Split (3)

train · 25k rows

text stringlengths 1.55k 332k	label int64 0 8
in typical unix ® systems , a kernel is initially built with a basic set of modules . the basic set of modules should comprise at least those modules needed to provide the standard set of services to applications . however , additional modules may be built into the kernel according to a system administrator &# 39 ; s requirements and specifications . for example , an administrator may prefer to load certain device driver modules based on the frequency of usage of those modules . in a typical unix ® system , the metadata describing each module are stored in data files , called master files in some prior art systems , which are stored separately from the modules they describe . the programs that build and maintain kernels read these files to gather necessary information about the modules . these features of current unix ® systems impose some limitations on system reliability and flexibility . one such limitation is the possibility of outdated or missing master files . because these prior art systems store these master files separately from the modules they describe , it is possible for the master files to be out of date with respect to changes made to the module . for example , a module could be replaced with a newer version , leaving its master file still describing the old version . it is also possible for the master files to be lost , as when a system administrator mistakenly removes the master file . another limitation is the need to compile kernel code on a user &# 39 ; s system . such compiling begins with creating and compiling a conf . c file , which brings administrator - chosen tunable values into the kernel . administrator chosen values are contained in system files . the conf . c file also brings descriptive information about the tunables , and device switch tables and similar tables into the kernel . the information needed for the tunables and the tables is contained in master and system files that exist outside the kernel space . finally , the conf . c file contains lists of pointers to boot - time initialization routines for drive modules and other modules . a config routine generates these pointer lists using information in the master and system files . the config routine takes a file describing a system &# 39 ; s tunable parameters and hardware support , and generates a collection of files that are then used to build a unix ® kernel appropriate to a specific configuration . to avoid the need for compiling a conf . c file to accomplish the functions described above , requires giving the kernel code access to its own configuration data . more specifically , and as described in more detail below , each of the kernel &# 39 ; s individual modules must have access to its own module metadata . in at least one current unix ® environment , the operating system kernel is a collection of just under 300 modules . each module contains executable code and data to provide some service in the kernel . some modules are required by design of the operating system ; others are chosen by are system administrator . furthermore , a dependency may exist between or among some of the modules . for example if the system administrator chooses to include module a , the operating system will automatically include module b as well . each module has an associated set of data that describes the module &# 39 ; s capabilities and characteristics . these data have three audiences : the kernel itself needs the data to be able to use the module ; kernel configuration ( kc ) tools that build the kernel need the data in order to resolve dependencies between modules ; and the system administrator uses the data in order to decide which modules to choose . as noted above , in prior art systems these configuration data were stored in a set of configuration files that were separate and apart from the modules themselves . in an improvement over these prior art systems , these configuration data are no longer stored in a separate file or database . instead , the configuration data are embedded in the module &# 39 ; s code in such a way that both the kernel and the kc tools can read the configuration data . the system administrator can access the configuration data through the kc tools . this approach also removes the possibility that the configuration data can be outdated or missing . to implement the improved , self - describing kernel modules , a module developer expresses all of the data describing the module ( referred to hereafter as “ module metadata ”) in a special file format , designated as a “ modmeta file .” this file format is described in more detail later . in an embodiment , each such modmeta file is designated using a . modmeta suffix . the module developer then runs a “ modmeta compiler ” that translates the modmeta file format into a series of c language data structures to produce a c source file . the developer then combines the resulting c source file along with the rest of the module &# 39 ; s code . the end result is that the module &# 39 ; s metadata are embedded in the module that the metadata describe . for example , a module called stape would have created an stape . modmeta file , which would be stored along with the stape module &# 39 ; s source code files . after the above build process was complete , the module developer would ship the resulting stape module to a system administrator as a single file containing an inseparable combination of the module &# 39 ; s code and metadata . a module &# 39 ; s modmeta file may specify the following types of information : module name ; module version ; module type ; description ; supported states ; supported load times ; dependencies on other modules ; interfaces or symbols exported by the module ; tunable parameters ; and initialization functions . device driver modules additionally will specify driver details , and file system modules will specify file system details . the modmeta file may specify other information in addition to that noted above . in creating these modmeta files , normal c data structures cannot be used because normal c data structures have embedded pointers , and pointers do not have usable values until the modules are linked into a complete kernel . the kc tools need to be able to extract the data before the kernel is completely configured . to overcome this limitation with c data structures , the herein described method and mechanism use contiguous , variant length data structures , i . e ., very carefully tailored c data structures that do not have any embedded pointers . normal c data structures also cannot be used because their use would require all modules to be recompiled whenever the structure definition changes . this is unacceptable in an environment where different modules are created by different authors in different companies at different times . to overcome this limitation with c data structures , the herein described method and mechanism use discriminated unions : i . e ., the c data structures begin with special codes describing how the rest of the structures are interpreted . as noted above , the kc tools , in addition to the kernel itself , extract module metadata from the module . to facilitate this data extraction function , the c language data structures generated by the modmeta compiler are put into a special section of the module &# 39 ; s object file . this special section contains only such data structures . such data structures are put in this section using a special c compiler “ pragma ” that controls the section into which data structures are placed . although module object files typically have all of their data in a single section , an industry - standard “ elf ” file format for object files allows multiple data sections . the elf file format is used by the method and mechanism for self describing kernel modules . therefore , the kc tools can easily extract module metadata from a module object file , simply by looking for this special elf format section in the file &# 39 ; s index . when modules are linked together to form a complete kernel , the special elf format sections used for each of the component modules &# 39 ; metadata are combined into a single section — still separate from all other types of data — in the resulting kernel . this combination of section data is a feature of the linker , which is used by the method and mechanism for self describing kernel modules . therefore , the kc tools can still easily extract module metadata from a complete kernel , again by looking for the special elf format section in the kernel file &# 39 ; s index . the kernel itself can find its modules &# 39 ; metadata in the same way . referring to fig1 a kernel data space 100 is shown to include modules 101 , a kernel registry 105 , and a kernel executable 107 . the kernel registry 105 is a hierarchical database that is persistent across reboots . the kernel executable 107 includes config routines and other kernel code needed to support the modules 101 . in an embodiment , each of the modules 101 may exist in one of four administrator - specified states : unused , static , loaded , and auto . the unused state specifies that the module 101 is not in use . the static state corresponds to the traditional model of statically building a module into the kernel data space 100 . the loaded state and auto state each correspond to dynamically loading the module 101 . in the loaded state , the module 101 is forced to be loaded ( e . g ., loaded at boot ). in the auto state , the module 101 is loaded in response to a system call . following is an example of a modmeta file for a device driver named mydriver . the device driver , mydriver , supports all possible module states , can be loaded with other drivers during boot , or may be called subsequent to boot , has an initialization function to register itself with a driver infrastructure when in a static state , and is dependent on wsio services in the kernel . module mydriver { desc “ my sample driver ” type wsio_intfc version 1 . 0 . 0 states auto loaded static loadtimes driver_install run unloadable dependency wsio initfunc driver_install mydriver_install static driver { type char class lan flags save_conf } } each module 101 includes kernel code 102 and a modmeta table 103 . the code 102 executes a specific function for which the module 101 is designed . the modmeta table 103 describes the characteristics and capabilities of the module 101 . metadata for a module 101 are used by kernel configuration tools when the module 101 is configured . the metadata are also used by various kernel services while the kernel module 101 is in use . as is apparent from the above description , the metadata for a kernel is comprised of the metadata for each of the kernel &# 39 ; s component modules . in the context of metadata definitions , a module is any block of kernel code that should be treated independently during kernel configuration . each kernel module 101 has its associated metadata stored in its own unique modmeta file . as will be described later , the modmeta file is compiled ( producing the modmeta table 103 ) and linked into the kernel code 102 for the kernel module 101 that the modmeta file describes . this compiling and linking may be completed in a development environment when a modmeta compiler is not provided with a unix ® distribution . [ 0033 ] fig2 is a block diagram of a mechanism 110 for implementing self - describing kernel modules . the mechanism 110 includes a modmeta compiler 112 that receives modmeta source files and produces c language source files , which are then compiled with a standard c compiler to created modmeta object files , a linker 114 that receives the modmeta object files and kernel code object files , and links the two files to produce a module object file , and kc tools 116 that allows a system administrator to specify certain details of the self - describing kernel modules . [ 0034 ] fig3 shows a computer system 120 using a unix ® operating system . to implement self - describing kernel modules , a computer readable medium 130 is provided with appropriate programming , including the modmeta compiler 112 . the modmeta compiler , in combination with other tools , operates on the modmeta files for kernel modules to create the required self describing kernel modules . alternatively , the computer readable medium 130 may include the kernel code 100 ( see fig1 ), which has been processed to invoke the self describing kernel module features , along with the kc tools 116 that the system administrator uses , for example , to select tunable values . the computer readable medium 130 may be any known medium , including optical discs , magnetic discs , hard discs , and other storage devices known to those of skill in the art . alternatively , the programming required to implement the self describing kernel modules may be provided using a carrier wave over a communications network such as the internet , for example . [ 0036 ] fig4 is a flow chart illustrating a process 200 for implementing self describing kernel modules . the process begins when a modmeta file is created describing a module , block 205 . in block 210 , a modmeta compiler is used to compile the modmeta file . compiling the modmeta file results in a file in c source code language that comprises contiguous , variant length data structures to represent the modmeta table , block 215 . next , in block 220 , the c source code file is compiled , block 220 . compiling the c source code file results in an object file that comprises data structures in a special elf - format section , block 225 . next , object file comprising the module &# 39 ; s other code and data are retrieved , block 235 . in block 245 , the modmeta object file and the code object files are linked . as a result of linking , a single object file ( block 250 ) is created , combining the contents of the modimeta object file and code object files . in block 255 , an administrator uses kernel configuration tools to specify tunable variables , and to make further changes to the module . the result of application of the kernel configuration tools is a complete kernel file having embedded metadata for all the kernel modules , block 260 .	6
in the following , embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a block diagram of a g 3 ( group 3 ) facsimile apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig1 shows a system control part 1 for controlling respective parts of the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 , and for executing prescribed processes of the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 . a system memory 2 stores various data required by the system control part 1 for controlling respective parts of the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 and for executing processes of the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 , and provides a work area for the system control part 1 . a parameter memory 3 stores various information that is inherent in the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 . a clock circuit 4 outputs present time information . a scanner part 5 reads out image information of a document in a prescribed resolution . a color plotter 6 records and outputs image information with a prescribed color in a prescribed resolution . for example , the color plotter 6 uses the three color components of cyan , magenta , and yellow for recording and outputting multi - color documents ( both mono - color and full color ). a control display part 7 , which enables operation of the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 , includes various operation keys and various displays . an encode / decode part 7 serves to encode ( compress ) image signals and to decode ( decompress ) encoded image information to its original image signal . an image storage apparatus 9 serves to store a vast amount of encoded ( compressed ) image information . a group 3 ( g 3 ) facsimile modem 10 serves as a modem providing g 3 facsimile functions including a low speed modem function for intercommunication of transmission process signals ( e . g . v . 21 modem ), and a high speed modem function for intercommunication of mainly image information ( e . g . v . 17 modem , v . 34 modem , v . 29 modem , v . 27 ter modem ). a network control apparatus 11 , serving to connect the g 3 facsimile apparatus to an analogue public network ( pstn ), is provided with an automatic signal transmission function . the above - described system control part 1 , the system memory part 2 , the parameter memory part 3 , the clock circuit part 4 , the scanner part 5 , the plotter part 6 , the control display part 7 , the encode / decode part 8 , the image storage part 9 , the g 3 facsimile modem part 10 , and the network control part 11 are connected to an internal bus 12 . the intercommunications of data between the above - described parts are performed via the internal bus 12 . the intercommunication of data between the network control part 11 and the g 3 facsimile modem 10 may be performed directly . in the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention , book marks , for example are recorded onto a received document as shown , for example , in fig2 a . a center mark ( cm ) 1 serves to indicate a center position of a paper in its lateral direction , and a center mark ( cm ) 2 serves to indicate a center position of the paper in its longitudinal direction . the center marks cm 1 and cm 2 may be printed onto a page , and in one embodiment on each page . an index mark sm serves to indicate a delimitation of a unit of a printing job ( receiving job ), and may be printed ( appended ) on a page , and in one embodiment it is printed on the first page of a document or printing job . in printing the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 , and the index mark sm onto a received document , the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 , and the index mark sm are printed thereon with a pre - registered printing color corresponding to a sender , for example , the terminal of the sender or other source identification information of the sender . furthermore , in a case where the pre - registered printing color cannot be applied , for example , a case where there is a shortage of toner or ink in the color plotter 6 , a predetermined alternative color may be used for printing the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 , and the index mark sm . furthermore , in the case of using the alternative color , an alternative color mark km may be additionally printed onto a page on which information is printed . as shown in fig2 b , the alternative color mark km includes a mark k 1 indicative of the pre - registered printing color , an arrow k 2 pointing rightward , and a mark k 3 colored over with the predetermined alternative color . this allows the printing color and the alternative color for the center marks c 1 , c 2 , and / or the index mark sm to be instantly recognizable . in fig2 b , a letter “ c ” for indicating cyan is recorded ( printed ) with a default color ( usually , black ) at a center portion of mark k 1 . here , the letter “ m ” indicates magenta , the letter “ y ” indicates yellow , and the letter “ b ” indicates black . as shown in fig3 a , a book mark designation information table has , for example , the printing colors for the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 , and the index mark sm recorded thereto . the book mark designation information table includes one or more book mark designation information . as shown in fig3 b , the book mark designation information includes terminal identification information ( csi / rti ), printing color information indicating a designated printing color , alternative color information indicating a designated alternative color , a center mark printing flag indicating whether to print the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 , and an alternative color printing flag indicating whether to print the alternative color mark . it is to be noted that there is a case where no particular information ( significant information ) is recorded to the alternative color information . in this case , a system default color ( usually , black ) is printed . furthermore , an index mark printing flag indicating whether to print the index mark is registered as apparatus specification information as shown in fig3 c . furthermore , the user may output the content registered in the book mark designation information table and use it as a report . when the user designates the output of the book mark designation information table as a report , the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 prints out the report , for example , as shown in fig4 . fig5 is a block diagram showing an exemplary operation process of a g 3 facsimile apparatus during reception according to an embodiment of the present invention . first , when incoming image information is detected ( step 101 ), the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 responds to the incoming image information ( step 102 ), and performs a pre - transmission process including obtainment of sender information ( step 103 ). then , the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 receives the image information , and temporarily stores the received image information ( step 104 ). after the reception of the image information is completed , the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 performs a post - transmission process ( step 105 ). then , the g 3 facsimile apparatus 100 restores its line ( step 106 ), and performs a printing process on the image information stored in step 104 ( step 107 ). fig6 , 7 , and 8 are block diagrams showing an example of the printing process of step 107 . first , it is determined whether sender information obtained in the pre - transmission process ( step 103 ) is registered in the book mark designation information table ( steps 201 , 202 ). if the sender information is registered in the book mark designation information table , the index mark designation information corresponding to the sender is extracted ( step 203 ). the counter n for managing the process target page number is initially set as “ 1 ” ( step 204 ). then , the index printing flag is obtained from the apparatus specification information ( see fig3 c ) for determining whether index mark printing is set as “ on ” ( step 205 ). when the index mark printing is set as “ on ”, it is determined whether the designated color according to the book mark designation information is available for use as the printing color ( step 206 ). if the designated color is available ( yes in step 206 ), the designated color is selected ( designated ) as the printing color of the index mark sm ( step 207 ). in a case where the designated color according to the book mark designation information is unavailable for use as the printing color ( e . g . lack of toner or ink ) ( no in step 206 ), it is determined whether there is significant information registered in the alternative color information in the book mark designation information , that is , whether there is a color designated as the alternative color ( step 208 ). if there is a color designated in the alternative color information ( yes in step 208 ), the designated color is selected ( designated ) as the printing color of the index mark sm ( step 209 ). then , the alternative color mark printing information is printed to the print information of the corresponding page ( step 210 ). however , no alternative color mark printing information is printed when the alternative color mark printing flag in the book mark designation information is set as “ off ”. furthermore , when it is determined that there is no significant information registered in the alternative color information in the book mark designation information ( no in step 208 ), the default color is selected ( designated ) as the printing color of the index mark sm ( step 211 ). after the printing color of the index mark is selected ( designated ), index mark printing information is printed to , that is , the index mark sm is printed on , the corresponding page ( step 212 ). next , by examining the center mark printing flag of the book mark designation information , it is determined whether to print the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 ( step 215 ). if it is determined to print the center marks ( yes in step 215 ), it is then determined whether the color designated according to the book mark designation information is available to be used as the printing color ( step 216 ). if it is determined that the designated color is available ( yes in step 216 ), the designated color is determined as the center mark printing color ( step 217 ). if it is determined that the designated color is unavailable ( no in step 216 ), it is determined whether there is significant information registered in the alternative color information in the book mark designation information ( step 218 ). if there is a color designated in the alternative color information ( yes in step 218 ), the designated color is determined ( designated ) as the printing color of the center mark ( step 219 ). then , the alternative color mark printing information is printed to the print information of the corresponding page ( step 220 ). however , in a case where the alternative color mark printing flag is in an “ off ” state , the alternative color mark printing information is not printed as the printing information . in addition , in a case where the alternative color mark printing information is already printed , the printing is not repeated . if no significant information is registered in the alternative color information ( no in step 218 ), the default color is determined ( designated ) as the printing color of the center mark ( step 221 ). after the printing color of the center mark is determined ( designated ), center mark printing information is printed to , that is , the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 are printed on , the corresponding page ( step 222 ). next , a printing process of stored image information for page n is performed ( step 223 ). in this process , if the index mark printing information and / or the center mark printing information is added , the added index mark printing information and / or the center mark printing information is also printed . accordingly , the index mark sm , and / or the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 are added and printed to the printing page . next , a value of 1 is added to the value of the counter n ( step 224 ). then , it is determined whether there is a next printing page ( step 225 ). if there is a next printing page ( yes in step 225 ), the process returns to step 215 , and the printing process for the next printing page is performed . if it is determined not to print the center mark on the next printing page ( no in step 215 ), no additional center mark cm 1 , cm 2 is printed on the next printing page , thereby , the process proceeds to step 223 for printing the corresponding page . furthermore , if it is determined that the index mark printing is “ off ” ( no in step 205 ), the process proceeds to step 215 and to the steps following step 215 . if no sender information is registered ( no in step 202 ), the value of counter n , indicative of the target process page , is initialized as “ 1 ” ( step 226 ) ( fig8 ). then , an index mark printing flag of the apparatus specification information is obtained so as to determine whether the index mark printing is set as “ on ” ( step 227 ). if it is determined that the index mark printing is set as “ on ” ( yes in step 227 ), a default color is determined as the printing color of the index mark , and index mark printing information is printed on the corresponding page ( step 228 ). then , stored image information for page n is printed ( step 229 ). when index mark printing information is added as printing information , the index mark printing information is also printed during this step . accordingly , a corresponding page is printed having the index mark sm additionally printed thereto . then , a value of 1 is added to the value of counter n ( step 230 ). then , it is determined whether there is a next printing page ( step 231 ). if there is a next printing page ( yes in step 231 ), the process returns to step 229 , and the printing process for the next printing page is performed . if it is determined that the index mark printing is not set as “ on ” ( i . e . index mark printing “ off ”) ( no in step 227 ), no index mark is printed , for example , on the first page , thereby , the process proceeds to step 229 for printing the corresponding page . in consequence , according to the above - described embodiment of the present invention , the color for the index mark sm can be determined in correspondence with each sender . this enables the user receiving documents to clearly identify the sender of the documents , and to easily sort the received documents . furthermore , since the center marks cm 1 , cm 2 may also be printed , the process of , for example , hole punching when sorting the received documents can be easily performed . since an alternative printing color is provided , the index mark and / or center mark can be printed with the alternative printing color even when there is a shortage of ink or toner for a prescribed printing color . thereby , it is convenient in that the execution of a substitutional reception can be avoided . since a mark indicative of the use of an alternative color is printed on the received document , the user can easily notice the use of the alternative color , and thereby the sorting of documents can be performed efficiently . it is to be noted that although a g 3 facsimile apparatus is employed in the above described embodiment of the present invention , a g 4 ( group 4 ) facsimile apparatus or a complex machine including a facsimile function may alternatively be used . further , the present invention is not limited to these embodiments , but various variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . the present application is based on japanese priority application no . 2003 - 202273 filed on jul . 28 , 2003 , with the japanese patent office , the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference .	7
for simplicity in the subsequent description , the invention will be described in terms of its application to the dynamic compaction ( consolidation ) of powdered materials but in principal it could also be applied to other processes utilizing stress waves caused by the impact of one body on another . one method of dynamic powder compaction that lends itself to simple description of the invention utilizes a gas driven piston which is fired into powder constrained in a die ( fig1 ). on impact , an initial shock wave is formed in the powder . this is a compressive stress wave across which there is an abrupt increase in pressure . this propagates through the powder compressing it . simultaneously there is a compressive stress wave formed in the piston which propagates back into the piston away from the piston / powder interface . this and subsequent wave behaviour is illustrated in fig2 . in the apparatus of fig1 a piston 10 is fired down a launch tube 14 at a powder 11 contained in a die insert 12 in a die block 13 . the piston 10 is propelled by a high pressure gas in a reservoir 16 supplied from a valved supply 17 . the piston is selectively operated by a fast acting valve 15 controlling an orifice 21 communicating the reservoir 16 with the launch tube 14 . the fast acting valve is switched by pressurised gas in valved lines 18 and 19 . operation of valve 18 closes the fast acting valve and operation of valve 19 opens it . the strength of the initial shock wave depends on the shock impedance of the piston material , the piston speed on impact and the pressure - density relation for the powder . to maximise the strength of the initial shock it is usually found that the best strategy is to maximise the piston speed on impact . however , given a fixed energy in the driver gas behind the piston , this means that , for a given kinetic energy in the piston , the lower the mass the higher is the speed . thus , it is usual for the piston to be made of low density material . the passage of the initial shock wave raises the powder from state 1 to state 2 with state 2 being characterised by high pressure ( as seen in fig2 ). when the initial shock wave reaches the base of the die there is a reflected wave and a transmitted wave . depending on the relative shock impedances of the powder and die materials , both the reflected and transmitted waves are usually compressive and there is a further compression of the powder to state 3 as the reflected wave propagates back towards the piston face . when the reflected wave arrives back at the piston face , there is a further reflection . in some situations it would be desirable for this reflected wave to also be compressive in nature leading to a further increase in pressure in the powder . however , with the light piston materials chosen to maximise the strength of the initial shock , the shock impedance of the piston is usually lower than that in the powder at state 2 and thus a tensile wave is reflected . one consequence of this is that the top layers of the resulting compact ( i . e . those adjacent to the piston ) do not weld adequately and have a loose flakey appearance . this occurs regularly when metal powders are being consolidated . for a compressive wave to be reflected at this stage , the shock impedance of the piston face materials must be higher than that in the powder . the invention described herein resides in the insertion of a relatively thin layer of high shock impedance material ( which will be referred to as a &# 34 ; punch &# 34 ;) between the piston and the powder so that the advantage of low piston mass is retained while the apparent shock impedance is raised . as will become more clear below , the thickness of the &# 34 ; punch &# 34 ; affects the time scale of events with thicker punches lengthening the time scale . the &# 34 ; punch &# 34 ; 22 could initially be fixed to the piston 10 , as shown in fig3 or adjacent to the powder 11 as shown in fig4 . the resulting stress wave diagrams for both these cases are qualitatively similar but with the stress / shock waves starting at the punch / powder interface in case of the punch fixed to the front of the piston , and at the piston / punch interface for the case when the punch was initially adjacent to the powder . these two cases are shown in fig5 a and 5b respectively . the main differences between the two cases lies in the different strength of the waves . because of the addition of a layer of much higher shock impedance material to the front of the piston , the impact of the punch - faced piston onto the powder causes the generation of a much higher strength shock wave in the powder . however , the multiple reflections that subsequently take place in the punch send a series of tensile waves into the powder unloading it down to a pressure below that which would have been attained had no punch been present ( i . e . as in fig2 b ). the resulting pressure time history in the powder adjacent to the punch is shown in fig6 a in the absence of any reflected waves from the back of the die . each step in pressure is separated by a time increment corresponding to the time taken for two traverses of the punch length by the stress wave ( one in each direction ). the corresponding pressure history for the second case with the punch initially adjacent to the powder is shown in fig6 b . in this case the pressure in the powder is initially low and , through the series of wave reflections in the punch , builds up to a value higher than that which would have been achieved had there been no punch present ( i . e . as in fig2 b ). the dotted line indicated at 23 indicates the result where no punch is present . so , in addition to providing a highly reflective surface for stress waves in the powder , the punch also modifies the pressure - time history of the initial shock wave propagating into the powder . if the punch is attached to the piston , a much higher peak pressure is achieved in the powder but the pressure drops at a rate dependent on the thickness of the punch . if the highest possible pressures are desired in the powder , the punch should be attached to the piston . however , the high pressures correspond to high particle velocities which may be undesirable in applications such as those involving powder flow into dies of complex shape . in such applications low powder velocities are desirable , and these can be achieved , also with high peak pressures , this time built up over a period of time by means of multiple stress wave reflections within the powder and punch , by placing the punch initially adjacent to the powder . the range of shapes which is possible is limited only by the need for a surface which is impacted so that die shapes with an opening of suitable dimension can be employed . two compacts were made from iron powder using a gas driven piston apparatus of the kind shown in fig1 . the compacts were simple cylindrical shapes about 25 mm . in diameter and 10 mm . deep . a piston made from pvc was employed and impacted at about 280 l m / s in both cases . compact ( a ) was directly impacted by the piston . it had a flakey top surface characteristic of all compacts made in this way . its density was about 83 % of the theoretical density for iron . compact ( b ) had a steel punch of about 6 mm . length initially adjacent to the powder , as in fig4 . otherwise it was an identical experiment to that producing compact ( a ). compact ( b ) had an excellent top surface , indistinguishable from that on the bottom where the powder had been in contact with a fixed steel die . compact ( b ) also had a density of about 88 % of the theoretical density of iron . the conclusion to be reached is that the extra compressive wave reflection , to state 4 in fig2 a , leads to the superior compact in case ( b ). it will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the relative densities , masses and materials of the piston and punch , the impact velocity of the piston and the other design parameters of the apparatus will be determined to provide the most appropriate operating conditions for the particular application . however , the inclusion of the &# 34 ; punch &# 34 ; of the present invention produces marked improvement over the known apparatus referred to e . g . in the cited u . s . patent . under certain conditions materials will flow and it is possible to cause solid blocks of material to flow under impact to fill out a die cavity . for example , where conditions are appropriate , some plastics can be moulded under impaction in a suitable die . various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the present invention .	1
fig1 illustrates a self - expanding stent device 10 which is laser cut to form a thin - walled , skeletal tubular member 11 comprised of nickel - titanium alloy . once cut , the wall 12 of the tubular member 11 includes several openings , or cells 14 . when the skeletal tubular member 11 is placed over an aneurysm , a physician is able to deliver embolic coils or other such devices through the cells 14 and into the aneurysm . the tubular member 11 also functions to cover the mouth of the aneurysm thus obstructing , or partially obstructing , the flow of blood into the aneurysm . also , the tubular member 11 prevents medical devices such as embolic coils from escaping the aneurysm . the preferred length of the skeletal tubular member 11 may range from 0 . 0795 inches to 3 . 15 inches . the diameter of the tubular member 11 varies depending on its deployment configuration . in a non - deployed or expanded state , the diameter of the tubular member 11 may extend up to about 0 . 4 inches . when the skeletal tubular member 11 is compressed to fit within the lumen of a deployment catheter , the diameter may be reduced to about 0 . 014 inches . attached to the proximal end 16 of the skeletal tubular member 11 are three proximal legs 18 , 18 a , and 18 b that extend longitudinally from the tubular member 11 . the proximal legs 18 , 18 a , and 18 b are preferably biased outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the tubular member 11 . this outwardly biased configuration aids in the deployment system as subsequently described . t - shaped or i - shaped attachment flanges 20 , 20 a , and 20 b are attached to the tips of each proximal leg 18 , 18 a , and 18 b . fig1 a describes the t - shaped or i - shaped flanges 20 , 20 a , and 20 b in more detail . attached to the distal end 21 of the skeletal tubular member 11 are two distal legs 22 and 22 a that extend longitudinally away from the tubular member 11 . fig1 a illustrates in detail one of the t - shaped or i - shaped attachment flanges 20 which is also laser cut from the skeletal tubular member 11 at the proximal end of one of the proximal legs 18 . the t - shaped or i - shaped attachment flange 20 is slightly arched and oriented on the proximal leg 18 such that the arch coincides with the wall 12 of the tubular member 11 . fig2 illustrates the repetitive cell pattern of the skeletal tubular member 11 . the cell pattern may be formed by interconnected non - inverted horizontal s - shaped members 24 and inverted horizontal s - shaped members 26 . each s - shaped member has a proximal end 28 , a proximal intermediate section 30 , a proximal portion 31 , a distal intermediate section 32 , and a distal end 34 . the non - inverted horizontal s - shaped members 24 are slightly flattened “ s ” configurations laying horizontal to the axis of the skeletal tubular member 11 and having its proximal portion 31 pointing up . the inverted horizontal s - shaped members 26 are slightly flattened “ s ” configurations laying horizontal to the axis of the tubular member 11 and having its proximal portion 31 pointing down . the proximal end 28 is the left tip of an s - shaped member . the proximal intermediate section 30 of a non - inverted horizontal s - shaped member 24 is the negative ( down ) peak of an s - shaped member . the proximal intermediate section 30 of an inverted horizontal s - shaped member 26 is the positive ( up ) peak of an s - shaped member . the proximal portion 31 is the portion of an s - shaped member between the proximal end 28 and the proximal intermediate section 30 . the distal intermediate section 32 of a non - inverted horizontal s - shaped member 24 is the positive peak of an s - shaped member . the distal intermediate section 32 of an inverted horizontal s - shaped member 26 is the negative peak of an s - shaped member . the distal end 34 is the right tip of an s - shaped member . the s - shaped members are interconnected in a way to maximize “ nesting ” of the s - shaped members to thereby minimize the compressed diameter of the skeletal tubular member 11 during deployment . the proximal end 28 of each non - inverted horizontal s - shaped member 24 is connected to the distal intermediate section 32 of an adjacent inverted horizontal s - shaped member 26 . the distal end 34 of each non - inverted horizontal s - shaped member 24 is connected to the proximal intermediate section 30 of another adjacent inverted horizontal s - shaped member 26 . the proximal end 28 of each inverted horizontal s - shaped member 26 is connected to the distal intermediate section 32 of an adjacent non - inverted horizontal s - shaped member 24 . the distal end 34 of each inverted horizontal s - shaped member 26 is connected to the proximal intermediate section 30 of another adjacent non - inverted horizontal s - shaped member 24 . this interconnection of s - shaped members permits the cells 14 of the skeletal tubular member 11 to collapse and allows the tubular member 11 to attain a compressed diameter . the cell pattern of the skeletal tubular member 11 may also be considered as being formed by interconnected sinusoidal members 36 . each sinusoidal member 36 has a period of approximately one and a half , or about 540 degrees . each sinusoidal member 36 has a proximal end 38 , a proximal peak 40 , a distal peak 42 , and a distal end 44 . the proximal end 38 is the left tip of a sinusoidal member 36 . the proximal peak 40 is the first peak to the right of the proximal end 38 and is either positive or negative . the distal peak 42 is the second peak to the right of the proximal end 38 and is either positive or negative . however , each sinusoidal member 36 has only one positive peak and one negative peak . the distal end 44 is the right tip of a sinusoidal member 36 . the sinusoidal members 36 are interconnected in a way to maximize “ nesting ” of the sinusoidal members to thereby minimize the compressed diameter of the skeletal tubular member 11 during deployment . the proximal end 38 of each sinusoidal member 36 is connected to the distal peak 42 of an adjacent sinusoidal member 36 . the proximal peak 40 of each sinusoidal member 36 is connected to the distal end 44 of another adjacent sinusoidal member 36 . the distal peak 42 of each sinusoidal member 36 is connected to the proximal end 38 of yet another adjacent sinusoidal member 36 . the distal end 44 of each sinusoidal member 36 is connected to the proximal peak 40 of still another adjacent sinusoidal member 36 . this interconnection of sinusoidal members 36 permits the cells 14 of the skeletal tubular member 11 to collapse and allows the tubular member 11 to obtain a compressed diameter . also illustrated in fig2 are the proximal legs 18 , 18 a , and 18 b and the distal legs 22 and 22 a . in the repetitive cell pattern formed by s - shaped members , the proximal legs 18 , 18 a , and 18 b are connected to the proximal ends 28 of non - inverted horizontal s - shaped members 24 on the proximal end 16 of the skeletal tubular member 11 . the distal legs 22 and 22 a are connected to the distal ends 34 of inverted horizontal s - shaped members 26 on the distal end 21 of the tubular member 11 . in the repetitive cell pattern formed by sinusoidal members 36 , the proximal legs 18 , 18 a , and 18 b are connected to the proximal ends 38 of sinusoidal members 36 on the proximal end 16 of the tubular member 11 . the distal legs 22 and 22 a are connected to the distal ends 44 of sinusoidal members 36 on the distal end 21 of the tubular member 11 . it should be understood that the stent device of the present invention may alternatively be coated with an agent , such as heparin or rapamycing , to prevent stenosis or restenosis of the vessel . examples of such coatings are disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 288 , 711 ; 5 , 516 , 781 ; 5 , 563 , 146 and 5 , 646 , 160 . the disclosures in these patents are incorporated herein by reference . fig3 illustrates the deployment system 46 for the stent device 10 . the deployment system 46 includes an outer sheath 48 which is essentially an elongated tubular member , similar to ordinary guiding catheters which are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . the deployment system 46 also includes an inner shaft 50 located coaxially within the outer sheath 48 prior to deployment . the inner shaft 50 has a distal end 52 and a proximal end ( not shown ). the distal end 52 of the shaft 50 has three grooves 54 , 54 a , and 54 b disposed thereon . when the deployment system 46 is not fully deployed , the stent device 10 is located within the outer sheath 48 . the t - shaped or i - shaped attachment flanges 20 , 20 a , and 20 b on the proximal legs 18 , 18 a , and 18 b of the tubular member 11 are set within the grooves 54 , 54 a , and 54 b of the inner shaft 50 , thereby releasably attaching the stent device 10 to the inner shaft 50 . this deployment system is described in more detail in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 267 , 783 assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application . the disclosure in this patent is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of the present patent application . a novel system has been disclosed in which a self - expanding stent device comprises a laser cut , skeletal tubular member having a plurality of cells . although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described , it is to be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claims which follow .	0
it is to be clearly understood that this invention is not limited to the particular materials and methods described herein , as these may vary . it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only , and it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention , which will be limited only by the appended claims . in the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention , except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication , the word “ comprise ” or variations such as “ comprises ” or “ comprising ” is used in an inclusive sense , i . e . to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention . as used herein , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ”, and “ the ” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . thus , for example , a reference to “ an enzyme ” includes a plurality of such enzymes , and a reference to “ an amino acid ” is a reference to one or more amino acids . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . although any materials and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used to practice or test the present invention , the preferred materials and methods are now described . d - cha d - cyclohexylamine lps lipopolysaccharide pmn polymorphonuclear granulocyte rmsd root mean square deviation rp - hplc reverse phase - high performance liquid chromatography tfa trifluoroacetic acid ; throughout the specification conventional single - letter and three - letter codes are used to represent amino acids . for the purposes of this specification , the term “ alkyl ” is to be taken to mean a straight , branched , or cyclic , substituted or unsubstituted alkyl chain of 1 to 6 , preferably 1 to 4 carbons . most preferably the alkyl group is a methyl group . the term “ acyl ” is to be taken to mean a substituted or unsubstituted acyl of 1 to 6 , preferably 1 to 4 carbon atoms . most preferably the acyl group is acetyl . the term “ aryl ” is to be understood to mean a substituted or unsubstituted homocyclic or heterocyclic aryl group , in which the ring preferably has 5 or 6 members . a “ common ” amino acid is a l - amino acid selected from the group consisting of glycine , leucine , isoleucine , valine , alanine , phenylalanine , tyrosine , tryptophan , aspartate , asparagine , glutamate , glutamine , cysteine , methionine , arginine , lysine , proline , serine , threonine and histidine . an “ uncommon ” amino acid includes , but is not restricted to , d - amino acids , homo - amino acids , n - alkyl amino acids , dehydroamino acids , aromatic amino acids other than phenylalanine , tyrosine and tryptophan , ortho -, meta - or para - aminobenzoic acid , ornithine , citrulline , canavanine , norleucine , γ - glutamic acid , aminobutyric acid , l - fluorenylalanine , l - 3 - benzothienylalanine , and α , α - disubstituted amino acids . generally , the terms “ treating ”, “ treatment ” and the like are used herein to mean affecting a subject , tissue or cell to obtain a desired pharmacological and / or physiological effect . the effect may be prophylactic in terms of completely or partially preventing a disease or sign or symptom thereof , and / or may be therapeutic in terms of a partial or complete cure of a disease . “ treating ” as used herein covers any treatment of , or prevention of disease in a vertebrate , a mammal , particularly a human , and includes : preventing the disease from occurring in a subject who may be predisposed to the disease , but has not yet been diagnosed as having it ; inhibiting the disease , ie ., arresting its development ; or relieving or ameliorating the effects of the disease , ie ., cause regression of the effects of the disease . the invention includes the use of various pharmaceutical compositions useful for ameliorating disease . the pharmaceutical compositions according to one embodiment of the invention are prepared by bringing a compound of formula i , analogue , derivatives or salts thereof and one or more pharmaceutically - active agents or combinations of compound of formula i and one or more pharmaceutically - active agents into a form suitable for administration to a subject using carriers , excipients and additives or auxiliaries . frequently used carriers or auxiliaries include magnesium carbonate , titanium dioxide , lactose , mannitol and other sugars , talc , milk protein , gelatin , starch , vitamins , cellulose and its derivatives , animal and vegetable oils , polyethylene glycols and solvents , such as sterile water , alcohols , glycerol and polyhydric alcohols . intravenous vehicles include fluid and nutrient replenishers . preservatives include antimicrobial , anti - oxidants , chelating agents and inert gases . other pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include aqueous solutions , non - toxic excipients , including salts , preservatives , buffers and the like , as described , for instance , in remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences , 20th ed . williams & amp ; wilkins ( 2000 ) and the british national formulary 43rd ed . ( british medical association and royal pharmaceutical society of great britain , 2002 ; http :// bnf . rhn . net ), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference . the ph and exact concentration of the various components of the pharmaceutical composition are adjusted according to routine skills in the art . see goodman and gilman &# 39 ; s the pharmacological basis for therapeutics ( 7th ed ., 1985 ). the pharmaceutical compositions are preferably prepared and administered in dosage units . solid dosage units include tablets , capsules and suppositories . for treatment of a subject , depending on activity of the compound , manner of administration , nature and severity of the disorder , age and body weight of the subject , different daily doses can be used . under certain circumstances , however , higher or lower daily doses may be appropriate . the administration of the daily dose can be carried out both by single administration in the form of an individual dose unit or else several smaller dose units and also by multiple administration of subdivided doses at specific intervals . the pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention may be administered locally or systemically in a therapeutically effective dose . amounts effective for this use will , of course , depend on the severity of the disease and the weight and general state of the subject . typically , dosages used in vitro may provide useful guidance in the amounts useful for in situ administration of the pharmaceutical composition , and animal models may be used to determine effective dosages for treatment of the cytotoxic side effects . various considerations are described , eg . in langer , science , 249 : 1527 , ( 1990 ). formulations for oral use may be in the form of hard gelatin capsules , in which the active ingredient is mixed with an inert solid diluent , for example , calcium carbonate , calcium phosphate or kaolin . they may also be in the form of soft gelatin capsules , in which the active ingredient is mixed with water or an oil medium , such as peanut oil , liquid paraffin or olive oil . aqueous suspensions normally contain the active materials in admixture with excipients suitable for the manufacture of aqueous suspensions . such excipients may be suspending agents such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose , methyl cellulose , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , sodium alginate , polyvinylpyrrolidone , gum tragacanth and gum acacia ; dispersing or wetting agents , which may be ( a ) a naturally occurring phosphatide such as lecithin ; ( b ) a condensation product of an alkylene oxide with a fatty acid , for example , polyoxyethylene stearate ; ( c ) a condensation product of ethylene oxide with a long chain aliphatic alcohol , for example , heptadecaethylenoxycetanol ; ( d ) a condensation product of ethylene oxide with a partial ester derived from a fatty acid and hexitol such as polyoxyethylene sorbitol monooleate , or ( e ) a condensation product of ethylene oxide with a partial ester derived from fatty acids and hexitol anhydrides , for example polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate . the pharmaceutical compositions may be in the form of a sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspension . this suspension may be formulated according to known methods using suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents such as those mentioned above . the sterile injectable preparation may also a sterile injectable solution or suspension in a non - toxic parenterally - acceptable diluent or solvent , for example , as a solution in 1 , 3 - butanediol . among the acceptable vehicles and solvents which may be employed are water , ringer &# 39 ; s solution , and isotonic sodium chloride solution . in addition , sterile , fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium . for this purpose , any bland fixed oil may be employed , including synthetic mono - or diglycerides . in addition , fatty acids such as oleic acid may be used in the preparation of injectables . compounds of formula i may also be administered in the form of liposome delivery systems , such as small unilamellar vesicles , large unilamellar vesicles , and multilamellar vesicles . liposomes can be formed from a variety of phospholipids , such as cholesterol , stearylamine , or phosphatidylcholines . dosage levels of the compound of formula i of the present invention will usually be of the order of about 0 . 5 mg to about 20 mg per kilogram body weight , with a preferred dosage range between about 0 . 5 mg to about 10 mg per kilogram body weight per day ( from about 0 . 5 g to about 3 g per patient per day ). the amount of active ingredient which may be combined with the carrier materials to produce a single dosage will vary , depending upon the host to be treated and the particular mode of administration . for example , a formulation intended for oral administration to humans may contain about 5 mg to 1 g of an active compound with an appropriate and convenient amount of carrier material , which may vary from about 5 to 95 percent of the total composition . dosage unit forms will generally contain between from about 5 mg to 500 mg of active ingredient . it will be understood , however , that the specific dose level for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed , the age , body weight , general health , sex , diet , time of administration , route of administration , rate of excretion , drug combination and the severity of the particular disease undergoing therapy . in addition , some of the compounds of the invention may form solvates with water or common organic solvents . such solvates are encompassed within the scope of the invention . the compounds of the invention may additionally be combined with other therapeutic compounds to provide an operative combination . it is intended to include any chemically compatible combination of pharmaceutically - active agents , as long as the combination does not eliminate the activity of the compound of formula i of this invention . in evaluation of the compounds of the invention , conventional measures of efficacy may be used . for example , for asthma commonly - used primary efficacy end - points include lung function tests such as spirometry or measurement of vital capacity , or self - monitoring using a peak flow meter . for eczema , evaluation of efficacy may be based on : ( a ) physician &# 39 ; s static assessment ( psa ), a primary endpoint required by the united states food and drug administration , which calls for 90 % or greater improvement in signs and symptoms , is equivalent to a clear or almost clear condition on at least two observations 21 days apart , or ( b ) physician &# 39 ; s global assessment ( pga ), which calls for 50 % or greater improvement . the invention will now be described by way of reference only to the following general methods and experimental examples . cyclic peptide compounds of formula i are prepared according to methods described in detail in our earlier applications no . pct / au98 / 00490 and pct / au02 / 01427 . an alternative method of synthesis is described in our australian provisional application no . 2003902743 . the entire disclosures of these specifications are incorporated herein by this reference . while the invention is specifically illustrated with reference to the compound acf -[ opdchawr ] ( pmx53 ), whose corresponding linear peptide is ac - phe - orn - pro - dcha - trp - arg , it will be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to this compound . compounds 1 - 6 , 17 , 20 , 28 , 30 , 31 , 36 and 44 disclosed in international patent application no . pct / au98 / 00490 and compounds 10 - 12 , 14 , 15 , 25 , 33 , 35 , 40 , 45 , 48 , 52 , 58 , 60 , 66 , and 68 - 70 disclosed for the first time in australian provisional application no . pct / au02 / 01427 have appreciable antagonist potency ( ic50 & lt ; 1 μm ) against the c5a receptor on human neutrophils . pmx53 ( compound 17 of pct / au98 / 00490 ; also identified as compound 1 in pct / au02 / 01427 ) and compounds 33 , 45 and 60 of pct / au02 / 01427 are most preferred . we have found that all of the compounds of formula i which have so far been tested have broadly similar pharmacological activities , although the physicochemical properties , potency , and bioavailability of the individual compounds vary somewhat , depending on the specific substituents . the following general tests may be used for initial screening of candidate inhibitor of g protein - coupled receptors , and especially of c5a receptors . assays were performed with fresh human pmns , isolated as previously described ( sanderson et al , 1995 ), using a buffer of 50 mm hepes , 1 mm cacl 2 , 5 mm mgcl 2 , 0 . 5 % bovine serum albumin , 0 . 1 % bacitracin and 100 μm phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride ( pmsf ). in assays performed at 4 ° c ., buffer , unlabelled human recombinant c5a ( sigma ) or peptide , hunter / bolton labelled 125 i - c5a (˜ 20 pm ) ( new england nuclear , mass .) and pmns ( 0 . 2 × 10 6 ) were added sequentially to a millipore multiscreen assay plate ( hv 0 . 45 ) having a final volume of 200 μl / well . after incubation for 60 min at 4 ° c ., the samples were filtered and the plate washed once with buffer . filters were dried , punched and counted in an lkb gamma counter . non - specific binding was assessed by the inclusion of 1 mm peptide or 100 nm c5a , which typically resulted in 10 - 15 % total binding . data was analysed using non - linear regression and statistics with dunnett post - test . cells were isolated as previously described ( sanderson et al , 1995 ) and incubated with cytochalasin b ( 5 μg / ml , 15 min , 37 ° c .). hank &# 39 ; s balanced salt solution containing 0 . 15 % gelatin and peptide was added on to a 96 well plate ( total volume 100 μl / well ), followed by 25 μl cells ( 4 × 10 6 / ml ). to assess the capacity of each peptide to antagonise c5a , cells were incubated for 5 min at 37 ° c . with each peptide , followed by addition of c5a ( 100 nm ) and further incubation for 5 min . then 50 μl of sodium phosphate ( 0 . 1m , ph 6 . 8 ) was added to each well , the plate was cooled to room temperature , and 25 μl of a fresh mixture of equal volumes of dimethoxybenzidine ( 5 . 7 mg / ml ) and h 2 o 2 ( 0 . 51 %) was added to each well . the reaction was stopped at 10 min by addition of 2 % sodium azide . absorbances were measured at 450 nm in a bioscan 450 plate reader , corrected for control values ( no peptide ), and analysed by non - linear regression . a reverse passive peritoneal arthus reaction was induced as previously described ( strachan et al ., 2000 ), and a group of rats were pretreated prior to peritoneal deposition of antibody with acf -[ opdchawr ] ( 1 ) by oral gavage ( 10 mg kg − 1 dissolved in 10 % ethanol / 90 % saline solution to a final volume of 200 μl ) or an appropriate oral vehicle control 30 min prior to deposition of antibody . female wistar rats ( 150 - 250 g ) were anaesthetised with ketamine ( 80 mg kg − 1 i . p .) and xylazine ( 12 mg kg − 1 i . p .). the lateral surfaces of the rat were carefully shaved and 5 distinct sites on each lateral surface clearly delineated . a reverse passive arthus reaction was induced in each dermal site by injecting evans blue ( 15 mg kg − 1 i . v . ), chicken ovalbumin ( 20 mg kg − 1 i . v .) into the femoral vein 10 min prior to the injection of antibody . rabbit anti - chicken ovalbumin ( saline only , 100 , 200 , 300 or 400 μg antibody in a final injection volume of 30 μl ) was injected in duplicate at two separate dermal sites on each lateral surface of the rat , giving a total of 10 injection sites per rat . rats were placed on a heating pad , and anaesthetic was maintained over a 4 h - treatment period with periodic collection of blood samples . blood was allowed to spontaneously clot on ice , and serum samples were collected and stored at − 20 ° c . four hours after induction of the dermal arthus reaction , the anaesthetised rat was euthanased and a 10 mm 2 area of skin was collected from the site of each arthus reaction . skin samples were stored in 10 % buffered formalin for at least 10 days before histological analysis using haematoxylin and eosin stain . additionally , a second set of skin samples were placed in 1 ml of formamide overnight , and the absorbance of evans blue extraction measured at 650 nm , as an indicator of serum leakage into the dermis . fig1 shows the optical density of dermal punch extracts following intradermal injection of rabbit anti - chicken ovalbumin at 0 - 400 μg site − 1 following pretreatment with acf -[ opdchawr ] intravenously , orally or topically . data are shown as absorbance at 650nm as a percentage of the plasma absorbance , as mean values ± sem ( n = 3 - 6 ). * indicates a p value ≦ 0 . 05 when compared to arthus control values . rats were pretreated with the c5ar antagonist , acf -[ opdchawr ] ( 1 ) as the tfa salt , either intravenously ( 0 . 3 - 1 mg kg − 1 in 200 μl saline containing 10 % ethanol , 10 min prior to initiation of dermal arthus ), orally ( 0 . 3 - 10 mg kg − 1 in 200 μl saline containing 10 % ethanol by oral gavage , 30 min prior to initiation of dermal arthus in rats denied food access for the preceding 18 hours ) or topically ( 200 - 400 μg site − 1 10 min prior to initiation of dermal arthus reaction ), or with the appropriate vehicle control . topical application of the antagonist involved application of 20 μl of a 10 - 20 mg ml − 1 solution in 10 % dimethyl sulphoxide ( dmso ), which was then smeared directly onto the skin at each site , 10 min prior to induction of the arthus reaction . the saline - only injection site from rats treated with evans blue only served as antigen controls , the saline - only injection site from rats treated with evans blue plus topical dmso only served as a vehicle control , the saline - only injection site from rats treated with evans blue plus either intravenous , oral or topical antagonist only served as antagonist controls , and evans blue plus dermal rabbit anti - chicken ovalbumin served as antibody controls . topical application of the peptide acf -[ opgwr ] which has similar chemical composition and solubility as acf -[ opdchawr ] ( 1 ), but with an ic 50 binding affinity of & gt ; 1 mm in isolated human pmns , served as an inactive peptide control . acf -[ opgwr ] was also dissolved in 10 % dmso and applied topically at 400 μg site − 1 10 min prior to initiation of the arthus reaction . serum tnfα concentrations were measured using an enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay ( elisa ) kit ( strachan et al ., 2000 ). antibody pairs used were a rabbit anti - rat tnfα antibody coupled with a biotinylated murine anti - rat tnfα antibody . fig2 shows the serum tnfα concentrations at regular intervals after initiation of a dermal arthus reaction , with group of rats pretreated with acf -[ opdchawr ] intravenously , orally or topically . data are shown as mean values ± sem ( n = 3 - 6 ). * indicates a p value of ≦ 0 . 05 when compared to arthus control values . an elisa method as described previously was used to measure serum and peritoneal lavage fluid interleukin - 6 ( il - 6 ) concentrations ( strachan et al ., 2000 ). rat skin samples were fixed in 10 % buffered formalin for at least 10 days , and stained with haematoxylin and eosin using standard histological techniques . dermal samples were analysed in a blind fashion for evidence of pathology , and the degree of rat pmn infiltration was scored on a scale of 0 - 4 . initiation of a dermal arthus reaction resulted in an increase in interstitial neutrophils , which was quantified in the following manner . sections were given a score of 0 if no abnormalities were detected . a score of 1 indicated the appearance of increased pmns in blood vessels , but no migration of inflammatory cells out of the lumen . a score of 2 and 3 indicated the appearance of increasing numbers of pmns in the interstitial tissue and more prominent accumulations of inflammatory cells around blood vessels . a maximal score of 4 indicated severe pathological abnormalities were present in dermal sections , with excessive infiltration of pmns into the tissues and migration of these cells away from blood vessels . fig3 shows that intradermal injection of increasing amounts of antibody leads to a dose - responsive increase in the pathology index scored by dermal samples ( a ). data are shown for dermal samples intradermally injected with saline or 400 μg antibody per site ( n = 5 ) in rats pretreated with acf -[ opdchawr ] intravenously ( b ) ( n = 3 ), orally ( c ) ( n = 3 ) and topically ( d ) ( n = 3 ). data are shown as mean values ± sem . * p ≦ 0 . 05 when compared to arthus values using a non - parametric t - test . respiratory problems were first noticed in kaasha , a female bengal tiger cub at the dreamworld park , australia , at the age of 10 weeks and around 10 kg body weight . the initial clinical signs observed were a mild to moderate increase in respiratory effort after feeding , followed within a few days by a continuous increase in respiratory effort . at no time prior to the initial clinical signs had kaasha &# 39 ; s keepers noticed any change in demeanour , appetite , activity level , or other parameter that might indicate illness . the rectal temperature was normal at the time of initial veterinary examination , and remained normal when measured over the following weeks . the principal clinical signs included increased respiratory effort characterised by a prolonged two - phase forced expiration , fine pulmonary crackles particularly in dorsal lobes , and a bronchointerstitial pattern and air entrapment on radiographs . initial treatment , pending definitive diagnosis , included antibiotics , clavulox ( 7 mg / kg administered subcutaneously ), doxycycline ( 5 mg / kg administered orally ), and enrofloxacin ( 5 mg / kg administered subcutaneously ), and terbutaline ( 0 . 3 mg / kg administered orally ). two weeks after initial detection of clinical signs , kaasha experienced an episode of severe dyspnoea with open - mouthed breathing . the episode lasted 20 to 30 seconds and resolved spontaneously . following repeated clinical examinations , radiography , clinical pathology ( blood : cbc , mba ) ( blood biochemistry and haematology ) and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology , a diagnosis of lower airway inflammation , of unknown aetiology , was made . culture of bronchoalveolar lavage samples for microorganisms did not indicate the presence of any bacterial infection . the anatomical diagnosis of neutrophil - dominated lower airway inflammation was confirmed histologically by a thoracoscopically - guided lung biopsy , although the pathologist also noted mixed inflammation of the interstitium . further culture of the biopsy and polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) for feline viral rhinotracheitis virus and feline calicivirus and chlamydia failed to provide convincing information regarding the aetiology of the condition . approximately three weeks after initial clinical signs , the treatment included clavulox ( 7 mg / kg administered subcutaneously ), doxycycline ( 5 mg / kg administeredorally ), and enrofloxacin ( 5 mg / kg administered subcutaneously ) and terbutaline ( 0 . 3 mg / kg administered orally ), nebulisation ( saline ) and percussion , use of ventolin 100 μg by puffer inhalation and terbutaline ( 0 . 3 mg / kg administered orally ) as necessary to control dyspnoea . prednisolone was given as a single daily dose of 2 mg / kg , and seretide ( salmeterol 50 μg plus fluticasone 250 μg ) was given using a mask and spacer . response to treatment was marked , with improvement in respiratory effort and reduction in crackles audible on auscultation . this combination of treatment was maintained over the next month . 1 . there was a radiographic improvement characterised by 35 reduction in the prominence of the bronchointerstitial pattern and reduction in air entrapment . 2 . throughout each day , and from day to day , there was a marked variation in severity of respiratory clinical signs , although these were not as severe as those observed in the initial stages of the disease . increase in respiratory effort was often observed when the cub was taken into the airconditioned nursery , during exercise or stress , and spontaneously , presumably in response to respiratory irritants in the environment . 3 . respiratory clinical signs responded rapidly to bronchodilators , given either orally terbutaline ( 0 . 3 mg / kg orally ) or by inhalation ( ventolin puffer 100 μg ). 4 . although response to therapy was marked , there were never times when the breathing pattern was normal . 5 . the cub developed a poor “ staring ” coat , poor muscling , retarded growth rate , reduced activity level and playfulness , and relatively poor appetite when compared with her littermate . the clinical findings and response to various therapies were reviewed , and the diagnosis of feline asthma was made . this decision was based upon the marked reactivity of the airways , marked and rapid response to bronchodilators , and general improvement of respiratory clinical signs with corticosteroid therapy . three months after onset of clinical signs , despite relatively aggressive oral corticosteroid therapy prednisolone 2 mg / kg once daily , the level of control of the disease was stable but not yet satisfactory in terms of long - term health management . consequently an experimental technique involving direct injection of prednisolone sodium succinate , 1200 mg in a total volume of 30 ml ( 40 mg / ml aqueous solution ), was instilled into the trachea under general anaesthesia . recovery from the anaesthesia was uneventful , and within 24 hours there was a rapid and marked improvement in respiratory effort . kaasha &# 39 ; s keepers unanimously reported that the breathing pattern improved to virtually normal levels for one week , with no episodes of dyspnoea during that period . however , the clinical pattern of laboured breathing returned to pre - treatment levels at seven to nine days post treatment . at this time therapy included oral corticosteroid at 2 mg / kg , use of inhaled flixotide ( fluticasone 250 μg / dose ) with and without seretide ( salmeterol 50 μg plus fluticasone 250 μg / dose ), use of ventolin puffer , 100 μg , as necessary to control dyspnoea , and occasional use of pulmicort nebules ( budesonide 400 μg ) by nebulisation . it is important to note that use of inhaled medications in the cub was characterised by variability in the effectiveness of the daily dose given , as a result of variation in her compliance , keeper compliance , keeper competence , and daily frequency of administration . three weeks after the intra - airway steroid procedure , another experimental therapy was applied . injections of the c5a complement receptor antagonist acf -[ opdchawr ] ( 1 ) were administered at a dose rate of 0 . 3 mg / kg as single daily subcutaneous injections for six days , followed by twice - weekly injections for 8 weeks . at this time the dose of oral corticosteriod , prednisolone approx 1 mg / kg reducing , had been reduced to 20 mg per day because of concern regarding side effects of prolonged high dose use . kaasha &# 39 ; s keepers were asked to pay particular attention to ensuring that inhaled medications were being applied in the most effective manner , to compensate for reduction in the oral corticosteroid dose . there was unanimous agreement among kaasha &# 39 ; s keepers that there was a moderate to marked improvement in breathing and in recovery time after episodes of dyspneoa following the week of daily acf -[ opdchawr ] ( 1 ) injections . however , it was observed that the general breathing pattern was not as good during twice weekly treatments as it had been following daily injections , although recovery time was comparable . the reduction in oral cortisone dosage and treatment with acf -[ opdchawr ] ( 1 ) corresponded with a marked improvement in the playfulness , general activity level , appetite and general demeanour of the tiger cub . the addition of a further medication , singulaire , was not associated with a noticeable improvement in clinical signs . as at july 2002 kaasha was approximately 32 kg and 7 months of age , and was being maintained on the following regimen : macrolone ( prednisolone ): 20 mg orally each evening ; singulaire ( montelukast sodium ): 10 mg orally each evening ; acf -[ opdchawr ] ( 1 ): 3 mg / 10 kg subcutaneously twice a week ; seretide puffer ( salmeterol 50 μg plus fluticasone 250 μg / dose :) morning and night , preceded by ventolin , 100 μg , puffer ; flixotide puffer ( fluticasone ): 250 μg / dose up to four times each day ; and pulmicort nebulisation ( budesonide ): 400 μg once a day as time permits . further improvements in the therapeutic regime were tested with a view to long - term control of the asthma . measures were taken to improve the efficiency of puffer medication delivery in an attempt to reduce or eliminate the oral corticosteroid use . at this time kaasha showed mild dyspnoea at rest , and moderate to marked dyspnoea after exercise , exertion or stress , but this dyspnoea was not associated with visible distress . her behaviour , growth rate and appetite were only slightly less than , or comparable with , her those of littermate . a dietary trial was attempted , with complete replacement of the current diet by a different protein source , namely either lamb / mutton or rabbit exclusively . kaasha &# 39 ; s condition deteriorated , and in early september 2002 she died under anaesthetic while undergoing a brain scan . from the pathology reports it appears that the hyperoesinophilia was affecting other organs apart from the lung and the animal was becoming increasingly ill from intestinal and renal effects . while it is not possible to draw any causal connection , it is noted that in august 2002 treatment with pmx53 had been discontinued . post - mortem examination showed that the tiger cub had hyperoesinophilia syndrome , which contributed to the asthma - like lung condition , and also caused lesions in the kidney and intestine . this condition also occurs in humans . a kelpie dog was treated with pmx53 ( 1 mg / kg / day po ) for intermittent lameness , which was noticeable after prolonged exercise . because of the intermittent nature of the lameness the owner , a veterinarian , found it difficult to assess any improvement . however , the owner reported that the drug effected a marked improvement in the dog &# 39 ; s allergic dermatitis , which had apparently resolved completely . two dogs with dermatitis were treated with pmx53 ( 0 . 3 mg / kg in 30 % polyethylene glycol 400 : 70 % 0 . 9 % saline ) as a subcutaneous injection once daily . blood samples were collected after 4 weeks of treatment . one dog was then treated with 0 . 6 mg / kg pmx53 subcutaneously for 4 days before euthanasia and autopsy . biochemistry and haematology was repeated on the high - dose dog at this time . no abnormalities were detected in the laboratory samples or on gross examination of the carcass . there was no evidence of irritation at the site of injection . the second dog was bled for haematology and biochemistry after a total of seven weeks treatment . no abnormalities were detected . this dog had severe allergic dermatitis , which was presumed to be due to flea allergy ; however , no antigen testing to confirm this was performed . the dermatitis completely resolved following treatment with pmx53 , as shown in fig4 . both dogs were healthy for the duration of the experiment , with no signs of drug toxicity . a very old dog ( estimated age 13 - 16 years ) admitted to a pound was diagnosed as having severe atopic dermatitis affecting 100 % of the skin and the inside of the ear pinnae ( otitis external , and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (“ dry eye ”). the dog had broken skin over the dorsum of the tail , and both eyes were encrusted with yellow exudate . treatment of the skin condition with pmx53 was commenced using a topical preparation ( 5 mg / ml in 50 % propylene glycol : 50 % water ) applied to 25 % of the body , including the tail , rump and right hind leg , once a day . the eyes were treated with pmx53 in an eye - drop formulation ( 5 mg / ml in 30 % polyethylene glycol : 70 % normal saline ). the sores on the tail resolved within 3 days . the thickening of the skin over the stifle and especially over the ischial tuberosity resolved noticeably , and the eyes improved to the point of being essentially normal in appearance . the dog showed no signs of itching . the dog initially walked with a very stilted gait , but after treatment with pmx53 was able to walk and trot freely . this may either be due to an improvement in preexisting arthritis or to a less painful skin . demodex , also known as demodectic mange or red mange , is an infestation of the skin caused by the mite demodex canis which causes dermatitis , skin thickening and hair loss , and is very common in dogs . this condition is thought to be due partially to impaired immune responses in the host . it is often associated with flea infestation , which itself can cause an allergic dermatitis . the skin irritation in infected animals is sometimes very extensive , and results in loss of hairs and severe skin rashes . given the infectious nature of demodex canis infestation , corticosteroids are not a suitable treatment because they suppress local immune responses and worsen the condition by allowing the mites to proliferate . ( a ) two dogs suffering from demodectic dermatitis were treated for 13 days with pmx53 ( 0 . 3 mg / kg in 30 % polyethylene glycol 400 : 70 % 0 . 9 % saline ) by subcutaneous injection . no discomfort was noted on injecting this preparation . both dogs showed a significant reduction in the inflammatory response in the skin , despite the fact that the challenge agent , fleas and demodex , had not been removed . ( b ) a mastiff pup ( approximately 6 months old ) was diagnosed as having demodex infestation ( folliculitis ) of the head , involving both eyelids . this resulted in swelling of the lids , inversion of the lid margin and rubbing of hairs on the cornea ( trichiasis ). the eyes were red and discharging , and the dog squinted because of the ocular pain . the skin lesions on the top of the head were treated daily with topical pmx53 daily ( 10 mg / ml in 30 % polyethylene glycol : 70 % 0 . 9 % saline . this was applied to the lesion so that the lesion was wet ; the volume to achieve this was not recorded . after 5 days of treatment the inflammation in the skin was reduced , although the mites were still present in scrapings taken from the lesion . this indicated that the drug can moderate inflammation associated with this condition without actually killing the parasite . the eyelids were treated once daily with pmx53 eye drops ( 10 mg / ml in 30 % polyethylene glycol : 70 % 0 . 9 % saline . this was applied to the eyelid lesion so that the lesion was wet , and was also instilled into the eyes . over 5 days the inflammation resolved to the point that the trichiasis was relieved and the dog &# 39 ; s eyes were comfortable and functional . this was considered to be a very significant clinical response . these results indicate that pmx53 may offer a means of controlling inflammation associated with the mite infestation without impairing immune responses which are required to eliminate the parasite . this demonstrates that pmx53 is a suitable anti - inflammatory agent to use where an infectious agent is present , and where common veterinary treatments such as glucocorticoids would be contraindicated because of their suppression of local immune responses . asthma in humans has many causes , including allergens , physical stimulants such as cold air or sulphur dioxide , and immune - based aetiologies . both cats and horses have a recognised clinical condition which resembles human asthma . in horses with the condition known as “ heaves ”, asthma - like symptoms are caused by inhaled allergens , analogously to “ allergic asthma ”. in cats the cause of the airway inflammation can be uncertain , but its clinical signs resemble those seen in humans , with bronchoconstriction causing difficult breathing . cats provide a preferred clinical model of human disease for testing of the c5a antagonist of the invention , because pmx53 has been shown to bind well to the feline c5a receptor . pmx53 binds less effectively to the equine receptor , and the large size of horses means that administration of large quantities of drug is required . however , the equine model is not excluded . cats showing asthma - like respiratory pathology are selected from animals presented to veterinary practices . the diagnosis is confirmed by standard evaluation criteria , including routine blood biochemistry and haematology , chest x - ray and bronchoalveolar lavage . cats are treated with pmx53 orally at a dose of 1 mg / kg or subcutaneously at 0 . 3 mg / kg . response to treatment is evaluated using clinical parameters , such as easier breathing and reduction in peripheral blood eosinophilia . a repeat of the bronchoalveolar lavage to confirm a reduction in airway inflammation is also desirable . other animal model systems for asthma , in which asthma - like symptoms are provoked by defined stimuli , are known in the art , and may also be used in pre - clinical testing of the compounds of the invention . for example a sheep model is described in pct / au02 / 00715 . a number of reviews have been published ; see for example tobin , 2003 ; isenberg - feig et al , 2003 ; bice et al , 2000 ; drazen et al , 1999 ; and http :// ajrccm . atsjournals . org / cgi / collection / asthma_airway_animalmodels . cyclic peptides have several important advantages over acyclic peptides as drug candidates ( fairlie et al 1995 , fairlie et al , 1998 , tyndall and fairlie , 2001 ). the cyclic compounds described in this specification are stable to proteolytic degradation for at least several hours at 37 ° c . in human blood or plasma , in human or rat gastric juices , or in the presence of digestive enzymes such as pepsin , trypsin and chymotrypsin . in contrast , short linear peptides composed of l - amino acids are rapidly degraded to their component amino acids within a few minutes under these conditions . a second advantage lies in the constrained single conformations adopted by the cyclic and non - peptidic molecules , in contrast to acyclic or linear peptides , which are flexible enough to adopt multiple structures in solution other than the one required for receptor - binding . thirdly , cyclic compounds such as those described in this invention are usually more lipid - soluble and more pharmacologically bioavailable as drugs than acyclic peptides , which can rarely be administered orally . fourthly , the plasma half - lives of cyclic molecules are usually longer than those of peptides . it will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that while the invention has been described in some detail for the purposes of clarity and understanding , various modifications and alterations to the embodiments and methods described herein may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concept disclosed in this specification . references cited herein are listed on the following pages , and are incorporated herein by this reference . bice d . e ., seagrave j , green f . h . inhal toxicol . september 2000 ; 12 ( 9 ): 829 - 62 . fairlie , d . p ., wong , a . k . ; west , m . w . curr . med . chem ., 1998 , 5 , 29 - 62 . fairlie , d . p ., abbenante , g ., and march , d . curr . med . chem ., 1995 2 672 - 705 . gerard , c and gerard , n . p . ann . rev . immunol ., 1994 12 775 - 808 . isenberg - feig h ., justice , j . p ., keane - myers , a . current allergy and asthma reports 2003 3 : 70 - 78 . konteatis , z . d ., siciliano , s . j ., van riper , g ., molineaux , c . j ., pandya , s ., fischer , p ., rosen , h ., mumford , r . a ., and springer , m . s . j . immunol ., 1994 153 4200 - 4204 . sanderson , s . d ., kirnarsky , l ., sherman , s . a ., vogen , s . m ., prakesh , o ., ember , j . a ., finch , a . m . and taylor , s . m . j . med . chem ., 1995 38 3669 - 3675 . strachan , a . j ., haaima , g ., fairlie , d . p . and taylor , s . m . j immunol . 164 : 6560 - 6565 , 2000 . tobin m . j . am . j . respir . crit . care med . 167 ( 3 ): 319 tyndall , j . d . a . and fairlie , d . p . curr . med . chem . 2001 , 8 , 893 - 907 .	0
fig1 shows a specific illustrative embodiment of the invention in the form of an arrangement of a plurality of gaming machines in a group in a carousel 1 . fig2 shows an external view of a coin supply and collection system for the plurality of gaming machines . the plurality of gaming machines 2 which are employed in carousel 1 as shown in fig1 are divided into those arranged in a straight line and those arranged in a curved relation to each other . the plurality of gaming machines 2 is installed on a plurality of respectively associated gaming machine bases 3 . referring to fig3 there is shown a pair of belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) m is an integer !, a coin carrier of escalator type ( coin dispenser ) 6 ( fig4 ) as a coin feeder , and a controller 7 ( fig5 ) are provided within each of the gaming machine bases 3 , as will be described later with respect to fig3 to 5 . as shown in fig1 to 3 , a corner cover 8 is provided in an interval of the gaming machine bases 3 which is positioned at an angle of the carousel 1 . further , at an end of the carousel , as shown in fig4 and 5 , there are provided a coin washer 9 , a central control unit ( ccu ) 10 which consists of a microcomputer , and a coin - washer unit case 12 housing a coin carrier of escalator type 11 . referring to fig2 at a location above the coin - washer unit case 12 , there provided a door 13 of a storage portion housing central control unit 10 ( not shown in this figure ) therein , a door 15 for collecting old coins from a coin storage tank 14 ( fig5 ) in coin washer 9 ( fig4 ) for providing new coins , and a door 17 for facilitating installation and removal of coin washer 9 at the front of coin - washer unit case 12 . doors 13 , 15 , and 17 are provided with locking devices , not shown , for preventing unauthorized access from the outside . in addition , a tower light 18 for indicating abnormality or other states in operations is provided at the top end of coin - washer unit case 12 ; the tower light could be multi - colored , and provide , for example , a red light to indicate an abnormal operation , a yellow color to indicate that maintenance is required , and a blue color to indicate normal operation . referring to fig3 a plurality of belt conveyors 4 ( m ) m = 1 , 2 , . . . n ! are arranged as each pair of the conveyors are disposed linearly or with a predetermined angle respectively within each gaming machine base 3 , whereby the carousel forms a coin conveyor having a loop configuration , and conveys the coins ( not shown ) supplied or collected for each gaming machine 2 . as will be described later , the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ) is positioned to carry the coins into each gaming machine base 3 turns into the first conveyor which receives the coins from coin providing side and conveys them , and , a second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) when m ≦ n - 1 ! positioned on the side where the coins are carried from inside of each gaming machine base 3 turns into the second conveyor which receives the coins fed from the first conveyor and conveys them to the side of the coin carrier 6 of the escalator type as the coin feeder . referring to fig4 and 5 , a hopper 19 is shown for paying the coins out to a coin tray 26 as required , within gaming machine 2 . in addition , the coin carrier of the escalator type 6 consists of a hopper portion 20 provided below the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) within a gaming machine base 3 , and an escalator portion 21 which consists of a guide rail that forms a path for the coins that are fed from the hopper portion 20 to the hopper 19 within gaming machine 2 . within coin washer 9 , coin storage tank 14 is provided for paying the coins out of a coin outlet 22 as required . further , similar to the above - mentioned coin carrier 6 , the escalator type coin carrier 11 housed within the coin - washer unit case 12 consists of a hopper portion 30 for storing the coins which had been conveyed from a last belt conveyor 4 ( n ), and an escalator portion 23 which consists of a guide rail that forms a path for the coins that are fed from the hopper portion 30 to the coin storage tank 14 within the coin washer 9 . referring to fig4 the arrows show the direction of movement of the coins . first , in either of the gaming machines 2 of fig1 whether a coin c deposited by a player via a coin entry slot 24 is suitable or not is determined by a selector 25 . as a result of the determination , an unsuitable coin is returned to the coin tray 26 , and gaming operations are not executed . on the other hand , a suitable coin is distributed to the hopper 19 within gaming machine 2 or second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) m = 1 , . . . ! for the gaming machine 2 , depending upon circumstances , by a diverter 27 provided at a lower step of selector 25 . the coin which has been deposited into gaming machine 2 is diverted into hopper 19 within the gaming machine , when hopper 19 has been short of the coins , e . g ., a jack pot has occurred in the game and a great number of coins are paid out to the coin tray 26 . on this occasion , the controller 7 of fig5 drives the hopper portion 20 of the escalator type coin carrier 6 , and feeds the coin from the hopper portion 20 via the escalator portion 21 into the hopper 19 within the gaming machine 2 . when the hopper portion 20 has been short of the coins , the controller 7 drives the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) for the gaming machine 2 in the opposite direction of the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ), i . e ., in the direction shown with an arrow of a broken line in fig4 and feeds the coin on the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) into the hopper portion 20 . then , the belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) turns into the second conveyor which receives the coin fed from the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) as the first conveyor and conveys it to the coin feeder of the gaming machine 2 . the coin which has been deposited into the gaming machine 2 is diverted into the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ), when the hopper 19 within the gaming machine 2 is filled with the coins , and a signal indicative of an overflow is delivered to the controller 7 from a level sensor 28 ( fig5 ) provided in the hopper 19 within the gaming machine 2 as will be described later . on this occasion , the diverter 27 diverts the coin which has been fed through the escalator portion 21 , not into the hopper 19 within the gaming machine 2 , onto the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ). further , the controller 7 drives two of the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) in the direction of the arrows , and feeds the coin from the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ) through the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) to a succeeding gaming machine . in this case , the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) turns into the first conveyor for the succeeding gaming machine . since the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ) for the gaming machine 2 is usually driven in the direction for feeding the coins therein , so far as a pair of the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) of each gaming machine base 3 is driven together in a predetermined direction , the coin c which has been dropped onto the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) is conveyed sequentially through each of the belt conveyors , as shown with the arrows of a loop shape in fig4 and finally the coin is fed to the escalator type coin carrier 11 provided at a side of the coin washer 9 . the coin c which has been fed to the hopper portion 30 of the escalator type coin carrier 11 is fed from the hopper portion 30 into the coin washer 9 by the escalator portion 23 , and is washed therein . the coin which has been washed is ejected via the coin outlet 22 of the coin washer 9 onto the first belt conveyor 4 ( l ) for the first gaming machine 2 , and is conveyed from the belt conveyor 4 ( l ) as mentioned above . in addition , for the coin washer 9 , a worker may perform a task of opening the above - mentioned door 15 ( fig2 ) to collect old coins c o and feeding new coins c n , e . g ., once a day . as shown in fig5 a pair of upper and lower level sensors 28 and 29 is provided in the hopper 19 within each gaming machine 2 . a pair of upper and lower level sensors 31 and 32 is also provided in the hopper portion 20 of each of the escalator type coin carriers 6 . further , a pair of upper and lower level sensors 33 and 34 is provided in the coin storage tank 14 of the coin washer 9 , and a pair of upper and lower level sensors 35 and 36 is also provided in the hopper portion 30 of the escalator type coin carrier 11 . these level sensors detect whether or not a quantity of the coins is within predetermined limits . for example , when the quantity of the coins which have been stored in the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 is above the upper level sensor 28 , the level sensor 28 delivers a detection signal indicative of an overflow . in response to the signal , as mentioned above , since the diverter 27 diverts the coins which have been deposited into the gaming machine 2 onto the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ), and then also the controller 7 drives the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) in the predetermined direction , the coins are fed from the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ) through the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) to a succeeding gaming machine . afterward , when the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 drops below the lower level sensor 32 as the coins are carried out of the hopper portion 20 of the escalator type coin carrier 6 , the lower level sensor 32 does not deliver a coin detection signal . therefore , as mentioned above , the controller 7 drives the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) in the opposite direction , i . e ., the controller inverts the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ), and then feeds the coins into the hopper portion 20 from the belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ). this operation continues until the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 is above the upper level sensor 31 . then , when the upper level sensor 31 delivers a detection signal indicative of an overflow , the controller 7 returns driving of the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) in a predetermined direction , i . e ., the controller 7 drives the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) in the regular direction . the steps in the operation of the belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ), responsive to the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 as described above are shown in a flow chart of fig6 . this will be described in detail later . further , in the case that the lower level sensor 32 in the hopper portion 20 detects the coins , when the lower level sensor 29 of the hopper 19 within the gaming machine 2 does not detect the coins , the controller 7 drives the hopper portion 20 to feed the coins into the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 . then , when the coins have been accumulated in the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 , and the upper level sensor 28 delivers a signal indicative of an overflow , the controller 7 stops driving the hopper portion 20 to stop supplying the coins . the steps in the operation of the escalator type coin carrier 6 , responsive to the quantity of the coins within the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 as described above are shown in a flow chart of fig7 . this also will be described in detail later . in coin - washer unit case 12 , when the quantity of the coins which have been stored within the hopper portion 30 of the escalator type coin carrier 11 is above the lower level sensor 36 , and the quantity of the coins which have been stored within the coin storage tank 14 falls below the upper level sensor 33 , and lower level sensor 34 does not detect the coins , central control unit 10 drives the hopper portion 30 to feed the coins therein to the coin storage tank 14 . the operations are executed until the upper level sensor 33 within the coin storage tank 14 comes to detect the coins . here , the steps in the operation of the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ), responsive to the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 provided on the gaming machine base 3 will be explained referring to fig6 . first , the controller 7 determines whether a power source is on or not ( at step st1 ). when the power source is not on , the controller 7 does not perform the following operations . when the power source is on , the controller 7 determines whether or not some trouble has occurred in the system ( at step st2 ). these ( the power source and the trouble ) are determined by signals delivered from the central control unit 10 . when there is a trouble referring to the latter determination , a display indicative of a trouble is activated . for example , a red lamp of the tower light 18 is made to light , and then a code ( trouble code ) according to nature of the trouble is indicated on a control panel of the central control unit 10 . accordingly , a manager of the system is able to know the nature of the trouble by opening the door 13 shown in fig1 and seeing the display of the control panel . when there is no trouble , the controller 7 determines the on / off state of the lower level sensor 32 of the hopper portion 20 ( at step st3 ). as mentioned above , the lower level sensor 32 detects whether or not the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 has become lower than a lower limit , and when the quantity ( height ) of the coins is above the lower level sensor 32 , it is on . accordingly , when the lower level sensor 32 is on , the controller 7 drives the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) together with the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ) in the direction of conveying the coins to a succeeding belt conveyor 4 ( m + 2 ) ( at step st4 ). therefore , the coins are conveyed from the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) to the succeeding gaming machine . when the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 decreases and the level sensor 32 becomes off , the controller 7 drives the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) in the opposite direction ( at step st5 ). then , the coins are conveyed from the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) into the hopper portion 20 , and are stored therein . afterward , the controller 7 determines the on / off state of the upper level sensor 31 within the hopper portion 20 ( at step st6 ). as mentioned above , the level sensor 31 detects whether or not the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 has become above an upper limit , and when the quantity ( height ) of the coins is above the upper level sensor 31 , it becomes on . accordingly , so far as the upper level sensor 31 is off , the controller 7 continues driving the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) in the opposite direction , and when the upper level sensor 31 becomes on , the controller 7 returns driving of the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) in a predetermined direction ( at step st4 ). therefore , the coins are conveyed from the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) to the succeeding gaming machine again . secondly , the steps in the operation of escalator type coin carrier 6 , responsive to the quantity of the coins within the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 will be explained referring to fig7 . first , in a manner similar to the operations described with respect to fig6 the controller 7 determines whether or not the power source is on ( at step st11 ). when the power source is on , whether or not some trouble has occurred in the system is determined ( at step st12 ). then , when there is trouble , a display as described above is executed according to the nature of the trouble . on the other hand , when there is no trouble , the controller 7 determines the on / off state of the lower level sensor 29 within the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 ( at step st13 ). as mentioned above , the level sensor 29 detects whether or not the quantity of the coins within the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 has fallen below the lower limit , and when the quantity ( height ) of the coins is above the lower level sensor 29 , it is on . accordingly , when the lower level sensor 29 is on , the controller 7 does not drive the hopper portion 20 of the escalator type coin carrier 6 to be stopped ( at step st14 ). therefore , the coins are not fed to the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 . when a win occurs in the gaming machine 2 in this state , the coins to be paid out for the player are ejected onto the coin tray 26 via the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 . thus , when the quantity of the coins within the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 is decreasing , and the lower level sensor 29 becomes off , the controller 7 determines the on / off state of the lower level sensor 32 within the hopper portion 20 ( at step st15 ). as mentioned above , the level sensor 32 detects whether or not the quantity of the coins within the hopper portion 20 has dropped below the lower limit , and when the quantity ( height ) of the coins is below the lower level sensor 32 , it becomes off . accordingly , when the lower level sensor 32 is off , the controller 7 does not drive the hopper portion 20 of the escalator type coin carrier 6 to be stopped ( at step st14 ), but when the lower level sensor 32 is on , the controller 7 drives the hopper portion 20 ( at step st16 ). therefore , the coins are fed from the hopper portion 20 to the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 . the operations are executed until the upper level sensor 28 in the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 becomes on . therefore , the controller 7 determines the on / off state of the upper level sensor 28 ( at step st17 ). so far as the upper level sensor 28 within the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 is off and the lower level sensor 32 within the hopper portion 20 is on , the controller 7 continues driving the escalator type coin carrier 6 , and stops it when the upper level sensor 28 within the hopper 19 of the gaming machine 2 has become on ( at step st14 ). fig8 is a partially sectional view showing construction of a pair of the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) and the escalator type coin carrier 6 for the gaming machine 2 , fig9 is a sectional view taken from the right side of the construction of fig8 and fig1 is an enlarged view of a connecting portion of the pair of the belt conveyors of fig8 . referring to fig8 a coin dropping outlet 38 is provided at the bottom of the gaming machine 2 for dropping and feeding the coins from the diverter 27 onto the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) which is disposed within the gaming machine base 3 positioned beneath the gaming machine 2 . as will be explained in detail later , within the gaming machine base 3 , the pair of the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) is supported by a supporting leg 42 , a positioning member 43 , and a floating base mechanism 44 , on a floating base 41 installed on a frame 40 which is substantially horizontal . the floating base mechanism 44 is a pedestal which attaches each of the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) thereto to be movable in the direction of a plane to be adjusted as will be described . fig1 is an external perspective view of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) or 4 ( m + 1 ), and fig1 is an enlarged perspective view of an end of the same belt conveyor . fig1 is an enlarged perspective view of the other end of the same belt conveyor . in addition , the pair of the belt conveyors has been distinguished into the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ) and the second belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ) as described above . however , since both belt conveyors have substantially identical structures , only the first belt conveyor 4 ( m ) will be explained hereinafter . first , the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) has side plates 46 and 47 at both sides , which are formed by a rectangular plate extending longitudinally . a member ( hereinafter , referred to as an upper joint member ) 48 is attached from above at an end of each of the side plates 46 and 47 , and a further member ( hereinafter , referred to as a lower joint member ) 49 is attached from underneath at the other end of each of the side plates , respectively . the upper joint member 48 of the belt conveyor 4 ( m - 1 ), not shown , which is positioned at the right in fig1 is joined from above with the lower joint member 49 of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ), and also , the upper joint member 48 of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) is joined from above with the lower joint member 49 of the belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ), not shown , at the right in fig1 . the upper joint member 48 and the lower joint member 49 form a connector which is necessary to connect a plurality of belt conveyors as coin conveyor sequentially , similar to the above - mentioned carousel . these structures will be described in detail referring to fig1 and 17 . at a side of an end of each of the side plates 46 and 47 ( at the right of fig1 ), the supporting leg 42 having a u shape is provided which supports each side plate in a manner rotatable with a support shaft 50 inserted from outside through each side plate in the center . the supporting leg 42 rotates in a range of a predetermined angle with the support shaft 50 as a fulcrum and is able to support keeping a certain height of the side of an end of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ). further , since the supporting leg 42 can be set at a place abutted on a base of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) as shown in the dash - dotted lines in fig1 as required , it does not disturb carrying of the belt conveyors . at the side of the other end of each of the side plates 46 and 47 ( at the left of fig1 ), a positioning member 43 of abbreviated u shape is attached which is far lower than the supporting leg 42 , but supports each side plate so as to be rotatable with a support shaft 52 inserted through each side plate in the center . the positioning member 43 consists of a strip 53 made of metal , the both ends of which being bent perpendicularly in the same direction as shown in fig1 . this member is provided with a hole 54 through which the support shaft 52 penetrates rotatively , on the both ends , and is also provided with a shaft portion 55 projecting out of a central portion of the strip 53 in the direction opposite to the both ends . a projection end of the shaft portion 55 has a rounded shape so as to be easily inserted into an insert hole 56 ( fig1 ) of a floating plate 72 . since the height of the above supporting leg 42 to support the belt conveyor is different from that of the positioning member 43 , the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) is supported to be inclined as shown . at the both ends of each of the side plates 46 and 47 of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ), rollers 60 and 61 for driving a belt 59 are arranged in synchrony with shafts 57 and 58 arranged to be rotatable . a belt 59 is hung around the interval between the rollers 60 and 61 . the side plate 47 at the front of the arrangement shown in fig1 is attached with a support plate 62 rising substantially vertically at the left position thereof , and a driving mechanism 37 having a reduction gear 63 and an electric motor 64 is fixed thereto . the reduction gear 63 reduces a rotational speed of the electric motor 64 and provides an output . an output shaft 65 of the electric motor 64 projects outward of a hole , not shown , which is provided at the support plate 62 , and a pulley 66 is fixed to an end of the shaft . a pulley 67 as the above pulley 66 is fixed to the shaft 58 , and a torque of the output shaft 65 of the driving mechanism 37 is transmitted to the shaft 58 by a toothed belt 68 installed around the pulleys 66 and 67 , whereby a roller 61 rotates to drive the belt 59 . the driving mechanism 37 rotates output shaft 65 in two directions , and the driving is controlled according to the sequence of steps shown in the flow chart of fig6 . fig1 is a perspective view showing a structure of the floating base mechanism 44 . this mechanism operates as a pedestal on the above floating base 41 to attach each belt conveyor to be movable in the direction of a plane to be adjusted , which is provided with a positioning plate 69 and a floating plate 72 . the positioning plate 69 is a substantially square plate having a circular through hole 70 in the center and fixing holes 71 for inserting bolts 73 at the four corners . the floating plate 72 consists of a disk - shaped member having a smaller diameter than a distance of an interval of the two fixing holes 71 at a diagonal position on the positioning plate 69 , and has a insert hole 56 which can insert the shaft portion 55 of the above positioning member 43 ( fig1 ) so as to be rotatable about the center thereof . the through hole 70 at the center of the positioning plate 69 is formed wider than the insert hole 56 of the floating plate 72 . the positioning plate 69 is mounted on the floating plate 72 as the through hole 70 is positioned at the above of the insert hole 56 of the floating plate 72 . further , around the floating plate 72 , a cylindrical spacers 74 are installed between fixing holes 71 of the positioning plate 69 and the floating base 41 . the bolts 73 are put through the fixing holes 71 of the positioning plate 69 and the spacer 74 , and a lower end of each of the bolts is screwed into each of screw holes 75 of the floating base 41 , whereby the positioning plate 69 is fixed on the floating base 41 as shown in fig1 . from above , the shaft portion 55 of the positioning member 43 is inserted through the insert hole 56 of the floating plate 72 so as to be rotatable . since the central through hole 70 of the positioning plate 69 which is fixed as mentioned above is formed wider than the insert hole 56 of the floating plate 72 , and the spacer 74 is formed a little longer than a thickness of the floating plate 72 , the floating plate 72 is able to be moved in a horizontal direction in a range such that the insert hole 56 does not disconnect from the through hole 70 of the positioning plate 69 . therefore , the positioning member 43 having the shaft portion 55 inserted through the insert hole 56 of the floating plate 72 is able to be moved in the horizontal direction , and the position of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) can be adjusted . further , the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) is rotatable in a direction of a plane with the shaft portion 55 of the positioning member 43 in the center , according to the floating base mechanism 44 and the positioning member 43 . fig1 is a perspective view of upper joint member 48 which connects a plurality of belt conveyors as mentioned above . the upper joint member 48 consists of a connecting portion 76 of annular shape which forms a path for the coins , and a cover portion 77 formed to be u - shaped . the upper joint member 48 is fixed to an end of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ), at the right in the fig1 , as follows : an elongated slot 78 is provided through each of the side walls of the cover portion 77 which are arranged to register with screw holes , not shown , provided at each end of side plates 46 and 47 of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ), respectively , and a screw 79 is screwed via the elongated slot 78 , as shown in fig1 and 12 . fig1 is a perspective view of the lower joint member 49 as another means of connecting . this lower joint member 49 consists of a connecting member 81 of annular shape which forms the path of the coins , a pair of rectangular support plates 82 which is formed in synchrony with the underneath of the connecting portion 81 and is arranged in parallel in a predetermined interval respectively , a latitudinal shaft 84 which is supported by shaft holes 83 provided at a corner at a location above of these support plates 82 so as to be rotatable , and a rotatable plate 85 is rotatably attached to the latitudinal shaft 84 as a fulcrum . in the lower joint member 49 , the rotatable plate 85 has small pieces 86 which project out of upper ends of both sides of a square sheet . through holes 87 like the shaft holes 83 are provided at two small pieces 86 with shaft 84 inserted its both ends through the through holes 87 , therefore , the rotatable plate 85 is in a state of being suspended as shown in fig1 . in addition , at both ends of shaft 84 , retaining rings , not shown , are mounted from outside of the two support plates 82 in order to prevent shaft 84 from falling out . each of the support plates 82 is provided with an elongated slot 88 . when the lower joint member 49 is mounted to the other end of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) as shown in fig1 and 13 , each elongated slot 88 is located outside of screw holes , not shown , which are provided at the side plates 46 and 47 , and screws 89 are screwed from outside of each of the elongated slots 88 into the screw holes of the side plates 46 and 47 . thus , the lower joint member 49 is fixed to the side plates 46 and 47 of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ). the rotatable plate 85 is able to rotate in the forward direction ( clockwise as viewed from the right in fig1 ) with its weight from a state of being suspended with the latitudinal shaft 84 . however , rotatable plate 85 cannot be rotated in the opposite direction , since an edge of an upper end of the rotatable plate 85 hits a lower side of the connecting portion 81 . it therefore cannot be rotated in the direction of counterclockwise from a state of fig1 . in the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) mounted with the upper joint member 48 and the lower joint member 49 as mentioned above , the coins which have ejected from the upper joint member 48 of a belt conveyor 4 ( m - 1 ), not shown , located at a left side of fig1 , are dropped onto the belt 59 via an opening of the connecting portion 81 of the lower joint member 49 of the above belt conveyor 4 ( m ). when the belt 59 is driven in the direction of positive rotation from the left to the right in fig1 , the coins dropped onto the belt 59 are conveyed by the belt 59 just as they are , and are ejected via an opening of the connecting portion 76 of the upper joint member 48 positioned at the right end of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ). on the other hand , when the belt conveyor 4 ( m ) is used as the second belt conveyor and the belt 59 is driven in the opposite direction from the right to the left in fig1 , the coins dropped onto the belt 59 hit the rotatable plate 85 rotating the plate in the direction of clockwise , and are ejected via the left end of the belt conveyor 4 ( m ). then the coins are fed to the hopper portion 20 as mentioned above . referring to the above - mentioned embodiment , since the annular connecting portions 76 and 81 of the upper joint member 48 and the lower joint member 49 of each belt conveyor 4 ( m ) are connected between adjacent belt conveyors , a bore / inner diameter of the connecting portion 76 of the upper joint member 48 is formed a little bigger than an outer diameter of the connecting portion 81 of the lower joint member 49 , and the connecting portion 76 of the upper joint member 48 fits with an external circumference of the connecting portion 81 of the lower joint member 49 . also , even when the connecting portion 76 of the upper joint member 48 of one belt conveyor 4 ( m ) fits with the connecting portion 81 of the lower joint member 49 of the other belt conveyor 4 ( m + 1 ), both connecting portions are of annular shape , therefore , the belt conveyors 4 ( m ) and 4 ( m + 1 ) are rotatable in a range with the shaft portions 55 of the positioning members 43 of each of the belt conveyors in the center . in such a structure of the system , since a plurality of belt conveyors can be connected not only linearly but also in a curved relation to each other in the carousel 1 of various configuration , supply and collection of the coins are able to be executed automatically for all the gaming machines constructing one carousel . in addition , in the above - mentioned embodiment , a group of ( the first and second ) belt conveyors is combined for the coin carrier installed at a position under each gaming machine , such that the second belt conveyor for the coin carrier of one gaming machine is arranged to be the first belt conveyor toward the following coin carrier . however , if an interval between one gaming machine and the following gaming machine is long or bending , the structure may contain one or more belt conveyors which is not combined with the coin carrier at an interval of those gaming machines . further , the apparatus for feeding the coins from each belt conveyor into the upper gaming machine is not limited to be of the escalator type . instead , a coin carrier using belt conveyor or other mechanism that can feed the coins upward may be employed . in addition , such structure may be provided with a cash box instead of the coin washer 9 of fig5 wherein the belt conveyors are arranged to be substantially annular , and the coins are collected in the cash box from the belt conveyors by a distributor , as required . although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications , persons skilled in the art can , in light of this teaching , generate additional embodiments without exceeding the scope or departing from the spirit of the claimed invention . accordingly , it is to be understood that the drawing and description in this disclosure are proffered to facilitate comprehension of the invention , and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof .	6
[ 0011 ] fig1 shows a fixed length queue 100 of 10 elements , where each item in the queue is represented by its sample number . element 1 is the oldest element in the queue , element 2 the next oldest , and so on through element 10 which is the newest . queue 100 is full . when a new item arrives , either the new item must be discarded , or room must be made for it in the queue . prior art solutions to adding a new item to a full queue include discarding the new item , and overwriting the most recently added item . the approach used depends on the needs of the application , and the presumed importance of old data versus new data . decimation as taught by the present invention trades reduced accuracy for increased apparent size of the queue . for example , if a 60 element queue contains samples taken every second , the queue when full holds samples spanning a minute , with one sample for every second in that minute . after many rounds of applying the decimation techniques according to the present invention , the same 60 element queue holds data covering a time span equivalent to that of a queue many times that size . however , the queue no longer contains a sample for each second of that time span . the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a wide range of software , ranging from microcode or very low - level implementations to high - level language implementations . embodiments of the present invention may also be implemented directly in hardware . it should be understood that truly random numbers are very difficult to generate , and that the term random in this context is understood to be a shorthand for pseudorandom numbers . the generation of pseudorandom numbers is well understood in the art , described at length for example in chapter 3 of the art of computer programming by donald e . knuth . exponential decimation removes samples from the queue in such a way that old data is removed at the expense of new data , while still maintaining a representative sampling of the old data . an example of exponential decimation is shown in fig2 . fixed length queue 200 is full . exponential decimation by n = 2 removes every second sample before adding a new item , removing items 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , and 10 from queue 200 to produce queue 210 new samples are added until the queue once again is full , shown in 220 . decimation is repeated and a new sample added , removing every second item , namely items 3 , 7 , 11 , 13 , and 15 , producing queue 230 . as decimation continues , the distribution of the data becomes exponential in nature . exponential decimation can also be applied with divisors other than n = 2 and can begin with any item in the queue , effectively adjusting the exponential rate of decay of old data in the queue . while exponential decimation may be applied to a queue removing multiple elements at one time , as shown in fig2 it may also be practiced removing one element at a time . this requires that the decimation process retain state between invocations . as an example , consider the case of a 10 element queue and divisor n = 2 . the first time the decimation process is called , the item in position 2 of the queue is removed . the next time the decimation process is called , the item in position 4 of the queue is removed , then the item in position 6 , then the item in position 10 , and then the item in position 2 once again . applying the decimation process gradually in this manner essentially allows the queue to remain full at all times once it has initially been filled , eliminating old items only when necessary exponential decimation may also be dithered , probabilistically adding ( or subtracting ) a dither offset m to the sample position to be removed . at each position a probability of offsetting is calculated . as an example with the case of exponential decimation with a divisor of n = 2 and an offset of m = 1 , samples at positions 2 , 5 , 7 , and 8 in the queue are removed , rather than positions 2 , 4 , 6 , and 8 . dithered exponential decimation gives the same emphasis to old data , but is less susceptible to sample bias . in the general case of dithered exponential decimation where the divisor is n and the dither value is ± m , the distribution function should ideally be uniform with a zero mean , but any distribution will do . another method of removing data from a full queue according to the present invention is recursive decimation . this is shown in fig3 . 300 shows a full queue of 16 items . recursive decimation begins by dividing the queue in half . if the queue size is not an integer power of 2 , some method can be used to make it a power of two in all rounds but the first . for example , assume the queue size is s and let m =└ log 2 ( s )┘. then the older “ half ” of the queue contains the oldest 2 m elements and the newer “ half ” contains the rest . select the newer half of the queue , shown as 310 with items 9 - 16 in bold , and delete a point at random , shown in 320 with item 10 replaced by an x . the process is repeated recursively with the remaining half of the queue , shown in 330 . the newer half is selected , items 5 - 8 in 340 . an element is deleted at random , item 7 replaced by an x in 350 . recursive decimation continues in the same fashion with 360 - 380 . [ 0020 ] 390 - 410 represent the end of the recursive process . when the queue size being examined is equal to two , one of the elements is deleted at random and the recursive process terminated . the overall result of this example of random recursive decimation is shown as 420 . as with exponential decimation , recursive decimation may be applied over the entire queue , recursively decimating successively smaller portions of the queue , or it may be applied one recursive round at a time , maintaining state between rounds . again , applying the decimation process gradually in this manner essentially allows the queue to remain full at all times once it has initially been filled , eliminating old items only when necessary as stated , certain aspects of the computation are simplified if the queue length in recursive decimation is an integer power of 2 . while a random number may be generated each time an element is to be deleted , if the queue size is indeed an integer power of 2 , a single randomly generated number may suffice , since in a sufficiently random number all bits in a binary representation will be random . as an example , consider a queue containing 64 elements . in the first recursion , a random position spanning items 33 to 64 must be selected , requiring a random number in the range of 0 - 31 . a random number is generated and five consecutive bits ( either right most or leftmost ) are selected to span the range 0 - 31 . in the next round of recursion , the range needed is 0 - 15 , so the next 4 bits of the random number are used . the next round uses 3 bits for a range of 0 - 7 , the following round uses 2 bits for 0 - 3 , and the final round uses 1 bit . in total then , 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 15 bits are needed in total . in general , the number of bits k needed for a queue of size n is : this approach generates a single random number and does not reuse bits . while the possibility of introducing sample bias is increased , an alternate approach is to generate a single random number with at least the number of bits required for the first round of recursion , and reuse that random number in succeeding rounds , selecting fewer bits for each round . if the size of the queue is not an integer power of 2 , random numbers may be generated individually for each round of recursive decimation , or a single random number may be generated and reused in successive stages , for example by taking the random number modulo the queue size at issue in each round . the foregoing detailed description of the present invention is provided for the purpose of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed . accordingly the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims .	6
fig1 shows a selection of grooves according to this invention in a ring - shaped plate 1 . it should be pointed out in advance that the actual friction surface of a plate need not necessarily include the entire end face or even both end faces but instead , as in the present case , a ring - shaped section may be formed as the friction surfaces or as described in german patent application 28 54 051 a1 , separate partial areas of the end faces may be designed as the friction surfaces . in addition , as already indicated in the introduction to the description , the “ bare ” end face of a plate or the end face provided with a friction coating or a combination of these two variants may also serve as the friction surface . in the present case , the ring - shaped plate 1 is bordered in the radial direction by the outside circumference , which has been labeled as 2 in fig1 , and the inside circumference , which has been labeled as 3 . the friction surface 4 of plate 1 is bordered by the outside circumference 5 , which lies inside the outside circumference 2 of the ring - shaped plate 1 , and the inside circumference 6 , which lies inside the inside circumference 3 of plate 1 . thus , in the present case the actual friction surface 4 is much smaller than the end side area of plate 1 shown here . fig1 a ) shows two s - shaped grooves 7 . 1 and 7 . 2 running in the same direction and arranged side - by - side . the grooves extend from the inside circumference 6 of the friction surface 4 to its outside circumference 5 . there are two bending points 8 . 1 and 8 . 2 or 9 . 1 and 9 . 2 according to this invention , situated essentially at the center between the inside circumference 6 and the outside circumference , where the grooves 7 . 1 and 7 . 2 at first run counterclockwise and then clockwise with a bend , starting from the inside circumference 6 . the angles ( of bending ) are represented by the symbols α 1 and α 2 in the figure . the minimum distance between adjacent grooves 7 . 1 and 7 . 2 , which should not be less than the width of one groove , is labeled as d 1 in the figure . fig1 b ) shows two s - shaped grooves 10 . 1 and 10 . 2 running in opposite directions side by side . like grooves 7 . 1 and 7 . 2 in the exemplary embodiment described above , these grooves extend from the inside circumference 6 of the friction surface 4 to its outside circumference 5 . again there are two bending points 11 . 1 and 11 . 2 or 12 . 1 and 12 . 2 according to this invention at which the grooves 10 . 1 and 10 . 2 run first counterclockwise with the bending points which run eccentrically and are offset radially in the direction of the outside circumference 5 . the angles ( of bending ) are labeled as α 3 and α 4 in the figure . the minimum distance between the adjacent grooves 10 . 1 and 10 . 2 , which in turn should be no less than one groove width , is labeled as d 2 in fig1 b ). fig1 c ) illustrates a third exemplary embodiment in which two identical grooves 13 . 1 and 13 . 2 adjacent to one another run from the inside circumference 6 of the friction surface 4 to its outside circumference 5 . essentially at the center between the inside circumference 6 and the outside circumference 5 is their single bending point 14 . 1 and / or 15 . 1 at which the grooves 13 . 1 and / or 13 . 2 run clockwise with a kink , starting from the inside circumference 6 . the angle ( of the kink ) is represented by α 5 in the figure , and the minimum distance between adjacent grooves 13 . 1 and 13 . 2 is represented by the symbol d 3 . fig2 shows in general different ring - shaped friction linings with groove patterns according to this invention . in the case of plate 19 shown in fig2 a ), the outside circumference is labeled as 20 and the inside circumference is labeled as 21 . the lining on plate 19 forming friction surface 22 is bordered by the outside circumference 23 , which coincides with the outside circumference 20 of the ring - shaped plate 19 and by the inside circumference 24 which is within the inside circumference 21 of plate 19 . the actual friction surface 22 in the present case is thus also smaller than the end side face of the plate 19 shown here , bordered by its outside circumference 20 and inside circumference 21 . in the present case , s - shaped grooves 25 and 26 running essentially in opposite directions but with the same spacing are incorporated into the friction lining around the entire circumference of plate 19 . in the case of plate 27 show in fig2 b ), the outside circumference and inside circumference are labeled as 28 and 29 , in accordance with the preceding exemplary embodiment . the lining on the plate 27 , which forms the friction surface 30 , is in turn bordered by the outside circumference 31 , which coincides with the outside circumference 28 of the ring - shaped plate 27 , and by the inside circumference 32 , which is within the inside circumference 29 of the plate 27 . in the present exemplary embodiment , s - shaped grooves 33 running in the same direction according to this invention are incorporated into the friction lining . this variant of the embodiment is characterized by a comparatively tight distance between adjacent grooves 33 and an angle of bending of less than 90 ° at the respective bending points . in the case of plate 34 , illustrated in fig2 c ), the outside circumference and the inside circumference are labeled as 35 and 36 , in accordance with the preceding exemplary embodiment . the lining on plate 34 forming friction surface 37 is bordered by the outside circumference 38 , which coincides with the outside circumference 35 of the ring - shaped ( friction ) plate 34 and by the inside circumference 39 , which is inside of the inside circumference 36 of the plate 34 . characteristics of this embodiment include the adjacent grooves 40 running in the same direction , the s - shaped grooves 40 and the radially central arrangement of the bending points of the grooves 40 between the outside circumference 38 and the inside circumference 39 of the friction surface 37 . the exemplary embodiment according to fig2 d ) includes an essentially ring - shaped plate 41 with an outside circumference 42 and an inside circumference 43 in accordance with the three preceding exemplary embodiments . the friction surface 44 having the friction lining is also designed in a ring shape with an outside circumference 45 and an inside circumference 46 and extends on the end face of plate 41 up to its outside circumference 42 but not as far as its inside circumference 43 , it is characteristic of this embodiment that the grooves 47 incorporated into the friction lining forming the friction surface 44 run in the same direction in the form of mirror - image s pattern over the entire circumference . the distance between adjacent grooves 47 is small in comparison with that of the variant described above according to sub figure 2 c ) but it is comparable to the distance between adjacent grooves 33 in the embodiment according to sub figure 2 b ). in contrast with the latter embodiment however , the angle ( of curvature ) at the bending point is much greater than 90 ° in the present case . the embodiment according to fig2 e ) also includes an essentially ring - shaped plate 48 ( outside circumference 49 , inside circumference 50 ) according to four preceding exemplary embodiments . the friction surface 51 which is also provided with a friction lining is likewise designed in a ring shape which only partially covers the end face of plate 48 ( outside circumference 52 , inside circumference 53 ). this friction lining also has s - shaped grooves 54 with a comparatively small distance between them running in the same direction . in the present case however the bending points are arranged with a radial offset toward the outside in comparison with the preceding embodiments of fig2 . plate 55 ( outside circumference 56 and inside circumference 57 of the plate ), illustrated in fig2 f ), has s - shaped grooves 61 running in the same direction cut in the friction lining / surface 58 ( outside circumference 59 and inside circumference 60 of the friction surface 58 ), these grooves being designed in the manner of the preceding embodiment according to fig2 e ). however in this case , a greater distance between adjacent grooves 61 has been selected along with bending points that have been shifted further outward in the radial direction . the point 62 shown in fig2 g ) having the outside circumference 63 and the inside circumference 64 is designed to be largely identical to the exemplary embodiment according to fig2 b ) in its friction lining / surface 65 , which is bordered by the outside circumference 66 and the inside circumference 67 . in the present exemplary embodiment , s - shaped grooves 68 running in the same direction are incorporated into the friction lining . here again the comparatively tight spacing of adjacent grooves 68 and an angle of bending of less 90 ° at the respective bending points are characteristic of this embodiment . in addition , the widths of the grooves 68 at the inflow side 68 . 2 or different from the widths of the grooves 68 on the outflow side 68 . 1 . the present invention is useful as a plate for multiple - part clutch plates and the like . the above descriptions of the preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are intended to be illustrative and are not intended to be limiting upon the scope and content of the following claims .	5
fig1 is a schematic diagram of a distributed computer system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention , in which page content 18 is to be sent from a content server 10 to a recipient system , namely client 12 , via network 15 . the client 12 may represent any suitable system , for example a desktop computer , a laptop , a tablet , a netbook , a portable ( handheld ) computer and / or communications device , a 3g mobile telephone ( such as a smartphone ), a television receiver with web support , etc . accordingly , network 15 may represent the internet , a company intranet , a telephone network , or any other suitable wired or wireless telecommunications network ( or combination of such networks ). in some embodiments , the content server 10 may interact with a web server 11 or other form of front end device in order to send the page content 18 to recipient system 12 over network 15 . in particular , the client system 12 may send a request for material to the web server 11 using browser 112 ( e . g . microsoft internet explorer , firefox , google chrome , apple safari , etc ) which is running on the client system 12 . if the client is operating over the worldwide web , this request is generally sent using the hypertext transfer protocol ( http ) and specifies the uniform resource locator ( url ) of the desired content . the web server 11 responds to this request by retrieving the relevant content ( as specified by the url ) from content server 10 , and then returning this content 18 back to the browser 112 on the requesting client . the link between the content sender 10 and the web server 11 may be over a local area network ( lan ), a broadband or cable link , an intranet , a wide area network such as the internet , a telephone network , or any other suitable communications network . in other embodiments , the web server 11 ( or other front end device ) and the content server 10 may be combined into a single system , so that the page content 18 is locally available to the web server 11 . overall , the skilled person will be aware of a wide variety of possible architectures for the server side of the distributed computing system of fig1 . the content server 10 therefore transmits content 18 to the client 12 over network 15 in response to a request from the client . the request may be received and / or the transmission may be sent directly or indirectly between the client 12 and the content server 10 , for example , via web server 11 or some other front - end device ( if present ). the content may represent a web page which the client requests from the content server 10 via web server 11 , or some other similar type of content , e . g . as provided over a 3g telephone network . the content server 10 may store the page content 18 in advance of receiving a request from the client 12 , or may generate the page content in part or in full in response to receiving the request from the client . in addition , the content server 10 may retrieve some or all of the page content from one or more other systems , databases , etc ( not shown in fig1 ). the page content 18 is transmitted using a markup representation , in which the content is encoded using ( for example ) hypertext markup language ( html ), as for the worldwide web , or perhaps wireless markup language ( wml ) as used in some mobile ( wireless ) networks . such a markup language utilises only a limited set of standard characters . formatting and structural information for the content is specified by including tags ( markup ), for example to denote paragraphs , italics , etc . these tags also use only the limited set of standard characters . hence , such a markup representation allows the content to be specified or defined using just the limited set of standard characters , which greatly assists portability , i . e . allowing the content to be displayed or rendered on many different types of device . the markup language supports the use of a tag to specify a link ( reference ) to other material that is to be incorporated into the page content . note that this link , such as the img src tag described above , specifies material to be displayed ( embedded ) in the current page ( in contrast to a hyperlink , which is a reference or link to material that can be accessed from the current page by the user at the client clicking or otherwise activating the hyperlink ). arrow 180 in fig1 schematically represents such a link , by which page content 18 incorporates image data file 19 . in general , this linked material is encoded in a format specific to the type of data file . for example , an image file might be encoded as a jpeg or gif file , while an audio file might be encoded as an mp3 file or a wma file . these file types are generally specific to a particular type of data ( image , sound , etc ) and are not defined in terms of a markup representation . in contrast , the markup language is not designed specifically for representing images , and can be considered instead as being primarily intended for general or text - based content ( as in “ hypertext markup language ”). any given page of content may reference multiple different data files of various types . some or all of the referenced data files may be located on the same system as the page content ( such as for image data file 19 in fig1 , which is on the same system , namely content server 10 , as the page content 18 ). in other cases , page content 18 may reference data files on one or more other systems , stored in databases , etc . browser 112 on client 12 receives and renders ( displays ) the page content 18 received from content server 10 . in particular , the browser parses the markup tags to allow the page content to be displayed in accordance with the specified format and structure . the browser is also responsible for identifying in the page content 18 any linked material , e . g . a reference to an image data file 19 . the browser then retrieves and renders the linked material in combination with the page content ( assuming that type of data is supported by the browser , either directly or through use of a plugin ). in this approach , an image data file 19 to be included with the page content 18 using link 180 is directly accessible ( as the original data file ) to client 12 . the client can therefore save their own , local copy of the image data file , and make ( and possibly distribute ) further copies . this may be undesirable for the original provider of the image data 19 . for example , the original provider might charge money for access or use of the image data 19 via access to a particular web - site , and this source of revenue may be bypassed or devalued if the image data becomes readily available from another source ( whether legitimate or otherwise ). alternatively , the original provider might consider the image to be private , intended only for limited viewing within a controlled group of friends on a social network site . accordingly , the content server 10 is provided with a conversion tool 190 . the conversion tool typically comprises code ( software instructions ) executed by a processor . the conversion tool 190 may run on the same machine as the content server 10 or may be located on a different system . for example , the conversion tool may be provided as a front end , back end , or plug - in to the web server 11 or to the content server 10 ( or to a combination of both these systems ). in some cases the conversion tool 190 may be implemented as a dynamic link library ( dll ) on ( or available to ) the web server 11 and / or the content server 10 . the conversion tool 190 may provide an application programming interface ( api ) to facilitate use with the web server 11 and / or the content server 10 . the conversion tool 190 analyzes the structure of the image data file 19 , which may be in one of various possible image formats for use with page content 18 , such as a bitmap , jpg / jpeg , gif , png or equivalent . the conversion tool 19 outputs the image as html . note that html was not designed to represent images itself ( as the name “ hypertext ” implies ), nor is it normally used for this purpose . the html representation of the image then allows the image to be directly incorporated into page content 18 . in other words , the link 180 in page content 18 to the image data file 19 is replaced by an html coding of the actual image itself ( rather than just a reference to the image ). the operation of the conversion tool 19 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is set out in fig2 . in general terms , the tool 19 receives an input picture 19 , which is analyzed in terms of structure and colour . an html representation of the input image is then generated , using a mathematical algorithm that analyzes the picture bit by bit and represents the picture in terms of html . the output html image can then be transmitted for rendering by the client 12 . as shown in fig2 , at operation 200 , the tool receives an input image in a typical image format , such as jpeg . at operation 210 , the tool accesses and analyses the picture bit by bit , for example , pixel by pixel . at operation 220 , the tool creates a dot in html using the & lt ; div & gt ; tag , the & lt ; span & gt ; tag , or any other tag that may represent a dot in html that corresponds to the relevant bit or portion of the input image . this dot represents ( is equivalent to ) the appearance of the corresponding portion of the input image . when all portions of the input image have been converted to html in this manner , at operation 230 the resulting image can be output in html format . fig3 illustrates this conversion procedure in more detail in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . at operation 300 an input portion of the image , e . g . a pixel , is received . at operation 310 , this dot or portion of the input picture is represented by an equivalent dot in html by applying the correct colour code , using a hex code or rgb representation . this conversion procedure may utilise web - safe colour codes ( see http :// en . wikipedia . org / wiki / web_colors ). at operation 320 , it is determined whether this new dot has the same colour as the preceding dot . if so , at operation 330 , the new dot is joined together with the preceding dot into an html line . for example , if two adjacent dots have the same colour , they are transformed to an html line of length two dots . if the next html dot again is a dot represented in the same colour , the line length now becomes equivalent to 3 dots etc . on the other hand , if it is determined at operation 320 that the new dot does not have the same colour as the preceding dot , i . e . it represents a change of colour , at operation 340 the system finishes the current line , and creates a new line starting with the length of a single dot in the new colour . at operation 350 , the system then proceeds to handle the next input portion , and processing returns to operation 300 . in accordance with the approach described above , the html graphics for the input image are formed line by line . as a result , the picture or image is painted using html , and hence a picture can be represented in page content 18 in html format , instead of the original picture format of image data file 19 . in some cases , the html representation of the image may be rather large ( reflecting in part that html is not a specialised image format ). the conversion tool can implement various strategies to reduce the image size , for example by lowering the resolution of the image . this lowering of the resolution can be performed as a preliminary operation on the original image ( while still in a specialised image format ), or as part of the conversion process itself , or on the html output image . one option is to replace a block of pixels in the original image with a single pixel representing the average of the block . another option involves subsampling the pixels in the original image , for example taking only every other pixel , or every other line of pixels . a further possibility is to reduce the resolution of the image only in those portions of the image that contain relatively little detail — i . e . relatively little high frequency information . in some cases , the conversion tool may introduce a watermark or other indication of origin into the image in markup form as part of the conversion process . this can lead to slight , subtle variations between the original image from image data file 19 and the resulting ( converted ) image , but such variations generally have little ( or no ) visibility to the human eye . in addition , it is very difficult ( if not impossible ) to remove the watermark from the image in markup form . the watermark can therefore act as a signature for the image in markup form , allowing the person who performed the conversion to demonstrate some ownership rights in the image ( for example , in the event of a copyright dispute ). in one implementation , the conversion tool 190 for analyzing and generating an html picture ( image ) representation is integrated into the content server 10 or into the web server 11 . alternatively , the conversion tool might be provided as a standalone tool , or as an add - on or plug - in to content server 10 and / or web server 11 . note that the browser 112 on client 12 for receiving the page content 18 is not required to have any special software , since browser 112 is already able to handle the html coding of page content 18 , and hence can also handle the html coding for the converted image . accordingly , the page content including the converted image can be displayed ( rendered ) by any standard browser . fig4 is an image representing a logo . table 1 lists the html that was produced by converting the image of fig4 into html format using the approach described above . if read by a browser , the html of table 1 would have the same appearance as the image of fig4 . note that although the image of fig4 is monochromatic ( red ), the approach described herein can also be employed with multi - coloured drawings and images . the timing of the conversion processing shown in fig3 may vary from one embodiment to another embodiment . in some implementations , the image data may be stored as image data file 19 , and the conversion tool 190 performs the conversion “ on - the - fly ” ( dynamically ) each time the content server 10 receives a request from a client for a content 18 that includes a reference ( link ) to image data . in some cases , this may involve the content server parsing the page content 18 to locate any links 180 to image data files that are to be incorporated into the page content . any image data files identified in this manner are then converted using conversion tool 190 and incorporated directly into page content 18 . the content server can then return the page content 18 ( including the image ( s ) converted into a markup representation ) to the client . such an approach is especially suitable for situations in which the image data file 19 is itself only generated at the time of the client request , for example , if the image is generated as a real - time snapshot of a live video feed . performing the image conversion “ on - the - fly ” as above , helps to minimise storage requirements , since the image data files 19 are stored only in the native image formats , such as jpeg , which are generally designed to provide good data compression ( in part because they can take advantage of image - specific compression techniques ). however , such an approach may cause a delay in responding to the client , as the content server needs to identify any images to be converted , and then perform the relevant conversions , prior to responding to the client . in addition , a given image may be converted multiple times if the same page content is repeatedly requested . in some cases , the content server 10 may maintain a table or some other record that identifies which image data files are to be embedded in any given page content . one option is to populate the table whenever content is parsed to determine embedded images . the next time this page content is requested , the content server is now able to identify quickly from the table those image data files that are to be converted for a given content page , without having to parse ( again ) the content itself to locate such image data files . this technique helps to reduce the time for the content server to produce the final page content ( including the image ( s ) converted into a markup representation ), although it is more difficult to implement if the page content 18 is generated dynamically ( in whole or in part ) in response to the browsing request from client 12 . a further option is that each time an image is converted into a markup representation , the content server stores the resulting converted image in the markup representation . in this manner , the next time that page content is requested that is determined to include the relevant image , the already converted form of the image can be retrieved and rapidly incorporated into a page content 18 in response to a request for that content . note that if storage is limited , some form of caching scheme can be used to delete markup representations of images that are rarely used . in addition , the content server may be pre - populated ( in effect ) with converted images by initially generating a markup representation of an image ( in advance of receiving any client requests for such an image ). a further option is that the ( pre )- converted images are stored in the content pages themselves ( rather than separately as converted images ). this option is primarily useful for pages that are created independently of any client request ( rather than being dynamically generated for each request ). with this approach , the page is therefore ready for immediate return to the client upon request ( without having to locate and incorporate any converted images ). however , this approach requires additional storage if a given ( converted ) image is used in multiple pages , since the converted image itself in markup representation is now stored in each page , rather than just a link to the converted image to be embedded . this approach is especially attractive for pages that are frequently requested by clients ( since the repeated savings in processing time are more likely to compensate for the additional storage required ). as mentioned above , the conversion tool 190 may be implemented as an add - on to web server 11 . on possibility is that the conversion tool 190 sits , in effect , on the network side of web server 11 , converting images into mark - up form as they are sent out from web server 11 to clients over the network 15 . in this configuration , the presence of conversion tool 190 may be transparent to web server 11 . note that the conversion tool may only convert selected images to mark - up form , based for example on factors such as the requested image ( or url ), the network address of the requesting client , and / or any other information about the client , such as may be provided for example by a cookie . one possibility is that the conversion tool does not convert images into markup form that are being sent to subscribers to web - site 11 , but does convert images into markup form that are being sent to casual visitors to web - site 11 ( the former may be differentiated from the latter by known mechanisms , such as accessed url , cookies , etc ). such an approach might be used for an image supply service , where subscribers have to pay for full access to the original images ( not in markup form ). this approach might also be used where web - site 11 provides some social network functionality , such as facebook or flickr , etc . in this case , if a person posts certain images to their social network site , the system may provide the original images to other users who have a particular relationship to the person — e . g . they are designated as friends of the person within the social network . however , if the person is prepared for other users ( not friends ) to access the images , the system might allow the person to specify that the images are only available in markup form to these other users ( so that they cannot be readily copied or further distributed ). in other cases , a person might prefer that the images are distributed in markup form to all other users ( whether friends or not ). using a markup language to serve an image to a client as described herein therefore has various benefits . by avoiding the use of an img src tag or similar , there is no easy way for the browser ( or any other system ) to determine automatically that the page does , in fact , include an image . consequently , if a user right - clicks over the image , the browser will not present the user with any options to copy or save the image ( but rather just the standard right - click menu for the page content as a whole ). this then provides a form of copy - protection to help maintain the privacy or intellectual property rights in the image . similarly , there are some parties who use robots or other systems to crawl the web to extract automatically large numbers of images from web pages . such parties may then use the extracted images for various purposes , such as re - selling or distributing the image ( even if not authorised to do so ), or simulating another web - site ( phishing ), such as the web - site of a bank , to persuade unwary consumers to enter their security information , or a ( fake ) ticket sales site . the procedure described herein helps to protect web - site images from such image re - use , since the web crawlers are generally unable to copy ( or even identify ) the images that are incorporated into page content using a markup representation . another potential application of the approach described herein is for image search sites , such as google images , which may return a large number of small ( thumbnail ) images in response to a user - entered search term . a user is then able to select one or more of the small images for their particular needs , and then obtain the corresponding image in full size ( if so desired ). in some cases , there may be a charge associated with use of the full image , especially for more specialised image search services , for example in relation to news images . the approach described herein allows an image supplier to provide a set of images in mark - up form for download to a potential client for review . the rights of the image supplier are protected , since the client is unable to re - use the images directly ( because of their mark - up form ); nevertheless , the client is able to preview the images , and to select one or more images for further use if so desired . ( such a selection might be subject to a payment , whereupon the user is then provided with the image in the original form , e . g . as a jpeg file , rather than in markup form , as originally provided for the preview screen ). a further possibility is that a web - site offers a conversion service , whereby users can upload images in the native image format , and receive the images back encoded in a markup language . this service might be provided for a charge , or may be funded by other mechanisms , for example , advertising . the approach described herein also makes it more difficult to perform image filtering on the material received by a client system . such image filtering is utilised by certain regimes , for example , as a form of censorship to present the distribution of politically sensitive images . however , it is very difficult for such filters to recognise ( and remove ) images when they are encoded in markup form . a further possible application of the approach described herein is with reference to cloud - based office systems , such as microsoft office 365 . these systems provide various functionality for a user including email . in one implementation , a user ( who may represent a person or a corporation ) uploads an image for the cloud - based server — such as a picture of the user or a logo for the corporation . the cloud - based system then converts this image into html and stores the image for inclusion in emails sent from the cloud - based system , for example , as a form of email signature . this approach can also be applied to automatically generated emails from web - sites , for example , that provide confirmation of transactions ( such as on - line purchases , etc ). note that the same ( html converted image may be systematically added to all emails for a given client ( organisation ) of the cloud - based account , even though this might span a potentially large number of individual email accounts for different users associated with that client . in some cases , the cloud - based system may determine the format in which to send the image based on knowledge of the destination email address . for example , if the email is to be received by another email system that is cloud or web - based , and accessed via a browser , then the email might incorporate the image in its native format ( say jpeg ), while if the destination address is not cloud or web - based ( or perhaps in cases of doubt ), then the image might be sent in html format in order to ensure that the email signature is properly displayed ( rather than being presented only as a link or indicated as being unavailable ). in this way the presentation of the image can be adapted according to the expected reception . a similar decision can also be made by an email server that holds incoming emails for a user . for example , if the server knows that the email account is being accessed using one mechanism that will generally display the image in native format , then it may decide not to convert the image ( or not to use an already converted image if available ). alternatively , if the server knows that the email account is being accessed by a device that is more cautious about displaying images in emails , e . g . a blackberry , then the same email might be provided with the image encoded using html format . accordingly , the version of the image provided by an email server ( whether for sending to a destination or downloading to the recipient ) may vary according to any known information about the recipient . although various embodiments of the invention have been described above , the skilled person will be aware of further potential modifications and variations depending upon the particular context . for example , the skilled person will be aware of a range of possible timings and implementations for the image conversion described herein , and will adapt the implementation to the particular circumstances of that implementation . accordingly , the present invention is defined by the scope of the attached claims and their equivalents .	6
fig1 shows the spinning head of a machine used for the extrusion of polymer material in the manufacture of synthetic fibers . the spinning head 1 holds , against the rim 2 defining the outlet of the spinning head , three parts : the spinneret plate , which has perforations , or holes , 100 , which rests against the rim 2 , the filtration assembly 4 which is backing against the spinneret plate 3 and the outer ring 5 which surrounds both the spinneret plate and the filtration assembly 4 . these three parts together form the spinneret pack . the spinneret pack is shown with more details on fig2 . fig2 shows a typical spinneret pack with the three major parts : outer ring , filtration assembly and plate . 21 is a 60 mesh top screen made of stainless steel . 22 is sand ( approximately 85 cc ). 23 is the face of the spinneret upon which emerge the die holes ( not shown ). 24 is the spinneret gasket , of aluminum . 25 is the pack screen comprised of two layers with aluminum binder ( press fit ). 26 is the pack body made of steel . 27 is the top seal made of aluminum . the outer ring 5 is generally made of steel . in contrast , the spinneret plate is made of expensive alloy steel . the spinneret plate is the extrusion die proper of the spinning head . the polymer material is forced through holes 100 which , depending on the manufacturing requirement , may range from 40 to 200μ in diameter . these holes must be perfectly smooth . the number of holes ranges from 1 to many . the spinneret plate is made to high precision standards . the orifices which can be of any shape are held to tolerances of 1μ . the spinneret plate is the most important single part for the manufacture of synthetic fiber ; it is costly and therefore , should not be wasted . it has a long life provided it is kept clean from time to time in order to be effective at the outlet of the spinning head . after some time in the manufacturing process , the holes tend to be clogged . when this happens plastic material ceases to flow through the die and the three parts 3 , 4 and 5 become integrated by the unprocessed and hardened material . thus , when it is time to replace the spinneret plate 3 , the operator in fact takes away from production the entire spinneret pack including outer ring and filtration assembly as well as spinneret plate . the present invention provides the necessary means for separating the three elements of the spinneret pack , and cleaning the spinneret plate with the required conditions of rapidity and thoroughness , considering that a textile installation usually includes very many spinning heads , and a considerable number of spinneret plates have to be handled in the cleaning process . referring to fig3 apparatus is shown for implementing the method according to the invention and for automatically separating the elements of the spinneret pack and placing the spinneret plate in suitable condition for a final step consisting of ultrasonic cleaning . the filtration assembly detached in the process can be wasted and is thrown away . fig3 shows six individual coils c 1 to c 6 used for preheating the spinneret packs and for separating the outer ring 5 from the pack . a single coil c 7 used for a second heating step is shown laterally of the six first - mentioned coils . these coils are induction heating coils . typically , with the preferred embodiment of the invention , a power supply of 480 volts three - phase 60 hertz is converted into a single phase power supply of 30 kw at 3000 hertz . a capacitor and voltage adjusting transformer network is connected with the incoming line contactor to provide an output of approximately 800 volts . the six coils c 1 - c 6 are connected in series . they are cooled by water treated to provide a resistivity of 2000 ω / cm , the coolant being supplied from a storage tank with circulating pump and a heat exchanger . coil c 7 is power - supplied and water - cooled in the same conditions . it is an elongated coil embracing the same geometrical space as the six individual coils c 1 - c 6 , so that the same number of articles can be treated in parallel with the six individual coils . six spinneret packs such as shown in fig2 are placed on a tray having six receptacles r 1 - r 6 such as shown . preferably , the tray can be pulled forward for loading . articulations l 1 , l 2 , l &# 39 ; 1 l &# 39 ; 2 are provided between fixation points t 1 t 2 and t &# 39 ; 1 t &# 39 ; 2 on the tray and pivots o 1 o 2 , o &# 39 ; 1 , o &# 39 ; 2 . the tray is shown in rest position after being pulled back by the operator holding handle 4 of the tray . indeed , the loading operation and tray motions can be made automatic . typically , the six receptacles r 1 - r 6 have a portion 8 which substantially match the lower part of the outer ring of the spinneret pack of fig2 and an opening 10 is provided at the center of each receptacle . when the tray is in the next position as shown , the openings 10 are centered on the axes ( a 1 - a 6 ) of the respective individual coils c 1 - c 7 . aligned with these axes are provided six pedestal mechanisms p 1 - p 6 controlled pneumatically by an actuator 9 . these mechanisms each include a pedestal member 11 , a rod 12 and a cylinder 13 for conventionally extending along the axes ( a 1 - a 6 ) the pedestal member from a retracted position ( as shown in fig3 ) to a fully extended position for which the front face 17 of the pedestal member is in proximity with the active heating space of the opposite individual coil ( c 1 for mechanism p 1 ). between the tray in the rest position and the front plane of coils c 1 - c 6 , an open clamp is provided comprising jaws m 1 and m 2 which each have notches defining clamping zones n 1 - n 6 centered on the respective axes a 1 - a 6 . when the clamp is open and in the position # 1 , as shown , zones z 1 - z 6 have such cross dimensions that the largest cross dimension of a spinneret pack on a receptacle r 1 - r 6 of the tray is fully embraced by n 1 . . . or n 6 . the positions shown for the tray and the clamp are the initial positions . assuming at least one spinneret pack has been placed on the tray , say on receptacle r 1 , when pedestal member 11 of mechanism p 1 is extended through the opening 10 toward the fully - extended position in close proximity to individual coil c 1 , the front face 17 first engages the down face 18 of the spinneret plate 3 in the opening 10 of the tray , as shown in fig4 a . further motion upward of pedestal member 11 lifts the spinneret pack from the tray , and carries it as a unit into the upper individual coil c 1 as shown by fig4 b . coil c 1 surrounds a heating chamber defined by a wall 14 and a ceiling 16 . the dimension of the heating chamber is such that the spinneret pack is completely and snugly within . at this moment the induction heating operation by coil c 1 ( as well as the other coils c 2 - c 6 which are in series ) is performed on the spinneret pack . a first time period is counted for induction heating . typically in 15 seconds , sometimes in 80 seconds depending on the size and type of spinneret pack , the outer ring is detached from the combined filtration assembly 4 and spinneret plate 3 , but such time period is not extended after such separation , so that assembly 4 and plate 3 remain as a unit on the pedestal member 11 . fig4 c shows the outer ring detached and falling by gravity around pedestal member until it comes to rest on the receptacle of the tray under it . in order to facilitate separation preferably pneumatic pressure is applied at the top of the heating chamber as shown at 15 . it is also possible to assist in early separation by providing a finger ( not shown ) along ceiling 16 above the outer ring 5 which can be actuated pneumatically while induction heating is performed on the spinneret pack . after the outer ring 5 has been dropped into the receptacle r 1 on the tray , pedestal member 11 is retracted by actuator 9 from a fully - extended position to a partially - extended position which is intermediate between the heating chamber ( 14 , 16 ) and the rest position of the tray . as a matter of fact , the intermediate position of pedestal member is such that the filtration assembly 4 is in the plane of the clamp and its jaws m 1 , m 2 . at this time closing of the clamp is actuated by a manually operated mechanism 19 which applies at points s 1 s 2 ( see fig3 ) converging forces on jaws m 1 and m 2 . the notches defining zones n 1 - n 6 come closer as the teeth defined between notches reach close proximity . as a result , as shown by fig4 d the filtration assembly 4 , which is resting with plate 3 on the front face 17 of the pedestal member is clamped between m 1 and m 2 , so that pedestal member 11 can be retracted completely . when this is done , spinneret plate 3 is still attached to the filtration assembly 4 . a mechanism ( not shown ) then slides the clamp from position # 1 ( shown in fig3 ) to position # 2 for which all zones n 1 - n 6 are facing coil c 7 . the plane of the clamp in position # 2 is such that coil c 7 is in close proximity to the clamped filtration assembly 4 and attached plate 3 . at this moment , a second time period for induction heating is established with induction coil c 7 . the second period is chosen of sufficient duration to carbonize the plastic material clogged inside the fine holes of the spinneret plate 3 . it is also sufficient to detach by gravity the spinneret plate 3 from the clamped filtration assembly 4 , as shown in fig5 . the second period is of the same order as the first period , so that preheating with coils c 1 - c 6 can be performed on one set of spinneret pack from the tray while a previous set of combined filtration assembly 4 and spinneret plate 3 is heat treated by coil c 7 . outer rings 5 are falling on the tray , while from under coil c 7 and the lamp in position # 2 spinneret plates 3 are being dropped along an incline 20 leading to a chute 21 where they are collected for further processing by ultrasonic cleaning . the pneumatic actuator withdraws the pedestal member until an intermediate position which coincides with the plane of position # 1 . the clamps opens and drops the filtration assemblies 4 which are disposed of , then it slides back from position # 2 into position # 1 ready to squeeze and hold another set of filtration assemblies 4 . pedestal members are withdrawn further back . when the clamp slides into position # 2 before coil c 7 , the tray is loaded and brought back to rest position so that another cycle can start with coils c 1 - c 6 and coil c 7 in parallel . to summarize : in producing man - made fibers , i . e ., polyesters and nylons , etc ., hard pellets are melted in an extruder and pumped through a spinneret where the polymer is extruded and solidified to form continuous filaments . the spinneret must be frequently taken out of service and the hardened polyester or nylon has to be removed . the spinneret pack must be cleaned before being returned to service . the conventional method is to &# 34 ; burn out &# 34 ; the pack , separate the assembly and further burn out matter until all residual nylon / polyester has been carbonized . this is done in electric or gas furnaces and takes up to 8 hours . the process according to the present invention uses induction heating to carbonize the nylon / polyester present in the spinneret holes . this overall process takes less than 5 minutes to completely carbonize all residues . the spinneret is thereafter ultasonically cleaned using a very high watt density , 10 watts per square inch , or higher ultrasonic cleaner using an alkaline in water solution at 180 ° f . the spinnerets are then tap water rinsed , ultrasonic rinsed and blown dry with forced air . spinnerets are then ultrasonically cleaned in a high watt density ultrasonic freon vapor degreaser . this final stage permits low surface tension fluorocarbon solvent to penetrate very small spinneret holes , which are too small to accept high surface tension water or water - based chemicals . once in the holes , the solvent is captivated by the ultrasonics and a complete cleaning of the die is possible .	3
a first embodiment of a valved cross over nozzle according to the present invention is generally indicated by reference 10 in fig1 through 3 . a melt passage 30 extends through the nozzle housing 20 . a valve axis 40 extends along the melt passage 30 and a tapered valve seat 50 extends about the valve axis 40 . the cross over nozzle 10 has a nozzle housing 20 with a first housing part 22 ( to the left as illustrated ) and a second housing part 24 ( to the right as illustrated ). the first housing part 22 and the second housing part are separable along the valve axis 40 through the valve seat 50 at a housing interface 26 . fig3 illustrates the nozzle housing 20 in a separated configuration . a first valve seat part 52 is carried by the first housing part 22 and a second valve seat part 54 is carried by the second housing part 24 . a valve member 60 having a tapered valve head 62 is disposed in the passage 30 and is axially movable relative to the nozzle housing 20 between a closed configuration as illustrated in fig1 and an open configuration as illustrated in fig2 . in the closed configuration the valve head 62 engages the valve seat 50 to block melt flow along the passage 30 . in the open configuration the valve head 62 is displaced from the valve seat 50 to allow melt flow along the passage 30 about the valve head 62 . the valve head 62 has a first valve head part 64 and a second valve head part 66 . the first valve head part 64 and second valve head part 66 meet at a valve interface 68 which corresponds to and is aligned with the nozzle interface 26 . the valve member 60 is separable at the valve interface 68 along the valve axis 40 into first and second valve parts 70 and 72 respectively . the first valve part 70 and its associated first valve head part 64 act to seal the first nozzle part 22 . the second valve part 72 and its associated second valve head part 66 act to seal the second nozzle part 24 . a valve opening actuator in the form of a fluid pressure responsive first piston 80 in a bore 82 is operably connected to the first valve head part 64 by a valve stem 74 in the fig1 through 3 embodiment . alternate valve opening actuator assemblies may be utilized as for example discussed below with respect to the fig4 through 6 embodiment . the first piston 80 is axially slidable in its bore 82 in response to fluid pressure applied through either of two fluid ports 84 and 86 respectively . the introduction of fluid ( air or hydraulic fluid typically ) will cause the first piston 80 to move to the right as illustrated and in turn move the valve stem 74 and first valve head part 64 to the right . the first valve head part in turn presses against the second valve head part 66 and as a result the whole valve head 60 is unseated from the valve seat 50 to move the valve member 40 into its open configuration as illustrated in fig2 . as the first valve head part 64 and second valve head part 66 are in contact during the valve member 60 being in its open configuration , molten resin isn &# 39 ; t provided with an opportunity to flow between the two parts 64 and 66 respectively . once an injection cycle is complete and it is necessary to separate the mould , the valve member 60 is advanced to the left as illustrated into the closed configuration of fig1 . this may be achieved by initially using a second valve closing actuator in the form of a fluid pressure responsive second piston 90 slidably mounted in a second bore 92 associated with the second nozzle part 24 . the second piston 90 is operably connected to the second valve head part 66 by a second valve stem 76 . in lieu of a fluid pressure responsive piston , a resilient biasing means such as a stack of belleville ™ washers may be used as the second valve closing actuator . other actuator arrangements may occur to persons skilled in such structures . once the valve member 60 has been moved to the closed configuration a first closing actuator is used to maintain the first valve head part 64 against the first valve seat part 62 . the first closing actuator may also be the piston 80 , but with fluid pressure applied through the port 86 rather than the port 84 to urge the piston 80 and in turn the first valve stem 74 and first valve head part 64 to the left as illustrated . at this point the nozzle housing 20 and the valve member 60 can be parted at the nozzle interface 26 and the valve interface 68 as illustrated in fig3 . as no molten resin has been trapped between the first valve head part 64 and the second valve head part 66 , the separation will be clean as compared to that of a valve gate design . in order to align the first valve head part 64 with the second valve head part 66 when the nozzle housing 20 is joined , cooperating locating means may be provided . suitable locating means may for example be a projection 94 on the first valve head part 64 which is received by and nests in a corresponding recess 96 on the second valve head part 96 . obviously other arrangements are possible such as using a plurality of projections 94 and recesses 96 and reversing the projection 94 and recess 96 as between the first valve head part 64 and the second valve head part 66 . to reduce shock on opening and closing , the second housing part 24 may be made up of an inner part 27 and a cover 28 which are telescopically connected albeit for a relatively small amount of movement relative to each other along the valve axis 40 . a cushioning means 29 such as the stack of belleville ™ washers illustrated acts to bias the cover 28 to the left as illustrated away from the inner part 27 . accordingly the initial shock of joining of the first housing part 22 and second housing part 26 is absorbed by the cover 28 yielding slightly to the right as illustrated against the force of the cushioning means 29 . obviously the amount of telescopic movement between the inner part 27 and cover 28 mustn &# 39 ; t exceed the stroke of the second closing actuator to avoid having the cushioning means 29 unseat the second valve head part 66 from the second valve head part 54 . an alternate embodiment of a valved cross over nozzle according to the present invention is illustrated and generally indicated by reference 100 in fig4 through 6 . the differences between the fig4 through 6 embodiment and the fig1 through 3 embodiment reside in the first housing part and accordingly common reference numerals for the second housing part 24 , its components and the associated second valve part 60 and its components are used throughout and the foregoing description applies . the basic operational principles are common to both embodiments , namely a two part cross over nozzle is provided with a tapered valve head which engages a tapered valve seat in a nozzle passage , the nozzle is separable through the valve head and seat into two independently sealable valve head and seat parts and the valve head parts are joined and moved in unison between an open and a closed configuration . in the fig4 through 6 embodiment a first housing part 122 includes a base part 123 and an outer part 125 which are telescopically connected for relative movement along ( i . e . parallel to ) the valve axis 40 . a biasing means such as either the stack of belleville ™ washers 127 or pressurized fluid introduced through a fluid port 129 act between the base part 123 and the outer part 125 to urge the outer part 125 away from the base part 123 ( i . e . to the right as illustrated ). a first valve stem 170 extends between and rigidly secures a first valve head part 164 to the base part 123 . the first valve head part 164 in turn engages a first valve seat part 152 to limit movement of the outer part 125 away from the inner part 123 . other stop means could be provided but using the first valve head part 164 in combination with the first valve stem 170 ensures sealing engagement between the first valve head part 164 and the first valve seat part 152 at the limit of travel of the outer part 125 away from the base part 123 . in the fig4 through 6 embodiment , the valve opening actuator is in effect the mould closing structure ( which is not illustrated ) that moves the mould levels and in turn the two halves of the cross over nozzle toward one another . as can be seen by comparing fig4 and 5 , as the second housing part 23 presses up against the first housing part 122 , the outer part 125 , which carries the first valve seat part 152 is moved ( to the left as illustrated ) axially toward the base part 123 . as the first valve head part 164 remains in its position by virtue of its rigid securement to the base part 123 through the first valve stem 170 , the first valve seat part 152 moves away from the first valve head part 164 to move the valve member toward its open configuration . as the first valve head part 164 and the second valve head part 66 are joined at a valve interface 168 before and during valve opening and closing , and moved simultaneously in the same direction , no molten resin is trapped therebetween . during mould separation the first housing part 122 and second housing part are moved away from each other the biasing means acting between the base part 123 and outer part 125 acts as a first valve closing actuator by causing relative movement of the first valve seat part 152 and first valve head part 164 back into engagement . the second valve closing actuator ( i . e . the piston 90 in the bore 92 ) are simultaneously employed to maintain joinder of the first valve head part 164 and the second valve head part 66 . as the first valve head part 164 and the second valve head part are sealed respectively against the first valve seat part 152 and second valve seat part 54 before separation to block the flow of molten resin , a clean separation can be effected . an advantage of the fig4 through 6 embodiment is that it can be set up using resilient biasing means in lieu of fluid pressure responsive biasing means for all of the opening and closing actuation to achieve a totally automatic self energized closing and opening sequence without the need for a pneumatic or hydraulic hook - up or synchronization of a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator with mould opening and closing sequences . in fig7 and 8 , another embodiment of a cross over nozzle according to the present invention is generally indicated by reference 200 . the cross over nozzle 200 is similar to the cross over nozzle 100 in fig4 through 6 in that it is actuatable by machine movement without requiring a separate hydraulic actuating system . it differs principally in melt directing and placement . similar reference numerals are applied to analogous components . according to the fig7 and 8 embodiment , the first valve stem 170 is a hollow member which sealingly engages the outer part 125 of the first housing part 122 . rather than having the melt passage 30 defined between the first valve stem 170 and the first housing part 122 , the melt passage 30 extends axially along the hollow interior of the first valve stem 170 . melt exits the first valve stem 170 through one or more openings 210 adjacent the first valve head part 164 . valve head operation is much the same as for the other embodiments in that the valve head has a first valve head part 164 and a second valve head part 66 each of which interfaces respectively with the first valve seat part 152 and the second valve seat part 54 separable along the housing interface 26 . the second valve stem 76 may be configured in a similar manner with a second valve stem 76 being hollow and sealingly engaging the second housing part 24 . the melt passage 30 extends axially along the hollow interior of the second valve stem 76 . melt enters the interior through one or more openings 212 located adjacent the second valve head part 66 . there are two significant advantages to the fig7 and 8 embodiment . a first is that it is “ front mounted ” in that the assembly can be removed from the face of a mould rather than requiring mould disassembly . this is achieved in the first part by securing screws 225 which extend through the biasing means which in this case are coil springs 227 for securement to a mould face ( not shown ). this is achieved in the second housing part 24 by forming the second housing part in two sections namely an outer section 226 and an inner section 228 which are threadedly or otherwise axially connected at 230 and providing a bore 232 in the outer section 228 large enough to enable passage over the second valve head part 66 . alternatively the entire unit including the outer section 226 and the base part 123 may be removable from a mould face 250 as illustrated in fig9 . this is achieved by providing a clamping ring 252 which engages an outer end 254 of the outer section 226 . the clamping ring 252 is threadedly secured to the mould face 250 by screws 256 . preferably the screws 256 and clamping ring 250 will be configured to melt flush with the balance of the mould face 250 . the cross over nozzle 200 is provided with a coil spring 290 as the second valve closing actuator . the coil spring 290 acts between the second housing part 24 and the second valve stem 76 . the second valve stem 76 sealingly engages the second housing part 24 beyond both ends of the coil spring 290 . other actuating means may be utilized such as a stack of belleville ™ washers . flats 240 may be provided on the outer part 228 to facilitate gripping with a wrench . the above description is intended in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense . variations to the specific structure described may be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention which is defined by the claims set out below .	8
the following description of the preferred embodiment ( s ) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention , its application , or uses . with reference to fig1 an external bone fixation device 10 of the present invention includes an arm fixation member 12 and a bridging member 14 . the arm fixation member 12 is similar to that disclosed in commonly assigned u . s . pat . no . 6 , 197 , 027 , which is hereby incorporated by reference . the arm fixation member 12 includes a proximal arm or tail portion 16 which defines a plurality of arm bores 18 along its longitudinal axis a . even though arm bores 18 are formed along the longitudinal axis a of the arm portion 16 , they extend through the arm portion 16 , therefore , the central axes b of the arm bores 18 are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis a of the arm portion 16 . at the distal end of the arm fixation member 12 is a larger block or platter area 20 that defines a plurality of platter bores 24 , each adapted to receive a pin or other fixation device further discussed herein . the platter area 20 has a width greater than the width of the arm portion 16 . thus , an exterior edge 20 a of the platter area 20 is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis a of the arm portion 16 . the platter bores 24 cover a substantial area of the platter area 20 and define an array or pattern that extends beyond the longitudinal axis a of the arm portion 16 . therefore , pins or other fixation devices that are inserted into platter bores 24 may be laterally offset from fixation or attachment devices inserted through arm bores 18 . nevertheless , the central axis c of the platter bores 24 and the central axis b of the arm bores 18 are substantially parallel to each other . extending from the exterior edge 20 a of the platter area 20 is a mounting area or block 26 defining a channel 27 . the mounting block 26 extends from the platter area 20 and is generally integrally formed therewith . it will be understood that the mounting block 26 is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis a of the arm portion 16 since the exterior edge 20 a of the platter area 20 is also offset . the mounting block 26 acts as a holding mechanism or a clamp and has a top portion 26 a and a bottom portion 26 b which are separated from each other except at the ends that meet with the platter area 20 . a screw 28 or other suitable locking device engages threads in the mounting block 26 to adjust the size of the channel 27 so that the mounting block 26 holds bridging member 14 in a pre - determined position . in this first embodiment , the bridging member 14 is a single , long rigid piece which includes a track 30 extending from a medial side of the bridging member 14 . the track 30 is slideably engaged in the channel 27 of the mounting block 26 and held in a pre - determined position . the track 30 is held in the mounting block when the screw 28 is tightened to pull the top portion 26 a and the bottom portion 26 b of mounting block 26 together . in this way , the bridging member 14 and the arm fixation member 12 are held in a pre - determined and fixed position . according to the first embodiment , the bridging member 14 and the arm fixation member 12 are held generally parallel to each other although the central longitudinal axis d of the bridging member 14 is laterally offset from the arm portion 16 , due to the size of the platter area 20 . therefore , the central longitudinal axis d of the bridging member 14 is laterally offset to the central longitudinal axis a of the arm portion 16 , although the bridging member 14 and the arm fixation member 12 are substantially parallel to each other . at the distal end of the bridging member 14 is a metacarpal block 31 . the metacarpal block 31 defines a plurality of metacarpal bores 32 formed transversely there through . since the metacarpal bores 32 are formed transversely to the bridging member 14 , they have a central axis e substantially perpendicular to the platter bores 24 and the arm bores 18 . thus , attachment members received in the metacarpal bores 32 would also extend substantially perpendicular to attachment members a received in platter bores 24 or arm bores 18 . as described herein , pins may engage metacarpals through the metacarpal bores 32 to ensure that the metacarpals are held fixed relative to the bridging member 14 . it will also be understood that in an alternative embodiment , the track 30 may extend from the bridging member 14 at a plurality of angles . such an angled track 30 may be used to account for the uniqueness of a particular patient &# 39 ; s anatomy . if the track 30 is formed at an angle , then the bridging member 14 is held relative to the arm fixation member 12 at an angle . even when the track 30 is formed at an angle from the bridging member 14 , the central longitudinal axis of the bridging member 14 would still be generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the arm fixation member 12 . when the track 30 is formed at an angle , the metacarpal block 31 and the metacarpal bores 32 would have an angle substantially equal to the angle of the track 30 . therefore , the attachment members that are received in the metacarpal bores 32 would be at an angle other than perpendicular to the attachment members received in platter bores 24 and arm bores 18 . an alternative embodiment includes the track 30 having stops 36 along the track 30 to allow limited movement of the hand during the healing process . the stops 36 may include several different embodiments , but for example may be set screws . the set screws could be inserted through tapped bores in either edge of the track 30 or in tapped bores in the track 30 itself to stop the movement of the bridging member 14 by engaging the top portion 26 a or the bottom portion 26 b of the mounting block 26 . in this way , stops 36 may be inserted at some point after implantation of the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 to allow a limited range of motion without completely removing the bridging member 14 . if stops 36 are included on the track 30 , the bridging member 14 can slide in the mounting block 26 a limited and pre - determined amount of movement of the metacarpal 48 without allowing the unlimited movement of the same by simply removing the bridging member 14 . it will be understood that the stops 36 could be any number of mechanisms such as bumps or raised portions on the track 30 . with particular reference to fig2 a , the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 of the present invention is shown after implantation onto a human appendage . the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 is initially implanted in the bridged formation . the bridged formation includes the arm fixation member 12 affixed to an arm bone 39 with at least one attachment device or a pin 40 . the pins 40 , and other pins discussed herein , may be held to the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 through any conventional means such as a cannulated bolt . pins 40 are inserted through the arm bores 18 of the arm portion 16 as needed to hold the arm fixation member 12 in place . additional pins 42 are be placed in the platter bores 24 of the platter area 20 at the proximal end of the arm fixation member 12 . the pins 42 engage the distal end of the arm bone 39 to hold secure the arm fixation member 12 . pins 40 and 42 are inserted through the arm fixation member 12 substantially parallel to one another . regardless of whether they are inserted in arm bores 18 or platter bores 24 . due to the array of the platter bores 24 , however , the pin 42 that is inserted in the platter bores 24 may be inserted laterally offset relative to the pin 40 inserted in arm bore 18 . this will ensure a fixed and substantially solid attachment of the arm fixation member 12 to the arm bone 39 . furthermore , if the distal end of the arm bone 39 is fractured into more than one piece , additional pins 42 may be inserted in additional platter bores 24 to engage each portion of fractured bone to hold it in place . to complete the bridging orientation , the bridging member 14 is put in place and locked relative to the arm fixation member 12 by clamping the mounting block 26 with screw 28 onto track 30 . additional pins 46 are inserted through the metacarpal bores 32 of the metacarpal block 31 to hold at least a metacarpal 48 , or a portion of the digits , in a predetermined orientation . the pins 46 in the metacarpal block 31 extend substantially perpendicular to the pins 40 and 42 which are inserted through the arm fixation member 12 . this allows the pins 46 received through the metacarpal bores 32 to engage the metacarpal 48 laterally rather than in line with the pins 40 and 42 which are received in the arm fixation member 12 . this allows for a stable and secure external fixation of the arm bone 39 and the metacarpal 48 relative to each other . thus , the bridging orientation , shown particularly in fig2 a , is used to lock the arm bone 39 , wrist , and certain metacarpals 48 in a predetermined orientation . during the initial stages of healing , the bridged formation is used to help ensure a completely immobile wrist and hand . after it has been determined that enough initial healing has occurred , so that movement of the digits and wrist may occur safely , then the bridging member 14 may be removed while not disturbing the arm fixation member 12 . as shown particularly in fig2 b , the non - bridging orientation is achieved by removing pins 46 and unlocking mounting block 26 and removing the bridging member 14 . after this occurs , the metacarpal 48 and most of the wrist bones may move freely . though complete range of motion may not be restored , greater motion is allowed . this is not to say that arm fixation member 12 may not be positioned so as to allow full range of motion of the wrist and digits after removing the bridging member 14 . the arm fixation member 12 is never moved or removed during the non - bridging operation of the non - bridging / bridging bone fixation device 10 . the pins 46 are removed from the metacarpal 48 and then the mounting block 26 is loosened and the bridging member 14 is removed . therefore , the arm fixation member 12 may be left undisturbed to continue holding the arm bone 39 in a particular orientation . this helps to ensure that stiffness , plaques or other conditions are reduced in the wrist and hand as opposed to locking all of the bones and moving parts of the hand and wrist during the entire healing process . with reference to fig3 and 4 , where like numerals reference like portions discussed in relation to the previous embodiments , a third alternative embodiment includes a modular bridging member 70 that tapers to a round bar at a distal end 72 of the bridging member 70 . the pins 46 that are inserted into the metacarpal 48 are first affixed to a pin clamp 74 which is clamped onto the distal end 72 of the bridging member 70 . the pin clamp 74 is similar to the clamp disclosed in co - pending patent application having a ser . no . 09 / 790 , 770 to ryan j . schoenefeld and commonly assigned , which is incorporated herein by reference . with reference to fig4 the pin clamp 74 generally includes a pin retaining portion 76 which has a threaded portion 78 extending therefrom . an internally threaded portion 80 affixes to threaded portion 78 . held in between internally threaded portion 80 and the threaded portion 78 are two washer portions 82 and a ball joint 84 . the distal end 72 of the bridging member 70 is received through the center portion of the threaded portion 78 , the ball joint 84 and the internally threaded portion 80 . when the internally threaded portion 80 is engaged on the threaded portion 78 , the bail joint 84 is held in a predetermined position . the internal ball joint 84 allows for certain degrees of freedom in the orientation of the pin retaining portion 76 relative to the distal end 72 . therefore , pins 46 may be orientated relative to the bridging member 70 to allow greater freedom of implanting the pins 46 when implanting the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 depending upon the particular anatomy or situation of the patient . a fourth alternative embodiment , shown in fig5 where like numerals reference like portions discussed in relation to the previous embodiments , includes a bridging member 100 that is , at least initially , non - rigid . the bridging member 100 includes at least two portions a proximal portion 102 and a distal portion 104 interconnected with a ball joint 106 . the distal end of the proximal portion 102 is a ball socket 108 which receives a ball 110 which extends from the proximal end of the distal portion 104 . the ball socket 108 engages the ball 110 by locking engaging member 108 a in place with a screw 109 . the ball 110 is received within the ball socket 108 and may rotate in many degrees of freedom and is locked in place with set screw 112 once a proper orientation is gained . it will be understood that any other appropriate device may be used to lock the ball joint 106 in a proper orientation . metacarpal pins 46 are then received through metacarpal bores 32 to engage a metacarpal 48 . this also allows a physician greater flexibility during the implantation of the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 . it will also be understood that the alternative embodiment disclosed above may be combined in any number of combinations to achieve the spirit of the present invention while also allowing a great variety options to the physician implanting the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 . it will also be understood that the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 may be affixed to the patient in a plurality of ways . pins 40 , 42 , 46 may alternatively , for example , be screws . the pins 40 , 42 , 46 may also include threads or ridges that assist in affixing the pin 40 , 42 , 46 to the bone structure . also , the pin 40 may differ from the pin 42 or the pin 46 . any appropriate device may be used to affix the bridging / non - bridging bone fixation device 10 to the patient . the description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and , thus , variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention .	0
