tdm ). this allows a single analog to digital converter ( adc ) to be used in the receiver for both the sync signal and the data signal . similarly , while not shown in fig5 , the transmitter may use a single digital to analog converter ( dac ) for both the data and sync signals . in this embodiment , it is further noted that the adc of the receiver and the dac of the transmitter are able to operate at a very high sampling frequency in order to effect the high data rates possible in the 57 to 64 ghz band . accordingly , the sync signal in this embodiment is not up converted by the transmitter nor down converted by the receiver , and is instead directly sampled . notably , in this embodiment , the lower - frequency band f l carries a modulated signal and not an unmodulated carrier . to enable fine receiver tuning , such as carrier frequency and sampling frequency , and timing tuning , it is possible to transmit the pre - amblel on the first frequency f l , followed by a guard interval , and the rest of the data packet on the second frequency f h ; as shown in fig6 . to enable fine receiver tuning , such as carrier frequency and sampling frequency , and / or timing tuning , and / or reliable reception of the packet header , it is possible to transmit the pre - amble 1 and the packet header on the first frequency f l , followed by guard interval , and the rest of the data packet on the second frequency f h as shown in fig7 . to enable fine receiver tuning , such as carrier frequency and sampling frequency , and / or timing tuning , and / or reliable reception of sync / manage message , it is possible to transmit the pre - amble 1 and the sync / manage message on the first frequency f l , followed by guard interval , and the rest of the data packet on the second frequency f h as shown in fig8 . the present embodiment is particularly suited to low - power 60 ghz or millimetre wave radio applications . for example , one suitable use for some embodiments of the present invention may be in an office conference room or the like , with the device and method of the present invention enabling laptops to wirelessly transmit large amounts of data within the room , such as transmitting lightly compressed video files to a projector , or a “ sync and go ” file transfer . another suitable use for some embodiments of the present invention may be in an enterprise cubicle , allowing a laptop to transmit lightly compressed video to a monitor or display . similarly , the laptop may wirelessly transmit to a printer or hard drive in near proximity . a further use for some embodiments of the invention may be in the home environment , in allowing uncompressed video to be wirelessly transmitted within a room in a residence . the data transport types in the above uses of some embodiments of the invention could include uncompressed video , lightly compressed video , local file transfer tcp / ip , web browsing tcp / ip , and / or hard disk transfer . further , it is estimated that the present embodiment provides at least a 10 times reduction in battery power during sync periods , compared to a traditional approach . further , this embodiment is estimated to provide improved mobility by providing a reduction of around 10 5 in the time required for sync , compared to a traditional approach applied at the same frequency . it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and / or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described . the present embodiments are , therefore , to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive . for example , if no beacon signal is received in step 410 in fig4 , the device itself shall send the a beacon signal periodically . the system design is thus symmetrical , although this device can be applied to an asymmetrical scenario . the first frequency may in some embodiments be used partially for beam - forming and / or tracking . | 7 |
in fig1 dram 1 has seven address terminals a0 - a6 . storage means 2 has fifteen address terminals a0 - a14 , and is a rom in the present embodiment . cpu 3 controls data accessing with respect to the dram 1 and data reading with respect to the rom 2 . dram controller 4 controls addressing with respect to the dram 1 , and a selector 5 selectively delivers address signals for the dram 1 and address signals for the rom 2 , these units constituting a control means 6 . the cpu 3 and the dram controller 4 are synchronized with a common clock signal . in the illustrated embodiment , the seven address terminals of the dram 1 and the seven address terminals of the rom 2 are connected to a common address bus b extending from the selector 5 . referring to the time chart of fig2 the process of accessing the dram i and the rom 2 will be described . in this embodiment , the address signals are comprised of sixteen bits a0 - a15 , and the dram 1 is accessed when bit a15 is &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ( i . e . high ), whereas the rom 2 is accessed when it is &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; ( i . e . low ). first , assume , as shown at line a in fig2 that address signal &# 34 ; ooffh &# 34 ; is delivered from the cpu 3 . since bit a15 is &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;, this address signal is used for the rom 2 . that is , since bit a15 is low , the selector 5 chooses its terminal b , and as shown at line e in fig2 bits a0 - a6 (= 7fh ) delivered from the cpu 3 are applied to the address bus b as seven lower - order address bits for the rom 2 . bits a7 - a14 are directly applied from the cpu 3 to the rom 2 . bit a15 is applied to a cs ( chip select ) terminal of the rom 2 to set the rom 2 to an accessible state . then , when a read signal rd delivered from the cpu 3 changes to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; as shown at line c in fig2 read data d0 - d7 as shown at line b in fig2 is read out from the address of the rom 2 designated by bits a0 - a14 . it should be noted that when bit a15 is &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;, the ras ( row address strobe ) signal and cas ( column address strobe ) signal delivered from the dram controller 4 are not &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;, as shown at lines f and g in fig2 ; thus , the dram 1 is not accessed . then , assume , as shown at line a in fig2 that address signal &# 34 ; fofoh &# 34 ; is delivered from the cpu 3 . since bit a15 is &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, this address signal is to be used for the dram 1 . that is , since bit a15 is high , the selector 5 chooses its terminal a . the dram controller 4 delivers bits a0 - a6 (= 70h ) and then bits a7 - a13 (= 61h ) in a time sharing manner , these bits or the address signal being applied through the selector 5 to the address bus b as shown at line e in fig2 . then , when the ras signal changes to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; as shown at line f in fig2 bits ao - a6 are latched in the dram 1 , and when the cas signal changes to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; as shown at line g in fig2 bits a7 - a13 are latched in the dram 1 . then , when a write signal wr delivered from the cpu 3 changes to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; as shown at line d in fig2 write data d0 - d7 as shown at b in fig2 is written at the address designated by bits ao - a13 . when data is to be read out from the dram 1 , a process similar to the write process is performed under conditions in which the write signal wr delivered from the cpu 3 is not &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;. as described above , the dram 1 and rom 2 can be accessed through the common address bus b . as will be appreciated , the number of bits of the address signal and the number of storage units can be set arbitrarily . the storage means may be a static ram or the like instead of a rom . according to the present invention , the address bus is used in common for the dram and the storage means ; therefore , the components , such as address terminals and address buses , can be reduced , the device can be miniaturized , and the cost can be decreased . | 6 |
combining different measurement techniques to obtain three - dimensional data has many advantages . generally improvements in precision and quality of the 3d - data can be expected as has been shown , for example , for the combination of structured light and stereovision techniques [ yonchang2007 ]. different measurement techniques do also complement one another as the conditions under which one technique performs poorly are still favorable for the good performance of another system . combining different measurement techniques also improves reliability . switching individual vcsel using a monolithically integrated transistor in one and the same semiconductor wafer was achieved in the 90 &# 39 ; s and applied to arrays of vcsels as well [ yang1992 , hibbs - brenner1994 , wheeler1997 ]. alternatively , vcsel array chips can be bump - bonded on cmos chips ( flip - chip method ) containing the switching driver electronics . large modulation frequencies and switching speed in the 10 ghz range are commonly achieved in optical telecommunication devices . electronically switchable diffusers also known as smart glasses or smart windows are known since some time and are used as switchable glass panels in buildings , car roofs , airplanes and trains like the german ice 3 , to dim sunlight from the exterior or to prevent visibility in order to create privacy . several materials and techniques are known to produce the effect . as an example polymer dispersed liquid crystals can be mentioned . a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention is shown in fig1 . the reference numbers designate : 1 a vcsel array chip 2 a chip containing driver electronics 3 a bump flip - chip connection 4 an electrode 5 a single vcsel 6 a laser beam from individual vcsel 7 a switchable diffuser . at the heart of the illumination source for hybrid three - dimensional imagers is a vcsel array chip . the arrangement of the individual vcsels within the array can be designed to produce a spatially coded structured light field if the structured light method is used . several techniques are possible to achieve switching and modulation of individual vcsels , of groups of vcsels or of the entire array . when a transistor for each vcsel is integrated within the laser array chip , matrix addressing of the array is feasible . independent connection of each laser unit is possible as well , but becomes unpractical for larger arrays . alternatively , the current modulation and switching circuit for each vcsel can be integrated into a second chip of cmos type for example . the switching circuit chip and the laser chip are connected using a flip chip technique . a switchable diffuser can be mounted in front of the laser chip in order to enable switching between a structured - light mode , when the diffuser is fully transparent , and an operation mode generating a smooth flat illumination field , when the diffuser is switched on . the switchable diffuser can be based , for example , on polymer dispersed liquid crystals . additional optical elements required to obtain an illumination field as desired regarding field of view and light distribution , are not shown in fig1 . thanks to the invention , the cost of illumination systems for hybrid three - dimensional imaging instruments may be drastically reduced . the proposed integration into a single illumination system leads to simpler and more compact technical realizations . switching speed which is crucial for the time - of - flight technique , can become very large , up to values in the ghz range , by integrating the current switching circuits as proposed directly on the laser array wafer or by using flip - chip technology and connect the laser chip directly on a dedicated cmos chip containing the current switching circuits . the ability to switch individual vcsels within the array or groups of them opens up new possibilities when applying the structured light technique . the required coded structure in the light field can be achieved by directly coding the vcsel array electronically , which gives a large freedom to change the pattern as desired . problems of ambiguity can be solved by taking an additional picture of the scene with a programmed change in the coded illumination pattern such that the ambiguity is lifted . in addition , with the capability of switching individual vcsels or groups of vcsels a greater flexibility is provided to adapt the illumination to bad atmospheric conditions with reduced visibility range , like fog , rain , or dust . in case of fog , for example , it is advantageous to reduce the field of view of the illumination in the horizontal direction in order to reduce the amount of diffusely scattered light on the detector from less important angles of view . this improves the signal quality and the reliability of detection of objects in the restricted angle of view . for structured - light imaging , alternatively or additionally the pattern of illumination can be adapted to bad atmospheric conditions by reducing the density of the illumination pattern in the entire field of view or within regions . with an electronically switchable diffuser as proposed it becomes possible to switch the illumination system between a structured light mode of operation and a mode of operation giving a smooth unstructured light field , as preferable for time - of - flight imaging , stereovision at night or other detection techniques like high resolution 2d imaging . | 7 |
in the following detailed description , reference is made to the accompanying drawing , which form a part hereof . the illustrative exemplary embodiments described in the detailed description , drawings , and claims are not meant to be limiting . other exemplary embodiments may be utilized , and other changes may be made , without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here . hereinafter , exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings . fig1 a and 1b are appearance perspective views of exemplary embodiment 1 which applies the present disclosure to a high mount stop lamp ( hmsl ) as one of automobile lamps . fig1 a is a partially cutaway appearance perspective view of the hmsl when viewed in the front direction , and fig1 b is an appearance perspective view of the same when viewed in the rear direction . in the hmsl 1 , as illustrated in fig1 a , a lamp housing 2 is constituted with a body 3 having a horizontally long container shape of which the front side is opened , and a front lens 4 mounted on the front opening of the body 3 . a plurality of light sources 5 are arranged and supported horizontally inside the lamp housing 2 ( here , the body 3 ). the hmsl 1 is equipped in the rear side portion of an automobile body ( not illustrated ) in a state where the front lens 4 is directed toward the rear side of the automobile , and turned on , for example , at a time of operating the brake of the automobile . the body 3 is formed in a rectangular container shape including a rectangular bottom portion 31 and four side portions 32 to 35 surrounding the bottom portion 31 . the above - described plurality of light emitting elements as light sources ( here , four ( 4 ) rectangular led chips 5 ) are mounted on the inner bottom surface 31 a of the bottom portion 31 . the four led chips 5 are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the body 3 at required intervals , and individually surface - mounted on the inner bottom surface 31 a of the body 3 . as illustrated in fig1 b , a connector 6 is integrally formed on the outer bottom surface 31 b of the bottom portion 31 of the body 3 . the connector 6 is configured to make a power source connector 8 connected to an on - automobile body power source attachable / detachable , and to be fed with a power to cause the led chips 5 to emit light . in addition , a plurality of windows 36 a and 36 b to be described later are opened in the outer bottom surface 31 b . fig2 a is a front view of the hmsl 1 , and fig2 b is a cross - sectional view taken along the line b - b of fig2 a . the body 3 is formed in a plate shape by molding a heat resistant resin such as , for example , a polyphenylene sulfide ( pps ) resin , and then , formed in the above - described rectangular container shape by a subsequent processing . a lead frame 7 formed of a copper material is integrally embedded inside the body 3 through , for example , insert - molding . the lead frame 7 is embedded within the area of the bottom portion 31 of the body 3 , and is not embedded within the areas of the four side portions 32 to 35 . the lead frame 7 is formed by a patterning and a bending of a conductive metal plate such as , for example , copper . fig3 represents the state prior to the bending . the lead frame 7 includes four pairs of led pads 71 on which the four led chips 5 are to be mounted , respectively , a pair of connector terminals 72 constituting a terminal of the connector 6 , and a wiring portion 73 electrically connecting the led pads 71 and the connector terminals 72 to each other . further , here , the lead frame 7 also includes four heat dissipating portions 74 each having a rectangular plate shape with a required area . further , if needed , the lead frame 7 includes a component pad that mounts thereon an electronic component constituting a light emission circuit to cause the light emission of the led chips 5 . however , the present exemplary embodiment represents an example where no component pad is provided . fig4 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view taken along the line a - a in fig2 a . rectangular concave portions 37 are formed at positions corresponding to the four pairs of led pads 71 of the lead frame 7 , respectively , in the inner bottom surface 31 a of the bottom portion 31 of the body 3 . the four pairs of led pads 71 are exposed on the inner bottom surfaces of the four concave portions 37 , respectively . each concave portion 37 is formed to have longitudinal and lateral dimensions corresponding to the external appearance of each led chip 5 to be mounted , and the four edges of the concave portion 37 are formed as tapered surfaces 37 a inclined outwardly in the plate thickness direction . a light emitting surface portion 51 of each led chip 5 is directed toward the front opening of the body 3 , and electrodes 52 including a pair of positive and negative electrodes are provided on the rear surface of the led chip 5 opposite to the light emitting surface of the led chip 5 , and soldered to the led pad 71 via a reflow solder 9 so that the led chip 5 is mounted on the led pad 71 . in the mounted state , the four outer edges of the led chip 5 at the rear side thereof are in a state of being in contact with the four tapered surfaces 37 a of the concave portion 37 , respectively . fig4 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view taken along the line b - b of fig2 a . a rectangular cylinder - shaped connector case 61 is formed on a part of the outer bottom surface 31 b of the body 3 integrally with the body 3 and constituted with piece portions 38 as a part of the body 3 , as described later . inside the connector case 61 , the pair of connector terminals 72 of the lead frame 7 are arranged in a vertically bent state . the connector case 61 and the connector terminals 72 constitute the connector 6 . the power source connector 8 may be inserted into the connector case 61 , and when the power source connector 8 is inserted thereinto , the pair of connector terminals 72 are electrically connected to the corresponding power source connector 8 . in addition , as illustrated in fig1 b and 2b , rectangular windows 36 a and 36 b are opened in the outer bottom surface 31 b of the body 3 at opposite sides of the connector case 61 , and at opposite sides of the outer sides from the opposite sides of the connector case 61 , respectively . the heat dissipating portions 74 of the lead frame 74 are partially exposed in the windows 36 a and 36 b . since the windows 36 a and 36 b are closed by the heat dissipating portions 74 or a part of the bottom portion 31 , the inner bottom surface 31 a of the body 3 does not communicate with the outer bottom surface 31 b side through the windows 36 a and 36 b . the front lens 4 is made of a translucent resin and formed in a rectangular plate shape . the front lens 4 is mounted on the front opening of the body 3 . here , the circumferential edge of the front lens 4 is welded or bonded to the opening edge of the body 3 . instead of the welding or bonding , the front lens 4 may be mounted on the body 3 by , for example , integrally forming tongue - like engagement pieces at the longitudinal opposite ends of the front lens 4 , respectively , and engaging the engagement pieces with engagement holes formed to project from the longitudinal opposite side surfaces of the body 3 , though not illustrated . in addition , a lens step may be formed on the inner surface of the front lens 4 to cause the light emitted from the led chips 5 to be refracted and emitted toward the front side of the hmsl with a required light distribution . the lens step may adopt , for example , a configuration in which the inner surface of the front lens 4 is divided into plural vertical and horizontal square blocks , and a fine spherical lens is integrally formed in each block . the hmsl 1 configured as described above is supplied with a required power , for example , currents , from the power source connector 8 inserted into the connector 6 . the currents are supplied to the wiring portion 73 from the connector terminals 72 and further supplied to the four led pads 71 . the four led chips 5 are supplied with the currents through the led pads 71 on which the led chips 5 are mounted , respectively , so as to emit light . the light emitted from each of the led chips 5 penetrates through the front lens 4 and is refracted by the lens step of the front lens 4 to irradiate the front side of hmsl 1 with a required light distribution . in addition , the inner surface of the body 3 may be subject to a surface processing to serve as a light reflecting surface such that the reflected light of the light emitted from the led chips 5 is emitted from the front lens 4 . when each led chip 5 emits light , the led chip 5 generates heat . the generated heat is transferred to the led pads 71 of the lead frame 7 , and further transferred to the wiring portion 73 or the heat dissipating portions 74 . then , the heat is directly dissipated to the outside from the heat dissipating portions 74 exposed to the windows 36 opened at the outer bottom surface 31 b of the body 3 . in addition , the heat is transferred to the bottom portion 31 of the body 3 from the wiring portion 73 or the heat dissipating portions 74 and dissipated from the outer bottom surface . accordingly , the temperature rise of the led chips 5 and the thermal runaway resulting therefrom are suppressed so that the thermal reliability is improved . further , since the hmsl 1 includes the three parts which include the four led chips 5 as light sources , the body 3 , and the front lens 4 , the number of the components is small , and the assembly work may be simplified . especially , since the lead frame 7 configured to supply a power to the led chips 5 is integrally embedded in the body 3 , the work of assembling the lead frame 7 mounted with the led chips 5 in the body 3 is unnecessary . fig5 a to fig7 b are schematic perspective views for explaining a manufacturing method of the above - described hmsl . first , as illustrated in fig3 , a flat copper plate is subject to a patterning so as to form the lead frame 7 including the four pairs of led pads 71 , the pair of connector terminals 72 , the wiring portion 73 electrically connecting the led pads 71 and the connector terminals 72 to each other , and the rectangular heat dissipating portions 74 also serving as a part of the wiring portion 73 . in this state , the lead frame 7 is not yet subject to the bending . here , in the actual lead frame 7 , since the electrically separated portions of the respective components 71 to 74 are kept in a state of being mechanically connected to each other , a dummy connecting portion is formed as needed . however , here , the dummy connecting portion is not illustrated . in addition , as represented by the alternate long and two dot line in fig3 , the resin - made body 3 in which the lead frame 7 is insert - molded is formed . the formed body 3 is molded in a flat plate shape in which the bottom portion 31 and the four side portions 31 to 35 are developed , as represented by the front side perspective view in fig5 a and the rear side perspective view in fig5 b . in addition , concave grooves each having a reduced thickness are formed at the positions where the four side portions 32 to 35 of the body 3 are connected to the bottom portion 31 , along the boundaries between the side portions 32 to 35 and the bottom portion 31 , respectively . the concave grooves are formed as so - called integral hinges 30 a enabling bending of the boundary portions between the bottom portion 31 and the respective side portions 32 to 35 in the thickness direction . the lead frame 7 is embedded only in the bottom portion 31 of the body 3 , and is not pushed out to the side portions 32 to 35 beyond the integral hinges 30 a . the concave portions 37 are formed on the inner bottom surface 31 a of the molded body 3 , and the led pads 71 of the lead frame 7 are exposed to the inner bottom surfaces of the concave portions 37 . meanwhile , an opening 39 is provided at the portion of the outer bottom surface 31 b of the body 3 where the connector terminals 72 of the lead frame 7 are formed , and the connector terminals 72 are exposed within the opening 39 . in addition , the rectangular windows 36 a are opened at the areas corresponding to parts of the heat dissipating portions 74 of the lead frame 7 , and the parts of the heat dissipating portions 74 are exposed in the windows 36 a , respectively . in the outer bottom surface 31 b of the body 3 , a pair of substantially u - shaped slits 38 a are formed to face to each other at the opposite sides of the body 3 between which the opening 39 is interposed , here , the longitudinal opposite sides of the body 3 . the slits 38 a are formed at the areas corresponding to the other parts of the heat dissipating portions 74 of the lead frame 7 , and substantially u - shaped integral hinges 30 b are formed facing the slits 38 a in the piece portions 38 surrounded by the slits 38 a , respectively . then , as illustrated in fig6 , the body 3 is set in an automatic reflow mounting machine ( not illustrated ) to perform the mounting of the led chips 5 . the body 3 is set in the automatic reflow mounting machine while the inner bottom surface 31 a is directed upward . the led chips 5 picked up by a tool t of the corresponding mounting machine are set within the concave portions 37 formed in the inner bottom surface 31 a . the led chips 5 are placed on the led pads 71 exposed within the concave portions 37 , and in that state , the reflow is performed so that the led chips 5 are surface - mounted on the led pads 71 , respectively . in this case , since the edges of each concave portion 37 are formed as the tapered surfaces 37 a as illustrated in fig4 a , the outer edges of each led chip 5 , especially , the lower edges thereof are in contact with the corresponding tapered surfaces 37 a when the led chip 5 is placed on each led pad 71 , which enables self - alignment of the positioning of the led chips 5 with respect to the concave portions 37 , i . e ., the positioning of the led chips 5 with respect to the led pads 71 . subsequently , as illustrated in fig7 a , the body 3 in which the led chips 5 have been completely mounted is set in an automatic bending / welding machine ( not illustrated ), and first processed to be bent along the integral hinges 30 a provided in the body 3 . in the integral hinges 30 a surrounding the bottom portion 31 , the four side portions 32 to 35 are processed to be bent vertically in the thickness direction of the inner bottom surface 31 a so that the bottom portion 31 and the four side portions 32 to 35 are formed in a rectangular container shape . then , the side portions of the side portions 32 to 35 where the side portions 32 are in contact with each other are heated for a welding processing so that the bottom portion 31 and the four side portions 32 to 35 are formed as a rectangular container - shaped body . simultaneously , as illustrated in fig7 b , the connector terminals 72 of the lead frame 7 which are exposed to the opening 39 of the outer bottom surface 31 b of the bottom portion 31 are bent and erected vertically with respect to the outer bottom surface 31 b . in addition , the piece portions 38 surrounded by the slits 38 a of the outer bottom surface 31 b are processed to be bent by using the integral hinges 30 b . that is , first , the pair of piece portions 38 are bent and erected vertically in the outer surface direction along the integral hinges 30 b . since the piece portions 38 exist in the areas of the heat dissipating portions 74 of the lead frame 7 , it is possible to bend and erect only the piece portions 38 . subsequently , both the ends of each bent and erected piece portion 38 are processed to be bent vertically . by the bending and erecting and the bending , the windows 36 b are opened at the portions where the piece portions 38 are bent and erected , and the heat dissipating portions 74 of the lead frame 74 are also exposed in the windows 36 b . then , the side portions of the pair of bent piece portions 38 where the piece portions 38 are in contact with each other are subject to a welding processing so that the rectangular container - shaped connector case 61 is formed to surround the connector terminals 72 as illustrated in fig7 b . that is , the connector 6 is formed by the connector terminals 72 and the connector case 61 . in addition , when the above - described dummy connecting portion ( not illustrated ) is provided in the lead frame 7 , a part of the inner bottom surface 31 a of the body 3 may be processed to have a hole or a notch with a depth exceeding the leading frame 7 such that the corresponding dummy connecting portion is disconnected , and the respective components of the lead frame 7 are insulated and separated from each other . then , as illustrated in fig1 a and 1b , the front lens 4 is mounted on the opening of the body 3 formed in the rectangular container shape . here , the mounting is performed by bonding or welding as described above . the front lens 4 is integrated with the body 3 so that the hmsl 1 is completed . when the engagement pieces are formed in the front lens 4 , the front lens 4 may be mounted simply by being engaged with the body 3 . as described above , in this manufacturing method , the manufacture of the hmsl is completed by the process of processing the lead frame 7 , the process of insert - molding the processed lead frame 7 in a resin to form the body 3 , the process of mounting the led chips 5 on the lead frame 7 integrated with the body 3 through , for example , the reflow , the process of the bending and the bonding for the body 3 and the lead frame 7 , and the process of mounting the front lens 4 . accordingly , the hmsl may be manufactured with a small number of components , and furthermore , a small number of manufacturing processes . here , as illustrated in fig8 a , when the lead frame 7 is formed , the connector terminals 72 may be bent and erected vertically toward the rear side , i . e ., the outer bottom surface 31 b side of the bottom portion 31 , and in this state , the lead frame 3 may be insert - molded in the body 3 . in the insert - molding of the body 3 , the rectangular frame - shaped connector case 61 of the connector 6 is integrally molded at a part 38 of the rear surface of the body 3 as illustrated in fig8 b . accordingly , the connector 6 may be formed simultaneously with the insert - molding of the body 3 so that the process of bending the connecter case 61 thereafter is unnecessary . further , the strength of the connector case 61 also increases . in addition , even when the connector 6 is formed in advance on the rear side of the body 3 , the automatic mounting of the led chips 5 as illustrated in fig6 may be implemented . fig9 a is a perspective view of an hmsl 1 of exemplary embodiment 2 when viewed from the rear side . in exemplary embodiment 2 , the lead frame 7 and the body 3 are insert - molded in the same manner as those represented in fig8 a and 8b . in this insert - molding , the degree of freedom of the shape of the body 3 increases . hence , in order to improve the heat dissipating property in the body 3 by using the increased degree of freedom of the shape , a plurality of vertical wall - shaped heat dissipating pins 9 are formed to integrally project from the rear surface of the body 3 . in addition , the windows 36 a and 36 b of exemplary embodiment 1 are not provided . the height dimension of each projecting heat dissipating pin 9 or the width dimension of the hmsl 1 along the vertical direction thereof is formed as large as possible without unnecessarily increasing the external size of the hmsl 1 . the heat dissipating pins 9 are arranged at the positions corresponding to the led pads 71 provided in the lead frame 7 or the positions corresponding to the heat dissipating portions 74 of the lead frame 7 . here , the heat dissipating pins 9 are arranged at the positions corresponding to the heat dissipating portions 74 . then , as illustrated in fig9 b representing the enlarged cross - sectional view of the line c - c of fig9 a , a part 74 a of each heat dissipating portion 74 of the lead frame 7 is curved to be erected almost vertically toward the rear surface , and the curved part 74 a is coated with a part of the body 3 to serve as the core so that each heat dissipating portion 74 is formed . as illustrated in the perspective view of the lead frame 7 in fig1 a , u - shaped slits 74 b are provided in each heat dissipating portion 74 , and the part 74 a of the heat dissipating portion 74 surrounded by the slits 74 b is bent and erected vertically toward the rear side ( the outer bottom surface 31 b side of the bottom portion 31 ) so that the part 74 a is curved against the plane surface direction of the lead frame 7 . then , by insert - molding the lead frame 7 in the body 3 , the curved part 74 a is installed as the core in a state of being integrally embedded inside the heat dissipating pin 9 , as illustrated by the perspective view of fig1 b . in this configuration of the body 3 , the heat generated in the led chips 5 is transferred from the led pads 71 to the heat dissipating portions 74 . then , the heat is transferred from the heat dissipating portions 74 to the body 3 and dissipated to the outside from the rear surface of the body 3 . in this case , in each heat dissipating portion 74 , the part 74 a projects toward the rear surface direction of the body 3 , and the heat is dissipated from each heat dissipating pin 9 formed by covering the projecting opposite surfaces with the resin . by the heat dissipating pins 9 , the heat dissipating area at the rear side of the body 3 is extended , and the heat transferred to the heat dissipating portions 74 may be dissipated with a high efficiency . in addition , when the size of the lead frame 7 is enough , a part of an area different from the heat dissipating portions 74 may be curved and erected , and the curved part may be covered with the body 3 to serve as a part of the heat dissipating pins 9 . for example , a part close to the led pads 71 may be curved , and the curved part may be coated with a resin to form a heat dissipating pin 9 . by forming the heat dissipating pin 9 at a position as close as possible to the led pads 71 , the heat dissipating effect may be further improved . in addition , each heat dissipating pin 9 of exemplary embodiment 2 may not be configured as a heat dissipating pin having a part of the lead frame 7 as the core . for example , only by forming a part of the rear surface of the body 3 as a vertical wall projecting from the rear surface and configuring the vertical wall as a heat dissipating pin , the area of the rear surface of the body 3 , i . e ., the heat dissipation area may increase , thereby improving the heat dissipating effect . in addition , the curved part 74 a of each heat dissipating portion 74 or the other curved part of the lead frame 7 may not be coated with the resin of the body 3 , and may be configured to project in a state of being exposed from the rear surface of the body 3 . as long as any problem is not caused in the appearance or the external and internal environments of the hmsl 1 , the heat dissipating pins may be configured by exposing the part 74 a and others so that the heat dissipating effect may be further improved . in exemplary embodiment 2 as well , when the lead frame 7 is formed , the connector terminals 72 may be bent and erected vertically toward the rear side , and in this state , the lead frame 7 may be insert - molded in the body 3 , as in exemplary embodiment 1 . in this insert - molding , when the rectangular frame - shaped connector case 61 of the connector 6 is integrally molded in the part 38 of the rear surface of the body 3 , the connector 6 may be configured simultaneously with the insert - molding of the body 3 , and the process of bending - processing the connector case 61 is unnecessary later . furthermore , the strength of the connector case 61 also increases . the present disclosure may adopt the configuration of sealing each led chip 5 with a translucent material in either exemplary embodiment 1 or 2 . fig1 a and 11b represent a perspective view of a part of the led pads 71 and an enlarged cross - sectional view along the line d - d of fig1 a . a translucent member 53 is provided in each concave portion 37 of the body 3 in which the led pads 71 of the lead frame 7 are exposed , and an led chip 5 is mounted . the led chip 5 and the led pads 71 are sealed by the translucent member 53 . here , the translucent member 53 is formed by dropping and curing a molten translucent resin in the concave portion 37 through , for example , potting . the surface of the resin is formed in a spherical shape by the surface tension of the resin . alternatively , a resin which was formed in advance in a predetermined shape or a translucent member such as , for example , glass may be attached . when the sealing is implemented by the translucent member 53 , the led chip 5 and the led pads 71 are not exposed to the external environment so that the relevant reliability may be improved . in addition , as described above , the surface of the translucent member 53 is formed in a spherical shape or a predetermined curved shape so that the light emitted from the led chip 5 may be refracted and controlled to form a desired light distribution . in the exemplary embodiments , an example of the hmsl constituted with four led chips as light sources has been described . however , the hmsl may be constituted with a different number of light sources . in addition , the light source is not limited to an led chip , and may be an ld or other light sources as long as the light sources may be mounted by the automatic machine . in the exemplary embodiments , the lead frame is embedded in only the bottom portion in order to facilitate the formation of the lamp housing by the bending of the molded body . however , the lead frame may be embedded over the side portions from the bottom portion as long as the bending of the body in which the lead frame is embedded may be implemented . in the exemplary embodiments , an example where the present disclosure is applied to the hmsl has been described . however , the present disclosure may be identically applied to any lamp that has the configuration of mounting the light sources in the body . especially , the present disclosure may be effectively applied to a lamp having the configuration in which light emitting sources may be mounted by the automatic machine such as , for example , reflow , when the light emitting elements are mounted on the lead frame integrally molded with the body . from the foregoing , it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration , and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure . accordingly , the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting , with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims . | 7 |