the composition of the current invention is a blend comprising a polymeric acetal and a zinc - containing inorganic filler . polymeric acetals are characterized in general as having recurring oxymethylene repeat units of the following formula : polymeric acetals that are useful in making composition of the current invention generally have a fairly high content of oxymethylene units ( generally greater that about 85 %). these materials are commercially available from a number of manufacturers as homopolymers , copolymers , terpolymers , and the like . these highly crystalline acetals , described briefly hereinbelow , are well known in the art and have been reviewed extensively . for example , a review of polymeric acetals entitled “ acetal resins ,” by t . j . dolce and j . a . grates , can be found in the second edition of encyclopedia of polymer science a engineering , john wiley and sons , new york , 1985 , vol . 1 , pp . 42 - 61 . additional information on acetal copolymers can be found as part of the detailed description in commonly assigned u . s . pat . no . 4 , 788 , 258 . typically , acetal homopolymers , or poly ( oxymethylenes ), are prepared by polymerizing anhydrous formaldehyde or trioxane . oxymethylene homopolymers and usually stabilized against thermal degradation by end - capping with , for example , ester or ether groups , such as those derived from alkanoic anhydrides ( e . g . acetic anhydride ) or dialkyl ethers , ( e . g . dimethyl ether ), or by incorporating stabilizer compounds into the homopolymer . commercially available acetal homopolymer is made by polymerizing anhydrous formaldehyde in the presence of an initiator , after which the polymer is end - capped by acetylation of the hemiacetal end groups with acetic anhydride in the presence of sodium acetate catalyst . methods for making end - capping acetal homopolymers are taught in u . s . pat . nos . 2 , 786 , 994 and 2 , 998 , 409 . acetal homopolymer is well know in the art and is commercially available under the trademarks delrin ® and tenac ®. polymeric acetals which have been found to be especially suitable for use in the composition of the present invention are crystalline oxymethylene copolymers having repeat units which consist essentially of oxymethylene groups interspersed with oxy ( higher alkylene ) groups represented by the general formula : wherein each r 1 and r 2 is hydrogen , a lower alkyl group , or a halogen substituted lower alkyl group , each r 3 is a methylene , oxymethylene , lower alkyl or haloalkyl substituted methylene or lower alkyl or haloalkyl substituted oxymethylene group , and n is zero or an integer from one to three , inclusive . each lower alkyl group preferably contains one or two carbon atoms . oxymethylene groups generally will constitute from about 85 to 99 . 9 percent of the recurring units in such copolymers and are generally incorporated by ring - opening polymerization of trioxane in the presence of an acidic catalyst . the oxy ( higher alkylene ) groups are incorporated into the polymer by copolymerizing a cyclic ether or cyclic formal having at least two adjacent carbon atoms in the ring in addition to trioxane . the cyclic ether or formal is incorporated by the breaking of an oxygen - to - carbon linkage . the preferred oxy ( higher alkylene ) group is oxyethylene , having the formula : oxyethylene is incorporated into the polymer by copolymerization of ethylene oxide or 1 , 3 - dioxolane with trioxane . the preferred crystalline acetal copolymers as described above , which have a structure consisting essentially of oxymethylene and oxyethylene groups , are thermoplastic materials having a melting point of at least 150 ° c . they normally are millable or processable at temperatures ranging from about 175 ° c . to about 200 ° c . they are normally highly crystalline , having a polymer crystallinity from about 60 % to about 90 % or greater . these oxymethylene copolymers normally are stabilized after manufacture by degradation of unstable molecular ends of the polymer chains to a point where a relatively stable carbon - to - carbon linkage prevents further degradation of each end of the polymer chain . such degradation of unstable molecular ends is generally effected by hydrolysis , as disclosed , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 219 , 623 to berardinelli . the oxymethylene copolymer may also be stabilized by end - capping , again using techniques well known to those skilled in the art , as for example by acetylation with acetic anhydride in the present of sodium acetate catalyst . a particularly preferred class of oxymethylene copolymers is commercially available under the name celcon ® acetal copolymer . celcon acetal copolymers typically are copolymers of about 98 % ( by weight ) trioxane and about 2 % ethylene oxide . celcon is a registered trademark of hoechst celanese corporation , the assignee of the present invention . celcon polymers are widely available and are well known . the compositions of the current invention may be made using any commercial grade of celcon acetal , including celcon m25 acetal copolymer , which has a melt index of about 2 . 5 g / 10 min when tested in accordance with astm d1238 - 82 , celcon m90 acetal copolymer , which has a lower molecular weight and a lower melt viscosity , and celcon m270 , which has an even lower molecular weight and melt viscosity . acetal copolymers of similar compositions are also available from other manufacturers under several trademarks , including hostaform ®, duracon ®, ultraform ® and iupital ®. oxymethylene terpolymers may also be used in making blends of the present invention . these comprise oxymethylene groups , oxy -( higher alkylene ) groups such as those corresponding to the above - recited general formula : and a different third group which has been interpolymerized with the oxymethylene and oxy ( higher alkylene ) groups . a terpolymer as described above is typically made by reacting trioxane with a cyclic ether or cyclic acetal and with a third monomer which is a bifunctional compounds , such as a diglycide of the formula : wherein z represents a carbon - to - carbon bond , an oxygen atom , an oxyalkoxy group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms , inclusive , preferably 2 to 4 carbon atoms , an oxycycloalkoxy group of 4 to 8 carbon atoms , inclusive , or an oxypoly ( lower alkoxy ) group , preferably one having from 2 to 4 recurring lower alkoxy groups each with 1 or 2 carbon atoms . examples of suitable bifunctional compounds include the diglycidyl ethers of ethylene glycol , 1 , 2 - propanediol , and 1 , 4 - butanediol , with the diglycidyl ether of 1 , 4 - butanediol being preferred . generally , when preparing such terpolymers , ratios of from 99 . 89 to 89 . 0 weight percent trioxane , 0 . 1 to 10 weight percent of the cyclic ether of cyclic acetal , and 0 . 01 to 1 weight percent of the bifunctional compound are preferred , these percentages being based on the total weight of monomers used in forming the terpolymer . a particularly preferred oxymethylene terpolymer is commercially available from hoechst celanese corporation under the celcon u10 acetal polymer , and is a terpolymer of 1 , 4 - butanediol diglycidyl ether , ethylene oxide and trioxane containing about 0 . 05 weight %, 2 . 0 weight %, and 97 . 95 weight % respectively of repeating units derived from these three monomers , based on the total weight of the three monomers . the oxymethylene - based terpolymers are made and stabilized by methods well known in the art which are generally analogous to those used from making the copolymers . more detailed descriptions of the methods for making oxymethylene - based terpolymers and their compositions can be found in previously cited u . s . pat . no . 4 , 788 , 258 . zinc oxide and zinc sulfide are the preferred zinc - containing inorganic fillers in making compositions resistant to the build - up and adhesion of mineral deposits , with zinc oxide being most preferred . the zinc oxide can be included at any level that is sufficient to give the composition resistance to the build - up and adhesion of minerals . thus , the level of zinc oxide can be in the range of about 1 % to about 20 % by weight , more preferably in the range of about 5 % to about 10 %, and most preferably at a level of about 7 . 5 %. further , other additives may also be included in the composition in addition to the acetal polymer and the zinc - containing filler . these fillers , which are used to give other desirable properties to the composition , include mold lubricants , plasticizers , other fillers , glass fibers , nucleating agents , antioxidants , formaldehyde scavengers , chain scission inhibitors , ultraviolet light inhibitors , impact modifiers , acid scavengers , and colorants . these compositions of polymeric acetal , zinc - containing filler and other optional additives are made by methods well known in the art . the preferred method is blending of the polymer and the additives in the melt phase of the polymer , and the additives in the melt phase of the polymer . this is readily carried out by mixing the solid polymer , the zinc - containing fillers and other optional additives , if used , in the dry state and compounding them in an extruder at a temperature above the melting point of acetal polymer , generally in the temperature range of abut 1800 - 220 ° c . alternatively , the zinc - containing inorganic filler can be blended with an acetal polymer that already is blended with the optional additives ; the final blending step is still carried out in the polymer melt phase in an extruder or other processing equipment . prior to mixing , the acetal is preferably dried using well established methods . the extruded composition is most conveniently cooled in water and then pelletized , ground , pulverized , powdered , or otherwise processed into a form that is convenient for further fabrication . shaped articles can be made by any of the methods commonly used to shape thermoplastic polymers , including injection molding , compression molding , extrusion , blow molding , foam molding , rotational molding , fabrication using metal - working methods , coating onto shaped articles , and combinations thereof . in general , injection molding is particularly desirable for making shaped articles using this composition . examples are provided hereinbelow that provide a more detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention . the following materials were combined in sufficient quantity in a high intensity mixer to yield 55 lbs of a dry preblend with the following compositions : elvamide concentrate ( second generation ), a polyamide - based formaldehyde scavenger , from dupont , 0 . 75 %; high molecular weight crystalline acetal , used as a nucleating agent , 0 . 50 %; acrawax c , a fatty acid amide wax used as mold lubricant , from lonza inc ., 0 . 20 %; zinc oxide , obtained from whittaker , clark and daniels , south plainfield , nj , 7 . 5 %. these materials were first preblended in powder form , then extruded on a single screw extruder at 190 ° c . and 100 rpm , and finally pelletized . the pelletized product was injection molded on a reciprocating screw machine at 190 ° c . to yield test specimens and other shaped articles . the color of the composition described above is white . compositions that were gray or black were also made by using the appropriate colorants . physical properties of the composition were measured using standard test methods and are shown in table 1 : the composition of example 1 was molded in the shape of the plastic sprayer portion of a pulsating showerhead of the type sold by teledyne water pik . these sprayers and the metal body of the showerheads were then assembled . accelerated tests of mineral deposition were carried out using these showerhead assemblies . the tests were performed by alternately spraying well water having sufficient mineral content to give the water a conductance of about 1000 microomh through and onto the showerhead and then drying the water from the surface of the showerhead using a hot air stream . the water had the following analysis : conductance , 1026 micromho ; sulfate , 300 ppm ; calcium , 62 ppm as calcium carbonate ; hardness , 436 ppm as calcium carbonate ; ph 6 . 9 . the well water was typically sprayed onto the showerhead in short cycles at a temperature of about 115 ° f . the hot air used to evaporate the water was at a temperature of about 140 ° f . the air drying cycles varied from about 10 to about 30 minutes . the tests were carried out for a period of about 3 to 4 weeks . the resistance to mineral build - up was evaluated , based on observation of the amount of accumulated mineral deposits and on how easily the deposits could be removed with a dry towel and with a wet towel . showerheads using the composition of example 1 were compared with showerheads made from polypropylene filled with glass beads and polypropylene filled with calcium carbonate , as well as commercial samples of the pulsating teledyne water pik showerheads . the showerheads made from the composition of example 1 did not show distinctive , clearly visible spots , and any residual mineral build - up was easily removed with a dry towel . there was one area , however , where the mineral accumulation left a rough surface that was removable by scraping with a fingernail . for comparison , all of the other test showerheads had clearly visible spots . the spots on the showerhead made from polypropylene filled with glass beads could be removed with a dry towel only by applying pressure . the residual mineral spots could not be removed completely from other test showerheads using a dry towel . thus , the composition of the current invention showed less visible evidence of mineral deposition ( i . e . spots ) in comparison with other materials , and these spots were more easily removed . analogous tests were also carried out in which the composition of example 1 was compared with an abs resin and a high impact polystirene comprising a polyphenylene oxide / polystirene blend . the composition of example 1 exhibited better resistance to mineral deposition than either of the other polymer compositions did . the composition of example 1 was molded into test plaques along with the formulations presented in table 2 . these additional samples were prepared using methods similar to those described for the preparation of example 1 . a quantitative measure of the resistance to the build - up and adhesion of mineral deposits was determined using the following procedure . test plaques weighing about 20 gms each were first weighed and then mounted into a carousel ( ferris wheel type ). samples were repeatedly rotated through a water immersion stage of 1 - 2 seconds followed by rotation for about 10 seconds through blasts of hot air from a hair drier . water used was from the same source as was used in example 2 and was maintained at a temperature of about 140 ° f . water immersion / hot air cycle rotation was continued for a period of about three weeks . samples were allowed to dry and then weighed to give a measure of the amount of mineral build - up . finally , samples were rinsed using a fixed spray configuration , dried , and re - weighed to yield a measure of mineral adhesion . results are presented in table 2 and show that inclusion of zinc compounds improves the resistance to mineral build - up and adhesion compared with acetal control resin . the resistance to build - up and adhesion of minerals also appears to increase with the amount of zno . it is to be understood that the above - described embodiments of the invention are illustrative only and that modification throughout may occur to one skilled in the art . accordingly , this invention is not to be regarded as limited the embodiments disclosed herein .	2
fig1 illustrates a typical configuration of a mems based probe package 100 in which light propagates down a waveguide 102 such as a single mode , multimode , double clad , or photonic crystal optical fiber , from the proximal end of the probe to the distal end of the probe . at the distal end of the probe , a lens 104 or series of lenses focuses or collimates the light emitted from the waveguide 102 into a beam 106 which is then reflected perpendicular to main axis of the probe package 100 and scanned using a mems mirror 108 through an imaging window 110 , or a post - scan lens , for example . the mirror is typically mounted at a 45 degree angle relative to the waveguide , thereby resulting in a 90 degree deflection in the light path for side scanning . the mirror may alternatively be mounted at angles greater or less than 45 degrees . an illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a forward scanning mems based probe package as described with reference to fig2 . forward scanning is achieved by a mems based probe package 200 utilizing the a lens 202 to receive light from a waveguide 204 . a first reflective element 206 and a second reflective element 208 mounted in the package 200 are arranged to fold the optical path twice . the first reflective element 206 is employed to bend the light beam 210 by 90 degrees and the second reflective element 208 bends the light beam 210 by a second 90 degrees . this results in a beam emitting in the forward direction from the distal end 212 of the probe . the first reflective element 206 and / or the second reflective element 208 may be a mems mirror , a simple mirror , or a prism , for example . to achieve 2d scanning , each mirror may be a single axis mems device where each provides one axis of scanning . alternatively , one of the reflective elements may be a 2 axis device for providing two dimensional scanning while the other may be a simple mirror , for example . in an illustrative embodiment , the mirror may be a curved reflecting surface that provides adaptive focus control . in another embodiment , the reflective element could comprise a deformable mirror for wavefront shaping and aberration correction , as well as focus control . alternative embodiments of the present invention may also be employed to provide mems based forward scanning . for example , in an alternative embodiment of the invention , a mems based device is provided to scan an optical waveguide that is coupled to an endoscope &# 39 ; s input waveguide . the output of the scanned waveguide is then directed into a lens to achieve forward scanning . in yet another embodiment of the invention , a microlens or series of microlenses is scanned by an actuator to direct a beam of light . a secondary reflecting element can also be used to realize a forward scanning probe employing mems mirrors according to the present invention . the optical path may be modified by placing a reflective mirror in the optical path between the pre - scan collimating or focusing objectives and the mems mirror . the optical path may be folded 90 degrees , or any arbitrary angle , by a first reflective element such as a simple flat mirror to simply fold the optical path . the first reflective element may be a curved mirror or optical surface to provide focusing , as well as beam folding . the first reflective element may also be a scanning mems device , with one axis , or two axes , of scanning capability . the first reflective element can also be a deformable optical surface ( universal optical element ) providing wavefront shaping , aberration correction and focus control in addition to beam folding . the first reflective element may also be a prism which may be in the path of the optical beam or may be directly attached to the waveguide / grin lens assembly . the first reflective element may also be a two axis mems scanner , which folds the optical path and scans the beam . the second reflective element folds the optical path a second time to direct the beam out the front of the probe . the second reflective element may be a simple flat mirror to simply fold the optical path . the second reflective element may also be a scanning mems device , with one or two axis of scanning capability . if the initial scanning device is a one axis scanner and the second device is a one axis scanner , orientated in an orthogonal direction two axis scanning is achieved . the second reflective element may be a prism which folds the optical path and redirects a scanned beam . the second reflective element may be a two axis mems scanner , which folds the optical path and scans the beam in two dimensions . the second reflective element may be a curved surface which serves to fold the optical path and also expand or focus the beam and scan angle . any of the reflective elements may be realized as a curved surface , which acts as a focusing element as well as a reflecting element , and these surfaces may be either spherical or aspherical . the reflective elements , may also be realized by molding of polymers at either microscale ( for a mems aperture ) or macroscale for serving as a large reflective element . machining and polishing of a hard surface such as glass or ceramic followed by subsequent metallization may be employed to realize the mirror surface of the reflective elements . the reflective elements may be realized by controlled surface wetting and a curable polymer or epoxy . micromachining may be utilized to create the mirror surface of the reflective elements , and stress control employed to control the curvature of the surface . deformable mirrors for wavefront correction and dynamic focus control may be realized via arrays of individual mirrors with pistoning or tip - tilt and piston capabilities , or a single membrane with individual actuators in discrete locations for surface adjustment ( z axis or pistoning control ). it is often desirable to pass a standardized optical coherence tomography ( oct ) probe down a biopsy channel of an endoscope to perform an optical biopsy . such probes may be utilized to provide oct imaging in various applications . it is also often beneficial to employ custom endoscopes that are optimized for oct imaging in specific regions wherein the internal components and channel configuration are optimized for the oct imaging systems . flexible endoscopes allow the scope to traverse curved and folded internal pathways and employ mechanical transduction to allow the operator to manipulate the distal end of the probe from the proximal end . this manipulation may include 2 - axis displacement as well as rotation . rigid and telescopic endoscopes allow the clinician to directly manipulate the distal end of the probe by motion at the proximal end via direct non - flexible mechanical coupling . illustrative embodiments of the invention provide endoscopic oct probes may incorporate any combination of innovative components describe herein . in one illustrative embodiment , a scan - head provides beam scanning for oct imaging in 2 or 3 dimensions . the scan - head may also be used to scan an ablation laser or may be employed for multimodal optical imaging techniques including confocal microscopy , cars imaging , multi - photon imaging and fluorescence microscopy . the scan - head may be forward or side looking . in the illustrative embodiment , the scan - head and endoscope may be permanently integrated with each other and may have a specified operational lifetime . alternatively , the scan - head may be removed and replaced after a specified lifetime . different versions of the scan - head allow trade - offs between imaging speed , resolution and field of view . in an embodiment of the invention , fiber optic illumination provides a conduit for light from an external source at the proximal end of the probe to be delivered to the distal end of the probe . fiber optic visualization couples an optical signal from the distal end of the probe to the proximal end to allow direct visualization by the operator . embodiments of the invention include biopsy forceps which allow removal of tissue for external analysis , confirmation of observations or excision of diseased tissue . an access channel for obtaining biopsies , drug delivery , dye or marker delivery can be included to provide a flexible use access path to the distal end of the probe . additionally , channels for vacuum aspiration and fluid delivery may be provided according to the invention to keep the optical elements clean and remove body fluids from the imaging region when necessary . fiber for ablation laser delivery allows delivery of light from an external ablation laser to a scan - head or fixed optical system at the distal end of the probe for ablation of tissue or region marking . radio frequency ( rf ) or thermal ablation transducers can be used in illustrative embodiments of the invention to provide a means of immediately destroying small regions of tissue identified by the imaging system . capacitive sensors for motion detection utilizing capacitive electrodes may also be used in embodiments of the invention to detect the proximity of the probe to the tissue and also to provide feedback to the imaging system . this allows automated detection of motion during an imaging scan . led illumination ( white light , uv , red , blue green or ir wavelengths ) may be used in illustrative embodiments of the invention to provide illumination for visualization of tissue by the operator and also for tissue heating or an excitement wavelength for specific markers ( i . e . fluorescence imaging or multimodal imaging ). ccd or cmos imaging systems may also provide tissue surface visualization as well as direct visualization of the region being imaged , biopsied or ablated during an imaging session . additionally , such imaging systems may be used to detect optical effects caused by the laser , such as diffraction . various operating wavelengths may be used to allow monitoring of temperature or identification of markers under specific illumination conditions . the imaging system provided by these embodiments of the invention also allows identification of motion during an imaging scan . ultrasound transducers may be incorporated for larger scale ( i . e . 100 μm or larger ) tomographic 2 d or 3d imaging , or may provide a larger field of view with deeper penetration at a lower resolution of about 100 μm , for example . the probe position may also be precisely tracked by an external 3d ultrasound system , this can be aided by the emission of ultrasonic signal by the probe - head . also provides enhancement of oct image via non - linear optical processes . the various illustrative embodiments of the invention described herein may be fabricated using mems probe packaging technologies that are described in applicants &# 39 ; co - pending u . s . patent application no . 60 / 908 , 473 filed on mar . 28 , 2007 which is incorporated herein by reference . illustrative embodiments of the present invention also provide a modular system wherein a variety of modular microsurgical functional tips can be attached to the leading edge of an oct probe . a modular microsurgical functional tip may be comprised of a generally cylindrical shape which may be split longitudinally to provide two semi - cylindrical parts , which are joined together . the distal end of the functional tip may be conical or flat with pre - molded attachment features for control of the entire microsurgical oct probe . along the proximal end of the functional tip , a cylindrical ridged engagement member allows the attachment to the oct probe . a keyed feature located at the proximal end allows orientated attachment , whereas electrical contact features control and power the functions of various tips . certain tips may be ejected remotely , separating themselves from the microsurgical oct probe while in use . internally , the tip may contain a variety of components , singularly or in any combination . for example , such components may include a camera , a light source , inertial sensors , a thermocouple ( s ), a balloon ( s ), marking apparatus , fluid delivery system or drug delivery system ( radiation source , chemical source ). functional tips may be attached during the manufacturing process or by the end user . a functional tip may be activated and / or controlled by the electromechanical control systems of the oct probe . the inventive microsurgical functional tip to be attached externally to and used in conjunction with a microsurgical oct probe provides additional functionality not easily accomplished internally because of space limitations , integration difficulties or functional feasibility . the invention provides instruments such as camera , light source , inertial sensors , thermocouple , balloon , physical actuation , marking apparatus , fluid delivery system and drug delivery system ( radiation source , chemical source ) to be held internally or externally by the functional tip . the inventive functional tips may also include multiple microsurgical instruments such as camera , light source , knife etc . which are often used simultaneously during treatment or diagnosis by a physician . fig3 illustrates an oct probe package 300 and a plurality of functional tips in accordance with several illustrative embodiments of the present invention . a first functional tip embodiment includes a thread steerable tip 302 , having a generally tapered cylindrical configuration . this embodiment may include a ring portion extending from the distal end whereby a guide line or floss can be attached by knot or loop to allow actuation and manipulation of the entire oct probe . a cylindrical ridged engagement member 304 allows for the attachment of the functional tip 302 to the oct probe package 300 . the engagement member 304 may also have a gasket to create a seal between the functional tip and the oct probe package 300 . a keyed feature may be located on the engagement member to provide orientation of the functional tip . in another embodiment , a functional tip 306 includes a side facing camera 308 and a side facing light source 310 . in yet another embodiment , a functional tip 312 includes a forward facing flattened optically clear window 314 through which the camera and light source may be directed . depending on the desired focal point and angle , the window 314 may be raised or depressed in relation to the exterior of the functional tip 312 . the camera maybe focused on the particular oct spot or any area around it . electrical contact features ( not shown ) allow control and power of the camera and light through the main oct probe system controls . another embodiment of a functional tip 316 includes a micro nozzle 318 . the nozzle may be directed upwards , distally , and proximally diagonally and may emit a fan shaped flow of fluid or a higher speed jet of fluid . in this embodiment , the fluid may be useful in cleaning deposits or mucus off of the main oct probe while in use , thereby minimizing the need to extract the probe for cleaning during a particular treatment or diagnosis . internally , the functional tip may include a small fluid reservoir . alternatively , a fluid line may be connected to the oct probe . in another embodiment of the invention , a functional tip may include a drug source . such a functional tip may include a flattened window made up of a biodegradable material or specific permeability membrane where the drug source can diffuse through . the entire functional tip may also be made of a biodegradable material . depending on the desired size of treatment area and position of treatment area and location of treatment area , the window maybe raised or depressed or otherwise configured in relation to the exterior of the functional tip . once the functional tip is positioned , the functional tip may be held in place for a short amount of time with the probe . for longer treatments , a functional tip may be attached to the area of interest with glue or biodegradable pins ( micro staples ), with the functional tip ejected or disconnected from the main oct probe . in an illustrative embodiment , ejection of a functional tip may be accomplished through the stoppage of electrical current to electromagnets holding the functional tip to the probe , or other electromechanical mechanism which may be controlled through the main oct probe system controls . another embodiment of a functional tip may include a nozzle which emits a fan shaped flow of dye or a higher speed jet of dye . such dyes may include dyes for florescence imaging , multiphoton imaging , confocal imaging and the like . many types of dye may be used including traditional tissue markers , fluorescence , and silver nitrate . such a dye emitting functional tip is useful as a marker for places of interest to revisit with the oct probe or other method of treatment and diagnosis . a dye emitting functional tip may also inject dyes directly into cells and / or may emit nano - sized dielectric particles , such as quantum dots or other nanoparticles for diagnostic and therapeutic applications . components of the various functional tips according to the present invention may be formed from optically clear polymer and variants and the various parts may be joined where appropriate by being snap - fitted , molded , or glued together , for example . it should be noted that the present invention as described herein provides an improved microsurgical instrument which has considerable advantages over previously known instruments . for example , the attachment point of the first embodiment of the functional tip allows the surgeon to readily manipulate the position of the oct probe using innate and easily understood methods when it is necessary to reposition the probe during the performance of a diagnosis or treatment . furthermore , the integrated camera , with integrated control and output display with the oct system abolishes the need for coordination of movement by two or more operators during diagnosis and treatment . the fact that the functional tips may have capabilities that are very different from those of the main section of the oct probe simplifies the entire microsurgical instrument development process and allows the physician to accomplish more diverse tasks simultaneously . while the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments , many variations and modifications as will be evident to those skilled in this art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , and the invention is thus not to be limited to the precise details of methodology or construction set forth above as such variations and modification are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims .	7
referring now to the drawings and initially to fig2 and 3 , the present invention is a cement mixing method and the mixer 20 used in that method for mixing cement that will be used in cementing oil wells . the overall typical system and equipment within which the mixer 20 is likely to be used are taught in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 749 , 330 . that teaching is incorporated herein by reference . as explained in detail in u . s . pat . 6 , 749 , 330 , typically a cement mixer discharges from its outlet end into a diffuser and subsequently into a mixing tank . a recirculation pump is attached to the mixing tank and recirculates the contents of the mixing tank to recirculation flow inlets provided on the mixer . and , typically a mix water pump is connected to a supply of mix water and pumps that mix water to a mix water inlet provided on the mixer . also , bulk cement is pneumatically delivered to the dry bulk cement inlet of the mixer . it is the cement mixer 20 that is the subject of the present invention . a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the attached drawings and will be more fully described hereafter . referring to fig3 , the mixer 20 is shown in cross sectional view . for purposes of clarity , the interior of the mixer 20 will be described as being divided into two areas . the first area is the bulk inlet chamber 19 which extends from the inlet 1 to the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e . the bulk inlet chamber 19 receives the dry powder cement from the inlet 1 and conveys it to the second area which is the mixing chamber 6 . no mixing occurs in the bulk inlet chamber 19 . the mixing chamber 6 extends from the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e to the outlet 7 of the mixer 20 and it is in the mixing chamber where the cement powder is mixed with the recirculated slurry and mix water . the mixer 20 is provided at its inlet end 15 with a straight bulk cement inlet 1 for admitting dry powder cement into a bulk inlet chamber 19 located internally within the mixer housing 13 and then into a mixing chamber 6 which is also located internally within the mixer housing 13 . adjacent to the dry bulk cement inlet 1 are two recirculation flow inlets 2 a and 2 b that both communicate with a recirculation manifold 10 that supplies recirculated cement slurry to five annular recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e located around the inside of the mixing chamber 6 . adjacent to the recirculation flow inlets 2 a and 2 b is a mix water inlet 11 that communicates with a mix water manifold 4 that supplies water to five annular water jets or jet orifices 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e provided within the mixing chamber 6 in alternating longitudinal alignment within the mixing chamber 6 relative to the five annular recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e so that they alternate with and are evenly spaced relative to the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e . the water manifold 4 has a mix water adjustment output means consist of a fixed plate 14 containing the annular water jet orifices 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e and a rotatable or movable water meter valve element or orifice plate 8 with cut away openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e therethrough . the movable orifice plate 8 is provided with a handle 9 for rotating it in order to control the flow of mix water passing through the five annular water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e . at an outlet end 16 of the mixer 20 is an outlet 7 that discharges the cement mixture from the mixing chamber 6 of the mixer 20 . the details of all of these features will be described in more detail hereafter beginning at the inlet end 15 of the mixer 20 and moving toward the opposite outlet end 16 of the mixer 20 . beginning at the inlet end 15 of the mixer 20 , the mixer 20 is provided with a straight bulk cement inlet 1 for admitting dry powder cement into the mixing chamber 6 that is located internally within the mixer housing 13 . the straight bulk cement inlet 1 permits an unobstructed view inside and through both the bulk inlet chamber 19 and the mixing chamber 6 of the mixer 20 when piping that is normally connected with the inlet is disconnected therefrom , as best illustrated in fig1 . also , this straight design allows for easier cleaning and inspection of both the bulk inlet chamber 19 and the mixing chamber 6 . referring now to fig2 and 3 , adjacent the dry bulk cement inlet 1 , the mixer 20 is provided with the two recirculation flow inlets 2 a and 2 b that both communicate with the recirculation manifold 10 . the recirculation manifold 10 supplies recirculated cement slurry to five annular recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e that are located around the inside of the mixing chamber 6 . each recirculation jet or outlet 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e is defined by two surfaces 17 and 18 within the mixer 20 . the first surface is the common wall 17 that separates the bulk inlet chamber 19 from the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e , and the second surface is the common wall 18 that separates the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e from the mix water manifold 4 . the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e discharge at an angle a into the mixing chamber 6 . referring to fig3 and 4 , adjacent to the recirculation flow inlets 2 a and 2 b , the mixer 20 is provided with the mix water tangential inlet 11 . it is important that the inlet 11 be tangential relative to the water manifold 4 as water is then supplies tangentially . by supplying the mix water tangentially , this supplies the water so that it approaches the metering openings and metering slots 12 a - e and 5 a - e and in a uniform manner , i . e . in the same direction , thus creating equal flow characteristics therethrough for all metering openings and metering slots 12 a - e and 5 a - e . the mix water inlet 11 communicates with the water manifold 4 that supplies water to five annular water jet orifices 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e provided within the mixing chamber 6 . referring to fig3 and 5 , the mix water manifold 4 is defined by three surfaces 18 , 13 and 8 within the mixer 20 . the first surface is the common wall 18 that separates the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e from the mix water manifold 4 . the second surface is the outer mixer housing 13 for the mixer 20 , and the third surface is the rotatable orifice plate 8 . grooves 21 and 22 are provided in the surfaces that are adjacent to the rotatable water metering valve element 8 to accommodate pressure face seals 23 and 24 to contain water pressure within the mix water manifold 4 . a groove 25 is also provided in the fixed plate 14 for a radial seal 26 to seal the fixed plate 14 to the housing 13 of the mixer 20 so that fluid does not leak out of the mixing chamber 6 between the fixed plate 14 and the housing 13 . as shown in fig3 and 5 , the mixer 20 is provided with a mix water adjustment input means consist of the fixed plate 14 which contains the annular water jet orifices 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e and the rotatable or movable water meter valve element or orifice plate 8 with cut away openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e therethrough . the movable orifice plate 8 is located adjacent to the fixed plate 14 and between the water manifold 4 and the fixed plate 14 . as shown in fig3 , spacers 28 that are slightly larger in width than the rotatable orifice plate 8 are provided surrounding the rotatable orifice plate 8 to allow the orifice plate 8 sufficient clearance between the wall of the water manifold 4 and the fixed plate 14 so that the orifice plate 8 can be rotated . the movable orifice plate 8 is provided with a handle 9 for rotating the movable orifice plate 8 relative to the fixed plate 14 . the fixed plate 14 and the rotatable plate 9 cooperate to control the flow of water through the water jet orifices 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e . the position of the movable orifice plate 8 relative to the fixed plate 14 controls the flow of water through the five annular water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e by more fully aligning the cut away openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e of the movable plate 8 with the metering slots 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e of the fixed plate 14 , or alternately , by moving the cut away openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e more completely out of alignment with the slots 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e . as the movable orifice plate 8 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction , as indicated by arrow b in fig4 , the cut away openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e of the moveable plate 8 move so that they align longitudinally within the mixer 20 more completely with their corresponding annular water jet orifices 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e provided in the fixed plate 14 . this allows more water to pass from the water manifold 4 through the aligned portions of the openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e and slots 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e and into the mixing chamber 6 . alternately , when the moveable orifice plate 8 is rotated in a clockwise direction , as indicated by arrow c in fig4 , the cut away openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e of the moveable plate 8 move more out of alignment longitudinally within the mixer 20 with their corresponding annular water jet orifices 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e . this allows less water to pass from the water manifold 4 through the movable and fixed plates 8 and 14 and out into the mixing chamber 6 . the water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e discharge at an angle d into the mixing chamber 6 . the five annular recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e are located in alternating longitudinal alignment within the mixing chamber 6 relative to the five annular water jet 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e so that they alternate with and are evenly spaced relative to the water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e . the evenly spaced and alternating water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e deliver mix water annularly to the mixing chamber 6 and the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e also deliver recirculation flow annularly to the mixing chamber 6 . this arrangement is important as it puts the flow from each water jet 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e on the opposite side of the mixing chamber 6 from the flow from one of the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e . this aides in mixing and also tends to protect the internal surfaces of the mixing chamber 8 from abrasion by the sand and grit contained in the recirculated cement slurry flowing out of the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e and sand from dirty water flowing out of the water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d , and 5 e when a dirty water source is employed . referring to fig1 and 4 , the five recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e are arranged in such a way as to create a “ star ” arrangement in the inner casing 17 which is the common wall between the bulk inlet chamber 196 and the five recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e . by having the inner casing 17 in a “ star ” arrangement and extending inside and inwardly beyond the normal parallel walled casing id , as indicated by numeral 27 in the drawings , this helps to reshape the configuration of the dry bulk powder into a “ star ” shape as it flows through the bulk inlet chamber 19 and enters the mixing chamber 6 before it is hit with flow from the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e . the resulting “ star ” shape of the flow of powder tends to assist in splitting up or break up the flow of dry bulk cement coming through the casing id , thus enhancing the wetability of the bulk cement . finally , as shown in fig2 and 3 , the outlet 7 for the mixer 20 is provided at the outlet end 16 of the mixer 20 . the mixture of cement leaves the mixing chamber 6 of the mixer 20 through the outlet 7 . although the invention has been described as having five recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e and five water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e , the invention is not so limited . in fact the invention can be provided with only three recirculation jets and only three water jets , or alternately , with seven of each . the important thing is that each water jet is located on an opposite side of the mixing chamber 6 from an associated recirculation jets so that the flow from the water jet intersects with the flow from its associated recirculation jet . the preferred arrangement is where there is the same number of recirculation jets as water jets and where there are odd numbers of each type of jets , i . e . three , five , seven , etc . of each of the recirculation jets and water jets . for example , a smaller mixer might employ only three recirculation jets and three water jets , while a larger mixer might employ seven recirculation jets and seven water jets . dry bulk cement powder is pneumatically blown straight into the mixer 20 at straight dry bulk cement inlet 1 . as the dry bulk cement passes through the mixer &# 39 ; s internal mixing chamber 6 , it is intercepted by flow of recirculated cement slurry flowing from the five recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e . the interception of the dry bulk cement by the recirculated slurry is the first step in wetting the cement powder . a short distance later ( milliseconds in time ) and downstream within the mixing chamber 6 , the five water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e intersect the partially wetted cement . the mixing energy imparted by the recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e and the water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e is very high . the high energy of all ten jets , i . e . five recirculation jets 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d and 3 e and five water jets 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e , creates well mixed slurry where all particles are wetted . the recirculation rate is constant and typically 20 bbl / min . the water flow is adjusted by rotating the orifice plate 8 . fig4 shows the orifice plate 8 with the cut away openings 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and 12 e and metering slots 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e . as the orifice plate 8 is moved counter clockwise , i . e . in the direction indicated by arrow b , the metering slots 5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d and 5 e are uncovered so that liquid flows therethrough . the flow rate is approximately proportional to the rotation of the orifice plate 8 . typical pressure is 125 psi and maximum flow might be in the range of 10 bbl / min . the thoroughly wetted and mixed cement slurry exits the mixing chamber 13 via the outlet 7 and flows to the mixing tank , as previously described above for a typical equipment arrangement . although the invention has been described for use in mixing cement for oil or gas wells , the invention is not so limited and can be used to mix a variety of bulk powders into a solution . also , the usage of this invention is not limited to the oil and gas industry , but could be used in other industries where dry bulk powders must be mixed into a solution , such as for example the food preparation industry . while the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity , it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure . it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for the purposes of exemplification , but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims , including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled .	1
hereinafter , the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples . the following examples are for merely exemplifying the present invention , and therefore , the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following examples . 3 . dimensional stability : a sheet sample ( 200 × 20 mm ) was kept within a dry oven at 80 ° c . for one week , and then it was measured whether length variations thereof are within ± 4 %. 4 . cold - resistance : five sheet samples ( 150 × 20 mm ) were kept within a chamber at − 30 ° c . for 4 hours , and then evaluation was conducted on the sheet samples by the folding test ( after each sample installed at the mouth thereof was folded and then unfolded , a degree at which the sample was split or broken was confirmed ). 6 . calendar processability and workability : blendability / kneadability , processing temperature , roll workability , and the degree at which molten materials are stained on a roll , were measured . ( evaluation : 1 . very inferior , 2 . inferior , 3 . normal , 4 . good , 5 . very good ) 7 . post processing workability : workability in printing , embossing , laminating , or surface treatment was measured . ( evaluation : 1 . very interior , 2 . inferior , 3 , normal , 4 . good , 5 . very good ) based on 100 parts by weight of a poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin ( sk innovation company ), 20 parts by weight of linear low - density polyethylene ( ft400 , sk innovation company ), 5 parts by weight of a flexibilizer ( daifatty - 101 , daihachi company ), 0 . 1 parts by weight of a polypropylene based compatibilizer ( bp401 , honam petrochemical company ), 1 part by weight of a lubricant ( stearic acid , oci company ) were inputted in a henschel mixer , and then wet blended for 20 minutes . the wet blended mixture was inputted into a compounding extruder at 150 ° c . to be pelletized . this was manufactured into a semifinished sheet product through a kneading process ( mixing rolls and warming rolls ) and a calendering process , followed by print , primer , and surface treatment processes , and a laminating process , thereby manufacturing a sheet ( including film ). however , in the case where the flexibilizer was 20 parts by weight , a kneader type mixer was used , and the sheet ( including film ) was manufactured after the kneading and calendar processes were conducted in a sheet type . a sheet was manufactured by the same method as example 1 except that 100 parts by weight of a polyvinyl chloride resin ( ls100s , lg chemistry company ) instead of the poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin was used and the content of the linear low - density polyethylene was 0 part by weight . then , physical properties thereof were measured . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the linear low - density polyethylenes used in the components in example 1 to be 0 , 5 , 10 , 20 , 50 , 75 , and 100 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 1 . when a strength modifier of the linear low - density polyethylene was used in the poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin according to the present invention , mechanical properties such as tensile and tear strengths and dimensional stability were very improved and more excellent elongation was exhibited as compared with a polyvinyl chloride resin or a polyolefin resin , when the content of the linear low - density polyethylene used was 100 parts by weight or less based on 100 parts by weight of the poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin , high transparency was exhibited . when the content thereof is above 100 parts by weight , opacity was increased and cold resistance was degraded . in addition , smoke density was excellent even when the content of the strength modifier used was 100parts by weight . sheets were manufactured by using skflex from sk innovation company , daifatty - 101 from daihachi company , japan , and acrylate from lg chemistry company , as the flexibilizer in the components in example 1 , and controlling contents thereof to be 0 , 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , 10 , 20 , and 50 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in tables 2 to 4 . the flexibilizer used for mitigating features of the poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin being hardened and easily broken did not affect physical properties of the sheets until the content of the flexibilizer was 50 parts by weight . if the content thereof was above 50 parts by weight , mechanical strength and particularly dimensional stability may be deteriorated but transparency was improved . even when the content of the flexibilizer used was ⅓ times that of phthalate plasticizers used in the polyvinyl chloride resin , desired physical properties can be exhibited , and smoke density was excellent regardless of the content of the flexibilizer . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the compatibilizer used to be 0 , 0 . 1 , 0 . 5 , 1 , and 5 parts by weight based on the content of the strength modifier in the components in example 1 , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 5 . the compatibilizer was used to maximize compatibility ( improvement in meltability ) with the poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin and the polyolefin based strength modifier to thereby improve the general physical properties . in particular , when the compatibilizer was not used , transparency was much deteriorated . the content of the compatibilizer is preferably 0 . 1 to 5 parts by weight in view of improvement in the entire physical properties . if the content of the compatibilizer was out of the above range , mechanical strength was less improved , and calendering processability and workability were deteriorated . smoke density was very excellent regardless of the content of the compatibilizer . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the lubricant used to be 0 , 0 . 1 , 0 . 5 , 1 , 2 , and 5 parts by weight in the components in example 1 , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 6 . the lubricant was used to improve calendering processability and workability , and when the lubricant was used in a content of 0 . 1 to 5 parts by weight , desired effects can be exhibited . if the content of the lubricant was out of the above range , meltability of the resin was much deteriorated and transparency was rapidly deteriorated , resulting in unavailable . based on 100 parts by weight of a poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin ( sk innovation company ), 20 parts by weight of random polypropylene ( r380y , sk innovation company ), 5 parts by weight of a flexibilizer ( daifatty - 101 , daihachi company ), 0 . 1 parts by weight of a polypropylene based compatibilizer ( bp401 , honam petrochemical company ), 1 part by weight of a lubricant ( stearic acid , oci company ) were inputted into a henschel mixer , and then wet blended for 20 minutes . the wet blended mixture was inputted into a compounding extruder at 150 ° c . to be pelletized . this was manufactured into a semifinished sheet product through a kneading process ( mixing rolls and warming rolls ) and a calendering process , followed by print , primer , and surface treatment processes , and a laminating process , thereby producing a sheet ( including film ). however , in the case where the flexibilizer was 20 parts by weight , a kneader type mixer was used , and the sheet ( including film ) was produced after the kneading and calendar processes were conducted in a sheet type . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the random polypropylene used in components in example 2 to be 0 , 5 , 10 , 20 , 50 , 75 , and 100 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 7 . sheets were manufactured by using skflex from sk innovation company , daifatty - 101 from daihachi company , japan , and acrylate from lg chemistry company , as the flexibilizer in the components in example 2 , and controlling contents thereof to be 0 , 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , 10 , 20 , and 50 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in tables 8 to 10 . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the compatibilizer used to be 0 , 0 . 1 , 0 . 5 , 1 , and 5 parts by weight based on the content of the strength modifier in components in example 2 , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 11 . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the lubricant used to be 0 , 0 . 1 , 0 . 5 , 1 , 2 , and 5 parts by weight in the components in example 2 , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 12 . based on 100 parts by weight of a poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin ( sk innovation company ), 20 parts by weight of a ring - opening polymerization of lactide ( pla ) resin ( 4060d , natureworks company ), 5 parts by weight of a flexibilizer ( daifatty - 101 , daihachi company ), and 1 part by weight of a lubricant ( dioctylterephthalate , lg chemical company ) were inputted into a henschel mixer , and then wet blended for 20 minutes . the wet blended mixture was inputted into a compounding extruder at 150 ° c . to be pelletized . this was manufactured into a semifinished sheet product through a kneading process ( mixing rolls and warming rolls ) and a calendering process , followed by print , primer , and surface treatment processes , and a laminating process , thereby producing a sheet ( including film ). however , in the case where the flexibilizer was 20 parts by content , a kneader type mixer was used , and the sheet ( including film ) was produced after the kneading and calendar processes were conducted , in a sheet type . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the ring - opening polymerization of lactide ( pla ) resin used in components in example 3 to be 0 , 5 , 10 , 20 , 50 , 75 , and 100 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 13 . sheets were manufactured by using skflex from sk innovation company , daifatty - 101 from daihachi company , japan , and acrylate from lg chemistry company , as the flexibilizer in the components in example 3 , and controlling contents thereof to be 0 , 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , 10 , 20 , and 50 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in tables 14 to 16 . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the lubricant used to be 0 , 0 . 1 , 0 . 5 , 1 , 2 , and 5 parts by weight in the components in example 3 , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 17 . based on 100 parts by weight of a poly ( propylene carbonate ) resin ( sk innovation company ), 20 parts by weight of a polymethylmethacrylate resin ( hp210 , lg mma company ), 5 parts by weight of a flexibilizer ( daifatty - 101 , daihachi company ), and 1 part by weight of a lubricant ( dioctylterephthalate , lg chemical company ) were inputted into a henschel mixer , and then wet blended for 20 minutes . the wet blended mixture was inputted into a compounding extruder at 140 ° c . to be palletized . this was manufactured into a semifinished sheet product through a kneading process ( mixing rolls and warming rolls ) and a calendering process , followed by print , primer , and surface treatment processes , and a laminating process , thereby producing a sheet ( including film ). however , in the case where the flexibilizer was 20 parts by content , a kneader type mixer was used , and the sheet ( including film ) was produced after the kneading and calendar processes were conducted in a sheet type . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the polymethylmethacrylate resin used in components in example 4 to be 0 , 5 , 10 , 20 , 50 , 75 , and 100 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 18 . sheets were manufactured by using skflex from sk innovation company , daifatty - 101 from daihachi company , japan , and acrylate from lg chemistry company , as the flexibilizer in the components in example 4 , and controlling contents thereof to be 0 , 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , 10 , 20 , and 50 parts by weight , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in tables 19 to 21 . sheets were manufactured by controlling the contents of the lubricant used to be 0 , 0 . 1 , 0 . 5 , 1 , 2 , and 5 parts by weight in the components in example 4 , respectively . then , physical property measurement results were tabulated in table 22 . as set forth above , the products manufactured from the eco - friendly poly ( alkylene carbonate ) resin composition for a high - transparency and high - gloss sheet according to the present invention never generates poisonous gases and dioxin at the time of combustion , which is a big defect in polyvinyl chloride materials . in particular , smoke density of the resin composition is approximately 1 / 600 times that of the polyvinyl chloride resin , and thus no harmful gases are generated during processing or the use of products , thereby exhibiting excellent flameproofing property . further , the present invention can utilize carbon dioxide , which is a major contributor to global warming ; remarkably improve physical properties , such as flexibility , strength , elongation , and the like , above the level of the existing polyvinyl chloride resin , even without using phthalate based plasticizers and stabilizers , which are processing additives harmful to the human body ; and significantly improve transparency and gloss of the products . further , the resin composition according to the present invention can be applied in a calendar processing method allowing mass production , discarding an extrusion processing method which is regarded as the biggest defect of alternatives for the existing polyvinyl chloride , so that breakage can not occur during the winter , or post processing treatment , such as printing , surface treatment , and the like , can not be required , resulting in excellent economic feasibility .	8
the present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings , wherein like elements are provided with the same reference numerals . fig1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary mobile computing device 1 which includes a host computing device 10 and a data capture device 20 . the host computing device 10 may be any type of mobile computing platform ( e . g ., handheld computer , personal digital assistant (“ pda ”), proprietary computing device , etc .). non - limiting examples of processors which may be included in the host computing devices 10 include the xscale processor manufactured and sold by the intel corporation and the mx - 1 processor manufactured and sold by the motorola , inc . similarly , the data capture device may be any type of device which can read data from a source external to the device ( e . g ., laser reader , bar code scanner , camera or other type of imager , radio frequency identification (“ rfid ”) device , etc .). those of skill in the art will understand that the representation of the mobile computing device 1 in fig1 is only schematic and that the actual configuration of a mobile computing device 1 may take on a variety of configurations based on the type of host computing device , data capture device and other components which may be included with the mobile computing device 1 . during normal operation of the mobile computing device 1 , a user will point or direct the data capture device 20 at a particular image and / or data holding device from which the user desires to capture data ( e . g ., a bar code , and rfid tag , etc .). those of skill will understand that certain data capture devices must be directed toward the image and or data holding device ( e . g ., bar code , image , picture ) from which data is to be collected , i . e ., a line of sight between the data capture device and the image is required . whereas , other types of data capture devices do not require a line of sight , e . g ., an rfid reader only needs to be within a pre - defined distance to collect data from and rfid tag . the data capture device 20 collects the data and forwards the data to the host computing device 10 for further processing of the data . however , a significant amount of engineering effort is expended in order to integrate any particular data capture device 20 with a host computing device 10 . furthermore , in order to provide flexibility , it may be advantageous to allow a variety of data capture devices 20 to be integrated with a particular host computing device 10 . in addition , since processing power and other features of host computing devices 10 may change rapidly , it would also be advantageous to allow for upgrades of the mobile computing devices 1 by selecting new host computing devices 10 and quickly integrating data capture devices 20 with these new host computing devices 10 . in order to allow this type of plug and play operation for the data capture device , an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an application specific integrated circuit (“ asic ”) in the data capture device 20 which allows it to be directly connected to a video port of a microprocessor in the host computing device 10 . while the exemplary embodiment is described with reference to an asic , those of skill in the art will understand that it may be possible to implement the functionality described for the asic using other components , e . g ., a general purpose integrated circuit , an embedded controller , a field programmable gate array (“ fpga ”), etc . fig2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary asic 50 for connecting the data capture device 20 and the host computing device 10 . as shown in fig2 , the asic 50 is configured to receive any of a variety of inputs from the electronics of the data capture device 20 . in this example , the asic 50 is configured to accept data in the form of an analog signal 52 , a differentiated analog signal 54 , a digital bar pattern (“ dbp ”) 56 and / or an 8 - 10 bit grey scale pixel signal 58 . thus , the asic 50 may be implemented in a variety of data capture devices 20 . those of skill in the art will understand that the asic 50 may be further configured to accept additional types of input based on available signals which are output from data capture devices 20 . a single common asic 50 architecture which accommodates a wide variety of inputs may be used with a wide variety of data capture devices 20 , thereby facilitating the plug and play capability of the data capture devices 20 using the same asic 50 . the following will describe an exemplary signal processing path for each of the incoming signals from the data capture device 20 electronics through the asic 50 to result in a signal which is suitable for outputting to the host computing device 10 . the first signal to be addressed is the analog signal 52 . the analog signal 52 is received by the asic 50 and is input into a multiplexer 60 to combine the complete analog signal 52 . the multiplexed analog signal 52 is then sent to an analog - to - digital (“ a / d ”) converter 60 where the analog signal is converted into a digital signal . in the exemplary embodiment , the a / d converter 60 is an 8 - bit converter . the digital signal is then sent to the multiplexer 64 where the digital signal is multiplexed into a 10 - bit parallel digital data signal . an exemplary multiplexer 64 performs time division multiplexing on the input digital signal to result in the 10 - bit parallel digital data signal . the 10 - bit parallel digital data signal is then output from the asic 50 to a video port of the host computing device 10 . in this exemplary embodiment , the 10 - bit digital data signal was selected because it is a standard signal that is generally accepted by video ports of host computing devices 10 , e . g ., the video ports of the xscale and mx - 1 processors described above . however , those of skill in the art will understand that it may be possible to convert the incoming signal to a different type of signal that is compatible with the video ports of the host computing devices 10 as required . in a preferred embodiment , the output of the asic 50 will be compatible with as many host computing devices 10 as possible to facilitate the plug and play capability of the data capture device 20 with the maximum number of host computing devices 10 . the differentiated analog signal 54 is processed by the asic 50 in the same manner as the analog signal 52 . specifically , the differentiated analog signal 54 is multiplexed by the multiplexer 60 , converted to a digital signal by a / d converter 62 and then multiplexed into a 10 - bit digital data signal by the multiplexer 64 . the signal is then sent to the video port of the host computing device 10 for further processing by that device . the dbp signal 56 is input to the asic 50 by the electronics of the data capture device 20 and is routed through the dbp packing component 66 . the signal is then forwarded to the multiplexer 64 which converts the signal into the same 10 - bit digital data signal as described above . the signal is then forwarded to the video port of the host computing device 10 for further processing by that device . as shown in fig2 , the original dbp signal 56 may bypass all processing in the asic 50 and be fed directly into the video port of the host computing device 10 . the video port of the host computing device may be configured to directly receive a signal that is output by the data capture device 20 , e . g ., dbp signal 56 . thus , there may be no reason to process the signal in the asic 50 before it is forwarded to the host computing device 10 . as will be described below , when the data capture device 20 and host computing device 10 are configured , there may be signals which are passed between the devices which allow for the proper configuration of the asic 50 . one of these configuration parameters may be that the video port of the host computing device is configured to accept the original output of the data capture device 20 . thus , the asic 50 will be configured to directly forward the signal to the video port without further signal processing . however , such direct forwarding of the signal does not eliminate the use of the asic 50 for an embodiment where the data capture device 20 signal is acceptable , as is , for the video port of the host computing device 10 . as described above , during initialization of the data capture device 20 and the host computing device 10 , the asic 50 will play a role in determining configuration parameters for the devices 10 and 20 , including software deployment . this process will be described in greater detail below . in addition , as described above , the purpose of the functionality of the asic 50 is to make the data capture device 20 compatible and easily configurable with a variety of host computing devices 10 . thus , because there may be one host computing device 10 that will accept the output signal of the data capture device 20 , as is , this does not make the data capture device 20 compatible with a variety of host computing devices 10 . the functionality associated with the asic 50 allows the data capture device 20 to be used in a plug and play fashion with a variety of host computing devices 10 , including those which will not directly accept the output signal of the data capture device 20 . furthermore , it should be noted that when referring to the host computing device 10 not directly accepting the output signal , this is meant to refer to the fact that the host computing device cannot accept the signals in a plug and play manner . for example , the host computing device 10 may accept an analog input signal from the data capture device 20 , but extensive configuration of both devices is required to allow operation . the asic 50 allows such a data capture device 20 to be configured in a plug and play manner to the host computing device 10 . continuing with the final exemplary input signal from the data capture device 20 , the grey scale pixel signal 58 . the signal 58 is input into the asic 50 and forwarded to the multiplexer 64 which converts the signal into the same 10 - bit digital data signal as described above . the signal is then forwarded to the video port of the host computing device 10 for further processing . along with the 10 - bit digital data signal , the asic 50 will also pass through the appropriate control signals 68 . examples of the control signals 68 include line sync signals , pixel clock signals , frame sync signals , start of scan signals , etc . those of skill in the art will understand that various control signals 68 need to be passed to the host computing device 10 in order for the proper processing of the data capture device 20 signal . as shown in fig2 , the communication between the asic 50 and the host computing device 10 is a two - way communication . the interface for this two - way communication is the i2c ( inter - ic ) bus 70 which is a bi - directional two - wire serial bus that provides a communication link between integrated circuits , e . g ., the asic 50 and the microprocessor of the host computing device 10 . some examples of this bi - directional communication will be described in greater detail below . the asic 50 also includes read / write registers 72 . the registers 72 may be used to record information such as configuration information . an example of using the registers 72 is provided below . fig3 shows an exemplary process 100 for configuring a device 1 which includes a data capture device 20 with an asic 50 and a host computing device 10 . this configuration may take place , for example , at the factory when the data capture device 20 is integrated with the host computing device 10 , when the device 1 is initially booted up , etc . in step 105 , the type of data capture device 20 ( e . g ., laser , rfid reader , camera , etc .) into which the asic 50 is installed is recorded in the register 72 . those of skill in the art will understand that this type information may be stored in the register 72 by coding the asic 50 before installation in the data capture device 20 , by embedded software in asic 50 which polls the data capture device 20 to determine its type , by embedded software in the data capture device which registers the data capture device 20 with the asic 50 , etc . the host computing device 10 may then read the register 72 of the asic 50 to determine the type of data capture device 20 ( step 110 ). the host computing device 10 may have installed software to facilitate the reading of the registers 72 . as described above , the actual communication between the host computing device 10 and the asic 50 takes place using the i2c bus 70 as shown in fig2 . the process then continues to step 115 where the asic 50 is configured in order to provide the proper signal processing for the incoming signals from the data capture device 20 . the software which resides on the host computing device 10 may be responsible for this configuration . after the software on the host computing device 10 has polled the registers 72 to determine the type of data capture device 20 to which the host computing device 10 is connected , the software may then send configuration information to the asic 50 . as shown in fig2 , the host computing device 10 may communicate through the i2c bus 70 with various components of the asic 50 . the software on the host computing device 10 may use this communication path to configure the various components of the asic 50 to operate properly for the type of data capture device . for example , if the data capture device 20 is a type which sends differentiated analog signals 54 , the software may configure the multiplexer 60 to handle this type of signal . another example previously described above , is where the software configures the asic 50 to forward the signals from the data capture device 20 , as is , to the host computing device 10 . in a further example , the software may send configuration information to the multiplexer 64 to configure that component based on the type of signal it will receive based on the type of data capture device 20 . those of skill in the art will understand that the above were only examples and that the software may also configure other components of the asic 50 . for example , the software may set other read / write registers 72 of the asic 50 which causes further configuration information to be set up for the asic 50 . an example may be that the asic 50 includes various embedded software applications . one or more of these applications may be activated ( or configured ) based on the type of data capture device . furthermore , the software may never directly communicate with some of the configurable components on the asic 50 , e . g ., all configuration may be performed internally by the asic 50 based on the register 72 settings which are set by the software . in the above exemplary embodiment , the configuration information was determined by software on the host computing device 10 based on the type of data capture device 20 . thus , the software on the host computing device 10 will contain configuration settings for a variety of data capture devices 20 . a software application may be written and loaded onto the host computing device 10 which includes various configuration information for a number of data capture devices 20 , e . g ., configuration settings for each type of data capture device 20 may be stored in database . when the host computing device 10 is connected to the data capture device 20 , the software may be activated to determine the type of data capture device 20 , as described above with reference to step 110 . once this determination is made , the software may access the proper configuration settings for the data capture device 20 and then configure the asic 50 . in addition , the configuration of the asic 50 may be based on more information than just the type of data capture device 20 . for example , the host computing device 10 may include a variety of applications . for example , a first host computing device 10 may include an application which only receives one type of data . whereas , a second host computing device 10 may include multiple applications which are capable of receiving different types of data and perform different operations on these different types of data . a particular data capture device 20 may be capable of outputting all the different types of data to satisfy the first and second host computing device 10 . however , the asic 50 may be configured differently based on whether the first or second host computing device 10 is going to receive the data . thus , the type of information that the host computing device 10 desires to receive may be based , in part , on the applications which are loaded on the host computing device 10 . therefore , the configuration information which the software sends to the asic 50 may depend not only on the configuration settings for the type of data capture device 20 , but also on other information . another example of other information which may be relevant to the configuration of the asic 50 is the type of processor in the host computing device 10 . for example , if the host computing device includes a high mips ( million instructions per second ) processor such as the mx - 1 processor and the data capture device 20 is a laser , the software may configure the asic 50 to use an input analog signal 52 or a differentiated analog signal 54 , instead of the dbp signal 56 because of better performance . other configuration parameters that may be set ( e . g ., by setting registers 72 ) based on this collected information ( e . g ., type of data capture device 20 and type of processor ) may include the use of various processing algorithms in order to increase the performance of the mobile computing device 1 . upon completion of the configuration step 115 , the asic 50 is configured for operation with the specific data capture device 20 and host computing device 10 . as can be seen from the above exemplary embodiment , the inclusion of the asic 50 with the data capture device 20 and the configuration software on the host computing device 10 allows data capture devices 20 to operate in a plug and play manner with different host computing devices 10 . thus , a variety of data capture devices 20 can be plugged into any host computing device 10 . similarly , a particular data capture device 20 can be plugged into a variety of host computing devices 10 . this plug and play feature allows the separation of front end scanning ( or data capture ) development from back end decoding of data . a new data capture device 20 can be simply plugged into an existing host computing device 10 . likewise , new decoders or data applications can be added to host computing devices 10 and currently attached data capture devices may be easily re - configured ( using the asic 50 ) to support the new applications . in an alternative embodiment , it may be considered that the software described as residing on the host computing device 10 may reside on the asic 50 , e . g ., as embedded software . in such an embodiment , the asic 50 may poll both the data capture device 20 and the host computing device 10 to determine the various information for both devices 10 and 20 . the software may include the various configuration settings described above and , thus , the asic 50 may configure itself internally , using the information it received from the host computing device 10 and the data capture device 20 . in the above exemplary embodiments , it was described that the output of the asic 50 will be forwarded to the video port of the processor of the host computing device 10 . however , the asic 50 may also be configured to send other types of signals which may be received by another port or input of the processor . moreover , the asic 50 was described as residing with ( or installed in ) the data capture device 20 . however , there is no requirement that the asic 50 be installed as an integral component of the data capture device 20 . the asic 50 may be installed in the host computing device 10 or it may be a stand alone device that is merely integrated into the mobile computing device 1 when the data capture device 20 and host computing device 10 are integrated . finally , the exemplary embodiment is described as a mobile computing device . however , there is no requirement that the final device be a mobile device . for example , there may be a data capture device 20 / host computing device 10 combination that is fixed at a particular location , e . g ., an rfid reader with host computing device which is located at an entrance / exit of a building , at a cash register , at a checkpoint , etc . thus , the combination is not required to be mobile . the present invention has been described with the reference to the above exemplary embodiments . one skilled in the art would understand that the present invention may also be successfully implemented if modified . accordingly , various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the broadest spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims that follow . the specification and drawings , accordingly , should be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense .	6
exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings . it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to general and dictionary meanings , but interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to technical aspects of the present invention on the basis of the principle that the inventor is allowed to define terms appropriately for the best explanation . therefore , the description proposed herein is merely a preferable example for the purpose of illustrations only not intended to limit the scope of the invention , and thus it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications could be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . as illustrated in fig1 , an electrolytic bath for manufacturing acid water according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 100 having three first , second and third compartments 110 a , 110 b and 110 c which are divided by two ion exchange membranes 111 , two first electrodes 200 installed at the second compartment 110 b to be spaced a predetermined distance w 1 from each ion exchange membrane 111 , two second electrodes 300 installed at the first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c to be adjacent to each ion exchange membrane 111 , and two third electrodes 400 installed at the first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c to be spaced a predetermined distance w 2 from each second electrode 300 . in particular , inlet ports 112 a , 112 b , 112 c and outlet ports 113 a , 113 b , 113 c are provided at the first , second and third compartments 110 a , 110 b and 110 c , respectively , and the first outlet port 113 a formed at the first compartment 110 a is connected with the third inlet port 112 c formed at the third compartment 110 c . therefore , while one electrolytic process is performed , hydrogen ions are exchanged with the two first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c disposed at both sides of the second compartment 110 b , a deaeration action occurs , hydrogen water ( acid reduced water ) in which the deaeration action occurs is supplied again to the third compartment 110 c , the electrolytic process is performed again , and thus the density of hydrogen may be increased . hereinafter , the configuration thereof will be described below in more detail . as illustrated in fig1 , the housing 100 is formed in a hollow shape , and the three first , second and third compartments 110 a , 110 b and 110 c divided by the two ion exchange membranes 111 are formed therein . the one inlet port 112 a , 112 b , 112 c and the one outlet port 113 a , 113 b , 113 c are provided at each of the first , second and third compartments 110 a , 110 b and 110 c . in particular , the two first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c , excluding the central second compartment 110 b enclosed by the two ion exchange membranes 111 , are configured to be connected with each other . that is , the first outlet port 113 a formed at the first compartment 110 a is connected with the third inlet port 112 c formed at the third compartment 110 c . in the embodiment of the present invention , any membranes may be used as the ion exchange membranes 111 as long as hydrogen ions may be exchanged therethrough . for example , fluorinated cation exchange membranes ( nafion 117 manufactured by dupont ) may be used . as illustrated in fig1 , the two first electrodes 200 are installed in the second compartment 110 b divided by the two ion exchange membranes 111 . at this time , the first electrodes 200 are installed to be spaced the predetermined distance w 1 from each of the ion exchange membranes 111 . with such a configuration , a filling space having a predetermined size is secured between the first electrodes 200 and the ion exchange membranes 111 , and thus as raw material water filled therein is electrolyzed , the ion exchange may be easily achieved . to this end , the first electrodes 200 are installed so that the distance w 1 between the first electrodes 200 and the ion exchange membranes 111 is 0 . 1 to 2 . 0 mm . this is because , if the distance w 1 is formed to be greater than these values , electrolytic performance at the second electrodes 300 , which will be described later , is degraded . as the first electrodes 200 , porous platinum electrodes or platinum mesh electrodes mainly used in electrolysis may be used , and the same type of electrodes may also be used as the second and third electrodes 300 and 400 to be described later . the reason why the electrodes are formed in the porous or mesh type is to widen surfaces of the electrodes , in which the electrolysis is substantially performed , and thus to increase an electrolytic effect . the above - mentioned first electrodes 200 are installed in the second compartment 110 b , and positive poles are applied thereto . as illustrated in fig1 , the two second electrodes 300 are installed at each of the first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c . at this time , the second electrodes 300 are installed to be adjacent to the ion exchange membranes 111 , such that the predetermined distance with the first electrode 200 may be maintained . negative poles , which are opposite to the first electrodes 200 are applied to the second electrodes 300 . as described above , the second electrodes 300 may be formed of the same material as the first electrodes 200 . as illustrated in fig1 , the two third electrodes 400 are installed at the first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c . at this time , each of the third electrodes 400 is installed to be spaced the predetermined distance w 2 from one of the second electrodes 300 . the distance w 2 is 0 . 1 to 100 . 0 mm , and this space is used as an ion filling space . like the second electrodes 300 , the negative poles are applied to the third electrodes 400 , and the third electrodes 400 may be formed of the same material as the first electrodes 200 . as illustrated in fig1 , the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water according to the first embodiment of the present invention receives the raw material water through the first and second inlet ports 112 a and 112 b . at this time , when the positive poles are applied to the first electrodes 200 , and the negative poles are applied to the second and third electrodes 300 and 400 , electrolysis is performed . at this time , in the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water according to the present invention , the electrolysis and the ion exchange occur between the first compartment 110 a and the second compartment 110 b and between the second compartment 110 b and the third compartment 110 c . that is , the electrolysis is performed between the positive first electrodes 200 installed in the second compartment 110 b and the negative second and third electrodes 300 and 400 installed in each of the first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c , and the hydrogen ions are moved from the second compartment 110 b to the first and third compartments 110 a and 110 c , and thus the ion exchange is performed . as the electrolysis is performed as described above , the raw material water supplied to the second compartment 110 b has few hydrogen ions ( h + ), and contains ions , gas atoms , molecules , and the like which are generally included in the raw material water , and an action like deaeration is performed . that is , as the electrolysis is performed , hydrogen ions ( h + ), hydroxyl ions ( oh − ), ozone ( o 3 ), oxygen molecules ( o 2 ) and the like are contained in the raw material water supplied to the first and second compartments 110 a and 110 b through the first and second inlet ports 112 a and 112 b . at this time , the hydrogen ions ( h + ) are moved to the first compartment 110 a or the third compartment 110 c through the ion exchange membranes 111 , and the rest are moved to the second compartment 110 b . therefore , acid reduced water containing the hydrogen ions ( h + ) is discharged through the outlet port 113 a of the first compartment 110 a and the third outlet port 113 c of the third compartment 110 c , and acid oxidized water containing the few hydrogen ions ( h + ), the hydroxyl ions ( oh − ), the ozone ( o 3 ), the oxygen molecules ( o 2 ) and the like is discharged through the second outlet port 113 b of the second compartment 110 b . therefore , the acid water according to the present invention is the water discharged through the first and third outlet ports 113 a and 113 c which mainly contains the hydrogen ions ( h + ) is , and it is possible to obtain an effect as if a deaeration action were performed . meanwhile , in the embodiment of the present invention , the first outlet port 113 a is connected to the third inlet port 112 c so that the acid water discharged from the first outlet port 113 a is supplied to the third compartment 110 c . this serves to circulate and electrolyze the acid reduced water having a predetermined density of hydrogen together due to the deaeration action when the electrolysis enabling the deaeration action is performed , as described above , and thereby to further increase the hydrogen density of the acid reduced water . in the electrolytic bath for manufacturing acid water according to the present invention , as described above , while the electrolysis is performed once , the deaeration action and the electrolysis in which the acid reduced water obtained from the deaeration action is circulated again and then electrolyzed are performed at the same time , and thus the concentration of the hydrogen ions may be increased , and a high potential difference obtained by a difference of the concentration may be effectively used in electrolyzing pure water ( ro ) or deionized water ( di ) having low conductivity as well as generally used tap water . in the embodiment of the present invention , the acid reduced water discharged through the first outlet port 113 a after the deaeration action may have an electric conductivity of 0 . 067 to 2 . 000 μs / cm , and the acid water discharged through the third outlet port 113 c after receiving and electrolyzing the acid reduced water may have an electrical conductivity of 0 . 1 to 50 . 0 μs / cm . further , in the embodiment of the present invention , the acid water discharged through the third outlet port 113 c has an oxidation - reduction potential of − 100 to − 700 mv , a dissolved hydrogen concentration of 0 . 2 to 3 . 0 ppm and a ph of 4 . 0 to 7 . 5 at a temperature of 0 to 100 ° c . the material properties of the acid water according to the present invention are as follows . & lt ; electrical conductivity test result of electrolysis result using deaerated raw material water & gt ; in order to obtain a change of material properties according to a change of the distance w 2 with respect to the acid water obtained from the cathode side , i . e ., the above - mentioned compartment 110 c using the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water according to the present invention , the following test was performed . raw material water : water ( having a conductivity of 10 μs / cm or less , a ph of 7 . 0 , an oxidation - reduction potential ( orp ) of + 230 mv and a temperature of 25 . 5 ° c .) as shown in table 1 , it may be understood that the entire acid water according to the first embodiment of the present invention is acidic , and particularly , has strong acidity as the distance w 2 becomes narrow , and the orp is also increased as the distance w 2 become narrow . further , it may also be understood that the acid water is the acid reduced water . the following is a result of measuring the orp of a comparative embodiment and the acid water ( the embodiment ) discharged through the compartment 110 c of the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water of the first embodiment of the present invention according to a change in temperature . the measuring conditions are as follows : raw material water : water ( having a conductivity of 10 μs / cm or less , a ph of 6 . 8 , an oxidation - reduction potential ( orp ) of + 230 mv and a temperature of 25 . 5 ° c .) table 2 shows measured results of the embodiment , and table 3 shows measured results of the comparative embodiment . here , the comparative embodiment is results measured through an electrolytic bath for manufacturing acid water , which is configured with two compartments and the inlet port and the outlet port provided at each compartment , as illustrated in fig1 of the patent document 4 which was filed by the applicant . as shown in table 2 and table 3 , it may be understood that the comparative embodiment is lower in orp than the embodiment at low temperature , but an increase range of the orp of the comparative embodiment is gradually increased as the temperature increases , and finally inverted to a positive value at a temperature of 80 ° c . however , in the case of the embodiment , it may be understood that the opr at a temperature of 95 ° c . is increased , compared with that at a temperature of 5 ° c ., but a changed width thereof is incomparably smaller than that of the comparative example . that is , the embodiment is hardly affected by the temperature change . therefore , the acid water according to the embodiment of the present invention has a low tendency to be oxidized or reduced , compared with the comparative example . as a result , it is possible to obtain the acid water having higher purity . the dissolved dh of the embodiment and the comparative embodiment was measured in the same method as that of measuring the orp . as a result , table 4 shows the changed in the dissolved dh of the embodiment , and table 5 shows the dissolved dh of the comparative embodiment . as shown in table 4 and table 5 , it may be understood that the dissolved dhs of both the embodiment and the comparative embodiment become small as the temperature is increased . in particular , it may be understood that , as the temperature is increased , the dissolved dh is slowly reduced in the embodiment , but sharply reduced in the comparative embodiment . as a result , at high temperatures , the dissolved dh of the embodiment is about 1 . 3 times that of the comparative embodiment . in order to obtain a change in electrical conductivity of the acid water obtained from the cathode side , i . e ., the above - mentioned compartment 110 c of the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water according to the present invention , the electrical conductivity was measured as follows : raw material water : water ( having a conductivity of 0 . 057 μs / cm or less , a ph of 7 . 0 and a temperature of 25 . 5 ° c .) the following is a result of measuring the electrical conductivity according to a change of current using the measuring device , while the current applied to the present invention is changed as shown in table 6 . as shown in table 6 , it may be understood in the embodiment that ionic water is increased as the intensity of current applied to the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water according to the present invention is increased , and thus an increasing ratio of the electrical conductivity is further increased . as described above , the acid water , which is the acid reduced water generated through the deaeration action and the electrolysis action during one electrolytic process , may be obtained through the present invention , and thus it is possible to obtain the acid water having the high conductivity as well as the high density of hydrogen ions . as illustrated in fig2 , an electrolytic bath for manufacturing acid water according to a second embodiment of the present invention further includes at least one partition wall 114 in each of the first and second compartments 110 a and 110 c , compared with the first embodiment . here , the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the first embodiment , and the description thereof will not be repeated . in this embodiment , only the partition wall 114 serving as an additional part will be described . at least one partition wall 114 is provided at a predetermined position of each of the first and second compartments 110 a and 110 c . this is to enable a staying time of the acid water , in which the acid water passing through the first and second compartments 110 a and 110 c remains in the first and second compartments 110 a and 110 c , to be long , such that more ion exchange may occur . therefore , more ion exchange of the hydrogen ions may be performed in the first and second compartments 110 a and 110 c , and thus the density of the hydrogen ions contained in the acid water may be further increased . as illustrated in fig3 , an electrolytic bath for manufacturing acid water according to a third embodiment of the present invention further includes a branch pipe 120 , and first and second valves 121 and 122 in addition to the configuration of the second embodiment . here , the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the second embodiment , and the description thereof will not be repeated , but only the branch pipe 120 will be described as an additional part . in the third embodiment , as illustrated in fig3 , the branch pipe 120 is connected between the third outlet port 113 c and the first inlet port 112 a . at this time , the branch pipe 120 is configured to selectively mix the acid water branched through the third outlet port 113 c with the raw material water supplied from an outside through the first inlet port 112 a , and also connected to discharge the acid water through the third outlet port 113 c . to this end , the first valve 121 is provided at the branch pipe 120 to selectively branch some of the acid water discharged through the third outlet port 113 c to the first inlet port 112 a . further , the second valve 122 is provided at the first inlet port 112 a to selectively block introduction of the raw material water into the first compartment 110 a from an outside through the first inlet port 112 a . an operation of the valves is shown in the following table 7 . in the third embodiment , as described above , when it is necessary to increase the dh , the acid water to be discharged is circulated through the branch pipe 120 and the first and second valves 121 and 122 , and thus it is possible to increase the dh and also to control the dh and the amount of the acid water to be discharged . as illustrated in fig4 , an electrolytic bath for manufacturing acid water according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention has a configuration in which the second outlet port 113 b ′ is combined with the third outlet port 113 c in the configuration of the first embodiment . here , the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the first embodiment , and the description thereof will not be repeated , but only the second outlet port 113 b ′ and the third outlet port 113 c combined with each other will be described . as illustrated in fig4 , in the fourth embodiment , the second outlet port 113 b ′ through which the acid oxidized water is discharged and the third outlet port 113 c through which the acid reduced water is discharged are combined into one so that the acid oxidized water and the acid reduced water are mixed and then discharged . this serves to cause a reaction between the acid reduced water , i . e ., the hydrogen water , with the rest of the materials separated by the electrolysis , such as oh − , o 2 and o 3 , thereby obtaining the acid water having various components . that is , if the raw material water is electrolyzed , the raw material water is basically dissolved into hydrogen ions ( h + ) and hydroxyl ions ( oh − ). the acid water discharged through the third outlet port 113 c is the acid reduced water having the hydrogen ions ( h + ) and hydrogen molecules ( h 2 ), and the acid water discharged through the second outlet port 113 b ′ is the acid oxidized water containing the hydroxyl ions ( oh − ), oxygen molecules ( o 2 ), ozone ( o 3 ) and the like . as the acid reduced water and the acid oxidized water are mixed , the mixed acid water further contains oxygenated water ( h 2 o 2 ) generated by the following reaction formula , in addition to the basic components such as the hydrogen ions ( h + ), the hydrogen molecules ( h 2 ), hydroxyl ions ( oh − ) and ozone ( o 3 ). the following formula 1 shows a reaction process in which the oxygenated water is generated . this enables the acid water obtained by the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water according to the present invention to be used as industrial water or the like as well as drinking water . the acid water obtained by the electrolytic bath for manufacturing the acid water according to the present invention may be used as drinking water , industrial cleaning water for removing organic materials and particles from a semiconductor wafer , a wafer carrier , an lcd glass , an optical lens and an oled , or antistatic water . as described above , according to the present invention , the acid reduced water may be obtained by filling ions electrolyzed through the filling space and increasing the potential difference . further , since the deaeration action may be performed during one electrolytic process in the present invention , it is possible to minimize a reaction of the dissolved gas with the acid water even when the internal temperature of the electrolytic bath is increased by the electrolysis or the like . therefore , it is possible to obtain the stable acid water having high purity . according to the present invention , as the acid water in which the deaeration action is achieved is circulated and electrolyzed again with the deaeration action , it is possible to obtain the acid water having the high conductivity . the electrolytic bath for manufacturing acid water and the using method of the water according to the present invention has the following effects : ( 1 ) the present invention has the three compartments formed in one housing and configured to obtain the acid water , while the electrolytic action along with the deaeration action are simultaneously performed through one electrolytic process , and thus it is possible to obtain the acid reduced water having the high electrical conductivity and the high purity . ( 2 ) in particular , since the present invention is configured such that some of the acid reduced water having the high electrical conductivity and the high purity is circulated and electrolyzed again , and the acid water obtained through the present invention has an effect of being electrolyzed twice , it is possible to increase the density of the hydrogen ions and thus to obtain the acid reduced water having the high electrical conductivity and the high purity . ( 3 ) since at least one partition wall is provided in the compartment through which the acid reduced water obtained through the electrolysis and the ion exchange passes such that a flow direction of the acid reduced water can be changed , the staying time in which the acid reduced water remains in the compartment is extended , and thus it is possible to increase an ion separation effect and to obtain the acid water having the high purity . ( 4 ) by providing the acid water in which the acid reduced water and the acid oxidized water obtained by the electrolytic action and the deaeration action are mixed , it is possible to obtain an ion effect due to the hydrogen ions and also to obtain the acid water further containing the components such as the ozone and the oxygenated water generated by the reaction of the oxygen and the hydrogen in addition to the hydrogen ions and the hydroxyl ions . ( 5 ) since the present invention uses the ion exchange membranes instead of an ion exchange resin , the problem of deterioration of durability thereof does not occur unlike the existing ion exchange membranes , and thus a lifespan thereof extends . ( 6 ) according to the present invention , the pure water ( ro ) or the deionized water ( di ) having the low conductivity as well as the tap water containing a large amount of foreign substances and thus having the high conductivity can be used as the raw material water used in the electrolytic process . ( 7 ) the acid water obtained through the present invention can be used as drinking water , cleaning water for removing organic materials and particles from a semiconductor wafer , a wafer carrier , an lcd glass , an optical lens and an oled , or antistatic water . ( 8 ) according to the present invention , as the raw material water flows between the electrodes installed to be spaced the predetermined distance from each other , the reaction occurs at the surface of each electrode , and thus acid water with a high density can be obtained . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the above - described exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover all such modifications provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents .	2
phosphorus - containing reactants used in the process of the invention are preferably phosphorus trihalides and / or phosphorus oxyhalides , especially phosphorus trichloride and / or phosphorus oxychloride , and they are reacted , individually or in a mixture with one another , with the alkylene oxides . examples of alkylene oxides are ethylene oxide , propylene oxide , styrene oxide , cyclohexene oxide , cyclopentene oxide , glycidyl ethers , epichlorohydrin , epoxidized polybutadiene , and epoxidized unsaturated oils . the alkylene oxides may also be used in a mixture with one another with the phosphorus trihalides and / or phosphorus oxyhalides . in this way it is possible to obtain phosphorus - containing alkoxylation products such as , for example , tri ( chloropropyl ) phosphate ( tcpp ), tri ( chloroethyl ) phosphate ( tcep ), tri ( chloropropyl ) phosphite or tri ( chloroethyl ) phosphite . in one particularly preferred embodiment propylene oxide and / or ethylene oxide are used as alkylene oxide . as alumina - containing heterogeneous catalysts it is preferred to use compounds of the general formula ( i ) b is a metal or nonmetal from the group li , na , k , mg , ca , sr , ba , sc , y , ln , ti , zr , hf , v , nb , ta , cr , mo , w , b , ga , in , si , ge , sn , pb , p , as , sb , and bi , b is the valence of the metal or nonmetal b and is an integer between 1 and 6 , l , n , and m are numerical variables selectable independently from the numbers 0 . 0001 to 4 . 0000 , so that : examples of ( mixed ) metal oxides can be oxides of the elements of the transition group of the periodic table of the elements , or oxides of the metals from groups 13 - 15 of the periodic table of the elements . in this context , the term “ periodic table of the elements ” is understood below to be that according to iupac ( nomenclature of inorganic chemistry 1989 ). particular preference is given to the ( mixed ) metal oxides of groups 3 - 6 , 13 , and 14 of the periodic table of the elements . with particular preference b stands for ions of the element group na , k , mg , ca , sc , y , ti , zr , w , si , and sn , the other variables being as defined above . with very particular preference in accordance with the invention al 2 o 3 is used in the process of the invention . in accordance with the invention it is , however , also possible to use what are called alumina - containing mixed oxides as heterogeneous catalysts . sio 2 * al 2 o 3 , sno 2 * al 2 o 3 , tio 2 * al 2 o 3 , zro 2 * al 2 o 3 , wo 3 * al 2 o 3 , sc 2 o 3 * al 2 o 3 * y 2 o 3 al 2 o 3 , na 2 o * al 2 o 3 , k 2 o * al 2 o 3 , mgo * al 2 o 3 , and cao * al 2 o 3 . the mixed oxides here are to be interpreted not only as stoichiometric combinations but also as combinations of nonstoichiometric compositions . this is intended to be expressed by the symbol “*”. in particular , combinations of metal oxides of one and the same element in different oxidation states are among those which may find use . the heterogeneous catalysts employed are then composed , accordingly , of mixed metal oxides or metal nonmetal oxides , and may additionally have been modified by means of further chemical operations . examples of such modifications include sulfating , hydrating or calcining . for application as heterogeneous catalysts in the preparation of alkoxylated , phosphorus - containing compounds it is possible on the one hand for them to be physically prepared mixtures of alumina - containing metal oxides , such as by trituration or grinding , for example . also possible , on the other hand , is the use of heterogeneous , alumina - containing catalysts obtained by means of sol / gel processes . the heterogeneous alumina - containing catalysts are notable preferably for extensive insolubility in the reaction medium , and they can be removed from the reaction medium by simple , nonaqueous methods — for example , by simple filtration methods , or by utilizing centrifugal forces . the process of the invention for preparing phosphorus - containing alkoxylation products by means of alumina - containing heterogeneous catalysts can be carried out either continuously or batchwise . where the process is carried out batchwise it comprises adding the heterogeneous alumina - containing catalyst prior to the reaction of phosphorus trihalide and / or phosphorus oxyhalide with alkylene oxides , in two or more portions before or during the reaction . the reaction takes place at temperatures of 0 to 100 ° c . the reaction temperatures are situated preferably between 50 and 80 ° c . the reaction takes place at atmospheric pressure or under a slight overpressure of up to 1 mpa . the phosphorus trihalide and / or phosphorus oxyhalide is charged to the reaction vessel and , following the addition of catalyst , the alkylene oxide is metered in continuously . the reaction medium can be diluted by adding phosphorus - containing alkoxylation products with one of the reactants or separately therefrom . after the end of the metering of alkylene oxide an after - reaction phase is added on , at temperatures of 60 to 130 ° c ., and , finally , volatile impurities are removed by vacuum distillation and / or nitrogen stripping at temperatures of 90 to 150 ° c . and pressures of up to & lt ; 0 . 05 mpa . volatile constituents are removed preferably at 130 ° c . and 40 mbar . no aftertreatment of the catalyst is necessary . in batch preparation processes of alkoxylated , phosphorus - containing compounds the alumina - containing catalysts are employed in an amount of 0 . 02 % to 10 % by weight , based on the phosphorus compound employed , and are added to the phosphorus - containing reactant . alternatively , in a continuous operation , the synthesis of alkoxylated , phosphorus - containing compounds can be operated using heterogeneous alumina - containing catalysts , in which case fluid bed reactors or tube reactors , for example , are employed . in this case the heterogeneous alumina - containing catalyst is the stationary phase and the reaction medium is the mobile phase . the reaction conditions are similar to those already described above in relation to the batchwise procedure . 6 g of al 2 o 3 are weighed out together with pocl 3 ( 76 . 8 g , 0 . 5 mol ) into a flask and left to stand under reduced pressure overnight . the amount of pocl 3 is then ascertained and supplemented . subsequently trichloropropyl phosphate ( tcpp ) ( 100 g , 0 . 3 mol ) is added and propylene oxide ( 102 g , 1 . 75 mol ) is metered in over the course of 4 h . this is followed by stirring at 45 ° c . for 2 h . yield of tcpp prepared : 158 g , 96 % of theory , based on pocl 3 . general operating instructions : 5 g of pocl 3 are introduced and the catalyst ( 1 g ) is added . the mixture is then heated to 50 ° c . and by means of a telab pump model bf 411 / 30 ( pump setting hub [ stroke ]= 30 , delivery = 50 % = about 0 . 5 ml / min ) a mixture of 11 . 7 g ( 7 ml ) of pocl 3 and 20 . 9 g ( 25 . 1 ml ) of propylene oxide is added dropwise . the temperature is maintained between 40 and 50 ° c . ( 60 and 70 ° c .) by means of a water bath . after the end of the addition ( gc / nmr ) there is a subsequent stirring time of 180 minutes at 50 ° c . ( 70 ° c .) with subsequent analysis by means of gc and 31p - nmr , determination of acid number , and determination of metal content by means of atomic absorption spectroscopy .	2
referring initially to fig1 and 5 of the drawings and particularly to fig5 the brooder feeding apparatus of this invention is generally illustrated by reference numeral 1 . the brooder feeding apparatus 1 is further characterized by an elongated feed tube 27 , provided with a hopper trough 11 at one end thereof and a control box 43 at the opposite end , as illustrated in fig5 . as detailed in fig1 and 5 , the hopper trough 11 is further characterized by parallel trough ends 12 connected by parallel trough sides 13 , which trough ends 12 and trough sides 13 taper to define a trough bottom 12a . the trough bottom 12a is closed by a bottom cap 12b , as illustrated in fig1 and a solenoid valve - operated air cylinder 63 is attached to the bottom cap 12b , for purposes which will be hereinafter described . a harness 22 is attached to the four corners of the trough ends 12 and the trough sides 13 , in order to raise the hopper trough 11 and the feed tube 27 , as further hereinafter described . the feed tube 27 is attached to one of the trough sides 12 of the feed hopper 10 and one end of an auger 31 , having an auger shaft 18 , projects from the tube bore 28 of the feed tube 27 and through the trough end 12 to a hopper bearing 18a , located in the opposite trough bottom 12a , as illustrated in fig1 . accordingly , it will be appreciated that the auger 31 is exposed to the feed 35 and is rotatably disposed within the hopper trough 11 and inside the feed tube 27 , in order to cause the feed 35 to flow through the tube bore 28 of the feed tube 27 responsive to rotation of the auger 31 , as hereinafter further described . as further illustrated in fig2 and 8 - 12 of the drawings , a portion of the feed 35 which is introduced into the tube bore 28 of the feed tube 27 traverses the entire length of the feed tube 27 and is ultimately delivered to the control box 43 . referring now to fig2 and 8 , this quantity of feed 35 is expelled from the tube bore 28 of the feed tube 27 downwardly into the control box feed chamber 61 , having a chamber taper 61a , where it is first accumulated and then delivered to the end one of the brooder pans 42 , as illustrated in fig5 . the control box 43 is further characterized by a box end 48 , box sides 45 , which span a hinged box top 44 and a box bottom 46 , which closes the top of the control box 43 to the point where the control box feed chamber 61 extends downwardly from the control box 43 , as illustrated in fig2 . the chamber sides 61b and chamber taper 61a define the bottom of the control box 43 and a length of bearing tubing 57 is welded or otherwise secured to a bearing tubing plate 57a , which is bolted or otherwise removably secured to the outside one of the chamber sides 61b in the control box 43 , in order to dispose the greater portion of the bearing tubing 57 inside the control box feed chamber 61 . a pair of bearings 58 are provided in each end of the bearing tubing 57 , one of which bearings 58 supports the extending end of the pulley shaft 17a and the other of which supports the rear internal end of the pulley shaft 17a . the extending end of the feed tube 27 projects through an auger sleeve 60 , mounted in the box end 48 of the control box 43 and the corresponding end of the auger 31 is attached to the internally - located end of the pulley shaft 17a by means of a shaft mount bracket 59 , as illustrated in fig2 and 8 . as further illustrated in fig9 and 11 of the drawings , the bearing tubing 57 projects through a tubing opening 56b located in the mount plate 56 , which is attached to the chamber sides 61b of the control box 43 , by means of plate mount bolts 56a and cooperating mount nuts 51 , as illustrated in fig8 . the mount plate 56 extends downwardly through the control box feed chamber 61 in fixed relationship , parallel to the box end 48 of the control box 43 . the bearing tubing 57 also projects through a generally elliptically - shaped swing plate slot 50b , located in a swing plate 50 , which is pivotally carried by the mount plate 56 in swinging relationship , as further illustrated in fig2 . referring to fig1 and 12 of the drawings , in a preferred embodiment the swing plate 50 is fitted with a curved swing plate tab 50a , which is adapted to engage the top edge 56c of the mount plate 56 , in order to facilitate mounting of the swing plate 50 in swinging relationship on the mount plate 56 between the mount plate 56 and the chamber side 61b of the control box feed chamber 61 which receives the bearing tubing plate 57a , as illustrated in fig2 . a microswitch 49 is secured to the same chamber side 61b of the control box feed chamber 61 by means of a wing bolt 38 and is fitted with a sensing button 49a disposed in close proximity to the swing plate 50 , in order to facilitate activation of the microswitch 49 when the swing plate 50 swings toward the microswitch 49 responsive to the pressure of feed 35 emptying from the auger sleeve 60 into the control box feed chamber 61 , as hereinafter further described . a motor 14 , having a projecting motor shaft 16 , is bolted to the box top 44 as illustrated in fig2 . furthermore , in a most preferred embodiment of the invention , the box top 44 is hinged to the end of the control box 43 by means of a hinge 44a and is further characterized by a pair of latches 44b , each of which includes a latch bracket 44c , secured to the opposite end 48 of the control box 43 and a latch bolt 44d secured by a latch nut 44e when fitted in a slot ( not illustrated ) provided in the box top 44 , in order to maintain the box top 44 in closed configuration and the motor 14 in operational mode , as illustrated in fig2 . a motor pulley 15 is keyed to the projecting end of the motor shaft 16 of the motor 14 and is provided in alignment with a control box pulley 17 mounted on the pulley shaft 17a which projects through the bearings 58 of the bearing tubing 57 . a belt 26 , illustrated in section in fig2 connects the motor pulley 15 and the control box pulley 17 , in order to facilitate rotational operation of the auger 31 in the tube bore 28 of the feed tube 27 , as hereinafter further described . accordingly , referring again to fig5 of the drawings , it will be appreciated that when the auger 31 is rotating inside the feed tube 27 responsive to operation of the motor 14 , some of the feed 35 located in the hopper trough 11 of the feed hopper 10 is caused to traverse the length of the feed tube 27 and ultimately spill from the extending end of the feed tube 27 into the control box feed chamber 61 , as illustrated in fig2 . referring now to fig2 and 5 - 7 of the drawings , a portion of the feed 35 which moves through the tube bore 28 of the feed tube 27 by operation of the auger 31 is also distributed to and accumulated in the various line drop tubes 76 , which are disposed in spaced relationship on the feed tube 27 , as illustrated in fig5 . these line drop tubes 76 are each attached to the feed tube 27 by means of a drop tube cap 77 , which is bolted to the companion line drop tube 76 by means of cap bolts 78 , as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . an opening ( not illustrated ) provided in the feed tube 27 at each of the line drop tubes 76 allows a quantity of feed 35 to flow from the tube bore 28 into each of the line drop tubes 76 . each of the line drop tubes 76 is generally tubular - shaped , with a downwardly - extending , circular , tapered throat 62 provided at the bottom thereof and a round tube opening 64 defined by the extending end of the tapered throat 62 , as further illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a cable pin 67 projects through a diameter of each of the line drop tubes 76 and is removably secured in the line drop tube 76 by means of a cotter pin 79 , which projects through a hole in the extending end of the cable pin 67 . a cable pin sleeve 67a may be rotatably positioned on the cable pin 67 . one end of a valve control cable 68 is secured to the control cable eye 68a extending from the air cylinder 63 , which is mounted to the bottom cap 12b of the hopper trough 11 and the opposite end of the valve control cable 68 extends through an opening in the control box feed chamber 61 , as illustrated in fig1 and 2 . this latter end of the valve control cable 68 projects around a cable pin sleeve 67a , rotatably mounted on the cable pin 67 and is secured to a valve eye 66 , which supports a cone - shaped feed control valve 65 , positioned in the round tube opening 64 of the control box feed chamber 61 . a spring 74 is provided in the valve control cable 68 and a mount arm 69 extends downwardly from fixed attachment to the valve control cable 68 , as further illustrated in fig2 . a short mount cable 70 is stretched between the mount arm 69 and a mount cable eye 71 , which is secured to the control box feed chamber 61 and a mount cable spring 72 is provided in the mount cable 70 , in order to facilitate controlled opening of the tube opening 64 by operation of the cone - shaped feed control valve 65 when spring tension is applied to the valve control cable 68 , as hereinafter further described . referring again to fig6 and 7 of the drawings , the valve control cable 68 extends beneath the feed tube 27 along the entire length thereof and individual valve cables 73 project from fixed attachment to the valve control cable 68 through openings ( not illustrated ) in the walls of the respective line drop tubes 76 and around the respective cable pin sleeves 67a of the cable pins 67 , to companion cone - shaped feed control valves 65 , which are disposed in the round tube openings 64 , respectively . a valve cable spring 74 is provided in each of the valve cables 73 near the point of attachment of each valve cable 73 with the cooperating valve control cable 68 , in order to facilitate smooth opening of the tube openings 64 by applying tension to the valve control cable 68 and adjusting the position of each feed control valve 65 in the companion tube openings 64 , respectively , as hereinafter further described . referring again to fig1 , 5 and 6 of the drawings , in operation , the air cylinder 63 illustrated in fig1 is energized by a solenoid valve ( not illustrated ) and can be either manually operated or operated by means of a timer to initially apply tension to the valve control cable 68 in closed configuration and facilitate retraction of the cone - shaped feed control valves 65 into the respective tube openings 64 in the line drop tubes 76 and the control box feed chamber 61 . at the same time , the motor 14 is energized by appropriate wiring ( not illustrated ), to effect rotation of the auger 31 in the tube bore 28 of the feed tube 27 , and cause the feed 35 to be transferred from the hopper trough 11 through the feed tube 27 and into the respective line drop tubes 76 and finally , into the control box feed chamber 61 . the feed 35 then spills through the respective tube openings 64 to fill the respective line drop tubes 76 and the control box feed chamber 61 . when the feed accumulates inside the control box feed chamber 61 , this accumulation causes the swing plate 50 to swing rearwardly in the direction of the arrow , as illustrated in fig2 and touch the sensing button 49a in the microswitch 49 . the microswitch 49 is electrically connected to the motor 14 and causes the motor 14 to stop operating . the timer continues to operate for a selected period of time which is greater than the time necessary to fill the line drop tubes 76 and control box feed chamber 61 . the timer then deenergizes the air cylinder 63 by appropriate wiring ( not illustrated ) to allow the valve cable springs 74 and the mount cable spring 72 to tension the valve control cable 68 , thereby applying tension to the respective valve cables 73 and extending the respective feed control valves 65 from the tube openings 64 of the line drop tubes 76 and the control box feed chamber 61 , respectively , and opening the respective tube openings 64 . this action prevents allows the feed 35 to flow through the tube openings 64 into the brooder pans 42 . referring now to fig3 and 4 of the drawings , in a most preferred embodiment of the invention the brooder feeding apparatus 1 of this invention is set up along with a companion brooder feeding apparatus 1 in the centrally - located brooder area 2 of a poultry house 3 , as illustrated in fig4 . the poultry house 3 is characterized by sides 4 , a front 5 , a rear 6 and the ground level 7 is illustrated in fig4 . furthermore , multiple brooders 9 are provided between the brooder feeding apparatus 1 for hatching baby poultry , such as baby chicks . each of the brooder feeding apparatus 1 is characterized by a feed hopper 10 , having a hopper trough 11 located at one end thereof and a control box 43 at the other end , which hopper trough 11 and control box 43 are connected by a feed tube 27 , as illustrated in fig3 . as further illustrated in fig4 in a most preferred embodiment of the invention , a pulley cover 15a is removably disposed over the motor pulley 15 by means of cover bolts 15b and the control box 17 illustrated in fig2 in order to minimize danger from the rotating belt 26 . furthermore , support cables 23 are extended around the feed tube 27 in spaced relationship and one of the support cables 23 is secured to the pulley cover 15a by means of the cover eye bolts 15c , while a companion harness 22 and support cable 23 is attached to the hopper trough 11 of the feed hopper 10 , in order to effect lifting of the entire brooder feeding apparatus 1 to a selected distance above the ground level 7 . this facility is necessary in order to periodically clean the poultry house 3 and to remove the brooder feeding apparatus 1 from the brooder area 2 when the chicks are sufficiently large to feed from feeding systems located elsewhere in the poultry house 3 . while the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above , it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention .	0
the invention may be used to monitor blood flow in any segment of tissue , however the following description refers to monitoring thoracic cardiovascular activity in order to provide a complete description of the new apparatus and method . a continuous cardiac output monitor according to the invention uses an array of spot electrodes on the patient as shown in fig1 . in a typical application , a pair of upper sensing electrodes 10 and 12 are attached to the patient &# 39 ; s neck on opposite sides thereof at the intersections of the line encircling the root of the neck with the frontal plane . a pair of upper current injecting electrodes 14 and 16 are attached to the patient &# 39 ; s neck approximately 3 to 5 centimeters above the upper sensing electrodes 10 and 12 , respectively . a pair of lower thoracic anterior sensing electrodes 18 and 20 are placed at the intercostal space at each midclavicular line at the xiphoid process level . a pair of posterior sensing electrodes 22 and 24 shown in fig1 b are placed at the same level as the anterior sensing electrodes 18 and 20 at the intercostal space at the midscapular line . referring again to fig1 a , a pair of lower current injecting electrodes 26 and 28 are located approximately 4 to 6 centimeters below the lower thoracic anterior sensing electrodes 18 and 20 , respectively . referring again to fig1 b , a pair of lower injecting electrodes 30 and 32 are attached to the patient approximately 4 to 6 centimeters below the posterior sensing electrodes 22 and 24 . all of the electrodes 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 , and 32 are preferably spot electrodes which have been pregelled . referring to fig1 a , 1b , and 2 , a conductor 34 connects the upper injection electrodes to a current source 36 , which preferably produces a high - frequency , constant amplitude current output . a conductor 38 connects both the anterior lower injection electrodes 26 and 28 and the posterior lower injection electrodes 30 and 32 to the current source 36 . the frequency of the output of the current source 36 should be high enough to preclude any interference with proper functioning of the electrical systems within the human body . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the current source 36 outputs a signal having an effective value of approximately 2 . 5 ma and a frequency of 70 khz . a current source suitable for practicing the present invention is described in applicant &# 39 ; s u . s . patent application entitled constant magnitude , high - frequency current source , ser . no . 06 / 393371 , filed june 26 , 1982 . a conductor 40 connects the upper sensing electrodes 10 and 12 to a detector circuit 42 . a conductor 44 connects the lower thoracic anterior sensing electrodes 18 and 20 and the posterior sensing electrodes 22 and 24 to the detector circuit 42 . a noninvasive continuous cardiac output monitor according to the invention utilizes a modified systolic upstroke equation ## equ3 ## to calculate the stroke volume . v ept is the physical volume of electrically participating thoracic tissue in milliliters , and the other variables in the equation are the same as those defined in connection with kubicek &# 39 ; s systolic upstroke equation discussed hereinabove . the volume of electrically participating tissue is a function of the thoracic volume , which approximates that of a cyliner ## equ4 ## where c is the thoracic circumference ; l is the average of the lines l a and l p , shown in fig1 a and 1b respectively and which are distances between the lines through the center of the upper sensing electrodes 10 and 12 and the lower sensing electrodes 18 and 20 and 22 and 24 ; and k is a ratio constant approximately in the range 2 . 6 to 2 . 8 for a typical c / l ratio of about 3 for which the equation reduces to ## equ5 ## referring to fig3 the graph illustrates typical variations in thoracic impedance due to respiratory and cardiovascular activity as a function of time . the average of the thoracic impedance is z o . the variation of thoracic impedance due to respiratory activity is δz resp ; and δz indicates variations of z due to cardiovascular activity . as the graph of fig3 indicates , δz resp is much greater than δz while the frequency of δz is about four times the frequency of z resp . the output signal , of the detector circuit 42 represents the thoracic impedance as a function of time . the circuitry of fig2 processes the thoracic impedance signal to obtain values for use in the modified systolic upstroke equation to monitor cardiovascular activity on a continuous basis . the suppression of the effects of ventilation is depicted in fig5 . fig5 shows the actual waveform of the first derivative of the impedance signal , including the effects of ventilation , as the signal emerges from the output terminal of the differentiation 48 ( fig2 ). the signal shown in fig5 is supplied to the analog to digital ( a / d ) converter of the microprocessor 54 . the microprocessor 54 measures the maximum positive value of the dz / dt waveform ( δz / sec , fig4 c ) at the time t1 ( fig4 f ), provided to the microprocessor 54 from the digital image ( fig4 f ) of the second derivative ot he impedance signal ( fig4 e ) for every heartbeat . referring to fig5 the microprocessor 54 will determine in four consecutive heartbeats the following δz / sec magnitudes : applying the sliding arithmetic average of the last four heartbeats , the microprocessor 54 will calculate the average value of δz / sec . sub . ( aver ), which then enters the calculation of stroke volume . ## equ6 ## a comparator 50 receives the signal dz / dt output from the differentiator 48 and functions as a zero - crossing detector to provide a constant logic one output voltage when the signal dz / dt is positive and a logic zero output when the signal dz / dt is negative . thus , the comparator 50 produces in response to dz / dt a digital signal which is high when dz / dt is positive and low when dz / dt is negative . fig4 d is a graph of the digital representation of dz / dt . the clock for the apparatus is determined in the clock circuit 52 , the output of which is shown in fig4 g , and which is obtained in the digital form from the dz / dt waveform ( fig4 c ) when the waveform crosses the positive d . c . threshhold . referring to fig2 and 4a , an electrocardiogram signal indicates the initiation of the systolic portion of a heartbeat , which determines the zero reference point for the time lines in fig4 a - 4f . referring to fig4 c , the ventricular ejection time t used in the calculation of the cardiac output is the time between the beginning of systolic contraction ( time t 0 ) to the closure of the aortic valve ( time t 2 ). the time t 2 corresponds to the first negative minimum of dz / dt waveform . obviously , the functions of the differentiator 48 , the comparator 50 , the clock 52 , the differentiator 56 , and the comparator 58 could be performed by software within the microprocessor 54 . a second differentiator 56 receives the output of the differentiator 48 and produces an output signal , shown in fig4 e , which represents the second derivative , d 2 z / dt 2 , of the pulsatile thoracic impedance . a comparator 58 connected to the differentiator 56 digitizes d 2 z / dt 2 in a manner similar to that in which the comparator 50 digitizes the dz / dt signal . the output of the comparator 58 is a digital signal which is high when d 2 z / dt 2 is positive and low when d 2 z / dt 2 is negative . the digital representation of the second derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance function is shown in fig4 f . the modified systolic upstroke equation used to calculate cardiac output utilizes the maximum value of the first derivative of the pulsatile impedance signal to calculate the stroke volume for each heartbeat . as shown in fig4 c , the absolute maximum value of the first derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance is the first maximum which occurs after initiation of the systolic portion of the heartbeat . referring to fig4 e , the second derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance has a negative - going zero - crossing at the time at which the first derivative exhibits the absolute maximum value . in fig4 f , the first negative - going pulse edge in the digital representation of the second derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance occurs at the time at which the first derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance exhibits the maximum value . therefore , the microprocessor is programmed to read the value of the first derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance at the occurrence of the first negative - going pulse edge after initiation of the systolic portion of each heartbeat . thus , the signals input to the microprocessor 54 are the thoracic impedance from the detector circuit 42 ; the first derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance from the differentiator 48 ; the time interval between the first two positive going zero - crossings of the first derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance , which is the ventricular ejection time , from the comparator 50 ; and the digital representation of the second derivative of the pulsatile thoracic impedance . the microprocessor 54 has included therein analog to digital converters to enable the microprocessor 54 to process the analog signals from the detector circuit 42 and the differentiator 48 . a thumb wheel switch 60 permits entry of the value of l needed to determine the volume of the electrically participating tissue . a display 62 , which may be a digital readout display or a digital printer , provides means for an operator to read values of the various cardiac output parameters for which the microprocessor is programmed to compute . typical values for cardiac parameters output by the display 62 are z o = 31 ohms , t = 0 . 39 sec , δz / sec = 0 . 99 ohm / sec , sv = 74 ml , heart rate , hr = 69 / min . and cardiac output = 5 . 1 liters / min . although the invention is described with reference to a specific preferred embodiment , modifications within the scope of the invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art . therefore , the true scope of the invention is understood to be determined by the appended claims .	0
fig4 shows a schematic illustration of an antenna arrangement 1 with a reflector or reflector plate 3 . the reflector 3 can be provided with a reflector boundary 3 ′, preferably on its two opposite longitudinal sides 5 , which reflector boundary 3 ′ may , for example , be aligned at right angles to the plane of the reflector plate 3 or else at an obliquely running angle , which is not a right angle . two or more dipoles or antenna elements which are similar to dipoles are normally arranged offset in the vertical direction on one such reflector plate 3 . the antenna element or the antenna element arrangements 7 may comprise single - band antenna elements , dual - band antenna elements , triple - band antenna elements or the like . with the modern generation of antennas , dual - band antenna elements or even triple - band antenna elements are preferably used , which can also transmit and / or receive in two mutually orthogonal polarizations and which in this case are preferably aligned at angles of ± 45 ° to the horizontal or vertical . in this case , reference is made in particular to the prior publications de 197 22 742 a and de 196 27 015 a , which illustrate and describe different antenna with widely differing antenna element arrangements . all of these antenna elements as well as further modified forms may be used for the purposes of exemplary illustrative non - limiting implementations . it is thus also possible to use antenna elements with a real dipole structure , in the form of a cruciform dipole , a dipole square or in the form of a so - called vector dipole , as is known by way of example from wo 00 / 39894 . all of these antenna element types and modified forms are included in the content of this application by reference to the prior publications cited above . fig1 to 3 show a first exemplary illustrative non - limiting antenna element arrangement 11 , on a reflector 3 illustrated in different forms in relatively great detail . in this case , fundamentally , the antenna element arrangement 11 is of the same configuration as that which is known from wo 00 / 39894 , and which is described in detail in this prior publication . reference is therefore made to the full scope of the disclosure content of said publication , which is included in the content of this application . from this , it is known for the antenna element arrangement 11 as illustrated schematically in the form of a plan view in the exemplary illustrative non - limiting arrangements in fig1 to 4 to be in the form of a dipole square , but to transmit and receive in the same way as a cruciform dipole , from the electrical point of view , by virtue of the specific configuration . fig4 in this case shows the two polarization directions 12 a and 12 b for an antenna element arrangement 11 , with these two polarization directions being at right angles to one another and being formed by the diagonal , by means of the antenna element arrangement 11 which effectively is in the form of a square when seen in a plan view . the structures which are , in each case , inverted through 180 ° with respect to one another in the antenna element arrangement 11 to this extent act as dipole arms of two dipoles arranged in a cruciform shape . an antenna element 11 in the form of a dipole formed in this way is held and mounted on the reflector 3 via the associated balancing device 15 . the dipole halves 13 and the balancing device 15 are in this case composed of an electrically conductive material , generally metal or a metal alloy . in order now to ensure capacitive coupling on the reflector plate 3 , that is to say to provide an electrical connection without any physical contact , a cap 17 is provided which is composed of non - conductive material , for example a plastic , a dielectric , etc . the associated cap section 15 ′ of the balancing device 15 is fixed and held via this cap 17 . the cap 17 is now in turn anchored in a recess 19 ( fig5 ) in the reflector plate 3 . this may , for example , be done in such a way that the cap 17 has , in particular , radially protruding projections 17 ′, that is to say projections 17 ′ which protrude at the sides , as well as set - back sections 17 ″ so that this shape allows the cap to be inserted into a correspondingly shaped recess 19 in the reflector plate . after being inserted , the entire arrangement may , for example , be rotated through an angle of about 30 ° or 45 °, until the final adjustment position is reached , which ensures that the cap 17 is held securely , preferably by means of a force fit , with respect to the recess 19 , with the projections which protrude radially on the rear face or lower face of the reflector 3 engaging under the corresponding material sections of the reflector while , in contrast , other projections 17 ′ which are located at the top engage over parts of the reflector plate from above , that is to say in this way securely fixing the antenna element arrangement 11 . if necessary , additional fixing means may be used , including interlocking fixing means , in order to ensure that the antenna element arrangement is held securely . finally , screws can even additionally be screwed in through the plastic cap , for example also passing through the reflector plate in a further separate hole , but these are not electrically conductively connected to the antenna element arrangement of the balancing device . since the cap is composed of plastic the balancing device and the antenna element arrangement 11 overall are separated and isolated from the electrically conductive reflector or reflector plate 3 by means of the cap , this results in capacitive coupling . as an alternative to the explained exemplary arrangement , a board structure 3 ′ or some other substrate 3 ′ can also be provided instead of the reflector plate 3 , provided that it is nonconductive or is non - conductive at least in the anchoring area of the cap or of the antenna element . this is shown in a schematic cross - sectional illustration , in the form of an extract , in fig6 . conductive structures on the lower face of the board , particularly large - area conductive structures 31 on the board in order to produce a reflector or metallization similar to a reflector , can be provided on the upper face or on the lower face of the substrate or of the board 3 ′, but in this case should not extend as far as the attachment area of the balancing device of an antenna element 7 or of an antenna element arrangement 11 . there is therefore no need for any electrically non - conductive cap in this situation . the antenna element with its antenna element structure can be fitted and anchored directly on the non - conductive substrate or on the non - conductive board structure . the substrate can , in this case , preferably be formed from a board on whose rear face the electrically conductive matching structures are formed , without this resulting in any conductive coupling to the balancing device . a modified form is likewise possible in which the entire antenna element including the balancing device is likewise once again composed of an electrically conductive material , with the cap section 15 ′ of the antenna element arrangement in this exemplary illustrative non - limiting implementation being coated with an electrically non - conductive material , plastic or a dielectric , and being fixed to the reflector plate via this coating . this also ensures a capacitive link to the reflector plate , that is to say an electrically non - conductive link with no physical contact . conversely , however , the antenna element arrangement or at least the balancing device overall , or essential parts of it , may be formed from non - conductive material which is then coated with a conductive structure , in particular a metallizing layer . only those anchoring sections by means of which the antenna element 11 which is formed in this way is , for example , mounted on a conductive reflector 3 are excluded from this metallically conductive surface structure , in order to avoid an electrically conductive connection . while the technology herein has been described in connection with exemplary illustrative non - limiting implementations , the invention is not to be limited by the disclosure . the invention is intended to be defined by the claims and to cover all corresponding and equivalent arrangements whether or not specifically disclosed herein .	7
the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings . in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be apparent , however , to one skilled in the art , that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention . in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , the procfs is partitioned into two distinct layers : a virtual procfs layer and a content - dependent layer . the virtual procfs layer is responsible for interacting with the applications in a substantially content - independent manner , i . e ., in a manner that it is substantially independent of the content , format , and file directory hierarchy of the files that reflect the internal kernel data structures within the various kernel subsystems . the content - dependent layer contains a plurality of content - dependent modules . each content - dependent module includes the file ( s ) which reflect the data in the internal kernel data structure of its associated kernel subsystem , as well as any necessary logic to access the internal kernel data structure to reflect the aforementioned data in the file ( s ). by performing file system - like operations on these files , the applications can monitor and / or control the operation of the kernel subsystems using the familiar file system paradigm . between the virtual procfs layer and the plurality of content - dependent modules in the content - dependent layer , there is provided a well - defined interface to allow any content - dependent module to register with the virtual procfs layer and to communicate therewith . except through the interface , there is no direct data coupling between the virtual procfs layer and the plurality of content - dependent modules . when a new content - dependent module is loaded into the system , the content - dependent module informs the virtual procfs layer of its name and its location to allow the virtual procfs layer to subsequently access the content - dependent module , and more specifically the content of the file ( s ) therein , in order to monitor and / or update the contents of the internal kernel data structures in the kernel subsystem of interest . in this manner , when a kernel subsystem needs to be updated or a new kernel subsystem needs to be introduced , its associated content - dependent module can be loaded into the system , registered with the virtual procfs layer , and the associated content - dependent module can begin to provide information pertaining to its associated internal kernel data structure to the requesting application without requiring changes to other parts of the procfs . furthermore , there is provided , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , a technique for allowing a content - dependent module to register itself even though its exact name as required by the calling application may be unknown until the time the content - dependent module is called by the application . in one embodiment , simple enumerations in the user / application view are represented in the virtual procfs layer view in accordance with an inventive naming convention for representing dynamic names . dynamic names registered at registration time are then dynamically generated into name instances when the modules are called by the applications . by allowing content - dependent modules to register themselves using dynamic names , there is advantageously no need to know in advance at registration time the file directory hierarchy and / or the exact names required by the application at execution time . this is important for transient tasks and processes that may come and go , and facilitates plug - and - play replacement and / or addition of content - dependent modules . the features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and discussions that follow . fig3 shows , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , a simplified architecture diagram of the procfs system in which the procfs has been partitioned into a virtual procfs layer and a content - dependent layer . user - application 302 accesses procfs 304 via a virtual file system 306 . a line 312 delineates the user space , which is above line 312 , from the kernel space of the operating system , which is drawn below line 312 . virtual file system 306 supports multiple individual file systems and contains the abstractions of the individual file systems so that the applications can make high - level calls ( such as read , write , seek , open , load , and the like ) without having to know the specifics of the individual file systems . exemplary file systems shown in fig3 include procfs 304 , nfs ( network file system ) 308 , ntfs ( windows nt file system ) 310 , and the like . thus , procfs is seen as another file system from the perspective of the applications . procfs 304 itself is further partitioned into a virtual procfs layer 320 and a content - dependent layer containing a plurality of content - dependent modules 322 , 324 and 326 . a common interface 328 allows any content - dependent module to load itself into procfs 304 , to register itself with virtual procfs layer 320 , and to render the contents of its file ( s ) accessible to application 302 in a substantially content - independent manner . [ 0034 ] fig4 shows in greater detail , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , a procfs arrangement in which the procfs has been partitioned into a virtual procfs layer and a content - dependent layer . in fig4 application 402 accesses the procfs through a virtual file system 404 . virtual procfs layer 406 of the procfs receives a request from application 402 via virtual file system 404 , which request may pertain to , for example , a request to monitor data within internal kernel data structures associated with kernel subsystems 410 , 412 , 414 or 416 . in the example of fig4 kernel subsystem 410 represents the file descriptor subsystem ; kernel subsystem 412 represents the scheduler subsystem ; kernel subsystem 414 represents the task / process subsystem ; and kernel subsystem 416 represents the virtual memory subsystem . within each kernel subsystem of fig4 there is shown an internal kernel data structure . internal kernel data structures 420 , 422 , 424 and 426 correspond to respective kernel subsystems 410 , 412 , 414 and 416 of fig4 . after receiving the request from application 402 , virtual procfs layer 406 consults a directory structure table 430 to ascertain the name of the content - dependent module responsible for providing the requested data . the name of the responsible content - dependent module is typically derived from the parameters given by application 402 . the lookup provides the name of the responsible content - dependent module , which is then employed by virtual procfs layer 406 to access the file or files associated with the content - dependent module . as mentioned , the contents of the file or files provided in the content - dependent module reflect ( s ) the data in the internal kernel data structure within the kernel subsystem of interest to the calling application . for example , if a lookup reveals that application 402 wishes to access information pertaining to kernel subsystem 410 , virtual procfs layer 406 would look up the name of content - dependent module 440 associated with kernel subsystem 410 and employs the content - dependent module 440 to provide the data contents of the file to allow application 402 to monitor the data in internal data kernel data structure 420 of kernel subsystem 410 . the details required to access internal kernel data structure 420 are encapsulated within content - dependent module 440 . that is , virtual procfs layer 406 is not required to know the details regarding the content and format of internal kernel data structure 420 to service the request by application 402 . furthermore , virtual procfs layer 406 does not need to know the exact directory hierarchy required for calling content - dependent module 440 since this information is encapsulated in directory structure table 430 . directory structure table 430 itself is maintained by the content - dependent modules and support module 462 . a similar arrangement exists with respect to kernel subsystems 412 and 416 in that each is associated with a content - dependent module ( 442 and 452 respectively ). there is shown associated with kernel subsystem 414 a plurality of content - dependent modules 444 , 446 , 448 and 450 . multiple content - dependent modules can be provided for a given kernel subsystem to provide different information to the virtual procfs layer . as shown in fig4 the communication between virtual procfs layer 406 , the various content - dependent modules , and support function 462 is accomplished via a common interface 460 . any content - dependent module written to conform to common interface 460 may be dynamically loaded into and removed from the procfs arrangement of fig4 without requiring changes to other parts of the procfs system . [ 0040 ] fig4 also shows a support module 462 . one of the main functions of support module 462 is to provide for the registration of content - dependent modules into directory structure table 430 , and the removal of the entries from directory structure table 430 when a given content - dependent module is unloaded . when the module is first initialized , either at system initialization or when the content - dependent module is dynamically loaded , the content - dependent module calls support module 462 to register itself with directory structure table 430 . among the information provided to directory structure table 430 are the name of the content - dependent module and the memory address of the content - dependent module so that the content - dependent module can be called upon by the virtual procfs layer 406 when virtual procfs layer 406 consults directory structure table 430 in response to a request by application 402 . support module 462 also performs other housekeeping functions , such as memory management , buffer management , tracking the content of the register states , and the like . because virtual procfs layer 406 is not required to know the details regarding the content or format of the internal kernel data structure within the kernel subsystems , and in fact is not required to know the exact directory hierarchy in directory structure table 430 , there is no need to change virtual procfs layer 406 when a kernel subsystem is updated or a new kernel subsystem is loaded . as long as the content - dependent module ( which encapsulates the details necessary to access the internal kernel data structure of the kernel subsystem of interest ) conforms to common interface 460 , neither virtual procfs layer 406 nor other content - dependent modules of the procfs system needs to be modified . since the processes or tasks are modeled as files , access to the content - dependent modules follows the file system paradigm and uses a combination of the directory hierarchy path name and file name in order to accomplish the file system - like calls . there are at least two types of entries in the process file system , static and dynamic . generally speaking , static entries are employed in those cases where the actual names are known at the time of registration . a static entry does not change until the entry is deleted . the static name shown by reference number 442 in fig4 is one such example . dynamic entries are those which come into existence when the application / user requests for them . examples include representation of processes as directories that are named after process id &# 39 ; s , representation of threads that are named after thread id &# 39 ; s , and the like . processes and threads are transient that come and go . accordingly , it is not possible to know in advance at registration time the number and names of processes or threads within a process in the system since they may change from one point in time to the next . to render the virtual procefs layer ( such as virtual procfs layer 406 of fig4 ) truly virtual and independent of the file organization associated with the content - dependent layer , it is important to be able to accommodate both static and dynamic entries . in the prior art monolithic model , there was no concept of separate content - independent and content dependent layers . the content / format and directory structure knowledge was built into the monolithic implementation . even for prior art implementations that support limited plug - ins , such as in the linux case , the plug - in modules only support static entries and do not support dynamic entries . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , an inventive technique is employed to allow a content - dependent module , whose exact name may not be known at the time of registration , to register itself with the directory structure table . one embodiment facilitates the creation of simple enumerations , which are then dynamically generated into name instances when the registered content - dependent modules are called by the application . the technique may use special naming conventions distinct from names used for static entries . in the examples that follow , the hash symbol (#) is employed although other unique symbol or combination of symbols may well be employed . in the exemplary directory structure table 430 , the hash (#) symbol is shown in the module names registered in boxes 469 a , 470 a , 472 a , 474 a , 476 a , 478 a and 482 a to denote that these are dynamic names . these names correspond to the content - dependent modules supporting the corresponding subsystems shown in column b of directory structure table 430 . an exemplary dynamic entry into directory structure table may relate to the name of the content - dependent module responsible for the identification of tasks existing in the system at any given point in time . thus , in exemplary fig4 the dynamic name in box 469 a (/#/ fd /#) represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by content - dependent module 441 associated with file descriptor subsystem 410 . the dynamic name in box 470 a (/#/ fd ) represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by content - dependent module 440 associated with file descriptor subsystem 410 . the dynamic name in box 472 a (/#) represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by the content - dependent module 444 associated with the task / process subsystem 414 . the dynamic name in box 474 a (/#/ cmd ) represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by content - dependent module 446 associated with task / process subsystem 414 . the dynamic name in box 476 a (/#/ lwp ) represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by the content - dependent module 448 associated with the task / process subsystem 414 . the dynamic name in box 478 a ( i #/ lwp /#) represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by the content - dependent module 450 associated with task / process subsystem 414 . the dynamic name associated with box 482 a (/#/ mem ) represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by content - dependent module 452 associated with virtual memory subsystem 416 . 48 in box 480 a , a static name is registered . in this case , the static name / sys / loadavg represents the name ( including the directory path name and the file name ) registered by content - dependent module 442 associated with scheduler subsystem 412 . since this name is known at the time it is registered with the directory structure table 430 , it is registered as a static name therein . as one example , suppose the application wants to read the file with the name / proc / 3 / fd / 2 . this name contains four indivisible components ( proc , 3 , fd , and 2 ). the virtual file system and virtual procfs layer perform lookups using these components . look up of the first component (“ proc ”) by the virtual file system 404 will indicate that further lookup operations should be performed by the virtual procfs layer 406 , which will eventually forward lookups to the content - dependent modules . within the virtual procfs layer , the name “ 3 / fd / 2 ” is represented three distinct entries in the directory structure table . these entries are shown in box 472 a , 470 a , and 469 a respectively . accordingly , the second component (“ 3 ”) will be handled by module 444 . the third component (“ fd ”) will be handled by module 440 , and the fourth component (“ 2 ”) will be handled by module 441 . [ 0049 ] fig5 a shows a virtual procfs layer view of an exemplary directory structure as registered by the content - dependent modules . fig5 b shows the application view of the same exemplary directory structure . in fig5 a , the name space is established at the time of registration , but many of the actual names ( including exact paths and exact module names ) are not known at registration time . for example , in the exemplary directory structure of fig5 a , the module name “ net ” 510 represents a static entry into the directory structure table since the name is known at the time of registration with the directory structure table . likewise , the module name “ mounts ” ( 512 ) represents another static entry into the directory structure table . however , the entry 514 is a dynamic entry , and more specifically a dynamic name for a directory . for every instance of subdirectory 514 ( represented by the #/), there is a file called “ map ” ( 520 ), a file name “ status ” ( 522 ) and a subdirectory “ fd /” ( 524 ). map 520 provides information pertaining to the memory map of the task / process . status 522 furnishes information pertaining to the status of a process . status can relate to , for example , how much time the task has been running , what is the status of the task , and the like . in the example of fig5 a , subdirectory “ fd /” relates to file descriptors and gives information pertaining to how many files have been opened . since the number of files opened during execution is not known at registration time , the exact names of the open files are represented by a dynamic entry , which is shown by reference number 526 . [ 0052 ] fig5 b shows the same view of fig5 a except that the view in fig5 b represents what the application sees at an arbitrary point in time during execution after the virtual procfs layer consults the directory structure table . note that fig5 b shows a snapshot of all the instances of dynamic entries , which is often not the case as the virtual procfs layer may consult and instantiate the names for only a subset of the entries in the directory structure table at any given point in time during execution . in fig5 b , the static entries 510 and 512 are as discussed in connection with fig5 a . there are three instances of dynamic subdirectory 514 , which are shown by reference numbers 550 , 552 and 554 of fig5 b . each instance of dynamic subdirectory 514 includes all the files / subdirectories under that subdirectory instance , which are shown in fig5 a by reference numbers 520 , 522 , 524 and 526 . thus , the dynamic directory instance 550 includes a map file 560 , a status file 562 , and a file descriptor subdirectory 564 containing file descriptor files of which there are x number of instances ( shown by reference numbers 566 , 568 and 570 ). the dynamic directory instance 55 w includes a map file 572 , a status file 574 , and a file descriptor subdirectory 576 containing file descriptor files of which there are y number of instances ( shown by reference numbers 578 , 580 and 582 ). the dynamic directory instance 554 includes a map file 584 , a status file 586 , and a file descriptor subdirectory 588 containing file descriptor files of which there are z number of instances ( shown by reference numbers 590 , 592 and 594 ). in this example , x , y , and z can be any arbitrary number of integers and although only three instances of the dynamic subdirectory 514 is shown in fig5 b , there may be any number of dynamic directory instances . also , the enumerations derived from the dynamic names do not need to be sequential at all points in time as instances are created and removed from time to time . note that in fig5 b , although there are three instances of the map files ( shown by reference numbers 560 , 572 and 584 ) for the three instances of the dynamic subdirectory 514 , the contents of each of these map files may be different because they are associated with different processes altogether . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , support module 462 also keeps track of the parent and grandparent of a particular content - dependent module so that the context can be known when the exact module name instances are dynamically generated . the tracking by support module 462 starts when the application opens a specific instance of the file . for example , the module supporting map when acting on instance 572 must be provided the information that it is within the context of process 2 ( reference number 552 ). the context information is created at the time the specific instance is opened , and employed for subsequent operations on that file until closed . it is believed that the linux process file system support the concept of a pseudo - virtual procfs layer , which supports static entries ( i . e ., the addition , deletion and / or modification thereof ) whose names are known at the time of registration . it also supports limited operation in the interface between the pseudo - virtual procfs layer and the content - dependent modules . however , the linux process file system does not support dynamic entries and dynamic hierarchies . this information must be built into the pseudo - virtual procfs layer of the linux process file system . also the operations handled through the interface between the pseudo - virtual procfs layer and the content - dependent modules of the linux process file system do not include name lookups and other control operations . these limitations mean that the linux process file system cannot support a fully decoupled procfs system , as disclosed herein , in which the virtual procfs layer can access the modules in an entirely content - independent manner and the content - specific information is encapsulated within the content - dependent modules . [ 0057 ] fig6 is a symbolic diagram showing that due to the partitioning of the procfs into the virtual procfs layer and the content - dependent layer , the use of the common interface , and the ability to allow content - dependent modules whose names may not be known at the time of registration to register and used by the procfs layer , it is possible for the isv supplied module 602 to be dynamically loaded into procfs 604 independently , the procfs management module 606 to be dynamically loaded into procfs 604 independently , and the virtual memory content - dependent module 608 to be dynamically loaded into procfs 604 independently . these dynamically loaded modules 602 , 606 and 608 , when written to conform with the requirement of the common interface 610 , can communicate with the virtual procfs layer 612 in a substantially data decoupled manner . a change in one of the kernel subsystems would require a corresponding change only in its associated content - dependent module without impacting either a virtual procfs layer 612 , other content - dependent modules , the remainder of the directory structure table , or the support module . it is not necessary for any single team to know the details regarding the content , format , and directory hierarchy associated with any other module other than the one which that team is responsible for . also , it is not required for any single team to coordinate the effort with other teams in order to come up with an updated procfs system . accordingly , any change to the procfs can be accomplished with minimal transaction cost and delay , enhancing customer satisfaction . the data coupling issue of the prior art is substantially eliminated by the use of the common interface and the virtual procfs layer , which does not require any knowledge of the details of the content and format of the various internal kernel data structures . thus , individual content - dependent modules associated with individual kernel subsystem can be updated and / or dynamically loaded into the procfs at any time and the dynamic scheme of name registration allows the modules to register without requiring any advance knowledge of the execution - time name . while this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments , there are alterations , permutations , and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention . for example , although the invention has been described in the context of a unix example , the inventive methods and apparatus also apply to other operating system environments , such as linux , windows , and the like . as another example , although the specific exemplary implementation discussed herein positions the virtual procfs layer and / or the content - dependent modules in the os kernel space , the invention also applies to situations where the virtual procfs layer and / or the content - dependent modules are implemented in the user / application space or in a combination thereof . as another example , although the specific embodiments discussed herein show a virtual file system layer , the use of such a virtual file system layer , such as virtual file system 404 of fig4 is not absolutely necessary to practice the invention herein . as a further example , although the use of a special symbol is employed to denote that an entry is a dynamic name , other techniques ( such as using a flag ) can also be used to signify that a particular entry is dynamic . it should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations , permutations , and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .	8
the present invention , in a preferred embodiment , provides a plastic component system for use in fencing , skirting , barricading and other applications . the present invention also provides a fencing system as well . a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below . it is to be expressly understood that this descriptive embodiment is provided for explanatory purposes only , and is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims . other embodiments of the present invention are considered to be within the scope of the claimed inventions , including not only those embodiments that would be within the scope of one skilled in the art , but also as encompassed in technology developed in the future . the descriptive embodiments provided herein describe a component system for use with fencing as well as other decorative applications . it is to be expressly understood that the components have application in many other uses beyond those described herein . a preferred embodiment of the components of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig1 . the structural rail picket 10 , shown in fig1 , is extruded in a size and shape to be used for a rail fence . it is to be expressly understood that other sizes and shapes of structural and / or decorative components may be used as well under the preferred embodiment of the present invention . the rail picket described herein is intended for descriptive purposes only . the rail picket 10 is approximately { fraction ( 3 / 4 )} inch thick and four to six inches wide and six feet tall . in this preferred embodiment , the picket rail 0 is extruded from a thermoplastic material . in this embodiment , the picket is extruded from polyethylene in a profile extrusion process . the use of polyethylene provides a component that is non - degradable and uv and color stable with exceptional cold weather characteristics . the component can be easily cleaned as well . there is little maintenance required once the component has been installed . the fencing system can be easily cleaned with soap and water . numerous color pigments can be utilized in creating different colors of polyethylene products . in this preferred embodiment , the component is extruded from color pigments in a simulated wood coloration , such as redwood , cedar or other popular wood fencing products . a unique feature of the preferred embodiment of the component is the texturing and coloring of the component . during the extrusion process , an agent is injected into the raw material to create a texturing effect on the surface of the picket or other component . the agent melts at a temperature different from the thermoplastic material in order to create the texture in the material . one type of agent that can be utilized is a blowing agent . blowing agents are normally used to create cellular structure in foam plastics . the blowing agent decomposes or decompresses by heating to create a gas inside the base material to build up a cellular structure . in this embodiment , the blowing agent is used with polyethylene instead to create the textured effect on the surface of the material . prior components having texturing are formed by embossing or otherwise mechanically treating the material to create the effect . the textured surface 12 on the component 10 provides a realistic impression of a wood material . an additional feature that further enhances the appearance of the component 10 is the color streaking in the surface as well . several streaks of color are provided in the surface of the component 10 to create an impression of wood grain , particularly in combination with the textured surface of the component as discussed above . the streaking in the surface is created in this preferred embodiment by injecting different coloring agents during the extrusion process . each of the coloring agents has a different melt and / or viscosity . as the extrusion process occurs , the agents move through the molten material at different rates at different times to create the streaking effect . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the picket or other building material component is able to be extruded having the above characteristics of streaking and texture by a novel profile extrusion process . a typical profile extrusion process is illustrated in fig3 . the plastic base material is fed through hopper 102 in system 100 into a heated extruder tube . a reciprocating screw 110 transports the base material through the heated tube so to melt the base material . the plasticized material is then fed into an extrusion die 104 to form the product . the present process uses a unique screw 120 , shown in fig4 , to feed the base material and the texturing and coloring agents in a controlled dispersed rate . normally the agents are fed into the system at the same rate and heated at the same rate as the base material . the unique screw of the present invention disperses and melts the agents at a different rate in order to achieve the texturing and color streaking of the present invention . the screw 120 includes different screw sections and different slopes of contact surfaces that control the rate of heating and dispersement of the agents . the preferred embodiment of the picket 10 also includes features to provide impact strength and sturdiness . as shown in fig2 , the picket 10 has a relatively hollow core 16 . a series of spaced ribs 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 extend longitudinally through the core 16 . these ribs create a rigid structure that not only minimizes compression of the surfaces of the picket 10 but also provides torsional stability . in use , the picket 10 is used for fencing , although it may be used in different forms for other uses , such as skirting , barricading , siding and other applications . as shown in fig5 , the pickets 10 are attached to rails 40 to form a section of fencing . it is to be expressly understood that other styles of fence could be created as well under the present inventive concept . the fencing section as shown in fig3 is intended for descriptive purposes only and not to limit the scope of the claimed invention . in the preferred embodiment illustrated in fig5 , the fencing section includes pickets 10 , rails 40 , 42 , 44 and posts 50 , 52 . the posts 50 , 52 are secured in bases 60 , 62 , such as concrete or other materials , that are mounted or formed in the ground . the posts 50 , 52 may be manufactured from polyethylene coated 16 gauge galvanized steel , or from wood or any other suitable material . post caps 54 are mounted over the tops of the posts 50 , 52 to prevent moisture from collecting inside the posts as well as for providing aesthetic appeal . the post caps are formed from a resilient u / v resistant plastic material to stretch over the post and secured by a bead of silicon adhesive . rails 40 , 42 , 44 are attached to the posts 50 , 52 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . these rails may be made from the above - described material , wood , or any other suitable material and construction . the polyethylene coated galvanized steel rails 40 , 42 , 44 include slots 46 stamped in the ends of the outer surface of the rails 40 , 42 , 44 . screws 70 ( shown in fig8 ) are secured through the inner surface of the rails to the posts 50 , 52 . the screws 70 in the preferred embodiment include self tapping threads 72 having a rubber washer 74 for sealing against the head 76 of the screw and the rail surface . rail caps 80 are secured over the ends of the rails 40 , 42 , 44 as shown in fig5 . the rail caps 80 are formed form a resilient plastic material so that they can be either pulled back or slit for clearance over the end of the rail to allow the screws 70 to attach the rails to the posts . the pickets 10 are attached to the rails 40 , 42 , 44 by screws 90 ( shown in fig9 ). the screws 90 have a self tapping thread 92 . the spacing of the rails is to be a maximum of 6 ″ above and below the top and bottom rail . the screws 70 and 90 are preferably color coated to match the pickets , rails and posts . the assembled fence section as shown in fig5 allows additional sections to be assembled and interconnected by the use of rails 40 , 42 , 44 extending from the posts to form an additional section . the use of pickets 10 provide an aesthetic look that resembles a wooden picket fence yet does not require the maintenance of an actual wood fence . it is to be expressly understood that the above described embodiments are not to limit the scope of the claimed inventions . other embodiments and features are considered to be within the scope of the claimed inventions .	1
the preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings . fig2 is a circuit block diagram showing a synchronous switching dc / dc voltage regulator provided with a current sensing circuit 13 according to the present invention . referring to fig2 , a high - side switch hs is connected between an input voltage source vin and a node a while a low - side switch ls is connected between the node a and a ground potential . an inductor l is connected between the node a and an output terminal . the inventors firstly observe that a channel current ihs flowing through the high - side switch hs when the high - side switch hs is turned on is identical to an inductor current il , and the high - side switch - channel current i hs produces a potential difference across the high - side switch - channel resistance rhs : therefore , the current sensing circuit 13 according to the present invention directly detects the potential difference ( v in − v sen ) across the high - side switch - channel resistance r hs , and then performs inventive voltage / current transformation to obtain a detection current signal i sen having a linear relationship with the inductor current i l . the current sensing circuit 13 according to the present invention overcomes the prior art disadvantages regarding the power consumption , size , and operation speed since none of the series - connected resistor r s and the operational amplifier 12 is needed . furthermore , the current detection circuit 13 according to the present invention activates to detect the current when the high - side switch hs is turned on and stops detecting when the high - side switch hs is turned off , for saving the current - detecting power consumption . fig3 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a current sensing circuit 13 - 1 of a first embodiment according to the present invention . the current sensing circuit 13 - 1 includes a voltage detection unit ( p 1 , p 2 ), a reference current generation unit ( i bias , n 1 , n 2 , n 3 ), and a transfer unit ( p 3 , p 4 , p 5 , p 6 ). more specifically , the voltage detection unit is used for detecting the potential difference across the high - side switch - channel resistance r hs . assumed that the high - side switch - channel resistance is r hs and the channel current flowing through the high - side switch hs is i hs , the potential difference v ds between the drain and source of the high - side switch hs may be expressed as : in the embodiment shown in fig3 , the voltage detection unit is implemented by pmos transistors p 1 and p 2 . the transistor p 1 has a source connected to the input voltage source v in , a gate connected to the ground potential , and a drain connected to a source ( i . e . node b ) of the transistor p 2 . the transistor p 2 has a gate connected to a gate of the high - side switch hs , and a drain connected to a drain of the high - side switch hs . when a high - side drive signal hd turns on the high - side switch hs , both of the transistors p 1 and p 2 are operated in the triode region and therefore become equivalent to channel resistances . assumed that the transistor p 1 has a channel resistance r p1 and the transistor p 2 has a channel resistance r p2 , the voltage v b at the node b may be expressed as a division of the potential difference since the series - coupled transistors p 1 and p 2 form a resistive voltage divider : for preventing the current sensing circuit 13 - 1 according to the present invention from influencing the original characteristics of the circuit to be detected , the voltage detection unit is designed to have a high impedance . consequently , the channel resistances r p1 and r p2 of the transistors p 1 and p 2 are designed to be extremely larger than the channel resistance r hs of the high - side switch hs : in this case , the current flowing through the transistors p 1 and p 2 can be neglected in comparison with the high - side switch - channel current i hs . as a result , during the on period of the high - side switch hs , the high - side switch - channel current i hs appropriately indicates the inductor current i l even under the detection of the current detection circuit 13 - 1 : in other words , although the current sensing circuit 13 - 1 according to the present invention detects in practice the high - side switch - channel current i hs , it may be said in circuit application that the inductor current i l is detected . the reference current generation unit is used for supplying a first reference current i r1 and a second reference current i r2 such that a linear relationship is established between the first reference current i r1 and the second reference current i r2 : where k is a proportional constant larger than or equal to 1 . in the embodiment shown in fig3 , the reference current generation unit includes a bias current source i bias and three nmos transistors n 1 , n 2 , and n 3 . the transistor n 1 has a drain connected to the bias current source i bias , a gate connected to its own drain , and a source connected to the ground potential . the transistor n 2 has a gate connected to the gate of the transistor n 1 , a source connected to the ground potential , and a drain for allowing the first reference current i r1 to sink or flow . the transistor n 3 has a gate connected to the gate of the transistor n 1 , a source connected to the ground potential , and a drain for allowing the second reference current i r2 to sink or flow . the transistors n 1 , n 2 , and n 3 together form a multiple - output - stage current mirror having the transistors n 2 and n 3 as independent current output stages . if the transistors n 2 and n 3 are identically manufactured except the width - to - length ratio of the gate is designed under the following condition : then the first reference current i r1 and the second reference current i r2 can effectively establish the desired linear relationship : the transfer unit is coupled between the voltage detection unit and the reference current generation unit for transferring the detection voltage signal v b generated from the voltage detection unit into the desired detection current signal i sen in accordance with the first and second reference currents i r1 and i r2 generated from the reference current generation unit . in the embodiment shown in fig3 , the transfer unit includes four pmos transistors p 3 , p 4 , p 5 , and p 6 . the transistor p 3 has a source connected to the node b , a gate connected to the ground potential , and a drain connected to a node c . consequently , the transistor p 3 is operated in the triode region as an equivalent channel resistance r p3 . the transistor p 4 has a source connected to the input voltage source v in , a gate connected to the ground potential , and a drain connected to a node d . consequently , the transistor p 4 is operated in the triode region as an equivalent channel resistance r p4 . moreover , the transistor p 5 has a source connected to the node c while the transistor p 6 has a source connected to the node d . the transistors p 5 and p 6 have their gates connected together and the gate of the transistor p 6 is further connected to its own drain . therefore , the transistors p 5 and p 6 form a current mirror . the transistor p 5 has a drain connected to the drain of the transistor n 2 for allowing the first reference current i r1 to flow through the transistors p 3 and p 5 . the transistor p 6 has a drain connected to the drain of the transistor n 3 for allowing the second reference current i r2 to flow through the transistor p 6 . since the linear relationship with the proportional constant k is established between the first and second reference currents i r1 and i r2 , the width - to - length ratios of the transistors p 5 and p 6 must be designed to satisfy the following condition : for allowing the first and second reference currents i r1 and i r2 to smoothly flow through the transistors p 5 and p 6 , respectively , given that the transistors p 5 and p 6 are otherwise identically manufactured . because the first reference current i r1 also flows through the transistor p 3 , a voltage v c at the node c may be expressed as : v c = v b - i r1 · r p3 = v in - ( v in - v b ) - i r1 · r p3 = v in - r p1 r p1 + r p2 · ( v in - v sen ) - i r1 · r p3 = v in - r p1 r p1 + r p2 · i hs · r hs - i r1 · r p3 now assumed that a transfer current i t flows though the transistor p 4 , a voltage v d at the node d may be expressed as : as described above , because the transistors p 5 and p 6 are coupled as the current mirror and the first and second reference currents i r1 and i r2 correspondingly follow the width - to - length ratios ( w / l ) p5 and ( w / l ) p6 , the gate - source voltage v gs ( p5 ) of the transistor p 5 is operated equal to the gate - source voltage v gs ( p6 ) of the transistor p 6 . in this case , since the gates of the transistors p 5 and p 6 are coupled together , the voltage at the source of the transistor p 5 ( i . e . the voltage v c at the node c ) is equal to the voltage at the source of the transistor p 5 ( i . e . the voltage v d at the node d ): ⁢ v in - r p1 r p1 + r p2 · i hs · r hs - i r1 · r p3 = v in - i t · r p4 ⇒ ⁢ i t = ⁢ r p1 r p4 · ( r p1 + r p2 ) · i hs · r hs + r p3 r p4 · i r1 = ⁢ r p1 r p4 · ( r p1 + r p2 ) · i hs · r hs + r p3 r p4 · k · i r2 ≡ ⁢ ω · i hs + φ · i r2 ω ≡ r p1 · r hs r p4 · ( r p1 + r p2 ) φ ≡ r p3 r p4 · k therefore , the detection current signal i sen output from the node d may be expressed as : i sen = i t - i r2 = ω · i hs + ( φ - 1 ) · i r2 since the proportional constants ω and φ and the second reference current i r2 are predetermined parameters and characteristic during the circuit design procedure , the current sensing circuit 13 - 1 according to the present invention effectively outputs the detection current signal i sen having the listed - above linear relationship with the high - side switch - channel current i hs . since the high - side switch - channel current i hs is substantially equal to the inductor current i l , the current sensing circuit 13 - 1 according to the present invention achieves a precise measurement of the inductor current i l . in one embodiment of the present invention , the channel resistances r p3 and r p4 of the transistors p 3 and p 4 may be designed with the same value , and the transistors p 5 and p 6 are also designed with the same width - to - length ratio such that the proportional constant k becomes equal to 1 , thereby making the value of the proportional constant φ equal to 1 . in this case , the detection current signal i sen is further reduced to be directly in proportion to the high - side switch - channel current i hs : fig4 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a current sensing circuit 13 - 2 of a second embodiment according to the present invention . as seen by comparing with fig3 and 4 , the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the current sensing circuit 13 - 2 of the second embodiment is further provided with a voltage feedback control unit ( p 7 ) for rapidly reflecting the variation of the detection voltage signal v b in order to ensure a stable operation of the current sensing circuit 13 - 2 and a precise detection current signal i sen . in the second embodiment shown in fig4 , the voltage feedback control unit includes a pmos transistor p 7 having a gate connected to the drain of the transistor p 5 , a source connected to the source of the transistor p 6 , and a drain for outputting the desired detection current signal i sen . when the high - side switch - channel current i hs increases ( or decreases ), the voltage v sen at the node a decreases ( or increases ) such that a corresponding fall ( or rise ) happens to the detection voltage signal v b at the node b . as a result , the voltage at the source of the transistor p 5 ( i . e . the voltage v c at the node c ) and the voltage at the drain of the transistor p 5 simultaneously decrease ( or increase ) with the same magnitude . through the feedback control provided by the transistor p 7 , the variation of the voltage at the drain of the transistor p 5 rapidly causes the same magnitude of variation to the voltage at the source of the transistor p 6 ( i . e . the voltage v d at the node d ). consequently , the voltage v d at the node d rapidly reflects the variation of the voltage v c at the node c , thereby maintaining the equality therebetween to ensure the stable operation of the current sensing circuit 13 - 2 and the precise detection current signal i sen . fig5 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a current sensing circuit 13 - 3 of a third embodiment according to the present invention . as seen by comparing with fig4 and 5 , the third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the current sensing circuit 13 - 3 of the third embodiment is further provided with a current level shift unit ( n 4 ) for adjusting a direct current level of the detection current signal i sen so as to produce a predetermined current offset thereon for facilitating the circuit application or design . in the third embodiment shown in fig5 , the current level shift unit includes an nmos transistor n 4 having a gate connected to the gate of the transistor n 1 , a source connected to the ground potential and a drain connected to the drain of the transistor p 7 ( i . e . node e ) for allowing a shift current i a1 to sink or flow . therefore , the detection current signal i sen output from the node e has a direct current level adjusted in accordance with the shift current i a1 : i sen = i t - i r2 - i a1 = ω · i hs + ( φ - 1 ) · i r2 - i a1 if the shift current i a1 is preset equal to ( φ − 1 ) i r2 , the detection current signal i sen is reduced to be directly in proportion to the high - side switch - channel current i hs : fig6 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a current sensing circuit 13 - 4 of a fourth embodiment according to the present invention . as seen by comparing with fig4 and 6 , the fourth embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the current sensing circuit 13 - 4 of the fourth embodiment is further provided with a current level shift unit ( n 5 ) for adjusting a direct current level of the detection current signal i sen so as to produce a predetermined current offset for facilitating the circuit application or design . in the fourth embodiment shown in fig6 , the current level shift unit includes an nmos transistor n 5 having a gate connected to the gate of the transistor n 1 , a source connected to the ground potential , and a drain connected to the source of the transistor p 7 ( i . e . node d ) for allowing a shift current i a2 to sink or flow . therefore , the detection current signal i sen output from the drain of the transistor p 7 has a direct current level adjusted in accordance with the shift current i a2 : i sen = i t - i r2 - i a2 = ω · i hs + ( φ - 1 ) · i r2 - i a2 if the shift current i a2 is preset equal to ( φ − 1 ) i r2 , the detection current signal i sen is reduced to be directly in proportion to the high - side switch - channel current i hs : to sum up , the current sensing circuit according to the present invention directly detects the potential difference across the high - side switch - channel resistance , and then performs the inventive voltage / current transformation to obtain the detection current signal having the linear relationship with the inductor current . the current sensing circuit according to the present invention overcomes the prior art disadvantages regarding the power consumption , size , and operation speed since none of the conventional series - connected resistor and the operational amplifier is needed . furthermore , the current detection circuit according to the present invention is operated in synchronization with the high - side switch for saving the current - detecting power consumption . while the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . to the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications . therefore , the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications .	6