the following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate some embodiments of the invention for the purpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use the invention . as such , the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely illustrative in nature and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention , or its protection , in any manner . it should also be understood that the drawings are not to scale and in certain instances details have been omitted , which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention , such as details of fabrication and assembly . in the accompanying drawings , like numerals represent like components . with reference to fig1 , a combustion chamber 101 generally comprises a combustion liner 103 encased by a flow sleeve 105 . the flow sleeve 105 may also be encased by an outer casing 107 . combustion chamber 101 may be generally characterized as elongate , or substantially elongate , having an upstream end proximate to an ignition point as well as a downstream end distal to the ignition point . the upstream end of the outer casing 107 may further include a combustion cover 109 having a plurality of nozzles 111 for injecting fuel , air , water , and / or another fluid into the combustion chamber as part of the combustion process . embodiments of combustion chamber 101 , as described herein , may also be referred to as a combustion can 101 . with reference now to fig2 , industrial gas turbines may comprise a plurality of combustion cans 101 arranged , for instance and as shown in the illustrated embodiment , in a circular array . each combustion can 101 may be connected to a common downstream location on the engine , which for instance may be a housing for a plurality of pistons or other engine components . a measurement system 200 for detecting or observing the environmental status of one of the combustion cans 101 may include one or more dynamic pressure sensors 201 . a variety of position or placements for dynamic pressure sensor 201 are contemplated within the disclosure . the disclosure further contemplates that measurement system 200 may include more than one dynamic pressure sensor 201 , for instance at any one of the variety of possible positions disclosed herein . in one embodiment , pressure sensor 201 may be mounted on the outer casing 107 of the combustion can , downstream of the combustion cover 109 . in another embodiment , the dynamic pressure sensor 201 may be mounted on or otherwise operatively connected to the injector body . as illustrated in fig2 , an embodiment of system 200 includes the dynamic pressure sensor 201 mounted on and operatively connected to the outer casing 107 of the combustion can 101 by and through a sensor port 113 extending into the liner 103 . sensor port 113 may be pre - manufactured in commercial embodiments of combustion chamber 101 . regardless of its location , the dynamic pressure sensor 201 may be adapted to detect changes in pressure within or proximate to combustion chamber 101 , for instance by being configured to detect thermo - acoustic pressure oscillations within the combustion chamber . the dynamic pressure sensor 201 may be in the form of an acoustic microphone that employs a piezoelectric dynamic pressure sensor . the dynamic pressure sensor 201 may also be supported with a protective enclosure that is adapted for high temperature operation within the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine . an example of a dynamic pressure sensor is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 928 , 878 to eriksen et al ., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . an example of a temperature resistant semiconductor support framework for a dynamic pressure sensor is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 773 , 951 to eriksen et al ., the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . it is envisioned and well within the subject disclosure that alternative known or to be developed high temperature dynamic pressure sensors may be employed including , for example , pcb sensors ( manufactured by pcb piezoelectronics , depew , n . y ., usa ) and vibrometers . with reference to fig3 , the dynamic pressure sensor 201 disclosed herein generally comprises a housing and inner sensing portion 203 . the pressure sensor 201 may further include a wave guide 205 and wave guide tube 207 . wave guide 205 , as shown and described , may pass through at least a portion of housing and wave guide tube 207 . in one embodiment , wave guide tube 207 and housing are the same component , although in other embodiments a separate wave guide 207 may be disposed within inner sensing portion 203 . the wave guide 205 and wave guide tube 207 may be operatively connected to outer casing 107 and terminate at , or penetrate through , the combustion liner 103 so as to collect environmental data from the combustion chamber 101 at or beyond liner 103 . accordingly , pressure sensor 201 may extend passed flow sleeve 105 and outer casing 107 . a temperature sensor 215 may be provided within at least a portion of dynamic pressure sensor 201 . as such , a sensor system may include a pressure sensor 201 and a temperature sensor 215 . wave guide 205 may be provided in order to guide temperature sensor 215 into at least a portion of the housing and into inner sensing portion 203 . as described herein , temperature sensor 215 may also be inserted through wave guide 205 . a single wave guide 205 and wave guide tube 207 may be utilized for both pressure sensor 201 and temperature sensor 215 or , alternatively , a first wave guide may be used in association with pressure sensor 201 while a second wave guide may be used in association with temperature sensor 215 . with reference to fig4 , sensing system 200 may further include a temperature sensor 215 , which , for instance , may be disposed within the wave guide 205 and wave guide tube 207 of the dynamic pressure sensor 201 , the wave guide 205 and wave guide tube 207 having a sufficient diameter to permit the temperature sensor 215 to be inserted therethrough within the wave guide tube 205 . the temperature sensor 215 may be a fine wire sensor that may be disposed within the wave guide tube and exits the dynamic pressure sensor through a channel in the pressure sensor &# 39 ; s end piece 211 . in one embodiment , the outer diameter of the wave guide tube 207 may have a diameter of approximately ¾ inch while the channel in the pressure sensor &# 39 ; s end piece 211 may be approximately ¼ inch , and wave guide 205 and temperature sensor 215 each have a diameter of approximately ⅛ of an inch . the temperature sensor may detect flame characteristics relating to combustion characteristics such as an equivalence ratio and temperature . in particular , the temperature sensor may be adapted and configured to detect spectral and / or thermal characteristics of the combustor flame that occur downstream from the combustion cover . temperatures within the combustion chamber 101 may be between 2450 degrees fahrenheit and 3000 degrees fahrenheit . as such , embodiments of a temperature sensor 215 must be able to withstand and operate at these high temperatures . temperature sensor 215 may be constructed of multiple materials . for instance , temperature sensor 215 may be constructed from a first material having lower temperature threshold and a second material having a higher temperature threshold , the second material being the portion of temperature sensor 215 extending towards are past liner 103 into chamber 101 . in embodiments where temperature sensor 215 is comprised of two materials , the first and second materials may be joined at a point within inner sensing portion 203 . the pressure sensor 201 may further include an end piece 211 and locking nut 213 which may secure the end piece 211 to the housing and inner sensing portion 203 . with reference to fig5 , the temperature sensor 215 may be disposed through the dynamic pressure sensor 201 mounted on the outer casing 107 of the combustion can 101 . in the illustrated embodiment , the dynamic pressure sensor 201 is mounted on a sensor port 113 . the resulting sensor system 200 permits a multi - faceted environmental reading to be taken from combustion chamber 101 . environmental data , including both pressure and temperature readings , taken from combustion chamber 101 may be particularly useful in troubleshooting failures or error sources in a multi - combustor gas turbine . where , for instance , a single combustor 101 in a combustor array is malfunctioning , direct environmental measurement of each combustor 101 will permit an operator to identify sources of malfunctions not readily apparent by a downstream measurement . it has been estimated that direct environmental measurement of a combustion chamber in a multi - combustor turbine may reduce operating costs by approximately sixty six percent . the descriptions set forth above are meant to be illustrative and not limiting . various modifications of the invention , in addition to those described herein , will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description . such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the concepts described herein . the disclosures of each patent , patent application and publication cited or described in this document are hereby incorporated herein by reference , in their entireties . the foregoing description of possible implementations consistent with the present disclosure does not represent a comprehensive list of all such implementations or all variations of the implementations described . the description of some implementation should not be construed as an intent to exclude other implementations . for example , artisans will understand how to implement the invention in many other ways , using equivalents and alternatives that do not depart from the scope of the invention . moreover , unless indicated to the contrary in the preceding description , none of the components described in the implementations are essential to the invention . it is thus intended that the embodiments disclosed in the specification be considered as illustrative , with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims . | 5 |
hereinbelow , preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . as shown fig1 a plurality off directional control valves 2 are provided in a discharge line or passage 1a of a hydraulic pump 1 , so that pressurized oil discharged from the pump 1 is supplied to a pair of hydraulic actuators 2 by operating the directional control valves 2 . incidentally , in a first embodiment of the present invention shown in fig1 one of the actuators 3 forms a hydraulic motor used for traveling in a power shovel machine , and the other of the actuators 3 forms a boom hydraulic cylinder of the power shovel machine a boom member of which is swingably moved up and down by the cylinder in operation . each of the directional control valves 2 is provided with a valve body 4 forming a spool hole 5 in which is slidably received a spool 6 through which communication of pressurized fluid or oil from a first pump port 7 , a first reservoir port 9 , a second pump port 11 and a second reservoir port 13 to a first outlet port 8 , a first port 10 , a second outlet port 12 and a second port 14 respectively is permitted and blocked off . in each of the directional control valves 2 , the spool 6 is normally held in its neutral position by a spring 15 so as to block off the above communication of the pressurized oil . in operation , under the influence of a pilot pressure supplied to a first pressure chamber 16 of the directional control valve 2 , the spool 6 is moved to the left as viewed in fig1 so as to be held in its first operating position in which : the first pump port 7 communicates with the first outlet port 8 ; and the second port 14 communicates with the second reservoir port 13 , respectively . on the other hand , under the influence of another pilot pressure supplied to a second pressure chamber 17 of the directional control valve 2 , the spool 6 is moved to the right as viewed in fig1 so as to be held in its second operating position in which : the second pump port 11 communicates with the second outlet port 12 ; the first port 10 communicates with the first reservoir port 9 ; the first outlet port 8 communicates with the first port 10 through a pressure - compensated flow control valve 18 ; the second outlet port 12 communicates with the second port 14 through another pressure - compensated flow control valve 18 , respectively . at this time , in each of the directional control valves 2 , pressure of the pressurized oil received in the first outlet port 8 or the second outlet port 12 is detected through a drill hole ( not shown ) formed in the spool 6 and a detecting hole 19 . these pressures thus detected in a pair of the directional control valves 2 are compared with each other in shuttle valves 20 formed in the directional control valves 2 so that a higher one of the thus compared pressures is supplied to a spring chamber 18a of each of pressure - compensated flow control valves 18 , whereby each of the pressure - compensated flow control valves 18 is set at a pressure corresponding to such higher one of the thus compared pressures , thereby permitting each of the pressure - compensated flow control valves 18 to be set at a pressure corresponding to the highest one of load pressures when the plurality of the directional control valves 2 are simultaneously operated . as a result , the single hydraulic pump 1 can supply the pressurized oil to the plurality of the hydraulic actuators 3 which are different in load pressure from each other . a restriction means r is provided in a load pressure lead - in circuit off each of the pressure - compensated flow control valves 18 provided in one of the directional control valves 2 , which one is used for supplying the pressure oil to one of the actuators 3 , ( such as a hydraulic motor used for traveling in the power shovel machine ) so that load pressures supplied to the spring chambers 18a of the pressure - compensated flow control valves 18 are prevented from varying at a drastic rate . incidentally , it is possible to employ the following construction : namely , as shown in fig2 a bypass passage r 2 provided with a check valve r 1 is connected with the restriction means r in parallel therewith so as to permit the pressurized oil to smoothly flow from the spring chamber 18a to the shuttle valve 20 , and to prevent a load pressure from being supplied to the spring chamber 18a at a drastic rate . in other words , it is possible to gradually increase the setting pressure of the pressure - compensated flow control valve 18 by preventing the load pressure from being supplied to the spring chamber 18a of the pressure - compensated flow control valve 18 at a drastic rate . as described above , in a condition in which the hydraulic pump 1 supplies the pressurized oil to one of the actuators 3 , ( such as the hydraulic motor used for traveling in the power shovel machine ) through one of the directional control valves 2 in operation , when another one of the directional control valves 2 is operated to supply the pressurized oil discharged from the pump 1 to another one of the actuators 3 ( such as the boom hydraulic cylinder of the power shovel machine ) a load pressure of the boom hydraulic cylinder is gradually supplied to the spring chamber 18a of the pressure - compensated flow control valve 18 so as to gradually increase the setting pressure of the pressure - compensated flow control valve , so that the pressurized oil is supplied from this directional control valve 2 to the boom hydraulic cylinder at a moderate rate , whereby the pressurized oil supplied to the hydraulic motor used for traveling in the power shovel machine decreases at a moderate rate to moderately decelerate the power shovel machine in traveling , thereby permitting the machine to decrease its traveling speed without experiencing any shock . now , with reference to fig3 a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail . as for the second embodiment of the present invention shown in fig3 its parts denoted by the same reference numerals as those employed in the first embodiment of the present invention shown in fig1 and 2 have the same constructions as those of the parts of the first embodiment . consequently , in order to avoid redundancy in description , these parts of the second embodiment of the present invention , which are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the pants of the first embodiment of the present invention will not be described hereinbelow . formed in the valve body 4 of the second embodiment of the present invention are : a first oil port 21 a through which the first port 10 communicates with the first reservoir port 9 ; and a second oil port 21 b through which the second port 14 communicates with the second reservoir port 13 , respectively . a relief valve 22 is provided in each of the first oil port 21 a and the second oil port 21 b . in the relief valve 22 , a poppet valve 26 is slidably mounted in a sleeve - lime main body 25 provided with an inlet port 23 and a restriction orifice 24 , while resiliently held against an opening of seat of the inlet port 23 by a spring 27 to block off communication of pressurized oil from the inlet port 23 to the restriction orifice 24 . the inlet port 23 communicates with the first port 10 or the second port 14 . on the other hand , the restriction orifice 24 communicates with the second reservoir port 13 or the first reservoir port 9 . a spring chamber 27a of the relief valve 22 communicates with the first pressure - chamber 16 or the second pressure chamber 17 through a port 28 and a shuttle valve 29 . incidentally , in the shuttle valve 29 , as soon as pressure is applied at the port 28 , a ball element of the shuttle valve 29 will move over to an inlet port 30 to close it off , and leave the connection from the port 28 to the first pressure chamber 16 or the second pressure chamber 17 open to supply the pressurized oil thereto , as shown in fig3 . similarly , when pressure is applied at the inlet port 30 , the ball element will move over to the port 28 to close it off , and leave the connection from the inlet port 30 to the first pressure chamber 16 or the second pressure chamber 17 open to supply the pressurized oil thereto . in this second embodiment of the present invention shown in fig3 in case that the pilot pressure is applied to the first pressure chamber 16 of each of the directional control valves 2 to move the spool to the left , thereby permitting the spool to be held at its first operating position to supply the pressurized oil discharged from the pump 1 to each of the actuators 3 , since each of the pressure - compensated flow control valves 18 is set at a pressure corresponding to the highest one of load pressures which are supplied to the pressure chamber 18a of each of the pressure - compensated flow control valves 18 through the shuttle valve 20 , it is possible to supply , without any trouble , the pressurized oil discharged from the single hydraulic pump 1 to each of the actuators 3 which are different in load pressure from each other . in addition , it is also possible to supply the pressurized oil to each of the actuators at the same flow rate , because the pressurized oil is distributed to each of the actuators at a rate corresponding to the valve opening area of each of the directional control valves ( i . e ., at a flow rate corresponding to a ratio ) in communication area , of the first pump port 7 to the first outlet port 8 , and there is no difference in stroke of the spool 6 and communication area between the the directional control valves 2 . at this time , as is in the above case , in case that the hydraulic motor used for traveling in the power shovel machine is not turned to merely hold a load in a stationary condition while the boom hydraulic cylinder is extended in operation , a pressure of the pressurized oil received in the first port 10 of one of the directional control valves 2 increases and applies the pressure of pressurized oil to the relief valve 22 through the first oil port 21a to unseat the poppet valve 26 of the relief valve 22 , thereby permitting the pressurized oil to flow into the first reservoir port 9 through the restriction orifice 24 . as a result , since pressure is increased upstream of the restriction orifice 24 , the thus increased pressure is supplied to the second pressure chamber 17 through the spring chamber 27a , port 28 and the shuttle valve 29 to move the spool 6 to the right . consequently , the first pump port 7 and the first outlet port 8 off one off the directional control valves 2 reduce their communication areas so as to : reduce the flow rate off the pressurized oil supplied to the motor used for traveling , and increase the flow rate off the pressurized oil supplied to the boom hydraulic cylinder . while the invention has been particularly shown and described in reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 5 |
a particularly preferred procedure for producing an aluminum alloy for inner panels applications according to the invention includes dc casting and scalping ingots , then homogenization preheat at 520 ° c . for 6 hours ( furnace temp .) followed by 560 ° c . for 4 hours ( metal temp .). this is hot rolled to a reroll exit gauge of 2 . 54 mm with an exit temperature of 300 – 330 ° c ., followed by cold rolling to 0 . 85 to 1 . 0 mm . the sheet is then solution heat treated with a pmt of 530 – 570 ° c . and an air quench to 450 – 410 ° c . ( quench rate 20 – 75 c / s ), followed by a water quench from 450 – 410 to 280 – 250 c . ( quench rate 75 – 400 c / s ). next it is air quenched to 80 – 90 ° c . and coiled ( actual coiling temp .). thereafter the coil is cooled to 25 ° c . this procedure is described as the t4p practice . a particularly preferred procedure for producing an aluminum alloy for outer panel applications includes dc casting ingots and surface scalping , followed by homogenization preheat at 520 ° c . for 6 hours ( furnace temp . ), then 560 ° c . for 4 hours ( metal temp .). the ingot is then hot rolled to a reroll exit gauge of 3 . 5 mm with an exit temperature of 300 – 330 ° c ., followed by cold rolling to 2 . 1 to 2 . 2 mm . the sheet is batch annealed for 2 hours at 380 ° c .+/− 15 ° c . followed a further cold roll to 0 . 85 to 1 . 0 mm . this is followed by a solution heat treat with a pmt of 530 – 570 ° c ., then an air quench to 450 – 410 ° c . ( quench rate 20 – 75 c / s ) and a water quench from 450 – 410 to 280 – 250 ° c . ( quench rate 75 – 400 ° c ./ s ). finally , the sheet is air quenched to 80 – 90 ° c . and coiled ( actual coiling temp .). the coil is then cooled to 25 ° c . this procedure is the t4p practice with interanneal . fig1 shows the effect of mn content on bendability ; fig2 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperature on tensile properties ( t4p ); fig3 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperature on ys ( t4p and t8 [ 0 %]); fig4 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperature on n and r values ( t4p ); fig5 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperature on bendability ( t4p ); fig6 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperature on tensile properties ( t4p with interanneal ); fig7 is a graph showing a comparison of ys values for different tempers ; fig8 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperature on ys ( t4p and t8 ( 2 %) with interanneal ); fig9 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperature on n and r values ( t4p with interanneal ); and fig1 is a graph showing the effects of solutionizing temperate on bendability ( t4p with interanneal ). fig1 a shows the grain structure of a t4p temper sheet from a large ingot of alloy containing cu ; fig1 b shows the grain structure of a t4p temper sheet from a large ingot alloy without cu ; fig1 c shows the grain structure of a t4p temper sheet from a small ingot alloy containing cu ; fig1 d shows the grain structure of a t4p temper sheet from a small ingot alloy without cu ; fig1 is a plot of particle numbers per sq . mm v . particle area for a t4p temper coil containing cu ; and fig1 is a plot of particle numbers per sq . mm v . particle area for a t4p temper coil without cu . two alloys were tested with and without manganese present . alloy al1 contained 0 . 49 % mg , 0 . 7 % si , 0 . 2 % fe , 0 . 011 % ti and the balance aluminum and incidental impurities , while alloy al2 contained 0 . 63 % mg , 0 . 85 % si , 0 . 098 % mn , 0 . 01 % fe , 0 . 013 % ti and the balance aluminum and incidental impurities . the alloys were laboratory cast as 3¾ × 9 ″ dc ingots . these ingots were scalped and homogenized for 6 hours at 560 ° c . and hot rolled to 5 mm , followed by cold rolling to 1 . 0 mm . the sheet was solutionized at 560 ° c . in a salt bath and quenched to simulate the t4p practice . ( a ) the alloys were dc cast 3 . 75 × 9 inch ingots and the ingot surface scalped , followed by homogenizing for 6 hours at 560 ° c . the ingots were then hot rolled followed by cold rolling to about 1 mm gauge . the sheet was solution heat treated for 15 seconds at 560 ° c ., then quenched to 80 ° c . and coiled . the coil was then slowly cooled at a rate of 1 . 5 – 2 . 0 ° c ./ hr to ambient and naturally aged for one week . the results are shown in table 3 . fig1 shows the effect of mn content on bendability , for bendability of sheet without prestrain with the minimum r / t as observed by the naked eye , it is difficult to observe a clear trend - results are in table 3 . however , as seen in fig1 , the 0 wt % mn alloy has a crack on the surface . at the 0 . 1 wt % mn , the bend is crack free , but rumpling is visible on the surface . at 0 . 2 wt % mn the surface is crack free and free from rumpling on the surface . it is though that the rumpling is a precursor to residual crack formation . ( b ) in a further procedure , alloy al3 was processed by production sized dc casting into ingots and homogenized for 1 hour at 560 ° c . the ingots were hot rolled to 5 . 9 mm reroll exit gauge , then cold rolled to 2 . 5 mm gauge . this intermediate gauge sheet was interannealed for 2 hours at 360 ° c ., then further cold rolled to 1 mm gauge and solution heat treated at 560 ° c . then the sheet was quenched to 80 ° c ., coiled and pre - aged for 8 hours at 80 ° c . tests were conducted on two alloys al5 and al6 with the casting and processing being done in commercial plants . the compositions of these alloys are shown in table 6 below : two ingots each of the al5 and al6 compositions given in table 5 were dc cast , scalped , homogenized at 560 ° c . and hot rolled . one al5 ( coil b - 2 ) and one al6 ( coil b - 3 ) ingot were hot rolled to 2 . 54 mm , cold rolled in two passes to 0 . 93 mm gauge and solutionized to obtain the t4p temper . the other pair of al1 ( coil b - 1 ) and al6 ( coil b - 4 ) ingot , were hot rolled to 3 . 5 mm , cold rolled to 2 . 1 mm gauge in one pass , batch annealed , cold rolled to final gauge of 0 . 93 mm in two passes and then solutionized to obtain sheet in the t4p ( intermediate gauge anneal ) temper . the coils were batch annealed at 380 ° c . with a soak of ˜ 2 h . major portions of all the coils were solutionized on the cash ( continuous annealing and solution heat treatment ) line at 550 ° c . using the t4p practice . the remaining portions of the coils were solutionized using the same procedure but at 535 ° c . samples of all coils were sheared - off at reroll , intermediate and final gauges for evaluations . the microstructures in all four coils were optically examined and the grain structures quantified by measuring the sizes of 150 to 200 grains at ¼ thickness . the mechanical properties were determined after five and six days of natural ageing , and the bend radius to sheet thickness ratio , r / t , was determined using the standard wrap bend test method . the minimum r / t value was determined by dividing the minimum radius of the mandrel that produced a crack free bend by the sheet thickness . the radius of the mandrels used for the measurements were 0 . 001 ″, 0 . 002 ″, 0 . 003 ″, 0 . 004 ″, 0 . 006 ″, 0 . 008 ″, 0 . 01 ″, 0 . 012 ″, 0 . 016 ″, 0 . 02 ″, 0 , 024 ″ and so on , and the bendability can vary within a difference of one mandrel size . the as - polished microstructures in both the 0 . 3 % cu containing al5 and cu - free al6 sheets show the presence of coarse elongated fe - rich platelets lying parallel to the rolling direction . the alloys also contain a minor amount of undissolved mg 2 si , except for the al6 alloy solutionized at 535 ° c . which contains relatively large amounts . the results of grain size measurements in table 6 show that the grain structure in al5 and al6 sheets solutionized at 535 ° c . and 550 ° c . are not influenced by changing the solutionizing temperature from 535 to 550 ° c . alloys al5 and al6 show an average grain size of about 34 × 14 μm and 35 × 19 μm ( horizontal × through thickness ), respectively . in general , the grain size distribution in the horizontal direction : of both alloys is quite similar , although there are differences in the through thickness direction . the average through thickness grain size in the al6 alloy is about 5 μm higher than in the cu containing al5 alloy . the tensile and bend properties of the t4p temper coils in the l and t directions are listed in table 7 . fig2 compares the tensile properties of the 0 . 3 % cu containing al5 and cu free al6 alloys and highlights the differences due to changes in the temperature from 550 to 535 ° c . the al5 is stronger than the al6 alloy in both l and t directions at both solutionizing temperatures . the yield and tensile strengths of both alloys are somewhat increased with the higher solutionizing temperature , although the impact is most significant for the al6 alloy . it should be noted that the lower strength of the al6 alloy is consistent with the presence of a large amount of undissolved mg 2 si particles . the paint bake response , which is the difference between the ys in the t4p and t8 ( 2 %) tempers , is compared in fig3 . it can be seem that the changes in the solutionizing temperature does not influence the paint bake response of the al5 , but affects that of the al6 alloy significantly . as pointed out above , the latter is related to the presence of undissolved mg 2 si which “ drain ” the matrix of hardening solutes . the paint bake response of the al5 alloy is about 150 mpa and is ˜ 10 mpa better than the al6 alloy when solutionized at 550 ° c . both alloys clearly show excellent combinations of low strengths in the t4p temper and high strength in the t8 ( 2 %) temper . the n and r values measured from tensile test data for the t4p temper materials are shown in fig4 . the n values in both alloys are quite similar , isotropic and do not change with the solutionizing temperature . the r - value in the al5 alloy is marginally lower than the al6 alloy in the l direction , but the trend is reversed in the t direction . fig5 shows that the r / t values of both the alloys are lower than 0 . 2 in l and t directions . the r / t value for the 0 . 3 % cu containing al5 alloy is marginally better than its cu free counter and the best value is obtained at the lower solutionizing temperature . it will be noted that a combination of ˜ 100 mpa and above 250 mpa ys &# 39 ; s in the t4p and t8 ( 2 %) tempers has not been seen in conventional automotive alloys . furthermore , the paint bake response of the al5 and al6 alloys is better than conventional aa6111 . for the material with the interanneal , the size and distribution of the coarse fe - rich platelets in the l sections of the al5 ( coil b - 1 ) and the al6 ( coil b - 4 ) are similar to the t4p temper coils . the amount of undissolved mg 2 si in the t4p coils ( interannealed ) was found to be generally higher than in their t4p temper counterpart , especially at a solutionizing temperature of 535 ° c . table 8 summarizes the results of grain size measurements . generally , the lowering of the solutionizing temperature has no measurable effect on the grain structure . the average grain sizes and the distribution in the al5 sheet are somewhat refined compared to its t4p counterpart , although the opposite is true for the al6 coil , see tables 6 and 8 . the overall grain size spread in the al6 alloy becomes quite large compared to that in the t4p temper . generally , the average grain size in the al5 coil is about 10 μm smaller than for the al6 sheet in both through thickness and horizontal directions . the tensile and bend properties of the coils are listed in table 9 . fig6 compares the tensile properties of the al5 and al6 alloys in the l and t directions , and highlights the differences caused by solutionizing at the two different temperatures . as in the t4p temper , the al5 in the t4p temper with interanneal is marginally stronger than the al6 alloy in both l and t directions and for both solutionizing temperatures . in addition , the strength of the two alloys is slightly improved by solutionizing at 550 ° c . as opposed to 535 ° c ., although no significant effects are obvious in the elongation values . the strength in both alloys vary within ˜ 12 mpa in both l and t directions , while no major differences are noted in the elongation values . the paint bake response of the two coils is compared in fig7 . this figure shows that the change of solutionizing temperature from 535 to 550 ° c . improves the paint bake response by about 6 to 19 mpa , where most of the improvement is seen in the al6 alloy , the paint bake response of the al5 alloy solutionized at 550 ° c . is around 148 mpa , which is about 8 mpa better than its al6 counterpart . the ys of the al5 and al6 alloys produced with and without batch interannealing are compared in fig8 . the use of batch annealing reduces the ys in both the t4p and t8 ( 2 %) tempers . it is necessay that the alloys be solutionized at 550 ° c . to maximize the paint bake response of the alloys . however , it should be noted that the paint bake response of the al5 and al6 alloys solutionized at 535 ° c . is still comparable to the conventional aa6111 . the n and r values of the two alloys are shown in fig9 . as in the t4p temper , the n values ( strain hardening index ) in both the alloys are quite similar , isotropic and do not change with the solutionizing temperature . the r - value ( resistance to thinning ) in the al5 alloy is lower than the al6 alloy in the l directions , but the trend is reversed in the t direction . the trend in r - values is similar to that seen in the t4p temper . fig1 shows that the r / t values of the two alloys are lower than 0 . 2 in the l and t directions . while the r / t values of the 0 . 3 % cu containing al5 alloy solutionizing at 535 ° c . are better than its cu free counterpart , this advantage is lost by solutionizing at 550 ° c . one 600 × 2032 mm ( thick × wide ) and about 4000 mm long ingots each of the al7 and al8 compositions given in table 10 was direct chill ( dc ) cast at a commercial scale . the liquid aluminum melt was alloyed between 720 and 750 ° c . in a tilting furnace , skimmed , fluxed with a mixture of about 25 / 75 cl 2 / n 2 gases for about 35 minutes and in line degassed with a mixture of ar and cl 2 injected at a rate of 200 l / min and 0 . 5 l / min , respectively . the alloy melt then received 5 % ti - 1 % b grain refiner and poured into a lubricated mould between 700 and 715 ° c . using a duel bag feeding system . the duel bag system was used to reduce the turbulence at the spout . the casting was carried out at a slow speed of about 25 mm / min in the beginning and finished at about 50 mm / min . the as - cast ingot was controlled cooled by pulsating water at a rate between 25 and 80 l / s to avoid cracking . the ingots were scalped , homogenized at 560 ° c . and hot rolled . the ingots were hot rolled to 3 . 5 mm , cold rolled to 2 . 1 mm gauge in one pass , batch annealed at 380 ° c . for 2 h , cold rolled to the final gauge of 0 . 93 mm and then solutionized to obtain sheet in the t4p temper ( with interanneal ). alloys al7 and al8 alloys were also cast as 95 × 228 mm ( thick × wide ) size dc ingots for comparison purposes . the liquid aluminum was degassed with a mixture of about 10 / 90 cl 2 / ar gases for about 10 minutes and then 5 % ti - 1 % b grain refiner added in the furnace . the liquid alloy melt was poured into a lubricated mould between 700 and 715 ° c . to cast ingot at a speed between 150 and 200 mm / min . the ingot exiting the mould was cooled by a water jet . the small ingots were processed in a similar manner to commercial size ingot , except for the fact that the processing was carried out in the laboratory using plant simulated processing conditions . fig1 a – 11 d compares the grain structures in the al7 and al8 alloys sheets obtained from both large and small size ingots . it can be seen that the grain size is quite coarse in sheet material obtained from small size ingots , specifically at ½ thickness locations . table 11 lists the results of grain size measurements from about 150 to 200 grains in horizontal ( h ) and through thickness ( v ) directions at ¼ thickness locations . table 11 shows that the average grain sizes and the distribution in the al7 sheet are somewhat comparable in the al7 sheets irrespective to the parent ingot size . however , it should be noted by comparing fig1 a with 11 c that the grain size across thickness in the al7 alloy varies quite considerably . generally , the average grain size and grain size spread in the al8 alloy is quite large compared to that in al7 alloy . the average grain size in the al7 sheet fabricated from the large ingot is about 15 μm and 8 μm smaller than for the al8 sheet in both horizontal and through thickness directions , respectively . the difference in the horizontal direction is much higher in case of sheets fabricated from the small size ingot . the difference between the grain size in the al8 sheets obtained from large and small size ingots is quite remarkable and appears to be related to casting conditions , see table 11 . fig1 and 13 show particle size and distribution in coil of alloys al7 and al8 processed commercial scale from large size ingots . from these plots it can be seen that about 85 – 95 % of the particles have particle areas within the range of 0 . 5 – 5 sq . microns and about 80 – 100 % of the particles have particle areas within the range of 0 . 5 – 15 sq . microns . | 2 |
fig1 shows a diagram of one embodiment of a radar detection device ( 100 ) employing one embodiment of the stabilization system ( 110 ) of the present invention . in this example , the radar detection device ( 100 ) comprises a doppler radar module ( 120 ) that generates a microwave continuous wave ( cw ) signal at 10 . 525 ghz . however , other microwave frequencies may also be used . the cw signal is generated using a solid state gunn device transmitter ( not shown ). the resulting cw signal is transmitted through an antenna ( 125 ). when a person , for example , is located in front of the antenna ( 125 ), the transmitted signal is reflected off the body of the target individual . thus , any motion of the person &# 39 ; s body causes a phase shift in the reflected signal proportional to the amount of motion in the radial direction to the doppler radar module ( 120 ). at a frequency of 10 . 525 ghz , for example , the typical phase shift is 360 degrees for every 1 . 75 centimeters of radial motion toward or way from the doppler radar module ( 120 ) and antenna ( 125 ). the doppler radar module ( 120 ) of the radar detection device ( 100 ) transmits microwave energy in a 16 - degree beam toward its target . if the target is a subject positioned behind a wall , a high percentage of the transmitted power incident on the wall is reflected back to the doppler radar module ( 120 ) of the radar detection device ( 100 ). in addition , a low percentage of the transmitted power actually penetrates the wall to “ illuminate ” the subject of interest . accordingly , a small amount of the incident illuminating energy is reflected off of the subject &# 39 ; s thorax , back through the wall , and to the radar detection device &# 39 ; s antenna ( 125 ). the signal reflected from the subject is received by the antenna ( 125 ) and sent to the doppler radar module ( 120 ), where a reference signal from the cw transmitter is mixed with the received signal . a sum and difference signal is generated during the mixing process in typical homodyne fashion . the sum signal is filtered and eliminated while the difference signal is sent to preamplifier ( 130 ). the gain of pre - amplifier ( 130 ) is set so that it does not saturate on the maximum expected signal . the output of pre - amplifier ( 130 ) is fed to bandpass filter ( 142 ). the input to bandpass filter ( 142 ) contains the respiration signal and inteference . accordingly bandpass filter ( 142 ) removes the radar clutter signals caused by fluorescent light plasma modulation . the bandpass filter ( 142 ) also passes any signal caused by radar detection device motion that falls within the bandpass of the filter ( 142 ). the filtered signal is passed to the motion compensation module ( 150 ), where the very large radar clutter contribution caused by the radar detection device &# 39 ; s motion is removed in a manner to be described below . there are two primary types of motion to be eliminated with respect to the radar detection device ( 100 ): ( 1 ) the velocity of the moving arm of the user and ( 2 ) the body motion of the user . when the radar detection device ( 100 ) is hand - held and the user is moving , there is motion from both the user &# 39 ; s body and arm . therefore , all fixed objects illuminated by the antenna beam reflect some energy that appears to have motion due to the hand and arm motion of the operator . while the fixed objects in the antenna beam do not move and would normally not cause a phase shift , the signal from the fixed objects is phase shifted because the radar detection device ( 100 ) is moving with the body of the user . note , the doppler shifted backscatter from fixed objects tend to be a very large amplitude signal compared to the low amplitude signal generated by the small amount of chest cavity motion of a targeted subject during respiration . therefore , the motion that should be cancelled is the motion of the operator holding the radar detection device ( 100 ) in his or her hand . this task is performed by the stabilization system ( 110 ). the stabilization system ( 110 ) includes a reference module ( 112 ) that is linked to the radar detection device assembly . in this particular embodiment , the reference module is an ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) that transmits and receives an ultrasonic signal that is used as a source of reference or baseline information in analyzing the signal received by the doppler radar module ( 120 ). note , in some embodiments , reference or baseline data may be determined from the signals received by the reference module using other types of signals . for example , laser technology , among others , may be used in lieu of ultrasonic technology . accordingly , in some embodiments , the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) transmits a continuous signal at a sonic frequency and detects the difference between the phase of the transmitted signal and received signal . the frequency of the ultrasonic radar &# 39 ; s continuous wave transmission is selected so that the phase shift caused by an operator &# 39 ; s hand motion produces the same phase shift at the ultrasonic frequency of operation as the microwave radar signal reflecting from the wall target at microwave frequencies . the phase shift from the homodyne ultrasonic radar is mathematically manipulated to align it to the starting phase and magnitude as the motion induced phase shift detected by the doppler radar module ( 120 ). because the motion signal produced by movement of the radar detection device is identical from both the ultrasonic radar ( 112 ) and microwave radar ( 120 ) modules , this motion signal can be isolated from the doppler radar module signal by comparing the received doppler radar module signal and the received ultrasonic signal and removing the difference between the two signals , leaving only the desired thorax motion of respiration in the radar device channel . the ability to match exactly the two radar signals is due to the fact that microwaves propagate at 3 . 0 × 10 8 meters per second while sound waves propagate at approximately 3 . 5 × 10 2 meters per second . accordingly , in some embodiments , the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) operates on a frequency that produces the exact same doppler shift in air when it is moved as the radar detection device ( 100 ) produces at 10 . 525 ghz when it is moved in the same manner . correspondingly , other than amplitude , the baseband phase shift produced by both systems is the same . further , the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) and the doppler radar module ( 120 ) are configured to produce similar beamwidths . therefore , when the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) is mounted to the radar detection device ( 100 ), both produce identical phase shifted signals except for the following case where a subject is positioned behind a non - conducting opaque barrier , such as a wall or door . in that case , the primary reflection point for the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) is the outer surface of the wall , and the primary reflecting surface for the doppler radar module ( 120 ) and antenna ( 125 ) is the wall surface . however , a portion of the doppler radar module signal is also transmitted through the wall and reflected off of the subject , unlike the ultrasonic radar signal which is reflected off the wall only . in some alternative embodiments of the invention , a pulsed ultrasonic radar signal is transmitted by the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) that is the reference module . the pulsed ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) provides an accurate indication of the range or distance of the wall from the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) by measuring time of flight of the transmitted pulse of ultrasonic energy . in particular , motion of the handheld radar detection device ( 100 ) is measured by determining the small changes in range between each pulse versus time . with this accurate range information provided as a function of time and with the knowledge of the frequencies that the doppler radar module ( 120 ) is operating at , the stabilization processor ( 114 ) builds a model of an equivalent or synthetic doppler signal using the information provided by the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ). this synthetic doppler signal , or phase shift , is fed to the motion compensation circuit ( 150 ) where it is used to cancel the radar clutter signal generated by the scanning motion of the radar detection device ( 100 ). here , the radar signal output of the doppler radar module ( 120 ) is delayed in time and the phase change output from the mathematical model is removed from the delayed signal . note , in other embodiments , range data may be determined using other range finding techniques ( e . g ., laser technology ) that provides accurate range resolution besides ultrasonic signals . accordingly , a model of a synthetic doppler signal may be generated from range data from other techniques in the same general manner stated above . overall , once motion has been cancelled , the motion compensated signal containing the respiration signal is next fed to a digital signal processor ( 180 ), where signal processing is performed to extract the respiration signal or “ respiration signature .” the radar detection device &# 39 ; s signal processing circuit ( 180 ) detects the very small phase shift between the transmitted and received signal ( caused by the motion of the thorax during the respiration cycle ). the output of the digital signal processor ( 180 ) is amplified by an amplifier ( 160 ) to a level that can be used by a display processor ( 170 ). the display processor ( 170 ) formats the signal into a format that will drive a display unit ( 175 ). since much of the processing is preferably transparent to the user , this dictates that a simple but meaningful display system should be used . the display system preferably is visible in the dark and the level of illumination should be automatically controlled so the presence of user , such as a police officer , is not made known by a bright display illumination . the display unit ( 175 ) may be a liquid crystal or light emitting diode bar graph that shows an indication of probability of human presence as a function of the number of segments in the bar that are lit . the bar graph may also show modulation of a respiration event by displaying the amplitude of the signal being modulated at a respiration rate . it is also anticipated that the display may incorporate an alphanumeric capability to provide data to the user regarding detection probabilities , respiration rates , and other information that can be processed from the data . accordingly , in some embodiments , the radar detection device operates in the following manner : the user holds the device with a pistol - grip handle , pulls a trigger , and the device runs a 3 - second self - test to verify that it is properly functioning . the user sees the results as a bar graph on a small led display built into the device . while the trigger is held on by the operator , the radar detection device &# 39 ; s 16 - degree radar beam sends out a continuous wave or carrier of electromagnetic energy from the doppler radar module ( 120 ) and the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) sends out an ultrasonic beam . then , the return signals from each are detected and read by highspeed signal processing technology that quickly delivers bar - graph results to the user &# 39 ; s display . as the person on the other side of the wall breathes , the bar - graph display rises and falls with a rhythmic response . as depicted in fig2 , the functionality of a representative embodiment of the radar detection device ( 100 ) employing one embodiment of the stabilization system ( 110 ) or method ( 200 ) may be construed as beginning at block 210 . in block 210 , respective signals are transmitted from a reference module , such as an ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ), and a doppler radar module ( 120 ) toward a non - conducting object . in block 220 , the respective reflected signals from the non - conducting object ( such as a wall ) or some other obstructive object for each transmitted signal is received by the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) and doppler radar module ( 120 ). note , the received doppler signal may include reflected energy from a living and breathing subject positioned behind the non - conducting object . in block 230 , from the signal received by the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ), a phase shift due to motion of the radar detection device ( 100 ) is determined . next , in block 240 , the phase shift due to motion of the radar detection device ( 100 ) is removed from the signal received by the doppler radar module ( 120 ) to compensate for motion artifacts that may have been produced by movement of the doppler radar module and an obstruction , such as a wall . accordingly , in block 250 , the reflected signal from a breathing subject positioned behind the non - conducting object is isolated . referring now to fig3 , shown is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment ( 300 ), among others , of the operation of the present invention in detecting the presence of a living person behind an obstruction , such as a wall . in block 310 , a continuous beam of sonic energy ( of a frequency selected to match the propagation frequency of the microwave signal transmitted by the radar detection device ( 100 )) is transmitted from the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) towards a wall behind which a subject is located . the ultrasonic energy does not penetrate the wall and is reflected from the wall back to the receiver of the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ), as shown in block 320 . any hand motion of the radar detection device ( 100 ), on which the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) is mounted , produces a phase shift that varies directly as the hand motion changes toward and away from the wall . this phase - shifted ultrasonic signal is determined from the difference between the phase of the transmitted frequency and the phase of the received frequency of the ultrasonic signals , as shown in block 330 . correspondingly , in block 340 , the phase - shifted ultrasonic signal is sent to and stored in a holding buffer , for example . next , in block 350 , a microwave signal is transmitted ( by the doppler radar module ( 120 )) toward the wall behind which a subject may be located while the ultrasonic signal is being transmitted . for the microwave signal , some of energy from the transmitted microwave signal reflects off of the wall and is received by the doppler radar module ( 120 ), as shown in block 360 . the reflected energy from the wall contains both an operator &# 39 ; s hand motion and the motion of the breathing subject . in block 370 , the received microwave signal is compared to the transmitted microwave signal , the product of which , produces a complex phase shifted signal containing both the motion signal from the wall reflection and from the subject &# 39 ; s body behind the wall . in block 380 , the phase - shifted ultrasonic signal from the wall is removed from the mixed microwave radar signal containing both the signal from the wall due to hand motion and the signal from the subject behind the wall . after removal , the remaining microwave signal is the signal from the moving thorax of the subject . thus , the respiration signature of the subject may be isolated , as shown in block 390 . referring now to fig4 , shown is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment ( 300 ), among others , of the operation of the present invention utilizing synthetic modeling . first , in block 410 , a beam of continuous microwave energy is transmitted towards a target area such as a wall with a human subject standing behind the wall . next , in block 420 , the beam is received as a reflected microwave signal from the wall and the slightly moving subject behind the wall . further , in block 430 , a short pulse of ultrasonic energy is transmitted towards the target area and received as a reflected ultrasonic signal from the wall , as shown in block 440 . roundtrip time of flight is measured for each pulse transmitted by the ultrasonic radar , as show in block 450 . further , the time of flight of the successive reflected ultrasonic pulses is converted from time of flight to difference in range from the previous pulse , as shown in block 460 , by determining the small changes in range to equivalent change in phase as a function of time . next , in block 470 , the difference in range is submitted to a mathematical model that converts change in range between the ultrasonic radar to the wall to an equivalent change in phase for the doppler radar module ( 120 ) operating at a specific frequency . the resulting phase data that is output by the model is removed ( e . g ., by a subtraction operation ) from the phase of the reflected microwave signal containing both hand motion from the wall and the respiration motion from the thorax of the subject behind the wall , as shown in block 480 . thus , the subtraction operation cancels the hand motion that is common to both radar signals . therefore , the synthetic model of the doppler signal may be viewed as one channel of information based on the high - resolution range data from the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ). another channel of information , then , is the doppler radar module ( 120 ) and its associated signals . by mixing the two channels and subtracting them , the remaining information is free of motion artifacts from movement of the radar detection device ( 100 ). note , in other embodiments , high - resolution range data may be obtained using other range finding techniques , such as laser technology , among others . fig5 shows an ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) that is positioned on top of a doppler radar module ( 120 ). each module is in motion towards the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ) ( e . g ., a wall or door ). the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) transmits a signal ( 510 ) towards the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ). accordingly , the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) detects and receives a signal ( 512 ) reflected back from the reflective surface ( 520 ). next , consider that the doppler radar module ( 120 ) transmits a microwave signal ( 530 ) toward the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ) and the person ( 540 ) positioned behind the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ). correspondingly , a portion of the transmitted signal is reflected back off of the opaque surface ( 520 ) towards the doppler radar module ( 120 ). this reflected signal ( 532 ) is detected and received by the doppler radar module ( 120 ). the microwave power that is reflected from the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ) is amplified using a dc amplifier ( 130 ) and recorded at sample points by a data collection system ( not shown ). next , fig6 shows a pattern produced by the power reflecting from the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ) as the doppler radar module ( 120 ) is moved toward the opaque surface ( 520 ). the power received at the point at which the radar detection device &# 39 ; s movement starts is at the left of fig6 . the power received from the opaque surface ( 520 ) when the radar detection device ( 100 ) reaches its closest approach to the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ) appears at the right side of the plot . for this particular example , the data represent the power returned from a brick wall . one complete 360 - degree sine wave is generated when the radar detection device ( 100 ) moves 1 . 75 centimeters ( one half wavelength ) toward the wall . further , there are approximately 13 . 5 cycles of data confirming that the total movement of the radar detection device ( 100 ) was 23 . 7 centimeters or 9 . 3 inches . the shift in the sine pattern downward occurs due to a shift in the dc level as the radar detection device ( 100 ) approaches the wall . this shift is due to the fact that as more power is received from the approaching wall , the detector diode generates an increasing amount of rectified negative dc voltage , which biases the plot downward . the sine wave pattern is produced by an additive and subtractive change in phase between the direct path signal fed directly to the mixer of the radar detection device ( 100 ) and the reflected path from the antenna ( 125 ) to the wall and back to the antenna ( 125 ). referring again to fig5 , a portion of the transmitted signal is transmitted through the opaque reflective surface ( 520 ) towards the person ( 540 ) positioned behind the reflective surface ( 520 ). this portion of the transmitted signal is reflected off of the person &# 39 ; s body ( e . g ., thorax ), as the person is breathing , back towards the doppler radar module ( 120 ). this reflected signal ( 534 ) is then received by antenna ( 125 ) and detected by doppler radar module ( 120 ). the power received from the reflective surface ( 520 ) by the doppler radar module ( 120 ) is amplified and converted to a voltage that is sampled by a data collection system . the range data from the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) is also simultaneously sampled at the same point . in some embodiments , the range generated by the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) may be available from both a numeric counter that provides range to two decimal places and also on a transistor to transistor logic ( ttl ) line . the ttl line is pulsewidth modulated . the width of the range pulse corresponds to the range of the transducer of the ultrasonic radar module to a target , which is the reflective surface ( 520 ) in fig5 . high resolution range data may be developed from the pulsewidth modulated data by starting a high speed counter when the line goes high and stopping the counter when the line returns to the low logic state . the pulsewidth modulator may provide range data with an accuracy on the order of millimeters . interestingly for the case where the reflective surface is a door , the resolution of the range data may be high enough to allow the relief of decorative panels on the door to be observed in the range data as the ultrasonic transducer is moved across the slight change in door surface elevation . the high resolution ultrasonic range data may be converted to a synthetic phase modulated signal scaled to the radar detection device &# 39 ; s operating frequency of 10 . 525 ghz , using a simple doppler model called the “ range to phase model .” the conversion of the range data using the model produces a synthetic phase signal similar to the one shown in fig6 . once computed , the synthetic phase data generated from the range information may be removed from the measured output signal from the doppler radar module ( 120 ) using signal processing ( e . g ., a subtraction operation ). fig7 shows the result of this operation . referring to fig7 , the trace indicated by pointer 710 corresponds to the amplified output of the radar detection device &# 39 ; s mixer that was recorded as the radar detection device ( 100 ) moved toward the wall . the range to phase model (“ synthetic phase data ”), indicated by pointer 720 , is removed from the radar detection device signal ( 710 ) and the difference is shown and is indicated by pointer 730 . this plot shows that the amplitude difference (“ motion cancellation factor ”) between the motion artifact signal level produced between trace 730 and trace 710 is approximately 3 . a cancellation factor of 3 is generally sufficient to detect human movement behind the wall on a selected basis and is indicative of a respiration signature ( 730 ) of the subject ( 540 ) behind the wall ( 520 ). higher cancellation performance may also be increased by reducing the beam size of the ultrasonic radar module ( 112 ) to provide a beamwidth that is closer to the beamwidth of the doppler radar module ( 120 ), if possible . since the stabilization system ( 110 ) employed on the radar detection device ( 100 ) compensates for motion artifacts generated by self - induced motion from the radar detection device ( 100 ), it presents a preferred way to operate the radar detection device ( 100 ) in a handheld mode that requires no wall or tripod for stabilization . when operated in this mode , the radar detection device ( 100 ) may be hand held and located some distance from the intervening door or wall . it may be slowly scanned across the wall or door that the subject of interest would be concealed behind and detect the respiration patterns of the subject from a remote distance . additionally , the radar detection device can detect the body movement of a subject at longer ranges than those at which the respiration signature can be detected when the subject is stationary . note , total body motion presents a much larger doppler modulated radar cross section than the small respiration induced movement of the chest wall . however , for law enforcement applications , for example , the subject cannot be depended upon to voluntarily move during the search process . thus , the detection of the involuntary respiration signature is advantageous in ensuring that a motionless subject can be detected . the signal processing components and modules of embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware , software , firmware , or a combination thereof . if implemented in hardware , as in preferred embodiments , the signal processing components can be implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies , which are all well known in the art : a discrete logic circuit ( s ) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals , an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) having appropriate combinational logic gates , a programmable gate array ( s ) ( pga ), a field programmable gate array ( fpga ), etc . in alternative embodiments , the signal processing components are implemented in software or firmware that is stored in a memory and that is executed by a suitable instruction execution system . any process descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood as representing modules , segments , or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process , and alternate implementations are included within the scope of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed , including substantially concurrently or in reverse order , depending on the functionality involved , as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the art of the present invention . it should be emphasized that the above - described embodiments of the present invention , particularly , any “ preferred ” embodiments , are merely possible examples of implementations , merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention . many variations and modifications may be made to the above - described embodiment ( s ) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention . all such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and by the following claims . | 6 |
referring to fig1 , in a preparation ply manufacturing line 20 , a strip of calendered material 22 is fed from calender rolls ( not shown ) in a known manner . the calendered material 22 is about 0 . 040 – 0 . 060 inch thick and has cords 24 made from a nonmetallic material , which extend longitudinally generally parallel to the calendered edges 26 . the nonmetallic cords 24 being less rigid than metallic cords result in the calendered edges 26 being nonlinear and undulating . the calendered material is fed by a conveyor 28 past a cutter 30 , which cuts the calendered material to desired lengths , depending on the application . the resulting rectangular pieces 32 are then transferred onto a transverse infeed conveyor 34 . the pieces are then conveyed in a downstream direction 35 to a butt splicing machine 36 that forms butt joints 40 between the calendered edges 26 of the cut pieces 32 to form a continuous preparation ply strip 38 . the butt joints 40 are reinforced by respective gum strips 42 that are placed over the joints 40 by a gum strip applier 44 . the resulting continuous preparation ply strip is collected on windup rolls 43 in a known manner . the continuous preparation ply strip 38 has nonmetallic cords 24 that are substantially parallel to the butt joints 40 and gum strips 42 and are transverse to a longitudinal axis 46 of the preparation ply strip 38 . for purposes of this description , the term “ downstream ” is used to identify the direction of motion of the preparation ply material 38 through the butt splicer 36 and gum strip applier 44 , that is , from right to left as viewed in fig1 . the term “ upstream ” is used to designate a motion in an opposite direction . components on the butt splicer 36 that are identified as “ downstream ” are located closer to the gum strip applier 44 than components identified as being “ upstream ”. fig2 is a side view of a portion of the preparation ply manufacturing line 20 , a strip of calendered material 22 that includes the infeed conveyor 34 , butt splicer 36 and gum strip applier 44 . it should be noted that except for the butt splicer 36 and gum strip applier 44 , all of the elements of fig1 are known and used in the tire manufacturing industry . it should also be noted that preparation equipment 48 for the gum strip applier 44 , which feeds the gum strip from a roll and separates and winds up a covering over the gum strip adhesive is also known . referring to fig4 and 5 , the butt splicing machine 36 has a frame 72 that supports floating tables 70 on both the upstream and downstream sides of the butt splicer 36 . pairs of upper racks 50 and pairs of lower racks 52 are mounted to extend transversely across the width of the butt splicing machine . each pair of upper racks 50 is comprised of a nonpivotable , upstream rack 54 having teeth 56 that are engageable with teeth 58 of a pivotable , downstream rack 60 . similarly , each pair of lower racks 52 is comprised of a nonpivotable , upstream rack 62 having teeth 64 that are engageable with teeth 66 of a pivotable , downstream rack 68 . the pairs of lower racks 52 are fixed in elevation immediately adjacent the table 70 that supports the cut strips 32 as they are fed by the infeed conveyor 34 to the butt splicer 36 . the racks 54 , 60 , 62 , 68 are commercially available gear racks . each of the upper , upstream racks 54 is mounted to a lower end of a respective upper , nonpivotable , upstream jaw mounting bracket 75 that is mounted on a slide 76 . the slide 76 is slidably mounted on a linear guide 77 that is fixed to an upper pair of cross rails 78 of the frame 72 . each of the upper , downstream racks 60 is mounted to a lower end of a respective upper , pivotable , downstream jaw mounting bracket 79 . upper ends of each of the upper jaw mounting brackets 75 , 79 are mechanically connected to a clamp drive comprised of a respective upper clamping actuator 82 , for example , a pneumatic cylinder , as shown in fig5 . the cylinders 82 are mounted to a truss 95 that is mounted on gearboxes 97 on the frame 72 . the gearboxes 97 are connected by a shaft 99 and operated by a handwheel 101 . thus , turning the handwheel 101 permits the vertical position of the cylinders 82 and the upper pairs of racks 50 to be adjusted . the upper ends of each of the jaw mounting brackets 75 , 79 are pivotally connected via a pivot pin 80 to a distal end of a cylinder rod 81 of a respective cylinder 82 . simultaneous operation of the cylinders 82 in one state is operative to simultaneously move the upper jaw mounting brackets 75 , 79 and respective pairs of upper racks 50 downward toward the pairs of lower racks 52 . reversing the operation of the cylinders 82 is operative to move the upper racks 50 away from the lower racks 52 . as shown in fig4 , the upper , downstream racks 60 are pivotable with respect to respective upper , upstream racks 54 by means of an engagement drive comprised of respective upper engagement actuators 83 , for example , a pneumatic cylinder . specifically , the cylinders 83 are mounted on respective upper , downstream jaw mounting brackets 79 ; and as shown in fig3 , distal ends of respective cylinder rods 85 are connected to respective opposed , upper , upstream jaw mounting brackets 75 . simultaneous operation of the engagement cylinders 83 in one state causes the upper , downstream jaw mounting brackets 79 and respective upper , downstream racks 60 to pivot toward the upper , upstream jaw mounting brackets 75 and the respective upper , upstream racks 54 , thereby engaging their respective teeth 58 , 56 . reversing the operation of the engagement cylinders 83 causes the upper , downstream racks 60 to move simultaneously away from the upper rear racks 54 , thereby disengaging their respective teeth 58 , 56 . each of the lower , upstream racks 62 is mounted to a lower end of a respective lower , upstream , nonpivotable jaw mounting bracket 84 that is attached to a lower pair of cross rails 87 fixed to the frame 72 . each of the lower , downstream racks 68 is mounted to a lower end of a respective lower , pivotable , downstream jaw mounting bracket 88 . upper ends of each of the lower jaw mounting brackets 84 , 88 are pivotally connected via a pivot pin 89 . the lower , downstream racks 68 are pivotable with respect to respective lower , upstream racks 62 by means of an engagement drive comprised of respective lower engagement actuators 90 , for example , a pneumatic cylinder . specifically , the cylinders 90 are mounted on respective lower , downstream jaw mounting brackets 88 ; and as shown in fig3 , distal ends of respective cylinder rods 91 are connected to respective lower , upstream jaw mounting brackets 84 . simultaneous operation of the engagement cylinders 90 in one state causes the lower , downstream jaw mounting brackets 88 and respective lower , downstream racks 68 to pivot toward the lower , upstream jaw mounting brackets 84 and the respective lower , upstream racks 62 , thereby engaging their respective teeth 66 , 64 . reversing the operation of the engagement cylinders 90 causes the lower , downstream racks 68 to move simultaneously away from the lower , upstream racks 62 , thereby disengaging their respective teeth 66 , 64 . referring to fig6 , the operation of the floating table 70 and cylinders 90 , 82 , 83 are controlled by the operation of solenoids 94 that port pressurized air from a source 96 in a known manner . the operational states of the solenoids are commanded by output signals from a control 98 , for example , a programmable logic controller or other microcontroller . the operation of the control 98 is controlled by input devices , for example , a user i / o 100 , an edge sensor 102 , etc . the control 98 also provides output signals that command the operation of an infeed conveyor motor 104 ( fig2 ) and an outfeed conveyor motor 106 that operate the respective infeed and outfeed conveyors 34 , 108 . the operation of the butt splicer 36 is controlled by various cycles of operation that are programmed in the control 98 in a known manner as a group of subroutines . for example , a first subroutine illustrated in fig7 is effective to position cut pieces 32 in the butt splicer 36 in preparation for making the butt joint . the process of fig5 starts with a preparation ply in the butt splicer 36 and a butt joint has just been completed . referring to fig1 , 2 , 6 and 7 , to position the preparation ply 38 and a new