the present invention is generally related to garment hangers , and more specifically to collapsible garment hangers . the following description , taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings , is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of particular applications . various modifications , as well as a variety of uses in different applications , will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of embodiments . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments presented , but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein . furthermore it should be noted that unless explicitly stated otherwise , the figures included herein are illustrated diagrammatically and without any specific scale , as they are provided as qualitative illustrations of the concept of the present invention . a collapsible garment hanger according to the present invention is a one - piece molded structure that includes a hook , two arms , at least one spring element , and sometimes a centralized base to which the other elements attach . the spring element or elements provide a biasing force that maintains the arms at a desired angle in an extended position for a wide variety of garment weights and allows the hanger to be collapsed with one hand . in addition , the spring or springs are configured so as to minimize the force required to collapse the hanger and to hold the hanger arms in the collapsed position . the spring or springs are also configured to provide a small restoring force , thus allowing the hanger arms to spring back from the collapsed position when the collapsing force exerted by the user is removed . in one version of a collapsible garment hanger according to the present invention , a single spring element is employed as shown in fig1 a , where a side - view of the garment hanger in its extended position is presented . a hook element 10 is provided for supporting the garment hanger from a clothes rod . this hook element typically resembles the hook portion of any standard clothes hanger . however , it can also be made to resemble the hook portion of more specialized garment hangers , such as those designed to hang clothes from non - standard clothes rods which are typically smaller in diameter than standard rods . a spring element 11 is connected to the hook element 10 at a point of approximately equal distance from the distally located terminating points of the spring element 11 . the spring element 11 is connected to a first supporting arm 14 and a second supporting arm 15 by hinges 12 a and 12 b . the first supporting arm 14 and the second supporting arm 15 are joined at a hinge 13 , which acts as the pivoting point for the supporting arms 14 and 15 . the spring element 11 imparts a small upwardly - directed bias force to the supporting arms 14 and 15 , which keeps them in the extended position . it is noted that the dimensions of the spring 11 are chosen via conventional means so as to maintain the supporting arms 14 and 15 in the extended position under the anticipated maximum weight of a garment being hung from the hanger . in addition , when a downward force is applied by a user to the supporting arms 14 and 15 that just exceeds the biasing force , the supporting arms rotate about their common hinge element 13 into a collapsed position shown in fig1 b . as the supporting arms 14 and 15 move into the collapsed position , the spring element 11 elastically stretches , thereby creating an upward force that will return the arms 14 and 15 to their extended position when the user - applied downward force is removed . in regard to the selection of the spring dimensions described above , it is noted that the present collapsible garment hanger could be produced with various spring sizes so as to accommodate garments of differing weight , while still minimizing the user - applied force required to collapse the hanger . in some cases , producing a collapsible garment hanger in accordance with the present invention that can handle heavier garments may be impractical using just a single spring element as the springs dimensions could become unworkable . however , it is possible to incorporate multiple spring elements in a nested pattern to overcome this problem as the weight - bearing capacity of the hanger would be distributed among the multiple springs , thereby allowing each spring to be of smaller size than if just one spring were employed . referring to fig2 the multiple spring version would be configured identically to the single spring version described above in connection with fig1 a and 1b . however , the multiple spring version also includes at least one additional spring element , two of which are shown in fig2 and referenced as 11 b and 11 c , respectively . each of the additional spring elements 11 a and 11 b are attached at their ends via hinge elements , 12 c - d and 12 e - f , to the respective supporting arms 14 and 15 . each additional spring 11 b and 11 c extends within the boundary created by the inward - facing surface of the next adjacent , outwardly - positioned spring element , thereby forming the aforementioned nested configuration . thus , spring 11 b extends within the bounds of spring 11 and spring 11 c extends within the bounds of spring 11 b . in an alternate version of a collapsible garment hanger according to the present invention , a pair of spring elements is employed with a different one of the spring elements being used to control the movement of each supporting arm , thus providing a double - pivot spring action . this double - pivot spring action has the advantage of each pivotal range of motion required of a spring element being half of that required in the single - pivot spring action version described previously . referring to fig3 a , where a side view of the garment hanger in its extended position is presented , this alternate version of the collapsible garment hanger includes a hook element 30 , which is similar to the hook piece described previously , and which is connected to a base 31 . a first supporting arm 36 is connected to the base 31 by a hinge 38 . a second supporting arm 37 is connected to the base element 31 by hinge 39 . a first spring element 32 is connected to the first supporting arm 36 and to the base element 31 by hinges 33 a and 33 b , respectively . a second spring element 34 is connected to the second supporting arm element 37 and to the base element 31 by hinges 35 a and 35 b , respectively . when a user applies a downward force to the supporting arms 36 and 37 , the spring elements 32 and 34 will stretch allowing the supporting arms 36 and 37 to pivot at hinges 38 and 39 and move into the collapsed position , as shown in fig3 b . when the downward force is removed , the supporting arms 36 and 37 will return to their extended position under the influence of an upward force exerted by the stretched spring elements 32 and 34 . in a variation of the spring - pair collapsible garment hanger described in connection with fig3 a and 3b , the spring elements are attached underneath the hanger instead . specifically , referring to fig4 a , where a side view of the garment hanger in its extended position is presented , this variation includes a hook element 40 , which is connected to a base 41 , just as before . in addition , like the previous version , a first supporting arm 46 is connected to the base 41 by a hinge 48 , and a second supporting arm element 47 is connected to the base 41 by hinge 49 . however , in this present version of the hanger , a first spring element 42 is connected to the bottom surface of the supporting arm 46 and the bottom surface of the base element 41 by hinges 43 a and 43 b , respectively . likewise , a second spring element 44 is connected to the bottom surface of the second supporting arm 47 and the bottom surface of the base 41 by hinges 45 a and 45 b , respectively . the operation of this variation of the collapsible garment hanger is identical to the previous spring - pair version , except that instead of the spring elements 42 and 44 being elastically stretched , they are elastically compressed . fig4 b shows the underlying spring element version of the hanger in its collapsed position . in the foregoing spring - pair versions of the present collapsible garment hanger , any type of spring could be employed . however , it is preferred that an integrally molded crescent - shaped spring be used and oriented such that the inner surface faces toward the base . the foregoing spring - pair versions of the present collapsible garment hanger can also be configured to include the previously - described multiple spring feature , which in this case would be one or more additional spring pairs . referring to fig5 a multiple spring - pair version of the present collapsible garment hanger , where the spring elements are attached above the base , is presented . as in the previous spring - pair versions , a hook element 70 is provided for supporting the garment hanger from a clothes rod . a base 71 is connected to the hook element 70 . a first supporting arm 76 is connected to the base 71 by a hinge 84 . a second supporting arm 77 is connected to the base 71 by hinge 85 . a first spring element 72 is connected to the first supporting arm 76 and to the base element 71 by hinges 73 a and 73 b , respectively . a second spring element 74 is connected to the second supporting arm 77 and to the base 71 by hinge elements 75 a and 75 b , respectively . the first and second spring elements 72 and 74 make a first spring - pair of the hanger . a second spring - pair 86 and 87 is also included in this multiple spring - pair version of the hanger . the spring elements 86 and 87 are connected to the base 71 and supporting arms 76 and 77 via hinges , just as with the first spring - pair 72 and 74 . the spring elements on the same side of the hanger , such as springs 72 and 86 , form a nested configuration with enough separation between the springs that they do not interfere with each other when the supporting arms are in either the extended or collapsed positions . when a user applies a downward force to the supporting arms 76 and 77 , the spring elements 72 , 74 , 86 , and 87 will stretch allowing the supporting arms 76 and 77 to pivot at their hinge 84 and 85 and move into the collapsed position described previously . as before , when the user - applied downward force is removed , the supporting arms 76 and 77 will return to the extended position automatically . referring to fig6 a multiple spring - pair version of the present collapsible garment hanger , where the spring elements are attached underneath the base , is presented . this variation is essentially identical to the above - described multiple spring - pair hanger configuration associated with fig5 except that the first spring element 92 is connected to the bottom surface of the supporting arm 96 and the bottom surface of the base 91 by hinges 93 a and 93 b , respectively , and the second spring element 94 is connected to the bottom surface of the second supporting arm 97 and the bottom surface of the base 91 by hinges 95 a and 95 b , respectively . the first and second spring elements 92 and 94 represent the first spring - pair of the hanger . a second spring - pair 96 and 97 is also included . specifically , spring elements 96 and 97 are connected to the base 91 and supporting arms 96 and 97 via hinges , just as with the first spring - pair 92 and 94 . here again , the spring elements on the same side of the hanger , such as springs 92 and 96 , form a nested configuration with enough separation between the springs that they do not interfere with each other when the supporting arms are in either the extended or collapsed positions . when a user applies a downward force to the supporting arms 96 and 97 , the spring elements 92 , 94 , 96 , and 97 will compress allowing the supporting arms 96 and 97 to pivot at their hinge 94 and 95 and move into the collapsed position described previously . when the user - applied downward force is removed , the supporting arms 96 and 97 will return to the extended position automatically . the multiple spring - pair hanger configurations could be further modified to allow a user to adjust the hanger &# 39 ; s weight handling capacity . essentially , this is accomplished by making the aforementioned spring elements removable . the user adds or removes spring elements to adjust the weight handling capacity , by changing the force required to collapse the hanger . the removable spring feature can be implemented in any of the previously described versions of the present collapsible garment hanger . for example , referring once again to the multiple spring - pair version of the hanger shown in fig5 a fifth spring element 80 having hinges 78 a and 78 b and attachment hubs 88 a and 88 b incorporated at its distal ends , can be inserted via the hubs into slot 82 a on the said first supporting arm 76 and slot 82 b on the base 71 . likewise , a sixth spring element 81 having hinges 79 a and 79 b and attachment hubs 89 a and 89 b incorporated at its distal ends , can be inserted via the hubs into slot 83 a on the said first supporting arm 77 and slot 83 b on the base 71 . the other springs 72 , 74 , 86 and 87 can be configured to be removable in the same way . thus , the spring elements become push - in springs that a user can install or remove to control the magnitude of the aforementioned bias force . it is preferred that the spring element in each spring - pair have substantially identical weight handling capacities so that the aforementioned bias and upward forces are balanced between the two supporting arms . another feature applicable to the multiple spring - pair versions of the collapsible garment hanger involves the use of stops referred to as pre - load stops . these stops are used to position the supporting arms in relation to the springs to impart the aforementioned bias force when the arms are in their extended position - thus the name pre - load stops . it has been found that a preload is desirable as the supporting arms of the collapsible hanger tend to sag slightly under the weight of a garment placed on the hanger if left in the “ at rest ” position . in addition , the stops can be used to create a desired angle between the supporting arms and the base when in the extended position to accommodate the sloping taper associated with most garments hung on a hanger . generally , the stop feature is implemented by initially molding the supporting arms to attain an “ at rest ” angle higher than the desired angle intended for hanging garments . this angle can be described as the angle formed between the centerline 100 of a supporting arm and a line 101 passing through the points of connection between the supporting arms and the base , which are depicted as dashed lines in the fig3 a . prior to use , the supporting arms are pulled downward and the stops installed into the base at the hinge . the stops restrict further upward motion of the arms to the desired garment angle while also providing a bias force on the arms that equals or exceeds that of the desired garment weight . specifically , a pair of stops is employed . each of these stops is connected to the base adjacent the hinged attachment between the base and a respective one of the supporting arms . the stops contact the supporting arms so as to interfere with their upward movement under the influence of the aforementioned upward force , thereby setting the angle of the supporting arms in relation to the base and the magnitude of the bias force . the stops can be integrally molded and fixed or removable by creating a releasable connection between the stops and the base . for example , removable stops could be configured with a pin that snaps into a receptacle in the base . further , the stops can be integrally molded and releasable . specifically , each stop would be molded so as to be hingedly attached via a hinge to the base adjacent the hinged attachment between the base and the adjacent supporting arm . this version of the stop feature is illustrated in fig7 . here , a hook element 50 is provided for supporting the garment hanger from a clothes rod . a base 51 is connected to the hook element 50 . a first supporting arm 56 is connected to the base 51 by a hinge 58 . a second supporting arm 57 is connected to the base 51 by hinge 59 . a first spring element 52 is connected to the first supporting arm 56 and to the base 51 by hinges 53 a and 53 b , respectively . a second spring element 54 is connected to the second supporting arm 57 and the base 51 by hinges 55 a and 55 b , respectively . a first snap - in pre - load stop 60 is shown inserted into the base element 51 in its engaged position . in the engaged position , the stop 60 contacts supporting arm 56 , thereby setting the aforementioned angle , and the magnitude of the biasing force . the magnitude of the biasing force is determined by the stop because the arms are molded with an “ at rest ” angle that is higher that the desired angle to be created by the stops . the “ at rest ” angle is the angle formed between the arms and the base when the spring elements are not under any tension or compression . when the arms are pulled down and the stops installed , the arms cannot return to their at rest angle . this results in the springs having some amount of tension ( such as would be the case in the versions of the hanger associated with fig3 a and 7 ) or compression ( such as would be the case in the versions of the hanger associated with fig4 a ). this tension or compression is the biasing force and is set to just exceed the anticipated weight of garments that are to be hung on the hanger . stop 60 is hingedly attached to the base 51 by hinge 62 . a second snap - in pre - load stop 61 is shown rotated about its hinge 63 away from its insertion site on base 51 . this is the retracted position of the stops in which the stop is rotated so as to not contact the supporting arm . the insertion site on the base 51 includes a receptacle 64 capable of receiving a retaining pin 65 located on the each of the stops 60 and 61 , as best seen on the side of fig7 depicting the retracted stop 61 . the pin 65 is preferably sized to create a jam fit with receptacle 64 to hold the stops 60 and 61 in their engaged position , even when the hanger is collapsed . it is noted that in the version where the stops are separate pieces and not integrated via a hinge into the hanger , stops having a range of sizes could be provided so that the bias force and the arm angle can be set by the user . in regard to the previously - described feature by which the spring element or elements can be varied in dimension and number to optimize the weight capacity of the collapsible garment hanger to handle a specific maximum weight garment , a question arises as to how a user will know the weight handling capacity of a particular hanger . this issue can be resolved by employing a color coding scheme similar to that described in a co - pending u . s . patent application entitled “ collapsible garment hanger ” which was filed on mar . 26 , 2001 by the inventor of this application , and assigned serial number 09 / 817 , 549 . the disclosure of this co - pending application is hereby incorporated by reference . particularly , the color coding scheme as applied to the present collapsible garment hanger not employing removable spring elements involves making the entire hanger or a part thereof a prescribed color representing its weight handling capacity . as for a hanger according to the present invention that does employ the removable spring elements , each spring element ( removable or not ) is made a color which represents the incremental amount of weight the spring adds to the overall weight handling capacity of the hanger . in this way a user simply adds up the incremental weight handling capacities associated with each spring installed on the hanger to arrive at the overall capacity . the various versions of the present collapsible garment hanger can be made of any appropriate material and can be an assembly of individual parts if desired . however , it is preferred that the hanger be of one continuous piece of material ( with the exception of removable spring elements and stops ), such as a one - piece molded plastic structure . in this context , the various aforementioned hinges would be so - called living hinges . while the invention has been described in detail by specific reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it is understood that variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention .	0
various aspects of the disclosure are described below . it should be apparent that the teachings herein may be embodied in a wide variety of forms and that any specific structure , function , or both being disclosed herein is merely representative . based on the teachings herein one skilled in the art should appreciate that an aspect disclosed herein may be implemented independently of any other aspects and that two or more of these aspects may be combined in various ways . for example , an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth herein . in addition , such an apparatus may be implemented or such a method may be practiced using other structure , functionality , or structure and functionality in addition to or other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein . furthermore , an aspect may comprise at least one element of a claim . fig1 illustrates several nodes of a sample communication system 100 ( e . g ., a portion of a communication network ). for illustration purposes , various aspects of the disclosure will be described in the context of one or more clients ( e . g ., access terminals ) and servers that communicate with one another . it should be appreciated that the teachings herein may be applicable to other types of apparatuses or other similar apparatuses that are referenced using other terminology . for example , a client or a server as described herein may comprise a client device or a server device , respectively , or may be implemented within another device . also , in various implementations access terminals may be referred to or implemented as user equipment , mobiles , cell phones , and so on . the system includes one or more servers ( represented , for convenience , by a server 102 ) that provide one more services for one or more clients ( represented , for convenience , by a client 104 ). such services may include for example , network access , webpage access , database access , printing services , and so on . the example of fig1 illustrates an implementation where the client 104 communicates with the server 102 via a network 106 . the network 106 may comprise , for example , a wide area network such as a cellular network . access points ( represented , for convenience , by an access point 108 ) associated with the network 106 provide network connectivity for any wireless access terminals that may be installed within or that may roam throughout an area served by the access points . the access points , in turn , communicate with one or more network nodes ( e . g ., core network nodes , not shown ) to enable connectivity to other devices connected to the network 106 . the client 104 may have intermittent network connectivity . for example , a client 104 that is a mobile device may frequently switch to idle mode ( e . g ., to conserve battery power ), may frequently move out of a coverage area , may be disconnected from the network whenever it is powered - down , and so on . consequently , the client 104 may be assigned a new address ( e . g ., ip address ) by the network whenever the client 104 returns to an active mode , moves back into a coverage area , re - connects with the network , etc . in accordance with the teachings here , the server 102 ( e . g ., an address list manager 110 ) maintains a client address list 112 to enable the server 102 to effectively communicate with the client 104 in cases where the client 104 has intermittent connectivity . in some aspects the client address list 112 may include a mapping between each client served by the server 102 and one or more addresses ( e . g ., ip address ) assigned to each client . the client address list 112 is updated whenever an address assigned to one of these clients is changed ( e . g ., due to re - connection ). to this end , the client 104 includes an update manager 114 that determines whether a new address has been assigned to the client 104 ( e . g ., by operation of an address controller 116 ) and sends a message to the server 102 to update the client address list 112 in the event a new address has been assigned . sample operations of the system 100 will now be described in more detail in conjunction with the flowchart of fig2 a and 2b . for convenience , the operations of fig2 a and 2b ( or any other operations discussed or taught herein ) may be described as being performed by specific components ( e . g ., components of the system 100 and / or depicted in fig5 ). it should be appreciated , however , that these operations may be performed by other types of components and may be performed using a different number of components . it also should be appreciated that one or more of the operations described herein may not be employed in a given implementation . as represented by block 202 of fig2 a , the server 102 ( e . g ., the address list manager 110 ) defines the client address list 112 . the client address list 112 may take various forms . in some implementations the client address list 112 comprises a registration object that is hosted at the server 102 . for example , the client address list 112 may be a management object entitled “ ip registration ” in a management server . as mentioned above , the client address list 112 may include entries for every client with which the server 102 communicates ( e . g ., for every client served by the server 102 ). a given entry may include an identifier of the client and one or more addresses associated with ( e . g ., assigned to ) the client . here , the identifier may be unique to that client at least from the perspective of the server 102 ( e . g ., the identifier may be , but need not be , globally unique ). as represented by block 204 , at some point in time communication is established between the server 102 and a given client 104 . for instance , the client 104 may initiate communication with the server 102 . in conjunction with establishing communication , the server 102 and the client 104 exchange addresses ( e . g ., ip addresses ) to enable each device to send messages to the other device . thus , the server 102 may obtain one or more initial addresses of the client 104 that the server 102 may use to communicate with the client 104 . upon receipt of such an address , the server 102 ( e . g ., the address list manager 110 ) creates an entry in the client address list 112 for the client 104 and stores the received address with that entry . in some cases , a client may be accessed via any one of several addresses ( e . g ., when a user has several devices installed in his or her home ). in such cases , the client address list 112 may specify multiple addresses for one client . at block 204 the client 104 also may obtain an address ( e . g ., an ip address ) of the server 102 that the client may use to communicate with the server 102 . in a typical implementation , client - initiated communication may be relatively easy to guarantee since the address of the server 102 may rarely change ( if at all ). accordingly , the server 102 will typically be reachable by the client 104 at all times . alternatively , the address of the server will be available through querying a dns server with the server &# 39 ; s fqdn . thus , in accordance with the teachings herein , the burden of keeping the client address list 112 ( e . g ., the registration object ) up to date is placed on the client 104 . as represented by block 206 , at some point in time the client 104 ( e . g ., the address controller 116 ) may acquire a different address that the server 102 may use to communicate with the client 104 . the client 104 may acquire this address under various circumstances and in various ways . for example , in some cases the client may acquire an address upon waking up from idle mode or re - connecting with the access point 108 . in these cases , the client 104 may communicate with the access point 108 to establish a physical layer connection and a mac layer connection . the network 106 ( e . g ., a packet gateway in the network 106 ) may then assign an ip address to the client 104 . as represented by block 208 , the client 104 ( e . g ., the update manager 114 ) then determines whether the client address list 112 needs to be updated . for example , the client 104 may determine whether the address acquired at block 206 is different than the address the client 104 has been using . in addition , the client 104 may determine whether the address acquired at block 206 is already stored in the client address list 112 . in some implementations , the client 104 may determine that it needs to update the list based simply on the acquisition of an address ( e . g ., the client 104 does not check to see whether this address is new or whether it is already in the client address list 112 ). in some cases the client 104 may be in communication with more than one server ( e . g ., the client 104 may be accessing different services provided by different servers ). in these cases , at block 208 the client may determine whether the client address list 112 maintained at one or more of these servers needs to be updated . as represented by blocks 210 and 212 , in the event there is no need to update the client address list 112 , the client - server interactions may continue operating as they were previously . that is , the server 102 will continue to use the address for the client 104 that was previously in the client address list 112 . as represented by block 214 , if the client address list 112 needs to be updated , the client 104 ( e . g ., a message processor 520 as shown in fig5 ) sends a message to the server 102 to update the client list 112 . this message may thus include an indication of the address . the server 102 ( e . g ., a message processor 518 as shown in fig5 ) receives this message as represented by block 216 of fig2 b . as represented by block 218 , upon receiving this message , the server 102 ( e . g ., the address list manager 110 ) updates the client address list 112 with the address send by the client 104 . as represented by block 220 , at some point in time the server 102 will need to initiate communication with the client 104 . accordingly , the server 102 ( e . g . a communication controller 514 as shown in fig5 ) obtains the current address for the client 104 from the client address list 112 and uses this address to communicate with the client 104 . as mentioned above , a mobile client will have intermittent connectivity due to , for example , transitions to idle mode , loss of signal , moving out of range of an access point , being turned off , and so on . consequently , such a client will repeatedly update the client address list at each of the servers with which it is communicating . fig3 describes sample operations for this procedure . as represented by block 302 , at some point in time the client 104 will switch to active mode , connect to a network , or perform some other operation that causes a new address to be assigned to the client 104 . the client 104 then acquires the new address at block 304 . at block 306 the client 104 updates the client address list at each of its servers , if applicable . as represented by block 308 , at some point in time the client 104 will switch to idle mode , disconnect from a network , or perform some other operation that causes the address assigned to the client to be unassigned . here , it may be more efficient from a system performance point of view to reallocate addresses when they are not being used . accordingly , when the client 104 switches back to active mode or reconnects to the network ( back to block 302 ), another address is assigned to the client . thus , the operations of fig3 may be performed on a repeated basis to maintain an up - to - date client address list 112 at the server 102 . from the above , it may be seen that each server may repeatedly receive address list update messages from any clients with which that server is communicating . thus , each server may repeatedly update its client address list so that when a server needs to communicate with a given client , the server can use the client address list to obtain a current address . fig4 describes sample operations for these procedures . as represented by block 402 , the server 102 conducts normal operations ( e . g ., operations that don &# 39 ; t involve a particular client ) until an event occurs that causes the server 102 to take some action relating to that client . in the example of fig2 , these events may include receiving an update message from the client ( as represented by block 404 ) and / or needing to communicate with the client ( as represented by block 408 ). as represented by blocks 404 and 406 , in the event the server 102 receives a client address list update message from one of its clients , the server 102 will update the client address list 112 . as mentioned above , the client address list 112 may include entries for different clients . thus , at some other time , the server 102 may receive a client address list update message from another one of its clients and the server 102 will update the corresponding entry in the client address list 112 . hence , the operations of blocks 404 and 406 may be performed on a repeated basis any time a client address list update message is received . as represented by block 408 , the server 102 ( e . g ., the communication controller 514 ) may need to communicate with a given client from time to time . accordingly , as represented by block 410 , to initiate this communication , the server 102 may obtain the current address of that client from the client address list 112 . the client may then use that address to communicate with the client as represented by block 412 . as mentioned above , the client address list 112 may include entries for different clients . consequently , at some other time , the server 102 may initiate communication with another client by obtaining an address for that client from the corresponding entry in the client address list 112 . the operations of blocks 408 - 412 may thus be performed on a repeated basis any time the server 102 needs to communicate with one of its clients . fig5 illustrates several sample components that may be incorporated into apparatuses such as the server 102 and the client 104 to perform address update operations as taught herein . as mentioned above , a server apparatus may comprise a server device ( e . g ., a server computer connected to a network ) or may be implemented in a server device ( e . g ., as a server integrated circuit or a server section of an integrated circuit ). similarly , a client apparatus may comprise a client device ( e . g ., a cell phone connected to a network ) or may be implemented in a client device ( e . g ., as a server integrated circuit or a server section of an integrated circuit ). the components shown in fig5 also may be incorporated into other nodes ( e . g ., apparatuses ) in a communication system . for example , other nodes in a system may include components similar to those described for the server 102 and the client 104 to provide similar functionality . a given node may contain one or more of the described components . for example , a client may contain multiple transceiver components that enable the client to operate on multiple frequencies and / or communicate via different technologies . as shown in fig5 , the server 102 and the client 104 may include transceivers 502 and 504 , respectively , for communicating with other nodes . the transceiver 502 includes a transmitter 506 for sending signals ( e . g ., communication messages ) and a receiver 508 for receiving signals ( e . g ., list update messages ). similarly , the transceiver 504 includes a transmitter 510 for sending signals ( e . g ., list update messages ) and a receiver 512 for receiving signals ( e . g ., communication messages ). depending on the connectivity of the nodes of fig5 , the transceivers 502 and / or the transceiver 504 may support different communication technologies ( e . g ., wired or wireless ). the server 102 and the client 104 also include other components that may be used in conjunction with address update operations as taught herein . for example , the server 102 and the client 104 may include communication controllers 514 and 516 , respectively , for managing communication with other nodes ( e . g ., sending and receiving information ) and for providing other related functionality as taught herein . in addition , the server 102 and the client 104 may include message processors 518 and 520 , respectively , for processing ( e . g ., sending and receiving ) messages and for providing other related functionality as taught herein . in some aspects the teachings herein may be employed in a wireless multiple - access communication system that simultaneously supports communication for multiple wireless access terminals ( e . g ., clients ). here , each terminal may communicate with one or more access points via transmissions on the forward and reverse links . the forward link ( or downlink ) refers to the communication link from the access points to the terminals , and the reverse link ( or uplink ) refers to the communication link from the terminals to the access points . this communication link may be established via a single - in - single - out system , a multiple - in - multiple - out (“ mimo ”) system , or some other type of system . a mimo system employs multiple ( n t ) transmit antennas and multiple ( n r ) receive antennas for data transmission . a mimo channel formed by the n t transmit and n r receive antennas may be decomposed into n s independent channels , which are also referred to as spatial channels , where n s ≦ min { n t , n r }. each of the n s independent channels corresponds to a dimension . the mimo system may provide improved performance ( e . g ., higher throughput and / or greater reliability ) if the additional dimensionalities created by the multiple transmit and receive antennas are utilized . a mimo system may support time division duplex (“ tdd ”) and frequency division duplex (“ fdd ”). in a tdd system , the forward and reverse link transmissions are on the same frequency region so that the reciprocity principle allows the estimation of the forward link channel from the reverse link channel . this enables the access point to extract transmit beam - forming gain on the forward link when multiple antennas are available at the access point . the teachings herein may be incorporated into a node ( e . g ., a device ) employing various components for communicating with at least one other node . fig6 depicts several sample components that may be employed to facilitate communication between nodes . specifically , fig6 illustrates a wireless device 610 ( e . g ., an access point ) and a wireless device 650 ( e . g ., an access terminal ) of a mimo system 600 . at the device 610 , traffic data for a number of data streams is provided from a data source 612 to a transmit (“ tx ”) data processor 614 . in some aspects , each data stream is transmitted over a respective transmit antenna . the tx data processor 614 formats , codes , and interleaves the traffic data for each data stream based on a particular coding scheme selected for that data stream to provide coded data . the coded data for each data stream may be multiplexed with pilot data using ofdm techniques . the pilot data is typically a known data pattern that is processed in a known manner and may be used at the receiver system to estimate the channel response . the multiplexed pilot and coded data for each data stream is then modulated ( i . e ., symbol mapped ) based on a particular modulation scheme ( e . g ., bpsk , qspk , m - psk , or m - qam ) selected for that data stream to provide modulation symbols . the data rate , coding , and modulation for each data stream may be determined by instructions performed by a processor 630 . a data memory 632 may store program code , data , and other information used by the processor 630 or other components of the device 610 . the modulation symbols for all data streams are then provided to a tx mimo processor 620 , which may further process the modulation symbols ( e . g ., for ofdm ). the tx mimo processor 620 then provides n t modulation symbol streams to n t transceivers (“ xcvr ”) 622 a through 622 t . in some aspects , the tx mimo processor 620 applies beam - forming weights to the symbols of the data streams and to the antenna from which the symbol is being transmitted . each transceiver 622 receives and processes a respective symbol stream to provide one or more analog signals , and further conditions ( e . g ., amplifies , filters , and upconverts ) the analog signals to provide a modulated signal suitable for transmission over the mimo channel . n t modulated signals from transceivers 622 a through 622 t are then transmitted from n t antennas 624 a through 624 t , respectively . at the device 650 , the transmitted modulated signals are received by n r antennas 652 a through 652 r and the received signal from each antenna 652 is provided to a respective transceiver (“ xcvr ”) 654 a through 654 r . each transceiver 654 conditions ( e . g ., filters , amplifies , and downconverts ) a respective received signal , digitizes the conditioned signal to provide samples , and further processes the samples to provide a corresponding “ received ” symbol stream . a receive (“ rx ”) data processor 660 then receives and processes the nr received symbol streams from n r transceivers 654 based on a particular receiver processing technique to provide n t “ detected ” symbol streams . the rx data processor 660 then demodulates , deinterleaves , and decodes each detected symbol stream to recover the traffic data for the data stream . the processing by the rx data processor 660 is complementary to that performed by the tx mimo processor 620 and the tx data processor 614 at the device 610 . a processor 670 periodically determines which pre - coding matrix to use ( discussed below ). the processor 670 formulates a reverse link message comprising a matrix index portion and a rank value portion . a data memory 672 may store program code , data , and other information used by the processor 670 or other components of the device 650 . the reverse link message may comprise various types of information regarding the communication link and / or the received data stream . the reverse link message is then processed by a tx data processor 638 , which also receives traffic data for a number of data streams from a data source 636 , modulated by a modulator 680 , conditioned by the transceivers 654 a through 654 r , and transmitted back to the device 610 . at the device 610 , the modulated signals from the device 650 are received by the antennas 624 , conditioned by the transceivers 622 , demodulated by a demodulator (“ demod ”) 640 , and processed by a rx data processor 642 to extract the reverse link message transmitted by the device 650 . the processor 630 then determines which pre - coding matrix to use for determining the beam - forming weights then processes the extracted message . fig6 also illustrates that the communication components may include one or more components that perform update control operations as taught herein . for example , an update control component 692 may cooperate with the processor 670 and / or other components of the device 650 to send / receive update information to / from another device ( e . g ., via device 610 ). it should be appreciated that for each device 610 and 650 the functionality of two or more of the described components may be provided by a single component . for example , a single processing component may provide the functionality of the update control component 692 and the processor 670 . the teachings herein may be incorporated into various types of communication systems and / or system components . in some aspects , the teachings herein may be employed in a multiple - access system capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources ( e . g ., by specifying one or more of bandwidth , transmit power , coding , interleaving , and so on ). for example , the teachings herein may be applied to any one or combinations of the following technologies : code division multiple access (“ cdma ”) systems , multiple - carrier cdma (“ mccdma ”), wideband cdma (“ w - cdma ”), high - speed packet access (“ hspa ,” “ hspa +”) systems , time division multiple access (“ tdma ”) systems , frequency division multiple access (“ fdma ”) systems , single - carrier fdma (“ sc - fdma ”) systems , orthogonal frequency division multiple access (“ ofdma ”) systems , or other multiple access techniques . a wireless communication system employing the teachings herein may be designed to implement one or more standards , such as is - 95 , cdma2000 , is - 856 , w - cdma , tdscdma , and other standards . a cdma network may implement a radio technology such as universal terrestrial radio access (“ utra )”, cdma2000 , or some other technology . utra includes w - cdma and low chip rate (“ lcr ”). the cdma2000 technology covers is - 2000 , is - 95 and is - 856 standards . a tdma network may implement a radio technology such as global system for mobile communications (“ gsm ”). an ofdma network may implement a radio technology such as evolved utra (“ e - utra ”), ieee 802 . 11 , ieee 802 . 16 , ieee 802 . 20 , flash - ofdm ®, etc . utra , e - utra , and gsm are part of universal mobile telecommunication system (“ umts ”). the teachings herein may be implemented in a 3gpp long term evolution (“ lte ”) system , an ultra - mobile broadband (“ umb ”) system , and other types of systems . lte is a release of umts that uses e - utra . although certain aspects of the disclosure may be described using 3gpp terminology , it is to be understood that the teachings herein may be applied to 3gpp ( re199 , re15 , re16 , re17 ) technology , as well as 3gpp2 ( ixrtt , 1xev - do relo , reva , revb ) technology and other technologies . in some aspects the teachings herein may be employed in a network that includes macro scale coverage ( e . g ., a large area cellular network such as a 3g network , typically referred to as a macro cell network or a wan ) and smaller scale coverage ( e . g ., a residence - based or building - based network environment , typically referred to as a lan ). as an access terminal (“ at ”) moves through such a network , the access terminal may be served in certain locations by access points that provide macro coverage while the access terminal may be served at other locations by access points that provide smaller scale coverage . in some aspects , the smaller coverage nodes may be used to provide incremental capacity growth , in - building coverage , and different services ( e . g ., for a more robust user experience ). a node ( e . g ., an access point ) that provides coverage over a relatively large area may be referred to as a macro node while a node that provides coverage over a relatively small area ( e . g ., a residence ) may be referred to as a femto node . it should be appreciated that the teachings herein may be applicable to nodes associated with other types of coverage areas . for example , a pico node may provide coverage ( e . g ., coverage within a commercial building ) over an area that is smaller than a macro area and larger than a femto area . in various applications , other terminology may be used to reference a macro node , a femto node , or other access point - type nodes . for example , a macro node may be configured or referred to as an access node , base station , access point , enodeb , macro cell , and so on . also , a femto node may be configured or referred to as a home nodeb , home enodeb , access point base station , femto cell , and so on . in some implementations , a node may be associated with ( e . g ., divided into ) one or more cells or sectors . a cell or sector associated with a macro node , a femto node , or a pico node may be referred to as a macro cell , a femto cell , or a pico cell , respectively . the teachings herein may be incorporated into ( e . g ., implemented within or performed by ) a variety of apparatuses ( e . g ., nodes ). in some aspects , a node ( e . g ., a wireless node ) implemented in accordance with the teachings herein may comprise an access point or an access terminal for example , an access terminal may comprise , be implemented as , or known as user equipment , a subscriber station , a subscriber unit , a mobile station , a mobile , a mobile node , a remote station , a remote terminal , a user terminal , a user agent , a user device , or some other terminology . in some implementations an access terminal may comprise a cellular telephone , a cordless telephone , a session initiation protocol (“ sip ”) phone , a wireless local loop (“ wll ”) station , a personal digital assistant (“ pda ”), a handheld device having wireless connection capability , or some other suitable processing device connected to a wireless modem . accordingly , one or more aspects taught herein may be incorporated into a phone ( e . g ., a cellular phone or smart phone ), a computer ( e . g ., a laptop ), a portable communication device , a portable computing device ( e . g ., a personal data assistant ), an entertainment device ( e . g ., a music device , a video device , or a satellite radio ), a global positioning system device , or any other suitable device that is configured to communicate via a wireless medium . an access point may comprise , be implemented as , or known as a nodeb , an enodeb , a radio network controller (“ rnc ”), a base station (“ bs ”), a radio base station (“ rbs ”), a base station controller (“ bsc ”), a base transceiver station (“ bts ”), a transceiver function (“ tf ”), a radio transceiver , a radio router , a basic service set (“ bss ”), an extended service set (“ ess ”), a macro cell , a macro node , a home enb (“ henb ”), a femto cell , a femto node , a pico node , or some other similar terminology . in some aspects a node ( e . g ., an access point ) may comprise an access node for a communication system . such an access node may provide , for example , connectivity for or to a network ( e . g ., a wide area network such as the internet or a cellular network ) via a wired or wireless communication link to the network . accordingly , an access node may enable another node ( e . g ., an access terminal ) to access a network or some other functionality . in addition , it should be appreciated that one or both of the nodes may be portable or , in some cases , relatively non - portable . also , it should be appreciated that a wireless node may be capable of transmitting and / or receiving information in a non - wireless manner ( e . g ., via a wired connection ). thus , a receiver and a transmitter as discussed herein may include appropriate communication interface components ( e . g ., electrical or optical interface components ) to communicate via a non - wireless medium . a wireless node may communicate via one or more wireless communication links that are based on or otherwise support any suitable wireless communication technology . for example , in some aspects a wireless node may associate with a network . in some aspects the network may comprise a local area network or a wide area network . a wireless device may support or otherwise use one or more of a variety of wireless communication technologies , protocols , or standards such as those discussed herein ( e . g ., cdma , tdma , ofdm , ofdma , wimax , wi - fi , and so on ). similarly , a wireless node may support or otherwise use one or more of a variety of corresponding modulation or multiplexing schemes . a wireless node may thus include appropriate components ( e . g ., air interfaces ) to establish and communicate via one or more wireless communication links using the above or other wireless communication technologies . for example , a wireless node may comprise a wireless transceiver with associated transmitter and receiver components that may include various components ( e . g ., signal generators and signal processors ) that facilitate communication over a wireless medium . the functionality described herein ( e . g ., with regard to one or more of the accompanying figures ) may correspond in some aspects to similarly designated “ means for ” functionality in the appended claims . referring to fig7 and 8 , apparatuses 700 and 800 are represented as a series of interrelated functional modules . here , an address acquiring module 702 may correspond at least in some aspects to , for example , an address controller as discussed herein . an update determining module 704 may correspond at least in some aspects to , for example , an update manager as discussed herein . a message sending module 706 may correspond at least in some aspects to , for example , a message processor as discussed herein . a message receiving module 802 may correspond at least in some aspects to , for example , a message processor as discussed herein . an address list updating module 804 may correspond at least in some aspects to , for example , an address list manager as discussed herein . an address using module 806 may correspond at least in some aspects to , for example , a communication controller as discussed herein . the functionality of the modules of fig7 and 8 may be implemented in various ways consistent with the teachings herein . in some aspects the functionality of these modules may be implemented as one or more electrical components . in some aspects the functionality of these blocks may be implemented as a processing system including one or more processor components . in some aspects the functionality of these modules may be implemented using , for example , at least a portion of one or more integrated circuits ( e . g ., an asic ). as discussed herein , an integrated circuit may include a processor , software , other related components , or some combination thereof the functionality of these modules also may be implemented in some other manner as taught herein . it should be understood that any reference to an element herein using a designation such as “ first ,” “ second ,” and so forth does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements . rather , these designations may be used herein as a convenient method of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of an element . thus , a reference to first and second elements does not mean that only two elements may be employed there or that the first element must precede the second element in some manner . also , unless stated otherwise a set of elements may comprise one or more elements . in addition , terminology of the form “ at least one of : a , b , or c ” used in the description or the claims means “ a or b or c or any combination of these elements .” those of skill in the art would understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques . for example , data , instructions , commands , information , signals , bits , symbols , and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages , currents , electromagnetic waves , magnetic fields or particles , optical fields or particles , or any combination thereof those of skill would further appreciate that any of the various illustrative logical blocks , modules , processors , means , circuits , and algorithm steps described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware ( e . g ., a digital implementation , an analog implementation , or a combination of the two , which may be designed using source coding or some other technique ), various forms of program or design code incorporating instructions ( which may be referred to herein , for convenience , as “ software ” or a “ software module ”), or combinations of both . to clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software , various illustrative components , blocks , modules , circuits , and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality . whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system . skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application , but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure . the various illustrative logical blocks , modules , and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented within or performed by an integrated circuit (“ ic ”), an access terminal , or an access point . the ic may comprise a general purpose processor , a digital signal processor ( dsp ), an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) or other programmable logic device , discrete gate or transistor logic , discrete hardware components , electrical components , optical components , mechanical components , or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein , and may execute codes or instructions that reside within the ic , outside of the ic , or both . a general purpose processor may be a microprocessor , but in the alternative , the processor may be any conventional processor , controller , microcontroller , or state machine . a processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices , e . g ., a combination of a dsp and a microprocessor , a plurality of microprocessors , one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a dsp core , or any other such configuration . it is understood that any specific order or hierarchy of steps in any disclosed process is an example of a sample approach . based upon design preferences , it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure . the accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order , and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented . in one or more exemplary embodiments , the functions described may be implemented in hardware , software , firmware , or any combination thereof . if implemented in software , the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer - readable medium . computer - readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another . a storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a 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 that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer . also , any connection is properly termed a computer - readable medium . for example , if the software is transmitted from a website , server , or other remote source using a coaxial cable , fiber optic cable , twisted pair , digital subscriber line ( dsl ), or wireless technologies such as infrared , radio , and microwave , then the coaxial cable , fiber optic cable , twisted pair , dsl , or wireless technologies such as infrared , radio , and microwave are included in the definition of medium . disk and disc , as used herein , includes compact disc ( cd ), laser disc , optical disc , digital versatile disc ( dvd ), floppy disk and blu - ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically , while discs reproduce data optically with lasers . combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer - readable media . it should be appreciated that a computer - readable medium may be implemented in any suitable computer - program product . the previous description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure . various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of the disclosure . thus , the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein .	7
fig1 shows a cross - sectional view of one half of the left side of the pulser assembly of an embodiment of the invention . a simplified isometric view of an assembled pulser of an embodiment of the invention is shown in fig1 . fig1 and 14 show top and bottom plan views of the pulser . as shown the pulser assembly includes two primary functional components . one is the compressor portion of the pulser , which is shown in fig1 as the 204 . the other component is the transformer 206 . a number of annular shaped ferromagnetic cores 202 are configured in the transformer . one skilled in the art will recognize that a wide range of amorphous metal materials could be used . these cores are shown as # 1 -# 10 in fig1 . one skilled in the art would realize that the number of cores used could be changed . in the preferred embodiment , the cores are of finemet nanocrystalline material manufactured by hitachi heavy metals of japan , measuring approximately 140 mm at the outer diameter and 85 mm at the inner diameter and 10 mm thick . one skilled in the art would recognize that a wide range of shapes could be used for the cores . the cores could be circular in shape or oval shaped or any other of a range of shapes which allow for the cores to be placed about a generally central axis . an isometric view of an embodiment of one of these cores is shown in fig1 . fig2 shows the electrical configuration of the pulse transformer relative to two ferromagnetic cores 202 of the transformer 206 . as shown in fig2 primary start and primary finish single turns enclose each core . in addition , a post passes through the center of each core . the post is the center rod 214 shown in fig1 . this center rod acts as the secondary , and thus the voltage across the center rod is equal to the voltage across a single turn times the number of cores . ( for purposes of the discussion herein the system is assumed to be lossless .) this arrangement provides that the voltage developed across the center rod is equal to the voltage across the single turn primaries times the number of cores . fig3 shows a configuration of pulse transformer ferromagnetic cores . as shown in fig3 there are three transformer cores , 202 , but different numbers of cores could be used . for example , in fig1 the transformer is shown having ten transformer cores . a ceramic plate 208 is positioned adjacent to the top and the bottom of each core . one skilled in the art will recognize that other materials , such as quartz or mica , which provide good thermal conductivity and galvanic isolation could be used instead of ceramic . in the preferred embodiment , the ceramic plates are high alumina ceramic plates , such as manufactured by coors ceramics company of colorado , measuring 1 mm thick which provide galvanic isolation and thermal conduction . a top 400 board having conducting plating is positioned adjacent to the top of the ceramic plate . another ceramic plate is positioned adjacent to the top board and a bottom board with conducting material 500 is then positioned adjacent to the ceramic plate . ( a similar arrangement is also used in the compressor and transformer portions of the pulser embodiment shown in fig1 but this level of the detail is not show in fig1 .) it should be recognized that the core material 202 could be formed of materials such that the outer surface of the core incorporates an isolating member which provides thermal conductivity and galvanic isolation and thereby alleviating the need for separate discrete isolating members as the isolation member is incorporated into the core . displacement of air is accomplished by use of a dielectric compound , such as htc 61 , manufactured by d6 industries of florida . a silicone loaded elastomer can also be used in conjunction with the dielectric compound if necessary . the dielectric compound 216 is distributed primarily in the opening at the center of the ceramic plate and the opening at the center of the core . the dielectric compound also exists between the cores , the ceramic plates and the conducting boards . thus , the dielectric compound displaces air which might otherwise exist between these components . the dielectric compound provides galvanic isolation and thermal conductivity . during assembly of the pulser the dielectric compound , which is a putty type material , i . e . a material which is formable in shape sometimes referred to conformal , is applied to all components . after assembly of the pulser , the pulser is subjected to high vacuum conditions to exclude any air bubbles . with the boards 400 and 500 ( shown in fig2 - 5 ) aligned according to index marks as shown , all holes are connected by outer bus bars 210 and inner bus bars 212 and the outer row of bars 210 extend through the cover plate 600 . alternate bars connect bottom boards to a ground return section 602 of the cover plate 600 and intervening bars connect top boards to the inner section 604 of the cover plate 600 . while the bus bars are shown as being generally cylindrical in shape one skilled in the art will understand that the bus bars could be a wide range of conducting materials formed in variety of shapes such as strips , ribbons or wires or other configurations . the important characteristic is that bus bars electrically couple the boards 400 and 500 . in the compressor stack portion of the circuit it is important that the bus bars are located at the inner and outer diameter of the boards such that they are proximate to the cores in order to minimize the saturated inductance and achieve the maximum compression per stage . reference to fig2 in conjunction with fig3 helps to illustrate the operation of the boards and the bus bars . the primary start and primary finish currents shown in fig2 correspond to current carried on the outer bus bars 210 and the current which flows about the cores 202 adjacent to the center axis is carried on inner bus bars 212 . the current which flows adjacent to the bottom of a core is carried on the conducting plating of the bottom boards 500 . the current which flows adjacent to the top of a core is carried on the conducting plating of the top boards 400 . note that as shown , in the preferred embodiment , the width of the loops , i . e . the distance from the outer bus bar to the inner bus bar is the same for each of the loops . thus , each of the loops has an equal width , and the bus bars are spaced at a minimum distance from the cores to achieve the minimum saturated inductance . additionally , in order to minimize the saturated inductance all of the outer bus bars are spaced at the same outer distance from the center axis of the pulser and the inner bus bars are spaced at the same inner distance from the center axis of the pulser . in the preferred embodiment the bus bars are copper . in the preferred embodiment alternate outer bus bars connect all top boards 500 to the cover plate pattern 602 which is returned to ground via the pulse transformer housing , and the other set of alternating outer bus bars connect to the center rod 214 via the cover plate pattern 604 . plan views of the top printed circuit boards 400 are shown in fig4 . plan views of the bottom printed circuit boards 500 are shown in fig5 . in the preferred embodiment the top and bottom boards are identical . in the assembled form the index points 420 and 520 are aligned so that the pattern of the curvature of the outer circumference of the plating patterns 402 and 502 is offset . in fig4 and 5 the dark patterned portions of the boards represent the portion of the board covered with a conducting material such as copper . the center open area 408 disposed within the inner diameter of the boards allows for insertion of the center rod 214 shown in fig1 . to obtain the best performance from the pulser it is desirable to make the outer diameter of the center rod as close as possible to the inner diameter of the top and bottom boards 400 and 500 . the via hole 406 of the top board is aligned with a hole 504 of adjacent bottom boards and with via holes 406 of other top boards of this assembly . in this manner an outer bus bar 210 can be inserted through the holes of the boards such that it electrically couples each of the top boards of the transformer . similarly , outer bus bars are used to electrically couple each of the bottom boards by the via holes 506 . the cover plate 600 is shown in fig6 . as shown the cover plate is configured for an autotransformer configuration . the area 602 is plated with a conducting material such as copper . the area 604 is also plated with a conducting material . the area 606 is an insulating area which isolates the conducting area 604 from the conducting area 602 . the holes 608 provide a connection location for the bus bars 210 which are connected to the top boards 400 as discussed above . the holes 610 are used to secure the cover plate to the pulse transformer housing . the transformer housing provides the ground connection . the holes 612 connect to the bus bars 210 which are electrically coupled to the bottom boards as discussed above . the holes 614 are used to connect to the center rod . while the autotransformer connection shown in terms of electrical components in fig8 is described here , with minor changes in the copper etch pattern of the cover plate the conventional transformer connection may be employed as shown in terms of electrical components in fig7 . since the autotransformer connection offers performance advantages as described elsewhere the conventional connection will not be described . the area 604 of the cover plate 600 is coupled to the output of the inductor l 2 . thus a number of cores 202 , top and bottom conducting plates 400 and 500 , and ceramic plates 208 are stacked in a completely coaxial manner . this provides for cores having one primary turn each being stacked on a central rod 214 , across which is developed a voltage equal to the product of the primary turn voltage times the number of cores . this structure is shown in the cross - sectional view of one half of the pulser as seen in fig1 . this configuration permits transformation of a pulse train generated at a voltage level which does not require oil , freon , or pressurized gas insulation to the high voltage level necessary to properly couple energy to the laser chamber . the pulse transformer housing is filled with the same dielectric compound used between cores , the top and bottom printed circuit boards , and ceramic plates as described above for purposes of insulation and heat transfer , and the heat thus conducted to the pulse transformer housing is carried off by means of fans or a water cooled chill plate connected at the flange . since the pulse transformer cores operate over the linear portion of their b - h characteristic curve as shown in the drawing “ b - h characteristic curve ” of fig9 power losses will be small , and waste heat can be carried off by cooling the pulse transformer housing either with forced air or by means of a water cooled chill plate similar to those described below in connection with the compressor 204 . the flanagan reference referred to in the description of related art section herein , provides a detailed description of b - h curves . the compressor cores , however , ( shown as core # 1 , core # 2 and core # 3 in fig1 ) are driven to hard saturation at the repetition rate of the laser , which may exceed 6 khz . in the preferred embodiment the cores used in the compressor are made of a material similar to the cores 202 of the transformer . it has been found , however , that it is beneficial to use a slightly different material with a different b - h relationship , such that a very small change in ampere - turns , h , is all that is required to induce a large change of the magnetic flux density , b . a typical material used has iron losses which may reach 70 mj per core , or 70 w per core per khz , for a total of 1300 w at 6 khz . these losses translate to heat generated by the compressor cores . for this reason each compressor core is thermally coupled on both faces by chill plates 1000 of aluminum which contain copper tubing through which flows water . fig1 shows that the copper tubing 1002 through which the chilled water flows is embedded in a metal plate 1004 , which has a contour formed in it to receive the copper tubing . in one embodiment the metal used in the plate is aluminum but other materials could be used . the metal plate is formed such that it has approximately the same inner and outer diameter as the cores of the compressor . chill plates are positioned above and below each core of the compressor to remove heat generated by the cores . use of ceramic plates 208 and solid dielectric compounds described above at the interface of printed circuit boards , ceramic plates and cores to displace trapped air at the component faces allows adequate cooling of these parts . windings at each stage of the pulse compressor 204 are configured in a manner similar to that described for the pulse transformer , but modified to provide the proper number of turns . in the embodiment shown in fig1 the first stage , which corresponds to l 1 as shown in fig8 uses core # 1 and core # 2 , and the second stage , which corresponds to l 2 , uses core # 3 . fig1 shows a top plan view of the electrical windings around the cores of the compressor portion of the pulser assembly . in fig1 the solid line is in the top board and the dashed line is in the bottom board . fig1 shows the etch pattern of the conductive material on the surface of the pc board for one embodiment of the invention . the interconnections between the compressor and the pulse transformer are made with the copper bars shown in fig1 at point 218 . these bars may number as many as 60 in practice in order to reduce leakage inductance to an absolute minimum and also carry the high effective current resulting from the great number of pulse transformer parallel primary windings . for similar reasons the capacitor shown as c 2 consists of 12 capacitors distributed equally around the periphery of the compressor stack , which serves to divide the loop inductance of a single capacitor by 12 . the top view of the pulser shown in fig1 a shows this . fig1 b shows a modification of this concept , using a single capacitor c 2 in the shape of a hoop with an inside diameter sufficient to enclose the compressor cores as shown in drawing pulser assembly half section full size ( showing hoop capacitor ) ( fig1 ). here the 12 discrete capacitors are replaced by an effectively infinite number of capacitors serving to even more effectively reduce stray inductance . where loop inductance must be in the range of a few tens of nanohenries for proper circuit operation it is of prime importance to minimize external circuit inductance . the hoop capacitor can be made with termination rings bonded to the extended foil at top and bottom for extremely low inductance connections directly to the printed circuit boards which form the output winding of l 2 and the connection to the primary of the pulse transformer . an additional advantage of this type of capacitor construction is that the heat generated within the capacitor by the effective current , which may be in the range of 250 a , is carried out through the low thermal impedance path provided by the rings to the external circuitry where cooling is available . an advantage of this design is that flange “ a ” of the pulse transformer housing , holes “ c ” in the housing flange , and post “ b ”, shown in fig1 at the hv output match the present laser design , permitting interchangeability with existing pulsers . operation of the compression stages preceding the pulse transformer at a voltage level consistent with air insulation require extremely low values of stray inductance in the circuit layout in the stage adjacent to the transformer primary as well as in the transformer itself . the autotransformer connection shown in fig3 provides a way to achieve this low value of stray inductance . it is well known that other circuit constants being equal , leakage inductance of a transformer varies as the square of the turns ratio . see , flanagan , 10 . 5 as an example . assuming a stepup voltage requirement of approximately ten , an autotransformer would allow attainment of the same voltage with a turns ratio of nine , thus achieving a reduction in leakage inductance of 20 %. pulse compression varies as the square root of the ratio of the maximum ( unsaturated ) inductance to switched inductance . switched inductance , which is after the switch is closed , is made up of saturated core inductance plus transfer stray inductance , and for low values of inductance associated with nanosecond pulses of several thousands of volts the circuit stray inductance can constitute a large percentage of the transfer inductance and thus limit the minimum pulse width obtainable . because of this in some cases in can be desirable to increase the input voltage . as one skilled in the art would recognize , a lc inversion circuit can provide this higher input voltage . for example u . s . pat . no . 5 , 090 , 021 , items 8 , 19 , 11 and 9 show an l - c inversion circuit . fig7 shows a two stage compressor circuit followed by a pulse transformer and laser peaking capacitors . capacitor c 1 is charged to a voltage from an external source . all other capacitors are discharged . for simplicity all capacitors , inductors , and conductors are considered ideal and lossless . capacitors c 1 and c 2 are assumed to be the same value , and peaking capacitor c 3 is assumed to be the same value divided by the square of the transformer turns ratio . a typical value for capacitors c 1 and c 2 is 0 . 25 uf . the low impedance level at which the external source must deliver current in order to supply the average power required for multikilohertz operation , plus the system requirement for pulse - to - pulse energy control , requires that a disconnect means must be provided prior to closure of switch s 1 . this disconnect means may be a switch with both opening and closing capability , or since total isolation is not required may take the form of an isolation element with high and low impedance states . for a more detailed explanation please refer to patent application ser . no . 08 / 842 , 578 “ magnetic switch controlled power supply isolator and thyristor commutating circuit ” which is incorporated herein by reference . two impedance states which differ by a minimum of ten to one are easily obtained and have been found to be adequate both for proper compressor circuit timing and power supply surge protection as well as isolation from the inverse voltage impressed on the compressor by the laser chamber discharge . s 1 is closed , impressing initial voltage v across first compressor stage l 1 . the time constant of c 1 , c 2 , and the unsaturated inductance of l 1 , which may be on the order of 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 us , is long compared to the volt - second holdoff capacity of l 1 , hence l 1 saturates and switches to the low inductance state before c 2 acquires appreciable charge . when l 1 saturates c 2 rings up , placing voltage across l 2 which by the logic assumed for the first stage switches and places voltage across the primary of the pulse transformer in a time of the order of 100 ns . the pulse transformer operates in the linear mode , transferring the primary voltage increased by the turns ratio across c 3 , causing the laser chamber to discharge . for ease of reference it is noted that the portion of the pulser which corresponds to l 2 , as shown in fig8 is shown in fig1 as core 3 of the compressor stack which is positioned between chill plate # 3 and chill plate # 4 . similarly the portion of the pulser which corresponds to l 1 , as shown in fig8 is shown in fig1 as core 1 and core 2 of the compressor stack . thus , at each succeeding stage , pulse compression takes place as core volt - second capacity , which obeys the expression et = nab , is reduced . in this relationship a given core is seen to support a voltage e for a time t which is the product of turns n , cross - section area a , and flux capacity b . parameters which decide the optimum number of compressor stages are discussed at length in the literature , for example greenwood and druckman references cited in the description of related art section herein . not shown is a reset current circuit which may be required to establish proper initial flux conditions in the magnetic cores , as this is covered in numerous references , for an example refer to the article by melville referred to above . in fig8 the pulse transformer has been connected as an autotransformer . here the voltage developed across the primary adds to the voltage developed across the secondary , permitting a reduction in the number of cores and a resulting reduction in leakage inductance , enhancing performance of the circuit . while in the above description of the circuit the system has been assumed lossless , in the real circuit losses are incurred in the magnetic cores , capacitors and conductors . one skilled in the art would appreciate that these losses have to be taken into account , when designing and fine tuning of the pulser to achieve optimized performance and to minimize residual energy in the compressor stages which can lead to oscillations and circuit instabilities . compressor design , taking losses into account , has been described in detail by von bergmann , h . m ., swart , p . h ., “ thyristor - driven pulsers for multikilowatt average power lasers ”, iee proceedings - b , vol 139 , no . 2 , march 1992 . an embodiment of the present invention offers great simplification in fabrication and installation of high average power , high repetition rate solid state pulsers . while oil has been the high voltage insulation and heat conduction medium of choice for 100 years , its use requires leakproof enclosures built to withstand not only the static weight of this medium in service but also the motion of this medium in shipping and handling . oil filled enclosures invariably entail the use of some expansion handling capability such as bellows or bladders , and oil circulation requires the use of pumps or fans , plumbing , heat exchangers , and related components which greatly add to the complexity of the equipment . opening of such an enclosure for service requires oil removal by pump or other means and always causes contamination of internal parts by airborne dust and moisture , both of which have been proven to cause great degradation of dielectric properties of the oil . to compensate for this known effect , additional space and thermal capacity must be provided for in design in order to operate the oil at reduced stress level which adds still more size and weight to the assembly . in production line processes , the possibility of process contamination due to a leak cannot be overlooked . freon used in the vapor phase mode is a proven effective means of achieving high power density , but again a leak causes a system shutdown . gas must be used at several atmospheres pressure to be effective , requiring use of pressure vessel design , construction , and instrumentation , and again a leak causes a system shutdown . as one example of the economies to be achieved , an air - insulated pulser of 1 khz capability can be expected to weigh one third as much as an oil - insulated equivalent due solely to the weight of the oil and associated pump and heat exchanger . this invention offers the attainment of pulses into an excimer laser of a few tens of nanoseconds pulse width in the 30 kv range at repetition rates of several kilohertz and average power of several tens of kilowatts . this is accomplished with only water as a coolant and without use of oils , freons , or pressurized gases for dielectric or heat removal purposes . this is accomplished at material stress levels which promise mtbf ( mean time between failure ) of several thousand hours operation , corresponding to 20e9 pulses or more , without shutdown . service and module replacement can be accomplished by one individual using basic hand tools . the sole medium used for cooling is water at supply main pressure , which can be made part of the laser cooling system . an additional advantage of this invention over the description in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 142 , 166 is in the means of reducing the stray inductance . the transfer stray inductance is the inductance introduced by the connection between the compressor portion of the pulser and the transformer portion of the pulser . the formula which gives the inductance of parallel conductors and the formula the formula which gives the inductance for coaxial conductors are well known . ( for example see the grover reference cited in the description of related art herein , at pp . 39 - 42 .) from these equations it can be shown that for the dimensions presented herein for a coaxial structure of the present design and the geometry and assumed dimensions from the u . s . pat . no . 5 , 142 , 166 which infers parallel conductors , shows the present design provides approximately a tenfold reduction in transfer inductance . for the transfer inductance required to successfully drive an excimer laser from a low voltage pulser , particularly the arf and f 2 types , values on the order of 20 nh are required for successful circuit operation and this regime cannot be achieved with parallel conductors . the present invention avoids the necessity of converting from the discrete output wire construction of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 142 , 166 fig2 and 3 to coaxial feed by adopting as our basic structure the coaxial array shown and described herein . while the method and apparatus of the present invention has been described in terms of its presently preferred and alternate embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . the specifications and drawings are , accordingly , to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense . further , even though only certain embodiments have been described in detail , those having ordinary skill in the art will certainly understand that many modifications are possible without departing from the teachings thereof . all such modifications are intended to be encompassed within the following claims .	7
a cable - less communication system which comprises at least two units for proximal communication with each other is described . in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth , such as specific frequencies , etc ., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details . in other instances , well - known circuits have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention . referring to fig1 two units 10 and 20 comprising the apparatus of the present invention is shown . in unit 10 , a mixer 12 is coupled to antenna 13 to receive an incoming signal . mixer 12 is also coupled to a local oscillator 11 to receive the local oscillator frequency . mixer 12 mixes these two signals and generates an if which is then coupled to an if amplifier / detector block 14 . the output of block 14 is provided to an audio amplifier 15 . most any local oscillator circuitry may be used for local oscillator 11 . the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for a fixed crystal controlled local oscillator which generates a fixed frequency for mixing in mixer 12 . mixer 12 combines the incoming signal from antenna 13 and the local oscillator frequency from local oscillator 11 and mixes the signals by a well - known superhetrodyne technique . the output of mixer 12 is fed to block 14 wherein the if amplifier amplifies the incoming if signal and then detects the intelligence from the if signal . these techniques are well - known in the prior art . the output of block 14 is provided for end use . in this particular example , audio frequency is generated from block 14 for amplification in audio amplifier 15 . unit 20 is comprised of antenna 23 , mixer 22 , local oscillator 21 , if amplifier / detector block 24 and audio amplifier 25 . unit 20 and its component parts are configured equivalently to unit 10 and also functions equivalently as unit 10 . although a particular configuration is shown , variations may exist without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . such variations may entail the use of multiple if amplifier stages ; the insertion of a radio frequency ( rf ) amplifier between the antenna and the mixer to improve incoming signal sensitivity ; the use of multiple audio stages ; or even the use of more than one if for multiple conversion . units 10 and 20 are configured as a typical receiver and function comparably . further , other input means can be used , instead of antenna 13 and 23 , to couple signals into receiver units 10 and 20 . full - duplex two - way communication is achieved by tuning local oscillator ( lo ) 11 to a first frequency and lo 21 to a second frequency . in this hypothetical example , lo 11 is tuned to a radio frequency of 46 . 0 megahertzs ( mhz ) and local oscillator 21 is tuned to 46 . 1 mhz . antenna 23 is tuned to receive the lo 11 frequency of 46 . 0 mhz and antenna 13 is tuned to receive the lo 21 frequency of 46 . 1 mhz . the if frequency for both units 10 and 20 are determined by the difference of the two los 11 and 21 frequencies . in this instance the if is set to 100 khz . ( 46 . 1 - 46 . 0 mhz ). the frequencies of the los 11 and 21 are set so that their difference is equal to the if of the receiving systems . the antenna 13 and 23 are tuned to receive the frequency of the opposing los 21 and 11 , respectively . because of their proximity to each other , antennae 13 and 23 are capable of receiving the radiation from the opposing los 11 and 21 . therefore , antenna 23 receives the 46 . 0 mhz radiation of lo 11 and mixes this signal with the 46 . 1 mhz signal from lo 21 in mixer 22 to provide a 100 khz if to block 24 . equivalently , antenna 13 receives the 46 . 1 mhz radiation from lo 21 and mixes this signal to the 46 . 0 mhz signal from lo 11 in mixer 12 to provide a 100 khz if to block 14 . further , by providing intelligence on los 11 and 21 signals , communication may be achieved between the units 10 and 20 . one such communication is by turning lo 11 on and off , such as to functionally replicate a modulated continuous wave signal to the other unit . referring to fig2 a lo 11a , mixer 12a , antenna 13a , if / detector block 14a and audio amplifier 15a are shown configured equivalentely to unit 10 of fig1 . lo 21a , mixer 22a , antenna 23a , if amplifier / detector block 24a and audio amplifier 25a are configured equivalently to unit 20 of fig1 . the reference numerals have been kept the same , but letters have been added , to provide for ease of understanding the various blocks between the drawings . in this instance input device 17 is coupled to modulator 16 which is then coupled to lo 11a . similarly , input unit 27 is coupled to modulator 26 which is then coupled to lo 21a in the second unit . devices 17 and 27 are audio stimulation devices , such as a microphone , which couple audio signal to modulators 16 and 26 , respectively . modulator 16 modulates lo 11a at an audio rate . similarly modulator 26 modulates lo 21a at an audio rate . again lo 11a is set to 46 . 0 mhz and lo 21a is set to 46 . 1 mhz , wherein the if is equal to the difference of 100 khz . modulator 16 when receiving an audio input from device 17 modulates the local oscillator frequency of 46 . 0 mhz at an audio rate . this modulated signal appears as a leakage radiation from lo 11a and is picked up by antenna 23a when antenna 23a is proximally located to lo 11a . in reverse , leakage radiation of a modulated 46 . 1 mhz frequency from lo 21a is picked up by antenna 13a . therefore , when these two units are in a proximal position , audio communication between the units is achieved by the leakage radiation of modulated signals from each of the los 11a and 21a . it should be appreciated that intentionally allowing local oscillator leakage , as well as modulating a local oscillator , are not the usual practice of local oscillator use . when frequency modulation is used , the output from the mixer to the detector will be the signal from the antenna , signal from the lo , or both . since the detector does not distinguish one from the other , both will be detected and the intelligence from the lo will appear as a &# 34 ; sidetone &# 34 ; from the audio stage . referring to fig3 two receiver units for use in transferring digital information is shown . local oscillator 11b , mixer 12b , antenna 13b , and if amplifier / detector block 14b of the first unit , as well as lo 21b , mixer 22b , antenna 23b and if amplifier / detector block 24b are shown configured and functioning equivalently to similarly designated reference numerals of fig1 . however , in this instance digital interface 33 is coupled to receive the output of block 14b to process and output a digital signal on terminal 34 . also , digital interface 43 is coupled to receive the output of block 24b to provide a digital output at terminal 44 . again modulator 16b is coupled to lo 11b and modulator 26b is coupled to lo 21b similarly to the reference numerals of fig2 . however , in the transfer of digital data , input 35 is coupled to digital interface / frequency controller block 31 and block 31 subsequently provides input to modulator block 16b , as well as providing certain control lines to local oscillator 11b . in the preferred embodiment , lo 11b is a phase lock loop with frequency agility to mate with the protocol requirements of the digital control system from the interface and frequency controller block 31 . equivalently , digital interface / frequency controller 41 accepts digital input on line 45 and subsequently provides the input to modulator 26b as well as phase lock loop control to lo 21b . logic controller 32 provides the digital timing and control to interface 31 and interface 33 , and logic controller 42 provides equivalent operation to controller 41 and interface 43 . the use of a phase lock loop local oscillator and an appropriate detection system enables the apparatus to run narrow band to very wide band modulation which allows for subsequent high data rates . it is appreciated that analog , digital , or a combination of the two techniques can be implemented for transfer of intelligence between two equivalent receiver units of the present invention . because of the proximal usage of the present invention , to expand coverage to larger areas the apparatus can be expanded into a cellular system . a local repeater can be constructed for each frequency set and these repeaters can then be linked together and polled to provide the master control unit with the best signal . as one traverses through each zone the actual zone location of the apparatus unit would be known at the master control . a general cellular approach to communication is well - known in the prior art . an alternate embodiment of the present invention utilizes an apparatus wherein the local oscillator frequency may be varied . although the preferred embodiment uses a crystal controlled local oscillator , a varying frequency or a tuning local oscillator can be utilized to select various frequencies between the units . in such a configuration , multiple units may be implemented within a system wherein any one unit may select to communicate with any other unit by having each of their respective los tuned to a predetermined frequency . various applications can be implemented from the apparatus of the present invention . such examples , but not limited to these , are remote telephone headsets and handsets , cable - less audio systems , and cable - less local area network for digital computer systems . the apparatus of the present invention is an improvement over the prior art . prior art communication systems have implemented transceivers for the purpose of obtaining maximum range given a limited output power constraint . to achieve this end , prior art devices have implemented sophisticated transmitting circuitry . the apparatus of the present invention uses a plurality of receivers proximally disposed to transfer intelligence through leakage radiation . an object of the present invention , then , is to establish communication over a limited physical distance , approximately in a range under 100 feet , and accomplishing this end by the simplest of circuitry permitting for considerable cost savings .	7
the purpose of this study was to evaluate the release of recombinant human growth hormone ( rhgh ) from a non - polymeric sucrose acetate isobutyrate sustained release system . the system comprised sucrose acetate isobutyrate ( saib ) and a solvent . two spray freeze dried formulations of rhgh were evaluated , rhgh in sodium bicarbonate and rhgh complexed with zinc . the rhgh powders were homogenized with various systems at two different protein loads ( 5 and 15 % w / v ). the release rate and protein stability was monitored by reverse phase - hplc , size exclusion chromatography and bca for 28 days . the effect of zinc and surface area on release rate and protein stability was also investigated . the in vitro results for the zinc complexed rhgh indicated a very low burst from 0 . 1 ( saib : ethanol ) to 2 . 2 % ( saib : miglyol ) followed by protein release over 28 days . the release rates and total protein released by the different preparations varied widely . the high protein load ( 15 %) and the low protein load ( 5 %) released approximately the same amount of protein indicating that the surface area of the sucrose acetate isobutyrate : solvent / protein mix proved to be an important factor in the initial burst and the release rate . in vitro experiments that increased the surface area of the sucrose acetate isobutyrate : solvent / protein in contact with the release medium resulted in increased bursts of 1 to 4 % with a higher total percentage of released protein . the bicarbonate rhgh suspension had a higher initial burst ( 7 to 14 %) and released more protein in 28 days when compared to the zinc complexed rhgh suspension . changing the solvent polarity , the ratio of solvent to saib , and the addition of zinc can modify the release rate of the rhgh from sucrose acetate isobutyrate : solvent systems . these results demonstrate that the sucrose acetate isobutyrate : solvent delivery system is capable of providing sustained release of intact rhgh in vitro . sucrose acetate isobutyrate extended release systems are described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 747 , 058 , for example , the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference . the growth hormone ( gh ) is preferably human growth hormone ( hgh ), preferably biologically active non - aggregated hgh . according to the present invention the gh is complexed with at least one type of multivalent metal cation , preferably having a valence of + 2 or more , preferably from a metal cation component of the formulation . suitable multivalent metal cations include biocompatible and non - toxic metal cations . a preferred metal cation component for gh is zn + 2 . typically , the molar ratio of metal cation component to gh is between 1 : 1 and 100 : 1 , preferably , between 1 : 1 and 20 : 1 and preferably between 1 : 1 and 10 : 1 . the following examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation . the disclosures of all citations in the specification are expressly incorporated herein by reference . preparation of zinc complexed rhgh : a 20 mg / ml rhgh solution in 25 mm sodium bicarbonate was complexed with zinc at a rhgh : zinc ratio of 10 : 1 . the rhgh / zinc suspension was spray freeze dried to create a fine powder that is approximately 70 % rhgh by weight . preparation of bicarbonate rhgh : a solution of approximately 5 mg / ml rhgh in 10 mm ammonium bicarbonate was lyophilized to produce an excipient free powder . saib / rhgh suspension preparation : the rhgh saber suspensions were prepared by mixing rhgh powders with saber formulations using a shear homogenizer . release rate determination : 0 . 2 ml of each rhgh / saib suspension was added to eppendorf tubes in duplicate , then 0 . 5 ml of release medium ( 50 mm hepes , 10 mm kcl , 0 . 1 % nan3 , ph 7 . 2 ) was added above the suspension . the eppendorf tubes were incubated at 37 deg . c . and sampled at various time points . at each time point , 0 . 5 ml of release medium was removed and 0 . 5 ml of fresh release medium added . collected samples were stored at − 70 deg . c . prior to analysis . the release samples were analyzed for protein concentration and protein quality . bca assay : the bca assay in a microtiter plate format was used to determine the protein concentration of the release samples . rhgh protein standards were prepared in release medium at 0 , 0 . 005 , 0 . 01 , 0 . 02 , 0 . 05 , 0 . 2 , 0 . 5 g / ml . 0 . 02 ml of each blank , standards , and release samples were mixed with 0 . 2 ml of the bca working reagent in a microtiter plate . the microtiter plate was incubated at 37 deg . c . for 1 hr and the absorbance determined at 562 nm using a microtiter plate reader . the protein concentrations of the release samples were determined from the standard curve using a four parameter non - linear curve fit . the amount of oxidized variants in the rhgh release samples was determined by rp - hplc . this assay was run using a 4 . 6 × 15 cm , 8 mm , 300 angstrom plrps column held at room temperature . the mobile phase a contained 50 mm nah2po4 , ph 7 . 0 and mobile phase b contained 20 % propanol in acetonitrile . the separation was isocratic at 49 % ( b ) and the eluent was monitored for absorbance at 214 nm . size exclusion chromatography was used to determine amount of monomer present in the release samples . this assay was run using a 7 . 8 × 300 mm tsk 2000swxl column held at room temperature . the mobile phase used was 50 mm nah2po4 , 150 mm nacl ph 7 . 2 with a flow rate of 1 . 0 ml / min and a run time of 20 min . 10 g protein was injected and the eluent monitored for absorbance at 214 nm . in vivo pharmacokinetics of rhgh were determined in after sc injection of rhgh saber formulations ( saib : benzyl alcohol ; 85 : 15 w / w and saib : benzyl benzoate ; 70 : 30 w / w ) in sprague dawley ( sd ) rats . serum rhgh levels were determined by elisa ( genentech ) with an assay detection limit of 0 . 1 ng / ml . the effect of the saib / solvent ratio on protein released was examined by plotting the cumulative release for rhgh in saib : ethanol ratios , 85 : 15 , 75 : 25 , and 50 : 50 ( w / w ). this plot is shown in fig2 a . the 85 : 15 , 75 : 25 , and 50 : 50 w / w ratio resulted in a 10 %, 13 %, and 26 % release of the protein at 28 days . the saib / solvent ratio is a factor in release rate , but it does not effect the initial burst for the saib : ethanol formulations . the effect of solvent on the rate of release from saber is shown in fig3 . all saib / solvent preparations show a low initial burst of rhgh in the first day and protein release out to 28 days . the rhgh / saib : miglyol suspension was the only sample with a poor release curve . the total amount of protein released over the 28 days for all samples was no higher than 13 % of the total protein load . this result was expected due to the lack of enzymatic degradation in these in vitro experiments . the release results for all saib / solvent preparations and both protein loads are detailed in fig2 b – c . ideally a one month sustained release system should have an initial burst of approximately & lt ; 10 % and an average daily release of 3 %. the results for the saber with rhgh show a burst from 0 . 1 to 2 . 2 %, with an average daily release over 28 days from 0 . 1 to 0 . 9 %. these values are extremely low but expected due to the lack of in vitro degradation of saber . the effect of zinc on rhgh release from saber was evaluated by comparing release rates of zinc complexed rhgh and lyophilized rhgh in bicarbonate from saber . 5 % w / v suspensions were prepared using two saib / solvent preparations , benzyl benzoate , and ethanol . the release curves are shown in fig4 . the bicarbonate rhgh produces a higher initial burst than the zinc complexed rhgh for both saber preparations . the initial burst for the bicarbonate rhgh from saib : ethanol is 6 . 53 % compared to 0 . 53 % for the zinc complexed rhgh . the initial burst from saib : benzyl benzoate is 14 . 64 % for the bicarbonate rhgh compared to 1 . 06 % for the zinc complexed rhgh . the daily release and the overall total protein released is also much higher for the bicarbonate rhgh . these results indicate that excipients such as zinc can affect protein release from saber . this effect may be due to differences in particle morphology or more likely differences in protein solubility . zinc complexed rhgh has lower solubility than the bicarbonate formulation . the integrity of the released protein was determined by rp - hplc and sec . the results indicate a decrease in native protein over time ( fig5 ). this decrease was most pronounced in protein released from saber formulations containing benzyl benzoate and ethanol . protein released from the 5 % load formulations was less native than protein released from the 15 % load formulations . this may be due to a decrease in the protein : solvent ratio in the 5 % load formulations , leading to higher solvent exposure in the release medium . during the course of these experiments several grades of benzyl benzoate were used ( reagent grade and usp grade ). samples from experiments using these solvent grades were tested for oxidation ( rp - hplc ) and aggregation ( sec ). the results show protein released from the saber formulations containing usp grade benzyl benzoate were less degraded than protein released from reagent grade benzyl benzoate ( fig6 ) after 21 days the amount of rhgh monomer remaining was over 90 % for the usp grade benzyl benzoate formulation compared to 75 % for the reagent grade formulation . the reversed phase results also show an improvement in protein quality with the usp grade benzyl benzoate . at 21 days 80 % of the main peak remained compared to 60 % seen with the reagent grade solvent . the purity of solvent used in saber formulations has a direct effect on protein quality and thus should be monitored . to determine the effect zinc had on the protein release rate , zinc complexed gh and bicarbonate rhgh were mixed with two saber formulations containing ethanol and benzyl benzoate as solvents . in vitro release experiments were carried out using an edta containing release medium ( 50 mm hepes , 10 mm kcl , 50 mm edta , 0 . 1 % nan3 , ph 7 . 2 ). these results are summarized in fig7 . the presence of edta in the release medium increased both the initial burst and the overall release for both rhgh saber formulations . exposed solvent accessible surface area and saber : buffer ratio appeared to influence release of rhgh from saber formulations ( fig8 ). when a larger surface area and lower saber : buffer ratio (& gt ; buffer volume ) was used more rhgh was released . this result indicates that both exposed surface area and saber : buffer ratio should be controlled during in vitro experiments . in vivo pharmacokinetics show saber formulations are able to deliver rhgh for prolonged periods of time with a fairly low initial burst ( fig9 ). however , saber solvent properties play a large role in the release mechanism . the saber formulation containing benzyl benzoate released & gt ; 80 % of available loaded material in the first 48 hrs while the benzyl alcohol formulation delivered target ( 10 ng / ml ) levels of rhgh for the duration of these studies . when compared to control microspheres the benzyl alcohol formulation had a significantly lower initial burst yet maintained similar serum levels for 7 days . in vitro release kinetics are dependent on saib / solvent type , saib / solvent ratio , excipients , release medium , and surface area . the quality of the released protein is dependent upon the type of solvent and purity of solvent used in the saber preparation . the rhgh saber formulations can provide a low burst , sustained release system for delivery of rhgh . however in vivo kinetics could depend on protein formulation and saber solvent choice .	0
referring particularly to fig1 it will be observed that the scraping apparatus embodying this invention comprises an assemblage of a generally cylindrical tubular housing or mandrel 10 , two axially spaced sets of identical annular segmented scraping tools 20 and 30 , two upper retaining sleeves 40 respectively cooperating with the upper ends of the annular segmented scraping tools 20 and 30 , two lower retaining sleeves 50 respectively cooperating with the lower ends of the annular segmented scraping tools 20 and 30 , a spring 65 operating between a coupling sleeve 70 and the adjacent end of the lowermost retaining sleeve 50 to impose an axial bias on the entire assemblage , and an adjusting sleeve 80 threadably secured to an externally threaded portion 10a of the housing or mandrel 10 to permit adjustment of the axial position of the assemblage of cutting elements 20 and 30 relative to the mandrel 10 . referring now to fig2 the mandrel 10 comprises a hollow , generally cylindrical member having its top end provided with a tapered external thread 10b and its bottom end provided with a cylindrical threaded portion 10c which engages internal threads 70a provided in the coupling sleeve 70 . the top end of the mandrel 10 may thus be connected to the end of a power driven , rotatable work string ( not shown ) by which the mandrel may be lowered into the well to effect the scraping operation . if it is desired that additional tools be carried below the mandrel 10 , or additional scraping tools , the bottom end of coupling sleeve 70 is provided with internal tapered threads 70b to effect such connection . on the medial portions of the mandrel 10 , a pair of axially adjacent , peripherally extending upper ramp surfaces 11 are provided . a short distance below the upper pair of ramp surfaces 11 , there are provided a pair of identical peripherally extending ramp surfaces 12 . the upper annular segmented scraping tool 20 is shown as comprising an assemblage of three annular segments 21 , ( fig4 ) each having a base portion 21a of 120 ° arcuate extent to define a complete annular structure when assembled on the mandrel 10 . each segment 21 is provided with a radial body portion 21b of more limited arcuate extent than base portion 21a , thus defining arcuate edge projections 21c . a plurality of helically disposed cutting edges or blades 22 are provided on the outer periphery of the body portion 21b . the internal surfaces of the segments 21 are provided with arcuate segmental ramp surfaces 23 ( fig2 ) which respectively cooperate with the peripheral ramp surfaces 11 or 12 provided on the mandrel 10 when the segments 21 are assembled around such ramp surfaces . each scraping tool segment 21 is biased radially outwardly by four compression springs 25 respectively mounted in recesses 24 formed in the ramp surfaces 23 of the segments 21 . the other end of springs 25 engage the peripheral ramp surfaces 11 or 12 of the mandrel 10 . the segments 21 are maintained in their annular relationship through the cooperation of upper retaining sleeve 40 and lower retaining sleeve 50 with the adjacent axial ends of the segments 21 . sleeve 40 is secured to the mandrel 10 for co - rotation by circumferentially spaced keys 42 welded thereto and respectively engaging key slots 10d provided in the mandrel 10 . similarly , the sleeve 50 is secured to the mandrel 10 by circumferentially spaced welded keys 52 engaging slots 10e in the mandrel 10 . to facilitate assembly of sleeves 40 and 50 on the mandrel 10 , slots 10f are provided in the major diameter portions where necessary to permit axial passage of keys 42 and 52 . sleeve 40 is further provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced , axially extending projections 41 which respectively snugly surround the top portions of tool segment body portions 21b and overlie the arcuate projections 21c of segments 21 . the lower retaining sleeve 50 is provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced , axially extending projections 51 to snugly surround the lower portions of tool body portions 21b and overlie arcuate projections 21c respectively of the segments 21 . by virtue of these interengagements , the sleeves 40 and 50 retain the segments 21 of the annular segmented scraping tool 20 against both radial and axial movements , while permitting a limited degree of radial movement of the segments 21 under the bias of the springs 25 . the minimum effective working diameter of the teeth 22 of the segments 21 is thereby determined when the springs 25 are fully compressed and the ramp surfaces 23 of the segments 21 are in abutting engagement with the peripherally extending ramp surfaces 11 on the mandrel 10 ( fig3 b ). this minimum working diameter will , however , be subject to variation due to variation in the axial position of the annular segmented scraping tool 20 relative to the mandrel 10 and such axial adjustment of the retaining sleeves will be hereinafter described . additionally , sleeves 40 and 50 secure the segments 21 for co - rotation with the mandrel 10 . the lower annular segmented scraping tool 30 is identical to upper tool 20 and is mounted in surrounding relationship to the lower pair of peripherally extending ramp surfaces 12 in the same manner as heretofore described , but with the cutting teeth segments 21 displaced 60 ° to lie intermediate the upper cutting teeth segments . an upper sleeve 40 and a lower sleeve 50 cooperate with segments 21 of the lower segmented scraping tool 30 in the same manner as heretofore described . even though the mandrel 10 is keyed to each of the upper retaining sleeves 40 and each of the lower retaining sleeves 50 , nevertheless , the key slots 10d and 10e provided in the mandrel 10 are of sufficient length to permit limited axial adjusting movement of the entire assemblage of scraping tools and retaining sleeves relative to the mandrel . the compression spring 65 mounted between the upper end of the coupling sleeve 70 and a washer 54 abutting a lower end face 53 of the lowermost retaining sleeve 50 imparts an upward axial bias to the assemblage relative to the mandrel 10 . hence the exact axial position of the assemblage is determined by the adjusting sleeve 80 which , as previously mentioned , is threadably secured to the threads 10a provided on the mandrel 10 and locked in any selected one of a plurality of axial positions by a bolt 81 which is insertable into the mandrel 10 thru any one of four axial slots 82 provided in adjusting sleeve 80 . therefore , if it is desired to shift the axial position of the scraping tool segments 21 relative to the ramp surfaces 11 and 12 , it is only necessary to remove the locking bolt 81 and adjust the position of sleeve 80 on threads 10a to effect either an upward or a downward shifting of the annular segmented scraping tools 20 and 30 relative to the mandrel 10 . such axial adjusting movement concurrently effects a change in the minimum effective cutting diameter of the teeth 22 of the annular segmented scraping tools 20 and 30 . thus , if the assemblage of scraping tools and retaining sleeves is moved downwardly relative to the mandrel 10 , the minimum effective cutting diameter is reduced . conversely , if the assemblage is moved upwardly , the minimum effective cutting diameter of the scraping tools is increased . it will therefore be apparent that adjustment of the effective cutting diameter to accommodate the use of the tool to scrape different interior sizes of casings may be readily accomplished without requiring the complete disassembly of the apparatus . for example , the illustrated construction can accommodate the full range of internal diameters experienced in all standard sizes of seven inch od well casing . any wear of the cutting teeth 22 is readily compensated by outward adjustment of the segments 21 . a further advantage of the described construction arises when the scraping teeth 22 of the annular segmented cutting tools 20 or 30 become jammed against an obstruction in the well , preventing further rotational movement and at the same time , any axial movement of the cutting tools relative to the well casing . when such jam occurs , it is only necessary to pull the mandrel 10 upwardly by the work string . this relative movement with respect to the jammed scraping tool permits the cutting tool segments to collapse inwardly to the minimum possible diameter and , in most cases , is effective to release the particular jammed cutting tool from its engagement with the obstruction . although the invention has been described in terms of specified embodiments which are set forth in detail , it should be understood that this is by illustration only and that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto , since alternative embodiments and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure . accordingly , modifications are contemplated which can be made without departing from the spirit of the described invention .	4
we have discovered that an nox selective catalytic reduction catalyst of improved efficiency and stability to poisoning by sox can be produced by the combination of high surface area zirconia with a natural or synthetic zeolite . the materials are mixed , formed , dried , and fired into a desired shape such as rings or honeycombs , with or without the addition of a ceramic bonding material . the firing takes place at a temperature below the stability limit of the zeolite to form a monolithic body . the zirconia starting material should have a surface area ( as measured by the b . e . t . method ) of at least 10 square meters per gram , and preferably greater than 50 square meters per gram . a suitable source for the zirconia powder is the hydrolysis product of a zirconium salt . the preferred amount of zirconia in the product is 10 to 30 %, by weight . the operative range of zirconia is from 5 to 50 % depending upon other factors . the zeolite should be present in the amount of 50 to 90 %. bond may be present , 0 to 30 %. the catalyst can be further enhanced by the addition of small amounts of promoter in the form of precursors of vanadium oxide and / or copper oxide and / or other base metal oxides . for best stability in the presence of so 2 the vanadium addition is preferred . a preferred zeolite is natural clinoptilolite which may be mixed with other zeolites such as chabazite . the zeolite must be primarily in the acid form or thermally convertible to the acid form in the catalytic product . this form may be produced directly by acid exchange or indirectly by ammonium exchange followed by heating to drive off ammonia and convert the material to the hydrogen form . zeolites which are useful in this invention are those which can be produced in the hydrogen form by either method and which are stable when in the hydrogen form . certain zeolites such as zeolite a and sodalite are not stable in the acid form and are not effective in this invention . examples of zeolites which can be prepared by ammonia and / or acid exchange are mordenite , clinoptilolite , erionite , heulandite , and ferrierite . zeolites which can be prepared better or only by the ammonium exchange route are natural faujasite and its synthetic counterpart zeolite y , chabazite and gmelinite . mixtures of zeolites may also be used . other hydrogen form zeolites , such as those of the zsm series , are prepared by the thermal decomposition of organic templates and are also suitable for use in the catalytic composites of this invention . in use the exhaust gas , containing a suitable reducing gas such as ammonia , is passed over the catalyst . depending upon the requirements of the particular application , the catalyst may be in the form of honeycombs , stacked and arranged , if plural , to provide a through flow path for the gases . or it may be in the form of randomly dumped saddles , rings , stars , cross partition rings , spheres , pellets , or aggregates or the active catalyst composition can be coated onto a suitable substrate such as cordierite or other ceramic or metal honeycombs . the treated flue gas should be at least 200 ° c . to prevent deposition of ammonium salts , and may be as high as 650 ° c . the space velocity is not critical . typically at 10 , 000 hourly space velocity ( gas volume calculated to standard temperature and pressure ) a 1600 ppm nox content can be reduced by over 90 % at 350 ° c . a composition for making nominal 1 / 4 inch rings with 1 / 8 inch holes was prepared by mixing dry powders consisting of 4 , 000 grams of a powdered ammonium form of clinoptilolite with 1050 gms of chemically precipitated zirconium dioxide powder having a surface area of about 90 square meters per gram . water was added in the amount of 1800 ml and mixing was continued for ten minutes . concentrated nitric acid , 106 ml , is added and the mixing continued for another ten minutes . additional water may be added to adjust the consistency of the mix . when the mix is to be extruded 0 . 2 % of an organic cationic polymer extrusion aid may be added after the mix is wet . after extrusion the rings are dried in an air atmosphere for one to two hours at 200 ° f . the final firing takes place at 1 , 000 ° f . for five hours . when it is desired to incorporate vanadium or copper into the composition the promoter precursor may be added during the mixing operation , or may be impregnated into the formed product after firing . the added promoter should be present in an amount of at least 0 . 1 % by elemental weight , as the oxide ( v 2 o 5 or cuo ). table i shows the composition of a variety of catalysts made as described above , with varying amounts of zeolite , zirconia , binder and promoter . the so 2 concentrations were varied with time . the catalysts initial nox reduction activity without so 2 in the stream was measured over a 24 hour period and is listed in table ii , column 2 . then , 50 ppm so 2 was added to the stream and the nox reduction efficiency measured after an additional 24 hours with the results shown in column 3 . then , this so 2 concentration was increased to 1600 ppm and the nox reduction efficiency measured at 24 , 48 , and 330 hours , and shown in columns 4 , 5 and 6 , respectively . ______________________________________temperature , c . 350oxygen concentration , vol % 5nox concentration , volume 500parts per millionnh3 / nox , vol 1h . sub . 2 o 15n . sub . 2 balanceso . sub . 2 as indicated______________________________________ the data of table ii clearly demonstrate that the zirconia containing catalyst of this invention , sample no . 65411 , out - performs the control catalyst , sample no . 65233 . the zirconia containing catalyst not only has a higher initial activity in the absence of so2 but , more importantly , remains more active even in the presence of 1600 ppm so2 . table i______________________________________selective catalytic reductioncatalyst compositionssample number zeolite zro . sub . 2 binder______________________________________ 65233 * 90 0 1065426 0 100 065411 80 20 0______________________________________ * control table ii______________________________________nox removal efficienciesof selective catalytic reduction catalystsbefore and after exposure to so . sub . 2 % nox removal intitial after 50 ppm % nox removal aftersample nox so . sub . 2 exposure 1600 ppm so . sub . 2 exposurenumber removed 24 hours 24 hrs 48 hrs 330 hrs______________________________________ 65233 * 72 . 1 63 . 9 57 . 4 47 . 4 -- 65426 9 . 1 18 . 2 -- -- -- 65411 96 . 0 84 . 0 82 . 0 82 . 0 81 . 7______________________________________ control	1
the present invention and its operation are hereinafter described in detail in connection with the views and examples of fig1 - 13 , wherein like numbers indicate the same or corresponding elements throughout the views . these embodiments are shown and described only for purposes of illustrating examples of the elements of the invention , and should not be considered as limiting on alternative structures or assemblies that will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art . a saddle - type vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention can include , for example , any of a variety of vehicles configured for recreational and / or utility purposes and that comprise a handlebar to facilitate steering of the vehicle by an operator . saddle - type vehicles can include motorcycles , mopeds , scooters , atvs , and personal watercraft , for example . for example , as shown in fig1 , a saddle - type vehicle is shown to comprise an atv 10 . though the atv 10 is shown to comprise four wheels , it will be appreciated that an atv in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention may include fewer or greater than four wheels . one or more of the atv &# 39 ; s wheels can be configured as drive wheels , whereby their rotation is caused by a drive system present upon the atv , and their contact with the ground while rotating causes movement of the atv . the atv 10 is shown in fig1 to include a handlebar 16 to facilitate steering of the atv 10 by an operator of the atv 10 . the handlebar 16 can be provided with a left handgrip 18 and a right handgrip 20 . an operator of the atv 10 can , during operation of the atv 10 , selectively place his or her left hand on the left handgrip 18 and / or his or her right hand on the right handgrip 20 . an atv in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention will include an engine , as is generally depicted at location 14 in fig1 . although the engine may include an internal combustion engine to facilitate rotation of the atv &# 39 ; s drive wheels , the engine may additionally or alternatively include an electric motor to facilitate this rotation . in such circumstances where an internal combustion engine is provided , the internal combustion engine can be configured to consume gasoline , diesel fuel , kerosene , natural gas , propane , alcohol , and / or any of a variety of other fuels . a locking assembly can be provided upon a saddle - type vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . for example , in one embodiment of the present invention , the locking assembly can be supported with respect to a handlebar of a saddle - type vehicle . the locking assembly may be supported with respect to the handlebar by direct or indirect attachment to the handlebar . additionally , the locking assembly can be attached to the handlebar at a location such that the locking assembly may be operable through use of an operator &# 39 ; s right or left hand , and without , requiring removal of the operator &# 39 ; s right or left hand from the handlebar . for example , in one embodiment of the present invention , as shown in fig1 , the locking assembly 30 can be attached to the handlebar 16 at a location adjacent to the left handgrip 18 . in another embodiment of the present invention , a locking assembly can be attached to a handlebar 16 at a location adjacent to a right handgrip . the locking assembly 30 is shown in fig2 - 11 as including a removable portion 32 and a receptacle 40 . the receptacle 40 is shown to be configured for selectively receiving the removable portion 32 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the receptacle can be provided within a housing which also includes one or more control devices such as , for example , engine controls , gear shifting controls , drive wheel selection controls , horn controls , radio controls , and / or lamp controls such as for running lights , utility lights , headlights , and / or turn signals . as will be described in further detail below , it will be appreciated that , when the removable portion 32 is removed from the receptacle 40 , and is thus disengaged from the receptacle 40 , operation of the atv 10 can be prohibited . however , when the removable portion 32 is inserted into the receptacle 40 , and is thus engaged with the receptacle 40 , powering and operation of the atv 10 can be enabled . in this manner , the removable portion 32 can serve the role of a conventional key to facilitate selective powering of the atv 10 . when the removable portion 32 is engaged in the receptacle 40 , at least part of the removable portion 32 may be repositioned by an operator from a first position ( e . g ., an “ oil ” position , shown in fig3 ) to a second position ( e . g ., an “ off ” position , shown in both fig4 and 5 ) to selectively discontinue engine operation as desired . in this manner , repositioning the removable portion 32 within the receptacle 40 can provide an engine stop or kill function as desired . as shown in fig8 , for example , the removable portion 32 can comprise an actuator 31 which , in this embodiment , includes a handle 33 and two surfaces 34 and 35 . the receptacle 40 may comprise two pushbutton assemblies 60 and 64 which each respectively include plunger portions 62 and 66 . the actuator 31 may be moved from the central position to the upper or lower positions by gripping the handle 33 and then physically moving ( e . g ., by sliding ) the removable portion 32 so that one of the surfaces 34 and 35 pushes against one of the plunger portions 62 and 66 . depression of one of the plunger portions 62 and 66 resulting from contact by one of the surfaces 34 or 35 can facilitate discontinued or prevention of engine operation . one skilled in the art will recognize that other actuator configurations are possible , including , for example , actuators that do not involve movement of the entire removable portion with respect to the receptacle , or actuators that interact with the receptacle through use of a mechanism other than a pushbutton . such mechanisms can involve , for example , an , inductive proximity sensor , a capacitive proximity sensor , an rf transponder , an optical sensor , or otherwise . although fig4 - 5 , 9 and 11 illustrate the actuator 31 , once the removable portion 32 is engaged with the receptacle 40 , as being slidable within the receptacle 32 ( like a slide - type switch ), it will be appreciated that an actuator may alternatively interact with an engaged receptacle such as in a pushbutton , rocker , rotational , toggle , or other arrangement . also , although fig3 - 5 and 9 - 11 illustrate the actuator 31 as having three selectable positions ( i . e ., central , upper outer , and lower outer ) once engaged with the receptacle 40 , it will be appreciated that an actuator may alternatively have two positions or more than three positions as desired , wherein at least one position is configured to allow engine operation and at least one position is configured to prevent or discontinue engine operation . when engaged with the receptacle 40 , the removable portion 32 can be selectively held within the receptacle 40 in any of a variety of alternative configurations . for example , as shown in fig6 - 7 , the removable portion 32 can be removably held in an engaged position within the receptacle 40 through use of grooves 36 and 38 in the removable portion 32 receiving detents 42 and 44 of the receptacle 40 . while the detents 42 and 44 can be configured to selectively interact with the removable portion 32 for holding the removable portion 32 within the receptacle 40 during normal use of the atv 10 , it will be appreciated that an operator of the atv 10 can apply sufficient force as desired to pull or otherwise remove the removable portion 32 from the receptacle 40 . in one embodiment of the present invention , as shown in fig6 - 7 , the detents 42 and 44 can be spring - biased . one skilled in the art will recognize that there are many alternative configurations in which a removable portion may be selectively held in an engaged position with respect to a receptacle including , for example , spring - and - hook systems , push - and - rotate systems , expandable flange systems , or combinations thereof . it will be appreciated that a locking mechanism can be operable to secure a saddle - type vehicle from unauthorized use . for example , as shown in fig6 and 8 , the removable portion 32 can be disengaged from the receptacle 40 , thereby locking the locking assembly 30 and preventing powering of the atv 10 . fig7 and 9 - 11 depict the removable portion 32 being engaged in the receptacle 40 , thereby allowing powering of the atv 10 . more specifically , the removable portion 32 can be engaged with the receptacle 40 if two conditions are met : ( 1 ) the removable portion 32 is placed in the receptacle 40 , and ( 2 ) a sensor ( e . g ., 50 ) identifies the removable portion 32 as having an engaging configuration . an engaging configuration allows the locking assembly 30 to be unlocked when the removable portion 32 is placed in the receptacle 40 . conversely , a non - engaging configuration does not allow the locking assembly 30 to be unlocked when the removable portion 32 is placed in the receptacle 40 . in one embodiment of the present invention , a locking assembly can be configured such that the ratio of engaging configurations to non - engaging configurations can be at least about 300 . in such a configuration , a removable portion and the receptacle can have only one engaging configuration for at least about 300 non - engaging configurations . as such , a given , removable portion may only be adapted to facilitate operation of no more than about 1 of 300 vehicles , thereby making it unlikely that a removable portion can be used to start a random vehicle , and accordingly providing a security function . in another embodiment of the present invention , the ratio can be at least about 720 , thereby making it even more unlikely that a removable portion can be used to start a random vehicle , and accordingly providing an even more advanced security function . as one mechanism for identification of the removable portion 32 , fig6 - 11 illustrate the use of an embedded identifiable component 48 provided within the removable portion 32 . the sensor 50 can be provided within the receptacle 40 for sensing the embedded identifiable component 48 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the embedded identifiable component 48 can comprise a passive or active radio frequency identification tag or transponder ( rfid ). the sensor 50 can be capable of identifying the rfid and thus detecting when the removable portion 32 is engaged with the receptacle 40 . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , as shown in fig1 - 13 , the removable portion 32 can include one or more protrusions 46 which are configured to contact and selectively actuate switches ( e . g ., 54 ) provided by the sensor 52 of the receptacle 40 . the pattern of actuated and unactuated switches ( e . g ., 54 ) can be used by the sensor 52 to determine if the removable portion 32 corresponds with a particular vehicle , and is thus suitable to enable operation of the vehicle . in some embodiments of the present invention , the removable portion , when engaged with a receptacle , completes an electrical circuit that is configured to unlock the locking assembly and facilitate operation of a vehicle . in this manner , by actuating switches , the removable portion can facilitate completion of an electrical circuit when the removable portion is engaged in the receptacle . in other embodiments , the removable portion participates in an optical detection arrangement when the removable portion is engaged in the receptacle in order to unlock the locking assembly . other mechanisms may additionally or alternatively be employed to identify the removable portion including , for example , transponders , biometric readers , optical scanners , fingerprint scanners , iris scanners , magnetic strip ) scanners , bar code scanners , and card scanners . it will be appreciated that the ratio of engaging configurations to non - engaging configurations can be affected by selecting a different one of the above - described mechanisms for a receptacle to identify a removable portion . a locking assembly can be connected with an engine control unit ( ecu ) or other device present upon a vehicle , and can be configured to transmit electrical signals thereto . for example , such electrical signals might include information relating to whether a removable portion ( e . g ., 32 ) inserted within a receptacle ( e . g ., 40 ) corresponds with the particular vehicle , and thus whether the vehicle may be operated . such electrical signals might also include information relating to whether the engine present on the vehicle should be allowed to operate . it will be appreciated that communication between a locking assembly and the ecu and / or other vehicle components can occur through electrical wires , fiber optics , or wirelessly , for example . for example , as shown in fig2 - 5 , a cable 24 including at least one electrical wire can extend from the locking assembly 30 , along the handlebar 16 , and to other components ( e . g ., an ecu ) of the atv 10 . one or more straps ( e . g . 26 ) can be provided to secure the cable 24 with respect to the handlebar 16 . significant benefits can be achieved by integrating an engine - stop actuator and a security mechanism into a single control device . for example , any cables extending from the actuator can be bundled with any cables leading from the security mechanism :, and can , for example , even be disposed within a common outer wire sheath or insulation as shown , for example , in fig2 - 13 . also , integrating the engine - stop actuator and the security mechanism into a single device can achieve improved appearance , conserve space and weight , reduce cost , reduce the number of components , and / or decrease the manufacturing tine of the vehicle . the foregoing description of embodiments and examples of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms described . numerous modifications are possible in light of the above teachings . some of those modifications have been discussed and others will be understood by those skilled in the art . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and various embodiments as are suited to the particular use contemplated . the scope of the invention is , of course , not limited to the examples or embodiments set forth herein , but can be employed in any number of applications and equivalent devices by those of ordinary skill in the art . rather it is hereby intended that the scope of the invention , be defined by the claims appended hereto .	1
the basic principle is that a light conduit ( pole ) couples the light source contained in the base to an apparatus at the top of the light conduit that disperses the light so as to meet the requirements of boat stem lights determined by the uscg and / or other regulatory agencies . refer to fig1 and 2 for the following description . the preferred embodiment consists of two primary components : base 4 mounted to the boat structure 5 and an acrylic light conduit 2 ( shown detached ), which plugs into the base light conduit socket 3 . the base contains an encapsulated led light source 12 and led drive device 9 where said led light is directed upward into the optical conduit socket 3 . the encapsulated led is located at the bottom end of the light conduit socket 3 so as to minimize physical separation between the led and the installed optical conduit . the optical conduit socket 3 diameter is such as to provide a slip fit to the optical conduit , thus providing secure attachment of the optical conduit , yet still allowing it to be easily removed . electrical wires are provided on the lower side of the base to connect to the boat electrical power system or separate electrical power source . the base 4 may be constructed of any material suitable for the marine environment . examples include aluminum , stainless steel and a variety of plastics and composites . this preferred embodiment utilizes aluminum . the optical conduit 2 is constructed from a clear acrylic rod . the diameter is not critical and is primarily determined by the proximal end surface area needed to couple the optical source light radiation pattern . another diameter consideration is structural integrity , larger diameters being sturdier . this preferred embodiment uses a one inch diameter acrylic rod . the length of the optical conduit 2 is likewise not critical , and can be varied to meet the height requirements of the application . the primary limitation on length is light intensity loss , however that can be offset by higher optical source intensity as needed . the preferred embodiment uses a length of thirty six inches . the dimensions chosen for the preferred embodiment are not intended to be a limitation in any sense , since the length and diameter of the acrylic rod can be of nearly arbitrary length , as needed by the application . the acrylic optical conduit has a cone 1 machined into the distal end to form a light redirection surface . the maximum diameter of the cone is sized so as to nearly match the diameter of the acrylic rod , tapering down to a point at the center of the acrylic rod . the cone angle of the preferred embodiment is sixty degrees . the base 4 , on its lower side , provides wires or terminals 6 for connection to the boat electrical power system . alternatively , a battery or other electrical power source separate from the boat electrical system may be used . the base 4 contains the led light source 12 that is directed upward inside the base socket so as to project light into the mating optical conduit . the led light source is a state - of - the - art high intensity white led available from multiple semiconductor manufacturers . the invention anticipates continuing advancements in led technology which will provide more light output for less power consumption , hence improving overall efficiency and enabling longer optical conduit lengths . the led is driven by the led drive device 9 which conditions the voltage presented via the electrical connection 6 to the drive requirements of the led . the led drive device can take the form of a simple voltage dropping power resistor or a switching power supply design for lower power dissipation and more accurate led current control . multiple semiconductor manufactures provide led driver circuits which are switching power supply topology based designs . for most application the switching power supply design is preferred due to its low power dissipation and more accurate led current control . the voltage dropping resistor is suitable to applications were the input voltage will not result in excessive power dissipation . the led light source 12 and the led drive device 9 are epoxy encapsulated within the base to prevent water damage . the light emerging from the led light source 12 is optically coupled into the removable light conduit installed into the base socket . the light conduit 2 in this preferred embodiment is constructed from an acrylic rod which has excellent light transmission properties . the light inside the conduit experiences nearly total internal reflection , maximizing optical power transmission . an optional opaque outer covering 11 further increases the internal reflection and blocks light from emerging along the periphery of the light conduit . the distal end of the rod has a cone machined into it forming a reflective surface 7 , due to the optical discontinuity . the light traveling within the light conduit 8 is reflected by the cone &# 39 ; s reflective surface 7 and is emitted 10 at angles largely perpendicular to the light conduit . since light impinges essentially the entire reflective surface 7 of the cone , the light is emitted in a three hundred sixty degree pattern around the light conduit . the emitted light pattern can be reduced or segmented via opaque coverings over the sections where light is not desired to be emitted .	5
referring first to fig1 a front portion of a motor vehicle passenger compartment is illustrated , showing the driver &# 39 ; s side of a windscreen opening 12 of an lhd vehicle , defined by an a pillar 13 which forms a boundary between the windscreen 12 and a front quarter light or side window 14 of a door 15 . as will be appreciated , the windscreen 12 is raked through an angle approaching 45 degrees , and the a pillar 13 has a significant thickness d which , from the driver &# 39 ; s position , can constitute a significant barrier , particularly in view of the fact that it , too , is strongly raked so that its effective width , parallel to the line a - a , is greater than its transverse width as represented by d . as can be seen in fig2 an observer cannot see anything within the obscuration zone z defined between two ray paths 16 , 17 respectively leading from the observer &# 39 ; s left eye l past the left edge of the pillar 13 and the observer &# 39 ; s right eye r passing the right edge of the pillar 13 . although the drawing is foreshortened for the purpose of illustration , it will be seen that an elongate object , such as a cyclist occupying a volume such as that represented by the rectangular area v lies entirely within the obscuration zone z and , therefore , cannot be observed by the observer without displacement of the eyes by moving the head from side to side to vary the position of the obscuration zone z . although this may occur if the observer is alert to the possibility of an object in the obscuration zone , this may not happen if the observer has no reason to suppose that the obscuration zone requires monitoring , and this could result in a dangerous situation , particularly if the vehicle is following a curved path and / or the object in the shaded region v is following a path such that the relative movement between itself and the vehicle lies along the obscuration zone z . if , however , according to the invention an optical element is placed at an edge region of the windscreen 12 and acts to divert the light passing through the windscreen 12 towards the normal to the windscreen 12 , and thus towards the observer &# 39 ; s eyes l , r then light arriving in the direction shown by the ray 18 will reach the observer &# 39 ; s right eye r , and the obscuration zone z will be reduced by the wedge - shape area between the rays 17 , 18 resulting , in this example , in a part of the vehicle v being visible to the observer without any movement of the head being required . although the entirety of the vehicle v is not in sight , it is sufficient that a part of it be visible for the observer to be alerted to its presence . if the a pillar 13 has a thickness of , for example , 100 mm the observer using unaided binocular vision will require the diverted light to be turned through no more than about 4 degrees in order to reduce the obscuration region to a minimum , that is where the obscuration region is defined between two parallel rays 16 , 18 and is , therefore , no greater than the width of the barrier 13 even at a distance . in the absence of such light diversion the obscuration region z increases in width with increasing distance from the barrier and is , therefore , capable of obscuring larger objects at a greater distance . with this small diversion , therefore , the obscuring effect of the a pillar 13 is , consequently , effectively negated . of course , it is not sufficient simply to cause light diversion at the point a as illustrated in fig2 , but rather to divert light incident on the windscreen 12 over a more extensive region adjacent the edge of the windscreen 12 in contact with the a 0 pillar 13 ( herein referred to as “ an edge region ”) and fig3 illustrates some of the consideration arising from this . as can be seen in fig3 , in which the same reference numerals have been used to identify the same or corresponding components , light diversion is achieved by means of an additional component 20 fitted on the inside of the windscreen 12 in the edge region thereof . the precise nature of the light - diverting optical component 20 will be described in more detail below , it being sufficient at this stage to establish that it causes light transmitted therethrough to be diverted from its incident angle . if the light - diverting effect were constant across the width of the element 20 as shown by the two rays 18 and 19 this would create its own obscuration zone in view of the fact that the first light ray 21 passing undeviated through the windscreen 12 , that is not passing through the light - diverting element 20 , and reaching the right eye r of the observer would effectively create an obscuration region between the rays 19 and 21 thereby effectively negating the benefit of having reduced the obscuration effect of the a pillar 13 . for this reason it is preferred that the light - diverting properties of the optical element 20 vary across its width , as shown by rays 22 , 23 , 24 which illustrate progressively less deflection for rays further from the a pillar 13 until , at the very edge of the element 20 the ray 24 passes through effectively undeviated so that an object observed by the observer &# 39 ; s right eye does not have a step - change as the eye passes across the boundary element 20 . fig4 and 5 illustrate ways in which this effect can be achieved . referring now to fig4 a light - diverting optical element in the form of a cylindrical negative lens is shown in section . the lens 25 as illustrated has a flat face 26 , a concavely curved major surface 27 , and an end face 28 . in practice , of course , the substantially flat face 26 may be slightly convexly curved to accommodate the curvature of a windscreen as illustrated in fig3 . the length of the cylindrical lens 25 does not have to be as great as the length of the a pillar 13 since the significant region as far as potential visible objects are concerned , occupies only a central part of the length of the a pillar 13 . for example the lens may be only about 200 mm long although , of course , it may be the same length as the a pillar if desired . at most the element 25 may be about 3 mm thick ( this being the width of the end face 28 and the maximum divergence angle between the face 26 and the face 27 may be in the region of six degrees . the face 27 is an acylindrical curvature with a shorter radius near the end 28 and a longer radius at the opposite or thinner end 29 , which may be in the region of 1 mm thick . an element of this form may be fitted , as shown in fig5 , on the rear face 30 of the windscreen 12 closely adjacent the a pillar 13 , with a layer of transparent adhesive 31 securing it in position . as will be appreciated from an observation of fig5 , the face 26 of the element is convexly curved to match the curvature of the windscreen 12 . the element 25 may be a simple moulding , manufactured using an optical thermoplastic and , if not as long as the a pillar 13 , may be positioned at about vision height such that the significant part of the observer &# 39 ; s field of view lies through the element 25 . as an alternative ( not illustrated ) the face 27 of the element 25 may be formed in elementary segments ( fresnel form ) to provide the same optical characteristics as the lens illustrated in fig5 . in this case it is possible , and may be preferable , to arrange that the optical axis of the lens is not parallel to the principle physical axis of the device which is parallel to the a pillar 13 . indeed , this arrangement is also possible with a non - segmented lens , as illustrated in fig5 , but the manufacture of such a lens is more difficult . the advantage of this configuration is that the image of a horizontal line in the object field ( such as the horizon itself ) is maintained horizontal even upon divergence by the optical element so that the horizon is not bent upwardly by the optical element as would be the case if the axis of the cylindrical surface 27 were parallel to the a pillar 13 . in a fresnel lens this is achieved simply by orienting the grooves which form the segments in such a way that they are not parallel to the principal physical axis of the device ; in this case they would be inclined at an angle such that when the device is fitted to an a pillar the grooves or ribs appear substantially vertical to the observer . referring now to fig6 this illustrates a modified laminated windscreen incorporating an edge region having lens properties as described in relation to fig4 . in this drawing the windscreen 12 comprises a laminated structure having a front panel 33 , a rear panel 34 and an intervening laminating adhesive 35 . in the main region of the windscreen 12 the front and rear panels 33 , 34 are parallel to one another and the adhesive 35 is of constant thickness . in the edge region e , however , the rear panel 34 is curved so as to diverge from the front panel 33 . the diverging edge region 34 e may be held spaced from the edge region 33 e of the front panel 33 by a thicker layer of laminating adhesive , or by an interposed wedge - section insert ( not illustrated ). as discussed above , the angle of divergence needs to be no more than about 6 degrees at the greatest , that is at the very edge of the element , reducing to zero where the edge region e meets the main central portion m of the windscreen . this is a particularly elegant solution from the vehicle manufacturer &# 39 ; s point of view as it involves no extra parts nor any change to the vehicle assembly procedure . furthermore , with only a small modification being required to the windscreen tooling and manufacturing process , and with possibly no extra parts being required , the cost of incorporating the device into a windscreen is expected to be very small . in effect , this implementation consists of no more than a slight swelling of the laminating adhesive layer thickness towards the lateral edges of the windscreen . this , of course , has to be done under very controlled conditions in order to achieve the right curvature of the rear panel 34 in the edge region 34 e . it will be appreciated that , as least as far as its application to motor vehicle windscreens is concerned , even a small degree of light diversion at the edges of the windscreen is better than none at all in that it reduces the hazard caused by thick a pillars . in fact , the optimum solution for windscreens may not be complete elimination of the object field obscuration zone because of the accommodation difficulties between eye and brain which may be caused when different images are presented to the brain by the two eyes . however , experience in the use of the now - commonly adopted aspheric driver side external rear view mirror fitted to motor car door mirrors suggests that , although familiarisation time may be required , this may result in a valuable improvement in safety . partial reduction in the obscuration zone achieved according to the invention has particular attractiveness for motor vehicle manufacturers since a small increase in the thickness of the laminating adhesive towards edges will provide at least a degree of light - diversion without it being necessary to make any modifications to the way in which the windscreen is fitted to the vehicle , and with no modifications to the vehicle at all . it is also important to note that an edge region along the substantially horizontal edges of a windscreen may be provided with a light - diverting properties either integrally as in the embodiment of fig6 or by the addition of an optical element as in the embodiment of fig4 and 5 . this may provide , in the case of the upper edge of a windscreen , an extended upward view to assist in the visibility of traffic lights which are sometime obscured by the roofline of a vehicle , especially when it is stationary close to the traffic light . an extended view through a lower region of a windscreen may not be of any particular benefit unless it can improve the view of the front part of the vehicle for manoeuvring or parking , and this would also be of benefit in the rear window of hatchbacks , estate cars and the like . for any embodiment of the invention used in motor vehicles it will be noted that the light diversion , as shown in fig7 , results in the possibility that , with both eyes looking through the windscreen at a distant object , the one nearer the a pillar may be viewing the object through the light - diverting device , whilst the other eye is viewing the same object through an undiverted light path . consequently a convergence angle of the eyes is necessary in contrast to the “ parallel ” eye configuration which would be needed if the device where not present . convergence of the eyes is not normal when viewing distant objects although , of course , does occur when viewing close objects . it is , therefore , a physical condition to which the eyes are accustomed and requires only familiarisation to achieve comfortable observation . by providing an aperture with light - diverting means according to the invention this effectively increases the size of the aperture by an amount equal to the angle that the light is deflected . this applies to both binocular and monocular observation . as can be seen in fig8 an optical element 36 for attachment to a glazing panel may be made as a fresnel prism . the element 36 has a plane , smooth flat front face 37 ( although this may be curved as in the other embodiments ) and a serrated rear face 38 comprising a plurality of facets 39 separated by risers 40 . the inclination of the facets to the plane of the front face 37 varies across the width of the device from zero at the right hand end ( as viewed in the drawings ) which in this case is the end furthest from the edge of the opening and increasing in inclination according to a quadratic relationship in which the angle α between a facet 39 and the plane of the front face ( or the tangent to the front face if this is curved as in the other , embodiments ) increases with an increase in distance x from the right hand end 41 ( that is the end at which α = 0 °) according to in the present embodiment , and with dimensions in the region of those outlined below , κ = 0 . 003 . this is appropriate for an element in which the width of the element between the ends 41 and 42 is in the region of 50 mm , with a minimum thickness of 2 mm at the end 41 , a microstructure pitels of 0 . 808 mm using a material having a refractive index of approximately 1 . 53 . in this embodiment the riser draft angle is 10 ° at the narrow end 41 and changes by 0 . 1 ° per mm across the width of the element . for use in a motor vehicle the dimensions and proportions discussed above ensure that the riser presents the minimum obstruction to the passage of light by being oriented approximately parallel to the light approaching the observer &# 39 ; s eye . at the same time the image magnitude has no step change at the “ narrow ” end 41 so that there is no perceptible variation in the image as the observer &# 39 ; s eye sweeps across the central part of the windscreen and on to the optical element 36 at the end 41 . as it continues to sweep towards the edge of this windscreen ( to the left as viewed in fig8 ) the progressive change in the facet angle causes a progressive reduction in the image width ( there being no change in the image height as the “ lens ” is effectively an acylindrical one ) until at the far end 42 the image width is reduced by 30 % of its width when viewed through the non - deviating central part of the windscreen . although illustrated as flat in this embodiment it will be understood that the front face 37 may be curved , for example to match the curvature of a windscreen .	1
fig1 - 3 , and the following description depict specific examples of the invention . for the purpose of teaching inventive principles , some conventional aspects have been simplified or omitted . those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these examples that fall within the scope of the invention . the features described below can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention . as a result , the invention is not limited to the specific examples described below , but only by the claims and their equivalents . fig1 is a top view of printer 100 in an example embodiment of the invention . printer 100 includes a base 102 , a print bar 104 , a scanner 106 , and is loaded with media 108 . media 108 is shown as a continuous sheet or roll moving through the printer in a print direction as shown by arrow 110 . in other embodiments , media may be fed through the printer as individual sheets . print bar 104 is attached to base 102 and stretches over and across media 108 . in this example print bar 104 is a page wide array of print heads . in other examples , a carriage containing one or more print heads may move back and forth across media 108 along axis 112 during printing . a print bar is one example of a marking engine . other types of marking engines may also be used , for example a laserjet marking engine . scanner 106 is attached to print bar 104 on the downstream side of the print bar 104 , thereby allowing scanner 106 to scan images printed by print bar 104 . in this example , scanner 106 can traverse along print bar 104 along axis 112 allowing scanner to scan any portion of media 108 . in other examples , multiple scanners 106 may be rigidly attached at different locations along print bar 104 . in yet other examples , the scanner may be a hand held device . printer 102 may contain additional element not shown for clarity . for example , a media transport system comprising motors and rollers for moving media 108 , ink reservoirs , pumps , and tubing to supply ink to the print bar 104 , drying elements and the like . printer 100 may also contain one or multiple controllers for controlling the operation of the printer . the controllers may be located in base 102 , or may be located external to base 102 . each controller may comprise processors , application specific integrated circuits ( asic ), random access memory , non - volatile memory , and the like . code , stored in the memory , when executed by a processor on one of the controllers , causes the printer to run a calibration routine . the calibration routine may be executed between print runs , or may run simultaneously with a print run . fig2 is a flow chart for a calibration routine in an example embodiment of the invention . at step 202 the controller controls the printer to print a number of color patches using known color values . at step 204 the controller controls the scanner to scan each of the color patches to determine a measured color value . at step 206 the controller determines if each measured color value is valid or invalid . at step 208 the controller calibrates the printer using only the measured color values that are valid . the printer is calibrated by making adjustments that minimize the difference between the known color values and the measured color values . some of the adjustments that may be used are the mixtures of the different inks , the amount or concentration of the pigment in the inks , the drying time , the curing temperature , the number of ink droplets , and the like . at step 202 the controller controls the printer to print a number of color patches with known color values . the printer will typically print 10 - 16 different colors for each primary colorant . some printers only use 3 different primary colorants , for example cym . other printers may use four or six different primary colorants . a printer using six different primary colorants , and printing ten different color patches for each primary colorant , would print 60 different colors on the calibration target . when printing the color patches , some areas of the target may have bubbles , wrinkles , or creases that cause the scan of the patch to be inaccurate . to avoid the problems of scanning patches that have bubbles , wrinkles or creases , each color patch is printed more than once . in one example embodiment of the invention , each color patch is printed three times . in other examples more than three patches of each color may be printed . with 60 different colors to print , and three patches for each color , the calibration target would have 180 patches . the three different patches for each color will be spaced apart from each other such that a single bubble , wrinkle or crease will not affect more than one of the patches . by printing each color patch multiple times and spacing the patches away from each other , the likelihood that all three patches will be affected by a bubble , wrinkle or crease is minimized . fig3 a is a drawing of the layout of the color patches in an example embodiment of the invention . arrow 110 indicates the direction of media movement during printing . each letter represents a patch of a different color . each color has been printed three times . in other examples , each color may be printed a different number of times , for example 4 , 5 or 6 times . the colors are shown printed in an ordered pattern , i . e . a set of 4 colors are printed three times in a row . other arrangements may be used to print the color patches as long as the identical patches for each color are spaced apart from one another . for clarity this example only uses 12 different colors , a real calibration target may have up to 96 different colors ( 6 primary colorants times 16 different colors for each primary colorant ). in this example , the three patches of the same color are spaced apart horizontally by distance d . distance d is selected such that it is greater than the width of a typical crease , bubble or wrinkle . typically distance d will be selected such that it is at least 2 to 3 times larger than the width of a typical crease , bubble or wrinkle . for example , system tests show that creases typically grow along the direction of media advance ( in the direction of arrow 110 ) and the width of a crease seldom exceeds five centimeters . therefore in one example distance d would be selected to be at least a multiple of 5 centimeters , for example 20 centimeters or more . in some printers the media is supported by a plurality of parallel media support ribs after it passes under the print bar . the ribs are typically aligned parallel to the direction of media movement . the distance d may be selected such that the center of each patch lines up with one of the plurality of ribs . this will help maintain a uniform height between the media and the scanner along the centerline of the patches . fig3 a has artifacts 320 and 322 shown on the color patches . artifact 320 represents a large bubble formed during the printing of the color patches and artifact 322 represents a crease formed during the printing of the color patches . at step 206 in fig2 , each measured color value is checked to determine if it is valid . determining if a measured color value is valid can be done in a number of different ways . one way is to measure the color value of each of the three identical color patches and compare the measured values . when the measured value of all three identical color patches are within a given tolerance of each other , the three measured values are valid . when one of the measured values is different from the other two measured values by more than a predetermined amount , that measured value is determined to be invalid . the measured color value may be the red , green and blue ( rgb ) values from a standard scanner , the values from a spectrophotometer , or the measured color values may be from a custom instrument that reports the color data in arbitrary , non - industry standard units and scale . the measured color value may be in any color space , for example the cielab color space ( lab for short ), or rgb color space . the measured color value may use only the lightness or intensity value in some color spaces , for example in the lab color space , only the l * value may be used . in other examples a single number resulting from a calculation involving all the components of a color space may be used , for example a single number from calculations involving l , a and b * or from rgb . in other examples , different components of a color space may be used for different color patches when comparing the measured values . for example , l * may be used for all color patches except for the yellow patches , where b * is used . in fig3 a the first patch of color “ g ” is in the center of artifact 320 ( a large bubble ). when the measured value of the first patch of color “ g ” is compared to the measured value of the other two patches of color “ g ”, the measured value of the first patch of color “ g ” may be different than the measured value of the other two patches by more than a threshold value . for example , the l * measured values of the three patches of color “ g ” may be 23 , 14 and 13 respectively . the color values of the second two patches of color “ g ” that are not affected by an artifact are only one delta l * apart . the first patch of color “ g ” is 9 and 10 delta l &# 39 ; s apart from the other two measured values , respectively . when one measured value is different from the other measured values by more than a threshold , the measured color value is deemed invalid . in one example the threshold may be set at 4 delta l s . 9 and 10 delta l * s are greater than the threshold , therefore the measured value of the first patch of color “ g ” is invalid and would not be used for the color calibration . the other two patches of color “ g ” were within one delta l * of each other , which is under the 4 delta l * threshold , so both these measurements are deemed valid . the color value used in calibration may be an average of all the valid color measurement , the mean value of all the valid color measurement , or the like . fig3 b is a drawing of the layout of the color patches in another example embodiment of the invention . arrow 110 indicates the direction of media movement during printing . each letter represents a patch of a different color . each color has been printed twice . in this example , the two patches for each color are spaced apart in both the horizontal and vertical direction . the distance between the two patches having the same color in the horizontal direction is distance d and the distance between the two patches having the same color in the vertical direction is distance h . for clarity this example only uses 12 different colors , a real calibration target may have up to 96 different colors ( 6 primary colorants times 16 different colors for each primary colorant ). the distance d in the horizontal direction varies between colors . the distance between any two identical color patches is d were d equals either four or six patches . by changing the spacing between some of the identical color patches , the colors surrounding the identical color patches are different for each patch . for example , the color patches surrounding the first “ a ” color patch are b , h and i . the color patches surrounding the second “ a ” patch are d , e , f j and l . by proper arrangement , each patch of a given color can be surrounded by a different set of other colors even when only two patches of each color are printed . fig3 b has artifacts 320 and 322 shown on the color patches . artifact 320 represents a large bubble formed during the printing of the color patches and artifact 322 represents a crease formed during the printing of the color patches . in this example , the measured value of a color patch is determined to be valid by locating artifacts on the target . color measurements taken where artifacts are present are invalid , color measurements taken in the absence of an artifact are valid . artifacts are located by comparing the measure color values of the different identical color patches and the color patches surrounding them . because each pair of identical colors have a different set of surrounding colors , artifacts can be located using the surrounding colors and the measurements of their matching patches . to locate an artifact , the color values of pairs of identical colors are measured and the two measured values are compared . when the difference in the two measured values is greater than a threshold , one of the two patches will have an artifact located on the patch . initially , it will be unknown which of the two patches contains the artifact . by correlating where a mismatch occurs between the measurements of the surrounding colors , the location of the artifact can be identified . for example , when the two measured values of the “ a ” color patches are compared they will have a difference greater than a threshold value . that indicates that one of the two “ a ” patches has an artifact affecting the measurement . initially it is unknown which of the two “ a ” patches contain the artifact . the first “ a ” patch has patches b , i and h next two it . when the two measured values for the two b patches are compared , the difference between the measurements will be within the threshold value ( because neither b patch has an artifact located with it ). the same will be true with the measured values of the i and h patches . the second “ a ” patch has patches d , e , f , j and l surrounding it . when the measured color values for each pair of these patches are compared , the difference between the measured values for each pair of identical color patches will be above the threshold . therefore the location of the artifact can be identified as at the second “ a ” patch and the measured color value of that patch will be marked as invalid . an artifact 322 ( e . g . a crease ) can also be located by looking at the measured color values for colors k and g . when the two measured values of the k color patches are compared they will have a difference greater than the threshold value . the same is true for the g color . only one location on the target has the color patches k and g next to each other . therefore the artifact must be located at that place on the target . another way to determine when a measurement for a color patch is invalid is by actually measuring the height between the patch and the scanner . when the distance is within the nominal tolerance value the measurement will be valid . when the height is outside the nominal tolerance value , the measurement will be marked as invalid . the height will not be outside the nominal tolerance value unless a bubble or crease has caused a change in the height or distance between the patch and the scanner . in an example embodiment , the nominal tolerance value is plus or minus 1 mm . three different methods for determining when a measured color value is valid have been described . these methods can be used individually or in combinations with one another .	7
{ circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of l - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 130 and subjected to dehydration for 4 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 60 torr , reacting at 130 ° c . for 8 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( olla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1500 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to l - lactic acid at 1 : 100 , and the reaction temperature at 180 , vacuum degree of 2 torr , to react 1 h ; then the distilled white crude l - lactide was collected . the collected crude l - lactide was washed with 1 % alkali ( sodium hydroxide ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 24 h at 20 ° c ., to get white needle l - lactide , with the yield of 35 . 5 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d =− 276 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of l - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 170 and subjected to dehydration for 1 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 30 torr , reacting at 170 ° c . for 2 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( olla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 600 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to l - lactic acid at 1 : 10000 , and the reaction temperature at 260 , vacuum degree of 15 torr , to react 4 h ; then the distilled white crude l - lactide was collected . the collected crude l - lactide was washed with 10 % alkali ( sodium carbonate ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 36 h at 40 ° c ., to get white needle l - lactide , with the yield of 40 . 3 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d =− 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of l - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 150 and subjected to dehydration for 2 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 40 torr , reacting at 150 ° c . for 4 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( olla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1100 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to l - lactic acid at 1 : 1000 , and the reaction temperature at 200 , vacuum degree of 10 torr , to react 3 h ; then the distilled white crude l - lactide was collected . the collected crude l - lactide was washed with 8 % alkali ( sodium bicarbonate ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 30 h at 35 ° c ., to get white needle l - lactide , with the yield of 45 . 8 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d =− 277 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of l - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 160 and subjected to dehydration for 2 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 50 torr , reacting at 160 ° c . for 4 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( olla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1300 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to l - lactic acid at 1 : 2000 , and the reaction temperature at 220 , vacuum degree of 8 torr , to react 2 h ; then the distilled white crude l - lactide was collected . the collected crude l - lactide was washed with 5 % alkali ( potassium bicarbonate ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 26 h at 30 ° c ., to get white needle l - lactide , with the yield of 40 . 8 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d =− 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of l - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 150 and subjected to dehydration for 1 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 30 torr , reacting at 130 ° c . for 3 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( olla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 900 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to l - lactic acid at 1 : 5000 , and the reaction temperature at 240 , vacuum degree of 5 torr , to react 3 h ; then the distilled white crude l - lactide was collected . the collected crude l - lactide was washed with 2 % alkali ( potassium hydroxide ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 35 h at 30 ° c ., to get white needle l - lactide , with the yield of 38 . 8 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d =− 277 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of l - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 140 and subjected to dehydration for 2 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 30 torr , reacting at 140 ° c . for 3 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( olla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1200 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to l - lactic acid at 1 : 2000 , and the reaction temperature at 250 , vacuum degree of 3 torr , to react 4 h ; then the distilled white crude l - lactide was collected . the collected crude l - lactide was washed with 1 % alkali ( potassium carbonate ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 24 h at 40 ° c ., to get white needle l - lactide , with the yield of 42 . 4 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d =− 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of d - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 130 and subjected to dehydration for 3 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 60 torr , reacting at 130 ° c . for 8 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( odla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1500 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to d - lactic acid at 1 : 100 , and the reaction temperature at 150 , vacuum degree of 2 torr , to react 2 h ; then the distilled white crude d - lactide was collected . the collected crude d - lactide was washed with 1 % alkali ( potassium hydroxide ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 24 h at 20 ° c ., to get white needle d - lactide , with the yield of 41 . 7 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d = 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of d - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 170 and subjected to dehydration for 1 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 30 torr , reacting at 170 ° c . for 4 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( odla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 800 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to d - lactic acid at 1 : 10000 , and the reaction temperature at 260 , vacuum degree of 15 torr , to react 4 h ; then the distilled white crude l - lactide was collected . the collected crude d - lactide was washed with 5 % alkali ( potassium carbonate ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 36 h at 40 ° c ., to get white needle d - lactide , with the yield of 40 . 3 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d = 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of d - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 150 and subjected to dehydration for 2 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 40 torr , reacting at 150 ° c . for 4 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( odla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1100 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to d - lactic acid at 1 : 1000 , and the reaction temperature at 200 , vacuum degree of 10 torr , to react 3 h ; then the distilled white crude d - lactide was collected . the collected crude d - lactide was washed with 6 % alkali ( potassium bicarbonate ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 30 h at 35 ° c ., to get white needle d - lactide , with the yield of 45 . 6 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d = 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of d - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 160 and subjected to dehydration for 2 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 50 torr , reacting at 160 ° c . for 4 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( odla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1300 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to d - lactic acid at 1 : 2000 , and the reaction temperature at 200 , vacuum degree of 8 torr , to react 2 h ; then the distilled white crude d - lactide was collected . the collected crude d - lactide was washed with 1 % alkali ( sodium hydroxide ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 26 h at 30 ° c ., to get white needle d - lactide , with the yield of 46 . 8 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d = 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of d - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 150 and subjected to dehydration for 1 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 30 torr , reacting at 150 ° c . for 3 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( odla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 900 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to d - lactic acid at 1 : 5000 , and the reaction temperature at 200 , vacuum degree of 8 torr , to react 2 h ; then the distilled white crude d - lactide was collected . the collected crude d - lactide was washed with 1 % alkali ( sodium hydroxide ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 35 h at 30 ° c ., to get white needle d - lactide , with the yield of 44 . 5 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d = 280 . { circle around ( 1 )} a reactor was charged with 100 g of d - lactic acid ( 90 % by mass content ). under an argon atmosphere at normal pressure , the reaction system was then heated to 140 and subjected to dehydration for 2 h . the pressure in the reactor was then reduced to 30 torr , reacting at 140 ° c . for 3 h , to get the lactic acid oligomer ( odla ), with a weight average molecular weight of 1200 da . the biogenic guanidine creatinine ( cr ) was added , to control the mass ratio of catalyst cr to d - lactic acid at 1 : 2000 , and the reaction temperature at 250 , vacuum degree of 3 torr , to react 4 h ; then the distilled white crude d - lactide was collected . the collected crude d - lactide was washed with 6 % alkali ( sodium bicarbonate ) solution , cleaned with the deionized water to neutral , vacuum dried 24 h at 40 , to get white needle d - lactide , with the yield of 43 . 8 % and specific rotation [ α ] 25d = 280 .	1
to better explain the technical solution of the present invention , the embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . on the one hand , an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for synchronizing time at a master clock side . as shown in fig5 , a method for synchronizing time at a master clock side according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps : 501 . a match rule is predefined for matching packet time stamp generating points . 502 . an olt sends a first clock packet carried in a first downstream frame . the first clock packet may be a sync message or a delay response message . 503 . the olt measures or acquires time at the packet time stamp generating point that matches the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer , where the acquired time is regarded as the time the first clock packet is sent . 504 . the olt sends a second clock packet carried in a second downstream frame , where the second clock packet contains the time the first clock packet is sent . in the method for synchronizing time at a master clock side according to the embodiment of the present invention , the time a clock packet is sent is first acquired at the packet time stamp generating point , which is determined according to the lower layer transmission frame . therefore , the method enables multiple modes of clock packet encapsulation based on the pon transmission frame , for example , the application of ieee 1588 in case of ethernet over gem . thus , time is synchronized in the network . in the method , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point that matches the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer , regarding the acquired time as the time the first clock packet is sent includes : regarding the last bit of the physical synchronization ( psync ) field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the first downstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point . as shown in fig6 , the downstream frame structure of the gtc tc frame includes a frame header and a payload . physical control block downstream ( pcbd ) is the downstream frame header of the gtc tc frame . the packet time stamp generating point is located at the last bit of the psync field in the gtc tc frame header . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point that matches the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the first clock packet is sent includes : regarding the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the first downstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point . as shown in fig7 , the gem frame includes a frame header and a payload . the packet time stamp generating point is determined according to the gem frame header . for example , the packet time stamp generating point is located at the last bit of the hec field in the gem frame header . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point that matches the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the first clock packet is sent includes : determining the packet time stamp generating point according to the sum of the start time received by the onu , the response time of the onu , and the equal delay ( eqd ) of the onu . the above basis for determining the packet time stamp generating point may be included in the first downstream frame or needs be added to the first downstream frame . for example , the olt sends a bandwidth map ( bwmap ) message to the onu . the bwmap message is used to allocate for each onu a transmission interval that indicates the onu to transmit upstream data therein . the starttime ( sstart ) field in the bwmap message includes a time indicator . as shown in fig8 and fig9 , the packet time stamp generating point is determined according to the sum of the start time indicated by the sstart field in the bwmap message received by the onu , the response time of the onu , and the eqd . the response time of the onu is a performance index of the onu and is dependent on the hardware configuration of the onu . the eqd is dependent on the network delay . as shown in fig1 , a method for synchronizing time at a master clock side provided in an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps : 1001 . a match rule is predefined for matching packet time stamp generating points . 1002 . the olt sends a first clock packet carried in a first downstream frame . the first clock packet may be a sync message or a delay response message . 1003 . the olt acquires time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer , where the acquired time is regarded as the time the first clock packet is sent . 1004 . the olt sends a second clock packet which carries the time the first clock packet is sent . the second clock packet is a follow - up message and is carried in a second downstream frame . 1005 . the olt receives a third clock packet carried in a third upstream frame . 1006 . the olt acquires time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer , and the acquired time is regarded as the time the olt receives the third clock packet . 1007 . the olt sends a fourth clock packet , where the fourth clock packet carries the time the third clock packet is received and the fourth clock packet is carried in a fourth downstream frame . in the method , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the third clock packet is received includes : regarding the last bit of the delimiter field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the third upstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point . as shown in fig1 , the gtc tc frame includes a frame header and a payload . in the upstream direction , that is , when the synchronization clock packet is sent from the onu to the olt , the packet time stamp generating point is located at the last bit of the delimiter field in the gtc tc frame . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the third clock packet is received includes : regarding the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the third upstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point , as shown in fig7 . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the third clock packet is received includes : regarding the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the third upstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point . as shown in fig1 , the gtc tc frame includes a frame header and a payload . the physical layer overhead upstream ( plou ) is the upstream frame header of the gtc tc frame . the payload is the upstream frame payload of the gtc tc frame . the last bit of the plou in the gtc tc frame header is regarded as the packet time stamp generating point . the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried over ethernet protocols such as eth , internet protocol ( ip ), and user datagram protocol ( udp ). or , the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried in ieee 1588 / 1588v2 over gem mode ; or the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried in ploam messages ; or the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried in omci messages . in case of ieee 1588 / 1588v2 over gem mode , the pti in the gem frame header may indicate that the frame includes an internal extended field , and the pti in the extended field indicates that the service type of the payload is ieee 1588 / 1588v2 clock packet . for example , as shown in the following table , when the pti code is 110 , it indicates that an internal gem frame extended field is carried . fig1 illustrates the structure of a gem frame when the pti code is 110 . those skilled in the art can understand that the mode of transmitting and / or receiving clock packets here is also applicable to other embodiments of the present invention . on the other hand , an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for synchronizing time of a slave clock . as shown in fig1 , the method for synchronizing time at a slave clock side includes : 1401 . a match rule is predefined for matching packet time stamp generating points . 1402 . the onu receives a first clock packet from the olt . the first clock packet is carried in a first downstream frame . the first clock packet may be a sync message or a delay response message . 1403 . the onu acquires time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer and regards the acquired time as the time the onu receives the first clock packet . 1404 . the onu receives a second clock packet , where the second clock packet carries the time the first clock packet is sent and the second clock packet is carried in a second downstream frame . 1405 . the onu adjusts the local time according to a difference between the time the olt sends the first clock packet and the time the onu receives the first clock packet . in the slave clock time synchronization method according to the embodiment of the present invention , a packet time stamp generating point is first determined based on the lower layer and then the time a clock packet is sent and / or received on the slave clock side is determined according to the packet time stamp generating point . therefore , the method enables multiple modes of clock packet encapsulation based on the pon transmission frame , for example , the application of ieee 1588 in case of ethernet over gem mode . thus , time is synchronized in the network . in the method , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the onu receives the first clock packet includes : regarding the last bit of the psync field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the first downstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point , as shown in fig6 . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the onu receives the first clock packet includes : regarding the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the first downstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point , as shown in fig7 . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the onu receives the first clock packet includes : determining the packet time stamp generating point according to the sum of the start time received by the onu , the response time of the onu , and the eqd of the onu , as shown in fig8 and fig9 . as shown in fig1 , a method for synchronizing time at a slave clock side in an embodiment of the present invention includes : 1501 . a match rule is predefined for matching packet time stamp generating points . 1502 . the onu receives a first clock packet from the olt . the first clock packet is carried in a first downstream frame . 1503 . the onu acquires time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer and regards the acquired time as the time the onu receives the first clock packet . 1504 . the onu receives a second clock packet from the olt . the second clock packet carries the time the olt sends the first clock packet . 1505 . the onu adjusts the local time according to a difference between the time the olt sends the first clock packet and the time the onu receives the first clock packet . 1506 . the onu sends a third clock packet to the olt . 1507 . the onu acquires time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer and regards the acquired time as the time the onu sends the third clock packet . 1508 . the onu receives a fourth clock packet from the olt . the fourth clock packet carries the time the olt receives the third clock packet . 1509 . the onu corrects the local time according to a difference between the time the onu sends the third clock packet and the time the olt receives the third clock packet . in the method , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the third clock packet is sent includes : regarding the last bit of the delimiter field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the third upstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point , as shown in fig1 . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the third clock packet is sent includes : regarding the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the third upstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point , as shown in fig7 . optionally , the step of acquiring the time at the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer and regarding the acquired time as the time the third clock packet is sent includes : regarding the last bit of the plou field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the third upstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point , as shown in fig1 . in the embodiment of the present invention , the packet time stamp generating point is determined at the lower layer ( gtc framing sub - layer or tc adapter sub - layer ) of the pon and thus the precision and accuracy of the generated time stamp are improved . the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried over an ethernet protocol ; or in ieee 1588 / 1588v2 over gem mode ; or in ploam messages ; or in omci messages . the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are received when the onu is in the working state or ranging state . the third clock packet is sent when the onu is in the working state or ranging state . as shown in fig8 , the clock packets are sent and / or received when the onu is in the working state ; or as shown in fig9 , the clock packets are sent and / or received when the onu is in the ranging state . the clock packets are not sent when the onu is in the serial number state to avoid a great error in time synchronization caused by the random delay . those skilled in the art understand that all or part of the steps in the methods according to the above embodiments of the present invention can be completed by hardware under software instructions . the software according to the embodiments of the present invention can be stored in a computer - readable medium . another embodiment of the present invention provides an optical network device on the master clock side , namely , an olt . as shown in fig1 , the optical network device on the master clock side includes : a sending unit , configured to send a first clock packet carried in a first downstream frame and a second clock packet carried in a second downstream frame , where the second clock packet carries the time stamp when the olt sends the first clock packet ; a first monitoring unit , configured to determine the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer ; and a first acquiring unit , configured to acquire time at the packet time stamp generating point and regard the acquired time as the time the olt sends the first clock packet . the optical network device on the master clock side according to the embodiment of the present invention monitors the packet time stamp generating point based on the lower layer and acquires the time the clock packet is sent on the master clock side at the packet time stamp generating point . therefore , the optical network device on the master clock side is able to support ieee 1588 / 188v2 time synchronization in ethernet over gem mode and thus realizes time synchronization in the network . regard the last bit of the psync field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the first downstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as being the packet time stamp generating point ; or regard the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the first downstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as being the packet time stamp generating point ; or determine the packet time stamp generating point according to the sum of the start time received by the onu , the response time of the onu , and the eqd of the onu . as shown in fig1 , the optical network device on the master clock side according to the embodiment of the present invention further includes : a receiving unit , configured to receive a third clock packet carried in a third upstream frame ; a second monitoring unit , configured to determine the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer ; and a second acquiring unit , configured to acquire time at the packet time stamp generating point and regard the acquired time as the time the olt receives the third clock packet . the sending unit is further configured to send a fourth clock packet of the olt , where the fourth clock packet carries the time stamp when the olt receives the third clock packet . regard the last bit of the delimiter field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the third upstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point ; or regard the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the third upstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point ; or regard the last bit of the plou field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the third upstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point . in the embodiment of the present invention , the optical network device on the master clock side determines the time stamp generating point based on the lower layer ( gtc framing sub - layer or tc adapter layer ) of the pon , and thus the precision and accuracy of the generated time stamp are improved . on the other hand , an embodiment of the present invention provides an optical network device on the slave clock side , namely , an onu . as shown in fig1 , the optical network device on the slave clock side includes : a receiving unit , configured to receive a first clock packet and a second clock packet from the olt , where the second clock packet carries the time stamp when the olt sends the first clock packet ; a first monitoring unit , configured to determine the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the first downstream frame at the pon mac layer ; a first acquiring unit , configured to acquire time at the packet time stamp generating point , where the acquired time is regarded as the time the onu receives the first clock packet ; and an adjusting unit , configured to adjust the local time of the onu according to a difference between the time the olt sends the first clock packet and the time the onu receives the first clock packet . regard the last bit of the psync field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the first downstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point ; or regard the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the first downstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point ; or determine the packet time stamp generating point according to the sum of the start time received by the onu which is contained in the first downstream frame or needs to be added in the first downstream frame , the response time of the onu , and the eqd of the onu . as shown in fig1 , the optical network device on the slave clock side further includes : a sending unit , configured to send a third clock packet carried in a third upstream frame ; a second monitoring unit , configured to determine the packet time stamp generating point according to the frame data of the third upstream frame at the pon mac layer ; a second acquiring unit , configured to acquire time at the packet time stamp generating point and regard the acquired time as the time the onu sends the third clock packet ; and a correcting unit , configured to correct the local time of the onu according to a difference between the time the onu sends the third clock packet and the time the olt receives the third clock packet . the receiving unit is further configured to receive from the olt a fourth clock packet carried in a fourth downstream frame , where the fourth clock packet carries the time stamp when the olt receives the third clock packet . regard the last bit of the delimiter field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the third upstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point ; or regard the last bit of the hec field in the frame header of the gem frame of the third upstream frame at the tc adapter sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point ; or regard the last bit of the plou field in the frame header of the gtc tc frame of the third upstream frame at the gtc framing sub - layer as the packet time stamp generating point . the optical network device on the slave clock side according to the embodiment of the present invention monitors the packet time stamp generating point based on the lower layer and acquires the time a clock packet is received on the slave clock side at the packet time stamp generating point . therefore , the optical network device on the slave clock side supports multiple modes of clock packet encapsulation over the pon transmission frame , for example , the application of ieee 1588 in case of ethernet over gem . thus , time is synchronized in the network . in addition , the packet time stamp generating point is determined at the lower layer ( gtc framing sub - layer or tc adapter sub - layer ) of the pon and thus the precision and accuracy of the generated time stamp are improved . an embodiment of the present invention provides a point - to - multipoint optical communications system . as shown in fig2 , the point - to - multipoint optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an olt and at least one onu coupled to the olt . a master clock synchronization processing module , configured to send a first clock packet carried in a first downstream frame and a second clock packet carried in a second downstream frame to the onu , where the second clock packet carries the time stamp when the olt sends the first clock packet ; and a master clock packet time stamp generating module , configured to acquire the time the olt sends the first clock packet according to the frame data of the first clock packet at the pon mac layer . a slave clock synchronization processing module , configured to receive the first clock packet and the second clock packet , where the second clock packet carries the time stamp when the olt sends the first clock packet , and adjust the time of the onu according to the difference between the time the olt sends the first clock packet and the time the onu receives the first clock packet ; and a slave clock packet time stamp generating module , configured to acquire the time the onu receives the first clock packet according to the frame data of the first clock packet at the pon mac layer . optionally , the master clock synchronization processing module is further configured to receive a third clock packet and send a fourth clock packet , where the fourth clock packet carries the time stamp when the olt receives the third clock packet . the master clock packet time stamp generating module is further configured to acquire the time the olt receives the third clock packet according to the frame data of the third clock packet at the pon mac layer . the slave clock synchronization processing module is further configured to send the third clock packet ; receive from the olt the fourth clock packet which carries the time stamp when the olt receives the third clock packet ; and correct the time of the onu according to the difference between the time the onu sends the third clock packet and the time the olt receives the third clock packet . the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is further configured to acquire the time the onu sends the third clock packet according to the frame data of the third clock packet at the pon mac layer . the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention monitors the packet time stamp generating point based on the lower layer and then determines the time a clock packet is sent and received on the master clock side according to the packet time stamp generating point . therefore , the optical communications system supports multiple modes of clock packet encapsulation based on the pon transmission frame , for example , the application of ieee 1588 in case of ethernet over gem . thus , time is synchronized in the network . in addition , the packet time stamp generating point is determined at the lower layer ( gtc framing sub - layer or tc adapter sub - layer ) of the pon and thus the precision and accuracy of the generated time stamp are improved . the application of the optical communications system in the embodiment of the present invention is described hereinafter . fig2 illustrates a first application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention , where the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried over an ethernet protocol . on the master clock side , the olt includes a master clock packet time stamp generating module , a master clock synchronization processing module , an olt gpm sub - layer processing module , an olt gtc framing sub - layer processing module , an olt tc adapter sub - layer processing module , and an olt network protocol stack processing module . the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the master clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . the master clock synchronization processing module is configured to complete ieee 1588 protocol processing and exchange clock packets with the olt to determine the time a clock packet is sent or received according to the time stamp . the network protocol stack processing module is configured to process the protocol stack carrying the clock packets . the protocol stack may be eth , ip or udp . on the slave clock side , the onu includes a slave clock packet time stamp generating module , a slave clock synchronization processing module , an onu gpm sub - layer processing module , an onu gtc framing sub - layer processing module , an onu tc adapter sub - layer processing module , and an onu network protocol stack processing module . the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the slave clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . the slave clock synchronization processing module is configured to complete ieee 1588 protocol processing and exchange clock packets with the olt to determine the time a clock packet is sent and received according to the time stamp . the onu network protocol stack processing module is configured to process the protocol stack carrying the clock packets . the protocol stack may be eth , ip or udp . fig2 illustrates a second application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention , where the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried over an ethernet protocol . fig2 differs from fig2 in that : on the master clock side , the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the master clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer ; on the slave clock side , the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the slave clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer . fig2 illustrates a third application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention . the first , second , third , and fourth clock packet are carried in ieee 1588 / 1588v2 over gem mode . on the master clock side , the olt includes a master clock packet time stamp generating module , a master clock synchronization processing module , an olt gpm sub - layer processing module , an olt gtc framing sub - layer processing module , and an olt tc adapter sub - layer processing module . the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the master clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . the onu includes a slave clock packet time stamp generating module , a slave clock synchronization processing module , an onu gpm sub - layer processing module , an onu gtc framing sub - layer processing module , and an onu tc adapter sub - layer processing module . the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the slave clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . fig2 illustrates a fourth application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention , where the first , second , third , and fourth clock packets are carried in ieee 1588 / 1588v2 over gem mode . fig2 differs from fig2 in that : on the master clock side , the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the master clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer ; on the slave clock side , the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the slave clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer . fig2 illustrates a fifth application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention , where the clock packets are carried in ploam messages . on the master clock side , the olt includes a master clock packet time stamp generating module , a master clock synchronization processing module , an olt ploam processing module , an olt gpm sub - layer processing module , and an olt gtc framing sub - layer processing module . the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the master clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . on the slave clock side , the onu includes a slave clock packet time stamp generating module , a slave clock synchronization processing module , an onu ploam processing module , an onu gpm sub - layer processing module , and an onu gtc framing sub - layer processing module . the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the slave clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . fig2 illustrates a sixth application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention , where the clock packets are carried in ploam messages . fig2 is different from fig2 in that : on the master clock side , the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the master clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer ; on the slave clock side , the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the slave clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer . fig2 illustrates a seventh application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention , where the clock packets are carried in omci messages . on the master clock side , the olt includes a master clock packet time stamp generating module , a master clock synchronization processing module , an olt gpm sub - layer processing module , an olt gtc framing sub - layer processing module , an olt tc adapter sub - layer processing module , and an olt omci adapter sub - layer processing module . the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the master clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . on the slave clock side , the onu includes a slave clock packet time stamp generating module , a slave clock synchronization processing module , an onu gpm sub - layer processing module , an onu gtc framing sub - layer processing module , an onu tc adapter sub - layer processing module , and an onu omci adapter sub - layer processing module . the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the position of the slave clock packet time stamp generating point and generate time stamp information according to the gtc tc frame header at the gtc framing sub - layer . fig2 illustrates an eighth application of the optical communications system according to the embodiment of the present invention , where the clock packets are carried in omci messages . fig2 differs from fig2 in that : at the master clock side , the master clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the master clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer ; on the slave clock side , the slave clock packet time stamp generating module is configured to determine the slave clock packet time stamp generating point according to the gem frame header at the tc adapter sub - layer . those skilled in the art understand that the synchronization method , optical network device , and optical communications system according to the embodiments of the present invention are applicable not only to gpon systems but also to other xpon systems . through the descriptions of the preceding embodiments , those skilled in the art may understand that the present invention may be implemented by hardware only or by software and necessary universal hardware . however , in most cases , software and necessary universal hardware are preferred . based on such understandings , all or part of the technical solution under the present invention that makes contributions to the prior art may be essentially embodied in the form of a software product . the software product may be stored in a storage medium . the software product includes a number of instructions that enable a computer device ( mobile phone , personal computer , server , or network device ) to execute the methods provided in the embodiments of the present invention . the above descriptions are merely some exemplary embodiments of the present invention , but not desired to limit the scope of the present invention . any modification , replacement , or improvement made without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention should fall within the scope of the present invention .	7
a transport system according to this invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings . [ 0022 ] fig1 shows a portion of manufacturing equipment for manufacturing semiconductor substrates . this equipment is installed in a cleaned indoor space with little dust . the equipment includes a plurality of article processing apparatus a for performing predetermined treatment of half - finished semiconductor substrates in the course of manufacture , and a transport system b for transporting the substrates to container receiving stations h of these article processing apparatus a . the article processing apparatus a are arranged along a direction of article transport ( as indicated by an arrow ) by the transport system b . as seen from fig1 one row of article processing apparatus a is opposed to a different row of article processing apparatus a . as is well known , and therefore not particularly described herein , these article processing apparatus a successively perform plural types of chemical treatment to manufacture semiconductor substrates . next , the construction of transport system b will be described with reference to fig1 and 2 . semiconductor substrates 1 to be treated are stored in a set number in each transport container 2 . the transport container 2 is transported to the container receiving station h of each of the plurality of article processing apparatus a . a container receiving table 3 is disposed at the container receiving station h of each article processing apparatus a . in this transport system , the transport container 2 is placed on the container receiving table 3 . each transport container 2 is formed of plastic and , as shown in fig3 includes a main container body 2 a having an opening 4 formed in one side for receiving semiconductor substrates 1 , and a lid 2 b for closing the opening 4 in a sealed state . the main container body 2 a has , formed on an upper surface thereof , a flange 5 acting as a support portion to be suspended by a gripper described hereinafter . this transport container 2 has an interior space of main container body 2 a sealed to admit substantially no entry of dust - laden ambient air through gaps . next , a device for transporting such transport containers 2 will be described . as shown in fig4 carrier vehicles 8 run along a guide rail 7 fixed by brackets 6 to a ceiling . each carrier vehicle 8 includes a vehicle member 8 a disposed in an inner space of the guide rail 7 to act as one example of moving body , and a transport action unit 8 b connected to the vehicle member 8 a and disposed below the guide rail 7 . the vehicle member 8 a is driven by a linear motor that generates propelling drive , to run along the guide rail 7 . the transport action unit 8 b is connected by front and rear connecting bars 9 and 10 to the vehicle member 8 a . as seen from a section of the guide rail 7 shown in fig7 the guide rail 7 has a pair of right and left legs extending generally vertically and spaced from each other . the inner space is formed between these right and left legs . the legs have guide surfaces 14 formed at lower ends thereof for supporting running wheels 13 of the carrier vehicle 8 . in addition , the legs define vibration damping guide surfaces 16 for contacting vibration damping wheels 15 . the vehicle member 8 a derives drive from a linear motor lm for driving the carrier vehicle 8 . as shown in fig7 the linear motor lm includes a magnet 11 mounted in the inner space of the guide rail 7 , and a primary coil 12 mounted on the carrier vehicle 8 to be adjacent and opposed to the magnet 11 . in fig7 numeral 17 denotes power supply lines attached to the guide rail 7 , and number 18 denotes power receiver coils attached to the carrier vehicle 8 . a supply of ac forms magnetic fields around the power supply lines 17 , which in turn generate power on the receiver coils 18 as required by the carrier vehicle 8 . in this way , power is supplied in a non - contact mode . the transport action unit 8 b has a frame 19 connected to the vehicle member 8 a by the front and rear connecting bars 9 and 10 . the frame 19 supports a lift control unit 20 for gripping the flange 5 and raising and lowering the transport container 2 as supported in suspension . further , the transport action unit 8 b includes a holder 21 acting as a receiving device switchable between a holding position for receiving and supporting the bottom 2 c of the transport container 2 suspended by the lift control unit 20 and bearing the weight of the transport container 2 , and a position retracted from the bottom 2 c of the transport container 2 . more particularly , the lift control unit 20 includes a lift member 23 vertically movable relative to the vehicle member 8 a , and a gripper 22 supported by the lift member 23 and switchable between an operative position for gripping the flange 5 of the transport container 2 and a release position for releasing the flange 5 . the lift member 23 is vertically movable by a lift control mechanism 24 attached to the frame 19 . these lift control unit 20 and lift control mechanism 24 constitute the lift device . as shown in fig6 and 7 , the lift control mechanism 24 has a rotating drum 25 rotatable about a vertical axis by a drum drive motor m 1 . this rotating drum 25 has a construction to wind and unwind four wires 26 simultaneously . with forward and backward rotations of the rotating drum 25 , the lift member 23 supported by the four wires 26 are moved vertically while being maintained in a substantially horizontal posture . the lift control mechanism 24 does not necessarily require such rotating drum 25 , but may have a construction for winding and unwinding the respective wires 26 with separate motors . as shown in fig5 and 7 , the gripper 22 is switchable between a gripping position for gripping the flange 5 with a gripper actuating motor m 2 swinging a pair of gripping members 28 toward each other through a link mechanism 27 , and a release position for releasing the flange 5 by swinging the gripping members 28 away from each other . further , the gripper 22 is attached to the lift member 23 to be rotatable about a vertical axis by a motor m 3 . the holder 21 has a pair of vertical frame portions 29 depending from the frame 19 and arranged forward and rearward with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle member . each vertical frame portion 29 has a pair of receiving members 30 attached to the lower end thereof . each receiving member 30 is switchable between a projecting position for receiving and supporting the bottom 2 c the transport container 2 raised by the lift control unit 20 , and a retracted position out of a lifting path for allowing the lift control unit 20 to raise and lower the transport container 2 . as shown in fig8 and 9 , each receiving member 30 has one end thereof located in a recess 31 formed in one of the vertical frame portions 29 , and is supported by a vertical support shaft 32 to be pivotable about a vertical axis . the support shaft 32 is rotatable by an electric motor m 4 with a reduction gear , through a link mechanism not shown , whereby a free end of the receiving member 30 is switched between a position projecting to the lifting path of the transport container 2 , and a position retracted into the recess 31 . the receiving member 30 , with the one end thereof located in the recess 31 formed in the vertical frame portion 29 as noted above , is restrained from vertical displacement by upper and lower inner surfaces of the recess 31 . consequently , the receiving member 30 can receive the transport container 2 even though its load falls on the free end projecting in cantilever fashion . numeral 33 in fig7 denotes a controller for controlling movement of the carrier vehicle 8 and operation of the transport action unit 8 b in response to instructions from a supervising controller on the ground and to detection information received from sensors or the like , though not particularly described herein , mounted on the carriers 8 . a transporting operation of the transport system having the above construction will be described next . in this operation , each transport container 2 is transported from a transport starting point ( i . e . one container receiving station h ) to a transport target point ( another container receiving station h ). operations of the holder 21 and lift control unit 20 are controlled by the controller 33 . as shown in fig4 the carrier vehicle 8 is moved to a position corresponding to the transport starting point , where the lift control unit 20 is lowered . the gripper 22 grips the flange 5 of the transport container 2 placed in the container receiving station h . the transport container 2 is raised to a level close to the carrier vehicle 8 . at this time , the lift control unit 20 raises the transport container 2 to an upper limit . as the carrier vehicle 8 begins to move toward the transport target point , the holder 21 is switched from the retracted position to the holding position . specifically , the receiving members 30 are switched to the projecting positions , respectively . thereafter , the lift control unit 20 is lowered by a set amount . when the lift control unit 20 is lowered by the set amount , the bottom 2 c of the transport container 2 is received and stopped by the receiving members 30 . the flange 5 is thereby slightly elevated relative to the gripper 22 , thereby reducing the force of support for the flange 5 by the lift control unit 20 to zero . when the receiving members 30 are switched to the projecting positions , respectively , the transport container 2 has been raised to the upper limit with the receiving members 30 lying slightly below the bottom 2 c of the transport container 2 . thus , the receiving members 30 may easily be switched to the projecting positions . the carrier vehicle 8 moves along the guide rail 7 with the weight of the transport container 2 borne by the receiving members 30 as described above . thus , there is little chance of the transport container 2 being deformed by vibration occurring during the movement of the carrier vehicle 8 , to allow entry of ambient air to its interior . when the carrier vehicle 8 arrives at the position corresponding to the transport target point , the carrier vehicle 8 is stopped , and then the lift control unit 20 is raised to raise the transport container 2 by the set amount with the gripper 22 gripping the flange 5 . while the bottom 2 c of the transport container 2 is raised above the receiving members 30 , the receiving members 30 s are switched from the projecting positions to the retracted positions . subsequently , the lift control unit 20 is lowered with the gripper 22 gripping the flange 5 , to place the transport container 2 in the container receiving station h . then the gripper 22 releases the flange 5 to complete the transporting operation . ( 1 ) in the foregoing embodiment , the operation for switching the holder 21 from the retracted position to the holding position is carried out when the carrier vehicle 8 begins to move toward the transport target point after the transport container 2 is raised close to the carrier vehicle 8 . instead , the switching operation may be carried out as soon as the transport container 2 is raised close to the carrier vehicle 8 . in the foregoing embodiment , the operation for switching the holder 21 from the holding position to the retracted position is carried out after the carrier vehicle 8 arrives and stops at the position corresponding to the transport target point . instead , this switching operation may be carried out a short time before the carrier vehicle 8 stops . ( 2 ) in the foregoing embodiment , when the holder 21 is switched to the holding position , the force of support for the flange 5 by the lift control unit 20 is reduced to zero . instead , the force of support for the flange 5 by the lift control unit 20 may be reduced to a smaller value than when the lift control unit 20 bears the total weight of the transport container 2 . ( 3 ) in the foregoing embodiment , the receiving device 21 is mounted on the frame 19 connected to the vehicle member 8 a . instead , the receiving device 21 may be mounted on the lift member 23 of lift control unit 20 in the foregoing embodiment . as shown in fig1 , for example , a lift member 23 raised and lowered by a lift control mechanism 24 having the same construction as in the foregoing embodiment may have a pair of receiving members 40 pivotable about horizontal axes by a drive mechanism including an electric motor and a link mechanism . when the receiving members 40 are switched to a holding position immediately after the transport container 2 is gripped and raised slightly , the holding action of the receiving members 40 slightly elevates the transport container 2 to raise the flange 5 slightly above the gripper 22 ( see fig1 ( a )). then , the vehicle member 8 a is moved with the transport container 2 received and raised by the receiving members 40 . this construction is effective to avoid entry of unclean ambient air to the container not only during movement of the vehicle member 8 a but also when the transport container 2 is raised . ( 4 ) in the foregoing embodiment , the gripper is constructed switchable between the gripping position for gripping the flange by swinging the gripping members , and the release position for releasing the flange by swinging the gripping members away from each other . this construction is not limitative , but may be modified in various ways . for example , the gripping members may be adapted pivotable about vertical axes , or otherwise movable horizontally , to switch between a position for gripping the flange and a position for releasing the flange . the specific construction of the receiving device similarly is not limited to the switching through pivotal movement about the vertical axes as in the foregoing embodiment or to switching through pivotal movement about horizontal axes toward and away from each other , but may be modified in various ways , such as switching by horizontal movement . ( 5 ) in the foregoing embodiment , each moving body is in the form of a vehicle member for running along the guide rail . instead , it is possible to use linear motor cars which run along the guide rail but have no wheels . other modifications include use of articulated transport robots . ( 6 ) the foregoing embodiment has been described as having a construction for supplying power to each vehicle member 8 a in a non - contact mode . however , this is not limitative , but a contact type power supply may be provided in which a conductor mounted on each vehicle member contacts a power supply rail . instead of the non - contact type or contact type power supply each vehicle member may carry a storage device such as a battery or capacitor . each vehicle member may carry a storage device , and yet receive a non - contact type or contact type power supply when appropriate . then , the storage device may supply power when , for example , no external power supply is available in the contact or no - contact mode .	8
the insert 50 of the instant invention is utilized to stabilize and prevent or reduce wobble or playoff a pull - out spray head or wand 10 when it is inserted into a tube spout 20 . more specifically , an adapter 30 is mounted in the wand 10 as best seen in fig8 a - 8 c . the adapter may be comprised of any suitable material , e . g ., metal such as copper , brass , steel or plastic . the adapter 30 is comprised of a front end 32 and a back end 37 . as best illustrated in fig3 and 4 the adapter 30 has a forwardly extending flexible finger 33 having a downwardly projecting button 34 at its front end 36 . the finger 33 is located at the bottom of the adapter and is free or unattached at its front or forward end 36 . at its back end 35 the finger 33 is attached to the adapter 30 . as illustrated in fig8 a - 8 c the button 34 fits into a complementary shaped opening 12 in the bottom 11 of the wand near the rear or back 14 of the wand and retains or locks the adapter 30 in the wand 10 . the rear of the adapter 37 has two grooves 38 , 39 in which are seated o - rings 40 , 41 . there are also two outwardly extending protrusions or wings 40 , 41 on opposite sides at the rear of the adapter 30 to the rear or downstream of grooves 38 , 39 . the rear 37 of the adapter 30 extends rearwardly out of the wand 10 and is shaped to fit into the insert 50 . the insert 50 , as best shown in fig5 - 7 a , is a hollow generally tubular member . insert 50 is sized and shaped to fit into tube spout 20 . in one embodiment , as best illustrated in fig7 a , the insert 50 has a substantially elliptical cross - section . in the interior of the insert 50 are disposed two tabs 55 , 57 . the tabs 55 , 57 , as best seen in fig7 a , are disposed on opposite side walls of the insert 10 . in one embodiment at least the bottom surfaces 56 , 58 of the tabs 55 , 57 are angled . upon insertion of the adapter 30 into the insert 50 the wings 40 , 41 on the adapter 30 engage with the tabs 55 , 57 , more particularly with the angled bottom surfaces 56 , 58 of the insert , which forces the adapter 30 in a downward direction . this reduces wobble as there is no or little clearance between two of the surfaces . the o - rings 40 , 41 in the adapter serve , inter alia , to provide a good , snug fit between the adapter 30 and the insert 50 , and to minimize wobble or play even more . the front o - ring 40 is centered to provide a consistent fit with the insert 50 while the adapter forces the bottom portion of the o - ring further than is the case with a typical seal . this provides an upward load between tabs 55 , 57 and wings 40 , 41 provides stability and minimizes wobble . more particularly , the wings 40 , 41 of angled tabs 55 , 57 force the entire wand 10 , including the adapter 30 , downward compressing the bottom half of the o - rings 40 , 41 while reducing the squeeze or compressive force on the top part of the o - rings 40 , 41 . this has a line - to - line fit on the wings 40 , 41 with increased loading on the lower section of the o - rings 40 , 41 to minimize droop . because this results in only one direction for a gap the wobble is greatly reduced . located on the bottom of insert 50 is a downwardly projecting button 51 . as best illustrated in fig7 a button 51 fits into an aperture 21 in the bottom of tube spout 20 and helps to retain and properly locate insert 50 in tube spout 20 . at the front of the insert is a circumferentially extending lip 52 . as best illustrated in fig1 the lip 52 extends radially from the front of insert 50 sufficiently to come between tube spout 20 and wand 10 . in one embodiment of the insert 30 , as illustrated in fig1 , 5 - 7 , 8 a - 11 , 13 and 14 , there is a tab extension 58 provided at the top rear of insert 50 . this tab extension 58 engages the inside top surface 25 of the tube spout 20 . this forces button 51 into aperture 25 on the underside of tube spout 20 . this is best illustrated in fig1 . this embodiment eliminates the need for adhesives applied on the insert 50 to keep the insert in the tube spout 20 . in another embodiment , as illustrated in fig1 , the insert 30 , does not have a tab extension 58 . in this embodiment there may be a need for adhesives to keep the insert 50 in the tube spout 20 . in another embodiment of fig1 the insert 50 may be made out of stainless steel and be held in place in the tube spout 20 by an interference fit . in this embodiment the bottom button 51 may be eliminated . while certain embodiments of the invention have been described for purposes of illustration , it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention .	4
turning now to the drawings wherein elements are identified by numbers and like elements are identified by like numbers throughout the 5 figures , the invention is depicted in fig1 that illustrates a speaker housing 1 for use in the unique wiring system . as shown in fig1 and 2 , the speaker housing 1 may have a plurality of sides including a front portion 3 , a first side portion 5 , a second side portion 7 , a top portion 9 and a bottom portion 11 . additionally , a back portion 13 is illustrated in fig4 . as fig1 further illustrates , the front portion 3 exemplifies the majority of the hardware contained within the speaker housing 1 . the speaker housing 1 may contain the speaker 15 which may have a directional setting projecting sound out of the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 . in other exemplary embodiments , the speaker 15 may face rearwardly , projecting sound out of the rear portion 13 of the speaker housing 1 . moreover , it is anticipated that the speaker 15 may be positioned anywhere within the speaker housing and may project sound from that location . in an exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the speaker 15 is contained within the speaker housing 1 and projects through the front portion 3 of the housing 1 . additionally as exemplified , the front portion may also have a tweeter 17 and / or additional smaller speaker contained thereon wherein the tweeter 17 and / or additional smaller speaker may also project sound through the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 . in an embodiment , a plurality of tweeters 17 may be adapted for use in a single speaker housing 1 . moreover , in an embodiment , a plurality of speakers 15 may be adapted for use in a single speaker housing 1 . the speaker housing 1 may also allow for configuration of the speaker 15 therein by allowing for replacement of the speaker 15 when necessary by providing a plurality of connection points 21 that may be in the form of a screw 23 . when the screws 23 are removed , the speaker 15 may be detachably removed from the speaker housing 1 which may allow for interchangeability of the speaker 15 relative to the speaker housing 1 . fig1 further illustrates the tubular enclosure 25 in the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 . the tubular enclosure 25 extends rearwardly from the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 to the rear portion 13 of the speaker housing as illustrated in fig4 . fig2 further illustrates the tubular enclosure 25 that extends between the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 and the rear portion 13 of the speaker housing 1 . as illustrated in fig2 , the tubular enclosure 25 may be recessed within a recessed portion 31 from the outside edge 27 of the front portion 3 . providing the enclosure 25 recessed from the outside edge 27 of the front portion 3 may allow for adequate space between the outside edge 27 of the front portion 3 and the tubular enclosure 25 to facilitate storage of the wiring apparatus ( not shown ) within the recessed portion 31 of the speaker housing 1 . fig1 and 2 illustrate wire connectors 29 positioned on the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 . in prior art applications , the wire connectors are typically positioned in the rear of the speaker housing which makes getting to those connectors rather difficult and cumbersome . in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , the wire connectors 29 are position within the recessed portion 31 of the speaker housing , which allows a wire apparatus ( not shown ) to pass through the tubular enclosure 25 from the rear portion 13 of the speaker housing 1 to the front portion 3 of the speaker housing and connected to the wire connectors 29 positioned on the outside surface 33 of the recessed portion 31 of the speaker housing 1 . the tubular enclosure 25 in an exemplary embodiment may be positioned below the speaker 15 in a location within the speaker housing 1 that may facilitate easier and more efficient connection of the wire apparatus to the wire connectors 29 . in an embodiment , the tubular enclosure 25 may be of generally tubular shape , but it should be anticipated that the tubular enclosure 25 may be of any shape to facilitate the insertion of a wire apparatus ( not shown ) from the rear portion 13 of the speaker housing 1 to the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 . the configuration of the tubular enclosure is not limited to a generally tubular shape , but can include a plurality of different shapes including rectangular , trapezoidal , oval , triangular and a variety of other geometric shapes . additionally , the tubular enclosure 25 may also have a first gate 37 positioned at the outside edge 39 of the front portion of the tubular enclosure 25 . moreover , the tubular enclosure 25 may also have a second gate 41 positioned at the outside edge 44 of the back portion of the tubular enclosure 25 . the first gate 37 and the second gate 41 ( see fig4 ) may allow for opening and closing of the tubular enclosure 25 when the enclosure 25 is not in use . additionally , the first gate 37 and the second gate 41 may have an opening 45 ( see fig4 ) thereon to allow only the wire apparatus ( not shown ) to pass through the tubular enclosure 25 . ( see fig4 ). fig3 illustrates a cross sectional view of the speaker housing 1 wherein the tubular enclosure 25 extends from the rear portion 13 of the speaker housing 1 to the front portion 3 of the speaker housing 1 . additionally , fig3 illustrates the speaker housing 1 incorporation of the speaker 15 and the tweeter 17 and / or additional speakers . moreover , fig3 illustrates the wire connectors 29 positioned on the outside edge 33 of the recessed portion 31 . as illustrated in fig3 , a wire apparatus ( not shown ) may enter into the tubular enclosure 25 of the speaker housing 1 from the rear portion 13 . the speaker housing 1 may be positioned on a wall and / or a support structure ( not shown ) to suspend the speaker housing 1 therefrom . allowing the wire apparatus to enter from the rear , be navigated through the tubular enclosure 25 and extend outwardly from the front portion 3 of the speaker house 1 and ultimately attached to the wire connectors 29 on the front portion 3 would allow the individual responsible for connecting the speaker to the transmission unit ( not shown ) to do so with relative ease without the need to remove the speaker housing 1 from its support structure . fig4 illustrates a back view of the speaker housing 1 in an embodiment . the back portion 13 may have the tubular enclosure 25 along with the gate 41 including the opening 45 thereon to allow for insertion of the wire apparatus through the enclosure 25 . in an embodiment , speaker housing 1 may have a mounting bracket ( not shown ) attached to a corresponding attachment point 49 . the attachment point 49 may be located on the top portion 9 and the corresponding bottom portion 11 of the speaker housing 1 . however , it is anticipated that the speaker housing may have a standard attachment aperture 51 thereon . in an exemplary embodiment , the standard attachment aperture 51 may be located at the mid point 55 of the back portion 13 of the speaker housing 1 . however , in another embodiment , the attachment aperture 51 may be located at any other position on the back portion 13 of the speaker housing 1 to allow for attachment of the speaker housing 1 to a support structure ( not shown ). additionally , as illustrated in fig5 , the attachment aperture 51 may be located on the bottom portion 11 of the housing 1 to allow for attachment of the speaker housing 1 to a support structure . in another exemplary embodiment , a plurality of attachment apertures 51 may be located at different locations on the speaker housing to allow for multiple configurations and attachment points for different types of support structures having different configurations . it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art . such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages .	7
fig1 schematically depicts the classical approach to performing a floating point operation defined by the mathematical relationship the mathematical relationship a * b + c , where a , b and c are individually composed of n bits ( n = 53 ). it should be apparent that the mantissa of operand c must be added before the truncation or rounding of the intermediate result a * b . thus the intermediate result of a * b is composed of 106 bits , including 2 further bit places for carry conditions . following classical practices , the 53 bits of operand c are added to the 108 bits of the a * b result following alignment of the c mantissa with the a * b mantissa . the alignment range of c is shown by the dashed lines in fig1 . following such alignment , the two values a * b and c are added in a full adder having an output of 161 bits . the s bit at the left represents the sign of the value c , with the sign of the a * b product being handled by separate logic . the xor is then used to provide the correct 1 &# 39 ; s complement value from the 161 bit full adder . those skilled in the design of electronic circuits for full addition and multiplication , know that full adders are very large and complicated devices . there are clear benefits to be gained if the bit size of the full adder can be reduced . similarly , a distinct reduction in circuit size can be gained if the wallace tree multiplier , typically composed of multiple csas , can be reduced in bit count . the earlier noted u . s . pat . no . 4 , 969 , 118 suggests that for the mathematical operation of a * b + c , where operands a , b and c are each n bits , an n bit incrementer can be used in the most significant bit ( msb ) position of the full adder to reduce the size of adder from 3n to 2n . a similar approach is discussed in the aforementioned ibm technical disclosure bulletin . the architecture according to the present invention further reducing the size of the full adder by the use of an incrementer to replace operations performed in the least significant bit ( lsb ) side of the full add , and as an aspect thereof , also reduces the size of wallace tree multiplier . central to the refined approach is the partition of the multiplication operation into multiple cycles , and the selective addition of partial products in the multiple cycles using a pipelined architecture . fig2 conceptually depicts the operations associated with a preferred implementation of the invention . again , operands a , b and c are composed of n bits ( where n = 53 ), and operand b is divided into m segments in which m is a whole number greater than 1 . in the illustration m is equal to 2 . in keeping with such implementation , the circuit architecture is partitioned into a pipeline composed of three primary segments , as distinguished by dashed lines in the schematic of fig3 . in the context of fig2 a first multiplication is performed involving the operand a and the partial operand b0 . the second stage of performing the operation a * b + c involves the multiplication of a with the second , most significant segment , of operand b as represented by b1 . however , since the least significant bits of operation of a * b0 are fixed , the value of c as appropriately shifted can also be added into the least significant bit range of the final result . since these , bits of the final result are not directly affected by the outcome of the multiplication a * b1 , the second multiplication can be accomplished concurrent with the first addition . the framework for a pipelined architecture is thereby defined . for the specific example in fig2 the addition of the n / 2 least significant bits is accomplished at the same time that the circuit is performing the second multiplication . it should also be apparent that the concept depicted in fig2 can be extended to larger subdivisions of operand b , and the associated pipelined or concurrent multiplication and addition operations of partial results . unfortunately , the returns diminish as the value of m , the divisor of operand b , increases . for example , for m = 2 , the full adder must accommodate all the bits of a * b1 . in this example the full adder is 2n - n / 2 size . however , the adder decreases in size at a diminishing rate as m increases , as defined by the formula 2n - n ( m - 1 )/ m . the use of partial products according the procedure depicted in fig2 has little consequence unless one appreciates that the least significant bits of the addition of a * b0 with the appropriately shifted bits of operand c are not subject to changes as a direct consequence of subsequent multiplications . therefore , these bits can be manipulated in a device less complex than a full adder . another fallout of the operation can be understood upon recognizing that each partial product a * b0 and a * b1 has fewer bits than the product a * b . namely , a full multiplication of a * b produces a product of 2n bits while the individual products of a * b0 and a * b1 are composed of approximately 1 . 5n bits . an architecture and sequence of operation of the present form , involving multiple cycles through the same multiplier , has a significant effect on the size of a wallace tree multiplier . even though the bit count decreased by 25 %, the number of csa &# 39 ; s in the multiplier decreases by approximately 50 %. thus , as another aspect , the present invention provides for a major reduction in the size of the multiplier . as embodied in fig3 the invention employs a wallace tree with concurrent multiplication and addition resources . thereby , aligned operand c can be added to appropriate bits of a * b0 distinct from the final addition of a * b1 with the most significant bits of a * b0 . the benefits ascribed to multiplication according to the method depicted in fig2 are provided in the circuit architecture of fig3 . the architecture is divided into three segments individualized by dashed lines 1 and 2 in fig3 . the three segments represent three stages of a pipeline which performs the mathematical operation a * b + c in a nominal two cycle sequence while using significantly smaller circuits to perform the functions of the full adder and multiplier . the mantissas of operands a , b and c are provided by file register 3 . the exponents are manipulated elsewhere in fairly well known manner to enable alignment shifter / inverter 4 . similarly , separate logic is used to handle the signs of operands a , b and c in a manner which eventually leads to the appropriate sign in sign bit position 6 of incrementer 23 . the term &# 34 ; operand &# 34 ; in the ensuing paragraphs will refer generally to the mantissa of each operands a , b and c , in that the mantissas are the primary subjects of the manipulations being accomplished . operands a and c are latched into respective latches 7 and 8 while operand b is split by multiplexer 9 before storage in latch 11 . following such latching the respective value of b0 or b1 are plier 13 . multiplier 13 preferably employs a wallace tree configuration capable of simultaneously multiplying a 53 bit operand with a 28 bit operand while adding 3 further operands . wallace trees composed of carry save adders ( csa ) are described in the aforementioned u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 969 , 118 and 4 , 999 , 802 , and in the text book by patterson et al . booth encoding is discussed in the noted text by patterson et al as well as described in the aforementioned ibm technical disclosure bulletin . as depicted in fig3 multiplier 13 receives inputs bits representing operand a , encoded bits representing b0 or b1 , shift aligned least significant bits from operand c , and sum and carry bits from an immediately preceding cycle . thus , in the context of the second multiplication accomplished according to the sequence in fig2 multiplier 13 in fig3 receives the appropriately shifted low end bits of operand c , operand a , operand b1 , and the sum and carry values of the n / 2 least significant bits of the outcome from the previous multiplication involving a * b0 . the next stage of the pipeline is isolated by latches 14 , 16 , 17 and 18 from the stage whose operation was just described . note that latch 18 stores the results of the full addition of the least significant bits of the first multiplication , namely a * b0 , with the appropriately shifted least significant bits of operand c . the primary function of the second stage of the pipeline depicted in fig3 is to complete the full addition of the intermediate results . with reference to fig2 this means the full addition of a * b1 with the most significant bits of a * b0 as affected by shift aligned bits of operand c . the second stage of the pipeline , as situated between boundary lines 1 and 2 , includes lsb incrementer 19 , full adder 21 , logic gate 22 , and msb incrementer 23 , together providing the 161 bit unrounded result to xor 24 . the effects of the sign of operand c are introduced into xor gate 24 from sign bit location 6 . the output of xor gate 24 is held in latch 26 . note that in contrast to prior practices , full adder 21 provides an output of only 83 bits . the classical approach requires greater than 106 bits . accordingly , the size of adder 21 is reduced significantly . lsb incrementer 19 manipulates the 28 least significant bits of the 161 bit result . the 50 most significant bits of the result are manipulated by msb incrementer 23 . further note that lsb incrementer 19 provides a carry to adder 21 , which adder itself provides a selective carry , via gate 22 , to msb incrementer 23 , which incrementer then closes the loop by providing an end around carry to the input of lsb incrementer 19 . the use of lsb incrementer 19 to handle the n / 2 least significant bits arose from the recognition that data manipulation according to the present architecture involves only a single carry bit at the input to the least significant bit position of the composite 161 bit output . example # 1 shows a 1 &# 39 ; s complement manipulation of the decimal values 6 , 10 , 11 , - 6 and - 11 in binary form . 1 &# 39 ; s complement addition of selected numbers as appears in example # 1 illustrates that the circuitry must include the ability to provide an end around carry from the most significant bit position to the least significant bit position . see the example addition of 10 with - 6 . the purpose of gate 22 is to selectively delete carry bits propagating from adder 21 to msb incrementer 23 . carry bits are selectively deleted when the c operand is shifted so that the bits align with the sign position in the partial products from the wallace tree multiplier . the constraints for dropping a carry bit are defined by the three examples which follow . example # 2 ## str8 ## in the example identified as # 2 , the wallace tree multiplier , composed of carry save adders , combines three inputs to provide a sum output and a carry output , the result of which is then further added in a successive stage of the wallace tree multiplier to an aligned value of the c operand ( c 1 ). the x symbol identifies a bit position omitted from c because it aligns with the sign position of the multiplied values . the output of the wallace tree is composed of sum and carry binary bits , which themselves are the two inputs to a full adder . note that the result of the full adder would propagate a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; bit into the sign bit position . according to the present invention gate 22 is disabled to delete such carry bit before it propagates into the msb incrementer . a similar situation exists for the example identified as # 3 . in this case a c 2 operand value is added . again , the carry bit is dropped when it enters the sign location , but now this occurs during addition preceding the full add cycle . example # 4 ## str10 ## the example identified as # 4 illustrates addition with a c 3 operand value during which gate 22 propagates a carry from adder 21 to msb incrementer 23 . in this situation , the carry bit resulting from the operation preceding the full add is again dropped , but when followed by a second carry during the full add , such second carry is propagated to the next most significant bit . in this way , the carry generated in adder 21 is conveyed only when appropriate to increment the c value as previously entered into msb incrementer 23 . in keeping with the architecture define in fig3 the 161 bit result held in latch 26 is normalized and rounded in block 27 following relatively conventional practices and before being provided as a 53 bit output equal to the mathematical operation defined as a * b + c . it should be apparent from the description that the pipelined architecture provides for concurrence of operations in a manner which optimizes the incremental multiplication of a * b . partitioned multiplication and time interleaved addition allow the use of a smaller multiplier and an incrementer to replace a large number of the least significant bits of the full adder . finally , the invention includes resources for selectively deleting carry bits , which bits would otherwise propagate from the full adder into the most significant bit incrementer when conditions dictate that the propagation is not appropriate . although the invention has been described illustrated by way of a specific embodiment , the apparatus and methods encompassed by the invention should be interpreted consistent with the breath of the claims set forth hereinafter .	6
one or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below . in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments , not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification . it should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation , as in any engineering or design project , numerous implementation - specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers &# 39 ; specific goals , such as compliance with system - related and business - related constraints , which may vary from one implementation to another . moreover , it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming , but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design , fabrication , and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure . turning to fig1 , a block diagram of an exemplary satellite television over ip system in accordance with one embodiment is illustrated and generally designated by a reference numeral 10 . as illustrated , in one embodiment , the system 10 may include one or more satellite dishes 12 a through 12 m , a head - end unit , such as a satellite gateway 14 , an ip distribution network 20 , and one or more set top boxes (“ stbs ”) 22 a through 22 n . those of ordinary skill in the art , however , will appreciate that the embodiment of the system 10 illustrated in fig1 is merely one potential embodiment of the system 10 . as such , in alternate embodiments , the illustrated components of the system 10 may be rearranged or omitted or additional components may be added to the system 10 . for example , with minor modifications , the system 10 may configured to distributed non - satellite video and audio services . the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m may be configured to receive video , audio , or other types of television - related data that is transmitted from satellites orbiting the earth . as will be described further below , in one embodiment the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m are configured to receive directv programming over ku band from 10 . 7 to 12 . 75 gigahertz (“ ghz ”). in alternate embodiments , however , the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m may be configured to receive other types of direct broadcast satellites (“ dbs ”) or television receive - only (“ tvro ”) signal , such as dish network signals , expressvu signals , starchoice signals , and the like . in still other non - satellite based systems , the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m may be omitted from the system 10 . in one embodiment , a low noise - block converter (“ lnc ”) within the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m receives the incoming signal from the earth - orbiting satellite and converts these incoming signals to a frequency in the l band between 950 and 2150 megahertz (“ mhz ”). as will be described in further detail below with regard to fig2 , each of the satellites 12 a - 12 m may be configured to receive one or more incoming satellite tv signals on a particular frequency ( referred to as a transponder ) and with a particular polarization and to convert these satellite signals to l band signals , each of which may contain a plurality of video or audio signals . the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m may be configured to transmit the l band signals to a head - end unit or gateway server , such as the satellite gateway 14 . in alternate , non - satellite embodiments , the head - end unit may be a cable television receiver , a high definition television receiver , or other video distribution system the satellite gateway 14 includes a satellite tuning , demodulating , and demultiplexing module 16 and an ip wrapper module 18 . the module 16 may contain a plurality of tuners , demodulators , and demultiplexers to convert the modulated and multiplexed l band signals transmitted from the satellites 12 a - 12 m into a plurality single program transport streams (“ spts ”), each of which carries a service ( e . g ., television channel video , television channel audio , program guides , and so forth ). in one embodiment , the module 16 is configured to produce a single program transport stream for all of the services received by the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m . in an alternate embodiment , however , the module 16 may produce transport streams for only a subset of the services received by the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 m . the satellite tuning , demodulating , and demultiplexing module 16 may transmit the spts to the ip wrapper module 18 . in one embodiment , the ip wrapper module 18 repackages the data within the spts into a plurality of internet protocol (“ ip ”) packets suitable for transmission over the ip distribution network 20 . for example , the ip wrapper module 18 may convert directv protocol packets within the spts into ip packets . in addition , the ip wrapper module 18 may be configured to receive server requests from the stbs 22 a - 22 n and to multicast ( i . e ., broadcast to one or more of the stbs 22 a - 22 n over an ip address ) the ip spts to those stbs 22 a - 22 n that had requested the particular service . in an alternative embodiment , the ip wrapper module 18 may also be configured to multicast ip protocol spts for services not requested by one of the stbs 22 a - 22 n . it should be noted that the modules 16 and 18 are merely one exemplary embodiment of the satellite gateway 14 . in alternate embodiments , such as the one described below in regard to fig2 and 3 , the functions of the modules 16 and 18 may be redistributed or consolidated amongst a variety of suitable components or modules . the ip distribution network 20 may include one or more routers , switches , modem , splitters , or bridges . for example , in one embodiment , the satellite gateway 14 may be coupled to a master distribution frame (“ mdf ”) that is coupled to an intermediate distribution frame (“ idf ”) that is coupled to a coax to ethernet bridge that is coupled to a router that is coupled to one or more of the stbs 22 a - 22 n . in another embodiment , the ip distribution network 20 may be an mdf that is coupled to a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (“ dslam ”) that is coupled to a dsl modem that is coupled to a router . in yet another embodiment , the ip distribution network may include a wireless network , such as 802 . 11 or wimax network . in this type of embodiment , the stbs 22 a - 22 n may include a wireless receiver configured to receive the multicast ip packets . those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above - described embodiments are merely exemplary . as such in alternate embodiments , a large number of suitable forms of ip distribution networks may be employed in the system 10 . the ip distribution network 20 may be coupled to one or more stbs 22 a - 22 n . the stbs 22 a - 22 n may be any suitable type of video , audio , and / or other data receiver capable of receiving ip packets , such as the ip spts , over the ip distribution network 20 . it will be appreciated the term set top box (“ stb ”), as used herein , may encompass not only devices that sit upon televisions . rather the stbs 22 a - 22 n may be any suitable form of video or audio receiver , whether internal or external to a television , display , or computer , that can be configured to function as described herein — including , but not limited to a video components , computers , wireless telephones , or other forms video recorder . in one embodiment , the stbs 22 a - 22 n may be a directv receiver configured to receive services , such as video and / or audio , through an ethernet port ( amongst other inputs ). in alternate embodiments , the stbs 22 a - 22 n may be designed and / or configured to receive the multicast transmission over coaxial cable , twisted pair , copper wire , or through the air via a wireless standard , such as the i . e . e . e . 802 . 11 standard . as discussed above , the system 10 may receive video , audio , and / or other data transmitted by satellites in space and process / convert this data for distribution over the ip distribution network 20 . accordingly , fig2 is another embodiment of the exemplary satellite television over ip system 10 in accordance with one embodiment . fig2 illustrates three exemplary satellite dishes 12 a - 12 c . each of the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 c may be configured to receive signals from one or more of the orbiting satellites . those of ordinary skill will appreciate that the satellites and the signals that are transmitted from the satellites are often referred to by the orbital slots in which the satellites reside . for example , the satellite dish 12 a is configured to receive signals from a directv satellite disposed in an orbital slot of 101 degrees . likewise , the satellite dish 12 b receives signals from a satellite disposed at 119 degrees , and the satellite dish 12 c receives signals from a satellite disposed at orbital slot of 110 degrees . it will be appreciated that in alternate embodiments , the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 c may receive signals from a plurality of other satellites disclosed in a variety of orbital slots , such as the 95 degree orbital slot . in addition , the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 c may also be configured to receive polarized satellite signals . for example , in fig2 , the satellite dish 12 a is configured to receive signals that are both left polarized ( illustrated in the figure as “ 101 l ”) and right polarized ( illustrated as “ 101 r ”). as described above in regard to fig1 , the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 c may receive satellite signals in the ku band and convert these signals into l band signals that are transmitted to the satellite gateway 14 . in some embodiments , however , the l band signals produced by the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 c may be merged into fewer signals or split into more signals prior to reaching the satellite gateway 14 . for example , as illustrated in fig2 , l band signals from the satellite dishes 12 b and 12 c may be merged by a switch 24 into a single l band signal containing l band signals from both the satellite at 110 degrees and the satellite at 119 degrees . as illustrated , the system 10 may also include a plurality of 1 : 2 splitters 26 a , 26 b , 26 c , and 26 d to divide the l band signals transmitted from the satellite dishes 12 a - 12 c into two l band signals , each of which include half of the services of the pre - split l band signal . in alternate embodiments , the 1 : 2 splitters 26 a - 26 b may be omitted or integrated into the satellite gateways 14 a and 14 b . the newly split l band signals may be transmitted from the 1 : 2 splitters 26 a - 26 d into the satellite gateways 14 a and 14 b . the embodiment of the system 10 illustrated in fig2 includes two of the satellite gateways 14 a and 14 b . in alternate embodiments , however , the system 10 may include any suitable number of satellite gateways 14 . for example , in one embodiment , the system may include three satellite gateways 14 . the satellite gateways 14 a and 14 b may then further subdivide the l band signals and then tune to one or more services on the l band signal to produce one or more spts that may be repackaged into ip packets and multicast over the ip distribution network 20 . in addition , one or more of the satellite gateways 14 a , 14 b may also be coupled to a public switch telephone network (“ pstn ”) 28 . because the satellite gateways 14 a , b are coupled to the pstn 28 , the stbs 22 a - 22 n may be able to communicate with a satellite service provider through the ip distribution network 20 and the satellite gateways 14 a , b . this functionality may advantageously eliminate the need to have each individual stbs 22 a - 22 n coupled directly to the pstn 28 . the ip distribution network 20 may also be coupled to an internet service provider (“ isp ”) 30 . in one embodiment , the ip distribution network 20 may be employed to provide internet services , such as high - speed data access , to the stbs 22 a - 22 n and / or other suitable devices ( not shown ) that are coupled to the ip distribution network 20 . as described above , the satellite gateways 14 a , b may be configured to receive the plurality of l band signals , to produce a plurality of spts , and to multicast requested spts over the ip distribution network 20 . referring now to fig3 , a block diagram of an exemplary satellite gateway 14 is shown . as illustrated , the satellite gateway 14 a , b includes a power supply 40 , two front - ends 41 a and 41 b and a back - end 52 . the power supply 40 may be any one of a number of industry - standard ac or dc power supplies configurable to enable the front - ends 41 a , b and the back - end 52 to perform the functions described below . the satellite gateway 14 a , b may also include two front - ends 41 a , b . in one embodiment , each of the front - ends , 41 a , b may be configured to receive two l band signal inputs from the 1 : 2 splitters 26 a - 26 d that were described above in regards to fig2 . for example , the front - end 41 a may receive two l band signals from the 1 : 2 splitter 26 a and the front - end 41 b may receive two l band signals from the 1 : 2 splitter 26 b . in one embodiment , each of the l band inputs into the front - end 41 a , b includes eight or fewer services . the front - ends 41 a , b may then further sub - divide the l band inputs using 1 : 4 l band splitters 42 a , 42 b , 42 c , and 42 d . once subdivided , the l band signals may pass into four banks 44 a , 44 b , 44 c , and 44 d of dual tuner links . each of the dual tuner links within the banks 44 a - 44 d may be configured to tune to two services within the l band signals received by that individual dual tuner links to produce spts . each of the dual tuner links may then transmit the spts to one of the low - voltage differential signaling (“ lvds ”) drivers 48 a , 48 b , 48 c , and 48 d . the lvds drivers 48 a - 48 d may be configured to amplify the transport signals for transmission to the back - end 52 . in alternate embodiments , different forms of differential drivers and / or amplifiers may be employed in place of the lvds drivers 48 a - 48 d . other embodiments may employ serialization of all of the transport signals together for routing to the back end 52 . as illustrated , the front - ends 41 a , b may also include microprocessors 46 a and 46 b . in one embodiment , the microprocessors 46 a , b may control and / or relay commands to the banks 44 a - 44 d of dual tuner links and the 1 : 4 l band splitters 42 a - 42 d . the microprocessors 46 a , b may comprise st10 microprocessors produce by st microelectronics . the microprocessors 46 a , b may be coupled to lvds receiver and transmitter modules 50 a and 50 b . the lvds receiver / transmitter modules 50 a , b may facilitate communications between the microprocessors 46 a , b and components on the back - end 52 , as will be described further below . turning next to the back - end 52 , the back - end 52 includes lvds receivers 54 a , 54 b , 54 c , and 54 d , which are configured to receive transport stream signals transmitted by the lvds drivers 48 a - 48 d . the back - end 52 also includes lvds receiver / transmitter modules 56 a and 56 b which are configured to communicate with the lvds receiver / transmitter modules 50 a , b . as illustrated , the lvds receivers 54 a - 54 d and the lvds receiver / transmitters 56 a , b are configured to communicate with transport processors 58 a and 58 b . in one embodiment , the transport processors 58 a , b are configured to receive the spts produced by the dual tuner links in the front - ends 41 a , b . for example , in one embodiment , the transport processors 58 a , b may be configured to produce 16 spts . the transport processors 58 a , b may be configured to repack the spts into ip packets which can be multicast over the ip distribution network 20 . for example , the transport processors 58 a , b may repackage directv protocol packets into ip protocol packets and then multicast these ip packets on an ip address to one or more of the stbs 22 a - 22 n the transport processors 58 a , b may also be coupled to a bus 62 , such as a 32 bit , 66 mhz peripheral component interconnect (“ pci ”) bus . through the bus 62 , the transport processors 58 a , b may communicate with a network processor 70 , an ethernet interface 84 , and / or an expansion slot 66 . the network processor 70 may be configured to receive requests for services from the stbs 22 a - 22 n and to direct the transport processors 58 a , b to multicast the requested services . in one embodiment , the network processor is an ixp425 network processor produced by intel . while not illustrated , the network processor 70 may also be configured to transmit status data to a front panel of the satellite gateway 14 a , b or to support debugging or monitoring of the satellite gateway 14 a , b through debug ports . as illustrated , the transport processors 58 a , b may also be coupled to the ethernet interface 68 via the bus 62 . in one embodiment , the ethernet interface 68 is a gigabit ethernet interface that provides either a copper wire or fiber - optic interface to the ip distribution network 20 . in addition , the bus 62 may also be coupled to an expansion slot , such as a pci expansion slot to enable the upgrade or expansion of the satellite gateway 14 a , b . the transport processors 58 a , b may also be coupled to a host bus 64 . in one embodiment , the host bus 64 is a 16 - bit data bus that connects the transport processors 58 a , b to a modem 72 , which may be configured to communicate over the pstn 28 , as described above . in alternate embodiments , the modem 72 may also be coupled to the bus 62 . as described above , the satellite gateway 14 may transmit the ip packets across the ip distribution network 20 to the stbs 22 a - 22 n . in one embodiment , the satellite gateway 14 is configured to transmit ip packets using two or more levels of security ( e . g ., encryption ) depending on the capabilities of each of the stbs 22 a - 22 n . more specifically , the satellite gateway 14 may be configured to multicast satellite services to each one of the stbs 22 a - 22 n at a security level supported by that particular stb . for example , if an stb operating at a lower level of security ( i . e ., less encryption ), requests a particular satellite service ( cnn , for example ), the satellite gateway 14 may generate a multicast of cnn with the ip packets in the multicast encrypted at the lower security level . if , at the same time , another one of the stbs 22 a - 22 n operating at a higher level of security ( i . e ., more encryption ) also requests to receive cnn , the satellite gateway 14 may generate another multicast of cnn using the higher level of security . in one embodiment , the satellite gateway 14 may be configured to generate three different levels of security : network encryption , network encryption plus partial advanced encryption standard (“ aes ”), and network encryption plus full aes encryption ( 128 - bit key encryption ). in alternate embodiments , however , alternate encryption techniques or security schemes may be employed . as stated above , the satellite gateway 14 may be configured to generate different multicasts to the stbs 22 a - 22 n depending on the security capabilities supported by each of the stbs 22 a - 22 n . in one embodiment , the satellite gateway 14 is configured to request the security capabilities supported by each of the stbs 22 a - 22 n when that particular stb is coupled ( via the ip distribution network 20 ) to the satellite gateway 14 . in this embodiment , the satellite gateway 14 may store the security capabilities of each of the stbs 22 a - 22 n and access these stored security capabilities when one of the stbs 22 a - 22 n requests satellite services from the satellite gateway 14 . in another embodiment , the satellite gateway 14 may look at the hardware and / or software characteristics of a particular one of the stbs 22 a - 22 n when that particular stb requests satellite services from the satellite gateway 14 . in yet another embodiment , the satellite gateway 14 may be configured to query the requesting stb 22 a - 22 n about its security capabilities . while the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms , specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein . however , it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed . rather , the invention is to cover all modifications , equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims .	7
an exemplary toy rocket launcher 10 formed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated isometrically in this view . it is to be understood that the plurality of legs 12 , 14 and 16 which support launcher 10 are only partially illustrated for the sake of clarity , where legs 12 , 14 and 16 are hingeable to allow for easy set up of the launcher . as will be described in greater hereinbelow in association with the remaining drawings , launcher 10 includes a launch subassembly 20 comprising a top deck 22 , a launch plate 24 ( clearly illustrated in the other figures ), and a base assembly 26 . a plurality of launch tubes 28 are disposed in a circular pattern on top deck 22 at a predetermined displacement from its periphery 30 . as can be seen clearly in the other views , each launch tube 28 includes a bottom opening that will be in communication with launch plate 24 to allow for the pressurized air to be expelled through tube 28 and launch a rocket 32 . a plurality of rockets 32 are thus inserted over the associated plurality of launch tubes 28 where , as will be described in detail below , each rocket 32 may be launched in sequence . the pressurized air used to launch the rocket comes from a bellows 34 , connected to launch subassembly 20 by a launch tube 36 . in accordance with the present invention , and seen clearly in the following drawings , launch tube 36 includes a piston 38 that engages with launch subassembly 20 to rotate launch plate 24 within subassembly 20 and provide for the sequential launching of each rocket 32 . also illustrated in fig1 is a guard ring 40 that may be included with rocket launcher 10 to prevent the launching of a rocket when an individual gets too close to launcher 10 and moves the guard ring . as will be described in detail below , as long as guard ring 40 remains in the upright position as shown in fig1 the rockets will launch . however , if guard ring 40 is “ bumped ” and then is tilted to one side or the other , the launcher will not pressurize and a rocket cannot be launched . the action of an exemplary guard ring 40 of the present invention will be described below in association with fig4 . an exploded view of launcher 10 of the present invention is shown in fig2 . particularly evident in this view are the detailed components of launch subassembly 20 , and the interaction of subassembly 20 with piston 38 of launch tube 36 . referring to fig2 top deck 22 of launch subassembly 20 includes a plurality of mounts 42 for launch tubes 28 , where each mount 42 includes a central aperture 44 . as launch plate 24 rotates in a manner to be described below , a launch aperture 46 in plate 24 will align , successively , with each mount aperture 44 . therefore , as launch plate 24 rotates ( for example , in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the arrow in fig2 ), each associated rocket 32 will be launched in sequence . in accordance with the present invention , launch plate 24 is rotated by including a ratchet 47 in base assembly 26 , where ratchet 47 includes gear teeth 48 that will engage , in successive movements , piston 38 of launch tube 36 . a pin 50 formed on ratchet 47 will fit through a hole 52 formed in plate 24 to mate the two pieces together and allow for them to rotate together . a molded stop 54 is formed in base assembly 24 and is used to rearwardly engage gear teeth 48 so as to prevent backward motion of ratchet 47 . as bellows 34 is depressed and air flows through launch tube 36 and enters base assembly 26 , piston 38 pushes against an adjacent great tooth 48 and rotates the assembly such that launch aperture 46 will be aligned with the “ next available ” rocket 32 placed over a launch tube 28 . the pressurized air will flow through apertures 46 and 44 and thus launch rocket 32 . also illustrated in fig2 are the remaining components used with guard ring 40 to prevent launch should an individual be too close to launch assembly 10 . in particular , a spring 56 is disposed in the central portion of base assembly 24 and , as shown in fig2 is particularly located in the center of ratchet 47 . a post 58 is formed as a downward extension from guard ring 40 and extends through the center of the assembly , and through a sealing member 60 ( to prevent the pressurized air from escaping through other apertures ), where the bottom of post 58 is secured in a mounting element 62 . mounting element 62 then fits through a central opening 64 in launch plate 24 and rests upon spring 56 . a top view of launch assembly 10 of the present invention is illustrated in fig3 which illustrates , in phantom , the movement of piston 38 in to and out of launch tube 36 . as shown , when piston 38 exits tube 36 ( moving to the left in the particular illustration ), a push rod extension 39 on piston 38 will engage with gear tooth 48 to its left , thus rotating the combination of ratchet 47 and launch plate 24 counterclockwise ( the rotation in counterclockwise in this example ; it is to be understood that with proper re - alignment of the piece parts , a clockwise rotation can also be used ). as mentioned above , molded stop 54 is used to engage the back side of a separate gear tooth 48 to prevent backward ( in this case , clockwise ) motion of ratchet 47 . fig4 contains a cut - away side view perspective of the arrangement of the present invention , taken along line 4 — 4 of fig3 . particularly evident in this view ( and as shown in phantom ), is the movement of guard ring 40 and the associated movement of mounting element 62 to prevent launch . as shown , if guard ring 40 is tilted to one side or the other , this movement will apply a bias to spring 56 , and mounting element 62 will also move , as shown in the illustration . in this case , the air - tight seal in the assembly will be broken , and any pressurized air entering base assembly 26 from tube 36 will escape through central opening 64 in launch plate 24 , as indicated by the direction of the arrow in fig4 . therefore , if an individual comes too close to the launch assembly and knocks guard ring 40 from its upright position , insufficient air will enter a launch tube 28 ( since most of the air will escape through the central region ) and rocket 32 will not launch . a cut - away view of a portion of launch tube 36 , taken along line 5 — 5 of fig3 is illustrated in fig5 . clearly evident in this view is a check valve 41 which is disposed within piston 38 and used to prevent the pressurized air from re - entering launch tube 36 and bellows 34 . as shown , the action of piston 38 may be controlled through a rod 66 connected to a spring 68 , where a base plate 70 of spring 68 receives the air expelled through bellows 34 ( not shown ). the movement of spring 68 thus results in moving piston 38 and push rod 39 and , in turn , allowing ratchet 47 to rotate and effect the launch of the rocket . an end view of the particular cruciform design of an check valve 41 is shown in fig6 . various check valve arrangements may be used to provide for the quick “ re - inflation ” of bellows 34 . fig7 illustrates two different arrangements , the first being a valve 72 disposed along launch tube 36 . alternatively , a check valve 74 may be disposed at the back side 76 of bellows 34 . other arrangements are possible and are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention . while there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention , it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and re - arrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described , except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims .	5
in a universal mobile telecommunications system ( umts ) as specified by the third generation partnership project ( 3gpp ), base stations are called node bs , subscriber stations are called ues and the wireless code division multiple access ( cdma ) interface between the node bs and ues is known as the uu interface . node bs are typically capable of conducting wireless concurrent communications with a plurality of subscriber stations , ( i . e ., wtrus ), which include mobile units . generally , the term base station includes but is not limited to a base station , node - b , site controller , access point or other interfacing device in a wireless environment . the term wireless transmit / receive unit ( wtru ) includes but is not limited to a user equipment , mobile station , fixed or mobile subscriber unit , pager or any other type of device capable of operating in a wireless environment . when referred to hereafter , a base station includes but is not limited to a base station , node - b , site controller , access point or other interfacing device in a wireless environment . although the preferred embodiments are described in conjunction with a third generation partnership program ( 3gpp ) code division multiple access ( cdma ) system utilizing the tdd mode , the embodiments are applicable to any hybrid cdma , time division multiple access ( tdma ) communication system . the present invention will be described with reference to the drawing figures wherein like numerals represent like elements throughout . a repeating frame 34 of with time slots 36 1 - 36 15 of a tdd system is illustrated in fig2 . the first slot 36 1 represents a beacon channel and is used as the pathloss ( or channel condition ) measurement slot . a wtru will receive and take measurements of the beacon channel . the wtru will make uplink reports of the measurements to the node b and the node b will make power adjustments accordingly . it should be noted that the system may also designate other slots as the power control slots . to better understand the present invention , an outer loop power control equation will first be discussed to show the importance of beacon to slot location allocation . an example of an equation to derive a transmitting station &# 39 ; s transmission power is depicted as per equation 1 : p ts = sir target + i rs + α ( l − l 0 )+ l 0 + constant_value equation 1 where p ts is transmission power level in decibels , sir target is the target signal to interference ratio , which is a value determined on received target adjustment signals , i rs is the measure of the interference power level at the receiving station , α is a weighting measure of the quality of the estimated path loss and is based on the number of time slots between the time slot of the last pathloss estimate and the first time slot of the communication transmitted by the transmitting station , l is a path loss estimate in decibels , l 0 is the long term average of the path loss in decibels and is the running average of the pathloss estimate l and constant_value is a correction term which corrects for differences in the uplink and downlink channels . the weighting value of α plays an import factor in the power control algorithm and is assigned a value between zero and one . generally , if the time difference between the reference beacon and the assigned time slots is small , the recent path loss estimate will be fairly accurate and α is set at a value close to one . by contrast , if the time difference is large , the path loss estimate may not be accurate . accordingly , α is set at a value closer to zero and is determined as per equation 2 : where the value , d , is the number of time slots between the time slot of the last path loss estimate and the first time slot of the transmitted communication , which is referred to the time slot delay . d max is the maximum number of possible delay slots . if the time slot delay is one time slot , α is one for any size frame . however , if a frame has 15 slots and beacons in slots k and k + 8 , the maximum number of slots a wtru can transmit its uplink from a beacon is seven . table 1 shows the calculated α values for such a 15 slot frame . as shown in table 1 , the α calculation for slots closer to the beacon &# 39 ; s transmission use a truer representation of the wtru &# 39 ; s path loss estimate . wtrus that are assigned slots further from the beacon will have more time to move before sending back power or signal quality information on a earlier received beacon . as stated above , the wtru may have repositioned itself into a deep null or peak , thus discounting the current path loss estimate and subsequent power correction . fig3 is a block diagram of a system 300 which implements a slot allocation process . the system 300 includes an interference information device 302 , a code usage estimator device 304 , a fading loss estimator device 306 , weighting devices 308 , 310 , 312 , multipliers 303 , 305 , 307 , summer 314 , slot ranking device 316 and slot prioritization device 318 . each of multipliers 303 , 305 and 307 has two inputs and one output . the system 300 may be located within the crnc . the signal interference information device 302 is connected to one of the inputs of multiplier 303 . the other input of the multiplier 303 is connected to weighting device 308 . the output of the multiplier 303 is connected to a first input of summer 314 . the code usage estimator device 304 is connected to one of the inputs of multiplier 305 . the other input of the multiplier 305 is connected to weighting device 310 . the output of the multiplier 305 is connected to a second input of summer 314 . the fading loss estimator device 306 is connected to one of the inputs of multiplier 307 . the other input of the multiplier 307 is connected to weighting device 312 . the output of the multiplier 307 is connected to a third input of summer 314 . the output of summer 314 is connected to the slot ranking device 316 . the output of the slot ranking device 316 is connected to the slot prioritization device 318 . the signal interference information device 302 contains data supplied by interference measuring devices , such as interference signal code power ( iscp ) or other time slot / system interference measurements . the code usage estimator device 304 maintains an indication , such as a pseudo image , of the crnc &# 39 ; s slot resource allocation database . the fading loss estimator device 306 operates as a function of the sir and the desired bler . for example if it is known that at a certain symbol level has a sir of 2 . 5 db , which is sufficient to obtain a bler of 0 . 01 , the losses can be defined as the difference between the actual required sir and that number . the number of samples used to determine the fading loss is preferably a design parameter and would have to be found in extensive simulations or empirical trials the weighting devices 308 , 310 , 312 are applied to the signal interference information 302 , the usage availability estimator 304 and the fading loss estimator 306 , respectively , via multipliers 303 , 305 , 307 . the weighting values can be determined by simulation , empirically or by other means . the weighting devices 303 , 305 , 307 allow an administrator of system 300 to tweak the parameters of the system 300 for optimum performance . the values of the weighting devices 308 , 310 , 312 are added by summer 314 . the slot ranking device 316 ranks the slots according to their combined score . the slot prioritization device 318 then assigns slots having higher priority to slot locations nearest to the reference beacon . the slots with lower priority are assigned to slot locations further away from the reference beacon . fig4 is a flow diagram of a process 400 implementing method steps in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . in step 405 , a present wtru is activated within the system . in step 410 , an initial slot assignment is made for the present wtru . in step 415 , signal interference information associated with the present wtru is collected . in step 420 , the present code usage and available estimates of code usage associated with the present wtru are collected . in step 425 , the wireless radio channel spread values associated with the present wtru are collected , the spread values indicating how much the paths of a given wireless channel are spread in time and / or frequency to , for example , produce the estimated fading loss . in step 430 , the signal interference , code usage and spread values are each multiplied by a respective weight value ( weight 1 , weight 2 , weight 3 ), resulting in three weighted products . in step 435 , the weighted products are summed together . in step 440 , the result of step 435 is compared to the results of summed weighted products associated with other wtrus and the present wtru is ranked accordingly . in step 445 , the present wtru is then assigned a slot based upon the rank determined in step 440 . in another embodiment , it is possible for the node - b to estimate the channel coefficients directly . this is due to the fact that the spread of the channel corresponds to the channel losses . therefore , a measure of the spread can be used in producing the fading loss estimate . for example , the smaller the path spread of the channel , the greater the channel loss . it is also possible to use the node b to measure doppler and determine a fading rate , which may also be used for fading loss estimates . a high doppler value corresponds to deep fading and conversely , a lower doppler rate corresponds to a more shallow fading . the higher the doppler rate , the faster the fading rate , i . e ., more channel power fluctuation . faster fading may take a small fraction of the interleaving interval , in which case its effect on the bler is reduced . fig5 is a flow diagram of a process 500 implementing method steps in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention . in step 505 , a wtru is activated within the system . in step 510 , an initial slot assignment is made for the wtru . in step 515 , a channel impulse response is estimated from each random access channel ( rach ) access . in step 520 , a spread value provides an estimate of the initial fading . in step 525 , the system attempts to improve or enhance the estimate to enhance the slot assignment . in step 530 , the system examines the bler and sir values . in step 535 , a determination is made as to whether the bler and sir values are high . if yes , the system assigns the wtru &# 39 ; s uplink slot closer to the beacon in step 540 and returns to step 525 . if the bler and sir values are not high , the system will return to step 525 . in yet another embodiment , a method for sorting all the wtrus by α in a coverage area is disclosed . after sorting , the wtrus are allocated time slots in order to reduce the system &# 39 ; s overall fading losses and increase system capacity . a crnc may allocate all time slots by assigning each wtru a α value between zero and one . a α of one represents the maximum value of the weighting parameter used in the wtru power calculation . the α information may be individually signaled to each wtru . wtrus with a higher value of beta will be assigned channels closer to the reference beacon . an additional indicator for fading losses may include vehicular wtru speed . a direct correlation exists between high wtru &# 39 ; s speed and the worsening multipath fading . therefore , a high speed wtru would be indicative of deeper fading . in a variation of the above embodiment , other parameters that control ul slot location / allocation may include information other than the beta information in this variation of the present invention . for example , wtrus having a small α value of less than 0 . 5 will not benefit from higher power control gain even if assigned slots closer to the beacon . in this case , the wtrus with the larger α values should be closer to the beacon . the α information can be also used as one of the criteria or it can be combined with other criteria , e . g ., fading , to determine the optimal ul slot allocation . in yet another embodiment , a doppler measurement is utilized . a measurement would be generated by either the channel impulse rate of change or bler versus the raw ber . the channels with doppler rates that fall into a median range would be placed nearer the beacon . conversely , channels with very high doppler rates would be placed far from the beacon as they will typically not benefit significantly from power control . different methods of measuring fading losses may be used in accordance with the present invention . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention described hereinabove .	7
according to embodiments described herein , a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate ( e . g ., a silicon substrate ) is provided . the substrate has a main surface that extends along a single lattice plane , such as the & lt ; 111 & gt ; crystal lattice plane in the case of silicon . the substrate is processed so as to disrupt the crystal lattice plane and underlying crystallographic structure of the substrate in selected regions . this process makes these regions less conducive to perfect crystalline epitaxial growth . subsequently , a high temperature epitaxial deposition process is used to form one or more iii - v semiconductor layers ( e . g ., a gan layer ) on the substrate . the epitaxial layers include regions of relatively weak semiconductor material ( e . g ., polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor material ) that are grown on the damaged regions of the base substrate and regions of relatively strong semiconductor material ( e . g ., monocrystalline semiconductor material ) that are grown on the undamaged regions of the base substrate . as the substrate cools from the epitaxy process , the epitaxial layers contract at a different rate than the base substrate due to a difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the materials . the regions of relatively weak semiconductor material in the epitaxial layers advantageously mitigate mechanical stress that arises in the substrate from the thermal cycling of the epitaxy process . the material structure of these regions is such that they will crack under the mechanical stress associated with the epitaxy process . these cracks interrupt any mechanical stress that is present in the epitaxial layer , and allow the non - cracked portions of the epitaxial layer to expand or contract independent from one another . as a result , a high - reliability type iii - v semiconductor device layer can be formed with relatively uniform properties . the iii - v semiconductor device regions can be made substantially larger without risk of wafer bowing or breakage . a further advantage of this process is that the regions of relatively weak semiconductor material are easily cut , e . g ., by laser or mechanical sawing . thus , these regions can serve as stress - relief mechanisms as well as die singulation regions . referring to fig1 , a base substrate 100 is provided . the base substrate 100 can be formed from any crystalline semiconductor material suitable for manufacturing semiconductor devices , and in particular any material suitable for the epitaxial growth of a type iii - v semiconductor nitride material thereon . exemplary materials for base substrate 100 include silicon ( si ), group iv compound semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide ( sic ) or silicon germanium ( sige ). according to an embodiment , the base substrate 100 is formed from silicon . the base substrate 100 has a main surface 102 that extends between edge sides 104 of the base substrate 100 . according to an embodiment , the main surface 102 extends along a single crystal lattice plane . for example , the main surface 102 may extend along the & lt ; 111 & gt ; lattice plane of the silicon crystals , e . g ., in the case that the base substrate 100 is a silicon substrate . referring to fig2 , the main surface 102 of the base substrate 100 is processed so as to damage the base substrate 100 selected first regions 106 without damaging adjacent second regions 108 of the base substrate 100 . as a result of this processing step , the main surface 102 is disrupted in the first regions 106 . for example , in the case that the main surface 102 initially extended along the & lt ; 111 & gt ; lattice plane , the processing step of fig2 exposes other crystal lattice planes ( e . g . & lt ; 101 & gt ;, & lt ; 100 & gt ;, etc .) at the main surface 102 . moreover , this processing step causes the crystalline structure of the semiconductor material in the first regions 106 beneath the main surface 102 to be disorganized relative to the crystalline structure of the semiconductor material in the second regions 108 . that is , the substrate is no longer monocrystalline and includes point defects . according to an embodiment , the first regions 106 are formed by a patterning technique . according to this technique , a photolithographic mask 110 is provided on the main surface 102 and subsequently patterned ( e . g ., by etching ) so as to expose the first regions 106 while the second regions 108 remain covered by the mask 100 . alternatively , the photolithographic mask 110 may be used to pattern a hard mask ( not shown ), such as an siny or siox hard mask , which in turn is used to cover the second regions 108 and expose the first regions 106 . subsequently , the base substrate 100 is exposed to charged ions 109 . these charged ions 109 damage the main surface 102 and disorganize the crystalline structure of the base substrate 100 . the charged ions 109 can be provided by a plasma treatment technique or an ion implantation technique . more specifically , the charged ions 109 can be provided by a reactive ion etching ( rie ) technique or an inductively coupled plasma ( icp ) technique . referring to fig3 , the mask 110 has been removed and a first semiconductor layer 112 has been formed on the main surface 102 . the first semiconductor layer 112 includes a semiconductor material having a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of the base substrate 100 . for example , according to an embodiment , the base substrate 100 includes silicon and the first semiconductor layer 112 includes a type iii - v semiconductor , such as gan , gaas , ingan , algan , etc . the first semiconductor layer 112 is formed over the first and second regions 108 and can partially or completely cover the main surface 102 of the base substrate 100 . third regions 114 of the first semiconductor layer 112 cover the first regions 106 of the base substrate 100 , and fourth regions 116 of the first semiconductor layer 112 cover the second regions 108 of the base substrate 100 . the third regions 114 have a crystalline structure that is disorganized relative to the crystalline structure of the fourth regions 116 . for example , the fourth regions 116 may be monocrystalline regions , whereas the third regions 114 may be polycrystalline regions or amorphous regions . any number of additional layers ( not shown ) can be formed on the first semiconductor layer 112 . for example , in the case of a gan based hemt device , the first semiconductor layer 112 can be an undoped gan buffer layer , and an additional algan barrier layer can be grown on the first semiconductor layer 112 . according to an embodiment , prior to forming the first semiconductor layer 112 , a transition layer 118 is formed on the main surface 102 . the transition layer 118 is configured to alleviate stress due to lattice mismatch between the material of the base substrate 100 and the material of the first semiconductor layer 112 and to provide a relatively defect free surface for the formation first semiconductor layer 112 . the transition layer 118 will typically include a nucleation layer , such as a thin aln layer , followed by other layers for transitioning the growth into gan . these layers may include step - graded layers of algan , continuously graded layers of algan and periodic or aperiodic superlattice structures . the transition layer 118 includes fifth regions 120 that are formed on and cover the first regions 106 of the base substrate 100 and sixth regions 122 that are formed on and cover the second regions 106 of the base substrate 100 . the fifth regions 120 have a relatively disorganized crystalline structure in comparison to the sixth regions 122 . both the transition layer 118 and the first semiconductor layer 112 can be formed by epitaxy . typically , in epitaxial processes , the crystallographic orientations of deposited layers are dependent upon the crystallographic orientation of the subjacent material . this principle is used to grow the transition layer 118 and the first semiconductor layer 112 such that they include the regions with a relatively disorganized crystalline structure ( i . e ., the third regions 114 and the fifth regions 120 ). further , the regions with a relatively organized and physically stronger crystalline structure ( i . e ., the fourth regions 116 and the sixth regions 108 ) form on the undamaged portions of the substrate 100 . generally speaking , the epitaxial deposition process used to form the transition layer 118 and the first semiconductor layer 112 can be any of a variety of conventionally known epitaxial processes . for example , according to an embodiment , the first semiconductor layer 112 and the transition layer 118 are formed by a mocvd ( metalorganic chemical vapor deposition ) process . the mocvd process may be carried out at high temperatures , such as in the range of 700 ° c .- 1200 ° c . the crystalline structure of the third and fifth regions 114 , 120 can be determined by appropriately controlling the process parameters epitaxial deposition process , such as time and temperature . in particular , the time and temperature of the epitaxial deposition process can be controlled such that the third and fifth regions 114 , 120 are polycrystalline regions . in a different embodiment , the time and temperature of the epitaxial deposition process is controlled such that the third and fifth regions 114 , 120 are amorphous regions . referring to fig4 , a compound substrate is shown with the mechanical forces 111 in the first semiconductor layer 112 depicted by arrows . this stress arises during the cool down cycle of the epitaxy process . this stress force is attributable to the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the base substrate 100 and the first semiconductor layer 112 . the base substrate 100 may tend to cool slower than the first semiconductor layer 112 when the substrate cools in the case of a silicon base substrate 100 and gan first semiconductor layer 112 . in that case , a tensile stress arises in the first semiconductor layer 112 in the direction of the arrows . alternatively , the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials could be such that the force is in an opposite direction , and a compressive stress arises in the first semiconductor layer 112 when the substrate cools . in the absence of further measures , these forces can cause significant bowing or warpage of the wafer . this high non - planarity makes the wafer difficult or impossible to process in standard fabrication equipment . it can also degrade pertinent electrical properties of the first semiconductor layer 112 and can even cause the first semiconductor layer 112 to completely crack or cause the substrate 100 to form slip - lines . advantageously , the crystalline properties of the third regions 114 of the first semiconductor layer 112 alleviate mechanical stress and prevent the compound semiconductor substrate from bowing or cracking . the relatively weak crystalline structure of the third regions 114 causes the third regions 114 to crack under mechanical stress . in fact , the process can be controlled such that the third regions 114 will consistently and reliably crack during the epitaxy process . these cracks allow the fourth regions 116 to expand ( in the case of tensile stress ) or contract ( in the case of compressive stress ) and therefore relieve the stress . the cracks in the third regions 114 physically decouple the adjacent ones of the fourth regions 116 from one another . referring to fig5 , a partial plan - view perspective of the compound substrate , according to an embodiment is depicted , according to an embodiment . the overall shape and size of the compound substrate may vary . for example , the compound substrate can be circular shaped in the case of a typical silicon wafer . as can be seen , the third regions 114 are formed as spaced apart tracks ( i . e ., one of a series of parallel or concentric paths ) in the first semiconductor layer 112 . each set of tracks separates adjacent ones of the fourth regions 116 from one another . the tracks may be formed in two different perpendicular directions as shown in the figure . the size and location of the spaced apart tracks can be easily determined and controlled using the patterning process described with reference to fig2 . the fourth regions 116 of the compound substrate can provide the active device areas for one or more semiconductor devices . any of a variety of commonly known processing techniques can be used to form active device regions , e . g ., source , drain , collector , emitter , etc ., in the fourth regions 116 and corresponding interconnections . according to an embodiment , the compound semiconductor substrate is cut along the tracks formed by the third regions 114 . exemplary cutting lines 124 are shown in fig5 . the cutting process may be a laser cutting process or a mechanical sawing process , for example . conventionally with these processes , the risk of chipping or cracking around the dicing locations is significant , particularly in the case of cutting monocrystalline gan material . advantageously , by using the third regions 114 as dicing locations , the risk of cutting or chipping is greatly reduced , as these regions are substantially devoid of monocrystalline material and separate much easier . as a result of the cutting process , a semiconductor die 200 is formed . the semiconductor die 200 includes a number of the fourth regions 116 , which provide the active device region of the die 200 . the third regions 114 are disposed at least around a perimeter of the die 200 , as these regions correspond to the dicing locations . optionally , further ones of the third regions 114 may be centrally located with the die 200 so as to further alleviate mechanical stress in the above described processes . referring to fig6 , an exemplary compound substrate is depicted according to another embodiment . the compound substrate of fig6 differs from the compound substrate of fig5 with respect to the percentage ratio of area that is occupied by the third and fourth regions 114 , 116 . in this embodiment , the third regions 114 occupy more than an overall area of the compound semiconductor base substrate 100 , and the fourth regions 116 occupy less than 50 % of an overall area of the compound semiconductor base substrate 100 . one advantage of this configuration is that it dramatically reduces the mechanical stress present in the first semiconductor layer 112 during epitaxy due to the large size of the fourth regions 114 . the compound substrate can be cut into a die 200 in a similar manner as described above . according to an embodiment , the die 200 includes a number of hemt devices 202 , wherein the fourth regions 116 provide active channel regions for the hemt devices 202 . hemt devices 202 typically do not require a substantial majority of the overall die area to be dedicated to the active device regions . for example , in some hemt device 202 structures , the active channel region ( i . e ., the buffer and barrier regions ) only need to occupy 30 % or less of the overall die area . the remaining area can be used for other circuit components , such as pads , power metal runners , and passive structures . thus , the die 200 can be configured accordingly , with the third regions 114 can occupying 70 % of the overall area of the compound semiconductor base substrate 100 and the fourth regions 116 occupying 30 % of the overall area of the compound semiconductor base substrate 100 . as used herein “ extends along a single lattice plane ” requires substantial conformity with this requirement within process capability . that is to say , the surface may occasionally deviate from the & lt ; 111 & gt ; due to imperfections in the substrate and / or limitations of the wafer preparation process . spatially relative terms such as “ under ,” “ below ,” “ lower ,” “ over ,” “ upper ” and the like , are used for ease of description to explain the positioning of one element relative to a second element . these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to different orientations than those depicted in the figures . further , terms such as “ first ,” “ second ,” and the like , are also used to describe various elements , regions , sections , etc . and are also not intended to be limiting . like terms refer to like elements throughout the description . as used herein , the terms “ having ,” “ containing ,” “ including ,” “ comprising ” and the like are open - ended terms that indicate the presence of stated elements or features , but do not preclude additional elements or features . the articles “ a ,” “ an ” and “ the ” are intended to include the plural as well as the singular , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . with the above range of variations and applications in mind , it should be understood that the present invention is not limited by the foregoing description , nor is it limited by the accompanying drawings . instead , the present invention is limited only by the following claims and their legal equivalents .	7
the process for producing the compound of formula ( i ) or hydrochloride thereof of the present invention is explained below in detail . the compound of formula ( i ) or hydrochloride thereof can be produced by subjecting the compound of formula ( ii ) or a solvate thereof to catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of a palladium - alumina catalyst , and if necessary , forming the hydrochloride . the compound of formula ( ii ) is well known and can be produced , for example , by the process described in jp - a - 1 - 79151 , japanese patent no . 2578475 or jp - a - 11 - 171861 . the term “ solvate ” means a compound formed by the incorporation of a solvent used for crystallization into the crystal lattice of the compound of formula ( ii ) in a definite proportion in the production of this compound . the solvate includes , for example , hydrate , solvate with methanol , solvate with ethanol , and solvate with toluene . the solvate can be used in the catalytic hydrogenation reaction as it is so long as it does not inhibit the reaction . similarly , the compound of formula ( ii ) can be used as it is without a particular drying procedure so long as a solvent used for crystallizing the compound or a solvent used for washing in filtration for the production of the compound does not inhibit the catalytic hydrogenation reaction . the palladium - alumina catalyst is not particularly limited and an example thereof is alumina powder supporting palladium thereon in an amount of 1 to 10 % by weight . for example , 1 % by weight palladium - alumina ( 20 , 570 - 2 ), 5 % by weight palladium - alumina ( 20 , 571 - 0 ) and 10 % by weight palladium - alumina ( 44 , 008 - 6 ) are available by aldrich , and they can be used as they are . as to the amount of the palladium - alumina catalyst used , the palladium - alumina catalyst is preferably used in an amount of 1 to 20 % by weight based on the weight of the compound of formula ( ii ), i . e ., the starting material . the solvent for reaction used is not particularly limited so long as it does not inhibit the reaction . for example , methanol , tetrahydrofuran , toluene , ethyl acetate , or a mixture thereof is preferably used as the solvent for reaction . the hydrogen pressure in the catalytic hydrogenation is not particularly limited and is preferably , for example , 0 . 1 to 2 mpa , more preferably 0 . 1 to 1 mpa . although the reaction temperature is not particularly limited , the reaction is carried out , for example , at 0 to 25 ° c ., preferably 0 to 15 ° c ., more preferably 2 to 10 ° c . the reaction is usually completed in 30 minutes to 10 hours , preferably 50 minutes to 5 hours . the hydrochloride can be formed from a solution of the compound of formula ( i ) in a solvent by a conventional method of hydrochloride formation , such as bubbling of hydrogen chloride gas into the solution , addition of a solution prepared by previous dissolution of hydrogen chloride in a solvent , or addition of hydrochloric acid . as the solution of the compound of formula ( i ), a solution obtained by removing the catalyst by filtration of the reaction solution for the catalytic hydrogenation is used as it is , or there is used a solution with a higher concentration prepared by concentrating a part of the catalyst - free solution , or a solution prepared by concentrating the catalyst - free solution and then dissolving the concentrate in a different solvent . alternatively , the solution of the compound of formula ( i ) is obtained by isolating the compound of formula ( i ) by crystallization or the like and dissolving the isolated compound in a solvent . the solvent used for forming the hydrochloride is not particularly limited so long as it does not inhibit the conversion to the hydrochloride or the crystallization of the hydrochloride . as the solvent , ethanol , tetrahydrofuran or ethyl acetate is preferably used . it is also possible to convert the hydrochloride formed to the free compound of formula ( i ) as follows . the hydrochloride is dissolved in a mixed solvent of water and ethanol and the resulting solution is adjusted to ph 8 to 14 , preferably ph 9 to 12 , with a base ( e . g . sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate ) or an aqueous solution thereof , and the compound of formula ( i ) thus precipitated is collected by filtration or extracted with an organic solvent such as ethyl acetate , tetrahydrofuran or toluene . the production process of the present invention is characterized in that in the production of the compound of formula ( i ) by catalytic hydrogenation of the compound of formula ( ii ), the production of the compound of formula ( iii ) ( the debenzylated product ) produced as a by - product by hydrogenolysis , a side reaction is suppressed . in examples 1 to 6 as typical examples of the present invention , the purity of the compound of formula ( i ) and the content of the compound of formula ( iii ) in the reaction solution were measured by hplc analysis under the following conditions and compared with those measured in reference examples 1 and 2 using the same palladium - carbon as used in jp - a - 1 - 79151 and japanese patent no . 2578475 . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . the reaction solution is injected after proper dilution ( for example , about 500 - fold dilution , injected in a volume of 10 μl ). as is clear from the results shown in table 1 , the present invention makes it possible to produce the compound of formula ( i ) or hydrochloride thereof in higher purity . that is , the present invention permits omission of the purification procedure ( e . g . column chromatography ) required in patent document 1 or patent document 2 and hence makes it possible to produce the compound of formula ( i ) more easily in higher yield . according to the present invention , the compound of formula ( i ) or hydrochloride thereof can be industrially produced more easily in higher yield . the present invention is illustrated in detail with reference to the following examples , which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . to 200 ml of tetrahydrofuran were added 20 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 2 g of 5 % palladium - alumina . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 5 hours at a pressure of 0 . 4 to 0 . 8 mpa and a temperature of 3 to 4 ° c . after completion of the hydrogenation , the reaction solution was freed from the catalyst and then concentrated . after 160 ml of ethanol was added to the concentration residue to obtain a solution , 6 . 0 g of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added thereto with stirring to carry out conversion to hydrochloride . the crystallized hydrochloride was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 19 . 8 g of donepezil hydrochloride . the values of 1 h - nmr were identified with those of example 3 . to 200 ml of tetrahydrofuran were added 20 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 2 g of 5 % palladium - alumina . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 3 hours at a pressure of 0 . 5 to 0 . 8 mpa and a temperature of 4 to 5 ° c . after completion of the hydrogenation , the reaction solution was freed from the catalyst and then concentrated . after 160 ml of ethanol was added to the concentration residue to obtain a solution , 6 . 0 g of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added thereto with stirring to carry out conversion to hydrochloride . the crystallized hydrochloride was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 20 . 6 g of donepezil hydrochloride , i . e ., hydrochloride of the compound of formula ( i ). the values of 1 h - nmr were identified with those of example 3 . to 913 ml of tetrahydrofuran were added 91 . 3 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 9 g of 5 % palladium - alumina . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 4 hours at a pressure of 0 . 4 to 1 . 0 mpa and a temperature of 3 to 6 ° c . after completion of the hydrogenation , the reaction solution was freed from the catalyst and then concentrated . after 730 ml of ethanol was added to the concentration residue to obtain a solution , 27 . 5 g of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added thereto with stirring to carry out conversion to hydrochloride . the crystallized hydrochloride was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 95 . 1 g of donepezil hydrochloride . the values obtained by 1 h - nmr were as follows : 1 h - nmr ( 400 mhz , cd 3 od ) δ ( ppm ): 1 . 35 - 1 . 60 ( 3h , m ), 1 . 75 - 2 . 12 ( 4h , m ), 2 . 68 - 2 . 77 ( 2h , m ), 3 . 04 ( 2h , br . s ), 3 . 27 - 3 . 35 ( 1h , m ), 3 . 49 ( 2h , br . s ), 3 . 84 ( 3h , s ), 3 . 94 ( 3h , s ), 4 . 32 ( 2h , s ), 7 . 05 ( 1h , s ), 7 . 13 ( 1h , s ), 7 . 47 - 7 . 55 ( 5h , m ) to 500 ml of tetrahydrofuran were added 50 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 5 g of 5 % palladium - alumina . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 50 minutes at a pressure of 0 . 5 to 1 . 0 mpa and a temperature of 14 to 20 ° c . after completion of the hydrogenation , the catalyst was removed and then a part of the solvent in the reaction solution was removed by distillation and concentration . to the residual reaction solution after the removal by distillation and concentration was added 15 g of concentrated hydrochloric acid with stirring to carry out conversion to hydrochloride . the crystallized hydrochloride was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 52 . 6 g of donepezil hydrochloride , i . e ., hydrochloride of the compound of formula ( i ). the values of 1 h - nmr were identified with those of example 3 . to 500 ml of toluene were added 50 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 5 g of 5 % palladium - alumina . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 3 hours at a pressure of 0 . 2 to 0 . 5 mpa and a temperature of 9 to 12 ° c . after completion of the hydrogenation , the reaction solution was freed from the catalyst and then concentrated . after 400 ml of ethanol was added to the concentration residue to obtain a solution , 15 g of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added thereto with stirring to carry out conversion to hydrochloride . the crystallized hydrochloride was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 48 . 8 g of donepezil hydrochloride . the values of 1 h - nmr were identified with those of example 3 . to 500 ml of toluene were added 50 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 5 g of 5 % palladium - alumina . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 2 hours and 20 minutes at a pressure of 0 . 4 to 0 . 8 mpa and a temperature of 10 to 11 ° c . after completion of the hydrogenation , the reaction solution was freed from the catalyst and then concentrated . after 400 ml of ethanol was added to the concentration residue to obtain a solution , 15 g of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added thereto with stirring to carry out conversion to hydrochloride . the crystallized hydrochloride was collected by filtration and dried to obtain 45 . 2 g of donepezil hydrochloride . the values of 1 h - nmr were identified with those of example 3 . to 8 ml of tetrahydrofuran were added 1 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 0 . 2 g of 10 % palladium - carbon . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 1 . 5 hours at 0 to 2 ° c . and atmospheric pressure . hplc purity of the reaction solution : the desired compound / 62 . 5 %, the starting material / 34 . 8 %, the debenzylated product / 2 . 6 %. to 200 ml of toluene were added 20 g of 1 - benzyl - 4 -[( 5 , 6 - dimethoxy - 1 - indanon )- 2 - ylidene ] methyl - piperidine and 2 g of 10 % palladium - carbon . hydrogenation was carried out with stirring for 5 hours at 0 to 1 ° c . and 0 . 8 to 1 . 0 mpa . hplc purity of the reaction solution : the desired compound / 72 . 9 %, the starting material / 25 . 3 %, the debenzylated product / 1 . 8 %. according to the present invention , the compound of formula ( i ) or hydrochloride thereof ( donepezil hydrochloride ) can be industrially produced more easily in higher yield .	2
a preferred embodiment of a printed circuit device according to the present invention will be described with reference to fig2 . as shown in fig2 an insulating printed circuit board ( 21 ) has on its surface a conductive layer ( 22 ) of plated copper foil printed thereon and an ic chip mounting region ( 23 ). the board ( 21 ) is made of a glass epoxy resin , a thermoplastic resin , ceramic , glass , and etc . the conductive layer ( 22 ) has a connection part ( 22a ) plated with gold or silver , other portions of which are coated with an insulating protective film ( 24 ) for preventing the conductive layer ( 22 ) from being destroyed due to any corrosion by invaded moisture and owing to any mechanical damage . an adhesive layer ( 25 ) is formed on the protective film ( 24 ). the protective film ( 24 ) is formed by , for example , rendering an epoxy resin to a silk screen printing process . an ic chip ( 26 ) is fixedly mounted onto the ic chip region ( 23 ) by adhering with an adhesive ( 29 ) or by employing a au - si eutectic alloy reaction . for the adhesive ( 29 ), a conductive epoxy resin paste including ag is employed , for example . the connection part ( 22a ) of the conductive layer ( 22 ) is electrically connected with electrodes of the ic chip ( 26 ) via aluminum or gold wires ( 27 ). a sealing cover ( 28 ) with a recessed portion ( 28a ) is disposed over the ic chip ( 26 ). the sealing cover ( 28 ) has a brim ( 28b ) to increase its contacting area with the protective film ( 24 ) for thereby improving sealing strength and water resistance . the brim ( 28b ) is fixed to the adhesive layer ( 25 ) by making use of heating contact bonding , high frequency induction heating , and ultrasonic vibration , for example . the sealing cover ( 28 ) is integrally formed by heating thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene , polypropylene , or polymethylpentene . the polymethylpentene resin is preferable in particular as a sealing cover for an eprom since it is capable of transmitting ultraviolet radiation . the adhesive layer ( 25 ) is made of a thermoplastic resin in a single layer or a plurality of layers . in order to improve melting properties and sealing strength , the same material as that of the sealing cover ( 28 ) is preferable for the adhesive layer ( 25 ). the protective film ( 24 ) described in the above embodiment is not necessarily needed . a process of manufacture of the printed circuit device according to the present invention will be described with reference to fig3 . first of all , as shown in fig3 ( 1 ), the conductive layer ( 22 ) and the ic chip mounting region ( 23 ) are formed on the surface of the insulating printed circuit board ( 21 ). the adhesive layer ( 25 ) is formed on the conductive layer ( 22 ). the ic chip ( 26 ) is sealed onto the ic chip mounting region ( 23 ) with use of an adhesive or by making use of a au - si eutectic alloy reaction . the connection part ( 22a ) of the conductive layer ( 22 ) is electrically connected to the electrodes of the ic chip ( 26 ) via gold wires 27 . the sealing cover ( 28 ) having the recessed portion ( 28a ) and the brim ( 28b ) is integrally formed . the ic chip ( 26 ) is covered with the sealing cover ( 28 ) under an atmosphere of inactive gas such as n 2 or clean dry air , as shown in fig3 ( 2 ). the brim ( 28b ) is sealed to the adhesive layer ( 25 ). according to the first embodiment as described above , it is possible to reduce the ic manufacturing cost because the step of using a resin pellet is not needed to seal an ic chip . furthermore , the printed circuit device according to the present invention makes it possible to employ an automatic sealing process because the hermetic sealing is accomplished only by a resin melting process . in succession , a second embodiment of the printed circuit device according to the present invention will be described with reference to fig4 and 5 . fig5 is a cross sectional view of the second embodiment taken along line a -- a of fig4 . as illustrated in fig4 and 5 , the sealing cover plate ( 48 ) has a plurality of recessed portions ( 48a ) and a plurality of projections ( 48c ). a printed circuit board ( 21 ) has a plurality of ic chip mounting regions ( 23 ) and a plurality of holes ( 21a ). a plurality of ic chips ( 26 ) are fixedly mounted respectively onto the mounting regions ( 23 ). a connection part ( 22a ) of a conductive layer ( 22 ) is electrically connected with electrodes of the ic chips ( 26 ) by means of metal wires ( 27 ). the projections ( 48c ) are inserted into the holes ( 21a ) and the sealing cover plate ( 48 ) is arranged on the printed circuit board ( 21 ). a flat part ( 48b ) of the adhered cover ( 48 ) is sealed to an adhesive layer ( 25 ) on a protective film ( 24 ). according to this second embodiment , as described above , a plurality of the ic chips ( 26 ) are sealed at the same time , whereby the number of steps for of manufacture of the device and working time can be reduced . the projections ( 48c ) of the sealing cover plate ( 48 ) inserted into the holes ( 21a ) in the printed circuit board ( 21 ) simplifies alignment of the sealing cover ( 48 ) with the board ( 21 ) for thereby preventing improper sealing . the projections may instead be formed on the printed circuit board ( 21 ), and the holes may be formed in the sealing cover ( 48 ). another embodiment of a sealing cover for use in the printed circuit device of the present invention will be described with reference to fig6 and 7 . as shown in fig6 a sealing cover plate ( 38 ) provided with a recessed portion ( 38a ) and a brim ( 38b ) has a composite structure composed of a thermoplastic resin layer ( 38 - 1 ) and a sheet - shaped or mesh - shaped metal layer ( 38 - 2 ). the metal layer ( 38 - 2 ) is made of aluminum , or anodized aluminum , or an aluminum alloy , for example . formation of another thermoplastic resin layer ( 38 - 3 ) on the metal layer ( 38 - 2 ) as shown in fig7 prevents corrosion of the metal layer ( 38 - 2 ). this multilayer structure may include an aluminum or an aluminum alloy layer as an intermediate layer and anodized aluminum layers as the upper and lower layers . according to the above described embodiment , the sealing cover plate ( 38 ) is improved in its mechanical strength because of the use of the metal layer ( 38 - 2 ) backing the thermoplastic resin layer ( 38 - 1 ). a polymethyl pentene which can transmit ultraviolet rays is suitable for an eprom ic chip mounted circuit board . in this case , a metal cover plate with a window is required to receive ultraviolet rays . a third embodiment of the printed circuit device of the present invention will be described with reference to fig8 . in fig8 the arrangement of a printed circuit board ( 21 ) and a sealing cover plate ( 28 ) are the same as those of the first embodiment shown in fig2 . in the first place , an ic chip ( 26 ) is fixedly mounted onto an ic chip mounting region ( 23 ) of the board ( 21 ) with an adhesive ( 29 ). the ic chip ( 26 ) is electrically connected to a conductive layer ( 22 ) via metal wires ( 27 ). a frame ( 57 ) is fixedly mounted onto a protective film ( 23 ) with use of an adhesive ( 58 ) so as to enclose the ic chip ( 26 ) and the wire ( 27 ). the frame ( 57 ) is filled therein with a sealing material ( 59 ) to seal the ic chip ( 26 ) and the periphery thereof . the frame ( 57 ) is constructed by stamping out a piece of a paper or cloth impregnated with epoxy resin or phenolic resin . for the sealing material ( 59 ), resins such as epoxy , silicone , polyimide and the like are employed . a method of filling the frame with such resin is found in the &# 34 ; description of the prior art &# 34 ;. then , a sealing cover plate ( 28 ) having a brim ( 28b ) is covered over the ic chip ( 26 ) under an atmosphere of n 2 or clean dry air . the brim ( 28b ) is welded onto the board ( 21 ) via an adhesive layer ( 25 ). according to the third embodiment , as described above , the sealing cover plate ( 28 ) covers the sealing material ( 59 ) to thereby remarkably improve sealing properties for the ic chip ( 26 ). although certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described , it should be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the appended claims .	7
various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an insulated concrete form system . in various embodiments , the system includes an insulated pre - studded portion that acts as both a form during the concrete pour and an attached interior wall portion after the pour and removal of an exterior form . various embodiments also include removable interior forms that may be constructed of a lightweight material . various embodiments are directed to a single face , stay in place , insulated concrete forming panel . in various embodiments , the forms are designed to work with industry standard removable modular concrete forms , either in a double sided or single sided configuration . in various embodiments , the foam form panel contains structural members molded within an expandable foam body that fixes the position of and insulates the members which may be constructed of , for example , light gauge steel . in such embodiments , the expandable foam core body with the fixed members contributes to the structural integrity of the assembly during the concrete casting process . embedding a portion of the members within the concrete portion of a wall allows a reduction in the concrete steel reinforcement . the structural members may be of any length and orientation and are molded within the foam core using , for example , a continuous or semi - continuous process . in various embodiments , the exposed portion of the structural members extending from the bottom of the foam panel and running the length of the panel create a composite wall connection that allows the concrete and light gauge metal stud to better resist the forces of gravity , structural loading and soil pressures . the opposing exposed steel member acts as a furring stud to allow for plumbing and electrical chases and as the attachment point for the modular concrete forms . the structural metal studs also aid the modular concrete forms in resisting the forces applied when the concrete is poured . in various embodiments , the foam surface of the panel prevents the concrete core from contacting the interior portion of the modular forms , thereby extending their useful life and speeding the cleaning of the forms after use . the foam surface also reduces the amount of temporary form bracing required to withstand the pouring forces of the concrete . in various embodiments , the opposing exposed stud is used to apply finishing materials such as drywall or other materials to provide the finishing of the interior walls . the opposing flush surface of the steel member may be used to mechanically attach the concrete , window bucks , door bucks , concrete to panel tie steel , etc . the molded portion of the stay in place form can vary in its depth to create the proper insulation based on the building design and intended use . the foam depth can also vary ( e . g ., from 1 inch to 16 inches ) to provide for differing concrete pour thickness support during the casting phase of construction while using the same modular concrete forms and ties . in various embodiments , the steel members can be varied in dimension ( including the gauge of steel used ) depending on the concrete depth and reinforcement positioning required by structural engineers in the design of differing wall heights and loading requirements . the panels can be reversed with the foam to the exterior and used as a foam surface to attach cost - effective foam architectural detailing . fig1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of an insulated concrete form system 10 . the system 10 includes a removable concrete form 12 that may be constructed of any suitable material such as , for example , steel , plastic , wood , etc . the system 10 also includes an interior wall portion 14 . the interior wall portion 14 may be constructed of an insulating material such as , for example , a polymer such as a matrix of molded expanded polystyrene ( eps ) or any expandable or non - expandable material ( e . g ., foam based material ) or plastic that may , in one embodiment , include one or more performance enhancing additives . the interior wall portion 14 includes various embedded and exposed structural and non - structural members that are constructed of , for example , light gauge steel , wood , plastic , or a composite material of any natural or engineered composition . the members include studs 16 that allow for utilities to be run in the interior of the finished wall and also allow for finish materials such as drywall to be attached to the interior of the finished wall . reinforcing members 18 connect the interior wall portion 14 and the concrete form 12 and provide either sole reinforcement or reinforcement that supplements conventional reinforcement of the concrete that is poured to fill void 20 between the interior wall portion 14 and the concrete form 12 . fig2 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the insulated concrete form system 10 of fig1 . fig3 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form system 10 of fig1 . fig4 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form system 10 of fig1 . the embodiment shown in fig4 includes reinforcement members 22 that further reinforce the interior wall portion 14 . fig5 illustrates an embodiment of a connector portion 24 of the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form system 10 of fig1 . the connector portion 24 is molded into the interior wall portion 14 and provides an attachment point for structural elements 16 , 22 and provides points at which the reinforcing members 18 can pass through and be securely connected to the interior wall portion 14 . fig6 illustrates an embodiment of the connector portion 24 of the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form system 10 of fig1 having the reinforcing member 18 extending therethrough . fig7 illustrates an embodiment of a locking mechanism 26 for securing the reinforcing member 18 to the connector portion 24 ( not shown in fig7 ) of the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form system 10 of fig1 . as can be seen in fig7 , the connector portion 24 has a stud 16 attached thereto and the reinforcing member 18 extends through the connector portion 24 and an opening in the stud 16 . the locking mechanism 26 secures the reinforcing member 18 to the interior wall portion 14 and prevents the interior wall portion 14 from separating from the concrete form 12 during the concrete pour . the locking mechanism 26 includes a horizontal member 28 and a vertical member 31 . fig8 illustrates an embodiment of the insulated concrete form system 10 of fig1 having reinforcing members 30 located between the interior wall portion 14 and the concrete form 12 . as can be seen in fig8 , the reinforcing members 30 are reinforcing bars ( rebar ) that are arranged in a grid . the reinforcing members 30 may be made of any type of material , such as a metal or polymer . fig9 illustrates an embodiment of an insulated concrete form system 32 having a removable interior form 34 . the interior form 34 may be constructed of any suitable material such as , for example , steel , plastic , wood , etc . in one embodiment , the interior form 34 is constructed of molded polypropylene . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of an insulated concrete form system 36 having exterior and interior concrete form portions 12 , 34 configured in a modular fashion such that the interior form portions 34 fit between the studs 16 . fig1 illustrates a side perspective view of an embodiment of an insulated concrete form system 38 that is configured prior to a concrete pour . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of an insulated concrete form system 40 that includes locking mechanisms 26 . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of a removable interior form 34 that is attached to the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form systems described herein . as can be seen in fig1 , the stud 16 includes a dimpled surface 17 adjacent the interior form 34 . the surface 17 facilitates removal of the interior form 34 . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of the locking mechanism 26 for securing the various portions of the insulated concrete form systems described herein . the locking mechanism includes the vertical member 28 and the horizontal member 31 and secures the removable interior form 34 , the interior wall portion 14 and the exterior removable form ( not shown in fig1 ). fig1 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a stud 16 for the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form systems described herein . the stud 16 includes fusion slots 44 that facilitate anchoring the portion of the stud 16 that is contained in the interior wall portion 14 . the stud 16 also includes wiring chase slots 46 that facilitate the routing of wires , pipes , etc . through the stud 16 during the finishing process of the structure that includes the concrete wall that was constructed using the insulated concrete form systems . the stud 16 further includes slots 48 that permit the reinforcing members 18 to extend through the stud 16 . the stud also includes wedge bolt punch holes 50 . fig1 illustrates a perspective view of a stud 16 for the interior wall portion 14 of the insulated concrete form systems described herein . the stud 16 includes a strip 52 that has fusion slots 44 . when in use , the fusion slots 44 are embedded in the interior wall portion 14 . fig1 illustrates a cross - sectional view of an embodiment of an insulated concrete form system after the forms have been removed and the concrete 54 is cured . the stud 16 includes a portion with the strips 52 embedded in the interior wall portion 14 . the stud also includes the slots 48 for insertion of the reinforcing members 18 . fig1 illustrates a cross - sectional view of another embodiment of an insulated concrete form system after the forms have been removed . in the embodiment of fig1 , the stud 16 extends further into the interior wall portion 14 . fig1 illustrates a cross - sectional view of another embodiment of an insulated concrete form system after the forms have been removed . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the stud 16 extends through the interior wall portion 14 into the concrete 54 to provide further reinforcement of the system . also , in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the interior wall portion 14 includes a v - shaped cutout section . fig2 illustrates a cross - sectional view of another embodiment of an insulated concrete form system after the forms have been removed . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , the stud 16 includes extended strips 56 embedded in the interior wall portion 14 that provide further stability to the system . fig2 illustrates a cross - sectional view of another embodiment of an insulated concrete form system after the forms have been removed . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , the interior wall portion 14 has a larger v - shaped cutout portion than the embodiment illustrated in fig1 and 20 . fig2 illustrates a cross - sectional view of another embodiment of an insulated concrete form system after the forms have been removed . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , the stud does not extend beyond the interior wall portion 14 , but is instead completely embedded in the interior wall portion 14 and the concrete 54 . in the embodiments illustrated herein in which the stud 16 extends into the concrete 54 , the stud 16 acts as a reinforcing member in the concrete and can supplement or replace other reinforcing techniques . in various embodiments , the interior wall portion 14 may include panels that are oriented on different planes , thus creating walls for specific purposes , such as below - grade and above - grade walls , retaining walls with attached architectural details and sandwich insulated walls containing concrete on both exposed wall surfaces . various embodiments of the systems and methods described herein allow for concrete structures that use less concrete , thus reducing costs and the weight of the structure . various embodiments of the systems and methods described herein eliminates or reduces the amount of bracing necessary for creating poured concrete walls and allow for relatively easier installation than traditional concrete poured walls . the present invention has been described with reference to specific details of particular embodiments thereof . it is not intended that such details be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention .	4
parts in different figures that are identical or similar are designated by the same reference numbers . the device shown in fig1 is designed to be incorporated into a rotary connection between a mobile member and a fixed member ( not shown ) to which the respective ends of a line 16 are fixed in order to eliminate torsion in said line when the members turn relative to each other . it comprises , in a frame 10 fastened to the fixed member of the connection , two spools 12 and 14 between which the line 16 , such as a cable , hose or the like , is transferred when there is relative rotation between the two spools . the spool 12 is fixed , for example mounted rigidly on the frame by means of attachment members 18 , whereas the spool 14 is mobile in rotation , being fastened to the mobile member of the rotary connection , as will be explained later , this mobile member being driven by its own drive means . this may be , for example , a main spool onto which the line is wound or from which it is paid out . in the known manner , it is this transfer movement which makes possible relative rotation of the two ends el and e2 of the line , respectively fastened to the fixed spool and the mobile spool , without generating any torsion in the line , by virtue of the reversal of the direction of winding the line from one spool to the other . also in a conventional way , this transfer is performed by means of a direction - changing or satellite idler pulley 20 mounted at the free end of an arm 22 . the arm 22 can turn about the common axis a of the spools . in a device of this kind , assuming that no slack appears in the line and that the two spools 12 and 14 are geometrically identical , the rotation speed vb of the arm 22 is related to the rotation speed vm of the mobile spool 14 by the following equation : in which rm is the instantaneous winding radius of the line on the mobile spool 14 and rf is the instantaneous winding radius of the line on the fixed spool 12 . rm and rf vary as the line is wound in and paid out . it is necessary to establish a relationship that changes with time between the rotation speed of the mobile spool and the rotation speed of the arm . the relationship between the torque cb applied to the arm 22 to perform the aforementioned transfer and the tension t in the line is expressed as follows : in which ri is the minimum winding radius of the spools 12 and 14 ( with the spools empty ) and re is the maximum winding radius of the spools 12 and 14 ( with the spools full ). to make the tension t in the line as constant as possible , it is necessary firstly to ensure that the drive torque cb applied to the arm is as constant as possible . there will now be described the means used in accordance with the invention to meet the above conditions and therefore to transfer the line under optimum conditions . the arm 22 carrying the satellite pulley 20 is mounted to rotate freely on a drive shaft 24 and is coupled to this shaft and to the fixed frame 10 by two magnetic couplings 26 , 28 and two one - way clutches 30 and 32 ( shown only schematically ), as will be described in more detail hereinbelow . the magnetic couplings have the property of transmitting between the primary ( inductor or field ) member and the secondary ( induced or armature ) member a torque which is essentially constant , independent of any slip that may occur between them . with the aim of minimizing the stresses in the line 16 , especially if the latter is a flat optical fiber cable , the two spools 12 and 14 are placed immediately adjacent each other and the axis a , of the satellite pulley 20 is inclined at a relatively small angle to the axis a , as can be seen particularly clearly in fig3 . as a natural consequence of this , the satellite carrier arm 22 is l - shaped to locate the pulley 20 in alignment with the boundary between the two spools passing through the exterior thereof . the end 24b of the drive shaft 24 is designed to be fastened to the mobile member of the rotary connection , for example a main spool that is driven by a drive motor ( these members are not shown in the drawings ). the mobile spool 14 is fastened to the shaft 24 . the first one - way clutch 30 provides a positive drive link between the shaft 24 and a primary member 26a of the first magnetic coupling 26 in the direction of paying out the line 16 from the mobile spool 14 . the second one - way clutch 32 is adapted to immobilize the primary member 28a of the second magnetic coupling 28 by being operative between said primary member and a member 34 which is fixed rigidly to the frame 10 of the winder device , in the direction of winding the line 16 onto the mobile spool 14 . the respective secondary members 26b , 28b of the two couplings 26 , 28 are both fixed rigidly to the arm 22 . this embodiment of the device has special features , as follows . the arm 22 is substantially symmetrical relative to the axis a and carries a counterweight 21 at the end opposite the pulley 20 . also , the arm 22 is mounted rigidly on an auxiliary shaft 36 which is mounted to rotate freely in bearings 38 within the facing ends of the drive shaft 24 and the fixed part 34 . the primary members 26a , 28a are carried by respective flanges 26c , 28c which are mounted to rotate freely on the shaft 36 by means of bearings 40 , 42 . finally , the fixed end el of the line is fed out into the frame 10 through the back of the fixed spool 12 and can be further routed as necessary to any device fastened to the frame . the rotating end e2 of the line is led into the interior of the shaft 24 and can be further routed to any rotary device fastened to said shaft . the device in accordance with the invention operates in the following manner . in the direction of paying out the line 16 from the mobile spool , the shaft 24 drives the primary member 26a of the coupling 26 through the first one - way clutch 30 . the electromagnetic coupling between the secondary member 26b and the primary member 26a then transmits to the arm 22 a torque equal to the nominal torque of the coupling and tending to turn said arm in the same direction as the shaft 24 and the mobile spool 14 at a speed that can vary by virtue of slip occurring in the coupling . the effect of this constant torque is to maintain an essentially constant tension in the part of the line between the two spools 12 and 14 , the value of this tension varying only slightly due to variations in time of the parameters rf and rm as explained above . the arm 22 and the pulley 20 are therefore rotated to wind the line 16 onto the fixed spool 12 and to pay it out from the mobile spool 14 . it is to be noted that during this movement the secondary member 28b of the coupling 28 and the associated primary member 28a can freely accompany the arm 22 as it rotates , without imparting any torque to it , as the primary member 28a is free to turn relative to the part 34 because of the second one - way clutch 32 , which can only provide a positive drive coupling in the opposite direction . in the direction of winding the line 16 onto the mobile spool 14 , said line entrains the arm 22 through operating on the direction - changing pulley 20 , and at the same time the arm 22 is subjected to a constant braking torque . in more precise terms , the freewheel 32 is operated in its positive drive direction and prevents the flange 28c from turning relative to the fixed part 34 and the frame . as the primary member 28a is stationary it exerts a constant torque braking action on the arm 22 through magnetic interaction with the secondary member 28b , independently of the speed of the arm . in this case the primary member 26a and the secondary member 26b of the first coupling 26 are free to rotate in the same direction as the arm 22 and without the latter applying any unwanted torque , given that the one - way clutch 30 is then caused to operate in the direction opposite to its positive driving direction . the advantages of the device in accordance with the invention are summarized below . first of all , by virtue of the specific arrangement of the spools and the satellite pulley , it is evident that only minimum torsion is generated in the line 16 . in this regard , the angle α between the axis a &# 39 ; of the satellite and the axis a of the spools is chosen for each individual application according to the geometry of the various parts . depending on individual circumstances , it might vary in practice between 0 ° and 45 ° ( it is approximately 15 ° in fig3 ). for certain types of cable , it may be desired to keep the angle α as small as possible . in this case , if it is necessary to use wider spools or a greater axial spacing between the spools , then the angle α may be kept low by using a satellite pulley of larger diameter . because magnetic couplings are used , the arm drive torque is constant and can be determined precisely by adjusting the couplings 26 and 28 . what is more , different torques can be used in the opposite directions , if required . the tension in the line 16 is therefore fully controlled at all times in accordance with the equation ( 2 ) given above , with only very slight variations due to the variations in rf and rm . in this regard , it can be shown that if the ratio between re and ri is equal to three to one , for example , the tension applied to the line does not vary by more than 12 %. this variation is reduced to 5 % if the aforementioned ratio is two to one . also , whatever the values of the instantaneous winding radii rf and rm , the arm 22 and the pulley 20 are always driven at the appropriate speed . the sliding couplings 26 and 28 enable the arm 22 to adopt any angular speed between zero speed and the angular speed vm of the mobile spool 14 . fig2 is a partial view in elevation of a second embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , the drive shaft 24 is extended ( towards the right in the figure ) by a part 24a which is substituted for the auxiliary shaft 36 . it supports the arm 22 which rotates on it through bearings 50 . this embodiment comprises only a single coupling 26 the primary member 26b of which is fixed to the arm 22 and the secondary member 26a of which is attached to a flange 26c . the flange 26c is mounted on the extension 24a of the drive shaft by means of a first one - wheel clutch 30 and on the fixed part 34 by means of a second one - way clutch 32 . these two clutches are mounted in the same orientation as in fig1 . the spools 12 and 14 and the satellite idler pulley 20 are arranged in the same way as in the first embodiment . this embodiment of the device operates in an entirely similar way to the fig1 device except that the single coupling 26 fulfils the same role as the two couplings 26 , 28 in fig1 . although the present invention has been described with reference to a main spool for winding on and paying out the line , it may equally well be used for a rotary connection on a finite number of turns , for example between the fixed support structure and the rotating cabin structure of a crane . more generally , it may be used in any application in which two members can rotate relative to each other and must be connected by a line such as a cable , hose or the like the ends of which are respectively fixed to these members , without using slip rings and without inducing any torsion in the line . in the aforementioned case of a crane , the frame 10 of the winder device may be fixed to the fixed support structure of the crane while its rotating cab structure is fixed to the coupling part 24b of the drive shaft 24 . also , although the invention has been described in relation to single - turn spools , it is to be understood that it applies to spools carrying multiple turns . in this case , in the case of lines to which the lowest possible torque must be imparted in transferring them from one spool to the other ( as in the case of flat fiber optic cables , for example ), the number of turns will be reduced as much as possible . the angle α mentioned above will additionally be adjusted to suit the width of the spools . those skilled in the art will know how to implement the inventive concept as explained hereinabove to produce a device comprising multiple pairs of spools , each pair being associated with its own satellite pulley . finally , the terms &# 34 ; fixed &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; mobile &# 34 ; as used throughout this description are to be understood as being relative terms . for example , the drive shaft 24 may be fixed and the frame 10 driven in rotation and fastened to the mobile member of the rotary connection . it is equally feasible for both members of the rotary connection to rotate at different speeds .	7
the detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the preferred embodiment of the invention , and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized . the description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiment . it is to be understood , however , that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention . the method and apparatus for measuring the flatness of a floor according to the present invention is illustrated in fig2 - 10 which depict a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention . fig1 shows the contemporary methodology . referring now to fig1 according to contemporary methodology , the flatness of a floor is measured with an inclinometer by attaining a constant velocity 10 of the inclinometer prior to commencing any measurements therewith . once the self - propelled inclinometer has attained a constant desired velocity , then the measurement process 20 is commenced at the survey line . the prior art self - propelled inclinometer performs single inclinometer measurements using twelve inch increments between successive measurements in a first direction until the end of the survey line is reached . at the end of the survey line , the self - propelled inclinometer is turned around and the self - propelled inclinometer then performs a second series 30 of single inclinometer measurements using twelve inch increments in the second or opposite direction . the ending elevation is tied to the beginning elevation so as to substantially cancel accumulated offset errors . this is accomplished by setting the ending elevation equal to the beginning elevation and proportionally changing the intermediate elevations , as discussed in detail above . referring now to fig2 according to the methodology of the present invention , the requirement for two different runs in opposite directions is eliminated by determining the relative height of the floor at both the beginning and end of the survey line prior to commencing measurements , and then utilizing these two relative heights to effect corrections to the inclinometer measurements . this provides the same effect as tieing the ending and beginning elevations together , since according to both contemporary methodology and the present invention , it is necessary to know the beginning and ending relative elevations in order to effect accumulated offset error correction . in the prior art , returning the self - propelled inclinometer to the starting point accomplishes this , since in the prior art the starting point and the ending point are the same and thus have the same elevation . thus , according to contemporary methodology , the relative elevations of the starting and ending point are known , i . e ., are equal . more particularly , according to the present invention , the relative elevation of the floor at the beginning of the survey line is determined 100 . next , the relative elevation of the floor at the end of the survey line is determined 200 . inclinometer measurements are performed in only one direction 300 . the difference in measured elevation at the beginning of the survey line and the end of the survey line is the elevation difference 400 . the elevation difference is used to correct offset errors in the inclinometer measurements 500 . referring now to fig3 the process of determining the elevation of the floor at the beginning 100 and end 200 of the survey line comprises positioning the self - propelled inclinometer at the beginning of the survey line 102 , leveling the self - propelled inclinometer on a leveling table using the on - board inclinometer of the self - propelled inclinometer 104 , and taking elevation readings at the start 106 and end 108 of the survey line utilizing the laser beam projected from the self - propelled inclinometer onto the target . since the self - propelled inclinometer is maintained in a level condition via the leveling table , the laser beam thereof travels horizontally from the self - propelled inclinometer to the target . thus , the difference 112 between where the laser beam strikes the target when the target is placed at the beginning of the survey line and when the target is placed at the end of the survey line is equal to the relative difference in elevation between the beginning of the survey line and the end of the survey line . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the self - propelled inclinometer does not necessarily have to be positioned at the beginning of the survey line , however , it is generally convenient to do so . preferably , the centroid of the laser beam projected upon the target is calculated and is considered to be the point at which the laser beam is incident upon the target , so as to more accurately determine the relative elevation at the beginning of the survey line . since the laser beam inherently diverges somewhat prior to being incident upon the target , it does not define a point suitable for use in accurately determining the floor height at the beginning and end of the survey line . in order to compensate for such divergence of the laser beam , the centroid thereof is calculated so as to define a point which may effectively be used in the accurate determination of such floor heights . according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the elevation difference between the beginning and end of the survey line is entered 112 into an eprom of the self - propelled inclinometer such that download software can subsequently utilize this difference to correct for accumulated offset error . referring now to fig4 the process of performing inclinometer measurements in a single direction 300 , comprises first entering survey line length into an eprom contained within the self - propelled inclinometer so as to automatically stop device at end of run ; and then moving the self - propelled inclinometer forward approximately six inches 202 , and taking approximately sixteen inclinometer measurements while continuing to move the device forward approximately one to one and one - half inches 204 at a constant velocity . the sixteen inclinometer measurements are averaged together 206 to effectively provide a single inclinometer measurement approximately every six inches . the average measurement value is stored 208 for later display , printing , or retrieval . this measurement process is repeated until the end of the survey line is reached . when the end of the survey line 210 is reached , inclinometer measurements are complete 212 , but the self - propelled inclinometer travels six inches further before stopping . averaging inclination measurements reduces errors due to roughness or irregularities in the floor surface and also due to incorrect inclinometer readings caused by vibration of the floor . referring now to fig5 the procedure for restarting 200a the self - propelled inclinometer of the present invention is shown . this procedure may be utilized when the self - propelled inclinometer has been purposely stopped along the survey line and must subsequently be restarted so as to complete floor height measurements . after being commanded to stop , the self - propelled inclinometer must be backed up a sufficient distance to allow it to attain a constant velocity prior to restarting floor height measurements . thus , when the self - propelled inclinometer is stopped before the end of the survey line , the self - propelled inclinometer travels forward six inches after the last measurement before halting its forward motion 240 , then , prior to resuming forward motion , the self - propelled inclinometer must be moved backwards six inches and then restarted . the self - propelled inclinometer travels forward six inches before taking the first slope measurement 242 , so as to assure that a constant velocity has been attained . referring now to fig6 and 7 , a preferred embodiment of the self - propelled inclinometer of the present invention is shown . the self - propelled inclinometer 400 comprises a body 402 having two separate nine inch circumference motor driven rear wheels 410 and a single nine inch circumference articulated front wheel 412 to facilitate steering thereof . a keypad 404 is preferably disposed atop the body 402 so as to facilitate control and data entry . entries are shown on lcd 414 , which provides the user with menu driven directions . an electrical connector , preferably an rs - 232 connector 408 , is formed upon the housing 402 , preferably at the rear thereof , so as to facilitate electrical communication with a personal computer , such as an ibm pc , xt , at , etc . according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , an optical detector is utilized to take position readings from radial slots at 120 ° degree intervals cut into an internal sensor wheel attached to the front axle of the self - propelled inclinometer so as to accurately provide a measurement of the distance traveled thereby . optionally , readings may be taken at three , six , nine , and twelve inch lengths along the survey line by modification to the eprom software . the optical detector uses an led to direct light to the wheel , such that light travels through the slots in the sensor wheel to permit measurements at any multiple of three inches . according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , stainless steel wheels are utilized so as to resist wear and corrosion . such stainless steel wheels also maintain sufficient dimensional stability so as to provide the desired degree of accuracy in floor height measurements . optionally , the wheels may be neoprene coated and / or comprise tread , so as to improve the traction thereof . the wheels are also preferably turned rather than milled , so as to improve the uniformity of the radius thereof and thereby enhance the accuracy of floor height measurements . the wheels are also preferably hardened so as to further resist wear . the motor drive circuit is configured so as to provide electrical isolation from the microprocessor and thus mitigate the introduction of motor noise thereinto . preferably , a sleep circuit maintains power to memory circuitry , so as to prevent accidental loss of measurement data . power is supplied to the memory circuitry via separate backup batteries in the event that the main motor batteries are discharged . a laser generating device 406 connected in series with an led 416 is preferably formed at the front end of the housing 402 . this laser may be utilized to facilitate relative elevation measurements at the beginning and end of the survey line . alternatively , a target may be formed upon the housing 402 and an external laser may be utilized to facilitate relative elevation measurements . as those skilled in the art will appreciate , various different methods may be utilized to assure that the self - propelled inclinometer of the present invention travels in a substantially straight path along the survey line . for example , sensors formed upon the housing 402 may be utilized to sense the presence of a laser beam , preferably the centroid thereof , so as to facilitate control of the articulated front wheel 412 in a manner which causes the device to follow the laser beam . alternatively , the laser generating device 406 of the self - propelled inclinometer may be utilized to project upon a sensor disposed at the end of the survey line so as to indicate deviations in travel away from the survey line . these deviations may then be transmitted back to the self - propelled inclinometer via various means , e . g ., radio , ir , optical , etc ., so as to facilitate control of the self - propelled inclinometer and thereby maintain its desired travel along the survey line . other means such as strings , chalk lines , tracks , etc ., may similarly be utilized . alternatively , the self - propelled inclinometer may be configured so as to operate without steering control . that is , the wheels of the self - propelled inclinometer are locked in position so as to assure substantially straight travel of the self - propelled inclinometer . the laser 406 of self - propelled inclinometer is then aimed at a reflective target at the end of the survey line and then allowed to run therealong . if an undesirable deviation in the path traveled by the self - propelled inclinometer occurs , then the self - propelled inclinometer is commanded to stop and is re - aligned with the survey line . it is possible to tap the self - propelled inclinometer as it travels along the survey line , so as to correct undesirable deviations in the path traveled thereby . thus , the present invention provides an apparatus and methodology for measuring floor flatness which has improved accuracy and reduced costs associated therewith . manual operations , e . g ., the manual reading of an inclinometer or optical level , etc ., are reduced so as to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the measurement procedure . human error is substantially eliminated via such automation . referring now to fig8 and 9 , the laser centroiding elevation sensor device preferably comprises a housing 500 having an lcd display 512 formed thereon , for providing operating instructions to the user . an on / off switch 514 provides power to the device and push - button switch 510 is utilized to confirm receipt of the laser beam . a buzzer and led 516 indicate that the laser beam is being received by the laser centroiding elevation sensor device . a window 502 , preferably approximately six inches in height , provides an opening through which the laser beam passes to be incident upon the six inch high detector array 504 housed within the device . the six inch high detector array 504 is mounted upon circuit board 506 . electronics for operating the device are formed upon printed circuit board 508 . the base plate 551 of the elevation sensing device preferably has three fixed feet 553 . referring now to fig1 , a leveling table 550 is preferably utilized to level the self - propelled inclinometer so that it may be used to determine the relative elevations of the beginning and end of the survey line , as discussed in detail above . as those skilled in the art will appreciate , the leveling table is utilized by turning leveling screws 552 until a level condition is indicated . according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , a level condition is indicated utilizing the on - board inclinometer of the self - propelled inclinometer of the present invention . it is understood that the exemplary method and device for measuring flatness of a floor with an inclinometer described herein and shown in the drawings represents only a presently preferred embodiment of the invention . indeed , various modifications and additions may be made to such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , a radio link may be utilized to facilitate control of the self - propelled inclinometer , so as to effect stopping thereof without necessitating that controls formed thereon be manipulated . thus , these and other modifications and additions may be obvious to those skilled in the art , may be implemented to adapt the present invention for use in a variety of different applications .	6
in the following description , like parts are designated by like reference numbers throughout the several drawings . fig3 is a sectional view of a manganese dioxide - lithium battery which is one example of enclosed cell according to the present invention . this battery comprises an outer canister 1 acting as a positive terminal , a metal lid 2 approximately of a dish shape fused over an entire circumference to the outer canister 1 by laser welding or the like and defining a through bore 14 centrally thereof , an insulating packing 3 formed of a resin having polar groups such as modified polypropylene or polyamide 11 , polyamide 12 or the like for adhering the metal lid 2 , a negative terminal 5 having a substantially t - shaped section and extending through a center bore 4 of the packing 3 , and an electrode assembly 6 . the electrode assembly 6 includes a cathode 7 having manganese dioxide as its active material , a cathode 8 having lithium as its active material , and a bag - like separator 9 interposed between the anode and cathode 7 , 8 . the electrode assembly , together with an unillustrated electrolyte , constitutes generating elements . the anode 7 is electrically connected to the outer canister 1 under a certain contact pressure , while the cathode 8 is electrically connected to the negative terminal 5 through a negative polar tab 10 . number 13 indicates an insulating sleeve for preventing short - circuit of the electrodes in the battery . in order to provide excellent sealing , this enclosed cell has rigid junctions achieved by thermal fusion between the metal lid 2 and insulating packing 3 and between the insulating packing 3 and negative terminal 5 , respectively . fig4 illustrates a process of injection molding which is one example of means for thermally fusing these junctions . number 15 indicates an upper die and number 16 indicates a lower die . polyamide 12 which has a particularly good adhesive property with respect to metals is employed for forming the insulating packing 3 . in this drawing , the metal lid 2 and negative terminal 5 are first placed in a space 17 between the upper and lower dies 15 , 16 , and then polyamide 12 melted at 230 ° c . is injected under a pressure of about 300kg / cm 2 into an injecting bore 18 defined in the upper die 15 as shown by arrows b . the injected polyamide 12 fills the space 17 and forms a resin packing . in the course of hardening in this process , the molten polyamide 12 adheres tight to the metal elements , namely the metal lid 2 and negative terminal 5 , and becomes fused thereto . this process of fusing the packing to the metal lid 2 and negative terminal 5 simultaneously with the packing formation , improves productivity and lowers manufacturing cost . number 19 indicates heaters embedded in the dies 15 , 16 . these heaters 19 heat the dies 15 , 16 which in turn heat the space 17 , negative terminal 5 and metal lid 2 to a predetermined temperature . table 1 shows the results of a safety valve operating pressure test conducted on the first and second known enclosed cells noted hereinbefore and the cell according to the present invention ( first embodiment ) fabricated by the above thermal fusion process . each cell has the outer canister and metal lid formed of a stainless steel sheet having a 0 . 3 mm thickness . the thin wall portion e of the first known cell ( shown in fig1 ) was formed into a 0 . 1 mm thickness t . the valve operating pressures were measured by sealing the cells with the generating elements excluded from the cells . the cells were internally pressurized from atmospheric pressure up to 100kg / cm 2 at the rate of 2kg / cm 2 per second . the test was conducted at 110 ° c . atmospheric temperature and by using 10 samples for each type of cell . table 1______________________________________operating 20 - 30 30 - 40 40 - 50 over 50pressures kg / cm . sup . 2 kg / cm . sup . 2 kg / cm . sup . 2 kg / cm . sup . 2______________________________________1st embod . 9 1 -- -- of invention1st known -- -- 1 7cell2nd known 5 3 2cell______________________________________ the two remaining samples of the first known cell broke at the laser welded position under the pressure of about 70kg / cm 2 . table 2 shows the result of a similar test in which the cells were internally pressurized at the rate of 20kg / cm 2 per second . this test was conducted at the same atmospheric temperature and in respect of the same number of samples as in the foregoing test . table 2______________________________________operating 20 - 30 30 - 40 40 - 50 over 50pressures kg / cm . sup . 2 kg / cm . sup . 2 kg / cm . sup . 2 kg / cm . sup . 2______________________________________1st embod . 6 4 -- -- of invention1st known -- -- -- 8cell2nd known -- 2 3 2cell______________________________________ the two remaining samples of the first known cell burst because of inoperative valves . the three remaining samples of the second known cell broke out at the weld junction between the outer canister and metal lid under the pressure of 70 - 80kg / cm 2 . in the latter case , the valves operate when the pressure rises to 50kg / cm 2 but fail to cope with a further release of the internal gas at the higher pressures . as seen from tables 1 and 2 , it has been confirmed through the tests that the enclosed cell according to the present invention has its safety valve mechanism acting to prevent bursting of the cell even under severe conditions as above . then the cells were tested by mounting therein the generating elements including the anode 7 and cathode 8 . the cell samples were charged with 6 v first , and the safety valve of every sample operated to prevent bursting and other trouble . when the samples were charged with 12 v , however , two samples of the first known cell and three of the second known cell burst though no sample of the cell according to this invention ( first embodiment ) burst . a further , heating test was conducted by placing each cell sample 5 cm from an acetylene burner . none of the cell samples according to this invention burst thanks to the safety valve mechanism coming into operation , but two samples of the first known cell and one sample of the second known cell burst . table 3 shows the results of a drop test carried out to compare the strengths of the enclosed cell according to this invention ( first embodiment ) and the first known cell having the hermetic seal which is considered to provide an excellent sealing . thirty samples were used for each cell , and the number of leaking samples were counted after dropping them . the test was conducted by throwing each sample ten times in a selected direction from a height of 1 . 5 m to a concrete surface . the hermetic seal had an insulator a ( fig1 ) formed of glass . table 3______________________________________ number of leaking samples______________________________________cell of invention 0 ( first embodiment ) first known cell 7______________________________________ as seen from table 3 , the first known cell must be handled with care since the insulator such as of glass or ceramics used in hermetic sealing is hard and brittle and therefore vulnerable to impact , whereas the first embodiment of the invention is easy to handle since it is sealed with the resin packing which is strong against impact . on the other hand , a helium leak test showed substantially the same leak value for the two types of cells . table 4 shows its measurement results . table 4______________________________________ value of he leaks ( atm · cc / sec ) ______________________________________cell of invention 10 . sup .- 9 ( first embodiment ) first known cell 10 . sup .- 9______________________________________ thus , the cell according to the first embodiment of the invention and the first known cell are equal with respect to the sealing performance under normal circumstances . table 5 shows storage characteristics of the cells . the number of samples used was 100 . table 5______________________________________ leaking initial samples internal 80 ° c ., 90 % rh ( after 30 days resistance ( after 30 days ) at 80 ° c .) ______________________________________1st embod . 8 ω 10 - 15 ω 0of invention1st known 8 ω 9 - 13 ω 4cell2nd known 8 ω 10 - 14 ω -- cell______________________________________ in the case of enclosed cell , cell performance deteriorates after a long storage time due to the moisture of ambient air entering the cell . as seen from table 5 , the enclosed cell according to this invention retains approximately the same internal resistance after a storage period as the first and second known cells , and remains just as well sealed as the prior art cells . where lithium is used for the cathode as in this manganese dioxide - lithium battery , lithium ions in the cell react with silicone dioxide constituting the principal component of glass , thereby to promote disintegration of the glass . this is responsible for the four leaking samples of the first known samples . in contrast , the packing material used in the first embodiment of the invention does not react with lithium ions , and therefore no leakage takes place . the cell according to the first embodiment is well sealed as described above and can dispense with the washer mounted in the second known cell ( fig2 ), which means a reduction in the number of components . with the removal of the washer , a special safety valve structure is no longer required since the negative terminal will disengage from the cell by the gas pressure when , for example , the internal resistance of the cell rises under abnormal circumstances . consequently , the invention has realized a cell having a simple construction and a high degree of safety . fig5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention which includes an improved metal lid 2 . this lid 2 has a dish - like shape and perforated with a center through bore 14 which is continuous with four cutouts 20 to define a cruciform bore 21 ( opening ) in plan view . a safety valve mechanism operating test was carried out on a cell having this improved metal lid 2 . in this test the cell having the metal lid 2 in the first embodiment was used for comparison purposes . both of these cells had a 17 mm outside diameter d and a 33 . 5 mm height h , and their outer canisters 1 and metal lids 2 were formed of a 0 . 3 mm stainless steel sheet ( see fig3 ). the through bore 14 in the lid of the first embodiment had a 3 . 5 mm diameter and that in the lid of the second embodiment had a 2 . 3 mm diameter , and each of the four cutouts 20 in the second embodiment had a 1 . 8 mm length l and a 0 . 5 mm width m ( see fig5 ). table 6 shows the results of this test , i . e . valve operating pressure measurements . in the test , the valve operating pressure was measured at room temperature and at 100 ° c ., using cells of 1800 mah nominal capacity charged in a constant temperature oven with 6 v constant voltage . the cells used were those having the same storage characteristics . table 6______________________________________ room temp . 100 ° c . ______________________________________2nd embod . 50 kg / cm . sup . 2 30 kg / cm . sup . 21st embod . 120 kg / cm . sup . 2 55 kg / cm . sup . 2______________________________________ it will be understood from these results that , although the second embodiment has the same sealability as the first embodiment , the second embodiment is resonsive to a very low valve operating pressure and the valve operating pressure therefor has a small range of variation with relation to temperature variations . table 7 shows response time of the cells with the valve operating pressure raised to 30 - 40kg / cm 2 , that is the time taken from the point of time at which the pressure reaches the set value till the point of time at which the resin breaks and a valve operation takes place . the numbers of samples are 78 for the second embodiment and 284 for the first embodiment . these results prove that the second embodiment has high valve operating precision with a short response time , i . e . excellent response , and a small response time distribution . next , the internal resistance of these cells was measured by 1 khz alternating current process and storage characteristics were compared . fig7 is a graph showing the results in comparison with the characteristics of the second known cell ( fig2 ). in this drawing , the solid line represents the cell according to the second embodiment having a 2 . 3 mm through bore diameter , a 1 . 8 mm cutout length l and a 0 . 5 mm cutout width m ( fig5 ), the two - dot and dash line represents a cell according to the first embodiment ( 1 ) having a 3 . 5 mm through bore diameter , the dot and dash line represents a cell according to the first embodiment ( 2 ) having a 2 . 3 mm through bore diameter , and the broken line represents the second known cell shown in table 5 . the test was conducted at an atmospheric temperature of 60 ° c . and a humidity of 90 %. the test results prove that the second embodiment , while having the same valve operating pressure , 30 - 40kg / cm 2 , as the first embodiment ( 1 ), is effective with respect to the cell sealing in that it restrains the internal resistance rise by means of the opening of the metal lid which has a substantially diminished size for defining the cutouts . on the other hand , the first embodiment ( 2 ) having the same through bore in diameter size as the second embodiment is comparable with the latter with respect to the cell sealing . however , the second embodiment which includes the cutouts may be set to a lower valve operating pressure , and therefore may readily be provided with a desired safety valve mechanism . thus , it has been confirmed that in any case the enclosed cells according to the present invention have a safety valve mechanism of better characteristics than that of the known enclosed cells . furthermore , it has been confirmed through a test conducted by applicants that the operating pressure for the safety valve mechanism of this invention is , as distinct from the prior art , variable by changing the adhesion thickness of the resin packing 3 with respect to the metal elements , i . e . metal lid 2 and negative terminal 5 . tables 8 and 9 show operating pressure characteristics obtained by changing the adhesion thickness t in fig3 to 0 . 1 mm , 0 . 2 mm , 0 . 3 mm and 0 . 4 mm . in fig3 dimension d1 is 4 mm , d2 is 7 mm , and d3 is 9 mm . the test of table 8 used polyamide 12 as the packing material and the test of table 9 used modified polypropylene . table 8______________________________________thickness t ( mm ) 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 3 0 . 4______________________________________operating 114 - 138 84 - 124 54 - 98 45 - 61pressure ( kg / cm . sup . 2 ) ______________________________________ table 9______________________________________thickness t ( mm ) 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 3 0 . 4______________________________________operating 91 - 110 67 - 99 43 - 78 36 - 49pressure ( kg / cm . sup . 2 ) ______________________________________ as seen from table 8 and 9 , the packing 3 having the adhesive thickness t of about 0 . 4 mm results in a low operating pressure , enabling an appropriate pressure setting . in the case of modified polypropylene , which has a low material strength and a low adhesive strength than polyamide 12 , further lowers the valve operating pressure by about 20 % and hence provides for a safety valve of the cell having satisfactory functions . while the second embodiment is provided with the cruciform bore 21 ( opening ), it has been confirmed that the bore 21 including additional cutouts 20 stabilizes the operating pressure even further . table 10 shows a comparison in the valve operating pressure between the cruciform bore 21 ( opening ) and a bore ( opening ) having a shape of . it will be understood from the above data that the bore ( opening ) having the shape results in a reduced dispersion of operating pressures and a further improved safety valve of the cell . the valve operating pressure may also be lowered for practical purposes by forming the metal lid 2 to be partially thin as shown in fig8 . more particularly , the metal lid 2 of fig8 includes thin wall portions defining a circle of 9 mm diameter d4 concentric with the cruciform bore 21 ( opening ). these thin wall portions have a 0 . 1 mm wall thickness n1 ( the remaining portion being 0 . 3 mm thick as in the first and second embodiments ). this construction is effective to stabilize the valve operating pressure to 28 - 36kg / cm 2 , which contributes toward improved quality . the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments . the foregoing embodiments employ the thermal fusion method for forming the packing by injection molding and for fusing the packing to the negative terminal and metal lid at the same time . instead of this process , the packing may be manufactured beforehand , set in the space between the dies together with the metal lid and negative terminal , and then heated and pressurized by suitable means to effect the thermal fusion . this has the advantage of permitting a general purpose packing ot be used as it is for the cell . as another fabricating process , a packing is insert molded in the metal lid , then the negative terminal is inserted into the packing , and finally the metal lid and negative terminal are heated and pressurized by the hot press method or the like thereby to bond with each other . these processes , however , require a vacuum drying step since the resin packing has a water absorption of about 1 . 5 %. generally , a metal surface has &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; oh &# 34 ; bonded thereto , and h 2 o is hydrogen - bonded to the &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; oh &# 34 ;. the resin forming the packing also is hydrogen - bonded to these elements . since the hydrogen - bonding is weaker than the bonding of &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; oh &# 34 ; on the metal surface , the h 2 o present between the metal surface and the resin having polar groups would impair good adhesion . it is therefore necessary to dehydrate the packing . thus , the resin packing is dehydrated by vacuum drying it under a reduced pressure of 4 mmhg and at 120 ° c . for about two hours , for example . then the negative terminal is inserted into the packing in dry atmosphere , which is followed by a hot press heating step for heating the metal lid and polar terminal at 200 ° c . for two seconds , for example . a packing material having no polar group cannot be used for lack of the adhesive property with respect to metals , but any resin may be used only if it has polar groups . however , it is desirable to use modified polypropylene or polyamide 12 or polyamide 11 as described with the foregoing embodiments . as is well known , polyamide 12 and polyamide 11 have the excellent rate proof water penetration , and are well suited where tight contact and high sealing performance are required of the packing . modified polypropylene is suitable for setting the valve operating pressure low . although the present invention has been fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . therefore , unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention , they should be construed as being included therein .	7
according to the invention , there is provided a noise - proof embedded dram ( edram ) design that is built inside an isolated environment implementing guard ring and triple wells structures to significantly suppress the “ noisy ” portion of dc generators and from charge pump circuits . the same structure that is applied to the dc generator may additionally be implemented to reduce or suppress noise generated from the sense amplifiers of edram circuits . further , the system architecture of the invention requires unique placement of decoupling capacitors and integration of power system power supply and ground busses for facilitating further noise reduction . fig1 ( a ) is a circuit diagram illustrating the noise - free dc generator 80 which is a dc - dc converter comprising ring oscillator 10 , the pump driver 20 , charge pump and reservoir capacitor 30 components provided for an edram circuit . fig1 ( b ) is a cross - sectional structural view 80 ′ of the noise - free dc generator circuit 80 for the edram of fig1 ( a ). as shown in fig1 ( b ), the edram circuit 80 is built upon a p - type substrate 11 . as known , the dc generator ring oscillator 10 and pump driver components of the edram one or more nmos components 40 to exploit their higher speed characteristics . for complete noise isolation , the ring oscillator 10 and pump drivers 20 having their nmos components 40 are fabricated within a triple - well structure 21 comprising a p - type well structure 13 that is formed above a buried n - type diffusion layer 12 which is layered above the p - substrate 11 . the p - well 13 in which the nmos components are fabricated , is surrounded by an n - type guard ring structure 14 . however , the pmos devices of the ring oscillator 10 and pump drivers 20 are built in a n - type well structure 15 . thus , in the embodiment depicted in fig1 ( b ), the key components of the dc generator 80 which generate the highest levels of noise are placed in triple - well structures . usually , the layout of dc generator is not as tight as that of array or sense amplifier , neither is pitch or area limited . therefore , it is preferable to place each of them in a separated triple - well structure for the reason that better electrical contact is made to the buried n - type diffusion layer 12 . as shown in the cross - sectional view of fig1 ( b ), the dc generator pump driver component 20 of the edram comprises one or more mos devices . for more complete noise isolation , the generator pump driver 20 pmos components 50 are fabricated within a n - well structure which 15 as shown in fig1 ( b ). in this arrangement , the ground of the dc generator or gndc is bounded by the reverse biased n - type diffusion layer and , therefore , is decoupled from the lower level p - type substrate 11 which functions as the global ground . similarly , the vddc is tied to the isolated n - well , and is decoupled to the other n - type wells . as further depicted in fig1 ( b ), the charge pump component 30 of the dc generator comprises , for example , a network of diodes ( p - n junctions ) 45 and reservoir capacitors ( caps ) 55 . as depicted , the capacitors 55 comprise poly n - type gates 56 over n - type diffusion surface 54 for coupling to the oscillators and drivers , and are also isolated in a triple - well structure 32 comprising p - type well structure 16 , buried n - diffusion layer 12 and p - type substrate 11 . that is , the p - type well structure 16 is formed above the buried n - type diffusion layer 12 which is layered above the p - substrate substrate 11 . the p - well 16 in which the reservoir caps and charge pump components are fabricated , is surrounded by an n - type guard ring structure 17 on one side and , the n - type well structure 15 on the other side in which the pmos devices of the dc generator pump driver 20 and ring oscillator circuits 10 are formed . in this design , the pump and the reservoir caps are built inside the triple wells for the purpose of separately biasing the body . fig1 ( c ) depicts a system architecture of a core system - on - chip circuit 60 comprising , for example , a microprocessor , asic or analog ic , that includes the dc generator circuit 80 for the edram macro 70 according to the invention . as shown in fig1 ( c ), within the edram macro 70 , the dc generator 80 is positioned relatively close to the external power supply pin vddc pin 23 and gndc pin 24 that are dedicated solely for the dc generator in the preferred embodiment . each external power supply pin 23 , 24 are respectively coupled to power busses 25 , 26 . as further shown in fig1 ( c ), the external power supply vddc bus 25 and gndc busses are each connected to appropriate number of decoupling capacitors (“ decaps ”) 27 . if the power supply pins are not enough , then two or more power busses may share one pin , but each bus will have a sufficient number of decoupling capacitors attached . preferably , the power busses which are routed to the dc generator are not shared by other components of the core chip 60 . further , as shown in fig1 ( c ), the decoupling capacitors assigned to the power busses to the dc generators are located adjacent to the dc generator areas . fig2 ( a ) is a circuit diagram illustrating the edram architecture 70 including dram array components 100 coupled to one or more sense amplifier banks 200 . as known , when one wordline is accessing data in an array memory cell , all the bit - pairs , normally 2000 to 4000 bit - line pairs , of the array will swing simultaneously consequently setting 2000 to 4000 sense amplifiers at the same time . the noise to the ground and vdd in the sense amplifier bank is significant . in order to avoid such noise jeopardize the array for core performance , the sense amplifier banks of the dram macro are isolated in the same manner as the dc generators for the edram . that is , as shown in the cross - sectional diagram of fig2 ( b ), each sense amplifier is located inside an isolated triple - well structure . for example , in the sense amplifier 200 nmos components 240 are fabricated within an triple - well structure 210 comprising a p - type well structure 230 that is formed above a buried n - type diffusion layer 12 which is layered above the p - substrate 11 . the p - well 230 in which the nmos components 250 are fabricated , is surrounded by an n - type guard ring structure 140 on one side and , a n - type well structure 255 on the other side in which the pmos devices of sense amplifier pmos circuits 250 are formed . thus , in the embodiment depicted in fig2 ( b ), the pmos devices 250 in the sense amplifier are fabricated in the n - well structure 255 formed above the n - type diffusion layer 12 . as shown in fig2 ( b ), the n + source region of the nmos devices is connected to a sense amplifier ground which may be noisy as it is isolated from the system ground which is connected to the p - type substrate 11 . further , as shown in fig2 ( b ), in the sense amplifier bank , the n + drain region of the nmos device is connected to the p + drain of the pmos device 250 forming the output the sense amplifier , and the respective gates of each pmos and nmos device are connected to form the bit - line input to a sense amplifier . the p + source region of the pmos device 250 is connected to the power supply voltage vdds which is the sense amplifier power supply . as shown in fig2 ( b ), the dram array structure 100 includes memory cells comprising an nmos device 260 also fabricated in a triple well structure . that is , a dram array comprises nmos gate transfer devices 260 formed inside a special implanted region 265 which provides the devices with proper threshold voltages . all of the nmos gates are fabricated in a p - type well structure 256 , which is isolated from the p - type substrate 11 by the buried n - type diffusion layer 12 ′. for reasons as explained in greater detail , the buried n - type diffusion layer 12 ′ is separated by p - type substrate from the buried n - type diffusion layer 12 component of the triple well structure used for the sense amplifier / word line drivers . the p - type well structure 256 is further isolated by n - type guard rings 150 , 150 ′. the nmos device 260 particularly comprises a transfer gate for receiving a vpp or boosted wordline voltage which is connected to a wordline . as shown in fig2 ( b ) and 2 ( b )′, the body of the nmos transfer gate 260 and consequently , the p - well region , is tied to v bb ( e . g ., at − 0 . 5 v ) which is the most negative voltage for reverse biasing the junction . due to the body effect , this provides the nmos transfer device with a high vt ( threshold voltage ) for reducing leakage . one terminal 262 of the nmos device 260 extends deep into the p - type substrate region to form a capacitor 263 having a ground node represented as n + diffusion region 266 . this capacitor node 263 , and hence , n + diffusion region 266 , is tied to vp 1 ( ½ vdd ) or the plate voltage . as the n + diffusion region 266 of the capacitor 263 contacts the buried n + diffusion layer 12 ′, this n + diffusion layer 12 ′ must be isolated from the buried n + diffusion layer 12 for the sense amplifiers / word - line drivers , as shown in fig2 ( b ). fig2 ( c ) depicts a system architecture of a core circuit 60 including the embedded edram 70 and dc generator 80 components designed in accordance with the invention . it is understood that , as noise may still provide cross - contamination through the power busses , if they share the same power supply , separate power busses to the array as well as different noisy components such as sense amplifiers , and word line drivers , are provided . the key of providing different power supply busses is to first evaluate their activation timing pattern . for example , if it is determined that an off - chip driver ( not shown ) and the sense amplifier operate at the same time , then they may not share the same bus . the bus lines for example , vdd are from the same pin ( pad ). vdds is used for the sense - amplifier bank , while vddc is used for the charge pump , vddo ( not shown ) for off - chip driver , etc . each supply will have a properly sized decoupling capacitor attached , to ensure that supply will not suffer worst - case noise spike . thus , as shown in fig2 ( c ), separate power busses vdds 25 ′ and ground bus 26 ′ are used to supply power to the sense amplifier which are different than the busses 25 , 26 used to supply the dc generator . it should be understood that vdds and vddc are the same voltage and are provided by a common external power supply pin . these busses are isolated from those of the rest of the chip so as to further contain any noise generation from the core . thus , the vdds 25 ′, gnds 26 ′ are separate from the vddc 25 and gndc 26 busses however emanate from the same pair of external pins 23 , 24 and , are clamped with different set of decoupling capacitor blocks . preferably , the power busses which are routed to the noise - free sense amplifier banks are not shared by other components of the core chip 60 . further , as shown in fig2 ( c ), the decoupling capacitors assigned to the power busses of the sense amplifier banks are located adjacent to the sense amplifier bank areas . that is , decap elements 27 are located close to the dc generator 80 and are assigned for the power bus to the dc generator . likewise , the decaps 28 are assigned to the power busses to the sense amplifier banks of the edram 70 . it is important that two buses are shielded by a ground line , and attached with proper local decoupling capacitors , so that no coupling noise will occur . with this arrangement , such an embedded dram in a core will not only provide a quiet environment to the noise sensitive core circuits , but also prevent noise attack from the core to the dram array . this is true when edram is built into a higher performance processor with super - high speed clock frequency . this invention has great potential to be used in many products using embedded dram / logic technologies . the products can range from high performance serves , pc ′ such as the ibm powerpc , workstations as well as portable system for pervasive and wireless applications . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to illustrative and preformed embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims .	7
in the drawings , fig1 shows a position indicator and measuring device in accordance with the invention and generally indicated by the reference number 10 . the device includse a body or housing 11 , a rotatable shank 12 for engagement with a chuck or mandrel 13 of a machine or tool including a spindle , such as a drill press 14 , and an angularly adjustable contacting finger 16 having a position - sensing end 17 , mounted on an arm 18 and arm holder 19 at the other side of the housing 11 , all rotatable with the shank 12 and with respect to the housing 11 . the testing device 10 also includes a display instrument 21 as shown , connected by an electrical lead 22 to an input connection 23 with the housing . the display instrument 21 may include a dial 24 with an indicator needle 26 , or it may have other appropriate display means , such as a digital readout , and it includes a display housing 27 within which is contained electrical circuitry for controlling the position of the needle 26 ( or other display ) in response to signals received from within the housing 11 , as will be further seen below . the instrument may include adjustment knobs 28 and 29 , one of which can be used to switch the instrument to different levels of sensitivity and one of which is used to zero the needle 26 position . the circuitry within the housing 27 may be shown in the schematic circuit diagram of fig3 further explained below . as can be seen from fig1 the shank 12 of the position indicator and measuring device 10 is placed into the chuck 13 of the machine 14 and tightened therein . a workpiece 30 is then positioned immediately below the chuck 13 and the rotatable spindle ( not shown ) of the machine 14 , on a rigid table 31 or other stable work surface . the workpiece 30 has some feature having an axis with which the axis of rotation of the machine &# 39 ; s spindle is to be precisely aligned . in the illustration of fig1 this feature is a bore 32 . with the workpiece 30 roughly positioned on the surface 31 such that the bore 32 is approximately aligned with the spindle above , the chuck 13 is lowered so that the position - sensing end 17 of the finger is within the bore 32 . the finger is adjusted in its angular orientation about a pivot 33 such that it tightly engages against a side of the bore 32 , as illustrated . the pivot 33 does not permit free rotation , but rather is relatively stiff so that a deliberate manual force must be applied to the finger 16 in order to change its position and such that , if a resistance or interference is encountered by the finger 16 in the bore , rotation of the finger and arm 18 together will first occur , about another pivot point 34 between the arm 18 and the arm holder 19 . such rotation , even the slightest rotation , pushes up on a spring - loaded movable member 36 in engagement with the arm 18 , preferably in the form of a rod or pin as shown . once the device has been set up as described and as illustrated in fig1 the machine 14 is powered to rotate the device &# 39 ; s shank 12 and connected members 19 , 18 and 16 , and the position - sensing end 17 of the finger sweeps around the bore 32 in a circular path of contact therewith . varying pressures of the bore wall against the finger as the spindle rotates , due to eccentricity of the bore 32 with respect to the spindle , even to a very slight degree , will cause the needle 26 of the display instrument 21 to fluctuate . this indicates the eccentricity to the operator , and also the orientation of the eccentricity as related to the maximum and minimum positions of the needle 26 as the spindle and finger 16 rotate , and can then adjust the position of the workpiece 30 on the table 31 accordingly . as is well known by those in the machining art , the table or work surface 31 will have capability for fine position adjustments of the surface to move the workpiece 30 by very fine increments as desired . such apparatus is not shown in the drawings . fig2 shows , primarily in cross section , the internal components of the device 10 including the body or housing 11 . as illustrated , the shank 12 extending out the top of the housing 11 is secured to or integral with an interior bracket or casing 37 , which in turn is secured , in this preferred embodiment of the invention , to a hollow shaft 38 extending out the lower end of the housing 11 . precision bearings 40 and 41 secure these members for rotation together with respect to the housing , as illustrated in the drawing . fig2 shows that the finger - supporting arm 18 , supported at the pivot point 34 , is permitted rotation in an upward direction only , held by a stop member or pin 42 against rotation in the downward direction , and defining a limit position for the arm 18 which may be approximately horizontal as shown . the stop member 42 engages against a ledge or other structure of the arm supporting member 19 as shown . the arm supporting member 19 is fixed to the hollow shaft 38 by any suitable means , such as by appropriate dimensioning of the two members such that the arm support 19 is tightly press - fit onto the exterior of the hollow shaft 38 . the moveable member or pin 36 is slidable within a central bore of the hollow shaft 38 , and movements of the arm 18 are transferred , by sliding movement of the member 36 , to a bendable member 44 fixed at one end 46 to the bracket 37 . the bendable member 44 may essentially comprise a flat spring , and it exerts a constant biasing force downward on the moveable member or pin 36 , thereby urging the arm 18 toward its zero or base position shown . the bendable member or spring 44 has secured to it ( as by glueing or other appropriate means ) a strain gauge 47 which will undergo flexure strain with the flexure of the member 44 due to movement by the moveable sensor member 36 . as is well known , changes in strain of the strain gauge 47 will vary the resistance of the strain gauge when a current is passed through it , and in this preferred embodiment of the invention this is the manner in which even the slightest movement at the end 17 of the finger 16 is detected . the strain gauge 47 is connected by a pair of wire leads 48 to a corresponding pair of annular contacts 49 which are engaged by brushes 51 which are held stationary within the housing 11 . such sets of contact and brushes are well known in electrical arts and do not in themselves form a part of the invention . the brushes 51 are connected by exit leads 52 to a coupling connection 53 which , as shown in fig1 is connected with the input connector 23 of the electrical lead 22 when the device 10 is to be operated . fig3 shows schematically a form of electrical circuitry in accordance with the invention which may be used in the electric display instrument 21 of the device 10 . the curcuit 100 of fig3 is described below . fig4 shows the use of the device 10 of the invention ( shown without the display instrument 21 ) for centering the spindle of the machine 14 about a cylindrical pin 56 , rather than a bore , of a workpiece 57 . in this case , the finger 16 is manually moved outwardly about its stiff pivot 33 on the arm 18 , to a position wherein the position - sensing end 17 of the finger 16 contacts the exterior surface of the pain 56 as shown . again , slight fluctuations in the position of the finger 16 as the spindle rotates under power of the machine will cause the slidable position - sensing member 36 to vary the strain in the strain gauge ( fig2 ) and will therefore be registered on the display instrument 21 ( fig1 ). the end of the finger 16 contacts the pin 56 in a circular path of contact , the eccentricity of the pin 56 with respect to the axis of the spindle above will cause the arm 18 to swing up and down about its pivot 34 . in fig5 there is shown another use of the device 10 of the invention . again , the display instrument 21 is not shown in this view . in this use of the invention , the device 10 is connected via a collet or other holding device 59 to a machine 60 having a horizontal rotational spindle , such as a milling machine . a workpiece 61 is held by a holder 62 opposite the machine 60 , and the workpiece has a flat surface 63 which is to be made perpendicular with an axis 64 of rotation of the milling machine . perpendicularity is verified or checked using the device 10 of the invention , by extending the contacting finger 16 to an outwardly pivoted position as shown , such that the position - sensing end 17 is in engagement with the flat surface 63 when the collect 59 and device 10 are moved into the position shown . the milling machine 60 is powered so that its spindle rotates to rotate the shank 12 and finger 16 assembly of the device 10 , causing the finger end 17 to make a circular path of contact with the workpiece surface 63 . as explained above , the body 11 of the device 10 is kept from rotating by the connection of the electrical lead wire 22 in this embodiment ( not shown in fig5 -- see fig1 ). as can be envisioned from fig5 if the workpiece surface 63 is not precisely perpendicular to the spindle axis 64 , this will cause a varying strain in the strain gauge ( as shown in fig2 ), and the direction of the non - perpendicularity can be ascertained by the operator using the display instrument 27 and observing the position of the finger 16 . the setup shown in fig5 can also be used to check for warpage or other imperfections in the flatness of the surface 63 . fig6 shows a modification of the invention , wherein a position indicator and measuring device 70 has a display instrument 71 built into a body or housing 72 of the device . the operative structure and features of the device 70 of fig6 are similar to those described above with respect to fig1 and 2 , with an upper shank 12 which can be received in a collet or chuck or other holding device 73 , and a lower finger assembly including the contacting finger 16 , fixed to the shank for rotation along with the shank and with respect to the body or housing 72 . again , the circuitry within the display indicator instrument 71 may be similar to what is represented in fig3 described below . with the device as shown in fig6 there is a need to prevent rotation of the housing 72 when the spindle of the machine including the collet 73 is rotated . since there is no lead wire extending from the housing , in this case there is included a connector or socket 74 at the side of the housing 72 , for receiving a bar 76 or other appropriate projection to engage with a component of the machine on which the device is used , or on the work table or other implement supporting the workpiece which is to be engaged by the finger 16 . milling machines and other such machines with which the invention is concerned will normally include provision for engaging such a projection 76 to stop rotation . in fig7 a holding device 10 of the invention is utilized in a different manner , not involving rotation . the body or housing 11 is secured to a structural member 79 of an adjustable stand 80 of a well - known type . in this method of using the invention , the finger 16 is adjusted to an outstreched position as shown , generally in a horizontal orientation , and the device 10 is used as a height gauge . a workpiece 82 is moved between a table or other fixed surface 83 and the end 17 of the finger 16 , causing the arm 18 to move upwardly somewhat , changing the strain and the resistance in the strain gauge and changing the indication on the instrument 21 . it should be understood that the device depicted in this method can be either the device 10 shown in fig1 and 2 or the alternate form of device 70 shown in fig6 and that any exterior dimension may be checked or measured by passing a workpiece between the finger 16 and the surface 83 . the device 10 may first be calibrated so that a certain known value is displayed on the instrument 21 when the correct height between the finger end 17 and the fixed surface 83 is present , and with variations of the instrument reading in either direction being correlated with permitted tolerances . calibration may be accomplished by first putting a workpiece or known correct height under the contacting finger 16 , and testing a series of further workpieces using this first reading as a reference . fig8 and 9 show in schematic representation some variations of the invention wherein strain gauges are not used . in both fig8 and 9 , a pressure transducer 85 is used to sense changes of position of a contacting finger 86 ( fig8 ) or 87 ( fig9 ). the pressure transducer may be any of a number of simple and inexpensive pressure transducers , such as a simple carbon pile which operates by sensing changes in resistance between its two conductive ends 88 and 89 , conducted to wire leads 91 and 92 as indicated . the upper end 88 of the pressure tranducer in each case is fixed in position . housing and other supporting structure are not shown . in fig8 changes in position of the finger 86 are sensed through a spring 93 , such as a compression coil spring as shown . upward movement of the finger 86 in fig8 about a pivot 94 , will increase pressure between the ends of the pressure transducer 85 , thereby changing the resistance of the pressure transducer and affecting a reading on an instrument ( not shown ). the spring enables free motion of the finger 86 while transferring the effects of movement to the pressure transducer . as an alternative to the coil spring 93 , the finger could itself include a flat spring portion . it should also be understood that the instruments shown in fig8 and 9 are schematic , and that the finger 86 or 87 may be oriented in any direction or may have bends or angles rather than being straight as represented . in fig9 the arrangement is similar except that the finger 87 acts through a flat spring 95 engaged with a compression spring 93 , and a fixed - position finger pivot 96 is located between the ends of the finger . this enables the orientation of the finger 87 to be reversed , as indicated in solid lines and dashed lines in fig9 . the finger may be flipped over - center so that the flat spring 95 flips over to an opposite orientation , making the tool more versatile . a suitable electrical circuit 100 for operating the electromechanical measuring device of the invention is shown in fig3 . therein the circuit includes a power source , such as a small batter 102 which may be a 9 - volt battery , connected as shown in fig3 . voltage from the battery 102 passes through the contacts of a switch 104 and a one way diode 106 to a voltage supply line 108 . the voltage on the line 108 follows two paths : the first path is through a constant current source 110 comprising an operational amplifier 112 and transistor 114 . a network of resistors 116 and 118 divides the voltage on the line 108 and applies the divided voltage at the reference node of the operational amplifier 112 . the inverting node of the operational amplifier 112 is connected to the supply line 108 through another resistor 120 . the emitter of the pnp transistor 114 is directly connected to the inverting input of the amplifier 112 as a feedback connection . a constant current is supplied from the collector of the driver transistor 114 to a bridge 122 . the bridge includes fixed resistances 124 , 126 and 128 and variable resistances 130 and 132 as shown in fig3 . the resistance of the strain gauge 47 is diagramed in fig3 by the resistance 134 and this is a variable resistance depending upon the physical displacement of the strain gauge sensor 47 , following flexure displacement of the flat spring 44 ( fig2 ). this causes the resistance 134 to change and thereby causes a change in the paths of current flowing through the bridge 122 . two sense nodes 136 and 138 are connected to the inputs of a second operational amplifier 140 through resistors 142 and 144 . the operational amplifier 140 senses the shift in current through the legs of the bridge 122 and converts that shift in current to an output current at a node 146 . this node 146 is connected through a milliammeter 148 ( represented by the needle 26 in fig1 ), and a series resistor 150 to the ground return for the power supply 102 . additionally , the node 146 is selectively connected through feedback resistors 152 , 154 or 156 which are selectable via a switch 158 to control the gain of the operational amplifier 140 . the switch 158 thereby controls a range of scaling of the strain gauge electrical circuitry . for convenience , the switch 158 may be ganged with the switch 104 so that a single knob may be provided to control these functions , e . g ., the control knob 28 shown in fig1 . in the resistance bridge 122 , two variable resistors 130 and 132 are provided . one of these resistors may be conveniently provided as a panel control so that the milliammeter may be zeroed or set at a reference point when the strain gauge 47 is in a nominal or reference position , via the control knob 29 shown in fig1 which actuates one of the resistors 130 or 132 . the resistor 130 may be of lower value than the resistor 132 and may be the resistor controlled by the control knob 29 . the other resistor 132 , of higher value , may be an initial calibration resistor operated by a tool but not used in normal operation like the resistor 130 . in operation the strain gauge 47 ( in the embodiment shown in fig2 ) has an initial position defined by the mechanical components of the device . the switch 104 ( knob 28 ) is turned on so that current is permitted to flow from the battery 102 onto the supply line 108 . current then passes through the constant current source 110 to the bridge 122 and is divided into two paths : a first path comprising the resistors 126 , 128 , 130 and 132 to return to the battery or power supply ; and a second path consisting of the resistor 124 and the resistance element 134 of the strain gauge itself . the resistors 130 and 132 are provided so that the resistance in the first leg of the bridge may be made the same as the resistance in the second leg of the bridge in an initial setting of the strain gauge 47 so that there is not current put out by the operational amplifier 140 and so the milliammeter reads at the zero mark or nondeflected mark of its scale ( or it may be calibrated to read a specific value , as a reference reading on a known - dimension test part as in the height gauge application shown in fig7 ). when the strain gauge is deflected , the resistance element 134 changes , upsetting the current passing through the bridge 122 . this change in the amount of current passing through each of the legs of the bridge causes an imbalance at the inputs of operational amplifier 140 which in turn causes current to flow at its output , both through the milliammeter 148 and resistor 150 to the ground return , and also through the feedback path to the inverting input of the operational amplifier 140 to control its gain . the scale of the milliammeter may be conveniently marked off in desired units representing distance of movement of the finger &# 39 ; s contacting end 17 , so that the milliammeter will be direct reading . the circuit 100 shown in fig3 though indicating a strain gauge 47 at the resistance element 134 , may also be used in conjunction with the embodiments of the invention shown in fig8 and 9 . in those embodiments the pressure transducer 85 is a resistance - varying member , and may be represented by the resistance 134 in the circuit 100 of fig3 . the above described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention , but not to limit the scope of the invention . variations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims .	8