cut piece 32 for the next splice , the control 98 provides , at 502 , output signals to cause the infeed and outfeed conveyor motors 104 , 106 , respectively , to run . at the same time , the control 98 provides an output signal to solenoid 94 d causing it to switch state and port pressurized air to the floating tables 70 . thus , material can be moved over the butt splicer 36 with minimal friction from a subjacent support . simultaneous operation of the infeed and outfeed conveyors 34 , 108 causes the preparation ply strip 38 to move in a downstream direction 35 as viewed in fig1 , 2 and 8 . that motion of the preparation ply strip 38 results in a trailing edge 110 ( fig8 ) passing beneath an edge sensor 102 mounted on the butt splicer 36 . upon detecting the trailing edge 110 , the edge sensor 102 provides an output signal , at 504 , to the control 98 . the control 98 then monitors the operation of the outfeed conveyor 108 to determine when the trailing edge 110 has been moved to a desired position with respect to the teeth 66 of the lower , downstream rack 68 . the distance between the point at which the trailing edge 110 is sensed by the edge sensor 102 and the final position of the trailing edge 110 on the lower , downstream rack 68 is a known value . therefore , the operation of the outfeed conveyor motor 106 can be precisely controlled such that the outfeed conveyor 108 is stopped when the trailing edge 110 is at its desired position on the lower , downstream rack 68 . the desired position of the trailing edge varies depending on the design of the butt splicer 36 , the depth of the teeth of the racks , the nature of the preparation ply material , etc . the desired position of the trailing edge 110 is back from the front edges of the teeth 66 of the lower , downstream rack 68 . however , the desired amount of setback of the trailing edge 110 is determined experimentally in each application and may , for example , be a distance equal to somewhat less than half the length of the teeth 66 . detecting when the trailing edge 110 is in position may be accomplished in several ways . in one embodiment , the outfeed conveyor motor 106 has an encoder 112 attached thereto ; and each output pulse from the encoder represents an incremental displacement of the outfeed conveyor 108 . thus , the control 98 can detect and count output pulses from the encoder 112 and detect , at 506 , when the trailing edge 110 is at its desired position on the teeth 66 of the lower , downstream rack 68 . in an alternative embodiment , if the speed of the outfeed conveyor 108 is fixed , the control 98 can start an internal timer that counts the milliseconds required to move the trailing edge 110 from its position under the edge sensor 102 to a desired position on the teeth 66 of the lower , downstream rack 68 . in either event , when the control 98 determines , at 506 , that the trailing edge is at its desired position , it provides , at 508 , an output signal to the outfeed conveyor motor 106 commanding it to stop . in addition , the control 98 provides an output signal switching the state of solenoid 94 d to remove the supply of pressurized air from the downstream floating table 70 , thereby providing a more rigid support for the cut piece 38 . simultaneously , with moving of the preparation ply 38 , the operation of the infeed conveyor 34 by the control 98 is also causing a new cut piece 32 to move in the downstream direction 35 toward the butt splicer 36 . after detecting the trailing edge 110 of the preparation ply 38 , the edge sensor 102 detects the leading edge 114 of the next cut piece 32 to be spliced to the preparation ply strip 38 ; and its output changes state at 510 . upon the control 98 detecting that change of state , it starts counting pulses from an encoder 116 that is connected to the infeed conveyor motor 104 . by counting encoder pulses , the control 98 is able to determine when the leading edge 114 is at a desired position on the teeth 64 of the lower , upstream rack 62 . again , the desired position of the leading edge 114 varies depending on the design of the butt splicer 36 , the depth of the teeth of the racks , the nature of the preparation ply material , etc . the desired position of the leading edge 114 is determined in the same way as described with respect to the desired position of the trailing edge 110 . upon the control 98 detecting , at 512 , the desired position of the leading edge 114 , it provides , at 514 , an output signal to the infeed conveyor motor 104 commanding it to stop . it should be noted that the infeed conveyor 34 and outfeed conveyor 108 normally have about equal speeds , however , the outfeed conveyor may be run slightly faster than the infeed conveyor to increase the gap between the trailing edge 110 of the preparation ply 38 and the leading edge of the ply section 32 during conveyance . in addition , the control 98 provides an output signal switching the state of solenoid 94 d to remove the supply of pressurized air from the upstream floating table 70 , thereby providing a more rigid support for the cut piece 32 . at this point , the edges 110 , 114 are at desired locations on respective teeth 66 , 64 of the lower rear and forward racks 68 , 62 , respectively . after the edges are at the desired locations , the butt splicer is ready to form a butt splice joining the preparation ply strip 38 with the new cut piece 32 . referring to fig9 , a process for making a butt splice begins with the control 98 providing , at 516 , an output signal to the solenoid 94 a causing the solenoid to switch states and port pressurized air to the clamp cylinders 82 . the clamp cylinders simultaneously lower the plurality of upper racks 50 until the upper , downstream racks 60 contact a portion of the preparation ply strip 39 adjacent the trailing edge 110 being supported by respective lower , downstream racks 68 . at about the same time , the upper , upstream racks 54 contact a portion of the cut strip 32 adjacent the leading edge 114 being supported by the lower , upstream racks 62 as shown in fig8 a . the time required to move the upper racks to their clamped position can be measured , and the control 98 can be programmed to initiate an internal timer equal to that clamping operation time . therefore , when that timer expires , the control 98 then determines , at 518 , that the upper pairs of racks 50 have been moved to their respective desired clamped positions . thereafter , the control 98 then provides , at 520 , output signals to solenoids 94 b , 94 c to change the states of those solenoids and port pressurized air into the upper and lower engagement cylinders 83 , 90 , respectively . the engagement cylinders 83 , 90 are effective to move the upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 toward their mating upper and lower , upstream racks 54 , 62 . the clamped upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 move the preparation ply 38 in an upstream direction 117 ( fig8 a ) to bring the preparation ply strip trailing edge 110 into contact with the cut piece leading edge 114 in an abutting relationship . continued motion of the upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 firmly forces the preparation ply strip trailing edge 110 against the cut piece leading edge 114 to form the butt splice 40 ( fig8 b ). the tackiness of the elastomeric material helps to maintain the cut piece leading edge 114 in intimate contact with the preparation ply strip trailing edge 110 . that motion continues until the teeth 58 , 66 of the respective upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 are fully engaged with the teeth 56 , 64 of the respective upper and lower , upstream racks 54 , 62 as shown in fig8 b . once again , as previously described , the control 98 is able , by means of an internal timer , to determine , at 522 , that the upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 are fully engaged with respective upper and lower , upstream racks 54 , 62 . at that point , the control 98 provides , at 524 , an output signal to switch the state of solenoid 94 a , thereby reversing the porting of pressurized air to the clamp cylinders 82 . the actuation of the clamp cylinders 82 causes the pairs of upper racks 50 to be raised and moved back to their unclamped position as shown in fig8 c . immediately thereafter , the control 98 provides , at 526 , output signals to the solenoids 94 b , 94 c to switch the states of the upper and lower engagement cylinders 83 , 90 , thereby moving the upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 in the downstream direction 35 away from the upper and lower , upstream racks 54 , 62 . that operation causes the racks to open to a position illustrated in fig8 . in the above process , it should be noted that as the upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 move toward the respective upstream racks 54 , 62 , the downstream racks 60 , 68 and the preparation ply 38 move simultaneously . however , after the preparation ply trailing edge 110 contacts the cut piece leading edge 114 , the upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 have a relative motion with respect to the preparation ply strip 38 and therefore , must slide over the major surfaces of the preparation ply strip 38 without causing damage . to facilitate this , the sides 93 of the pivoting , downstream racks 60 , 68 are coated with a “ teflon ” material . in addition , the teeth of the upper and lower , downstream racks 60 , 68 are beveled at their leading edge of contact , that is , the surface 92 ( fig4 ). the exact configuration of a beveled surface 92 is application dependent and varies with the nature of the ply material , the length of the racks , etc . in some applications , the beveled surface 92 has an angle of about 10 ° with respect to the side surface 93 of the rack ; whereas , in other applications , the beveled surface has an angle of about 20 °. the angle providing the best performance is determined experimentally by trial and error . similarly , the desired length of the beveled surface 92 and its desired depth from the side surface 93 is also determined experimentally by trial and error . such a beveled surface 92 facilitates a sliding motion of the downstream racks 60 , 68 over the preparation ply strip 38 without gouging it or otherwise causing damage . in operating the butt splicer 36 , it has been found that having a plurality of pairs of upper and lower racks 50 , 52 provides a more consistent , higher quality butt splice than if the upper and lower racks 50 , 52 extended continuously across a full width of the butt splicer 36 . the reliability and quality of the butt splice is further improved by nonrigidly mounting the upper racks 54 , 60 to respective upper jaw mounting brackets 75 , 79 . the nonrigid mountings of the racks 54 , 60 are identical ; and the mounting of rack 54 onto jaw mounting bracket 75 is shown in fig1 . shoulder bolts 122 have shoulders that extend through slots 123 in the jaw mounting bracket 75 and threadedly engage the rack 54 . thus , the rack 54 is not rigidly mounted to the respective jaw mounting bracket but is free to move relative thereto by an amount depending on the size of the slots 123 . further , the end of the jaw mounting bracket 75 has a generally l - shaped notch 124 extending across a width of the jaw mounting bracket 75 . the slots 123 intersect a first notch surface 125 that contacts a rear surface of the rack 54 . a perpendicular surface 126 of the notch is curved , for example , with a 30 inch radius , to allow the rack 54 to rock thereon . it has been determined that such nonrigidly mounting of the upper racks 54 , 60 to respective jaw mounting brackets 75 , 79 substantially improves the quality of the butt splice 40 . the operation of the butt splicer 36 is effective to provide reliable and high quality butt joints in the formation of a preparation ply strip . further , it should be noted that the butt splicer 36 can be used to form butt splices that are substantially perpendicular to the infeed conveyor 34 as well as butt splices that are oblique with , or angled slightly from a perpendicular to the infeed conveyor 34 . referring to fig3 , a forward leg 131 of the frame 72 of the butt splicer 36 is pivotally mounted to a base plate 132 . a rearward leg ( not shown ) of the frame 72 is supported by a caster 133 that rides on the base plate 132 . a ballscrew and nut assembly 134 is connected between the rearward leg and a handwheel 135 . turning the handwheel 135 rotates the ballscrew and causes the nut that is pivotally attached to the rearward leg of the frame 72 to travel along the ball screw . as the nut is moved , the rearward leg of the frame 72 pivots with respect to the forward leg 131 , thereby skewing the rows of upper and lower racks 50 , 52 with respect to a line perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the infeed conveyor 34 . an indicator associated with the handwheel 135 is calibrated in one degree increments . permitting the frame 72 to be pivoted through an angle of up to about 10 degrees is sufficient for most applications . it has been found that for preparation ply strips made with nonmetallic cords , the butt joint is stronger and more stable during the tire manufacturing process if it is covered with a gum strip . for the most efficient operation , the gum strip applier 44 operates simultaneously with the butt slicer 36 . therefore , the gum strip applier 44 is positioned with respect to the butt splicer 36 such that , simultaneously with the preparation ply trailing edge being positioned at the butt splicer 36 , the most recently formed butt splice is positioned at a location at which a gum strip can be applied by the gum strip applier 44 . referring to fig1 , outfeed conveyor 108 is supported by a base 126 . the gum strip applier 44 has a frame 127 that is independently supported by a base 128 having legs 129 . thus , the outfeed conveyor 108 and gum strip applier 44 are independently positionable with respect to the butt splicer 36 . the gum strip applier 44 is positioned such that when a butt splice is being formed on the butt splicer 36 , a previously made butt splice is located on outfeed conveyor 108 at a location 140 permitting the gum strip applier 44 to apply a gum strip to the previously made butt splice . referring to fig1 , the gum strip applier 44 has a gum strip conveyor 142 and a vacuum head assembly 144 . the vacuum head assembly 144 has two degrees of freedom that permit it to remove a gum strip from the conveyor 142 and place it on a butt splice positioned at the upstream location 140 . referring to fig1 , an x - axis , horizontal drive motor 146 is mechanically connected to one end of a ball screw 148 ; and a sprocket 150 is mounted on an opposite end of the ball screw 148 and operatively engages a timing belt 152 . the timing belt 152 is further connected to a second sprocket 154 mounted on an end of a second ball screw 156 . the ball screws 148 , 156 have respective ball nuts 158 , 160 that support and carry a carriage 162 that is supported and guided in its linear motion by linear bearings 163 . as shown in fig1 , the carriage 162 supports the vacuum head assembly 144 . the vacuum head assembly 144 has a length substantially equal to the length of the butt splice , that is , the full width of the preparation ply strip . rotation of the horizontal drive motor 146 is operative to simultaneously move the ball nuts 158 , 160 ( fig1 ), the carriage 162 and the vacuum head assembly 144 in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the preparation ply strip . referring to fig1 , a z - axis vertical drive motor 164 is mounted on , and supported by , the carriage 162 and is mechanically connected to one end of a first ball screw 166 . a first timing sprocket 168 is mounted on an opposite end of the first ball screw 166 and operatively engages a timing belt 170 that also engages a sprocket 172 mounted on an end of a second ball screw 174 . first and second ball nuts 176 , 178 are rotatably mounted on the respective ball screws 166 , 178 and are connected to a vacuum head plenum 180 , which is guided in its linear motion by linear bearings 181 . referring to fig1 , a vacuum head 182 is supported by vertical posts 184 that are fixed to the plenum 180 . biasing components , for example , compression springs 181 , are mounted on the posts 184 between the vacuum head 182 and the plenum 180 . the vacuum head 182 has a length that extends across substantially the whole width of the outfeed conveyor as well as the length of a butt splice in the preparation ply strip . thus , operation of the vertical drive motor 164 causes the vacuum plenum 180 and vacuum head 182 to raise and lower with respect to the outfeed conveyor 108 . referring to fig6 b , the control 98 provides output signals to the strip conveyor motor 186 and receives input pulses from a strip conveyor encoder 188 by which the control 98 can determine the linear motion of the strip conveyor 142 . similarly , in response to output signals commanding the operation of the horizontal and vertical drive motors 146 , 164 , the control 98 receives feedback signals from the encoders 190 , 192 representing motion of the vacuum head 182 . the control 98 is also operatively connected to a vacuum pump 194 that applies the partial vacuum pressure to the vacuum head plenum 180 . a vacuum is applied and released from the vacuum head 182 by means of a vacuum release valve 196 connected between the vacuum head plenum and the vacuum head 182 . when in its first state , the valve 196 closes the vacuum head to atmosphere and opens it to the vacuum head plenum 180 , thereby applying a partial vacuum to the vacuum head 182 . in its opposite state , the valve 196 closes the connection between the vacuum head 182 and the vacuum head plenum 180 and opens the vacuum head 182 to atmosphere , thereby dissipating the partial vacuum therein . the control 98 is also connected to a solenoid 94 e that is operative to change the state of a knife cylinder 198 , thereby operating a knife 200 on the gum strip preparation equipment 48 ( fig2 ) for cutting the gum strips to desired lengths . there are three independent but coordinated operations or subroutines that are executed by the gum strip applier 44 . referring to fig1 , first , a gum strip 42 is moved by the conveyor 142 to a location ready for transfer to the vacuum head 182 . a second operation is for the vacuum head 182 to pick up the gum strip from the conveyor 142 and be ready to apply the gum strip to the butt joint . a third operation is to apply the gum strip to the butt joint after the butt joint has been moved to the desired location 140 ( fig1 ). referring to fig6 b , 12 and 15 , to cut a gum strip to length , the control 98 provides , at 552 , an output signal to operate the strip conveyor motor 186 , thereby causing the strip conveyor 142 to feed the gum strip . as the gum strip 42 is fed , the control 98 monitors and counts output pulses from the strip conveyor encoder 188 . when the control 98 counts , at 554 , a number of pulses equal to the desired length of the gum strip , the control 98 provides , at 556 , an output signal commanding the strip conveyor motor 186 to stop . thereafter , the control 98 provides , at 558 , an output signal commanding the solenoid 94 e to change state , thereby porting pressurized fluid to the knife cylinder 198 and operating the knife 200 . immediately thereafter , the output signal from the control 98 changes state , thereby reversing the state of solenoid 94 e and returning the knife cylinder 198 to its original position . that operation of actuating the knife cylinder reciprocates the knife 200 and establishes a cut end of the gum strip 145 . this action provides a gum strip on the strip conveyor 142 that is of the desired length , that is , the length of the butt strip 40 . thereafter , the control 98 provides , at 560 , an output signal commanding the strip conveyor motor 186 to start ; and the strip conveyor 142 transports the gum strip 42 across the width of the outfeed conveyor 108 . again , the control 98 is monitoring and counting output pulses from the strip conveyor encoder 188 and is able to determine when the cut gum strip is in its desired position . when that position is detected , at 562 , the control 98 provides , at 564 , an output signal commanding the strip conveyor motor 186 to stop . at this point , a gum strip 42 of the desired length is located on the strip conveyor 142 at a location ready to be picked up by the vacuum head 182 . referring to fig6 b , 11 and 16 , to pick up the gum strip from the gum strip conveyor 142 , assume that the vacuum head 182 is elevated and the carriage 162 is positioned to locate the vacuum head 182 at a downstream location above the gum strip conveyor 142 , ready to pick up a gum strip . the control 98 provides , at 565 , an output signal to the vacuum release valve 196 closing the vacuum head 182 to atmosphere and opening the vacuum head to the vacuum head plenum 180 . a vacuum is then applied to the vacuum head 182 . the control 98 also provides , at 565 , output signals to the z - axis , vertical drive motor 164 , thereby rotating the ball screws 166 , 174 in a direction to move the vacuum head 182 vertically downward toward the gum strip conveyor 142 . the control monitors and counts output pulses from the vertical drive encoder 192 and detects , at 566 , when the vacuum head 182 is at its desired position immediately above the strip conveyor 142 . at that position , the vacuum head 182 is sufficiently close to the strip conveyor 142 that the vacuum head 182 is able to lift the gum strip off of the gum strip conveyor 142 . the control 98 then provides , at 567 , output signals to the z - axis vertical drive motor 164 and the x - axis horizontal drive motor 146 causing the vacuum head to move to a ready position immediately above the location 140 at which the butt joint is located . as will be appreciated , the control 98 can be programmed to first operate the vertical drive motor 164 to raise the vacuum head 182 and thereafter , operate the horizontal drive motor 146 to move the vacuum head horizontally to a ready position over the butt joint location 140 . alternatively , in other applications , the motors 146 and 164 can be operated simultaneously to move the vacuum head 182 to the ready position . in either embodiment , the control signal monitors output pulses from the encoders 190 , 192 in a manner previously described to detect , at 568 , that the vacuum head 182 is at the ready position . thereafter , the control 98 provides , at 569 , output signals to the either or both of the motors 146 , 164 commanding them to stop the vacuum head 182 at the ready position . referring to fig6 b , 11 , 12 and 17 , to apply the gum strip to the butt joint , assume that a butt joint has been moved to the location 140 beneath the vacuum head 182 at the ready position . the control 98 provides , at 572 , output signals to the z - axis , vertical drive motor 166 rotating ball screws 166 , 174 in a direction causing the vacuum head 182 to lower onto and contact the preparation ply strip 38 . the gum strip has a length that extends over substantially the whole length of the butt splice . further , the gum strip has a width such that it extends across the butt splice and over a portion of the major surfaces on both sides of the butt splice 40 . the vacuum head 182 is resiliently and movably mounted with respect to the vacuum head plenum 180 . therefore , as the vertical drive motor 164 continues to move the vacuum head plenum 182 downward , the vacuum head 182 contacts the preparation ply strip 38 and the springs 181 apply a desired , downward biasing force against the vacuum head 182 , thereby applying a desired application force against the gum strip 42 . that force is determined by spring constants of springs 181 and is effective to cause the adhesive on the gum strip 42 to better adhere to the preparation ply strip 38 . again , the control 98 is monitoring the output pulses from the encoder 190 and detects , at 573 , when the vacuum head 182 has been moved to its lowermost position . thereafter , the control 98 provides , at 574 , an output signal to the vertical drive motor 164 commanding it to stop . in addition , the control 98 provides an output signal to the vacuum release valve 196 changing the state of the valve such that the fluid connection between the vacuum head plenum and the vacuum head 182 is blocked , and the vacuum head 182 is open to atmosphere . at this point , the control 98 may allow the vacuum head 182 to dwell at its lowermost position to allow the adhesive on the gum strip to set . such a dwell time is determined by an internal timer in the control 98 and can be set from zero to any desired number of seconds in a known manner . thereafter , the control 98 provides , at 575 , output signals commanding the drive motor 146 , 162 to move the vacuum head back to the pickup position above the gum strip conveyor 142 . in a manner as previously described , the control monitors the encoders 190 , 192 to detect , at 576 , when the vacuum head 182 is at the pickup position ; and thereafter , at 577 , the control 98 provides output signals to stop the drive motors 146 , 164 . as indicated earlier , it is desirable that the gum strip applier 44 operate simultaneously with the butt splicer 36 to apply the gum strip 42 over the most recently formed butt splice while the butt splicer 36 is splicing the next cut piece 32 to the preparation ply strip 38 . therefore , prior to a splice being moved to the position 140 , the gum strip applier 44 is operated to prepare a gum strip for application . from the above , it is clear that for a more efficient operation , several of the above processes and subroutines can be operating simultaneously . for example , while a butt splice is being made ( fig9 ) and a gum strip is being applied over a previously made butt splice ( fig1 ), a gum strip can be cut to size and moved into the gum strip applier ( fig1 and 16 ). fig1 is a state diagram of a program in the control 98 that permits several operations or subroutines to be operated simultaneously . if at 580 , there is no gum strip on the gum strip conveyor 142 , the control 98 executes , at 581 , the subroutine of fig1 to cut a gum strip to length . if a gum strip is on the conveyor 142 , the control 98 determines , at 582 , whether the vacuum head is empty ; and if so , executes , at 583 , the subroutine of fig1 to pick up a gum strip from the conveyor 142 . if the vacuum head 182 is holding a gum strip , the control , at 584 , determines whether a butt splice is in position and ready to be made . if so , the control , at 585 , 586 , proceeds to make a butt splice by executing the butt splice subroutine of fig9 and simultaneously apply gum strip to a previously made butt splice by executing the subroutine of fig1 . if the control 98 , at any time , detects , at 584 , that a butt splice is not in position ready to be made , it brings a new cut piece 32 into the butt splicer 36 by executing the position preparation ply subroutine of fig7 . the above process provides an economical , efficient and reliable butt splice of preparation plies , thereby providing a higher quality tire manufacturing process . it should be noted that the location of the gum strip applier 44 can be adjusted with respect to the butt splicer 36 to accommodate different widths of calendered material being supplied to the infeed conveyor 34 . referring to fig1 , each side of the gum strip applier frame 127 has grooved rollers 136 that are mounted on opposite sides of a linear guide 137 attached to the base 128 . as shown in fig1 , a ballscrew and nut assembly 138 is mounted to the base 128 . a handwheel 139 is operatively connected to the ballscrew nut and is rotatably mounted to the frame 127 . rotation of the handwheel 139 rotates the ballscrew nut causing it to move the frame 127 and the components supported thereby with respect to the base 128 and the butt splicer 36 . thus , calendered material of different widths can be readily accommodated . it should be noted that when the location of the frame 127 and gum strip conveyor 142 is changed , the feeding of the gum strip 42 from the preparation equipment 48 ( fig2 ) must also be adjusted in a known manner , for example , by moving the location of the equipment 48 . while the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail , it is not the intention of applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail . additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art . for example , in the described embodiment , the engagement actuators 85 , 90 and clamping actuator 82 are described as being pneumatic cylinders ; as will be appreciated , in alternative embodiments , those actuators may be hydraulic actuators or electromechanical drive systems . in the described embodiment , individual clamping cylinders 82 are used for each upper pair of racks 50 ; however , in an alternative embodiment , all of the pivotable jaw mounting brackets 79 , 88 can be mechanically connected to a common drive link that is operated by only one or two actuators . in another alternative embodiment , all of the upper , pivotable jaw mounting brackets 79 can be mechanically connected to a common drive link that is operated by only one or two actuators ; and all of the lower , pivotable jaw mounting brackets 88 can be mechanically connected to another common drive link that is operated by only one or two actuators . in the described embodiment , the upper pairs of racks are movable vertically and the lower pairs of racks 52 are fixed in elevation . in alternative embodiments , that arrangement can be reversed with the upper pairs of racks being fixed and the lower pairs of racks being movable . further , in the described embodiment , the upper and lower pairs of racks are mounted on the downstream side of the frame 72 . thus , the pivoting racks 60 , 68 are located downstream of the nonpivoting racks 54 , 62 ; however , in an alternative embodiment , the upper and lower pairs of racks 50 , 52 can be mounted on the opposite , upstream side of the frame 72 . in that embodiment , the pivoting racks 60 , 68 are located upstream of the nonpivoting racks 54 , 62 ; and the nonpivoting racks 54 , 62 hold the preparation ply 38 , while the pivoting racks 60 , 68 pull the cut piece 32 toward the preparation ply 38 to form the butt splice . in the described embodiment , the control 98 is depicted as a single unit ; however , as will be appreciated , the control 98 can be comprised of several different control units that are in electrical communications with each other . further , such different control units are often in different locations . for example , one control unit may be placed with the butt splicer 36 , another with the gum strip applier 44 and a third with the preparation equipment 48 . therefore , the invention in its broadest aspects is not limited to the specific details shown and described . consequently , departures may be made from the details described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims which follow . | 1 |
referring now to the drawings in general and to fig1 and 2 in particular , shown therein and designated by the general reference number 20 is a rotating disk data storage device including a hard sectoring logic circuit 22 constructed in accordance with the present invention . as is conventional , the data storage device 20 is constructed to receive information from a host computer ( not shown ) via an interface 24 and store the information on a data storage disk , such as the disk 26 shown in fig1 and 2 , that rotates in the direction indicated at 28 on a spindle 30 . ( as is known in the art , the device 20 will be comprised of a plurality of data storage disks . for clarity of illustration , only one data storage disk has been shown in the drawings .) subsequently , the information is read from the disk 26 and returned to the host computer via the interface 24 . as shown in fig2 , the information received from the host computer is written to angularly extending sectors on concentric data tracks , two of which are illustrated and designated by the numerals 32 and 34 , by a transducer head 36 that is supported by an electromechanical actuator 38 that moves the transducer head 36 to selected tracks in a manner that , while conventional , will now be described to provide a basis for an understanding of the invention . for purposes of illustration , the drawings contemplate that the data storage device 20 will be of the type in which positioning of the transducer heads used to write data to a disk is carried out by a servo circuit 40 in response to electrical signals received from a servo head 42 that is supported by the actuator 38 , in alignment with the transducer head 36 , adjacent a dedicated servo surface 44 on a disk 46 that is mounted on the spindle 30 to rotate with the disk 26 . a servo pattern ( not shown ) is magnetically written on the surface 44 ; for example , the surface 44 may contain a tri - phase servo pattern as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 811 , 135 issued mar . 7 , 1989 to donald w . janz , and the servo head responds to passage of elements of the pattern to provide position error signals to the servo circuit 40 on a conducting path 48 . in particular , the servo pattern defines concentric servo tracks that are aligned with the data tracks and the position error signals provide an indication of the position of the servo head with respect to the nearest servo track . the servo circuit 40 provides control signals to the actuator 38 , on a conducting path indicated at 52 in fig1 , that maintain the servo head in alignment with a selected servo track and , accordingly , maintain the transducer head in alignment with a selected data track in a track following mode of operation of the device 20 . the servo circuit 40 also receives positioning signals from a microcomputer 54 on a data bus 56 to cause the servo circuit 40 to provide appropriate signals to the actuator 38 for moving the servo and transducer heads between tracks in a conventional manner . thus , upon command received by the microcomputer 54 from the host computer via the interface 24 , the microcomputer 54 , servo circuit 40 and actuator 38 operate to move the transducer heads to a selected track at which data is to be stored . while the above description of the servo system for the data storage device has been presented to provide a clearer understanding of the invention to be described below , it will be recognized that the use of the invention is not limited to data storage devices using a dedicated servo surface for radially positioning the transducer heads that write and read information received from a host computer . rather , it is contemplated that the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 can equally well be used in data storage devices that use a scheme in which the servo patterns are embedded in the data tracks to maintain track following and for moving the transducer heads from one track to another . it is also contemplated that the hard sectoring logic circuit can be used in data storage devices that position the head using a stepper motor actuator or any other positioning system . as is also conventional , the servo circuit 40 is comprised of a servo plo ( not shown ) that generates servo clock signals that are synchronized with the rotation of the disks , 26 and 46 , so that distances along the tracks 32 and 34 are equivalent to times measured in servo plo clock pulses . these pulses are transmitted to the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 on conducting path 58 for use in generating master clock signals for the circuit 22 in a manner and for a purpose to be discussed below . additionally , the servo pattern will include a radially extending series of elements that provides an index indicated by the line 60 in fig1 . corresponding to the index 60 , each of the data storage disks will have defined therefor an index location , indicated by the dashed line 62 in fig1 and 2 , that serves as an origin for defining data sectors along the data tracks . in the present invention , it is contemplated that a delayed index can be used in defining the data sector locations so that the general lay out of the data tracks will generally follow the scheme indicated for the tracks 32 and 34 in fig2 ; that is , beginning from the index location , each track will contain a delayed index portion , 64 for the track 32 and 66 for the track 34 , that extends a selectable skew distance from the index location followed by a plurality of data storage sectors indicated at 68 for the track 32 and at 70 for the track 34 . since the rotation of the disks is synchronized with the generation of plo clock signals , the skew distances and sector lengths correspond to delayed index times and sector times that are used in the invention in a manner to be discussed below . as will also be discussed below , the sector times , and lengths , will be the same for all sectors along a particular track but will vary for different tracks . the servo circuit 40 is further constructed to provide a servo index pulse to the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 on a conducting path 72 that defines the index location to the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 . for the reading and writing of data , the data storage device 20 is further comprised of a data buffer 74 which temporarily stores data to be exchanged between the host computer interface 24 and the read / write controller 76 that controls the transfer of data from the buffer to the disk 26 . thus , in the write mode , data in the buffer 74 is transferred , in parallel , on bus 78 to the controller 76 and serially written to the disk by signals transmitted on conducting path 80 from the controller to transducer head 36 . it will thus be seen that the timing of placement of data bits on each data track , to fit a block of data within a sector , is effected by the controller 76 . for such effectuation , the controller 76 must have knowledge of the beginning of each sector and , for formatting , the location of the first sector ; that is , an index , on the disk . the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 provides sector location pulses , both index and sector , to the controller 76 on conducting paths 82 and 84 respectively to indicate to the controller the locations of the sectors on the disks . as noted above , sector lengths for different data tracks will vary , such variation arising from the writing of data on different tracks at different rates as taught by bremmer et al . in the aforementioned u . s . pat . no . 