this invention provides schemes whereby a web - based auction may be executed by a set of distributed proxies , thus accelerating its operation while still maintaining administrative and operational control of the auction at the original central server . furthermore , in this invention , we provide a scheme whereby web - based generation of personalized content may be executed by a set of distributed proxies , thus accelerating the personalization operation while still maintaining administrative and operational control at the original central server . furthermore , in this invention , we provide a scheme is provided whereby web - based generation of advertisements may be executed by a set of distributed proxies , thus accelerating the operation of this application while still maintaining administrative and operational control of the generation of advertisements at the original central server . the present invention presents methods and apparatus to distribute and accelerate execution of web - based applications by means of executing them at proxies located closer to requesters . it includes an apparatus of a proxy server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based applications ; an apparatus of a main server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based applications ; methods and apparatus by which to distribute and accelerate execution of web - based auctions by means of executing them at proxies located closer to requesters ; an apparatus of a proxy server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based auctions ; an apparatus of a main server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based auctions ; methods and apparatus by which to distribute and accelerate execution of web - based personalized content by means of generating it at proxies located closer to requesters ; an apparatus of a proxy server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based personalization of content ; an apparatus of a main server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based personalization of content ; methods and apparatus by which to distribute and accelerate execution of web - based generation of advertisements by means of generating them at proxies located closer to requesters ; an apparatus of a proxy server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based generation of advertisements ; an apparatus of a main server that provides an execution environment and maintains the required state for web - based generation of advertisements . fig1 shows components of an application distribution and acceleration infrastructure . a communication network 101 is used to interconnect client / user requester devices containing web - browsers like 102 and 103 to a central server 104 that serves the web - based auction . major portions of the application code are replicated onto proxy servers like 105 and 106 that are in closer proximity to the respective requesters . communication is maintained between the proxy servers 105 and 106 and the main server 104 so that the proxies can send results to the server and the main server can continue to exercise administrative control over the distributed portions of the application code . communication is also maintained between the requesters 102 and 103 and the main server 104 so that the server can continue to perform application functions that are not readily distributable . instances of applications distributed in this manner include auction applications , personalized content generation applications , and advertisement generation applications , among others . the central server as described in fig1 , is also known by alternative names such as the main server or the origin server in the current state of the art . a proxy server is also known as a surrogate server in the current state of the art . a surrogate server is usually defined as a proxy server which is under the same administrative control as the main server , or that has some administrative arrangements with the administrator of the main server . in this disclosure , we will use proxy servers and surrogate servers interchangeably . similarly , the terms clients and users are used interchangeably . fig1 a illustrates an embodiment showing steps executed in order to distribute the application code . the flowchart is entered at the beginning , step 121 , when a request is initiated by a client , e . g ., by using a browser program to request a url for the application . in the next step 123 , the request is directed to one of the surrogate servers ( or proxy servers ) that are in the system . in step 125 , the proxy server receiving the request caches a set of information records at its location . caching is the operation of retrieving an information record as needed from the origin server . if an information record is already present at the proxy server , no requests are made to the origin server . however , if the information record is not present at the proxy server , or if the information record is out of date , the proxy server retrieves the information record from the origin server . the surrogate server then executes the operation in step 127 and returns the results to the client . in step 129 , the proxy server may refresh some of the information records from the origin server . this step may be skipped if the proxy determines that there is no need for such a refreshing . finally , the process terminates in step 131 . instances of applications that can be accelerated in this manner include auction applications , personalized content generation applications , and advertisement generation applications , among others . fig2 shows the steps that comprise an embodiment of a method of auction distribution . in response to a user service request 201 , a server selection module determines the appropriate proxy server to which to direct the request as in 202 . this decision is based upon the current location of the auction for the item of interest . after collecting information about the distribution of requesters , the proxy server or main server then determines the optimal location for the auction , as in 203 . if the the auction is not currently located at the optimal site , the auction is migrated as in 204 . once the auction is in its appropriate location , it is executed there until further migration is necessary . when the auction is over , results are logged at the proxy server , communicated to the main server , and returned to the requester . this step is in 205 . fig3 is a block diagram of an invention embodiment that shows the steps taken by the proxy server in executing the auction for a particular item . the proxy server obtains and records information regarding the location of requesters for the item , as in 301 . this information is used to determine when and where to migrate the auction if necessary . a request log is constructed , as in 302 , which contains a timestamped record of at least some pertinent information for each request . once the auction has closed , the request log and auction results are returned to the main server , as in 303 . finally , the auction results are returned to the interested requesters , as in 304 . if the auction for an item is being conducted at the main server itself , then all of these steps would be executed at the main server . fig4 is a block diagram that shows the steps of an embodiment that include the determination of the appropriate location for an auction for a particular item . a migration weight is computed for each available proxy , as well as the main server , as in 401 . the weight is based on the proximity of requesters for the item to each of the proxies . it may be additionally based on the relative load on the proxies and main server . relative load is determined as the load on the proxy or main server machine , as compared to the load on all servers available to host the auction . to determine proximity , the network may be divided into predetermined zones , with the distance of each zone to each proxy and the main server precomputed . the zones could be based on geographic location or ip address ranges . the distance to a zone may be defined , for example , in terms of network latency between the proxy server and requesters in each zone , or in terms of the geographic proximity of a proxy server to a zone . periodically , or by some other predetermination criteria , the weights are re - computed and checked to determine which proxy has the highest weight , as in 402 . the proxy server with the highest weight should be the one closest to the zone with the most requesters , and also having a relatively light load . once the best proxy server is determined , the proxy or main server can initiate migration of the auction for the item , as in 403 . fig5 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the steps to migrate an auction for an item to a new site . after the initial check of whether migration is necessary , as in 501 , the current auction site ( proxy or main server ) sends a message to the new server informing it of the intent to migrate the auction , as in 502 . the current site should include the auction state in the message to the new site . the auction state includes at least some pertinent information about the auction , including the item description , auction parameters , and the existing request log . at the new site , the proxy determines whether it can host the auction ; and , if so , it establishes the auction state locally , as in 503 . this step is taken in order to allow the new site to refuse the migration if , for example , it is overloaded . if the new site agrees to accept the migration , it sends a positive acknowledgement message to the original auction site , as in 504 , indicating that it is ready to accept requests for the auction item . the original site then forwards any new requests it receives for the migrated auction to the new site and also informs the main server of the migration , as in 505 . new requesters wanting to join the auction will be automatically directed to the correct site via the server selection module . existing requesters who contact the original auction site will be referred to the new site . the referral can be accomplished using an http redirect mechanism , for example . the schemes as described above can be seen as a system that achieves distribution of auction execution . an embodiment of an apparatus , 601 , that implements a distributed auction system is shown in fig6 . fig6 includes six components , an auction director , 602 , a set of auction and requester statistics , 603 , a record of auction item locations , 604 , an auction migration module , 605 , a server selection and load balancing module , 606 , and an application acceleration module , 607 . the application acceleration module , 607 , provides a general environment for distributing web - based applications . it allows the proxy to automatically download the auction application program from the main server . its function is distributed between the main auction server and the set of proxies . the details of such a module are available in a cofiled application titled “ method and apparatus for distributed application acceleration .” this invention may , however , use alternate methods that provide a general environment for distributing web - based applications . the load monitor , 606 , is a distributed module that resides on the main server and on each proxy server . it collects load statistics and shares the information with the other load monitors . the sharing can be done by multicasting to other proxies or by reporting statistics to a single instance of the module which serves as a centralized repository . the auction director module , 602 , consults the auction location record , 604 , to determine where to direct requesters based on their item of interest . it may be implemented in a variety of manners . one way to implement it is by means of a module within the main server that is responsible for redirecting requests to the appropriate proxy server . such a redirection module might be implemented as a plug - in module among a variety of web - servers such as apache , netscape or microsoft iis servers , which are commonly in use in the industry . the module would consult a table of redirection rules that specify where requests for different auction items ( e . g ., as indicated by their urls ) should be directed , and use this information to direct the requester . another embodiment of the auction director could be via a stand - alone http server that provides the same functionality as that of the module described above . the http server directs requests to proxy servers , or to the main server , depending on the location of the auction item . the http server must communicate with the auction location record to know the location of auction items . the set of auction and bidder statistics , 603 , provides a record of events in the auction , along with the location of requesters . a set of these statistics is maintained for each auction item . the auction statistics record at least each submitted request , including the requester &# 39 ; s identity , request timestamps , and the highest bid received for each item . the requester location statistics keep track of where ( i . e ., in which zone ) requesters are located . in an alternate embodiment , the collection of these statistics are simplified by dividing the network into zones to which users are statically mapped . suppose a request b arrives for an auction item from zone z . first b is recorded in the request log . in addition the count of requests from zone z is incremented . consulting these statistics should give an immediate view of the zone that is generating the most requests for the auction item . the auction location record 604 keeps track of which machine ( proxy or main server ) is hosting the auction for each item . it serves as a directory for the auction director module , 602 , to allow the director to determine where to send requesters for a particular auction item . the auction location record may be embodied as a centralized directory that is accessed and updated as requests arrive and auctions are migrated . in a general embodiment of the present invention , the auction migrator , 605 , is a distributed module that resides on each machine , i . e ., proxies and the main server . the migrator periodically consults the requester statistics record , 603 , and load monitor , 606 , to determine if the current proxy is the best location for the auction for each particular item . if , for example , most of the requests for an item are coming from another zone , i . e ., not the proxy &# 39 ; s own zone , the migrator can initiate migration to the proxy in a zone closer to the requester population . the auction migrator implements the migration method described in fig5 . the components of the distributed architecture shown in fig6 are contained in various proxies and the main server . a proxy server which is such a component in this solution is shown in fig7 . the proxy server , 701 , includes a set of requester statistics , 702 , a set of cached auction information records , 703 , the cached auction program , 704 , the auction data and statistics , 705 , and a cache manager , 706 . the cache manager , 706 , is responsible for managing and updating the different types of caches , namely the set of cached auction information records , 703 , the cached auction program , 704 , and the set of cached data , 705 . the cache manager maintains all of these caches in an appropriate manner . the set of cached auction information records , 703 , contains information about the auction items that are available locally . these records are updated by the cache manager as auctions are migrated to and from the proxy . the auction program , 704 , is downloaded from the main server using the facilities provided by the application accelerator module ( 607 in fig6 ). it executes the program logic necessary to execute the auction program locally at the proxy server . the auction data , 705 , is the record of the auction progress , including the request log information . the set of requester statistics , 702 , keep track of where requesters are coming from in order to facilitate auction migration . fig8 shows a structure of a main server which would respond to the proxy server shown in fig7 , and provides another part of the infrastructure for auction distribution . the main server , 801 , includes a traditional web - server , 802 , the auction programs to be downloaded to proxy servers , 803 , a local main auction program , 804 , and a set of feedback programs , 805 . the web - server , 802 , provides the means by which a proxy server can gain access to the set of programs 803 , 804 and 805 . the downloadable program , 803 , is transferred to a proxy server upon request . the local program , 804 , provides a means by which a proxy server can execute some parts of the auction processing at the main server itself . as an example , a proxy server may want to execute auction result notification only at the main server . the auction feedback program , 805 , provides a means by which a proxy server can provide diagnostics and management information to the main server . an example of the feedback program , 805 , would be a logger servlet that can obtain logging messages generated by the auction executing at the proxy server in order to recover from execution failures . in some embodiments of the main server , the web - server may incorporate an ability to redirect user requests to other servers . this would be an instance of the auction director module ( 602 in fig6 ). the main server as described in fig8 and a set of proxy servers as described in fig7 together provide the infrastructure for distributed auction execution . fig9 shows a sequence of operations that are executed in order to distribute the application of personalized content generation . a personalization operation provides a different version of content depending on the identity of the user accessing the content . as an example , two users may access the same web site using identical urls . however , the personalization application would know that the first user is interested in sports and would include current scores from recent sports events for that user in the web page being displayed ; and , for the second user , who is interested in stock market information , it would include the current value of leading stock market indices . the process of personalization begins in step 901 when a user makes a request to access information from the system . in step 903 , the system determines an appropriate proxy server at which the request ought to be executed . when the request is dispatched to the appropriate proxy server , in step 905 the proxy server caches a set of information records that are related to creating a personalized response to the request . caching refers to the process by which the proxy server checks to see whether it has up - to - date copies of information records present locally , and if not , it obtains them from the origin server . the types of information records that need to be cached are described further in fig1 . after the caching step is completed , the system generates a personalized response to the query in step 907 . in step 907 , the response is also delivered to the client and the process terminates in step 909 . the information records maintained at the proxy site are divided into two types : a set of information records that contain user profiles , and another set of information records that contain templates on the basis of which personalized content is generated . a user profile contains the preferences and particulars of a specific user , or a group of users . thus , a user profile may include details such as the fact that a user is interested in sports events or stock market events , whether he wants to read the pages in english or french , and other preferences of a similar nature . it is to be noted that the user profiles may be maintained separately for each individual user , or on the basis of a group of users . when defined for a group of users , the user profile may be defined for all users originating from a specific group of ip addresses , a specific domain name , or users accessing a specific url . the template information records contain information that details the different parts of a page that is to be served to the user . a sample template is often used to define that the page includes two tables placed side by side , with the first table including of statically defined information , while the second table contains a list of items that are generated depending on the user profile . fig1 illustrates an example of the steps taken by the proxy server in more detail . the proxy server begins at step 1001 of the algorithm illustrated in fig1 when the request is received at the proxy site . in the next step 1003 , the system determines the matching user profile that needs to be applied for this user , and checks to see if that user profile is in the cache of profiles maintained locally at the proxy server . the determination of the user profile may involve determining the group membership of the user , if the profiles are defined on the basis of groups of users . if the user profile is not found in the cache at the proxy site , or if the user profile found in the cache is not up - to - date , the proxy server retrieves it from the main server in step 1005 . if the entry is found in the cache in step 1003 , or after the completion of step 1005 , the algorithm proceeds to step 1007 . in step 1007 , the algorithm determines if a template for the url being accessed by the client is present in the cache . if not , the template is retrieved and cached in step 1009 . after the completion of step 1009 , or if the template is found in step 1007 , the algorithm proceeds to step 1011 . in step 1011 , the algorithm collects statistics pertinent to the user &# 39 ; s request . these statistics can be used to modify the profile of a user in subsequent requests . after the statistics are collected , the algorithm creates a personalized page for the user as per the template and profile in step 1013 . the algorithm then terminates in step 1015 . those versed in the state of the art will realize that the order in which steps 1011 and 1013 are executed can be interchanged without a change to the basic algorithm . an overall distributed system for distribution of personalized content is shown in fig1 . the entire apparatus , 1101 , for distribution of personalized content generation includes four components : a redirection mechanism , 1105 , an information records store , 1103 , an information records cache , 1107 , and the personalization program code , 1109 . the redirection mechanism , 1105 , includes means for directing users towards a specific proxy server in the system . the information records store , 1103 , contains information records dealing with user profiles and templates , as well as statistics information . the information records store , 1103 , would typically be present at the origin server as described in fig1 . at the different proxy servers , the set of information records would be cached in the form of the information records cache , 1107 . the personalization program code , 1109 , provides means by which the actual response to a user request is created . fig1 and 13 provide more details of an embodiment of a distributed system . the distributed system includes proxy servers and an origin server . the structure of the proxy server is described in fig1 , while the structure of the origin server is described in fig1 . fig1 shows one of several possible ways by which the proxy server required for distributing generation of personalized content can be implemented . the apparatus depicted in fig1 shows the proxy server , 1201 , which includes a user - profile cache , 1203 , a template cache , 1209 , a usage statistics component , 1211 , a cache manager , 1205 , and a personalization program , 1207 . the personalization program , 1207 , could be implemented as a servlet , a java server page , or a cgi - bin script running behind a web - server . the user profile cache , 1203 , includes a cache of information records that contain user profiles . the template cache , 1209 , contains a set of information records that contain information about the templates according to which content needs to be generated . the user profile cache , 1203 , and the template cache , 1209 , are managed and controlled by the cache manager , 1205 . the cache manager 1205 is responsible for : checking if entries are present in the user profile cache , 1203 , or the template cache , 1209 ; determining if they are up - to - date ; and , retrieving them from the origin server if they are not found or are out - of - date . fig1 shows a structure of the origin server to implement an apparatus embodying this invention . the origin server , 1301 , includes a web - server , 1303 , which implements the protocol processing required to communicate with the clients , and one or more proxy servers as described in fig1 . the web - server , 1303 , connects to a store containing a downloadable version of the personalization program code , 1305 . the personalization program code , 1305 , is provided to the proxies so that they can execute it as part of their personalization program , 1207 . the web - server also provides access to an information store , 1307 . the information store maintains the original copies of the user profiles and templates that can be used for personalization at the proxy servers . in some embodiments , the web - server may also connect to a redirection module , 1309 , which determines where the different clients ought to be directed in order to accelerate the generation of personalized content . in other embodiments , the redirection module is implemented as a modified domain name server that can forward requests to the proxy server directly without the direct participation of the origin server . fig1 shows an example of a flowchart executed by a distributed system in order to accelerate the generation of advertisements as part of content shown to a user . advertisements are usually created in selected areas of a web page and are targeted to a local geography , or to a specific profile with which a user is associated . the generation of advertisements is confined to a central origin site in the current state of the art . our invention enables advertisement generation to be created at multiple proxy servers that are located closer to the clients , thereby accelerating its performance , and resulting in higher scalability . the flowchart shown in fig1 is entered at the beginning step , 1401 , when an advertisement needs to be generated , e . g ., when a template space in a web page needs to be filled by a generate advertisement operation . in the next step , 1403 , the request is directed to one of the surrogate servers , or proxy servers , that are in the system . in step 1405 , the proxy server receiving the request caches a set of advertisements at its location . the surrogate server then selects a category of advertisements , and chooses one advertisement that belongs to the said category in step 1407 . in step 1408 , the proxy server refreshes or changes the set of advertisements that it is currently caching so that new advertisements can be generated on subsequent requests . this step may be skipped if the proxy determines that there is no need for such a refreshing . the process then terminates in step 1409 . by obtaining the set of advertisements from the origin site , and refreshing them periodically , the proxy server is able to generate advertisements from its locally cached data , thereby reducing the latency in advertisement generation perceived by the client . fig1 shows an example of a structure of a distributed system used for generating advertisements in a distributed manner . the apparatus , 1501 , includes a redirection mechanism , 1505 , an advertisement set , 1503 , an advertisement cache , 1507 , a classifier , 1509 , and a selector , 1511 . the redirection mechanism , 1501 , provides means by which requests are directed to different surrogate and proxy servers in the network . the advertisement set , 1505 , includes the different advertisements that are to be generated in response to different requests , and is located at the origin server . the advertisement cache , 1507 , is located at the proxy server , and acts to provide local access to advertisement generation program code . the classifier , 1509 , and the selector , 1511 , are instances of program code that are downloaded from the origin server and executed at the proxy server in the network . the classifier program code , 1509 , maps each user request into one of many categories . the set of all advertisements are divided into different categories , each category containing one or more advertisements . the set of all advertisements includes one or more advertisements . the selector program code , 1511 , selects one of the advertisements randomly from the selected category and displays it to the user as part of its response . when advertisements have to be generated in a specific manner , e . g ., an advertisement has to be shown at a specific time , the selector module can be modified to select that particular advertisement more often . similarly , the set of advertisements which are maintained in the cache at the proxy server can also be selected so as to prefer the selection of targeted advertisements . a structure of an apparatus at the proxy server used for generation of advertisements is shown in fig1 . the apparatus , 1601 , includes an advertisement cache , 1607 , a classifier , 1603 , and a selector , 1605 . the advertisement cache , 1607 , provides a cached copy of the original advertisement which is located at the origin server . the classifier , 1603 , and selector , 1605 , are program codes that are downloaded from the origin server and executed at the proxy server . the proxy server executes the programs to select one of the advertisements from the cached copies . the advertisement cache , 1607 , is periodically refreshed with advertisements from the origin site . in conjunction with the origin site , the proxy server provides a means for accelerating the performance of the process of generating advertisements . variations described for the present invention can be realized in any combination desirable for each particular application . thus particular limitations , and / or embodiment alternatives and / or enhancements described herein , which may have particular advantages to the particular application , need not be used for all applications . also , not all limitations need be implemented in methods , systems and / or apparatus including one or more concepts of the present invention . it is noted that the present invention can be realized in hardware , software , or a combination of hardware and software . a tool according to the present invention can be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system , or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems . any kind of computer system — or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein — is suitable . a typical combination of hardware and software could be a general purpose computer system with a computer program that , when being loaded and executed , controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein . the present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product , which includes all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein , and which — when loaded in a computer system — is able to carry out these methods . computer program means or computer program in the present context means any expression , in any language , code or notation , of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after conversion to another language , code or notation , and / or reproduction in a different material form . it is noted that the foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects and embodiments of the present invention . although the description is made for particular arrangements and methods , the intent and concept of the invention is suitable and applicable to other arrangements . it will be clear to those skilled in the art that modifications to the disclosed embodiments can be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . the described embodiments ought to be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention . other beneficial results can be realized by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention in ways known to those familiar with the art .	7
fig1 illustrates , in an isometric view , a bedding product generally and in particular a mattress 10 manufactured according to one embodiment of this invention . mattress 10 consists of a top sleeping surface 12 , a bottom sleeping surface 14 , a head 15 , a foot 16 , and two side edges 17 . top sleeping surface 12 and bottom sleeping surface 14 may include within them , or have attached to them , a topper ( not shown ). the topper may contain one of more layers of fabric , batting , ticking , foam , and / or coiled springs . when present , the foam layer ( s ) of the topper may include latex and / or synthetic foam , including but not limited to polyurethane foam . although omitted for clarity , the topper may be either permanently or removably attached to sleeping surface 12 and 14 . examples of permanently attached topper , seen in the art , are those that are sewn or bonded onto the mattress cover or those that are encased within a sealed pocket in the mattress cover , yet disposed on the surface of the mattress . removable toppers are typically attached with a temporary fastener , such as a zipper or hook - and - loop fastener in one or more locations . either attachment method may be used , or no topper may be supplied . mattress 10 also includes foam core 20 and perimeter element 25 . foam core 20 is , in some embodiments , a single , monolithic block of a single type of resilient foam selected from foams having a range of densities ( themselves well - known in the art ) for supporting one or more occupants during sleep . in one embodiment , foam core 20 is made of any industry - standard natural and / or synthetic foams , such as ( but not limited to ) latex , polyurethane , or other foam products commonly known and used in the bedding and seating arts having a density of 1 . 9 and a 22 ild ( also known as “ 192 foam ”). although a specific foam composition is described , those skilled in the art will realize that foam compositions other than one having this specific density and ild can be used . for example , foams of various types , densities , and ilds may be desirable in order to provide a range of comfort parameters to the buyer . in an alternative embodiment , foam core 20 may comprise one or more horizontal layers of multiple types of foams arranged in a sandwich arrangement . this sandwich of different foams , laminated together , may be substituted for a homogeneous foam block of a single density and / or ild . accordingly , the invention is not limited to any particular type of foam density or ild or even to a homogenous density / ild throughout foam core 20 . in a further embodiment , foam core 20 may comprise one or more vertical regions of different foam compositions ( including vertical regions having multiple horizontal layers ), where the different foams are arranged to provide different amounts of support ( also referred to as “ firmness ” in the art ) in different regions of the sleeping surface . perimeter element 25 is an array of coil springs 32 of substantially the same height as foam core 20 is thick , as shown in fig2 . fig2 is a cross - section view at aa of fig1 and illustrates the relative placement of perimeter element 25 abutting side edges 17 . the term “ perimeter element ” is used herein to denote the entire perimeter spring array , whether it abuts one or more than one edge of foam core 20 . accordingly , while fig1 shows a perimeter element 25 that abuts three edges of foam core 20 ( to wit , foot 16 and two sides 17 ), the definition of the term “ perimeter element ,” and the invention in general , are not limited to the configurations illustrated herein . springs 32 are of a conventional helical or semi - helical type known and used in the art today . springs 32 may also be encased in a fabric pocket , either individually , in groups , or pocketed in strings joined by fabric , all of which are well - known in the bedding art . note also that the mattress drawn in fig1 is not drawn to scale : the perimeter element 25 is generally about two to six inches wide ( measured from the sleeping surface outward to the ultimate edge of the mattress ), while the overall mattress dimensions typically fall into the ranges commonly found in the trade and referred to , for example , as twin , full , king , queen , double , etc . returning to fig2 , border wires 40 of a type and construction well - known in the art are placed at the outer vertices of perimeter element 25 . alternatively , to supply even more stiffness at the mattress edges , an additional set of border wires 40 may be placed at the inner vertices 35 of perimeter element 25 ( see fig3 ). all of these border wires 40 may be used as attachment points for securing springs 32 within perimeter element 25 , as with the clips or metal “ hog ring ” attachment devices currently known and used in the bedding art today . although hog ring or clip attachment means are described , those skilled in the art will realize that attachment devices other than hog rings , such as plastic snap fasteners , locking cable ties , wire twists , lacing , or cord can be used . accordingly , the invention is not limited to any particular type of attachment means for securing coils 32 to border wires 40 . in some embodiments , border wires 40 may also be omitted , along with the hog ring / clip attachment means in order to reduce cost and / or manufacturing complexity . perimeter element 25 and foam core 20 are attached one to the other by planar elements 50 . each planar element 50 is a textile material , including but not limited to a tape or webbing or open - weave material , non - woven fibers , or a coated fabric capable of heat lamination ( fusion , i . e ., a “ fusible fabric ”) to and with both foam core 20 and perimeter 25 . alternatively , planar elements 50 may be attached by means of gluing , stitching , quilting , riveting , or welding , or by other attachment means currently known or afterwards discovered for attaching fabric - like , planar materials to both foam and metallic elements ( i . e ., the perimeter element &# 39 ; s array of springs ), whether or not the perimeter element consists of fabric - pocketed coils and whether or not the perimeter element is encased in a covering . in one embodiment , planar elements 50 consist of strips of weblon ® or duon ® brand ticking . duon is a polyethylene or polypropylene fiber ( an olefin , generally ) manufactured by phillips fiber corp . planar elements 50 , which may consist of a single piece of material cut or otherwise formed to span all foam core / perimeter element interfaces or multiple strips of material that abut or overlap when they intersect , is typically about three to six inches wide , though the exact width is not critical . ( fig1 , by way of example and not limitation , shows planar elements 50 as three strips of material overlapping at two intersections .) planar elements 50 are placed on the sleeping surface of mattress 10 substantially as shown in fig2 , roughly centered on the joint formed by the abutting components and overlapping portions of both foam core 20 and perimeter element 25 prior to attachment to both . alternatively , planar element ( s ) 50 may be first attached to foam core 20 before the core is brought into abutment with perimeter element 25 , in order to aid handling and manufacturing . such an arrangement creates a foam core with a “ flange ” of planar element material around it . fig3 is an alternate embodiment of mattress 10 , shown in a cross - section view at aa ( referring to fig1 ), illustrating an alternate embodiment having two sets of border wires 40 . in some embodiments , planar elements 50 may be omitted entirely . in these embodiments , a perimeter element 25 consisting of pocketed coils may be glued directly to foam core 20 . fig4 a illustrates , in plan view , a further alternate embodiment of the invention , in which perimeter elements 25 extend around all four sides of foam core 20 . such an embodiment is useful , for example , in bedding products for use without a headboard or footboard or when it is desirable to be able to flip the mattress from head to foot to extend the lifetime of the sleeping surfaces . other embodiments , in which perimeter element 25 is placed on only one or only two sides or on the head or foot alone , are equally within the scope and spirit of this invention and are shown in fig4 b and 4c . the order in which the steps of the present method are performed is purely illustrative in nature . in fact , the steps can be performed in any order or in parallel , unless otherwise indicated by the present disclosure . in particular , as an aid to manufacturing , the planar elements may be first attached to the foam core to form a soft “ flange ” prior to placing the perimeter elements in abutment with the foam core ( or vice - versa ). once abutting , the “ flange ” ( unattached ) portion of the planar element can be laminated or otherwise bonded to the perimeter element . while particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspect and , therefore , the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of this invention .	0
in the following detailed description , for purposes of explanation and not limitation , representative embodiments disclosing specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present teachings . descriptions of known systems , software , hardware , firmware and methods of operation may be omitted so as to avoid obscuring the description of the example embodiments . nonetheless , systems , software , hardware , firmware and methods of operation that are within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art may be used in accordance with the representative embodiments . in general , embodiments of the present teachings relate to a system and method for data collection and probe management on ip networks . existing network infrastructure devices such as switches and routers use pluggable components known as interface converters which convert signals from optical or electrical form to the electrical signaling levels used internally in the network infrastructure device . these interface converters are standardized , and come in form factors including but not limited to as xpak , xenpak , gbic , xfp , and sfp . according to an aspect of the present teachings , existing interface converters in a network are replaced with smart interface modules ( also referred to herein as probes ), which provide probe functionality without increasing equipment footprint . additional embodiments may place the probe functionality directly on the switch or router line card instead of on a modular interface converter . it should be appreciated that in such embodiments , the switch or router line card , in essence , becomes a probe . probes may be configured , either prior to installation or remotely , to collect data on the fly from packet traffic . various software components support the operation of probes . analyzers collect measurement data from sets of probes and provide storage , data transformation , and analysis . probe managers manage sets of probes , tracking probe state , updating probe configurations , and collecting configuration command responses and topology information from probes . the system master may collect topology and probe resource information from the probe managers and act as an intermediary between applications and probe managers . for example , configuration data may be sent by a probe manager connected to the network . the system master may also assist in allocating probe resources to applications and to mediate between multiple applications and multiple analyzers . moreover , the system master may control a plurality of smart interface modules ( probes ). application servers host applications that make use of collected data . applications and applications servers communicate with analyzers and the system master via an open api . notably , not all software components need to be present in a system ; while components may be geographically diverse , they may also reside on the same hardware . one embodiment of communications to and from smart interface converters is described in detail in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 336 , 673 , entitled “ a method of creating a low - bandwidth channel within a packet stream ,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby specifically incorporated by reference . aspects of smart interface converters are described , for example , in “ assisted port monitoring with distributed filtering ,” application ser . no . 10 / 407 , 719 , filed apr . 4 , 2003 , “ passive measurement platform ,” application ser . no . 10 / 407 , 517 filed apr . 4 , 2003 , and “ automatic link commissioning ,” application ser . no . 11 / 479 , 196 , filed jun . 29 , 2006 . the entire disclosures of each of these patent applications are also specifically incorporated herein by reference . one known form factor of interface converter known as a gbic converts signals from optical to electrical form ; optical signals carried on fiber optic cables being used to communicate over the network , and electrical signals being used within the device housing the gbic . other gbic forms convert signals from twisted - pair copper conductors used in high - speed networks to electrical signals suitable for the device housing the gbic . while the present teachings are described in terms of the gbic form factor , it is equally applicable to other form factors including but not limited to xpak , xenpak , xfp , sfp or chipsets on a router / switch linecard . in addition to the high - speed interfaces , interface converters may contain a slow - speed data port which may be used for configuration , testing , and sensing device status according to standards such as sff - 8742 . smart interface converters deployed as probes include additional logic within the interface converter package . this additional logic may include the ability to query the status of the interface converter , perform internal tests , and / or perform data capture and analysis . the smart interface converter also adds the ability to inject data packets into the high speed data stream . in conjunction with such communications capability , the smart interface converter contains a unique identifier , such as a serial number or a mac address . as deployed according to the present teachings , smart interface converters are used as probes . these probes may be configured remotely to collect data based on network traffic , and send that collected data to multiple locations for processing . the low cost of the probes and remote configurability allows them to be placed at the edges of networks . fig1 is a simplified overview of a monitoring system 100 in accordance with a representative embodiment . the system 100 comprises three ‘ layers ’ instantiated in hardware and software . the layers include a probe layer 101 , analysis layer 102 and an application layer 103 . in a representative embodiment , the probe layer 101 comprises a plurality of probes 104 illustratively in gbic form factor pluggable transceivers . as noted above , the probes 104 may also be referred to herein smart interface modules . the probes 104 are used in place of the pluggable modules often used in known router and switch line cards . notably , the probes are dynamically configurable . in representative embodiments the probes are configured indirectly by applications . the analysis layer 102 provides flow management and time synchronization , among other functions , and includes an analyzer , a probe manager and a master clock . the probes 104 of probe layer 101 are divided into groups , with each group being managed by a probe manager . the probe manager works with the system master in an application layer 103 to orchestrate measurement requests from various applications . the analysis layer 102 is adapted to provide a time synchronization master , such as an ieee 1588 synchronization master . each master maintains synchronization of entire groups of probes with each probe functioning as an ieee 1588 slave . the analysis layer 102 also collects data from the probes of the probe layer and formats and forwards these data to the appropriate suite of the application layer 103 . among many other functions , the analysis layer 102 also handles multiple common requests from the application layer 103 . for example , if both a video and audio applications require the same data , the analysis layer 102 garners these data from the probe layer 101 and replicates the data ( in this case twice ) and provides the data to the requesting applications . the application layer 103 includes the system master that acts as an arbiter between applications requesting measurements and ensuring that measurements requests are executed within the specified parameters . among many other functions , the system master of the application layer 103 may be adapted to function as a licensing manager . for instance , the probes of the probe layer 101 may require a license to function in the system . the system master may be required to verify the license before authenticating a probe . the application layer of the representative embodiment shows three representative applications : video qos ; gigascope ; and netflow . these are merely illustrative and it is emphasized that more or fewer applications may be included . such applications are within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art . fig2 is a conceptual view of an optical probe 200 in accordance with a representative embodiment . the optical probe 200 may be one of a plurality of probes found in probe layer 101 of the system 100 described above . detailed descriptions of probe 200 may be found in the above - referenced patent application having application ser . no . 10 / 407 , 719 and entitled “ assisted port monitoring with distributed filtering .” the probe 200 has an electrical interface 201 on the line card side of the probe and an optical or electrical interface on the network side of the probe . the embodiment shown in fig2 is for a probe with an optical interface on the network side . other embodiments are contemplated . the probe 200 comprises an optical - to - electrical converter 204 , which converts the optical signal to an electrical signal , and provides the electrical signal to a chip 203 . the chip 203 may be an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) or a programmable logic device such as a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) or other similar technology which provides the same functionality . the chip 203 is configured with a splitter 205 , which provides an output to a sequence of monitor logic 210 , data reduction 211 and packet assembly 212 ; and to a combiner 206 . the output of the packet assembly is provided to the combiner 206 . electrical data at the electrical interface 201 are received at the chip 203 at another splitter 207 , which provides an output to sequence of monitor logic 213 , data reduction 214 and packet assembly 215 ; and to a combiner 208 . the combiner then provides the signal to an optical to electrical converter 209 that provides the data to the optical interface 202 . normal traffic flows into the chip 203 via the optical interface 202 when it enters to the chip . the normal traffic passes through splitter 205 with one path allowing it to continue on through the combiner 206 where it is forwarded out the electrical interface 201 . in parallel , on the other path from splitter 205 , a copy of each frame is sent through the monitor ( or probe ) logic 210 where it is compared to user defined filters . if there is a match , then one or more of the following may happen : a counter may be incremented ; a copy of the frame may be made ; or some part of the frame may be extracted . at some point there will be results data generated from the above actions that will need to be sent out , the probe will insert the results frames , addressed to an analyzer , into the normal traffic flow using a subchannel as described in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 336 , 673 . a slow - speed interface such as the 12c may be used , for example , to configure a parameter memory during manufacturing , and prior to device deployment . a device serial number may be stored in parameter memory . parameter memory may also preset the destination address for collected data including test information . this address , by example , may be an ipv4 or ipv6 address . additionally , configuration of many of these parameters may be performed over the network . as used according to the present teachings , filter configurations are stored in parameter memory , either prior to device deployment , or while deployed in the field . these filter configurations define the frames and data within those frames that is to be captured . captured data may be time - stamped , and / or accumulated . entire frames may be captured , or only a portion of a frame , for example the first 64 bytes , or only the source and destination ip addresses . captured data are stored in extra packet memory . using the capability to then inject data stored in extra packet memory into the high speed data stream , this data may be sent to a destination address for analysis . multiple filters may be active at one time , and each filter may have its own destination address . commands and new filter configurations may be sent to probes , individually , for example using the serial number stored in each probe , or in groups . commands and new filter configurations may be authenticated by probes , as an example by verifying message checksums , or by verifying authentication codes passed to the probes . when only portions of a frame are needed , captured data may be aggregated in the probe . aggregated data is stored in extra packet memory . probe and capture packet formats suitable for use in accordance with the present teachings are shown in fig3 . an example captured packet data record is shown as 310 . multiple records may be aggregated into probe packet 300 . the number of such records depends on the size of an extra packet memory ( not shown ), and the desired ethernet frame size . using the embodiment of fig3 as an example , a typical ethernet frame could contain 66 records . probe packet 300 contains the usual ethernet header , plus a timestamp in seconds . if these probe packets are transmitted at least once per second , the captured packet data records 310 need only carry the fractional seconds portion of the time ; nanosecond resolution is possible . captured packet data record 310 contains information needed for further analysis , such as the timestamp , ip source and destination addresses , source and destination ports , flags , and the size of the original packet from which this data was gleaned . the information stored in the captured packet data record will vary according to the analysis required . the example given is for a simple ip flow analysis . probes 104 may also be adapted to intercept and respond to timing frames according to the ieee - 1588 standard , acting as an ieee - 1588 slave . in the embodiment of fig1 , real - time clock information may be kept by the master clock , which may be a ieee 1588 master clock in analysis layer 102 beneficially , the probes of the representative embodiments adapted to function as ieee 1588 slaves may provide , among other functions accurate time - stamping . fig4 shows a network measurement system according to a representative embodiment . system 470 streams data through links 420 and network 400 to system 480 . network 400 contains switching elements 410 interconnected through connections 420 . according to the present teachings , some of these connections 420 terminate at switching elements 410 using smart interface converters 430 used as probes . external to network 400 , with switching elements 440 contain connections 420 some of which terminate using smart interface converters 450 used as probes . system 460 inside network 400 hosts an ieee 1588 master clock , probe manager , analyzer server and other software components for probes 430 inside network 400 . similarly , system 490 hosts an ieee 1588 master clock , probe manager , analyzer server and other software components for probes 450 outside network 400 . for this example , system 490 also hosts the system master , and the application software components . in an example using the well known netflow protocol to collect data to classify network traffic between systems 470 and 480 , the system master component queries the probe manager component ( both running on system 490 ), allocating and configuring the appropriate probes 450 connecting systems 470 and 480 to make the desired measurements and send the aggregated data to the analyzer component running on system 490 . the analyzer component running on system 490 processes records , as an example in the form shown in fig3 , expanding them to netflow records and passing them to the netflow application . collecting the data on the probes and performing the required processing to convert captured data in the form of fig3 to netflow records in the analyzer component instead of collecting and sending the data out natively on switching elements 410 and or 440 greatly reduces the computation demand placed on switching elements 410 and or 440 . fig5 shows the network of fig4 in a hierarchical fashion . probes 430 communicate with probe manager 510 and analyzer component 520 . ieee - 1588 master clock 530 may be present to synchronize timekeeping across systems and probes , the probes themselves are functional as ieee 1588 slaves . these components may be present in one physical system as shown , or they may be distributed . similarly , applications suite 570 , which comprises a system master 571 , a netflow manager 572 and application components 573 may be co - resident on one physical system , or may be distributed . similarly , probes 450 in fig4 and 5 communicate with probe manager 540 of fig5 , analyzer 550 , and have timing information supplied by ieee - 1588 clock 560 . these components communicate with applications suite 580 , which includes master 581 , voip application components 582 and netflow application 583 . as examples of network measurement , fig6 shows a representative embodiment , which may be used for remote collection of quality measurements for voice over ip ( voip ), ip multimedia ( ims ), and push to talk signaling ( ptt ) in a voip network 600 . service providers install smart interface modules for use as probes 610 wherever measurements of voip / ims / ptt are desired , typically between customer proxy 620 and edge proxy 640 . probes 610 are managed and configured to begin collecting , for example , voip signaling data . in most cases , these probes 610 completely replace the existing probe , reducing instrumentation costs , and saving space and power . it will also eliminate the need for a mirror port and consequently , port replicators , again reducing instrumentation costs . because probes 610 are limited in memory and computation power , they are not used for many computations except possibly some counters . instead , copies of the signaling data are made from each signaling frame and time - stamped . these copies of the signaling data or “ results frames ” are then sent for analysis to the signaling analysis farm 630 . the “ farm ” of signaling analysis servers will serve multiple probes and the probes may serve multiple applications there are two main aspects of measuring voip : call signaling and call quality . for call signaling , service providers may typically use sip ( session initiation protocol ). to monitor call signaling nearly the entire packet must be captured and delivered to the monitoring application 630 . therefore , the probes 610 will capture sip signaling packets as they cross for example between the customer proxy 620 and the edge proxy 640 , and send them to “ farm ” 630 for analysis . voice quality monitoring may require capturing only certain data from packet headers . because the prevalent transport protocol used for voip is rtp / udp , this means that capturing and time - stamping information from protocol headers such as rtp may be sufficient to assess voice quality . data associated with addressing , for instance , ip addresses and transport layer ports should be captured as well . there may be a single application that monitors both voice quality and signaling or there may be a separate application for each . in either case , a closed loop will enable the system to only monitor the desired calls . for instance , if a provider wants to monitor calls from customer a . it can set a filter to look for sip signaling protocol messages coming from customer a . when sip signaling from customer a is captured , the monitoring application could then notify the system master to configure a filter to monitor the application port indicated in the sip signaling message . that filter will then cause the actual call to be replicated and sent to the monitoring application for analysis . while the primary use of this would be for quality monitoring , it is easy to see how it could be adapted to other uses , such as enforcement of a wire tap order . as an additional example shown in fig7 , a representative embodiment may be used for remote collection of video quality of service ( qos ) measurements for video over ip such as iptv and video on demand ( vod ) networks . information so collected can also be used for troubleshooting and / or diagnostics in these networks . in order to compete with the other delivery vehicles , the quality of these video over ip services must be as good as or better than that of the alternatives available to consumers . therefore , having a means to measure video quality is imperative . current modes of measurement will not scale economically to where they can be deployed at the edges of the network nearest the customer , which leaves service providers making measurements in less than ideal locations and in fewer locations than they would like . ideally , the service providers can make measurements as close to the customer as possible , at any time , for any customer , on any video stream . fig7 illustrates an example network 700 , using the technology referenced above , in this example , using probes in the sfp form factor commonly used in dslam equipment , the service provider would deploy the modules on all interfaces at the dslam . in addition , they would deploy the modules as close as possible to the video encoder . the modules at the dslam ( measurement point 710 on access network are configured to collect various information used to measure video qos . in this example , the transport headers ( packet references ) are collected and time - stamped for every video stream and sent up to an application , such as agilent &# 39 ; s triple play analyzer ( tpa ) product for analysis . at the same time , probes close to the video encoder or server that multicast video streams such as server 760 collect a richer set of information ( measurement point 720 or 730 ). this may be a time - stamped copy of the entire video stream along with all signaling data . this information is sent to an application , again , such as agilent &# 39 ; s tpa , for analysis . if a problem is detected near the dslam , the data collected at the dslam can be compared to the data collected nearest the server , for instance , the d server , may even help in recovering missing video frames ( measurement point 740 ) and determine if the data was corrupted in transit or if the data was corrupt right out of the head end server such as a server 760 . using data references from measurement points 710 and full video streams collected at measurement points 720 or 730 , the application can determine the video qos or video qoe ( quality of experience ) by looking for example at what type of video frames were lost . other examples like this can be given . a long list of video quality measurements may be provided . also , various measurements may be taken depending on the type of video distribution in use . for example , in a system using microsoft iptv edition , measurements with respect to reliable udp will be important . by measuring activity such as reliable udp which is used by set - top boxes ( stb ) to recover missing packets from the d server the problem could be traced to the last mile without having monitoring equipment present at customer premises . in one aspect , the representative embodiment the collection of data from various vantage points and correlation allows for the detection of problems or measurement of video quality close to the customer . from certain data acquisition points like 710 in the above figure time - stamped references of video packets are collected and by doing so the measurement traffic from this point is reduced by an order of magnitude . in this example , using sfp modules as opposed to an external box , we are able to make measurements closer to the edge of the network in an economically scaleable way . in addition , because the dslams need to use sfp modules anyway , there is zero additional installation cost and no additional space or power are required to make the measurements . while the embodiments of the present teachings have been illustrated in detail , it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to these embodiments may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present teachings as set forth in the following claims .	7
[ 0046 ] fig1 and 3 show a side view and a top view of a portion of a known plate - link chain with standard plate links 1 and 2 , wherein the plate links as viewed are arranged over the width b of the plate - link chain and repeat themselves in an appropriate arrangement pattern . the plate links form link sets in series . the chain links formed by the plate links 1 and 2 are articulated by articulation members that are connected with each other , which are composed of pairs of rocker members 3 , which are inserted into openings 4 in the plate links and are rotatably coupled and connected by an interlocking connection 5 with the particular associated plate links . the openings 4 can be formed in such a way that there are two openings formed per plate link for both links , or also that per plate only one opening is provided to receive rocker members for both links . the rocker members 3 have rocker faces 6 that are directed toward each other and that can roll against each other , at least some convex , for example , which permits the link movement of adjacent chain links . the rocker faces can both be convex or one rocker face can be flat or concave and the other rocker face is convex . such plate - link chains can be formed in such a way that at least some rocker members are at least partially non - rotatably connected with their plate links associated with their chain links . the individual links have a center - to - center spacing 7 that in general is designated the chain pitch . the magnitude of the chain pitch 7 depends on the given extent of the rocker members 3 in the direction of movement 8 of the chain , as well as on the necessary spacing between the individual openings 4 . it is generally known that the chain pitch 7 is designed to remain unchanged over the full chain length ; it can , however , also vary irregularly within given limits if necessary , in order to favorably influence the noise developed by the chain . the rocker members have end faces at their side end areas with which they can frictionally engage the conical disks during operation of a transmission . it is advantageous for both rocker members to have the same length , so that both rocker members are in contacting engagement with the conical disk . in another embodiment it is appropriate to provide rocker members having different lengths and thereby only one rocker member per link is in frictional contact with the conical disk . it can be seen from the top view of fig3 that the chain is assembled as a double - link unit , which means that in each case two radial end links 9 , 10 , respectively , of adjacent chain links are positioned adjacent to each other between two pairs of rocker members 3 , whereby the spacing of those links formed by pairs of rocker members is correspondingly determined . it can be seen from the top view of fig4 how known chains can be constructed as triple - link units . here can be seen over the width of the chain the standard plate links 11 and the outer plate links 12 that are set against each other in each case and separated in the direction of chain movement , whereby on the other hand , however , the spacing between links assembled by pairs of rocker members 13 can be reduced compared with the double - link unit in accordance with fig3 . the top view of fig4 corresponds with another known chain construction , shown in a side view in fig2 having standard plate links 11 and outer plate links 12 , whereby the articulation members are composed of pairs of rocker members 13 . these rocker members 13 are shaped in such a way that they only lie against the plate link openings 16 at two positions 14 and 15 . between the contact positions 14 and 15 the rocker members 13 are free of the plate links 11 , 12 of the chain . [ 0053 ] fig5 shows an arrangement 50 to stretch a plate - link chain 32 in accordance with the invention , whereby the plate - link chain 32 is received in a conical disk gap 48 between two sets of conical disks . the arrangement of fig5 can , however , also act as a loop - driven conical pulley transmission , which in operation includes a chain in accordance with the invention . one set of conical disks is formed by the two conical disks 24 and 25 that are axially displaceable relative to each other . the one conical disk 25 is axially movable , see arrow 30 . the adjusting cylinder 28 serves to axially displace the chain and to press it against the set of conical disks . the other set of conical disks is formed from the two conical disks 26 and 27 that are axially displaceable relative to each other . for that purpose one conical disk 27 can be shifted axially , see arrow 31 . the adjusting cylinder 29 serves to axially displace the chain and to press it against the set of conical disks . the rotational speed and / or the torque can be adjusted by the input side shaft 22 and the output side shaft 23 . according to another embodiment of an apparatus for stretching a plate - link chain , it can be advantageous for the axes or shafts of the apparatus to be pulled away from each other by the application of a force , so that the plate - link chain is forced into the conical - disk gap and so the power transmission between the plate - link chain and the conical disks can be set at the desired value . in addition , it is not absolutely necessary that the conical disks of the pairs of conical disks be axially displaceable relative to each other . it can also be suitable that the conical disks are rigidly affixed to each other . when stretching the chain in the loop direction after assembly , the individual links of the plate - link chain will be tight against the rocker members . thereafter it will be placed in a variable speed unit , for example in accordance with fig5 . the chain is stretched in the loop direction by the compression between the rocker members and the conical disks and / or by torque transmission and / or by application of a spreading force . in addition , there will be set a multiple of the pressing forces and torques that normally appear in a transmission , and the chain will be allowed , for example , to run through the variable speed unit with fewer revolutions , so that each chain link , such as plate links and rocker members , passes around the variable speed unit at least once or several times . it is advantageous for the chain to be rotated slowly and with fewer revolutions , compared with the conditions in a motor vehicle transmission . typically the stretching process can be carried out in the starting gear ratio ( underdrive ), whereby the torque of the variable speed unit is adjustable within the range of from zero to ten times the nominal torque , that is , the maximum torque that occurs in the transmission . in particular , a torque in the range of approximately three times the maximum moment of the variable speed unit is set . it is also appropriate that the tension in the strand 70 of the chain is larger during the stretching process than during operation of the transmission . advantageously , the tension is at least twice the maximum tension during normal transmission operation . the plate - link chain is then rotated at a low rotational speed in the range of about 0 . 5 revolutions per minute to about 500 revolutions , advantageously from about 10 revolutions per minute to 50 revolutions per minute , over several revolutions or passes . it can be beneficial , depending upon the plate - link chain , to perform 1 to 20 revolutions . in accordance with the invention , the transmission ratio can also be changed during the stretching process . in that way the load distribution is set in a manner corresponding substantially with underdrive ( starting gear ratio ) in the vehicle . during a stretching process , however , another transmission ratio can also be set , such as , for example , an overdrive transmission ratio or a variable transmission ratio . the advantage of the stretching process in the wrap - around member is that the chain is stretched substantially at each bend of the chain that occurs during operation , and as a result the load distribution is similar to the actual load distribution during operation of the transmission . as a result of the stretching process in the wrap - around member , and / or as a result of the application of a spreading force on the basis of the contact pressure and / or the torque loading of the chain that is loaded in that manner , the rocker members , considered relative to the shaft of the set of disks , are elastically deformed or bent in the radial direction as well as in the circumferential direction . as a result , considered over the width of the chain , the outwardly - disposed plate links are more heavily loaded than the plate links disposed in the middle of the chain . that has the result that the outer plate links or those plate links disposed on the edge are more greatly elongated than the plate links disposed inwardly , and those outer plate links experience a higher degree of stretching than the inner plate links . by the degree of stretching is meant the condition between the loading by stretching and the condition of ultimate load . moreover , it can be beneficial for the plate links of one plate - link row which when assembled have the same length , for those plate links to be elongated differently as a function of the width . likewise , it can be beneficial for the plate links of one plate - link row when assembled to already exhibit different lengths and plate - link inner widths , respectively , so that the plate links disposed at the edge of the chain exhibit a larger plate - link inner width than the middle plate links . that can be especially appropriate when stretching is not of the loop member , but , on the contrary , the plate links are stretched before assembly and the plate links are thereafter assembled together to form a chain . then one can , on the basis of the assembly of the plate links having different plate - link inner widths , construct a chain that already has at its edges longer plate - link inner widths than in the middle . that is shown in exemplary form in fig1 . there it is shown that the plate - link inner width as a function of the position of the plate links is greater at the edge than in the middle . that can result both from the stretching process in the loop member as well as from the assembly of different length plate links in accordance with the invention . additionally , the plate links that are stretched by a stretching process before assembly can be stretched with different degrees of stretch , and during assembly they can be constructed in such a way that the plate links with a higher degree of stretching are arranged at the edge of the chain . that has the result that the outer plate links or those plate links arranged at the edge are more highly plasticized and loaded than the inwardly - arranged plate links , and those outer plate links experience a higher degree of stretch than the inner plate links . that is shown in exemplary form in fig1 . there it is shown that the degree of stretching as a function of plate link position is greater at the edges than in the middle area . that can result both through the stretching process of the loop member and also through the assembly of various highly - stretched plate links in accordance with the invention . [ 0065 ] fig6 through 8 show in graphs the condition of the lengths of the plate links considered as a function of their disposition across the width of the chain . on the y - axes of fig6 and 7 are shown the lengths of the plate links and the length of the spacing l between both contact areas of one plate link , respectively . the length l also represents the plate - link inner width . in fig8 is shown the length difference δl of the plate links between an unstretched and a stretched condition in accordance with the invention . shown along the x - axes of each of fig6 through 8 is the position of the plate links across the width of the chain . position 1 corresponds with the position of the plate link on one side of the chain and position 14 corresponds with the position of the plate link on the other side of the chain . positions 2 through 13 correspond with the plate link positions between the edge plate links 1 and 14 . thereby there is shown specifically a chain with 14 plate link positions across the width of the chain as an illustrative embodiment , though other chain variations can also be included without restrictions on generality . [ 0066 ] fig6 shows a graph of an unstretched chain or a stretched open chain in straight condition . the length l as a function of the plate link position 1 through 14 is substantially equal and constant . [ 0067 ] fig7 is a graph of a chain that has been dynamically stretched in the wrap - around , closed condition . the length l variation is a function of the plate link position 1 through 14 , whereby the edge plate links in positions 1 through 3 and 12 through 14 are more highly stretched than the plate links at the middle plate link positions 4 through 11 . that result is based on the radial and circumferential bending of the rocker members and the corresponding high plastic deformation of the contact areas of plate links that are disposed at positions at the edge or near the edge . [ 0068 ] fig8 is a graph of a chain that has been dynamically stretched in the wrap - around , closed condition . the length difference δl variation is a function of the plate link positions 1 through 14 , whereby the edge plate links in positions 1 through 3 and 12 through 14 are more highly stretched than the plate links at the middle plate link positions 4 through 11 . that result is based on the radial and circumferential bending of the rocker members and the corresponding plastic deformation of the contact areas of plate links that are disposed at the edge or near the edge . the presentation in fig8 clearly illustrates once again the inventive effect to increase the efficiency of the chain . the small fluctuations in the length l , that is , in the elongation δl in the middle area results from measurement errors . the elongation of the plate links during the stretching process produces a plastic deformation of the plate links in the contact areas between the plate links and the rocker members . through the particularly radially - and / or circumferentially - directed bending of the rocker members there results a plate link plastic deformation , which accommodates the angle between the movement direction and the rocker member . [ 0072 ] fig9 shows a section of a chain 100 with rocker members 101 and 102 , which are received in openings 120 of the plate links 103 through 113 . the rocker members are represented as bent in the manner that they can be bent in a dynamic stretching process in the wrap - around mode , such as , for example , in the disk wedge . the representation is for clarification and is of course a somewhat exaggerated representation . the contact areas 103 a through 113 a are plastically deformed by the bending of the rocker members 101 and 102 and match their contour with that of the rocker members . it is shown that the outer plate links are more severely elongated and the plastic deformation leads to a larger angle α between the chain transverse direction q and the contact surface f than at a middle plate link such as , for example , 107 . fig9 a and fig9 b each show a cutaway portion . the angle α increases moving from the middle of the chain to the outside . [ 0075 ] fig1 shows a graph in which the angle α is shown as the value \| α \| represented as a function of the plate link position . the angle increases outwardly toward the edges and returns to zero at the middle area . that can be achieved in accordance with the invention by stretching the loop member or , suitably by a further object of the invention , also by stretching the plate links in such a way before assembly , in which they are stretched to different angles α and are subsequently mounted together to a chain . [ 0076 ] fig1 and 12 show the degree of stretch of the plate links , and the plate - link inner width , respectively , as a function of width - wise plate - link position . the plate links near the edge are more highly loaded by the stretching in accordance with the invention than by a stretching process on a straight strand . thereby the plate links at the edge are more highly elongated and the degree of stretch is higher . through the proper stretch loading of the chain by the stretching process the chain will be preconditioned in such way that during later operation of the chain in a transmission the loading will be equalized and the chain will therefore experience a longer service life . furthermore it is advantageous , for thereby reducing the loading on the chain , that the force introduction by the rocker members to the link elements , by a two - area contact 80 , 81 in conformance with fig2 be equalized in both areas . regarding that , reference is particularly made to german patent application de 30 27 834 , the contents of the disclosure of which expressly forms part of the content of the foregoing application . [ 0080 ] fig1 shows a detail of a plate link 200 with rocker members 201 and 202 , wherein the plate link is stretched in such a way by a stretching process that the force introduction of the stretching force 210 is oriented at an angle φ to the plate link , that is , to the chain length direction 220 . during a stretching operation the angle φ will be varied so that it extends from about 60 degrees to about − 60 degrees , so that the contact areas 230 will be stretched and plastically deformed over a wide angular range . those plate links are also individually preconditioned . [ 0081 ] fig1 shows a plate - link chain 300 in section , in which next to the plate links 301 , 302 , 303 and the rocker members 310 there exist cross pins 320 as a hinge for torque transmission between the conical disks and the chain . the frictional force transmission results from the end faces 321 of the cross - pins . it is especially advantageous if the chain is constructed symmetrically , viewed in a lengthwise direction . in this case , symmetrical means that the plate links are arranged equally to the right and to the left of an imaginary centerline of the chain , and thereby the chain is symmetrical in terms of that imaginary centerline . the centerline can be formed by way of a row of plate links or by two symmetrical rows of plate links , so that together there results an even numbered number of plate - link rows or an odd number of plate - link rows . thereby a uniform elongation of the outer plate links is achieved , and the moment transfer capacity is increased . [ 0083 ] fig1 shows a section of a plate - link chain 400 in accordance with the invention having a symmetrical construction . the transmission pins 405 are indicated as lines . only three rows of plate links of the chain are shown in order to illustrate the principle of a symmetrical chain . the plate links 401 , 402 and 403 are arranged symmetrically relative to the arrow 404 , wherein the arrow 404 represents the chain movement direction . it is also possible for individual plate links to be formed as double plate links or as reinforced plate links , to be able to meet the increased load . the claims included in the application are exemplary and are without prejudice to acquiring wider patent protection . the applicant reserves the right to claim additional combinations of features disclosed in the specification and / or drawings . the references contained in the dependent claims point to further developments of the object of the main claim by means of the features of the particular claim ; they are not to be construed as renunciation to independent , objective protection for the combinations of features of the related dependent claims . although the subject matter of the dependent claims can constitute separate and independent inventions in the light of the state of the art on the priority date , the applicants reserve the right to make them the subject of independent claims or separate statements . they can , moreover , also embody independent inventions that can be produced from the independent developments of the subject matter of the included dependent claims . the exemplary embodiments are not to be considered to be limitations of the invention . on the contrary , many changes and variations are possible within the scope of the invention in the existing disclosure , in particular such variants , elements , and combinations and / or materials which , for example , are inventive by combining or modifying single features that are in combination and are described individually in relation to the general specification and embodiments as well as the claims and shown in the drawings , as well as elements or method steps that can be derived by a person skilled in the art in the light of the disclosed solutions of the problem , and which by means of combined features lead to a new object or new method steps or sequences of method steps , as well as manufacturing , testing and operational procedures .	5
fig1 illustrates the environment of the present invention which is a door latch assembly 10 situated in a door 12 that is pivotally mounted in a door frame where the door latch assembly &# 39 ; s sliding bolt 16 can engage a strike plate 18 situated in door frame 20 . door 12 is shown in a partially open state with its bolt 16 situated to move along dashed line 23 into aperture 19 of strike plate 18 when door 12 completes pivoting to its closed position . also shown in fig1 is door lever 24 mounted pivotally on door 12 to cooperate with the latch assembly 10 for a person to manually pivot lever 24 to retract bolt 16 from its extended position in a strike plate when the door is closed . fig2 illustrates the new latch assembly 10 , shown for illustrative purpose , with its front plate removed . as seen , bolt 16 is situated in a retracted position so that its distal end or bolt head 16 t does not extend outward of the edge surface 21 of latch housing 12 . bolt 16 can move axially outward to enter strike plate aperture 19 as seen in fig1 and 5 ; however , as seen in fig3 , extending proximally from bolt head 16 t is bolt stem 28 with flange 27 intermediate the ends of this bolt stem . coiled spring 26 encircles stem 28 , with a distal end 26 d of spring 26 bearing against frame 11 , and proximal end 26 p urging flange 27 and attached bolt stem 28 in the proximal or retracted position indicated by arrow 29 . the proximal end 28 p of stem 28 is coupled through the latch mechanism 10 to door lever spindle 29 and lever 24 as will be described below . fig5 shows door 12 having pivoted to its fully closed position within door frame 20 , and with bolt 16 having moved axially and distally to its extended position where bolt head 16 t has extended through aperture 19 of strike plate 18 also seen in fig1 . fig6 is a top plan view in section similar to fig3 , taken along line 6 - 6 in fig5 , but showing bolt 16 in its extended position as also shown in fig5 . accordingly , bolt head 16 t has extended distally outward through cover plate 17 on the door edge 21 . in this extended position , seen in fig6 , bolt stern 28 has simultaneously moved in the distal direction and spring 26 has been compressed . transition of the bolt from its retracted to its extended state will occur when the door has been pivoted to its closed state so that bolt 16 is well aligned with aperture 19 in the strike plate , as seen in fig5 and 6 . fig6 further illustrates bolt 16 having moved axially outward of door 12 and axially through aperture 19 of strike plate 18 . inwardly of strike plate 18 in the bolt - extended direction is a bolt - receiving area or chamber 30 conforming generally in shape to the outward surface of bolt head 16 t . further , inward of chamber 30 is magnet 40 which attracts bolt head 16 t to move axially outward of door 20 and axially inward through the strike plate 18 and into chamber 30 . when the door closes a magnetic force fm ( see arrow fm ) will pull bolt head 16 t axially outward against said spring force fs ( see arrow fs ) of spring 26 since the magnetic force fm is greater than the spring force fs . in one preferred embodiment the magnet is of neodynium ¾ ″ in diameter and ⅜ ″ long with surface field = 4667 gauss and bolt travel of about ⅝ ″ to ¾ ″. magnetic attraction between the bolt head and the magnet in the strike can be enhanced by addition of a secondary magnet ( s ) secured in the bolt head similar to the above - mentioned magnet of neodynium ¼ ″ diameter by ⅜ ″ long , surface field = 6261 gauss . fig6 a is a rear elevation view and fig6 b is a side elevation view in section of a lock bolt 16 x with a pair of magnets 16 y installed in the bolt head to enhance magnetic attraction of the bolt into the strike when the door is closed . these magnets may be secured in the bolt head , for example by fit or glue . the axial force fm of magnet 40 can be varied ( a ) by axially positioning magnet 40 closer to the strike plate as seen in fig4 a or farther from the strike plate as seen in fig4 b , or ( b ) by selecting a magnet having a greater or lesser magnetic force . an exemplary structure for axially moving magnet 40 is magnet holder 42 threadedly situated in threaded bore 44 . moving magnet 40 distally away per fig4 b will reduce the effective magnetic force and thus reduce the speed and / or impact of bolt head 16 t into its extended position , and reduce the resultant noise when the doors closed . fig4 d - 4f illustrate a preferred arrangement for adjustment of magnet 50 in the strike plate 18 . magnet 50 can be moved in the direction of arrow m and locked in place by set screws 52 . element 54 is a small projection or bumper or other friction element to slow down closing the door when it &# 39 ; s edge approaches strike plate 18 in the door jam sound damping can also be achieved by a cushion 46 seen in fig4 c in front of magnet 40 or some other restrictive element in the vicinity of bolt head 16 t , by a damper or shock absorber 48 seen in fig1 or 2 , may be applied to stem 16 s of bolt 16 or applied to a movable frame 16 f to which stem 16 s is coupled . in a preferred embodiment the damper restricts bolt movement to 69 in / sec , while bolt may travel three times that speed without a damper . to open a closed and latched door fig1 shows a lever 24 that can be pivoted to rotate spindle 29 and retract bolt 16 . pivoting of lever 24 of a closed door will retract bolt 16 by manually overcoming the magnetic force fm of magnet 40 situated inward of the strike plate . with the bolt 16 retracted and door 12 pivoted to an open position away from magnet 40 , spring 26 would reassert its role of maintaining bolt 16 in its retracted mode . in fig2 is schematically shown a cam finger 32 rotated by spindle 29 , coupled to lever 24 ( not shown ). cam finger 32 engages link 34 which pivots about pivot axle 36 and has an arm portion 38 engaged to the proximal end 16 p of bolt 16 . to open a closed door , counterclockwise motion of spindle 29 drives link 34 in a counterclockwise motion which pulls bolt 16 into its retracted position which overcomes magnetic force fm , and withdraws bolt 16 to be fully ( proximally ) outward of strike plate 18 , so that the door can be opened . after the door is opened and magnet 40 is no longer affecting bolt head 16 t , spring 26 can resume its primary role to maintain bolt 16 in its retracted position , regardless of whether lever 24 and link 34 are urging bolt 16 to its retracted position . thus , when the door is open bolt 16 is normally retracted because of the spring force fs . bolt 16 will be extended only when the door is closed and the magnetic force fm is applied , and finally will be pulled to its retracted position can be lengthened by an extension or other means not shown to compensate for a larger door between the edge of the door and the door jam . also seen in fig2 and three is coupling of the upper end 38 of link arm 34 to bolt stem 16 s . numerous different couplings well known in the prior art may be selected for retracting a bolt by rotation of a lever . this retraction also moves flange 27 in the proximal direction of arrow a1 which allows spring 26 to again exert force urging bolt stem 16 s and bolt 16 to their retracted position . as noted above the magnetic force fm is stronger than the spring force fs , so that manual pivoting of lever 24 is required to overcome the magnet force . thereafter , when the door is open and the lever is released , the spring force without opposition of a magnet force , will maintain the bolt in its retracted position , until such time as the door is closed again . fig7 and 8 further illustrate how the independent keylock cylinder and its cam 62 can bar opening of this door when it is closed and its bolt is extended into the strike plate of the door frame . fig7 shows that spindle 29 and its collar 31 6 and its camming finger 32 are positioned , if pivoted counterclockwise to bear against link 34 which would pivoted about pivot 36 , and in so pivoting pull and retract the bolt . pivoting of link 34 is precluded by cam finger 62 of keylock cylinder not shown , to thus bar opening the door by pushing on the lever . fig2 shows bolt head 16 t slidable in front housing sleeve 4 , and bolt stem 16 s is slidable in rear housing sleeve 5 . link 34 is situated on the near side of rear housing sleeve 5 as viewed in fig2 , while blocking link 55 is situated on the far side of rear housing sleeve 5 , namely on the far or opposite side of housing 5 . link 34 is coupled to the rear portion 16 p of the bolt stem by a transverse pin extending from said stem into slot 37 and link 34 seen in fig3 . fig2 and 8 show more clearly that link 34 is in the foreground , while link 55 is behind or rearward of rear housing 5 . as will be further explained below , door lever 24 can be pivoted to cause bolt 16 to retract from strike 18 so that the door can be opened . keylock cylinder with its cam finger 62 can be rotated to lock mode to temporarily bar door lever 24 from being able to open the door . these two functions are achieved through two different links coupled to the door lever as follows . fig2 shows link 34 connected between spindle 29 ( coupled to door lever 24 not shown ) and stem 16 s of bolt 16 as seen in fig2 . in fig2 link 34 appears in the foreground adjacent one side of housing 11 , of the latch assembly and coupled to the proximal end 16 p of the bolt stem 16 s via a pin 37 p extending transversely from stem 16 s into a slot 37 at the top end of link 34 ( fig3 ). also seen in fig2 , 6 and 8 in the background or far side of housing 11 is link 55 having its upper portion 55 u coupled to keylock cylinder and its cam finger 62 and having its lower portion 55 l coupled to spindle 29 with its collar 31 and cam finger 56 . these links are also shown in the fig6 plan view where cam finger 32 pivoted by collar 31 engages link 34 , both in the foreground or near side of housing 11 , while cam finger 62 engages link 55 in the rear or far side of housing 11 . further details of the foreground link 34 and background link 55 are explained as follows . fig2 shows link 34 coupled to the bolts rear stem rear stem 16 p with bolt 16 in its retracted position and spring 26 in its expanded mode pushing and maintaining bolt 16 to remain in its retracted state until the door is closed and bolt 16 moves distally through strike 18 as seen in fig6 . this bolt can be retracted by rotating spindle 29 , its collar 30 and its cam finger 32 counterclockwise as seen in fig2 which would bear against link 34 and pull bolt stem 28 toward the left into its retracted state as seen in fig2 . thus , the keylock cylinder in lock mode can block lever ; however , if the keylock cylinder &# 39 ; s cam finger 62 is pushing upper arm 55 u of link 55 in a counterclockwise direction , this pushes lower arm 55 l of link 55 into position adjacent cam finger 32 and blocks this finger and spindle 29 from turning to retract the bolt and opened the door . further as regards the damping feature applied to bolt 16 to reduce or eliminate the sound associated with the magnet pulling the bolt into the strike plate , an alternative damping element is a hydraulic piston and cylinder 48 as seen in fig2 coupled through a linkage to bolt 16 . this slows and controls the movement of the bolt when it is under the influence of the magnetic pull . this hydraulic cylinder can be adjusted to affect the speed and / or force of movement of the bolt . an alternative adjustment of the damping effect can be achieved , as described above and as shown in fig6 , by adjusting the position of magnet 40 to alter the magnetic force affecting the bolt head , and a still further alternative damping element would be positioning a cushion proximally of the surface of the magnet to blunt or soften the impact and resulting sound . returning now to fig6 , chamber 30 into which the bolt head 16 t will be inserted is tapered to reduce the possibility of patient suicide as follows . if such patient were to position a segment of a cord , twisted sheet or other ligature into this chamber 30 recess , intending to have the ligament captured therein when the door is closed with the opposite end used as a noose , such ligament would tend to fall out or at least not be captured due to the tapered walls . accordingly , with the spring element in the latching mechanism maintaining the bolt in a retracted state , a ligature inserted in said chamber would simply fall out when any tension were applied thereto since there was nothing on which the ligature could hook onto . although the best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings , it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments enclosed , but is capable of numerous rearrangements , modifications and substitutions of steps and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention . accordingly , the present invention is intended to encompass such rearrangements , modifications and substitutions of steps and elements as falls within the scope of the claims .	4
the illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description , any drawings , and claims are not meant to be limiting . other embodiments may be utilized , and other changes may be made , without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein . it will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure , as generally described herein , and that may be illustrated in any figures , can be arranged , substituted , combined , separated , and designed in a wide variety of different configurations , all of which are explicitly contemplated herein . the following words and terms used herein shall have the meaning indicated : the term “ halogenated polymer ” as used herein refers to homopolymers or copolymers derived at least in part from monomers substituted by one or more halogen atoms . the term “ fluorinated polymer ” as used herein refers to homopolymers or copolymers derived at least in part from monomers substituted by one or more fluorine atoms , or substituted by a combination of fluorine atoms and at least one chlorine , bromine or iodine atom per monomer . exemplary fluorinated homopolymers and copolymers include polymers and copolymers prepared from tetrafluoroethylene , hexafluoropropylene , chlorotrifluoroethylene and bromotrifluoroethylene . the term “ conductive polymer ” used herein refers to polymers that exhibit the property of being able to conduct electricity . the conductivity of conductive polymers is related to the abundance of charge - carrying polarons ( cation radicals ) and bipolaron ( di - cation ) structures present on the polymer backbone . the terms “ hydrophilic ” or “ hydrophilicity ”, when referring to a surface , are to be interpreted broadly to include any property of a surface that causes a water droplet to substantially spread across it . generally , if the contact angle between a water droplet and the surface is smaller than 90 °, the surface is hydrophilic or exhibits hydrophilicity . the water droplet may be replaced with any liquid that is miscible with water . accordingly , the contact angle between a liquid miscible with water and a hydrophilic surface is also smaller than 90 °. exemplary liquids that are miscible with water are ethanol , acetone and tetrahydrofuran . the term “ superhydrophilic ” refers to when the contact angle between a water droplet and the surface is smaller than 5 °. the terms “ hydrophobic ” and “ hydrophobicity ”, when referring to a surface , are to be interpreted broadly to include any property of a surface that does not cause a water droplet to substantially spread across it . generally , if the contact angle between a water droplet and the surface is greater than 90 °, the surface is hydrophobic or exhibits hydrophobicity . the water droplet may be replaced with any liquid that is miscible with water . accordingly , the contact angle between a liquid miscible with water and a hydrophobic surface is also greater than 90 °. exemplary liquids that are miscible with water are ethanol , acetone and tetrahydrofuran . the term “ lipophilic ”, when referring to a surface , is to be interpreted broadly to include any property of a surface that causes a hydrophobic solvent droplet to substantially spread across it . generally , if the contact angle between a hydrophobic solvent droplet and the surface is smaller than 90 °, the surface is lipophilic . exemplary hydrophobic solvents are hexane , toluene and trichloromethane . the term “ amphiphilic ”, in the context of this specification , refers to a surface that has both a water contact angle of less than 90 ° and a hydrophobic solvent contact angle of less than 90 °. the term “ contact angle ”, in the context of this specification , is to be interpreted broadly to include any angle that is measured between a liquid / solid interface . the contact angle is system specific and depends on the interfacial surface tension of the liquid / solid interface . a discussion on contact angle and its relation to surface wetting properties can be seen from “ wettability , spreading , and interfacial phenomena in high - temperature coatings ” by r . asthana and n . sobczak , jom - e , 2000 , 52 ( 1 ). the contact angle can be measured from two directions . in the context of this specification , for a longitudinal imprint being disposed about a longitudinal axis , θx refers to the contact angle measured in the “ x ” direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and θy refers to the contact angle measured in the “ y ” direction parallel , or in alignment with , the longitudinal axis . the value of the contact angle , θx or θy , may indicate the hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of a surface . the difference of these two contact angles , represented by δθ ( where δθ = θy − θx ), indicates the degree of isotropy or anisotropy of a wetting property . the word “ substantially ” does not exclude “ completely ” e . g . a composition which is “ substantially free ” from y may be completely free from y . where necessary , the word “ substantially ” may be omitted from the definition of the disclosed embodiments . as used herein , the term “ about ”, in the context of concentrations of components of the formulations , typically means +/− 5 % of the stated value , more typically +/− 4 % of the stated value , more typically +/− 3 % of the stated value , more typically , +/− 2 % of the stated value , even more typically +/− 1 % of the stated value , and even more typically +/− 0 . 5 % of the stated value . in one embodiment , the coupling agent includes nucleophilic groups . in one embodiment , halogen atoms are selected from the nucleophilic groups . in one embodiment , the halogen atoms are fluorine atoms . in one embodiment , the coupling agent is nafion . in one embodiment , the halogenated polymer is a fluorinated polymer or perfluorinated polymer . the porous halogenated polymer of the composite membrane may exhibit good resistance to chemical corrosion , good mechanical strength and thermal stability relative to known conductive polymers . the conductive polymer of the composite membrane may be insoluble and may also exhibit thermal stability . accordingly , the composite membrane is able to withstand harsh acidic and alkaline environments . thus , the composite membrane can be used in a variety of complex treatment environments . in one embodiment , the composite membrane does not give rise to secondary contamination , such as membrane fouling . in one embodiment , the conductive polymer includes a dopant selected to enhance the hydrophilicity of the conductive polymer . in another embodiment , the dopant includes an acid . in yet another embodiment , the acidic dopant is at least one of an inorganic acid and an organic acid . in one embodiment , the inorganic acid dopant is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid , sulfuric acid , phosphoric acid and nitric acid . in another embodiment , the organic acid dopant is selected from carboxylic acid and sulfonic acid . in one embodiment , the organic acid dopant is selected from the group consisting of straight chain aliphatic carboxylic acids , straight chain aliphatic sulfonic acids , aromatic carboxylic acids and aromatic sulfonic acids . the organic acid dopant may be acetic acid , butyric acid , benzoic acid or toluenesulfonic acid . doping of the conductive polymer may render the composite membrane hydrophilic . on the other hand , an undoped conductive polymer may render the composite membrane hydrophobic . in one embodiment , the hydrophilicity of the conductive polymer is capable of being altered by neutralizing the dopant . in another embodiment , the hydrophilicity of the conductive polymer is capable of being altered when a voltage is applied across the composite membrane and an inert electrode in an electrolyte solution . the hydrophilicity of the conductive polymer may be altered instantaneously when the voltage applied is sufficient . the doping of the conductive polymer may be made reversible by altering the polarity of the voltage applied , thus enabling easy control of the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane . the composite membrane may have properties of both super - hydrophilicity and electrical conductivity . accordingly , the composite membrane can perform dual functions of water filtration and heavy metal ion adsorption . the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane may also be dependent on other factors , such as the surface morphology , roughness and thickness of the conductive polymer layer . in one embodiment , the conductive polymer is coupled co - axially to the porous halogenated polymer . in one embodiment , the conductive polymer includes an oxidant to enhance the hydrophilicity of the conductive polymer . in one embodiment , the oxidant may be a strong or mild oxidant . exemplary oxidants include ammonium persulfate , ferric chloride , ferric nitrate , cerium ammonium nitrate , chloroauric acid , silver nitrate , sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide . in one embodiment , the molar ratio of oxidant to the monomeric groups is in the range of about 1 : 1 to about 20 : 1 . in another embodiment , the molar ratio of oxidant to the monomeric groups is in the range of about 1 : 1 to about 5 : 1 . the use of porous halogenated polymers confers excellent chemical inertia , thermal stability and good mechanical strength on the resultant composite membrane . in one embodiment , the porous fluorinated polymer is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene , fluorinated - ethylenepropylene , perfluoroalkoxys , polychlorotrifluoroethylene , ethylene tetrafluoroethylene , and polyvinylidene fluoride . in one embodiment , the porous fluorinated polymer is polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ). in one embodiment , the conductive polymer is any charged polymer and may include polypyrrole , polyaniline , polythiophene , polyacetylene , polyaromatic amines , and derivatives thereof . the composite membrane may be made conductive by controlling the mass of the conductive polymer grown on the porous fluorinated polymer . in one embodiment , the mass of conductive polymer relative to the composite membrane is in the range of about 1 % to about 30 %. in another embodiment , the mass of conductive polymer relative to the composite membrane is in the range of about 2 % to about 10 %. in one embodiment , the conductive polymer may be in the form of a layer . in this embodiment , the composite membrane may also be made conductive by controlling the thickness of the conductive polymer layer such that the thickness of the conductive polymer layer is in the range of about 2 μm to about 10 μm . the mass of the conductive polymer and thickness of the conductive polymer layer as stated above may be adjusted simultaneously with each other to render the composite membrane conductive . in one embodiment , there is disclosed a method for producing a composite membrane which includes coupling a conductive polymer that is coated with a coupling agent on its surface and a porous halogenated polymer . in one embodiment , the porous halogenated polymer is a porous fluorinated polymer or a porous perfluorinated polymer . in one embodiment , the polymer is water permeable . in one embodiment , the method for producing a composite membrane includes coupling a conductive polymer and a porous halogenated polymer that is coated with a coupling agent on its surface . in one embodiment , the method includes providing nucleophilic groups in the coupling agent . in one embodiment , the method includes selecting halogen atoms from the nucleophilic groups . in one embodiment , the method includes selecting fluorine atoms from the halogen atoms . in one embodiment , the method does not undermine the internal structure of the composite membrane , so that the resultant composite membrane retains the original mechanical strength of the porous halogenated polymer . the method may be relatively simple and economical . the conductive polymer may be coupled to the porous halogenated polymer via a physical coupling . the physical coupling may include hydrogen bond interactions , van der waals interactions and ionic interactions . in one embodiment , the coupling step includes polymerizing a monomeric solution of monomers capable of forming conductive polymers on the porous halogenated polymer . the membrane pore size of the resultant composite membrane may be manipulated by the degree of polymerization of the monomers on the porous fluorinated polymer . in a further embodiment , the method includes providing a dopant in the monomeric solution for enhancing the hydrophilicity of the conductive polymers after the polymerization step . in one embodiment , the dopant is selected from inorganic and organic acids . the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of the resultant composite membrane may be controlled by the amount of dopant added . accordingly , the resultant composite membrane may be amphiphilic . thus , the resultant composite membrane may be used in water systems , oil systems , as well as other complex solvent systems . in one embodiment , the method further includes providing an oxidant to the monomeric solution for enhancing the hydrophilicity of the conductive polymers after the polymerization step . in one embodiment , the oxidant is a strong or mild oxidant . in another embodiment , the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of ammonium persulfate , cerium ammonium nitrate , chloroauric acid , sodium hypochlorite , hydrogen peroxide , silver nitrate and ferric salts . in one embodiment , the oxidant may function as a dopant . alternatively , in one embodiment the dopant may function as an oxidant . the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of the resultant composite membrane may be controlled by the amount of oxidant added . the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of the resultant composite membrane may also be controlled by the molar ratio of the oxidant to monomer . the rate of addition of the oxidant and the amount of oxidant added may alter the speed of the polymerization reaction , thereby controlling the growth of the conductive polymers on the porous fluorinated polymer . accordingly , these microscopic structures formed on the porous fluorinated polymer alter the surface morphology of the conductive polymer and ultimately , the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane , as mentioned above . the growth of conductive polymers on the porous fluorinated polymer may also be altered by varying the type of oxidants added . the amount of deposition of conductive polymers on the porous fluorinated polymer ultimately determines the quality of the composite membrane . the pore size of the resultant composite membrane may be manipulated by the degree of polymerization . in one embodiment , the pore size of the resultant composite membrane may be from about 0 . 01 μm to about 1 μm , about 0 . 02 μm to about 1 μm , about 0 . 04 μm to about 1 μm , about 0 . 06 μm to about 1 μm , about 0 . 08 μm to about 1 μm , about 0 . 1 μm to about 1 μm , about 0 . 5 μm to about 1 μm , about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 5 μm , about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 1 μm , about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 08 μm , about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 06 μm , about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 04 μm or about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 02 μm . in another embodiment , the pore size of the resultant composite membrane may be from about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 1 μm . in one embodiment , the coupling step includes contacting the porous fluorinated polymer with the monomeric solution . in one embodiment , the contacting step is undertaken for about 2 hrs to about 72 hrs . in one embodiment , the contacting step is undertaken for about 24 hrs to about 48 hrs . in another embodiment , the contacting step is undertaken at a temperature in the range of about − 10 ° c . to about 35 ° c . in one embodiment , the contacting step is undertaken at a temperature in the range of about 0 ° c . to about 25 ° c . in one embodiment , the method further includes : providing an acidic dopant in the monomeric solution ; and polymerizing the conductive monomer to form the conductive polymer on the porous fluorinated polymer , whereby the conductive polymer is rendered generally hydrophilic by the acidic dopant . under the appropriate reaction conditions , the monomers in the monomeric solution may polymerize and deposit as a solid onto the porous fluorinated polymer to form the conductive polymer . the solid conductive polymer may neither dissolve nor melt . in one embodiment , the porous fluorinated polymer is dried at a temperature in the range of about 40 ° c . to about 80 ° c . to produce the composite membrane . in another embodiment , the porous fluorinated polymer is dried at a temperature in the range of about 50 ° c . to about 60 ° c . to produce the composite membrane . in one embodiment , at least the acidic dopant disposed on at least the surface of the conductive polymer is neutralized to form a generally hydrophobic surface on the conductive polymer . in one embodiment , the coupling step further includes coating the porous halogenated polymer with a coupling agent on its surface . in one embodiment , the coupling step includes providing nucleophilic groups in the coupling agent . in a further embodiment , the coupling step includes selecting halogen atoms from the nucleophilic groups . in another embodiment , the coupling step includes selecting fluorine atoms from the halogen atoms . in one embodiment , the coupling agent is nafion . the sulfonated groups of nafion alter the surface properties of the porous fluorinated polymer , which aids in the growth of the conductive polymer on the porous fluorinated polymer . accordingly , the composite membrane produced by this embodiment may possess stronger ionic interaction and therefore , may possess stronger coupling between the conductive polymer and the porous halogenated polymer . in one embodiment , the method includes altering the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane between a hydrophilic state and a hydrophobic state . in another embodiment , the altering step includes applying a voltage across the composite membrane and an inert electrode in an electrolyte solution . the disclosed composite polymer can be used to remove contaminants from liquid phases . in one embodiment , the pore size of the composite membrane used for the removal of contaminants may be from about 0 . 01 μm to about 1 μm . in one embodiment , the disclosed composite polymer can be used to remove metal ions from liquid phases . for example , the composite membrane could be used to remove contaminants from water contaminated with metal ions such as heavy metal ions through redox reactions or even to recover precious metals such as silver and gold from liquid phases containing such precious metals . in such an embodiment , there is disclosed a system which includes : an enclosed chamber for containing a feed solution comprising the metal ions in solution therein ; a composite membrane which includes a porous halogenated polymer that is coated with a coupling agent on its surface and a conductive polymer coupled to the porous halogenated polymer mounted within the enclosed chamber for being substantially immersed in the feed solution ; and a pressure differential source to drive at least part of the water feed across the membrane to thereby at least partially adsorb the metal ions therein and to produce treated water having less metal ions relative to the feed water . the pressure differential source may be a vacuum . in one embodiment , the pore size of the composite membrane used for the removal of metal ions may be from about 0 . 01 μm to about 0 . 1 μm . an outgoing water stream may contain less metal ions than the water feed . metal ions in the water feed may undergo redox reactions and deposit onto the composite membrane . the reduced metal depositions may be subsequently recovered by techniques known in the art . with respect to the use of substantially any plural and / or singular terms herein , those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and / or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and / or application . the various singular / plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity . it will be understood by those within the art that , in general , terms used herein , and especially in the appended claims ( e . g ., bodies of the appended claims ) are generally intended as “ open ” terms ( e . g ., the term “ including ” should be interpreted as “ including but not limited to ,” the term “ having ” should be interpreted as “ having at least ,” the term “ includes ” should be interpreted as “ includes but is not limited to ,” etc .). it will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended , such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim , and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present . for example , as an aid to understanding , the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “ at least one ” and “ one or more ” to introduce claim recitations . however , the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “ a ” or “ an ” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one such recitation , even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “ one or more ” or “ at least one ” and indefinite articles such as “ a ” or “ an ” ( e . g ., “ a ” and / or “ an ” should be interpreted to mean “ at least one ” or “ one or more ”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations . in addition , even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited , those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number ( e . g ., the bare recitation of “ two recitations ,” without other modifiers , means at least two recitations , or two or more recitations ). furthermore , in those instances where a convention analogous to “ at least one of a , b , and c , etc .” is used , in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention ( e . g ., “ a system having at least one of a , b , and c ” would include but not be limited to systems that have a alone , b alone , c alone , a and b together , a and c together , b and c together , and / or a , b , and c together , etc .). in those instances where a convention analogous to “ at least one of a , b , or c , etc .” is used , in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention ( e . g ., “ a system having at least one of a , b , or c ” would include but not be limited to systems that have a alone , b alone , c alone , a and b together , a and c together , b and c together , and / or a , b , and c together , etc .). it will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and / or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms , whether in the description , claims , or drawings , should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms , either of the terms , or both terms . for example , the phrase “ a or b ” will be understood to include the possibilities of “ a ” or “ b ” or “ a and b .” in addition , where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of markush groups , those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the markush group . as will be understood by one skilled in the art , for any and all purposes , such as in terms of providing a written description , all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subranges and combinations of subranges thereof . any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves , thirds , quarters , fifths , tenths , etc . as a non - limiting example , each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third , middle third and upper third , etc . as will also be understood by one skilled in the art all language such as “ up to ,” “ at least ,” and the like include the number recited and refer to ranges which can be subsequently broken down into subranges as discussed above . finally , as will be understood by one skilled in the art , a range includes each individual member . thus , for example , a group having 1 - 3 cells refers to groups having 1 , 2 , or 3 cells . similarly , a group having 1 - 5 cells refers to groups having 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 cells , and so forth . 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 . non - limiting examples of the invention will be further described in greater detail by reference to specific examples , which should not be construed as in any way limiting the scope of the disclosed embodiments . a 30 cm 2 ptfe membrane ( sinoma science & amp ; technology co . ltd , nanjing , china ) was soaked in 10 ml of aniline monomer ( analytically pure grade , from shanghai experiment reagent co . ltd , of shanghai , china ) for 10 minutes . the membrane was then immersed in an aqueous solution containing 0 . 5 g of ammonium persulfate ( analytically pure grade , from nanjing chemical reagent co . ltd , of nanjing , china ) and 5 g of p - toluenesulfonic acid ( analytically pure grade , from shanghai ling feng chemical reagent co . ltd , of shanghai , china ) for 24 hours at 0 ° c . the membrane was removed and rinsed with distilled water and ethanol ( analytically pure grade , from nanjing chemical reagent co . ltd , of nanjing , china ), and dried . the resulting composite membrane is a ptfe membrane with doped polyaniline and exhibits an electrical conductivity of 10 0 s / cm , a water contact angle of 105 - 110 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane and toluene . an sem image of the resulting composite membrane obtained at 50 , 000 × magnification is shown in fig1 a . the resulting composite membrane is rendered hydrophobic by neutralizing the doped polyaniline to undoped polyaniline , either by immersing the composite membrane in 1 m ammonia for 24 hours or immersing the composite membrane in 0 . 1 m sodium sulphate electrolyte solution ( analytically pure grade , from nanjing chemical reagent co . ltd , of nanjing , china ) with a 30 v voltage applied to the solution . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 140 - 145 °. here , the process of example 1 is carried out , except that 1 g of ammonium persulfate is used instead of 0 . 5 g of ammonium persulfate . the resulting hydrophilic composite membrane exhibits an electrical conductivity of 10 0 s / cm , a water contact angle of 55 - 60 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane and toluene . to produce the final hydrophobic membrane of example 1 , the neutralization process of example 1 is carried out , except that 0 . 5 m sodium nitrate electrolyte solution is used . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 140 - 145 °. here , the process of example 1 is carried out , except that 1 . 5 g of ammonium persulfate is used instead of 0 . 5 g of ammonium persulfate . the resulting super - hydrophilic composite membrane exhibits an electrical conductivity of 10 0 s / cm , a water contact angle of 0 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane and toluene . to produce the final hydrophobic membrane of example 1 , the neutralization process of example 1 is carried out , except that 1 m lithium perchlorate electrolyte solution ( analytically pure grade , from nanjing chemical reagent co . ltd , of nanjing , china ) is used . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 140 - 145 °. a ptfe membrane was first coated with nafion ® solution ( de520 , from dupont of wilmington , del . of the united states of america ), and then soaked in 1 m hcl ( analytically pure grade , from suqian luen shing chemical co . ltd , of jiangsu , china ) for 24 h . the membrane was used to compartmentalize a reaction container into two separate compartments . the first compartment contained solution of 2 . 3 g ammonium persulfate in 50 ml distilled water and was placed against a first face of the membrane , and the second compartment contained a solution of 265 ml aniline and 1 . 7 g p - toluenesulfonic acid in 50 ml distilled water and was placed against the opposite second face of the membrane . the solutions were let to react with the membrane at room temperature for 72 h before the membrane was removed and washed several times with distilled water . the resulting amphiphilic ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane exhibited an electrical conductivity of 10 − 1 s / cm , a water contact angle of 0 to 5 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane , and toluene . an sem image of the resulting composite membrane obtained at 500 × magnification is shown in fig1 b . the resulting composite membrane was rendered hydrophobic by neutralizing the doped polyaniline to undoped polyaniline , either by immersing the composite membrane in 1 m ammonia for 24 hours or immersing the composite membrane in 0 . 1 m potassium sulfate electrolyte solution ( analytically pure grade , from nanjing chemical reagent co . ltd , of nanjing , china ) with a 30 v voltage applied to the solution . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 130 - 145 °. here , the polymerization process of example 4 was carried out , except that the second compartment contained 1 m hcl , instead of 1 . 7 g p - toluenesulfonic acid . the resulting amphiphilic ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane exhibited an electrical conductivity of 10 − 2 s / cm , a water contact angle of 15 to 20 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane and toluene . to produce the final hydrophobic membrane of example 1 , the neutralization process of example 1 was carried out , except that 1 m potassium nitrate electrolyte solution was used . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 130 - 145 °. here , the polymerization process of example 4 was carried out , except that the reaction time was decreased to 48 h , instead of 72 h . the resulting amphiphilic ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane exhibited an electrical conductivity of 10 − 2 s / cm , a water contact angle of 10 to 15 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane and toluene . to produce the final hydrophobic membrane of example 1 , the neutralization process of example 1 was carried out , except that 1 m of potassium sulfate electrolyte solution was used . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 130 - 145 °. here , the polymerization process of example 4 was carried out , except that the second compartment contained 0 . 6 g p - toluenesulfonic acid , instead of 1 . 7 g p - toluenesulfonic acid . the resulting amphiphilic ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane exhibited an electrical conductivity of 10 − 3 s / cm , a water contact angle of 80 to 85 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane and toluene . to produce the final hydrophobic membrane of example 1 , the neutralization process of example 1 was carried out , except that 0 . 5 m potassium sulfate electrolyte solution was used . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 130 - 145 °. here , the polymerization process of example 4 was carried out , except that the second compartment contained 0 . 3 g p - toluenesulfonic acid , instead of 1 . 7 g p - toluenesulfonic acid . the resulting amphiphilic ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane exhibited an electrical conductivity of 10 − 4 s / cm , a water contact angle of 90 to 95 °, and a contact angle of 0 ° for the following solvents : n - hexane , tetrahydrofuran , ethanol , acetone , trichloromethane and toluene . to produce the final hydrophobic membrane of example 1 , the neutralization process of example 1 was carried out , except that 1 m lithium perchlorate electrolyte solution ( analytically pure grade , from nanjing chemical reagent co . ltd , of nanjing , china ) was used . the resulting membrane has a water contact angle of 130 - 145 °. a 2 cm × 2 cm ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane produced in accordance with example 4 was immersed in 0 . 02m of silver nitrate ( agno 3 ) solution for 1 hour . after 1 hour , the membrane was removed , dried and analyzed under a scanning electron microscope . fig2 a shows an sem image at 25 , 000 × magnification of the ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane in which the adsorption of silver nanoparticles on the surface of the composite membrane can be observed . the silver nanoparticles were analyzed under an x - ray diffraction microscope and the x - ray diffraction graph produced is shown in fig2 b . diffraction peaks for the ag element can be seen on the graph , showing the adsorption of silver onto the composite membrane . this is due to the reduction of ag + ions present in the agno 3 solution to ag by the polyaniline of the composite membrane . here , the process of example 6 was carried out , except that the 2 cm × 2 cm ptfe / nafion / polyaniline composite membrane was immersed in 0 . 02m of lead acetate ( pb ( ch 3 coo ) 2 ) solution instead of agno 3 solution . after 1 hour , the membrane was analyzed and the multi - element analysis of the membrane is shown in fig3 . the elemental analysis indicates a peak for the pb element and the weight of the adsorbed pb accounts for 3 . 46 % by weight of the total composite membrane . this shows that the pb 2 + ions in the pb ( ch 3 coo ) 2 solution form an effective complex with the amino and imine groups of the polyaniline of the composite membrane which may result in the reduction of the pb 2 + ions to pb and the resultant adsorption of pb onto the composite membrane . the porous fluorinated polymer of the disclosed composite membrane may retain its original mechanical strength and its internal structure may not be undermined . therefore , the disclosed composite membrane may be able to withstand harsh acid and alkali environments . the use of the disclosed composite membrane may thus be tailored to any relevant industrial application . the disclosed composite membrane may not give rise to secondary contamination , such as membrane fouling . the disclosed composite membrane may possess dual functions of both super - hydrophilicity and electrical conductivity . accordingly , the disclosed composite membrane can be used in wastewater treatment as a membrane filter for impurities as well as to adsorb heavy metal ions . the membrane can also be used in the decontamination of acid systems and alkaline systems . the hydrophilicity of the composite membrane may be modified in various ways . accordingly , the disclosed composite membrane is amphiphilic and can be used in water systems , oil systems , as well as other complex solvent systems . the disclosed composite membrane may also be used for the enrichment of heavy metal ions .	1
the principles and operation of an apparatus and method according to the present invention may be understood with reference to the accompanying description and the material in the appendices , which disclose the detailed mathematical principles , circuit diagrams , examples , and other information to completely explain implementing the invention . the present invention discloses a novel rounding procedure for ieee floating point division ( see appendix d - section 4 ), which is herein referred to as “ dewpoint ” rounding — so - called because of the analogy to the meteorological temperature below which condensation of moisture occurs , and above which condensation of moisture does not occur . the procedure relies on an error range of the quotient that allows for only two candidate numbers for the final ieee rounded result . each candidate number is associated with a rounding interval , which is simply the set of numbers that are ieee - rounded to the candidate number . the dewpoint is defined to be the number separating the two rounding intervals . the rounding decision is obtained by comparing the dewpoint against the exact quotient by applying back - multiplication . this comparison determines which of the candidate numbers is the correct ieee - rounded result . appendix d - section 4 discloses the details of a unified dewpoint rounding procedure for all ieee rounding modes , thereby eliminating the need for rounding tables . the novel dewpoint rounding of the present invention represents an improvement over current prior - art approaches for implementing ieee rounding in division , which first compute a “ rounding representative ” of the exact quotient ( i . e ., a number that belongs to the same rounding interval to which the exact quotient belongs ), and then round the rounding representative . an optimized implementation of dewpoint rounding and back multiplication is disclosed in detail in appendix b - section 7 . 6 and in appendix d - section 5 . 3 . to compute the dewpoint , use a rounding injection and a dewpoint displacement constant ( as detailed in appendix d - section 4 . 2 ). the rounding injection is added to the computed quotient , which is then truncated . the dewpoint displacement constant is then added to the truncated computed quotient to obtain the dewpoint . all the intermediate results mentioned here ( the computed quotient , the truncated computed quotient , and the dewpoint ) are also represented in redundant representation . this means that each of the additions mentioned above can be computed in constant time ( i . e ., they do not require a carry - propagate adder with a logarithmic delay ). this enables a reduction of the four ieee rounding modes to a single rounding mode , so that each separate mode need not be dealt with separately . furthermore , the test to determine which of the candidate numbers represents the proper rounding of the computed quotient involves evaluating whether the quantity ( b * dewpoint − a ) is zero , positive , or negative . it is noted that the dewpoint is very close to the exact quotient a / b , so that the absolute value of this quantity is very small , and the sign ( or zero ) of this quantity can be determined by the least - significant few bits . thus , the hardware used to determine the sign ( or zero ) can be fed by a small subset of the least - significant bits . moreover , in yet another embodiment of the present invention , the back - multiplication is split into two half - size multiplication operations that can be performed in consecutive clock cycles using the same multiplier ( refer to cycles 8 and 9 in appendix b - table 3 ). the first part of the back - multiplication is done with an estimated dewpoint ( as shown in appendix b - section 7 . 6 ). the estimated dewpoint is computed from the computed quotient of the previous iteration . an apparatus according to this embodiment of the present invention utilizes a half - size multiplier for the dewpoint back - multiplication , thereby reducing hardware requirements . addition trees in multipliers are not amenable to pipelining . short clock cycles are therefore not achievable at reasonable cost if the addition tree has too many rows . booth radix - 8 recoding reduces the number of rows in an addition tree from n to ( n + 1 )/ 3 . booth radix - 8 multipliers are usually implemented using a 3 - stage pipeline , as follows : 1 . precompute the 3 × multiple of the first operand of the multiplier and recode the second operand ; 2 . an addition tree that computes a carry - save representation of the product ; and goldschmidt &# 39 ; s algorithm performs only two multiplications per iteration . hence running goldschmidt &# 39 ; s algorithm on a 3 - stage pipeline creates unutilized cycles (“ bubbles ”) in the pipeline . these bubbles increase the latency and reduce the throughput . certain prior - art processors attempt to utilize these bubbles ( and increase throughput ) by allowing other multiplication operations to be executed during such bubbles . the present invention discloses a booth radix - 8 multiplier that allows for both operands to be either in nonredundant representation or carry - save representation . booth multipliers with one operand in redundant carry - save representation are known in the prior art , but booth multipliers with both operands in redundant representation conceptually is a novel feature of the present invention , which reduces the 3 - stage pipeline to a 2 - stage pipeline for all but the last iteration of the algorithm . the booth - 8 multiplier design that supports operands in redundant representation is not symmetric , in the sense that the first operand and second operand of the multiplier are processed differently during the first pipeline stage . during the first pipeline stage , operands represented as carry - save numbers are processed as follows : ( a ) the first operand is compressed and the 3 × multiple thereof is computed . this requires two adders . to reduce hardware requirements , an embodiment of the present invention employs the adder from the third pipeline stage for compressing the first operand . in this embodiment , the compression of the first operand appears in appendix d - table 2 as an operation that takes place in the third pipeline stage . ( b ) the second operand can be partially compressed from carry - save representation before being fed to the booth recoder . in appendix d -“ implementation of the dewpoint computation ” a recoding method is detailed . a method for determining the booth recoding of the dewpoint correction term is detailed in appendix b - section 7 . this method is based on a bound on the value of the dewpoint correction term , which determines the most significant digit position i involved in the computation ( i = 24 in appendix b - figure 3 ). a first booth recoded operand of the dewpoint correction term is computed modulo 2 − i , which has either the value of the dewpoint correction term or the value of the dewpoint correction term plus 2 − i . a second booth recoded operand is computed in the same manner , minus 2 − i . only the most significant booth recoded digit of the second booth recoded operand needs to be computed . the other digits are the same as in the first booth recoded operand . in parallel with the above computations , a signal is computed that indicates whether the first booth recoded operand represents the dewpoint correction term plus 2 − i . if the signal is a zero , the first booth recoded operand represents the dewpoint correction constant , and is chosen as the booth recoded operand . if the signal is a one , the booth rcoded operand represents the dewpoint correction constant plus 2 − i and the second booth recoded operand is chosen as the booth recoded operand . for example , 2 − i = 2 − 24 in appendix b - figure 3 . in an embodiment of the present invention , a booth recoded multiplier can be fed by either non - redundant binary operands or by redundant carry - save operands . when applied to a booth radix - 8 multiplier , this enables reducing the feedback latency to two cycles . the prior art features only booth multipliers with one operand in redundant carry - save representation or signed - digit representation . the organization of a booth multiplier according to this embodiment of the present invention has the following stages , as detailed in appendix d - section 5 . 1 . stage 1 . the two operands of the multiplier are prepared for the addition of the partial products in the second stage . the second operand is recoded in booth radix - 8 digits and the partial products are generated . if the second operand is given in carry - save representation , a partial compressor prepares the second operand for the input of a conventional booth recoder . the recoding can accept either a binary string or a carry - save encoded digit string . the first operand is processed as follows : the 3 × multiple of the operand is computed using an adder . the first operand can be represented in either binary or redundant carry - save representation . for the case where the first operand is encoded as a carry - save digit string , the computation of the 3 × multiple is preceded by a 4 : 2 adder that computes a carry - save encoding of the 3 × multiple . this carry - save encoded digit string is compressed to a binary number by the adder . for the case where the first operand is encoded as a carry - save digit string , the binary representation of the operand is also computed by a binary adder . the binary adder from the third pipeline stage can be used for this purpose if available for carry - save feedback operands . this can save an adder in the first pipeline stage . stage 2 . in the second stage , the partial products are compressed by an adder tree . in addition to the partial products , an additional row can be dedicated for an additive input . stage 3 . the third stage contains an adder to compress the carry - save representation of the product to a binary representation . this adder can be shared with the first pipeline stage . appendix d - section 6 . 1 details how a full size multiplier is used in a floating point divider . appendix b - section 6 details how a half - sized multiplier is used . while the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments , it will be appreciated that many variations , modifications and other applications of the invention may be made . [ 1 ] r . c . agarwal , f . g . gustavson , and m . s . schrnookler . series approximation methods for divide and square root in the power3 processor . in proceedings of the 13 th ieee symposium on computer arithmetic , volume 14 , pages 116 - 123 . ieee , 1999 . [ 2 ] s . f . anderson , j . g . earle , r . e . goldschmidt , and d . m . powers . the ibm 360 / 370 model 91 : floating - point execution unit . ibm journal of research and development , january 1967 . [ 3 ] p . beame , s . cook , and h . hoover . log depth circuits for division and related problems . siam journal on computing , 15 : 994 - 1003 , 1986 . [ 4 ] g . w . bewick . fast multiplication : algorithms and implementation . phd thesis , stanford university , march 1994 . [ 5 ] marius a . cornea - hasegan , roger a . golliver , and peter markstein . correctness proofs outline for newton - raphson based floating - point divide and square root algorithms . in koren and kornerup , editors , proceedings of the 14 th ieee symposium on computer arithmetic ( adelaide , australia ), pages 96 - 105 , los alamitos , calif ., april 1999 . ieee computer society press . [ 6 ] d . dassarma and d . w . matula . faithful bipartite rom reciprocal tables . in s . knowles and w . h . mcallister , editors , proc . 12 th ieee symposium on computer arithmetic , pages 17 - 28 , 1995 . [ 7 ] m . daumas and d . w . matula . recoders for partial compression and rounding . technical report 97 - 01 , laboratoire de l &# 39 ; informatique du parallélisme , lyon , france , 1997 . [ 8 ] m . daumas and d . w . matula . a booth multiplier accepting both a redundant or a non - redundant input with no additional delay . in ieee international conference on application - specific systems , architectures and processors , pages 205 - 214 , 2000 . [ 9 ] g . even , s . m . mueller , and p . m . seidel . a dual mode ieee multiplier . in proceedings of the 2 nd ieee international conference on innovative systems in silicon , pages 282 - 289 . ieee , 1997 . [ 10 ] g . even and w . j . paul . on the design of ieee compliant floating point units . in proceedings of the 13 th symposium on computer arithmetic , volume 13 , pages 54 - 63 . ieee , 1997 . [ 11 ] g . even and p . - m . seidel . a comparison of three rounding algorithms for ieee floating - point multiplication . ieee transactions on computers , special issue on computer arithmetic , pages 638 - 650 , july 2000 . [ 12 ] guy even and peter - m . seidel . pipelined multiplicative division with ieee rounding . in proceedings of the 21 st international conference on computer design , oct . 13 - 15 2003 . [ 13 ] guy even , peter - m . seidel , and warren e . ferguson . a parametric error analysis of goldschmidt &# 39 ; s division algorithm . in proceedings of the 16 th ieee symposium on computer arithmetic , jun . 15 - 18 2003 . full version submitted to jcss . [ 14 ] d . ferrari . a division method using a parallel multiplier . ieee transactions on computers , ec - 16 : 224 - 226 , april 1967 . [ 15 ] m . j . flynn . on division by functional iteration . ieee transactions on computers , c - 19 ( 8 ): 702 - 706 , august 1970 . [ 16 ] r . e . goldschmidt . applications of division by convergence . master &# 39 ; s thesis , mit , june 1964 . [ 17 ] ieee standard for binary floating - point arithmetic . ansi / ieee754 - 1985 , new york , 1985 . [ 18 ] cristina iordache and david w . matula . on infinitely precise rounding for division , square root , reciprocal and square root reciprocal . in koren and kornerup , editors , proceedings of the 14 th ieee symposium on computer arithmetic ( adelaide , australia ), pages 233 - 240 , los amlamitos , calif ., april 1999 . ieee computer society press . [ 19 ] h . kabuo , t . taniguchi , a . miyoshi , h . yamashita , m . urano , h . edamatsu , and s . kuninobu . accurate rounding scheme for the newton - raphson method using redundant binary representation . ieee transactions on computers , 43 ( 1 ): 43 - 51 , 1994 . [ 20 ] d . e . knuth . the art of computer programming , volume 2 . addison - wesley , 3nd edition , 1998 . [ 21 ] e . v . krishnamurthy . on optimal iterative schemes for high - speed division . ieee transactions on computers , c - 19 ( 3 ): 227 - 231 , march 1970 . [ 22 ] p . markstein . ia - 64 and elementary functions : speed and precision . hewlett - packard professional books . prentice hall , 2000 . [ 23 ] k . mehlhorn and f . p . preparata . area - time optimal division for t = ω (( logn ) 1 + ε ). information and computation , 72 ( 3 ): 270 - 282 , 1987 . [ 24 ] p montuschi and t . lang . boosting very - high radix division with prescaling and selection by rounding . ieee transactions on computers , 50 ( 1 ): 13 - 27 , 2001 . [ 25 ] silvia m . mueller and wolfgang j . paul . computer architecture . complexity and correctness . springer , 2000 . [ 26 ] j . m . muller . elementary functions , algorithms and implementation . birkhauser , boston , 1997 . [ 27 ] s . f . oberman and m . j . flynn . design issues in division and other floating - point operations . ieee transactions on computers , 46 ( 2 ): 154 - 161 , february 1997 . [ 28 ] stuart f oberman . floating - point division and square root algorithms and implementation in the amd - k7 microprocessor . in koren and kornerup , editors , proceedings of the 14 th ieee symposium on computer arithmetic ( adelaide , australia ), pages 106 - 115 , los alamitos , calif ., april 1999 . ieee computer society press . [ 29 ] w . j . paul and p . - m . seidel . on the complexity of booth recoding . proceedings of the 3 rd conference on real numbers and computers ( rnc 3 ), pages 199 - 218 , 1998 . [ 30 ] j . h . reif and s . r . tate . optimal size integer division circuits . siam journal on computing , 19 ( 5 ): 912 - 924 , october 1990 . [ 31 ] d . m . russinoff . a mechanically checked proof of ieee compliance of a register - transfer - level specification of the amd - k7 floating - point multiplication , division , and square root instructions . lms journal of computation and mathematics , 1 : 148 - 200 , december 1998 . [ 32 ] m . r . santoro , g . bewick , and m . a . horowitz . rounding algorithms for ieee multipliers . in proceedings 9 th symposium on computer arithmetic , pages 176 - 183 , 1989 . [ 33 ] e . m . schwarz , l . sigal , and t . mcpherson . cmos floating point unit for the s / 390 parallel enterpise server g4 . ibm journal of research and development , 41 ( 4 / 5 ): 475 - 488 , july / september 1997 . [ 34 ] e . m . schwarz . rounding for quadratically converging algorithms for division and square root . in proceedings of the 29 th asilomar conference on signals , systems and computers , volume 29 , pages 600 - 603 . ieee , 1996 . [ 35 ] p . - m . seidel . high - speed redundant reciprocal approximation . integration , the vlsi journal , 28 : 1 - 12 , 1999 . [ 36 ] p .- m . seidel . on the design of ieee compliant floating - point units and their quantitative analysis . phd thesis , university of saarland , computer science department , germany , 1999 . [ 37 ] n . shankar and v . ramachandran . efficient parallel circuits and algorithms for division . information processing letters , 29 ( 6 ): 307 - 313 , 1988 . [ 38 ] p . soderquist and m . leeser . area and performance tradeoffs in floating - point divide and square - root implementations . acm computing surveys , 28 ( 3 ): 518 - 564 , september 1996 . [ 40 ] n . takagi . arithmetic unit based on a high speed multiplier with a redundant binary addition tree . in advanced signal processing algorithms , architectures and impleme ntation ii , vol . 1566 of proceedings of spie , pages 244 - 251 , 1991 .	6
power gating groups of gates achieves additional power savings during run - time operation by reducing the leakage current of transistors in the gates . in one embodiment a power gate is formed by a transistor ( or many transistors in parallel ) that are in series between the power - gated gates and their power supplies , e . g ., vdd and / or gnd . the power gate ( s ) are then selectively controlled to disconnect the gates from vdd and / or ground so the leakage current can be reduced when the gates are not being used . referring to fig1 , a high - level block diagram illustrates an integrated circuit 101 such as a microprocessor , which includes multiple macro architectural features 102 such as processing cores , whose power can be controlled by placing them in power states that provide varying levels of performance , from a sleep state to a fully powered state . in addition , one or more of the macro architectural features have groups of gates 103 that can be controlled to reduce power consumption during the full ( or a reduced ) operational state during run time . fig2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of how the groups of gates can be controlled during run time to decrease power consumption . referring to fig2 , nfet power gate 201 is in series between the power - gated gates 203 and gnd . the power - gated gates 203 correspond to the group of gates 103 shown in fig1 . the gates that are power gated are typically and , or , nor , nand , and similar logic gates and are represented in fig2 as power - gated gates 203 . when the gates 203 are idle , the power gate 201 can be turned off , reducing the voltage across the gates and thereby reducing the leakage current from the gates . in addition , or instead of using the nfet 201 , a pfet 202 can be used in series with vdd , and switched off to reduce the voltage across the gates , thereby reducing the leakage current . a significant issue with run - time power gating is having adequate time to transition the gates from sleeping to fully powered , i . e ., having enough time to wake . that is , when power gate 201 is turned on , the power - gated gates take time to fully charge to their fully powered state in response to power gate 201 ( and / or 202 ) turning on . one approach is to include sufficient timing margin in the design , e . g ., a guard band in the timing design , to ensure the gates are fully powered . however , such a timing penalty is generally unacceptable in high - performance integrated circuits such as microprocessors . control logic 205 monitors the clock gate enables 221 and 223 of the source flip - flops 207 to determine when to wake , and when to sleep the power - gated gates . the number of clock gate enables shown is illustrative and other numbers of enables may be utilized based on design requirements . note that the and gate 208 may also be considered part of control logic 205 and helps control the clocking of the destination flip - flops as described further herein . note that while flip - flops are shown in fig2 , any source and destination storage elements , such as latches , may be used instead of , or in addition to , the flip - flops shown in fig2 . fig2 illustrates the basic operation and construction of an exemplary embodiment . a chosen set of destination flip - flops 209 determines the set of gates 203 that can be power gated . that is , a gate can be power gated if all of its output paths terminate exclusively at one or more of the destination flip - flops 209 . gates with output paths that go to places other than destination flip - flops are not power gated . for example , the inverter 215 has an output path 217 that goes somewhere other than destination flip - flops 209 , e . g ., to a different flip - flop , latch , or output port . accordingly , inverter 215 is not included as part of the power - gated gates 203 . in an exemplary embodiment the control logic 205 is a state machine that controls the power gate , monitors the clock gate enables and determines when to wake the power - gated gates , and when the power - gated gates can sleep . consider an initial state of sleep . in the initial sleep state shown in fig2 , destination flip - flops 209 are blocked from clocking and the power - gated gates 203 are sleeping . the term sleeping refers to the power gate 201 ( or 202 ) being turned off to reduce leakage current in the power - gated gates 203 . in the sleeping state the state machine in the control logic 205 is in a first state in which the wake signal is deasserted . fig3 illustrates a timing diagram associated with the circuits shown in fig2 . the term “ wake ” refers to the power gate 201 ( and / or 202 ) being turned on to allow current to flow in the power - gated gates 203 . referring to fig3 , assume a clock signal clk 301 on clock signal line 224 . latches 226 and 228 are used to supply the enable signals ena 1 221 and ena 2 223 for the clock signals for source flip - flops 207 . the enable signals are anded with the clock signals in and gates 230 and 232 . gates 203 wake in response to assertion of any of the source flip - flop clock gate enables 221 or 223 ( shown at 302 ) after the delay through or gates 225 , 227 , and 229 . the state machine flip - flop 231 asserts its output on the rising edge of the next cycle at 304 , thus changing to a second state . the assertion of the output of the flip - flop 231 results , after a delay , in the assertion of the dest_ena_ 3 signal at the output of the and gate 208 at 306 . the destination flip - flops 209 are then clocked after the delay through latch 210 and and gate 212 . the enable ( ena 3 ) for the destination flip - flops is assumed to be asserted at that time . using the state machine , there is at least a one - cycle delay between assertion of the source enables at 302 and the assertion of the destination enable at 306 , allowing the power - gated gates time to fully charge before the destination flip - flop clocks are unblocked and clocked . the power - gated gates 203 are held awake by the control logic 205 until the destination flip - flops are clocked . once destination flip - flops are clocked after dest_ena_ 3 236 is asserted at 306 and the source enables 221 and 223 are deasserted , the output of the state machine flip - flop deasserts at 308 at the rising clock edge , returning to the first state , causing the power - gated gates to sleep by deassertion of the wake signal at 310 . any further clocks for the destination flip - flops 209 are blocked by and gate 208 until source flip - flops are clocked again . the destination flip - flops will not change , of course , if the source flip - flops do not change . the blocking function allows a full clock period before destination flip - flop inputs are consumed . an embodiment may have multiple destination enables . if so , there is a need to wait until all destination clock enable signals have asserted before putting the power - gated gates to sleep . since conceivably the destination enables can arrive at different times , the signals can be stored in flip - flops and then reset when all bits have been asserted at least once and supplied to the logic to cause sleep through the flip - flop 231 . in an embodiment , bits could be encoded to save on the number of flip - flops . fig4 a illustrates an embodiment in which the power - gated gates 403 between source flip - flop 402 and destination flip - flop 404 are coupled to a single power gate 405 . in fig4 b multiple power gates 407 and 409 are used . if there are a large number of power - gated gates , the distribution of wake to the power gates may take several stages of buffers . fig4 b shows how timing requirements can be relaxed by partitioning gates into critical timing gates ( attached to wake 1 ) and non - critical timing gates ( attached to wake 2 ). thus , power gate 407 receives wake 1 and power gate 409 receives wake 2 . gates temporally closest to the source flip - flops are most critical . in the embodiment shown in fig4 b , the power gate for the critical gates receive wake 1 using no buffers ( or fewer buffers ) as compared to wake 2 . for ease of illustration , wake 2 is shown being generated with one buffer and wake 1 with no buffers . other number of buffers may be required depending on the particular implementation and the number of power gates driven by each of the wake signals . timing requirements are aggressive , but can be relaxed . the or of the enables of the source flip - flops supplies the state machine flip - flop 231 . the clock for the flip - flop 231 can be delayed , however , since it initiates the sleeping function , not the waking . a second timing constraint is that the gates should be fully powered by the time they are used , or timing can suffer . they should be wakened by the time the source flip - flops outputs can transition . this timing constraint can be relaxed by not power gating stages of gates immediately following the source flip - flops . referring to fig4 c , gates 411 and 415 are not power gated and not included with power - gated gates 417 to provide additional timing margin for the control signal wake to wake the power - gated logic gates . both of these timing relaxation techniques shown in fig4 b and 4c reduce the leakage savings . as shown in fig4 c , the setup requirement can be relaxed by trading off coverage of how many gates are subject to power gating . the active power gating approach described herein is applicable to microprocessor design , but is widely applicable to circuit design generally . because the techniques herein can be generally applied to digital circuitry , the active power gating described herein can achieve high coverage , which in turn means more power savings . timing impact is modest . the timing impact results from a term being anded in and gate 208 in the clock enable path , and there is additional load for the one or more source enable signals from the or tree . as clock gating efficiency improves over current approaches , the active power gating herein will automatically improve in terms of its impact on leakage savings . power gating described herein may lead to higher use of lowvt ( lvt ) gates , or even ultralowvt ( ulvt ) gates , within power - gated domains because leakage power is selectively and transiently reduced . active - mode power gating puts leakage power on par with dynamic power when making performance - power tradeoffs . an additional benefit of the approach described in fig2 is that dynamic power is likely to be reduced , too , because of the clock blocking function by and gate 208 on the clock for the destination flip - flops . that is , if the destination clocks are blocked by the control logic 205 , additional power savings occurs . as has been described above , pipeline power gating ( ppg ) reduces leakage of inactive circuits during run time . in certain embodiments , it is possible to increase the logical coverage of ppg while preserving the original power savings so that leakage savings is increased . referring to fig5 , consider the illustrated configuration in which gates in group a supplying destination flip - flops 501 and gates in group b supplying destination flip - flops 503 are power gated . gates in group ab are not power gated because they terminate in more than one set of destinations , both group a destination flip - flops and group b destination flip - flops . group ab gates must be awake anytime either group a or group b destination flops are clocked . another important concern is that power - gated domain outputs must not drive fully powered gates without isolation gates . the consequence would be crossover current and possible compromise of reliability . an isolation gate is a gate that is configured to selectively ignore an input , and requires a full - rail signal to control it . for group a and group b gates , the isolation gates are the destination flops , and the isolation controls are the clocks . adding isolation gates to the outputs of group ab gates would impact timing if generally applied . as shown in fig6 , logical coverage can be increased by combining the multiple sets of destination flip - flops into a single set of destination flops . as shown in fig6 , groups of gates a and b are subsumed into a larger group ab . the circuit shown in fig6 increases the logical coverage , but the main problem with this approach is that static and dynamic power savings may actually be reduced . group a gates are now likely to be slept less often than in the original configuration since they are awakened by any of the group a and group b source enables . similarly , dynamic power is likely to increase because group a destination flops are clocked when either ena 3 _a or ena 3 _b is asserted , instead of just ena 3 _a . the same static and dynamic disadvantages apply to group b gates . in addition , there are two other problems with the approach shown in fig6 . first , it is unclear which group of gates should be combined when there are more than two sets of destinations . consider if there are also group c , ac , bc , and abc gates . if all groups are subsumed into a group abc , then the power savings problem described above is worse . if group ab is formed , then groups ac , bc , and abc are not included in the logical coverage ( without duplication of logic ). the second problem is that the register transfer language ( rtl ) description must be rewritten to restructure the logic as groups are combined . fig7 shows an exemplary approach for combining power - gated groups that provides improved logical coverage and power savings . unlike the circuit in fig6 , in fig7 group a and group b gates are power gated as often as they are in the original configuration in fig5 . also , group a and group b destination flip - flops are clocked as often as they are in the original configuration . therefore , in fig7 , group ab gates add to the leakage savings . in this approach , anytime either group a or group b gates are awake , group ab gates are also woken . the function of the and gate 701 driving the group a power gate is to ensure group ab gates are awake before group a gates are woken , i . e ., the and is for power deracing . the same principle applies to the and gate 703 driving the group b power gate . the approach described by fig7 provides another advantage in that the formation of any groups does not prevent the formation of other groups . if there are also group c , ac , bc , and abc gates , they can all be power gated separately using similar logic . note that the preferred approach reduces timing margin by adding an and gate delay in the power gate enable path . also , the register transfer language ( rtl ) description of the circuit has to be updated as combined groups are added . but the approach of fig7 increases the logical coverage and leakage savings from pipeline power gating without decreasing the dynamic power savings , and the approach is scalable for all combinations of groups . fig8 illustrates an embodiment in which flip - flops 502 and 504 supply and gate 801 in group ab . other logic gates are typically included in group ab but fig8 only shows and gate 801 for ease of illustration . as can be seen in fig5 - 8 , source storage element 502 is a source element for both group a and group b through the combinational logic in group ab . similarly , source storage element 504 is a source element for both group a and group b supplied through combinational logic in group ab . thus , source storage elements such as flip - flops 502 and 504 may serve as source storage elements for different groups of destination storage elements 809 and 811 . thus , assertion of either of the clock enable signals ena 1 _b or ena 1 _a wakes both group a and group b ( and group ab ). the power savings can be seen in that group a can remain power gated when ena 2 _b is asserted and group b can remain power gated when ena 2 _a is asserted . group ab is wakened whenever any of the enables for group a or group b are asserted . thus , group ab can be slept when both group a and group b are slept , saving power as compared to fig5 . in addition , group a can be slept when group ab and b are awake and group b can be slept when group a and ab are awake , thus providing power savings as compared to fig5 or 6 . while circuits and physical structures have been generally presumed in describing embodiments of the invention , it is well recognized that in modern semiconductor design and fabrication , physical structures and circuits may be embodied in computer - readable descriptive form suitable for use in subsequent design , simulation , test or fabrication stages . structures and functionality presented as discrete components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component . various embodiments of the invention are contemplated to include circuits , systems of circuits , related methods , and computer - readable medium having encodings thereon ( e . g ., hdl , verilog , gdsii data ) of such circuits , systems , and methods , as described herein . computer - readable medium includes tangible computer readable medium e . g ., a disk , tape , or other magnetic , optical , or electronic storage medium . in addition to computer - readable medium having encodings thereon of circuits , systems , and methods , the computer - readable media may store instructions as well as data that can be used to implement the invention . structures described herein may be implemented using software executing on a processor , firmware executing on hardware , or by a combination of software , firmware , and hardware . the description of the invention set forth herein is illustrative , and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims . other variations and modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein may be made based on the description set forth herein , without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims .	8
fig1 shows a generic rather thin airfoil or fluid dynamic foil ( fdf ) 43 and its air or fluid flow lines 31 that is operating at angle of attack ∝ 50 . this type airfoil is what is most commonly used today as the shape of aircraft wings , helicopter rotary wings , wind turbine rotor blades , hydrofoils , etc . by measurements of the length of the chord line 44 and maximum deviation from the chord line of the mean camber line 45 it can be established that the maximum deviation of the camber line as a percentage of chord line is about two percent in this example . this percentage is given as the first digit in the four digit naca designation of airfoil shapes . for general background information , when a four digit naca designation is given , it is defined as : 1 ) first digit = maximum camber in percent of chord , 2 ) second digit = location of position of maximum camber in percent of chord as measured from the leading edge of the airfoil , and 3 ) last two digits = maximum thickness of the airfoil in percent of chord . the fig1 airfoil therefore would have a designation of naca 2414 . the figures presented in this application normally show airfoils or fdf &# 39 ; s horizontally oriented . it is to be realized that it is within the spirit and scope of the invention that they may be oriented vertically or at any other angle including a rotation of 180 degrees from the orientation of the figures as presented . fig2 presents a prior art fat or high camber fdf 51 that would offer substantially higher c l &# 39 ; s than the slim airfoil given in fig1 except that , due to its high amount of camber and hence fat shape , would experience separation of the fluid flow over its aft end as is indicated by turbulent fluid flow lines 36 . due to its very high degree of camber and hence its fat shape this particular example has a maximum camber as percent of chord of about 15 . as such it would not even fit into the nasa four digit designation . assuming it a slimming down to a maximum camber as percent of chord designation of a single digit of nine , the designation would be : naca 9346 . as can be seen we are dealing with a whole different set of dimensions here compared to the fig1 thin airfoil . fig3 shows a way to do boundary layer control ( blc ) and to avoid the turbulent flow separation seen in the fig2 high camber fdf . this was done in prior art tests by aspirating or sucking in fluid through blc bleed opening 41 proximal where turbulence and flow separation would normally begin . fig4 shows another way to avoid the turbulent separation drag . in this prior art case test case it is accomplished by expelling fluid through blc discharge opening 49 disposed proximal where the turbulent separation would normally begin . what the prior art examples given in fig3 and 4 do is reduce or eliminate the drag values associated with turbulent separation flow patterns . the fig3 and 4 coefficient of lift ( c l ) has been measured in the 4 - 4 . 5 area which is about 2 . 5 times greater than the c l of 1 . 6 or so experienced by the more accepted thin airfoil presented in fig1 . a main reason that the fat high camber airfoils have not seen acceptance is because of the weight , cost , and complexity of the blowers and their powering means required to do the air or fluid pumping . referring back to the discussion of fig2 , it is considered that a preferred maximum camber as percent of chord of at least seven is called for in the case of the instant invention fdf 42 with a value of at least nine more normal and a value of eleven or higher giving best results . fig5 presents a basic variant of the instant invention whereby a rotary element 30 is placed as a forward portion of the shape of the high camber airfoil or fdf 42 . the high camber fdf &# 39 ; s aft portion 52 makes up the rest of the fdf 42 . in this instance the rotary element 30 accelerates fluid by means of the coanda effect over the upper surface of the fdf 42 as it rotates as indicated by rotational arrow 32 . this acceleration of oncoming fluid means that a higher velocity and lower static pressure results over the upper surface of this high camber fdf 42 as is well defined by bernoulli &# 39 ; s equations . the simple and low cost approach suggested here gives even higher efficiencies , due to higher velocities and related lower static pressures , than the high camber fat or high camber fdf shapes of fig2 - 4 . it is expected that an overall efficiency gain of 25 - 30 percent can be realized compared to the prior art of fig2 - 4 which would mean a c l of 5 - 6 may be realized . that c l is 3 to 4 times that of the present day state of the art thin airfoils . it should be possible that this can be accomplished without blc ; however , provision to do blc simply and at low cost , ideally in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention by using energy supplied by the rotary element 30 , is presented in following figures and their discussions . fig6 presents a way to control ∝ of the fdf 42 by simply rotating an aft portion 52 of the fdf 42 in relation to the rotating element 32 as is shown by rotation arrow 46 . in this case it is rotated down to give an increased ∝. fig7 shows rotation of aft portion 52 of fdf 42 upward which gives in a negative ∝. fig8 is a topside plan view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention in the shape of a tapered wing 53 . a rotary element 30 drive motor 34 , fdf aft portion 52 drive motor 35 , portion of attached body 48 , and optional turbine drive means 38 are shown . note that the fluid discharge openings or exits 41 are in the form of longitudinally oriented slots in this wing 53 . slots are normally preferred over round openings since they spread the fluid flow that reduces turbulence over the wing more evenly . slots may be staggered , angled , or oriented in other ways . fig9 is a cross - section , as taken through plane 9 - 9 of fig8 that shows , in addition to the rotary element 30 as part of the fdf 42 , a way to accomplish blc by expelling fluid to the upper surface of the fdf 42 . note that fluid used for blc is preferably pumped or energized here by the rotary element 30 to insure simplicity of the concept . the fluid being pumped by the rotary element 30 is restrained by labyrinth seal 33 , or other flow restricting means , so that its majority is directed to passageway 39 to fluid exit 41 . it is also possible to supply blc fluid pumping means as separate items , not shown here , than use of the rotary element 30 and that is considered within the spirit and scope of the invention . it is important to note the fluid flow arrows 31 forward of the rotary element 30 . these show the fluid approaching the rotary element 30 to be induced to turn upward rather than divided more evenly top and bottom as was seen in the high camber prior art airfoils of fig2 , and 4 . this feature not only increases flow over the top of the fdf 42 but also increases the velocity of the fluid where it first encounters the forward end of the fdf 42 . what this means is that there is a lower static pressure at the forward end of the fdf 42 and hence a lower overall drag component compared to the prior art high camber airfoils of fig2 , and 4 . fig1 presents a cross - section , as taken through plane 10 - 10 of fig8 , that shows how the rotary element 30 can be integrated structurally with the full fdf 42 . this is done by way of ball bearings 37 here , however ; other ways of providing separate movement of the rotary element 30 from the fdf &# 39 ; s aft body 52 such as fluid bearings , sleeve bearings , etc . that , while not shown , are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention . fig1 is a cross - section , as taken through plane 11 - 11 of fig8 , that shows a means to power the rotation of the fdf &# 39 ; s aft portion 52 around the rotary element 30 . this is done here by means of a rack and pinion gear 55 with said gear &# 39 ; s rotation arrow 47 also shown . other means of rotating the fdf &# 39 ; s aft portion 52 such as hydraulic actuators , or the like , while not shown , are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention . fig1 presents a cross - section , as taken through plane 12 - 12 of fig8 , that illustrates a way to drive the rotary element 30 by means of an optional fluid turbine 38 . that fluid turbine 38 , while shown at the extreme or outward end of the fdf 42 in fig8 , may be positioned anywhere along the length of the fdf . it would be best located where shown when the instant invention fdf 42 is used in a rotary wing application such as is the case of the rotary wing of a helicopter or wind turbine blade . the reason for this is that the extreme of such rotary wings are traveling at the highest velocity and hence have the most fluid dynamic energy available to drive them . fig1 shows a cross - section as taken though the same plane of the high camber fdf 42 as 9 - 9 of fig8 but in this instance fluid is aspirated into the fdf 42 to accomplish blc . note that a labyrinth seal 33 is positioned further forward here to allow the rotary element 30 to work on low pressure incoming fluid rather than building up pressure as in the version shown in fig1 . fig1 shows the outline of a rotary element 30 as would be used in a tapered fdf wing that was presented in fig8 . the smaller diameter areas 56 are bearing seats in this version . fig1 presents another variation of the instant invention where the complete fdf 42 including its rotary element rotates about their attachment structure 48 in unison . this is presented since , while not as elegant as that presented in fig8 where only the fdf &# 39 ; s aft portion is used for trim control , it would be an inherently structurally stronger design than the instant invention fdf presented in the earlier figures . either the means to control ∝ presented in fig8 or fig1 can be employed and either is considered within the spirit and scope of the instant invention . fig1 is a cross - section , as taken though plane 16 - 16 of fig1 , that shows how trim can be accomplished by use of flaps 40 . fig1 shows a rotary element 30 as might be used in straight fdf wing version of the instant invention as was presented in fig1 . while the invention has been described in connection with a preferred and several alternative embodiments , it will be understood that there is no intention to thereby limit the invention . on the contrary , there is intended to be covered all alternatives , modifications , and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims , which are the sole definition of the invention .	1