4 , 799 , 112 . to this end , the data storage device 20 is comprised of a zone clock 86 that receives the servo plo clock signals from the conducting path 58 and is controlled by the microcomputer 54 to generate zone clock signals that are rational multiples of the servo plo frequency . the zone clock signals are transmitted to the read / write controller 76 , for establishing the transfer rate of data to the disks , and to the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 , for synchronizing the sector location pulses from the circuit 22 to the controller 76 with the zone clock signals received by the controller , on a conducting path 88 . with this introduction , attention is now invited to the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 , major portions of which have been illustrated in fig3 . remaining portions of the circuit 22 are a raw sector pulse generator 89 and an index - sector pulse generator 91 . these , illustrated in fig1 and 9 respectively , together form a sector location pulse generator ( not numerically designated in the drawings ). as can be seen in fig3 , the circuit 22 is comprised of a plurality of functional units that operate coactively to provide the controller pulses and it will be useful to briefly describe the functions of these units and to indicate the coactive relationships therebetween them before describing the structure and operation of each unit . prior to describing the circuit 22 , it is noted that a preferred manner of fabrication of the circuit 22 is to place the circuit on a single silicon chip using large scale integration techniques . in doing so , the amount of chip surface used can sometimes be minimized by using negative logic in which active signals or states are implemented by a low voltage . thus , a negative logic signal will be referred to herein as either “ active low ” or “ inactive high ”. a positive logic signal will be referred to herein as either “ active high ” or “ inactive low ”. an event or signal can sometimes be indicated by a momentary active state then immediately returning inactive . this will be referred to as a “ positive pulse ” if implemented in positive logic or a “ negative pulse ” if implemented in negative logic . further , as will be recognized by those skilled in the art , it will be useful to position buffers and inverters at selected locations in the circuit to provide higher power driving capabilities for elements which are heavily loaded by other parts of the circuit . since the use of inverters and buffers to increase the fan - out of a circuit component is well known , elements whose sole purpose is to increase fan - out have not been illustrated in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention . as shown in fig3 , the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 is comprised of a master clock - master reset generator 90 that receives the servo index signal on path 72 and , in response , generates a negative pulse master reset signal each time the index location on the disks passes by the transducer heads . this master reset signal is outputted directly on conducting path 92 and , via an and gate 94 and conducting path 93 , also outputted on conducting path 96 as a negative pulse . ( the numerical designations for the conducting paths 92 and 96 have been carried into remaining drawings as appropriate .) additionally , the master clock - master reset generator 90 receives the servo plo signals on the conducting path 58 and , in response , provides a master clock for the circuit 22 , one phase of which is outputted on conducting path 98 and a second phase , 180 degrees from the first phase , of which is outputted on a conducting path 100 ( not shown in fig3 ). in the preferred construction of the invention , the master clock phases are derived from the servo plo so that the master clock is synchronized with the rotation of the disks 46 and 26 . a first counter 102 has a reset terminal connected to the master reset via conducting path 104 and a clock terminal that receives the first phase of the master clock on a conducting path 106 so that , following a master reset , the first counter continuously counts a time from index from the passage of the index location on the servo disk 46 by the servo head 42 . this time from index is compared with a next sector time ; that is , the time the next sector location pulse should occur , to mark the beginning of the sector following that currently adjacent the transducer head 36 , by a first comparator 108 which is a conventional gate circuit having a and b parallel inputs that receive receives signals indicative of a digitally expressed number . the first comparator is constructed to provide an inactive low output , on conducting path 110 , at all times that the time from index expressed at the a input is less than the next sector time expressed at the b input and an active high output at such times that the time from index is equal to or exceeds the next sector time . the next sector time is provided by an accumulator 112 which is reset via a negative reset pulse supplied on a conducting path 114 from the and gate 94 . next sector times are accumulated in accumulator 112 using the output of a latch assembly 116 , to be described below . the accumulator 112 is clocked , to enter the next sector time , by a negative pulse provided by an accumulator clock 118 on conducting path 120 . as shown in fig3 , the accumulator clock 118 receives the output of the first comparator 108 so that clocking of the accumulator will occur , in a manner to be discussed below , when the time from index in the first counter reaches or exceeds the present next sector time stored in the accumulator 112 . at present , it will be useful to note that the connections between the first counter , the first comparator , the accumulator , and the accumulator clock generator will result in the accumulator continuously storing and updating the time that the beginning of the next data sector on the disk will come into alignment with the transducer head 36 . as noted above , the next sector time accumulator 112 uses the output of latch assembly 116 which will now be discussed . the latch assembly 116 is comprised of a sector time latch 122 and a delay time latch 124 that are both connected to the microcomputer data bus 56 so that both the sector times corresponding to sectors 68 , 70 and delay times corresponding to track portions 64 , 66 in fig2 can be entered into the latch assembly 116 by negative pulse latch enable signals received from the microcomputer on conducting paths 126 , for latch 122 , and 128 , for latch 124 . additionally , the latch assembly 116 comprises an accumulation time selector 130 that receives the contents of both latches 122 and 124 . the latch assembly 116 outputs the contents of the sector time latch 122 to the accumulator 112 in response to a low signal received on a conducting path 132 . at such times that the signal on the conducting path 132 is high , the contents of the index delay time latch 124 will be transferred to the accumulator 112 . the conducting path 132 extends , via an inverter 134 and conducting path 136 , from a delayed index controller 138 that receives a signal from one line 140 of the microcomputer data bus 56 and a negative enable pulse from the microcomputer 54 on conducting path 142 so that the delayed index controller can place the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 in either of a nondelayed index mode of operation , in which the index delay time is forced to zero , or a delayed index mode of operation in which the index delay time entered into the delay time latch 124 will be used . the hard sector logic circuit 22 is further comprised of a number of sectors latch 144 which is connected to the data bus 56 to enter the number of sectors chosen for a data track in response to a negative enable pulse received from the microcomputer 54 on a conducting path 146 . the number of sectors latch 144 provides such number to a second comparator 148 that also receives , for comparison , the output of a second counter 150 that is clocked by the trailing ; that is , rising , edge of each negative accumulator clock pulse , via conducting path 120 . thus , the second counter 150 will count the number of sector location accumulations performed in accumulator 112 so that the second comparator 148 can indicate when the number of sectors stored in number of sectors latch 144 has passed the transducer head 36 . the second counter 150 is reset each time the index location passes the servo transducer head 36 by a negative master reset pulse received from and gate 94 via conducting paths 96 and 155 . the second counter is also disabled , as will be discussed below , for the first accumulator clock signal when in the delayed index mode by a signal transmitted from the delayed index controller 138 on a conducting path 154 . such initial disablement prevents counting of the delayed index skew distance as a sector location in a manner that will be discussed below . finally shown in fig3 is a partial reset generator 156 that provides negative partial reset pulses , via conducting path 177 and and gate 94 , that are used to reset the accumulator 112 and the second counter 150 each time the transducer head 36 is moved to a new track on the disk 26 in fig1 . ( the positive pulse complement of the partial reset pulse is provided on a conducting path 153 for use in a manner to be discussed below . additionally , since the and gate 94 transmits a negative pulse corresponding to either a master reset pulse or a partial reset pulse , it will be useful to refer to the negative pulse issuing therefrom in either case as a combined reset pulse ). to this end , the partial reset generator 156 is responsive , in a manner to be discussed below , to the latch enable signals appearing on the paths 126 , 128 and 146 to generate the partial reset pulse during the microprocessor entry of changes in sector times , index delay times , and number of sector sectors for the track to which the transducer head 36 is to be moved during a zone change to a new data transfer rate . after a partial reset due to a zone change , the contents of the first counter 102 exceed the contents of the accumulator 112 so that , for a time , the output of the first comparator 108 will remain high . the result , also to be discussed below , will be that the accumulator clock 118 will be continuously enabled to provide a series of accumulator clock signals on conducting path 120 that will clock the cleared accumulator 112 and second counter 150 until the contents of the accumulator 112 and second counter 150 reach the values appropriate to the new zone with respect to the current orientation of the transducer head 36 relative to the index location on the servo disk . thus , the general operation of the portion of the circuit 22 shown in fig3 is to continuously count sectors following a master reset with the first comparator providing an electrical indication of the entry by the transducer head 36 into a new sector on the disk so long as a particular track is followed . during a change of tracks , a partial reset is generated that causes the second counter and accumulator to clear and then count the sectors that would have passed the transducer head and sector times that would have been accumulated had the transducer head been continuously over the new track . thus , the next sector time , for the new track , and the number of sectors , again for the new track , are entered into the accumulator and the second counter respectively while the movement to the new track is accomplished by the servo circuit 40 under the control of the microcomputer 54 . thus , at all times other than the time necessary for the accumulator and second counter to reach the values appropriate to a new track during a movement of the transducer head between tracks , the circuit 22 will be in a state to generate correct sector location pulses that enable the read / write controller to locate sectors on the disk 26 . the generation of these signals will be discussed below . with this overview , attention is now invited to the components of the circuit 22 which are used in the operation generally described above . referring first to fig4 and 5 , shown therein respectively are the circuit for the master clock - master reset generator 90 and a timing diagram that illustrates the operation of the generator 90 . as shown in fig4 , the generator 90 is comprised of a type d master reset flip - flop 157 that receives servo plo clock signals ( shown on time axis 159 in fig5 ) on path 58 at its clock input and the servo index signal on conducting path 72 at its data input . additionally , the flip - flop 157 has an active low set input that receives the servo index signal ( time axis 161 in fig5 ) on path 72 via a nor gate 160 . thus , as the servo index signal , a positive pulse , rises , the output of the nor gate goes active low to set the flip - flop 157 . the master reset pulse on conducting path 92 ( time axis 163 in fig5 ) is delivered from the qn output of the flip - flop 157 so that the leading edge of the master reset , a negative pulse , commences with the rise of the servo index pulse as shown in fig6 . the master reset pulse then continues until the servo plo clock pulse following the servo index pulse resets the flip - flop 157 as shown on time axes 161 and 163 in fig5 . in addition to the master reset flip - flop 157 , the master clock - master reset generator includes a type d master clock flip - flop 162 that also receives the inverted servo index pulse from nor gate 160 at an active low set input for setting of the flip - flop 162 by the servo index pulse . upon setting of the flip - flop 162 , master clock signals generated thereby and appearing on the paths 98 and 100 connected to the q and qn outputs of the flip - flop 162 are suppressed , as shown on times axes 164 and 166 for the first and second phases respectively , until the rise of the first servo plo signal following the servo index signal . thereafter , the master clock will provide pulses at half the frequency of the servo plo due to the logic state at the qn output of flip - flop 162 entering the d input thereof via a conducting path 167 which will toggle the state of flip - flop 162 at the next rise of servo plo clock signals on conducting path 58 . since the resumption of generation of the master clock signals occurs with the rise of the first plo clock signal following the servo index signal , the above described synchronization of the plo clock signals with the rotation of the disk 26 results in synchronization of the master clock for the circuit 22 with the rotation of the disk . the master clock - master reset generator can further include an rs system reset flip - flop 168 that can be reset by a position pulse from the microcomputer 54 on conducting path 201 to effect a complete shutdown of the entire circuit 22 until the next servo index signal appears on conducting path 72 . to this end , the qn output of the flip - flop 168 will go inactive high which is connected to a second input of nor gate 160 to cause the output of such gaste gate to go low and set both flip - flops 158 and 162 . at this point , the master reset remains active and the master clock is maintained in a set state . the set input of flip - flop 168 is connected to the path 72 whereon the servo index pulse is received so that the shutdown of the entire circuit 22 is discontinued by setting flip - flop 168 with the servo index pulse going active then inactive . this causes nor gate 160 output to go inactive high and a subsequent resumption of master clock pulse generation at the next servo plo clock signal . returning to fig3 , the accumulator clock generator 118 is comprised of a type d flip - flop 170 that is reset by the leading ; that is , falling , edge of a master reset pulse appearing , as a combined reset from the and gate 94 , on conducting path 96 via an inverter 172 . subsequent operation of the accumulator clock 118 then depends upon the state of the first comparator 108 . the output of the comparator 108 is connected to an inverting input of a nor gate 173 , the output of which is connected to the d input of the flip - flop 170 , so that , at such times that the output of the first comparator 108 is low , the output of nor gate 173 will be held low to maintain the q output of the flip - flop 170 low . on the other hand , should the output of the comparator 108 be high , operation of nor gate 173 will be controlled by the state of the flip - flop 170 . in particular , the flip - flop 170 is continuously clocked by the first phase of the master clock , via conducting paths 98 , 106 and 174 , so that the rise of such phase of the master clock while the q output of flip - flop 170 is low , such output being transmitted to the nor gate 173 via conducting path 171 to provide a high voltage to the d input of flip - flop 170 , will cause the q output to go high . the rise of such phase while the q output of flip - flop 170 is high will cause the q output of flip - flop 170 to fall in reverse fashion . thus , following a master reset of the circuit 22 , the accumulator clock 118 will remain in a state in which the qn output of flip - flop 170 is high so long as the output of the first comparator remains low . should the output of the first comparator go high , flip - flop 170 q output is continuously clocked between high and low states by alternate master clock signals to provide a series of negative accumulator clock pulses on qn the conducting path 120 to the clock terminals of the accumulator and second counter . the circuit of the partial reset generator 156 has been illustrated in fig6 and the operation of such circuit has been shown by a timing diagram in fig7 . as shown in fig6 , the partial reset generator 156 is comprised of a type d flip - flop 175 that receives the second phase of the master clock signal on conducting path 100 at the clock input thereof ( time axis 179 in fig7 ) and receives the output of a nor gate 176 at the d input thereof . the q and qn outputs of flip - flop 175 provide the positive pulse complement of the partial reset pulse ( on path 153 ) and the partial reset negative pulse itself ( on path 177 ) respectively . the flip - flop 175 is reset via an inverter 178 that is connected to the conducting path 92 shown in fig3 that carries the negative pulse master reset signal . this reset serves to suppress the partial reset during a master reset of the circuit for a purpose that will become clear below . in addition to the flip - flop 175 , the partial reset generator 156 includes a second type d flip - flop 182 having a q output connected to one input of the nor gate 176 . the other input of the nor gate 176 is connected to the inverted inverter 178 , so that the reset of the flip - flop 182 , in the absence of a master reset on the conducting path 92 , will cause the output of the nor gate 176 to be high . such output is connected via an inverter 186 to an inverting set input of flip - flop 175 so that flip - flop 175 is set to provide the leading edge of a negative partial reset pulse with the reset of flip - flop 182 . such reset is effected upon entry of sector and delay times into the latches 122 and 124 via connection of the active low latch enable conducting paths 126 and 128 to the inputs of a nand gate 187 whose inverting output is connected to the reset input of the flip - flop 182 . thus , as shown on time axes 188 and 190 , initiation of a partial reset pulse begins with the entry of the sector times and delayed index times into the latches 122 and 124 . the partial reset is terminated with the entry of the number of sectors into the latch 144 ; in particular , the d input of the flip - flop 182 is connected to the high terminal of a pull - up 192 and the clock terminal of the flip - flop 182 is connected to the conducting path 146 that is used to enable the latch 144 . thus , at the end of the entry of the number of sectors by a negative latch pulse to the latch 144 , the q output of the flip - flop 182 is clocked high to cause the output of the nor gate 176 to go low and allow the qn output of flip - flop 175 to rise , ending the partial reset pulse , at the rise of the second phase of the next master clock signal that is transmitted to the clock input of flip - flop 175 on the conducting path 100 from fig4 . thus , a negative partial reset pulse is initiated , as shown at 180 on the time axis 190 in fig7 , with entry of sector and delay times into the latches 122 and 124 and terminated with the occurrence of the first master clock pulse following completion of entry of the number of sectors into latch 144 as shown at 181 in fig7 . referring now to fig8 , the delayed index controller 138 is comprised of a type d flip - flop 200 having a d input connected to the line 140 of the data bus 56 and a clock input connected to the conducting path 142 from which a negative pulse enable signal is received from the microcomputer 54 . thus , the flip - flop 200 can be clocked high or low by providing an appropriate data byte on the bus 56 while concurrently providing an enable pulse on the conducting path 142 . in the present invention , the delayed index mode of operation of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 is selected by clocking the q output of flip - flop 200 high . a low state of the q output of the flip - flop selects the nondelayed index mode of operation . the q output of flip - flop 200 is connected to one input of a nor gate 202 and the qn output thereof is connected to one input of a nor gate 204 . the other input of each of the gates 202 and 204 is connected to conducting path 92 , to receive the negative master reset pulses generated by the master clock - master reset generator 90 . since clocking the q output of the flip - flop 200 high , for the delayed mode of operation of the hard sector logic circuit 22 , of the flip - flop 200 will place a high voltage on one input of the nor gate 202 , gate 202 is uneffected by master reset pulses so that its output on conducting path 206 , referred to herein as an output index conducting path , remains inactive low and its operation in the delayed index mode need not be further considered . the connection of one input of the gate 204 to the qn output of flip - flop 200 , on the other hand , causes the nor gate 204 to invert the negative master reset pulses on the conducting path 92 in the delayed index mode and produce a positive mask delayed index pulse at conducting path 208 . the conducting path 208 leads to one input of a nor gate 210 , the other input of which receives the positive pulse complement of the partial reset pulse on the conducting path 153 . thus , either a mask delayed index pulse or the positive complement of a negative partial reset pulse , received on conducting path 211 shown in fig3 , at either input of nor gate 210 will result in a negative pulse output at a mask first sector output of nor gate 210 . thus , in the delayed index mode of operation of the circuit 22 , the output index conducting path 206 is always held inactive low while the gates 204 and 210 transmit either a master reset pulse or a partial reset pulse through to the mask first sector output conducting path 212 . the result of such transmittal will be discussed below . at such times that the flip - flop 200 is reset ; i . e ., in the nondelayed index mode of operation , one input of nor gate 202 will be low while the other input will be high in the absence of a master reset pulse . thus , the nor gate 202 will provide a positive pulse on the output index conducting path 206 in response to a negative master reset pulse . the nor gate 204 will , on the other hand , have a high voltage at one input in this mode of operation to provide an inactive low voltage on the mask delayed index conducting path 208 so that operation of nor gate 210 is effected solely by partial reset pulse complements appearing on conducting paths 153 ( fig3 ) and 211 . thus , the operation of of the gates 202 , 204 , and 210 in the nondelayed index mode of operation is to provide positive pulses on the conducting path 206 in response to master reset pulses and to provide negative pulses on the conducting path 212 in response to partial reset pulses . the effect of this operation will be discussed below . additionally , the delayed index controller 138 is comprised of a type d flip - flop 214 having an active low set terminal connected to the conducting path 96 from the output of the and gate 94 that provides a negative combined reset pulse on conducting path 96 whenever a master reset or partial reset pulse is generated . thus , the flip - flop 214 is set on either of these occasions . the d input of flip - flop 214 is connected to the low output of a pull - down 216 and the clock input of flip - flop 214 is connected , via connecting path 120 shown in fig3 and carried into fig8 , to the inverting output of the flip - flop 170 that provides the negative pulse accumulator clock signals . thus , following setting of the flip - flop 214 , the q output of such flip - flop is clocked low by the trailing edge of the first accumulator clock pulse to occur thereafter . the q output of flip - flop 214 is connected to one input of a nand gate 218 , the other input of which is connected to the q output of delayed index mode flip - flop 200 . with this latter connection , the output of the nand gate 218 , in the nondelayed mode of operation of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 , will always be high and and such high level is transmitted on the conducting path 154 to the enable terminal of the second counter so that all accumulator clock pulses received by the second counter following a master reset or a partial reset will always be counted . in the delayed mode of operation , the input of the nand gate connected to flip - flop 200 will always be high so that the conducting path 154 to the second counter will be driven low by either a master or a partial reset to disable the second counter and cause the accumulator to equal the delayed index time at the time that the first accumulator clock pulse is received thereby . the trailing edge of the same accumulator clock pulse will reset flip - flop 214 , to drive conducting path 154 high and thereby enable the second counter to count subsequent accumulator clock pulses and enable normal accumulator action until the next master or partial reset occurs . thus , the operation of the flip - flop 214 and gate 218 is to suppress counting by the second counter 150 of the first accumulator clock pulse in the delayed index mode of operation following a master or partial reset to prevent counts associated with the delayed index skew distances 62 and 64 from being entered in the second counter 150 . as shown , in fig3 , the conducting path 136 , used to select the time to be entered into the accumulator 112 , is connected to the conducting path 154 so that , while counting by the second counter 150 is suppressed , the accumulation time selector 130 will select the delay time in the latch 124 for entry into the accumulator 112 . this causes the accumulator to account for the delayed index skew distance . coming now to the sector location pulse generator which , as noted above , is comprised of the raw sector pulse generator 89 , shown in fig1 , and the index - sector pulse generator 91 , shown in fig9 , it will be useful to first consider the structure and operation of the index - sector pulse generator 91 . such circuit is a substantially self - contained unit that generates the index and sector pulses in response to raw sector pulses generated by the raw sector pulse generator 89 whose operation is intimately associated with remaining portions of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 and acts as a go - between to the index - sector pulse generator 91 . after discussion of the structure and operation of the index - sector pulse generator , the structure of the raw sector pulse generator 89 will be described and the operation described in relation to remaining portions of the circuit 22 . referring to fig9 , the index - sector pulse generator 91 is comprised of a pulse time counter 220 that is a conventional up counter having a clock input connected , via the conducting path 88 in fig1 , to the zone clock used by the read / write controller 76 in transferring data from the buffer 74 to the disk 26 . thus , the operation of the index - sector pulse generator 91 is synchronized with the operation of the read / write controller 76 , rather than with remaining portions of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 , so that the delivery of the sector location pulses is coordinated with the transfer of data to the disk . the connection of the pulse time counter 220 to the remainder of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 is via an enable terminal that responds to negative raw sector pulses on a conducting path 222 ( see also fig1 ) to provide index and sector pulses , having selectable durations in zone clock periods , to the read / write controller 76 in a manner to be described below . the counter 220 has four output terminals , for counting from a binary zero to a binary fifteen . these terminals are connected to four inputs of an and gate 224 that is thus enabled when counting is complete and all counter 220 outputs are high . the output of the and gate 224 is connected to the d input of a type d flip - flop 226 which is clocked by zone clock pulses received on the conducting path 88 and a conducting path 228 therefrom . both the counter 220 and the flip - flop 226 have active low set terminals that receive negative combined reset pulses from the and gate 94 via the conducting path 96 every time a master or partial reset occurs . the outputs of the counter 220 are also connected to the inputs of a nand gate 301 , which receives the raw sector pulses at an additional input and the output of nand gate 301 is connected via conductor 302 to the enable terminal of the counter 220 . thus , at the end of a count up to a binary fifteen and in the absence of a negative raw sector pulse on conducting path 222 , the output of nand gate 301 will be low and the counter 220 will be disabled . enablement of the counter 220 will thus occur with the reception of the raw sector pulse which causes the counter output to become zero on the first zone clock pulse and then count to a binary fifteen with the enablement thereof being maintained by low voltages appearing at the outputs of the counter while counting occurs . the counter 220 is then disabled while awaiting the next raw sector pulse . the most significant bit of the number appearing at the output terminals of the counter 220 is connected to the inputs of a three input nand gate 230 , directly for one input and via serially connected pulse stretches 232 and 234 for the remaining two inputs . as will become clear below , short duration sector location pulses , eight zone clock periods in length , are provided via the nand gate 230 and , as is known in the art , polling at a one byte rate is commonly utilized by read / write controllers to pick up sector location pulses . the use of the pulse stretchers 232 and 234 insures that the cycle time for the nand gate 230 , that is the time between a drop of the most significant bit of the counter 220 to zero and and its subsequent rise at the end of a countdown will exceed eight zone clock periods by an amount sufficient for the read / write controller to detect all sector location pulses . from the above , it can be seen that in the normal state of the index - sector pulse generator 91 ; that is , while “ disabled ” due to no raw sector pulse input at the conducting path 222 , all counter outputs are allowed to count up to all high . at this point , as will be discussed below , the raw sector input is also high causing the output of gate 301 to go low and disable counter 220 . the output of the nand gate 230 will , at this time , go low . during the count up by the counter 220 , the qn output of the flip - flop 226 is utilized to generate 15 bit long duration sector location pulses so that , in the normal state of the index - sector pulse generator 91 , both the nand gate 230 and the flip - flop 226 will provide a low voltage to components that , as will be discussed below , provide the sector location pulses to the controller 76 . it will be useful at this point to consider the operation of the above - described portion of the index - sector pulse generator 91 before continuing with the remaining structure and , for this purpose , selected points of the circuit have been identified with the letters a , b , and c corresponding to time axes 235 , 237 and 239 in fig1 . in particular , time axis 235 ( point a ) illustrates the signal at the output of and gate 224 , time axis 237 ( point b ) illustrates the signal at the qn output of flip - flip 226 and time axis 237 ( point c ) illustrates the signal at the nand gate 230 output following reception of a negative raw sector pulse by the counter 220 . as noted above , the index - sector pulse generator 91 is clocked by the zone clock and will , accordingly , be asynchronous with the remainder of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 so that , as indicated on time lines 238 and 240 , the raw sector pulse will not necessarily coincide in time with a zone clock pulse . however , as will be discussed below , provision is made in the raw sector pulse generator to insure that the raw sector pulse will be of a duration that will be long enough to include one rising edge of a zone clock pulse . accordingly , during the rise of the first zone clock pulse , as at 231 , following the leading edge 233 of a raw sector pulse , the output of counter 220 will be clocked to zero and , subsequently , countup of the counter 220 will occur . at this time , the output of the and gate 224 will drop to zero so that the d input of the flip - flop 226 will also drop . as a result , the q output of flip - flop 226 will be clocked low at the rise of the next zone clock pulse 229 to provide an upgoing signal at the qn output thereof as indicated at 242 in fig1 . since the and gate 224 will remain disabled for the remainder of the up count , as shown for the point a on the time axis 235 , point b will remain high as indicated at 244 on the time axis 237 , for the remainder of the count ; that is , for fifteen zone clock periods . however , the output of the nand gate 230 ( point c ) will go active high immediately after the first zone clock pulse 231 following reception of the raw sector pulse and remain high for slightly over 8 zone clocks , as shown at 248 , until slightly after the rise of the ninth zone clock pulse , at 246 , following reception of the raw sector pulse , as shown on time axis 239 . this results because of the control of this gate solely by the most significant bit of the number in the counter 220 . thus , the operation of the counter 220 , flip - flop 226 and gates 224 and 230 is to provide a positive pulse on the conducting paths 250 and 252 for eight and fifteen zone clock periods respectively . it will be noted that the voltage level at the qn output of flip - flop 226 is delivered to the raw sector pulse generator on conducting path 254 ( fig9 and 11 ) to terminate the raw sector pulse in a manner to be discussed below . returning to fig9 , the selection of the duration of the index and sector pulses is effected by a type d flip - flop 256 having a d input terminal connected to one line , indicated at 258 , of the microcomputer data bus and a clock input terminal that receives an enable signal from the microcomputer on a conducting path 260 . the q output of the flip - flop 256 is connected directly to one input of an and gate 262 , which receives the long duration pulse from the flip - flop 226 and , via an inverter 264 , to one input of an and gate 266 which receives the short duration pulse from the nand gate 230 . thus , sector and index pulses to be transmitted to the controller 76 can be caused to have either long or short durations by placing the appropriate byte on the computer data bus 56 and transmitting a clock signal from the microcomputer 54 to the flip - flop 256 . the outputs of the and gates 262 and 266 are connected to the inputs of an or gate 268 so that a positive pulse of the selected duration will occur at the output of the or gate 268 each time a raw sector pulse is transmitted to the index - sector pulse generator 91 . this pulse will be delivered to the read / write controller as either an index pulse , via an and gate 270 ( point d on fig9 ), or a sector pulse , via an and gate 272 ( point e on fig9 ), as will now be described with reference to fig9 and 10 . the selection of the pulse as an index or sector pulse is effected by a type d flip - flop 274 having an active low set terminal that receives the negative master reset pulses on the conducting path 92 and an active high reset terminal that receives the positive pulse complements of the partial reset pulses on the conducting path 153 . three cases of operation occur as indicated on time axes 276 and 278 ( case i ), time axes 280 and 282 ( case ii ), and time axes 284 and 286 ( case iii ). these cases have been illustrated for short duration pulses in fig1 . as will be clear to those skilled in the art , the cases will occur identically for long duration pulses ; merely the durations of the sector location pulses will be changed . in case i , the case that occurs most commonly , the q output of flip - flop 274 will have been clocked low by a previous sector location pulse , as will be discussed below , and the qn output will be high . thus , in response to a raw sector pulse that will enable or gate 268 , and gate 272 will be enabled , via conducting path 288 to the high qn output of flip - flop 274 . thus , the and gate 272 will pass the positive pulse from or gate 268 to the conducting path 84 , as shown on time axis 276 , as a sector pulse . concurrently , the and gate 270 will block transmission of an index pulse as indicated on time axis 278 . following a master reset , case ii will occur . in this case , the negative master reset pulse , which is received at the active low set terminal of the flip - flop 274 will set such flip - flop so that the output of gate 270 will become active high via conducting path 290 to give rise to an index pulse as indicated on time axis 282 while the gate 272 will be disabled via conducting path 288 to suppress the generation of a sector pulse as indicated on time axis 280 . subsequent to this index pulse , the q output of flip - flop 274 will be clocked low to return the operation to case i operation as will now be described . as shown in fig9 , the output of or gate 268 is connected via an inverter 292 to the clock input of flip - flop 274 so that , at the completion of the index pulse , the clock terminal of the flip - flop 274 will go high . the low output of a pull - down 294 is connected to the d input of the flip - flop 274 so that , at the trailing edge of the index pulse , the q output flip - flop 274 will be clocked low to return to the case i operation . the third case occurs after a partial reset . the active high reset terminal of the flip - flop 274 receives the partial reset positive pulse complement on the conducting path 153 so that , except in the case that such complement is suppressed by a master reset as discussed above , the flip - flop 274 will be reset to cause operation that is identical to case i operation as shown by the pulse on time axis 284 and the lack thereof on time axis 286 . should a master and partial reset occur at the same time , the partial reset complement is suppressed and operation occurs in the manner described above for case ii . referring now to fig1 , the raw sector pulse generator 89 is comprised of a three input nand gate 300 which , to facilitate discussion of the operation of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 , will be referred to herein as a sector location pulse gate . one input of the sector location pulse gate 300 is connected to the conducting path 110 leading to the output of the first comparator 108 so that the output of the gate 300 , on a conducting path 303 , becomes active low in response to the high electrical signal that will appear at the output of the first comparator when the time from index contents of the first counter 102 equal or exceed the contents of the next sector time accumulator 112 . for such enablement to occur , the output of the second comparator , which is connected to a second input of the gate 300 via a conducting path 304 ( see also fig3 ) and an inverter 306 , must be low and the third input to the gate must be high as will be discussed below . in addition to the sector location pulse gate 300 , the raw sector pulse generator is comprised of three type d flip flops having clock terminals connected to the conducting path 98 on which appears phase one of the master clock . to facilitate the discussion of the operation of the circuit 22 , these flip - flops will be referred to as the delayed index flip - flop 308 , the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 , and the raw sector flip - flop 312 . the qn output of the index delay flip - flop 308 is connected to the third input terminal of the sector location pulse gate 300 via a conducting path 324 to disable the gate 300 at such times that the index delay flip - flop 308 is set and thereby prevent the generation of a raw sector pulse and , accordingly , a sector location pulse as will be discussed below . such disablement is effected by a partial reset pulse or in the nondelayed index mode . such delayed index mode of operation by the connection of an active low set terminal of the flip - flop 308 to the mask first sector output of nor gate 210 ( fig8 ) of the delayed index controller 138 via the conducting path 212 . as discussed above , both a master reset pulse and a partial reset pulse are transmitted by the nor gate 210 in the delayed index mode of operation of the circuit 22 . the nor gate 210 will only transmit a partial reset pulse via the conducting path 212 when in the nondelayed index mode . such setting of the index delay flip - flop 308 occurs to prevent generation of sector location pulses until the qn output of the index delay flip - flop has clocked high . such clocking occurs at the first phase one master clock pulse that occurs after the output of the first comparator has gone low in response to a time from index count in the first counter 102 that exceeds the next sector time in the accumulator 112 . to this end , the d input of the flip - flop 308 is connected to the output of the first comparator 108 via the conducting path 110 and a conducting path 326 . thus , the function of the index delay flip - flop 308 is to suppress generation of a sector location pulse until the first inactive low output of the first comparator following either a master reset in the delayed index mode or a partial reset . in the nondelayed index mode , corresponding to commencement of sectors at the index location , the index delay flip - flop 308 is reset , via the master reset pulse transmitted on conducting path 206 by the delayed index controller shown in fig8 . this permits normal enablement of the gate 300 by even the first active high output received from the first comparator 108 , as will be described below . as its name implies , the raw sector flip - flop 312 provides the negative raw sector pulse to the sector location pulse generator 91 via the conducting path 222 that is connected between the qn output of the flip - flop 312 and one input of nand gate 301 of fig9 . the active high reset terminal of the raw sector pulse flip - flop 312 is connected , via an inverter 314 and the conducting path 96 , to the and gate 94 that delivers both the master and partial reset pulses . thus , the raw sector pulse flip - flop 312 is reset at the leading ; that is , falling edge of either of these negative pulses . the d input of the raw sector flip - flop 312 is connected to the output of a nor gate 316 so that an active high signal at the output of the nor gate 316 at the time the first phase of the master clock rises will clock the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 low to initiate transmission of a negative pulse to the index - sector pulse generator 91 and initiate the count sequence of the pulse time counter 220 as discussed above . as noted above , the voltage level at the qn output of the flip flop 226 ( fig9 ), which becomes high as the count sequence of the sector location pulse commences , is transmitted to the raw sector pulse generator 89 via the conducting path 254 to terminate the raw sector pulse . one input of the gate 316 receives the signal on the conducting path 254 so that any phase one master clock pulse delivered after the qn output of the flip - flop 226 has been clocked high will cause the output of the nor gate 316 to become low and terminate the raw sector pulse by clocking the qn output of flip - flop 312 high . the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 has an active low set terminal that is connected to the output of and gate 94 ( fig3 ) via the conducting path 96 and a conducting path 318 so that the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 is set during either a master reset or a partial reset . the d input of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 is connected to the inverting output of the sector location pulse gate 300 via a conducting path 320 so that the q output of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 will be clocked low by a master clock signal at such times that the output of the gate 300 is active low . the q output of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 is connected to one input of an and gate 322 , the other input of which receives the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 on a conducting path 303 . once the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 is active low , the output of the and gate 322 will be low . the low output of the and gate 322 is provided to the second input of nor gate 316 to cause the output of such nor gate to become active high upon enablement of the sector location pulse gate 300 and initiate the generation of the raw sector pulse at the next phase one clock pulse . because the q output of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 will be clocked low at the same next phase one clock pulse , the output of and gate 322 will remain active low for one extra phase one clock period . this will cause the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 to continue active low for one extra master clock pulse unless sooner terminated by reception by the nor gate 316 of a positive signal on the conducting path 254 caused by initiation of a count down in the counter 220 of the index - sector pulse generator 91 . this feature of the hard sectoring logic circuit , provided by the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 , insures that the sector location pulse will be generated at such times that the zone clock frequency is lower than the master clock frequency used in the operation of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 . fig1 is a timing diagram that illustrates the operation of the hard sectoring logic circuit 22 in the nondelayed mode of operation following a negative master reset pulse 340 on time axis 344 that occurs each time the index 62 on the disk 26 passes the transducer head 36 . for purposes of discussion , it will be considered that the transducer head 36 has previously been moved to a selected track on the disk . the microcomputer 54 is programmed to enter control data used in the operation of the circuit 22 into appropriate components thereof concurrently with the partial reset that accompanies a move to a new track so that , for the times shown in fig1 , sector and delay times will have been previously entered into the latches 122 and 124 , the number of sectors for the track will have been previously entered into latch 144 , the qn output of flip - flop 200 ( fig8 ) will have previously been clocked high to select the nondelayed mode of operation , and the duration of the sector and index pulses will have been selected by placing the appropriate voltage level on the conducting path 258 ( fig9 ) leading to the d input of the flip - flop 256 while a pulse is delivered to the clock input of such flip - flop . referring to fig3 , the master reset pulse is delivered to inverting reset terminals of the first counter 102 and the accumulator 112 so that , with the leading edge of the master reset signal , both the first counter 102 and the accumulator 112 will be reset causing the output of the first comparator to go high as shown to the left of the line 342 that indicates the leading edge of the first phase 1 clock pulse to occur after the master reset . further , the master reset signal will be delivered , as a combined reset from and gate 94 , on conducting path 155 to the inverting reset terminal of second counter 150 . thus , in view of the previous entry of a number of sectors into the number of sectors latch 144 , the output of the second comparator 148 will be low . finally , as shown in fig3 , the complement of the master reset pulse will be delivered to the reset terminal of the flip - flop 170 of the accumulator clock 118 so that the qn output of the flip - flop 170 , also referred to herein as the accumulator clock output , will be high . referring to fig1 , the combined reset signal delivered on conducting path 96 by the and gate 94 in response to every master reset signal , as discussed above with respect to fig6 , resets the raw sector flip - flop 312 and sets the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 so that , following the master reset , the qn output of flip - flop 312 will be high and the q output of flip - flop 310 will be high . further , and with additional reference to fig8 , the prior clocking of the qn output of flip - flop 200 high will cause the q output thereof to be low so that the output of the nor gate 202 will go high when the negative master reset signal is received on conducting path 92 . thus , the index delay flip - flop 308 will be reset by the master reset signal so that the qn output thereof will be high following the master reset . the state of the circuit 22 just prior to the generation of the first phase one clock pulse on time axis 346 following the master reset is thus shown to the left of the line 342 in fig1 as follows : ( 1 ) the contents of the first counter 102 will be zero ( time axis 348 ); ( 2 ) the contents of the accumulator 112 will be zero ( time axis 350 ); ( 3 ) the output of the first comparator 108 will be high ( time axis 352 ); ( 4 ) the accumulator clock output ( qn of flip - flop 170 ) will be high ( time axis 354 ); ( 5 ) the sector location pulse gate 300 output will be low ( time axis 356 ); ( 6 ) the q output of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 will be low ( time axis 358 ); ( 7 ) the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 will be high ( time axis 360 ); ( 8 ) the qn output of the index delay flip - flop 308 will be high ( time axis 362 ); ( 9 ) the output of the second counter 150 will be zero ( time axis 364 ); and ( 10 ) the output of the second comparator 148 will be low ( time axis 366 ). at the time the first phase one clock pulse 368 rises , the high state of the output of the first comparator 108 and the low state of the q output of the flip - flop 170 causes the output of the nor gate 173 to be high . accordingly , in the q output of the flip - flop 170 will be clocked high and the qn output thereof ; that is , the accumulator clock , will be clocked low as at 370 . thus , the time for a sector is clocked into the accumulator 112 , as at 372 via the connection of the clock input of the accumulator 112 to the accumulator clock 118 and the connection of the accumulator data input to the accumulation time selector 130 . ( in the nondelayed mode of operation , the q output of the flip - flop 200 in fig8 will have been clocked low as noted above so that the output of the nand gate 218 , appearing on conducting path 136 , will be high to provide , via the inverter 134 in fig3 , a low signal to the accumulator time selector 130 to cause selection of a sector time to be presented to the accumulator 112 .) concurrently , a count of only one will be clocked into the first counter 102 as at 374 , with the result that the output of the first comparator 108 will go low as at 376 and remain low until the first counter has counted a number of phase one clock pulses equal to the number of bits in a sector of data . ( for purposes of illustration , fig1 has been drawn as if such number of bits is three . as will be recognized by those skilled in the art , the number of bits stored in a sector on a disk of a hard disk drive is of the order of several thousand .) with the drop in the output of the first comparator , the output of the nor gate 173 in fig3 will go low so that the accumulator clock output , at the qn output of flip - flop 170 , will be clocked back high , as at 378 , at the rise of the next phase one clock pulse 380 . with the return of the accumulator clock output to a high level , such level being transmitted to the clock input of the second counter 150 on conducting path 151 , a count of one , to count the first sector on the disk , will be entered into the second counter 150 as at 382 . since this count is being compared with the number of sectors in the number of sectors latch 144 , the output of the second comparator 148 will remain low . returning to the master reset pulse 340 and referring to fig9 and 11 , such pulse , on conducting path 96 will set the flip flop 226 so that , as the phase one clock pulse 368 rises , the qn output of flip - flop 226 will be low and the input of nor gate 316 connected thereto via conducting path 254 will be low . further , the low output state of the sector location pulse gate 300 will disable and gate 322 so that , as the pulse 368 rises , the output of the nor gate 316 will be high . thus , the pulse 368 clocks the q output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 high to drop the qn output thereof , as at 384 , and initiate the countdown of an index pulse as described above with reference to fig9 upon reception of a zone clock pulse by the pulse time counter 220 . it will be noted that , until the second zone clock pulse arises , the conducting path 254 to nor gate 316 will remain low with the result that , so long as and gate 322 remains disabled , the raw sector pulse generator qn output will be repeatedly clocked low to , in effect , stretch the negative raw sector pulse supplied thereby on conducting path 22 to the index - sector pulse generator 91 shown in fig9 . this feature , afforded in part by the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 as will be described below , insures that every raw sector pulse will result in either an index or sector pulse being delivered to the read / write controller 76 even though the zone clock frequency may be lower than the frequency of the phase one clock . in general , the zone clock frequency will be of the same order of magnitude as the phase one clock so that a doubling of the duration of the raw sector pulse will suffice . such doubling is effected by the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 in the following manner . at the time that the phase one clock pulse 368 rises , the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 will be low so that the q output terminal of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 will be clocked low , as at 386 , to prevent and gate 322 from being enabled at the rise of the phase one 380 . thus , if no zone clock pulses have been received by the index - sector pulse generator circuit 91 prior to the rise of the pulse 380 , so that the qn output of the flip - flop 226 in fig9 has remained low , the output of nor gate 316 will be high at the rise of the pulse 380 to , in effect , renew the clocking of the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 to a low state constituting a raw index signal . thus , in the absence of a zone clock pulse between the rise of the first phase one clock pulse 368 and the rise of the second , the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 will remain low for two phase one clock pulses as has been shown at 388 in fig1 . finally , at the rise of the clock pulse 368 , the output of the first comparator 108 will be high and such output is transmitted to the d input of the index delay flip - flop 308 to cause clocking of the qn output thereof low as at 390 . the result is that the sector location pulse gate 300 output becomes high , as at 392 , and remains high for the duration of the first phase one clock pulse 368 . at the time the second phase one clock pulse 380 rises , the output of the first comparator will already be low so that the qn output of the index delay flip flop will again be clocked high , as at 394 , but such clocking will not effect the output state of the sector location pulse gate 300 . in particular , since the output of the first comparator 108 will remain low while the first counter 102 counts up to the first sector time that has been entered in the accumulator 112 , the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 will remain high to prevent further raw sector pulses from being generated by the raw sector flip - flop 312 until the next sector location time . thus , the state of the circuit 22 just prior to the phase one clock pulse , indicated at 396 , that clocks the counter 102 to a number equal to the sector time that has been entered into the accumulator 112 differs from the state of the circuit 22 just prior to the rise of the clock pulse 368 in only the following ways : ( 1 ) the accumulator 112 will contain a value equal to a sector time ; ( 2 ) the first counter 102 will contain a value that is one less than a sector time ; ( 3 ) the second counter 150 will contain a count of one for the first sector which is being counted ; ( 4 ) the qn output of the flip - flop 274 in fig9 will have been clocked high so that all further raw sector pulses will give rise to sector pulses transmitted to the controller 76 on conducting path 84 ; ( 5 ) the output of the first comparator 108 will be low ; and ( 6 ) the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 will be high . ( as shown in fig1 , the qn output of raw sector flip - flop is low just prior to the rise of the clock pulse 396 . this is an artifact of the use of only three phase one clock cycles for each sector time in order to illustrate the coaction of the first counter 102 and accumulator 112 . in a practical hard disk drive , the number of phase one clock cycles corresponding to one sector on the disk 26 will , as has been noted , be of the order of several thousand . accordingly , the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop will have returned to a high state by the time the first counter contents have reached a value near the contents of the accumulator 112 .) thus , is in so far as the operation of the circuit 22 is concerned , the state of the circuit just prior to the time indicated by the line 398 differs from the state of the circuit just prior to the time indicated by the line 342 only in that the output of the first comparator 108 is low , rather than high , and the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 output is high , rather than low . with the rise of the pulse 396 , the contents of the first counter 102 rises to that of the accumulator 112 so that the output of the first comparator 108 will go high , as at 400 , to cause the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 to go low . thus , following the rise of the clock pulse 396 , the circuit 22 will have returned to the state prior to the rise of the first clock pulse 368 following a master reset except for a completed counting and accumulation of the first sector time in the first counter and accumulator respectively , a completed counting of such first sector by the second counter and the transition of the index - sector pulse generator 91 to deliver a sector , rather than an index , pulse to the read / write controller 76 . thus , in so far as the operation of the circuit 22 is concerned , the state of the circuit 22 at the line 402 is the same as the state at the line 342 drawn for the rise of the first phase one clock pulse 368 following the master reset . the result is that the rise of the phase one clock pulse 404 at the line 402 will cause the same chain of events that were caused by the rise of the initial phase one clock pulse 368 except for the generation of a sector , rather than an index , pulse . thus , the accumulator 112 will accumulate another sector time , corresponding the second cycle of operation initiated by the pulse 404 and the second counter 150 will enter a two that is indicative of this second cycle of operation . since the same events occur for the pulse 404 that occurred for the pulse 368 , the circuit 22 will end up in a state , at a time indicated by the line 406 , that corresponds to the state at the time indicated by line 398 . thus , the rise of the clock pulse 408 at the line 406 will again place the circuit in a state comparable to the initial so that the cycle will again be repeated with the rise of the succeeding clock pulse 410 . with this cycle , the accumulator 112 accumulates another sector time and the second counter is incremented to again indicate the sector on the disk 26 that is being counted out by the first counter 102 . thus , each time a sector passes under the transducer head 36 , the time from index to the completion of the next sector is entered into the accumulator 112 and the second counter is incremented to the number of such sector from the index line 62 . such operation continues until the contents of the second counter reaches the number of sectors indicated at 412 in fig1 ; that is , until all sectors for the track being followed have been counted . with the rise of the second counter contents to the value so indicated , such contents will equal the contents of the number of sector latch 144 so that the output of the second comparator 148 will go high and remain high until a succeeding master reset pulse is received at the reset terminal thereof . thus , the output of the inverter 306 ( fig1 ) that receives the second comparator output on conducting path 304 will go low to prevent further drops of the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 that trigger the generation of raw sector and , consequently , index and sector pulses . fig1 illustrates the operation of the circuit 22 following a master reset in the delayed index mode of operation . such operation can best be understood by comparison with the nondelayed index mode of operation and the numbering of the features of the graphs in fig1 has been selected to facilitate such comparison . thus , the master reset pulse shown in fig1 has been numbered 340 as in fig1 , phase one clock pulses corresponding to clock pulses in fig1 have been given the same numerical designations as in fig1 , the axes have been identically numbered and vertical lines corresponding to leading edges of selected clock pulses have been numbered as in fig1 . ( it will be noted that the line 398 and pulse 396 in fig1 are shifted one clock cycle to the right from the corresponding line 398 and pulse 396 in fig1 . such shift is to preserve the functional correspondence between such lines and pulses .) referring first to fig8 and 11 , the selection of the delayed index mode is effected by clocking the qn output of the flip - flop 200 low . to this end the microcomputer 54 outputs a logical high on line 140 leading to the d input of flip - flop 200 and delivers a clock pulse to the c input thereof on conducting path 142 . thus , with the reception of the master reset pulse on conducting path 92 , the output of nor gate 204 will go high to cause the output of nor gate 210 to go low . the output of the gate 210 is connected to the active low set terminal of the index delay flip - flop 308 ( fig1 ) via conducting path 212 so that the flip - flop 308 will be set by the master reset pulse 340 . ( the high q output of flip - flop 200 forces gate 202 permanently low in the delayed index mode to prevent any reset of the index delay flip - flop 308 .) thus , the qn output of the index delay flip - flop 308 will be low as at 414 , rather than high as in the nondelayed index mode , at the time the clock pulse 368 rises . such state for the qn output of the index delay causes the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 to be high as at 416 , rather than low as in the nondelayed index mode . further , the q output of the flip - flop 200 will be high so that setting of the flip - flop 214 by reception of the master reset signal at the active low set terminal thereof will cause the output of nand gate 218 to go low . such output is provided to the enable terminal of the second counter 150 on conducting path 154 to disable counting thereby and the inverter 134 , on conducting path 136 , that is connected to the select terminal of the accumulation time selector 130 and causes such selector to transmit the output of the delay time latch 124 , rather than the sector time latch 122 , to the inputs of the accumulator 112 . returning now to fig1 and 13 , the effect of the output sector location pulse gate 300 output being held high by the index delay flip flop 308 will be that both the q output of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 and the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 will remain high in response to first clock pulse 368 to follow the master reset . specifically , the high level at the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 will be clocked into the q output of the flip - flop 310 and will further result in enablement of the and gate 322 so that a logical low will be at the d input of flip - flop 312 with the rise of the clock pulse 368 . thus , the high output of the sector location pulse gate 300 at the rise of the clock pulse 368 will suppress the generation of a raw sector pulse by the flip - flop 312 and , consequently , suppress the generation of an index or sector pulse by the index - sector pulse generator 91 that is normal in the nondelay index mode . however , the operation of the accumulator clock 118 is not affected by the state of the sector location pulse gate 300 so that a time will be accumulated in the accumulator 112 as in the nondelayed mode of operation . such time will be the delay time because of the signal transmitted to the accumulation time selector 130 from the inverter 134 . thus , the delay time for the track being followed will be entered in the accumulator 112 , at 418 in place of the entry of the sector time indicated at 372 in fig1 . concurrently a single count will be entered in the first counter 102 so that the output of the first comparator will go low at 419 as in the nondelayed mode of operation of the circuit 22 . it will be noted that the entry of the delay time into the accumulator 112 will not be counted by the second counter 150 because of the disablement of such counter noted above . thus , the overall response of the circuit 22 to the first clock pulse 368 following the master reset is the entry of the delay time into the accumulator 112 but no counting of such time as a sector time and no emission of an index or sector pulse to the read / write controller 76 . with a low output for the first comparator , the rise of the second phase one clock pulse 380 will clock the qn output of the index delay flip flop 308 high in exactly the same manner that such clocking occurs in the nondelayed mode of operation of the circuit 22 . the result is that the disablement of the sector location pulse gate 300 caused by the reset of the index delay flip - flop 308 is removed so that the gate 300 will now operate in the same manner as in the nondelayed mode of operation . accordingly , subsequent transitions of the first comparator output to a high state will give rise to raw sector pulses and , consequently , index and sector pulses as described above for the nondelayed mode of operation . returning to fig8 , the accumulator clock pulse on the conducting path 120 is transmitted to the clock input of the flip - flop 214 and the d input of such flip - flop is connected to the pull - down 216 so that , with the trailing ; that is , rising , edge of the accumulator clock pulse generated in response to the second phase one clock pulse 380 , as at 420 , will clock the q output of flip flop 214 low to cause the output of the nand gate 218 to go high . the result is that the second counter 150 is now enabled via the conducting path 154 and the accumulation time selector is placed in a state to transmit the sector time , rather than the delay time , to the accumulator 112 . thus , with the rise of the clock pulse 396 , at which the contents of the first counter 102 reaches the delay time , the circuit 22 assumes a state nearly identical to the nondelay mode state after the master reset pulse 340 in fig1 . at the next phase one clock pulse at vertical line 405 , the circuit 22 then commences to operate in the same manner that the circuit operates beginning with the first clock pulse 368 in the nondelayed mode of operation as seen in fig1 beginning at vertical line 342 . thus , the circuit 22 will provide the desired delay time without counting such time as a sector and without generating index or sector pulses and will thereafter provide the index and sector pulses while counting sectors in the same manner that occurs in the nondelayed mode of operation . after all sectors have been counted , generation of the sector pulses will be discontinued as in the nondelayed mode of operation . fig1 illustrates the operation of the circuit 22 in response to a partial reset pulse that occurs , as noted above , each time the transducer head is moved to a new track to which data is to be written or from which data is to be read . ( time lines in fig1 have been given the same numerical designations as in fig1 and 13 .) at the time the partial reset occurs , the first counter 102 will contain a count corresponding to the number of phase one clock pulses that have occurred since the most recent passage of index line 62 by the transducer head 36 and the second counter 150 will contain a count of the number of sectors , for the track being followed before the move , that have passed by the transducer head 36 . the accumulator will contain the time that the next sector pulse is to be delivered for the track currently being followed . during the partial reset , the delay and sector times for the new track to be followed are entered into the latches 122 and 124 and the number of sectors for the new track is set into the latch 144 as described above . thus , before the move to the new track is initiated , the latches in circuit 22 are in a state to accumulate new delay and sector times and count sectors for the new track . with the partial reset , indicated at 422 in fig1 , the accumulator 112 and the second counter 150 are both reset via a negative pulse from the and gate 94 in fig3 . thus , the count in first counter 102 will exceed the contents of the accumulator 112 to cause the output of the first comparator to go high as shown at 424 in fig1 . moreover , the output of the first comparator will remain high until the value in the accumulator 112 exceeds the count in the first counter . in order for the accumulator contents to exceed the first counter contents , a series of accumulator clock pulses will be quickly generated . this will accumulate enough sector times to equal to the next sector time ; that is , the time the transducer head 36 will reach the next sector for the new track , as will now be described . initially , and referring once again to fig3 , the complement of the partial reset pulse is also delivered via the and gate 94 and inverter 172 to the reset terminal of the flip - flop 170 of the accumulator clock 118 so that the qn output thereof will be high as indicated at 428 in fig1 just before the first phase one clock pulse 426 rises after the partial reset . at this time , the q output of flip - flop 170 will be low so that , with the high output from the first comparator 108 being transmitted to the inverting input of the nor gate 173 , the output of such gate will be high . thus , the qn output of the flip - flop 170 will be clocked low as indicated at 430 to give rise to a negative accumulator clock pulse that enters either the delay time for the new track or the sector time therefore into the accumulator 112 as at 432 . concurrently , this pulse will be counted by the second counter if no delay time has been selected for the new track but not counted if a delay time has been selected . as shown in fig8 , the flip - flop 214 is set by the partial reset pulse issuing as a combined reset from the and gate 94 so that the accumulation time selector will select the delay time for this first entry of a time into the accumulator 112 and will thereafter select sector times as described above with respect to the delayed mode of operation described above . similarly , the second counter will count the first entry of a time entered into the accumulator 112 only if no delay time has been selected for the new track . otherwise , counting by the second counter will pick up with the succeeding accumulator clock pulse . for purposes of discussion , it will be assumed that the time entered into the accumulator is a sector time . with the drop of the qn output of the flip - flop 170 , the q output thereof goes high so that the output of the nor gate 173 will go low . the result is that the rise of the next clock pulse 436 will clock the qn output of the flip - flop 170 back high to result , under the assumption made above , in the counting of the accumulator clock pulse by the second counter 150 as at 434 . if the entry of the sector time for the new track into the accumulator 112 does not bring the contents thereof to the level of the count in the first counter 102 , the output of the first comparator 108 will remain high and a second sector time accumulation and sector count , for the new track , will occur with the rise of the next clock pulse 438 . the process will then be repeated until the accumulator 112 contents surpass the contents of the first counter 102 . thus , the combined operation of the first counter 102 , the accumulator 112 , the first comparator 108 , the second counter 150 and the accumulator clock 118 is to count the number of sectors and next sector times that would have been counted subsequent to a master reset had the transducer head 36 been following the new track to which it has been moved . thus , when the contents of the accumulator 112 finally surpass the contents of the first counter 102 , indicated at 454 the counters 102 and 150 and the accumulator 112 will contain the same numbers , for the relative locations of the transducer head 36 and index 62 , that such devices would have contained following a master reset had the head been following the new track . thus , the operation of the circuit 22 , in so far as the counting of sectors and sector times is concerned will subsequently be the same as the operation that has been described above for following a track after a master reset . during the time that the next sector time is being loaded into the accumulator 112 and the sector number from index currently under the transducer head 36 is being loaded into the second counter , the generation of index and sector pulses used by the read / write controller 76 in the transfer of data to and from the disk 26 is suppressed as will now be discussed . referring to fig8 and 11 , the complement of the partial reset pulse on conducting path 153 is transmitted by conducting path 211 ( fig3 and 8 ) to one input of the nor gate 210 of the delayed index controller so that , while the partial reset pulse is being generated , the output of nor gate 210 will be active low and will be transmitted to the active low set terminal of the index delay flip - flop 308 on conducting path 212 . thus , the partial reset pulse will set the index delay flip - flop 308 in the same manner that such flip - flop is set in the delayed index mode of operation that has been described above to cause the output of the sector location pulse gate 300 , the qn output of the raw sector flip - flop 312 and the q output of the pulse stretcher flip - flop 310 to remain high , as indicated at 400 , 442 , and 444 respectively , until the first comparator output has gone low as in the delayed index mode of operation described above . thus , when the accumulator 112 contents surpasses the contents of the first counter to cause the first comparator output to go low as at 446 , the qn output of the index delay flip - flop 308 will be clocked high , as at 455 , on the next phase one clock pulse 450 to enable the sector location pulse gate 300 output to go low , as at 448 . the result is that the operation of the circuit 22 subsequent to the time indicated by the line 452 in fig1 , beginning with the first subsequent phase one clock pulse , indicated at 457 , to raise the count in the first counter 102 to the value in the accumulator 112 , will be the same as the operation thereof following the time indicated by the line 398 in fig1 . thus , the next clock pulse , at 460 , will cause another sector time to be entered into the accumulator 112 at the time indicated by line 462 in the same manner that a sector time is entered of line 402 of fig1 and operation will thereafter continue as shown in fig1 to the right of line 402 . it will be clear that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein . while a presently preferred embodiment has been described for purposes for this disclosure , numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed in the spirit of the invention disclosed and as defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