this document generally describes a process of selecting computing resources in a pool of computing resources that satisfy particular hardware and software constraints to perform tests . a computing resource can be a system of one or more computers connected together , or a virtual machine executing on a system of one or more computers . a pool of computing resources is a collection of computing resources . in implementations where the computing resources are a system of one or more computers , each computing resource can execute software , e . g ., operating system ( s ), system software , and include hardware , e . g ., processor , memory , network resources . in implementations where the computing resources are virtual machines , the computing resources can be instantiated by a system and have software and hardware resources allocated to each computing resource from a pool of resources maintained by the system . the computing resources can be organized into groups of computing resources , with each group including computing resources that share one or more of the same resource characteristics . the system can receive one or more requests that each include multiple tests to perform , and select a computing resource in the pool of computing resources to perform each test . a test may include , for example , steps , modules , or routines to be executed by a computing resource . a user ( or the request ) can specify required characteristics that identify required hardware and software resource characteristics of computing resources that can perform tests in a request . a required characteristic is a software or hardware resource characteristic that is a necessary condition that must be satisfied by computing resources selected to perform the tests . for instance , the user can specify that the tests need to be performed by computing resources with a particular amount of memory , with greater than a particular amount of memory , that execute a particular operating system or operating system version , and so on . alternatively , the test itself may be associated with the required characteristics that must be satisfied by the computing resources . some requests may contain specifications that are concrete , while others may be non - concrete . if the specification is concrete , it identifies specific type and version of hardware and / or software characteristics that are required for the test to be performed . if the request is non - concrete , the characteristics can be satisfied by more than one type of resource characteristic , e . g ., hardware or software resource characteristic . for instance , a non - concrete request may specify that the tests need to be performed by computing resources that execute a particular operating system ( e . g ., microsoft windows ), but not specify a particular operating system version ( e . g ., xp , vista , windows 7 , windows 8 , etc .). in this instance , any computing resource that executes the particular operating system can be used to execute the test , regardless of which version of the operating system the computing resource executes . the system determines one or more groups of computing resources that include computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics . for example , if the request contains a concrete specification that specifies a particular version of an operating system , only the group of computing resources having that particular operating system can be selected to perform the test . on the other hand , if the request is non - concrete with respect to the version of the operating system , computing resources from multiple groups may potentially be selected to perform the test . if the request is non - concrete , the system first determines all concrete specifications that can be used to satisfy the request , i . e ., determines all the groups of computing resources that can be used to perform the test . after determining the groups of computing resources that satisfy required characteristics , the system shuffles the specifications and then tries to satisfy them one by one . for example , it is possible to randomly shuffle a finite set with complexity of o ( n ), such as by using the fisher - yates shuffle or another shuffling algorithm . following the example above , if the request is non - concrete with respect to the operating system and there are computing resources with 3 different versions of a requested operating system ( e . g ., 5 devices with windows xp , 10 devices with windows vista and 15 devices with windows 7 ), the system would identify 3 groups of resources , shuffle them and then try to satisfy the request using a resource from one of those groups . this would result in probabilities of 33 %- 33 %- 33 % for each version of the os for the starting requests , regardless of the number of the devices in each group . while this algorithm is more likely to deplete machines of the scarcest type of os version sooner than randomly selecting any resource with the requested os regardless of type , it attempts to maintain fairness between resource distribution for the tests given the current state of the device pool . fig1 illustrates an example of selecting computing resources to perform tests . in the example of fig1 a test system 150 , e . g ., a system of one or more computers in one or more locations , or one or more virtual machines executing on one or more computers in one or more locations , receives a request 110 , e . g ., from a user device . the request 110 identifies multiple tests , e . g ., tests 1 - n 112 - 118 , and identifies , for each test , required hardware and software characteristics for computing resources on which the test is to be performed , e . g ., that the computing resource should have at least version 3 . 0 of the operating system linux and have a 32 bit processor . the test system 150 maintains multiple groups of computing resources 162 - 172 . the computing resources in each group share one or more resource characteristics , e . g ., hardware characteristics , software characteristics , or both . for instance , group 1 162 includes computing resources that have 32 bit processors and execute version 3 . 1 of the operating system linux . group 2 164 includes computing resources that have 32 bit processors and execute version 3 . 0 of the linux operating system . the test system 150 receives the request 110 , and obtains the required characteristics for each test identified in the request 110 , e . g ., from metadata included in the request 110 . in some implementations , the required characteristics can be the same for every test identified in the request 110 . in some other implementations , the required characteristics can vary among the tests identified in the request 110 . after obtaining the required characteristics , the test system 150 determines , for each test , groups of computing resources that include computing resources that satisfy each of the required characteristics for the test . for instance , the test system 150 determines that groups 1 - 4 162 - 168 include computing resources that satisfy one of the required characteristics , e . g ., that the computing resources in the groups have a 32 bit processor . the test system 150 determines that groups 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 162 - 166 , 170 , include computing resources that satisfy a different required characteristic , e . g ., that the computing resources in the groups execute at least version 3 . 0 of the linux operating system . the test system 150 therefore determines that groups 1 - 3 162 - 166 include computing resources that satisfy all of the required characteristics for the tests identified in the request 110 . the test system 150 then randomly selects a group of computing resources from the determined groups 162 - 166 , and provides a test , e . g ., test 112 , to a computing resource in the randomly selected group . the test system 150 selects a computing resource to perform the test 112 by identifying an available computing resource in the group , e . g ., a computing resource that is not already performing a test . the test system 150 randomly selects a group of computing resources for each test included in the request 110 , and provides the test to an available computing resource in the randomly selected group . if there is no available computing resource in the selected group , the test system 150 randomly selects from among the remaining groups of computing resources and provides the test to an available computing resource in the randomly selected group . fig2 shows an example environment 200 in which a test system 250 , e . g ., the test system 150 of fig1 , performs tests . the example environment 200 includes a network 202 , e . g ., a local area network ( lan ), wide area network ( wan ), e . g ., the internet , or a combination thereof . the network 202 connects user devices , e . g ., a user device 210 , with the test system 250 . the test system 250 maintains a pool of computing resources that includes computing resources with respective hardware and software resource characteristics . each computing resource is included in a group of computing resources that share one or more of the same resource characteristics , e . g ., groups 262 - 266 . the user device 210 is an electronic device , e . g ., a computer , that can send a request to perform one or more tests to the test system 250 , e . g ., a test request 222 . the request 222 includes test data 224 for a test to be performed by the test system 250 . the test data 224 may specify steps , routines , modules , data , and so on , to be performed as part of the test by a computing resource included in the pool 260 . for example , if the test includes the creation of a test user , the test data 224 may include a user name , the user &# 39 ; s role and other data related to the test user . as another example , for if the test relates to provisioning a virtual machine , the test data 224 may include the name of the virtual machine , a template identifier from which the virtual machine may be cloned , and / or other data related to the virtual machine and the management of the virtual machine . the test request 222 also includes required characteristics 226 , e . g ., software characteristics or hardware characteristics , for computing resources selected to perform the test . each of the required characteristics 226 can identify one or more resource characteristics of a computing resource , e . g ., minimum speed of a processor , a type of processor , a minimum number of cores of a processor , number of processors , type of memory , amount of memory , operating system , version ( s ) of an operating system , software , version ( s ) of software , and so on . for example , a data processing intensive test may require a minimum , or a particular , number of central processing units ( cpus ) necessary to perform the processing for the test , and a minimum , or a particular , amount of available memory in order for data to be processed correctly during the test . in some implementations , the required characteristics 226 are specified in metadata attached to , or included with , the test request 222 or test data 224 . for example , the user may generate a document or other type of file that specifies required characteristics 226 for the test . in this way , the required characteristics for each test to be performed by the test system 250 can be received by the test system 250 along with the data identifying the test that is to be performed . the test system 250 includes a required characteristic engine 252 and a test deployment engine 254 . the required characteristic engine 252 can obtain required characteristics 226 for a received test , and determine groups of computing resources that can satisfy the required characteristics 226 . while each determined group includes computing resources that satisfy each of the required characteristics 226 for the test , the resource characteristics in the group may vary from group to group . for instance , if the required characteristics 226 require a 32 bit processor and a particular operating system greater than version 7 , a first group that satisfies the required characteristics , e . g ., group 262 , can include computing resources that have been allocated 32 bit processors and the particular operating system version 8 , and a second group that satisfies the required characteristics , e . g ., group 264 , can include computing resources that have been allocated 32 bit processors and the particular operating system version 9 . the test deployment engine 254 obtains information identifying the groups of computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics 226 for the test identified in the test data 224 , e . g ., from the required characteristic engine 252 , and select a computing resource to perform the test . in general , in order to select a computing resource to perform a given test , the test deployment engine 254 randomly selects a group from among the groups that have characteristics that satisfy the required characteristics 226 for the test , and determines whether there are any available computing resources , e . g ., any computing resources not currently performing a test , in the selected group . if there are any available computing resource in the selected group , the test deployment engine 254 provides the test to one of the available computing resources , as described below with reference to fig3 . if there are no available computing resources in the selected group , the test deployment engine 254 randomly selects from amongst the remaining groups that have characteristics that satisfy the required characteristics 226 for the test , as described below with reference to fig4 . similarly , the required characteristic engine 252 can determine groups of computing resources for each other test identified in the test request 222 , and the test deployment engine 254 can provide each of the other tests to a randomly selected group of computing resources . after all of the tests identified in the test request 222 have been performed by computing resources , the test system 250 provides test results 230 back to the user device 210 , e . g ., in response to the request 222 . alternatively , as each test is completed , the test system 250 can provide test results for the test to the user device 210 without waiting for all of the tests to be completed . fig3 is a flow chart of an example process 300 for selecting a computing resource to perform a test . the example process 300 is performed by a system of one or more computers . for example , the process 300 may be performed by the test system 250 of fig2 . the system maintains a pool of computing resources ( step 302 ). the pool of computing resources includes computing resources with specific hardware resource characteristics , e . g ., processors , memory , network resources , and software resource characteristics , e . g ., operating system types , operating system versions , software applications , and so on . the system can store information identifying each of the computing resources and resource characteristics , e . g ., hardware and software resource characteristics , possessed by each of the computing resource in the pool . in some implementations , the system can maintain a mapping between each computing resource and identifiers of resource characteristics of the computing resource . the system maintains the computing resources in groups . each group of computing resources includes computing resources that share one or more of the same resource characteristics , e . g ., the same version of an operating system , same processor type , and so on . the system receives a request to perform a test on a computing resource ( step 304 ). the request identifies one or more required characteristics for the computing resource on which the test is to be performed , e . g ., required software characteristics , required hardware characteristics , or both , that identify constraints on resource characteristics of the computing resource on which the test is to be performed . for instance , one of the required characteristics may specify that the test should be performed on a computing resource with a 32 bit processor . the system determines groups of computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics ( step 306 ). that is , the system determines groups of computing resources that have characteristics that satisfy all of the required characteristics for the test . the system identifies resource characteristics that satisfy the required characteristics . as described above , some required characteristics can be satisfied by more than one resource characteristic . for instance , a required characteristic can be a particular operating system greater than version 7 . thus , resource characteristics that can satisfy the required characteristic can be the particular operating system version 8 and the particular operating system version 9 . the system identifies groups of computing resources that include computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics . in some implementations the system stores information identifying each determined group . the system randomly selects a group of computing resources from the groups that include computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics ( step 308 ). the system can utilize any random selection process to select the group of computing resources , e . g ., a process with sufficient entropy , or any pseudorandom process , e . g ., a process exhibiting statistical randomness but generated by a deterministic process . in some implementations , the system randomly shuffles the groups to determine a random order for the groups and then selects one of the shuffled groups , e . g ., the first shuffled group in the random order . the system selects an available computing resource from the selected group ( step 310 ). that is , the system determines whether there are any available computing resource in the selected group and , if there are , selects one of the available computing resources . the system can randomly select an available computing resource from the available computing resources in the selected group , e . g ., the system can obtain information identifying all available computing resources and randomly select a computing resource . alternatively , the system can select a first available computing resource in the selected group , e . g ., the system can obtain information identifying all available computing resources in the selected group and select the first identified computing resource in the information . an available computing resource is a computing resource that is not currently performing a test and is not otherwise unavailable to perform the test , e . g ., has not crashed or gone offline . upon selecting an available computing resource , the system stores information identifying the computing resource as unavailable . if the selected computing resource is the last available computing resource in the selected group , the system can store information identifying that the group includes no available computing resources . furthermore , if there are no available computing resources in the group , the system randomly selects a remaining group of computing resources , as described below with reference to fig4 . when a computing resource in the group finishes performing a test , the system can identify the resource as available and modify the stored information to indicate that the group again includes one or more available resources . the system causes the test to be performed on the selected computing resource ( step 312 ). for example , the system can provide data identifying the test to the computing resource with instructions , e . g ., executable code , that cause the selected computing resource to perform the test . after the selected computing resource has finished performing the test , the system receives test results from the computing resource , provides the test results to the user device , and identifies the computing resource as available to perform another test the system performs steps 304 - 312 for each test received a given test request . in some implementations , if two or more of the tests in the test request have the same required characteristics , the system can only determine the groups of computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics for the initial test in the test request and re - use that information for subsequent tests in the request that have the same required characteristics . fig4 is a flow chart of another example process 400 for selecting a computing resource to perform a test . the example process 400 is performed by a system of one or more computers . for example , the process 400 may be performed by the test system 250 of fig2 . the system receives a request to perform a test on a computing resource that satisfies one or more required characteristics for the test ( step 402 ). the request includes a test and required characteristics of computing resources that can perform the test . the system determines groups of computing resources that include computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics ( step 404 ). the system determines the groups as described above with reference to fig3 . the system randomly selects a group of computing resources from the determined groups of computing resources ( step 406 ). the system performs a random selection of the determined groups , as described above with reference to fig3 . the system determines that there are no available computing resources in the selected group ( step 408 ). in some implementations , the system maintains information identifying groups of computing resources that do not include available computing resources . the system can check whether the selected group is included in this information , and if so can determine that there are no available computing resources . the system selects a different group of computing resources from the determined groups of computing resources ( step 410 ). in some implementations , upon determining that there is no available computing resource in the group , the system randomly selects from among the remaining groups of computing resources that include computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics . in some other implementations , rather than randomly selecting a different group , the system can pre - compute a random order of groups of computing resources that satisfy the required characteristics . in these implementations , the system can select the first group identified by the random order , e . g ., with reference to step 406 , and then upon determining there are no available computing resources in the selected first group , the system can select the second group identified by the random order . in some implementations the system can effect this pre - computation by performing a particular process on the groups of computing resources , e . g ., a fisher - yates shuffle , knuth shuffle , and so on . after selecting a different group of computing resources , the system provides the test to an available computing resource included in the different group . if there is no available computing resource in the different group , the system repeats steps 406 - 410 . in some implementations , rather than perform the process 400 , after determining the groups that satisfy the required characteristics in step 306 , the system can consult the data identifying groups that have no available computing resources and remove any such groups from the determined groups that satisfy the required characteristics , i . e ., to ensure that a group with no available resources is not the group that is randomly selected to perform the test . although the specification describes selecting computing resources to perform a test , the described techniques can be generalized to selecting computing resources from a pool of computing resources for any purpose . for instance , computing resources can be selected to satisfy web requests with different constraints . additionally , the described techniques can be applied to other situations to reduce the possibility of starvation of resources . for example , a car rental service can utilize the described techniques to create groups of cars , with each group including cars that share one or more characteristics , e . g ., model , manufacturer , color , four wheel vs two wheel drive . the car rental service can select cars , using the described techniques , to provide to customers who identify specific constraints . embodiments of the subject matter and the operations described in this document can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry , or in computer software , firmware , or hardware , including the structures disclosed in this document and their structural equivalents , or in combinations of one or more of them . embodiments of the subject matter described in this document can be implemented as one or more computer programs , i . e ., one or more modules of computer program instructions , encoded on computer storage medium for execution by , or to control the operation of , data processing apparatus . alternatively or in addition , the program instructions can be encoded on an artificially - generated propagated signal , e . g ., a machine - generated electrical , optical , or electromagnetic signal , that is generated to encode information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus for execution by a data processing apparatus . a computer storage medium can be , or be included in , a computer - readable storage device , a computer - readable storage substrate , a random or serial access memory array or device , or a combination of one or more of them . moreover , while a computer storage medium is not a propagated signal , a computer storage medium can be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially - generated propagated signal . the computer storage medium can also be , or be included in , one or more separate physical components or media ( e . g ., multiple cds , disks , or other storage devices ). the operations described in this document can be implemented as operations performed by a data processing apparatus on data stored on one or more computer - readable storage devices or received from other sources . the term “ data processing apparatus ” encompasses all kinds of apparatus , devices , and machines for processing data , including by way of example a programmable processor , a computer , a system on a chip , or multiple ones , or combinations , of the foregoing . the apparatus can include special purpose logic circuitry , e . g ., an fpga ( field programmable gate array ) or an asic ( application - specific integrated circuit ). the apparatus can also include , in addition to hardware , code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question , e . g ., code that constitutes processor firmware , a protocol stack , a database management system , an operating system , a cross - platform runtime environment , a virtual machine , or a combination of one or more of them . the apparatus and execution environment can realize various different computing model infrastructures , such as web services , distributed computing and grid computing infrastructures . a computer program ( also known as a program , software , software application , script , or code ) can be written in any form of programming language , including compiled or interpreted languages , declarative or procedural languages , and it can be deployed in any form , including as a stand - alone program or as a module , component , subroutine , object , or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment . a computer program may , but need not , correspond to a file in a file system . a program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data ( e . g ., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document ), in a single file dedicated to the program in question , or in multiple coordinated files ( e . g ., files that store one or more modules , sub - programs , or portions of code ). a computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network . the processes and logic flows described in this document can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform actions by operating on input data and generating output . the processes and logic flows can also be performed by , and apparatus can also be implemented as , special purpose logic circuitry , e . g ., an fpga ( field programmable gate array ) or an asic ( application - specific integrated circuit ). processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include , by way of example , both general and special purpose microprocessors , and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer . generally , a processor will receive instructions and data from a read - only memory or a random access memory or both . the essential elements of a computer are a processor for performing actions in accordance with instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data . generally , a computer will also include , or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to , or both , one or more mass storage devices for storing data , e . g ., magnetic , magneto - optical disks , or optical disks . however , a computer need not have such devices . moreover , a computer can be embedded in another device , e . g ., a mobile telephone , a personal digital assistant ( pda ), a mobile audio or video player , a game console , a global positioning system ( gps ) receiver , or a portable storage device ( e . g ., a universal serial bus ( usb ) flash drive ), to name just a few . devices suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non - volatile memory , media and memory devices , including by way of example semiconductor memory devices , e . g ., eprom , eeprom , and flash memory devices ; magnetic disks , e . g ., internal hard disks or removable disks ; magneto - optical disks ; and cd - rom and dvd - rom disks . the processor and the memory can be supplemented by , or incorporated in , special purpose logic circuitry . to provide for interaction with a user , embodiments of the subject matter described in this document can be implemented on a computer having a display device , e . g ., a crt ( cathode ray tube ) or lcd ( liquid crystal display ) monitor , for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device , e . g ., a mouse or a trackball , by which the user can provide input to the computer . other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well ; for example , feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback , e . g ., visual feedback , auditory feedback , or tactile feedback ; and input from the user can be received in any form , including acoustic , speech , or tactile input . in addition , a computer can interact with a user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device that is used by the user ; for example , by sending web pages to a web browser on a user &# 39 ; s client device in response to requests received from the web browser . embodiments of the subject matter described in this document can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back - end component , e . g ., as a data server , or that includes a middleware component , e . g ., an application server , or that includes a front - end component , e . g ., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the subject matter described in this document , or any combination of one or more such back - end , middleware , or front - end components . the components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication , e . g ., a communication network . examples of communication networks include a local area network (“ lan ”) and a wide area network (“ wan ”), an inter - network ( e . g ., the internet ), and peer - to - peer networks ( e . g ., ad hoc peer - to - peer networks ). the computing system can include clients and servers . a client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network . the relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client - server relationship to each other . in some embodiments , a server transmits data ( e . g ., an html page ) to a client device ( e . g ., for purposes of displaying data to and receiving user input from a user interacting with the client device ). data generated at the client device ( e . g ., a result of the user interaction ) can be received from the client device at the server . while this document contains many specific implementation details , these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any inventions or of what may be claimed , but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions . certain features that are described in this document in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment . conversely , various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination . moreover , although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such , one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination , and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination . similarly , while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order , this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order , or that all illustrated operations be performed , to achieve desirable results . in certain circumstances , multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous . moreover , the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments , and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products . thus , particular embodiments of the subject matter have been described . other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims . in some cases , the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results . in addition , the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown , or sequential order , to achieve desirable results . in certain implementations , multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous .	6
as shown in fig1 the putter 11 according to the preferred embodiment generally includes a grip 13 , a shaft 15 , and a putter head 17 . as shown in fig2 the shaft 15 attaches , e . g . by welding , epoxy , or unitary formation , to the putter head 17 . the putter head 17 includes a &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;- shaped alignment mechanism 23 , a ball section 27 , and a putter blade 30 . the putter blade 30 has a concave rear contour 31 and a flat face 33 ( fig3 ). it is preferably formed of metal such as brass , bronze , stainless steel , cast iron , or any other appropriate material . the putter blade 30 is symmetrically formed about a plane perpendicular to the putter face 33 and in which lies a center stripe 35 , which may be painted or otherwise imprinted on the putter face 33 . the putter blade width is substantially less than that of a typical putter in order to concentrate the weight of the putter and eliminate inaccuracy . in the preferred embodiment an exemplary width &# 34 ; w &# 34 ; is 21 / 2 inches . this dimension can be varied , for example , increased to greater than 21 / 2 inches . the ball section 27 is preferably a hemisphere having its flat face 49 rearward and a diameter equal to that of the ball to be struck . the diameter of the ball section 27 is preferably 1 . 68 inches , the diameter of a standard golf ball . the ball section 27 is centered with respect to the putter blade 30 and the face 33 such that a plane containing the center stripe 35 bisects the ball section 27 . the ball section 27 is preferably cast as one - or two - piece with the putter blade 30 and of the same material . the embodiment of fig2 includes a &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;- shaped alignment member 23 having a vertical shaft 25 and a horizontal cross - bar 21 . the vertical shaft 25 of the &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;- shaped alignment member 23 is attached at a central point of the putter head 29 , aligned with the stripe 35 . thus , in the orthogonal top view of fig4 the horizontal bar 21 directly overlies the center stripe 35 . the stripe 35 and the ball section 27 are both centrally located to properly direct alignment with the center of gravity 28 , which is the center of the &# 34 ; sweetspot &# 34 ; 28 of the putter face 33 . the putter 11 is preferably designed to conform to usga rules . accordingly , the center shaft 15 is provided with a lie of ten degrees or greater and the face 33 has a two to four degree loft . in use , the putter 11 is aligned as illustrated in fig4 . the ball section 27 is visually lined up with a golf ball 19 as indicated by dashed lines 34 . the horizontal bar 21 and center stripe 35 line up with the center of the &# 34 ; sweetspot &# 34 ; of the club and the center line 36 of the ball 19 . the center stripe 35 and bar 21 effectively form an alignment &# 34 ; sight &# 34 ;, which permits the player to avoid visually skewing the angle of the club shaft 15 and otherwise misaligning the club . with the putter 11 thus constructed , improved tracking of the ball 19 results . in the embodiment of fig5 and 6 , a hemispherical ball section 47 has its face 49 arranged as the ball striking face of the putter 11 . the ball section 47 is integrally formed with the metal club head 51 . an alignment bar 53 is integrally formed at the rear of the club blade 51 and curves around and conforms to the spherical contour of the ball section 47 . the alignment bar 53 then curves upwardly and forms into a horizontal alignment bar 55 . the ball section 47 further has a center stripe 57 painted or otherwise imprinted thereon . the center stripe 57 , curved alignment bar 53 and alignment bar 55 all lie substantially in a common plane perpendicular to the substantially rectangular bottom surface of the putter blade 51 and located equidistant from its ends ( such that the distances &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; are equal ). in using the embodiment of fig5 and 6 , the player visually aligns the outer contour of the ball section 47 with the outer contour of the ball 19 and visually aligns the two bars 53 and 55 and center stripe 57 . again , an alignment sight is effectively formed by the cooperation of the two bars 53 and 55 . fig7 illustrates an improved perimeter weighting feature which can be incorporated into either of the embodiments of fig2 or fig5 . according to this feature , a toe weight 61 and a heel weight 63 are provided within the generally hollow interior 64 of the ball section , e . g . 27 . the heel weight 61 and toe weight 63 are mirror images of one another and of equal weight . they are formed of the same material as ball section 27 and have a flat top surfaces 65 coincident with a horizontal plane bisecting the ball section 27 . the width between them is varied to determine the amount of weighting desired , e . g . from 1 / 2 to 3 ounces on each side . the resulting center of gravity 28 lies just below the geometric center of the ball section 27 . the preferred embodiment may be made according to well - known sandcasting or die casting techniques . for example , according to a typical sandcasting technique , a rubber or aluminum mold is used to form a wax replica of the finished product , in this case , for example , the putter head 17 without the flat face 29 attached . the putter head 17 including the toe and heel weights 61 , 63 , the ball section 27 and &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;- shaped alignment member 23 may thus be formed as a single wax replica . once the wax mold is made , it is used to make a ceramic mold by coating the wax mold with a slurry . the wax is then melted out to leave a ceramic mold which can stand high temperatures , e . g . 3 , 000 degrees fahrenheit . metal is then poured into the ceramic mold to form the putter head 17 , and the ceramic mold is thereafter broken off . the flat face 29 is then attached to the ball section utilizing a high strength epoxy such as golfsmith a & amp ; b shafting epoxy ( 2000 lb . strength ). the same approach is applicable to make either of the embodiments of fig2 or fig5 . an improved alignment mechanism for a golf putter employing a novel sighting mechanism has thus been disclosed . the preferred putters further employ a putter head of narrower width which is closely formed about an alignment ball section and which increases directionality and reduces the possibility of error . the preferred embodiment further provides periment weighting within the sweetspot . the resulting putter is more consistent with on - center and off - center hits because of a reduction in the twisting of the club head . while various embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed above , it will be understood that numerous other embodiments may be fabricated without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . therefore , it is to be understood that , within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be permitted other than as specifically described herein .	0
the present invention employs information format pre - processing for emissive displays . as used herein , “ emissive display ” refers to a display wherein each pixel is a light source as opposed to a light modulator , such as an organic light emitting diode ( oled ) display . the pre - processing modifies the information format to reduce the number of bright pixels in the display . the pre - processing does not change the information content but does change the appearance of the information that is displayed . referring to fig1 a pre - processor 10 receives formatted information 12 to be displayed ( represented by lines 13 ) and modifies the format of the information to contain fewer bright pixels . the modified information 14 is supplied to an emissive display 16 that displays the information in the modified format as shown in fig2 . in this example the format has been modified to produce light lines on a dark background , thereby utilizing fewer bright pixels in the display . referring to fig3 original textual information content 20 is shown together with the same information content in a modified format 22 . it can be seen from fig3 that more pixels are dark in the modified format 22 than in the original format 20 . hence , displaying the modified format 22 will require less power than displaying the original format 20 since displaying a dark pixel on an emissive display requires less power than displaying a bright pixel . most information content is formatted using a markup language , containing specific markup tags . these tags are placed within the information content to define the appearance or format of the displayed information content . by modifying the tags or parameters associated with the tags , the information content will be rendered in a different format . for example , the hypertext markup language ( html ) uses a ‘& lt ; u & gt ;’ string to indicate underline , and ‘& lt ; b & gt ;’ string to indicate bold while attributes associated with tables or text ( such as bgcolor ) modify the color or brightness of the background or text . any modification that reduces the number of bright pixels will reduce the power usage in an emissive display . for example , the brightness of the background or text may be reduced . using a light text on a dark background requires less power than the reverse . likewise , bold text ( if in a bright format ) will require more power than normal text . the thickness of the text can be modified , for example by changing bright bold text on a dark background to normal text , or by changing dark normal text on a light background to bold text . similarly , reducing the number of bright pixel elements in a graphic element or image can reduce the total power used by the display . this can be accomplished , for example , by setting all of the pixels below a certain threshold to black , reducing highlights in the graphic or image , or by scaling all of the pixels by a certain percentage thereby making the entire graphic less bright . alternatively , graphic elements may be eliminated entirely and replaced with a black background . a less drastic alternative is to binarize the image or graphic element by setting every pixel in the image to either one of two values , a darker or a lighter value , depending on whether they are below or above a pre - determined or pre - selected threshold . the values and threshold are chosen so that the average brightness of the image or graphic is reduced . the two values may , but need not necessarily , be black and white . the darker or more efficient the two binary values are , the greater the power savings . the threshold value should be set so as to maximize the number of pixels set to the darker or more efficient value . the information necessary to set the thresholds can be obtained from a histogram of the brightness code values of a particular image to be displayed , or from the histograms of a selection of representative images . this binarizing technique can also be applied to text and background to achieve power savings . the degree to which the formatting is modified may be controlled by a viewer . for example , a viewer might enable only text and background color changes , modify a threshold for binarization or the binarized values or , alternatively , eliminate all graphic displays . this control can be managed by setting preferences used by a format modification program in the processor 10 . since emissive displays may be less efficient in producing certain colors than others , it is also possible to reduce the power usage by using the more efficient colors in preference to the less efficient colors . if , for example , the green pixels are more efficient than red , replacing red with green as a preferred color in text will reduce the power use of the display . the color of the text and the background can also be reversed to save power if the background color is of the same brightness , but less efficient . in operation , the system and method works as follows . referring to fig4 the processor 10 receives 24 formatted information to display on a device . the processor 10 then modifies 26 the format of the information by analyzing the format tags in the formatted information and replacing the tags that will result in more power usage by the display with tags that will result in less power usage . the format modification can be done with a software program that reads the file of formatted information , identifies the tags and attributes associated with significant power use , and replaces them with pre - specified alternatives . complementary attributes are maintained where necessary . for example , if a background is set to black , the text will not be set to the same color but is set to an energy efficient color instead . likewise , any graphic elements or images can be processed to reduce the number of bright pixels in the displayed information . the modified information is then rendered 28 into code values representing the brightness of pixel elements in the display and displayed 30 on the display 16 . the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention .	6
the present invention is discussed with reference to specific logging instruments that may form part of a string of several logging instruments for conducting wireline logging operations . it is to be understood that the choice of the specific instruments discussed herein is not to be construed as a limitation and that the method of the present invention may also be used with other logging instruments as well . fig1 shows a logging tool 10 suspended in a borehole 12 that penetrates earth formations such as 13 , from a suitable cable 14 that passes over a sheave 16 mounted on drilling rig 18 . by industry standard , the cable 14 includes a stress member and seven conductors for transmitting commands to the tool and for receiving data back from the tool as well as power for the tool . the tool 10 is raised and lowered by draw works 20 . electronic module 22 , on the surface 23 , transmits the required operating commands downhole and in return , receives data back which may be recorded on an archival storage medium of any desired type for concurrent or later processing . the data may be transmitted in analog or digital form . data processors such as a suitable computer 24 , may be provided for performing data analysis in the field in real time or the recorded data may be sent to a processing center or both for post processing of the data . fig2 a is a schematic external view of a borehole system according to the present invention . the tool 10 comprises the arrays 26 and is suspended from cable 14 . electronics modules 28 and 38 may be located at suitable locations in the system and not necessarily in the locations indicated . the components may be mounted on a mandrel 34 in a conventional well - known manner . in an exemplary assembly , the outer diameter of the assembly is about 5 inches and about fifteen feet long . an orientation module 36 including a magnetometer and an accelerometer or inertial guidance system may be mounted above the imaging assemblies 26 and 32 . the upper portion 38 of the tool 10 contains a telemetry module for sampling , digitizing and transmission of the data samples from the various components uphole to surface electronics 22 ( fig1 ) in a conventional manner . if acoustic data are acquired , they are preferably digitized , although in an alternate arrangement , the data may be retained in analog form for transmission to the surface where it is later digitized by surface electronics 22 . fig2 b shows an exemplary pad containing transducers capable of performing the method of the present disclosure . pad 40 includes one or more acoustic sensors 45 . in one embodiment of the invention , the acoustic sensors comprise electromagnetic acoustic transducers ( emats ) assembled in a pattern to obtain measurements of ultrasonic velocities for the purpose of determining a stress on a material . the pad 40 is attached to the mandrel 34 of fig2 a by way of supports 42 . the pattern of emats shown in fig2 b is only an example of many possible configurations that may be used . in another embodiment of the invention , the sensors may be disposed on two or more vertically spaced apart pads . such an arrangement makes it easier to make axial measurements as a described below . the present disclosure generally uses orthogonal acoustic velocity measurements in the steel tubulars to determine in - situ stress . in one possible embodiment , the velocity of a vibrational ( acoustic ) wave traveling axially in a casing is compared to the velocity of a similar wave traveling circumferentially at substantially the same point in the casing . differences in the resulting measured velocities indicate either torque or axial stress in the casing . with a more complex arrangement using segmented circumferential or axial measurements , differences in axial stress around the circumference of the casing may indicate bending or crushing loads being applied to the casing by the formation . also , localized stress measurements made in the area of casing corrosion or mechanical defects can be used to predict potential points of casing rupture . since the properties of casing steel may vary , the use of orthogonal measurements is critical to identifying changes caused by stress from background changes in materials . measurement of acoustic travel time may be substituted with alternative measurements that are affected by casing stress . one alternative measurement might be magnetic permeability . the angle between the two measurements may be something other than orthogonal . a 90 ° angle , however , maximizes sensitivity of the measurement . measurements of stress in casing or tubing downhole have multiple potential uses . these uses potentially include casing deformation , freepoint indicators , and formation stresses ( as transferred to the casing ). the disclosed method offers a potential method of making an absolute stress measurement in a casing or tubing . the present disclosure discusses an apparatus and method for performing acoustic testing on a casing or tubular . an ultrasonic wave can be produced at one location on the tubular and the wave can later be detected at the same or another location on the tubular . one way to create ultrasound within a material is via an emat . an emat comprises a magnetic element , such as a permanent magnet , and a set of wires . in general , the emat is placed against the material to be tested such that the set of wires are located between the magnetic element and the material to be tested . when a wire or coil is placed near to the surface of an electrically conducting object and is driven by a current at a desired ultrasonic frequency , eddy currents are induced in a near surface region . if a static magnetic field is also present , these currents experience a lorentz force of the form where { right arrow over ( f )} is a body force per unit volume , { right arrow over ( j )} is the induced dynamic current density , and { right arrow over ( b )} is the static magnetic induction . thus the lorentz force converts the electrical energy into a mechanical vibration , which can be used to test the material . alternatively , emats may also be based on the use of magnetostrictive properties of the casing / tubing . since no coupling device is used between the emat and the tested material , the emat can operate without contact at elevated temperatures and in remote locations . thus emats can eliminate errors associated with coupling variation in contact measurements and thereby provide precise velocity or attenuation measurements . the coil and magnet structure used in an emat can be designed to excite complex wave patterns and polarizations . fig3 a - 3f shows a number of practical emat configurations including a biasing magnet structure , a coil configuration , and resultant forces on the surface of the solid for producing acoustic pulses using emats . the configurations of fig3 a , 3 b , and 3 c excite beams propagating normal to the surface of a half - space and produce , respectively , beams with radial , longitudinal , and transverse polarizations . the configurations of fig3 d and 3e use spatially varying stresses to excite beams propagating at oblique angles or along the surface of a component . these configurations are considered for illustrative purposes although any number of variations on these configurations can be used . fig3 a shows a cross - sectional view of a spiral coil emat configuration for exciting radially polarized shear waves propagating normal to the surface . permanent magnet 301 and tubular 307 are separated by a space containing a wire represented by one or more wires as shown as wire segments 303 and 305 . the wire segments 303 and 305 represent separate groups of wire segments carrying current in anti - parallel directions in the manner illustrated in fig3 a , thereby exciting the radially polarized shear waves propagating normal to the surface . fig3 b shows a cross - sectional view of a tangential field emat configuration for exciting longitudinally polarized compressional waves propagating normal to the surface . permanent magnet 311 is placed against tubular to produce a magnetic field parallel to the surface . a magnet such as the magnet 311 of fig3 b having a horseshoe configuration may be used . wires segments 313 provide a current flowing between the magnetic poles perpendicular to the direction of the local magnetic field of magnet 311 . wire segments 315 provide a current flowing anti - parallel to the current in wire segments 313 in a region exterior to the magnetic poles . fig3 c shows a cross - sectional view of a normal field emat configuration for exciting plane polarized shear waves propagating normal to the surface . the configuration comprises a pair of magnets 321 and 323 assembled so as to provide two anti - parallel magnetic fields at the surface of the tubular . the permanent magnets 321 and 323 are separated from tubular 329 by a space containing one or more wires 325 and 327 providing anti - parallel current . fig3 d shows a cross - sectional view of a meander coil emat configuration for exciting obliquely propagating l ( long ) or sv waves , rayleigh waves , or guided modes ( such as lamb waves ) of plates . the configuration includes a permanent magnet and tubular separated by a space containing wire segments such as one or more wires 333 and 335 which provides current flowing in sequentially alternating directions . fig3 e shows a cross - sectional view of a periodic permanent magnet emat for exciting grazing or obliquely propagating horizontally polarized ( sh ) waves or guided sh modes of plates . multiple permanent magnets such as magnets 341 and 343 are assembled so as to provide alternating magnetic polarities at the surface of the tubular . the magnetic assembly and tubular are separated by a space containing a wire 345 that provides a current in a single direction . for sheet and plate specimens experiencing applied or residual stress , the principal stresses σ a and σ b may be inferred from orthogonal velocity measurements . eq . ( 2 ) relates ultrasonic velocities to the principle stresses experienced in a sheet or plate : 2 ρv avg [ v ( θ )− v ( θ + π / 2 )]= σ a − σ b ( 2 ). in eq . ( 2 ), v avg is the average shear velocity and ρ is a density of a material . v ( θ ) and v ( θ + π / 2 ) are mutually perpendicular wave velocities as can be detected at a transducer . it is understood that velocity difference v ( θ )− v ( θ + π / 2 ) is maximized when the ultrasonic propagation directions are aligned with the principal stress axes . the magnitude of this difference , along with the density and mean velocity can be used to estimate the principal stress difference . fig4 shows an arrangement of two emats 145 a and 145 b . the pad 40 illustrated and figured 2 b is not shown . when emats 145 a and 145 b are of the type shown in fig3 e , they will produce horizontally polarized shear - wave propagating along the tool axis and circumferential to the tool axis , thus providing the necessary measurements for solving eqn . ( 2 ). those versed in the art would appreciate that using an array of transducers as shown in fig2 b , it would be possible to generate horizontally polarized shear waves propagating in different directions . the emats , in addition to acting as transmitters , can also act as receivers , so that by having two emats with the same polarization at different spatial positions , it is possible to determine the velocity of propagation of the wave . in addition , by having such transducers mounted on different pads on the downhole logging to it is possible to make measurements of the stress differences circumferentially around the borehole . by using transducers of the type shown in fig3 b it would be possible to make measurements of compression velocity at different azimuthal positions along the borehole . variations in this velocity are indicative of circumferential variations of the stress . the same is true using transducers of the type shown in fig3 c . but using transducers of the type shown in fig3 d it would be possible to generate rayleigh waves on land waves along the surface of the tubular . in addition , those versed in the art would recognize that the velocity of propagation of a vertically polarized shear - wave may differ from the velocity of propagation of the horizontally polarized shear - wave in the same direction . this difference may also be indicative of the stress in the garden . such measurements may be obtained by using transducers of the type shown in fig3 d and 3e . in one embodiment a velocity of an acoustic wave traveling axially in the casing is compared to the velocity of a similar wave traveling circumferentially at substantially the same point in the casing . differences in the measured velocities are indicative of torque or axial stress in the casing . with a more complex arrangement using segmented circumferential or axial measurements made with pad - mounted emats , differences in axial stress around the circumference of the casing are indicative of bending a crushing load being applied to the casing by the formation . localized test measurements made in the area of casing corrosion or mechanical defects are used to predict potential points of casing failure . as would be known to those versed in the art , such casing corrosion or mechanical defects would produce changes in the stress field . all of these use measurements having orthogonal direction of propagation or orthogonal polarization or both . properties of casings steel may vary , so that the use of such measurements is important in identifying changes caused by stress from changes caused by differences in the steel . the invention has been described above is a specific example of using emats as the acoustic sensors . this is not to be construed as a limitation on the invention . the method of the invention could also be carried out using other side types of sensors such as piezoelectric transducers and wedge transducers . wedge transducers are discussed , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 593 , 568 to telford et al . the invention has been described above with reference to a device conveyed on a wireline . however the method of invention may also be practices using the tool conveyed on a tubular such as a drillstring or coiled tubing , or on a slickline . implicit in the processing method of the present invention is the use of a computer program implemented on a suitable machine readable medium that enables the processor to perform the control and processing . the machine readable medium may include roms , eproms , earoms , flash memories and optical disks . such a computer program may output the results of the processing , such as the stress constraints , to a suitable tangible medium . this may include a display device and / or a memory device .	6
reference will now be made in detail to the example embodiments of the present invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . wherever possible , the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . to begin with , before an embodiment of the present invention is described , in moving pictures having a scene change , a picture in which a scene change occurs entirely in the picture is defined as a scene cut picture and a picture in which a scene change occurs partially in the picture is defined as a partial scene change picture . fig3 a and 3b are flowcharts illustrating a method of coding a moving picture sequence in a moving picture coding system according to an example embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 a and 3b , pictures are sequentially input from a moving picture sequence ( s 111 ). kinds of pictures are determined ( s 114 ). in other words , it is determined whether the input picture is a p picture or a b picture . here , in this embodiment of the present invention , it is assumed that a coding with respect to an intra picture is completed in advance . if a picture is a p picture , it is determined whether or not a scene change occurs in the p picture ( s 117 ). here , the scene change is determined by comparing the p picture with a picture ( p picture or b picture ) displayed just before the p picture . if the scene is changed entirely among the p pictures , the p picture is a scene cut picture . if the p picture is determined as the scene cut picture , a coding is carried out with reference to a long - term reference picture ( s 120 ). if the p picture is not a scene cut picture , it is determined whether or not the p picture is a partial scene change picture ( s 123 ). if the p picture is a partial scene change picture , blocks contained in an area in which the scene is changed are coded with reference to the long - term reference picture as in step s 120 ( s 126 ). blocks contained in an area in which the scene is not changed are coded with reference to a short - term reference picture ( s 129 , s 132 ). here , the long - term reference picture is a picture stored in a long - term reference buffer , and the short - term reference picture is a picture stored in a short - term reference buffer . the short - term reference buffer is provided with a first - input , first - output ( fifo ) buffer in which a picture first input is output first , and the pictures coded a relatively short time ago are stored in the short - term reference buffer . the pictures coded a relatively long time ago are stored in the long - term reference buffer . and , pictures of respective scene sets , e . g ., an intra picture , the scene cut picture , the partial scene change picture and the like are stored in the long - term reference buffer . next , an example of scene sets and scene changes will be described to assist in understanding principles of the present invention . it should be understood that this is a non - limiting example . as shown in fig4 , an intra picture 10 that is first scene cut picture of a scene set a 1 , a first scene cut picture p 50 of a scene set b 1 and a first partial scene change picture p 120 can be stored in the long - term reference buffer . here , a scene set is a set of similar pictures . for example , suppose the pictures represent a discussion program where an announcer appears , then a panel a appears , then the announcer appears again and then the panel a appears again . the scene where the announcer first appears is scene set al , and the scene where the panel a subsequently appears is scene set b 1 . the scene where the announcer appears again is scene set a 2 , and the scene where the panel a appears again is scene set b 2 . as described above , when a scene change occurs , the p picture is coded in the inter mode with reference to a short - term reference or a long - term reference picture instead of being coded in the intra mode . this reduces the amount of the bits to enhance coding efficiency . description of the steps s 117 to s 132 in fig3 a will be made with reference fig4 . as shown in fig4 , if the p picture p 200 to be coded now is the scene cut picture belonging to the scene set b 2 , the short - term reference pictures stored in the short - term reference buffer are not used . the scene cut picture p 200 is the first picture of the scene set b 2 , and the scene set of the scene cut picture p 200 is different from the short - term reference pictures such as p 199 , p 198 , p 197 , etc ., belonging to the scene set a 2 . the similarity of the scene cut picture p 200 and the short - term reference pictures belonging to the scene set a 2 is not great ( e . g ., p 200 is part of the scene of panel a and p 199 is part of the scene of the announcer in the above described example ), and precise coding cannot be achieved from such reference pictures . in this case , the p picture is coded in inter mode with reference to the reference pictures p 50 and p 120 belonging to a scene set b 1 , which is a similar scene to the scene of scene set b 2 ( e . g ., both are scenes of panel a in the above - described example ). on the other hand , if a partial scene change occurs in the p picture p 250 , the coding is performed differently depending on two conditions . in other words , the blocks included in the area where a partial scene change occurs are coded in inter mode with reference to the long - term reference pictures p 50 and p 120 stored in the long - term reference buffer . the blocks included in the area where a partial scene change does not occur are coded in inter mode with reference to the short - term reference pictures p 249 , p 248 , p 247 , etc ., stored in the short - term reference buffer . as described above , after one p picture is coded , if a next picture exists ( s 159 ), then the next picture is input ( s 111 ). returning to step s 114 , if the picture input in step s 111 is a b picture , then five prediction modes ( intra mode , forward mode , backward mode , bi - predictive mode and direct mode ) are tested and one of them is selected as an optimal coding mode ( s 135 , s 138 ). in this specification , the direct mode will be described mainly . first , one block of the b picture is read ( s 141 ). of course , the other blocks can be read subsequently . then , a kind or type of a reference buffer storing a specified picture is examined . namely , the type of reference picture ( e . g ., long or short ) is examined . the specified picture is determined of the earlier pictures than the b picture in the coding order regardless of the display order . in other words , the specified picture is one of the reference pictures used to code the b picture . therefore , the specified picture can be a short - term reference picture or a long - term reference picture . the reference pictures may be before or after the b picture in display order and they are stored in the short - term reference buffer and / or stored in the long - term reference buffer . if the specified picture is a long - term reference picture , the forward motion vector of direct mode for the b picture is set as a motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture . the backward motion vector of direct mode for the b picture is determined to be zero ( s 150 ). however , if the specified picture is a short - term reference picture , the reference picture index and the motion vector calculated at the co - located block in the specified picture are read ( s 144 ). the reference picture index and the motion vector is calculated previously and stored in the system buffer . according to the reference picture index , it is determined whether the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture points to a long - term reference picture ( s 147 ). as described above , the short - term and long - term reference pictures are stored in the short - term reference buffer and the long - term reference buffer , respectively . if the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture points to the long - term reference picture , the b picture is coded using the following expressions 3 and 4 ( s 150 ): where mv is a motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture , and mvf is a forward motion vector of direct mode for the b picture ; and where mv is a motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture , and mvb is a backward motion vector of direct mode for the b picture . in other words , if the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture points to the long - term reference picture , the forward motion vector in the direct mode for the b picture is the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture and the backward motion vector is zero . as shown in fig5 , in the step s 150 , if the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture p 200 points to the long - term reference picture p 50 , trd and trb are meaningless in the conventional expressions 1 and 2 . referring to fig5 , a more detailed description will be made . when inserting two b pictures b 1 and b 2 into a moving picture sequence and coding them , the p picture p 200 that is earlier than the b 1 and b 2 pictures in coding order is coded first . here , since the p picture p 200 is a scene cut picture in which a scene change occurs , the p picture p 200 is coded in inter mode from the long - term reference picture p 50 stored in the long - term reference buffer . according to the coding order , the next picture to be coded is the b 1 picture . since the b 1 picture belongs to the scene set a 2 , most blocks thereof are coded in a forward mode from the short - term reference pictures belonging to the scene set a 2 or in bi - predictive mode in which both of the two reference pictures belong to the scene set a 2 . however , intra mode , backward mode or bi - predictive mode from the p picture p 200 belonging to the other scene set b 2 , and direct mode to obtain motion vectors of the direct mode from the co - located block in the p picture p 200 are probably not used as the coding mode for the blocks in the b 1 picture . differently , since not only the b 2 picture but also the specified picture p 200 used for motion vectors of the direct mode for the b 2 picture belong to the same scene set b 2 , the direct mode is selected as a coding mode for most blocks in the b 2 picture . in other words , after obtaining the motion vector of each block in the specified picture p 200 in the inter mode from the long - term reference picture p 50 belonging to the same scene set b 2 , the motion vectors of direct mode in the b 2 picture are calculated from the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture p 200 . since the b 2 picture and the specified picture p 200 belong to the scene set b 2 , and the similarity between the scene set b 1 to which the reference picture p 50 belongs and the scene set b 2 is very high , the direct mode can be selected as a coding mode for most blocks in the b 2 picture . accordingly , the coding efficiency for the b 2 picture is improved . on the other hand , if the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture points to a short - term reference picture , the b picture is coded using the conventional expressions 1 and 2 ( s 153 ). in this time , since the short - term reference picture stored in the short - term reference buffer belongs to the same scene set as the b picture and another scene set does not exist between the specified picture and the short - term reference picture , the forward motion vector and the backward motion vector of direct mode are determined using the conventional expressions 1 and 2 related to trd and trb representing time distance . after one block of a b picture is coded , the next block ( if it exists ) in the b picture is read and coded subsequently ( s 156 ). such processes are performed on the blocks in the b picture . after the b picture is coded , the next picture ( if it exists ) is input ( s 159 and s 111 ) and coded so that a moving picture coding is achieved . as described above , according to a moving picture coding method of the present invention , the forward motion vector and the backward motion vector in the direct mode for the b picture are determined differently based on the type of reference picture pointed to by the motion vector of the co - located block in the specified picture . when coding the b picture , the direct mode is mainly used as the coding mode to enhance coding efficiency . according to the moving picture coding method of the present invention , the p picture in which a scene change occurs is coded in inter mode using motion compensation from a long - term reference to reduce the amount of bits and enhance coding efficiency . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention .	7
following multiple oral doses ( 0 . 6 mg twice daily ), the mean elimination half - life of colchicine in young healthy volunteers ( mean age 25 to 28 years of age ) is 26 . 6 to 31 . 2 hours . pharmacy management systems are computer - based systems that are widely used by commercial pharmacies to manage prescriptions and to provide pharmacy and medical personnel with warnings and guidance regarding drugs being administered to patients . such systems typically provide alerts warning either or both of health care providers and patients when a drug that may be harmful to the particular patient is prescribed . for example , such systems can provide alerts warning that a patient has an allergy to a prescribed drug , or is receiving concomitant administration of a drug that can have a dangerous interaction with a prescribed drug . u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 758 , 095 , 5 , 833 , 599 , 5 , 845 , 255 , 6 , 014 , 631 , 6 , 067 , 524 , 6 , 112 , 182 , 6 , 317 , 719 , 6 , 356 , 873 , and 7 , 072 , 840 , each of which is incorporated herein by reference , disclose various pharmacy management systems and aspects thereof . many pharmacy management systems are now commercially available , e . g ., centricity pharmacy from bdm information systems ltd ., general electric healthcare , waukesha , wis ., rx30 pharmacy systems from transaction data systems , inc ., ocoee , fla ., speed script from digital simplistics , inc ., lenexa , kans ., and various pharmacy management systems from opus - ism , hauppauge , n . y . in the specification and claims that follow , references will be made to a number of terms which shall be defined to have the following meaning . the terms “ a ” and “ an ” do not denote a limitation of quantity , but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item . the term “ or ” means “ and / or ”. the terms “ comprising ”, “ having ”, “ including ”, and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ”). “ concomitant ” and “ concomitantly ” as used herein refer to the administration of at least two drugs to a patient either simultaneously or within a time period during which the effects of the first administered drug are still operative in the patient . thus , if the first drug is , e . g ., clarithromycin and the second drug is colchicine , the concomitant administration of the second drug can occur as much as one to two weeks , preferably within one to seven days , after the administration of the first drug . this is because clarithromycin can exert a long - lasting inhibition of cyp3a isozymes so that cyp3a activity in the patient may not return to pre - clarithromycin - administration levels for as much as two weeks after the cessation of clarithromycin administration . if colchicine is the first drug , administration of a second drug would be concomitant if done within 1 to 2 days , preferably 12 to 24 hours . “ dosage amount ” means an amount of a drug suitable to be taken during a fixed period , usually during one day ( i . e ., daily ). “ dosage amount adapted for oral administration ” means a dosage amount that is of an amount deemed safe and effective for the particular patient under the conditions specified . as used herein and in the claims , this dosage amount is determined by following the recommendations of the drug manufacturer &# 39 ; s prescribing information as approved by the us food and drug administration . “ dosing regimen ” means the dose of a drug taken at a first time by a patient and the interval ( time or symptomatic ) and dosage amounts at which any subsequent doses of the drug are taken by the patient . each dose may be of the same or a different dosage amount . a “ dose ” means the measured quantity of a drug to be taken at one time by a patient . a “ patient ” means a human or non - human animal in need of medical treatment . medical treatment can include treatment of an existing condition , such as a disease or disorder , prophylactic or preventative treatment , or diagnostic treatment . in preferred embodiments the patient is human . “ providing ” means giving , administering , selling , distributing , transferring ( for profit or not ), manufacturing , compounding , or dispensing . “ risk ” means the probability or chance of adverse reaction , injury , or other undesirable outcome arising from a medical treatment . an “ acceptable risk ” means a measure of the risk of harm , injury , or disease arising from a medical treatment that will be tolerated by an individual or group . whether a risk is “ acceptable ” will depend upon the advantages that the individual or group perceives to be obtainable in return for taking the risk , whether they accept whatever scientific and other advice is offered about the magnitude of the risk , and numerous other factors , both political and social . an “ acceptable risk ” of an adverse reaction means that an individual or a group in society is willing to take or be subjected to the risk that the adverse reaction might occur since the adverse reaction is one whose probability of occurrence is small , or whose consequences are so slight , or the benefits ( perceived or real ) of the active agent are so great . an “ unacceptable risk ” of an adverse reaction means that an individual or a group in society is unwilling to take or be subjected to the risk that the adverse reaction might occur upon weighing the probability of occurrence of the adverse reaction , the consequences of the adverse reaction , and the benefits ( perceived or real ) of the active agent . “ at risk ” means in a state or condition marked by a high level of risk or susceptibility . pharmacokinetic parameters referred to herein describe the in vivo characteristics of drug ( or a metabolite or a surrogate marker for the drug ) over time . these include plasma concentration ( c ), as well as c max , c n , c 24 , t max , and auc . “ c max ” is the measured plasma concentration of the active agent at the point of maximum , or peak , concentration . “ c min ” is the measured plasma concentration of the active agent at the point of minimum concentration . “ c n ” is the measured plasma concentration of the active agent at about n hours after administration . “ c 24 ” is the measured plasma concentration of the active agent at about 24 hours after administration . the term “ t max ” refers to the time from drug administration until c max is reached . “ auc ” is the area under the curve of a graph of the measured plasma concentration of an active agent vs . time , measured from one time point to another time point . for example auc 0 - t is the area under the curve of plasma concentration versus time from time 0 to time t , where time 0 is the time of initial administration of the drug . time t can be the last time point with measurable plasma concentration for an individual formulation . the auc 0 -∞ or auc 0 - inf is the calculated area under the curve of plasma concentration versus time from time 0 to time infinity . in steady - state studies , auc 0 - τ is the area under the curve of plasma concentration over the dosing interval ( i . e ., from time 0 to time τ ( tau ), where tau is the length of the dosing interval . other pharmacokinetic parameters are the parameter k c or k cl , the terminal elimination rate constant calculated from a semi - log plot of the plasma concentration versus time curve ; t 112 the terminal elimination half - life , calculated as 0 . 693 / k el . cl / f denotes the apparent total body clearance after administration , calculated as total dose / total auc ∞ ; and v area / f denotes the apparent total volume of distribution after administration , calculated as total dose /( total auc ∞ × k el ). “ side effect ” means a secondary effect resulting from taking a drug . the secondary effect can be a negative ( unfavorable ) effect ( i . e ., an adverse side effect ) or a positive ( favorable ) effect . the most frequently reported adverse side effects to colchicine therapy are gastrointestinal , specifically abdominal pain with cramps , diarrhea , nausea , and vomiting . less frequently or rarely reported adverse side effects associated with colchicine therapy include anorexia , agranulocytosis , allergic dermatitis , allergic reactions , alopecia , angioedema , aplastic anemia , bone marrow depression , myopathy , neuropathy , skin rash , thrombocytopenic disorder , and urticaria . whether a patient experiences an adverse side effect can be determined by obtaining information from the patient regarding onset of certain symptoms which may be indicative of the adverse side effect , results of diagnostic tests indicative of the adverse side effect , and the like . the following examples further illustrate aspects of this disclosure but should not be construed as in any way limiting its scope . in particular , the conditions are merely exemplary and can be readily varied by one of ordinary skill in the art . pharmacokinetic study in healthy adults of single vs . multiple oral doses of colchicine tablets this study was a single - center , open - label , single - sequence , two - period study to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of colchicine following single and multiple oral doses of colchicine tablets , 0 . 6 mg , in healthy volunteers . in period 1 , study subjects received a 0 . 6 - mg dose of colchicine after an overnight fast of at least 10 hours . in period 2 , subjects received a 0 . 6 - mg dose of colchicine in the morning and the evening ( approximately 12 hours later ) for 10 days ( steady state regimen ). subjects received a light breakfast served 60 minutes following dose administration in the morning and the evening dose was administered 90 minutes after an evening meal on days 15 through 24 only . on day 25 , the colchicine dose was administered after an overnight fast of at least 10 hours and lunch was served 4 hours post - dose . study periods were separated by a 14 - day washout . following the single dose and the last dose of the multiple dose regimen ( beginning on the mornings of day 1 and day 25 , respectively ), blood samples were collected ( 6 ml each ) from each subject within 1 hour prior to dosing and after dose administration at study hours 0 . 5 , 1 , 1 . 5 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 , and 24 ( while confined ) and 36 , 48 , 72 , and 96 ( on an outpatient basis ). plasma concentrations of colchicine and its metabolites were determined using validated lc / ms - ms methods . thirteen healthy , non - smoking subjects with a mean age of 25 . 5 years ( range 19 to 38 years ) and within 15 % of ideal body weight were enrolled in this study . all subjects completed both dosing periods according to protocol . after a single dose , plasma concentrations are no longer quantifiable 24 hours post - dose in all but 1 subject . after the last dose of the steady state regimen , concentrations remained quantifiable for 48 to 72 hours . review of individual subject data shows that no subject experienced a secondary colchicine peak , either following a single dose or upon multiple dosing . all 2 - o - demethylcolchicine ( 2 - dmc ) concentrations were below the level of quantitation ( loq , 0 . 2 ng / ml ) and only one sample from 1 subject ( of 13 subjects ) had a detectable 3 - o - demethylcolchciine ( 3 - dmc ) concentration , which was near the level of quantitation . therefore , metabolites are not discussed further . in healthy adults , colchicine appears to be readily absorbed when given orally , reaching a mean maximum plasma concentration of 2 . 5 ng / ml in 1 . 5 hours after a single dose . the drug is distributed widely , with an apparent volume of distribution of 540 l , greatly exceeding total body water . the elimination half - life as calculated following a single oral dose is approximately 5 hours . levels were not detectable by 24 hours post - dose and this is therefore not an accurate estimate . pharmacokinetic parameter values are summarized in the table below . review of trough plasma concentrations indicates that steady state was attained by approximately the eighth day of dosing for most subjects . colchicine may have a diurnal variation reflected in the observed cmin concentrations at steady state . cmin concentrations prior to the morning dose are approximately 12 % higher than the cmin concentrations prior to the evening dose ( day 23 and day 24 ). the mean cmin concentration observed on day 25 was 0 . 907 ng / ml . colchicine accumulated following administration of multiple doses to an extent greater than expected . exposure was nearly two - fold higher ( approximately 1 . 7 based on auc [ day 25 auc 0 - τ / day 1 aug 0 -∞ ] and approximately 1 . 5 based on cmax [ day 25 c max / day 1 c max ]). this observation could be attributable to an underestimation of aug ∞ following a single dose . with the higher plasma levels that occur with repeated dosing , a longer terminal elimination half life is apparent , 26 . 6 hours . pharmacokinetic parameter values are summarized in the tables below . in the above table , the parameter cl / f denotes the apparent total body clearance after administration , calculated as total dose / total auc0 - tau ; and v d / f denotes the apparent total volume of distribution after administration , calculated as total dose /( total auc ∞ × k el ). a single - center , open - label , one sequence , two - period study was carried out in 23 healthy subjects . on day 1 , a single 0 . 6 - mg dose of colchicine was administered . after completing a 21 - day washout period , all subjects received 250 mg of clarithromycin administered twice daily for 7 days ( days 22 through 29 ), a sufficient dose and duration to inhibit cyp3a4 and pgp . on the final day ( day 29 ), a single dose of colchicine was co - administered with the clarithromycin dose . when combined with steady - state clarithromycin , there is a significant increase in exposure to colchicine as compared to when colchicine is given alone : the mean c max and auc 0 - τ concentrations increased 167 % and 250 %, respectively . in addition , co - administration of clarithromycin and colchicine resulted in an increase of 233 % in the plasma elimination half - life ( t½ ) of colchicine and a 75 % decrease in apparent clearance ( cl / f ). a summary of the mean (% cv ) colchicine pharmacokinetic parameters for day 1 ( colchicine administered alone ) and day 29 ( colchicine co - administered with steady - state clarithromycin ) are given in the table below and illustrated in the table that follows . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . the endpoints of all ranges directed to the same component or property are inclusive and independently combinable . all methods described herein can be performed in a suitable order unless otherwise indicated or clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) herein is intended to better illuminate the disclosure and is non - limiting unless otherwise specified . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating that any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the claimed embodiments . unless defined otherwise , technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs . the terms wt %, weight percent , percent by weight , etc . are equivalent and interchangeable embodiments are described herein , including the best modes known to the inventors . variations of such embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the skilled artisan is expected to employ such variations as appropriate , and the disclosed methods are expected to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto are included to the extent permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context .	6
interactive transaction card structure and method embodiments are shown in fig1 a - 7 which substantially expand the advantages and uses of conventional transaction cards . in particular , fig1 a illustrates a transaction card embodiment 20 which includes a card shell 22 , a battery 23 embedded in a recess of the card shell , and a data exchange system 24 embedded in another recess of the card shell . fig1 b and 1c are views along the planes 1 b - 1 b and 1 c - 1 c of fig1 a and these views show that the card shell 22 preferably comprises first and second shell panels 25 and 26 that each define panel margins 28 and first and second panel depressions 29 and 30 within the margins . the data exchange system 24 is received into the first depressions 29 and the battery 23 is received into the second depressions 30 . subsequently , the shell panels are joined to complete the card shell 22 about the data exchange system and battery . in one card embodiment , the shell panels comprise a flexible polymer ( e . g ., a thermoplastic polymer ) and are joined with the aid of a bonding agent 31 that is inserted between the opposing margins 28 of the first and second shell panels 25 and 26 . the bonding agent is compatible with the polymer shells and responds to heat and / or pressure to permanently secure the shell panels in an abutting arrangement . the shell , battery and data exchange system are all configured to have a flexibility sufficient for conventional card use . in addition , the card shell 22 is configured to be consistent with the dimensions specified for identity cards ( e . g ., 85 . 60 × 53 . 98 millimeters with a 0 . 76 millimeter thickness ) in the standard iso 7810 of the international organization for standardization . the data exchange system 24 is carried on a flexible printed circuit 34 ( that defines circuit paths 35 ) and further includes a microprocessor 36 , a memory 37 , electrical contacts 38 , a keypad 39 and a display 40 ( an exemplary broken - line enclosure 41 in fig1 c indicates the elements of the system that are carried on the printed circuit 34 ). as indicated in fig1 a , the printed circuit 34 defines circuit paths 35 and the battery , the microprocessor , the memory , the contacts , the keypad and the display are carried on the printed circuit and interconnected via the circuit paths . the printed circuit 34 is preferably secured to the card shell 22 with various processes ( e . g ., a heat process or an ultrasonic process which produces staking structures 45 ). the card shell 22 defines a window 46 and the electrical contacts 38 are accessible via the window . the electrical contacts are preferably configured to be consistent with the contact dimensions and locations specified in international standard iso 7816 - 2 . as shown by the example arrow 47 , contacts 1 and 5 are intended to carry a supply voltage v cc and ground , contacts 2 , 3 and 7 are intended to carry reset , clock and input / output signals and contacts 4 , 6 and 8 are currently not connected ( n / c ) and are reserved for future signals . another example arrow 48 indicates one pattern embodiment 49 in which the contacts may be formed . in another transaction card embodiment , the card shell 22 can be replaced with a molded shell 50 shown in broken lines in fig1 b . an embodiment of the molded shell is an injection molding such as a reaction injection molding ( rim ). an rim shell embodiment 50 is formed with polyurethanes and these polyurethanes can be selected to provide a fairly rigid shell ( in one shell embodiment ) or a flexible shell ( in another shell embodiment ). the polyurethanes can also be selected to provide a substantially opaque shell or a somewhat transparent shell . attention is now directed to fig2 which is an enlarged view of a portion of the printed circuit 34 . this view shows that the printed circuit 34 preferably defines an aperture 52 which receives the microprocessor 36 . a predetermined set 53 of the circuit paths 35 extend over the microprocessor and are operatively coupled to ports of the microprocessor . although not shown , a fanout circuit pattern may be inserted between the microprocessor ports and the circuit paths . the outer ends of the fanout are spaced significantly greater than the inner ends and this makes it easier to form attachments to the circuit paths 35 . preferably , the printed circuit 34 defines a second aperture and the memory ( 37 in fig1 a ) is similarly received into the second aperture so that the printed circuit , the microprocessor and the memory are substantially coplanar and can thereby conform to the thickness limit ( 0 . 76 millimeter ) of the transaction card . as shown in fig1 a - 1c , the battery 23 is embedded in the card shell 22 to provide the supply voltage v cc and the data exchange system 24 is embedded in the card shell to receive the supply voltage . front and top views of one battery embodiment 23 a are shown in fig3 a . in this embodiment , a flexible body 60 is covered by a foil sheet as are each of battery tabs ( i . e ., terminals ) 61 and 62 . as also shown in fig1 a , the terminals extend away from the battery body 60 to facilitate contact with the circuit paths ( 35 in fig1 a ) of the flexible printed circuit ( 34 in fig1 b ). fig3 b shows another battery embodiment 23 b in which the access to the battery is provided by contacts 63 and 64 that do not extend outward from the battery body 60 but , rather , are contained within the border of the battery . this embodiment is especially useful for a card embodiment such as that shown in fig5 . in another battery embodiment , one of the contacts can be moved to the other side of the battery as shown in broken lines in the top view of fig3 b . one battery structural embodiment is a lithium polymer battery system having a manganese dioxide cathode and a metallic lithium anode which provides a nominal voltage of 3 volts and a nominal capacity of 40 milliamp / hours at 20 degrees centigrade . this embodiment has a nominal thickness of 0 . 35 millimeters and includes a flexible aluminum foil jacket with anode and cathode tabs made of nickel flashed copper . this embodiment is especially suited for automated , high volume manufacturing . in arrangement of the interactive transaction card 20 of fig1 a , the keypad 39 is coupled to the circuit paths 35 and is configured to receive tactile data and command instructions that may be inserted by a card owner , the display 40 is coupled to the paths to facilitate the display of visual data and commands , the contacts 38 are coupled to the circuit paths 35 to facilitate exchange of electrical data and commands , the microprocessor 36 is coupled to the circuit paths to process electrical data and commands , and the memory 37 is coupled to the circuit paths to store electrical data and commands that can then be accessed by the microprocessor . to facilitate the entry of tactile data and commands by a card owner , the keypad 39 is formed with pressure - sensitive keys ( e . g ., domed switches , membrane switches ). in the card embodiment of fig1 a , the keypad 39 comprises five pressure - sensitive keys and the microprocessor 36 is configured to recognize tactile pressure on one of the pressure - sensitive keys ( marked f ) as selection of a function and recognize tactile pressure on remaining pressure - sensitive entry keys ( marked 1 - 4 ) as entered data . in a display embodiment , the display 40 of fig1 a may be configured ( e . g ., with microsite technology ) as a number ( e . g ., seven ) of light - emitting diode ( led ) segments that each draw approximately 0 . 1 milliamps of current . the microprocessor 36 is preferably configured to keep the display elements powered on for a predetermined time ( e . g ., 10 seconds ). it is anticipated that when the transaction card 20 of fig1 a is not operated for an extended time , it will draw a small current ( e . g ., on the order of a few microamperes ) to maintain the microprocessor in a “ sleep ” mode . if the card is operated three times a day , it is anticipated that the processor , display and pin entry will consume a slightly greater current ( e . g ., on the order of a few milliamperes ). an operative system of the transaction card 20 is best seen in the block diagram of fig4 which includes elements of fig1 a with like elements indicated by like reference numbers . as shown , the keypad 39 is provided to receive tactile data and commands and the display 40 is provided to display visual data and commands . the electrical contacts 38 facilitate exchange of electrical data and commands and the memory 37 stores electrical data and commands . finally , the microprocessor 36 is coupled between the keypad , display , contacts , and memory to process tactile and electrical data and commands which are then displayed on the display , provided at the contacts , and / or stored in the memory . the reduced keypad 39 is especially suited for transaction cards that are directed to uses in which the desired tactile entries are limited and / or are directed to a particular group of card owners . as an example , some events ( e . g ., the special olympics ) are intended for participation of disabled persons and the keypad can be configured to facilitate their use of the transaction card . in an exemplary keypad configuration , the four entry keys in fig1 a could be altered to replace the numbers 1 - 4 with animal figures ( e . g ., wolf , bear , tiger and lion ) and appropriate tactile entries might involve tactile pressure on one or more of these entry keys . the selection of appropriate ones of these figures may be easier considering the disabilities of the card owners . other transaction card embodiments may be directed to uses in which a more traditional keypad is suitable . fig5 , for example , illustrates a transaction card 70 which is similar to the transaction card 20 of fig1 a with like elements indicated by like reference numbers . in the card 70 , however , the data exchange system ( 24 in fig1 a ) has been extended to a data exchange system 74 which extends over most or all of the length of the card shell 22 . a battery embodiment such as the battery 23 b of fig3 b is positioned immediately behind the data exchange system 74 and has contacts 63 and 64 that abut and couple into circuit paths 35 in a flexible printed circuit of the data exchange system 74 . the extended data exchange system 74 facilitates the use of an expanded keypad 79 which has additional keys . in an exemplary transaction card interactive operation with the transaction card 20 and 70 of fig1 a , the function key f is pressed to activate the card . the microprocessor 36 may be programmed to respond by generating a message ( e . g ., “ hello ”) on the display 40 to indicate that the card system is on and that the card owner should input his or her personal identification number ( pin ) via tactile pressure on the entry keys 1 - 4 . the card system is configured to provide a short time ( e . g ., 10 seconds ) for entry of each pin digit . when the pin number has been entered , the system will , for a short time ( e . g ., 15 seconds ), show a one - time use number in the display 40 . this timeout can be extended for an additional time ( e . g ., 10 seconds ) by pressing any of the numeric keys 39 . the microprocessor 36 is programmed to randomly generate the one - time use number so that it is entirely unpredictable . the interactive transaction card structure embodiments of fig1 a - 5 are suited for use in various interactive transaction methods such as that shown in the flow chart 80 of fig6 . in a process 81 of this method , transaction card are provided that each comprise : 1 ) a card shell consistent with the dimensions specified in international standard iso 7816 , 2 ) a battery embedded in the shell to provide a supply voltage , and 3 ) a data exchange system that is embedded in the shell . in a second process 82 , the data exchange system is configured to : in a third process 83 , card readers are provided that can interface between an institution ( e . g ., banks , restaurants , shops ) or an owner and the owner &# 39 ; s transaction card . the interactive method embodiment 80 of fig6 facilitates the interactive transaction card system 90 of fig7 in which an owner &# 39 ; s transaction card 91 can be accessed by institutional card readers 92 and by a personal card reader 94 which is located , for example , in an owner &# 39 ; s residence and communicates with a personal computer 95 . the institutional reader 92 can be used to conduct and complete transactions on an institutional computer 93 which can communicate with the personal computer via the internet 96 . although the transaction cards 20 and 70 of fig1 a and 5 are shown to have a standard iso form of electrical contacts 38 to facilitate the data and command exchange in process step 82 of fig6 , other card embodiments may substitute other exchange structures such as : a ) microprocessor - emulated magnetic stripe transmission , and b ) electromagnetic transceivers utilizing wavelengths in transmission regions that include : a ) the radio frequency ( rf ) region , b ) the infrared ( ir ) region , c ) the visual region , and d ) the ultra violet ( uv ) region . in an important feature of the invention , the personal card reader 94 can be used to initiate interactive transactions which are then completed via the card owner &# 39 ; s personal computer 95 and the internet 96 which permits mutual data flow between the institutional computer and the personal computer . the transaction card embodiments of the invention and the system 90 of fig7 facilitate a number of transactions of which a selected few are listed in the following transaction table . the embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications , variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results , all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .	6
gun mounts are typically installed in vehicles driven by law enforcement officers to provide officers with ready access to shotguns and assault rifles in the vehicles during emergency situations . a preferred embodiment of a gun mount in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in fig1 - 3 . it is expected that this mount will be used in combination with a conventional butt socket or other mounting bracket to support a gun in a releasable locked secure position in a vehicle or elsewhere . however , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the mount of the present invention is well suited to receive , hold , or lock many articles other than guns or weapons . referring to fig1 an improved gun mount 10 is shown to include a base 12 mounted on a foundation 14 and a retainer arm 16 pivotably connected to base 12 . base 12 and retainer arm 16 cooperate to define an aperture therebetween for receiving a gun barrel 18 or the like upon movement of the retainer arm 16 to its closed position as shown in fig1 . it will be appreciated that base 12 can be configured to mount on a variety of foundations 14 such as floors , overhead screens , and trunk lids to provide floor , horizontal , and trunk mounts , respectively ( not shown ). advantageously , these mounting positions permit a gun to be mounted either muzzle down , horizontally , or vertically in a vehicle . gun mount 10 is well - suited for use in each case . base 12 is formed to include an article - receiving channel 20 and a separate annular groove 22 opening away from foundation 14 , a control chamber 24 opening toward foundation 14 , and a bolt - receiving passageway 26 interconnecting the control chamber 24 and the annular groove 22 as shown best in fig2 . control chamber 24 is sized and configured to contain an actuator assembly 28 operable by remote control to unlock the gun mount 10 to permit release of a gun barrel 18 retained in article - receiving channel 20 . a cover plate 30 is connectable to base 12 to hold actuator assembly 28 in control chamber 24 . retainer arm 16 includes a proximal portion 32 rotatably mounted on a hinge pin 34 and a distal portion 36 . as shown best in fig3 hinge pin 34 is coupled at its opposite ends to upstandinq ears 38 of base 12 to extend across a valley provided by annular groove 22 . retainer arm 16 is pivotable in the direction of phantom arrow 40 about a transverse axis defined by hinge pin 34 between a closed article - retaining position shown in fig2 and 3 to an open article - releasing position ( not shown ). the distal portion 36 of retainer arm 16 is formed to include a concave closure wall 42 for receiving a portion of gun barrel 18 upon movement of retainer arm 16 to its closed position as shown in fig2 . in this way , the retainer arm 16 and base 12 can cooperate to retain a gun barrel 18 or other article in the gun mount 10 . a locking pin 44 is reciprocable in passageway 26 to control pivotability of retainer arm 16 relative to base 12 . locking pin 44 includes a bolt 46 slidably received in passageway 26 and a head 48 movable within control chamber 24 . head 48 includes a flat - faced cam follower 50 for engaging a downwardly facing inner wall 52 to limit upward movement of locking pin 44 relative to base 12 . inner wall 52 defines one boundary of control chamber 24 as shown in fig2 and 3 . bolt 46 is configured to engage a slot 54 formed in the proximal portion 32 of retainer arm 16 to block pivoting movement of retainer arm 16 in direction 40 upon movement of bolt 46 to its projected position as shown in fig2 and 3 . compression spring means 56 acts between head 48 and actuator assembly 28 normally to yieldably urge bolt 46 of locking pin 44 to its projected position , thereby effectively preventing pivoting of retainer arm 16 to a position permitting release of an article situated in channel 20 of base 12 . in particular , proximal portion 32 includes a bolt - stopping wall 58 for engaging a top wall of bolt 46 and a pivot - blocking wall 60 for engaging a side wall of bolt 46 as shown best in fig2 . walls 58 and 60 cooperate to define the transverse slot or opening 54 formed in the retainer arm 16 . as shown best in fig2 passageway 26 has its upper opening facing slot 54 to permit engagement of bolt 46 and pivot - blocking wall 60 . actuator assembly 28 is operable by remote control means to retract locking pin 44 into control chamber 24 , disengaging the proximal portion 32 of the retainer arm 16 . in the illustrated embodiment , locking pin 44 is made of a magnetic material such as steel and a fixed core 62 is energized by coil means ( not shown ) in assembly 28 to generate a magnetic field which applies a force sufficient to move locking pin 44 in the direction of arrows 64 and in opposition to compression sprinq means 56 to a retracted position ( not shown ). it is expected that button means ( not shown ) mounted in a hidden location within the vehicle is operable by a law enforcement officer aware of such location to activate the actuator assembly 28 and withdraw locking pin 44 from pivot - blocking engagement with retainer arm 16 . an easily operated mechanical override system is provided in gun mount 10 to enable an officer to unlock the retainer arm 16 by manually retracting locking pin 46 in the event that the hidden button means is not accessible or the actuator assembly 28 is disabled due to malfunction or loss of power . in particular , base 12 is formed to include a keyway 66 having an inlet opening in an exterior wall 68 of base 12 and an outlet opening in inner wall 52 opposite to flat - faced cam follower 50 of locking pin head 48 . keyway 66 is sized and configured to accept a bitted key 70 such as a typical police handcuff key and to permit rotation of key 70 therein about its longitudinal axis . the outlet opening of keyway 66 is sized and configured so that the bit means 72 on the blade 74 of key 70 engages the follower 50 in camming relation upon rotation of key 70 in keyway 66 to urge the locking pin 44 against compression spring means 56 to its retracted position in response to continued rotation of key 70 . essentially , rotation of key 70 in keyway 66 causes bit means 72 to rotate in the direction of arrow 76 to extend from keyway 66 into control chamber 24 as shown in fig3 . such movement of key 70 causes bit means 72 to act on the flat - faced cam follower 50 to , in effect , disengage bolt 46 from retainer arm 16 , thereby permitting movement of retainer arm 16 to an article - releasing position without operating or damaging actuator assembly 28 . it will be appreciated that compression spring means 56 is configured and positioned underneath head 48 to stabilize locking pin 44 during camming engagement with bit means 72 to minimize disruptive cocking or rocking of bolt 46 in passageway 26 during use of the manually operated mechanical override system . the configuration of keyway 66 is well - suited for use with a typical police handcuff key . advantageously , such a key provides adequate security and , at the same time , is easily accessible by a law enforcement officer during an emergency . moreover , by use of such a simple cam system of the type employed in the present invention , the need for specially bitted keys and for costly and bulky lock components such as cylinders , cores , and tumbler pins are eliminated to provide an efficient , economical mount for locking guns or other articles . although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment , variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims .	4
reference will now be made in detail to selected illustrative embodiments of the invention , with occasional reference to the accompanying drawings . wherever possible , the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . in one embodiment of the present invention , as shown in fig7 , a damaged annulus 42 is repaired by use of surgical sutures 40 . one or more surgical sutures 40 are placed at about equal distances along the sides of a pathologic aperture 44 in the annulus 42 . reapproximation or closure of the aperture 44 is accomplished by tying the sutures 40 so that the sides of the aperture 44 are drawn together . the reapproximation or closure of the aperture 44 enhances the natural healing and subsequent reconstruction by the natural tissue ( e . g ., fibroblasts ) crossing the now surgically narrowed gap in the annulus 42 . preferably , the surgical sutures 40 are biodegradable , but permanent non - biodegradable may be utilized . in all embodiments where biodegradable materials are indicated , suitable biodegradable materials may include , but are not limited to , biodegradable polyglycolic acid , swine submucosal intestine , collagen , or polylactic acid . other suitable suturing ( and band ) materials include , e . g ., polymeric materials such as pet , polyester ( e . g ., dacron ™), polypropylene , and polyethylene . additionally , to repair a weakened or thinned wall of a disc annulus 42 , a surgical incision can be made along the weakened or thinned region of the annulus 42 and one or more surgical sutures 40 can be placed at about equal distances laterally from the incision . reapproximation or closure of the incision is accomplished by tying the sutures 40 so that the sides of the incision are drawn together . the reapproximation or closure of the incision enhances the natural healing and subsequent reconstruction by the natural tissue crossing the now surgically narrowed gap in the annulus 42 . preferably , the surgical sutures 40 are biodegradable , but permanent non - biodegradable materials may be utilized . where necessary or desirable , the method can be augmented by placing a patch of human muscle fascia or any other autograft , allograft or xenograft in and across the aperture 44 . the patch acts as a bridge in and across the aperture 44 , providing a platform for traverse of fibroblasts or other normal cells of repair existing in and around the various layers of the disc annulus 42 , prior to closure of the aperture 44 . fig8 a - b , for example , show a biocompatible membrane employed as an annulus stent 10 , being placed in and across the aperture 44 . the annulus stent 10 acts as a bridge in and across the aperture 44 , providing a platform for a traverse of fibroblasts or other normal cells of repair existing in and around the various layers of the disc annulus 42 , prior to closure of the aperture 44 . in some embodiments the device , stent or patch can act as a scaffold to assist in tissue growth that healingly scars the annulus . in an illustrative embodiment , as shown in fig1 - 3 , the annulus stent 10 comprises a centralized vertical extension 12 , with an upper section 14 and a lower section 16 . the centralized vertical extension 12 can be trapezoid in shape through the width and may be from about 8 mm - 12 mm in length . additionally , the upper section 14 of the centralized vertical extension 12 may be any number of different shapes , as shown in fig4 a through 4c , with the sides of the upper section 14 being curved or with the upper section 14 being circular in shape . furthermore , the annulus stent 10 may contain a recess between the upper section 14 and the lower section 16 , enabling the annulus stent 10 to form a compatible fit with the edges of the aperture 44 . the upper section 14 of the centralized vertical extension 12 can comprise a slot 18 , where the slot 18 forms an orifice through the upper section 14 . the slot 18 is positioned within the upper section 14 such that it traverses the upper section &# 39 ; s 14 longitudinal axis . the slot 18 is of such a size and shape that sutures , tension bands , staples or any other type of fixation device known in the art may be passed through , to affix the annulus stent 10 to the disc annulus 42 . in an alternative embodiment , the upper section 14 of the centralized vertical extension 12 may be perforated . the perforated upper section 14 contains a plurality of holes that traverse the longitudinal axis of upper section 14 . the perforations are of such a size and shape that sutures , tension bands , staples or any other type of fixation device known in the art may be passed through , to affix the annulus stent 10 to the disc annulus 42 . the lower section 16 of the centralized vertical extension 12 can comprise a pair of lateral extensions , a left lateral extension 20 and a right lateral extension 22 . the lateral extensions 20 and 22 comprise an inside edge 24 , an outside edge 26 , an upper surface 28 , and a lower surface 30 . the lateral extensions 20 and 22 can have an essentially constant thickness throughout . the inside edge 24 is attached to and is about the same length as the lower section 16 . the outside edge 26 can be about 8 mm - 16 mm in length . the inside edge 24 and the lower section 16 meet to form a horizontal plane , essentially perpendicular to the centralized vertical extension 12 . the upper surface 28 of the lateral extensions 20 and 22 can form an angle from about 0 °- 60 ° below the horizontal plane . the width of the annulus stent 10 may be from about 3 mm - 8 mm . additionally , the upper surface 28 of the lateral extensions 20 and 22 may be barbed for fixation to the inside surface of the disc annulus 42 and to resist expulsion through the aperture 44 . in an alternative embodiment , as shown in fig4 b , the lateral extensions 20 and 22 have a greater thickness at the inside edge 24 than at the outside edge 26 . in an illustrative embodiment , the annulus stent 10 is a solid unit , formed from one or more of the flexible resilient biocompatible or bioresorbable materials well know in the art . the selection of appropriate stent materials may be partially predicated on specific stent construction and the relative properties of the material such that , after fixed placement of the stent , the repair may act to enhance the healing process at the aperture by relatively stabilizing the tissue and reducing movement of the tissue surrounding the aperture . for example , the annulus stent 10 may be made from : a porous matrix or mesh of biocompatible and bioresorbable fibers acting as a scaffold to regenerate disc tissue and replace annulus fibrosus as disclosed in , for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 108 , 438 ( stone ) and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 258 , 043 ( stone ), a strong network of inert fibers intermingled with a bioresorbable ( or bioabsorbable ) material which attracts tissue ingrowth as disclosed in , for example , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 904 , 260 ( ray et al .). a biodegradable substrate as disclosed in , for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 964 , 807 ( gan at al . ); or an expandable polytetrafluoroethylene ( eptfe ), as used for conventional vascular grafts , such as those sold by w . l . gore and associates , inc . under the trademarks gore - tex and preclude , or by impra , inc . under the trademark impra . furthermore , the annulus , stent 10 , may contain hygroscopic material for a controlled limited expansion of the annulus stent 10 to fill the evacuated disc space cavity . additionally , the annulus stent 10 may comprise materials to facilitate regeneration of disc tissue , such as bioactive silica - based materials that assist in regeneration of disc tissue as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 849 , 331 ( ducheyne , et al . ), or other tissue growth factors well known in the art . many of the materials disclosed and described above represent embodiments where the device actively promotes the healing process . it is also possible that the selection of alternative materials or treatments may modulate the role in the healing process , and thus promote or prevent healing as may be required . it is also contemplated that these modulating factors could be applied to material substrates of the device as a coating , or similar covering , to evoke a different tissue response than the substrate without the coating . in further embodiments , as shown in fig5 ab - 6 ab , the left and right lateral extensions 20 and 22 join to form a solid pyramid or cone . additionally , the left and right lateral extensions 20 and 22 may form a solid trapezoid , wedge , or bullet shape . the solid formation may be a solid biocompatible or bioresorbable flexible material , allowing the lateral extensions 20 and 22 to be compressed for insertion into aperture 44 , then to expand conforming to the shape of the annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall . alternatively , a compressible core may be attached to the lower surface 30 of the lateral extensions 20 and 22 , forming a pyramid , cone , trapezoid , wedge , or bullet shape . the compressible core may be made from one of the biocompatible or bioresorbable resilient foams well known in the art . the core can also comprise a fluid - expandable membrane , e . g ., a balloon . the compressible core allows the lateral extensions 20 and 22 to be compressed for insertion into aperture 44 , then to expand conforming to the shape of the annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall and to the cavity created by pathologic extrusion or surgical removal of the disc fragment . in an illustrative method of use , as shown in fig1 a - d , the lateral extensions 20 and 22 are compressed together for insertion into the aperture 44 of the disc annulus 42 . the annulus stent 10 is then inserted into the aperture 44 , where the lateral extensions 20 , 22 expand . in an expanded configuration , the upper surface 28 can substantially conform to the contour of the inside surface of the disc annulus 42 . the upper section 14 is positioned within the aperture 44 so that the annulus stent 10 may be secured to the disc annulus 42 , using means well known in the art . in an alternative method , where the length of the aperture 44 is less than the length of the outside edge 26 of the annulus stent 10 , the annulus stent 10 can be inserted laterally into the aperture 44 . the lateral extensions 20 and 22 are compressed , and the annulus stent 10 can then be laterally inserted into the aperture 44 . the annulus stent 10 can then be rotated inside the disc annulus 42 , such that the upper section 14 can be held back through the aperture 44 . the lateral extensions 20 and 22 are then allowed to expand , with the upper surface 28 contouring to the inside surface of the disc annulus 42 . the upper section 14 can be positioned within , or proximate to , the aperture 44 in the subannular space such that the annulus stent 10 may be secured to the disc annulus , using means well known in the art . in an alternative method of securing the annulus stent 10 in the aperture 44 , as shown in fig9 , a first surgical screw 50 and second surgical screw 52 , with eyeholes 53 located at the top of the screws 50 and 52 , are inserted into the vertebral bodies , illustratively depicted as adjacent vertebrae 54 and 56 . after insertion of the annulus stent 10 into the aperture 44 , a suture 40 is passed down though the disc annulus 42 , adjacent to the aperture 44 , through the eye hole 53 on the first screw 50 then back up through the disc annulus 42 and through the orifice 18 on the annulus stent 10 . this is repeated for the second screw 52 , after which the suture 40 is secured . one or more surgical sutures 40 are placed at about equal distances along the sides of the aperture 44 in the disc annulus 42 . reapproximation or closure of the aperture 44 is accomplished by tying the sutures 40 in such a fashion that the sides of the aperture 44 are drawn together . the reapproximation or closure of the aperture 44 enhances the natural healing and subsequent reconstruction by the natural tissue crossing the now surgically narrowed gap in the annulus 42 . preferably , the surgical sutures 40 are biodegradable but permanent non - biodegradable forms may be utilized . this method should decrease the strain on the disc annulus 42 adjacent to the aperture 44 , precluding the tearing of the sutures through the disc annulus 42 . it is anticipated that fibroblasts will engage the fibers of the polymer or fabric of the intervertebral disc stent 10 , forming a strong wall duplicating the currently existing condition of healing seen in the normal reparative process . in an additional embodiment , as shown in fig1 a - b , a flexible bladder 60 is attached to the lower surface 30 of the annulus stent 10 . the flexible bladder 60 comprises an internal cavity 62 surrounded by a membrane 64 , where the membrane 64 is made from a thin flexible biocompatible material . the flexible bladder 60 is attached to the lower surface 30 of the annulus stent 10 in an unexpanded condition . the flexible bladder 60 is expanded by injecting a biocompatible fluid or expansive foam , as known in the art , into the internal cavity 62 . the exact size of the flexible bladder 60 can be varied for different individuals . the typical size of an adult nucleus is about 2 cm in the semi - minor axis , 4 cm in the semi - major axis , and 1 . 2 cm in thickness . in an alternative embodiment , the membrane 64 is made of a semi - permeable biocompatible material . the mechanical properties of the injectate material may influence the performance of the repair and it is contemplated that materials which are “ softer ” or more compliant as well as materials that are less soft and less compliant than healthy nucleus are contemplated within the scope of certain embodiments of the invention . it must be understood that in certain embodiments the volume added to the subannular space may be less than equal to or larger than the nucleus volume removed . the volume of the implant may vary over time as well in certain embodiments . in an illustrative embodiment , a hydrogel is injected into the internal cavity 62 of the flexible bladder 60 . a hydrogel is a substance formed when an organic polymer ( natural or synthetic ) is cross - linked via , covalent , ionic , or hydrogen bonds to create a three - dimensional open - lattice structure , which entraps water molecules to form a gel . the hydrogel may be used in either the hydrated or dehydrated form . in a method of use , where the annulus stent 10 has been inserted into the aperture 44 , as has been previously described and shown in fig1 a - b , an injection instrument , as known in the art , such as a syringe , is used to inject the biocompatible fluid or expansive foam into the internal cavity 62 of the flexible bladder 60 . the biocompatible fluid or expansive foam is injected through the annulus stent 10 into the internal cavity 62 of the flexible bladder 60 . sufficient material is injected into the internal cavity 62 to expand the flexible bladder 60 to fill the void in the intervertebral disc cavity . the use of the flexible bladder 60 is particularly useful when it is required to remove all or part of the intervertebral disc nucleus . the surgical repair of an intervertebral disc may require the removal of the entire disc nucleus , being replaced with an implant , or the removal of a portion of the disc nucleus thereby leaving a void in the intervertebral disc cavity . the flexible bladder 60 allows for the removal of only the damaged section of the disc nucleus , with the expanded flexible bladder 60 filling the resultant void in the intervertebral disc cavity . a major advantage of the annulus stent 10 with the flexible bladder 60 is that the incision area in the annulus 42 can be reduced in size , as there is no need for the insertion of an implant into the intervertebral disc cavity . in an alternative method of use , a dehydrated hydrogel is injected into the internal cavity 62 of the flexible bladder 60 . fluid , from the disc nucleus , passes through the semi - permeable membrane 64 hydrating the dehydrated hydrogel . as the hydrogel absorbs the fluid the flexible bladder 60 expands , filling the void in the intervertebral disc cavity . in an alternative embodiment , as shown in fig1 , the annulus stent 10 is substantially umbrella shaped , having a central hub 66 with radially extending struts 67 . each of the struts 67 is joined to the adjacent struts 67 by a webbing material 65 , forming a radial extension 76 about the central hub 66 . the radial extension 76 has an upper surface 68 and a lower surface 70 , where the upper surface 68 contours to the shape of the disc annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall when inserted as shown in fig1 a - c , and where the lower surface 70 contours to the shape of the disc annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall when inserted as shown in fig1 a - c . the radial extension 76 may be substantially circular , elliptical , or rectangular in plan shape . additionally , as shown in fig2 , the upper surface 68 of the radial extension 76 may be barbed 82 for fixation to the disc annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall and to resist expulsion through the aperture 42 . as shown in fig1 and 15 , the struts 67 are formed from flexible material , allowing the radial extension 76 to be collapsed for insertion into aperture 44 , then the expand conforming to the shape of the inner wall of disc annulus 42 . in the collapsed position , the annulus stent 10 is substantially frustoconical or shuttlecock shaped , and having a first end 72 , comprising the central hub 66 , and a second end 74 . in an alternative embodiment , the radial extension 76 has a greater thickness at the central hub 66 edge than at the outside edge . in an embodiment , the annulus stent 10 is a solid unit , formed from one or more of the flexible resilient biocompatible or bioresorbable materials well known in the art . additionally , the annulus stent 10 may comprise materials to facilitate regeneration of disc tissue , such as bioactive silica based materials that assist in regeneration of disc tissue as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 849 , 331 ( ducheyne , et al . ), or other tissue growth factors well known in the art . alternatively , as shown in fig2 , a compressible core 84 may be attached to the lower surface 70 of the radial extension 76 . the compressible core 84 may be made from one of the biocompatible or bioresorbable resilient foams well known in the art . the compressible core 84 allows the radial extension 76 to be compressed for insertion into aperture 44 then to expand conforming to the shape of the disc annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall and to the cavity created by pathologic extrusion or surgical removal of the disc fragment . in an additional embodiment , as shown in fig1 a and 18b , a flexible bladder 80 is attached to the lower surface 70 of the annulus stent 10 . the flexible bladder 80 comprises an internal cavity 86 surrounded by a membrane 88 , where the membrane 88 is made from a thin flexible biocompatible material . the flexible bladder 86 is attached to the lower surface 70 of the annulus stent 10 in an unexpanded condition . the flexible bladder 80 is expanded by injecting a biocompatible fluid or expansive foam , as known in the art , into the internal cavity 86 . the exact size of the flexible bladder 80 can be varied for different individuals . the typical size of an adult nucleus is 2 cm in the semi - minor axis , 4 cm in the semi - major axis and 1 . 2 cm in thickness . in an alternative embodiment , the membrane 88 is made of a semi - permeable biocompatible material . in a method of use , as shown in fig1 a - 16c , the radial extension 76 is collapsed together , for insertion into the aperture 44 of the disc annulus 42 . the radial extension 76 is folded such the upper surface 68 forms the outer surface of the cylinder . the annulus stent 10 is then inserted into the aperture 44 , inserting the leading end 72 though the aperture 44 until the entire annulus stent 10 is within the disc annulus 42 . the radial extension 76 is released , expanding within the disc 44 . the lower surface 70 of the annulus stent 10 contours to the inner wall of disc annulus 42 . the central hub 66 is positioned within the aperture 44 so that the annulus stent 10 may be secured to the disc annulus 42 using means well known in the art . it is anticipated that fibroblasts will engage the fibers of the polymer of fabric of the annulus stent 10 , forming a strong wall duplicating the currently existing condition of healing seen in the normal reparative process . in an alternative method of use , as shown in fig1 a - 17c , the radial extension 76 is collapsed together for insertion into the aperture 44 of the disc annulus 42 . the radial extension 76 is folded such that the upper surface 68 forms the outer surface of the stent , for example in a frustoconical configuration as illustrated . the annulus stent 10 is then inserted into the aperture 44 , inserting the tail end 74 through the aperture 44 until the entire annulus stent 10 is in the disc . the radial extension 76 is released , expanding within the disc . the upper surface 68 of the annulus stent 10 contours to the disc annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall . the central hub 66 is positioned within the aperture 44 so that the annulus stent 10 may be secured to the disc annulus 42 , using means well known in the art . in one illustrative embodiment , the barbs 82 on the upper surface 68 of one or more strut 67 or other feature of the radial extension 76 , engage the disc annulus &# 39 ; 42 inner wall , holding the annulus stent 10 in position . in a method of use , as shown in fig1 a - 12b , where the annulus stent 10 has been inserted into the aperture 44 , as has been previously described . similarly , for the stent shown in fig1 through 21 , an injection instrument , as known in the art , such as a syringe , can be used to inject the biocompatible fluid or expansive foam into the internal cavity 86 of the flexible bladder 80 . the biocompatible fluid or expansive foam is injected through the annulus stent 10 into the internal cavity 86 of the flexible bladder 80 . sufficient material is injected into the internal cavity 86 to expand the flexible bladder 80 to fill the void in the intervertebral disc cavity . the material can be curable ( i . e ., glue ). the use of the flexible bladder 80 is particularly useful when it is required to remove all or part of the intervertebral disc nucleus . it should be noted that in any of the “ bag ” embodiments described herein one wall or barrier can be made stiffer and less resilient than others . this relatively stiff wall member can then be placed proximate the annulus wall and can advantageously promote , in addition to its reparative properties , bag containment within the annulus . fig2 shows a further aspect of the present invention . according to a further illustrative embodiment , a simplified schematic cross section of a vertebral pair is depicted including an upper vertebral body 110 , a lower vertebral body 112 and an intervertebral disc 114 . an aperture or rent 116 in the annulus fibrosus ( af ) is approached by a tube 118 , which is used to deliver a device 120 according to a further aspect of the present invention . the device 120 may be captured by a delivery tool 122 through the use of a ring or other fixation feature 124 mounted on the repair device 120 . fig2 shows a delivery method similar to that depicted in fig2 , with the exception that the tube 118 a has a reduced diameter so that it may enter into the sub - annular space of the disc 114 through the aperture or rent . turning to fig2 , according to a further aspect of the present invention , the delivery of the device 120 through the delivery tube 118 or 118 a may be facilitated by folding the arms or lateral extensions 128 , 130 of the device to fit within the lumen of the tube 118 or 118 a so that the stent or device 120 is introduced in a collapsed configuration . the device 120 is moved through the lumen of the tubes 118 or 118 a through the use of delivery tool 122 . fig2 shows the arms deflected in a distal , or forward direction for insertion into the delivery tube 118 or 118 a while fig2 shows the arms 128 , 130 deflected into a proximal position . fig2 shows the device 120 curled so that one arm 128 is projecting distally , or in a forward direction , and the other arm 130 is projecting proximally , or in a rearward direction . because the lateral extent of the device is relatively flexible , whether the device is of natural or synthetic material , other collapsible configurations consistent with the intent of this invention are also possible , including twisting , balling , crushing , etc . fig2 shows the device 120 having a series of peripheral barb structures typified by barb 132 located at the edges . in operation , these barbs may be forced into the annulus fibrosus as seen in connection with fig2 . barb placement can be anywhere on the device 120 provided that at least some number of barbs are likely to find annulus fibrosus tissue to anchor in during placement . for a simple aperture or rent , placement on the periphery of the device body is a reasonable choice , but for complex tears , it may be desirable to place a plurality of barbs on the device not knowing in advance which barbs will find tissue to anchor in during placement . fig2 shows an alternative fixation strategy where a pair of barbs 134 and 136 are plunged into the annulus fibrosus from the exterior of the annulus while the device 120 is retained in the sub - annular space by means of a tether 142 . although there are a wide variety of fixation devices in this particular example , a tether 142 may be knotted 145 with the band 144 holding the barbs 134 and 136 together to fix the device in the sub - annular space . the knot is shown in an uncinched position to clarify the relationship between the tether 142 and the band 144 . using this approach , the device can be maintained in a subannular position by the barbed bands while the tether knot is cinched , advantageously simultaneously reapproximating the annulus to close the aperture while drawing the device into sealing , bridging engagement with the subannular wall of the annulus fibrosus . fig3 shows an alternative fixation strategy where the barbs 148 and 150 are sufficiently long that they can pierce the body of the device 120 and extend all the way through the annulus fibrosus into the device 120 . in this configuration , the band 144 connecting the barbs 148 and 150 may be tightened to gently restrain and position the device 120 in the sub - annular space , or tightened with greater force to reapproximate the aperture or rent . fig3 shows a still further illustrative embodiment according to another aspect of the present invention . in this embodiment , a metal substrate 160 is incorporated into the device 120 . this piece can be machined from flat stock and includes the loop 162 as well as barbs typified by barb 164 . when formed in to the device 120 the structure shown in fig3 is used in a manner analogous to fig2 and fig2 . stents can expand to be planar , for example as shown hereinabove in fig4 , 9 , 11 and 12 , or they can expand to be three - dimensional as shown hereinabove in fig5 and 10 . fig3 - 36 depict a further three dimensional patch / stent using an autograft formed of fascial tissue . fig3 shows the superior vertebral body 202 and the inferior vertebral body 204 surrounding a disc having an annulus fibrosus 206 and nucleus pulposus 203 in the subannular space . according to this illustrative embodiment of the invention , a suture 210 is passed from outside the annulus through the wall of the annulus on one side of an aperture 208 and into the subannular space as shown . the suture is then passed back out through the annular wall on an opposing side of the aperture 208 leaving a loop or sling 212 of suture in the subannular space . as shown in the posterior view on the right side of fig3 , more than one suture can be applied . turning to fig3 , a fascial autograft 214 is then inserted through the aperture 208 into the subannular space using , for example , forceps 216 . fig3 shows the fascial stent / patch 214 fully inserted into the subannular space within the suture sling 212 . the closure of the aperture is accomplished simultaneously with pulling the autograft 214 toward the annular wall as shown in fig3 . the suture 210 can be cinched 218 or tied to maintain the closure and the fixation of the patch / stent . patches can be folded and expanded in a single plane or in three dimensions . as shown in fig2 - 25 and 41 for example , collapsing the patch can be accomplished laterally , whether the device is a single material or composite . other embodiments , such as that shown in fig1 can collapse vertically , and still others such as that shown in fig2 , longitudinally . others can collapse in three dimensions , such as those shown in fig1 - 15 and 36 . devices which expand in three dimensions can be packaged in a restraining jacket , such as a gelatine shell or “ gelcap ” for example , or a mesh of biosorbable or dissolvable material , that would allow for facile placement and subsequent expansion . patches can also be constructed of a single component , as shown for example in fig3 , made of autograft or a synthetic material such as dacron , or for example where the stent is a gelcap . they can be made of multiple components . an exemplary stent ( not shown ) can be made from a polymeric material , for example silicone rubber , which can be formed to have a natural unstressed shape , for example that of a “ bulb ”. a stylet or push - rod can , for example , be inserted on the inside of the bulb to stretch the bulb into a second shape which is thinner and elongated . the second shape is sufficient to place within the aperture in the annulus . upon placement of the device within the sub - annular space , the push - rod is removed and the bulb assumes it natural , unstressed state , assuming a larger dimension within the sub - annular space . although silicone is used in this example , other metallic constructs could also be envisioned such as a nitinol braided device that has a natural unstressed shape and assumes a second shape under tension for the delivery of the device . it is also contemplated that the opposite scenario can also accomplish the similar objective . in this alternative embodiment , the device can have a first configuration that is unstressed and elongated and assumes a second , larger configuration ( bulb ) under stress . in this embodiment , a portion of the stylet or rod that is used to mechanically activate the device would be left behind to hold the expansion element in its stressed configuration . multiple components could include a frame to help with expansion of the device and a covering to obtain biocompatibility and tissue ingrowth . examples of different frame configurations might include an expandable “ butterfly ” or “ figure - 8 ” configuration that could be constructed of wire material , such as nitinol or multiple wires . exemplary embodiments showing frame members 502 are depicted in fig4 a - e . of course , other configurations such as diamonds or other rounded or polygonal shapes can be used . the diamond frame is a construct that takes a first form that is smaller and expands to a larger frame . the diamond elements could be constructed from a single wire or from multiple wires . alternatively , the members could be constructed of elements that are moveable fixed at each of the ends to allow expansion . a tether or attachment device 504 is also depicted , which may be a suture , a wire , a screw , or other attachment means known in the art . the frame could be cut from a single material , such as flat stock nitinol to accomplish the same objective , as shown for example in fig3 . such shapes can be cut from flat stock using known methods , for example , laser cutting . a heat forming step could also be employed , as known in the art , to form barbs 132 in a shape that passes out of the flat plane of the stock material , as shown in fig2 for example . another frame configuration , also not shown , is that of a spiral or coil . the “ coil ” design can be , for example , a spring steel or other biocompatible material that is wrapped to a first “ wound ” smaller configuration and expands to a larger unwrapped , unwound configuration . depending on the size of the openings in the frames described above , each of these concepts may or may not have a covering over them in order to assure that the nucleus does not re - extrude from the intervertebral disc space after placement of the device , as well as to serve as substrate for the surrounding tissue to naturally incorporate the device . coverings might include eptfe , polyester , silicone , or other biocompatible materials . coverings could also include natural materials such as collagen , cellulose , autograft , xenograft , allograft or similar materials . the covering could also be biodegradable in nature , such as polyvinyl lactic acid . frames that are not covered may be permeable , such as a patch that is porous and allow for normal movement of fluids and nutrients through the patch into and out of the annular ring while maintaining nucleus fragments larger than the porosity of the stent / patch within the subannular space . depending on the material that the frame is constructed , a surface finish may be added to promote tissue ingrowth into the patch . for example , a titanium sputtering of the device may allow it to be more easily incorporated within the disc space . alternatively , a niti or tantalum foam could be added to the outer surface of the patch to promote tissue ingrowth . it is understood that there can be a variety of device designs of patches to accomplish the expansion of a device from a first configuration , to a second configuration to occupy the sub - annular space and reduce re - extrusion of the nucleus . the following device concepts are further discussed for additional embodiments of a device and / or system for the repair of an intervertebral disc annulus . as mentioned hereinabove , the stent / patch according to the present invention may comprise a mass of fascial autograft , and that autograft may be contained in a covering of material to form what will be referred to herein as a “ bag ”. of course , this term is used not necessarily to connote a five - sided closed container so much as to denote the notion of flexibly surrounding the volume of a patch / stent material so that it can be manipulated in space . in the most simplistic form , a prefabricated device of sutures could be used to form the “ sling ” to hold the fascial implant as discussed above . the advantage of this design over simple placement of sutures to hold the autograft is better containment and control of the autograft during and after implantation . the “ sling ” or a “ bag ” surrounds the fascial autograft to hold it in place . it is contemplated that other materials , such as a polyester mesh , could be used instead of the fascial autograft . fig3 shows an example of a pre - fabricated sling 300 . there are three sutures used in this example , 302 , 304 , and 306 , although there could be more or less sutures as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art . a collar member 308 has apertures or other features for attaching to the sutures . in this example , the third suture 306 passes along or within the collar 308 to form a loop extending from the lateral extent of the collar 308 . the first and second sutures 302 , 304 form loops from the superior and inferior extents of the collar 308 . intersections 310 can secure the loops to each other with small loops or knots in the sutures , small fabric attachment pieces , or by small preformed devices resembling grommets placed on the suture to aid in securement . other knot tying techniques known in the art can also be employed . turning to fig3 , the collar is depicted within the subannular space where the loops surround a fascial autograft 314 which by pulling proximally the sutures 302 , 304 , 306 the graft is collapsed into contact with the annular wall in a sealing manner . the sutures can be made of known materials , e . g ., biodegradable , bioabsorbable or bioresorbable vicryl or biocompatible nylon . the collar can be made of a fabric material , e . g ., polyester . during placement , one end of some or each suture can be passed through the inferior wall of the annulus and the other end can be passed through the superior wall surrounding the aperture . after the placement of the sling into the wall of the annulus , the fascial autograft is placed within the sling . the sutures are tightened to bring the tissues together and also to help reappoximate the aperture , as the collar size will be selected based on the surgeon &# 39 ; s judgment according to the degree of reapproximation desired . other constructions can also be used to accomplish the same objective , such as a “ bag ” 404 formed of expandable ptfe as shown in fig4 . the bag is placed through an aperture in the annulus 402 . additionally , a one way seal 406 can be positioned behind the aperture 408 . suturing techniques for introducing cardiac valves could be employed to place the seal . it is understood that there could be multiple constructs to accomplish the same objective and this is only given as an example . there are a variety of ways to affix the device to the subannular wall of the annulus in addition to those discussed hereinabove . the following exemplary embodiments are introduced here to provide inventive illustrations of the types of techniques that can be employed to reduce the time and skill required to affix the patch to the annulus , versus suturing and tying a knot . discussed hereinabove is the use of sutures , staples and other fixation devices , such as those passed through slot 18 to affix the patch to the annulus as shown in fig1 . fig2 also depicts the use of “ barbs ” on the surface of the stent to facilitate fixation to the annulus . in a simple example , as shown in fig2 , a patch / stent could be compressed , passed through a guide tube such as tubes 18 , 18 a shown in fig2 and 23 , and expanded within the sub - annular space . as shown in fig4 , the expanded patch 602 is shown having barbs 604 , along with detachable delivery tool 608 and guide tube 606 . once expanded , barbs 604 on the outer surface of patch 602 can be used to fix the patch into the inner wall 610 of the annulus 612 by pulling the patch back proximally , into the sub - annular wall 610 , and pushing forward distally on the guide tube 606 , thus driving the barbs 604 into the annulus and drawing the inner and outer tissues of the annulus together and reapproximating the disc on either side of the aperture , as shown in fig4 . after the placement of the patch , the delivery tool and guide tube are removed . the advantage of this design described above is that it requires very little time and skill to place and secure the patch to the annulus while also drawing the tissues together . materials of the patch could be similar to materials discussed hereinabove . anchoring barbs could be made of a biocompatible material , for example a metallic material ( e . g ., niti alloy , stainless steel , titanium ), or a polymeric material ( e . g ., polypropylene , polyethylene , polyurethane ). anchoring barbs could also be a biodegradable / bioabsorbable material , such as a polyglycolic acid ( pga ), a polylevolactic acid ( ppla ), a polydioxanone ( pda ) or for example a racemic polylactic acid ( pdlla ). if the barbs included a biodegradable / bioabsorbable material , it is anticipated that the barbs might have sufficient holding strength for a sufficient period of time to allow the patch to be incorporated into the annulus during the healing process . the advantage of having the anchoring barb of fig4 and 43 being biodegradable / bioabsorbable is that after the incorporation of the patch into the annulus there may be no need for the barbs to provide fixation . however , barbs pointing toward the outer surface of the annulus could pose a long term risk of penetration out of the annulus due to migration , and potentially impinging on the nerve root and spinal canal . biodegradable / bioabsorbable barbs address and advantageously reduce any long - term risk in this regard . it is also possible that the barbs could be made of both a biocompatible component and a biodegradable / bioabsorbable component . for example , the very tip of the barb could be made of a biodegradable material . the barb could penetrate the annulus wall with a rather sharp point , but after degradation the point of the barb would become dull . in this embodiment , the point would no longer induce continued scar formation after the patch has been incorporated , nor pose a risk of penetrating out of the annulus onto the nerve root . another fixation means includes the passing of “ anchoring bands ” into the wall of the annulus , vertebral bodies ( superior , inferior , or both ), or the sharpey &# 39 ; s fibers ( collagenous fibers between the junction of the annular fibers and vertebral bodies ). in the following example of anchors , the barbs or bands are affixed to the annulus / vertebral bodies / sharpey &# 39 ; s fibers . another element , for example a suture , cinch line , or a staple is utilized to attach the anchor bands to the patch , and thus hold the patch in proximity to the inner wall of the annulus . in addition , these bands may re - approximate the tissues at the aperture . revisiting one example of using barbs to anchor the device is shown in fig9 , described hereinabove . barbs or bone anchor screws 50 ands 52 are passed into the superior and inferior vertebral bodies 54 and 56 , respectively . superiorly , suture 40 is passed through the outer wall of the annulus , to the sub - annular space . the suture is then passed through the eyelet 53 of bone anchor 52 and then passed through the wall of the annulus from the sub - annular space to the outer wall of the annulus . the inferior end of the suture is similarly passed through the annulus , eyelet of the bone anchor , and back through the wall of the annulus . both ends of suture 40 are tightened and tied . the advantage of this concept is that it allows for fixation of the device to a surface that is known to be present in all discectomy procedures — the vertebral bodies . whereas , it is possible , depending on the location and size of a natural rent that there may not be sufficient annulus accessible to fixate the device directly to the annulus . in addition to providing a location for fixation , anchoring into the vertebral bodies may provide a more stable anchor surface . another example of fixating the device to inner wall of the annulus is shown in fig2 , and is further illustrated by fig4 - 47 . as discussed hereinabove , with reference to fig2 - 30 , a patch 120 is placed with a delivery tool 122 , through the inner lumen of a guide tube 118 , into the sub - annular space and then expanded . this step can also be seen in fig4 and 46 , where a patch 702 is folded and passed through a guide tube 706 and is held by a delivery tool 704 . also shown is a anchor band or staple 709 and an anchor band delivery device 708 . within the guide tube , or within the delivery tool , there is a suture line or cinch line 710 that is attached to the center of the patch 702 . this can be seen in fig4 a with the guide tube 706 removed . as seen in fig4 c and 46a , the guide tube 706 is retracted after the patch 702 has been expanded and deployed . next , as shown in fig4 and 46 , an anchor band delivery tool 708 is used to deliver one or more “ bands ” 709 onto the outer surface of the annulus . these are intended to be anchored into the wall of the annulus with barb shapes that do not allow for the barbs to be pulled back through the annulus . the anchor bands resemble a construction of a “ staple ”. the bands could actually be constructed by connecting two barbed elements with , for example , a suture between the two barbed elements . the barbs and the connection band between the barbs could be constructed of the same material or of different materials . for example , the barbed part of the anchor band could be a biodegradable / bioabsorbable material ( such as polyglycolic acid ) or could be constructed of a metallic or polymeric biocompatible material ( e . g ., titanium , niti alloy , stainless steel , polyurethane , polypropylene ). in addition , the band that connects these barbs can be constructed of materials that are similar to the barbs , or different materials . for example , the connection band could be a biodegradable / bioabsorbable suture , such as vicryl , or a biocompatible material such as polypropylene . in addition , it is possible that these elements are constructed from multiple materials to accomplish the objective of anchoring into the annulus and providing for a fixation site to draw the tissues together . fig4 b and 44c show the placement of the anchor bands 709 into the annulus 712 with the anchor band delivery tool 708 . fig4 a and 46b schematically show the placement of the anchor bands 709 into the wall of the annulus 712 and the retraction of the anchor band delivery device 708 , with the patch delivery tool 704 still in place . fig4 d depicts a representative anchor band 709 , having a pair of stainless steel barbs 709 ″ connected by a suture 709 . fig4 e shows the patch 702 , anchor bands 709 , and cinch line or suture 710 with the delivery tools removed , prior to drawing the patch and the tissues of the annulus together . in this embodiment there is a pre - fabricated knot 714 on the cinch line , which is described further in fig4 b , although other knots are possible . fig4 a also shows a posterior view of the patching of the annulus with this device with knot 714 . in this stent / patch 702 a pair of loops of 7 mm suture 709 are shown , which engage the cinch line and slip knot . these suture loops connect to the barbs directly , as in fig4 , or loop to surgical staples , or are placed directly into the annulus . the presence of a pre - fabricated knot on the cinch line makes the process of repairing quicker since there is no need to tie a knot . it also facilitates drawing the tissues together . the use of the cinch line and a pre - fabricated knot can be placed by , for example , an external tube such as a knot pusher . fig4 e is similar to the fig2 described hereinabove prior to “ tying ” the knot 145 . fig4 f shows the drawing of the patch and the annular tissues together by pulling on the suture in the direction “ a ” indicated by the arrow . in this case , the knot pusher has been removed from the cinch line 710 . the suture 710 is drawn proximally to draw the patch 702 into engagement with the inner wall of the annulus to seal the aperture from within , as well as draw the walls of the annulus together to reapproximate the annular aperture . fig4 c and fig4 g show the cinch line suture 710 tied and drawing the annular tissues together , after the excess suture line has been cut . it is also apparent from this device , fixation and delivery system that the outer surfaces of the aperture are also drawn together for re - approximation . the cinching of the anchor bands and the patch also allows for taking - up the slack that allows for the accommodation of varying sizes . for example , the thickness of the annular wall surrounding the aperture can vary from 1 mm up to 10 mm . therefore , if the anchor bands have a set length , this design with a cinch line accommodates different dimensions of the thickness of the wall of the annulus by drawing the “ slack ” of the bands together within the aperture . although it has been described here as patch placement that involves two lateral anchor bands with a suture to draw the patch , bands and tissues together , one or two or more bands could be used and two bands is only an example . furthermore , the anchor bands were placed with the barbs in a superior - inferior fashion . one skilled in the art would recognize that these could be placed at different locations surrounding the aperture . moreover , although it was described that the bands are placed into the annulus , these anchor bands could also be placed in the vertebral bodies as shown in fig4 a generally at 800 , or the sharpey &# 39 ; s fibers 802 , as shown in fig4 b generally at 804 , adequately allowing for placement of barbs into adequate tissue . although the patch depicted in the example above does not have barbs attached to the patch , it is also possible to have the barbs as described hereinabove to further promote the fixation of the patch to the inner wall of the annulus . finally , although the drawings depict an aperture that lends itself to re - approximating the tissues , it is conceivable that some apertures , whether natural or surgically made , may be relatively large and therefore might require the placement of additional material within the aperture to act as a scaffold for tissue in growth , between the patch on the inner wall of the annulus and the anchor bands located on the outer wall . an example of material to fill the aperture might include autograft para - spinal fascial tissue , xenograft , allograft , or other natural collagenous materials . the filler material could also be of a biocompatible material such as a dacron material . fig5 shows the illustrative filling of an aperture with implant material 716 prior to cinching the suture 710 . as an alternative embodiment of the present invention , the anchor bands 709 as described previously ( anchor bands into annulus ) could be sufficiently long enough to pass through the annulus and then through the patch . the barbs in this embodiment have an engaging involvement with the patch . this concept was previously discussed hereinabove in connection with fig3 . further illustration of such a system is schematically shown in fig4 and 50 . passing the barbs through the patch , in this embodiment , provides additional security and safety by reducing the possibility that the barbs may migrate after implantation . in this application of the invention , the suture cinch line may ( fig5 ) or may not ( fig3 ) be used in addition to the anchor bands to draw the tissues together and reduce tissue movement surrounding the aperture . in addition , although the bands shown in fig4 and 50 take the form of a “ barb ”, they could as easily take a form of a simple t - barb 720 , as shown in fig5 e , or a c - type element wherein the object is to have irrevocable engagement with the patch device 702 after the penetration through the patch . a t - type attachment , when aligned longitudinally with the suture , passes through the patch . the t section then rotates to prevent the suture anchor from being pulled back through the patch . in another embodiment a “ c ” retainer made of a superelastic material may be attached to the end of the suture band . the c retainer is loaded into a needle wherein it is held straight . the needle is used to pass the c retainer and suture through the patch and deploy the retainer in a second configuration in the shape of a “ c ”. it is also foreseen within the scope of the invention that there may be patch designs which will accommodate the placement and securement of the anchor to the fabric that covers the frame of the patch . for example , a frame for a patch that is made out of metal such as nitinol can provide for “ windows ”. the device , covered with a mesh fabric , for example silicone or dacron , would therefore allow the anchoring barbs to be passed through the “ windows ” in the frame of the patch . in this case , the barb can be secured to the patch in the fabric covering the frame . alternatively , the patch can be secured by passing barbs that engage the lattice of the patch frame . these embodiments of the invention illustrate designs in which the barbs engage with the vertical , horizontal or criss - crossed structures / members of the frame . in this case , the barbs would pass through the mesh or lattice of the frame and they would be unable to pass back out of the structure . although this discussion refers to “ anchor bands ” that are shown to be two anchors connected by a suture , it is also contemplated that single barbs with sutures are placed and the sutures &# 39 ; ends , at the outer surface of the annulus , are tied after placement through the patch . it is also possible that these “ single anchors ” could be retained by a suture “ pledget ” on the outer wall of the annulus to better hold the outer surface , or could include a suture ( or band ) locking device . one objective in the designs discussed hereinabove is to provide a way to “ pull up the slack ” in a system to adjust the length of sutures and for anchor bands . according to the present invention , a technique referred to as the “ lasso cinch knot ” was developed as a means to draw the anchor bands together with a suture cinch line that is incorporated into the patch design . fig5 gives further description of the use of the lasso embodiment . in essence , patch and frame constructs are used that incorporate the “ barbs through the patch ” design . once the barbs have passed through the patch , an internal lasso 722 is drawn tight around the sutures of the anchor bands and thus draws the extra suture material within the patch . the internal lasso gathers the sutures of the bands , and as the lasso is tightened , it cinches together the sutures of the bands and therefore tightens them and eliminates slack , bringing the patch / stent into closer or tighter engagement with the annulus wall . the patch in fig5 additionally provides for a diamond shape grid pattern , which advantageously provides a grid which will while allowing a probe or similar instrument to pass through with little resistance , provides resistance to a barb or other restraining feature on the instrument . the frame shown can be made from nitinol , and the locking and holding windows shown at the center of the figure would allow for rotation about the z - axis during placement . a slipknot technique using , for example a knot pusher , would aid in the loop pulling process by the lasso . the internal loop ( lasso ) can be tacked to the outside corners of the patch / stent , in order to hold the loop at the outer edges of the patch frame . when cinching the lasso knot , the loop can be pulled free from some or all of its tacked attachment points to the frame , to prevent deformation of the planar shape of the frame when cinching the lasso . as above , the frame can be a composite structure or sandwich formed with some type of mesh fabric . the proximal mesh fabric can be bonded fully to the patch frame , for example through the use of an adhesive , for instance a silicone . adhesive , advantageously , can fill the interstices of the grid pattern while allowing for easy probe penetration and protection of the suture lines . protection of the suture lines is advantageous when the lasso is used to pull and bunch a group of band sutures together . it is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention that sutures 710 ′ can be preattached directly to a stent / patch . as shown in fig5 a several separate barbs 709 ′″ into the annulus 712 can be directly attached to the patch 702 . each “ barb ” of fig5 a can be independently placed into the annulus after the patch is deployed . this can be seen to be similar to the embodiment including barbs 709 ″″ of fig5 . an alternative embodiment for securing a patch 902 and reapproximating a rent or incision is to provide each of the separate barbs with sutures having variable lengths as shown in fig5 . each independent suture barb 904 is placed into the annulus 906 or into the patch 902 with the barb delivery tool 908 . after the placement , all of the suture lines 910 are drawn taught , by drawing on the free ends that exit the patch delivery tool 912 . a locking element ( which may be referred to as a locking clamp , or band locking device , or band retention device ) 914 that uses a gasket 916 and threading mechanism is attached to the patch 902 and is used to tighten the gasket 916 around the distal ends of the sutures 910 . the patch delivery tool 912 is removed and the extra suture length is cut . it is also possible that the gasket mechanism could be a press - fit to accommodate the tightening of the sutures to the patch . alternatively , the locking mechanism can be as shown in fig5 , although in this case the engagement of the locking element 914 ′ takes part on barb 916 . pulling the suture 910 in the direction of arrow b will tighten and lockingly hold in tension to aid in securing and reapproximating the annulus . the adjustable length suture band between the two anchors allows slack to be taken up between the anchors 916 . two t - type anchors are shown in this example , but multiple anchors of differing configurations could be used . the locking features can be included on the suture band , as depicted here , and allow for substantially one - way locking engagement with the anchor members . this adjustability advantageously promotes for the accommodation of varying thickness of the annulus from patient to patient . the suture slack in this embodiment may be taken up to close the defect in the annulus and / or to shorten the band between anchors for a secondary cinching of multiple tensioned suture bands as described hereinabove . the cinch line and the lasso concepts in essence try to facilitate the re - approximation and drawing of tissues together in a fast and simple way . other contemplated embodiments for “ tension ” elements include using an elastic coupler as a part of the anchor band used to fixate the device . the elastic coupler can be expanded for placement , and upon release , can draw tension to pull the tissues together . the coupler could be made of a biocompatible metal or polymer , or could be constructed of a biodegradable / bioabsorbable material . similarly , an alternative embodiment to cause tension within the device and draw the tissues together after placement of the anchor bands might include an elastic band or band with a spring which one end can be attached to the anchor bands and the other end attached to the patch . alternatively , the anchor bands might , in and of themselves may be made of an elastic band between the barbs , or may contain a spring element between the barbs . such an embodiment can be made to resemble a so - called “ bobber spring .” again , it is contemplated that the elastic or resilient element could be made from a wide variety of metals , polymeric , or biodegradable / bioabsorbable material . fig5 describes an embodiment where the patch element 1002 takes the form of a mesh seal . the securement is effected by a hook having a barb element 1004 that penetrates the inner surface of the annulus 1006 , while the inner connection of the hook ( barb ) 1004 is attached to the patch in such a fashion as to add tension between the outer surface of the annulus and the inner surface in proximity to the patch , thus drawing the annular tissues together . the patch / stent 1002 contains a spring ribbon element 1008 which can be formed from nitinol or other spring material . hooks 1010 are then deployed to “ grab ” the annulus , either through penetration or through grasping into the aperture 1012 as shown . fig5 a - f shows another embodiment of a means to draw the suture lines together to cause tension between the inner and outer tissues of the annulus . anchor bands , for example t - barbs 720 ′ are placed through the annulus and the patch , and they are secured to the patch 702 . “ slack ” in the suture of the anchor band is “ rotated ” around a detachable portion of the delivery tool 704 ′ and a locking element , for example a screw configuration 724 as shown in the drawing , is used to lock the extra suture line in place affixed to threads 726 with the patch 702 . the delivery tool 704 ′ is then removed . fig5 shows alternative embodiments for tightening “ anchoring barbs ” with different configurations of sutures and cinch lines . for example in fig5 b each independent barb has a looped suture attached to it . through each of these loops is passed a cinch line , which contains a knot . after placement of the barbs within the annulus , and possibly through the patch , the cinch line draws the loops of the barbs together . the advantage of this embodiment is that it allows for the independent placement of multiple barbs and the ability to draw all of them together . although cinch lines have been described as using a knot to “ lock ” the length of the suture , other mechanisms could also lock the band locking device , as shown in fig5 . the locking of the suture length is accomplished through a mechanical element located on the barb which engages with three dimensional elements attached to the suture line which mechanically press fit through the engagement element on the barb , thus locking the length of the suture line into place . although the embodiments of fig5 and fig5 depict the use of a single locking mechanism ( e . g ., knot on cinch line ), it is conceivable that various designs could use more than one locking element to achieve the re - approximation and drawing together the tissue surrounding an aperture . all patents referred to or cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent they are not inconsistent with the explicit teachings of this specification , including ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 108 , 438 ( stone ), u . s . pat . no . 5 , 258 , 043 ( stone ), u . s . pat . no . 4 , 904 , 260 ( ray et al . ), u . s . pat . no . 5 , 964 , 807 ( gan et al . ), u . s . pat . no . 5 , 849 , 331 ( ducheyne et al . ), u . s . pat . no . 5 , 122 , 154 ( rhodes ), u . s . pat . no . 5 , 204 , 106 ( schepers at al . ), u . s . pat . no . 5 , 888 , 220 ( felt et al .) and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 376 , 120 ( sarver et al .). various materials know to those skilled in the art can be employed in practicing the present invention . by means of example only , the body portions of the stent could be made of niti alloy , plastics including polypropylene and polyethylene , stainless steel and other biocompatible metals , chromium cobalt alloy , or collagen . webbing materials can include silicone , collagen , eptfe , dacron , polyester , polypropylene , polyethylene , and other biocompatible materials and can be woven or non - woven . membranes might be fashioned of silicone , propylene , polyester , surlyn , pebax , polyethylene , polyurethane or other biocompatible materials . inflation fluids for membranes can include gases , liquids , foams , emulsions , and can be or contain bioactive materials and can also be for mechanical , biochemical and medicinal purposes . the stent body , webbing and / or membrane can be drug eluting or bioabsorbable , as known in the medical implant arts . the foregoing discussion relates to the use of a patch ( or stent ). in some clinical instances , the method of the invention may be accomplished without the use of a patch , however . moreover , a patch may be unnecessary to repair small apertures or apertures of certain shapes , or certain weakened or thin portion ( s ) of an annulus . the invention therefore also encompasses methods for repairing or reconstructing annular tissue that do not necessarily involve the use of a patch , and to fixation devices and tools useful in carrying out these methods . a comparatively simple embodiment of this method is shown in fig7 . in this embodiment , an annulus may be repaired or reconstructed by use of surgical sutures 40 . one or more surgical sutures 40 may be placed at suitable ( e . g ., about equal ) distances along the sides of an aperture 44 ( or along the boundaries of thin or weakened regions ) in the annulus 42 . any suitable surgical needle or its functional equivalent may be used to place the suture . in cases where thinned or weakened regions of the annulus wall are in need of repair or reconstruction , it may be advantageous to place a surgical incision in the affected region to create an aperture prior to proceeding with the method . reapproximation or closure of the aperture 44 may be accomplished by tying the sutures 40 so that the sides of the aperture 44 ( or boundaries of a thin or weakened region ) are drawn together . without wishing to be bound by theory , it is believed that the reapproximation or closure of the aperture 44 enhances the natural healing and subsequent reconstruction by the natural tissue ( e . g ., fibroblasts ) crossing the now surgically narrowed gap in the annulus 42 . preferably , the surgical sutures 40 are biodegradable , but permanent non - biodegradable sutures may be utilized . the use of sutures alone may be insufficient . accordingly , the present invention also provides additional fixation devices that may be used to reapproximate and hold annular tissue . such fixation devices , as described above , may contain an anchor portion and a band portion . the anchor portion serves to fix the fixation device in the annular tissue . the band portion , attached to the anchor portion , serves to reapproximate annular tissue when tightened and secured . at least one fixation device is placed into , or though , the wall of an annulus in a portion surrounding the aperture ( or in a boundary region surrounding a thin or weakened portion of the annulus ). the device is then drawn in tension to pull together , wholly or partially , the surrounding annular tissue . the anchor portion and bands are as described above , and preferably ( though not necessarily ) shaped to enter the annular tissue relatively easily and to resist removal . examples of suitable anchor devices include but are not limited to barbs , t - anchors , or combinations thereof . fig4 d depicts an exemplary anchor device containing barbs . the band and the barbs may be separate elements or comprise one continuous element . bands and barbs may be made of the same or different materials . the bands may be string - like , made from suture or similar material , or of any construction or dimension that is amenable to the delivery and engagement of the fixation device . for example , the band may have a width greater than , in some embodiments far greater than , its thickness . the suture material may in some embodiments have a width : height ratio of 1 . 25 : 1 . in some embodiments , bands may be constructed , wholly or partially , of a mesh tube . moreover , different segments along the length of the band may have different dimensions and constructions . for example , the band may be constructed of thin material , such as nickel titanium alloy or stainless steel wire , close to the anchor barbs , while the middle portion that spans the aperture may comprise a much wider band made of optionally softer material . as described above , the fixation materials may be biocompatible or reabsorbable , or both . examples of biocompatible or reabsorbable materials for use , e . g ., in band and / or barb ( or anchor ), include , but are not limited to , polylactic acid , polyglycolic acid , silk suture , polyethylene , stainless steel , polypropylene , nickel titanium alloy , polyester and their functional equivalents . advantageously , the very tip of the barb could be made of biodegradable material . the barb may be constructed of a material having a shape sufficiently sharp to penetrate the annulus wall , but sufficiently susceptible to wear to dull upon insertion . as an example of the foregoing , the embodiment depicted in fig2 may be adapted for use without patch 120 . in this embodiment , barbs 134 and 136 are plunged ( inserted ) into the annulus fibrosus from the exterior of the annulus . band 144 resides on the outer surface of the annulus and connects barbs 134 and 136 . when knot 145 is tightened or cinched with tether 142 and band 144 , the tissues surrounding the aperture , the inner wall of the annulus , and the outer wall of the annulus , are drawn together . similarly , the arrangement shown in fig3 may be modified by deletion of the patch 120 . anchoring barbs 148 and 150 , attached to band 144 , may be cinched , pulling the appropriate tissues together . the function of the fixation devices of fig2 and 30 are similar to anchor bands 709 shown in fig4 c - 44 e and 46 a - 46 c . in each of these embodiments , the fixation device spans the aperture and is used to draw together the tissues surrounding the aperture , the inner surface of the annulus , and the outer surface of the annulus . thus , in certain clinical situations , such as in the repair of a small aperture , it is possible that a patch may be unnecessary and that cinching the fixation devices may be sufficient to close the aperture . fig5 a - c , 58 a - c , 60 , 61 a , 61 b , 62 a - d , and 63 show additional examples of embodiments of the invention for annular repair or reconstruction without the use of a patch . for instance , in fig5 a - c , in lieu of ( or optionally in addition to ) a patch , two anchors 916 are shown having been passed through the annulus to the subannular space . by drawing on band 910 , the inner and outer walls of the annulus are drawn together in tension , which reapproximates the tissue surrounding the aperture . fig5 c shows a single anchor band across the opening in the annulus . multiple anchor bands may also be placed along an incision or tear in the annulus . the fixation devices of the invention could be delivered as a pair of barbs attached by a single band , as shown in fig4 d , or each barb could be delivered individually . alternatively , multiple barbs may be pre - attached to single or multiple bands for ease and speed of delivery . for example , fig6 shows a fixation device that has multiple anchors 916 ( or barbs , not shown ) connected together in a configuration similar to fig5 b and 58 c , with each anchor 916 being delivered individually into , or through , the nucleus of the annulus 712 . the anchors 910 , if present , may be shown as in the figure . by drawing on the cinch line , the tissues surrounding the aperture , the inner wall of the annulus , and the outer wall of the annulus are drawn together . the knot of fig6 can be similar to the knot shown in fig4 b . other types of knots , such as the knot shown in fig7 , may be used , however . although knots are shown to affix the suture lines together , other means to lock , fasten , clip , retain , or secure the sutures together may also be used . for example , fig5 a shows an alternative way to lock individual bands with barbs together with locking mechanism . fig5 a also shows an alternative embodiment of the fixation device which is contemplated wherein multiple anchor barbs 904 are placed individually with each anchor barb having a single band 910 that are drawn together with other barbs and bands . as previously mentioned , the present invention also encompasses delivery devices of the following description . the delivery devices of the present invention are configured to deliver at least one fixation device into ( or through ) the annulus or other surface or tissue . the delivery device will typically comprise a device or shaft having proximal and distal ends . the shaft of the device may be of any convenient length , typically from , e . g ., 1 inch to 10 inches . materials of which to make the device include , but are not limited to : metals , such as stainless steel , nickel , titanium alloy , and titanium ; plastics , such as ptfe , polypropylene , peek , polyethylene , and polyurethane . advantageously , the shaft of the device will have a cross - sectional shape suitable to accommodate an ejection rod and at least one fixation device . in one embodiment , at least a portion of the shaft of the device may be hollow , having a circular , elliptical , triangular , trapezoidal or other suitable cross - sectional area sufficient to accommodate an ejection rod , described below . the delivery device may also contain a handle or raised surface configured to accommodate the shape of surgeon &# 39 ; s hands or fingers for easier handling . such raised or configured portion may be made of the same or different material as the tube or shaft . suitable materials include polymers , such as acrylic polymers , polyurethane ; and metals , such as stainless steel and titanium . the delivery device may be configured to accommodate and deploy at least one fixation device , such as a barb or t - anchor with one or more associated bands . advantageously , the distal end of the delivery device will comprise a hollow needle or cannula 711 , having a circular , elliptical , triangular , hexagonal or other inner cross sectional area , suitable to accommodate the cross - sectional shape of the fixation device within . the distal point of the cannula 711 is advantageously sharpened , as a needle , to accommodate insertion . the cannula 711 is advantageously cut obliquely as shown in fig6 to form a sharp leading surface or point for ease of insertion . the cannula 711 may contain a cut or groove along its side to accommodate one or more anchors 709 as shown ( or barbs , not shown ), e . g ., in fig6 b or 63 . in one embodiment , the at least one fixation device ( including band and barb or t - anchor ) is disposed within the cannula 711 as shown in fig6 a , 61 b , and / or 63 . alternatively , the t - anchor 709 ( or barb , not shown ), or other fixation device may be hollow and disposed in a manner surrounding the device of the delivery device . the delivery device 708 will also advantageously contain within it an ejection rod 715 . the proximal end of the ejection rod 715 typically will contain an end portion 713 to function as a stopper , e . g ., having a diameter larger than the remaining portion of the rod , such as is shown in fig6 a . the diameter of the remaining portion of the ejection rod 715 will be small enough for insertion within the shaft of the device 708 . upon insertion of the cannula 711 into the location of choice , the ejection rod is pushed to deliver the fixation device . the delivery device is then removed . advantageously , the ejection rod 715 and delivery device may be configured to deliver multiple fixation devices , sequentially or simultaneously . thus , if multiple fixation devices are contained within the device , the ejection rod 715 and delivery device may be configured such that the rod 715 be pushed a first distance , sufficient to deliver a first fixation device . the device is then removed from the first insertion point and inserted into a second insertion point , where the ejection rod is then pushed a second distance for delivery of a second fixation device , and so - on as desired . for simultaneous delivery of multiple fixation devices , multiple delivery devices may be arranged in parallel ( or substantially parallel ). the distance between ( or among ) the delivery devices may be fixed or adjustable , as desired . the distance the ejection rod 715 is pushed to define a first , second , and subsequent distances may be regulated by feel . alternatively , the distance can be regulated by the architecture of the device . for example , the shaft and ejection rod may be fitted with a notch - and - groove configuration , respectively . in such configuration , the notch in the outer surface of the ejection rod may be aligned with a groove in the inner surface of the device . the length of the groove defines a first distance . the ejection rod 715 would be then turned or rotated within the device , aligning the notch within the device to a second groove defining a second distance , and so - on . in an alternative embodiment , the ejection rod and anchor portion of the fixation device ( e . g ., barb or t - anchor ) may surround the shaft of the device , as a sleeve surrounds an arm . in such a configuration , the delivery device would comprise a solid shaft and the ejection rod and fixation device would be at least partially hollow and disposed over the distal portion of the delivery device . pushing the ejection rod in a proximal to distal direction would deploy the anchor portion of the fixation device . fig6 a and 61 b describe one embodiment of an anchor band delivery device 708 and fixation means . fig6 a shows a general drawing of a delivery device . fig6 b further depicts the distal end of the delivery device . anchor band delivery device 708 contains two pointed needles or cannulas 711 . each cannula 711 contains an anchoring t - type anchor 709 ( or barb ) positioned within the distal end of the cannula 711 . a band 709 ′ links the two anchors 709 ( or barbs ) together and a cinch knot 714 secures the anchors ( or barbs ). cinch line 710 is pulled to decrease the length of the band 709 ′ that attaches the anchors 709 . referring to fig6 a , anchor band delivery device 708 is inserted into the annulus 712 sufficiently to engage the inner layers of the annulus 712 , and preferably located at the inner wall of the annulus 712 . the anchors 709 are ejected from the delivery device by pressing the ejection rod 715 in a fashion to expel the t - anchors 709 ( or barbs , not shown ) from the device . for example , pressing on the proximal end of ejection rod 715 as shown in fig6 a drives the ejection rod 715 in a distal direction , thus expelling the anchor from the device . fig6 b shows the anchors 709 ( or barbs ) after being ejected . fig6 c shows a knot pusher 716 attached to the device that can be used to tighten the knot 714 once the fixation device is secured into the annular tissue . fig6 c shows the placement of two anchors 709 , or fixation devices ( anchors and bands ), after they have been delivered to the annulus and before the bands 709 have been tightened . the knot pushers 716 of both devices are still in contact with the knots and the delivery needles have been pulled back , away from the annulus . fig6 d shows the final placement of the two anchor bands after drawing together the tissues surrounding the aperture 717 , the inner wall of the annulus 712 , and the outer wall of the annulus ; and , after tightening and cutting the knot located on each anchor band . although this drawing shows the passage of the bands superior and inferior to the aperture , these bands could also be placed in a multitude of locations to effect desired or equivalent outcomes . in addition , as previously described , one could use barbs having a multitude of configurations . one could also configure delivery devices to deliver one ( as in fig6 ), two ( as in fig6 a ), or more barbs simultaneously , and according to predetermined or variable distances or patterns . the delivery devices may also be configured to eject one , two , or more barbs sequentially . further , the barbs could be delivered by a delivery device that does not require a cannula to cover the barb . in such a configuration , the barb may be disposed on the tip or outside of the delivery device &# 39 ; s shaft , and removed therefrom upon injection into the desired location of the annulus or other tissue . bands and knots may be pre - tied to accommodate each configuration , as previously discussed . for example , although fig6 and 62 a - b depict a device that places two anchors 709 banded together with one device , one could accomplish an equivalent or other desired result with a single device that delivers multiple barbs at the same time , as shown in fig4 b and 44 c . fig6 shows an alternative delivery device that delivers two or more anchors ( or barbs ) from a single cannula 711 . in this embodiment , a first single anchor 709 is ejected from the cannula 711 by pushing the ejection rod 715 a first distance sufficient to eject the first anchor 709 , but insufficient to eject the second . then the delivery device is removed from the first site and passed into another annular location . the second anchor ( or barb ), not shown , connected to the first anchor or barb by band , is ejected out of the cannula 711 by pushing the ejection rod 715 an additional distance sufficient to eject the second anchor ( or barb ) into a second fixation point in the annulus . although much of this description has described placement of the anchors into the annulus ( or soft tissue ) of the disc , one could perform anchoring into other tissues surrounding the aperture , including the bone or sharpey &# 39 ; s fibers as previously described in fig4 a and 48 b , it is also contemplated that , given the delivery device construction , a bone drill or similar device may be necessary to facilitate the placement of the delivery device through the bony or similar tissue . the band 709 ′ connecting the thus implanted anchors ( or barbs ) advantageously contains a moveable knot 714 between the anchors . suitable knots include , but are not limited to , the roeder knot and its functional equivalents , and are advantageously , but not necessarily , pre - tied . after insertion of both anchors 709 ( or barbs ), the band 709 ′ is advantageously tightened by hand or by pushing on the knot with a knot - pusher or similar device . although not shown in fig6 , the knot pusher may be integral to the delivery device . after drawing together the tissues surrounding the aperture , inner wall , and outer wall of the annulus , the excess suture line can be cut . it is also possible to use a cutting device integral to the delivery device to cut the band after cinching . although the device shown in fig6 depicts two anchors being delivered from a single device , multiple anchors or barbs could be delivered from the same or a similar type of device . fig6 shows a delivered configuration of fixation means that may result from the use of a single device to deliver multiple anchors sequentially . other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein . it is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only , with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims .	0
referring to fig1 power assister device 10 is shown with syringe 12 engaging said device , butterfly needle 13 attached to said syringe by luer connector 50 and battery recharger 14 is ready to engage power assister device 10 by insertion of plug 44 into receptacle 42 . when assembled together , power assister device 10 and syringe 12 , along with handle 18 and trigger 20a - 20b , resemble a pistol . this configuration provides for firm hold control and convenient handleability . the power assister device 10 comprises a casing which serves as a housing and chassis for the components contained therein . referring to syringe 12 , as shown in fig1 , 3 and 9 , it comprises : a syringe barrel to receive an injectable agent therein , said syringe barrel having a luer connector 50 at one end thereof serving as means for attaching butterfly needle 13 thereto , and the other end of said tubular body having male coupling 46 to engage female coupling 38 . flange 52 of syringe 12 locates and fixes syringe within a complimentary slot ( not shown ) in front 16 of the power assister device 10 . loading of syringe 12 is exceptionally easy and practical , since the syringe is drop - loaded onto said slot without the need of any twisting or turning motion . positioned in said syringe barrel in a slideable relationship is piston 48 integral with male coupling 46 . as best seen in fig2 , 7 and 8 , the casing or housing of the power assister device 10 houses a d . c . motor 22 which produces angular rotation of gear 24 . gear 24 drives gear 26 which has internal thread 28 . linear movement of lead screw 30 is produced by preventing its rotation and by the angular rotation of internal thread 28 . a follower 32 , fixed to the back end of lead screw 30 , prevents rotation of the lead screw during linear movement by the engagement of peg 32a of the follower 32 rolling or sliding in slot 32b . d . c . motor 22 is powered by rechargeable batteries 40 , which are located in handle 18 of power assister device 10 . trigger switch 20a - 20b engageably coupled to batteries 40 and d . c . motor 22 has three positions : forward drive , reverse drive and off position . forward limit switch 36 is positioned so that lead screw follower 32 triggers the switch and stops the motor when piston 48 is in its extended position as shown in fig4 . likewise , the backwards limit switch 34 is positioned so that the lead screw follower 32 triggers the switch and stops the motor 22 when piston 48 is in its engagement position as shown in fig3 . the power assister device 10 is recharged by plugging recharger 14 in a standard electrical outlet and inserting plug 44 into receptacle 42 during periods in which the device is not in use . reference is now made to the operation of the hand - held power assister . the syringe 12 could be prefilled with an injectable liquid , such as contrast media , or the power assister device 10 could be used to fill the syringe . if not prefilled , the empty syringe 12 is loaded onto the front 16 of the device , having male coupling 46 engage female couple 38 , then placing the power assister device 10 in an upright position by placing it with is flat surface 9 on top of a flat object , such as a table . the syringe 12 is then filled with contrast media by first driving the piston 48 to its extended position within the syringe as shown in fig4 . a plastic tube ( not shown ) is attached to luer connector 50 and the contrast media is syphoned into the syringe 12 by placing the opposite end of the plastic tube in a container filled with contrast media and retracting piston 48 back into its engagement position . upon completion of the process the plastic tube is removed from the luer connector 50 and a butterfly needle 13 is attached thereto . after butterfly needle 13 is attached to luer connector 50 , the upright position of power assister device 10 is maintained until the air from syringe 12 and butterfly needle 13 is purged by driving piston 48 in the forward direction . to drive piston 48 forward or in reverse trigger switch 20a - 20b is provided . trigger switch 20a - 20b is positioned in handle 18 of the power assister device 10 to control both the forward and reverse motion of the piston : pressing 20b results in forward motion of piston 48 , while pressing 20a results in reverse motion thereof . when neither 20a nor 20b trigger switch is pressed , switch automatically reverts to neutral or off position and motor 22 becomes disengaged . in the case when the syringe 12 is prefilled with contrast media , the syringe is loaded in the same manner as above - described , then the power assister 10 is positioned in an upright position . syringe cap ( not shown ) is removed from luer connector 50 and butterfly needle 13 is attached to luer connector 50 . the air is then purged from the syringe as above - described . upon purging the air from syringe 12 , the power assister device 10 is held by the medical practitioner at handle 18 with index finger resting on trigger switch 20a - 20b which is in the off position . protective sheath ( not shown ) is removed from butterfly needle 13 and the same is inserted into the injection sight on the patient . the practitioner then activates motor 22 by pressing trigger switch 20b which electrically engages batteries 40 with motor 22 . motor 22 produces angular motion which is converted into linear motion through gears 24 and 26 acting on lead screw 30 . lead screw 30 drives piston 48 in the barrel of syringe 12 forcing contrast media through butterfly needle into the injection sight . piston 48 is driven by lead screw 30 at a steady rate , while the practitioner is able to visually observe the expulsion of the contrast media from syringe 12 . the medical practitioner is in complete control of the injection process . unlike with very expensive and complicated devices where electronics take complete control over the process with the exclusion of the medical practitioner , the instant power assister device accomplishes one result : responds to the desire of the practitioner by forcing the contrast media out of syringe 12 into the patient at a steady rate of delivery . the injection process may be interrupted any time upon releasing trigger switch into neutral position . when lead screw 30 is in its completely extended position , that is , piston 48 has completely discharged contrast media from syringe 12 , lead screw follower 32 triggers forward limit switch 36 to stop motor 22 . upon completing the injection process , butterfly needle 13 is disconnected from the patient and lead screw 30 is retracted to its initial engagement position . syringe 12 is disconnected from power assister device 10 by disengaging male coupling 46 from female coupling 38 and disengaging flange 52 from receiving slot on front portion 16 of the device 10 . as is apparent from the foregoing description , the power assister device of the present invention is extremely simple , compact , easy to hold and operate and is inexpensive . the lack of complicated electronic components virtually eliminates failures and breakdowns which plague complicated instruments . medical personnel have complete control during the use of the device which makes the practice of delivering contrast media to the patient a more tolerable and pleasant experience than that associated with bulky , complicated instrumentalities .	0
the present invention provides a new and unique measuring device for uv radiation . since the device in accordance with the present invention functions as a measuring device and not as a detector or indicator , it is very important that the measuring device will be attached to the user &# 39 ; s skin / clothing or to the product / plant in such a manner that it absorbs the same amount of uv radiation as that of the user / product . the specific photochromic or color changing agent employed in the measuring device of the present invention are selected in such a manner that they are sensitive only to solar radiation in the uv region , or to artificial uv source . the amount of uv radiation that can present danger to an individual exposed to the sun &# 39 ; s radiation is determined on the basis of existing action spectra and available data for each skin type . an average integral of the intensity of radiation vs . time is calculated from the med efficacy - time dependence available for monochromatic radiation of 297 nm . an example of this dependency referring to skin type no . 2 is shown in fig3 . for the personal applications the dose needed is set by using digital dosimeter calibrated to the measure med sun radiations ( type pma2000 data logger with a pma2101 uvb detector , manufactured by solar light co . ), as a reference . for this purpose individual samples of 10 square cm are subjected to sun radiation so as to induce change of color with / without sunscreen in parallel with the digital measuring device . the irreversibility of color and the influence of ambient temperature are tested in full spectrum of the sun &# 39 ; s radiation . for other applications , the desire dose is determined by the manufacture / farmer , and the measuring device is predetermined accordingly . for example the printing industry is using uv lamp to cure ( dry ) ink . the uv lamp intensity is decreasing in non - linear manner , and it is useful to have a fast way to check if the lamp is still affective . the best way according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to put a few stickers across the paper roll and run it throw the machine . then , compare the sticker color to a reference color — if the color is not the correct one after passing under the lamp , the lamp must be replaced . another applications are used to prevent counterfeiting of products , or to alert if package has been opened , which could indicate that the original product was replaced or damaged . the user can be alerted by exposing the previously covered attached / combined device on the package to uv radiation and observe the irreversible color change in known time . for example , a farmer that buys seeds and would like to know that they are the original brand , can expose a printed part of the package ( which is covered until then ), to the sun for a few minutes and know by the irreversible color change , and then knows that he bought the original brand . the particular combination of an photochromic compound , the color changing agent compound and the type of the matrix used in the measuring device is chosen in such a manner that the measuring device changes color during exposure to the predetermine dose of uv radiation according to the application , for example the dose which exceeded the individual &# 39 ; s permissible med corresponding to his personal skin type . the particular efficacy is defined for a particular skin type , by virtue of this provision the user can choose the measuring device which is safest for him and thus avoid damage to his skin and / or his eyes . the new device operates continuously irrespective of whether it is exposed either to direct or reflected uv radiation , or if there is interruption in the irradiation thus , there will be increased awareness of the danger of cumulative exposure to uv radiation . the device for personal use is calibrated to work simultaneously with a sun screen by applying it to the device surface , and thus increase the permissible time of exposure to the uv radiation , and insuring its safety . reference is now made to fig4 illustrating the structure of a new measuring device that can be worn by a user as a sticker or wristband in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the device for human use , the patch version , comprises a polymeric matrix made of two layers 10 and 12 ( the opaque bottom layer is use to make homogenous background ), with a third layer 14 attached thereto . third layer 14 is made of a sticky material , for example , glue or scotch and by virtue of this provision the device can be attached to the user &# 39 ; s skin , clothing or equipment . optionally , for the wristband version this third layer is not needed , however , a sticky patch can be use in the end of the wristband for closing . the aim of matrix 10 is to carry an active chemical compound 16 , to reliably protect it from corrosion due to ambient humidity and to thereto mechanical impact . matrix 10 should be a material that is thermally stable , i . e ., should not alter its character after heating up to 50 degrees c . so as to retain its transparency sufficient for visualizing the variation of color of an active compound incorporated in the matrix . the matrix also has capability to absorb sunscreen like the skin . as an example of a suitable matrix material , one can use various optically transparent materials such as , polystyrenes , polyolefin &# 39 ; s , polyvinyl derivatives , polyester derivatives , cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate , polyurethanes , polyethylene ; silicone resins such as lsr ( liquid silicone rubber ), different varnish , epoxies etc . within the matrix an active photochromic and a color changing compound is distributed . the principle of choosing of the active compounds in accordance with the present invention will be explained further . a color changing agent is added to matrix 10 . the total thickness of the matrix layers lies between 0 . 01 - 5 mm . reference is now made to fig5 illustrating the structure of a new measuring device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention to be used in the industry , agriculture or as anti counterfeiting label . for industrial and agriculture applications , the sticker can be comprised of two layers : one with the active compounds 20 and second one with is the sticky layer for attachment 22 . the active compound and absorbing material can be incorporated within the matrix by means of any known - in - the - art suitable method , for example by extruding , molding , casting or printing . in practice , the amount of the photochromic 16 within the matrix and the color changing agent 18 varies between 0 . 001 to 2 weight percent depending on the matrix material , type of an active compound and desire sensitivity . in some case there is a need to use more then one photochromic compound in order to get more colors or colors changes . optionally and advantageously , it is possible to add an organic dye to the polymeric matrix in order to add suitable initial color to the measuring device which could strengthen the contrast with the color of the active material after it has been exposed to the uv radiation . examples of such organic pigments suitable for this purpose include phtalocyanine , quinacridone , isoindolinone , perylene , anthraquinone , etc . having explained the construction of the new device it will now be explained in more details how the chemical compounds employed therein are chosen in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . it has been empirically established that those photochromic and uv sensitive compounds which satisfy the following criteria can be advantageously employed in the device according to the present invention : 1 . the photochromic compound should be capable of undergoing color change in response to uv radiation and endure temperatures of up to 220 c during manufacturing . 2 . the color change agent should be capable of irreversible color change in the sense that it should not change or reverse the photochromic compound color after it has been exposed to the predetermine uv radiation . the irreversibility of color should remain irrespective of whether the device was exposed to visible sun radiation , held in darkness , or exposed to temperatures up to 50 degrees c ., and endure temperatures of up to 220 c during production . 3 . the mechanism of photochemical reaction should be one mechanism chosen from the group including , radical dissociation , or formation of complexes . some non exhaustive representative examples of color change agents and active photochromic compounds that satisfy the above criteria are listed below : a ) aromatic derivatives for example as described in margerum , j . d . ; miller , l . j . ; saito , e . ; mosher , h . s . ; brown , m . ; hardwick , r . j . phys . chem ., 66 , 2434 ( 1962 ) or in . sousa , j . a . ; weinstein , j . j . org . chem ., 27 , 3155 ( 1962 ) or in bluhm , a . l . ; weinstein , j . ; sousa , j . a . j . org . chem ., 28 , 1989 ( 1963 ). b ) spiropyran derivatives represented by the general formula shown in fig9 . in the above formula r and / or r . sub . 1 represent an alkyl group , a nitro group or a halogen . for example as described in berman , e . ; fox , r . j . am . chem . soc , 81 , 5605 ( 1959 ). the chemical reaction governed by the formation of ions is presented with reference to fig9 . the present invention will now be disclosed with reference to non limiting examples : the measuring device is designed for skin type no . 3 and has a total thickness of 2 mm . the matrix is manufactured in the form of a pe sheet by extruding . distributed within this layer is 0 . 02 weight percent of an active photochromic material , 1 ′, 3 ′- dihydro - 1 ′-( 3 - fluorobenzyl )- 3 ′, 3 ′- dimethyl - 6 - nitrospiro { 2h - 1 - henzopyran - 2 , 2 ′-( 2h )- indulu } and 0 . 1 weight percent changing color agent 4 - methylacetophenone . the measuring device changes color from transparent to blue after exposure and finally to yellowish after 3 med the measuring device was irradiated by the sun during different day hours and during different seasons . the tests were calibrated by a pma2100 data logger with a pma2101 uvb detector manufactured by the solar light co . the measuring device &# 39 ; s color was influenced neither after having light being held on it without time limitation or being held in darkness for at least 4 hours , nor at the temperature 50 deg . c . the measuring device is designed for testing printing drying uv lamp has a total thickness of 0 . 005 mm . the matrix is manufactured by printing on pp film . distributed within this layer is 0 . 05 weight percent of an active photochromic material , 1 ′, 3 ′- dihydro - 1 ′-( 3 - fluorobenzyl )- 3 ′, 3 ′- dimethyl - 6 - nitrospiro { 2h - 1 - henzopyran - 2 , 2 ′-( 2h )- indulu } and 0 . 5 weight percent changing color agent 4 - methylacetophenone . the measuring device changes color from transparent to blue after exposure and finally to yellowish exposure of 0 . 2 second to 2500 mw uv lamps assemble in flaxo printing machine . the measuring device is designed for preventing counterfeiting of seeds is printed on the package with a thickness of about 0 . 01 mm , covered by opaque layer . the matrix is manufactured by printing on pp film . distributed within this layer are 0 . 08 weight percent of an active photochromic material , 1 ′, 3 ′- dihydro - 1 -( 3 - fluorobenzyl )- 3 ′, 3 ′- dimethyl - 6 - nitrospiro { 2h - 1 - henzopyran - 2 , 2 ′-( 2h )- indulu } and 0 . 7 weight percent changing color agent 4 - methylacetophenone . when the cover is removed by scratching and exposing it to sun , the printed part will irreversible change its color from blue to clear in a few minutes . it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the above - described embodiments and that changes and modifications can be made by one ordinarily skilled in the art without deviation from the scope of the invention , as will be defined in the appended claims . the measuring device of the present invention can be used for measuring the uv dose to people and to other objects or product were exposed , for example , plants or crops in agriculture , printed items , semi - conductors , etc . it should be appreciated that the features disclosed in the foregoing description , and / or in the following claims , and / or in the accompanying drawings and / or in the accompanying examples may , both separately and in any combination thereof , be material for realizing the present invention in diverse forms thereof . although certain presently preferred embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described herein , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that variations and modifications of the various embodiments shown and described herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , it is intended that the invention be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and the applicable rules of law .	6
a condom according to an embodiment of the invention has a thickness in the range of at least 0 . 007 ″ ( 175 micron ) to 0 . 010 ″ ( 250 micron ), which is approximately 2 - 3 times thicker than thin rolled condoms , which typically range from 0 . 0025 ″ ( 60 micron ) up to 0 . 0050 ″ ( 125 micron ). due to its thickness , the condom of the present invention is shape - retaining , not flaccid like thin rolled condoms . further , given its distinctive and unique thickness , the condom does not suffer from the common limitations and failures inherent in thin condoms . most importantly , it is widely known in the art and independent testing has shown that thin condoms do not provide 100 % protection against sexually communicable diseases , such as hiv . under laboratory testing , thin condoms have proven to have deficient strength ( e . g . tensile strength and tear resistance properties ) and durability , resulting in an average 20 % failure rate for viral permeability . because the condom of the present invention is 2 - 3 times thicker than ordinary thin condoms , it has superior strength and durability , providing greater protection against the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases as well as protection against unintentional pregnancies . in particular , the thickness of the present condom makes it especially effective protection for anal sex , which is considered a more rigorous activity for which thin rolled condoms are less effective . in an embodiment of a male condom of the present invention , the condom is not only thicker but also much longer than a standard condom proportionate to penis length . unlike the standard one - size - fits - all condom , the condom according to the present invention comes in different sizes , being at least approximately 20 % longer than a standard condom and can be as long as 12 ″ in length . the user is to select the size of the condom according to the user &# 39 ; s anatomical requirements . more particularly , the user is to select the condom having a length that is approximately 20 % longer than the user &# 39 ; s erect penis . as shown in fig1 - 5 , a male condom 1 of the present invention has a sheath body 10 with a proximal end 20 that is open and a distal end 30 that is closed . in an embodiment of the invention shown in fig2 , condom 1 has a plurality of flutes 40 on sheath body 10 extending along a longitudinal axis x - x between open end 20 and closed end 30 . each flute 40 is characterized by a curved ridge 42 extending along longitudinal axis x - x of sheath body 10 . the curved ridge 42 is highest at the midsection of body 10 relative to longitudinal axis x - x , and gradually tapers towards the respective ends 20 , 30 , such that the sheath body 10 has an elliptical shape characterized by a midsection that is wider than the respective ends as shown in fig3 . the elliptical shape of the sheath body 10 is in contrast to the straight , tubular shape of a conventional thin condom when it is unrolled . as shown in fig4 , the plurality of flutes 40 is thus defined by curved ridges 42 and furrows 44 that form a corrugated shape , having a serpentine or undulating profile . across - section of the condom 1 would look similar to an asterisk , with the flutes 40 extending radially from the center core of the condom 1 as shown in fig4 . in the embodiment of the male condom shown in fig1 - 5 , condom 1 has a first ring 50 located at the open end 20 . the condom 1 can be donned by pulling first ring 50 so that the sheath body 10 slides onto the penis like a sock . the condom 1 is not like a traditional thin condom that must be unrolled down the shaft of the penis , which can be difficult for the user to do efficiently . rather , the condom 1 can be easily donned without unrolling by pulling the first ring 50 to slide the condom 1 onto the penis like a sock . the open end 20 with first ring 50 is sized to fit tightly around the base of the penis to prevent slippage and spillage of semen . because the open end 20 fits snuggly around the base of the penis , the condom 1 will billow or swell when the penis is inserted into the condom 1 because some air is trapped in the condom 1 due to its extended length . the flutes 40 function as air channels to evacuate the air when the condom 1 is donned to prevent the formation of an air pocket . in another embodiment , condom 1 also has a second ring 60 that is integrally connected to the first ring 50 as shown in fig2 - 3 . the second ring 60 can also be pulled to don the condom 1 like a sock . the second ring 60 can be looped over a user &# 39 ; s scrotum to anchor the condom to prevent slippage . for this purpose , the second ring 60 is typically larger in diameter than the first ring 50 . during intercourse , as the penis is thrust forward into the receiving partner , it is pushed into the elongated condom 1 , which causes the condom 1 to billow . as the penis is pushed farther forward into the billowed condom , the condom 1 buckles cross - current to the flutes , folding over on itself due to its extended length as shown in fig5 . the condom 1 buckles at its midsection where the elliptical sheath body is widest . the top portion of the condom 1 near the closed end 30 folds back towards the base of the condom near the open end 20 as the penis is pushed towards the extended tip of the closed end 30 . conversely , when the penis is pulled on the withdrawal stroke , the condom 1 unfolds . in this way , the elongated length helps prevent the condom 1 from sliding off because the normal ‘ tug ’ action created by the withdrawal stroke of the penis is absorbed by the extra length of the condom 1 , and this motion is repeated consistently with each thrust and withdrawal movement . the flutes 40 allow the condom 1 to fold over on itself and unfold without becoming tangled or bunched , providing a consistent slide - over effect that creates a reciprocating motion that is in fluid concert with bodily motion . unlike a conventional male condom that is designed to be tight - fitting in order to cling to the penis and to move along with the penis , thereby restricting sensation , the fluting 40 allows the penis to move inside the sheath body 10 as the condom 1 folds and unfolds with consistent regularity . as the extended length of the condom 1 glides back and forth over the penis during intercourse , the movement of the condom , facilitated by the convolutions of the fluted shape , functions to create and enhance sensation to the penis . further , the condom 1 can function with internal lubrication to facilitate consistent fluid movement of the sheath body 10 gliding over the penis . the fluid movement of the sheath body 10 gliding over the penis simulates the feeling of wet , slippery sexual contact that normally occurs in the wet , slippery , warm , environment of the vagina to stimulate orgasmic response . since the penis glides inside the condom 1 , direct fluid sensation is created from inside rather than from outside as with typical thin rolled condoms . thus , unlike conventional thin condoms that are designed as thin as possible to facilitate ‘ transferred sensation ’ filtered through the barrier material , the condom 1 of the present invention mechanically creates sensation internally rather than transfer it through the material . further , since the lubricant is viscous , the inner walls cling to the penis and reduce the amount of air that could otherwise be trapped prior to donning . trapped air could cause the condom 1 to have an undesirable air pocket that would cause the condom 1 to balloon up after donning . not only does the condom 1 improve sensation , it is also safer than typical thin condoms . because the condom 1 is thicker than thin condoms , the condom 1 has greater tensile strength , thereby reducing the risk of the condom tearing or bursting . in particular , the elongated length of the condom 1 prevents breakage at the tip that commonly occurs in thin condoms . thin condoms are typically snug fitting with one established generic size that is intended to fit to the tip of the penis , which creates concentrated stress at the tip , the primary site for condom breakage according to clinical studies . the condom 1 reduces the risk of breakage at the tip because the condom designed to be longer than the erect penis on which it is donned . because condom 1 is to be approximately 20 % longer than the user &# 39 ; s erect penis , this prevents stress concentration at the tip , thereby eliminating the risk of breakage at the tip . additionally , the condom 1 can be manufactured by double - dipping the tip for reinforcement to further prevent the most common incidents of breakage at the tip . in summary , the condom 1 provides a more comfortable fit for the active partner as it loosely accommodates the penis so that tactile fluid movement of the penis is possible during coitus . the condom 1 also provides increased stimulation for the passive partner because the flutes rub against the vaginal or rectal wall during intercourse . fig6 - 10 shows a female condom 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig6 - 10 , the female condom 100 has a sheath body 110 with a proximal end 120 that is open and a distal end 130 that is closed . the condom 100 has a plurality of flutes 140 on sheath body 110 extending along a longitudinal axis y - y between open end 120 and closed end 130 . each flute 140 is characterized by a curved ridge 142 extending along longitudinal axis y - y of sheath body 10 . the ridge 142 gradually tapers towards the respective ends 20 , 30 as best shown in fig8 . the plurality of flutes 140 form curved ridges 142 and furrows 144 having a corrugated shape as best shown in fig1 . the condom 100 has an enlarged tubular ring 150 at open end 120 , wherein the tubular ring 150 is sufficiently sized to remain outside of the vaginal opening to maintain the opening of the condom 100 after insertion .	0
referring now to fig2 and 3 of the drawings , a pillow construction comprising a pattern panel of material 10 having four outwardly extending portions 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 , each of which is generally square and positioned longitudinally to define a square center portion 15 , indicated by the dotted line 16 . the four outwardly extending portions 11 - 14 are of a length less than that of the square center portion 15 . the pattern panel of material 10 can be cut from a single piece of material or assembled out of multiple sections . to assemble the pillow , each of the outwardly extending portions 11 - 14 are folded one at a time beginning with the portion 11 inwardly on the dotted line 16 . then an innermost corner 17 of the folded portion 11 is folded back upon itself to the opposite corner 18 defining a triangle 19 . each of the outwardly extending portions 11 - 14 are folded in a similar manner and form respective triangles 20 , 21 and 22 as best seen in fig3 of the drawings . the folding of each outwardly extending portion 11 - 14 in the above - described method assures that each of the triangles 19 - 22 overlaps the triangle adjacent one another . the outer edges of the triangles 19 - 22 are sewn in place and turned inside out completing the assembly as seen in fig4 of the drawings . the above - referred to assembly defines a pillow 23 seen in fig1 of the drawings having a face 24 with an opening at 25 . an insert piece 26 having a design or pattern thereon is of a size so that it can be placed within the opening at 25 and under the folded portions of the triangles 19 - 22 holding the insert 26 in place . filling or stuffing for the pillow 23 is placed in a smaller enclosure , not shown , which is inserted first in the opening 25 followed by the decorative insert 26 as described above . referring now to fig5 and 6 of the drawings , an alternate form of the pillow construction can be seen . a fabric pattern 27 in fig6 of the drawings has a plurality of outwardly extending portions 28 , 29 , 30 , and 31 all of an equal length in relation to a center square portion 29 . the outwardly extending portions 28 - 31 have a length greater than their width having ends 32 and 33 respectively . each of the outwardly extending portions 28 - 31 are folded inward then outward on a dotted line 30 in an alternating overlapping configuration as seen in fig5 of the drawings . the perimeter is sewn in place and turned inside out leaving a face 34 open to accept a pattern insert , not shown , similar to that hereinbefore described . in fig7 of the drawings , a second alternate form of the invention is shown wherein a round pillow configuration 35 has a plurality of folded segments 36 around its perimeter edge . in this alternate form of the invention , the segments 36 are cut individually and folded in half being sewn in place overlapping one another to a circular backing 37 . the segments 36 are arranged to form an open face 37 into which can be positioned a circular insert material , not shown , having a pattern in the same manner as was described above . thus it will be seen that a new and useful pillow construction has been described and that it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention .	8
the numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to the presently preferred embodiment . however , it should be understood that this class of embodiments provides only a few examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein . in general , statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily delimit any of the various claimed inventions . moreover , some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others . this application shares some text and figures with the following us applications , which all have an effective filing date simultaneous with that of the present application and hereby incorporated by reference : application ser . no . 09 / 280 , 313 now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 363 , 449 , application ser . no . 09 / 293 , 587 , and application ser . no . 09 / 280 , 311 now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 463 , 495 . following are short definitions of the usual meanings of some of the technical terms which are used in the present application . ( however , those of ordinary skill will recognize whether the context requires a different meaning .) additional definitions can be found in the standard technical dictionaries and journals . following are short definitions of the usual meanings of some of the technical terms which are used in the present application . ( however , those of ordinary skill will recognize whether the context requires a different meaning .) additional definitions can be found in the standard technical dictionaries and journals . x - 10 is the oldest and most widely - used home automation protocol . it uses the power lines as a transmission medium . lonworks echelon corporation developed this standard for both home and industrial use , and the standard may be obtained from that company . lonworks uses a variety of transmission media including ir , rf , coaxial cable , and twisted pair . ieee 1394 is a communications standard which supports real - time audio and video transmission with data rates up to 400 megabits / sec . ieee 1394 uses a cable consisting of three twisted pairs to connect devices in a network . the ieee 1394 standard , which is hereby incorporated by reference , is published by , and available from , the ieee . cebus is a newer standard in home automation . like lonworks , cebus uses a variety of transmission media including ir , rf , coaxial cable , and twisted pair . the cebus standard , which is hereby incorporated by reference , is published by , and available from , the electronic industries association . usb ( or the universal serial bus ) was originally intended for use as a home automation protocol . however , it was actually developed as a protocol for computer peripherals by several manufacturers of personal computer products . the usb specification is available , as of the filing date of this application , from the usb implementer &# 39 ; s forum at http :// www . usb . org , and is hereby incorporated by reference . power rail refers to any one of the connections which provide power to each of the internal system components of a computer system . the power rail generally receives power from the system power supply , which itself is powered by a battery or an external power source . power mains refers to the power mains systems in common use in all industrialized countries . in the united states , for example , this would refer to the common indoor power outlets which supply current at 60 hz and ( for most circuits ) about 120 v ; in the u . k . this would refer to the common indoor power outlets which supply current at 50 hz and 240 v . intrachassis refers to components of a computer system connected to a common power rail and , typically , located within a common system unit . in the context of this application , “ intrachassis ” includes system devices that may be physically located outside the system unit bus , but which are still powered by the common power rail , e . g ., an external hard drive . according to the preferred embodiment , a network of computer systems is provided in which a “ smart ” device , such as a hood lock , within each system is capable of communicating with other smart devices over the system power rail , and between devices on different computer systems over a common power mains . in the presently preferred embodiment , the hood lock operates by moving a solenoid , which is connected to a locking arm , into or out of a slot attached to the system &# 39 ; s hood . when the locking arm is in the slot , the hood cannot be removed . a “ lock ” pulse will cause the locking arm to move into the slot . an “ unlock ” pulse causes the locking arm to retract from the slot , which frees the hood for removal . in the presently preferred embodiment , the hardware control for the hood lock features a programmable hardware timer designed to prevent solenoid damage from lock / unlock pulses of excessive duration . in addition , the controlling software is freed from having to control the pulse width . fig1 shows the physical configuration of a computer with the case opened , showing a solenoid 120 , with a plunger 125 above the power supply 130 . the hood 140 has an added tab 150 with a hole 155 in it . when the hood is in place , the solenoid plunger 125 extends through this hole 155 to lock the hood in position . the presently preferred embodiment will be described in the context of a system which uses power - line communications to provide both intrachassis and interchassis communications . however , as will be apparent to technologists of ordinary skill , the claimed inventions do not necessarily require such extensive reliance on power - line communications . fig6 shows a sample electrical configuration of some important parts of a computer 600 which includes a “ hoodlock ” 650 . the case 610 encloses the motherboard 630 and power supply 620 , as well as other components , such as a hard disk drive 636 , a removable media drive 637 , and many other possible components , not shown , such as i / o channel interfaces , and option cards if present . the motherboard 630 includes many key components of the computer . for example , the motherboard carries one or more microprocessors ( or other processing units ) 634 , ram 635 , and a peripheral controller 640 , as well as many others which are not shown . also mounted on the motherboard may be a temperature sensor 638 or cooling device 639 , for example , a fan . the power supply 620 preferably includes an ac converter 622 , which permits power to be drawn from an ac power line , and provides power to a dc converter 632 on the motherboard . further , the power supply preferably includes a cooling device 624 ( a fan , for example ) and a temperature sensor 626 . according to the preferred embodiment , the power supply incorporates a microcontroller 628 and non - volatile memory for storing a boot - up program , which is connected to the system power rail , and is capable of communicating with other devices incorporating similar microcontrollers , for example , the peripheral controller 640 , over the power rail . according to the preferred embodiment , this communication is done according to the cebus specification or modifications thereof , described above . the exemplary functions below will be described with particular reference to the microcontroller 228 of the power supply , but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the similar controllers in other system devices will function and communicate similarly . moreover , when reference is made to any specific component communicating with another over the power rail , it will be understood that this is accomplished by use of the respective microcontrollers of those components . in this embodiment , various system devices , including the temperature sensor 638 , the cooling device 639 , and the hard disk drive 636 , are connected to send and receive signals over the power rail . in this manner , the controller 628 in the power supply can communicate with these system devices . further , the system peripheral controller can be connected to communicate over the power rail . particular communications supported by the controller 628 include the ability to request basic status information from each device , and to command the devices to power on or off as needed . for example , the controller 628 may receive information from temperature sensor 638 indicating a high temperature , and may command cooling device 639 to turn on or adjust speed in response . in this context , hoodlock hl is connected to the power rail 270 . hoodlock hl is positioned to engage the door or cover of the system case , so that it is fastened shut unless the hoodlock solenoid is activated . further , each system device has an associated identifier address which uniquely identifies that device within the system . the identifier functions to specifically identify both the type of device and the specific address of that device within devices of that type . this identifier is used to specifically identify the sender and recipient of any data or command sent over the system power rail . this identifier is particularly advantageous when used to determine which device types are authorized to perform certain functions or to send certain commands . for example , while it may be useful for a temperature sensor , upon detection of an overheating condition , to order the power supply to shut the system down , there is almost no reason for a hard disk drive to request a system shut - down . by identifying the class of device from which a command is sent , the receiver can determine whether or not to respond . fig2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary computer system according to the preferred embodiment , with system devices divided into different classes . in this diagram , each device shown incorporates a respective power communications controller ( pcc ), which communicates over power rail 270 . in this example , power supply 210 includes pcc 215 and is designated class 0 . uninterruptible power supply ( ups ) 220 , which includes pcc 225 , may optionally be a unit distinct from the power supply 210 , or they may be integrated together , as indicated by the broken box . in this example , class 1 includes cpu / memory system 230 and pcc 235 . class 2 includes cooling device 240 , for example , a fan , and pcc 245 . class 3 includes i / o device 250 and pcc 255 . a separate class of device , class x , includes , for example , a hoodlock 260 ( described in fig1 ) and a pcc 265 . all devices are connected , through their respective pccs , to power rail 270 . fig3 shows a flow chart of a class - based broadcast process according to the preferred embodiment . in this chart , when a command or request is sent to a certain class of device ( step 305 ), the broadcast type is set to “ class ” and the “ done ” bit is cleared ( step 310 ). then , as long as the done bit remains clear ( step 315 ), a repeated broadcast / verify routine is performed . first , the broadcast is initialized and sending is initiated ( step 320 ). then , as long as acks are received from devices that have received the broadcast ( step 325 ), the broadcast process continues to wait , saving the list of responding devices as the acknowledgments are received ( step 330 ). as each ack is received , a delay timer is reset , and the next ack is waited on ( step 335 ). if the timer expires without receiving another ack , an assumption is made that the broadcast is done and the initial broadcast loop is left . next , the same broadcast is resent ( step 340 ) and an ok bit is set to a default 1 ( step 345 ). the process then waits for device responses as above ( step 350 , looping at step 365 ). as the process receives responses , as long as the responses are the same as those received earlier and saved in step 330 ( step 355 ), the looping continues . if anything different is received , the ok bit is cleared ( step 360 ). the process continues after all information is received . the status of the ok bit ( step 370 ) is checked . if it is set , the done bit is then set as well ( step 375 ); if not , the done bit is left cleared . the process then loops back ( step 380 ) to step 315 . if the done bit is set , the routine is finished ( step 385 ) and ready for the next broadcast ( looping back to step 305 ). if the done bit is clear , the entire broadcast sequence is retried ( looping back to step 315 ). fig4 shows the format of two data / instruction blocks according to the preferred embodiment . fig4 a shows a generic command format . in this block , the select id includes both the device class id and the unit id . next in this block is a read / write bit , indicating the type of transmission . finally , the function portion of the block indicates the function to be performed . fig4 b shows an authenticated command format , which is the same as the generic command format with an additional field for authentication . this field contains an authentication code or key , and can support standard hashing mechanisms , public / private key encryption schemes , and secret sharing and handshaking . in the presently preferred embodiment , a hood lock / unlock function would be accomplished via use of an authenticated command sent to the chassis . fig5 a and 5b depict block diagrams of a network facilitating interchassis communications . as described above , the preferred embodiment provides a network of nodes , wherein each node is preferably as described above . according to the preferred embodiment , each of the nodes can be linked over a common high speed network or networks , but is also configured to communicate over a common power mains . in fig5 a , each chassis is as described in fig2 . however , interchassis communication is facilitated by the use of the common power mains 502 as a means for each ups 220 to communicate . communication among upss 220 and a central ups 504 can take place . therefore , the power mains itself serves as a secondary ( or even tertiary ) means of communication . since the power supply of each node incorporates a pcc 215 and each ups also incorporates a pcc 506 enabling communications over power systems , each node is capable of communicating with each other node over any common power mains . in addition , according to the preferred embodiment , the power supply pcc 215 in each node can act as a bridge to allow communications over the power mains to the individual devices on each node &# 39 ; s power rail . in fig5 b an external network 508 is depicted along with a loosely coupled network 510 created by a modem connection across an existing phone system . the phone system acts in the same way as the common power mains . it is capable of relaying command and control functions across existing common phone wires to other nodes on the network . even if the primary network is down , the hood of a chassis on a node of the network can still be locked or unlocked . according to a disclosed class of innovative embodiments , there is provided a computer network , comprising : a plurality of computer systems , each having a user input device , a microprocessor which is operatively connected to detect inputs from said input device , random - access memory which is connected to be read / write accessible by said microprocessor , an output device operatively connected to receive outputs from said microprocessor , and a power supply connected to provide power to said microprocessor and said memory all enclosed in a case ; a high - speed network connecting said computer systems and allowing communication therebetween ; wherein said computer systems are connected to a power mains , and are capable of communicating therebetween over said power mains ; and wherein access to said case is controlled by an electrically controlled device and said device can be commanded to allow access to said case by command and control signals received over said power mains . according to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments , there is provided a computer system , comprising : one or more microprocessors , a user input device which is operatively connected to provide inputs to at least some ones of said microprocessors , memory which is connected to be read / write accessible by at least some ones of said microprocessors , and an output device connected to receive outputs from at least some ones of said microprocessors ; an internal power supply connected to provide power to said microprocessors and said memory , said microprocessors , said memory , and said power supply all being enclosed in a case ; a plurality of system devices including a power supply connected to provide power to an internal power rail common to said system devices ; and a cooling device connected to cool the interior of said system ; wherein said system devices communicate with each other over said power rail ; and wherein access to said case is controlled by an electrically controlled device and said device can be commanded to allow access to said case by command and control signals received over said power rail . according to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments , there is provided system of hardware management in a computer system , comprising : computer system components connected to a power rail , including , a user input device , a microprocessor which is operatively connected to detect inputs from said input device , random - access memory which is connected to be read / write accessible by said microprocessor , and an output device operatively connected to receive outputs from said microprocessor , non - volatile random - access storage which is connected to be read / write accessible by said microprocessor and at least one cooling device ; and a power supply connected to a power mains to provide power to said computer system components over said power rail , all said components being enclosed in a case ; wherein said power mains facilitates command and control communications between said computer system components and between said computer system components and said power supply ; and wherein access to said case is controlled by an electrically controlled device and said device can be commanded to allow access to said case by command and control signals received over said power rail . according to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments , there is provided a method of hardware security management in a computer network , comprising : operating a plurality of computer systems connected to a high - speed network and a common power mains system ; allowing communication between said computer systems across said network and over said common power mains ; and controlling access to said computer systems by command and control signals received over said power mains . according to another disclosed class of innovative embodiments , there is provided a method of hardware security management in a computer , comprising : allowing system devices of a computer to communicate with a power supply and each other over a common power rail ; controlling access to said power supply and said system devices by an electrically controlled access device ; and electrically controlling said access device by command and control signals received over said power rail . as will be recognized by those skilled in the art , the innovative concepts described in the present application can be modified and varied over a tremendous range of applications , and accordingly the scope of patented subject matter is not limited by any of the specific exemplary teachings given . of course , in implementing power supply circuits and systems , safety is a very high priority . those of ordinary skill in the art will therefore recognize the necessity to review safety issues carefully , and to make any changes in components or in circuit configuration which may be necessary to improve safety or to meet safety standards in various countries . in the sample computer system embodiment the user input devices can alternatively include a trackball , a joystick , a 3d position sensor , voice recognition inputs , or other inputs . similarly , the output devices can optionally include speakers , a display ( or merely a display driver ), a modem , or other outputs . the presently preferred embodiment of this disclosure relies on the cebus protocol or a modification thereof . however , it is possible that other currently existing protocols , for example , x - 10 , can be used to achieve substantially similar results . it is also possible that a faster protocol could be developed which can take advantage of the disclosed methods and apparatus . a secondary network utilizing power mains connectivity is described for the presently preferred embodiment . the topology of this power mains network can vary according to the wiring of the facility or facilities in which it is used . the power mains network , for example , can be hub and spoke , daisy chained , or some other connectivity scheme . in addition , the scope of the network need not be limited to a particular room , circuit , power mains junction box , or building installation . instead , the service area of the present embodiment extends at least to the detectability distance of the command and control signals . further , it is possible that the command and control signals can be boosted to increase the service area of the secondary network . in the presently preferred embodiment , the command and control signals are described as functions implemented in the ipmi platform . however , a modification of the existing ipmi platform , functions from another management platform , a new set of functions , or some combination of functions and platforms can be utilized by the presently preferred embodiment . additional general background , which helps to show the knowledge of those skilled in the art regarding the system context , and of variations and options for implementations , may be found in the following publications , all of which are hereby incorporated by reference . in particular , many details may be found in the books from mindshare , inc ., including protected mode software architecture , cardbus system architecture , eisa system architecture , isa system architecture , 80486 system architecture , pentium processor system architecture , pcmcia system architecture , plug and play system architecture , pci system architecture , usb system architecture , and pentium pro processor system architecture , all of which are hereby incorporated by reference , and in the pentium processor family developer &# 39 ; s manual 1997 , the multiprocessor specification ( 1997 ), the intel architecture optimizations manual , the intel architecture software developer &# 39 ; s manual , the peripheral components 1996 databook , the pentium pro processor bios writer &# 39 ; s guide ( version 2 . 0 , 1996 ), and the pentium pro family developer &# 39 ; s manuals from intel , all of which are hereby incorporated by reference .	7
referring to fig1 of the drawings , the cylinder safety stop 10 of the invention can be seen engaged on a piston and cylinder assembly 11 which has a cylinder body 12 with a piston rod 13 reciprocally positioned therein . the cylinder body 12 extends from and is integral with a cylinder base block 14 having fluid supply attachment portal fittings 15 for connection with a source of fluid under pressure ps as is well known and understood within the art . the piston rod 13 has a piston rod block 16 secured to its free end , having a bore 17 extending transversely therethrough which provides a point of attachment for the cylinder safety stop 10 as will be described in detail hereinafter . the cylinder safety stop 10 of the invention has a cylinder end engagement locking sleeve fitting 18 , best seen in fig1 and 3 - 6 of the drawings . the locking sleeve fitting 18 has a main body member 19 with an integral engagement plate 20 extending from its upper end surface 21 . the engagement plate 20 has an annular opening at 22 sized for allowing the piston rod 13 to pass therethrough when the cylinder end engagement locking sleeve 18 is attached to the free end 12 a of the cylinder body 12 . an adjustment stop bolt 23 is threadably disposed through the engagement plate 20 with a lock nut 24 positioned thereon . the adjustable bolt 23 can be rotatably advanced thereby extending above the plate &# 39 ; s 20 planar upper surface 20 a for adjustable stop engagement as will be described hereinafter . an elongated u - shaped piston rod block engagement channel 25 is slidably positioned on the piston rod 13 of the cylinder assembly 11 having a plurality of longitudinally and transversely aligned apertures a along the respective edges of the channels upstanding sidewalls 26 and 27 , best seen in fig1 of the drawings . in this primary form of the invention a pair of correspondingly aligned and apertured overlying reinforcement brackets 28 and 29 are secured respectively thereto and extend beyond the respective sidewall ends 26 a and 27 a with angularly offset portions 28 a and 29 a , best seen in fig1 and 2 of the drawings . the offset bracket portions 28 a and 29 a provide for end apertured aligned registration with a piston block pin 30 extending from the piston block bore 17 respective openings as hereinbefore described . the transversely aligned wall apertures a also provide for selective insertion of a removable stop lock pin 31 therethrough for in use engagement with the hereinbefore described engagement plate 20 &# 39 ; s upper planar surface 20 a and alternately the adjustment bolt 23 in registerable alignment therewith of the cylinder and engagement locking sleeve 18 . referring now to fig1 and 3 of the drawings , it will be seen that once the cylinder safety stop 10 of the invention has been initially positioned and secured on the piston and cylinder assembly 11 by engagement of the piston block pin 30 through the respective apertured angularly offset portions 28 a and 29 a of the reinforcement brackets 28 and 29 and that the stop lock pin 31 extend through aligned apertures a will initially rest on the engagement plate 20 when the piston rod 13 is in fully retracted ( rest ) position within the cylinder 12 as seen in fig2 and 3 of the drawings . once installed and in use , upon activation the piston and cylinder assembly 11 , the piston rod 13 will extend pulling the engagement channel 25 therewith to the desired extended rod position as seen in fig1 of the drawings . the stop lock pin 31 will be repositioned through the appropriate aligned sidewall apertures a and inserted . the stop lock pin 31 will now , therefore , once again engage the upper surface 20 a of the engagement plate 20 preventing the piston rod 13 from retracting , effectively locking the cylinder and piston assembly 11 in a fail safe extended position . it will be seen that the adjustment bolt 23 can be rotatably advanced from within the sleeve plate 20 and secured in place by the locking nut 24 providing for incremental fine extending adjustment to match the actual extended piston rod 13 position if it falls between the hereinbefore described aligned sidewall apertures a assuring incremental locking engagement of the piston rod 13 at any effective extended position . referring now to fig7 and 9 of the drawings , an alternate form of the cylinder safety stop lock of the invention can be seen at 40 wherein a modified elongated u - shaped piston rod lock engagement channel 41 can be seen positioned on a piston and cylinder assembly 42 having a cylinder body 43 and a piston rod 44 with a piston rod end block 45 secured thereto . the cylinder body 43 has a cylinder body block 46 with fluid attachment portal fittings 47 as will be well understood by those skilled in the art for a supply of fluid under pressure indicated graphically at arrow fp . a cylinder end engagement attachment fitting 48 which is identical to that of the hereinbefore described cylinder end engagement locking sleeve fitting 18 with a corresponding engagement plate 50 , fine adjustment bolt 51 and off center opening at 52 for the piston rod 44 to pass therethrough when activated . the elongated u - shaped piston rod engagement channel 41 having spaced parallel apertured sidewalls 53 and 54 has a corresponding stop lock pin 55 removably positioned through the aligned apertured pairs ap extending in longitudinally and spaced aligned rows adjacent the edges of the respectively described sidewalls 53 and 54 as best seen in fig1 and 4 of the drawings in non - activated engagement position . it will therefore be evident that the stop lock pin 55 once positioned will registerably engage on the engagement plate 50 and the piston rod and lock engagement channel 41 will abut the bottom surface 45 a of the piston rod end block 43 . this orientation functions as a locking feature can be seen in fig9 of the drawings wherein the piston rod 44 and its end block 43 have been extended showing the cylinder stop lock 40 registerably secured between the piston rod end block 45 and the cylinder engagement attachment fitting 48 by engagement of the lock stop pin 55 securing the piston rod 44 in a fail safe lock extended fail safe lock position . it will be evident from the above referred to description that while the alternate form of the invention is manually utilized , certain applications would be suitable for same while the primary form of the invention provides a self - deploying system for different applications . it will therefore be seen that a new and novel cylinder safety stop has been illustrated and described providing for multiple forms 10 and 40 for adaptable integrated use . it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention .	5
the present invention , mb - taisl - mram ( multi - bit - thermal - assisted - integrated - storage - layer mram ) includes separation of the conventional free layer into two parts : a read - sensing free layer and information storage free layer . free layer 1 is for the read operation . it is part of the mtj structure but has little or no magnetic anisotropy ( by virtue of having a circular shape ) so its magnetization will align with any external magnetic field . free layer 2 , is for the write operation to store the desired digital information as well as to provide a magnetic field from its edge poles that aligns the magnetization of free layer 1 . the free layer 2 structure is a simple ferromagnetic layer exchange coupled to a low blocking temperature afm layer 2 to provide an exchange anisotropy that enables this ferromagnetic layer to maintain its magnetization along a desired direction corresponding to multi - state information ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 ) depending on the angle between free layer 2 &# 39 ; s magnetization , set by afm 2 , and that of the pinned layer . both free layers have a circular shape and free layer 2 does not have to be part of the mtj stack . during a write operation , a heating current pulse will pass through free layer 2 and raise its temperature above the blocking temperature of afm layer 2 . then , free layer 2 will cool down under the combined fields of the bit and word lines with a field direction dependent on the relative strengths and directions of their two fields . an important innovation , disclosed with the present invention in addition to the above features , is the introduction of a second bit line whose purpose is to facilitate precise control of the direction of magnetization of the second free layer . after the fields derived from the word line and the two bit line currents have been removed , this magnetization ( of free layer 2 ) will maintain its direction through the exchange anisotropy provided by afm layer 2 . the magnetostatic field from free layer 2 &# 39 ; s edge poles will align the free layer 1 magnetization antiparallel to the magnetization direction of free layer 2 . so the free layer 1 magnetization will be at an angle relative to that of the pinned layer . the magnitude of this angle will determine the mtj resistance which will increase as this angle increases ( up to a maximum of 180 degrees ). the relationship between this angle and the tunneling resistance , r mtj , is readily computed according to the following formula : r mtj = r p + δ r ×( 1 + cos ( θ fr1 − θ pin )/ 2 ) where r p is the resistance when free layer 1 and the pinned layer are exactly parallel . assume θ pin = 0 , then r mtj = r f + δ r ×( 1 + cos ( θ fr1 )/ 2 implying a state of the device that can be stored in the mtj cell and later recognized by reading the mtj resistance , provided care is taken in choosing the angle of free layer 1 relative tp that of free layer 2 . the resulting possibilities for an 8 state cell design are summarized in table 1 : if we reserve r p + 4 × δr / 8 to be the reference level for the sense amplifier , that leaves 8 states per cell . note the various resistance levels do not have to be equally spaced , furthermore , even more states per cell are possible by choosing a smaller value for θ fr1 . the number of states that can stored per cell is limited only by how high dr / r can be and by the resolution of the sense amplifier . e . g . a dr / r = 20 % is needed for rp - sigma / rp = 1 . 0 %. we note here that if the number of possible states per cell is 10 ( or more ) it becomes possible to perform decimal arithmetic directly in such a system without the need to move back and forth to binary . if 16 or more states can be stored then direct execution of hexadecimal arithmetic becomes possible , and so on . similarly , this ability to store many states in a single physical location could be applied to very high density storage of data . currently , the highest dr / r available is 27 . 8 % for the cofeb / mgo mtj system . dr / r drops by roughly 200 % at a reading bias voltage of 300 mv , implying that 10 states ( 200 %/ 20 %) could be stored in one cell using this design . in fig2 a - 2 c we illustrate , schematically , how one of the possible multi states can be stored in the cell . the current through the first bit line can be unidirectional but the current through the second bit line has to be bi - directional . the current levels for both bit lines need to be adjustable so as to be able to steer free layer 2 &# 39 ; s magnetization into the desired direction . free layer 1 can also be a super - paramagnetic layer ( thickness thinner than a critical value so it has dr / r but no measurable moment at room temperature ) has no ( or very little ) residual magnetization in the absence of an external field , and has a magnetization substantially proportional to the external field in any orientation . there are multiple ways to embody above mb - taisl - mram design , including both heating - current - in - the - film - plane ( hcip ) and heating - current - perpendicular - to - the - film - plane ( hcpp ) designs for the storage element ( free layer 2 ). referring now to fig3 , we show there two storage elements , of the hcpp type , each addressed by conventional orthogonal word line 13 and bit line 11 . additionally ( and key to the invention ), second bit line 12 is seen to be located above , and parallel to word line 13 . closest to second bit line 12 is the conventional mtj structure including seed layer 31 , first afm layer 32 , pinned layer 33 , dielectric tunneling layer 16 , first free layer 34 ( for the read operation ), and capping layer 35 . below this , resting on word line 13 , is the storage structure consisting of second free layer 44 , and second afm layer 41 . two memory cells are shown , one in each of the two possible states . transistor 28 is used to provide the heating current for layer 44 ( free layer 2 ) which current is carried by word line 13 . transistor 29 , connected to stud 39 , serves to control the measurement of the mtj resistance . read sensing element 34 ( free layer 1 ) is seen in fig4 to be a circular mtj structure . storage element 44 ( free layer 2 ) has a circular shape and is a simple ferromagnetic layer with low - blocking temperature afm layer 41 ( afm 2 ) on it . it is a key feature of the invention that , since the read - sensing and information storage functions derive from different layers , each can be optimized independently . the materials chosen for each free layer can be very different . for example , free layer 1 can be optimized for high dr / r by using materials like cofeb , cofe or nife with high fe content while the material for free layer 2 can be selected for its switching behavior or for having a high exchange bias field . as a result , the storage element can be a simple ferromagnetic layer plus an afm layer with low blocking temperature , thereby eliminating undesirable effects on switching behavior from néel field coupling in the mtj stack and the residual demagnetization field from the pinned layer edge . since there is no mtj on free layer 2 , there is no tunneling layer to be broken down . also , heating is centered some distance away from afm layer 21 , thereby reducing the chances of disturbing it during a write operation . afm 22 can be a metal alloy like irmn , ptmn , osmn , rhmn , femn , crptmn , rumn , thco , etc or an oxide like coo , nio , conio . also seen in fig3 are capping layer 35 , seed layer 31 , electrode 36 , and pinned layer 33 . this resembles the 1 st embodiment except that the relative positions of the two free layers , as well as that of bit line 12 and word line 13 have been switched . thus , as seen in fig5 , free layer 2 lies directly between bit line 11 and word line 13 , thereby reducing the current strength needed for writing , relative to embodiment 1 . as in embodiment 1 , the heating current is controlled by transistor 28 and is carried by word line 13 . referring next to fig6 , we show there an arrangement of the word line and the two bit lines which benefits from being formed through a self - aligning process because it causes free layer 2 to be an integral part of the heating line , thereby increasing heating efficiency . in fig7 it can be seen that this embodiment is of the hcip type . as in the first embodiment , the read and storage structure structures are vertically aligned but heating of the latter is achieved by means of second electrode 76 which makes butted end connection to layer 44 ( as well as to layers 31 and 41 ), so the heating current flows from transistor 28 through word line 13 . embodiment 4 is illustrated in fig8 and 9 . it is similar to the first embodiment except that only a single bit line is needed ( line 11 ) and word line 13 has been moved to one side so the heating current passes from transistor 28 through bottom electrode 86 , by way of studs 91 , and out through word line 13 . this is thus an example of a hcip type of design . the reason that only a single bit line is needed is because writing can be accomplished by using appropriate waveforms for the heating and bit line currents . as can be seen in fig8 , the current through bottom electrode 86 runs at right angles to the current through bit line 11 so the magnetic field associated with the heating current will combine with that of bit line 11 to determine the direction of magnetization that will be induced in free layer 2 ( layer 44 ). as shown in fig1 , bit line current 122 is initiated first followed ( within about 10 - 100 nanoseconds ) by heating current 121 . the latter has the form of a high current pulse ( about 5 - 20 nanoseconds wide ) that generates the heating current , followed by a constant current level whose value is comparable to that of the bit current , lasting about 10 - 90 nanoseconds which is sufficient time for the magnetization of layer 44 to be established while afm 2 ( layer 41 ) is above its blocking temperature and to then be ‘ frozen in ’ as it cools below this . two different current levels are depicted ( solid and dotted lines ). the only constraint is that the bit line current has to be bidirectional ( while the heating current can be one directional ). these two currents must , of course , be available at multiple levels to be able to determine the direction of free layer 2 &# 39 ; s magnetization . as seen in fig1 and 11 , the data storage element has been placed directly above , and in contact with , the mtj and is heated by top electrode 96 . current through the latter goes from transistor 28 , through stud 92 ( which does not touch the mtj stack but extends past and behind it ), then leaves through word line 13 by way of stud 98 . as was the case for embodiment 4 , only a single bit line ( line 11 ) is required . since the current through bottom electrode 96 is orthogonal to the bit line current ( see fig1 ) the heating current may be used , in combination with the bit line current , to determine the direction of magnetization induced in free layer 2 ( layer 44 ). the same constraints discussed for embodiment 4 , directionality , waveform , and multi - valued bit currents , apply here as well . these are not explicitly shown here since they are similar to embodiments 3 and 4 but having the storage element located above bit line 11 ( and below bit line 12 ? ), isolated from bit line 11 , in a similar manner to embodiment 2 ( fig7 ). the heating current in these embodiments goes from transistor 28 , through butted contacts 76 ( fig7 ), and out through word line 13 , in the case of embodiment 6 ; and out through word line 13 by way of bottom electrode 86 and studs 91 ( fig9 ) in the case of embodiment 7 . the heating control transistor may be rather large if the heating current is large , thereby making the cell large . to save space ( particularly for high density designs ) a single heating control transistor can be shared by a number of cells by using a segmented heating line approach . a schematic overview of segmented heating lines is shown in fig1 where word line 13 , serving several storage cells , is controlled by single transistor 28 a . these multiple storage elements ( free layer 2 ) mram cells are connected by one heating line and are written simultaneously during a write operation . cell storage element magnetization within each group is determined by the sum of the fields from the two bit lines . these are orthogonal to each other but oriented at 45 deg with respect to the heating current line direction . embodiments 8 - 17 utilize this technique . embodiment 8 is shown in fig1 . it can be seen that it bears some similar to embodiment 4 ( fig9 ). the read current passes through first bit line 11 while heating line 131 also serves as the word line . heating line control transistor 28 a is not seen in the drawing since it lies out of its plane . this is illustrated in fig1 . it is readily seen to be similar to embodiment 8 except that the storage element is now located between bit lines 11 and 12 . these are similar to the 8 th and 9 th embodiments except that the storage element and the heating line are formed by a self - aligning process : ( i ) after free layer 2 is deposited , it is patterned and etched ( reactive ion or ion beam etching ) into the desired shape ( s ); ( ii ) with the photoresist mask still in place , the heating line layer is deposited ; ( iii ) the heating line is now patterned and etched ( using an additional mask ); and ( iv ) all photoresist is stripped , resulting in liftoff of heating line material that is directly over the free layer areas . the final result is as illustrated in fig1 a ( plan view ) and 16 b ( cross - section ). the heating line is usually made of high resistivity material such as ta , w , alloys , semiconductors like nitrides , doped oxides , or polycrystallines . to enhance the efficiency of the heat line , highly conductive metal blocks 93 ( cu , au , al etc .) can be superimposed to contact the heat line wherever there are no mram cells . this is illustrated in fig1 a and 17 b ( for the self - aligned case ). embodiments 12 - 15 are thus embodiments 8 - 11 with this additional feature added as part of their structure . to minimize the possible influence of stray fields from the pinned layer magnetization on free layer 1 , the net pinned layer magnetic moment can be minimized by making it in the form of a synthetic afm structure wherein the single pinned ferromagnetic layer is replaced by at least two ferromagnetic layers , separated by afm coupling metals such as ru and rh , of precise thickness , such that the two ferromagnetic layers are strongly coupled to each other in an anti - parallel configuration . it will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that the single storage layer described above in the interests of clarity , can be replaced by a laminate of several layers , such as in a synthetic structure . the same goes for the pinned layer , from which an antiferromagnetic layer to fix the pinned layer has been omitted for brevity . free layer 1 can also have the form of a super - paramagnetic layer , whose remnant magnetization is substantially zero with the absence of external field , and whose magnetization is roughly proportional to the external field until reaching a saturation value . this super - paramagnetic free layer can be a free layer consisting of nano - magnetic particles isolated from each other with no exchange coupling between them . as an example , one can use the same ferromagnetic material as in a conventional mtj , but at a thickness that is below some critical value . below this critical thickness the film may become discontinuous , resembling a nano - magnetic layer with isolated magnetic particles . to maintain a high mr ratio , multiple layers of such nano - magnetic layers become advantageous . additionally , materials that promote grain separation may be added as thin layers between such laminated magnetic layers to further isolate the magnetic nano particles .	6
as required , detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein ; however , it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms . the figures are not necessarily to scale ; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components . therefore , specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention . fig1 functionally illustrates logical elements associated with a vehicle power system 10 in accordance with one non - limiting aspect of the present invention . the vehicle power system 10 is shown and predominately described for use within an electric vehicle , hybrid electric vehicle , or other vehicle 12 having a high voltage battery 14 or other energy source operable to provide energy sufficient for use by an electric motor 16 to drive the vehicle 12 . the vehicle 12 may include an on - board charger 20 to facilitate charging the high voltage battery 14 with current delivered through a cordset 22 used to connect the on - board charger to a wall charger or other charging station ( not shown ). the cordset 22 may used to deliver current through a cable having a terminal ( not shown ) at one end adapted for receipt within a receptacle or outlet ( not shown ) associated with the on - board charger 20 . u . s . pat . no . 7 , 878 , 866 , entitled connector assembly for vehicle charging , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein , discloses a cordset 22 and receptacle arrangement that may be used in accordance with the present invention . the on - board charger 20 may include electronics or other elements operable to control and manage current flow used to support charging related operations for the high voltage battery 14 , and optionally , to support charging or otherwise powering a low voltage battery 24 , one or more vehicle subsystem 26 , and / or other electronically operable elements included within the vehicle 12 . the low voltage battery 24 may be included to support powering vehicle systems 26 that operate at voltages lower than the electric motor 16 , such as but not limited to remote keyless entry systems , heating and cooling systems , infotainment systems , braking systems , etc . in addition to being charged with energy provided through the cordset 22 , one or more of the high and low voltage batteries 14 , 24 and vehicle subsystems 26 may be operable to power each other and / or to be powered with energy generated by the electric motor 16 . the low voltage battery 24 , for example , may be operable to provide energy sufficient for use by a lower voltage power source 30 . the lower voltage power source 30 may be operable to regulate current from the low voltage battery 24 for use with one or more of the vehicle subsystems 26 and / or the on - board charger 20 . a controller 32 may be included to facilitate executing logical operations and undertaking other processing requirements associated with controlling the on - board charger and / or controller system within the vehicle 12 ( optionally , one or more of the elements may include their own controller or processor ). for exemplary purposes , the terms ‘ lower ,’‘ low ’, and ‘ high ’ are used to differentiate voltage levels respectively coinciding with approximately 5 vdc , 12 vdc , and 200 vdc , which are commonly used within vehicles to support the operation associated with each of the corresponding energy sources . this is done without intending to unnecessarily limit the scope and contemplation of the present invention as the present invention fully contemplates the energy sources having the same or different voltage levels and / or current production / generation capabilities . a proximity detection circuit 36 may be included in accordance with one non - limiting aspect of the present invention to facilitate a current conservative configuration operable to facilitate registering connection of the cordset 22 to the on - board charger 20 while the controller is in the sleep or inactive state . the proximity detection circuit 36 may be operable to transition the controller 32 from the sleep state to the active state , optionally while consuming less than 50 - 150 ua . this may be helpful in allowing the controller 32 to remain in a low energy consumption state ( e . g ., where the controller 32 is unable to detect connection of the cordset 22 or perform other operations ) in order to limit the amount of consumed energy while still allowing the controller 32 to be awoken to perform its prescribed operations once the cordset 22 is connected or some other event takes places ( the other events may relate to other triggering operations associated with capabilities that are unavailable while the controller 22 is in sleep mode ). fig2 schematically illustrates the proximity detection circuit 36 in accordance with one non - limiting aspect of the present invention . the proximity detection circuit 36 is intended to describe the operation of the circuit related elements ( switches , resistors , capacitors , diodes , etc .) shown in fig2 . the values assigned to these elements and the described use of the elements is not intended to necessarily require that value / element or that the same is part of a dedicated circuit . rather , the circuit elements may be part of any one or more of the logical elements shown in fig1 , i . e ., some or all of the illustrated circuit components may be included in some or all of the on - board charger 20 , the lower voltage power source 30 , the vehicle subsystems 26 , the controller 32 , the motor 16 , etc . while multiple circuit elements are shown to achieve certain results , the present invention fully contemplates the use of other circuit elements to achieve similar results , particularly the use of other current conservative elements . the proximity detection circuit 36 is shown to be configured to operate with a constant 5 vdc power supply ( ka5v ), which may be provided by the lower voltage power source 30 . the constant 5 vdc may be used to power switches and bias other elements of the circuit 36 while the controller is in either one of the sleep and / or active states . the configuration shown in fig2 relies on the 5 vdc to power a connection circuit 40 , a wake - up signal generating circuit 42 , and an optional latching circuit 44 . the connection generating circuit 40 may be configured to generate a signal , such as a voltage change , suitable for use in prompting the wake - up signal generating circuit 42 to output a pulsed signal for use in awakening the controller 32 . in the event a duration / length of the pulsed signal is less than a duration needed to awaken the controller 32 , the latching circuit 44 may be used to elongate the pulse signal , or to otherwise process it , into a signal sufficient to transition the controller 32 from the sleep state to the active state . once the controller 32 is awoken , it may be configured to monitor a voltage at a prox_d1 node to determine connection of the cordset 22 and an optional analog to digital component ( adc ) may be used to support other software processing based on measured voltage . fig3 illustrates a current path ( arrowed lines ) through the connection and wake - up signal generating circuits 40 , 42 when the cordset 22 is disconnected . the controller 32 presumably is in the sleep state at this point due to a prior shutdown event that transitioned the controller 32 to the sleep state upon detection of the prox_d1 value indicating disconnection of the cordset 22 . the controller 32 may be in the active state to complete or perform other operations or in the process of transitioning to the sleep state while the illustrated current path is active . when the cordset 22 is disconnected , switch q 1 is open , q 19 is closed , q 12 is open , switch q 8 is open , a prox voltage set by the controller is zero , and a terminal 48 of the vehicle - based receptacle used to receive a proximity pin ( not shown ) of the cordset 22 is empty . this results in the illustrated current path through q 19 , r 130 , and r 33 of the connection circuit 40 . the wake - up signal generating circuit 42 has no current path since a voltage on either side of the capacitor c 39 is constant . fig4 illustrates current paths ( arrowed lines ) through the connection and wake - signal generating circuits 40 , 42 when the cordset 22 is initially connected . the controller , unless previously awoken , is in the sleep state at least for a short period of time after connection of the cordset 22 . connection of the cordset 22 results in the proximity pin 49 being inserted within the corresponding terminal receptacle 48 and becoming part of the connection circuit 40 . the inserted pin 49 conducts current through the terminal 48 such that resistor r 34 becomes connected to a connection node 50 between r 130 and r 33 , effectively lowering a voltage at the connection node 50 . the lowered connection node voltage reduces the voltage on one side of the capacitor c 39 , and thereby , initiates a charging operation of the capacitor c 39 with energy from the 5 vdc power supply . the flow of current through the emitter and base of switch q 1 caused by charging of the capacitor c 39 transitions switch q 1 from an open to a closed state , resulting in approximately a 5v pulse at a prox_set node associated with the collector of switch q 1 . fig5 illustrates a pulsed signal output 54 from the prox_set node of the wake - up signal generating circuit 42 . the pulsed signal 54 may be characterized as a single pulsed signal having a duration from time t 1 to time t 2 wherein time t 1 corresponds with the charging of capacitor c 39 and time t 2 corresponds with capacitor c 39 becoming charged . the duration between time t 1 and time t 2 is proportional to a capacitance of the capacitor c 39 and can be varied by changing the capacitance . one non - limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates capacitor c 39 having a capacitance of less than 150 nf , such as 100 nf , in order to limit its size ( a larger capacitor may be more expensive and have a slower rise time ). of course , the present invention fully contemplates the use of any sized capacitor and is not intended to be necessarily limited to the noted capacitances . the duration of the single pulsed signal output at the prox_set node may be less than a duration needed to awaken the controller 32 . the prox_set signal 54 is illustrated to have a duration of less than 50 ms ( shown as 25 ms ) whereas the controller 32 may be of the type requiring at least a 50 ms pulse in order to transition from the sleep state to the active state . in order to reduce costs and achieve desired signal rise times , one non - limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates including the latching circuit 44 to elongate the prox_set signal 54 instead of simply increasing the size of capacitor c 39 . fig6 illustrates a pulsed signal output 56 from the latching circuit 44 to awaken the controller 32 . the pulsed signal 56 has a longer duration ( shown to be up to time t 3 ) than a time tw needed to awaken the controller 32 . as shown in fig2 , the prox_set pulse signal 54 may be output from the prox_set node to an input of the latching circuit 44 . the latching circuit 44 may then elongate the signal or perform other processing to generation a wake_up signal output 56 to the controller 32 . once awoken , the controller 32 may set a latch_reset signal 60 to reset the latching circuit 44 for generation of subsequent wake - up signals 56 . the awoken controller 32 may then determine connection of the cordset 22 based the voltage at the connection node . optionally , the controller 32 may be configured to support two or more connection states , such as to support connection detection voltages required by society of automotive engineer ( sae ) j1772 and international electrotechnical commission ( iec ) 51851 . these connection states may be supported by the controller 32 controlling the additional of resistor r 177 to the current path through the connection circuit 40 . fig7 illustrates the sae j1772 connection status by way of resistor r 177 being added to the current path with the controller 32 providing a prox signal to a prox input to activate switches q 12 and q 8 . the prox signal may be provided by the controller 32 immediately after awakening according to prior software programming . the addition of resistor r 177 changes the voltage at the connection node to meet the sae j1772 requirement . the resulting voltage change then induces a discharging of the capacitor c 39 through the 5 vdc power source of the wake - up signal generating circuit 42 in the illustrated current path . in the event the iec 51851 standard is used , the resistor r 177 is not connected in parallel with resistor r 130 and the current path through the 5 vdc power source of the wake - up signal resulting from discharging of the capacitor c 39 is delayed until removal of the proximity pin from the terminal . once the proximity pin 49 is removed from the terminal 48 , the controller 32 detects the corresponding voltage change at the connection node 50 and automatically transitions to the sleep state . the transitioning to the sleep state may include removing resistor r 177 from the current path with deactivation of the switch q 8 . the removal of resistor r 177 can be done to reduce current consumption ( quiescent current ) of the connection circuit 40 to less than 150 ua , and preferably less than 100 ua , depending on the component values remaining in the current path . the ability to control the quiescent current may be beneficial in achieving desired proximity ( connection ) detection while minimizing energy consumption . as supported above , the present invention may be configured to : wake up on falling edge of proximity ; wake up on edge transitions lower than 1v ; achieve low quiescent current operation during sleep mode ; facilitate latched wake up to meet minimum startup current requirements of the system ; allows for system sleep mode with proximity signal continuously applied ; provide selectable sae / iec or other settings ; automatically switch from sae to iec mode during sleep to lower quiescent current consumption ; automatic switch from sae to iec also allows for improved low voltage wake up response ; enter sleep mode ( e . g ., using controller 32 ) with proximity applied ( steady state ); detect change in proximity level as low as 800 mv ; and transition at any voltage levels ( e . g ., 5v to 4v or 3v to 1v etc .). while exemplary embodiments are described above , it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention . rather , the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation , and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . additionally , the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention .	8
referring to fig1 individual hinge elements , each containing a hinge hole are alternatively provided on four border ramparts 140 of a bottom 1 and four bottom borders respectively of side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 to interlock . each line of hinge holes of interlocked hinge elements join together to form a tunnel to let pass a link rod 5 , thereby each side wall 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 is attached to the bottom 1 . each link rod 5 after piercing through each line of hinge holes is riveted at the end . the opposed hinge series 11 , 12 respectively on a pair of opposed border ramparts of the bottom 1 are higher than the opposed hinge series 13 , 14 respectively on another pair of opposed border ramparts of the bottom 1 by the thickness of a side wall so that when side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 are collapsed inwardly , side wall 21 , 22 hinged to hinge series 11 , 12 can be suitably collapsed on side walls 23 , 24 hinged to hinge series 13 , 14 . correspondingly , side walls 21 , 22 are higher than side walls 23 , 24 by the thickness of a side wall so that side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 may reach the same height when hinged to and erecting on the bottom 1 . each hinge hole 1410 of each hinge element 141 of hinge series 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 has no bottom so that the mold of the hinge element 141 can be removed directly from the lower face of the border rampart 140 after injection molding . each hinge element 231 , 232 on the bottom borders of side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 is hook - shaped . the hook mouth of the hinge element 231 is provided on the inner face of the side wall while the hook mouth of the adjacent hinge element 232 is provided on the outer face of the side wall . the hook mouth of each hinge element on the bottom borders of side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 is thus alternatively provided on the inner faces and the outer faces of side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 so that the mold of each hinge element 231 , 232 can be removed easily after injection molding . as shown in fig2 hinge series 11 , 12 are respectively inclined inwardly about 5 ° from the vertical line so that side walls 21 , 22 respectively hinged to hinge series 11 , 12 are also , when erecting , inclined inwardly about 5 ° from the vertical line . two ends respectively of hinge series 13 , 14 are set between two ends respectively of hinge series 11 , 12 , so that side borders of side walls 23 , 24 when erecting can be set between side borders of side wall 21 , 22 when erecting . beside each side border on the inner faces of side walls 21 , 22 is provided a protuberant 221 , 222 which collaborates with each side border flange to form a groove for receiving respective side border of side walls 23 , 24 . erecting side walls 21 , 22 on the inclined hinge series 11 , 12 , then erecting side walls 23 , 24 by sliding side borders of side walls 23 , 24 through protuberants 221 , 222 to be set into grooves beside protuberants 221 , 222 , side walls 23 , 24 shall push side walls 21 , 22 to a vertical position . the elasticity of side walls 21 , 22 shall generate a counter force permitting side walls 21 , 22 to be closely engaged with side walls 23 , 24 . to reinforce the structure , strip ribs are provided on the lower face of the bottom 1 . on the outer faces of side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , groove ribs 233 , 234 are provided to reinforce the structure in longitudinal direction and strip ribs 235 , 236 are provided to reinforce the structure in vertical direction . one transverse groove rib 237 on the side wall 21 can be labelled to indicate the name and other concerning information of the containment . as shown in fig3 strip ribs are provided on the inner face of the lid 3 to reinforce the structure . to stably join the lid 3 with the erecting side walls , on the inner face of the lid 3 , each border flange of the lid 3 collaborates with adjacent strip rib to form a groove 35 for receiving the top border of each side wall . a hook piece 32 is provided on each of a pair of opposed border flanges of the lid 3 intended to join with side walls 21 , 22 for hooking onto a transverse strip rib 215 provided on each side wall 21 , 22 . a slight pressure applied on the hook piece 32 can make the oblique section 321 of hook piece 32 slide through strip rib 215 and make the hook curve 322 of hook piece 32 hook thereon . a hole 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 is provided beside each end of each border flange containing hook piece 32 . correspondingly , at suitable spots of side walls 21 , 22 are provided with holes 216 , 217 , 226 , 227 to join respectively with holes 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 when the lid 3 covers on the erecting side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 . a sealing nail as shown in fig4 is provided to pass through each of four groups of joined holes 216 , 217 , 226 , 227 , 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 . the diameter of the nail body 41 is about the same as that of the holes 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 , 216 , 217 , 226 , 227 ; the diameter of the bottom of the nail dart 43 is slightly bigger than the diameter of the nail body 41 . a groove is provided along the longitudinal center line of the nail body 41 and the nail dart 43 , so that the nail dart 43 and the nail body 41 can be nailed into each of four groups of joined holes 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 , 216 , 217 , 226 , 227 , impossible to loosen off . to open the lid 3 off the container , the nail cap 42 at the end of the nail body 41 must be cut off and the nail body 41 must be pushed inwardly off four groups of joined holes 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 , 216 , 217 , 226 , 227 . after removing the lid 3 , slightly pulling side walls 21 , 22 , outwardly shall loosen side borders of side walls 23 , 24 off groves beside side borders of side walls 21 , 22 , thereby disengaging side walls 23 , 24 from side walls 21 , 22 and permitting side walls 23 , 24 to collapse inwardly . side walls 21 , 22 collapse on the collapsed side walls 23 , 24 as shown in fig5 . covering the lid 3 on the collapsed side walls 21 , 22 , and applying slight pressure on the hook piece 32 shall make the hook piece 32 hook to the bottom border of the bottom 1 as shown in fig6 . as shown in fig6 on the outer face of the lid 3 is provided a projecting plug 31 . on each corner of the lower face of the bottom 1 is provided a reinforced foot 15 . a container of this invention can be closely piled on another one by engaging the reinforced feet of the upper container with the projecting plug of the lower container . to make the container weatherproof , an eave piece 211 is provided on each space between individual hinge elements on side walls 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 for preventing the rain water from seeping inside the container through the seams between the interlocked hinge elements . as the plastic material used in this invention is relatively soft therefore the pressure applied to the container and the elasticity of the container are possible without deforming the structure . as this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof , the present embodiment is therefore for illustration only and not for restriction . the scope of the invention shall be defined by the appended claims .	1
aspects , features and advantages of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing ( s ). it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments of the present invention provided herein are illustrative only and not limiting , having been presented by way of example only . all features disclosed in this description may be replaced by alternative features serving the same or similar purpose , unless expressly stated otherwise . therefore , numerous other embodiments of the modifications thereof are contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention as defined herein and equivalents thereto . hence , use of absolute terms , such as , for example , “ will ,” “ will not ,” “ shall ,” “ shall not ,” “ must ,” and “ must not ,” are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention as the embodiments disclosed herein are merely exemplary . referring to fig1 , an exemplary system illustrating the components of this invention and constructed in accordance with the teachings expressed herein comprises the following components : wireless devices ( 100 ), wireless networks ( 102 ), message entity gateways ( 104 ), a data network ( 106 ), a plurality of application servers ( 108 ), a short code translator ( 110 ). the wireless devices ( 100 ), wireless networks ( 102 ) and message entity gateways ( 104 ) being existing systems providing for one way or two way messaging technologies by wireless service providers . messages can be exchanged between the wireless devices ( 100 ) and application servers ( 108 ) by means of a wireless service provider message entity gateway ( 104 ). each wireless service provider operates one or more message entity gateways ( 104 ) to provide access to their wireless network and subscribers . the data network ( 106 ) being any data network capable of connecting message entity gateways ( 104 ) with application servers ( 108 ). in one exemplary embodiment , the data network is the internet , using the ip protocol . in one exemplary embodiment , the data network consists of leased data lines . in one exemplary implementation the short code translator ( 110 ) being programmed to resolve the address of the destination application server ( 108 ) in the data network ( 106 ) naming space based on the message source and destination address in the public switched telephone network ( pstn ) numbering plan , whereby the message is correctly routed from one message entity gateway ( 104 ) to the application server ( 108 ). in one exemplary implementation the short code translator ( 110 ) being programmed to resolve the address of the destination message entity gateway ( 104 ) based on the message source and destination address in the public switched telephone network ( pstn ) numbering plan , whereby the message is correctly routed from one application server ( 108 ) to the message entity gateway ( 104 ). referring to fig2 , an exemplary system illustrating the components of the short code translator ( 108 ) and constructed in accordance with the teachings expressed herein comprises the following components : one or more short code translator servers ( 118 ), a short code administration system ( 112 ), a short code translator database ( 114 ). the short code translator servers ( 118 ) being one or more computing devices programmed to support the resolution and administration of message routing . the short code translator servers being accessible for management and administrative access by remote systems ( 116 ). the short code translator database ( 114 ) being a database holding short code routing information . the short code administration system ( 112 ) being a system to administer a common pool of short code address . in one exemplary embodiment , the short code administration system being part of the same system as the short code translator ( 108 ), as illustrated in fig2 . in another exemplary embodiment , the short code administration system ( 112 ) being external and independent of the short code translator ( 108 ) and connected to the short code translator server ( 110 ) by means of the data network ( 106 ). in one exemplary implementation , the short code translator ( 110 ) is queried via the domain name system ( dns ) protocol . for example , the query could be made against a top level domain set for this purpose like 12345 . sc , or 5 . 4 . 3 . 2 . 1 . sc , which would return a list of ip address of the destination application server ( 108 ). in one exemplary implementation , the short code translator ( 110 ), is queried via a protocol based on telephone number mapping ( enum ). in one exemplary implementation , the short code translator ( 110 ) has the capability of mapping a whole range of short code to a single application server ( 108 ). as an illustrative example , short code address 1234 - 00 through 1234 - 99 could map to a unique internet address 234 . 255 . 189 . 001 . in one exemplary embodiment , the short code translator , in addition to storing a map from short code address to the corresponding data network ( 106 ) address of the destination application server ( 108 ), also stores an end date for how long the mapping is valid . this enables high performance caching of the translation at multiple points in the network . in one exemplary embodiment , the short code translator ( 110 ) is not a centralized system , but a set of decentralized servers that cache a common short code translation database ( 114 ). as an illustrative example , if the short code translator is built using the dns protocol , such distributed , cached database design is inherent in the dns design . the availability of multiple decentralized servers provides for greater availability and redundancy . this is similar to the role played by the 13 top - level root dns servers in dns . referring to fig3 , an exemplary system illustrating an exemplary embodiment of this invention where message is routed via an aggregator ( 120 ). an aggregator is responsible for routing all traffic from application servers ( 108 ) to the appropriate message entity gateway ( 104 ), based in the subscriber address . in one exemplary embodiment , the aggregator ( 120 ) uses the short code translator ( 110 ) internally for the application servers connected to the aggregator ( 120 ). in another exemplary embodiment , the aggregator ( 120 ) administers the short code translator ( 110 ) for the application servers connected to the aggregator ( 120 ), and makes it available externally to the message entity gateways ( 104 ). referring to fig4 , there is shown a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the routing functionality provided by the short code translator ( 110 ). in step 200 , the subscriber initiates a mobile - originated message addressed with short code . in step 202 , the message is forwarded to the message entity gateway ( 104 ) for routing to the message destination by means of the wireless data network ( 102 ). in step 204 , if the message entity gateway ( 104 ) checks if it already knows how to route the mobile - originated message based on the destination service code . if it does , it used the cached destination address in the data network ( 106 ) naming space corresponding to the short code , to forward the message to application server ( 108 ) and proceeds to step 212 . if it does not know how to route the mobile - originated message , it proceeds to step 206 . in step 206 , the message entity gateway ( 104 ) queries the short code translator passing in the short code . the query is done over the data network ( 106 ). in step 208 , the short code translator returns a routable address for the short code in the naming space of the data network ( 106 ). in step 210 , the message entity gateway caches the routable address for future use , and in most cases , establishes a connection between itself and the application servers ( 110 ) over data network ( 106 ) using the routable address . in step 212 , the mobile - originated message is forwarded to the application server ( 108 ) by means of data network ( 106 ), using the routable address . in one exemplary implementation , a similar flow exists for mobile - terminated messages , with the difference that the application server ( 108 ) is the system making the query to the short code translator , and the address passed in the destination subscriber mobile number . the short code translator being further programmed to resolve the message entity gateway address within the data network ( 106 ) based on the destination subscriber mobile number . having now described one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention , it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing is illustrative only and not limiting , having been presented by way of example only . all the features disclosed in this specification ( including any accompanying claims , abstract , and drawings ) may be replaced by alternative ( including any accompanying claims , abstract , and drawings ) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same purpose , and equivalents or similar purpose , unless expressly stated otherwise . therefore , numerous other embodiments of the modifications thereof are contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto . for example , the techniques may be implemented in hardware or software running on appropriate hardware , such as , for example , the dell ™ poweredge 1750 intel xeon systems , or a combination of the two . in one embodiment , the techniques are implemented in computer programs executing on programmable computers that each include a processor , a storage medium readable by the processor ( including volatile and non - volatile memory and / or storage elements ), at least one input device and one or more output devices . program code is applied to data entered using the input device to perform the functions described and to generate output information . the output information is applied to one or more output devices . each program may be implemented in a high level procedural or object oriented programming language such as java , to communicate with a computer system , however , the programs can be implemented in assembly or machine language , if desired . in any case , the language may be a compiled or interpreted language . each such computer program may be stored on a storage medium or device ( e . g ., cd - rom , hard disk or magnetic diskette ) that is readable by a general or special purpose programmable computer for configuring and operating the computer when the storage medium or device is read by the computer to perform the procedures described in this document . the system may also be considered to be implemented as a computer - readable storage medium , configured with a computer program , where the storage medium so configured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefined manner .	7
turning now to fig1 - 5 , a combination 30 is illustrated including a standard household propane tank 32 and a detachable , two - piece cover assembly 34 . the tank 32 ( see fig4 ) includes an upright hollow propane - holding container 36 having a circular base 38 and rounded upper and lower shoulders 40 , 42 . a standard propane tank valve 44 is secured at the top of the tank , with a carrying and connection cage 46 disposed partially about the valve 44 . it will be appreciated that the tank 32 is itself wholly conventional . the cover assembly 34 in this embodiment is made up of a body having front and rear sections 48 and 50 which are hingedly interconnected by means of hinge structure 52 . the edges of the sections 48 and 50 opposite hinge structure 52 is provided with mating latch structures 54 and 56 . as best seen in fig5 , the inner surface 58 of the cover assembly 34 is made up of front and rear section inner surfaces 60 and 62 . these surfaces are designed to substantially surround the tank 32 and are further provided with a number of inwardly extending engagement blocks 64 . as illustrated in fig4 , the blocks 64 are designed to firmly engage the wall of container 36 so as to prevent inadvertent axial or rotational movement of the cover assembly 34 relative to tank 32 . it will further be observed that the cover assembly sections 48 and 50 cooperatively present an upper opening 66 , which is disposed about cage 46 and valve 44 , and a lower opening 68 , which extends about the lower portion of tank 32 . in this embodiment , the outer surface 70 of the assembly 34 , made up of front and rear section surfaces 72 and 74 , give the three - dimensional likeness and appearance of an automobile racing helmet . thus , the front surface 72 has a simulated visor 76 presenting concavo - convex surfaces , as well as a downwardly and outwardly extending chin section 78 . in use , the cover assembly 34 is opened as depicted in fig5 , and closed about the tank 32 so that the latch structures 54 and 56 mate and engage . removal of the cover assembly is accomplished by opening the latch structures and swinging the cover sections 48 and 50 apart . fig6 - 9 illustrate another embodiment in the form of a combination 80 made up of an integrated propane tank 82 and cover assembly 84 . in this case , the assembly 84 has a body presenting an outer surface 86 , giving the three - dimensional appearance or likeness of a football helmet . the latter has a rounded surface characteristic of football helmets , along with simulated ear holes 88 and an outwardly projecting mask 90 . the combination 80 further includes an upper valve 44 and cage 46 , as previously described . internally , the combination 80 may have a standard household propane tank , as described above , with the cover assembly 84 welded or otherwise permanently secured to the tank . fig1 - 13 illustrate another form of the invention made of a combination 92 having a standard propane tank 32 , described previously , and a molded , one - piece synthetic resin cover assembly 94 . as best seen in fig1 and 13 , the cover assembly 94 has a body presenting an upper opening 96 designed to surround cage 46 and valve 44 , and a lower opening 98 . the inner surface 100 of the assembly 94 is configured to closely mate with the outer wall of container 36 and shoulder 40 . the assembly 94 may thus be installed on tank 32 simply by positioning the lower opening 98 above the tank and sliding the cover assembly 94 onto the tank to assume the position shown in fig1 . the cover can of course also be readily removed from the tank 32 by reversing this procedure . the cover assembly 94 can be fabricated from any suitable synthetic resin material , such as compressible polyurethane 102 . the outer skin or surface 104 thereof is configured to give the three - dimensional likeness or appearance of an automotive racing helmet , as in the case of the first embodiment . fig1 - 16 depict another embodiment , in the form of combination 106 again comprising a standard propane tank 32 and a cover assembly 108 . the latter is in the form of a body having an inner surface 110 , an outer surface 112 , an upper opening 114 , and a lower opening 116 . thus , the cover assembly 108 is a unitary structure , similar to the cover assembly 94 . the inner surface 110 is designed to closely mate with the outer surfaces of tank 32 , whereas the outer surface 112 gives the three - dimensional likeness or appearance of a football helmet , including simulated ear holes 118 and an outwardly projecting face mask 120 . in this instance , however , the cover assembly 108 is a substantially rigid , hollow body presenting air space 122 between the inner and outer surfaces 110 and 112 , and can be conveniently produced by standard rotary molding or other conventional techniques . the use of assembly 108 is the same as that described with respect to unitary cover assembly 94 , i . e ., the cover 108 can be positioned above a tank 32 and slid into place , as shown in fig1 . fig1 and 19 depict a combination 124 again comprising a standard propane tank 32 with an inflatable unitary cover assembly 126 . the assembly 126 is in the form of a body having an inner wall 128 , which closely conforms with the wall surfaces of tank 32 , and an outer surface 130 , upper opening 132 , and lower opening 134 . the outer surface 130 is equipped with an inflation / deflation nipple 136 , and gives the three - dimensional likeness or appearance of a football helmet , including ear holes 138 and face mask 140 . in use , the mask assembly 126 is inflated through nipple 136 , and the inflated assembly may be installed in the same manner as the previously described unitary cover assemblies . alternately , the cover assembly 126 may be installed on the tank 32 in a deflated condition , and inflated in place . if necessary , the assembly 126 can be deflated before removal from tank 32 . fig2 illustrates a combination 142 comprising a standard propane tank 32 and a cover assembly 144 . the assembly 144 has a body of unitary , one - piece construction as in earlier embodiments . thus , the cover assembly 144 includes an inner surface ( not shown ) configured to mate with the outer surface of tank 32 and has upper and lower openings 146 , 148 allowing the assembly to be positioned over the tank 32 . in this instance , the outer surface 150 of the assembly 144 presents the three - dimensional appearance of a basketball having simulations of typical sections and intervening seams . the cover assembly 144 may be hollow , filled , or inflatable . it will thus be appreciated that the present invention provides a wide array of sports - related propane tank covers and combinations , which may be sectionalized , as illustrated in fig1 - 5 , or unitary , as depicted in fig6 - 20 . alternately , combined assemblies can be made wherein the tank and cover assembly are unitized , as illustrated in fig6 - 9 . furthermore , while the invention has been illustrated in the context of standard household propane tanks , the principles of the invention can be equally applied to larger or differently - configured propane tanks . thus , the term “ propane tank ” as used herein should be understood to embrace all shapes and sizes of propane tanks . additionally , the cover assemblies may be separate from or used with any size or shape of propane tank , or a propane tank may be fabricated from two or more sections by welding the sections together , wherein at least some of the sections have preformed surface design features in accordance with the invention , so that the completed tank has the likeness or appearance of a sports - related item . it will be appreciated that this form of the invention does not make use of a pre - existing or pre - formed propane tank .	5
this invention represents an improvement in the bolt lock mechanisms for firearms and can be more fully understood by reference to the drawings , in which fig1 shows the bolt lock mechanism mounted in a conventional firearm , in accordance with the invention . a receiver 1 serves as a housing for the bolt lock mechanism 2 , and a trigger housing 3 . a bolt 4 , present just above the bolt lock mechanism 2 , is secured by a locking tab 10 when the bolt lock is in a locked position . fig1 shows the safety mechanism 17 in a safe position , thereby engaging the trigger 5 and preventing the firing of the rifle . fig2 shows a fight side elevation view of the bolt lock mechanism . locking member 9 is pivotally mounted . the point of mounting is a matter of choice of the designer , and can be , for example , on the fire control mechanism or the receiver . here , it is shown mounted on the fire control mechanism by pivotal mounting means 8 , and is provided with tab 10 , which secures the bolt when the bolt lock is in a locked position . the locking member is biased upward by coil spring 11 anchored to tab 9a on the locking member 9 and spring keeper 17 . downwardly and rearwardly projecting portion 13 of the bolt lock mechanism , is capable of slideably interacting with the safety actuating means 16 . while the exact design of the downwardly and rearwardly projecting portion can vary widely , it is here shown in an arcuate configuration . fig3 shows the bolt lock in an unlocked position , which is accomplished by depressing the upwardly projecting control means 12 of the bolt lock assembly , in the direction shown by the arrow , thereby lowering the locking tab 10 , and unsecuring the bolt . fig4 shows the interaction between the arcuate portion 13 of the locking member and safety actuating means 16 . the safety mechanism is placed in a fire position , as shown in fig4 by moving the safety lever 14 forward using the thumb manipulable head 15 . fig4 thus shows the bolt lock in the unlocked position and the safety in the fire position . fig5 shows the location of the upwardly projecting control means of the bolt lock and the thumb manipulable head of the safety when the bolt lock mechanism is installed in a rifle . fig6 is an end elevational view of the mechanism , further illustrating the positioning of spring 11 between tab 9a and spring keeper 17 . the present invention provides a simple and an efficient design for a bolt lock mechanism which offers the choice of holding the bolt lock in an unlocked position while maintaining the safety in the safe position . such an arrangement offers the choice of unlocking the bolt independent of the safety mechanism . the present invention continues to offer the choice of controlling the bolt lock mechanism through the safety mechanism . thus , moving the safety to the safe position automatically places the bolt lock in a locked position , and moving the safety to a fire position automatically moves the bolt lock to an unlocked position . this arrangement facilitates the moving of the bolt lock assembly to a locked or an unlocked position in a single operation .	5
the present invention is directed to a system and method for identifying geographic areas commonly known as quarter sections of land , as defined by the public land survey system ( plss ), using unique proprietary coordinate addresses . a typical township and range legal description will demonstrate the need for a more utilitarian identification system . such an identification system will not replace the current plss but is complementary for the purpose of enabling a coordinate addressing system to function using surrogate identifiers . the following is a common t / r legal description : southwest quarter of section 36 , township 1 north , range 3 east . the abbreviated form for this description , sw ¼ , sec . 36 , t . 1 n ., r . 3 e ., is applicable to any of the principal meridians and base lines of record fig3 . 0 . it is fairly evident , the above legal description is cumbersome , and requires a complex string of characters to specify the precise location of a quarter section of land . as such , both manual and automated ( computerized ) processing of this description is an arduous , if not impossible task , which limits the functionality of the current method of referencing geographic locations . translation from the current form of identification to a coordinate system involves a multi - step process , however . the first step requires the conceptual relocation of the grid north control point ( establishing a false origin ), so all cardinal point references can be eliminated . step two provides for the conversion of legal descriptions to numeric values . step three involves the assignment of coordinate value for each quarter section , and the final step provides for the creation of the translation database . locator maps can be created at the conclusion of the translation process . source data for the identification of quarter sections will come from public and private records , field observations , and u . s . g . s . quadrangle maps , etc . public land survey system legal descriptions are descriptions of areas of land that follow the pattern of townships and ranges established by the federal government in 1785 . the descriptions have since been extended , following similar rules , to include non - public domain areas throughout the united states . the origin of public land survey system is a reference for the numbering of township and ranges within a public land survey area . these areas ( regions ) are known by the name of the principal meridian associated with the origin as listed in fig3 . 0 , which are dispersed throughout the united states . referring to the drawings by numerals of reference ; there is shown in fig7 a , a typical region 260 circumscribing a point 140 formed by the intersection of a principal meridian 100 and a base line 120 . next , a typical representation of the public land survey system , fig2 shows an exploded view of the region 260 depicting the typical layout of rows of townships 261 and columns of ranges 263 as they relate to the principal meridian 100 and base line 120 . accordingly , all four quadrants of the rectangular grid 300 are used to identify the location of tracts of land , townships 262 propagating out in all directions from the origin 140 i . e ., initial point . each tract of land is identified by its cardinal points n , s , e , w and , its relative position to its principal meridian 100 and base line 120 . the following two separate legal descriptions : t . 3 n ., r . 1 w ., 267 and t . 1 n ., r . 2 e ., 268 will demonstrate the awkwardness of the current system . the goal of this invention is to eliminate these required compass directions ( cardinal points ) from the identification of tracts of land while , maintaining an order showing the relationship of adjacent tracts of land . step 7 : fig1 a and 1 b are intended to show , in principle , a means to conceptually relocate the initial point for each principal meridian and base line , which may or may not reside within the boundaries of a particular region . having first established orientation to grid north fig1 a for a region 260 using the principal meridian 100 and base line 120 for the selected region , a false origin fig1 b , 200 is subsequently established by conceptually relocating fig1 a the initial point 140 for the region . said point being relocated to the most southwesterly location necessary for the particular region to fall within fig1 b the first quadrant 320 of the realigned coordinate system 370 . the relocated origin 200 that is established by this invention for each region 260 is designed to maintain grid north and will guarantee that all geographic location address values will be positive . repositioning of the origin 200 in this manner however , will create a rectangular grid ( cartesian coordinate system ) containing cells wherein some cells will fall outside the boundaries 270 of the subject region 260 . the present invention notes these exceptions to prevent erroneous references . in addition , the present invention is not a replacement or alternative surveying system . it is a system providing an alternative means for referencing quarter sections fig2 ne ¼ sec . 1 , t . 1 s ., r . 2 w . 266 a of land as defined and identified by the existing public land survey system 300 . it is well known by individuals skilled in the art of surveying , that fig1 b the first or northeast quadrant 320 of the coordinate system 370 is used to measure latitude and departure . in surveying , coordinate locations are given by two values , the first being latitude 240 measured along the y axis 220 , i . e ., distance north from the origin 200 and the second being departure 250 measured along the x axis 230 , i . e ., distance east from the origin 200 . an important point of discussion here relates to the declaration of ( x , y ) coordinates 250 , 240 as used in cartography and mathematics as opposed to surveying . typically , coordinates are stated as matched pairs ( x , y ) 250 , 240 around the origin 200 representing the two axis of the coordinate system 370 . the x value 250 identifies the distance from the origin 200 along the horizontal axis 230 with the y value 240 identifying the distance from the origin 200 along the vertical axis 220 . it should be noted , the configuration of the cartesian coordinate system , comprising four quadrants 370 , i . e ., where x refers to the horizontal axis 230 and y refers to the vertical axis 220 is the standard used in all disciplines . the standard is the same for surveying . the distinction that must be made is the order or sequence in which fig2 — township and range 269 is declared in legal descriptions t . 3 n ., r . 2 e ., 269 a . township , running north to south in rows or tiers 267 along the y - axis ( principal meridian 100 ) is cited first and range , running east to west in columns 263 along the x - axis ( base line 120 ) is cited last . this is the same for surveying where points are stated fig1 b as latitude and departure ( y , x ) 240 , 250 as opposed to ( x , y ) 250 , 240 . as such , latitude , distance north is specified first and departure distance east is specified second . to maintain consistency with township and range declarations , the locational addresses are declared in the same manner and will be known as locality id ™( s ). fig1 c shows a typical locality id ™: stateid [ 6 : 30 ] 400 where the north - to - south position [ 6 ] 402 is specified first and the east - to - west position [ 30 ] 404 is specified last . although a minor aspect , it is important for this point to be understood , especially when the locality id ™( s ) will be used as the reference frame designations on locator maps for all geographic areas . the locality id ™( s ) fig1 c are coordinates that represent , in a single instance , implied boundaries 410 points 420 and locations 430 . the point (.) ( presumed monument ), 420 being the presumed intersection of the quarter section boundary lines 410 and the location ( quarter section ) stateid [ 3 : 60 ] 430 is the geographic area to the southwest of the point and the enclosing lines with adjacent quarter sections . imaginary grid lines 440 , which connect monument after monument , identify the perimeters of quarter sections throughout the region . quarter sections are identified from available public and private documents and assigned coordinates represented by a pair of cardinal numbers greater than zero . each location identifier assigned will represent a relation in a rectangular coordinate system . cardinal numbers assigned to the x and y coordinates for each state coordinate system will not overlap , i . e ., rows ( y coordinates ) synchronized with township quarter sections will always have values less than the values assigned to the columns or range quarter sections ( x coordinates ). step 2 : provides for the conversion of each quarter section , township and range legal description to an all numeric identifier . this is accomplished by converting the cardinal points to numeric values as follows : n = 1 , s = 2 , e = 3 , and w = 4 . partial sections , those not containing four quarters , will include a leading or trailing zero . next , the data structure set forth in table 1 . 0 , fig6 . 0 is one possible alternative that can be used to create a consolidated quarter section description of the previously cited t / r description . the legal description cited above , sw ¼ , sec . 36 , t . 1 n , r . 3e . is converted to an unsigned integer ( using 4 bytes or 32 bits ), for automated processing , having a value less than 2 , 500 , 000 , 000 , using the data structure in table 1 . 0 fig6 . 0 . its numeric value is ( converted to 24 - 36 - 01 - 1 - 03 - 3 ) 2 , 436 , 011 , 033 as an unsigned integer , which represents a typical means of converting the cited legal description . step 3 : involves the manual assignment of coordinate values in accordance with the establishment of the relocated origin representing a rectangular grid for the region as outlined above . once the relocated origin for a region has been completed , the assignment of coordinate values can proceed in accordance with axis ranges from table 2 . 0 , fig5 . 0 . step 4 : the final step involves the creation of a database containing relevant information , such as the consolidated quarter section values and corresponding coordinate values as defined in table 3 . 0 , fig6 . 0 for each region . ideally , the database will reside on a computer database but may initially evolve as a sequential cross reference list of corresponding values . example 1 fig7 . 0 presents the final results of the conversion process for a sample area in arizona . having completed step 1 , relocating the origin , step 2 was completed by converting each legal description to a numeric value as shown . step 3 was completed by assigning coordinate values to each column and row , starting at the relocated origin , and moving north and east in accordance with table 2 . 0 , fig5 . 0 values for the state of arizona . there are five ( 5 ) basic rules for understanding the locality id ™ addressing scheme : 1 ) locality id ™( s ) have two ( 2 ) parts : a .) state identifier , a two - letter prefix , identifies region , b .) grid ( y : x ), coordinates enclosed in braces “[ coordinates ]” and separated by a colon (:). 2 ) y = north - south , coordinate ( axis ) values range between 1 & amp ; 999 . 3 ) x = east west , coordinate ( axis ) values start at 1000 . 4 ) coordinate values increase to the north and east ; decrease to the south and west . 5 ) locality id ™( s ) identify geographic areas approximately ½ mile square . a typical locality id ™ for a location in arizona is , az [ 302 : 1345 ]. see table 2 . 0 , fig5 . 0 for value range exceptions for alaska , california , and texas . within a given state , the first value of the matched pair ( y , x ) the vertical axis ( y ), will always be less than the value of the horizontal axis ( x ). this rule reduces the likelihood that individuals will transpose the coordinates when attempting to locate a place using an locality id ™ locator map of an area . when traveling in the field , assumptions can also be made relevant to direction , i . e . ; coordinate values always increase moving north and decrease moving south . by the same token coordinate values always increase moving east and decrease moving west . a notable aspect of the grid or matrix that is formed for each region ; i . e ., each state , centers around a grids physical characteristics , which is not typical of the vision one gets when thinking of a matrix . grids are usually thought of as being symmetrical , having rigid and straight vertical and horizontal lines intersecting at 90 - degree angles . the matrix formed as part of this invention is not at all conventional . the x and y axes will always intersect at 90 degrees . however , boundaries of individual quarter sections may not always intersect at a 90 - degree angle . accordingly , quarter sections , which in reality represent the cells of the grid , are not always true to form . there are instances where quarter sections are either larger or smaller than one half - mile square . also , it can be expected that vertical or north - to - south boundaries on some quarter sections will not conform to grid north , nor will horizontal or east - to - west boundary lines always intersect at 90 degrees and be parallel to the horizontal axis . these variations which are part of the real world can cause the formation of highly irregular line segments and disjointed cells at various points throughout the grid fig1 c , 440 . an aspect that will be of benefit to travelers is the grid layout of arterial streets along quarter section lines as found in a number of major cities in the central and western united states . in these urban and close - in rural areas , the arterial street signs can be used as landmarks to identify the quarter sections , which are generally transparent to the residents and visitors alike . other man - made or natural features can also identify boundary lines of quarter sections too assist individuals in orientating themselves . the single locality id ™ will be used to identify a geographical area for location identification and mapping , and also , too support the tabulation of statistical information of the identified area . the present invention contemplates , but it is not limited to , the various embodiments disclosed herein . thus the reader will see that the local coordinate addresses known as locality id ™( s ) will assist visitors and residents alike locate places of interest with a minimal amount of effort . individuals will be able to find the general location of points of interest regardless of where these places are situated within a given state . in time , narrative descriptions and profiles of these localities will assist in understanding the general make - up of these places of interest . also , approximating the distance between two locations can be done with ease . while my above description contains many specifications , these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention , but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof . many other variations are possible . for example a city directory may include locality id ™( s ) for every city facility . a franchise can include the locality id ™ for each outlet . telephone directories could include the locality id ™ for yellow page listings . news publications may include the locality id ™ in articles and advertisements to help the reader understand where a subject is located , etc . profiles of each locality id ™ can assist individuals better understand the composition of an area , for example codes can be developed to reflect the major use of an area as commercial , industrial , residential , etc . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment ( s ) illustrated , but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents . the examples set forth below describe various details of the various implementations of this invention . cross indexed tables can be created to support these and additional uses as awareness to other applications becomes apparent . example 1 , fig7 . 0 demonstrates the conversion of a series of township and range legal descriptions to numeric values and their corresponding locality id ™( s ). it shows how a database of numeric values with corresponding locality id ™( s ) enables the translation of township and range descriptions . accordingly , multiple access points to locality id ™( s ) can be established through the use of similar cross indexed tables . example 2 , fig7 . 0 demonstrates how situs addresses can be enhanced through the addition of locality id ™( s ). residents and travelers alike will enjoy the ease of finding places when this additional information is used in conjunction with an locality locator map of the area . using the locality id ™( s ), residents and travelers will be able to quickly and easily identify the general location of each of the court facilities as well as other points of interest using the locality locator map of the phoenix metropolitan area , which covers over 2100 square miles . example 3 , fig7 . 0 shows how census data can be referenced using locality id ™( s ) that are cross - indexed to census tracts . this example identifies four ( 4 ) adjacent census tracts and corresponding locality id ™( s ) in the city of chandler , ariz . example 4 , fig8 . 0 demonstrates how census data at the block level can be indexed to locality id ™( s ). this example shows how census data for the city of scottsdale in the phoenix , ariz ., smsa can be indexed to support observation and analysis of statistical data without the user having to know anything about census tracts and blocks . example 5 , fig8 . 0 shows how points of interest ( poi ) not having a situs address , can be found more easily using an locality locator map when the locality id ™ is included with the name of the poi . this example includes sites from geological survey topographic quadrangle maps . example 6 , fig9 . 0 includes assessor parcel data that has been cross - indexed to the locality id ™( s ) for the purpose of neighborhood analysis . the parcel numbers are from maricopa county , az . while embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described , it would be apparent to those in the field that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein . the invention , therefore , is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims .	6
first , the general structure of a medical inspection apparatus 1 according to the invention is described with reference to fig1 . in fig1 , the medical inspection apparatus 1 is shown as a microscope solely for explanatory purposes . the microscope 1 is used to visually inspect an object 2 , such as tissue of a body of a human or animal e . g . for preparing for surgery or during surgery . for this , the object 2 is illuminated by a lighting subsystem 3 comprising at least one light source 4 . the light 5 from the light source 4 may be transmitted through the object 2 or be reflected by the object 2 . a fluorophore 6 , i . e . a fluorescent fluid , solid , or suspension , may be present in the object 2 . the light source may emit light 5 containing energy in a band of wavelength , which excites the fluorescence of the at least one fluorophore 6 . the lighting subsystem 3 may comprise one or more illumination filters 7 through which the light 5 from the at least one light source 4 is directed . for example , the illumination filters 7 may comprise a band - pass filter , which allows light to pass only in the excitation band of the at least one fluorophore and in the visible - light range . in particular , the at least one illumination filter 7 may block any light from the light source 4 at those wavelengths , at which the at least one fluorophore emits fluorescent light . additionally or alternatively , the illumination filters may also serve to homogenize the illumination , and may include apertures . the light 8 reflected and / or emitted from the object 2 is received by an optical subsystem 9 , such as a magnifying zoom lens . the light from the optical subsystem 9 is passed to an imaging subsystem 10 , which is adapted to extract visible image data 11 and fluorescence image data 12 in the form of electric signals , from the light 8 reflected and / or emitted from the object 2 and any fluorescent material at or in the object 2 . the visible image data 11 are representative of a visible - light image of the object 2 , i . e . a digital image which corresponds to what can be seen by the eyes of a human observer . the fluorescence image data 12 are representative of a fluorescent - light image . the fluorescent - light image corresponds to a digital image of the object in the emission wavelengths of the at least one fluorophore 6 in the object 2 . in order to be able to use the full spectrum of visible light in the visible image data 11 , it is preferred that both the excitation band and the emission band for the at least one fluorophore is not in the visible light range . for example , both the emission band and the excitation band can be in the near infrared ( nir ). suitable fluorophores may be 5 - aminolevulinic acid which , in a metabolism , results in protoporphyrin ix , which is fluorescent , and indocyanine green . the imaging subsystem 10 comprises a dichoroic or polychroic beam splitter 13 which separates the incoming light 8 into visible light 14 and nir light 15 , the latter containing both the excitation wavelengths reflected by the object 2 and the emitted wavelengths from the at least one fluorophore in the object 2 . the imaging subsystem 10 contains a visible - light imaging assembly 16 and a fluorescent - light imaging assembly 17 in which the visible light 14 and nir light 15 are treated differently , both optically and on the signal level , until the visible image data 11 and the fluorescence image data 12 are combined in an image processing unit 18 of the microscope 1 to a pseudocolor image , which is represented by output data 19 available at the image processing unit 18 . in the visible - light imaging assembly 16 , one or more visible observation filters 20 may be arranged which block all but the visible light . further , the visible observation filter 20 may comprise an optical homogenization filter for rendering the intensity in the field of view 21 observed by the optical subsystem 8 more homogeneous . the visible light 14 is recorded by a visible - light camera 22 and converted to the visible image data 11 . to obtain the fluorescence image data 12 , the nir light 15 is filtered by a fluorescence observation filter 23 and then directed to a fluorescence camera 24 , which may be an nir camera . the fluorescence observation filter 23 may be configured as a band - pass filter which blocks all but the light in the emission wavelengths of the at least one fluorophore 6 . thus , the nir camera 24 records images containing information only in the emission wavelengths . the nir camera may be a black - and - white camera or may be color - sensitive . the latter is particularly useful if more than one fluorophore used as the excitation wavelengths of the various fluorophores can be discerned by their different color in the fluorescent - light image . in this case , the fluorescence observation filter may be a multiple band - pass filter for allowing the different fluorescence wavelengths through . the imaging subsystem 10 may comprise a data interface 25 , which makes the visible image data 11 from the visible - light camera 22 and the fluorescence image data 12 from the fluorescence camera 24 available to other subsystems of the microscope 1 . the imaging subsystem 10 operates in real - time by providing the visible image data 11 and the fluorescence image data 12 with no or almost no delay as compared to the optical image received by the optical subsystem 9 . the data interface 25 of the imaging subsystem 10 may provide the visible image data 11 and the fluorescence image data 12 in a standard data format for a video stream . further , the data interface 25 of the fluorescent imaging subsystem 10 may be configured to receive control signals 26 e . g . to control camera settings . furthermore , the imaging subsystem may be configured to change settings of at least one of the visible observation filter 20 and the fluorescence observation filter 23 , if at least one of the visible observation filter 20 and the fluorescence observation filter 23 is adjustable . the microscope 1 may be a stereoscopic microscope . in this case , an imaging subsystem 10 may be present for each stereoscopic channel . in the embodiment of fig1 , a control and processing subsystem 27 is connected for one - or bi - directional data transfer to the fluorescent imaging subsystem 10 e . g . to receive in operation the visible image data 11 and the fluorescence image data 12 and to exchange control signals 26 . further , the control and processing subsystem 27 may be configured to control the optical subsystem 9 via control signals 26 and / or the lighting subsystem 3 , also via control signals 26 . if the illumination filters are adjustable , the control and the processing subsystem 27 may be configured to also control the illumination filters 7 . control and processing subsystem 27 may be a general - purpose computer , such as a personal computer , or a dedicated electronic system which has been specifically adapted to the requirements of the microscope 1 . the data transfer between the various subsystem , assemblies and other devices of the microscope 1 may be facilitated if a digital communication bus is used . the control and processing subsystem 27 may comprise several units that may be realized in hardware and / or software . for example , a controller unit 30 may be used to store , alter , and control the setting of operative parameters of the microscope 1 . the operational parameters may include but not be limited to parameters of the optical subsystem 9 , such as an aperture , focus and focal length , parameters of the lighting subsystem 3 such as illumination filter settings , brightness of the light source , parameters of the fluorescent imaging subsystem 10 , such as camera settings and settings of the observation filters , and parameters of the image processing unit 18 . the controller unit 30 may comprise elements for user interaction which , upon operation , change the operational parameters . such elements may include a graphical user interface on a screen or a touchscreen , and / or mechanical elements such as sliders , push buttons , switches and / or knobs . the image processing unit 18 comprises a first input section 31 , which is configured to receive the visible image data 11 . a second input section 32 of the image processing unit 18 is configured to receive the fluorescence image data 12 . the output data 19 are provided at an output section 33 of the image processing unit 18 . at the output section 33 , the output data 19 are available in the form of pseudocolor image data which represent a pseudocolor image of the object 2 . in the pseudocolor image , the visible - light image is merged with the fluorescent - light image providing smooth color transitions from the visible - light image to the fluorescent - light image , whereby the fluorescent - light image is assigned and displayed in a pseudocolor . the color of an output pixel in the pseudocolor image is computed by the image processing unit 18 from the at least one pseudocolor , a color of a first input pixel in the visible - light image and an intensity of a second input pixel in the fluorescent - light image . if more than one fluorophore is used , each fluorophore , or its fluorescence emitting waveband respectively , is assigned a different pseudocolor , preferably by the user , or automatically . as can be further seen in fig1 , the microscope 1 may either be provided with or connected to a documentation subsystem 35 for storing both all or selective image data preferably together with the microscope settings . further , the microscope 1 may comprise a monitoring subsystem 36 comprising preferably several displays , such as an eyepiece display 37 and microscope monitor 38 . the microscope 1 may also be provided with a display interface 39 which is configured to supply video data to an external monitor ( not shown ). fig2 shows schematically the structure of the image processing unit 18 . the image processing unit 18 comprises a plurality of modules , which perform different image processing functions on the image data 11 , 12 in real time . the modules of the image processing unit 18 may be implemented in hardware and / or software . different modules which perform the same function may be e . g . be implemented as identical software routines which are fed with different data . the modules may be executed in parallel or sequentially provided that in a sequential execution , the output is still available in real time . the image processing unit 18 may comprise a homogenization module 41 which is configured to compensate at least one of vignetting and inhomogeneous illumination in at least one of the visible image data 11 and the fluorescence image data 12 . the homogenization module may be further configured to do a histogram normalization and optimization of the image data 12 in order to make full use of the contrast range of the image . the homogenization module 41 may comprise a digital homogenization filter 42 which may be different for the visible image data 11 and the fluorescence image data 12 as the distribution of illumination may be different for visible light and light in the excitation band of the at least one fluorophore . further , the cameras may exhibit different vignetting and distortion characteristics which makes an individual compensation necessary . the homogenization filter 43 may be determined using calibration for example of a homogeneously colored calibration object , such as a white , grey or otherwise uniformly colored plate and stored electronically in the image processing unit 18 or an attached memory . fig3 a shows an image of such a homogeneously colored calibration object 44 . the inhomogeneous illumination and the vignetting are clearly visible in the image of the calibration object as the periphery of the field of view 21 is significantly darker than the center . in the homogenization module 41 , a homogenization filter 42 as shown in fig3 b is applied in real time to at least one of the visual - light image and the fluorescent - light image . the homogenization filter 42 results from the rgb values along a spatial profile 44 from the image of the calibration object : for each coordinate in the color space , a separate profile is obtained . the different profiles may be fitted with polynomials . rotating the polynomial curves around the center of the image creates a two - dimensional map of the inhomogeneities in the respective optical path between the object 2 and the sensor in the respective camera 22 , 24 . the homogenization filter 42 results from inverting the homogeneity map . further , the image processing unit 18 may comprise a spatial adjustment module 45 which preferably acts only on one of the fluorescence image data 12 and the visible image data 11 , preferably the fluorescent data 12 only , as the fluorescence image data 12 may be less than the visible image data 11 due to a lower color depth . the spatial adjustment module 47 is adapted to at least one of crop , rotate , shift and stretch at least one of the visible - light image and the fluorescent - light image . the purpose of the spatial adjustment module 45 is to bring the visible - light image and the fluorescent - light image into congruence to each other , so that a pixel at a certain location in the visible image corresponds to the same spot on the object 2 as the pixel at the same location in the fluorescent - light image . in the spatial alignment module 45 , correlation algorithms and pattern detection algorithms may be executed to match corresponding structures in the visible - light image and the fluorescent - light image and to compute the amount of cropping , shifting , stretching and / or rotating necessary to align the two images to each other . further , the image processing unit 18 may comprise a gamma correction module 46 which is configured to act on at least one of the visible image data 11 and the fluorescence image data 12 . by using the gamma correction , the images can be adapted to human vision . the image processing unit 18 may further comprise a threshold adjustment module 47 which is preferably configured to act on the fluorescence image data 12 only . the threshold adjustment module 47 is configured to blank a pixel in the fluorescence image data 12 if this pixel has an intensity f below a threshold value f min : f = f , if f & gt ; f min , and f = 0 , if f & lt ; f min . the controller unit 30 ( fig1 ) may be configured to allow adjustment of the threshold value by a user . blanking a pixel comprises one of setting the color of the pixel to a pre - determined color , such as black , setting it to zero and making the pixel transparent . finally , the image processing unit 18 may comprise a pseudo color image generator 48 , which is adapted to merge the visible - light image and the fluorescent - light image to generate the pseudocolor image available at the output section 33 . in the following , the function of the pseudocolor image generator 48 is described with reference to a color space , for example an rgb color space . in the rgb color space , a cartesian coordinate system is formed by the three component colors red ( r ), green ( g ), and blue ( b ). other color spaces which may be alternatively used may be the cmyk color space or the hsl or hsv color space . in rgb color space , any color is represented by its three components ( r , g , b ) and thus corresponds to a certain location in the 3 - dimensional color space . this location corresponds to a position vector pointing from the origin of the color space to the specific color . the pseudocolor image generator 48 is configured to linearly interpolate the color of an output pixel in the pseudocolor image from the pseudocolor to the color of the first input pixel in the visible - light image depending on the intensity of the second input pixel . thus , in the color space , the color ( r o , g o , b o ) of the output pixel is located linearly between the color ( r i , g i , b i ) of the first input pixel in the visible - light image and the at least one pseudocolor ( r p , g p , b p ) i . e . located on a vector pointing from ( r i , g i , b i ) to ( r p , g p , b p ). the distance between the color ( r o , g o , b o ) of the output pixel and the color ( r i , g i , b i ) of the first input pixel is computed to be proportional to the intensity f of the second input pixel in the fluorescent - light image . thereby , both the first input pixel and the second input pixel correspond to the same spot on the object 2 ( fig1 ). using the color space allows to do the linear interpolation using computationally efficient vector arithmetics . in particular , the color ( r o , g o , b o ) of the output pixel can be calculated in the pseudocolor image generator 48 as follows : where the factor h = f / f max , f max being the maximum expected fluorescence intensity . thus , the intensity of the fluorescence in the second input pixel determines the distance between the output color and the input color for any given color component . if the fluorescence intensity f = 0 , i . e . there is no fluorescence , the color of the output pixel will correspond to the color of the first input pixel in the visible - light image . if the fluorescence in the second output pixel is maximum , f = f max , the color of the output pixel will correspond to the pseudocolor ( r p , g p , b p ). in a further variant , an opaqueness factor a may be used in combination with the factor f / f max to form an alternative factor h = a ·( f / f max ). the opaqueness factor a may be adjusted by the user upon interaction with the control and processing subsystem 27 to increase or decrease the transparency of the pseudocolor . if factor a is close to zero , even highly fluorescent parts of the fluorescent - light image will hardly be visible in the pseudocolor image . increasing factor a will increase visibility of the pseudocolor the process of assigning a color ( r o , g o , b o ) in the output data based on the intensity in the fluorescence image data and the color ( r i , g i , b i ) of a corresponding pixel in the visible image data is exemplarily shown in fig4 , where green is used as pseudo color ( r p , g p , b p )=( 0 , 256 , 0 ), for example . the upper square represents a ( schematic ) visible light image 49 with 4 × 4 first input pixels 50 . only for explanatory purposes , the sample visible - light image 49 contains only four colors which are identical throughout every column in the visible - light image . the lower square on the left - hand side shows schematically the intensity in a sample 4 × 4 fluorescent - light image 51 . the fluorescent - light image consists of 4 × 4 second input pixels 52 . only for explanatory purposes , the intensity in each row of the fluorescent - light image 51 is constant . the upmost row of second input pixels 52 has zero intensity , whereas the lowest row of second input pixels 52 in the fluorescent - light image 51 has maximum intensity . using the above linear rgb interpolation scheme , a 4 × 4 pseudocolor image 53 results . again , it can be seen that , if the intensity of the second input pixel 52 is zero , the original color in the visible - light image 49 is reproduced in the corresponding output pixel 54 of pseudocolor image 53 . if the intensity of the second input pixel 52 is maximum , the color in the pseudocolor image 53 depends on the opaqueness factor a as explained above . in fig5 , the different steps for merging the visible - light image 49 and a fluorescent - light image 51 to obtain a pseudocolor image 53 are shown . in a first step 60 , the visible - light image 49 and the fluorescent - light image 51 are sampled by the visible - light camera 22 and the fluorescent - light camera 24 , respectively . in a second step 61 , the respective images 49 , 51 are homogenized using the homogenization module . in a third step 62 , the homogenized fluorescent - light image 51 is brought into congruence with the visible - light image so that the physical structures in the two images 49 , 51 correspond to each other both in size and location . the spatial adjustment is preferably done before the fluorescent - light image 51 is worked upon by the threshold adjustment module 47 , so that the algorithms for the spatial adjustment have more data available for pattern matching . in a fourth step 63 , a threshold - filtering of the fluorescent - light image 51 takes place to blank all second input pixels 52 in the fluorescent - light image 51 which are below the intensity threshold f min . in a fifth step 64 , the pseudocolor image 53 is computed using the pseudocolor image generator 48 with the above - described linear color interpolation . fig6 shows the generation of a pseudocolor image 53 containing two pseudocolors 70 , 71 . the two pseudocolors result from the use of two fluorofores in the object 2 which emit light at two different emission bands and thus have two different fluorescent colors 72 , 72 . in such a case , linear interpolation takes place after a pseudocolor 70 , 71 has been assigned to a second input pixel 52 in the fluorescent - light image 51 based on the fluorescent color 72 , 73 of the second input pixel 52 . after this assignment , the linear interpolation in color space takes place between the pseudocolor assigned to the specific pixel 50 , 52 , 54 and the color of the first input pixel 50 as explained above . although the invention has been described above with reference to a microscope , it can be applied also to an endoscope , the only difference being that the optical subsystem 8 comprises fiber optics in the case of the endoscope as compared to a microscope 1 .	6
the german physicist , thomas j . seebeck , discovered thermoelectricity at the turn of the nineteenth century . the thermoelectric or seebeck effect is attributed largely to the contact potentials at the junction of dissimilar metals . when a circuit is formed of two wires of different metals and one of their junctions is at higher temperature than the other , an electromotive force is produced in the circuit . ideally , one of those junctions is maintained at a known temperature , and the other junction is subjected to a temperature whose value is to be determined . the first of those junctions is conventionally called , the &# 34 ; cold junction ,&# 34 ; and the other is called , the &# 34 ; hot junction .&# 34 ; the potential developed in the circuit is the measure of the difference between the temperatures at the hot and cold junctions . thus , the temperature at the hot junction is found by adding the differential temperature to the known temperature at the cold junction . in practice it is often impractical to maintain the cold junction at a fixed , known temperature . in that circumstance it is necessary to measure the temperature at the cold junction or to provide some appropriate compensation . the magnitude of the potentials that are developed in a thermocouple circuit and the degree of linearity with which those potentials change with temperature varies with the materials used in forming the junction . the combination of copper and constantan results in linear change in voltage with temperature over the range of temperatures that are of interest in the medical and veterinary fields and are almost universally used in thermocouples intended for those fields . they are the preferred materials for use in practicing the invention . the hot junction is formed by interconnecting a copper wire with a constantan wire . to complete the electric circuit the wires must be joined together at a second junction or the circuit completed by connection through additional conductors . that second junction , or the combination of the additional junctions , forms the cold junction . to avoid the complication that would result from additional junctions of dissimilar materials , it is the practice to locate the second junction and any additional junctions at a common point in the signal - processing unit to which the thermocouple is connected . that practice leads to a construction in which the constantan wire extends the entire distance from the hot junction where temperature is to be measured to the signal - processing unit . in practice that is a significant distance ; it may be six feet , or more , between the point of temperature measurement and the signal - processing unit . that gives rise to two difficulties . one is that thermocouple wires act as a receiving antenna by which radio frequency interference is introduced into the measurement system . those interfering signals may have magnitudes which approach that of the temperature induced voltages . the other problem is that the cost of an elongated constantan and copper wire cable is substantial , in view of the fact that they are not reused . the invention provides a way to solve both of those problems . the cold junction is moved into relatively close proximity with the hot junction . a thermistor disposed in thermal proximity to the cold junction is employed to develop a voltage which varies with temperature as does the voltage at the cold junction , or substantially so . the cold and hot junctions are in series circuit . the potentials developed at those junctions are opposed in polarity . the compensating potential developed with the aid of the thermistor is included in that series circuit such that it opposes the potential produced at the cold junction . the compensating potential is equal to , and opposite in polarity to the cold junction potential . consequently , the potential in the thermocouple circuit which is presented to the cable that extends from the junctions to the signal - processing unit is only the potential produced at the hot junction . the sensor has been converted to one which , like the thermistor sensor , measures temperature directly . the preferred means by which that result is accomplished is depicted at the left in fig2 and in fig3 . the basic circuitry of a copper - constantan thermocouple system is shown in fig1 . it includes a current measurement device 10 and a thermocouple , generally designated 12 . the latter includes a constantan wire 14 , one end of which is connected to one end of a copper wire 16 to form a hot junction 18 . the other end of the constantan wire 14 is connected to one end of a second copper wire 20 to form a cold junction 22 . the other ends of the two copper wires 16 , 20 are connected to the current measurement instrument 10 where the thermocouple circuit is completed . it is assumed in fig1 that the hot junction 18 and the cold junction 22 are at temperatures in the normal operating range of the system , in which case the copper side of the hot junction 18 is positive with respect to the constantan side 14 . at the cold junction 22 the potential is less ; the constantan side 14 is negative with respect to the copper side 20 . current flow in the thermocouple circuit will be clockwise for the conditions described . in fig2 the thermocouple is generally indicated by the numeral 30 . the hot junction 32 and the cold junction 34 are in relatively close proximity . leg 36 is made of constantan . leg 38 is copper . the other side of the cold junction 34 attached to a connector 42 is copper . the circuit is arranged for disconnection on both sides by a connector 40 at the left and the connector 42 at the right . the short portion of the circuit below connectors 40 and 42 is the disposable temperature measuring probe . from connector 40 , the thermocouple circuit continues by copper line 44 to the input of an analog amplifier 46 . at the other side of the circuit , the continuity is completed above connector 42 through resistor 48 to ground and from ground to the other input terminal of the amplifier 46 . the numeral 50 identifies a thermistor which is disposed in thermal proximity to the cold junction 34 so that the temperature to which the cold junction and the thermistor 50 are subjected is substantially the same . that thermistor 50 is connected in a circuit which extends from a positive reference voltage source 52 through a variable resistor 54 to ground through the parallel combination of a resistor 56 and the series circuit combination of the thermistor 50 and the resistor 48 . the junction between the thermistor 50 and the resistor 48 is connected to the connector 42 , at the side away from the cold junction 34 , and is connected to the input of a radio frequency amplifier 58 . amplifier 58 has a bandwidth sufficient to pass and amplify radio frequency signals whose frequency corresponds to the frequency of radiations that emanate from laser power supplies , x - ray machines , cauterizing apparatus , and the like , which are commonly found in the medical and the veterinary fields . amplifier 58 may comprise a conventional tlc 2512 cp operational amplifier , as manufactured by texas instruments . the output of the analog amplifier 46 is applied by line 60 to an analog - to - digital converter 62 . the output of that converter is applied by line 64 to a shift register 66 . the converter 62 and shift register 66 may comprise a conventional tlc 14511n circuit , as manufactured by texas instruments . the output of the shift register 66 is applied to a digital amplifier 68 by line 70 . the output of the digital amplifier 68 is applied by line 72 to the input of a display unit 74 which comprises a display 76 and a display driver 78 of a kind that is suitable to drive the selected display , such as the mm5452 display driver , as manufactured by national semiconductor . the output of the radio frequency amplifier 58 is applied to a radio frequency detector 80 which rectifies , and applies detected signals having greater than a predetermined amplitude to output line 82 . the detector 80 may be a in4149 silicon diode . the output line 82 is connected to the shift register 66 . signals on that line 82 serve to disable the shift register 66 so that , during an interval when radio frequency interference signals have sufficient amplitude to produce an output on line 82 , the shift register 66 is inoperative to transfer temperature signals from the analog - to - digital converter to amplifier 68 . the input of the radio frequency amplifier 58 is not necessarily connected to the temperature sensing circuitry . a wire in the sensing circuit cable , or any other arrangement which serves as an antenna , may be used to provide an indication of the radio frequency field intensity in the region of the temperature sensing circuitry . in some cases , that arrangement is preferred because the measured intensity will be independent of the value of the thermistor and of temperature . the circuits thus far described comprise the combination of a thermocouple and thermocouple - type signal processing and display unit . they incorporate temperature compensation and radio frequency interference deletion according to the invention . in addition , the output of the scale - changing amplifier 68 can be made to drive a signal processing and display unit of a kind which is suitable for use with thermistor sensors . such a signal processing and display unit is included in the circuit of fig2 where it is numbered 100 and comprises a display , unit 102 driven by an ohm meter 104 . the input terminals of the ohm meter are numbered 106 and 108 . a special circuit generally designated 110 is connected across terminals 106 and 108 . it includes a capacitor 112 and a resistor 114 which are connected in series , in that order , from terminal 106 to terminal 108 . a second capacitor 116 is connected in parallel with capacitor 112 through a pair of switches 118 and 120 . switch 118 connects the upper side of the two capacitors in the diagram , and switch 120 connects their lower sides . each side of capacitor 116 is connected to ground through a respectively associated calibrating resistor . the resistor that is in series with switch 118 is numbered 122 . the resistor that is in series with switch 120 is numbered 124 . a switch 126 is connected to short circuit resistor 124 when closed . a switch 128 is connected to short circuit resistor 122 when closed . switches 118 and 120 open and close together , as do switches 126 and 128 . when switches 118 and 120 are closed , switches 126 and 128 are open and vice - versa . in the preferred embodiment switches 118 , 120 , 126 and 128 may be part no . ltc1043cn , as manufactured by linear technologies corp . of milpitas , calif ., and form part of a solid state switching arrangement of which capacitor 116 is another part . the solid state switching arrangement is usually referred to as &# 34 ; switched - capacitor resistors .&# 34 ; such a circuit mimics the behavior of a resistor . together with capacitor 112 and resistor 114 , the switched - capacitor resistor emulates a resistor whose effective value is determined by the rate at which the several switches of the switched - capacitor resistor are actuated . the switches are solid state , cmos devices . to facilitate understanding , they have been shown with symbols that indicate equivalent mechanical switches . the dashed line 130 indicates that the switches 126 , 128 are actuated by pulsed signals generated in a clock 132 . the pulse repetition rate or frequency applied by the clock 132 to the switches is selected by the magnitude of the signal on line 134 , which is connected to the output of amplifier 68 . accordingly , the clock 132 may comprise a variable rate pulse generator such as the p82c54 programmable timer manufactured by intel or fujitsu . the signal on line 134 varies as a linear function of temperature . the frequency or pulse repetition rate of the clock output is a nonlinear function of the signal on line 134 . it varies approximately as shown in the graph within clock block 132 to match the characteristics of circuit 110 and , more particularly , the published characteristics of the switched - capacitor resistor . as an alternative to pulse repetition rate , pulse width modulation or some other equivalent may be employed . circuit 110 and pulse generator 132 may be viewed as a means for generating a resistance of varying value , the overall result being a resistance which , as mentioned above , emulates or simulates the output one would see from a thermistor . while the clock 132 , scale - changing amplifier 68 , and shift register 66 are shown as discrete units , it is possible to perform equivalent functions , or any one of them , in a microprocessor and , in some applications , that would be preferred . it will be appreciated from the foregoing that amplifier 46 , shift register 66 , amplifier 68 , clock 132 , and switched - capacitor resistor circuit 110 comprise signal processing means for providing a resistance value indicative of the temperature at the thermocouple , and which simulates a thermistor output . clock 132 may be viewed as generating a switching signal comprising the pulse train on line 130 , which causes circuit 110 to develop a resistance which simulates a thermistor output . fig3 illustrates the structural arrangement by which the disposable probe 138 is connected to the remainder of the system and how the thermistor 50 is associated with the cold junction 34 . the constantan leg 36 of the thermocouple terminates at the left of fig3 in a connection to a protective , conductive sheath 144 which , in fig2 is leg 38 . the juncture at the far left of fig3 is the hot junction . the sheath 144 is fixed in a two - pronged plug 142 and is connected electrically to prong 150 . both the sheath 144 and the prong 150 are made of copper . leg 36 is made of constantan . it extends through the sheath 144 to a connection to copper prong 152 of the plug 142 and formation of the cold junction 34 . prongs 150 and 152 mate with sockets 154 and 156 , respectively , which are embedded in socket member 158 . the thermistor 50 is disposed in a cavity formed in the socket member 158 , where it is in thermal contact with the cold junction 34 . it will be apparent that the disposable probe 138 is both simple and inexpensive .	6
in an illustrative embodiment , the present invention is a high luminance , one - inch thick display system , although display systems with another thickness may be utilized as well . in accordance with the invention , the source of illumination is located remotely from the display device , such as an lcd and its accompanying waveguide , view screen , and backlight ( if the display device is transmissive ). the display device may be emissive , transmissive or reflective . the display is described below from the optical and mechanical point of view . a schematic block diagram of a flat panel display system 5 in accordance with the present invention is shown in fig1 a , while portions of display system 5 are illustrated in fig1 b , 1 c , 2 a and 2 b . as will be described , such portions comprise peripherals that will be included in a remote enclosure , i . e ., away from the display device . it should be understood that display system 5 is schematic in nature and the relative sizes , positions , and shapes of the components in the diagram are merely for ease of discussion . as shown in fig1 a - c and 2 a and b , display system 5 includes a light - collecting assembly 20 , which will be described in greater detail with reference to fig4 a , 4 b and 5 - 7 , for focusing light from light source 12 . generally , light - collecting assembly 20 is designed to deliver visible light to its exit ports , although assembly 20 may be designed , alternatively , to deliver radiant fluxes , such as infrared ( ir ) light , ultraviolet ( uv ) light , and microwaves . illustratively , light - collecting assembly 20 is approximately 3 ″ by 4 ″ by 3 . 6 ″ high , and has a collection efficiency exceeding 70 %. its functional elements include an enclosed concentrated light source 12 , such as a small - arc high intensity discharge ( hid ) lamp and a lamp enclosure comprising ellipsoidal mirrors 10 . the light source 12 may be powered by a 270 w arc lamp , which may have an arc gap of 1 . 4 mm , although other lamp powers and / or arc gaps can be utilized . in addition , light source 12 , except for electrode shadowing effects , is preferably a substantially omnidirectional radiator . thus , the collecting assembly 20 can preferably provide two or more light outputs , by segmenting the output of omnidirectional light source 12 . as best seen in fig1 b , 1 c and 2 a , the ellipsoidal mirror 10 are supported by a plurality of l - shaped support brackets 115 . each wing of the “ l ” is approximately 0 . 9 ″ wide and 2 . 25 ″ high . specifically , fig1 b and 1c show an assembly of four l - shaped support brackets 115 , while fig2 a shows only two of the existing four brackets 115 . as shown in fig2 a , each bracket has a pair of clearance through - holes ( one on each side of the “ l ”) 117 , for allowing protrusion of the end ferrule of each fiber cable leg 25 , and a pair of tapped holes 119 for securing each protruding fiber cable leg to its respective adjuster 120 by means of thumb screw clamp 18 shown in fig1 b and 1c . through - hole 117 is approximately 0 . 36 ″ in diameter and tapped hole 119 is approximately 0 . 19 ″ in diameter . further , light source 12 and the ellipsoidal mirrors are supported by bottom and top hub plates ( 14 , 16 ), each having approximate dimensions of 3 ″ by 3 . 9 ″ by 0 . 25 ″ thick and having a diameter of 4 . 93 ″. further , the height from the top of top hub plate 16 to the bottom of bottom hub plate 14 , when supporting the mirrors , is approximately 2 . 75 ″. to ensure that ellipsoidal mirrors 10 and mirror edge slots 112 , which form exit port holes for light - collecting assembly 20 , are properly aligned , it is desirable to build a suitable set of accurate datum surfaces into the design of the assembly . efficient light extraction from the light source depends on such proper alignment . in fig2 a , the exploded view of light - collecting assembly 20 illustrates how various elements of the light engine are assembled and illustrates the design of the datum surfaces desired for alignment . with reference to fig2 a and 4 a - 4 c , there are illustratively four ellipsoidal mirrors 10 . the top and bottom of the four ellipsoidal mirrors 10 have cylindrical surfaces that engage cylindrical hubs of bottom and top hub plates ( 14 , 16 ), respectively . the ellipsoidal mirrors 10 are securely held against the bottom and top hub plates ( 14 , 16 ), bottom and top hub plates ( 14 , 16 ) by garter springs 126 that engage matching torroidal grooves 127 ground into the backs of the ellipsoidal mirrors 10 . the top and bottom of the light source 12 are held by means of a cylindrical clamp assembly 28 , which is inserted into circular holes in the bottom and top hub plates ( 14 , 16 ). these holes are concentric with the hubs and provide sufficient clearance for alignment of the light source 12 with a common focal point located in the center of the light - collecting assembly 20 and coincident with the common axis of both hubs . as shown in fig2 a and 2c , a special alignment washer 23 is disposed around the hub of the top hub plate 16 . the top of the special alignment washer 23 is flat to engage the flat bottom surface of the top hub plate 16 while the bottom face of this washer has a conical taper to match the top faces of the ellipsoidal mirrors 10 . clocking alignment of each ellipsoidal mirror 10 about the hub axis is provided by notches 140 in the top corner edges of each mirror section ( see fig4 a - 4 c ). notches 140 have accurate reference datum surfaces that are normal to the bottom face of top hub plate 16 . there are four raised key protrusions 21 from the bottom conical face of special alignment washer 23 . key protrusions 21 have eight accurate reference faces designed to engage the corresponding reference datum surfaces of the four ellipsoidal mirrors 10 notches . in order to provide clocking alignment of mirror edge slots 112 with corresponding through - holes 117 of l - shaped support brackets 115 , a pin through - hole 29 is provided in special alignment washer 23 for engaging a corresponding pin in top hub plate 16 . the four l - shaped support brackets and their eight through - holes 117 are accurately positioned with respect to the top hub plate 16 pin so as to ensure proper alignment of through - holes 117 with mirror edge slots 112 . eight relatively tiny coil springs 38 are inserted into corresponding receptacles 39 in bottom hub plate 14 adjacent to the hub . the conical bottom faces of ellipsoidal mirrors 10 each engage two of these springs . thus , each mirror section is spring - loaded toward top hub plate 16 . this spring - loading action ensures that the top and bottom interfaces of special alignment washer 23 between the ellipsoidal mirrors 10 top conical faces and top hub plate 16 is kept in intimate contact with each other . the spring - loading action of coil springs 38 and of garter springs 126 is an effective means of maintaining critical alignments in the presence of thermal dimensional distortions caused by heat generated by the lamp . this spring - loading method avoids producing stresses at the glass mirror interfaces that would crack the mirrors . such stresses exist in conventional alignment methods that do not accommodate thermally induced dimensional distortions . advantageously , the unit cost of molding accurate glass surfaces is less than the cost of grinding them ( and , of course , less than the cost of grinding and polishing them ). therefore , the critical surfaces of ellipsoidal mirrors 10 are preferably molded . these molded mirror surfaces include the ellipsoidal mirror surfaces , the top and bottom cylindrical hub interface surfaces , the top and the bottom conical interface surfaces , the notched top mirror clocking interface surfaces , and the ellipsoidal mirror 10 edge slot surfaces . to facilitate the glass molding process , all molded surfaces are designed to have draft angles if they are not otherwise shaped and / or oriented to accommodate release from the mold . for example , the top and bottom mirror edges are preferably configured to be conical instead of flat in order to accommodate easy mold release . for the same reason , the mirror edge slots 112 are preferably designed to have a draft angle . fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c are side elevation , isometric , and assembly views , respectively , of the ellipsoidal mirrors 10 of light - collecting assembly 20 shown in fig1 b and 1c . as shown in fig4 b , each ellipsoidal mirror 10 comprises two ellipsoidal mirror sections 110 , which is preferable for ease of manufacture . accordingly , each ellipsoidal mirror section 110 is positioned in such a way so as to have a first focal point common to all eight mirror sections 110 substantially centered on the arc of light source 12 . further , each ellipsoidal mirror section 110 has a second unique focal point , each of which is substantially centered on or near a respective mirror edge slot 112 that provides a cylindrical rod entrance port 125 ( see fig4 c ) for a corresponding cylindrical rod 138 ( to be described in detail below ). thus , each ellipsoidal mirror focuses the light it intercepts from the arc on the corresponding cylindrical rod entrance port 125 located at or near the second focal point of this mirror . note that each mirror edge slot 112 is aligned with a respective through - hole 117 shown in fig1 b and 1c . each cylindrical rod entrance port 125 is , e . g ., 4 mm in diameter and intercepts light incident at 0 . 42 na ( numerical aperture ). as shown in fig1 b , 1 c and 4 a - 4 c , there are illustratively eight mirror edge slots 112 ( one for each ellipsoidal mirror section 110 ) and thus eight corresponding clearance through - holes 117 . note that each mirror edge slot 112 is formed by a half - hole in a mirror edge . each ellipsoidal mirror section has two half - holes , one on each side , thus providing four mirror edge slots 112 and eight rod entrance ports 125 in the lamp enclosure . if it is desirable to maximize collection efficiency of the light engine , the diameter of each cylindrical rod entrance port 125 should exceed the theoretical size of the arc image formed by the corresponding ellipsoidal mirror section 110 . the margin of excess should be designed to accommodate imaging aberrations , distortion of light rays by the glass envelope that encloses the lamp arc , and inaccuracies in the fabricated mirror surface shape and in the relative alignment between the mirror , the arc and the cylindrical rod . enlarging the diameters of each cylindrical rod 138 requires a corresponding enlargement of each mirror edge slot 112 required for light egress . this reduces the area of the ellipsoidal mirror section 110 surfaces which , in turn , reduces light collection efficiency . the efficiency loss attributable to this reduction in mirror area is significant when , e . g ., the mirror edge slot 112 area is large enough to become a significant fraction of the ellipsoidal mirror section 110 area . alternatively , it may be desirable to have a somewhat smaller diameter cylindrical rod 138 to provide a selected degree of compromise between light collection efficiency and the concentration of rod entrance port irradiance , which tends to be more intense near the rod center than near the rod edges . in the design illustrated here , the rod entrance port diameter d was chosen to be : where s1 is the short distance along the major axis between the ellipsoidal mirror and its first ( common ) focal point , where s2 is the long distance along the major axis between the ellipsoidal mirror and its second ( unique ) focal point , and where g is the gap between the lamp arc electrodes . in this illustrated example , s1 = 18 . 5 mm , s2 = 46 . 1 mm , g = 1 . 4 mm , and the resulting d is 4 mm . in the above expression for d , ( s2 / s1 ) g is an estimate of the largest theoretical arc image size generated by reflection from any portion of the ellipsoidal mirror area . the additional 0 . 51 mm is for margin . as the above expression for cylindrical rod diameter d indicates , the magnitude of d is a strong function of mirror design configuration parameters s1 and s2 , and of the lamp electrode gap g . the illustrated light - collecting assembly 20 design comprising four ellipsoidal mirrors 10 formed from eight ellipsoidal mirror sections 110 is one of many possible alternative design configurations . for example , the collecting assembly could comprise a greater or a lesser number of ellipsoidal mirrors disposed about the arc , which would all have a common first focal point . as in the illustrated configuration , the second focal point of each mirror would be unique and would require a corresponding unique cylindrical rod entrance port for light egress . the greater the number of mirrors in the light - collecting assembly , the smaller would be the solid angle intercepted by each mirror as seen from the arc or from the corresponding cylindrical rod entrance port . this assumes that the mirrors surrounding the arc are all identical . thus , these mirrors would each also have identical values of s1 and s2 . the numerical aperture ( na ), defined as the sine of the maximum angle of incidence of rays from the mirror on the corresponding cylindrical rod entrance port , is driven by the shape and projected area size of the mirror functional aperture and by the distance between the mirror and this entrance port . the 0 . 42 na of the illustrated design of light - collecting assembly 20 represents a maximum ( or nearly maximum ) incidence angle of 25 ° for rays reflected by the mirror to the cylindrical rod entrance port surface . of course , both the magnitudes of d and na depend on the design of light - collecting assembly 20 and on the electrode gap g . however , for small values of g , the dependence of na on g is weak . the mirrors may be fabricated from materials such as glass or metal ( not shown ). glass surfaces may have a dielectric coating ( forming a thin - film cold mirror ) that reflects visible light but transmits infrared and , possibly , uv light ; thus reducing heat dissipation within the light - collecting assembly 20 , in the cylindrical rods 138 , and / or other optics following the cylindrical rods . metal mirrors may be fabricated from diamond - turned aluminum , electro - formed nickel or a high - temperature polymer such as ultem . metal or polymer mirrors may be coated with aluminum , dielectric thin films , or other highly reflective coatings . as with glass mirrors , a dielectric coating can be used on metal mirrors to reflect visible light . however , unlike the coatings used on glass mirrors , which transmit infrared light , ultraviolet light , or both , dielectric coatings on metal mirrors are specially designed to reflect visible light while absorbing light outside the visible band . the heat generated by this absorption is then dissipated by conduction through the metal structure thus diverting heat from the mirror cavity . referring again to fig1 b , 1 c and 2 a , light - collecting assembly 20 uses its ellipsoidal mirror surfaces to capture and channel the output of the light source 12 . light can be distributed from the light - collecting assembly mirror edge slots 112 by a light guide assembly , such as a plurality of fiber optic cables each of which functions as an optical transmission line . as shown , each of eight such fiber cable legs or bundles 25 cooperate with a corresponding rod entrance port 125 . each fiber cable leg 25 may be adjusted by a respective adjuster 120 , depicted in fig1 b and 1c , to ensure proper alignment . note that each adjuster 120 is aligned with a corresponding fiber adjustment hole 117 . assuming that the number of exit ports is two or more ( e . g ., eight mirror edge slots 112 are illustrated ), fiber cable legs 25 can be joined together within ferrule 30 to form a single path . as shown in fig2 a , the ferrule 30 envelope can be cylindrical , while the fiber bundle exit port aperture of ferrule 30 is square . the dimensions of ferrule 30 are approximately 1 . 5 ″ in length and 0 . 75 ″ in diameter . ferrule 30 is supported by a bracket 32 , having dimensions of approximately 3 . 775 ″ in length , 5 ″ in width and 2 . 57 ″ in depth . bracket 32 similarly has a circular opening at one end and a square opening at the opposite end . referring now to fig1 , to diffuse hot spots and withstand high power densities , the input of each fiber leg 25 may be coupled to a respective ferrule 142 . each ferrule 142 can be support a thermally robust optically transmissive element or light pipe , such as a cylindrical rod 138 , which can be air - spaced or bonded to their corresponding fiber bundles . cylindrical rods 138 may be fabricated from solid glass ( e . g ., lasfn31 ) having a high refractive index or from fused silica having a low refractive index . note that the fibers from the eight fiber cable legs that collect light from each mirror edge slot 112 can be randomly mixed to provide a level of homogenization before the light emerges from a single common exit port within ferrule 30 and enters the next stage . an example of a cylindrical rod 138 is shown in fig1 . as illustrated , cylindrical rod 138 is 13 mm in length and 4 mm in diameter . as shown in fig1 a , a beam homogenizer 40 , which will be described in greater detail with reference to fig8 receives light at input 44 from the output of ferrule 30 . however , as further shown in fig1 a and 2b , a dimmer 42 , such as an iris , a variable neutral density filter , sliding apertures , or a liquid crystal shutter , can optionally precede homogenizer 40 , to reduce or eliminate light to the homogenizer . homogenizer 40 creates a uniform irradiance over the cross - section of the output 46 of the homogenizer . the output of the homogenizer 40 is coupled to a second optical transmission line , such as an expanding fiber optic cable 50 shown in fig1 a , which has one input 52 and multiple outputs 54 . in the example of fig1 a , the light from the fiber optic cable 50 is coupled to a collimator 60 . collimator 60 may be a long tapered light pipe having a small area input port and a large area output port , e . g ., a square cross section - tapered cone that functionally approximates a compound parabolic concentrator ( cpc ), a simple array of one or more such elements , or an array of lenses that collimate the light . the output of collimator 60 feeds a waveguide 70 that illuminates a display device 80 either directly or via a turn - the - corner prism assembly 72 , which may be provided for the sake of compactness . collimated light is preferable for illuminating certain types of displays . for example , collimated light is desirable for backlighting certain liquid crystal displays ( lcd ) because the contrast is highest when the light incidence angles on the lcd are confined to a relatively narrow range . conversely , diffused or uncollimated light will result in reduced contrast . as previously mentioned , if the size or other constraints of the physical layout of display system 5 requires a change in the direction of the light traveling between the output of collimator 60 and waveguide 70 , a turn - the - corner assembly 72 ( having one or two prisms ) may precede waveguide 70 . as shown in fig2 a and 2b , many of the components of display system 5 can be placed in an enclosure 900 ( and sealed by cover 905 ), referred to as a remote enclosure . remote enclosure 900 provides a location for positioning elements of the display system away from the area of the display 80 , e . g ., a panel in a cockpit , where space is at a premium . the dimensions of the remote enclosure may be preferentially set to fit unique application requirements . for example , in an aircraft , the remote enclosure can have dimensions defined in the 3ati , 5ati or other size standards and thus be mounted in racks utilized by the instruments to be replaced by this invention . thus , for the 3ati size standard , the dimensions of the remote enclosure may be approximately 3 ″ by 3 ″ by 9 ″. accordingly , the need for any major structural changes to the aircraft is greatly reduced . additionally , components that generate a great deal of heat can be located in the remote enclosure , away from heat - sensitive elements , where heat removal is more easily accomplished , and where envelope space restrictions are less severe . as illustrated , the light source 10 , the collecting assembly 20 , the dimmer 42 , the homogenizer 40 , and associated brackets ( previously described ), are contained within remote enclosure 900 . fiber optic cable 50 connects the output of the homogenizer to the rest of the components ( e . g ., the collimator 60 and the waveguide 70 ). in addition , other components of the system , such as a power supply 910 , a lamp drive 920 , a video interface 930 , an input / output module 940 , and a processing module 950 , can also be located in remote enclosure 900 . it should be understood that depending on the requirements of a particular system and available space , one can choose to include or exclude any number of these items in or from remote enclosure 900 . fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c show the side , the isometric , and the assembly views of light - collecting assembly 20 , respectively , of fig1 b and 1c . as stated previously , light - collecting assembly 20 efficiently couples light from lighting device 12 to homogenizer 40 . the collecting assembly segments the output of the lighting device through the mirror edge slots 112 , optimizing the capture of light and improving the efficiency of the system . the isometric view of fig4 b shows one of the four ellipsoidal mirror sections 10 which comprise the lamp enclosure , where each of the four mirrors 10 comprises two mirror sections 110 . note that each of mirror sections 110 is an ellipsoid of revolution about the ellipsoid major axis . accordingly , collecting assembly 20 has eight ellipsoidal mirrors 110 having a first common focal point at the center of the light engine cavity and a second unique focal point , not shared with any other ellipsoid , which is at one of the eight mirror edge slots 112 located near the edge of each adjacent ellipsoidal mirror 110 . as previously discussed , each mirror 110 has a half - hole on one side , such that two adjacent mirrors 110 form each mirror edge slot 112 . as further discussed with reference to fig4 c , 18 and 19 , the mirror edge slots 112 can preferably interface with a respective transmissive element or optical light pipe , such as solid cylindrical rod 138 . this light pipe may be coupled to a fiber optic cable ( such as fiber leg 25 ), to another light pipe or to a solid core optical fiber . the rods 138 are formed of a light transmitting material such as glass , fused silica , or sapphire to eliminate hot spots which might damage the fiber cable . in addition , to further shield optical fibers from the damaging effects of heat and / or uv radiation and to further protect the downstream optics , especially polymer optics and adhesives , the input port face of rod 138 can be coated with a dielectric ir , uv reflecting coating , and / or a visible light transmitting dichromic film . further , instead of or in addition to such coating , the rods 138 may be made of a uv absorbing material or may be doped with a uv absorbing material such as cerium . referring specifically to fig1 , during operation ( prior to reaching the downstream optics interface ), the heat from the light source is absorbed by each rod and may be conducted out of each rod 138 and into heat conducting ferrule ( or cell ) 142 that supports the rod and serves as a heat sink . ferrule 142 is preferably formed of a heat conducting material such as copper , aluminum , stainless steel , a combination thereof , or other suitable heat dissipating materials . each cylindrical rod 138 can be secured to its respective ferrule 142 by a thermally robust and optically clear adhesive or clamp ( not shown ). for an adhesive , it is preferable that the adhesive be able withstand a sustained temperature environment , which , for an epoxy such as epoxy technology &# 39 ; s epotek 301 - 2 , is as high as 200 ° c ., and that the adhesive has refractive index low enough to maintain total internal reflection ( tir ) of the light propagated within the rod material . for example , assume that for light rays originating in an air medium : ( 1 ) the maximum ray angle of incidence on the polished entrance port face of a solid cylindrical rod is θ . ( 3 ) the refractive index of the adhesive on the rod &# 39 ; s polished cylindrical surface is n . then , in order for tir to prevail for all light rays propagating within the rod , n is required be less than or equal to the square root of ( n2 − sin 2θ ). assuming the cylindrical rods 138 are made of lasfn31 glass , for which n = 1 . 88 , and the maximum ray incidence angle from air medium is θ = 250 , then the corresponding maximum adhesive index of refraction that maintains tir is n = 1 . 83 . therefore , epotek 301 - 2 epoxy is an example of an adhesive that maintains tir because it has a refractive index of 1 . 564 . alternatively , if the combination of the rod material and adhesive refractive indices causes tir to fail , then an appropriately thick low refractive index coating , such as magnesium fluoride ( which has a refractive index of 1 . 38 ) may be applied between the adhesive and the rod . if , however , a clamp is used to hold rod 138 , the low refractive index coating is applied between the clamp and the rod surfaces to form a barrier layer . if a high - intensity light source 10 ( such as a small - arc hid lamp ) or other high - wattage lamps are employed , a cooling system is preferably incorporated in the system . in the preferred embodiment , illustrated in fig5 assembly 200 includes a light source 12 , approximately 3 . 575 ″ in length , that is mounted inside a close - fitting tube 210 , such that both are positioned on a suitable lamp fixture 220 . the tube 210 may be cylindrical or assume any other appropriate shape , and can be fabricated from a clear material with good thermal conductivity , relative to air , such as fused silica or sapphire . as depicted , tube 210 is covered on one end by a cover 230 to form an enclosure . the outer surface 212 of tube 210 is in physical contact with the mirrors 110 of the collecting assembly 20 . this allows thermal energy generated by the light source 12 to flow to the tube 210 and then to the collecting assembly 20 . alternatively , cooling may be provided by attaching a metal conduit to the glass envelope of the lamp and anchoring the conduit to a heat sink ( not shown ). an alternative light source and cooling assembly 300 is shown in fig6 . the assembly 300 has lighting source 12 . in this embodiment , light source 12 may be a short - arc , metal halide hid lamp such as a 270 w version manufactured by a japanese company , ushio america , inc . thermal buses 330 of copper or other material having suitable heat conductivity couple the light source 12 at a minimum of two points and draw heat away from seal areas 350 to heat sinks 340 . each thermal bus 330 is approximately 1 . 07 ″ long with a diameter of 0 . 75 ″. the seal areas 350 are typically molybdenum foil conductors , which form a gas - tight seal when the lamp quartz envelope is heated and “ pinched .” the thermal buses 330 are designed such that the foil seal temperatures are maintained within a range recommended by the manufacturer , above which the seal would likely fail . this technique also takes advantage of the poor thermal conductivity of the foil , where minimal power from the lamp propagates through the thermal bus resulting in a low thermal variance . the ellipsoidal light - collecting assembly 20 is also represented in fig6 . heat absorbed by light - collecting assembly 20 will pass to heat sinks 340 . to further reduce the foil seal temperature , filler material can be added between the thermal busses 330 and the quartz lamp 310 to fill in air voids , as air is a very poor thermal conductor . the filler material , however , should allow for the relative movements between the quartz and copper , should have low out - gassing characteristics , and should be able to withstand temperatures in excess of those recommended by the light manufacturer ( such as 250 ° c .) in order to have sufficient safety margins . for example , one can use nuclear grade style sw - gta grafoil ® manufactured by the ucar carbon company , inc . of cleveland ohio . this grafoil ® material is a flexible , thermally conductive , and compressible graphite gasket material having an extremely low ash content while containing no binders or resins . the lack of binders and resins eliminates the possibility of high temperature - inducing out - gassing , which would risk the condensation of out - gassing vapors on the colder ellipsoidal mirror 10 surfaces thus degrading their reflectance efficiency . the entire assembly 300 may be forced - air cooled , provided that air does not impinge on any optical surface . as a result , a sealed mirror assembly can be used in relatively dirty environments , such as military and automotive applications . the cooling airflow rate can be adjusted to maintain temperatures within a range that optimizes lamp life . various other arrangements may be employed . for example , the light source can be sealed within light - collecting assembly 20 to form a closed - loop cooling system 400 , as shown in fig7 . in this embodiment , air is circulated around the outside of the light - collecting assembly . specifically , light source 12 is enclosed in a sealed collecting assembly 420 . clean air is forced past light source 12 by a fan 422 and the air is cooled in a plenum 430 . the plenum and air conduit together forms a sealed assembly , which includes collecting assembly 420 . the sealed space is required to prevent dirty air infiltration from outside the sealed space . optionally , heat sinks , fans or other cooling devices ( not shown ) can be used to transfer heat away from the plenum 430 . in another arrangement ( not shown ), the lamp itself may be forced - air cooled provided that clean air is available . instead of air , helium or a mixture of helium , neon and nitrogen may be employed to cool the surfaces . as stated , dimmer 42 may be an iris , a variable neutral density filter , sliding apertures or a liquid crystal shutter . as shown in the detail of fig3 dimmer 42 has two aperture plates 1010 , 1020 that slide horizontally with respect to each other . as illustrated , each plate has a diamond - shaped aperture 1030 . optionally , there may be a filter , such as an nvis filter , covering one of the diamond - shaped apertures , which could make a cockpit display compatible with night vision equipment . by virtue of the small size of this aperture , an nvis filter located here is far less expensive , thinner , and otherwise far more compact than an nvis filter placed in its usual location in front of and covering the entire lcd display backlight area . in operation , as the plates 1010 and 1020 move together or apart , the size of the opening created by the overlap of the two diamond - shaped apertures 1030 varies , as desired . note that the dimmer is preferably electromechanical in operation and has a dimming ratio of up to 300 : 1 . to attain greater dimming ratios up to ( for example ) 85 , 500 : 1 , a two - stage dimmer can be configured by incorporating two apertures into one of the sliding aperture plates of fig3 . at any given translational position of this sliding aperture , only one , of its two apertures , has a transmitting area in common with the aperture in the other ( single ) aperture sliding plate . the sliding mechanism for this assembly should be designed to move both apertures so as to keep this common transmitting area centered on the common axis of the ferrule 30 fiber cable exit port and the homogenizer 40 entrance port aperture 44 . this alignment maximizes the homogeneity of the light exiting exit port 46 of homogenizer 40 . the two - stage dimming is accomplished by means of a neutral density filter placed over one of the apertures of the two - aperture slide . the first stage of dimming would be accomplished by sliding the clear aperture of the two - aperture slide across the opening of the single aperture slide until the minimum size common area opening is reached . for the second stage of dimming , the neutral density filtered aperture of the two - aperture slide is slid across the opening of the single aperture slide until the minimum size common area opening is reached again . the neutral density of the filter is chosen such that its attenuation is equal to , or slightly less than , the maximum attenuation of the first stage of dimming . for example , for a first stage dimming range of 300 : 1 , the neutral density could be 2 . 47 , which would provide a dimming ratio of 295 : 1 when the common area of both sliding apertures is at its maximum . the maximum second stage dimming ratio would then be [ 295 × 300 ]: 1 or 88 , 500 : 1 . an additional benefit of this two - stage dimming arrangement is that the nvis filter can be combined with the neutral density filter on the other side of the same substrate , thus combining both functions . the neutral density of the combination would then be designed to be 2 . 47 in the example above . this removes the system efficiency reduction normally attributable to nvis filters because the first dimming stage is nvis - free . note that the minimum size limit for the common opening area between the two sliding apertures is governed by the increasing level of diffraction that occurs as the transmitting aperture becomes progressively smaller . this diffraction effect can become significant enough to cause decollimation to exceed the numerical aperture ( na ) limit of the fibers in the downstream fiber optics cable . this would cause light absorption in the cables that would reduce their light transmission efficiency . further , even if the fiber numerical aperture ( na ) is sufficient to accommodate this collimation loss , a significant decollimation can cause an undesirable alteration in the backlight collimation . the light transmission system between the light engine and the waveguide is designed to maximize preservation of étendue and to achieve a certain degree of collimation of light egress from the waveguide . appreciable decollimation by the dimmer minimum aperture size would then result in an undesirable reduction of backlight collimation or in an undesirable change in performance as the dimming limit is approached . the beam homogenizer 40 , as shown in fig8 can be fabricated from a square cross - section rod that is polished on all six faces . preferably , homogenizer 40 is made of acrylic , bk7 glass , or other materials having low attenuation in the visible light region . the square cross - section may be uniform for the entire length of the homogenizer or , as illustrated in fig8 may be tapered . specifically , homogenizer 40 has a large entrance port 44 and a small exit port 46 . the homogenizer may be fabricated by being ground , diamond - turned , laser cut or drawn . alternatively , a hollow , reflective air cavity having a square cross section may be employed . the length to width ratio of the homogenizer is selected such that the output is uniform at the homogenizer exit port . length is dependent on the collimation of the input light , the refractive index of the homogenizer material , and the required degree of homogenization . typically , length is in the range of ten times the width . illustratively , the homogenizer 40 has a 13 mm by 13 mm square entrance port and an 8 . 4 mm by 8 . 4 mm exit port separated by a distance of 100 mm . further , the length of a tapered homogenizer may be less than the length of a uniform cross - section homogenizer , while providing the same degree of homogenization . thus , a tapered homogenizer is typically more space - efficient than a homogenizer having a uniform cross - section . fiber optic cable 50 , shown in fig1 a , includes one common square input port designed to match the size and shape as homogenizer exit port 46 . this fiber cable input port is bonded to exit port 46 by means of a clear adhesive to minimize loss of efficiency at the interface by eliminating the air gap and thus reducing fresnel reflection losses . the fibers emerging from the input port are preferably bound within a jacketed cable having a nominally circular cross - section . the cable has a sufficient length , two feet for example , to feed the entrance port apertures of collimator array 60 shown in fig1 a . thus , fiber optic cable 50 has one common square input port and a plurality of fiber cable exit ports . the transition from the single jacketed cable to a plurality of jacketed cables can be made at any convenient point along the length of the cable . the size and shape of the exit ports are designed to be a close match to the collimator array input ports . similar to the single fiber cable input port to the homogenizer exit port interface , each fiber cable exit port is bonded to a corresponding collimator entrance port by means of a clear adhesive , which is used to maximize transmission efficiency at the interface by reducing fresnel reflection losses . the alignment of the mating apertures at the input and exit ports of the fiber optic cable is important to reduce coupling efficiency losses . such alignment includes ensuring that the axes of the mating elements on both sides of the interfaces are parallel and centered with respect to each other . in addition , if the mating apertures are not circular , as is the case for the square apertures of the homogenizer exit port 46 and the fiber cable input port , the ports must be rotationally aligned about their common axis . further , it is possible to avoid the necessity of implementing extremely tight alignment tolerances by designing the entrance port apertures to be slightly larger than the adjacent exit port apertures . this maintains transmission efficiency by allowing the exit port apertures to slightly under - fill the adjacent corresponding exit ports . this under - fill technique provides the most benefit in cases where the mating apertures are smallest at , for example , the interfaces with the small collimator input port apertures . this is because smaller apertures require alignment tolerances to be more critical in order to reduce the resulting interface efficiency loss to a given budgeted allowance . fig1 a and 10b show examples of collimating elements that could comprise collimator array 60 shown in the detailed schematic drawing of fig9 . as shown , the differences between the first collimator 160 and the second collimator 260 is that in input ports 165 of the first collimator 160 are substantially circular , while the input ports 265 of the second collimator 260 are substantially rectangular . however , the collimating elements of both embodiments are tapered in that they each have an exit port area larger than its entrance port area . the exit port ends are lined up side - by - side to form the array of collimators , such as in collimator array 60 illustrated in fig9 . the exit port apertures are preferably square or rectangular in shape to make it possible to fill the adjacent turn - the - corner prism assembly entrance port aperture , which has a long rectangular shape that spans the array of collimator exit ports . filling this aperture with light is important to avoid the dark bands that would otherwise be projected from the resulting areas devoid of light , through the turn - the - corner prism , into the backlight , and across the display . it is advantageous for the optionally square or rectangular cross - section of the collimator element to be uniform for a portion of its length adjacent to its exit port . this allows the array of collimators constructed from these elements be stacked adjacent to each other with their sides in contact and their axes parallel and normal to the turn - the - corner prism assembly entrance port face . such elements can be easily assembled on a flat surface with their exit ports in contact with the turn - the - corner prism assembly entrance port aperture . this arrangement ensures an easy means of alignment . the contacting faces of the collimator exit ports and the turn - the - corner prism assembly entrance port can be bonded together by means of an optically clear adhesive , which should have a sufficiently low refractive index relative to the prism index to maintain total internal reflection at the adhesive layer interface for light rays reflected by the prism hypotenuse face . first collimator 160 of fig1 a shows a plurality of such elements forming a portion of a linear array that interfaces with a mating section of a turn - the - corner prism assembly . each element has a input port 165 circular aperture and an exit port 168 square aperture 168 . the circular input port 165 interfaces with a corresponding circular exit port of fiber optic cable 50 . preferably , the exit port 168 of collimator 160 is 6 . 6 mm square . this dimension slightly overfills the height of the turn - the - corner prism assembly entrance port aperture . thirty - three ( 33 ) of these 6 . 6 mm square collimator apertures arranged in a side - by - side tightly packed linear array are approximately 218 mm long , which is sufficient to overfill the length of the turn - the - corner prism assembly 72 entrance port aperture slightly . this overfill is desirable to avoid the creation of dark areas or stripes on the turn - the - corner prism assembly entrance port aperture . these stripes are devoid of light and the turn - the - corner prism assembly could project these stripes into the backlight and across the display . as shown in fig1 a , the square cross section portion of this collimator element has uniform dimensions of 6 . 6 mm by 6 . 6 mm until it begins to morph with the tapered circular cross section portion . the tapered portion has a conical shape that increases in diameter between the small circular entrance port and the larger square cross section . the second collimator 260 of fig1 b shows a plurality of collimator elements similar to those of fig1 a , which likewise form a portion of a linear array that interfaces with a mating section of a turn - the - corner prism assembly . each of these elements has an input port 265 square aperture and an exit port 268 square aperture . the square input port 265 interfaces with a corresponding square exit port of fiber optic cable 50 . similar to exit port 168 of the first collimator 160 , exit port 268 is preferably 6 . 6 mm 2 . thus , its interface with the turn - the - corner prism assembly 72 entrance port aperture and its overfill properties are identical with that of collimator 160 . the tapered portion of each collimator element of the second collimator 260 has a square cross - section that increases in size between the small square entrance port and the larger uniform square cross section region . thus , instead of having the conical tapered section shape of each collimator element in the first collimator 160 , the elements of the second collimator 260 each have a pyramidal shaped tapered section . the design of the first collimator 160 is preferred over the design of the second collimator 260 because if the second collimator 260 is used , the fiber bundles of fiber optic cable 50 would be required to match the square input port 265 of the second collimator 260 . note that fiber bundles having square exit ports are more expensive and more difficult to fabricate than those with round ports . a typical length for either the first collimator 160 or the second collimator 260 , having a 6 . 6 mm square aperture , is 100 mm . a typical input port 165 of the first collimator 160 may have a diameter of 1 . 65 mm . a typical input port 265 of the second collimator 260 may be 1 . 462 mm 2 . these typical input port sizes for both collimators would preferably have an equal input port area of 2 . 14 mm 2 . similarly , their identical 6 . 6 mm 2 exit port aperture areas of 43 . 56 mm2 are also equal . the conical half angle of light entering the input port aperture , of both collimators 160 and 260 , from the fiber bundle exit port of fiber optic cable 50 has an air - equivalent value of 35 °. by application of snell &# 39 ; s law , the actual half - angle within a medium having a refractive index of n is given by ψ , where ψ = arcsine {( sin 35 °)/ n }. in accordance with principle of étendue conservation in an “ ideal ” system , the relationship of air - equivalent collimation half angles of light entering and light leaving the collimator ports is : where a in and a out are the input and output port areas respectively , and where θ in and θ out are the corresponding air - equivalent light input and light egress conical half - angles , respectively . calculating the value of θ out when θ in = 2 . 14 mm 2 , a out = 43 . 56 mm 2 , and θ in = 35 °, yields a corresponding ideal value of θ out of 7 . 3 °, which is achievable by a properly configured compound parabolic concentrator ( cpc ) used as a collimator element . however , more realistically , the θ out actual value for collimators 160 and 260 , which approximate the performance of the ideal cpc , would be about 9 ° or 10 °. another embodiment of a collimator is shown in fig1 . in particular , a packed triangular air cavity array 1110 includes a plurality of tapered air cavities 1112 having right triangular cross - sections in a plane normal to an axis that bisects the hypotenuse face . as shown , the array is sandwiched by hypotenuse face mirrors 1114 . this embodiment functions in the same manner as a square array , since the mirror image of the right isosceles triangle , reflected in its hypotenuse face , forms a square . the small seams between each right triangle are at a 45 ° angle relative to the top and bottom surfaces . as previously stated , it may be necessary to redirect the light ( due to space constraints ) from collimator 60 before it enters waveguide 70 . fig1 and 13 illustrate turn - the - corner assembly 72 , where fig1 shows greater detail and fig1 includes waveguide 70 . turn - the - corner assembly 72 of fig1 and 13 includes two prisms 510 and 520 separated by an optional transmissive spacer element 530 . by adding spacer element 530 , it is possible to increase the gap between the input and output light bundles . the gap can be adjusted to the desired size by varying the spacer thickness . prism 510 includes a first face 512 , a second face 516 perpendicular to face 512 , and a mirrored hypotenuse face 514 . similarly , prism 520 includes a first perpendicular face 526 , a second perpendicular face 522 , and a mirrored hypotenuse face 524 . all faces of the prism and of the spacer , including their end faces , are polished . the dimensions of the prisms and the spacer may be designed so as to capture and transmit light with maximum efficiency . for example , first and second faces of prisms 510 and 520 may be 6 mm , while the hypotenuse face of prisms 510 and 520 may be 8 . 49 mm . prisms 510 , 520 and spacer element 530 may be formed of a transparent polymer material such as acrylic or polycarbonate . alternatively , glass , such as fused silica , f2 , or bk7 can be used , as well as a combination of these materials . if necessary , the prism hypotenuse faces can be coated with aluminum , silver , a multilayer dielectric film , or other mirror coating 542 . alternatively , a sufficiently high refractive index material , such as lasfn31 glass , can be used to form the prisms and spacer element , which eliminate the need for a mirror coating by maintaining tir for the entire range of light ray angles incident on the prism hypotenuse air / glass interfaces . for example , the hypotenuse faces of right angle prisms made of lasfn31 glass , which has a refractive index of 1 . 88 , will completely internally reflect all light rays incident on the prism entrance port from air medium at angles of 24 . 5 degrees or less . the prism entrance and / or exit port faces may , optionally , be bonded to adjacent transmissive elements , such as the waveguide 70 entrance port and / or the collimator 60 array exit port , by means of a tir - maintaining adhesive having a refractive index sufficiently lower than that of the prism material . when the turn - the - corner prism assembly entrance port has a refractive material interface instead of air , the entrance port incidence angle for determining whether tir is maintained on the hypotenuse face is the air - equivalent angle rather than the actual angle . as an example , in operation , and as shown by the dotted - line examples a , b , c , light enters the entrance port of assembly 72 at the first perpendicular face 512 of the first prism 510 . the rays of light reflect off mirrored face 514 and passes out through second perpendicular face 516 . thereafter , it passes through the spacer 530 and enters second perpendicular face 522 of the second prism 520 , reflects off mirrored face 524 , passes out through first perpendicular face 526 , and is then transmitted to waveguide 70 . an interface adhesive 540 , having a low index of refraction , may be placed between each adjoining surface to improve the light - handling efficiency of the assembly . depending on the physical layout of the components in a given application and the degree of redirection required , the first prism 510 and / or the spacer 530 may be omitted . if both are omitted , the light input port for the turn - the - corner prism would be at the second perpendicular face 522 of prism 520 . if only prism 520 is omitted , light would enter through the bottom of spacer 530 on the face parallel to second perpendicular face 522 . as previously discussed , light is transmitted to display device 80 via waveguide 70 . waveguide 70 is shown in detail in fig1 . as illustrated , waveguide 70 has a relatively thin planar structure , having a front surface 802 , a back surface 804 , and two edge surfaces 806 and 808 . the approximate dimensions of waveguide 70 are 162 . 5 mm by 215 mm by 6 mm thick . the waveguide is preferably acrylic and has a refractive index of 1 . 485 , although materials such as glass or other optical polymers may be used . in operation , collimated light is injected at normal incidence into one or both of the edge surfaces 806 and 808 . as light travels inward from the edges 806 and 808 toward the center of the waveguide 800 , non - smooth surface features ( on the back surface 804 ) redirects light toward the front surface 802 , causing the light to exit the front surface at a predetermined angle relative to the normal to the surface 802 . inventive back surface features will be later described with reference to fig1 and 16 vis - a - vis the conventional back surface features illustrated in fig1 . a thick low - index coating ( not shown ) may be placed between the waveguide and an underlying aluminum or protected silver reflective layer ( not shown ) to maximize the use of tir . additionally , a broadband retarder and reflective polarizing film ( not shown ) can be placed on the front surface 802 of waveguide assembly 70 . suitable films are commercially available from japanese company nittodenko , america , inc . of fremont , calif . such films pass light of one polarization , but reflect light of the opposite polarization . the reflected light will undergo two quarter phase shifts ( the first for the first pass - through from the retarder film and the second upon being reflected by the aluminized coating ) and return through the retarder film . the front surface 802 and the four edge surfaces 806 and 808 may be flat , while the back surface 804 may have surface features designed to redirect the received collimated light . for example , a conventional surface , shown in fig1 , comprises an array of steps or terraces that are parallel to front surface 802 . however , the purely terraced surfaces of fig1 have disadvantages in relation to the inventive sawtooth bottom waveguide surface of fig1 and the inventive truncated sawtooth bottom waveguide surface of fig1 , as will be discussed below . the inventive sawtooth pattern bottom surface for waveguide 70 is shown in fig1 . as shown , light enters the input port face on one side . the sawtooth extraction features on the bottom face are shown greatly enlarged from their actual size for illustration purposes . illustratively , the height of each sawtooth is approximately 0 . 195 mm and the pitch of the sawtooth array is approximately 0 . 39 mm . in this embodiment , all light rays that are intercepted by the bottom sawtoothed array are extracted . further , in operation , the array redirects light out of the waveguide at predetermined angles based on the size and shape of the horizontal sawtooth surface . a staggered or truncated - sawtooth pattern bottom surface for waveguide 70 is illustrated in fig1 . this surface has sawtooth features staggered on a series of terraces that are parallel to front surface 802 . illustratively , the height of each sawtooth is approximately 0 . 039 mm and the pitch of the sawtooth array is approximately 0 . 39 mm . the terraces may be mirror - coated with materials such as an aluminized coating to prevent refraction through the sloped surfaces . the design of the surface features is critical to maintain the desired exit angle , to preserve collimation of light traveling through waveguide , to maintain the spatial uniformity of light exiting through the front surface , and to simplify manufacture . in particular , spatial non - uniformities , such as those caused by waveguide material extinction properties can be compensated for by varying the pitch of the light extraction features or their step height . most of the light on the sawtooth terraced faces in fig1 is reflected by “ totally internal reflection ” ( tir ), so that it re - reflects the light to the top face , after which the light has an additional opportunity to be intercepted and extracted by a sloped facet . in this manner , each ray entering the waveguide “ runs the gauntlet ” of terraces and sloped facets until it is either intercepted by a sloped facet and extracted or it exits the thin end face of waveguide 70 . the truncated - sawtooth design of fig1 is significantly better in performance than the conventional stepped or terraced surface designs ( e . g ., of fig1 ) since such surfaces have two 450 corners per step for the light to strike head - on . conversely , the truncated sawtooth - pattern surface has only one 450 corner per step for light to strike head - on . further , since the corners of the conventional terraced surface cannot be manufactured as “ dead - sharp ,” the light will decollimate once striking head - on a “ rounded ” corner . analysis has shown that these rounded corners make up almost 50 % of the decollimation of light . thus , a lesser percentage of rounded corners is desirable , as occurs with the truncated - sawtooth design of fig1 . the slope angles of the sawtooth faces of fig1 and 16 are illustratively at a 45 ° angle relative to the waveguide front surface 802 . they are also “ clocked ” around display 80 normal , such that the lines formed by the intersection of the sawtooth faces with each other ( in fig1 ) or with the sawtooth - terraced faces ( in fig1 ) are parallel to the waveguide entrance port edge face . this arrangement produces a direction of propagation for the light extracted from the waveguide that is perpendicular to waveguide front surface 802 . however , some lcds have other preferred directions of light propagation for maximizing contrast that differs from the display &# 39 ; s normal direction . therefore , to maximize contrast in a display , it is always desirable to match the propagation direction of light extracted from the waveguide to the direction of optimum propagation ( otherwise known as the “ sweet spot ”) for a given lcd display . by varying the sawtooth face angle from 45 °, the extracted light propagation direction can be varied from that which is perpendicular to the waveguide front surface 802 . without varying the “ clocking ” angle of the sawtooth features , the relationship between the sawtooth face deviation angle 0 from 45 degrees and the propagation direction deviation angle ψ to the perpendicular to the waveguide front surface is : where n is the refractive index of the waveguide material . this applies for ψ variations in the plane containing both the normal to the waveguide front face and the propagation direction of the light entering the waveguide . for ψ variations not in the plane containing both the normal to the waveguide front face and the propagation direction of the light entering the waveguide , it is necessary to rotate or “ clock ” the sawtooth features around the waveguide front face normal . in this case the desired ψ is a function of both “ clocking ” angle β and sawtooth face deviation angle θ from 45 degrees . the illumination portion of the invention may be used in a wide variety of applications , including , but not limited to , vehicle lighting , search lights , task lights and projection systems . the display system can be utilized in vehicle applications , such as an airplane cockpit , as well as other applications where viewing angles , space , thermal , and / or structural issues are of concern . the following is a list of the acronyms used in the specification in alphabetical order . the following terminology , listed below in alphabetical order , is used throughout the specification . alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention .	8