to provide a comprehensive understanding of the invention , its specific illustrative embodiments are described below ; however , those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that methods and systems may be modified within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . methods and systems disclosed here use a device of surface ecg mapping , visualization techniques of computer ( ct ) or magneto - resonance ( mrt ) tomography , computing techniques , as well as mathematical algorithms of solution of the inverse problem of electrocardiography for non - invasive reconstructing electrograms at internal points of the chest and on the heart epicardial surface and for constructing isopotential and isochronous epicardial maps on a realistic three - dimensional ( 3 - d ) computer model of the heart . fig1 illustrates a general schematic view of the method . the method includes ( 1 ) a registration of 240 unipolar ecg on the chest surface , ( 2 ) an implementation of ct or mrt of the chest , ( 3 ) data processing of surface ecg mapping and of computer ( mrt ) tomography using computing techniques and ( 4 ) a representation of the obtained electrophysiological information with means of computer graphics . fig2 illustrates a schematic view of the methodology of surface ecg mapping . a mapping device comprises a digital multi - channel electrocardiograph ( 1 ) connected with a personal computer ( 2 ). the digital multi - channel electrocardiograph allows one to register ecg - signals in 12 standard leads and in up to 240 unipolar leads from the chest surface . fig3 illustrates a scheme of imposing electrodes . for surface ecg mapping , one - off chlorine - silver electrodes are used ( 1 ). electrodes are imposed in the form of 5 - 8 horizontal strips ( belts ) positioned at similar distances along the vertical . the upper strip is positioned at the level of sterno - cleidal articulation , the lower strip — at the level of lower edge of rib - arch . each strip includes from 16 to 30 electrodes placed at similar distances in circumference of the chest ( 2 ). when a roentgen computer tomography is used as a visualization methodology , one - off metal chlorine - silver electrodes are applied as they are well visualized in roentgen tomography images and give a minimum level of artifacts . when a magneto - resonance therapy is used as a visualization methodology , one - off graphite electrodes are applied as they show the similar properties for this tomography technique . fig4 depicts the main stages of computer processing of the information . the stage ( 1 ) is a real - time processing of ecg - signals in the course of multi - channel ecg registration from the chest surface . the stage ( 2 ) is a retrospective processing of ecg - signals . the stage ( 3 ) includes constructing voxel models of the chest , heart and its compartments on ct or mrt data . the stage ( 4 ) comprises constructing polygonal surfaces of the chest , heart and its compartments . the stage ( 5 ) includes an automatic determination of coordinates of registration electrodes on the chest surface according to ct or mrt data . at stage ( 6 ) a surface interpolation of values of surface mapping ecg - signals at each discrete moment and a construction of isopotential maps on the chest surface are performed . the stage ( 7 ) includes a computational reconstruction of the heart electric field potential at internal points of the chest and on the heart epicardial surface . at the last stage , reconstructing epicardial electrograms ( 8 ) and constructing epicardial isopotential , isochronous maps with using means of computer graphics ( 9 ) on a realistic computer model of the heart , and visualizing the dynamics of electrophysiological processes of the myocardium in animation mode ( propagation mapping ) ( 10 ) are performed , respectively . fig5 illustrates processing of ecg - signals in the course of real - time ecg mapping . ecg - signals registered are reflected in computer display . an operator controls the quality of an ecg - signal in each of the leads ; if necessary , a programmed suppression of power - line ( 1 ) muscle ( 2 ) noises and of isoline drift ( 3 ) is used . automatic control of the contact of an electrode with skin and correctness of imposing electrodes based on spectral and mutual - correlation analyses of ecg - signals are also performed . a result of stage ( 1 ) represents digitalized and filtered values of ecg - signals in 240 unipolar leads from the chest surface and in 12 standard leads with duration up to 3 minutes . an operator looks through ecg - signals registered and selects one or several cardiocycles ( 1 , 2 ) for posterior processing . further , a reduction of ecg to a unity isoline ( 3 , 4 ) is implemented : to this end , operator selects in one of ecgs such a time interval τ within which an ecg - signal coincides with an isoline ( as a rule , this interval belongs to the segment pq ). correction of ecg - signals is performed according to the formula : where u 0 ( t ) is the corrigiert ecg - signal , u ( t ) is an initial ecg - signal , u 0 is an average value of an initial ecg - signal at time interval τ . afterwards , operator selects a cardiocycle fragment , being under interest , for subsequent calculations . fig7 illustrates constructing a voxel model of the torso and heart in voxel graphics editor . on ct or mrt data of the chest and heart , a voxel rendering of anatomical structures of the chest is carried out . to this end , a shear - warp factorization of the viewing transformation algorithm is used , which belongs to a group of scanline - order volume rendering methods . the concept of the voxel rendering method applied here consists of three main steps ( philippe lacroute fast volume rendering using a shear - warp factorization of the viewing transformation .— ph . d . dissertation , technical report csl - tr - 95 - 678 , stanford university , 1995 ). at first step , volume data are transformed by a shear matrix in the corresponding object space , each parallel slice of volume data after transformations passing through a special filter for diminishing distortions . at second step , an intermediate 2d image within the same shear space is formed from a combined set of filtered and sheared slices by their direct - order superposition . at third step , the intermediate 2d image obtained is transferred in a normal image space with using a shear matrix , and further it again passes through a filter for formation of a final image . an operator with the help of instruments of voxel edition makes ready a voxel model of the torso , heart or one of its structures . fig8 illustrates constructing polygonal surfaces ( triangulation grids ) of the torso and heart on the basis on voxel models . based on the obtained voxel models , polygonal surfaces consisting of united planar triangles and volume tetrahedral finite - element meshes are automatically constructed . initial data represent a three - dimensional scalar field of densities in a voxel representation , i . e ., a three - dimensional right - angled grid , in whose nodes values of conditional densities of chest tissues are given . constructing triangulation grids of the torso and heart represents a construction of polygonal surfaces that by the nearest way repeat surfaces of aforesaid structures given by the definite level of density . filtrating initial voxel models for diminishing a casual noise level ; constructing a finite - element volume and surface grid on the basis of the exhaustion method , more known in english - written literature as an advancing front algorithm . advancing front algorithm is described in more detail in lo s . h . volume discretization into tetrahedra — ii . 3d triangulation by advancing front approach // computers and structures , pergamon , vol . 39 , no 5 , p . p . 501 - 511 , 1991 ; rassineux a . generation and optimization of tetrahedral meshes by advancing front technique // international journal for numerical methods in engineering , wiley , vol . 41 , p . p . 651 - 674 , 1998 ; gol &# 39 ; nik e r ., vdovichenko a . a ., uspekhov a . a . construction and application of a preprocessor of generation , quality control , and optimization of triangulation grids of contact systems // information technologies , 2004 , no . 4 , p . 2 - 10 [ in russian ]. at the next step , a specific electroconductivity coefficient of a biological tissue is determined for each node of a finite - element grid . firstly , a type of a biological tissue is determined based on hounsfield numbers in computer tomograms or values of a mr - signal in magneto - resonance tomograms . afterwards , a specific electroconductivity coefficient is ascribed to every type of a biological tissue on the basis of published data . an example of conformity between hounsfield numbers and specific electroconductivity values of chest tissues is given below ( hofer m . computer tomography teaching manual [ russian translation ]. moscow : meditsinskaya literatura , 2006 ; martirosov e . g ., nikolaev d . v ., rudnev s . g . technologies and methods for determination of human body composition . [ in russian ].— moscow : nauka , 2006 ). fig1 illustrates constructing isopotential maps on the torso surface . constructing isopotential maps is performed by surface interpolation of ecg - signal values at each discrete moment with using radial basis functions . the electric field potential on the chest surface , s , is represented in the form of a decomposition according to the system of radial basis functions ( rbf ): where u ( x ) is the electric field potential , f i ( x ) are radial basis functions , a i are indefinite coefficients . as rbf , functions of the following kind given at ecg - registration points are used f j ( x ) = exp ( - x - x j c 2 ) , where x is a random point on the body surface , x j are ecg - registration points , ∥ x − x j ∥ is the minimal length of a line belonging to the surface s and connecting points x and x j , c is an experimentally chosen coefficient that determines approximation properties of a function . coefficients a j are found from the condition for the minimum of functional j : j = 1 2 ∑ i = 1 n [ ( ∑ j = 1 n a j f j ( x i ) + a 0 ) - u ( x i ) ] 2 where u ( x i ) are values of the electric field potential at x i points of ecg - registration on the chest surface , n is a number of ecg - registration points . for finding coefficients a j , the corresponding system of linear algebraic equations with a matrix of n × n size is solved . the potential u ( x i ) is calculated in nodes of the torso triangulation surface x i according to the formula to calculate the potential at each point of the torso surface , a bilinear interpolation on values in vertices of a grid triangle , which this point belongs to , is applied . the claimed method includes a method for noninvasive reconstructing the heart electric field potential at internal points of the chest on measured values of the electric field potential on the chest surface by a numerical solution of the inverse problem of electrocardiography for a model of the chest with a variable electroconductivity coefficient with using the finite element method based on iteration algorithms . for realizing this method , the following model is used . let ωεr 3 be a part of the chest bounded by a sufficiently smooth border ∂ ω , which includes the torso surface being in contact with external medium γ b , cross - sections of the chest at the level of the diaphragm and clavicles γ t1 γ t2 , as well as the heart epicardial surface γ e . chest tissues in domain ω are assumed to have a variable continuous positive limited specific electroconductivity coefficient k ( x ), xεω ∪∂ ω . the heart electric field potential in domain ω is assumed to satisfy the laplace equation in an inhomogeneous medium : where x =( x 1 , x 2 , x 3 ) t εω ⊂ r 3 is a point in three - dimensional ( 3d ) space , ∇ ≡ ( ∂ ∂ x 1 , ∂ ∂ x 2 , ∂ ∂ x 3 ) at the part of border γ b of domain ω , the dirichlet condition ( electric field potential measured as a result of surface ecg mapping ) is assumed to be known u ( x )= u ( x ), xεγ b , uεl 2 ( γ b ) ( 2 ) the dirichlet condition contains a noise component as the result of experimental measurements : u ( x )= u 0 ( x )+ ξ ( x ), xεγ b , u 0 εc 28 , ξεγ 2 ( γ b ), ( 3 ) where u 0 ( x ) is the exact value of the potential on the chest surface , ξ ( x ) is an measurement error estimated as ∥ ξ ( x )∥ l 2 & gt ; δ . ∂ u ( x ) ∂ n = p ( x ) = 0 , x ∈ γ b , p ∈ l 2 ( γ b ) , ( 4 ) is a potential derivative u ( x ) along an internal normal to the surface . solution of the inverse problem of electrocardiography consists in finding in the class of functions l 2 ( γ h ) a potential trace u ( y ) on the surface γ h that satisfies the laplace equation in domain ω ( 4 ) and the boundary conditions ( 5 )-( 7 ) at borders of regions . 1 . it is required to find a potential u ( x ) such as that : let us name this problem as a direct one in respect of the inverse boundary problem under study . 2 . it is required to find a potential u ( x ) such as that : let us name this problem as a conjugate problem in respect of the direct problem . let u ( y ) be a trace of solution of the direct problem ( 5 )-( 7 ) on the surface γ b . let us introduce an operator of the direct problem a that reflects the given on the surface γ h dirichlet condition v ( y ) into the trace of solution of the direct problem u ( x ) on the surface γ b , multiplied by an electroconductivity coefficient k ( x ), xεγ b at fixed and equal - to - zero neumann condition on γ b : then , solution of the inverse problem is reduced to solution of an operator equation regarding an unknown function v ( y ): this functional is positive and strongly convex , and its exact lower border equals to zero . therefore , a problem of solving the equation ( 12 ) and a variation problem of finding the function v , on which the present functional reaches its minimum , are equivalents : the claimed method includes algorithms of solution of the inverse problem of electrocardiography by numerical minimization of functional ( 13 ) based on methods of gradient optimization or iteration solution of the euler equation that is a necessary condition for the minimum of functional . algorithms indicated are iteration ones , at each iteration a solution of direct and conjugate problems by the boundary element method being performed . according to hadamard , the problem of minimization of functional ( 13 ) is ill - posed because of an incorrect statement of the inverse problem of electrocardiography . the claimed method involves algorithms of solution of the inverse problem of electrocardiography by numerical minimization of functional ( 13 ) with using regularization methods based on restricting a number of iterations and on the tikhonov method . 1 . finite - element discretization of computational domain is carried out : domain ω is split into tetrahedral elements and its borders γ h and γ h — into triangle elements , functions u ( x ), xεγ h , p ( x ) ≡ ∂ u ( x ) ∂ n , u ( x ) = ∑ i = 1 n u i · φ i ( x ) , x ∈ γ h , p ( x ) = ∑ i = 1 n p i · φ i ( x ) , x ∈ γ h u ( x ) = ∑ i = 1 m u i · φ i ( x ) , x ∈ γ h , p ( x ) = ∑ i = 1 m p i · φ i ( x ) , x ∈ γ h , p ( x ) ≡ ∂ u ( x ) ∂ n , where u i , p i , p i , u i are values of functions u ( x ), p ( x ), u ( x ), p ( x ) in surface nodes of a finite - element grid , φ i ( x ) are linearly independent finite basis functions given in nodes of a finite - element grid . 2 . vector u ={ u 1 , u 2 , . . . , u n } is computed based on an iteration procedure of numerical minimization of functional ( 21 ). 3 . function u ( x ), xεγ h , which is a final solution of the problem , is found according to the formula : the method includes the following iteration methods for finding a vector u ={ u 1 , u 2 , . . . , u n }. see : ( gill f ., murray y , wright m practical optimization [ russian translation ]. moscow : mir , 1985 ). s ( 0 ) = - j ′ ( u ( i ) ) , w ( i ) = j ( u ( i ) ) 2 j ( u ( i - 1 ) ) 2 s ( i ) = - j ′ ( u ( i ) ) + ω ( i ) · s ( i - 1 ) , τ ( i ) = argmin ( j ( u ( i ) + τ · s ( i ) ) ) , u ( i + 1 ) = u ( i ) + τ · s ( i ) , where i = 1 , 2 . . . , n is the iteration number , u ( 0 ) ={ u i 0 , u 2 0 , . . . , u n 0 } is an initial approximation of vector u , u ( i ) ={ u 1 i , u 2 i , . . . u n i } is the next approximation of vector u . exit from an iteration procedure is performed according to the principle of the residual ( the morozov principle ): an iteration process is stopped as soon as the following condition is reached : when reaching the iteration number , divisible by m , it is assumed that : s ( im ) = s ( 0 ) where m is an integer parameter being chosen by an experimental way . 2 . quasi - newton methods , which involve a gradient descent method ( the cauchy method ) and the newton method but use iterative ways for computing the hessian inverse matrix τ = arg min [ j ( u ( i ) − τ ( i ) · a ( i ) · j ′( u i ))], u ( i + 1 ) = u ( i ) − τ ( i ) · a ( i ) · j ( u i ) ), δ g ( i ) = j ′( u i + 1 ) )− j ′( u ( i ) ), where a ( i ) is the next approximation of the hessian inverse matrix of functional j ( u ), e is a unit matrix , b ( i ) is a correcting matrix being computed by different techniques described lower . exit from an iterative procedure is performed according to the principal of the residual ( the morozov principle ): an iteration process is stopped as soon as the following condition is reached : when reaching the iteration number , divisible by m , it is assumed that : a ( im ) = a ( 0 ) where m is an integer parameter being chosen by an experimental way . in iterative procedures described , it is necessary to compute a functional j ( u i ) and its gradient j ′( u ( i ) ). the method includes calculations of the indicated objects by the following methods . 1 . 1 . the function v ( i ) ( x ), xεω is found by solving the following mixed boundary problem for the laplace equation in an inhomogeneous medium with using the boundary element method ( the direct problem ( 5 )-( 7 )): a solution trace v ( i ) ( x ) at the border γ b is found . j ( u ( i ) ) is calculated by numerical integration according to the formula : 2 . 1 . the function g ( i ) ( x ), xεω is found by solving the following mixed boundary problem for the laplace equation in an inhomogeneous medium with using the boundary element method ( the conjugate problem ( 8 )-( 10 )): 2 . 2 . a normal derivative of solution at the border γ h : xεγ h is calculated by numerical differentiation of the found solution g ( i ) ( x ). 2 . 3 . the obtained normal derivative is multiplied by a coefficient of electroconductivity k ( y ) with inverse sign on the surface γ h : 3 . 3 . values of the obtained function p ( i ) ( x ), xεγ h in surface nodes of a boundary - element grid are assumed to be values of vector j ′( u ( i ) ): j ′( u ( i ) )=−{ p 1 ( i ) , p 2 ( i ) , . . . , p n ( i ) }. the method involves a minimization of functional ( 13 ) based on numerical solution of the euler equation that is the necessary condition for the minimum of functional ( 13 ): solving the equation ( 11 ) is performed on the basis of the following iteration algorithm : where ū is a random initial approximation , i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n is the iteration number , τ is a parameter of an iterative method . exit from an iterative procedure is implemented according to the principle of the residual : u i + 1 ) ( y )= u ( i ) ( y )− γ ·( p ( i ) ( y )− p ( y )), calculations of the function p ( y )= a * u ( x ) are carried out by the following way . 1 . with using the finite element method , the following mixed boundary problem for the laplace equation in an inhomogeneous medium is solved ( the conjugate problem ( 8 )-( 10 )): 2 . by numerical differentiation of the found solution g ( y ), a normal derivative of solution at the border γ h : γ h : ∂ g ( y ) ∂ n , 3 . the obtained normal derivative is multiplied by a coefficient of electroconductivity k ( y ) with inverse sign at the border γ h : calculation of functions p ( y )= a * v ( i ) ( x ) is carried out by the same way . 1 . with using the finite element method , the following mixed boundary problem for the laplace equation in an inhomogeneous medium is solved at each iteration ( the conjugate problem ( 8 )-( 10 )): 2 . by numerical differentiation of the obtained solution g ( y ), a normal derivative of solution is calculated at the border γ h : γ h : ∂ g ( i ) ( y ) ∂ n , 3 . the obtained normal derivative is multiplied by a coefficient of electroconductivity k ( y ) with inverse sign at the border γ h : γ h : p ( i ) ( y ) = - k ( y ) · ∂ g ( i ) ( y ) ∂ n , calculation of the function v ( i ) ( x )= a · u ( i ) ( y ) is performed by the following way . 1 . the function v ( i ) ( x ), xεω is found by solving the following mixed boundary problem for the laplace equation in an inhomogeneous medium with using the boundary element method ( the direct problem ( 5 )-( 7 )): 2 . a trace of the obtained solution at the border is multiplied by a coefficient of electroconductivity k ( x ) at the border γ b : v ( i ) ( x )= k ( x )· u ( x ), xεγ b . the method involves a minimization of functional ( 13 ) with using the tikhonov regularization on the basis of solving the corresponding euler equation : solving the equation ( 15 ) is implemented based on an iterative procedure : u ( i + 1 ) = u ( i ) − τ ·( a * ·( a · u ( i ) + α · u ( i ) − a *· u ). exit from an iterative procedure is performed when the following condition is reached : | u i + 1 − u i |& lt ; ε where ε is a small positive parameter depending on the machine accuracy . the choice of a regularization parameter α is carried out according to the principle of the residual : such α is chosen at which the following equality is fulfilled the most exactly : where u ( α ) is a parameter α - depending solution obtained as a result of implementing the iterative procedure . block - diagrams of algorithms are shown in fig1 , 12 , 13 . fig1 gives convergence diagrams of a quasi - newton iterative procedure of davidon - fletcher - powell ( 14a ) and of iteration solution of the euler equation ( 14b ). in calculations , a model of the torso and heart of a real patient was used . for modeling the standard electric field of the heart , a quadruple source to be placed in the geometric center of the heart was used . fig1 gives imposed on realistic models of the heart isopotential maps of the exact electric potential ( 14a ) calculated by the disclosed in the present invention algorithm with taking into account an electrical inhomogeneity of the chest ( 14b ) and by an algorithm based on a homogeneous model of the chest and disclosed in the patent - prototype of the present invention ( 14c ). fig1 shows examples of visualizing results of noninvasive electrophysiological study of the heart . 1 . constructing electrograms at interactively chosen points of the heart epicardial surface , endocardial surfaces of interventricular and interatrial septa , as well as at internal points of the chest on tomography cross - sections ( fig1 a ). 2 . constructing isopotential maps on tomography cross - sections of the chest ( fig1 b ). 3 . constructing isopotential and isochronous maps on the heart epicardial surface , endocardial surfaces of interventricular and interatrial septa ( fig1 c ). 4 . visualizing the dynamics of the myocardium excitation on the heart epicardial surface , endocardial surfaces of interventricular and interatrial septa in animation mode ( propagation maps ) ( fig1 d ). unipolar electrograms are constructed by interpolation of computed values of the heart electric field potential for all the moments of the cardiocycle at a given point . bipolar electrograms are constructed as the difference of electrograms in chosen node and at the point located in the vicinity to this node at a distance δl in the direction to i . parameters δl and 1 are interactively given . isopotential maps are constructed on the basis of bilinear interpolation of computed values of the heart electric field potential in nodes of a grid at given moment of the cardiocycle by a gradient painting method or constructing isopotential lines . for constructing isochronous maps two modes — manual and automatic — are provided . in manual mode at interactively chosen node of a grid an unipolar electrogram u ( t ), bipolar electrogram u b = u 1 ( t )− u 2 ( tt ), as well as a differential electrogram i . e ., a diagram of first derivative of an unipolar electrogram over time , are reconstructed . an operator in interactive mode marks in indicated diagrams a time - point τ corresponding to the start of the myocardium activation at a given point . the choice of corresponding mark of a time - point τ in automatic mode proceeds without operator &# 39 ; s interference . the time - point τ is determined as a maximum of a negative differential unipolar electrogram : isochronous maps are visualized on the basis of bilinear interpolation of τ values in grid nodes by the gradient painting method or constructing isochronous lines . the same data are represented in animation mode in the form of so - called excitation propagation maps . fig1 presents reconstructed by the described method epicardial isochronous maps of the extrasystole caused by an ectopic source in the region of excretory tract of the right ventricle . the mini - circle indicates a localization of the ablation electrode with the help of which a successful radio - frequency ablation of this ectopic source was implemented . | 0 |
turning now to the drawings and in particular to fig1 a person 10 is shown in conjunction with several articles of clothing , each of which , as explained more fully below , when constructed in accordance with the invention is adapted to absorb odors emanating from the person . the particular articles of clothing illustrated in fig1 include a head covering 12 , a breath shield 14 , an upper body or torso cover 16 , a lower body cover 18 , gloves or mittens 20 , foot covers or socks 22 , and boot or shoe covers 24 . similarly , articles such as backpacks , fanny packs and the like may incorporate odor absorbing means to absorb the odors of the materials stored therein . the head covering 12 is adapted to substantially cover the entire head of the person 10 as well as the neck region . preferably , an open portion 26 is provided in order that the person 10 may see . the breath shield 14 may be incorporated directly into the head covering 12 by stitching or adhesive bonding or may be in the form of a separate article of clothing similar to surgical masks and the like employed by physicians . the upper body cover 16 is adapted to cover the torso and waist regions of the person 10 as well as the arms and shoulders . similarly , the lower body cover 18 is adapted to cover the waist and pelvic regions 10 as well as the legs . the upper and lower body covers 16 , 18 may comprise individual articles of clothing that overlap in the area of the waist or may be in the form of a one - piece body suit . the gloves or mittens 20 may be worn over the hands and preferably overlap those portions of the upper body cover 16 that envelop the arms of the wearer . similarly , the socks may be worn over the feet of the individual 10 and function as foot covers . finally , the boot or shoe covers 24 commonly known as &# 34 ; gators &# 34 ; may be adapted to be worn over clad feet and may be provided with heels , soles or the like if desired . the individual articles of clothing may be sized to conform to the person wearing the clothing although it is preferred that they be made large enough to be capable of being worn comfortably by a person dressed in otherwise conventional clothing . the individual articles of clothing may be thermally insulated or made water - repellent or water - resistant if desired although this is not required to successfully practice the invention . similarly , the articles of clothing may be provided with an appropriate camouflaging color scheme so that the person 10 wearing clothing constructed according to the invention may blend more readily into the surrounding environment . alternatively , it may be desired to provide the articles of clothing with a bright and highly visible color so that the person 10 will be easily observable by other people such as hunters . each of the articles of clothing identified above has a substantially similar construction in cross section , which construction is shown in greater detail in fig2 - 4 . to assist the description hereinafter , the reference numeral 28 in fig2 - 4 identifies an article of clothing generally . it will be understood that the article of clothing identified generally in fig2 - 4 by the reference numeral 28 may comprise any of the articles of clothing described hereinabove including the head covering 12 , the breath shield 14 , the upper body cover 16 , the lower body cover 18 , the gloves , mittens or hand covers 20 , the socks or foot covers 22 , the boot or shoe covers 24 , or a duffle or knapsack ( not shown ). in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 the article of clothing 28 comprises an inner layer 30 and an outer layer 32 having enclosed therebetween means 34 for absorbing odors of the wearer . the odor absorbing means 34 may be in the form of fibers treated with or having incorporated therein activated carbon or charcoal . a suitable example of such odor absorbing means is commercially marketed under the name garfil - 615 by purification products ltd . of great britain and distributed in the united states by filter - x , inc . of harrisburg , pa . preferably , the amount of activated charcoal is in the range of 5 g / m 2 to 120 g / m 2 . alternatively , the odor absorbing means could be in the form of chlorophyll , baking soda , activated alumina , soda lime , zeolite , calcium oxide , potassium permanganate or a similar substance . the inner and outer layers 30 , 32 of the clothing article 28 may be similar or dissimilar and may comprise cotton , polypropylene , wool , felt , polyester , tyvek ® or gore - tex ® , a laminate comprising polytetrafluoroethylene bonded to a suitable fabric and commercially marketed by w . l . gore & amp ; associates , inc ., newark , del . the various materials for the inner and outer layers 30 , 32 may be , non - woven , closely woven , comprise a fine mesh or be fabricated in some other suitable manner . the inner and outer layers 30 , 32 may be secured to each other by stitching , quilting , needling or adhesive bonding at appropriate and conventional locations ( not shown separately in the drawings ) such as seams . in one embodiment , the inner and outer layers 30 , 32 may be in the form of a needled , non - woven polyester fabric , each layer having a weight of approximately 10 to 12 oz ./ sq . yd . and a thickness of approximately 1 / 16 . the odor absorbing means may be provided by a layer of garfil - 615 having a weight of approximately 10 - 12 oz ./ sq . yd . alternatively , as best shown in fig3 the article of clothing 28 may be in the form of a foam of latex or other polymer 36 that has been impregnated with the odor absorbing means 34 , such as activated charcoal . whatever materials are selected for the ultimate construction of the article of clothing 28 , the article should preferably be durable , flexible , abrasion resistant , easy to manufacture , nontoxic , nonflammable , and capable of carrying or retaining substantial amounts of the appropriate odor absorbing means 34 . a further embodiment of the article of clothing is seen in fig4 . in this embodiment , a base material 40 has a layer of odor absorbing means 34 bonded to a first surface 42 . preferably , the layer of odor absorbing means 34 is mounted on the outer surface of the base material , although mounting the odor absorbing means on the inner surface of the base material is acceptable . the odor absorbing means 34 may be mounted on the base material 40 by a &# 34 ; printing &# 34 ; process wherein the odor absorbing substance , such as activated charcoal , is mixed with a bonding agent and then printed on the base material 40 by a silk - screen printing process . an example of this process is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 510 , 193 to blucher et al ., issued apr . 9 , 1985 . the person 10 may choose to wear some or all of the articles of clothing described above and illustrated in fig1 . the degree of odor absorption increases as the surface area of the body of the person 10 covered by the articles of clothing increases . thus , the most effective odor absorbing arrangement will comprise the head covering 12 , the breath shield 14 , the upper body cover 16 , the lower body cover 18 , the gloves or mittens 20 , the socks or foot covers 22 , and the boot or shoe covers 24 . although effective odor absorption may be realized by wearing only some of the articles of clothing , the person 10 will preferably wear all of the articles of clothing described above to provide a more - or - less total - coverage body suit . in warm weather climates , it may be desirable to cover only a portion of the person 10 . fig5 shows an alternative embodiment of the suit according to the invention . in this embodiment , the person 10 wears an upper body cover 44 and a lower body cover 46 . the upper body 44 cover is analogous to a short - sleeve shirt wherein the person &# 39 ; s chest , torso , shoulders and underarms are covered . the lower body cover 46 comprises a pair of shorts which cover the pelvic or groin region and a portion of the legs of the person 10 . the embodiment seen in fig5 may be enhanced by adding one or more of the head covering 12 , the breath shield 14 , the gloves 20 , the foot covers 22 or the shoe covers 24 . it may be desirable to provide additional odor absorbing means 34 for those articles of clothing adjacent to body parts that are more likely to emanate readily detectable odors such as the underarms and pelvic regions . in this case , an enhanced layer of the odor absorbing means can be mounted to the article of clothing 28 in the underarm or pelvic regions . for example , two layers of activated charcoal in the amount of 50 g / m 2 may be mounted one on top of the other to create a total of 100 g / m 2 for enhanced odor absorption in one or more sensitive areas . the articles of clothing according to the invention may be worn as an outer layer of clothing , as an inner layer , or intermediate outer and inner layers of otherwise conventional clothing . it has been found that activated charcoal used as the odor absorbing means 34 may be reactivated for numerous cycles of use . this reactivation can occur merely by washing and drying the article of clothing 28 . washing and drying helps to remove impurities and foreign articles bonded to the activated charcoal . reasonable variations or modifications are possible within the spirit of the foregoing specification and drawings without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the accompanying claims . | 1 |
hereinafter , the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings . the present inventor has discovered a new technical problem in a tube having a sealant chamber on a peripheral portion thereof . if the charged amount of sealant into the sealant chamber is increased to increase the thickness of the sealant in the diameter direction , the sealing performance is improved ; however , since the weight of the sealant chamber is increased , the durability of the tire tube 2 at the contact surface with the tire 1 is degraded . on the basis of this knowledge , the present inventor has examined a relationship between the thickness of the sealant in the sealant chamber and the sealing performance / durability . [ 0029 ] fig2 is a graph showing a relationship between the durability ( ordinate ) of a tube and the thickness ( abscissa ) of a sealant . a runnable distance was taken as the scale of the durability . the runnable distance was measured with the thickness of the sealant changed by 0 . 5 mm for each measurement . the experimental results show that the runnable distance becomes larger as the thickness of the sealant becomes thin . for a motorcycle , the durability of a tire itself is about 10 , 000 km . since tube exchange is generally performed simultaneously with tire exchange , the durability of a tube may be set at about 10 , 000 km as a matter of practicality . even when considering differences between tube products , the durability of a tube may be set at about 15 , 000 km . from the experimental results shown in fig2 it is revealed that a durability equal to or more than 10 , 000 km can be ensured by setting the thickness of the sealant at a value equal to or less than about 1 . 8 mm . a durability equal to or more than 15 , 000 km can be ensured by setting the thickness of the sealant at a value equal to or less than 1 . 5 mm . [ 0031 ] fig3 is a graph showing a relationship between the sealing performance of a tube ( ordinate ) and the thickness of a sealant ( abscissa ). the diameter of a hole allowed to be blocked with the sealant was taken as the scale of the sealing performance . the diameter of a hole allowed to be blocked with the sealant was measured with the thickness of the sealant changed by 0 . 5 mm for each measurement . the experimental results show that the sealing performance becomes higher as the thickness of the sealant becomes larger . incidentally , puncture of a tire may be generally due to the fact that a sharpened body such a nail penetrates the tire to perforate the tube . as a result of examination made by the present inventors , it became apparent that the diameter of a sharpened body causing puncture of a tire is substantially in a range of about 2 to 3 mm , and the diameter of a hole opened in the tube by such a sharpened body is about 6 mm . on the basis of the experimental results shown in fig3 it is revealed that the hole having a diameter of 6 mm can be blocked by setting the thickness of the sealant at a value equal to or more than 0 . 5 mm . in this way , according to this embodiment , the optical range of the thickness of the sealant was examined in consideration of both the durability and sealing performance of a tire tube . it became apparent that the durability becomes higher as the thickness of the sealant becomes thinner . furthermore , even if the thickness of the sealant is increased to 1 . 5 mm , a sufficient durability of the tire tube can be substantially ensured . also , it became apparent that the sealing performance becomes higher as the thickness of the sealant becomes larger . furthermore , even if the thickness of the sealant is decreased to 0 . 5 mm , a sufficient sealing performance can be substantially ensured . from the above experiments and the examined results , in this embodiment , the most advantageous thickness of the sealant is in a range of 0 . 5 mm to 1 . 5 mm , since the durability and the sealing performance are both sufficient . as described above , in this embodiment , the thickness in the diameter direction of the sealant is specified at a value in a range of 0 . 5 mm to 1 . 5 mm from the viewpoint of the durability and sealing performance actually required for a tire tube . therefore , the durability and sealing performance , which are incompatible with each other in terms of physical properties , can be made substantially compatible with each other as a matter of practicality . fig4 ( a ) and 4 ( b ) are views showing the configuration of a tube extrusion - molding machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention , wherein fig4 ( a ) is a front view of a nozzle plane through which a tube material is extruded , and fig4 ( b ) is a sectional view taken on line i - i of fig4 ( a ). the nozzle plane has a peripheral wall forming gap 31 through which a peripheral wall portion of a tube material is extruded and a partition wall forming gap 32 through which a partition wall portion of the tube material is extruded . the nozzle plane also has surface lubricant delivery ports 14 a and 14 b and surface lubricant suction ports 13 a and 13 b for supplying and discharging a surface lubricant such as talc into an air chamber and a sealant chamber , respectively . the surface lubricant delivery ports 14 a and 14 b are , as shown in fig4 ( b ), connected to surface lubricant delivery pumps 21 and 22 via pipe lines 23 and 24 , respectively . in this way , according to this embodiment , the surface lubricant delivery pumps 21 and 22 are talc supplying means which are connected to the surface lubricant delivery ports 14 a and 14 b , respectively . accordingly , if a delivery load , such as a resistance of the pipe line , at one surface lubricant delivery port is increased , a supply pressure corresponding to the increased delivery load does not escape from the other surface lubricant delivery port . as a result , a specific supply pressure is always ensured at each surface lubricant delivery port irrespective of the delivery load , to thereby prevent an extreme reduction in the delivered amount . the supply pressures for supplying the surface lubricant , which are applied by the surface lubricant delivery pumps 21 and 22 , are not necessarily equal to each other . for example , if it is previously estimated that a delivery load on the delivery port 14 a side is larger than that on the delivery port 14 b side , the supply pressure applied by the surface lubricant delivery pump 21 may be set at a value slightly higher than that applied by the surface lubricant delivery pump 22 . this results in the surface lubricant being evenly delivered from each of the delivery ports 14 a and 14 b at a predetermined rate . since the thickness in the diameter direction of the sealant is specified at a value in the range of 0 . 5 mm to 1 . 5 mm when considering the durability and sealing performance actually required for a tire tube , the durability and sealing performance , which are incompatible with each other in terms of physical properties , can be made substantially compatible with each other as a matter of practicality . since the delivery means for delivering a surface lubricant for preventing adhesive bonding between the peripheral wall and the partition wall for forming the air chamber is provided separately from the delivery means for delivering the surface lubricant so as to prevent adhesive bonding between the peripheral wall and partition wall for forming the sealant chamber , even if a delivery load at one surface lubricant delivery port is large , the delivery pressure applied thereto by the delivery means does not escape from the other surface lubricant delivery port . as a result , a predetermined delivery pressure can be applied to each surface lubricant delivery port , to thereby prevent an extreme decrease or increase in the delivered amount of the surface lubricant . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims . | 1 |
fig1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of our invention in the form of an aircraft 10 having an airframe 12 . a propulsion engine 14 is mounted to the airframe 12 and operably connected to a secondary power system 16 . the secondary power system 16 includes an engine mounted gearbox ( egb ) 18 mounted on and operably connected to the propulsion engine 14 , and a first and second accessory drive in the form of a first and a second airframe mounted accessory drive ( first and second amad ) 20 , 24 operably connected to the engine gearbox by a first and a second drive shaft 22 , 26 respectively . as illustrated graphically in fig1 the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 on opposite sides of the egb 18 and spaced sufficiently apart on the airframe 12 to provide an engine removal space 28 wide enough to allow the engine 14 and egb 18 to pass between the first or second amad 20 , 24 . fig1 further illustrates that because the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 are operably connected to the egb 18 solely by the first and second drive shafts 22 , 26 that can be removed without disturbing the mounting of the amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 , the engine 12 and egb 18 can be removed from the airframe 12 without removing either the first or second amad 20 , 24 and without disconnecting any hydraulic , electrical , or pneumatic lines connected to accessories or secondary power sources mounted on the amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 . those having skill in the art will recognize that the ability to remove the engine 14 and the egb 18 without disturbing either amad 20 , 24 or disconnecting any lines provides significant advantages in manufacturability and repairability compared to secondary power systems in prior single engine aircraft . also , by mounting the amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 in a widely spaced manner away from the egb 18 battle damage tolerance is enhanced because it is harder for a single munition strike to simultaneously disable both amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 and the egb 18 . the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 further include first and second drive means 32 , 34 respectively for driving accessories 36 operably attached to the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 . these drive means 32 , 34 would generally take the form of a geartrain capable of providing an appropriate rotational speed for each of the various accessories 36 . the first drive means 32 of the first accessory drive 20 includes a first amad clutch 38 operably connected to allow selective connection or disconnection of the first drive means 32 from the egb 18 . the first accessory drive 20 in fig1 further includes a secondary power source in the form of an auxiliary power unit ( apu ) 40 operably connectable by an apu clutch 42 to the first drive means 32 . the apu depicted is of typical construction including an air - breathing gas turbine engine providing rotating shaft power for driving the first amad , and also providing apu bleed air for use by pneumatic equipment such as a cabin pressurizing and environmental conditioning system ( ecs ). with the first amad clutch 38 engaged and the apu clutch 42 disengaged , the first amad 20 will be driven by the egb 18 . by disengaging the first amad clutch 38 and engaging the apu clutch 42 the first amad 20 can be driven by the apu 40 to thereby provide a dual source of power for driving the accessories 36 connected to the first amad 20 . in similar fashion , the second drive means 34 of the second accessory drive 24 includes a second amad clutch 44 operably connected to allow selective connection or disconnection of the second drive means 34 from the egb 18 . the second accessory drive 24 in fig1 further includes a secondary power source in the form of an emergency power unit ( epu ) 46 operably connectable by an epu clutch 48 to the second drive means 34 . the epu 46 depicted is of typical construction including a turbine driven by hot gas produced in a combuster supplied with stored , pressurized , air and fuel to produce rotating shaft power for driving the second amad 24 . with the second amad clutch 44 engaged and the epu clutch 48 disengaged , the second amad 24 will be driven by the egb 18 . by disengaging the second amad clutch 44 and engaging the epu clutch 48 the second amad 22 can be driven by the epu 46 to thereby provide a dual source of power for driving the accessories 36 connected to the second amad 24 . the first amad 20 of the embodiment of fig1 also includes a torque converter 50 that may be drained or filled selectively to provide a fluid coupling between the apu 40 and the propulsion engine 14 , thereby allowing the apu 40 to drive the engine 14 during ground or in - flight engine starting in a manner well known to those having skill in the art . conversely , the torque converter 50 can also be filled while the engine 14 is running or spooling down , to thereby spin up and facilitate starting of the engine in the apu 40 . the embodiment depicted in fig1 also includes separate lubrication pumps 52 , 54 , 56 respectively dedicated to serving the egb 18 , the first amad 20 , and the second amad 24 . by providing separate lube pumps 52 , 54 , 56 damage tolerance of secondary power system 16 is maximized because the egb 18 and the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 can be operated after one of them is damaged or sustains a failure without fear of contamination being spread to the other amad or egb by a shared lubrication circuit . furthermore , because the egb 18 , the first amad 20 , and the second amad 24 are each connectable to an independent power source in the form of the propulsion engine 14 , the apu 40 , and the epu 46 respectively , the inclusion of independent dedicated lubrication pumps 52 , 54 , 56 allows the egb 18 and the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 to be run totally independently of one another , thereby providing greater flexibility than was possible with prior aircraft in operating the secondary power system 16 under normal conditions , and following a partial failure of the secondary power system 16 or loss of power from the main engine 14 . those skilled in the art will no doubt have already deduced that a fundamental premise in designing our system was to provide at least two paths through the secondary power system 16 for driving each of the accessories operably connected to the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 . as will be evident from fig1 and the explanation above , the accessories 36 mounted on the first amad 20 may be driven alternatively by either the propulsion engine 14 or by the apu 40 . in similar fashion , the accessories 36 mounted on the second amad 24 may be driven alternatively by either the propulsion engine 14 or by the epu 46 . to further enhance damage tolerance and partial performance capability of the secondary power system 16 , our invention contemplates judiciously selecting the accessories mounted on the first and second amad 20 , 24 and the egb 18 in such a manner that those accessories critical to operation of the engine such as the engine lube pump 52 , an engine fuel pump 58 , and a small electrical generator 60 dedicated to providing power for engine control are mounted on the egb . to yet further enhance damage tolerance and post failure partial operation of the secondary power system 16 , it may be desirable to add component redundancy in certain highly critical accessory systems 36 , and judiciously split the mounting of the redundant components between the first and second amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 so that even after the loss of one of the amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 the critical accessory system can still be powered by the remaining amad . for example , multiple hydraulic systems can be provided to limit the extent that loss of any one system will have on aircraft performance . in the embodiment of our invention depicted in fig1 three hydraulic systems are illustrated by hydraulic pumps numbered 1 through 3 . each of the three hydraulic systems includes a first and a second pump connected in parallel to supply fluid to its respective hydraulic system . looking specifically at the first hydraulic system , the first pump , designated as pump 1a in fig1 is mounted on and driven by the first amad 20 , and the second pump for the first hydraulic circuit , designated as pump 1b , is mounted on and driven by the second amad 24 . the pumps for the second and third hydraulic circuits are similarly designated and mounted with the first pump of each circuit bearing an &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; designation and being driven by the first amad 20 , and the second pump of each circuit bearing the &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; designation and being driven by the second amad 24 . this arrangement allows each of the three critical hydraulic systems to continue to operate following the loss either amad 20 , 24 , thereby providing significant additional operational flexibility under normal or post failure operation by providing a third drive path through the secondary power system 16 and driving the second pump ( i . e . the one designated nb ) for supplying fluid to the hydraulic system including pump nb . from the foregoing description , those skilled in the art will readily recognize that aircraft and secondary power systems according to our invention provide significant advances over prior aircraft and secondary power systems . those skilled in the art will further recognize that although we have described the invention herein with respect to certain specific embodiments and applications thereof , many other embodiments and applications are possible within the scope of our invention as described in the appended claims . for example , although the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig1 utilized two amad &# 39 ; s 20 , 24 , in other embodiments of our invention , as shown in fig2 it may be desirable to utilize a secondary power system including one amad 62 and one engine mounted accessory drive ( emad ) 64 mounted on the egb 18 . as shown in fig3 in yet other embodiments it may be desirable to eliminate the amad entirely and use a first and a second emad 64 , 66 mounted on the egb 18 . it will also be understood that many other accessory groupings are possible and desirable in practicing our invention , thereby allowing designers of aircraft and secondary power systems great flexibility in optimizing a multi - mode system according to our invention . it is understood , therefore , that the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the specific embodiments described and depicted herein . | 1 |
the present invention is a clothing attachment ( 5 ). the clothing attachment ( 5 ) functions as a training tool for dress and gown wearers . the training gleaned from the clothing attachment ( 5 ) of the present invention is to simulate the use of an actual dress or gown during rehearsals and other pre - event instances . more specifically , the simulation of an embodiment of the present invention includes providing the wearer with similar weight , length and distance conditions . this function operates to afford the wearer with actual training and practice relating to the wearing , dimension , construction , and other dynamics of an actual dress or gown . in this manner , the present invention offers a method of use relating to the clothing attachment ( 5 ) as it connects to the wearer such that the wearer can simulate the effects of an actual dress or gown through the wear and movement associated with the clothing attachment ( 5 ). fig1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention . as we see , a connection ( 10 ) is secured to the wearer . in the embodiment of fig1 , the connection ( 10 ) is constructed as a belt around the waist of the wearer , although clips or other conventional securing means are envisioned . the connection ( 10 ) serves as the attaching element between the clothing attachment ( 5 ) and the wearer and / or the wearer &# 39 ; s clothing . attached to the connection ( 10 ) is the dress ( 15 ). the dress ( 15 ) also is referred to as a gown ( 15 ). it is important to note that the dress ( 15 ) is more in line with a skirt in terms of elements of wear . however , the clothing attachment ( 5 ) and dress ( 15 ) portion operate to simulate the effects and conditions of an actual dress or gown rather than typical function of a skirt . however , it is important to note that the preferred embodiment of the present invention is such that the front of the dress is open . as we see in fig3 , the dress ( 15 ) is crafted such that the dress ( 15 ) extends down from the connection ( 10 ) at the right side ( 17 ) and left side ( 19 ). in this manner , the right side ( 17 ) and the left side ( 19 ) do not meet at the front of the dress ( 15 ), and only begin communication in terms of the front with the clothing attachment ( 5 ) at the connection ( 10 ). in addition , the right side ( 17 ) and the left side ( 19 ) do meet in a more traditional manner in the back . the dress ( 15 ) is composed of any material that is typically used for clothing . the dress ( 15 ) extends downward such that the train ( 20 ) extends from the back ( 42 ) of the dress ( 15 ). the bottom ( 30 ) of the dress ( 15 ) in terms of length and extension is configured to similarly match the configuration of the actual dress that is to be simulated by the present invention . in one embodiment , the clothing attachment ( 5 ) is constructed in such a manner to mimic the physical lengths , extensions and dimensions of an actual dress . this means that the bottom ( 30 ) of the present invention will be of a similar or the same length of the actual dress in order to train the wearer how best to walk , dance , stand and otherwise navigate without tripping on the bottom ( 30 ). an additional embodiment relates to the dress ( 15 ) that extends downward from the connection ( 10 ). however , in this embodiment as seen in fig4 , the dress bottom ( 30 ) is folded into multiple folds via conventional means in terms of securing the folds ( 35 ). in this manner , the bottom ( 30 ) can be unfolded until the desired length of the dress ( 15 ) is obtained . the folds of the bottom ( 30 ) in this embodiment also is not limited to extending straight down , but will also include extensions for a train ( 20 ), the back ( 42 ) and width of the bottom ( 30 ) depending on the style of the actual dress to be simulated . this folding of the bottom ( 30 ) of the present invention can be secured via such conventional means as velcro located within the folds ( 35 ) in such a manner that the wearer would fold the bottom ( 30 ) portions inward toward the wearer so that the folding connection elements are hidden from view . fig2 provides a view of an additional embodiment of the present invention . this embodiment relates to weights ( 40 ) being placed on the dress ( 15 ). in the preferred embodiment , the weights ( 40 ) would be positioned in the interior or outside of the dress ( 15 ). the weights ( 40 ) may be placed within the lining of the dress ( 15 ) or secured via conventional means to the fabric . the weights ( 40 ) themselves are envisioned to be of conventional weighted material and interspersed in strategic locations on the dress ( 15 ). the sizes of the weights ( 40 ) are envisioned to be the size of a quarter or half - dollar . the weights ( 40 ) are interspersed in strategic locations so that the wearer can still experience the flow of the dress ( 15 ) in a more natural manner . as such , the preferred embodiment is to place the weights ( 40 ) in strategic locations that include along the bottom ( 30 ) and the train ( 20 ). weights ( 40 ), however , also can be placed in other areas of the dress ( 15 ) to simulate weight and volume of the wear of the actual dress . in fact , the purpose of placing the weights ( 40 ) onto the present invention is to simulate the effects of an actual dress or gown without forcing the wearer to practice under such constrictive or voluminous conditions . an additional embodiment relates to lining the interior of the clothing attachment ( 5 ) with flexible conduits that lead to various positions along the clothing attachment ( 5 ) in much the same manner as with the weights ( 40 ). these positions in this additional embodiment include air sacs . the conduits lead through to the air sacs and ultimately lead up to the connection ( 10 ). at the connection ( 10 ), a conventional pump is attached to the conduit . the wearer may then use the pump to push air via conventional means through the conduit and into the air sacs , where the pump also can be locked to retain air and unlocked to release air from the air sacs . the placement of the air sacs permits the wearer the ability to increase or decrease weight and volume of the clothing attachment ( 5 ) in order to simulate the effects of the actual dress or gown . the embodiments relating to the weights ( 40 ), as well as air sac embodiment , also assist the wearer in gauging the flow , stability and movement of the bottom of the actual dress through the weighted or bulked up function of the bottom ( 30 ) of the clothing attachment ( 5 ). in this manner , the wearer can use the present invention to train in how to walk in accordance with the dimensions and make of the actual dress or gown . this means that weighted bottom ( 30 ) of the clothing apparatus ( 5 ) will offer practice for the wearer to avoid tripping on the bottom of the actual dress or otherwise prevent other mishaps . an additional embodiment of the present invention also achieves the simulating effect as described above through the use of a retraction mechanism to train the wearer with the effects of a bustle . in this embodiment , the train ( 20 ) is slid underneath the outward lining of the fabric at the back of the clothing attachment ( 5 ). a retracting handle located at the connection ( 10 ) is connected to the train ( 20 ). inside the lining of the back of the clothing attachment ( 5 ), or in a preferred embodiment rolled into the back of the connection ( 10 ), the train ( 20 ) can be pulled to retract the train ( 20 ) or pushed downward via a solid retracting handle to extend the train ( 20 ). in this manner , the wearer can adjust the length of the train ( 20 ) to better match the length of the actual dress or gown . fig3 provides a view of an additional embodiment of the present invention in the context of a front view . in the embodiment of fig3 , linear markers ( 50 ) attached to the dress ( 15 ) are retractable or telescoping in such a manner that the linear markers ( 50 ) are configured to extend outward to a desirable distance away from the dress ( 15 ). the linear markers ( 50 ) are attached to the dress ( 15 ) or connection ( 10 ) via conventional means . however , in one embodiment , the linear markers ( 50 ) are stowed in pouches or flaps sewn into the dress ( 15 ) or connection ( 10 ) or otherwise clothing attachment ( 5 ). in this manner , the linear markers ( 50 ) are out of the way and generally out of sight . when the wearer wants to deploy a linear marker ( 50 ), the wearer removes the linear marker ( 50 ) from the pouch or flap by undoing the flap or pouch . the pouch or flap in this embodiment is connected via conventional means to the clothing attachment ( 5 ), with one end of the pouch or flap being removable so that once the one end is removed or undone from the clothing apparatus ( 5 ), the linear marker ( 50 ) is exposed and can be lifted outward and telescoped or retracted . the embodiment of fig3 serves the purpose of marking distance between the wearer and other people or objects . this means that the linear markers ( 50 ) operate as additional training elements for both the wearer and other participants in preparation for an actual choreographed event . the embodiment of fig3 also assists in keeping proper pace . for example , during a wedding rehearsal , linear markers ( 50 ) placed and protruding outward at the front of the clothing attachment ( 5 ) and the rear of the clothing attachment ( 5 ) can provide measuring zones for others . in this way , the other person will know to keep between the two linear markers ( 50 ). an additional embodiment relates to a pace - keeping device that teaches the wearer and / or others involved in the rehearsal the pace or rhythm required for the actual event . one embodiment is to include a conventional metronome in the connection ( 10 ). having illustrated the present invention , it should be understood that various adjustments and versions might be implemented without venturing away from the essence of the present invention . the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , and should be interpreted as any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims . | 6 |
referring first to fig1 a foldable structure comprises an opposed pair of front and back rectangular frame members , the front member being indicated at 10 and the rear ( back ) member at 11 . each of the frame members 10 , 11 consists of opposed pairs of side uprights , an interconnecting horizontal at the bottom and an interconnecting horizontal at the top . the front and rear frames 10 , 11 in the collapsed state lie adjacent to one another , essentially flat and in the same plane , and can be erected into the condition shown in fig1 by the motion of an opposed pair of side frames 12 interconnecting them . each side frame 12 also consists of a pair of opposed side members connected by bottom and top horizontals . each side frame 12 is hingedly attached to the rear frame 11 and hingedly and slidably attached to the front frame 10 , by means of swivel cleats 13 , as shown most clearly in fig1 b . the swivel cleats may be of the form shown and described in gb - 2179698b . a pair of rectangular sub - frames 14 are provided , as a pair of front doors , and are hingedly attached in normal manner , by means of their outer side members , to the side members of the front frame 10 . in order to form a security cage , wire mesh panels 15 are secured as by welding at their edges to appropriate parts on the frame members , which therefore are also made of metal capable of being welded to the wire of the panels 15 . the panels 15 are secured to the front , rear and side frames 10 , 11 , 12 and to the sub - frames 14 . generally , it is unnecessary to enclose the base of the folding structure , particularly if this is designed to be fixed to the ground . in order to enclose the top of the foldable structure , a top frame 16 is hingedly and displaceably attached , for instance at its rear frame component 17 , to the top horizontal of the rear frame 11 . for this purpose , each corner of the top frame 16 is provided with a dependent lug 18 having a vertical slot 19 formed in it , i . e . in a direction generally at right - angles to the plane of the top frame 16 . each slot 19 in one of the opposed pair of lugs 18 , thus provided one at each rear corner of the top frame 16 , is fitted over a pin 20 , described in detail below and secured to the upper portion of the side members of the rear frame 11 . the top frame 16 also includes a mesh panel 21 , similar to the mesh panels 15 . the foldable structure shown in fig1 a is similar to that shown in fig1 except that the sub - frames 14 forming the doors are omitted to allow the interior construction to be seen and also to serve as a second or subsidiary modular foldable structure for association with the first if required . for instance , a rear panel need not be provided on the foldable structure of fig1 . as best shown in fig4 the top frame 16 incorporates an l - section member 22 at its front , which overlies the sub - frames 14 when the doors are closed . with the foldable structures illustrated in fig1 to 4c inclusive , it will be appreciated that the opposed front and rear frames 10 , 11 , forming a first pair of opposed frames , generally remain upright and parallel to one another as they move from the face - to - face contact position , i . e . when the structure is folded flat , into the erected and mutually - spaced condition , i . e . when the structure is opened out ready for use . the side frames 12 are hingedly attached to the rear frame 11 and thus pivot about essentially vertical axes , while the swivel cleats 13 hingedly and slidably interconnecting the side frames 12 with the front frame 10 also hinge about vertical axes , as the folding structure is changed from one configuration to the other . by way of contrast , in the foldable structure illustrated in fig5 a to 5d , 6 and 6a , the axes about which hinging of the frames forming the foldable structure takes place are essentially horizontal . the foldable structure shown in fig5 a to 5d , 6 and 6a thus comprises a front frame 30 and a rear ( back ) frame 31 which are normally disposed in vertical planes . when the structure is folded flat ( fig5 a ), the frames 30 , 31 are in face - to - face contact and are essentially located in the same vertical plane . as most clearly shown in fig6 the front frame 30 is connected to the rear frame 31 by a top frame 32 , consisting of an opposed pair of side members 45 which are hinged at their front ends to the uprights 46 of the front frame 30 and which are slidably and hingedly connected to the uprights 46 of the rear frame 31 by means of two swivel cleats 33 . the rear ends of the side members 45 are joined by a rear rod 44 which , when the top frame 32 reaches its horizontal position , engages behind spring clips 48 attached to the top of the rear frame 31 and designed to hold the frames in the erected condition . similarly , the front and rear frames 30 , 31 are interconnected by a bottom frame 43 mounted similarly to hinge at the front and hinge and slide at the rear . the bottom frame 43 supports a bottom panel 49 . as the cabinet shown in these drawings is changed from its flat configuration shown in fig5 a to the erected configuration shown in fig5 d , the top and bottom frames 32 , 43 hinge relative to the front and rear frames 30 , 31 , as best shown in fig5 c and fig6 . the cabinet is completed by means of a rear panel , a top panel 36 , hinged to the top of the rear frame 31 by means of lugs 38 containing slots 39 which engage over pins 40 , and an opposed pair of side panels 35 , an inside view of one of which is shown in fig6 a . each side panel 35 includes a z - section angle member 50 and an l - section angle member 51 , which respectively engage with the side members 45 and the adjacent edge of the bottom panel 49 , when the foldable structure has been fully erected . referring now to fig7 a to 7d , there is shown a foldable structure designed as a freight container . fig7 a shows the container in a substantially fully folded - down position . the container comprises a top frame 60 , a bottom frame 61 , a rear frame 62 and a front frame 63 . the top and bottom frames 60 , 61 are each provided at each end with flange plates 64 which are each provided with a slot 65 which engages with a pivot pin 66 fitted to the rear frame 62 . by this connection means , when the top and bottom frames are unfolded , as indicated by the arrows in fig7 b , into their erected positions , the connection permits pivotable movement and translational movement to be effected between the top and bottom frames on the one hand and the rear frame on the other hand . fig7 c shows the next stage in the process of erecting the container . here , the front frame 63 has been raised most of the way towards its final position . when it is fully raised , security pins 67 on the front frame engage in corresponding holes 68 in the longer members of the top and bottom frames 60 , 61 . as can be seen from fig7 c , as the front frame 63 is raised in the direction of arrow 69 , two side frames , indicated generally at 70 , are moved towards an erected position in which they complete the box formation of the container . the arrow 71 indicates the direction of movement of one side frame 70 . the side frames 70 , in a manner analogous to the earlier embodiments , have their shorter side pieces 72 hingedly connected to the rear frame 62 at one end and hingedly and slidably attached to the front frame 63 at their other ends , again by swivel cleats 73 . in this way , as the front frame is raised , the two side frames 70 move from their folded flat position to a position in which they complete the sides of the container . fig7 d shows the container fully assembled . from the position shown in fig7 c the container is turned through 90 ° so that the top frame 60 is now uppermost . the side frames 70 are secured to the front frame 63 when the swivel cleats 73 have reached their final positions . this can be by means of spring clips for example . as shown in fig7 d the container has sheet steel cladding indicated generally at 74 on the front frame and has a door 75 fitted to the one side frame . the container is preferably manufactured from steel , using steel tube and steel sheet components . however , other materials could be used . referring now to fig8 a and 8b , there is shown a module , indicated generally at 80 , which is shown in its folded flat condition in fig8 a . fig8 b shows the module in a partially unfolded state , without doors . the arrows indicate the direction of unfolding of the component parts . as shown in fig8 b , the module comprises a front frame 81 , a rear frame 82 , and a pair of side frames 83 which , as in the embodiments described above , are hingedly connected to the rear frame and are hingedly and slidably connected to the front frame 81 by swivel cleats 84 . the basic frame structure 81 , 82 , 83 is provided with a further component 85 , which here constitutes a top panel and which as shown in fig8 a folds down flat against the other parts of the structure . the top panel 85 is connected to the rear frame 82 by a slot and pin connection which permits pivotal and translational movement of the two parts relative to each other as the structure is unfolded . fig9 shows a building structure which can be made up from a plurality of the modules 80 shown in fig8 a and 8b . the erected modules are positioned side - by - side and are then connected to each other by suitable means , for example by using over - centre clips . alternatively , the modules can be bolted together . the modules can be of the same or different designs , with a number of different features being shown in fig9 . these include a pull - down flap 86 and a wire mesh door 87 . because the individual modules are complete in themselves and have no loose nuts , bolts , etc ., it is possible to erect the individual modules from the fully folded flat position to the fully erected position in about 12 seconds , with the subsequent connection together of the individual modules taking a matter of a few minutes . it is thus possible very quickly and easily to provide units of this nature for permanent or temporary accommodation for example and for storage purposes . as a further development of the arrangement shown in fig9 one can design a structure which is not &# 34 ; linear &# 34 ; but which extends in two or more directions at an angle to each other . this is achieved by connecting two or more sets of such modules by corner modules which comprise a simple triangular framework having a vertical hinge connection at one corner of the triangle and swivel cleats between two of the sides , thus permitting the triangular module to be folded flat or erected into the triangular configuration . the triangular module then is positioned between two &# 34 ; linear &# 34 ; arrays of modules 80 . | 0 |
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