fig1 shows two alternative embodiments of liquid dispensing devices according to the present invention . the design of the devices depicted in fig1 is typical of disposable home dispensing devices , but the invention is not limited to these types of appliances , and can , on the contrary , be applied to any type of beverage dispensing apparatus . in both embodiments of fig1 , the dispensing of a liquid , generally a beverage like a beer or a carbonated soft drink , is driven by a pressurized gas contained in a gas cartridge ( 10 ). upon piercing of the closure of the pressurized gas cartridge ( 10 ) by actuation by an actuator ( 102 ) of a piercing unit ( 101 ), the gas contained in the cartridge ( 10 ) is brought into fluid communication with the container ( 30 ) at a reduced pressure via the pressure regulating valve ( 103 ). in fig1 ( a ) the gas is introduced through the gas duct ( 104 ) directly into the container ( 30 ) and brought into contact with the liquid contained therein , whilst in the embodiment depicted in fig1 ( b ), the gas is injected at the interface between an outer , rather rigid container ( 30 ) and a flexible inner container or bag ( 31 ) containing the liquid . in this latter embodiment , the gas never contacts the liquid to be dispensed . in both embodiments , the pressure in the vessel ( 30 , 31 ) increases to a level of the order of 0 . 5 to 1 . 0 or 2 . 0 bar above atmospheric and forces the liquid through the channel opening ( 6 ), via the drawing stem ( 32 b ), if any , and flows along the dispensing tube ( 32 a ) to reach the tap ( 35 ). in the case of bag - in - containers as illustrated in fig1 ( b ), the use of a drawing stem ( 32 b ) is not mandatory since the bag ( 30 ) collapses upon pressurization of the volume comprised between the bag ( 30 ) and the container ( 31 ), thus allowing the beverage to contact the channel opening ( 6 ) without necessarily requiring a drawing stem ( 32 b ). in order to control the pressure and rate of the flowing liquid reaching the open tap at atmospheric pressure , it is proposed to interpose a pressure reducing channel between the container ( 30 ) and the tap ( 35 ), which is housed in housing ( 1 ) as represented in fig1 . a top chime ( 33 ) generally made of plastic , such as polypropylene , serves for aesthetic as well as safety reasons , to hide and protect from any mishandling or from any impact the dispensing systems and pressurized gas container . a bottom stand ( 34 ) generally made of the same material as the top chime ( 33 ) gives stability to the dispenser when standing in its upright position . fig2 and 3 illustrate two embodiments of a housing ( 1 ) comprising a closed channel ( 5 ) suitable for reducing to a desirable level the pressure and rate of a liquid flowing from the inlet opening ( 6 ) to the outlet opening ( 7 ). in the figures , the housing ( 1 ) is represented as constituting the closure of the container ( 30 ). although this embodiment is particularly preferred , the present invention is not restricted thereto . indeed , it is possible to integrate the channel ( 5 ) in a housing forming part of , or even constituting the chime ( 33 ), for example in that the external walls of the first and second half bodies ( 2 , 3 ) define the chime ( 33 ). it is also possible that one half body ( 2 ) is part of the closure and the other half body ( 3 ) is part of the chime . if the housing forms part of the closure of the container , it may be desirable to provide a through - channel ( 104 ) fluidly connecting the closure surface facing outside of the container to the surface facing inside the container to allow injection of the propellant gas into the container ( 30 ). the inlet opening ( 6 ) brings in fluid communication the pressure reducing channel ( 5 ) with the interior of the container , via the drawing stem ( 32 b ) if any . for this reason it may be advantageous to locate said inlet opening ( 6 ) at the closure surface facing inside the container as represented in fig2 and 3 . the outlet opening ( 7 ), on the other hand , may equally well , depending on the desired design , be located at the closure surface facing outside the container ( cf . fig3 ) or at an edge thereof , the outlet section ( 7 ) being normal to the inlet section ( 6 ) of channel ( 5 ) ( cf . fig2 ). pressure losses in the flowing beverage can be generated by a sinuous or curved channel . the sinuosity of the channel increases its length and comprises bends ; sharp bends increase the level of pressure losses , but also enhance foam generation , therefore careful consideration in the design of the circuit of channel ( 5 ) is required to balance these two antagonistic effects . pressure losses may also be generated by varying the cross - sectional area of the channel ( not represented in the figures ) and by providing the surface of the channel with a structure , such as rugosity or a series of grooves normal to the liquid flow ( not represented in the figures ). the housing hosting the pressure reducing channel ( 5 ) of the present invention is advantageously manufactured by injection moulding two half bodies ( 2 , 3 ), each half body comprising on their inner surface open channels matching the open channels of the other half . the two half bodies are preferably made of a polymer or copolymer of any of polypropylene , polyethylene ( oriented or not ), polyamide , polyesters like pet , etc . and blends thereof . polypropylene is preferred as this is the material usually used for the chime ( 33 ). the two half bodies ( 2 , 3 ) are then brought in abutting relationship , with the open channel of one half body vis - à - vis the open channel of the other half body to thus form a closed channel ( 5 ). these two steps can be performed using a single tool with two cavities corresponding to each half body and located in two different sections of the tool , filling the cavities by injection moulding a polymer to form the half bodies , moving the two cavities in vis - à - vis by sliding or rotating the tool section comprising one cavity relative to the other section . once in abutting relation , the two half bodies are to be joined to form a fluid tight channel ( 5 ). the joining of the two half bodies can be performed by any means known to the person skilled in the art , such as welding using a solvent , heat , or vibration , gluing , using mechanical fastening , like screws , snap fittings , etc . it is preferred , however , to join the two half bodies by over injection , within the same tool , of a polymer , usually the same as the one used for the half bodies , at the interface between the two half bodies . this solution is highly advantageous as it can be carried out in the same tool without any additional assembly step , and it ensures gas tightness of the closed channel ( 5 ). examples of methods using over injection of a polymer to join two half shells in a single tool are described in e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 5 , 819 , 806 , jp11170296 , jp4331879 , jp7217755 , de10211663 , ep1088640 , which contents are all included herein by reference . in order to facilitate the alignment of the two half bodies upon joining and to ensure fluid tightness of the thus obtained closed channel ( 5 ), the open channel in one of the two half bodies ( 2 , 3 ) may be provided with walls ( 8 ) and the open channel of the other half body ( 3 , 2 ) with corresponding recesses ( 9 ). the recesses may be matching accurately the protruding walls or , on the contrary , leave an opening forming a channel suitable for injecting the joining polymer therein for bonding the two half bodies . the walls ( 8 ) and recesses ( 9 ) depicted in fig2 and 3 are of the matching type . the drawing stem ( 32 b ), if any , and the dispensing pipe ( 32 a ) may be assembled to the inlet ( 6 ) and outlet ( 7 ) of the channel ( 5 ), respectively , by any means known in the art . preferably , however , they can be an integral part of the housing ( 1 ) as illustrated in fig4 ( a )& amp ;( b ). if one of the half bodies ( 2 , 3 ) is an integral part of the chime ( 33 ), the dispensing duct ( 32 a ) could then be integrated in the chime too . a pressure reducing channel according to the present invention is particularly advantageous for dispensing apparatuses of relatively small size , corresponding for example to home appliances . it is particularly suitable for disposable home dispensing apparatuses , since in such devices the pressure reducing channel needs not be replaced or cleaned after use . for dispensing apparatuses which can be reloaded with a fresh container after use , the housing ( 1 ) is advantageously part of the container &# 39 ; s closure , so that a new , sterilized channel is supplied with each new container . for disposable dispensing apparatuses , the housing ( 1 ) may equally advantageously be part of the container &# 39 ; s closure or the chime , since the whole appliance is disposed of after use . in any case , the hygiene of the dispensing duct ( 32 a & amp ; b , 5 ) is ensured by an industrial sterilization stage in plant , which eliminates any contamination risks associated with changing a container without changing the dispensing duct . the pressure reducing channel according to the present invention can be produced at large volumes and low cost with the claimed method , since it can be fully manufactured and integrated in either the closure or the chime within the same tool , without any separate assembling step . recycling of the dispenser after use is also facilitated as all the polymeric components comprised within the chime ( 33 ), such as the piercing system ( 101 ), actuator ( 102 ), pressure regulating valve ( 103 ), channel housing ( 1 ), and gas and dispensing ducts ( 104 , 32 a , 32 b ) can be made of the same material as the chime itself , for example polypropylene ( pp ). after use , the whole pp chime ( 33 ) and stand ( 34 ) can be ripped off the container , generally made of pet , and ground for recycling . the metal parts within the chime ( 33 ), such as the cartridge ( 10 ) and piercing member of the piercing system , can easily be separated from the polymeric parts by techniques well known in the art , e . g ., with a magnet or by gravimetric separation . the absence of elastomeric components as would be required with a flexible hose , is also advantageous for recycling .	8
in the following detailed description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of exemplary embodiments or other examples described herein . however , it will be understood that these embodiments and examples may be practiced without the specific details . in other instances , well - known methods , procedures , components and circuits have not been described in detail , so as not to obscure the following description . further , the embodiments disclosed are for exemplary purposes only and other embodiments may be employed in lieu of , or in combination with , the embodiments disclosed . as summarized above and described in more detail below , the apparatus for efficient photovoltaic energy conversion device and the method for producing the same is provided . embodiments of this apparatus and method may facilitate the ability to efficiently and economically convert electro - magnetic energy in the form of light into electrical energy in the form of electrical current . embodiments of this apparatus and method may also facilitate large volume production and widespread usage of photovoltaic devices . this invention provides thin - film technology as an alternative means of producing a multi - junction photovoltaic device . as well known in the art , multi - junction devices in general are more efficient for conversion solar energy into electricity than regular pv devices . however , the development of these devices is currently hindered by the complexity of semiconductor manufacturing processes and their high cost . on the other hand , thin - film processing is substantially less complex and expensive . using new design approaches and thin - film technology , a new efficient photovoltaic device with expanded capabilities and application range can be produced . typically , single - crystal semiconductors are grown epitaxially , layer - by - layer on a monolithic wafer . thin - film materials , in contrast , depending on their chemical origin can be deposited and layered by a variety of different methods , using for example evaporation , sputtering , spraying , inkjet printing etc ., some of which could be very inexpensive . furthermore , some thin - film layers can be produced separately and then integrated hybridly using bonding , lamination and other similar methods . alternatively , in some cases the entire structure may be sequentially grown without the need for any mechanical integration of the individual layers . this flexibility in a manufacturing method makes it possible to implement new design approaches in producing a better photovoltaic device . a typical photovoltaic ( pv ) module 100 shown in fig1 includes several pv cells 110 , which are interconnected electrically in series by tabs 120 . as a result , all photovoltaic power may be extracted at a single a pair of terminals 130 . module 100 may also include a carrier 140 to provide mechanical support for pv cells 110 . in this approach cells 110 are produced separately and then manually interconnected with each other to produce a so - called string of cells . crystalline silicon pv modules , for example , are usually produced using this approach . alternatively , a monolithically integrated module 200 may be produced as shown in fig2 , in which individual cells 210 are produced simultaneously on the same substrate 240 and interconnected using thin - film layers 220 to form a string of cells with a single pair of terminals 230 . this manufacturing approach may be used in fabrication of cdte - based pv modules , for example . in both cases , however , individual cells 110 and 210 , respectively , are single - junction cells . such cells are less efficient in comparison with multi - junction cells . strings and modules based on multi - junction cells have also been produced using similar approaches . fig3 shows a pv module 300 , where instead of single junction cells , multi - junction cells 310 are monolithically integrated using thin - film interconnections 320 to produce a string of cells 310 with a single pair of terminals 330 . the cells 310 are formed on substrate 340 . this approach is used , for example , by united solar to produce modules with triple - junction a - si cells . in this case , a triple - junction cell 400 , which is shown in fig4 , includes substrate 401 , back contact 410 , first p - type semiconductor layer 421 , first n - type semiconductor layer 422 , buffer layer 430 , second p - type semiconductor layer 441 , second n - type semiconductor layer 442 , buffer layer 450 , third p - type semiconductor layer 461 , third n - type semiconductor layer 462 and top contact 470 . first , second and third junctions are produced between respective p - type and n - type semiconductor layers based on a - si . the buffer layers provide mechanical and electrical connection between the junctions so that they are connected in series and thus the same electrical current flows through each layer in cell 400 . this condition , called current matching , limits the performance of a multi - junction cell and reduces its power conversion efficiency . as shown in fig5 , the present invention provides a different method of producing a multi - junction pv module . pv module 500 is produced by stacking and attaching at least two junction layers 510 and 520 . in this particular example both junction layers 510 and 520 are strings comprised of pv cells electrically connected in series . individual cells 512 in pv string 510 and cells 522 in pv string 520 may be interconnected using monolithic integration as shown in fig5 . alternatively , other interconnection methods may be used as well , including tabbing or tiling of individual cells . the pv strings may be produced independently from each other on individual substrates 511 and 521 , respectively . strings 510 and 520 may also have individual terminals 515 and 525 for electrical connections . these terminals may be used either for internal or external connections , as discussed below . protective coatings 513 and 514 may be used to cover pv strings cells 512 and 522 , respectively , to improve device reliability and provide mechanical connection . additional junction layers may be produced using this method , increasing the total number of junction layers to more than two . for instance , fig6 shows a three - junction pv module composed of three individual strings 610 , 620 and 630 . while the example in fig5 shows a pair of junction layers that are formed from strings of cells , the concept of a junction layer may be generalized , as will be explained with reference to fig2 a - 22 ( c ). in general , a junction layer may include a plurality of individual pv cells that are electrically connected to one another in any of a variety of different ways . for instance , in fig2 ( a ) junction layer 2210 may include cells 2211 connected in series and a single pair of output terminals 2212 . in fig2 ( b ), on the other hand , junction layer 2220 may include cells 2221 connected in parallel and a single pair of output terminals 2222 . in fig2 ( c ) junction layer 2230 may include cells 2231 independently connected to a plurality of individual output terminals 2232 . as previously noted , in one aspect of the invention , a junction layer in a multi - junction pv module may be composed of a number of pv cells that are interconnected together to form a pv string . the individual pv cells may be single - or multi - junction cells . in the latter case , a multi - junction pv cell may be a typical multi - junction cell , in which junctions are physically and electrically connected in series ( e . g . pv cell 400 ). two or more such strings may be stacked on top of each other to produce a multi - junction pv module ( e . g . module 500 ). the upper junction layers , or strings , ( e . g . string 520 ) may be at least partially transparent . the numbers of cells in each string ( e . g . 510 and 520 ) may be the same or different . furthermore , pv cells in different strings ( e . g ., cells 512 and 522 ) may be produced using absorber materials with different characteristic bandgaps . in this case the cells in the upper string ( string 520 ) may have a larger bandgap absorber as compared to that of the cells in the lower string ( string 510 ). in this case the cells in the upper string , i . e . the upper junction layer , face the light source , absorb the first portion of the light and transmit the rest to the bottom cells . in yet another aspect of the invention , a multi - junction pv module is produced in which each junction layer contains multiple pv cells directly connected with each other in series and forming at least one pv string . there may be at least two junction layers , and the upper junction layers may be at least partially transparent . it may be preferred to produce pv cells in different junction layers from different absorber materials , so that the absorber bandgap of a cell in the upper junction layer may be larger than the bandgap of the lower junction layer or layers . there also may be a preferred set of absorber bandgaps for the junction layers that maximizes the power conversion efficiency of a multi - junction pv module . the junction layers may be produced separately on separate substrates or monolithically on the same substrate . in the latter case , as shown in fig7 , the cells in each junction layer may be interconnected monolithically into a string . common substrate 711 is used to first grow a series of cells 712 interconnected to produce string 710 and then grow a series of cells 722 interconnected to produce string 720 . additional insulating and protective layers 713 and 723 may be grown on top of strings 710 and 720 , respectively . respective electrical contacts 715 and 725 may be produced at the edges . for instance multi - junction pv module based on a - si and sige alloys may be produced using this method . also , in addition to thin - film deposition techniques other techniques may be used , such as epitaxial growth of iii - v type semiconductors , for example . in another aspect of the invention , the characteristics of each junction layer in a multi - junction pv module may be designed and produced in such a way so as to match them and enable electrical interconnection without the use of other electrical conversion circuits . fig9 shows a parallel interconnection of junction layers in an m - junction layer pv module . in this case , the number of cells in each junction layer may be selected so that each layer produces about the same output voltage . alternatively , fig1 shows an in - series interconnection of junction layers in an m - junction layer pv module . in this case , the number of cells in each junction layer may be selected so that each layer produces about the same output current . fig1 shows a hybrid interconnection of junction layers , in which both types of connections ( in parallel and in series ) may be used . for example , in module 600 shown in fig6 , junction layers 610 , 620 and 630 may be produced having different current - voltage ( iv ) characteristics with corresponding sets of open circuit voltage ( v oc ), short circuit current ( i sc ) and maximum power voltage ( v m ) and current ( i m ) under typical illumination conditions . i - v characteristics may be matched so that each junction layer produces nearly the same output voltage ( voltage matching : v 1 = v 2 = v 3 , as shown in fig1 ) or nearly the same output currents ( current matching : i 1 = i 2 = i 3 , as shown in fig1 ). in this case junction layers 610 , 620 and 630 may be interconnected either in parallel ( for voltage - matched junction layers ) or in series ( for current - matched junction layers ) using corresponding electrical output terminals . other interconnection schemes between three junction layers may be used . for example , junction layers 610 and 620 may be current matched and interconnected in series . junction layer 630 in turn may be voltage matched and connected in parallel to the in - series interconnected layers 610 and 620 . electrical interconnections may be achieved using either internal connections inside a pv module or external connectors accessible from the outside of a pv module . the devices , apparatus and methods described herein provide technical benefits and advantages that are currently not achieved with conventional technologies . for example , new module designs may be produced in which a multi - junction pv module is subdivided into multiple junction layers with independent output terminals . alternatively , a new design may be produced in which some cells and junction layers may be connected in series with better current matching characteristics and therefore higher conversion efficiency than standard designs . this advantage may be realized because the current matching condition in this case is established between whole junction layers rather than individual cells . also , parallel interconnections become possible in this new design approach , since such interconnections occur between junction layers rather than individual cells and therefore not only current but also voltage matching conditions can be achieved . the invention can also greatly facilitate manufacturing of multi - junction modules by , among other things , improving manufacturing yield and enabling new pv technologies . individual junction layers may be inspected and tested before the final assembly of a multi - junction pv module , thus avoiding the risk of using a nonperforming cell in the assembly furthermore , different pv technologies may be used and mixed in the manufacturing of such a multi - junction pv module , which may lower manufacturing costs and increase performance . in one embodiment of this invention , a two junction layer pv module may be produced as shown in fig8 . bottom junction layer 810 may be made of several thin - film cells 812 , which are monolithically integrated and connected electrically in series to form a single string . corresponding thin - film semiconductor absorber material may be based on cuinse 2 compound and its alloys with ga and s , more commonly known in the industry as cigs . similarly , top junction layer 820 may be also made of several cigs - based cells 822 , which are monolithically integrated and connected electrically in series into a single string . it may be preferred to adjust the cigs compositions of cells 812 and 822 so that their respective optical bandgaps are about 1 . 1 ev and 1 . 7 ev . the respective compositions of cells 812 and 822 in this case may be close to cuin 0 . 8 ga 0 . 2 se 2 and cugase 2 , for instance . monolithic integration of these cigs cells may be accomplished by laser and mechanical scribing . the top junction layer ( layer 820 ) may be produced on a transparent substrate 821 , such as soda lime glass ( slg ) or polyimide . furthermore , back contacts used in cells 822 may be also transparent , such as for example doped tin oxide or indium tin oxide . the bottom junction layer ( layer 810 ) may be produced on similar substrates or other types of substrates , for example stainless steel or aluminum foil . junction layers 810 and 820 may be laminated together to produce two junction layer pv module 800 . an additional adhesion layer 813 , such as a silicone layer , may be used to attach the two layers . individual contact pairs 815 and 825 may be provided for both junction layers . additional insulating layers 814 may be used to provide electrical separation between these contacts . in another embodiment , a three - junction pv module may be produced using three different types of cigs cells . it may be preferred to have bottom , middle and top junction layers with cells having corresponding cigs compositions close to cuinse 2 , cuin 0 . 7 ga 0 . 3 s 0 . 6 se 1 . 4 and cuin 0 . 3 ga 0 . 7 ses , respectively . these compositions in turn produce semiconductors with characteristic bandgaps of about 1 ev , 1 . 35 ev and 1 . 8 ev . in another embodiment , a multi - junction pv module may be produced using junction layers comprising cells based on cigs alloys with al , te or other elements . in another embodiment , a multi - junction pv module may be produced using junction layers comprising cells based on cdte alloys , such as cd 1 - x hg x te , cd 1 - x mn x te , cd 1 - x zn x te , cd 1 - x mg x te , and others . in another embodiment , a multi - junction pv module may be produced using junction layers comprising cells based on si , si : h , si : c and si : ge alloys , either in polycrystalline , micro - crystalline , nanocrystalline or amorphous form . in another embodiment , a multi - junction pv module may be produced using junction layers comprising dissimilar materials , e . g . cigs , cdte , ge and others . in another embodiment , a multi - junction pv module may be produced by aligning and joining junction layers , so that the scribing lines are aligned between the adjacent layers ( e . g . module 600 in fig6 ). in another embodiment , a two - junction pv module 1400 may be produced as shown in fig1 , in which the two junction layers 1410 and 1420 are comprised of cells 1411 and 1421 , respectively , having different output voltages , e . g . v top and v bottom . the number of cells in the junction layers may be chosen so that the layers &# 39 ; output voltages are about the same , i . e . v out = nv top = mv bottom . in this case , the two junction layers may be connected in parallel , i . e . terminal 1412 connects to terminal 1422 and terminal 1413 connects to terminal 1423 . of course , similarly a three - junction or n - junction pv module may be produced , in which at least some junction layers are connected in parallel . in this particular case , the mutual orientations of the junction layers may be the same as shown in fig1 ( sides with same polarity face the same way ), which is convenient for parallel interconnections . in another embodiment , a two - junction pv module 1500 may be produced as shown in fig1 , in which the two junction layers 1510 and 1520 are comprised of cells 1511 and 1521 , respectively , having different output currents , e . g . i top and i bottom . the number of cells in the junction layers may be chosen so that the layer output currents are about the same . in this case , the two junction layers may be connected in series , i . e . terminal 1523 connects to terminal 1522 . of course , similarly a three - or more layered junction pv module may be produced , in which at least some junction layers are connected in series . in this particular case , the mutual orientation of the junction layers may be the same as shown in fig1 . alternatively and more preferably , junction layers may be oriented opposite of each other as shown in fig1 , which is more convenient for in - series layer interconnections . in this case , the output polarities of the adjacent junction layers are reversed , so that the positive terminal 1612 of junction layer 1610 is on the same side next to the negative terminal 1622 of junction layer 1620 and visa versa . in another embodiment , a multi - junction pv module may be produced comprised of multiple junction layers , at least some of which include bypass diodes for protection against either reverse current or voltage . for example , fig1 shows an m junction layer pv module , in which the junction layers are connected in parallel and each one of them has a blocking diode connected in series for protection against a high reverse current . also , fig1 shows an m junction layer pv module , in which the junction layers are connected in series and each one of them has a bypass diode connected in parallel for protection against a high forward current . in another embodiment , a two junction layer pv module 1900 may be produced as shown in fig1 , in which the terminals from each junction layer are connected to wrap - around leads 1930 that in turn connect to respective terminals in a junction box 1940 . in another embodiment , a two junction layer pv module may comprise two junction layers connected in parallel . the junction interconnection may be external and occur inside the junction box 2000 shown in fig2 . in this case the junction box provides easy access to the connections 2020 and other terminals and in particular , terminals 2040 for connecting current - blocking protection diodes 2030 . the diodes may be easily replaced if necessary . in another embodiment , a two junction layer pv module may comprise two junction layers connected in series . the junction interconnection may be external and occur inside the junction box 2100 shown in fig2 . similarly , a multi - junction pv module with more than two junction layers may be provided with a junction box and corresponding connection terminals . in another embodiment , a multi - junction pv module may be produced using a non - planar substrate , for example cylindrical , spherical , or arbitrarily shaped . junction layers may be successively attached or laminated onto such a substrate . variations of the apparatus and method described above are possible without departing from the scope of the invention .	7
fig3 is a schematic diagram of a circuit for providing a stable , controllable impedance without an invasive connection according to the present invention . in fig3 z l represents the fixed load impedance of a circuit or cable and z in represents the total input impedance of the controlled circuit . a coupling transformer 31 couples a secondary load impedance z 1 to the circuit . a capacitive impedance z c is provided between the transformer 31 and the load impedance . preferably , the transformer 31 comprises a plurality of primary turns and one or more secondary turns . n represents the ratio of primary turns to the secondary turns . one conductor of the circuit with the load impedance z l is disposed within or adjacent the transformer 31 so as to be inductively coupled to the secondary load impedance z 1 . in the circuit depicted in fig3 the input impedance z in for an ideal transformer 31 is given by : z in =( z l + z c )/( z l z c )+ n 2 z 1 if the parallel impedance combination of z l and z c are small relative to n 2 z 1 , then the input impedance is determined and controlled by z 1 . therefore , adjusting the impedance provided by the secondary load impedance z 1 provides for control of the input impedance z in . control of the secondary load impedance z 1 may also compensate for non ideal transformer behavior by the transformer 31 . the secondary impedance may be either a single simple element or a complex network depending upon the impedance control required . the secondary impedance may also comprise passive elements , such as resistors , capacitors and inductors , active elements that provide the necessary reactive and resistive functions , or some combination of passive and active elements . generally , satisfactory impedance control will require a secondary impedance that comprises both resistive and reactive elements . note also that physical realizations of the circuit shown in fig3 will include parasitic effects such as inter - winding capacitance , leakage inductance and non - ideal behavior of the lumped elements . the elements of the secondary impedance may be selected to compensate for these effects . preferred embodiments of the present invention may use a transformer that has a two turn primary and a single turn secondary . preferably , the transformer has a multiple torroidal , very high permeability core . since the present invention may be applied to a wide variety of conductors , it is preferred that the transformer used for inductively coupling the primary conductor to the secondary impedance be designed and fabricated for each specific application of the invention . it is unlikely that commercially available transformers can be directly used or modified for use in the present invention . certain regulatory tests require maintaining a fixed ( typically 150 ohm ) common mode impedance without significantly disturbing the differential mode or line to line propagation of multiple pairs , independent of intrinsic common mode impedance of the equipment under test . fig4 shows a method according to the present invention for maintaining the required common mode impedance . in fig4 the coupling transformer 31 couples a multiple conductor test cable 40 to the secondary load impedance z 1 . the coupling transformer 31 is realized by using the test cable as the primary of the transformer 31 . note that all conductors of the multiple conductor cable , in parallel , form the primary of the coupling transformer 31 . the transformer core and the primary turns ratio are selected to provide adequate primary inductance , and to minimize intra - winding capacitance over the desired frequency range . the secondary is a single turn having low inductance . the secondary load inductance is selected so n 2 z 1 gives the desired load impedance . trimming capacitance elements may be used to compensate for residual secondary inductance . the intrinsic load impedance z l may be unknown and may be either higher or lower than the desired input impedance . as discussed above , a capacitive impedance z c may be used such that the parallel combination of z c and z l is small relative to n 2 z 1 . preferably , the capacitance z c does not significantly affect the line the line impedance . the capacitance z c may be provided by deploying a length of the test cable 40 closely proximate a ground plane 43 . preferably , the test cable 40 is immersed in a lossy high dielectric to reduce the required cable length and to minimize transmission line reflection and resonant effects . as shown in fig4 coiling the test cable 40 on top of the ground plane 43 provides the parallel capacitance z c . in such a configuration , the ground plane 43 may require a large surface area to provide the required capacitance . fig5 shows an alternative deployment of the ground plane 43 . as shown in fig5 the ground plane 43 and the test cable 40 may be wrapped or coiled around each other to reduce the overall dimensions of the ground plane 43 needed to produce the required capacitance z c . another method and apparatus for providing the parallel capacitance z c is shown in fig6 . in fig6 shunt capacitors 61 are connected to ground via a common core transformer 63 . the windings of the transformer 63 are opposed such that the windings present a high differential mode or wire to wire impedance while providing a common mode shunt through the capacitance z c to ground . note that this method and apparatus eliminates the need for a ground plane to be deployed proximate the test cable , but electrical connections to the conductors within the test cable are required . fig6 shows only the capacitive coupling of both wires of a single wire pair to ground , but alternative embodiments of the present invention provide for the capacitive coupling of multiple wire pairs to ground . multiple pair , common core transformers are known in the art and may be used to provide capacitive coupling between multiple wire pairs and ground . the common mode impedance stabilization network , part no . f - cmisn - cat5 , product of fischer custom communications , inc . of torrance , calif . provides for impedance control based on an embodiment of the present invention . the f - cmisn - cat5 device provides for a common mode impedance that is well defined with respect to a reference ground plane over a frequency range of 150 khz to 30 mhz . one application of the f - cmisn - cat5 device is to support conducted emissions testing of information technology equipment . prior art devices that support such testing require the positioning of ferrites on the cable under test to achieve the desired common mode impedance . embodiments of the present invention eliminate the need to reposition the ferrites for every emission frequency tested . embodiments of the present invention may be used to modify the natural impedance of structural elements used as antennas or radiating elements . as is known in the art , metallic structures may be used to transmit or receive radio frequency energy . see , for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 633 , 648 , “ rf current - sensing coupled antenna device ,” issued may 27 , 1997 , incorporated herein by reference . the effectiveness of the metallic structure is established , in part , by the intrinsic impedance of the metallic structure . however , the intrinsic impedance of these metallic structures is established by the size , shape , and composition of the structure . hence , the intrinsic impedance of the metallic structure may vary significantly from that needed to effectively receive or radiate energy at a desired frequency or frequencies . fig7 depicts the deployment of an embodiment of the present invention to provide for modification of the intrinsic impedance of an antenna structure . the coupling transformer 31 is deployed such that an antenna structure 70 serves as the single turn primary . the antenna structure 70 may be any metallic structure that is used to radiate or receive radio frequency energy . core materials , geometry , and the location of the cores of the coupling transformer 31 may be chosen to optimize the performance of the transformer for a specific frequency range . also , the intrinsic impedance of the antenna structure 70 may be sufficiently low such that the parallel capacitance z c is not required . as shown in fig7 two secondary impedances z 1 , z 2 may be switch coupled to the coupling transformer 31 . a simple switch 73 may be used to select the desired secondary impedance to be inductively coupled to the antenna structure 70 to provide the desired input impedance . the values of the secondary impedances z 1 , z 2 may chosen to provide two different modes of operation for the antenna structure . for example , the value of the first secondary impedance z 1 may be chosen to modify the intrinsic impedance of the antenna structure 70 to optimize the effectiveness of the structure as an antenna . the value of the second secondary impedance z 2 may then be chosen to modify the intrinsic impedance of the antenna structure 70 to minimize the effectiveness of the structure 70 as an antenna , as might be desired to reduce the radar cross section of the structure or to reduce unintentional electromagnetic emissions from the structure . in a similar fashion , multiple secondary impedances may be switch coupled to the coupling transformer 31 to tune the antenna structure 70 for different operating bands or frequencies . from the foregoing description , it will be apparent that the present invention has a number of advantages , some of which have been described herein , and others of which are inherent in the embodiments of the invention described or claimed herein . also , it will be understood that modifications can be made to the apparatus and method described herein without departing from the teachings of subject matter described herein . as such , the invention is not to be limited to the described embodiments except as required by the appended claims .	7
a game apparatus which executes a game program according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings . fig1 is an outline view illustrating a game apparatus 1 which executes a game program according to the present invention . here , a portable game apparatus is shown as an example of the game apparatus 1 . in fig1 , the game apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is accommodated in a housing 18 so that two liquid crystal display devices ( hereinafter , referred to as “ lcds ”) 11 and 12 are placed in predetermined positions . specifically , in a case where the first lcd 11 and the second lcd 12 are to be positioned one on top of the other , the housing 18 is composed of a lower housing 18 a and an upper housing 18 b , the upper housing 18 b being pivotably supported by a portion of the upper side of the lower housing 18 a . the upper housing 18 b has a planar contour which is slightly larger than that of the first lcd 11 . the upper housing 18 b has an opening in one principal face thereof , through which a display screen of the first lcd 11 is exposed . the lower housing 18 a has a more elongated planar contour than that of the upper housing 18 b ( i . e ., so as to have a longer lateral dimension ). an opening for exposing the display screen of the second lcd 12 is formed in a portion of the lower housing 18 a which lies substantially in the center of the lower housing 18 a along the lateral direction . a sound hole for the loudspeaker 15 is formed in either ( right or left ) wings of the lower housing 18 a between which the second lcd 12 is interposed . an operation switch section 14 is provided on the right and left wings of the lower housing 18 a between which the second lcd 12 is interposed . the operation switch section 14 includes : an operation switch (“ a ” button ) 14 a and an operation switch (“ b ” button ) 14 b , which are provided on a principal face of the right wing of the lower housing 18 a ( lying to the right of the second lcd 12 ); a direction switch ( cross key ) 14 c , a start switch 14 d , and a select switch 14 e , which are provided on a principal face of the left wing of the lower housing 18 a ( lying to the left of the second lcd 12 ); and side switches 14 f and 14 g . the operation switches 14 a and 14 b are used for giving instructions such as : “ pass ” “ shoot ”, etc ., in the case of a sports game such as a soccer game ; “ jump ”, “ punch ”, “ use a weapon ”, etc ., in the case of an action game ; or “ get an item ”, “ select a weapon ”, “ select a command ”, etc ., in the case of a role playing game ( rpg ) or a simulation rpg . the direction switch 14 c is used by a player for providing instructions concerning directions on the game screen , e . g ., instructions of moving directions of ( i . e ., a direction in which to move ) a player object ( or a player character ) that can be controlled by using the operation switch section 14 , or instructions of a moving direction for a cursor , for example . the side switch (“ l ” button ) 14 f and the side switch (“ r ” button ) 14 g are provided at the left and right ends of an upper face ( upper side face ) of the lower housing 18 a . as necessary , more operation switches may be added . further , a touch panel 13 ( an area marked by dotted lines in fig1 ) is mounted on the upper principal face of the second lcd 12 as an example of the input device of the present invention . the touch panel 13 may be of any one of , for example , a resistive film type , an optical type ( infrared type ), or a capacitive coupling type . the touch panel 13 is a pointing device which , when a stylus 16 ( or a finger ) is pressed against or moved or dragged on the upper principal face of the touch panel 13 , detects the coordinate position of the stylus 16 and outputs coordinate data . as necessary , a hole ( an area marked by double - dot lines in fig1 ) for accommodating the stylus 16 with which to manipulate the touch panel 13 is provided near a side face of the upper housing 18 b . the hole can hold the stylus 16 . in a portion of a side face of the lower housing 18 a is provided a cartridge receptacle ( an area marked by dash - dot lines in fig1 ), into which a game cartridge 17 ( hereinafter simply referred to as “ the cartridge 17 ”) internalizing a memory having a game program stored therein ( e . g ., a rom ) is detachably inserted . the cartridge 17 is an information storage medium for storing a game program , e . g ., a non - volatile semiconductor memory such as a rom or a flash memory . a connector ( see fig2 ) lies inside the cartridge receptacle for providing electrical connection with the cartridge 17 . furthermore , the lower housing 18 a ( or alternatively the upper housing 18 b ) accommodates an electronic circuit board on which various electronic components such as a cpu are mounted . examples of the information storage medium for storing a game program are not limited to the aforementioned non - volatile semiconductor memory , but may also be a cd - rom , a dvd , or any other optical disk type storage medium . next , referring to fig2 , the internal structure of the game apparatus 1 will be described . fig2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the game apparatus 1 of fig1 . in fig2 , a cpu core 21 is mounted on the electronic circuit board accommodated in the housing 18 . via a predetermined bus , the cpu core 21 is connected to a connector 28 for enabling connection with the cartridge 17 , an input / output interface ( i / f ) circuit 27 , a first graphics processing unit ( first gpu ) 24 , a second graphics processing unit ( second gpu ) 26 , and a working ram ( wram ) 22 . the cartridge 17 is detachably connected to the connector 28 . as described above , the cartridge 17 is a storage medium for storing a game program . specifically , the cartridge 17 includes a rom 171 for storing a game program and a ram 172 for storing backup data in a rewritable manner . a game program which is stored in the rom 171 of the cartridge 17 is loaded to a wram 22 , and the game program having been loaded to the wram 22 is executed by the cpu core 21 . temporary data which is obtained by the cpu core 21 executing the game program and data from which to generate images are stored in the wram 22 . thus , the rom 171 has stored thereon a game program which comprises instructions and data which are of a format executable by a computer in the game apparatus 1 , in particular by the cpu core 21 . the game program is loaded to the wram 22 as appropriate , and executed . although the present embodiment illustrates an example where the game program and the like are stored on the cartridge 17 , the game program and the like may be supplied via any other medium or via a communications circuit . the touch panel 13 , the operation switch section 14 , and the loudspeaker 15 are connected to the i / f circuit 27 . the loudspeaker 15 is placed inside the aforementioned sound hole . the first gpu 24 is connected to a first video - ram ( hereinafter “ vram ”) 23 . the second gpu 26 is connected to a second video - ram ( hereinafter “ vram ”) 25 . in accordance with an instruction from the cpu core 21 , the first gpu 24 generates a first game image on the basis of the data used for generation of image which is stored in the wram 22 , and writes images into the first vram 23 . in accordance with an instruction from the cpu core 21 , the second gpu 26 generates a second game image on the basis of the data used for generation of image which is stored in the wram 22 , and writes images into the second vram 25 . the first gpu 24 is connected to the first lcd 11 , and the second gpu 26 is connected to the second lcd 12 . the first gpu 24 outputs to the first lcd 11 the first game image which has been written into the first vram 23 in accordance with an instruction from the cpu core 21 , and the first lcd 11 displays the first game image having been output from the first gpu 24 . the second gpu 26 outputs to the second lcd 12 the second game image which has been written into the second vram 25 in accordance with an instruction from the cpu core 21 , and the second lcd 12 displays the second game image having been output from the second gpu 26 . the i / f circuit 27 is a circuit which governs exchanges of data between the cpu core 21 and the external input / output devices such as the touch panel 13 , the operation switch section 14 , and the loudspeaker 15 . the touch panel 13 ( including a device driver for the touch panel ) has a touch panel coordinate system corresponding to the coordinate system of the second vram 25 , and outputs data of position coordinates corresponding to a position which is input ( designated ) by means of the stylus 16 or the like . for example , the display screen of the second lcd 12 has a resolution of 256 dots × 192 dots , and the touch panel 13 also has a detection accuracy of 256 dots × 192 dots so as to correspond to the display screen . the detection accuracy of the touch panel 13 may be lower or higher than the resolution of the display screen of the second lcd 12 . next , processing which is executed by the game apparatus 1 according to the game program on the basis of information inputted from the touch panel 13 according to the present invention will be described with reference to fig3 to 11 . fig3 is a flow chart illustrating an operation which is carried out by the game apparatus 1 by executing the game program . fig4 shows a subroutine illustrating an operation of initialization at the start of touch in step 43 of fig3 in detail . fig5 shows a subroutine illustrating an operation of hand jiggling correction for a touch point in step 44 of fig3 in detail . fig6 shows a subroutine illustrating an operation of an origin being drawn in step 47 of fig3 in detail . fig7 a to 11 are diagrams illustrating examples of touch - operations which are processed through the operation based on the flow chart shown in fig3 . the program for executing these processing is contained in the game program stored in the rom 171 . when the game apparatus 1 is powered on , the program is loaded to the wram 22 from the rom 171 , and executed by the cpu core 21 . initially , when the power source ( not shown ) of the game apparatus 1 is turned on , the cpu core 21 executes a boot program ( not shown ), and thereby the game program stored in the cartridge 17 is loaded to the wram 22 . the game program having been loaded is executed by the cpu core 21 , thereby to execute steps ( abbreviated as “ s ” in fig3 to 6 ) shown in fig3 . the game program is executed , and thereby game images and the like in accordance with the game program are written into the first lcd 11 and the second lcd 12 . the detailed description is not given of the contents of the game . here , the processing based on the information inputted from the touch panel 13 will be described in detail . in fig3 , the cpu core 21 determines whether a player is touching the touch panel 13 or not in step 40 . the touch panel 13 has a touch panel coordinate system as described above , and outputs data of position coordinates corresponding to a position which is inputted ( designated ) by means of the stylus 16 or a finger of the player . that is , in step 40 , the cpu core 21 detects whether the data of the position coordinates outputted by the touch panel 13 ( including a device driver controlling the touch panel 13 ) is present or not . when the player is touching the touch panel 13 , the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 41 . on the other hand , when the player is not touching the touch panel 13 , the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 49 . in step 41 , the cpu core 21 clears a non - touch counter ct to “ 0 ”. the non - touch counter ct is a counter with which the cpu core 21 determines whether or not the player intentionally puts the touch panel 13 in a non - touch state . as is apparent from the below description , when no coordinate information is outputted from touch panel 13 , the cpu core 21 starts counting by means of the non - touch counter ct . next , the cpu core 21 determines whether or not the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 as a start of touch ( that is , determines whether a non - touch state changes to a touch state or not , and more specifically , determines whether or not a state that no coordinate information is outputted from the touch panel is shifted to a state that coordinate information is outputted .) the cpu core 21 can determine whether the touch - operation is a start of touch or not based on whether the touch flag is being set as on or off , which will be described later . when the touch - operation is a start of touch ( that is , when the touch flag is being set as off ), the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 43 . on the other hand , when the touch - operation is not a start of touch ( that is , when the touch - operation is continued ; the touch flag is being set as on ), the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 44 . in step 43 , the cpu core 21 carries out initialization at the start of touch . hereinafter , the initialization at the start of touch will be described with reference to a subroutine shown in fig4 . in fig4 , the cpu core 21 sets the touch flag as on in step 55 . the cpu core 21 sets , to an origin ( reference coordinates ) on the touch panel 13 , a touch point at which the player is currently touch - operating the touch panel 13 ( hereinafter , simply referred to as a touch point ) and stores the touch point in step 56 . specifically , when the touch point is ( tx , ty ) and the origin is ( ox , oy ) in the touch panel coordinate system , the cpu core 21 sets , as the origin coordinates , that is , when a state that no coordinate information is outputted from the touch panel 13 is shifted to a state that coordinate information is outputted , the cpu core 21 sets origin coordinates ( reference coordinates ) on the touch panel 13 based on the earliest coordinate information of a touch point , which is outputted from the touch panel 13 . next , the cpu core 21 sets the touch point as a designated point on the touch panel 13 ( hereinafter , simply referred to as a designated point ) in step 57 , and ends the processing according to the subroutine . specifically , when the touch point is ( tx , ty ) and the designated point is ( ux , uy ) in the touch panel coordinate system , the cpu core 21 sets , as the designated point coordinates , returning to fig3 , in step 44 , the cpu core 21 makes hand jiggling correction for a touch point . hereinafter , the hand jiggling correction for a touch point will be described with reference to the subroutine shown in fig5 . for example , when a player touch - operates the touch panel 13 with his finger or the like which has a wide area , the touch panel 13 cannot determine the touch point as one point and the touch point coordinates sometimes jiggle . therefore , in the hand jiggling correction for the touch point , the designated point coordinates for use in the processing are defined differently from the touch point coordinates to produce an tolerance for the touch point coordinates . that is , while the touch point coordinates are jiggling with respect to the designated point coordinates within a predetermined range , the designated point coordinates remains unchanged . for example , a circular frame ( tolerance range ) having the designated point coordinates at the center thereof is set , thereby setting the center of the circular frame as the designated point coordinates . while the touch point coordinates are present within the circular frame , the circular frame is not moved . on the other hand , when the touch point coordinates deviate beyond the circular frame , the circular frame is moved in accordance with the movement of the touch point , thereby resulting in the designated point coordinates being moved . that is , the designated point coordinates are moved in accordance with the movement of the circular frame , the movement being caused when the touch point contacts the outer edge of the circular frame . the radius of the circular frame corresponds to the tolerance range for the hand jiggling on the touch panel 13 . the tolerance range is not necessarily required to be a circular area , and the designated point coordinates are not necessarily required to be the center of the area . in fig5 , the cpu core 21 obtains a distance l 2 between the touch point and the designated point which is currently being set based on the difference therebetween in step 61 . specifically , when the touch point is ( tx , ty ) and the designated point is ( ux , uy ) in the touch panel coordinate system , the cpu core 21 obtains the differences vx and vy as follows . the cpu core 21 obtains the distance l 2 as follows . thereby , the distance l 2 between the designated point and the touch point are obtained on the basis of the touch panel coordinate system . next , the cpu core 21 determines whether or not the touch point deviates beyond the tolerance range which is set around the designated point in step 62 . as shown in fig7 a , a predetermined area having the designated point ( ux , uy ) at the center thereof is set as the tolerance range . for example , the tolerance range is set as a circular area of a predetermined radius having the designated point ( ux , uy ) at the center thereof . the cpu core 21 compares the distance l 2 obtained in the step 61 with the radius of the tolerance range , and when the distance l 2 is larger , the cpu core 21 determines that the touch point deviates beyond the tolerance range . when the touch point deviates beyond the tolerance range ( the state shown in fig7 a ), the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 63 . on the other hand , when the touch point is within the tolerance range , the cpu core 21 ends the processing according to the subroutine . in step 63 , the cpu core 21 stores the coordinates of the current designated point so as to obtain the movement speed of the designated point , which will be described later . specifically , as shown in fig7 b , when the designated point coordinates to be stored are ( uxa , uya ) in the touch panel coordinate system , the cpu core 21 sets as next , the cpu core 21 moves the designated point such that the touch point is positioned on the outer edge of the tolerance range in step 64 . for example , as shown in fig7 b , the cpu core 21 moves the designated point along a straight line connecting the designated point with the touch point such that the distance between the designated point and the touch point is the distance r , thereby to set a new designated point . specifically , when the new designated point is ( ux , uy ) in the touch panel coordinate system , the cpu core 21 sets as next , the cpu core 21 calculates the moving distance of the designated point in step 65 , and ends the processing according to the subroutine . specifically , the cpu core 21 calculates the moving distance of the designated point using the following formula . the motion vector ( uvx , uvy ) is used for adjusting a direction in which an origin is drawn , which will be described below in detail . returning to fig3 , the cpu core 21 obtains a distance l 1 between the origin being currently set and the designated point based on the difference therebetween in step 45 . specifically , when the origin is ( ox , oy ) and the designated point is ( ux , uy ) in the touch panel coordinate system , the cpu core 21 obtains the differences vx and vy as follows : the cpu core 21 obtains the distance l 1 as follows . thereby , the distance l 1 between the origin and the designated point are obtained on the basis of the touch panel coordinate system . next , the cpu core 21 determines whether or not the designated point deviates beyond the limited range being set around the origin in step 46 . as shown in fig8 , a predetermined area having the origin ( ox , oy ) at the center thereof is set as the limited range . for example , the limited range is set as a circular area of a predetermined radius having the origin ( ox , oy ) at the center thereof . the cpu core 21 compares the distance l 1 obtained in the step 45 with a radius r of the limited range , and when the distance l 1 is larger , the cpu core 21 determines that the designated point deviates beyond the limited range . when the designated point deviates beyond the limited range , the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 47 . on the other hand , when the designated point is within the limited range ( the state shown in fig8 ), the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 48 . prior to step 47 being described , the processing of step 48 performed in the case of the designated point being within the limited range set around the origin ( no in step 46 ) will be described . in step 48 , the cpu core 21 obtains a stick value based on a vector value from the origin to the designated point . according to the present embodiment , an operation in which the touch panel 13 is used to emulate a joystick is realized and the required information is a vector value of 2 axes of x and y corresponding to an input value of a joystick ( hereinafter , referred to as a stick value ). the vector value is represented as a stick value ( sx , sy ) in the stick coordinate system . the direction indicated by the stick value ( sx , sy ) indicates a direction in which the joystick is tilted and the length of the stick value indicates a degree to which the joystick is tilted . further , the length of the stick value corresponding to the joystick being tilted to the maximum is set as “ 1 ”. in this case , sx =− 1 to + 1 and sy =− 1 to + 1 . the length of “ 0 ” indicates that the joystick is in a neutral ( upright ) position . in step 48 , the stick value ( sx , sy ) in the stick coordinate system can be obtained according to the following formula , using the origin ( ox , oy ) and the designated point ( ux , uy ) on the touch panel 13 , the origin and the designated point being represented in the touch panel coordinate system . where the ratio is a conversion ratio used for defining a length in the touch panel coordinate system , which corresponds to the length “ 1 ” in the stick coordinate system . the vector value from the origin to the designated point is represented as a vector ( ux - ox , uy - oy ). according to the present embodiment , a limited range corresponding to a frame for mechanically controlling a degree to which a joystick lever is tilted is provided around the origin , and an operation of the outer edge of the limited range being touch - operated is handled as an operation of the joystick being tilted to the maximum . a touch - operation performed outside the limited range is similarly handled as an operation of the outer edge of the limited range being touch - operated . that is , the length between the origin and the outer edge of the limited range provided around the origin is defined as the length “ 1 ” in the stick coordinate system . accordingly , ratio = 1 / r is set . here , r is a radius of the limited range in the touch panel coordinate system . as shown in fig8 , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at a position vertically in front of the origin ( ox , oy ) in the limited range , thereby setting a designated point ( ux 1 , uy 1 ). in this case , the vector value from the origin to the designated point is a vector v 1 ( ux 1 - ox , uy 1 - oy ) which is oriented vertically in front of the origin . the stick value obtained on the basis of the vector v 1 has the direction to vertically in front of the origin and the length smaller than or equal to “ 1 ”. then , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at a position to the right of the designated point ( ux 1 , uy 1 ) in the limited range , thereby setting a designated point ( ux 2 , uy 2 ). in this case , the vector value from the origin to the designated point is a vector v 2 ( ux 2 - ox , uy 2 - oy ) which is oriented to the right forward direction . the stick value obtained on the basis of the vector v 2 has the right forward direction and the length smaller than or equal to “ 1 ”. returning to fig3 , when the designated point deviates beyond the limited range provided around the origin ( yes in step 46 ), the cpu core 21 performs an operation of the origin being drawn in step 47 . hereinafter , an operation of the origin being drawn will be described with reference to the subroutine shown in fig6 . in fig6 , the cpu core 21 sets a direction in which the origin is drawn in step 71 . for example , the cpu core 21 sets a direction in which the origin is drawn to a drawing direction ( px , py ) in the touch panel coordinate system . the cpu core 21 obtains the drawing direction ( px , py ) as follows . where m is a parameter greater than or equal to 0 , for adjusting a direction in which the origin is drawn , and the greater the value is , the closer is the direction in which the origin is drawn to the moving direction of the designated point , that is , the closer is the origin to the backward position of the designated point ( assuming that the moving direction of the designated point is forward ). that is , in the case of m = 0 , the origin is drawn so as not to change the direction of the vector connecting the origin with the designated point . the origin is drawn such that the greater m is , the closer is the direction of the vector oriented from the origin to the designated point to the direction of the motion vector of the designated point . according to the adjustment of the value of m , the vector direction of the stick value is determined by focusing on the positional relationship between the designated point and the origin ( when m is small ), or the vector direction of the stick value is determined by focusing on the moving direction of the designated point ( when m is large ). while the expression of “ drawing direction ” is used , it should be noted that the “ drawing direction ” is calculated as a reverse direction of the direction in which the origin is actually drawn . the origin drawing direction obtained using the parameter m will be described below in detail . for example , as shown in fig9 a , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at a position vertically in front of the origin ( ox , oy ) in the limited range , thereby setting a designated point ( ux 1 , uy 1 ). in this case , since the designated point ( ux 1 , uy 1 ) is within the limited range , the operation of the origin being drawn is not executed . then , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at a position which is to the right of the designated point ( ux 1 , uy 1 ) outside the limited range , thereby setting a designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ). in the step 71 , in the case of m = 0 , the direction in which the origin ( ox , oy ) is connected with the designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ) is set as a direction ( px , py ) in which the origin is drawn . next , the cpu core 21 calculates origin destination target coordinates in step 72 . specifically , the cpu core 21 initially calculates a length l 3 based on the drawing direction ( px , py ) which is set in step 71 as follows . the cpu core 21 calculates the origin destination target coordinates ( ox 2 , oy 2 ) based on the touch panel coordinate system as follows . next , in step 73 , the cpu core 21 moves the origin , updates origin coordinates , stores the updated origin coordinates , and ends the processing according to the subroutine . while the origin may be moved to the destination target coordinates which are determined as described above , the origin can be moved so as to gradually approach the destination target coordinates . specifically , the cpu core 21 calculates the moved origin coordinates ( ox , oy ) as follows . where n is a parameter indicating a rate at which the origin is moved so as to approach the destination target coordinates . the setting value of the parameter n can be adjusted so as to control a rate ( parameter n ) at which the pre - moved origin is added to a difference between the pre - moved origin and the destination target coordinates ( ox 2 , oy 2 ) calculated in step 72 . for example , fig9 b shows an example where the origin ( ox , oy ) is drawn to the designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ) in the case of the parameters m and n being set as m = 0 and n = 1 , respectively . as shown in fig9 b , in a case where the designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ) is set outside the limited range ( an area marked by the dotted lines in fig9 b ), the origin ( ox , oy ) is drawn to the designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ) and the limited range is also drawn to the designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ). in the case of m = 0 , the direction in which the origin ( ox , oy ) is drawn is a direction in which the pre - moved origin moves to the designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ). in the case of n = 1 , the origin ( ox , oy ) is moved and thereby the designated point ( ux 3 , uy 3 ) is positioned at the outer edge of the limited range set around the origin , and the distance l 1 between the origin having been moved and the designated point = the radius r of the limited range . as described above , when the designated point is outside the limited range , in the origin drawing operation , the origin is changed so as to approach the designated point . next , the processing of step 48 performed after the origin is drawn will be described . as described above , the cpu core 21 obtains a stick value based on a vector value from the origin to the designated point , and in step 48 the vector value is calculated using the origin having been drawn . hereinafter , an example where the vector value is changed according to origins having been drawn will be described with reference to fig1 a to 10d . fig1 a to 10d are diagrams illustrating an example where the origin is repeatedly drawn , thereby changing the vector value from the origin to the designated point , and the parameters m and n are set as m = 0 and n = 1 , respectively , for giving a concrete description . in fig1 a , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at a position vertically in front of the origin o 1 in the limited range a 1 , thereby setting a designated point u 1 . in this case , the vector value from the origin o 1 to the designated point u 1 is a vector v 1 oriented vertically in front of the origin . the stick value which is obtained on the basis of the vector v 1 also has a direction to vertically in front of the origin and has the length smaller than or equal to “ 1 ”. then , the designated point is moved in the rightward direction . in fig1 , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at the outer edge of the limited range a 1 which is to the right of the designated point u 1 , thereby setting a designated point u 2 . in this case , the vector value from the origin o 1 to the designated point u 2 is a vector v 2 indicating the right forward direction which forms an angle of θ 2 with the horizontal direction . the stick value which is obtained on the basis of the vector v 2 similarly has the right forward direction and the length of “ 1 ”. further , the designated point is moved in the rightward direction . in fig1 c , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at a position which is to the right of the designated points u 1 and u 2 and which is outside the limited range a 1 ( an area marked by dotted lines in fig1 c ), thereby setting a designated point u 3 . in the case of m = 0 , the origin ( an outline round mark shown in fig1 c ) is drawn in the direction of the designated point u 3 , and thereby the origin o 2 is set so as to position the designated point u 3 at the outer edge of the limited range a 2 . in this case , the vector value from the origin o 2 to the designated point u 3 is a vector v 3 indicating the right forward direction which forms an angle of θ 3 ( θ 3 & lt ; θ 2 ) with the horizontal direction . the stick value which is obtained on the basis of the vector v 3 similarly has the right forward direction and the length of “ 1 ”. moreover , in fig1 d , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 at a position which is to the right of the designated points u 1 , u 2 and u 3 and which is outside the limited range a 2 ( an area marked by dotted lines in fig1 d ), thereby setting a designated point u 4 . in the case of m = 0 , the origin ( outline round mark shown in fig1 d ) is drawn in the direction of the designated point u 4 , and thereby the origin o 3 is set so as to position the designated point u 4 at the outer edge of the limited range a 3 . in this case , the vector value from the origin o 3 to the designated point u 4 is a vector v 4 indicating the right forward direction which forms an angle of θ 4 ( θ 4 & lt ; θ 3 ) with the horizontal direction . the stick value which is obtained on the basis of the vector v 4 similarly has the right forward direction and the length of “ 1 ”. as described above , the setting value of the parameter n is adjusted so as to control a rate at which the origin is moved so as to approach the destination target coordinates ( that is , a rate at which a length indicated by a stick value is changed so as to approach a predetermined distance r when the length indicated by the stick value is larger than the predetermined distance r ). therefore , the distance between the origin and the designated point may be sometimes larger than r depending on a value of the parameter n . in this case , as to the stick value ( sx , sy ) obtained in the step 48 , the absolute values of sx and sy are greater than 1 , resulting in the length of the stick value being set as a value greater than 1 . however , as described above , the length of the stick value indicates a degree to which a joystick is tilted and the length of the stick value corresponding to the joystick being tilted to the maximum is set as “ 1 ”. therefore , when the length of the stick value is greater than 1 , the length of the stick value is set as “ 1 ”. as described above , in the origin drawing operation , when the designated point is continuously moved in a give direction ( a direction in which the player moves the touch point ; the right horizontal direction in fig1 a to 10d ), the direction indicated by the stick value ( that is , the direction in which a joystick is tilted ) gradually approaches the moving direction of the designated point ( the right horizontal direction ). therefore , the player continuously moves the designated coordinates in a given direction , thereby determining a direction in which a stick is inputted without concern for the position of the origin . returning to fig3 , when the cpu core 21 determines that the player is not touching the touch panel 13 in the step 40 , the cpu core 21 increments the non - touch counter ct by one in step 49 . next , the cpu core 21 determines whether or not the count value of the non - touch counter ct is greater than a predetermined value c in step 50 . when the count value of the non - touch counter ct is greater than the predetermined value c , the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 51 . on the other hand , when the count value of the non - touch counter ct is smaller than or equal to the predetermined value c , the cpu core 21 advances the processing to the next step 53 . in step 51 , the cpu core 21 sets the touch flag as off . the cpu core 21 sets the stick value as neutral in step 52 , and ends the processing according to the flow chart . when the stick value is set as neutral , it indicates that a joystick is in a neutral ( upright ) position and sx = 0 and sy = 0 . on the other hand , in step 53 , the cpu core 21 does not update the most recent stick value which has been obtained in the previous processing and continuously uses the same , and ends the processing according to the flow chart . as is apparent from the processing of the steps 49 to 52 , the cpu core 21 increments the count value of the non - touch counter ct in a case where the touch - operation performed on the touch panel 13 by the player is interrupted . in a case where the count value is greater than the predetermined value c , the cpu core 21 sets the touch flag as off and determines that the player stops the touch - operation . that is , when the count value of the non - touch counter ct is greater than the predetermined value c , the cpu core 21 determines that a state that the player is touch - operating the touch panel 13 is shifted to a non - touch operation state ( that is , a state that the player intentionally stops the touch operation ). accordingly , even when the touch operation on the touch panel 13 is interrupted against the player &# 39 ; s intention ( for example , even when the player carelessly moves his finger off the touch panel ), the player can continue the game feeling as if no interruption has occurred . the stick value which is obtained in step 48 , the stick value which is set in step 52 , and the stick value which is continuously used in step 53 are used for game processing just like for a prior art game for which a joystick is used . for example , in a case where the player continues to touch - operate the same position on the touch panel 13 as a touch point ( designated point ), the processing according to the aforementioned flow chart is repeated in the processing cycle , thereby repeatedly obtaining the same stick value . that is , in the game processing performed by the game apparatus 1 , the same stick value is used to repeat the game processing , and thereby the game processing similar to the processing according to the operation of a constant input being continuously supplied when a joystick lever is held at a predetermined position can be realized . also when the origin is fixed as in the prior art , a direction indicated by a stick value approaches the right horizontal direction in which the touch - operation is carried out . however , the angle 84 and the like are smaller when the origin is fixed . it is clear that the direction indicated by the stick value further approaches the direction in which the touch - operation is carried out when the origin is drawn . further , the designated point is always set within the limited range , and the distance between the designated point and the origin is always within a predetermined distance . therefore , even when the player moves the designated point ( touch point ) to a position which is extremely far away from the origin and carries out an operation for tilting a joystick to the maximum and returning the joystick in the reverse direction , the distance to the origin of the touch panel is within the predetermined distance , thereby improving a response to the operation . further , the origin is always set within a given range with respect to the touch point on the touch panel 13 , and thereby the player can feel and know the position of the origin being set on the touch panel 13 , and the player can control the touch panel 13 without visually checking the touch panel 13 feeling as if the player controls a joystick . as described above , the setting value of the parameter m can be adjusted so as to control a rate at which the destination target coordinates are moved so as to approach the backward position of the designated point ( assuming that the moving direction of the designated point is forward ) ( that is , a rate at which a direction indicated by a stick value is moved so as to approach the moving direction of the designated point ). further , the setting value of the parameter n can be adjusted so as to control a rate at which the origin is moved so as to approach the destination target coordinates ( that is , a rate at which a length indicated by a stick value is changed so as to approach a predetermined distance r when the length indicated by the stick value is larger than the predetermined distance r ). hereinafter , a relationship between the parameters m and n , and a position to which the origin is drawn will be described with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a diagram for explaining a position of the origin which is drawn according to the parameters m and n . in fig1 , the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 within a limited range a 5 set around an origin o 5 , thereby setting a designated point u 5 . then , the designated point is moved to the right , and the player touch - operates the touch panel 13 outside the limited range a 5 on a straight line s 1 in the rightward direction from the designated point u 5 , thereby setting a designated point u 6 . the origin is drawn according to the origin o 5 , the designated points u 5 and u 6 to position an origin o 6 and set a limited range a 6 based on the origin o 6 . fig1 shows the origin o 6 and the limited range a 6 in the case of the parameter m = 0 and the parameter n = 1 . as described above , a direction in which the origin is drawn is adjusted according to the parameter m , and m ≧ 0 . the greater the setting value of the parameter m is , the closer the origin is drawn to the backward position of the designated point which moves from u 5 to u 6 along the straight line s 1 . in the case of m = 0 , a direction in which the origin o 5 is connected with the designated point u 6 ( a straight line s 2 ) is set as a direction in which the origin is drawn . here , in order to draw the origin as close to the straight line s 1 as possible , the calculation may be performed assuming that the designated point u 6 is further moved along the direction of the straight line s 1 . therefore , as described in the step 71 , when a drawing direction ( px , py ) is obtained on the basis of the difference between the origin o 5 and the designated point u 6 , a value which is obtained by multiplying a motion vector ( uvx , uvy ) of the designated point by a predetermined rate ( parameter m ) is added to the designated point coordinates so as to obtain a value which is obtained when the designated point u 6 is further moved . accordingly , the origin is drawn into a range which is interposed between the straight lines s 1 and s 2 according to the setting value of the parameter m , that is , the destination target coordinates are set in the range which is interposed between the straight lines s 1 and s 2 . further , as is apparent from the above - described formula , the destination target coordinates are set as a position which is a predetermined distance ( r ) apart from the designated point coordinates , thereby resulting in the destination target coordinates being determined as any point on an arc ar 1 shown in fig1 . in the case of m = 0 , the destination target coordinates are set so as to be as close to an intersection of the straight line s 2 and the arc ar 1 as possible . in the case of m being infinitely great , the destination target coordinates are set on an intersection of the straight line s 1 and the arc ar 1 . when m is greater than a predetermined value , the drawing direction may be set so as to match the drawing direction ( px , py ) with ( uvx , uvy ). thereby , when m is greater than the predetermined value , the destination target coordinates can be set on an intersection of the straight line s 2 and the arc ar 1 . on the other hand , as described above , a rate at which the origin is drawn to the destination target coordinates can be adjusted according to the parameter n , and 0 & lt ; n ≦ 1 . in the case of n = 1 , the origin is moved to the destination target coordinates . in the case of 0 & lt ; n & lt ; 1 , the origin is moved to any point on a line segment by which the origin is connected with the destination target coordinates ( exclusive of both ends ). the point to which the origin is moved on the line segment depends on the value n . the smaller n is , the closer a selected point is to the current the greater n is , the closer a selected point is to the destination target coordinates . accordingly , the setting values of parameters m and n are adjusted , thereby drawing ( moving ) the origin to a position within an area a shown in fig1 . the area α is an area which is surrounded by the arc ar 1 which is obtained by cutting , with the straight lines s 1 and s 2 , a circumference of a circle having a radius r and having the designated point u 6 at the center thereof , and the straight lines each connecting one end of the arc ar 1 with the origin o 5 ( not including the origin o 5 ). further , when the drawing direction ( px , py ) is obtained , and then the moved origin coordinates ( ox , oy ) are obtained from ( r ≦ n ′& lt ; l 4 ( the length between o 5 and u 6 )), the origin can be moved to a position within an area β shown in fig1 . the area β is a range which is interposed between the straight lines s 1 and s 2 , which form an acute angle , as well as a range which is interposed between the arc ar 1 of a circle having a radius r and having the designated point u 6 at the center thereof , and the arc ar 2 of a circle having a radius of the length between the designated point u 6 and the origin o 5 and having the designated point u 6 at the center thereof ( exclusive of points on the arc ar 2 ). as described above , a position into which the origin is drawn can be adjusted according to the setting values of the parameters m and n ( or n ′), and a position into which the origin is drawn can be adjusted as an optimal value according to the response or operability for each game . conversely , a case where the origin is moved to other than the area β will be described with reference to fig1 . in a case where the origin is moved to between the arc ar 1 and the designated coordinates u 6 ( for example , a point o 7 shown in fig1 ), while the player is moving the pressing point in the direction in which the length of the stick input value is increased , the length of the input value is reduced , which does not match the player &# 39 ; s controllability . further , in a case where the origin is moved to a position in front of the straight line s 1 on the fig1 ( for example , a point o 8 shown in fig1 ), while the player touches a point which is in the diagonally right forward direction from the origin , and changes the touch position to the right , the stick input value has a right backward direction , which does not match the player &# 39 ; s controllability . moreover , in a case where the origin is moved to a position in the backward direction from the straight line s 2 on fig1 ( for example , a point o 9 shown in fig1 ), while the player moves the touch position to the right , the rightward direction component of the stick input value is reduced , which does not match the player &# 39 ; s controllability . in addition , in a case where the origin is moved beyond the arc ar 2 in the direction away from the designated point coordinates u 6 , the distance between the origin and the designated point coordinates becomes longer . as described above , the player &# 39 ; s controllability is substantially different between a case where the origin is moved into the area β and a case where the origin is moved to other than the area β . as described above , according to the present invention , an origin to be set on the touch panel is set as a position at which the player initially touch - operates the touch panel so as to achieve an operation in which a joystick is emulated . therefore , the player initially touches the touch panel by himself , and thereby the player can controllably feel and know the position of the origin having been set by himself . that is , the player can perceive the position of the origin with his finger , and thereby the player does not have to visually confirm the position of the origin . further , no origin which is fixedly set on the touch panel is set , and thereby the player can start the operation at any position in the touch panel coordinate system . furthermore , in a case where the player releases his finger for a short time against his intention , the origin can be prevented from being reset , and in a case where the player intentionally releases his finger ( in a case where his fingers are released for more than a predetermined time period ), the origin can be reset . further , although in this embodiment the origin is drawn before the stick value is obtained , the origin may be drawn after the stick vale is obtained , and when the stick value is obtained next time , the origin having been drawn may be utilized . however , in general , it is preferable that the origin is drawn before the stick value is obtained . an image of at least one of the origin and the limited range set around the origin , which are described in the aforementioned embodiment , may be displayed on the second lcd 12 . according to the present invention , while the player can feel and know the position of the origin without visually checking the touch panel 13 , when the origin or the limited range is displayed on the second lcd 12 covered by the touch panel 13 , the position of the origin or the limited range of the touch panel 13 can be further displayed to the player in real time . further , in this embodiment , a touch point is arbitrarily positioned in a tolerance range having a designated point at the center thereof , and when the touch point deviates beyond the tolerance range , the tolerance range is moved according to the movement of the touch point , and consequently the designated point is moved , thereby making hand jiggling correction for the touch point . however , when the effect of the hand jiggling correction is not required , the hand jiggling correction is not necessarily required to be made . in this case , a touch point is handled as a designated point as it is , and no tolerance range is set and the processing of the step 44 is not performed . in this way , even when a touch point is handled as a designated point as it is , the effect of the present invention can be similarly achieved . moreover , in the flow chart shown in fig3 , when the player stops touch - operating the touch panel 13 ( no . in step 40 ), in a case where the count value of the non - touch counter ct is greater than a predetermined value c ( yes in step 50 ), a stick value is set as neutral . however , a stick value having been set before stopping the touch - operation may be continuously handled as a game parameter until the next touch - operation is carried out . in a case where the stick value is continuously handled as a game parameter until the next touch operation is carried out , the player does not have to continue the same touch - operation for a long time , and thereby the same operation can be easily continued . moreover , in the flow chart shown in fig3 , when the player stops touch - operating the touch panel 13 and then carries out a touch - operation again , an origin is newly set . however , when the next touch - operation is carried out , a relative positional relationship between a designated point and an origin may be continuously used . for example , the relative positional relationship between the origin and the designated point , which are used in step 48 before stopping the touch - operation , is stored , and when the touch - operation is restarted , the touch point may be set as the designated point . the relative positional relationship having been stored is used to set an origin on the basis of the designated point . in general , when the player touch - operates an area other than the touch panel 13 during the touch - operation on the touch panel 13 , the player touch - operates a different position on the touch panel 13 again and attempts to continue the same operation . also when the touch - operation is carried out again as described above , since the relative positional relationship between the origin and the designated point is maintained , the player can enjoy the game without the operation being interrupted . further , the origin can be also set outside the touch panel 13 , and thereby a wide range of game operations can be provided . further , the origin according to this embodiment does not have to be a touch panel origin . that is , the touch panel origin is fixed and another reference point may be used and changed as a reference for stick input . while in this embodiment a touch panel is used as an input device for carrying out an operation in which a joystick is emulated , other pointing devices can be used . here , the pointing device is an input device which designates an input position or coordinates on a screen . for example , when a mouse , a track pad , a track ball or the like is used as an input device and information concerning a screen coordinate system , which is obtained on the basis of an output value which is outputted by the input device , is used , the present invention can be realized in a similar manner . in a case where a pointing device such as a mouse is used , a touch state and a non - touch state correspond an on and an off of click button , respectively , and the game apparatus or the like may calculate coordinates on the basis of an output value which is outputted from the mouse or the like . in addition , in this embodiment , the touch panel 13 is integrated into the game apparatus 1 . needless to say , however , also when the game apparatus and the touch panel are separately provided , the present invention can be realized . further , while in this embodiment two display devices are provided , the number of display devices provided can be only one . that is , in this embodiment , it is also possible to provide only the touch panel 13 without the second lcd 12 being provided . in addition , in this embodiment , the second lcd 12 is not provided and the touch panel 13 may be provided on the upper principal face of the first lcd 11 . moreover , while in this embodiment the touch panel 13 is integrated into the game apparatus 1 , the touch panel is used as one of input devices for an information processing apparatus such as a typical personal computer . in this case , a program executed by the computer in the information processing apparatus is not limited to a game program which is typically used for a game , and the program is a general - purpose program in which the stick value obtained in the above - described manner is used for processing in the information processing apparatus . further , in this embodiment , when designated point coordinates deviate beyond the limited range , an origin is drawn . however , the origin may be drawn under another condition . for example , when an angle between the origin and the designated point coordinates is different from the angle obtained at the previous input , or when an angle between the origin and the designated point coordinates is greater than a predetermined angle , the origin may be drawn . while the present invention has been described in detail , the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive . it is understood that numerous other modifications and variations can be devised without departing form the scope of the invention .	0
referring now to the figures , wherein like references refer to like elements of the invention , fig1 is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 hanging apparatus 100 is comprised of body 101 with a first body member 102 and a second body member 103 each having a generally rectangular shape . decorative media 108 , such as a fabric or individual elements for example , is captive and extends from body 101 . details of how decorative media 108 is captive within body 101 are described below . body 101 may also include a coupling 130 attached or embedded therein for detachably coupling a cover ( not shown ) to body 101 to enhance its aesthetic appeal . coupling 130 may be a magnet , or a hook and loop material , for example . first body member 102 and a second body member 103 are coupled to one another along respective edges with coupler 112 , such as a hinge , so that first body portion 102 is able to articulate with respect to second body portion 103 to expose the interior of body 101 . in one exemplary embodiment , body portions 102 and 103 may be formed from a variety of materials , such as wood , a polymer and / or metal , for example . it is also possible to form or mold body 101 such that coupler 112 is an integral part of first body member 102 and second body member 103 . as such , coupler 112 may be a conventional hinge having a pin extending along its length , or may be another type of hinge such as a polymer web , for example , extending between first body member 102 and second body member 103 . in one embodiment , hinge 112 is loaded such that it remains in place in both the open and closed positions in order to allow the user to concentrate her efforts on removing or installing decorative media 108 without the need to maintain hinge 112 in the open position , and also allows decorative media 108 to remain in place once installed . in order to hang body 101 from a desired surface , such as a wall ( not shown ), supports 104 , such as metal , wood or polymer , for example extend from body 101 and are attached to conventional support brackets ( not shown ) extending from the desired surface . in one exemplary embodiment , supports 104 may be formed as rods , for example . although two shorter support 104 are illustrated in fig2 the invention is not so limited . it is also contemplated that a single support 104 may be used which extends through body 101 . further , and as shown in fig2 b , it is also contemplated that no support rods are used and that rear surface 103 a of second body member 103 is attached to a mounting surface , such as a wall ( not shown ) using conventional means such as screws 115 . referring now to fig2 a , the interior features of apparatus 100 are shown with body portion 102 removed for clarity . as shown in fig2 a , edge portion 109 of decorative media 108 has through holes 109 a that mate with projections 110 , such as pegs , which extend from the interior surface of body portion 103 . body 101 may include cutout portion 113 to accommodate a thickness of decorative media 108 to allow body portions 102 and 103 to close properly . in one exemplary embodiment , projections 110 extend substantially orthogonal to the interior surface of body portion 103 . the invention is not so limited , however , in that projections 110 may extend at an upward angle so that when body portion 102 is moved into a position to expose the interior of body 101 , decorative media 108 remains in place until removed by the user . projections 110 may formed as a unitary part of body portions 103 and / or 102 , or may be coupled thereto using conventional means , such as glue , screws , etc . further , supports 104 may also be formed as a unitary part of body portion 103 , for example , or may be individual parts attached to body portion 103 using any one of a variety of conventional means , such as screws 114 . although the illustration indicates that projections 110 have a generally circular cross section , the invention is not so limited . it is also contemplated that projections 110 may have other cross sectional configurations , such as square , rectangular , etc . [ 0026 ] fig3 and 4a - 4 b illustrate a top view and side views of alternate embodiments of the present invention . as shown in fig3 and 4b , projections 110 may extend from body portion 103 into the interior 111 of body portion 102 . in addition , support 104 may be positioned such that it interfaces with both body portions 102 and 103 , although rod 104 is only coupled to one of these body portions . as shown in fig4 a , projections 110 may also abut against the inner surface of body portion 102 and support 104 interfaces with only body portion 103 . it is understood by those skilled in the art , that the features illustrated ion fig4 a and 4b may be mixed as desired , and are thus not restrictive . referring now to fig6 a and 6b , an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown . in this embodiment , a portion of projections 110 are coupled to body portion 103 and the remaining projections are coupled to body portion 102 . each one of projections 110 mates with a respective receptacle 111 in the opposing body portion . in another embodiment , a locking pin 119 / receptacle 120 may be used order to maintain body portions 102 and 103 in a closed position , if desired . locking pin 119 may be formed as part of body potion 102 or may be a separate element attached to body portion 102 , for example . referring now to fig5 a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown . as shown in fig5 screen structure 500 comprises body 101 positioned between support members 502 and 504 . decorative media 108 hangs from body 101 and between support members 502 and 504 forming a decorative screen . mounting feet or wheels 506 may be used to position or reposition screen 500 as desired . although a single screen 500 is shown , it is contemplated that multiple screens 500 may be coupled to one another in a zig - zag panel form , for example to allow for a free standing arrangement . it is also contemplated that outriggers 510 may be added , if desired . as can be appreciated from the above description and accompanying drawing , once the exemplary apparatus is mounted it need not be removed from its mounting surface to change the decorative media . it can also be appreciated that the exemplary apparatus may be used not only within the home , but also outside the home , such as in mobile homes , recreational vehicles ( rv &# 39 ; s ) decks , gazebos , etc . although illustrated and described herein with reference to certain specific embodiments , the present invention is , nevertheless , not intended to be limited to the details shown . rather , various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention .	6
the winding apparatus shown in fig1 has a drive shaft 1 which extends over several winding positions and on which two drive pulleys 10 and 11 per winding position are mounted . it is also possible to make the drive pulleys 10 and 11 integral with the drive shaft . a winding roll 13 is mounted , parallel to and spaced from the drive shaft 1 , on a shaft 12 . the bobbin 14 is supported on the winding roll 13 and is itself carried by bobbin arms 15 and 16 . two intermediate wheels 20 and 21 ( fig3 ) act as the drive connection between the drive shaft 1 and the winding roll 13 , and can be interposed alternatively between the drive shaft 1 and the winding roll 13 , so that the winding roll 13 is driven by the drive shaft 1 either via the drive pulley 11 and the intermediate wheel 21 or via the drive pulley 10 and the intermediate wheel 20 . as shown in fig3 the drive pulley 11 is , for example , smaller than the drive pulley 10 , while the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 are of equal size . consequently with the drive as shown , the winding roll 13 is driven via the drive pulley 11 and the intermediate wheel 21 at a lower speed than via the drive pulley 10 and the intermediate wheel 20 . each intermediate wheel 20 or 21 is mounted on a lever 22 or 23 respectively which is in turn pivotably jointed to a drive lever 24 or 25 . the two drive levers 24 and 25 are pivotably mounted on a shaft 2 . each of the drive levers 24 , 25 is connected to the armature 26 or 27 , respectively , of an electromagnet 28 or 29 . a yarn reservoir 3 is set up in the yarn path of the winding apparatus and , in the embodiment shown , is constructed as a roller reservoir . the yarn reservoir 3 stores the yarn 5 supplied from a yarn delivery point 4 between two boundary values , and is monitored by a monitoring device 30 . the monitoring device 30 is connected by leads 31 with a source of current 32 and with the electromagnets 28 and 29 , such that either the electromagnet 28 or the electromagnet 29 is addressed . the apparatus according to the invention operates as follows : the monitoring device 30 , for example , constructed as a beam of light measures the reflection of light from the yarn reservoir 3 . when a sufficient reserve of yarn is lacking , much light will be reflected whereupon in order to build up a larger reserve of yarn , the winding roll 13 is driven at a speed which is lower than the supply speed of the yarn supply point 4 . for this purpose , the electromagnet 29 is excited and by means of its armature 27 , pivots the drive lever 25 about the shaft 2 and hence brings the intermediate wheel 21 , via the lever 23 , into simultaneous contact with the drive pulley 11 of the drive shaft 1 and with the winding roll 13 . if , on the other hand , no light is reflected from the body of the yarn reservoir because of the presence of a sufficient yarn reserve , the electromagnet 28 will be addressed , while the previously excited electromagnet 29 drops out . the intermediate wheel 20 is brought , via the armature 26 , the drive lever 24 , and the lever 23 , into the driving position between the drive pulley 10 and the winding roll 13 while because the electromagnet 29 is no longer excited , the intermediate wheel 21 returns to its inoperative position . by the constant change of the drive via the two intermediate wheels 20 and 21 , the amount of yarn stored in or on the yarn reservoir 3 is always kept between given boundary values , as the bobbin 14 winds up the yarn 5 at a correspondingly changing speed . it is , of course , possible to construct the monitoring device 30 in other ways , in particular if the yarn reservoir 3 is also not constructed as a roller reservoir . so that the winding positions can be individually stopped , a switch 6 is provided by which both electromagnets 28 and 29 can simultaneously be addressed via the leads 31 . in addition , there can be provided a further main switch , by means of which the two electromagnets 28 and 29 of all the winding positions can be simultaneously addressed . the simultaneous addressing of the electromagnets 28 and 29 causes both intermediate wheels 20 and 21 to be brought into their inoperative positions , so that the winding roll 13 and , hence , also the bobbin 14 are brought to rest . so that the winding positions can also be individually stopped when a malfunction occurs , and in order in this way to prevent an emptying of the yarn reservoir 3 below the lower tolerance limit , as a result of which the yarn reservoir 3 can become completely emptied and also the yarn end can become unwound , the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 , with their electromagnets 28 and 29 , are connected for control with a yarn monitor 50 which monitors the yarn 5 between the yarn supply point 4 and the yarn reservoir 3 . this yarn monitor 50 is connected in parallel with the switch 6 or even replaces it , so that when the yarn monitor 50 is released by a drop in the yarn tension , both electromagnets 28 and 29 are excited so that both intermediate wheels 20 and 21 move to their inoperative position . the yarn monitor 50 makes it possible for the windup of the winding position to be stopped earlier enough that the yarn reservoir 3 is not emptied , so that in a known way an automatic back - supply of yarn 5 to the yarn supply point is possible . the electrical connections are only shown schematically in fig1 . diodes or other elements for preventing incorrect connections are for this reason not shown , although they are usually provided . instead of the drive pulleys 10 and 11 being of different size and the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 being of equal size , it is also possible for the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 to be made of different sizes while the drive pulleys 10 and 11 are equal in size . if necessary , with this construction , the drive pulleys 10 and 11 can even be completely dispensed with and the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 can be supported directly on the drive shaft 1 . for a particularly rapid stopping of the winding roll 13 and with it also of the bobbin 14 driven by the winding roll 13 and , because of its large mass , moreover , and the accompanying inertia , continuing to turn together with the winding roll 13 , a brake lever 7 is provided as shown in fig1 . this brake lever 7 is controlled in dependence on the control of the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 such that it comes into contact with the winding roller 13 when the switch 6 or the main switch are actuated , or also when the yarn monitor 50 trips out . thus , an electromagnet ( not shown ) can be actuated by the switch 6 , the main switch , and / or the yarn monitor 50 , via the circuit they control , and actuates the brake lever 7 . if the winding roll 13 is a grooved roller , the braking surface of the brake lever 7 which comes into contact with the winding roll is wider than the widest place of the groove located in its region of action . the brake lever 7 can advantageously be elastically pressed by a spring or by its own weight against the winding roll 13 . in order to eliminate a separate control drive for the brake lever 7 , the brake lever 7 has a stop surface 72 or 73 for each respective intermediate wheel 20 or 21 and cooperating with a corresponding stop 74 or 75 connected to the respective intermediate wheel 20 or 21 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 the brake lever 7 has two parallel arms 70 and 71 which are mounted at one end on the shaft 2 that carries the drive levers 24 and 25 and which are connected together at their other ends by a connecting piece that is formed as a brake surface or carries a brake lining 76 . the embodiment shown has a connecting piece and brake lining 76 with a round cross section so that after loosening of the mounting ( not shown ) the connecting piece with the brake lining 76 can be turned , or the brake lining 76 can be turned on the connecting piece so that another point of its periphery comes to be in the working position . when both intermediate wheels 20 and 21 move into their inoperative position , both stops 74 and 75 release the arms 70 and 71 of the brake lever 7 so that this moves with its brake lining 76 into contact with the winding roll 13 and brakes it and hence also the bobbin 14 . if , however , at least one of the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 is in the operative position , the brake lever 7 is lifted from the winding roll 13 by the stop connected to the other intermediate wheel so that the brake lever 7 is inoperative . there is a large enough play between the arm 70 and the stop surface 72 , or between the arm 71 and the stop surface 73 , so that the required movement is available for one of the intermediate wheels 20 or 21 to be brought into its inoperative position . the stop 74 or 75 need not be provided on the drive lever 24 or 25 , but can instead of this be fitted also on the lever 22 or 23 . in this case , the undersides of the arms 70 and 71 form the stop surfaces 72 and 73 . fig2 shows another embodiment of the invention , in which the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 are not arranged as in the example shown in fig1 on the side remote from their drive , but on their side facing their drive . support rollers 230 are , for example , provided for the levers 22 and 23 . in this embodiment , the brake lever 8 is constructed as a two - armed lever which is mounted on a stationary shaft 81 and which abuts with its stop face 80 located on its rearward arm on the stop 75 that simultaneously forms the link between the drive lever 25 and the lever 23 . the brake lining 76 is provided on the forward arm 82 . the brake lever 8 is here also in its rest position when one of the intermediate wheels 20 and 21 is in the working position while the brake lever 8 is in the braking position when both intermediate wheels 20 and 21 are in their inoperative position . the brake lining 76 naturally wears away with time so that replacement is required . in order to be able to effect this replacement without interrupting the winding process , the brake lever 7 or 8 has a slot - shaped recess 77 ( fig1 ) or 83 ( fig2 ) by means of which it is mounted on the shaft 2 ( fig1 ) or 81 ( fig2 ), so that the removal of the brake lever 7 or 8 is effected by merely pulling it off . as shown in fig1 and 2 , the brake lever 7 or 8 is arranged with its brake lining 76 such that the latter , with respect to the plane 78 or 84 passing through the axis 12 and the axis 2 ( fig1 ) or through the axis 12 and the axis 81 ( fig2 ), always abuts the half of the winding roll 13 whose surface moves during winding of the yarn towards the brake lining 76 so that the braking action is even further amplified by the entrainment of the brake lever 7 or 8 by the winding roll 13 . while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms , such description is for illustrative purposes only , and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims .	1
referring to fig1 and 2 , a rotary type lawnmower , generally 10 , has an improved collector assembly , generally 12 , mounted thereon . the lawnmower 10 is of generally conventional construction and may be either a push type or a self propelled type of powerized rotary mower . the lawnmower 10 includes a housing 14 having a front pair of wheels 16 and a rear pair of wheels 18 rotatably and operatively mounted on the housing 14 . either pair of wheels are preferably driven by a drive ( not shown ) interconnected to the engine 20 . an internal combustion engine 20 is operatively carried by the housing for rotating the cutting blade ( not shown ) in a horizontal plane , in a conventional manner , within the housing 14 . a handlebar assembly , generally 22 , is pivotally mounted at its lower end to the rear of the housing 14 . the handlebar assembly 22 includes a pair of normally upwardly and rearwardly extending arms 24 which are interconnected at the tops thereof , by a unitary gripping bar 26 . a lower cross bar 28 is rigidly secured to the handlebar assembly 22 below the gripping bar 26 . support links 30 are pivotally mounted on the lawnmower housing 14 and include a slotted portion 32 which slidably receives a pin 34 mounted at the lower end of each of the arms 24 and act to limit the pivoting movement of the handlebar assembly 22 . referring to fig1 , and 3 , the collector assembly 12 includes a generally upright support assembly , generally 36 , which is secured to the rear portion of the housing 14 , a flexible disposable container 38 being positioned within the support assembly 36 , an enclosed tunnel or chute , generally 40 , for directing air carried clippings from within the housing 14 to the flexible container 38 , a cover assembly , generally 42 , for normally covering the flexible container 38 , and an exhaust , generally 44 , for directing exhaust air from within a substantially enclosed chamber defined by the cover 42 , the support assembly 36 , and the flexible container 38 . referring particularly to fig3 , 6 , and 9 , the support assembly 36 includes a rigid upright support portion , generally 46 , a flexible support portion , generally 48 , and a combination support 50 for the inlet chute 40 , the cover assembly 42 , and the exhaust 44 . referring to fig3 , and 9 , the rigid support 46 comprises tubular upright legs 52 having feet 54 which are secured to the upper surface of the housing 14 by suitable fasteners 56 . the upper ends of the legs 52 are unitarily formed to define a substantially horizontal portion 58 having unitary sides 60 and a back 62 . at the junction between each of the horizontal portions 58 and the upright legs 52 , a reinforcing cross member 64 , generally parallel to the back 62 , is rigidly secured to the inner surfaces of the sides 60 . an upwardly directed opening is defined by the sides 60 , the back 62 , and the cross member 64 . as seen in fig3 the flexible container 38 is received in this opening and the top edges of the flexible container or bag 38 are folded down around the sides 60 , the back 62 and the cross member 64 , so that the support 46 supports the upper end of the container 38 , in the open position , for receiving grass clippings and other lawn debris thereinto , in a manner to be hereinafter described in greater detail . referring to fig3 and 9 , the flexible support 48 for the container 38 is rigidly secured along the lower edges 66 thereof to the housing 14 by a plurality of suitable fasteners 68 . as seen in fig3 in the raised , bag supporting condition , the flexible support 48 includes a back 70 , a bottom 72 and angular sides 74 . the back 70 , the bottom 72 , and the side 74 are unitarily formed of the same material , preferably a reinforced flexible fabric or plastic . as seen best in fig3 , and 9 , the upper edge of the back 70 includes a hanger member 76 which is securely fastened thereto . the hanger 76 includes a hook portion which is constructed and arranged to hang on the upper edge of the back 62 of the horizontal portion 58 of the rigid support 46 , to thereby hold the flexible support 48 in the bag supporting position . the inlet chute 40 is of generally spiral shape and extends from the opening 78 in the upper front portion of the housing , as seen in fig1 upwardly and rearwardly , to an upper end 80 thereof . the inlet chute 40 is preferably formed of a light weight material , such as a molded plastic of designated strength . as seen in fig1 the lower end of the chute is generally arcuate in shape , and covers the opening 78 in the housing 14 . approximately 90 ° of a segment of the top of the housing 14 is covered by the lower portion 82 of the chute 40 . the lower portion 82 is secured to the top surface of the housing 14 by suitable fasteners ( not shown ). the chute 40 has a cross sectional area at the lower portion 82 which diminishes rapidly to a substantially square cross - sectional shape of uniform area , as seen for example , in fig9 . the upper end of the inlet chute 40 has a pivotable door 84 positioned thereon . the door 84 is pivotable from a closed position , as seen in fig9 to an open position as seen in fig3 . the door 84 is pivotally carried by a hinge assembly 86 which moves the door 84 between open and closed positions . as will be described hereinafter in greater detail , the door 84 is a safety feature as it must be in a closed position when the engine is on so that the air and air - carried solids cannot be blown directly toward the operator &# 39 ; s face . additionally , as will be described hereinafter , a safety circuit is provided to stop the engine 20 if the cover 42 is in the open position and the door 84 is in the open position . the combination support assembly 50 , as seen in fig3 and fig9 is secured to the upper rear wall of the housing 14 of the lawnmower 10 . the height of the support 50 is approximately the same as the rigid support 46 . the support 50 includes an upright support wall 88 and upright side walls 90 on the chute side and 92 on the exhaust side . preferably , the combined support 50 is constructed of a light weight , sturdy material , as a formed plastic . the exhaust 44 is carried by the combined support 50 and includes a substantially upwardly directed opening 94 , as seen best in fig4 which communicates with a lower exhaust chamber 96 having an exhaust opening 98 which faces laterally outwardly of the lawnmower 10 and generally out of the path of travel of the operator , even though the air passing from the exhaust opening 98 contains very few air carried solids which might injure the operator . as seen best in fig1 , and 3 , the cover assembly 42 is preferably formed upwardly to define an upper air chamber 100 above the flexible container 38 and is hingedly supported by the support assembly 50 . the cover assembly 42 includes an upwardly formed top wall 102 , a rear wall 104 , and a pair of opposed side walls 106 . the top wall 102 includes a rearwardly and downwardly tapered rear portion 108 and a frontwardly and downwardly tapered front portion 110 . the front portion 110 of the cover assembly 42 is hingedly secured to the support 50 by hinges 112 , as seen in fig3 , and 5 . the hinges 112 support the cover assembly 42 for pivotable movement from a closed position , shown for example , in fig1 to an open position , shown in phantom view in fig2 and in sectional view in fig9 . seals 114 , such as foamed plastic or rubber , are securely mounted along the lower edges of the rear wall 104 and the side walls 106 of the cover assembly 42 and act to provide a suitable air seal between the horizontal portion 58 and the cross member 64 of the rigid support 46 so that substantially no solid materials pass outwardly therebetween , thereby providing an added safety feature . referring to fig3 and 5 , the exhaust half of the air chamber 100 , mounted securely within the cover assembly 42 , has a solids separator 116 rigidly mounted therein . as grass clippings and lawn debris are passed upwardly through the inlet chute 40 and into the air chamber 100 , the clippings and lawn debris , primarily by action of gravity , drop downwardly into the container 38 . the exhaust 44 provides an escape for air from the chamber defined by the container 38 and by the cover assembly 42 . in order to substantially avoid passage of air - carried grass clippings or other air - carried solid particles through the exhaust 44 , the separator 116 acts to separate such materials to avoid passage thereof through the exhaust opening 98 . the separator 116 includes a perforated lower wall 118 , and a unitary perforated upright wall 120 so that substantially only air can pass therethrough . preferably , a fill indicator , generally 122 , is operatively mounted on the back portion 108 of the cover assembly 42 . the indicator 122 includes a generally upright shaft 124 which is rotatably carried on a bearing 126 secured to the rear wall portion 108 . the lower end of the shaft 124 rigidly carries a vane 128 . the upper end of the shaft 124 includes an indicator plate 130 . in use , the moving air normally keeps the plate 130 rotating by acting against the vane blades and thereby rotating the shaft 124 . this rotation continues until the container 38 becomes full and the material within the container physically stops the vane from moving and / or reduced air flow carried by a full bag slows down rotation of the vane . when the vane stops moving or slows down , the operator knows that it is time to remove the filled flexible container 38 and replace it with a new one . referring to fig1 and 8 , a slot 132 , slanted slightly upwardly and rearwardly , is provided in each of the side walls 106 of the cover assembly 42 . a perforated channel 152 is mounted over each slot 132 to screen out air - carried solids . an inwardly directed pin 134 is securely mounted on each of the arms 24 of the handlebar assembly 22 and is carried within each slot 132 . in order for the operator to open the cover assembly 42 , the handlebar assembly 22 is pivoted forwardly , as seen in fig2 and the cover assembly 42 is raised to the open position . referring to fig1 , there is a schematic diagram of a safety circuit , generally 136 , to assure that the operator cannot open the cover 42 , and have clippings or debris blown directly into the face , which may not only be uncomfortable , but may cause physical injury , as to the eyes . the safety circuit 136 includes a cover safety circuit 140 and a drive wheel safety circuit 142 , the circuits 140 and 142 being connected in parallel . the schematic diagram shown includes a power source such as an engine magneto 144 . the circuits 140 and 142 are connected , in parallel between the magneto 144 and a ground connection 146 . the cover safety circuit 140 includes a door switch 148 and a cover switch 150 , which are connected in series in the line 154 . the door switch 148 is mounted adjacent the door 84 which selectively covers the inlet chute 40 . the handle 156 extends outwardly from the hinge assembly 86 of the door 84 and is manually pivoted by the operator . the door switch 148 is in the closed position when the door 84 is open and in the open position when the door 84 is closed . the cover switch 150 is mounted on the housing 14 and is responsive to the bracket or link 30 being in the raised position when the cover assembly 42 is in the open position and when in the closed position . when the cover 42 is open , the cover switch 150 is closed , and when the cover 42 is in the closed position , the cover switch 150 is in the open position . the drive wheel circuit 142 includes a gear switch 158 and a handle grip switch 160 which is connected in series in the line 161 with the gear switch 158 . when the drive mechanism ( not shown ) is in gear , transmitting power to the powerized wheels 16 or 18 , the gear switch 158 is in the closed position . when the grip 162 on the handle assembly 22 is in the closed position , while being depressed by the operator , the grip switch 160 is in the engaged position . when the grip 162 is released , it is biased to the disengaged position by a spring ( not shown ) and opens or disengages the grip switch 160 . when both switches 158 and 160 are &# 34 ; closed &# 34 ; and / or when both switches 148 and 150 are &# 34 ; closed &# 34 ;, the engine magneto 144 will &# 34 ; ground out &# 34 ; so as to stop the engine 20 . the foregoing circuit 136 maintains the engine magneto 144 in the operative or &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; position : ( 1 ) when the door 84 is closed and when the cover assembly 42 is in the open position and ( 1a ) when the drive wheels are in gear and when the grip switch 160 is depressed or engaged ( 1b ) when the drive wheels are in neutral and when the grip switch 160 is not depressed or disengaged , and ( 1c ) when the drive wheels are in the neutral position and the grip switch 160 is depressed ; ( 2 ) when the door 84 is in the open position and when the cover 42 is in the down or closed position and ( 2a ) when the drive wheels are in gear and the grip switch 160 is engaged or depressed , ( 2b ) when the drive wheels are in neutral and the gear switch 160 is not depressed or disengaged , and ( 2c ) when the drive wheels are in neutral and the gear switch 160 is depressed or engaged ; and ( 3 ) when the door 84 is closed and the cover 42 is closed or down and ( 3a ) when the drive wheels are in gear and when the grip switch is engaged or depressed , ( 3b ) when drive wheels are in neutral and when the grip switch 160 is not depressed or disenaged ; ( 3c ) when the drive wheels are in neutral and the gear switch is depressed or engaged . the engine magneto 144 is in the &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; position only ( 1 ) when the gear switch 158 indicates that the drive wheels are in gear and when the grip switch 162 is not depressed or disengaged and / or ( 2 ) when the door 84 is in the open position and when the cover 42 is in the open position . the foregoing circuitry 140 provides important safety features , as it prevents the mower 10 from moving alone without control by the operator and when the cover 42 and door 84 are both open to avoid physical injury to the operator . the various times when the engine is &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; enables the operator to keep the engine &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; under a wide range of conditions and yet not unduly subject the operator to safety hazards . although from the foregoing , the manner of use of the collector assembly 12 should be apparent , a brief description of the use thereof will more clearly show the advantages of the assembly . in initial use , the operator raises the cover assembly 42 to the open position shown in fig9 by raising the handlebar assembly 22 and then places a flexible bag 38 on the horizontal portion 58 of the support 46 . the top of the bag is folded over the horizontal portion 58 and across the front cross member 64 . the flexible support 48 is then raised upwardly and the hanger 76 is hung over the back 62 of the support 58 . at this time , the handlebars 22 are pivoted as seen in fig2 to the closed position . also , the door switch handle 156 is pivoted so that the door 84 is moved to the open position . at this time , the engine 20 is started , and may be started since the gear switch 158 is closed , the drive wheels are in neutral , the cover 42 is down and the door 84 is open . when the engine is started , the operator depresses the grip switch 160 on the handle ; after starting , the drive wheels may be placed in gear . in use , the air - carried grass clippings and other debris pass upwardly through the opening 78 in the top wall of the housing 14 . the clippings are carried upwardly in the inlet chute 40 and are directed to the air chamber 100 of the cover 42 . most of the clippings and solid materials fall by gravity into the flexible container 38 . most , if not all , of the other air - carried solids are screened or removed from the air flow as it passes by the separator 116 mounted on the collector 12 and before the air passes to the exhaust 44 . air passes through the exhaust portions 94 , 96 and 98 and the air , substantially free of solids , is directed laterally away from the operator , at approximately knee level . it is seen that the air flow from inlet to exhaust is substantially continuous as it passes through the chute 40 into the air chamber 100 past the separator 116 and outwardly through the exhaust 44 . air turbulence is minimized and this assists in assuring separation of the soils from the air . when the container 38 becomes full , the indicator 122 slows or stops so that the operator knows to remove the full container , and replace it with a new container . the operator then places the drive wheels in neutral , and releases the grip switch 160 . if the operator wishes to keep the engine &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; while changing the bag 38 , the door is pivoted to the closed position . if , however , the operator desires to stop the engine , the cover 42 is opened without closing the door 84 . in this way , there is assurance that the operator will not have material blown directly into his face . in removing the full flexible container or bag 38 , it is not necessary for the operator to lift the bag off the mower 10 , as it is only necessary to lift the hanger 76 of the flexible support slightly off of the horizontal support 58 . the container then drops by weight and the operator merely moves the bag laterally away from the machine . the avoidance of lifting is particularly important in the spring , for example , when the grass is moist and heavy . it is thus seen that i have accomplished all the objects previously set forth . a highly effective and simple construction is provided . there is a high degree of safety with this collector and the flexible container , when full , may be readily removed from its position on the mower . while in the foregoing , there has been provided a detailed description of one particular embodiment of the present invention , it is to be understood that all equivalents obvious to those having skill in the art are to be included within the scope of the invention , as claimed .	0
herein described are methods and apparatus which utilize a current limiter for active shielding of a superconducting magnet system used in mri and nmr magnetic field generators . more specifically , in one embodiment , a detection system is provided for an active shielding of superconducting magnet systems which use a single electrical current as explained in greater detail below . in another embodiment , a detection system is provided for an active shielding of a multiple electrical circuits superconducting magnet system as also explained in greater detail below . the herein described methods and apparatus use a combination of a detection mechanism and a controlled triggering level to limit the electrical current induced by environment disturbances . as used herein , an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “ a ” or “ an ” should be understood as not excluding plural said elements or steps , unless such exclusion is explicitly recited . furthermore , references to “ one embodiment ” of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features . additionally , as is known in the art , a reference to a main coil contemplates a plurality of coils , and therefore the terms main coil and main coils are used interchangeably herein . for the same reason , the terms shield coil and shield coils are also interchangeable herein . fig1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) system 10 in which the herein described systems and methods are implemented . mri 10 includes an operator console 12 which includes a keyboard and control panel 14 and a display 16 . operator console 12 communicates through a link 18 with a separate computer system 20 thereby enabling an operator to control the production and display of images on screen 16 . computer system 20 includes a plurality of modules 22 which communicate with each other through a backplane . in the exemplary embodiment , modules 22 include an image processor module 24 , a cpu module 26 and a memory module 28 , also referred to herein as a frame buffer for storing image data arrays . computer system 20 is linked to a disk storage 30 and a tape drive 32 to facilitate storing image data and programs . computer system 20 communicates with a separate system control 34 through a high speed serial link 36 . system control 34 includes a plurality of modules 38 electrically coupled using a backplane ( not shown ). in the exemplary embodiment , modules 38 include a cpu module 40 and a pulse generator module 42 that is electrically coupled to operator console 12 using a serial link 44 . link 44 facilitates transmitting and receiving commands between operator console 12 and system command 34 thereby allowing the operator to input a scan sequence that mri system 10 is to perform . pulse generator module 42 operates the system components to carry out the desired scan sequence , and generates data which indicative of the timing , strength and shape of the rf pulses which are to be produced , and the timing of and length of a data acquisition window . pulse generator module 42 is electrically coupled to a gradient amplifier system 46 and provides gradient amplifier system 46 with a signal indicative of the timing and shape of the gradient pulses to be produced during the scan . pulse generator module 42 is also configured to receive patient data from a physiological acquisition controller 48 . in the exemplary embodiment , physiological acquisition controller 48 is configured to receive inputs from a plurality of sensors indicative of a patient &# 39 ; s physiological condition such as , but not limited to , ecg signals from electrodes attached to the patient . pulse generator module 42 is electrically coupled to a scan room interface circuit 50 which is configured to receive signals from various sensors indicative of the patient condition and the magnet system . scan room interface circuit 50 is also configured to transmit command signals such as , but not limited to , a command signal to move the patient to a desired position with a patient positioning system 52 . the gradient waveforms produced by pulse generator module 42 are input to gradient amplifier system 46 that includes a g x amplifier 54 , a g y amplifier 56 , and a g z amplifier 58 . amplifiers 54 , 56 , and 58 each excite a corresponding gradient coil in gradient coil assembly 60 to generate a plurality of magnetic field gradients used for position encoding acquired signals . in the exemplary embodiment , gradient coil assembly 60 includes a magnet assembly 62 that includes a polarizing magnet 64 and a whole - body rf coil 66 . in use , a transceiver module 70 positioned in system control 34 generates a plurality of electrical pulses which are amplified by an rf amplifier 72 that is electrically coupled to rf coil 66 using a transmit / receive switch 74 . the resulting signals radiated by the excited nuclei in the patient are sensed by rf coil 66 and transmitted to a preamplifier 76 through transmit / receive switch 74 . the amplified nmr ( nuclear magnetic resonance ) signals are then demodulated , filtered , and digitized in a receiver section of transceiver 70 . transmit / receive switch 74 is controlled by a signal from pulse generator module 42 to electrically connect rf amplifier 72 to coil 66 during the transmit mode and to connect preamplifier 76 during the receive mode . transmit / receive switch 74 also enables a separate rf coil ( for example , a surface coil ) to be used in either the transmit or receive mode . the nmr signals received by rf coil 66 are digitized by transceiver module 70 and transferred to a memory module 78 in system control 34 . when the scan is completed and an array of raw k - space data has been acquired in the memory module 78 , the raw k - space data is rearranged into separate k - space data arrays for each cardiac phase image to be reconstructed , and each of these arrays is input to an array processor 80 configured to fourier transform the data into an array of image data . this image data is transmitted through serial link 36 to computer system 20 where it is stored in disk memory 30 . in response to commands received from operator console 12 , this image data may be archived on tape drive 32 , or it may be further processed by image processor 24 and transmitted to operator console 12 and presented on display 16 . fig2 illustrates a conventional circuitry of a superconducting mri system 100 including a cryogenic temperature cryostat 102 in which a main coil 104 , a shielding coil 106 , a quench protection system 110 , and a superconducting persistent switch 112 are positioned . a power supply 108 is typically positioned outside cryostat 102 . during a magnet system energizing process , persistent switch 112 is in an off mode ( i . e ., a resistive state ). energy is supplied to main coil 104 and shielding coil 106 from power supply 108 until a desired magnetic field is produced , then persistent switch 112 is switched to an on mode ( i . e ., a superconductive state ). without electromagnetic disturbance , electrical current i a of main coils 104 , and electrical current i b of shielding coils 106 is the same in persistent mode . upon an environment disturbance occurring , main coil electrical current i a and shielding coil electrical current i b can change slightly since the laws of physics necessitates only that a total magnetic flux of both main and shielding coils 104 and 106 together will attempt to remain constant . fig3 illustrates a circuitry of mri system 10 including a two coil detection system 118 . mri system 10 includes a cryogenic temperature cryostat 120 in which a main coil 122 , a shielding coil 124 , a quench protection system 128 , and a superconducting persistent switch 134 are positioned . a power supply 126 is typically positioned outside cryostat 120 . detection system 118 includes an environmental fluctuation circuit 130 . in an exemplary embodiment , main coil 122 and shield coil 124 are wired in series receiving the same current , and environmental fluctuation circuit 130 includes two environmental fluctuation circuits 132 , one for main coil 122 , and one for shield coil 124 . during a magnet system energizing process , persistent switch 134 is in an off mode ( i . e ., a resistive state ). energy is supplied to main coil 122 and shielding coil 124 from power supply 126 until a desired magnetic field is produced , then persistent switch 134 is switched to an on mode ( i . e ., a superconductive state ). during the just described magnet ramping , a pair of quench heaters ( not shown in fig3 ) are turned on , thus the sections of cc ′ d ′ d and dd ″ e ′ e are resistive and prevent electrical current to flow therethrough , and all electrical current flows through main coil 122 and shielding coil 124 . after the magnet ( coils 122 and 124 ) reaches a desired field level , and are shimmed and parked using conventional methods , the quench heaters of environmental fluctuation circuits 132 are turned off , and sections cc ′ d ′ d and dd ″ e ′ e return to a superconductive state . when an outside disturbance is present , both electrical currents in main coil 122 and shield coil 124 may start to change . since coils 122 and 124 and environmental fluctuation circuits 132 are in the same circuit , any induced current flows through either cc ′ d ′ d , or dd ′ e ′ e circuit , or both circuits . thus with the aid of a detection and controlling scheme identical or similar to that illustrated in fig5 , currents i c and i d are detected , limited , and / or controlled as explained below in greater detail . fig4 illustrates a one coil detection system 150 in which mri system 10 includes a cryogenic temperature cryostat 152 in which a main coil 154 , a shielding coil 156 , a quench protection system 158 , and a superconducting persistent switch 160 are positioned . a power supply 161 is typically positioned outside cryostat 152 . system 150 also includes an environmental fluctuation circuit 162 . in an exemplary embodiment , main coil 154 and shield coil 156 are wired in series receiving the same current , and environmental fluctuation circuit 162 is wired in parallel to one of main coil 154 and shielding coil 156 . as illustrated in fig4 , environmental fluctuation circuit 162 is wired in parallel to main coil 154 . when electrical current i a and i b are not equal due to outside electromagnetic disturbances , the differential current of main coils i a and shielding coils i b flows through superconducting circuit cc ′ d ′ d , thus with aid of a detection and controlling scheme identical or similar to that illustrated in fig6 , a differential current i c is detected , limited , and / or controlled . although fig4 illustrates that superconducting wire is connected to main coil 154 at points c and d in fig4 , the superconducting wire alternatively can be connected to shield coil 156 similarly , or be connected to the points within the coil . for example , in fig4 points c and d are located at a plurality of edges of coil 154 , points c and d may be located within coil 154 and coil 156 respectively ( i . e ., points c and / or d are located in a coiled section of coil ( s ) 154 and / or 156 ). the exact position of points c and d for example depends entirely on a particular magnet design and the requirements for environment disturbance compensation . fig5 through fig8 explain in additional detail how to detect these induced currents and how to control / eliminate these currents . fig5 is a detailed illustration of a detection circuit 170 having two parts , one part is connected to points c , d , and e of fig1 , with two pieces of superconducting wire 176 and 178 wound on a single mandrel in bifilar fashion , the other part is a plurality of quench heaters 174 with a controlling switch 180 and a resistive quench heater power supply 172 . a sensor 182 is positioned to sense electromagnetic fields . when the current either in cc ′ d ′ d circuit ( i c ) or dd ″ e ′ e ( i d ) or both starts to flow , and with the aid of detection sensor 182 ( either mechanical or electronic as detailed below ) and control switch k , quench heaters 174 are energized to heat the superconducting wires cc ′ d ′ d and dd ″ e ′ e and cause the superconducting wire to quench when current i c and / or i d reaches above a predetermined level ( e . g ., 2 amperes ), and thus reduce the electrical currents i c and i d to zero , which forces electrical currents in main coil 122 i a and shield coil 124 i b to be the same . after sensor 182 detects zero current in i c and / or in i d , control switch 180 switches off the current in the quench heaters 174 . thus the electrical currents of main coil 122 and shield coil 124 are the same again . a similar construction is also shown in fig6 for one coil detection circuit 150 ( shown in fig4 ). fig6 illustrates a single coil detection system 190 including a quench heater power supply 192 coupled to a quench heater 194 and a sensor 196 via a switch 198 . when the current in cc ′ d ′ d circuit ( i c ) starts to flow , and with the aid of detection sensor 196 ( either mechanical or electronic as detailed below ) and control switch k , quench heater 194 is energized to heat the superconducting wires cc ′ d ′ d and cause the superconducting wire to quench when current i c reaches above a predetermined level ( e . g ., 2 amperes ), and thus reduce the electrical currents i c to zero , which forces electrical currents in main coil 154 i a and shield coil 156 i b to be the same . after sensor 196 detects a zero current i c switch 198 switches off the current in quench heater 194 . thus the electrical currents of main coil 154 and shielding coil 156 are the same again . fig7 is a schematic of a mechanical sensor 200 for detection systems 118 and 150 ( e . g ., sensors 182 and 196 ), employed in some embodiments . a power source 201 is coupled to a quench heater 202 via wires 208 to a piston assembly 209 . mechanical sensor 200 includes a solenoid 204 which can be either a bifilar winding ( as shown in fig4 ) or a simple winding ( as shown in fig6 ). a plurality of mechanical springs 206 regulate a null level and a trigger level to control a metal piston on / off condition . mounted within piston assembly 209 is a plurality of pistons 210 . when no net magnetic field disturbances except original magnetic field created by the main and shielding coils present in solenoid 204 , mechanical springs 206 are at a pre - set null level , and metal pistons 210 do not contact a stator , and hence , no current goes through the resistive quench heater ( s ) 202 . when electrical current reaches a pre - set level ( e . g ., 2 amps ) in solenoid 204 by the environment disturbances , the electromagnetic force on pistons 210 pulls one of the pistons 210 toward the stator , and the quench heater circuit engages , causing the superconducting wires ( cc ′ d ′ d and / or d ′ d ″ e ′ e ) to quench . when the current drops to zero after quench , piston 210 returns to its null position , and the quench circuit is disengaged . in one embodiment , pistons 210 are positioned opposing each other such that current flow in either direction cc ′ d ′ d or dd ′ c ′ c causes one of pistons 210 to move tow & amp ; d a center of assembly 209 to complete the circuit between power supply 201 and heater 202 . in an alternative embodiment , only a single piston 210 is used . fig8 is a schematic of an electronic sensor circuit 220 that is used in detection systems 118 and 150 ( e . g ., sensors 182 and 196 ), in some embodiments . circuit 220 includes a quench heater 222 coupled to a power source 224 via a switch 226 . an electronic sensor 228 is positioned within a solenoid 230 . detection sensor 228 is , in one embodiment , a hall effect element . in an alternative embodiment , sensor 228 is other means of semiconductor elements or a pickup coil . with the presence of electrical current in solenoid 230 , a net magnetic field fluctuation is detected by sensor 228 . sensor 228 outputs a related voltage ( or a related current ) signal to control switch 226 in an on state and an off state . if sensor 228 detects the current in solenoid 230 reaching a predetermined level , the corresponding output signal triggers switch 226 to close , and thus , current flows through quench heater 222 , which starts to heat the superconducting wire to cause the superconducting wire to quench . when sensor 228 detects a zero current in solenoid 230 , switch 226 is opened to de - energize heater 222 allowing any superconductive wires proximate heater 222 to return to a superconductive state . the predetermined level can be set electronically . if the main coils and shielding coils operate on different currents , the above described detection methods and systems are employable with only a slight modification . for example , with both coils operational electrical currents i m , i s known , and with their respective preset current changing limits known , a ratio of the currents p =( i m / i s ) is determined . then the number of turns of cc ′ d ′ d superconducting wire to the number of turns of dd ′ e ′ e superconducting wire can be selected such that ( cc ′ d ′ d turn number )/( dd ′ e ′ e turn number ) is equal to p and wound in bifilar fashion , and then the above described methods and apparatus are used to detect environmental disturbances as described above . while the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims .	6
fig1 shows an operational overview 102 for an embodiment of the present invention . from an ic ( integrated circuit ) schematic or layout 104 , an extraction 106 is selected for modeling . typically this extraction , which may also be considered as a layout , includes a number of objects 108 ( e . g ., inductors as shown ) with associated ports 110 and interconnect 112 . as discussed below in further detail , the modeling process for the extraction 106 includes determining a solid model , generating a corresponding mesh ( e . g ., a discretization ) and running an em ( electromagnetic ) solver to estimate parasitic effects by determining corresponding s - parameters 114 ( or some alternative characterization ). fig2 shows an exemplary flow diagram 202 for a base solver ( e . g ., a basic ic modeler for relating voltages and currents ). first objects are selected 204 from a schematic or layout . next ports are defined 206 . next simulation parameters are specified 208 ( e . g ., accuracy level , frequency sweep type and range , etc .). then the model is simulated 210 at a number of frequencies ( e . g ., n frequencies as shown ). finally the results are collected 212 . fig3 shows an exemplary flow diagram 300 for simulations 210 at each frequency in the base solver 202 of fig2 . first a list of objects is selected 302 for simulation . next a pfft ( pre - corrected fast fourier transform ) grid is set up 304 . next indirect values ( e . g ., matrix h as show ) are determined 306 for the simulation . next , a solid model is specified 308 for the simulation , a mesh is generated 310 , and direct values , projection values , and interpolation values are determined 312 ( e . g , matrices d , p , and i as shown ). notably , a decision can be made 314 for adding additional objects in this process ( e . g ., from the list of objects 302 ). then the resulting system is solved 316 for relating voltages and currents , preferably by a matrix - free iterative solver . finally s - parameters ( or alternatively y - parameters as shown ) are extracted for modeling parasitic effects . ( see , for example , “ on deembedding of port discontinuities in full - wave cad models of multiport circuits ,” v . i . okhmatovski et al ., ieee trans . microw . theory tech ., vol . 51 , no . 12 , pp . 2355 - 2365 , december 2003 .) in general , a circuit layout is defined by specifying parameters , placement and routing for a number of devices . fig4 shows a detail for a circuit layout 402 related to the base solver shown in fig2 . two inductors 404 a , 404 b have been selected for the simulation and are represented in fig2 as solid models with physical dimensions . the solid models 404 a , 404 b are discretized by triangular mesh elements 406 . in general , the mesh defines a basis - function expansion for modeling an electromagnetic field across the integrated circuit by a summation of basis functions that are defined across mesh elements by polynomial interpolations of corresponding mesh - element values ( e . g ., linear interpolation from values at the edges ). in addition to the mesh elements 406 , an overlapping discrete model is provided by grid points 408 for a pfft ( pre - corrected fast fourier transform ) grid with arrows indicating interaction directionality between grid points 408 . in general , the grid defines a spatial - frequency expansion for modeling an electromagnetic field across the integrated circuit by a summation of spatial - frequency functions that are defined across the grid . in the following analysis , interactions between nearby mesh elements 406 are modeled by the direct values , and interactions 410 between far - away mesh elements 412 , 414 are modeled by indirect values . that is , pairs of mesh elements are designated as nearby or far - away ( e . g , based on some threshold distance value ) so that there interactions ( e . g ., impedance relationships ) can be modeled accordingly . for example , in many operational settings it is preferable to use a simple “ nearest neighbors ” rule where directly neighboring mesh - element pairs ( e . g , sharing at least a point or an edge ) are designated as nearby while other pairs are designated as far - away pairs . one advantage of this approach is that designations of nearby or far - away for pairs of mesh elements are unlikely to change as the layout is incrementally changed . as discussed below , this allows greater re - use of the calculated values as the layout is changed incrementally . in this context , we assume that the mesh dimension is n and the grid dimension is m , so that interactions between pairs of mesh elements are modeled with vectors of different sizes depending on the designated proximity of the mesh element pairs . collectively , these interactions can be modeled by the equation . typically the n - dimensional vector x includes coefficients for the basis function expansion of the mesh elements and represents current in the layout . the n - x - n matrix a models impedance values so that ax represents voltage in the layout . the representation on the right - hand - side of eq . 1 represents different modeling for pairs of nearby and far - away elements . the matrix d represents direct values for modeling impedances of nearby pairs of mesh elements . typically , the direct values are determined by calculating potential values for an expansion of an electromagnetic field defined by values at the mesh elements . conceptually , d is an n - x - n sparse matrix with non - zero values close to the diagonal for modeling interactions between basis functions for nearby mesh elements . the matrix { circumflex over ( d )} represents pre - correction values for modeling impedances at nearby pairs of mesh elements to correct for pfft grid calculations for these interactions . typically these pre - correction values are determined by calculating a spatial - frequency approximation on the pfft grid for electromagnetic interactions between nearby mesh - element pairs ( e . g ., through a convolution across the spatial frequencies defined by the pfft grid ) and then projecting back to the mesh - elements . conceptually , { circumflex over ( d )} is an n - x - n sparse matrix with non - zero values close to the diagonal for modeling interactions between basis functions for nearby mesh elements . the matrix h represents indirect values for modeling impedances at far - away pairs of mesh elements . typically these pre - correction values are determined by calculating a spatial - frequency approximation on the pfft grid for electromagnetic interactions between nearby mesh - element pairs ( e . g ., through a convolution across the spatial frequencies defined by the pfft grid ). conceptually h is an m - x - m matrix that is typically implemented by means of an fft ( fast fourier transform ). the matrix p represents projection values for projecting from the mesh coordinates ( n - dimensional ) to the grid coordinates ( m - dimensional ) where far - away interactions are modeled . conceptually , p is an m - x - n matrix . the matrix i represents interpolating values for projecting from the grid coordinates ( m - dimensional ) to the mesh coordinates ( n - dimensional ). conceptually , i is an n - x - m matrix . in general , these matrices need not be formed explicitly . typically a modeling goal relates to determining the currents that correspond to a nominal voltage input ; that is one wishes to solve the equation ax = b for given b , which represents a voltage input ( e . g ., a unit input at the location of a single port ). however , because of the size of the matrices , this problem is typically solved iteratively ( e . g ., by a generalized minimal residual method or a conjugate gradient method ), and so the model represented by eq . 1 is implemented by forming matrix - vector products ( ax ). therefore , the focus of much of the following discussion relates to forming these matrix - vector - products rather than actually solving the matrix equation ax = b . in this context , a good initial approximation for x ( e . g , current values ) that corresponds to a given b ( e . g ., voltage values ) reduces the number of iterations required to solve the matrix equation ax = b . as will be discussed in greater detail below , the present invention enables re - use of the calculated values for these matrices in cases where incremental changes are made in the layout . in many operational settings ( e . g ., where a “ small ” change has been made in the layout ), the matrices d , { circumflex over ( d )}, and h are unchanged from one layout to the next ( because the designations for nearby and far - away pairs do not change for “ small ” changes in the layout ), while p and i maintain the same coefficients but have shifted grid indices ( to reflect “ small ” changes in the layout ). the improved efficiency by reusing these calculated values can be substantial because of the typical dimensions involved in these matrix equations ( e . g ., n & gt ; 1 , 000 , m & gt ; 1 , 000 ). in general , the size of n , the size of the mesh discretization , is driven by overall accuracy requirements for simulating the integrated circuit . then , for a given separation of mesh - element pairs into nearby and far - away pairs , the size of m , the pfft ( or spatial frequency ) discretization is driven by the accuracy requirements for the far - away pairs . note that when only directly neighboring mesh - element pairs ( e . g , according to some threshold distance ) are designated as nearby while other pairs are designated as far - away pairs , the size of the pfft grid may be relatively large since the pfft grid must resolve interactions between mesh element pairs that are physically closer together and therefore require more spatial frequencies for accurate resolution . in general , there is a trade - off between the advantages of a severe definition ( e . g ., a “ nearest neighbors ” rule ) for designating pairs of mesh elements as nearby or far - away and the corresponding size of the pfft grid needed for adequately resolving interactions between far - away mesh element pairs . in some operational settings it is desirable to define the pfft grid so that its size is comparable to that of the mesh elements , thereby making it easier to calculate projections and interpolations between the pfft grid and the mesh elements . additional details related to the decomposition given by eq . 1 can be found in u . s . patent application publication no . 2005 / 0076317 a1 , “ method and apparatus for determining interactive electromagnetic effects among conductors of a multi - layer circuit ” ( apr . 7 , 2005 ), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety , and also in “ large - scale broad - band parasitic extraction for fast layout verification of 3 - d rf and mixed - signals on - chip structures ”, f . ling et al ., ieee transactions on microwave theory and techniques , vol . 53 , no . 1 , january 2005 . for example , in u . s . patent application 2005 - 0076317 , calculations involving “ basis functions on triangles ” and the “ fft grid ” are summarized in fig1 with reference to equations 11 , 16 , and 17 and with additional details provided in related portions of the specification . in the above - cited ieee reference , the relevant matrix equation ( ax = b in the present specification ) is given by equation ( 13 ) and the separation into “ near and far interactions ” is characterized by equations ( 15 ), ( 16 ), ( 22 ), ( 23 ) and related portions of the text . fig5 shows a flow diagram 502 of an incremental solver for an embodiment of the present invention . first a user sets up 504 a routing grid . next objects are selected 506 from a schematic or layout . next ports are defined 508 . next simulation parameters are specified 510 ( e . g ., accuracy level , frequency sweep type and range , etc .). placement and routing are adjusted 512 and objects are updated 514 as desired by the user ( e . g ., to examine the effect of adjusting placement and routing on the design ). next the model is simulated 516 at a number of frequencies ( e . g ., n frequencies as shown ). the results are collected 518 and then verified 520 as required ( e . g ., by additional simulations using the extracted s - parameters ). the process can be continued by further adjusting placement and routing 512 or updating objects 514 , etc ., until the process is terminated 522 by the user . the shading for setting up 504 a routing grid , adjusting 512 placement and routing , updating 514 the objects , and verifying results 520 indicate differences as compared with the flow diagram 202 for the base solver in fig2 . fig6 shows a flow diagram 602 for simulations 516 at each frequency in the embodiment of fig5 . from the list of objects 604 and the routing grid 606 an initial run begins with determining 608 the pfft grid based on the routing grid 606 . the pfft grid is saved 610 so that a pre - set pfft grid 611 is available for future operations . next indirect values ( e . g ., matrix has show ) are determined 612 and saved 614 so that pre - computed indirect values 615 are available for future operations . next , a solid model is specified 616 for the simulation , a mesh is generated 618 , and direct values , projection values , and interpolation values are determined 620 ( e . g , matrices d , p , and i as shown ). these mesh values , direct values , projection values , and interpolation values are then saved ( e . g , as a pdk ( process design kit ) object as shown ) so that pre - computed values 623 are available for future operations . at this point more objects can be added to the model ( e . g , at the steps for getting the solid model 616 , generating mesh 618 and building direct values , projection values , and interpolation values 620 ). then , when the model is complete , the model can be used to determine voltage - current relationships , preferably by invoking a matrix - free iterative solver 624 . finally the s - parameters or y - parameters can be obtained 626 . after the initial run , pre - set values 611 , 615 , 623 for the simulation . that is , the pfft grid can be loaded 628 from pre - set values 611 . then the indirect values ( e . g ., matrix h as show ) can be loaded 630 from the pre - computed values 615 . for building objects into the model , the process can proceed based on whether a corresponding pdk object has been stored . that is , if a pdk object is available from storage , then mesh values , direct values , projection values , and interpolation values are determined 312 ( e . g , mesh representations , and matrices d , p , and i as shown ) can be obtained from pre - computed values 623 and updated 634 as needed . alternatively , a solid model can be specified 636 , a mesh generated 638 , and direct values , projection values , and interpolation values determined 640 ( e . g , matrices d , p , and i as shown ). then , similarly as in the initial run , then , when the model is complete , the model can be used to determine voltage - current relationships , preferably by invoking a matrix - free iterative solver 624 . finally the s - parameters or y - parameters can be obtained 626 . fig7 a , 7 b and 7 c show details for an incremental solution related to the embodiment shown in fig5 . in fig7 a two inductors 702 a , 702 b are shown overlaid on the pfft grid 704 , with triangular mesh elements 706 indicated on the inductors 702 a , 702 b . ( the distance between grid points 704 is approximately 10 microns for this example .) fig7 b shows an incremental change in the layout where the first inductor 706 a has remained fixed and the second inductor 706 b has been moved closer . in this case directly neighboring mesh - element pairs ( e . g , sharing at least a point or an edge ) are designated as nearby while other pairs are designated as far - away pairs . therefore , the incremental change in the layout does not change the designations for nearby and far - away pairs and the calculations related to the decomposition given by eq . 1 can be substantially reused . that is , the matrices d , { circumflex over ( d )}, and h are unchanged from one layout to the next , while p and i maintain the same coefficients but have shifted grid indices to reflect the changes in the layout . in this example , the number of unknowns ( in the mesh model ) is 1490 , and the simulation frequency is 1 ghz . fig7 c shows the improvement in computational speed that results from the incremental solver . for the initial run for modeling the layout in fig7 a , the setup time ( e . g ., for building the model 608 , 612 , 616 , 618 , 620 ) was 40 seconds and iterative solution time 624 was 3 . 7 seconds , which included 16 iterations of a conventional generalized minimal residual ( gmres ) method ( e . g ., starting from a zero - valued initial guess ). for the incremental run for modeling the layout in fig7 b , the setup time was zero seconds ( i . e , the previously calculated values were reused 611 , 615 , 623 with re - indexing of the grid points in the pfft grid to account for moving the second inductor 706 b ). the iterative solution time 623 was 1 . 8 seconds for 7 iterations of the gmres method , where fewer iterations were required because the solution from the initial run was used to initialize the gmres method in the incremental run . ( in general , the solution from initial run provides the best available initial guess for the iterative solver 624 .) fig8 shows a flow diagram 802 of a library - based solver for an embodiment of the present invention , where this library - based solver can be used for simulations 516 at each frequency in the embodiment of fig5 . this flow diagram 802 is similar to the lower half of the flow diagram 602 in fig6 where modeling values ( e . g , for matrices d , p , h , i ) were computed in the initial run and then reused 611 , 615 , 623 . from the list of objects 804 and the routing grid 806 an pfft grid is determined 808 based on the routing grid 806 . next indirect values ( e . g ., matrix h ) are determined 810 . next the model is assembled by adding modeling values for each object in the list of objects 804 . in the case where a pdk object is available from a pre - characterized database 812 , mesh values and the direct values ( e . g , matrix d ) are obtained 814 from the database 812 , which is analogous to the pre - computed values 623 in fig6 . then the direct values ( e . g , matrix d ) are updated 816 if necessary for the object , and the related projecting and interpolating values ( e . g , matrices p , i ) are calculated . in the case where a pdk object is not available from the pre - characterized database 812 , a solid model can be specified 820 , a mesh generated 822 , and direct values , projection values , and interpolation values determined 824 ( e . g , matrices d , p , and i ), which is analogous to equivalent operations 636 , 638 , 640 in fig6 . then , when the model is complete , the model can be used to determine voltage - current relationships , preferably by invoking a matrix - free iterative solver 826 . finally the s - parameters or y - parameters can be obtained 828 . fig9 shows a library architecture related to the embodiment of fig8 ( e . g ., for specifying elements of the pre - characterized database 812 ). two library elements are shown : a fixed ( e . g ., nonparametric ) pdk element 904 and a parameterized pdk element 905 . the fixed pdk element 904 includes data fields for symbol 906 , schematic 908 , layout 910 and compact model 912 , all of which represent conventional pdk characteristics . additionally the element 904 contains data fields labeled solver 914 with entries for mesh - values 916 and direct values ( e . g ., matrix d ) 916 , where these entries are indexed by their accuracy ( e . g ., high 920 , medium 922 and low 924 ) so that , for a given accuracy , corresponding values for mesh 916 and direct values 918 can be can be extracted for the ic model . similarly the parameterized pdk element 905 ( parameterized here by p 1 , . . . p n ) includes data fields for conventional features including symbol 920 , schematic 922 , layout 924 and compact model 926 . additionally the element 905 contains data fields labeled solver 928 with entries for mesh - values 930 and direct values ( e . g ., matrix d ) 932 , where these entries are indexed as different variants 934 ( e . g , variant 1 , variant 2 , etc .) of the parametric values , where these variants may relate to accuracy ( as in the solver fields 914 for the fixed element 904 ) as well as other ic design characteristics ( e . g ., geometrical scale factors , frequency dependencies , etc .). additional embodiments relate to an apparatus for carrying out any one of the above - described methods , where the apparatus may include a computer for executing instructions related to the method . in this context the computer may be a general - purpose computer including , for example , a processor , memory , storage , and input / output devices ( e . g ., monitor , keyboard , disk drive , internet connection , etc .). however , the computer may include specialized circuitry or other hardware for carrying out some or all aspects of the method . in some operational settings , the apparatus may be configured as a system that includes one or more units , each of which is configured to carry out some aspects of the method either in software , in hardware or in some combination thereof . additional embodiments also relate to a computer - readable medium that stores ( e . g ., tangibly embodies ) a computer program for carrying out any one of the above - described methods by means of a computer . the computer program may be written , for example , in a general - purpose programming language ( e . g ., c , c ++) or some specialized application - specific language . the computer program may be stored as an encoded file in some useful format ( e . g ., binary , ascii ). although only certain exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention . for example , aspects of embodiments disclosed above can be combined in other combinations to form additional embodiments . accordingly , all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention .	6
with the aim of achieving the objectives and avoiding the drawbacks mentioned in the previous sections , the invention discloses a grill for cooking characterized in that it comprises in principle a lower base with support legs and an upper grating constituting the actual grill which is attached to the base via its center , with the important characteristic of being adjustable in height so that the heat of the embers on the product to be cooked can be intensified or reduced , simply by moving the upper grating further away or closer by positioning it in different horizontal planes . it can be emphasized that this system permits the food to be moved to a zone of less heat without any need to touch it directly , in order to prevent it from becoming overcooked and in the same way to maintain an optimum temperature until it is eaten . the means of attachment and regulation in height of the upper grating consist of a threaded rod which projects perpendicularly from the center of the grating while at the same time this rod is coupled to a threaded hole also located in the center of the lower base , though , instead of a threaded rod , a smooth , pneumatic or hydraulic rod can also be used , which rod alters the height of the upper grating in relation to the lower grating or base . said rod is linked to the upper grating by means of a horizontal bearing permitting the upper grating to turn in both directions . in order to be able to turn the grating comfortably , and thereby vary its distance with respect to the embers and the lower base , provision has been made for some devices by means of radial handles provided around the edge of the grating , in the manner of a horizontal helm . the grating and the base of the grill present an essentially circular configuration , though their shape could be any other : square , hexagonal , octagonal , etc . moreover , the grill of the invention has been provided with certain accessories , one of them consisting of an additional upper disc that can be attached to the rest of the grill by means of a central bar and which permits food to be kept hot while the cooking is continued on the grating ; this additional upper disc having a diameter less than or equal to that of the said grating . another of these accessories consists of a hood which facilitates the extraction of smoke and prevents particles in the air from falling onto the food . the grill of the invention furthermore comprises an accessory consisting of a lateral screen running from part of the perimeter of the lower base as far as ground , being situated in a zone where the air reaches from the outside , thereby protecting the cook from the heat . the circular configuration of the grill substantially facilitates its maneuverability , and it can be handled by just one person , both during its use when some product is being cooked and for loading it into a vehicle or for transporting it , in this case with the base and the grating being arranged separately in vertical planes so that both elements can be rolled comfortably with a minimum effort . it is easy to dismantle . it takes up very little space . it is very pleasant to look at . it is easy to clean owing to its easy mobility and dismantling . thanks to the coupling between the two essential parts of the grill , the grating will be arranged by rotating it in the appropriate direction or by mechanically raising or lowering it in a higher plane in order to leave enough space for being able to add more coal or wood when required . a semicircular zone with heat can be prepared and another without heat so that the most cooked foods can be placed in the zone without heat in order to prevent these foods from becoming overcooked such that they cannot afterwards be eaten . this is the most usual way of using it , without detriment to being able to use it wholly or partially charged with fuel according to the user &# 39 ; s needs . another characteristic of the invention relates to a plate with a flat surface that can be provided on the grating and which is used , for example , for cutting and preparing the food . another plate can also be incorporated with a structure of a grating that is thicker than the rest of the main grating so that smaller items of foods can be arranged on it in the manner of a griddle . the grating can also rest on small stones or wedges . below , in order to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive specification and forming an integral part thereof , some figures are attached in which the object of the invention has been represented by way of 30 illustration and non - limiting . fig1 .— shows a view in exploded perspective of the grill for cooking , forming the object of the invention . fig2 .— shows a view in elevation of the grill of the invention . fig3 .— represents a view in exploded perspective of the grill of the invention referred to in the previous figures but showing some accessories which can be coupled thereto . considering the numbering adopted in the figures , the grill for cooking is defined starting from a lower base 1 with support legs 2 on the ground which are adjustable in height and an upper grating 3 which includes a threaded rod 4 in its center for facilitating its coupling in a central hole 5 of the base 1 , in such a way that the grating 3 will be able to be made to turn in one direction or the other in order to vary its height in the case of a threaded rod , these turns not being necessary since this system rises or descends by means of mechanical action , and thereby bring it closer to or further away from the embers located on the ground beneath the lower base 1 , thus obtaining greater or lesser heat for the products to be cooked that are borne on the grating 3 . the rotation of the grating 3 will be carried out by means of some radial handles 6 projecting from the edge of said grating 3 . both the lower base 1 and the grating 3 possess a configuration that is circular , hexagonal , octagonal , etc ., which facilitates their handling both during their use and when they are being assembled and dismantled , and also while they are being handled for transportation , in such a way that in this case the grating 3 and the lower base 1 will be arranged separately in vertical planes and their movement will be done with the minimum effort by carrying out turns on the grill and base by means of a bearing . the lower base 1 includes radial arms 7 which project from a central body 8 where the threaded hole 5 is located and end in an outer circumferential ring 9 . the base is furthermore reinforced by means of two polygonal configurations 10 which are attached to the radial arms 7 . the support legs 2 project from the zone where the radial arms 7 meet the sections of the outermost polygonal configuration 10 . the grating 3 includes a central body 11 from where some radial arms 12 project which are attached via their ends to an outer circumferential ring 13 , there existing other concentric rings 14 of smaller diameter which are also attached to the radial arms 12 . the threaded rod 4 projects from the central body 11 of the grating 3 . provision has furthermore been made for at least one flat piece in the form of a circular sector 15 for being coupled on the grating 3 with application as use . for cutting food . another possibility is the incorporation of other pieces in the form of a circular sector 15 ′ like a small and thicker grating for arranging smaller products than those that rest on the grating 3 . moreover , there is also the possibility of the threaded rod being integral with the lower base , with which the complementary threaded hole would then be located in the central body of the grating . in the present embodiment of the invention , the grill has some accessories , one of which consists of an additional upper disc 16 that can be attached to the rest of the grill by means of a central bar 17 and which permits food to be kept hot while the cooking is continued on the grating 3 , as shown in fig3 . this upper disc 16 has a diameter less than or equal to that of the said grating 3 . provision has also been made for another accessory consisting of a hood 18 which facilitates the extraction of smoke and prevents particles in the air from falling onto the food , this hood 18 being shown in fig3 . a further accessory has moreover been provided , also shown in fig3 , consisting of a lateral screen 19 running from part of the perimeter of the lower base 1 as far as ground , being situated in a zone where the air reaches from the outside , thereby permitting the cook to be protected from the heat .	0
the entire disclosure of u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 466 , 934 filed jun . 6 , 1995 is expressly incorporated by reference herein . turning now to fig3 the endovascular measuring apparatus 100 of the invention broadly includes a hollow plunger 102 , a wire stent 104 , a hollow sheath 106 , and a hollow inner catheter 108 attached to a hub 109 . the plunger 102 has a proximal end 110 with a first locking hemostasis valve 112 and a distal end 116 which is affixed to the proximal end 118 of the stent 104 . the hemostasis valve 112 includes an o - ring 113 , and a locking cap 114 . the lumen ( not shown ) of the hollow plunger 102 is dimensioned such that it can slide freely over the body of the hollow inner catheter 108 . the hollow inner catheter 108 serves as a guide for a guidewire 144 and as a tether to hold a soft flexible hollow dilator tip 148 in place at the distal end 146 of the catheter 108 . the tip 148 can be adjusted relative to the distal end 116 of the plunger 102 by sliding the inner catheter 108 within the plunger 102 . once the tip 148 is adjusted to accommodate the compressed stent 104 , the inner catheter 108 is locked into place by tightening the cap 114 onto a threaded portion 117 of the first locking hemostasis valve 112 . the cap 114 is effectively a locking mechanism which compresses the o - ring 113 , thereby fixing or locking the plunger 102 relative to the inner catheter 108 and the tip 148 . the body 120 of the plunger 102 contains a calibrated scale 122 having , e . g ., fifty major divisions 124 spaced at calibrated intervals . the scale 122 is calibrated to adjust for the longitudinal length contraction and diameter expansion experienced by the particular stent 104 when being decompressed ; i . e ., the ratio of the length of the stent when in the sheath to the length of the stent when uncompressed . the proximal end 118 of the wire stent 104 is affixed to the distal end 116 of the plunger 102 by any desirable means such as by heat fusing , insert molding , or gluing with epoxy . the body 128 of the wire stent 104 when uncompressed has a diameter larger than that of the plunger 102 and of the sheath 106 . the distal end 130 of the sheath 106 is open , and the sheath 106 has a diameter slightly larger than that of the body 122 of the plunger 102 so as to be translatable along the plunger body . the sheath 106 is further translatable over the stent 104 due to flexible and deformable characteristics of the stent 104 . it will be appreciated that when the sheath 106 is positioned over the wire stent 104 , the stent 104 contracts and elongates in a manner similar to that discussed in the background of the invention and shown at 132 . the proximal end 131 of the sheath 106 is attached to a second hemostasis valve 133 which is preferably provided with external threads 135 . a second threaded cap 138 containing a second compressible o - ring 140 is screwed onto the proximal end of a second locking hemostasis valve 133 . the second threaded cap 138 mates with the threads 135 of the second locking valve 133 to reversibly fasten the sheath 106 to the plunger 102 . the o - ring is used both to prevent inadvertent slippage of the sheath 106 relative to the plunger 102 by acting as a friction - locking mechanism , and to serve as a hemostasis valve during interventional surgical procedures . by pulling the first locking valve 112 away from the second locking valve 133 ( or pushing the sheath 106 relative to the plunger 102 ), the wire stent 104 can be pulled into the sheath 106 and compressed . conversely , by pushing the first locking valve 112 toward the second locking valve 133 ( or pulling the sheath 106 relative to the plunger 102 ), the distal end 126 of the wire stent 104 can be released and will expand towards its relaxed uncompressed configuration until ( and if ) constrained by the blood vessel in which it is being deployed . it will be appreciated that the second locking valve 133 can be positioned and will lock anywhere along the body 120 of the plunger 102 , thus providing the user with a means to control the length of stent 104 to be deployed . by reading the scale 122 at the location of the proximal - most end 142 of the second locking valve 133 , the length of stent required for deployment within the body cavity 202 at any given time can be determined . in particular , since the scale 122 is preferably calibrated to the ratio of the length of the stent 104 when compressed in the sheath 106 to the length of the stent 104 in its uncompressed state , the reading provided on the calibrated scale will inform the practitioner as to the length of uncompressed stent required to bridge any cavity in any path , regardless of the state that the stent will assume when deployed in the cavity . still referring to fig3 it is noted that both the first and second locking hemostasis valves 112 , 133 are preferably provided with flushing lines 115 , 137 . the lines 116 and 137 permit the spaces between the concentric hollow sheath 106 , hollow catheter 108 , and hollow plunger 102 to be flushed with heparinized saline during the insertion procedure . it is also seen that the hollow catheter 108 extends from the proximal hub 109 past the open distal end 126 of the stent 104 . the catheter 108 has an interior lumen ( not shown ) dimensioned for following a guide wire 144 into the body cavity 202 ( see fig4 ) of a patient . the distal end 146 of the catheter 108 is coupled to the hollow dilator tip 148 . the hollow catheter 108 and dilator tip 148 are capable of transporting a radiopaque contrast medium ( not shown ) used for fluoroscopic viewing . the plunger 102 and the sheath 106 of the apparatus 100 can be made from any durable biocompatible material such as nylon , polyurethane , teflon ®, polyester , pvc , polyethylene , polypropylene , etc ., or various combinations of the above , with or without radiopaque fillers such as barium sulfate or bismuth subcarbonate . the dilator tip 148 can be formed of the same materials as the plunger 102 and sheath 106 , but is preferably formed of a softer durometer material such as shore 80 a polyurethane or pebax nylon with a radiopaque filler or a radiopaque marking band . the measuring apparatus 100 of the invention can be made disposable or reusable . the lumen ( not shown ) of the inner catheter 108 or the annular space 150 between the sheath 106 and plunger 102 can be used to inject radiopaque contrast media into the vessel to assist in placement of the apparatus 100 as discussed above . the stent 104 material can be of the same material and of similar geometry as would be used in an evg , or it may be of a more radiopaque material such as tungsten , stainless steel , gold and the like . the apparatus 100 can be used in virtually any cavitous area of the body such as the urethra , esophagus , biliary duct , blood vessels , etc . or in any surgically made duct or shunt such as those made in the liver during transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedures . referring now to fig4 - 7 , the apparatus 100 of the invention is seen with reference to the method of the invention . according to the method of the invention , the measuring apparatus 100 of the invention is initially placed in its fully axially extended position ( see fig4 ), with the sheath 106 covering the entire length of the wire stent 104 which is in turn fully compressed . in this configuration , the second locking valve 133 of the sheath 106 is at its furthest distance from the first locking valve 112 of the plunger 102 , and is aligned with the scale 122 such that the proximal most end 142 of the stop coincides with the “ 0 ” mark 204 on the scale 122 . the tip 148 is adjusted to fit into the sheath 106 by loosening the first locking valve 112 and pulling the inner hollow catheter 108 proximally such that the stepped proximal end 143 of the tip 148 fits into the sheath 106 and the distal end 116 of the plunger 102 abuts the proximal end 118 of the compressed stent 104 . tile distal end 206 of the guide wire 144 is located sufficiently past the body cavity 202 to allow proper placement of the measuring apparatus 100 . when positioning the measuring apparatus 100 , the distal ends of the stent 104 and sheath 106 should typically be located slightly past the distal neck 208 of the body cavity 202 in which the stent 100 is to be deployed ( see fig5 ). this is done to compensate for the tendency of the stent 104 to contract in length when going from its compressed configuration in the sheath 106 to its deployed configuration in the vessel 202 . it should be noted that the flexible hollow dilator tip 148 at the distal end 146 of the catheter 108 is radiopaque . thus , a user may monitor the progress and placement of the measuring apparatus 100 by means of a ti fluoroscope ( not shown ). once the measuring apparatus 100 is properly positioned within the body cavity 202 ( as in fig5 ), the sheath 106 is slowly retracted ( see fig6 ) by first loosening the cap 138 on the second locking valve 133 and then , while holding the plunger 102 stationary , pulling the sheath 106 backwards . as the sheath is retracted , the distal end 126 of the stent 104 is released and expands back towards its uncompressed configuration until it engages the distal neck 208 of the cavity 202 . it will be appreciated that , as the distal end 126 of the stent 104 has an at rest uncompressed diameter greater than the distal neck 208 diameter of the body cavity 202 , the distal end 126 of the stent exerts pressure on the distal neck 208 when it is deployed , causing the distal end 126 of the stent 104 to be locked into place . as mentioned above , the overall length of the stent 104 decreases when it goes from its compressed configuration to its less compressed deployed configuration . it is thus important that the user position the distal end 126 of the stent 104 sufficiently past the distal neck 208 of the body cavity 202 to compensate for this shrinkage . it will be noted , however , that should the practitioner discover after the sheath 106 has been retracted that the distal end 126 of the stent 104 is not positioned far enough into the distal neck 208 of the body cavity 202 , the practitioner need only re - extend the sheath 106 fully over the stent 104 and repeat the above steps of positioning . as indicated by fig7 the sheath 106 is further retracted until the user determines , via fluoroscopy , that the stent 104 is sufficiently deployed so as to bridge the length of the body cavity 202 . as shown in fig7 the length of stent 104 as retractably deployed must be slightly longer than the length of the body cavity 202 . in this manner , the proximal end 718 of the length of retractably deployed stent 104 and the distal end 126 of the stent are positioned respectively within the proximal and distal necks 210 , 208 of the body cavity 202 . once the desired length of stent 104 is retractably deployed , the proximal most end 142 of the second locking valve 133 is used as an indicator on the scale 122 of the plunger 102 . as discussed above , the scale 122 is calibrated such that the indicated number 702 represents the uncompressed length of stent needed to fully bridge the body cavity 202 . in this particular case , the scale 122 indicates 27 mm , signifying that a stent having an at rest , uncompressed length of 27 mm must be used to properly bridge the body cavity 202 which may be , e . g ., 20 mm long . once the measurement is taken , the sheath 106 is re - extended over the stent 104 ( as in fig5 ), thus re - compressing it , and the entire measuring apparatus 100 is withdrawn from the body cavity 202 and the patient . the stent 104 may then be detached from the measuring apparatus 100 by cutting it with , for example , scissors , or a new stent or covered stent ( not shown ) having the same properties and pitch angle as the stent 104 of the measuring apparatus 100 , and having an at rest uncompressed length equal to or proportional to the recorded measurement , may be obtained . in the above example , a 27 mm stent of the same diameter and geometry would thus be obtained . this stent is then inserted into the body cavity 202 for deployment via any known means in the art . as the measurement method of the invention has already determined the proper stent length , the user is only left with the task of properly placing the stent within the body cavity 202 . turning now to fig8 a second embodiment of the apparatus 300 of the invention is seen . in this embodiment , the stent 304 of the measuring apparatus 300 is coated with a microporous or non - porous elastomeric membrane . the apparatus 300 has particular advantageous use where the body cavity 301 has several branching vessels 302 , 303 and a saccular aneurysm 308 . with the measuring apparatus 300 deployed inside the body cavity 301 as shown , the organs and tissues ( not shown ) fed by the branch vessels 302 , 303 can be monitored to determine if they are suffering harmful effects as a result of the blocking of the branch vessels 302 , 303 caused by the non porous stent 304 . for example , if the branch vessels 302 , 303 were to represent arteries which nourish the spinal chord , the lower extremities of the patient can be tested and monitored to determine if blocking of these arteries causes paraplegia in the patient . should such a determination be made , the coated stent can either be cut shorter so as to not block the branch vessels , or the procedure terminated altogether . similarly , when proceeding to bridge an aortic aneurysm , the measuring apparatus can be used with a coated stent to determine whether there is a back flow from , for example , a lumbar artery into the aneurysm , which if not occluded can lead to rupture of the aneurysm . if a back flow is detected , interventional blockage of the lumbar artery with an occlusion device may be required prior to stenting the aorta . in accord with yet another aspect of the invention , a detachable hub and detachable hemostasis valve for use in conjunction with methods for loading and deploying a stent or stent - graft are seen in fig9 and 10 . in particular , a detachable hub 310 for use on the endovascular measuring apparatus 100 of fig3 - 8 ( in lieu of hub 109 ) is seen in fig9 having a cap 312 which screws onto threads 314 , an o - ring 316 , a lumen 317 , and a proximal handle 318 having a luer lock 320 capable of connection to a hemostasis valve or the like . the inner catheter 315 is fed through the lumen 317 of the detachable hub 310 and locked into place by tightening the cap 312 onto the threads 314 , thereby compressing the o - ring 316 . similarly , the detachable hemostasis valve 410 of fig1 is intended to replace the valve lock 112 of fig3 - 8 . the detachable hemostasis valve 410 includes a body portion 412 having proximal threads 414 and distal threads 416 , distal and proximal caps 418 , 420 , a lumen 422 , distal and proximal o - rings 424 , 426 , and a flush port 430 . the inner catheter 108 and plunger 120 pass through the lumen 422 , and when in place , the distal cap 420 can be tightened on the distal threads 416 to compress the distal o - ring 424 and lock the valve onto the plunger 120 . similarly , the proximal cap 418 can be tightened on the proximal threads 414 to compress the proximal o - ring 426 to lock onto the inner catheter 108 . the flush port 430 can be used to enable flushing of the annular space between the plunger 120 and the inner catheter 108 with , e . g ., heparinized saline . with the detachable hub 310 and lock 410 as provided in fig9 and 10 , the method of measuring a desired stent length can be carried out as described above with reference to fig3 - 8 . however , in accord with another aspect of the invention , after the measurement , the provided apparatus can be used for loading and deployment of the measured stent or stent - graft . in particular , after the desired stent length has been measured , the entire measuring apparatus is removed from the body of the patient . preferably , all lumens of the apparatus are then flushed with heparinized saline . the detachable hub 310 ( fig9 ) is then detached an removed , and the detachable lock 410 is detached and removed . with the hub 310 and lock 410 removed , the dilator tip 148 is grabbed an pulled distally , such that the inner catheter 108 is removed completely from the hollow plunger 120 . then , the stent 104 is pulled through and entirely out of the sheath 106 . using a waterproof , sterile , felt - tipped pen or the like , or any other desired mechanism , the stent of stent - graft 104 is marked to the desired length from its distal end 126 ( e , g ., 27 mm from the distal end of the stent ). with the stent marked , the proximal end of the plunger 102 , still connected to the stent 104 , is inserted into the sheath , and through the plunger lock 133 until the proximal end 120 of the plunger sticks out of the distal end of the sheath 106 ; i . e ., the plunger is inserted backwards through the sheath . the proximal end of the plunger sticking out to the distal end of the sheath is then pulled such that the stent or stent - graft 104 is pulled into the sheath and out of the distal end of the sheath to the mark . the stent 104 is then cut at , or just proximal to the marking such that the remaining stent ( with the marking ) with the plunger can be discarded , and the stent in the sheath properly loaded . with the sheath loaded , the introducer system is reassembled by inserting the catheter 108 through the sheath and stent , if desired , by providing a plunger to push out the stent or stent - graft 104 when properly located , and , if desired , by reattaching the hub 310 to the catheter , and the lock 410 to the plunger and catheter . it will be appreciated that the plunger utilized with the loaded sheath can be a new plunger used for deploying the stent 104 , or the remaining portion of the stent utilized in the initial measurements with the excess stent removed from the plunger . the loading and deployment method of the invention as set forth above have numerous advantages . it will be appreciated that since the stent is loaded by pulling the stent with the plunger , there is less opportunity for the stent wires to scrape and perforate the wall of the sheath . in addition , funnels usually required to load the stent are eliminate , and the stent loading operation is simple . further , the stent or stent - graft being utilized is the same unit which was used as the measuring devise , thereby rendering the system less expensive . there have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of a tubular braided stent and a method of manufacturing the stent of the invention . while particular embodiments of the invention have been described , it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto , as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise . thus , while particular stent designs have been disclosed for use with the apparatus of the invention , it will be appreciated that other designs may work as well . for example , while a stent having a homogeneous pitch angle throughout has been disclosed , a stent with a different body and end pitch angle can also be used as disclosed in copending u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 388 , 612 , or continuously varying hyperbaloidal stents can be used . furthermore while a particular mechanism for adjusting and locking the sheath relative to the plunger and a similar method for locking the plunger relative to the inner catheter has been disclosed , it will be understood that other mechanisms or no mechanisms may be used as well . also , while a particular type of scale has been disclosed , it will be recognized that any other suitable scales could be used . for example , although a metric scale has been disclosed , an english system scale or any other measurement system scale could also be used . in addition , although a scale has been disclosed printed along the plunger body , the scale may instead include electronic measuring means coupled to an lcd readout . furthermore , although the scale has been disclosed as having a particular calibration , any other calibration could be used . for example , although the scale has been calibrated to account for the contraction experienced by the stent when in an uncompressed configuration , the scale may be calibrated in any other fashion or may be uncalibrated . when uncalibrated , the practitioner can either conduct the necessary mathematics in order to determine the length of uncompressed stent to use , or can cut a stent in its compressed state in a sheath the same diameter as the sheath of the apparatus . in fact , if desired , no scale or calibration is necessarily required on the plunger , as the plunger can be marked by the practitioner during use , and measured afterwards . although this measuring apparatus has been described for use with a self - expanding stent of the wallsten or didcott configuration , it will be appreciated that the measuring apparatus can be calibrated for use with other devices such as balloon expandable palmaz or gianturco stents and the like . the apparatus may also be used to acquire exact measurements of body cavities for data collection and subsequent use for other procedures such as bypass surgery , electrophysical mapping , endoscopic surgery , etc . moreover , while a particular configuration for the dilator tip has been disclosed , it will be appreciated that other configurations or no dilator tip could be used as well . furthermore , while a particular monitoring means has been described for use with the apparatus , it will be understood that any monitoring means can be similarly used . in particular , while the monitoring means were described to be fluoroscopy , other means such as radioscopy and ct scans may also be used . in addition , while a particular method of measuring the deployment length of a stent in a body cavity using the apparatus of the invention has been disclosed , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that details may be altered without changing the nature of the method . it will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided apparatus and method of the invention without deviating from their spirit and scope as so claimed .	0
the present method , workpiece and system are shown in fig1 - 3 . a superconducting cyclotron facility 21 includes an ion source 23 , a k500 cyclotron 25 , a k1200 cyclotron 27 , an a1900 fragment separator 29 , a momentum compression anl gas catcher 31 , an optional cryogenic gas stopper 33 , a low energy beam line ebit cooler buncher helium jet 35 , an optional linear reaccelerator 37 , and an isotope tagging station 39 . the preceding items are all computer controlled . ion source 23 includes an electron cyclotron resonance (“ ecr ”) source or an electron beam ion source (“ ebis ”), such a using an ion gun employing microwaves in a low pressure gas or thermionic emissions of electrons to ionize the base material in its gaseous state . superconducting cyclotron facility 21 is of the type disclosed in hausmann , m ., et al ., “ design of the advanced rare isotope separator aris at frib ,” nucl . instr . meth . b 317 ( jul . 4 , 2013 ) 349 - 353 ; and “ experimental equipment needs for the facility for rare isotope beams ( frib )— whitepaper ” ( feb . 13 , 2015 ). facility 21 uses projectile fragmentation and induced in - flight fission of heavy - ion primary beams at energies of 100 mev and preferably at least 200 mev / u and at a beam power of at least 1 kw and preferably at least 400 kw , to generate rare isotope beams . more particularly , reaccelerator 37 is a superconducting — rf driver , linear accelerator . fragment separator 29 is preferably a three - stage fragment separator including a first stage vertically bending preseparator followed by two horizontally - bending second and third stages using multiple superferric magnet dipoles and quadruples to focus the beam and / or correct image aberrations . fig1 illustrates the equipment layout of the national superconducting cyclotron laboratory with the proposed location of the isotope tagging station within the accelerator complex , but alternate layouts may be employed . a high value workpiece 51 is an original artwork , such as a painting , print , photograph , sculpture , vase , tapestry , document or the like . alternately , workpiece is an antique , jewelry , watch , vintage automobile component such as an engine block , or other such expensive or one - of - a - kind object that is prone to having forgeries or false reproductions made thereof . in the painting workpiece 51 example used herewith , a substrate 53 is canvas with an aesthetic painted layer 55 on a front surface . if a sculpture , substrate 53 includes the clay or ceramic material . if jewelry or an automobile component , substrate 53 may be a metal structure . first , a visual marker 57 is placed in a small area on a backside of workpiece 51 , such as by printing , painting or any other manner which will last for decades without significant degradation or harm to aesthetic painted layer 55 . marker 57 provides a visual point for the authenticator to begin seeking the isotope tag . one or more metallic masks 59 are temporarily placed against marker 57 . each mask 59 is a lead plate of about 2 - 10 mm thick with one or more holes 61 therethrough . workpiece 51 is then placed in a fixture within isotope tagging station 39 . a hollow and elongated beam pipe 63 is sealed against mask 59 . a beam of heavy ions is generated from source 23 and accelerated to approximately half the speed of light by cyclotrons 25 and 27 . nuclear reactions occur at the beginning of the fragment separator 29 to create the desired isotope . the desired isotope 71 is selected by the fragment separator and then transported for use in a beam pipe or optionally travel through catcher 31 and are slowed down in helium gas stopper 33 . optionally , isotopes 71 are thereafter re - accelerated in linear accelerator 37 to create a precise workpiece - penetration speed . isotopes from the fragment separator or optionally reaccelerated isotopes 71 then travel through pipe 63 and those isotopes aligned with holes 61 in mask 59 , penetrate into and are implanted between 5 mm and 1 micron deep , and more preferably at or between 1 mm and 10 microns inside workpiece 51 relative to the backside surface thereof adjacent pipe 63 . multiple masks 59 with different hole quantities or patterns ( as shown in fig3 ) may be employed to provide unique or customized identifiers . moreover , different combinations of rare isotopes 71 may be implanted through a single or different combinations of mask holes 61 to provide unique or customized identifiers . in the example shown in fig3 , at least four and more preferably sixteen different isotope locations are provided for a single workpiece . the identifier may be published in a reference guide for each original workpiece . since a rare isotope is chosen that can only be implanted in expensive accelerator facilities ( i . e ., & gt ;$ 500 million ( 2015 usd )), the present approach is too expensive and technically difficult for a forger . however , the present approach is feasible for a physicist with legitimate access to such a system . the authenticator uses a gamma ray detector 73 with kev energy resolution or the like to identify the type of isotope and position of the isotope in a nondestructive manner , to assist in authentication ( which includes identification ) of the workpiece . referring to fig4 a - 4f , desired rare isotopes are those that are accelerated with an energy of at least 100 a - mev and with a beam power of at least 1 kw . furthermore , the desired rare isotopes have a half - life decay rate of at least three months , have a measurable and precise alpha or gamma decay emission ( but not a beta decay emission ), and have a unique and repeatable isotope signature which cannot be imitated by other isotopes . nonlimiting exemplary desired isotopes include 64 148 gd , 76 194 os , 26 60 fe , 50 126 sn , 88 228 ra , 82 210 pb , and the like . other such rare isotopes may be employed beyond those specifically identified . however , 14 32 si , for example , is not desired since it is a pure beta emitter which makes it difficult to identify the specific isotope due to a lack of unique energies . while various embodiments have been disclosed , other embodiments may fall within the scope of the present invention . for example , the mask can have alternate external and / or hole shapes , such as elongated slots of straight or curved shapes . additional or alternate accelerator , separator , catcher , stopper and jet equipment may be used as long as the facility is not commonly available and can produce rare isotopes accelerated with the above - specified energies and beam powers ; such alternate equipment may lead to difference rates of isotope production as compared to fig4 b - 4f discussed hereinabove . additional modifications can be made which fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention .	6

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.